10 overused cliches in Anime

[Meiaminkbell]

Unfotunately, in the States we are still plagued constantly by, pardon the word, "soccer moms" and other fundamentalist/fanatic rights groups who believe sex, ESPECIALLY sex before marriage, is an abhoration to life, nature, and even God.

Of course, our media still broadcasts sex and uses sexual conduct as a marketing means, but I find that the majority of such uses is in VERY poor content and just made for sex purposes. Not unlike anime of course, with its fanservice and panty/cleavage shots, but I generally disapprove of most of Hollywood's marketing techniques. Example: In the recent Ghost Rider movie, I found it to be quite enjoyable when I didn't have Eva Menendez's its and chest shoved in my face for a good 50% of the movie.

I apologize if I came off as ignorant about the cousins marrying issue. I find it a little weird because, wll, that's how I was raised. Branch the family tree. Ever since watching anime I've become accustomed to the useage of cousin-love, and even step-sibling relationships, although I'm on slightly poorer terms with that for my own selfish reasons. >.< I don't have a problem with it in the least, anime or real life, I just find it a little weird and at times awkward.

[devildog23]

Well they use the "guy and cute girl around the same age suddenly living together" often, when in real life there is probably like a 1% chance of this actually happening.

Also something I noticed, in mostly every anime, almost EVERY character is slim but there is NEVER a fat girl/boy, well sometimes theres a fat boy, but out the anime I've seen, I've probably seen a total of 2 fat chicks(or maybe there aren't that many obese people in Japan?) . Don't ask me how I figured this out or why I observed that specifically.

[cicido]

not sure if it is a repost since too lazy to check <--- lazy buns hole
1. YTF is the world always in some kids's hands!? I mean, if you think 15 and 16 are small, go watch digimon or something.
2. I used to dream about going to tokyo but nope, not any more. It get destroyed like 15 times everyday and really smart murderers with sad storys hang around there too. what's with the security there!
3.If you are a looser dude, you will one day eventually live with 20 hot girls or something like that and all of the hot girls will fall in love with you, and without realizing how much of a lucky bastard you are, you will always choose the heroine or usually the girl-next-door. can't anybody choose the cool ones for god's sake?!
4 most of the heroes in shonen mangas all lost their mother, no wonder they're all that bad with woman.

all for now, will try to think of something else later

[Spectacular_Insanity]

If I have to see one more giant robot pilot.... (Gundam Wing & all permutations thereof, Godannar, Full Metal Panic, Robotech, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Patlabor, Code Geass, Eureka 7, Zone of the Enders, Escaflowne, Fafner, RahXephon, Blue Gender, Macross, etc, etc, etc... and on and on and on and on....) <--- I mean, c'mon, seriously!

Magical girls. Too many of those Bishoujo romantic comedies. (The girls from Maburaho, Zero no Tsukaima, just to name a few)
This applies to super-girlfriends, who are special in some way but pursued. (Lucy from Elfen Lied, Kurumi from Steel Angel Kurumi, mahoro from mahoromatic) I of course have to mention Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan as part of the magical girl genre. Lol.

Quiet girls that can't speak their minds (i.e. Hinata Hyuuga from Naruto)

Assholes that that nevertheless have a fan base. (i.e. Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha from Naruto)

The loser with a harem, or closest thing to it like a bunch of girls in love with him. (i.e. Go from Godannar, Keiichi from Ah! My Goddess, Kaoru from Ai Yori Aoshi, Taro Hanaukyo from Hanaukyo Maid Team La Verite, Shikimori from Maburaho, Green Green ['nuff said], Chitose from Happy Lesson, etc, etc, etc....) (OMG WAY too many to account for...)

Characters who (in my opinion) get in the way of the main chracters' relationship. (i.e. Ms. Shikijo from Mahoromatic)

Characters from fighting scholl genres who are tough guys, but don't actually have what it takes to support their talking big. I don't even need to name any. You know what I mean. Soichiro from Tenjho Tenge might be a good example.

Fate of the world/universe dependent on prepubescent/angsty punks. So our lives depend on 14-year-olds using state-of-the-art equipment? We're screwed... (i.e. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei from Neon Genesis Evangelion; Everyone from Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed Destiny)

That's all I can think of, at any rate.

[Chiibi]

.........there are two things in anime/manga cliches that I absolutely cannot STAND:

1. When a girl's mother dies so she becomes a complete daddy's girl. I HATE THIS CLICHE SO EFFING MUCH asdlkfjaelijfj I mean, I'M also a daddy's girl too but can't a character be a daddy's girl without her mom being dead!? It's annoying, it's sad, it's used TOO MUCH and it's sickenly Disney-esque. Look at them all!!

Kinomoto Sakura
Toudaiji Mayura
Awayuki Himeno
Fazzy (from Risky Safety)
Mitsuki (PanikkuxPanikku manga)
Hino Rei (though a bitch like her rather deserves it lol)
The Tendo girls from Ranma 1/2
Haruhi (Host Club)
The heroine of Sakura Diaries (I don't remember her name)

I know there's a lot more.

...but come to think of it the LKMS (Let's Kill Mom Syndrome) affects many boys as well.
I just found out today that Konata doesn't have a mother either so...thanks soooo much for making me emo, LUCKY STAR!!

2. HAIRCUTS. I HATE HAIRCUTS!! Why do it!? It always looks like complete and utter sh*t. Host Club Haruhi,Suzumiya Haruhi and Inaho (Mosquiton) are the only characters out of 9879479584759 that look wonderful with short hair. That is it. No one else's haircut has ever looked nice except Nuriko from FY maybe (since it made him look more like a bishounen than a bishoujo.

But yeah, those are my two anime cliche pet peeves and I'm sure the ranting scared you off a bit.

Oh yes...tsundere cousin incest is also a big NO-NO in my book...especially if she is bitchy, whiny, clingy, ugly, and extremely annoying.

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Spectacular_Insanity

If I have to see one more giant robot pilot.... (Gundam Wing & all permutations thereof, Godannar, Full Metal Panic, Robotech, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Patlabor, Code Geass, Eureka 7, Zone of the Enders, Escaflowne, Fafner, RahXephon, Blue Gender, Macross, etc, etc, etc... and on and on and on and on....) <--- I mean, c'mon, seriously!

You're kidding right? Giant mecha is a genre. Not a cliche. It's like saying action shows are cliched because there are a lot of action shows. So what about all the Schwarzeneger, Stallone, Van Dam, and endless hordes of other action movies and shows, huh? What do you want, the ceasing of the giant mecha genre? Not gonna happen, just like any other genre. Live with it. And like it or not, Magical Girls is also a bit of a genre. So suck it in.

There's complaining about things that are natural to complain about, and then making ridiculous complaints. I despise the latter, and the former is just as hateable when people take it too far, which about 95% of the anime community does quite often. Hate for quiet girls because they're "cliched"? Sorry, the "speaks loudly and freely" type, as well as the "average" type, have been done just as much. You're gonna have to live with this one too.

[Chiibi]

Well-said, Shinji.

........magical girls rule.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Did anyone mentioned how when there is a fight one of the guy would actually tell what his technique is about to the other that he is fighting. I know that this is trying to explain to the viewers but still no one in right mind would tell what his technique is about. Also in most super robot shows the enemy would watch the robot combine, Gaogaigar had a way to prevent from enemy to attack while they were combing but other super robot show the enemy would just watch.

[KholdStare]

Biologically speaking, the possible defects outweigh the possible gains, which is why incestuous behavior is selected against.

I don't want to quote the rest of the post because I don't want people who wasn't in this discussion to join it. Anyways, I think that's true also. I just think that it's not as crazy and should not be as hated as people do now.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by hyperlion

Also in most super robot shows the enemy would watch the robot combine, Gaogaigar had a way to prevent from enemy to attack while they were combing but other super robot show the enemy would just watch.

I find this cliche even more annoying in samurai-styled shows. Why is it when the hero is surrounded by a dozen adversaries, they choose to attack him one-on-one? Is this some type of "samurai-honor" thing with an authentic historical basis, or just an easy way to enable the hero to survive the battle?

[4Tran]

I don't think it's either. Instead, I'd attribute it to mangaitis. In a manga, this kind of storytelling isn't as jarring because the relative silliness of a bunch of combatants just standing around isn't as apparent, but in anime, it looks really ugly. I've noticed that this kind of thing is far less common in original anime or anime based on novels.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

You're kidding right? Giant mecha is a genre. Not a cliche. It's like saying action shows are cliched because there are a lot of action shows. So what about all the Schwarzeneger, Stallone, Van Dam, and endless hordes of other action movies and shows, huh? What do you want, the ceasing of the giant mecha genre? Not gonna happen, just like any other genre. Live with it. And like it or not, Magical Girls is also a bit of a genre. So suck it in.

There's complaining about things that are natural to complain about, and then making ridiculous complaints. I despise the latter, and the former is just as hateable when people take it too far, which about 95% of the anime community does quite often. Hate for quiet girls because they're "cliched"? Sorry, the "speaks loudly and freely" type, as well as the "average" type, have been done just as much. You're gonna have to live with this one too.

And yet people still claim there's no anti-mecha bias in the anime community these days.

Originally Posted by Chiibi

HAIRCUTS. I HATE HAIRCUTS!! Why do it!? It always looks like complete and utter sh*t. Host Club Haruhi,Suzumiya Haruhi and Inaho (Mosquiton) are the only characters out of 9879479584759 that look wonderful with short hair. That is it. No one else's haircut has ever looked nice except Nuriko from FY maybe (since it made him look more like a bishounen than a bishoujo.

YEAH! LONG HAIR FOR EVERYONE.....except Haruhi because finding a fault with Haruhi is just....horrible. Always find a way to leave Suzumiya Haruhi out of a broad sweeping criticism/rant kids.

[Echoes]

I actually thought Haruhi looked even better with long hair. As did Mitsuki from KgNE.
With Mitsuki the difference was huge, I loved her with long hair, and found her a lot let attractive with short, while Haruhi looks good regardless, I still prefer the long hair.

Adding another "cliche" I find a little annoying. Whenever someone, especially in a shounen anime, is going to use some sort of special move they'll refer to it as "that attack/move."

Do you mean... "that" attack?!
"That" attack is the only attack that'll work.
But "that" move ... it's too much!

Just call it by its proper name already. :<

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

YEAH! LONG HAIR FOR EVERYONE.....except Haruhi because finding a fault with Haruhi is just....horrible. Always find a way to leave Suzumiya Haruhi out of a broad sweeping criticism/rant kids.

Reread!
The poster counted Fujioka and another character in too.

I do agree that a lot of characters looked terrible after a haircut.
ie: Maya Natsume from Tenjo Tenge. Mitsuki from KGNE.

[aohige]

As a member of Liberal Shortcut Party, the anguish and pain of you Conservative Longhair Party are music to my ears.

[4Tran]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Adding another "cliche" I find a little annoying. Whenever someone, especially in a shounen anime, is going to use some sort of special move they'll refer to it as "that attack/move."

I don't really mind this technique that much, but it's often related to the one where the "attack" is either supposed to kill the character using it, or cause permanent damage, but said character somehow avoids that fate.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by aohige

As a member of Liberal Shortcut Party, the anguish and pain of you Conservative Longhair Party are music to my ears.

Wait, Wait......that's gotta be backwards, I'm a socialist longhair and to my knowledge it's the Conservatives who think all men should have really shortcut hair. Unless we're talking crazy splinter faction parties similar to the likes of the Dixiecrats and Compassionate Conservatives.

@Sheba: I'm making special note of Suzumiya Haruhi's frequent exempt status from critical statements (even though she's a walking cliche in and of herself). It's like she has a stack of Get Ouf Of Jail free cards to use. Anyway isn't she supposed to look better in a ponytail, that's a meme and those have to count for something.

This I guess leads me to my next cliche, which is the character that is exempt from any fault or wrong doing, by convenient plot elements or outright willful blindness on the part of others (Kira Yamato, Suzumiya Haruhi, Rushana from Grenadier, Akito Tenkawa, Heero Yuy, Shinn Asuka, Yuuichi Aizawa, Many another Harem Character).

Also to whoever gave me the neg rep, the guy clearly mentions Fujioka Haruhi AND Suzumiya Haruhi, so either you haven't read what the guy posted or you don't care as it's the glorious Haruhi-Sama or whatever. In which case why not just post about it as it's nothing to get all bent out of shape over and clearly has nothing to do with my status as a user, I mean it's not like I flamed the guy. Not complaining, but make no mistake, the person I quoted said what they said.

[AVPlaya]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I find this cliche even more annoying in samurai-styled shows. Why is it when the hero is surrounded by a dozen adversaries, they choose to attack him one-on-one? Is this some type of "samurai-honor" thing with an authentic historical basis, or just an easy way to enable the hero to survive the battle?

It is an honor thing when you're in a duel; no one else can or will help. But if you're in a battle with thugs? Yeah they'll come at you all at once. One of the key thing they first teach you in kendo is foot-work - as in, run like hell until your back is not facing your opponent. If you're back is exposed, you're as good as dead.

[Xellos-_^]

Have anyone mention this one yet.

A girl and boy meet when they were young. And the boy was really nice to her. The girl remembers and 10 years later she is still in love with him.

I can't even remember the names of most of classmates in High school let alone elementry school.

[Sinestra]

My first one is kind of like Xellos's but. Someone makes a promise when they are young and years down the road they meet again and the one always remembers that promise and one doesnt I MEAN ALWAYS.

If your a hero in anime just start making out your will in episode 1 so when they kill you in the last 2 episodes you wont have to worry about it in the after life. But its ok because you died for a great cause and all other people including the ones less deserving than you LIVE. SIGH who wants to be a hero with a fate like that awaiting 8 times out of 10