"Moe" - Is it important to you?

[SilverSyko]

Whoever's a regular consumer of anime/manga should know what the term means, and lately I've noticed that a lot of people list one of their reasons for being interested in such things is because they feature "moe" characters.

Now what I'd like to know is that when you are determining whether or not to look into a certain manga or anime series, is "moe" characters one of the major factors in your deciding point, and if it is, WHY is it that important to you?

If it isn't, then explain what other factors would be more important for you to make a decicion.



To begin, I'll say that no, moe characters is not something that important to me when making decicions on anime/manga series. While I cannot deny they are indeed cute, it isn't really something that would want to keep me reading/watching it.

I figure factors like a well written, engaging and thrilling plotline as well as unique and likeable characters are more important than such things. Also if something is able to make me laugh then it's instantly good in my book.

In summary, I feel that a work shouldn't be judged from the drawings and visuals we see on the pages/screen, but how we connect with the characters in the story and are able to feel like we are experiencing what they are experiencing. This is a factor that would keep me coming back to a series over and over.

[Ichihara Asako]

I'm largely indifferent. I've liked some "moe series" but also enjoy plenty without moe characters. In fact I'd lean toward disliking it, or at least being fed up with the trend that has overrun much anime the past few years. I want more substance to a story (even if it's just comedy) not pure moefluff that isn't even particularly funny.

eg. Ichigo Mashimaro would be considered moe, but it was an excellent comedy. K-On doesn't have nearly as much humour, and focuses more on the girls just being cute and silly. The lack of substance is disheartening.

[Kyuu]

Gee... with three moe tournaments going on right now, moe is pretty damned important and very SERIOUS BUSINESS!

Originally Posted by SilverSyko

To begin, I'll say that no, moe characters is not something that important to me when making decicions on anime/manga series. While I cannot deny they are indeed cute, it isn't really something that would want to keep me reading/watching it.

True. Apparently, some series has some moe characters doing well in any of the Saimoe tournaments... but... I just couldn't stand watching those series. For example, I never bothered with Lucky Star nor Higurashi. Yet, both have characters that performed well in the tournaments (meaning, they're well liked in favor of other characters).

Bottom line: if a series is fun to watch (like Angel Beats), it's enjoyable.

Originally Posted by Ichihara Asako

K-On doesn't have nearly as much humour, and focuses more on the girls just being cute and silly. The lack of substance is disheartening.

Oddly enough, K-ON gives you that feeling of "ordinary". Y'got these characters doing "ordinary" things on "ordinary" days. No special powers, no nothing. Hell, there isn't even any drama. They're just "ordinary". "Weird" might be a better adjective, but I'll stick to "ordinary". While many other series tends to have some kind of "special story" as a selling point, K-ON doesn't.

[erneiz_hyde]

It depends on the genre itself. Though most seems to think that moe is a genre in itself (and they're not wrong) I prefer to think moe as a feature that may or may not present.

For example, if we bring even an oumph of moe into Detroit Metal City, it will not have the success it has now. Conversely, without enough moe, K-on! will not even enter everyone's top 10 list.

If you ask me if moe is important to me, it is (hell, I'm a self-proclaimed lolicon ). But I also worship Kenshiro, Archer, anyone with enough GARness in them. It's really up to the object itself for me.

[Kyuu]

Oh, something else to mention. If it weren't for the moe-ness of Saki, I'd never have picked up playing Mahjong.

[SilverSyko]

Originally Posted by KyuuA4

True. Apparently, some series has some moe characters doing well in any of the Saimoe tournaments... but... I just couldn't stand watching those series. For example, I never bothered with Lucky Star nor Higurashi. Yet, both have characters that performed well in the tournaments (meaning, they're well liked in favor of other characters).

I find Higurashi's characters actually funny and likeable while being moe at the same time, and it balances it out by making the characters completely psychotic and scary at times too. Basiclly it's not the moe factor I like about them, but rather the personalities of the characters and how they're affected by events throughout the storyline.

Though the main factor I was drawn into Higurashi was the mystery. I was so anxious to find out the answers to all the questions.~


Lucky Star is hard to say for me. Though I didn't watch it for the moe. I guess I watched it just for the sake of saying I have? xD

[Vexx]

"moe" is something the viewer feels. Some characters may be designed to psychologically enhance that feeling... but basically "moe" is the warm feeling any human being should get under some circumstance. Some people get "moe" over mecha, eh?

That said, I don't particularly go looking for what I suspect the OP actually means. I'm more interested in romantic comedies, romances, comedy, stuff designed for young adults or older. It happens that many of the series I enjoy have characters that make one feel "moe"... so it goes. However, the last two comedies I've enjoyed (Working! and Seitokai Yakuindomo) are relatively free of "100% moe" characterizations.

K-On! produces more "moe" as much in terms of creating nostalgia for high school, friends, bonding, first band -- even if they're things that never really happened to the viewer ("nostalgia for things that never were").

The meaning of "moe" has gotten really mistreated by arm-waving western anime fans (much like they don't get that "shonen" doesn't automatically mean hot-blooded 'gar' action).

[SilverSyko]

Originally Posted by Vexx

The meaning of "moe" has gotten really mistreated by arm-waving western anime fans (much like they don't get that "shonen" doesn't automatically mean hot-blooded 'gar' action).

Well I'm sure most of us here aren't Japanese, so for the sake of the topic let's just go with the Western mis-interpretation of the phrase.

[jorez]

Nope, good fanservice is.

[Marcus H.]

If it (the series) is expected to bring out moe vibes and it does, then yes. It is important. Honestly, if K-ON doesn't give out massive moe vibes, then it's a big fail for the series.

On the other hand, when it's supposed to be gritty and serious, the existence of moe can depend on how it would affect that situation. Good series would meld the moe with the situation and not make it forced like in Bakemonogatari, but it's quite a rarity, especially when people's judgments of moe differ from person to person. Bad ones like in Seikon no Qwaser (the anime series, BTW) stick out like a sore thumb and wouldn't really play an important role in the plot (in this case, doesn't exist in the original).

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by SilverSyko

Whoever's a regular consumer of anime/manga should know what the term means, and lately I've noticed that a lot of people list one of their reasons for being interested in such things is because they feature "moe" characters.

Now what I'd like to know is that when you are determining whether or not to look into a certain manga or anime series, is "moe" characters one of the major factors in your deciding point, and if it is, WHY is it that important to you?

If it isn't, then explain what other factors would be more important for you to make a decicion.



To begin, I'll say that no, moe characters is not something that important to me when making decicions on anime/manga series. While I cannot deny they are indeed cute, it isn't really something that would want to keep me reading/watching it.

I figure factors like a well written, engaging and thrilling plotline as well as unique and likeable characters are more important than such things. Also if something is able to make me laugh then it's instantly good in my book.

In summary, I feel that a work shouldn't be judged from the drawings and visuals we see on the pages/screen, but how we connect with the characters in the story and are able to feel like we are experiencing what they are experiencing. This is a factor that would keep me coming back to a series over and over.

Originally Posted by Vexx

"moe" is something the viewer feels. Some characters may be designed to psychologically enhance that feeling... but basically "moe" is the warm feeling any human being should get under some circumstance. Some people get "moe" over mecha, eh?

Originally Posted by SilverSyko

Well I'm sure most of us here aren't Japanese, so for the sake of the topic let's just go with the Western mis-interpretation of the phrase.

I'd actually say it's prudent to consider the Japanese definition here, since the Japanese domestic market is where "moe" has been most successful.

For me personally, the success of moe makes a lot more sense when you conceptualize it as a feeling rather than just a cute art style. I suspect moe fans are looking for anime that's less about cool factor and more about emotional experiences. Which brings me back to another of Vexx's statements...

Originally Posted by Vexx

K-On! produces more "moe" as much in terms of creating nostalgia for high school, friends, bonding, first band -- even if they're things that never really happened to the viewer ("nostalgia for things that never were").

I think Vexx has actually caught on to a key element of Kyoto Animation's success that most western fans miss. The "cute" factor is important, yes, but Kyoto makes a heck of a lot of other emotional appeals to the viewer in their work: some of the most detailed scenes in K-On are more concerned with scenery than cute girls, and the same is true of many of the Key/Kyoto collaborations. That probably helps explain why Kyoto's sales beat the stuffing out of a lot of the "generic cute" stuff out there, actually.

(Note: I'm not trying to say that moe is "broad based emotional appeal" here. While I agree with Vexx that moe is an emotion, I almost always think of it in terms of an emotion generated by a cute girl (very occassionally I think of guys as moe too, as with EF's Renji). I'm just saying that if you look at many of the most successful moe franchises - Kyoto's in particular - you find many other emotional appeals along with the moe, and I think that's important to their success.)

Now this being said... while I enjoy shows like K-On!, I do personally feel that it and shows like it tend to overemphasize emotional appeals. I prefer it when the writers use moe to generate an emotional connection and then use that to draw me into a dramatic plotline. Anime such as EF, Nanoha, Sola, Ga-rei Zero, and many others do this, and many such shows appear on my favourites list. Unforunately for me, shows that employ moe in this capacity seem to be losing out to the more straight up "emotions over plot" style (K-On! is probably the most famous offender, although I'd actually say Key's work can also be accused of this).

BTW, you may notice that I said earlier that I see moe shows as being "less about cool factor and more about emotional experiences". While there are legitimate complaints that can be leveled against moe, I personally feel a lot of the flak the concept gets comes from fans of "cooler" shows who are afraid that moe is going to tarnish their hobbies' "cool" factor.

[Archon_Wing]

I don't really care. Though there is quite a bit of it in my favorites.

[Echoes]

The mere presence of moe usually won't keep me interested in a show; there has to be actual quality as well. However, I do enjoy cute girls doing cute things, and moe character designs might impress me to at least give something a chance that I perhaps wouldn't have otherwise. While there may be an over-saturation of moe on the market, I find myself enjoying most of the shows that some people complain are too moe-centric greatly. (E.g. K-On)

[klare]

moe is not important in my decision on choosing shows but i do not reject it either

i remember the goddess Haruhi explained to Kyon that moe is "turn ons" so i think moe is different for every individual

[Midonin]

Originally Posted by SilverSyko

so for the sake of the topic let's just go with the Western mis-interpretation of the phrase.

If something's a misinterpretation and you know it is, why would you willingly go with it?

[Kotohono]

Given I believe the other meaning of moe like 0utf0xZer0 or Vexx explained, no I don't watch a show for moe, as there isn't anyways for me to judge a series or character as 'moe' before watching a series, so I can only decide if a character is moe after seeing the character's personality, appearance, actions, and if the evoke that feeling out of me. But I do tend to rate shows where I find someone moe a bit better sometimes .

Though on the other hand if you asked had if cute character designs had any effect on the shows I watch then yes there would be to some degree, but it is by no means the only factor into which series I want to watch a series, but it doesn't hurt .

[Arbitres]

Moe is good for the eyes, and that is about it for me.

Moe doesn't make epic battles, or advice the storyline in any way whatsoever. I'll take those two over just a bunch of moeblobs.

- story
- visuals / sound
- character development

These the three most important to me. That is about it for me, I hope this wasn't too vague.

[Metropolisforever]

It if has any sort of "moe" content in it, I avoid it like the plague.

Simple enough.

Otaku-baiting moe garbage makes me vomit blood and hate.

[Eternal_Sin]

hmmm...not really...my taste between light and dark, comedy and seriousness...too much MOE isn't good for my health

[Metropolisforever]

"Moe" is killing anime. It's a great example of why entertainment should never cater to its own fans. THE FANS DO NOT KNOW BEST.

Moe is like a plague or a cancer.