Worst anime cliches

[uc pseudonym]

One that hasn't been mentioned yet: a narrow worldview. There are too many anime or manga with only one culture, one ethnicity, one language, and a world that can be crossed on foot in a matter of weeks. It would really be nice to see more authors (thank you, Naoki Urasawa) who realize that Japan is actually a small island as opposed to the center of everything that has ever happened.

That's not actually a cliché, but it's a common element I'm tired of seeing.

I don't want the bad guy to win in the end. I'm just tired of the spontaneous power-ups or recharges and the hero being unbeatable. I'd rather see the hero, in their damaged state, find a way to win anyway or escape and recover, formulating a strategy to win the next time. It makes it easier to relate to them.

You should give Hunter x Hunter a try; no gimmicky victories as of yet. It's not brilliant literature, or the greatest manga around, but it does have a refreshing "real world" feel in a fantasy setting.

[Raiden no Kishi]

[quote="uc pseudonym (post: 1267565)"]You should give Hunter x Hunter a try]

I have, actually. I forgot I had started the series; I should get back to reading it. Thanks for the reminder.

.rai//

[teigeki_calesa]

The guy gets mistreated to questionable extents in harem anime. Girl power is one thing, but there are times where I draw the line *Love Hina, Rune Soldier, I'm looking at you!*. It sucks that the wimps can't fight back just because "they're girls"!

And another: "everybody is wrong". This has been done in Gundam(this is why I never liked the franchise: save for G, ZZ and Seed), and it's not only disheartening to see the same all over again; it's annoying. What's the point of writing a story if I can't root for anyone in it? But again, maybe that's just my personal preference/tastes at work here, I dunno.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

'oh hehehehehe i have size DOUBLE G BOOBS but i'm so cute and innocent! oh i have boobs? oh my! let me go and bend over and pick up this stick and act like i have no idea what i'm doing and how this effects others."

Just so you know, this had me screaming laughing for the better part of 10 minutes.

"Did anyone complain about Darkwing Duck saying "I am the terror that flaps in the night!" every time he fought a bad guy?"

Don't hate on Darkwing Duck! I love that opening monologue!

Anyway, that being said, there are a couple anime cliche's that really drive me up the wall:

1. The whole "Summon up courage to tell the person I care about how I really feel" thing is really getting old. Granted, in real life, it's not quite that simple, and also without this particular plot twist, many anime will be cut down severly episode wise, but still...just say it and get it over with!

::Glares at Hinata Hyuga from "Naruto" and Midori Kasugano from "Midori Days with contempt::

2. The Reluctant Superhero cliche is really annoying. I hate the fact that for at least 1/2 the series, we have to hear the lead character whine and complain about how he doesn't want "the powers" and how he/she "just wants to be a normal kid". Umm, newsflash: YOU ARE NOT NORMAL! Then, somewhere along the line, the "hero" has a moment where they run away like a ninny only to be brought back into the action by a special friend who gives this big speech about how you're "the only one who can save us all".

::glares at Daisuke Niwa/Dark Mousey from "D.N.Angel" Shinji Ikari from "Neon Genesis Evangelion" with contempt::

[minakichan]

One that hasn't been mentioned yet: a narrow worldview. There are too many anime or manga with only one culture, one ethnicity, one language, and a world that can be crossed on foot in a matter of weeks. It would really be nice to see more authors (thank you, Naoki Urasawa) who realize that Japan is actually a small island as opposed to the center of everything that has ever happened.

That's not actually a cliché, but it's a common element I'm tired of seeing.

How terrible is it that the first example I could think of that defies this 'element' is Digimon Adventure 02.

[rocklobster]

Just so you know, this had me screaming laughing for the better part of 10 minutes.



Don't hate on Darkwing Duck! I love that opening monologue!

Anyway, that being said, there are a couple anime cliche's that really drive me up the wall:

1. The whole "Summon up courage to tell the person I care about how I really feel" thing is really getting old. Granted, in real life, it's not quite that simple, and also without this particular plot twist, many anime will be cut down severly episode wise, but still...just say it and get it over with!

::Glares at Hinata Hyuga from "Naruto" and Midori Kasugano from "Midori Days with contempt::

2. The Reluctant Superhero cliche is really annoying. I hate the fact that for at least 1/2 the series, we have to hear the lead character whine and complain about how he doesn't want "the powers" and how he/she "just wants to be a normal kid". Umm, newsflash: YOU ARE NOT NORMAL! Then, somewhere along the line, the "hero" has a moment where they run away like a ninny only to be brought back into the action by a special friend who gives this big speech about how you're "the only one who can save us all".

::glares at Daisuke Niwa/Dark Mousey from "D.N.Angel" Shinji Ikari from "Neon Genesis Evangelion" with contempt::

[shinji] "I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away"[/shinji]:grin:

[GeneD]

2. The Reluctant Superhero cliche is really annoying. I hate the fact that for at least 1/2 the series, we have to hear the lead character whine and complain about how he doesn't want "the powers" and how he/she "just wants to be a normal kid". Umm, newsflash: YOU ARE NOT NORMAL! Then, somewhere along the line, the "hero" has a moment where they run away like a ninny only to be brought back into the action by a special friend who gives this big speech about how you're "the only one who can save us all".

This is somewhat related and I'm not sure if it really is a cliché, but it really bugs me when the "hero" gains or develops said wonderful powers and they get introduced to some (usually secret) organisation who wants to help them save the world/Japan. Then no one really tells them what is going on because they have to figure it out for themselves and they spend about half the episodes clueless.

I don't know about you, but if I'm relying on someone to save me I want to make sure they know exactly what they're doing. The only good example I can think of right now is Earth Girl Arjuna so I'm not sure if this is a cliché, but it's still annoying.

[rocklobster]

How about the hero who's had no training whatsoever but as soon as he gets inside a mech, it's second nature. That's sooo unrealistic. *glares at Kira Yamato*

[KhakiBlueSocks]

The tendancy for SO many girls in dubbed anime to have IMPOSSIBLY high-pitched voices. Seriously who walks around talking like Orihime all day?

I can think of two people right off the bat: Yuki Matsuoka and Stephanie Sheh. ::rimshot::

Kitchan, it's called "trying too hard". Some english V/A's try too hard to match their Japanese counterparts in tone and pitch and it's either EPIC WIN or EPIC FAIL]

[color=royalblue]Another anime cliche I have is the secretive parents/grandparents in anime. You know the ones--they train their kids/the hero feverishly, never explaining to them what the heck they're training for, and then, when diaster strikes (more often than not on the hero's birthday) THEN they decide to say "Oh yeah, the reason we've been training you so hard is because you need to save the world. Good luck with that." Then it's the "Reluctant Hero" cliche all over again.

::shoots a glare at Emiko, Kosuke and Daiki Niwa (Daisuke's parents and grandfather) from "D.N.Angel" with absolute contempt::

Oh yeah, this is my 2,000th POST!!!! WHOO-HOO!!!!

[Danderson]

1. When a battle is more then 5 episodes long becuase both characters are explaining why they can beat the other guy, or how they learned the power...rather then fight it out...(this is the main reason I stopped watching Naruto after the 13th episode)...

And that's it...so, far...

[ShiroiHikari]

The "reluctant hero" thing can be used to great effect, so it actually doesn't bother me at all if it's well done.

[ADXC]

Ah come on KBS, the only real reason they trained Daisuke is to steal stuff!

[Raiden no Kishi]

Another anime cliche I have is the secretive parents/grandparents in anime. You know the ones--they train their kids/the hero feverishly, never explaining to them what the heck they're training for, and then, when diaster strikes (more often than not on the hero's birthday) THEN they decide to say "Oh yeah, the reason we've been training you so hard is because you need to save the world. Good luck with that." Then it's the "Reluctant Hero" cliche all over again.

::shoots a glare at Emiko, Kosuke and Daiki Niwa (Daisuke's parents and grandfather) from "D.N.Angel" with absolute contempt::

Oh yeah, this is my 2,000th POST!!!! WHOO-HOO!!!!

Um, to be fair, last I checked, Kosuke wasn't really involved much in Daisuke's ridiculous training. That was mostly Emiko and Daiki. Mostly Emiko at that. Because she's crazy. Hilariously crazy. But yes, poor Daisuke, by all means.

(of course, Rai is mostly sticking up for Kosuke because he's Rai's favorite character, but the point stands . . .)

I'm with you on the whole "chosen one" crap, though. Ugh. Not only because of the whining (SHINJI. YOU GET TO PILOT A GIANT PURPLE MECH-THING. BE AT LEAST A LITTLE HAPPY ABOUT IT.), but because of the whole "You're a schmuck in everything, but HEY! You have this RIDICULOUSLY POWERFUL super awesome gift, and now you get to be the Big Dang Hero without working for it!" factor. ARGH.

.rai//

[ShiroiHikari]

Dude, what's with all the Shinji hating? I liked him! He was the only one I could stand, actually. XD (Well, and Misato.)

Somebody mentioned the whole thing where characters never tell each other how they feel: I HATE that! If it's not done properly, it's really irritating.

[Raiden no Kishi]

Dude, what's with all the Shinji hating? I liked him! He was the only one I could stand, actually. XD (Well, and Misato.)

I think half of the people hate Shinji because he doesn't seem to appreciate getting to stomp about in a giant purple mech and kill things. The other half, well, they just wish THEY could be around Rei/Asuka/Misato etc. in his place.

I belong to the former, although I don't strictly hate the character. I just think whining about getting to pilot a giant purple mech is irksome.

.rai//

[Fish and Chips]

Waaaah Shinji.

Mom died in a tragic experiment, dad ignores him for a lifeless doll, surrogate mom bosses him around, and his complacence in mundane reality is shattered for a grim and dangerous future of life and death.

Emo, am I right?

[Tsukuyomi]

Bathouse scene.. There's always one or so of those.. XDD;

[SIZE="1"]*Ducks and Covers* /o_o\[/SIZE]

[Nate]

Somebody mentioned the whole thing where characters never tell each other how they feel: I HATE that!

"You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"

[ShiroiHikari]

Waaaah Shinji.

Mom died in a tragic experiment, dad ignores him for a lifeless doll, surrogate mom bosses him around, and his complacence in mundane reality is shattered for a grim and dangerous future of life and death.

Emo, am I right?

This.

[GeneD]

(Repeated) transformation sequences; it's fine for a few times in the series, but do we really need to see you changing every episode?

Shouting the name of the attack, but I guess this can be seen as the incantation or whatever to activate it. I think most villains would be totally caught off guard if the hero/heroine just shoots off this massive attack without any warning description first.

[Raiden no Kishi]

[quote="GeneD (post: 1268755)"](Repeated) transformation sequences]

I don't care. G Gundam was still the bomb shizzle. And it still is. Besides, the music for Domon's special attack is PURE AWESOME. I like hearing it every episode.

: : goes off to find his fire-engine-red cape and headband and his temporary King of Hearts tattoos : :

.rai//

[Nate]

I thought of another one I dislike. Not revealing plot closure to the audience. What I mean by this is stuff like Saber Marionette J, where when forced to yell out the girl he loves most, Otaru's response is drowned out by a loud noise. Or Evangelion, when Gendo's words are never revealed to the viewer. That's just really annoying. :|

[the_wolfs_howl]

Um...a disappointing ending? Where the plot just seems to sort of disappear for the last couple episodes? I can count on my fingers the number of animes that weren't like that!

Cutesy girls in school uniforms with insanely high-pitched voices That is the most annoying cliche, if you ask me. Especially if they blush all the time.

Guys with insanely huge swords that would be impossible to lift, let alone wield. There's nothing that breaks the suspension of disbelief more than that.

Girls obsessing over the question, "Who do I really like?" Maybe it's just me, but that's the reason I can't stand watching shoujo anime. It just seems so petty and stupid of a thing to be obsessing over, when there are so many more interesting things they could be worrying about.

Heroes getting wounded again and again and again, and being able to fight each time with just a little shaking when they get on their feet again. Okay, sometimes it manages to be heroic (and sometimes it makes sense because they're not human or something), but other times it's just ridiculous. Usually when you get stabbed and gored and peppered with bullets, you're pretty close to death, right? But some of these guys are able to just jump right back up and keep on fighting! The main example that's coming to mind at the moment is Samurai Champloo, which has the two heroes fighting and getting wounded all through the last couple episodes, yet they still manage to fight each other at the end

[Ingemar]

Or Evangelion, when Gendo's words are never revealed to the viewer. That's just really annoying. :|

I just see it as an opportunity to fill in whatever crazy dialogue you feel like.

Remember when I promised to kill you last? I lied.

[Fish and Chips]

I thought of another one I dislike. Not revealing plot closure to the audience. What I mean by this is stuff like Saber Marionette J, where when forced to yell out the girl he loves most, Otaru's response is drowned out by a loud noise. Or Evangelion, when Gendo's words are never revealed to the viewer. That's just really annoying. :|

Actually, there was a recent series repackaging in Japan featuring cast and crew interviews and commentaries on some of the major episodes, including a brief introduction from director Hideaki Anno. This included the film End of Evangelion (originally planned as episodes 25 and 26), and an extensive cast and crew sit in commentary track. It's well known that only director Anno and Dr. Ritsuko Akagi's VA Yuriko Yamaguchi knew what Gendo's fateful lines were, not even Gendo himself knew the full script for them. So at that scene, Gendo's VA (Fumihiko Tachiki) actually asked Anno and Yuriko what he was supposed to have said, to which Anno revealed:[spoiler]"You just lost the game."[/spoiler]Needless to say, this revelation sent waves through the Japanese fan community.

And since I haven't actually posted any clichés in this thread, bishounens. Also Young Characters Who Do Everything in general, but bishounens in particular. No main character in Anime for the last 30 years has been over 18, or at least looked it. Old people are nowhere to be found, or boil down to insignificant. Unless they're the Bad Guy, in which case they can be as old as 25! Maybe even 30!

Where are my grizzled space captains Japan?

My tolerance of bishounens is low. There are very few I can stand, and only one I can really appreciate.

[blkmage]

One I am not fond of is this good old algorithm:

1. "I love you!"
2. "Let me go over here, out of your sight, maybe buy some drinks or something."
3. DISAPPEARS FOREVER...

[That Dude]

The breastfall. Where something happens and the guy ends up with either his hands or his face on some girls breasts.

Also with pretty much every movie, the huge misunderstanding of a small thing that could be explained in less than half a minute if the people didn't decide it was better to hide whatever it was.

[Fish and Chips]

Another thing, characters with Violent Alter-Egos slumbering just beneath the surface of their benign casual exterior. Usually heralded by a distinct change in eye color. I don't mind this one too much, but I'm tired of every assassin/agent who lives an otherwise normal life outside their dangerous hobbies just having a Kill Everything Mode, almost completely separate from their regular innocent self, instead of actual character depth and moral development/degradation.

[Raiden no Kishi]

Another thing, characters with Violent Alter-Egos slumbering just beneath the surface of their benign casual exterior. Usually heralded by a distinct change in eye color. I don't mind this one too much, but I'm tired of every assassin/agent who lives an otherwise normal life outside their dangerous hobbies just having a Kill Everything Mode, almost completely separate from their regular innocent self, instead of actual character depth and moral development/degradation.

Yeah, this one isn't so great. I liked the dynamic as portrayed in Rurouni Kenshin, because I felt they portrayed Kenshin's inner struggle properly. But it can be easy to abuse.

.rai//

[Kung_Fu_Master]

This is somewhat related and I'm not sure if it really is a cliché, but it really bugs me when the "hero" gains or develops said wonderful powers and they get introduced to some (usually secret) organisation who wants to help them save the world/Japan. Then no one really tells them what is going on because they have to figure it out for themselves and they spend about half the episodes clueless.

Darn. there goes my idea.