Anime Cliches

"I'll protect you!" C'mon! I've heard that one a billion times. I don't mean from any real life experience because that would just be awkward. I'm talking anime. Why is this phrase so overused? If the character is so weak, why aren't they simply uninvolved? Why do the weaker characters always try to become stronger to always be eclipsed by the main protagonist? There is really no hope. As much as I live anime, and I do, so many shows have similar premise. That on its own isn't bad, but with the same drama and conflict present, monotony sets in. That old droning that easily bores you over time. It may even set your thinking that certain animes are copying one another. While its true that precursor animes exist, I'm in no particular outset to track down the first tsundere anime or the first "saving the world and getting stronger against all odds" premise. I'm willing to accept all anime with certain exclusions. I point out the parts to myself that scream repetition. It's like another Inuyasha flashback or a "insert character name" power up that requires ten minutes and their adversary that stands there and allows it. This post is more or less my rants on anime I'm watching currently that bring up some cliche so prevalent, it requires notation. I just have to write my frustration down before it causes me to drop a show.

1. Why are there even weak(er) protagonists?
2. Why have them attempt to advance themselves if your focus isn't on settin them equal to the main protagonist, but simply to appease some fan base to keep your anime trending.
3. Gratuitous fan service. You know the type, lol. Doesn't make or break an anime as a whole, but it can make it lose, how you say, brownie points.
4. The spiral. No, as a focus, it was alright. But in general, the never ending aspiration to achieve greater power can be a droning subject. Human-wise, peaks in your potential are often seen. This fact, however, does not translate.

Hotarubi no Mori e

Just something I picked up on MyAnimeList. This was something I barely read the description of but I like surprises. I understood there were elements of romance in it but what I saw was very human like. Not like a normal anime romance where for some reason the characters are glomping each other like rabbits. This was a tasteful anime movie and very short. Only 45 minutes. Short as it was, it was long enough in feel. Who needs a season of anime when you can convey your meaning succinctly. It was a rich and moving experience and if you have a little time to burn or want something new I would suggest this. It's surprising and leaves you with a thought or two.

Fractale

Back to anime. Took long enough. What to say? Fractale.

Fractale was a short one. Even though, I have so many words and emotions to share of it.

Amazing. Heart warming. Bitter. Shocking. Funny. Enlightening. Tearful. Joyful. Amorous. Despair. Fight. Confusing. Technological and archaic.

This little show brought out of me what all good anime does. It shouldn't be ignored. There were some definite things that could have been improved, some rather apparent flaws, and a full up on the short comings. But with a little open mindedness you find yourself feeling the specter. It was at times confusing and always felt a bit rushed, but the story brought you along like it was a movie that shouldn't really have been broken into pieces. In fact, it's my bet that if this were a movie instead, it would be rated much higher. This anime, despite it's shortcomings, was really awe inspiring. Just the way it moved into your brain by introducing certain dialogues or scenarios, shocking you with realities interspersed in this fictional universe. It's almost like you're a baby and someone whips out a book full of colors. You feel like all of your senses are adequately aroused and that your brain functions on a higher level. This anime kinda builds you up. What you actually get out of it is kind of hit or miss. Most people rate it 6/10 on MAL even though you read their critiques and they really enjoyed it. You are just an intelligent anime connoisseur. Don't take it for what t isn't. Just watch it.

Deadman Wonderland

I'm confused and upset. I needed some time to gather my thoughts on the series, and I just haven't been able to get over a few key shortfalls. In summary.

Deadman Wonderland.

Double-you tee eff. Um. It's like Guro and Insanity had a child. I feel like the writers and illustrators had a collaborative goal to injure the viewer or at least make them wince and cringe from time to time. That being said, no, I don't feel like there was any market value loss on this series(besides the obvious). There is obviously a market and buyers for this time of anime/show. However, I don't feel like using tags like adventure and action over guro is acceptable in this case. Pinned as something else altogether, this isn't a typical "fight to survive" anime that you are used to. Kenichi - The Mightiest Disciple is a great example. Also by Funimation, the themes are comparable at times. I would say, that neither is my forte, but Kenichi at least had a feel towards the straying anime fan. You know the type, the Otaku that watches everything. I found myself in Best Buy in the Anime section, and just randomly picked this up as my "contribute back to those who contribute to me" annual spending of actual money on anime(I don't torrent everything for Pete's sake). I have a slight feeling of regret as it comes to this particular show though. I had heard of it before and my friend who had referred it thoroughly enjoyed it(with that note, I kind of question his personal morals now, lol). Anyways. I was upset a lot watching this show. And not the Clannad kind of way. The Clannad way of being upset was using so much of my bodily water reserves to flush my eyes every 4-5 seconds that I actually became dehydrated. No, DMWL made me angry. Angry at the ethics of the environment, angry at people's tempers and emotions, treatments. Sometimes angry for no reason, just because I expected something else horrible to happen. I will say, this anime didn't fail to involve me, which is a bottom liner. If that is there, you have a foundation for a successful anime. I just couldn't get over all the pain and hypocrisy. Needless to say, some people must have had more than the normal amount of blood to pull some of that stuff off. Anyways, point being. I wish I was in a rental situation. The series ended with no explanation. No justice. No happy feeling. It actually ended with just as many questions as it started out with with very little progression of the story issue. I feel like the project must have been scrapped somewhere in production. The OVA didn't even tie into the story in the slightest besides having a single character from the series as it's protagonist. If I was rating it on the production of the entire show, it would land at about 4 out of 10. Missed too many good strong marks to become a coherent piece. Story wise, it was actually well timed throughout with an invigorating plot development which at no time felt over-paced. Which is amazing to be perfectly honest. 9/10 in that respect. However, the unfinished feeling leaves a bitter taste. The gore indicative of this show is not something I am a real fan of, and as such, I won't count it against the show. It's just, the emotion you feel pretty intensely in the course of the show is left to fester with no outcome. That is the main reason why this doesn't work for me. Almost a 6 out of 10, I'd give the whole show a 5.8/10. It had real potential, even with it's guro premise.

Directive Defined

Heavenly apparitions. One could say, anime enlightens. Another, that anime symbolizes life as interpreted by the author or viewer. If you're a fan, there is much more to this thought process than can be explained. I myself, find that anime can at times, represent factions of living in small digestible doses. Almost as if a pill that is sometimes tough to swallow, sometimes of the wrong dose or wrong prescription, but can always alter your perception if allowed. My purpose with this blog, is not definable reviews for publishing in magazines. No, I only offer insight. Unbiased and open-minded. This is advice with emotion. The emotion is anime.