Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Locked thread
BornAPoorBlkChild
Sep 24, 2012
So, I'm sitting here, reading an article about a film called "I Wait for the Moment That You Love Me" movie that came out recently. I read the synopsis, and it dawned on me: These are literal children. What do they know about love?

I often wonder what high school was like for manga-Ka's who write in this particular genre (would it be right to call it a genre?)

BornAPoorBlkChild fucked around with this message at 04:33 on Dec 29, 2016

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009

BornAPoorBlkChild
Sep 24, 2012
High School Is Such A Serious Thing, These Problems Matter

Ytlaya
Nov 13, 2005

There are a number of reasons for this, but one element to keep in mind is that for whatever reason (possibly because both Junior and High school are 3 years as opposed to the 2/4 years common in America) Middle School is often given more focus in Japan when it comes to fiction (high school-related fiction and romance is also common in the West, so that isn't something unique to Japan). College also doesn't have the same cultural association as it does in the US (in the sense of being this fun time when you expand your horizons, etc), so high/middle school sort of fills the roll that a lot of college-related fiction does in the US.

504
Feb 2, 2016

by R. Guyovich
Because young girls that don't know what real sex is or how actual men behave won't ridicule and mock the sad over weight losers that like anime.

The same reasoning applies to the way male protagonists are always very skilled at whatever dorky hobby anime nerds like or are training in something that dorks think makes you instantly acceptable (swords, Kung fu etc)

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

Spiritus Nox
Sep 2, 2011

For the same reason American TV is always set in LA or New York.

BornAPoorBlkChild
Sep 24, 2012

Ytlaya posted:

There are a number of reasons for this, but one element to keep in mind is that for whatever reason (possibly because both Junior and High school are 3 years as opposed to the 2/4 years common in America) Middle School is often given more focus in Japan when it comes to fiction (high school-related fiction and romance is also common in the West, so that isn't something unique to Japan). College also doesn't have the same cultural association as it does in the US (in the sense of being this fun time when you expand your horizons, etc), so high/middle school sort of fills the roll that a lot of college-related fiction does in the US.

I feel like this somewhat plays a role in Japanese Pop Culture's absolutely insane obsession with youth (even moreso than western society), where you're considered "old" if youre in your 30s

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009
anime is for children and manchildren

coolskull
Nov 11, 2007

kids are cute.

OnimaruXLR
Sep 15, 2007
Lurklurklurklurklurk
1) A lot of this stuff is actually aimed at kids and teens
2) It's a point of reference everyone has, which a lot of people see as free establishing point for their stories. The setting offers a ubiquity and it's potential for high drama with relatively few serious, narrative-derailing complications. People love slotting characters into the variety of cliches that the setting presents too. High school AU fan-fiction is a thing for a reason. A bad one, but still.
3) There is a pop culture myth in Japan that your life basically is over if you haven't got your poo poo sorted out before you finish high school.
4) Perverts

littleorv
Jan 29, 2011

Manchild here

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009

504 posted:

Because young girls that don't know what real sex is or how actual men behave won't ridicule and mock the sad over weight losers that like anime.
now how do you explain all the women-targeted anime

coolskull
Nov 11, 2007

Endorph posted:

now how do you explain all the women-targeted anime

quote:

Because young HUMAN that don't know what real sex is or how actual ADULT behave won't ridicule and mock the sad over weight losers that like anime.

DoubleDonut
Oct 22, 2010


Fallen Rib

504 posted:

Because young girls that don't know what real sex is or how actual men behave won't ridicule and mock the sad over weight losers that like anime.

The same reasoning applies to the way male protagonists are always very skilled at whatever dorky hobby anime nerds like or are training in something that dorks think makes you instantly acceptable (swords, Kung fu etc)

DoubleDonut
Oct 22, 2010


Fallen Rib

The Colonel
Jun 8, 2013


I commute by bike!

Endorph posted:

now how do you explain all the women-targeted anime

they're probably a figment of your imagination

Ytlaya
Nov 13, 2005

Endorph posted:

now how do you explain all the women-targeted anime

It's actually kinda interesting how the tropes differ between shoujo and shounen romances. In shounen the MC is either a loser who acquires the affection of a bunch of girls through either "saving them" in some way or just completely arbitrarily. The MC also is usually very average looking and not particularly attractive or unattractive*. In shoujo, the protagonist, while stated to be "average", is usually quite pretty (though more in the sense of being skinny/cute rather than having big boobs, etc), and guys usually end up interested in her because she's "not like all those other girls" (who are often depicted as being universally terrible unless they're the protagonist's close friends - it's actually kinda interesting how vicious a lot of shoujo manga is in its depiction of any girls outside of the protagonist's close circle). Despite its problems, overall I prefer the shoujo depictions because the love interests don't tend to fawn over the protagonist as much.

* There are exceptions to this, like the series Domestic Kanojo, which is a pretty bad manga but I have to give it credit for the fact that the protagonist is a really good looking talented novelist, so it's actually pretty realistic that so many girls would be interested in him. Interestingly the author is a woman, so this might help account for why the protagonist is more realistically depicted as the type of guy girls would be attracted to.

Babysitter Super Sleuth
Apr 26, 2012

my posts are as bad the Current Releases review of Gone Girl

I believe the most commonly cited reason is that, since Japanese professional culture is a hell of long hours, forced socialization with people you don't like, isolation from your family, and unrealistic productivity goals without end, people idolize their school youth add the only time they were ever free

504
Feb 2, 2016

by R. Guyovich

Endorph posted:

now how do you explain all the women-targeted anime

Gay dudes (this answer may not bear close examination)

Namtab
Feb 22, 2010

Anime owns - a manchild

ZepiaEltnamOberon
Oct 25, 2010

I Failed At Anime 2022
This reminds me that I never saw the first movie because I was too lazy to go to the cinema.

Thanks for reminding me, OP.

I'll make sure not to miss the second film if it ever comes to Korea.

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009

Ytlaya posted:

It's actually kinda interesting how the tropes differ between shoujo and shounen romances. In shounen the MC is either a loser who acquires the affection of a bunch of girls through either "saving them" in some way or just completely arbitrarily. The MC also is usually very average looking and not particularly attractive or unattractive*. In shoujo, the protagonist, while stated to be "average", is usually quite pretty (though more in the sense of being skinny/cute rather than having big boobs, etc), and guys usually end up interested in her because she's "not like all those other girls" (who are often depicted as being universally terrible unless they're the protagonist's close friends - it's actually kinda interesting how vicious a lot of shoujo manga is in its depiction of any girls outside of the protagonist's close circle). Despite its problems, overall I prefer the shoujo depictions because the love interests don't tend to fawn over the protagonist as much.

* There are exceptions to this, like the series Domestic Kanojo, which is a pretty bad manga but I have to give it credit for the fact that the protagonist is a really good looking talented novelist, so it's actually pretty realistic that so many girls would be interested in him. Interestingly the author is a woman, so this might help account for why the protagonist is more realistically depicted as the type of guy girls would be attracted to.
i dont think youve read a lot of shoujo manga or played a lot of otome games

Terper
Jun 26, 2012


Endorph posted:

i dont think youve read a lot of shoujo manga or played a lot of otome games

I've watched this a few times, that's probably enough

ugh its Troika
May 2, 2009

by FactsAreUseless
Stop getting mad about dumb things, OP.

Relin
Oct 6, 2002

You have been a most worthy adversary, but in every game, there are winners and there are losers. And as you know, in this game, losers get robotizicized!
this is the only showjoe i need

Only registered members can see post attachments!

Relin fucked around with this message at 19:02 on Dec 29, 2016

Ali Alkali
Apr 23, 2008
Besides other reasons, the high school setting could probably be called a genre of its own by now and it gives writers a lot troops to use. It is a lot easier to have the characters be in the same class or club and fight the school council or the headmaster or whatever than to write a new setting. It also lends itself to parody and it lets the work focus on other things.

Mordaedil
Oct 25, 2007

Oh wow, cool. Good job.
So?
Grimey Drawer

Where is that from?

Terper
Jun 26, 2012


Mordaedil posted:

Where is that from?

http://bato.to/reader#a1b283960a3e90b0

DisDisDis
Dec 22, 2013
supposedly there's a bunch of working adult manga out there and our bitch rear end scanlators aren't translating it

DisDisDis
Dec 22, 2013

504 posted:

Gay dudes (this answer may not bear close examination)

Actually, the anime about gay dudes are targeted at women

Countblanc
Apr 20, 2005

Help a hero out!
what are the good college anime or manga other than tatami galaxy? this is an actual question

DisDisDis
Dec 22, 2013
the microbe one

e; moyashimon

Plutonis
Mar 25, 2011

Countblanc posted:

what are the good college anime or manga other than tatami galaxy? this is an actual question

Silver Spoon is farm college

DoubleDonut
Oct 22, 2010


Fallen Rib
Genshiken, but not Genshiken Nidaime

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009

Countblanc posted:

what are the good college anime or manga other than tatami galaxy? this is an actual question

honey and clover

Countblanc
Apr 20, 2005

Help a hero out!

Endorph posted:

honey and clover

oh yeah i remember that one

Paracelsus
Apr 6, 2009

bless this post ~kya
You might get a wider range of opinions on this one, but Golden Time.

Ytlaya
Nov 13, 2005

Endorph posted:

i dont think youve read a lot of shoujo manga or played a lot of otome games

Hm, I actually have, though it's entirely possible my perception is skewed. I'll admit that the first cliche I'm describing tends to be present more commonly in average/bad shoujo (and the ones we discuss in the shoujo/romance thread tend to be much better). And I guess that shounen romances also tend to be pretty vicious towards any love competitors. If you're referring to the "fawns of the protagonist" thing, it's true that the love interests obviously seek out the attention of the protagonist a lot, but they don't seem to view her in such a ridiculous light as shounen love interests ("X is so kind and wonderful").

Regardless, the cliches don't seem quite as universal as they are in shounen; it's pretty easy to find shoujo manga that don't have these characteristics, but almost all shounen romances are similar.


edit: I wonder if we're going to see an upswing in high school/college-based fiction in the West as young adulthood starts to become more and more bleak.

GorfZaplen
Jan 20, 2012

DisDisDis posted:

supposedly there's a bunch of working adult manga out there and our bitch rear end scanlators aren't translating it

There's tons of it. This thread's argument doesn't stand up to scrutiny and it should be locked and gassed.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Everything Burrito
Jun 2, 2011

I Failed At Anime 2022

DisDisDis posted:

supposedly there's a bunch of working adult manga out there and our bitch rear end scanlators aren't translating it

it's nice that BL doesn't have this problem since if you want to read about salarymen or college guys or old dudes there's quite a bit that's translated but it sucks that the same interest in manga featuring working adults hasn't spread out to non-BL translation groups. I'd love to see more josei regularly translated instead of like, a handful of titles getting new chapters once a year :(

  • Locked thread