Blue Screen of Death – Anime Characters Who Shut Down and My Own Experiences

I was at the time fixated on characters who were pushed to the point of breaking down. I still am, to a degree. I myself was sort of experiencing that since I kept very irregular sleep schedules and found myself catching naps in the bathroom stall at work. The sensation of falling asleep within a minute’s notice and then abruptly waking up was surreal. These days I’m trying to keep a more regular sleeping schedule for …reasons. I also wasn’t very happy with my job by then so there’s that.

This post reveals a bit too much personal information so I’ll abstain from sharing this one.

My Love Affair with Steampunk

I sure did love Princess Principal. A lot of what I had in mind ended up in my series review for the show, so perhaps it’s for the best that I never published this. Not that publishing this would have done any good since the page is completely blank. At least the concepts in my head made the jump from a mental wasteland to the series review, right?

Untitled (Aug 2, 2017 1:43 AM)

This is essentially a rough draft of Nocturne. Well, actually, it’s a bit different. More explicit.

 

if love is fire

then I’m charred ash.

even with strangers’ sighs,

unknown hands between thighs,

and whisky stomach embers

I am just powdery dust.

blow me into glass and run

your finger along the cracks.

“Keeping Things in Perspective” in Regards to Anime – an Explanation or an Excuse?

You know when a guy in ancient history gets reincarnated but one part is reborn in one dude and the other part is reborn in some other fellow? Happens all the time in anime, obviously. Well, that is the basically the fate of this post as seen in this post and in that post.

Once again Remy gets tied up over the nuances of language.

“What did you expect?”

It’s a common enough phrase. If I criticize a show’s inherent faults, defenders

Top 5 Things I Hear From Anime Fans (That Should Probably Stop)

I should have really reconsidered the “Top” in the title. This particular list started sounding too much like a rant, so I dropped it.

Things to Consider Before You Compare Anime Series or Films

This was the post I had mentioned in an earlier editorial, but I decided this wasn’t really saying anything of value. I also dragged out the opening for a bit too long…

Too bad that I decided to scrap this, I guess, since it’s basically written up and everything. At the time, I was upset at people comparing shows just because they’re in the same genre. And thus this was born. And now it is dead.

Stop me if you’ve heard this scenario before, anime fans.

So imagine you’re talking with someone and you let it slip that you like anime (which could be considered to be a mistake). From that point on, the conversation might progress like this:

Person A: “Oh! What’s your favorite anime?”
You: “I really like ____________________.” (Gotta help you all self insert. Feel free to put in any series that comes to mind.)
Person A: “Ah!”
*nods, raises eyebrow, and pretends to be interested*
“So what’s that anime like?”

More often than not, you would, in an attempt to sate Person A’s curiosity (and to defend your favorite series), probably try to give a summary of your favorite anime series. It’s also likely that you would try to describe your favorite anime series by comparing it to other shows (while including the necessary conjunctions and additional words wherever needed).

You: “It’s like _______________ but __________________.” (The anecdote/scenario stops here, by the way.)

Now, this exact conversation has probably never happened to you. But similar situations possibly have. Maybe you were having a discussion with an online friend about your favorite shows and your friend, who admits to not knowing much about a series you’ve brought up, asks you to provide a summary of the aforementioned series.

Whatever the case may be, I wanted to focus on this particular phrase that will (possibly) show up in such discussions: “It’s like [blank] but [blank].”

This phrase isn’t exclusive to discussion of your favorite anime series, of course. It sees usage even when you’re just talking about any anime series and you want to quickly describe a series with minimal fuss. Both tweets and editorials seem to default to this sort of wording for understandable, yet flawed, reasons.

For starters, this pattern of phrasing is, as stated earlier, a quick and painless way to describe things. Why bother looking for specific words or elaborate on particular key scenes and moments that define and give a series its identity when you can merely compare the series to other shows that share the same genres in order to effortlessly paint an image?

Furthermore, it’s almost guaranteed that you will subconsciously compare one series to another. Much like how you will probably hold expectations before you even begin watching a series, you’re likely to automatically compare a particular series to your favorite show, perhaps, or to other shows that fall within the same general genres without realizing it. And sometimes you’ll intentionally resort to such comparisons to stress a point.

While using these sort of comparisons are convenient, however, there are at least a few drawbacks that stand out prominently in my mind. First of all, these comparisons can often be shallow. While it is somewhat important to be able to recognize that a series can be categorized under particular genres and that comparing said series to other shows that share aforementioned genres holds some merit in terms of analysis (through the discussion of similarities and/or differences), that’s overlooking the fact that a show’s tone and encompassing themes can be what truly distinguishes said series (more than its genre at times).

Therefore, I would argue that if you’re going to rely on saying “It’s like [blank] but [blank],” then you should include at least one series that shares overlapping themes with the series that is being appraised (if you’re already doing this, by the way, then disregard what I’m saying here).

As an example, seeing people compare One-Punch Man to Boku no Hero Academia drives me nuts. One is (significantly) more comedic and more subversive whereas the other plays many common hero and shounen tropes straight while featuring an underdog protagonist instead of a caped baldie who is incredibly overpowered despite his lack of respect. Forcing a comparison here (solely based on the fact that both series feature superheroes) offers little value and only really demonstrates that you think the shows are comparable because they both happen to feature superheroes.

For those of you who have read reviews of Kimi no Na Wa, I’m sure you already are aware that a lot of these editorials feature comparisons between the aforementioned film and some of Shinkai Makoto’s earlier films. While all of Shinkai’s films can be loosely categorized as drama-filled romance, they all share this more elusive theme of distance and all of his films will depict characters attempting to conquer such an obstacle (among others) for the sake of love. However, Kimi no Na Wa is different from the rest of Shinkai’s films since the couple do end up together and the audience is left with an ending that isn’t as bittersweet compare to his earlier films. That is probably one of the reasons why the film is so widely beloved and why I think there is merit in comparing the film to similar films that espouse similar themes. The similarities in general themes only serve to accentuate the poignant differences that do show up, which allows you to discuss the strongpoints or weakpoints of a particular series or film.

I must stop here and sheepishly admit that I had drafted this editorial a few months ago hence the somewhat dated examples.

For a more recent incident, I have to point at Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha. With fans getting excited over a second season coming out this anime season, several individuals have opted to claim that the series is only a rip-off of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Several individuals are claiming that the series

Secondly, when you use these sort of comparisons you’re really relying on your audience to have actually seen all the mentioned series. Otherwise the analogies of both similarities and differences will fall flat. Of course, you, as the content creator, can and should avoid this by explaining it in such a way that even people who have yet to see all the series that you’re discussing can understand what you’re trying to say. Or you can just mention that this particular section might be difficult to fully comprehend without having watched this or that. Perhaps this isn’t actually a complete drawback, but it’s surely something to be considered when drafting your content.

Finally, it’s limiting. Such comparisons “lock in” what you’re attempting to convey unless you use words such as “kind of,” “sort of,” etc. Said phrases can serve to weaken your argument, however, and it makes me wonder if the inclusion of such comparisons is actually worthwhile.

But, as usual, this is all subjective. Maybe you find think there’s something to be said when you compare One-Punch Man to Boku no Hero Academia. Maybe you think Kimi no Na Wa is something that can’t be compared. However, I don’t want to sound like some preachy know-it-all and I apologize if I sound like one. I merely wanted to call some attention to the use of common language so people can sit down and think about what is being said and compared. That’s all, folks.

The Pros and Cons of Tournament Arcs in Anime and Manga

It’s a pros vs cons list, folks. But I dropped it after it started getting a bit too opinionated. You also get a sneak peek at how I used to whip up rough drafts sometimes?

(Spoilers for Boku no Hero Academia, Eyeshield 21, Mahou Sensei Negima, Saki, and Saki Achiga-hen in this post)

Most anime fans are probably aware of the tournament arc in which characters directly compete with other characters in an organized manner. The competition could involve anything, from martial arts to mahjong to sports to cooking.

Depending on the series, the tournament arc can be an integral part, a minor focus, or even an unwelcome distraction. As such, it’s not hard to imagine that many viewers have strong opinions regarding tournaments in anime and manga. Some may claim that tournament arcs are exciting while others are inclined to dismiss said arcs as boring.

As a logical and reasonable blogger of reason and logic, I would like to insist that the tournament arc is, like many things, dependent on its execution as well as the direction of its corresponding series. While such an even-handed answer is most likely the truest, such a verdict still leads to a boring conclusion. So to spice things up, I would like to provide a pros vs cons list for tournament arcs!

Shout-outs to Karandi for making me enjoy her pros vs cons list as well as making me realize that tournament arcs are rather prevalent in anime through her episode reviews on Boku no Hero Academia.

PRO: Practical Application of Practiced Techniques

Sometimes the viewer won’t be able to see specific characters completely master a specific technique during practice or training sessions that were held before a tournament.

But throw in a tournament and all of a sudden this stressful and official battle environment pushes the character to either try to succeed or fail trying. Sometimes the character can pull their practiced technique and sometimes the character flubs. Regardless of the result, the most important aspect is that the character tried to rise to occasion and apply the results earning through training in a practical manner. Some characters (and individuals) simply learn better under such situations and it’s nice seeing said characters strive to succeed!

CON: Cram Training Sessions

However, diligent practice sessions, which might have started a considerable amount of time before the tournament arc even begins, are sometimes meaningless in the face of character status.

For example, Saki Achiga-hen is a series that I hold close to my heart. However, the series are very reliant on tournament arcs for better or for worse. The fact that the protagonists were able to improve by such a large amount through an impromptu practice session that was held between tournament rounds could seem unreasonable.

In thise case, the underprepared protagonists were able to outperform their opponents through some cramming and thus were able to prove that hard work hardly works and a last-minute cram session trumps long-term dedication, which is probably another example of latent genetics (and natural talent) determining everything as it’s apt to in action series, but I digress.

To be fair, however, Team Achiga was not overly reliant on said cram session since they had learned how to play around their next opponents from their coach. It just so happened that most of this coaching happened off-screen and that viewers find out the coach shared her observations with her team when the round is over.

Mahou Sensei Negima (the manga) gave at least some sort of ju

Pro: Ideal Environment for Emotional Therapy

+ get to see development boku negima

char development

lol talk no jutsu

– if not given enough time seems to lack foreshadowing saki

+ way to show others and introduce new characters boku

-pacing fights get skipped

+showcase impossible fights (teammates) naruto

– dreams plot armor another tournament saki eyeshield

 

Most anime fans are probably aware of the iconic tournament arc that can appear in many anime series. Said arcs feature characters directly competing against other characters via an organized competition that could involve anything (from martial arts to mahjong to sports to cooking).

Depending on the series, the tournament arc can be an integral component, a minor focus, or even an unwelcome distraction. As such, it’s not hard to imagine that many viewers hold strong opinions regarding anime and manga tournaments. Some may claim that tournament arcs are exciting while others are inclined to dismiss said arcs as boring.

As a logical and reasonable blogger of reason and logic, I would like to insist that the tournament arc is, like many things, dependent on its execution as well as the direction of its corresponding series. While such an even-handed answer is most likely the truest, such a verdict still leads to a somewhat boring conclusion. So to spice things up, I would like to provide a pros vs cons list for tournament arcs!

Shout-outs to Karandi for her enjoyable pros vs cons list as well as making me realize that tournament arcs are rather prevalent in anime through her episode reviews on Boku no Hero Academia.

PRO: Pay-Off for Practice

Sometimes specific characters are shown attempting to perfect a specific technique during practice or training sessions (that were held before a tournament). They might have almost mastered the technique, they might be nowhere close, or they could be anywhere in-between.

But throw in a tournament and all of a sudden this stressful and official battle environment pushes the character to either try to succeed or fail trying. Regardless of the result, the most important aspect is that the character tried to rise to the occasion in order to apply the training results in a practical manner. Some characters (and individuals in real life) simply learn better under such situations and it is nice seeing said characters strive to succeed! In other words, tournaments

Aoba pic

CON: Lack of Foreshadowing For New Abilities

Saki Achiga-hen is a series that I hold close to my heart and Takakamo Shizuno is one of my favorite anime characters. But I cannot deny that Shizuno abruptly reveals her Lord of the Mountain Depths ability during the semifinals. There was no implication that she can nullify her opponents’ own abilities until the aforementioned match. This is particularly jarring since Kodomo (a previous practice opponent) claims that she always knew Shizuno had potential she watches Shizuno run wild. However, what little we saw of the practice matches between Shizuno and Kodomo showed Shizuno getting soundly defeated (and there were no hints regarding her latent ability, of course).

I suppose it’s only natural for characters to reveal hidden techniques or tactics they’ve been saving as they progress further into the tournament standings. This case, however, simply seems like lazy writing since Shizuno just happens to conveniently unveil this powerful ability during the final stretch of Team Achiga’s direst situation within the series. Having Kodomo chime in with off-screen results that directly contradict what little was shown makes me wonder why the series opted to retroactively contradict earlier events. Showing Kodomo being thoughtful of Shizuno’s style of play during their practice matches would have only taken a few seconds and certainly would have been better than this tacked-on “exposition.”

PRO: Emotional Therapy

This may not apply in team match tournaments or in tournaments where excessive conversation is discouraged. But in some 1v1 fight matches opponents will sometimes get a little chatty with one another. One character might be rambling about motivations or ideologies during lulls within the match. Other characters may attempt to reach out to their adversaries and try to convince their opponents that they’re wrong in their beliefs.

Boku no Hero Academia had this happen during Midoriya’s match with Todoroki since Midoriya was convinced that Todoroki’s

the origin

neji

boku no hero

Pro: Ideal Environment for Emotional Therapy

+ get to see development boku negima

char development

lol talk no jutsu

– if not given enough time seems to lack foreshadowing saki

+ way to show others and introduce new characters boku

-pacing fights get skipped

+showcase impossible fights (teammates) naruto

– dreams plot armor another tournament saki eyeshield

 

 

The Roles of the Nurse’s Office and the Restroom in Anime

I was grasping at some straws in regards to common developments seen in anime. I never did write that school settings post.

More specifically, I’m talking about the role these two facilities play in narratives that take place in a school setting. 

There are several reasons why school settings are often seen in anime or fiction in general, but that’s for another post. What I wanted to discuss are two distinct roo

 

sick

alone time cry eat

bump

Telltale Signs that Give Away an Anime Fan’s Powerlevel