When you watch a lot of anime, you'll notice that some of them are essentially the same to the core. Different genres of anime typically have that certain formula, with only a minor changes in some aspects (like the hair colour of the protagonist etc). Either mangakas are losing their originality or you're just a hardcore anime addict & it's probably about time you got a life.
- Almost every Shonen Anime (Fantasy/Adventure)
Main Protagonist: Usually male. He's generally an idiot, usually makes stupid & rash decisions and whenever someone says, "Who would ever fall for that?", the main protagonist will. He's loud & talkative, has a huge appetite and a trademark grin. Weak at first, then undergoes character development then poof: becomes strangely overpowered by the end of the story. He would have an iconic wardrobe & his hair colour is usually neon; he's so goddamn hard to miss. Never bishie-material. Starts off as someone who's more or less ordinary.
Family Background: His biological parents are dead (if he has "parents", he's probably adopted), if he has siblings: the sister will be overbearing & bossy and the brother will be someone he'll look up to; tends to be the youngest of the siblings.
Special Ability:
The villain is usually hella powerful than him but almost always gains the upper hand when using the "Power of the Heart/Feelings/Friendship" (aka flashbacks filled with "We believe in you Protagonist-kun" & reassuring messages that he's the only fucking HOPE). This ability is only unique to the main protagonist, and he will not hesitate to use this in every situation that seems like all hope is lost.
Apparent "Immortality" -- you can't kill that damn bastard.
Family Background: His biological parents are dead (if he has "parents", he's probably adopted), if he has siblings: the sister will be overbearing & bossy and the brother will be someone he'll look up to; tends to be the youngest of the siblings.
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| I wonder who the main character is. |
The villain is usually hella powerful than him but almost always gains the upper hand when using the "Power of the Heart/Feelings/Friendship" (aka flashbacks filled with "We believe in you Protagonist-kun" & reassuring messages that he's the only fucking HOPE). This ability is only unique to the main protagonist, and he will not hesitate to use this in every situation that seems like all hope is lost.
Apparent "Immortality" -- you can't kill that damn bastard.
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| Looks like a light stick. Or a glowing dick. |
a.) An artifact/weapon/unique special ability (which is either his trump card or is hella useless but still manages to use it to his advantage)
b.) A family heritage he is initially unaware of
c.) A horrible past
d.) All of the above
Stereotype companions:
1.) The useless damsel in distress
Usually the crush of the main protagonist; the source of his "strength". You'll know her by her trademark call "Protagonist-kun, save me~" Roughly the same age as the protagonist.
Special ability: Always manages to get kidnapped at least once.
2.) The brooding bishie
The protagonist's frenemy. There's always that shitty competition amongst them. Initially the crush of the useless damsel in distress. Potential Yaoi partner. Roughly the same age as the protagonist.
Special ability: Attracting fangirls.
3.) The strong independent chick
The cold & sarcastic female who needs no man to save her ass, but struggles to have some romance enter her life. May be the same age as the trio or slightly older.
Special ability: Remaining single.
4.) An adult
The voice of reason in the group. Acts as a mentor, or an annoying dick because he's older.
Special ability: Prone to sacrificing himself in order to save the group.
5.) The small annoying thing
AKA the pet. May or may not be that annoying.
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| AKA AKA The Mascot. |
PLOT
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| Fig 1. Point A to point B. And then there are annoying filler arcs. |
It's a linear story: it's point A to point B. The Hero's main goal is to fulfil his apparent Destiny. So in between both points is all the shit that happens, more or less "necessary" in the story.
Budding romance side plot between the useless damsel in distress (&/or the brooding bishie) AND the main protagonist is optional. Fanservice is unnecessary but required.
Filler arcs ARE apparently required in the anime. Endure them.
The Villain:
Either a muscular ugly dude or sexy bishie who is hell bent on destroying the Peace. May or may not be directly related to the main protagonist ("I'm your father, beeeeetch now come here & let daddy kick your weak ass").
Special Ability: Always has a humiliating defeat at the end.
- Romantic Shoujo
The Mr. Perfect:
Rich kid. Prodigious. Bishounen. Top 1 of the class.
Has a cult fan club of fangirls.
a.) The Ms. Ordinary:
Wallflower. Average. Middle class.
She's a creepy stalker, eyeing the rich kid ever since in the hopes that one day looking at him in the distance would be enough make her pregnant.
b.) The Strong Independent Tsundere
Hostile. Top 2 of the Class. Probably has a part-time job. Poor - Middle class.
Initially hostile towards the pursuing male, but eventually warms up to him because that is obviously the very definition of a tsundere.
Blooming Romance
Boy Meets Girl:
The Reverse Harem:
The female lead is an idiot to not notice a reverse harem of bishounens form around her. She'll remain clueless until the fact is slapped on her face by a close friend. The exciting & excruciating part is knowing which one of those bishies she will choose, or she doesn't choose anyone at all-- what a whore.
Female Lead's posse:
She has at least two best friends by her side. One is sarcastic and witty, the other is optimistic and cheerful but both are equally supportive of their friend. Rarely do you see one of them backstab their friend, this is anime-- not real life.
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| "Go for it, girl!" "Don't trip on his dick, hahaha." |
- Shonen Romance
He's either ends of this spectrum:a.) The resident bad boy. Leader of some kind of gang most likely. Hot-headed and Impatient.
b.) Plain and ordinary guy.
What is common: Doesn't have the balls to score a girl.
Plot:
There will be a dash of adventure since this is shonen we're talking about, but unlike the typical fantasy adventure shonen-- the shonen romance has more depth on the "romance" part.
For the slice-of-life genre, said "adventure" would involve the main character's stupid and pervy antics in trying to get the girl.
The Girl:
The girls involved with him will all have… nice assets. And they are also strangely clumsy, tripping & falling all over the place-- with their assets always landing on the protagonist's face.
PLOT
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| Notice that it is conveniently shaped like a dong. |
The protagonist gets into some kind of adventure that probably involves getting laid-- and who aids him in this fine quest? Two girls. Yeah, just them. He'll go on adventuring and meet more girls until that threesome develops into a fucking harem.
If it doesn't involve some kind of adventure: the story will revolve around the guy trying to woo his crush while his female best friend tries to get him to notice her. Sounds like a shoujo plot with reversed genders eh? Yeah, will this has loads of fan service*.
*fanservice that is enough to "excite" you, but not enough to be called Hentai.
(Rare) The forever alone:
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| You tried. |
Despite all these clichés, we still manage to get hooked watching these animes. Most popular shonen anime today is basically Dragon Balls except that instead of a Saiyan, you have a Wizard, a Ninja, A Shinigami, A Pirate etc. Even with all the stereotypes & shit, what really matters is HOW the protagonist goes from Point A to Point B. ;)
sakto tanan XD
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