Fans reveal what makes an anime a hit

Through a discussion on a popular Japanese comment forum, fans shared their opinions on the crucial elements an anime must possess to be successful. The points discussed shed light on Japanese viewers' expectations and preferences regarding narrative and character development in anime.

Below you can read the points that the Japanese consider to make an anime a great success.

Give the protagonist a clear purpose from the start: Therefore, forum participants emphasized the importance of clearly establishing the protagonist's objective from the beginning of the story. A protagonist with a defined purpose provides a clear direction for the plot and helps maintain the viewer's interest from the beginning.
Maintaining Pace Early: The discussion also highlighted the importance of maintaining a dynamic pace early in a story. A slow start can diminish viewer interest, so maintaining a fast-paced and engaging narrative from the outset is crucial.
Avoid extensive explanations of the world or setting: They prefer to avoid long explanations of the world or setting in the first episodes. Instead, they suggested gradually introducing these elements throughout the story to avoid overwhelming the viewer with unnecessary information from the beginning.

Other points they took into consideration.

Show the protagonist in action: One of the key points highlighted in the discussion was the importance of showing the protagonist in action from the beginning. Audiences want to see the main character involved in the plot and facing challenges from the very beginning.
The protagonist isn't the one who falls in love, but the one who makes girls fall in love with him: Participants discussed the protagonist's role in romantic relationships within the story. They argued that an attractive and charismatic protagonist should be able to win the affection of other characters, rather than simply falling in love with them.
A passive protagonist will never be well-received: Hence the importance of having a decisive protagonist, as opposed to a passive one who simply reacts to events. A protagonist with agency tends to be more engaging to the audience and can drive the plot more effectively.
Decide on a direction and stick to it (don't mislead the viewer): Otakus emphasize the importance of having a clear direction and sticking to it. But sudden shifts in tone or direction can be confusing and detract from narrative coherence.

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Real names, rushed development, and unattractive characters were the last points:

Avoid using real names and not referencing real incidents: Avoid using real names or references to real-life events within the anime story.
Not using the lowest form of comedy: Participants expressed their dislike of the use of parodies in anime stories, although they considered them an inferior form of comedy that can diminish the seriousness of the plot and characters.
Keep the introduction as short as possible and quickly develop the characters: The discussion emphasized the importance of keeping the introduction concise and quickly developing the main characters to capture the viewer's attention and lay the groundwork for the main plot.
Viewers prefer attractive, charismatic characters over complex settings and heavy plots: Finally, otakus have highlighted their audience's preference for attractive, charismatic characters over complex, heavy plots. A cast of attractive, well-developed characters can be crucial to the success of an anime story, attracting and maintaining viewer interest throughout the series.

In short, the discussions offer insight into the quality and essential elements an anime story must possess to be satisfying.

Source: Yaraon!