Through a debate on a popular Japanese comment forum, fans shared their opinions on the crucial elements an anime must possess to become a success. The points discussed reveal the expectations and preferences of Japanese viewers regarding narrative and character development in anime.
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Below you can read the points that the Japanese consider to be what makes an anime a great success.
- Giving 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 to the plot and helps maintain the viewer's interest from the start.
- Maintaining a steady pace at the beginning: The discussion also highlighted the importance of maintaining a dynamic pace at the start of the story. A slow start can diminish the viewer's interest, so keeping the narrative fast-paced and engaging from the beginning is crucial.
- Avoid lengthy explanations of the world or environment: They prefer to avoid lengthy explanations about the world or environment in the early episodes. Instead, they suggest gradually introducing these elements throughout the story so as not to overwhelm the viewer with unnecessary information from the start.
Other points they took into consideration.
- Showing 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. The audience wants to see the main character involved in the plot and facing challenges from the start.
- The protagonist isn't the one who falls in love, but the one who makes girls fall in love with him: Participants debated 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 their own agency tends to be more appealing to the audience and can drive the plot development more effectively.
- Decide on a direction and stick to it (don't mislead the viewer): Otakus emphasized the importance of having a clear direction and remaining true to it. But sudden changes in tone or direction can be confusing and diminish narrative coherence.
Real names, rushed development, and unappealing characters were the final issues
- Avoid using real names and referencing real incidents: Avoid using real names or references to real-life events within the anime storyline.
- Avoid using the lowest form of comedy: Participants expressed their aversion to the use of parodies in anime stories, considering them an inferior form of comedy that can diminish the seriousness of the plot and characters.
- Keep the introduction as short as possible and develop the characters quickly: 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 and charismatic characters over complex settings and heavy plots: Ultimately, otaku highlighted the audience's preference for attractive and charismatic characters over complex and heavy plots. A cast of attractive and well-developed characters can be crucial to the success of an anime story, attracting and maintaining viewer interest throughout the series.
In summary, the discussions offer insight into the quality and essential elements that an anime story should possess to be satisfying.
Source: Yaraon!