My 5 Favorite (and Least Favorite) Clichés in Anime

Anime is, in my opinion, one of the most creative and unique artistic mediums out there. But after you watch enough of it, you start seeing a lot of the same clichés over and over. Some of them are groan-inducing, but some of them are fucking rad and I love them. So I wanted to talk about some of my favorites and least favorites, because all my posts are super analytical and I just want to write a pure fluff piece for once!

Least Favorite: Overlong exposition

Okay, I kinda get this one. If you have a story set in a sci-fi or fantasy world, you’ll probably need to explain to your audience what’s going on so they’re not completely lost. But so often, anime will go way overboard with this. I don’t need a show to explain the plot, setting, characters, how the technology or magic system works, and the complete history of their fictional universe all in the first episode! It kills the pacing and implies that we’re too stupid to figure any of this out on our own. Isn’t “show, don’t tell” one of the first things they teach in writing class?

Favorite: Running Outros

Any shonen anime worth its salt has to include at least one outro of the main character running into the sunset. Maybe it’s cheesy, but I love it. It always puts a huge grin on my face and pumps me up for the next episode. Sometimes it makes me want to go for a run myself, only for me to remember I hate running and can barely go a mile and a half without getting winded. Maybe sit-ups?

Least Favorite: CONSTANTLY SCREAMING

There’s being hot-blooded, and then there’s screaming so much I worry for the health of those poor anime voice actors. It always gives me a headache and makes me want to brew a mug of hot tea just to calm down. Didn’t any of these characters learn to use their indoor voices in kindergarten?

Favorite: Moe

Whenever I’m feeling down or had a bad day, there’s nothing that lifts my spirits faster than Cute Girls Doing Cute Things. It’s like the anime equivalent of watching adorable puppy videos on YouTube. I don’t care if K-On has “no story“. Who needs story when you have MUGI?

Least Favorite: Beach Episodes

Has there ever been a single anime beach episode that’s actually advanced the plot, developed it’s characters, or done anything at all besides pad out the show’s runtime with shameless fanservice? It’s the worst kind of pointless filler. I don’t even like going to the beach, and I live in Florida!

Favorite: The tsundere

I’m not that big on romance in anime, but I always have a soft spot for tsundere characters. They might be brash and irritable, but deep down they’re sensitive souls who just want love and affection from their boo. Plus, if I don’t like the main character, I can get a laugh out of the tsundere constantly belittling them and calling them a baka!

Least Favorite: Accidental pervertedness

Guys in anime sure are klutzy, aren’t they? They’re always accidentally walking into the room while a girl is changing, or accidentally tripping and falling with their hand right on a girl’s boob. Haha. It’s funny to violate consent, as long as you don’t actually mean to! The only show to ever do this well was Evangelion, and that’s only because it showed how disturbing and creepy this trope really is.

Favorite: Battle Girls

This isn’t exclusive to anime by any means, but many series have a lot of beautiful female characters who can kick just as much ass as any of the guys can. It’s always fun to watch and very empowering for female viewers. And sure, most of the time they’re just doing it to sell more figurines, but I’ll take what I can get!

Least Favorite: She’s not really 14, she’s a thousand year old demon priestess or something

UGHGHGHGHGHG do I really need to explain why I hate this one? It’s just an excuse to dress underage characters in way too skimpy outfits to pander to degenerate lolicon fetishists. Can’t anime just have characters be their actual age and not sexualize middle schoolers so much?

Favorite: That moment in the last climactic battle when the heroes finally turn the tides and the intro music starts playing

It’s the last episode. The bottom of the 9th, bases loaded. The villains are winning, and all hope seems lost for humanity. But then… what’s that song in the background? Is that the… the song from the opening credits?

Oh my god.

It’s happening.

FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK YYYYYYEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BURST THROUGH THE HEAVENS WITH YOUR DRILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Sorry, I’m done. I need to go get a towel.