Craze For Japanese Animation

anime

Compared to others, the array of japanese videos (animation or not, for general viewing or for the satisfaction of my perverted sexual cravings) that I have seen would not even fill a half-meter wide book shelf, even if you also include the manga that I have already read (all unfinished, by the way). However, even with the lack of deep immersion in this genre of japanese “literature”, I think I have seen the reason why many Filipinos of different ages, sexual orientation and any kinds of groupings have fallen head over heels for japanese animation and manga.

All stories have their own plots – the beginning, the development of the story and the ending. The same applies for Japanese animation and manga. In fact, like other stories, we can actually summarize them (Japanese manga and animation) into three to five sentences. However, what makes the stories irresistible is (1) the characters and (2) the japanese’s uncanny ways of producing twists and conflicts. That no matter how long a series has become or no matter how crappy the storyline may seem to be, more and more audience get hook up to the surprising unfloding of the stories and the layered (and most often funny) characters.

One of the challenges that writers face, especially in this time that almost all ideas are being recycled and new ideas are all but extinct concepts, is creating something new from what is already cliched. And not surprisingly, the japs have this certain kind of sensibility that, even if you already expect how the story’s going to end or how mushy the romance between the progtagonists would be, you still crave to finish the whole series – even if the episodes reach a four-digit number.

Another interesting thing about the japs’ movies and animations is the packaging of their characeters. Correct me if I am wrong, they usually go for low-profiled protagonists, who, at the beginning of the series, would make you wonder why they were chosen to be the protagonist in the first place considering their lack of luster or prowess. Bu eventually, these characters evolve into a person who (a) has a tie with a powerful relative/friend/guru who turned out to be the greatest in this or that or (b) has developed his/her craft so powerful that nobody thought it even existed. For our penchance for underdogs who soon rise up throught their efforts, we just easily forgive the idea that the under dog turned hero kind of characterization has been used since mankind has had enough of very super powerful beings. Aside from the developed/acquired greatness, these heroes become heroes out of sheer luck – something in the situation has made them defeat their enemy or save whoever needed saving. You also tend to hate the characters and turn out loving the antagonist. I can’t imagine that happening to the evil step sisters of Cinderella or to the wicked step mother in the same story.