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Question: What are some anime/book tropes that you wish would end? From Fuelled by Smiling
This is kind of a tricky question because while there are annoying tropes, there’s always the occasion where it is used well and for a purpose and it fits just perfectly. In that case, I have no issue with more or less any trope. I’m sure even the fall and boob grab might work in some context even if I can’t immediately figure out where.
That said, there are certainly tropes I find more annoying than others and while this isn’t a definitive list, the ones that immediately spring to mind include:
- Little sisters
- Harems set-ups for no purpose
- The fall and boob grab
- Pretty much anything anime girls do to one another when sharing a bath
- Bad guys who speak instead of fighting
- The insta-power up just because
- Absent parents just because
- Love triangles
- The complete genius character
Now, for most of those, I have almost definitely watched and enjoyed anime that include them. As I said, it is always about the context in which it is used. Yet, these are the ones that seem to be used lazily more often than not by sub-par anime. It kind of gives the trope a bad name when really the issue is the execution.
Okay readers, what tropes do you want to see end?
Thanks for reading.
Karandi James
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Totally agree with you, someone else had written a whole post (I think Remy?) about the ne-ish predatory lesbian troupe (Citrus, NTR, etc) and that’s barely been around a year and I want it to end already. That kind of behavior isn’t a joke imo.
Insta power ups, and taking instead of fighting are really annoying.
Also, the accidental boob grab got old a while ago. I like ecchis, but this is a joke that’s not fun anymore
And then of course you have the accidental boob grab where the guy doesn’t realise he’s done it and so he goes for a grope and comments how soft it is before looking to see the girl right before he gets slapped. Its so ridiculous and just eats screen time. Absolutely adds nothing to the story.
I fully agree with you on all of them
Some tropes are easy targets though because they so rarely serve a narrative purpose.