considering they're completely lame and yet they manage to be fucking popular there's a market in shit.

So it really depends on whether you want to make money or be renowned as some sort of indie cult icon. Either way, everybody hates you. At least with the poor quality anime, you have some small measure of cashflow.

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The word Epic is defiled daily. However, the previous post points that out. Therefore it is more epic.

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Shut up! You have the list to make a popular anime, not a good one. There's a frick'n difference.

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Let's get some dog crap, stuff it in DVD form... and send it to Emperor Ing's doorstep... then call it the new trendy anime. I have 60 bucks that says he'll watch it.. and be all weeaboo-ish about it. Make it 95 if he pisses his pants.

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I like where your going but, to spice things up, let's do that twice, one reg. and one that says "yaoi." Another 60 if he watches.

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another 50 if I have to rip my eyes out at what he'll do.

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Another 60 if he cries after reading this.

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Pool it and I'll throw in 70 if he goes emo.

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I think he already is.

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well, so much for my idea

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1. Make sure that the plot is interesting and original
2. Restrict to one/two bishies (normal guys are better)
3. No Kallens/Sakuras (you know masculine girls who can also be VERY girly)
4. Restrict to ONE soft-speaking weak girls
5. ABSOLUTELY NO "PERFECT" CHARACTER i.e. Kaname Kuran
6. More homo shotas XD *shot*
7. NO EXAGGERATED CHARACTER i.e. Suzaku Kururugi/Kallen/Lelouch
8. NO "OPPOSITES ATTRACT" thing-os i.e. NarutoXHinata
9. Please, please, please NO CHEESY/TELENOVELA-ish ROMANCE
10. Make sure that the plot is NOT melodramatic

Look who's talking miss "I like Klavier"

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No internet memes.

read my post and see what you think. It's probably on the 2nd or 1st page...

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Heh heh, I'm attempting to write a sort of manga-ish story myself.

I think the hardest part is, if you are especially doing a fantasy one, you do need to make sure your world is as plotted out as possible; the history is written out (and not so complex that no one will understand what happened); and if there is magic, make sure you keep "loose" boundaries on it (to prevent Deus ex Machina as much as possible). Too strict boundaries can sometimes (not all the time) make it difficult to plan interesting battles, but obviously too loose boundaries will make the battles unbelievable.

Character creation, I'll call it, can be very difficult, especially if you're trying to battle between making Mary Sues, not following too many tropes, etc. For the protagonist, you want to create a believable, perhaps likable, and round character. Be careful of Mary Sues, like I said, but at the same time don't over-worry. The definition of a Mary Sue can sometimes seem so broad that it is difficult to NOT find someone who fits it. The protagonist needs to be a human; humans have many facets of different personalities. If you have ever done a tabletop RPG before, sometimes they have "guidelines" for simple character personality creation to get you started. You want your protagonist to fit into the storyline, so make sure it does. Also, typically your protagonist is going to change something, whether big or small. So you need to flesh out intensely the dreams and desires of him/her.
For other characters, don't get tied down with the tropes. Just create a character that you want (and think would) naturally fit into the storyline. Oh noes! He/she perfectly describes a blahblah trope! If you are truly that concerned, then change a few aspects. If not, then don't worry about it. Just make sure each character has some fresh, new aspect about them that makes it believable, relatable, and good for the story.

Antagonists can be interesting. If you want to make a more "down-to-earth" kind of manga, you'll want to stay away from the cheesy "I is evil FEAR ME!!" kind of bad guy. Antagonists are usually bad because their interests conflict with the protagonist. Maybe the antagonist has more "holier" intentions (usually not, but hey), but goes about them the wrong way, and the protagonist is liked more anyhow because he/she is just a more likable character. Make your antagonist maybe not as well-liked, but still, in a sense, needs empathy. Whether the antagonist dies, repents, whatever is up to you.

For the actual story; well, this depends on what you're writing. I guess general advice is make sure everything is properly explained (considering that the only real way you can explain the story is through dialogue). Also, know and own your genre! I can't really say much unless I know the genre (which you may have written down, but I did not see. Sorry)

I forgot: if you are including romance, there are a few things you need to figure out. Don't worry about clicheness (shot a thousand times). Seriously, just make sure the romance fits the storyline and is believable. If you want an extensive description on this from me (which you may not; after all, I am defenitely not an expert on the subject. I know some things, but still), let me know, and I can write it out (because it is very long). Basically, know the people who are in the romance, make sure there is some sort of deeper connection between them (despite what people say, opposites attract is not THAT bad; cliche, but not bad; can be hard, though) besides infatuation, and make it progress the way that is best for the story.

All in all, don't worry about whether it's "cliche" or "completely unique". Unless you are writing a manga for it to be sponsored by a company and make money, then don't worry. You can't make a perfect manga because everyone has too many different tastes. Besides, if you're writing this for your own enjoyment, then guess what? The audience is going to have to deal. If you are so worried about what others are going to comment about your manga and how much it either sucks or rocks, then you aren't having fun with it. Have fun; you're writing your own manga, for gosh sakes! Have fun with the tedious process!

I know I'm probably going to get flamed, but such is life.

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Okay, Caelestis. I'll respond in the same manner as I did with Eng, but with much more respect because you have your facts straight. And I'll be critical as well, so if any offense is taken, suck it up. :P

I think the hardest part is, if you are especially doing a fantasy one, you do need to make sure your world is as plotted out as possible; the history is written out (and not so complex that no one will understand what happened); and if there is magic, make sure you keep "loose" boundaries on it (to prevent Deus ex Machina as much as possible). Too strict boundaries can sometimes (not all the time) make it difficult to plan interesting battles, but obviously too loose boundaries will make the battles unbelievable.

And that is we call flexibility. Most manga nowadays do not realize that it is needed. One Piece is a perfect example of what this directive requires. It shows that there is a limit, but the border is unknown and yet we know not of its variants till later. Very well put.

Character creation, I'll call it, can be very difficult, especially if you're trying to battle between making Mary Sues, not following too many tropes, etc. For the protagonist, you want to create a believable, perhaps likable, and round character. Be careful of Mary Sues, like I said, but at the same time don't over-worry. The definition of a Mary Sue can sometimes seem so broad that it is difficult to NOT find someone who fits it. The protagonist needs to be a human; humans have many facets of different personalities. If you have ever done a tabletop RPG before, sometimes they have "guidelines" for simple character personality creation to get you started. You want your protagonist to fit into the storyline, so make sure it does. Also, typically your protagonist is going to change something, whether big or small. So you need to flesh out intensely the dreams and desires of him/her.
For other characters, don't get tied down with the tropes. Just create a character that you want (and think would) naturally fit into the storyline. Oh noes! He/she perfectly describes a blahblah trope! If you are truly that concerned, then change a few aspects. If not, then don't worry about it. Just make sure each character has some fresh, new aspect about them that makes it believable, relatable, and good for the story.

I wouldn't necessarily say the MC has to be a HUMAN, but rather have a HUMAN-styled personality. Mary sues are whatever characters the trends mold them to be. Big deal. Of course you must do what you wish with your characters. That's why we have freedom over our creations and the fact that our characters can be who they want to be with the boundless ideas of our imaginations. And the tropes. Seriously. If you wanna have a 'trope-perfect' character, I'd highly suggest that there be at least a good story as to WHY he or she is a trope.

Antagonists can be interesting. If you want to make a more "down-to-earth" kind of manga, you'll want to stay away from the cheesy "I is evil FEAR ME!!" kind of bad guy. Antagonists are usually bad because their interests conflict with the protagonist. Maybe the antagonist has more "holier" intentions (usually not, but hey), but goes about them the wrong way, and the protagonist is liked more anyhow because he/she is just a more likable character. Make your antagonist maybe not as well-liked, but still, in a sense, needs empathy. Whether the antagonist dies, repents, whatever is up to you.

Of course the whole generic 'over-the-top' in terms of good and evil applies. Your main character could be a total asshole for all we care as long as it doesn't make the story crap because of it. The main character's intentions could be different from what he or she does, we don't frickin know. They could be forced to do whatever the story wants them to do, or by choice. It is of course, up to you. If they die, up to you. If they end up drunk and puking a mudslide, up to you.

For the actual story; well, this depends on what you're writing. I guess general advice is make sure everything is properly explained (considering that the only real way you can explain the story is through dialogue). Also, know and own your genre! I can't really say much unless I know the genre (which you may have written down, but I did not see. Sorry)

It's cool, yo. I agree with the aspect of knowing one's genre. NEVER stray from your genre. Naruto made the same fatal mistake during the Kakashi vs. Deidara battle. Dimensional jutsu? What sort of bullshit are you pulling out of your ass, Kishi? Go to hell. But the recent revealing of Naruto's relation to the 4th Hokage to Naruto himself was rather ... odd. I expected Naruto to react with a WTF look on his face, but meh he didn't. I don't give a flying shit if this is spoilers, because frankly, it's a damn good example. How Kishi explained it is because of the fact that Naruto is the host of the Nine Tailed Fox, thus: the 4th still lives on in Naruto. (no homo.) Stuff like that makes you refer to previous chapters and makes you read more because curiosity tends to make manga better. But that's just my two cents.

I forgot: if you are including romance, there are a few things you need to figure out. Don't worry about clicheness (shot a thousand times). Seriously, just make sure the romance fits the storyline and is believable. If you want an extensive description on this from me (which you may not; after all, I am defenitely not an expert on the subject. I know some things, but still), let me know, and I can write it out (because it is very long). Basically, know the people who are in the romance, make sure there is some sort of deeper connection between them (despite what people say, opposites attract is not THAT bad; cliche, but not bad; can be hard, though) besides infatuation, and make it progress the way that is best for the story.

We must discuss this, Cael. But yes. Romance is a very limit-requiring element of any story. Unless it's a goddamn romance manga, limit it. Of course a deep connection, or better yet... a deep hidden bond or need could be a nice way to do it. If I were to do a romance, I'd most likely make it a dysfunctional one because I can't stand that lovey-dovey crap that is in the generic manga, romance or not.

All in all, don't worry about whether it's "cliche" or "completely unique". Unless you are writing a manga for it to be sponsored by a company and make money, then don't worry. You can't make a perfect manga because everyone has too many different tastes. Besides, if you're writing this for your own enjoyment, then guess what? The audience is going to have to deal. If you are so worried about what others are going to comment about your manga and how much it either sucks or rocks, then you aren't having fun with it. Have fun; you're writing your own manga, for gosh sakes! Have fun with the tedious process!

Exactly! THANK YOU. Write what you like. Just make sure its story can be easier to write as you go, because you will eventually hit a brick wall and have to climb over it.

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Haha, no offense taken on any of the points It seemed mostly agreeable, anyhow, so no matter.
(and for me, don't worry about Naruto spoilers; I don't even watch the show or read the manga, and honestly do not plan to)

Oh, also, slight misunderstanding: I used the term "human" more what you meant; obviously a mary sue can apply to any kind of character; I just said human without taking into account other "races", etc. Sorry 'bout the confusion there.

And I'm glad someone agrees with me about the idea that worrying too much about whether it's too cliche, or the most different, original manga in the planet can ruin the story. I was unsure how that idea would circulate.

You said we must discuss having romance in a manga? I am unsure what the tone was used for that statement, lol.

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I need to discuss romance's uses in Manga with you. My contact information is in my profile.

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I would say a perfect anime is impossible, but a 90% perfect anime would be possible.

My two cents:

~Develop the bloody romance better and don't constantly wave it in the face. And please don't make it predictable. (*cough* Sword Art Online *cough*)
~Tone down the fanservice
~More Shounen ai and Shoujo ai, and don't just make it fanservice to fap to.
~No cliche characters for the love of God!
~Alternate universe episodes (Like in Clannad.)
~No god mod characters
~No changing the rules of the world for the plot's convience
~Less stiff animation
~Worry more about developing the *bleep* characters than the *bleep* romance.

Edit: I'm starting to notice romance sells these days, no matter how half baked it is. But if all we can write home about a character is their bloody annoying love life, that character most likely sucks. I miss the old days were cartoons/anime focused more about developing characters and romance wasn't constantly waved in the face.

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Here's what I usually end up doing:

Step 1: Take a cliche.
Step 2: Throw it against a wall and smash it into the ground.
Step 3: Insert turnabout. (No pun intended.) And by "turnabout" I mean plot twists, underdog fighting a giant, snuff of important/well-loved character, more cliche-smashing, etc. Anything that could possibly tip a situation on its head. For this step, cliche is fine (though I still like smashing it).

Advice:
- Cliche's cliche for a reason. I like smashing them, but there's nothing wrong with using them normally.

- That being said, don't overdo it. This applies to both using cliches and smashing cliches. And... well, everything, really. Too much is just too much.

- If you hit a wall, go back to the last part you liked (and still have time/room to change without pissing off all of your readers/watchers) and rewrite from there. If you hate all of it, end it and start over.

- That being said, sometimes you just have to push through the crap to get to the good stuff.

- If YOU, the writer, hate it, chances are so does everyone else.

- Pay attention to the little details. They add up. Sometimes the little details add up into a major plot hole, and sometimes they hint at something you never meant to hint at. Both scenarios can help to move the plot forward if you're stuck but don't want to/can't rewrite anything.

- Pay attention to fans. They see things you don't. (Mind you, don't listen to EVERYTHING they say; that's when it becomes a fanservice plot instead of YOUR plot... And that's pretty bad.) A good example of this is actually C-R; you see the contradiction page? You see all the theories people put up (and the canon evidence they have to support them)? Yeah. That's what I'm talking about.

- If you can't write a short story, go long. If you can't write a long story, go short. There's nothing wrong with not being able to write to a certain length; just make sure you can follow through with it.

- Remember that when it comes to manga and anime, the art conveys just as much, if not more than, the dialogue. Be nitpicky about it and don't finalize anything until you're sure your panel or scene depicts exactly what you want it to depict. There's a huge difference between the tone of a panel shaded with hatching and a panel shaded with screen tone, after all. And use of perspective and foreshortening can make or break a scene. Also, however, remember to be timely and efficient about it. Sometimes what you want to draw is too far beyond your skill level; in that case, draw the next best thing and just keep working on it so that next time you want that particular angle or whatever, you can actually do it.

- Conversely, remember that manga and anime are about the story and the characters as much as the art. That means pay attention to your English teacher and the drivel (or not-so-drivel) s/he assigns; IT HELPS, no matter how much you hate it or question its usefulness in life. Oh, and write what you know; you're going to piss off someone if you unintentionally make a mockery of a subject you know nothing of...

- Rough drafts and storyboards are your best friend. You're going to have a lot of them.

- The most important cliche is a cliche for a reason: Have fun! (Why else would you be trying to make a manga/anime?)

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Moderation is pretty much the key for everything, unless the franchise is supposed to be a pure comedy or romance. But even in that kind of a case, Moderation is necessary. Comedy is great, but remain in the realm of the funny and the possible-situations-or-circumstances-that-remain-funny-in-the-series-you-set-up.
This was a problem I have with the 9th Volume of Half Prince. The previous volumes were funny, there were limits there. In the 9th Volume, it throws stuff at us that isn't funny because it feels too forced or too outrageous, although the previous volumes had outrageous stuff in it that remained funny.

Clichés, but don't put too many in. I'm all for smashing them, because seeing a cliché and knowing how it'll end ruins the enjoyment of reading. Seriously, a cliché could result in at least one reader stopping to read the manga or watch the anime.
I do this a lot, there are a good handful of manga I stopped reading because it got too filled with clichés or had just one cliché in it, that pissed me off so much cause it didn't fit.

Romance is not required in everything! It's nice to read about romance and always nice to see two characters falling for each other, but it does not have to be there. Once again, it all depends if it fits into the story. A horror story is not something that should have romance in it, just hearing horror story and romance together makes it sound unfitting. If there is a lot of character interaction, a romance can blossom, which is all fine and good.

But always make sure to develop it! It's practically Twilight territorium to put two characters together and basically say, "Bam! They're in love and they'll get together. That's all there is to them, don't question it." because it is absolutely unrealistic, not to mention incredibly boring to read/watch.
Show that they have a connection about something, even if you have to go for the terrible cliché of Childhood Friends or even just Similar Tragic Backstory. Without a basis, the pairing will feel shallow and like it will never advance to much than a quick fling that may last a few months. Or if it ends in marriage, the marriage will be very unhappy and break easily.

Or instead of Romance, focus on friendship or trust between the characters. I personally think that trusting someone completely and becoming good friends is much harder to do than to fall in love with someone. Sure, the fans will see scenes of friendship and trust between the two characters - whether they are of same sex or opposite sex - and see romance and ship them.
It's something that happens, it can't be helped, sadly... even if you make it clear that a character in the story is very unlikely to ever fall in love, fall in love with someone of the same/opposite gender or is quite happy with being single, fans will ship them and do whatever the hell they want with them. Even if it spits in the face of "rules" you made.

Don't put in too much fanservice or do not make the fanservice too obvious. A little fanservice is wonderful and all, I mean, you do want to give something to your fan, hence the name. But try to be a bit subtle about it. Don't just have the girls suddenly put on bikinis for no good reason or have the guy suddenly lose his shirt because of... a gust of wind or something.

To put my post short: Always make sure it fits!
Putting in stuff that doesn't fit will generally result in a pile of whackiness that doesn't make sense and you'll start to hate it pretty fast. If something doesn't fit, it's distracting and could be so distracting that the reader/watcher will only focus on that rather than what is actually going on.
I don't really wanna call it a Big Lipped Alligator Moment, but this is pretty much what they are.

C-A

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I'm writing a Manga now, it's in Novel format though and it's nearing it's completion. I was thinking of making it two parts, but I think I'd rather have one single story. Though a few opinions on making a good story, especially if you plan on animating it sometime in the future.

For the Manga:
1: Exposition may be good in some cases, but don't have 20 + chapters detailing every little thing that happens in one day. Exposition, like cinematic timing is best taken in moderation.

2: I personally think it's better if the main character, or at least the lead character starts off weak, but slowly grows stronger (and as a result, more 'awesome' ) over time. This makes your fictional hero more three-dimensional, and as a result will be more interesting. Case in point? Kenichi The Mightiest Disciple.

3: Cliches are bad, but keep in mind that they're cliche` for a reason. People use them too much in stories, try looking for some that aren't used as often (TV Tropes .com is great) and put your own spin on it. Who knows, your little spin might start a new cliche.

4: Don't be afraid to break the fourth wall! Heck, don't be afraid to pretend that it's not there in the first place. Deadpool is a good example of how this can be done both humorously and without taking away from the story.

5: Decide how you want it to end first. Then make it happen, a lot of anime's I've seen fall through because they just randomly tell the story. The creators end up pulling excuses from their butts about how a certain character got stronger.

6: Stop worrying about being 'original' and start worrying about 'how can I make this more interesting'. For instance, in a different novel that I'm working on right now, I'm taking The Prince And The Pauper, and adding Tales of Symphonia(well, something very similar to it, it's more like Fairy Tail TBH) Taoism beliefs, and a little Japanese Mythology into it. This is especially important in fanfiction, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX! Nobody wants to read about author avatars getting in bed with their favorite character for no reason....

That's about all I can say, that hasn't been said already at least. Feel free to disagree with me

This is actually not a good idea and I've noticed it myself.
If a writer knows from the beginning how they want to end something, they lose some motivation to finish the story they start because, why bother, they know how it'll end. I've had several stories where I can't get myself to finish because I know how it ends. My mother has the same problem with her decades-old German story "When dreams come true" And trying to finish the story for the sake of the readers won't be that good, either, as your motivation being low will result in half-assed writing.

And it's not any help in keeping random stuff from popping up in your stories.
I know how I want to end my story, yet somehow the characters end up going down a detour of something. I have no idea how it happened, it just seemed to fit, although it serves no purpose in getting to the end of the story in the long run.

C-A

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I really don't like characters where the only thing that makes them a good character or remotely interesting is their relationship with another character.

I also don't like it when a character is SUPPOSED to be important but is only used for comic relief...Not even good comic relief. >_>

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It depends on the person, I guess.

For me, sometimes it's helpful to know what I'm working towards; if I know what I want to do, ideas suddenly pop up for how to get there, and all I have to do is figure out how it all fits together. Other times, I lose motivation because I get an idea for a vital event, but I later realize that vital event can't happen that way if I want the whole story to end the way I already had planned. Of course, at that point, I usually end up just scrapping the original ending, but there are times when the original ending just can't be scrapped (*coughcoughassignmentscoughcough*).

On top of that, sometimes the ending is the meat of the idea. For instance, I had an idea for a story in which I wanted the main character to die before the end of the story, and have side characters take over and save the day. Finished writing it in three days. Admittedly, the fact that it was also in part an assignment for English (the prompt was "A stranger appears") helped with motivation

And pointless detours are often a good thing, in my experience. They can introduce new ideas to me when I'm running low, or cover holes and cause character growth where I didn't even know it was needed until it happened

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