Gender: Female
Rank: Ace Attorney
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:23 pm
Posts: 9918
Romance in Anime for me has to be the same as in Videogames or overall franchises, but I'm mostly focusing on Anime/Manga and Videogames here. The romance must not be out of nowhere, starting up suddenly or be seen as anything great. Starting with a crush is fine and all, that's how love tends to start, but don't have them fall instantly in deep love with another person.
And I especially hate it when the romance is unrealistic, with no real basis going on. Too often, I see a pairing in a videogame or anime and their only reason for being together is... well, they're together. That's all there is, they may have a former connection that is mentioned off-hand, but other than that, there's no real reason given to why they are a couple, why they love each other enough to stay together or anything that means the relationship could work out in the long run.
For example, I overall liked Fushigi Yuugi - it focused on the legend of the Priestess and fights, bringing down the villain, with some family drama added of being under pressure to perform well in school. And also the romance between Miaka and Tamahome. Now, I know a lot of people complained about Fushigi Yuugi's romance, that Miaka and Tamahome have nothing really going on. He first saves her, and Yui, and she's instantly attracted to his cool looks. Through more saving and him protecting her as a warrior for the priestess, she falls for him and he eventually for her.
Peopel complain that there's not much going for them, other than saving... and I have to agree with that. But perhaps that's how the story of the Suzaku priestess was written, after all, The Universe Of The Four Gods was basically turned into a Self-Insert story with the girls when they read it. So I guess I can sort of understand why their romance seems a bit... unbelieveable. Even the volumes 14 - 18, which are technically Suzaku-Only section and not the large struggle between Suzaku-Seiryuu, make it seem at times like their romance isn't that great, but they do love each other.
Same mangaka, but now we have Zettai Kareshi. I know this may sound insane, but even though Night is a humanoid robot android whatever thing made to Riiko's ideal type of boyfriend, I actually feel like there was something between those two. I actually sort of cheered for them when they got over a hurdle... and now I'm remembering the end of that manga... *sniff*
But outside of anime, even some manga I can't understand the romance. Some genres that don't focus on romance are, of course, okay to not have them all that relateable. Toriyama himself said that he doesn't think he's got the talent to write a believeable and romantic romance, but Chichi and Goku seem happily married and eventually Vegeta and Bulma, too. Of course... then we have the genres that
do focus on romance and even there the romances can end up not being believeable at all... I still don't see the reason in most shoujo mangas why the hell the heroine would end up happily with this jerk, whose been nothing but an insensitive jerk for a long time, because nothing that happened seems like it would be understandable or relateable.
I sort of lost the point I was making... anyway, I don't mind romance in anime or other franchises as long as A) it isn't out of nowhere B) shoved in my face repeatedly C) doesn't stretch out that awkward "Oh I let something romantic slip, uh, well, I never said that, hahaha!" phase too long D) doesn't detract from the original plot and E) they have more going than simply being shoved together for the sake of having a romance.
Boy, do I have demands on romance in franchises...
C-A