Anime We, the few.

[0ber0n the Neko]

What do you believe makes the following:

[color=indigo]A Kawaii (cute) girl[/color]
[color=red]A Complete Bad*ss[/color]
An Imposing Villian
[color=navy]A Strong Love Relationship[/color]
[color=darkorchid]A Love Conflict[/color]
[color=blue]The Essential Character[/color]

Remember, try to put it in terms of animes and examples from them.

I believe
[color=indigo]A Kawaii girl must be somewhat strong willed, but also very attracted to someone, making them try hard at what they do. They don't necessarily have to be very strong, but they are incredibly devoted to the ones they love. (Excel from Excel Saga)[/color]

[color=red]A Complete Bad*ss must be very uninvolved, but very deeply felt inside. Must have a dark or uncertain past. Also must have awesome A** kicking powers or weapons or skills. (Spike from Cowboy Bebop, Vash from Trigun)[/color]

An imposing villian must be absolutely insane. They must have the will and the means to achieve their evil (and often psychotic) dreams. An imposing villian must also always have a backup plan, and seem to have everything under control at all times. (Vicious from Cowboy Bebop, Folken from Escaflowne)

[color=navy]A Strong Love must be very NOT corny. It has to be very inwardly felt. The two involved must have no less than absolute admiration for the other. Often, they will talk of things beyond this world. Often the dominant member will be very inquisitive, and try to spark the other with romanticism and other forms of drama. (Keitaro and Naru from Love Hina)[/color]

[color=darkorchid]A love conflict is the essential building block of any strong love relationship. It must include more than three characters (love quadrangles are so fun! I should post the love poly...uh...thing...involved in my comic) And it should be absolutely akward and rely on embarassing situations. Getting through the conflicts should bring the two main love interests closer to admitting their love for each other.(Love Hina, Guardian Angel Getten)[/color]

[color=blue]The essential character for me is the one that, through their sheer genius and inexhaustable energy, brings out the seriousness of the main characters. (Ed from Cowboy Bebop, Su from Love Hina)[/color]

Well there it is! I hope to see some good responses!

[maikiratori]

Well a cute girl would have to be someone who's smart, and strong willed. But they also have to consider others feelings, they should be full of good advice or common sense. The girl shouldn't be an airhead all the time, but once in a while it's ok. People should love her for what she has to offer (intellectually or emotionally) and not for her looks or anything like that. Like a cross between Kagome (Inu Yasha) and Tohru (Fruits Basket)

A really bad*ss guy would have to be someone, who, though complicated, is kind and fairly tolerant of things around them. They'd have to have something to make them unique, like a complicated past, or some little quirk in their personality that makes them the way they are. Of coarse they'd have to have some sort of fighting skills/weaponry, and a slight attitude when peeved. Like a cross between Spike (Cowboy Bebop), Kyo and Yuki (Fruits Basket), Kenshin (Ruroni Kenshin) and Amon (Witch Hunter Robin)

An imposing villian, well this one's a toughy. There are so many aspects that can make one imposing [I]and [/I] a villian. Well frist off, the villian'd have to have a cruel streak (obviously) and they'd have to have a past that's intertwined with the bad*ss. (Spike/Vicious or Knives/Vash) The villian must have a dark motive (or one they believe must be dark even if it isn't) and a means of carrying it out. Powerful in one form or another and intelligent. So probably like Vicious (Cowboy Bebop) Akito (Fruits Basket), Zaizan (Witch Hunter Robin), or Naraku (Inu Yasha)

Strong love relationship... Well the couple would have to understand one another, respect one another and willing to stick with each other through some sticky situations. They'd each have to trust the other with more than just their feelings, their deepest secrets and thoughts. Each would have to risk a lot for the other's benefit at one point in the relationship or another. They'd have to be ready to admit to themselves and others, their true feelings for the other person. They could be shy and akward as long as there's a little romance(ing) involved. I can only think of one relationship that really fits with this description and one that will possibly develope (once I get the 4th disc I can find out). Kagome and Inu Yasha (Inu Yasha... duh!!) and Tohru and Yuki (Fruits Basket, we all know Kyo likes Tohru, but from what I've seen Tohru favors Yuki more)

[kenshinsbabe]

Well, all I have to say about is the cute girl.

I say a cute girl doesn't always need looks (though it helps sometimes). A cute girls needs a good, happy, spirit-lifting attitude. She needs to smile alot anseh can't be mean. The meanness takes away from her cuteness. She can't be a prep. Nobody likes a stuck up prep. She doesn't have to be athletic, but if I were a boy, I'd want an athletic cute girl.Let's see. . .She needs to be the girl that no one notices or talks to. That way, whoever talks to her will get the full range of her emotions. That's my description of a cute girl.

[Dagger]

I've never seen a topic like this before. ^_^

The ideal kawaii girl is sweet, considerate and uncomplicated. Others may see her as an airhead or a ditz, but her selflessness more than makes up for any astounding lack of brilliance. Although mental intelligence is not once of her salient characteristics, she's very wise about most emotional matters--except those involving her own heart. People love this girl because she refuses to be discouraged and never succumbs to angst. Her patience, innocence and unflagging optimism appeal to both women and men alike, making her seem special despite her lack of unusual talents.

Examples: Tohru (Fruits Basket), Saya (Peace Maker Kurogane), Yumi (Maria-sama ga Miteru)

Ah, the badass guy: my favorite type of character. He may or may not have a heart of gold... either way, it's imperative that he rarely reveal his true feelings. Intimidating, aloof and untalkative, he is generally the best at what he does--a true professional in every sense of the word. While he usually specializes in combat, he may have other skills. The badass guy can be distinguished by his love of solitude and tendency to look down on others; caprice can sometimes spur him to act kindly, but he is best known for his intolerance and icy demeanor.

Examples: Yuki (Gravitation), Amon (Witch Hunter Robin), Alex (Last Exile), Hijikata (Peace Maker Kurogane)

0ber0n and maikiratori, I was quite surprised to see who you'd selected as your favorite badass men. I suppose that Spike might fall into that category, but Vash and Kenshin are [i]far[/i] too kind-hearted. Same goes for Yuki.... and Kyo is really just a wannabe, heh. ^_^;;

~Dagger~

[Guest ScirosDarkblade]

Well, I don't know much kawaii characters (or any, for that matter), because I've not watched too much anime. So I'll skip that one. But there *is* a true "kawaii" culture in Japan, so rather than explain it you guys can just read about it somewhere (and many of you know what it is anyway).

Total bada** ... hmmm... yeah, to me the total bada** means that when the going gets tough, he kicks arse all over the place like it's nothin' doin'. I suppose a true bada** has to be "cool" all the time. No random crying (unless it's [i]really[/i] called for, like when Tom Cruise cries at the end of The Last Samurai or something), and no girliness. That's why I guess Vash doesn't fit (well, Trigun did a lousy job of really merging the two kinds of Vash--the goofy and the deadly serious--so he ends up being schizophrenic more than anything else if you ask me). But Wolfwood, he's pretty bada**. Amon from W.H.R. strikes me as bada**, but I couldn't watch more than 2 episodes of that show dubbed (maybe I'll watch it on DVD sometime), so I can't say from personal experience. Maybe D (Vampire Hunter D), but I don't know because I've only seen bits and pieces.

Imposing villain. OK this is an easy one. He has to be shrouded in mystery for at least a portion of the anime, and he has to have subordinates. He has to also be pretty darn bada** or there's nothing imposing about him. In short, he's the proper arch-nemesis of a bada** hero. He's the sort of guy you'd expect to be involved in some spectacular combat with the hero in the last episode of the series. Everyone's mentioned Knives and Vicious, and I wish I knew others...

Strong Love Relationship. Ah, finally something I'm most familiar with in anime. (Bada** and villains... there I'm better off discussing Batman and gang or something). Well, there has to be complete devotion. Both have to be willing to risk everything for each other, and I mean [i]everything[/i]. They are rather open about their feelings (being past the awkward stage that Keitaro and Naru (Love Hina) were perpetually stuck in), and spend most of their time in each other's company. Also, the couple has to have passed some trials that tested their love (whether that meant risking the end of the world for each other, or not being seduced by someone else who wanted to ruin the relationship). The best example I can think of is Keiichi and Belldandy from "Oh My Goddess!"

[Balinese]

A kawaii girl... now for me that one is tough. She has to have the adorable looks, yes. But there are so many types of anime girl that are 'kawaii'. She could be a brainiac, or a ditz. She could be a hero or a victim or a villain. It's all in the personality, as Dagger said. She has to be kind, selfless and totally giving.

A bad*** is someone who knows what they're after and will go to any lengths to get it. Two good examples are Vash the Stampede and Fujimiya Aya-kun. Each has a goal in mind and will do anything to achieve it.

An imposing villain is someone who create serious fear in their opponent, and knows it. Evil-ness is an option. Legato is a good example. As we've seen, he scares the crud out of Vash, and he knows he has that power. He is evil, and he knows it. Knives, on the other hand, scares Vash, but at the same time he really isn't EVIL per se, just misunderstood and misunderstanding.

A strong love relationship is the kind that endures. You can find them in many animes, but there are different types. Some are the kind that are destined, written in the stars (Sailor Moon and Damien). Some just HAPPEN, with no explanation (Vash and Meryl). And some... well, i think the best kind are the type that HAPPEN, but seem destined. i can't think of any right off the top of my head, but you know what i mean.

[Miss Muffet]

Maybe I'm completely missing the point of this thread, but to be honest I don't believe that such stereotypes could possibly make good characters or a good storyline. I feel that some deviations are needed in order to produce something original and captivating. It seems to me that in making these stereotypes we're pretty much limiting ourselves to a few common characters found in anime and excluding anything else. For instance, take...BLAAAGH I forgot his name....but the guy in the movie X who is Kamui's adversary. He's not insane. He doesn't have a dark past. He's not especially cruel (until the end).
And I would love to rattle off more to prove my point but I'm bored and need to go! So...no hard feelings anyone. Just my own humble opinion. :D

[Zen]

A Kawaii Girl must have large eyes, be pretty ditzy, have an impossibly perfect body structure, and either pink, blue, or purple hair.

An Imposing Villain has to be caniving, clever, powerful, have great leadership qualites, must be a bold speaker, and must have plausible motivation, which at some points, may seem quite valiant.

A Total Bad ***** has to be either cool, calm, collected, or fiery, easily angered, but smart and tactical. He has to be good at atleast three self defense methods, may it be fire arms use, space ship piloting, giant robot piloting, martial arts, and etc. He has to have a cool design and style and must have a reason and deep history to becoming the badd ***** he is today.

A Strong Love Relationship must be filled with angst, usually involving multiple lovers/partners, has to be filled with misshapes and misunderstanding, and must have a strange and major opposites attract factor. Atleast, in anime that is.

[0ber0n the Neko]

[quote name='Miss Muffet']I don't believe that such stereotypes could possibly make good characters or a good storyline.[/quote]

I think you're right... you kinda ARE missing the point ^_^(please excuse me if that sounded rude). Well, the point of this thread is to expand upon your opinions of how a character, described so briefly, can be described very well. I am also trying to use a combination of these four things in my comic book... so this thread is also helping me with character design. It's not often you find a kawaii and bad*ss together in a strong love relationship (or not often as far as I have seen). Also, it's not often that the kawaii character has more potential for power than the bad*ss. I'm using all of this in my comic.

[quote name='Miss Muffet']I feel that some deviations are needed in order to produce something original and captivating. It seems to me that in making these stereotypes we're pretty much limiting ourselves to a few common characters found in anime and excluding anything else.[/quote]

Actually, not true. I am soon going to ask for descriptions of a couple of new types of characters. These types of character are, yes, very often used in anime. But then, so are ALL types of character. You find completely WIMPY bad*sses, average Joes, brainwashed little boys and girls that kill people... There aren't many types of characters NOT used in Anime.

Try to define some yourself, Miss Moffet! It's pretty fun!

Alright. I think I'll add the next few.

[maikiratori]

[QUOTE=Dagger IX1]I've never seen a topic like this before. ^_^

The ideal kawaii girl is sweet, considerate and uncomplicated. Others may see her as an airhead or a ditz, but her selflessness more than makes up for any astounding lack of brilliance. Although mental intelligence is not once of her salient characteristics, she's very wise about most emotional matters--except those involving her own heart. People love this girl because she refuses to be discouraged and never succumbs to angst. Her patience, innocence and unflagging optimism appeal to both women and men alike, making her seem special despite her lack of unusual talents.

Examples: Tohru (Fruits Basket), Saya (Peace Maker Kurogane), Yumi (Maria-sama ga Miteru)

Ah, the badass guy: my favorite type of character. He may or may not have a heart of gold... either way, it's imperative that he rarely reveal his true feelings. Intimidating, aloof and untalkative, he is generally the best at what he does--a true professional in every sense of the word. While he usually specializes in combat, he may have other skills. The badass guy can be distinguished by his love of solitude and tendency to look down on others; caprice can sometimes spur him to act kindly, but he is best known for his intolerance and icy demeanor.

Examples: Yuki (Gravitation), Amon (Witch Hunter Robin), Alex (Last Exile), Hijikata (Peace Maker Kurogane)

0ber0n and maikiratori, I was quite surprised to see who you'd selected as your favorite badass men. I suppose that Spike might fall into that category, but Vash and Kenshin are [i]far[/i] too kind-hearted. Same goes for Yuki.... and Kyo is really just a wannabe, heh. ^_^;;

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]
I do understand what you mean by saying Kenshin and Vash are too kindhearted, but you also have to look at what I said in context. I meant that when they are in their 'zone' or whatever you want to call it, they are pretty bada** and all... I mean it's almost scary! I know I wouldn't want to be up against them when they're like that... And I [I]just[/I] had to mention Kyo, 1 because I think he's sooo cool/hot and 2 because I was mostly thinking of his temper and how when he's pissed he's kinda 'Arrrg!!' (I use words like that and all when I can't think of the word I wanna say)

[Miss Muffet]

[QUOTE=0ber0n the Neko]I think you're right... you kinda ARE missing the point ^_^(please excuse me if that sounded rude).

Heh. Forgive me. I was on an inexcusably philosophical rant. Shmeh. However, I do think that what you're looking for is not stereotypes, but more like what a reader would want a certain character to act like in your comic. I'll quit the analyzations and help a bit now :rolleyes:

Kawaii Girl:
The usual kawaii girl seems to be very....superficial (not always a bad thing). She's easily read and speaks her mind. She walks the thin line between independence and swooning over the nearest guy. She's unbearably cute, impossibly skinny, and she is always interested in the greater good, even if it is only the most immediate good.

Bad@$$:
He's deep. He has a reason for everything, a motive that is not always seen but is usually hinted at. He's a great fighter (DUH!) and can be cruel but is usually fighting, again, for good. He doesn't conform to rules. He has a cool and trademark weapon.

Imposing Villain:
This person is, I think, a bit like the bad@$$ only in reverse. He usually think his actions are based on a good motive, that the end justifies the means. Insanity always helps with this. He's creepy and has long hair. I dunno why.

Strong Love Relationship:
Heck...They've been through a lot together, maybe. They have a long past and know each other extremely well. The relationship is not based on lust, even though the guy must look like he's taking steroids and the girl must look like she's anorexic.

That's all I have to say. Haff a nice day! Au revoir!

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]Let's see:
[b]A cute girl[/b] That depends on the manga or anime character you like. For the usual cute girl I'd have to go with any of the inner senshi from Bishojo Senshi SailorMoon. Especially Aino Minako since she just enbodies the whole idea of cuteness and bubblyness even with everything she's been through.

However, if you want the not so stereotyped cute girl I'd pick MOmo Adachi from Peach Girl. She's a bit insecure because of how she looks, but she's tough (she got into a big fight with three girls in the first book [spoiler]and she stabbed Kiley's brother in the ear[/spoiler] along with other things) and she's very athletic (swim team) and even if she's not that academically inclined (ever see the pictures of her report card?) She did perform CPR on Kiley and is a bit self sacrificing. [spoiler]She breaks up with Kiley because he still has some feelings for Misao[/spoiler]

Okay

[b]The Bad *****[/b] I really want to say all the Witches 5 from Bishoujo Senshi SailorMoonS. Especially Mimmet and Tellu. Case in point:

The basic requirement for any bad ***** is you have to reach teh top no matter what, right? Well, who better proves that than a villain. Even better a female villain since everyone seems to think that guys are always worse than girls.

Mimmet [spoiler]cut eudial's breaks on the van after she took the assignment away from her. As well as putting snails in her locker, tacks in her slippers and leaving notes like: Snail lady shall crash and die[/spoiler] If that isn't nasty, I don't really know what is.

Tellu pulled the plug on Mimmet literally. She got rid of her opponent to get the top spot in the business and had plants to do her bidding. True [spoiler]she got eatten by her own plant[/spoiler] But she was still vindictive.

Which brings us to [b]imposing villain[/b]
Nakago from Fushigi Yugi definately fits this description. I think he's even scarier than Naraku and his unnatural ability to produce off spring.

This guy managed to trick Yui into fighting her best friend. [spoiler] hypnotize Tamahome with earrings and some potion which almost got himj to kill off another Suzaku warrior[/spoiler] He can do his own work but stil doesn't hesitate to make others do it for him. Of course he did whip Tamahome by himself, he got another one of the Seiryuu seven [spoiler] to kill Nuriko :bawl: [/spoiler] he doesn't even care if he loses any or all of his warriors. The guy is ruthless.

I'll get back with the rest tomorrow, my butt hurts from sitting and I'm tired[/color]