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why exactly did you guys started slapping this "real life" thing everywhere?

Not sure why people are giving real life examples, one of the perks of writing a story or making a comic book or a game is the fact that it is not reality. It's a work of creation in which you can incorporate any type of local or the lack of. Even if it has a reality base you're still allowed a bit of room to push beyond that. One of the best things about this type of entertainment is that it's outside the normal reality. So why anyone would want the characters to behave the way people do in real life when their in a different world altogether is beyond me. Honestly, if I saw someone in real life who looked like anime girls I'd think they were an alien.

As far as attraction to female characters go, for me it would have to be the personality, there aren't an abundance of anime styles out there and they've drawn these so much that a lot of the characters look just a like and that gets boring to look at. So yes, if I'm going to choose one girl over the next it has to be by those means.

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I think I'll get yelled at if I link to Mangafox, but damn there's a perfect panel from Franken Fran to respond to this with.

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Petit Fours and Sushi: The best name for a Tumblog I could think of.

,%,..@@@,.Þ%,.@G,.@@,.% ...What? It makes sense to me.

Wow, this is exactly what I was thinking. Haha. Probably NSFW though, as with most things in Franken Fran.

How I see it, character types, tropes, ect. are just symbols, just like 2d art is just a symbol. It should be these symbols that appeal to the reader/player, not the realism. For example, in a lot of games blonde girls with blue eyes are still considered to be of Japanese descent, even though westerners would most likely say she's white/european because we're used to the symbol of blonde hair and blue eyes being white. However those colors are actually just symbols for what kind of person she is...

The fact that there are so many colorful characters in anime is ultimate escapism for people who live in a place like Japan where everyone may have the same hair color and eye color. Instead of focusing on how they look in reality, they represent the "colors" of their personality.

Tropes are a way to take the essence of a personality to create a more pure character, what a player/reader would really want to see in a perfect world.

Also yay people who know what Franken Fran is! ;A; I love that chapter hahaha.

I'd just like to point out the difference between a well developed character and a character that is similar to a real life person. Now, I can't speak for everyone, but I believe when people talk about "realistic characters", they mean the former. They're talking about being believable, rather than actual realism. You can have a crazy, over-the-top character who's still well developed, just as you could have a normal, down-to-earth character with all the development of an extra. I think this is especially important in ren'ai games, or any story where the characters define the plot, where the "drag 'n' drop template" characters can really hamper enjoyment of the work. Yes, it's necessary to use tropes and clichés to create a story that doesn't have a 70 hour introduction, but you've got to have something different for people to latch on to. Not necessarily realistic, of course, but something to differentiate them from their literary ancestors. Like a tsundere that loves ATVs, and then uses one to help out the protagonist somehow, but not because she likes him or anything. Oh, and there could be little holes in her helmet for her twintails. It would be adorable.

EDIT: Also, I second the glasses thing. Especially on the older sister types.

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"So what do you think? If my past-self saw me now, would she praise me?" - Megurine Luka, "Double Lariat"

Yes, I've noticed that hair colors especially are often a short-hand way of conveying immediately what "type" of character an anime character is. (I would link to the TVTropes page on it, but I would feel horrible being responsible for sucking unsuspecting forum-goers into a black hole from which time cannot escape . . . .)

The Japanese psyche exposed by anime and manga conventions and tropes has always fascinated me. I can definitely see the escapism angle to it all. Other things are a little more uncomfortable to notice - like lately I have noticed nearly all the lead characters in the mangas I have been reading are 'half-Japanese'. Some are straight-up European. Maybe I've just happened upon a string of them by luck and coincidence, but there seem to be an awful lot of explanations to the tune of "My mother is Japanese, and I was born here in Japan, but my father was [insert either American here, or a European country]." I've heard a lot of popular models and actresses in Japan are of mixed parentage - apparently the traditional Japanese features mixed with the sharper bone structure and rounder (but still almond shaped) eyes are a big hit. ::shrug:: I don't know, I'm not in any position to be an authority or critique further, but as an American I always 'twinge' a little when Japan does something that appears to glorify or idolize America or American culture. It's an irrational reaction, but I always see shades of Stockholm syndrome in it - after all, we did nuke their country, occupy it, and then told them how to form their new government.

Back on topic-
What makes a girl character attractive to me? The same things that make a girl attractive to me in real life.

It is a mix of looks and personality. The thing is, that mix is nebulous. I've found all kinds of girls attractive, some very different from one another. In fact, one girl I fell for on first sight had a large scar across her face! (And I don't have a scar fetish.) I wouldn't normally find that kind of thing attractive, but she had the most amazing smile and flashing eyes. After getting to know her, I wouldn't even have wanted her scar to go away - I liked it because I liked her, and it was part of my image of her in my mind.

In general though, I can pin down a few things. Breast size doesn't matter, I've been equally attracted to women with large breasts and women who were flat-chested. But I despise women that use their breasts like they are some form of currency - those that act like they can use them to manipulate me. I take it to mean that they are shallow. Or that they think I'M shallow, neither of which is good.

I like girls that are smart. They don't have to be book smart, but they need to be intelligent and clever. That goes hand in hand with being attracted to girls that are my equal. I'm always looking for a girl that will be a partner, not a dependent. I'm attracted to a girl that will call me on my excuses, who isn't afraid to speak her mind. That said, I really don't like girls that talk all the time. I like enjoying quiet time with a girl, where each word spoken is meaningful or to the point.

I like optimists. I like a girl that is hopeful, looks on the bright side of things, and is cheerful most of the time, relaxed and without a love of drama. I get exasperated with pessimists, emos (though I love the visual look), etc.

Finally, I like girls that are assertive, confident, and know what they want. I DESPISE the submissive "traditional Japanese wife" type. I really can't stand VN or the like where the girl whimpers or cries during sex. As a man, my "tool" would just stop working and I'd have to stop, because they would be making me feel like a rapist, which isn't sexy.

So to recap, I'm attracted to girls that are smart, clever, and confident, with an optimistic outlook on life.

I tend to find "Unnatural" hair colours in real life attractive and prefer my characters to have actually dyed their hair that colour as to be honest my autistic side gets set off at thinking how the genetics of pink hair can work. I like when you get the odd character that actually HAS dyed their hair. I think rather than being a simple indication of their personality, it can reflect their personality in a different way, how they express themselves, etc.

Actually am I the only one who likes funky hair colours better on real girls? I think proper dyed hair has this rich "juicy" quality to it... it's rare that anime/manga/VN type characters capture that look, though sometimes they do. For that reason sometimes I actually anime characters with black or light blonde or ginger hair. Unlike most people I think "Unnatural" colours look more "right" in real life, though it depends how they're done, most emo kids dying their hair make it look like shit.

Personally, I could care less about looks. One of my biggest pet peeves is the VN genre in general's ability to automatically make anyone even slightly ugly the puppy kicking orphan making maniacal bad guy. I kid you not. I swear 90% of the time I'll see someone in the game and before they even open their mouths my minds just going "Aha, big bad spotted" just 'cause they're like, what, only 20% more amazingly good looking than normal people as opposed to the ridiculous 130% of the main characters or something. It's especially annoying that I'm usually right in those cases @_@

For personalities, I have a big problem with the haughty types. The oujo type in general just makes me want to slam my head into the desk. Either she'll annoy me to death or be such a prim proper doormat that I'll end up asleep.

Personally my favorite is the more outgoing, strong types. More annoyingly though, I don't mean the stereotypical sporty tomboy type you find in most eroges (ARGH that bugs me), but rather the ones you tend to find in more mainstream JRPGs. Although, anyone strong willed gets me. I absolutely fell in love with Licia from Aiyoku no Eustia after she finally decided to shoulder the responsibility of being queen. So badass~ <333 But then again, half the cast in that game was badass XD I freaking loved Caim so much.

I think Japanese main characters in general have an annoying tendency of being doormats. I mean, there's a large number of eroge mains that have no personality either.... >_> Otome games too...

...Actually, now that I think about it, I think my favorite main characters are all from GL and BL games.....

Actually, cross that. My favorite type of girl is usually the action type main from GL games. Badass and strong willed types for sure. That applies to both guys and girls.

I think I should start ranting about double standards here or something.

I like a variety of female characters, as long as they have something resembling a personality. Poised and refined, spunky tomboy, cool-minded warrior, introverted or sharp-witted and sarcastic. A sense of dynamic charisma is something I like to see in both male and female main characters (if I have to watch one more tofu-bland harem lead of either sex I will weep.)

As for appearance, moeblobs do nothing for me. I gravitate more towards mature, cool, and exotic.

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EVEN IF THE TENDONS OF MY THUMBS TEAR INTO NOTHINGNESS, EVEN IF I GO NEARSIGHTED FROM STARING TOO HARD AT THE SCREEN, EVEN IF MY BODY IS CLOSE TO COLLAPSE FROM THE 72 HOURS I HAVE GONE WITHOUT FOOD! I WILL DEFEAT YOU!

sort of double post. belh

I like tsundere girls or the strong-willed ones that doesn't need protection. I mean when I see somewhere or read girl screams for a bug I honestly want to punch her lights out ^^. Or the shy ones. They're a stanby for anything and doesn't want to stand out. Like Can you even talk?!On the other side I also don't like girls that are clingy and all that chasing after the main character yuck. For me, fashion in the game doesn't matter. I mean, if the maker is a novice I can't expect of him/her to know all the secrets of fashion. On the other hand, someone just might like average style of clothes. Everyone has their tastes. And in the end, even though I don't like some girl I would still go for her path because I want to see everything. Every path and then I judge and decide which one is the best. ^^ Oh yeah, I also like those sneaky ones that are so full of secrets. My opinion is that if you are making a game try to make a very different kind of girls. Those kind of games are very successful.

I agree with everything except the first statement, lol.



That's only one kind of Tsundere though. A tsundere just means they warm up, either on occasion, or as an eventuality. The way you describe might be the popular model(It's not like I like you or anything!) but a lot of tsunderes still build up feelings like regular characters.

One of my favourite Tsunderes is Kainé from Nier. She does fall in love with the main, but not until much later in the game, and it's not blatant. According to the Devs, she realises it in one scene where she punches Nier in the stomach. They found that scene to be the most romantic in the game.

She does alternate between being aggressive and a more sympathetic character(a "big sister" to Emil), but there are reasons given for her being the way she is later in the plot(mostly second playthrough).

I think the "Predictable" tsundere comes from the annoying tendancy people have to assume that when two people bicker a lot, they must fancy each other. it is true a lot of the time, but not always.

And keep in mind some Tsunderes are situational Tsunderes, for example Kurisu from Stein's gate, you'd be like that if you were around Hyooouuiin Kyouuuma too, equal parts fondness and aggravation.



There can be a fine line between snarker and tsundere as generally when the creator has a character people like they want people to be able to connect to their "emotional side" which can often end up resembling a tsundere. Dalian from Dantalian no Shoka is a pretty good snarker, maybe more of the general Bossy Boots type character though, again I can see how someone would interpret her as Tsundere though.

The build up isn't called tsundere any more. On Tvtropes it's known as Defrosting the Ice Queen.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/M ... ngIceQueen
I have absolutely no problem with those characters, since they aren't tsunderes.


I sincerly apologise Tohsaka-san, but I really don't like you.

Nooo.

Maybe you'll change your mind if you LISTEN TO MY SONG!



http://soundcloud.com/takeshiandthekid/tsundere-service/