Regarding any type of media you consume, there are going to be common themes that overlap between different franchises— after all, every story is a variation of a previous one, in some way. Often, these tropes will resonate strongly within a specific genre: fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and romance all have their own unique tropes that fan bases could likely identify off the top of their heads. And while tropes can be repetitive, if utilized correctly, they can also drive a plot forward and make for a compelling narrative that audiences love.
While all of this is true in the anime community, it would be a lie to say that every trope found in popular anime series is a good one. Sure, there are plenty of shows that make awesome use of the chosen one, or that can pull off an intriguing love triangle; however, it’s more likely that tropes can become tired, overused, and irritating to see happen over and over with no real substance to add to the storyline. This list will explore a few of anime’s most annoying tropes that I wish would disappear permanently.
5) Pervy Comic Relief Character
The perverted side character is a trope I don’t think anybody actually enjoys when watching anime. You know the type— a character that’s constantly getting nosebleeds every time a woman looks their way, making creepy passes at female characters, and portrayed as having negative game through every fault of their own. It’s often these characters are used as cheap comic relief, because it’s apparently funny to not respect boundaries and make an idiot of yourself to achieve a rejection instead of a date.
This type of character can be found in every genre imaginable: Sanji from One PieceMineta from My Hero Academiaand Meliodas from The Seven Deadly Sins. The main issue with this trope is how it makes light of a serious issue in everyday life. Nobody enjoys being hit on in the weirdest, most invasive way possible, so why would we suddenly enjoy it in anime? It adds nothing to the plot, including comedy, so its better to just skip the entire trope and introduce normal flirting that wouldn’t get a character put on a registry.
4) Main Character Features
This trope is honestly more of a personal pet peeve that is slightly amusing in how common it is in anime (and any media that wants to make a point of how super special a character is). A character that is dubbed as important, whether because they’re the hero or the main villain, will have features that purposefully make them stand out from the crowd. Think oddly colored hair that definitely shouldn’t be natural, neon-shaded eyes that wouldn’t be possible in real life without the use of contacts, and outfits that look like bargain bin leftovers.
Does this detract from the overall plot or story that’s being told in an anime series? Absolutely not. But that doesn’t mean we need another white-haired, red-eyed shonen protagonist to save the day, or a pink-haired anime waifu in a schoolgirl uniform that somehow is proficient with a gun. This is such a common part of anime character design that it’s impossible to pick just one example; that being said, I think a hilarious one is Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure’s stand users, who all look like caricatures of real people. All I’m saying is it might be nice to see more anime that have characters who won’t inspire cosplayers to buy the cheapest blue wigs they can find.
3) Random Unearned Power-Ups
If there’s a single spot on this list that irritates and sparks conflict within the anime fandom, it has to be power creep taking place in a series. To explain, power creep is essentially when a character experiences a sudden power-up that often can be prompted in the middle of a fight by extreme emotion. It’s sort of the deus ex machina of shonen anime— if your hero is getting rightfully beaten down by the villain, there will probably be a moment where the protagonist suddenly unlocks a super-strong power they didn’t realize they had until that moment.
The examples for this trope can be found littered in just about any anime with extensive fight sequences: Bleach, Dragon Ball Z, Narutoand Sword Art Online. It turns balanced characters into one-man armies, and presents plot armor so the consequences and stakes never get too serious. Not only does this trope lighten the actual stakes of the anime, it hinders character development by not allowing the main character to lose and grow from the loss. Sure, it’s cool to have a nicely animated battle that makes the hero look good, but it doesn’t mean the outcome feels deserved.
2) Neglected Female Characters
The fact that anime series will often overlook and neglect the character development of its female characters feels less like a trope and more like an issue within the medium. There’s no denying the fact that, especially in genres such as action, fantasy, and sci-fi, the progression of female character arcs is lacking. How many Sakuras and Misas do we need to witness before admitting that? The worst part of this trope is how easily avoidable it would be to write well-rounded, flawed characters that aren’t left in the dust by every male counterpart.
The thing is, most of the female characters often accused of being underdeveloped and poorly written aren’t weak in terms of power or skill. You can think of Nobara from Jujutsu Kaisen; despite her useful cursed technique, she’s still knocked off the board very early on and left out of the story until the very end chapters, completely skipping any growth she might have had. And that doesn’t even begin to mention the characters who had potential, only to be robbed of any goals past being the main character’s love interest (Ochaco, anyone?). Nobody needs every anime girl to be the strongest or the best, but it’s imperative that they aren’t unanimously the weakest in the background.
1) Tragic Backstories
The worst part of including tragic backstories in this list is that there’s no defining way to pin down who has them in anime— everyone does. Chances are, we will get a series of flashbacks from every important side character, our protagonist during a fight scene, and even the villain as they’re dying, showcasing this exact trope. Anime loves to give the most heinous trauma to its characters that are often not really explored or mentioned past a reason to power creep or continue a fight.
We’ve all seen the cut scene to a hospital room where a dead or dying family member imparts wise final words the main character recalls in the heat of the moment; or, maybe its the time they were nine years old and living on the street, fighting for food and money to survive. The exploitation of pain and suffering in anime is never-ending. You will see a character that’s suffered from poverty, child abuse, bullying, or some other dark secret in their past that has made them the way they are in the present tense of the show. And while it makes sense to a degree for certain characters (cough, Levi, cough), do we really need our hero to have been dragged through the toughest tribulations before their brain is fully developed just to get a tear-jerking scene? In my opinion, probably not.
Which anime do you think utilize these tropes the most? Tell us more about your least favorite anime tropes in the comments below.
