Why are mecha so cool? And why do girls not care for action scenes?

Why are mecha most liked by boys, especially of a nerdy persuasion? I mean, I love them, I really do, but I don't know why. Even though I know they are engineering impossiblities and inefficient as hell, I can't help but gape in awe at their large, shiny, complex frames and gush at their displays of power (okay, I can help it, and force myself out of that perspective with some ease, but it's like taking a hot chick and not-seeing-her-as-attractive on purpose, it's sort of a waste, isn't it?)

I mean I've shown stuff like Furi Kuri to some girls, and the awesometastic fights which were the highlight of the epidoes for me were met with complete and utter indifference... I think it's because they somehow believe fighting is none of their business and not something to be excited about, while we dudes are taught to see it as yet another form of "dick-waving", "parading", much more about impressing each other than about impressing girls. I guess it's the same thing with girls and fashion... boys think it's none of their business, girls dress to please boys but mostly in a sort of escalating armament race against each other.

"Sweets are good. Sweets are justice."

1) Rule of Cool. I personally don't like mecha that much, and I'd love to see a show where they get beat down hard by tanks and other more conventional military equipment. Well, that and I don't really like anime, which is where the vast majority of mecha are found.

2) It's a generalisation to say that girls don't care for action scenes, I know plenty who do. That said, said action scenes are rarely in totally vacuous action films. Maybe girls prefer characterisation and context?

edited 30th Mar '11 3:27:33 AM by pagad

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.

I'll grant that Mecha look rather cool - if completely impractical. Probably because big fuck-off robots you can actually drive are inherently awesome.

As to the other, I've got a number of friends "of the female variety" that quite like action and one particularly likes spectacular explosions with her action.

Umm, this one cares for action scenes, if they are done in cool way! Not in "lots of special effects" cool, but those that have rhythm, intensity and energy in them

If we disagree, that much, at least, we have in common

Exactly. An action scene is good if it's visually and emotionally exciting. Action for the sake of showing off how cool something is, or action that's just plain done badly, is boring.

Be not afraid...

My best guess is there's more to it than a general appeal/unappeal of action scenes or mechanical things. I'm a huge mecha fan, especially of the Super persuasion, but my spouse could care less, and she isn't a fan of action films. With the exception of some (DieHard and ShootEmUp for example).

edited 30th Mar '11 4:32:40 AM by Ratix

I don't like mecha because they are stupid (I mean, come on... giant humanoid robots?). But I do like awesomely cool technology like cool spaceships, impossibly cool guns, and general cool equipment.

The claim that girls don't like action scenes is absolutely outrageous, because a good action scene is no different from a good chase scene, or a good conversation scene. If girls don't enjoy action scenes, then girls don't enjoy fiction in general, which is a ridiculous claim to make.

I personally LOVE action scenes, except for when characters I don't care about are involved. I personally found Furi Kuri extremely boring because I disliked the characters, and wanted them to just die already so that I would be done watching the show. It's a completely different thing with characters I love, though. I rewatch the Kagura vs. Abuto fight from Gintama about once a month, because I love Kagura, and because that fight is just damn awesome. Similar thing with one fight from Seirei no Moribito, and one fight from Samurai Champloo.

Good fights are a pleasure to watch regardless of gender, is what I'm trying to say.

I like a good Rule of Cool action scene as much as anyone, but Rule of Cool can only last so long, and I start wanting some plot or characterisation or something. The longer something goes on for, the more it needs some kind of hook to keep me interested - basically, something to give the action some meaning behind it.

When it comes to mecha, I have found I tend to like mecha fights that involve characters I care about more. So there's that. (Plus I think I like the outrageous mecha stuff more than the "realistic" sorts.)

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I wonder how many women just pretend they don't like the mecha-tastic action scenes.

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Hodor

I don't particularly like mecha. While I won't stop watching something just because it has them, it's not a selling point to me either. And I've never heard that girls don't like action scenes, so no comment on that.

While I don't believe in automatic dismissiveness towards gender differences w.r.t. interests, I do think if you are going to be arguing for them you could be doing better than just anecdotes.

I'm not just talking about liking, I'm talking about that starry-eyed look dudes tend to have before technology...

For those who read One Piece, remember Franky The Cyborg's reintroduction, and how Usopp, Chopper and Luffy reacted. The latter happened a couple of chapters later, but it was the exact same reaction.

Or, look at this pic. As a Madoka fan, when I'm told "Madoka In Mecha" I say "PREPOSTEROUS". Then I saw that pic and it was a biological thing, I went all "PREPOSTERONE". Or, what is it that makes Scott Pilgrim fun to some and repulsive to others?

"Sweets are good. Sweets are justice."

I'm a girl, and I love both mecha and action scenes. I know guys who hate the entire mecha genre and would rather watch a psychological film than an action one. It's not a question of gender, it's a question of personal taste.

Mecha aren't technology, they're magic.

edited 30th Mar '11 9:21:28 AM by Clarste

Not in the context of the storyline, unless its said so.

Theres nothing magical about a Scopedog

Uhh. What? Mecha are science fiction. Not fantasy. Harry Potter is magic. Not mecha.

My other signature is a Gundam.

^ I think what s/he meant to say is: Mecha are so impractical and unrealistic, you might as well call them magic. (Soft science fiction is indistinguishable from fantasy anyway.)

I really don't think you can generalize that much. My brother is about as awed by technology as I am by snooker. (Meaning, he's not awed at all.)

edited 30th Mar '11 9:39:58 AM by fanty

Commando Dude: I think he's talking about Super Robot mecha, which often enough do involve literal magic, or Magic by Any Other Name.

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edited 30th Mar '11 9:44:08 AM by Tzetze

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They're giant robots you can pilot. What in the world is not to like about that?

Truly, it's about taste. I could care less for action scenes if they're not done well. That being said, in some cases with anime, if it's drawn well or dramatically, then I can get really invested in it.

Technically because you're piloting them they're not really robots.

Because mecha are like giant machines which you can pilot and have epic battles in. That is why they are cool. If they have a beam sabre then that is an added plus ^_^ There really isn't anyway I can elaborate on that.

As for the whole girls not liking action scenes not sure there is any real evidence for that outside of stereotypes.

edited 30th Mar '11 10:25:53 AM by PiccoloNo92

I'm curious if anyone has ever done a large survey of media/genre preferences and analyzed the results for us.

Fight smart, not fair.

I'm a male nerd, I like action scenes, but I can't stand mecha. It's not the lack of realism, since my favorite genre revolves around people with pseudoscientific superpowers. I suppose it's partly the fact that when it comes to Japanese media, I have a much lower tolerance for obvious contrivances. But considering the fact that I also dislike car chases, space battles, and other forms of action which focus on vehicles, I think the main issue is that I have no interest in mechanical devices. I need the bodies of actual organic beings to be more directly involved in the action than that.