Why do flashbacks need an in-story explanation in Western/American Stories but not in Japanese? .

Hello, In The Force Awakens, Rey finds a lightsabers that triggers a flashback. However, if you watch Naruto/One Piece or most animes that flashbacks are part of HOW the story is told and do not need a justification for existing in the story.

edited 23rd Oct '16 11:02:29 AM by Kratistos

The short answer is, they don't always. There are plenty of western/American stories where the flashbacks are just used as part of the storytelling, to provide backstory. Pretty much every episode of Once Upon a Time is structured that way, for instance. It happens on Arrow too, and Highlander (the original film, and the TV series) and way too many other films, TV shows, cartoons, etc, to name here. I'd even go so far as to say that in the vast majority of instances, flashbacks are used the same way in both American and Japanese fiction.

Rey's flashback wasn't just for storytelling purposes, to simply provide information; I'd say it counted more as a vision than a flashback, too. That she had a vision when she touched the lightsaber was important to the plot and her development as a character. It indicated that she was awakening to the Force.

edited 23rd Oct '16 11:57:21 AM by Robbery

Doesn't that count as non-linear storytelling altogether? I do notice that some anime series tend to leave about half the third act of a season for plot-essential flashbacks - Evangelion and RahXephon spring to mind. Can't say if it's specific enough to warrant a page, but it does feel different from how Western media uses it more for character showcases, leaving plot reveals for the present.

Ever watch a Tarantino film?

Exactly.

An artefact of a small sample size, not an actual trend.

I'd suggest learning the craft behind the when and why of flashbacks as opposed to getting caught up in that.

Im interested in learning more about that, too. Anyone suggest a resourse?

Try this on for size.