History WhatMeasureIsANonHuman / AnimeAndManga

*** [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean Well, not in that sense...]]

* This is a major theme in ''EveNoJikan''. A particularly jarring example is when [[spoiler: Akiko, the resident GenkiGirl, is seen in the protoganist's school with her ring. A passing student simply tosses a bag at her.]]

* If you can look past the rampant {{fanservice}}, {{fetish fuel}}, cuteness and comedic moments, this is a major element explored in ''{{Chobits}}''.

* ''AstroBoy'' dabbles in this. Atom/Astro, after all, was abandoned by his MadScientist father, Dr. Tenma, when he failed to serve as a [[ReplacementGoldfish complete replacement]] for his dead son.
* Human and robot relations in ''AstroBoy'' are driven up to eleven in Urasawa's retelling, ''{{Pluto}}''. How human do humans see robots as? How human do robots consider robots to be? How do people feel about it getting harder and harder to tell man from machine? What do older robot models think about newer androids that outclass them both in body and in sentience? At what point do machines count as people? What about robot rights? How many more philosophical questions on artificial intelligence can we cram into the next chapter?

* ''ElfenLied'' seems to decide that yes, Diclonii are people too. [[spoiler: And then they're all exterminated to preserve humanity.]] Whether the ending is a BrokenAesop, a [[DownerEnding downer]] or BittersweetEnding or a ShootTheDog moment... well, {{YMMV}}.

** Due to Book 10's events, Kyon is beginning to subvert this trope. According to his interpretation, Kimidori's being an ObstructiveBureaucrat, Ryoko's an AxCrazy bitch, and Suyoh's just creepy. Only Yuki isn't a CompleteMonster in his mind, since even Yuki's boss threatened to delete her for gaining emotions after being trapped in a GroundhogDayLoop for nearly 6 centuries. And since Kyon prevents the IDSE from killing Yuki, the next best thing is to elect her to be the ambassador to the Sky Canopy Domain; exposing her existence and sanity to something which is as alien to her as the Data Overmind is to humans. A lesser being would GoMadFromTheRevelation.

** More than a few fics explore the possibilities of this trope, though it [[{{Understatement}} usually doesn't go well for the Nations themselves.]] These themselves tend to result in them becoming either media freak shows or guinea pigs for testing.

* Lampshaded in ''{{Hellsing}}'' when during their first encounter Seras ascertains that Alucard is not a human before shooting him. Alucard derisively comments on that: "Why? would you have shot me if I was?"

* This concept is intentionally taken to the logical extreme in ''ElfenLied'' (although some of the characters have a different opinion on what is human and what is not).

** The [[DigimonTamers third]] season brutally averts the trope by demonstrating that there is no difference between digital and organic life, since ''both'' Digimon and Humans (military, innocent bystanders, car drivers) '''die''' permanently (no DisneyDeath) in this series. This is especially interesting because the most mourned death was [[ItWasHisSled Leomon's]] and not one of the humans [[spoiler: because the Tamers didn't witness it first hand]]. Early on, there is a debate/fight over whether or not to feed on wild Digimon's Data, strenghtning the partner Digimon, which is solved very subtely [[spoiler: They decide not to absorb the data, in hope that those that are too violent and have to be killed (those that were spared were killed by Yamaki with Juggernaut later on) are reborn elsewhere, which is later disproven when they arrive at the chuchidramon village.]]

* ''ElfenLied'' seems to decide that yes, Diclonii are people too. Whether the ending is a BrokenAesop, a [[DownerEnding downer]] or BittersweetEnding or a ShootTheDog moment... well, {{YMMV}}.

*** The Tenryuubito think that everyone is inferior. They are allowed to do anything they want to almost anyone. One Tenryuubito rides on a human slave, kicks a dying man out of a stretcher, forces an engaged woman to marry him, and shoots her protesting fiancé. All of this is done within minutes of his first appearance.

*** But since there are no memories, there's no way to confirm this theory. For all we know, they could actually be destroying hollows just like the Quincies were. They could be using the balance theory for propaganda purposes. The balance was only actually threatened in ''Memories of Nobody'', which isn't canon.

** The [[DigimonTamers third]] season brutally averts the trope by demonstrating that there is no difference between digital and organic life, since ''both'' Digimon and Humans (military, innocent bystanders, car drivers) '''die''' permanently (no DisneyDeath) in this series. This is especially interesting because the most mourned death was [[ItWasHisSled Leomon's]] and not one of the humans [[spoiler: because the Tamers didn't witness it first hand]]. Early on, there is a debate/fight over whether or not to feed on wild Digimon's Data, strenghtning the partner Digimon, which is solved very subtely [[spoiler: They decide not to absorve the data, in hope that those that are too violent and have to be killed (those that were spared were killed by Yamaki with Juggernaut later on) are reborn elsewhere, which is later disproven when they arrive at the chuchidramon village.]]

*** Justified that they are in a war, and that they only defeat enemy Digimon. They generally do not attack friendly or neutral foes.

** I think it deserves notice that Vash ''placates the master computer'' and the robots stop, well, trying to kill things as a result. Considering the familiar, understanding tone he takes with the control room, He probably knew ''precisely'' what was going on.

*** Actually, I was under the impression that the souls were wiped clean and sent back into circulation....which is pretty much the same as killing them.

** The [[DigimonXrosWars sixth]] season plays it straight completely, since the human characters have zero compulsion to spare enemy Digimon, without knowing if they'll ever be reborn, despite calling [[WallBanger digimon friendly companions in the opening]].

** Unrelated to hollows, but the anime's censorship seems to has something to do with this. Sajin Komamura (who had a caved in chest and severed arm), doesn't get his wounds censored in the anime like everyone else does (he even gets several more cuts across his body as {{Padding}}), when Hiyori was supposed to be cut in half, but is still whole in the anime. Reason? Apparently it's because he isn't human (remember he's an anthro wolf). This also counts as a WallBanger becuase shinigami and vizard are not really human either. Either the writers only do this to those who don't look human, or [[TheUnfavorite just flat out hates Komamura.]]

* This is a major theme in ''EveNoJikan''. A particularly jarring example is when [[spoiler: Akiko, the resident GenkiGirl, is seen in the protoganist's schhool with her ring. A passing student simply tosses a bag at her.]]

* In ''ZettaiKarenChildren'', the conflict between humans and espers ''generally'' falls under [[FantasticRacism another trope]], but in one episode this is tackled head on, when Minamoto argues for the destruction of [[WeaselMascot Momotaro]] on the grounds that he's an animal, not a human, and a dangerous one. The Children veto this rather forcefully, and Sakaki notes that "they see him as one of them." Later, Kyosuke (an esper) challenges Minamoto to shoot him down in front of Kaoru and show her how humans treat "dangerous animals." [[spoiler: He doesn't take the shot.]]

** It first occurs in inverted form; the Arlong Pirates believe mermen are a superior race and humans exist to serve them.
** It occurs again in Sabaody Archipelago. Humans view mermen as lesser beings and enslave them. In fact anyone that isn't a normal human is viewed as a lesser being, including giants and mermaids. Regular humans can also be enslaved and are treated in a similar fashion to mermen.

*** However, this doesn't quite count in reference to this trope. Even though [[spoiler: Negi]] would be no longer considered 'human' [[spoiler: he]] would still probably be considered a person, as Negi definitely considers Evangeline, a vampire, to be a person, and the end result of turning into a beast was commented to be similar. The better example would be [[spoilers: Kurt Goedel's plan to sacrifice all 'nonhumans' on the Magic World in order to save the Magical Humans.]]