MyAnimeList
, often abbreviated as MAL, is a social networking site for anime/manga fans. Created in 2005 by Garett "Xinil" Gyssler, The site's main feature it is that it allows you to make a list of all the anime, manga, and light novels you've watched/read, hence the name.
In addition to its list feature, the site also has a database for anime/manga, staff, characters, etc. as well a forum and social groups (called "clubs") in the vein of MySpace and Facebook.
MyAnimeList has undergone several changes to the front page and site, most recently they made a new layout and navigation page, which has a "dropdown" feature. Cue cries of "Ruined!" for some users and demanding that MAL should go back to its side panel navigation. But it has since wound down, although for the most part, the "bubbles" layout is an eyesore for some users.
TV Tropes now has a fan club on MAL.
This website provides examples of:
- Censor Box: Used for the cover art of any title on the site that originally showed nipples - mostly hentai, though there are exceptions (such as the cover to My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness).
- Color Motif: Both played straight and subverted. While MAL's default signature color theme is blue, users can change the color theme of their own list and, to a degree, on their profile.
- Four-Point Scale: In full effect due to the aggregated scores. 80% of shows will fall between a 7 and an 8 and even shows that are universally agreed to be garbage will usually still have at least a 5. Most of the shows above 8 are the really popular stuff and several heavily memed shows such as Code Geass and Gintama. There are some exceptions for very, very bad anime, such as Mars of Destruction and Tenkuu Danzai Skelter+Heaven.
- Troll: A lot of the userbase is this, as expected of an online anime community. Many low quality or mediocre anime titles are purposely given perfect 10 scores to increase their ranks. In some cases they even manage to break into the "Top Anime" list.
