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Belian In honor of my 50lb pup from 42 Since: Jan, 2001
In honor of my 50lb pup
#1: May 2nd 2011 at 9:45:51 PM

It might just be the shows I am watching/have noticed lately, but it seems like there is a trend for shows that are more lighthearted.

  • Yu Gi Oh Zexal uses almost nothing but pastel colors and is going with the assumptions that a) the people watching have no idea how to play Yu Gi Oh and b) have to have every little detail of the game explained
  • Cardfight Vanguard might as well be a silly slice of life for how little conflict there is. (no one even comes close to being "evil," they are all just playing the game however they want and want to have fun)
  • Digimon Xros Wars is no where near as dark as it's predecessors (unless you apply Fridge Logic to everything), though it does have it's moments
  • Dog Days is taking a troperific concept and playing it as cutely as possible (though there are hints of a darker plot)

And those are just the ones I am aware of. True, there is the Deconstruction of Magical Girls that is Madoka Magica and whatever the heck [C] is, but it just seems like there are a lot more "young" shows lately. I would call them "kiddy," but they do still require thought to understand and have continuing plots.

Anyone want to agree with or refute my thinking?

edited 2nd May '11 9:47:14 PM by Belian

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#2: May 2nd 2011 at 9:51:22 PM

Well those first three are just squarely aimed at kids and run year around it's hardly a change from previous Digimon and Yu Gi Oh seasons.

And Dog Days is just taking Nanoha's non lethal big damn fights to the logical extreme a Game Show!

edited 2nd May '11 9:53:11 PM by Raso

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#3: May 2nd 2011 at 10:00:58 PM

If Yu Gi Oh Zexal is anything like Yu Gi Oh GX, then it will start lighthearted, and take a sudden and unexpectedly dark turn in a future season...involving a masochistic one-boobed transvestite.

Ah Yubel...

Anyways, you missed Nichijou.

edited 2nd May '11 10:01:21 PM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
Belian In honor of my 50lb pup from 42 Since: Jan, 2001
In honor of my 50lb pup
#4: May 2nd 2011 at 10:24:02 PM

[up][up]My point with the new Yu Gi Oh and Digimon series is that they have had recent resets that are not nearly as dark as their predecessors. Though I admit I harp about Yu Gi Oh Zexal because it is insulting to anyone who has any idea how Yu Gi Oh is played, even if it has the potential to become darker.

And I freely admit I like Cardfight Vanguard because it is so plain. It is refreshing. (The main differences with Yu Gi Oh Zexal is that the main character of CV is a new player and not an idiot.)

What you say about Dog Days is true, but I don't see how that changes the point I am making/question I am asking.

[up]I pulled examples that I know about and I have never seen Nichijou though it fits what I am describing perfectly.

edited 2nd May '11 10:24:16 PM by Belian

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!
Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#5: May 2nd 2011 at 11:16:45 PM

Yu Gi Oh Zexal uses almost nothing but pastel colors and is going with the assumptions that a) the people watching have no idea how to play Yu-Gi-Oh! and b) have to have every little detail of the game explained

Like the original Yu Gi Oh, you mean?

Anyway, I know nothing about a lighthearted trend going on. Anime as a whole was always more 'light', at any case. Sure, many dark things, but still mostly lighthearted.

As for new seasons being Lighter and Softer then previous ones. Well, it is not like Digimon ever was the darkest anime over there. I don't know how the current season is going, but I wouldn't call its first and second 'dark'. And while the 3rd was Darker and Edgier, the following seasons were reportedly less so (haven't watched those either).

And, speaking in new seasons this season, The World God Only Knows II has just become darker then its predecessor. Not by much, sure, but noticeable so anyway.

zeroplusalpha The World Is Mine from behind the 7th Door Since: Apr, 2009
The World Is Mine
#7: May 3rd 2011 at 3:33:40 AM

Similar to the above example, you probably can't get much more lightweight than Astarotte No Omocha!...

Pure fluff.

Play Again? Y/N
KousakaKirino Otaku Surrogate Since: Jan, 2011
#8: May 3rd 2011 at 4:31:48 AM

The main difference of course, is the premise.

Imoutos are the best! Follow at your own risk. Tumblr.
Jhiday (Don’t ask)
#9: May 3rd 2011 at 5:41:33 AM

And on the other side of the coin, we do still get Gorey McCarnage series, like Deadman Wonderland.

Frankly, I don't see any particular trend there. There's always been a wide variety of tones among anime series in a given season ; if you do notice a change, be wary of a bias due to the selection of shows you watch.

zeroplusalpha The World Is Mine from behind the 7th Door Since: Apr, 2009
The World Is Mine
#10: May 3rd 2011 at 5:43:37 AM

The main difference of course, is the premise.

I'm only pointing out the similarities as far as dramatic gravitas is concerned; I'm aware of their fundamental differences.

edited 3rd May '11 5:44:07 AM by zeroplusalpha

Play Again? Y/N
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#11: May 3rd 2011 at 6:17:09 AM

Lets divide them up. (going by Random Curiosity's list.)

Here is a list of all the animes that started up this season. I divided them up a bit but I havent seen most of them so feel free to correct me. If anything we have just seen an increase in actual anime itself but there are always like 3-5 darker shows each season.

Now here is Winter 2011

*Beelzebub
  • Dragon Crisis!
  • Rio -Rainbow Gate!-
  • Starry☆Sky
  • Wolverine
  • Cardfight!! Vanguard
  • Suite Pre Cure
  • Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?
  • Kimi ni Todoke 2ND SEASON
  • Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
  • GOSICK
  • FREEZING
  • LEVEL E
  • IS Infinite Stratos
  • Onii-chan no Koto ga Zenzen Suki Janain Dakara ne!!
  • Yumekui Merry
  • Mitsudomoe Zouryouchuu!
  • FRACTALE
  • Hourou Musuko

Fall 2010

  • Battle Spirits Brave
  • Hakuouki Hekketsuroku
  • Motto To LOVE-Ru
  • Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai
  • Pokemon Best Wishes!
  • Iron Man
  • MM!
  • Yumeiro Patissiere SP Professional
  • Yosuga no Sora
  • Tantei Opera milky holmes
  • To Aru Majutsu no Index II
  • Bakuman.
  • STAR DRIVER Kagayaki no Takuto
  • Otome Youkai Zakuro
  • Kuragehime
  • Sora no Otoshimono f (Forte)
  • Tegami Bachi REVERSE
  • Shinrei Tantei Yakumo
  • Shinryaku! Ika Musume
  • Togainu no Chi
  • Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspector
  • Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai
  • Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru
  • FORTUNE ARTERIAL
  • Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Girls
  • Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
  • Arakawa Under the Bridge x Bridge

Summer.

  • Sengoku BASARA Two
  • Gakuen Mokushiroku HIGHSCHOOL OF THE DEAD
  • STRIKE WITCHES 2
  • Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi
  • Shukufuku no Campanella
  • Seitokai Yakuindomo
  • SEKIREI ~Pure Engagement~
  • Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin
  • Shiki
  • Mitsudomoe
  • Asobi ni Iku yo!
  • Nurarihyon no Mago
  • Kuroshitsuji II
  • Tono to Issho
  • Amagami SS
  • The Legend of the Legendary Heroes

And Spring 2010

  • Metal Fight Beyblade ~Baku~
  • kiss x sis
  • Yutori-chan
  • Shin Koihime Musou ~Otome Tairan~
  • Ikkitousen XTREME XECUTOR
  • Transformers Animated
  • Hime Chen! Otogi Chikku Idol Lilpri
  • Senkou no Night Raid
  • Bakugan Battle Brawlers New Vestroia
  • HEROMAN
  • Hetalia Axis Powers 3rd season
  • Jewelpet Tinkle☆
  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms
  • Marie & Gali ver.2.0
  • Yojou-han Shinwa Taikei
  • Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou
  • SD Gundam Sangokuden Brave Battle Warriors
  • GIANT KILLING
  • Mayoi Neko Overrun!
  • B Gata H Kei
  • Angel Beats!
  • MAJOR 6th Series
  • WORKING!!
  • RAINBOW Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin
  • Sarai-ya Goyou
  • Ring ni Kakero 1: Shadow-hen
  • Hakuouki
  • Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru
  • K-ON!!
  • Ookiku Furikabutte ~Natsu no Taikai-hen~
  • Arakawa Under the Bridge
  • Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
Belian In honor of my 50lb pup from 42 Since: Jan, 2001
In honor of my 50lb pup
#12: May 3rd 2011 at 9:38:27 AM

Yeah, my conclusion was completely biased. I even admit that in the first post and is why I started the thread: to see if I am completely wrong or if there is actually something behind what I was saying.

[up]Thanks for posting that. Without going into a statistical analysis of the seasons, it looks about the same proportion of lighthearted to dark anime throughout the seasons.

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!
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