Storytelling types in anime.

[MellowMadman11]

Lets discuss storytelling types in anime. I was re-watching Darker than Black yesterday and I thought to myself " I like the arc format that they use in the episodes"

 

I felt like it was a unigue way to tell a story. The Monogatari series does this as well.

 

My question for you is: What are some of your favorite ways to tell a story in anime?

[Myozunitonirun]

I like how Fairy Tail does it.

 

I also like how the 'When They Cry' series tells a story.

[MellowMadman11]

Not familiar with Fairy Tail, but I also like Higurashi's "groundhog day" style.

[Guest]

I liked the way they animated Higurashi in a very similar way as if you were playing the game.

The story starts over and over and the more it restarts the more you understand

Plus we get to see the story from another characters point of view

 

But I like the way Golden time is told with the amnesic main character 

and his past self conflicting

.

[Nosebleed]

I like episodical stuff for longer shows like Gintama which keeps the story fresh and not repetitive although Gintama does have some longer arcs but that works too, it just doesn't have a clear goal and that's what i was getting at. If long shows have only one goal and they drag it on and on it gets boring (refer to Dragon Ball Z for 5 mins of fights spread out in 10 episodes). Or for SoL which works perfectly fine with the episodical format.

 

I like defined arcs for shorter shows with like 24 episodes. The length of the arc can vary as long as they finish them with a conclusion that's all i want. For example SAO has 2 main arcs (SAO and ALO) and that's okay but then there's also Darker than Black which has 2 episodes per arc and that works fine for it too. Also Higurashi which has clear distinct arcs with all the scenarios that last 4/5 episodes each.

 

You may hate me for saying this but another thing that i think a lot of anime need to do is the omnibus format. You can argue this takes quality out but i love the omnibus format especially in romance shows. Being able to see all the what if scenarios is the best. Amagami SS and Yosuga no Sora are the best examples. The arcs end up being shorter as a result of course but i feel happier seeing all the scenarios instead of a "harem" or cliff-hanger end which happens in romcoms nowadays a lot.

Another alternative to this is stuff like TWGOK which is not in omnibus format but at the same time shows all the heroines getting romantically involved with the protagonist. 

These type of things need to happen more in certain shows. I'm looking at you Harem/Ecchi romcoms!

 

I think it's all a matter of adapting yourself to the format, there's not a huge preference for me regarding it. Alll shows have arcs in the end and they just vary the way to apply them. As long as it's done properly any format can be good.

[SieghartXx]

As Nosebleed said, I like the format of Amagami SS and Yosuga no Sora, it's like having a vn animated, seeing al the endings and such <3

[Guest]

I agree the cliff hanger in harem type of anime are quite frustrating.

I don't like when there is a rivalry between girl A and girl B and the anime suddenly stops for no reason 'leaving the viewer chose his end'.

It's incomplete.

[krill]

nosebleed pretty much summed up my tastes as well, omnibus format works best for romcoms with multiple heroins. but at the same time there is some cases when the multiple heroines harem style is fine as well depending on whether a definite choice seems likely to be made like they did in the shuffle adaptation. as far as arcs go i prefer them to be done in a concise and appropriate length. iv made my feelings about the second sao arc known before here but it bears repeating it was rushed and crammed in a space too small for it i mean to Ln volumes jammed in ten eps when the aincrad arc and short storys were maybe 15-16 eps long . it was like this with the da capo adaptation as well they crammed too many routes together to the point it was almost incoherent from the original work. im ok with shonen  anime when the arc structure is done well like the difference between bleach and dbz. both contain lots of battles and story arcs but dbz takes way to many eps to show a single fight where as bleach not only sums up all but the most important fights in only 1-3 eps they show multiple battles from various combatants simultaneously in order to cut down the amount of time dedicated to a single conflict.

[Zastie]

The Monogatari series does this as well.

 

Dang, beat to it before I cold even scroll down. Just gonna add to this then...

 

Monogatari does an astounding job with telling stories, they really do have the perfect balance of normal animation and silly animation. A scene can go from funny to deadly real quick, and it doesn't feel too abrupt, but just right. One of the great things about this show is how they keep your eye moving while having a straight-up conversation scene, the Hitagi/Kaiki scene at the airport place is the best example. The scenery just keeps changing, and the camera angels, oooh the camera angels of this show are just splendid to keep you interested. The show is now known for the head tilts it has now. In most other shows plain conversation scenes can really just seem like a boring drag, but this show managed to keep you interested with perfect execution.

[InvertMouse]

I watched a bit of Photokano last year. That handled things quite nicely I think. In each episode, the protagonist gets hooked up with one of the girls. Next episode, everything resets as if none of that took place. If you like a particular game in the game, you can rest assured that you can catch her ending. Though I also appreciate it when they brave up and pick one girl like they did in Shuffle! (almost a decade ago now). Say no to those indecisive harem endings if you ask me .

 

Other than that, I like short series that progress and are not episodic. Sola is an example.

[phersu]

Higurashi and Monogatari are two of my favorites. Honestly, though, I like the type of storytelling that just thrusts you into the middle and you figure out who's who and whats going on as the story unfolds. Perhaps like Un-Go.