Cliches: Do we hate or love them

[Cofee]

A cliché or cliche (UK /ˈkliːʃeɪ/ or US /klɪˈʃeɪ/) is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel

 

 

Through years I have heard many things about cliches. Some love but some actually hate them so what's your opinion about them?

 

What do you think about cliches?

Are they good? are they bad?

What kind of cliches do you know? do you hate them? do you like them?

 

anyway, discuss about cliches.

[sanahtlig]

Cliches are a problem when they're part of cookie cutter storytelling with characters that seem like cardboard cutouts rather than individuals.  A trope can form the start-off point, but a good writer will bring the characters and story to life with unique elements.

[InvertMouse]

Pretty much what sanahtlig said.

 

There is no such thing as originality. Everything is derived from something from before. How we execute, however, is what matters. If the characters are three dimensional and endearing, they can just be sitting around talking, and a lot of us will still enjoy the experience. On the other hand, if the cast is bland, then no matter what the plot is about, we just have a bunch of talking heads.

 

I reckon I am relatively forgiving when it comes to cliches. If people use ones that are too putrid, that is when I am turned off by it. Fist fighting in the rain, robot with a heart of gold, portal to another dimension, sick girl who does her best to get through life, etc.

 

[Funnerific]

A cliche here and there used for comedy can be good, by all means, but using them for actual story is always a major turnoff for me, no different from ridiculous asspulls.

[OriginalRen]

Perversion.

 

I have a big issue with this one. I don't know what it is with Japan in finding perverted situations in the high school setting funny, but it doesn't make sense to me. It is a joke that is used constantly, and while fanservice is one thing, this goes far beyond that. Sexual stuff is funny, sure, but the line that Japan seems to draw is just absurd. Still, it has improved as modern society has adapted, and I think good producers of anime, VNs, manga, etc. are becoming better at instigating "American" timed comedy. For me, I find that funny.

 

To give an example, Kill la Kill uses music choices that add to the comedy of the show (i.e. = Mako's "hallelujah" explanations), and because of that the show felt natural to me. To give another example from the show, the scene where they were slowly flying through the air and Johann Strauss' "The Blue Danube Waltz" kicks in. It felt like I was watching a classic cartoon from my earlier childhood, and it was to me a turn in Japanese style of comedy, even if nothing original.

[Life]

I think that how well a cliche is utilised is how they build off of it. Everything is going to have some form of cliche and that won't change. I mean... cliche is there because it works. It is how they integrate their own ideas and concepts with cliche that makes it stand out.

[hydro]

Some overdone anime cliches really bother me. Anything that ends in a guy being called a pervert and/or sent flying into a wall is likely to fall into that catagory. Be it "slip and fall into someone's tits", "accidental peeping" or anything else. These are not funny misunderstandings, they are dumb ones. This is how you do a funny misunderstanding:

While part of my preferences is just seeing something new, I'm still fairly lenient with the less grating cliches. Also if an anime takes an existing cliche and gender flips it (where possible), I'll probably enjoy it. It's a good way to use a cliche and yet still offer something different.

Otherwise it just comes down to how they're implemented. If done well I wouldn't mind if there was a Yandere in every second anime.

[Nosebleed]

Cliches are everywhere.

In fact i'd say almost everything we see today has already been done in some way before, there's barely any originality left in these mediums.

But that's not a bad thing, cliches exist for a reason, because some of them work and people like them, because if you do it right it's okay to do the same thing over and over.

Big example: the Super Sentai format

This thing has been going on forever and it still works and people like it.

So to answer the question, i don't like or dislike cliches, because if i disliked them then i'dhave to dislike almost any anime ever.

It all boils down to how the cliches are used for me.

[Snowtsuku]

To be honest it depends on how it's done. As long as the series still has something that makes it unique or recognizable, it's fine.

[Narcosis]

Cliche = trope

 

The rest depends on how you use them.

[Nagisa_Fawkes]

Cliches... cliches... I can't handle cliches very well, because they make the anime/VN so predictable it's not fun.

 

The biggest example this season is Ao Haru Ride. friend I have to clench my teeth to go through that thing, and I still watch it because I still hope it gets better, and now that we have a group of people instead of just Futaba/Kou, it seems that it will.

 

Although, if it's a comedy, like Osananajimi Daitoryou, cliches are hilarious. In those cases, I'm always hoping for their appearance.

[DimDito]

^ Appears that everything has been said, kudos to Nosebleed for beating me to the punch.

 

Cliches are near inevitable, they can detract or improve the quality of any medium depending on how they're implemented. When a work fully realizes its cliche, they can build other aspects of storytelling upon it, especially the humor. This is very apparent in animes on the verge of absurdity such as Gurren Lagann, Witch Craft Works, and Kill la Kill.

 

When someone says they hate cliches, they're most likely referring to poor execution. There's a certain degree of cliche in every work of art. It's nothing more than an asset that you can exploit, or a huge handicap should you fail to or desist from using it.

[Heizei_koukousei]

Cliches are essential icons that we can all relate to so they can be turned on their side for a new perspective or a good laugh

[Cofee]

Time for OP to post his opinion.

What do you think about cliches?

Every cliche that now is branded as cliche, at some time was the most original and inovational idea for it's age. Every original will eventually turn into cliche and this process is most likely unavoidable so we should at least try to utilise cliches so that they aren't boring and repetetive. Every show has it's cliches but if they are executed well  nobody will pay attention to that highly "original" development.

 

Are they good? are they bad?

I wouldn't say that they are good or bad. Cliches are just essential no matter how many try to deny it.

 

What kind of cliches do you know? do you hate them? do you like them?

There are enermous amount of cliches I could try to count, even for one genre so I'll limit it to several genres.

 

Cliches that piss me off - Cofee Ver.

 

Shoujo;

Entrance Ceremony => Girl meets bad boy while bad boy is hooking up with other girl => "kyaa, you're the worst" => "Hey, I like you' you're going to become mine => after several chapters of heavy blushing, jealousy and forced kiss with rape attempt they happily hook up.

 

Shounen; Weak hero + childhood friend => "geez, you really  can't do anything without me, Hero-chan (yes, chan because #childhood friend) => wild deliquents appear => "hey aniki, that chick looks hot, let's hit on her" => "hey cute you look awesome, gehehehe" => "kyaa, save me Hero-chan" => *gasp" "I swear I heard heroine call for me, better go look at her" =>. *gasp* x2 "leave her alone, you bastards" => *charges to the deliquents, gets beaten but girl is impressed by her knight and they start being tsundere to each other while still somehow managing to look like love-birds*

 

Hentai:

*trips* sorry I accidently ended up sucking your dick

 

Ecchi:

15 years old boy moves to aunt/uncle/somewhere => sees he has to live with beautiful girl => "lucky me" => girl is tsundere and has shart tongue => damn, what a bitch..guess we won't get along => it's night and b complretelyoy want to take bath => he opens door and coincidently same tsundere girl is standing there completely naked => *zoom out to exterior of the house* = > KYAAAAA

[RichardDRichards]

What do you think about cliches?

I like Cliches. If they are done well. Mostly don't like the tsundere.

Are they good? are they bad?
Good, it is a good guideline on building characters and plot because all character types and plots have been done before. 

What kind of cliches do you know? do you hate them? do you like them?
Fire Emblem pretty much has 10-13 (played all but 3 of them) games using similar character types and storylines created their own cliche/tropes within the series. Kinda of like Zelda. Hero of Time is reincarnated looks like all Links from previous games, Zelda is a princess and gets kidnapped, Go save her, Triforce stuff, Ganon(sometimes) and sometimes MasterSword. Save the day, Blue balls.   
 

[InvertMouse]

Absolutely agree with those who mentioned the ecchi cliches like tripping over onto a girl's boobs, etc. Forgot the show's name, but this anime season, there was a show that more or less started with some girl bathing in a river. The dude then proceeds to grope her boobs by accident. Instantly dropped .

[Chocolat]

If the story is well written, a cliché won't be annoying since we're invested into the story. Even a cliché twist can be good if it's well executed! Same of cliché characters, if they have a good reason to act this way, it's okay.

On the contrary, as we all know, a cliché can be boring if the plot is bad written, with a lot of writing errors and lame characters.

So, for me, it all depends of the quality of the writing.

 

 

The cliché I hate the most is when the hero's little sister is in fact adopted, so she can date her onii-chan. For some reasons, it annoys me that in animes most of the time, a little sister can't just.. well a little sister and not avoiding becoming a datable girl.

[Mr. Meogii]

No problem with them if it enhances the overall story and characters. 

If it has the opposite effect then to be honest they will annoy me.

[bl3u]

Loves - Striped Panties, Yandere, Onii-chan's, Loli's

 

Hates - Overuse of fanservice, Tsundere, Childhood friend, Kuudere,

[RichardDRichards]

Time for OP to post his opinion.

What do you think about cliches?

Every cliche that now is branded as cliche, at some time was the most original and inovational idea for it's age. Every original will eventually turn into cliche and this process is most likely unavoidable so we should at least try to utilise cliches so that they aren't boring and repetetive. Every show has it's cliches but if they are executed well  nobody will pay attention to that highly "original" development.

 

Are they good? are they bad?

I wouldn't say that they are good or bad. Cliches are just essential no matter how many try to deny it.

 

What kind of cliches do you know? do you hate them? do you like them?

There are enermous amount of cliches I could try to count, even for one genre so I'll limit it to several genres.

 

Cliches that piss me off - Cofee Ver.

 

Shoujo;

Entrance Ceremony => Girl meets bad boy while bad boy is hooking up with other girl => "kyaa, you're the worst" => "Hey, I like you' you're going to become mine => after several chapters of heavy blushing, jealousy and forced kiss with rape attempt they happily hook up.

 

Shounen; Weak hero + childhood friend => "geez, you really  can't do anything without me, Hero-chan (yes, chan because #childhood friend) => wild deliquents appear => "hey aniki, that chick looks hot, let's hit on her" => "hey cute you look awesome, gehehehe" => "kyaa, save me Hero-chan" => *gasp" "I swear I heard heroine call for me, better go look at her" =>. *gasp* x2 "leave her alone, you bastards" => *charges to the deliquents, gets beaten but girl is impressed by her knight and they start being tsundere to each other while still somehow managing to look like love-birds*

 

Hentai:

*trips* sorry I accidently ended up sucking your dick

 

Ecchi:

15 years old boy moves to aunt/uncle/somewhere => sees he has to live with beautiful girl => "lucky me" => girl is tsundere and has shart tongue => damn, what a bitch..guess we won't get along => it's night and b complretelyoy want to take bath => he opens door and coincidently same tsundere girl is standing there completely naked => *zoom out to exterior of the house* = > KYAAAAA

I'ma dude and my favorite shoujo mangas are Koi Dano Ai Dano and Oresama Teacher cause I love the protagonists in them .They aren't the typical weak female protagonist and end up being the most badass. 

As for shounen, I hate when shounen manga use the power of friendship too much for free power upgrades man.

Straight up animes meant to be ecchi are terrible as shit. When I saw the first episode of Hyakka Ryouran I was like yo Juubei is bamf as hell. But they killed my interest as the series went on and Samurai Brides was dumb. Rosario + Vampire was shafted and they didnt progress any of the plot after 2 seasons they just had to throw fanservice all over the place and make up their own goddamn plots. My butt is still sore from how much they screwed it up. 

Damn.