A recent opinion shared on social media has sparked intense debate and quickly became a trend, highlighting the dissatisfaction of some readers with the clichés that often appear in romance manga written by older authorsThe criticism, which has gone viral, highlights that these mangas tend to follow repetitive patterns that are predictable and not very innovative for certain fans of the genre.
The original opinion stated: “The romance manga that older authors often write are all the same, and it puts me off.» The criticism is broken down into four main points:
- The protagonist is a handsome boy, the type who always sighs and is the best in his class.
- As if the author wanted to compensate for his own shortcomings, the setting is always a high-level middle school or high school.
- The heroine is always a beautiful girl from a rich family.
- Since authors are not good at expressing complex emotions, they tend to resort to humor.
This comment has resonated with many readers who share the frustration with the lack of originality in some current romance manga. The perception that these mangas are an extension of their authors' fantasies or frustrations, rather than offering fresh and exciting storieshas sparked a wide debate about creativity in the manga industry.
As the discussion spread on social media, many users expressed their agreement, pointing out that the characters and plots of these mangas are often repetitive stereotypes, leading to a sense of exhaustion within the genre. Others, however, defended such stories, arguing that clichés, when executed well, can still be entertaining and that older authors have the right to explore themes that are meaningful to them.
- «Well, it's a romantic comedy, so obviously there will be a lot of humor.».
- «Isn't it only in shojo manga where handsome boys appear?».
- «Romance manga written by women always have an unattractive guy who ends up taking the female lead, that's boring, what a mess!».
- «Don't speak ill of Roshidere».
- «This is completely true».
- «Kaguya-sama and Gotoubun. I can't think of any others. I don't read many recent rom-coms, are all the protagonists geniuses now?».
- «(They are probably talking about Love Hina or something like that…) 'Kaguya and Gotoubun are what define older authors?' – An old man».
- «I don't think complex emotional representation is expected in romantic comedies for boys.».
- «Isn't that more of a harem manga? There are plenty of protagonists who are also useless.».
- «If it's a comedy, then humor is the way to go. Escaping unnecessary drama would be the easy way out.».
- «That the protagonist's best subjects are Japanese and history is perfect. Otakus love it.».
- «It's weird that it doesn't click for me at all».
- «I can't think of any. I thought of Kaguya-sama, but her protagonist isn't the type to sigh and complain.».
- «Doesn't this refer more to light novels than manga?».
- «Which sleeves fit this description specifically?».
- «It's exhausting when the pining-type protagonist justifies his actions with endless internal monologues.».
- «If a romantic comedy doesn't have humor, then it's no longer a romantic comedy.».
- «It is almost always about a clueless protagonist surrounded by multiple heroines, with the childhood friend at the center.».
- «Many stories written by women have an ugly, antisocial, common protagonist who is inexplicably popular.».
The debate that has arisen around this criticism is a reflection of how the manga audience is evolving and how their expectations change over time. While clichés and stereotypes may have their place, the growing desire for more authentic and original stories could propel the manga industry into a new era of creativity.
Fountain: Yaraon!
