This week's poll was suggested by kurotaito. Do you like amnesia as a plot point? When in a story should it be used?

You can submit poll ideas here
http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=3903

Previous Poll Results:
Question: Of the following, which do you hate the most?
Choices:
Snail - votes: 7 (0.2%)
Leech - votes: 95 (2.1%)
Raccoon - votes: 5 (0.1%)
Hyena - votes: 6 (0.1%)
Bat - votes: 6 (0.1%)
Pig - votes: 20 (0.4%)
Monkey - votes: 16 (0.4%)
Skunk - votes: 9 (0.2%)
Lizard - votes: 30 (0.7%)
Shark - votes: 5 (0.1%)
Pigeon - votes: 19 (0.4%)
Bee - votes: 42 (0.9%)
Cat - votes: 15 (0.3%)
Dog - votes: 37 (0.8%)
Rat - votes: 83 (1.9%)
Mouse - votes: 16 (0.4%)
Spider - votes: 437 (9.8%)
Snake - votes: 89 (2%)
Wasp - votes: 337 (7.5%)
Cockroach - votes: 878 (19.6%)
Fly - votes: 234 (5.2%)
Mosquito - votes: 1307 (29.2%)
Slug - votes: 34 (0.8%)
Rabbit - votes: 4 (0.1%)
Bed bug - votes: 285 (6.4%)
Worm - votes: 54 (1.2%)
Seagull - votes: 19 (0.4%)
Ant - votes: 29 (0.6%)
Tick - votes: 349 (7.8%)
Squirrel - votes: 10 (0.2%)
There were 4477 total votes.
The poll ended: August 24th 2019

More people hate dogs than cats

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A just ruler amongst tyrants

Picked "At the very beginning", but I'd really say it varies for me, and largely depends on how it's used.

"At the very beginning", is the best since it immediately gives a story some mystery.

"Right when the confession/key moment" is fine so long as it isn't used to drag out the romance/story.

"Sometime in the middle" and "Toward the end" is fair if it's used for an interesting twist.

"As the finale" is only okay if the character needs to forget something like a heavy trauma or they're going to retire from some sort of secret organization.

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The early bird may have caught the early worm, but the late worm survived!!

I really want to see an amnesia plot in the middle of the story but actually good mmm...

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I will change this world mmm...
So the world can change me mmm...

Really, any point in the story is fine with me, as long as it's well planned-out and skilfully executed. I went with in the beginning just for the heck of it, and also cos that gives the longest time for the story to go somewhere substantial with the trope, instead of just using it as a cop-out.

It completely depends, so none of the options are valid.

At the very beginning
Based on stories I have read, I find this amnesia plotline the most interesting. Reading and discovering clues at the same time as the MC allows you to doubt every character that interacts with them. You don't know if MC is dealing with someone that can be trusted or not and you will only know this if you keep reading the story until suspense has reached a point of no return.

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ᵂᵃʳᵘᶦ ᴷᵒᵗᵒ ˢʰᶦᵗᵃᶦ ᴳᵘᶦᵈᵉ | ᴳᵉⁿᵉʳᵃˡ ᶦⁿᶠᵒ | ᵂᵃʳᵘᶦⁿᵉˢˢ

Definitely at the beginning. I have yet to read a story where the amnesia plot happens in the middle or near the end that didn't completely frustrate me. It might work as the finale, but unless it's under the hands of a skillful writer, an amnesia-end plotline might still end up feeling like a cop-out. So, yeah, opening with it is probably the easiest and most effective way to employ the amnesia shtick, in my opinion.

Amnesia, that old chestnut... At the very beginning if it really must be used. You can then learn the world with the protagonist. Like in JoJo Part 8 or insert video game [here]. That´s why The Witcher 1 added that twist when it resurrected Geralt (it´s also why the games are nearly unadaptable). Berserk gave its female lead amnesia in vol. 13 and carried that torch over 2 decades till vol. 40/41. So it´s possible to have a supporting character go though this or to add the overused twist later or at a key point in the romance plot. I now covered all bases outside of the end, as that sucks. There is a reason why amnesia ending in Shadow Hearts 2 is seen as unsatisfactory despite the fact that the actual ending is deadlier for the 2 leads.

Nolan´s Memento used the trope especially well as the film is edited around it. It´s as disorienting as, well watch the film.



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I also read EU/US comics and am a librarian.
Manga-Masters, My ANN-Lists + Imdb

I picked never just because I've never found it to be particularly fun or useful as a plot.

Maybe someone will write one that'll upend my entire view on this. Maybe someone already has and I just haven't read it. But for now... it seems to usually be a pretty weak choice.

Never ever ever ever

I haven't gotten over 50 First Dates and I don't think I ever will.