banner_jpg
Username/Email: Password:
Forums

What's so good about romance?

You must be registered to post!
From User
Message Body
Post #556417
user avatar
Member

5:56 pm, Jun 15 2012
Posts: 166


Romance is almost always the top genre listed under "top likes for public lists" in people's profiles.
But really. I've never liked romance. It's always so full of angst, misunderstandings, arguments, hate, distrust, image issues, and selfishness. There's supposed to be love, but the love is rarely conveyed as real. It's always there as if the author's saying "the characters love each other because I say so." And then half of the time there's a relationship just for the sake of the existence of a relationship.
So, convince me. Why is romance good? I would love suggestions or reasonings

(I have liked only three romances (the actual relationship itself) before: Gokusen, Kimi Wa Pet, and maybe Karakuri Odette. But note that these are slow romances. I really would like to read a romance manga and enjoy it >_>)

________________
User Posted Image

Recruiting:
https://quicksandscans.wordpress.com/recruitment/
Post #556494
user avatar
Member

3:46 am, Jun 16 2012
Posts: 1792


well I can explain why it is the as you said "top genre", because most manga contain romance, therefore it'll automatically go up there unless you directly avoid this genre, simple propability...

well the romance depends fully on the story, the points you have pointet out ware very common in shoujo romances, though I wouldn't call them shoujo'ish because there are still good shoujo romances...
And from what you said I gather, that's not what you want.
More interesting things for you would be in the seinen department:
Spice & Wolf (novel)
Iris Zero
Bonnouji

Melo Holic is also something that's really great.

But I'd start with Bonnouji, it's not that serious, it's funny and cute. Iris Zero focuses more on the plot and uses romances as supporter, it's also quite cute. Spice & Wolf (novel) introduces a new kind of romantic relationship, and is really great. Melo Holic is quite difficult to start with, it's like a rollercoaster of emotions, funny, sweet, sad, tragic, all of it is mixed, and the romance is the main part here. So it would be good to keep this order.
Densha Otoko is also another option to start with(since it's completed, short and simple). The art lacks but that is not the important point in there.

when you are a bit more into the genre (e.g. after the above mentioned), these are good:
Bitter Virgin
Ai-Ren
Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan
All of them cover quite serious topics.

I hope you'll enjoy this genre a bit more in the future, have fun reading smile

Last edited by Lorska at 5:50 am, Jun 16 2012

________________
in need of romance?
uncommon, sad, sweet
Member

5:21 am, Jun 16 2012
Posts: 106


I agree with Lorska.

One thing is that romance stories between more mature couples has less cliches like stupid misunderstandings and "sudden love".

Try out Spice and Wolf as Lorska said. Super nice love story with clever plot. But maybe go for the novel or the anime (the anime is more loyal to the novel and it is until now more complete then the manga).

If you like comedy then try

Lilim Kiss its a really funny short story. But its maybe not suited female readers.
Sugar Dark is a dark romance story with super cool ending. Also short.
Orange Yane no Chiisana Ie Is very cute. Its slow passed but real love is normaly like that to.

Toradora! Is a funny romance story. It has few misunderstandings and focus more on the frienship of the main characters as their relationship grow stronger. But maybe go for the anime instead.

B. Shock! Is funny, no or few misunderstandings. short story.
Sukimasuki Really funny romance story. The two main characters have a strange hobby.

Koi wo Suru no ga Shigoto desu is a borderline H, but the plot is really okey, just keep jumping the sex scenes if you want. What i really like about this is that the characters feelings are consistent. Really consistent. They dont change opinions or feelings on a whim. So it makes it more realistic.

Kara no Kyoukai: The Garden of Sinners Is one of the most strange romance stories of them all. But also maybe one of the best. Go for the anime and watch the movies in chronological order: movie 2, 4, 3, 1, 5, 6, 7. you can watch it on animehere.com

I just noticed you are a girl bigrazz so maybe some of my idears there dont suit you bigrazz so here comes some more suggestions.

Nineteen, Twenty-One slow romance. Really cute and nice art. The story if full of cats, and you cant go wrong on cats, right?

Serendipity looks like it can become really great.
This two to Toribako House and Kick no Oneesan

Last edited by kaidiego at 5:37 am, Jun 16 2012

________________
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900) - "Man is more ape than many of the apes."

Jean-Paul Sartre - "You are--your life, and nothing else."

Henrik Ibsen - "The majority is always wrong; the minority is rarely right."
user avatar
Member

6:48 am, Jun 16 2012
Posts: 332


Truth is, the "romance" loved by people are mostly harem/ecchi or containing some moe/fetish characters (esp. in anime). That's why romance is so popular.

Last edited by coffee_11 at 7:18 am, Jun 16 2012

user avatar
Member

7:32 am, Jun 16 2012
Posts: 399


Honestly, I believe romance is such a popular genre because that'e what the people who read/watch anime/manga/movies want to see. It's the same issue with shoujo heroines being so stupid and clumsy and naive. It's all about the readers. If they read it, the product is selling. And if it's selling, thr producers make money. I think it's just that simple.

The real question is why do people like to read manga, for example, that contain romance. And I believe it's because it helps them escape reality for a time. For example, a person who isn't in a relationship or one that is, but isn't happy, would want to read manga about romance to find something they can't experiece themselves in real life. So they try other, more 'indirect' ways of ''filling holes''. They wnat to see a happy ending because that will encourage them that to hope for their own happy ending, for their own fullfilling relationship. They may be just false hopes, but if they make the people happy, then they will try them, the false hopes. People would go to any possible lenghts to obtain happiness. And it just so happens that the feelings of love and being loved do just that, they give you the happiness you desire. So many people seek that bliss, that fullfilling feeling, that hapiness, through relationships, through romance, which is a pupular ''genre'' in real life as well. And if, for various reasons, they can't find their romance in real life, they go and search for it somewhere else, for examples in manga, books or movies. They want to see a love story go well, because that will give them hope.

Or maybe they just want to compare their relationships with other ones, to see just how pretty and perfect the love stories they experience really are. And of course they won't go asking their friends about theirs, because, first, that would be rude and would seem like bragging, and second, becuase it there are pretty big chances that thei friends do have a relationship less happier than their own. And that would be like comparing an average-looking object with one you ovbiously don't like so much and then proudly say ''Mine's better''. You will go see the romances from manga and movies because, in most cases, they end well, fairytale-like. You'll go there because manga/anime/movies etc. are meant to entartain you, and in order to do that, they have to sell you things that you will read/watch, and those are, in terms of romance, the happy endings. So you go there, and if you see that your relationship is just as fairytale-like like the one in the movie/manga, you'll end up happy and proud. And if you realize that your love story isn't as perfect and happy as you thought, then you'll just sigh and watch/read the movie/manga, saying things like ''How I wish my relationship would be like this'' and ''What a cute and happy couple! I want this too!''. So the purpose of the manga/movie is gained, you watch it/read it, and they make money out of this. And, for now at least, everyone's happy.

Sorry for my long post, I hope you won't get bored while reading it and that I was able to help you. Please note that this solely just my oppinion, so you're free to disagree with you. Still, I hope that I was able to help you somewhat. smile

________________
User Posted Image

"In a world where most people would be crazy, then it would be normal to be crazy and crazy to be normal... but then again, if you were normal, then you would be crazy... isn't it crazy what a paradox a little craziness can create?"
Post #557166 - Reply to (#556524) by Yuukii_Cross
Member

6:05 am, Jun 20 2012
Posts: 106


Quote from Yuukii_Cross
Honestly, I believe romance is such a popular genre because that'e what the people who read/watch anime/manga/movies want to see. It's the same issue with shoujo heroines being so stupid and clumsy and naive. It's all about the readers. If they read it, the product is selling. And if it's selling, t ...


I can agree with you that some people may like romance stories becouse of them being in those situations you described above. But I think many like romance stories just becouse a good romence story that gets you involved will provoke feelings, and we love to feel.

I myself have always loved love stories. When i had good relationships, bad relationships or no relationships like now i still enjoyed good love stories. And all kind of love stories. As long as i felt they had quality and were original.

________________
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900) - "Man is more ape than many of the apes."

Jean-Paul Sartre - "You are--your life, and nothing else."

Henrik Ibsen - "The majority is always wrong; the minority is rarely right."
user avatar
Member

9:18 pm, Jun 20 2012
Posts: 774


Just graduated from film school today and the best advice on story I was given was from my Directing teacher:

The conflict will always either fall on sex or power.

Love is a great conflict and motivator. Even most titles not under "Romance" per say do have romance in them although not as front and center.

I enjoy romance novels because there is something very human about love. Not even just romantic love but love between family and friends. Not to say that aromantics are terrible people. bigrazz

If you read a GOOD romance you can see it develop. Try these:
The Tarot Cafe
Cat Street
Kyuuso wa Cheese no Yume o Miru

I will warn that the last one is yaoi but I find it to be the most sincere portrayal of love that really transcends sex and gender. I personally hate yaoi but that series is perfect.

________________
User Posted Image
Post #558698
user avatar
still lurqing
Member

9:16 am, Jun 29 2012
Posts: 335


Because middle-aged woman in us dictated mangaka to show us who end up with who. Regardless the genre. Regardless the demography.

________________
grammar mistake is intentional, grammar nazis need their entertainment.
Post #558719
user avatar
Member

12:20 pm, Jun 29 2012
Posts: 197


First of all it's like Lorska said, romance is a much more common feature in a story than any other element. That alone is a major factor why romance is so popular.
Another fact to pay attention is that there are more shoujo titles than say seinen. Most, if not all, shoujo is focused on romance.
You may not like it but that's how things go.
Now there are plenty of different ways romance is portrayed in manga, there's the angsty type, the comedy, the serious...
Even if it's not my favorite genre, filled with clichés most of the time, i still enjoy a good romantic story. Someone below mentioned [m]Toradora[/m], which is a beautiful story, Bonnouji is also very good, i personally love Honey and Clover. There are quite a few romantic stories that are good, others are complete crap.
What i think is the problem is that you're just reading the wrong ones bigrazz
Also let's not forget the flow that occurred in japanese society, now you have moe characters and all that stuff, 20 years ago you had more cyberpunk, gore and action. With the necessity to develop the new good stuff in manga and anime you have to put more romance in the stories.
Anyways this is just my 2 cents on the matter.

You must be registered to post!