Monday, December 7, 2009

Anime Samurai Girl Type

I don't know what to say about this entry and I hope it doesn't come off creepy. I like to watch Anime as I've said before and there is normally a lot of consistency between different Animes. There seem to be types of characters that are repeated over and over in different stories. In one way it's repetitive, and another, it's funny.

There's always the clueless guy, the hopeless romantic girl, the crazy girl, the jock, the younger sister thrown in over her head, the crazy military obsessed guy and of course there is the Samurai girl.
I'm guessing that these distinct personas are enjoyable to Japanese people, who of course are all completely identical. Of course I'm being sarcastic, but still when conformity to the norm is taught, I'm thinking that a little non-conformity goes a long way.

What I like about some of these stereotypical characterizations is just how crazy they are. Sure, there are plenty of otaku in Japan, and I can see that in a lot of the characters, but there are just some really unique ones. The Samurai girl type happens to be my favorite.

As far as I can tell, this type is the most screwed up of them all. It is normally so over the top that it's hilarious. If you do anything, including look at her, you are challenging her or insulting her honor. She's always demanding vengeance or challenging someone to a fight. If she's not doing that she's training or learning a new technique. On top of this, she's also a super student though she sees socializing as a distraction to obtaining more power and glory. If she does have a feminine side, she views it as weakness to express it. Really, she's crazy, but in a uniquely Japanese way that doesn't seem so out of place.

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