Filthy Casual for Life

Do I think anime is getting too formulaic? This is a tough question to answer. It is really subjective, isn’t it?

For me, personally, I don’t think anime is anymore formulaic than any other visual storytelling medium. After all, there are only so many ways to tell a story. If you really think deep down, when is the last time you experienced something “original”? Something that didn’t remind you of something else. I think the last time I got that feeling was when I watched The Sixth Sense.

I remember being so blown away by the storytelling. That ending! However, all of M. Night Shyamalan’s subsequent movies ended up predictable because he had a formula, and that formula, for the most part, worked. It didn’t make his movies less successful or enjoyable. In fact, one can argue that formula built his success and ushered in a new expectation for future moviemakers.

The simple fact is, anime IS formulaic. That doesn’t mean it hurts the medium.

One might argue that the formulas hinder the originality of anime. I concede to that point. Too much reliance on the formula could leave the genre stale. However, after 30+ years of watching anime, I have yet to write off a genre because it is too formulaic.

I think a perfect example of formulaic is the typical isekai. You can almost guarantee the protagonist either died or was summoned. You can almost guarantee that the protagonist is going to be overpowered somehow. That is the basic backbone of an isekai. However, isekais still remain a top genre.

I think “too formulaic” doesn’t hurt anime. In fact, I would argue that “too formulaic” helps the viewer decide whether or not they want to watch any particular show. If it is too unoriginal, the viewer switches to the next one.

There is comfort in the formula. It’s like a warm security blanket. You know what to expect. The story is the same, but just different enough that it feels new.

What say you? Do you think anime is too formulaic or have you embraced it?