| - A white-haired man deals with problems caused by mysterious invisible creatures. - Several girls are brainwashed to become assassins for the government. - A young man discovers that his girlfriend has been turned into the ultimate weapon. - Several youths somehow acquire superpowers or some mecha to save the world. - A young schoolgirl is given godly powers. - An angelic being is cursed to live a thousand years of misery. Anime and manga tend to rely on sci-fi and fantasy elements more often than other forms of media/entertainment and, although most of these are improbable (if not impossible) in real life, these scenarios leave different impressions on various people. Some manage to keep on watching/reading without even flinching. Some are fascinated. And some couldn't help but do a facepalm every now and then. So, what are your criteria for deciding if a premise is fascinating, acceptable, or downright ridiculous? Do you prioritize execution, internal consistency, realism, relevance to the main theme, or some other factor? |
YuunagiApr 21, 2008 11:05 AM
| I find that suspension of disbelief is usually a once-per-show phenomenon. You accept the initial premise, such as the existence of exorcists/demons, and then see it play out in a setting which, premise aside, isn't all that impossible or unrealistic. I think the main appeal of good fantasy is that it makes fiction (whether good or bad) seem to be a reality. Even the most fantastical works of fiction are rooted in a good deal common sense (elsewise audiences can't identify). Suspension of disbelief has never really been a problem for me in anime; no premise is that ridiculous when portrayed with realism. A very popular literary technique which takes advantage of this synergy is magical realism, in which authors portray improbable events against a totally real backdrop. My favorite magical realist story is One Day After Saturday by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. |
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