Categories:Elements

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Category Weight + to ***
For all the categories in this section choose (if applicable) a weight between + (seldom) to *** (abundant) denoting how often the specific category occurs in the anime.


Next to Themes - setting the backdrop for the protagonists in anime - there are the more detailed plot Elements that centre on character interactions: "What do characters do to each other or what is done to them?". Is it violent Action, an awe-inspiring Adventure in a foreign place, the gripping life of a Detective, a slapstick Comedy, an Ecchi Harem anime, a SciFi epic, or some Fantasy travelling adventure?


Subcategories

Action ...

Note Explanation of the 6 subcategories are available here: Categories:Elements:Action

Action anime usually involve a fairly straightforward story of good guys versus bad guys, where most disputes are resolved by using physical force. It often contains a lot of shooting, explosions and fighting.

Examples: Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan, Koukaku Kidoutai STAND ALONE COMPLEX

Adventure

Adventures are exciting stories, with new experiences or exotic locales. Adventures are designed to provide an action-filled, energetic experience for the viewer. Rather than the predominant emphasis on violence and fighting that is found in pure action anime, however, the viewer of adventures can live vicariously through the travels, conquests, explorations, creation of empires, struggles and situations that confront the main characters, actual historical figures or protagonists. Under the category of adventures, we can include traditional swashbucklers, serialized films, and historical spectacles, searches or expeditions for lost continents, "jungle" and "desert" epics, treasure hunts and quests, disaster films, and heroic journeys or searches for the unknown. Adventure films are often set in an historical period, and may include adapted stories of historical or literary adventure heroes, kings, battles, rebellion, or piracy.

Examples: .hack//SIGN, Hunter X Hunter

Angst

Angst is the German word for fear or anxiety. It is used in English to describe a more intense feeling of internal emotional strife. In anime it describes works which convey intense feelings of fear or strife, where you can almost feel your heart cramping up by the intensity of it all.

Examples: Gunslinger Girl, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, Shinseiki Evangelion

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of uniquely human characteristics to non-human beings, inanimate objects, or natural or supernatural phenomena. If it's an animal or an object (AI excluded) and it speaks and/or does other human-like things (dresses up) then we're dealing with anthropomorphism.

Examples: Chiisana Penguin Lolo no Bouken, Ihatov Gensou: Kenji no Haru, Juuni Kokuki, Oruchuban Ebichu

Comedy ...

Note Explanation of the 4 subcategories are available here: Categories:Elements:Comedy

Anime whose central struggle causes hilarious results. These stories are build upon funny characters, situations and events. A comedy anime is laced with humour and sets out to provoke laughter from the audience.

Japanese humour can be a bit strange to westerners, so if you're new to this type of humour, just bear with it; it'll most likely grow on you if you're a fan of other kinds of comedy.

Examples: I My Me! Strawberry Egg, Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu, School Rumble, Yakitate!! Japan

Detective

It focuses on the efforts of the Detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction. The successful mystery film often conceals the identity of the perpetrator until late in the story, then adds an element of suspense during the apprehension of the suspect.

Examples: Death Note, Detective Conan, Tantei Gakuen Q

Ecchi ...

Note Explanation of the 2 subcategories are available here: Categories:Elements:Ecchi

Ecchi is derived from a Japanese word meaning "lewd", "sexy", "lascivious", or "naughty" when used as an adjective, and can refer to sexual intercourse when used as a verb or noun. In English, the term ecchi is applied to anime or manga that has vague sexual content (such as skimpy clothing, partial or full nudity), but does not show sexual intercourse. It's also nearly equivalent to the term fanservice, which is used to refer to elements in a story that are unnecessary to a storyline, but designed to amuse or sexually excite the audience. Ecchi anime most often goes hand in hand with comedy, but not necessarily so. But do not add ecchi to hentai animations where nudity or sexual exposure is to be expected.

Fantasy ...

Note Explanation of the 10 subcategories are available here: Categories:Elements:Fantasy

Fantasy is a form of speculative fiction in which physical laws differ from our own through a reason for which no scientific explanation is offered, or which take place a world wholly different from our own.

A critical characteristic is that the world feature some difference from Earth that is not a result of science or technology, but rather the result of magic or other anomalous phenomena.

Harem

To qualify as a harem anime, you have to have a single, dateless, nice guy who suddenly finds himself surrounded by a bunch of hot girls/women who are interested or attracted to him to varying degrees. The male lead may also live with many of these girls.

Examples: Love Hina, Shuffle!, Ichigo 100%

Hentai ...

Note Explanation of the 18 subcategories are available here: Categories:Elements:Hentai

Anime clearly marked as "Restricted 18" material centring on all variations of adult sex, some of which can be considered as quite perverted.

Horror

The horror cinematic genre is characterized by the attempt to make the viewer experience dread, fear, terror, or horror. Often their plots involve the intrusion of an evil force, event or personage, sometimes of supernatural origin, on the mundane world and the consequences thereof. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film)

Incest

Do you think your Mom's a hot bitch? Or how about your Sis? We don't want to know, however, if a character in an anime thinks like that more often than in one episode, then you could add a +, if the character does more with his/her family member(s) than wash their back, then it'd probably be best to warn (or tell them the good news) and give it ***. Although we all know that incest in anime is a big lie and they're NEVER blood related... Koi Kaze isn't incest, it's uh... well... ^_^;

Mahou Shoujo

Most famously mahou shoujo (magical-girl) stories feature young girls with superhuman abilities who are forced to fight evil and protect the Earth.
See also: Wiki - Mahou shoujo

Examples: Card Captor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth, Pretty Sammy, Futari wa Pretty Cure

Romance

Romance describes a story that deals with love between two or more characters typically also having an optimistic ending.

Examples: PlanetES, Hachimitsu to Clover, Princess Tutu

Love Polygon

A love polygon refers to a romantic relationship involving n people. Although a love triangle is not limited to just heterosexual relationships, in anime, it usually deals with two females liking one male and vice versa.

Examples for love triangle: Hana Yori Dango, Peach Girl, Onegai Twins

Shoujo Ai

Shoujo Ai means girls love, and as such it explores what happens when two girls fall in love. This is not to be mistaken for Yuri which is a hentai genre. This is not. Meaning no graphical sex.

Examples: .hack//SIGN, Onii-sama E, Shoujo Kakumei Utena

Shounen Ai

Shounen Ai means boys love, and thus explores what happens when two boys fall in love. This is not to be mistaken for Yaoi which is a hentai genre. This is not. Meaning no graphical sex.

Examples: Gravitation, Loveless, Ouran Koukou Host Club

Sudden Girlfriend Appearance

Sudden Girlfriend Appearance anime involve a sudden change in the main character's life where (s)he suddenly gets confronted with an individual (s)he's sexually attracted to, the two of them inevitable becoming a couple.

Examples: DearS, Girls Bravo - First Season, Rec

SciFi ...

Note Explanation of the 14 subcategories are available here: Categories:Elements:SciFi

Science fiction stories usually focus on how situations could be different in the future when we are more technologically advanced; due to either our own achievements or having met with other civilizations whom we have learned from.

Sexual Abuse

Category Weight + to ***
If applicable, choose a weight between + (slight) to *** (excessive) describing the worst case of category occurrence in the anime.

Sexual abuse (also referred to as molestation) is defined as the forcing of undesired sexual acts by one person to another. Note that when adding Sexual Abuse, the weight given to it should depend on the worst scene and not how frequently it happens. Different types of sexual abuse involve:

  • Non-consensual, forced physical sexual behaviour such as rape or sexual assault (If it's on-screen, then give it ***; if off-screen or 'implied', then give it *+ or **)
  • Psychological forms of abuse, such as verbal sexual behaviour or stalking (Give it +, none if it's shown in a comedic scenario)
  • The use of a position of trust for sexual purposes (give it *)
  • Incest, when it is coerced by force or emotional manipulation (when on-screen, give it **+; if off-screen or 'implied', give it *+)

This category is only meant for non-hentai animations, use Rape instead for hentai.

Examples: Narutaru: Mukuro Naru Hoshi Tama Taru Ko, Tokyo Tribe 2, Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku

Thriller

The thriller is a genre of fiction in which tough, resourceful, but essentially ordinary heroes are pitted against villains determined to destroy them, their country, or the stability of the free world. The hero of a typical thriller faces danger alone or in the company of a small band of companions. The protagonist may be a law enforcement agent, a journalist, or a soldier, but typically he or she is cut off from the resources of "their" organization. More often the hero is an ordinary citizen drawn into danger and intrigue by circumstances beyond their control. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller)