I personally liked the anime overall, however I honestly do miss the shoujo we all grew up on, like ouran hs host club, maid-sama, kamisama kiss, etc. bc there’s not many like them being made anymore
@francescawhite4166
Жыл бұрын
Ouran is actually a great example of a series that is a parody of shoujo tropes while still BEING very shoujo and not mean spirited
@SoraiaLMotta
Жыл бұрын
yeah same, some east asia dramas and webtoons may fullfil this need.
@bisma1352
Жыл бұрын
@@francescawhite4166 it's because haruhi is such a great main character. So pragmatic yet compassionate and unafraid to be herself that she effortlessly seems to subverts shoujo troupes.
@thatwasmethere3526
Жыл бұрын
I don't know how it's not Shoujo!🤨
@francisconavarrete2390
Жыл бұрын
@@thatwasmethere3526 because it was in a Shonen magazine
@monthly.girls.digital8728
Жыл бұрын
I will never understand why publishers are neglecting shoujo when webcomics and Manhwa are so popular. If they were smart, viz would copy webtoon's model and set up a coin based app for their shoujo titles and market it to hell and back. I know non manga readers who have two or three webtoons that they follow religiously bc they found it online. And its becoming more and more likely that when I ask one of my weebs friends about the nanga they're reading, it turns out it's a manhwa. I don't really notice the recent lack or shoujo manga bc I have my romance webcomics or manwha to fill the void but the lack of shoujo anime us noticeably. So either japan needs to step up or more Korean manhwa needs adapted.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Agree 100%
@ahero4357
Жыл бұрын
Raeliana is getting a anime, so let's hope for more animation!
@francisconavarrete2390
Жыл бұрын
Well shoujo isn't as popular as Shonen and their adopting them as jdramas but I agree they need more shoujo anime but let's be honest webtoon is popular because for.the ost part is easy to find and free to use lol . Remember the anim boom of the online Era where alot of girls became fans of anime specifically shoujo . There still alot of good shoujo and the problem is itsnt translated and license company in the west isn't licensing them so it's not really a Japan's 100 fault
@carsongroel2426
Жыл бұрын
It does seem bizarrely non-self-aware that Kazuki's trauma over having someone force themselves onto him and attempt to control his life is addressed as a serious issue and Riri using literal magic to control Anzu's life and force her into romantic situations is played for giggles
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Same with having an author who describes himself as aromantic writing a story about someone who may be similar being forced into being romantic. Like there was a biting commentary or satire that could’ve worked here, but for whatever reason they went with fruit so low hanging, they were on the ground.
@ayar2
Жыл бұрын
Except Kazuki had no control (at first) over his stalker problem to the point he had to literally run away from it, whereas Anzu does have complete control over how to tackle riri´s shenanigans, riri´s magic only creates scenarios that would facilitates anzu´s romantic interactions, but had no control over her´s or other´s feelings, in the end Anzu´s kinda wins over Riri, because she avoided falling romantically for someone, earned some friendships back and formed new ones, and got her 3 treasures back. in contrast Riri not only failed at his/her mission, but was the one that ultimately falls romantically for her instead. PS: Yukana was outright insane, she not only could become a risk to Tsukasa´s life, but also to the ones dear to him. Riri´s magic doesnt seem to leave long lasting damage (except when lobotomizing someone, and even then its supposedly taboo and resulted in his/her ban from earth.
@beansforsalewahoo
3 күн бұрын
THE WHOLE POINT OF THE SHOW IS THAT FORCING HER DOESN'T WORK. IT CLEARLY SHOWS THAT RIRI'S PLAN IS FLAWED, MAN 😭 PLEASE, GOOD GOD WORK ON YOUR MEDIA COMPREHENSION
@superseasnails8368
Жыл бұрын
I feel like this could be great if it was a psychological thriller instead of a romance
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Agreed.
@steamyvegetables1445
Жыл бұрын
YESSS. I wished they done that at the begining and made the force-romance aspect scary. Also Riri gives me the creeps.
@xGeminii
Жыл бұрын
I think the only part of this anime that I truly enjoyed was how they portrayed Kazuki's mental health surrounding the things he had gone/was still going through. I thought that was done quite well imo, especially the avoidant symptoms. I would have liked to see more of him processing everything. Aside from that, I really really wish we had gotten a more shoujo-y story :( I think I just miss shoujo series that aren't afraid to tackle serious issues and how relationships can be super complex and meaningful... This was a really insightful and interesting video to watch!! Looking forward to seeing more of your stuff 😊
@shefk7325
Жыл бұрын
I'll preface this by saying I don't agree with most of this video. I think most of this backlash comes from this series being printed in a shoujo manga and taking other series place. The show is listed as shounen in MAL anyway. Apart from that, frankly I don't see the "performative shoujo" aspect of it. The series itself, personally, doesn't strike to me as that malicious. 1. Riri and her company (?) seem to be blatantly non-human. It's as if they don't understand human feelings at all and have no emotions by themselves. A lot of times, riri should have sat back and would have gotten the results they wanted but nope. They just see "romantic situations" as means to achieve their ends- which is the main reason Anzu reacts the way she does. They fail to understand for the most part of the series how emotions should develop naturally, and how humans can't be forced into things. (And that's why Riri/rio's growth is shown when they actively do something to SAVE anzu and friends instead of just pushing her to the boys by wrecking her life.) 2. Anzu's alleged lack of agency Sometimes in life, you can be in a situation where circumstance are out of your control. This can happen to anyone. Anzu manages to fight back, expresses her opposition to riri all the time, manages to avoid being in a forced relationship and so on. Yes she was coerced, but she wasn't a passive entity. One can argue that it should not be shown as comedy etc- then again, comedy is subjective, and Anzu never really bows down to the magic. 3. While, yes, the series parodies shoujo genre- I did appreciate it managed to highlight the kind of "submissive" role women are expected to have in shoujo. Anzu is the one who does the kabedon- not the other way round, she can fend off the panty thief by herself mostly and so on. TLDR: The industry should promote more shoujo. And there's nothing wrong with Romantic Killer itself- the problem is trying to sell it as a shoujo series.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
While I do disagree with some of the points you made, I do appreciate that you took the time to articulate and expand on your thoughts instead of just shutting down everything immediately. Ultimately my word isn’t law, and my interpretation is just that, so I don’t fault anyone for disagreeing with me. My partner loved the show, and didn’t see some of the issues I saw, but was still respectful of my stance, which I do see here as well. I mean your tl;dr is almost in line with how I feel (the lack of shojo promotion, needing to promote more books), so I don’t think we’re too far apart, save for our feelings on the show itself. I appreciate you taking the time to write your comment, even if I didn’t agree with everything, and I thank you for giving the video a fair shake.
@Petrichorus-
Жыл бұрын
Yeah the whole agency argument surprised me! I understand what they’re getting at, because plot-wise Anzu is very much reacting to things and less initiating events (though that still happens now and then), but I think the reason Anzu was successful in developing friendships was BECAUSE she had agency character-wise. Sure, she didn’t control the wizard making her a subject of some experiment or all the times she found herself in corny or awkward situations. BUT- she had agency in how she chose to react. Even though Riri was pushing people in her face and Anzu was determined NOT to fall in love, she, all by herself, decided to still have compassion for people and offer them an ear. She couldn’t been an asshole or cold the same way that orange haired guy was, but that’s not who she is. She makes offers to pay for the phone, she tells that rich dude she’s not interested and even after he’s a snob to her decides to acknowledge his efforts in improving himself when he receives criticism. And that’s not just for the romance- she’s been that type of person the whole time. She decides to go to reunions with friends, to not let go of her interests in cats even though the men Riri is throwing at her aren’t into her wardrobe. She purposefully fights back with Riri and even fights with their coworker/boss to bring Riri back. And this isn’t part of her “going along with things”, again, what makes it feel different to me is that the show shows us that her decisions in how she reacts are deliberate, and when they aren’t it’s due to her character and values, not a reaction Riri would’ve gotten from anyone in Anzu’s scenario. Sure, Anzu shouldn’t HAVE to change or be forced to be more feminine (that part of the show is hmmmmmmmmmmmm and if there’s a season 2 I hope it can be elaborated on more, with Riri acknowledging they were wrong or Anzu talking about the pressure of being put into a box by society or something), but to me the show came across more like “You’ll miss out on opportunities and fun memories if you don’t give them a shot and hide away in game world”. Anzu changes a bit in that she socializes more and learns ways to make herself more presentable, but she never loses herself. She stays resilient, she unapologetically loves her hobbies and tastes, and she chooses to be compassionate to people when she has every right to be detached and solely spend time with them until the whole Wizard thing is done with.
@savetheoaplease8112
Жыл бұрын
I did enjoy the series and it made me laugh a lot more than I expected. But yes, as an asexual myself, if I were in Anzu's situation, I would hate it! Even if through the series Anzu doesn't really show any sign of falling for any of the hot guys that are forced in her life and seems to care about them as friends instead, it's still problematic. I did like tho that throughout the episodes, I ppercieved her as not falling into the mold the magicians try to force her in, even without her biggest distractions in the picture. Even if the situation she is put through sucks, She remains the caring, strong willed and a strong person overall that happens to not want a relationship. It has a potentially negative premise, as it goes out of a perspective where everyone should marry and such and I hope they don't force her in a heteronormative relationship, if the show is to go on, as it would be... very sad. Thank you for the very informative video!
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I’m glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching
@francisconavarrete2390
Жыл бұрын
Problematic if this is Problematic then anime isn't for u
@lazydroidproductions1087
Жыл бұрын
As a non-asexual myself… I have to disagree. To me, Anzu does show signs of falling in love with some of the guys. Primarily the Tsukasa who she has good chemistry with, and to a degree Junta, though mostly only after she learns his feelings are genuine and connects the dots to Tonta, like a good responsible person who is concerned that a guy who likes her only does so because he is being puppeted to do so. Not much chemistry between her and Hijiri, though he likes her and it is refreshing to see the snooty rich guy that is genuinely interested in dedicating himself to tasks he set his mind to, like working hard at the convenience store, instead of half-assing it or doing something like buying out the branch
@xXxLovelyBloodxXx
Жыл бұрын
Just switch out "faries" to CEO's and it makes it even more weird... And performative Shojo is a good way how i also feel about "more than a married couple, but not lovers"... Just some weird skinwalker stuff that almost tries to trick the shojo fan's into thinking there's more than just mimic'd things on page and screen...
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
The real world implications make everything feel especially icky, which I don’t like. And yeah, performative shojo doesn’t just apply to RK. There’s definitely a few series that tread that line, that one included.
@a-ramenartist9734
Жыл бұрын
I loved romantic killer, I'm getting back into anime right now and it's been a great casual watching experience, even if there's probably much better romance stories out there I really connected with it (prob bc I'm a bi guy). It's obviously not shoujo tho, I had no idea it was being marketed as such, I guess any industry is gonna use people's creations as tools to push their agendas. I hope actual shoujo stuff becomes more popular because even if I'm personally not that interested (at the moment at least), I know what it feels like to be the minority in a community, and it really sucks not being seen as legitimate, best wishes. Edit: also, I don't think Anzu's case specifically was problematic, since she obviously shows at least some interest in guys. The bigger problem is Riri's organization, and what could have happened if they had chosen someone that wasn't like Anzu and actually was avoiding guys for sexuality reasons, and also the whole "improving the birth rate" thing probably could have been talked about a bit more, since the actual cause for low birth rate in developed countries is obviously low immigration rates and the economy/work culture discouraging parenthood rather than video games, so yeah that stuff is problematic, but I still liked the rest of it a lot.
@rosem4891
Жыл бұрын
Great video! It's definitely super frustrating trying to explain why this series annoys me so much when looked at in a vacuum it's really not that bad. It just really leaves a bad taste in my mouth that the only "shojo" that gets this much promotion and hype is one making mean-spirited fun at it's own tropes.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
That’s really the kicker: in a bubble, the series is fine. A nice, average romcom with some questionable elements, but a decent read/watch no matter how you look at it. Once you actually look deeper than the surface though, it completely unravels, but much like an inside joke, there’s layers you need to peel back in order to explain why. Glad you enjoyed the video and if someone wants to know why now, point them towards this video as a guide.
@kaylemathewcomendador6964
Жыл бұрын
Neat informative video. I have not heard of the controversy behind Romantic Killer until now. Probably because I’m kinda a normie when it comes to anime at the moment. For me I personally enjoyed the anime. Anzu is a fun protagonist, the rest of the cast are pretty likable & entertaining for the most part, the humor is pretty on point most of the time, the animation is top notch (especially with Anzu’s emotional states) and despite the premise of it being about a magical entity trying to speed up the love process of the cast it surprisingly isn’t that fast paced in developing the relationships. My only cons I have with it at most is that certain moments with the love interests can get rather “meh” at times and some of the jokes can make me go “I don’t get it” at times.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
That’s kinda what I was trying to say at the end; like, in a vacuum and had all the publication shenanigans not gone down, I probably would’ve liked this series. Instead it gave me a headache. That said, my partner, who doesn’t really care about all the controversy or behind the scenes stuff and just watches anime for fun, really liked it so I feel like peoples enjoyment is kinda dependent on industry interest, at least slightly
@kaylemathewcomendador6964
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga I just came to this show kinda expecting it to retread old ground, as most romance shows tend to do that nowadays, and see if it at least does that retreaded ground in a fun & entertaining way. And it does in my opinion. And I don’t really like this “in a vacuum” phrasing. It makes you look like a pretentious shojo fan that thinks people who simply don’t care about controversies like that are “stupid”. I don’t like interpreting fans like that & there’s nothing wrong with watching a show with no knowledge about its background, controversial or not.
@b.h.4249
Жыл бұрын
@@kaylemathewcomendador6964 Yeah, that's just you interpreting their statements in bad faith, sorry. They never criticized you in any form, they simply said that some people care more about the industry details than others which is absolutely true. I didn't know much about the circumstances of shoujo publishing either until recently, but I'm happy to learn. It's not their fault that you decided to get butthurt about it.
@JustA-Person
Жыл бұрын
It’s like women and girls aren’t allowed to like anything
@Cosplaythief
Жыл бұрын
Except making babies.
@tornado100able
Жыл бұрын
i don't see this statement as the anime message. It's about people wasting their lifes at home playing videogames (like hikikomoris) or feeding other addictions instead of having a normal/health social life with friends. In the case, she would never find a romantic partner because of her addictions and probably would end up alone and sad. She's clearly not assexual, she avoids handsome men to focus only on her addictions. The part where is said they want them to have babies is because Japan's population is decreasing and that's bad, so the wizards are trying to use recluse people to create romantic couples which are more likely to have babies and form a family. It's not like they're obligated to have one, but it's almost a natural thing expected to happen. Don't forget it's also a comedy guys!
@JustA-Person
Жыл бұрын
But that doesn’t make the loss of shoujo any less sad to me and many others. It’s just anything girls and women like is always judged far more harshly than anything boys and men like. And then when boys decide they do like a “girl” thing like say my little pony friendship is magic it suddenly gets a lot more respect and the girls already there welcome them because they’re glad they found someone else who likes what they like. But when girls like a “boy” thing like Lord of the Rings they get bullied and harassed.
@uu-kq6mn
Жыл бұрын
@@JustA-Person It goes both ways but I see your point. You are correctm
@Cosplaythief
Жыл бұрын
@@JustA-Person I agree. Tweenage and teenage girl is the most clowned upon demographic on the internet. Anything that target tween or teen girls that cannot be enjoyed by boys will be the but of everyone's jokes or nitpicked to hell and back. Like it needs to be held a lot more accountable than any media that targets boys. Books, movies, boy bands, the whole lot. I'm pretty sure everyone has been guilty of doing it or regurgitating a meme. I was a bit surprised when I realised it.
@dulcemayfield7147
Жыл бұрын
I was in elementary when I got into shoujo beat magazine/manga in it. It completely surprised me when the magazine disappeared. I knew I liked anime but I didn’t understand why some anime felt like to me that they had undertones of misogyny (over seggualization of only fem characters/ body types/role). I’m super happy to be joining communities like Coleens and Mac loves manga since it brings me back to those magazine looking days ❤❤
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I too read Shojo Beat in print form growing up as well, alongside stand alone releases like Sailor Moon which got me into manga and anime in the first place. I’ve been happy to be a part of the shojo community on Twitter and TikTok, but the overwhelmingly positive response I’ve received on here has made me happy to be a part of the community on KZitem as well and I hope to be a place where all fans of shojo and josei can come together and celebrate the medium.
@francisconavarrete2390
Жыл бұрын
Funny when shoujo does the same it not the same equivalent of what you just said
@aarondubourg3706
Жыл бұрын
Once I heard this was shounen published as shoujo in west I lost any interest in actually reading it. The misogynist fairies on their own I don't think are bad, I've read quite a few stories with feminist themes where the female protagonist lives in a misogynistic world. Those stories usually involve the protagonist making steps to either equality or greater autonomy. This series doesn't sound like its does any of that tho.
@moonknightress5059
Жыл бұрын
It's a psychological thriller wearing the shojo aesthetic and romcom premise like a skinsuit
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Best description I’ve seen
@kpopnimation
Жыл бұрын
Is is bad that I liked this way more than Ouran😅?...I watched both series within the same month and I quit Ouran but I binged Romantic Killer in five days, which is extremely fast for me. I just like the characters in RK way more. Besides the parts where Anzu gets hyper aggressive, which is really funny to me but I get that humor is subjective, every single character is more toned down and grounded and I like that. The thing that Romantic Killer does amazingly that Ouran failed at is making the love interests actually likeable. No one felt excessively obnoxious (except Hijiri before Anzu rightfully chews him out). Riri could've been gone disastrously wrong, but for a combination of reasons, they feel funny and charming instead of annoying. But in Ouran there were so many moments and so many characters that gave me secondhand embarrassment and made me cringe. As for the humor, you say the only joke that works in this series is Anzu beating up Riri. It's fine if you have that opinion, but let's just say I disagree. And yes, the situations in Romantic Killer are extremely contrived. But, one of the main strengths of the series is how they manage to build natural and actually endearing relationships because even though the SITUATIONS are contrived, the character reactions and interactions are very charming and feels genuine in a way that most anime don't. For example, the game night with Kazuki.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
👍
@steamyvegetables1445
Жыл бұрын
Plus. No rapey beach episode, Never forgave Kyoya for that. And the show doesn't romanticize SA. Like for example, Kazuki's and Saki's respected SAs and harassment. Especially, how much Kazuki's stalker affected him badly to the point of social with-drawl and being afraid of girls, it isn't portrayed as as, "a cute quirk," but something serious. And Saki's SA as well, how it felt real to me. Both of Kazuki's & Saki's SA scenes gave me so much anxiety as I've experienced something similar. Especially, the scenes where Saki's "ex boyfriend"/ assaulter showed up at the festival, and Kazuki's seeing his stalker, giving both of them panic attacks. That resonated with me so much as I had the same experience with an ex friend who hurt me very badly.
@sapphic.flower
Жыл бұрын
As an asexual lesbian, I had the exact same thoughts! That this girl is being forced into complying to patriarchal needs and everyone around her are being manipulated to fit it. Even if she’s fighting against it, she still seems to be lulled in which can send the message that all girls are “missing out” by not getting a man. Being self aware doesn’t equate being subversive. That being said, I honestly still enjoyed it. Even the shoujo anime we fond over like OHSHC and Fruits Basket are heteronormative and problematic but we can acknowledge it and still like them. I tune into anime with the high expectation it’ll be heteronormative anyways so maybe that’s why even if it rubs me the wrong way, I can appreciate that it rolls with its own punches. The absurdism and scenarios are fun to watch and the characters are fleshed out (even if they’re still archetypes but I guess that might be the point too?) (Spoiler) I’m also glad that at least two of the boys learn about everything so they have more agency. I still hope that it doesn’t actually end with Anzu getting with anyone but I’d actually like to see where it’ll go.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I agree. People keep thinking because of how the video turned out that I hated this, but I don’t. I have issues with it that I hopefully explained well enough, but I dislike the corporate greed and behind the scenes shenanigans more so than the show itself. There’s things to like, and everyone’s tolerance is different. Some don’t care, some care too much, some can turn their brain off and enjoy things and others can’t. It’s up to the viewer to decide where they sit. I’m glad you enjoyed the show despite its issues and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching
@candicemceady308
Жыл бұрын
@Mac Loves Manga sorry to burst your bubble but Japan is a very homogeneous country and it will stay that way regardless of what anybody wants or says. There's already genres like yuri and yaoi for people who like that stuff. Is that not enough? Japan doesn't need to cater to American sensibilities period.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
It seems like someone hasn’t studied much Japanese history. Don’t worry, I have a masters in it so I’ll help you out since you probably didn’t watch my video I did on yaoi. American/Western sensibilities would be heterosexuality. Before the late 1800s, most people considered themselves fairly fluid in their sexuality, with the male/female relationship mostly being seen as transactional since it produced an heir. One of the most respected and practiced traditions at the time was an older man taking a teenager under his wing and training him in exchange for sex. It was only when Western sexologists came and said that homosexuality would result in gender transformation that they temporarily outlawed homosexuality alongside China. They overturned it a few years later, but in a bid to not look weak to other less tolerant countries, they have yet to fully accept LGBTQIA+ people outside of some vague gestures. So no, it’s not enough and never will be enough. Not until there’s true equality again after Western folks came in and ruined it all those years ago. Hope that helps and thanks for watching
@candicemceady308
Жыл бұрын
@Mac Loves Manga I know all that. So what you can call the sky pink doesn't make it true. Besides modern audiences and standards is dumb anyway it will NEVER be enough.its like gluttony you're never satisfied with anything you always have to have more and more. Shojo is for girls always has been always will be just like shonen is for boys now there's nothing wrong with girls liking shonen or boys liking shojo. I don't like yaoi or yuri never have never will but I'm not going to demand yaoi/yuri mangaka to cater to my feelings just because I said so. Who cares if all characters in shojo are straight anyway? Most shojo fans aren't losing sleep because they don't have a specific character to relate to.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
You’re acting as if I’m demanding every character be queer when that was never my point to begin with. Yes, I’d love to see more representation outside of their designated markets, and yes, I’d love to see queer people in Japan get the same rights as everyone else IRL (as would most rational folks), but I don’t like or dislike a series just for having/not having it. I’m trans, but I’m not going to project onto or write off a series if they don’t have any trans characters. That makes no sense. My whole sticking point with Anzu was that she was never given any choice or option to feel any sort of way because Riri forced her into dating the boys because they needed more power and a raise. That was it. Even then, I didn’t hate the show because she wasn’t queer. I disliked it because a greedy company falsely classified a shonen series as a shojo and rolled out the red carpet for it in order to save face. It was behind the scenes shenanigans, not the series itself. I had issues with it, but had Viz/Shueisha been honest from the start, I probably would’ve liked it a lot more. I even said as much in the video.
@omnibuscollector
Жыл бұрын
Great work! I’m sorry you had to give so much energy to this series, but hopefully some people see this and can comprehend why there’s been some controversy surrounding it.
@TheDawnofVanlife
Жыл бұрын
I was unaware of the controversy, especially since I randomly consume anime on recommendation and not so much any genre. But I thank you for this eye opening video and am glad to have heardand understood the problem. With your context I can see how publishing this as Shojo is highly problematic. Especially in a market starved for proper Shojo.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I’m glad the video could help. Thanks for watching
@jamtyx4170
Жыл бұрын
Awesome video. I really enjoy learning new things about this community. Keep up the good work👍
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate that. Was definitely nervous at first, but the response so far has been amazing so I’m feeling invigorated to create more soon. Thanks again.
@ColleensMangaRecs
Жыл бұрын
Such a good video Mac!!
@mellysandshrew
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for the video! I'd heard a little bit of conversation about the series and was generally pretty turned off, so having the problems surrounding the marketing laid out so clearly was nice! So weird that such a Whatever series got such star-studded treatment, when so many good shojo series get completely ignored
@animepodcast
Жыл бұрын
Great video. Can defiantly feel the frustration that I've been seeing on Twitter
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
It definitely gets tiresome at a certain point, both with how Viz/SB publishes their books, as well as the general treatment of shojo fans in general. I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
@marie_s127
Жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed this video! It was great. It made me realize a few things that I didn’t noticed at first (about both this specific anime/manga and just the overall climate for shōjo)
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it
@enjisilverstone-nolongerac7533
Жыл бұрын
Love the fact that it a romance but also shows boys’ insecurities ❤ It’s hehe inclusive and I honestly admire the main character for being realistic and literally a sweetheart !
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I do appreciate Kazuki and what they did with his characterization. Credit where credit is due.
@twinkleyell1429
Жыл бұрын
thank you for going in depth on this, great video! I've seen some fellow shojo fans raving about RK but I just feel bitter :(
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Of course! It’s something that’s been on my mind for quite some time now and the Netflix series only further pushed me to have this be my first video. And like I said, I don’t hate RK, but a lot of the content in the series mixed with how it’s being presented just left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m glad you enjoyed the video
@frei2304
Жыл бұрын
Came here from colleens rec,didn't knew about this series tbh. Looking foward to your next videos! Edit: the barbie an gi joe comparison is accufate af.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Colleen’s the best. She was a big help in me getting started so I’m glad she brought you here. Hope you continue to enjoy the videos! And yeah, that GI Joe/Barbie line seemed super appropriate
@lalas181
Жыл бұрын
I was curious about this anime. The base idea of "the main character tries really really hard not to be the main character and hijinks ensue" is incredibly appealing to me, so I was thinking of checking this out. Now, though? I dunno. From how it's been described, it feels like what would happen if I made a parody of The Music Man -and also were good at writing comedy-. I wouldn't wish a parody that I made of The Music Man on anyone who actually likes that musical, even if it was a genuinely funny parody at times. Maybe I'll watch it later if one of my friends vouches for it, but like... I'm already the butt of enough jokes as someone who enjoys not only MLP and Homestuck, but also the musical Cats. I don't really want to be mocked by a show marketed as shoujo for enjoying shoujo romance things before I've even gotten as into it as I have other stuff I like.
@Miju001
3 күн бұрын
I first heard of Romantic Killer through a compilation of anime moments someone made saying that Anzu gave them aro/ace vibes. I'm aroacespec and I was looking for a light watch. A lot of this video is telling me that expectations and overall context is a huge part of how something can come across, so suffice it to say that, with that context and expectations, I watched it and I really enjoyed it! (Brief thoughts: episode 11 is peak, Anzu is great, Junta deserved more screentime, the animation was part of the fun) I do feel bad for how heavily shoujo and related media is looked down upon by some people. It's not necessarily my thing, but I still think it gets a lot of undeserved flak. There's a bit of an image of shoujo that gets equated with these weird, sparkly, flat tropes - and sure, there might be a number of shoujo that deserve the criticism, but there's also a lot of heart that goes into a well-crafted shoujo story. I feel like people sometimes only look at the surface level of a story like that and dismiss it out of hand, just because it fits a mold they don't think is worth it; regardless of how much care is put into that story and regardless of whether that fit is even bad in the first place. It's unfortunate that Romantic Killer was part of this whole conundrum, even if I personally am glad I got to experience it.
@carogueva123
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for this, we need more people talking about this and all we can do is hope it gets better eventually
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Of course. I’m glad you enjoyed the video and I too hope it gets better soon.
@mr.icecream7880
Жыл бұрын
I understand that’s it’s frustrating that this took place over a shoujo . I don’t agree that this is an average run of the mill story. There are several themes and lesson that were well executed. So I don’t think it should be getting a lot of hate because it’s better than some shoujo anime( I love shoujo) based on how the characters and sensitive topics were handled. Critique is important but this video is too dismissive. Especially for a show that’s bringing fresh themes and romance(!) which aren’t as prevalent in anime recently
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
👍
@amuletangeldevil
Жыл бұрын
This was a great first video congrats! I just wanted to add that regarding the Viz app I'm pretty sure they don't have much control about what they can put there. According to a french publisher, the japanese publishers are very wary of the subscription model. They're probably only allowed to put Shueisha's jump titles. (Though I doubt they're trying hard to convince others publishers when most of their costumer base only care about the biggest titles...) Also if anyone is interested in a manga that use Shojo tropes to actually interrogate social pressure regarding romantic relationships I can recommend "Kiryuu-sensei was renai ga Wakaranai"!
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
As a fellow Kiryuu fan, I appreciate you giving that series props. And yeah, the apps hands are kinda tied because of Shueisha, but the fact there hasn’t been a dedicated Shojo Beat app at this point is kinda baffling considering they’ve said multiple times now they can’t/won’t reprint series.
@TheAnimeTea
Жыл бұрын
This was a really great take on why shoujo manga and anime adaptations are not being promoted as often or given proper anime adaptations -if any at all - in favor of hand picked or brand new series that are "palatable" for multiple audiences and don't stand in the way of well-established shonen series or the main audiences that consume them. When all shoujo fans want is the same love and respect that shonen series get and to not be treated like our love for shojo series makes us subpar ani-manga fans. Thank you for this break down and I'm looking forward to more of your videos!
@snowqueen_8958
Жыл бұрын
I wish there was more shojo and josei manga and anime I recently got the first vol of the collectors edition of marmalade boy and waiting on the next two vols from my local library And I also bought the first vol of usotoki rhetoric
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Luckily there has been quite a few shojo/josei anime released in the last few seasons, so it’s not all doom and gloom thankfully (check out Sacrificial Princess, Ice Guy and Yamada if you haven’t yet). It could absolutely be better on the manga front, at least physically (digital has been okay lately), but with Don’t Say Mystery releasing we might see an upturn soon.
@ofekma12345
8 ай бұрын
of course that the premise of romantic killer is horrifying and problematic! but the point of this show is not 'this girl figures out that life is so much better than romance and that everything she loved and did before was shallow and meaningless' it's 'this girl gets put through hell that looks like an exaggerated caricature of amatanormativity that real people experience and manage to *win against it*, proving that while she can benefits from being more social, she never needed to change herself or fall in love to be happy'. Sure it takes a comedic approach with it but Kazuki outright compares his trauma with what Anzu is going through and takes her size. Junta too, despite both boys having a crush on her. The only problem with this show is that it ended before Anzu can destroy the program and oppressive wizard corporation and society that forces such things on people. That, for me, is the one true ending of the show. Anzu overcoming the hardships and making sure it wouldn't happen to anyone else, then, once her life is her own again, she can choose how her future will look like and whether or not it'll have romance in it- after knowing and proving to everyone that her worth and joy isn't determined by it. As an Aroace myself I really like this show, shojo or not.
@Manga_Swag
Жыл бұрын
I thought the first 2 episodes were very funny & the whole point so far was that she is fighting against just beeing someone girlfriend
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I’m glad you’re enjoying the series so far. Like I said, had there not been issues surrounding the publishing, marketing and some of the content within, I probably would’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
@Manga_Swag
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga I totally get you about the marketing Disney use to do that a lot with the MCU they were very misleading with there marketing then wen u watched the movies the movies had none of what they were advertising .
@giitanjalichiya2116
Жыл бұрын
the shonenification of shojo is so troubling honestly a sign of the end times
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
There is hope if you look for it, though you’d need to be a fan of fantasy in order for that to work. Most traditional high school romcoms seem to be exclusively shonen/seinen nowadays, but the isekai and fantasy genre still has a ton (I’m currently reading >100), though those genres aren’t liked by everyone. You aren’t wrong that it’s a problematic trend though
@giitanjalichiya2116
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga absolutely! isekai is where i’ve been escaping lately
@warhaammerwarhammer7511
Жыл бұрын
This a great video
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it.
@joannaleja4442
Жыл бұрын
I was so exited when I saw trailer of this anime because I love reverse harems so much and I watched almost everything so when I saw the announcement I was extremely happy. But then it turned out to be a shounen. I've not seen anything about this anime before so I have no idea what is this but when I found out that this is not a shoujo I felt disappointed. I don't know why but when I watch shounen romance I don't have this feeling, when they confirms their love to each other I am happy but not in the same way when I watch shoujo. I think it's cool that they finally are together but nothing more and compare to shoujo when they only look at each other I'm like: YAAAAAAS, OMGGGG. I have not watched this anime yet, but after listening to you I think that I won't be a fan of this and I am so saaad because I was hoping that I finally got harem to watch :CC
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Well the good news is 2023 will bring us shojo anime that fit that criteria, so while RK doesn’t meet the mark, we’ve got a lot of great shoes to look forward to next year.
@rajvirmalhans2073
Жыл бұрын
I mean it was always meant to be a shonen with a FMC and there’s definitely many points that turn off others. I did personally enjoy some parts of it. I do think that her being focused on herself has its pros and cons since she did seem to close herself off to the outside world. She was essentially like a female otaku who was oblivious to connections. For the current winter 2023 season, there’s a good shojo novel series Sugar Apple Fairy Tale and the Josei series the Ice Guy and his Cool Female Colleague
@symbioticmango
Жыл бұрын
it’s so frustrating to start a new rom com and all of a sudden the vibe shifts and you realize it’s shonen
@bubblesawesome3284
Жыл бұрын
I love the a anime.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
👍
@SariaSchala
Жыл бұрын
What an awesome debut video! Congratulations! You make some really good points, too. Would you be open to taking suggestions for video topics? It's okay if not.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Oh absolutely. I’ve got my next 1-2 videos planned, but I’m always open to hearing any suggestions. Whether here or Twitter (heck you can even DM me, they’re always open) I’m more than happy to hear any idea you might have.
@SariaSchala
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga As I am adoring Bibliophile Princess would you consider doing a video on that one? You said you liked it too
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Not a bad idea. Was actually planning on bringing it up at some point, though I wanted to wait until the season was over to see how much they adapt. But I do love BP and it will get its flowers. Trust me on that
@JustA-Person
Жыл бұрын
Maybe you could do a recommendation of old or older shojos that could use more attention
@denysvision
Жыл бұрын
I understand and is not for everyone, we have our way to love a series ^^
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Exactly
@lucidream8025
Жыл бұрын
Liked your video looking forward on what u will bring next
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Thank you. Next video will be out the 19th. Hope you enjoy it
@lilybolton3344
Жыл бұрын
i feel like the main reason modern shojo anime always seems to fail is because almost all the jokes it relies of are just making fun of traditional shojo tropes, so it no longer has that same charm that all the old shojo has
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
It definitely depends on the sub genre, but there can be some stagnation in the anime side of things, with a lot of the more creative manga not getting many adaptations
@user-qk3dp9ig9r
Жыл бұрын
I personally loved this anime tho
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I’m glad you enjoyed it, but hopefully understand why I didn’t
@mariafragou7768
Жыл бұрын
This was a very good video! When you said it was your first i was very surprised because the video was so well put together! Great work
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! I’ve edited audio and video before in the past, so I had a bit of a head start, but this was my first time actually making something for myself. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
@dulcemayfield7147
Жыл бұрын
Automatic subbed!!❤
@whalewhisperer
Жыл бұрын
i have been scrutinizing this series from afar and this video really helped to cement my decision not to read/watch it 😅 fantastic analysis! you made great points and i will definitely be devoting most of my attention to shoujo romances because of the lack of depth in a lot of shonen romances :’c fluffy, sweet romances directed towards the feminine gaze really tend to be the best types of romance for me
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I’m glad you enjoyed the video and if you’re ever looking for recommendations, just ask and I’d be more than happy to help.
@kpopnimation
Жыл бұрын
Please reconsider. The relationships in this series are actually incredibly well executed and genuine. If you’re looking for a fairy tale like romance, than this isn’t it. But the relationships she forms feel very real and organic (situations may be contrived but how the characters interact makes them feel like real people instead of typical anime characters). And it’s also incredibly hilarious. I have laughed out loud more watching this than I did watching Saiki K or Devil is a part timer.
@SoraiaLMotta
Жыл бұрын
is a very risk free simple romcom. It got some smiles from me. Hope that it is sucefull so they bring more and more complex stories. east asia's dramas have more complex stories and a lot of webtoons adaptations that may fulfill the need for shojo anime.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
It would be really nice if we got more Webtoon and Manhwa adaptations because there are some fantastic stories there.
@nicksvitak5416
Жыл бұрын
I thought that this was a really great video that hit on some great points. I just have a question since you've done much more research than I have. I saw someone saying that the author considers the manga a shojo and since Jump Plus is more demographic neutral than other magazines it should be considered a shojo anyway. Is this true? I haven't seen anything other than that one comment
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed the video and yeah, I’m more than happy to answer. I’ll split into two parts since it’s two different points: -The author has gone on record saying he feels like it’s a shojo, but one of my through lines in the video was the “looks like a duck but barks” argument, meaning that just because he says it, doesn’t make it a reality. I realize that might sound a bit harsh so think of it this way; if a movie comes out made by Marvel Studios, it’s a Marvel film, regardless of the heroes in it. The same goes with shojo. It’s a demographic that’s assigned based on publication, not feeling. There is a shojo “style,” but RK is surface level at best. -Jump Plus has started to become a catch all for Shueisha to publish any and everything they get their hands on, up to and including Western-style comics like Deadpool. That’s the benefit of being an online magazine with a large net. Regardless, it’s still a part of the Jump line, which is 99% shonen and seinen. If they want to truly be demographic neutral, they’d need to publish more than one vaguely shojo style book in eight years. So I’d say the point still stands. This feels like them covering their tracks, not making a genuine shift.
@starslayer1493
Жыл бұрын
Great video!
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@michellekeppler982
Жыл бұрын
I think you might have missed the point, the whole situation is supposed to be creepy and wrong. Its making fun of the tropes by having a main character who will point out where this situation is wrong, nonsensical or just plain creepy. If at the end of whatever sequel they make she falls in love while still under the control of the creepy fairies then the whole thing will be automatically bad but as of the ending of the first series and the comics effectively the protagonist is anti-romance when under control of others and has not fallen for any of the guys and doesn't seem like she is going to. I even hesitate to call this a romance anime/manga because the source material has ended without said romance from the part of the main character. Also comedy is subjective so outright saying its bad might put off someone who would enjoy that brand of humour, plus I recall a total of 2 jokes in the entire series based on reverse gender roles so I don't know where your so many statement is coming from
@GDIdoujinmediaworks
Жыл бұрын
I could name a couple of angles to this... 1.) Shojo is just too pure, and everything these days has to be edgy or cynical 2.) Korean softpower is currently eating Japan's lunch, and Japanese companies are not incentivized to animate something from a competing country... which begs the question 3.) Why aren't Korean animation studios themselves animating the popular manwha ? Surely they could take a lesson from donghua which is shoved down our throats on many anime sites. 4.) Live action tends to be the safer investment for simple romantic stories that don't require that many fantastical elements. Yes animation is a medium, not a genre, but from a practical standpoint it is far easier to animate boob physics and explosions than it is the inner conflict of an intellectual who is tousling his fine hair (the latter is the reason why Kyoto Animation became a god-tier studio).
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
We would definitely benefit from more manhwa adaptations in general. Hopefully that changes in the coming years
@boyfriendforevvv
Жыл бұрын
Shojo is not too pure. There are plenty that handle dark topics. It's as varied as shounen
@julesdrey7415
Жыл бұрын
Animation isn't big in Korea which is really ironic considering how popular and mainstream their comic industry is and that fact that some animes are outsourced to Korea to animate. They tend to focus on their dramas which is why there's many adaptations of popular manhwas. Korea has slowly been growing their animation industry though. There are a few popular kids shows (they're not really released outside Korea though) and I recently saw a trailer for a few adaptations of some popular manhwas. Lookism is also getting a Netflix adaptation which if the Korean dub says anything, it might be a Korean animated series. The main problem I think is that they don't really market outside of the country, which makes it really hard for someone who lives elsewhere or doesn't speak the language to find the series. But maybe the popularity of manhwas and the couple of anime adaptations will inspire them to feed their global audience a little more. And as for your last point, there are some really good animes out there that focus on a more introspective lens. I recently got into idolish7 and it has some top tier animation and direction but flies under peoples radar since it's an adaptation of a game that's targeted towards a female audience. It has some of the best expression animation I've seen and it only gets better as the series goes on. You just have to excuse the bad 3D singing and dancing animation in it.
@ducky19991
Жыл бұрын
Awesome video, great points. I love Colleen too.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
@junie9039
Жыл бұрын
Seeing the clips on insta i thought it was a comedy series of a Tom boy wanting to date someone and struggling, damn i feel lied to
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
If you want a show that actually fits the criteria of a tomboy trying to date someone and struggling, try Tomo-Chan is a Girl, Minami Ke, Mayo Chiki, Cross Game, Arakawa Under the Bridge or Working.
@junie9039
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga thank you so much 🙌🙌
@spacemetro2417
Жыл бұрын
To be honest, I think Romantic killer is worse than mid. The themes and messages it presents are very demeaning. I don't like how the MC is seen as "less of a girl" because she likes video games and that she has to "commit to her true role as a love interest" just seems misogynistic. The concept is extremely reminiscent of when misogynists say that women should only be wives and mothers.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Yeah it’s definitely something that I’ve struggled with the entire time I’ve read/watched it. I don’t see a way how being forced into a relationship where the sole goal is having kids to keep other people in power without her consent as anything but creepy and misogynistic. I just wonder how the author thought that’d be fun because that’s some Handmaids Tale stuff right there.
@spacemetro2417
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga Honestly, if Romantic Killer was about breaking out of all of that, I might actually have liked it. But it isn't. It's about accepting the role society forces onto you and "learning to love it". Man, I wish she could just get her stuff back.
@tornado100able
Жыл бұрын
It's not misogynistic, Anzu could perfect be a guy and the story still probably would not change except for the fact the ikemens would turn into waifus lol. If you think better you will see they had the care to create a strong female protagonist who likes to live like a classic nerd guy to show woman can also do that. The main point is people are avoiding social relationships and this is bad in the end for us humans, social animals... In my opinion you are overthinking about it, i don't see a reason to look through the anime with this negativity, it's also comedy...
@spacemetro2417
Жыл бұрын
@@tornado100able I never said the series was misogynistic, I said that it was reminiscent of misogynistic rhetoric. I cannot tell you how many times I have been told things like this. The whole point of the show is that it's about a girl who has to leave all of her favorite things behind and is forced into a relationship for the sole purpose of having children. It doesn't matter who could be the main character or not, that's not what I'm talking about. Regardless, I'm entitled to my own opinion. And I'm allowed to not like it, as you are allowed to like it if you want. And yeah, I know it's comedy, but that's again not what I was commenting about.
@francisconavarrete2390
Жыл бұрын
@@spacemetro2417 then by logic shojo too
@vi0lee
11 ай бұрын
Not a shounen either. You can't put it in these categories. It's a metafiction, and you complain about things that was not the job of this story.
@Kari_._
Жыл бұрын
Great video! Haven't watched that anime because the trailer didn't hit with me and seeing your thoughts made me realize why. I hope you continue to post videos as Colleen so more people can see how the shojou fans are being neglected. Just subscribed!
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much. I’ll definitely have more content coming in the near future, with these shojosei video essays coming every other Saturday. I might throw in the occasional non-shojo related video on off weeks if something catches my eye, but I’ve already got the next three scripts in the early stages so I’m excited to keep going.
@moonkitty5274
Жыл бұрын
I liked this show when I watched it (I had fought against watching it at first because I knew it was performative shoujo) and saw it as more of a satirical commentary with the purpose of the programme than blatant sexism, but I don't know if it was intentioned as a satire so I won't defend it. While I don't mind the existence of the show, I kind of wish there was a gender neutral manga series that shows like this could be put into, because the girls vs boys split is getting a bit irrelevant since more girls like action comedies and more guys like slice of life and romance comedies, not to mention that even in Japan there is a queer demographic that might like something without gender labels.
@SemekiIzuio
Жыл бұрын
I got an add on KZitem about it, it looked interesting and it wasnt so different from a previous anime/manga of any rejecting love including gay love lol I just didnt like that the girl didnt act much like a girl. I'm not saying she needs to be feminine but she hasnt show any sensibility vulnerability.
@Latalie
Жыл бұрын
Nah man, this was the best anime from Netflix I’ve seen in forever. The reason I love it so much is because all the characters seem like real people. Yeah the whole “forcing into a relationship thing” is weird, but in the first episode, her expression when the fairy says that she could be surrounded by hot guys shows to me that she would like romance. The thing is, romance takes a lot of work and she doesn’t want to have to do that at the moment, so she rejects the offer. I was worried too that she could be LGBTQ, but the way she reacts to romantic interactions makes me believe that she is at least interested in men
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I disagree, but I’m glad you enjoyed it.
@almostcheesecake
Жыл бұрын
It is troubling to see such vocal hate towards the entierety of shoujo. I don’t know why they feel the need to constantly show off their favourite show while constantly belittling everything else
@MinttMeringue
Жыл бұрын
Glad I got sent here by Colleen - great vid! I'm not on anime Twitter or anything so I hadn't heard anything about this, but when I saw the ad on Netflix, my first thought was that it reminded me of Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun (but more critical of the tropes it makes fun of). That was another shonen that seems to be referred to as a shoujo here in America. I absolutely adored that show, but this one does seem more "mean" about everything which makes me a little hesitant to watch it. Which sucks cause we NEVER get shoujo animes on Netflix 🥲🥲
@kpopnimation
Жыл бұрын
If you have criticisms of the series itself, that's ok. But I don't understand why the categorization, publishing, and all that stuff matters so much to you. In the end, isn't the product itself that matters?
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Not when the manga and anime industry is consistently talking down to and treating media aimed towards women as lesser and going out of their way not to publish it. Shojo is consistently, almost on a daily basis, treated like the red headed step child of the industry despite being the backbone for why we even have manga today. Without shojo, we wouldn't have nearly the variety we have today. The reason? It's not "written for boys." Romantic Killer could have been "Keith and the Potatoes" and I still would've had issues with it because instead of publishing actual shojo series, they take a shonen, go "It's romance enough, nobody cares" and then pushed it like it was the second coming of Fruits Basket. It's spitting in the face of fans that want real shojo.
@kpopnimation
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga What about RK makes it shonen instead of shojo? I'm a little confused.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
@@kpopnimation Demographic is determined by publishing, not genre. So Shonen Jump seriescnwould be shonen, and Princess Magazine series would be shojo. That's why you'll get slice of life shows like K-On and Laid Back Camp being in the same demographic as Berserk and Vinland Saga. It's where/how it was published. Jump+ published RK, and despite them trying to become a Disney+ catch all for manga to monopolize the industry, it's still classified as a shonen until designated otherwise. It's like Deadpool still being a Marvel movie despite being owned by Fox (when it originally came out). So that's why it's a shonen and why it's annoying that Shojo Beat published it here because people were complaining that the imprint was nearly abandoned and getting no releases or reprints. That's why a desperation "close enough" is irksome.
@kpopnimation
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga I would claim the opposite. I, and probably many people who like anime, care much more about the content instead of where it’s published, so RK being published anywhere, even in “shonen +” doesn’t really change the target demographic (for example, turning red and soul are both from Pixar but which movie are you more likely to show a young kid?) , which I presume is young adults in general but leans towards girls. The marvel and Deadpool comparison doesn’t work because a “marvel” movie is defined by who made it, unlike a “shojo” series which is defined by target demographic. And this goes back to my original comment. Why are you mad a clearly shojo show being is being published as one just because of where it’s from?
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
@@kpopnimation You'd think so, but when I get consistent and degrading remarks on a daily basis, up to and including death threats, it gets old quickly. Shojo isn't just romance. Cowboy Bebop is a shojo. Isekai was popularized by shojos. You can think what you like, but you are objectively and factually wrong and your mindset is rooted in misogyny that the industry has been pushing for decades. I'm mad because a company is saying women don't matter and if it's not written for boys, it doesn't count. I'm mad at sexism in the industry still being prevalent in 2022. RK is not a shojo and I'm tired of this industry cover up to say otherwise. It's fine if you disagree with me, but that's a hill I'm dying on.
@tallcabbagegirl
Жыл бұрын
I am once again asking for another season of Akatsuki no Yona 😭😂 Tbh I enjoyed the series, but I think mostly because I've felt starved of more traditional shojo series in recent years & this was like the closest thing even if it has some issues 😩 It kind of reminded me of The World God Only Knows but gender flipped, and being someone that enjoys otome games I felt like the forced situations were more a parody of that than Anzu's pain. That's just my pov though, I do see your points and agree about wanting more shojo manga turned into anime & think they've been twisting the knife these days 🥲 To be a shojo fan = even shonen fans who are women will put you down for it and it's a lot like the whole "not like other girls" stuff that happened a decade ago. Makes me sad being put down for what I enjoy by the masses online.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Another season of Yona would be great. There’s so much material left to adapt.
@movelea
Жыл бұрын
So having read all the comments, and of course watching the whole video, i am left wondering how people took such an opposite message away from the show than i did. There's people down here saying RK is pro forced heteronormativity basically, when i took the concept itself to be "an evil wizard/corporate stooge traps an aro girl in a forced romcom". Like, there's disliking or having criticisms of the presentation, or the way the point (forcing sex and romance is BAD) is made, and then there's coming away with the idea that the author and/or show are saying these same things are good. It seemed to me deliberate that there was both a sexual assault and a stalker, real life examples of when sexual and romantic things are forced upon people, and the show pretty clearly said *those* are bad, so like...how could i not see those as less fantastical versions of Riri and the other wizard's whole sheme? What am i missing here?
@justwalkingby3882
11 ай бұрын
Huh, was this ever supposed to be disguised as a shoujo 😅 I must havve missed the mark by a long shot. Ppl rlly be reading too much into everything.
@Skitty-Chan
Жыл бұрын
I don't understand why people can't enjoy a product if there's a controversy or there's a problem with the author or the industry or whatever, idk I just can't understand that, for me it's a bit childish but ok it's their opinion after all. Of course this anime is not the best but it's good enough to be enjoyable. I honestly don't care about demographics because at the end of the day I just watch whatever I want it doesn't matters if is a shoujo or shonen or seinen, or anything.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
To an extent, anyone can enjoy whatever they want, and if people liked RK by all means. That said, much like anyone can enjoy something, so too can anyone criticize it as well.
@mrc3533
Жыл бұрын
It's better than it has right to be, given the truly awful premise and lame approach to genre parody, while still not actually being very good. If it were worse, we could ignore it. If it were better - well, great. As it is, it's truly the worst of all worlds.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Agreed
@brokeninfinitysonic1
Жыл бұрын
I checked and see if this was a shonen. The demographic is shonen. Not shoujo. Uhhh… What…?
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Yep. It was published in a shonen online publication (Shonen Jump+) so it’s a shonen. Some will make the argument that Jump+ caters to multiple demographics, but one book that could be seen as a shojo versus 30-40 absolute shonen series doesn’t make it varied so I still say it’s a shonen
@Latalie
Жыл бұрын
Wait, so why is it not a shojo??? What makes it a Shonen?
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Simple answer: it was published in Shonen Jump+, which, despite starting to publish some shojo titles in order to keep women from working/succeeding in the industry unless they can control them, is a mainly shonen publication and as such is classified as a shonen. Longer answer: Shojo just means young girl, and is a demographic used in Japan for books published in shojo magazines or publications. In the west, people confuse it for the romance genre, much like they confuse action battle series as shonen (meaning young boy). But series like Komi, Nagatoro, Romantic Killer and others are romcoms that we’re published in shonen publications, making them shonen romcoms. Same goes for Kaguya, Laid Back Camp and Horimiya, which are technically adult male (seinen) series published in seinen magazines. Not sure why people here are too stubborn to realize genre and demographic are two different things and stamp their feet and throw tantrums when they’re corrected, but it’s a common occurrence.
@TreatzVtuberr
Жыл бұрын
Who cares? The show was good
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Im glad you enjoyed it, but I certainly had my issues with it.
@kaylemathewcomendador6964
Жыл бұрын
For me it looks like your tackling this show a bit too seriously, based off of how your basing your points off of your experience with other shojos. It’s pretty clear that this show aims to be pretty lighthearted and comedic for the most part with the occasional serious moments. So I don’t really mind the moments you consider mean spirited that much. I think it might have something to do with me not having much experience with the shojo genre as I’m fairly new to it, so I can’t really judge it based on past experiences much like you have here. And I have a hard time relating with the controversy a bit. I don’t like judging a piece of media based on the controversy it’s gotten into. Like who cares if Brie Larson said something controversial in some award show, I’m gonna judge Captain Marvel based on what’s in the movie. Who cares if the show crew of the Netflix She-Ra reboot triggered the fans of the old show, I’m gonna judge the reboot based on what’s in the show. Who cares if Cartoon Network is treating Teen Titans Go as the only show most kids care about, I’m gonna judge the show based on what’s in the show. And who cares if the companies tried too hard to make Romantic Killer their next big thing, I’m gonna judge it based on what’s in the show and not on random clickbait Tweets & articles.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I was inclined to let this mostly slide until the last bit. The issue with them pushing Romantic Killer as hard as they are is that it’s coming at the expense of all their other titles in the imprint. They were so busy shoving RK marketing materials down everyone’s throats that they forgot to announce delays to some of their other releases and when confronted they just shrugged and said “Yeah but Romantic Killer.” It’s bad business practices and completely disingenuous when they put all their eggs in one basket for a series whose anime is already finished and whose manga ends in Spring of next year. Like it’s their once every few years attempt at showing they care about shojo while continuing to ignore their audience, and they can go back to only pushing shonen after it’s finished. Feels pretty performative to me.
@kaylemathewcomendador6964
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga Sorry, but I just really don’t care about drama like that. Yeah that sounds like it sucks, but I ain’t gonna judge a show based on that. Not to mention that I only knew about the existence of Romantic Killer due to a random KZitemr I follow briefly talking about it.
@SemekiIzuio
Жыл бұрын
@@kaylemathewcomendador6964 well that's unfortunate but then again you dont care for the shojo manga so makes sense
@kaylemathewcomendador6964
Жыл бұрын
@@SemekiIzuio “Don’t care”? I just started getting into shojo and that somehow means “I don’t care”? You shouldn’t jump to weird conclusions like that.
@SemekiIzuio
Жыл бұрын
@@kaylemathewcomendador6964 I mean read your previous comment 🙄 as the previous commenter said, little stuff like that makes real good genuine shojo be complete flipped upside down and mocked.
@brendagomez8656
Жыл бұрын
She Is forced into a heteronormative situation?? Dude... Anzu es hetero, she was obviously chosen because she likes men, AND she Is very clear on that too throughout the series. It also makes sense for the kind on anime it Is, it's clearly not a Yuri so... I hace no idea why you were expecting anyrhing diferent
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
It was meant more in the sense that Anzu had displayed traits of being aromantic/asexual, with no interest in either group, then her being strictly gay or straight. I mean the author themselves is aromantic so I just found it a bit odd is all.
@brendagomez8656
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga Idk, if the author says she is straight then that is what she is, someone not being interested in a realationship doesn't necessarily make them aromantic or asexual (I am one of those people). The author says what goes in their own universe, so if Momose says Anzu is hetero but hasn't been interested in boys because she was more interested in other things (like 2D boys, who are still boys) then that's it. Btw, where did you find Momose is arromantic? I couldn't find any source that supports those claims on her.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
I’ll have to dig for the link if I can find it (been neck deep in my research on otome isekai shojo for next weeks video the last week and a half reading 150+ books so I’m a bit disorganized) but the screenshot I have that I ended up cutting out in the video said (in Japanese): “I myself am not a person who falls in love with love so I can’t draw a sweet shojo manga. If you’re looking for a sweet version of this story, please don’t expect too much.” Obviously it’s not a 1:1, and just my interpretation, but that’s what I took away from it. Ultimately all of this is just my thoughts/opinions, and I’m by no means saying I’m correct, just that it’s what I took away from it. Some might not find issue forcing a minor into finding love for the sake of a business transaction (making babies so the fairies stay strong), but I did. Others might see things differently and that’s alright. Everyone views things differently, I just put my thoughts in video form.
@brendagomez8656
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga I understand. I guess I'm just tired of people wanting anime to adopt ideas from the west or to be more diverse for the sake of being inclusive. I love that Japan doesn't cater to those ideas that ruin shows and movies over here. Just my opinion, of course. Have a nice day and thanks for your civil response.
@thatwasmethere3526
Жыл бұрын
I don't know how it's not Shoujo!🤨
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Because demographics like shojo, shonen, josei and seinen are determined by where they were published, not by genre. It’s definitely a romcom, but romcom/romance does not equal shojo.
@thatwasmethere3526
Жыл бұрын
@@maclovesmanga wow, I was never interested in finding out these things but I must say it's pretty complicated, for example I thought shounen was only about fights, Dragonball and stuff😅
@boyfriendforevvv
Жыл бұрын
I watched it without knowing the controversy and I could already tell it wasn't shoujo based on how they developed the characters and romance 😅 it really lacks the tension and the complex emotion shoujo anime evokes. It just felt too much like a comedy show but I'm still enjoying it
@Serocco
Жыл бұрын
I fundamentally disagree with the idea that it's a shounen presenting itself as a shoujo, because it's a demographic, not a genre. You can't say the MCU is a book disguised as a film series because that makes zero sense. You can't say Spirited Away is a video game disguised as an anime because that also makes Zero fucking sense. Demographics are not genre the same way animation is also not a genre.
@maclovesmanga
Жыл бұрын
Much in the same way, a series published in an online shonen magazine in Japan can’t be a shojo just because the author says it could be perceived as one based on its story so when it’s brought overseas it’s published under the shojo imprint because they needed to appear as if they cared about the demographic since the anime would be released shortly after the first volume comes out and they’re trying to quiet the controversy they faced over the summer. Thank you for confirming the point of my video.
@kurooaisu
Жыл бұрын
Nice video about the hypocrisy of anime industry and Romantic Killer. I'll appreciate less ranting and more about getting into the meat of the argument. However, I'm grateful of someone pointing out about Romantic Killer, which actually puzzled me since I saw the trailer. I'm a male, and not into the LGBT thingy, but I like to point out problems where it's due (to my standards, at least), such as actual misogyny in the anime industry.
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