
To start, I want to note what Iโm talking about today will probably apply to most comedies, but this is a doujin website run by weebs and I donโt exactly consume much comedy outside of anime so my commentary will be limited to comedy animes. Iโve certainly noticed a common theme of the comedic anime that I hold in high regard and this seasonโs offerings only further served to cement the pattern. Itโs come to my attention that almost every comedy anime Iโve thoroughly enjoyed in the last several years were ones that touched on deeper themes and the struggles of life.
To show you what I mean, letโs take a look at two comedies this season: Wave, Listen To Me! and Kakushigoto. Both of these animes are labeled as comedies. Thatโs about where the similarities end. Wave is a radio anime about a girl trying toโฆ well Wave is an anime about a girl who doesnโt really care about radio but she gets into radio anywayโฆ but then she doesnโt care.. but she does a little bit... God dammit, I kid you not Iโm currently CAUGHT UP on this fucking anime and I still have no idea what this shit is even about. I was warned that it was heavily Japanese in its comedy so some of the jokes may not land, but nobody told me this shit wouldnโt even have a plot. It feels like episode after episode the characters dick around and face no real conflict or work toward any goal. The main girl doesnโt even appear to be passionate about radio and sheโs been doing it for the past several episodes. What the fuck is happening? There are some jokes that land and me cackle a bit, but the sense of misdirection and emptiness quickly comes back to remind me I donโt like the plot, or these characters, and it makes it hard to appreciate any of the smaller jokes.
The worst part is they gave it a banger ending to fool me into thinking this shit was gonna be good.
Now letโs look at Kakushigoto, which is about a dad trying to continue working as a lewd (by Japanese standards) manga artist while providing for his young daughter whose mother has passed away. In an effort to keep doing what he loves, he spends his days getting into various hijinks and extreme lengths to ensure the daughter doesnโt learn about his career. Itโs clear that the motherโs passing has caused a heavy hit on this family and the comedy takes time to show it in scenes that are much sadder than the others. The father-in-law, who looks down on โlesserโ jobs like a manga artist also occasionally shows up from time to time to establish a serious tone and provide a small source of conflict. As someone who works at Doujins.com, I can relate to the dadโs struggle of keeping secrets from those close to me, and root for him. Keep in mind the majority of the screen time is still comedic in nature. And here lies the difference. When the small jokes are occurring throughout the episodes, even if I donโt laugh I appreciate the moments because I already enjoy the plot and characters. Iโm rooting for them, even when theyโre doing something ridiculous and I keep watching because I want to see how this ends (thereโs been a ton of foreshadowing about an uncharacteristic ending for a comedy, and Iโm interested to see what they do with it).
You know this anime has a bit more going on just from the cover.
Wasteful Days of Highschool Girls, Grand Blue, Love is War, none of these comedies shy away from having serious, heartfelt moments about a deeper theme (growing up and friendship, trying something new, and love respectively) and thatโs what I love about them. Anytime I try a comedy anime that doesnโt seem to have a moral attached to it, it never seems to hold my attention, and Iโm curious if itโs a similar situation for you guys. So without further ado...
What anime comedies are your favorite? Do you notice any patterns? Are good plot and characters still necessary even when the focus is on jokes? Leave a comment below! Trust me, I wonโt tell your daughter about it.
I was losing my sense of humanity, so I had to stop.
2. Yotsuba has no overarching plot and is a great comedy manga.
If the focus is comedy, then a plot is only useful in how it aids the comedy. If the focus is on the story, then the comedy is better when it doesnโt detract from the plot.
Not funny ones like Johnny Bravo or Pepe Le Pew. I mean the horndog. The character who wants to get in the pants of the Team Hottie.