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[Max™]

Finally got around to watching OPM. I'm enjoying it most for the light character drama, rather than the action or parody elements. It's nice to have a series that just has characters bouncing off each other without all the excessive fanservice and melodrama, especially when the humor is restrained and good.

The fact that the most heroic of the whole bunch is some dinky guy on a bike, the whole backstory and interaction with King, him and Tatsumaki having the "no, I'm the least likely force of nature here" rivalry, it's all just wonderfully fun.

[KingofstarrySkies]

mumen rder best hero

[Orange Wizard]

The best thing about Mumen was the crowds' reactions. Excitement to terror in seconds.

[JoshuaFH]

I just finished watching the first 2 seasons of Food Wars, both to catch myself up on all the characters, and second... because who the hell was Mimasaka?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

You know, the copycat stalker villain? He wasn't in even one second of the first 24 episodes, but season 3 starts and he's like "Boo! I'm heeerrre!" right in the middle of the tournament when anybody that was only following the anime (he was in the manga apparently) wouldn't know he existed at all at the end of the preliminaries for the tournament.

[Neonivek]

Man nepotism must be a huge problem in Japan if anime is an indicator.

Ohh well I could gripe on it... but then again Card Captor Sakura is kind of the response to anime's abundance of "Genetically superior".

[JoshuaFH]

Can I get an example of what you mean Neon?

[Neonivek]

Can I get an example of what you mean Neon?

Heroes are rarely kind of "blank slates" so to speak.

They are often genetically superior... Either by being born with super genes, being given super genes, or being the son/daughter of someone with Super genes.

Sakura does have the genes that allow her to have magical powers... But they are pretty explicit in saying that, THAT is as far as her inheritance goes. She lacks the special talents that being a descendent would naturally give her. It is one of the reasons why she is given a few advantages.

I saw this show where this kid is basically given a pass because he is the son of someone great... Completely unproven, but you know... a son who has no training ought to be super good at the job. (By the way they are 100% right... This kid starts off being far more 'talented' then all the other characters. He just lacks the skills necessary and cannot summon up his abilities except through pure instinct making him useless most of the time)

Heck Kindaichi who the show constantly non-stop tells us has no talent for martial arts (Once again... NO! I don't buy it)... Not only has a super talent but has a mother who is super special awesome.

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Mind you that is fine. It is just a hilariously pronounced theme.

[Reelya]

Is that any different to comparable western series though? Western magic series often have that magic ability is hereditary. e.g. Harry Potter.

Also, superheroes more often than not have some amazing parents or are geniuses (implying better gene stock). Sure they tend to get the powers through random chemical exposure or bug bites, but they're very rarely "blank slate / everyman" types. Spiderman / Peter Parker is a outlier. Captain America almost counts, but his backstory was a comic book illustrator, e.g. an author's self-insert character.

[Neonivek]

Is that any different to comparable western series though? Western magic series often have that magic ability is hereditary. e.g. Harry Potter.

You mean Harry Potter's whos super special gene is knowing magic and nothing else? I mean you could bring up his Broomstick flying but all his friends had a special talent of their own, Harry just happened to have the more popular talent.

There is kind of a difference in "Being enabled" and being "Super special".

It is why I have absolutely no issue with Sakura from Card Captor Sakura. The whole point is she doesn't have any talents from her genes, she only has the power to wield the power.

As for Super Heroes... WOOSH! I can step into this field if you would like.

It is no where CLOSE to as thick and prolific as it is in Anime.

At least when Western media has someone who got where they were by training and practice instead of superior genes... They don't secretly give them super genes like Anime does

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In fact has there been a Gundam main character (as in "The main character") yet who wasn't genetically predisposed to be amazing gundam pilot?

Naw there must be a few... Just not Gundam, Gundam 2, Gundam 3, Gundam Wing, Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny, Gundam Build Fighters, Gundam Build Fighters Try...

Edit: Or apparently Turn-a-Gundam either... I honestly thought that wouldn't be it.

Maybe that Gundam show that wasn't about Newtypes but a squad of ordinary soldiers in non-gundams.

[Reelya]

What do you mean "training and practice"? Almost all western powers come from being bitten by radioactive spiders and the like.

"I've got to train to become stronger" is pretty much the #1 cliche in shonen anime.

Let's look at the big ones:

Bleach - guy gets powers randomly from another Soul Reaper. This is similar to the origin story for typical superheroes.

Naruto - kid gets fox spirit powers sealed in him as a kid. Again, fairly normal kid who got powers from a random source.

One Piece - Monkey D Luffy is a random kid inspired by a great pirate hero. Gets his powers from accidentally eating a "Gummi fruit". This again, is similar to superhero origin stories.

[Neonivek]

What do you mean "training and practice"? Almost all western powers come from being bitten by radioactive spiders and the like.

"I've got to train to become stronger" is pretty much the #1 cliche in shonen anime.

Avoiding the argument sink that would be arguing against this "Almost all western powers come from being bitten by radioactive spiders" inference.

What I meant was... Whenever there is a western story where someone is trying to prove they are good through practice and training... they usually don't sneak giving them super powers in addition to whatever it was.

Basically if Rocky versus Drago was an anime... they probably would have written that Rocky has some sort of genetic super power, magic power, or something and THAT is what let him win.

What is funny is even after an anime pulls this they will STILL try to act like it was a victory for the little guys.

Yes thanks Naruto... You sure proven that losers can achieve great things... They just need to have a Nine Tails Fox demon in you that allows you to heal instantly from debilitating attacks that would have utterly trounced anyone else. Truly you are a champion of egalitarianism.

Where if they do pull this in a Western Story, they usually acknowledge it. Though usually... this is actually odder then not doing so... (Yay... cross culture for the win?)

[Reelya]

I still think you're not drawing valid comparisons.

It's not legit to compare what are basically Japanese superhero series to western real-world sports series like Rocky.

There are actual Japanese sports series, a lot of them in fact, and they do not work like you say they should according to your Rocky comparison. If they made Rocky, it would work like a sports anime does, you need to show that Japanese real-world sports series work like you claim they do, to make the point.

[KingofstarrySkies]

inazuma 11

[Neonivek]

Sports manga/animes don't do the magic powers thing.

Prince of Tennis, Shaolin Soccer, Ultimate Muscle... To name a few.

Bayblade, the dang Mountain Biking anime

Heck even in Haijime No Ippo they pull exactly what I am talking about (Mind you... for the sake of the narrative) in giving Ippo special abilities that allow him to win. Though it is probably the most grounded of all these examples.

Initial D is the most grounded, and even though he is the son of his amazing father... The anime gave enough of a reason why he is amazing without making him "genetically superior".

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Note: I am not including Prince of Tennis for its exaggerated depiction of tennis. For example balls disappearing before they are hit aren't "actually" disappearing.

But... Later on the show goes from "artistic depiction" to "Outright super powers". The powers are meant to be symbolic of actual concepts, but yeah they are still powers.

[Reelya]

Inazuma 11 started as a video game however.

Some other examples:

Diamond no Ace - long running baseball anime. Basically all about training. I guess you could say "practiced a curve-ball a lot" as a "power"

Yowamushi Pedal - kid can pedal up hills well because he trained a lot by riding a shitty bike back and forth for years. Trains a lot, and had a can-do attitude.

Haikyuu - short kid was inspired to play volleyball as a spiker after seeing another short kid win a tournament. spent years practicing jumps. Has a can-do attitude.

Days - wimpy kid gets into soccer late. Sucks at playing but his can-do attitude inspires the rest of the team.

Free - swimming anime. Where people are good at swimming due to physique + training. Nobody has any "special" moves except for basically what you'd get normally in competitive swimming.

Ping Pong the Animation - people are good at ping pong because they have basic talent + training. again, that's realistic.

Those animes have the persons ability entirely explained by training. Then you have "borderline" ones as well:

Baby Steps (tennis) - guy is OCD about keeping notes, and keeps detailed notes about every game he plays, and he has good eyesight. Those are his only specific "powers".

Hajime no Ippo - Ippo is strong because he carried a lot of boxes around for years. Trains a lot, attitude etc etc. I guess him having a specific "finishing move" that he learned counts as a "power", but the Dempsey Roll is a real move. Boxers do actually have their own style in the real world.

But you can't really count Ippo's "special move" in your example of "genetically superior" talent. He got his physique purely through strength training, then learned that special move through a lot of practice. Saying that this counts under your original complaint would just be shifting the goal posts.