@Cruxador, I was using moe here loosely to refer to the moe art style and the common trope of cramming 4-5 cute schoolgirls into some setting.
Then we're starting out on the same foot because this is more or less the definition by which I think categorizing those shows as moe is a poor descriptor. First of all, neither really has a noe artstyle in my view - I would hold that the key feature of the artstyle is short little bodies and big cobby faces, making even characters who theoretically are adults (as in workplace-themed shows like New Game! or Blend S) look very young. Aside from that, the only thing they'd very typical is big, complicated, and high-budget eyes, but these are by no means exclusive to moe anime, it's just that you won't see moe anime without this. Since both of those shows have realistically proportioned characters (aside from the muscle beasts in Dumbbells) or at least a more standard anime proportion, this criteria clearly indicates not moe-oriented.
I do sort of disagree with the idea that there are girls and they're cute is enough to say it's moe anime; although one might sum up the appeal of the genre that way, I think it's too simplistic. First of all, "cute" is broader than "moe", which your ANN definition agrees with. It's also far too common, like the eye thing, to be an identifying criterion. Pretty much every anime character regardless of age or gender is going to be cute, per the very broad western usage of that word, unless there's some reason in the narrative that they shouldn't be. Although moe can be translated as cute, I would consider it specifically to be cute in the way a child is cute.
Also, the number of girls isn't really indicative of the structure of the cast; I think presumably you meant this but a show with 4-5 girls and 4-5 guys, or a (het) harem show can't really be considered to be moe in terms of genre, even if you might classify individual characters that way. Although it could definitely be considered a stricter definition, I don't think it's wrong to say that moe anime lacks male characters, or at least significant male characters who could seem sexually threatening to the more insecure portion of the viewerbase.
In these sorts of cases such as Sounan Desu Ka? It's specifically because they're schoolgirls in their full schoolgirl regalia stranded on an island which makes it moe. "It's like Lost except they are schoolgirls in school uniforms" in itself is a moe adaptation of the concept. That's the entire intended appeal, that it's schoolgirls doing it. Whether or not the show itself focuses on "cute moments" or not, the fact is that thought went into the character designs and the uniforms to appeal to their target audience. That makes it moe.
Lord of the Flies has the kids in school uniforms too. I get where you're coming from, and I would actually consider it less of a stretch than with Dumbbells now that I think about it. But to consider the intent or purpose of the work, look at where it's published. It's from a magazine with gravure and pop idols. Consistent with this, it has revealing shots and situations that consistently seem like they're meant, at least in part, to titillate and draw attention to that situation rather than just a matter-of-fact "this is what is necessary in this situation" kind of perspective, which would be valid. In other words, I'm pretty sure it's teenage girls in schoolgirl uniforms for ecchi/fetish reasons, not moe.
I realize to some extent I'm basically saying "moe means it's from a kirara magazine" but... Isn't that mostly true? Who besides Houdansha targets and capitalizes on this market to such a thorough extent?
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Topic: I like anime, do you like anime? (Read 3147606 times)