What Constitutes an 'Anime-style' RP and why is it a thing?

[Drakken]

In the short time I've been here, I've already seen this term used in some RPs. The idea that an RP is anime-style, but doesn't strictly refer to the images used by the players to represent their characters. What about an RP is anime-style? It's not talking about being set in a particular universe, because that's already a term on this forum.

Even the restriction to 'anime-style' images makes little since to me. Anime and manga have wildly differing animation/drawing styles across all the different genres/demographics, ranging from extremely stylized chibi, to hyper-detailed, pseudo-realistic. Why is one particular style defined as the anime/manga standard, when there really is no standard in the first place?

 

[Diana]

When I think of anime style roleplays, I usually assume there is going to be a lot of Japanese culture references, that there will be crazy hair colors, and a lot of the classic anime tropes! And anime-specific toony stuff like sweatdrops, tsundere girls punching a dude to the moon.

Of course there are serious super realistic anime, but those are more like the exceptions rather than the majority.

Kinda like "Cartoon" could be a genre in itself, cause even with the huuuuuge variety of different kinds of cartoons, there's still a lot of traits all cartoons share and it's only a small percentage that don't quite fit in the mold.

This is just me though. XD I'm sure someone else will be able to explain what anime style is a lot better.

 

[Drakken]

The Japanese culture references thing makes sense. As for the tropes, I guess I've just seen too much seinen or more serious shounen series, because the tropes more commonly seen in shounen and shoujo series don't really apply to them nearly as much, if at all. I've kind of fallen out of love with certain tropes, in part due to the influence of certain series, where they executed the tropes poorly. Since things like that are pretty subjective though, I will refrain from listing the series in question. The violent tsundere is an example of a trope I... if not no longer like, then am very wary of when used in a new series. It mostly depends on the nature of the slap-stick and the abuse they heap on the target of their affections.

 

[The TV Heads Cometh]

Same reason when you say Fantasy most people think Tolkien Knockoff. Or Marvel and DC when you talk about comics.

 

[R-9 Pilot]

I can see why it'd be a bit of an issue, and sadly, I'm not sure I can shed additional light on it myself. Anime is far too broad a medium to effectively pin down, and outside of the easily recognizable, if often varied art styles, there isn't much to go on. It's like saying "Movie style" or something, in a way. (And in the case of the art style, while there is a lot of variation, whatever one comes to one's mind when they think "anime" is sufficient there.)

Now, getting genre specific can make more sense. "Mecha anime" or "harem anime" or whatever gives a better picture of what's going on. I guess what I'm getting at is that while there probably will be some common thoughts from just "anime," especially amongst Westerners who see it as its own thing, it's still better to be more specific because the "anime" umbrella is a bit too big.

Just my two cents on it, and really not that useful.