Anime: New sports storyline becoming generic?
The underdog joins a sport, trains really hard, and wins everything at the end. This is basically the generic storyline of all sports movies. Not just for anime. Still a way sports anime used to follow as well. It became mundane, and almost boring to watch these shows. No one wants to see something where they know what will happen. The artists writing the stories too, so they decided to change it. However has this new change up become the new way to generic sport shows?
To understand how the shows go we must look at Japanese high schools, and how their year unfolds.
Japan has an elementary, junior high, then high school layout. High school is only 3 years, and the school year starts in spring (April 1st). They have their first tournament which is in summer, and they call it the inter high tournament. Their next tournament is in the winter. It's not as big as the first, because the 3rd years drop out to focus on school. Academics are very important in Japan, and all the 3rd years are trying to get into colleges.
So how does the new generic sports anime relate to this?
Well the 1st years join a sports club. They are the underdog. They work hard to get onto the starting team. New team is really good, and fights to get into nationals. They lose the inter high. That's okay though they still have winter tournament. Train even harder. 3rd years debate on focusing on school or continue on sport. Winter tournament happens and.... they win.
First time I've seen this I thought "This is amazing! Not generic at all." So I started watching more sport animes... don't get me wrong they are still good, and I love watching. Just that somehow it's getting kind of predictable. I guess there is not so much you can do if there are only 2 tournaments a year, and your trying not to be... generic...
Still the sports anime are really good. They bring a development to the characters that other anime shows have a hard time doing.
What are your favourite sport animes, and do see this kind of trend as well?
Leave a comment below!
well, I do love anime sports and I kinda feel the same way, The thing I love about them is what I saw was so well portrayed in for example haikyuu, the passion and dedication they put even tough is 'just a school club' quoting tsukishima's words. unless Yuri on Ice, where we get a close look to professional ice skaters that dedicate their entire life to the sport.
I still need to catch on Kuroko no basket, I left it at chapter 3. days sadly did'nt catch my attention too much. I have left it stopped at chapter 8 I guess... it seems that the main characters (for me) don't have much charisma? like, it doesn't the same as hinata, kuroko, Yuri or Rin etc?
anyway, even if their storylines somehow are ending the same, the rage of every competition is so worthy, plus I got to understand way much better sports thanks to anime!
Haikyuu is really good. I do recommend Kuroko no basket it was one of the first anime that got me liking sports anime. They do however, focus more on the ace then other sports anime. Still some of the one on one scenes are really good.