Discussion Why are Japanese FLs like “That”?

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by zombiequeenkai, Jan 11, 2020.

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  1. zombiequeenkai

    zombiequeenkai Active Member

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    I feel like there’s a general consensus that Japanese Female Leads are... pretty bad. Typically braindead, all raw emotions but lack of common sense, but everything works out in the end because of the FL’s kind heart or because of plot armor. I know originality isn’t a ‘thing’ but why is this sort of FL so god damn prevalent in Japanese novels/mangas/anime/etc. when it seems like a dislike trope to most audiences. Well, it could be western perspective but even still. Korean and Chinese novels are stepping away from that sort of FL (eh, 50/50 with Chinese FL, either cold and calculating beauty or the typical braindead FL who likes getting slapped silly by the ML). I just... really want to know what’s going through these authors’ heads.

    I have a crack pot conspiracy that this has to do with Japanese’s birth rate crisis, maintaining “traditional” Japanese traditions/gender norms, and authors having a ‘Madonna whore complex’. (Tbh, I think a majority of authors around the world have a Madonna whore complex considering how the ML’s would hyperfocus on the FL’s “innocence” and the FL both hating but liking sex.) I know I sound crazy and the whole “correlation doesn’t equal causation.” So I open the floor to anyone with a reasonable theory or an actual answer.

    I also open the floor to those who want to talk about Male Leads in Japanese stories since I heard that they’re typically just as bad.
     
  2. Wujigege

    Wujigege *Christian*SIMP*Comedian

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  3. RabdomPersona

    RabdomPersona Well-Known Member

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    Oof, it’s hard to find a novel/manga with good main characters these days
     
  4. IndusEla

    IndusEla Well-Known Member

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    I think it might be their image on how a woman from an outsider's perspective should be perceived? Something about being virtuous and all? Being the Mary Sue?
     
  5. zombiequeenkai

    zombiequeenkai Active Member

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    [​IMG]
    Easier said than done, my dude. But these braindead FL are like a plague against humanity. Nine out of the Ten novels I would go through would have that sort of FL and the tenth one could be considered bearable. Korean Novels are pretty good though they tend to be rather dry and more... slice of life or political/drama focused? Chinese is fun but when you read one, you read them all. Japanese has “good in theory but awful execution” syndrome.

    Though that link did make me go: “oh yeah! This industry is ran by a bunch of incels and otakus. Of course the quality is shit.” I guess “otaku culture” is now on the bored for my crack pot theory.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2020
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  6. replay

    replay ★Milk and Honey smelling Merchant★

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    nah he just read too many.
     
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  7. InvincibleDespair

    InvincibleDespair Well-Known Member

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    Its just not the japanese one and you need to read different genre to find the variance.
     
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  8. Shio

    Shio Moderator Staff Member

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    Skip shounen and head to josei/bl.

    You are welcomed.
     
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  9. zombiequeenkai

    zombiequeenkai Active Member

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    > Me, a filthy romance reader, is told to read other genres when I ask god for help in my restless pondering.

    Joking aside, I do try checking out other genres. Shounen tend to have interesting FLs though it’s a 50/50 shot if they maintain interest or get hit with “women have no rights” and become a mess. Tbh, this applies to other genres. Yuri and yaoi are a given but I don’t like either genres. In the end, it just falls on my personal taste when it comes to stories. Unfortunately, I’m just fucked regardless.

    Jokes on you, I don’t like yaoi (tbh the uke just replace the braindead FL) and I’ve always been looking through the josei tag. Ah ha ha... sigh...
     
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  10. Wujigege

    Wujigege *Christian*SIMP*Comedian

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    Try Green Skin or Kuro no Maou.
    The females are crap in Green Skin but the stories are unique
     
  11. Anra7777

    Anra7777 All powerful magic grammar hamster queen pirate.

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    Try “Kusuriya no Hitorigoto” or the anime “Saiunkoku Monogatari.” Unfortunately the later was licensed, but never released, so you can only find the anime through, er, unconventional methods.
     
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  12. Amaruna Myu

    Amaruna Myu ugly squid dokja (●´∀`●)

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    not only FL, but FMC too.
    I suspect they are actually the same person, but is bound to a quick transmigration system!
    the quick transmigration system is probably called "otome game harem capture system"!blobmelt_thumbs
     
  13. zombiequeenkai

    zombiequeenkai Active Member

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    I’ll be real- Green Skin doesn’t give me a sense of security when the person recommending it to me by mentioning that the female characters are crap when my post here is complaining about Female Leads lmao. Kuro no Mauo isn’t really reassuring either when the tag has harem, yandere, and miscommunication. All the comments complaining about a pathetic male lead.


    I’m not saying this sarcastically but I’m really thankful for the recommendations but tbh, I feel like people are just telling me to remove females from the equation when I just wanna fix it lmao.


    Oh! I’ve read Kusuriya no Hitorigoto. That’s really good and I really enjoy this one but unfortunately, I’m all caught up with it. So I have to wait. As for Saiunkoku, I’ve seen it around but never gave it a chance since... you know... FLs in reverse harems are the pinnacle of the useless FLs. But I’ll give it a try by watching a couple of episodes.

    Lmao, FL... FMC. They’re all the same to me.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2020
  14. ryosuke08

    ryosuke08 Well-Known Member

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    Agreed with Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, maybe Haken no Kouki Altina too? Kumo desu ga nani ka? Transmigrator Meets Reincarnator (lot of face slap, a bit of love/hate sex, but fmc does solve things her way)
     
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  15. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    I think that the biggest problem is that you may be reading a lot of books written by otaku writers and they're writing based on the material that they're enjoying. This material has a lot of poorly written female characters so the same thing ends up in their own stories. One of the most obvious manifestations of this is that female characters are often just basic character archetypes with a quirk or two, with little effort put into making them interesting or compelling. An additional problem is that otaku writers don't really know how to write so they don't seem to understand how choices they make can impact their reader.

    One way to avoid this is to pick stories that aren't written by otaku writers. You're probably going to be more likely to find good ones in older light novels like "Twelve Kingdoms" or "Crest of the Stars".
     
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  16. ludagad

    ludagad Addicted to escapist novels

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    Not sure whether you mean female main characters, or female love interests... Not sure there's a difference in characterization anyway. Most of all, they're passive. Example: female MC gets a second chance at life (or learns of her future one way or another) and remembers all the shit she'll experience and the people who'll wrong her. Chinese MC: Get revenge and take everything I deserve and carve out my own destiny! :blobhero: Korean MC: Latch onto a man and earn his respect with my "smarts". :blobtriumph: Japanese MC: Move to the countryside and live a peaceful commoner's life away from trouble and/or learn a skill as preparation for my commoner's life after the original plot catches up to me. :blobuwu: Exceptions do apply.

    I have so much to say about this but I'm lazy. Best advice I can give you, move on to Chinese novels. Unless some major shift in mentality occurs in Japan, you won't be seeing different female leads any time soon (in romance novels at least). And for heaven's sake, stay away from CEO romances in Chinese novels! :blobdead::notlikeblob:
     
  17. NinjapowerMS

    NinjapowerMS Local man ruins everything

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    I'm more concerned with Japanese author's fixation with the female lead having to be under 18 most of the time despite their character being way older. Like man is it impossible for both the male and female lead to be near each other's age? Yikes.
     
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  18. Silver Snake

    Silver Snake Magician of NUF|Show-off|Awkward|Genius

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    Why are female leads like that? It's because kindness is just as admirable a trait as cunning or physical skill. And it's easier and more fitting for females to take on that attribute. And I'm not saying that that's the only thing females can do or be; I'm just saying it's more likely to occur. Women are generally more sensitive than men. I don't think any would disagree.

    And as for plot armor, that's just bad writing.

    Your problem is that you're reading what you don't like. If you don't like it then don't read it; go find what you do like. This is not some new revelation, nor is it worth discussion. Open up an I'm looking for thread.
     
  19. Anra7777

    Anra7777 All powerful magic grammar hamster queen pirate.

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    MC of Saiunkoku is my favorite female anime MC of all time. Sure, it’s a bit reverse harem-y, but she is incredibly smart, intelligent, spunky, and active. She doesn’t wait around to be rescued, she’d rather do the rescuing.
     
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  20. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    Hey there, all CEO Romance novels I've read have been good!
    I've only read one because the rest look awful!
     
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