Recently, famed mangaka Ken Akamatsu made a comment that the end of the phenomenon known as moe is near. Looking at the lineup for the fall, this may be true. Granted, the definition of moe has become a matter of personal opinion, never mind what would constitute the end of the phenomenon. What signals could have led Akamatsu to say the end of moe is near?
First off, the definition of moe is fuzzy, so what could be considered its end is consequentially fuzzy. Honestly, since so many moe shows have also been slice of life shows, the two genres go together, if you ask me. I've noticed more action-y anime hitting the airways in Japan, so there's a possibility that moe is, in fact, on the downturn.
If moe falls out of vogue, what will be the next big thing to manhandle our anime? Will it be something new, or will a genre from our childhood make a resurgence? I haven't seen a decent magical girl or giant mecha anime in years, so it'd be nice to see those genres make a comeback.
Well, we'll see if what Akamatsu-san says comes to pass, that is, if moe does indeed break its grip on the anime industry. I'm interested to see what happens, myself, especially regarding the next phenomenon...
I'm also interested in what my readers think! Leave a comment, and tell me what your take on Akamatsu's remarks.
I'd love to see some more end-of-the-world scenarios without all that much comedy/ecchi stuff...
ReplyDeleteSome more shows that really give you the feeling that the end is near, that keep you hooked, that make you shiver and not scream 'YOU KNOW YOU WANT THAT GIRL FOR REAL!'.
I simply want some more shows that act seriously and strive towards certain goals.