How loud does anime need to be before it's FUNNY!

[Aquadementia]

This is one of those subjects that I could use some edumocated opinions on.

I find plenty of humor in anime.
In my opinion though, most anime tries to sell the jokes too hard.
Instead of just letting the humor flow as a natural part of character interaction and letting the viewer decide if it's funny or not, too often they break continuity and outline the joke parts in bold by shouting the lines, using exaggerated off model expressions, sweat drops, falling over and other gimmicks.

When I see something like this it raises a few questions.

Would the scene have been funny if it were played low key?

Is the joke what's being said or what happened in the scene, or is it all the exaggeration?
I guess that usually it will be a mix of both.
But is there too much reliance on certain techniques?

I wonder if this could be considered a trend that has seen more popularity at certain times or with certain studios?

Is it a cultural difference that shouting, or the loss of composure, is just funnier to the Japanese?

Is anime maybe too strait laced?
Maybe the reason they go off model and do cartoony exaggerations in otherwise serious cartoons is that so much of the time is spent on drama and action, that they don't otherwise get enough opportunities to do wild animation?


If people want to share any examples or titles that do a good job at handling humor without drawing so much extra attention to it, I would be glad know them.

[MonkeyFunk]

Yeah, this is something I find pretty grating, though I try not to pass judgment on it since nothing gets lost between cultures like comedy. I mean, I've met plenty of Americans who say they don't get British comedy, and those two countries are pretty close.



If people want to share any examples or titles that do a good job at handling humor without drawing so much extra attention to it, I would be glad know them.

Paranoia Agent!

[mikestorm]

Two examples that do a profoundly bad job to the point where it significantly detracts from the overall enjoyment of the anime:

BoBoBo
Rave Masters

[Bunai]

Rizelmine has pretty good humor that can go a bit overborad within a few minutes of the episode. like Tomo constently yelling thoughout the episodes so far.
i dislike the "clueless, yet openminded" parents of anime at times. they just accept anything that happens to their child and will happily go on their daily routine like nothing happened.

the constent "OMG PANTIES *nose bleeds* or the "oops my face is in your cleavage" can get old real fast and its treated like its the main purpose of the show.
a character CONSTENTLY being late for school, running and yelling that they are late must be funnier in Japanese. just a character saying that they are late once and not repeating the phrase is good enough for me.

since anime is aimed at a Japanese audience, maybe they just accept forced humor. its like a head director putting a laugh track in a sitcom because they lack confidence in the sitcoms humor.

[Undrave]

I think Bobobo is funny BECAUSE it's forced and it'S just way off the wall.

It's true thoguh that comedy just doesn't sell well outside its native country. Even betweem countries that speak the same language.

[CookieS]

Well one question I have is that how much of this is translation problems vs. having the original writers forcing these jokes. I think its pretty well understood that the Japanese sense of humor (as well as tastes in music and food) are pretty far from what Western culture enjoys. I really haven't seen much of Japanese television to see if this humor overkill also exists in their sitcoms or dramas.

[Classic Speedy]

I just wish animes would stop with these kinds of jokes: Someone says something suggestive and/or teasing, and the recipient gets angry and yells, usually with a red vein that pops up. After about the fifth time, it stops being funny. And sadly, this kind of writing is common among MANY comedy animes.

[HG Revolution]

One example of an anime that avoids that kinda forced humor would be Cowboy Bebop. Yes, most of the show is serious, but the comedy episodes are very funny. If you haven't seen them already (as, like, 98% of anime fandom has), I recommend watching Mushroom Samba or Cowboy Funk (or if you like your comedy done dark, then Toys in the Attic or Perrot Le Fou would work) to get a feel for Bebop's sense of humor.

[mikestorm]

I just don't particularly care for jokes that deliver their punchlines by bludgeoning you over the head with them. Color me old fashioned.

This IS FUNNY!

You LAUGH NOW!

Hulk SMASH!

It's like the super-deformed shocked face is the visual equivalent of a laugh track.

[RAINMAN]

One example of an anime that avoids that kinda forced humor would be Cowboy Bebop. Yes, most of the show is serious, but the comedy episodes are very funny. If you haven't seen them already (as, like, 98% of anime fandom has), I recommend watching Mushroom Samba or Cowboy Funk (or if you like your comedy done dark, then Toys in the Attic or Perrot Le Fou would work) to get a feel for Bebop's sense of humor.


Didn`t spike walk in on faye takeing a shower once?

[Sr.Infierno]

Didn`t spike walk in on faye takeing a shower once?

You dont actually see it, though. The scene just focuses on Jet's face while you hear Faye shooting at Spike in the background. That's what makes it all the more funnier

[Rasputin]

As much as I like anime, I do find that the loud, overboard FUNNYNESS the comedy usually consists of to be grating to the nerves. Thankfully that's not always the case. I find Satoshi Kon's work a delight to watch precisely because he's got a good appreciation of dark, ironic humour.