Strategic explanations: Does it add or take away from the excitment?

[CartoonSage]

Something I just thought about while watching Dragon Ball, does it bother you when a bystander/spectator explains the strategic elements of a characters fighting style or tactical moves?

I think it's not so bad when a character does something unusual out of the blue that leaves me scratching my head, or if it's something that I'm not to sure of and need cofrimation, but there are also times where it kinda kills the magic or it's just unnecessary.

Anyone else have any thoughts on the matter?

[Baseball]

It seems unrealistic for characters to do this, and I'm not a big fan of when long-winded explanations are given mid-battle of how a character is doing a technique. Then again, it's kind of a staple of shonen manga, so I've gotten used to it.

However, I've recently enjoyed the technique employed in recent Hunter x Hunter chapters. Instead of someone on the sidelines explaining to someone else how a technique is being completed, an omniscient narrator takes over the job instead and narrates nearly the entire chapter. It's made this arc feel very suspenseful.

[HellCat]

I think a big problem is it's often used as cheap filler or a way to make it seem even more dire should it fail. I'm fine with a character going all "Incredible...he used his own energy too..." or some such when something REALLY impressive happens. But it happens so often that it all seems so ho hum. I enjoy things more when they aren't spelled out. Back when I was more into Naruto, I LOVED the strategy where Naruto disguised himself as a shuriken. That worked so well because it wasn't spoiled and you got what was happening as it occurred. That is what I like to see. Come up with something creative and if it's really all that, it'll wow me by itself.

[Rud]

everyone that oes it except Hunter x Hunter ruins the excitement, for me.

[Captain Highwind]

For some reason I enjoyed it in Kenshin, but that's usually because they try to explain the characteristics of the historically-based(?) weapons they're using (even though the physics involved are still on the unrealistic side of uncomfortable).

It does seem redundant, since usually the battles are seen in slow motion at the critical moment, so you see it all with your own eyes anyways.

It is necessary for explanations in Fullmetal Alchemist though...those pesky transmutations.

[Undrave]

It depends on the situation. When you can see thing plainly and the reaction of the characters (whether outspoken or thought) can convey the situation any outsider might feel superfluous.

The best shonen writers are those who know exactly when to use this. When its well done I LOVE IT!

[Dudley]

It gets annoying if you have one person explains it, then someone else says the same thing.
Case in point: Shikimaru versus Temari in the Chunin Exam.

As stated before, the only time it's okay when someone explains it, is when you wonder how it happened. But taken time off in the middle of the battle to explain instead of keep on fighting, kind of gets on my nerves.

[Hordesman]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7NZy5a7nzNc

[Undrave]

I think it flows better in manga where you can believe that a single thought bubble goes through a person's head in an instant.

[The Weed Of Cri]

Yu-Gi-Oh is by far the worst example of this, as the action drags to a dead halt every few seconds so that the complete stats and strategies of every card played can be explained at length, including weaknesses and multiple-card combination strategies. It's almost like watching a radio show.

[Hordesman]

Yu-Gi-Oh is by far the worst example of this, as the action drags to a dead halt every few seconds so that the complete stats and strategies of every card played can be explained at length, including weaknesses and multiple-card combination strategies. It's almost like watching a radio show.

Or an opera. If I could write music, I'd so make one. With big epic songs about gaming strategy and Friendship and tragic to pathetic emo pasts.

But what gets me is 1, these are supposed to be the top card players yet they have to explain. 2, these rules being said for the audience's benefit don't even match up with the actual card game.

I suspect it's rooted in tournament-style series. Because this isn't that far from Iron Chef which had sports announcers narrating.

[Gokou Ruri]

It's one of the main reasons I don't like fighting shounen.. wasting time explaining something we just saw and other time-wasting techniques just ruin the show for me. I don't need to know how someone threw a knife, or what degrees they angled their fireball attack.

[Undrave]

Another type of explaination I myself love is the one find in epic battles like in Saint Seiya, where they wax philosophics in the middle of the fight. To see Aiolia, while kicking the crap out of a Giant, tell him that there the rule that humans are weaker than the gods was a rule dictated by the gods themselves and the humans have no reason to obey it was just EPIC!


Yu-Gi-Oh is by far the worst example of this, as the action drags to a dead halt every few seconds so that the complete stats and strategies of every card played can be explained at length, including weaknesses and multiple-card combination strategies. It's almost like watching a radio show.

In all fairness you often have to do it in real life too >< even for cards your opponent plays themselves!!

Especially when you use cards most people are not familiar with. I find I play too many 'obscure' cards for many players. I can't count how many times I had to explain the finer points of rulings for Skill Drain and optional trigger effects like Peten the Dark Clown.

Even 'top players' can be taken by surprise by some new tech they originally dismissed and forgot about.

[D Dubbs]

Yeah, in Yu-Gi-Oh!'s case, the explanation factor is a necessity. It would be impossible to follow the duels if they didn't explain the effects and special abilities of certain cards.

Of course, most of the younger TCG players just make up their own rules anyway...

[Undrave]

Of course, most of the younger TCG players just make up their own rules anyway...

You wouldn't believe how many people play cards without even bothering to check the rulings on them ><

[Dudley]

Of course, most of the younger TCG players just make up their own rules anyway...

That goes for everyone that I played the TCG game with.

That's why I stopped playing.

[The Weed Of Cri]

Especially when you use cards most people are not familiar with. I find I play too many 'obscure' cards for many players. I can't count how many times I had to explain the finer points of rulings for Skill Drain and optional trigger effects like Peten the Dark Clown.

Even 'top players' can be taken by surprise by some new tech they originally dismissed and forgot about.

I've always though Yu-Gi-Oh was an experiment on the part of a producer who wanted to know if it was possible to create and exciting, suspenseful, dramatic anime that consists almost entirely of people throwing cards down on a table.

Based on the evidence, I'd guess the answer is "no".

[Razor]

Depends on how it's executed.

[Undrave]

I've always though Yu-Gi-Oh was an experiment on the part of a producer who wanted to know if it was possible to create and exciting, suspenseful, dramatic anime that consists almost entirely of people throwing cards down on a table.

Based on the evidence, I'd guess the answer is "no".

Personally I'd say yes.

Anime can make anything fun: bread making, ramen making, Go, Football :p, etc.

Lacks ice hockey (or just 'hockey') though.

[Rud]

dudes, Fighting Foodons made me take up cooking, thats how fun it was:D

(plus, cooking for yourself is awesome)

[Gokou Ruri]

Personally I'd say yes.

Anime can make anything fun: bread making, ramen making, Go, Football :p, etc.

Lacks ice hockey (or just 'hockey') though. Just because they can make them doesn't mean people will like them, or it'll be popular. Look at all the sports shows and movies out there, only a few of them are actually popular or memorable.

Also, hockey isn't that big in Japan, so you're best bet is the Mighty Ducks or something similar.

[Peter Paltridge]

It depends on how long they take and how many times they do it. I think when they explain how things work, it makes situations clearer and plots easier to follow. The Naruto episode that just aired--the Bakugan guy against the spider guy--would have lost a lot of suspense without the explanations.

However....when they explain things I don't care about, like flashing back to a character's childhood in the middle of a fight....that takes AWAY from a show. And when they spend five minutes explaining something they have already explained one episode ago, that's equally as annoying.

[Undrave]

Fighting Foodon had very little in common with real cooking though XD


Just because they can make them doesn't mean people will like them, or it'll be popular. Look at all the sports shows and movies out there, only a few of them are actually popular or memorable.

Also, hockey isn't that big in Japan, so you're best bet is the Mighty Ducks or something similar.

Yes its true that hockey isn't really big (though they do have a team in the yearly Quebec City International Pee Wee tournament) but I don't think American Football is THAT popular either.

I'd venture to say Eyeshield 21 is more popular that american football in Japanese high schools :lol:

Basically it'd be a challenge and something exotic.

[purplehairedwonder]

It depends. There have been times when something has happened and I've had no idea what went on. When something crazy like that happens, then please explain it. But there have been other times when something obvious happens and of course, it requires an explanation. If you're going to explain something the audience can see clearly, make it quick. But when a fight halts due to explanations, that's when it drives me nuts. But there are times when it's appropriate.

[Mr. Anime]

It only gets annoying if they going on and on about it like they sometimes do in Naruto which in my opinion is the only one to over do it with the explanations while in Dragonball, Yu Yu Hakusho, One Piece, and Bleach they only do it when they really have to.