Opinion: The most overused scene in anime is…

It’s been awhile since I’ve written about something that isn’t about a particular anime or episode. With how busy I’ve been this year, it has been tough to find the time to sit down and write. Let’s face it, for me, writing episode blogs and things of that nature is easy, it is an easy out for me; especially after a tiring day. The day has come for me to sit down and write. I don’t know how long it’ll be until this post comes out (it is August 4/22 as of writing), but hopefully I’ll be able to finish this some time soon.

As many of you know, one of my most preferred genres in anime is a Slice of Life. It is what I end up watching most of the time, if I’m not watching a romcom, which so happens to be my other favourite genres. Having seen so many Slice of Life anime, I know generally what the premise will be about, what the subplots will be, what scenes we’ll most likely see and the personalities that we may encounter.

Like all of you, I’ve been someone who has been watching anime for most of my life. I grew up on Yugioh, pokemon and naruto. When you’ve immersed in the anime space for pretty much all your life, you’ll be able to pick out all the similarities and things of that sort.

Long story short, today I would like to talk about what I think is the most overused scene in all of anime. Which is linked to the follow genres, Romance, Comedy, Slice of Life and School. You guessed it! The most overused scene in anime is the festival scene.

Now there are many festivals that take place, we’ve got the summer festival, cultural festival, sports festival. You name it, and it’ll probably be there. Before I get into my thoughts and things, I would like to mention that there have been great festival scenes, like the one in “Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai” — (which was the best executed one), “Kaichou wa Maid-sama!” similar to the latter, just older. There are also many others, but we’re going to talk about why the scene as a whole is overused in its totality.

With that being said, allow me to get started.

**Hi there, this is me from the future. Living it up in 2023, it’s time to finish this blog up**.

Anime festivals are a staple in the anime world and are often depicted as the pinnacle of a school or community’s social calendar. They’re typically packed with fun, games, and food stalls, and are a hub for character interactions, relationship developments, and plot points. Despite their apparent popularity, the festival scene has become one of the most overused and clichéd tropes in anime, to the point where it’s almost predictable.

So why do anime festivals continue to be such a common scene? And what makes them so overused?

Firstly, anime festivals are an easy way to inject some fun and excitement into a storyline. They offer a chance for the characters to let their hair down and enjoy themselves, and they provide an opportunity for creators to introduce new characters, relationships, or plot points. Plus, with a festival scene, there’s usually no need for extensive world-building or exposition, as the audience can easily understand the event’s purpose and how it fits into the story.

Another reason why festival scenes are so prevalent is that they’re a staple of Japanese culture. Japan is known for its vibrant festivals, and many anime creators draw inspiration from real-life events when crafting their fictional festivals. The colorful displays, delicious food, and lively atmosphere of Japanese festivals are perfect for capturing the attention of the audience and adding some visual flair to a story.

However, despite these benefits, the festival scene has become so overused that it’s lost much of its novelty and charm. It’s now a predictable plot point that viewers can see coming from a mile away. The scenes tend to follow the same structure, with characters visiting food stalls, playing games, and watching performances. It’s not uncommon for the protagonist to run into their love interest or rivals, and a dramatic or comedic moment usually occurs, which may or may not be related to the overall plot.

Furthermore, the predictability of the festival scene has made it harder for creators to use it in a fresh and exciting way. As the trope has been used countless times before, it can be challenging to come up with a unique angle that feels different from what the audience has seen before. While some creators may try to shake things up by adding new elements, such as a haunted house or a cosplay contest, it’s challenging to keep the audience’s interest when the core structure remains the same.

While anime festivals may have started as a fun and exciting way to add some flavor to a story, their overuse has made them a predictable and clichéd trope. While they may continue to appear in anime in the future, creators will need to be more creative and innovative in their execution to avoid falling into the trap of predictability.