@AnonymousOnimous
In defense of One Piece's occasional use of humor about expressing emotions: There are many, many moments in One Piece in which the characters say something to the effect of, "We'll say good bye like men do, without tears!" and the next shot is of all the characters epically ugly crying. Twisted cheeks just flowing with tears and snot and the voice acting to support. I can see how some audience members may wonder if this is mocking the emotion or the characters for expressing themselves... but I don't think that was the intended message. So many characters express such a range of emotions in One Piece, that it seems to me what's actually getting teased is the idea that men don't cry. That's not to say that "You're a boy, you shouldn't cry," or something to the same effect isn't said or implied many times throughout the show. But rather, that is the concept that's undercut. When Shanks saves Luffy from the sea beast, he tells him he shouldn't cry because he's male. But the point of that scene was to show both how selflessly devoted Shanks was to Luffy and how deeply upset Luffy was that Shanks lost his arm to save him. The message of that seen was not to critique the emotion, but to invite the audience to feel the same thing as Luffy. That's why I love it every time One Piece has a "Men shouldn't cry," moment. Because I know it's just there to show us that the strongest, kindest, and most capable people of all genders can ugly sob it up with valiant, teary snotiness.
@KynaTiona
I absolutely feel this. Though I will say, there is unfortunately a narrow variety of emotions that characters are allowed to express in western media: anger, disgust, indignation, fear, pride, and loveless lust. Even if most of the individual scenes are emotionally void, the works overall usually leave me in a foul mood - despite ironically expressing less negative emotion than anime that leave me feeling uplifted. Most anime just don't drag me down the same way, because they're willing to both counterweigh the negative emotions with positive and to articulate philosophy that gives those negative experiences meaning. There's a catharsis there that leaves me feeling better than if I hadn't experienced the negative emotions at all, and it's completely absent in the majority of western commercial media I've experienced. And nearly all the exceptions are horror, which is notoriously low-budget and underappreciated.
@SunAlbionis
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this contrast of "earnestness"! But why is it? My theory is that, it's because anime, or more specifically, the manga that almost all these anime are based off of, are created in a private and intimate manner that allows for earnest writing. In Hollywood, and even in American comics, these stories are written by large groups as a team effort and that is antithetical to any earnestness. Even if you're not a writer yourself, there's a good chance you have a little story in your head, your passion project idea. Try to imagine yourself pitching that story to a board room full of men in suits. There's no way you could tell an earnest story that way, it's too vulnerable. Now imagine pitching that to one other person who you have been working with for years, in a quiet corner of a cafe, because that is how manga editors meet with their authors. And even then, they're not creating the manga there, they're just editing it. The actual creation process is soo intimate that many mangaka do not even allow other people inside their rooms, they lock themselves away from the world, becuase that is what is needed to be earnest, you have to feel safe enough to be vulnerable.
@Thomas48484
It's kind of ironic how a culture in which freedom of expression is valued so much, the media they produce and how they act online is all about limiting that very thing. While a culture that's all about putting up a shield and never showing your own emotions (tatemae), produces the most emotionally honest media and is birth to places like futaba/2chan where people can discuss their interests without being judged for it. Both of these respective cultures act the opposite online and in their private time, than in real life.
@Tannin25
I have definitely felt the pull away from western media so much more lately but this really sums it up. Thank you for this
@Marcus-xl9kr
When mustang from full metal alchemists buried his friend and mentioned "he didnt expect it to rain" when he started cryingðŸ˜
@amarinegripond1915
Invalidating feelings, dysingenuity, scathing Irony, and cynicism.... every thing I hate, for themselves, because they hurt, and because I feel society is, litterally, dying from them: Only the distance we create artificially with others, and all of nature, allows us to destroy cruelly.
@antgc8893
Anime isn't afraid of being cheesy, corny and cringe. If japan wants big titties on screen before a giant robot battle, they just do it, even if they know somebody won't like it. Hollywood on the other hand is absolutely afraid of being percieved as such, which is the reason why the whole "So that just happened" snarky comments are shoved in whenever a character does something unrealistic. Americans are so afraid of being percieved as childish, that they end up looking even more childish by trying to look cool and serious all the time, they want all their heroes to be cynical all the time.
@jessip8654
Even Solo Leveling, an anime people poke fun at for its weak character writing, allowed its stoic male protagonist to break down sobbing with relief when he'd finally achieved a goal he'd been working towards for months. If it was a Marvel movie he would've just quipped some jokes before the scene got too serious.
@Gokkee
A silent voice is an absolute masterpiece of a movie and the emotions i felt especially at the end is soul crushing and happy at the same time.
@Yuki-tq5dn
Another thing too lately, you notice how the movies/blockbusters lately switch from a car chase/dramatic music to a very serious share-feeling scene, for 30 seconds, then right back into a fight scene/shoot scene, then right after dramatic romantic scene, it's getting hard to go with a flow that rollercoasters every 1/2 minute...Like it needs to keep my attention on it, and cannot appreciate the quiet moments anymore. Or is it just me feeling that? Whereas anime always lets you "digest" the feelings that the characters portray or give before moving on to another scene.
@christophervalentine4474
If I’m not mistaken, I believe Tolkien said something similar about this in his essay on fairy stories. He said something about the story setting being treated as no less real than our world.
@AniTunesXYZ
I've felt this way for the last 20 years. Its kinda insane the amount of ridicule you'd get not even 10 years ago if you said you liked anime in your 30s. "Grow up" "Anime is for kids" etc. It is nice to see everyone finally waking up to the glorious diverse world of anime
@StylusShade
The worst part about the MCU constantly undercutting emotional moments is that you get so used to it that when it tries to get legitimately emotional, you can't actually feel anything because you're too busy waiting for the punchline. It's like the boy who cried "wolf".
@yoshimasterleader
The thing with Deadpool is that he's supposed to be part of the audience while everyone else is playing it straight. Deadpool himself gets emotionally invested in the situations he's in even though he knows it fake which is where the earnestness comes through.
@zinv08
I wish I could still be as excited as them.
@vtuberclipamikiri8842
In anime, I often get sad during certain scenes, even if I know what is going to happen. Part of it is, I think, the music, but also part of it is seeing the characters so distraught that I feel for them.
@annaszamborovszky8567
Thank you for telling what i felt but didn't know how to express. I couldn't exactly tell to the people around me why I prefer anime more than shows that are made these days, but you can explain it so understandably. Thank you for that
@arreis7866
While I do wholeheartedly agree with this video. One clear distinction to be aware of in the examples you used is comparing how adults vs children express emotions. Some could probably argue with your logic and say "Well obviously they're going to cry and throw tantrums cause kids don't know how to control their emotions like grown men do." I think a prime example of sincerity in emotions in adults would be: SPOILERS Aizawa and Present Mic interrogating Kurogiri who they just found out is their deceased friend being puppeted for evil. Seeing Aizawa cry genuine tears while unconvincingly brush it off as his eyes getting dry from his quirk is REAL. He's trying to keep his cool in front of others but anyone with eyes, ears and a brain can clearly see how much the encounter affected him. A GROWN MAN.
@TheSoak