Why must they torture us so?

[seaglass27]

Why do mangakas and anime producers constantly hint at crushes between characters but never allow a romance or even an "I like you"? It's just plain sadistic!

Why, why, why will Lan never like Maylu? Why will Sakura and Naruto never be a couple? Why doesn't Link ever just marry that stupid princess?

I think it must be a government conspiracy...

Or something.

[ADXC]

I'll give you one answer: so that fans can do that for them in the creation of fanfics. XD

[bigsleepj]

It has to do with structure; if a romance that is not the centre plot begins to become 'active' then it can derail a story (aka Jump the Shark).

[Atria35]

In a word: Shipping wars. The moment a pairing is made canon, things get ugly for the fans for different pairings. Kattang vs Zutara? Oh, man, that caused a lot of heated discussions between me and my friends! Sakura and Naruto vs. Sakura and Sasuke is just as bad.

And then you have the ones that are just there because it will let basic storylines stay the same- Zelda storylines would never be the same if Link and the princess married.

EDIT: And as bigsleep said, it can derail the story.

[TopazRaven]

Sometimes I honestly think it's more fun when the couple remains non-canon. As stated above an active romance can derail and sometimes even ruin a good plot. Not to mention that is what fan-art and fan-fiction is for. Yes? As much as I might want two characters to get together in some shows I watch, I often times get bored once they are actually together. For example Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls or Ron and Kim from Kim Possible (not sure if you have seen either of these shows.)

[ADXC]

Also, want crappy romance soap opera anime? Watch Rumbling Hearts. XD


I think it has a lot to do with genre. I don't like labeling things, but just here me out. Ok, you have a mecha anime with lots of action and such. One could expect to see some drama("Like oh no the captain is really for the other side!" type thing) among the action, but not necessarily about two people who are in love.

Personally I think if you want your romance, just watch the mushy romance anime that already cloud up Netflix. XD I mean you can get romance from other genres, but then it's not really guaranteed because that is not the main focus of said anime.


Would I really watch Detective Conan for slice of life? No XD I'd watch Kanon or something similar.

[seaglass27]

Wow! I expected the replies to be angry rants like mine but instead I got real answers. Who'd o' thunk?

It has to do with structure; if a romance that is not the centre plot begins to become 'active' then it can derail a story (aka Jump the Shark).

To simply end an episode by showing two characters hold hands in front of a sunset or something like that would be extremely satisfying for the viewers and would not disrupt the storyline, I believe.

In a word: Shipping wars. The moment a pairing is made canon, things get ugly for the fans for different pairings. Kattang vs Zutara? Oh, man, that caused a lot of heated discussions between me and my friends! Sakura and Naruto vs. Sakura and Sasuke is just as bad.

True. I can just hear the angry mobs now.

And then you have the ones that are just there because it will let basic storylines stay the same- Zelda storylines would never be the same if Link and the princess married.

I think that having Link marry Zelda would give him a real reason to fight, but okay.

I'll give you one answer: so that fans can do that for them in the creation of fanfics. XD

Best answer of them all.

For example Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls or Ron and Kim from Kim Possible (not sure if you have seen either of these shows.)

I have seen both thanks to having both a younger sister and an older sister.

Thanks for all the replies!

[mechana2015]

As far as I've heard ( I havn't payed attention to Naruto for ages) the author sort of forgets that Sakura exists from time to time. She may not be important enough to them to justify any sort of romantic resolution.

[Juliannesan]

I agree with the statement in this thread. I think you can creatively bring people together without butchering the storyline. And how I see it is. It's the author and the creator's story. If they want a certain couple to be together then the audience should be okay with that. Because it's not THEIR story.

But I dunno. That's just my input. If you don't like, don't watch/read it. There will be plenty of others that will enjoy it.

[Mouse2010]

In a word: Shipping wars. The moment a pairing is made canon, things get ugly for the fans for different pairings. Kattang vs Zutara? Oh, man, that caused a lot of heated discussions between me and my friends!

I didn't watch Avatar: the Last Airbender till after it had already ended, so I missed the shipping wars. But I wanted to comment because I think that was a good example of the RIGHT way to handle ship teasing. They left enough ambiguity about characters' feelings throughout much of the series so that fans could speculate on romantic possibilities, but the conclusion of the series clearly indicated who was going to be with who. (You'd have to be in denial to keep arguing about it after the final episode, even if you were a fan of the losing team!)

What I don't like is when a series ends in an ambiguous way, where you can't tell for sure if two characters are going to be together romantically. This is especially annoying to me if their relationship was an important element in the series; for instance, when a lot of character development depended on a deepening relationship that never gets resolution. I get that those kinds of endings leave room for more fan fic and fan discussion, but I'd rather have closure for a romance plot.

[Juliannesan]

What I don't like is when a series ends in an ambiguous way, where you can't tell for sure if two characters are going to be together romantically. This is especially annoying to me if their relationship was an important element in the series]but I'd rather have closure for a romance plot.[/B]

I agree 100%.

[Yamamaya]

Why do mangakas and anime producers constantly hint at crushes between characters but never allow a romance or even an "I like you"? It's just plain sadistic!

Why, why, why will Lan never like Maylu?.

Actually in the Battle Network games...

[SPOILER]Lan gets married to Maylu at the very end[/SPOILER]

It seems that in a lot of anime series where romance isn't one of the main focuses of the anime or manga, it's only hinted at, never included. Possibly to avoid shipping wars, although occassionaly the author just isn't skilled enough to write a good romance so they don't include it.
It can be very annoying at times and I do prefer closure if it's something that's been built up for quite some time.
The main time this annoys me is in the horrid dead horse that is the harem genre. There are very few harem animes which actually resolve any of the pairing conflicts.

Then there are those anti pairing crusaders, who I don't understand at all.

[seaglass27]

Nooooo! I am SO STUPID! I read the spoiler! Why did I do that to myself?

[aliveinHim]

What really kills me is the IchixRuki couple in Bleach. It shows a potential romance and in the show they should totally get married and have a Shinigami family but noooooo .

[ADXC]

Anybody remember Inuyasha and Kagome? XD Lol good times


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kecaTtDS2o

[seaglass27]

Anybody remember Inuyasha and Kagome? XD Lol good times


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kecaTtDS2o

Thank you for giving me my first LOL of the day.

[Atria35]

left enough ambiguity about characters' feelings throughout much of the series so that fans could speculate on romantic possibilities, but the conclusion of the series clearly indicated who was going to be with who. (You'd have to be in denial to keep arguing about it after the final episode, even if you were a fan of the losing team!)

Just because the pairing is cannon doesn't mean people like it or think that it's the right pairing. Even after the series ended, Zutara continued to be more popular than Kataang or Maiko. Which is why there are a bajillion and one fanfics about Katara breaking up with Aang after the series ends.

[quote]What I don't like is when a series ends in an ambiguous way, where you can't tell for sure if two characters are going to be together romantically. This is especially annoying to me if their relationship was an important element in the series]

Agreed.

[TopazRaven]

Anybody remember Inuyasha and Kagome? XD Lol good times


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kecaTtDS2o

Arg, the whole InuYasha and Kagome thing drove me crazy when I was activley following the show. Lol.

Just because the pairing is cannon doesn't mean people like it or think that it's the right pairing. Even after the series ended, Zutara continued to be more popular than Kataang or Maiko. Which is why there are a bajillion and one fanfics about Katara breaking up with Aang after the series ends.

This is true. I'm going to admit I was rooting for Zutara and I still like it, but I do also like Kataang and Maiko. Though I definitly like Maiko more then Kaatang. I don't know why, but I just always thought Katara and Aang made better friends. xD I was also kind of rooting for Aang/Toph.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

Why do mangakas and anime producers constantly hint at crushes between characters but never allow a romance or even an "I like you"? It's just plain sadistic!

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]One word: SALES. Angst-filled, conflicting, "Will-they-or-won't-they" romances sell better][/SIZE][/font]

[ShiroiHikari]

Romance series better have some kind of romantic resolution in the end, otherwise it is a fail.

[Juliannesan]

Romance series better have some kind of romantic resolution in the end, otherwise it is a fail.

YES! Which is why I LOVED Clannad and also liked Kanon.

[rocklobster]

Oh come on. The romance is what makes it fun! I love trying to figure out what ship works best and besides, love is a slow process. You can't rush it, so they don't either. (Well you can, but from what I've seen, rushing love never ends well)

[Mouse2010]

Just because the pairing is cannon doesn't mean people like it or think that it's the right pairing. Even after the series ended, Zutara continued to be more popular than Kataang or Maiko. Which is why there are a bajillion and one fanfics about Katara breaking up with Aang after the series ends.

Yeah, that's true. What I meant was that at the end, it was really clear which characters the writers wanted to be together, if that makes sense. Of course some fans are going to disagree that it's the right ending, but it's hard to deny that it is the ending. And I know that people write AU Harry Potter fan fic where, for instance, Hermione ends up with Snape, but they at least know that that isn't how the canon version ended.

In contrast, take something like Monster for example.

[spoiler] I finished that anime and thought there was going to be something romantic going on between Nina and Tenma--maybe not until after Nina finished law school, but still, I thought I saw evidence that they were pairing off. But I know there are other fans who will swear up and down (maybe loudly) that there was NEVER anything romantic between the two of them]

That's the kind of ending that frustrates me. It'd be okay if the relationship were purely a friendly one instead of a potentially romantic one. I just want to know that, instead of forever wondering about it.

[Atria35]

Yeah, that's true. What I meant was that at the end, it was really clear which characters the writers wanted to be together, if that makes sense. Of course some fans are going to disagree that it's the right ending, but it's hard to deny that it is the ending. And I know that people write AU Harry Potter fan fic where, for instance, Hermione ends up with Snape, but they at least know that that isn't how the canon version ended.
.............

That's the kind of ending that frustrates me. It'd be okay if the relationship were purely a friendly one instead of a potentially romantic one. I just want to know that, instead of forever wondering about it.

I can't disagree with that. When a franchise ends, it's good to know.

But as for the ship teasing that goes on in ongoing series like Naruto,

Because it is not the purpose of this program to show the further development of my relationship [...] I will refrain from showing much. I wouldn't want to throw my dear viewers' time down the gutter, now would I? Nothing else is as boring to tell as a story of successful love.
— Narrator, The Tatami Galaxy

[Psycho Molos]

Oh come on. The romance is what makes it fun! I love trying to figure out what ship works best and besides, love is a slow process. You can't rush it, so they don't either. (Well you can, but from what I've seen, rushing love never ends well)

Here here!! Of course have I completely learned from my experience??...not exactly.

OT... it's irritating when the anime drops off the end of the manga's story (that resolves the romance) and just leaves everything hanging. Ai Yori Aoshi, both seasons, anyone? LULZ

[TheMewster]

OT... it's irritating when the anime drops off the end of the manga's story (that resolves the romance) and just leaves everything hanging. Ai Yori Aoshi, both seasons, anyone? LULZ

Now you know how I feel, especially if I can't get to the next series.

I think it must be a government conspiracy...

Or something.

Psh.... Thats crazy talk... But then again that's what makes it funny!!! <3

[Sanji07]

I feel your pain...vice versa. I wish there wasn't romance between main characters (and that it would be made official). ._.;;

[Juliannesan]

Here here!! Of course have I completely learned from my experience??...not exactly.

OT... it's irritating when the anime drops off the end of the manga's story (that resolves the romance) and just leaves everything hanging. Ai Yori Aoshi, both seasons, anyone? LULZ

Eww. I couldn't STAND Ai Yori Aoshi. I only watched 5 episodes or so and I dropped it because of how horrible of a show it was.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Tatami Galaxy stuff

As much as I adore The Tatami Galaxy and especially its ending, I really do dislike the mentality of herpderp relationships are boring. Looking at stuff I've read, stuff where the characters have some kind of set romantic relationship or grow into having a relationship is much more entertaining though OH MAN WILL THEY GET TOGETHER?!. That was one of the most satisfying things about Bakemonogatari, was that Senjougahara and Araragi not only got together, they stayed together, the interacted together, and they cared for each other. I found it far more satisfying to see Senjougahara take Arara(rara)gi on a date than I would find, say, hinting that Tsukimi may have feelings for Kuranosuke in Princess Jellyfish.

There certainly should be some sort of step between the not-relationship and relationship, as I will certainly be the first to call something out for love at first sight, but I would much rather anime and manga would take a note from Kemonozume or A Bride's Story and write relationships rather than write endless volumes of nothing happening. I don't think it's that it's boring for relationships to be written, I think it's that most writers don't want to try. Plus, there's all the financial reasons. Don't want to drive off the fujoshi by writing a hetero romance, etc.

[rocklobster]

:
Because it is not the purpose of this program to show the further development of my relationship [...] I will refrain from showing much. I wouldn't want to throw my dear viewers' time down the gutter, now would I? Nothing else is as boring to tell as a story of successful love.
— Narrator, The Tatami Galaxy

QFT. Just how boring do you think Peanuts would be if Charlie Brown was actually able to profess his love to the "little red-haired girl"?
(OK, Peanuts isn't anime, but it's still a good analogy)