So, I’m a big fan of romance anime, manga, webtoons, and so on, and I read a lot of them. To be honest, many of them may share plots and events. However, I’m not usually bothered by any of the recurring tropes or similar elements that they have. In fact, I occasionally enjoy some of the tropes. I’m fine with beach episodes, truck-kun, “dere” personalities, and so on. However, there are a few that I’ve grown tired of seeing.
Love Rivals
Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy a good love rival here and there, especially when the manga is set in high school. After all, what else are they going to do to get someone to notice their feelings?
However, I get tired when the entire manga seems to rely solely on love rivals. I read a manga where the entire story was just love rival after love rival, when the main plot offered the opportunity for much more interesting events.
It is not necessary for every supporting character to fall in love with the main characters. Not every friend has to be a romantic rival. They could simply be supporting characters who assist the main couple in other ways. They could even find themselves in a secondary plot romance.
I don’t mind one or two per manga (one for each character), but don’t go overboard.
Studying Abroad (Moving away)
This is another plot point that romance manga frequently use. One of the main characters must travel to the United States or another country to study. The character who is left behind then pretends to be fine but isn’t.
And there are two possibilities for this trope. One possibility is that the person chooses not to go, and somehow things work out. Or two, the person goes and the manga time skip’s to when the character returns and the two main characters re-unite.
It’s an event I wouldn’t mind if it weren’t done so frequently or if it were written a little better. The characters always act as if being apart is the end of the world and they can no longer be together. They must not have heard of long-distance relationships. I know they can be difficult, and they don’t always work for everyone, but there’s no harm in trying. Plus, it’s a fictional story, so they can make it work.
There’s texting, calling, video chats, and holiday visits. I doubt the characters studying abroad would not see their families for four or more years. Instead of a time skip, it might make for an interesting part of the story to show us the abroad part. Maybe their time apart helps them grow stronger.
There are those who make it work. Military spouses are away for an extended period of time. So, it would be nice if this trope didn’t give the impression that moving somewhere else for a few years was the end of the world. I’ve even witnessed them act this way simply because they relocated to a different part of Japan that was only a few hours away. I think that a relationship could withstand a few hours away for a few years of school.
Misunderstandings
Misunderstandings are common in romance manga, and I’m fine with that. To some extent, I don’t mind misunderstandings. However, I can’t stand certain kinds of misunderstandings. Specifically, when something happens right in front of the other person. Instead of simply discussing it, the other person runs away and overthinks the entire situation.
For example, the girl catches the guy with another woman and then simply runs away without questioning him. The problem would be solved if she asked about the other woman right then and there. And I believe that asking the man in front of another woman is preferable because he can’t lie.
For example, in a webtoon I recently finished, the guy discovered a diary of the girl he was with on her laptop, and the diary contained negative remarks about him. So, instead of simply discussing it with her when she returns, he leaves. It isn’t until several chapters later that she is able to explain that those were her feelings when they first met and didn’t know each other very well. (Clarification: the entire point of the webtoon was that they hated each other when they first met).
I understand that these things provide some sort of conflict, but I just think it makes the characters look stupid. If the two characters are in the same room when the misunderstanding occurs, simply talk it out. I think I’d enjoy reading that scene more because I get to see them grow as a couple. Plus, it demonstrates a healthy relationship.
Conclusion
I understand that these tropes are used because you need conflict in the story. I understand that sometimes coming up with other ideas is hard. However, toning them down or changing them up like I mentioned above would be nice. Even if you just cut them down a little or change how they are played out, I believe you could still have an interesting story.
I don’t think these tropes should be eliminated from manga, but I do get tired of them when they’re used too frequently and in the same way all the time. Changing it up a bit, or using them more sparingly in a clever way, may help spruce things.
What are your thoughts? Are you tired of these recurring events? Do you have any other tropes (or commonly used events) that you get tired of seeing?
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