Xen said:
Welkin is no goof-off, and Rosie is not pompous save for the beach scene. You're stretching the definitions to prove a point. The story limits what you can do very harshly, unlike a WRPG. So it is with every JRPG. There isn't a lot of cliches in VC, what you may consider as one is simple soldier camaraderie. Your "save the world" point is legitimate. You may consider these definitions crappy, but they're present in every profoundly-Japanese RPG such as Mana Khemia, Tales, Ar Tonelico, .hack and so on. |
Okay, first of all this is the most ludicrous definition of anything I've ever seen, and I once argued with a guy who claimed anime can't be sci-fi because it isn't realistic enough.
Now, first I'm going to discredit your preposterous definition, with obvious examples which break it, starting from the closest definition and getting progessively farther from it.
Final Fantasy VI; no kid/hero with issues, no old soldier, no pompous girl. Villain who embodied insanity, rather than any particular emotion. The story was a relatively minor part of the experience. Only with FFVII did story take over gameplay in RPGs. Friendship isn't mentioned once, and the main character is a woman.
Chrono Trigger: Everything above is true of this game, except even moreso the villain is not an embodiment of anything that all, the characters are even less cliche, and the story doesn't limit your actions much at all, as the game offers a great deal of freedom.
Persona Series: The characters are certainly an anime cliches, but you have tons of freedom as to how you develop them and their relationships, and the villain is not a concious embodiment of anything. More than that, your characters never resort to friendship speaches or anything of the sort. Plot is never about saving the world.
The World Ends With You: Anime cliche characters are present, but the villains are shinigami, death gods, who are simply doing their job. The plot has nothing to do with the world, just the main character fighting for a second chance at life. Friendship speaches aren't present. Story pushes you down a path, but then every RPG (J and W) does except the really shitty ones like Oblivion.
Earthbound: Do I need to explain? If I do I fear for your soul.
Super Mario RPG.... LOL yeah, I'm not even gonna bother.
Pokemon... I hope you're embarassed by now.
Now, and here's my favorite part of this post, allow me to show a game which does match your definition:
Mass Effect 2:
-Stereotypical characters, such as the annoying little kid/hero with issues, the pompous girl, the old soldier, the goof-off and etc. Also present in some anime.
Shepard has plenty of issues and moral conflicts, depending on how you develop him. Miranda is the pompous girl. Zaeed and Garrus are both the old soldiers. Joker is the goof-off. Other cliched characters: Grunt the disgruntled badass, Tali the innocent nice girl.
-"Save the world"! Plot with the villain embodying lots of negative emotions rather than some philosophy or a world view.
Yeah you just described the whole plot of this franchise. Giant looming evil trying to whipe out all organic life. It's just an evil monster, no philosophy or worldview here.
-The story is very limiting of your actions, going into great lengths to shove itself or its moral down your throat
Wow! You're a genius! You sure you weren't describing this game? Aside from sidequests you can only follow the story's path. The actions you take effect various things in the universe, but not the story itself, which is completely linear.
-Corny cliches such as the hero proudly announcing that he can fight this and that, thanking his friends, everyone talking about how their friendship is important and this and that
Oh my gosh it gets better and better! Shepard constantly talks about how "he can stop it!" and how "he'll save the universe!" Even mreso, Shepard gives a giant cheesy ass speech at the end of the game about how they're a team and they can do anything together. XD
