~~ sweet het nostalgia.

[reenka]

So now I'm full-speed ahead in the bright new world of shoujo manga, even though I haven't read all the yaoi I've downloaded by half. Alas, it seems the chase attracts me more than anything.

And I've discovered there are definite trends to both the shoujo story-lines out there and the shoujo I feel like reading. I tend to pass by any 'gender-bender' story 'cause they bore me (...and there are a lot), and the 'omg childhood friends in love' is starting to bore me too (...unless one of them picks on the other, obviously). Incest stories (anything from not-really-related to well-it's-just-a-cousin to omg-twincest) don't do much for me in theory except in rare cases. Stories about how a girl really-really likes a guy but he's just so aloof and distant and omg-cool (...fanon!Draco strikes again...) don't really do much for me (I bet none of you would have ever guessed). Werewolf and vampire and rockstar lovers (what a... great catch...?) make me giggle 'cause... well, 'cause I'm not 13 anymore, man. Sucks. Stories about how this girl -really- needs (wants? decides?) she has to lose her virginity but the one guy she likes is (dead? gay? usually just indifferent....) er... no.

This doesn't leave me with much choice, mind you, but it seems like I have three surefire hits: fairy-tale stories (that is, guy is from another world, is princeling, is under spell, is really damned weird), some better-written best-friends stories (omg, suddenly your dorky/weird friend is SO HOT and so you ANGST) and my all-time favorite from yaoi and slash, he's-such-a-fucking-asshole-but-I-want-him-so-bad stories (actually, this explains why I like S/R and H/D both, as different as they might seem-- mmm, assholes... ahem). It's a bit disturbing to realize that reading summaries which mention words like 'bullying', 'mean' and 'cold' immediately make me go 'Yeay! I must read that now!!1' (Which is how I got to read my one incest manga... 'cause the brother is a cold mean bully, ahahahahah.)

...There is no point to this post. I think I'm going through withdrawal 'cause I've gotten addicted to specific yaoi mangas now, and am out of my 'anything well-written will do' phase, and they're not being updated all that fast. So I wanted something, er, Really Different.

I think this attraction to fictional assholes (of a certain kind... I really don't like dumb ones) is something JKR and a lot of other people associate with 'typical female', but it seems like while it's common, it's not dominant or anything. I think it's much more 'girly' to sigh over these sort of unrealistic matches but not actually want them in reality at all, and want someone more dependable and 'stable'. This is such a girly fantasy that has nothing to do with what I think most women actually want from a relationship (mind you, I'm not necessarily including myself here, mostly 'cause I'm not the type to grow out of wanting what I can't have).

I wonder what it is about rude, inconsiderate, either socially retarded or completely manipulative and generally cranky (not to say cruel) guys that turns the cranks of those poor 15-year old girls I'm associating myself with. Um. It's just that forbidden-fruit wanting-what-you-can-never-have-and-really-good-riddance thing, isn't it? Ahhh yes.

PS. Taishi Zaou, your evil grins own my half of my soul <3<3<3<3 The other half is given to Mika Sadahiro's evil smirks. I can't decide! Trademark grin or smirk, grin or smirk??! OH THE AGONY.... Eh, the cute one always wins (see icon).

Comments

[firstblush.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I do find (in general, not just shoujo or yaoi or any specific genre) my taste in fictional men is much different from someone I'd ever want to be with in RL. For example, the extremely cynical/sarcastic guy or yes, sometimes the asshole. This guys are attractive in fiction, yet I think I'd be quickly irritated by them if I ever met someone like that. It is interesting to think about.

I find it interesting about what story types have begun to be boring to you. I've always liked "old friends" stories, though I don't read a lot of shoujo, just shonen ai/yaoi types, and I like this in those. I definitely like the "we just met and we hate each other but omg!we're so going to be making out by the end of this" stories. I don't care for extreme fantasy, though I don't mind fantastical elements, but I think I have a penchant for the every day romances. I think vampires and werewolves can be cool if done right -in the buffy sense.

Now, are there certain types of characters that turn you off a story? Art styles? I find that those factor in a lot for me. I am very picky about art styles (even pretty styles can be boring if not unique), and certain pairing dynamics, like the crying at the drop of a hat uke annoy me. And in like tv show world, certain "I'm too cool, but I'm a charming jackass" annoy me in the Gilmore Girl! Logan, or like "jerk guys" that are like Jesse from the same show, or frat boy type jerks. I suppose I get your asshole fascination and attraction, but for me it's a very specific type of asshole.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Hah, I wasn't seriously thinking about any of those categorizations. I don't like all assholes or anything... if anything I prefer them to be well-written :> I think there are several types I like, with a certain type of charming jackass (ala X-Men!Logan, Sirius and Jack Nicholson), cynical snarky over-intellectuals... well, like I said, as long as they're not dumb (this rules out jocks, manly men or "I'm an asshole 'cause I've too much testosterone" types).

Actually, I'm not that easily bored by whole genres of story, it's just that I've been overdosing lately and have come across certain types much more than others. When I said I liked odd or fantasy elements I didn't mean to imply there was a lot of 'extreme' fantasy -out- there-- or even fantastical elements. I'm not sure what you'd call extreme, though. I've been avoiding the 'other world' stuff but I really like it when there some plot that's not romantic which isn't sci-fi, mystery or melodrama like 'my mom had a baby with another man!' or something. I didn't mean to imply any of what I was talking about couldn't be 'done right', so you don't have to defend werewolf stories or anything... the ones I've come across just seemed juvenile & silly.

Art style is definitely important but I can't exactly put them in catchy little categories, ahaha. And, it does appear that most people aren't as uh, emotionally masochistic in reality as they can be in fiction... which means they're healthier and/or more mature(?!) than most hero/ines... though going from things one hears, I also doubt it. I think being irritated by the right person is part of the fun, though :>

[scoradh.livejournal.com]

I wonder what it is about rude, inconsiderate, either socially retarded or completely manipulative and generally cranky (not to say cruel) guys that turns the cranks of those poor 15-year old girls I'm associating myself with. Um. It's just that forbidden-fruit wanting-what-you-can-never-have-and-really-good-riddance thing, isn't it? Ahhh yes.

I was always just told I was a masochist. Oh, and by one amateur psychologist, that it's because I needed a greater challenge so I go for bullies.

Yay.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Heheh, I know exactly what you mean, sadly. The need for the next challenge and a certain inborn masochism; but do you ever notice how all the people paired with these are never really -into- them for any of the nasty bits? None of them appreciate just how cute the bullies really are~:)) And wouldn't they get boring if they were nice? None of the girls/boys paired with them ever think that~:) 'Course, it would be a sucky story if they did (OMG YOU'RE SO COOL, MEAN BOY... that would be really sad).

Then again, saying it's masochism allows one to enjoy the personality-type while protesting pain, so it all works out. :D :D :D

[cellia.livejournal.com]

Um so clever to say except OMG YOU HAVE A (doujinshi) ED ICON. <3

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

...I was thinking '...and now people will think I'm a FMA fan' :> :> Well, I liked the 2-3 eps I saw, how's that? Mostly I love his expression :))

[cellia.livejournal.com]

All Ed-love is of the good. :D

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

You know, I'd definitely watch a lot more shows if they were 5mb like manga instead of say, 150mb >.< I really did like Ed, though I have to say that's a really strange name for him; no stranger than Duo for Duo, I guess? Hm.
It's more Taishi Zaou love than anything. OOOOOHHHH I GET TINGLES JUST THINKING ABOUT HER.

[cellia.livejournal.com]

Oh noes! You're gonna spoil yourself for FMA if you're reading her (and Eiki EiKi's) FMA dj T_T. But, actually their dj are so WTF cracktastic that maybe the end effect will be null.

Does she do things other than FMA dj?

At least Edward is a realish-sounding name. And not some "we couldn't be bothered to do more than number our characters" type dealie. >:O

If you really want I could burn some avi for you, although now that it's coming out on Cartoon Network with an not-too-bad dub... (though I don't like the Ed voice at all)

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Yeah, so far I haven't exactly learned anything, but I've only read one. They -are- pretty cracktastic, but so is her work in general. Oh *heart*. You should read Electric Hands and The Day of Revolution (shojo) & Color & Koi wa Ina Mono Myouna Mono <3<3<3<3 Ohhh her character designs <3<3<3 I should yousendit you her artbook, you will see the glory. *sigh*<3<3<3<3<3<3 NOT ENOUGH HAS BEEN SCANLATED, THOUGH >:O

Heheh would youuuuuu?? *puppy eyes* I am so lazy, but that would be really helpful, since... uh... I'm actually too lazy and/or easily distracted to turn on the tv at the right time, and the FMA I -have- watched has been on the Cartoon Network so far ^^;; I think I've seen eps 1&2...? Maybe. ^^;

[cellia.livejournal.com]

(gah, how did I get to "so" from "nothing"? sorry 'bout that...)

[blacksatinrose.livejournal.com]

Well, OMG YOU HAVE AN OSCAR ICON. <3

[cellia.livejournal.com]

WELL OMG HOW COOL ARE YOU FOR HAVING SOME OLDSKOOL SHOUJO LUV <33

[blacksatinrose.livejournal.com]

this is a totally useless post just to say OI REENA I AM IN LOVE WITH BRIAN KINNEY.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

...soooo, what did it?? >:D :D

[blacksatinrose.livejournal.com]

WHAT'S SO FUNNY LMAO

Uhh, watching Season 1? ¬_¬

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

....All your protestations about how you were like, 'but no, he's a huge asshole! Even Justin is better! He's JUST TOO MUCH OF AN ASSHOLE', etc. I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN, SEE. I ALWAYS KNEW. :D

[blacksatinrose.livejournal.com]

HE GROWS ON YOU OKAY. HE DOES.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Uh-huh.
'Cause it's not like you like that sort of thing, really, not at all :))!!1

[blacksatinrose.livejournal.com]

¬_¬ I don't know what you mean.

*hides her Sirius's#1Fangirl!banner*

I actually do think he's too much of an asshole through much of Season two. BUT in Season one and the end of Season two he's cool. Still haven't seen three or four just yet. ALAS PITY ME

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

As I've learned through much hardship, it is not good to gorge and rush through things. Though actually, I dunno if I -have- learned it ^^;; Watch me read all the shoujo in the universe within a week :))

I saw season 1 first, so I was already attached to him by the time season 2 rolled around, I guess. I didn't blame/dislike either of them during season 2, but I think the fans did get polarized among those who supported Justin and those who supported Brian. I just wanted popcorn :)) AND OMG THEN THE PAY-OFF WITH THE FIGHT-SCENE AND THE ...well, just before the break-up, actually, but Brian was all like, I NEED YOU BABY and Justin was all like TOO LATE I DON'T TRUST YOU ANYMORE. *weep* :D (...at least that's how it is in my head -.-)

[blacksatinrose.livejournal.com]

I LIKE TO GORGE. I would have rushed through the rest by now if I HAD them (dvds are on their way over, lol). So yeah.

I disliked/blamed both of them, to be honest. Because Brian was a jackass and Justin was a doormat and I have no sympathy for either side. :p

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I like to gorge too, but... ahh it always gets me in boiling hot water -.- And possibly ruins my life...? But that's being melodramatic ^^;

Heheh I tend to see both sides too, I think, except I feel sympathy even if people don't deserve it, if I like them.... And if I don't like them, then I don't care so much if they deserve it. I'm like, "I understand, and I also understand you're not being a cool person right now, but then, people are like that-- I mean, it's not like I thought you'd be less stupid 'cause then you'd be almost too good to be true". So maybe I expect people to make those stupid mistakes? Even though it's tiring to always wait for everyone to learn their lesson, and then in real life they often don't anyway. Le sigh. :>