Here's something I don't get...

Love triangles.

Almost at all.

Now, to clarify, I don't mean cases where a third party is interested but the object of affection doesn't reciprocate at all, or where a person initially thinks they like one person, but it's blatantly obvious, to both the audience every other character, they like someone else almost from the start.

I mean where a character seems to like one person for a long time and then suddenly likes another, or seems to like two characters at once, or flipflops, or whatever. I don't know how many book and shojo series have turned me off by dragging out a triangle. I honestly think it's part of why I'm consistently gravitating towards shonen and seinen...there's no romance at all, or it's pretty clear cut who likes who, even if the characters are utter idiots about it or don't get their acts together by the end of the series. (Plus, shojo tends to say "I love you" as "I will fret and dither about sex, secrets and your and my feelings for endless volumes," while shonen tends to say "I love you" as "I will tear the world apart/cross dimensions/fight 5000 people with my sword/gun/fists/brain to save you even if it takes 10 volumes of incredibly long fights, and if someone tries to question me about my feelings, I'll either be rescued by a random fight or suddenly realize how very very urgent finding you is." I find the latter to be vastly more entertaining.)

Every once in a while, there'll be a really well done triangle and I'll get it, but for the most part, they're just so very unattractive. Take Fullmetal Alchemist as an example. In the manga, Ed likes Winry and...Winry. But then you have the anime where( cut for anime but not manga spoilers )

Ignore whether or not you like Winry at all, that's not what I'm talking about. Seriously, how is that attractive in character? Like, at all? The Love Hina anime did the same thing, pretty much going "Ok, Keitaro likes Naru, but maybe he also likes *insert every female cast member at various stages*"(as compared to the manga, where it's pretty clear he only likes Naru from start to finish, he's just overwhelmed by all these insane women in his life.)

For that matter, how is it INTERESTING? I find three volumes of "oh no, I can't decide who I like" about as captivating as "oh no, I can't decide if I'm ready for sex yet"(the other thing that has led to my dropping countless titles...actually, I think Mars is the only real exception to that storyline not annoying me...probably because it's the only shojo I've read where sex has actually been crucial to the plot and character relationship and development.) That kind of conflict is just boring in the extreme to me, and the more attention it gets, the more I have to wonder whether the character REALLY cares the most about the one they end up with, or if they decided that person was the better choice.

Plus, it usually feels like such a crutch to me. "Hmm...we need conflict...I KNOW! Let's throw in a love triangle. Doesn't matter if we're at the start, halfway through or near the end...it always make for good conflict." I'm pretty sure I'm expected to be drawn in by the character's introspection and concern and worry that whatever I prefer won't happen, but usually I just grit my teeth and tell them to make up their mind already.

(for the record, it's also one of the main reasons I'm so incredibly picky about kdramas, and romance doramas in general.)

All that said...I know a lot of people adore love triangles, and get giddy at the idea of them, and even hunt down things with triangles. So...what's the big draw? Because I really don't get it and I've never really had anyone explain the big draw.

This...was far longer than intended.

Here's something I don't get...

Love triangles.

Almost at all.

Now, to clarify, I don't mean cases where a third party is interested but the object of affection doesn't reciprocate at all, or where a person initially thinks they like one person, but it's blatantly obvious, to both the audience every other character, they like someone else almost from the start.

I mean where a character seems to like one person for a long time and then suddenly likes another, or seems to like two characters at once, or flipflops, or whatever. I don't know how many book and shojo series have turned me off by dragging out a triangle. I honestly think it's part of why I'm consistently gravitating towards shonen and seinen...there's no romance at all, or it's pretty clear cut who likes who, even if the characters are utter idiots about it or don't get their acts together by the end of the series. (Plus, shojo tends to say "I love you" as "I will fret and dither about sex, secrets and your and my feelings for endless volumes," while shonen tends to say "I love you" as "I will tear the world apart/cross dimensions/fight 5000 people with my sword/gun/fists/brain to save you even if it takes 10 volumes of incredibly long fights, and if someone tries to question me about my feelings, I'll either be rescued by a random fight or suddenly realize how very very urgent finding you is." I find the latter to be vastly more entertaining.)

Every once in a while, there'll be a really well done triangle and I'll get it, but for the most part, they're just so very unattractive. Take Fullmetal Alchemist as an example. In the manga, Ed likes Winry and...Winry. But then you have the anime where( cut for anime but not manga spoilers )

Ignore whether or not you like Winry at all, that's not what I'm talking about. Seriously, how is that attractive in character? Like, at all? The Love Hina anime did the same thing, pretty much going "Ok, Keitaro likes Naru, but maybe he also likes *insert every female cast member at various stages*"(as compared to the manga, where it's pretty clear he only likes Naru from start to finish, he's just overwhelmed by all these insane women in his life.)

For that matter, how is it INTERESTING? I find three volumes of "oh no, I can't decide who I like" about as captivating as "oh no, I can't decide if I'm ready for sex yet"(the other thing that has led to my dropping countless titles...actually, I think Mars is the only real exception to that storyline not annoying me...probably because it's the only shojo I've read where sex has actually been crucial to the plot and character relationship and development.) That kind of conflict is just boring in the extreme to me, and the more attention it gets, the more I have to wonder whether the character REALLY cares the most about the one they end up with, or if they decided that person was the better choice.

Plus, it usually feels like such a crutch to me. "Hmm...we need conflict...I KNOW! Let's throw in a love triangle. Doesn't matter if we're at the start, halfway through or near the end...it always make for good conflict." I'm pretty sure I'm expected to be drawn in by the character's introspection and concern and worry that whatever I prefer won't happen, but usually I just grit my teeth and tell them to make up their mind already.

(for the record, it's also one of the main reasons I'm so incredibly picky about kdramas, and romance doramas in general.)

All that said...I know a lot of people adore love triangles, and get giddy at the idea of them, and even hunt down things with triangles. So...what's the big draw? Because I really don't get it and I've never really had anyone explain the big draw.

This...was far longer than intended.

hmmm...

So, among my recent DVD purchases was a set of Carole Lombard movies, which I am watching as I impatiently wait for my Princess Tutu DVDs to get here(GIVE THEM TO ME MAILMAN! GIVEGIVEGIVE!) and watching them, I have realized 2 things:

1)  A LOT of classics have love triangles in the as a  plot point.

2)  Off the top of my head, there aren't any classics where that annoys me.

Which I guess just means that it's not the existance of the triangle itself that bothers me, but the use of the triangle as a shortcut to angst and conflict for the main purpose of adding to them that I have problems with, and that's almost all you get these days(as opposed to movies like Casablanca or Philadelphia Story, where you lose most of the story if you remove the triangle, and it's the central part that you lose, not extra stuff.)

hmmm...

So, among my recent DVD purchases was a set of Carole Lombard movies, which I am watching as I impatiently wait for my Princess Tutu DVDs to get here(GIVE THEM TO ME MAILMAN! GIVEGIVEGIVE!) and watching them, I have realized 2 things:

1)  A LOT of classics have love triangles in the as a  plot point.

2)  Off the top of my head, there aren't any classics where that annoys me.

Which I guess just means that it's not the existance of the triangle itself that bothers me, but the use of the triangle as a shortcut to angst and conflict for the main purpose of adding to them that I have problems with, and that's almost all you get these days(as opposed to movies like Casablanca or Philadelphia Story, where you lose most of the story if you remove the triangle, and it's the central part that you lose, not extra stuff.)

Juuni Kokuki art by Akihiro Yamada

Akihiro Yamada, who did the novel illustrations and DVD covers for Juuni Kokuki/12 Kingdoms, draws really, really pretty pictures.   That's pretty much all I have to say.

( evidence )

     

( icons )

Juuni Kokuki art by Akihiro Yamada

Akihiro Yamada, who did the novel illustrations and DVD covers for Juuni Kokuki/12 Kingdoms, draws really, really pretty pictures.   That's pretty much all I have to say.

( evidence )

     

( icons )

OMG!

There is a community called bish_a_daythat is run by nice, sane people.  Ok, maybe that's overstating the case, but they're enough like me that I count them as nice, sane people out of my ned to occassionally claim to be one.

And I have posting access.  This isgood.  For while I do notread manga or watch anime just for them, I am ever greatful for their presence.

Hmm...today is Arbitrary Angsty Demon Du Jour Day.  I believe I approve of these days.

Of course, the only offerings I have online for such a day are Goku and Onime no Kyo/Demon Eyes Kyo(hmm...does he technically count?)

*ponders which to offer*

(yes, I have possibly been caught up in this instead of giving you a nice, thoughtful book post)

OMG!

There is a community called bish_a_daythat is run by nice, sane people.  Ok, maybe that's overstating the case, but they're enough like me that I count them as nice, sane people out of my ned to occassionally claim to be one.

And I have posting access.  This isgood.  For while I do notread manga or watch anime just for them, I am ever greatful for their presence.

Hmm...today is Arbitrary Angsty Demon Du Jour Day.  I believe I approve of these days.

Of course, the only offerings I have online for such a day are Goku and Onime no Kyo/Demon Eyes Kyo(hmm...does he technically count?)

*ponders which to offer*

(yes, I have possibly been caught up in this instead of giving you a nice, thoughtful book post)

Dragon Outcast by E.E. Knight

 Dragon Outcast is  the 3rd book in E.E. Knight's Age of Fire series(which I thought was a trilogy but there's a 4th book coming next year) which follows the lives of three dragon siblings. There were five siblings in their hatch at birth:  Auron, fast and clever, the grey, scaleless dragon, Wistala,  strong but flighty, Jizara, kind but weak, the nameless red dragon, slain by Auron at birth(all males fight to the death at birth to determine who will rule) and the copper, a young male who survived the battle with Auron, but was ostracized and nver recognized, as there can be only one male recognized.  Later, seemingly out of jealousy and hatred, the copper betrays his family to his father's dwarven enemies, leading to the death of the hatchlings' mother and Jizara, and the eventual death of their father, and causing the separation of Wistala and Auron.

( more )

Now, very bluntly:  If you like dragons, or like seeing fantasy stereotypes and tropes turned on their heads, WHY AREN'T YOU READING THESE BOOKS????

And as far as the whole "magic" thing goes, for those who dislike it:  There are dragons.  That's almost it.

Dragon Outcast by E.E. Knight

 Dragon Outcast is  the 3rd book in E.E. Knight's Age of Fire series(which I thought was a trilogy but there's a 4th book coming next year) which follows the lives of three dragon siblings. There were five siblings in their hatch at birth:  Auron, fast and clever, the grey, scaleless dragon, Wistala,  strong but flighty, Jizara, kind but weak, the nameless red dragon, slain by Auron at birth(all males fight to the death at birth to determine who will rule) and the copper, a young male who survived the battle with Auron, but was ostracized and nver recognized, as there can be only one male recognized.  Later, seemingly out of jealousy and hatred, the copper betrays his family to his father's dwarven enemies, leading to the death of the hatchlings' mother and Jizara, and the eventual death of their father, and causing the separation of Wistala and Auron.

( more )

Now, very bluntly:  If you like dragons, or like seeing fantasy stereotypes and tropes turned on their heads, WHY AREN'T YOU READING THESE BOOKS????

And as far as the whole "magic" thing goes, for those who dislike it:  There are dragons.  That's almost it.

I just want to say...

 ...that my computer is STILL FUBAR and the keys to this comoputer stick, and as we all know that I am pretty much the Typo Queen as it is, THIS MAKES WRITING UP POSTS INCREDIBLY ANNOYING AND MUCH MUCH LONGER!

(hey, unrelated, but do we have a tagging system for bish_a_day?)

I just want to say...

 ...that my computer is STILL FUBAR and the keys to this comoputer stick, and as we all know that I am pretty much the Typo Queen as it is, THIS MAKES WRITING UP POSTS INCREDIBLY ANNOYING AND MUCH MUCH LONGER!

(hey, unrelated, but do we have a tagging system for bish_a_day?)

sigh...

Everyone but Tall Cynical Boy and i went home early or called in today.  As I have finished my incredibly massive Kyo picspam, I am now bored and feel entertainment should be provided.

Preferably in the form of xXxHolic, Bleach, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Stargate, Saiyuki, Mushishi, Blade of the Immortal, Wallflower or Generation X.

Otherwise, I may be forced to wander through the dredges of The Pit.

sigh...

Everyone but Tall Cynical Boy and i went home early or called in today.  As I have finished my incredibly massive Kyo picspam, I am now bored and feel entertainment should be provided.

Preferably in the form of xXxHolic, Bleach, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Stargate, Saiyuki, Mushishi, Blade of the Immortal, Wallflower or Generation X.

Otherwise, I may be forced to wander through the dredges of The Pit.