A recent opinion shared on social media sparked intense debate and quickly became a trend, highlighting the dissatisfaction of some readers with the clichés that often appear in romantic manga written by older authors. The criticism, which went viral, highlights that these mangas tend to follow repetitive, predictable and uninnovative patterns for certain followers of the genre.

The original opinion stated the following: «The romance manga that older authors usually write are all the same, and that turns me off.». The criticism is divided into four main points:

• The protagonist is a handsome boy, the kind who always sighs and is the best in the class.
• As if the author wanted to compensate for his own shortcomings, the setting is always an elementary or high school.
• The heroine is always a beautiful girl from a rich family.
• Since authors are not good at expressing complex emotions, they tend to resort to humor.

This comment resonated with many readers who share frustration with the lack of originality in some current romance manga. The perception that these mangas are an extension of their authors' fantasies or frustrations, rather than offering new and exciting storiesgenerated a wide debate about creativity in the manga industry.

As the discussion spread online, many users expressed their agreement, pointing out that the characters and plots of these mangas are often repetitive stereotypes, leading to a sense of burnout within the genre. Others, however, have defended these types of stories, arguing that clichés, when executed well, can still be entertaining and that older authors have the right to explore themes that are meaningful to them.

• «Well, it's a romantic comedy, so obviously there's going to be a lot of humor.».
• «Isn't it only in shojo manga that handsome boys appear?».
• «Romantic mangas written by women always have an unattractive guy who ends up getting the protagonist, that's annoying, what a disaster!».
• «Don't speak ill of Roshidere».
• «This is completely true».
• «Kaguya-sama and Gotoubun. I can't think of any others. I haven't read many recent romantic comedies, so now all the protagonists are geniuses?».
• «(They are probably talking about I love Hina or something like that…) 'Are Kaguya and Gotoubun what define the oldest authors?' – An old man».
• «I don't think we expect complex emotional representation in children's romantic comedies.».
• «Isn't this just another harem manga? There are a lot of protagonists who are also useless».
• «If it's a comedy, then humor is appropriate. Avoiding unnecessary drama would be the really easy thing to do.».
• «That the protagonist's best themes are Japanese and the story is perfect. Otakus love it».
• «It's strange that it doesn't click at all».
• «I can't think of any. I thought of Kaguya-sama, but her protagonist isn't the type to sigh and complain.».
• «Doesn't this refer more to light novels than manga?».
• «Which sleeves specifically fit this description?».
• «It's exhausting when the suffering protagonist justifies his actions with endless internal monologues.».
• «If a romantic comedy doesn't have humor, then it's no longer a romantic comedy.».
• «It almost always involves a clueless protagonist surrounded by multiple heroines, with his childhood friend at the center.».
• «Many stories written by women have a common, ugly, antisocial protagonist who is inexplicably popular.».

The debate that has been generated around this criticism is a reflection of how the manga audience is evolving and how their expectations change over time. While clichés and stereotypes may have their place, the growing desire for more authentic and original stories could propel the manga industry into a new era of creativity.

Source: Yaraon!