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Do you prefer your anime to be lighthearted, dark or a mixture of both?

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Mar 23, 2024 9:08 AM
#1

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Mar 2023
3025
I prefer a mixture of both. Not to diabetes introducing but neither to edgy either.
Mar 23, 2024 9:10 AM
#2
🍅 Tomato 🍅

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Feb 2020
109970
I like watching lighthearted anime the most.



SerafosMar 23, 2024 9:36 AM
Mar 23, 2024 9:11 AM
#3

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Jul 2016
8888
Anime where characters I like survive and there is a nasty fight between female characters.
Mar 23, 2024 9:24 AM
#4

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May 2015
1657
Why not both? Cute girls doing cute things during the Black Death.
夏草や 兵どもが 夢の跡
Mar 23, 2024 9:33 AM
#5
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Dec 2022
99
I genuinely prefer lighthearted works in general. Mix of both is fine as well. Currently not in the mood for dark stuff for a while now due to all the stuff that has been happening.
Mar 23, 2024 9:41 AM
#6

Online
Sep 2016
14152
Probably both, but I don't care as long as it's entertaining.
Mar 23, 2024 9:43 AM
#7

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Apr 2020
728
A mix of both depends on my mood most of the time
Mar 23, 2024 9:47 AM
#8

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Nov 2017
171
Lighthearted. Real life is dark enough.
Mar 23, 2024 9:55 AM
#9

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Dec 2021
958
I like lighthearted shows. Watching something dark is kinda tiring.

𝓢𝓪𝓴𝓾𝓻𝓪
𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓸
Mar 23, 2024 10:21 AM

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Sep 2018
4776
Lighthearted with a thin veil of darkness is my favorite mix.
Mar 23, 2024 10:31 AM

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Dec 2022
5444
Most of my favourite anime are a mixture of both.


╔⏤═⏤╝ ╚⏤═⏤╗
Shaded Horizon


Mar 23, 2024 11:51 AM

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May 2021
4529
Spunkert said:
I prefer a mixture of both. Not to diabetes introducing but neither to edgy either

I tend to gravitate more towards darker anime, but i'll enjoy anything that has great characters
Mar 23, 2024 12:19 PM

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Sep 2007
1728
Reply to Zarutaku
Probably both, but I don't care as long as it's entertaining.
Zarutaku said:
Probably both, but I don't care as long as it's entertaining.


Same here and depending if it's an anime I can enjoy or like.
Mar 23, 2024 12:28 PM

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Oct 2013
2264
Both. majo no tabi tabi type shit would be cool.
.
Mar 23, 2024 12:52 PM
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Nov 2023
92
From what I've seen with anime, whenever they try to do both, it completely falls flat because the difference is too great. You'd have characters playing fucking hide and seek and laughing and everything's all good, then next thing you know they're dying and slavery and all that. You can have a good balance without sacrificing constancy, but most anime is dogshit at this. In most anime the lighthearted moments are nothing but a break from the plot and it feels so out of place. These were my biggest problems with Re:Zero and Rising of the Shield Hero. I don't care what tone you're going for as long as it's constant. I love lighthearted anime like Love is War and Nichijou, just as much as I love dark anime like Attack on Titan and Vindland Saga. But even when these darker shows have lighthearted moments, they don't feel like an entirely different show, the characters, the themes and the plot are just as relevant and important to these scenes and the writing is just as good.
Mar 23, 2024 1:05 PM

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Nov 2023
2072
Ofcoure, I love Lighthearted animes more.

Darker animes can be good but lighthearted anime makes me feel better.
I need somebody who can love me at my worst
No, I'm not perfect, but I hope you see my worth
'Cause it's only you, nobody new, I put you first
And for you, girl, I swear I'll do the worst

If you stay forever, let me hold your hand
I can fill those places in your heart no else can
Let me show you love, oh, I don't pretend, yeah
I'll be right here, baby, you know I'll sink or swim
Mar 23, 2024 1:42 PM

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May 2021
625
My mood changes pretty frequently when it comes to anime. I'm generally into a good mix of both but recently I've been going for lighthearted content. I'm always down for a dark aesthetic though I love that. What comes to mind would be like Eva, Lain, Dorohedoro, Death Parade, Vampire Hunter...
Mar 23, 2024 1:59 PM

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Apr 2012
3495
For me, being dark is a high-risk high-reward strategy. A lot of my absolute favourites are very dark, but most of the stuff I enjoy is more lighthearted. A dark story, done just right, can be one of the most incredible things you can get from television. But it needs to have that meaningfulness to it, I don't want to wallow in misery without a very good reason. Whilst fun stuff doesn't need to be meaningful in order to be jolly good fun.

I just finished Elfen Lied which is one of the worst anime I've ever seen, I'll pass on that kind of darkness/edginess.


There is actually quite a lot to Elfen Lied, by the way. But it's kind of stealthy about what it's doing, so its very easy to miss, it's not the sort of thing you naturally look for. Very broadly, it's about a horror anime trying to eat a harem anime. As a Doctor Who fan, I have an instinctive ability to pick up on this kind of genre collision because it's something Who has been doing sort of from the very beginning, and quite explicitly from the mid 70s onwards. But it's quite an alien way of doing things to American culture, where television is based on cinematic traditions rather than theatrical ones.
Mar 23, 2024 2:45 PM
Call me Oniichan

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Jan 2007
1903
As long as it has cute girls in it, I'm fine if it's dark/depressing. For example, WataMote is very dark, but I love it since the main girl is a smelly socially inept nerd craving love and attention. She's the type of girl who'd be obedient as a dog to you for the rest of her life once you showed her some attention. Definitely my fetish.
Mar 23, 2024 2:54 PM

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Jan 2021
224
i enjoy watching gruesome bloody dark seinen comedy anime

Migi... Handle the defence.
Mar 23, 2024 3:26 PM

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Aug 2018
8449
I generally prefer lighthearted. But when a cheerful show takes a dark turn or tackles serious subject matter, it can be especially memorable.
Most of my favorites are like that.
Mar 23, 2024 4:55 PM

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Nov 2019
135
I'm leaning towards the lighthearted tone of the series since I like slice of life. Although, depending on my mood, I enjoy a mix of both.
Mar 23, 2024 5:06 PM

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Mar 2008
50980
All of the above really. Depends on my mood
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣸⠋⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⡔⠀⢀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡘⡰⠁⠘⡀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠀⣧⠀⢿⢠⣤⣤⣬⣥⠀⠁⠀⠀⠛⢀⡒⠀⠀⠀⠘⡆⡆⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢵⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡰⠀⢠⠃⠱⣼⡀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠆⡸⢀⡀⣀⢰⠀⠀⢸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀
Mar 23, 2024 5:47 PM

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Sep 2023
392
I would say it more depends on the anime itself. If the anime is a Romcom, I would say more lighthearted. If its a horror or mystery anime, I would say more dark.



Be safe and well travels,
Chris


Mar 23, 2024 6:19 PM

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Aug 2010
2613
In the middle of both, but I guess leaning more towards lighthearted.
Mar 23, 2024 6:29 PM

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Dec 2012
9737
The best result is achieved by combining them in a way that works thematically in the story and makes logical sense.

I'd probably still be onboard to watch it as long as it doesn't drift to far into either end of the spectrum, though. Too light or too dark and I find it to be contrived.
KruszerMar 23, 2024 6:37 PM
"The name's Gambit. Remember it."
-Gambit "X-Men '97"

Mar 23, 2024 6:32 PM

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Jan 2010
1658
I like my anime to be mixture of both lighthearted and dark to make it more interesting.
Mar 23, 2024 10:37 PM

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Mar 2012
8362
All 3. I like lighthearted anime, dark anime as well as a mixture of both, it ultimately just depends on how well it's written and how enjoyable it is.

Always the same… Every age, every generation.
Human beings are infinitely more cruel and selfish than any demon in hell

~Dantalion (Makai Ouji)
Mar 23, 2024 10:50 PM
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Oct 2019
2749
All 3. I like lighthearted anime, dark anime as well as a mixture of both, it ultimately just depends on how well it's written and how enjoyable it is.(2)
Mar 23, 2024 11:20 PM

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Mar 2021
1470
I just want a story to be well written
Mar 23, 2024 11:42 PM
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Jul 2018
562316
I am not 14 so I am not an edgelord.

I prefer lighthearted buy will watch dark if it is done right and not totally ham fisted. eg Made is Abyss over Elfen Lied.
Mar 23, 2024 11:58 PM

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Jun 2011
14153
Lighthearted > mix > dark

I don't really care too much about how dark a series is, maybe the teenage me would, but at this point I prefer lighthearted series that is a joy to watch.
Honobono Log - best slice of life short
--------------------------------------------
most kawaii loli overlord
----------------------------
Donquixote Doflamingo AMV - Control
Mar 24, 2024 12:10 AM

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Jul 2021
76
Mixture of both, even manga like Berserk have some lighearted moments in there.
Mar 24, 2024 12:49 AM

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Jan 2023
2693
Nowadays I definitely prefer my anime to be lighthearted, as I watch it to relax myself :)
Mar 24, 2024 4:53 PM

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Jul 2021
238
It honestly depends. Some days I'll just wanna watch insulin spiking moe crap, the next day I'm re-watching Higurashi

Mar 24, 2024 5:22 PM
Lucky★supporter

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Mar 2021
1940
I don't have a particular preference, but I think I've been watching more darker anime lately.

Mar 24, 2024 6:21 PM

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Oct 2011
4
I love both equally
lighthearted makes my heart tingle but dark gets me hyped
Mar 24, 2024 6:23 PM

Online
Dec 2021
3267
Gegege no Kitaro (2018) and Jigoku Sensei Nube are on my favorites for getting that balance absolutely perfect.
Mar 24, 2024 6:34 PM

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Aug 2020
8718
I prefer my anime in #1 with a score of 9.39.

Mar 24, 2024 6:45 PM

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Feb 2023
364
I put "mix of both," but I don't mean in the same anime. I either want my anime to be complete fluff or soul rending. No in between.



Mar 25, 2024 2:49 PM

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Jan 2021
2544
dark anime goes heavy on me I can't sleep at night

light-hearted is better

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