Anime Talk: Yandere... "Love Makes You Do Crazy Things"

                “Love makes you do crazy things.” What a cliché. But is confining your lover by chains on a chair in an isolated building to keep him “safe” from other girls, a cliché? If you ask somebody this question, he or she would most likely answer “That’s not a cliché; that’s a crime!” Now if you ask somebody in the anime community, they could answer “Yes. That is a cliché.” Why is that? The Otaku culture has made a character archetype called the yandere.

                To be honest, I don’t find yanderes appealing because they go against my morals. One of my morals that are crushed by yanderes is the importance of human life. Yes, I would love to have a girl that would love me no matter what. But if she “loves” me to the point where she would kill others to keep me “safe” is repulsive. It’s like an extreme version of “the worst boy/girlfriend”. My morals aren't the only reason why I don't like yanderes. I get chills if somebody were to confine me, because I hate losing my freedom to move around. When I was a kid and played with my friends, we once trapped each other in a blanket like how Erio Touwa from Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko would wrap herself in a futon (minus the ropes). When I was wrapped in a blanket, unable to move, I really, really, really didn't like it. So I never did that again. So because of my morals and personal experiences, I don’t find yanderes pleasing.

I like Erio, but I don't like "confining" myself.

                But everybody is different; we all have different tastes. I like “eccentrics” like Erio Touwa from Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko and Nagi from Kannagi. Of course my favored characters aren't limited to “eccentrics”, but that is for a different post for another time. Where was I? Ah yes, everybody is different, so we all have different preferred character archetypes and characters. There are valid reasons why people like yanderes. Yanderes are devoted to whoever they love. They will forever love the person they are willing to kill for. Now, one cannot argue that a yandere killing others because of love can be justified. Other than self-defense in a truly life threatening situation can somebody commit homicide.

               

                 Now, there are many people who draw the line between reality and fiction. There are yandere fans who don’t like “real life yanderes” because it is against their morals. They only like yanderes because yanderes in anime are fiction. Fans find the devotion of yanderes appealing. The killing, confinement, or any form of brutal violence isn't a problem to them because they know that the yandere committing a crime is fiction.  I am sort of like that as well. I have a liking for some tsundere characters but that doesn't mean I would like a girl to kick my rear end because she is “hiding” her feelings. (That wouldn't be a tsundere; that would be a bi*ch.)

                Whatever archetype you like is fine, one can’t judge another person’s preferences as long as there is no harm. I don’t like yanderes, but if you like them, that is okay. As long as we keep the rather extreme forms of character preferences within the boundaries of fiction and far away from reality, everything will be alright.