- Joined
- Jan 20, 2020
Perversion when treated as a gag then properly explored is pretty fascinating (which isn't what YOU'RE talking about, but I wanted to spring board as there are ways to reinvent the trope).
My two favorite examples are Brock from Pokemon, and Sanji of one piece- two hyper romantic cooks who take great joy in taking care of others but lose their cool at the sight of woman. For sanji it is far worse, but for Brock it is more common. Brock is a simp, and Sanji straddles between woman worshiper and a desperate loser.
Brock I'll use since most people aren't that interested in the pokemon anime, but Sanji I'll leave others to read on their own because I love his story.
At first, we're not offered a lot of explanation as to why he acts the way he does, he's just constantly love struck with no outlet then gets the stuffing kicked out of him by Misty or one of his own pokemon.
Later on, and a little before, it's explained that Brock's mother had gone through several husbands in order to not feel alone in her Job as the Gym leader. She was taking severe losses, and her husbands often left her with little explanation. This is according to HIS father, who was barely there for most of Brock's life. To make matters worse for a young Brock, he had 9 siblings to care and raise for- essentially, he had to become a man without anyone but himself to rely on, with no support from family or parent.
He then became infatuated with the about becoming a pokemon breeder (read; nurse, scientist, and vet) to take care of and bring out the best of these creatures he cherishes- it's a reflection and cope on how he had to take care of all of his siblings, who came from different fathers. On top of that, he had to become a gym leader, which to be certified means winning 100 evenly matched battles to be certified- with a pokemon like Onix, who is in some cases weaker then a literal Caterpillar. He feels like he isn't enough, and wishes to succeed in caring and loving something in the way his parents failed to. He struggles hard, and is successful, but life hasn't seemed to let him win.
As a result, he believes in love in a super ideological way, that anyone can be the perfect girl, responsible woman are beautiful, and that trainers are passionate. It's why he chases the Officers and Nurses most often in the anime- they're the perfect match to being- you guessed it, a wife and mother, something he has no real world basis on beyond romantic novels and imagination. He essentially was a father to 9 since he was a kid, and it only grew more as he became a father to his own pokemon.
Eventually, after 20 years, he does settle down with a fellow rock type gym leader named Olivia, and does get his happy ending, but the point still stands- the gag, the behavior, stemmed from a real personal issue, and in the end he wins over it and gets what he wants in a healthy manner- gag still involved, but with a more wholesome twist as opposed to the annoyance of all previous attempts. Brock instead turns his gag made from suffering into a strength made by it- he is fiercly loyal, deeply loving, and is a super intelligent and responsible figure within any group he's in. His faults are now a joke to HIM, as opposed to AT him anymore.
Later on, and a little before, it's explained that Brock's mother had gone through several husbands in order to not feel alone in her Job as the Gym leader. She was taking severe losses, and her husbands often left her with little explanation. This is according to HIS father, who was barely there for most of Brock's life. To make matters worse for a young Brock, he had 9 siblings to care and raise for- essentially, he had to become a man without anyone but himself to rely on, with no support from family or parent.
He then became infatuated with the about becoming a pokemon breeder (read; nurse, scientist, and vet) to take care of and bring out the best of these creatures he cherishes- it's a reflection and cope on how he had to take care of all of his siblings, who came from different fathers. On top of that, he had to become a gym leader, which to be certified means winning 100 evenly matched battles to be certified- with a pokemon like Onix, who is in some cases weaker then a literal Caterpillar. He feels like he isn't enough, and wishes to succeed in caring and loving something in the way his parents failed to. He struggles hard, and is successful, but life hasn't seemed to let him win.
As a result, he believes in love in a super ideological way, that anyone can be the perfect girl, responsible woman are beautiful, and that trainers are passionate. It's why he chases the Officers and Nurses most often in the anime- they're the perfect match to being- you guessed it, a wife and mother, something he has no real world basis on beyond romantic novels and imagination. He essentially was a father to 9 since he was a kid, and it only grew more as he became a father to his own pokemon.
Eventually, after 20 years, he does settle down with a fellow rock type gym leader named Olivia, and does get his happy ending, but the point still stands- the gag, the behavior, stemmed from a real personal issue, and in the end he wins over it and gets what he wants in a healthy manner- gag still involved, but with a more wholesome twist as opposed to the annoyance of all previous attempts. Brock instead turns his gag made from suffering into a strength made by it- he is fiercly loyal, deeply loving, and is a super intelligent and responsible figure within any group he's in. His faults are now a joke to HIM, as opposed to AT him anymore.
TL;DR- The funniest gags, and the most meaningful developments, come from the comedy then resolvement of a real issue. Comedy hits well if you know the story behind it, the context, but the comedy can develop into genuine drama and resolve into something more, where the character isn't being laughed at- but something they can then laugh at too.
Which makes it unfortunate when perversion is used so poorly and undermines a characters strengths AND weakness by letting them be and doing nothing better or worse with them.
Even stupid shit can be meaningful and written decently.
