The Waifu Phenomenon

[Haizujard Haizujard]

I once had a girl tell me that she loved Naruto. I was like "yeah, me too" and she said "well, no, like, he comforts me in my darkest hours, and I couldn't live without the thought of him, is that weird?" and I didn't know what to say to her, so I just told her "no, it's not, plenty of people feel that way about characters." I guess I just didn't want to say anything to upset her because I had a crush on her lol.

Nah, I've never really felt that way towards a fictional character, but I definitely have ones that I like a lot. Case in point I have Aelita from Code Lyoko in my pfp and Erika Karisawa from Durarara in my sig. I just like their vibes. That's as far as it ever goes for me.

Honestly I blame fan service for it. Seems like a lot of anime, even if it's not in the main show, they have an OVA that is based on the idea. Or it's like Ghost in the Shell where sexuality is a theme that ties with the character. I think it affects everyone differently. Especially deeply lonely dudes that not only don't give anyone a chance, but don't give themselves a chance so never try to put themselves out there out of shame and guilt.

Did have a crush on Frankie Foster as a young kid though, I like me a pretty redhead lol.

The problem is mental illness, not fan service.

 

[TruthandConsequence]

The problem is mental illness, not fan service.

Honestly I think these companies, and to a lesser extent the mangakas, understand what makes lonely dudes tick and exploit that. I'm just saying you should really take the time to surf through the all time godly genres of Slice of Life, Harem, Ecchi, and Isekai. Literal garbage disposal genres. Mental Illness has nothing to do with it.

 

[Generic Edgelord]

Not to be polarizing, but I see both sides of this one. I think mental illness is a prerequisite for this problem, but fan service knowingly exacerbates it.

 

[TruthandConsequence]

Not to be polarizing, but I see both sides of this one. I think mental illness is a prerequisite for this problem, but fan service knowingly exacerbates it.

Nah, you're alright. No, I get it. I just don't like chalking it up to certain things people can't help.

Unless it's Lolicon then you can go to hell for that shit.

 

[Darth Neodeus]

Carl Gustav Jung and his work on the concepts of Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, especially the Anima/Animus, seem to bring an interesting perspective on this subject...

 

[TruthandConsequence]

Carl Gustav Jung and his work on the concepts of Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, especially the Anima/Animus, seem to bring an interesting perspective on this subject...

This was an interesting read man. Yeah I can see it.

 

[Generic Edgelord]

Carl Gustav Jung and his work on the concepts of Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, especially the Anima/Animus, seem to bring an interesting perspective on this subject...

I was already into Jungian psychology but didn't make the connection between this and the anima. That makes a lot of sense, though; I'm glad you mentioned it.

EDIT: It just hit me: anim e, anim a... hmmm...

 

[Metroid_Hybrid]

Carl Gustav Jung and his work on the concepts of Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, especially the Anima/Animus, seem to bring an interesting perspective on this subject...

I have over 1/3 of his "Collected Works" in (the old 2nd edition) hardcover. Too many people get his theories very wrong. I think it's mostly due to misinterpretations based on secondary sources (Telephone game BS). Although Jordan Peterson's Magnum Opus: "Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief," and the older (pre-2020) lectures that they're based on, do Jung justice..

I was already into Jungian psychology but didn't make the connection between this and the anima. That makes a lot of sense, though; I'm glad you mentioned it.

EDIT: It just hit me: anim e, anim a... hmmm...

Volume 9, part 1: "The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious," and to a lesser extent; part 2: "Aion," covers the basics of the Anima/Animus archetype(s). It's extremely nuanced & complicated, but you can think of it as the 'dots' in the "Yin/Yang" symbol/Mandala. (The subject of Mandalas takes up a sizable chunk of the final section of Vol. 9, part 1).

Although, fair warning, all of Jung's works (and Peterson's MoM:TAoB) are some seriously DENSE reading material..

Fun Fact: What Jung referred to as "Anima possession" (at least on the extreme end) is almost word-for-word what they would call "transgenderism" these days (he even mentions these type of guys wanting to chop their own dick off)..

 

[Haizujard Haizujard]

Nah, you're alright. No, I get it. I just don't like chalking it up to certain things people can't help.

Unless it's Lolicon then you can go to hell for that shit.

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