Anime sometimes suffers from characters being stereotypes that hit the same note over and over again. These characters lack the psychological complexity that makes characters interesting and human-feeling. In literature, these are called flat characters. They're seen as "2 dimensional" because they're not very life-like, much like how a sculpture of a person can look more real to us than a painted portrait. Like a sculpture, a "round" character is detailed to the audience from many different perspectives. The Joker from Batman is a round character, for example, because he is complex, changes over time, and can be interpreted in many ways. He's like a sculpture in the round, that can be seen in different ways from different angles.

Flat characters certainly have their place. Unimportant supporting characters don't need to be complicated to be effective, because their role in the narrative is more limited. A work of fiction can get kind of weighed down if it tries to make every character round (Les Miserables does this, for example, making the book excessively long). But, generally speaking, it's good for at least the main protagonists and antagonists to be round characters with a lot of complexity to their identity.

A bad flat character can often be a cliche or stereotype. In anime, there are numerous recurring character tropes. Sometimes, these can be used effectively and as stepping stones to creating interesting, dynamic, complex characters. Other times, they're just a hack's way of writing, making boring, unlikable characters that seem like a stack of tropes rather than an actual person we can sympathize with, or get to know in an organic way. If we know everything about a character in the first few seconds based on superficial details like their height, breast size, gender, hair color, eye color, hair style, clothing, eye shape, body language, and voice, it's probably not a very interesting character. And that kind of character instantly alienates the avid anime viewer from the show, because they recognize the cliche as cliche and realize quickly that these creators have nothing original to add, they're just basically using cookie cutters or templates to give us a story.

And here are my 8 least favorite of such anime cliche character types.

1. The Mary Sue Senpai

Basically, she's the object of the "notice me senpai" protagonist's desires. So perfect, you seriously wonder if she even poops. She's an unrealistically swan-like presence in a school full of more realistically awkward teenagers/kids.

Defining Features:

• Tall in stature, usually with an elegant silhouette.

• Long, straight hair, usually black or purple, but may also be blonde or silver. (Or she will have a very precise, elegant hair style, like princess curls, pigtails, braids, etc.)

• Often will either be the student council president or go to an elite school of some kind.

• Usually from a rich and/or well-connected family.

• Speaks very polite Japanese and has refined manners.

• There will be tea.

• Usually very pale-skinned, as per traditional Japanese beauty standards.

Why I Dislike This Type:

Basically, she's too perfect. She hardly ever seems like her actual canonical age. She seems almost like a very elegant and refined 30-something infiltrating the high school or middle school setting. It glamorizes richness by making it seem like rich people are totally flawless god-like beings. It also seems like such a cheap way to create drama, by having the totally average male protagonist (which I get to later) fall for the "dream girl" who is way out of his league.

He is often by the end of the anime rewarded with affection for basically spending the whole anime as her dog, doing whatever she wants, and constantly white knighting for her. I get that it's a thing because it's a wish fulfillment fantasy, but in real life, people like that are just annoyingly snooty.

But most importantly, this kind of character is just rarely interesting. You know she's going to be heavily restricted by the bonds of propriety and honor, playing the "straight man" in contrast with wilder characters' antics. She's too honest and pure to do anything truly "outside the box". In other words, she's usually a Mary Sue and a Purity Sue type of character, too flawless to be genuine and human.

Interesting Subversions:

• Satsuki from Kill La Kill, who shows that being this kind of character is not all it's cracked up to be, especially if you have a psychotic mom.

• Ai from Shin Chan, a parody of this character type that points out its inherent classism.

• Ayame Kajou from Shimoneta, who only originally looks like she's this type of character, but turns out to be a "dirty joke terrorist".

• Rei Hino/Sailor Mars from Sailor Moon, who seems like this type at first, but has a lot more depth and complexity revealed about her as the series progresses.

• Homura Akemi from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, who resembles this character type superficially, but is much less passive and a lot more complex of a character, the more you find out about her.

2. The Cute Comic Relief Mascot Talking Animal

A fairly common anime staple, this character is always at the hero's side. Often, they give info dump exposition, or just more subtle guidance to the main characters. They're cute, they're charming, and they move merchandise and keep up brand awareness of the show by being memorable. But they can also be annoying, because they ruin serious moments by inserting bad comedy, because their catch phrases and associated running gags quickly get stale, or because their blunders make things harder for the protagonist. A bad one is like Navi from Ocarina of Time, annoying, intrusive, and repetitive.

Defining Features:

• Always happy and upbeat.

• Has running gags and/or a catch phrase.

• Is associated with comedy, and breaks up dramatic tension with comedy.

• Helps or guides the main character(s).

• Is an animal, but usually with supernatural powers and unusual characteristics.

• Usually able to talk and intelligent on a human level (some may act more animal-like though).

• Sometimes is the source of the hero's power or can become a walking deus ex machina.

• Constantly refers to what kind of animal they are, or their non-human status is often milked for comedy.

• Gives a lot of the exposition.

• Cute appearance, often acts child-like.

Why I Dislike This Type:

It's not always done so badly, but it's annoying to me because, for one, I find comic relief annoying in general, and also because this type of character is often annoying when the writers are clearly trying to make it be likable and funny. It's like a little kid following the main characters around, their ignorance is presented to us as "cute", and their incompetence is supposed to charm us.

It's also overused as an exposition device and source of knowledge. Since these characters are supernatural or magical, often they have helpful advice to give. But it can be overdone if they're telling the audience a lot of things about their world, instead of it being shown.

Finally, I dislike these characters because of how often they come to the rescue at the eleventh hour. Basically, if this kind of character exists, be prepared to see them do a lot of saving people at the last minute, either directly by using their own powers, or indirectly by getting help or giving the main character powers.

And the ones that give the main characters their powers always raise the question; why didn't they just use this magic for themselves instead of giving it to the protagonist? Many of these characters, if you think about it, are powerful enough to be their own heroes. They shouldn't even need some half-baked anime girl or guy to fight their battles for them.

Interesting Subversions:

• Some Pokemon and Digimon have moments of this, but don't end up being so annoying about it. And Pokemon mostly don't talk, so they can be cute without having that annoying child-like tendency of talking too much or saying stupid things.

• The main subversion is Kyubey from Puella Magi Madoka Magica. He acts like this character type, but is actually cunning and manipulative.

3.The Adult-Acting Child

Usually female, this character is usually a side character. Other people have called this one the "deadpan loli", but I don't like referring to these characters as "lolis" because the reference to "Lolita" implies that they're being treated like sex objects, which is very much debatable and up to audience reaction (unless there's obvious erotic scenes with them, which is rare). I just really am a bit uncomfortable using a term that implies the sexual fetishizing of little girls so casually.

But unfortunately, the sexualization of these characters is probably the reason why there are so many who are not only a bit smart for their age, but who completely act like mental adults. And it makes them annoying. Child prodigies are smart, sure, but not every child is a prodigy, but many anime like to make the excuse that the "loli" is there because of her intelligence, and we've all known people who were able to move up a grade or two in school, but many of these examples are a bit extreme.

Some go as far as to give weird, convoluted magical justifications for these girls showing up in a high school with older girls; Sailor Moon's Chibiusa, or "little Usagi", is really the main character's daughter, from the future. And that's not the weird part! The weird part is, she's actually hundreds of years old but never quite got the hang of this whole "growing up" thing. So all that fan art you have of her? Just explain to the feds that whole "future child from the moon" story and no worries about shower time with the other inmates for you!

For one thing, it bothers me that these girls often just exist to be sexualized by the fans, because the anime industry is not so much about selling anime as it is about selling merchandise. Japanese culture also seems to be a bit more relaxed about portraying children in a sexual way than American culture. I'm fine with non-sexual child nudity, such as in the context of bathing (in Japan, family members of the same sex often bathe together and it is not pedophilic). But having a whole character type just designed to appeal to pedophiles in the anime's audience is... creepy.

Plus, in the story itself, the characters are often annoying because, as prodigies, they know a lot, but as children, they still act like conceited brats.

A related character trope I dislike is when older teens, aged 14-18, are drawn short and flat-chested, as if the artist is trying to make them look 11-13. This happens in "slice of life" comedy shows like Lucky Star to make the girls look cuter, but it just kind of bothers me that they don't really look their ages. In some anime series though, this will be a lone character, who is "really 16" or whatever but drawn petite, again, in order to market the character to fetishists of that kind of thing.

Why I Dislike This Type:

They are usually bratty, arrogant know-it-alls. Still being children, they tend to still have chaotic mood swings, and can immaturely over-react to slights and misunderstandings. This is portrayed as funny, but gets a bit old quickly. They tend to be very prideful and very protective of their personal pride. Which gets annoying often. This character can usually be described as "flustered" or "frustrated" because they have a huge psychological complex built around feeling inferior to everyone else because of their age.

So they can act like the typical aloof, bitchy, tsundere princess pretty often (and I deal with the tsundere later because it is also one of my least favorite types). So when these characters show up (usually they pop in halfway through the anime like an unwanted guest), you can expect them to challenge the main character, but usually over issues that are completely shallow and meaningless. Expect them to hold their heads high and never admit they're wrong, even when they are. Ever have a child you just wanted to punch? How "kawaii"!

They just don't add anything new to the show. They create drama and conflict, but rarely do they contribute meaningfully to the resolution of it.

Interesting Subversions:

• I really can't think of that many. Usually, a loli-brat is annoying, it's just a matter of degree, some being less annoying than others.

• Banba from Princess Jellyfish either is or appears like she is a little girl, but she's not in any way sexy; instead, she's an otaku who likes trains and who has an eye for picking out the best meat in the grocery store. Her acting is subtle, and she doesn't do what I see many other adult-like children in anime do, which is go out of her way to challenge and belittle adults or older teens. Maybe she is an adult (her age is ambiguous).

4. The Tsundere

This is a character type who's usually smacked into the anime with all the subtlety of a bolt of lightning, and one of the most overplayed mass-produced character types in anime. It gets its name from "tsun-tsun" meaning aloof or standoffish, and "dere-dere", meaning love-struck. So the idea is that the character goes from aloof and bitchy to warm and loving.

This happens in a lot of anime, but a lot of times, they're more "tsun-tsun" than "dere-dere", and don't undergo the character change associated with them. Also, because "dere-dere" implies romantic interest in the main character, these "-dere" characters are all defined by their relationship to the protagonist, and as such fall short of seeming like real people, because real people have personalities for their own reasons, not just as reactions to a single person that their whole being revolves around. (Technically, Asuka Langley Sohryu is not a tsundere, because she has the harsh "tsun-tsun" part, but probably doesn't actually use that behavior to mask a crush on the protagonist, and she never actually softens towards him.) This character is supposed to be about how people bully people they like, but it ends up giving girls a "tsundere card" to basically act like annoying, stuck-up cunts most of the time.

Defining Features:

• Pigtails, or hair pinned up, is common.

• Red or blonde hair is common, but other (usually bright and warm) colors can happen as well.

• Eyes are drawn in the cat-like style, less rounded than more innocent characters.

• Tend to blush a lot whenever anyone dares to imply that they have feelings for the main character.

• Has signature ways of huffing, sighing, and turning away angrily.

• Often known for frowning and scowling.

• Has a ball-shriveling yelling voice.

Why I Dislike This Type:

Like I said before, the tsundere is so overdone. When I see an angry bratty girl with pigtails, I know I'm not getting substance or depth in that character right off the bat. She's the typical "lady doth protest too much" character, acting harshly towards a character she likes, beacause she likes him, and while this might be a fantasy wish fulfillment for some guys, it really just means putting up with a girl who constantly berates you until you are eventually for inexplicable reasons rewarded with affection... for putting up with all of it? There are easier ways to get laid, guys! (And talk about unrealistic expectations.)

Basically, a tsundere is just a narcissistic, conceited, lady-jerk who is occasionally tamed by the main character's penis. What's to hate?

Interesting Subversions:

• Like I said, Asuka from Neon Genesis Evangelion only appears like a tsundere at first, but then you learn about her past and realize that she's a bully because of her traumatic history: Asuka was the daughter of a mom who committed suicide, and she always tried hard to impress her step-mom after that who didn't love her, and she always seemed like she was never good enough to be either her real mother's "doll" or her new mother's daughter in a real sense. Therefore, her personality is interesting and her reasons for being a bully are far deeper than just wanting to mask her raging girl-boner for Shinji.

• Tora Dora has a female lead who is often called a tsundere, but she's not as flat of a character as a badly written tsundere.

5. The Happy Magical Slave

The Japanese place less of a value on freedom than Western culture does, and it shows in characters like this. Usually a magical girlfriend or magical housewife character, these characters, like the loli and tsundere, are sex objects that exist for the titillation of the audience, and are often not very interesting beyond the fanservice.

Basically, she's a goddess, alien, or other supernatural creature, with powers far beyond a normal human's. But she's incredibly ignorant and naive about the world, relying on guidance from the bland male protagonist. She's meant to be a kind of "manic pixie dream girl" character, or can be a nurturing "Yamato Nadeshiko" or Japanese housewife archetype. It's a harmless wish fulfillment fantasy, but the underlying tones of slavery and subjugation that are usually present in the story are what bother me.

Why I Dislike This Type:

Basically, I dislike it for the whole "happiness in slavery" thing. Never do we see these magical women rebel or revolt against their masters. It's just assumed that the male protagonist is good, even when he's a complete jerk. And that goodness is supposed to be such that it justifies the condition of happy slavery, and I just don't buy it. It makes it seem like coming of age as a man means learning how to manage and educate a slave. It also seems to be sending the message that domestic, sexual slavery is morally justified by whatever supernatural bullshit the writers can think of (like a life debt, magical wish, etc.), yeah, no. That stuff belongs in porn, but doesn't have a place in regular entertainment. And even if it's not a sexual relationship per se, like with Sebastian in Black Butler, or when sex is offered but not accepted, it's still a bit weird to see a being with immense supernatural powers be subjugated and treated like a servant or slave by an ordinary human.

Interesting Subversions:

• Ai no Kusabi is a short Sci-Fi OVA series that explores real-feeling sexual slavery and all of its emotional consequences. It also shows the problem of having to choose between being an abused "pet" for a rich person's amusement or being free to be poor and starving, in a world with a dramatic gap between the rich and the poor.

• In Revolutionary Girl Utena, the slavery of the "rose bride", Anthy Himemiya, is not taken lightly at all. Much of the drama of the show revolves around Utena, a newcomer fighter in the duels, fighting for Anthy's honor and dignity as a person.