On a popular anime
comment forum, Japanese fans are engaged in a heated debate over the
growing number of recent and upcoming series starring female elves .
This phenomenon has caught the attention of the community due to the abundance
of this type of characters in the environment.
Known for
their grace, elegance, and connections to nature, elves are creatures of
mythology and fantasy that have gained popularity in popular culture,
especially anime and video games. These
creatures are often portrayed as immortal beings with magical abilities,
pointed ears, and a special connection to forests and wildlife.
The
appeal of elves as protagonists lies in their enigmatic beauty, their
fascinating magical world, and their potential to explore themes such as
nature, coexistence with other species, and conflicts between modernity and
tradition. Additionally,
their distinctive aesthetic and connection to fantasy make them appealing
characters to a wide audience, from those interested in adventure stories to
fans of magic and the supernatural.
However, some fans
express concern about the excess of series featuring elves as protagonists,
arguing that it could lead to market saturation and a lack of diversity in
characters and plots. They suggest that the anime industry should
explore a wider range of themes and genres to maintain freshness and
originality in its productions.
Despite
divided opinions, the phenomenon of series with elf protagonists continues to
gain momentum in the anime community in Japan and around the world. With the continued interest in
fantasy and magic, it is likely that we will see more of these captivating
characters on screens in the near future. And as an example, all of the
following recent and upcoming series have elves as main characters:
- I’m an S-Rank “Behemoth” Monster,
but I’m Living as a Pet of an Elf Girl.
- An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to
Love Your Elf Bride.
- Nihon e Youkoso Elf-san. (Welcome
to Japan, Ms. Elf!).
- Elf-san is here. (Plus-Sized Elf) .
- Sousou no Friieren .
- Dungeon Meshi .
- Edomae Elf (Otaku Elf) .
- Isekai Ojisan (Uncle from Another
World) .
- Don't Hurt Me, My Healer !
- Mushoku Tensei: Jobless
Reincarnation .
- I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300
Years and Maxed Out My Level.
- How Not to Summon a Demon Lord .
- Leadale no Daichi nite (In the
Land of Leadale).
And of course, there
was no shortage of comments:
- " It's simply because
the Japanese love elves ."
- " They are all
stories that I stopped reading, and eventually they had anime adaptations ."
- " Elves generally
appear in isekai stories ."
- « And why doesn't anyone
like dark elves? ».
- " Well, if you're
going to do fantasy, you should do elves ."
- « The value of the elves
rose a lot with the popularization of The Lord of the Rings. They are
portrayed as greedy, superior to humans .
- " The fantasy that
died out in the 90s is on the rise again ."
- « Frieren and Marcille are
spot on, the rest are rubbish . »
- « Why not a sensational
dark elf with a dynamite body? ».
- « The elves are gifted and
long-lived, but they do not have many active warriors. Those from Sousou
no Frieren are strong because they are battle maniacs .
Source: Otakomu
