The Cerebus Syndrome

[secondlina]

Cerebus Syndrome - The slide towards drama and away from comedy over the course of a series' run, named for the process undergone by the print comic Cerebus the Aardvark. One will notice that a lot of Anime (and webcomics!) seem to embark on this ride. While american tv series usually set the given mood pretty early. It is pretty risky to alter your formula gradually. A lot of people might just stop watching.

As for me, I find this rocking awesome. Isa likes the weird and angsty, apparently.

In other news, I have the world's crappiest internet. It pretty much kicks me off the web whenever it feels like it for as long as it feels like it. I think I need a better router or something...

-Isa

Comments

[auriga]

Series like that are usually more fun! Of course, it depends on how the anime handles it, but I think Slayers is a really good example of a show that gets more serious. Actually, I'm pretty sure I've seen that very point as a reason some people don't like Slayers. I prefer shows with a good balance of moods, though.

Router troubles are annoying, but it might even be your ISP. We had to reset our router all the time, but it hasn't been an issue since we stopped getting our internet from Bell.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Tutu is another good example of a show that could remain at the "OMG PUPPIES AND PINK FLOERS AND BALLET!" level and still changes.

[rosalarian.livejournal.com]

It is pretty risky to alter your formula gradually. A lot of people might just stop watching.

*knows from experience*

Oh, man, I lost so many readers when I changed up my plot.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're webcomic is pretty good example. Though, I have to admit, I prefer the dream-world segment then the first segment. The first segment was fun, but it's the second that made your webcomic into one of my favorites.

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

Aw! sorry to hear the internet hates you! ;)

cute pic :P

[brendala.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the change in tone works. But sometimes it's just a little too jarring. Chrono Crusade is a good example. It's still a decent show; but the constant flip flops from slapstick to slit-your-wrist depressing in every other episode can be a little distracting.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

The original manga has less of a leap. It's also a lot better.

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

I'd think a good series is one that has hints of darker things to come early on, instead of suddenly going in a completely different direction. Lost Universe wasn't so great at this, so the first 13(?) episodes were silly entertainment, and then SUDDENLY PLOT HAPPENED for the rest of the series. It was a bit jarring.. Maybe one of the reasons I do think fondly of the show, but I haven't watched it since the initial viewing.

So yeah, subliminal hinting is always a good thing! It at least gives the viewer an idea that things are not as they seem.

(Internet's evil anyway. I bailed soon after you got kicked to refresh my brain with some Mario gaming anyway. Luigi rules all!)

[catgirlthecrazy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Lost Universe is a primo example of Cerebus Syndrome done wrong.

For me at least, the key to pulling off a comedy-drama genre shift is to not abandon comedy completely. Take Slayers. One episode, Lina is near-fatally wounded by Copy Rezo. The next, Phil shows up, and generally acts like Phil.

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

Slayers really is good at integrating everything together. I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I watched the first season and the fight with Copy Rezo. It was all very serious and even dire since Lina was still dying, for all I knew...and then Phil charged in, completely throwing everything off! It was a nice touch that even with the change in mood, his life would have still been forfeit if he'd been attacked. If anything, his entry gave me a chance to catch my breath before the latter-half of the fight...and yes, I still enjoy watching it years after the fact.

(I do feel bad about Lost Universe though. From what I recall of the manga, it was darker all along than the anime.)

[izo-chan.livejournal.com]

And this is why Prince Phil will always be the coolest prince in existence. I love that man. <3

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I don't think Slayers does the genre shift. It goes back and forth too much. Genre shift would be going from pink to black. Slayers was always serious and funny at the same time, and not just at the end of next.

Lost universe is a good example though.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

As I recall, Fruits Basket had a case of that.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

More or less. The anime yes, but the books always kinda mixed drama and funny. Serious foreshadowing during the whole series.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I like when they can pull together foreshadowing for an ongoing project like that -- it's not an easy thing. I've done it in my fanfictions a few time, but it was usually by accident -- cough -- I mean, good fortune.

[earthstar-moon.livejournal.com]

Yeah series like that tend to be more fun and interesting.

Slayers are good examples Princess Tutu, but I would have to pick Petite Princess Yucie as my prime example. It really starts as being cute and sweet, but the ending...has A LOT darker tone than the beginning. (Then again, it's made by the same company that made Evangelion.)

[catgirlthecrazy.livejournal.com]

You could argue that Slayers is actually a [i]reverse[/i] example of Cerebus Syndrome (ie: starting out dramatic and shifting more towards comedy)

The original novel series had plenty of lighthearted moments but it was also more dramatic and dark in tone. The Special Series, judging by the movies, OAVs, and CD Dramas based on them, is much more fluffy and light-hearted, and didn't have the long story arcs the original novels did.

[izo-chan.livejournal.com]

I'm with everyone else -- if it's done right, it can be brilliant (like Slayers, Fruits Basket or Princess Tutu). Done wrong and it's a disaster. I'm all for a ride into serious and dramatic waters, as long as the comedy and cuteness doesn't completely dry up along the way. :3

[kokumi009.livejournal.com]

i actually like series with this kind of syndrome. it's a refreshing in a soothing manner and doesn't leave you annoyed.
A new series called Kemono no Souja Erin (Beast Player Erin) is something similar since it starts with a light fairy tale theme to a more serious drama. It's a success so far despite the delayed appreciation of the series.

i have crappy internet too. it likes to have hiccups every few hours.

[gullwhacker.livejournal.com]

Every single arc of Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni.

Oh, look, the club's having fun! What a nice little villa- well, that was creepy. And oh lord they're all going to die THEY'RE ALL DEAD

Repeat 6-7 times.

[amelia-seyroon.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[amelia-seyroon.livejournal.com]

How about Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha?

Starts out as a cute and fluffy anime, then turns really dark in the later seasons.

Crappy Internet needs to be taught a lesson! >/