It’s not the best example, since it’s not meant to be unambiguously happy ending…
But the other day I was watching Diner. In which the “happy” ending is Steve Guttenberg’s character “maturing” enough to put aside his football test for marriage. Well good for him, but all i can think is…
THAT POOR GIRL!!!
Great, she’s getting a guy who’s matured all the way to adolecent. She came so close to dodging the bullet, but no… I never saw her face yet I weep for her .
Anyway, I thought it would be a good topic…what supposedly “happy” endings made you miserable?
Any romantic comedy. I’m always like “Great you managed to get an emotionally distant man to make one great big romantic gesture. Hate to see you in ten years when he leaves you for his trophy wife.” Movies with ‘romance’ in them invariably teach people the worst possible lessons.
I’ve heard nothing but praise for how Maison Ikkoku ended, how it “wrapped up everything perfectly” and completely resolved the central conflict etc. Let’s review:
Shun got reamed. Period. There’s never the slightest hint that his feelings for Kyoko weren’t genuine. There’s never any indication that he’s anything but a perfect gentleman. The only thing that ever held him back was his fear of dogs (and fear of admitting it). He’s mature. He’s stable. He has lots of money, which is important for a future head of household. He has a good job. He’s charming. His hookup with Kyoko should’ve been a no-brainer, and due to Rumiko Takahashi’s signature deux ex machina assault, he gets stuck with Generic Dainty Maiden #59.
There’s next to no genuine affection between Yusaku and Kyoko. Yeah, they put on a good face, they said the right things, they even did their duty in the love hotel (it’s a unwritten rule of manga that a couple has to have sex before marriage)…and I say BFD. Where’s the joy? The fellowship? The feelings, dammit? I swear, they look like they’re reading a teleprompter when they proclaim their love for each other.
They’re not only going to continue living with Akemi (miserable no-life waitress with absolutely nothing to lose), Mrs. Ichinose (alcoholic sociopath with the maturity and sense of kindergartener), and Mr. Yotsuya (evil incarnate), they’re going to raise a daugher there. Can you say “apocalyptic train wreck waiting to happen”?
Kentaro has to keep on living there too, and you can imagine all the lovely effects living with three utterly reprehensible roommates and a struggling family will have on his mindset. Frankly, it’d be utterly shocking if he didn’t eventually join a gang.
Oh yeah, that Nanao chick. It’s another unwritten manga rule that the kind, sweet, cheerful, happy, caring, loving, doting girl has to get FRAGGED 500 WAYS FROM SUNDAY in the end, and seeing this one slowly wither away to nothing was excruciating. The obligatory plastered-on smile at the end sealed the deal.
As for Love Hina…okay, I understand that Keitaro and Naru are “destined” to get married. Does that mean that it has to happen? And in a completely straight-up, textbook manner without even the tiniest swerve or complcation (which is completely out of character for Love Hina)? I’ve never liked pairings that required 10 pages of rationalizations (Ranma/Akane also comes to mind), and I’m sorry, folks, but there’s nothing here. Let’s not even get into the tyrannical grandmother who coerced him into it and (of course) the sweet girl who loves Keitaro and is rewarded by getting kicked to the curb.
I dunno…maybe I’m just too new school or sumpthin’.
I saw The Truman Show with my family and at the part near the end when he is in the boat and runs into the sky-cloud wall, and discovers that his whole life is a facade I cried, trying to imagine what that would be like. The rest of my family laughed. I suppose if I saw it for the first time, today, I’d probably laugh.
I wouldn’t go so far as “miserable”, but I didn’t like the ending of Four Weddings and a Funeral. I didn’t like the fact that Hugh Grant’s character ends married to Andie MacDowall’s since I thought her character was, well, awful .
Anime romantic comedies aren’t exactly the best place to look for original endings. Heck, in most of 'em, the story isn’t even interesting enough to bother following…it’s all about the goofy-ass jokes. Takahashi recognized that when she made Ranma 1/2; that’s why the ending doesn’t really resolve anything. That said, if you’re looking for something fresh, try His and Her Circumstances (aka Kare Kano if you’re more of a manga person). It gets the “inevitable conclusion” out of the way by about episode six, leaving plenty of room for comedic hijinks and complications. Plus, the borderline-psychotic introspective ramblings are fun for the whole family.
I personally enjoyed Love Hina very much; you might want to watch Love Hina Again (OAV) if you’d like a continuation of the story. Ah My Goddess and (dare I say) Steel Angel Kurumi are fairly amusing as well.
Aaaah…in this single post, I’ve both perpetrated a hijack and admitted to watching many a crappy anime series. My work here is done.
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Takahashi recognized that when she made Ranma 1/2; that’s why the ending doesn’t really resolve anything. That said, if you’re looking for something fresh, try His and Her Circumstances (aka Kare Kano if you’re more of a manga person). It gets the “inevitable conclusion” out of the way by about episode six, leaving plenty of room for comedic hijinks and complications. Plus, the borderline-psychotic introspective ramblings are fun for the whole family.