general media Why is Slice of Life so popular?

[Sazama Ichida 2,352]

I am just curious about why this genre is so popular and why everyone seems to love it so much. It's pretty boring if you ask me. I can understand liking it when it's on TV. Some Slice of Life TV Shows can be great and really entertaining. Like The New Looney Tunes Show for example.

But what I really wanna know is why do so many people like to RP it? That defeats the purpose of roleplaying if you ask me. I RP to ESCAPE the shitstorm that is reality. I'd much rather do things that I can't actually do in real life when I RP. Like fight and kill monsters and villains and embark on perilous adventures and quests while playing as my Knight, Mage and Samurai etc. But if I'm playing some human or pony who's going to school and struggling there with bullies and teachers or getting along with their family or some other mundane common problems that I or some other human in real life could realistically be dealing with then what's the point? Imagine if most videogames were about quizzes and math or playing sports and none of them involved killing things or had any boss fights etc. To me that's what this is like.

[Latecomer 438]

38 minutes ago, Asbel Lhant said:

But what I really wanna know is why do so many people like to RP it? I RP to ESCAPE the shitstorm that is reality.

Well bearing that in mind, logical causes would be that other people's lives aren't shitstorms and so they see it differenttlu, ,or that they are and therefore they turn to rp for an idealised, controllable version. 

[Sazama Ichida 2,352]

1 hour ago, Latecomer said:

Well bearing that in mind, logical causes would be that other people's lives aren't shitstorms and so they see it differenttlu, ,or that they are and therefore they turn to rp for an idealised, controllable version. 

Life always ends up screwing someone somehow if it didn't already.

[baba_booey 4,299]

I saw the title and thought you were talking about the MLP episode.

I don't RP myself, but I do write slice of life content on my own. I'm not entirely sure how to explain it, but I personally feel it kind of helps when I write when my characters are relatable to me personally, and it's kind of fun to put them in hypothetical situations while still grounded in reality and not going over the top. I think it's just a personal taste for me and other people.

[Pentium100 2,056]

2 hours ago, Asbel Lhant said:

That defeats the purpose of roleplaying if you ask me. I RP to ESCAPE the shitstorm that is reality.

Reality is not a shitstorm IMO, however, while I cannot really roleplay (I can't really get "in character"), I can understand roleplaying slice-of-life. After all, maybe I do want to role play a spaceship engineer in the Star Trek universe, but one who didn't join Starfleet because he does not particularly like getting shot at.

Or, say, I could play Twilight Sparkle who says no to most of the character development in the show (particularly becoming a princess).

2 hours ago, Asbel Lhant said:

But if I'm playing some human or pony who's going to school and struggling there with bullies and teachers or getting along with their family or some other mundane common problems that I or some other human in real life could realistically be dealing with then what's the point?

But you can play a better version of reality if you wanted to. How about playing a human or pony who is mega rich and has very different problems than you do in real life (or if you are mega rich, how about playing someone who is really poor?

2 hours ago, Asbel Lhant said:

Imagine if most videogames were about quizzes and math or playing sports and none of them involved killing things or had any boss fights etc.

So, not a fan of point-and-click adventure games then? 

 

[TBD 17,228]

As a reminder, let’s not shut down other’s opinion(s) since after all, this a general/media discussion not a debate symposium.

 

 

Anyways here’s my intake on this.

The only “slice of life” anime I enjoyed watching are sports anime. Watching sports anime and seeing characters without super power and anything unnatural to grow and develop seems more relatable to me. Compared to character who have power to save people and blah blah. I think people enjoyed watching “slice of life” genre because it’s brings the bad but also the good in life as a reminder that people can overcome difficulties in life without super powers or whatnot to help them get out of a situation.

[Bastian 13,319]

Because not all humans think the same way. Not everybody likes superpowers or any of that stuff, as much people there are that like something as much people there are who like the opposite.

(I thought this was about the episode lol.)

[Olly 1,008]

Most people live pretty boring or difficult lives (some both) so people often turn to vapid or light entertainment. They don't want to go on netflix or whatever and watch a war drama, or something dark and heavy. Just think about how popular comedy is as a genre, for example. Slice of life allows people to live vicariously, with characters that perhaps allow them to feel a connection to people that they don't have in real life. 

[Pastel Heart 6,463]

I like slice of life cos it represents another side of reality to me. An easygoing life I don't get anymore. People escape in different ways.

I wanna be able to relax and enjoy a side of life thats not full of pain, hardship and troubles. It's like, how life should be to me. Not everyone gets to live that dream life where every day is easygoing and fun, and it's nice to be able to do that through media. ♡

Gamewise, Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing represent slice of life the best to me, and animewise, Lucky Star, Non Non Biyori and Strawberry Marshmallow ♡

[Pentium100 2,056]

17 minutes ago, Pastel Heart said:

Lucky Star

I really like this anime too.

[Splashee 28,537]

7 hours ago, Asbel Lhant said:

Imagine if most videogames were about quizzes and math or playing sports and none of them involved killing things or had any boss fights etc. To me that's what this is like.

Interesting observation. I haven't seen this Slice of Life popularity or trend yet. I hope it doesn't become big.

[Prospekt 10,984]

I don't really RP. But slice of life stories are an opportunity for character development without necessarily having some kind of high stakes plot. "Everyday" situations can tell you a lot about what makes somebody tick and I would think it might help you flesh out an OC or a fictional world that you have created.

[Venomous 18,813]

@Asbel Lhant
Moving to Media Discussion and adding the appropriate tag ~

[Sazama Ichida 2,352]

1 minute ago, Bakugou is my Man said:

@Asbel Lhant
Moving to Media Discussion and adding the appropriate tag ~ 

Thanks. Wasn't sure where to put this.

[Misty Shadow 7,078]

It all depends on your tastes. Slice of life isn't particularly for me, being someone who views entertainment as a way to escape from reality, but some people can't get into fantasy at all and like everything in fiction to be as close to reality as possible. It's also helpful for immersion, even in fantasy, moments that could be replicated in real life. 

[Sazama Ichida 2,352]

I do see and understand the appeal of it in TV Shows. Just not in RP.

21 hours ago, Super Splashee said:

Interesting observation. I haven't seen this Slice of Life popularity or trend yet. I hope it doesn't become big.

In real life you have to go to school and take quizzes and solve math problems. In videogames you don't. (Unless it's shitty educational ones like what AVGN reviewed) Hence the comparison.

[Splashee 28,537]

7 minutes ago, Asbel Lhant said:

In real life you have to go to school and take quizzes and solve math problems. In videogames you don't. (Unless it's shitty educational ones like what AVGN reviewed) Hence the comparison.

Tell that to the arcade game Tetris Terror Instinct, where you get random exam games when the game thinks you have improved, and you get one chance to make it And you are paying money to play!

 

[Jeric 46,834]

Roleplaying, for some, is about interactive authorship of a character and scenarios surrounding the characters. That right there should really be where any discussion on the subject begins and ends. Why does Stephen King focus on speculative fiction and horror? Why does John Green concentrate on YA? Comfort and intrigues are possible (and highly plausible) reasons. 
 

To take an Ericksonian approach to the question, I posit that most of us are primed at a young age with mostly SoL stories. Think about stories and shows made for toddlers. Sesame Street, MRN, Blues Clues, and most children’s educational and entertainment ventures  are centered around stories with a slice of life focus, irrespective of the fantasy or imaginary elements surrounding the basic “how to life” stories that they present. 

 

 

[KatonRyu 1,026]

For me, the power in good slice-of-life comes from the way very little moments are shown or described. In the K-On movie, for instance, you get a few shots of the monitors on the backs of chairs in the plane, and a short image of the plane's route. It's something relatable that adds to atmosphere and not much else. Just that feeling of, 'oh yeah, that's something I always notice at moments like that'.

That said, I wouldn't like to RP it. I'll actually live moments like that myself, thanks.

[Sepul-Coloratura 756]

I think Slice of Life shows are for escaping from the real world peacefully. Which means no explosions, no aliens, no samurais. Those are great, but some people or even the people who likes those things sometimes want to see peaceful ordinary shows.

And whatever struggle the characters face, they are just cute compared to the real world.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Sepul-Coloratura

[Vefka 1,499]

For the same reason why simulator games exist. In such RP/Games you don't have consequences, you can experiment, try new things, it's like The Sims effect

[EpicEnergy 22,071]

I'm not sure why it is, I guess because it's entertaining.