Central Theme: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}{{Mechanics of Writing}}

''Central theme, the tie that binds together.''|'''[[Daniel Amos]]''', "Central Theme"}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Kino's Journey]]'' -: Is there any underlying point to the stories, any unifying concept? Perhaps. It could be seen as an extended lesson in the law of unintended consequences.

** [[H. L. Mencken]] said, that there is always an easy solution to every human problem: neat, plausible, and wrong. That is really the theme of this series. Each place that Kino visits, there was a problem which was solved by adoption of a solution which was neat and plausible and far too simplistic. And in each case we eventually learn why the chosen solution was wrong.

* ''[[Serial Experiments Lain]]'' is, at is core, an exploration of the impact of the information age on the human soul. At a time when the internet was only just getting off, it foretold a future where Everything is Connected. It explores the concept of a Technologicaltechnological [[The Singularity|singularity]], "Close the World, Open the Next"

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' is a 26 episode critique of the Otaku lifestyle and deconstruction of the conventions of [[Humongous Mecha]] anime, ironically, it itself set new conventions to replace the old. One of the most analysed anime in existence, as the [[wikipedia:Neon Genesis Evangelion (anime)#Fiction and philosophy|wikipediaWikipedia page]] will attest, it is generally accepted today that the religious symbolism in the anime [[Faux Symbolism|are largely meaningless.]]

** Not completely meaningless per se, but it's not quite as deep as most people think it is. Unless the person thinks it does, then it will be, because the entire series was [[The Walrus calledWas Paul]].

* ''[[Voices of a Distant Star]]'' -: Does physical distance matter for two people in love? What if she's in another city? Country? Continent? Star System? Einstein said "The great distances between the stars is nothing compared to the infinite distance between human hearts", and this movie tries to prove him dead wrong.

* ''[[Monster (manga)|Monster]]'' -: Can any human being be considered a monster, totally beyond redemption? Is it wrong to take a life, even to save others? It explores these questions right to the logical conclusion, then leaves it to the viewer to figure it out.

* ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' -: You can never outrun your past. Even the [[Spoof Aesop]] from episode 10 works into this concept. {{spoiler|'Don't leave things in the fridge', if you're curious.}}

** ''[[Samurai Champloo]]'', it'sits [[Spiritual Successor]], has a similar theme. Or maybe it's "sometimes you need to let go of the past". Or some combination of both.

** ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'', ''[[The Big O]]'', ''[[Karas]]'' and ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]'' all seems to have the same central message - you can live neither by clinging to the past, nor rejecting it to blindly march towards the future. Each explores it in a different way - in ''Karas'' it takes form of conflict between tradition and progress; in ''Tiger & Bunny'' it's the clash between different brands of heroism with new ones claiming the old to be outdated as well as {{spoiler|Barnaby's breakdown once he finds out his memories are fake}}; in ''Cowboy Bebop'' it's contrast between Spike's inability to let go of his revenge, Jet's ability to confront and deal with his, and Faye's {{spoiler|problems with amnesia}}; and in ''The Big O'' it's constantly showing that even disconnected from his past, man will still build on his future on it'sits legacy. Apart from that, some of them have additional central themes they explore:

*** ''[[Karas]]'' -: the relationship between [[The Cowl]] archetype and the city he protects.

*** ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]'' -: relationships between co-workers. Racism can be defeated.

* ''[[Death Note]]'' -: Power corrupts.

* ''[[Paranoia Agent]]'' -: You can't be a child forever.

* ''[[Princess Tutu]]'' -: You can control your own destiny.

* ''[[Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind]]'' -: It is better to try to understand what we do not know about rather than to fight against it.

* ''[[Kiki's Delivery Service]]'' -: Growing up isn't so bad; in fact, it can be wonderful.

* ''[[Princess Mononoke]]'' -: Can there be peace between man and nature?

* ''[[Sonic X]]'' -: While there is no real overarching theme, in the first season one message conveyed seems to be that friendship can last forever, even if two friends are apart.

* ''[[Dragonball Z]]'' -: The series gets a lot of flak for its [[Sorting Algorithm of Evil]], but Self Improvement IS''is'' the main theme of the series. "Just because you can blow up a planet, you shouldn't declare yourself [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpkeAQG6kQw perfect]; there is always someone out there better, so never stop trying to better yourself.

* ''[[Naruto]]'' -: Two major themes: "The old must make way for the new" (thus, all immortals to appear are villains) and "How far can a person go to save someone who doesn't want to be saved?". The second could also be expanded into the more general "[[Cycle of Revenge|How can you save the world from itself]]?".

* ''[[Blood Plus+]]'' -: Family is made up of people who love each other in spite of their faults, not blood relations.

* ''[[Chrono Crusade]]'' -: According to [[Word of God]], "the idea of time running out." The bonds between people also seems to be a major running theme (Moriyama indicated in an interview that he felt that one of the themes was the relationship of the two main characters, and there's three pairs of siblings that are very important to the plot.)

* ''[[Code Geass]]'' -: Do the ends justify the means?

* ''[[Afro Samurai]]'' -: Two in one:

* The ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]'' franchise -: What does it mean to be human?

* ''[[Sailor Moon]]'': Evil never dies, but neither do the ones who fight it.

* ''[[Giant Robo]]: The Day The Earth Stood Still'' -: Can happiness be achieved without sacrifice? How can a son honor his father's legacy?

* ''[[Towa no Quon]]'' -: it is our emotions that makes us human.

* [[Twentieth20th Century Boys]]: How childhood fantasies should stay as just that.

* ''[[Un-Go]]'' -: When truth collides with good of the society, which is more important?

* ''[[Clannad (visual novel)|Clannad]]'': Family is the most important thing in life.

* ''[[Kidou Tenshi Angelic Layer]]'': Not everything has to be [[Serious Business]].

* ''[[Popotan]]'': Parting from friends is a natural part of life, but friendships can still live on in memories. Quite similar to the above -mentioned ''[[Sonic X]]'', in that regard.

* ''[[Nemesis the Warlock]]'': [[Humans Are Bastardsthe Real Monsters|Humans can be bastards]], but doesn't have to.

** In particular, it has been noted that practically every member of Batman's Rogue's Gallery either reflects a part of Batman himself and / or like him as aan over-archingoverarching trauma that has shaped their lives ever since—except where he has used his trauma to make himself a better man and to defend the innocent to try and prevent what happened to him from happening to others, they have succumbed to despair and evil and use their traumas as an excuse to hurt others.

== [[FanfictionFan Works]] ==

* ''[[Star Trek: First Contact|Star Trek First Contact]]'': Whether or not human emotion is weakness.

* ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'': [[Humans Are Bastardsthe Real Monsters]].

** Same wihwith [[Book of Amber]]

* ''[[The War of the Worlds (novel)|The War of the Worlds]]'': The consequences of ruthless, uncaring imperialism on those subjected to it.

* ''[[Homicide: Life Onon the Street]]'': The effects that investigating murder and being surrounded by death can have on those who are charged to investigate them.

* ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined(2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' (Reimagined): The need to survive at all costs. The power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

** ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Star Trek Deep Space Nine]]'': Whether it is possible to break free of the past, or whether people/civilizations will be forever chained by it, at least early on. Later seasons address the [[Godzilla Threshold]], and whether it is possible to hold onto morality in the face of certain doom.

* ''[[Mission: Impossible]]'': People using each other as pawns.

* ''[[Warhammer 4000040,000]]'' - The overarching motif is war. There is always a war in 40k, every last living thing is involved somehow, even when there is no [[Alien Invasion]], no Chaos conspiracy, they make their own wars, their own crusades to fill the void. Even at the cusp of victory, as the Great Crusade came to a close, the Astartes legions turned their guns on one another. There is no escape, no respite, no hope for victory. In the Grim Darkness of the far future, there is only war.

* ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 (video game)||Sonic the Hedgehog 2006]]'' - A question often asked in this game is whether or not one person should suffer for the good of the world. Since Elise is used as [[Barrier Maiden|a living seal for Iblis]] the world is safe from destruction, but she obviously suffers from it and has to force herself not to cry so as to not release the god through her tears. After being confronted about it by Amy, Silver wonders whether or not it's right to kill Sonic to save the future and later on in the story {{spoiler|Silver is reluctant to seal Iblis inside of Blaze thus sending her into another dimension and out of his life}} even though doing so will keep the world safe. At the end of the game, {{spoiler|when Elise has to blow out the Iblis Flame to stop it from ever existing, she is hesitant to do so since that will erase the meeting between her and Sonic. She even cries, "I don't care what happens to the world!" She has to choose between herself and everyone else.}}

* Ever since the jump to 3D, the ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series has been about betrayal and revenge. Claude's motivation throughout ''[[Grand Theft Auto III]]'' [[Heroic Mime|appears]] to be revenge on various people for betraying him, in particular Catalina. The reverse idea - loyalty to your [[True Companions]] - figures strongly into the plot of ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]''.

* Quite unusually for an over-the-top, uber-silly action game, ''[[Sengoku Basara]] 3'' has a fairly downbeat one, seeming to be about how all the fun times and glory days are either over and done with or coming to an end. Instances include Mitsunari's total anguish over the death of [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], Motochika constantly muttering "those days are long gone", Oichi degenerating into a [[Psychopathic Manchild|Psychopathic Woman Child]], Yoshihiro still fighting despite knowing his generation's practically over, the lack of well-known characters from previous games due to plot purposes... oh, and being set at the very tail-end of the [[Jidai Geki|Sengoku period]] is a fair indicator. Still, considering the plotline about [[Akechi Mitsuhide|Tenkai]] attempting to ressurectresurrect [[Historical Villain Upgrade|Oda Nobunaga]] {{spoiler|and succeeding}}, maybe it is telling us that it's better to move on.

* ''[[StarcraftStarCraft]]'': The destructive quest [[Gone Horribly Right|for perfection]].

* ''[[Sim CitySimCity]]'': What it takes to run a city efficiently ([[Video Game Cruelty Potential|or inefficiently]]).

* ''[[MadWorld]]'': [[Humans Are the Real Monsters]], and this isn't about to change any time soon. All you can really do is is stiffen your spine and keep going.

* ''[[The Order of the Stick]]'': Teamwork and trust are key to victory - the more people trust each other and are willing to cooperate, the more effective they are, even bad guys. People who cannot afford trust their allies {{spoiler|such as Lord Shojo}}, think they don't need others to solve their problems {{spoiler|like Miko or V in "Don't Split the Party" arc}} or just want to do what they want, not thinking about their teammates {{spoiler|like Belkar}} get in trouble. Also, [[Deconstruction]] of [[Dungeons and& Dragons]] stereotypes by putting them in contrast with a realistic racial conflict.

* ''[[Goblins]]'' - inversion/deconstruction of [[Dungeons and& Dragons]] [[Fantastic Racism]] - just because some races are aligned as "evil" or "monsters" doesn't mean that humans and other player races are any better.

* ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'': Friendship is a powerful force that can connect all of us and lets us accomplish far more thenthan we can achieve on our own.

* The ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]]'' series as a whole: Growing old and confronting your insecurities and mortality.

** ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]]'': The destructiveness of [[Green-Eyed Monster|jealousy and insecurity]], and [[The Power of Friendship]].

* ''[[The Fairly Odd ParentsOddParents]]'': [[Be Careful What You Wish For]].

[[Category:CentralMechanics Themeof Writing]]