Today on the Anime Cliché Corner, I’ll be discussing one of the most prominent of filler episodes: The Beach Episode!
Almost every anime has filler episodes: The episode where nothing meaningful happens as the animators wait for the manga source to be finished. Although some filler episodes can be interesting, most of the time they draw from a pool (pun!) of cliché scenarios. The Beach Episode is usually just an excuse to show the females of the series in bathing suits (not that I’m complaining!).
The Beach Episode has been so refined that I can simply explain what happens without ever mentioning a particular series. Pretty much every Beach Episode is the same (with different characters of course), so here is a brief rundown of a typical Beach Episode:
Character A (finds out that a new pool is opening)/(Summer vacation has started)/(wins tickets the the beach/new pool) so he invites a bunch of classmates (usually just girls) to the Beach/Pool.
Character B, usually a rival of A, overhears and (somehow forces himself on the trip)/(shows up in secret!).
Character C, a (loli)/(weirdo) wears a school swimming suit. Everyone else is like, "what the!?"
Character D shows off her secret watermelon-smashing skills.
Character E can’t swim and has to wear a floatation device!
And finally, Character F falls asleep on in the middle of the ocean and gets a sunburn!
If I forgot any other clichés, let me know and I’ll try to add them.
9 replies on “Anime Cliché Corner: The Beach Episode!”
Lol, you’ve hit bullseye on this. The Beach Episode filler ep is probably one of the most disguised of them all though. Compare this with the oh-so-obvious fillers from long series like Bleach and Naruto and the results are obvious.
So, so true.
I was thinking.. okay.. smashed watermelons isnt listed, then i saw it..
im thinking azumanga.. perhaps mahou sensei negima also?
Not sure
I love your site
Fireworks.
you are missing a lot more lol
-big breast girl wears the most skimpiest bikini, laughs a lot.
-at some point EVERYONE will be in a kimono or yukata, complete with panup from feet to head.
-some kind of beach game between two rival girls.
-someone almost drowns.
=loli girl picks up some kind of strange sea creature, other girls freak out.
-at some point icecream is bought.
-SWIMSUIT CONTEST
Ah yes, you’ve got it exactly. Basically fanservice, for 30 minutes instead of 2-5.
You forgot one of the girls getting jealous over the superior curves of the others. Like in Zero no Tsukaima
In the summertime isn’t going to the beach normal? So why can’t anime characters do it if it’s at the appropriate time.
What anime’s are these pictures from and what episodes? Love to check them out.
What is the name of the anime of one of the pictures you show with the girl in two hair buns?