Anime and Wish Fulfilment

Modern animators often underestimate importance of good story and plot.

In the end of the day even if you watch just for visuals without subtitles and with Japanese or even more obscure language audio to not be able to understand anything, you will still likely catch the basic idea of the show.

I will not watch femdom or anything else I do not like, no matter how well drawn and animated it is.

On the other had I will watch maledom and femsub even if it is poorly animated. (see DearS)

In real world I will not care how beautiful is a girl if she does not obey me. However, I will date even mediocre looking submissive girl, if she is timid, shy, introverted, and submissive enough to my tastes.

So, animation is secondary to main idea of the show.

In fact, even story and plot can be secondary if idea of the show appeals to me.

For example, Overlord has poor plot to non-existent plot, but I like idea of being as powerful and universally worshipped as Ainz so I watch and enjoy it, regardless of plot.

Wish fulfilment galore.

Why fiction wins.

Here some Dilbert relevant to the issue

https://dilbert.com/strip/2023-01-02

https://dilbert.com/strip/2023-01-03

https://dilbert.com/strip/2023-01-04

It is only natural that men would prefer anime girl over someone like Tina in the 3rd pic for example. Not based on the looks, it is a cartoon. Based on what she says, Dogbert then correctly assess her value. Actually, he totally overvalues her: why any self-respecting hobo would date this arrogant snob.

Then men who approach problem like Dilbert in the second pic also have no way to win.

Thus, we both watch anime.

Because of IRL people's personality flaws, people end up preferring fictional characters who do not have these issues. After all people who created these characters do know what either men or women want in a partner and just making more and more of that. People like them more than real people with their flaws and such, so dream factory keeps making anime.

Then when comparing IRL people to chars you often see their shortcomings and do not want and IRL girl with her problems and flaws.

And to make things even worse. Anime is gender segregated. Shoujo/Josei is to female tastes and Shonen/Seinen to male.

And of course, focus of josei is not making likable female characters at all. Women interested in men so josei authors instead they make handsome over the top unrealistic men who appeal to female audience. They do pair this guy with a female char so as t write a 'relationship' 'dynamic' between them. However, it is not a realistic pairing that will ever work IRL. Dude like him, even if he exists will never go a for a girl like her.

I think wester romance or romantic comedy movies do work the same way. I did not watch enough of them to really tell.

Across the gender divide in Seinen we instead have, K-ON!, GuP, Boruri and Gochiusa full of girls to men's liking. Here we often do not have male protagonist at all because guys would rather have their girl virgin and engage in hobbies in all female company, while waiting only for them. I am guy so I can tell you this much.

They do not even try to make a show with characters that can appeal to both genders. Do not think that any romance anime actually depicts realistic romantic relationship between genders.

However, if you do want to understand what and how someone of the opposite gender thinks. If I you want to understand the opposite gender, you should watch shows of their gender until you get it. That is if they still label shows correctly.