Why Imitations of Tragedy Fall Short of Original

Writing about thuggish-ness and tragedies made me reach a revelation about some issue that I have with sequels. That is, why I hate many sequels as well as titles that try to emulate various dark and gritty titles.

The reason is that many of the original titles that I like, and value are proper tragedies. While titles that try to emulate them are merely farce. 

There is a saying that "history repeats itself twice: once as a tragedy and second time as farce". That certainly applies to any major anime trend in any dark and gritty shows. They emulate the outer appearance and grittiness without being able to get to the core what made the original so appealing in the first place.

Examples

Black Lagoon had brutality and cruelty of the underworld but is also had sympathetic cast who all suffering for things that are not their fault. Its imitations, such as Samurai Champloo only has brutality and cruelty of the underworld but not sympathetic characters. Even Roberta's Blood Trail sequel of the Black Lagoon fails to convey sympathy for the very same characters of the original. 

Puella Magi Madoka Magica original had dark magical girls together with dark and cruel themes. However, all the girls of the original cast were sympathetic, their suffering but also their actions and desire to fight against fate to protect each other made them sympathetic.

Even Original Gyakkyou Burai Kaiji made Kaiji tragically sympathetic, bad guys promise him money and throw all sorts of guarantees and arguments that it will not be like last time and he can get really get rich this time. He always tries to make decisions that will leave him better off , but they just do not work out.

Its second season in contrast he is so stupid to volunteer for more gambling. Kaiji of the first season will not volunteer for that.

Tragedy and Symphathy for Characters

The original show always is a proper tragedy. It is at the same time does have dark and gritty elements, sometimes they are very brutal and always very noticeable. These are what make them standout from many other shows out there. However, these elements are not what makes the show so loved. It is the tragedy of the characters. The kind of tragedy that makes them sympathetic to the viewers. 

What really gives these shows enduring love of fans is tragedy expressed in the story and plot. Because it is in the story, it is easy to miss it is if you not paying attention to the narrative, simply too stupid or unable to feel sympathy for the characters involved.

However good tragic shows do have characters one can sympathize with. Be that the members of the Lagoon Company, Megucas, Kaiji, Lelouch even to the extend.

Subjectivity of Sympathy

That sympathy for the characters is the tricky part. It of course can be subjective. That is some people feel sympathy and others do not. Perhaps this ability and inability to feel sympathy for certain types of characters is what divides people. Perhaps some people can feel sympathy and others simply do not.

In this case it is impossible for me to relate to people who cannot feel sympathy for the kind of things I feel sympathy for.

Also they should feel sympathy for me personally. I had a hard life and deserve sympathy.