Anime is a highly stylized art form featuring characters designed to appeal to viewers on different levels, and it’s fun to explore why some of these archetypes work so well. You’ve got the extremely dedicated osana-najimi (childhood friend) character type, the mysterious blue-or-purple-haired “emotionless girl,” and several variations on tsundere, yandere or kuudere (this last one describes a girl who acts cold and uncaring towards a male main character but in fact has strong feelings for him). Another classic character type is the pettanko, a Japanese word that literally means “flat as a pancake,” and there’s a long line of oppai-challenged anime female characters who are very popular with fans. The attraction we feel for these characters may take many forms, but I love the inherent cuteness and potential for comedy when a pride-filled DFC (“Deliciously Flat Chest” in fanspeak) is forced into an embarrassing situation. So, who’s your favorite DFC?
“When you hug a flat-chested girl, you’re closer to her heart.”
