Why we lov the Iconic!

The word Iconic, as defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

iconic(ī-ˈkä-nik )

1: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon

2: a) widely recognized and well established

b) widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence

This word gets used a lot when it comes to describing a variety of different things. But what about the shows, both anime and live action, do we consider them iconic as well? In this opinion piece, i'll try to explain this as to why they are, and why they are so beloved.

The Lore

It is the beginning of the show's world and the characters within. It gives us fans something to start with, like a detective, we're given just enough clues to determine whether if a show/and or characters is worth our time and energy to be invested in. If not, it gets thrown into the forgotten bin of shows not worth interest. But for those that do, our curiosity is peaked just enough to try to see all the connections, to see how far the rabbit hole goes.

The Landscape

The landscape where the lore begins is just as important as the lore itself. Does the landscape set in the distant past, distant future, another world, or somewhere close to the current time. In either case, when we think fondly of our iconic shows, any time a picture is shown of a particular landscape, we can immediately pinpoint where, when, and who are all involved in that scene. Some of us are even guilty of wishing they could be in that land, if only for a little while.

The Characters(Yes!)

No iconic show doesn't become iconic without its characters! It's those individuals whether you love them, or hate them, become the driving force of the show(s). From a captain of a federation starship, a leader of a warring faction, to an average person with a secret identity, their personalities keep us glued to their adventures, and their personal struggles. It is their personal struggles, we end up finding, are oddly similar to our own as we grow, looking up to these characters for the answers we find very difficult to solve for ourselves. Not only in helping to solving our real-world problems, but just maybe hoping to find their "real-world" counterparts for real, as if they truly exist.

The Themes

Adding an extra flavor to those iconic shows are the themes. How does a particular show deal with a topic which is a real life debate? Do the characters skirt around the issue, make light of it, or tackle it head on through a characters' story arc/episode? How much, be it overexaggerated, relates to us as the viewer? Have you watched an episode of your favorite show, only to see how your fave character deals with an issue which strangely mirrors your own life, and how they deal with it? And did you feel relived when you got your answer? whether you see it or not, shows with strong, not necessarily heavy themes usually are long remembered long after the show has gone off-air.

The Send-off

Every show has a beginning, middle, and unfortunately, an ending. Every character's storyline has come to a close, or an unclear conclusion to which no one knows if they'll be back or not. Some are killed off(which leaves fans to protest), feeling there is nothing more to tell except "thanks for the memories". And some shows, due to their longstanding life, come back as reboots or spinoffs, hoping to catch the same spark that the original did to a newer generation(which sometimes often fail). Our iconic shows with those iconic characters, we never want to see them die, let alone be sent off in some awkward way that makes no sense at all, better that they have the happy ending, forever living in our minds at peace for us to revisit anytime we choose.

The Real-World Application

Have you ever noticed something that seemed oddly familiar between the tech used in a show, especially in Sci-Fi, and the tech of today. If you have, you'll find that some of the tech used today were inspired by some of those very same iconic shows long after going off-air. Just when you think life can't imitate art, it does, just look at your cell phone to prove me wrong.

So what shows you love are on your iconic list? What have you learned from them that you applied to your own life? As more generations come into being, more iconic shows, both old and new will come into view, with various stories, themes, and characters too memorable to forget. So, until then, keep exploring strange new worlds, surpass your limits, and:

"Till All are One."