Yes it is that time of year again when we all get saturated with hearts and candies and finding that special someone thanks to Valentine's Day. Well all the references to love got me thinking, which it more compelling, the tragic love story or the couple who goes through some tough times but in the end they are together?

Or is that even a fair question? If we were to name some of the most famous couples in books, cinema, video games...does one type of story show up more than the other?

I guess in a nushell what is your preference? Do you have one?

I look forward to reading your thoughts on this.

It's got to be going through tough times and then living happily ever after. If you like the characters through the story, you are going to be wanting them to be satisfied at the end of the story, too. So you don't really want it being tragic, and then the story ends. You end up thinking that the story only depressed you because it didn't turn out well!

I don't know, I have a thing about bad endings which I don't like. It would be like if they don't save the world in Armageddon. You've wasted 2 hours of your life watching a failed attempt. The same goes for love stories. If it doesn't work out, what was the point in reading it? People are going to disagree with that logic, but it's my logic and I'm sticking to it!

Valentine's Day isn't really that romantic though. It's too commercial now. Prepare something in the middle of July and REALLY surprise that special someone. They'll have no idea!

I agree with you, Scott. I find myself all too depressed when I watch a movie and the ending is super tragic, like the Rurouni Kenshin OVA's....I bawled at the end of both of them, they depressed me that much.

If I had any prefrence at all though...haha, I hate romance...love to watch romantic comedies, but...yeah, Valentines Day stinks and I'm not just saying that because I'm horridly single and the guy I love dumped me for someone else.

BTW...Love your set Scott...Ouran rules!!!

I... don't really know! It depends what type of mood I'm in. Sometimes I'll prefer the happy endings, but sometimes the beauty of a tragic ending is what really touches me. I think we'd all like to believe in happy endings, and to see characters you care about get what they want and deserve is great, but sometimes, things just don't happen the way they should. It's how life goes, and I think a tragic love story stays with you far longer than a happy ending.

But, I think that however much of an impact a tragic ending has on you, at times you'll wish that things could have turned out differently. Like, what if Romeo had actually received Friar Lawrence's letter in Romeo and Juliet? Or what if Izzy and Denny had the chance to get married in Grey's Anatomy? And of course, what if Aerith had been saved? The stories wouldn't have been as memorable as they are, but maybe the characters would have had a chance to be together, and that would have been worth it.

Taking CxA as an example, I wonder how much of a fan I would've been if Aerith hadn't died. A tragic end evokes so many what if's, possibilities, emotions... there's the chance it could work itself out or it could spiral into darkness, depression, obsession... (gee, sound like a certain blond we know?).

I don't find couples with a happy ending too boring. In fact, in the hands of a skilled writer, they can face some pretty grim stuff-- and when done right, it can actually feel sadder than a couple with a tragic end.

But generally, I guess there's a sense of finality in a "happy ending"-- you're left to assume they lived happily ever after. Oh, sure, problems might crop up, but those problems have a more AU-ish feel than the problems faced by the survivor of a tragic couple. It's like tragic ends naturally lead to dark continuations, whereas future darkness for a happy end seems more like an alternate possibility than a plausible one. (And god only knows if I made sense there. :P)

I guess I lean towards couples that don't work out (not working out meaning either one or both people involved are dead/NA) more than couples who do (let's see.... the two couples I remotely ship are Cloud/Aerith and Nicolai/Karin... yep, looks like the trend to me). But that doesn't mean I don't sit back sometimes and sigh how there will never be any children carrying Cloud and Aerith's lovely genetics. :lol:

True, true! I seem to like tragic love stories more than romcom bickering-and-falling-in-love affair as a whole, but it all depends. Sappy dramas with amnesia and the hero/heroine suddenly getting cancer/suddenly dying in a weird, unexplained way are usually not my cup of tea, since they can be sooo drawn out. But stories where the hero and heroine dance around each other pretending they're not in love, stories where you want to scream 'GET TOGETHER ALREADY!' annoy me so much more!

I also agree with Scott, to a point: when I read/watch a good piece of work, I empathize with the characters and of course want those with love interests to end up together and I am very happy when they do. But the pairings that stay with me for a long time are those that end in tragedy, like Kenshin and Tomoe and Cleris. There's a certain bittersweet feeling that just tugs at my heartstrings that I don't feel very often with happy endings.

EXCEPTION: If the happy ending is well written and the relationship is believable, I have to admit that it is great to :fangirl: over characters who end up together happily. It's great to reread/rewatch their stories and :fangirl: at the romantic moments! Some happy endings that I like are Tor/Aerin from Robin McKinley's overThe Hero and the Crown and Almanzo/Laura from the Little House on the Prairie series.

I like happy middles where you see the couple dating and in a relationship with lots of kissing and sex.

For me, it really depends. I like all kinds of love stories whether they're the "happily ever after" type or the tragic type. It really just depends on how much I'm drawn into the story by the plots and the characters themselves.

I find CXA to be pretty unique though, because I personally don't think it really fits into either category. On first impressions, you could say that it's a tragedy, but there's a really important message behind it with the whole theme of Life and existence...so in the end, I think it's like one of those "happily ever after" stories too. :)

I do find tragic love stories like Romeo and Juliet to be more memorable though, definitely.

Okay im going to be really mushy gushy on this but i just love it when there is a tragic story with many obsticals and drama and then everything settle down at the end when the main pairing end up with each other...

So i guess based on that ill have to say i love happy endings..hehe

and im a really Huge fangirl for those kissey lovey dovey moments

:fangirl:

Happy Endings are pretty good (when used properly of course) the fact that two people can love each other, and surpassing through all the trails and still in love really does get to your emotions.

And the Tragic Love storys are very well. Since of how much (when written well) the characters become attachted to you and yet beyond death or something else tragic they still love each other (like CxA) it holds a place of rememberance. And besides the fact that I'm a huge Romeo and Juliet fan (and studying it this year in English ^^) I guess you can say even though I like both I kinda like tragic love stories more.

Hmm, I like the tragic stories with a good ending. Not the fairy tale, "ride off into the sunset" kind, but the "ends up together after ten years apart" kind. And please, not a soppy drama with all the mush! I like it when it's sort of like bittersweet dark chocolate. I guess that still counts as a happy end? Anyway, I don't think anyone who likes the couple would truly wish for a tragic end.

It depends. I think Romeo and Juliet are really dumb kids, but I appreciate the story they're in.

I hate Titanic to pieces, but I adore Moulin Rogue. I hate Fushigi Yuugi, but I like RahXephon (the two main characters are not separated by not only distance, but time and fate as well).

And do I have to say I love the prototype love story of Pride and Prejudice?

I guess in the end, it really depends on the two characters of said relationship. How they build up independently and how their personalities mesh with each other on how they view their world in general. Tongues in mouths is not romantic for me. A couple in a gondola, whispering to each other in which the reader can't hear them as the guy steering said gondola was smiling but was more concentrated on rowing the boat slowly... THAT's the magic of it all.

I tend to like bittersweet endings. You know, where everything is all happily ever after, but it's not all tragic either.

But if I had to choose between a happy and a sad ending, I'd have to go with happy.

I like bittersweet endings too (Pan's Laybrinth, anyone?). Not quite the happy ending everyone wanted -- but something to give a little hope that even if things didn't turn out gee golly swell, maybe they will one day.

I rather enjoy tragedy, because tragedies are always deep and beautiful.

I can't say I agree totally with Scott, but I'd agree nonetheless.

Although I like those kind of endings that satisfies the readers/watchers/players and the characters, the endings I really appreciate the most is where the ending is a mystery. I like having endings left open to interpretation that gets you thinking and debating and such. I like the feeling where it makes you think up your own conclusions and endings. Although, when it gets to fandom these kind of endings can get pretty messy, if you get what I'm trying to say. :P

It's best when it shows the couple dating and in a relationship with kissing, sex, dates and more kissing and sex. As long as there is lots of kissing and sex, it's great. I like storylines that show the couple dating and in a relationship and being boyfriend and girlfriend for a long time during the series. There also must be lots of kissing and sex for it to be great. There must be a lot of kisses and the couple must be dating and in a relationship during the series and they will have sex during the series. I like series which show the couple dating and in a relationship with lots of kissing and sex. It must show the relationship, so the couple is dating and in a relationship during the series.

I just love series that show the couple dating and in a relationship during the series with lots of kissing and sex scenes. Sex and kissing are very important and it must show the couple dating and in a relationship during the series and they must be a couple during the series and show them in a relationship. The more kisses and sex, the better.

I really like endings like that too, since that is where lots of good fan fiction comes from - interpretation! Loads of interpretation has come from FF VII and that is a lot more complete than other stories, so when a story has a "you decide" ending, I think it's great because then what you want to happen will happen.

Of course, I would probably end up making it a happy ending after all :gift:

I like... alot of different endings. All types of endings, Tragic, Happy, and everything in-between have a chance at pulling off a good ending. I try to keep an open mind and not just decide what kind of ending i would like to happen because if I did then I would just be upset over an ending that's actually done pretty well, even though it's not what I wanted to happen.

But overall I guess I like split sad/happy endings.

Example would be "Ichigo 100%" manga. *SPOILz*

Basically your everyday harem manga. One guy(Manaka) and alot of girls. Three main choices of girls are shown throughout the manga. (Toujo, Satsuki, and Nishino) We are given several scenes with Manaka with each of the girls. Chapters and chapters of building his relationship with each of the girls. All of the girls confess near the end of the manga and he has to choose. He chooses. Now by this point you've most likely chosen your favorite girl... and the end(His choice) decides whether or not you believe it to be a happy/sad ending.

BTW, I was happy. >=)

The only endings I like are Happy/ Scary endinds (you know...the ones that you always see the person alive looks back to find the psycho gone, and the ones with the creepy laugh at the end XD)

The sad endings make me sad. Hate them So much that I dont EVER wanna see the movie EVER!

I like it when the couple gets together at the beginning of the series. It is best when the couple gets together during the beginning or middle of the series, so you see them dating and in a relationship with lots of kissing and sex. It's better to have a couple together in the beginning and middle of the series.

Personally,
I'd prefer happy endings as it makes my heart feel at ease.
I don't mind tragic endings, depending on the story though.

For me unguessable ending is the best...even if it's happy or tragic...
But, happy ending sure helps me cheer up..! :P :P