Part 1: The Definition.
The biggest problem we are having is that we are using a word haphazardly without actually defining what it is. We as asking ourselves if different anime shows are blurring together because they are soaked in moeblob juices and have no real content. Like those stupid chocolate balls. Taste good, but in the end it's hollow.

So what is moé? If it can be male, than why it is mainly only used of cute girls? What we say is "Tsundere" or "Yandere" is not restricted by age, looks, or gender. Clint Eastwood on Gran Torino could be said to be Tsundere. Old, mean, but very loyal to the (literally) the end, but is he Moé? So again, what is Moé


Click to read their respective "Moé" in terms of anime.

After thinking way harder than I should have about it, The Office (US) could be easily said to be a Moéblob. It is literally the U.S. version of a slice-of-life. The Office is the day to day life of Dunder Mifflin. It is what happens when K-On meets office life. It has Tsunderes in the likes of Dwight, Angela, Oscar, and Erin. Andy could be said of being Yandere in Season 2, before he went to anger management. It even has those cute moments that Moéblobs are known for. Kevin spilling his chilli, and "Jim is passionate about itallian food" segments come to mind. So after comparing The Office with nearly everything Kyoto Animation has done, I have a clear definition of what moé is.

Moé alt. spelling Moe (moe-eh moe-E) Adj. 1) A character that the viewer cares for. 2) Describes an action thought to be cute. 3) A character the artist intends to be cared for.

Moéblob alt spelling Moeblob, Moé blob, Moe blob Adj 1) A form of literature that has no true antagonist. 2) A piece of art that is thought to have been made so that the viewer cares for it.

The first definition that I came up with for Moé would correctly describe most of the characters of The Office and the likes of K-On. We care for most, if not all the characters of The Office and K-On. The second would describe the likes of a maid spilling a drink, or Kevin spilling his chille. The final one is a catch all that can be used for films like Sleeping with Hinako. We know that we are intended to care for Hinako, so we call her Moé.

All shows that we describe as Moéblobs have no true antagonist. The Office never really has a real antagonist. Ryan would be the only one that comes close, for about 3 episodes. K-On has no antagonist. This is because life has no real antagonist. The last is also a catch all. It would make it so that the forms like OS-Tans would be considered Moeblobs.

Part 2: So is anime dead? Or Should I call 911?



Because I defined Moé as overall care for a character, the answer would be no, it's not dead. The reason why is easy, we are supposed to care for the character. Astoboy comes to mind in a flash. We care for Astroboy as he is abused time and time again. We truly want to save him in the very first episode, and want to give him a loving home. Hell, Lupin the Third we even care for. He is a dirty perverted thief, but we care about him enough that we continue watching, and he is a thief!

Until we stop caring about what our character are doing, anime is going to live. For without care, there is no viewership. It is trait that was thrown about on female anime character, without any thought. The truth was, we had Moé right under our noses, but were stuck in the Land of the Rising Sun to look elsewhere, and therefore we could not define it. As long as you care about whatever, it can be described as Moé, end of story.