The Misuse of the Term - Manic Pixie Dream Girl

We need to stop calling Clementine from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Summer from 500 Days of Summer - Manic Pixie Dream Girls. They aren't! I try my best to explain why.
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⚡️ Twitter: / tahkawa
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[@blahkabelison2234]

Donkey is shrek's manic pixie dream girl CHANGE MY MIND

[@salomown]

Soupy Chang i think we downloaded different versions

[@Menaceblue3]

@@salomown You probably downloaded the wrong version. The video Soupy Chang saw was the real video. It's a masterpiece on the level such as "citizen kane" or "saving private Ryan". You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll jizz all over the walls in your house. I give it 10/10 layers of onions

[@melodyhaviland9393]

Blahkabelison O H N O

[@rebelbelle1039]

Blahkabelison 😂

[@beautyandtheoffbeats]

FAX

[@maddieclarke258]

Say it with me folks. Quirky does not equal manic pixie dream girl

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

Goth girl

[@wizardrat8520]

maddie clarke haha true

[@bronzeage4579]

@@thelegacyofgaming2928 Goth ladies rock.

[@hill280]

Ehh I've known a few naturally quirky girls who cranked it up to a 10 in order to be the manic pixie dream girl Do you know what they ended up being instead? Insufferable

[@preyslaydisplay]

And colored hair lmao

[@balaurteodora8921]

"Too many guys think I'm a concept, or I complete them, or I'm gonna make them alive. But I'm just a fucked-up girl who's lookin' for my own peace of mind; don't assign me yours." Ironically, Clementine literally states how she's not a manic pixie dream girl

[@sgshumblecrumb6046]

The point of the manic pixie dream girl is that it's a fantasy. No one is actually a manic pixie, they're real people, and I feel like that was the point of her character (and Summer's).

[@rosiejones9241]

I found her unrealistic though. And classic MPDG to state how ‘fucked up’ you are

[@uzairaziz4879]

but still i think "she can fix me"

[@wolfone8538]

@@uzairaziz4879 get help

[@andreTVist]

@@uzairaziz4879 no

[@y2krobot666]

girl with hair dye does NOT equal manic pixie dream girl

[@glanni]

people compensate too much of their lack of life experience and common sense with what they've seen in movies

[@Funkopedia]

A lot of lazy writers use things like that as shorthand (or sometimes non-lazy writers that want to focus on other parts of the story and so use shorthand to fill in parts they consider unimportant). Having watched a lot of movies, we internalize that technique and apply it to the next movie as well, not knowing right away that this movie is using a different set of rules and cinematic language.

[@zteevydood870]

@Indiana Jones tbh Ramona isn't even really manic pixie either, especially not in the comic, she's revealed to be a largely flawed and selfish person. She even straight-up leaves Scott at one point so she could figure out what to do with her life or whatever, definitely not a manic pixie.

[@saigie3908]

FRRR

[@Ilovepoopin]

Sadly, dyed hair used to be one of my biggest turn on to a woman's attractiveness. Then the Femma-Nazi's got ahold of the idea and now anytime I see a woman with colored hair and try to talk to them, they act like the most stuck up anti-men-snobs I've dealt with. It happened to many times, even in just a normal situation where I am talking to a person near by who so happens to be a chick with dyed hair, that I stopped talking to dyed haired women just so I stop having to deal with random unjustified hate "Sorry for treating you like a person, and not like some sort of love interest. Jeezus!"

[@jodiroseallan9160]

I am depressed goblin nightmare boy

[@user-ct8us9un1f]

🤣🤣🤣

[@atis9061]

so write about it

[@thomasmclake]

Literally John goblicon from necrogoblicon

[@madhatter4173]

Classic! 🤣🤣

[@m5d1e]

i’m a sad confused pig girl

[@themadthatter]

I feel like 500 Days of Summer is one of the most misinterpreted films out there. I don't understand how so many people could come out of it rooting for the protagonist. To me, it seemed so obviously about the problems of having a relationship with someone who wants something completely different to you.

[@AlienZizi]

i watched the movie when i was way too young to understand stuff like that, and i think that just might be the case for a lot of other misunderstood movies too :/ sometimes i even doubt myself nowadays when i dislike movies that seem to be liked by others hahah

[@breathJONNYstay]

I honestly I was too young to understand 500 Days of Summer when I first watched and was on the protagonist side and also had a huge crush on Joseph at the time so that didn’t help. I can honestly say I misinterpreted it due to my gullible age lol

[@Lafemmefutile]

It’s definitely a maturity thing. I knew I was watching the movie from the POV of the guy but I could also understand as a woman that I could tell a man is not the one for me even though we get along on some things. I think the fact that the movie was working so aggressively to paint the male character as devoted to the woman mixed the signals up that she was just not that into him. He was a glorified seat warmer.

[@akashic3]

It’s partial maturity and partially this weird internalized empathy with protagonists. Walter White, Rick Sanchez, Don Draper, you’re not supposed to root for them, even described by their creators as terrible, but the viewer roots for them, even going as far as to hate other characters for getting in their evil way (Skyler in BB). I watched the movie because I loved JGL, and thankfully watched it later when I was more aware of what a healthy relationship meant.

[@rumblefish9]

themadthatter To be honest both of them are garbage people. Summer is a garbage person because she still hangs out with someone she clearly has no feelings for which in turn keeps the guy hanging on to her until she eventually grows bored of him and disposes him for the next guy and the protagonist is garbage because he's in denial. Both of them are meh. 500 Days of Summer TRIES to have the depth of eternal sunshine and the spotless but fails at it.

[@-grey]

Tyler Durden is the best manic pixie dream girl.

[@eurekamreum5458]

The hottest one

[@lilyc.g.5567]

FUCK YES

[@lexicoelho8562]

のぢGrey thanks bae

[@sambagels6476]

love that

[@nerveagent1905]

For real, tho

[@PrettyBoyKii]

Clementine and Summer were specifically written as the anti- manic pixi dream girl. The whole plot is written around how a man desperately wanted her to be that stereotypical trope and was angered and embittered when she refused to conform. Both women were staunchly upfront that is not who they are nor is it who they would become. And that is why I love those character.

[@PoochieCollins]

Mostly agree about Summer, although she lead Tom on even when it would've been obvious that he was pretty into her. The movie's two main characters had major downsides, and were in many ways realistic. OTOH, Joel never implicated that he expected Clementine to be a MPDG (I just rewatched the film). She said that predominantly for the audience, as I interpret it. She was generally a somewhat narcissistic, unlikable character, IMO.

[@sherlockholmes4059]

@@PoochieCollins am I the only who sees that Summer tried to be with him. She showed him more of herself while he didn’t even listen. She saw him punching a guy, just because his ego couldn’t take his comment. She cried in the cinema, because in that moment everything came to picture, this feeling of love wasn’t there and it would never appear.

[@persephone2706]

For some reason I think I see people equating unusual hair colors to manic pixie dreamgirl-ness. It's stupid.

[@rem672]

Stephanie Ann YES

[@ChaoticNeutralGoth]

It's probably because of Ramona Flowers

[@amandawerner7637]

Caffeine Alien but ramona also isn’t a manic pixie dreamgirl...

[@rumblefish9]

@@ChaoticNeutralGoth But Ramona IS a manic pixie dreamgirl!

[@rumblefish9]

@@MeatCatCheesyBlaster You've clearly never been to Instagram, then.

[@auroraborealis675]

How the dude in 13 reasons why sees Hannah

[@psython2160]

That show was too insufferable to watch completely.

[@Rose-yg2cu]

TRUE

[@raewalter3410]

At least on the show. The book is way different. The second season's story line contradicts the original story.

[@MrTooEarnestOnline]

Omg!!! Exactly!!!

[@VicViper1984]

Well yeah, 13 reasons why is just an exercise in terrible writing that gained popularity due to a widely subscribed to but horribly ignorant view on it's subject matter rather than any quality of it's own.

[@corrienotcorey]

These movies are the reason the men I dated were delusional. "You remind me of Summer, you're so spontaneous." GAG ME DUDE

[@corrienotcorey]

@Cameron Smith they were all absolute dummies 🤦‍♀️

[@IvanLendl87]

annie Wow, you sound like a real catch.

[@corrienotcorey]

@@IvanLendl87 I am engaged sooooo

[@isaisabe1]

@@IvanLendl87 please shut the fuck up

[@alinakinyaeva1836]

'GAG ME DUDE' Well, if you say so

[@maxeh9879]

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind is and always will be a work of genius

[@eldamarker]

In most of the scenes in 500 Days of Summer, Tom doesn't even look like he's REALLY looking at Summer, even when he does nothing but stare at her. Especially in that scene were she's confiding in him, his eyes are just glazed over & he's just gawking at her like "Wow you're so perfect I'm totally listening to anything you're saying right now".

[@OyasumiBlerd]

Elda Marker You can say that this is a play on how, “you don’t love me, you love the idea of me”. Tom loves the idea of idealized perfection. His sister points out his idea of perfection is a cute girl who listens to the same music he does. However, this is broad and doesn’t narrow in what Tom wants truly.

[@natureshorts6657]

I actually hated that film as I thought Tom was so beta and pathetic it was difficult to watch. Any guy who thinks and acts the way he does in that film deserve to be left.

[@s.a.8548]

@@natureshorts6657 Cut him some slack. He was just new to the whole idea of love and just ignorant. Most people are like that when they first find someone they feel that strongly about. That's why most first loves don't last.

[@AlexiasPlaylist]

@@OyasumiBlerd I just thought summer was a selfish bitch

[@AlexiasPlaylist]

@@natureshorts6657 any guy who actually thinks "beta" and "alpha" applies to human beings is delusional lmao

[@ifihadanocelot]

Margo from Paper Towns is a manic pixie dream girl in the same sense that Summer is. Margo is a character who is constantly being misimagined by everyone, especially the protagonist. John Green once said some like "I don't know how I could have made that more obvious without naming it 'The Lie of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl and the Harm it Causes Young People'"

[@shan9659]

ifihadanocelot Yeah he or Hanksaid once something along the lines of “the book is literally about a guy who obsesses over a girl and chases her down when she specifically asks him not to and then when he finally finds her instead of being rewarded for his behavior she tells him to fuck off.”

[@bloomingflower2855]

I do agree that she wasnt manic pixie dream girl but I didn't like her character. I mean I wish we got to see more sides of her. You only get to see her as the girl who's kinda deep and wants to travel. You never get to see other parts of her and because of this it makes her seem like one.

[@taralucent1219]

I understand what you mean, but I still don't like Margot.

[@coffeesticks_03]

Blooming Flower I get what you mean but I feel like that’s kinda the point. We see the point of view of the guy who ONLY sees her as this idealized girl. Then she shoots him down towards the end of the book and all that romance shatters.

[@R0NYFL0NY]

@@taralucent1219 You shouldn't, she's a bad person. That doesn't make her poorly written.

[@rameji-chan737]

My ex showed me 500 Days of Summer to tell me that I was his Manic Pixie Dream Girl.. He didn't get the gist of the movie at all, I think. Great video!

[@israfielvalhorn6460]

I assume that's why he's your ex ? XD

[@degansoliz2584]

Those dudes are the worst! We're real life actual people and being called or considered a mpdg isn't a compliment

[@TheUkuleleAffair]

My ex did that too after he watched the other film, The Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind.

[@lovinliverpool]

So demeaning. Thank god he's your ex. I wish the term never existed.

[@zgb3l]

Omg a guy I used to date was like that too. He said summer was perfect and just didn’t get it haha but now I know he was looking at het the way tom viewed her too looool

[@glanni]

"500 Days of Summer" seems like a deconstruction of the manic pixie dream girl trope

[@glanni]

@Johan Liebert True, it may deconstruct both but primarily it's definitely the nice guy trope that's under scrutiny.

[@Jamie-pm7we]

@@glanni Same with Eternal Sunshine, the film perfectly sets the viewer up to see Clementine as a MPDG, then shows how she's not for the rest of the runtime. Sadly, if someone is inclined to view her in that way, the line about her being "just a fucked up girl looking for my (her) own peace of mind" probably only contributes to that perception, because then the nice guy will just add 'independent' to his list of qualities he's projected onto her without it necessarily being justified..

[@TheDude4077]

The scene you're showing at 4:50 is a really key moment in showing how the film is not about a manic pixie dream girl but about how Tom is viewing a three-dimensional person in a one-dimensional way. In that scene she's sharing really personal and vulnerable feelings with Tom, and the narration says something like "and Tom knew he was the first person to ever hear this". He's not actually paying attention to anything she's saying and feeling, he's just thinking something along the lines of "Wow I unlocked the backstory, I'm in for sure now!". It's a really clear example that Summer is a deeper and more complex character, and Tom actually barely pays attention to her. This was a great video, you really hit the nail on the head!

[@LimeyLassen]

"I've unlocked the backstory" fucking lmao

[@sammy.knuckles]

@@LimeyLassen "Achievement Unlocked!"

[@RegstarRogstar]

Ive unlocked the flags and now im getting the backstory CGs!

[@valeriavagapova]

Such a good catch, I never thought about it this way before and it's eye-opening. As soon as you put yourself in Tom's place in this scene it all makes perfect sense.

[@TheMoreTheMary_]

Yes thank you! I always loved how the narration muffles out what she's saying apart from the one phrase "I've never told anyone that". Much like Tom is more focussed on that than on what Summer is actually saying

[@birdsongphylactery]

The big problem with the term is what began as an attempt to critique men who were blatantly putting their adolescent fantasies into their screenplays at the expense of character depth turned into something thrown at real women by men for being too ‘quirky’, even as they simultaneously desired that very attribute.

[@robertbaur3145]

the terms is not being thrown at women BY Men its being thrown at them by feminist types whom even if they resemble the quirkiness themselves don't want to be viewed as exclusively JUST a love interest Personally I do not think there is anything wrong with love or falling in love because someone has a quirly personality I don't think that doing so is shallow and I don't think it ignores the person as a whole People forget that film tropes ARE not meant to be complete representations of reality There are make foils as well Tropes are tropes because they fulfill a purpose in a script because scripts unlike real life has metaphors, themes, as well as rising and falling action character development where events DO have significance designed for the main protagonist benefit In real life if someone orders a sandwich that is not a personally relevant event in YOUR life its not a contrivance designed with any "character's" point of view in mind. So is it any wonder that real life relationships are more neutral more complex more random than one's deliberately constructed FOR a film and is it fair to condemn the falling of love with someone because they have a quirky personality What about the thoughts in Summer we do NOT See. How do we know that Summer did not love Tom at all? How do we know that HE was not HER manic pixie dream guy and HE influenced her to be more committed in relationships Maybe she did like Tom but was not "ready" at the time Maybe they would even get back together in the future We don't know because its a movie with an "ending" unlike life where the end is not known, I think people whom are criticizing Tom here are really criticizing everyone's desire to fall in love with someone whom behaves in certain ways and its not exactly something someone can control In real life half of all marriages end and even fewer relationships survive so what exactly is the criticism of Tom other than being too naive and TOO romantic which could literally be said of anyone male or female completely unrelated to the MPDG trope altogether. A much better moral I think is its better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all even if its not based on a complete psychological examination of whom someone REALLY is. That is not only the difference between being in love with someone and knowing them its also the difference what they call passionate vs companionte love BOTH are real both are valid and important The either or approach the 500 days of Summer movie takes I think is silly and perfect example of dichotomous thinking One can have and one can value both.

[@chettlar212]

This is so perfectly put.

[@AlienZizi]

we been knew women are punished for trying to or succeeding at living up to what's expected of them

[@fruitygarlic3601]

@Elisa Castro Wowie, that's such a hot take, Janet.

[@syd2698]

@Elisa Castro I mean, you're quite bitter

[@dariusmorgan5343]

“That crazy Elijah Wood Character” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Crochetems]

Darius Morgan Paaaatrick baaaaby boy

[@crablord7934]

Frodo is hella creepy

[@alexcisthunnery3729]

I miss him so much. 😭😭

[@alexcisthunnery3729]

@@crablord7934 why?

[@grazielaalmeida8438]

you gotta love him

[@ggguitar.]

Eternal Sunshine is the perfect movie. It breaks my heart in nearly every scene.

[@rathelmmc3194]

It's definitely the best movie that Jim Carrey has ever done.

[@filipstezewski1517]

I love this movie in so many ways - the camera work, the music, the way the story is presented, the colours used, the messed up, flawed characters. Perfect? Maybe not, but it's definitely a work of art.

[@donp5038]

@@rathelmmc3194 The Truman Show is equal to it imho but both are awesome

[@YolandaGirl]

I like that he called out Summer for flirting with Tom. A lot of analysis say she did nothing wrong but it always bothered me that she spent so much time with him at the wedding without so much as mentioning her fiance.

[@mattbritzius570]

Amen.

[@OyasumiBlerd]

YolandaGirl agreed. She was always clear that she didn’t want a relationship through verbal cues but through body language, Tom and the audience could read the opposite.

[@NEOMASSO]

She did nothing wrong? She's crazy. She was in the entire movie. Tom just didn't listen to his better judgement.

[@YolandaGirl]

@@NEOMASSO you clearly didn't read my comment. Lol.

[@YolandaGirl]

@mist they were expect for one comment which misunderstood what I was saying.

[@billycollins6005]

Eternal Sunshine is my favorite film of all time but I have only watched it twice.... it's just such an emotional trip for me. Its a rare thing when a movie affects you on such a deep level that you can't even bring yourself to watch it. Great video btw.

[@TropeAnatomy]

Its my #1 of all time as well and yeah I always have a lot to process after watching it. I can't watch it whenever, I have to be in the right frame of mind. And thanks!

[@TropeAnatomy]

Its my #1 of all time as well and yeah I always have a lot to process after watching it. I can't watch it whenever, I have to be in the right frame of mind. And thanks!

[@mmmuuuuuuuuiiiiiiiiirrrrr]

It's very hard for me to watch, too. I think that says a lot about the performances in the movie. It feels so REAL, emotionally.

[@jaredjenkins99]

That’s me with It’s Such A Beautiful Day. Except I’ve seen it like 10 times but it always hurts and it’s always amazing

[@araceli1750]

SAME! Just seeing the snippets of it in this video already put me an emotional knot in my throat.

[@valeriesanchez7719]

Being labeled as a “Manic Pixie dream girl” is putting a lot of pressure on someone. I feel like women should be flawed & free in their own way. If someone looks at you that way while still knowing all your flaws and you feel the same way back then it works.

[@flaviafernandes-yq7vc]

well, it is a label created for fictional characters, not actual people. If people are actually using it that way then there's a lot to unpack there.

[@christhornycroft3686]

It took me a long time to see the term as more than just “goofy, girly and creative.” My ex was a lot like Clementine. She wasn’t a MPDG, but I think I drove her away by trying to make her one. It’s just unfortunate I didn’t see that at the time. I was the problem.

[@mittag983]

@@christhornycroft3686 Your user name reveals all your problems...

[@ryuzakl]

​@@flaviafernandes-yq7vcIve been going down a rabbit hole trying to educate myself of the MPDG trope. My "friend" has full fledgedly called me one. I know im so late to reply but could you or anyone really elaborate further on what there is to unpack towards calling a real person a mpdg, thx

[@groovypullet2337]

The same us true of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's. At first glance she's a classic mpdg, but the whole point of that story is that her carefree ways are a mask for her unhappiness and that her behaviour is bad for her and those around her.

[@MsSphinx91]

I'd say she's an mpdg whose story has a logical conclusion. The problem is not the personality or the shallowness of the character. It's when the writers don't call the situation for what it is. If Holly would have continued her lifestyle with no consequences, with the movie ending happily as the male character joins her in her dysfunction, then it would've done a disservice to Holly's character. That's where most movies get the mpdg wrong: they present what would normally be considered a dysfunctional character and then idealize that dysfunction. In Breakfast at Tiffany's, the male character, who is not uptight or brooding, is masking his own unhappiness while observing a woman doing the same thing. They don't judge each other, but they do try to help each other. It's a sweet story... Despite Mickey Rooney's yellow face performance.

[@keirameredith2422]

plus Holly has a backstory in which she ran away from a life she didn't want and now lives as someone else entirely

[@Em-fz5uh]

That's what I was thinking too. She's first seen as carefree perfect and quirky but she's so much more. She's sad and lonely and she tries to follow her dreams. Her backstory is really important too. To me it's the man who could be this type of character.

[@StellaMariaGiulia]

MsSphinx91 but a mpdg is by its own definition a shallow character whose only role is to uplift a male character. Film Holly and book Holly even more are well rounded characters with their own story and purpose. In that sense I agree with you that male and female characters find and help each other as equals.

[@just-trying-my-best-everyday]

The mpdg abbreviation reminds me of mpreg and I'm not sure how I feel about that...

[@Awesomepedia]

Great video, you actually changed my mind.

[@Hayseus712]

Awesomepedia wtf, this is the internet, you can’t just casually tell someone they “changed your mind” here

[@saltyshapeervessel2.062]

Awesomepedia wtf

[@shavisikaria7015]

That's refreshing.

[@plainlake]

He made me think long and hard on some girls I have had crushes on, and my ex.

[@GuillaumeRx]

​@@Hayseus712 Ahah, I've actually had the same thought a few times. The most surprising time happened to me 5 years ago. I got into an argument and wrote probably a 100 line youtube comment making a point about my view on music. The guy replied, and I quote: "You're the most logical person I've met on KZbin. I can only agree with everything you just said. Thank you. Today, you've made me a better person". That was quite unexpected, refreshing and surprising.

[@XxSouIxX]

Clementine is the antithesis of the MPDG. I can't believe some people actually lump her in that category! I love the scene when Elijah Wood gives her a present that he knows she will be crazy about because it actually used to belong to her but she doesn't remember about it, and Clementine thanks him but at the same time she seems really irritated, as if she was annoyed that somebody else could figure her out so easily and find a predictable present that would match her tastes perfectly. It's very paradoxical but also very human. She would have probably preferred a present that didn't particularly delight her but that reasserted the fact that she has complicated tastes and desires that can't be easily zeroed in on and satisfied.

[@niabride7636]

You put it in the right words. You should make own video on this, great explanation.

[@Kate-ms2mn]

Nah, you're just misunderstanding the trope. Clementine has no motive or reason for existing outside of being the exact person needed to drive Joel's character development. That's what MPDG is, that's why the writing is bad. I can't believe people actually think she has depth, beyond any superficial depth that the plot demands.

[@chinggis_khagan]

​@@Kate-ms2mn Being the right person for the protagonist's character development isn't MPDG, that's like, nearly all romantic comedies. Either she has depth (in which case she is not a MPDG) or she doesn't. I have no idea what 'superficial depth is', but as for being what 'the plot demands', of course her personality helps drive the plot & main arc, it would be bad writing if it didn't.

[@oneslikeme]

​@@Kate-ms2mn That would only be true if Joel didn't drive her development, and he did. This whole story changed both of them. Of course she has depth. This story was unfortunately told mostly from Joel's POV, mainly because she does the memory wipe first, but it would work pretty much identically if it was told from her POV. We would see all the things about him that drove her nuts and pushed her toward her decision to erase her memory, the wiping of her mind and any regret she might have, the aftermath and re-meeting Joel and how it changes them. It would be the same, just her experience of it. Would you say then that Joel exists to further her development? They both arc. The conflict of this story centers on the clash of their personalities, so yes, her existence helps drives Joel's development, but his does the same for her.

[@jadeasora]

Okay off topic but there are too many P’s in this paragraph

[@oliviasfreckles2330]

it's weird how you'll meet guys in real life that will project manic pixie dream girl trope on to you, I'm more than just cute

[@Moonlight-yx5sg]

I’ve been there and still am, it’s the reason why I turn down most men. They want a pretty girl who’s quirky but don’t listen to them at all.

[@amberlester8352]

This 👌

[@MyFrikkinOpinion]

My ex told me I was one before I knew what that meant. Looking back on the relationship, it’s definitely how I was treated.

[@SnootchieBootchies27]

Yup. Its also weird how girls will project the "knight in shining armour" or "fragile but strong modern man" tropes onto us. Welcome to the culture wars.

[@rainbowcake4771]

Yuuup I’m sure that happens but I’ve actually never heard of those tropes. The most common fantasy women project is the “bad boy with a good heart” trope. Wether it’s guys or girls it’s always delusional and insecure people that project their fantasies onto someone else.

[@BeetleB]

Never knew what this term meant until now and my stomach started turning listening to this. Every guy I’ve been in a relationship with treats me like a manic pixie dream girl... This is freaking devastating... I need to get help and turn my life around.

[@Czadzikable]

actually, it kinda seems more like it's those guys who only saw you as their shallow fantasy need more help, as they were the ones failing to see you as a real, multidimensional person! ...unless you mean that you need help with picking guys who won't just see you through the lens of their idealised fantasy and instead find guys who will want to see and appreciate the real you. :)

[@BeetleB]

Czadzikable I haven’t been able to figure it out all these years. It’s about time I get some advice. Like you said, it might just be me picking the wrong guys.

[@EC-dg6ti]

Saaaame

[@tori2dles]

Melisa Ak - Don’t beat yourself up too much. It’s super hard to know if a potential love interest sees the deeper part of you until you get beyond the honeymoon phase (usually 3 months) and begin sharing deeper aspects of yourself. THAT is when you start to see a person’s true self: in hard times, points of conflict, disappointments, etc. This is when you can see if that potential partner will embrace your humanity or if they distance themselves from you. And ditto in reverse. It takes time to really know someone. Take heart.

[@tori2dles]

PS - I got that a lot, too. I was pretty naive and didn’t recognize the red flags. My kindness, positivity and giving nature (all good things) attracts those who’d take advantage. It took me awhile to understand that and realize that I needed to protect my heart till I truly knew a guy. That has saved me a lot of grief going forward. Best wishes.

[@makadray]

I have been this for a guy before. 14 years old, he asks me what my favourite movie is, I say the fellowship of the ring, he says his is the same and for the next 5 years he does not let up. Even his mother was encouraging his behaviour, telling me I’m so good for him and he needs me because I make him a better young man and that I have to marry him or he’ll fall apart if I break his heart. Fuck no. I wasn’t interested, and I certainly was not about to have my life’s purpose reduced to having someone’s life and moods being my sole responsibility.

[@ravenashc3425]

Sorry I had to ruin the 69 likes but *wow* I love what you said.

[@uooqij2998]

damn ma write a book that was good

[@rokranged]

yo im so glad you got tf outta there damn

[@hoangquanle3310]

Bruh that dude should better himself or get a therapist.

[@liamtahaney713]

I feel like Zoe daechanel is always in this trope at least a little

[@cutemissbubbly]

Liam Tahaney probably because she herself is seen as “quirky” and “not like other girls”

[@quattroCrazy]

Liam Tahaney the whole point of the video is that she’s not. Being pretty and quirky doesn’t make someone a MPDG. The part that matters is that the MPDG is not real character, but rather a prop in the main character’s development. This is why making up catchy names for tropes is so worthless. Once they catch on in the popular vernacular, people who don’t understand or have been misinformed about the meaning end up using the term, rendering it worthless.

[@realgamergirl4638]

I'm guessing you mean an idealized version of Zoey Deschanel is being on someone's phone wallpaper right now.

[@archer1949]

Liam Tahaney She’s played a proper MPDG only once in a single bad, forgettable movie. Yet for some reason, she’s been made the poster girl for the trope by glib, shallow internet hipsters.

[@DTD110865]

I feel like a lot of other actresses seem to fit this trope, and that it not only existed long before the phase was coined, but before I was even born. In some sense, I can get that vibe from people ranging from Audrey Hepburn to Marlo Thomas, to Melanie Paxson.

[@mayc.7746]

Clementine is far faaaarrrr away from that Manic Pixie Dream Girl thingy. I watched the movie back in 2004, when I was in my early 20s I thought she was an impulsive and vindictive character but now that I’m in my mid 30s I have more compassion for her character. Certain scenes make much more sense as of why she grew bitter towards Joel, how much she loved Joel and why erasing him was the ultimate option for her. Joel on the other hand, erased her out of retaliation , but the audience experienced the story through his eyes so we unconsciously rooted for him and we forgot that every story has 3 sides: his side, her side and the truth. We only saw his side. “Tonight. Honeymoon on ice?” Love Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind ... it’s a great movie through and through.

[@SchulzEricT]

"Erased her out of retaliation" seems unfair. I don't think that just because the writers didn't spell out the fulls spectrum of his motivations that we should just assume it was one thing. I just don't see how, if you love somebody - even if you've since fallen out of love - how you can live with the memory of them knowing that they erased their memory of you. It's too painful a thing to ask somebody to live with, having to deal with having been part of a relationship that now, in a way, never even existed. More to the point, how do you deal with that person now? Because if you try to get back together with her, you know too much about her, but if you use any of that knowledge, you're risking being manipulative. For his own peace of mind, I don't see how he could continue to live with that after she erased him. The knowledge would be too painful and also too dangerous.

[@robertstan298]

@@SchulzEricT Completely agree. I can sympathize, maybe even agree to a degree with Joel on that decision. Which is something I can not say about Clem's, it was almost a completely rash and impulsive decision, with no consideration for anything else. In a vacuum, I think Joel would have been a lot more justified to go first, but at the same time, I don't think he would have ever gone through with it to begin with (which is why I said "in a vacuum"/hypothetically).

[@LordOfTheRings897]

I am so glad that you pointed out how Clementine is absolutely NOT a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She creates problems, she gets bored, she gets depressed and angry and feels trapped. She isnt there to fix all of Joel's problems, but they fall in love anyway. Eternal Sunshine is one of my absolute favorite movies.

[@brooklynitec6888]

I've been the "manic pixie dream girl" to a guy before and it's not fun..at all. The guy saw me as this perfect woman even when I clearly showed no interest. He was always professing his "love" for me. And I felt and still feel so guilty for hurting him. I felt like a monster. Now I realize I wasn't a monster at all. He just saw me as something that he wanted me to be. I would always wonder why he "loved" me so much. We barely spent time together. Finally I realized that he just wasn't happy with himself. He was a good person but unintentionally manipulative at the same time. The irony is that I still feel guilty.

[@plutarchheavensbee3483]

Unrequited love is common. When someone falls in love their brain is pumped with chemicals much like a drug addiction. Maybe you've never been in love where the person didn't love you back? I've been in both situations. Both situations suck. Do you know which one is worse? The best thing you can do when someone has feelings for you that you dont share feelings for is avoid them. There is no alternative or you end up feeling guilty. I dont really understand why you believe its necessary to fully know someone before you fall in love. That's not really the way it works often. Biologically that's not how love works. You dont really get to know a person until past the 6 month to 1 year mark depending. The courting process and first I love you's tend to happen within 4 weeks in. I just cant say I agree with your assessment. The human race would have died off if everyone waited until they knew the person to love them. Most humans have aspects that are vile and disgusting while being overly critical of others vile and disgusting behaviors. The bottom line is that you weren't romantically interested. Had you been, no one of these things would have crossed your mind.

[@SplashBeor]

Brooklynite C OMG yes!! This happened to me too! Guys who fall for this idea of you rather than who you really are.

[@WalterUnglaub]

How does one then differentiate real love from infatuation? I legitimately don't know anymore, and now I'm paranoid that I've been that "good but unintentionally manipulative" person in the past to someone I've always viewed as perfect, someone I couldn't possibly deserve but would sacrifice everything for. Should relationships be completely avoided for fear of misinterpretation of the situation? But then as Plutarch mentioned, the human race would have died off a long time ago if everyone played it too safe....but then, shouldn't straight, brutal honesty be the best policy? And *not* simply avoiding or ghosting them? If someone has feelings for you and you don't feel the same way about them, wouldn't it be best to sit down with them and tell them the honest truth? This love business seems to continuously get trickier and more complicated the older I get....like, what is the point if most of the time people end up just getting hurt and nothing but drama results? I feel like the only successful relationships are the ones where both people are truly romantically interested in each other....I hate the fact that the person least interested in the relationship has all the power. People should just be more open and honest. Isn't that how trust is formed?

[@leowright2251]

I ended up being a sort of 'manic pixie dream girl' to someone; and was in a relationship with him for 8 years before I finally realized that I was still just a one dimensional character to him, a means to an end. I was everything he wanted to be and he was infatuated with me because he hated who he was. This never changed the whole time I knew him. Trust me when I say that the guilt you feel not forming a relationship with him may very well be better than the pain of not being treated as a true human being for years in a relationship with someone like that. I'm happy I left.

[@drankydrank1]

"How does one then differentiate real love from infatuation?" This one's truly difficult. As I've gotten older (31 currently) I've learned to be more reserved in my attachment to others. A lot of people will tell you "putting up a wall is no way to live", and it may be true - yet jumping into the deep end the moment you meet 'Summer' is just as unhealthy. Is there actually a happy medium? I've been crushed before; yet I've also realized I've completely lost interest in other relationships and crushed the other person - not to mention when both occur with the same person at different points. Which also brings up how ridiculous it is to have to deal with the fact that feelings change... How many people do you know that have had multiple break ups yet somehow are always "back together" the next time you see them? Which even further adds to the mayhem - considering those that thrive on these toxic relationships. Can I even call them toxic? The idea of "brutal honesty" sounds at least healthily pragmatic in theory. But unless you're 100% truly committed to what you want you want to convey to the other person, is it the best thing to do? Is is wrong to want to keep that door cracked? I mean yes, it is. Stringing along someone who you want to keep as a backup is an objectively uncool thing to do. But still... what might happen a month from now? How might you feel? Lol but still... don't do this. That being said and in regards to break ups... I'm still shooting in the dark here. The only thing I know to be an absolute truth, is anything that puts you in a good mood is the best thing you can do (self medicating aside). Whether it be an instance of trying to rekindle ye olde flame - which only works when you're no longer 'broken up' and can be comfortable interacting normally (no acting either, I mean actually 'okay'). Or, if you need to break it off while attempting to save the other's feelings. "Be happy"... easy right? I have no idea how to sustain an ideal relationship and I don't believe others do either. Knowing this should be common knowledge and at least something indelible you need to keep in mind. There's nothing that outrageous happening here, others can relate fully, there's nothing wrong with you, and heartbreak is no less common than a fender bender - people get banged up, you'll survive. It's difficult, it's messy, alcohol and broken property will likely be involved... But is it worth it? Of course it's worth it, that's not even a question. When I was younger my breakups made me wish I'd never met the person. Now, I wouldn't trade those memories for at least like... $1700 tl:dr I have no idea how relationships work, and I'm pretty okay with that.

[@grenbaygrl1]

My favorite example of the trope used on male characters is Jack Dawson in Titanic.

[@mgtowbooboo8530]

Why does the male version have to die to make it more romantic?

[@DelightfullyGrace]

@@mgtowbooboo8530 I'm guessing because this trope often has the manic pixie character leaving the protagonist by the end. If that character leaves their partner willingly, then it might be considered a failed relationship. If that character dies, however, then their relationship was not the problem. You could view them being the most perfect couple in fiction, as the only thing that could break them apart is the ending of life itself. That's often seen as more romantic than both of them accepting that their love story has finished and moving on from each other as better people because they still broke up and that's just no good. "Till death do us part," will always be considered more romantic.

[@JordoGarcia]

You know Leo almost didn’t take the role because Jack wasn’t “tortured” or deep enough.

[@digitalbritt2k]

There's a little more to Titanic's story though. The stakes were really high and Jack and Rose bonded in the midst of severe trauma, which caused their short-lived relationship to leave an indelible mark on both of them. Jack was willing to die for Rose in the end and Rose lived her entire life in memory of Jack. I always thought Jack/Rose was a really balanced relationship in a lot of ways. Yeah, Jack was the catalyst for Rose's development but I still think the movie runs deeper than just that. Jack was a great character.

[@yeexyee4778]

Uh Jack was his own character and well developed, so was Rose. Did we watch the same movie?

[@hafssa-203]

Dayum this video gave me brain cells I FEEL INVINCIBLE

[@emmalouise7729]

“That creepy Elijah Wood character” 😂😭😂😭 I laughed so hard

[@TheRazorTongue]

500 Days of Summer when I saw it was not what I expected. It's definitely a masterpiece on relationships. A lot of people are in love with the idea of a person or who they could become rather than who they actually are. Manic Pixie Dream Girls are like fairy Godmothers to guys. They enhance their lives then leave like a dream genie granting wishes. In real life you have to want to do that on your own for it to stick otherwise you end up becoming dependent on another person.

[@CRFSUIGENERIS]

Eddie Brock Well said! Exactly what I was thinking. We’ve all gotta find our own vitality, ambition, and passion on our own. A lovely romance can’t sustain that for you. It’s not locked up in that “perfect” person.

[@KawaiiJimmyMcGill]

Eddie Brock THIS!

[@KawaiiJimmyMcGill]

Catherine Fernandez Very true!

[@otomicans6580]

I think men with less experience are basically out of luck in cases like this. If a guy isn't in a relationship and winds up with someone he's attracted enough to, I think he'll naturally hitch his wagon of the future to that girl regardless of what she actually says. At least that was the case with me. Forget about what she says or how she acts, keep trying! And try again! The only way I broke that impulse was to date enough people that I could set aside my need for validation and look objectively for someone who wanted what I wanted in a relationship.

[@monkiram]

I agree so much. When I first saw 500 Days of Summer in theatres, I was mind blown, I don't think I've ever been so mind blown by a movie. Tom's little sister acts like the voice of reason in it and I think a turning point is where he's at her soccer game and she tells him that he's convinced that Summer was the one but that's because he's only remembering the good times and not the bad times. And at that point in the movie, we start to get flashbacks that show how their relationship wasn't so perfect and beautiful after all, and Tom's memories were biased. But yeah, I was mind blown and then when I talked about it with friends outside the theatre, their takeaway was "Ugh Summer was such a b****". Which disappointed me so much because the movie spoke to me on a deeper level than any really have before, as a huge lover of the classic romantic comedies where everything works out perfectly but who understands that life is more complex. I feel like many people didn't grasp the gem that was this movie :(

[@jemiu9525]

I was anxious at the start of this video essay that you'd really say something shitty, but this is SUCH a smart analysis! You are totally right. You actually changed my mind on 500 Days of Summer (I still don't like it, but I agree now that she's not a MPDG).

[@keirameredith2422]

This totally changed my view on (500) Days of Summer. I've watched that movie from Tom's perspective and hated Summer (and the movie overall) but I never really thought to watch it from Summer's perspective.

[@alexfoxleigh9443]

I was 27 when this film came out and despite being old enough to know better, I still found myself wanting a girlfriend like Summer, I even ended up doing almost the exact same thing as Tom, a lot of people in my life at the time (including a friend who eventually became my wife) hated the girl I was with who was like Summer as they thought she was messing me up and for a short while afterwards, I agreed. Then it struck me that she told me right from the start what our friendship was about, I'm the one who tried to pretend it was a proper relationship, I'm the one who fell in love with someone who just wanted a fun time with someone she had fun with and nothing more. It wasn't her fault, she was who she was, I just projected my desires onto her. I think I went through three phases with this movie: 1) Poor Tom, Summer is awful. 2) Poor Summer, Tom is awful. 3) They are both fine as they are, just not right together. I think it's a bit unfair to say that Summer didn't care about Tom's feelings, she tried to tell him right from the start that this wasn't going anywhere and he didn't hear her. Similarly, though, Summer should have been a little less inwardly focused and realised that Tom wasn't the sort of man she could have her kind of relationship with either. Neither of them is in the wrong but neither of them is perfect.

[@nuckygulliver9607]

relationships move in organic ways. The interpretation if people on this comment page is exactly how other people in this generation see the world,,, unrealistically. People change their minds midstream all the time.

[@sorceress1986]

Zooey Deschanel's characters get the Manic Pixie Dream Girl label because that's her "brand".

[@VeronikaAgamova]

Woooow most of the "manic pixie dream girl trope" videoes state that Summer indeed is one and it was very interesting to hear an opposite opinion. On watching 500 days of summer I hated this film, but there is apparently so much more about it that I missed while thinking "Ohh what a bitch she is to this naive poor guy!". How wrong I was! Great video, thank you!

[@numericalhorror185]

VeronikaAgamova I mean she’s still definitely not a good person. Incredibly manipulative and selfish but she was always honest about it and had no control over how Tom viewed her

[@rumblefish9]

Summer is a garbage person and so is the guy.

[@aliquidcow]

I had always thought that 500 Days of Summer looked like a movie I would absolutely hate, but your video has made me want to see it now.

[@johndou423]

I thought so at first and then saw it anyway, I loved it

[@Taymanator0051]

Same

[@richardsantanna5398]

It's a good movie, but tough to watch.

[@leahkristine]

It's not really what you think it will be. It's really well done.

[@mischr13]

I was surprised too

[@maycontainnuts3127]

I always thought of this trope as the writer's lonely dream fantasy.

[@lovelandfrog5692]

What about the depressed goblin nightmare boy

[@andybuddy]

Dude, your videos are really well thought out. I can't wait until you have a larger audience.

[@TropeAnatomy]

thank you so much!

[@LynRodriguez123]

And then he never uploaded again

[@robofistsrevenge3288]

Good lord, thank you. People seem to equate any female character who acts quirky or dresses differently as a MPDG without actually looking at their place in the narrative or their actual, you know, character. This is what makes Clementine and Summer such important characters for a variety of reasons. And honestly (at least in the books) Ramona Flowers could be considered the same antithesis. We start the story seeing her through Scott's unreliable lens, only to peel back the layers as the books go on to see that she's every bit as damaged and toxic as Scott is. Again, damn, thank you for spending nearly 9 minutes setting the record straight.

[@Di7manya]

Eventhough it isn't explored too deeply I'd argue Ramona isn't a MPDG in the movie either. Just by having a backstory she doesn't fit the definition. A lot of her evil exes hate her because of how she hurt them, dumping them for either very superficial reasons or not taking their feelings seriously. So she is a character with pretty evident flaws, that she is trying to escape, rather than deal with. Also the whole final battle against Gideon is about Scott realising he needs to fight for himself, not to gain favor with Ramona.

[@Menstral]

The only character most women have is the false character males imbue them with.

[@peterbrooke7146]

Always wanted to watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and i paused the vid right before the spoiler and watched it and came back damn what an amazing film

[@teresamartinlorenzo5741]

Yes!

[@michaelceraweed]

i remember when i had purple hair someone once told me that i am "basically a manic pixie dream girl" because i was bubbly and had colored hair. it was very strange, but that person also told my best friend she had "the gayest vibes" they'd ever seen because she has short hair... she has a boyfriend.

[@Corvid285]

I also think that Ramona Flowers shouldn’t be referred to as a manic pixie dream girl. Her character is deeply flawed and in the end Scott acknowledges her flaws and still chooses to be with her. The whole scene where Scott has to retry the last battle with Gideon is all about how he has to fight for himself and gain self respect, rather than fight for someone else. Which in my opinion, kicks the manic pixie dream girl trope to the curb. Scott Pilgrim vs the World does not have bad writing.

[@sandramariadenocheydedia6944]

In what way is her character "deeply flawed"? What flaws does he acknowledge?

[@ojmistaken]

@@sandramariadenocheydedia6944 She doesn't want to be the one to get hurt so she shuts herself off emotionally and leaves the second the relationship gets rocky. Book 5 and 6 does a good job on answering that.

[@H00ntr]

Koda Wolf She also constantly puts Scott off (even ditching during the first and second fight because she doesn’t want to face the reality of what’s happening), changes her hair all the time without warning (which Scott finds off putting initially, and does not play into his wants), and even confronts Scott about their issues. Ramona is in no way a MPDG, but in the beginning, Scott’s POV definitely portrays her as one. Of course, in the end, he realizes that she isn’t. She is a deeply complex character, especially in the book, that very rarely shows MPDG characteristics, but rather is an amazingly written flawed portrayal of a real human being

[@frostywasp1743]

@@H00ntr In the comics didn't she leave scott behind in the end? I always took it as never chase someone that never put effort into you.

[@robofistsrevenge3288]

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who recognizes this. It's insane how many people look at a love interest with dyed hair and automatically label them MPDGs. The industry - movies, comics, TV, even video games - have done so much since Garden State to point out the flaws and satirize the trope, so can't we just move on from them altogether?

[@missrobinson1212]

I first heard this term from Halsey. She was talking about how boys saw her as one, and that was the last way she wanted to be remembered.

[@milamila1123]

Makes sense. The MPDG trope mostly targets neurodivergent women, and Halsey is neurodivergent.

[@llamalady]

This is scary to me, cause I feel like this expectation has been projected on to me. Just cause im bubbly and 'cute' and try to bring out the best in people, doesnt mean im a trophy and dont have my own goals and feelings and flaws. If I communicate to you, dont brush it away because you think im someone im not.

[@Anne-zt2dz]

Yes this exactly is why I have a really weird relationship with such characters too. Whether or not they truly have depth, people objectify them and me who has enthusiasm and some chaotic emotions will therefore face that simplification too.

[@nuckygulliver9607]

imagine how awful it would be to be interpreted as a positive and fun person???

[@JGnLAU8OAWF6]

@@nuckygulliver9607 not what they were saying.

[@noface____]

I’ve avoided 500 days of summer for years because of how people interpret the movie. Now I might actually give it a go.

[@sofiatega4924]

😂wa

[@sofiatega4924]

😅😅😅😅

[@sofiatega4924]

A😅😅😅

[@Theunspoiledprincess]

Great video. I haven't seen Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind in a long time so I don't remember a lot but 500 Days of Summer is one of my all time favorite movies. I hate when people label the movie and Zooey's character as manic pixie dream girl material. The movie is so anti-mpdg it's not even funny. The whole point of the movie is to show how naive and even shallow Tom's love of Summer is. He ignores all the red flags and only sees what he wants not what actually is. The point of the movie is Tom is allowing his life to pass him by and waste his potential while waiting for the perfect girl to give his life meaning. That's not how life works.

[@mischa2643]

When you're looking at someone through rose coloured glasses, all the red flags just look like flags, my friend.

[@neegas3490]

@@mischa2643 that's a cool quote

[@janecampbell4662]

I noticed that you put Paper Towns in as one of your examples of MPDG but I would argue that it’s a similar case to 500 Days of Summer in which the male main character has ignored the girls depth and assumed they would be together happily ever after, without truly looking at her wishes. In Paper Towns the majority of the plot line is the boy chasing after this dream girl who he spent one fun night with, assuming that once he finds her they can get together and things will be wonderful and she’ll come back home with him. But what really happens is she puts her foot down and tells him that she is where she wants to be, and points out how he ignored her wishes while he was stuck in his fantasy of her. I don’t think the movie did a great job of portraying this as in the end the “dream girl” apologizes for her actions and claims some responsibility for his fantasy but the book is great at giving her strength and she ends up essentially giving the guy a fuck you which I loved.

[@theladynim2]

I’m pretty sure both of these movies were intended as deconstructions/subversions of this trope, but because the manic pixie dream girl is so strongly associated with certain aesthetics and character traits when those things come up in a movie people tend to automatically start viewing that character as a manic pixie dream girl.

[@shaunna23]

this is so sad i thought a manic pixie dreamgirl was a fairy angel girl

[@laserdemonfrostmage8421]

Well technically they are but people misinterpret this all the time

[@babeycore6873]

I watched this video when I was younger and it frustrated me. I don't remember perfectly why but for the most part I was heavily involved with the manic pixie dream girl image. I thought it was a cute and fun character trope and even thought it would be fun to consider myself one of those women. So I left a dislike on this video but re watching it, after growing up and maturing at least a little, I understood and enjoyed it a whole lot more so thank you for making content that makes young girls like me stop and reflect on what I thought to be cute, even if it made me uncomfortable at the time.

[@kanucks9]

I don't understand. If you could actually be that way: happy, enthusiastic, caring, and forward, then great. I suppose I disagree with the premise that the MPDG "exists only for her partner and has no depth", because really I think of it as just being the fantasy of a woman doing all the logistics haha!

[@FileCode1459]

i didn't go through the same thought process that you did, but i feel like i can relate to this comment. i still can't point out what kind of girl i thought i was, or to what degree, but i feel like i can understand what you said. anyway, thanks for this comment

[@thelivingdead6820]

I can see why you would want that. All the likable qualities cloud the overall judgement of why the manic pixie dreamgirl is a flawed choice in a movie plot. I would also think something like that. I've liked all three of these films including Elizabethtown. I like Summer but in so many ways I don't aspire to be like her but I liked the film for so many other qualities like the setting and the side by side in comparing what we would like to happen versus what actually is which I can relate to. Clementine as fucked up is she can be has so many admirable qualities from her style to her hair to her "i don't give a fuck attitude" and the way she delivered that line in the library. That line always stuck with me and how telling it is of how people look to their partners to be their saviors. I also liked Elizabethtown and movies like it like Garden State which have different versions of the MPDG (although Garden State has a little more depth of the character seeing as how she has epilepsy which kept her from living her dream; she is presented as more of a comparison to the protagonist and how they've kind just reached a similar point in their life). I don't think it's wrong to look up to the characters whether or not they are MPDG because the problem isn't so much who they are but how they are used as a plot device and not as a standalone character. In the end they are sometimes the most likable quality of the film(this goes for "garden state" and "elizabethtown").

[@RileyKohler]

A bunch of people equate “manic pixie dream girl” with just a quirky female character, but that’s not what it is. Quirkiness isn’t what’s bad about the trope. What’s bad about it, is that the female character gets reduced to nothing but character development for the male lead, not getting fleshed out with motives and flaws of her own. If you want to dye your hair cool colors and be spontaneous and fun loving and quirky, fuck yeah! Do that! That’s awesome! Because that’s YOU, a real life person with individual desires and goals, decide for yourself. That’s a completely different story from a male writer creating a female character that only exists as an accessory to the male lead and a tool for his character development.

[@Jpanda16]

@@RileyKohler i think the part you're forgetting is that younger girls will see these "manic pixies" portrayed and being a girl myself i know that when you're young the only thing you want is to figure out "how do I get boys to like me?" . So girls just try to emulate whatever they see in media. Then without realizing it real world women are behaving like manic pixie dream girls, in the sense that not only do they want to look the part, but they end up feeling like "in order to get a guy to like me I need to make his life more fun, entertaining, spontaneous, and bright, and then he'll love me" women end up literally feeling like it's their responsibility to further a man's life and emotional state without realizing it. That's why feminists drive home the point that "women should not exist to serve men, and you should not live your life doing whatever you think a man will want, learn to be an individual first, and love a man who will you respect you as an individual second. " and that's where i feel OP is coming from like "i thought I wanted to be one of those girls but I matured, and changed my mind". So yeah dye your hair, be eccentric, but never do it for a man or to make people like you, or because you see it as "likable" on tv or movie, when it ends up being a role written from the male fantasy. Even the writer of MLP is one of those goth/ pixie dream girls and she disgusts me, because she creates herself and her content around the male fantasy and the male ideals of women(that's why there's so many bronies). But to each their own i guess.

[@InvictusByz]

I expected this to change the way I evaluate the content of my reading and viewing materials. I did not expect this to change the way I evaluate my relationships. Get out of my head, damnit!

[@Dazyet]

Now I’m hella pissed that someone called me that.

[@Chipiliro613]

You complete me. You make me feel so alive! And you don't desire anything in return! Wow!

[@newkidontheblock8662]

I'm scared I'll get called that because I'm a little quirky and nice to people...

[@lukayaroslav9914]

You should be, Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope is literally something unnatural.

[@lukayaroslav9914]

@@newkidontheblock8662 Don't get scared, just be yourself no matter how people might label you.

[@ryuzakl]

Yup me too. My close friend called me that and im starting to think that maybe we aren't as close as i thought

[@KamalianCiranoush]

This made me realize that I met a real-life Tom. He was so smitten with me and would project his vision of happiness onto me no matter how many times I told him I was not interested in a relationship. I can realize now that he didn't really see me, but what he saw was the ideal of a woman who would complete him and bring meaning to his life.

[@nuckygulliver9607]

it would be so terrible to have someone that only sees the good characteristics you have. I guess nihilism us what you choose?

[@dnikkithatsame5990]

Thanks for pointing this out. I’ve seen these characters lumped into these tropes on KZbin and it infuriates me. People can be quirky and have depth too.

[@WordDrink]

I dont think that Zoey in 500 Days was a manic pixie dream girl, but that the male lead character just saw her as one, which was the point of his character development.

[@thelivingdead6820]

no offense, but did you watch the video? That's the point of it. Or are you just agreeing?

[@tori2dles]

And the point of this video. LOL. 😊

[@shannenlibres2365]

You didn't watch the video but at least now you saved everyone who hasn't watched it seven minutes

[@billmcmemes4111]

Tyler durden was the best manic pixie dream girl

[@josefinas4932]

I really appreciate you calling out how it's bad writing that makes a MPDG. So many analysis videos just attack the actual characters, and they're often filled with misogynistic words and phrases that just really put me off, so it makes me not want to listen to their videos. I'm glad you're not just attacking the girls and more just pointing out what makes good writing vs bad writing!

[@albertopaino]

I love Eternal Sunshine, this is a very nice video essay. Keep them coming!

[@loreninavloggingcup]

This analysis is so good. For some reason I haven't seen The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind yet, and I am so excited to watch it for the first time now.

[@nadiazue]

I’m not exactly sure why but this video makes me so calm. The topic fascinates me and your voice is so relaxing that it makes me want to fall asleep. I’ve watched this video at least 10 times and every single time I forget about all my worries or thoughts and just focus on your voice and the video itself.

[@OwlsSkySailing]

This was so incredibly well-put and well done. Thoroughly enjoyed the analysis of this trope!

[@ej4672]

So it's a long-winded way of calling a female character a plot device ?

[@taylorwilliams4847]

Emily Johnson yes but also refers to the very specific way they act too.

[@ej4672]

@@taylorwilliams4847 then there is also the term Mary Sue. They aren't really a plot device so much as they are overly idealized..but it still seems like a sexist term, considering how many male charaters could also be classified as a Mary Sue lol

[@satchmo1991]

There's the term Gary Stu to describe the male equivalent, but you hardly hear it used.

[@ej4672]

@@satchmo1991 lol how funny, I had no idea there was one. There must be a male version of the manic pixie dream girl too. Or maybe a "deus ex prince", where the prince has had no character development throughout the story, yet still comes in at the end to save the girl ?

[@satchmo1991]

There is also the Manic Pixie Dream Boy, but again, it's not as popularly used. I can't speak to the "deus ex price" suggestion, but I'll be looking out for it now. Either way, I think instead of these character roles being specifically gendered one way or the other, they are more signs of plain bad writing. I think that's what's so frustrating about the films he mentioned in this video; it's not bad writing, but people see a girl with colored hair and assume it's MPDG.

[@Radical_Onion]

Very well done. I hadn't thought of Clementine from this perspective before.

[@florafloraflora5567]

Im starting to feel like jack dawson in titanic was a manic pixie dream boy

[@AuspexAO]

He totally is. The most common male version of this trope is the handsome, charming, talented boy from the lower class teaches the rich girl how to live.

[@taylorgamble7722]

Wow John Greene was the first thing to pop into my head reading that description and then bam Paper Towns.

[@rndmusrnm2763]

Looking for Alaska too lol.

[@nathanszany6738]

This was incredibly well made. Great work!

[@Radien]

Hey, I love Zoey Deschanel and I had considered watching 500 Days of Summer, but I was deterred because people who had seen it kept referring to it as a by-the-book example of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope. I'm very glad to hear your counterpoint, and now I have a reason to see it. I have high hopes for it because Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt seem to have wonderful chemistry which hints at a great performance, but that great chemistry doesn't necessarily have to be a perfect romance. Pigeonholing and subsequent typecasting is extremely common in Hollywood, and consequently it's very difficult to avoid even for truly excellent actors. Sweet November, on the other hand... It may not be the originator of the trope, but by god, it follows the formula to the LETTER at every single moment of the film. A now-ex-girlfriend showed it to me, saying it was her favorite movie, and I'm concerned about what she's learned about romance from these movies.

[@nemtudom5074]

I think i needed this, im not really into film or tv, so i dont know how i ended up here, i guess its yet another case of youtube too late into the night. It made me think about things in my own life, you pointed my thoughts in another direction. For that, i am grateful.

[@ninjaraph]

This was great. Thank you for the insight on these two movies. I didnt realize they were even more complex, I was already in deep appreciation of the work in both. It's like rediscovering the movies again. Well done!

[@erinthesystem9608]

As a person who spends most of my own time mired in reality, just the use of the terms "shallow" and "love interest" together sound like something waiting to blow up in your face.

[@TheAtoZReviewBlog]

What about Autumn? Is she a Manic Pixie Dream Girl? I think 500 Days of Summer deconstructs the trope in some ways, but it ascribes to it nonetheless. Summer is a projection created by Tom, but so are all other Crazy Pixel Green Groots. The film just understands that better than the average romcom. Summer's more complex than most, but her role was to create an arc for Tom while having no arc of her own. The changes that happened in her personality took place off screen and she came back on screen to provide Tom with a punctuation for his own arc before finding himself another bucket of expectations (Autumn).

[@TropeAnatomy]

Hard to say with Autumn because we only saw her for one scene. But I'm leaning no because half of the trope requires a man that needs "fixing". Tom at the end is completely different to Tom at the beginning, he already got his life together so doesn't need a Manic Pixie, so she's already missing a big requirement to get the label. And I think Summer did have an arc. During her childhood flashback the narrator tells us "after the disintegration of her parents marriage, she only loved 2 things. The first her hair, the second how easily she could cut it off and not feel a thing." Which is a funny way of saying she's kinda cold and has commitment issues. This is reinforced throughout her relationship with Tom. But by the end she didn't feel this way anymore, her perspective on love did a complete 180 and she committed to someone. Even if it happened off screen, we learn how she met her husband and how she feels about it (she believes it was fate which is something old Summer would've laughed at). Its still Tom's movie so yes she's there to help him have his arc but that applies to all love interests in film. The important thing is that she's still her own person with her own issues, her own backstory and her a life of her own outside of Tom. Thats something MPDGs don't get

[@theawesomeabnix]

"Summer is a projection created by Tom, but so are all other Crazy Pixel Green Groots." The fact that Summer is more than a projection is the entire point of the movie. She has a personality, flaws, and ideals that exist outside of the mold that is Tom's idealization to her. His inability to see her as an actual person is a big reason why their relationship ends so badly. In actual examples of manic pixie dream girls, the girls aren't projections either. Their "quirky", dependent, single-minded obsessive focus on one guy and his dreams are their actual characteristics. They are what Tom wanted Summer to be, the reason why he ignored her glaring red flags, but also ultimately not what she was. Hence why she was the detached one in the relationship, the one who left, and the one who moved on.

[@thesoulporpoise]

In addition to what Tomori said in answering this question, i highly recommend if you haven't, that you watch the 500 DOS analysis by Movies Under the Surface titled "How 500 Days of Summer gets the Manic Pixie Dream Girl right". He very eloquently explains exactly why Summer's lack of actual presence and witness of her character growth is vital to the point of the story, aka Tom's story. As for Autumn, he also covers that as well but i would agree with Tomori in that we really only see her for a second so its hard to say. But the context of the closing scene is more than just finding another "MPDG", its to show his growth as a person and how he's moved on from unhealthily romanticizing women

[@3vivk]

I think the end with Autumn was supposed to be an open ending and up to your own interpretation on purpose. Will he project unto her as well or learn to love someone for who they are not who he wants them to be?

[@nonviablevenus9206]

I love this thread. ❤❤❤ Film analysis is a meal and such a treat for me. Cinema is one of those mediums that has volume, color, flavor and multiple layers for you to savor, dissect and peel away. The more you cultivate your tastes, attention to detail and knowledge for the craft the richer those rewards are. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@onkelpappkov2666]

Wish I had someone whose sole purpose was to fertilize my plot. Or whatever you said. Can't really hear the video over the sound of heavy agricultural machinery.

[@brett_norris]

Onkel Pappkov I’m not sure how this isn’t the top comment

[@kungpaochick]

This was really well done. Thank you :) fingers all the way up! I must watch Eternal Sunshine for the hundredth, thousandth time now!

[@unicornthirteen8237]

this cuts too deep, i think i manic pixie dreamgirled myself..

[@doctorpretender4944]

You waited a whole year to upload after this vid? Damn, please keep it coming because they are good. Subscribed

[@IsabelSotelo]

This was such a good video. Thank you for understanding 500DOS and explaining the complexity of her ❤️

[@BigV24]

This has helped me so much. Thank you, I have to chill!

[@atiqahdiyana5665]

I love this video so much. I don't mind the idea of a manic pixie dream girl/boy cause I think when done well and given depth it can be a great story trope But I get absolutely frustrated when people don't understand what Summer is suppose to represent and just loop her in with the rest when she's clearly the exact opposite. What frustrates me more is when people don't understand how 500dos is less of a romance but more of a deconstruction of excessively and shallowly used tropes in romance movies and that's what makes it so unique. Regardless, this video was great. You explained everything concisely and perfectly and I found it wonderful. Thank you for uploading

[@aarynbastian4469]

"do you like that person because of what you can give to them and for who they really are, or are you just projecting your ideal version of a partner onto someone?" is how i feel abt the manic pixie dream girl and when a lot of people started... swooning over someone they barely knew great vid btw!

[@davidgallego1652]

Thank you for this video. There are too many amateur film critics on KZbin who are overly zealous about tearing down great films without the deep understanding of story and characters that you present in this video. You’ve earned a new subscriber

[@Mumblejumby]

Thank you so much for bringing that up! I'm so sick and tired of people putting labels on it just because the female character is quirky and happy. I've seen it so many times and people think it's a way worst archetype than the damsel in distress

[@josefinebliss2801]

Manic pixie dream girl/guy happens so much because people believe that love at first sight is actually real. You can't LOVE someone without knowing them, that is just attraction and the person fitting into your idea of your dream partner when it comes to things such as looks and liking the same music etc. It happens to everyone that you fall in love with the idea of someone and ignore any and all warning signs until you actually stop being obsessed with the idea of love, romanticizie people and learn how love actually works. Another movie who's female character could be discussed when it comes to this trope is Vanilla Sky, that one's my favorite besides Eternal Sunshine. Good analysis.

[@eurekamreum5458]

This is very true and unfortunately was very real for me. I met mi ex-boyfriend when I was 12 and he was 14; the very first time I put my eyes on him I felt something really special, I was filled with emotion, I felt happy. That's the closest I've ever been to that whole "love at first sight" thing. We became close friends but went to different schools so we stopped talking for about four years; then, when I turned 18, he messaged me through Facebook and we started dating right away. We lasted for a little more than five years, we even got engaged. But then shit hit the fan and we had to break up, which left me absolutely devastated. It's been almost a year since that happened and I honestly couldn't be more grateful that we split; it forced me to look back and realize just how much I had shaped so many parts of my personality to fit into his own version of "manic pixie dream girl". He never imposed anything onto me but I always felt the need to go above and beyond just to make sure I was exactly the kind of woman he had invisioned in his mind. I never let myself become a true individual, I had no idea who I was or what I wanted; I developed severe depression and anxiety. Thankfully I'm doing much better now, I've learned so many things about myself and the people around me... I'm happy. Like, truly happy.

[@thehelpfulpug5820]

Found this video on my feed, watched it, loved it, and then subscribed and went to your channel to watch your other videos...which I then realized I had already seen and enjoyed and just forgotten to sub. Well done!

[@TheShayharper]

This is such a well done analysis!! I love it 🥰

[@bucketgarden]

Great video! Anyone that I have shared 500 with has completely missed the point as you explained. I’m going send them this and hope it opens their eyes

[@redsnake69]

I'm a non-American who wanted to watch this video but couldn't until now. I enjoyed it very much. Shame to the algorithm.

[@haaxeu6501]

Glad to have been in the first 200 subscribers, if you keep on making videos as good as this one, your channel is gonna explode :)

[@CheyenneLin]

thank you so much for this video! i was using the term wrongly for so long im glad you educated me:)

[@katedring]

Such a brilliant, clear and well thought-out video dude 👍

[@Anne-zt2dz]

Clementine was almost like a commentary on the manic pixie dream girl concept. On the first look she screams all the signs but then shows how much more depth she has as women actually do.

[@mattiasmartens9972]

500 Days of Summer is very close to my heart. The first time I watched I took it all at face value; maybe I was a little too young and naive to be ready for that (which would be ironic considering the role of The Graduate in this movie). There is, unfortunately, a massive red herring that throws people way off a subversive reading of the plot. In fact, it goes beyond red herring territory to basically become a totally different interpretation of the movie. That red herring is the ending, where Tom meets Autumn and "Day one of Autumn" begins. Autumn following Summer is a little too perfect and plays directly into the same paradigm that Tom was supposedly growing out of. The harsh lessons he learned from his relationship with Summer are now reframed: she wasn't the be-all and end-all for him, no, but she wasn't an independent, complex human being either. She was a necessary step on a preordained path whose goal is Tom's personal and romantic fulfillment. Watching this when I was younger, I loved the ending, because it made me feel like someone could go through suffering and heartbreak and things could still work out well. The editing, acting, narration, and score are all pointing toward the idea that things will get better for Tom and that his romantic leap of faith is justified this time (and it turns out it was also justified in the first place: you can't have "Autumn" without "Summer"). But if the message of the movie was really supposed to be "consider your romantic partners as people, not as characters playing roles in your life", then it seems like they undercut that really hard in service of a feel-good ending.

[@user-xj1dr1qu2c]

I can't find you video on 500Dos. I just discovered this channel and watched all your videos in one day. AMAZING WORK

[@jengorman2246]

Kudos. While I already loved Eternal Sunshine, I had - on a rewatch - written off 500 days of summer the 2nd time. You've convinced me otherwise. Well done!