Most divisive piece of fiction you've encountered

[AustinN]

Not saying that some of the fans of the show aren't excessive about it, but I think that most of the reactions are because of the level of hate aimed against them before they even did anything of the stuff you mention.

Well, then your experiences have differed from mine.

Though I'll freely admit that a lot of people I see criticize bronies are assholes about it, but since they aren't exactly organized I don't feel as bothered by it.

 

[Barciad]

2001: A Space Odyssey. Despite loving Stanley Kubrick's other work, this I could not stand. I know that I am not alone in saying that it is pretentious, drawn out, and utterly pointless. Yet I am equally aware there is also a significant number of people out there that are convinced that it is a work of genius.
And never twain shall meet.

 

[Meinos Kaen]

Not saying that some of the fans of the show aren't excessive about it, but I think that most of the reactions are because of the level of hate aimed against them before they even did anything of the stuff you mention.

Well, then your experiences have differed from mine.

Though I'll freely admit that a lot of people I see criticize bronies are assholes about it, but since they aren't exactly organized I don't feel as bothered by it.

Thankfully, I live in Italy but I've followed the news and read the articles. I haven't see this level of craziness since Twilight lovers physically assaulted people who didn't like the books. Anyway, I don't know other people, but the reasons I like MLP:FIM is for the following:

- Great animation
- Great humour
- Well rounded and developed characters
- Interesting storylines
- Songs that are better than 90% of commercial music produced nowadays
- I like cute things

Most people seem to focus only on the detail that it was supposed to be aimed at young girls instead of asking themselves why teens and adults like it so much too.

EDIT: Also, whoever hates 2001: A Space Odyssey needs to hide in a basement forever... Because I'm afraid I won't let him do that.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Death Note. Either it?s a fascinating psychological insight into how the power to kill can corrupt a teenager?s morality to megalomaniac levels, or it?s merely emo fodder for teenage girls to schlick over a ridiculously talented Draco in Leather Pants and the worst-written female character in anime history.

Dragon Ball. Either it?s one of, if not the best Shounen manga series of all-time with interesting characters and battles, or it quite literally drags on and it?s an absolute chore to watch as the battle powers escalate and the fights degrade into nothing more than energy blasting.

The Catcher in the Rye. Either it?s a groundbreaking novel about an intelligent but unmotivated teenager with PTSD struggling to accept his impending adulthood, or nothing but 288 pages of a privileged brat whining a lot about everyone but him is a ?goddamn phony?.

 

[Paradoxrifts]

I've read some pretty passionate literary confrontations between fans of Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers novel, and people who absolutely loved the parody Paul Verhoeven made out of the movie.

I've also read the work of some very embittered Middle Earth fans who feel Peter Jackson is guilty of hacking the essential spirit of JRR Tolkien's work apart, so that the director could put together a bastardised but more marketable version.

 

[Fox12]

Evangelion is a mixed bag with me. It's both the best and worst anime ever made. The animation, characters, cinematography, and psychological bits are great. On the other hand the philosophy is garbage, there's no real sense of resolution, and the ending was terrible (both of them). There's also a lot pseudo-philosophical nonsense and symbolism that doesn't mean anything. At it's best it's one of the greatest character studies in all of fiction. At its worst its a confused incoherent mess that collapses in on itself.

But, I'll say GoT. It's not even the show itself, which is only mediocre, it's the annoying ass fans. Honestly, it has one of the most insufferable fandoms I've ever encountered. If you casually mention that you don't likr the show, they lose their shit and call you a hipster, as if the show is above criticism. Then they act all smug about how superior their show is, because its "dark, gritty, and mature." I see it in the same light as The Dark Knight Returns: so ludicrously gritty, that it almost becomes self parody.

 

[[REDACTED]]

Evangelion is a mixed bag with me. It's both the best and worst anime ever made. The animation, characters, cinematography, and psychological bits are great. On the other hand the philosophy is garbage, there's no real sense of resolution, and the ending was terrible (both of them). There's also a lot pseudo-philosophical nonsense and symbolism that doesn't mean anything. At it's best it's one of the greatest character studies in all of fiction. At its worst its a confused incoherent mess that collapses in on itself.

I find it strange that you would single out the animation as praiseworthy. There were times, especially towards the ending, where it felt more like a PowerPoint presentation than an anime. I'm definitely with you on characters and psychological bits though. The way the show dealt with the characters' issues was nuanced and realistic in a way that I really wasn't expecting going into the show, and even though the plot ultimately disappeared up it's own ass (albeit in an entertainingly spectacular way) it handled the individual characters' story arcs beautifully.

Like you, I feel strongly ambivalent about Evangelion. I can't deny that it fails badly in multiple important areas, but it does everything else so damn well that it's equally hard to deny loving it. Honestly, whenever I read an Eva-related argument online, I find myself nodding in enthusiastic agreement to both sides of the argument. It wasn't a perfect show, but it was one of the most memorable I've ever seen.

Haven't watched the Rebuild films, probably never will. What I've heard about 3.0 makes it seem like they're gearing up to be a big ol' waste of time. Besides, a version of Evangelion with less focus on the characters' backstories is not a version I'm interested in seeing.

 

[Fox12]

]

Evangelion is a mixed bag with me. It's both the best and worst anime ever made. The animation, characters, cinematography, and psychological bits are great. On the other hand the philosophy is garbage, there's no real sense of resolution, and the ending was terrible (both of them). There's also a lot pseudo-philosophical nonsense and symbolism that doesn't mean anything. At it's best it's one of the greatest character studies in all of fiction. At its worst its a confused incoherent mess that collapses in on itself.

I find it strange that you would single out the animation as praiseworthy. There were times, especially towards the ending, where it felt more like a PowerPoint presentation than an anime. I'm definitely with you on characters and psychological bits though. The way the show dealt with the characters' issues was nuanced and realistic in a way that I really wasn't expecting going into the show, and even though the plot ultimately disappeared up it's own ass (albeit in an entertainingly spectacular way) it handled the individual characters' story arcs beautifully.

Like you, I feel strongly ambivalent about Evangelion. I can't deny that it fails badly in multiple important areas, but it does everything else so damn well that it's equally hard to deny loving it. Honestly, whenever I read an Eva-related argument online, I find myself nodding in enthusiastic agreement to both sides of the argument. It wasn't a perfect show, but it was one of the most memorable I've ever seen.

For the most part the animation was quite good, I think, the last two episodes not included. Even the obvious money saving shots, like the elevator scene, were well executed. Having the shot just... linger on the two characters was brilliant. It went on forever, and told you everything you needed to know without a word of dialogue.

It's funny, because I absolutely hated the show when I saw it in high school. I re-watched it like five ears later and... I still had issues with it, but I fell in love with the characters anyway. I remember hating Asuke when I first watched it, but now she's my favorite character. I can't say I've ever seen a show that's made me feel so divided against myself, so there's something to that I suppose.

 

[jademunky]

2001: A Space Odyssey. Despite loving Stanley Kubrick's other work, this I could not stand. I know that I am not alone in saying that it is pretentious, drawn out, and utterly pointless. Yet I am equally aware there is also a significant number of people out there that are convinced that it is a work of genius.
And never twain shall meet.

This

I love The Shining, love Full Metal Jacket. I cannot stand 2001. If not for "The Tree of Life" I would consider 2001 to be the least enjoyable film ever made.

 

[Julius Terrell]

]

Kill la Kill seems fairly divisive, but the general consensus seem to lean more towards positive, at least coming from the people who stuck with it to the end.

The rampant fanservice, even if it's woven into the plot, is still fanservice. I'm just glad that it's equal opportunity and the ladies have something to gawk at too a lot of the time. I still like it though, almost as a kind of guilty pleasure that has good character drama and doesn't stick around too long.

OT: Pop music in general. There are some who hate it with the intensity of a billion suns, but most like it, why it's called pop music I guess. The great thing is the diversity of reasons for the hatred. Some hate it just because it's popular and they want to be different. Some hate it because it's mostly formulaic and generally lazy composition. Some hate it because of the typically shitty message. Some people just hate love songs which make up like 80% of pop music(that's me!). While those who dislike pop music are definitely in the minority, I can say that the intensity of our feelings must be taken into account.

I am one of those people. The hatred I have for pop music almost can't be contained by this atmosphere. Most people have to understand that I love electronic music and classical music. Pop music is down right dull in comparison to the weird and infinite complexity that both genres have. I love the sound of instruments. Not lyrics which 99% of the time I can never seem to understand.

 

[Zanderinfal]

I've read some tosh in my time, but honestly, I found Lord of the Flies to be a pretty dismissive, one sided, un-entertaining mess. Jesus, it was a struggle for me to read because of the cynicism. I mean, it's fine to have a negative book, but having a book that is nothing but constantly being told "REBELLION IS OF BEING FUTILE, ANARCHISM IS CONFIRMED FOR FAILURE" just wears me out. I mean, maybe it's just me, but I just... God damn, no amount of words can describe it, I just hated that damn book. Why is it a classic again? Oh right, the political stuff, gotcha.

*deep sigh*

 

[gargantual]

Man o' Steel anyone?

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty?

Gangsta rap lyrics?

I'm suprised these didn't get mentioned yet.

 

[schiz0phren1c]

you're gonna hate me for this if you're a reader(remember,I'm not from the US,I'm Irish,maybe that's a factor)...but,
I think Kurt Vonnegut is a fucking TERRIBLE writer,and yes,I've read a LOT of his so called "novels",
his most often quoted piece of shiiii....art is Slaughterhouse 5,I read it first when I was about 11(and if you think that's a factor...nope,at the same time I was also reading(and fucking LOVING!)both "A Clockwork Orange" and "Dune",I spoke "like a Droog" for so long that my Dad nearly lost it)
I actually read slaughterarse 5 on FOUR separate occasions as I was growing up to see if it was something I'd missed,but nope,its just shit,lazy,arseful writing with DREADFUL prose,its written like Bukowski had a fucking stroke,and wrote it in hospital or it was written by Forrest Gump.

I cringe when I see Vonnegut rattling on nowadays about his "rules for writing" on many a Forum,in many a Magazine etc...cause people will LISTEN to him...and that's like listening to Oscar "Pistol"orius" talk about home safety or gun control.

Also(and I'm genuinely not looking to Troll,or start flames or anything),but Woody fucking Allen has never been funny TO ME(I must stress that,it's only the personal opinion of myself...and everyone I know...friends and family),
to me,the funniest thing he could ever do is try to molest the Karate Kid,get the shit kicked out of him,and then jump headfirst into a cement mixer.
I'm battening down the hatches here for the flood of vitriol to come,but god damn I'm sticking to my guns(like good ol' oscar

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

LOST.

I'll see your LOST and raise you Twin Peaks. I remember half the buzz about it being how it was evidence of David Lynch's bizarre genius, and the other half being how it was evidence of David Lynch's need to be committed to a psych ward.

"Atlas shrugged" and "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand.

The problem is that nobody regards them as fiction anymore, but as (a guide to a perfect world) | (the robber-baron road map) [choose one].

 

[krazykidd]

I can't believe no one said this yet but : Dark souls.

Every , single , time Dark souls gets mentionned the arguments start. Is it hard or not. Should they make it more accessible or not. Should there be an easy mode or not. Is it a good game or not. Are the mechanics good or not. Is death cheap or not. Do we need a map or not.DO WE NEED A PAUSE BUTTON OR NOT.

Every little aspect of darksouls gets broken down to a casual vs hardcore debate.