This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Working Title: Pettanko: From YKTTW
Duckluck: What happened to all the examples that were in the YKTTW? Also, I don't want to get typecast as "The guy who complains about names," but we need to at least get a redirect set up at Flat Chested Girl, and quickly. Also, most of that second paragraph can, and should, be cut. All we really need is a sentence saying how this trope is different from other flat chested characters.
Moments later: Wow, that was quick.
SAMAS: You know what would be the perfect image for this? The "Excuse us for being flat!" scene from Disgaea.
Japanese Teeth: It's already in there as the page quote.
Kilyle: First, does Dewshine from Elf Quest fit this trope, or is she lacking the necessary attitude? Her total lack of breasts isn't really brought up in the series at all, and she's able to breast feed, but there's no way she'd be the same waif were she big-breasted.
Secondly, I've never, ever understood the gag with Lina. I can understand her own inferiority complex, but the reaction of the rest of the characters only really makes sense if you're using a scale that lists Barbie and Jean Gray as "normal breast size". From a slightly more real-world perspective, Lina has an ample bosom, perhaps slightly more petite than the adult women around her have, but she is certainly not flat-chested by a long shot. And the myriad jokes about her looking like a man just elicit a dumbfounded "Huh??" (All the more since her costume included a wide swath of bright yellow fabric specifically highlighting that section of her body.)
Anyway, someone mind explaining this to me in a way I'll understand? Or maybe I'll never understand, and I'll just have to be content with that. Meh.
L-chan
: But in The Slayers-verse Barbie is the normal chest size. Just look to Sylphiel, Amelia and every Flat Character there. Heck, look at Luna Inverse frontal goodies!
My theory is that, even if Lina has a normal sized chest, she was (and still is) in perpetual comparison with women with greater attributes. Probably she was picked by her sister because of that. I'll explain this with an example: I'm 1,65 m (5'5"), more or less since I'm 15. But during all my childhood I was surrounded by very tall relatives, and my own younger sister is taller than me, (she is 1,72 m (5'8") right now). My dad was 1,80 m; my godfather was 1,95 m, and my aunts weren't shorter than 1,70 m. The only person in my house I'm taller is my mom, who is 1,55 m. I was taller than most of the girls of my class, and some of the boys, during all high school and even in the university. However, since at home I was surrounded by very tall people I always felt like I was a shorty. I'm thinking that Lina was in a similar situation, and developed her Pettanko personality because of those issues.
Kimiko Muffin: While the Tsurupettan song is amusing, I don't think the characters in Touhou actually count as pettanko, pretty much as an inverse of the fact that Umlaut House is not Everyone Is Bi: the topic never comes up, either in the games or in any official Expanded Universe media (which Tsurupettan certainly is not), whereas for someone to be a pettanko, it needs to be at least somewhat a significant part of their character (like Konata, or Lina Inverse).
Medinoc: Pulled a redundant Tales example. Please, read before posting.
Radical Taoist: Pulling Meera Reed from the examples. She's flat from the hunter/warrior training she willingly underwent since childhood and hasn't said a word about her chest in any book where she appeared. As the top says, "Note that flat-chestedness alone doesn't make one a Pettanko. This trope is about a specific sort of character type, where the flatness of chest is essential to her concept and characterization."
Trigger Loaded: Also pulling Rachel from Advance Wars for the exact reasons above. Sure, the inner gag about luck gave me a laugh, but having played through the game, not ONE mention is made of size. Most of the Advance Wars gals are modestly endowed anyways.
- Rachel of Advance Wars: Dual Strike, in contrast with her more "gifted" sister, Nell. Suuuure, she's got more "luck".
Is it enough to fit this trope that a female character is flat-chested and a bit insecure about it and either comments upon it herself frequently (either outwardly or in inner dialog) or someone else comments on it - or is more required than that?
Muninn: Does the Haruhi example really belong on this page? It even says that "Yuki doesn't have much of an attitude about anything," which seems like it's lacking a rather important qualifier for this trope. As far as I can remember, the subject is never brought up in the series or the books.
Kazmahu: Regarding the current picture on the page (as of 11 July), the one from Riviera. The caption's a bit of a Cowboy BeBop at His Computer - the speaker Lina, while an example, isn't visible in the shot (the scythe-weilder visible is an enemy) and usually uses a bow. Should we leave it or change the caption?
Sand Josieph: Aww, they changed the picture again! The current picture has no fun with the trope. I say change it back to the other picture.
- Timber!: I don't mean to be a "Stop Having Fun" Guys Girl, but the point of a picture isn't necessarily to have fun with a trope; it's to give a quick visual representation. The Lucky Star pic, while fun, doesn't really make sense outside of context. Even in context, it doesn't entirely fit with the main (and much more common) idea of the trope, which is about a girl being insecure about being flat-chested, which Konata really isn't.
lifevirus7 Ok, who removed the page quotes?
Seriously people, make up your damn minds about the page image already. Lockon Lockon
Stickmeister0: A Troper Tales page would be nice. Not just "I'm a Pettanko" but rather stories about what people say about it and how she feels about it.
Morven: @Cidolfas: how about you DISCUSS before cutlisting this as "misspelled"? If it is, show us.
fzzr_miller: Why is the page type "Just For Fun"? Isn't this a Trope?
