The Magical Realism Genre?
- Thread starter Light
- Start date
thrasherpix
Scooby
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2016
- Messages
- 5,314
- Age
- 43
I think of it as urban fantasy, especially with elements like Willow dismantling a jail and police station with magic. Angel the series was even closer to urban fantasy, and included people jaded when the sun disappeared from Los Angeles.
Personally, I can't help but include many of the comic book gadgets of the Trio (which technically includes the Buffybot since Warren built it) as part of the magic with a scientific paint job (and included blatant technomagic).
Still, I don't know much about magical realism. Examples of what I think would classify are probably unknown here, and I didn't recognize any examples myself when I just looked it up. If someone thinks the Buffyverse is magical realism instead of urban fantasy, I hope they explain the difference between genres as it applies to Buffy and Angel (that is, if it's magical realism, what would make it urban fantasy instead).
Personally, I can't help but include many of the comic book gadgets of the Trio (which technically includes the Buffybot since Warren built it) as part of the magic with a scientific paint job (and included blatant technomagic).
Still, I don't know much about magical realism. Examples of what I think would classify are probably unknown here, and I didn't recognize any examples myself when I just looked it up. If someone thinks the Buffyverse is magical realism instead of urban fantasy, I hope they explain the difference between genres as it applies to Buffy and Angel (that is, if it's magical realism, what would make it urban fantasy instead).
Last edited:
AlphaFoxtrot
Scooby
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2017
- Messages
- 4,531
- Age
- 45
Per this Definition, no. Both series at that point have pretty hard fantasy elements at that point, organized magic users, demon society, a whole unseen second world. Magical realism is more like superstitions and astrology are true.
A definition of urban fantasy.
A definition of urban fantasy.
Kendar
Scooby
- Joined
- May 6, 2021
- Messages
- 982
(For some reason i can't paste links. My entire toolbar is grayed out).
The primary difference between Urban Fantasy and Magical Realism is the focus of the story. Urban Fantasy tends to have the fantastical elements be the main focus. Magical Realism does not. To be Magical Realism it must:
1) Be set in the real world.
2) The magical and fantastical elements are accepted as matter of fact by the characters involved, to the point that plenty of things wouldn't even warrant mention by them.
3) The magical/fantastical elements are not the focus of the story is about. Characters are still dealing with "mundane" issues.
In "100 Years of Solitude" you have a character who ascends to heaven while holding sheets. The woman who owned the sheets wants them back, even though she accepts that they went with the woman to heaven. The focus is on the return of the sheets.
In the French fairytale two daughters interact with a fairy. One is polite, and the fairy blesses her with a flower or jewel falling from her mouth when she speaks. The other insults the fairy, and is punished with a toad or snake falling from her mouth. And the focus is on the issues resulting from the actions (getting money from the jewels, and banishing the second daughter because of her condition). No one questions that the events are happening.
There's a Knifepoint Horror tale where there's a haunted attraction that is actually haunted. And no one questions that it is haunted. The focus is on potential liability for the company running it, to the point that there are voicemails about concerns that they don't have enough insurance.
Urban Fantasy often hits #s 1 and 2, as it is set in the real world, but not 3, since the focus is usually on the supernatural itself.
The primary difference between Urban Fantasy and Magical Realism is the focus of the story. Urban Fantasy tends to have the fantastical elements be the main focus. Magical Realism does not. To be Magical Realism it must:
1) Be set in the real world.
2) The magical and fantastical elements are accepted as matter of fact by the characters involved, to the point that plenty of things wouldn't even warrant mention by them.
3) The magical/fantastical elements are not the focus of the story is about. Characters are still dealing with "mundane" issues.
In "100 Years of Solitude" you have a character who ascends to heaven while holding sheets. The woman who owned the sheets wants them back, even though she accepts that they went with the woman to heaven. The focus is on the return of the sheets.
In the French fairytale two daughters interact with a fairy. One is polite, and the fairy blesses her with a flower or jewel falling from her mouth when she speaks. The other insults the fairy, and is punished with a toad or snake falling from her mouth. And the focus is on the issues resulting from the actions (getting money from the jewels, and banishing the second daughter because of her condition). No one questions that the events are happening.
There's a Knifepoint Horror tale where there's a haunted attraction that is actually haunted. And no one questions that it is haunted. The focus is on potential liability for the company running it, to the point that there are voicemails about concerns that they don't have enough insurance.
Urban Fantasy often hits #s 1 and 2, as it is set in the real world, but not 3, since the focus is usually on the supernatural itself.
NotASlayer
𝕮𝖍𝖔𝖈𝖔𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖘𝖘 🍫 👸🏻
That kind of sounds like the Masquerade is present in urban fantasy, but not in magical realism.
Kendar
Scooby
- Joined
- May 6, 2021
- Messages
- 982
Generally true. You CAN have the Masquerade in a magical realism setting but it's harder to do. For example, The Dresden Files is urban fantasy. But if you changed it so that ALL the issues Harry dealt with were mundane (solving mundane murders, stopping gangsters from taking over the town, finding missing people who are missing for mundane reasons, etc.) then you'd move into MR.