But if we take a sampling of anime you ll find Sci- fi, Fantasy, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Action and fairytales. Stories can take place anywhere and in any time period. There is no restriction to what the character can or may do. This includes saving the universe or destroying it. Anime tends to be unafraid of examining real life situations even in the most fantastic of storylines.
Death can, and often times does, strike without warning.
One of the best Japanese war films made, Grave of the Fireflies, is animated. Most anime characters tend to be multifaceted. Sure there are stereotypes, but we often get to see other sides to them as the story progresses. This is also the case with most villains. Many times the villain has a real reason why they are doing the things they do, be it revenge, insanity, or because they think they are doing the right thing.