"If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a...
お話ですわ@ohanashidesuwa
9 views
Aug 06, 2026
~5 min read
Advertisement
1
"If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck." argument debunk.
It's often used by antis to show that people who like deformed short female characters from anime are pdfs.
Please, read to the end, before commenting.
🧵 +
It's often used by antis to show that people who like deformed short female characters from anime are pdfs.
Please, read to the end, before commenting.
🧵 +
2
+
Most commonly in form like:
"If it looks like a child, acts like a child, then it is a child."
It sound's well and have strong rhetoric effect, but the problem with it appear when it will be pointed out that those conditions are not met.
+
Most commonly in form like:
"If it looks like a child, acts like a child, then it is a child."
It sound's well and have strong rhetoric effect, but the problem with it appear when it will be pointed out that those conditions are not met.
+
3
+
The problem with this argument is that anime characters don't really look nor act like people.
Short female characters even if their so-called "canonical age" is below 18 and/or their go to school, they don't really look nor act like a child.
+
The problem with this argument is that anime characters don't really look nor act like people.
Short female characters even if their so-called "canonical age" is below 18 and/or their go to school, they don't really look nor act like a child.
+
4
+
If someone remembers when they were a child, then they know that they weren't looking nor acting like anime chars, even to those who attend to school by plot.
If someone see some children from time to time then they know that they don't look nor act like anime chars.
+
If someone remembers when they were a child, then they know that they weren't looking nor acting like anime chars, even to those who attend to school by plot.
If someone see some children from time to time then they know that they don't look nor act like anime chars.
+
5
+
Anime characters look that much different from real people that it's impossible to confuse them.
By definition they have completely different faces since they are anime characters.
There are children with such face. Really.
+
Anime characters look that much different from real people that it's impossible to confuse them.
By definition they have completely different faces since they are anime characters.
There are children with such face. Really.
+
6
+
I use Kanna, bc she is commonly supposed to be an allegory of "1000yo child" by many antis and is often bringed up as an example by antis on their own, so I consider it's fair to bring her up as an example here too.
+
I use Kanna, bc she is commonly supposed to be an allegory of "1000yo child" by many antis and is often bringed up as an example by antis on their own, so I consider it's fair to bring her up as an example here too.
+
7
+
They also have different proportion of rest of the body.
Sorry, but you won't convince me that it's the same.
It is just a deformed cartoon character with surrealistic head and body. Not a kid.
+
They also have different proportion of rest of the body.
Sorry, but you won't convince me that it's the same.
It is just a deformed cartoon character with surrealistic head and body. Not a kid.
+
8
+
Here is an official Kanna's figurine's figure compared to adult woman.
Does it still look like a child for you?
As we can see she doesn't really look like a child. There are no children looking this way.
+
Here is an official Kanna's figurine's figure compared to adult woman.
Does it still look like a child for you?
As we can see she doesn't really look like a child. There are no children looking this way.
+
9
+
Ofc she doesn't really look like an adult too.
The point is that she doesn't look like a human being in the first place.
She looks like exactly what she is. Just a deformed cartoon humanoid character which doesn't really look like a human being.
+
Ofc she doesn't really look like an adult too.
The point is that she doesn't look like a human being in the first place.
She looks like exactly what she is. Just a deformed cartoon humanoid character which doesn't really look like a human being.
+
10
+
Ok. Now someone can bring more edgy body types which are more similar to kids than Kanna.
But still, since they are anime characters, they can look at most you will find some loose similarities.
We will back to this point in short time.
+
Ok. Now someone can bring more edgy body types which are more similar to kids than Kanna.
But still, since they are anime characters, they can look at most you will find some loose similarities.
We will back to this point in short time.
+
11
+
About behavior. It is even more simple than look.
Anime characters act in completely unrealistic and exaggerated manner.
Also they are in completely unrealistic, often absurd situations and settings.
+
About behavior. It is even more simple than look.
Anime characters act in completely unrealistic and exaggerated manner.
Also they are in completely unrealistic, often absurd situations and settings.
+
12
+
Even stories in school settings are completely unrealistic regarding how characters interact with each others, how absurd situations are present in anime, etc.
If someone watched anime and see some kids from time to time, then know that they are not even close in behavior.
+
Even stories in school settings are completely unrealistic regarding how characters interact with each others, how absurd situations are present in anime, etc.
If someone watched anime and see some kids from time to time, then know that they are not even close in behavior.
+
13
+
You will find no person who act in daily life like anime characters. Really (maybe with exception where someone intentionally mimic em, tho it's cringe as hell).
So in general there are no people who act like anime chars. At most you will find some loose similarities.
+
You will find no person who act in daily life like anime characters. Really (maybe with exception where someone intentionally mimic em, tho it's cringe as hell).
So in general there are no people who act like anime chars. At most you will find some loose similarities.
+
14
+
Now, let's back to the Duck Test.
You know what is similar to duck? A swan is similar to duck.
Swan looks slightly similar to duck.
Swan acts slightly similar to duck.
Does it mean that it's a duck? No.
+
Now, let's back to the Duck Test.
You know what is similar to duck? A swan is similar to duck.
Swan looks slightly similar to duck.
Swan acts slightly similar to duck.
Does it mean that it's a duck? No.
+
15
+
There are also adult women which are short/slim/small breasted/etc. and bc of someone can say that they are similar to kids, at least sligthly and at least in comparison to taller/big breasted women.
+
There are also adult women which are short/slim/small breasted/etc. and bc of someone can say that they are similar to kids, at least sligthly and at least in comparison to taller/big breasted women.
+
16
+
Are they kids just bc they are slightly similar to them? Ofc, not.
So just bc, some characters looks slightly similar or act slightly similar, does it mean that they are literally children?
No.
+
Are they kids just bc they are slightly similar to them? Ofc, not.
So just bc, some characters looks slightly similar or act slightly similar, does it mean that they are literally children?
No.
+
17
+
They can be seen as "kids" only in terms of so called "canonical ages", role in the story and worldbuilding, but still at the end of the day, they look and act different.
+
They can be seen as "kids" only in terms of so called "canonical ages", role in the story and worldbuilding, but still at the end of the day, they look and act different.
+
18
+
If you see such character and child and understand how different they are, concluding that "if someone like 1st then for sure like the 2nd" is a complete absurd.
They are completely different classes of entities.
+
If you see such character and child and understand how different they are, concluding that "if someone like 1st then for sure like the 2nd" is a complete absurd.
They are completely different classes of entities.
+
19
+
Anime characters look and act different than real people, in unrealistic and exaggerated manner, in many aspects in ways unique to them.
In result, it's not hard to believe that someone can be into 1st without being into 2nd.
+
Anime characters look and act different than real people, in unrealistic and exaggerated manner, in many aspects in ways unique to them.
In result, it's not hard to believe that someone can be into 1st without being into 2nd.
+
20
+
Aside from that, term "loli" is really vague and ambiguos. There are many characters which fall into this spectrum and completely don't look nor act like children. I was discussing it here:
+
Aside from that, term "loli" is really vague and ambiguos. There are many characters which fall into this spectrum and completely don't look nor act like children. I was discussing it here:
+
お話ですわ@ohanashidesuwa
Is calling petite women characters "l0lis" watering down the "l0li" definition?
(Please, read to the end before replying)
Well, even japanese authors call and describe petite adult women characters they create as l0lis:
🧵(1/12)
(Please, read to the end before replying)
Well, even japanese authors call and describe petite adult women characters they create as l0lis:
🧵(1/12)
21
+
Ofc, it's not substantive in any way, but from curiosity I made pools with questions if some characters look like lolis or not and many people identified characters which completely don't look like a children as so-called "lolis".
For example this:
+
Ofc, it's not substantive in any way, but from curiosity I made pools with questions if some characters look like lolis or not and many people identified characters which completely don't look like a children as so-called "lolis".
For example this:
+
お話ですわ@ohanashidesuwa
Do the characters in the picture look like "lolis" to you?
After answering, please justify your answer in the replies.
After answering, please justify your answer in the replies.
22
+
And this:
(here slight majority judged it as not "loli", but still a lot of people called her as such.
I made those pools rather to show how ambiguos and vague the term is, than to determine are they "lolis" or not.
+
And this:
(here slight majority judged it as not "loli", but still a lot of people called her as such.
I made those pools rather to show how ambiguos and vague the term is, than to determine are they "lolis" or not.
+
お話ですわ@ohanashidesuwa
Is the character in the picture a "loli" for you? (picture is in the replies too)
Would you think about this character as a "loli" if you saw her randomly in any kind of media?
If possible, please justify your opinion in the replies (regardless if the answer is "yes" or "no").
Would you think about this character as a "loli" if you saw her randomly in any kind of media?
If possible, please justify your opinion in the replies (regardless if the answer is "yes" or "no").
23
+
So in the end, common duck test, does not match match criteria.
Even if swan is to certain extent similar to duck, a swan is not a duck.
Even if some anime characters are loosely similar to kids, anime characters aren't kids.
+
So in the end, common duck test, does not match match criteria.
Even if swan is to certain extent similar to duck, a swan is not a duck.
Even if some anime characters are loosely similar to kids, anime characters aren't kids.
+
24
+
Thanks for reading. That's all for now.
If you found it interesting or useful, consider pushing the post and following (bc I'll make more similar posts in the future).
Leave a comment if you want.
Have a nice day/night.
(possible errata below)
+
Thanks for reading. That's all for now.
If you found it interesting or useful, consider pushing the post and following (bc I'll make more similar posts in the future).
Leave a comment if you want.
Have a nice day/night.
(possible errata below)
+
25
@Darrel1908 + harassers are to blame ofc.
What I mean is that it was
1. hes (probably her) misconception
2. phrasing argumentation mistake in terms of (bleh) PR and optics.
She hasn't taken into account emotions she will cause by it and that's a result that many people reacted very hostile+
What I mean is that it was
1. hes (probably her) misconception
2. phrasing argumentation mistake in terms of (bleh) PR and optics.
She hasn't taken into account emotions she will cause by it and that's a result that many people reacted very hostile+
26
@Darrel1908 + One more time, harassers are 100% to blame of harassment, but the way she phrased all of it created openings which antis have used against her.
