Forum - View topicMature / Adult (non-Hentai) Anime.
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Lost_Obscurity
 Posts: 9 |
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Hello, ANN. Newcomer here (but of course) and I wanted to get down a list of anime that can be viewed and enjoyed by older audiences. Since most anime is aimed at teenagers (unfortunately, it's not quite as mature as we fans like to make it out to be), I have been wondering about some titles that can be enjoyed by 18+ audiences. This can be philosophical sub-context and/or level of storytelling and/or extreme amounts of gore/violence. I.e. Serial Experiments Lain, despite the young girl as protagonist, qualifies as mature due to storyline. Movies as well as series.
Generally, I want to create a comprehensive list of shows/movies that someone can come back to in 2-3 years and enjoy just the same as when they were younger, albeit with slightly differing reasons. And while this most definitely includes seinen and josei anime demographics, it is not necessarily limited to just that. Also, for those sick of characters highschool age and etc., there is another comprehensive list, this time of anime about adults, which can be found here. Key Mature usage of Story Extreme Gore/Violence Philosophical Sub-context A (*) denotes an anime where the character is highschool age An underlined anime denotes a movie, ONA, or OVA Anime List (to be alphabetized and edited as it goes on) Aquarian Age-Sign for Evolution- (Supernatural/drama. Synopsis: the lead singer of a popular underground rock group begins seeing visions of strange women battling in the streets. He soon finds out they are real as he and his girlfriend get dragged into a war between 5 different supernatural factions.) Aquatic Language(Sci-Fi/Slice-of-Life. Synopsis: short from the creators of Time of Eve which revolves around a cafe where several groups of people are engaged in different conversations but begin to notice strange things.) Angel's Egg (Psychological. Synopsis: In a desolate and dark world full of shadows, lives one little girl who seems to do nothing but collect water in jars and protect a large egg she carries everywhere. A mysterious man enters her life... and they discuss the world around them.) Armitage III (Sci-Fi/Action that follows Martian police officer Armitage bridge the gap between humans and androids) Armored Trooper Votoms (science fiction, mecha Synopsis: A classic tale of what happens to people on covert missions who end up knowing to much. Now Chirico is on the run, and fighting to survive after discovering a classified secret project that many different factions in the universe will kill to get their hands on, a woman named Fyana. However, Chirico is definitely no average soldier and will not go down easy.) Armor Hunter Mellowlink- (science fiction, mecha. Synopsis: Revolves around a lone ex-military soldier who uses guerrilla tactics and an anti-tank rifle to take revenge on the squad of mecha pilots who killed his friends.) Blassreiter (Sci-Fi/Action. Synopsis: In a fictional Germany, an outbreak causing corpses to re-animate as biomechanical creatures called "Demoniacs" is taking the world. As people struggle to cling to their existence, human Demoniacs rise to existence with the ability to sculpt the landscapes of fate.) Claymore (Dark Fantasy/Action. Synopsis: Humans coexist with demonic predators called Yoma, who feast on humans to survive. Since the Yoma have the ability to take on human appearance, a special organisation formed with half-human, half-Yoma warriors nicknamed "Claymores" to act as a counter-force. After a human boy loses everything to a Yoma, he joins a Claymore on her journeys.) Darker than Black (Action/Mystery following agents of the Syndicate as the hunt down Contracters) Ergo Proxy (Sci-fi/Dystopian As a lethal virus starts to spread among the androids of Romdeau City causing them to go crazy, Vincent Law, an immigrant, is forced out after being linked to a bizarre string of violence by a creature dubbed a "Proxy." He sets off on a journey to his original city, initially pursued and then later joined by R-el (an inspector of Romdeau's Citizen Intelligence Bureau) and Pino (an infected android), all with the goal of finding out about his past and the question at the heart of the entire matter: what, or who, are the proxies?) Gankutsuo: Count of Monte Cristo (Sci-Fi/Drama following the Count of Monte Cristo's revenge as it unfolds) Genshiken (Comedy/Slice-of-Life. Synopsis: The antics of a university club revolving around otaku activities like anime, cosplay and model kits) Ghost in the Shell (Sci-Fi/Thriller. Synopsis: In 2029, humanity and technology have intertwined. When a wanted brain-hacker known as "the Puppetmaster" begins involving politics, it is up to Section 9 to stop it before chaos ensues) Gunslinger Girl (Drama/Sci-fi. Synopsis: An Italian government agency "recruits" young girls who are seriously injured, ill or traumatized, gives them cybernetic limbs and brainwashes them so they can serve as assassins) Haibane Renmei (Drama/Fantasy. Synopsis: The protagonist finds herself in a strange world enclosed by a giant wall, with no memory of herself. She is greeted by girls with wings on their backs and halos over their heads, and is told she is now one of them. Hellsing Ultimate (Action/Horror series following the exploits of the Hellsing organization on its war to stop Millenium) House of Five Leaves (Slice-of-Life/ Period drama following a ronin as he finds himself increasingly drawn into a band of thieves known as the Five Leaves) (*)Kids on the Slope (Drama. Synopsis: A youth drama set in a port town in the 1960s. The protagonist is a straight-laced classical pianist who is introduced to jazz music by a drummer.) Kino's Journey (Slice-of-Life/Adventure following Kino as she and her motorcycle Hermes travel from town to town and encounter different philosophies and lifestyles.) Mushi-Shi (Fantasy/Slice-of-Life that follows the Mushi Master Ginko as he travels from village to village in search of mushi) NieA Under 7 (Slice-of-Life/Sci-Fi. Synopsis: In the 21st century, aliens crashed their ship on Earth some time ago and have assimilated into human society. In sleepy Enohana, the dirt-poor student Chigasaki Mayuko finds herself living together with NieA, a low-caste ("Under Seven") alien as this anime follows their day-to-day adventures) Paranoia Agent (Psychological/Mystery. Synopsis:A mysterious boy on roller skates goes around attacking people with a baseball bat, and a pair of detectives begin to investigate the case, but all is not as it seems.) Patlabor: the Movie (Mech. Synopsis: A mysterious suicide and strange robot malfunctions are clues to a devastating sabotage plot that Special Vehicle Unit 2 must stop) Patlabor 2: the Movie (Mech/Thriller. Synopsis: When a terrorist attack is blamed on the Air Force, Special Vehicle Unit 2 gets caught in the middle of a growing political conflict.) Ping Pong (Sports/Drama. Synopsis: Two childhood friends are talented at ping pong, but have very different attitudes towards it, as do other players.) Planetes (Drama/Sci-fi. Synopsis: In the year 2075, mankind has reached a point where journeying between Earth, the moon and the space stations is part of daily life. However, the progression of technology in space has also resulted in the problem of the space debris, which can cause excessive and even catastrophic damage to spacecrafts and equipment. This is the story of Technora's Debris Collecting section, its EVA worker, Hachirota "Hachimaki" Hoshino, and the newcomer to the group, Ai Tanabe. ) Serial Experiments Lain (Sci-Fi/Psychological that follows Lain as she integrates and explores the wire) Steins;Gate (Sci-Fi/Drama. Synopsis: A self-proclaimed mad scientist stumbles upon a way to send text messages into the past, which proves to have disastrous consequences down the line. Heavily based on the story of John Titor, a "real" time traveler who appeared on the Internet in the early 00s.) (*)Sweet Blue Flowers(Drama/Yuri. Synopsis: Fumi and Akira were close childhood friends until Fumi had to move away. Ten years after losing touch with each other, the two girls meet again as high school freshmen. The two struggle to reconnect after so much has changed, and both deal with the trials and tribulations of high school — sometimes independently and sometimes with each other’s help.) Tatami Galaxy (Psychological/ Mystery. Synopsis: A nameless university student dissatisfied with his campus life wishes he would have made different choices. He is then sent back two years in time, without being aware of it, but nothing seems to give him the outcome he wants, and so he keeps repeating his university years over and over again, each time in a different way. His perspective on his life eventually changes when he becomes trapped in the mysterious "tatami galaxy." ) Texhnolyze (Sci-fi/Dystopian story about an underground city where cybernetic limb replacements and enhancements are common. The city is plagued by rival factions and gangs with one outsider trying to stir things up, one man caught in the middle of everything, and potentially much more on the line) Usagi Drop (Slice-of-Life/Drama about bachelor-turned-single-dad Daikichi as he copes and adjusts to his new life with Rin, a child whose illegitimate father might have been his grandfather.) Welcome to the NHK (Slice-of-life/Psychological Anime following a hikkikimori college drop-out in present-day Japan) (Also, wow... I don't know how I managed to miss that whole "No Recs" thread. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for allowing this to go on.) Last edited by Lost_Obscurity on Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:19 pm; edited 29 times in total |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18466 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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As a matter of forum policy we do not allow un-annotated listing or pure, unapproved recommendation threads. To my knowledge we do not have an officially sanctioned recommendation thread of this type, though, so I will sanction it provided that listed titles are given at least brief descriptions about why they fit into this category.
And yes, that means that the titles listed in the OP will need to be retrofitted with appropriate descriptions. Please do not assume that everyone automatically is familiar with certain titles because everyone has gaps in their anime experience even if they are veteran fans. |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6902 Location: Kazune City |
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A misconception:
A few possibilities: Texhnolyze: A sci-fi/dystopian story about an underground city where cybernetic limb replacements and enhancements are common. The city is plagued by rival factions and gangs with one outsider trying to stir things up, one man caught in the middle of everything, and potentially much more on the line. Planetes: "Garbage Collectors in Space" -- follows the lives of a team of (adult) astronauts who work for a company department that clears away space debris. Kino's Journey: A traveler visits various countries and cities organized around different governmental and societal philosophies. Human Crossing: Anthology series with adult characters dealing with work, love, and family issues. Rumiko Takahashi Anthology: see previous description, only with some supernatural/mystery elements woven in. |
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Unicorn_Blade
 Posts: 1153 Location: UK |
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My first thought was....
Gantz- two friends find themselves killed by a train, but after the accident end up in a room full of strangers, about to be sent on a mission. If they survive, they will be let to come back to life and get a few more days before the next mission. A lot of gore and blood and people killed in very gruesome ways, plus a sex scene, a naked body, boobs close ups, etc etc. Monster: A doctor saves a young patient sot in the head, only to regret his altruistic decision. There is violence, and also talk of some potentially disturbing psychological experiments. Claymore - a lot of gore and killing, to the point where it almost seems to much- a group of warriors get dispatched on missions to kill monsters. |
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MacAttack270
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Honestly, for those exact reasons, and more specifically, how they played out, I personally don't consider Gantz an anime "aimed at adults." Does it touch on some mature themes? Yes, but they're done in such juvenile ways. All I could think of when I first watched it last year was that Gantz is a male teenager's wet dream. As for my own recommendation, I'll put forth: Ergo Proxy - a tale set in a dystopian future where the earth has wasted away and humanity is confined to domed cities along with their android servants. As a lethal virus starts to spread among the androids of Romdeau City causing them to go crazy, Vincent Law, an immigrant, is forced out after being linked to a bizarre string of violence by a creature dubbed a "Proxy." He sets off on a journey to his original city, initially pursued and then later joined by R-el (an inspector of Romdeau's Citizen Intelligence Bureau) and Pino (an infected android), all with the goal of finding out about his past and the question at the heart of the entire matter: what, or who, are the proxies? - It's quite a dark show that isn't afraid to ask philosophical questions, like what exactly is the point where artificial intelligence ceases being a machine and instead is considered alive. |
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Aylinn
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I would add:
Angle's Egg which demands from viewers to think of their own interpretation rather than leading them by the hand like little kids. It falls under Philosophical Sub-context. Utena, it is mostly about growing up, but the way problems are presented is mature. Plus, a lot of fantastic characterization and great character development. It falls under Mature usage of Story. |
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Cam0
 Posts: 4928 |
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Would Psycho-Pass qualify? I think it would, just surprised no one has recommended it yet. Was one of the best animes to come out of 2012. A Sci-fi action anime with a pretty interesting world where people can pretty much be declared criminals before they do anything illegal and everyone's future and job is pretty much decided for them by machines. The setting is pretty well handled and it has a strong female main character.
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Lost_Obscurity
Posts: 9 |
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Fair point, and you are correct in that respect. But as many people have said before me, I'm sick of highschool with little respect for the viewer. And I'm sick of feeling like a creep for watching some anime where highschool girls are merely in there for fanservice. Or highschool relationships. Or the typical "shonen" power-up.
That's the very reason I didn't put a show like Speed Grapher on here. It seems mature at first... but that is only on the surface. I'm looking to list the shows that treat the viewer as an adult rather than a horny highschool kid. Last edited by Lost_Obscurity on Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:59 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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HaruhiToy
 Posts: 4118 |
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At the risk of ruining this thread, I am going to bring up Kodomo no Jikan which takes on social issues far too hot for the U.S. market. I read somewhere the U.S. licensee decided not to release the title in the U.S. market due to the calculation that the expected shit storm would far outweigh any potential profits. They are probably right. However this anime takes a very mature and humorous look at the difficulties of novice teachers and kids from difficult homes that nonetheless have a good side to them. Dealing with sexuality can be tricky enough all by itself, but the problems are multiplied many times when some of the characters are elementary school students. KoJ has its flaws and there have been well reasoned critiques of how it handles the subject, but overall it has a positive contribution. |
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swienke
 Posts: 245 |
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As one of those series with something to offer all but the youngest fans, Natsume Yuujincho may not strictly qualify according to Lost_Obscurity's criteria, but I think it deserves a mention nonetheless.
Yes, it features a teenage protagonist and youkai out the wazoo (like many kid or teen aimed shows nowadays), but Natsume Yuujincho is a series that prizes subtlety and emotional sincerity above all else. At it's heart it's a meditation on the bittersweet beauty of building relationships that will inevitably crumble with the passage of time and the terrible loneliness that follows, yet even at it's saddest it's suffused with such gentle warmth that cynicism is impossible. It's beautiful, haunting, dripping with wistfulness, and extraordinarily resonant to anyone who's lost a loved one or ever felt thoroughly alone in the world. Younger viewers may focus on the monsters and the humor, but I think it requires the experience and maturity of an adult to really grasp the soul of the series. |
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HaruhiToy
Posts: 4118 |
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I would say a better example than those you brought up would be Flowers of Evil. Too much of the discussion of that anime centered around its Rotoscope art technique and it is arguable that it isn't really an anime at all. That aside I don't recall it fondly but I can still comprehend the point(s) it was trying to make. Nakamura is as complete a chaotic nihilist as it is possible to be in a school uniform and Takao is her hapless canvas. Definitely not for young teens and younger. |
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5937 Location: Virginia, United States |
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Think the originator of the thread didn't want high schoolers featured in this thread, despite the mature themes it might have. There is just too much anime that happens at high school.
Not that I am playing cop, but I too want to see no school anime included. |
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Lost_Obscurity
Posts: 9 |
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Not necessarily. If it can treat the viewer as an adult, than it should have no problem. However, I will make note of what is a school anime compared to what isn't. I want to make a comprehensive list featuring anime not aimed at teens, or, rather, younger teens. Also, what would you guys think of something like AOT on this list? |
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dudebro
Posts: 42 |
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It might be useful to compile a list like this. Or at the very least I hope my post will be helpful to people who are not familiar with some of these shows. I tried to pick the most appropriate "color," but obviously there's a lot of overlap between purple and green.
Aoi Hana: A very realistic, mature yuri story. It doesn't play the subject for laughs, it isn't melodramatic, and it doesn't have the ugliness and cynicism of live action yuri. It also has top-tier animation, art and music. Emma: A Victorian Romance: A mostly realistic and period-accurate romance set in 19th century Britain. Probably not dissimilar to what you'd find in some British costume dramas. Flag: A war mockumentary. It is "shot" entirely through cameras and video cameras, and follows a UN operation in the middle of a civil war in a fictional Asian country. It also features a mecha. Genshiken: The antics of a university club revolving around otaku activities like anime, cosplay and model kits. It's less of an otaku anime and more of an anime about otaku, warts and all. A semi-member who doesn't understand or appreciate the otaku ways acts as a potential audience surrogate. Gunslinger Girl: An Italian government agency "recruits" young girls who are seriously injured, ill or traumatized, gives them cybernetic limbs and brainwashes them so they can serve as assassins. A moody, tragic story lacking in cliches or melodrama. Haibane Renmei: The protagonist finds herself in a strange world enclosed by a giant wall, with no memory of herself. She is greeted by girls with wings on their backs and halos over their heads, and is told she is now one of them. An examination of life and the afterlife. Trapeze: A very bizarre, psychedelic show about a psychiatrist and his many patients, and their slightly interconnected stories. Features occasional (and literally) fourth-wall breaking commentary by a real psychiatrist. Paranoia Agent: A mysterious boy on roller skates goes around attacking people with a baseball bat, and a pair of detectives begin to investigate the case, but all is not as it seems. This is by Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Perfect Blue), which means a collapse of reality is probably not far off. Welcome to the NHK: A young man suffers a nervous breakdown, becomes a hikikomori (shut-in) and retreats into his apartment. He tries to escape his situation, and becomes involved in various (mis)adventures, most important of which is a girl who claims she can cure him of his hikikomori ways. This is a show that takes hikikomori, NEET and otaku fantasies and pretentions and smashes them to pieces. NieA Under 7: The protagonist is a university student living with an annoying alien. The aliens crashed their ship on Earth some time ago and have assimilated into human society. It starts off as something of a crazy comedy, but eventually takes on a nostalgic, melancholic tone. I would say its main theme is transience. Ping Pong: Two childhood friends are talented at ping pong, but have very different attitudes towards it, as do other players. I think it's about what ping pong means to them, and what it says about them as people. Planetes: Towards the end of the century, humanity has a thriving lunar colony and space travel is routine. The main characters work as garbage collectors, picking up dangerous debris in Earth orbit (even a screw can down a spacecraft if it has enough velocity). Humanity is also preparing for a manned mission to Jupiter. There's some bad melodrama and comedy and other issues, but not enough to compromise an otherwise compelling story. A rare example of hard science fiction on television. Kids on the Slope: A youth drama set in a port town in the 1960s. The protagonist is a straight-laced classical pianist who is introduced to jazz music by a drummer. He also falls in love with said drummer's childhood friend. Interesting elements include the prominence of Christianity (rare in Japan) and the political unrest of the era. Steins;Gate: A self-proclaimed mad scientist stumbles upon a way to send text messages into the past, which proves to have disastrous consequences down the line. Heavily based on the story of John Titor, a "real" time traveler who appeared on the Internet in the early 00s. Kind of a borderline selection since it features so much otaku culture and has a fair bit of silliness in it, but it's a really gripping story with great characters and excellent atmosphere and direction. Tatami Galaxy A nameless university student dissatisfied with his campus life wishes he would have made different choices. He is then sent back two years in time, without being aware of it, but nothing seems to give him the outcome he wants, and so he keeps repeating his university years over and over again, each time in a different way. His perspective on his life eventually changes when he becomes trapped in the mysterious "tatami galaxy." Sentimental Journey & Seraphim Call: A collection of short stories. The ones in Sentimental Journey are romantic, and the ones in Seraphim Call tend to have more of a scifi or fantastical bent to them. I did not include movies, maybe I'll make another list later. I also just noticed I included a few shows others had already covered, but oh well. |
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Lost_Obscurity
Posts: 9 |
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Awesome. Thanks, I am editing as it goes on.
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