Forum - View topicanime with older/more mature main characters and/or themes??
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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So, we were talking in the thread for the old fogies-- "Too old for anime?" -- when I asked, "Well, do we have any recomendations for anime shows/movies that feature older/more adult characters, themes, etc.?"
As an older viewer (which was labeled as 21+ in the discussion), it's nice, every once in a while, to watch something that's not about first love, teen angst, being a little kid, etc. Don't get me wrong, I like all those things too, I'm just lookin for variety. So, to start off the possible discussion-- Those titles that I'd put on the list myself-- 1) Macross -- which starts off being very teen love, etc. but really ends up being a more grown up affair. People act responsibly, for the good of others, aren't terribly angsty, and are level headed (even Minmei, towards the end). Counted though, that I don't watch the last 9 episodes anymore (sacrilege, I know), and end, rather, at the original ending, at the big battle. This cuts out a lot of unnecessary angst. ::ugh:: 2) Cowboy Bebop-- which, even though playful, features older protagonists, and, here and there, relatively mature themes. 3) Nausicaa-- on the border for me-- the themes are obviously deep. Nausicaa herself isn't quite a child, yet not really an adult woman, somewhere in the middle, yet so damned mature for her age. 4) Perfect Blue 5) Jin Roh 6) Vampite Hunter D-- Bloodlust Shows I am hoping to check out relatively soon that I'm thinking will fit into this list-- Ruroni Kenshin-- Trust and Betrayal and the TV show, Berserk, Macross Plus, Angel's Egg, Lupin III- Castle of Calistrogo, Patlabor Movies 1 and 2. And, just to give a sense-- Shows I love that wouldn't fit into the "mature" protagonist list, for me-- Laputa, Kiki, Totoro, Spirited Away, Escaflowne, Nadia Obviously, by "mature" I basically mean older-- as all the Miyazaki women are very mature, etc. Also, I *am* really go for anything with humor, etc. too-- it doesn't need to have action/fighting. And I don't equate being a downer with mature themes. Just think-- I have people in their 20's and 30's that I want to introduce a bit more to anime. What can I show them?? So far, I've been using the titles in my little list above. Also though, simply.... What can I watch that I havn't already watched that fits into this category of older/more mature main characters?? Oh, and I'm not afraid of older anime as well-- I've been thinking about watching Votoms or Yamamoto too.... I just don't know so much about them. Any thoughts anyone?? Steve |
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Vigilante024
 Posts: 578 Location: back. but not really. |
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hmmm... sadly everytime I hear "mature" anime, I automatically think of H. I'll have to go back and look through my collection to see what would fit here... Though I agree that Macroos Plus would fit and Kenshin Trust and Betrayal, though he is only like 16, he is very mature, but I don't think the show would because there is alot of Karou, 16, and her "first love" towards Kenshin...Off the top of my head I think Gasaraki would fall into more adult characters and themes
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Legato 2057
 Posts: 437 Location: Soon to be Japan |
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Since Vigilante brought up Hentai, I will recomend Urotsukidoji as having a mature story (besides the hentai elements).
I second the Gasaraki suggestion. I also would recomend Haibane Renmei. Ghost in the Shell the movie is definitely a more mature movie on the level of Akira (also good). GIST: Stand Alone Complex I would say is similar to Cowboy Beebop in that it features adult characters yet also has lighthearted elements too. Spring and Chaos Princess Mononoke (its the only Miyazaki film you didn't mention) Blue Sub 6 Blue Gender Hakkenden Green Legen Ran Gundam (the more serious stuff like 0083, Movies and Zeta) Roujin Z Key the Metal Idol Eat-Man '98 There are a lot of older horror animes like Wicked City, Darkside Blues, & Twighlight of the Dark Master that might fit into this category. These are more mature because of the excessive violence than for having a mature theme. Same goes for M.D. Geist, Angel Cop, Genocyber etc. Zone of the Enders TV, while not a very serious anime, the main character is a 50 year old male who spends his time trying to figure out how to get his kids to like him again. I think this will at least appeal to an older audience. Kite (either the censored or uncensored) is a similar story to La Femme Nakita. Thats all I can think of.... |
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Vigilante024
Posts: 578 Location: back. but not really. |
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ummm...not sure if all of these will count:
Silent Mobius Outlaw Star Trigun The Record of Lodoss War Ninja Scroll Grave of the Fireflies Lain Reign Bastard Armitage Metropolis Socerer on the Rocks Gestalt *the last two are OVA's and not very serious but fun anyway* oh yeah...EVA... Last edited by Vigilante024 on Wed Jul 16, 2003 11:37 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Yuki555
 Posts: 164 Location: Georgia |
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The only one I can think up right now is Martian Successor Nadesico. There's lots of sillyness in it, but I think it has a mature theme.
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Dan42
Chief Encyclopedist
 Posts: 3788 Location: Montreal |
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Black Heaven is definitely in the "more mature" list... it's about a married salaryman's mid-life crisis as he yearns for his youth in a hard-rock band (and, this being anime, it's also about hard rock saving outer space)
The various Patlabor series, while not having very serious themes, have young adults as protagonists and so there is none of that teen angst or teen love. The stories are more down-to-earth and reflect a more mature sensibility. |
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_NeXus_
 Posts: 18 |
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Besides being dark and mature, (exactly what i'm looking for) , how is Black Heaven? I've wanted to see it for a while but haven't been able to get my hands on it
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cyrax777
 Posts: 1825 Location: the desert |
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Saishuu Heiki Kanojo (Saikano for short)
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JELEINEN
 Posts: 253 Location: Iowa |
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I was just watching the first volume of Master Keaton the other day and one of the things that really appealed to me about the show was that the main character was at least in his mid thirties. I highly recommend the show.
I'll also throw in my standard recomendation for Wings of Honneamise, but avoid the DVD release. |
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avius viator
 Posts: 101 Location: Ohio |
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Other than the ones already mentioned, the following may also apply:
Noir Big O Appleseed These feature older characters and generally avoid the whole "adolesent turmoil" thing. Robot Carnival Personal fav... & can be appriciated on many levels... FLCL ...cause its so damn cool.... |
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Bruce Lee
 Posts: 715 Location: Seattle, Washington |
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I would like to personally vouch for NOIR. That show is so darn badass. It's like a Bruce Willis movie - no, not look who's taking, think more Die Hard 1 - but with 2 protagonists. Just watch the episode with the casino shoot-out - it's on the first disc. Honestly, ever since I saw her "no-look" shoot in the direction of the popcorn crunching, I've been hooked. I would also like to suggest Daigard. It's about some young adults who fight monsters with an old robot (strangly enough named Daigard) and what happens behind the scenes at the company who owns the robots. It is silly at points, but I really enjoy it. And, it's teenage-angst freel |
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MasterFuu
 Posts: 434 Location: Phoenix, AZ |
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Ghost in the Shell
Ninja Scroll Onegai Teacher 
Bebop Wolfs Rain |
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Joshua
Posts: 23 Location: Portsmouth, RI |
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Yawara and Masion Ikkoku, the manga versions both ran in Big Spirit Comics an manga magazine marketed towards young 20 somethings.
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kodocha3
Posts: 15 Location: Kansas |
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Steve Berry, thank you for starting this thread.
I can't think of any that aren't on the list and now have a ton of anime to consider 
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ShellBullet
 Posts: 1051 Location: I hit things, with my fist. |
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I would second Maisen Ikkoku, and also You're Under Arrest, as all the characters are twenty-something career-minded people.
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