Forum - View topicMature Anime (Not sexually speaking)
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18187 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Obviously you don't know (or haven't checked out) the examples I cited in my earlier post, then. Human Crossing and Rumiko Takahashi Anthology are most definitely not aimed at children or teens despite their lack of graphic content. They deal with stories like: a long-time company man's difficulty adjusting to a different job after his company folds, an old woman who is reminded of a lost past love by a handsome doctor, a champion boxer who reflects back on why he became a boxer in the first place, a father who doesn't understand why his son isn't as enthusiastic about a new bike as he was at the same age, an old man who's haunted by a dead wife who won't leave him alone, and so forth. Some of the episode-length stories are comical, some aren't. Of the ten episodes between the two series that I've watched, only one focused on a child and many didn't have characters younger than their mid-20s at all. This is the kind of stuff that's aimed at 30+ aged audiences. Granted, the vast majority of the titles which make it to the U.S. are aimed youthful audiences because those are the ones that sell the best. But there are a few out there (like the ones mentioned above) which definitely skew towards older audiences. |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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I think Darth_Blade's point about "form" was that, in general, certain genre's are pointedly for specific demographics-- space opera's are not being watched, generally speaking, by people over 30. They're being watched by people 12-24. I've seen Crest of the Stars, and although it is slow paced and pretty intelligent with interesting characters, I think a person would be hard pressed to say that it was made to be watced by people over 30-- I'd say 16-24, personally. Are there peope over 30 watching it? Of course. But I think the age of the protagonists in the eyes of the viewer, the emotional problems and situations they're dealing with, and the first and foremost the genre they are in (a science fiction space opera) mean that the "target audience" is 18-24.
Note the importance of the word "target". That doesn't mean it's the only audience, just the target one. Are people over 30 watching The Matrix or Babylon 5 or Cowboy Bebop? Yes, of course. But I don't think that is the target audience for these shows. The target audience is somewhere between 16-24-- those are the people who have the time and the inclination to invest in these shows. And I would say that other versions of what Darth_Blade is calling "form" fall in to the same category-- harem shows, girls with guns, maid shows, etc. These are shows that are, in general, made for a younger audience (say, under 24), even though they are watched by some people over 30. In the same way, a movie like, say, Clueless was obviously made with people 16-20 in mind, and yet was watched by people much older as well. Now, I also think it's a bit unfair to raise the bar for the target audience to 30, as that _really_ limits the selection in any genre (TV, movies, etc.-- the most important demo is always the 18-24 demo), but fair enough. I still think there are a few out there. Millenium Actress, to me, is absolutely intended for adults. I might say "over 24". That movie is art. The story telling is complex, the characters are grown up, and the philosophical points are complicated. Are college students watching it? Yeah, because anime is generally watched by a younger audience, but I feel that that movie is being made as much for an older audience as it is the college-aged crowd. I'd probably toss YKK in there too, as there is little in that (almost nothing, frankly) to appeal to the majority of the teen-aged crowd. It's quiet and slow paced, thoughtful and almost Zen like. Also, I know it's still being aired, but the show Mushishi is absolutely what I would call "mature"-- is it intended for people over 30? I don't know. But it's a drama, there's no action in it, no romance, no robots, no sex. There's a deeply spiritual concept of the supernatural, and I guess that somehow makes it not for people over 30, which is a bummer-- what a sad statement about the over-30 demographic-- that anything speculative... scientifically or supernaturally or histroically is automatically not intended for them. I'm 29 myself. Bummer for me. 
As a side note-- it's odd, but to me the general conensus, in my mind, is that for something to be intended for an over-30 demo in the US, no matter what the genre, it has to be almost always a straightforward drama with nothing speculative about it, or a situational comedy of some sort (nothing slapstick is allowed), and the main characters almost always have to be over 30 themselves. No sci-fi, no fantasy. Not even in literature. I dunno Demon_Blade, that seems very limited. I think there is a certain demo that anime is made for that is under 30, but that is, at the same time, still very applicable to an older audience that likes those sorts of genres-- just like some people over 30 watch Serenity or The Matrix or Babylon 5 or Xena or Something About Mary or Laurel and Hardy. Still, I suppose you're right-- compared to things like manga or movies or Tv or literature, one is very, very hard pressed to find something anime that falls into that "only over-30" _target_ demo. Anyways, I think "mature" (in the original context of this thread) was intended to imply something that is made for the 18-24 crowd, but that an older adult might enjoy as well-- shows like Cowboy Bebop, Berserk, Jin-Roh, Emma, Monster, etc. And I'd agree with all of these recommendations. I'd also put forward the 3 I listed above-- YKK, Mushishi, and Millenium Actress. Oh, and Angel's Egg-- one may not like it, but it's hard to say that that is targeted for anyone but an "adult"-- say 25 or over. |
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darkhunter
 Posts: 2992 Location: Los Angelas |
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One series that comes to mind is Salary Man Kintaro. Story about a salary man turn superhero. It's like a throwback to all the old Japanese Salary man remembering their youth and glory day. |
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Iemander
 Posts: 443 |
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Although I still dissagree with what Steve Berry said, the 30+ thing is irrelevant in the end, we're talking about something first and foremost for children.
A small recollection, A child is a person between birth and puberty. Darth_Blade claims that this is the target audience for all anime. |
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darkhunter
Posts: 2992 Location: Los Angelas |
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Eh, don't get so overwork about it. To me, "most" anime (like 85% mention above) are aim at kids (people under 18 to me). However, on the manga side, they've been putting out a lot of amazing work in the seinen market. It would be great to see more adult-targeted series without having to rely on gore, fanservice and sex to make it adult. I'm a big fan of Otogi Zoshi (a great histocial piece) and Wolf's Rain, in which they doesn't rely on gorey to tell a good deep story. |
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Iemander
Posts: 443 |
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It reminds me of my big brother. When I was 7 years old or something he bought a VHS for me, the Watership Down film. After I saw the film I was haunted with nightmares for YEARS, my brother came after me yelling "Hey dude, it's a toon isn't it? A fantasy toon for kids?". WRONG, wrong mentality. I still held fear for the damn thing untill my 12th, at that age I was looking at horror films and extremely bloody stuff without any problem at all, but Watership Down... ugh. In the right hands, animation can be an extremely powerfull tool of really tapping into a person's fantasy, at that point, these things can get more real than any Tarentino mass killing film is going to scare me. Just looking back at my traumatic Watership Down experience, just imagining it was Texhnolyze instead of Watership Down, I have no clue at all of what would've happened to me. |
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Sam-I-Am
Posts: 121 Location: Midwest US |
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Deftly steering the thread back to its original topic...
Some series that I enjoy (as a 36 year old, who got into anime only a couple years ago) that are more mature in subject matter, and were not mentioned above, include: Gasaraki and Neon Genesis Evangelion are both mecha series of interest, Gasaraki perhaps more than Eva. Gasaraki is perhaps the most realistic of the mechas, with some thought being put into how they might actually be built and used in the near future. Eva, as mentioned above, certainly seems at first like a cliche-faithful mecha series, but a lot of groundwork is being laid. After episode 14, it's a headlong rush to a climax that still has everyone wondering, thinking, and arguing ten years later. If you have a background or interest in religion, the points raised become more profound and resonant. Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket is a six episode series may fill the bill. It features a young boy who joins up with some soldiers on a raid, thinking that it will be a lark, but the script doesn't pull any punches on the outcome. The Memories story collection/movie sidesteps a lot of cliches, and plays off of others. Mostly sci-fi based tales. Gilgamesh and Boogiepop Phantom can both be filed under 'creepy', if you have a taste for horror. Gilgamesh is still being released, so I don't know where it's headed, but so far, it looks like "Escape to Witch Mountain", as remade by Tim Burton. Boogiepop is just plain wierd. A comedy series that is nothing but parody of cliches is Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. The first episode is a bit slow and realistic, but after that, the series is mostly in Airplane!/Naked Gun mode. Goldenboy is a comedy that's certainly not for children, but it's not for everyone, either. It's been a while since I last watched it, so a quick synopsis escapes me at the moment. Just be ready for some toilet humor... literally. Genshiken occupies a corner of the anime world previously left to Otaku no Video, taking a humorous a look at otakus themselves. This is one of those series where you sit, and watch, and say "I know him... and him... um, that's me... I think I've met her...." His and Hers Circumstances is a well done high school romance, at least for the first half of the series. The characters feel real, reacting to each other in realistic ways, with the only magical device in sight being Hideaki Anno's visual imagery. The constant shifts in and out of chibi is off-putting to some, but there is a real emotional core to the show. As for the second half, different directors took over after ep. 14, and, well, corners were cut. Last, my current favorite, Hikaru no Go. The series is about kids, but is not necessarily for kids. This series also deals with numerous realistic people behaving in a realistic fashion (other than everyone being fascinated with the game of Go, which is still realistic if you know people who are totally involved in their hobbies). Other than a 1,000 year old ghost, there are no super powers or fancy gadgets in sight, with the various cast members acting out their frustrations on the Go board. A nice feature of the series is that there are no true villains - even the unlikeable characters are recognizable as real people, and often show more likeable sides later. The only down side is you might get hooked on learning Go yourself, and have to reduce your anime watching time. |
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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There are defintately shows that are targeted towards those who are out of school. I'll keep the themes vague, so as to not spoil any plot points. Things I like about Planetes is the nolstagia of meeting old friends and coworkers who have drifted in different directions over the years. The idea of people you idolize when you were a kid turning out to be retired, fragile and all too human. The idea of living with the consequences of bad relationship choices in your youth. The humour and tragedy of temp workers. The concept of companies downsizing. The conflict between a company promotion and doing the right thing. Having lived through much of what the characters face I probably could go on for a long time about why I can relate and appreciate Planetes or a number of other shows that many of the insightful folks on this thread have posted. I'm really glad to see this thread, since I too am tired of seeing shows based around first kisses and kids saving the universe.
Anime like the Crest/Banner series and 12 Kingdoms based off of novels tend to be aimed at an older audience. Legend of the Galactic Heroes falls into this category. The series is a huge space opera collection which contains a huge ensemble of characters involved in a very intricate plot. I also am enjoying Yugo the Negotiator and Area 88 which are currently being released. Yugo is a character whos strongest asset is his wit and will. He doesn't have any superpowers or high tech gadgets to help him out. His knowledge of other cultures is his power. Both series are rooted in our world and don't have magic or aliens or other fantastic elements to jazz up the story. |
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Randall Miyashiro
Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I believe the Harry Potter series has surpased 2000+ pages, although I suppose it is fantasy not sf. You also have to consider that Japan is a very literate country. Although I'm inclined to believe that both Crest/Banner and 12 Kingdoms are aimed towards a high school target audience range they are both fairly mature shows. In many ways they represent the inverse to shows like Urotsuki Doji which has an older target age and is very juvenile. Since the topic was requesting mature titles (not target age) I agree both series Crest and 12K are relevent. The main characters have many moments where they are dealing with problems with themes like independence and finding out who you are. Yoko even begins her journey as a otonashi highschool student who has to eventually become a responsable adult. All of themes are handled very well though and are not punctuated by dumb one liners and loud rock music. Rather both series are elegent and subtle. I actually think the weakest arc in 12 Kingdoms is the first arc, since it feels more teen oriented than the other three arcs. Another mature series that comes to mind is Kaze no Yojimbo. Most of the reasons why I think it falls in the mature category is for the same reasons why I listed Yugo. It's not an action series based off a superhuman character. Yojimbo is a complex drama which is set in our world. Mimi wo Sumaseba is another slice of life film. I believe it is being released soon as Whisper of the Heart. The last tme I saw it was when it first came out, so I don't remember it too well. I couldn't get into the film at the time, but perhaps there is a fan (it was a big hit in the theaters) on this site who can give more details. |
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Villhelmya
 Posts: 66 Location: London, England |
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Gantz is a definite to watch, guns, blood, exploding limbs and sex. It is really good iv only got the first DVD (only one out in the UK) but i cant wait un till the next comes out.
Also its not violent but Kino's journey (kino no tabi) is one of my favorites. Some parts, but very few, are gory and its not that it is adult in that sence but it hasn't got the crappy kid stuff either. Its exelent even if its not your style. |
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hentai4me
 Posts: 1313 Location: England. Robin is so Cute! |
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if you decide to watch Gantz can I jusy suggest you do with your brain switched to the 'OFF' mode. it makes it more enjoyable. |
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Mr.Hawq
Posts: 25 |
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Blue gender is a really good mature anime, the show may have alot of mecha, but the characters are really deep and honest. Its a great show
Berserk is another good one, it may have alot of violence but characters and atmosphere is very mature and dark. Gungrave is pretty much like berserk but i liked gungrave much better. This is one show that is a adult drama, not that cliche teenage drama you see in mose shows. Madlax mature show with mature characters, very similar to the show noir. Elfen lied.... It may have those cute looking characters but when it comes to the atomosphere the show is very dark. Maybe Rahxephon might do, although it is mecha, as i have said before the characters a great, and really really well developed. It does have some imatureity but interms of story and characters its great I second X tv, very good drama, action show it is more on the drama, its all about the characters in this show. Macross zero Mature show, with mature characters and storyline with not much comedy in it. Macross plus is the same as macross zero but i liked macross zero better. the count of mont christo, although i have not seen this show yet, i heard that this is show is very dark and dramatic. Patlabar movie three has a adult male main character and the movie is mature with story and atmosphere. Basilisk is a good ninja show, the show is liscenced to come out on dvd so when it comes out check it out. This show is all adult characters, and pretty much no comedies in it at all. That is all i can think of so far. |
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jongaleo
Posts: 6 |
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You mentioned Monster when you said you would look deeper in to some animes. Well I say you should watch that one as it is EXTREMELY good. I must say that EVERY single episode is GOOD, and I mean it's got the quality of a short anime. I mean it, there isn't one episode that is extended and boring. It has you clinging on the edge all of the time and its story is a masterpiece! I say you will love it if you give it a try.
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Randall Miyashiro
Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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I don't know if Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Goldenboy or Gantz will fit your criteria. I feel as though Gantz (which is sexually explicit) is very crude and vulgar. Although there is nothing wrong with being raunchy, I think these titles lack "great depth of feeling, seriousness, and maturity" that is mentioned in the initial post. |
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Sam-I-Am
Posts: 121 Location: Midwest US |
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You seem to be focusing on 'seriousness and maturity'.
I was responding to '[not] silly or childish or stupid', and 'doesn't have to deal with serious topics'. I suggested the titles I did because they aren't juvenile fluff like DBZ or Pokemon or Maburaho or about 90% of all anime (ok, ok, Goldenboy is college-age juvenile fluff. Sue me.), which is what I thought Vashts32 was wishing to avoid. There are undoubtedly more shows that would fit the criteria, beyond those already listed in this thread, but I only recommend shows that I've seen personally. Each of the series I mentioned does have something in them to make an adult sit back and think a bit. MSA is mostly about parodying genres (a mental exercise of sorts in itself), but Sashi does find himself in a genuine dilemma halfway through the series. spoiler[If you were given the choice between granting your very best friend their greatest wish, knowing that a side effect would break their heart, would you grant that wish?] Even Goldenboy does have its moments of honesty, albeit usually not until the very end of each episode. 'Mature' is a word that can be interpreted many ways, and I chose to assume that Vashts32 might be interested in anything that didn't seem designed solely to sell toys, and based my picks on such shows I've seen that I enjoyed (and that weren't previously listed). Whenever one of these 'please recommend' threads pops up, any of the titles posted by anyone can be researched in the encyclopedia and reviews for further information, so whoever reads this is free to pick and choose what they might watch next, and I tend to think that more suggestions are better than fewer. I appreciate your efforts on Vashts32's behalf to keep the thread focused, but it's ultimately up to him to decide if a suggestion is relevant. PS - no permanent offense taken, and none intended. |
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