Forum - View topicReal Life Romance Anime
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PantsGoblin
 SubscriberEncyclopedia Editor  Posts: 2969 Location: L.A. |
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I hate to bring up another one of these recommendation threads but I'm not really looking for recommendations. Just looking for animes that fit a certain condition. Yes, I'm looking for romances that deal with real life possible situations. When I say I want it to be real, I mean absolutely NO magical elements AT ALL. None. And also no harems. Being surrounded by a bunch of girls who are in love with you isn't really true to life. So far the only animes I've seen that have accomplished this are Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien and Futari Ecchi. I know there must be more. I've been considering Koi Kaze, it doesn't have any kind of magic in it, does it?
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Arkard
 Posts: 677 Location: Poland |
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Lettece me see...
Kare Kano This is a very "real" romance series. It centers around a certain girl, who from day one had a very high oppinion about herself. Always the best at everything, top of the class, star athlete, whateva. It all ends when she starts highschool and finally meets her match. A certain boy seems to best her at everything. This anime focuses on the pits and downfalls of their newborn relationship which blossoms into love. But they still have to overcome lots of obsticales on their way to happiness. I recommend this series wholeheartedly. If you`re lucky you will find yourself really attached to the main protagonists, feeling the siginificancy of every single day they share. The little things that may seem irrelevant prove crucial to the difficult love those two got themselves up into. Plus its really entertaining at time 
I''s OK, this is the manga, but I know that the second OAV series is ready, and from what I`ve read on the pamphlet it seems this series will focus on the school days of the characters. So if it happens to be something closer to the manga (as opposed to that abomination, the first OAV serie) it may be just the thing you are looking for. Boys Be I found out one thing abou myself. I am real sucker for thsi series. It is nothing new, it certainly isnt ground breaking or any of the sort but it has a sort of unique charm. Telling what seems like a girly love story, from the guys point of view (well not always, but in most cases). It doesnt really have a linear plot but you will find the same characters crossing each others rode throughout the series. Many of them end up with little cruches, others may even found their true love. Boys Be is really light hearted. It is a fun watch with nice animation and good music. 100% real. Koi Kaze Weeeeeeell.... this is also a realistic series. Very moving at times but... well it focuses on a relationship between a brother and a sister. So if you are turned away by such things, then this is not for you. But if you give it a chance I can almost guarantee you will like it. |
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Vaines
Posts: 5 Location: Belgium |
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I think AI YORI AOSHI would please you. Although the hero is a bit surrounded by girls in love with him, he really loves one, but it's complicated because he supposedly can't and more things come as obstacles, it's deeper obstacles and has to do a lot with japanese tradition, not at all like Love Hina or something.
I hope it was clear ^^ |
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PantsGoblin
Subscriber Encyclopedia Editor Posts: 2969 Location: L.A. |
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Yes, I've seen Ai Yori Aoshi and I did like it. But it isn't what I'm looking for. Even though it did have its serious moments (mainly the beginning and the ending) the majority of the anime was largly focused on fanservice and comedy. Not that I don't like that, it's just not what I'm looking for at the moment.
Kare Kano, Koi Kaze, and possibly Boys Be... seem to be the most promising to me so far. |
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Gauss
 Posts: 519 Location: Finland |
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Suzuka is without a doubt what you are seeking. It's a romantic drama with both feet planted firmly in the real world. Crushes one anime cliche after another with it's clever twists and turns. It's not easy being Yamato when you like somebody as cold as Suzuka. Just ignore the first episode since it gives you the completely wrong impression that Suzuka is a subpar ecchi anime comedy. Then stick around past the early setup episodes and you'll be amply rewarded. Nay, more correct to say you'll be addicted. Lucky you who can watch the series in one go rather than getting the shakes from waiting until next week (fansub of final episode should be out any day now... I think).
Last edited by Gauss on Sat Jan 07, 2006 8:03 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6867 Location: Kazune City |
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Kare Kano is realistic on the emotional side of things; however, the experimental art and exaggerated anime reactions (on a couple of occasions, characters' anger causes nuclear explosions, for instance) prevent it from being wholly realistic. There's a pretty outlandish chase scene somwhere around episode 11, too spoiler[it's where Yukino chases Tsubasa for some reason or another.] It is Gainax, after all.
Aishiteru ze Baby has some good romance to go along with its plot about a high-school student taking care of his five year-old cousin, though that part may be a little contrived. Kippei is pretty popular with the ladies, but the catch is that he actually deserves this popularity, at least more so than Keitarou/Keiichi/Yukinari/Nozomu/Tenchi and all the other anti-heroes of shounen harem. And, the female lead isn't some shy, adoring, "what if I'm not good enough?" girl, either. Marmalade Boy seems realistic enough, though I've only seen the first 12 out of 76 episodes. If you get past the whole living together/quasi-incest thing, it seems like a real enough high school story, with tons of deception and plotting. I'm not saying that incest "ruins" romance stories, but some might find the whole "parents divorce, swap partners, and heroine now lives with a stepbrother her age" scenario to be strange. Sakura Diaries is also a love triangle story with no magic...it is a little strange, though not exclusively because Urara and Touma happen to be cousins. Plenty of fanservice, but has redeeming qualities because it takes a look at the culture of college vs. prep school and how it affects Touma's romantic prospects. Suzuka, which just ended and has a thread about it, goes into melodrama sometimes, but it's not harem (despite how the setup looks), and is generally realistic. There are only 2 girls that are seriously in the running for the main character (who same say trumps Shinji and Keitarou for wussiness and stupidity), though you get some mild-compared-to-the-manga fanservice from other girls. Please Twins: depends on how much you accept the whole "random girls who might be Maiku's sister move in with him" situation. Otherwise, no magic or alien technology like Please Teacher, although it does feel like a harem show sometimes. And yes, Koi Kaze is quite good; check out ANN's reviews, as well as the trivia entry in the encyclopedia; the trivia helps provide scientific backing for the plausibility of the two siblings falling in love. Koi Kaze is also one of the few shows I've seen that spoiler[ treats sex in a realistic, adult way, instead of being all weird and saying, "this sort of thing"/"that sort of thing"...you know how it usually goes in anime.] |
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Gauss
Posts: 519 Location: Finland |
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That's because you're comparing shounen with shoujo anime. Kippei is a fairly ordinary bishounen character for a shoujo romance. That said, he is a very likeable character and doesn't have that hyper-bishie look to him.
Oi, Yamato is no wuss! He's boneheaded but has far more guts than the typical guy in an ecchi harem comedy. It's not his fault that Suzuka is so hard to woo. |
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Kusanagi_Kei
 Posts: 230 |
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*Onegai Teacher*
Lovely romantic drama. Though there is the hint of science fiction, and some cute side characters to aid the couple. There is much emotion and realism in the story. Especially in the middle and later episodes, moving me to tears. *Victorian Romance Emma* Love story set in Victorian England times, about a couple who's love for one another is kept distant due to the difference in social class. This was one of Touma Yumi's latest performances. *Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal, Reflection* Another true masterpiece, about a young boy in the Meiji era who's parents and family were killed in a massacre, and set out to avenge them. Later to feel guilt and wanting to atone his sins of the lives he took. Drama, with excellent music score by Iwasaki Taku. |
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Zalis116
Moderator
Posts: 6867 Location: Kazune City |
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I know that Ai Baby is shoujo; that's why it has a male character that isn't a complete wuss, and why Kippei compares favorably. And, I guess Yamato does redeem himself, eventually.
(edit *favorably*, gotta have that adverb in there) Last edited by Zalis116 on Sat Jan 07, 2006 4:26 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Steve Berry
Posts: 522 Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA |
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I just wanted to second Emma. This show is a very good, realistic period piece-- explores some of the problems of a relationship between two classes at the turn of the century in England. It's still anime, and still shoujo (with necessary shyness and goofy moments now and then), but it's very good-- by far the best romantic anime show I've watched. I dont' really like shoujo much normally, although I like romances in general, but this is just a good story, plain and simple, whatever the medium is. Music's good (if you like more 19th century-style music), animation is good, acting is good.
I'm also currently watching His and Her Circumstances, and it's also very good. The only other shoujo show I've ever really liked. It's got a lot of comedy in it, with some chibi- super deformed stuff thrown in, but in truth, the comedy is more situational than slapstick-- a lot of it would work just as well if the characters were drawn normally, as it's frequently dialogue driven. The characters are very real, their problems are real, and the relationship comes off as feeling authentic. Also, it's nice to see a show where the romance actually progresses at a reasonable clip, where the show is less about getting together than it is about how you make a relationship work once you've decided you like each other. The show is good- it's high school still (which gets a bit old for me at times), but it's good, and the romance comes off feeling real. |
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Sam-I-Am
Posts: 121 Location: Midwest US |
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Some other titles that might fit into the cataegory you're looking for...
Planetes is generally considered a sci-fi show, but the growing relationship between Hachi and Tonabe is a major part of the series arc. They are people in their low 20's, so if you are specifically looking for high school romance, they might be a bit old. Kodocha goes the other way - grade schoolers falling in love. If you look past Sano's antics, the slow dance between her and Akito is worth watching. Here is Greenwood is a six-episode old school OVA that handles its characters in a realistic manner, though the situations they find themselves in are often rather exaggerated. The first, fifth, and sixth episodes in particular focus on human relationships. Midori Days falls short of your criteria by one act of magic, but if you can deal with a premise similar to Freaky Friday, Seiji and Midori might be an amusing diversion. |
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PantsGoblin
Subscriber Encyclopedia Editor Posts: 2969 Location: L.A. |
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Hmm, I said nothing magical at all, yet people are still bringing them up.
 Also, I didn't mention this, but no animes that take place in the past.
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Dranxis
 Posts: 591 Location: Ohtori Academy |
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned Maison Ikkoku yet. It's one of the (if not the) best Rumiko Takahashi works, and her only major realistic one. There's no martial artists, aliens or demons here: just good old fashioned Takahashi romance. Lots of great character development, plus a very likeable main couple. And while there are a few alternative pairings, it's definetly NOT a harem series.
anime#376 |
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CyberViper
Posts: 218 Location: Matsumoto, Nagano Japan |
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Ok...something that is completely real life...that hasn't been mentioned.
Kita-e Diamond Dust Drops: I am pretty certain this one has no magical elements. I defintely can't remember any. It's a collection of short stories, maybe 2 episodes per story, that comes together wonderfully in the end. Not every story is romance, but they're all drama. I was defintely touched by this anime. Iketeru Futari: I don't think there is anything unreal about this one. It's a lot more ecchi and comedy, but there is a definite romantic aspect to it. Each episode is very short as well, so you can watch it very quickly. Refrain Blue might be real life. You can argue that it is...it depends on whether you think one character is real or is a ghost. Either way it's great and very sad. To Heart is real, save for a single andriod who is pretty much exactly like a real person more than a robot. Plus, she only comes in towards the end. (But I mean...robots are real...:-/ Okay that's a weak arguement, but it's real enough) Last edited by CyberViper on Sat Jan 07, 2006 3:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bruce Lee
 Posts: 715 Location: Seattle, Washington |
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I'd have to second Kare Kano. It's one of my favorites, and is firmly rooted in reality. It is a high school drama, but also very funny.
Another show I like is Honey and Clover. This show feels to me very much like Kare Kano, but it takes place during High School. It is also void of any magic, or un-real phenomenon. It's a very good show, though - I like it quite a bit. I also agree with the suggestion for Koi Kaze. It's an excellent story, and will be one you can't turn off. Yes, it is a bit... weird... but if you can get past that, you will be rewarded. And one more suggestion - Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien. Except for the soap-opera-ish premise, this is probably the most realistic romance show I've seen. There's not a lot of comedy mixed in either, like most shows. I would deffinately reccomend this one. @ Gauss: I never realized Suzuka was more than just another corny ecchi show. Thanks for your suggestion - I think I'll give it another shot. |
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