Please recommend me some romance seinen anime.
March 12, 2012 3:37 PM Subscribe
Please recommend me some good romance anime (preferably seinen).
So... I'm a guy in my twenties and love romance animes, but I'm finding it hard to find any new animes that I like at the moment.
I must admit, I do love the harem animes and a bit of fan service, but I'm getting tired of watching romance and harem animes aimed at young teenage boys. Are there any harem or romance animes that are more mature or at least aimed for a an older audience?
Some examples of some romance animes that I have enjoyed a lot are: Omamori Himari, Freezing, Infinite Stratos.
(If you do feel the need to state that you think I'm a perv or sad, please don't, I'm already aware of it. I'm just looking for some recommendations, as trawling through countless forums is making me feel jaded about the topic.)
(Cheers in advance.)
So... I'm a guy in my twenties and love romance animes, but I'm finding it hard to find any new animes that I like at the moment.
I must admit, I do love the harem animes and a bit of fan service, but I'm getting tired of watching romance and harem animes aimed at young teenage boys. Are there any harem or romance animes that are more mature or at least aimed for a an older audience?
Some examples of some romance animes that I have enjoyed a lot are: Omamori Himari, Freezing, Infinite Stratos.
(If you do feel the need to state that you think I'm a perv or sad, please don't, I'm already aware of it. I'm just looking for some recommendations, as trawling through countless forums is making me feel jaded about the topic.)
(Cheers in advance.)
I watch Honey & Clover about once a year.
posted by segfault at 4:44 PM on March 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by segfault at 4:44 PM on March 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Kare Kano (His and Hers Circumstances) jumps to mind. It's teens, but Anno's approach is a bit deeper emotionally. Of course, Anno also flaked out, as is his wont, so the end is a bit of a mess.
The first Kimagure Orange Road movie is an amazingly honest (and just heartrending) take on the moment when youthful romance isn't good enough anymore. But it helps to be familiar with the characters from the show (which is really sweet, but not what I'd call mature), and it's still about teens.
Hmmmm, this is pretty hard actually. Only Yesterday? That's more about growing up than romance though...
Oruchiban Ebichu? About a hamster who belongs to a sexually frustrated female office worker? Kinda more dirty/racy than romantic, and I don't know how easy the fansubs are to find anymore...
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 4:44 PM on March 12, 2012
The first Kimagure Orange Road movie is an amazingly honest (and just heartrending) take on the moment when youthful romance isn't good enough anymore. But it helps to be familiar with the characters from the show (which is really sweet, but not what I'd call mature), and it's still about teens.
Hmmmm, this is pretty hard actually. Only Yesterday? That's more about growing up than romance though...
Oruchiban Ebichu? About a hamster who belongs to a sexually frustrated female office worker? Kinda more dirty/racy than romantic, and I don't know how easy the fansubs are to find anymore...
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 4:44 PM on March 12, 2012
Cat Planet Cuties (recently licensed by Funimation) sounds all cutesy and goofy, but starts with a huge naval battle, a UFO, and some explosions (not in an Excel Saga style, either). I haven't watched more than the first episode, but from what I understand there's politics and intrigue and yeah, catgirl harem.
posted by specialagentwebb at 5:08 PM on March 12, 2012
posted by specialagentwebb at 5:08 PM on March 12, 2012
Maison Ikkoku is one of the all-time classics, and I think it holds up pretty well.
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 6:20 PM on March 12, 2012
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 6:20 PM on March 12, 2012
I'd like to add a vote for Asobi ni Iku Yo (AKA Cat Planet Cuties). There is a lot of action in it, and the hapless hero does get involved in a lot of it. There are three girls in the harem (two humans, one catgirl). There's an interstellar war, of sorts. And the final plot arc is amazingly well handled, and very exciting.
If by "seinen" you mean lots of action, it's got it. It's also loaded up on fan service. And it isn't drenched in angst, despite Aoi's best efforts.
The romance side of the story is about like that of Infinite Stratos -- there, but not really very important.
The story is deeper than it first appears. The first three episodes contain a lot of cases where tropes appear and then are subverted, and it begins to feel like a deliberate spoof. But the deeper story (the war) is handled straight, and it damned near gets all the major characters killed a couple of times.
One of the tropes that gets subverted is Eris, the first catgirl we meet. The way she looks (and she's astounding) she should be a bimbo. But she isn't. She is actually very intelligent, and highly trained for the job she's doing, which is Alien First Contact Specialist. She's also capable of kicking major ass if she needs to.
The tropes page for the series contains all kinds of spoilers, but it may also give you some idea of the kinds of things going on.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:15 PM on March 12, 2012
If by "seinen" you mean lots of action, it's got it. It's also loaded up on fan service. And it isn't drenched in angst, despite Aoi's best efforts.
The romance side of the story is about like that of Infinite Stratos -- there, but not really very important.
The story is deeper than it first appears. The first three episodes contain a lot of cases where tropes appear and then are subverted, and it begins to feel like a deliberate spoof. But the deeper story (the war) is handled straight, and it damned near gets all the major characters killed a couple of times.
One of the tropes that gets subverted is Eris, the first catgirl we meet. The way she looks (and she's astounding) she should be a bimbo. But she isn't. She is actually very intelligent, and highly trained for the job she's doing, which is Alien First Contact Specialist. She's also capable of kicking major ass if she needs to.
The tropes page for the series contains all kinds of spoilers, but it may also give you some idea of the kinds of things going on.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:15 PM on March 12, 2012
A different point: fans of anime distinguish between "harem" and "romance". The three shows you listed are all considered to be harem shows.
Romance shows are things like Clannad and Kanon, and they generally don't contain any action. Quite often there also isn't any harem; it's not unknown for there to be just a single couple that the story is about.
If what you want is harem action shows, there are a lot of choices available. An older one, but quite good, is Vandread (plus Vandread Second Stage). Another good old one is Martian Successor Nadesico. I don't really feel like either of those are aimed at a young teenage boy market; they're both more complex than that.
An excellent choice is Crest of the Stars, followed by Banner of the Stars. Banner sort of has a harem (a second girl who's interested), but there isn't any intrigue because it's clear that Jinto and Lafiel are in love. Everyone knows it.
On the other hand, the stories are definitely very adult, and the action is outstanding.
Banner of the Stars II wasn't as good IMHO and I haven't seen Banner III (which is only two episodes). But the first Banner is amazing, and features a space naval battle which will take your breath away.
A different, much more offbeat harem show is Kore wa Zombie desu ka. Four girls in the harem in this one. Definitely a lot of action, but not military. The hero begins the series dead. Shortly before the first episode begins, he was a victim of a serial killer who ran him through from behind with a katana. He's been revived and turned into a zombie, and now he's looking for his killer. But there's a lot of offbeat stuff going on besides that; it's another one which subverts tropes. There are parts of it which approach farce, but there are parts of it which qualify as horror. It surely isn't for kids; far, far too violent, for one thing.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:37 PM on March 12, 2012
Romance shows are things like Clannad and Kanon, and they generally don't contain any action. Quite often there also isn't any harem; it's not unknown for there to be just a single couple that the story is about.
If what you want is harem action shows, there are a lot of choices available. An older one, but quite good, is Vandread (plus Vandread Second Stage). Another good old one is Martian Successor Nadesico. I don't really feel like either of those are aimed at a young teenage boy market; they're both more complex than that.
An excellent choice is Crest of the Stars, followed by Banner of the Stars. Banner sort of has a harem (a second girl who's interested), but there isn't any intrigue because it's clear that Jinto and Lafiel are in love. Everyone knows it.
On the other hand, the stories are definitely very adult, and the action is outstanding.
Banner of the Stars II wasn't as good IMHO and I haven't seen Banner III (which is only two episodes). But the first Banner is amazing, and features a space naval battle which will take your breath away.
A different, much more offbeat harem show is Kore wa Zombie desu ka. Four girls in the harem in this one. Definitely a lot of action, but not military. The hero begins the series dead. Shortly before the first episode begins, he was a victim of a serial killer who ran him through from behind with a katana. He's been revived and turned into a zombie, and now he's looking for his killer. But there's a lot of offbeat stuff going on besides that; it's another one which subverts tropes. There are parts of it which approach farce, but there are parts of it which qualify as horror. It surely isn't for kids; far, far too violent, for one thing.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:37 PM on March 12, 2012
Another possibility is Tenchi Muyo GXP.
Yamada Seina is the unluckiest guy in the world. Danger and accidents stalk him no matter where he goes, striking him and anyone near by. Yet he's a nice guy, friendly and optimistic. People like him, but they're rightfully afraid to be anywhere near him.
He does have one friend who is particularly easy going and doesn't care about all the accidents. One day while riding his bicycle to visit the friend, a spaceship falls on him. Or at least, it falls in a lake while he stands next to it. The wave catches him and pulls him in to the water.
He wakes up with his head in the lap of a gorgeous young woman, named Amane. She turns out to be part of the Galaxy Police, the GXP, an organization he doesn't even know existed. She mistakes him for someone else and gives him a application to join the GXP. Later that night, his mother and sister mistake it for an entry in a contest. They fill it out for him and force him to thumbprint it.
After going to bed, he wakes in a strange place. He is in a space ship, being taken to the GXP academy for training. And that's the first episode.
The eventual harem is 4 ladies, all older than he is. The show takes twists and turns and almost never gets very serious. It's comedy, pretty much. But it's also a fantastic setting. And there's a lot of fighting. And there are a few pretty serious moments.
There is a lot of piracy going on. It's reached the point where it's beginning to strangle galactic commerce. The GXP has recruited Seina because of his bad luck: it seems that any ship he's in attracts hordes of pirate ships. They want to use him as a decoy, to pull in and trap pirates.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:22 PM on March 12, 2012
Yamada Seina is the unluckiest guy in the world. Danger and accidents stalk him no matter where he goes, striking him and anyone near by. Yet he's a nice guy, friendly and optimistic. People like him, but they're rightfully afraid to be anywhere near him.
He does have one friend who is particularly easy going and doesn't care about all the accidents. One day while riding his bicycle to visit the friend, a spaceship falls on him. Or at least, it falls in a lake while he stands next to it. The wave catches him and pulls him in to the water.
He wakes up with his head in the lap of a gorgeous young woman, named Amane. She turns out to be part of the Galaxy Police, the GXP, an organization he doesn't even know existed. She mistakes him for someone else and gives him a application to join the GXP. Later that night, his mother and sister mistake it for an entry in a contest. They fill it out for him and force him to thumbprint it.
After going to bed, he wakes in a strange place. He is in a space ship, being taken to the GXP academy for training. And that's the first episode.
The eventual harem is 4 ladies, all older than he is. The show takes twists and turns and almost never gets very serious. It's comedy, pretty much. But it's also a fantastic setting. And there's a lot of fighting. And there are a few pretty serious moments.
There is a lot of piracy going on. It's reached the point where it's beginning to strangle galactic commerce. The GXP has recruited Seina because of his bad luck: it seems that any ship he's in attracts hordes of pirate ships. They want to use him as a decoy, to pull in and trap pirates.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:22 PM on March 12, 2012
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Are you interested in things like Kimi ni Todoke (very slow pacing but wonderful characters), Lovely Complex (for some reason not very well known but possibly one of the best comedy/romance anime), Clannad (based on a Visual Novel, an emotional roller-coaster) or Kare Kano (a classic although the anime is weird due to Gainax)?
posted by Memo at 4:43 PM on March 12, 2012