All anime are not created equal
January 11, 2020 6:10 AM Subscribe
DOT Jr. is eleven years old and a fan of My Hero Academia. What should he watch next?
I've never really watched anime. My understanding is that it can be difficult to navigate. Some shows are basically fine for kids, as long as you keep in mind that they come from a different sensibility than Americans are used to (which is totally fine!) Others have a similar look, but are emphatically for adults, with prurient sexual content, wanton gore, etc.
We're pretty flexible about what we let DOT Jr. watch, as he's a mature kid and we don't generally clutch pearls about TV-14 type content.
I'm aware of resources like Common Sense Media (which we use). But the sheer volume of stuff to sift through is intimidating and the recs on Hulu have been somewhere between misguided and borderline traumatic, almost exclusively TV-MA with premises that were plainly not okay for kids. (I don't want to slag anyone's favorite show, so let me just say HOLY SHIT.)
So I thought I'd just ask. What might DOT Jr. watch next?
I've never really watched anime. My understanding is that it can be difficult to navigate. Some shows are basically fine for kids, as long as you keep in mind that they come from a different sensibility than Americans are used to (which is totally fine!) Others have a similar look, but are emphatically for adults, with prurient sexual content, wanton gore, etc.
We're pretty flexible about what we let DOT Jr. watch, as he's a mature kid and we don't generally clutch pearls about TV-14 type content.
I'm aware of resources like Common Sense Media (which we use). But the sheer volume of stuff to sift through is intimidating and the recs on Hulu have been somewhere between misguided and borderline traumatic, almost exclusively TV-MA with premises that were plainly not okay for kids. (I don't want to slag anyone's favorite show, so let me just say HOLY SHIT.)
So I thought I'd just ask. What might DOT Jr. watch next?
So, some questions, to help narrow down recommendations:
FYI, over on FanFare Talk there are regular discussions of anime; for example, some links to discussions of anime shown per TV season:
Winter 2020 Season anime
Fall 2019 Season anime
Summer 2019 Season anime
Click on the 'anime_club" tag to find both the seasonal anime and individual anime discussions.
posted by needled at 6:38 AM on January 11, 2020
FYI, over on FanFare Talk there are regular discussions of anime; for example, some links to discussions of anime shown per TV season:
Winter 2020 Season anime
Fall 2019 Season anime
Summer 2019 Season anime
Click on the 'anime_club" tag to find both the seasonal anime and individual anime discussions.
posted by needled at 6:38 AM on January 11, 2020
Start here: Boku no Hero Academia user recommendations. These are users on MyAnimeList (MAL) recommending shows similar to BHA. BHA is a battle shounen series, similar to the Dragon Ball series, One Punch Man, etc.
Here is a bigger list, from MAL: Shounen anime. Note that "shounen" refers more to the demographic (boys 12 -18) than the genre itself.
If they like shounen, they might like sports anime. There is a lot of thematic crossover. Here's MALs list: Sports anime.
Disclaimer: I don't watch this type of anime (or read this type of manga) because I find it boring and repetitive, sort of like watching the GI Joe or He-Man cartoons back in the 80s. But this kind of series is massively popular, and as you've figured out the content can range from about the level of a Saturday morning cartoon all the way to blood, sex, violence, and gore. Even the type of stuff that I watch, more slice-of-life series, can get weirdly fan-servicey for no reason. So there isn't an easy answer here other than to read reviews on MAL or even r/anime on Reddit.
On preview, the questions from needled are good - anime is a fractured market in the west, so where you're watching might really limit what you can watch unless you're willing to sail the seven seas.
posted by ralan at 6:40 AM on January 11, 2020
Here is a bigger list, from MAL: Shounen anime. Note that "shounen" refers more to the demographic (boys 12 -18) than the genre itself.
If they like shounen, they might like sports anime. There is a lot of thematic crossover. Here's MALs list: Sports anime.
Disclaimer: I don't watch this type of anime (or read this type of manga) because I find it boring and repetitive, sort of like watching the GI Joe or He-Man cartoons back in the 80s. But this kind of series is massively popular, and as you've figured out the content can range from about the level of a Saturday morning cartoon all the way to blood, sex, violence, and gore. Even the type of stuff that I watch, more slice-of-life series, can get weirdly fan-servicey for no reason. So there isn't an easy answer here other than to read reviews on MAL or even r/anime on Reddit.
On preview, the questions from needled are good - anime is a fractured market in the west, so where you're watching might really limit what you can watch unless you're willing to sail the seven seas.
posted by ralan at 6:40 AM on January 11, 2020
Naruto might fit the bill. My anime-mad young relative adores it and so far there hasn’t been anything that gave me pause. It’s the story of this sort of incorrigible boy training to become a ninja, with lots of resulting side plots and colorful characters. There are ninja battles but nothing wildly gory that I have seen. I have heard that the earlier seasons are less intense in terms of violence than the more recent ones, fwiw.
posted by corey flood at 6:41 AM on January 11, 2020
posted by corey flood at 6:41 AM on January 11, 2020
Response by poster: We have most of the major streaming services: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc.
The only other anime DOT Jr. has seen were the Pokemon ones and similarly obvious kiddie ones. He's outgrown those, more or less.
He is open to subtitled but dubbed is an easier sell.
He despises sports. He is uncomfortable with horror. He likes superheroes and fantasy stuff, but is open to other stuff.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:07 AM on January 11, 2020
The only other anime DOT Jr. has seen were the Pokemon ones and similarly obvious kiddie ones. He's outgrown those, more or less.
He is open to subtitled but dubbed is an easier sell.
He despises sports. He is uncomfortable with horror. He likes superheroes and fantasy stuff, but is open to other stuff.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:07 AM on January 11, 2020
My nephew, who is 13, loved MHA and his next favorite is Fairy Tail. I watched 2 episodes with him, and from what I saw it seems to be solidly for young teens. It's about a rag-tag group of wizards/dragon hunters/rogues who travel around a fantasy world and go on adventures-for-hire. It's been described as "a mix of goofy humor, face-crushing action, and teary-eyed sap is so calculated as to be mechanical."
posted by FirstMateKate at 7:13 AM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by FirstMateKate at 7:13 AM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Mob Psycho 100 might be something he would enjoy, it’s about a middle school student and comical and action packed, and also touching about standing up for yourself.
Hunter x Hunter is also a classic shounen that subverts some of the tropes, and the arcs are quite interesting.
posted by buttonedup at 7:45 AM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Hunter x Hunter is also a classic shounen that subverts some of the tropes, and the arcs are quite interesting.
posted by buttonedup at 7:45 AM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
I'm really more into exciting shojo (girl's) anime and iyashikei (laid-back and relaxing) anime.
That being said, if DOT Jr. likes My Hero Academia, Naruto and its various spin-offs (Boruto) are a safe and popular bet.
Going in a slightly different direction, I would also recommend Mob Psycho 100. It actually makes fun of a lot of shonen tropes, and is delightfully weird, but still age-appropriate (in my opinion).
There is also Girls und Panzer (on Netflix), which is more of a shojo/sports anime, but is also a lot of fun. It's about a group of young women in high school who take up Sensha-do ("tank arts") as an elective and get involved in competitive tank battles. They also go to school on an aircraft carrier, for reasons that are never explained. It's about making friends, trying your best, and, of course, tanks.
Also, most of the early Gundam series (0079, Zeta, etc.) can now be found on youtube. The animation might seem a bit crude and old-fashioned now, but they are the epitome of the giant robot genre, and the stories have a surprising amount of depth to them.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:47 AM on January 11, 2020
That being said, if DOT Jr. likes My Hero Academia, Naruto and its various spin-offs (Boruto) are a safe and popular bet.
Going in a slightly different direction, I would also recommend Mob Psycho 100. It actually makes fun of a lot of shonen tropes, and is delightfully weird, but still age-appropriate (in my opinion).
There is also Girls und Panzer (on Netflix), which is more of a shojo/sports anime, but is also a lot of fun. It's about a group of young women in high school who take up Sensha-do ("tank arts") as an elective and get involved in competitive tank battles. They also go to school on an aircraft carrier, for reasons that are never explained. It's about making friends, trying your best, and, of course, tanks.
Also, most of the early Gundam series (0079, Zeta, etc.) can now be found on youtube. The animation might seem a bit crude and old-fashioned now, but they are the epitome of the giant robot genre, and the stories have a surprising amount of depth to them.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:47 AM on January 11, 2020
Response by poster: One other note then I will shut up... DOT Jr. is positively bananas for time traveling and parallel universes.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:48 AM on January 11, 2020
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:48 AM on January 11, 2020
At this time, there are literally tons of anime series where the main protagonist is transported into a fantasy world (usually a video-game type rpg). I have not watched a lot of them, but they vary widely in things like gore levels and raciness.
My personal favorite is KoNoSuBa, but it is probably a bit racy for a younger teenager.
I Was Reincarnated as a Slime isn't bad, but it still has a bit of "heh, heh, boobs" humor to it.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:52 AM on January 11, 2020
My personal favorite is KoNoSuBa, but it is probably a bit racy for a younger teenager.
I Was Reincarnated as a Slime isn't bad, but it still has a bit of "heh, heh, boobs" humor to it.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:52 AM on January 11, 2020
Steins;Gate is on Hulu and is a phenomenal time travel anime. imdb parents guide
posted by itesser at 8:09 AM on January 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by itesser at 8:09 AM on January 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
I have a few older recommendations that my kids loved at that age (plus they're also personal favorites), all available streaming in one place or another:
Hikaru no Go: A bratty twelve year old touches an old Go board in his grandfather's attic and is inhabited by the spirit of a 1000 year old Go master, and eventually masters the game himself. It's 75 episodes (covering three years in the characters' lives), available streaming on Hulu and viz.com. It's similar in structure to a sports anime, but the focus on a board game might be enough of a difference for your kid. (I'd recommend the original Japanese voice actors with English subtitles; the voice actors are SO GOOD.)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: A teenaged alchemist joins the military and searches for a way to restore his brother's body (whose soul currently inhabits a large suit of armor) after an ill-advised alchemical accident. Very complex plot, excellent characters, definitely earns its TV-14 rating for gore and violence, though, so use caution. It's streaming on Netflix and is 64 episodes in length. I can't recommend this highly enough, but again, GORE.
Princess Tutu: In which a duck receives a magical necklace and turns into a girl at a ballet school who can also turn into Princess Tutu and save the prince, and therefore the world, through the awesome power of ballet. This is technically a Magical Girl anime but is also a fairy tale deconstruction: can the characters change the narrative and tell their own story? Both my son and daughter loved this one. It's on Hulu and is a relatively short 26 episodes.
Hope that helps!
posted by sencha at 9:24 AM on January 11, 2020
Hikaru no Go: A bratty twelve year old touches an old Go board in his grandfather's attic and is inhabited by the spirit of a 1000 year old Go master, and eventually masters the game himself. It's 75 episodes (covering three years in the characters' lives), available streaming on Hulu and viz.com. It's similar in structure to a sports anime, but the focus on a board game might be enough of a difference for your kid. (I'd recommend the original Japanese voice actors with English subtitles; the voice actors are SO GOOD.)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: A teenaged alchemist joins the military and searches for a way to restore his brother's body (whose soul currently inhabits a large suit of armor) after an ill-advised alchemical accident. Very complex plot, excellent characters, definitely earns its TV-14 rating for gore and violence, though, so use caution. It's streaming on Netflix and is 64 episodes in length. I can't recommend this highly enough, but again, GORE.
Princess Tutu: In which a duck receives a magical necklace and turns into a girl at a ballet school who can also turn into Princess Tutu and save the prince, and therefore the world, through the awesome power of ballet. This is technically a Magical Girl anime but is also a fairy tale deconstruction: can the characters change the narrative and tell their own story? Both my son and daughter loved this one. It's on Hulu and is a relatively short 26 episodes.
Hope that helps!
posted by sencha at 9:24 AM on January 11, 2020
Shows on Netflix:
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet is just charming, a fish out of water story with a mecha pilot learning to live in this friendly post-apocalyptic society on a planet covered in water.
Seven Deadly Sins is a fantasy anime, with a nice thread of found family (caveat: one male character is a handsy with one female character, though way down the line there is a reason for that).
I'm rather fond of The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, which is a reverse "isekai" (other world) story, in which a fantasy demon lord ends up in our world and ends up with a job at "WcDonalds" to make ends meet.
Hunter x Hunter, as mentioned above, is intended for his age range. It does have some kind of challenging content at times though, people dying and not being able to be saved.
I'm kind of fond of Noragami, which has fantastical elements and scary-ish demons but I don't think they'd be too scary. Plus found family, which always makes me happy.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (which is different from the original Fullmetal Alchemist) is considered one of the best anime of the recent few decades. However, there are a few darker elements including one episode that has some super sad body horror, so this might be a few years down the road (or skip for that episode).
Also a couple years down the road, Fate/ Stay Night Ultimate Blade Works has a cool circular not exactly time travel element. There is some fantasy violence in it, so maybe this would be a year or two out but I don't think it's much more than what is in MHA, just more crisp animation. (I do not recommend other anime in the series, Fate/Zero, which I noped out on because of the female characters being stuck in supporting roles and depictions of weird and creepy child abuse.)
Not anime, but as was mentioned above Avatar: The Last Airbender is amazing and perfect. The Dragon Prince is on Netflix, and also very good.
Looking at best-of lists for Netflix, here is a short list of Absolutely Not for reasons of MINOR SPOILERS INCLUDED: Ajin: Demi-Human (body horror), Neon Genesis Evangelion (adult themes, abuse, and bleakness), Kill la Kill (mostly nudity), Death Note (lots of murder, lots of talking), Puella Magi Madoka Magika (looks pink, is super bleak), Attack on Titan (the main character's mother is eaten on-screen in episode one), Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (amazing anime, but I had a 30-something friend nope out because she couldn't take crying that much). I'm also a bit dubious on Trigun at this age, only because of some body horror toward the end.
posted by past unusual at 9:45 AM on January 11, 2020
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet is just charming, a fish out of water story with a mecha pilot learning to live in this friendly post-apocalyptic society on a planet covered in water.
Seven Deadly Sins is a fantasy anime, with a nice thread of found family (caveat: one male character is a handsy with one female character, though way down the line there is a reason for that).
I'm rather fond of The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, which is a reverse "isekai" (other world) story, in which a fantasy demon lord ends up in our world and ends up with a job at "WcDonalds" to make ends meet.
Hunter x Hunter, as mentioned above, is intended for his age range. It does have some kind of challenging content at times though, people dying and not being able to be saved.
I'm kind of fond of Noragami, which has fantastical elements and scary-ish demons but I don't think they'd be too scary. Plus found family, which always makes me happy.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (which is different from the original Fullmetal Alchemist) is considered one of the best anime of the recent few decades. However, there are a few darker elements including one episode that has some super sad body horror, so this might be a few years down the road (or skip for that episode).
Also a couple years down the road, Fate/ Stay Night Ultimate Blade Works has a cool circular not exactly time travel element. There is some fantasy violence in it, so maybe this would be a year or two out but I don't think it's much more than what is in MHA, just more crisp animation. (I do not recommend other anime in the series, Fate/Zero, which I noped out on because of the female characters being stuck in supporting roles and depictions of weird and creepy child abuse.)
Not anime, but as was mentioned above Avatar: The Last Airbender is amazing and perfect. The Dragon Prince is on Netflix, and also very good.
Looking at best-of lists for Netflix, here is a short list of Absolutely Not for reasons of MINOR SPOILERS INCLUDED: Ajin: Demi-Human (body horror), Neon Genesis Evangelion (adult themes, abuse, and bleakness), Kill la Kill (mostly nudity), Death Note (lots of murder, lots of talking), Puella Magi Madoka Magika (looks pink, is super bleak), Attack on Titan (the main character's mother is eaten on-screen in episode one), Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (amazing anime, but I had a 30-something friend nope out because she couldn't take crying that much). I'm also a bit dubious on Trigun at this age, only because of some body horror toward the end.
posted by past unusual at 9:45 AM on January 11, 2020
I was going to recommend Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, also (this is the version that adapts the original manga almost 1:1, unlike the older anime adaptation). Perhaps The Heroic Legend of Arslan, as well, from the same author, although it's been a while since I watched it and my memory is rather vague on the gore level. I recommend anime adaptations of Hiromu Arakawa's works because she is one of the rare female manga authors working in the shonen genre, and perhaps because of that she avoids all the icky tropes that are off putting to female anime viewers like myself.
(Something I have noticed regarding male anime fans is that many of them develop a blindness to the random fan service and demeaning depiction of women in anime, and so some of the anime they consider absolutely great can be unbearable to watch as a woman.)
Of currently airing anime, he might enjoy Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun - it's about a 14 year-old boy who is adopted by a powerful demon lord, who "wants a grandchild, pampering him and making him attend the demon school Babyls." So it's about school hi-jinks and making friends at demon school, with a lot of magic thrown in.
An older anime is Eureka Seven, about a 14 year-old boy and his adventures as he ends up co-piloting a mecha and learning more about the mysteries of his world. The recommendation is for the 50-episode anime series, and not the later movies. The series seems to be available on and off through the various streaming services; it is currently definitely on Funimation (Crunchyroll is the other major anime streaming service), and may be available on Hulu as much of the Funimation content is also available on Hulu.
On preview: oh yes,I second the recommendation for Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet! It ends with a great, uplifting message.
posted by needled at 10:27 AM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
(Something I have noticed regarding male anime fans is that many of them develop a blindness to the random fan service and demeaning depiction of women in anime, and so some of the anime they consider absolutely great can be unbearable to watch as a woman.)
Of currently airing anime, he might enjoy Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun - it's about a 14 year-old boy who is adopted by a powerful demon lord, who "wants a grandchild, pampering him and making him attend the demon school Babyls." So it's about school hi-jinks and making friends at demon school, with a lot of magic thrown in.
An older anime is Eureka Seven, about a 14 year-old boy and his adventures as he ends up co-piloting a mecha and learning more about the mysteries of his world. The recommendation is for the 50-episode anime series, and not the later movies. The series seems to be available on and off through the various streaming services; it is currently definitely on Funimation (Crunchyroll is the other major anime streaming service), and may be available on Hulu as much of the Funimation content is also available on Hulu.
On preview: oh yes,I second the recommendation for Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet! It ends with a great, uplifting message.
posted by needled at 10:27 AM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: FWIW, the Hulu recommendation for what to watch next that got a huge OH HELL NO from me was something whose title escapes me, but I do recall that it was about a guy whose mania for seeing women in their panties gives him the superpower of out of body experiences.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:47 AM on January 11, 2020
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:47 AM on January 11, 2020
Punch Line?
posted by zengargoyle at 11:20 AM on January 11, 2020
Yūta Iridatsu lives at the Korai House apartment complex with four girls: Mikatan Narugino, Ito Hikiotani, Meika Daihatsu, and Lovera Chichibu. One day, following a busjacking incident, Yūta finds himself ejected from his own body and becoming a spirit. Guided by the cat spirit Chiranosuke, Yūta must learn to master his spirit powers in order to protect his housemates from the various circumstances they find themselves in. However, if Yūta sees a girl's panties twice in a row, the Earth will be destroyed by a meteor.Was better than it sounds... turns out the three major characters were involved in some experiment and an accident and had their minds switch bodies. IIRC the boy is actually the mind of one of the other girls. The meteor strike keeps happening over and over until he/she figures out how to avoid it happening yet once more. In the end they all get back to their own bodies.
posted by zengargoyle at 11:20 AM on January 11, 2020
Response by poster: I believe you that it's better than it sounds. But I still can't let him watch something that can be recapped with sentences like "However, if Yūta sees a girl's panties twice in a row, the Earth will be destroyed by a meteor" because if he describes this at school or a friend's house, I'm... gonna get a phone call.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:42 AM on January 11, 2020
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:42 AM on January 11, 2020
I can’t believe I forgot Avatar: The Last Airbender but yes, 100 times this. Very age appropriate, I rewatch and introduce this show to so many folks and it’s just...so good. You could rent from YouTube or Prime, but I found it worth it to buy the blu-Ray box set.
posted by buttonedup at 12:25 PM on January 11, 2020
posted by buttonedup at 12:25 PM on January 11, 2020
Hahaha, that is indeed the challenge of anime. And I agree with needled--so many of the older shows have really bad gender dynamics built in, with damsels in distress, the sexy lamp-type characters, or lack of respect for bodily autonomy. I was really into Ranma 1/2 as a late teen, but in retrospect the gender-politics of that show make me wince.
Back with two suggestions that are apparently on Hulu.
Spouse of Past Unusual recommends One Piece, the extremely long-running show about pirates.
Second, to go off to the side a bit, Snow White with the Red Hair seems like a girly anime about a girl ordered to be a concubine to one prince and being rescued by another, but it's a trope subversion about the main character working hard toward being a herbalist, and winning everyone over by being a good person who does good things. I don't know if an 11-year old boy would like it or not, but it is one of the few fantasy anime I can think of with a female main character with self-direction.
And lastly, a big yes on the Hikaru no Go! Getting a little older, but so interesting (and you learn all about playing go by watching it).
posted by past unusual at 12:27 PM on January 11, 2020
Back with two suggestions that are apparently on Hulu.
Spouse of Past Unusual recommends One Piece, the extremely long-running show about pirates.
Second, to go off to the side a bit, Snow White with the Red Hair seems like a girly anime about a girl ordered to be a concubine to one prince and being rescued by another, but it's a trope subversion about the main character working hard toward being a herbalist, and winning everyone over by being a good person who does good things. I don't know if an 11-year old boy would like it or not, but it is one of the few fantasy anime I can think of with a female main character with self-direction.
And lastly, a big yes on the Hikaru no Go! Getting a little older, but so interesting (and you learn all about playing go by watching it).
posted by past unusual at 12:27 PM on January 11, 2020
Seconding "Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun". You might have some cultural issues with Hell being portrayed as a place full of wacky hijinks and lovable people. Other than that really is a silly, charming and wholesome (it's streamed by Japan's state broadcasting service) high school comedy that happens to be set in Hell.
In general most anime based on school life are, despite the setting and cast, meant for an adult audience. For example, even "Nichijou", which doesn't have anything exploitative, is kind of slow-moving, allusive and surreal, and would probably bore most ten-year-olds.
Since nobody else has suggested Dragon Ball yet, I will. Has DOT Jr. tried Dragon Ball?
posted by ardgedee at 12:38 PM on January 11, 2020
In general most anime based on school life are, despite the setting and cast, meant for an adult audience. For example, even "Nichijou", which doesn't have anything exploitative, is kind of slow-moving, allusive and surreal, and would probably bore most ten-year-olds.
Since nobody else has suggested Dragon Ball yet, I will. Has DOT Jr. tried Dragon Ball?
posted by ardgedee at 12:38 PM on January 11, 2020
> Snow White with the Red Hair ,,, I don't know if an 11-year old boy would like it or not, but it is one of the few fantasy anime I can think of with a female main character with self-direction.
Heh, past unusual, I was on the fence about suggesting Snow White with the Red Hair due to exactly those concerns. I loved it for its portrayal of young people working hard towards their goals, overcoming hardships without giving up, and also recognizing that they get to where they're going with the help of many people. I thought the opening was a lovely representation of those themes, in particular the sequence with the two main characters each donning their work attire and purposefully heading towards their duties.
Yona of the Dawn is a fantasy adventure set in a mythical East Asian setting. The main character is female, but along the way she acquires companions each with unique fighting skills. It also has a distinctive instrumental opening.
posted by needled at 1:47 PM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Heh, past unusual, I was on the fence about suggesting Snow White with the Red Hair due to exactly those concerns. I loved it for its portrayal of young people working hard towards their goals, overcoming hardships without giving up, and also recognizing that they get to where they're going with the help of many people. I thought the opening was a lovely representation of those themes, in particular the sequence with the two main characters each donning their work attire and purposefully heading towards their duties.
Yona of the Dawn is a fantasy adventure set in a mythical East Asian setting. The main character is female, but along the way she acquires companions each with unique fighting skills. It also has a distinctive instrumental opening.
posted by needled at 1:47 PM on January 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: DOT Jr. has seen Avatar The Last Airbender, but possibly slightly too young for it to sink in.
He's at a stage where he's asserting his individuality by consciously avoiding the popular stuff. I doubt he would try Dragonball.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:51 PM on January 11, 2020
He's at a stage where he's asserting his individuality by consciously avoiding the popular stuff. I doubt he would try Dragonball.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:51 PM on January 11, 2020
Little Witch Academia is extremely delightful. If it hits him as too "girly" at first you can point out that the main character has a similar journey to Midoriya (the main character in My Hero Academia) because they both can't figure out their powers at first and there's a seemingly perfect blonde antagonist student. And yes they both have academia in the title but they're very different shows. One is witch school, the other is superpower school! Okay I lied, they have tons of similarities. Other than being visually gorgeous Little Witch Academia has a cast of colorful students and teachers that tickle the same satisfaction spots as the big cast of My Hero Academia for me - there's a robotics witch, a spooky mushroom witch, a glasses wearing bestie, teachers with mysterious backgrounds, secret identity stuff that works out in the end, etc.
Gargantia is a bit esoteric, so it might hit him just right for the feeling like a cool guy who's watched more unique things. Beautiful show, also. But it's a little bleak and creepy in spots in ways that My Hero Academia is not - there is for example (spoilers!!!!!) a cult that worships via suicide, though this is treated with horror and dismay in the show itself.
Log Horizon is a nice show about a bunch of people who get transported into the world of their fantasy MMORPG and get stuck there. I have a soft spot for the main character in it. There's some really interesting moments about the intersection of our perception of self vs other people's perceptions of us, as well as a ton of good fantasy adventure things and deconstruction of videogame logic. If your kid has ever done a raid in a video game he'll identify, though a lot of it might be over his head.
I absolutely loved Rin-ne, which is an almost gentle show about a girl who can talk to dead people. It's really cute! The manga's by the same person who did Inuyasha, which is another show your kid might like, though there's more iffy stuff in it overall. Rin-ne has action and adventure and comedy but is overall really sort of kind? It's hard to explain. If your kid is interested in Japanese underworld/undead stuff, he might like this one a lot.
Toriko is incredibly stupid! But somehow compelling? It is the weirdest show all about this super muscly guy who lives in a world where eating is the most important thing so food has become this wild thing with crazy hybrid animals and plants that he adventures all over to acquire as his job as Gourmet Hunter. It is goofy beyond reason. Puns abound. He has a hanger-on who is a scaredy cat guy who is a chef wanting to improve his cooking skills, they become best friends of course. I suspect the main audience of this show are college students who have gotten high, so, y'know, perfect for an 11 year old.
posted by Mizu at 4:30 PM on January 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
Gargantia is a bit esoteric, so it might hit him just right for the feeling like a cool guy who's watched more unique things. Beautiful show, also. But it's a little bleak and creepy in spots in ways that My Hero Academia is not - there is for example (spoilers!!!!!) a cult that worships via suicide, though this is treated with horror and dismay in the show itself.
Log Horizon is a nice show about a bunch of people who get transported into the world of their fantasy MMORPG and get stuck there. I have a soft spot for the main character in it. There's some really interesting moments about the intersection of our perception of self vs other people's perceptions of us, as well as a ton of good fantasy adventure things and deconstruction of videogame logic. If your kid has ever done a raid in a video game he'll identify, though a lot of it might be over his head.
I absolutely loved Rin-ne, which is an almost gentle show about a girl who can talk to dead people. It's really cute! The manga's by the same person who did Inuyasha, which is another show your kid might like, though there's more iffy stuff in it overall. Rin-ne has action and adventure and comedy but is overall really sort of kind? It's hard to explain. If your kid is interested in Japanese underworld/undead stuff, he might like this one a lot.
Toriko is incredibly stupid! But somehow compelling? It is the weirdest show all about this super muscly guy who lives in a world where eating is the most important thing so food has become this wild thing with crazy hybrid animals and plants that he adventures all over to acquire as his job as Gourmet Hunter. It is goofy beyond reason. Puns abound. He has a hanger-on who is a scaredy cat guy who is a chef wanting to improve his cooking skills, they become best friends of course. I suspect the main audience of this show are college students who have gotten high, so, y'know, perfect for an 11 year old.
posted by Mizu at 4:30 PM on January 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
https://www.animefeminist.com/
You may find the recommendations section helpful.
posted by queen anne's remorse at 10:22 AM on January 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
You may find the recommendations section helpful.
posted by queen anne's remorse at 10:22 AM on January 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
Ok, 11 and likes MHA and superheroes and fantasy and time travel and parallel worlds but not sports and Avatar may be a bit much. That's a thin line between MHA and Avatar in depth maybe.
Looking at reelgood.com's listing of anime on Hulu...
Soul Eater - Grim Reaper high school? Might get involved towards the end but still a bunch of battle stuff.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon - Ok, Hestia has bouncy boobs... it's basically a dungeon crawler fighting monsters and leveling up the deeper down you can get...
Ushi to Tora - awesome flashback to 90's era boy has control over a demon and goes around saving people.
Branching out a bit...
Lupin the Third - flashback to the '70s master thief good guy chased by Interpol with his sharpshooter friend and samurai friend and buxom love-interest / foil. Goofy heists.
Mushi-shi - Think X-files, very good, creepy spooky, the world is a weird place, cue X-files theme music.
Case Closed - kid detective (who's really an adult), been going on since forever, solve crimes and mysteries.
A Certain Scientific Railgun - mostly girls/women, most have some sort of power, it gets a little involved plotwise, but has to awesome scenes. I'm still watching the latest installment. Avoid A Certain Magical Index except to watch a bit of the first one where it overlaps with Railgun... then it goes all religious and loli nuns and stuff. eww.
I still love Girls und Panzer because it's mario kart in tanks blowing things up and drifting and pulling off insane things. And Last Exile was also good, but if Avatar is a bit much, it would probably be even more too much.
I mostly watch Cruncyroll, Netflix, and some Amazon. Cruncyroll does have a free tier, I'm just not sure how much of their back catalog is available but it's worth checking out for some of the other recommendations.
I think things will get much easier in a couple of years when a bit of deeper plot than good vs bad comes into play.
posted by zengargoyle at 9:59 PM on January 14, 2020
Looking at reelgood.com's listing of anime on Hulu...
Soul Eater - Grim Reaper high school? Might get involved towards the end but still a bunch of battle stuff.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon - Ok, Hestia has bouncy boobs... it's basically a dungeon crawler fighting monsters and leveling up the deeper down you can get...
Ushi to Tora - awesome flashback to 90's era boy has control over a demon and goes around saving people.
Branching out a bit...
Lupin the Third - flashback to the '70s master thief good guy chased by Interpol with his sharpshooter friend and samurai friend and buxom love-interest / foil. Goofy heists.
Mushi-shi - Think X-files, very good, creepy spooky, the world is a weird place, cue X-files theme music.
Case Closed - kid detective (who's really an adult), been going on since forever, solve crimes and mysteries.
A Certain Scientific Railgun - mostly girls/women, most have some sort of power, it gets a little involved plotwise, but has to awesome scenes. I'm still watching the latest installment. Avoid A Certain Magical Index except to watch a bit of the first one where it overlaps with Railgun... then it goes all religious and loli nuns and stuff. eww.
I still love Girls und Panzer because it's mario kart in tanks blowing things up and drifting and pulling off insane things. And Last Exile was also good, but if Avatar is a bit much, it would probably be even more too much.
I mostly watch Cruncyroll, Netflix, and some Amazon. Cruncyroll does have a free tier, I'm just not sure how much of their back catalog is available but it's worth checking out for some of the other recommendations.
I think things will get much easier in a couple of years when a bit of deeper plot than good vs bad comes into play.
posted by zengargoyle at 9:59 PM on January 14, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
Not actually anime but amazing not the less is Avatar The Last Airbender.
I think Inuyasha is on Netflix and I loved it as a kid but it might have an older style but is a classic.
posted by vespertinism at 6:36 AM on January 11, 2020