Pursuit of Love

[NightSamurai]

I am looking for an anime or manga in which the male protagonist pursues the one he loves. This can be a physical pursuit, perhaps she was kidnapped and he is determined to rescue her (just one example), or a pursuit of her affections (she doesn't give him the time of day, yet he is determined to win her over). A perfect example would be Shinozaki from Over Drive, at first she saw him as a loser, yet he was determined to win her affections and goes through a lot to do so. Any kind of anime will do as long as the romance plays a large part of series. Though I would like to say that I want the anime to be on a more serious note, as in all his attempts to win her over don't turn into some sort of ecchi comedic situation. I would also prefer it if the romance progresses over time. Sorry for going into too much depth, any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Edit: I apologize for not being clearer when I typed this, I am trying to avoid comedic anime in which the plot doesn't develop. Once again, I am sorry for the confusion

[jedinat]

Video Girl AI (http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=63)
Suzuka (http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3203) - it definitely has what you're looking for; but personally, by the end of the series I would just as soon have seen the main characters die horribly as finally get together... your mileage may vary.

[oompa loompa]

school rumble? it seems like harimas life ambition to get tenma and ALWAYS ends up misunderstood.. though i guess you could say its more comedy than romance.. ill recommend it anyways

[Hijiroku]

Thinking something along the lines of Love Hina not sure if hes a protagonist though.

[Phantasmagoria]

If you ever need pursuit of love (Girl->boy), Kimi ga Nozomu Eien is definitely one of the best out there, if not, the best of all.

[SusanPassion]

suzuka is indeed a good choice for you

[SusanPassion]

if u want the other way around that the guy is hard to get etc, look at paradise kiss

[SusanPassion]

I just gotta give it up for guys that like love animes<3

[Phantasmagoria]

Please use the edit button, triple posts in such a short duration.. gosh.

[SusanPassion]

bah im sorry=)

[migus_parvus]

Video Girl AI (http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=63) one of my personal favorites

you could also try Boys Be, three high school boys "in pursuit of love".

[d2daMax]

I also recommend School Rumble, Harima is always getting in the most harlarious situations while trying to confess his love.

[Niji]

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora - often recommended in this forum, just do not see it in the thread yet. It is very short, sad, and sweet at the same time.

As for girl wants to win boy, Tenjou Tenge might qualify too...

Depending which romance you want to progress :)

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

Best manga like this are Nazo no Kanojo X for weirdness and Bitter Virgin for sheer drama.

[qtipbrit]

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora - often recommended in this forum, just do not see it in the thread yet. It is very short, sad, and sweet at the same time.
Gah, it's recommended every time someone brings up a thread looking for Romance/Drama, and its still so underrepresented. Though not everyone watches each anime suggested to them (it takes a while to watch the fifteen or so series thrown at you), almost everyone who had watched Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora after Kholdstare other members and I had suggested them liked it.
If you ever need pursuit of love (Girl->boy), Kimi ga Nozomu Eien is definitely one of the best out there, if not, the best of all.
Mmm... Though it's a great series, I wouldn't classify it as a "Pursuit of Love" anime, though there is a bit of love being pursued. I would still recommend it, though, since you could probably stray from the subject a bit.

Though it's not romance, Minami-ke's Hosaka is in pursuit of the love of one of the main characters, and it's quite entertaining.
5 Centimetres per Second is a great movie that portrays two characters who are seperated and yearn for one another, but understand that such a relationship is impossible.
Makoto of School Days pursued "love" and found his fair (or unfair) share of lovin'. (I'm witty.)

I want to add Ef - A Tale of Memories, but can't really find a reason to, so just having randomly posted its title will be enough for me.

[KholdStare]

I want to add Ef - A Tale of Memories, but can't really find a reason to, so just having randomly posted its title will be enough for me.

Miracles don't exist in this world. There are only inevitabilities, accidents, and choices you make... But sometimes, the outcome of your actions, which become inevitable, will overlap with accidents and fulfill your dream unexpectedly. I don't know if that can be called a miracle, but there's one thing I'm certain about: Nothing will happen if you don't wish for it.

I would call that pursuit of love.

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

I would call that pursuit of love.

not even remotely. ef is 100% about the persuit of dreams, love has nothing to do with it. Everyone needs to watch it, though.

[KholdStare]

not even remotely. ef is 100% about the persuit of dreams, love has nothing to do with it. Everyone needs to watch it, though.

Okay you just said love has nothing to do with a romance/drama series. What if one of the "dreams" is love? You do know whom Yu was talking to, right?

[qtipbrit]

not even remotely. ef is 100% about the persuit of dreams, love has nothing to do with it. Everyone needs to watch it, though.
It's not really actually pursuit of dreams so much as the pursuit of purpose, with dreams holding a significant role. Existentialism is a heavy theme of Ef, and as such, a character's purpose may involve dreams.
In the final episode, it's stated that:
HiroHiro finds the "colour" in his life and can draw his manga once more.
MiyaMiya finds her purpose, to live with and support Hiro.
Renji fulfills his dream and helps Chihiro recognise and fulfill hers.
Kyousuke understands the kinds of movies that we wishes to make through Kei's actions.
Kei herself decides that she wants to move forward in life (after losing to Miyako in epic love triangle match 126).
Okay you just said love has nothing to do with a romance/drama series. What if one of the "dreams" is love? You do know whom Yu was talking to, right?
I think DeDB was trying to say that the series has nothing to do with [the pursuit of] love, as it is quite common for romances to have some subject matter concerning love nowadays.

[KholdStare]

I think DeDB was trying to say that the series has nothing to do with [the pursuit of] love, as it is quite common for romances to have some subject matter concerning love nowadays.

I'm not sure if I can agree with that, because Renji was definitely pursuing love. If he meets a random person who has difficulties he's not going to try that hard to help that person recognize her dream and full it, unless he has something he wants from that person. I interpreted it as love, but you can interpret it however you wish.

Damn, I'm all sad now. Thanks guys for reminding me of the series.

[ReizoSan]

Well Lovely Complex fits the bill but its the other way round (girl after boy) an amazing story and just a great anime.
Love Hina fits too as he is always chasing after Naru although she doesn't love him at first but its a good watch.
I would go with Lovely Complex as its a Shojo which means it has a story to it, although it has 24 episodes its not 23 of the girl chasing the guy, its a little different that that so if you want that then go with Love Hina

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

I'm not sure if I can agree with that, because Renji was definitely pursuing love. If he meets a random person who has difficulties he's not going to try that hard to help that person recognize her dream and full it, unless he has something he wants from that person. I interpreted it as love, but you can interpret it however you wish.

Damn, I'm all sad now. Thanks guys for reminding me of the series.

nope! Renji was not in persuit of love. Renji was in persuit of the ability to be a knight. He wanted to be able to protect and love a princess. What he persued was not love itself but love did accompany the things he searched for. "love" is a very easy thing to throw around as a plot point, but ef is much more sophisticated than that (yes, I know how pretentious that sounds) ef is about self-fulfillment. It is about realizing what it takes for onesself to become happy and doing everything in your power to follow the correct path.

[KholdStare]

nope! Renji was not in persuit of love. Renji was in persuit of the ability to be a knight. He wanted to be able to protect and love a princess. What he persued was not love itself but love did accompany the things he searched for. "love" is a very easy thing to throw around as a plot point, but ef is much more sophisticated than that (yes, I know how pretentious that sounds) ef is about self-fulfillment. It is about realizing what it takes for onesself to become happy and doing everything in your power to follow the correct path.

And once again, if he doesn't love the princess he wouldn't be in pursuit of the ability to be a knight, so that's my interpretation. How about you stop trying to convert me every time I post because obviously not everyone interprets the same thing.

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

And once again, if he doesn't love the princess he wouldn't be in pursuit of the ability to be a knight, so that's my interpretation. How about you stop trying to convert me every time I post because obviously not everyone interprets the same thing.

meh, whatever. This is a suggestions forum, the point sort of is to suggest things to people in an attempt to bring them to the light you stand in, no? Besides, it's sad that you don't want to try and see what another sees or take their interpretation into consideration when stating your own. It just seems like you're unwilling to accept others' concepts. If it seems to you that I do the same, I don't - I love to read others' interpretations, and I am not saying that you are wrong, necessarily, just that I think there is more to it than that. But meh, if you really want me to stop, I can go ahead. However, seeing as how ef is not only my favorite show but one that dramatically effected my life and everything I do, you can expect that I want others to see things in a certain way so that perhaps it may effect them similarly.

[KholdStare]

meh, whatever. This is a suggestions forum, the point sort of is to suggest things to people in an attempt to bring them to the light you stand in, no? Besides, it's sad that you don't want to try and see what another sees or take their interpretation into consideration when stating your own. It just seems like you're unwilling to accept others' concepts. If it seems to you that I do the same, I don't - I love to read others' interpretations, and I am not saying that you are wrong, necessarily, just that I think there is more to it than that. But meh, if you really want me to stop, I can go ahead. However, seeing as how ef is not only my favorite show but one that dramatically effected my life and everything I do, you can expect that I want others to see things in a certain way so that perhaps it may effect them similarly.

You are right. You need to remember that this is a suggestions forum, not a discussion forum. We have no right to try to debate our choices, but merely give them. It seems that many times you seem to agree with my suggestions but then say you don't agree with my interpretation. That for the OP to decide, not you, or me, so you can go ahead and skip over my post and say that you also suggest so and so anime and move on. If you want to discuss, then go to the general anime discussions forum or use PM, because I will always discuss. You seem to think that I'm unwilling to accept others' concepts, and that is very wrong. You're not stating your concept, you're saying how mine is wrong*. That's to the realm of discussion, not suggestions. I've been very active in other threads (not in this suggestions forums) stating my opinions, where it needs to be stated, so if you want to further discuss this subject, bring it over there. All the OP needs to know is that both you and me agree that this anime needs to be seen, and that's all he or she needs to know.

But of course, I seem to forget that ef is your favorite anime. I guess we're even now, right?

*Language is very interesting. If you say, "I think that, rather," then I consider that as giving your opinion. But you say, "Nope, Renji is not ___, but rather," then that is attacking me.

[qtipbrit]

All the OP needs to know is that both you and me agree that this anime needs to be seen, and that's all he or she needs to know.
And me. :heh:
Another problem anime with relatively (ehhhh.) little flaming, so I guesswe should be mildly happy.

I had left out Yami to Boshi to Hon no Tabibito and Strawberry Panic! in my first time through because I didn't know your stand on yuri, too.
In Yamibou, Mamiko Noto literally travels through worlds searching for her loved one, and though some parts are comedic, it is generally a serious series.
Strawberry Panic! involves several characters and their relationships with one another, and some of these relationships involve the search for love. It starts out comedic and lighthearted, but it becomes a drama soon after. And Hitomi Nabatame + Mai Nakahara = Love, both literally and figuratively.

And again, Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora. It also contains Kanji that you learn in the curriculum of a high school's first level of Japanese (excluding "空", but it's a rather easy Kanji), so you can tell people about it in two languages. :D

[Phantasmagoria]

Strawberry Panic! involves several characters and their relationships with one another, and some of these relationships involve the search for love. It starts out comedic and lighthearted, but it becomes a drama soon after. And Hitomi Nabatame + Mai Nakahara = Love, both literally and figuratively.

<3 <3

Is there any more collaboration between the two of them?

Mmm... Though it's a great series, I wouldn't classify it as a "Pursuit of Love" anime, though there is a bit of love being pursued. I would still recommend it, though, since you could probably stray from the subject a bit.

Hmm...




Lol, you actually suggested Strawberry Panic!.
I will just make use of this opportunity and second it :D

[NightSamurai]

I just finished watching Video Girl AI and I loved it, exactly what I was looking for. I have also seen Suzuka and I was wondering if it was worth it to read the manga. I tried Lovey Complex and was turned off by the characters, not really into the whole "childish" feel of them. I would also prefer to avoid yuri as I tend not to like female protagonists (I relate much better to male characters). Thanks for the suggestions everyone, please keep them coming.

[ReizoSan]

I just finished watching Video Girl AI and I loved it, exactly what I was looking for. I have also seen Suzuka and I was wondering if it was worth it to read the manga. I tried Lovey Complex and was turned off by the characters, not really into the whole "childish" feel of them. I would also prefer to avoid yuri as I tend not to like female protagonists (I relate much better to male characters). Thanks for the suggestions everyone, please keep them coming.

In Lovely Complex there expressions do annoy me but it goes with there hole clown-like behavior.
(I relate much better to male characters)
Well i know you CAN relate more to the main characters but all of them are oblivious to the advances of any women that really frustrates me, with female leads i feel different you don't HAVE to identify with them but at least if they want something they go for it.

[Niji]

However, seeing as how ef is not only my favorite show but one that dramatically effected my life and everything I do, you can expect that I want others to see things in a certain way so that perhaps it may effect them similarly.

It will probably not affect me similarly, I probably stand at a very different point in a very different life :) But that statement is so interesting, I will sure check the show. So, thanks!