Running out of Anime to Watch

[MantisShadow]

I'm essentially looking for 2 things, although they aren't mutually exclusive:

1. Anime where the main protaganist aren't teenagers or prepubescents. Seems like the last 100 anime I've watched fit into this category.

Edit: I should also add an or; anime where the intended audience isn't teenagers or prepubescents. And no this isn't a euphemism for the porno type of Hentai.

2. Anime with outstanding or interesting art/animation. I know this is quite subjective. To help out I'm a real sucker for interesting use of colour, a particular e.g. would be when Van storms the ship at the beginning of the Escaflowne movie.

Thanks

[Hellychan]

Berserk :D (already licensed :p)

[Stickels]

Hellsing (also liscenced)... well, just about everything I can think of is licenced, the only unlicenced stuff I've seen is Naruto and Grappler Baki (which is good, but is about a teenager...)

[ElvenPath]

You should try Sakigake!! Cromartie High.

[a_nevels666]

You should try Sakigake!! Cromartie High.

Or maybe 'hundred stories'.

Now I think about it I can hardly think of any anime with adult characters...it's probably because anime is mostly aimed at kids/teenagers.

[MantisShadow]

Yeah the family market does seem to be the major tarket market unsurprisingly.

I was kind of interested in seeing anime which delt with the dilemnas faced by people in their twenties since I'm in that age bracket.

I heard that Planetes was about a guy in his twenties but the question is is it any good?

Stickels you say just about everything you can think of is licensed, well please list them. I'm not quite a struggling student anymore. Although my wallet is starting to feel the strain ;)


Thanks

[Tomomi]

I'm essentially looking for 2 things, although they aren't mutually exclusive:

1. Anime where the main protaganist aren't teenagers or prepubescents. Seems like the last 100 anime I've watched fit into this category.

2. Anime with outstanding or interesting art/animation. I know this is quite subjective. To help out I'm a real sucker for interesting use of colour, a particular e.g. would be when Van storms the ship at the beginning of the Escaflowne movie.

Thanks

Hmm, what about Get Backers? It's plenty of action and humour. :)

[Zoya]

I like Planetes so far. I think it is an interesting take on the mundane aspects of the working class (even if they are working in space).

Another new anime which seems to mostly fit this bill is Kimi ga Nozomu Eien. The first two episodes do deal with the characters as teenagers, but it quickly moves on to deal with them as adults. The art is very nice, though not what I would call outstanding.

Funnily enough, Ebichu also fits the first criteria. The art isn't anything great, but it is a very interesting look for a show that is dealing primarily with adult subject matter.

Licensed fare:
Witch Hunter Robin
Cowboy Bebop
Read or Die

HTH!

[MantisShadow]

I agree with you Ebichu definitely has a very interesting look. I'm certainly eagerly awaiting the next eps of that, along with the next Jungle Wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu OAV. Both of these fit into what I'd called interesting animation either because of their simplicity or their mix of styles.

Outstanding was probably too strong a word, I'd be interested in stuff where the art/animation has a panache to it, where it isn't just workmanlike. One in my mind which would fit this would be Azumanga Daioh.

With Kimi go Nozomu Eien I was initially put off by animeNfo classification of schoolkids but from the sounds of things that is a slight misnomer. So another thing on my list to get.

Witch Hunter Robin Seen it, liked it Suitably impressed with the mature style of storytelling.
Cowboy Bebop along with Neon Genesis Evangelion I really need to get around to buying, just don't have $250 to spare, also my import duty tends to be insane.
Read or Die Already heard good things about, so it's on my list.

To help with the suggestions I've been watching stuff since the video fansub days. Doesn't mean I've seen everything but it does mean that I've heard of many things. My viewpoint is that I'll watch everything eventually, just want to know what is best to watch first. Thanks.

[Sepiraph]

Here are some suggestions:

-Ghost in the Shell - Standalone Complex
None of the characters in the show are kids. Not to mention that the show is very good, if u happen to like the sci-fi genre. The anime has decent amout of action and a continuing plot. It is liscensed though and not out on DVD yet...

-Junni Kokki (12 Kingdoms)
Even though the original protagonist was a teenage girl for about 13 episodes from the beginning but it is a mature show that deals with the struggle of politics and various social and psychological aspect of human nature.

-Wolf's Rain
Another one where I think the main protagonist is a bit older, even though I think overall the anime is only about average.

-RahXephon
Again even though the main protagonist is a teenager, most of the supporting casts are older and I thought the anime is fitting for a more mature audience.

-Macross Plus
One of my favourite OVA, it is mainly character and plot-driven. The main protagonists are all young adults.

[MantisShadow]

-Ghost in the Shell - Standalone Complex
Seen enough of it to like the animation but it's one on the middle of my list to buy. Just seems to be lacking a certain something for me (like the movie), although the rest of it is impressive.

-Junni Kokki (12 Kingdoms)
Never heard of it but I'm now intrigued, I'll have to investigate further.

-Wolf's Rain
Have to agree with you there, what I saw was only average, so this puts it way, way down on my list.

-RahXephon
Really liked the mecha designs, which quickly puts it high on my list. Also it is quite true that the protaganists don't have to be adults for the story to be mature. What I saw of Kino's Travels seems to fit this assertion. Hmm mature audience...makes me sound like I'm a geriatric...don't quite like that connotation. ;)

-Macross Plus
How does this compare to the Macross Zero OVA? Since I've really liked that so far.

[GreyArea]

I believe its licenced, but it would do you well to find Serial Experiments Lain, if you like your arty conceptual something-to-think-about type of anime :)

[LynnieS]

"Macross Plus"'s special effects aren't as spectacular as the CGs in "Macross Zero", which given its age, shouldn't be a surprise. MP's action scenes, though, are still quite good; the fight/flight scenes are drawn well, esp. the competition between the two prototypes and the final scenes on Earth. If you're expecting, however, the same Veritech transformation details as MZ, it won't happen.

MP's score is, IMHO, better of the two. I can still hear the music in my head now, and I haven't seen MP in years.

Of course, "Macross Zero" is slowly being released with the third episode coming on November 28th, while you can pick up all of "Macross Plus" now on either VHS or DVD.

I should note that in one of ANN's columns (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/columns/answerman.php?id=151), they said that Bandai will be releasing MZ in the U.S. sometimes in the future. I haven't seen anything about this anywhere else yet, so I'd take it with a grain of salt.

[OldDog]

Try "Crest of the Stars" and its sequels - excellent story, engaging characters, and a well thought out universe.

For more "arty" anime you might try "Kaihdomaru" for interesting use of pastels, or "Voices of a Distant Star", which is truly impressive, especially considering it was all done by one person.

All are licenced and out on DVD

[Aquillion]

Texhnolyze is about adults. It's licensed, though. And the characters in Gasaraki (licensed) are old enough to be in the military, which somehow makes their relative youth much more freaky than the stupidly young pilots recruited in other anime.

Some shows are about teenagers, but seem to be aimed at an older audience. Infinite Ryvius has a very serious "Lord of the Flies"-style plot (and is also licensed, and the DVDs were recently released), while Hitsuji no Uta, which isn't licensed, is one of the more serious shows released recently.

Other shows without too many teenagers include Irresponable Captain Tylor, Cowboy Bebop, Kaze No Yojimbo... all licensed.

[MantisShadow]

My list is getting bigger.

Serial Experiments Lain: Been meaning to check this out, partly because I've heard interesting things about it and partly because years back I knew the singer who provided some of the music for it.

Macross Plus: Is actually ridiculously cheap in my neck of the woods. I'm not massively into the whole transformation aspect of some mecha shows, I personally prefer the whole human suit size type mecha you get in stuff like Bubblegum Crisis.

Crest of the Stars: Another one which has been on my list for a fair while, definitely close to buying this one.

Kaihdomaru: Hmm interesting pastels, that is always a winner with me. Can you think of any other shows which make use of other media, like oils or watercolours.

Voices of a Distant Star: Seen it, liked it and suitably impressed. Any ideas what the guy is doing next?

Aquillion the majority of your stuff is already on my list, although I haven't heard of Irresponable Captain Tylor before but it sounds like fun. And Hitsuji no Uta, well it looks like my bandwith is going to start feeling the strain soon. Lastly Gasaraki, saying I hated it would be too strong a word but I was certainly miffed after spending an obscene about buying it. Had some nice ideas, e.g. the use of Noh but the show dragged along and wasn't worth its retail price.

[Xellos-_^]

Armor Trooper Votom - A early 80s war mecha anime. The main Hero is NOT a whinny teenage, but a Professional Soldier who shoot first and ask questions later. When fighting his enemies he does't expect any mercy and doesn't give any mercy. He will kill and kill until they are all dead. Votoms is a gritty war stories that just happen to have mechas in it. While the story is top notch, the anime is form the 80s and the animenation shows it. While it is bad, it definitely looks dated.

[EliteJounin]

Outlaw Star...
Escaflowne too... oh wait... it's close to teenagers. Somewhat. Though i'd recommend it!

[dot|hack]

Full Metal Alchemist: The hero's are a 12 year old boy with a metal arm and metal leg, and his 11 year old brother stuck inside a metal body. Although they are young how they got their body parts turned into that, what happened to their mother, and what happens in later episodes is way too disturbing to explain. Infact episode 7 made me cry because of the cruelty done to a little girl and her dog (not rape wise) by her own dad.... (using alchemy)

[MantisShadow]

Outlaw Star: Actually already got that in my pile of things to watch.
Escaflowne: Seen it, liked it but preferred the ending of the movie.

Armor Trooper Votom: The name really rings a bell. I may have seen a few eps yonks back but I've certainly haven't seen all 52. Looks like I might have to hunt it out.

Full Metal Alchemist: I was initially put off by the concept but if it is capable of disturbing people it sounds like something beyond the norm. But I'm a slightly jaded viewer so it might not have the same effect on me. Trying to dredge my memory for the last thing which unsettled me but they may take a while.

I'd like to recommend something myself, Noiseman Sound Insect. Saw it on the weekend and that definately fits into the interesting/ good animation category of anime.

[Lambda]

Not featuring teenagers or kids is quite a barrier, isn't it? Just glancing over my top 10, in all of them the main character is under 16. Well, Boogiepop doesn't have a main character, but still it's about schoolkids.

Anyway, well, the Wings of Honneamise would seem to fit into both categories and hasn't been mentioned yet. Trigun's about adults, though I'm not sure it classifies as having interesting artwork. And the Vampire Princess Miyu OVAs fit well into both really, Miyu being 13 only in certain respects. Not even sure whether to call her the main character or not even.

Oh, and interesting artwork on its own. (Meaning accepting children.) Now, it was purely the artwork of Angel's Egg which got me into anime in the first place, so that has to have a mention. Utena's probably got the most blatantly symbolic animation you'll find anywhere, plenty of sophistication there too, though it is literally about childhood. Erm, I think. Oh, and Boogiepop Phantom hasn't been mentioned yet. Very interesting, how they do all the shots slightly "off", or darkened at the edges. And completely differently in the last episode. And KareKano probably has the most fundamentally interesting animation technique ever. Would anyone else even think of doing things like that?

[MantisShadow]

I'm sure I've already got Trigun buried somewhere.

Boogiepop Phantom is already quite high on my list.

Wings of Honneamise: I've heard the name a number of times. Maybe it's another thing I've got buried in the loft.

Miyu: Hmm I'm not especially into Vampire based stories but if it has really good artwork then it'll be worth a look.

Angel's Egg: Known about it for a long time, just a matter of finding it now. It seems to be linked with Nekojiru-so in my memory for some reason.

Utena: Heard the name a couple of times, I think I've got some of the soundtrack on a compilation CD. Not too sure if that compels me to buy it, I'll have to listen to again and see what it says to me.

KareKano: Again another one I've got on one of my lists, really need to organise them into one big list.

I'm starting to wonder whether I should have called this thread: "I feel like I'm running out of anime to watch but there is bound to be a truckload of stuff I haven't seen". That may have been a trifle long though. ;)

[Lambda]

Miyu: Hmm I'm not especially into Vampire based stories but if it has really good artwork then it'll be worth a look.

Just to point out, it's not good in the "expensive and lush" way, but in the "stylish and original" way.

It's not terribly similar to your average vampire story either. (Certainly not your average Western vampire story.) It's more generally about different shinma (god+demon), the central character I think also being a shinma, one that's vampire-y.

Utena: Heard the name a couple of times, I think I've got some of the soundtrack on a compilation CD. Not too sure if that compels me to buy it, I'll have to listen to again and see what it says to me.

It's very distinctive in a number of ways, so I'll hazard a description. Very high wierdness quotient. Packed with all sorts of metaphor and symbolism, is often hard to tell what's a metaphor, what's supposed to be funny, and what's just random. Essentially shoujo, with lots of characters who have dark and dangerous emotions. Psychological battles become physical battles, with swordfighting duels, all set to a different song. Songs have lyrics like "Lucifer, son of the dawn", "cambrian, oldavian," "theatre, illusary actions, immortal actions" and the ubiquitous "absolute destiny apocalypse." All of which mean something, probably. Has some comedy episodes, which are a "love them or hate them" kind of things. (I love them.) It is mostly about the characters though, and they're very well done. Oh, and swords being drawn from people's chests.

[MantisShadow]

Utena: High wierdness quoitent, that sounds more and more appealing. Swords being pulled from people's chests, that sounds a bit like FLCL, is it?

[pauroal]

wow.. 2003?:heh: hey what about this new list. try it. search for the summary or plot. see if u'd like some.

1. Paradise kiss (12 episodes)
2. Sensual Phrase (44 episodes)
3. Aishiteruze Baby (26 episodes)
4. Boku wa Imoto ni Koi wo Suru [TV series?] (though I only found an OAV info)
5. Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru (12 episodes)

6. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (25 episodes)
7. Seto no Hanayome (13 episodes?)
8. Green Green (TV) (12 episodes)
9. Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora (TV) (12 episodes)
10. Bokura ga Ita (26 episodes)

11. Nodame Cantabile (23 episodes)
12. Princess 69 (OAV)
Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien
School Days (ONA)
Suzuka
High School Girls
..?Chance Triangle Session

these are romance/high school life/ (some) music genres
hope u like it

I highly recommend PARADISE KISS first. career and love. charming and irritating. it's not echii. but includes 1 or 2 hentai plays. but the ending is smashing. i dunno if u'd like it..

Second is>>>Sensual Phrase is over all about music. mishmashed with romance. NICE ONE.. maybe echii.
My top 3 would be>>>Boku wa Imoto ni Koi wo Suru<<<INCEST. better than yaois and yuris.
My top 4>>>Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru <<<The main character Mizuho is a nice guy who was born in a good family, smart, and moral. But one day, he has to transfer to a girl’s high school by his grandfather’s last will. Then, he has to disguise like a girl to go to the school…
well...Aishiteruze Baby, just another romance type of anime.. but cuter..sweet.
Also try to visit AnimeNfo.com
look for top 200 animes, new animes, and search in by GENRES...
echii, hs life, romance, mecha, music, mystery, action, adventure, comedy, yaoi, yuri, drama, some tragic...
I'm not in to actions/mecha/adventure and all that. my cds here and downloads are more on ROMANCE/HS LIFE/ some MUSIC/and...ECHII...>>genre<<

[SeijiSensei]

. Anime where the main protaganist aren't teenagers or prepubescents. Seems like the last 100 anime I've watched fit into this category.

Browse my sig for
Seirei no Moribito (aka Guardian of the sacred spirit; protagonist is nearly 30; points to avatar)
Bartender (adults)
Hataraki Man (adults)
Monster (adults)
Welcome to the NHK (protagonists in their late teens/early twenties)
Nodame Cantabile (protagonists in their late teens/early twenties)
Saiunkoku Monogatari (well the protagonist is sixteen, but it's not about teenagers)
Planetes and Twelve Kingdoms (Junni Kokki) have already been mentioned.

All of these have a more mature audience in mind.

2. Anime with outstanding or interesting art/animation.

Noein (sig) has extraordinary animation in some episodes though the main characters are middle schoolers.
Seirei no Moribito is perhaps the most beautiful anime made for TV that I've seen. It's "pre-licensed" and thus not listed on the AS main page. NHK, SaiMono, Planetes, Junni Kokki and Noein are also licensed; Bartender, Hataraki Man, Nodame Cantabile and Monster are not.

If you're looking for a mature story and haven't seen the movie Mononoke Hime (aka Princess Mononoke) by Hiyao Miyazaki, I'd watch that asap.

A couple more that crossed my mind (all licensed)
Paranoia Agent (psychological drama; has some similarities to Boogiepop Phantom)
Millenium Actress (movie that portrays 20th century Japanese history though the life of a film actress)
Ergo Proxy (cyberpunk with some excellent animation)
Grave of the Fireflies (movie about two kids trying to survive after the American firebombings of Japanese cities in WWII; despite having kids as protagonists this is definitely a work for mature audiences)

Can you think of any other shows which make use of other media, like oils or watercolours.
You might want to watch an episode or two of Hidamari Sketch (unlicensed). Though it's a high-school comedy, the girls attend an art school, so there's an "arty" feeling to the show, and the animation is top-notch.