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Old 2003-11-20, 23:08   Link #1
Ainana
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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The Tough One to Crack

Hi. For years I've been trying to convince my parents that anime is good. I've given up on my father, but my mom has shown some interest. I need help before she loses interest though! She's a tough one to figure out.

First, please understand that she is my mother. Hentai is OUT. Lots of blood and gore is out. Crudeness is out. Children as the main characters is out. Too cute is out.

Second, no, I'm not a very young person trying to show my mom anime. I'm an adult trying to find or make a point of commonality with my parents so we can be more connected and discuss things more animatedly. My mother is near to age 60 and will NOT be watching anime just to appease me or spend time with me. She REALLY has to be interested. Further, her personality is such that should she find an anime extremely distasteful she will probably dump the whole affair all together.

I'm trying to find more for her, but she's really tough.

She LOVES Hikaru no Go (the ghost is cute, and she finds it more realistic because of the normal enviroment/etc) and Marmalade Boy (because she loves the romance, the comedy, and the intrigue/drama)

She watched Inuyasha and at first liked it because of the romance, and then dumped it because it dragged and became fight of the week.

She watched Kare no Kano and did NOT like it. Said it was absolutely boring.

She watched Fushigi Yuugi and liked it, but said it was too fantastical for her tastes. Ditto for Escaflowne.

She watched a live action version of Hana Yori Dango and will not watch Hana Yori Dango because she disliked it.

So, romance, comedy, NO sci-fi/fantasy/magic....no hentai or ANY nudity, suggestiveness....

After all this... (I have a headache)
does anyone have any suggestions for an anime to show her?

Remember, don't respond if you are just going to tell me your favorite anime without regards to anything just because you think she'll like it so much like you did that it won't matter, because

She is picky. And she is the type of person, again, to dump all anime if you show her something she really doesn't like.

Sorry for the absolute seriousness, but I've asked other people and generally they 1. give me their favorite thing regardless (Beserk!) or 2. something Hentai (Chobbits!)
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Old 2003-11-20, 23:50   Link #2
Shii
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How about Azumanga Daioh? Too boring maybe?

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou... well, that's probably boring with an extra layer of boring...
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Old 2003-11-21, 00:01   Link #3
Pyro Fury
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thats a tough one.. the best i can think of is Jungle Wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu off the top of my head.. but its kind of childish, and to get her all the way to the end of the series where im guessing she'd like migh be kinda hard, i only made that suggestion becuase it comical, cute, and has single parental problems uderlaying it all.. with a "tear jerking" ending to it all.. but im gonna guess that guu will be a little to much to stomache.. or was it guu's stomache is a little to much to handle. only other thing i can remember that i watched that might work is angel sanctuary, but im not sure if that would be to bloody.. sorry, these arent what you're looking for im guessing, but this is the best i can do off the top of my head, if i can think of something better ill be sure to post again
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Old 2003-11-21, 01:41   Link #4
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I've got a few very good suggestions for you. Every one of these is rooted in reality, containing interesting characters and deep stories.
  • Human Scramble: Stories about people facing a turning point in their lives. Very realistic and heartwarming. Your mother will love it. The downside is that only 4 episodes have been subbed so far, but r-b seems serious about getting the rest of the series out in a timely manner. Since every episode is self-contained try showing her an episode. Any episode. And see if she likes it.
  • Detective Academy Q: A really good mystery series with really cool puzzles, good humor and interesting characters. Get the Live-eviL version, I checked them all out before deciding that it's the best. It is in well-seeded 4 episode batches.
  • Piano: Hearwarming story of a teenage girl. There is no real plot, just a slice of her life at an important time in her growing up. Very well done. It consists of just 10 episodes which have all been subbed. Get the batched episodes subbed by Solar.
  • Rumic Theatre: Another anime taking place in the real world. Every episode stands alone with different characters and a different story. It is based upon Rumiko Takahashi's short stories, but doesn't resemble Inu-Yasha at all. If it resembles anything she's done, it is Maison Ikkoku. These stories are funny, but also a bit traumatic, so don't marathon them. Make sure that you spell them out interspersed with other anime. You'll understand why when you watch it.
  • Tenshi na Konamaiki: This show is the wierdest one that I'm suggesting. While it has some serious wierdness at the beginning, strangely this isn't a wierd show. You'll see what I mean after only two episodes. This is a romantic comedy whose theme is exploring the underlying differences between men and women. This is definetly not one of those sexist harem shows. This is fun and romantic and sometimes very insightful. Oh yes, it's also very funny and heartwarming.
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Old 2003-11-21, 02:37   Link #5
Quarkboy
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What about Haibane Renmei? Though I suppose it could be classified as fantasyish, it is also quite simple in many ways, and very beautiful. The fantasy elements are all quite subtle (unlike, say Fushigi Yuugi) and it is quite an eveloping environment. But then again it might be too difficult, it kind of requires an open mind.
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Old 2003-11-21, 03:30   Link #6
Ainana
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Another thought...

Another thought I'm tempted to try...

I generally watch stuff that has action, comedy, romance, fight scenes/swords, magic, plot, etc.

So marmalade boy was all I had in the field, but I get the feeling she really REALLY likes romance with some comedy...you know, the desperate romances where the 2 lovebirds are being idiots and saying things like "OOooooh I love him/her sooooo much, so SINCE I DON'T WANT TO HURT THEM, I'm gonna tell them how much I dispise them and that they suck so that they hate me."

She really liked Fushigi Yuugi despite the fantasy setting.... and really loves Marmalade boy...

Anyone know any romance with some cute/comedy scenes, no hentai, that takes place in a realistic environment? (ok if they seem brain-damaged)
But keeping in mind she found Kare-Kano boring? (This baffles me, I thought that was perfect)

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Old 2003-11-21, 03:39   Link #7
NoSanninWa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ainana
Anyone know any romance with some cute/comedy scenes, no hentai, that takes place in a realistic environment? (ok if they seem brain-damaged)
But keeping in mind she found Kare-Kano boring? (This baffles me, I thought that was perfect)
I re-iterate:
  • Tenshi na Konamaiki: Romance? Yep! Cute comedy scenes? Check! No hentai? None. Realistic environment? Absolutely... except for only one small exception. Kare-Kano boring? Well, it's nothing remotely like Kare-Kano so I think it's a go.
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Old 2003-11-21, 05:12   Link #8
AnimeFangirl
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Well I think Kare Kano is boring as well... I'd suggest Azumanga Daioh, like someone did before, but your mother sounds like someone who's easily bored. Get her to try episode 1 and see. It's not romantic - unless you count Sakaki's relationship with the cats - but it's totally clean, charming and really funny.
Btw, the batch torrents for Live-Evil's DAQ aren't working.
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Old 2003-11-21, 11:24   Link #9
Onegai
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Try Kanon - It is about high school students, but other than that, it is pretty much a serious anime with miracles in place of fantasies. (think City of Angels movie with Meg Ryan and Nick Cage)


Boys Be - Another anime about high school students. No fantasy/magic/sci-fi elements. Some romance elements.


Prince of Tennis - Anime about a prodigy tennis player in junior high. A little over-the-top in the tennis, but has an overall serious/competetive feel to it. A long and ongoing anime with over 100+ episodes, but only 96 is subbed so far.



Those are the only ones I can think of that might meet your criterias. Hope this helps.
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Old 2003-11-21, 11:29   Link #10
Shii
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ainana
you know, the desperate romances where the 2 lovebirds are being idiots and saying things like "OOooooh I love him/her sooooo much, so SINCE I DON'T WANT TO HURT THEM, I'm gonna tell them how much I dispise them and that they suck so that they hate me."
That sounds like Love Hina
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Old 2003-11-21, 19:04   Link #11
Ainana
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Boys Be

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told that at half-time Boy's Be has very NOT animated porn pictures....
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Old 2003-11-21, 20:26   Link #12
LynnieS
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Aside from NoSanninWa's "Piano", what about "Someday's Dreamer"? The first R1 disc of "SD" should be out next week. A young mage learning her powers in an alternate universe's modern day Tokyo.

Edit - Shoot. No magic. Although "Someday's Dreamer" isn't all about the magic, though. It certainly isn't like "CCS"...

Your mom might find "Piano" a bit boring, though, since it's a life anime like "Kare Kano", but you can try her on a couple of episodes to see if she likes them.

Parts of "Ai Yori Aoshi" are pretty good, but she'll have to suffer through some fanservice to reach the romantic parts. Get the first and last discs, I would say, and pretend the others don't exist.

I would say "Please Teacher" except for the no sci-fi part... The service bits are also something of a no-no...

"Fruits Basket" is excellent also. Cheerful girl brings happiness to a family whose [some of the] members are cursed with changing into the animals of the Chinese zodiac when touched by a member of the opposite sex. No suggestiveness that I can think of.

"To Heart"... but the amount of romance in it is a bit lacking. The guy is something of a dork, IMHO. Another life anime.

"Gunparade March", but the relationship bits are scattered throughout the episodes. Some mecha action, but that's not the point of the anime. Girl volunteers to join the army for personal reason, and boy goes gah-gah over her; I'm not doing justice to it, BTW. It should come out in another month or two in R1; I hear January 2004, but a customer rep with Deep Discount DVD.com said end of November from his records.

Edit - Possibilities - "I My Me! Strawberry Egg" is also on my To Buy list for comedies, but I don't remember if it has suggestiveness in it; there isn't anything about that in my notes. It's about a male teacher who dresses up as a woman for a job (because of school policy).

"Kaleido Star" is on it as a life/drama as well; the few episodes that I've seen didn't have any lewdness either. It's about a girl who wants to join... I would guess it's their world of Cirque du Soleil? - to be a star entertainer.

Last edited by LynnieS; 2003-11-21 at 21:08.
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Old 2003-11-21, 21:30   Link #13
Keitaro
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I find it very difficult to recommend anime based on your moms taste. Almost all anime has some of those elements that your mom wouldn't like. I'll try my best to recommend some anime titles. Keep in mind most of these titles are ova's not anime series.

Grave of the fireflies movie-Licensed, considering its kinda old she might've seen it already-its based on a book that was a semiautobiography about a boy and his little sister trying to survive fire bombing and hunger during War World 2. truly a very touching and sad story a must see.

Hoshi no Koe(The Voice of a Distant Star) Licensed, a short anime ova about two firends/lovers who are seperated when the girl is picked as a fighter pilot to go on a expedition to search for the alien race who attacked them. I know it has scifi elements with aliens and such but the story is more focused on the those two people who are seperated and only can communicate through cell phones messages.

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind,Unlicensed-Based on a Historical background in feudal Japan. Its a about a girl who tries to become a wife of the imperial palace and to become the emperors empress. Their are some death and battles but theirs no gore and blood at all.

Thats all I can think of right now but I'll edit my post if I can think of anything else
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Old 2003-11-21, 22:15   Link #14
u&t
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Just a question:

Why do you feel the urge to show off anime to your mother?

Although I do love anime i think you shouldn't spend time with your mother watching cartoons. She's your mother, when you spend time with her do stuff you know she likes. If you feel you're going to die unless you can show of anime to her just give her anything Ghibli.
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Old 2003-11-21, 23:37   Link #15
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Most of Ghibli's work (whilst absolutely fantastic) is fantasy orientated, however.
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Old 2003-11-22, 01:59   Link #16
Ainana
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As a reply to U&T, I don't live near my mother. It takes me an entire day of travel by plane and bus to be with her. We call each other for communication, and in the past we would talk just for a few minutes every so often just if something really interesting happened in our lives. Something really interesting doesn't happen everyday for most people.

When I introduced her to certain animes that she really liked, she was calling me maybe three times a day and we were chatting animatedly like we were the same age and good buddies.

I know the mood has now suddenly gotten very serious and somewhat personal, but please understand, this bond is important to me. It's very hard to have a relationship when you have nothing in common. I'm not forcing her to watch anime, but because this is something in both of our lives that I know I love, and she is showing the potential of loving (she really went all-out with the series she liked) I would like to grow.

I hope you can understand this.

For everyone else, I apologize for the sudden serious nature of this post.
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Old 2003-11-22, 02:06   Link #17
Ainana
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Ahhhh!! Moooo! I forgot!

I also showed her Fruits Basket (which she watched all the way through, but said it was OK and she'd probably just watch it once)

And I showed her Mononoke Hime, Naussica, Laputa Castle in the Sky, Castle of Cagliostro, and Porco Rosso.

Response:
Porco -Yuck
Castle of Cagliostro - OK
Mononoke Hime - OK
Naussica - Good to OK
Laputa Castle in the Sky - Liked very much

She also seems to like happy endings, so I've avoided Like the Clouds Like the Wind....

*sigh* But this is why she is so tough to figure out...
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Old 2003-11-22, 02:36   Link #18
Zoya
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Well, my mother is close to the same age as yours, and she absolutely loved Jungle wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu.

Another to try might be Full Moon wo Sagashite. It is about a child, but the emotional aspects are distinctly adult. It's a make you cry type of show with a bit of comedy and romance.

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Old 2003-11-22, 14:05   Link #19
u&t
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Aiana, I didn't mean to be disrespectful or anything. If anime helps you getting along with your mother then I agree its a good thing.

I still stand by Ghibli. Ok it's fantasy oriented but if she liked laputa she should love the other movies.

You haven't mentioned sports anime at all but she might like Ippo (you can filter out the episodes where they only fight).

KnGE? Kanon?

Wandering a bit off topic here but there is some incredibly good non-animated japanese and korean stuff out there. You might try giving her some of that once in a while.
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Old 2003-12-09, 05:51   Link #20
Eikichi
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I am not sure if you're just lover looking NoSanninWa's suggestions, but I think Tenshi Konamaki makes a good candidate.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NoSanninWa
I re-iterate:
  • Tenshi na Konamaiki: Romance? Yep! Cute comedy scenes? Check! No hentai? None. Realistic environment? Absolutely... except for only one small exception. Kare-Kano boring? Well, it's nothing remotely like Kare-Kano so I think it's a go.
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