AnimeSuki Forums

synaesthetic · 2012-01-09, 23:58

So I have a friend who keeps pestering me for anime to watch, except I have a very hard time helping him out because he is so picky. I thought I was bad, but man, this guy is super-picky about what he'll watch.

His requirements:
-not sci-fi
-not supernatural
-not fantasy
-no giant robots
-no androids
-no spaceships
-no magic or Jedi or psychics
-not primarily about fighting
-confined to this reality (modern times or thereabouts)
-thought provoking, innovative and interesting

All of this is steep but I could think of a number of shows that qualify, however his worst qualifier, and the one that makes this almost impossible, is that the show must be dubbed. He refuses to watch subbed anime.

Can anyone help me out with a good long list of shows that meet all these requirements so he'll quit bugging me?

Flower · 2012-01-10, 00:00

Hrm ... only one I can think of is Tamayura Hitotose ... but it isn't dubbed.

jedinat · 2012-01-10, 00:04

Your friend fills me with impotent rage.

Xenio · 2012-01-10, 00:04

throw him some slice of life anime

something like: Kanon, Clannad, K-on, Toradora

AbZeroNow · 2012-01-10, 00:08

I would say Marimite but that's subtitled.

K-ON is not particularly thought-provoking but it does fill the rest of the requirements, and it is a fun little show.

Lucky Star has some interesting Seinfeldian observations about Japan, so maybe that might work.

I'm trying to think of dubbed slice-of-life shows, and I only can think of a few.

Kagayaki · 2012-01-10, 00:10

Hmmm, Clannad and Kanon probably don't work. For K-On and Toradora, define innovative and interesting

Maybe something like Grave of the Fireflies? ... does Monster work?

Flower · 2012-01-10, 00:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by jedinat

Your friend fills me with impotent rage.

ikr? I was pretty stumped myself....

Hmm ... I wonder if Whisper of the Heart qualifies?

Kagayaki · 2012-01-10, 00:18

Do shows like Millennium Actress count as confined to this reality? Discuss.

synaesthetic · 2012-01-10, 00:21

He liked Clannad and Kanon 2006. Didn't like K-On. He was okay with the Toradora suggestion.

Flower · 2012-01-10, 00:23

Am kinda puzzled why your friend is consistently bugging you to watch something yet being picky at the same time.

It reminds me of insisting repeatedly on being introduced to authentic Italian cuisine yet refusing to eat anything that was made from scratch or involves pasta and tomato sauce. -_-

Ahhhhh! Maybe he is insisting because he has actually seen good series with dubs and wants more of the same. (Didn't know that they have already seen some things.... Hmm.)

Xenio · 2012-01-10, 00:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kagayaki

Hmmm, Clannad and Kanon probably don't work. For K-On and Toradora, define innovative and interesting

Maybe something like Grave of the Fireflies? ... does Monster work?

how Clannad and Kanon don't work?
i guess this guy just like me when first started watching anime, watch so much slice of life that not even give anime that have fighting a chance, but once watch a masterpiece of that gerne, change immediately.

Kagayaki · 2012-01-10, 00:27

^ Well I thought that the bar for "no supernatural" was a bit higher than it actually was, apparently.

Adding Tokyo Godfathers to the list of suggestions (I think there's a dub but I'm not sure).

mecharobot · 2012-01-10, 00:38

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
Kaze no Yojimbo
Perfect Blue
Master Keaton

These all I think have a substancial amount of realism in them and should have (english) dubs available. Technically, I guess many genres would fit i.e romance, comedy and sports, but I'm not sure if that is what your friend wants.

totoum · 2012-01-10, 00:41

Monster
Perfect Blue
Phantom:requiem for the phantom

Tempester · 2012-01-10, 02:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by jedinat

Your friend fills me with impotent rage.

Urgh. Being a person who prefers to listen to the original audio for nearly everything, I can't help but be ticked off as well.

Hopefully, he'll learn to appreciate subtitles some day.

Here are my recommendations. I can't guarantee that the dubs won't burn your ears out, though.

Grave of the Fireflies
Takes place during WW2, features a pair of young children in Japan trying to survive bombings and starvation. Realistic and down-to-earth as heck. Bring some tissues.

5 Centimeters per Second
A modern-day tale of young lovers separated by distance. The spectacular animation and music will blow his pants off. Bring some tissues for this, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by totoum

Monster
Phantom:requiem for the phantom

Seconding these two.

Darkbeat · 2012-01-10, 03:09

Perhaps some sports/romance/comedy anime would work, like Suzuka? I think Funi have it dubbed and they are usually quite er...inoffensive XD

Monster is a good suggestion so I'll third that and maybe he'd like something such as Welcome to the NHK which is black comedy/romance/psychology and I believe has a dub, again by Funi.

kitten320 · 2012-01-10, 09:07

I have no idea if this shows are dubbed since I personally hate dub but I think you can find out if you goole it. So basicly he wants realistic shows with some thought behind, ok:
Since he liked Clannad and Kanon2006 then it is worth trying Air and Angel Beats since they are from the same creator though Angel Beats is probably the most supernatural one.

5 Centimeters per Second was a short 3 episode long show about friendship and love, is thought provoking.

He only wants modern times? Nothing connected to old age?

Aria the animation has only a bit of supernatural stuff since it is about city on different planet which looks just like Venezia. Series are episodic and are about 3 friends who are aiming to become professional Undines. The supernatural stuff here is not bigger than in Clannad. Very calming series with some thought provoking themes.

Bakuman is a safe bet since it is about manga creation, though first half was weak in my eyes, got better in second one and season 2. Not really thought provoking but since it is about manga creation in industry, you can learn new stuff.

Bamboo Blade are series about kendo, sport.

Bungaku Shoujo, the only unnatural thing was that main heroine was eating books as food. But quiet good series with some though provoking themes.

Great Teacher Onizuka is a great comedy with some thought provoking themes since the main hero is trying to help students with their life issues.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama! is a romance comedy about a girl who secretly works in maid cafe and her secret got discovered by one of the guys from school.

Major are really good series about baseball. Not fan of baseball personaly but really like the series. Is thought provoking.

Mayo Chiki, not really thought provoking. Just a normal school life comedy.

Monster are detective series about a surgeon who saved a boy in the past. This boy became a serial killer and surgeon feels that he is responsible and has to stop him.

Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom are awesome series about assassins and mafia. thought provoking.

Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin are another dark series about several friends who befriended in prison. Series follow their life while in prison and when they are out. A lot of thought provoking themes.

Usagi Drop are series about taking care of a child.

Working!! is a comedy.

I'll be bold and will suggest 3 titles with some supernatural stuff that I think are worth checking:
Death Note, even anime haters hold it high on their list.
Shiki are series about vampires but execution is very interesting and thought provoking especially towards the end.
Steins;Gate is about time travel but everything happens nowadays and makes you think a lot.

Hopefully he'll find something here.

Raiga · 2012-01-10, 17:57

Paranoia Agent. If he hasn't seen it already he's missing out.

synaesthetic · 2012-01-10, 21:07

I suggested the works of Satoshi Kon, and he blew me off with "looks boring as hell."

I'm starting to think he doesn't like anything outside of highschool harem shows.

Edit: And after all of this, he just announced to me that he's going to watch NGE. I'm starting to think now that I'm just being trolled. :|

Flower · 2012-01-10, 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

I suggested the works of Satoshi Kon, and he blew me off with "looks boring as hell."

I'm starting to think he doesn't like anything outside of highschool harem shows.

If I may speak for a few of my fellow forum members:

2012-01-09, 23:58	Link #1
synaesthetic blinded by blood Author Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Age: 39	Ridiculous request within, only the brave shall pass. :) So I have a friend who keeps pestering me for anime to watch, except I have a very hard time helping him out because he is so picky. I thought I was bad, but man, this guy is super-picky about what he'll watch. His requirements: -not sci-fi -not supernatural -not fantasy -no giant robots -no androids -no spaceships -no magic or Jedi or psychics -not primarily about fighting -confined to this reality (modern times or thereabouts) -thought provoking, innovative and interesting All of this is steep but I could think of a number of shows that qualify, however his worst qualifier, and the one that makes this almost impossible, is that the show must be dubbed. He refuses to watch subbed anime. Can anyone help me out with a good long list of shows that meet all these requirements so he'll quit bugging me? __________________ Indie science fiction author and all-around weirdo: Check out my original fiction here! Read an excerpt from my sci-fi novel Binary System!

2012-01-10, 00:00	Link #2
Flower Blooming on the mountain Join Date: May 2010 Location: Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light....	Hrm ... only one I can think of is Tamayura Hitotose ... but it isn't dubbed. __________________

2012-01-10, 00:10	Link #6
Kagayaki Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Boston Age: 34	Hmmm, Clannad and Kanon probably don't work. For K-On and Toradora, define innovative and interesting Maybe something like Grave of the Fireflies? ... does Monster work? __________________

2012-01-10, 00:18	Link #8
Kagayaki Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Boston Age: 34	Do shows like Millennium Actress count as confined to this reality? Discuss. __________________

2012-01-10, 00:21	Link #9
synaesthetic blinded by blood Author Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Age: 39	He liked Clannad and Kanon 2006. Didn't like K-On. He was okay with the Toradora suggestion. __________________ Indie science fiction author and all-around weirdo: Check out my original fiction here! Read an excerpt from my sci-fi novel Binary System!

2012-01-10, 00:04	Link #3
jedinat Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Age: 38	Your friend fills me with impotent rage.

2012-01-10, 00:04	Link #4
Xenio Flower Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Somewhere in Asia	throw him some slice of life anime something like: Kanon, Clannad, K-on, Toradora

2012-01-10, 00:08	Link #5
AbZeroNow North American Haruhiist Join Date: Oct 2010 Age: 43	I would say Marimite but that's subtitled. K-ON is not particularly thought-provoking but it does fill the rest of the requirements, and it is a fun little show. Lucky Star has some interesting Seinfeldian observations about Japan, so maybe that might work. I'm trying to think of dubbed slice-of-life shows, and I only can think of a few.

2012-01-10, 00:23	Link #10
Flower Blooming on the mountain Join Date: May 2010 Location: Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light....	Am kinda puzzled why your friend is consistently bugging you to watch something yet being picky at the same time. It reminds me of insisting repeatedly on being introduced to authentic Italian cuisine yet refusing to eat anything that was made from scratch or involves pasta and tomato sauce. -_- Ahhhhh! Maybe he is insisting because he has actually seen good series with dubs and wants more of the same. (Didn't know that they have already seen some things.... Hmm.) __________________

2012-01-10, 00:27	Link #12
Kagayaki Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Boston Age: 34	^ Well I thought that the bar for "no supernatural" was a bit higher than it actually was, apparently. Adding Tokyo Godfathers to the list of suggestions (I think there's a dub but I'm not sure). __________________

2012-01-10, 00:38	Link #13
mecharobot Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011	Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade Kaze no Yojimbo Perfect Blue Master Keaton These all I think have a substancial amount of realism in them and should have (english) dubs available. Technically, I guess many genres would fit i.e romance, comedy and sports, but I'm not sure if that is what your friend wants.

2012-01-10, 00:41	Link #14
totoum Me at work Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Age: 36	Monster Perfect Blue Phantom:requiem for the phantom __________________

2012-01-10, 03:09	Link #16
Darkbeat 'אין ייאוש בעולם כלל Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: UK Age: 39	Perhaps some sports/romance/comedy anime would work, like Suzuka? I think Funi have it dubbed and they are usually quite er...inoffensive XD Monster is a good suggestion so I'll third that and maybe he'd like something such as Welcome to the NHK which is black comedy/romance/psychology and I believe has a dub, again by Funi.

2012-01-10, 09:07	Link #17
kitten320 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007	I have no idea if this shows are dubbed since I personally hate dub but I think you can find out if you goole it. So basicly he wants realistic shows with some thought behind, ok: Since he liked Clannad and Kanon2006 then it is worth trying Air and Angel Beats since they are from the same creator though Angel Beats is probably the most supernatural one. 5 Centimeters per Second was a short 3 episode long show about friendship and love, is thought provoking. He only wants modern times? Nothing connected to old age? Aria the animation has only a bit of supernatural stuff since it is about city on different planet which looks just like Venezia. Series are episodic and are about 3 friends who are aiming to become professional Undines. The supernatural stuff here is not bigger than in Clannad. Very calming series with some thought provoking themes. Bakuman is a safe bet since it is about manga creation, though first half was weak in my eyes, got better in second one and season 2. Not really thought provoking but since it is about manga creation in industry, you can learn new stuff. Bamboo Blade are series about kendo, sport. Bungaku Shoujo, the only unnatural thing was that main heroine was eating books as food. But quiet good series with some though provoking themes. Great Teacher Onizuka is a great comedy with some thought provoking themes since the main hero is trying to help students with their life issues. Kaichou wa Maid-sama! is a romance comedy about a girl who secretly works in maid cafe and her secret got discovered by one of the guys from school. Major are really good series about baseball. Not fan of baseball personaly but really like the series. Is thought provoking. Mayo Chiki, not really thought provoking. Just a normal school life comedy. Monster are detective series about a surgeon who saved a boy in the past. This boy became a serial killer and surgeon feels that he is responsible and has to stop him. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom are awesome series about assassins and mafia. thought provoking. Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin are another dark series about several friends who befriended in prison. Series follow their life while in prison and when they are out. A lot of thought provoking themes. Usagi Drop are series about taking care of a child. Working!! is a comedy. I'll be bold and will suggest 3 titles with some supernatural stuff that I think are worth checking: Death Note, even anime haters hold it high on their list. Shiki are series about vampires but execution is very interesting and thought provoking especially towards the end. Steins;Gate is about time travel but everything happens nowadays and makes you think a lot. Hopefully he'll find something here. __________________ My anime list

2012-01-10, 17:57	Link #18
Raiga tl;dr Join Date: Jan 2009 Age: 32	Paranoia Agent. If he hasn't seen it already he's missing out. __________________

2012-01-10, 21:07	Link #19
synaesthetic blinded by blood Author Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Age: 39	I suggested the works of Satoshi Kon, and he blew me off with "looks boring as hell." I'm starting to think he doesn't like anything outside of highschool harem shows. Edit: And after all of this, he just announced to me that he's going to watch NGE. I'm starting to think now that I'm just being trolled. :\| __________________ Indie science fiction author and all-around weirdo: Check out my original fiction here! Read an excerpt from my sci-fi novel Binary System!