Romance/Comedy/SoL Seinen-based Anime that could be rated G-PG-13

[Ceral]

I'm in a bit of a rut, I've only been watching anime fanatically for about a year and a half, and since then I've always been able to find an anime at least every other month to keep me grinning from ear to ear or something special enough to make me shed some tears.

But, it's been about half a year since I've found anything that I've really liked. Usually I can read other suggestion threads and get a good feel for something I'll like, but it hasn't been working lately.

So, I need your help! And to do this, I'll describe what I'm looking for as best I can. I'm looking for a seinen based anime, that is, something that's not geared towards boys or girls so much that it could be pigeonholed into being called shonen or shoujo, because I've found that even though I may enjoy these titles, these aren't quite the titles that really hook me(I usually just find myself mildly interested/entertained by such titles, and ideally I want something that will engross me and capture my imagination). I'm requesting something that's Seinen and something that's on the tamer side of "Ecchi", I like cute girls, but I also like them to be sweet and to be a bit pragmatic. I want the series to feel "normal" for the most part, if every 3 scenes there's some ecchi joke, it gets to become to feel like some sort of perverted parody, I'm expressly looking to avoid something like that. I also should point out, I prefer series that start out with an end in mind, especially anything with drama or has any sort of serious mindset, a really good climax really skyrockets a series in how much I like it. Something that builds up to a climax from the very start tend to do well with me. I like climaxes. Things that are open ended are still ok too, especially comedies, light hearted romances, they're good things to look forward to .

As I alluded to before, the genre should probably be some combination of a Romance/Comedy/SoL/Drama, since I usually enjoy the content from these genres. (I don't want any action,mecha,horror, etc.) I tend to get bored when a series starts to talk too much about superfluous topics that aren't related to the characters or they give a lot of screentime to hearing villains flap their mouths. I feel saturated with that sort of series, i'm looking for the opposite sort of genre. Drama sub-genres are fine too, maybe even for it's primary genre too. My favorites are probably my favorites because of their dramatic scenes. Usually they have a good dose of normality too. As long as the drama is done well, KGNE was done pretty well, they went overboard on the quantity of drama though, it started to feel like there was a superfluous amount of drama and I started to not take it so seriously.

Talking about characters, I like all kinds of characters. But one of the main characters should probably have good common sense and be practical at least when it doesn't involve something romatnic, hehheh. I like the main characters to carry at least a neutral attitude if not a positive attitude despite whatever hardships(Of course it's fine for them to get down once in awhile or for a period of time. There should be some happy times though. The character should do what he can to be happy, I don't like to watch internal struggles unless they have serious problems. Watching depressed people will get me bored very quickly unless the series has tried really hard to get me to sympathize with them. E.G. Something like 5 CM/Sec really pissed me off. I want to see scenes so that the viewer will be walked through the characters feelings and thoughts or actions so that it'll make sense why they act a certain way. I want to see the progression of their feelings, IMO just one simple flashback isn't enough to convey how a character truely feels unless it's a really really long flashback... ) I don't like characters who seem to perpetually have clouds over their heads, who mope around and are depressed and antisocial, something like that will more than likely bore me right away. Main characters' feelings should come out a lot during the course of a series. Main characters should show all sorts of moods and attitudes. I like my characters to be colorful!

As for the content and the quality of the content I'm looking for, I'm not necessarily looking for something that only focuses on one thing, but rather it can focus on one thing or a lot of things, but when they do focus on something it should really come out well. If they start doing comedy it should be very funny, when they start focusing on doing something softer, it should be very sentimental. I like a series to be very clear and detailed about character personalities and histories. Scenes should also be very clear and detailed, if the characters start conversing I'd like to hear their dialogue on a subject from beginning to end. I like to see the "fun boring" parts of their lives when they're eating dinner and conversing and other mundane stuff. I think it's a good sign that an anime is a probably a good suggestion if there's nothing else going on in the anime except for characters sitting at a table, talking, totally absorbed in the moment and that's one of the most memorable scenes in the episode. I want my episodes to be full of dialogue too, I mean really full, unless it's for comedic effect or a scenery shot. I think that if a scene goes five seconds or longer without meaningful dialogue related to the characters, then it might not be the best suggestion.

Ultimately, I want something with characters with whom I can have fun with and cry with. I want something that will be able to take a certain idea and really evolve and build upon something important, for example stuff related to love, friendship, family, life, hardships, anything that's really worth making an anime about.

Here's some series I've loved, liked, and disliked to give you a better idea of what I'm looking for(I've given some thoughts on each series as well, I wrapped them in spoiler tags to keep the post a bit shorter):

Semi-romantic Anime I thought were really special (Yeah, I loved everything from kyoani ):
Chobits -

Spoiler for For Post Length:

Well, this is the first Seinen anime I watched, this is responsible for making me the fanatic I am today. Probably, what made this anime special for me, was the main character. Comedic parts were hilarious, but also had many sweet scenes which were surprisingly well done. The ecchi-ness here didn't really bother me, the main character was a pretty decent individual I thought, the bits about porn didn't really bother me, since they were done in pretty good taste, I thought.

Clannad-

Spoiler for Post Length:

I liked most of the characters and the ones I were impartial on, didn't rub the wrong way either. The storyline was surprisingly touching at times, and the comedic/slice of life portions were very entertaining. I was surprised by how well done some of the more dramatic scenes were done. This is how drama scenes should be done IMO, with such well done writing, music, and well built characters whom the viewer has gotten to know.

Ah! My Goddess-

Spoiler for Post Length:

AMG was very funny and entertaining, with many very, very, sweet moments. AMG had me smiling and feeling good. I didn't really buy into the heavy drama or grandiose plotlines at the end of each season though. The fact it was easy going and never too heavy, was a strength and a weakness in itself.

Air TV-

Spoiler for Direction of plot:

Too much of the time I watch drama, I find myself critiquing a scene because I haven't been sucked into it. With Air, especially the last two episodes, my eyes were glued to the screen and nothing was going on in my mind but focusing on watching. The dramatic scenes in Air were so unbelievably well done, I never really felt they were forcing the drama.

Kanon-

Spoiler for Direction of plot:

The dramatic scenes were done very well much like Air, although it didn't reach the same climax. But overall, I felt it achieved a higher level of entertainment. It was more funny and easy going. I felt it took itself less seriously then Air, yet when the drama scenes finally came, I was still very touched.

Anime that I found very entertaining and charming and really enjoyed:
Minami-Ke-

Spoiler for Post Length:

Hilarious, Chiaki was adorable and her clever/arrogant personality kept me laughing the whole time. The other sisters and Hosaka were also very memorable. I didn't care much for Okawari. I was enough of a fan from the first season to watch all of Okawari, but the feel just wasn't the same. The fan-service was fairly blatant, but I found it in good taste and pretty funny.

Lucky Star-

Spoiler for Post Length:

Instead of laughing out loud, the humor in this series just kept me grinning, the characters were interesting and had their moments. The fast pace of the scenes and the jokes, kept me from ever being bored.

Azumanga Daioh -

Spoiler for Post Length:

Very funny, kept me laughing and interested the whole series. I enjoyed the characters idiosyncracies since they were well done and shown in such a comedic like, I could have very easily been annoyed by the characters, but instead found them funny and likable.

Anime I liked and completed:
Ichigo Mashimaro -

Spoiler for Length:

Such a sweet and innocent anime! Consistently entertaining and it held my interest throughout the entire series. It even got better as I watched, the girls start to develop their own quirks and their personalities start to come out more. It was more subdued than Azumanga Daioh, it was less silly. But I might have enjoyed it's style more than Azumanga Daioh.

True Tears -

Spoiler for Length:

I didn't like this anime at first, but after making my peace with it whilst listening to the opening and ending 200 times after marathoning until 8 am, I think the sort of bitter feeling that accompanies this is also good and provides a sort of "growing experience", (Yes, I know how... it sounds, forgive me for my sissiness.) In my finite wisdom, I think that something that can alter how you think for a good deal of time as well as change one's mood is pretty amazing. A story that can make a person feel happiness or sadness yet beauty is something that is just, incredible, I think. This series was not such a series, yet something that can make you feel bitter and reflect on the series for small bits of good moments is also beautiful in a way.Plus, I adore Eufonius' Reflectia with that wonderful opening animation, as well as the animation itself.

Haruhi Suzumiya-

Spoiler for Post Length:

Very funny and enjoyable. The fan service all seemed to be in good taste, according to my standards. The plot was well done and kept my interest the whole time.

Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien (Rumbling Hearts) -

Spoiler for Post Length:

Good anime, but overburdened with drama, which seemed forced, just not my cup of tea to have everymoment of a series to be so serious. I guess I like a good balance of "comedy" and "drama" even in my "drama".

School Rumble -

Spoiler for Post Length:

Funny, but the lack of character development was just painful. Characters have gaping flaws, and they never seem to fix them. In this case, the characters idiosyncracies didn't make as much sense to me as in AzuDa, and I really wished to see some of the characters "grow out" of those idiosyncracies.

Anime that were entertaining and I completed, but didn't care for a whole lot.
Nodame Cantabile -

Spoiler for Length:

It was very funny, they did a lot of things well and the subject matter was pretty original. But at the same time the characters and the direction of the storyline didn't feel all that new and refreshing. Still it's on the cusp of getting into the "Liked" category. I think I enjoyed it about as much as I did N.H.K.

Welcome to the N.H.K. -

Spoiler for Post Length:

I liked the storyline, but I had problems with the main characters issues, I found it hard to enjoy an anime where you can't connect with the character because you feel like he does so many damn moronic things.

Minami-Ke Okawari -

Spoiler for Post Length:

The series didn't seem to take itself very seriously. Characters lacked the personality of the first season.

Spice & Wolf -

Spoiler for Length:

Strong plot, entertaining and a very easy watch. But no really "feel good" or sweet moments like there were in the other romances I liked, and no "wow" dramatic moments either. Suspense was a strong point, but I'm not interested in suspense, at all. And definitely not a comedy, I'm not sure if I laughed once during the series, maybe a chuckle at Horos' antics, which I didn't enjoy all that much. The character interactions were mediocre, I'm looking for something that's more sentimental.

Elfen Lied-

Spoiler for Post Length:

I was very entertained by the series, but it's very much like a shonen action-packed series for me, but with more blood. I think I would want a more realistic plotline and to spend more time getting to know the character's personalities.

Ouran Host HS Club -

Spoiler for Post Length:

It was just ok overall for me, it was funny for the most part and very funny at times, I never took any of the drama seriously. So I sat through most of the series just being mildly entertained and interested. Maybe it was slightly too G-rated and/or predictable for me. I guess I want a little more ecchi and for the characters' personalities to be more dynamic.

Full Metal Panic! -

Spoiler for Post Length:

Fumoffu was entertaining, but the characters weren't my cup of tea, Sousuke was too stoic and ultimately boring for me. okes were. Most jokes I found fairly funny though, but wasn't funny enough to keep me grinning or laughing the whole time. Still, Fumoffu was ok, decent. The drama-based series, I couldn't take seriously, all the action and the mecha, and I didn't feel it was done all that well either.

Anime I've dropped.
Genshiken- Was a bit too boring and hum drum for me, felt like I was watching the ordinary and very boring daily life of a real life otaku. Watched a good 6+ episodes, just nothing got me intererested. The characters seemed too ordinary as well.

Shuffle!- Only seen 2 episodes. Characters didnt' seem very interesting, I found myself very bored during key plot scenes. The ecchi-ness was borderline. Characters liking the main character didn't make a whole lot of sense. The plot didn't seem to flow well at all. I spent my time waiting for a scene to get me into the series, but I would instead get some fan service or other comedic scene or a scene that moved the plot in away that didn't hold a lot of impact on me. Plan to watch more though. Seemed to cater too much to the main character being glorified by a bunch of girls without a whole lot of sense. Maybe this is what Harem is about? Maybe I shouldn't be criticizing it to be a more believable drama if this is the case...

D.C. Da Capo - Same as Shuffle! The ecchi-ness seeemed to be about borderline, didn't see where the anime was going in the first few minutes... But I also plan to watch more.

Fruits Basket - I haven't watched a full episode yet, so maybe I shouldn't be judging this. I guess I may have stereotyped it into being "shoujo", it seemed to have the same feel as Ouran or Full Moon... which really just put me off.

Full Moon wo Sagashite - The style in which the story is told, really bothered me , I found it mildly entertaining, but a lot of the themes... you could tell were aimed at a "shoujo demographic", I guess if I want to watch a shoujo anime, I'd have to have a leading girl who was incredibly moe to the point I cared about her, though this probably wouldn't be shoujo anymore.

Shakugan no Shana - Seemed to be mildly entertaining, but the characters seemed really apathetic and I didn't care for them a whole lot off the bat. I think I could get into the series at least as much as I get into any other action packed anime. All of the lore based in the world of Shakugan no Shana tended to elicit a "Oh brother" reaction out of me more than interest though. I liked how Haruhi Suzumiya sort of left the questions unanswered so the viewer could speculate, I guess there's still some interest in watching more though.
Sola- Series didn't seem to go anywhere, I was bored throughout the first 3 episodes, I plan to watch more, though.

Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni - Was mildly entertaining, got through 10 episodes or so, but I don't really care for the horror/mystery genre. I get bored and the new revelations,I couldn't find much interest in.

Evangelion- Watched it on AS, didn't make much of an impression on me then. I've given it another try, it's entertaining, but characters are a bit too weak for me to relate to, but they are kids, just not the series to elicit a huge reaction from me.

Onegai Teacher/Twins - Teacher seemed to be entertaining and would get better, I haven't been able to get myself to watch past the 4th episode for the year I've had it sitting on my HD. Plan to watch more though.

DearS - Apathetic characters, self serving plot, characters didn't make much sense to me, seemed to be self serving.

Serial Experiments Lain- Was very very boring, I was just very disinterested. I bought the whole damn series too...

Pani Poni Dash- Not as entertaining as I hoped. Too many characters, and I didn't favor any of them.

X TV- Too grandiose/self serving.

Love Hina- I watched the first episode, the main character seemed too ecchi/not very emphathetic.

Excel Saga- Didn't find a whole lot of humor in the randomness/outrageousness as I would have liked.

Series I plan to try: Nodame Cantabile, Saikano, Honey & Clover, Ichigo Mashimaro, Lamune and Ai Yori Aoshi


I am undoubtedly leaving out a lot of series I've tried and forgotten about here. But, like I've said, nothing has really caught my attention for awhile now. So, I was hoping I could get some decent suggestions from people with similar tastes and maybe I could find a real gem if I gave those suggestions a try. Lastly, sorry for the long winded post, I wanted to give as much detail as possible so I wouldn't be misunderstood or waste anyone's time who wanted to help by posting something I've already seen. PLEASE HELP!

[SNT]

Spice and Wolf - I promise u it won't be in vain . I think it's what ure looking for..
Hmm...if u want smth to make u shed some tears... definitely try Hantsuki (romance anime with some tragedy in it its one of my fav. and not for anything); I also recommend u from this category EF-a Tale of Memories & True Tears and of course Myself;Yourself...
Others that come in mind are: REC (a nice one), Iriya no Sora UFO no Natsu (few episodes...tragic end...but it stole me a tear or 2 -don't laugh), Crescent Love (also with romance), and if u enjoy watching this genre, then try Death Note & Code Geass (worth watching with genius-like characters, but not the kind u're currently looking for).

[Echoes]

Well, this certainly was a nice break from the "looking for x help plx" posts. You really put in some effort, and I'm going to try to return the favor. The only problem I see with your post is that you request something that's devoid of anything supernatural, yet it seems most of your favorites feature such elements. I'm going to try to recommend a few titles that have supernatural aspects as well, but label them, so you can ignore them if you want to steer clear of that, for whatever reason.

When it comes to slice of life, there is one series I think reigns supreme above all others.
Aria the Animation, Aria the Natural and Aria the Origination are some of the most beautiful animes I've ever laid eyes upon. Every episode is magical and truly soothes the soul. The series is set in a future copy of Venice, on a terraformed Mars, but the sci-fi element is virtually non-existent. The characters make the show, and if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself cheering for their happiness every step of the way.

[Supernatural]I will second Spice and Wolf for a very refreshing and appealing recent romance. The female lead is very well developed, witty and charming. The story takes place in medieval Europe, and follows a traveling peddler and his newfound companion, Horo. The compelling plot is accompanied by lovely music and splendid visuals. A thoroughly enjoyable anime. Be warned that Horo is a wolf harvest deity of sorts, though hopefully that won't deter you from watching this great show.

I'll also second REC, which is a very nice romance about an aspiring voice actress and a marketing developer. Calling it short, but sweet seems very appropriate. Oh, and a small word of warning, there's some sex in the anime, but no more than KgNE.

Canvas 2 is another romance you might enjoy. It's described as a harem, but it's really a love triangle, which I thought was very genuine. The art style is wonderful and I thought it was nice to see a mature male lead. (He's in college studying to be an art teacher.)

That's all I got for now, if you've already seen most of this, or have any complaints as to my interpretation of your request, I might drop by again with some more.

[SeijiSensei]

Another vote for REC; the sex isn't any more explicit than PG-13 movies.

Here's some other options:

Bartender - life and loves of mature people as told to a bartender in Ginza
Hataraki Man - slice-of-life about a 28-yo woman working in a Japanese publishing house
Hidamari Sketch - Azumanga Daioh on acid visually; cute-girls-go-to-high-school
Planetes - sci-fi slice-of-life about people employed as space trash collectors
Moyashimon - sci-fi slice-of-life about a young man who can see microbes starting university

Shows with a bit more plot/action/adventure:
Shion no Ou -4-yo girl sees parents brutally murdered; later becomes Shougi prodigy
Baccano! - mixes 1930's American gangsters and alchemists
Kure-nai - teenager tasked with protecting 7-yo heiress
Nijuu Mensou no Musume - a young heiress becomes involved with a mysterious master thief
Asatte no Houkou - supernatural opening, but solidly slice-of-life after that

Other shows for mature people
Monster - Japanese surgeon saves young boy with unfortunate consequences
Saiunkoku Monogatari - young woman aspires to be the first female official in a fantasy Asian empire
Mononoke - strange apothecary fights demons in Edo Japan

Most of these shows are unlicensed and listed on the AnimeSuki series page. All of them would fit your ratings categories.

I recommend watching Nodame Cantabile soon because its sequel will be airing in a month or so.

[Ceral]

Originally Posted by SNT

Spice and Wolf - I promise u it won't be in vain . I think it's what ure looking for..
Hmm...if u want smth to make u shed some tears... definitely try Hantsuki (romance anime with some tragedy in it its one of my fav. and not for anything); I also recommend u from this category EF-a Tale of Memories & True Tears and of course Myself;Yourself...
Others that come in mind are: REC (a nice one), Iriya no Sora UFO no Natsu (few episodes...tragic end...but it stole me a tear or 2 -don't laugh), Crescent Love (also with romance), and if u enjoy watching this genre, then try Death Note & Code Geass (worth watching with genius-like characters, but not the kind u're currently looking for).

Seems like Spice and Wolf is definitely going to be high on my priority list to check out, I saw a pic of it and I think I already like the art style.

I've heard of some of the other titles you mentioned and I did look into them, but, and I think this is my fault, despite my gigantic post I still don't think I elaborated well enough on what I was looking for. I did some thinking on the gargantuan post I wrote this morning and after thinking a bit more on my favorites, it's obvious to me that what I've really liked so far has had a very "optimistic" tone, and everything has had a lot of comedy, and except for some parts, has usually been fairly easy going. All the series I've really liked have been pretty devoid of drama, except at parts. I don't think I'm ready to embrace a straight on romance yet, they just seem to take themselves too seriously, but I like genuine sweet moments, so I'm trying to like them! You also included some titles I haven't heard of yet, I'll have to look into them, thanks for the suggestions!

Originally Posted by Echoes

Well, this certainly was a nice break from the "looking for x help plx" posts. You really put in some effort, and I'm going to try to return the favor. The only problem I see with your post is that you request something that's devoid of anything supernatural, yet it seems most of your favorites feature such elements. I'm going to try to recommend a few titles that have supernatural aspects as well, but label them, so you can ignore them if you want to steer clear of that, for whatever reason.

Yeah, you're completely right about me really liking series with supernatural elements, Echoes. Actually, I thought that Haruhi Suzumiya was the only exception to that when I was writing my post and saying I didn't want supernatural stuff, but I see now that more than half of the series I listed have some supernatural subplots, I just never thought of them as supernatural genres, since all of them are based on "regular life". After doing some more thinking, what I really think I meant was probably something along the lines of no "supernatural settings" E.G. no space operas, apocalyptic world scenarios, series that take place in the feudal era and like things. To be honest, of these things, I find them all enormously entertaining, but they tend to focus so much on intricately weaving the plot, and I've seen so much of this stuff, I find myself feeling such things are repetitive. I find myself in what I think are unnecessary lulls in the series, much like watching a filler episode, if that makes sense?

Anyway, as an additional guideline, and it's only a guideline, I think I prefer something that's all about the characters and their experiences, and I don't think I like the scope to go out further than the scope of the characters. Or at least, the series should be more about the characters than the lore of the world the characters live in, in that series. Thanks for pointing that out Echoes.

Originally Posted by Echoes

When it comes to slice of life, there is one series I think reigns supreme above all others.
Aria the Animation, Aria the Natural and Aria the Origination are some of the most beautiful animes I've ever laid eyes upon. Every episode is magical and truly soothes the soul. The series is set in a future copy of Venice, on a terraformed Mars, but the sci-fi element is virtually non-existent. The characters make the show, and if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself cheering for their happiness every step of the way.

Never heard of that title, seems a bit eccentric, but it seems like it matches what we've talked about before in essence, I will give it a shot.

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Another vote for REC; the sex isn't any more explicit than PG-13 movies.

Here's some other options:

Bartender - life and loves of mature people as told to a bartender in Ginza
Hataraki Man - slice-of-life about a 28-yo woman working in a Japanese publishing house
Hidamari Sketch - Azumanga Daioh on acid visually; cute-girls-go-to-high-school
Planetes - sci-fi slice-of-life about people employed as space trash collectors
Moyashimon - sci-fi slice-of-life about a young man who can see microbes starting university


Other shows for mature people
Monster - Japanese surgeon saves young boy with unfortunate consequences
Saiunkoku Monogatari - young woman aspires to be the first female official in a fantasy Asian empire
Mononoke - strange apothecary fights demons in Edo Japan

Most of these shows are unlicensed and listed on the AnimeSuki series page. All of them would fit your ratings categories.

I recommend watching Nodame Cantabile soon because its sequel will be airing in a month or so.

Actually I confess to watching an episode of Nodame Cantabile this morning before making this post, I'll be watching some more before I drift into any other series.

I've heard of some of the other titles you've mentioned, most seem to have too serious a tone for me. But, Hidamari Sketch sparked some interest in me right off the bat especially with your Azumanga Daioh metaphor . All the other suggestions I've gotten today seem to all be very serious in tone, this one seems different from the rest. I think I'll have to try it very soon! Thanks for the suggestion.

[Ceral]

Hey guys, I just wanted to say thanks! This morning, I felt like I didn't have many series to look forward to. But now, and after just three replies! I feel like I've got a ton of anime I can enjoy watching. I want to say that I do plan on getting to watching at least 3-4 episodes of every title suggested, and also, every title mentioned , I haven't seen yet.

Also, I was a bit contradictory in my first post. I said I wanted something that was very adult yet wasn't childish in my first post. But my favorites are a bit "Childish" in that they aren't animes about stark realities. Still I think they are aimed at a slightly older demographic. My aim was to see if anyone knew about series that were similar that I haven't tried out yet. Or, if there were people who liked and disliked things for the same reasons as me who had seen titles which I might like for the same reasons as you. But yeah, now that I've given it more thought, I believe I'm looking for something that is a bit childish, yet is still aimed at a slightly older demographic, but still maintains a certain level of "appropriateness".

More Clarification if you aren't already bored to death hearing me ramble:

On Ecchi:

Spoiler for More in depth on what I think about Ecchi:

I don't mind ecchi-ness, I think a good anime will have a little bit of it, but I get the feeling that when an anime has a sex scene, usually it's not taking itself seriously enough or it's taking itself way too seriously for my tastes. Also, I said in my first post in the fourth paragraph that I didn't want anything childish, everything in this paragraph, pretty much says I want something that is very mature, and very very serious. Yet, my favorites contradicts that, so I'm sorry. I was watching Shuffle! last week, which like other series that had explicit sex jokes, I just didn't care for, which is where the "I don't want something that is too ecchi" thing is coming from. For the childish thing, I guess that comes from watching shonen and shoujo, I get the feeling that the characters are limited in their actions, and their personalities. It's good to have some Ecchi IMO, that way I don't feel like a series is confined in their range of topics/jokes. Yet, I don't want a series to be so Ecchi, that the "pervertedness" is prevalent in all the scenes.

On Mecha/Action:

Spoiler for Brutally Honest Opinion on Action anime ahead!:

It's not that I don't like the genres, it's that I find it enormously entertaining, but very repetitive and extremely addictive. When I start watching this stuff, I'll watch like 24 episodes in a row, if I have nothing to do. I mean, It's like watching a 12 hour long football game or something, and when I'm done, I feel like, "Damn! I wasted my day watching football/anime, and I don't feel any better/wiser than when I first started watching, just fatter!".

[SNT]

Besides the fact u write and don't joke , I must totally agree with ur last spoiler I'm the same, but not just with that kind of animes, but with almost all of them...I watched Elfen Lied 5 times in a row in 5 days (each day once), can u believe it?! And when I started with an anime, I wouldn't go to sleep until I finished it , many times I went to sleep at 8 or 9 in the morning...
I'm happy that u found some animes on your taste and worth watching...if u want more suggestions, u can ask me whenever u feel like. Have fun watching them!
Btw how can u write soooo much? I've never written in my whole life a text (I mean on the PC) longer than 1-2 pages...without a BIG pause...oh well sry for offtopic.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Ceral

I've heard of some of the other titles you've mentioned, most seem to have too serious a tone for me.

Moyashimon is quite definitely a comedy, so I'd give that another look. Hataraki Man has many comedic moments, but there's an underlying, more serious theme about surviving in the Japanese workplace as an ambitious female. Saiunkoku Monogatari has it all, comedy, romance and drama, and the comedic moments are very funny. Planetes has the same mix, though it's less plot-driven than SaiMono.

I'd suggest you stick with Hidamari Sketch and Nodame Cantabile for the time being. If you still enjoy Nodame Cantabile in the second half, when there's less slapstick and more focus on the characters' personal growth, you'll probably enjoy the other four I've listed above.

Thanks for the cookie, too, Ceral; it was delicious! Nice to see someone who's caring enough to thank people when they try to help.

[Skyfall]

I must agree this is one fine example of a "help needed" post indeed - you clearly put in quite some effort in trying to describe what appeals to you, so it makes narrowing down the suggestions much easier.

One thing to note though ... you say you don't like drama, but some of your favorites actually have a fair bit of it in them. Seeing you mentioned KGNE as something you don't like leads me to think that it is not drama itself you don't like, but rather heavy abundance of it. On that note i would like to say that there aren't many animes that try to be as depressing as KGNE, so you should be fine for the most part Now, to actually whip out some suggestions ...

For your "feel good" needs i would suggest Lamune - one of the most heart-warming shows you will ever see. A peaceful story about two childhood friends in a seaside town, spending their days doing everyday things and slowly progressing from just friends to something more. There is very little in terms of drama, and overall the atmosphere is quite peaceful and genuine.

For another romance show, but slightly higher on drama scale, i would suggest Gift ~Eternal Rainbow~. Opposite to what the image on AniDB might lead you to believe, this isn't a harem show. Basically a love triangle, with a little touch of fantasy to spice things up. What set it apart from most other romance shows of similar genre was the male lead, who remains as my favorite among his brethren up to now. He isn't clueless or indecisive - he knows which girl he likes from the start, and is willing to work towards that goal. Little bit of fanservice, some drama and romance at it's core.

I'll add another voice for the already mentioned Spice and Wolf - it is a uniquely good experience, with well constructed characters, witty dialog and intelligent interactions, against a well constructing setting of medieval Europe (don't mind this - it focuses much more on the characters and interactions than the setting). A laid back adventure series with a slice -of - lifish feel to it. Well worth a look.

I am also going to chalk up another vote for Canvas 2. Among my favorite romance series, with a mix of comedy and drama (which tends to be the case for most visual novel adoptions). A decent male lead, a love triangle where i actually didn't end up disliking one of the participants (which is rare for me) and excellent side cast. For a romance show in school setting, this is a good bet.

For another romance show i would suggest Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora - romance/drama in hospital setting. Now, as one can guess from the setting being a hospital, the mood is not among the lightest ones. That said, it doesn't get more dramatic than it needs to be for the most part, and has a touching love story behind it to carry it through. The show is only 6 episodes, so it is a quick watch and ranks quite highly on my list.

For a light hearted romance comedy that will have you rolling on the floor holding on to your stomach, i will put forward Seto no Hanayome. Now i must say i am not that big of a comedy fan, but this series completely did it for me. The humor is crazy, the characters are both entertaining and quirky and the presentation simply kicks the funnybone through the roof. I don't think i had ever laughed as much as i did while watching this show.

If you want a full-blown slice-of-life show, Quiet Country Cafe is something to check out. Be warned though that you must like these kind of laid back "uneventful" presentations, otherwise it will bore you. But otherwise this is pretty much the slice of life show, tranquil and without sense of urgency, leisurely following it's main character through 4 peaceful episodes.

Now, since you don't mind ecchi i will throw in a suggestion along those lines as well - Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun. A comedy romance show with some ecchi along the way, decent humor and quite nice characters. For some harmless entertainment, this would be a nice bet.

Thats it for now, perhaps will think of something more later

[mit7059]

A Mature Romance/Comedy/Slice of Life? Sounds like you want to watch Honey and Clover It is EXACTLY what you are looking for. One of the absolute best animes I've ever seen. The story is great, the characters are sincere and believable, the emotions real and breathtaking. The art is wonderful and original. In short: go watch Honey and Clover. Now.


I'm serious, get off this page and go get it now!

[Ceral]

Originally Posted by Skyfall

I must agree this is one fine example of a "help needed" post indeed - you clearly put in quite some effort in trying to describe what appeals to you, so it makes narrowing down the suggestions much easier.

One thing to note though ... you say you don't like drama, but some of your favorites actually have a fair bit of it in them. Seeing you mentioned KGNE as something you don't like leads me to think that it is not drama itself you don't like, but rather heavy abundance of it. On that note i would like to say that there aren't many animes that try to be as depressing as KGNE, so you should be fine for the most part Now, to actually whip out some suggestions ...

For your "feel good" needs i would suggest Lamune - one of the most heart-warming shows you will ever see. A peaceful story about two childhood friends in a seaside town, spending their days doing everyday things and slowly progressing from just friends to something more. There is very little in terms of drama, and overall the atmosphere is quite peaceful and genuine.

For another romance show, but slightly higher on drama scale, i would suggest Gift ~Eternal Rainbow~. Opposite to what the image on AniDB might lead you to believe, this isn't a harem show. Basically a love triangle, with a little touch of fantasy to spice things up. What set it apart from most other romance shows of similar genre was the male lead, who remains as my favorite among his brethren up to now. He isn't clueless or indecisive - he knows which girl he likes from the start, and is willing to work towards that goal. Little bit of fanservice, some drama and romance at it's core.

I'll add another voice for the already mentioned Spice and Wolf - it is a uniquely good experience, with well constructed characters, witty dialog and intelligent interactions, against a well constructing setting of medieval Europe (don't mind this - it focuses much more on the characters and interactions than the setting). A laid back adventure series with a slice -of - lifish feel to it. Well worth a look.

I am also going to chalk up another vote for Canvas 2. Among my favorite romance series, with a mix of comedy and drama (which tends to be the case for most visual novel adoptions). A decent male lead, a love triangle where i actually didn't end up disliking one of the participants (which is rare for me) and excellent side cast. For a romance show in school setting, this is a good bet.

For another romance show i would suggest Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora - romance/drama in hospital setting. Now, as one can guess from the setting being a hospital, the mood is not among the lightest ones. That said, it doesn't get more dramatic than it needs to be for the most part, and has a touching love story behind it to carry it through. The show is only 6 episodes, so it is a quick watch and ranks quite highly on my list.

For a light hearted romance comedy that will have you rolling on the floor holding on to your stomach, i will put forward Seto no Hanayome. Now i must say i am not that big of a comedy fan, but this series completely did it for me. The humor is crazy, the characters are both entertaining and quirky and the presentation simply kicks the funnybone through the roof. I don't think i had ever laughed as much as i did while watching this show.

If you want a full-blown slice-of-life show, Quiet Country Cafe is something to check out. Be warned though that you must like these kind of laid back "uneventful" presentations, otherwise it will bore you. But otherwise this is pretty much the slice of life show, tranquil and without sense of urgency, leisurely following it's main character through 4 peaceful episodes.

Now, since you don't mind ecchi i will throw in a suggestion along those lines as well - Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun. A comedy romance show with some ecchi along the way, decent humor and quite nice characters. For some harmless entertainment, this would be a nice bet.

Thats it for now, perhaps will think of something more later

Thanks for the detailed suggestions Skyfall, I appreciate the effort. I read all of them, of the ones that weren't being reinforced, I haven't heard of yet. And ALL of them have piqued my interest. I'm already grinning from ear to ear looking at the art for these on aniDB , they're very much along the lines of what I'm looking for. I think these will undoubtedly be a good change of pace with the other titles I plan on watching that were already mentioned.

[Ceral]

Originally Posted by SNT

Besides the fact u write and don't joke , I must totally agree with ur last spoiler I'm the same, but not just with that kind of animes, but with almost all of them...I watched Elfen Lied 5 times in a row in 5 days (each day once), can u believe it?! And when I started with an anime, I wouldn't go to sleep until I finished it , many times I went to sleep at 8 or 9 in the morning...
I'm happy that u found some animes on your taste and worth watching...if u want more suggestions, u can ask me whenever u feel like. Have fun watching them!
Btw how can u write soooo much? I've never written in my whole life a text (I mean on the PC) longer than 1-2 pages...without a BIG pause...oh well sry for offtopic.

Yes, it's rather difficult to write such a big post, I guess I've been saving it for awhile. But making a collossal post is fun to do when you get to talk about your own opinions and talk about anime, especially anime one likes
(I like to rewatch my favorites too, but you're competing for some sort of record there . ) Hope you have fun watching too!

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Moyashimon is quite definitely a comedy, so I'd give that another look. Hataraki Man has many comedic moments, but there's an underlying, more serious theme about surviving in the Japanese workplace as an ambitious female. Saiunkoku Monogatari has it all, comedy, romance and drama, and the comedic moments are very funny. Planetes has the same mix, though it's less plot-driven than SaiMono.

I'd suggest you stick with Hidamari Sketch and Nodame Cantabile for the time being. If you still enjoy Nodame Cantabile in the second half, when there's less slapstick and more focus on the characters' personal growth, you'll probably enjoy the other four I've listed above.

Thanks for the cookie, too, Ceral; it was delicious! Nice to see someone who's caring enough to thank people when they try to help.

Thanks for the advice once again. I just looked up Moyashimon, seems very eccentric, probably up my alley. I will be shooting to watch some more Nodame once I can peel myself off of these forums , I hope I can get to Hidamari soon too, that looks like a lot of fun. The other titles seem to be worth a try too, they seem more mature then what I usually watch, admittedly. They'll be a nice pace if I feel too saturated with light-hearted comedy and ecchi. Though I seem to be in a mood for the latter right now.

[Ceral]

I watched some more Nodame Cantabile. Nodame is hilarious, or more specifically Nodame the character is hilarious . Obstinate, arrogant Chiaki can be pretty funny too, in the right situation. The play on the characters idiosyncracies is very well done, I like this!

I also watched 5 episodes of Ichigo mashimaro too. The tune that accompanies the opening sounds like a song aimed at toddlers, the tune shocks my senses a bit still, but I'm building up some resistance to it I think. I like it, it's funny. The personality of the girls are a bit simple and fragile, they cry easily and make mistakes you'd expect little kids to make. Still they do a lot around character idiosyncracies and the deadpan comedy is pretty funny. Kind of childish, but I like the formula for the show.


Now, I was thinking a bit again. I have 10+ romances and slice of life anime to look forward to, but not a whole lot of comedies. I wonder if there are more series that are more or less entirely devoted to just making the viewer laugh? E.G. Minami-Ke and AzuDa are slice of life, but their whole aim is to make the viewer laugh. Seems like I might have up to ~5, with Hidamari Sketch, Moyashimon, Seto no Hanayome and others. The proportion is a bit off I think. I wonder which shows really focus on making the viewer laugh, and if there are shows which focus entirely on making the viewer laugh that I'm missing?

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Ceral

I wonder which shows really focus on making the viewer laugh, and if there are shows which focus entirely on making the viewer laugh that I'm missing?

I'd start with Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu ("Hare + Guu" in the FUNimation licensed R1 release). I would have suggested School Rumble, but you've already seen that.

If you happen to have a cable television package that includes the FUNimation channel, this show is on there all the time. They just started showing School Rumble as well. Of course, both of these are shown with English dubs.

[Echoes]

You said you've got Seto no Hanayome queued up, so if you're looking for a show that focuses on making the viewer laugh, I'd strongly recommend starting with this one. It's absolutely one of the hands down funniest shows I've ever seen. It's sort of hit or miss, but if it hits, you're in for some great times.

[yezhanquan]

For many of the series mentioned, check out the manga/light novels (if you dare) for it. You might find yourself in for a few surprises.

[Ceral]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I'd start with Jungle wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu ("Hare + Guu" in the FUNimation licensed R1 release). I would have suggested School Rumble, but you've already seen that.

Ooh, another good suggestion I haven't heard of SeijiSensei, thanks very much! If it's style of humour is like School Rumble, I'm sure I'll enjoy it at least.

Originally Posted by Echoes

You said you've got Seto no Hanayome queued up, so if you're looking for a show that focuses on making the viewer laugh, I'd strongly recommend starting with this one. It's absolutely one of the hands down funniest shows I've ever seen. It's sort of hit or miss, but if it hits, you're in for some great times.

I read a little bit on it Seto no Hanayome seems to have the potential to be very, very funny. It doesn't seem like I've seen something like this yet. We'll see if I like it soon enough . (Could be more than a month, I've got so much to watch! Thanks again guys. And more suggestions are always welcome)

Originally Posted by yezhanquan

For many of the series mentioned, check out the manga/light novels (if you dare) for it. You might find yourself in for a few surprises.

Actually I've read the source manga for my favorites(the ones that have translations anyway) and tried some of the visual novels too(My Japanese is way, way, too weak to read those, I'm trying to improve though ). Untranslated material is very good motivation to learn some more Japanese. I wonder if there's any series (that fits the bill that haven't been mentioned yet) that will get me excited enough to want to read the source material again?

Ok, from now on, I'll keep a record of my opinions of whatever new series I've watched here. Sort of a personal blog I suppose(I'm hoping it'll help someone with similar tastes). I'm just going to edit this post, I think it's already too much showboating as is, so I won't bump it anymore, if anyone wants to have a discussion feel free to make a new post or maybe even PM me, I won't bite .

Spoiler for Nodame may not be the cup of the as I thought:

I'm only up to episode 6, but I'm not sure if it's the sort of show I enjoy a lot after all. I just enjoyed the third episode a lot since Nodame was just used as a ploy for jokes up until that point ,and the girl with the moustache, afro, and weirdo personality was just so hilarious. Now that the episodes are focusing more on Chiaki and Nodame, and seeing their personalities and how they react in certain situations, I'm feeling some doubt. I think I just don't like the characters(Nodame's antics are hilarious, but the same non-sensical personality that allows for those antics irritates me when she is put in a serious setting. Hopefully the plot will get stronger to help out, it's been episodic and unexciting so far I think). I haven't felt any connection with either of them yet, and the comedy between them is getting stale for me. Their personalities are pretty realistic. They remind me of some of my friends and myself, especially the ugly parts, which are really played out. I think I'd prefer to watch something more idealistic when watching anime. Anyway, I'm going to watch more, and I'm going to try to keep my mouth shut until I've seen the entire series first . With most series I wasn't sure I really liked them until the ~9th episode anyway.

Ichigo Mashimaro:

Spoiler for Length:

The cute opening song which I thought was too cutesy, I've come to love, HAH. It's so innocent and sweet I feel guilty watching. It has a Constant level of entertainment, no highs no lows, always just fun. It's so easy to watch, I went through the episodes so fast, it doesn't even feel like I watched an entire series. I think I'd rate it above School Rumble, even though I think School Rumble had some funnier scenes, there were no times when I was bored watching Ichigo Mashimaro, which is pretty hard to accomplish. It's probably the tamest anime I've watched yet, most episodes didn't even have any fanservice, but absolutely no complaints about that, I liked it the way it is. If Nobue's smoking and drinking habits were taken out, (which are really just devices for getting her to go into Chi's room or to go outside) I could see the series being rated G. The series and the girls were cute and very innocent, different sort of feel than other anime, probably has a lot of appeal to children. Nobue and her love of moe gave off enough "Seinen" vibes for me. I'd say that the series was like a 3 or 4 on a "Seinen Scale" thanks to Matsuri and Ana's efforts, whereas the other series I listed as liking I'd probably give at least an 8 on the same scale because of love-related comedic situations, much more fanservice and just the fact that they have a much higher ratio of older characters. Regardless, a very enjoyable and "fun" series.

Spoiler for Completed Nodame Comments:

I finally finished Nodame. Looking at the series as a whole, the humor in it was really good, each episode made me chuckle at least once. The jokes were done really well, and there weren't any jokes that I thought were too lame and left me thinking "uhh". But even though the anime was funny, I didn't think any of the characters themselves were funny(their actions were funny because of all their strange personalities, but I didn't feel that any of them had funny, likable personalities) . Coincidentally, I didn't feel much of a connection to any of the characters. Between all the wonderful concertos, sonatas, symphonies, and the side characters, they just didn't have any scenes that were touching, or the ones that were there weren't done well enough, or weren't built up for in a way that I could get very interested in IMO. Throughout the entire series, I didn't feel any emotion. I would laugh, but my smile would fade as soon as I was done laughing. I never got into any of the supposedly more serious scenes either(sweet moments, bad moments, tough moments in the face of adversity) , I just don't think they were done that well. I want a plot and characters who's choices and decisions will make me think twice about something or make me think long and hard about an emotional scene,or what sort of feeling the characters could have been possibly portrayed experiencing during a key scene, what made them do something out of character and such.

Spoiler for More Ichigo comments:

I also finished watching the Ichigo Mashimaro OVA, I really liked Ichigo Mashimaro, more so than School Rumble or KGNE I think. Some jokes were miss in the OVA though, I don't think any missed so badly in the main series... hmm. Also I had some beef with the animation style, one can't underestimate the aesthetics of a series now! The inconsistency with how their eyes were drawn in the opening and the rest of the OVA or maybe just the change in style bothered me too. It reminded me abit of Okawari and the animation style change, thank goodness there was nothing else too drastic though. Overall, the humour and the pacing was more frantic, and the feel was much more "seinen" than the original series, it made for more impressionable episodes. Despite the minor gripes I had with the OVA, I think I enjoyed it more than the main series on the whole, but anymore changes and it might not feel like I'm watching the same series anymore, I hope the upcoming OVA doesn't stray any further.

Spoiler for Comments about comments ;p:

Well I think I'll be adding both to my list on the original post, and perhaps updating what I'm looking for, even though I didn't plan to edit the OP. But, after all, I guess I should try to make myself as clear as possible in identifying what I'm looking for in the original post. Ichigo Mashimaro will be going to "Completed and liked" and Nodame will be going into "Completed and didn't care for a whole lot". I also think I should bring Haruhi Suzumiya down to completed and liked, just to be fair to the other series. (After giving it more thought, that show was really just pure entertainment for me.) Still I liked it a great deal more than School Rumble, so maybe I should demote SR... but then again I liked School Rumble more than the other shows, maybe I need more categories. Anyway, I want to check out the other suggested series this weekend .

Spice & Wolf -

Spoiler for Length:

Finished it in two days. I'm actually very interested in trading and that sort of stuff, the economics, the suspense and the steady plot made this a really easy and quick watch. But, something with a strong focus on a journey and the life style of the world it's based in wasn't what I was looking for. The character interaction is pretty minimal when compared to the other titles I liked IMO. There's barely any time spent with the two main characters getting along, they were always sour with eachother or teasing, there weren't any feel good moments for me, no hilarity either. The suspenseful moments really came out well though, and the plot was very strong, it kept me interested in watching more the whole time, which is the sort of series I was exactly looking to avoid, hah. I get the feeling after watching a lot of series which focus on plot, the characters just never come out that well. Something that focuses on an overarching plot, isn't going to make a 180 and start being a romance about daily life living in a medieval shop... I want something that really focuses on the characters, just something that has character interactions the whole time, not so much focus on orchestras or aspirations to become a conductor or a shopkeeper... Short term goals are fine, I dont' want an anime that focuses on a career or a profession though.

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora -

Spoiler for Length:

Good beginning episode, interesting ending as well, I didn't expect a plot twist like that. The middle was missing though, I was really hoping for a fluttering romance with a lot of sweet and sentimental moments with a really memorable ending. Despite the short length, I thought they would have been able to establish a strong relationship between the two if they had chose to make 3 episodes about them just spending time and bonding. If they had done that, the ending would have had a much stronger impact I think.

I thought the dirty mags were just a joke, but for it to become THEE major plot point for two episodes, which would lead to their relationship stalling for that length, for a 6 episode series... it just takes a lot credibility out, and sort of throws out what the mood established in ep 1 out the window. Because of the lack of a middle I didn't ever really feel that the love was cemented, I was really hoping for a idealized love story. Not to mention some of the other events, they really have me doubting whether Yuuichi really cherishes her, I never got sold on that at all.

But all in all I was really close to really really liking it. I love the premises for the plot, it's such a perfect setup for a meaningful, sappy, romantic middle where you can really feel the love between the couple and then have a really awesome climax at the end. The hospital setting you could easily have the two characters spending a lot of time together since neither of them are really doing anything all day. So many good opportunities for dialogue and bonding, I can't believe they bonded so little throuhout the series... I really thought I was in for a treat after the first episode. I liked the opening, it really creates a good mood to watch a cute couple fall in love and share some sweet moments. But those were very few and far in between... The extra characters were a nice touch at the end, but I think they could have made something really awesome by just focusing on the two principle characters, have their relationship develop and then have whatever sort of ending you want... I really wonder what the light novel is like, maybe they just picked all the wrong scenes to include?

Anyway, the ending was still pretty suffocating and it touches some very interesting topics on love, it was a decent watch. Puts a lot of good food for thought on one's plate . As for the rating, I'm not sure I saw enough to say I liked it. It had so much potential but fell short IMO. Plus what was there, I dunno, they never really hit any high notes. I was never moved. But this is the type of story I'm interested in: a light hearted romance, where the character's time together should be cherished under whatever circumstances, in this case, I thought it was a perfect plot device, the threat that they may not be together long, but they still want to be together, and that they're able to still have fun and love, it's such a perfect setting for a genuine love story. Ah... but they didn't meet my expectations... I'm not really sure where to rate this, every series I completed I thought was very entertaining, but this one is closer to what I'm looking for, so I don't think it should belong with the others... maybe I'll make a new category for stuff I almost liked or something ;p.

Lamune - A "Nice" series with an innocent romance and some low-intensity melodrama, I liked it. The series was pretty episodic and the plotlines were simple. The characters were one dimensional but it was still fun and enjoyable. With the whole seaside setting, I would describe it as a very calm and relaxing romance. A good watch if you don't mind hearing a few "normal" childhood side-stories(Not all of them are romantic, and they are pretty normal, a good change of pace from your usual super convoluted plotlines) about a lot of pretty girls.

Spoiler for Spoiler for ending and more pointed comments:

Even the ending and Sakura's arc that were more serious in nature came off as pretty low-key. Well, there was not a very good flow towards the end. I question whether she should be holding such feelings after so long, there's gotta be more than a lamune bottle for me to believe there are... And the coma scene, it looks like they're trying to get a bit more dramatic and sentimental toward the end and build up a strong climax, but with the limited time and the relaxed setting that carried over from previous episodes, it just sort of came and ended without a powerful impact.
I like innocent romances, but the characters were pretty much "cookie-cutter" characters and the storylines were just "nice". With the formula they had, they didn't have any parts that particularly bored or bothered me, but on the other hand, there wasn't anything that impressed me. I like my romantic scenes to be sweeter, towards the end it was better, but still missing something that Chobits and AMG had that made some scenes extra sweet and very memorable for me. Also since the drama was easy going and not all that impactful, I would say that this just isn't the type of series to get a strong reaction out of the people who are watching.

True Tears -

Spoiler for True tears change of heart:

I didn't like this anime at first, but after making my peace with it whilst listening to the opening and ending 200 times after marathoning until 8 am, I think the sort of bitter feeling that accompanies this is also good and provides a sort of "growing experience", (Yes, I know how... it sounds, forgive me for my sissiness.) In my finite wisdom, I think that something that can alter how you think for a good deal of time as well as change one's mood is pretty amazing. A story that can make a person feel happiness or sadness yet beauty is something that is just, incredible, I think. This series was not such a series, yet something that can make you feel bitter and reflect on the series for small bits of good moments is also beautiful in a way.

REC - It's a bit lewd, but fun to watch. Not really what I was looking for, I wanted something more idealistic I guess, or maybe more artistic. This feels like sitcoms you can catch on TV in the states, it could just as well be a live action, might even feel better that way... I want something that uses the medium to it's advantage. To me, this sort of just mimics what's on television.

Hidamari Sketch - This was kind of boring for me... the characters were all very ordinary, not really quirky or anything. The things they did, were very boring and didn't really have a punchline... It didn't really pique my interest at all after the first episode, I wasn't even mildly entertained. I'm guessing it gets better though... Well I wasn't all that impressed with Lucky Star at first, but it was still mildly entertaining at the least in the beginning. I didn't even want to check the next episode of Hidamari though, I guess I'll try it out again later.

I tried Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, I found that pretty funny,it really got a good laugh out of me. Because of some of the ludicrous stuff they make fun of. It's not really what I'm looking for, but it's an interesting show, I like the dark humor and the rants they have about stupid things people tend to do but not really notice. There's a lot of superfluous stuff that seems to be there out of sheer insanity or something. Sometimes they have scenes that are obviously absurd, which I'll find some humor in, but the bizarre stuff stupifies me.

You know, there's a lot to say about animation style and quality. Something like the first season of Minami-Ke, is so easy to watch for me, just because I think the characters are so cute and easy to look at. Just the character design in KyoAni's works spark some interest in me when I actually get to watching an episode. I've thumbed through just about every series that's been suggested now. Most of the animation seems kind of bland, the colors are faded out. I may have been underestimating the animation style...

12/23/08 - thought I'd just put my ideas down somewhere, I don't really want a whole lot of attention, because it's hard work to keep up with replies ;p, still I like that it's in the public domain... After watching some Nodame, it occured to me that Nodame is an excellent show if you watch it weekly. It's got that sort of episodic nature feel where the plot is developed and resolved in the same episode, and it makes the viewer satisfied and maintains interest throughout the series. However, most anime I watch, I've marathon'd. Stuff like Air, Kanon, Clannad are more like 6 and 12 hour long movies. Each episode bleeds through into the next, Misuzu's plotline is sort of carried throughout each episode, even when other character arcs are featured, the main plot still gets a scene. It's easy to watch an ongoing story for a long time straight. Whereas the stories of a more episodic nature, have so many ups and downs that you tend to want to quit after an episode or two. A climax that is ongoing and which builds and builds like Kanon, until a climax at the end of a story arc, is just so good, you want to keep going, I think. Especially since you don't have to handle the begining of the start of another plot right after the end of another one since they introduce all the plots at the beginning. It's really an interesting kind of "formula". Episodic series you kind of want to quit after an episode, you don't really want to go through that down period where it's boring, and a plot is just beginning to etch itself out. I like that the plot is there, and they continue to hammer the stuff from the beginning of the series, sort of like 4 episodes of introduction, and then all main story and climaxes from there.

ef- a tale of memories - Does this really classify as entertainment? The characters lack energy, the show is lacking empathy, it's a bit too boring for me. Depressed characters without the emotional tension like kimi nozo or even true tears...