Anime series to watch with family

[rtfirefly]

Here is what I am looking for. An anime that would fall into at least one of the category of sci-fy, action, adventure, fantasy, supernatural.

The hard part to this is that I what something without any ecchi/fanservice or yaoi. Ugh!! Why must this be so HARD!!

Here is a list of things that we have watched that basically fits my description:

Seirei no Moribito
Juuni Kokuki/12 Kingdoms
Kekkaishi
Guin Saga
Mars Daybreak
Samurai 7
Mushi-Shi
Hero Tales
Last Exile
Wolf's Rain
Hayao Miyazaki cartoons (all that we want to see)


Yeah, I know another person asking this same over-used question But, really I just got done going through the list of anime from MyAnimeList and it appears that either I missed some stuff (hopefully) or there is nothing left

Please do not suggest Pokemon or any of the Dragon Ball series. And please no chibi animation because it is just so...cute

[SeijiSensei]

First of all, I'd browse these Suggestions threads:

http://forums.animesuki.com/tags.php?tag=children

Next, you need to give us some more information about your family, particularly ages and genders. Is subtitled material okay, or just dubs? Fansubs okay, or just legal materials?

For starters I'll recommend four items:

1) Summer Wars - virtual reality, gaming, hacking, family ties, and a little romance

2) Dennou Coil - more virtual reality and hacking with a slightly dark plot; one of my top-ten series of all time

3) Chi's Sweet Home - 104, three-minute hilarious and heartwarming episodes about a lost kitty who is adopted by a young Japanese family

4) Kemono no Sou-ja Erin - A tale by the author of Moribito about a young girl who wants to become a veterinarian to sacred beasts like her mother. Later we discover that Erin has powers that make her the center of a political struggle. The art style and some characterizations suggests this one was targeted at a slightly younger audience than Moribito, but my daughter and I enjoyed it together when she was in her teens.

Of these, only Summer Wars is dubbed.

Oh, here's one more, Saiunkoku Monogatari. Like Moribito and Junni Kokki, this show is set in a fictitious Asian empire that looks rather like T'ang China (600-900 CE). There is no ecchi material in this show, but I will warn you that the subject of homosexuality comes up briefly at the outset.

Spoiler for why?:

The story opens with the heroine being sent to the Imperial Palace in hopes she will woo the young Emperor away from his apparent homosexual tendencies. In reality, he is robustly heterosexual and falls in love with the heroine. The reasons for his charade are explained.

Saiunkoku Monogatari is also difficult to find legally because it has gone out of print. If you don't object to fansubs, you can download a copy here, or resort to the used market. There is also a fansub rip of the DVD with the English dubbing on the same site.

[xxanimefan4_ever]

Kaleido star- it's well done and has a good message.
Jungle wa itsumo hale nochi GUu. It's very bizarre and very funny.
School rumble - is a good comedy too and I don't recall any explicit anything.

Kurenai- it has violence but I don think it was tha bad

Baccano- I think it was violent in a couple scenes ??

Eve no jikan-

Nodame cantabile is comedy and drama with no issues with inappropriateness

3 seasons of slayers - it's fantasy and comedy. It goes from hilarious to dead serious in the same episode

Kodomo no omochA - yes it's shoujo but its one of the best. Quality Drama, comedy, and romance. Don't worry about the number of eps just start watching it and next thing you know ull be at episode 20 something

Toki so kakeru shoujo movie

Gunslinger girl maybe

All are licensed. But I'm not sure about availability

[SeijiSensei]

Since xxanimefan4_ever recommended some of my favorite shows, let me add a couple of comments.

For various reasons, mostly having to do with Sony's general idiocy concerning music rights, Nodame Cantabile is not licensed in R1. However the R4 Animax dub is streamed on Sony's Crackle service. That's another of my favorite shows, but it would bore most younger viewers. (Fansub including sequels)

Episode four of Baccano! involving Ladd Russo includes one of the most brutal sequences I've seen animated. I like Baccano!, too, but Hulu ranks it "TV-MA" for a reason.

School Rumble certainly addresses adolescent sexuality, and often in pretty stereotypical ways. For instance, there are scenes about the boys' secret committee where they meet to discuss sex and pornography. The virgin girls are focused more on "romance" than "sex." It's often hilarious, but again probably not for kids under 10.

Finally, there's Kurenai, which I'd rate more in the PG-13 category. I'd suggest Usagi Drop as a sweeter alternative in the "sudden parent" genre though illegitimacy plays an important role in the story's premise.

[Theowne]

Kemono no Souja Erin is a perfect family fantasy series that both kids and adults will enjoy.

Let me also suggest a film, Mai Mai Miracle, which possesses a similar charm to many of the Miyazaki films that you say you have enjoyed.

[Sackett]

I don't recall Fullmetal Alchemist having much fan service.

Crest of the Stars didn't have much fan service.

I don't recall Jojo's Bizarre Adventure having much fanservice... well I guess there was a little bit (naked back) in the later episodes once Joseph became the hero. Jonathan was far too much of a gentleman to ever be involved in fan service scenes.

Madoka Magica has the opening with Sailor Moon type transformation scene, but in the show itself there was hardly any fan service at all.

I'm trying to remember Bodacious Space Pirates, but as I recall while there was certainly the "mini-skirt" thing, I can't recall anything more then that. There was a lesbian couple in the later episodes, but they never did more than kiss on screen.

[SeijiSensei]

Having just watched episode one of Kamisama Hajimemashita again, I'll add that to my list if we're talking about kids, particularly girls, 9+. It's a supernatural romantic comedy with a cute, strong-minded high-school girl who has become a "land god" and an array of bishie male youkai. It's pretty funny throughout, but it might be too "girly" for some boys.



Funimation will release a dubbed version next month.

For boys, and anyone interested in space, I recommend the long-running Space Brothers. Set a couple decades into the future, it follows two Japanese brothers as they try to become astronauts. The story moves rather slowly in places, but it has well-developed characters, a decently realistic portrayal of astronaut training, and an obvious love for the adventure of space travel. Subs only.

[kitten320]

FMA, both seasons.
Then there is ongoing Hunter x Hunter
Ao no Exorcist, don't remember any real fanservice there.
Ghost Hunt - same author as 12 Kingdoms. It is considered to be horror about ghosts but apart from Bloody Labyrinth there is no gore or anything horryficly scary.
InuYasha, don't remember much of a fan service there
Romeo x Juliet
Sengoku Basara, don't remember any gays there
Dennou Coil
Howl's moving castle
Spirited Away
Sword of a stranger