Poignancy, sentiment, and good characters

[xxanimefan4_ever]

Gunslinger Girl. - poignancy sentimental.. but I don't remember how good it was. it's not the loli + guns thing aimed at otaku since they're actually children.

Slayers NexT - towards the end... very epic let's say.. It's a comedy/fantasy so it's seroius sometimes, light sometimes but it's done well... It's not like fullmetal panic (it's a complete mess of what the hell does it want to be) and the characters are awesome... especially XELLOSS. As far the poignancy, sentiment and all that is at the finale of the show. This is the second season but I would just recommend waching this first becasue I dont' think the first season is that good and it's better that you go back and wach a
Season 2 is just amazing. Season 1 is okay. It's called a classic but there's a reason and it's very clear once you see it.

Maybe Kaleido Star. In some ways this show is REALLY well done but also i feel like there could've been more depth (well the show is for children.

Kodocha (kodomo no omocha ) It can be poignant at times, crazy at times, funny at times. It's one of the best shoujos I've seen probably.

and I want to recommend J-dramas simply because you loved honey clover which I could not sit through so i don't see why get into jdramas.
Nobuta wo produce - Give it a few eps becasue the first ep is most definitely not the peak/max potential of the show. It's definitely poignant and all that. there's one episode where I was dying to find out how it was going to end and my preidction to the ending was wrong lol.

Watashitachi no kyoukasho - I would say watch 3-4 eps and if you can't get into it by then it's not for you. I think it's slow-paced but there's lots of twists, good acting which made it really enjoyable to wach. I wached 2-3 eps a day even though it's slow-paced.

JIN season 1 and 2. the first ep is okay but I really got into by the 3rd ep so I would say watch 3eps and you should be sucked into it. But like even watching season 2 there's certain moments and scenes that make me go wow I can't believe j-drama can get this gooood. I never thought I would ever watch a jidaigeki drama... but people were raving about it and I thought I would just drop it after one ep of "trying it out" and not liking it.... but I ended up LOVing it.

and HYD is melodramatic as hell lol.

and for monster as a person that didn't like it and /or did not care for it I would say give up if you don't get into by the first ep lol. I'm serious it's like boring all the way through if you find the first ep boring. I could not get into that show. I'm just saying it's not for everyone but if you happen to be one of those people that really enjoys then good for you.

[frubam]

Certainly Kaiba, although it might be a bit too gritty for your tastes. It doesn't drown in melodrama, but many of the situations throughout are more on the sad side, yet arouse great emotion from the depths of your soul. That is, IF you can get pass the simplistic animation style.

[Flower]

Ikoku Meiro no Croisee
Aria series
Ano Hana
Usagi Drop

For me all these might fit the bill for you.

On another note - have you tried any of the World Masterpiece Theater productions?

Stuff like: Little Princess Sara, Akage no Anne, Perrine Monogatari, etc.

[FireChick]

Fantastic Children
Wandering Son
Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai
Aoi Hana
Bunny Drop
Ikoku Meiro no Croisee
Kowarekake no Orgel
ANYTHING from the World Masterpiece Theater, namely Little Princess Sara and Dog of Flanders (the movie especially)!

[Flower]

Also 5 centimeters per second, Tamayura OVA's and Kowarekake no Orgel.

I tend to like the genre the OP is mentioning as well!

Edit: Firechick beat me to recommending the last one!

[Theowne]

Thanks for some great posts in this thread, I have a few months worth of recommendations at least. I will look into Twelve Kingdoms, Fantastic Children, and Hikaru no Go first, then try some of the others.

Originally Posted by xxanimefan4_ever

and I want to recommend J-dramas simply because you loved honey clover which I could not sit through so i don't see why get into jdramas.

The things which I love Honey and Clover for are the themes of growing up, self-discovery, loss and regret and personal growth. The "j-drama"-esque aspects, the love triangles or unrequited love, are not the primary appeal for me (though they were done well enough that I didn't mind them). I really doubt I would enjoy J-dramas.

[xxanimefan4_ever]

Originally Posted by Theowne

Thanks for some great posts in this thread, I have a few months worth of recommendations at least. I will look into Twelve Kingdoms, Fantastic Children, and Hikaru no Go first, then try some of the others.


The things which I love Honey and Clover for are the themes of growing up, self-discovery, loss and regret and personal growth. The "j-drama"-esque aspects, the love triangles or unrequited love, are not the primary appeal for me (though they were done well enough that I didn't mind them). I really doubt I would enjoy J-dramas.

What I'm saying is honey and clover was slow-paced so that's why i think you can enjoy j-dramas. I'm recommending those j-dramas because they fit what you're looking for.... I'm not that into j-dramas either in the sense that most are really crappy which is also true with anime (out of all anime probably 10% is really good, worth waching, etc etc). these are the dramas that I found to be really good out of the ones I've seen so far and they happen to fit what you're looking for.