Quote:
Originally Posted by TJR
To adults with decades of life experience, Nodame Cantabile or Hataraki Man (trendy dramas aimed at the 20-30 year old crowd) may already be a compromise. The viewers are far removed from the target audience, and they may not identify too strongly with the characters. However, there's just enough sophistication to pique their interest.
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Indeed. I watched both those shows when I was in my fifties, and you'll see icons for both of them in my signature. I hadn't watched a lot of anime at that point so part of the enjoyment was the exposure to a different culture. This was especially true of
Hataraki Man, where so many patriarchal norms were on display. The contrast with contemporary America was pretty sharp.
Nodame was just a joy to watch from start to finish because I've always liked classical music, and because I found the dedication of the characters to their craft quite uplifting. It was also quite funny at times, too.
I find
Hyouge Mono satisfying for similar reasons. I've learned a lot about the Sengoku period, and the entire warrior-as-esthete theme was entirely new to me. Watching that show is a bit like watching a film like
Kagemusha. Most of the shows I've found most appealing are ones which give me an insight into Japanese history or culture. Even something as wacky as
Oh! Edo Rocket had such rewards, along with being hysterically funny and slyly satirical as well.