Dragging my mother kicking and screaming.

[Issac]

Yeah, as the title implies, I want a suggestion on an anime geared towards the adult mindset. Anime has always been a life-rejuvinating experience for me, as today I have just finished watching Full Moon wo Sagashite. Yes, I cried, and I'm sure many of you have, too. Episode 42 killed me. Also, I'm 18, but have known and loved anime since 13-14.

Because of this ability to help me forget and look up to the sun, anime is an extremely benevolent and enlightening experience, in general. Yes, some series are simply outright horrid, pervy, and empty- But the gems drown the stinkers.

My mom is going through hard times. Sure, I buy her gas and cigarettes day to day, but I couldn't possibly muster up enough for what she's going through... All for me, pretty much. I want to share with her this entertainment, and to start her off, something she can relate to. She's 44, and has a stubbourn mindset about many things. It's hard to get her to try something new, so whatever I pick to show her has to be something good.

She favors drama, romance, and irony. She also said morbid somewhere in there, but she didn't mean Akira morbid. :P I believe she meant morbid as in a climax cause, something horrifically ironic. (FMwS 42 ;_; ) A backdrop behind her personality- She's a middle school teacher, and hate to put it this way, and I won't be politically correct (That crap is stupid), the school is dominantly black. I mean to offend no one, it's just that I wish there wasn't this natural segregation... We are a far cry from MLK's dream. But that's a whole other topic. She's been a single parent, all in all, for a long time. She's strong at glance, but weak when coming to a breaking point. I hope that maybe this all will help in finding what she will like.

While I think the animation is usually vivid, colorful, and beautiful, it turns her off, and she forms this predetermined opinion of it (I.E. book by its cover.) But I'm sure she'll warm up to it if the story snags her in the right way. Let it grab her, let it wrench her heart, and let it give her a warm resolution. Unfortunately, she wouldn't have the attention span to watch a longer series, so optimistic length is 13-26 episodes.

Sorry that I'm asking so much, but in the deep sea of anime out there, I find it horribly hard to pick. She has agreed to give it a shot, so I want to give my best effort to it.

Oh, and by the way- Hi, I'm back. Sorry about the server suki ;_;

[Pleroma]

Haha, I have been trying to introduce my mother to the medium as well so I can relate. She also happens to be a teacher by profession and has a pretty tense job.

I would say start with movies, whole series right off the bat tend to scare off people not accustomed to the format. I my case Miyazaki did the trick (she adores Spririted Away) but I also reccomend anything by Satoshi Kon since from your description fantasy doesn't appear as a primary interest (Millenium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, Perfect Blue) and Kon's works could just as esily be live action so its less of a transition.

Also I would reccomend Place Promised in our Early Days and then Voices of a Distant Star if she likes the style. After that move on to short series, stuff like Paranoia Agent or Azumanga Daio are great for the casual viewer. For deeper stuff existential shows like Haibane Renmei or Kino no Tabi are a good choice as well.

This has worked for me so far, but while she may into some of the mainstream stuff, I doubt I'll ever see mom sitting nervuosly at the PC refreshing the front page every 5 minutes waiting for the latest Mai-Otome episode

[jedinat]

I had my parents, brother, and grandmother all sit down to watch Voices of a Distant Star. I could totally tell they didn't get it. I'm freaking almost tearing up towards the end and my brother is laughing asking what the hell that was about.

So, yeah, I've tried unsuccessfully to get my family into anime. But, out of all the the anime I've shown my mom, the one's that seem to have clicked the most with her were Haibane Renmei and Mushishi. (but I could still tell she was really only watching for my benefit)

[ZGMF-X10A Freedom]

If your mom likes Drama and Romance try Da Capo for both and Air for drama

[Juan Valdez]

Speaking of Miyazaki, "Whisper of the Heart" from Ghibli would be a good one. It always makes me feel happy when I watch it. Also it's (mostly) rooted in reality, unlike many other Ghibli films, so it is more "accessible". It's not available on DVD in the US yet, but is coming out in March I believe.

I agree with Pleroma that movies are probably the way to go because they don't require a huge time investment (like a 13/26 episode series would).

[dannyz]

Aishiteruze Baby

If she is a parent, then she will relate.

[Stxopher]

Popular right now among my older, non-anime friends: Aishiteruze Baby, Honey and Clover, and.....err....Ebichu (sigh). I don't recommend the last one unless she has a particular sense of humor (it's a big hit with the older working woman crowd).

For bitter older people there is also Black Heaven. Or you could try something along the lines of The Gokusen.

I wish I could recommend Maison Ikkoku but that is extremely long and polarizes people into "love it" or "hate it" camps.

The last 3 would probably have to be rented or borrowed.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by ZGMF-X10A Freedom

If your mom likes Drama and Romance try Da Capo for both and Air for drama

We are trying to get someone to like anime not get bore form it.

My suggestion on pure pyschological Drama for something to Anime isn't just for Kids.

Perfect Blue - If hitchcock did anime then perfect blue would be it.
Memories - 3 great short stories. 1 drama, 1 funny and 1 thought provoking.

PS. the title for you thread could be very misleading

[GundamZZ]

My mother doesn't like most anime. So, I never intend to show her any supposedly interesting anime. She watched what's avialable on TV. She found Ranma disturbing because it had so many nudity, not to mention a dirty old man in the show. She liked Laptura and Kiki's Delivery Service. She reorded the movie and showed it to me. She liked Hikaru no Go and Detective Conan. I guess the she likes the anime of innoncence. It leads me to belive anime for young boys shows green light. Don't show any otaku anime for your mother. The male fantasy can be very disturbing.

[Morisato]

Neon Genesis Evangelion, by the time you're done with it, you'll be like depressing AND confuses you. I also recommend RahXephon which is SIMILAR.

Ichi the killer is pretty psychological. Most of the time, they're in their minds fighting their inner demons and I suppose "Monster" could work too, never seen it.

[DaFool]

My mother has watched anime more for my benefit than hers. She's a high-powered career woman and being middle-aged and gone through things in life, I know there are certain things she gravitates towards and others she doesn't.

Thumbs up: Titles that convey innocence, childlikeness. She liked Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away.
Titles that read like an excellent novel (she's a literature major). She was able to go through entire Crest of the Stars with me.

Thumbs down: Titles that are violent, or childish, or both. I was watching Vandread, and she went WTF? Please AVOID showing her AIR and D.C.S.S. I loved those titles, but I admit you have to be a crazy dork to appreciate them.

[mit7059]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

We are trying to get someone to like anime not get bore form it.

Unless you have an extremely short attention span I wouldn't concider Air of Da Capo boring, the only thing I have to say against either of them is that I'm not sure Da Capo would apply to a 40 something woman, Air is a possible choice though. Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away are also good choices. Grave of the Fireflies is an amazingly mature anime, but that would probably depress your mother even more.
Aishiteruze Baby is an amazing anime and I would reccomend it to all ages, she might be able to relate to some of the sensei-kippei stuff too.

[sukreih]

My mom loved 'Babel 2nd' when she was young.(she denies it but I think our comic book generation came a long way..)

I watch Satoshi Kon and Miyazaki's works with my mom.She liked Millenium Actress the most, I think.
She also likes Black Jack

[Teletha]

When you say drama and romance I always think of Emma. It's a mature look at falling in love, but without any fanservice, boobs or people blowing up. What keeps the couple apart isn't silly misunderstandings or any other overused plot device, but just the pressures of society at the time. It's slow paced and has great attention to detail. I think you have to be a bit older to appreciate it, since I think it would bore people in the younger audience.

The setting is also something more easy to relate to to most people who don't watch anime. I think your Mom would like it. My Mom doesn't watch anime and she enjoyed it, but she is fan of historical romance.

[Issac]

I didn't expect so many suggestions, thank you! All of this will be a great start, and many thanks to all that replied. I'll give info on successes or failures in time.

[Aquillion]

I would recommend Kino no Tabi, which has both an artistic feel to it and good writing. I would avoid most of the high-school romance shows; even the better ones are pretty obviously aimed at a younger age.

[Leo_Otaku]

I think AIR TV would be too confusing I recommend the AIR MOVIE *nods* It has romance and drama ^-^

[mit7059]

Originally Posted by Leo_Otaku

I think AIR TV would be too confusing I recommend the AIR MOVIE *nods* It has romance and drama ^-^

we're talking about a 40 something women not a five year old. I think she can probably understand AIR TV, its not really that complicated.

[Stxopher]

Originally Posted by mit7059

we're talking about a 40 something women not a five year old. I think she can probably understand AIR TV, its not really that complicated.

Perhaps not that complicated but I would also agree on not putting it on the "to see" list. Not because it is a bad show but because it IS a slow show and people generally fall into a "love it-hate it" camp. That could make it a bad risk to someone trying to gather shows to persuade someone that anime isn't all weird, childish or perverted. (We long time watchers know this is simply a sterotype. Only about 70% of it is weird, childish and/or perverted. 'Course, the other 30% is mainly made of trailers, AMVs and Ghibli movies.)

Maybe make that a second tier type choice once her mom shows a preference towards something. (And won't we all feel stupid when it turns out that in reality she turns out to be a Mushishi or Monster fan?)

[BellaD]

Originally Posted by Issac

Dragging my mother kicking and screaming.

Ha, I was expecting some parent abusing story lol .

As for suggestions I'm just going to go by what my mother likes, or I should say she sat through them without making up an excuse to leave .
Howl's moving castle and Wolf's Rain .