AnimeSuki Forums

Esyrja · 2009-01-03, 07:52

Heh that title really doesnt explain a lot...well I wrote a detailed explanation, if you can bother to read it

Anyways, I was thinking of this since I just finished watching Youre Under Arrest.

I was drawn to this anime because of the mangaka (same as Oh my goddess) and from what I had read about it/heard about it beforehand, it was a comedic cop show.

While thats certainly true, I feel that this show as so much more than that, I was especially surprised by the episodes late first and second season that focused on the developing relationships for the two main characters, they were in my opinion very well done.

And this got me to thinking about how this is not the first time that a show I started watching for a completely different reason ends up having some very nice romance in it.

Some examples:
Eureka 7 and RahXephon, for both I started them because of the mecha aspect, and both surprised me with their detailed and mature showing of relationships, whereas;

Da Capo 2 completely disappointed me even thou its a "romance, drama, school life" typical title, I found it to be much worse than the first season, and to not really contain any meaningful romance as such.

So what I ask you is, what are animes that have romance stories in them that are "underrated" as in; rarely show up in the many threads this suggestion subforum has, asking for this particular genre of anime.

SeijiSensei · 2009-01-03, 08:54

Toshokan Sensou ("Library Wars") starts off as a meditation on censorship but morphs into a romance.

CrimsonWater · 2009-01-03, 17:45

I'll second Toshokan Sensou also maybe try Allison to Lillia

f4nt4 · 2009-01-04, 10:41

umm... every macross series, from intergalactic war into complicated romance

KholdStare · 2009-01-04, 11:30

I can't second every Macross series but I'll second the movie, The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? Another one is REC. It's suggested now and then but to me more people should know about it.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: No matter how hinted, vague, or implied the romance is in this series, it feels really natural and never out of place. It doesn't seem forced or otherwise uncomfortable.

Clannad: Another World, Tomoyo Chapter: People may not love this, but I do. To me, the emotions in this OVA was so real I had problems re-watching it.

Esyrja · 2009-01-04, 13:37

Thanks for the replies guys, Ive watched both Library wars and Allison to Lillia and really enjoyed both. But the reason I made this thread was to try to find romance in unexpected places, I know that if I watch Macross series, or Clannad, there will be some there, and both are rather often talked about here.

What I mean is shows that arent recommended normally for their romance but after watching it you go "Huh that was really well done"

Obviously there may not be all that many, but since I just came across three in a row I figured we could all share the shows where we felt that, and which arent talked about often.

Another one that I found surprising was Kyouran Kazoku Nikki, I certainly didnt expect the show I got, and I felt that the interactions between the family members were rather well done.

Anyways Ill add more when I remember them, I really need to start keeping a list to make it easier to remember...

So what shows were you surprised by as far as the romance that was in it?

othera · 2009-01-05, 04:32

Air - To me it seems like a great love story, especially the eps about kanna.(Though my fave animes constantly change, this is one of my all time favorites)
Shakugan no Shana - Basically shana is a flame haze, who hunt Tomogora and she meets Yuji, who she seems to love - and denies for quite some time
The second season of shakugan no shana is more about their relationship, but i would HIGHLY recomend watching both seasons

- This is another of my all time favorites.
And ill second Khold on the melancholy of haruhi suzumiya, minor amounts but it is there.

Telmah · 2009-01-05, 06:10

I think the problem with the "pure" romance shows is more often than not, they get boggled down with drama and triangles, squares, or what not. So instead of really being romantic, they fall flat because that's what causes the tension. Yeah, some romances are like that, but they tend to be exhausting. If there's another theme, then it tends to move forward more naturally and realistically.

I could write a mountain of words about Utawarerumono. It is a feudal piece, with interesting characters and an epic storyline. That's been done before, but what really made it stand out to me was the older male lead and his maturity. On first look, he's nothing interesting but he develops dyamnically and ponders his actions, learns from them, and moves forward. The female lead is also a stereotype, but like the male lead, she develops and becomes something more. They face many hardships and joys--and while these events are interesting sub stories, what really made it interesting was how things progressed between them.

Spoiler for Spoilers on the relationship and events that really shape it:

KholdStare · 2009-01-05, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esyrja

Thanks for the replies guys, Ive watched both Library wars and Allison to Lillia and really enjoyed both. But the reason I made this thread was to try to find romance in unexpected places, I know that if I watch Macross series, or Clannad, there will be some there, and both are rather often talked about here.

What I mean is shows that arent recommended normally for their romance but after watching it you go "Huh that was really well done"

Really now? I first watched Macross thinking it was a pure mecha series. I see Clannad as a comedy so the "romance" in the OVA was very unexpectedly well done, hence why I listed them.

Esyrja · 2009-01-05, 13:17

Heh Khold maybe I just got a different impression about them before watching them thats all. Telmah I think that you may have said it better than I could have, there are some "pure" romance shows that are very well done, but at least for me the majority of it is...well...not about relationships but about the perceived difficulties before you get into one.

Its rather rare to find a "romance" show that actually shows a developing relationship, whereas with other kinds of shows...but I repeat myself.

Another series that I just rewatched was Crest/Banner of the Stars, I remember reading about this show before watching it, about how Scifi it was, how it was the anime Star Trek, etc etc, and I didnt really get the impression about the two leads developing to the extent they did.

Heh maybe even...Elfen Lied, I remember watching this show expecting it to be about NOTHING else than blood and gore, althou the "romance" part of it was a bit stereotypical, the concept still stands.

Another one that just came to mind is Seto No Hayanome, althou almost always talked about for its romance, I found it rather nice, especially the final episode of the anime obviously had its share of touching moments.

I guess I should rename the thread to imply anime that rarely are called "romance" animes but have a strong element of it in them, but I cant really think of any concise title that would say that.

f4nt4 · 2009-01-05, 13:24

yeah, first time i watched macross i also thought it wasnt about romance, but about mecha and action all the way. i was really surprised when the romance theme suddenly keeping up and becoming an important aspect of the story.

Hakuoro917 · 2009-01-06, 21:31

Hourglass of Summer OVA: It's only two episodes but The Emotion is really unique. A boy tries to save the one he loves by being able to travel back through time.

Arkhan · 2009-01-07, 18:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hakuoro917

Hourglass of Summer OVA: It's only two episodes but The Emotion is really unique. A boy tries to save the one he loves by being able to travel back through time.

Lol, I read the description of that OVA in AniDB and it seems to be like a mixture between KGNE and KOR 2nd movie "Summer's beginning".

By the way, I'm finding the recommendations in this thread quite interesting. I usually feel kind of stuck in the middle between the indecisive male leads and harems in shonen romances, and the bishonen artwork in shojo romances.

I wish I could contribute with more series, but I don't remember anyone right now. If I remember someone I'll come back and post it.

2009-01-03, 07:52	Link #1
Esyrja Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oulu, finland	Shows with underrated romance Heh that title really doesnt explain a lot...well I wrote a detailed explanation, if you can bother to read it Anyways, I was thinking of this since I just finished watching Youre Under Arrest. I was drawn to this anime because of the mangaka (same as Oh my goddess) and from what I had read about it/heard about it beforehand, it was a comedic cop show. While thats certainly true, I feel that this show as so much more than that, I was especially surprised by the episodes late first and second season that focused on the developing relationships for the two main characters, they were in my opinion very well done. And this got me to thinking about how this is not the first time that a show I started watching for a completely different reason ends up having some very nice romance in it. Some examples: Eureka 7 and RahXephon, for both I started them because of the mecha aspect, and both surprised me with their detailed and mature showing of relationships, whereas; Da Capo 2 completely disappointed me even thou its a "romance, drama, school life" typical title, I found it to be much worse than the first season, and to not really contain any meaningful romance as such. So what I ask you is, what are animes that have romance stories in them that are "underrated" as in; rarely show up in the many threads this suggestion subforum has, asking for this particular genre of anime.

2009-01-03, 08:54	Link #2
SeijiSensei AS Oji-kun Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 74	Toshokan Sensou ("Library Wars") starts off as a meditation on censorship but morphs into a romance. __________________ Taking Anime Seriously - Politics by the Numbers - Sports by the Numbers - MAL List - Avatars - Images

2009-01-03, 17:45	Link #3
CrimsonWater Animeholic/Techie Join Date: Aug 2007 Age: 36	I'll second Toshokan Sensou also maybe try Allison to Lillia __________________

2009-01-04, 10:41	Link #4
f4nt4 Member Join Date: Jul 2008	umm... every macross series, from intergalactic war into complicated romance __________________

2009-01-04, 11:30	Link #5
KholdStare ISML Technical Staff Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Age: 35	I can't second every Macross series but I'll second the movie, The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? Another one is REC. It's suggested now and then but to me more people should know about it. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: No matter how hinted, vague, or implied the romance is in this series, it feels really natural and never out of place. It doesn't seem forced or otherwise uncomfortable. Clannad: Another World, Tomoyo Chapter: People may not love this, but I do. To me, the emotions in this OVA was so real I had problems re-watching it. __________________ Kholdy's MAL, ISML Chat, Saimoe Blog, Saimoe Wiki

2009-01-04, 13:37	Link #6
Esyrja Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oulu, finland	Thanks for the replies guys, Ive watched both Library wars and Allison to Lillia and really enjoyed both. But the reason I made this thread was to try to find romance in unexpected places, I know that if I watch Macross series, or Clannad, there will be some there, and both are rather often talked about here. What I mean is shows that arent recommended normally for their romance but after watching it you go "Huh that was really well done" Obviously there may not be all that many, but since I just came across three in a row I figured we could all share the shows where we felt that, and which arent talked about often. Another one that I found surprising was Kyouran Kazoku Nikki, I certainly didnt expect the show I got, and I felt that the interactions between the family members were rather well done. Anyways Ill add more when I remember them, I really need to start keeping a list to make it easier to remember... So what shows were you surprised by as far as the romance that was in it?

2009-01-05, 04:32	Link #7
othera Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Australia,Queensland	Air - To me it seems like a great love story, especially the eps about kanna.(Though my fave animes constantly change, this is one of my all time favorites) Shakugan no Shana - Basically shana is a flame haze, who hunt Tomogora and she meets Yuji, who she seems to love - and denies for quite some time The second season of shakugan no shana is more about their relationship, but i would HIGHLY recomend watching both seasons - This is another of my all time favorites. And ill second Khold on the melancholy of haruhi suzumiya, minor amounts but it is there.

2009-01-05, 06:10	Link #8
Telmah Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio, United States Age: 43	I think the problem with the "pure" romance shows is more often than not, they get boggled down with drama and triangles, squares, or what not. So instead of really being romantic, they fall flat because that's what causes the tension. Yeah, some romances are like that, but they tend to be exhausting. If there's another theme, then it tends to move forward more naturally and realistically. I could write a mountain of words about Utawarerumono. It is a feudal piece, with interesting characters and an epic storyline. That's been done before, but what really made it stand out to me was the older male lead and his maturity. On first look, he's nothing interesting but he develops dyamnically and ponders his actions, learns from them, and moves forward. The female lead is also a stereotype, but like the male lead, she develops and becomes something more. They face many hardships and joys--and while these events are interesting sub stories, what really made it interesting was how things progressed between them. Spoiler for Spoilers on the relationship and events that really shape it: The really interesting thing about it was there's a pont when the male lead is unhappy with not knowing his paste and things he might be this terrible monster he's accused of--and she simplies says he is himself and he's not like that. I know its corny but I was like wow. There's other great things too--he defers to her judgment quite often about even important matters. Futher in the series, he's nearly given up about facing his past again--and she proves that even on tainted grown--new life can grow--what can I say--it shows how much she really cares about him and supports him. He comforts her too, especially when she faces dealing with loss. Another really great scene involves her finally winning him over, but due to plot elements questioning her feelings--99 percent of anime characters would immediately fall in love when they won over the person they coveted. That's realistic to me--and I applaud for it.

2009-01-05, 13:17	Link #10
Esyrja Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oulu, finland	Heh Khold maybe I just got a different impression about them before watching them thats all. Telmah I think that you may have said it better than I could have, there are some "pure" romance shows that are very well done, but at least for me the majority of it is...well...not about relationships but about the perceived difficulties before you get into one. Its rather rare to find a "romance" show that actually shows a developing relationship, whereas with other kinds of shows...but I repeat myself. Another series that I just rewatched was Crest/Banner of the Stars, I remember reading about this show before watching it, about how Scifi it was, how it was the anime Star Trek, etc etc, and I didnt really get the impression about the two leads developing to the extent they did. Heh maybe even...Elfen Lied, I remember watching this show expecting it to be about NOTHING else than blood and gore, althou the "romance" part of it was a bit stereotypical, the concept still stands. Another one that just came to mind is Seto No Hayanome, althou almost always talked about for its romance, I found it rather nice, especially the final episode of the anime obviously had its share of touching moments. I guess I should rename the thread to imply anime that rarely are called "romance" animes but have a strong element of it in them, but I cant really think of any concise title that would say that.

2009-01-05, 13:24	Link #11
f4nt4 Member Join Date: Jul 2008	yeah, first time i watched macross i also thought it wasnt about romance, but about mecha and action all the way. i was really surprised when the romance theme suddenly keeping up and becoming an important aspect of the story. __________________

2009-01-06, 21:31	Link #12
Hakuoro917 Obsessed Anime Syndrome IT Support Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Fruitland Park, FL Age: 30	Hourglass of Summer OVA: It's only two episodes but The Emotion is really unique. A boy tries to save the one he loves by being able to travel back through time.