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Like others have said, I don't think you're looking hard enough. And just because a show has cute girls doesn't automatically make it the same as everything else. Kokoro Connect and Tari Tari are two examples of shows that have cute girls, but are both getting pretty drama-heavy with actual stories. Hyouka is another example. A few cute girls, but it's a pseudo-mystery/slice of life series with a story as well. And then there's pure ecchi like Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai and Hagure Yuusha no Estetica. So while I get what you're saying about fantasy and moe being prevalent in anime, I personally watch anime because I hate how boring and realistic the stuff on TV is. But even though I think you might prefer live-action shows over anime, the suggestions that others have given should be able to keep you occupied for the foreseeable future. You just have to look more in the past, as new anime doesn't seem to be your thing.

Not to mention that many shows with this "cute girls doing cute things" label have actually a clear comedic purpose and emphasis. So in the end this is nothing more than a simplification that usually doesn't cover the real characteristics of the show, which doesn't rely on cuteness factor itself as much as in comedy through character interaction.

If you think I stated generally with my post, then you reenforce my point, the sheer scope of fantasy and lifestyle anime genres in the anime industry. And again, I never said I prefer old or new anime.

In fact, I mentioned before I am watching Grave of the Fireflies and I'm taking suggestions from the MAL community, but instead just debating, for what anime, old or new that serve as exceptions.

I am thankful for those willing to debate, because I have no problem with debating this, but also recommend shows/movies for me. Further, I even made suggestions for other styles of anime that you do not see as often on page 2, if you want to see what anime of another kind could look like.

I think you took two random genres and went off the cuff from there. However, I don't think you actually took the time to go over any abundance of anime to actually back your "point". I also thought your point was a question to which you were unsure of the answer but it seems but it seems you weren't entirely earnest about the "?".

The problem is that "lifestyle genre" is something so vacuous that it could potentially include every single series, because developing the daily lives of characters in contrast with a conflict growing is something so common in fiction nowadays that trying to pack it as a genre is probably absurd. And fantasy exists sometimes as a main element, but in many others it's just the basis for exploring other genres (Death note comes to mind, the series is not about the power of the Death Note, it's about the social consequences of its existence and the fact it's owned by Light) and the number of shows that use stylistic fantasy, like those sports anime with impossible hits, the stylized fights or the exaggerated expressions in comedy, is again so high that labelling "fantasy" as a genre would create a false feeling that everything is the same.

Shows that are truly and entirely focused on slice of life and fantasy are probably the minority, and those that don't include any of these two elements to a relatively high extent are probably even more rare (even most of those I list (and I include Grave of the fireflies which narrates the lives of two kids in a specific period of time, therefore being slice of life) could easily be classified in that way), because these are more like narrative strategies than really genres. Lucky Star, K-On!, Azumanga Daioh, are clearly comedies, while Cowboy Bebop is an action/drama story. On the side of fantasy, Death note is a psychological thriller, Another is a horror series, Haibane Renmei is an introspective story, etc. The differences achieved by using the same basic strategy are potentially incalculable.

Nah. Ecchi.

I think if you had watched over 100 anime I would freely let you make this claim. But, you have watched even less anime than I have. A lot of animes do have some sort of fantasy element to them, but even so, they are often not very much concentrated on and don't play a major role in the anime.

Here are some I can think of:

Black Lagoon
Hetalia (if you understand history)
Eden of the East
Desert Punk

There are a lot of good ones though that do have a slight fantasy element... I'm trying to give you ones that have NO fantasy in them. I'd highly recommend Black Lagoon and Eden of the East though.

I guess I wasn't specific when I wrote lifestyle. By lifestyle I mean slice of life. Stories peering into the lives of young teenagers who (often) attend school, and settle little or larger conflicts with classmates and friends. Sometimes they focus on the girls trying to get the guy or vice versa.

By fantasy I mean, well, supernatural anime. Anime focusing on characters with special powers, psychic, super-strength, laser swords, or even god-sent notebooks that end people's lives. Most of these powers could serve as the premise for even American comics. I just think anime can go beyond that more often.

And by reenforcing my point. I meant you aren't debating, but supporting the idea that these genres kind of do rule the industry. They shouldn't sound like gross generalizations. They are specific in nature, and I even provide examples of anime that would not fall into the two. I can keep going.

Basically, I don't want these genres to dominate. Although many anime from the two are fantastic, I think tons more are not. Manga-ka have worn the genre, so I think anime has more potential storytelling differently.

Personally I think anime is much better suited for more fiction than real. It was the reason I started watching in the first place. If anything anime should take even more liberties and not be bound by its own conventions nor someones idea of "serious" storytelling.

Anime can tell fun, comedic stories outside the two genres.

Its not like its rare for a anime to not have fantasy elements or SoL elements.
Hell, most shows in the west also have elements of either of those 2 genre's.

But its not like Spice & wolf and gosick(for example) would be any different(aside from city names) without the fantasy elements. The only "fantasy" element in gosick is a fictional country in Europa in which the story takes place. And some just barely have any fantasy(or sci-fi) elements to them, like gunslinger girl(experimental cyborgs)

But kaiji, akiga, 30-sai no Hoken Taiiku, monster, black lagoon, one outs and candy boy have neither of those.

I think anime should drive greater focus on anime beyond the two genres, because as a medium, it tells stories in far more sophisticated and mature ways than western animation. It's also a much larger industry. I need to watch Spice and Wolf. I heard it was good.

The problem is that its very very easy for a show to belong to either of those 2. This goes for all series/movies in this world.

This. OP has way too vague definitions of what counts as "SoL" and "fantasy". Anime lacks strict realism because there are countless J/K-drama out there for people who look for more reality. It's just cheaper and easier to do all the things OP is looking for in live action. Anime gives room for imagination and variation which very often is used to venture to the supernatural side as the possibilities there are endless. Another strong point of anime is the art, and how cute it can be made, which leads to cute girls.


Care to give an example?

Durarara!!'s writers were exceptional. It is told in a fun, lighthearted way, it also doesn't distinguish itself as cute. I was a bit disappointed with the premise though. Again, I need to watch more to recommend more. I've received great recommendations thus far, so I believe it can and has been done.

I clarified over and over what I specifically mean with the two genres. I don't think they are general. I think the uniform focus on fantasy and imagination is great. It's just overdone. A little more anime separate from the genres, painted with the imaginative art anime brings to storytelling, would be welcomed.

DRRR! has fantasy elements.
And just becease it can be done, does not mean it will be done or should be.

But it seems you keep ignoring the fact that this does not only go for anime, it goes for all TV media/movies/series. So why single-out anime?

extremely realistic shows are more fit for live-action than anime, so if you want that, go watch those live-action shows.

I know DRRR! has fantasy elements. I said I was disappointed with the premise.
I single out anime because it can offer sophisticated, compelling stories separate from the two genres, unlike western TV animation, and it has already been done. I single out anime because I like anime. I like the art. And if it can go in more directions, isn't it narrow-minded to say it shouldn't? If it is dominated by fantasy and SOL, I don't think it should remain that way forever. For instance, even realistic story ideas, like an intense anime about mountain climbing could be very fun to watch.

Anime isen't the only form of story-telling dominated by fantasy and SoL elements, all forms of story-telling are(the fictional kind)

Western TV/K-J TV series can also tell compelling stories, it has nothing with where its from. Why is Japan the country that can tell the most compelling stories? can nobody in the west be at the same level as somebody from Japan?

Why would anime be better at creating a series without any SoL or fantasy elements? It makes no logical sense.

Which western animation or tv shows/movies can also do. Why does it have to be anime?
I understand it for the fantasy-heavy stuff, in anime like gunslinger girl, or anime with cute things in them.. but that idea?

Because maybe I prefer anime as a form of storytelling, over a live-action movie, or book. Some people prefer books over movies. Others podcasts over movies. I like Anime, in many cases, above other forms.

People have preferences. It doesn't make 'logical' sense for you to pin your preferences, of perhaps anime as a fantasy medium or SOL, on everybody else.


Why not depict Grave of the Fireflies, a Ghibli film set in World War 2, as a live action movie? It wouldn't be the same. That's why.