| A thread on the animeuknews forum about losing interest in anime made me want to create this thread here. Most (if not all) posters in that thread mentioned that at some point they had lost all motivation required to continue watching anime after watching a certain amount. Some reported that they became more interested again after a lengthy break and some didn't. I've been falling out of love with anime for a lengthy period. Like how I used to love playing RPGs and slowly stopped playing them as I got older, leaving me with a huge collection of unplayed games, I've found myself buying lots of anime and watching very little of it. I'm not the avid anime watcher I used to be; I'm now a collector who watches anime when bored. It's interesting that I've run into the same lack of motivation issue with two creations of Japan; anime and JRPGs. Both share many of the same issues, namely the main characters being made up of teenagers 90% of the time and a serious lack of originality. I suppose it's fair to say that playing and watching both at the same time made me lose motivation faster than I would've if I only enjoyed one of the two... Anyway. I've already watched most of the top tier series and I'm at the point where it's crystal clear just how many perverse, kiddy, bizarre and quite simply crap anime is out there. I'm far more difficult to please than I was when I was younger and, with most of the amazing anime in my past at this point, finding an anime that wows me is becoming increasingly difficult now. I had hoped that Code Geass R2, the sequel to one of my favourite series, would pull me back into anime with more of the same plot twist goodness that made me rate the first series so highly. However, the opposite ended up happening, with a huge increase in fan service and a serious decrease in the quality of the story (unexplained plot twists, unbelieve character actions, subplot removal, etc ) making me drop what I had hoped would reignite my anime flame after only 8 episodes. All that I hoped for failed to be, Code Geass R2 instead turning out to be a good series to view if you want to see all that's wrong with anime - Animation studios trying to please kids/perverts instead of trying to make awe inspiring works of art. There have been a few series since then that have shown me that there are still some bloody good series out there, Ah! My Goddess, an unoriginal but very well made series, being one of my last...but I've also watched El Hazard; a series that caters more to perverts than to people looking for an excellent adventure story and Last Exile; a series that looks good but is found seriously lacking in the story department. What I haven't seen lately is a series without a teenage cast, perverted rubbish and all the other stuff that's almost always in anime. The big problem anime has is that there aren't enough series aimed at adults. When I'm watching TV/movies I want an intelligent story to get my teeth into and not light pornography or simplistic teenage rubbish. I would love it if there were more series that focused on complete (in terms of growth) characters and not the usual teenage characters who are naive and shy around the opposite sex. If only manga authors and animation studios tried to please both old fans who grow up and new fans... Anyone else think the same way as me about this? |
AironicallyHumanNov 16, 2009 10:48 PM
| Cool story bro. I feel the same way; too many anime are aimed at young children. Hence the reason I drop so many series; it's all mostly shounen crap. You should watch Texhnolyze, Serial Experiments Lain, Ergo Proxy, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Witch Hunter Robin and Mushishi. These are aimed at a more adult audience and I think you'd like them. |
| It's rare to see someone else with Gankutsuou at the top of their list due to it being an OOP Geneon series (no-one wanted to bring it to Europe) that's based on a novel from a looong time ago. You have good taste. :) Mushishi is a name that's been chucked in my direction on a number of occasions. I'm thinking about downloading and watching it after I marathon Code Geass R2 (when it's finished) since I should be in the mood to watch more anime. The story certainly sounds intriguing. With regards to the others... I tried to watch Texhnolyze ages ago, stopping after the truly bizarre first episode. I wasn't able to get into Ergo Proxy or Lain in the past, but with a little effort I'm sure I'd be able to get into Ergo Proxy and enjoy it. I'm not really into stories set in futuristic settings; I prefer swords and sorcery over guns and robots. |
| yeah most of them are aimed for children. And you will not be disappointed form code geass R2 ;) |
 |
| Nicely written. I do get your point but i'm still around that young age, so i guess the problem you are facing will be slammed into my face someday although im currently enjoying ecchi and somewhat childish animes. |
 |
| You could always try reading more manga. If I could point to any ONE thing that has single handedly worked to undermine my faith in anime over the past few years it would have to be the emergence of moe and moe obsessed culture. |
  |
kie_ said: yeah most of them are aimed for children. And you will be disappointed form code geass R2 sorry had to fix that there |
|
| Yeah, Gankutsuou is amazing; definitely the best anime I've ever seen. To be honest, I cried a couple times (and still do) throughout the series. Cyberpunk isn't for everyone; however it's my favorite type of setting. I like to think of Ergo Proxy and a much more accesible version of Texhnolyze. As for "sword and sorcery" I want to recommend Shigurui but if you didn't like the first ep of Texhnolyze you might not like it since they have a similar atmosphere to them. You don't have much comedy anime on your list; you should watch Cromartie High School, the eps are only 10 minutes long and they left me laughing my ass off the whole time. |
| Kie, you're a bit late - I've already watched 1-8 of R2 and dropped it. I'm now waiting until all the episodes are out so that I can watch it in one go and not spend each week between the episodes moaning/arguing about it. Brett: I don't like reading manga on a PC screen (flickery vision makes it annoying) and that's why the amount of manga I've read is so small in comparison to the anime I've watched. I only read Naruto weekly (most of the time anyway) because Shippuuden is so horrible that it forced me to do so. With any luck, my Naruto Vol. 1-27 set will be sent shortly, which means I'll be seeing most of part 1 of Naruto, a series I'm fairly nostalgic about, for the first time in manga form. |
| @OP: Good post, and I agree. I only got into anime in the past few months, and I'm finding that the number of series targetted towards adults is vastly outnumbered by stupid shounen crap. For every intelligent, well written anime like Monster and Lain, there seems to be about ten generic shounen series with annoying characters and no originality. The amount of "fanservice" is equally as annoying. I don't understand the obsession in anime with lolicon and ecchi, it's disturbing and it cheapens the anime, as well as making people who watch anime look like perverts. BTW- I would say stick with Texhnolyze. I almost got turned off after the first episode as well, but it gets better. That said, if you're not into sci-fi it's probably not for you. |
| You touch on the same issues that make me wonder if I, too, will someday lose interest in anime as well. Right now I'm still enjoying it and still easily pleased by over-the-top silliness. I'm certain I will never entirely lose interest, since I have loved animation almost as long as I can remember, but it would be a pity to find myself in the same spot as you have, since anime is one of my longest-lasting hobbies. I don't have any series to recommend to you, but if you're in the mood for a nostalgic movie you might like Only Yesterday, from Studio Ghibli. It features a young woman (in her 20s) looking back at her childhood - you get to see her grow up a lot, which is neat. I also noticed that you liked the Nausicaa movie. Well, the manga is much better, mostly because it is a more complex and involved story, with better-developed characters - particularly Kushana, who becomes something of an antihero. |
| ahahha i def. know what you mean. i go in cycles of stuff i like to do. so like i watch a lot of anime for a while and then i get sick of the stuff and move on to reading novels or shopping. just keep it all in moderation and you should be ok. and it is pretty hard to find something that isnt aimed towards teenagers....although im only 17 so im ok with it for now. might i suggest ryoko's case file? the characters are adults and they arnt stupid. :) |
 |
Napalmbrain said: BTW- I would say stick with Texhnolyze. I almost got turned off after the first episode as well, but it gets better. That said, if you're not into sci-fi it's probably not for you. Agreed. I haven't finished Texhnolyze but after hearing it might be off-putting I actually watched the first episode later, starting with the second. It's still a bit unusual but somehow it just got more and more intriguing. Well, so far. I can sympathise with your post. I only just got into anime and partly because of that (ie. the stereotypes don't feel old yet) I can still watch some more childish or generic stuff.. But after trawling through many, many recommendations threads and similar I'm doubting I'll be able to maintain my interest long after I've finished what's already on my "on-hold" list or some on the plan to watch list. It's sad, because I really like animation as a style of entertainment.. and can't find much on regular television that's interesting. I guess I'll just have to go back to reading novels some day soon :P |
| Yes! You described how I felt about anime most of last year. I barely watched anime due to lack of interest as well. You're right on the majority of anime revolving around teenagers and their perverse, immaturity, big boobness thing too. The originality with a lot of these series are lacking tremendously and it sucks hardcore. I think the fact of the matter is that anime will always be aimed for people 18 and under (hentai doesn't count). People just don't think anyone of adult age will watch "cartoons". P.S. Code Geass R2 is either a HIT or MISS. |
   |
| It's pleasing for me to see so many people have (or are starting to) the same issues with anime I find myself having. It doesn't say much good for anime when so many people that are moving out of their teenage years are all suffering from the same lack of interest in something they all once loved... It makes me wonder if any of us who are still young(ish in my case!) will still be watching anime when we're nearer to 30. Until both manga authors and animation studios start to understand that they need to start trying to please young fans and old fans that grow up the cycle of new younger fans emerging and the same fans then stopping watching will continue endlessly. But, sadly, I can't see anything changing when anime has always been aimed at teenagers - Changes that people aren't going to want to make would need to be made. Still, it isn't all bad - There are some gems hidden. Noein is a great series for people looking to escape from the immaturity and perverted goings on that plague all but a few series. It can be picked up in America for as little as £10-15 - A bargain if there ever was one for what it is one of the best series out there. |
AironicallyHumanAug 24, 2008 11:30 AM
| I've had a similar experience. I used to watch whatever I could get my hands on when I was younger, but then I went on a several-year hiatus, save the odd Ghibli movie or good series. About a year and a half ago I got into watching it more regularly again, but even then, there's been week or month breaks. For me now, it's also a matter of time as well as interest. Even things I like I can't keep up with sometimes. With videogames I was more consistent when I was younger. I played them from elementary through high school, but again my time isn't as free as it used to be. And because I was out of touch with that scene, my interest started to wane. Even though there is loads of bad anime out there, I haven't "given up." Since I watch anime to be entertained, I don't get too upset if the storyline wasn't incredibly deep or original. I just care that it's well executed and entertaining without being too redundant or poorly written/acted. Basically, I try not to get sucked into hype and go in with no expectations, so if it's bad I can just drop it and not feel too disappointed. |
  |
Aionic said: Still, it isn't all bad - There are some gems hidden. Noein is a great series for people looking to escape from the immaturity and perverted goings on that plague all but a few series. It can be picked up in America for as little as £10-15 - A bargain if there ever was one for what it is one of the best series out there. Agreed. I watched Noein not too long ago and it made for a refreshing change to have a mostly teenage cast without the immaturity you might expect. Thanks for the tip by the way, that's a pretty good deal and I might very well check it out. |
Napalmbrain said: Agreed. I watched Noein not too long ago and it made for a refreshing change to have a mostly teenage cast without the immaturity you might expect. Thanks for the tip by the way, that's a pretty good deal and I might very well check it out. Yeah, it's very rare to see a group of animated teenagers not having unrealistic 'assets', talking about those unrealistic 'assets' and seeing a whole series of comedy sequences involving those 'assets'. I wish more series portrayed believable characters like those if there's a need for nearly every anime to have a young cast. The box set is well worth the low amount, by the way. You get five normal sized volumes, a nice looking box and a 1 hour extra that involves the director and Japanese voice actress of Haruka exploring the real version of where the story of Noein takes place. |
| Seconding what Animus said :)) ... cartoons are ment to be relaxing also ... and you people are forgetting that ... even my father watched Tom and Jerry for example with me when i was watching it (note .. that was like when i was 12 years old or so ) ... and i didnt even tell him to do that ... he just felt like relaxing and seeing stupid stuff happen ... You guys somewhat sound like people who live for anime and lately you havent got anything good out of them ... insted try and see that animes are made for your relaxation not for them to make ur head hurt from all the thinking ( you get that at work :P ) . I for one watch anime cose they deliver a good feeling when im watching them ... even if its just plain old laughs at stupid jokes / situations ... they are relaxing and help you get pass a bad day . |
AnimusNathan said: I think you're full of shit. That is sadly true, I must admit - I haven't gone to the loo for that today. And you claim to hate JRPGS yet you say you love swords and sorcery. Aren't most JRPGS just swords and sorcery? I haven't played any in a while but I remember most of them being swords and sorcery. This is taken from my first post: "Like how I used to love playing RPGs and slowly stopped playing them as I got older, leaving me with a huge collection of unplayed games" People who claim to need "maturity" are usually quite immature themselves. Why does it NEED to be aimed at an older audience? What's wrong with just enjoying simple and fun stories? Why do you HAVE to like either "mature" anime or "kiddy" anime? Once you see enough of something and grow up you start to want more. Kids don't stay watching Teletubbies and/or Power Rangers - They move onto something with more maturity when they reach a certain age because they start to find shows like that lacking in depth and understand that they're aimed at children. There's a point you reach where the perverted jokes you once found amusing start to lower the quality of what you're watching and make you feel like a pervert. Likewise, there's a point where seeing teenage characters go through the same hoops and be amazed with boobs starts to become boring. |
AnimusNathan said: People who claim to need "maturity" are usually quite immature themselves. Why does it NEED to be aimed at an older audience? What's wrong with just enjoying simple and fun stories? Why do you HAVE to like either "mature" anime or "kiddy" anime? Oh well, you'll be back after you realize that superficial things like "maturity" don't matter. Sometimes people just want a story that covers a more adult plot or has more adult characters. It's not to say there's anything wrong with the series & movies out there that aren't focused on that but some people get tired of it, never did find it to suit their personality or still like it but want some variety. I don't see how wanting maturity makes a person immature themselves, that seems like a ridiculous assertion to make. |
| Why do you think so many series have little kids piloting mechs and saving the world? Because little kids can relate to those characters. As you grow older you can't relate to a 12 year old in an orange jump suit so you want anime to develop and mature just as you have. |
| Why not? |
| Well people ... dont forget that even anime are mostly ment for like < 18 ... ( not talking about hentai ) ... and the " kids " that u see ... like 40 % of them are 14-16 and 35 % are 17-20 ... last ones have a age that its not ... little kinds ... but you just fail to see that :P |
AnimusNathan said: There are tons of mecha anime with adults. In fact out of all the genres of, mecha has the most adults. That was just an example. Of course their are mecha anime with adults. What I meant was that most anime uses children as a medium to relate to their viewers and thereby make them interested. I don't think a 10 year old boy would like watching a muscular hairy old man as much as someone his own age. |
| The reason for the young ages of characters in anime is that the creators want their stories to be appealing to the age group they're aiming at. If the story involves a teenage cast then teenagers will be able to relate to some of the emotions the characters go through, allowing those viewers to easily connect with what's happening. Likewise, the reason you don't see many series with adult casts is because the people who create these stories fear having no characters the reader/watcher can connect with would stop the target audience continuing with the story beyond the start. |
| I usually just drop the shows I don't like. Sure 90% of them are garbage but 10% of them are still jewels. Besides, the reasons I choose anime over books are that 1.the good ones still offer some depth and 2.it's easy to get into a series when I can just lay back on my couch and watch it, compared to reading books when sometimes it hurts my eyes and is more demanding for you brains. |
DarknessAngel said: Well people ... dont forget that even anime are mostly ment for like < 18 ... ( not talking about hentai ) ... and the " kids " that u see ... like 40 % of them are 14-16 and 35 % are 17-20 ... last ones have a age that its not ... little kinds ... but you just fail to see that :P We didn't fail to see it, it's what we're whingeing about in the first place :p |
AnimusNathan said: I think you're full of shit. It's always the people who have only watched the most popular stuff/a small amount that claim crap like "I've seen all the best anime" or "I am now too mature for anime" etc. And you claim to hate JRPGS yet you say you love swords and sorcery. Aren't most JRPGS just swords and sorcery? I haven't played any in a while but I remember most of them being swords and sorcery. People who claim to need "maturity" are usually quite immature themselves. Why does it NEED to be aimed at an older audience? What's wrong with just enjoying simple and fun stories? Why do you HAVE to like either "mature" anime or "kiddy" anime? Oh well, you'll be back after you realize that superficial things like "maturity" don't matter. There's nothing wrong with having "kiddy" anime around, the problem is the lack of the "mature" series in contrast to them. Believe it or not, some people just prefer more intelligent stuff than the usual shounen stuff. I watch a series like say, Noein, and I think, "That was a clever and original series. Why isn't there more of this kind of thing?" I can enjoy something child-orientated if it's funny and/or interesting (e,g. Darkness mentioned Tom and Jerry, which I can still get a good laugh out of when I watch it), it just happens that I prefer more adult-orientated series. |
Napalmbrain said: There's nothing wrong with having "kiddy" anime around, the problem is the lack of the "mature" series in contrast to them. Exactly. It isn't the amount of kiddy series that's the problem here; it's the serious lack of anime aimed at the younger fans who eventually grow into adults that's the issue. I having nothing against watching series like Naruto, but what I do have a problem with is seeing the same sort of stuff as Naruto over and over with very little in the way of series with intelligent story-telling. And, on a random note, me and you have given near enough the same ratings for the anime we've both watched. :) |
| Guys ... sincerily ... go watch some TV shows or Movies |
| People posting about this issue don't want to have to move away from anime in order to see stories that don't involve immaturity and perverse activities - They want to see what you're suggesting going elsewhere to see more in anime... |
DarknessAngel said: Guys ... sincerily ... go watch some TV shows or Movies You didn't stop to think that maybe we already watch TV shows and anime? Besides which, the existence of the seinen genre shows that not all anime is targetted towards under 18s. |
DarknessAngel said: Guys ... sincerily ... go watch some TV shows or Movies ...Being an anime board, we're not talking about live-action :/ Oh, and I do watch movies; I love movies. However I can't get into any current television series. Tried already. |
| yes it an anime board where u people state that ur borred about all the " kids " genres and u dont get any satisfaction from them ... you want Maturity ... and im giving you the solution to be able to get over it ... if anime wont give you what u want ... just go search for what you want yourself ... |
| The only live-action television series that amazed me was Firefly. Others are entertaining, such as Lost, but no live-action series have managed to entertain me in the way my favourite anime series have. Anyway, since this is a thread about adult/mature anime, why don't we try to suggest some of the lesser known gems that exist out there whilst we debate the right and wrongs of anime? :) Koi Kaze is 100% a series worth looking for if you like your anime serious and depressing. It deals with a taboo subject very few stories go near (incest) and tells the story without promoting incest or showing any ecchi moments. I typed up a long review awhile back if anyone wants to know more. |
DarknessAngel said: yes it an anime board where u people state that ur borred about all the " kids " genres and u dont get any satisfaction from them ... you want Maturity ... and im giving you the solution to be able to get over it ... if anime wont give you what u want ... just go search for what you want yourself ... Can't speak for everyone who posted here, but I have no problem watching stuff with teenagers and silly comedy and they do satisfy me to a good extent, I just would prefer it if there was more variety. It's perfectly relevant for me to want that within animation and not to have to look elsewhere; I like animation, it gives a different experience to live-action, to reading, etc. I'm "over it" - I'm not sitting over here crying in case you thought so ;) It's just nice to find people to complain with and sympathise with sometimes! |
| I have been watching anime for 17 years, and I agree that it can become tiring to see so many teenage/children heroes. But there ARE plenty of series with adult casts and more mature themes. They are just drowned out by the hype of all the trendy teen shows. You have to make some effort to dig around for the mature series and look for older shows too. As others have mentioned, there is some great stuff from the 70's-80's that is often overlooked because it isn't all smoothly computer animated like everything is today. Of the shows airing right now, you might like Ryoko's Case Files. It has a non-teen cast and has supernatural stuff in it (and humor). Another show you might enjoy is Planetes. I have found that a lot of people (well, females anyway) tend to progress from anime to live-action J-dramas (or Kdramas, etc) as they get older and "grow out" of anime. As for myself, there have been times when I got tired of it all and didn't like the sound of any anime series coming out in a particular season. When I discovered Jdramas 10 years ago, I became a happy camper. I could switch back and forth between the two. When anime gets boring, Jdramas are awesome :D |
| Like Shoujo? Visit: Emily's Random Shoujo Manga Page |
Aionic said: TAnyway, since this is a thread about adult/mature anime, why don't we try to suggest some of the lesser known gems that exist out there whilst we debate the right and wrongs of anime? :) In that case I'll use this chance to recommend Kino's Journey, Moyashimon and Kaiba, all of which are great series that don't seem to get the attention they deserve. |
Aionic said: Koi Kaze is 100% a series worth looking for if you like your anime serious and depressing. It deals with a taboo subject very few stories go near (incest) and tells the story without promoting incest or showing any ecchi moments. I typed up a long review awhile back if anyone wants to know more. I'll read your review :) I was curious about that anime and tried one episode before putting it aside (not necessarily permanently). It wasn't the incest that bothered me half so much as that the characters were so obviously far apart in age, even in the way they were drawn. I wondered what I would be letting myself in for, going any further. :/ MagicalEmi said: I have found that a lot of people (well, females anyway) tend to progress from anime to live-action J-dramas (or Kdramas, etc) as they get older and "grow out" of anime. As for myself, there have been times when I got tired of it all and didn't like the sound of any anime series coming out in a particular season. When I discovered Jdramas 10 years ago, I became a happy camper. I could switch back and forth between the two. When anime gets boring, Jdramas are awesome :D Those are usually about romance and other relationships, right? Nothing wrong with it, but it tends not to be what I'm interested in. Still, nice to hear you're a happy camper now ;) |
name_one said: MagicalEmi said: I have found that a lot of people (well, females anyway) tend to progress from anime to live-action J-dramas (or Kdramas, etc) as they get older and "grow out" of anime. As for myself, there have been times when I got tired of it all and didn't like the sound of any anime series coming out in a particular season. When I discovered Jdramas 10 years ago, I became a happy camper. I could switch back and forth between the two. When anime gets boring, Jdramas are awesome :D Those are usually about romance and other relationships, right? Nothing wrong with it, but it tends not to be what I'm interested in. Still, nice to hear you're a happy camper now ;) Hehe, that is like saying all anime is either aimed at kids or is hentai. Sure, there IS a good chunk that are romance/relationship-based, but there are also other genres like crime series, mysteries, comedies, other-occupation-focused series (like ones about lawyers or teachers, etc), some have supernatural elements. And they are almost all serialized, 9-12 episodes for a season, so they are collectible :D And a lot of them are based on the SAME manga that anime series are based on :) Which reminds me, Hataraki Man is another recent and often overlooked series with a non-teen cast. (and a live version was made too :) But anyway, back to anime :) |
| Like Shoujo? Visit: Emily's Random Shoujo Manga Page |
MagicalEmi said: Hehe, that is like saying all anime is either aimed at kids or is hentai. Sure, there IS a good chunk that are romance/relationship-based, but there are also other genres like crime series, mysteries, comedies, other-occupation-focused series (like ones about lawyers or teachers, etc), some have supernatural elements. And they are almost all serialized, 9-12 episodes for a season, so they are collectible :D But anyway, back to anime :) Haha okay, I apologise. I shouldn't make generalizations; that's just the very little I've heard about. Well, you made me curious now :) |
| Changing the subject slightly for a second, I noticed that Emi has only watched the first 7 episodes of Code Geass R2. Does that mean we now have 3 people in this thread (including the guy who mentioned his happiness at finding someone who shares the same thoughts about S2) who aren't happy with the direction the series went in S2? If so, we should get someone to rename this thread to 'The anti-Code Geass S2' in order to start a war with the numerous Geass fanatics who love it no matter what. :D I complained so much about S2 that I ended up getting into predictable weekly arguments with the regulars over on AnimeSuki. No-one else seemed bothered by the repeated content, the increase in fan service or the retarded plot twists. It frustrated the life out of me how everyone seemed happy with a sequel that, in my holy opinion, ruined the name of a wonderful series and ruined the chance of Code Geass ever being the best series ever. Part of me will want to type up a review after I marathon it but I've complained so much about the first 8 episodes that I've ended up tiring myself out! |
More topics from this board
» Best Trap Character in Anime? ( 1 2 3 )GoatPieceLuffy - 9 hours ago |
102 |
by LostSpectre
»»
17 seconds ago |
|
Poll: » Legs or arms?Absurdo_N - Yesterday |
27 |
by Zedlin
»»
2 minutes ago |
|
» Crunchyroll lawsuit ( 1 2 )billybub - Oct 10, 2023 |
52 |
by KittenCuddler
»»
3 minutes ago |
|
» What anime song (intro, outro, j-pop) of the ringtone do you use right now?Kiryotsu - 9 minutes ago |
3 |
by Daviljoe193
»»
3 minutes ago |
|
» What is your opinion on anime becoming mainstream? ( 1 2 )BroDa2545 - Apr 16 |
62 |
by Zedlin
»»
4 minutes ago |