No problem! I appreciate the comment. Just feels like someone took all the thoughts in the back of my mind and hit me full-force with them.
On another note, it's a shame I didn't take time back then to sit down with my parents and really watch Friends. They probably got a good kick out of it.
To be honest the boundary between Josei and Seinen isn't as clearly defined as it is for Shoujo and Shounen - even though it may look that way. There's far more crossover of themes, plots, etc - good examples being Usagi Drop and My Girl (by Mizu Sahara).
Ostensibly they're categorised as Josei stories, but that's mainly because people are often blinded by sexism - even if they don't realise it - and so any tale about raising a child will probably wind up in that category. Granted there are considerations like art style to take into account, but the actual themes, events, etc, are often a mix of Seinen and Josei.
Another example is Kurohime - which is categorised as a shounen manga when in reality it's closer to the Seinen genre. The art style can often make it look as though it's a Shoujo manga, but the themes are often much darker and more mature than is common for either Shounen or Shoujo.
Where Mushishi is concerned, there is an element of romanticism that stems from the idea of the wandering "hero" - and many of us have certain preconceived notions about what that means which is why the series can divide audiences - especially teenagers.
On the other hand Bartender speaks to the more mature audience - which is why many of the younger generation don't quite get some of the nuances in the series. Everyone understands what it means to have a sympathetic ear, but the younger generation of anime fans have probably never had to drown their sorrows. There's still an element of romanticism, but it's different and more subtle than the idea of the wandering hero.
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On another note, it's a shame I didn't take time back then to sit down with my parents and really watch Friends. They probably got a good kick out of it.
Ostensibly they're categorised as Josei stories, but that's mainly because people are often blinded by sexism - even if they don't realise it - and so any tale about raising a child will probably wind up in that category. Granted there are considerations like art style to take into account, but the actual themes, events, etc, are often a mix of Seinen and Josei.
Another example is Kurohime - which is categorised as a shounen manga when in reality it's closer to the Seinen genre. The art style can often make it look as though it's a Shoujo manga, but the themes are often much darker and more mature than is common for either Shounen or Shoujo.
Where Mushishi is concerned, there is an element of romanticism that stems from the idea of the wandering "hero" - and many of us have certain preconceived notions about what that means which is why the series can divide audiences - especially teenagers.
On the other hand Bartender speaks to the more mature audience - which is why many of the younger generation don't quite get some of the nuances in the series. Everyone understands what it means to have a sympathetic ear, but the younger generation of anime fans have probably never had to drown their sorrows. There's still an element of romanticism, but it's different and more subtle than the idea of the wandering hero.
Let's have sex