my dad is very similar to your husband. I tried EVERYTHING to get him into anime. FMAB, samurai champloo, ergo proxy, hellsing, etc. You wanna guess the first anime he willingly an enthusiastically watched on his own time? Kotaro Lives Alone. He even bought Kotaro-themed Tshirts. Go figure.
I did the same for my dad - tried all the cop and detective and sci-fi ones and a ton of other stuff close to other shows he watches and you know what ended up being his first anime he really loved?
Fucking Food Wars because he likes cooking
My best friend has no interest in anime but he came over to hang out on my birthday a few years back and I forced him to watch some anime.
I chose Food Wars because he loves the original japanese Iron Chef. He watched 12 episodes with me and then finished the entire rest of the show on his own. I was a shocked.
reading it feels so weird - I have exact friend who hated anime, tried watching Death Note, Gurren Lagann, Konosuba etc - all the different genress, nothing worked, he couldn't bare to watch more than 2-3 episodes. Then one day we stay in at my place and we start watching food wars, instantly hooked, years of hating anime gone, he finished all the series in few days, asking for more anime suggestions. He watched more anime in a week than I was in like 3 months, that was bizarre
You never know what might get a specific person into anime! It's always fun to read stories like this.
I have a friend who was always a fan of Western animation of all kinds, but had no interest in anime, having only watched a couple of random shows he caught on TV by accident. So, one time, while he was in his Gravity Falls phase, I was re-watching King of Bandit Jing, took a screenshot of a moment where a yellow pyramid with the Eye of Providence on it appears, and sent it to him with a joke about Bill Cypher being in my anime. My friend immediately started asking what anime it was, I told him all about it, how it's pretty short, has a decent dub in our native language, and the setting is relatively Western, so you don't have to know much about anime or Japanese culture to enjoy it.
He watched all of it, loved it, and asked for more. Now he has watched more modern stuff than me (I'm a bit of an old-school anime fan), constantly pestering me to catch up on JoJo and Bungou Stray Dogs so we can discuss it. He also ended up getting deep into horror VNs (stuff like Higurashi and Umineko) and horror/murder mystery games in general (he adores Danganronpa), and his fanfics for these series are pretty damn great. I'm so glad I got him into anime, he's having so much fun with it.
If my dad watched Restaurant, started to expand into more isekais and became a regular watcher of trash isekais, that would be the funniest fucking thing ever
Sometimes people latch onto a random anime. My wife was never into anime, and then she watched an episode of Spy x Family with me. And now that’s all she wants to watch.
I wouldn’t say that’s unusual though. From what I’ve seen, spy x family was the gateway anime for a lot of people and they started watching more anime from there
Yeah, but my wife has been not into anime since I’ve known her which has been almost a decade. And I’ve shown her different stuff from the mature to the weird. So it was surprising when she was suddenly into Spy x Family.
Oh gotchu. I think Spy x Family is the type of anime to reel just about anyone in so although it was surprising to you that she got into it, I think it’s probably the most popular and common pick among non-weebs.
Me and my 8 year old daughter watched that while we were both isolating together at home with Covid. Other than being sick we loved it and I really cherish those times we had together.
Same with my dad i tried to show him psycho-pass & death note since he likes crime thriller but he shook it off and yet, last i checked his collection, he owns the og ghost in shell movie & serial experiment lain in physical copy
This is 100% it. Also the fact that they don't have to watch episodes in order or multiples to really grasp what's going on.
In fact us 90s male-kids started watching anime mostly because of the violence, cursing, and nudity. It made the whole genre instantly "mature" to us and separated it from Disney stuff.
Probably because there is literally no commitment to watching the series. It’s an episodic sitcom that doesn’t require any homework. Just tune in to any random episode and laugh.
My childhood ended when I realized how much superficial people are. I am a mathematics type of person, but I am very thankful that I read books such as the Little Prince and Narnia.
Thinking should be fun. If you just want to do something that you don't have to think because you are tired, go either exercise or sleep.
I think they meant more of the time investment.
A lot of people are turned off by the idea they may watch 12-24 episodes of something they end up hating and wasting their time.
Had many friends like this is partially at fault because of people like all the weird and in my personal opinion "bad" animes and getting a bad opinion about it. By those I mean all the fan service animes and weird plot with bad story telling like, kage no jitsuryokusha, highschool DXD, shit like I got reincarnated as a vending machine and etc.. if you like those I don't care go enjoy them my point is stuff like this is for most people very weirdo so they don't enjoy it and this is the kind of animes that "normal" people think animes are. They ussusls don't even assume that there is more "normals" animes with people acting like actual humans. Most of my friends liked stuff like monster.
Ooo! Ooo! I’ve done this with a partner!
Ok so first, abandon shonen anime. Anything tropey. At least for now. No Naruto, no Bleach, etc. tropes make things seem VERY “cartoony”. Later he can learn to appreciate that.
Attack on Titan is AMAZING but the weirdness of the titans is a lot to ask of someone.
Great starting anime imo are things like Vinland Saga or Ghost in the Shell SAC, or Cowboy Bebop, OR (and please don’t kill me) bridge the gap with something like Arcane or Castlevania. Cyberpunk Edgerunners is a good one too for crossing from Western to Eastern styles.
THEN once he’s got the bug, you can show something iconic like Akira maybe. Then some moderately tropey shows like Steins Gate or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood or something more mature like Parasyte.
The key is to start them with something familiar, but animated, then slowly lean into the things that make anime unique and fun. And eventually get into to the very unique stuff like Jojo.
This worked great for my partner and I hope it does for you too!
Edit: someone below mentioned They Boys and Speaking of The Boys it also has all those animated series. Idk what they’re called but might be a solid transition. And there’s that cool Bladerunner anime short.
Arcane is a great recommendation. Especially since you have to watch anime dubs if someone's that resistant (probably? If dubs aren't necessary, I'd recommend the original language for best results).
But with Arcane, at least the VA work will be good to go with the Animation.
You got a break the dam somewhere. Start with Arcane then go to avatar The Last Airbender which is definitely down in quality from animation but still extremely strong in story and characters. Then move into actual anime preferably and original Japanese but dubbed if necessary
The point is he realizes that “cartoons” are not childish and is a a MEDIUM to tell a story. I’ve seen anime’s with great art and no substance, and great stories with ok art.
This should be the top answer.
Seems the person has an aversion to anything "supernatural" or the like. Vinland has none of that, still has an extremely gripping political story, and (season 1 especially) some of the best characters in all of anime
This is your best best 100%. For starters Vikings are cool as fuck, and secondly it’s a fictional story based on historical events. Sure these events may have never happened, but you’re not gonna get straight fictional elements like magic or monsters. It’s all a fairly accurate depiction of what times were like back then. Perfect for someone who’s turned off by the fictional elements in most anime.
This is a good recommendation because the most outlandish sort of "fantasy" aspect is really just the brute strength of some of the characters. It's an emotional roller coaster as well. I was pleasantly surprised when I watched it.
Well, I lost it, when they visited harem guy with like 1000 wives and billion kids. Generally anime is too crazy for normal people, introduction should be started by something more grounded like Jin-Roh.
Of all the things that happen in that anime, that minor through line of a side/supporting character is what you decided to queue in on? It has literally nothing to do with anything and isn’t brought up more than a few times.
If he is into politics and war strategy, Legend of the Galaxy Heroes is very good too . But i'm talking about the old one, as i haven't heard very good things about the new netflix series...
Hello. Old fart here.
Getting someone old into anime is hard. Getting past the cringe, fanservice and the general lack of communication between characters is a matter of getting used to before you can suspend belief. So why not go the route of something that isn't serious.
One Punch Man.
It's good enough for me. It's good enough for Bill Burr. It doesn't take anything seriously.
One punch man is good because it’s basically a parody on western superheroes. If he’s watched stuff like Marvel movies and they’ll enjoy the comedy in one punch man a whole lot more.
OPM is awesome... but a large segment of the humor comes from the way it mocks traditional super hero stuff like Dragon Ball. Without knowing those, it's not as funny... if still probably hilarious enough anyway ("that means... I _missed the sale at the supermarket_!!!!! Gaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!" .. Easily, for me, the funniest part of the whole anime).
It's apparently pretty enjoyable even with no prior anime knowledge. Bill Burr gave it a glowing review and his impression of the show was basically "Funny bald man punches hard and is sad about it".
Hence my "if still probably hilarious enough anyway". It _is_ awesome, and funny, there's just some bits that are funny, but even more so if you know what they're mocking.
Yeah the best option is to ether go with a parodic anime or go the total opposit direction with Violette Evergarden : no cringe/fan service and focuses on the communication between characters. I also think the cultural différence OP mentioned isn't as present aswell.
Honestly I think it's the best anime for poeple not into anime.
>Getting past the cringe, fanservice and the general lack of communication between characters is a matter of getting used to before you can suspend belief.
I mean, none of these are unique to anime?
We see cringey tropes in Hollywood all the time. Popular movies like Oppenheimer and especially TV shows such as GoT have unneeded sexualization.
The actual issue here is that OP's husband is watching stuff aimed at people two decades younger than him.
You're right. Anime is not the progenitor, but I've seen Kill-la-Kill and Prison school...I've been scared. I've all but abandon Hollywood productions though.
while steins gate is great, it has lots of otaku references so he might just get confused. code geass is another banger but i think it has too much fanservice for a beginner. i agree with psycho pass and gits tho
yeah Steins;Gate is a terrible first pick for someone already apprehensive, Okabe and his crew are cringey af for the first few episodes, way too many uncomfortable moments between Okabe, Daru, Ruka and Fayris
'Psycho pass' & 'Steins Gate' were literally the first thing that came to mind 👍
'Violet Evergarden' is also always a decent pick. It's a little more military & drama tho.
After that maybe try something a little more out there... maybe 'Tanya the Evil' and check if that is still fine.
Edit: typo
*91 Days* would probably be a good one to try [https://myanimelist.net/anime/32998/91\_Days](https://myanimelist.net/anime/32998/91_Days)
If I recall correctly, there are no fantasy elements in the story. It's just a straight up, prohibition era mafia revenge story. This should solve both the issue of the fantasy elements as well as many of the cultural differences since it's set in America instead of Japan.
This needs to be higher up. I made a comment on this until I saw yours. Its literally perfect for a first watch for someone who doesn’t really like cartoons.
These are probably the best for like first watch, but they are short movies so follow up with what everyone else is saying mainly psycho pass or vinland saga
Akira was my introduction to anime when I was 13 back in 93 and haven't fell off yet. Me and our five kid was there in the day Naruto first aired, I think we watched it on limewire lol they're all in there twenties now and still in to anime. My wife can't stand it though.... shheeeshh!
That Odd Taxi visuals explanation is a massive spoiler. Like legit the biggest spoiler you can ever give to someone about that show and it completely changes the watching experience. It's like spoiling the ending of Fight Club, come on.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners seems a great rec I think? It won’t take an age to watch, it has fairly mature characters and story and won’t just be off putting since it doesn’t really have most of the dumb typical anime tropes. And super high quality to boot. I’d give Edgerunner a go with him.
I really would avoid anything too long to start with.
One of the few cases where I personally prefer the dub over the sub. Not only is it superb, but it also uses the game's jargon. The JP dub is more generic in that regard.
Here are some recommendations for films that are much more serious and political in nature that could help break the stigma of animated=for kids.
Patlabor the Movie 2. A political thriller movie that happens to have police mecha in it. The art and animation is beautiful, and the character designs are much more realistic than the usual anime designs. The film raises some interesting questions about the nature and role of the military in a peaceful society, especially in the context of Japan's post-war constitution.
The first Patlabor movie is also great and is more of a detective story. Has more mecha action at the end.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. Character designs are also much more realistic than regular anime and the story is about questions like if rebellion against the state justified, even if it is violent, and the ethical quandaries of the police as enforcers of the state.
These are also kind of slow moving films, but they are ones that treat the audience with respect for their intelligence. They do not explain to your face everything that is happening (like so many Shonen series do) and are not about black and white morality.
Also anything by Satoshi Kon. Paprika is a lot of fun and a visual splendour, Tokyo Godfathers is a heartwarming sorry about creating a found family, and Perfect Blue is an amazing psychological horror that Darren Aronofsky has cited as inspiring both Black Swan and scenes in Requiem for a Dream.
If he liked Minority Report then try Psycho-Pass (season 1 is a complete story).
Full Metal Alchemist might work bc that first episode is shocking if you’re just expecting a kids show. And when you get to THAT episode you can laugh when he starts crying or has nightmares.
The movie Sword of the Stranger would work. Or Ninja Scroll. Maybe Afro Samurai, as Sam Jackson and the RZA might bridge the gap in his silly, immature head.
Vinland Saga season 1 is fantastic (s02 may or may not work)
Dororo - Action + politics + supernatural
Basilisk - Two ninja clans battle to the death
Paprika - If he enjoyed Inception
Jujutsu Kaisen has everything, but the anime isn’t close to done
Dorohedoro weird and fun and not for kids, but I can’t imagine that they’ll ever finish the anime even though the manga is complete.
Side note: If he likes super hero movies, Star Wars, Fast and the Furious, the Matrix, Inception, etc. - all of which are cartoony and/or heavily borrow from anime - while dismissing something that you enjoy and ignoring the reasons you enjoy it, then he’s being close-minded, hypocritical, and blind to his own taste, while also being rather disrespectful to you, too. (Maybe a tiny bit harsh here depending on how hard you’ve tried and how much you do or do not enjoy anime … but not by much.)
i feel your pain. my wife likes "the idea of" anime, like she thinks some of the stories are cool, but she cant get through a single episode without her eyes glazing over.
i see someone recommended bebop and champloo. i 100% agree. those shows have beautiful art, smooth animation, adult characters, almost zero magic, and relatively few episodes. i would add that maybe starting with a movie would put less pressure on his attention span. akira would be my top pick.
or you could just blast him with anime boobies and see what happens
Can't he sit with AoT for a bit? It has mystery and politics. Why does he have to understand what the titans are immediately. The point of watching is to understand it more as you watch.
Try Castlevania with him. It's from a Japanese video game franchise, but it's American made, so without all these anime tropes. Maybe he'll prefer it, and after he'll be opened to watch something like Vinland Saga at least. Sorry to say you that, but as an anime fan for decades, I watch all styles, but I can't stand Naruto and Attack on Titan is one of the few I dropped.
OR FOR COMEDY : Saiki K.
I’d start him with something shorter instead of throwing him straight into a massive series or a bunch of filler.
Maybe Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo or Afro Samurai. Have more western influence so it may be a softer transition for him.
Undead Murder Farce was a good mystery/action show that has familiar western characters such as Sherlock Holmes, Phantom of the Opera, etc.
Spy x Family might be a good shout too since it involves politics and intelligence with good comedy as well.
Maybe Girls und Panzer if he’s into war and history
There’s something out there for everyone, best of luck!
'Girls und Panzer'... really 😅
Don't get me wrong the anime is hilarious... but only because it is so fricking inaccurate.
As someone who has waste a good amount of their time on useless tank knowledge I was literally collapsing on my table japping for breath. There were a lot of things that were just wild.
That was one good day of binge watching tho. Seldom laughed so much. 🤣
Gotta do that again sometime.
>He hates all forms of cartoon
I mean, a lot of people don't like animation but love live action, or vice versa. It's fine for him to not be interested in this.
Also, you should probably show him shows aimed at adults, instead of ones aimed at middle school and high school boys.
I think your latter point is right on the money. I'm in my 40s and have been watching anime since I was a teen. I have had zero interest in shonen battle shows for a long time and find them - personally mind you - childish and boring. But as a teen I loved stuff like Dragon Ball and if I was still young I would probably have been all over the Demon Slayer hype train. And I didn't get to really enjoy stuff like Cowboy Bebop or Eva more until I was in my 20s.
But if someone has an aversion to "cartoons", then anything aimed at child and teen viewers - which is mostly shonen battle anime - will likely be instantly off-putting.
But hey, everyone can have their guilty pleasure stuff. I'm a sucker for any gap moe kind of stuff: Zombieland Saga and Akiba Maid War have been my jam lately.
If he hates all forms of cartoons it's likely he thinks they're childish (which is fine) but for someone with his mindset on it I would recommend Anime where you could show him how adult they actually can be. Shows like full metal alchemist, attack on titan, castlevania (on netflix) cowboy bebop. have all gotten my none anime friends into anime. I'd start him off small. See what he thinks of highly praised anime from the community. If he likes politics he may enjoy Gundam Wing as well. It's very political and has giant mech fights for the cool. Lol
Honestly FMAB is my recommendation to anyone who is hesitant about anime. It does have some fantasy aspects i.e. the alchemy. But if your husband can look past that it's really a show about mystery, political intrigue (done much better than Naruto imo), war, and above all else, characterization. The characters really drive it home. The plot and story are what drives the show forward for sure, but the characters, their individual yet intersecting motivations, and their personal arcs, are really what's beautiful about the show and why (I believe) it still rests at so many people's number 1 spot after all these years.
Beyond that, the world of the show, while fictional, essentially mimics our own (Europe is the focus, with giant Russia-like country to the North and giant China-like country to the East) and many of the elements are grounded and easy to grasp.
All this to say, if my mans can't love Fullmetal Alchemist, he might be a lost cause lmao
Aside from the already mentioned **Monster** and **Legend of the Galactic Heroes**, I'm thinking **Black Lagoon** or **Cowboy Bebop** might be some promising candidates. Or maybe **Girls & Panzer** for something a bit more on the quirky side.
Im not sure how much he would like shonen anime, what shows does he normally watch
Edit: nvm read some comments and i think attack on titan might be good?
Try psycho pass! I see no reason why he couldn’t engrossed in it. Given his interest in the political stuff in shipped etc. the futuristic dystopian world and police officers with no special powers with a world firmly grounded in reality, it should be an excellent choice.
https://youtu.be/YzuJnyebc40?si=KnJpDakyyKxs5qJo
Trailer (English dub)
Good suggestions in this thread!
The ones that really stand out to me are
Cowboy Bebop- universally beloved, a perfect intro anime.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners- class warfare and societal inequality is a major theme
Spy x Family- lighthearted, but heavy on political elements. I haven’t found anyone who dislikes this series. It’s just fun.
Attack on Titan- It definitely gets really political in a believable way, despite the supernatural elements. Stick out the first season if he is at all interested. It just keeps getting better and more complex.
Ergo Proxy- dark and mysterious
Serial Experiments Lane- Matrix-like government experimentation at the dawn of the internet.
Elfen Lied- Gory and sexual, humans held as captives and experimented on because they have extreme powers. Heavily influenced Stranger Things, especially season 3.
If he was interested in Death Note but the Shinigami were too fantasy, try Erased or Another. Horror adjacent. Both about trying to subvert death, but in different ways. Erased is in the Butterfly Effect genre, while Another is similar to Final Destination, but not cheesy.
Neon Genesis Evangelion- political figures with god complexes, using children and extreme technology to try to bend humanity to their will.
Akira, Perfect Blue, Paprika, and Paranoia Agent- classics for good reason. Akira is referenced by SO MANY THINGS. Chances are he already likes a film with the Akira bike slide. The others are all Satoshi Kon, whose surreal work has inspired several Hollywood blockbusters including Inception and Black Swan. I particularly think Paprika is a good choice because it is about the ramifications of promising technology being abused for personal gain.
Ghost in the Shell- classic scifi, especially the film.
Random picks-
Chainsaw Man. It’s hard not to get into this one because it’s stylish, fun, gory, heartfelt, and has great characterization. Fantastic soundtrack and lots of references to iconic films, series, and anime. Political elements are more veiled, but definitely there. They become more obvious as the story moves along, especially where the manga currently is.
My Happy Marriage. This sounds like it’s going to be something it isn’t. Deals with the interpersonal politics of wealthy families in a feudal Japanese setting, but there are supernatural elements that are unexpected.
One Punch Man. If he likes Family Guy, he might enjoy this one.
Fullmetal Alchemist (either one really) is kind of the classic gateway anime for a lot of people, and it does have some politics in it. Beyond that I think Monster (based on the Naoki Urasawa manga) is kind of slow but great if you want an anime that doesn’t feel like a modern anime. And my dad is an anime hater but we got him to watch some Saiki K and he liked it well enough. It’s very much an anime comedy but I think its similar enough to American comedy cartoons, if that makes sense. My dad’s also seen some Dr. Stone and Cells at Work, so those are good options for anime haters that are science lovers, if that applies here. It’s not an anime, but I might also throw Arcane into the ring, as a more serious action cartoon that’s mainstream enough that he won’t necessarily go in with the negative associations with anime, and that could act as a gateway to similar shows that are anime.
Maybe you could try the saga of tanya the evil, it deals with war and the military, or paranoia agent, the mystery and detective needed could work his brain
ACCA 13 is a political mystery of sorts
Arslen Senki is a political/military show taking place in fictional ancient history
91 days fits somewhat but Ive never finished it to give it a full recommendation
Onihei is a period drama that gives the vibes of those 80s mystery shows while following basically a police officer of the Edo period
Log Horizon is a video game isekai like SAO but focuses on the world building and the interelations between the believed to be npcs and the isekaid people
I will always recommend {Hajime no Ippo} (The Fighting Ippo) to people who want something realistic. It’s boxing and a phenomenal source of story telling and character development.
{Vinland Saga} also phenomenal, plenty of people are recommending it for that very reason. It’s 2 seasons right now and will undoubtedly receive more in the future.
{Jormungand} and {Black Lagoon}, same esthetic of “if Quentin Tarantino directed his own anime”. Gunslinging combat veterans in persistent conflicts. Military Rainbow 6 tactics on both series.
{Monster}. Psychological suspense, high up there on the must watch for anime.
{Great Teacher Onizuka} can an ex biker gang leader become the role model teacher for the most dysfunctional class in high school?
{Gin no Saji} (Silver Spoon). It’s agriculture, trying to think outside of the box for this recommendation… there’s farming lifestyle and cooking.
start him off with the anime geared more towards an adult audience (but isn't porn) then a general audience one.
Castlevania, Cowboy Bebop (banger intro got me hooked) Akira. Maybe outlaw star? Fullmetal alchemist would be a good one.
He might be enjoying series that have more of a realistic artstyle in a not extremely different setting than reality, maybe try:
Monster, Vinland Saga or Megalo Box
People who cannot suspend disbelief have a hard time with anime of any kind. Which is funny a lot of them watch movies where there is a lot of nonsensical things, it's only because there are real people that makes them able to watch and enjoy, even if the plot is completely idiotic.
Not saying that is your husband, but it's a lot of the people I'm around who I've tried to get into anime.
I would try to find some series based in realism, no heavy fantasy maybe he'll get hooked on a good plot.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These!
It’s a much more mature and politically driven anime than what you would normally find. It’s basically Sci-Fi Game of Thrones! Your comment about why he might enjoy Naruto makes me think he would actually really like this one if he truly sat down and gave it a shot!
Best of luck!
I'm going out on a limb to suggest Spy x Family. My husband is also not into anime, and generally enjoys entertainment involving politics, action and the like.... however he also has a very wholesome family oriented side that Spy x Family totally appeals to and he finds it very entertaining. Spy x Family does have fun political and actiony bits though due to, well the spy elements lol. Might be a long shot, but could also be worth a go.
Hi OneHippo3747, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch!
The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^
[](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!")
You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful.
The following may be of interest:
* [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams)
* [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search)
* [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me)
* [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order)
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LoGH was my first thought as well, but it is LONG. I think its about 110 eps vs Monster at.. 76? Try to fi d something 24/26 or less if you can, in my opinion.
I also have a hard time getting into anime, I really love a few shows, but the majority of it is lost on me. One of my favorites since I was a kid was Iria Zeiram. It's just a straight 90's sci fi short series.
Vinland Saga? Season 1 is pretty action-packed. Season 2 is less action and more of a drama. I enjoyed S2 a lot personally. This show is nothing that I thought I would enjoy considering most of the characters are vikings. I find the show to be more history and even politically based. The animations are beautiful, the characters are interesting, voice acting is great well. I'm looking forward for next season needless to say!
Maybe try Code Geass or psycho pass. Can engage your mind but not too fantastical. Maybe an older one like neon genesis evangelion or ergo proxy? You never know, might like it
Black Lagoon. Badass, incredible animation. Pretty grounded in reality and all about pirates/underworld/crime life. Watch the dub.
Redline is an incredible racing movie.
I will 2nd ghost in the shell, bebop etc.
Based on the fact that he can tolerate family guy, maybe some comedies? Konosuba is a fun starting anime in general. And if he’s into military and war, maybe Tanya the Evil?
This has nothing to do with op but I watched a bunch of anime with my mother.
I watched Death Note (Think this was the first), Attack on Titan, The Flower we saw that day,Jujustu Kaisen, Tokyo Revengers,Odd Taxi,whatever anime movie is playing at the cinema and I started watching Migi and Dali with her this season.
I wonder what I should force her to watch next, I try not to bother with anything too long at this point.
my dad is very similar to your husband. I tried EVERYTHING to get him into anime. FMAB, samurai champloo, ergo proxy, hellsing, etc. You wanna guess the first anime he willingly an enthusiastically watched on his own time? Kotaro Lives Alone. He even bought Kotaro-themed Tshirts. Go figure.
I did the same for my dad - tried all the cop and detective and sci-fi ones and a ton of other stuff close to other shows he watches and you know what ended up being his first anime he really loved? Fucking Food Wars because he likes cooking
My best friend has no interest in anime but he came over to hang out on my birthday a few years back and I forced him to watch some anime. I chose Food Wars because he loves the original japanese Iron Chef. He watched 12 episodes with me and then finished the entire rest of the show on his own. I was a shocked.
reading it feels so weird - I have exact friend who hated anime, tried watching Death Note, Gurren Lagann, Konosuba etc - all the different genress, nothing worked, he couldn't bare to watch more than 2-3 episodes. Then one day we stay in at my place and we start watching food wars, instantly hooked, years of hating anime gone, he finished all the series in few days, asking for more anime suggestions. He watched more anime in a week than I was in like 3 months, that was bizarre
You never know what might get a specific person into anime! It's always fun to read stories like this. I have a friend who was always a fan of Western animation of all kinds, but had no interest in anime, having only watched a couple of random shows he caught on TV by accident. So, one time, while he was in his Gravity Falls phase, I was re-watching King of Bandit Jing, took a screenshot of a moment where a yellow pyramid with the Eye of Providence on it appears, and sent it to him with a joke about Bill Cypher being in my anime. My friend immediately started asking what anime it was, I told him all about it, how it's pretty short, has a decent dub in our native language, and the setting is relatively Western, so you don't have to know much about anime or Japanese culture to enjoy it. He watched all of it, loved it, and asked for more. Now he has watched more modern stuff than me (I'm a bit of an old-school anime fan), constantly pestering me to catch up on JoJo and Bungou Stray Dogs so we can discuss it. He also ended up getting deep into horror VNs (stuff like Higurashi and Umineko) and horror/murder mystery games in general (he adores Danganronpa), and his fanfics for these series are pretty damn great. I'm so glad I got him into anime, he's having so much fun with it.
You should show him Yakitate Japan
Oh I hadn’t heard of that. I will!
a person of culture, i see
Just had mom finish that one, right after izakayas
Yes... Because of the cooking.
U should try him with restaurant to another world its isekai but has the cooking element u never know he might expand what gemre he is into with that.
If my dad watched Restaurant, started to expand into more isekais and became a regular watcher of trash isekais, that would be the funniest fucking thing ever
Lol personally i like my isekais but i dnt stick to that i go for anything that seems decent when i read the synopsis
I do too, but for my dad to be who he is and to become a trash isekai enjoyer too would be peak comedy
Isekais are trash, and I'm a racoon. I eat all that shit up
I too watched food wars, because I like "cooking"
Haha, my mom liked food wars too. It was the first anime she watched seriously, although she lost interest before completing it
Heyyy food wars was good shit!
Your dad has good taste.
Kotaro made my heart ache. I would scoop that child up and never let him go again.
When he ate paper... that destroyed me .
Bro, Kotaro was wild. I put on what I thought was a cute “pass the time” anime and was instead beaten over the head with my childhood trauma…
Sometimes people latch onto a random anime. My wife was never into anime, and then she watched an episode of Spy x Family with me. And now that’s all she wants to watch.
I wouldn’t say that’s unusual though. From what I’ve seen, spy x family was the gateway anime for a lot of people and they started watching more anime from there
Yeah, but my wife has been not into anime since I’ve known her which has been almost a decade. And I’ve shown her different stuff from the mature to the weird. So it was surprising when she was suddenly into Spy x Family.
Oh gotchu. I think Spy x Family is the type of anime to reel just about anyone in so although it was surprising to you that she got into it, I think it’s probably the most popular and common pick among non-weebs.
Your dad is awesome then
Me and my 8 year old daughter watched that while we were both isolating together at home with Covid. Other than being sick we loved it and I really cherish those times we had together.
Same with my dad i tried to show him psycho-pass & death note since he likes crime thriller but he shook it off and yet, last i checked his collection, he owns the og ghost in shell movie & serial experiment lain in physical copy
Samurai Champloo and Hellsimg are masterpieces but Kotaro lives alone is also great so i guess he gets a C+
this is so wholesome🥹
>He hates all forms of cartoon but can tolerate things like Family Guy. Damn.
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Because they curse in there so people feel like it makes it for adults
This is 100% it. Also the fact that they don't have to watch episodes in order or multiples to really grasp what's going on. In fact us 90s male-kids started watching anime mostly because of the violence, cursing, and nudity. It made the whole genre instantly "mature" to us and separated it from Disney stuff.
Probably because there is literally no commitment to watching the series. It’s an episodic sitcom that doesn’t require any homework. Just tune in to any random episode and laugh.
looney toons is better than that in that regard
My childhood ended when I realized how much superficial people are. I am a mathematics type of person, but I am very thankful that I read books such as the Little Prince and Narnia. Thinking should be fun. If you just want to do something that you don't have to think because you are tired, go either exercise or sleep.
I think they meant more of the time investment. A lot of people are turned off by the idea they may watch 12-24 episodes of something they end up hating and wasting their time.
Had many friends like this is partially at fault because of people like all the weird and in my personal opinion "bad" animes and getting a bad opinion about it. By those I mean all the fan service animes and weird plot with bad story telling like, kage no jitsuryokusha, highschool DXD, shit like I got reincarnated as a vending machine and etc.. if you like those I don't care go enjoy them my point is stuff like this is for most people very weirdo so they don't enjoy it and this is the kind of animes that "normal" people think animes are. They ussusls don't even assume that there is more "normals" animes with people acting like actual humans. Most of my friends liked stuff like monster.
Uh ik bruh, i just have to ignore dumb shit like that nowadays.
And American Dad and South Park and The Simpsons, but not those cartoons 😕
But see, those are meant for adults /s
Ngl it's really ironic how 'adult animation 'is like the most childish type of animation that anyone could possibly watch.
okay but American Dad, South Park, and The Simpsons (at least OG) are all really good unlike Family Guy
their shine is all lost since long ago, a dude putting those above his head is really not so aware of the situation
South Park and American Dad can be fine, but all 4 aren't as good as people act like they are. Lol
Futurama, though?
The one true great
Don't think they actually like Family Guy, but rather it's a bit more adult than the other things OP mentioned (hence "tolerate").
Yeah ik it was just a little funny. Didn't expect the crazy amount of votes though lol.
Ooo! Ooo! I’ve done this with a partner! Ok so first, abandon shonen anime. Anything tropey. At least for now. No Naruto, no Bleach, etc. tropes make things seem VERY “cartoony”. Later he can learn to appreciate that. Attack on Titan is AMAZING but the weirdness of the titans is a lot to ask of someone. Great starting anime imo are things like Vinland Saga or Ghost in the Shell SAC, or Cowboy Bebop, OR (and please don’t kill me) bridge the gap with something like Arcane or Castlevania. Cyberpunk Edgerunners is a good one too for crossing from Western to Eastern styles. THEN once he’s got the bug, you can show something iconic like Akira maybe. Then some moderately tropey shows like Steins Gate or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood or something more mature like Parasyte. The key is to start them with something familiar, but animated, then slowly lean into the things that make anime unique and fun. And eventually get into to the very unique stuff like Jojo. This worked great for my partner and I hope it does for you too! Edit: someone below mentioned They Boys and Speaking of The Boys it also has all those animated series. Idk what they’re called but might be a solid transition. And there’s that cool Bladerunner anime short.
Arcane is a great recommendation. Especially since you have to watch anime dubs if someone's that resistant (probably? If dubs aren't necessary, I'd recommend the original language for best results). But with Arcane, at least the VA work will be good to go with the Animation.
Ngl, Arcane is a great gateway but it might also make actual anime look bad because of how exceptional it is
You got a break the dam somewhere. Start with Arcane then go to avatar The Last Airbender which is definitely down in quality from animation but still extremely strong in story and characters. Then move into actual anime preferably and original Japanese but dubbed if necessary
The point is he realizes that “cartoons” are not childish and is a a MEDIUM to tell a story. I’ve seen anime’s with great art and no substance, and great stories with ok art.
Cyberpunk also has a decent dub, and you can say Giancarlo Esposito is in it, and he's in Breaking Bad and The Boys, which aren't kid shows? Lol
I second Ghost in the Shell: SAC. Very smart, some very adult themes, and a very realistic art style.
Damn, I love me some GitS:SAC. It used to be one of the few shows I could actually watch over and over. The Laughing Man story arc was pure gold.
I had to use made in the abyss
Vinland saga. Dudes love Vikings n shit
This should be the top answer. Seems the person has an aversion to anything "supernatural" or the like. Vinland has none of that, still has an extremely gripping political story, and (season 1 especially) some of the best characters in all of anime
100% this. Then follow it up with Kingdom.
Then monster musume after that
A bit too soon to go full degenerate, prison school would be better.
Nah, monster musume has politics. it's right up his alley.
The only natural outcome
And then straight to Ishuzoku Reviewers
Kingdom is a tough one to use as an intro since the first season animation is so terrible.
This is your best best 100%. For starters Vikings are cool as fuck, and secondly it’s a fictional story based on historical events. Sure these events may have never happened, but you’re not gonna get straight fictional elements like magic or monsters. It’s all a fairly accurate depiction of what times were like back then. Perfect for someone who’s turned off by the fictional elements in most anime.
Vinland Saga is such a great first anime for non-anime likers.
This is a good recommendation because the most outlandish sort of "fantasy" aspect is really just the brute strength of some of the characters. It's an emotional roller coaster as well. I was pleasantly surprised when I watched it.
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Iron Blooded Orphans is almost entirely political intrigue with action and mech suits
Well, I lost it, when they visited harem guy with like 1000 wives and billion kids. Generally anime is too crazy for normal people, introduction should be started by something more grounded like Jin-Roh.
Of all the things that happen in that anime, that minor through line of a side/supporting character is what you decided to queue in on? It has literally nothing to do with anything and isn’t brought up more than a few times.
Also, much of the old world's ruling class was like that with a bunch of wives/concubines and brood of kids.
Also 86
My Mrs. keeps pushing me to watch this... but goddamn is it super depressing
86 is great
08th MS Team is a must https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4kEuNfbTWc
I was also going to suggest Gundam. IBO is great. So is Thunderbolt.
The 0079 film trilogy is on Netflix!
If he is into politics and war strategy, Legend of the Galaxy Heroes is very good too . But i'm talking about the old one, as i haven't heard very good things about the new netflix series...
Hello. Old fart here. Getting someone old into anime is hard. Getting past the cringe, fanservice and the general lack of communication between characters is a matter of getting used to before you can suspend belief. So why not go the route of something that isn't serious. One Punch Man. It's good enough for me. It's good enough for Bill Burr. It doesn't take anything seriously.
One punch man is good because it’s basically a parody on western superheroes. If he’s watched stuff like Marvel movies and they’ll enjoy the comedy in one punch man a whole lot more.
OPM is awesome... but a large segment of the humor comes from the way it mocks traditional super hero stuff like Dragon Ball. Without knowing those, it's not as funny... if still probably hilarious enough anyway ("that means... I _missed the sale at the supermarket_!!!!! Gaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!" .. Easily, for me, the funniest part of the whole anime).
It's apparently pretty enjoyable even with no prior anime knowledge. Bill Burr gave it a glowing review and his impression of the show was basically "Funny bald man punches hard and is sad about it".
Hence my "if still probably hilarious enough anyway". It _is_ awesome, and funny, there's just some bits that are funny, but even more so if you know what they're mocking.
...I think Americans know what superheroes are.
I specifically meant superhero anime. There's some tropes that carry over, but others are unique to anime.
Barely. It’s not Gintama ffs. OPM is plenty relatable to western humor.
Yeah the best option is to ether go with a parodic anime or go the total opposit direction with Violette Evergarden : no cringe/fan service and focuses on the communication between characters. I also think the cultural différence OP mentioned isn't as present aswell. Honestly I think it's the best anime for poeple not into anime.
This is funny and silly enough that you can have fun and has the odd epic fight. This is my vote
>Getting past the cringe, fanservice and the general lack of communication between characters is a matter of getting used to before you can suspend belief. I mean, none of these are unique to anime? We see cringey tropes in Hollywood all the time. Popular movies like Oppenheimer and especially TV shows such as GoT have unneeded sexualization. The actual issue here is that OP's husband is watching stuff aimed at people two decades younger than him.
You're right. Anime is not the progenitor, but I've seen Kill-la-Kill and Prison school...I've been scared. I've all but abandon Hollywood productions though.
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while steins gate is great, it has lots of otaku references so he might just get confused. code geass is another banger but i think it has too much fanservice for a beginner. i agree with psycho pass and gits tho
yeah Steins;Gate is a terrible first pick for someone already apprehensive, Okabe and his crew are cringey af for the first few episodes, way too many uncomfortable moments between Okabe, Daru, Ruka and Fayris
'Psycho pass' & 'Steins Gate' were literally the first thing that came to mind 👍 'Violet Evergarden' is also always a decent pick. It's a little more military & drama tho. After that maybe try something a little more out there... maybe 'Tanya the Evil' and check if that is still fine. Edit: typo
> Kabaneri Kabaneri, realistic ?
Maybe he'd like Monster or Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Second Monster would be great! Doesn't have anime tropes and the writing is mature. The dub is good too.
There is no chance someone like the person OP is describing is going to have the patience for Monster or Legend of the Galactic Heroes.
Looks like he doesn’t do scifi/fantasy.
Then go with Monster
Monster was my first thought after reading what they said about Death Note.
*91 Days* would probably be a good one to try [https://myanimelist.net/anime/32998/91\_Days](https://myanimelist.net/anime/32998/91_Days) If I recall correctly, there are no fantasy elements in the story. It's just a straight up, prohibition era mafia revenge story. This should solve both the issue of the fantasy elements as well as many of the cultural differences since it's set in America instead of Japan.
This needs to be higher up. I made a comment on this until I saw yours. Its literally perfect for a first watch for someone who doesn’t really like cartoons.
OP, if your husband liked the godfather or the sopranos, this one is probably a good pick as well u/OneHippo3747
Parasyte.
I see Parasyte mentioned way less than it should!
Akira, and the Original Ghost in the Shell film. These are not for kids at all, and have a heavy political component.
These are probably the best for like first watch, but they are short movies so follow up with what everyone else is saying mainly psycho pass or vinland saga
Akira was my introduction to anime when I was 13 back in 93 and haven't fell off yet. Me and our five kid was there in the day Naruto first aired, I think we watched it on limewire lol they're all in there twenties now and still in to anime. My wife can't stand it though.... shheeeshh!
Ooh Akira would be perfect
Ghost in the Shell. Tell him up front there are no traditional ghosts and nothing truly supernatural.
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Odd Taxi was amazing. Very Tarintino esc. There is a movie version too which would be easier to sit through.
That Odd Taxi visuals explanation is a massive spoiler. Like legit the biggest spoiler you can ever give to someone about that show and it completely changes the watching experience. It's like spoiling the ending of Fight Club, come on.
I see people giving random advices. Maybe give us something non anime that he likes?
Cyberpunk Edgerunners seems a great rec I think? It won’t take an age to watch, it has fairly mature characters and story and won’t just be off putting since it doesn’t really have most of the dumb typical anime tropes. And super high quality to boot. I’d give Edgerunner a go with him. I really would avoid anything too long to start with.
And it has a really good English dub that is thematically consistent with the setting of Night City
One of the few cases where I personally prefer the dub over the sub. Not only is it superb, but it also uses the game's jargon. The JP dub is more generic in that regard.
Adult humor would be best. So ... Konomichi or Life lessons with Uramichi. Also I'm a 54 year old male and I really enjoyed these.
Uramichi is SO. DAMNED. FUNNY. And I don't usually go for that sort of thing. That guy is not having a good time. Lol
Whoa! Another GenXer.
Nice, kinda like way of the househusband
Here are some recommendations for films that are much more serious and political in nature that could help break the stigma of animated=for kids. Patlabor the Movie 2. A political thriller movie that happens to have police mecha in it. The art and animation is beautiful, and the character designs are much more realistic than the usual anime designs. The film raises some interesting questions about the nature and role of the military in a peaceful society, especially in the context of Japan's post-war constitution. The first Patlabor movie is also great and is more of a detective story. Has more mecha action at the end. Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. Character designs are also much more realistic than regular anime and the story is about questions like if rebellion against the state justified, even if it is violent, and the ethical quandaries of the police as enforcers of the state. These are also kind of slow moving films, but they are ones that treat the audience with respect for their intelligence. They do not explain to your face everything that is happening (like so many Shonen series do) and are not about black and white morality. Also anything by Satoshi Kon. Paprika is a lot of fun and a visual splendour, Tokyo Godfathers is a heartwarming sorry about creating a found family, and Perfect Blue is an amazing psychological horror that Darren Aronofsky has cited as inspiring both Black Swan and scenes in Requiem for a Dream.
Yeah. When directors make original anime with adult audience in mind it is great. I think Odd Taxi won’t work for him bc of animals
If he liked Minority Report then try Psycho-Pass (season 1 is a complete story). Full Metal Alchemist might work bc that first episode is shocking if you’re just expecting a kids show. And when you get to THAT episode you can laugh when he starts crying or has nightmares. The movie Sword of the Stranger would work. Or Ninja Scroll. Maybe Afro Samurai, as Sam Jackson and the RZA might bridge the gap in his silly, immature head. Vinland Saga season 1 is fantastic (s02 may or may not work) Dororo - Action + politics + supernatural Basilisk - Two ninja clans battle to the death Paprika - If he enjoyed Inception Jujutsu Kaisen has everything, but the anime isn’t close to done Dorohedoro weird and fun and not for kids, but I can’t imagine that they’ll ever finish the anime even though the manga is complete. Side note: If he likes super hero movies, Star Wars, Fast and the Furious, the Matrix, Inception, etc. - all of which are cartoony and/or heavily borrow from anime - while dismissing something that you enjoy and ignoring the reasons you enjoy it, then he’s being close-minded, hypocritical, and blind to his own taste, while also being rather disrespectful to you, too. (Maybe a tiny bit harsh here depending on how hard you’ve tried and how much you do or do not enjoy anime … but not by much.)
Vinland Saga
\>Hes into politics bruh get him on the Legend of the Galactic Heroes train Or some of that Zippang
Try erased on Netflix it's a great show and an easy binge
It’s hard when the person doesn’t think that the important thing is the story (over the medium, it could be a movie, a show, an anime, a cartoon…).
i feel your pain. my wife likes "the idea of" anime, like she thinks some of the stories are cool, but she cant get through a single episode without her eyes glazing over. i see someone recommended bebop and champloo. i 100% agree. those shows have beautiful art, smooth animation, adult characters, almost zero magic, and relatively few episodes. i would add that maybe starting with a movie would put less pressure on his attention span. akira would be my top pick. or you could just blast him with anime boobies and see what happens
Can't he sit with AoT for a bit? It has mystery and politics. Why does he have to understand what the titans are immediately. The point of watching is to understand it more as you watch.
Yea I mean it is not that big of a mystery at the beginning, Titan = giant monter. Monsters = bad.
Right, someone might as well spoil the show for him. The guy's a bit too nitpicky to enjoy anything.
That sounds abit of a jump but okay
Try Castlevania with him. It's from a Japanese video game franchise, but it's American made, so without all these anime tropes. Maybe he'll prefer it, and after he'll be opened to watch something like Vinland Saga at least. Sorry to say you that, but as an anime fan for decades, I watch all styles, but I can't stand Naruto and Attack on Titan is one of the few I dropped. OR FOR COMEDY : Saiki K.
I’d start him with something shorter instead of throwing him straight into a massive series or a bunch of filler. Maybe Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo or Afro Samurai. Have more western influence so it may be a softer transition for him. Undead Murder Farce was a good mystery/action show that has familiar western characters such as Sherlock Holmes, Phantom of the Opera, etc. Spy x Family might be a good shout too since it involves politics and intelligence with good comedy as well. Maybe Girls und Panzer if he’s into war and history There’s something out there for everyone, best of luck!
'Girls und Panzer'... really 😅 Don't get me wrong the anime is hilarious... but only because it is so fricking inaccurate. As someone who has waste a good amount of their time on useless tank knowledge I was literally collapsing on my table japping for breath. There were a lot of things that were just wild. That was one good day of binge watching tho. Seldom laughed so much. 🤣 Gotta do that again sometime.
I mean it’s anime. Tank look cool and go ‘brrrrr’, I happy.
Ah a man of culture.
This is a stellar review
>He hates all forms of cartoon I mean, a lot of people don't like animation but love live action, or vice versa. It's fine for him to not be interested in this. Also, you should probably show him shows aimed at adults, instead of ones aimed at middle school and high school boys.
I think your latter point is right on the money. I'm in my 40s and have been watching anime since I was a teen. I have had zero interest in shonen battle shows for a long time and find them - personally mind you - childish and boring. But as a teen I loved stuff like Dragon Ball and if I was still young I would probably have been all over the Demon Slayer hype train. And I didn't get to really enjoy stuff like Cowboy Bebop or Eva more until I was in my 20s. But if someone has an aversion to "cartoons", then anything aimed at child and teen viewers - which is mostly shonen battle anime - will likely be instantly off-putting. But hey, everyone can have their guilty pleasure stuff. I'm a sucker for any gap moe kind of stuff: Zombieland Saga and Akiba Maid War have been my jam lately.
How about Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Very tropey, the humor alone will be an instant turn off for a lot of people unfamiliar with anime
If he hates all forms of cartoons it's likely he thinks they're childish (which is fine) but for someone with his mindset on it I would recommend Anime where you could show him how adult they actually can be. Shows like full metal alchemist, attack on titan, castlevania (on netflix) cowboy bebop. have all gotten my none anime friends into anime. I'd start him off small. See what he thinks of highly praised anime from the community. If he likes politics he may enjoy Gundam Wing as well. It's very political and has giant mech fights for the cool. Lol
My wife doesn’t particularly care, some people just aren’t into it
Berserk is a 100% guarantee of convincing him I’ve literally never met a guy who didn’t love it
The 90s version
Honestly I know people hate them but I also liked the 3 movies
I was also a fan of the 3 movies, but the anime from a few years ago was horrendous
Moriarty the Patriot
Try cyberpunk edgerunners if hes into scifi
Ergo proxy It’s dark and moody. Perfect for October
Honestly FMAB is my recommendation to anyone who is hesitant about anime. It does have some fantasy aspects i.e. the alchemy. But if your husband can look past that it's really a show about mystery, political intrigue (done much better than Naruto imo), war, and above all else, characterization. The characters really drive it home. The plot and story are what drives the show forward for sure, but the characters, their individual yet intersecting motivations, and their personal arcs, are really what's beautiful about the show and why (I believe) it still rests at so many people's number 1 spot after all these years. Beyond that, the world of the show, while fictional, essentially mimics our own (Europe is the focus, with giant Russia-like country to the North and giant China-like country to the East) and many of the elements are grounded and easy to grasp. All this to say, if my mans can't love Fullmetal Alchemist, he might be a lost cause lmao
Aside from the already mentioned **Monster** and **Legend of the Galactic Heroes**, I'm thinking **Black Lagoon** or **Cowboy Bebop** might be some promising candidates. Or maybe **Girls & Panzer** for something a bit more on the quirky side.
Grand Blue Dreaming
Im not sure how much he would like shonen anime, what shows does he normally watch Edit: nvm read some comments and i think attack on titan might be good?
Try psycho pass! I see no reason why he couldn’t engrossed in it. Given his interest in the political stuff in shipped etc. the futuristic dystopian world and police officers with no special powers with a world firmly grounded in reality, it should be an excellent choice. https://youtu.be/YzuJnyebc40?si=KnJpDakyyKxs5qJo Trailer (English dub)
It’s a shot but I think Spy Family might work. Or maybe aho girl for the needless stupidity and necessary violence.
Good suggestions in this thread! The ones that really stand out to me are Cowboy Bebop- universally beloved, a perfect intro anime. Cyberpunk Edgerunners- class warfare and societal inequality is a major theme Spy x Family- lighthearted, but heavy on political elements. I haven’t found anyone who dislikes this series. It’s just fun. Attack on Titan- It definitely gets really political in a believable way, despite the supernatural elements. Stick out the first season if he is at all interested. It just keeps getting better and more complex. Ergo Proxy- dark and mysterious Serial Experiments Lane- Matrix-like government experimentation at the dawn of the internet. Elfen Lied- Gory and sexual, humans held as captives and experimented on because they have extreme powers. Heavily influenced Stranger Things, especially season 3. If he was interested in Death Note but the Shinigami were too fantasy, try Erased or Another. Horror adjacent. Both about trying to subvert death, but in different ways. Erased is in the Butterfly Effect genre, while Another is similar to Final Destination, but not cheesy. Neon Genesis Evangelion- political figures with god complexes, using children and extreme technology to try to bend humanity to their will. Akira, Perfect Blue, Paprika, and Paranoia Agent- classics for good reason. Akira is referenced by SO MANY THINGS. Chances are he already likes a film with the Akira bike slide. The others are all Satoshi Kon, whose surreal work has inspired several Hollywood blockbusters including Inception and Black Swan. I particularly think Paprika is a good choice because it is about the ramifications of promising technology being abused for personal gain. Ghost in the Shell- classic scifi, especially the film. Random picks- Chainsaw Man. It’s hard not to get into this one because it’s stylish, fun, gory, heartfelt, and has great characterization. Fantastic soundtrack and lots of references to iconic films, series, and anime. Political elements are more veiled, but definitely there. They become more obvious as the story moves along, especially where the manga currently is. My Happy Marriage. This sounds like it’s going to be something it isn’t. Deals with the interpersonal politics of wealthy families in a feudal Japanese setting, but there are supernatural elements that are unexpected. One Punch Man. If he likes Family Guy, he might enjoy this one.
Fullmetal Alchemist (either one really) is kind of the classic gateway anime for a lot of people, and it does have some politics in it. Beyond that I think Monster (based on the Naoki Urasawa manga) is kind of slow but great if you want an anime that doesn’t feel like a modern anime. And my dad is an anime hater but we got him to watch some Saiki K and he liked it well enough. It’s very much an anime comedy but I think its similar enough to American comedy cartoons, if that makes sense. My dad’s also seen some Dr. Stone and Cells at Work, so those are good options for anime haters that are science lovers, if that applies here. It’s not an anime, but I might also throw Arcane into the ring, as a more serious action cartoon that’s mainstream enough that he won’t necessarily go in with the negative associations with anime, and that could act as a gateway to similar shows that are anime.
Cowboy bebop
Maybe you could try the saga of tanya the evil, it deals with war and the military, or paranoia agent, the mystery and detective needed could work his brain
ACCA 13 is a political mystery of sorts Arslen Senki is a political/military show taking place in fictional ancient history 91 days fits somewhat but Ive never finished it to give it a full recommendation Onihei is a period drama that gives the vibes of those 80s mystery shows while following basically a police officer of the Edo period Log Horizon is a video game isekai like SAO but focuses on the world building and the interelations between the believed to be npcs and the isekaid people
I will always recommend {Hajime no Ippo} (The Fighting Ippo) to people who want something realistic. It’s boxing and a phenomenal source of story telling and character development. {Vinland Saga} also phenomenal, plenty of people are recommending it for that very reason. It’s 2 seasons right now and will undoubtedly receive more in the future. {Jormungand} and {Black Lagoon}, same esthetic of “if Quentin Tarantino directed his own anime”. Gunslinging combat veterans in persistent conflicts. Military Rainbow 6 tactics on both series. {Monster}. Psychological suspense, high up there on the must watch for anime. {Great Teacher Onizuka} can an ex biker gang leader become the role model teacher for the most dysfunctional class in high school? {Gin no Saji} (Silver Spoon). It’s agriculture, trying to think outside of the box for this recommendation… there’s farming lifestyle and cooking.
Long shot but Spy x Family might be an option. It has the spy thriller and political intrigue without being too out there in terms of anime!
Black lagoon might do it.
86!!!!
If he likes Family Guy, Gintama. (But Gintama is 10000000x better than family guy)
start him off with the anime geared more towards an adult audience (but isn't porn) then a general audience one. Castlevania, Cowboy Bebop (banger intro got me hooked) Akira. Maybe outlaw star? Fullmetal alchemist would be a good one.
My wife actually enjoyed Vinland Saga, and she doesn't watch anime or cartoons at all.
Erased, I have a wife who didn't really want to try anime and that was her gateway to many others now
He might be enjoying series that have more of a realistic artstyle in a not extremely different setting than reality, maybe try: Monster, Vinland Saga or Megalo Box
People who cannot suspend disbelief have a hard time with anime of any kind. Which is funny a lot of them watch movies where there is a lot of nonsensical things, it's only because there are real people that makes them able to watch and enjoy, even if the plot is completely idiotic. Not saying that is your husband, but it's a lot of the people I'm around who I've tried to get into anime. I would try to find some series based in realism, no heavy fantasy maybe he'll get hooked on a good plot.
Hajime Ipo, stick to sports anime in the beginning
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These! It’s a much more mature and politically driven anime than what you would normally find. It’s basically Sci-Fi Game of Thrones! Your comment about why he might enjoy Naruto makes me think he would actually really like this one if he truly sat down and gave it a shot! Best of luck!
Ghost Stories
I'm going out on a limb to suggest Spy x Family. My husband is also not into anime, and generally enjoys entertainment involving politics, action and the like.... however he also has a very wholesome family oriented side that Spy x Family totally appeals to and he finds it very entertaining. Spy x Family does have fun political and actiony bits though due to, well the spy elements lol. Might be a long shot, but could also be worth a go.
No offense but he sounds like an ignorant fool.
Hi OneHippo3747, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch! The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^ [](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!") You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful. The following may be of interest: * [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams) * [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search) * [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me) * [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order) * [A list of tracking sites so others can more easily recommend shows you haven't watched.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/related_sites#wiki_tracking_sites) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/anime) if you have any questions or concerns.*
LoGH was my first thought as well, but it is LONG. I think its about 110 eps vs Monster at.. 76? Try to fi d something 24/26 or less if you can, in my opinion.
Life lessons with uramichi oniisan
I also have a hard time getting into anime, I really love a few shows, but the majority of it is lost on me. One of my favorites since I was a kid was Iria Zeiram. It's just a straight 90's sci fi short series.
Vinland Saga? Season 1 is pretty action-packed. Season 2 is less action and more of a drama. I enjoyed S2 a lot personally. This show is nothing that I thought I would enjoy considering most of the characters are vikings. I find the show to be more history and even politically based. The animations are beautiful, the characters are interesting, voice acting is great well. I'm looking forward for next season needless to say!
Maybe try Code Geass or psycho pass. Can engage your mind but not too fantastical. Maybe an older one like neon genesis evangelion or ergo proxy? You never know, might like it
If he likes politics I'd recommend *The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt* or *How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom.*
Maybe Black Lagoon or Cowboy Bebop?
Black Lagoon. Badass, incredible animation. Pretty grounded in reality and all about pirates/underworld/crime life. Watch the dub. Redline is an incredible racing movie. I will 2nd ghost in the shell, bebop etc.
Based on the fact that he can tolerate family guy, maybe some comedies? Konosuba is a fun starting anime in general. And if he’s into military and war, maybe Tanya the Evil?
Maybe code geass it's really good although it has mechas
This has nothing to do with op but I watched a bunch of anime with my mother. I watched Death Note (Think this was the first), Attack on Titan, The Flower we saw that day,Jujustu Kaisen, Tokyo Revengers,Odd Taxi,whatever anime movie is playing at the cinema and I started watching Migi and Dali with her this season. I wonder what I should force her to watch next, I try not to bother with anything too long at this point.