Starter anime series you can watch with your adult family and friends
Are you feeling trapped? As I write this, it’s the weekend after Christmas. You may be surrounded by family. You’re probably all tired of one another by now, waiting for New Years celebrations to lighten up the environment before you all go your separate ways until Summer holidays, or next Christmas. Personally, this is a great opportunity to introduce your family to anime.
For this list, I’m only going to discuss series. If they’re members of an otaku’s family they’ve probably already been exposed to Ghibli films. They hate you for showing them Grave of the Fireflies. Some may have seen the quintessential anime, Akira decades ago. I also want to avoid well-known series like Dragon Ball Z. Death Note isn’t going to sucker your aunts into watching a series either. Also, the series have to be accessible. There’s no point in me recommending Ashita No Joe, since the only places you can get the DVDs are Japan and Australia.
Another parameter that I’ve put on my list is that the series is no longer than 2 seasons. You’re watching with beginners. The last thing that you should do is tax them with a series that they cannot complete. Also, where possible, I’ve selected series that are serial, but can be watched and appreciated episodically.
The following is my list of 5 starter anime for adults, that you can find legally, but are off the beaten track — in no particular order.
1/ Ben-To — I’m always stunned that this anime is never on lists for beginner anime viewers. It features action, adventure, and a strong plot. There are elements that remind me of Fight Club, however, the battles are for pre-cooked meals sold in corner stores and super markets. Who can’t relate to being a young, broke, hungry student?
2/ Durarara!! — This is one of my favorite anime. It had a run on Adult Swim. The series combines folklore, action, and adventure with a modern twist. Students and adults with super powers, co-exist with teen gangsters, Yakuza, a cursed sword living as a human being and a headless motorcycle rider in an urban neighborhood. Some residents seek power, but most are just trying to live a peaceful life within the melancholy. In this community, a new internet chat room is gaining popularity. Will the chatroom be used to create balance, or abused to create an even stronger gang? There is a second season to this series, but the first season stands on it’s own fairly well.
3/ Eden of the East — At one time, this was my favorite anime series. Beyond the single season there are 2 films that you will need to watch to complete the full story. That said, if your family likes the 24 TV series, or the Borne Legacy films, they might get sucked into the drama and adventure that make up the Eden of the East series. It starts with a young Japanese woman who nearly gets arrested outside of the White House, but is rescued by a naked Japanese man suffering from amnesia. After escaping, and returning to Japan, the two continue their adventures in an attempt to gain his memories. They soon realize that he’s in a game where the risks are life and death. His only clue, is his mysterious phone and the operator who purchases whatever he orders within his extremely large budget.
4/ Your Lie in April — I’ve seen this one on Netflix, it may be the easiest to find if you don’t want to check Crunchyroll, Aniplex’s Channel or Funimation. It’s about a teenager who is a former protege pianist. He falls in love with a beautiful violinist his age, who rejects him, but spends all her free time trying to get the main character back to playing the piano. This anime is full of well-played classical music and has stunningly beautiful backgrounds. Your family will need a box of tissues for this series as it nears it’s last few episodes.
5/ Welcome to the Ballroom — If classical music isn’t enough to convince that stubborn aunt, mother, or grandmother to watch anime with you, how about ballroom dancing? Yes, this is another 2 season anime, but it follows plot points of a number of hero and sport anime. It’s about a lost, weak kid who gains strength and confidence after finding something he loves. Like Ben-to it has a great sense of humor. It also has excellent classical and instrumental music similar to The Lie You Told in April. There’s no tragedy, or extreme violence, however, there are some sexual undertones and fan service. That said, you may be spun around the room by an enthusiastic relative while they blast ballroom music after watching this series. Watch with caution, or with a dance floor prepared in advance.
