Anime and Manga for the over 30s

[Haggis]

Petshop of Horrors... tricky to describe.

The reason I said the artwork put me off is that it's in a Shojo style, lots of flowers, feminine looking men etc. but in a way this makes the deaths seem creepier when they do occur.

Plotwise, it's a bit like Gremlins, you buy a pet and have to follow certain rules like don't feed it after midnight etc. However each pet appears in a human form but still retain their animal nature (like a rabbit appears as a young girl to a couple who have just lost their daughter). So do they get treated as animals or as humans and which is better?

This is where the morals part kicks in, each story presents obvious moral lessons, it looks at the nature of animals, the nature of man, and tries to show how our natures are linked to our fate (it's all a very obvious greed and envy will lead to a bad end, and a good heart will have a happy ending type stuff). A lot of the fates turn out to be pretty bad though which is where the horror bit kicks in. Well worth a look.

[ILOVEJAPAN]

Originally Posted by Haggis

Petshop of Horrors... tricky to describe.

The reason I said the artwork put me off is that it's in a Shojo style, lots of flowers, feminine looking men etc. but in a way this makes the deaths seem creepier when they do occur.

Plotwise, it's a bit like Gremlins, you buy a pet and have to follow certain rules like don't feed it after midnight etc. However each pet appears in a human form but still retain their animal nature (like a rabbit appears as a young girl to a couple who have just lost their daughter). So do they get treated as animals or as humans and which is better?

This is where the morals part kicks in, each story presents obvious moral lessons, it looks at the nature of animals, the nature of man, and tries to show how our natures are linked to our fate (it's all a very obvious greed and envy will lead to a bad end, and a good heart will have a happy ending type stuff). A lot of the fates turn out to be pretty bad though which is where the horror bit kicks in. Well worth a look.

Hmm...sounds intersesting...but there is alot of other manga I need to purchase befor I even touch this...Its soooo frustrating because there is soooo much manga to get and I cant spend all my money, all the time
I actual like shojo art style (except the feminen men thats creepy) Its just that shojo storys are boring. But shojo art mixed with shounen story (and alittle of that gore that I love ) sounds really interesting. Thanks for the recomandation I think we have alot in common when It comes to anime and manga taste.

[IamKira]

Originally Posted by ILOVEJAPAN

I think she means when she has kids...

What do you mean SHE??????????????.....or are you just trying to spark my rage?????.....
just kidding.....but I am a male.......

[ILOVEJAPAN]

I just assumed because of all the sailor moon pics...which is not to say guys cant like sailor moon too...I like sailor moon and Im a guy...just I somtimes make guesses....IDK! Im sorry!

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Haggis

I often get the feeling that most people into anime and manga aren't quite as old as me and perhaps have different tastes. Anyone else here over 30? What sort of stuff do you like watching? Would appreciate it if you could recommend stuff I might like, my favourite Anime shows are:

Paranoia Agent
Serial Experiments Lain
Boogiepop Phantom
Neon Genesis Evangelion
and Monster

And as for Manga, well I feel there isn't much out there. I like Phoenix, Buddha, Blade Of The Immortal and Monster and will not even look at anything distributed by TokyoPop, perhaps they do some good stuff too though?

ANIME

009-1 comes out very soon, and I think it appeals to an older crowd as it borrows from so many places that I think we can see, both from older Japanese anime (like Cutey Honey, Dirty Pair,) and from Western sources (007, 60s spy movies)

A Phantom Memory: Kurau was very thoughtful, and I think it has a great appeal to an older (is 30 really that old? I hope not!) crowd.

I thought Bobobo Bo-BO-bobo (or something like that) was hilarious.

MANGA

Your best bet is Dark Horse Manga. MPD-Psycho is very mature, not only in content, but in complexity (in a GOOD way). The Scary Book series I think has more appeal to an older person than a younger one because of the frightening situations children are put into (especially as a parent). I would also highly recommend Museum of Terror (again, if you like horror) for very thoughtful and frightening modern classic scares.

Old Boy is also excellent. Violent and a mental puzzle at the same time.

What else? Mail, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Shaman Warrior, Lone Wold and Cub...

Not Dark Horse, but Death Note is insanely popular for a reason: it is that good.

I love really thought-provoking anime and manga, and am enjoying reading all your thoughts...

[Haggis]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I'm currently trying to work my way through them. I thought Paprika was really good - though I think I'll need to watch it again to get the most out of it (ie. understand what the hell was going on)

Jin-Roh just arrived in the post recently, am looking forward to seeing that and I've also ordered Kino's Journey. You don't hear a lot about it but it sounded really interesting so hopefully it should be good.

Anyway, manga's pretty hard to get hold of here, I managed to get museum of terror which I'm working through and if MPD psycho is anywhere near as good as the TV series then it should be worth a look too.

[ShibaInu]

Originally Posted by Haggis

Hi thanks for posting that list of recommendations, not heard about Paprika though I like all the stuff by Satoshi Kon, I know a lot of people rave about Paranoia Agent and Perfect Blue but I also highly rate Millenium Actress too... weird, trippy and dream like but in a good way.

Millenium Actress is also one of my fave anime films by Satoshi Kon...Aside from what have been said already by our fellow JF members, u can also try watching the following "old" anime films if u havent done yet...

1] Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
2] Akira (1988)
3] Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
4] The Ocean Waves (1993)
5] Ninja Scroll (1993)
6] Rurouni Kenshin OAVs (late 90s to early 2000s?)

[ILOVEJAPAN]

Originally Posted by MMM

ANIME

I thought Bobobo Bo-BO-bobo (or something like that) was hilarious.


Your best bet is Dark Horse Manga. MPD-Psycho is very mature, not only in content, but in complexity (in a GOOD way). The Scary Book series I think has more appeal to an older person than a younger one because of the frightening situations children are put into (especially as a parent). I would also highly recommend Museum of Terror (again, if you like horror) for very thoughtful and frightening modern classic scares.

Old Boy is also excellent. Violent and a mental puzzle at the same time.

What else? Mail, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Shaman Warrior, Lone Wold and Cub...

Not Dark Horse, but Death Note is insanely popular for a reason: it is that good.

I love really thought-provoking anime and manga, and am enjoying reading all your thoughts...

Your right Bobobo-bobo-bobo IS good. But deffinatly NOT somthing that is mature enough for most people over 30's to enjoy.

I love MPD Pshyco, but people keep saying its sooo mature, and perverse and sadistic. Its great but not quit worth all the buz. I read the first volume, and Ive seen soooo much worse. Maybe it will get more intence as the sereise proggresses. If you want somthing REALLY bad I recomend Koroshiya 1 (aka koroshiya ichi, or ichi the killer) or the works of Suehiro Maruo. Although I did LOVE the human flower pots!!!!! as for the comlexity its probably more phsycological then Koroshiya 1, and Maruo's works.

Scary Book was GREAT I LOVE Kazuo Umezuo. Did I recomend this one on my list? If I forgot, then, yes I also recomend this.

Yes Museum of Terror, the reprints of "Tomie" and (in volume 3) short stories by Junji Ito. Some of the most desturbing manga I have ever read. Some horror manga-ka just draw alot of people murderd and cut up. The twisted and deformed bodys that Ito draws are soooo much more creative! XD and in abondent quantatie like you've never seen before. Junji Ito is my favorite horror manga-ka. If you like Tomie, try Uzumaki. Also, Gyo is excelent, but not quite as good.

Old Boy is amazing! I loved peacing together the puzzle! You really get involved. The movie was great too. Also, the movie of, Ichi the Killer (Koroshiya 1), is one of the most violant movies you will ever see.

Kurosagi corpse delivery service, is WONDERFULL! Its from the same guy as MPD phsyco right? Personaly I liked Kurosagi better. I think it's more interesting, and has better gore.

Mail? Im not sure if I have heard of that. Description please.

Shaman Warior? Dont know what thats about...heh. Description?

Lone Wolf is good.

You didnt think Death Note was good???? You seem like the type who would love it! Its probably the MOST thought provocing manga, of anything you mentioned. Its very contreversial and phsycological. I love it, personaly. I highly recomend it.

I agree about dark horse thing. They publish alot of great adult manga. Viz does too, but its mixed in with teen manga.

Another dark horse manga I LOVE from dark horse, is Hellsing, I dont know if anyone likes pure gore fests with none of the psychological elements (besides me) but if you love gore, hellsing is amazing. So is the anime and the OVA, hellsing ultimate.

From viz, there is stuff like Dragon Head, The drifting class room, orochi, uzumaki, gyo, Adolf, and more. I also love Maison Ikkoku, yes its shojou, but even for people who dont usualy like romantic stuff, the comedy is HILLARIOUSE and will deffinatly keep you entertained. Also, even though shojou manga ussualy makes me sick with its sugar coated, sweet, sappy, descusting, romance, oozing with unrealalistic portraylse of young love. But Maison Ikkoku, is realistic, and its like real life. I highly recomend it.

[ILOVEJAPAN]

Originally Posted by Haggis

I managed to get museum of terror which I'm working through and if MPD psycho is anywhere near as good as the TV series then it should be worth a look too.

Museum of terror (tomie) is a favorite of mine. I really want to hear ho you like it.

I also LOVED the MPD Pshyco movie minie sereise. Although, I was alittle confused, and I wish they hadnt blured so much of it.

[ILOVEJAPAN]

Originally Posted by ShibaInu

[b]

1] Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
2] Akira (1988)
3] Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
4] The Ocean Waves (1993)
5] Ninja Scroll (1993)
6] Rurouni Kenshin OAVs (late 90s to early 2000s?)

Castle in the sky was good (I think, actualy I dont really remember that well) I think I rember it dragging on a little at the end.

Akira, is both trippy, and thought provoking, excelent movie. Also dragged on a little.

Grave of the firflies is waaaaaaay to depressing.

The Ocean Waves? Havent seen it. Can I have a description?

Ninja Scroll was a WONDERFULL movie! I loved the violance and sexieness. Where do you think of a poisen vagina????????? LOL

Ruroni Kenshin OVA's hmm? Havent seen it. I havent seen the tv sereise either, though.