Are There Any Realistic Anime?

[ryoko_52]

Putting aside giant robots, magical girls, super-powered martial artists, etc., has there ever been any anime or manga that has tried to stay as close to real life as possible :?

[december]

Grave of the Fireflies, Azumanga Daioh, Slam Dunk, Rebound...

[Mike Cash]

Realistic escapism?

[puKKa]

Rurounin Kenshin Trust & Betrayal and Reflection are not too unrealistic in my opinion.

[Duo]

I agree completely :)

[Flashjeff]

Well, how about Boys Over Flowers, His and Hers Circumstances, GTO, You're Under Arrest, Ai Yori Aoshi, Princess Nine, Love Hina, Chance Pop Session, Marmalade Boy, Maison Ikkoku.
:-)

[puKKa]

Love Hina is realistic? man I wounder what guy can take that much beating and still stand :P

Maybe Final Approach?

It's hard to draw a line of what a realistic anime is since most drama animes has chibi that is unrealistic(not that I don't like chibi, I love chibi ^^) and the series without chibi is often serious Fantasy or Sci-Fi animes.

Can you cound Gundam SEED as realistic since it's in the future?

Hikaru no go is realistic except for Sai but he's too cool ^^

[december]

As with anything fictional, there will be unrealistic elements to make it interesting. Even Passion of the Christ added in a few fictional elements. If one was to overlook certain elements in anime (such as the chibi form), then many of the animes listed would be close to reality.

GTO, for example, we all know a man couldn't really fall from about three or four story building, crash into a car, and get up and walk away like nothing ever happened. However, the idea of a man who is an ex-gang member trying to walk the straight and narrow by becoming a teacher is quite realistic. Even the scene on the bus - the Vice Principal was portrayed as a 'chikan' which is a big problem for women in Japan.

So yeah. It's all about learning to overlook certain elements. After all, anime is just a form of entertainment. For realistic entertainment, I suggest documentaries.

[thereisnospoon]

Koi Kaze whilst it may have a distasteful storyline, is I suppose realistic.

[joel.lindgren]

GTO, for example, we all know a man couldn't really fall from about three or four story building, crash into a car, and get up and walk away like nothing ever happened.


Are you sure? There are people who's parachute didn't work when sky-diving, crashed in the ground, got off with just a few broken bones or less. Amazing but not unreal.



Christine McKenzie, August 22, 2004
Recreational skydiver Christine McKenzie jumped at 11,000 feet but her main parachute didn't open. She tried her reserve and it released, but several lines broke and it never fully deployed. As she spun toward the ground she hit some power lines, which slowed her fall. She survived with a fractured pelvic bone and some bruises. It was her 112th jump. She says she wants to jump again. The incident occured at Carletonville, South Africa (40 miles west of Johannesburg).

[Apollo]

-Grave of the Fireflies
-Tokyo Godfather
-Perfect Blue (thriller-like anime)

[Reiku]

Black Heaven maybe...

...exept for the aliens...

...and the dead keyboard player that gets brought back to life as an eight armed cyborg...

...and Layla's cleavage...

...ok, nevermind--it's only realistic for the first few minutes. :P

[Flashjeff]

I've also heard about Christine McKenzie, which was why I included GTO on my little list. What a harrowing experience! There's been plenty of instances of people falling from incredible heights without getting killed or, in some very rare cases, suffering any sort of life threatening injuries.

On a lighter side, that would certainly explain why Keitaro can take a licking from the Love Hina girls and keep on ticking!
:D

[Camui]

His and Her Circumstances (Kare Kano), Mars, Azumanga Daioh, and Gravitation...would probably have to be the most realistic ones I can think of right now...I'll post if I think of some more...

[december]

Well, gosh... isn't that amazing! I had no idea someone could survive that type of fall... amazing. You learn something new everyday.

[Gaki]

Maybe you should watch dramas instead, cant get any more realistic than that ;)

[Eve]

^lol

Theres always anime dramas and romance type of genre

[glxwill]

Jin Roh

even the action is pretty realistic imo

[babar-san]

gun dancing by shirow is for the most part very realistic. but its manga, not anime. and to make an argument for realities sake, appleseed, shirows greatest work (manga), is one of the most intellectually intriguing sci-fi realism stories ive ever read. it is so realistic at times that you forget you are reading a manga. very very real issues being dealt with in that book. it has a unique and believable blend of modern and futuristic themes, while being set in the near future, where cybernetics have become common place. this may sound like a recuring theme in manga, but trust me, it has never been portrayed to this extent, because the story revolves around the moral issues of creating and co-existing with enhanced, and insome cases, completely artificial lifeforms. this book was a pre-curser to the themes represented in ghost in the shell, probably his most well known book/anime. the point is this story deals with very realistic issues and situations, right down to middle-eastern terrorism, and the first issue was published in 1985! the artwork evolves throughout the four volume series to an astonishing and incredibly detailed style, not like his flashy cover art. (whitch is amazing as well). oh well, had to rant.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/babar104/appleseed13.jpg

[Flashjeff]

Another suggestion: Yu Watase's latest manga series, Imadoki! which is about a relentlessly cheerful new girl at a snobbish private school who tries to make friends by starting a gardening committee. As with all of Watase's works, the art is clean and delightful, and the story is pretty cool too! Well worth a looksee!
:cool:

[Nothingness]

Colorful is realistic... even though its about perverts...

[daikon000005]

Hmmm... I can imagine something like Maramalade Boy happening, but yeah... <_<
Maybe thats a bit too twisted.


How about Initial D?

[Reiku]

Did they ever make Crying Freeman into an anime?

And (if you're in the mood to completely lose faith in humanity) there's always Barefoot Gen--that one's a little too realistic for some...

[Flashjeff]

If life in a circus is more your speed, there's Kaleido Star which is pretty neat! :cool:

[december]

Did they ever make Crying Freeman into an anime?

And (if you're in the mood to completely lose faith in humanity) there's always Barefoot Gen--that one's a little too realistic for some...

Yes, they did. I've seen all the episodes. The anime rocks. After a bit of thought, that could be a realistic look at the mafia... although I think the most unrealistic part is where every woman falls in love in Freeman and the part about him being immune to all types of poison.

[Flashjeff]

Another suggestion would be Noir which I find to be realistic though quite violent as the story centers around the exploits of two female assassins.

Speaking of the Mafia, a new anime series that just came out, called The Gokusen is about a woman who turns her back on her past life as heir of a Yakuza family to be a teacher at a school chock full of delinquents. It sounds like GTO but with a female lead.

[glxwill]

if you're looking for a serious anime that's realistic, I honestly can't think of a better pick than Jin Roh.

terrorism, civil unrest, rioting, extreme use of military power to control city-states, conspiracy and assasination.

hell, all of these are happening right now somewhere in the world(and you know where I'm talking about)

[layn]

Hi, :wave:
If you want to see realistic anime watch this :
Omohide Poro poro, Mimi o Sumaseba, Umi ga Kikoeru, Millenium Actress,
Jin-Roh, Master Keaton, Monster... :souka:

[Flashjeff]

A couple more to add: Gunsmith Cats and Kaleido Star! :cool:

[pishups]

Grave of the Fireflies...

This movie was incredible. So emotionally involving.

[Audhumla]

-Grave of the Fireflies
-Tokyo Godfather
-Perfect Blue (thriller-like anime)

GotF is so freakin' depressing. I love it.

[Knives]

golden boy is kinda realiatic.. imo

[Apollo]

GotF is so freakin' depressing. I love it.

I love Tokyo Godfather....it is soo funny and I just love the gay-character! :D

[Flashjeff]

Millennium Actress was very good as well. The way that filmmaker and his cameraman got sucked into the actress' past through her numerous film roles made for truly fascinating stuff!

:-)

[Apollo]

Millennium Actress was very good as well. The way that filmmaker and his cameraman got sucked into the actress' past through her numerous film roles made for truly fascinating stuff!

:-)

So true!! It was a very artistic film. However, I also found the plot very sad. :kanashii:
Definately worth mentioning in this thread, as it is realistic, and down-to-earth anime, which is about people.... :balloon:

[Kuhanten]

Yes, they did. I've seen all the episodes. The anime rocks. After a bit of thought, that could be a realistic look at the mafia... although I think the most unrealistic part is where every woman falls in love in Freeman and the part about him being immune to all types of poison.

Actually it isd a very real possibility to become immune to almost all poisons...you have to subject your body to small amounts of the poisons at first then move up in dosage it takes years to do but it CAN be done. and I definatly DO NOT recomend doing something like that.

As for real animes I'd say Tokyo Godfathers (already mentioned), as well Gunsmith Cats is decently realistic, Crying Freeman is actually a decent look at the Yakuza, minus the women falling in love, Initial D and GTO are realistic animes. that's really all I can think of.

[babar-san]

oh,also yawara is pretty realistic love/drama, along with kimagure orange road.

[yorkii]

wot about the Castle of Cagliostro :? my two cents ;)

[Flashjeff]

So true!! It was a very artistic film. However, I also found the plot very sad. :kanashii:
Definately worth mentioning in this thread, as it is realistic, and down-to-earth anime, which is about people.... :balloon:

Well, unrequited love often is sad, and it can't help but tug at your heartstrings. In the end, that was what made Millennium Actress so great.

As for real animes I'd say Gunsmith Cats is decently realistic.

Yeah, Gunsmith Cats was too cool for words! I'm mad at myself for having forgotten it! Rally and Minnie May were awesome, tooling around Chi-town in that badass Shelby Cobra hunting down bad guys! Whoo-hoo!!
:cool:

[Apollo]

Well, unrequited love often is sad, and it can't help but tug at your heartstrings. In the end, that was what made Millennium Actress so great.



True, I thought the ending was very touching - and sad...However, it was a great ending, I agree.
I must say that I have only seen two different anime which had a sad plot: The Grave of the Fireflies and Millenium Actress.
Are there any more kleenex-requiring anime?

[Apollo]

Also, I suddenly looked at my dvd-collection and forgot to mention "Only Yesterday" (By Studio Ghibli) which is also a touching and realistic anime... :-)

[Flashjeff]

Another series that I found extremely entertaining, and extremely realistic was Sentimental Journey. It's a two-disc set that's all about a dozen young women and the trials and tribulations they go through for the sake of love. Here's a review of the series from Anime News Network that explains the series much better than I can:

They don’t make shoujo like this anymore. I miss it. Based on the Sentimental Graffiti game, Sentimental Journey is a touching set of short vignettes about twelve young women and their journeys through lost romance and unrequited love. With each episode featuring a different character and her tale, the disc includes the entire series for a very cheap price, making this a perfect weekend marathon for all the shoujo lovers out there.

Each story is a standalone stroll through a different facet of womanhood, dabbling in pools like vanished opportunities and the heartbreak that comes with gambling in the game of romance. What sets it apart from other love-story compilations of its nature is that it strays away from fanservice and raunchy situations, sticking resolutely to emotions and quiet dialogue to keep audience interest. Even better is its lack of the Annoying Factor. Completely avoiding the “Oh! There was a misunderstanding, but I’m such a dumb tramp that I’m going to blame everything on you and cry forever!” clich�~, it makes this DVD a true slice of life romance worth checking out on a lonely evening.

If shoujo’s not your thing, you’d be well advised to avoid this like the plague, but if you’re in the mood to glance through a window into the lives of several earnest women and their trials of love, this is where it’s all at.

I couldn't agree with this review more. As a shoujo devotee, I loved the entire series (300 minutes) which I watched over a weekend. The starring characters of each vignette were wholly realistic and beliveable, and the situations each girl were in made for hearttugging enjoyment. Well worth checking out if realism in anime is what you crave!
:blush:

[CerberaLM]

realistic? any genre? well... there's "Initial-D..." - one-on-one street/mountain pass racing with real cars on real locations (myogi, usui, akina, irohazaka, shomaru. etc.)

[layn]

I forgot to mention one great series : His and Her Circumstances (Karekano).
A deep love story between two bright teenager in high school.

[Camui]

Kare Kano is soo awesome...I just love it ^^

[Kiyomi]

how bout Boys Be? thats very realistic

[Faustianideals]

Fushigi Yugi is another, I THINK.

[Apollo]

Kare Kano is soo awesome...I just love it ^^

So true, I like it too.....I have only seen the dvd at a reasonable price in Japan only.

[BrennaCeDria]

My first thought was Maison Ikkoku, although the manga is so much better than the anime as far as I've gotten. (Up to ep 36 for series, and book three for the Viz graphic novels, which is up to around episode 30, I think.)

[layn]

School Rumble maybe a good choice if you really want to enjoy slapstick humour anime.

Although the jokes wouldn't be THAT realistic.. :relief:

[bloodblackwyrm]

Beck

It's a great anime about a band. not unrealistic ****.

[Incognito69]

Hmm... realistic animes... there's PeaceMaker Kurogane, Rurouni Kenshin, Hachimitsu to Cloba (Honey and Clover), Kita e (Diamond Dust Drop), Slam Dunk, Dear Boys. That's what I know.

[Aurura]

There's also Bokura ga ita ("We were there"), Suzuka, Lovely Complex, Nomade Cantabile... there are a few "unrealistic" humor spots here and there, but they seem to just be for further- detailing a character's emotions, dreams/daydreams or reaction to an event in a scene.

Also, though they're not anime, live action shows such as Long Vacation and Nodame Cantabile are very good too for their realistic life circumstances.

[AMIGO]

風邪の用心棒

Kaze no yojinbo

In this ANIME's script you'll find a lot of mistery. You can't leave it after watching the first cap...

I recommend it for people who are feed up with fantasies and want to watch some GOOD realistic ANIME...

fBO8JVAXc90