Ask John: Where are the Mature Characters in Anime?

Question:
I’ve noticed that most anime series have children or young adults as main characters. Can you recommend any anime that has older or more mature main characters?

Answer:
The question of why so much anime is centered on teen or young adult protagonists comes up relatively frequently, and is easily explained by the fact that teens and young adults are the target audience for anime. It simply makes sense to tailor fantasy shows to their viewers. Teen characters in programs intended for teens allows for greater empathy and role-play from viewers. Teens and young adults are also ideal characters for fantastic situations and events because they retain the idealism and sense of adventure and inexperience of children but also the intelligence, experience and distinct vulnerabilities of adults as well. Thus teen and young adult characters are the most malleable and potential filled characters available for creators to work with.

A viewer in search of older or more mature characters in anime may find unanticipated results. While there are numerous offerings available, some of them may not be as clearly defined as expected. Easily available mature anime starring adult characters include series and films such as Ghost in Shell, Black Heaven, Captain Harlock (Harlock Saga) and Queen Emeraldas, the Patlabor movies, The Big O, Cowboy Bebop, Blue Submarine No. 6, and Blood: The Last Vampire.

Other equally valid suggestions do actually star teen and young adult characters that act uncharacteristically mature, such as the Rurouni Kenshin OAV series, Royal Space Force, Serial Experiments Lain, Crest of the Stars, and Graveyard of Fireflies.

If you happen to be searching for programs that predominantly star significantly older characters, as in those in the near 30 or older range, selections include the aforementioned Black Heaven and Captain Harlock, along with Black Jack, Jin-Roh, import anime such as Master Keaton, Tonari no Yamada-kun and Only Yesterday, and less serious programs like Shin Getter Robo and Lupin III, which nonetheless, star older characters. Taking things to the extreme, the excellent GoShogun movie is a story about a team of teen heroes when they’re old, retired, and on the verge of dying; and Roujin Z is a sci-fi parable about a bed ridden main character too old and weak to travel by conventional means.