Ask John: Where Are the Realistic Anime?

Question:
I am looking for non-scifi non-fantasy anime. Hmm… that’s funny. None seem to exist. Are there any mature, character based, realistic anime out there? I want something the equivalent to a sitcom or something similar. Something about high school kids without powers or giant robots would be nice.

Answer:
Unfortunately your choices may be a bit limited. In America, anime is still new enough and still small enough that typically shows need to have some sort of “hook” or novelty to be marketable in the US. That usually includes fantasy or superhuman action or sci-fi. In Japan, there are quite a number of anime dramas that focus heavily on real life situations. To Heart does include humanoid robots, but these robots are treated like normal girls. Other shows including Graduation, Sentimental Journey, and most episodes of Seraphim Call are similar to To Heart in the regard that they’re what’s known as “life sim” or life simulation anime. They focus on the day to day lives of normal Japanese teens and may include such dramatic events as going to a night club or staying after school to prepare for the school festival. These shows maintain their viewers’ interest through true-to-life characterizations rather than exciting action.

If you’re looking for something realistic that may also be a bit more lively or interesting, the current TV series Comic Party details the high school life of a Japanese teen who gets introduced to the world of doujinshi (fan produced manga comics); Fashionable Judo Girl Yawara is a light drama about a teen girl torn between being a normal high-schooler and representing Japan in the judo tournament at the Barcelona Olympics; and Hana Yori Dango is a wonderful story of class discrimination and courage focusing on an “average” middle-income girl attending an elite private high-school.

These examples are only a small handful of the “mature, character based, realistic anime” available in Japan, and available in America through generous fellow anime fans and fansub distributors. In terms of what’s available in America officially, your best bets may be Kimagure Orange Road and Maison Ikkoku. KOR does contain an element of psychic power, but this “hook” is used quite sparingly throughout the TV series, and is not evident in the two movies at all. Maison Ikkoku is simply a sweet, romantic comedy about a young and anxious man trying to win the favor of a young widow. And AD Vision has promised American fans the 26 episode TV series Princess Nine, in the not-too-distant future. Princess Nine is about the formation of an all-girls baseball team, and is much more interesting and fun to watch than a lot of viewers may suspect. As the popularity of anime continues to grow in America, you can expect that a greater variety and diversity of anime will filter into the American market as time goes by. Mainstream America may not be ready for serious, realistic dramatic anime just yet, but times are changing even while you read this.