I want to talk about anime. When people find out I watch anime, the first thing that comes out of their mount is, “You must be watching it, because of your son?”

I am actually laughing as I type, because who says nike is just for the young. I am  52 years blessed and getting better every day. I will admit I did  start watching anime years ago, because of my son, but we all have to start somewhere.

How will you know if you like something, if you don’t try something new? What was new is now learned and then you can choose if you like it or not.

I was looking for more anime shows I could watch and made a list. As I was going through past notes, I noticed that list, and then I thought I could write about the world of Anime. Not a new idea, but it’s new to me.

Where do I begin? Do I go back 15 years when my son started watching it or do I go back 25 years when I watched it with my brother. Then again maybe what I was watching back in the 80’s was called cartoons, but still animation just wasn’t as good as it is today.

I am going to take a look at that list and go from there. I had wanted to watch something that didn’t have any violence in it and these are a few that I got from google…..

K-ON!

K-ON! is an example of the slice-of-life genre, and there’s nothing violent about it. When amateur guitarist Yui Hirasawa joins the Light Music Club, she has no musical skill. Her fellow club members aren’t thrilled, but if they want to keep the club from being disbanded, they’ll have to show their new member the ropes. While creating music, the club members form meaningful friendships and learn to express themselves through art. 

I didn’t watch this one, because I didn’t think I would like it…..

**Hyouka

Not every mystery needs to be a blood-soaked murder case. Sometimes, as is the case with the mysteries solved by the Classics Club in Hyouka, the mysteries can be low key but still entertaining. They investigate a ghost haunting a hot spring, the reason why a student gets called to the office, and other subjects that are charming enough to drive the plot. But the true power behind Hyouka lies in its characters. Houtarou Oreki is passive, lazy, and largely indifferent to the world around him, but Eru Chitanda’s infectious enthusiasm forces him to re-evaluate his approach to life.

I did like Hyouka. Each person in the club is different, but once they became friends they all helped each other be better than what they thought they were.

Bunny Drop

When 30-year-old Daikichi Kawachi’s grandfather dies, the whole family is shocked to find out he left behind a six-year-old daughter, Rin Kaga. No one else in the family is willing to step up and care for the now orphaned girl, except for Daikichi, who must adjust to life as a single dad. Issues like finding affordable childcare, trying to maintain a dating life in a society that expects dads to have wives, and soothing a six-year-old through nightmares make for a compelling story that doesn’t require gratuitous violence to carry it.

I didn’t watch this one, because I didn’t think I would like it…..

Laid-Back Camp

If you want to go camping, but don’t want to deal with the inconvenience or the weather, then watching Laid-Back Camp might be your best option. This is an anime about a group of girls who take to the great outdoors, enjoying each other’s company, eating delicious fire-cooked meals, and learning valuable survival skills.

Tripping and falling is a common occurrence in this anime, especially for Nadeshiko, but no one gets seriously hurt, and no one intentionally tries to hurt anyone else. This is a feel-good, educational anime that will leave you contemplating your own future camping trip. 

I didn’t watch this one, because I didn’t think I would like it…..

*Flying Witch

Joined by her black cat familiar Chito, 15-year-old Makoto Kowata embarks on a journey to learn about and master witchcraft. What follows is a combination of ordinary school life and whimsical magical adventures, including run-ins with fortune-telling dogs and screaming mandrakes. While some events are potentially dangerous (mandrakes are poisonous and can kill with their screams) nothing violent actually happens on this warm-hearted show. 

I had started not to look at this, because of the word “witch,” but I changed my mind. It was a good show.

Asatir: Mirai no Mukashibanashi

 SCREENSHOTS

In 2050 Riyadh, Asma transports her grandchildren to the past through retellings of beloved Arabian fables. With the help of their robotic cat, the children learn that their modern problems are no match for the wisdom in Asma’s fascinating stories

I didn’t watch this one, because I didn’t think I would like it…..

Binbou Shimai Monogatari  – Asu and Kyo are two orphaned sisters; their mother passed away some time ago, while their father abandoned them due to gambling issues. Asu and Kyo now live in a rundown apartment complex. Asu, the younger sister, is responsible for all of the housework while Kyo is in charge of living expenses; and together, the two sisters work hard to live a comfortable and enjoyable life. Looking to one another for support, Asu and Kyo experience the hardships of daily living, but are still able to welcome each day with a smile.  I wanted to watch this, but it wasn’t in English. I am not good at reading as I watch TV. So, I couldn’t watch this one…

SCREENSHOTS

While visiting her uncle for the summer, six year old Hotaru gets lost in the woods outside the village. Scared, the crying girl is eventually rescued by a gentle youkai named Gin, who is burdened with a curse that will cause him to disappear if ever touched by a human. Though they are barred from physical contact, the two become close friends. But after a few short years it becomes apparent that Gin ages more slowly than humans, so while Hotaru is growing up and changing, Gin remains in stasis. How will Hotaru adapt to the complicated emotions she develops as her and Gin’s ages gradually

 I like this show, but it has been a while and I cannot recall what it’s about. I want to click on it, but I am afraid I am going to want to watch it again. If I wasn’t already watching three shows now I would do it, but I am not.

I know I shouldn’t be watching one of my favorite shows from the beginning, instead of picking up where I left off at, because it was no longer in English. Anyway, I am enjoying myself, and watching…

Roronoa Zoro, nicknamed “ The Pirate Hunter” Zoro, is a fictional character in the One Piece franchise created by Eiichiro Oda. 

I am going to end this short take on a few anime shows and I will get more into this area and one of the GREATEST ANIMES in print and on screen…  

One Piece ~ created by Eiichiro Oda.

Bye IV Now, LD*