Aggretsuko was so relatable, amazing little cartoon series. First time I've ever watched any sanrio stuff, I'm sure it's not normally like that but a great load of fun.

I've started this as it was getting too big to ignore, definitely seems the big new show of 2018. And even though Zero Two is a total fantasy girl she's great, it's giving me proper nostalgia for teen years in a way few anime do accurately, the show itself is anime personified (and really quite good) but in a different way from the way that MHA was anime personified. It's completely using mechas and this really weird cockpit pairing system as a metaphor for... well I couldn't say what, but it's being fairly unsubtle about it.

 

the ridiculous innuendos are half the entertainment :ph34r: (coupled with the characters being completely oblivious about that sort of thing as a legitimate plot point)

 

Glad you've got into it. I too noticed the rather...interesting cockpit setup.

 

Some of the reactions to "Darling in the Franxx" make me glad that I very rarely interact with the wider anime fandom, with some people claiming that it's

full on right-wing propaganda,

a reading of the TV series that I would passionately dispute -

if there was any deeper message within the story, it seems to be about the importance of future generations beyond our own (which is quite resonant in Japan, given its collapsing birth-rates), or about the importance of protecting the environment, which admittedly has been a more subtle theme of the show. And even if it was the case that it is being used for right-wing purposes, it's been a rather decent TV show and I could live with it.

 

Some of the reactions to "Darling in the Franxx" make me glad that I very rarely interact with the wider anime fandom, with some people claiming that it's

full on right-wing propaganda,

a reading of the TV series that I would passionately dispute -

if there was any deeper message within the story, it seems to be about the importance of future generations beyond our own (which is quite resonant in Japan, given its collapsing birth-rates), or about the importance of protecting the environment, which admittedly has been a more subtle theme of the show. And even if it was the case that it is being used for right-wing purposes, it's been a rather decent TV show and I could live with it.

 

Sheesh, and I thought it was bad when I saw the initial reactions in the wider community in episode 11 to

the partner swap with seemingly far too many people calling Kokoro a thot/$l*t for changing while breaking a 'promise' she made under duress. But that seems to have gone away as Kokoro-Mitsuru is (or was?) proving to be a FAR better pairing than even I'd hoped for, having really grown on Mitsuru as a character after hating him after episode 2 as I'm sure you're supposed to

. It's only gotten better as I've caught up, moving away from and challenging the traditional gender roles it was perhaps in at first,

and that's moving it far away from said right-wing theory, I mean, from having researched it, the big right-wing propaganda commenter made that right as an episode aired containing a lesbian coming out to her friend, who accepted and supported her!!!

For a mainstream anime it's doing some really brave things with sexuality, I never expect there to be any LGBT action in anime because of Japan's conservatism, for example. And I'm working on a theory that each character represents a different attitude to discovering your own sexuality. If it keeps this level of character development up it'll be quite the show by the end.

An anime series was featured on the BBC News this week, and it's one that I never thought would feature. They've run a report about the B&B in Wiltshire that was featured in the first episode of Kin-moza, even including a few clips from the series itself.

An anime series was featured on the BBC News this week, and it's one that I never thought would feature. They've run a report about the B&B in Wiltshire that was featured in the first episode of Kin-moza, even including a few clips from the series itself.

I was in that area recently, I didn't know there was an anime based there!

Kinmoza is my favourite anime I've never watched because of Karen's desu video

Finally got around to watching My Hero Academia. I'm on the second season currently and I'm fully obsessed. Don't know how I slept on this one for so long!!!

I've started My Hero Academia too recently, it is SO good!!

Hurrah! What made you decide to take the plunge at watch it? Have you watched any other anime recently?

I can't remember the last time I was always so regularly on time for a show as it airs as with MHA right now (and the break it's taking in a week is going to leave that particular Saturday morning feeling empty). It's doing everything right, clearly the author has a plan for it all, future classic for sure, the tone, the setting, the balancing of the cast, it's just spot on.

 

Yay to see you on board, Travis and Liam.

Hurrah! What made you decide to take the plunge at watch it? Have you watched any other anime recently?

A couple of Pokemon Youtubers I love have been raving about it despite specifying they usually don't like anime, and my best friend who watches a fair bit of anime as well so I was like hmm this must have wide appeal and checked it out! And nope, my friend said she'll push me into more if I liked MHA :lol:

Finished marathoning Hinamatsuri, which I overlooked at the start of the season, but caught up within a few days, which is a comedy about a surprisingly nice-yet-grumpy Yakuza who ends up taking in an telepathic middle-school alien with psychic power after she accidentally lands in his flat. There's some absolute laugh-out-loud moments in the series, as well as some incredibly hilarious characters (including one of Hina's middle-school friends, who keeps on accidentally finding herself in positions of power), yet it also has some real heart to it - a sub-plot featuring another alien colleague of Hina is one of the most realistic, yet humane portrayals of the subject of homelessness I've seen in media.

 

This season's bracing up to be the strongest in quite a while - there's three new series I plan to pick up, as well as continuing MHA & the new season of Attack on Titan.

I've heard good things about Hinamatsuri, I may have to see about starting that before the year's end and I forget about it.

 

The summer season, I'm only doing the basic bitch thing of continuing MHA + S;G 0, and starting the new season of Titan at the moment. Not sure what else is going to be good yet.

 

I am approaching the end of some of the stuff I'm watching a lot of them though, or at least reaching good milestones, including a marathon watch of Higurashi na no Koro Ni that I'm finally completing with the help of a Reddit rewatch thread that's regimenting me to one episode a day plus talking about it, love it. Just finished season 1 and what with both reading its VNs and watching the anime and getting consumed by the mystery that PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN IT MUST NOT GOOGLE ANYTHING ABOUT it's quite clearly one of my new favourites.

Could anyone suggest an anime for me to watch with this criteria?

 

Dubbed

Not too serious or dark, but also not completely a comedy (around SAO levels of darkness :P )

Set in a fantasy world

 

Thanks :)

My Hero Academia? If you like Marvel and stuff it's about people with all different super powers, doesn't take itself too seriously but doesn't veer off too far into being ridiculous or anything.

My Hero Academia? If you like Marvel and stuff it's about people with all different super powers, doesn't take itself too seriously but doesn't veer off too far into being ridiculous or anything.

Cheers, i've been thinking about that for a while actually. :)

 

I've also just decided to watch Seirei No Moribito, which looks stunning based on the trailer.

 

My Hero Academia definitely fits the bill of what you're looking for yeah! And is so solid. I didn't want the episode that came out yesterday to ever end.

 

I don't know if you've seen Fullmetal Alchemist (specifically the Brotherhood version), I say that as it is one of the most popular anime ever and it's entirely possible you've seen it, but that also absolutely fits all three of your requirements to a tee, has a well-respected dub, can be dark but has a lot of slapstick comedy, and is in a well-constructed fantasy world.

 

As for other recommendations that I know, Re:Zero and Konosuba are both incredible shows but focus a bit too much on the dark side and the comedic side of being in a fantasy world respectively. In my opinion they both deconstruct the SAO standard brilliantly, in different ways so I'm going to mention them regardless, they could complement each other if you were so inclined. Kill La Kill and No Game No Life also both mostly fit your criteria but are heavy on the fanservice.

 

Most of the seasonal trash about some loser getting transported to a fantasy world isn't worth watching (from what I've seen of it, the one this season called Ragnarok something looks possibly to be the worst of them all, perhaps even worse than the ridiculous In Another World But This Time I Have A Smartphone).

 

And finally Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon is one of the closer things to SAO I know of that's actually in a fantasy world but I wasn't too keen on it, you might like it though, it's fairly well received among those who do like that sort of thing played straight.

 

I've actually never heard of Seirei No Moribito, but it has an 8.2 on MAL so it's probably a good show.

Could anyone suggest an anime for me to watch with this criteria?

 

Dubbed

Not too serious or dark, but also not completely a comedy (around SAO levels of darkness :P )

Set in a fantasy world

 

Thanks :)

 

I'll add another name to My Hero Academia. I'd also recommend "Tiger & Bunny", which is similar in tone but gets a little bit darker and has a greater satirical undertone, and Bodacious Space Pirates. And I will continue to fly the flag for Little Witch Academia, although it starts more of a full-on comedy it gets more serious as the show goes on.

Thanks everyone, I'll definitely check out these suggestions. Especially Little Witch Acadamia, which I started watching a while ago, but stopped because I thought it was a bit too comedic. I will watch more episodes to see how it progresses.

Little Witch Aca is excellent stuff, full of heart and sweetness, I support Brett on this. And yes, the comedic stuff at the beginning is more to introduce you to that world in an interesting fashion.

https://www.polygon.com/tv/2018/8/22/177682...-guardian-spice

 

Crunchyroll are going to start making their own content starting next year, starting with High Guardian Spice, which looks really charming from the promo pick. Like a mix between Western animation and anime.