Wanderer 10 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) I'm seeking suggestions to expand my fantasy anime library. I look for shonen or seinen series. My preferences strongly go for powerful and competent main characters with magical or superhuman abilities a la Slayers. I look for high-powered action with secondary comedy and/or romance elements, or even vice versa. Absolutely no angst, horror, or gore (they bore me to tears) or pathetic buttjoke main characters (they annoy me a lot). Western or urban fantasy with magic, psi, or superpowers is much preferred, but in a pinch even superhuman martial arts (a la Fist of the North Star) shall do. Wizard characters are much more appealing than fighter characters, though. Absolutely no historical Japan stuff with samurai or ninja (no Naruto or Inuyasha stuff), or classical 'shojo' magical girl (seinen stuff like Lyrical Nanoha is quite good, shojo stuff like Sailor Moon or Card Captor Sakura really not). I have already seen and much enjoyed: Slayers (all series); Bastard!! (anime and manga); Orphen (all series); Demon King Daimao; El Hazard; Record of Lodoss War (all series); Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (all series and manga); Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple (anime and manga); Berserk (anime and manga), Saiyuki (partial; I have to update format and complete the series) I have gotten/am getting but not yet seen: Legend of Legendary Heroes; Kaze no Stigma; Magi the Labyrinth of Magic; Negima! Magister Negi Magi (1st series anime and manga); Zero No Tsukaima (all series); Rosario + Vampire (all series); Yu Yu Hakusho (partial); Busou Renkin; Darker than Black (all series). I'm planning to get: Maoyuu Maou Yuusha; Saiyuki (all series). I'm uncertain about: A Certain Magical Index; The World God Only Knows; Negima! Magister Negi Magi (2nd series anime); Omamori Himari. I much prefer torrent to streaming. Edited June 20, 2013 by Wanderer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
desi 53 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) Zetsuen no Tempest seems to fit your criteria pretty well. Fantasy + Magic + Shounen + Romance. Although I have not watched this yet, so I'm not sure about it having any angst or not, but it seems to be a fit. Edited June 20, 2013 by desi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChexGuy 13 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 The World God Only Knows has a more sarcastic protagonist who doesn't really have innate supernatural powers, but uses his knowledge of galge to exorcise spirits by making girls fall in love with him. It's more romance/harem. A Certain Magical Index has a mary sue protagonist and is mostly what you're looking for, since his power is super OP (canceling every other power ever). He also solves everything by punching people in the face. It has a more comedic approach more often than not. Darker Than Black is fucking awesome, but the second season is severely disappointing. If the first series is a 9, the second series is a 6 or lower. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wanderer 10 Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Zetsuen no Tempest seems to fit your criteria pretty well. Fantasy + Magic + Shounen + Romance. Although I have not watched this yet, so I'm not sure about it having any angst or not, but it seems to be a fit. Indeed at first glance it does seem a fit. I'll add it to my 'to-get' list. Thanks for the suggestion. Do you know if Darker than Black may actually be angstful ? I've added it to the list since I read it was high quality, but I'm still suspicious it might be too dark for my tastes (pun intended). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wanderer 10 Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) The World God Only Knows has a more sarcastic protagonist who doesn't really have innate supernatural powers, but uses his knowledge of galge to exorcise spirits by making girls fall in love with him. It's more romance/harem. A Certain Magical Index has a mary sue protagonist and is mostly what you're looking for, since his power is super OP (canceling every other power ever). He also solves everything by punching people in the face. It has a more comedic approach more often than not. Darker Than Black is fucking awesome, but the second season is severely disappointing. If the first series is a 9, the second series is a 6 or lower. I don't mind comedy and romance/harem anime/manga as long as the main character is reasonably badass/competent/proactive and/or is as 'exceptional' in his own way as his magical girlfriend(s). I am annoyed by pathetic doormats, idiots, and butt monkey MC getting p*ssy thrown in their face for no good reason. As it concerns the 'nice loser/unlucky everydude with hidden qualities getting a lot of love', it is a borderline case. I tend to be much more tolerant of this stuff in eroge than in anime or manga, of if the MC eventually gets levels in badass. Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple is probably a good threshold example of what I may find appealing in this regard; I have yet to watch Rosario + Vampire, so I dunno if the series actually fits my tastes or not. Edited June 20, 2013 by Wanderer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChexGuy 13 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Well, he's kind of an asshole but he does develop as a character. It's much more noticeable in the manga imo, but the series is good enough. Only way to find out if it's for you is to watch it for yourself...with the third season on the way it'd be a good time to start in case you do end up liking it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wanderer 10 Posted June 22, 2013 Author Share Posted June 22, 2013 (edited) I've decided to drop Zetsuen no Tempest after discovering (from tvtropes, a great resource to get valuable hints about the character of any fiction) that magic is lost in the finale. I detest the 'Magic Goes Away' trope. What do you guys think of Mai-Otome ? I got the impression that it might be enough of a shonen/seinen magical girl series to fit my interests (like Nanoha), and the 'Person of Mass Destruction' trope entices me, although I have serious reservations about the 'Virgin Power' trope, it is another one I strongly dislike. My-Hime has the same depowerment finale problem as Zetsuen no Tempest, so it is right out. Edited June 22, 2013 by Wanderer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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