So I live in north Texas and my older brother and his family live in norther Virgina/DC area so I only get to see him and his kids like once every two years. Apparently his two oldest daughters (one is going to be a freshman and the other a sophomore) are really into Anime and want to buy manga. With anything the slightest bit in the "nerd sphere" he always tells them to contact me, and so they texted me and asked me all about different anime and what I would suggest.
So I know what I will be sending them this Christmas. I love how unlike western entertainment Anime/Manga understands who their audience is and caters to it, so what would be ideal for a teen girl? I know the older one enjoys Attack on Titan and said she likes stuff with romance and the other one loves Vinland Saga and I told her about Ah My Goddess, and she seems to like that one so far.
Any suggestions would be appreciated, and thank you in advance.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is pretty safe and beloved by girls (and everyone in general)
Many teenage girls love works like Ouran High School Host Club, Bungou Stray Dogs, Death Note, and Code Geass. (the latter two are more action/thriller oriented)
(Code Geass is an anime original though, so the anime is obviously much better and what you'd want to get, not the manga)
If one of them likes Vinland Saga, she's probably the kind of girl to like Berserk (if anime, then only go with the 1997 version, but the manga is usually what you want to go with).
Both of them would probably enjoy Demon Slayer.
Studio Ghibli films are safe with girls and women and are generally beloved by them.
Romance-wise... probably things like Lovely Complex (this is a very safe pick for girls and just everyone in general), Your Lie in April, Fruits Basket (girls love this), a lot of anime movies focused on romance. Nodame Cantabile is more for young adult women than teenagers, but she might like it. I personally thought it was great, myself. Toradora might be okay too.
Promised Neverland is a safe pick probably, though if you're talking about the anime, only for season 1 because season 2 is a dumpster fire.
I'm tempted to recommend Bleach, Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia. The latter two are probably safer choices to go with.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is probably a solid recommendation as well.
Wow! Thanks! I’m going to print this.
NP, let me know if you have any questions or anything. Love helping more people get into anime/manga, I'm sure they'll think of you as their cool uncle for this lol.
On that note, a lot of girls also like manwha/webtoons too these days, so keep that in mind as manga isn't the only thing available for them to enjoy. My knowledge on manwha is a lot more limited though, I'd have to ask my sister about that.
add claymore, it's like the Witcher, but girl boss
Girl boss done better than modern western entertainment I’m assuming?
Claymore is quite bloody and brutal at times, with some sexual themes so I would be cautious about recommending it to younger readers.
yeah I was being bit sarcastic, the protagonist is a woman who has super natural fighting abilities but it's not like it's free power up like Rey Skywalker, there's a price for the power and she barely made it out alive every fight against even stronger monsters
And thanks!
Crazy how a lot of those recommendations are for boys, too. Just goes to show manga and anime is pretty universal. I have similar thoughts and would put the same up, maybe not jojo though, a bit too wacky if you're not too into manga and anime at first.
Yeah, but its kinda for different reasons usually. Girls (and women) usually want someone to gush over, in pretty much every work I listed there is at least one notable male character (if not multiple) to gush over.
They also really don't care for sexualization of females (and they really don't like harems of women for male characters); pretty much all the ones listed have little to no sexualization of female characters and nothing like a harem.
Female characters have to be handled carefully, either as self-inserts, supporting characters, or as competition, or tools/toys for an intelligent/edgy male to use. Women really don't like bimbo supporting characters. Evil women are fine as villains. All female casts might be more of a different story in terms of expectations.
If its popular/buzzing, it also helps a lot too.
They like the action and whatnot reasonably well enough of course, but these are important aspects of determining whether they will like or dislike something. Something could have great action/story/characters, but be a lot more of a turn-off if they have a negative issue with the work.
To women you have to have something to hook them in particular besides just a good story/content (unless its really good), and you have to avoid pissing them off too much. If its already popular, that does give you a lot of leeway though.
I've seen enough female fans of JoJo that I think its fine, imo after they've seen 1-4 anime, they'll be fine. My sister saw and enjoyed JoJo based on my sibling's recommendation, and she wasn't exactly a huge anime/manga fan or anything beforehand, only probably seeing a single digit number of anime/manga (though she was reading manwha/webtoons so... maybe not completely analogous)
But at the same time, one of the best names on that list was written by a woman. FMA is the production of a rural girl who was asked to write a popular series and she got it right on her very first arc, just because she totally got it.
I know, a lot of women wrote some of my favorites like Ascendance of a bookworm(which is based on a lightnovel) or Inuyasha/Ranma. There's tons of women making good stories in Japan...and all without needing some quota to fulfill.
When I was a kid, anime/manga was still mostly niche and I read whatever I could find. Only later I find out that half the stuff I read was "shoujo". Most of CLAMP's stuff is accessible to boys even though they are an all female group writing stories for girls.
CLAMP in general is amazing. Sakura, xxxHolic, Chobits...I don't think even one of theirs is bad and when I grew up I watched a lot of "girl" series also, even some of the outright girly stuff like for example Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne or Doremi, didn't bother me one bit.
Any of these ok for younger girls? 8-10 age range.
I got them most Ghibli stuff already, except for Mononoke Hime, that seemed like it might be too much for a few years.
Nah, imo these are all teens and up stuff I'd say unfortunately
Maybe something like Cardcaptor Sakura, Pokemon (Digimon might be okay too but its a bit edgier), Yumeiro Patissiere, PreCure, or Sailor Moon?
I'd still double-check them though to see if they're okay by your standards but imo they should probably be fine.
Thanks!
Wow, some ancient anime is getting repped here. I still like Bebop and FMA:B has enough quality that it more than stands up to time, but some of these anime people are mentioning are older than them. The shows they like are AoT and Vinland, are both still ongoing anime. So, IMO I'd keep my reps to stuff that is at least decently contemporary.
Kaguya Love is War - Even while still ongoing (3 seasons though), it's probably the best anime RomCom ever made. It's age appropriate and decently aware to the realities of dating while not being degenerate. I can also recommend the manga.
Fruits Basket - The original was one of the biggest Shojo (girls) anime of all time, and the remake in 2019 was improved in every way.
Violet Evergarden - Same reason others have mentioned
Mob Psycho 100 - Coming of age story and is completed. More of a 'boy' audience but it's got some universal beats and so are Vinland/AoT.
Spy x Family - Wholesome and had one of the highest female watch % of it's season. Although girls their age might not be interested in it because some parts have the appearance of being childish.
For movies, I'd recommend the Makoto Shinkai films. Aside from being gorgeous and what many consider the best anime films of all time, I think they'll hit with your nieces thematically. His biggest movies have feminine female main characters of an age the girls can identify with, who are strong characters without being masculine. Your Name (Kimi no na wa) I would recommend to them above any other film. Weathering with You is also good and more romance. Suzume, the most recent, I haven't seen yet but it's got similarly high reviews.
I am going to be totally honest. When I first heard the premise for it, I thought I would hate it. Then I ended up watching it in my college Anime Club as one of the ones that was voted on that season (along with Fire Force and Vinland Saga), and I thought I was going to be bored out of my skull.
Damn, I was so wrong. It doesnt sound great on just the premise, but it was hilarious. And I was very glad to be wrong about not liking it.
Thanks! I’ll add those to my list. Although I’m pretty retro so I don’t mind the older stuff. Anime seems to produce good modern stuff unlike the west’s obsession with reframing of updating everything for a modern audience.
The anime remakes are actually good. In most cases they tend to be better than the original.
I've been watching anime for a quarter century and IMO it's the best time for anime yet. Anime still produces trash (eg, the isekai this season), but I think the average quality of all shows continues to improve every season and studios still occasionally release masterpieces.
Great to hear.
Don't read much manga but really liked Nausicaa. The movie is also good but has to cut a lot out.
All the Ghibli movies are great.
I haven't watched it in 25 years but iirc Escaflowne is entertaining and free from degeneracy.
Cowboy Bebop is a classic but has some suggestive themes.
I recently enjoyed watching through Claymore but it has some elements that may not be appropriate for that age.
I'll second Nausicaa as a good pick. It's only a few volumes for the entire thing and it's well done. It's Miyazaki in his element and it's one of the few manga where I've actually invested in a physical copy.
Escaflowne is probably a solid pick for someone who's into Attack on Titan but also wants some girly romance mixed in. I can't vouch for the manga as I've only seen the anime, but it should be fine aside form some weirdness with Dilandau.
Thanks! Wow compiled a nice list.
Escaflowne is amazing.
Sounds good. I was wondering if Cowboy Bebop would be appropriate. What I think is fine as an uncle isn’t fine to their parents lol
Cowboy Bebop probably wouldn't be terribly offensive, but I don't think it'd appeal to most teenage girls -- even ones who like anime.
You’re probably aware of this, but If you’re concerned about appropriateness, I’d definitely avoid Berserk. I’ve never checked out Vinland Saga, so maybe it’s on the same level, but Berserk is violent, dark, and includes multiple rapes as important plot points.
Which, don’t get me wrong, are all well-used as story elements… but I would hesitate to suggest it to most people.
Gotcha. I’ve been meaning to check out Bessel but I’m an adult male. My brother would kill me if I sent his daughters something like that.
Eh, the worst Cowboy Bebop has are a few S-bombs they've likely heard plenty of times already. It's pretty PG-13 all things considered, and is considerably less gory than Attack on Titan.
Cool! Thanks. I still need to watch both of those. Is Cowboy Bebop based on Manga?
No. It was an exclusively anime production. There was some manga produced afterward, but they're honestly not very good. And...we don't need to elaborate on Shitflix.
I remember the creator of Cowboy Bebop wasn’t happy with the Netflix version
NO ONE was happy with the Netflix version! It was, like every other IP Shitflix touches, made by people who clearly hated the source material and set out to intentionally corrupt it purely out of spite, politics, and for the ongoing cultural humiliation ritual. Which is why it was (deservedly) canceled three weeks after airing.
Its not, and its also a work where the English Dub is the superior version to the point where even one of the guys in charge in Japan said it blew the original out of the water.
Definitely second Ghibli, Nausicaa and Mononoke are great for teens. If she’s into attack on titan which is pretty gory, then the first season of darker than black might be up her alley, but it’s definitely gory, psycho pass is another, if you want to make them cry then the promised never land is great but tragic.
Thanks!
Fist of the North Star
Good idea
My greatest suggestion, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Gurren Lagann is the pinnacle of what an action series can say about the world and the self.
best suggestion in terms of actual quality tbh
Unfortunately at least a chunk of girls can't handle the fanservice, but the ones that can actually appreciate what the series has to say tend to be pretty based.
Specifically for the one who loves Vinland Saga, she might like Golden Kamuy. It's another vaguely historical epic story that's pretty gory, but apparently she doesn't mind that. Plus the main protag is a young girl.
Some great recommendations so far! My best advice is to look into shojo manga and anime. Written to appeal to younger women /girls. I have no specific advice because I enjoy the opposite end of the spectrum of anime Shonen which is supposed to appeal to men.
Thanks!!
I would throw Spy X Family out there as it seems to have broad appeal.
Also Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill as a slice of life isekai with cute characters.
Ascendance of a Bookworm is also a slice of life isekai with cute characters, but slightly more dramatic stakes.
Mushi-shi is a bit more slow paced as a thriller/mystery/spirit investigation show mostly set in rural old timey Japan but with that creepy/slightly scary feel to it that teenagers seem to like.
Shadows House also has a similar creepy/scary mystery vibe if a very different setting (Victorian style mega mansion) and cast of characters (shadow people and their human "dolls").
To keep this from turning into a skyscraper of text and because posting from mobile is difficult, I am also going to mention Flying Witch, Natsume Yujin-cho, with a very gentle suggestion of In/Spectre as it (like this post) gets very, very wordy.
It does, but more with older women than teenage girls imo, but that's my perception of it (largely because of the fact that its been my mom's favorite manga for years).
I've noticed teen girls are usually more into the edgy teen boy or college-age heartthrob than the "good dad" types.
FWIW, my boss (Japanese dude) watches Spy x Family with his family and apparently his kids like it. His kids are 14, 12, and 7. Oldest is a son and the younger two are daughters.
That being said, I personally agree that Spy Family is more oriented towards the really young girls and the older ones, while kind of skipping over that middle young adult demographic (not that it can't be enjoyed by them as well).
While I am not in that demographic I can still think of some:
Little witch academia(movies and series), think Harry Potter but anime and more fun oriented.
Inuyasha, probably THE series I knew more girls liked than boys back in the day. Great Isekai before Isekai was a genre.
Bit hard to not mention some already mentioned twice over so those should be fine.
Thanks!
I second the recommendation for Natsume Yujincho ('Natsume's Book of Friends'). Girls seem to love it, on the Japanese audience side at least. A sadboi goes around solving ghost problems (a lot like Mushishi) while experiencing pathos and learning the value of family and friends along the way. Apparently the mangas are mostly translated now but all I've seen is the anime, which is certainly good. Personally I rate it a bit above Mushishi, which is too dragging & contemplative for me.
If I were a cool nerd uncle I'd probably just rip them all off 9anime and stick them on a thumb drive for the kids to watch, but maybe you're the kind of cool uncle who stays within the law.
I don't know if they'd be into it, but my own favourite pick for a slower, sedate story which could(?) be enjoyed by girls is Uchouten Kazoku ('The Eccentric Family'). It's another mix of folklore and slice of life set in Kyoto, based on works by the same author who did Tatami Galaxy and The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, and shares vibes with those anime, if you're familiar, but it's somewhat less surreal and out there. Don't be misled by what seems to be a tranny/trap-fuel first couple of episodes.
Thank you! And thanks for the heads up.
Thanks! I’ll check that out
I saw one other person mention it, but Shadows House is indeed an interesting read, and for alread-existing-fans of the genre, it's a weird but still familiar breath of fresh air. I believe the manga is full-color, so might be more expensive, though.
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is definitely a very well-regarded "safe" romance anime and manga, but it's so famous they might already have it. Code Geass is a bit harem-y at times, but it's generally considered the best shounen-made-by-shoujo-writers series out there, and given the overlap, generally audiences like it, but it does contain a fair amount of fanservice, both male and female, definitely PG-13.
Overall, the advice in this post's replies is pretty good. No one seems to be overtly trolling with Redo Of Healer or something like that (though to be fair to that series, its primary audience IS women aged 16-30, it's just not appropriate for anyone, ever, though).
Violet Evergarden is one my daughter loves. I'd also recommend Angel Beats and the first half of Death Note. My Hero Academia is quite good, and is one of the rare dubs that I'd recommend.
One explicitly to avoid despite it's popularity is Made in Abyss, the author is a hardcore pedophile.
Thanks for the heads up
Its a shame about MIA, because the world in the story is phenomenal and interesting and the art is beautiful. I'd legit pay just to get rid of the plot and characters and just see the monsters and world in a nature like documentary.
I suppose the world has a way of balancing like that.
Seems like there are already a lot of good recommendations for things early teen girls would enjoy; most of what immediately came to mind has already been said.
For the one that likes romance, perhaps Taisho Otome Fairy Tale would be enjoyable. Very wholesome.
Since they both seem to like action, they may enjoy Princess Principal.
It's a cold-war spy show, butset in steampunk England split by a civil war. The OP gives a pretty good idea of the show's style.
Violet Evergarden, it's a bit of a contrived tear jerker but it's uniformly well received.
Thanks!
If you like a guy taking down corrupt government officials, check out the manga Akumetsu
Speaking of which, anyone know Sky Crawlers (2008)? I stumbled across some compilation of dogfights on youtube and it looks pretty good. I don't normally watch laotian moving pictures and I haven't had a chance to acquire it yet.
I've been going through a bit of a manwha binge in recent months, with some manga sprinkled here and there I just don't read the ones that are getting great Anime adaptations (Spy x Family, Chainsaw Man, Oshi no Ko etc)
If you want some recommendations can you let me know what genres they like, it helps to narrow the field, so can recommend things like this:
The tyrant wants to be good: an evil tyrant meets her end and regresses to younger years as a child with all her memories. Haunted by the guilt of all she did she tries to live this time not seeking power and avoiding those she remembers hurting in her other life.
Villain with a crush: romantic comedy involving superpowers and a superpower police force with our mc just being a very lovable cinnamon roll who just has the worst luck and clumsy that she accidentally becomes the supervillain in an attempt to confess her crush to a police officer.
A bunch of good suggestions already posted. I'll add the Fate series, especially Zero. It's not as grim as AoT (at least from what I've seen of the latter, I'm not super familiar), but it's still grim at points, complex, and well animated. Complicated yet approachable, I'd say. takt op.Destiny for the same reasons, perhaps.
And, I can't attest to these, as I haven't seen them myself, but these are well reviewed romaceny ones geared a bit more toward females, but also still actiony: Snow White with the Red Hair, Yona of the Dawn. There's also more nerd culture focused romances like Wotakoi.
Also, inspired by some of what others mentioned here, there are cutsier slice of life animes like I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level, and Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside.
Also, I almost want to say So I'm a Spider, So What?, but that's probably better for people who have watched more isekais, as it does have a bit of fun with the genre.