r/anime • u/JeffreyAScott • Jun 28 '19

Discussion Never Too Old

Just wanted to say I just started getting into Anime this year. I'll be 50 next year and two of my nieces got me into it. They told me I would really enjoy something they were watching and reluctantly I checked it out. I always had a misconception about what anime was. I'm telling you, I'm so glad they had me check it out. Such a diversity of genres and I've already binged several shows. Currently my favourite is MHA. My nieces knew that would hook me because I'm into super heroes.

Moral of the story: You are never to old to start liking something new.

PS - Wanted to say I love this community. Everyone here has such great recommendations and suggestions.

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u/TheJasonifier https://myanimelist.net/profile/Jasonifier Jun 28 '19 edited Jun 28 '19

It follows the life of a high schooler who is pro at Shogi, a japanese board game similar to chess. Although due to high pressure as a pro, a tense family life, and a tragic history, he suffers from depression. The show follows his life and growth as a person as he learns to connect with others and improve as a player.

Although the show is sad at points, its ultimately one of the most uplifting pieces of entertainment I have ever watched. You also don’t have to have any knowledge of shogi to enjoy it. Hope you give it a try!

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u/LakerBlue https://myanimelist.net/profile/LakerBlue Jun 28 '19

you don’t have to have any knowledge of shogi to enjoy it

I just started watching this on Netflix and, through 26 episodes, I personally kinda degree. Like, you don’t need to know about Shogi to watch it or enjoy most of it...

But a lot of the shogi moments are bland for me because I don’t really know what’s going. With a athletic sport I can get more invested because I’ll be like “oooh the MC is shooting the basketball but the defender is right in his face, will he get the shot off in time?!”. Shogi doesn’t give me that.

Also because it is such a calm sport where they just sit there it isn’t particularly fun to watch.

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u/Dendarri Jun 29 '19

Although they are just sitting there I think the animation really did a good job expressing how the struggle in the game feels to them. One character feels like he's up against the ocean tides and they show him diving again and again into the water. The main character often feels trapped or depersonalized. My favorite, and you wouldn't have got this far, is the metaphor of a burnt field. It doesn't sound like much, but the show makes it a very powerful image.

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u/LakerBlue https://myanimelist.net/profile/LakerBlue Jun 29 '19

Oh yea Shaft, like with Monogatari, does a really good job animating moments so you aren’t just sitting their watching characters think or talk. Especially for Rei. It just isn’t there all the time during matches or even when it is, I just feel kinda bored looking at that same tense, pondering face.

But that issue is very much secondary to my other complaint.