I am looking for a good Japanese TV show to improve my Japanese. I have to say that I am not a big fan of Anime and I am also turned off by how cheap most Japanese TV shows look and how bad the acting and writing is.
Ideally I am looking for a Japanese version of something like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, House of Cards, Atlanta, Squid Games, Money Heist, Babylon Berlin etc. or an Anime that comments on historical or current political/social events like Southpark, Family Guy, Simpsons, Tin Tin etc.
Japanese live action shows I can tolerate are:
– Erased
– I.W.G.P (despite low production value)
– Omameda Towako to Sannin no Motootto
– Tokyo Diner
– Naked Director (production value wise)
Anime I do not hate:
– Detective Conan
– Monsters
– Cowboy Bebop
– Doraemon
– Golden Boy
I like movies by Kurusawa and Takeshi but not looking for movie recommendations.
Thanks in advance!
9 comments
The live action Great Teacher Onizuka is very popular. The GTO anime is as well. The Promised Neverland could be up your alley also. Noitamina lineup presents anime that are unlike the more common sorts, for people who don’t enjoy most anime.
I guess we have a similar taste in anime, at least at first I was looking for things that reminded me of American television.
My recommendations are:
– Berserk
– Trigun
– Baccano
– Ghost in the shell (first movie)
– Akira (movie)
I think you would also enjoy watching:
– Kaiji (squid games was inspired by this one)
– Welcome to the NHK
– Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (at least season 1)
Alice in Borderland
Watched Space Dandy today – not too bad. Reminded me of Futurama.
Paranoia Agent, it’s by Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Paprika, and more). Wild, interesting, with some social and cultural commentary. Often overlooked, but top-tier stuff.
Edit: If you tolerated Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop, you might like Samurai Champloo (same creator, I believe). Also, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love Kill la Kill. It’s just crazy and over the top, lovingly mocking a lot of tropes without being tongue-in-cheek like Gintama (which is good if you’re into a more direct parody, 4th wall breaking, self-aware/self-referential kind of show).
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Edit 2: Have you checked out Aggretsuko? I don’t think I can really explain it (but I’ll try, Sanrio-cute lesser panda vents work frustration by singing death metal karaoke… yeah, that sounds awful but it’s actually pretty funny), and it nails a lot of the ‘office politics’ dynamics in Japan. Also, Odd Taxi was a bit of an sleeper sensation that made many top anime lists a few years ago. It’s VERY different in style, tone, and story than almost anything else out there, and the twist ending (no spoilers) is pretty good.
Have you seen Death Note (the anime, not live action), and One Punch Man?
If you liked Cowboy Bebop, maybe you’ll like Samurai Champloo. It’s full of historical references, it mixes contemporary elements with a story that occurs in an old Japan, and I find it very funny.
i liked Mr Hiragii’s Homeroom, I believe it was called? I don’t usually binge shows, but that one had me glued to my seat to finish it all in one go.
Since you like Detective Conan Here are 2 shows that you might like as well: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kindaichi_Case_Files](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kindaichi_Case_Files) (I like it, but it tends to have too many parts in, but other that that you should like it)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detective_School_Q](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detective_School_Q) (I have not seen much, so I do not have much input, but I remember it. First OP sounds good)
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Since you also like Doraemon, you should like these 2 as well: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiteretsu_Daihyakka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiteretsu_Daihyakka)(From what I have seen of it, it is like a reverse Doraemon, with the boy being like Doraemon and the robot like Nobi)
Here is a freebie: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayon_Shin-chan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayon_Shin-chan)(I have never seen it, but I think it sounds like Japanese South Park tbh and you mentioned South Park)