Adult anime fans may have a hard time finding series that fit their needs. The world of anime is incredibly vast, covering stories from a variety of genres. From romance to action, and even sci-fi, there’s an anime series for every type of fan. However, for older fans of the expressive animation medium, it can sometimes be hard to find characters to relate to their own lives.
Many popular titles focus on young protagonists, often featuring high school students as the main characters. While there’s nothing wrong with these titles, it’s also nice to see someone more like yourself reflected on the screen. Still, there are plenty of options for the adult anime fan wanting a break from high school anime, looking for an emotional story, or simply wanting to laugh at the situations that every adult finds themselves in.
10 Honey and Clover
Created By J.C. Staff, Based On the Original Manga By Chica Umino
Honey and Clover takes place at an art college, following Yuuta Takemoto and his group of friends and roommates. Each of the characters is eccentric and unique with their own passions that set them apart from the group. As they try to get by as broke college students and keep up with their coursework, they must also look towards their unsure futures.
This anime features a college romance mixed with the very real experiences of burnout and insecurity about the future that students face as they get closer to graduation. As the characters grow older, they must face the reality that one day, they will graduate, and they must decide what they want to do with their lives. Honey and Clover is a realistic university take, perfect for any viewers who were or are studying in university.
Watch Now On Crunchyroll
9 Nana
Created By Madhouse, Based On the Original Manga By Ai Yazawa
Nana is the essential coming-of-age shojo anime. This classic anime follows two girls of the same age and name as they navigate friendship, love, and heartbreak while trying to make lives and names for themselves in Tokyo. The story is as heartwarming as it is devastating, showing the growing pains that come with aging. The girls meet by chance on their way to Tokyo and vow to support each other and become friends after learning that they share a name.
While one Nana wants to become a famous singer, the other just wants to find love and happiness. Both of their dreams prove to be harder than they originally thought. The world isn’t always kind to these girls, but the viewer can’t help but root for them as they watch the two friends try to navigate the growing pains of adulthood and romance.
Watch Now On Hulu
8 Barakamon
Created By Kinema Citrus, Based On the Original Manga By Satsuki Yoshino
Barakamon follows a young man encountering a quarter-life crisis. Calligrapher Seishu moves out to the isolated Goto Islands after blowing up at a judge and effectively ruining his life. With no inspiration, he intends to lock himself away, only for his plans to be foiled by a group of friendly kids and the townspeople who welcome him like family.
Instead of being swallowed by his own insecurities, Seishu instead finds himself letting his new neighbors in and even becoming something like an uncle figure to the neighborhood kids. This anime is perfect for any adults who might feel burnt out from life and work, as the joy and healing that Seishu eventually finds in his new life is cathartic and rewarding to watch.
Watch Now On Crunchyroll
7 Shirobako
Created By P.A. Works, Based On the Original Manga By Mizutama and Kenji Sugihara
Shirobako follows a group of friends who vowed to make anime together as adults after meeting in their high school animation club and making an amateur film together. Of course, adulthood and the industry are much different than they expected, and the girls find themselves facing difficulties while fighting to make their dreams a reality.
While some girls are in the industry, they haven’t “made it”, and still struggle to be appreciated by their colleagues. Others find that they are unsatisfied in their jobs despite it being what they thought they wanted to do. It’s hard not to relate to these girls, and so their success and refusal to give up on their childhood dreams is easy to root for, making this anime a satisfying must-watch for adult anime fans.
Watch now On Crunchyroll
6 Cowboy Bebop
Created By Sunrise & Shinichirou Watanabe
Cowboy Bebop is an iconic classic anime series that debuted in 1998. Blending futuristic sci-fi with the themes of cowboys and the wild west, the series follows the bounty hunter and former hit man Spike and his crew on their misadventures in space. Over the series, more misfits join them on their journey, including Faye Valentine, one of the series most recognizable characters and a former bounty head herself.
While the action and fight scenes are unique, especially for the time, and make for an incredible watch, the show also has mature undertones. Featuring adult characters with complex backgrounds and motivations, Cowboy Bebop deals with loneliness, guilt, and existentialism, making for a story only adult viewers can truly understand and connect with.
Watch Now On Crunchyroll
5 Wave, Listen to Me!
Created By Sunrise, Based On the Original Manga By Hiroaki Samura
This anime is truly an underrated gem, especially for adult anime fans. Airing on Funimation in 2020, the story follows Minare Koda after she goes through a breakup and feels as if she’s at a dead end. She accidentally spends a drunken night ranting to radio DJ Kanetsugu, then suddenly finds herself working as a show host after he recognizes her talent for thinking quick on her feet. Wave, Listen to Me! balances comedy with the reality of trying to find a work-life balance and navigating friendships and relationships. Viewers will find a lot of themselves in Minare, making the story even more enjoyable as it feels as if it could happen to anyone.
Watch Now On Funimation
4 Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan
Created By Studio Blanc, Based On the Original Manga By Gaku Kuze
This anime certainly isn’t for kids. While at first glance, Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan could look childish with its bright colors, the story is actually about a burnt out 31-year-old man who absolutely hates his job and has a pessimistic outlook on life. After ending his career as a professional gymnast, the main character Uramichi finds himself working on a morning children’s show to make ends meet.
Of course, he isn’t the only one who is exhausted by having to try and be upbeat and excited about mundane things. The true personalities of the show’s mascots clash with the innocence of the kids in a way that is absolutely hilarious, and the dry humor and antidotes about life are relatable to any adult watching the show.
Watch Now On Funimation
3 Skull Faced Bookseller Honda-san
Created By DLE, Based On the Original Manga By Honda
The art of Skull Faced Bookseller Honda-san can be off-putting at first, but what hides behind the strange character models is a perfect depiction of what life is like working in retail. Any adult who has ever worked in customer service will find themselves laughing at the absolutely absurd yet unfortunately realistic customer interactions.
This story is based off the author’s true life as a bookseller, with the identities of his coworkers disguised by silly masks and absurd nicknames. Because of this, the series feels very real, drawing the viewer in and making them feel as if they, too, are part of the bookstore crew. This story truly captures exactly how retail workers feel and is an absolute joy to watch for anyone who has ever worked in customer service.
Watch Now On Crunchyroll
2 Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for an Otaku
Created By A-1 Studios, Based On the Original Manga By Fujita
Wotakoi often finds itself at the top of lists when it comes to anime for adults for a reason. While there were a handful of anime that focused on work relationships before, Wotakoi is truly one of a kind when it comes to depicting specifically adult work romances and friendships. Childhood friends Narumi and Hirotaka end up reuniting after Narumi joins the office, and they quickly find out that neither of them have lost their childhood hobbies. This main pairing is joined by a bickering couple who have been dating since high school and Hirotaka’s innocent little brother. The characters are relatable, and watching them juggle playing video games, watching anime, and cosplay with their company work is always amusing to watch for any adult fan doing the exact same thing.
Watch Now On Prime Video
1 Aggretsuko
Created By Sanrio and Fanworks
This anime series has been a staple for adult anime fans since its release in 2018, and for good reason. The main character, Retsuko, is an overworked and underpaid employee working in an office setting where she doesn’t feel appreciated. In order to cool off, she often spends her nights at karaoke screaming her frustration into a mic. Joined by a cast of funny and all too real animal colleagues, Aggretsuko has a sweet romance and follows Retsuko as she tries to find a work-life balance and occasionally messes up at work. Because of how relatable this down-on-her-luck main character is, the viewer can’t help but root for her as she tries to find her own happiness.
Watch Now On Netflix
