Anime that’s all about family!

There’s nothing more heart warming than watching a family anime. Many anime fans might hear the term “Family Anime” and think, “Eww, I don’t want to watch some little kid’s show!” , and unfortunately they are really missing out, and missing the point. First of all, what is a Family Anime? Unlike Family Movies or TV series in the Western World, which are usually G rated, seen as kid friendly, and can have a wide variety of themes and genre; Family anime are series that specifically focus on the relationships of families.

Family Anime is not the same as family friendly anime. Family Anime are often not what would be considered G rated, often not really kid friendly, and are more dramatic and can include extreme trauma. This can involve dealing with estrangement, broken relationships, and toxic relationships, yet this genre also includes the most heart-warming sub-genre the “Family Builder” anime. In this style of anime, the main characters (who are essentially strangers) come together to form a functioning healthy family relationship. These characters don’t need to be genetically related, but rather it’s the way in which they interact with each other that creates a healthy family dynamic of acceptance, kindness, and support.

Frankenstein Family

Frankenstein Family is about a child genius Tanis and his siblings. Tanis, his older siblings, and their parents lived on a secluded island where their parents conducted experiments on Tanis’s brother and sisters. One night government authorities raided the island and arrested the parents for their illegal work. The children were removed from the secluded island, and . . . nothing. They were just kind of abandoned on a larger, more populated island to fend for themselves. This might have not been so bad, after all some of the sibling were already teenagers, except for one little problem,

Tanis’s siblings weren’t completely human anymore. His sister Aisley is half spider, complete with extra appendages. His sister Ashise is part tree. His brother Snow is part dog, his sister Suishi can read minds. With all these unique abilities, Tanis’s older siblings struggle to function in a modern society. Though Tanis is the youngest of the family, because he’s a child genius and was never experimented on, he decides to manage the family and take care of everything the family needs to survive. Needless to say, this causes some friction with his older siblings!

Sweetness and Lightning

Sweetness and Lightning is about a father and young daughter that come together with the help of well prepared meals. Kohei inuzuka is a high school teacher with a small daughter about pre-school aged, and is a new widower. The loss of his wife is something that both father and daughter are not dealing with well.

Kohei has tried his best to take care of his child, but he always resorts to ready made heat-and-serve style meals. That is, until fate intervenes. With the help of one of his students and the community around him, Kohei starts cooking home made meals for his daughter and the two start growing together.

Flying Witch

The anime Flying Witch couldn’t get much more cozy! The main character (Makoto Kowata) leaves her parent’s home in Yokohama and moves to the country side to live at her cousin’s house to complete her witch’s training. Kind of like in the Ghibli Studio movie Kiki’s Delivery Service. Though the cousins haven’t seen each other in years, one of Makoto’s relatives (Kei Kuramoto) comes to greet her at the bus stop and walk her home because she’s known for getting lost easily.

And it’s this kind and understanding way the cousins get along with each other, that really is the hallmark for the anime. Whether the cousins are picking wild herbs in the woods, growing veggies in an abandoned field, or helping Makoto try out a new spell, they always try to support each other.

Engaged to the Unidentified

In the anime Engaged to the Unidentified the main character (Kobeni Yonomori) lived an ordinary life until her 16th birthday when she was introduced to a fiance she didn’t know she had, and her new little sister-in-law. And surprise, both of the siblings will be living with Kobeni’s family.

Kobeni soon finds out that her now deceased grandfather set up the betrothal agreement years ago, even her mother and older sister knew about it, but no one told her. Needless to say, having her whole family structure suddenly change, learning about family secrets from long ago, and learning that her new fiance might not be exactly what he looks like on the surface, causes some serious stress for Kobeni! At one point the stress becomes too much for her and she even becomes ill from it. But with understanding, forgiveness, and kindness this family grows toward happiness.

Shonen Maid

Chihiro Komiya is a serious elementary schooler and always does the responsible thing, always tries to think rationally, and kind of loves cleaning. One day his mother suddenly dies. Thinking that he has no other family, he resigns himself to live on his own and take care of himself. And then a bubbly uncle he never knew he had suddenly appears. Chihiro’s new relative (Madoka Takatori) is everything Chihiro isn’t, his uncle is carefree, energetic, creative, silly, and a complete slob!

Madoka tries to take Chihiro in and take care of his young nephew, but the boy absolutely refuses. Though Madoka lives in a mansion and seems to have a life of luxury, so he could definitely afford to care for his nephew, Chihiro strongly believes that there is nothing in this life for free and he will not accept charity. Chihiro also points out that Madoka seems to need to be taken care of more than Chihiro. Not willing to give up, Madoka offers to hire Chihiro as the house maid. The job just happens to include a room, meals, plus school and living expenses. Chihiro accepts the job offer and the little family starts growing together.

Do you have any favorite anime that features a heart-warming family? Leave a comment below!

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This week’s anime exclamation is: Oto-san! meaning Dad!

I’m currently watching:

• Banished from the Heroes Party
• Toilet bound Hanako-kun
• Kemono Jihen
• Click Link
• Visual Prison
• Taisho Otome Fairy Tale
• Mars Red
• Inari Kon Kon
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
• The Great Jahy will Not Be Defeated!
• Detective Conan
• The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window
• Revolutionary Girl Utena
• Neo Angelique Abyss
• Hanasakeru Seishonen
• Takt Op. Destiny
• Zombie Loan
• Hells
• Sakugan
• Over Lord
• Backflip
• Bung Stray Dogs
• Cardfight Vanguard Overdress