“Age Gap” anime & manga... part 3
Well, well, well… we meet again dear age gap lovers and I’ve got a new list of shows that I’ve watched which might tickle your fancy if you’re into this particular genre. I can’t guarantee that all of it will be canon because there are times when the relationship is hinted at rather than exposed and sometimes just the potential of the ship is enough to earn it a place on my list. So please take some of these with a pinch of salt!
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
If you want recaps of the previous two parts, you can find them here (Part 1) and here (Part 2) for more age gap recommendations. But for now, let’s move on to the new list of shows I’ve found thus far (because I’m sure there are plenty of others out there I’ve yet to discover) and I’ll be completely upfront that THIS IS NOT A SPOILER FREE POST. So if you’re not wanting to ruin the surprise for yourself, best stop reading at the end of this paragraph because the shows I’m about to cover include the following (in no particular order): Samurai 7, Koi wa Ameagari no You ni, Mahoutsukai no Yome, Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro, Yawara!, Hitorijime My Hero, B; The Beginning, Nightwalker Midnight Detective, Natsuyuki Rendezvous, Kuragehime, Kaze no Yojimbo, Air Master, Skull Man, Witch Hunter Robin and a couple of more controversial titles like Usagi Drop and Koi Kaze. If you’re intrigued, read on… and if this is where you stop, then take this list as my recommendations on what to watch if you’re looking for something that includes some age gap interaction/romance!
So, first up: Koi wa Ameagari no You ni. On the face of it, this show is about a high school girl who falls for the manager of a family restaurant and how they get progressively closer to each other over. Although the age gap romance is the obvious focal point of the show, it actually has depth to it because it deals with each of their experiences - both past and present - and how this has shaped them into the people they are now. Tachibana Akira (the girl, age 17) was a gifted runner but an injury puts an abrupt end to the activity that used to give her a sense of purpose. Kondo Masami (the guy, age 45) used to aspire to become a novelist but never got to the point of having his work published. During that time, life took it’s toll and after marriage, a child and a subsequent divorce, Kondo finds himself as the manager of a family restaurant. They meet by chance when Kondo brings Tachibana a complimentary cup of coffee while she waits out the rain. And after a bad day, this small act of kindness is enough to stir her feelings and so she begins working at the restaurant part-time, in order to achieve her goal of getting closer to the man that she loves. It’s a slow build with this show, but that’s why it works - it gives you a bit of everything in balance. The personal stories help the plot and the romance progress as the characters themselves begin to develop and change in reaction to each other, making their gravitation toward each other seem rather natural. And even though their age gap is rather large at 28 years, it doesn’t seem wrong because this aspect makes them a complementary pair - she reminds him of how he was in his younger years and inspires him in some ways, and he guides her on her path through the turbulent times of youth, letting her know that the things she’s going through now won’t last forever. I even read the manga after that and I enjoyed it - it’s slightly different from the show regarding the ending so I’d recommend reading it. So if you like a bit of slice of life/depth/realism with your age gap then this is the one!
Next up, another canon offering from the shoujo/sports anime Yawara! When we fiest meet the main character, Inokuma Yawara, she is a high school girl who just happens to also be an amazing judo athlete. And while she wants to run away from that judo world, she always finds herself coming back to it. Additionally, it’s through her amazing judo skills that she meets two potential suitors, who are both in their early-to-mid twenties at the time, i.e. Matsuda Kosaku and Kazamatsuri Shinnosuke. While Kazamatsuri is highly entertaining as a suitor because of his smooth-talker, playboy ways, the real hero here is Matsuda. Matsuda is a sports journalist who ends up taking a serious interest in Yawara from the first time he saw her way back when she was in high school. At first it’s professional interest, but soon enough it becomes personal too. And while Yawara doesn’t really consider him a contender in the relationship stakes (mainly because she’s hung up on Kazamatsuri for a long time), she eventually comes to see that she relies on Matsuda the most when it comes to the important things. It’s a relationship that develops slowly over the duration of the show, with lots of small moments between them that are so worth it. Fair warning though - you won’t get the sweet pay-off at the end of the anime because they’ve put that long-awaited pay off in the Yawara! movie - so make sure that you watch that as well to get the real conclusion to their love story!
Samurai 7 was an unexpected find but there is definitely some romantic entanglements going on here with one of our main characters, a girl named Mikumari Kirara, who seemingly can’t decide whether she should be going for the guy who’s around her age (Katsushiro Okamoto) or the old guy who is the leader of the Samurai 7 team (Shimada Kambei). They try to keep this aspect of the show as a secret throughout so I won’t completely give the game away as to who she’s gunning for but you can understand why Kambei is on the list because he can still get it! Their story starts when Kirara, the shrine maiden, goes in search of samurai who would be able to come help her village get rid of the bandits that keep collecting their harvests every season, essentially making them slaves. When she runs into Kambei and sees him in action on the streets, she makes it her mission to get him to agree to help them out. Needless to say, after some hesitation, he accepts and things go on from there. I won’t give the game away here but if you like the heroic, samurai types - this here is your man, Shimada Kambei!
Heading into the more supernatural realm, the next few on the list come with a dose of magic, demons and vampires. And first up is Mahoutsukai no Yome, which is about a girl (Hatori Chise) who gets sold off at an auction to Elias Ainsworth - a mage who is most probably hundreds of years old at this point and definitely not human. He can take human form when needed but chooses to remain in his more natural form - a human-like body with an animal skull for a head. The title of the show says it all, since it’s about the mage’s bride but Elias chooses Chise to be not only his apprentice, but also his bride - making her his fiancee right from the start. The show shows the development of their relationship from that of strangers to family and the love that grows between these two. Although Elias may be much, MUCH older than her, when it comes to human relationships, the two are very much alike - novices who are trying to find their way together, to be understood and accepted. Unconventional? Yes. But are there feels? Most definitely yes!
The next supernatural age gap? A high school girl and a demon who feature as the main characters in the show Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro! So Neuro is a demon who consumes mysteries and since he’s run out of those in the underworld, he decides to come top side to earth and start a detective agency, using 16-year old Katsuragi Yako as the human front for the agency. This works out great for her since she has her own investigation to do into the death of her father. And so the two of them, along with a couple of other team members, go around solving crimes/mysteries to help feed Neuro’s appetite whilst also trying to figure out what happened to Yako’s dad. You don’t get much of the “potential romantic interest” vibe initially since Neuro seems to treat Yako very much like a useful tool for his own interests but as the show goes along, you get more invested, get to know the characters and start to see the interesting bond between them. Although Yako is a “tool” and their master/slave interaction is hilarious, Neuro still talks with her, spends time with her on cases and protects her when it’s needed. It’s an odd match but it works so well!
Now this next one is sort of hit or miss for most folks because either you can handle this sort of cheesy horror or you would rather spend your time watching more acclaimed horror animes. For me, I can watch just about anything so this was no sweat for me and I actually enjoyed it - cheese and all! The show I’m talking about is Nightwalker: The Midnight Detective and it’s about our main character, Tatsuhiko Shido, who runs a one-man detective agency, helping out on cases that involve monsters called “nightbreeds” - detective by day, demon hunter by night. The only other person with him at this agency is a high school girl named Yamazaki Riho, who acts as his secretary and eventually comes to know of his secret - that he too is a vampire! Riho is basically in love with Shido and sometimes resents the fact that he treats her too much like a kid, when all she wants is to be his main support and the person he can rely on. Although Shido tends to brush her off because she’s human and a young girl, certain events change everything and their relationship takes a new turn in an unexpected (but welcome) way! Yes, it had plenty of cliche and cheesy moments but I liked the development of the relationship between Shido and Riho and how he finally got an eternal companion and she eventually got exactly what she wanted - to be with the man she loves, forever!
Continuing on with this theme, Witch Hunter Robin features our main character, Robin Sena (a girl that looks like she’s just at the end of her teens), paired up with a dark, tall and handsome man of mystery named Amon (who looks like he’s in his late 20s). She’s a transfer from Italy joining Amon and his team in Japan, where they hunt rogue witches who use their powers for criminal acts. It’s a rough start for the two since Amon doesn’t trust Robin, but since the job demands it, the two of them eventually start working together on cases and start trusting each other - even if it’s just for the purposes of work. Of course, things take a few twists and turns for Robin and it’s Amon who comes to her aid and gives her the help she needs - even if it’s from the shadows. The romance is quite understated here because it focuses more on the plot but if you’ve got a bit of imagination and some patience, you’ll definitely be able to read the mood between these two because it gets hinted at quite strongly as the show progresses, culminating in a wonderful (yet ambiguous) declaration from Amon and a bit of an open ending.
Another anime I quite enjoyed was Kaze no Yojimbo which centres around a “small town politics with a side of mystery” vibe. Kodama George is our main man and he comes to this small town looking for a certain man. He’s treated as an outsider but this doesn’t matter to him because he’s got his own agenda in mind and some investigation to do. While he’s there, he meets a number of characters, including high-schooler Tanokura Miyuki, the daughter of one of the most prominent figures in town. She meets George by chance and while he plays it pretty cool and close to the vest, she takes a shine to him pretty quickly and becomes friendly with him. And when things get dangerous in town, he’s even tasked with being her bodyguard - walking her to and from the train she catches to go to school. Of course it seems a little suspect but no one ever makes too big a deal of the fact that she’s friends with an older man. It’s the sweet hint of potential romance between these two that earned them a place on the list so give it a go if you also like the seinen genre.
Keeping with the theme, another couple of seinen titles coming up and the first is B: The Beginning with some good potential for a nice ship between Lily Hoshina and Keith Kazama Flick. Lily is part of the Royal Investigation Service (sort of like a cop) and Keith is a retired member of the RIS and it’s this connection that brings about their introduction when Keith is called in to help with a case that’s proving to be a bit tricky. They’re got that typical older generation / younger generation age gap thing going where he’s the mellowed out, mature, life-worn older guy and she’s the somewhat green, firecracker up her butt, young whippersnapper type but it’s a trope that works pretty well because she can hold her own (for the most part). They don’t expand a lot on their relationship but there’s enough material and moments for you to enjoy this particular pairing!
And rounding out the seinen shows is Skull Man - unexpected, because I actually didn’t know a thing about this show before watching it, but not bad at all. The story is mostly about a reporter named Mikogami Hayato who returns to his hometown after hearing rumours about a skull man going around town and killing people. On this way back home, he runs into a young photographer (Mamiya Kiriko) who sort of becomes his tag-along and collaborator on the story. What initially starts off as a strictly professional and rather antagonistic interaction (from Hayato’s viewpoint) eventually starts blurring the lines as the two of them keep facing seriously dangerous situations together. I was sort of expecting it remain more “unrequited love” on the part of Kiriko, but it actually has a decent (and somewhat surprising) ending with respect to their relationship. If you want to know what that is - watch it to the end!
I must have gone on some Animax binge because I watched quite a few of these non-mainstream animes, and they were pretty good! Another one of these was Air Master - probably the weirdest semi-sports anime ever because it’s focussed around street fighting. A high-schooler named Aikawa Maki was a gymnast but eventually shifted her focus to street fighting, getting her adrenaline from this instead of competitive sports. One of the fighters she runs into is a guy named Sakamoto Julietta and not only is he crazy strong, he’s crazy… about Maki and wants to make her his lover. Maki is the object of attraction for most of the characters she encounters (both male and female) - whether as a rival or a romantic interest - so there are plenty of ships to choose from here. Just so happens that my favourite ship was between Maki and Julietta. He matches her perfectly in height, strength and ability and even gets along with Maki’s dad! Sexy attitude, straightforward approach and sees Maki as a woman, rather than just a competitor. That’s a win for me!
The next show has an age gap, but whether you like it or not will depend on who you want to see the MC with. Kuragehime is about a young otaku, Kurashita Tsukimi (18), who lives in a dorm surrounded by her other otaku friends. One evening she happens to meet a young “lady” (not actually a girl - just a guy who likes to cross-dress) who becomes her friend and shows her the way, opening her up to the art of makeup as well as interaction with the opposite sex. It just so happens that this guy, Koibuchi Kuranosuke, has an older brother, Koibuchi Shu (30), who sees Tsukimi while she’s all done up and falls head over heels for her. While you get the feeling that Tsukimi would probably be better off with Kuranosuke, it doesn’t discount the fact that Shu (when he sees the made up Tsukimi) really does seem to like her, and she seems to like him too. There are a few good moments which highlight their compatibility (if he can learn to see past her appearances) and I found myself a bit conflicted about who would be better for her in the end, mainly because Shu is also a bit of a pure sort. I know I’m not alone because many others have asked that exact same question. The answer? Better watch it for yourself and see which pairing you like best! Also… just watch it because it’s a great show!
Natsuyuki Rendezvous is also age gap but it’s the guy who’s the younger one this time. Hazuki Ryosuke develops a crush on the owner of a flower shop (Shimao Rokka) and decides to start working there as a means to get closer to her. He’s a bit disappointed to find out that she’s actually married but the twist here, is that her husband… is actually a ghost. Rokka’s husband passed away some time ago but his ghost has never left her. And while she is unable to see him, for some unknown reason Hazuki can see him just fine and realises that he now has a rival on his hands. The story is very slice of life and a bit more on the serious side of things because it does revolve around love and loss, but if you like tearjerkers (yes, there will be tears) that leave you wondering who you should be supporting (even if the husband is a ghost - go figure), then suspend your disbelief and give this a shot.
The next couple of titles are probably two of the more controversial I’ve seen but there is an age gap here so I’ll include it as part of the list because it does, technically, count and everyone is entitled to their preferences.
Usagi Drop starts off as an adorable anime about Kawachi Daikichi (30) and Kaga Rin (6) who start living together after it’s discovered that Daikichi’s late grandfather had a daughter with the maid that was looking after him. The anime is a slice-of-life styled show that chronicles the day-to-day living situations and adjustments that the two of them must make as they learn to live together. Now if that were all, it wouldn’t have made the list, and the anime sneakily ends at a point where there is no hint at all that there is more to the relationship between Daikichi and Rin. The manga has the story in its entirety and (spoiler) after a lot of story arcs and plots showing all the ups and downs they’ve faced, Rin grows up and, while she’s in high school, comes to realise that she has feelings for Daikichi. Now, I’ve read other manga with younger girls and older men but it was sort of set up at the outset that romance is the direction it would go and I think the fact there is no hint of this in Usagi Drop (until you get nearer to the end of the manga) is the reason why a lot of people feel a bit in two minds about this particular story. It seemed an odd turn for the story to take, considering how it started out, but that’s the freedom of story creation for you!
The other title is Koi Kaze, which is about a brother (Saeki Koshiro - 27) and sister (Kohinata Nanoka - 15) who have grown up separately for most of their lives - the sister having lived with the mother and the brother with the father. As fate would have it, the two meet accidentally (not knowing who they are to each other) and end up sharing a touching moment together and the two form a sort of bond. It’s not long after that though that they find out that they’re actually related and that Nanoka is going to live with her dad and brother so she can attend a school nearby. Complications ensue as both brother and sister try to figure out the relationship between them, seeing as they both have developed romantic feelings for each other, however being together is considered one of the biggest social taboos. Now, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea due to the incest aspect of it so be mentally prepared before you decide to tackle this one. But even though the topic is a bit touchy, the show definitely has a more serious tone to it, so the creators understood that this isn’t a show that’s to be taken too lightly. But just remember, as with anything that’s out there - if you don’t like this topic, don’t watch it.
Phew! Now stepping away from the ladies for a minute, it’s time to give the boys some love, however the titles are a bit minimal in the anime stakes. First up is one that grew to be one of my favourites - especially after reading the manga: Hitorijime my Hero. It’s not an enormous age gap, but it is a romance between a high school student - Setagawa Masahiro - and a teacher - Ooshiba Kousuke. Masahiro is a bit of weak kid who didn’t get much guidance or protection growing up and has lost all hope in the existence of heroes in this world - that is, until a delinquent known as “Bear Killer” saves him one day. Turns out that the “Bear Killer” is none other than Kousuke, who soon takes him under his wing as his “underling”, promising to protect him. And of course, over the duration of time, what starts out as admiration and a feeling of wanting to protect, soon turns into something deeper… Love, love, love these two together and you must do yourself a favour and keep reading the manga and how they make it through all the ups and downs!
Another super cute show that’s currently airing is Hora Mimi ga Mieteru yo! and I just want to die of cuteness overload. It’s about a cat-boy (Miao) and a mangaka (Da Shu) and takes little snippets from their life together now that Da Shu has taken Miao into his home. It’s so short (3 minute episodes) but it’s probably a good thing ‘cos 25 minutes of this would kill me instantly with the cuteness! Just do yourself a favour and watch this to heal your soul, irrespective of the age gap!
Well that wraps up the animes I’ve managed to watch thus far which features some age gap romance or some potential ships but there are plenty (and I mean, plenty) of mangas out there that can keep you busy for a while so I’ll highlight a few which I really loved and drop a few names for others that fall into the category and were decent reads. Of course, most of these are gonna be BL because it’s what I usually end up reading but there are one or two other titles, and please don’t forget to go read the mangas of some of the animes I’ve mentioned above!
Irony Dress ni Sayonara (Miyoshi Ayato) was an awesome coming-of-age type of story featuring a high school boy and a older guy who moves back into the neighbourhood. The kid is trying to find himself and figure out who he is, and in the confusion of it all, ends up wearing a skirt as part of his regular school uniform. Of course, the neighbour sees this and gets involved in the kid’s life, offering him guidance on that journey to adulthood. While it appears frivolous with the skirt-wearing aspect, it’s got depth and it’s a story that I could easily re-read because it handles the age gap with grace. Another title with a similar feel to it is Suki ni Nattara Dame desu ka? (Fumikawa Jimi) between a student and teacher. Heartwarming stuff!
How Sweet is a Sugar Daddy (Ji Hye-Kyung) has such a seductive title, I was all over it in a heartbeat! A struggling college student gets intrigued by his best friend’s “sugar daddy” - an older, successful, wealthy, handsome and generous doctor - and even though it wasn’t his initial intention, he somehow manages to land himself the prize of a lifetime! Lots of misunderstandings, lots of action, decent pacing and story, as well as a proper conclusion to the manhwa makes it a entertaining read that I would recommend if you need a bit of that K-drama style in your life!
Joou to Shitateya (Scarlet Beriko) will definitely please those that like that refined yet sexy older man type who looks like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. A young man is told by his boss to get a suit made at a certain store and of course, the store belongs to none other than the older gentleman. Of course, this story follows the BL path to love but the comedy and the character designs are enough to make it a worthwhile read!
Pornographer (Marukido Maki) was one of the most refreshing stories I had read in a while about the interactions between a erotic novelist and a college student that becomes his scribe after a minor accident. It’s sexy, funny, has depth and some great characterisations of the novelist and the younger guy and develops the story well over 7 chapters instead of the usual 5, so it’s something I would definitely recommend!
More stories with high school guys but a bit more on the comedic side are Jounetsu no Young Man (Takahashi Yuu) and Toshishita Kareshi ni Hirowaremashita (Miyoshi Ayato) which both feature younger guys who end up in bed with older dudes, with some interesting consequences. Nice, light reads for when you just want some fun!
A bit more on the deep/slightly more serious side of things there’s Yamada to Shounen (Mita Ori), Bright Light Sprout (Ichikawa Kei) and Afurete Shimau (Arai Yoshimi) which deals with high school guys being “saved” in one way or another, by the older men in their lives and vice versa. These are the “sweet yet deep” types of stories and there will be some feels so just have a couple of tissues handy.
And if you reallllllly enjoy stories with feels punches that leave you sobbing on the floor wondering what you did wrong in a past life to deserve this, then check out Hana to Ryuu (Kodaka Kazuma) (which is also related to Kizuna - which also features an age gap side couple). The story is gritty because of the mafia/prison angle but even though the punch was hard, it was still a beautiful story, told by one of the legends of the BL world so I would still recommend it. Just don’t read it if you’re feeling a bit emotionally vulnerable at the time.
And to end the BL streak off is Gray to Blue no Ai Made (Itoi Nozo) which is a nice, cute story about 3 generations of guys - a young student, his teacher and the teacher’s father-in-law and the interactions between the three. It’s a little bittersweet here and there but it was an entertaining read because the relationships and the feelings are a bit complex. I think that’s what I like most about it though and it’s one of those mangas that you sort of wish could be adapted into an anime or live version. Very good!
The next couple of titles are one shots which are more on the risque side - Darenimo Ienai Maruhi - Nioi (Oku Megumi) and Tomodachi no Papa - Hakui no Oji-sama (Kuro Kumako) about young ladies who fall in love with much older gentlemen… and if you’re looking for a little bit of smut on the side with some hot sexy-time, then you can give these a read. It’s not a complicated plot but it was still cute nonetheless! And I can totally understand why these girls would go for these hot oji-sans!
The last couple of titles are more of the sweet, comedy-based type and I love those sorts of stories! Imadoki no Wakai Mon wa (Yoshitani Kouhei) is about an young, relatively new employee at a company and her much older, yet very understanding boss. He’s that gruff type that seems like he’s gonna give a lecture about how it was back in his day, but he always surprises this girl by doing the opposite. The chapters are short and sweet but has gradual progression going on bit by bit. Very cute! And lastly, probably one of the most popular age gap manga that I’ve had recommended to me (thank you kindly!) - Dengeki Daisy (Motomi Kyousuke). This one is about a high school girl and “two” older guys (age gap is about 7 years): a friend of her brother’s who has been tasked for looking out for her (Daisy), and the evil (yet caring) janitor at her school who forms a friendship/relationship with her. It’s such a well-balanced manga and I’m actually really surprised that this never became an anime. What is up with that? The characters are great, the comedy is on point, the romance has that slow build with those few moments here and there that make it just so good to read… It really is a great shoujo manga and there’s plenty of chapters to keep you entertained!
Phew! And so we’ve finally come to the end of this post.Thank you to those of you who’ve sent me comments, messages or suggestions for me to add to these posts - it’s really appreciated because that’s the point of this post in the first place - sharing with others! So thank you for sharing with me! Although this post was a mighty long one, hopefully I’ve given you some new ideas on what to watch or read if you’re looking for something in the age gap genre. I hope that I can get around to making a 4th post at some point, but until then - have fun and enjoy!
Reminder: Part 1 is out here! Part 2 is out here!
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