Moe For Those Who Don't Like Moe

On the recent ANNCast episode I was on, Zac and Justin of ANN asked me to recommend some “moe” anime titles that might be good for those who aren’t so into the moe thing. On the show, I mentioned The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Hayate the Combat Butler, and while those shows don’t focus entirely on moe, they can certainly help bring one to better understand its appeal.

In this blog post, I’m going to go into more detail with the shows I spoke about on the ANNCast and why I think many anime fans, and even non-anime fans, may enjoy them. I’ll also talk about some other “moe shows” that might be worth checking out as a sort of segue into appreciating moe.

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The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Haruhi is pretty much the prime example of a show with moe elements that most anime fans can enjoy. It’s a show that spans many genres and thus, it pretty much has something for everyone. Fans of comedy, drama, mystery, sci-fi, slice-of-life, and even action can find something interesting about this show, and that’s what makes it great. The “moe-ness” of this show is found mostly in its main female characters: specifically the totally adorable and innocent Mikuru and the silent genius Yuki, both of which can certainly be viewed as cute in their own way. Even Haruhi herself may be considered moe by some, with her tsundere-like attitude. If you watch the show and find that you like these characters, then you just might be starting to like this moe thing.

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Hayate the Combat Butler

I mentioned this show on the ANNCast episode because I think it’s a great example of an off-the-wall comedy presented by a largely “cute girl” cast, thus being where the moe comes in. Hayate is pure comedy, and it’s comedy that most people can enjoy. It’s true that many of the jokes are geared towards otaku, with its many parodies, but there is plenty of original, non-otaku humor found in the show as well. If you like a good comedy, Hayate is worth checking out, and even more so if you’re familiar with anime titles like Saint Seiya, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and Neon Genesis Evangelion, as those shows (and many others) are parodied many times throughout the series. If you watch Hayate and find that you like the female characters and don’t find them all annoying, then there’s your moe appeal.

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Clannad / Toradora!

If you’ve enjoyed teenage high-school romantic comedies such as 10 Things I Hate About You or She’s All That, then you might appreciate shows like Clannad and Toradora! While I can already see some people aiming their shotguns at me for making that comparison, hear me out. These are all romantic comedies, or “dramedies” that involve romance, but present it with plenty of laughs on the side. They all have their funny moments, but they also tone down on the comedy when things get serious.

Even those who aren’t into anime might find a certain appeal to these shows, and it’s not because of the moe. It’s because both Clannad and Toradora! both manage to present a very serious, emotionally vesting, and tear-jerking story that drama fans will just eat up. Obviously, if you’re not into drama, or you never felt emotions for fictional characters before, then these shows probably aren’t your thing. But if you are into that stuff, and you haven’t quite been “sucked in” to the moe-loving crowd just yet, these shows might do the trick.

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Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha

This one might be a bit of a stretch because of the fanservice factor, but there are some elements to the Nanoha series that might appeal to more than just the stereotypical “male otaku.” To make another bold comparison: I’ve heard the series described as “Dragonball Z with girls” before, and I kind of agree with that. Both Nanoha and DBZ have plenty of crazy fight scenes (although Nanoha focuses on magic battles and DBZ focuses on martial arts, it’s still fighting) along with a pretty decent story to boot. So, Nanoha may have some appeal to non-moe fans, and even non-anime fans who are into magic/fantasy stories. It also holds appeal to fans of other “magical girl” titles like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. The main issue with Nanoha is the fanservice, which may turn off many people. But, if you’re someone who can get around that, it might be worth your time to check it out.

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There are other shows I could use as examples as well, but much of that would involve me repeating what I already said. The aforementioned titles, while they don’t specifically revolve around moe, do hold moe elements to them that can help bring one to better understand the moe fandom and in turn, better appreciate moe itself. With assistance from other elements of anime, it’s possible for moe to attract new fans. Now of course, there are some shows like K-ON! that specifically cater to the existing moe/otaku fandom, but even those shows can attract new fans, both male and female, who have a fondness for “cute” things.