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.

25 Welcome To The N.H.K.

Anime Series By Gonzo; Based On The Novel By Tatsuhiko Takimoto & Yoshitoshi Abe

Welcome to the N.H.K. follows a young man named Sato who is a complete shut-in. Paranoid, delusional, and suffering from a severe case of anxiety, Sato lives alone in an apartment that his parents pay for. However, Sato's life changes when he meets a young woman named Misaki who agrees to try and help Sato overcome his various psychological ailments.

Two prominent used throughout the anime are hikikomori and NEET. In Japan, a hikikomori is someone suffering from severe social isolation and withdrawal, while a NEET is anyone not in education, employment, or training.

Though the anime hasn't aged well in some respects, what Welcome to the N.H.K. gets right is how it feels to suffer from mental illness. Sato's social isolation will hit close to home for anyone who has dealt with bouts of serious depression, and that alone warrants it a solid recommendation for any adult anime fan.

24 Honey and Clover

Anime Series By J.C.Staff; Based On The 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 ions 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 take on university life, perfect for any viewers who were or are studying in university.

23 Nana

Anime Series By Madhouse; Based On The 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 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.

22 Psycho-

Anime Series By Production I.G; Written By Gen Urobuchi

For Western audiences, Psycho- may pique fans of Philip K. Dick's storytelling, namely of a dystopian society reminiscent of somewhere between Blade Runner and Minority Report, Psycho- is a slam dunk. The series is excellently animated, spawning gorgeous cosplays and a dedicated fandom over the decade since its inception. The series addresses similar ethical dilemmas of apprehending people for crimes they've yet to commit and how a society focused so strongly on crime prevention can warp the mentality of its denizens.

Unsurprisingly, Psycho- is banned in certain territories for its commentary, as it's bound to strike a nerve in the security vs. freedom/privacy debate.

Psycho- uses the Sibyl System to address these questions and how it predicts crime. This results in the ability to conduct cymatic scans, eerily predicting criminal intent or tendencies on the spot for its human subjects. Unsurprisingly, Psycho- is banned in certain territories for its commentary, as it's bound to strike a nerve in the security vs. freedom/privacy debate.

21 Barakamon Tackles Burnout in a Mature & Interesting Way

Anime Series By Kinema Citrus; Based On The 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. Barakamon 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.

20 Shirobako

Anime Series By P.A. Works; Based On The Manga By Mizutama & 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 Shirobako's 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.

19 Steins;Gate

Anime Series By White Fox; Based On The Visual Novel By 5pb. & Nitroplus

Despite the goofiness of its cast and premise, White Fox's Steins;Gate excels at building sci-fi drama with surprisingly realistic applications of science, and the strong character and story writing always help make it feel as engaging as possible. It's an anime with a near-flawless balance of realism and goofiness, and any adult anime fan looking for something like that is sure to find a lot to love about it.

18 Paranoia Agent

Anime Series By Madhouse; Written & Directed By Satoshi Kon

Taking place in Japan in the mid-2000s, Paranoia Agent follows a variety of characters dealing with an outbreak of brutal attacks by a mysterious figure known as Lil' Slugger. Though that might seem straightforward, what follows is a truly bizarre mystery that tests the limits of sanity and reality as the true nature of Lil' Slugger threatens the very fabric of society.

Lil' Slugger is known as Shonen Bat (or Bat Boy) in Japanese.

Series creator Satoshi Kon was a master of distorting reality to really dive in to a character's head, and nowhere is that clearer than his lone TV series. What makes Paranoia Agent such a great series is the psychological depths of its characters. Every character feels real in a way that few anime can replicate. The characters combined with the mystery is more than enough to make Paranoia Agent one of the best anime for adults.

17 Black Lagoon

Anime Series By Madhouse; Based On The Manga By Rei Hiroe

With a track record like Madhouse's, it's unsurprising that Black Lagoon is a standout 2006 anime particularly suited for mature audiences. Its main characters are excellently juxtaposed in a dangerous, real-world-inspired yet exaggerated drama featuring modern pirates in the mid-1990s. The series boasts mature themes, philosophical angles, glorious ultraviolence, and a characteristically strong visual showcase from Madhouse.

The result for newcomers is a darkly funny, often pessimistic, yet endearing story as viewers will undoubtedly be charmed by many characters in the cast

Black Lagoon also has the specific draw of an excellent and strong female anime protagonist with Revy, a brash, impulsive cynic who stands as the poster child of the series. Opposite her is Rokuro Okajima, later known as Rock, a salaryman whose life is turned upside down when the crew of the eponymous Black Lagoon takes him hostage. The result for newcomers is a darkly funny, often pessimistic, yet endearing story as viewers will undoubtedly be charmed by many characters in the cast and their engaging backstories.

16 Samurai Champloo

Anime Series By Manglobe; Directed By Shinichiro Watanabe

A perfect blend of Western popular music sensibilities and elegant swordplay, Samurai Champloo is just what the doctor ordered for seasoned anime fans craving something unique. It has exceptional action sequences and a trio of wildly likable and different characters, Mugen, Jin, and Fuu, whose personalities and styles vary wildly from each other. For those who recognize the names behind the series, Shinichirō Watanabe is an especially influential creator in the anime space, whose stylistic choices helped define the series' success.

Fight sequences are crisp and devoid of filler or introspection, perfectly pulse-pounding and satisfying.

Samurai Champloo appeals to viewers in the West for many reasons, including hip-hop music infused into a stylized Edo Period Japan. Fight sequences are crisp and devoid of filler or introspection, perfectly pulse-pounding and satisfying. This action allows viewers to enjoy Jin's keen senses while acting as a foil to Mugen's unorthodox breakdancing combat. The best part is that viewers don't have to look hard for other excellent anime, no less from Watanabe, seemingly perfect for adults to enjoy.