Animation (and Comics) after 30

Title: Everfallen

Type: Webcomic

Year: 2022-2023

Country: Unknown (presumably the English-speaking Western world)

Genre: Fantasy

Status: Cancelled(?)

Platform: Webtoon (read here)

Appropriate for 30+?: No

My rating: 2/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity))

Everfallen is a bit of a mess. The art wavers from mediocre to distractingly bad, the pacing is uneven, the plot is confusing at points, and worst of all, the predominantly adult characters all talk like they're desperately trying to sound smarter than they actually are (and bombing badly at it), while acting like a group of high school girls hopped up on energy drinks at an anime convention. There's a lot of cringe and not a lot of maturity here, but unlike most cringe young adult works it doesn't read like it's written for teenagers so much as by a teenager.

However, the real tragedy is that the series actually had potential. Somewhere in the mess is a surprisingly intriguing setting and premise, and with a better artist and an actual dedicated editor (not the overstretched rubber-stamp "editors" that Webtoon provides) to help rewrite the dialogue and clean up the more confusing chapters, this could have been an okay if not good series. Everfallen is definitely weird and at times off-putting, but at least it feels somewhat original. By the end of the series the author had dangled enough unsolved mysteries and incomplete lore that I found myself thoroughly plot-committed to a series that by all accounts I should have dropped chapters ago without a second thought.

Unfortunately, it would appear the series was cancelled by Webtoon; there was never an official announcement from either Webtoon or the author, just a cliffhanger final chapter with "series finale" stamped on the title. Rumor has it that Everfallen suffered in popularity and engagement from the get-go following a marketing flub on Webtoon's part where they tried to compare the series to Fullmetal Alchemist (which apparently enraged FMA fans and gave the series a bad reputation before it had even started). So now we'll never know if the author was actually building up to anything worthwhile underneath Everfallen's many flaws, or if we were unknowingly spared from another 1-2 seasons of sub-par quality culminating in utter disappointment of an ending.

Title: Hand Jumper

Type: Webcomic

Year: 2022-?

Country: United States(?)*

Genre: Action/Thriller

Status: Ongoing

Platform: Webtoon (read here)

Appropriate for 30+?: Yes

My rating: 4.25/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity))

*The series is written in English, takes place in South Korea, and the author is reportedly Korean-American

Hand Jumper may be yet another entry into the over-saturated "super-power dystopia" genre, but so far it's proving itself a superior series to most of its peers. It features plenty of exhausted tropes (the protagonist has an OP-yet-difficult-to-master superpower, the setting is "super-power boot camp," only the cream of the crop will succeed, the "good guys" aren't actually good, etc), but despite all this Hand Jumper still manages to feel fresh. The overall quality of the series has a big role in this: the pacing is great, the characters are (mostly) interesting, the art is unique and striking, the plot is engaging, and most importantly, the series is showing signs of actual depth (at least, for its genre).

One of my biggest gripes with a lot of South Korean action series is that they don't seem to actually have anything to say: the violence serves no purpose other than to be entertaining, the villains only exist to advance the plot, injustice is present only as an obstacle for characters to overcome, and the setting has little depth beyond "imagine a world where [premise], wouldn't that be cool/shitty/terrifying?" This is especially true for dystopias, for any dystopia story lacking any kind of underlying message is just torture porn. Hand Jumper is only ~50 chapters in and is still developing its world, but the seeds are planted for some interesting thematic exploration in future chapters. It reminds me a bit of the X-Men series: humans without powers fear those with powers, so discrimination, human rights violations, and terrorism inevitably follow. I also suspect the author is crafting a subtle critique of modern South Korean society—where students are expected to throw themselves into an academic battle royale with other youth to compete for corporate jobs, just for those corporations to treat their employees like disposable resources—however perhaps that's just my interpretation. I highly suspect that Hand Jumper's status as a hybrid series (the author is Korean-American, so while the series is set in South Korea and fits squarely into the Korean action genre, it bares a distinctive western flare) gives it an edge in this regard. Also rare in SK works: the protagonist recognizes from the start that the world she lives in is fucked up and wants to fix it, at first by being part of the system, and then after recognizing how broken it is, by blowing it up from the inside. I can't help but assume the discourse over the last few years in the United States about our broken police and judicial systems is a clear influence. I fully expect a "seeking power to change a corrupt system is itself corrupting" theme to emerge at some point. The series also succeeds where most fail at having a cast of strong female characters (the gender balance is actually somewhat female-skewed, very rare for a non-exploitative action series), and body proportions for both sexes are refreshingly restrained (no beach-ball-boobs or cheese-grater-abs here!)

Most characters are in the 18-to-20-something range, however they generally act with maturity, and the series is devoid of grating "teenage hi-jinks," so I think it's still enjoyable for the 30-and-up crowd. The series has little sexual content to speak of, but does include some brutal violence. However the violence feels proportional to and appropriate for the setting and plot, and isn't flippant or gratuitous. I would give the series a 16+ rating. I struggled between giving the series 4.5 stars (for being great at what it does) and 4 stars (because despite having some fresh takes and twists, it still suffers from being part of a tired, well-trodden sub-genre), so I gave it a rare 4.25 stars as a placeholder until season two shakes out and the series has a chance to really show us what it's got.

Title: How to Become a Dragon (original title: 합격시켜주세용)

Type: Webcomic

Year: 2020-2024

Country: South Korea

Genre: Fantasy

Status: Completed

Platform: Webtoon (read here)

Appropriate for 30+?: Yes

My rating: 4/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

How to Become a Dragon is a charming series about Korean mythical creatures and spirits forced to intermingle with humans in the modern world for the sake of a shared goal. Despite drawing heavily from Korean fairy tales, traditional culture, and history, the author presents the story in such a way as to be not in the least off-putting to international readers; far from it actually, I found the series' use of these greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the series by providing something unique I hadn't read anything like before.

I rated this series 4/5 stars because it is quite solid in all elements, but doesn't stand out as especially exemplar in any of them. The art is visually pleasing and consistent, the pacing is generally good (while the story probably could have been told in less than its 200 chapter length, at least it never drags), the characters are likeable, the plot is engaging, the premise is original, etc. However I think the series' greatest strength is also its greatest weakness: How to Become a Dragon reads like a modern-day Korean fairy tale. The themes and takeaways are timeless and often classic in a way that would fit right in with the traditional stories it draws upon (forgiveness, overcoming regret, generational karma, respect and honor, perseverance and personal growth in the face of adversity, importance of family, the pitfalls of immortality). However I felt like there was something missing from the series given its the modern setting: despite major plot points relating to 21st century problems (human-caused pollution, toxic work culture, income inequality, etc), there isn't much critique from the series of the status quo, even as it shows clear disapproval of negative aspects of historic Korean life (arranged marriage, the caste system, the unfairly harsh judicial system, etc) and has characters fighting back against these historic inequities both in the past and present. Given the severe societal issues faced by South Korea today (as evidenced in their high suicide rate and low birth rate), this felt like a gross omission, especially given the generally pro-human theme of the series. Perhaps this would have cast too much negativity on what is a generally positive and uplifting series, however I cannot help but feel like it was a lost opportunity to a degree that this lack of reflection on the 21st-century condition undermines the overall humanitarian messaging. Despite this complaint, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable and undeniably charming series, and still one I would generally recommend.

I would definitely recommend this series to older fans of comics, if for no other reason than it's so rare to find series appropriate for older audiences that aren't steeped in mature content. Quite the contrary, How to Become a Dragon is in many ways an all-ages story: its heavy use of classic themes (and the frequent appearance of ageless/immortal characters) allows it to generally avoid getting pigeon-holed into a specific age demographic, even though the story's premise of "pass an exam to successfully start your career after years of training" is undeniably targeted at young adults. The series thankfully lacks many of the more grating young adult fiction tropes and cliches, so even though most characters are around their 20s (either in actual age or appearance), I think it's a perfectly enjoyable and relatable series for 30-somethings and up. The series has very little in terms of sexual content, and while there is some violence it is mostly on the milder side. However suicide does play a major, recurring role in the plot, although it too is presented as if it were part of a Korean fairy tale, which somehow softens the impact. Overall I would give the series a 12+ rating, but it's probably most enjoyable for a 14+ or 16+ audience.

Japanese title*: Shimanami Tasogare (しまなみ誰そ彼)

English title: Our Dreams at Dusk

Type: Manga

Year: 2015-2018

Country: Japan

Genre: Drama

Status: Completed (four volumes)

Platform: Seven Seas Entertainment published the series in English; old scanlations can also be easily found online

Appropriate for 30+?: Resounding yes

My rating: 5/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

*the title in Japanese has a double meaning, with "Shimanami" being a place name, and "tasogare" meaning "twilight" but it's spelled to loosely translate instead to "who is he?"

To preface: I almost never give out perfect 5/5 ratings, but Shimanami Tasogare is just that solid. It's a series I've read several times and adore for both general and personal reasons. I've written an unusually long review because there's just so much to unpack here. While there are no major spoilers ahead, if you trust my judgement stop reading this review and go read the series instead: I don't want to unnecessarily color your experience.

Shimanami Tasogare is a series of understated brilliance that does so many things well that it's difficult to know where to start dissecting it. I'll start with the subtlely beautiful art, which features just enough detail to be realistic yet a touch dream-like, and it confidently dips into the surreal to introduce brief, almost flow-of-consciousness moments for the purpose of conveying the characters' emotions in the moment (this is only one of many ways that the series excels at "show don't tell"). The setting is itself an integral part of the story, and is portrayed in a level of detail and specificity rarely seen in manga. Then there's the tone: while the series deals with serious topics and sad moments, it handles them with grace and skillfully maintains an overall uplifting and joyous vibe (which I really appreciated, as I rather dislike "I smiled through the tears!" or "orphan-crushing machine" stories that are billed as "bittersweet" or "heartwarming," although be forewarned some characters' plotlines are more tragic than others, and the emotional impact of each plotline will almost certainly differ from reader to reader depending on whether it hits close to home or not).

One of the series' greatest strengths is in the characters, every one of which is complex, imperfect, sympathetic, interesting, and above all human. While the protagonist is a high school boy, the supporting cast range from approximately age 11 to 60, with most in their 20s/30s, and about an even gender split. You could argue this is a coming of age story, however the high school plotline is portrayed with maturity, and the older characters all get their own fully-fleshed-out plotlines too, so I think the more generic "character drama" label is much more appropriate. Characters' reactions are not always immediately understood by the audience, but they never feel arbitrary, like they came out of nowhere, or merely happened for the sake of plot development. The characters always drive the plot, never the other way around. 

Speaking of the plot, while far from an "edge-of-your-seat" series, the plot is quite engaging, and barreling through the entire four-volume series in one sitting is far from unthinkable. The pacing is fantastic, much of which is thanks to the series' excellence in "show don't tell": the dialogue never feels excessive nor insufficient, and the author conveys characters' thoughts and emotions via art, expression, and action as much as via dialogue. This leads to scenes that squeeze a lot of development into just a few panels, but it never feels rushed or confusing.

Two details that made me personally love the manga even more are: (1) the series is set along the "Shimanami Kaido," which as mentioned in the manga is a historic area of central Japan made up of a series of islands connected by a long highway that also features a fantastic cycling route that I've ridden myself (if you ever visit Japan and are capable of riding a bike, rent yourself a cheap mama-chari and ride as much of the route as you physically can). (2) The characters are involved with a non-profit that renovates old abandoned houses ("akiya") and repurposes them; I love old stuff and there's something so romantic and enticing about both the slow-decline vibe of abandoned houses in depopulated areas and the magic of "restoring something old to its former glory" renovation projects. While neither the Shimanami area nor the akiya restoration project are the focus of the series, they are explored in a good amount of detail and the reader should walk away from the series having learned something about both.

Now that I've sufficiently buried the lede, it's time to discuss probably the most noteworthy elements of Shimanami Tasogare, which is that it's possibly one of the best LGBTQ+ manga ever written; it certainly was groundbreaking in the mid-2010s when it was released for its realistic depiction of LGBTQ+ issues in Japan. However! Much like how the series feels relevant and highly accessible even to readers much older than the adolescent protagonist, Shimanami Tasogare is far from a manga only for LGBTQ readers. In fact, I'd strongly argue that everyone regardless of sexual/gender orientation should read this manga, not only for all the series' fantastic qualities I listed above, but also for its poignant messaging about intentional and unintentional homo/transphobia and what it means to be a supportive ally. I would go so far as to wish it were required reading in every middle school in the US, up there with other cultural touchstones like To Kill a Mockingbird, because it covers a lot of "culture war" issues (both in relation to LGBTQ+ issues and otherwise) in a compassionate, clear, and concise way while somehow never feeling preachy. Full disclaimer: I do not consider myself a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and thus this review is from the perspective of an ally. However my understanding is that the manga received rave reviews from LGBTQ+ communities in Japan and abroad, so I feel confident in my positive assessment of the series.

As just one example of effective messaging, the series clearly demonstrates the value and importance of "safe spaces" (both IRL and digital) for marginalized populations, and what can happen when they're invaded, even if it's with good intentions. One of the supporting characters is a pushy and opinionated straight/cis woman who takes it upon herself to white knight for her trans friend and repeatedly oversteps her bounds until she's finally told off and sheepishly retreats to the literal background for the remainder of the series. No one ever comes out and explains that "a true ally is someone who knows when to step up and when to step back," but anyone with a touch of reading comprehension will hear this message loud and clear.

This is how almost all messaging in the series is: rarely stated directly, but portrayed so clearly that anyone with a shred of compassion or sympathy will understand them. I've considered myself an ally of the LGBTQ+ community for over twenty years, and have read many explanations on microaggressions, safe spaces, the importance of allyship, "the queer experience," etc. (in addition to similar pieces related to other marginalized groups, such as racial/ethnic/religious minorities). Rarely have I read a more clear, convincing, and more importantly precise and concise argument for so many concepts often dismissed as "libtard bullshit." I think this is a case of using a medium to its full potential: the graphic novel format allows the author to portray a lot of concepts non-verbally, which better allows the reader to feel like they've been able to observe the situation for themselves and thus draw their own conclusions, while simultaneously avoiding the inherent "preachiness" of verbal communication. The author never needs to state "don't do X, because it will make people feel bad," because the reader can instead watch X unfold, then infer for themselves that it made a character feel bad based on their expression and body language. This technique only works because every character and every situation feels so realistic, especially in relation to each other, which is why it's critical that so many other elements of the manga are as solid as they are.

Another testament to how successful the author is at conveying difficult messages in a positive and effective way is in how the manga has aged: usually with quickly-evolving cultural topics (such as LGBTQ+ issues) there's almost always something that even expert creators get wrong, that feels outdated even only a few years later, that comes off as misguided, divisive, controversial, or offensive. The stronger the messaging the more likely these blunders are to occur, and Shimanami Tasogare definitely has some strong messaging. Now perhaps there's something that I overlooked or missed that someone from the LGBTQ+ community would identify as a misstep on the part of the author. However I think the author did a brilliant thing to avoid this when crafting their messaging: they portray imperfect characters that are often conflicted and uncertain of what they should do, characters that cause hurt and feel hurt even when no ill will was intended. Further, and as outlined above, the author avoids preachy dialogue that declares absolute truths by instead utilizing "show don't tell." After all images are inherently more nuanced messengers than words (there are a few moments where characters do have to spell things out for each other, but the messaging is usually either extremely general or portrayed as just their opinion, and is always plot-relevant and never feels ham-fisted or forced). One of the central themes of the series is the difficulties people inevitably have understanding each other, often even themselves, and how this unfortunately leads to people hurting one another even when they're trying to help or do the right thing. Yet the series is generally positive about society and humanity as a whole, and would fit right in with the "it gets better" campaign. This all further helps the series feel nuanced, as if to assure the reader, "no one can always get it right (not even me the author) and that's okay."

In summary: Shimanami Tasogare is a story about people (LGBTQ+ or otherwise) and their relationships with themselves, other individuals, and society as a whole. It is brilliantly composed, with exemplary art, pacing, plot, dialogue, setting, and characters. It is smart but accessible, with timeless themes about human relationships that are also painfully relevant to contemporary issues, and it conveys poignant messaging without soapboxing. A core theme of Shimanami Tasogare is that your sexual/gender identity is part of you not all of you, and the same should be said for this manga: while it is a story that covers LGBTQ+ issues, it is far from being just an LGBTQ+ work. I highly recommend this series to everyone, regardless of age,* nationality, or gender/sexual identity.

*Given the nuanced and sometimes difficult content discussed, some discretion is advised. I'd give it a 12+ age rating, although it may resonate better with audiences 14+.

Title: My Superhero!

Type: Webcomic

Year: 2022-?

Country: United States

Genre: Comedy

Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 35)

Platform: Webtoon (read the one-shot here, read the main series here)

Appropriate for 30+?: Probably yes, with the right expectations going in

My rating: 4/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

This one is a true rarity! My Superhero! is an appropriate-for-all-ages comedy/superhero-parody series that's sufficiently witty and unique as to charm younger and older readers alike. The art is flashy and stylish, the panel layouts are dynamic, the character designs are fun, and the humor almost always hits (even the puns! especially the puns? and I normally hate puns). But what really impressed me about this series is that it somehow manages a G-rating without relying on childish humor or cliches. It kind of reminds me of the fun energy and creativity of Captain Underpants, minus the potty humor. I hope the series is released in print form some day, as it would make a wonderful gift for children, especially as it's a series the adults in their lives wouldn't mind reading along!

Unfortunately the chapters are quite short and the updates infrequent (every three weeks), so despite being over two years old the series is still quite brief. It's also very fluffy, does not feature the most original premise, and overall is admittedly a touch forgettable, which is why despite being a delightful series I didn't feel like it had enough substance to warrant more than 4/5 stars. On the flip side though its brevity and easy-reading nature mean that I'd recommend basically anyone and everyone check out the one-shot, as it would only cost you a few minutes of your time. If you found it as enjoyable as I did, you can then read the main series. I've included links to both above.

Next time you're stuck waiting somewhere or need a quick dopamine hit, instead of browsing memes for 30 minutes why not give My Superhero! a read instead?

Titles: Colms Comics

Type: Webcomic

Year: 2020-?

Country: Unknown (United States?)

Genre: Comedy

Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 197)

Platform: Webtoon (read here)

Appropriate for 30+?: Yes... however maybe not 40+

My rating: 3.5/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

These short-form comics are goofy, crass, meta, and more often than not parodies of existing intellectual properties. While each individual comic can be extremely hit-or-miss, there's a good chance you've seen some of the hits floating around the internet before. While the series' content draws from a range of inspiration (from hookups to the pandemic), most of Colms Comics are references to video games, anime, and other nerdy pop culture, although for the most part the humor is generic enough that even if you haven't played Resident Evil, the Legend of Zelda, or whatever's being lambasted you'll still be able to infer the joke (with the exception of the Pokémon comics, as explained in the next paragraph). The cultural references are generally Millennial-oriented, so Gen Xers and older may feel out of the loop at least occasionally.

Starting with chapter 85, Colms Comics gradually morphs into an almost-exclusively Pokémon parody series... and for good reason: it's one of the best parodies of the Pokémon Red & Blue games out there. Anyone with even passing knowledge of the Pokémon franchise should be able to derive entertainment value out of this sub-series, however unlike with his one-off comics referencing other video game series, the Red/Blue references can get pretty specific.

While far from a masterpiece, Colms Comics got quite a number of audible laughs out of me, and isn't that all you really need from a comedy series?

I don't believe in reviewing series that I haven't given a fair shake: usually this means watching/reading to the end (or for ongoing series, watching/reading up to the latest release). Long-running series especially can vary dramatically in quality over time, plot holes can get resolved, annoying characters redeemed, twists revealed, etc. But sometimes a series is so bad that I just can't bring myself to continue unless I get strong reassurance that it does in fact get better. I also don't want to clutter up this community with individual posts reviewing series that I think are below average or a waste of time.

Enter the Drop Pit! A place to dump all the series that are so bad/boring that I dropped them after a few chapters/episodes. Feel free to list your own dropped series that you think others (or at least other 30+ fans) shouldn't even bother with. Or maybe there's something I've dropped that you think I should give another chance? Please note that this is not a place for series that I've dropped only because they weren't my taste, with the exception of series I dropped because they felt too childish (that's the whole point of this 30+ community, after all!)

This is by no means an exhaustive list; I'll add to it periodically as I try new series and stumble across ones I've tried and dropped in the past.

Webcomics:

The Lazy Lord Masters the Sword: dropped at ch8. Bad art, uninteresting characters, bland setting, weak premise, harmful lessons about overwork leading to success, definitely not of interest to the 30+ crowd.

Villain to Kill: dropped at ch5. Premise, plot, characters, and dialogue are all bad-fanfiction-levels of cliche. At least the art is passable. Definitely not of interest to the 30+ crowd.

Lookism: dropped at unknown chapter. I started this series due to its popularity; at first it was interesting enough on account of its original premise, decent art (strong rotoscoping vibe), charming moments, and social commentary (I was curious what the South Korean perspective on "lookism" would be). At some point however the series' negative qualities took over: the never-ending stream of two-dimensional villains, excessively unrealistic plotlines, and the final straw: repetitive scenarios. The series currently stands at over 480 chapters(!?); IMO it should have wrapped up somewhere in the 200s at the latest. While the content is more geared to a teenage/young adult audience, it has enough good qualities to be potentially entertaining to older demographics too, but only up to a point.

Jungle Juice: dropped at an unknown chapter. I had kinda high hopes that this one would be a fun, high-production-quality action series. It starts with promise: an unusual take on a fairly worn genre, good art, overall crisp and professional. I didn't even mind that it was clearly following a lot of standard shonen tropes (like the entrance exam), because as long as they're executed well (and most importantly, with good pacing), I enjoy the occasional shonen action. However I started to get really worried after a scene where the villain escapes, because while I can forgive a protagonist with plot armor I will not suffer a villain with plot armor, since that means the series is going to constantly dangle plot development like a carrot in front of the reader, always just out of reach. I investigated a bit online and found out that the series is part of some larger universe (MCU vibes incoming...) and yes, it does have plot resolution issues. If I wanted to watch the good guys fight the bad guys and almost win but then the bad guys somehow escape again I'd dust off my ancient Sailor Moon DVDs for a nostalgia binge. Not for the 30+ crowd.

The Monstrous Duke's Adopted Daughter: dropped at ch30. This one has over a 9-star rating on mangadex and a lot of rave reviews, so I tried really hard to stick with it in case it got better... alas it does not. It's not necessarily terrible, but it's definitely mid. My biggest gripe is that the setting is really overdone at this point, so either the plot or the characters would have to hit it out of the park to make it decent. Unfortunately neither is true: the characters are incredibly flat, with the villains having no depth beyond being evil, the protagonist's allies are so forgetful I literally don't remember enough to comment on them, and the MC little girl character is a mash-up of the Mary Sue and perfect-protagonist cliches. I found her really obnoxious, and about 50% of the series' charm apparently comes from the readers' feelings of "protecc the mc!" I don't think I'd recommend this series to anyone, but especially not to the 30+ crowd.

Stray Souls: dropped at ch30. Painfully "young adult fiction." Uninteresting setting, dull characters, cliche dialogue, excessive unnecessary jargon, aimless plot, just another purposeless dystopia/fantasy series. At least the art is decent. Not terrible by any means, just painfully "mid." Unlikely to be interesting to the 30+ crowd.

Unholy Blood: dropped at ch22. This series is frankly boring. The characters, plot, premise, and even the fight scenes are all uninteresting. Even a quarter of the way through the series I just didn't care what happened. The art at least is fine, but it's nowhere near good enough to carry the whole series, especially one as bland and predictable as this. I hesitate to even call it mid, as that implies it at least has some entertainment value.

Print comics (manga, etc):

Western animation:

Eastern animation (anime etc):

Title: Hero Killer (original title: 히어로 킬러)

Type: Webcomic

Year: 2021-?

Country: South Korea

Genre: Action, superhero

Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 147)

Platform: Webtoon (read here)

Appropriate for 30+?: Probably

My rating: 2.5/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

A subversion of the superhero genre, Hero Killer feels like it has something to say, but it's not clear what that is. The main reason to read this series is for the art and fight scenes, both of which are somewhat above average. If you enjoy mindless infinite power-leveling action series like Solo Leveling this one is worth checking out. However I'm not sure what it offers for the general reader: there is potential here for some interesting themes, but they're never explored beyond the surface level. For example (mild spoilers ahead):

.

The series is steeped in tropes, including: superpowers, the bad guys are actually the good guys (sorta?), might makes right, and an OP protagonist who always manages to have just enough strength to win the fight. The series is quite violent (although not always graphically so), and yet for some reason Webtoon censors all the swears creating unintentional meta humor: one chapter has a foul language warning, despite being many chapters deep and quite a number of beheadings, dismemberings, and other instances of graphic violence under its belt at this point, and then the chapter still censors the handful of mild swears it contains. Probably my biggest gripe, however, is the length of the series: the English release is currently at almost 150 chapters, and each chapter is quite lengthy. This in and of itself isn't much of an issue, but I'd expect more substance given the amount of material generated. At least it hasn't felt too repetitive like many long-running series, however there are tons of characters and a good number of plotlines and backstory to keep track of, yet at the end of it all it feels pretty empty, like we're at best at the story's halfway point but there's nothing but another few hundred chapters of empty calories ahead of us. That said, it does a good job at being mindless fun, earning it a solid C rating (2.5/5 stars) in my book, but throughout the whole series there's a regrettable stench of unrealized potential that keeps it from being more than a long, forgettable romp.

In terms of content warnings there's a good deal of violence, some quite graphic and disturbing, but given the overall "bubblegum action series" vibe it's comparatively nothing that will keep you up at night (I'd give it a 16+ bordering on 18+ rating). Nearly all the characters embody the "perfect sexy superhero body" trope, especially the women in their skintight and/or semi-revealing outfits. However there's no actual nudity, no extremely graphic close-ups, and no sexual acts portrayed (in fact, most of these characters seem so preoccupied with getting stronger and completing their missions that they're practically asexual).

So is Hero Killer enjoyable for the 30+ crowd? Maybe, depends on what you're into. Most characters appear to be in their 20s-30s, but due to their superpowers they have the potential to live for thousands of years thus for the most part they act like generic adults, so there aren't any teenage/young-adult shenanigans. However as mentioned the series is pretty tropey and overall lacking in depth, so it's probably going to feel empty to anyone looking for more substance than your typical shonen anime. The series does get slightly better as it progresses and the plot and characters have a chance to fill out, but overall it's pretty consistent, so it should only take a few chapters to decide if this is the kind of series you'll enjoy or not.

Title: Stagtown

Type: Webcomic

Year: 2021-2023

Country: United States

Genre: Horror

Status: Completed

Platform: Webtoon (read here)

Appropriate for 30+?: Yes

My rating: 4/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

I'm normally not a fan of the horror genre, but this one felt a bit like a classic episode of X-Files: creepy things happening in a small town that slowly accumulate into an page-turner (screen swiper?) of a thriller/mystery infused with a dose of action and a sprinkle of cryptid fantasy. This series is a bit less gory than most horror series, and contains basically no sexual content to speak of, so it's a good cross-generational series (it does have some body horror and scary moments, so I'd give it a 14+ rating). The art is mid-tier but professional and pleasantly old-school (no 3D models here!). The main cast are twenty-somethings but for the most part act like generic adults; I did not get a "young adult fiction" vibe from this one.

Overall I'd give the series a B (4/5 stars): not the most ground-breaking work of fiction out there, but plenty enjoyable with good pacing, multiple memorable moments, and a solid piece of work from start to finish. The series is a good length: long enough to wrap up the story in a satisfying way but not so long that it drags (many webtoons suffer from being too drawn out and/or not knowing when to wrap things up). If you have the stomach for some mild gore and scary moments, and appreciate a good fantasy mystery, I'd recommend this one for sure.

Summarized in a phrase: monster-of-the-week X-Files nostalgia in webcomic form

To all who've stumbled across this new community, welcome! To kick things off I wanted to elaborate a little on why I think there's a need for a community specifically for older fans of animation and comics. It's a long explanation and not required reading to participate here by any means, but for those who might have questions I hope this clears things up a bit.

Here are the four main issues I've encountered as an over-30 fan of animation and comics (especially when it comes to searching for new series to read/watch) that prompted the creation of this community:

1) Age-appropriateness (in reverse): Usually when people talk about whether media is "age-appropriate" they're referring to if it's something too mature for younger audiences. However this is actually a two-way street: sexual content involving younger characters (especially minors) that feels "fine" to watch as a teenager can feel skeevy and uncomfortable to watch when you're significantly older than the characters in question. When I first got into anime as a straight teenage girl, I was quickly desensitized to "fan service" (aka sexualization of female characters, many of whom were minors): the panty shots and bouncing DD-boob close-ups present in so many series were neither titillating nor interesting to me, so I tuned them out. Even as I got older the presence of naked/partially dressed female minors didn't bother me: after all I had seen my own body plenty of times, and the naked bodies of lots of other women young and old in changing rooms, bath houses (I used to live in Japan), etc. However I recognized this blind spot regarding (female) nudity in media after realizing my husband did not feel the same way: there were certain shows that I thought we enjoyed watching together that he would suddenly refuse to continue watching because, to paraphrase: "they keep showing the characters in their underwear; aren't those girls supposed to be 14!? Of course I'm not going to be comfortable watching that." Now it's one thing to feature context-appropriate nudity: I think it's excessively prudish to take offense at the bathing scene in My Neighbor Totoro for instance (the scene is realistic to Japanese culture, plot-relevant, and not the least bit sexual). But the oh-too-common anime trope of the onsen episode where the girls in the women's bath are playfully fondling each other and commenting on each others' chest sizes? That's just gratuitous (and as a frequent onsen-goer I can confirm: straight-up fantasy).

2) Content of interest: People of different ages will of course be interested in different content. Just like I'd expect most 10-year-olds to be bored by both Teletubbies and by The West Wing (albeit for opposing reasons), I'd similarly expect most adults to be bored by the latest shonen action or high school romance series. Many times I've heard on the internet about a series that's a "10/10 awesome, dark, philosophical masterpiece," but when I check it out I'm completely underwhelmed by its I'm-14-and-this-is-deep content and wonder why the heck it came so highly rated... until I realize the person raving about it probably was 14 and did find it deep. A few years back I got a lot of crap for saying I liked The Legend of Korra better than Avatar the Last Airbender, until I explained that while yes, ATLA is objectively a better series, as an adult I wasn't that interested in watching the ATLA cast deal with their pre-teen issues, and found the cast of Korra overall more relatable and the sub-plots more interesting (I still felt like I was watching a kid's show, but at least it was an older kid's show). Similarly there are a lot of great manga and graphic novels that completely fly under the radar because they don't appeal to the average teen/young adult demographic. What 15-year-old wants to read about a 42-year-old office worker who quits his job to take over the family radish farm after his father suddenly passes away? (But I do! Seriously though for a traditionally agrarian society you'd think there would be more agriculture manga out there. Plenty of cooking manga though...)

3) Overexposure to tropes: Many westerners (myself included) got into anime and manga because it was different than what we were used to. Whether it was the art style, the premises or plots, the archetypes or settings, there was appeal in the inherent novelty of the medium. Similarly I've heard from folks in East Asia that they enjoy western media for the same reason: it's different than what they grew up with. While this is perhaps less true nowadays—thanks in part to the exchange of cultures that has created cartoon-like anime, anime-like cartoons, and collaborations like Edgerunners and Scott Pilgrim—the core concept is the same: people find it interesting when a series does something they've never seen before. The reverse is perhaps even more true: generally audiences are going to be bored by media that feels overdone, trite, tropey, been-there-seen-that. "Marvel fatigue" and "isekai fatigue" are recent examples of this phenomenon (for me personally, it's "you'd better swear on the life of your first-born that it's an A+ genre-inverting masterpiece work before I check out yet another 'I woke up as a noble from a novel I read with a vaguely 19th-century fantasy Europe setting' webcomic recommendation). Alas there are only so many stories that can be told, and the older you get and the more media you're exposed to the harder it becomes to find something that feels truly fresh and exciting. More and more as you age new series come out that in theory should be right up your alley... except you've already seen series just like it many times before. "Oh, so it's basically X-Men," "oh, so it's basically Naruto," "oh, so it's basically Harry Potter," "oh, so it's basically Love Hina." Maybe this déjà vu sensation isn't so bad the first few times, but after a certain point the tropes become downright painful. To be clear, this phenomenon of recognizing similarities and repeating patterns in art isn't always a bad thing: the "hero quest" is a well-trodden format for good reason, the montage is a convenient shorthand for a long period of activity condensed into a few moments, and what good is a parody if you're not familiar with the material being lampooned? Genre-subversion too relies heavily on familiarity with an overdone concept: it's the unique twist, the betrayal of expectations that makes the premise novel and interesting. Sometimes this novelty can even overcome the issue raised in point #2 above: "this looks like a series for kids/teens, but it appears that they're exploring something new and different so I'll check it out" (example: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse utilized a jaw-dropping art style, while also exploring a Spider-Man—actually numerous Spider-People!—beyond the standard Peter Parker). Unfortunately genre-subversion only really works the first time it's done; going back to my previous example, "I'm reincarnated in a fantasy romance novel, but as the villain!?!1" has become even more of a trope than being reincarnated as the heroine.

4) Finding common ground across generations: This is a bit of a bonus purpose for creating this community. Maybe you, community visitor, are still young and squarely in the target demographic for most animation and comics, but you want to find series to recommend to older friends/family to either enjoy together or share your love of the medium. However since you're not old and experienced enough to recognize what's fresh and what's overdone, what's relevant to older audiences and what's no longer relatable, or even what's skeevy and age-inappropriate, identifying series that would be good to share is a bit of a crapshoot. I know when I was a teenager and getting into anime and manga I wanted to share my new passion with my family, but the adults almost always seemed bored or put-off by the stuff I showed them. Looking back now I totally get why my mom wasn't interested in that ten-volume middle-school romance-drama manga I gave her to read, or why my dad didn't seem impressed by the cool fight scenes in the hottest new shonen (he'd seen every action movie of the 80s, after all!). Hopefully this community can give younger visitors some hints as to what to share and what to avoid when crossing the generational boundary.

Put these four issues together, and I think there's value in a "for older fans by older fans" animation and comics community on Lemmy. To be clear, this is not intended as an exercise in gatekeeping, hating on younger fans, or disparaging new media as lesser than the classics (let's be real, a lot of what we grew up with was straight garbage). Rather, it's about continuing to find entertainment and enjoyment in drawn and animated media at any age, and connecting with peers who are also part of what is essentially a niche subgroup of the larger fandom.

What do you all think: does this resonate with your experiences as an older fan? Are there other reasons that you think there's value in a 30+ animation/comics community?

Title: Inside Job

Type: TV series

Year: 2021

Country: United States

Genre: Comedy

Status: Cancelled (RIP)

Platform: Netflix

Appropriate for 30+?: Absolutely

My rating: 4/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

Inside Job is peak Millennial media. Most of the main characters are Millennials, jokes and cultural references are aimed at 20- and 30-somethings, a major plotline revolves around the Millennial protagonist and the strained relationship with her Boomer dad, and there's even have an entire 80s nostalgia parody episode.

Overall I'd give the series a B (4/5 stars: good but not great). The humor generally lands and the plots are interesting enough. The characters start out painfully two-dimensional but become more charming over time. Unfortunately the latter episodes somehow lack the charm and fun of the earlier episodes, and alas the series never got a chance to redeem itself in season two after being unfairly axed by Netflix after a mere 18 episodes (and a cliffhanger ending). Perhaps not a "must-watch" for the general public, but I'd heartily recommend it to any fan of western adult animation.

Summarized in a phrase: a funnier, smarter American Dad.