19+ Of The Most Appropriate Anime For 13 Year Old Boys

What kind of anime does a 13 year old boy like?

• Shows with blood, gore or violence?
• Romance shows with mellow vibes?
• Or your typical Shounen series?

The truth is: nobody has the same interests. 

So while keeping that in mind, I’ll share a range of appropriate anime shows for 13-year-old boys or older. Based on my own experiences and deep knowledge of the anime community.

So you can decide if it’s worth them watching it. Or if YOU as a 13-year-old would consider watching it.

Appropiate Anime For 13+ Year Olds:

1. Tanaka-Kun Is Always Listless

What makes Tanaka Kun appropriate for a 13 year old boy?

• No stupid fan service.
• No foul language or inappropriate words.
• No Ecchi elements or sexual, explicit references.

What Tanaka Kun DOES offer is:

• A lazy main character who’s always seen with his practical best friend.
• Each episode brings you something fresh, and takes it time. Without rushing the plot.
• A new character is introduced every few episodes or so. Adding to the humor and unique feel of the anime.
• A relaxed vibe to help you relax, and even send you off to sleep if watching at night.

If it’s a favorite of mine, and can be watched by ALL ages. Even with your own family.

2. Flying Witch

What makes Flying Witch appropriate?

• Avoids perverted nonsense some anime shows are culprits of.
• All characters are represented in a realistic way. And there’s no exaggerations whatsoever.
• Fan-service isn’t a thing here. And the camera angles aren’t weird either (which happens with fan service).

What makes Flying Witch good?

• It’s family friendly.
• Each episode is relaxing and moves at a pace slow enough to be understood and appreciated.
• Considering you’re watching a “family” live their lives in the countryside, it’s a good show to watch with family as well.
• Flying Witch focuses on simplicity instead of throwing in too many elements. Making each episode feel longer and more engaging.

3. The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K

Perfect show for a 13 year old boy. The dub is exceptional. It’s about the life of Kusuo Saiki who’s a psychic.

Why The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K is appropriate:

• No fan service. And when there is, it makes FUN of typical tropes for comedic effect.
• No overly sexual/explicit scenes. Again, it may imply it to mock clichés found in other anime, but it never delves into it.

Why you should watch it:

• It’s one of the funniest comedies out there with some of the best originality ever seen.
• It doesn’t try to be like other anime shows. It simply does what it does best, even if that makes it a little more laid back and different.
• Overall fun series with a range of different characters. All who WILL make you laugh until your stomach hurts.

Related: 7 Anime Shows That Will Make You Laugh Until Your Stomach Hurts

4. Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple

Story about a teenager who goes from being bullied, to training in the martial arts and overcoming his obstacles.

There are tons of important life lessons like:

• Stand up for yourself in spite of fear.
• Practice makes perfect if you’re dedicated enough.
• You have to push yourself hard enough to overcome obstacles.
• The power of having a mentor.

And tons more life lessons 13+ year old boys can benefit from. Especially when it comes to the topic of school bullying.

Admittedly there’s a little fan service later in the series, but it doesn’t make this anime less relevant.

And I’d still recommend it.

Read: 9 Of The Greatest Motivational Anime Shows You Need To Consider

5. Selector Infected: Wixoss

Anime series about a card game that turns out ugly, leading into a bigger, much deeper story the more you watch it.

Why Selector Infected Wixoss is appropriate:

• MInimal focuses on fan-service.
• Not incredibly gory or disturbingly violent.
• Avoids Ecchi elements all together.

Caveat: there is a little incest between 2 characters, but it’s not graphic or sexual, and doesn’t interfere with the plot. And isn’t shown in detail.

Reasons to watch Selector Infected Wixoss:

• A different approach to the magical girls genre (It’s the darker version of Yugioh).
• Card battles with a twist.
• Memorable main character.
• The story is meaningful and easy to understand.
• There’s a little mystery to spark your curiosity and drag you further into the series.

6. Log Horizon

Gaming-related show where the players are stuck in the game, so they decide to build their own society within it for the meantime.

Why Log Horizon is appropriate:

• Unlike gaming shows like and you never thought there was a girl online, Log Horizon has minimal fan service and NO Ecchi elements.
• Log Horizon doesn’t use awkward camera shots and overly sexual elements to peak your interest. It doesn’t need to, because it’s a quality show.

Why you should watch it:

• You can learn a little about business and politics. These 2 elements play a big role in Log Horizon’s universe.
• It takes a different approach to Sword Art Online. Building a society within their world, among other interesting things.
• Main characters are easy to remember, as they only have first names or nick names.
• The animation is pretty nice. Backgrounds look good, and you get to see new scenes often because the characters travel so much.
• If you’re a gamer, then it’s a no brainer. You’ll love the RPG format, strategy and tactical battles.

7. My Hero Academia

Action series with superheroes, super powers and everything in between.

This is a fresh series for its genre, and feels nothing like the everyday Shounen (or supernatural) anime show.

Why My Hero Academia is appropriate:

• It’s an accurate representation of teenagers in general. Meaning: no nonsensical fan service.
• It doesn’t pull cheap stunts to get your attention, like Ecchi or anything of the sort. It’s a shounen at heart, and that’s exactly what it sticks to.

Why you should watch Boku No Hero Academia:

• Fresh shounen series with a fresh approach.
• Feels nothing like your ordinary shounen anime these days.
• Animation is sick AND slick (meaning good).
• Character development is very focused and doesn’t stray from its purpose.
• Action scenes are well-developed, without any signs of laziness or mediocrity.

Related: The Most COMMON Shounen Cliches You’ll Ever See

8. Squid Girl

Squid Girl is a human-like girl from the sea who’s committed to conquering mankind. But it doesn’t pan out the way she planned.

Why you should watch it:

• Squid Girl is surprisingly laid back and mellow for a comedy/slice of life.
• The mannerisms, word play, dialogue and jokes are in a class of their own.
• It’s at least 2 seasons long with a few OVA’S.
• It’s P.G and the dubbed version is one of the best dubs in the business.

Related: Slice Of Life Anime You Need To Consider

9. Barakamon

Barakamon is about Seishu Handa, a caligrapher who’s sent off to live on an island after punching the director in the face (for criticising his work).

Why you should watch it:

• This anime is about personal development, and becoming a better version of yourself.
• Even though it’s a Seinen series, teenagers will enjoy the vibes of this series.
• Good mixture of ages (kids, teenagers, young adults, etc).
• You get to learn and be entertained from start to finish.
• No fan service or anything unnecessary.

10. Little Witch Academia

Little Witch Academia, produced by Studio Trigger is stand out series in the supernatural genre.

It’s about Atsuko Kagari, an amateur witch with no natural talent, and her journey to fulfilling her dream of becoming a witch that makes people smile.

Why you should watch it:

• Little Witch Academia is built on nothing but pure quality. No nonsense, no fanservice.
• The anime’s main goal is about overcoming your challenges and never giving up.
• It also highlights the importance of change, and the willingness to adapt to succeed.

11. Non Non Biyori 

Non Non Biyori is a slice of life based in the rural countryside. Or as the anime puts it: “the sticks”.

It’s a long way away from Tokyo, and it focuses on 4 main characters of different ages.

Why you should watch it:

• Mellow anime series that’s about as realistic as it gets (for life in the countryside).
• It focuses on the simplicities of life e all seem to forget.
• It’s more mature than most series.
• Most of all – it’s relaxing and laid back. And you learn about different things.
• Nice music.

6 Relaxing Anime’s You Should Watch After A Hard Days Work

12. Cells At Work

Cells At Work is a science driven series that makes learning about biology fun, comical and entertaining.

Even professionals have made videos about how realistic and accurate this anime is.

Why you should watch it:

• You get to learn about biology without the “boring” textbooks, classrooms and teaching methods.
• Parts of the body are animated as characters (red blood cells, white blood cells, cancer cells, etc).
• It’s the best combination of education and entertaining, wrapped into one anime.
• Beautiful animation. Everything looks good.

13. Alice To Zouroku

Alice To Zouroku is about Sana Kashimura, or “the red queen”. A little girl who escapes a laboratory and is adopted by the Kashimura family.

Why you should watch it:

• Family orientated anime series.
• You can watch it with family or friends.
• Imaginative series with a big focus on “dreaming up” things (it’s the main characters superpower).
• Heartwarming and relaxing.
• One of the main characters is in his late 60’s, and is pretty entertaining.

14. 3D Girlfriend

3D Girlfriend is about a geek who ends up with a popular girl in school. The same girl who he wrongly judges and thinks is “stuck up”.

Why you should watch it:

• Judging people on first impressions is never always accurate. This anime shows this.
• It has a lot of life lessons on romance, school life, relationships, and dealing with people.
• It shows you not everything you see is what it seems on the surface.
• Realistic portrayal of romance, relationships and insecurities between characters.

15. Oregairu

Oregairu is a complex, meaningful school series that explores a lot of different topics. But ties them together so they’re not all over the place.

Why you should watch it:

• It’s an unusual romance/slice of life series.
• How it tackles topics is different and refreshing.
• There are plenty of hidden messages in this anime.
• It’s the type of series that makes you think about what you’re watching.
• Some of the best written characters of all time.

Related: 70+ Of The Most Memorable Oregairu Quotes

16. It’s You Guys Fault I’m Unpopular!

This anime is about Tamako Kuroki, a teenage girl who sleeps so little she has bags under her eyes.

And with self esteem as low as dirt, socializing is one of the biggest, most depressing struggles of her teenage life.

Why you should watch it:

• Relatable character who despite having poor self esteem, is determined to make friends.
• The anime shows the reality of socializing as someone with anxiety, and you can relate to it.
• There is some dark comedy thrown in that gives it a unique taste.
• It’s unlike any slice of life you’ll ever watch.
• While there are “comedic” moments, it’s not inappropriate in a literal sense.

17. Nisekoi

Nisekoi is about a rich blonde girl called Chitoge Kirisaki, who has a family involved with gang life. And Ichijou, a boy from a family with a rival gang to Chitoge’s family.

It’s a romance so this dynamic makes it different to most anime of its kind.

Why you should watch it:

• Produced by Studio Shaft, the anime is known for beautiful animation and style.
• Good storytelling and humor to shake things up.
• Likable characters with their own clear distinctions that make them stand out from each other.
• Tasteful fan service if there is any. It’s a well done anime that’s on point.

18. Hitoribocchi

Hitoribocchi is about an introverted girl with social anxiety. And her struggle to “make friends” in school.

It’s a relatable series for anyone in school who has trouble socializing.

Why you should watch it:

• You’ll see a piece of yourself within the main character, as she struggles to make friends.
• This anime is about how to socialize, and the many ways to do it.
• Since it’s also a comedy, you get to laugh at things that are serious because of how it’s portrayed.
• The anime focuses on its main theme, and doesn’t do anything outlandish to express it.

19. Golden Time

Golden Time is about a Tada Banri, a student who has amnesia. And his journey (and heart ache) in rediscovering his memories and the challenges that come with it.

Why you should watch it:

• It’s a romance series teenagers will be able to relate and empathize with.
• It’s realistic and you can learn a lot from it.
• There’s nothing outlandish or any “shock” value that tends to be inappropriate.
• You just may learn a lot about yourself and how to deal with similar circumstances.
• Few anime are comparable for what it does.

Other Appropriate Anime for 13 year old boys:

• Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto!
• Toradora.
• Assassination Classroom (mostly).
• Snow White With The Red Hair.
• One Punch Man.
• Scrapped Princess.
• Inuyasha.
• Robotic Notes.
• School Rumble.
• Fruits Basket.
• ReLIFE.

Recommended:

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