Given
Given is a Japanese anime series adapted from a Boys' Love (BL) manga, centering on a rock band named 'Given' and the intertwining romantic relationships and personal growth of its members. The narrative primarily follows high school student Ritsuka Uenoyama, who finds himself drawn to the quiet and melancholic Mafuyu Satou, a new transfer student with a profound singing voice and a tragic past. The series explores themes of grief, healing through music, and the complexities of young adult relationships within a band setting, also delving into the lives and romantic dynamics of the band's older members. While largely focusing on emotional development and musical expression, the series also addresses mature themes that may be more suitable for older teenagers and young adults.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighGiven is fundamentally a Boys' Love (BL) series, prominently featuring male-male romantic relationships as central to its plot and character development. The anime explores the complexities of these relationships, including their emotional and physical aspects, throughout the series and its subsequent film adaptations. The content focuses on the development of these same-sex pairings.
The primary romantic storyline revolves around the high school students Mafuyu Satou and Ritsuka Uenoyama, whose relationship develops from musical collaboration into romantic affection, including several kissing scenes. A secondary, equally central romance involves the older band members, bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji, whose turbulent relationship is explored in depth, particularly in the 'Given Movie'.
Violence
HighWhile not featuring overt physical combat, Given contains significant thematic violence in the form of suicide and attempted sexual assault. These elements are critical plot drivers, particularly in relation to character backstories and emotional trauma, and can be intensely distressing for viewers.
A foundational element of Mafuyu Satou's character arc is his profound grief over the suicide of his former boyfriend, Yuki. This event, though occurring prior to the series' main timeline, is frequently referenced and explored through flashbacks, heavily influencing Mafuyu's emotional state and his journey of healing. In the 'Given Movie', there is a highly controversial and uncomfortable scene depicting Akihiko Kaji attempting to sexually assault Haruki Nakayama, pinning him down against his will.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe series contains frequent romantic interactions between its male couples, including kissing and implied intimacy. While explicit sexual acts are generally avoided in the TV series, the movie adaptation features a scene interpreted by many viewers as attempted sexual assault, and there are brief, non-graphic depictions of characters in bed.
Romantic relationships are a core component, with multiple scenes of characters Mafuyu Satou and Ritsuka Uenoyama, as well as Akihiko Kaji and Haruki Nakayama, engaging in passionate kissing. The anime includes a very brief, non-graphic flashback depicting Mafuyu and his deceased ex-boyfriend, Yuki, in bed together, focusing only on their faces and hands. The 'Given Movie' includes a disturbing scene where Akihiko attempts to sexually assault Haruki, which is referred to by some as a scene of dubious consent (dubcon).
Scary & Intense Content
HighGiven contains emotionally intense and potentially frightening content, primarily stemming from its exploration of grief, loss, and the depiction of a sexual assault. These mature themes contribute to a heavier emotional atmosphere at various points.
The entire premise of Mafuyu Satou's character is built around processing the profound grief and trauma stemming from his former boyfriend Yuki's suicide, which is a continuously intense emotional thread throughout the series. The 'Given Movie' features a scene of attempted sexual assault involving Akihiko and Haruki, which has been described by viewers as deeply uncomfortable and traumatic, contributing to significant emotional intensity.
Profanity
MediumThe series includes occasional use of mild to moderate profanity. While not pervasive or excessively strong, language considered inappropriate for younger audiences can be heard in dialogue.
Crunchyroll, a streaming platform for the series, lists 'Profanity' among its content descriptors for Given, indicating the presence of some strong language. Discussions in fan communities and parental guides suggest that while the language is not typically extreme, it includes words beyond what would be considered acceptable for young children.
Substance Use
MediumThe series depicts adult characters engaging in alcohol consumption and smoking. While substance abuse is not a central theme, these activities are shown periodically, reflecting typical adult behaviors in some social settings.
Characters, specifically Akihiko Kaji and Haruki Nakayama, are shown drinking alcoholic beverages in bar settings, particularly when discussing their lives and relationships. General discussions about the manga and anime also confirm instances of characters smoking cigarettes and consuming alcohol, with these actions sometimes occurring during 'adult situations'.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere is no evidence or mention of witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, magic, demons, spells, or other supernatural elements within the 'Given' anime series or its related media. The narrative is grounded in realism, focusing on human emotions, relationships, and music.
No specific examples of witchcraft or occult themes were found in the available content reviews or plot summaries of 'Given'.
Disrespect & Rebellion
LowInstances of overt disrespect or rebellious behavior against authority figures are minimal and not a prominent theme in Given. While characters experience internal struggles and interpersonal conflicts, these rarely manifest as direct defiance or rebellion against established societal or parental authority.
No significant examples of characters engaging in overt disrespect, backtalk, or sustained rebellious acts against figures of authority were consistently noted across reviews and summaries. One Goodreads review mentioned Uenoyama being 'lowkey kinda aggressive' and yelling at Mafuyu in early manga chapters, but this reflects character temperament rather than defiance against authority.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThere is no indication of anti-Christian themes, mockery of Christian beliefs, or sacrilegious content in 'Given'. The series does not engage with specific religious doctrines and focuses on secular themes of music, romance, and personal growth in a contemporary Japanese setting.
No specific examples of anti-Christian themes or content were found in any of the search results or community discussions pertaining to 'Given'.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Given is recommended for viewers aged 16 and older due to its depiction of mature themes including LGBTQ+ romantic relationships, implied sexual content, a central plot point involving suicide and grief, and a scene of attempted sexual assault in its movie adaptation. While the TV series generally maintains a mature but not overly explicit tone, the content escalates in later installments, requiring a higher level of emotional maturity for appropriate processing.
Additional Notes
Parents should be aware that while the TV series focuses heavily on the emotional journey of its characters and is generally well-regarded for its sensitive handling of grief and LGBTQ+ themes, the 'Given Movie' introduces more mature and potentially disturbing content, specifically the attempted sexual assault scene. Viewers sensitive to themes of suicide, sexual assault, or intense emotional distress should exercise caution. The series originates from a 'Josei' manga magazine, which typically targets adult women (18+), further indicating its mature thematic scope.
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