Current Events > Wanting to get into modern anime

(+) Yeah! (+)

Arcane.

but would like to avoid any with a school setting

Mushoku Tensei (character starts off as an adult but is reborn and goes through another life.)

Quite a few reincarnation series have the adults who've died reincarnated as minors. Tanya the evil and that recent Oshi no Ko from the top of my head.

that disqualifies a lot of anime

even Vinland the protag is underage at the start

even JoJo has a school setting in the later season

In vinland saga's case, that childhood arc is a very brief moment

whole season 1 he is under age but I suppose you could say he acts like an adult

Well I mean in 1013 AD when the life expectancy is in the ripe old age of around the 25s to 30s/early 40s you are pretty much a grown ass man as soon as you get a bit of hair on your chest which is what I mean by the setting being a different vibe compared to typical anime high school stuff, lol. He was a actual little kid for the first what, 2 episodes and after that its game time. Its not really comparable really. Dude was looting and killing with everyone else with nothing but revenge on his mind.

I was quite a weeb in my youth, so I already watched what was considered good anime from the 80s to roughly 2010. Then I lost interest. Now I'm looking to try out some anime in modern times, but would like to avoid any with a school setting, and possibly have a protagonist that isn't underage.

Part of the entire point of that part of the story was to show that killing people isn't what makes you an adult.

that disqualifies a lot of anime

even Vinland the protag is underage at the start

even JoJo has a school setting in the later season

• Eighty Six - Drama/Sci-Fi about a group of teen soldiers that are forced to fight in a war by people who view them as subhuman. There's a lot of really fucked up things that happen, but it's a crazy good story. The anime isn't finished yet (2 seasons so far), but it's quickly become one of my all time favorites.
• Chainsaw Man - Action/Fantasy about a teen that becomes part chainsaw demon and works to kill other demons. The MC can be a bit of a horndog, but the popularity of the show mostly comes from the action and blood spraying violence. It's been a fun ride so far.
• Parasyte - Horror/Thriller about Parasyte monsters that burrow into humans and take over their bodies. I'm not usually a horror guy, but this one's really good.
• Steins;Gate - Mystery/Drama about a college student that sets out to create the worlds first time machine. It has an amazing story that I won't spoil, but just know that this is one of the highest rated anime out there for a reason.
• Erased - Mystery/Drama about a 29 year old who has a power that sends him back in time whenever someone is about to die (he has no control over it). His power suddenly sends him back 18 years, so he sets out to solve a series of murders that involve other kids in his town. More of a slow burn than Steins;Gate's time travel story, but still a great watch.
• Tokyo Revengers - Suspense/Drama about a 26 year old that learns that his old high school girlfriend was killed in a gang incident. Soon after he gets sent into the past (yep another time travel anime lol) and vows to do everything he can to prevent his ex from dying in the future. Lot more twists than it sounds like it would have.
• Psycho Pass - Suspense/Mystery/Sci-Fi about a woman who joins the police force in the 22nd century. It's a dystopian future where citizens are constantly monitored for signs of criminal intent, so that they can be subdued before they commit any crimes. Really great story about justice and corruption.
• Bungo Stray Dogs - Supernatural/Action/Mystery about an 18 year old orphan that ends up being homeless after being accused of being cursed by his orphanage and kicked out. He joins a team of private investigators full of misfits with supernatural abilities. The story mostly follows the cases that their team looks into. Great anime if you love supernatural stuff.
• The Promised Neverland - Fantasy about kids being raised in an orphanage. Don't let the main characters being cute kids stop you from checking this one out. It's great. But I implore you to go in blind for at least the first episode (aka don't look up any additional info)
• Haikyuu - Action/Sports about a high school volleyball team that's trying to win the nationals. tEh MC is extremely short and has to make up for his shortcomings by being incredibly fast. One of the greatest sports anime out there and it really gets you hyped about volleyball.
• Blue Lock - Action/Sports about a group of aspiring soccer players in Japan that join a program to create the world's best soccer player. Where Haikyuu is all about teamwork, Blue Lock is "fuck teamwork, it's all about me and my ego." I don't even like soccer, but this anime gets me hyped seeing all of the characters improve trying to one up each other.
• Dr Stone - Adventure/Sci-Fi about a world where all of humanity is suddenly turned to stone. And about 3700 years later, a genius high schooler wakes up and starts trying to rebuild society using his scientific knowledge. While it technically features high school characters, it doesn't really fall into the typical school tropes. It's more about the struggles of rebuilding everything from the ground up, post apocalyptic style.

Some good recommendations in here already. Just a few that I don't see mentioned (sorry, lot of info, I was on a roll lol):

* Eighty Six - Drama/Sci-Fi about a group of teen soldiers that are forced to fight in a war by people who view them as subhuman. There's a lot of really fucked up things that happen, but it's a crazy good story. The anime isn't finished yet (2 seasons so far), but it's quickly become one of my all time favorites.
* Chainsaw Man - Action/Fantasy about a teen that becomes part chainsaw demon and works to kill other demons. The MC can be a bit of a horndog, but the popularity of the show mostly comes from the action and blood spraying violence. It's been a fun ride so far.
* Parasyte - Horror/Thriller about Parasyte monsters that burrow into humans and take over their bodies. I'm not usually a horror guy, but this one's really good.
* Steins;Gate - Mystery/Drama about a college student that sets out to create the worlds first time machine. It has an amazing story that I won't spoil, but just know that this is one of the highest rated anime out there for a reason.
* Erased - Mystery/Drama about a 29 year old who has a power that sends him back in time whenever someone is about to die (he has no control over it). His power suddenly sends him back 18 years, so he sets out to solve a series of murders that involve other kids in his town. More of a slow burn than Steins;Gate's time travel story, but still a great watch.
* Tokyo Revengers - Suspense/Drama about a 26 year old that learns that his old high school girlfriend was killed in a gang incident. Soon after he gets sent into the past (yep another time travel anime lol) and vows to do everything he can to prevent his ex from dying in the future. Lot more twists than it sounds like it would have.
* Psycho Pass - Suspense/Mystery/Sci-Fi about a woman who joins the police force in the 22nd century. It's a dystopian future where citizens are constantly monitored for signs of criminal intent, so that they can be subdued before they commit any crimes. Really great story about justice and corruption.
* Bungo Stray Dogs - Supernatural/Action/Mystery about an 18 year old orphan that ends up being homeless after being accused of being cursed by his orphanage and kicked out. He joins a team of private investigators full of misfits with supernatural abilities. The story mostly follows the cases that their team looks into. Great anime if you love supernatural stuff.
* The Promised Neverland - Fantasy about kids being raised in an orphanage. Don't let the main characters being cute kids stop you from checking this one out. It's great. But I implore you to go in blind for at least the first episode (aka don't look up any additional info)
* Haikyuu - Action/Sports about a high school volleyball team that's trying to win the nationals. tEh MC is extremely short and has to make up for his shortcomings by being incredibly fast. One of the greatest sports anime out there and it really gets you hyped about volleyball.
* Blue Lock - Action/Sports about a group of aspiring soccer players in Japan that join a program to create the world's best soccer player. Where Haikyuu is all about teamwork, Blue Lock is "fuck teamwork, it's all about me and my ego." I don't even like soccer, but this anime gets me hyped seeing all of the characters improve trying to one up each other.
* Dr Stone - Adventure/Sci-Fi about a world where all of humanity is suddenly turned to stone. And about 3700 years later, a genius high schooler wakes up and starts trying to rebuild society using his scientific knowledge. While it technically features high school characters, it doesn't really fall into the typical school tropes. It's more about the struggles of rebuilding everything from the ground up, post apocalyptic style.

If we're including these I'd also like to add From the New World. 2/3rds of the story are as children and then teenagers but it's a genuine coming of age drama/thriller with little to no hijinks and the last third is as late 20s adults.

Kino's Journey applies too.

This list is getting pretty large. Not sure where to start.

Kino's Journey applies too.