Anime For Older Audiences

[Marten]

Most of the anime on this lsit can be found in http://kissanime.com/

Here is the link of Foe Anime Thread http://www.foe-rs.com/forums/topic/92284-grand-anime-thread/

 

Tokyo Ghoul

A relatively new anime, this story follows a college student as he has the organs of a monstrous creature known as a Ghoul transplanted into him. Ghouls are man eating humanoids with special abilities, and to the main character’s horror, he finds himself becoming more ghoul like than human. As he becomes stuck in the middle of the Ghoul and Human war, he becomes torn as to who his true identity is.

 

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Tragedy,

 

Warning: This anime does not pull its punches. There is a lot of blood and several cringe worthy moments.

 

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

This is more along the lines of Avatar as a series that can be enjoyed by all ages. The show takes place in an fantasy world, starting with an Arabian theme that expands as more of the world is explored and interacted with by the characters. The story follows a young boy named Aladdin, who is the fourth of the legendary Magi, the strongest magicians in all the land, but the catch is, there can only be three Magi at once. So where did this boy come from? This anime boasts a creative and beautiful world filled with diverse politics that the show goes into. While this show may seem a bit “kiddy,” it’s actually a very mature show and handles itself wonderfully. Watch this if you want to get that giddy feeling Avatar gives you. The shows share a similar “heartfelt” sincerity to them while also taking their audiences seriously.

 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Terror in Resonance

The day before a terrorist attack hits Tokyo, devastating the city, a video is uploaded to Youtube by a mysterious duo of teenage boys who call themselves “Sphinx.” This video predicts the attack as the boys decide to “Wake up the world.” The story follows a teenage girl who becomes involved with the boys while uncovering more and more about them and why they don’t technically exist.

 

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

 

Psycho-Pass

Like detective drama with subtle character, interesting twists and a cheerful dystopian vibe? This might be for you. It takes place in a future where emotions are regulated and those showing signs of mental instability are arrested and forced to attend therapy sessions. The show follows a new detective as she begins to question what counts as “instability” and finds herself having to keep strong as things get progressively worse. All the meanwhile she has to work with her “hounds”, criminals that are handled by detectives to be used as an insight into the criminal mind. Basically, a very awesome anime with a very sexy male lead. I would recommend watching the second version, which is more polished and has more detail in it.

 

Genre: Crime Fiction, Cyberpunk, Dystopian

 

Tiger and Bunny

This is what happens when Japan tries to imitate American animation and make a super hero series. I’m okay with it. This is an action packed and pretty awesome show with some good comedy inside of it. The lead character is a rare “older” protagonist, being over thirty. He’s a veteran super hero who’s been assigned to act as the side kick for a hotshot newcomer after his ‘ratings’ slip. In this world, crime and the heroes who stop them is filmed and broadcasted, forming a television and advertisement based competition to be the “King of Heroes” by raking in points through stopping crime. It’s a very interesting show, and I’d recommend it. The characters are all likeable and amusing, and the action scenes are top notch with some pretty badass animation.

 

Genre: Science Fiction, Superhero

 

Serial Experiments Lain

 

The show follows a girl named Lain as her life slowly becomes more and more strange, starting with an email received from a schoolmate who had committed suicide telling her that the girl didn’t die, just abandoned her physical body and flesh. This leads Lain into the complex world of the “Wired”, where she goes deeper and deeper into both the network and her own subconscious thoughts and sensations.

 

Genre: Cyberpunk, Psychological Horror, Science Fiction, Drama

 

Aldnoah.Zero

From the creators of Fate/Zero, Psycho-Pass and Puella Magi Madoka Magica comes a show another mecha anime, but seriously, if you recognize any of the names I just dropped, you should know there’s way more to this than on the surface. The show follows a conflict between Earth and the Mars Empire, and I’m not going to say more. Watch it, see if it’s for you. The anime is split into two parts, the second of which will be aired in January 2015. Just don’t pass on this anime because it’s “another mecha anime.”

 

Genre: Action, Mecha, Real Robot Alternative History

 

Paranoia Agent

An old favorite of mine, this anime is about the changes brought upon the lives of several people within Tokyo who are attacked with a bat by a young boy wearing skates. Those who are attacked can only remember three details: golden inline skates, a baseball cap and the weapon, a bent golden baseball bat. This story follows the police investigation into the mysterious boy as he attacks more people and how the public reacts to this almost supernatural force.

 

Genres: Psychological Thriller/Horror, Mystery, Satire, Supernatural

 

Black Butler: Book of Circus

Yeah, yeah. I know, “Black Butler? That yaoi fangirl anime?! PFT!” Frankly, the first two seasons of the anime are pretty shitty. The manga is a dark macabre Victorian piece about a young boy who sold his soul to a demon. The anime belittles that. However, it seems they’ve finally gotten their shit straight with this one. The first episode is a bore, so just ignore that unless you’re new to the series completely and want a general run down of who’s who. Now, what makes this new season so good is the detail to character and setting while also not pulling any punches. While it’s still probably one of the more juvenile animes on my list, it’s still pretty darn entertaining. About 2/3rds of the way in you'll realize why it's on this list.

 

Genre: Historical, Black Comedy, Dark Fantasy

 

Jormungand

The show follows Koko Hekmatyar, an arms dealer who sells weapons under the alias of an international shipping corporation. She travels through various countries while avoiding local authorizes and law enforcement agencies due to her illegal arms trade work. Along with her, we meet her team of bodyguards who are ex-militants from various parts of the world. The story kicks off when a child soldier, Jonah, joins the team. It’s a pretty groovy action series with some heart as well as laughs that explores the truly disciple side of humanity. I like it.

 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy-Drama

 

Natsume’s Book of Friends

This is one of the more mellow animes on my list. The story follows a young man named Natsume who has inherited the ability to see spirits from his Grandmother Reiko. So, his life has been filled with trouble from this ability. He’s moved from relative to relative due to his troublesome behavior because of his interactions with spirits. So, the story follows Natsume in his most recent foster home in the town his grandmother was born. Here he discovers that his grandmother was a ruthless bully who forced spirits to sign their names into a “Book of Friends” to gain control of them. The story follows Natsume has he tries to live a normal life while having to deal with the antics of spirits, other psychics and the power of the book of friends. I’d recommend this for a lazy afternoon. It’s a very relaxed and charming story.

 

Genre: Supernatural, Drama, Comedy

 

Steins;Gate

Here we meet Rintaro Okabe, an eccentric college student who likens himself to a mad scientist. This story is very heavy on human relationships, and how they can affect others. The show follows Okabe and his group as they meet more people and dive into the science of time travelling. It’s a very amazing show, I recommend it completely. It may seem like a slice of life at first, but half way through, everything changes. I can’t reveal much without spoiling the show, but I’d give it a shot. I would watch the English dub of this. The actors are amazing and put a lot of energy into the roles.

 

Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance

 

Black Lagoon

Want to blank out for a couple of hours and wake up feeling like a bad ass action hero with an adrenaline rush the size of a tsunami? Well, this is the show for you. This is a pure mindless action and thriller anime with some moments of character development, but let’s be honest, we’re all watching for the badass action. This show is for when you just want to see shit explode and be awesome. I’d recommend it if you’re ever feeling a bit down. Explosions make everything better! In all seriousness, the characters are all pretty likable and awesome, so I’d recommend it. The story follows a group of modern day pirates and the Japanese businessman they’ve kidnapped.

 

Genre: Crime, Action, Black Comedy, Drama

 

Mushishi

This story follows a man named “Ginko” who travels around from place to place to research mysterious beings known as “Mushi” and help solve the problems caused by them. Mushi are a primitive supernatural creation that most people cannot even perceive. Over all, its very episodic, so don’t expect a lot of reoccurring characters.

 

Genre: Occult Mystery

 

Level E

So, this story line is hard to explain. The basic gist is that an alien has landed on Earth. A high school student has found himself to be the unlucky host for this alien as he finds the creature in his apartment one day. The story is very funny with some horror elements. Over all, it’s an awesome series with good laughs and gags as the alien lies more and more and the high schooler has to piece together what is actually real about this story.

 

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Horror, Science Fiction

 

Darker than Black

Ten years ago, a spatial anomaly known as ‘Heaven’s Gate’ appeared in South America. Shortly after, ‘Hell’s Gate’ appeared in Tokyo. The sky was suddenly filled with false stars and people possessing various super natural abilities appeared. These contractors each represent a fake star, and when they become active, the star reacts to them. Contractors are named contractors because they must “pay a price” for using their power, part of which is giving up their humanity. The anime follows a Chinese Contractor codenamed “Hei” as he enters Tokyo to undertake several missions and slowly begins to change. Over all, it’s a very action packed anime with interesting powers and unique characters. It gets a bit angsty sometimes. If it’s your cup of tea, it is, if it isn’t, it ain’t.

 

Genre: Action, Mystery, Supernatural

 

Baccano!

I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Its several different complex stories all playing into one giant grand scheme. The characters are all phenomenal and likeable. The anime takes place in the 1930’s and fully indulges in the “Swinger” style of the time. Lots of awesome jazz music, Mafiosi gun fights and then we get involved with alchemy and immortals. Over all, bad ass. It’s a bit of a dark comedy, and the show does that very well. Just don’t expect to know what’s going on for the first few episodes.

 

Genre: Crime, Fantasy, Black Comedy

 

Hunter x Hunter

Similar to Magi, this is an anime that you can sit down and watch with your kids and not feel belittled. The series takes its audience seriously and delivers an enjoyable show that’ll remind you of your childhood cartoons while also entertaining you. I always try to include one show people can watch with their kids in my lists. The story follows a young boy named Gon who leaves his island home to try and become a ‘Hunter’. A hunter is a person with special privileges that can do just about whatever they want. Along the way he meets other Hunter candidates who all want to explore and hunt various things to reach their goals. Over all, it’s a pretty awesome show.

 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

 

Fate/Stay Night

The story follows several magicians as they battle for the “Holy Grail” in the fifth war of it’s type. Combatants summon ancient heroes from throughout history to fight for them. The winner of this war has the chance to have their deepest wishes granted. The main character is thrown into the war after witnessing a battle between heroes. Over all, the series is very well made. It has some odd camera angles to show off a certain character’s “assets”, but I enjoy it. The animation is very nice to watch as well. So, look this up if you’re itching for a light hearted action anime.

 

Genre: Action, Romance, Supernatural drama, Thriller, Urban Fantasy

 

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

So, this is an anime based of a manga that has run for over twenty five years. Yeah. This has been called one of “Japan’s Best Kept Secrets” with good reason. The story is really so immense that it’s hard to give a little summary of it for the most part, but if you’ve been reading the comments to these lists, then you know a good chunk of Imgur has been crying out for this anime to be included. Basically, this series follows several generations of the Joestar family in their own adventures. It’s pretty bizarre. Wink. Wink.

 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Supernatural, Suspense

 

Samurai Champloo

This anime runs in the same “Good if you want mindless violence and awesome fights” category as Black Lagoon. The story follows Mugen, a violent and travelling swordsman, Jin, a rather stoic masterless samurai and Fuu, a plucky young girl who asks them to help her find a “samurai who smells of sunflowers.” The show offers a pretty interesting alternative history for Japan, and the characters are all likeable.

 

Genre: Chanbara, Comedy-drama, Black Comedy

 

Monster

I don’t even know where to start with this. I don’t want to say too much because the story for this anime is really good. The story follows a Japanese doctor named Tenma as he searches for a missing child 9 years after the disappearance when a couple is murdered in front of his eyes. This forces him to confront the unpleasant underbelly of the world. He goes from politics to organized crime to serial killers to innocent orphans. This show is very good with how it deals with change, the fragility of life, struggle and how afraid a man can be of turning into a monster and the unknown.

 

Genre: Mystery, Horror, Psychological Thriller

 

Fate/Zero

The prequel to Fate/Stay Night, which I suggested since it’s a good show to watch to get the lore of the franchise down, takes place ten years prior to the events of Fate/Stay night. As such, we see how the fourth Holy Grail War works. This story follows a man hired to enter and win the Holy Grail War despite his reputation as a “Magus killer” and his hatred for magic. Over all, the animation and storyline is a huge step up with awesome little tweaks here and there.

 

Genre: Action, Contemporary, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller 

 

Ghost in the Shell

I originally wasn’t going to put this on the list because I was sure everyone knew of this series, but people kept asking, so here it is. I guess I should have included this from the get go because you never know what people have or have not seen. I’m just going to go ahead and say to watch everything from this franchise if you can. It’s an amazing cyberpunk series, and there’s a reason it has so much hype behind it. This is one futuristic show down you can't miss.

 

Genre: Cyberpunk

 

Mononoke

This show takes place in the Edo period where the four class system is still very much in effect in Japan. The main character is a mysterious man only known as the “Medicine Seller” who wanders from place to place destroying ‘monoke’, a type of unnatural spirit that linger the human world. The animation is a gorgeous and stylized piece of art that blends in flawlessly with the edo styled time frame. I would recommend this for sure.

 

Genre: Occult Detective

 

Princess Jellyfish

Okay, this is going to be the girly-ist anime on my lists, but damnit, I love this show. It’s a hilarious anime about an aspiring illustrator living in Tokyo who meets what she can only describe as a “princess.” The main character has failed at becoming the feminine beauty her mother wanted her to become, so this “princess” completely captivates her. After an incident involving a Jellyfish, the princess winds up crashing at our heroine’s apartment. The next morning we discover an interesting fact about this princess that makes our main character’s life much more difficult and slowly drives them to enter the fashion industry. I know, this sounds weird, but the comedy is just golden. If you’re ever feeling down, give this a watch.

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

 

.hack//SIGN

Chances are you’ve heard of this one. This is one of the shows that people either love or hate. The show follows a mysterious player who finds that they cannot log out of the virtual reality game “The World.” This leads to a very interesting story that unfolds within the game as the line between reality and virtual reality begins to blur for several characters. The show deals with the psychology of playing games to escape reality, and how an alternative persona can affect others. The reason why people tend to get annoyed with this show is that, yes, it is lacking on the action part. The story is very interesting, but it’s told in a leisurely pace and has multiple layers. Often times, what the characters, and thus the viewers, thought was true is revealed to be false, leading to people getting frustrated. Over all, it’s a very talky anime, but the design and music involved is worth the watch.

 

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction

 

Speed Grapher

This show follows a former war photographer named Tatsumi Saga as he investigates a secret fetish club for the ultra-wealthy. In an attempt to photograph the club’s “goddess”, a 15 year old girl who’s been exploited, he is discovered. Before he is killed, she kisses Tatsumi and grants him the power to destroy anything with photographers. The story begins to unfold as it’s revealed that the girl, Kagura, can grant out abilities to others through her body fluids based on their secret desires, fetishes and obsessions. Tatsumi soon becomes entangled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse as the club and a corrupt mega-corporation begin the chase along with a secret underground society. This anime has some amazing, bizarre and horrifying take on powers, and I’d recommend it.

 

Genre: Action, Crime Fiction, Supernatural, Romance

 

Neon Genesis Evangelion

So, this show is pretty important for anime in general. I initially didn’t include it in my lists because it can be really angsty and seems to be aimed towards teens, but I caved and decided to include the show. This is an important series to watch. If this show hadn’t been made, a lot of the modern animes that go into character psyche and symbolism probably wouldn’t exist as well as the “Smoother” animation style used today. The show is entertaining and interesting, but it gets somewhat preachy at times. I’d recommend going through the entire franchise at your leisure.

 

Genre: Mecha, Post-apocalyptic

 

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

So, unless you’ve been living under a rock or haven’t really been on the anime scene, you probably already know about this one. Fullmetal Alchemist has become one of the most iconic and popular series in the world while also holding onto its dignity. This series is almost perfect. Frankly, even if you have seen it, go watch the show again. For those who may not be that into anime or just slipped through the cracks and haven’t seen or heard about this, the show follows a teen named Edward Elric and his younger brother Alphonse as they travel through an alternative 1910’s version of our world where Alchemy is real. When both brothers were children, they attempted to preform forbidden alchemy, and they both paid dearly for doing so. As such, they travel in an attempt to find the Philosopher’s stone to restore their bodies to their original state. Seriously, go watch it.

 

Genre: Adventure, Science Fantasy

 

Rideback

The story is set in the near future after an organization named “GGP” has taken control of the world. The main character is Rin Ogata, a girl who was once a promising and popular ballet dancer, but she suffered a serious injury during a performance and had to quit. In college, she stumbles upon a club for a special stylized racing motorcycle like mecha vehicle called a “Rideback.” Her finesse and balance make her a natural born Rideback user, but, these same skills soon gain unwanted attention and she finds herself in deep trouble. I would recommend this anime because of its unique take on mecha and overall awesomeness. I’d also recommend reading the manga as well, since the anime is only 13 episodes and does not cover all of it.

 

Genre: Mecha, Racing, Sport, Science Fiction

 

Texhnolyze

An interesting series following an orphan turned prize fighter who loses an arm and a leg to sate an angry fight promoter in a manmade underground society descendant of a banished generation. He becomes the guinea pig for a new generation of prosthetics and becomes drawn deeper and deeper into the war for the crumbling city of Lux. If you enjoyed Serial Experiments Lain, you’ll definitely like this one.

 

Genre: Cyberpunk, Crime Fiction

 

Air Gear

With all the dark and heavy stuff I’ve been putting in this list, I decided to give Air Gear a slot. This is probably one of the more “juvenile” shows on my list as it can be pretty immature. It has a lot of fanservice, but it also has undeniable style and character to it. The show has amazing action scenes and a down right funky soundtrack that I listen to on my phone at least once a week. It’s something that will entertain you and make you feel a bit giddy at how silly it can be at times. The story follows a boy named Ikki as he dives into the world of motorized rollerblading and becomes deeply entangled in the politics and dangers of the sports. The characters in this show are so nice and likeable, and they progress and mature in a lovely manner. I’d recommend watching the OVAs as well as the main anime series.

 

Genre: Action, Biopunk, Comedy, Sports, Science Fantasy, Ecchi

 

Nana

Nana follows the story of two small town girls from different towns that share the same name. The girls meet and share pleasantries on the train ride to Tokyo and then meet again when they happen to be checking out the same apartment and wind up becoming roommates. One of the girls came to Tokyo to try and make it big with her popular punk band while the other came to Tokyo because all of her friends and boyfriend had moved to the city. While on searches for fame and fortune the other looks for love and happiness. It’s an interesting series about the dynamics between people. It should be noted that this is a shoujo, so it does have the very pretty men thing going on in it and some mild angst. Oh, there’s a lot of romance in this one too, but the show really plays with how fleeting love can be; also how sex doesn’t necessarily equal to love.

 

Genre: Drama, Romance, Music

 

BESERK

Yeah, this is an older anime, and the animation style shows. The series is a good study on humanity and whether it’s fundamentally good or evil as well as laden with heavy themes of isolation and camaraderie. The show explores both the best and the worst of humanity. The show follows a man named Guts, a wandering warrior who hunts down demons and humans who have made a deal with archdemons as he is recruited by a charismatic leader named Griffith into his mercenary group: Band of the Hawk. Two things I should warn you about before you go into this show: There is A LOT of violence, and the ending is a middle finger, at least it is to me. Oh, watch the movies too.

 

Genre: Action, Dark Fantasy, Tragedy

 

Wolf’s Rain

This anime will make you cry. If you don’t cry at anime, then this show will make you get misty eyed for a few minutes. The show follows a group of wolves in a futuristic world as they run from their hunters and try to find “paradise.” Wolves were hunted to extinction years ago, so they take human forms to avoid being seen. As they get closer and closer to “Paradise”, hidden truths become reality and they find themselves barreling head first into an adventure to protect a certain maiden. The show has amazing characters, and they all develop so nicely and fluidly. The visual style is really nice, and the soundtrack is awesome. There are four “recap” episodes in the series, ignore them. Watch this show.

 

Genre: Adventure, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fantasy, Tragedy

 

Hellsing Ultimate

So, there are two Hellsing animes, nothing wrong with that. Check out the older one if you have the time, but my recommendation is going to go to “Hellsing Ultimate” the 10 piece OVA series. I normally don’t add OVA’s onto this list, but the OVA is basically a miniseries, so go for it. The story follows the “Royal Order of Protestant Knights” as they search and destroy things that threaten Queen and Country from all sorts of boogie men. The characters are all very interesting, and the motivations for each person involved are rather awesome. The story really kicks it up as the numbers of undead incidents begin to escalate in England and all around the world. This show has some awesome action scenes, but it’s a bit gory, so definitely a no go if you’re hemophobic.

 

Genre: Action, Biopunk, Drama, Horror, Science Fantasy

 

Barakamon

So, this is one of the most adorable and hilarious shows I’ll ever list. It’s hilarious and the character “Naru” will have you rolling. This is a show to watch if you ever need a warm fuzzy feeling and some laughs. The main character is a professional calligrapher, but he’s recently been forced to take a break from his profession as he punched out a curator at one of his exhibitions. His father sends him to a retreat on “Goto Island” where he meets the other villagers and begins to learn how to put emotion into his calligraphy.

 

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life

 

Cowboy Bebop

Yeah. You already know about this. Even if you’ve never seen it or only vaguely know friends who enjoy anime, you’ve heard about this show. If you say you haven’t, you’re lying. I promise you, if you think you haven’t seen, caught glimpses of or heard of this show, watch it and you’ll realize you were wrong- unless you’re like 12. There’s a reason this anime is so well known and beloved. It’s awesome. The story follows “Spike Spiegel” as he and his weird crew of interstellar travelers as they slowly dredge up their pasts and deal with it in an amazing style. Go watch it. Go.

 

Genre: Space Western, Neo-noir

 

Ergo Proxy

Why are you still here? Go watch Cowboy Bebop! Okay. You done watching it? Thanks for keeping the tab open. This is Ergo Proxy. Let us talk about the strongest part of this show first. No, not the characters nor the storyline, although both are pretty neat, the reason this show will stay with you forever is, in all honesty, the visual aesthetics of the show. Whoever did the storyboard and angles was a genius. This is one of the most memorable styles out there. Now, as for the story, the show is set in a futuristic domed city filled with humans and androids that exist peacefully under a total management system. However, all is not well as a virus appears that causes androids that get infected to murder. Obviously, this isn’t a good thing. So, Re-L is sent to investigate, and basically weird stuff goes down. I’m not going to say more because if I spoil this, people will throw rocks at me.

 

Genre: Cyberpunk, Mystery, Philosophical

 

Eureka Seven

You know, a lot of the anime on my list are mechas. Huh. I guess mechas have a lot more to offer than most people realize~ Any who, here we have the classic, Eureka Seven. The story follows Renton Thurston, the son of a military researcher who died saving the world, like a badass. Renton has a problem. He lives a very boring life with his grandfather in a very dull town. So, he finds his joy in this cool sport where he basically surfs through the air. It’s pretty groovy. His life is pretty simple. He wants to become a professional “lifter”, what they call the air surfing people, and the chance to do so appears when a robot crashes into his room. This kicks off the adventure of a life time, and I’ll tell you what, you will cry. This show dives into a lot of emotional stuff. I personally like it more than Evangelion.

 

Genre: Adventure, Mecha, Romance

 

Eureka Seven: AO

I bet you didn’t know there was a sequel. I bet you also didn’t know that it’s really good. Not going to go into too much detail, because if you’ve seen the first series you know what this one is about. If you haven’t seen the first series, all I can say is that this one is an emotional rollercoaster. Watch the first one first, and then watch this one. It’s nearly a perfect sequel to an amazing show with just as much heart and compassion as the first series. Or, you can watch this one first. It’s a show that can stand on its own fairly well. This show follows Ao, a 13 year old boy who gets mixed up in a battle after a mysterious organization attacks. He manages to somehow activate a robot that was being transported through the city by the self-defense forces. Ao finds out that this robot belonged to his mother, who disappeared 10 years ago, and embarks on a journey to find the truth.

 

Genre: Adventure, Mecha

 

Death Note

I think if I didn’t include this at some point I’d probably get yelled at a lot. Basically, this was one of the most popular anime on Earth a couple of years back, which is why I was hesitant on putting it on the list, because everyone’s heard of it right? Well, I guess some people might not have, like those who are still kind of young or those who are new to anime. So, here it is. Death note! The story follows a high school student who finds a book that’s fallen from the sky. This notebook contains the power to kill simply by writing someone’s name down within the pages. Now, Light Yagami, will embark on a moral rollercoaster as he has to decide, should he abuse this power or not as a mysterious detective appears to find the cause of death to his victims. Also, L and Light are hot. Actually, oh gosh, Mikami. I want a pillow of him.

 

Genre: Detective Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Supernatural

 

Gantz

Ah, so… where to begin. Gantz is a veeeery special piece of work for various reasons. It’s known for its sexual content and heavy violence, so this is isn’t an anime you wanna watch with the kiddos. A fun tidbit: This was one of the first mangas to utilize digital programs. So that’s awesome. The show follows a teen that is forced into a game of life. When I say game of life, I mean he’s technically dead. In order to life again, he has to compete in the game with other recently deceased people and hunt down aliens. To do so, they wield pretty awesome guns and futuristic items. This is the kind of anime you watch if you want to see bad things happen over and over and over again and also blood. I know it sounds weird, but the violence can be a bit thrilling and addictive. Overall, it’s an enjoyable view if you feel like watching something violent and thrilling.

 

Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller http://i.imgur.com/Y73Kn2A.gif

 

Big O

Yep. Another mecha anime. This one boasts a groovy 60’s style that’s reminiscent of older Western and Japanese cartoons. The story takes place in a domed city state surrounded by sand. Forty years before the story, a mysterious occurrence, known only as “The Event,” destroyed the outside world and wiped the memories of all the residents. So, naturally, the show really dives into the nature of memories. They do a fantastic job at exploring the subject as well. The first part of the series follows a different person almost every “Act” as they deal with their memories resurging in bits and pieces. This is very interesting to see. Season two has a more over arcing story, using several elements hinted to in season 1 towards the end. Oddly enough, this show was a lot more popular in the Western side of the world than in its native Japan. Well, Big O is a cool and sleek show you should check out.

 

Genre: Mecha

 

Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom

A teenage boy awakens in a room to find no memory of his past. From the items on him, he realizes he’s a Japanese tourist, but all he can remember is someone trying to kill him. This begins the tale of our story as the main character is cast into a world of assassination, mystery and underground criminal organizations. This series is pretty big on the symbolism, and it’s important to pay attention to the details while watching. I promise you, if you don’t, you’ll end up lost by the end.

 

Genre: Action, Romance, Tragedy

 

Black Jack

This is a golden one alright. The manga debuted in the 70’s, and it’s been charming its way into people’s hearts ever since. How could the story not? Most of this show is Black Jack, a doctor, doing good deeds and not getting much of a reward for it. Black Jack appears to be a medical mercenary of sorts who sells his top notch medical skills to the highest bidder, but in actuality, he’s a bit of a sweetie. He’ll treat patients for free if they can “move” him with their suffering. So, the episodes often involve good people going through bad times. Black Jack is a good show if you want to see a doctor put in a heroic spotlight. Over all, I can’t say much more, because I ramble about shows I really really really like. This is no exception.

 

Genre: Medical, Drama

 

Occult Academy

If you enjoy cryptzoology, mythology, aliens and time travelers, you’ll like this show. The show follows a time traveler sent back to the year 1999 to find a “key” that was used to open a gateway between dimensions in 2012 that allows for the invading aliens to conquer the planet before it is discovered and abused. The key is pinpointed to be somewhere around “Waldstein Academy”, and as such, the time traveler must work with the young headmaster of the school to investigate occult occurrences and find the key before it’s too late. The animation to this show is gorgeous. The characters are likeable, and the story is really entertaining. It’s a short watch at only 13 episodes, and I’d definitely recommend it as the show is one of my personal favorites.

 

Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural

 

Hajime no Ippo

P…Put your fist in it. It being boxing gloves. Okay I’m not funny, I’ll stop now. Any who! I know a lot of people don’t really tend to look at sports mangas because they may not be interested in sports. I’m the same way. However, Hajime no Ippo is just fantastic. There’s so much more to this anime than just the sport of boxing. There’s a lot of wonderful character development and comedy mixed in. In fact, this anime’s strongest selling point is the way characters develop over time. I’d recommend this if you want an inspiring, heartfelt and charming story with likeable characters. Oh, it’s about boxing. That’s the sport.

 

Genre: Sports, Comedy

 

Trigun

Vash is so fucking adorable. The story follows this adorable, happy and nice prick as he travels around, followed by insurance agency employers who try and minimize the damage caused by his very appearance at places. The majority of this damage being caused by Vash getting into fights with bounty hunters who are after the insanely large bounty on our blonde’s head. It appears Vash destroyed a city when he was younger, but he cannot remember any of it due to retrograde amnesia. So, he travels around, trying to save lives using non-lethal force and occasionally chilling with another mysterious gunfighter named Priest Nicholas D. Wolfblood. The show progresses more to develop Vash wonderfully, and we learn more and more about the history of the alternative universe Trigun is set. Over all, this is a golden example of a “classic anime.”

 

Genre: Weird, Space Western, Action, Adventure, Comedy-drama

 

Katanagatari

This show is a gorgeous and uniquely animated samurai tale about Yasuri Shichika, a swordsman who fights without a sword and his travelling companion Togame, a cheeky woman who wants to collect twelve legendary swords for the shogunate. The tory is charming and funny, but it can also be very dramatic and thrilling. Frankly, you will cry. This anime has wonderful characters, and they progress so wonderfully. Go watch this. Like, NOW.

 

Genre: Chanbara, Comedy, Tragedy. Drama, Action, Romance

 

Space Dandy

This is if Cowboy Bebop went insane, and it is wonderful. Space Dandy is frivolous, insane and has no sense of continuity. All this show wants is for you to laugh. I love this show so much. If you’re ever feeling down, give this show a twirl. The series follows a man named Dandy whom is an alien hunter. Apparently, he’s also a “dandy guy in space” in search of undiscovered and rare aliens with a robot and an otter cat hybrid named Meow. You get to watch these three dimwits go through a space opera without ever realizing it.

 

Genre: Comedy

 

Mirai Nikki

So, I’ve been getting a lot of requests for this anime to be included on the list. I’ll start off by saying that I’m not adding this because “omg it’s gorey so it MUST be mature.” Nope. I’m adding it because it’s psychotic thrill ride of an anime series. Everything barely makes any sense, but gosh darnit, it’s just so fun to watch. Almost everything about this anime is balls to the walls crazy with the exception of the main character, Yukiteru, or as you all probably have heard of him as “Yuuuuuuki-chaaaan”. The story follows Yuki, a loner who spends most of his time writing in his phone diary, as he’s thrown into a battle royale to see who will be the next god of space and time will be! Now, Yuki is forced to fight for his life against 12 other people whom all have diaries that can now predict the future in a strange and unique way.

 

Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Suspense

 

Welcome to the N.H.K.

This is one of the darker episodes I’ll list. Trust me, this show seems really light hearted and hilarious, but once you watch it, you’ll realize why it’s listed as “black comedy.” The story follows Tatsuhiro Sato, a university drop out who’s been unemployed for four years. He’s basically a shut in, and he seems to have come to the conclusion that this all due to a conspiracy of some sort. One day, a girl appears, wanting to “cure” him of his shut in ways. The story then goes on to explore how Sato interacts with modern society, how characters can deal with depression, isolation and even goes on to explore Japanese subcultures, like: lolicons, otakus and suicide pacts made over the internet. This anime will have you laughing one minute and having an existential crisis the next.

 

Genre: Black comedy, Comedy-drama, Romance

 

Now and Then, Here and There

This show is evil. Just a warning. The show follows a headstrong boy who decides to try and rescue a strange girl he only met out of a deep sense of justice, but he’s quickly thrown into world of war, struggle and atrocity. He’s taken away to a foreign land controlled by a dictator, and now he has to fight for survival against the awful systems that everyone has seemed to accept. The show is really well written as the main character, Shu, tries to fight against this tyranny and the world decides to fight back. Each episode dives more and more into the evil that I mentioned earlier.

 

Genre: Drama Military, Science Fiction, Dystopia

 

Records of Lodoss Wars

So, some people wanted me to list more anime from the 90’s, well, here ya’ go. Record of the Lodoss War is an anime that follows many of the conventions of RPGs, and it does so wonderfully. The story follows a group of adventurers. If you dig DnD, you’ll probably love this. The first episode is an action-y dungeon crawler that will have you on the edges of your seat. So, if you enjoy DnD styled adventures, I’d suggest the entire franchise for you.

 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sword and Sorcery, Fantasy

 

Monogatari

This anime is weird. The main character was a vampire, but he’s not. He got turned back to normal. So, the series follows him finding other people who have supernatural afflictions and helping them get rid of them. The show’s lead is VERY perverted. The show is kind of perverted, but the animation is gorgeous; the story is very interesting. Aside from the panty shots, and trust me, there will be panty shots, this anime is wonderful to watch. The execution of the show is very clever and well thought out, hell, even the panty shots are interesting.

 

Genre: Occult Detective, Romantic Comedy, Supernatural

 

Part 1: http://imgur.com/gallery/TIc9S

Part 2: http://imgur.com/gallery/51QQs

Part 3: http://imgur.com/gallery/NSYPP

Part 4: http://imgur.com/gallery/RndzY

Part 5: http://imgur.com/gallery/9Pv79

Part 6 is up! http://imgur.com/gallery/qNypT/new

Part 7 is up! It's a special film edition like people have been requesting! http://imgur.com/gallery/eaNUO/new

Part 8 is up, this time for kids! http://imgur.com/gallery/uU9HJ/new

Edited February 18, 2015 by WickedAnimeEye

[Marten]

Ten More Anime - Film Edition

 

Most of them you can find on http://kissanime.com/

 

Karas

Want to see some awesome battles with stunning visuals that mix 3D and 2D art together in an amazing way? Then this is the series for you. Want to have a coherent story and understand what’s fully going on? This isn’t the series for you then. Karas, while having some of the best graphics out there, is purely a style over substance movie, but damnit, that style is worth it. This is a series of OVAs, which I consider short films, so it’s on this list for its stunning style and action. The story itself is very hard to follow, so this is the equivalent of a movie to watch when you want to either turn your brain off for a while and just be awed by visuals or turn it on and work overtime to figure out the plot. Whatever you want to do, I’d recommend checking Karas out for how it helped cement 3D animation in anime.

 

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Action, Supernatural

 

Memories

Memories is a film with three different “Episodes” held within. All three stories are told with music, and each story has a different vibe to it. Honestly, the best part of this film is the “Magnetic Rose” with the other two parts “Stink Bomb” and “Cannon Fodder” falling a little flat in comparison. Magnetic Rose follows the story of a deep space salvage freighter who encounters a distress signal and finds out they’ve bitten off more than they can chew after responding to a distress call. This leads them on a paranormal and operatic tale. Stink Bomb follows a lab technician named Nobuo Tanaka as he battles the flue and accidentally takes some experiment pills instead of his cold medication that cause him to develop deadly body odor. Cannon Fodder is about a boy inside a walled city where everyone’s livelihood depends on maintaining and firing the giant cannons that take up most of the city. Almost every building has one of these canons, and they are fired daily. The city is constantly surrounded by dust and clouds as they fire at an enemy hey can’t even see or hear. I’d recommend giving this a watch if only for Magnetic Rose.

 

Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera, Orchestra

 

Roujin Z

I’m sad this movie isn’t too well known because it is awesome. It’s a weird, quirky sci fi that deserves some love. The story is set in the early twenty first century Japan and follows an old man named Kiyuro Takazawa. Kiyuro has “volunteered” to help test a new type of hospital bed with robotic features that can take complete care of a patient. However, the bed is ran by its own nuclear power reactor, and if the test goes wrong, the patient and the bed would be automatically sealed in concrete. Kiyuro is an old dying widower, so he’s the best choice for such a thing, right? This story is already strange, but it gets even stranger as more is discovered about the bed and Kiyuro finds an interesting and impossible way to contact a nurse named Haruko to help him. The story is a fun and unique action thriller with a lot of laughs. This is the kind of film only Japan could make. You’ll also enjoy some of the prods at medical practitioners if you’re in that profession.

 

Genre: Comedy-drama, Satire, Science Fiction

 

Grave of the Fireflies

I didn’t want to include a Studio Ghibli film because those are really well known and beloved in America, but I’ve found that a surprisingly large number of people haven’t seen this film. This film is amazing. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that will have you weeping in the corner. I know I did. The story starts with a boy dying of starvation after the end of World War II. Yeah. That’s how it starts. The majority of the film shows how the boy and his younger sister lived during World War II. Yeah, this is a tearjerker film. I’m about to cry as I type this. Watch this film. Like, now. Go do it. Put down your phone/laptop/futuristic device and go watch this- unless you’re going to watch it on said device. Then hold onto it as tightly as you can and get some tissues.

 

Genre: Drama

 

Kakurenbo

This is an awesome short film. The story follows Hikora, a boy who joins a game of “Otokoyo” or “Man Hunt”, which is basically a version of hide and seek played by kids wearing fox masks. Kids who play the game are said to be spirited away through the game. Hikora decides to partake in this game in an attempt to find his missing sister, Sorincha. I’d recommend this film for sure. It’s eerie, charming and thrilling. It’s also short and nicely wrapped up, making it a quick watch.

 

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

 

Summer Wars

Summer Wars is a movie you can watch with kids and be entertained. The story follows Kenji Koiso, a young mathematically gifted student who also works part time as a moderator in a massive virtual reality world along with his friend Takashi Sakuma. The story follows Kenji as he meets his family, learns interesting details and receives a mysterious mathematical code that he manages to crack. Something goes amiss though, and an AI begins to take control of Kenji’s account and cause havoc all over the virtual reality. The rest of the film is a touch and go battle against the AI that contains a lot of heart and charm.

 

Genre: Sci-fi, Drama, Action

 

Short Peace

A relatively newer film, Short Peace is a series of four short anime films, all by different directors. Each film has a different story and setting with only the theme of “Japan” connecting all four, with each film representing a time in the country’s history. Because the films are all directed by different people, the animation and style is all unique and interesting. The first film follows a traveler as they’re confronted by unusual spirits in an old shrine. The second is a story of love, firefighting and honor in ancient japan. The third is about a strange white bear who defends a royal family against a red demon, and the final one is set in an apocalyptic Tokyo that follows militaristic man in robotic tanks. All of these are unique and captivating to watch. However, there is no film for a “modern” era, as that is represented through a game that is tied into all the films. All of these are worth checking out.

 

Genre: I don’t even know man

 

Tokyo Godfathers

This is a feel good movie. Watch this after watching Grave of the Fireflies. The movie focuses a lot on how small coincides and little ties in life can affect the grand scheme of things and even lead to what seem like miracles. The story follows tree homeless people in modern day Tokyo as they find an abandoned newborn. The baby is found with a bag of clues as to who the parents are and a note asking for the finder to take good care of the infant. The trio decides to set out and find the parents of the child. The story follows them as little choices by little choices make up their path and set them up for a wonderful tale.

 

Genre: Drama, Comedy

 

Blood: The Last Vampire

This is another visually stunning film that will make your blood boil. Blood is another important anime film for advancing how animation was done at the time. The style to this film is wonderful, gritty and sleek. The story is set in 1966 and follows a girl named Saya who hunts down bat like creatures named Chiropterans, basically, vampires. We follow Saya as she’s sent into a school to hunt down a vampire. The story is very simple, but it does the job to get what we need: some heart pounding action and awesome visuals. I’d recommend this if you’ve never seen it.

 

Genre: Action, Horror

 

Kara No Kyokai

This is a seven part film series with one OVA to add to it as well. The story follows the heiress of the Ryogi clan, Shiki and her classmate Mikiya Kokuto. All seven films are a collective narrative, but they’re a bit out of order. This series isn’t for the faint of heart. The show does dive into rape, suicide, parental murder, normal murder and incest. The story itself follows Mikiya and Shiki as mysterious deaths begin to occur in their town. As Mikiya begins to try and explore the deaths and get closer to Shiki, he finds that she may somehow be connected. This leads him to startling realizations and a world of horror opens up before him.

 

Genre: Action, Romance, Supernatural Thriller

 

 

PS:@@Adhi pardon if this lagged the servers a bit :D

Edited February 17, 2015 by WickedAnimeEye

[Marten]

TL;DR FOR NEWCOMERS!

Alright here is a quick rundown for those who would like to give a shot on anime that would not make you feel liek you wasted time or think it's for small children.

Quick and enterntaining

 

Especially for people like @Pixel Pigeon

 

I would like you to try out first...

1. Terror In Resonance
2. Tokyo Ghoul
3. Jormungand
4. Stein's Gate
5. Black Lagoon
6. Darker Than Black
7. Ghost In The Shell
8. Texhnolyze
9. Now and then, here and there

Quick Movies

1. Karas
2. Grave of the Fireflies (get your kleenex ready)
3. Summer Wars
4. Tokyo Godfathers
5. Blood: The Last Vampire

Shit I definetly don't want any children to see

1. Jormungand
2. Black Lagoon
3. Ghost In The Shell
4. Air Gear
5. Nana
6. BERSERK
7. Hellsing Ultimate
8. Gantz
9. Mirai Nikki
10. Welcome to the N.H.K
11. Records of Lodoss Wars
12. Monogatari
13. Grave of the Fireflies
14. Blood: The Last Vampire
15. Kara no Kyokai

@@Adhi @@Devon seems like Best Answer/Solved Answer works a bit differently if you compare the original post with the best answer

Edited February 17, 2015 by WickedAnimeEye

[Moni]

I read/watch the big 3 finished naruto obvs. Finished Hunter x Hunter anime (Reading Still)/Attack on titan look towards watching ghoul

[Milo]

If u wrote all this urself, u should become an anime critic xD

[Jack]

!Ban [CT]Marten

[H00Di]

If u wrote all this urself, u should become an anime critic xD

ye huh

[Saeko]

good shit!

[Pixel Pigeon]

hey pretty pictures

[Manz]

Nigga, ain't no babies watching anime?!

[Marten]

If u wrote all this urself, u should become an anime critic xD

Yes I should've added in the credits for the original poster of the list from imgur, would have done the same thing but it takes too much time :D

 

!Ban [CT]Marten

Rachel is quite fine with my little hobbies :P

 

hey pretty pictures

Your girlfriend was quite a fanatic of anime aye, give it a try once i have written a quick rundown for newcomers with some suggestions to beign with :P

 

Nigga, ain't no babies watching anime?!

Can pull a list of anime you definetly want your child to watch, they use those futuristic devices anyways, might aswell put em into good use :)

[Nearly Godz]

[Nearly Godz]

fkn forums made me doublepost 

Edited February 17, 2015 by Nearly Godz

[Marten]

fkn forums made me doublepost 

when i tried to watch the preview i lagged the shit out :D

[Marten]

@@Maining @@Brenden can you help me with a quick list of dubbed aniem for beginners?

Might aswell pop The Boondocks and The Legend of Aang/Korra into it aswell :P

[Akahana]

ok

[Maining]

@@Maining @@Brenden can you help me with a quick list of dubbed aniem for beginners?

Might aswell pop The Boondocks and The Legend of Aang/Korra into it aswell :P

 

the only anime i ever watched dubbed was DBZ 

 

i hate dubbed and would never recomend watching dubbed

[CT Jason]

god bless lol

[Marten]

Started with samurai champloo and that stuff is rlly peaking my interest.

 

Definetly something for older audiences who want to see some good action :)

[TJ]

Not interested unless it's some bitch getting fucked by some tentacles.

[Marten]

Not interested unless it's some bitch getting fucked by some tentacles.

can be arranged, any preferrences about the "bitch"?

[Marten]

Lmfao the 9th episode of samurai champloo is epic, dudes torch a "holy grass" farm, hilarity ensures.

Edited February 20, 2015 by WickedAnimeEye