Anime-wise, Cowboy Bebop. It was one of the modern trinity of Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Outlaw Star - it introduced a whole generation of Cartoon Network viewers to anime, and to many it is...
Anime-wise, Cowboy Bebop. It was one of the modern trinity of Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Outlaw Star - it introduced a whole generation of Cartoon Network viewers to anime, and to many it is considered to be one of the first properly-dubbed anime imports, with professional voice actors that sound great for their roles and bring gravitas to their performance.
It also blended music in with the actions in spectacular ways. Yoko Kanno has been a fixture in Japanese music for decades, particularly on the anime scene - but her music with The PillowsThe Seatbelts here is just fantastic, whether you like anime or not. (thank you for the correction @j4ke)
EDIT For my part, Cowboy Bebop was not the first anime I ever watched; I owe Sci-Fi Channel's nighttime anime runs for that, with Project A-KO, Vampire Hunter D, and Venus Wars being my introduction. But Cowboy Bebop was the first anime that I felt I could truly share with people that weren't already fans of anime, and it did a great job at crossing over in that fashion. Plus, the characters are so, so memorable - every Corgi named Ein that you've ever met is probably because of Cowboy Bebop.
As for manga, Berserk is my choice. It's dark, gritty, and has a protagonist with a huge sword. Those sound cliche nowadays, but they are cliche because of Berserk. We have whole spates of modern media that owe their design concepts to Berserk (Dark Souls and Dragon's Dogma in particular, but the influences extend far further).
EDIT It also influenced me quite heavily, with themes involving the dangers of following a charismatic leader as well as the true costs of pursuing one's dreams. Griffith makes for a spectacular protagonist-turned-villain. The fact that Berserk started out like ... 40 years ago says something for the staying power, both as a popular piece of fiction but also as an ongoing influence on media.
I think it's easy to dismiss Cowboy Bebop because it's ultra-popular, but I think ultra-popular ones are probably full of great examples. Neon Genesis Evangelion and FLCL are others I could easily...
I think it's easy to dismiss Cowboy Bebop because it's ultra-popular, but I think ultra-popular ones are probably full of great examples. Neon Genesis Evangelion and FLCL are others I could easily point to.
For sure. NGE was one of the original "popular anime" way back in the day, along with Akira and Ghost in the Shell. There's often a reason that the ultra-popular things are ultra-popular. FLCL is...
For sure. NGE was one of the original "popular anime" way back in the day, along with Akira and Ghost in the Shell. There's often a reason that the ultra-popular things are ultra-popular.
FLCL is also in that same period as Cowboy Bebop, et al, although I don't know if it made the same splash. It's one of my favorites, and has a quote that I often use with my kids ("Sometimes eating gross things can be fun, too").
I believe you meant The Seatbelts. The Pillows' music was used in FLCL. Growing up on Toonami and the odd Syfy channel anime really left an impression on me. I have such vivid memories of watching...
but her music with The Pillows here is just fantastic
I believe you meant The Seatbelts. The Pillows' music was used in FLCL.
Growing up on Toonami and the odd Syfy channel anime really left an impression on me. I have such vivid memories of watching Robot Carnival and Neo Tokyo. Namely, Construction Cancellation Order, which really felt like it was laying the groundwork for so much of the anime I came to love. Such as Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Roujin-Z.
As for truly transcending the boundaries I can't think of anything better than Paprika or really anything Satoshi Kon has worked on.
Also known as the best film many refuse to ever watch again. Someone described it as a movie where “you wait for the happy part… and then it ends,” and that sums it up perfectly.
Also known as the best film many refuse to ever watch again. Someone described it as a movie where “you wait for the happy part… and then it ends,” and that sums it up perfectly.
I want to love anime but never seem to be able to find the time to develop a true appreciation of the medium. I can count on my fingers how many I've watched (or completed in the case of series),...
I want to love anime but never seem to be able to find the time to develop a true appreciation of the medium. I can count on my fingers how many I've watched (or completed in the case of series), and they were all back before starting a family. You could probably argue I'm not even a fan of anime at all besides the few titles I've enjoyed, similar to how I'm generally indifferent to musicals but absolutely loved Schmigadoon! and Dr. Horrible's Sing Along.
I've never seen Monster and it's been ages since I saw Akira, but GITS 95 and FMA 03 are simply sublime. The former's TV series is excellent too, but there's something about GITS 95 that really...
I've never seen Monster and it's been ages since I saw Akira, but GITS 95 and FMA 03 are simply sublime. The former's TV series is excellent too, but there's something about GITS 95 that really sets it apart. I suppose because it gives more or less equal weight to the discussions and theorizing about the nature of the self as well as superbly animated action sequences. Really though, the opening sequence--music, shots and all--is a great litmus test for if someone would like the whole movie. If they like that, they're in for a treat.
FMA 03 is quite possibly my favorite anime of all time (depending on mood, FLCL or Samurai Champloo can take that spot instead) because it also manages to buck a lot of established anime trends while being almost unfairly good. A manga adaptation that had to invent a new ending because it outpaced the original work really has no right being as good as it was, but I think it's that exact circumstance that helped FMA 03 do so well. As I remember, Hiromu Arakawa (mangaka/author of the FMA manga for those who don't know) actually had input on the direction FMA 03 was going post-split, and wanted them to tread a different narrative path so it wouldn't just be the same story in a different medium. To this day, the ending of FMA 03 (or rather, its movie conclusion) is one of my favorite pieces of cinema. It keeps with the theme established in the series proper of 'You can't go home, and the path forward is bittersweet--so focus on what you can do' in a beautiful if heartwrenching way, and using 'Lost Heaven' by L'arc en Ciel was a stroke of genius.
Really, I think a common trait for a lot of anime to fit the OP's criteria is how they use music. It, or even the absence of it, is such an important of video media, and I keep seeing people post FLCL (which you could see as an extended music video for The Pillows almost) or Bebop/Champloo (which are practically art pieces with how seamlessly their chosen music genres and art styles are blended.)
Hell, I didn't even get into how FMA 03's original soundtrack is (in my admittedly pleb opinion) up there with Tchaikovsky's work. For anyone who wants to hear some of it, here'sjustafew examples of pieces that will likely stick with me until I can't remember anymore.
Thanks for the detailed response. I always sort of viewed my past anime experiences as, well, past, and your response and this thread has motivated me to rewatch my old favourites and maybe even...
Thanks for the detailed response. I always sort of viewed my past anime experiences as, well, past, and your response and this thread has motivated me to rewatch my old favourites and maybe even explore others mentioned here.
I had an interesting relationship with the Monster series which I largely forgot about before this conversation. I originally pirated it around 2005 and instantly fell in love. It doesn't have a ton of spectacle the way Akira or FMA 03 does, it's much more of a drama that could easily have been live action instead of anime. It's very good story telling.
I had worked through the series until around 65 or so (out of 74) and realized the episode I downloaded was corrupted! I was so enthralled in the story that the idea of skipping an episode felt blasphemous. I spent countless hours at the time trying to find another copy to no avail. As time passed the story began to fade and priorities took over. I always intended to return to it but even that memory eventually escaped me.
Looking into it now, apparently Monster is available on Netflix! It's been so long now that I can't promise it holds up, and like I said it's more drama than action, but anyone interested should check it out. I just found this review for it that seems to do my memory justice and has helped propel Monster to the top of my watch list.
I'm fond of rewatching, reading, playing old media I've largely (but not entirely) forgotten about, but I'm feeling much the same way with respect for Monster, so I'll have to check it out now. So...
I'm fond of rewatching, reading, playing old media I've largely (but not entirely) forgotten about, but I'm feeling much the same way with respect for Monster, so I'll have to check it out now. So many people including you have recommended it, and I can enjoy a good character-driven drama as much as bombastic feats. I hope you enjoy your rewatch!
This is probably one of the first times I have heard anyone talk about the movie. I also love it, though it’s mainly for reasons most people wouldn’t care for, like the appearance of Fritz Lang as...
This is probably one of the first times I have heard anyone talk about the movie. I also love it, though it’s mainly for reasons most people wouldn’t care for, like the appearance of Fritz Lang as a character and the quality of the animation and framing.
Honestly, the effort to frame the story events as happening in that time frame and utilizing everything from anti-foreigner sentiments in Germany to as you said, Lang's appearance is one of my...
Honestly, the effort to frame the story events as happening in that time frame and utilizing everything from anti-foreigner sentiments in Germany to as you said, Lang's appearance is one of my quieter reasons for liking it. It really is just a beautiful movie that felt uniquely made for the type of story the FMA 03 runners wanted to tell.
I note that you didn't say why you feel that way. I don't blame you though, It's one of those pieces that you can't really explain to someone because everything you could say would sound...
I note that you didn't say why you feel that way.
I don't blame you though, It's one of those pieces that you can't really explain to someone because everything you could say would sound completely insane.
My default answer for both would be Otomo's Akira (for different reasons), but I'm going to say Perfect Blue. Mature themes were nothing new, but Perfect Blue managed to blend them with a gripping...
My default answer for both would be Otomo's Akira (for different reasons), but I'm going to say Perfect Blue. Mature themes were nothing new, but Perfect Blue managed to blend them with a gripping dramatic story and incredible animation. I watched it for the first time last month and loved how wild it was.
Off the top of my head (reading this over, like 90% of this is EXTREMELY violent/adult/disturbing/whatever, but my tastes tend to run that way. I'm trying to think of something excellent that's...
Off the top of my head (reading this over, like 90% of this is EXTREMELY violent/adult/disturbing/whatever, but my tastes tend to run that way. I'm trying to think of something excellent that's more positive and hasn't already been mentioned but can't think of anything at the moment)
Movies:
Just about anything high rated by Ghibli or Satoshi Kon.
Patlabor 1 and 2
Berserk golden age 1-3
Movie and show:
Evangelion (it's uh...complicated).
Shows:
Psycho Pass S1
Berserk (either this or the movie)
There's some uh..."honorable mentions" possibly in Devilman Crybaby for just being so very very out there while also maybe justifying its use of VERY literal hyper violence and Made in Abyss as something that really is quite unique but has some undeniable problems in how it handles certain material.
In a similar vein, you might enjoy Fire Punch. It's the mangaka of Chainsaw Man's previous work, but it's a much darker series. I really enjoyed its exploration of nihilism.
In a similar vein, you might enjoy Fire Punch. It's the mangaka of Chainsaw Man's previous work, but it's a much darker series. I really enjoyed its exploration of nihilism.
Yeah it’s on my radar and the only reason chainsaw man didn’t make the list is because it isn’t finished (although I have read all of part 1 and some of part 2 and if it can at least follow part 1...
Yeah it’s on my radar and the only reason chainsaw man didn’t make the list is because it isn’t finished (although I have read all of part 1 and some of part 2 and if it can at least follow part 1 it would be)
Devilman Crybaby is fantastic. But not really what I'd recommend to anyone who isn't OK with sitting through some very disturbing imagery. For a more down-to-earth recommendation from the same...
Devilman Crybaby is fantastic. But not really what I'd recommend to anyone who isn't OK with sitting through some very disturbing imagery. For a more down-to-earth recommendation from the same director, I'd recommend Japan Sinks 2020. It might be hard to get some of the finer nuance if you don't understand Japanese culture, but I think the things that happen are pretty understandable even if you don't.
I've got two off the top of my head. First to come to mind: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and the manga. Read the manga, and then watched Brotherhood as it aired. On the second to last episode,...
I've got two off the top of my head. First to come to mind: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and the manga. Read the manga, and then watched Brotherhood as it aired. On the second to last episode, it just struck me as one of the best stories I've seen in ANY medium.
One takeaway I took from it on a meta-level was a comment by the creator about how she makes sure to balance some of the serious moments with humorous faces, because at the end of the day, it's meant to be entertainment. That's one of the primary purposes of fiction in my opinion, and some people forget that and create works that just become slogs to get through because they lean too hard into the angst and suffering. It doesn't become depressing, it just becomes tedious. That comment about entertainment is part of my own writing philosophy now.
The second one: the manga Souboutei Must Be Destroyed. I rambled about it on the first MangaLove thread, so I'll just link that ramble if you want plot details. It may be even better to go in blind, I really had no idea what I was getting into beyond it being about a haunted house. It is, by far, one of the best works I've seen in the medium.
I'll quote this part of my ramble:
This isn't just a manga, this is a love letter to art and humanity. Every page has so much passion in it. This series feels like the culmination of an entire career and lifetime, a writer's magnum opus.
More than that, I firmly believe this is a manga that can change lives. It didn't have that effect on me, but I can tell it has that power for the right audience members. The story managed to delve so deep into the human psyche at various points without ever feeling preachy like so many other manga do. This is the sort of story that can only come from years of experience not only writing manga, but also from just living.
Basically I will always take a chance to sing this manga's praises. It is currently the one manga I continually check to see if it's getting an anime adaptation, and also dread because I don't know if an anime adaptation can do it justice. It has some incredibly creative visual sequences that would be awesome to see animated, but only if the adaptation is done with effort and care.
The Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex and 2nd Gig series were fascinating for me. Some of the philosophical explorations it confronted coupled with excellent storytelling and well chosen...
The Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex and 2nd Gig series were fascinating for me. Some of the philosophical explorations it confronted coupled with excellent storytelling and well chosen voice actors really cemented it as one of my favorites.
I can understand either preference. The series is nice because of the relatively slow pacing and being necessarily broken up into bite-sized pieces, while allowing it to go further into plots that...
I can understand either preference. The series is nice because of the relatively slow pacing and being necessarily broken up into bite-sized pieces, while allowing it to go further into plots that diverge slightly from the main. Plus the Tachikoma are a delightfully welcome bit of positivity and humor.
End of Evangelion flipped a switch in my head to separate the art in front of my eyes as both a symbolic "modern" reading and a recognition that art is made up of pure signal, if that makes sense?...
End of Evangelion flipped a switch in my head to separate the art in front of my eyes as both a symbolic "modern" reading and a recognition that art is made up of pure signal, if that makes sense? It's helped me come to terms with why things do or don't "click" with me certain ways, especially if I just like the mouthfeel of some literature and not as a narrative. I'm not sure I'd have the same view of things if I hadn't watched it.
I can't put exactly what Yokohama Shopping Trip does into words, but as an iyashikei nut I'm always chasing the simultaneous melancholy with warmth, finality with hope, and death with life that this quietly exudes. Anyone that vibes with the kind of optimistic nihilism that seems to be expressed a lot nowadays should give it a try.
Personally, I can't thank Bocchi the Rock enough - it just energized me so much that I picked up my bass again and started practicing almost daily for going on a month now.
As someone else who loves melancholic stories like Yokohama Shopping Trip, I would recommend watching the Mushishi series as well. Some of episodes really carry a similar tone and feel to them.
As someone else who loves melancholic stories like Yokohama Shopping Trip, I would recommend watching the Mushishi series as well. Some of episodes really carry a similar tone and feel to them.
Ping Pong the Animation is my favorite coming-of-age story, and one of my favorite stories in general. The very unorthodox but incredibly expressive art style, the extremely natural voice acting...
Ping Pong the Animation is my favorite coming-of-age story, and one of my favorite stories in general. The very unorthodox but incredibly expressive art style, the extremely natural voice acting of all the characters, and the animation which hits this sweet spot of being tame enough to not break immersion, but fantastic enough to really enhance dramatic moments, all those come together to create a story with some of the most realistic characters I've ever seen in fiction, and some of the most emotion and empathy I've felt from any piece of media. I try to recommend it to friends that also watch anime but the art style really isn't for everyone.
I see a lot of the classic masterpieces getting love so I want to shout out a more modern manga I personally enjoy and sort of flys under the radar. Witch Hat Atelier - Seriously, just look at...
I see a lot of the classic masterpieces getting love so I want to shout out a more modern manga I personally enjoy and sort of flys under the radar.
Witch Hat Atelier - Seriously, just look at thesethreepanels . The entire classical fantasy genre in East Asia is seeing a post isekia boom and this is probably one of the best works to come out of it. On the surface it seems like a fantasy magic-girl adventure and hard pivots into the politics, morality and existential dread of reality breaking powers. But all the while it still takes the time to highlight the beauty and joy of childhood, magic and just lifes simple pleasures. And once again, the art is just spectacular and I'd recommend getting the print if you can.
I'll go with Sailor Moon. This series redefined magical girls theme which up until that point were mostly cheerful stories about girls gifted with fairy tale-like magic to solve everyday life...
I'll go with Sailor Moon. This series redefined magical girls theme which up until that point were mostly cheerful stories about girls gifted with fairy tale-like magic to solve everyday life problems. Sailor Moon bring a drastic change: there's not one but 5 girls in a nod to supersentai shows. And they have more of soldiers rather than witches or enchantresses - they fight evil while still living ordinary "civil" lives not resolving into magic at all to fix their problems. There was Cutey Honey before that but SM break into the whole world - almost everyone recognizes Usagi by her hairstyle.
There's another significance: Takeuchi's creation was one of 2 'free tickets' everyone got in Poland in the end of 90s for a train into the world of anime and manga; the second one was Dragon Ball. Both propelled our fandom in the early years and bring people together.
I think Hellsing was pretty significant too - there were series about vampires like D or Vampire Princess Miyu but Hirano bring more meat into the genre, I believe.
You know, I never thought about it with Hellsing, but yeah, you have a good point. It brought brazen gore that was at least uncommon in anime, but then it rather uniquely made it...sexy isn't the...
You know, I never thought about it with Hellsing, but yeah, you have a good point. It brought brazen gore that was at least uncommon in anime, but then it rather uniquely made it...sexy isn't the right word, but there's a suggestiveness to the bloodshed which can at times become almost overt that is really in tune with modern, western interpretations of vampires as being alluring danger in a human-shaped package.
My friends were totally caught by this gore and back then for me it was putting off to say the least; they liked really much and even ran some tabletop within the universe
My friends were totally caught by this gore and back then for me it was putting off to say the least; they liked really much and even ran some tabletop within the universe
The English dub we got for Sailor Moon really didn't do us a favor by changing them from sailor soldiers to sailor scouts. I'd recommend anyone interested in Sailor Moon to purchase the physical...
The English dub we got for Sailor Moon really didn't do us a favor by changing them from sailor soldiers to sailor scouts.
I'd recommend anyone interested in Sailor Moon to purchase the physical manga releases. The anime is fine by itself, but it's not really great as an adaptation. The art also has this intangible quality to it that doesn't translate well to digital displays; it really has to be seen on paper to get the full effect.
The original anime is a series of its times - it's a slice of the 90s life. And while it didn't follow manga in terms of the plots, it fleshed out characters and even the enemies. We got...
The original anime is a series of its times - it's a slice of the 90s life. And while it didn't follow manga in terms of the plots, it fleshed out characters and even the enemies. We got Jadeite-Kunzite relationship, Ayakashi Sisters becoming normal women, Mimette who wanted to be a pop idol or Nehelenia who was a tragic character on the inside and not just an evil queen, we got that famous Seiya interest in Usagi plot. Manga while is the source of this story didn't took this approach and it always feels like it's moving forward without any pit-stop (kinda like... Usagi running in the R ending). You had to assume that girls like each other and are bonded not only by the destiny of being sailor soldier but normal friendship. Personally I wouldn't dismiss it or call it worse - I know Takeuchi didn't liked the changes but for me it's just a different take of this story. Bit like... parallel universes diverge with history at some point lol.
As for the quality of 90s series - it didn't aged well but despite the obvious constant character designers episode by episode this is the charm of animation being drawn and colored by hand which really counts for me. That physical cell animation is something I miss whenever I have chance to watch anime today.
We had own issues here: while we had the original background audio, due to "cultural reasons" and money, the tv station decided to opt for lector-narrator solution - mrs Stachyra was reading lines for every character. Sometimes situational context was missing or was simplified but that's normal because dialogues text was purchased from France; and because of this Usagi become Bunny in our version.
During first airing the tv station didnt show episodes 44 and 45 due to brutality; we haven't seen the episode of SuperS where kendo girl gets her ass smacked by her mother and actually SuperS intro and ending were missing and were replaced by R versions. They also had serious doubts about last 2 episodes because Usagi is being presented nude. Luckily they decided to conclude the story otherwise fans would be angry. In the end of 00s another tv station aired first series again, with a different lector (a guy this time, well known by voice here) but the translation was much more closer to the original - sadly, the interest was low and they didn't rework remaining series.
Like I said, it’s not bad, it’s just not a great adaptation. It gets the themes right but the plot is kind of lost and is a bit watered down, which dilutes the messages Takeuchi was trying to give...
Like I said, it’s not bad, it’s just not a great adaptation. It gets the themes right but the plot is kind of lost and is a bit watered down, which dilutes the messages Takeuchi was trying to give to the audience. From the context of a native Japanese speaker the anime is like reading a poor translation of the manga; you’ll understand it but you’re missing out on some of the things that makes it great.
I actually do appreciate the idea of having an anime diverge from the manga if it is being produced at the same time like Sailor Moon was. Having those two versions means that you can enjoy both for different reasons, like you pointed out. I actually like the original Fullmetal Alchemist for this reason. But I don’t think that Sailor Moon is a particularly good example of this practice, even if for nothing other than the pacing issues. It got particularly bad with the production of Sailor Stars, which started off before the manga did and so they had to bring back the antagonist from the last series, so it started with a “final battle”. The vast majority of it was filler and then the last three episodes or so were the most depressing television you will ever see.
Most of the anime I've seen tend to fall into a lot of the same kinds of tropes with how the characters interact and behave, and has a very "anime" vibe. The biggest departure from this that I've...
Most of the anime I've seen tend to fall into a lot of the same kinds of tropes with how the characters interact and behave, and has a very "anime" vibe.
The biggest departure from this that I've seen is the series Monster. It's a story that I could see being done as a live action movie or TV show without feeling too out of place or cartoony.
EDIT: Edited in some reasons I'd forgotten to include! I've been watching this stuff for decades, so I'm not going to try to make an exhaustive list, as that would take a very long amount of time...
EDIT: Edited in some reasons I'd forgotten to include!
a truly worthy piece of fiction you're glad to have experienced
I've been watching this stuff for decades, so I'm not going to try to make an exhaustive list, as that would take a very long amount of time right now. But here are some informal picks - naturally colored by my own preferences. Do excuse me if any of these didn't age well and feel free to point out shortcomings I may have long forgotten - or never even noticed - in a reply.
Others have already recommended, and I definitely agree with, the following popular shows: Cowboy Bebop, Your Lie In April, Ping Pong, anything by Miyazaki (including Future Boy Conan) or Satoshi Kon, and Grave of the Fireflies.
Hikaru no go single-handedly made go popular among the youth in several countries, including Japan. It does have some genre tropes, but is characterized by a protagonist who grows physically and mentally, an interesting and tragic mentor character and a real love for the subject matter. The anime also has go lessons after each episode!
I've always been a big fan of the underrated Kino no tabi. Kino travels a world of highly isolated "countries" on her talking motorcycle Hermes, and never stays anywhere for very long. The story is episodic and has an allegorical quality to it. While Kino is objectively a badass who is more than capable of defending herself (and sometimes has to), she prefers to live and let live, to experience these countries as a visitor.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (the original) is considered by many, including myself, to be one of the best animes ever made. This direct to video series from the 90s is a full blown space opera about a conflict between two systems of government, both of which control many planets - a corrupt democracy and an idealistic autocracy, and the problems with both. It has a vast cast of named characters with deep backstories and great design, interesting worldbuilding and doesn't shy away from nerding out about its world's history and battle tactics. It's also known for many famous voice actors having worked on it.
While we're talking about science fiction, I just learned Ergo Proxy is banned in China. That has to mean something, right? This is a Blade Runner style post apocalyptic show about a criminal investigation in a world of domed cities and self-aware androids. I watched this before Blade Runner.
Michiko & Hatchin: Hana (Hatchin) is a serious girl who is rescued/kidnapped from her abusive foster family by escaped convict Michiko, a free spirit who claims to be her mother. It takes place in the country of "Diamandra" - it's totally Brazil though. The people and the places look the part, although brazilians can point out a lot of inaccuracies (hey, it's Diamandra after all!) I do have a soft spot for these shows that just look totally different from the vast majority of what the anime industry churns out.
I hesitate a little to mention it, because it can be extremely triggering (child abuse and worse), but Erased is the story of a man who returns to the body and time of his childhood self to prevent the murder of his friend and classmate. The anime is good; there's a Netflix live action drama I haven't watched (but I seem to recall it has some differences).
To Your Eternity S1: The story of an immortal being who can become anyone who dies beside them, and their travels across the world and friendships and relationships. Slight spoiler because I thought S2 wasn't as good: The overarching theme is whether it's worth living at all if living brings with it suffering. Possibly the most touching ep1 ever made.
Sorry about all the science fiction, but it's good science fiction! Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song tells the story of Vivy, an android created for singing and performing, and her attempts to avert a post-singularity war between humans and AIs. I enjoyed how Vivy develops as a character and how the plot ties together.
Samurai 7 is "Seven Samurai" as an anime taking place in a futuristic world. I think it's generally agreed the story is memorable, so it's about whether you like this presentation of it, which I did.
Mushishi is the highly episodic story of Ginko, who travels the land helping people who live with, or have been infected by, mushi. While mushi can mean "insect", these are spiritural parasites - they're neither good nor bad, simply a part of the world, but most people don't understand them or aren't aware of their existence. Each episode brings new people and a new situation, and there's this extremely rural Japan melancholy feel to the whole thing that's just great.
Planetes, one of the most beloved astronaut anime, opened my eyes to the problem of space debris for the first time! And that's what this show is about - the unglorified, extremely dangerous, but vitally important job of collecting garbage in orbit.
Kaiba (same director as Ping Pong) takes place in a world where people's selves can swap bodies by having their memory chips swapped, a bit like Altered Carbon. The protagonist is trying to figure out who they are in confusing and often hostile surroundings. This show is beautiful, awesome and I recommend watching it twice if you had trouble keeping track of all the body swapping ;)
I'll stop here for now. If the reasons are unclear for any show, you can assume I really resonated with either the characters' geographical or personal journeys, or that they were just really likeable. I like good characters!
Oh man, you basically came up with a list of some of my favorites here. I would agree with you about the first season of To Your Eternity having stronger themes, I would absolutely disagree with...
Oh man, you basically came up with a list of some of my favorites here.
I would agree with you about the first season of To Your Eternity having stronger themes, I would absolutely disagree with your recommendation to only watch the first season because I think the themes and messages of the second season are also extremely important and very deeply resonant even if it is a little less well presented due to the expansion of the world’s lore.
I loved a Michiko and Hacchin, but I think it might be something of a hard sell. If don’t know someone with Michiko’s personality it can be very abrasive and hard to understand.
(Everything Sayo Yamamoto touches is gold to me. If you haven’t seen it you should also check out The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Having the follow-up to Yuri on Ice eternally delayed has broken my weeb heart. )
Thank you for the recommendation. I've never really tried to get into Lupin the third. Michiko is such an interesting character! I generally am most glad to have experienced stories I hadn't seen...
Thank you for the recommendation. I've never really tried to get into Lupin the third. Michiko is such an interesting character! I generally am most glad to have experienced stories I hadn't seen elsewhere before, up to a point. And these stories all have real value. It blows my mind how Legend of the Galactic Heroes gets more relevant every year. Shows like like Samurai 7 or Ergo Proxy are more similar to other IPs, but they stuck with me anyway, maybe because there's a stylistic uniqueness to them.
If you like all of these you probably also like some of the stuff I excluded from my list for being more niche or not for everyone, such as Infinite Ryvius ("Lord of the flies in space"), Steins;Gate (I love me some timeline spaghetti), Katanagatari (relationship dynamic), Nodame Cantabile (protagonist) and Great Teacher Onizuka (not even sure how to summarize it), Haibane Reinmei (...) I think shows like those are best recommended to people who don't know them as part of a dialogue.
The manga that does it for me is Chainsaw Man Part 1. I don't really want to type an essay on my phone, but the biggest thing for me is how it subverts the Shonen genre for manga. I loved every...
The manga that does it for me is Chainsaw Man Part 1. I don't really want to type an essay on my phone, but the biggest thing for me is how it subverts the Shonen genre for manga. I loved every bit of part 1. The bonus is that it's less than 100 chapters in length meaning it doesn't really drag on for too much.
My tastes in anime are not typical, and I wouldn't have watched as much as I have if it weren't for some very specific reasons. Aggretsuko is adult comedy that is comparable to Tuka and Bertie,...
My tastes in anime are not typical, and I wouldn't have watched as much as I have if it weren't for some very specific reasons.
Aggretsuko is adult comedy that is comparable to Tuka and Bertie, Bojack horseman, but shares the most themes with the Office.
Your Lie in April is a simple story that made me cry.
Someone who has background playing dungeons and dragons in person might get a kick out of Log Horizon. (This one is a stretch for the original question but I enjoyed it and it made me think)
Not the point of the thread, but... I dislike this wording. More generally, this whole premise. Any piece of fiction I've enjoyed is one I'd consider 'worthy' of existence and one I'm glad to have...
Not the point of the thread, but...
truly worthy piece of fiction you're glad to have experienced
I dislike this wording. More generally, this whole premise. Any piece of fiction I've enjoyed is one I'd consider 'worthy' of existence and one I'm glad to have experienced. You wouldn't talk about a film or a book being so good that it 'transcends genre and medium' so why say this about animanga? Does it need to transcend its medium to be any good?
I know the point is to talk about animanga that are important to us but it's a bit 'ghetto-ifying', so to say. Animanga is obviously inundated with a lot of complete shit, but so is any medium, and it's not like there's an inherent flaw to the medium that would make it bad.
All that to say, anime and manga are good. Period.
Anime-wise, Cowboy Bebop. It was one of the modern trinity of Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and Outlaw Star - it introduced a whole generation of Cartoon Network viewers to anime, and to many it is considered to be one of the first properly-dubbed anime imports, with professional voice actors that sound great for their roles and bring gravitas to their performance.
It also blended music in with the actions in spectacular ways. Yoko Kanno has been a fixture in Japanese music for decades, particularly on the anime scene - but her music with
The PillowsThe Seatbelts here is just fantastic, whether you like anime or not. (thank you for the correction @j4ke)EDIT For my part, Cowboy Bebop was not the first anime I ever watched; I owe Sci-Fi Channel's nighttime anime runs for that, with Project A-KO, Vampire Hunter D, and Venus Wars being my introduction. But Cowboy Bebop was the first anime that I felt I could truly share with people that weren't already fans of anime, and it did a great job at crossing over in that fashion. Plus, the characters are so, so memorable - every Corgi named Ein that you've ever met is probably because of Cowboy Bebop.
As for manga, Berserk is my choice. It's dark, gritty, and has a protagonist with a huge sword. Those sound cliche nowadays, but they are cliche because of Berserk. We have whole spates of modern media that owe their design concepts to Berserk (Dark Souls and Dragon's Dogma in particular, but the influences extend far further).
EDIT It also influenced me quite heavily, with themes involving the dangers of following a charismatic leader as well as the true costs of pursuing one's dreams. Griffith makes for a spectacular protagonist-turned-villain. The fact that Berserk started out like ... 40 years ago says something for the staying power, both as a popular piece of fiction but also as an ongoing influence on media.
I think it's easy to dismiss Cowboy Bebop because it's ultra-popular, but I think ultra-popular ones are probably full of great examples. Neon Genesis Evangelion and FLCL are others I could easily point to.
For sure. NGE was one of the original "popular anime" way back in the day, along with Akira and Ghost in the Shell. There's often a reason that the ultra-popular things are ultra-popular.
FLCL is also in that same period as Cowboy Bebop, et al, although I don't know if it made the same splash. It's one of my favorites, and has a quote that I often use with my kids ("Sometimes eating gross things can be fun, too").
I believe you meant The Seatbelts. The Pillows' music was used in FLCL.
Growing up on Toonami and the odd Syfy channel anime really left an impression on me. I have such vivid memories of watching Robot Carnival and Neo Tokyo. Namely, Construction Cancellation Order, which really felt like it was laying the groundwork for so much of the anime I came to love. Such as Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Roujin-Z.
As for truly transcending the boundaries I can't think of anything better than Paprika or really anything Satoshi Kon has worked on.
Thanks for the correction; I love The Seatbelts and can't believe I made that unforced error. I'll cut up my nerd card in shame.
Grave of the Fireflies
Also known as the best film many refuse to ever watch again. Someone described it as a movie where “you wait for the happy part… and then it ends,” and that sums it up perfectly.
I want to love anime but never seem to be able to find the time to develop a true appreciation of the medium. I can count on my fingers how many I've watched (or completed in the case of series), and they were all back before starting a family. You could probably argue I'm not even a fan of anime at all besides the few titles I've enjoyed, similar to how I'm generally indifferent to musicals but absolutely loved Schmigadoon! and Dr. Horrible's Sing Along.
So here's the list of anime that I loved.
Akira (movie, 1988)
Ghost in the Shell (movie, 1995)
Fullmetal Alchemist (series, 2003)
Monster (series, 2004)
I've never seen Monster and it's been ages since I saw Akira, but GITS 95 and FMA 03 are simply sublime. The former's TV series is excellent too, but there's something about GITS 95 that really sets it apart. I suppose because it gives more or less equal weight to the discussions and theorizing about the nature of the self as well as superbly animated action sequences. Really though, the opening sequence--music, shots and all--is a great litmus test for if someone would like the whole movie. If they like that, they're in for a treat.
FMA 03 is quite possibly my favorite anime of all time (depending on mood, FLCL or Samurai Champloo can take that spot instead) because it also manages to buck a lot of established anime trends while being almost unfairly good. A manga adaptation that had to invent a new ending because it outpaced the original work really has no right being as good as it was, but I think it's that exact circumstance that helped FMA 03 do so well. As I remember, Hiromu Arakawa (mangaka/author of the FMA manga for those who don't know) actually had input on the direction FMA 03 was going post-split, and wanted them to tread a different narrative path so it wouldn't just be the same story in a different medium. To this day, the ending of FMA 03 (or rather, its movie conclusion) is one of my favorite pieces of cinema. It keeps with the theme established in the series proper of 'You can't go home, and the path forward is bittersweet--so focus on what you can do' in a beautiful if heartwrenching way, and using 'Lost Heaven' by L'arc en Ciel was a stroke of genius.
Really, I think a common trait for a lot of anime to fit the OP's criteria is how they use music. It, or even the absence of it, is such an important of video media, and I keep seeing people post FLCL (which you could see as an extended music video for The Pillows almost) or Bebop/Champloo (which are practically art pieces with how seamlessly their chosen music genres and art styles are blended.)
Hell, I didn't even get into how FMA 03's original soundtrack is (in my admittedly pleb opinion) up there with Tchaikovsky's work. For anyone who wants to hear some of it, here's just a few examples of pieces that will likely stick with me until I can't remember anymore.
Thanks for the detailed response. I always sort of viewed my past anime experiences as, well, past, and your response and this thread has motivated me to rewatch my old favourites and maybe even explore others mentioned here.
I had an interesting relationship with the Monster series which I largely forgot about before this conversation. I originally pirated it around 2005 and instantly fell in love. It doesn't have a ton of spectacle the way Akira or FMA 03 does, it's much more of a drama that could easily have been live action instead of anime. It's very good story telling.
I had worked through the series until around 65 or so (out of 74) and realized the episode I downloaded was corrupted! I was so enthralled in the story that the idea of skipping an episode felt blasphemous. I spent countless hours at the time trying to find another copy to no avail. As time passed the story began to fade and priorities took over. I always intended to return to it but even that memory eventually escaped me.
Looking into it now, apparently Monster is available on Netflix! It's been so long now that I can't promise it holds up, and like I said it's more drama than action, but anyone interested should check it out. I just found this review for it that seems to do my memory justice and has helped propel Monster to the top of my watch list.
I'm fond of rewatching, reading, playing old media I've largely (but not entirely) forgotten about, but I'm feeling much the same way with respect for Monster, so I'll have to check it out now. So many people including you have recommended it, and I can enjoy a good character-driven drama as much as bombastic feats. I hope you enjoy your rewatch!
This is probably one of the first times I have heard anyone talk about the movie. I also love it, though it’s mainly for reasons most people wouldn’t care for, like the appearance of Fritz Lang as a character and the quality of the animation and framing.
Honestly, the effort to frame the story events as happening in that time frame and utilizing everything from anti-foreigner sentiments in Germany to as you said, Lang's appearance is one of my quieter reasons for liking it. It really is just a beautiful movie that felt uniquely made for the type of story the FMA 03 runners wanted to tell.
I wanna say Dorohedoro. I'm really not sure how to place it in terms of genre.
I note that you didn't say why you feel that way.
I don't blame you though, It's one of those pieces that you can't really explain to someone because everything you could say would sound completely insane.
Fever dream personified has been my go to sell
My default answer for both would be Otomo's Akira (for different reasons), but I'm going to say Perfect Blue. Mature themes were nothing new, but Perfect Blue managed to blend them with a gripping dramatic story and incredible animation. I watched it for the first time last month and loved how wild it was.
Off the top of my head (reading this over, like 90% of this is EXTREMELY violent/adult/disturbing/whatever, but my tastes tend to run that way. I'm trying to think of something excellent that's more positive and hasn't already been mentioned but can't think of anything at the moment)
Movies:
Just about anything high rated by Ghibli or Satoshi Kon.
Patlabor 1 and 2
Berserk golden age 1-3
Movie and show:
Evangelion (it's uh...complicated).
Shows:
Psycho Pass S1
Berserk (either this or the movie)
There's some uh..."honorable mentions" possibly in Devilman Crybaby for just being so very very out there while also maybe justifying its use of VERY literal hyper violence and Made in Abyss as something that really is quite unique but has some undeniable problems in how it handles certain material.
In a similar vein, you might enjoy Fire Punch. It's the mangaka of Chainsaw Man's previous work, but it's a much darker series. I really enjoyed its exploration of nihilism.
Yeah it’s on my radar and the only reason chainsaw man didn’t make the list is because it isn’t finished (although I have read all of part 1 and some of part 2 and if it can at least follow part 1 it would be)
Devilman Crybaby is fantastic. But not really what I'd recommend to anyone who isn't OK with sitting through some very disturbing imagery. For a more down-to-earth recommendation from the same director, I'd recommend Japan Sinks 2020. It might be hard to get some of the finer nuance if you don't understand Japanese culture, but I think the things that happen are pretty understandable even if you don't.
I've got two off the top of my head. First to come to mind: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and the manga. Read the manga, and then watched Brotherhood as it aired. On the second to last episode, it just struck me as one of the best stories I've seen in ANY medium.
One takeaway I took from it on a meta-level was a comment by the creator about how she makes sure to balance some of the serious moments with humorous faces, because at the end of the day, it's meant to be entertainment. That's one of the primary purposes of fiction in my opinion, and some people forget that and create works that just become slogs to get through because they lean too hard into the angst and suffering. It doesn't become depressing, it just becomes tedious. That comment about entertainment is part of my own writing philosophy now.
The second one: the manga Souboutei Must Be Destroyed. I rambled about it on the first MangaLove thread, so I'll just link that ramble if you want plot details. It may be even better to go in blind, I really had no idea what I was getting into beyond it being about a haunted house. It is, by far, one of the best works I've seen in the medium.
I'll quote this part of my ramble:
Basically I will always take a chance to sing this manga's praises. It is currently the one manga I continually check to see if it's getting an anime adaptation, and also dread because I don't know if an anime adaptation can do it justice. It has some incredibly creative visual sequences that would be awesome to see animated, but only if the adaptation is done with effort and care.
The Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex and 2nd Gig series were fascinating for me. Some of the philosophical explorations it confronted coupled with excellent storytelling and well chosen voice actors really cemented it as one of my favorites.
Yes! I really much prefer Stand Alone Complex to the movies.
I can understand either preference. The series is nice because of the relatively slow pacing and being necessarily broken up into bite-sized pieces, while allowing it to go further into plots that diverge slightly from the main. Plus the Tachikoma are a delightfully welcome bit of positivity and humor.
End of Evangelion flipped a switch in my head to separate the art in front of my eyes as both a symbolic "modern" reading and a recognition that art is made up of pure signal, if that makes sense? It's helped me come to terms with why things do or don't "click" with me certain ways, especially if I just like the mouthfeel of some literature and not as a narrative. I'm not sure I'd have the same view of things if I hadn't watched it.
I can't put exactly what Yokohama Shopping Trip does into words, but as an iyashikei nut I'm always chasing the simultaneous melancholy with warmth, finality with hope, and death with life that this quietly exudes. Anyone that vibes with the kind of optimistic nihilism that seems to be expressed a lot nowadays should give it a try.
Personally, I can't thank Bocchi the Rock enough - it just energized me so much that I picked up my bass again and started practicing almost daily for going on a month now.
As someone else who loves melancholic stories like Yokohama Shopping Trip, I would recommend watching the Mushishi series as well. Some of episodes really carry a similar tone and feel to them.
Ping Pong the Animation is my favorite coming-of-age story, and one of my favorite stories in general. The very unorthodox but incredibly expressive art style, the extremely natural voice acting of all the characters, and the animation which hits this sweet spot of being tame enough to not break immersion, but fantastic enough to really enhance dramatic moments, all those come together to create a story with some of the most realistic characters I've ever seen in fiction, and some of the most emotion and empathy I've felt from any piece of media. I try to recommend it to friends that also watch anime but the art style really isn't for everyone.
I see a lot of the classic masterpieces getting love so I want to shout out a more modern manga I personally enjoy and sort of flys under the radar.
Witch Hat Atelier - Seriously, just look at these three panels . The entire classical fantasy genre in East Asia is seeing a post isekia boom and this is probably one of the best works to come out of it. On the surface it seems like a fantasy magic-girl adventure and hard pivots into the politics, morality and existential dread of reality breaking powers. But all the while it still takes the time to highlight the beauty and joy of childhood, magic and just lifes simple pleasures. And once again, the art is just spectacular and I'd recommend getting the print if you can.
Hmm. I can't say that I particularly like the art style but damn is that frame composition en pointe.
I'll go with Sailor Moon. This series redefined magical girls theme which up until that point were mostly cheerful stories about girls gifted with fairy tale-like magic to solve everyday life problems. Sailor Moon bring a drastic change: there's not one but 5 girls in a nod to supersentai shows. And they have more of soldiers rather than witches or enchantresses - they fight evil while still living ordinary "civil" lives not resolving into magic at all to fix their problems. There was Cutey Honey before that but SM break into the whole world - almost everyone recognizes Usagi by her hairstyle.
There's another significance: Takeuchi's creation was one of 2 'free tickets' everyone got in Poland in the end of 90s for a train into the world of anime and manga; the second one was Dragon Ball. Both propelled our fandom in the early years and bring people together.
I think Hellsing was pretty significant too - there were series about vampires like D or Vampire Princess Miyu but Hirano bring more meat into the genre, I believe.
You know, I never thought about it with Hellsing, but yeah, you have a good point. It brought brazen gore that was at least uncommon in anime, but then it rather uniquely made it...sexy isn't the right word, but there's a suggestiveness to the bloodshed which can at times become almost overt that is really in tune with modern, western interpretations of vampires as being alluring danger in a human-shaped package.
My friends were totally caught by this gore and back then for me it was putting off to say the least; they liked really much and even ran some tabletop within the universe
The English dub we got for Sailor Moon really didn't do us a favor by changing them from sailor soldiers to sailor scouts.
I'd recommend anyone interested in Sailor Moon to purchase the physical manga releases. The anime is fine by itself, but it's not really great as an adaptation. The art also has this intangible quality to it that doesn't translate well to digital displays; it really has to be seen on paper to get the full effect.
The original anime is a series of its times - it's a slice of the 90s life. And while it didn't follow manga in terms of the plots, it fleshed out characters and even the enemies. We got Jadeite-Kunzite relationship, Ayakashi Sisters becoming normal women, Mimette who wanted to be a pop idol or Nehelenia who was a tragic character on the inside and not just an evil queen, we got that famous Seiya interest in Usagi plot. Manga while is the source of this story didn't took this approach and it always feels like it's moving forward without any pit-stop (kinda like... Usagi running in the R ending). You had to assume that girls like each other and are bonded not only by the destiny of being sailor soldier but normal friendship. Personally I wouldn't dismiss it or call it worse - I know Takeuchi didn't liked the changes but for me it's just a different take of this story. Bit like... parallel universes diverge with history at some point lol.
As for the quality of 90s series - it didn't aged well but despite the obvious constant character designers episode by episode this is the charm of animation being drawn and colored by hand which really counts for me. That physical cell animation is something I miss whenever I have chance to watch anime today.
We had own issues here: while we had the original background audio, due to "cultural reasons" and money, the tv station decided to opt for lector-narrator solution - mrs Stachyra was reading lines for every character. Sometimes situational context was missing or was simplified but that's normal because dialogues text was purchased from France; and because of this Usagi become Bunny in our version.
During first airing the tv station didnt show episodes 44 and 45 due to brutality; we haven't seen the episode of SuperS where kendo girl gets her ass smacked by her mother and actually SuperS intro and ending were missing and were replaced by R versions. They also had serious doubts about last 2 episodes because Usagi is being presented nude. Luckily they decided to conclude the story otherwise fans would be angry. In the end of 00s another tv station aired first series again, with a different lector (a guy this time, well known by voice here) but the translation was much more closer to the original - sadly, the interest was low and they didn't rework remaining series.
Like I said, it’s not bad, it’s just not a great adaptation. It gets the themes right but the plot is kind of lost and is a bit watered down, which dilutes the messages Takeuchi was trying to give to the audience. From the context of a native Japanese speaker the anime is like reading a poor translation of the manga; you’ll understand it but you’re missing out on some of the things that makes it great.
I actually do appreciate the idea of having an anime diverge from the manga if it is being produced at the same time like Sailor Moon was. Having those two versions means that you can enjoy both for different reasons, like you pointed out. I actually like the original Fullmetal Alchemist for this reason. But I don’t think that Sailor Moon is a particularly good example of this practice, even if for nothing other than the pacing issues. It got particularly bad with the production of Sailor Stars, which started off before the manga did and so they had to bring back the antagonist from the last series, so it started with a “final battle”. The vast majority of it was filler and then the last three episodes or so were the most depressing television you will ever see.
Most of the anime I've seen tend to fall into a lot of the same kinds of tropes with how the characters interact and behave, and has a very "anime" vibe.
The biggest departure from this that I've seen is the series Monster. It's a story that I could see being done as a live action movie or TV show without feeling too out of place or cartoony.
EDIT: Edited in some reasons I'd forgotten to include!
I've been watching this stuff for decades, so I'm not going to try to make an exhaustive list, as that would take a very long amount of time right now. But here are some informal picks - naturally colored by my own preferences. Do excuse me if any of these didn't age well and feel free to point out shortcomings I may have long forgotten - or never even noticed - in a reply.
Others have already recommended, and I definitely agree with, the following popular shows: Cowboy Bebop, Your Lie In April, Ping Pong, anything by Miyazaki (including Future Boy Conan) or Satoshi Kon, and Grave of the Fireflies.
Hikaru no go single-handedly made go popular among the youth in several countries, including Japan. It does have some genre tropes, but is characterized by a protagonist who grows physically and mentally, an interesting and tragic mentor character and a real love for the subject matter. The anime also has go lessons after each episode!
I've always been a big fan of the underrated Kino no tabi. Kino travels a world of highly isolated "countries" on her talking motorcycle Hermes, and never stays anywhere for very long. The story is episodic and has an allegorical quality to it. While Kino is objectively a badass who is more than capable of defending herself (and sometimes has to), she prefers to live and let live, to experience these countries as a visitor.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (the original) is considered by many, including myself, to be one of the best animes ever made. This direct to video series from the 90s is a full blown space opera about a conflict between two systems of government, both of which control many planets - a corrupt democracy and an idealistic autocracy, and the problems with both. It has a vast cast of named characters with deep backstories and great design, interesting worldbuilding and doesn't shy away from nerding out about its world's history and battle tactics. It's also known for many famous voice actors having worked on it.
While we're talking about science fiction, I just learned Ergo Proxy is banned in China. That has to mean something, right? This is a Blade Runner style post apocalyptic show about a criminal investigation in a world of domed cities and self-aware androids. I watched this before Blade Runner.
Michiko & Hatchin: Hana (Hatchin) is a serious girl who is rescued/kidnapped from her abusive foster family by escaped convict Michiko, a free spirit who claims to be her mother. It takes place in the country of "Diamandra" - it's totally Brazil though. The people and the places look the part, although brazilians can point out a lot of inaccuracies (hey, it's Diamandra after all!) I do have a soft spot for these shows that just look totally different from the vast majority of what the anime industry churns out.
I hesitate a little to mention it, because it can be extremely triggering (child abuse and worse), but Erased is the story of a man who returns to the body and time of his childhood self to prevent the murder of his friend and classmate. The anime is good; there's a Netflix live action drama I haven't watched (but I seem to recall it has some differences).
To Your Eternity S1: The story of an immortal being who can become anyone who dies beside them, and their travels across the world and friendships and relationships. Slight spoiler because I thought S2 wasn't as good: The overarching theme is whether it's worth living at all if living brings with it suffering. Possibly the most touching ep1 ever made.
Sorry about all the science fiction, but it's good science fiction! Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song tells the story of Vivy, an android created for singing and performing, and her attempts to avert a post-singularity war between humans and AIs. I enjoyed how Vivy develops as a character and how the plot ties together.
Samurai 7 is "Seven Samurai" as an anime taking place in a futuristic world. I think it's generally agreed the story is memorable, so it's about whether you like this presentation of it, which I did.
Mushishi is the highly episodic story of Ginko, who travels the land helping people who live with, or have been infected by, mushi. While mushi can mean "insect", these are spiritural parasites - they're neither good nor bad, simply a part of the world, but most people don't understand them or aren't aware of their existence. Each episode brings new people and a new situation, and there's this extremely rural Japan melancholy feel to the whole thing that's just great.
Planetes, one of the most beloved astronaut anime, opened my eyes to the problem of space debris for the first time! And that's what this show is about - the unglorified, extremely dangerous, but vitally important job of collecting garbage in orbit.
Kaiba (same director as Ping Pong) takes place in a world where people's selves can swap bodies by having their memory chips swapped, a bit like Altered Carbon. The protagonist is trying to figure out who they are in confusing and often hostile surroundings. This show is beautiful, awesome and I recommend watching it twice if you had trouble keeping track of all the body swapping ;)
I'll stop here for now. If the reasons are unclear for any show, you can assume I really resonated with either the characters' geographical or personal journeys, or that they were just really likeable. I like good characters!
Oh man, you basically came up with a list of some of my favorites here.
I would agree with you about the first season of To Your Eternity having stronger themes, I would absolutely disagree with your recommendation to only watch the first season because I think the themes and messages of the second season are also extremely important and very deeply resonant even if it is a little less well presented due to the expansion of the world’s lore.
I loved a Michiko and Hacchin, but I think it might be something of a hard sell. If don’t know someone with Michiko’s personality it can be very abrasive and hard to understand.
(Everything Sayo Yamamoto touches is gold to me. If you haven’t seen it you should also check out The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Having the follow-up to Yuri on Ice eternally delayed has broken my weeb heart. )
Thank you for the recommendation. I've never really tried to get into Lupin the third. Michiko is such an interesting character! I generally am most glad to have experienced stories I hadn't seen elsewhere before, up to a point. And these stories all have real value. It blows my mind how Legend of the Galactic Heroes gets more relevant every year. Shows like like Samurai 7 or Ergo Proxy are more similar to other IPs, but they stuck with me anyway, maybe because there's a stylistic uniqueness to them.
If you like all of these you probably also like some of the stuff I excluded from my list for being more niche or not for everyone, such as Infinite Ryvius ("Lord of the flies in space"), Steins;Gate (I love me some timeline spaghetti), Katanagatari (relationship dynamic), Nodame Cantabile (protagonist) and Great Teacher Onizuka (not even sure how to summarize it), Haibane Reinmei (...) I think shows like those are best recommended to people who don't know them as part of a dialogue.
The manga that does it for me is Chainsaw Man Part 1. I don't really want to type an essay on my phone, but the biggest thing for me is how it subverts the Shonen genre for manga. I loved every bit of part 1. The bonus is that it's less than 100 chapters in length meaning it doesn't really drag on for too much.
My tastes in anime are not typical, and I wouldn't have watched as much as I have if it weren't for some very specific reasons.
Aggretsuko is adult comedy that is comparable to Tuka and Bertie, Bojack horseman, but shares the most themes with the Office.
Your Lie in April is a simple story that made me cry.
Someone who has background playing dungeons and dragons in person might get a kick out of Log Horizon. (This one is a stretch for the original question but I enjoyed it and it made me think)
Not the point of the thread, but...
I dislike this wording. More generally, this whole premise. Any piece of fiction I've enjoyed is one I'd consider 'worthy' of existence and one I'm glad to have experienced. You wouldn't talk about a film or a book being so good that it 'transcends genre and medium' so why say this about animanga? Does it need to transcend its medium to be any good?
I know the point is to talk about animanga that are important to us but it's a bit 'ghetto-ifying', so to say. Animanga is obviously inundated with a lot of complete shit, but so is any medium, and it's not like there's an inherent flaw to the medium that would make it bad.
All that to say, anime and manga are good. Period.