It's this time again: recommend me some anime. Cyberpunk edition!

DoPo

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Jan 30, 2012
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So, I've had a cyberpunk itch for a while now and I realised I also want to watch some anime. So, Escapees, as more knowledgeable than me, I ask you for advice. Yes, you!

So, to be more specific: I've seen Texhnolyze earlier this year and if you hate being in an even slightly good mood, it's OK one to watch. But I'd prefer something that doesn't leave me pondering suicide after watching it.

Recommendations will be appreciated.
 

Fappy

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Jan 4, 2010
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Uh... Ghost in the Shell... but you've probably already seen it. I actually prefer the show over the film strangely enough.
 

DoPo

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Jan 30, 2012
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Fappy said:
Uh... Ghost in the Shell... but you've probably already seen it. I actually prefer the show over the film strangely enough.
I haven't, actually. I've been meaning to for ages but somehow it slipped off my mind. So thanks for reminding me.

Probably a good point to ask is there a preferred order of watching them, say, first the movies then the series, or it doesn't matter?
 

Fappy

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DoPo said:
Fappy said:
Uh... Ghost in the Shell... but you've probably already seen it. I actually prefer the show over the film strangely enough.
I haven't, actually. I've been meaning to for ages but somehow it slipped off my mind. So thanks for reminding me.

Probably a good point to ask is there a preferred order of watching them, say, first the movies then the series, or it doesn't matter?
Totally separate canon and pretty different stories/tones. I'd start with the movie since it's a classic. the only real downside to the anime series is that it's very talky. I loved it though.
 
Dec 14, 2009
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Gonna be a lot of Ghost in the Shell suggestions in this thread, and for good reason.


It is the cyberpunk anime.

It gets everything right, the tone, the aesthetic, the music, everything.
 

DoPo

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Fappy said:
Cool, that's good to know. I've added Ghost in the Shell on my list. Also, I made a list, because it seems that without one, I keep forgetting stuff.
 

Smertnik

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I've watched Mardock Scramble recently and enjoyed it a lot, to the point that I just ordered the novels it's based on. The movies (it's a trilogy with the third part still in the works) actually reminded me a little bit of Ghost in the Shell.
Very good animation quality but there're some noticeable pacing issues, probably a fair bit more nudity than needed and the movies are rather short (~70min each), which shows. There're some action scenes but the focus is on the dialogue (at least in the second part).

Apart from that.. Ergo Proxy? Didn't like the series that much because of silly filler episodes, it's definitely worth a watch, though.

Oh yeah, and Appleseed. The animation is too CGI-ish for my liking but it's a pretty decent action movie (actually I don't remember that much about it, it's been years since I watched the film)
 

bluesession

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Havent watched many cyberpunk animes, but (besides ghost in the shell) I can recomend you Bubblegum Crisis tokyo 2040. Its all about robots, wimen in robot suits and an elevator to the sky.
(Also kick ass music by Yoko Kano)

One more I just thought, AKIRA
 

Casual Shinji

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Akira, my friend. Eventhough it's one of the best animated movies ever made, many people hate it, so I guess you'll have to make up your own mind.

Also check out Dominion Tank Police for more of an action comedy.

Then there's Patlabor 1 and 2, but they're extremely slow burns.

And if you're brave enough, watch Genocyber. But I warn you to get ready for large amounts of fucked-up.
 

Weaver

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Apr 28, 2008
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One could possibly argue Serial Experiments Lain is cyberpunk. Be warned the writer took a ton of inspiration from french new-wave darling Jean Luc Godard, so the story basically makes no sense.
 

piinyouri

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Mar 18, 2012
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I imagine you've seen Armitage?
(This is probably entry level junk. I'm no guru here, but I watched it and enjoyed it. *shrugs*)
 

ronald1840

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Cyberpunk? My understanding of that kind of storytelling and aesthetic is pretty limited. Whenever someone mentions 'cyperpunk' I just imagine raindrops, and signs with neon lights. Would anyone call these shows space opera?

Planetes

Infinite Ryvius
 

DoPo

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Jan 30, 2012
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bluesession said:
Bubblegum Crisis tokyo 2040
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate that anime? I'll keep an eye out for it.

bluesession said:
One more I just thought, AKIRA
Casual Shinji said:
Akira, my friend.
Yeah, I've seen AKIRA. First time when I was around 10. Some genius in the TV station apparently decided it's animation so it should go in the children's hour. ...yeah, I couldn't sleep well after that. I did watch it later on, too.

Casual Shinji said:
And if you're brave enough, watch Genocyber. But I warn you to get ready for large amounts of fucked-up.
Fucked up how? More of a mental labyrinth way or more of a "OH GOD WHY DID I WATCH THIS" way? I'd enjoy the former...not so keen on the latter.

piinyouri said:
I imagine you've seen Armitage?
I haven't even heard of it. It seems that there are movies and an OVA - any recommendations for either or can I just go for both?
 

DoPo

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Jan 30, 2012
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ronald1840 said:
Cyberpunk? My understanding of that kind of storytelling and aesthetic is pretty limited. Whenever someone mentions 'cyperpunk' I just imagine raindrops, and signs with neon lights.
Could be neon lights and raindrops. Here, have a quote that sums up cyberpunk

Cyberpunk destroyed science fiction.

Science fiction was about man?s potential. Science fiction was about how man could reach out and touch the stars. We could be better. We could be worse. All we needed was the technology.

Cyberpunk? Cyberpunk was not that. Cyberpunk said man would be the same damn bastard he always was, he?d have the same problems he always did, and worst of all? He?d still be happy with it. In those days, cyberpunk was arcologies and AIs. Built-in shades and monomolecular razor-wire.
So, sort of dark low science fiction. Well, cyberpunk does have some common and almost archetypal themes and props it features. Deus Ex is a pretty good example - dark future, technology advances but isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Also consider Syndicate - megacorporations wage war against each other eploying espionage, assassination, whatever. Well, if you want an even better/i> example - Shadowrun. It's pretty much the embodiment of the cyberpunk genre.
 

Casual Shinji

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DoPo said:
Casual Shinji said:
Akira, my friend.
Yeah, I've seen AKIRA. First time when I was around 10. Some genius in the TV station apparently decided it's animation so it should go in the children's hour. ...yeah, I couldn't sleep well after that. I did watch it later on, too.
Yeah, it's quite a sensation the very first time you can't sleep, not because you're scared, but because you're brain has been scrambled. Happened to me, too. I didn't touch that movie for the next 3 to 4 years. Also, because Kaori's death traumatized the shit out of me.

Casual Shinji said:
And if you're brave enough, watch Genocyber. But I warn you to get ready for large amounts of fucked-up.
Fucked up how? More of a mental labyrinth way or more of a "OH GOD WHY DID I WATCH THIS" way? I'd enjoy the former...not so keen on the latter.
Well, it's one of those 80's/early 90's OVA's. If you know what that means, that should say enough. It was one of those anime's that tried to ride Akira's coattail. It's basically a nonsensical amalgam of everything that was popular in anime back then; ultra violence, robots, cyborgs, psychic powers, sex, and dubs with excessive swearing.

OT: Try checking out Battle Angel Alita. Short, but sweet, with some very cool robot action. You could also maybe give Metropolis a watch. It's sorta cyberpunk that leans towards steampunk.
 

Scrustle

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Apr 30, 2011
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Oooh, I love cyberpunk anime. But all my recommendations (Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Ergo Proxy) have already been mentioned. I might take a look at some of these other recommendations myself.
 

Waffle_Man

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Oct 14, 2010
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AC10 said:
One could possibly argue Serial Experiments Lain is cyberpunk. Be warned the writer took a ton of inspiration from french new-wave darling Jean Luc Godard, so the story basically makes no sense.
I wouldn't say the story makes no sense. Rather, I'd equate SEL to the animation equivalent of a narrative poem in that it sometimes focuses more on the aesthetics of its vocabulary and structure than the object of it's narrative, but most of the important bits are plainly stated. It's certainly not an accessible work by any means, but I love it to death and can watch it over and over again without getting bored of it. I have to admit that it leans on the pretentious side at times, but the ideas explored in it are still fascinating, some scenes are downright gorgeous, and the atmosphere is unmatched. I'd highly recommend it to anyone with bit of patience.
 

Flamezdudes

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Serial Experiments Lain
Ghost in the Shell
Ergo Proxy


All brilliant cyberpunk anime's. Serial Experiments Lain is a good mindfuck, so be prepared for that. Has a killer soundtrack aswell. Thats the extent of my knowledge of Anime specific cyberpunk however.