Recommend an anime: more difficult

Quaidis

New member
Jun 1, 2008
1,416
0
0
MushiShi is the best recommendation I can give you. Each episode is freaking beautiful and could easily be considered 'art'. And every episode follows it's own story, which is taken from a folk lore legend everywhere from Japan to Russia (with a Japanese twist, of course. Like instead of a woman holding a log and believing it's her child, it's a bamboo shoot). Ginko is the main character, and the basic full story of Mushishi is that he's a master of spirits and goes around helping people with their problems concerning spirits.
 

maninahat

New member
Nov 8, 2007
4,397
0
0
legopelle said:
if you decide to unmount your high horse, you might enjoy Tengen Toppan Gurren Lagann - a show that is just for fun, doesn't take itself too seriously and has a rooster of awesome characters.
I enjoy lots of fun anime. I don't necessarily dislike immature anime, its just that it anime often seems to be unable to ever be mature. I'm tired of seeming only te childish stuff. I'm more tired of seeing the childish stuff that pretends to be mature.
 

Lewieroo0

New member
Feb 2, 2009
340
0
0
Popido said:
Try love/comedies as a genre. Theres a good amount of mature content if you avoid the shitty harem ones.

Hmm.. oh I know!

That show would of been better if the main protagonist wasn't a whiny little ***** >_<
 

Lewieroo0

New member
Feb 2, 2009
340
0
0
Western Influenced Animes tend to avoid the silly cliches u dont like. 2 Good shows in this genre are Baccano! and Black Lagoon which i highly recommend. Also if you want a show thats the anti slice of life, that rolls on dark comedy and satire for its characters, then i would recommend Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Unfortunatly not dubbed yet)
 

[.redacted]

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2010
987
0
21
You won't read this - or if you do you won't bother checking it out (it's waaay too far down the posts) - and I know this.

I still feel like I have to recommend to you Claymore [http://www.watchanimeon.com/claymore-episode-1-2/], it pretty much solved this issue for me.

Enjoy it.
 

kittii-chan 300

New member
Feb 27, 2011
704
0
0
halo legends (theyre all good and dramatic and not childish except from "spartan 1337" dont watch that one it ruins the whole dvd)
naruto (shhh i think its mature because of its serious moments just cus it has light hearted bits doesnt make it immature)
and bleach(... same as naruto)
EDIT: oops! almost forgot code geasse (its really dark..)
 

locust47

New member
Mar 1, 2010
2
0
0
If you`re looking for a more complex anime, I would recommend Death Note, Serial Experiments Lain, Paranoia Agent(and all of Kon`s films), Trapeze, Baccano, Durarara, Cyber Coil or Ergo Proxy. If you want something more slice of life but still mature check out Welcome to the NHK, Genshiken or Nodame Cantabile. Oh, and if you just want something that`s awesome, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
 

NeutralDrow

New member
Mar 23, 2009
9,097
0
0
Well, considering I have no interest in Elfen Lied, but I also have no desire to see either Grave of the Fireflies or Monster (or most of Satoshi Kon's words, for that matter), I'm a touch at a loss.

I guess Spice and Wolf would be the first thing I'd think of, but I've never actually seen the anime; I just started reading the manga recently and am absolutely in love with it.
 

Sakurazaki1023

New member
Feb 15, 2010
681
0
0
maninahat said:
Alright, you've all seen a topic posted like this every other day. This one is slighlty different however.

Basically, I'm tired of how immature anime is, and I want to watch a show that'll convince me that anime can be for a smart, adult audience. DO NOT RECOMMEND ME ELFEN LIED. That show is exactly the kind of childish, immaturity I am talking about: a show that pretends to be sober and intelligent, but resorts to cheesecake cat girls, inappropriate panty shots at dramatic moments, and sensationalist gore. Adult content does not equal maturity.

I have already seen The Grave of The Fire Flies and Monster, those two being examples of good, mature anime. If you can find me something along those lines, I'd be grateful.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ergo Proxy, and Texhnolyze are all dark, serious, intellectual, and should suit your fancy (all three fit a general Cyberpunk genre). GitS does have the occasional funny bit, but it's dry humor like a combination of CSI and The Matrix. I prefer the more mature anime, and these are the creme of the crop.

Here's a few AMVs/Trailers so you can get a grasp on some of the themes.
(The song used may or may not be a good reflection on the themes and mood of the series)


EDIT:

You might also get some enjoyment out of Black Lagoon. It's more of a high octane show then the others I mentioned, but it's surprisingly intelligent considering it's run-and-gun presentation.

 

Cpu46

Gloria ex machina
Sep 21, 2009
1,604
0
41
A series I remember watching that seemed mature at the time (at least for the thirteen old me) was Blue Submarine number 6. Then again, it was a couple of years back when toonami reigned supreme and I haven't seen it since so your milage may vary.
 

PureChaos

New member
Aug 16, 2008
4,990
0
0
Corwynt said:
PureChaos said:
Gantz
Kuroshitsuji
Wolf's Rain
Kiba

all great
Oh god the ending for Gantz confused the fuck out of me :(
i'll second that. the fight against the statues went on a bit then all of a sudden it changed completely. what was he trying to accomplish by going 'BANG' at an oncoming train?
 

maninahat

New member
Nov 8, 2007
4,397
0
0
cabalistics said:
Black Lagoon is my recomendation. It's sort of like someone mashed together the best 80's and 90's American, Hong Kong action and Japanese Yakuza films into one series



The story follows a team of pirates/mercenaries known as Lagoon Company, that smuggles goods in and around the seas of Southeast Asia in the early 1990s.[4] Their base of operations is located in the fictional harbor city of Roanapur in the south-east Thailand (somewhere in the Amphoe Mueang Trat district, likely on the mainland north/north-east of the Ko Chang island or on the island itself).[5] They transport goods in the 80-foot (24 m) Elco-type PT boat Black Lagoon. When on land, they move around and conduct business using Benny's 1968 Plymouth Road Runner. Lagoon Company does business with various clients, but has a particularly friendly relationship with the Russian crime syndicate Hotel Moscow. The team takes on a variety of missions?which may involve violent firefights, hand-to-hand combat, and nautical battles?in various Southeast Asian locations and when not doing much, the members of the Lagoon Company spend much of their down time at The Yellow Flag, a bar in Roanapur which is often destroyed in firefights

It also has some of the toughest sexiest women without ever resorting to fanservice also it's a very gun heavy series, check out this little sample.
You think Black Lagoon is mature? And lacks fanservice? The main woman is walking fan service! I didn't particularly like it, even when watching it for what it is (a dumb fun tribute to action flicks). It certainly isn't what I'm looking for. As I said, adult content doesn't mean "mature".
 

noobium

New member
Apr 26, 2010
147
0
0
cowboy bebop, serial experiments lain, neon genesis evangelion, deathnote, gun grave, ghost in a shell,and mushishi. cant think of any more than those
 

michael87cn

New member
Jan 12, 2011
922
0
0
You mentioned Grave of the Fireflies, which was quite a great anime, I recommend all of the Studio Ghibli animes. A lot of them portray younger protagonists (like Grave of the Fireflies did) but they can still be enjoyed by adults I feel.

I find that I don't enjoy most animes lately myself, everything is just too extreme, too way out there in the left field. Not enough realism, too much surrealism.

However I really wanted to invite you to watch Spice and Wolf, that's why I decided to post here. After the first episode (a couple seconds of nudity) it all becomes fairly normal and you will find a (mostly, for anime) normal world with normal people, living normal lives. No super powers and no gimicks. If I've caught your interest give it a try, the first 3 episodes will hook you, I promise. You'll find wolf so charming you will want to see what happens between her and Spice as they travel the world in his merchants cart.

The entire anime (2 seasons ) are all on Hulu! Here's a link:

http://www.hulu.com/spice-and-wolf?c=Animation-and-Cartoons/Anime

Edit: A hulu user made an excellent post regarding it:

"Kyle Myren reviewed this show:

This changes my definition of anime. I grew up watching things like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and other sword/magic/gun super animes that involve people fighting silly battles that make no sense and any logic would destroy. This has made me reconsider my thoughts on it. What i thought would be shallow and fantastical turned into a deep, complex, intellectual, journey that involved well placed comic relief and plots dealing with real issues and economics. This anime i feel was designed for me- i love history, business and economics, a hint of fantasy, and a story that lures you in. I relate with Lawrence who is intelligent and good natured but is not always aware of others intentions, doesn't know how to speak his mind well, and wishes to start a business. Normally i'm frugal and avoid buying stuff but this is a series that makes me realize that if i want to enjoy that which i love something must be contributed, 15 light novels are out and 4 to be in the U.S., but if no one buys the merchandise then there will be no incentive to make the next seasons."
 

Joshroom

New member
Oct 27, 2009
403
0
0
Darker Than Black is mature, thought provoking, yet still action packed awesome.

Also, Paprika. An utter mindf**k but stunning all the way through.
 

Deskimus Prime

New member
Jan 26, 2011
155
0
0
Lesse, they've probably already been mentioned at some point by others, but I'd go with:

Cowboy Bebop - Thinky space western with smooth jazz soundtrack, and virtually none of the generic anime stereotypes. Lemme repeat that: SPACE COWBOYS WITH JAZZ.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Very thinky cyberpunk sci-fi, again, no facefaults or chibi junk here.

Kara No Kyoukai - Fairly dense 7-movie series, extremely complex dark fantasy that does some damn good horror/action/philosophy. Might be a little difficult to get into, but has a highly rewarding jigsaw puzzle plot.

Toradora - Surprisingly good character-driven romantic comedy that avoids most of the standard pitfalls of the genre. Good for those not into sci-fi/fantasy but still looking for something not cringe-worthy.

5 Centimeters per Second - Pretty damn touching romance movie with jaw-droppingly gorgeous scenery and a great (if painful) look at growing up.

Also, Welcome to the NHK, Gurren Lagann and Bakemonogatari, but people've already pimped those out.
 

maninahat

New member
Nov 8, 2007
4,397
0
0
Carlos Alexandre said:
maninahat said:
Alright, you've all seen a topic posted like this every other day. This one is slighlty different however.

Basically, I'm tired of how immature anime is, and I want to watch a show that'll convince me that anime can be for a smart, adult audience. DO NOT RECOMMEND ME ELFEN LIED. That show is exactly the kind of childish, immaturity I am talking about: a show that pretends to be sober and intelligent, but resorts to cheesecake cat girls, inappropriate panty shots at dramatic moments, and sensationalist gore. Adult content does not equal maturity.

I have already seen The Grave of The Fire Flies and Monster, those two being examples of good, mature anime. If you can find me something along those lines, I'd be grateful.
I'm a former huge anime fan who has fallen out of love with anime and thinks 98% of it is garbage, so I consider myself quite capable of meeting your request.

My recommendations:

Castle in the Sky: A Hayao Miyazaki flick back before Pixar completely dwarfed him in the "tell a heartfelt, all ages story that doesn't pander to literal/figurative children" department. This one is more of an adventure flick than, say, Kiki's Delivery Service or the wildly overrated Spirited Away. The English dub (by Disney) is amazing.

Paranoia Agent: Anime series by the late Satoshi Kon, who is to Japanese storytelling what Christopher Nolan is to American storytelling. Kon knows how to properly use ambiguity, unlike every other piece of Japanese storywork on the planet (only a slight exaggeration). Show is an ensemble series, exploring the lives of some real messed up people being visited by a mysterious entity called "Little Slugger." Way better than I just made it sound. Also has a pretty good English dub. In case you didn't catch on, I'm a dub guy.

Anything by Satoshi Kon: Figured since I was praising him so much I'd just go ahead and say it.

Chromartie High: I'm pretty sure I spelled that title wrong. Who cares: Chromartie is Japanese humor at its most humorous; thoughtful and cutting without any of that Bobobo "OMG YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING INSANE HOW VERY INSANE OF YOU" ridiculousness. English dub yadda yadda.

If you want more suggestions, holler or PM or something.

EDIT - Also, since you didn't ask and I love seeing my own typing on-screen, here are shows I strongly recommend you avoid like the plague:

Elfen Lied: You already explained why. Good on you.

Ergo Proxy: Remember how I said Satoshi Kon knows how to use ambiguity properly? The person what made Ergo Proxy does not. Ambiguity still needs a basis for thoughtful audience interpretation, and Ergo Proxy is just random tangents with little form. Speaking of which...

Neon Genesis Evangelion: I recommend watching this just to see how NOT to properly incorporate symbolism into a story. And how to write characters out-of-character just to fit whatever plot point you feel you need to make.

Bleach: The first few episodes of this are actually pretty good. Then the show becomes a really bad Dragon Ball knockoff.

Just about anything by Gainax: Including, but not limited to, Panty and Stocking and Eva. Possibly EXcluding FLCL, which is equal parts pretentiousness and brilliance.
Thanks. Sounds like you have the right idea. Bear in mind I am perfectly capable of watching silly stuff like FLCL, and I don't actually have a problem with immature anime. The problem is that 99% of anime seems to be immature. It's like you can't use anime to tell a down-to-earth story that is devoid of extravagant gun fights, female exploitation and ham-fisted debates on nihilist philosophy.
 

Sakurazaki1023

New member
Feb 15, 2010
681
0
0
maninahat said:
cabalistics said:
Black Lagoon is my recomendation. It's sort of like someone mashed together the best 80's and 90's American, Hong Kong action and Japanese Yakuza films into one series



The story follows a team of pirates/mercenaries known as Lagoon Company, that smuggles goods in and around the seas of Southeast Asia in the early 1990s.[4] Their base of operations is located in the fictional harbor city of Roanapur in the south-east Thailand (somewhere in the Amphoe Mueang Trat district, likely on the mainland north/north-east of the Ko Chang island or on the island itself).[5] They transport goods in the 80-foot (24 m) Elco-type PT boat Black Lagoon. When on land, they move around and conduct business using Benny's 1968 Plymouth Road Runner. Lagoon Company does business with various clients, but has a particularly friendly relationship with the Russian crime syndicate Hotel Moscow. The team takes on a variety of missions?which may involve violent firefights, hand-to-hand combat, and nautical battles?in various Southeast Asian locations and when not doing much, the members of the Lagoon Company spend much of their down time at The Yellow Flag, a bar in Roanapur which is often destroyed in firefights

It also has some of the toughest sexiest women without ever resorting to fanservice also it's a very gun heavy series, check out this little sample.
You think Black Lagoon is mature? And lacks fanservice? The main woman is walking fan service! I didn't particularly like it, even when watching it for what it is (a dumb fun tribute to action flicks). It certainly isn't what I'm looking for. As I said, adult content doesn't mean "mature".
Black Lagoon actually is fairly intelligent given it's material. It's more obvious in the manga, but there's plenty of philosophy and politics thrown around in between the gunfights. Watching it as a shallow homage to action flicks is almost a disservice since you'll get a lot more out of it if you actually pay attention.

Also, if you think Revy is walking fanservice, then I repeal my recommendation of Ghost in the Shell. Motoko wears just about as much clothing as a fanservice character, but given the themes of the show and her own personal attitude towards sexuality her character design is both well though out and perfectly reasonable. I know a college professor who even uses the series as required viewing when his class discusses the impact of technology on human culture and sexuality. If you're unable to look past a bit of skimpy clothing, then don't bother looking at GitS either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_Ghost_in_the_Shell