Serious Animes

[TitanAtlas]

Ghost in the Shell

Samurai X

Afro Samurai

Fist of the Northern Star

Samurai Champloo

And there are 3 more that i used to watch but forgot the names.... let me get back on this matter later...

 

[Kolby Jack]

You don't really sound a like a big anime guy, TC, and like me probably can't get into the REALLY Japanese animes. Granted, I like a lighter tone in my work than you seem to, but I'll go ahead and give my thoughts.

I agree with Samurai Champloo. I consider it every bit the equal of Bebop, only with a break-dancing samurai.

I DO NOT recommend Evangelion. Maybe you'll like it, but I fucking hated it. It's already depressing from the get go but then it goes down an infinite well of disgusting and emo and never comes back up. I've never wanted to punch a cartoon character as much as I have Shinji, and I've never wanted to admit a person to a psych ward as much as that show's creator.

Death Note I thought was pretty good. Even after the "halfway point" where many people say it sucked, I thought it did a decent job. Not as good as the beginning, but I think that was the point. The whole point of the second half of the series was to show that the protagonist is NOT SOMEONE TO ROOT FOR.

I remember good things about Outlaw Star, though admittedly I haven't seen it since I was a kid.

Another one I liked was Big O, though that show is apparently half-American, so there's that.

Oh yea, and Ghost in the Shell kicks major ass for both seasons and it's movies, so get that.

EDIT: Also forgot to mention Fullmetal Alchemist. While I've only seen the original anime series (it's one of my personal favorites), you may also want to check out FMA: Brotherhood, because from the few episodes I've seen on Adult Swim, it ain't bad either.

 

[iDoom46]

I don't know if it's "similar" to Bebop as far as story and concept, but you might want to give Durarara a try.

If you're gonna bring up 'Durarara!!', you've gotta mention 'Baccano!'.
Similar show as far as writing style, but way more serious and a much darker/gritty story. Plus its one of the most "western" themed animes out there, so its great for a newcomer to the medium.
To be honest there really isn't an anime I can recommend more than 'Baccano!'.
Plus, the opening is way catchier, imho.

 

[Denizen]

You know what.

I'd also toss Outlaw Star on the pile. It's not as serious as GitS, but it's got a solid overarching plot, some brilliant humour (much like Bebop), and, despite many animes I grew up watching that I now find terrible, still ranks as one of my favourite series of all time.

A top favorite of mine as well. It's a very rich anime that's aged well. I feel it got alot done in 26 episodes and the characters are really fun and none of their aspects seem forced, a sign of great storytelling. The show seems to be a cousin of cowboy bebop but with a tinge of sci-fi fantasy.

I highly recommend it OP, it's a really fun show that knows when to take itself seriously and when to be comical. Throw in some great action and resonant themes and you're in for a real treat.

 

[mayney93]

Death Note.
its about a guy who can kill anyone with their face and name.
so he kills criminals.

THEN GOES BUGFUCK CRAZY.

if you enjoy this, you'll love code Geass

 

[Mosesj]

Death Note.
its about a guy who can kill anyone with their face and name.
so he kills criminals.

THEN GOES BUGFUCK CRAZY.

I'd agree. Until that happens.

You know what I'm talking about. The series took a nosedive for the worst about halfway through.

Agreed, I actually couldn't finish the series because of that. I got maybe three episodes after that event and decided it sucked now.

what was it? I stopped watching because I was never watching tv when it was on


I never watched it, but I think elfin lied is serious

 

[Particulate]

The Major is like the Commander Shepard of the anime universe.

thats a surprisingly good comparison to be honest.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

Check out Samurai Champloo. It's somewhat similar to the style of Bebop and not childish.

EDIT: And before you get turned off by the hip-hop theme of it: I abhor hip-hop and rap stuff, but the anime is done really well to the point that I actually like it.

Spoiler: Here's the opening credits video

Funny story that, I got into the show BECAUSE of the hip-hop. Never looked back since.


Anyway OT, I have no anime to offer that sedate your Mature craving. I mean, you can try Ninja scroll but I personally never watch it.


Also, Anime is plural. No need for the "S."

 

[V8 Ninja]

If you're willing to try bizarre anime, and I mean god-damned bizarre anime, I would recommend Serial Experiments Lain. You may find it pretentious, but it does get into some heavy themes...if you're willing to interpret them as that. Trust me when I say this is THE strangest anime you will see in this dimension at this current time.

I wouldn't call the following anime "Adult", but Baccano! is an absolutely fantastic thriller. It also has the best English dub I've ever heard. Seriously, go look up some clips online. It is amazing how the English dub surpasses the original Japanese by leaps and bounds.

If you're looking for something that is old-school and is absolutely fantastic in every way, go watch Now And Then, Here And There. Heck, you don't even need to buy it! You can legally go watch all 13 episodes of the English dub (which is pretty stellar) right here [http://www.hulu.com/now-and-then-here-and-there]. Trust me; it is one of the best shows you will see.

And last but not least, Satoshi Kon's only anime, Paranoia Agent. It's a really dark series at times and it's also fantastic because of it. Other than a bizarrely comedic episode (which has a dark undertone), the series stays serious at all times and ends up becoming a complicated, dark, and fascinating murder mystery because of it.

 

[Emerson White]

Here's An Obscure oneuRaRaRa,A show that has come out relatively recently,I'm not much of an anime guy,but this,to me,was just perfect,because it might have one of the most stupidest fucking names in anime history (right next to BOBoBoBoBo),but it is VERY deep,and just...well interesting.I liked it,and if you like serious anime type things,you will to.

 

[gandhi the peacemake]

What is with this fascination with "Serious" anime and the mistaken assumption that it equals "Good"? And especially in anime, where "Serious" and "Good" tend to have an inverse relationship? Trigun is good anime. It may not be one's cup of tea, but it is good anime. I don't particularly like Halo, but that doesn't make it a bad game. (It's the sequels that do that.)

That aside, watch Baccanno! for good English dub work, watch Full Metal Panic! Fumoffu for good comedy, watch Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid for good robot battles, and watch Voices of a Distant Star for good romance... all of which are good anime. And, if you must insist on something serious, then watch Yukikaze. It's rubbish anime, but everyone in there is about as humorless as a dying zebra.

...but perhaps I'm just skewing my view towards the cynical. Here's something: Grave of the Fireflies. It's dreadfully and almost suicide-inducingly morose, and it's one of the greatest anime ever, to boot.

 

[Shakomaru]

D.Gray Man? It's pretty serious. I think.

 

[Stevo_s]

Do yourself a favor and check out Baccano!
It is serious and awesome so go check it out now.

 

[godofallu]

Ok wow guys you're really pouring your hearts out trying to help me! I love it, thanks.

So i've been doing my homework and have been watching a ton of first episodes, and so far I have yet to be hooked in by any of them. Ghost in the Shell I might watch a few more of however.

Still on the list to check out:

last exile
ghost hound
serial experiments lane
paprika
texhnolyze
Xam'd The Lost Memories
Outlaw star
Grave of the fireflies

I'm really hoping to run into a show that has a main character I need to see more of, or a storyline that gets me emotional/has deep meaning. So far the closet I have come was watching wolf and spice, but that just got a little too creepy and wasn't really my cup of tea.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

I DO NOT recommend Evangelion. Maybe you'll like it, but I fucking hated it. It's already depressing from the get go but then it goes down an infinite well of disgusting and emo and never comes back up. I've never wanted to punch a cartoon character as much as I have Shinji, and I've never wanted to admit a person to a psych ward as much as that show's creator.

.

Again, a funny story about Anno. He WAS in a mental rot while doing that story. So if you wanted to do it, go the hell ahead. But 16 or 17 years later the man is fine and married. He's also doing Evangelion again as Rebuild: Evangelion.

Shinji, to be honest and a LOT of people argue with me on this, He DOES have a reason to be emo. It just that the fans (and the actual series) pretty much told him to "suck it up."

Anyway the Rebuild and Manga versio are both better characters because of him.

 

[chaosyoshimage]

I recommend Baccano! to any Cowboy Bebop fan. Although the title made me think of the works of Satoshi Kon...

 

[Fanfic_warper]

I find that serious animes are actually the odd ones out of the norm for anime. I'm not too fond of cowboy beebop, but it's ok. I guess if I had to say, Black Butler is also pretty serious mostly.

 

[huigho1215]

GunGrave

 

[Aleate]

Mnemosyne (Hard name to remember, so here's a link http://www.kuroanime.com/anime-series/mnemosyne/ )
Its very dark, very weird, very "Adult", and I thought it was actually quite interesting. Also only 6 episodes long.
(Going for one I didn't see anyone here post by the way)

 

[Nikki Fallingstar]

If it ever gets translated to English (Or if you don't care it's in Japanese) Bakuman

It's beautifully done. Amazing voice acting and awesome music. It's about two highschool students becoming mangaka. It's also beautifully animated.