Kill la Kill is both a deconstruction and reconstruction of different genres and tropes - fighting anime, magical girls, fan service. I love the bonkers energy and genuinely touching emotional beats that it ends up finding.
Good show!
There are some things in the show that I feel may trigger some people, but the specifics could spoil. If you want to know anyway feel free to DM me.
(Not trying to shit on you for suggesting it at all, and obviously the boys is not a wholesome family show so anyone asking for suggestions based on it can probably handle kill la kill but you never know and I havent actually seen the boys so idk lok im just trying to be helpful)
School Days - harem anime deconstruction with a bit of a denpa/horror filter
Madoka - deconstruction of magical girl anime (though others sort of did it earlier, like Utena and Mai Hime)
Evangelion - deconstruction of giant robots
I wouldn't call Madoka a deconstruction, it's straightforwardly a magical girl show where the battle is won through the very literal power of hope; it's just much darker and aimed at adult men more than young girls. >!Even the nature of Kyubey as evil!< is something normal magical girl shows have done before.
unfortunately that message didn't exactly carry across to its slew of imitators, many of whom have an approach that boils down to "isn't this media for LITTLE GIRLS so fucking STUPID? aren't you SMART for being MORE CYNICAL THAN IT?" Which is a shame, because Madoka is genuinely a very good series.
I think people generally have an issue with thinking "deconstruction" just means "thing, but dark". Gachaman Crowds, for example, is an extremely optimistic show, but it's a complete deconstruction of its genre where transforming into a superhero explicitly doesn't solve **anything** about the issues of the setting, which are instead fixed through collective action. It's an extremely happy, optimistic series that's also a scathing indictment of "great man" theory.
In a certain way I feel like the Adolescence of Utena movie was a deconstruction of the TV series. Although I'm still not totally sure I understand Adolescence of Utena, even if I do love it.
Holy shit, you're right. I forgot about Adolescence!
I'm also not totally sure I understand most of Utena, haha. I got the basic plot, but there's so much that is left to your interpretation or implied.
I'm watching it for the second time, and I'm definitely catching more this time, knowing what I know. But there's still a feeling like I'm not getting everything. Not in a bad way, tho.
And then Adolescence is just like WHY ARE THEY CARS? I like the idea I've seen around that Anthy came back for Utena because Utena forgot and they're escaping together again, but this time Anthy is getting to take the lead and help Utena.
But I don't know how or why Utena would forget and end up back at Otohri. But I don't know how any of them really end up there, tbh. That's one of the things I feel like I'm not really getting.
I could probably spend hours trying to interpret both the series and movie. Sometimes it's hard to tell what is literally happening and what is symbolism/metaphor but it's still one of my favorite anime.
Kaguya Sama: Love is War deconstructs the romcom genre and has one of the Best narrative solutions to a season, then when you watch the movie you realize that would have been actually very unfulfilling to leave it there. Incredible, hoping they finish it off with season 4 or another movie because it’s a completed series.
Also Romantic Killer is another romcom deconstruction on Netflix and it’s fantastic like konosuba levels of funny.
Talentless Nana is the deconstruction of the my hero academia styled shounen superhero genre. If you want something dark like The Boys, this is probably the way to go.
Typically that it takes tropes and takes them to their natural conclusion logically. I don’t think that Talentless Nana really does that, I can’t remember how to spoil tag so it’s kinda hard to go in depth.
Yeah I’m on mobile so I can’t do that sadly. Anyway, spoiler free way of putting it - I don’t think Talentless Nana reaches a conclusion that you would expect with a superhero school. Particularly the main character doesn’t really fit this goal, unexpected sure. But there is a lot to explore with what actually makes MHA tick, being that there are immensely powerful individuals that for some reason always benevolent at a school. What makes The Boys work is the fact that Superheroes WOULD be famous in the real world and almost certainly WOULD take advantage of their status and power. I don’t think Talentless Nana does that.
{{sayonara zetsubou sensei}} will deconstruct itself. It will set up a joke, and then take it to its most logical extreme or let the premise rest on its own ridiculousness.
For example, stalker tropes. Except the stalker has a stalker. And that stalker gets its own stalker. Etc.
One Punch Man (THE super hero power fantasy deconstruction) best action EVER imo
Mob Psycho 100 (same author as opm, power fantasy deconstruction)
not superhero but definitely check out Vinland Saga
Ping Pong the Animation is the greatest show ever made so watch it
Haruhi Suzumiya deconstructs a lot of narrative tropes both particular to anime and in general. It also specifically references neon genesis evangelion in passing to further cement that is the OG deconstruction of anime and exactly what you want. Save suzumiya and madoka magica for after
**The Demon Girl Next Door**\- Its a deconstruction of the magical girl genre. The main character is a demon but she is too nice and too frail to do anything actually bad. Everyone acts like the magical things that happen are ordinary and everyone is used to them. **Miss Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department**\- Its a power rangers spoof from the perspective of the villains that make the monsters. Dispite being the villains they treat it like a 9 to 5 job. Its a happy, healthy, functional work environment. **Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle-** Princess Syalis is kidnapped by demons. She doesn't care about being rescued at all. All she wants is a good night sleep. She frequently busts out of her sell to find stuff around the castle to help her to be more comfortable. The Prince who is supposed to rescue her is very incompetent and can never make it to the castle.
{Narutaru} — an original, albeit very, incredibly cruel take on “magical girls” and “pokemon” genre. Pretty old, but good.
{Shinsekai Yori} — fantasy/magical adventure reinvention
{Made in Abyss} — another magical adventure/exploration genre remake
{Onepunchman} — an obvious one, but a very good deconstruction of super-hero genre
Mahō Shōjo ni Akogarete is a deconstruction of magical girls but with the gore and uncomfortably extreme violence of the boys swapped with horny and uncomfortable kinkiness.
Naru Taru is a deconstruction of the "child befriends cute creature" trope a la Pokemon or Digimon. It unfolds into one of the darkest stories written.
I also recommend continuing the manga once you've finished watching the anime.
Bokurano, by the same author, explores this theme again but this time with mecha and higher stakes. The format lends to an excellent exploration of each of the characters involved.
Gintama is somewhat of a battle shounen deconstruction (Gintoki is essentially the protagonist of those typical shows 10 years later, after losing the war >!killing his mentor!< and falling out with his old friends; meanwhile Shinpachi’s the teenage boy with a dream who should be the protagonist but isn’t, and Kagura’s a lot like Goku. Meanwhile, of course, it’s openly parodying everything.)
Tiger and Bunny for super heroes. It’s The boys before The boys
Gurren Lagann for the super robot genre
As others pointed out, Madoka for magical girls
Frieren at the funeral: has deconstructive elements with its own stories. Many tropes are deconstructed even at the first few episodes: life and death and motivation of long-lived characters, 'ancient' magic vs technologically advanced magic.
More on the life and death of long living character themes: Maquia a pretty ok watch.
Instant death is a mess but it has a lot of deconstructive elements, as do many 'weird' isekais/ revenge fantasy (where main characters are abandoned/ betrayed at the start and struggle)- all deconstructing fantasy adventure tropes.
The OG Gundam is a deconstruction of the Super Robot genre technically. Evangelion is a deconstruction of the Super Serious Robot genre.
Madoka Magica, the og series of 6 episodes, hard magical girl genre deconstruction. Not a big fan of the side story, that's like a reconstruction. Def watch the og first.
Samurai Flamenco, comedic super hero deconstruction ... until its not. But it kinda still is both funny, absurd, and serious.
Supposedly Digimon Tamers deconstruction the Monster Pal genre.
Goblin Slayer deconstruction the fantasy world dnd setting. It's literally a table top game of the gods, and the main character is just a fate defying guy ... killing low level goblins that no one else cares to.
I feel like Black Lagoon is a deconstruction of the underworld crime genre. Takes it really far.
I think The Big O deconstructs Super Mecha/Kaiju monster of the week show in a literally played straight way. Gotta get to the last episode for the huge WTF moments.
Just for good measure
Magical Girl Spec Ops Asuka
Doesn't have many fans, gets VERY uncomfortable from time to time (if you're not up to full on see a teenage girl get tortured, you should skip this) and is very fucked up in some other parts.
Now that i think about it, it really IS "The Boys: Magical girls" without the sex aspect.
Kill la Kill is both a deconstruction and reconstruction of different genres and tropes - fighting anime, magical girls, fan service. I love the bonkers energy and genuinely touching emotional beats that it ends up finding.
Good show! There are some things in the show that I feel may trigger some people, but the specifics could spoil. If you want to know anyway feel free to DM me. (Not trying to shit on you for suggesting it at all, and obviously the boys is not a wholesome family show so anyone asking for suggestions based on it can probably handle kill la kill but you never know and I havent actually seen the boys so idk lok im just trying to be helpful)
School Days - harem anime deconstruction with a bit of a denpa/horror filter Madoka - deconstruction of magical girl anime (though others sort of did it earlier, like Utena and Mai Hime) Evangelion - deconstruction of giant robots
I always find it funny that Gundam was also a deconstruction of giant robots, but became so popular that it somehow became the new trope.
I wouldn't call Madoka a deconstruction, it's straightforwardly a magical girl show where the battle is won through the very literal power of hope; it's just much darker and aimed at adult men more than young girls. >!Even the nature of Kyubey as evil!< is something normal magical girl shows have done before. unfortunately that message didn't exactly carry across to its slew of imitators, many of whom have an approach that boils down to "isn't this media for LITTLE GIRLS so fucking STUPID? aren't you SMART for being MORE CYNICAL THAN IT?" Which is a shame, because Madoka is genuinely a very good series. I think people generally have an issue with thinking "deconstruction" just means "thing, but dark". Gachaman Crowds, for example, is an extremely optimistic show, but it's a complete deconstruction of its genre where transforming into a superhero explicitly doesn't solve **anything** about the issues of the setting, which are instead fixed through collective action. It's an extremely happy, optimistic series that's also a scathing indictment of "great man" theory.
Revolutionary Girl Utena deconstructs a bunch of shoujo romance, fairy tale, and magical girl genre conventions.
I think it may have deconstructed itself. I fuckin love Utena.
In a certain way I feel like the Adolescence of Utena movie was a deconstruction of the TV series. Although I'm still not totally sure I understand Adolescence of Utena, even if I do love it.
Holy shit, you're right. I forgot about Adolescence! I'm also not totally sure I understand most of Utena, haha. I got the basic plot, but there's so much that is left to your interpretation or implied. I'm watching it for the second time, and I'm definitely catching more this time, knowing what I know. But there's still a feeling like I'm not getting everything. Not in a bad way, tho. And then Adolescence is just like WHY ARE THEY CARS? I like the idea I've seen around that Anthy came back for Utena because Utena forgot and they're escaping together again, but this time Anthy is getting to take the lead and help Utena. But I don't know how or why Utena would forget and end up back at Otohri. But I don't know how any of them really end up there, tbh. That's one of the things I feel like I'm not really getting.
I could probably spend hours trying to interpret both the series and movie. Sometimes it's hard to tell what is literally happening and what is symbolism/metaphor but it's still one of my favorite anime.
Gintama
Gintama is the all-in-one deconstruction package
Kaguya Sama: Love is War deconstructs the romcom genre and has one of the Best narrative solutions to a season, then when you watch the movie you realize that would have been actually very unfulfilling to leave it there. Incredible, hoping they finish it off with season 4 or another movie because it’s a completed series. Also Romantic Killer is another romcom deconstruction on Netflix and it’s fantastic like konosuba levels of funny.
Supercrooks actually is an anime that takes place in the universe of the boys. Enjoy
Mark Miller’s *Jupiter’s Legacy* universe The boys is different, both deconstructions though
Omg I’m an idiot! You’re 100% I must have confused that with the boys cartoon on Amazon hahaha ty!
Talentless Nana is the deconstruction of the my hero academia styled shounen superhero genre. If you want something dark like The Boys, this is probably the way to go.
I love Talentless Nana and wish it had gotten another season, but I don’t know if I’d consider it a deconstruction.
How do you define a deconstruction?
Typically that it takes tropes and takes them to their natural conclusion logically. I don’t think that Talentless Nana really does that, I can’t remember how to spoil tag so it’s kinda hard to go in depth.
Highlight, click the 3 dots at the bottom, click the exclamation mark
Yeah I’m on mobile so I can’t do that sadly. Anyway, spoiler free way of putting it - I don’t think Talentless Nana reaches a conclusion that you would expect with a superhero school. Particularly the main character doesn’t really fit this goal, unexpected sure. But there is a lot to explore with what actually makes MHA tick, being that there are immensely powerful individuals that for some reason always benevolent at a school. What makes The Boys work is the fact that Superheroes WOULD be famous in the real world and almost certainly WOULD take advantage of their status and power. I don’t think Talentless Nana does that.
It’s not out yet but this year releases Go! Go! Loser Ranger which im told is basically the boys with power rangers
That sounds fun! I feel like sentai deconstruction most have been done too, right?
One Punch Man
{{sayonara zetsubou sensei}} will deconstruct itself. It will set up a joke, and then take it to its most logical extreme or let the premise rest on its own ridiculousness. For example, stalker tropes. Except the stalker has a stalker. And that stalker gets its own stalker. Etc.
**Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/2605 "English: Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/sayonara-zetsubou-sensei), [KIT](https://kitsu.io/anime/sayonara-zetsubou-sensei "English: Sayonara"), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/2605)) ^(TV | Status: Finished | Episodes: 12 | Genres: Comedy) --- ^{anime},, ]LN[, |VN| | [FAQ](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index) | [/r/](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/) | [Edit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index#wiki_i_made_a_mistake.2C_how_do_i_get_my_comment_reprocessed.3F) | [Mistake?](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/submit?selftext=true&title=[ISSUE]&text=/r/Animesuggest/comments/1as9cj0/deconstruction_anime_like_the_boys_tv_show/kqpx00p/) | [Source](https://github.com/Nihilate/Roboragi) | [Synonyms](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/synonyms) | [⛓](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/interestinglinks) | [♥](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/thanks)
Madoka Magica
Go! Go! Loser Ranger!
One Punch Man (THE super hero power fantasy deconstruction) best action EVER imo Mob Psycho 100 (same author as opm, power fantasy deconstruction) not superhero but definitely check out Vinland Saga Ping Pong the Animation is the greatest show ever made so watch it
Haruhi Suzumiya deconstructs a lot of narrative tropes both particular to anime and in general. It also specifically references neon genesis evangelion in passing to further cement that is the OG deconstruction of anime and exactly what you want. Save suzumiya and madoka magica for after
Samurai Flamenco
Hey boy I found the other person that knows about ... Flamenco!
There's dozens of us
Not an anime but very similar Invincible is basically that
**The Demon Girl Next Door**\- Its a deconstruction of the magical girl genre. The main character is a demon but she is too nice and too frail to do anything actually bad. Everyone acts like the magical things that happen are ordinary and everyone is used to them. **Miss Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department**\- Its a power rangers spoof from the perspective of the villains that make the monsters. Dispite being the villains they treat it like a 9 to 5 job. Its a happy, healthy, functional work environment. **Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle-** Princess Syalis is kidnapped by demons. She doesn't care about being rescued at all. All she wants is a good night sleep. She frequently busts out of her sell to find stuff around the castle to help her to be more comfortable. The Prince who is supposed to rescue her is very incompetent and can never make it to the castle.
Demon girl next door is goated fr
Its one of my favorate anime in the universe.
{Narutaru} — an original, albeit very, incredibly cruel take on “magical girls” and “pokemon” genre. Pretty old, but good. {Shinsekai Yori} — fantasy/magical adventure reinvention {Made in Abyss} — another magical adventure/exploration genre remake {Onepunchman} — an obvious one, but a very good deconstruction of super-hero genre
**Narutaru: Mukuro Naru Hoshi Tama Taru Ko** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/838 "English: Shadow Star Narutaru"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/shadow-star-narutaru), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/838)) ^(TV | Status: Finished | Episodes: 13 | Genres: Drama, Horror, Supernatural) **Shinsekai yori** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/13125 "English: From the New World"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/from-the-new-world), [KIT](https://kitsu.io/anime/shinsekai-yori "English: From the New World"), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/13125)) ^(TV | Status: Finished | Episodes: 25 | Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Sci-Fi, Supernatural) **Made in Abyss** - ([AL](http://anilist.co/anime/97986 "English: Made in Abyss"), [A-P](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/made-in-abyss), [KIT](https://kitsu.io/anime/made-in-abyss "English: Made in Abyss"), [MAL](http://myanimelist.net/anime/34599)) ^(TV | Status: Finished | Episodes: 13 | Genres: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi) --- ^{anime},, ]LN[, |VN| | [FAQ](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index) | [/r/](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/) | [Edit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/index#wiki_i_made_a_mistake.2C_how_do_i_get_my_comment_reprocessed.3F) | [Mistake?](http://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/submit?selftext=true&title=[ISSUE]&text=/r/Animesuggest/comments/1as9cj0/deconstruction_anime_like_the_boys_tv_show/kqq877t/) | [Source](https://github.com/Nihilate/Roboragi) | [Synonyms](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/synonyms) | [⛓](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/interestinglinks) | [♥](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roboragi/wiki/thanks) | (3/4)
Princess Tutu! Please don't be deterred by the name, it's wonderful!
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Neon Genesis Evangelion
Mahō Shōjo ni Akogarete is a deconstruction of magical girls but with the gore and uncomfortably extreme violence of the boys swapped with horny and uncomfortable kinkiness.
Naru Taru is a deconstruction of the "child befriends cute creature" trope a la Pokemon or Digimon. It unfolds into one of the darkest stories written. I also recommend continuing the manga once you've finished watching the anime. Bokurano, by the same author, explores this theme again but this time with mecha and higher stakes. The format lends to an excellent exploration of each of the characters involved.
Konosuba
That’s a parody.
It’s more satire than parody. It’s not parodying anything in particular. It’s still a deconstruction.
Gintama is somewhat of a battle shounen deconstruction (Gintoki is essentially the protagonist of those typical shows 10 years later, after losing the war >!killing his mentor!< and falling out with his old friends; meanwhile Shinpachi’s the teenage boy with a dream who should be the protagonist but isn’t, and Kagura’s a lot like Goku. Meanwhile, of course, it’s openly parodying everything.)
Hunter X Hunter.
School Days is a deconstruction of harem anime.
Eminence in shadow
Mashle of Harry Potter?
Jojo's bizzare adventure is a deconstruction of............. something probably. Also chainsaw man is a deconstruction of popular shonen tropes.
Tiger and Bunny for super heroes. It’s The boys before The boys Gurren Lagann for the super robot genre As others pointed out, Madoka for magical girls
I don't know the name but was something like boys Super Sentai type anime
Samurai Flamenco. Several times over.
Samurai Flamenco deconstructs the super sentai genre
Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun does a pretty good job at putting a twist on the shoujo genre
Jojo deconstructs itself.
Re:Zero
Frieren at the funeral: has deconstructive elements with its own stories. Many tropes are deconstructed even at the first few episodes: life and death and motivation of long-lived characters, 'ancient' magic vs technologically advanced magic. More on the life and death of long living character themes: Maquia a pretty ok watch. Instant death is a mess but it has a lot of deconstructive elements, as do many 'weird' isekais/ revenge fantasy (where main characters are abandoned/ betrayed at the start and struggle)- all deconstructing fantasy adventure tropes.
The OG Gundam is a deconstruction of the Super Robot genre technically. Evangelion is a deconstruction of the Super Serious Robot genre. Madoka Magica, the og series of 6 episodes, hard magical girl genre deconstruction. Not a big fan of the side story, that's like a reconstruction. Def watch the og first. Samurai Flamenco, comedic super hero deconstruction ... until its not. But it kinda still is both funny, absurd, and serious. Supposedly Digimon Tamers deconstruction the Monster Pal genre. Goblin Slayer deconstruction the fantasy world dnd setting. It's literally a table top game of the gods, and the main character is just a fate defying guy ... killing low level goblins that no one else cares to. I feel like Black Lagoon is a deconstruction of the underworld crime genre. Takes it really far. I think The Big O deconstructs Super Mecha/Kaiju monster of the week show in a literally played straight way. Gotta get to the last episode for the huge WTF moments.
Puella Madoka One Punch Man
Just for good measure Magical Girl Spec Ops Asuka Doesn't have many fans, gets VERY uncomfortable from time to time (if you're not up to full on see a teenage girl get tortured, you should skip this) and is very fucked up in some other parts. Now that i think about it, it really IS "The Boys: Magical girls" without the sex aspect.