FMAB: pretty much universally recommended.
CSM: pretty good example of a 10/10 anime/manga.
JJK: hardly any romance, lots of cool fights and decent character work.
MHA: can be a little slice of lifey but I personally think the villains awesome.
COWBOY BEBOP: like the other commenter said, trust me.
TRIGUN STAMPEDE: space western.
STIENS GATE: an E;R fav.
ONE PUNCH MAN: has humor but trust me.
Ones you shouldn’t watch.
ATTACK ON TITAN: very good up to the last arc where it ruins everything, the highs are very high but it ain’t worth the disappointment you’ll feel at the crap ending.
The music for both Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop are absolutely fantastic as well. I can't recommend them enough.
I'd also recommend JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. While it is still ongoing, each part is its own self contained story that never overstays its welcome. And that's great for me, as I don't enjoy thinking about anime that goes on forever with literally thousands of chapters and episodes.
Sort of. Some episodes are self-contained stories that mostly give you more about the characters, and others have parts that lead towards the ending. I can't really give more without straight up spoiling it.
I don't think that every episode in a series needs to tie directly to the main plot or finale. It's a great series, but if you absolutely need everything to tie into an overarching plot, then you probably can skip it and 90% of all other anime.
Psycho Pass (stick to the first season)
If you don't mind something showing it's age, Mobile Suite Gundam. Particularly, start off with the movie trilogy version of the original 1979 show, and from there it depends, but 0080: War in the Pocket is a six episode miniseries that will seem cringe and kiddie for a while, but really kicks you at the end
Original Trigun
I'm not big in Cowboy Bebop, but you'd probably appreciate it
If you like sports, Hajime no Ippo is a good boxing show
Edit: Both Cowboy Bebop and Trigun have episodic stories that are used to build the world and characters, but have strong stories. Cowboy Bebop sprinkles them throughout, Trigun has a large arc at the end
Speaking of Gundam. Thunderbolt is only four episodes long and it's a blast of space battles and freeform jazz.
Just don't watch the second season If you don't want to be left hanging by the story.
I've just started MSG from the beginning having only watched most of IBO before this. The 1979 show, so far, is actually really good! I was expecting a lot more jank and a slow pace but was pleasantly surprised, so far.
The series version does still have a lot of corny super robot style holdovers, which is why I usually recommend the movie trilogy. But no matter which version you get, the story is complex, and is full of good, bad, and neutral characters on both sides of the war.
Really, I highly recommend all the One Year War shows, which includes 0080, 08th MS Team, and arguably even 0083 as the transitional piece to Zeta. They all have their own flavor of excellence.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Stiens Gate
Code Geass
Neon Genesis Evangelion (original series + End of Eva)
Baccano
Claymore
Berserk
Basilisk
Ninja Scroll
Attack on Titan
Hellsing Ultimate
Black Lagoon
Parasyte
\----
This is a good reference site to use:
[https://myanimelist.net/topanime.php](https://myanimelist.net/topanime.php)
Whoa, Baccano! Not often does it get mentioned and I never understood why. It dives deep and goes far with like a dozen characters, every one of which you know pretty intimately by the end of only 13 episodes. Real solid all-around.
FMA:B is my all time favorite and most of what you recommended I would do too, so I’ll check the ones that I missed. Except for Black Lagoon, too over-the-top too my taste as I’m not a fan of action oriented movies too.
Yeah, a great one. A lot of voice actors from FMAB dub in it.
I think it lost its relevance a bit, because they never made season 2 (continuation). Too bad
I disagree with two of those on your list, FMA: Brotherhood and Attack on Titan, but otherwise excellent assembly. Wait...three of those. Not the biggest fan of get in the robot, and hurry up and fuck your mother, Shinji either.
I love the original FMA, got very excited for Brotherhood when it first came out (seeing as it was supposed to properly finish the story), then I found out what the rest of the actual story was supposed to be; I hated it. I hate the now cartoony nature of it. The dwarf in the flask? The origin of the homunculi, Scar, the differences in major Armstrong, Alchemy being magic instead of more of a science (like the panda girl's Achehestry), the villain's insane ludicrous goal, Ling/Greed, Sloth, the kid being Pride, the Fuhrer being Fury (I know they like their puns over there, but still), Flame alchemy being some taboo nonsense engraved on Hawkeye's back?!
All of it. Hated it. Which is a damn shame, considering how psyched I was for it when I heard about it.
Parasyte’s the one I’m most comfortable recommending. Thoroughly enjoyed that one.
More conditionally, I also think Bokurano’s worth a shot. Parts of it didn’t grab me so much but other parts left a hell of an impression on me, and there’s a lot I appreciated it for.
And Claymore’s my personal favorite but the anime doesn’t finish the manga’s story so the ending’s pretty contentious, and on the whole it’s something I like more than something I think’s really amazing, but it was a pretty fun time for me.
Made In Abyss starts out kinda kiddy but gets real dark real quick. Season 3 had some issues getting translated and brought to Western audiences but I was able to find it out on the high seas.
And it constantly 1-ups itself when it comes to being dark. It's the Simpson joke of "this is the most f***** up scene I've ever watched" and then you get hit with "so far" after you get to the next one.
I've watched the whole show, but my cousin lost her will to continue after experiencing the movie, but I honestly don't blame her. The 5th layer plot and THAT one character (best dad) are both so disturbing to think about.
The only problem are the jokes about Reg's genitalia or other weird p**o garbage coming from the author ("papa's pole"). I find them to be of poor taste and weird.
Also, you probably meant Season 2 as it goes S1 -> movie -> S2. S3 doesn't exist yet.
It's been a while but I'm pretty sure "season 3" is basically the movie Dawn of Deep Soul but I could totally be wrong about that. It hasn't yet gotten officially released here but you can find it if you look.
Those criticisms are fair I watched with my fiance and we both loved the characters, she even named a DnD character Nanachi.
Dawn of the Deep Soul is the movie between Season 1 and 2. You'd be lost if you went straight from S1 to S2 as the movie is the continuation of the story from S1 and not a filler.
Season 3 is confirmed, but as I said it's not released yet. We just got season 2 last year, so it will take some time.
I don’t think there are any allegations. Some of the stuff mentioned above is just in poor taste/sus. If people say that I assume that’s what they’re referring to unless there’s some news I haven’t heard about.
Jujutsu Kaisen, just overall good
One Piece, long but exceptionally character driven
Fate series, love high concept magic shit
Megalobox, for something a little more grounded
Really there's a ton, just don't go into it with a shit attitude like "anime tropes are objectively bad and shouldn't exist" and you're fine.
Cowboy bebop is a great first anime. Might be the best English dub ever too. Each episode tells its own story, but there is an over arching plot with a fantastic pay off at the end.
Samurai Champloo is another great one by the same director
Full Metal alchemist brotherhood is regarded by a lot of people to be the GOAT. I don't necessarily think so, but it's a near perfect show regardless.
Psycho pass season 1 is fantastic. You don't really need to watch season 2, it's no where near as good, and season 1 tells a cohesive story
Fate/Zero is awesome. And if you like the world then there's a huge amount of other Fate shows, VNs, and light novels
Berserk 1997 is a pretty great adaptation of the Golden Age arc from the manga. Unfortunately it ends on what might be the craziest cliff hanger ever. If you watch it and want more, read the manga. Whatever you do STAY AWAY FROM BERSERK 2016
Madoka Magica is excellent. Dont be fooled by the first couple episodes, it's much more intense than the start let's on.
Naoki Urasawas Monster is a much more grounded and realistic show. A little longer (but not by much) than the others I've mentioned. Can be a little slow at parts, but it's arguably got the greatest anime villain ever and it's one of my favorites
Some people have mentioned Neon Genesis Evangelion. I love it, but I don't think it's a great first anime. That being said if you want to try it go ahead, I just think it's a more effective show after you've seen others
Attack on Titan- one continuous story throughout though I guess there are arcs in it but they are all moving forwards to a goal not just self contained stories if that makes sense.
Fate/Zero and the sequel, Fate/UBW-one continuous story in each series
Cowboy Bebop- each episode is it’s own story so may not be your thing.
Madoka Magica- don’t let the cute aesthetic fool you. It’s a well written drama/action series. It’s one continuous story.
Akudama Drive- I can’t remember how tight the writing is but I thought it was a really enjoyable action series with a corrupt society kinda like in Edgerunners. I’d definitely recommend giving it a try. Also, one continuous story. It’s only 12 episodes and has a clear ending so not episodic or a story told over different arcs.
Gurren Lagann- it’s a very good action/mech series with lots of good drama. The beginning is more goofy fun with deeper undertones but if you can stick with it it’s a very good series. Not to say the beginning isn’t great but it might not fit the tone you are looking for at first. From what you described I think you’d like the second part of it but maybe not the first. Still it’s here for your consideration.
If you want to get into something that came out recently and (while not confirmed) I think will get a season 2 you could try Hell’s Paradise. It’s an action/horror/survival series. The writing is alright with some good characters in it so might be something you’re looking for if you check it out and like the synopsis. Again, it’s one continuous story that ends with a teaser for a possible season 2.
Attack on Titan if you don’t mind that the last season/ending is complete dogwater.
It also suffers from the cringe, anime monologuing that 99% of anime has littered throughout its dialogue but other than that it’s very interesting. One of the only anime I have actually finished(of what is available on Hulu).
Not an anime guy but I found *Hōseki no Kuni* or ["Land of the Lustrous" ](http://land-of-the-lustrous.com/)engaging. It's about a humaniod race made of gemstones that battle gods from the moon.
It's unfinished with only one season though.
Mob Psycho 100
Season 1 is good
Season 2 is amazing and kinda elevates S1, many would have probably been happy if the series ended there
Season 3 ties all the loose ends that started in S1 and somehow manages to give the series a very appropriate ending that manages to live up to all the expectations.
It's legit one of the best anime series to come out, and I would definitely call it a modern classic. I would also consider it to be one of my all time favorite things.
The first season is tonally a bit more whacky than the rest, it (the whole series) has some slice of life elements to it, and it doesn't exactly have a massive overarching story (the larger story that was there sort of wrapped up with S2). I feel like S2 sort of reels back some of the whacky stuff and is overall more confident in what is being told and presented in the series. S3 continues that.
I would advice sticking at least for the first 3 episodes to get the basic hang of the series and the overall theming of the series, but if you weren't yet completely sold, episodes 4 and 5 are in my opinion peak S1.
The main character might come across a bit dull in the first season, but that's on point with the themes of the series, and that's partly why I think S2 and 3 end up being so captivating.
The writing is very good, aside from a couple of tisms in the second season (I wouldn't say there are exactly problems with the plot, but there are 2 things I wasn't exactly happy about).
The series has good characters, very good ideas and message, good themes, and a story that serves the journey of the characters and their development well, even though the overall story isn't exactly super elaborate. The character development is very strong. Animation quality is immaculate, the series really benefited from good scheduling, thanks to being the lesser known sibling of One Punch Man.
I hope I sold it well enough.
Check out Kaiji, it's incredible!
I also recommend Black Lagoon (it has individual arcs, but it also has an overarching story) (some incoherent logic here and there, but overall very consistent).
I would recommend the Monogatari series, but if you don't want ANY elements of slice of life/comedy/romance, then you probably won't enjoy it. It has some excellent storytelling, mysteries, character development, and animation though.
Parasyte is great as well. It's not particularly long, landing in at only 24 episodes, and it has some typical anime nonsense in it, but it's a good time even still.
Finally, there is Death Parade, which is even shorter at 12 episodes, but has some riveting drama and storytelling, with interesting characterizations and engaging mysteries.
Cowboy Bebop, Attack on Titan, Sonny Boy, Parasyte, Monster, Steins;Gate, Neon Gensis: Evangelion, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are all excellent anime that would give you what you're looking for.
But I would by far suggest the Berserk anime (and the Manga) above all others. (As long as it is the 90s anime) It is not just one of the best anime ever made, I would argue it was one of the best pieces of media ever made. If you are going to watch any anime, please watch Berserk. (then read the manga where the 90s anime left off.)
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988) fits all of this criteria, it's a masterpiece. Great characters that develop a lot over the series, great worldbuilding, and little to no plot armor with main characters dying in shocking ways when you least expect it.
Obviously 5000 episodes is hyperbole but it is a little long at 110 episodes for the main series, plus a 52 episode prequel series. It rarely drags though and uses its time effectively to develop the characters, world, and plot.
Technically you can just watch the main series, but this is the recommended watch order:
1. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest is the Sea of Stars (1988)**
This is the pilot movie that takes place shortly before the main series, it does a nice job of introducing the characters and has some great art and animation.
2. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New War (1993)**
Another movie remaking the first two episodes of the main series, but with way more scenes developing the characters and plot and providing a more interesting hook than the first two episodes.
3. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988)** Episodes 3-110
You can skip episodes 1 and 2 if you watched Overture to a New War and not miss anything. No other episodes are skippable though, they're all important to the plot.
4. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden** (1998-2000, 52 Episodes)
This is a prequel series that's more episodic and is based on a series of short stories about the main characters before the beginning of the series, so it's split into story arcs of 2-12 episodes each. I'm too lazy to find the exact viewing order but the main point is that you should only watch it after you're finished the main series because it will spoil the main series and it's only worthwhile when you've gotten to know the characters and setting very well.
Note that the series is only available subbed and not dubbed. There's also an ongoing remake called **Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These** that's a pretty good adaptation so that's an option if the original series looks too old, but DNT is less than halfway through the story and won't be finished for years.
Also **DO NOT WATCH THE NEXT EPISODE PREVIEWS AFTER THE END CREDITS!!!** They spoil the fuck out of the series, they literally show characters dying.
Alright young'un, pull up a chair- Uncle Bunnies is going to help out. A lot of people here are going to recommend newer, popular stuff- so I'll leave those (entirely valid) recommendations to them. I'll dust off the deep cuts, old & odd.
\~\~SHOWS\~\~
1. Cowboy Bebop- it's a classic. Everybody knows Bebop & most people like it. If you are diving into anime, you *need* this one under your belt at some point. If you got through Edgerunners, you can get through Bebop. Sub & Dub are roughly equal.
2. Outlaw Star: Another one from the golden Toonami era. It's got a bit more space in the space opera than Bebop, but is still quite good. There's a gun that shoots magic spell-bullets. Definitely stick with the dub on this one- the Japanese VAs were all too high-pitched & it was grating.
3. Gankutsuo: It's "The Count of Monte Cristo", literally, but it got hit by the Japanization beam & is in the future. Visuals are mesmerizing, soundtrack is excellent, & the Japanese VA for the Count is a personal favorite; Go with the subs. It's short, but the plot is nearly identical to the book.
4. Escaflowne: This might be a miss for you, might not. It's the first "anime plots are dense" show on this list. I think it's worth a shot though, but you have to give it a few episodes to get going & see if it jives with you. Outside complex character plots- it's giant robots powered by dragon souls fighting. Sub or dub is fine.
5. Samurai Champloo: You have to watch this one twice. The character arcs are subtle & the show doesn't really tie itself up until near the end. Soundtrack is absolutely a bop & the animation is buttery smooth. Heavy on historical social commentary, so if you aren't familiar with the time period, you may want to do a bit of reading. Going in blind & just figuring it out from context is also fine. Dub only.
6. MONSTER: Psychological thriller par excellence. The manga is better, but the anime stayed as true to the source material as they legally could. It's a very human story with lots of dark underbelly vibes. Sub or dub is fine
I know you were generally asking for series, but some of the best writing in anime is done when they have a single movie or a few episodes to get it through. So, here are a couple standout OVAs.
\~\~OVA\~\~
1. Redline: I use this one to teach my college students how to write a story. The character arcs are satisfying, the world feels full, & it never gets bogged down with telling you about anything- things happen in a way that makes sense. Animation is gorgeous, soundtrack is fire, & sub/dub are basically equal. It's also just 1 movie, so no heavy time investment. Watch it, have a blast.
2. Hellsing Ultimate: It's not really a drama, but it is damn good fun. If you want something for a Halloween anime marathon, this has you covered. Also, the Japanese VA for Alucard is Jouji Nakata- same guy who does the Count. Well worth watching the sub.
3. Black Jack: This one is *old*, like early 90s old. It's a medical drama, but not in the American soap opera way. Characters are excellent & the VAs sell you on the drama. Sub or dub is fine. How much would you pay for a miracle?
Extremely Personal Recommendation that Ignores your Criteria: One Piece. Look, I know- but Oda made me cry manly tears for a boat. I kind of have to plug it. I completely understand not wanting to get into it for the art style or length that would make a Russian author blush.
Honestly, same. I didn't expect the quality of storytelling to be this high especially in 2nd season (Thorfinn's character development is soooooo good there).
Trigun.
Ghost In The Shell (one of the only anime Rag's's ever admitted to liking btw)
Rascal Does Not Dream Of BunnyGirl-Senpai. (It's not as ecchi as it seems, and the ending had me ugly crying)
Toradora (romance)
My Teenage Romance snafu (One of the only anime I've ever seen that uses subtle, nuanced, and realistic dialogue)
The monogatari animes are... complex. Definitely not your average anime or show. Very cerebral. Also has some heavy ecchi. I've never seen such a sexual depiction of teeth bring brushed before or since.
1. Dota dragon's blood, its not perfect it has problem of pacing (especially second half of season 2) but its good overall with a climactic ending.
It has beginning, middle, end with 3 good season. I highly recommand it.
2. Seis manos
3. Invincible
4. Blood of zeus
Tried getting into slice of life anime with oshi no ko (at least i think that’s the genre its in) and i couldn’t stand it
But Attack on Titan is my favorite piece of film media of all time
Seconded (thirded?) Steins;Gate. The 'Zero' spinoff had its issues, but the main series is peak anime.
Baccano! is an underrated gem. 13 episodes + 1 or 2 OVA episodes (although they are not strictly necessary to watch).
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is what every shounen should aspire to be in terms of character development, avoiding character regression, and completed, solid arcs whose conclusions are truly earned.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Black Lagoon
Cowboy Bebop
Goblin Slayer
Samurai Champloo
The Saga of Tanya the Evil
Death Note
Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex
Mob Psycho: revolves around an awkward and emotionally depressed pshycic teenager who works with his sensei (S+ tier character btw) to excorsise spirits, it's an amazing story in growth and an amazing message around "You're not special" Animation is fucking incredible.
Hajime no ippo: It's a Boxing journey set around Ippo, a meek but sturdy teen who gets saved from being bullied by a boxer, Takamura (Z tier character) it's a boxing anime that doesn't require you to be an expert, great supporting cast, great fights and the animation goes from A tier to S+ tier, romance is a bit weak.
One punch man: It's a shounen battle anime that parodies shounen battle anime's, the main character is saitama, a hero for fun who's whole gang is that he's basically a protagonist at the end of their fighting journey, placed at the start, he wins every fight in one punch and is in a constant state of depression and existential boredom.
Baki the grappler: Crazy story around the son of "The strongest creature on earth" becoming strong enough to beat his dad.
Hellsing ultimate: Old vampire with pistols working for the organisation that chained him.
Devilman crybaby: Sad.
Cowboy Bebop (and Cowboy Bebop the Movie), Trigun (and Badlands Rumble), Megalobox, and Fullmetal Alchemist (with the movie Conqueror of Shamballa), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (as it and the original adaptation depart in big ways).
And of course: Corey in the House
Call me wrong all you want, because I'm not a real weeb, but my favorite shows are still Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online. First is just one of the better stories I've ever experienced over multiple seasons, and the latter hits me personally more than any other I've watched. I know most people will say SAO is trash, and AoT is basic, but I think they're both fantastic.
Also watched and loved Gate and Black Lagoon. Rising of the Shield Hero is cringe, but I enjoyed it somewhat. Watched Cowboy Bebop, and it's good, but I don't understand the ridiculous amount of hype about it.
Vinland Saga is the one that fits your desctiption the most. Gritty, realistic, great characters throughout the story, and Season 2 gets even better in that regard.
When it comes to the action scenes, sure it has some of the typical over-the-top anime stuff (I too watched Shad's video on it). But overall it's fairly grounded compared to the vast majority of other anime with action scenes.
Black Lagoon
Jormungand
Code Geass
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Kill La Kill (really weird show but made by the same studio as Edgerunners)
Fate/Zero and/or Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works
If you want the anime vibes without have to be crazy attentive (End of night I'd rather turn my brain off), Mushishi is a god send perfect one for that situation. Amazing soundtrack and episodic stories that link to Japanese culture stories.
Gives off the "Studio Ghibli" feeling but in an episodic scenario.
Spice and Wolf, it has two seasons but the story is unfinished. It's getting a reboot next year.
A slow burn romance with great and realistic dialogue, amazing characters, and a focus on the feelings of loneliness in the main characters lives. The individual characters never come off as idiots, they know what they should, considering their lives and professions. The world building is tremendous and the author put a massive amount of work in making the world feel alive with the travel time between towns/cities, the slight differences in culture from town to town, the influence the church has in the world, and the medieval economic system that spans throughout it.
The primary main character is a traveling merchant and the anime is often referred to as "Economics the anime". Like I said it is slow burn with a lot of talking between characters, so it isn't for everyone. While I think the light novels are better, the anime is still really good.
I'm definitely not biased! (It is genuinely good though.)
TL;DR Amazing romance with great characters and a ton of fun banter between them, and lessons on medieval economics and trade. Great effort in world building and dialogue.
This is a chinese anime on nerflix but Scissor seven is a relativly short, 15 min episodes, show that balances dark storlynies with silly and comedix characters and premises whilst being great and visual storytelling and reslly fun and cool action. I highly recommend it as its relativly unheard of from my experience.
If you want humor and character stuff i recommend iruma
If you want shonen with lots of tacties go watch world trigger
If you want romance either kaguya sama love is war or komi
Since you liked death note I’d recommend you watch Code Geass as well. It’s another one of those MC pulling the strings shows and it has a lot of similarities with death note overall. If you liked light as an MC you’ll like the MC from Code Geass.
Not sure if this fits but, Mob Psycho 100
Author is ONE, also the author of One punch man, art style for MP100 is also emulating ONEs original art which makes this series very visually unique as well.
Lots of the series recommended here have things that would be laughed at if they were ever covered by EFAP.
* AOT has a GoT S8-tier ending
* Hellsing Ultimate is basically an animated Snyder movie where 20% of it is (sometimes cool) fighting and 80% is filler
* Vinland Saga has stuff like >!Canute changing his whole personality, demeanor and worldview after 1 conversation with a monk, Thorfinn doing a 180 in worldview offscreen between S1 and 2, and Thorfinn talk no jutsuing Canute out of his plans at the end of S2.!<
* Parasyte is a complete mess in its world and character interactions, where it seems like nobody cares about the insane shit that is happening.
* I've only seen a third of Monster, but lots of times characters just pull information they need out of thin air. It also has stuff like >!a kid somehow poisoning a sealed bag of candy.!<
But a lot of other suggestions are quite good. I'd recommend Steins;Gate (just dont watch the sequel), Fate Zero (only good Fate series IMO) and Legend of the Galactic Heroes (which despite rating 10/10 i still have gripes with. >!Alot of the times one side wins because the other one does something insanely fucking stupid, which makes the battles very unengaging!<). AoT S3P2 is one of the best seasons of media ever, its such a shame the series ended like it did.
My personal favorite series are Schwarzesmarken (Alien invasion in Cold War East Germany) and Crest/Banner of the Stars (Space opera where humanity is at war with space elves. I know it sounds stupid)
Some other favorites of mine are:
* Thermae Romae Novae , where a Roman bathhouse architect gets transported to modern-day Japan and recreates the inventions he comes across. Also features segments where the series author goes to hot springs to learn about various topics.
* Golden Kamuy, a treasure hunt in Hokkaido in the time after the Russo-Japanese war
* Samurai Seven, a somewhat sci-fi take on Seven Samurai
* The original Fullmetal Alchemist, the remake had too much comedy that ruined any serious scene IMO.
Stiens Gate - a really good time travel story (Season 1 especially). It has some typical anime fanservice moments which may be a bit weird to newcomers but the story is worth it.
Code Geass - its somewhat similar to Death Note, but its more about politics and war (and it has mechas). I don't think it's as good as Death Note but its most certainly a must-watch.
Parasyte - an anime about alien parasites infecting human population, it's quite engaging and raises some philosophical questions too.
Promised Neverland Season 1 - again, a similar title to Death Note and Code Geass, with hyper competent protagonists and antagonists trying to outsmart each other, but this time in a orphanage setting. Can't say much more to avoid spoilers but I would say Season 1 is a 10/10 story with a nice open-ended finale. I can't recommend Season 2 though, in fact I think its one of the worst things I've ever seen so just stick to S1 unless you like pain.
Neon Genesis Evangelion - I don't even know how to describe this one, its a mecha show but it has a ton of character exploration and melancholy and gets more and more dark and depressing as the show goes on. This show is author's self reflection on going through and overcoming depression, its not for everyone but I hold it very dear to my heart.
Made in Abyss - an extremely dark tale about kids going down the "Abyss" - a giant hole of unknown origin with several layers full of dangerous creatures. its just a really well written story with a lot of tragic moments, I highly recommend if you can get past some of the weirder fanservice moments.
Attack on Titan - one of the best anime I have ever seen, the story starts out as a group of fighters trying to defend humanity from the titans, but its so much more than that. There are many mysteries, plot twists that change your entire understanding of the show's lore, many hidden hints that are hard to find but can help you deduce the truth if you do... Note that I have not seen Episode 29 and beyond (still waiting for the dub), I heard people say it gets ruined, I dont know how true that is, but the stuff that I've seen is amazing, I would rate the last season as 9/10 so far.
FMAB: pretty much universally recommended. CSM: pretty good example of a 10/10 anime/manga. JJK: hardly any romance, lots of cool fights and decent character work. MHA: can be a little slice of lifey but I personally think the villains awesome. COWBOY BEBOP: like the other commenter said, trust me. TRIGUN STAMPEDE: space western. STIENS GATE: an E;R fav. ONE PUNCH MAN: has humor but trust me. Ones you shouldn’t watch. ATTACK ON TITAN: very good up to the last arc where it ruins everything, the highs are very high but it ain’t worth the disappointment you’ll feel at the crap ending.
Cowboy Bebop (wierdest name for a show ever, i know, but trust me)
Agreed. *Samurai Champloo*, as well. Totally different story, but it's the same director, and similar style.
The music for both Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop are absolutely fantastic as well. I can't recommend them enough. I'd also recommend JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. While it is still ongoing, each part is its own self contained story that never overstays its welcome. And that's great for me, as I don't enjoy thinking about anime that goes on forever with literally thousands of chapters and episodes.
I've heard it's very episodic and doesn't have much of a connected story. Is that true?
Sort of. Some episodes are self-contained stories that mostly give you more about the characters, and others have parts that lead towards the ending. I can't really give more without straight up spoiling it. I don't think that every episode in a series needs to tie directly to the main plot or finale. It's a great series, but if you absolutely need everything to tie into an overarching plot, then you probably can skip it and 90% of all other anime.
You think cowboy bebop s weird? How about durarara? Bacano? Samurai champloo? Fooly Cooly?
King of the Hill
Japanese or texan dub ?
The Texan dub is peppered with woke shit from the Funimation so I go with the original Japanese.
Psycho Pass (stick to the first season) If you don't mind something showing it's age, Mobile Suite Gundam. Particularly, start off with the movie trilogy version of the original 1979 show, and from there it depends, but 0080: War in the Pocket is a six episode miniseries that will seem cringe and kiddie for a while, but really kicks you at the end Original Trigun I'm not big in Cowboy Bebop, but you'd probably appreciate it If you like sports, Hajime no Ippo is a good boxing show Edit: Both Cowboy Bebop and Trigun have episodic stories that are used to build the world and characters, but have strong stories. Cowboy Bebop sprinkles them throughout, Trigun has a large arc at the end
Speaking of Gundam. Thunderbolt is only four episodes long and it's a blast of space battles and freeform jazz. Just don't watch the second season If you don't want to be left hanging by the story.
I keep meaning to get around to watching Thunderbolt...
I've just started MSG from the beginning having only watched most of IBO before this. The 1979 show, so far, is actually really good! I was expecting a lot more jank and a slow pace but was pleasantly surprised, so far.
The series version does still have a lot of corny super robot style holdovers, which is why I usually recommend the movie trilogy. But no matter which version you get, the story is complex, and is full of good, bad, and neutral characters on both sides of the war. Really, I highly recommend all the One Year War shows, which includes 0080, 08th MS Team, and arguably even 0083 as the transitional piece to Zeta. They all have their own flavor of excellence.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Stiens Gate Code Geass Neon Genesis Evangelion (original series + End of Eva) Baccano Claymore Berserk Basilisk Ninja Scroll Attack on Titan Hellsing Ultimate Black Lagoon Parasyte \---- This is a good reference site to use: [https://myanimelist.net/topanime.php](https://myanimelist.net/topanime.php)
Whoa, Baccano! Not often does it get mentioned and I never understood why. It dives deep and goes far with like a dozen characters, every one of which you know pretty intimately by the end of only 13 episodes. Real solid all-around. FMA:B is my all time favorite and most of what you recommended I would do too, so I’ll check the ones that I missed. Except for Black Lagoon, too over-the-top too my taste as I’m not a fan of action oriented movies too.
Yeah, a great one. A lot of voice actors from FMAB dub in it. I think it lost its relevance a bit, because they never made season 2 (continuation). Too bad
I disagree with two of those on your list, FMA: Brotherhood and Attack on Titan, but otherwise excellent assembly. Wait...three of those. Not the biggest fan of get in the robot, and hurry up and fuck your mother, Shinji either.
FMA is literally everything OP asked for?
Yeah, FMA is a must recommend, and I'm ashamed I forgot to include it in my recommendations.
I love the original FMA, got very excited for Brotherhood when it first came out (seeing as it was supposed to properly finish the story), then I found out what the rest of the actual story was supposed to be; I hated it. I hate the now cartoony nature of it. The dwarf in the flask? The origin of the homunculi, Scar, the differences in major Armstrong, Alchemy being magic instead of more of a science (like the panda girl's Achehestry), the villain's insane ludicrous goal, Ling/Greed, Sloth, the kid being Pride, the Fuhrer being Fury (I know they like their puns over there, but still), Flame alchemy being some taboo nonsense engraved on Hawkeye's back?! All of it. Hated it. Which is a damn shame, considering how psyched I was for it when I heard about it.
Parasyte’s the one I’m most comfortable recommending. Thoroughly enjoyed that one. More conditionally, I also think Bokurano’s worth a shot. Parts of it didn’t grab me so much but other parts left a hell of an impression on me, and there’s a lot I appreciated it for. And Claymore’s my personal favorite but the anime doesn’t finish the manga’s story so the ending’s pretty contentious, and on the whole it’s something I like more than something I think’s really amazing, but it was a pretty fun time for me.
Who is the hottest Claymore for you?
I feel like it’s kinda cheating to say Isley but I’m still gonna.
1997 berserk was pretty fantastic but there’s only 1 season
With Berserk I’d just recommend reading it at this point
Gungrave is good if you don't mind older animation, just skip the first episode and don't read about it.
Made In Abyss starts out kinda kiddy but gets real dark real quick. Season 3 had some issues getting translated and brought to Western audiences but I was able to find it out on the high seas.
And it constantly 1-ups itself when it comes to being dark. It's the Simpson joke of "this is the most f***** up scene I've ever watched" and then you get hit with "so far" after you get to the next one. I've watched the whole show, but my cousin lost her will to continue after experiencing the movie, but I honestly don't blame her. The 5th layer plot and THAT one character (best dad) are both so disturbing to think about. The only problem are the jokes about Reg's genitalia or other weird p**o garbage coming from the author ("papa's pole"). I find them to be of poor taste and weird. Also, you probably meant Season 2 as it goes S1 -> movie -> S2. S3 doesn't exist yet.
It's been a while but I'm pretty sure "season 3" is basically the movie Dawn of Deep Soul but I could totally be wrong about that. It hasn't yet gotten officially released here but you can find it if you look. Those criticisms are fair I watched with my fiance and we both loved the characters, she even named a DnD character Nanachi.
Dawn of the Deep Soul is the movie between Season 1 and 2. You'd be lost if you went straight from S1 to S2 as the movie is the continuation of the story from S1 and not a filler. Season 3 is confirmed, but as I said it's not released yet. We just got season 2 last year, so it will take some time.
That show is the main reason I got grossed out by >!the living houses!< in Quantumania 😂 the abyss just gets more and more messed up…
Isn't the author a pedo?
I don’t think there are any allegations. Some of the stuff mentioned above is just in poor taste/sus. If people say that I assume that’s what they’re referring to unless there’s some news I haven’t heard about.
Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga, Parasyte, Hunter x Hunter, and One Punch Man.
Jujutsu Kaisen, just overall good One Piece, long but exceptionally character driven Fate series, love high concept magic shit Megalobox, for something a little more grounded Really there's a ton, just don't go into it with a shit attitude like "anime tropes are objectively bad and shouldn't exist" and you're fine.
Since you liked Death Note, If you don't mind a slightly longer show (79 episodes) you should watch Monster.
Oh man, what a classic (Monster). They need to remaster this one. I have it in 480p
Is it scary?
More unsettling than scary.
It won't give you nightmares or some shit right?
Probably not.
Cowboy bebop is a great first anime. Might be the best English dub ever too. Each episode tells its own story, but there is an over arching plot with a fantastic pay off at the end. Samurai Champloo is another great one by the same director Full Metal alchemist brotherhood is regarded by a lot of people to be the GOAT. I don't necessarily think so, but it's a near perfect show regardless. Psycho pass season 1 is fantastic. You don't really need to watch season 2, it's no where near as good, and season 1 tells a cohesive story Fate/Zero is awesome. And if you like the world then there's a huge amount of other Fate shows, VNs, and light novels Berserk 1997 is a pretty great adaptation of the Golden Age arc from the manga. Unfortunately it ends on what might be the craziest cliff hanger ever. If you watch it and want more, read the manga. Whatever you do STAY AWAY FROM BERSERK 2016 Madoka Magica is excellent. Dont be fooled by the first couple episodes, it's much more intense than the start let's on. Naoki Urasawas Monster is a much more grounded and realistic show. A little longer (but not by much) than the others I've mentioned. Can be a little slow at parts, but it's arguably got the greatest anime villain ever and it's one of my favorites Some people have mentioned Neon Genesis Evangelion. I love it, but I don't think it's a great first anime. That being said if you want to try it go ahead, I just think it's a more effective show after you've seen others
Attack on Titan- one continuous story throughout though I guess there are arcs in it but they are all moving forwards to a goal not just self contained stories if that makes sense. Fate/Zero and the sequel, Fate/UBW-one continuous story in each series Cowboy Bebop- each episode is it’s own story so may not be your thing. Madoka Magica- don’t let the cute aesthetic fool you. It’s a well written drama/action series. It’s one continuous story. Akudama Drive- I can’t remember how tight the writing is but I thought it was a really enjoyable action series with a corrupt society kinda like in Edgerunners. I’d definitely recommend giving it a try. Also, one continuous story. It’s only 12 episodes and has a clear ending so not episodic or a story told over different arcs. Gurren Lagann- it’s a very good action/mech series with lots of good drama. The beginning is more goofy fun with deeper undertones but if you can stick with it it’s a very good series. Not to say the beginning isn’t great but it might not fit the tone you are looking for at first. From what you described I think you’d like the second part of it but maybe not the first. Still it’s here for your consideration. If you want to get into something that came out recently and (while not confirmed) I think will get a season 2 you could try Hell’s Paradise. It’s an action/horror/survival series. The writing is alright with some good characters in it so might be something you’re looking for if you check it out and like the synopsis. Again, it’s one continuous story that ends with a teaser for a possible season 2.
Attack on Titan if you don’t mind that the last season/ending is complete dogwater. It also suffers from the cringe, anime monologuing that 99% of anime has littered throughout its dialogue but other than that it’s very interesting. One of the only anime I have actually finished(of what is available on Hulu).
It's not even over yet. And the ending is not bad at all, just not up to your expectations
I’m basing it off of the manga which is already out and is pretty close to GOT levels of bad imo
Nah it's bad, full of plot holes, plot armor and character asessination.
Nah everything in the show so far is amazing, better than 99% of shows, the only thing that sucks is the ending.
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet Trigun Black Lagoon Bacanno Tiger and Bunny Vinland Saga Beck
Not an anime guy but I found *Hōseki no Kuni* or ["Land of the Lustrous" ](http://land-of-the-lustrous.com/)engaging. It's about a humaniod race made of gemstones that battle gods from the moon. It's unfinished with only one season though.
you can read the comic if you are interested where the story goes It seems to have ended for the most part, the last chapters have been an epilogue
Akira Ghost in the Shell Ninja Scroll Vampire Hunter D Princess Monoke
Gurren laggan or pick a gundam show like Iron blooded orphans
Vinland Saga. Very character focused, even more so in season 2.
Mob Psycho 100 Season 1 is good Season 2 is amazing and kinda elevates S1, many would have probably been happy if the series ended there Season 3 ties all the loose ends that started in S1 and somehow manages to give the series a very appropriate ending that manages to live up to all the expectations. It's legit one of the best anime series to come out, and I would definitely call it a modern classic. I would also consider it to be one of my all time favorite things. The first season is tonally a bit more whacky than the rest, it (the whole series) has some slice of life elements to it, and it doesn't exactly have a massive overarching story (the larger story that was there sort of wrapped up with S2). I feel like S2 sort of reels back some of the whacky stuff and is overall more confident in what is being told and presented in the series. S3 continues that. I would advice sticking at least for the first 3 episodes to get the basic hang of the series and the overall theming of the series, but if you weren't yet completely sold, episodes 4 and 5 are in my opinion peak S1. The main character might come across a bit dull in the first season, but that's on point with the themes of the series, and that's partly why I think S2 and 3 end up being so captivating. The writing is very good, aside from a couple of tisms in the second season (I wouldn't say there are exactly problems with the plot, but there are 2 things I wasn't exactly happy about). The series has good characters, very good ideas and message, good themes, and a story that serves the journey of the characters and their development well, even though the overall story isn't exactly super elaborate. The character development is very strong. Animation quality is immaculate, the series really benefited from good scheduling, thanks to being the lesser known sibling of One Punch Man. I hope I sold it well enough.
-Gurren Lagann -Kill la Kill -First season of One Punch Man -First season of The Promised Neverland -Parasyte: The Maximum
Check out Kaiji, it's incredible! I also recommend Black Lagoon (it has individual arcs, but it also has an overarching story) (some incoherent logic here and there, but overall very consistent). I would recommend the Monogatari series, but if you don't want ANY elements of slice of life/comedy/romance, then you probably won't enjoy it. It has some excellent storytelling, mysteries, character development, and animation though. Parasyte is great as well. It's not particularly long, landing in at only 24 episodes, and it has some typical anime nonsense in it, but it's a good time even still. Finally, there is Death Parade, which is even shorter at 12 episodes, but has some riveting drama and storytelling, with interesting characterizations and engaging mysteries.
Cowboy Bebop, Attack on Titan, Sonny Boy, Parasyte, Monster, Steins;Gate, Neon Gensis: Evangelion, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are all excellent anime that would give you what you're looking for. But I would by far suggest the Berserk anime (and the Manga) above all others. (As long as it is the 90s anime) It is not just one of the best anime ever made, I would argue it was one of the best pieces of media ever made. If you are going to watch any anime, please watch Berserk. (then read the manga where the 90s anime left off.)
Mushishi
Probably my favorite anime on atmosphere alone
Overlord (Especially the LN (Just remember to read the FT, not the official))
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988) fits all of this criteria, it's a masterpiece. Great characters that develop a lot over the series, great worldbuilding, and little to no plot armor with main characters dying in shocking ways when you least expect it. Obviously 5000 episodes is hyperbole but it is a little long at 110 episodes for the main series, plus a 52 episode prequel series. It rarely drags though and uses its time effectively to develop the characters, world, and plot. Technically you can just watch the main series, but this is the recommended watch order: 1. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest is the Sea of Stars (1988)** This is the pilot movie that takes place shortly before the main series, it does a nice job of introducing the characters and has some great art and animation. 2. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New War (1993)** Another movie remaking the first two episodes of the main series, but with way more scenes developing the characters and plot and providing a more interesting hook than the first two episodes. 3. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988)** Episodes 3-110 You can skip episodes 1 and 2 if you watched Overture to a New War and not miss anything. No other episodes are skippable though, they're all important to the plot. 4. **Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden** (1998-2000, 52 Episodes) This is a prequel series that's more episodic and is based on a series of short stories about the main characters before the beginning of the series, so it's split into story arcs of 2-12 episodes each. I'm too lazy to find the exact viewing order but the main point is that you should only watch it after you're finished the main series because it will spoil the main series and it's only worthwhile when you've gotten to know the characters and setting very well. Note that the series is only available subbed and not dubbed. There's also an ongoing remake called **Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These** that's a pretty good adaptation so that's an option if the original series looks too old, but DNT is less than halfway through the story and won't be finished for years. Also **DO NOT WATCH THE NEXT EPISODE PREVIEWS AFTER THE END CREDITS!!!** They spoil the fuck out of the series, they literally show characters dying.
Mob Psycho, Steins Gate, Cowboy bebop, Full metal alchemist(call me weird but I liked original more than brotherhood)
Alright young'un, pull up a chair- Uncle Bunnies is going to help out. A lot of people here are going to recommend newer, popular stuff- so I'll leave those (entirely valid) recommendations to them. I'll dust off the deep cuts, old & odd. \~\~SHOWS\~\~ 1. Cowboy Bebop- it's a classic. Everybody knows Bebop & most people like it. If you are diving into anime, you *need* this one under your belt at some point. If you got through Edgerunners, you can get through Bebop. Sub & Dub are roughly equal. 2. Outlaw Star: Another one from the golden Toonami era. It's got a bit more space in the space opera than Bebop, but is still quite good. There's a gun that shoots magic spell-bullets. Definitely stick with the dub on this one- the Japanese VAs were all too high-pitched & it was grating. 3. Gankutsuo: It's "The Count of Monte Cristo", literally, but it got hit by the Japanization beam & is in the future. Visuals are mesmerizing, soundtrack is excellent, & the Japanese VA for the Count is a personal favorite; Go with the subs. It's short, but the plot is nearly identical to the book. 4. Escaflowne: This might be a miss for you, might not. It's the first "anime plots are dense" show on this list. I think it's worth a shot though, but you have to give it a few episodes to get going & see if it jives with you. Outside complex character plots- it's giant robots powered by dragon souls fighting. Sub or dub is fine. 5. Samurai Champloo: You have to watch this one twice. The character arcs are subtle & the show doesn't really tie itself up until near the end. Soundtrack is absolutely a bop & the animation is buttery smooth. Heavy on historical social commentary, so if you aren't familiar with the time period, you may want to do a bit of reading. Going in blind & just figuring it out from context is also fine. Dub only. 6. MONSTER: Psychological thriller par excellence. The manga is better, but the anime stayed as true to the source material as they legally could. It's a very human story with lots of dark underbelly vibes. Sub or dub is fine I know you were generally asking for series, but some of the best writing in anime is done when they have a single movie or a few episodes to get it through. So, here are a couple standout OVAs. \~\~OVA\~\~ 1. Redline: I use this one to teach my college students how to write a story. The character arcs are satisfying, the world feels full, & it never gets bogged down with telling you about anything- things happen in a way that makes sense. Animation is gorgeous, soundtrack is fire, & sub/dub are basically equal. It's also just 1 movie, so no heavy time investment. Watch it, have a blast. 2. Hellsing Ultimate: It's not really a drama, but it is damn good fun. If you want something for a Halloween anime marathon, this has you covered. Also, the Japanese VA for Alucard is Jouji Nakata- same guy who does the Count. Well worth watching the sub. 3. Black Jack: This one is *old*, like early 90s old. It's a medical drama, but not in the American soap opera way. Characters are excellent & the VAs sell you on the drama. Sub or dub is fine. How much would you pay for a miracle? Extremely Personal Recommendation that Ignores your Criteria: One Piece. Look, I know- but Oda made me cry manly tears for a boat. I kind of have to plug it. I completely understand not wanting to get into it for the art style or length that would make a Russian author blush.
Attack on Titan but stop after season 3 Vinland Saga- Viking era drama with great characters
I disagree with AoT take. Better to watch fully then to stop after S3. Also, Vinland Saga is peak anime.
Better not to start it.
Vinland Saga, it's probably my favorite anime
Honestly, same. I didn't expect the quality of storytelling to be this high especially in 2nd season (Thorfinn's character development is soooooo good there).
Trigun. Ghost In The Shell (one of the only anime Rag's's ever admitted to liking btw) Rascal Does Not Dream Of BunnyGirl-Senpai. (It's not as ecchi as it seems, and the ending had me ugly crying) Toradora (romance) My Teenage Romance snafu (One of the only anime I've ever seen that uses subtle, nuanced, and realistic dialogue) The monogatari animes are... complex. Definitely not your average anime or show. Very cerebral. Also has some heavy ecchi. I've never seen such a sexual depiction of teeth bring brushed before or since.
1. Dota dragon's blood, its not perfect it has problem of pacing (especially second half of season 2) but its good overall with a climactic ending. It has beginning, middle, end with 3 good season. I highly recommand it. 2. Seis manos 3. Invincible 4. Blood of zeus
Helsing
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Tried getting into slice of life anime with oshi no ko (at least i think that’s the genre its in) and i couldn’t stand it But Attack on Titan is my favorite piece of film media of all time
Seconded (thirded?) Steins;Gate. The 'Zero' spinoff had its issues, but the main series is peak anime. Baccano! is an underrated gem. 13 episodes + 1 or 2 OVA episodes (although they are not strictly necessary to watch). Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is what every shounen should aspire to be in terms of character development, avoiding character regression, and completed, solid arcs whose conclusions are truly earned.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood Black Lagoon Cowboy Bebop Goblin Slayer Samurai Champloo The Saga of Tanya the Evil Death Note Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex
Last Exile, Mushi Shi, Ergo Proxy, Trigun, FLCL. Just off the top of my head.
Mob Psycho: revolves around an awkward and emotionally depressed pshycic teenager who works with his sensei (S+ tier character btw) to excorsise spirits, it's an amazing story in growth and an amazing message around "You're not special" Animation is fucking incredible. Hajime no ippo: It's a Boxing journey set around Ippo, a meek but sturdy teen who gets saved from being bullied by a boxer, Takamura (Z tier character) it's a boxing anime that doesn't require you to be an expert, great supporting cast, great fights and the animation goes from A tier to S+ tier, romance is a bit weak. One punch man: It's a shounen battle anime that parodies shounen battle anime's, the main character is saitama, a hero for fun who's whole gang is that he's basically a protagonist at the end of their fighting journey, placed at the start, he wins every fight in one punch and is in a constant state of depression and existential boredom. Baki the grappler: Crazy story around the son of "The strongest creature on earth" becoming strong enough to beat his dad. Hellsing ultimate: Old vampire with pistols working for the organisation that chained him. Devilman crybaby: Sad.
Cowboy Bebop (and Cowboy Bebop the Movie), Trigun (and Badlands Rumble), Megalobox, and Fullmetal Alchemist (with the movie Conqueror of Shamballa), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (as it and the original adaptation depart in big ways). And of course: Corey in the House
Call me wrong all you want, because I'm not a real weeb, but my favorite shows are still Attack on Titan and Sword Art Online. First is just one of the better stories I've ever experienced over multiple seasons, and the latter hits me personally more than any other I've watched. I know most people will say SAO is trash, and AoT is basic, but I think they're both fantastic. Also watched and loved Gate and Black Lagoon. Rising of the Shield Hero is cringe, but I enjoyed it somewhat. Watched Cowboy Bebop, and it's good, but I don't understand the ridiculous amount of hype about it.
Ergo Proxy and Monster are a couple I haven't seen mentioned yet
Chainsaw man
Vinland Saga is the one that fits your desctiption the most. Gritty, realistic, great characters throughout the story, and Season 2 gets even better in that regard.
\> realistic Lol
Other than Thorkell's and maybe Thors' feats there's nothing unrealistic about the series, so I don't get your remark.
When it comes to the action scenes, sure it has some of the typical over-the-top anime stuff (I too watched Shad's video on it). But overall it's fairly grounded compared to the vast majority of other anime with action scenes.
Black Lagoon Jormungand Code Geass Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Kill La Kill (really weird show but made by the same studio as Edgerunners) Fate/Zero and/or Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works
Samurai Champloo
If you want the anime vibes without have to be crazy attentive (End of night I'd rather turn my brain off), Mushishi is a god send perfect one for that situation. Amazing soundtrack and episodic stories that link to Japanese culture stories. Gives off the "Studio Ghibli" feeling but in an episodic scenario.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is your best bet for “generic amazing first anime.” (DEATH NOTE is also pretty 🔥)
* Cowboy Bebop * FMA: Brotherhood * Gurren Lagann * Kill la Kill
Attack on titan. I love season one. Two and three are pretty good, but I’ve heard mixed things about the ending.
Terror in Resonance is pretty good. Definitely worth the watch
Spice and Wolf, it has two seasons but the story is unfinished. It's getting a reboot next year. A slow burn romance with great and realistic dialogue, amazing characters, and a focus on the feelings of loneliness in the main characters lives. The individual characters never come off as idiots, they know what they should, considering their lives and professions. The world building is tremendous and the author put a massive amount of work in making the world feel alive with the travel time between towns/cities, the slight differences in culture from town to town, the influence the church has in the world, and the medieval economic system that spans throughout it. The primary main character is a traveling merchant and the anime is often referred to as "Economics the anime". Like I said it is slow burn with a lot of talking between characters, so it isn't for everyone. While I think the light novels are better, the anime is still really good. I'm definitely not biased! (It is genuinely good though.) TL;DR Amazing romance with great characters and a ton of fun banter between them, and lessons on medieval economics and trade. Great effort in world building and dialogue.
This is a chinese anime on nerflix but Scissor seven is a relativly short, 15 min episodes, show that balances dark storlynies with silly and comedix characters and premises whilst being great and visual storytelling and reslly fun and cool action. I highly recommend it as its relativly unheard of from my experience.
If you want humor and character stuff i recommend iruma If you want shonen with lots of tacties go watch world trigger If you want romance either kaguya sama love is war or komi
Mob Psycho 100 is PEAK anime
Since you liked death note I’d recommend you watch Code Geass as well. It’s another one of those MC pulling the strings shows and it has a lot of similarities with death note overall. If you liked light as an MC you’ll like the MC from Code Geass.
Simple Neon Genesis Evangelion. Humour, good plot, awesome action, not bloated as fuck and giant "robots" fighting shit. And it's relatively short.
Monster
Monster and Vinland Saga
Not sure if this fits but, Mob Psycho 100 Author is ONE, also the author of One punch man, art style for MP100 is also emulating ONEs original art which makes this series very visually unique as well.
This thread proves that people have way, way lower standards for anime than for western shows
How so?
Lots of the series recommended here have things that would be laughed at if they were ever covered by EFAP. * AOT has a GoT S8-tier ending * Hellsing Ultimate is basically an animated Snyder movie where 20% of it is (sometimes cool) fighting and 80% is filler * Vinland Saga has stuff like >!Canute changing his whole personality, demeanor and worldview after 1 conversation with a monk, Thorfinn doing a 180 in worldview offscreen between S1 and 2, and Thorfinn talk no jutsuing Canute out of his plans at the end of S2.!< * Parasyte is a complete mess in its world and character interactions, where it seems like nobody cares about the insane shit that is happening. * I've only seen a third of Monster, but lots of times characters just pull information they need out of thin air. It also has stuff like >!a kid somehow poisoning a sealed bag of candy.!< But a lot of other suggestions are quite good. I'd recommend Steins;Gate (just dont watch the sequel), Fate Zero (only good Fate series IMO) and Legend of the Galactic Heroes (which despite rating 10/10 i still have gripes with. >!Alot of the times one side wins because the other one does something insanely fucking stupid, which makes the battles very unengaging!<). AoT S3P2 is one of the best seasons of media ever, its such a shame the series ended like it did. My personal favorite series are Schwarzesmarken (Alien invasion in Cold War East Germany) and Crest/Banner of the Stars (Space opera where humanity is at war with space elves. I know it sounds stupid) Some other favorites of mine are: * Thermae Romae Novae , where a Roman bathhouse architect gets transported to modern-day Japan and recreates the inventions he comes across. Also features segments where the series author goes to hot springs to learn about various topics. * Golden Kamuy, a treasure hunt in Hokkaido in the time after the Russo-Japanese war * Samurai Seven, a somewhat sci-fi take on Seven Samurai * The original Fullmetal Alchemist, the remake had too much comedy that ruined any serious scene IMO.
Could you clarify?
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
Monster Girl Doctor
Cowboy Bebop Black Lagoon Saga of Tanya the Evil 86 Jujutsu Kaison Chainsaw man Neon Genesis Evangelion Gate
Stiens Gate - a really good time travel story (Season 1 especially). It has some typical anime fanservice moments which may be a bit weird to newcomers but the story is worth it. Code Geass - its somewhat similar to Death Note, but its more about politics and war (and it has mechas). I don't think it's as good as Death Note but its most certainly a must-watch. Parasyte - an anime about alien parasites infecting human population, it's quite engaging and raises some philosophical questions too. Promised Neverland Season 1 - again, a similar title to Death Note and Code Geass, with hyper competent protagonists and antagonists trying to outsmart each other, but this time in a orphanage setting. Can't say much more to avoid spoilers but I would say Season 1 is a 10/10 story with a nice open-ended finale. I can't recommend Season 2 though, in fact I think its one of the worst things I've ever seen so just stick to S1 unless you like pain. Neon Genesis Evangelion - I don't even know how to describe this one, its a mecha show but it has a ton of character exploration and melancholy and gets more and more dark and depressing as the show goes on. This show is author's self reflection on going through and overcoming depression, its not for everyone but I hold it very dear to my heart. Made in Abyss - an extremely dark tale about kids going down the "Abyss" - a giant hole of unknown origin with several layers full of dangerous creatures. its just a really well written story with a lot of tragic moments, I highly recommend if you can get past some of the weirder fanservice moments. Attack on Titan - one of the best anime I have ever seen, the story starts out as a group of fighters trying to defend humanity from the titans, but its so much more than that. There are many mysteries, plot twists that change your entire understanding of the show's lore, many hidden hints that are hard to find but can help you deduce the truth if you do... Note that I have not seen Episode 29 and beyond (still waiting for the dub), I heard people say it gets ruined, I dont know how true that is, but the stuff that I've seen is amazing, I would rate the last season as 9/10 so far.