Was going to risk a warning for a "Low Content" post and post "THIS!", but I've got more to say.
I totally forgot about this one because I don't own it... thanks to Amazon offering a pre-order of the entire series on BluRay then cancelling it! Argh. But it's awesome, totally worth it.
Had a few other thoughts as well:
Movies:
1) Tokyo Godfathers. Hilarious and touching comedy about three homeless folks who find a baby in the winter, and try to find the parents.
2) Perfect Blue. This could probably be done live action just as well as in an anime. If Alfred Hitchcok did Anime, he'd do something like Perfect Blue.
3) Grave of the Fireflies. Probably couldn't be done live action just as well as an anime because the audience couldn't stop crying. (watch it, you'll see what I mean)
Series:
1) Noein. Intrigued me because it has a lead who is a teenage girl... but the teenage girl isn't a ditz.
2) Serial Experiment: LAIN. I've been meaning to rewatch it for years, though it's a bit dated in the internet culture of the early to mid 90's so it might be a bit painful to watch in the Twitter Era.
It's a pretty decent dub...though in fairness I probably rank it a bit higher simply because I find it more natural for the mostly German cast to know English rather than Japanese, so there's that
Attack on Titan - I haven't caught up with it yet (the first series is still running), but I think it will suit what you are looking for. One hundred years ago humanity was brought to the point of extinction by giant humanoids known as titans. In order to survive they built a giant city consisting of three walls and for a hundred years they have known peace while inside. The series begins when that peace is shattered.
Again, for the most part it is straight faced and serious, but it does have the occasional humorous sections.
Dragonbums said:
Attack on Titan is pretty good too.
I know the fanbase is pretty annoying, but like Death Note, it's warranted.
I think a fair number of people are complaining that the show is showing its shonen roots now, even though it was always supposed to be simply a darker shonen series.
That said, there have been some plot twists that are meh-ish.
To be honest that sounds like fan expectations being the problem more than anything else. As somebody who picks anime on the basis of "That looks/sounds cool" rather than going by genre or types, I didn't really have any expectation of what it "should" be like.
I am interested in how far people have gotten with the manga though, and how far the anime is through them. I keep coming across people mentioning things that haven't happened in the anime yet, so I can only assume they are readers of the manga. In the UK only the first five have been released so far, with the next six scattered over the upcoming months.
I applaud your way of choosing what anime to pick. Disregarding a show on the basis of it's genre/premise is pretty much blasphemy to me. With the hype Attack on Titan has gotten till this point, I'm not surprised if people started hating on it because of the direction it's going.
"If you hype it up so much, don't come crying when it doesn't reach your expectation" - Is what I always say. xP
As for how far the anime is going through with the manga, I would say nearly halfway. I would assume the manga readers are pretty much up to date with the manga side of things since the material is readable online.
well I've seen a lot of the things that I was going to suggest already mentioned all except for two of them
Beck: Mongolian chop squad is a coming of age story that is also about creating a rock band. it has a great dub, fantastic music, interesting characters though because it is quite realistic has a few slow parts. you can also watch it for free legally on Hulu if you live in the US.
Paranoia agent is a dark mind-f*** that can be a little confusing unless you keep in mind that what you're seeing is always what the character that is being focused on is seeing and that many of the characters are not fully sane. it's kind of short with a good dub, good animation and a great story but is out of print and can be hard to find.
oh and though I'd consider it more juvenile-mature than actual Mature though it has it's moments is the comedy GTO: great teacher Onizuka about a delinquent trying to be the world's greatest teacher by teaching his students how to be good and happy people over buckling down and though there is a little slap stick there's never anything that couldn't be done in live action (as they have made a live action version) the animation is a little dated and the dub is solidly in so bad it's good territory. it should be a good balance to all the darker stuff.
Go ahead and watch Evangelion. Parts will likely annoy you, but it's a classic, and most of the weirdness and fanservice is plot relevant. People ***** because the ending was confusing, but it really wasn't that bad. Yeesh. Just make sure you have "End of Evangelion" on hand (and I'd actually recommend watching episodes 1-24, then End of Eva, then 25 and 26. It makes more sense in that direction, particularly considering that episodes 25 and 26 have flashbacks to events that happen in End of Eva but not in the series itself). (I've always liked the Eva dub better, personally. Spike Spencer is my ultimate Shinji).
And then watch the remake movies. In many ways, they are far superior to the original TV series.
Eva aside....
Elfen Lied is worth watching, but it is very... bipolar. It is a dark sci-fi story that is intermingled with a comedic dorm anime (ala Love Hina). It's done for contrast, to make the dark/brutal stuff stand out more when compared to the funny cutesy stuff. It's a very effective technique, but the extreme tone changes can be off-putting. (the dub is fine, although a few characters sound like they huff helium to get high)
As to other things you might like....
Noir. It is an anime about two female assassins. It has practically no fanservice, and absolutely no silly stuff. These two women go on missions and murder people. It is a very sedate series with excellent music and atmosphere. I can't recommend it highly enough. (And the dub is fine - can be watched either way).
Several people have recommend Puella Magi Madoka Magica. I would agree that it is an excellent anime and that you should watch it. However, be warned that you need to get through the first three episodes first. Madoka has a rather slow start. Just get through the first three and you should be okay. (I've only seen clips of the dub, but it sounds okay to me. I watched it subbed.)
Serial Experiments Lain is also damn good. (SUB only! Dub is awful.)
I'll throw two more in: Claymore and Fate Zero. While I'm the first to admit that Claymore is better in the manga, the anime is pretty good too (and if you like the anime, you can check out the manga). (I seem to recall that the Claymore dub is okay. I've only seen Fate Zero subbed).
I've never been big on anime, but I recently decided to give it another shot.
The thing is I have quite a low tolerance for "weird shit" (for lack of a better term), which makes it hard to find anime that doesn't get on my nerves after a while.
I was just wondering if you guys had any recommendations for "serious" anime (also for lack of a better term) that manages to avoid common anime tropes like gratuitous fan service and seemingly schizophrenic characters.
Here's what I've tried already, and what I thought about it:
Fullmetal Alchemist - I liked it, though it was a while ago so I don't recall a whole lot. Nothing irritating really comes to mind.
Death Note - One of my favourite animes, even though I really hated the "Misa-Misa" character; was cleverly written with interesting characters and a cool premise.
Ghost in the Shell - Pretty good, though there was too much expository dialogue for my liking, especially amongst the annoyingly out-of-place cutesy robots. Also, it was hard to take the Major seriously as a badass military commander when she constantly dressed like a stripper.
Cowboy Bebop - This is what got me back into anime after a long time. I thought it was really cool, with its bluesy atmosphere and subtle character development. Although Faye annoyed me in almost every possible way; even the character herself seemed to realise her only real purpose was to wiggle her bum in front of the camera.
Trigun - I watched this because I heard it was similar to the above. I found it bearable at best. The world was dull and none of the characters made sense in their motivations or choices. Every single thing that happens is unrealistic and contrived, without any kind of clever writing to back it up. It was just "Rule of Cool" gone awry, and I found it a bit sophomoric.
Baccano! - Similar to Trigun, very little makes sense. Which is compounded by the crazy non-linear story-telling. Although that was interesting to watch unfold, and I understood the sequence of events by the end, I just don't understand the point. I didn't really identify with any of the characters, who all seemed insane in one way or another, and the story just seems to meander around without any kind of unifying theme or over-arching goal. I didn't actually mind Isaac and Miria... maybe my tolerance for bullshit anime antics is increasing.
Code Geass - Currently watching this. It's very enjoyable, especially the second season. Reminds me a lot of Death Note. But goddamn, they never seem to miss an opportunity to have the principle female characters get naked, or frame an upskirt camera angle, even when they're in the middle of a battle you're supposed to be taking seriously. It undermines both the characters, and the themes, tone and tension of the whole show when important characters are gratuitously sexualised to such a ridiculous extent. Imagine if Walter White from Breaking Bad was constantly surrounded by schoolgirls in miniskirts flashing their panties at the camera... it would not be the same show. It just ruins it a bit for me.
Other anime that looks interesting are: Gantz, Berserk and Elfen Lied.
Possibly Neon Genesis Evangelion too, though several people have tried to talk me out of bothering with that series.
So, know of any other "serious" anime?
Edit: Oh yeah, and do mention whether the dub is decent or I should watch it subtitled. Nothing turns me off quicker than goofy, bad voice-acting.
Berserk is an absolute must see, it's probably the best fantasy series since Lord of the Rings, and is a true fantasy epic. There is only one season, however, and it ends on a major cliffhanger, so you'll have to buy the manga for the full story. And trust me, you will want the full story.
Elfen Lied is fantastic, though it's mostly due to the main character, who dominates the screen whenever she's present. When she's not present you wish they'd just hurry onto her next scene. It's brutaly violent, however, and since you actually care about the characters I found several scenes very difficult to watch. Not for anyone with a weak stomach. There is also some fanservice, but if you can look past a few scenes in the first couple of episodes it's not so bad. A very emotional piece of work, though it has flaws. Worth atleast one watch, if only for the amazing character of Lucy, who may be my favourite single character of all time.
Neon Genesis is an amazing character study, one of the best I've ever seen. The plot can be a bit contrived at times, however, and tends to fade off in order to focus on the characters instead. My main problems are philosophical, as the show is based on post-modernist philosophy (everything is subjective, and there is no universal truth), which drove me nuts. As a result there's a lot of imagery that seems like it should be symbolic, but it doesn't actually mean anything at all. The writer even said he doesn't know what certain things mean, and that it's up to the audience to decide for themselves. The problem is that if you don't know what something symbolizes, then it doesn't. It's also very depressing. Despite these problems it is worth watching just for the absolutely fantastic characters.
Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Grave of the Fireflies. The best films made by the best anime studio of all time. Classics, and must sees for any fan.
Saikano. The best anime that no one's heard of, and one of the most tragic. I could tell you about the great imagery, characterization, and story arc, but I think I'll just tell you to watch it and call it a day. Seriously, why are you still reading this? Go watch Saikano.
It doesn't get any more mature than Texhnolyze. I don't think there has ever been any show(anime or otherwise) that made such a deep and lasting impression on me. It's basically about one person's harsh struggle for survival in a time and place when humanity finally destroyed itself. In the end both physically and psychogically. Definitely check it out.
Somebody mentioned it, but I'm going to give it a better pitch other than "lol, watch it."
You said you enjoyed Fullmetal Alchemist, so I'm going to recommend you watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Now, before you say anything, Brotherhood is not another season of the first series; its basically a redo of the first. See, FMA began when the manga was really only halfway to completion, so when they caught up to it, the writers for the anime had no choice but branch off into their own plot. FMAB follows the manga storyline better.
FMAB is more series than FMA was, so I think you'll like it, and some of the character arcs actually finish in what i thought was a better way. Every episode deals, in some way, with the main overarching plot while FMA would break off and explore a little side adventure that had fuck all to do with the plot. I highly recommend you watch FMAB, especially if you watched and liked FMA. It is, without a doubt, one of my favorite pieces of entertainment.
Also, I'm going to recommend Darker Than Black. It's a good little series that easily fits into your "more serious" requirement.
Also, if you want something serious but more laid back and enjoyable, try Bartender.
If you hate fanservice, definately check Neon Genesis Evangelion and the End of Evangelion movie out. If you don't get the movie, check out the reactions of fans to the last 2 episodes of the original series.
It doesn't get any more mature than Texhnolyze. I don't think there has ever been any show(anime or otherwise) that made such a deep and lasting impression on me. It's basically about one person's harsh struggle for survival in a time and place when humanity finally destroyed itself. In the end both physically and psychogically. Definitely check it out.
Just don't expect a happy ending XD I'm not sure how you're defining "weirdness" exactly, but it's definitely a very unusual series. It's not zany or anything, but it's definitely "weird". There isn't a whole lot of dialogue for the most part; you really need to focus on the visuals.
I'm also going to throw my hat in with the folks who recommended Monster, though the head of the hospital in the first couple (?) of episodes is cartoonishly evil. The series gets better after that (though there's a blind guy going on about "ULTIMATE FEAR" at one point that is WAAAAAY too hammy for the series). It is definitely the most grounded animé I've seen.
Someone recommended Jin-Roh, too. It's an absolutely fantastic film, period. It has it's faults and the dub varies in quality (some scenes are really good, others aren't but it's never really outright bad, I guess) but it's well worth watching. The film is mostly a dark, political thriller, but don't go into it expecting a lot of action, it's a generally slow-paced and contemplative affair.
Serial Experiments Lain has been mentioned but, like Texhnolyze, it's a rather strange series. Again, it isn't zany or anything but everything about the series, from the dialogue, to the visuals (just look at the shadows!) is very strange. Also, like Texhnolyze, there isn't a whole lot of dialogue and there isn't a lot of action, either. If you don't like reading into odd visual cues, this series may not be for you.
Fate/zero is easily one of my favorite anime of all time, it's dark, beautiful, truly splendid character building, and some of the best characters around.
Jormungand is a really good series, kinda like the less comical Black Lagoon. still very mature yet fun.
If you want a really dark piece Bakurano is very good. I refuse to can't watch it due to not wanting to feel depressed but from what i've heard it's a truly great anime/manga.
It doesn't get any more mature than Texhnolyze. I don't think there has ever been any show(anime or otherwise) that made such a deep and lasting impression on me. It's basically about one person's harsh struggle for survival in a time and place when humanity finally destroyed itself. In the end both physically and psychogically. Definitely check it out.
Just don't expect a happy ending XD I'm not sure how you're defining "weirdness" exactly, but it's definitely a very unusual series. It's not zany or anything, but it's definitely "weird". There isn't a whole lot of dialogue for the most part; you really need to focus on the visuals.
That's more a thing of the first few episodes, after that the story picks up and it becomes more straightforward. It's a shame that so many people are put off by the slow pace of the first episodes that they drop it altogether. Actually when you're further into the series you start to appreciate the opening episodes more. It's really superbly made.
Thanks everyone, there's a lot of interesting suggestions here.
Must bookmark this thread for later.
Yuuki said:
You find it annoying, and that's fine, but a lot of the fanbase doesn't. Code Geass for the most part stays well within the bounds of keeping fanservice exactly that - a little something for the fans.
My problem with fan service is that it's a form of authorial intrusion. For example, having an inhumanly fast female ninja pop out of nowhere is already stretching credulity a bit, but to then have her wearing a thong that she flashes in a series of upskirt shots... It just takes me out of the moment and forces me to consider that I'm watching a show at least partly aimed at horny teenagers.
I've never been big on anime, but I recently decided to give it another shot.
The thing is I have quite a low tolerance for "weird shit" (for lack of a better term), which makes it hard to find anime that doesn't get on my nerves after a while.
I was just wondering if you guys had any recommendations for "serious" anime (also for lack of a better term) that manages to avoid common anime tropes like gratuitous fan service and seemingly schizophrenic characters.
Here's what I've tried already, and what I thought about it:
Fullmetal Alchemist - I liked it, though it was a while ago so I don't recall a whole lot. Nothing irritating really comes to mind.
Death Note - One of my favourite animes, even though I really hated the "Misa-Misa" character; was cleverly written with interesting characters and a cool premise.
Ghost in the Shell - Pretty good, though there was too much expository dialogue for my liking, especially amongst the annoyingly out-of-place cutesy robots. Also, it was hard to take the Major seriously as a badass military commander when she constantly dressed like a stripper.
Cowboy Bebop - This is what got me back into anime after a long time. I thought it was really cool, with its bluesy atmosphere and subtle character development. Although Faye annoyed me in almost every possible way; even the character herself seemed to realise her only real purpose was to wiggle her bum in front of the camera.
Trigun - I watched this because I heard it was similar to the above. I found it bearable at best. The world was dull and none of the characters made sense in their motivations or choices. Every single thing that happens is unrealistic and contrived, without any kind of clever writing to back it up. It was just "Rule of Cool" gone awry, and I found it a bit sophomoric.
Baccano! - Similar to Trigun, very little makes sense. Which is compounded by the crazy non-linear story-telling. Although that was interesting to watch unfold, and I understood the sequence of events by the end, I just don't understand the point. I didn't really identify with any of the characters, who all seemed insane in one way or another, and the story just seems to meander around without any kind of unifying theme or over-arching goal. I didn't actually mind Isaac and Miria... maybe my tolerance for bullshit anime antics is increasing.
Code Geass - Currently watching this. It's very enjoyable, especially the second season. Reminds me a lot of Death Note. But goddamn, they never seem to miss an opportunity to have the principle female characters get naked, or frame an upskirt camera angle, even when they're in the middle of a battle you're supposed to be taking seriously. It undermines both the characters, and the themes, tone and tension of the whole show when important characters are gratuitously sexualised to such a ridiculous extent. Imagine if Walter White from Breaking Bad was constantly surrounded by schoolgirls in miniskirts flashing their panties at the camera... it would not be the same show. It just ruins it a bit for me.
Other anime that looks interesting are: Gantz, Berserk and Elfen Lied.
Possibly Neon Genesis Evangelion too, though several people have tried to talk me out of bothering with that series.
So, know of any other "serious" anime?
Edit: Oh yeah, and do mention whether the dub is decent or I should watch it subtitled. Nothing turns me off quicker than goofy, bad voice-acting.
Rurouni Kenshin- great samurai anime its a bit light hearted but very good.
outlaw star- ok this one might be hit or miss for you since you didn't like trigon but if you liked the more serious parts of trigon youll like this anime.(avoid one of the episodes near the end as its entirely fan service youll know it by its title) this show is worth checking out if for nothing else then the fact that the dub is one of the best and well the intro is so good I payed to get it on my ipod............don't judge me till you've heard it.
If you like mecha and can deal with some aged but still good animation I recommend any of the gundam series ,save g-gundam and any of the dam chibi offshoots, as they tend to have very mature stories that most people I know didn't realize till they were 18.
I'm in the same boat as you, I'm just not fond for over the top, over-acted silly stuff in most animes. So I'll pretty much just go with what vashthblackseed and Raziel said.
Spice and Wolf, and Last Exile are quite serious animes, and damn good to boot! About on the same level as Cowboy Bebop, I'd say.
Black Lagoon is also pretty cool (They have a WWII PT Boat, dammit!), it sometimes isn't very realistic, but it never really goes silly (Except for maybe the Maid).
Attack on Titan is quite decent, if a bit slow moving later on.
Lastly, Captain Herlock: The Endless Odyssey is also pretty serious, I haven't watched too much of it yet, but it seems good.
EDIT: Ooh, and Outlaw Star seems alright too. Also haven't seen much of it, but what I have seen feels a lot like Cowboy Bebop, in some ways. I'd give it a shot.
Errr...that's kinda what Shounen implies. Also the "horny teenager" stigma has also been severely over-used on these forums to the point of me not even viewing it in negative light anymore, nowadays I simply see them as another audience that has a right to be catered to just as much as any other group. As I already said fanservice is common in Shounen - I understand you dislike it, and that's totally fine.
I've seen some pretty great suggestions of relatively fanservice-free anime in this thread so far, you've got a lot of watching ahead of you
Devil Survivor 2: The Animation should qualify as mature. It is pretty well written and easy to take seriously, and if you happen to be a fan of Atlus games then you will definitely enjoy it.
Also it's only 13 episodes long. It's not yet available in English, it's just subtitled at the moment.
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