A Bunch of Anime You Maybe Haven’t Seen But Should
Disclaimer: These are shows that I think are worth watching but people new to the scene may not have noticed them, or were overshadowed when they came out. This list is more specifically targeted at tumblr I suppose since there isn’t as much discussion of smaller stuff.
Did you ever look at Strike Witches or Kantai Collection and wish that they didn’t suck? Well then do I have a show for you. It may start looking like an otaku focused military fetishistic slog, but that’s the farthest thing from the truth. There are some twists and some turns. And it looks gorgeous, the characters worm their way into your heart, and the soundtrack. oh the soundtrack. This track gives you a good idea of what this show is all about. This is something that really stuck with me.
You ever wanted a show that’s a way cooler version of your social psychology textbook? And it also has aliens? Bam. Right here. Remember that crazy dubstep track from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure? Or “Awaken, my masters!”. Same composer guy here. And on top of that the protagonist, Hajime, is one of my favorite characters from recent memory and is way more than she seems. The second season, Insight, might be even better.
Lain was one of the first anime to hit it big in the US when it came out. But that was like over 10 years ago. It’s a crazy psychological cyberpunk story of what people thought the internet was like before it really came around. It’s probably still one of the more discussed series around because of how many puzzles it has and how many questions it asks. Some people may brush it off as #2deep5me but I think it’s still entertaining to watch even if you don’t think too hard about it. And make no mistake it’s a horror series, but not like gory ghosty horror. This is something somehow more disturbing. Everything is so wonderfully creepy. I mean look at how every episode starts.
Aoi Hana (Sweet Blue Flowers)
Everything about Aoi Hana (or Sweet Blue Flowers) is so kind of soft. The show comes across as very withdrawn, which makes sense because it’s a (yuri) romance. Every time I watch I just start feeling good, even when the show amps up the melodrama (and boy it gets up there). Listen to the opening and ending, I love them a lot. Unfortunately, the show was supposed to get another season, but it bombed pretty hard leaving the end of the anime feeling kind of awkward, like “That’s it?”. But if you want to know what happens you can always go and read the manga (which is also quite good).
If the image above didn’t already clue you in, The Tatami Galaxy is one of the most bizarre titles I’ve ever watched. It’s the story of the narrator’s Groundhog Day-esque loop through his college years. Watch this trailer and listen to our protagonist’s lightning fast narration you can tell this is a pretty bizarre series. And be prepared to be able to read those subtitles because they don’t let up at any point. This is also one of the most legitimately beautiful series, one by Studio Madhouse, who are doing a little series called “One Punch Man” right now. This is a high high recommendation for people who are really interested in seeing something unique.
You might be looking at this and thinking to yourself, “hm this looks awfully familiar. Is this Madoka Magica?”. Almost. It’s similar in that’s in magical girls with a twist but yuyuyu manages to differentiate itself enough that it doesn’t quite deserve to be called a madoka clone.
The tone and messages that it seeks to deliver are different and even then, its a really fun show to watch. And also a little horrifying.
You may recognize some of those gifs. Convinced yet? What? You’re not? Well ok. Redline is the fastest fucking movie ever made. It’s about racing cars in space. That’s really it. An action movie through and through but damn it is good. Another cult classic.
The Idolm@ster (and Cinderella Girls)
You like Love Live? Give this one a shot. It’s more idols. Better idols. I’m talking hundreds of high quality idols, right here waiting for you watch! If you like Wake Up Girls this is basically the same thing but like, better. Those crappy 3D dance numbers? Get outta here. And hey there’s a rhythm game for this too. Im@s kind of started the anime idol trend way back 2005 and then again with the 2011 anime, and now again with Cinderella Girls, a spin-off/pseudo-sequel (though they can be watched in any order). Odds are though, if you follow me you’ve already seen these. Be careful to not watch Xenoglossia.
Now you’re looking at me again like, “really? another madoka clone? This one even has Madoka’s voice actress.” To which my response is “yeah but now she sings”. Checkmate. Symphogear, objectively speaking, isn’t all that great. But there’s something about it that grabs you. It’s happened to everyone I know that’s watched it. You keep watching because you care about these idiots. And it definitely wins for “most improved” because into the second season, G, and then GX there is dramatic improvement across the board. Look at the third opening! (warning spoilers). The little anime that could. Singing and fighting and punching is awesome. Go watch it. Its bad ass.
Think Lucky Star. It’s a slice of life comedy with cute girls. That might not sound incredibly interesting but the whole show is very charming. It’s a nice break from all this stress higher up on the list. What’s your favorite english word?
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