There are many anime. And to be honest, many of them look the same. Anime revamps - and later the famous A1-Pictures - led to a consensus, according to some, that all anime look the same.
I'm here today to disprove this and offer thirty anime that will take the aesthetic itch off I know you have.
So without further ado!
30. Polygon works
There are many people in the anime community who dislike Polygon Pictures' animation projects.
While I agree that their style can lead to many similar characters, it's in the action sequences and scenery that their particular vision of anime comes into play.
You have Ajin, a supernatural terror thriller with fantastic sound design and a very satisfying ending.
You have the best job, Knights of Sidonia, to keep you entertained with incredible space combat and amazingly addictive worldbuilding.
It's guilt! the movie and the Godzilla trilogy to keep you happy if you're looking for a blockbuster. Or even the underrated Levius, a massive boxing anime in the vein of Hajime no Ippo and Megalo Boxing.
From the ghostly visions found in Ajin, all the way to the colossal Godzilla himself in all his gigantic glory, Polygon has proven itselffantastic to provide a sense of scale.
We hope that they will be able to improve their style, especially with the release of the third season of Knights of Sidonia.
29. Kunio Katou Factory
Kunio is a relatively unknown indie anime artist who has created an impressive variety of short, poignant and beautiful films.
Each of them wears their own signature style: aesthetic, paper-like, thin or full figurative characters in an absurd world.
And they all have a meaning that is unique to each viewer.
Among his notable works is Aru Tabibito no Nikki, a collection of mini-episodes about a traveling man exploring a bizarre world, interacting with the various alien cultures and people he encounters.
And Tsumiki no Ye, a story about an old man who is constantly rebuilding his house to avoid the ever-rising sea levels.
He is a relatively unrecognized creative genius who deserves much more attention.
28. Panties and stockings with garters.
One of Gainax's last offerings before most of the staff left for Studio Trigger, Panty & Stocking, is a comedy with engaging animation and colorful characters.
Roughness is the name of the game. And whether it's the sex-fuelled panty anarchy or her gluttonous sister Stocking, you're bound to hear so much nastiness that it'll even make the edgy teen blush.
The clean line, accentuated use of color, and ever-changing art styles (from Power Puff Girl to Traditional Gainax) make this a stylistically unique anime that's always worth a try.
You either love it or hate it. Or maybe you don't care, I don't know.
27. Red line
Redline is a marvel of animation that we've been working on for seven years.
At the time of revision, over 100,000 drawn frames were included in the film. As such, Redline is one of the most kinesthetic and audio-visually enjoyable anime ever made.
It is fluid, constantly moving and expressive.
With a diverse design palette and incredible worldbuilding, Redline does in less than two hours what many anime can't do with four times the screen time.
Its sound design is top notch too. Giving weight to every action, stop or pause, a true experience that immerses you even more. I can't praise this movie enough.
26. Welcome to the office of Irabu.
This is one of the more bizarre entries on this list, despite being solidly grounded in fact.
Irabu's Office is a mixed anime that uses real life models mixed with beautiful animation and footage (similar to South Park) to tell an episodic story revolving around a psychologist's office.
Each episode introduces a new character, fascinated by his own psychological problem, and Dr. Ichiro Irabu sets about diagnosing and treating him.
It's informative, funny, and stylistically quirky enough to grab your attention. Please try this unsung gem!
25. Angel egg
Created by Final Fantasy's Yoshitaka Amano and directed by Mamoru Oshii (with his distinct nihilistic flair), Angel's Egg is a speculative film with a relatively short run time.
It lacks a plot, serving more as a deliberate and slow reflection on existence, replete with symbolism and imagery.
But that's what makes Angel's Egg so fascinating as a work of fiction: its true meaning is debated to this day.
The background art and character designs blend so seamlessly and wonderfully that almost every frame is worthy of a wallpaper.
24. Bakemonogatari
The Bakemonogatari series consists of several series and films. And it's not listed in chronological order, which means it's a stylish narrative right off the bat.
But the style doesn't end there. Revolving around the uncanny and interpersonal dynamics of a group of friends in an unremarkable town, Nisioisin's magnum opus series has been provided with a beautiful adaptation courtesy of Studio Shaft.
They brought with them a unique cinematic atmosphere with a masterful use of cinematography and direction unmatched by most long-running anime.
It's consistently captivating due to the possibility of comedic dialogue and intricate monologues making even the simplest episode thrilling.
That doesn't mean he slouches when action is needed... he excels here too.
23. Mawaru Penguindrum
One of the most respected works of Kunihiko Ikuhara.
Penguindrum is a whimsical story about two boys saving their sister, filled with imagery and metaphor. As in his other anime, there is a key subtext here - and often it is in the unsaid things that we see the true dynamics of the character.
There's a ton of soul at the center of this little-known style show, but let's reflect on that style.
From the CGI that rendered little blue penguins invisible to all but key characters, to all the non-key players that are personified as human silhouettes that can be seen at the train station, special attention is paid to every little element of the background.
This makes the value of revisiting Penguindrum overwhelming. And puts it there to be sure to watch, if only for the sake of a mysterious experience.
22. Space Dandy
Without a doubt, this is Shinichiro Watanabe's most artistically stylish production.
The first season is full of artistic expression and creative uniqueness, from characters and alien art to visited planets.
But this is the second season that pushes Space Dandy to greatness.
Each episode is artistically unique and directed by a different respected member of the Anime Hall of Fame, making it a truly innovative experience that culminates in an unforgettable (and surprisingly touching) ending.
21. Made in the abyss
This was the 2017 anime of the year for a lot of people and it's mostly because of its style.
It's not to say it lacks storytelling and a worldbuilding department - not at all - but the quality of the production really propelled Made in Abyss from good to great.
Each background is given a watercolor sensibility: a beautifully rendered world reminiscent of Ghibli production, paired beautifully with cute yet unique character designs.
All this has becomebetter with exceptional sound design and musical direction that can take your breath away from a montage or a single shot.
Worth a look just for the merit of its audiovisual material.
20. Blue Literature (Aoi Bungaku)
What makes Blue Literature special is its anthological structure.
Each episode begins with a real-life segment producer imagining which novel is being accepted—from Dazai's No Longer Human to Natsume Souseki's Kokoro—before moving on to the appropriate arc.
Each story features one of three different directors and lead character designers, resulting in every few episodescompletely different from tone to presentation to previous and following.
Prominent ones include No More Humans and Kokoro led by Takeshi Obata (from Death Note and Bakuman); Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita led by Tite Kubo (from Bleach); and "Run, Melos!" led by Takeshi Konomi (from The Prince of Tennis).
The stories discussed are dark and important to Japanese literature in general.
As such, it can sometimes be quite dissonant in tone. And it's best to watch with breaks before the arcs.
19. Dorohedoro
Dorohedoro doesn't like it.
It is messy, dirty, bloody, and designed mostly in CGI style.
However, for all these reasons, it is exceptionally good. A hole, as a setting, is not welcome. And the surprisingly brilliant CGI and completely uncensored shootouts only illustrate this once again.
It's all enhanced with dark comedic overtones and some impressive attention to detail regarding the beginning and ending, with six different brilliant ending songs and accompanying animation.
Equal parts witty and hilarious, Dorohedoro is so creative and unique that you can't help but focus on what's going on.
Original character design (crocodile man, what the...) and world narrationbrilliantly are transferred. Although there is absolute value to check out the original manga as it is even more sketchy and darker than its animated counterpart.
18. 1001 nights
Once again, Yoshitaka Amano (Angel's Egg, Final Fantasy) knocked him out of the park with a superbly short meditative piece of art.
1001 Nights is based on an art book created by Amano and describes a wordless romance, love engagement, and aftermath.
His storytelling is interpretive, using barely clear and vivid psychedelic movements to convey love and emotion rather than dialogue.
It's for the pretentious anime lovers - and, as a whole, it's a masterpiece of art form in this medium.
A beautiful orchestral soundtrack, tight graphics and an empty narrative frame leave so much room for impressions and observations. It's very revealing in nature (a sex scene we're all involved in, an emotional connection meant only for those we've invaded) and a must see for any snobs or critics.
17. Mononoke
A drug dealer travels around Japan killing mononoke, evil spirits.
In order to exorcise evil spirits, he must learn Ghostform, Truth, and Reason.
This short 12-episode anime follows his stay in an old inn, where he discovers a particularly vicious spirit gang called the Zashiki Warashi.
What follows is an intense splash of vibrant colors, contemplative cinematography, and truly unique artwork that makes Mononoke one of (if not the best) horror anime to watch.
16. Yblard Jikan
Yblard Jikan is hard to sell.
This is definitely a dark horse among other Studio Ghibli anime: a 30-minute OVA without any kind of narration.
But, in my opinion, this is one of their greatest works.
This is a montage of works by Naohisa Inoue set in the fantasy world of Iblan, with rare animation and storytelling.
Accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack (composed by Kiyonori Matsuo), you travel through these fantastic lands and get to know different societies and characters.
Every frame is great. It's an experience that you can turn off your brain from and just… let go.
I AMhighly recommend this one is for anyone who was previously blown away by my sale of 1001 nights as they are quite similar in direction and purpose.
15. Yamamura Koji Works
Like Kunio Kato, Yamamura Koji is an independent anime short film director with a penchant for the absurd and surreal.
Pieces like Atama Yama, in which an elderly grumpy man eats a cherry seed only to have a tree grow on his head, and Old Crocodile (following a grim tale of decline and unwavering hunger in black and brown) perfectly illustrate its wondrous appearance. . take on the weird.
But it was in his stellar adaptation of Franz Kafka's The Village Doctor that Yamamura Koji really reached the limits of his style, effortlessly blending Kafkaesque style with his signature style to create a distinct and brilliant retelling.
Watch this (Inaka Isha) on YouTube if you get a chance.
Although a preliminary reading of the story will enhance the impression.
14. The Tale of Princess Kaguya
This is one of Studio Ghibli's greatest offerings and one of the most overlooked, mostly due to its slow pace and unique art style.
I find both of these aspects to be Kaguya's strengths, providing a remarkably sparse watercolor landscape with pale, crudely drawn characters rich in white space and images.
We follow the life of the impossible Kaguya, a mysterious girl blessed at birth, in an epic retelling of a 10th century Japanese folk tale.
The design is reminiscent of the work of Masaaki Yuasa, where each character is given anatomical indulgence to make the characters even more expressive, and the score is dark and beautiful.
From the lush green bamboo to the mystical ending, Princess Kaguya is a sight to behold.
13. Studio Orange Works
If there's one studio that should be pointed to to prove there's a place for CG in the anime market, it's Orange.
First, they blew people away with the great animation and art of Land of the Lustrous, and then shattered everyone's expectations with the marvelous Beastars.
Each features smooth cinematic animation and dynamic cinematography with brilliant stories and characters.
It also helps that they each have stellar soundtracks that perfectly isolate their respective series from all contemporaries to make them truly unique.
They're like the latest Japanese form of animation pioneered by Rooster Teeth and their RWBY show...only with budget, experience, and source material.
12. Count of Monte Cristo
Gankutsuu, an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel The Count of Monte Cristo, is art.
This is an ukiyo-e and Klimpt love letter, showcasing lush and fantastical fashion, with static textures overlaying individual character designs.
The sound and art direction elevates an already exceptional story to sci-fi heights, creating a cinematic and grandiose presentation worthy of everyone's attention.
The dub is also a good fit, with a brilliant use of a well-realized cast.
11 Mob Psycho 100
This is the second half of One Punch Man (and, in my opinion, the best half).
He takes everything OPM does and puts more soul into it. With a more fleshed out and imperfect line-up, everyone struggles with their inner demons.
Each character is individual. And the world of Mob Psycho 100 is teeming with design flair where no two characters can look the same.
This, combined with excellent world building, makes Mob Psycho 100 a more detailed franchise compared to its big brother.
Studio Bones used this opportunity to showcase everything they have, featuring some of the best sakuga in the business and wowing everyone with their audiovisual designs - especially during some of the city's crushing fights.
10. Nobuyuki Fukumoto Factory
Kaiji and Akagi are two very similar works, generally speaking (and artistically).
Kaiji follows the titular character who ends up gambling to earn a living when he accidentally inherits a mutual company's debt. Taken by the Yakuza, his cunning, determination and intelligence are pushed to the limit in a series of games that only increase the stakes.
This, combined with his innate and newly discovered addiction to gambling, makes Kaiji an irresistible and flawed personality - just like Nobuyuki Fukumoto's other character, Akagi, a prodigy who falls headlong into the underground world of mahjong gambling.
Each episode reflected Nobuyuki's excellent art and storytelling style, making it easy to lose some of the experience. And with exceptional ease to convey pure insane fear.
It's a twitchy, emotionally gripping watch, made more complicated by the flashy (but ultimately engaging) character designs.
9. Akira
Akira is one of the most important places in the anime industry to help put media back on the trust map by bringing it to the global market.
At one time he inspiredcreation of countless cinematic masterpieces, and there are many reasons for this.
First, the atmosphere and narrative are dense, cramped, and filled with imagery and symbolism.
Secondly, the hand-drawn painstakingly drawn cellular animation is simply gorgeous. Still lives up to expectations to this day, which is also helped by the sound and character designs.
And finally, a terrible image of Neo-Tokyo, a disheveled place,destroyed nuclear disaster.
These distinctive qualities of Akira have firmly cemented his place in the Anime Hall of Fame, inspiring works such as Ghost in the Shell, Jin Row and more.
8. Flowers of Evil
Oshimi Shuuzu's interpersonal horror of decadence, desire, and heartache is one of my favorite manga of all time.
When I first saw the adaptation and how it looked, I was dismayed at what they did with Oshimi's amazingly unique art style.
And then I looked at it.
Flowers of Evil is a masterpiece.
They used rotoscopic animation, filming the entire show as if it were live action and then drawing and animating over it.
It can be disarming and unappealing at first... but be patient and you'll see one of the most powerful anime ever made.
When he enters the surreal, nightmarish, you have a real feeling of fear that creeps up your back. When the characters speak, they feelpeople .
This is one of the best anime productions, one of the best in staging, and one of the most complex anime narratively available.
7.Yoshitoshi ABe Works
Yoshitoshi Abe became famous for his introspective art style, with his characters often appearing miserable and overtly melancholy.
This style pairs beautifully with his work Haibane Renmei and Serial Experiments Lain, each of which deals with different aspects of reality and existence in a beautiful dark way.
He also applied his style to Texhnolyze - a heartbreaking dystopia with a ludicrous level of apathy and violence - and "Welcome to NHK!" - an introspective study of the nature of a hikikimori suffering from depression and psychosis.
6. Katanagatari
Katanagatari - Nishioishin's other child (Bakemonogatari) is a short, closed story about two people searching for the twelve Deviant Blades.
Over the course of the year, we see the main characters getting comfortable and relying on each other in a wonderfully animated Edo-era epic.
Each character is given a distinct style (especially regarding eye design) and unique character traits.
All of this takes place in a beautifully designed environment that constantly changes with the seasons and locations on their travels.
It has to be seen in my eyes. Mostly for his soulful yet contemplative approach to storytelling, enhanced by characters and comedy.
5. Works by Satoshi Kon
Satoshi Kon left us too soon.
But at least he left behind an excellent portfolio of creative and vibrant work.
He is often considered one of the greatest directors of all time, and for good reason.
No matter which of his works you look at, expect excellent care in the making of the film and unique character designs and use of color to solve esoteric issues or dilemmas.
Paranoia Agent is a short TV show with intense dementia and thriller overtones that uses batos to perfection, twisting and turning the narrative in every episode, creating a constantly mesmerizing mystery.
His contribution to Memories is a breathtaking ghost story set in space with breathtaking art and cinematic scale.
Paprika directly inspired Inception in several ways, telling a dizzying dream-filled tale of love and freedom with some of the best animation ever seen in a movie.
Perfect Blue also inspired Black Swan with its disturbing and psychologically unnerving portrayal of parasocial relationships.
Both Millennium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers are marvelous humanizing character studies, the former focusing on a fictional actress and the latter focusing on a group of homeless people.
4. End of Evangelion
The whole Neon Genesis Evangelion deserves attention and, of course, stands out stylistically from contemporaries (especially in the second half).
But End of Evangelion in particular had an artistic resonance for me.
Perhaps it is the disintegration of form, expressed narratively and artistically, with real people tearing and tearing out of absurd and violent images, bound together by bizarre Christian imagery and metaphysical philosophical overtones.
Yes, probably so.
Or is it the plans of the Angels, Eve. This is Gainax at its best, delivering a wonderful cinematic experience at the end of what could have been just another toy-promoting series... but ended up being so much more.
3. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
David Productions did the impossible.
They took Araki Hirohiko's drawing (following me?) and animated it.
I know it's incredible. But frankly, for a long time it was considered hopeless. And thank God they were wrong, because JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a dynamic masterpiece of art, music, sound, characters and story,united into a progressive story about self-improvement and overcoming adversity.
From the macho Mad Max style in Phantom Blood to the Greco-Roma-Italia design featured in Golden Wind, JoJo's is constantly reinventing, changing and innovating.
2. Works by Masaaki Yuasa
Masaaki Yuasa has made a name for himself, especially throughout the 2010s.
But his portfolio of work includesdecades .
His flamboyant, distinctly rough style pairs perfectly with his trademark storytelling motifs about living in the moment and getting better.
Crayon Shin-chan was where he initially got his reputation, creating an iconic character who seeped into the minds of the Japanese with his crude yet childish humor.
But when Yuasa began to approach anime with an adult audience in mind, that's where his masterpieces were born.
We have Devilman: Crybaby, a recent offering of unbridled violence and horror that details the catastrophic inhumanity of war and the need for love and compassion.
We have Keep Your Hands of Eizouken!, which shows imagination through the medium to convey the love letter of the animation as a whole.
His earlier offerings, Kaiba and Kemonozume, tell stories about humanity and connection, with the former discussing themes of existentialism and identity and the latter serving as a Romeo and Juliet-style narrative between monsters and humans.
Mind Game, The Tatami Galaxy and Walk On Girl all revolve around living in the moment and seizing the day, with very similar styles and narrative structure.
Ping Pong is a condensed sports story with some of the best competitive action in anime.
And Japan Sinks 2020 is a brutal, if not misguided, depiction of a country in a state of collapse, and Ride Your Wave is a simple yet touching love story.
Whatever you are looking for, Yuasa will help you. And his productivity only increases with the creation of his passionate Studio Science Saru.
1. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
This top spot on my list could have been taken by Studio Trigger as a whole.
But Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is not strictly a trigger, and in recent years, their products are of high quality.
However, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one of the mostartistically sublime anime, ever created, and has inspired animation around the world with its charm and overuse of free lines.
This is the best fur parody ever. Take every element of the hype that makes these shows work and step on the pedal.
Each episode is visually striking, with unique character designs reminiscent of characters throughout anime as a medium.
And when it comes to its later arc - oh boy!
This animationimpressive .
This is a must see for any anime fan, just don't take it too seriously. Because he doesn't really want you... and then you'll take it seriously anyway. Have fun!
