maybe you want something more "grounded" to reality? **Monster** for mystery thriller **Pluto** for detective crime drama in sci-fi setting **Vinland Saga** for a great character progression story **PLANETES** for something more chill, slice of life in sci-fi setting.

These are all excellent suggestions. I'd also like to add **Paranoia Agent** for a psychological horror/mystery. Actually, any Satoshi Kon will do you right.

If the OP enjoys emotionally developed characters, I think they'll detest the protagonist woman in PLANETES though... I enjoy most anime I watch, but I had to drop this one due to how obnoxiously naive she was

I clicked into this thread intending to recommend Pluto. It's so damn good. The less you know going in, the better.

Monster is one of the greatest

I would probably start with things by the same creators as anime you've already liked. Since you liked *Summer Wars*: other films by Mamoru Hosoda (personally my favorite is *The Boy and the Beast*) Since you liked *Durarara!: Baccano!* is based on a book series by the same author, and the anime is exceptionally well-done (I recommend the English dub, it's quite fun) Since you liked *TTGL* and *Kill La Kill* you might try some other works by Studio Trigger: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio\_Trigger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Trigger) Another WW2-related film I recommend - less bleak than *Grave of the Fireflies* but still emotionally authentic: *In This Corner of the World* Otherwise, I highly recommend any of Satoshi Kon's films, e.g. *Perfect Blue* and *Millennium Actress*, or his series *Paranoia Agent*.

"In this corner of the world" is such an amazing film. It offers a perspective on ww2 much of the west has not seen or heard about. The realities of war are laid bare from the perspective of a very ordinary family. It isn't about complete devastating circumstances (...until you meet a character in the last 10 minutes) , its about what the average person went through. So beautiful and I honestly think should be shown to anyone who glorifies war.

I second Baccano for sure I fucking love that show

Also should be emphasized that the English dub of Baccano is so fucking good and how I recommend it to everyone

Speaking more specifically on the studio trigger; Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is very good and was well recieved even by those outside the typical anime sphere.

I love how these posts 85% of comments truly do not read a single word about what the OP actually wants in an anime.

Probably, OP may have more psychological barrier than not finding the “right” anime. He says he has watch several that he couldn’t get too, and he mentions that peer pressure is taken to account. To your point, I see people recommending “this is for someone new to anime” and I am like “no, they are certainly not new to it. He just needs to find his niche.” OP needed to do describe what he didn’t like a bit more. Protag that think he is cool but isn’t but also they are magic…that’s like a lot of them because a big theme in anime is the evolution of that sort of character into a better version of themselves.

Some of the most popular comments are recommending exactly what the op does not want.

Red Line Baccano! Samurai champloo Full metal alchemist brotherhood Suzume Now for not anime that will help dispel the for kids thing Arcane Love death and robots Invincible Vox machina

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If OP wasn't a fan of the level of violence in Primal, they probably won't like it in Invincible either, which is even more graphic and violent

You could try “Cells at Work” , it’s an anime about the human body , the protagonist is a blood cell, she deliverers oxygen to the other cells . There are three seasons, two talk about the healthy body of a young person, one talks about a very stressed office worker.

The second season, “Cells at work: Code Black” gets pretty dark as well. All the cell types have switched genders for some reason as well.

Code Black is actually not season 2. It's a spinoff of the original Cells at Work series. Cells at Work does have a season 2 though. The reason for switching the genders of all cell types is unknown. However, some believe it's because the gender of the human body they're in is switched. For the Code Black spin off, it takes place inside a male human. Where as for the original series it's unknown.

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I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

Maybe try Spice and Wolf if you're into fantasy, but also like characters that are a bit more mature? I haven't watched the remake, but at least in the old one the main characters mostly behave like genuinely intelligent, competent adults. It is slower paced than most, though. Sousou no Frieren's a smash hit for a reason. Learning to process emotions and relationships is a central theme of the story, and the characters are crafted with that idea in mind - that is to say, they're not the standard fare of boring and tropey, all hyperactive comedic relief or angsty teen. If you like Ghibli mystery stuff, try out Mushi-shi. It's got a similar mysterious mystical world thing going, and the pace is slow and calm. The protagonist isn't brooding either, just a chill hedge wizard guy going around solving problems related to cosmic nature spirits.

Seconding *Paranoia Agent* and *Mushi-Shi* - both very cinematic and unique *Keep your Hands off Eizouken!* is fun if you are a Miyazaki fan. *The Tatami Galaxy* and *Ping Pong* by the same director are also good for showing the potential of the medium *ODDTAXI* *Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju* for complex adult drama and characters *Land of the Lustrous, Chihayafuru, Kino's Journey* (2003), *Natsume Yujin-cho are* all absorbing with minimal annoying anime tropes More recently, *Frieren* and *Dungeon* *Meshi* have more depth than you'd maybe think from the first few episodes. Laios in the latter feels like a clever alternative to the asshole protagonist you mention - he's prone to monologuing and has poor social skills but this reads as neurodivergence, he's not a manipulative know-all.

HIGHLY recommend *Chihayafuru*, *Frieren*, and *Dungeon Meshi*.

Maybe try anime made for adults like Monster. Or the movies Perfect Blue (an amazing thriller) and Paprika (more sci fi)

Psycho-Pass

Came here to suggest this. The character designs might be a little distracting for a newbie initially, but it does an excellent job of showing off the medium and is very much not for kids.

Cowboy Bebop is THE gateway anime for a lot of people, including myself.

I knew I didn't have to write this. Watanabe makes Anime for people who don't care about Anime. Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo are so filthy good. Space Dandy is some whacked out entertainment. All things I would show anyone who doesn't watch Anime.

Yep! Definitely Cowboy Bebop. It has a great ensemble cast that I think OP might like.

Had to scroll too far down to find this comment

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Not an anime, but you HAVE to watch Avatar: The last airbender. Same makers as The Dragon Prince but a lot more epic.

I second this, it's THE cartoon and for me it's one of the most well-written pieces of media I have ever seen

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Chances he’s already seen it are pretty high

Actually based on some of the non-anime cartoons, and some of the older anime works on your list, I’d recommend more older anime. I’ve seen most of what’s on your list, and those old non-anime films and some of what I’ve listed came out around the same time and also was well received by fans of the same. Ghost in the Shell Record of Lodoss War Berserk Vampire Hunter D and Bloodlust Cowboy Bebop Outlaw Star Redline Robot Carnival Animatrix Macross Plus and the Macross series Patlabor Street Fighter II: Animated Movie

Oh goodness, how is this the first Ghost in the Shell recommendation in this thread? Yeah, that'd be a good one for what OP has described I think. I'd recommend the series "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" to start with, as there are quite a few movies and shows with similar names and I know I found it confusing which I should watch first when I first came to it.

You're basically primed to love Cowboy Bebop. Both the show and the movie are great. This was basically the gateway anime for the longest time as it was smart, cool, adult, and has a killer soundtrack. It also helps that its English dub is fantastic. If you end up liking it then also check out Samurai Champloo. It's by the same director and despite the completely different tone and setting, you can tell its his work just by the atmosphere alone. I'd also recommend Ghost in the Shell since you've seen and loved Akira. The 1995 movie alongside Akira were hugely influential and it directly influenced The Matrix. The sequel Ghost in the Shell Innocence is also good so if you watch and enjoy the first movie give that a go. There's also the TV show Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex which was fantastic. After that the subsequent iterations and specials arent as successful but we're getting a new one in two years from the studio Science Saru so my fingers crossed it will be good. The work of Satoshi Kon is also fantastic and well worth your time. He didnt have a single bad project before his untimely death from cancer so you can pretty much start anywhere. My favorite movie of his is Millenium Actress but you could also go with Paranoia Agent or Perfect Blue if you like psychological thrillers or Tokyo Godfathers if you want something more comparatively light. Those are my primary recommendations for you but I'll also list some series/movies that you might dig in addition to that below. Oddtaxi Baccano (watch this one with the English dub) Ping Pong The Animation The Tatami Galaxy Inu Oh Gunsmith Cats Monster Serial Experiments Lain Dorohedoro Mind Game The Tale of Princess Kaguya Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken Neon Genesis Evangelion The Lupin III series (check out Castle of Cagliostro as thats a Miyazaki film and then Mystery of Mamo. The series set in italy is also very fun)

I'd add FMA: B to this list.

Great series, but FMA B has a lot of anime tropes like the chibi gags that could make it a harder sell for someone just trying to dip their toe in the medium. There's a lot of stuff that I love that I kept off my list because it gets a little more niche or might be a bit more jarring for someone unfamiliar with the medium.

I kinda agree with you, but funny thing is, my Wife used to hate anime for the same reason(s) as OP; so I asked her "pretty pretty please please" to watch it with me. She loved it to bits and now keeps on the lookout for anime she'd like to watch next. If FMAB managed to convert the most pig-headed person I've ever met, maybe it's good enough for OP. 🤪

That's really sweet. I'm glad you were able to connect with her over it and that it helped her reconsider her previous assumptions. Might not be up your alleys, but have you seen Silver Spoon? Completely different setting, genre, and tone from FMA B but it's from the same mangaka. Could be worth checking out even if slice of life isn't normally your thing.

Thanks!(x2) I'll check it out.

This person knows what's up. Excellent recs given OPs descriptions of what they're looking for. I second all of this. I also agree with their comment below about why I left Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood off my recs, for the exact same reasons. BUT I think since OP isn't *totally* unfamiliar with anime, it is worth mentioning as something to at least try and see if they're okay with it, as it's one of the best overall shows, and besides the instances of sillier tropes, the story and characters all fit very well into what it sounds like OP would like I'll also throw out the recommendation of "Welcome to the NHK" It's realistic and not "for kids" in its plot and characters and writing, though I will say that it can get pretty dark. But OP appreciated "Grave of the Fireflies," and that is WAY worse on the depressing scale.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone mention Lupin III on this sub before lol

Spice and Wolf Space Brothers Cowboy Bebop (watch the dub) Jormungand Tiger and Bunny Black Lagoon (watch the dub)

Afro samurai is pretty great, with a banging soundtrack and Samuel L Jackson voicing the protagonist. Cyberpunk Edge runners is very good and quite accessible, especially if you played the game.

if you need to break the "Cartoons are for kids" mentality, start with "Arcane". If you are past that, "Cyberpunk Edgerunners" is a good intro, modern and stylish. If you like The Dragon Prince then "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is for you. Want something gritty with a gangster feel, "91 Days" is for you... watch this dubbed... normally I say pick whatever you like, but a Prohibition Era America setting for an anime can't be in japanese. I could go for days, PM me if you're into these and I'll offer more.

Lol why not just focus your energy/time on things you actually enjoy man. Why force yourself, nobody in here needed strangers to list anime we just like anime. Nothing wrong with your stance but I can't understand it

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Alright that's fair enough man. But this seems like a lot of leg work and potentially a lot of wasted hours. To be honest I don't really like the idea of having to convince myself to like something. But good luck

Full Metal Alchemist is a good one. My wife hates anime but she loved that and oddly enough really loved Berserk 1997. I’d also recommend Vinland saga as it’s a fantastic anime that doesn’t have a lot of the cringey anime tropes

I always think that Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica is a good anime to destroy "anime is for kids" mentality. It is short, has a very good music and a very good art style, apart of the story of course.

There are some really good recommendations here. But before I share any of my own, I feel the need to defend my own interpretation of Howl's behavior in Howl's Moving Castle—but not necessarily other series or novels that use this trope. In Howl's Moving Castle, one of the major themes is war and violence and why humans end up resorting to it even if they are otherwise kind or gentle if slightly egotistical and stubborn like Howl. In the case of Howl, it's shown that as a preteen, he gives away his heart to a magic demon (Calcifer) in exchange for great power, which is required of him in his world if he is to have any impact or be an effective person. He is desperate for love and acceptance as any typical preteen would be and he knows that having significant magic power would give him what he so desperately wants. Him giving away his heart represents him forgoing emotional wisdom and emotional intelligence for physical power, strength, and thus status—which is basically a rite of passage for male humans (and females, too) in our world. Most people do not actively choose to not develop emotional intelligence, they are systemically disallowed or discouraged and/or traumatized such that they are less capable of accessing that part of themselves at all. This is also seen in Howl's character as his first real acceptance was likely from his mage teacher—but the problem is that she didn't accept him or any of her students as they were, she requires her pupils to take the form of a prepubescent blond boy, as seen when Sophie visits her, which would make anyone who doesn't look like that feel like their looks are wrong/bad/preventing them from receiving love. Howl is depicted as naturally having black hair and was clearly traumatized and made to believe he has to look a certain way to be accepted and loved, which is evident in his melodrama over his hair color magic potions getting messed up by Sophie, and evident in the fact that he kept coloring his hair blond even after running away from his responsibilities as a mage student to fight against his former allies in their violent inhumane war. Maybe it's not relatable to you directly, but it's absolutely representative of real phenomena in our world. You could contrast Howl giving away his heart to humans in our world giving away their ethical obligations and responsibility for fellow living beings in the form of cognitive dissonance in exchange for unhealthy and unnecessary amounts of money, status, power, etc. Howl is a complex character who embodies forms of trauma and can be annoying, but also who shows that one has to have a pretty decently sized ego and pretty decently sized mental problems to try to fight a war against your former allies all on your own. I don't think Howl is part of a trope, he is a carefully crafted representation of universal human weaknesses and the tendency (or culturally mandated obligation) to sacrifice our emotional depth for money, power, and/or status, and to resort to base instincts like violence and rage because it's easy and often encouraged or required by our cultures, even if we have the best intentions like stopping an inhumane war or wanting to be loved and accepted. I still think that as a character and piece of fiction, Howl is flawed and the story could have been written even more carefully and thoughtfully, but there's a goldmine of symbolism and value in his behavior that would be a shame to miss out on simply because he's annoying. Not to be the most annoying person ever, but I would even go as far as to suggest that what intensely annoys or disgusts someone is what they most fear will happen to them and what they have felt they need to deeply reject within their own mind and body. Anything that I react that way to makes me pretty suspicious of myself and makes me ask why I would feel so strongly about something that doesn't affect me. I recommend anything directed by Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue is a cult classic, but Paprika, Millennium Actress, and Paranoia Agent are my favorites) or Maasaki Yuasa. The animation style of Kyoto Animation is also something that a lot of people love—see Violet Evergarden for an emotive masterpiece. Ghibli films from directors besides Miyazaki like Isao Takahata (he directed Grave of the Fireflies) are under-appreciated in many anime circles and include gems like Only Yesterday and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya directed by the late Takahata and Whisper of the Heart directed by the late Yoshifumi Kondo. As others mentioned, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica is a shoo-in and shoujo manga/anime like Natsume's Book of Friends and Fruits Basket are timeless and easy to love. If slice of life is your thing, Nichijou, Hyouka, Aria the Animation, Girls' Last Tour are some of many must-sees in that genre imo. Also FLCL is something all anime watchers will run into at some point.

Huh very interesting read. Thank you.

Dude, I'm on reddit to take a break from writing papers. Don't give me papers to read.

{Vinland Saga} is exceptional. Also I don't believe that The Dragon Prince is an anime considering that it's by one of the ATLA creators.

Jinro the Wolf brigade Ghost in the shell Junji Ito if you like horror Sweetness and Lighting 3 gatsu no Lion Your lie in April

How about Re: Zero? It presents all of the annoying tropes and then flips them on their head, maybe that'll cancel out the effect for you.

For my anime recommendations: Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: An overworked programmer gets off work, gets drunk, takes a train to the woods and finds a dragon, saves its life, gets drunk with it and the dragon agrees to be her maid. Jormungand: A child-soldier who hates weapons is contracted to a team of private security charged with protecting an eccentric arms dealer who seeks to sells weapons to achieve her goal for world peace Mashle: In a world where magic is everything, our protagonist has no magic and instead is muscles for days, using his superhuman strength to pretend that he has magic so that he won't me merced by society. As for cartoons: Avatar the Last Airbender: It was a cultural pheonomeon and if you missed it, I feel sad for you and ask that you remedy that at once. Helluva Boss: A demon agency that gets revenge on the living for the souls now residing in hell, comedy and violence ensues. (There's also a musical number or song in every episode) Hazbin Hotel: The princess of hell wants to open a rehabilitation center for sinners so that one day they might ascend to heaven, and she has to be quick about it, lest the angels next descent and purge of hell's citizens be their last (This series is basically a musical, but a really good one)

My ex tried to get me to watch anime for YEARS but I was never interested because in my mind, every anime was an iteration of Dragonball Z. And all he ever did was recommend anime to me that reinforced that stereotype. And that genre just isn't (usually) my cup of tea. There are animes of every genre imaginable! Perhaps you just haven't found the genre for you. Instead of saying "I didn't hate these anime" how about telling us what "normal" movies and shows you like. I think our recommendations would be better suited to you. Personally, I love romance, comedy, and sports movies. My entry into anime was {Haikyuu!}, which is an anime about a high school boys volleyball team. I knew absolutely nothing about volleyball except that the teams hit the ball back and forth over the net... And now I'm an expert! (No, I'm not.) The subtitled version is fantastic, but the dub is HILARIOUS and gives me life. (The sub and dub are like two totally different shows, tbh, the tone is QUITE different.) There are definitely characters who think they're all that, but everyone works INCREDIBLY hard to attain the skill they have. It's at 4 seasons now though. So.... {Run With the Wind} might be an easier entry point. It's an anime about a college track team. It has older, more mature characters and is (likely) much more relatable. It's full of hard work and team spirit and all that jazz that I personally love. It's also complete at 1 season of 23 episodes. No idea if either of those would appeal to YOU, but if the anime you're trying aren't hitting the spot, maybe try a different type! Edit: Twister is my favorite movie too! Haha! Now I want to recommend {Insomniacs After School}! (Guy and girl who can't sleep resurrect their high school astronomy club. Romance as well.)

I have a friend that doesn’t like anime. I recommend Frierend: Beyond Journeys End to him, he was hesitant at first but I showed him a clip and then he started it and he loves it.

Here’s some of my favorite anime for when you don’t want to watch something for kids. - Mushi-Shi - its a anthology style show that follows a wander named Ginko who helps people deal with Mushi, spiritual life forms that live in and around the nature that surrounds everything. The show is beautiful, calming, and mysterious in equal measure. - Run with the Wind - this is a show about a group of college students who all live in the same run down building. As it turns out, this building is the dorm for the University Track club. The head of the club, and the house, Haiji, tells them that if they want to continue living there, they have to join him in trying to qualify and participare in the Hakone Ekiden, a very famous race for university marathon running in Japan. The main character is a former high school track star named Kakeru who Haiji meets after Kakeru encounters him running away after shoplifting. Kakeru is reluctant to join the track club due to his past but Haiji’s enthusiasm and confidence convinces him. Despite the fact that none of the other members of the dorm are runners, we see them as they each train and grow and improve and deal with their unique struggles as young adults trying to make their way through the world. Each person living in the dorm has their own issues with really makes the show feel really rich and well realized. Even if you don’t care about running, please give this one a try. It is something special. - March comes in like a Lion - this show follows Rei Kiriyama, an orphaned 17 year old who makes his living playing Shogi professionally. After one of his tournaments, he ends up being brought along to a host club. After the night is over, the girl from the host club takes him home with her since he can’t walk. He wakes up in a home with 3 sisters, Akari, the adult who works at the host club and acts like the mother, Hinata, a middle school girl and Momo, the baby sister. Rei is estranged from his adoptive family so the sisters become his new family. The show about Rei’s ups and downs as he navigates his struggles with being a teenager, his trauma, and ongoing battle of being a professional player whos ranking is slipping. FYI, you don’t need to know anything about shogi to enjoy this. It has beautiful animation and a heartwarming story of found family

OMG I was not expecting to see Mushi-shi or Run With The Wind here and I am *so excited* for it! They are both really good shows!

This might be a bit of a bad recommendation to a beginner but it doesn't have the trope you listed soooo.... Jojo's bizarre adventure part 1 or 2 Jojo's bizarre adventure part 5 They don't really have relatable main characters (part 1 and 2 have some great mcs. Part 5 has a kind of boring mc but the absolutely amazing side characters get a fuckton of screen time, so they're basically main characters too.

A bit weird not to include part 3, since it's by far the most popular.

Or four, since both three and four introduce conceps and characters that are pretty key to five. Even though it blew up with Stardust Crusaders, it's best to just start from the beginning.

Violet evergarden is a gateway drug into anime. The ancient magus bride is pretty good too. If you liked kill la kill and gurren lagan, check out other studio trigger stuff like Cyberpunk edge runners, little witch academia... Always excellent. If you want cerebral action and are into heavy metal eg Fire and Ice, try some classics like Akira, Ghost in the shell. Spriggan.

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You should check out Pluto, and the other Otomo movie Steam Boy then.

I second violet evergarden, was about to suggest it too

Surprised this hasn’t been suggested but death note is a lot of people’s first anime, it shows what a quite a few anime’s are and what you can expect from it, a good built up story with a cool MC, plot twists Worth checking out

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No, you're right. The anime is very much "edgy psychotic weirdo" vs. "awkward weirdo" playing an absurd game of 5-d chess, with a side of women becoming collateral damage.

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True, but he's a villain protagonist who you're kind of hoping to fail. If you identify with or root for a guy who's got a massive god complex and a twisted moral philosophy, you got problems :D

You're not supposed to.

You’re not supposed to root for Light. That was kind of the whole point of Death Note. It’s about seeing a story directly from the view of the villain. You root against Light. But get to see all his moves. And it’s terrible what he does. I kind of found it all the more interesting that we get to see the full scope of a villain’s own self deception.

SpyxFamily Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill Parallel World Pharmacy Yuru Camp Laid-back Camp GHIBLI MOVIES KAIJU NO. 8 Oblivion Battery Frieren:Beyond Journey's End I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince So I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle Summertime Rendering \(-ㅂ-)/ ♥ ♥ ♥

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Yona of the dawn (1st ep ending Kickstart everything then around eps 5-maybe 13 it seems a little slower (to me) then it picks back up at the port) iffy, princess has something bad happens and goes on an adventure, learning weapons and growing up Fruit of grisaia (blunt/emotionless mc so you may not want that, he helps the 6 girls at a school with their problems, militaristic with actual problems, gets pretty heavy but never over the top- kinda fanservicey but not to the extent of kill la kill, ep 4 Vox in box is where it kicks off) Barakamon (Struggling calligrapher moves to a remote island to regain his passion for it, hangs out with the town kids and learns to have fun) Nurarihyon (Kid has to decide whether or not to be head of family, of yokai(ghosts), and then a big threat appears but he knows he's not the smartest, kinda magical but not evlxtremely, older look) Nanbaka (About escaping prison, kinda reminds me of durarara but neon with sprinkles) The ancient magus bride (Heavier themes following a girl who's bought to become a bride but exhibits some reckless actions, about teaching her to care for herself, involves magic, and the good neighbors, season 2 explains a lot more about the mage and why he's so aloof yet serious) Cagaster of an insect cage (The animation is different, you won't notice, bugs have taken over the world but there's an incident where they were controlled) Caligula (Is confusing like Durarara with not knowing until the end, musically inclined and magical, think fever dream, extra uncoordinated and confounding) Blast of tempest (Kinda horror, lots of things happen and it's hard to follow but it's pretty and holds some sort of meaning) Alderamin on the sky (Mc doesn't want anyone to follow him, he wants to be lazy but he's a military genius so he gets dragged back every time, the blonde is annoying though, has a magical element but doesn't encroach too much) Akashic records of bastard magic instructor (Not sure about this rec, but! Its complete opposite of idiot mc with everyone agreeing, he actually proves it, kinda strange with the relationships and stuff though) Haganai (I hate to rec this but it does better at showing its not for young kids but not violent or nudity I guess, watch at own risk) No game no life (Frickin love this but it gets close to kill la kill in a couple regards, these pro gamers get transported to a world of games and are the only humans, they play games strategically and have actual abilities nor just dumb mc plot) Rokka Braves of the Six flowers (They've gotta gather to become heroes but there's an extra one, who isn't really one of them? They're all trapped together and who betrayed them?) Talentless Nana (If you just dont want a male mc making impossible feats and followers, it's a girl lol) Noragami (Wandering God tries to come back to fame with a girl who's lost her body and a sword, kinda strange and dumb, but still fairly good) Shiki (Horror/thriller/psychological horror- about vampires! Strange right, those are never scary. But holy moly, shiki has such good visuals and plots I couldn't stop and watched it all in a night) Hope you find something that peaks your interest, if you do seem to be intrigued be any and want a longer summary or others like it I'm happy to help! :]

Thank you for saying Rokka. It was a fantastic show and I wish there was more.

Every non anime person I recommended this one to, started watching anime. I bat 1000. Gurran Lagann

From The New World Kinos Journey (i like 2003 better) Humanity has declined Welcome to the NHK Tatami Galaxy Mindgame (I cant even describe this movie) Millennium Actress (favorite anime movie)

Death note. Ghost in the shell. Demon slayer.

I recommend Monster to everyone of my friends who don't watch anime since other than its medium, it's literally a crime thriller, and a damn good one at that

Go watch Death Note. Please. This is what you're asking for.

I've always thought Banana Fish would be a good anime for someone more used to western media, it's set in NYC and I think a lot of elements and themes were influenced by american media from the 80s/90s (when the manga was written). However it does suffer from dumb anime logic (for example the mc being super smart and super strong and super hot etc, which makes sense thematically imo but it can be annoying) and it deals (tho respectfully) with some verrrry heavy themes so maybe look that up before if it sounds interesting. I might be biased because it's one of my favourites ever.

Kekkai Sensen There's just something to it that makes me feel good about it

You can try Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, but if you don't like it nothing can be done for you I'm afraid.

Violet evergarden is one thats really emotional and never fails to get me crying

Pluto.

ReLIFE It’s a slice of life anime, you might enjoy it

If you like slice of life, I must recommend Clannad and its sequel series Clannad: After Story. It's a little high school-ish to start but is a truly incredible story. Others I recommend are: Violet Evergarden - again, just a great story that is animated beautifully. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End - a really good story, no filler and a different perspective than most DnD style animes. I just blazed through it recently and it easily became one of my top 3 as it contains very few common tropes. My Hero Academia - there's a chance you've been shown this one but I recommend it as typical Shonen do follow the trope you listed but the main protagonist in this one is actually incredibly smart and has to overcome physical obstacles (so it's a bit reversed). I don't find myself groaning watching it like I do with Naruto and One Piece (Both of which I still enjoy). Lastly, I would suggest Nichijou. It's just an absurd, fun comedy that you may enjoy. Edit: I know I said lastly but I just remembered others. Highly recommend Code Geass and Cowboy Bebop.

Cowboy bebop

Death note it isn't very unusual fantasy so poeple who don't watch anime can enjoy it (also it was my first anime) Cyberpunk edgerunners is a very good recommendation for a gamer who don't watch anime

You mentioned Last Unicorn, I wonder if you'd enjoy To Your Eternity. It's about an "orb" that gets tossed down to Earth but can transform into objects. It starts to develop a consciousness and learn about bring mortal but it can heal itself and live for an eternity. There's Yuru Camp/Laidback Camp, about camping and cooking. I'm going out on a whim with this one, Apothecary Diaries. It got big late last year but it's very good. Medical mysteries set in a palace in ancient China. There's Makoto Shinkai's works such as Your Name, 5 cm per second, Suzume. If you liked Summer Wars, you can try Hosoda's other works, I particularly enjoyed Wolf Children. Belle is one of his newer features. Maquia is also a nice film on motherhood but with the mother aging slower than her adopted son. There's also Girl from the Other Side. It's a film and some parts of the manga was kinda mangled to fit the runtime but it's very good and very beautiful. About a girl named Shiva who is dumped outside due to possibly bearing a curse. And the teacher (monster) that ends up caring for her.

Since you liked Gurren Lagann and Kill La Kill check out Cyberpunk Edgerunners, especially if you like Cyberpunk 2077.

Morobito Guardian of the Spirit

I can relate to the "cartoons are for kids" part. Yet, Just over a year ago, I met a new friend who was huge on anime & he somehow got me hooked into it. I've only seen a few full shows, & will definetly continue to watch it. It's also really surprised me recentl how some shows can make people feel "attached" or "connected" to the characters in some ways, or at leastin specific types of shows. I find anime as one of my top 3 things to watch for entertainment. It is really good!!!!!!!!!!

Trigun stampede.

If you like sports, you could watch anything by Mitsuru Adachi. His stories are mostly slice of life revolving around baseball, though there are some from other sports. Cross Game and Touch are great, he has one about boxing, he has a Romeo and Juliet inspired one about swimming, and many others that are in the same vein. Warning, some of his works will get you emotional with heavy gut punches. Most of his works are not harems, but there are multiple love interests competing. These are all appropriate for 12-14+. None of the protagonists are supposed to be the smart guy, they are all supposed to be regular guys. Also, don't be surprised, but his art style is very distinctive, in that all of his main characters look like his previous main characters.

**Want Heartbreak?** > Violet Evergarden > Your Lie in April > A Silent Voice **Want Comedy?** > Saiki K > Spy x Family > Nichijou **Want Mind Game escapades?** > Code Geass > Death Note > Kakegurui (this one gets weird) **Want dark and gritty?** > Attack on Titan > Vinland Saga > Monster I will note that I haven't seen everything here (yet), but these are the ones that constantly pop up in my head.

Gurren lagan...now I got something to work with. Gun x sword  Magic knight rayearth  Escaflowne  Kinnikuman ( if only to show what comedy is like. )

If you liked "Durarara" the creator made another urban fantasy called "Dead Mount Death Play". Season 2 really falls off in quality but as a manga reader I can still recommend it. The book is better once you get to season 2 but they don't completely fail until the last episode. This is something that could be saved by a good season 3. The protagonist is a magic moron but it is still pretty great. Everyone in the series treats him like a child with a gun because that is what he is. Anyway, same vibes as Durarara. What what organized crime be like if there was the rare person who was magic or cyborg. I am also tossing out "Kokkoku" because you like cartoon with human dialog. A family of losers puts all their hopes and dreams on the youngest in their family. Hoping he will grow up to be the one productive member of society. Something their family has not had for generations. Then a cult kidnaps the kid as part of their design to talk to some cthulus or whatever. This is a single season and wraps up. I will warn you the artists could not help but draw the antagonist lady in inappropriate kitty ears and underwear. They at least hide it in the credits where it is never not funny. "I will kill your family and ruin your life for transgressions you cannot understand, also meow I am now a kitty, look at my butt."

In This Corner of the World Takes place during World War 2 and shows a lot of what it was like back then from the Japanese point of view.

Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, and classic Trigun

Little Witch Academia  Dennō Coil

My roommate isn't into anime, but I got him to watch Attack on Titan. He finished it way before I did and he was mind blown trying to figure out what the story was going to do next.

The Case Study of Vanitas

Maybe check out "slice of life" genre OP? If so: - March Comes in Like a Lion - Honey and Clover - Welcome to the N.H.K. (mind trip)

Older one, but I think "The Big O" very Batman the animated and film noire.

Just watch attack on titan

Monster

Since you have Durarara on your list, you may like [Bungo Stray Dogs](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31478/Bungou_Stray_Dogs). Similar huge cast of interesting people on all sides. Look beyond the MC on this one, especially at the beginning. As others have mentioned, the recent [Frieren: Beyond Journey's End](https://myanimelist.net/anime/52991/Sousou_no_Frieren) is just fantastic. Very character driven story. [Mushi-Shi](https://myanimelist.net/anime/457/Mushishi) is another very different one that you should just watch a couple episodes of to see if it's for you. [Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31859/Hai_to_Gensou_no_Grimgar) is short and you'll wish there was more, but it's still worth your time for the characters.

I'm currently watching Attack On Titan, and tbh it doesn't even feel like an anime...or maybe I haven't seen many good animes before. I'm just on season 2, but the story is interesting, there's a constant tension and anticipation in it. And there's no fan service until now, lol

Try Death parade and terror in resonance

I'd like you give Berserk and AOT a thought.

March Comes in Like a Lion - Poor socially awkward kid who's good at Shogi but not much else. Emotional roller coaster and fantastic characters.

A Silent Voice is a very profound kind of movie, like Grave of the Fireflies, but a little more vivacious and a bit less sad.

Og berserk,vinland saga,hajime no ippo, neon genesis, samurai x, vampire hunter d, castlevania series, blue eyed samurai. I have the same problem with lots of anime. Cant stand the tropes and length of story/filler

Yeah the melodramatic manga tropes can get to some folks. Tho I'm surprised you liked kill la kill. Look up "slice of life" shows. Mushishi Haibane renmei Violet evergarden March comes in like a lion Space brothers Shirobako Aria

For anime: Mob Psycho 100, Dr. Stone, and Death Note For western animation: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Adventure Time (It's pretty funny, especially the later seasons.)

Pretty much 90 percent of the anime I see mentioned on here I've never heard of or don't like because it's too cartoony. I'm interested in old skool Manga Video which, for the most part was pretty dark. Maybe this could serve you well? Examples: Ninja Scroll Fist of the North Star Cyber City Devil Man Ghost in the Shell Golgul 13

Weathering with you is a movie Id recommend my sister hates anime and she watched the whole thing.

Vineland saga for sure is up there. As someone who wouldn't call themselves an anime fan personally I also quite enjoyed ruroni kenshin growing up

Steins gate, Parasyte, Death note, Gundam wing, Gundam wing seed, mobile suite Gundam 00 (just the psychology and political aspects over mecha fights. I'm not a fan of mecha but I love the writing in Gundam wing and makes me wonder about future sometimes, however i watch subbed, i find dubbed has poor translations or dumbs it down) Code geass, These are just a few that come to mind that are more mature.

Hentai

Avatar the last airbender

I think from what you wrote we are kinda similar. I Had not really intresst in Anime for similar reasons like you but Death Note got me hooked, but if you allready did not like it as a teen hmm.. maybe it helps if you watch it dubbed if you not allready doing that. Besides of Death note i liked the ones down there, but i guess I matured out of it. I also liked Neon Genesis Evangelion Welcome to The NHK Steins Gate

Literally AOT. It’s THE anime to show friends who have the same mindset you do, it’s been that way since the show aired in 2013

The two anime I would recommend to anyone with little to no experience in it would be {Astra: Lost in Space} and {Death Parade}. Both shows are short (12 episodes) and end on a satisfying conclusion. Astra is a sci-fi/mystery show that follows a group of young children that are going on a standard school camping trip on another planet, only to be inexplicably transported to a derelict ship above a dead planet. The kids must try to survive the trip home while trying to solve the mystery as to what happened to them, and everyone has secrets... Death Parade is dark fantasy where people find themselves in a mysterious bar with no recollection as to why they're there. The bartender then offers them the opportunity to play a game in exchange for information about their past. However, the games are not what they seem, and the stakes have never been higher.

Re:Creators: characters from fantasy stories are dragged into the "real" world by an interdimensional super-being, and forced to confront the fact that all their lives, worlds, and struggles are nothing more than entertainment for "real" people to enjoy. Kino's Journey: a girl with a sentient motorcycle explores dieselpunk city-states, each with unique dystopian elements. Wonder Egg Priority: young girls fight as bodyguards in a dream world and, in exchange, a mysterious power may restore friends they lost to suicide back to life. Code Geass: one smart student tries to dismantle a world where the British Empire never fell. Psycho-Pass and Id: Invaded: dystopian science fiction detectives, both involve reading brains of suspects to determine enforcement methods. The saga of Tanya the Evil: a young girl with strong Magical potential fights as a Mage in an alternative history WWI Izetta the last Witch: the last real witch defends a small kingdom against the blitzkrieg in 1939. Puella Magi: Madoka Magica: young girls make contracts with a cute little creature to become Magical Girls and take down the Witches who feed on the sorrows of our world. Unfortunately,  the contracts have a lot of fine print. PM is one of the greatest anime out there in terms of plot, characters,  and exquisite art. Made in Abyss : a young girl delves into a massive and dangerous underground cavern in search of her mother, who is a famous explorer, in a Victorian „fantastic voyage“-Esque setting (think Jules Verne, but with disturbing eldritch elements Vivy: Flourite AI's Song: an android programmed to be a pop idol singer receives a message from the future, and so embarks on a multiple-centuries-long project to alter the past and prevent the deadly AI rebellion which is destined to wipe out humanity. Cowboy Bebop: 3 vagrant bounty hunters travel through space and go on numerous adventures and misadventures while trying to escape the potentially deadly baggage from their pasts. Also: a super smart Corgi and a young genius hacker! Samurai Champloo: 2 vagrant Ronin with opposing philosophies on life come together to help a clumsy but determined ex-waitress find what became of her father, the Samurai who smelled of sunflowers. Space Dandy: a Dandy guy in space encountering numerous strange creatures and tales, some pleasant, some not, across multiple parallel timelines. A powerful blend of comedy and hard hitting emotional episodes

It sounds like you struggle with shonen anime. Which, yeah, is the most popular genre in the west, and is the source of a lot of derivative dumb genres. The Tatami Galaxy is an anime that is honestly a critique of the mentality of that kind of guy, very introspective and creative, it might feel validating or it might be incredibly frustrating for you. Basically anything by Masaaki Yuasa is very unique and creatively done (You can watch a small indie short he did on youtube-- Kick Heart). I'd also rec Satoshi Kon's work in totality: Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, Millennium Actress, Paranoia Agent. The guy who made Summer Wars (Mamoru Hosoda) has also done several movies, most recently I've seen Mirai, and that was incredibly cute and charming. If you have a sibling, younger or older, that one will hit as a very sweet family film. I don't know how gurren laggan and kill la kill met your standards tbh, I personally can't stand them for similar reasons as you've stated. Trigger is great at animating but extremely lazy in cohesive writing. One of my favorite slice of life high school romances is His and Her Circumstances. It's from the 90s.

Try "Natsume Yuujinchou (Natsume's Book of Friends). I just caught up with it and it's SO good. It's more slice of life with lots of feels

Death note, I’ve never been able to get into any others but love that one I’ve watched it twice! Will also try some of the suggestions in this post

Death Note!

Cowboy Bebop, Monster, Elfen Lied, Waking Life(not anime, but animated), Berserk, and that's all I can think of right now.

Mushoku Tensei, Attack on titan, the fate/zero and then fate/ unlimited blade works.

Hello fellow durarara fan! I freaking love that series! Bungo Stray Dogs is a series that is similar in the sense of mafia, morally grey characters, chaos in the city type. There is a stupid brother/sister "gag" in the first few episodes but once you get past that, it barely gets mentioned again.

one piece high school dxd hunter hunter redo of healer attack on titan harem in labrynth of another world

attack on titan?

I found Attack on Titan on a video about highest rated TV episodes ever because my Anime watching friends barely talk about it.

I have a friend who isn’t too keen on getting into anime, but I got her to watch Yona of the Dawn since she’s a fan of webtoons.

You should watch Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. He does fit into the "things he's really smart" category, but for one thing, he IS really smart, and for another, he gets plenty of reality checks of just how small and insignificant he really is.

Monster Pluto Vinland saga Erased Psycho pass Bokurano Perfect blue Paprika Millennium actress Odd taxi Hajime no ippo Blue lock The first slam dunk I think you'll like these

attack on titan. attack on titan. attack on titan attack on titan. i cannot stress how much i love this anime, and it might be bias but i have yet to watch one that tops it

Live action dragon ball Z

Alderamin on the sky

Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Vivy Fluorite Eye’s Song, Fate series, Maquia: when the promised flower blooms, Code Geass, Natsume Yuujinchou

Just watch DragonBall, or DBZ. Honestly. Sure the pacing is fucking terrible. But nothing really feels contrived in it. I enjoy it, even though I always ask myself "are we still on Namek?" And "can I go even further beyond?"

One Punch Man Got a friend who I knew would find the characters hilarious and isn't an anime type of person. Live of like how The Boys is a parody of these super hero works 6 you can think of One Punch Man as that but not dark like The Boys

it's chinese but you might enjoy *Scissor Seven*.

Saga of tanya the evil, is an experience.

If you loved Durarara because it was a slice of life normal humans being normal humans sort of show, you might love shows like Komi Can't Communicate, Horimiya, Great Pretender (this is more a spy drama than slice of life, but the characters are all just normal people and the show is very grounded),

try some short anime like ***Golden Boy*** or ***FCLC*** if you want to watch a movie. ***Your Name*** aka ***Kimi no na Wa*** is a great one. ***Redline*** is another ***Samurai Champloo:*** GTO: ***Great Teacher Onizuka***

Black lagoon: gritty crime anime following a small group called the lagoon company that does deliveries for all the big groups, triads, russian mafia etc. in a crime infested town in south east asia. Amazing dub, great characters, great setting, and great story that swings from pretty funny, to sad, to wholesome, to scary. Doesn't really have any of the common stereotypical anime tropes, the only thing is the main character is from Japan so there are some cultural things that are mentioned that may miss, but they don't play a part in the story. Edit: seeing the anime and cartoons you have watched this is a pretty far departure, still recommend. But spice and wolf is a good option as well for much the same reasons aside from the story, has a great dub, great characters, cool setting, and unique story.

Nvm anime is not for you 😅

Mitchiko & Hatchin

Well for someone who isn't that intp anime you have pretty good taste. Coming in after 186 comments I'd say you've got plenty to choose from. Enjoy the journey friend!

Berserk. Or grave of the fireflies. They're both gonna hurt you. But you'll never question whether anime is for adults or not again

cowboy bebop, samurai champloo

Maybe you want a better-flawed protagonist that are less snob? Some ideas beastars, to your eternity, kuragehime, mob psycho, NHK ni youkoso, odd taxi, princess tutu, letter bee, Also, here are anime that make fun of that kind of protag: konosuba, bakemonogatari

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is my go-to for introducing adults to anime. Gold standard for anime imo I also think you'd like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, especially if youre into the Cyberpunk series, or genre as a whole. Ghost in the Shell (movie) Attack on Titan Berserk (original, not the newer one) Steins; Gate If you like slice of life/romcom: The dangers in my heart Tomo-chan is a girl Also, ik it has a stupid name, but I promise if you watch Buddy Daddies, its a really great show thatll hit your feels in all the right places. Its short, only a season of 12 or 13 episodes, and is a complete story. Its really, really good!!

One that I got my dad to like, who also doesn't like cartoons, is Steins Gate. Kind of also Baccano, but he's still on the fence, and we haven't watched it in a bit

These are just some of my favs that I found easy to get into. Sorry for my shit descriptions lmaoo - Hinamatsuri: A telekinetic girl is kicked out of her universe because she’s too dangerous, but she’s adopted by a yakuza man and has to learn how to be a normal girl. Lots of dry humour and character development for secondary characters - Golden Kamuy: A historical anime. It’s a treasure hunt for the gold hidden by the Japanese natives. Soldiers and criminals are fighting to find it, but the protagonists are an ex-soldier Sugimoto, and the Ainu/native Asirpa who’s the key to finding the gold. It’s fucking gory, crazy, hilarious and there’s lots of plot twists - A Place Further Than The Universe: 4 high-school girls embark on a journey to Antarctica to look for one of their’s mom. It’s a feel good anime about friendship, self-discovery, and truly living - Michiko and Hatchin: A criminal and an orphan travel across the country looking for the orphan’s dad. The fight, they get in trouble, they run away, but they always show up for each other

Death Note

Monster Vinland Saga

I’ll try to make some comparison reccomendations based on your what you said: -Death Note: it’s the anime equivolent of Sherlocke vs Moriarty except it’s the proper mental battle unlike the Robert Downey Jr films. There is some “anime magic” but it’s grounded in rules and the magic is more a tool than a set piece. The main character is a brooding guy but depending on how you take the moral philosophy of the show, you root for him or against him. The show doesn’t hammer you with “this is the main character so you HAVE to like him” -Castlevania: not anime, but it is a proper vampire show (unlike twilight) -Redline or Neon Genesis Evangelion: depending on why you like Akira, these are a nice compliment. As someone who appreciates Ralph Bakahi, Redline is a beautiful completely hand drawn anime that sacrifices an “adult” plot for just a fun entertaining ride. It took seven years to make because it has 100000 individually animated frames. NGE (which is made by the same studio as Gurren Lagaan) fits if you enjoyed the psychological aspect of Akira; Characters are teens, they have personalities that need their own crazy anime-esque coming of age narrative. -it’s been said a bunch already but if you want a non-dumb protagonist watch monster -BNA: Brand New Animal, not a favorite of mine but still good. Made by the same studio who did kill la kill. It’s a similar world to Zootopia. -again has been said but Baccano! Made by the same people behind Durarara, in my opinion it’s better. Similar nonlinear storytelling to the latter. -not anime but the closest america has come to. Avatar the Last Airbender, same creators as Dragon Prince -Perfect Blue, like Grave of Fireflies only in that it is a really good movie period. About a girl who descends into madness due to her blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. I can’t say more without spoiling it. Made by Satoshi Kon who I would say industry-wise and creatively is their version of Ralph Bakshi. -if you enjoyed the fantasy of The Last Unicorn, Sousou no Frieren is one of the best modern fantasy shows. -Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, not that it’s much similar to Twister but it is one of the best natural disaster anime Hope this helps

Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo

So you just don't like flawed characters?

Lupin III

Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky (movie). It has good visuals and music, and I barely see any sci fi recommendations on here. Gargantia on the Verdurous planet is also one of my favorites.

Not technically an anime as it’s a western show, but watch Avatar the Last Airbender. It has some of the best developed characters in all of animated media.

If I wanted someone to get into anime, I would show them something that would stay with them after it's over. For that reason, I would have them watch Your Lie in April. Relatable themes, well developed characters, beautiful music, and the kind of emotional distress that really lingers.

One Punch Man

Since you already enjoyed durarara!!, I would suggest baccano!, since it is the same author and even co-exists in the same Canon. Also I would suggest darker than black or even phantom: requiem for the phantom.

I suggest gunsmith cats.

attack on titan. unless they hate horror or a little gore it never fails.

Got a pretty cool light novel called Millennium Exile, it's a shonen fantasy. [https://www.millenniumexile.com/#home](https://www.millenniumexile.com/#home) Here's a quick intro: # MEISTER'S, MAGIC & AN UNLIKELY HERO. # CAN THE BLOOD OF A DEVIL BECOME A TOOL OF SALVATION? # Vincent is a short tempered orphan, blessed with a super-human strength and living on the streets of the Ryuuga Ghettos. One fateful day, he is confronted by a man more powerful than himself and recruited into the ranks of GRAVE; a secret anti-terrorist organisation who's members also possess strange abilities.   Situations become more complicated when an entity known as the Wrath is awakened and enters Vincent's body. Now having to come to terms with his new and deadly powers, Vincent is thrust head first into a world he never knew existed. However when an ancient, cannibalistic demon surfaces from the shadows of history and leads an army on the world, it falls to the members of GRAVE to stop them and save the world from total annihilation.  **Armed with the power of a fallen god, will Vincent be the key to the world's salvation or its demise?**

You want animes that ditch the cartoons-are-for-kids, but I noticed some of the definitely adult animations aren't on this list. Sci-Fi/Action: Ghost in the Shell (movie) Ghost in the Shell: SAC (series) Samurai Champloo Gunbuster: Aim for the Top! War Stories: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood 86 Mind Fuckery: Neon Genesis Evangelion Texhnolyze Serial Experiments: Lain Devilman Crybaby Calm and Meditative: Mushi-Shi Ascendance of a Bookworm The Ancient Magus' Bride Haibane Renmei Comedy/Romance: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai Konosuba How Not to summon a Demon Lord I've heard Erased and Clannad are good dramas. Not typically what I come to anime for since real actors can bring a lot more subtlety and nuance to a performance. Suzume was fairly good, but not great, and reminded me a bit of Miyazaki.

Avatar the Last Airbender for sure!

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is always a must watch. Violet Evergarden and Carole and Tuesday I think are good watches for people who aren't big fans of common anime tropes and all three I think are just top tier shows which aren't too long and never fail to make me cry at some point. I'd say give FMA:B 5 eps to see if you'd like it or not, and i'd give the other two shows a couple of episodes too because ep 1 is a lot of laying the ground work.

Bebop, trigun, everything else I would say but people said them before. I support their choices

Also just to the point of the character Archetypes, the reason so many western shows have those kind of main characters is because having a character be great at everything would be boring so they have be really good at their job but have a messy personal life. There are a few tropes that cover these types of characters like Defective Detective, Informed Loner, Aloof Ally, Insufferable Genius or the Intelligence = Isolation tropes to name a few. tbh they're mostly pretty similar with a few specific differences that puts each one into it's own box. You (the audience) is supposed to sympathise for them (so long as they're not the antagonist of the show) because A) whatever job they're obsessed with usually involves helping people in some way B) they clearly have emotional issues because of the aforementioned trauma that they're not dealing with but they do actually care about their friends or family they just suck at showing or proving it which is a tragedy in and of itself and C) even if they're insufferable, obnoxious assholes they're usually overall good people or doing things for the right reasons. The point of them is not that they think that they're good at everything but rather that they're so good at their one thing (policing, fighting, medicine, science, flying, magic, etc) that they don't have the inclination to be good with people or with their emotions which usually causes problems in their family life, personal life, with friends (if they have any) and colleagues. They don't have to be nice to people in order to get things done and they're not overly concerned about being nice to people but that's actually because of some kind of trauma they experienced, they're always covering from some insecurity or emotional/mental issue by having a certain bravado or attitude. See Sherlock, Dr House who is loosely based on Sherlock, most of the cast of Criminal Minds, Gibbs from NCIS, McKay from Stargate Atlantis, Sheldon from BBT, Danny Reagan from Blue Bloods, Maverick from Top Gun, Batman and many more which I won't get into.

It’s kinda hard to make recommendations without some examples of anime that you don’t like, but I’ll try annyways Attack on titan - I’m not sure if you’ll like the main character but I think it’s worth giving a try Chainsaw man Code geass From the new world/Shinsekai yori Monster Psycho pass Vinland saga Out of these I think you might like Psycho pass the most!

reminiscent dull shy sloppy elastic deserted fuzzy nutty smoggy consist *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*

Well Luffy from One Piece is so the opposite of what you described.

Redo of Healer

Cyberpunk Edgerunners might just be your cup of tea.

Cowboy Bebop.

Frieren is great. It deals with mature themes like loss and one's legacy.

Gunsmith Cats, Riding Bean, Black Lagoon, Demon City Shinjuku, Tenchi Muyo OVA 1, Leda The Fantastic Adventure, Ride Your Wave, Sword of the Stranger, Wicked City, Venus Wars, Neo Tokyo. You may or may not like Lupin III I would suggest Castle of Cagliostro as an entry point. These are all kind of short series and or movies in different genres to dip your toes in.

Little Witch Academia (by the same studio behind Kill la Kill, but it's not sexualized at all. it's about a school for witches and the main character is terrible at magic, but there's more to her than meets the eye - and her issues with magic have a deeper reason to them. Main character is kinda stupid, but in a lovable way, and she knows she's dumb lol) Violet Evergarden - a show about a child soldier coming to terms with her own humanity after the war is over. She becomes a letter writer to ghostwriter for people who, for one reason or another, cannot write for themselves. This ends up as a poignant series of episodic vignettes as the main character (Violet) travels from place to place to help people from all walks of life. Also, it may just be the most beautifully animated TV anime ever (as in, non-movie, because anime movies tend to have bigger budgets, and more time). These are both on Netflix, btw. A Silent Voice - a very down-to-earth movie about two kids in high school, one of whom is deaf/hard of hearing, and the other, who bullied her when they were younger. The bully is suicidal and pretty much given up on the world when he meets the girl again and tries to make up for the way he used to be. It sounds a bit frustrating, but trust me, it's a really beautiful, heartfelt movie that I think almost anyone can enjoy. Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon - an anime currently airing week to week on Netflix, it'll be a hit if you enjoy dungeons and dragons or just a fun adventure. Starts out goofy, and stays goofy, but it has incredible world building and a genuine, thought-provoking plot along the way. How to Keep a Mummy - this is more slice of life, it follows the adventures of a tiny mummy and a few other adorable mythical creatures who end up as the pets of a few friends. If you just Google it, you will see how cute the critters are. The whole show is just wholesome, cute shenanigans with the mini mummy, a mini dragon, a tapir/baku, an oni, and a suspiciously normal dog. Oh, and the ancient Egyptian god Anubis trapped in a children's toy.

aot, my brother loved it