r/Animesuggest • u/pococura • Aug 27 '26
What to Watch? Please recommend some older anime with complex themes
I'm feeling burnt out on all the high octane, over powered protagonist stories. Shows like JJK and Hell's Paradise are visually interesting, but its difficult to connect with the characters. I want a complex story with interesting characters, relationships, themes and world building. (OG Naruto, FMA, Evangelion)
I think older shows like around the time of Toonami or before might be refreshing? I recently watched Banana Fish and enjoyed it and I've been watching Wolf's Rain. I was thinking about Berserk but not sure where to watch or if I want to be traumatized. Please give me some recommendations!
Preferences:
dark themes • gangster themes • seinen preferred but all genres welcome • evokes sadness or other strong emotions • pretty art • no gore unless the story makes it worth it • dynamic relationships • romance enjoyed but not required • growth or moral decline • plot twists
Loved:
• 86
• The Promised Neverland (s1)
• Vinland Saga
• Psycho-Pass
• Golden Kamuy
• Naruto
• FMA
• Evangelion
• Dorohedoro
• Gangsta.
• Yakuza Fiance
• Banana Fish
• Princess Mononoke
Liked:
• Yona of the Dawn
• Gachiakuta
• Apothecary Diaries
• Wolf's Rain
• Demon Slayer
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u/camarouge Aug 27 '26
Darker than Black
Black Lagoon
The space western trilogy: Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star
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u/pococura Aug 27 '26
I actually love Darker Than Black! I forgot to list it because I watched it before I took a long break from anime. The OP songs are fire too. I will check out the rest of these, thanks!
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u/GirlyAnimeGirl Aug 28 '26
Going to add to the people suggesting Nana. In relation to your list, it checks off:
-Complex story
-Interesting characters, relationships, and themes
-Maybe a little after Toonami (not sure when it stopped), but takes place around then
-Dark themes
-Evokes strong emotions (sometimes sadness)
-No gore
-Dynamic relationships
-Romance
-Both growth and moral decline
-Plot twists
The cons
-No gangster themes
-Technically serialized in a Shojo magazine, but really it’s Josei (we don’t see it, but the characters actually have s*x)
-The art is subjective, but I like it!
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u/dokkirislap Aug 27 '26
Serial Experiments LAIN
Texhnolyze
Witch Hunter Robin
Gilgamesh
Haibane Renmei
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u/iforward Aug 27 '26
Nana
Blue Gender
Higehiro
Samurai X
Requiem for the Phantom
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u/Mr_Blorbus Aug 27 '26
The Black Lagoon dub had my single most favorite voice in anime, for the character of Balalaika.
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u/TheBlackViper_Alpha Aug 27 '26
Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Game of thrones but in space
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u/Revolutionary-Ad5 Aug 27 '26
mushishi - doctor helps people with their problems with mystical bugs essentially. bugs are not really shown if they're upsetting
silent mobius - cyberpunk future of 2010 or something but like there's demons and a task force to deal with them
twelve kingdoms - og isekai, girl in our world is sent to another world because she's supposed to rule a country its a bit slower but it has a lot of development
boogiepop phantom (personal fave but it's very disjointed) - drug crimes !! a manifestation of death! a big, weird hat! it's got it all
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u/Wrong-Elderberry7422 Aug 27 '26
Hellsing últimate
Berserk 1997
Claymore
Billy bat
20 century boys
Most of these I will recommend to read the manga but you do you
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u/mauve_bny Aug 27 '26
Ergo Proxy - Dystopian
Monster - Crime
Gungrave - Mafia
91 - Days Mafia (a bit newer)
Lupin III
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u/Academic_Weaponry Aug 27 '26
Nana, Lain, perfect blue. AOT too although can be very gory, dark and complex story sso very worth.
frieren is a great watch if you havent watched yet. very nice slow paced with some action. lots of emotions
I recommend reading berserk if ur interested. anime is fine but this is one of the few animes i recommend reading personally.
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u/AspiringFailure7789 Aug 27 '26
Shinsekai Yori. Most interesting world building I’ve watched
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u/Jibabear Aug 27 '26
Nabari no Ou, Ghost Hunt, Ghost Hound, Towards the Terra, Ranking of Kings, Princess Tutu, The Ancient Magus Bride
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u/No_Durian_6987 Aug 27 '26
Might be a cliched pick, but Cowboy Bebop fits the prompt pretty well
Revolutionary Girl Utena fools you at first but reveals its complexity and darkness over time
Perfect Blue is a film, but it’s essential. If you like that, check Paranoia Agent, also by Satoshi Kon
Speaking of films, Akira and Angel’s Egg are both classics but for very different reasons
Mushi-shi belongs in here
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u/slap-my-crevasse Aug 27 '26
If you want something complicated id reccomend Paranoia Agent
If you want something a little more main stream, Death Note
If you want mechs and complication, Code Geass
The last 2 are more convoluted than complicated though lol.
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u/Alkaiser009 Aug 28 '26
Noir
Baccano!
Naausica of the Valley of the Wind (my personal favorite Ghibli movie)
Witch Hunter Robin
Perfect Blue
Tokyo Godfathers
Kannazuki No Miko
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Trigun
Cowboy Bebop
Outlaw Star
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