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[Seraph_Nicholas]

I have the EXACT same line in the sand for 'quality' anime. Trigun and Cowboy Bebop absolutely define what I love about the genre.

On that note, I recommend the new JoJo series (Might be the best anime I've ever seen. I love it so), One Punch Man, and Madoka Magica.

 

[Diodiablo]

Interesting questions. I think many anime have surpassed both, especially Trigun that, when I remove my rose-tinted glasses (I loved the series) is nothing great. The problem is that many anime that have been done in the last years can be written off from the competition because of the genre. Hellsing for example is a completely different genre (vampires, supernatural), so every comparison can be shot down by saying "I'm not in that". Even if Alucard is a much better character that Vash any day of the week.

CB was a great series, with a marvelous score by Yoko Kanno and good production values, but all in all it was Lupin the Third IN SPACE. That's why it was so easy to sell off as a "gateway anime" of sorts, no magic, no robots, no superpowers. Even Trigun started off as similar.

So your question should be posed as "has any anime successfully copied these two's settings while being as good as them?"

And the answer for that is probably not. All the anime in the low tech-scifi-cyberpunk genre has been mediocre at best.

Except for Ghost in the Shell SAS and Psycho-Pass, which are different beasts (too much philosophy, again not for all tastes).

 

[Ralemont]

His intentions are not obvious[or rather, his resolve], even if his skill is.
I mean, goddamn. Trigun ruined so much media for me. Cause when you see anyone with extreme altruism, it's obvious they are not even approaching Vash's extreme dedication to it.
And that kinda makes them lame by comparison. Cause if you're going to be idiotically altruistic, you might as well be THE altruistic idiot.

I can think of a ton of characters more altruistic than Vash since Vash

Spoiler

actually has to abandon his altruism to kill Legato. But that's part of what makes the later episodes so good since it doesn't just cop out with a "love and peace win!" scenario. Even with the ending there's little suggestion that Vash can change Knives' mind; the victory was just one of Vash choosing not to kill him.

 

[Shmuppers]

I would argue that Trigun is surpassed in quality every year.

Cowboy Bebop? That's a little tougher.

 

[Geist-]

Man, I didn't realize there were so many dissenting opinions in AnimeGAF. What I love about anime is their willingness to go places that American TV almost never goes (due to cost, or lack of interest from production companies), mostly in terms of science fiction, but also in many cases visceral psychological shows as well. Sorry if these have already been recommended, but based on your likes, here are a few that were pretty good:

Black Lagoon (for me, this is on the same level as Cowboy Bebop)
Jormungand (it has its ups and downs)
Gangster (aired this year, also has ups and downs)
Ghost in the Shell: SAC (I love the subject matter, so it's one of my favorites)
Planetes
PsychoPass (first season mostly, but 2nd season wasn't the worst thing)
Baccano (Amazing soundtrack, similar to CB)

 

[darkwing-buck]

Yup, and Tatami Galaxy is in a similar vein. Some heady shit, man.

+1 Funny, depressing, inspirational, deep. There's really nothing like it.

Seriously, Welcome to the nhk was great. Still have yet to read the manga though.

 

[MrChom]

Man, I didn't realize there were so many dissenting opinions in AnimeGAF. What I love about anime is their willingness to go places that American TV almost never goes (due to cost, or lack of interest from production companies), mostly in terms of science fiction, but also in many cases visceral psychological shows as well. Sorry if these have already been recommended, but based on your likes, here are a few that were pretty good:

Black Lagoon (for me, this is on the same level as Cowboy Bebop)
Jormungand (it has its ups and downs)
Gangster (aired this year, also has ups and downs)
Ghost in the Shell: SAC (I love the subject matter, so it's one of my favorites)
Planetes
PsychoPass (first season mostly, but 2nd season wasn't the worst thing)
Baccano (Amazing soundtrack, similar to CB)

Anime isn't a genre, though, it's a medium...you can have two fans of anime who like completely opposite ends of the spectrum...and it's fine. I know I have a bent towards Sci-Fi (trashy mech series), fantasy (high or low, don't care), and sports anime. What goes on my top 100 may not even TOUCH someone else's. Saying you like anime is like saying you like films...you've kind of got room for a LOT of specificity within it.

Also, never thought about this one....for the edification of OP here's my anime-planet list. Everything I've ever watched anime-wise ranked from 0-5 stars, searchable by anything you like:

http://www.anime-planet.com/users/MrChom/anime?sort=rating&order=desc

Not a good idea to get a cohesive list....but having an account somewhere like there or my anime list is a quick way to be able to look for certain things....like any sci-fi made between 2007 and 2011 with a rating over 4.4 (Code Geass, Gurren Lagann, Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2nd gig for reference).

As for anime going different places...well that's my number 1 reason to love it. Much like great British or American TV the best Anime dumps out the expectations and gives you something different...only because it's animated (and animated for adults) it can be even MORE off the wall should it so choose.

 

[jmdajr]

Love Trigun, but Bebop tier nope. Worth a watch though.

 

[jmdajr]

Baccano!

.

I was very impressed by this. Last anime I have seen.

 

[Geist-]

Anime isn't a genre, though, it's a medium...you can have two fans of anime who like completely opposite ends of the spectrum...and it's fine. I know I have a bent towards Sci-Fi (trashy mech series), fantasy (high or low, don't care), and sports anime. What goes on my top 100 may not even TOUCH someone else's. Saying you like anime is like saying you like films...you've kind of got room for a LOT of specificity within it.

As for anime going different places...well that's my number 1 reason to love it. Much like great British or American TV the best Anime dumps out the expectations and gives you something different...only because it's animated (and animated for adults) it can be even MORE off the wall should it so choose.

I know it's not a Genre, I'm just saying I don't hear a lot of dissenting opinion over specific shows like Cowboy Bebop. For the most part all I ever hear is love for the series, but there are more people than i thought who thought it was overrated.

What I mean is that Anime as a medium, as in Japanese animation, is, as you said, going different places. Animation is so much more flexible in terms of storytelling exactly due to the fact that stories aren't limited to what a people and sets can do, or the limits of the CGI budget. But so far only Japan is one of the only countries that have seen that advantage and more willing to bring more genres into that medium than other countries like the US that can only make kids shows and adult comedy.

One of my favorite love stories. ;-)

 

[The Purple Pill]

Beating Cowboy Bebop is probably a task that's impossible, but there are gems out there, which do their genre justice, or bring forth something very different, or incredible along.


The most obvious, as it's by the same director,

Samurai Champloo

The really great yet often underrated, but generally well received,

Welcome to the NHK.

Moribito, Guardian of the spirit

Darker than Black

Spoiler

Season 1

Tatami Galaxy

Genshiken

The very underrated hidden gem,

House of 5 Leaves

 

[Cpt Conifer]

Off the top of my head, I'd probably rather watch Casshern Sins or this little known anime called "Kaiba" (2008) over Cowboy Bebop. I get the impression Casshern Sins is regarded by most as like a 6 or 7/10 anime, like that thing they watch when they want to take a break from Dragonball Z ("Cool fight scenes, maan!") but it did quite a lot for me, emotionally, back when I watched it.

 

[Yawnier]

I've been mulling it over for a while. Haruhi may be best anime of the last fifteen years. Is not only deceptivly smart and unique as a sci-fi story. But it's incredibly influential in anime. An amazing soundtrack, great direction, and the main VAs are the best. It deserves to be in the conversation as a top ten.

The Disappeance of Haruhi Suzumiya could be the best non-ghibli anime movie of the last 5 years. It's way worth watching the series (which is good in itself except for Endless Eight) just to get to the disappearance.

I watched all the endless eight episodes over the course of an afternoon and almost went mad crazyyyy, though.

 

[ApharmdX]

I'm glad I read through this thread, because Trigun/CB were some of my first anime series... started really watching anime in 98. I've watched a fair number of series since that era, though in total it's probably about half of all series mentioned by other posters, maybe less.

As good as Cowboy Bebop? Or close?

Samurai Champloo
Fate/Zero
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Gurren Lagann
Wolf's Rain, with some caveats
Death Note, also with some caveats

And probably a few others that I'm forgetting about.

I've always taken Trigun to be one of those animes that got super popular in the earlier days of the anime craze because there wasn't much else to fawn over if you were a Western fan.

I've never seen Trigun but that's the impression I always got, even years ago

Pretty much. As I watched more series, my opinion of Trigun has fallen, and fallen, and fallen. It's not a good series.

Also from that era, Eva was trash. I have never gone from loving a series to utterly despising it by the end.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

Shamploo>>>Beebop>>>Trigun

 

[neoanarch]

The Disappeance of Haruhi Suzumiya could be the best non-ghibli anime movie of the last 5 years. It's way worth watching the series (which is good in itself except for Endless Eight) just to get to the disappearance.

I watched all the endless eight episodes over the course of an afternoon and almost went mad crazyyyy, though.

To me the original thirteen episode series is nearly perfect. Not a single dull episode. The main 5 episode arc especially.

 

[shintoki]

Cowboy Bebop is a classic.

Trigun accidentally gets lumped into it since it came out around the same time, but it is just a mediocre series. Far better came before and after.

If I want to pick a few to put up against Bebop
1. Ghost in a Shell SAC(Both 1 and 2)
2. Baccano
3. Shin Sekai Yori
4. Gankutsuou
5. Seirei no Moribito
6. Juuni Kokuki
7. Shiki
8. Full Metal Panic 2nd Raid
9. Black Lagoon
10. Paranoia Agent
11. Fate/Zero
12. Hellsing Ultimate

I did try to avoid ones that I feel have no tonal relationship at all. Such as Monster, but deserves so need to be mentioned.

These are all series that are on par with it that came after.

I gotta disagree with you there. I liked Black Lagoon, but it felt like store brand Cowboy Bebop with less style and more adolescent edginess. I was going to type up a more detailed explanation, but really just comparing their openings says everything I was gonna say:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31V0fT0f_Wo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWk-VpK4hJo&t=0m13s

I'll say yes and no to this.

The reason being is what they are both referencing. Bebop was specifically referencing Westerns. Black Lagoon was specifically referencing 80's action films. That includes the cheese and pulp behind it. It's why you can get some very comedic kills or characters like The Wizard. One is more inherently childish. While Bebop puts more effort into a more elegant portrayal with higher production values for sure.

 

[cj_iwakura]

All you Baccano fans need to watch you some Durarara! too. Even has some of the same cast. (Well, the only two that matter.)

 

[rexor0717]

I'd go with TTGL, One Punch Man, Space Brothers, or HxH.

 

[Azerare]

I'm not sure about putting trigun with the likes of cowboy bebop and evangelion.
Though a few recent anime have been named that pretty good.

 

[213372bu]

Of course.

Samurai Champloo.

 

[I2amza]

Baccano was great!

I would also recommend "One Outs" (Trust me on this one)

 

[Stencil]

It wasn't a heavy hitter, but if we're going to bring up shows like Ping Pong I will say that episode 7 of Aku no Hana is the best anime anything I have watched in the last decade. That was rotoscope perfection. The emotion, haven't seen that in any other anime.

Watched the first two eps of Aku No Hana and I'm really digging it! That trailer doesn't do it much justice, tho...

 

[Mr. X]

Recommendations in order I think OP would enjoy
Gungrave
Samurai Champloo
Black Lagoon
Baccano
Hellsing Ultimate
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

 

[Helmholtz]

I thought Bebop and Trigun were good, but they're not my favorites.
Some anime that I'd put at the top and above those two:
Monster
Ping Pong
Samurai Champloo
Berserk
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Hajime No Ippo

I can pretty much fully recommend any of those to people who are at least somewhat interested in anime (with the exception of maybe Berserk, mainly due to its cliffhanger ending).
FMA:Brotherhood also gets frequent recommendations, and while it's very solid and enjoyable, it's just not one of my personal top shows.
I also hate KLK and think it's a piece of shit. TTGL was aite, not one of my favorites.
One Punch Man is currently airing and it's really good. Will have to see how it places when the dust settles but there's promise.

 

[TrounceX]

Ruroni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen

Yeah it's an OVA technically and not really recent, but it's about the only anime I can confidently recommend above Bebop. It's similar in that you don't have to be an anime fan in the slightest to enjoy it. Serious story, good animation, none of the recycled character archetypes or tropes of modern anime.

 

[keisuke999]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions. Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do haha

 

[Sölf]

Some would say Space Dandy.

Spoiler

lol

Space Dandy is great. The thing is, it's an experiment that imo worked quite well. But it just can't really be compared with anything else. The closest thing might actually be Excel Saga, because of the changing theme each episode. Space Dandy is just more serious, even though it's mostly still comedy.

I would also add Ping Pong. It's vastly different, but it's also one of the greatest things I have ever seen. Unlike Bebop, it's based on a manga though.

 

[Odrion]

I'd say Black Lagoon is close to Cowboy Bebop. Skip the bonus "Roberta's Blood Trail" though. Or don't.

 

[daniels]

I never recognized these two animes as some kind of standouts... they are average to me and have bad filler episodes..

I am sure there are countless of animes out there that too have only around 3 "real" episodes with all the rest being average to baaad filler episodes similar to cowboy bebop... which lets be honest is basically just filler...

 

[HK-47]

I never recognized these two animes as some kind of standouts... they are average...

I am sure there are countless of animes out there that too have only around 3 "real" episodes with all the rest being average to baaad filler episodes similar to cowboy bebop.

Edgy

 

[Thud]

I wouldn't say surpassed, but I consider Monster on the same level.

That's more than ten years ago. Would kill for a 20th Century Boys anime, everyone needs Friend.

 

[King Kovu]

Not really a fan of either, but here's my Recommendations.
Parasyte (My favorite anime in a while)
Samurai Champloo
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Black Lagoon
One Punch Man
Attack on Titan
Hunter X Hunter (2011)
Eyeshield 21

 

[jrcbandit]

Not really a fan of either, but here's my Recommendations.
Parasyte (My favorite anime in a while)
Samurai Champloo
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Black Lagoon
One Punch Man
Attack on Titan
Hunter X Hunter (2011)
Eyeshield 21

I endorse this list except remove Eyeshield 21, I enjoyed the manga but the anime was complete crap. Attack on Titan has an interesting premise but the story doesn't hold up very well, although it is still entertaining to watch and had good exposure beyond hardcore anime fandom.

You also need to add JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Fate/Zero (and I enjoyed Fate: Unlimited Blade Works tv but it was more of a guilty pleasure).


Anything else more recent? I tried a number of 2015 shows and nothing has held my interest other than One Punch Man and longer shows that ended in 2015 like JoJo and Kuroko's Basketball. I'm glad more JoJo is coming.

 

[MrChom]

I am sure there are countless of animes out there that too have only around 3 "real" episodes with all the rest being average to baaad filler episodes similar to cowboy bebop... which lets be honest is basically just filler...

It's rare to see an opinion so bizarre as to leave me baffled as to where to actually start.

I'm not sure what you want from the show if you're looking for 26 episodes of Spike vs Vicious because that was never the central plot. The central plot was just the life of a bunch of ragtag bounty hunters. Jet's backstory is as much the plot as Faye's or Edward's....maybe even Ein's

Bebop is held up as a standard in the west because it gives us a well realised world with excellent music and interesting characters combined with writing that runs across a wide variety of styles and emotions.

 

[AllenShrz]

Trigun is awful, Bebop is okay, there have been scores of better shows since then.



But the first three are mediocre to awful.

Watch Shigurui if you want violence. (and an actualy good anime. )

Spoiler

It's reassuring to meet another soul that recognizes that recognizes the overratedness of Monster and Johan.

Yes! Monster is over rated and the "evilness" of Johan.

I was waiting to see this "monster" in action but no.



On the subject at hand, if you like the Count of Montecristo or revenge stories in general, watch Gankutsuou.

 

[daniels]

It's rare to see an opinion so bizarre as to leave me baffled as to where to actually start.

Its ok not everyone has to like the same things... and btw i feel the same way every time someone says cowboy bebop is in his top 5 or something
I watched it because some people go on and on about it... but most episodes are just overrated filler almost "naruto/random anime" type of filler maybe at the time it was special and felt new/exotic?
It just was average/overrated to me is all.

 

[Ratrat]

Yamata 2199 is the only recent one I really liked. There are obviously many other great shows if you go back +5 years.

 

[Thud]

Its ok not everyone has to like the same things... and btw i feel the same way every time someone says cowboy bebop is in his top 5 or something
I watched it because some people go on and on about it... but most episodes are just overrated filler almost "naruto/random anime" type of filler maybe at the time it was special and felt new/exotic?
It just was average/overrated to me is all.

OT: I'll add Paranoia Agent and Sexy Commando Gaiden to the mix. Paranoia Agent for the breakdowns, Sexy Commando for the laughs.

 

[HK-47]

Its ok not everyone has to like the same things... and btw i feel the same way every time someone says cowboy bebop is in his top 5 or something
I watched it because some people go on and on about it... but most episodes are just overrated filler almost "naruto/random anime" type of filler maybe at the time it was special and felt new/exotic?
It just was average/overrated to me is all.

Having different opinions is fine. But it literally sounds like you are describing a different show.

 

[Durrzerker]

Damn. Unless I missed it, I'm the only one who thinks Afro Samurai is maybe the best anime ever.


INCREDIBLE animation work, awesome english dubs with Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Perlman, and with a well-executed [admittedly basic but I think this works to its benefit] plot. It's short, gorgeous, and has an incredible soundtrack. There are also some really interesting themes running under the surface plot; it can easily be escapist anime if you want, but there's serious hints [Ninja Ninja] of more than just a revenge tale.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o1gq-GzwDQ


And did I mention the animation?