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[genjiZERO]

Well hello there,

I'm looking for anime recommendations. I'd like it to be geared for a mature audience, not more than 20 or so episodes, preferably "realistic" science fiction, vaguely Shintoistic, somewhat existential, and preferably dealing with real nations/places.

Examples of anime I like: Ghost in the Shell SAC and Planetes.
Example of anime I don't like: Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Side question: People hate Dragon Ball Kai? Is it really that bad? I love Dragon Ball and would be interested in re-watching it.

Thanks in advance

 

[Aguirre]

Legend of the galactic heroes

 

[xxracerxx]

I was going to say Planetes, but dammit, you already saw it.

 

[brollyman2k]

Cowboy Bebop

 

[Tr4nce]

Can Cowboy Bebop be considered 'mature'?

Edit: wasn't aimed at you brollyman.

 

[injurai]

Cowboy Bebop, Ergo Proxy, Texhnolyze

 

[fallagin]

Outlaw star? It is a bit silly though.

 

[GrizzNKev]

Code Geass, but it's 50 episodes across 2 seasons if you can handle that. Maybe not like, I am a mature adult mature, but it deals with mature themes.

It's my favorite anime.

<-

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

Ergo Proxy meets your requirements to a tee.

 

[brollyman2k]

Can Cowboy Bebop be considered 'mature'?

Edit: wasn't aimed at you brollyman.

I would think that Cowboy Bebop is mature. I think that's why it aired on Adult Swim back when it hit Cartoon Network instead of Toonami

 

[Lambtron]

Watch Space Brothers. It's fucking incredible.

 

[NinjaTehFish]

Serial Experiments Lain.......sorta

 

[BuckRobotron]

Kurau Phantom Memory perhaps

 

[Jackpot]

Legend of the galactic heroes

+1

rather hard sci-fi in that it's all realistic lasers and heat sinks and the like. Also very detailed portrayl of the competent dictatorship vs incompetent democracy dilemma.

 

[lordfroakie]

Big O
MS 8th Team Gundam
irresponsible captain tylor

 

[EVOL 100%]

Avoid Ergo Proxy.

Watch Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze.

 

[wonzo]

Legend of the galactic heroes

.

 

[Ducarmel]

Give Bokurano a try

 

[BlackJace]

Serial Experiments Lain
Akira
Steins;gate

 

[brollyman2k]

Avoid Ergo Proxy.

Watch Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze.

Ergo Proxy is a bit slow to get into but when it picks up it's good. Texhnolyze is great!

 

[Blader]

Legend of the galactic heroes

That's about 100 episodes over his limit :lol

 

[Kagari]

Gundam 0083.

 

[Frankenstrat]

Legend of the galactic heroes

Yep. Was going to add Planetes, but that's already been covered.

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

Give Bokurano a try

Loved it. Strange that it never got licensed in the States.

 

[Kite]

Ghost in the Shell: SAC -> Psycho Pass, Darker than Black, Denno Coil

PLANETES -> Space Brothers (highly recommended), Freedom, Moonlight Mile, Banner of the Stars

edit: Dragon Ball -> HunterxHunter (2012)

 

[Duuke]

It's not a series, but I enjoyed the self contained stories of the Animatrix.

You mentioned you dislike Evangelion but I highly recommend the first season of Code Geass. Much smarter than the average mech national war anime.

 

[BlackJace]

Ghost in the Shell: SAC -> Psycho Pass, Darker than Black, Denno Coil

PLANETES -> Space Brothers (highly recommended), Freedom, Moonlight Mile, Banner of the Stars

Only S1, I was utterly disappointed with S2.

 

[Blader]

Gundam 0083.

Don't be mean

 

[B.K.]

Gundam 0080.

 

[brollyman2k]

Only S1, I was utterly disappointed with S2.

by S2 do you mean Gemini of the Meteor?

 

[genjiZERO]

Legend of the galactic heroes

I've heard great things about this. It just might be the thing I'm looking for. Thanks

I was going to say Planetes, but dammit, you already saw it.

Ha! Great minds and all. Planetes was amazing. I wish there was more anime dealing with near future themes in a realistic manner

Cowboy Bebop

Can Cowboy Bebop be considered 'mature'?

Edit: wasn't aimed at you brollyman.

Definitely have seen Cowboy Bebop. I do consider it mature too.

Cowboy Bebop, Ergo Proxy, Texhnolyze

Ergo Proxy meets your requirements to a tee.

Ergo Proxy? I'll have to look it up. Thanks

Outlaw star? It is a bit silly though.

Loved it, but it's more shonen than I'm looking for.

Code Geass, but it's 50 episodes across 2 seasons if you can handle that. Maybe not like, I am a mature adult mature, but it deals with mature themes.

It's my favorite anime.

<-

What I've seen is a bit to shonen, but if I was in the mood for that sort of thing I'd definitely check it out. My brother loved it.

Watch Space Brothers. It's fucking incredible.

Never heard about it, but I'll look into it. Thanks

Kurau Phantom Memory perhaps

Same reply as above. Cheers

 

[Makoto]

Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan)

Watch Space Brothers. It's fucking incredible.

As good as Space Brothers is, I don't think that will satisfy his search for science fiction. Plus it's scheduled for around 50 episodes.

 

[EVOL 100%]

Ergo Proxy is a bit slow to get into but when it picks up it's good. Texhnolyze is great!

Funny, I thought it started great and shit the bed halfway through with it's junior high school level of faux symbolism and 'surreal' scenes. By the end I was laughing and I'm pretty damb sure that it wasn't the intended reaction.

It was like as bad as the dumb Christian 'symbolism' in Eva.

 

[BlackJace]

by S2 do you mean Gemini of the Meteor?

Yeah. It's a shame too, as I quite liked the first season.

 

[GrandHarrier]

Ctrl + F Macross

Wut.

Not exactly hard sci fi, but Macross is a great sci-fi series.

 

[The Boat]

Watch Space Brothers. It's fucking incredible.

 

[TrounceX]

Steins;Gate

It's a must-watch for any anime fan to begin with. That it happens to fit your criteria is just a bonus. Go now.

 

[genjiZERO]

Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan)


As good as Space Brothers is, I don't think that will satisfy his search for science fiction. Plus it's scheduled for around 50 episodes.

Eve no Jikan was absolutely amazing. Great existential piece.

50 episodes might be too much for the time being...

 

[MCD]

Only S1, I was utterly disappointed with S2.

Season 2 still has better stuff. Like better action scenes, better music and a hobo Hei who doesn't give a fuck.

Plus the Gaiden OVA alone is better than most episodes of season 1. Best thing to come out of season 2 for sure.

And if you still don't wanna bother with season 2, then watch season 1 and read the manga: Shikkoku No Hana. According to myanimelist and anime news network, it replaces the events of season 2 completely.

 

[B.K.]

Ctrl + F Macross

Wut.

Not exactly hard sci fi, but Macross is a great sci-fi series.

That reminds me. Macross Plus.

 

[FartOfWar]

Forget the anime. Get the three 2001 Nights manga collections instead. I'll vouch for these over anything recommended here.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Wings of Honneamise?

 

[dmr87]

Ergo Proxy was the first one that popped up in my head but already posted. Bit slow in the beginning as said but keep watching.

http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3302

 

[BlackJace]

Season 2 still has better stuff. Like better action scenes, better music and a hobo Hei who doesn't give a fuck.

Plus the Gaiden OVA alone is better than most episodes of season 1. Best thing to come out of season 2 for sure.

And if you still don't wanna bother with season 2, then watch season 1 and read the manga: Shikkoku No Hana. According to myanimelist and anime news network, it replaces the events of season 2 completely.

I've bothered with Season 2. It was just disappointing against season 1 IMO.

I will say that the Gaiden OVAs were nice, though

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

Steins;Gate

It's a must-watch for any anime fan to begin with. That it happens to fit your criteria is just a bonus. Go now.

This was good too. One of the last anime I ever watched. It's especially good if you're into time travel. However I'm thinking its not really what the OP is looking for. It's still pretty silly and juvenile at times.

 

[genjiZERO]

Ergo Proxy was the first one that popped up in my head but already posted. Bit slow in the beginning as said but keep watching.

http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3302

What's the emo/teen angst level like?

 

[Necrovex]

This was good too. One of the last anime I ever watched. It's especially good if you're into time travel. However I'm thinking its not really what the OP is looking for. It's still pretty silly and juvenile at times.

It gets serious during the second season, but the first season focuses more on character development and comedy.

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

What's the emo/teen angst level like?

Zero.

 

[fmcato]

Macross Plus, yeah.

 

[umop_3pisdn]

Lain is a mature anime, but it's essentially an experiment in the medium, though in my opinion a competent and effective experiment, but you will probably need to watch it a couple of times to adjust to it. If one of your objections to Evangelion was the poor excuse for philosophy then Lain is a much better example of how to incorporate philosophy into a narrative.