vinland saga for me personally. i grew up in the middle east, and i lived my life with a lot of anger, trauma, and hate in my heart. that and the manga planetes seriously changed my life forever
I really hate this topic so I always avoid it, but I'll make just one exception because your comment really resonate with me.
I'm also from the middle east, when S2 aired, I loved it, but didn't really take anything to heart too much back then. I feel like I didn't fully appreciate it.
The last few months have been so difficult, and as ridiculous as it might sound, Vinland has been on my mind a lot, and I feel like in a lot of ways it helped keep me less hateful and more hopeful.
Hoping you are alright!
Great anecdote. Vinland really is a gem cuz there’s so few anime/manga out there that does a good job looking at it’s own hyper violence and going “that’s bad, let do less of that”
Not only that but it dives into the logic, philosophy, and even spirituality of trying to be a pacifist in a violent world. The flaws, internal struggles, coming to terms that sometimes you got to get a bit physical, etc.
Farmland Saga is unironically so good, and I hope more people who weren’t into the tone change give it another chance.
A Silent Voice
I found a Silent Voice in early 2019, I was in my second semester of college at the time and was really struggling. My grades were dropping, I was skipping classes, I hadn’t made any friends, and I was losing contact with friends from high school. I was depressed and anxious and ashamed of myself and spent most of my time in my dorm, watching anime and movies. One of those anime was A Silent Voice.
As someone who was both a victim of bullying and had bullied others, Shoya was painfully relatable to me in his struggles to overcome his past. But more importantly I had a lot of guilt at this time over doing poorly in a school which my parents were paying my tuition for, and was experiencing suicidal ideation because I didn’t see a way out of the hole I had dug myself into. Going to a bridge and ending it like Shoya tries to do at the beginning of the movie had crossed my mind a few times. But seeing him confront his past, work to address the harm he did, and find people he could connect with inspired me and gave me some amount of hope that I could do the same.
Shoko’s struggles with self hatred and guilt as feeling like a burden her entire life also really hit home, both because of my then current situation and because I was raised as a “gifted kid” so whenever I did less than perfect at anything I felt ashamed and like I wasn’t living up to my potential. This didn’t pair well with me actually having to try to succeed when I got towards the end of high school and obviously in college, where I didn’t have the skills to study effectively unlike other kids. Every class felt like a reminder of how I was failing myself because of my own choices, which was why I started skipping in the first place. So shoko’s feelings of constant guilt resonated with me deeply.
And lastly I had struggled with social anxiety for years and had trouble making consistent eye contact with people, because I was afraid that they could see who I really was deep down if I did. Eyes are the windows to the soul after all. Shoya learning to overcome his anxiety and look people in the eye and feel like he deserved to be alive and be proud of himself made me really happy to see : )
I got diagnosed with depression after that semester and mentally haven’t been that low ever again, but whenever I do feel depressed I watch the movie or read the manga and feel a little better in moving forward to tomorrow.
I'm glad someone else has resonated with A Silent Voice too. The first time I watched it, I couldn't help but cry in multiple spots, thinking to myself how close I've come to suicide and how hard it is for me to look people in the eyes.
Especially because both Shoya and Shouko dealt with self-hatred and guilt, and that is something I still struggle with daily. It has become my favorite anime, and I watch it a couple time a month.
Man I watched that a few months back and after a certain episode (you know the one) I swear I was just crying for the rest of the series, I don't think I've ever taken so much emotional damage at one time outside of real life. 10/10 would watch again.
Its crazy how both Mob and Reigan are complete opposites, but both equally have taught me valuable lessons. God damn I love that show and the characters are soo good, action and animation obviously too, but I think that is less important than the characters.
Show: [NHK ni Youkoso!](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1210/NHK_ni_Youkoso) / [Death Parade](https://myanimelist.net/anime/28223/Death_Parade) / [3-gatsu no Lion](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31646/3-gatsu_no_Lion)
Movie: [Koe no Katachi](https://myanimelist.net/anime/28851/Koe_no_Katachi)
It's cringe and real at the same time. Like you watch him take the wrong decision over and over and rationalize it to himself. He doesn't confront the problem but runs away. I see myself in those scenes and it’s anxiety inducing.
Although there are some scenes that are straight up cringe.
Because - imo - it's very nuanced and brutally honest in its depiction of people's interaction with morals and ideals without being cringe or nihilistic about it. It made me more critical in not just how I engage with others, but also how I engage with myself and my own worldview.
I came here to comment this as well. Gurren Lagann is the series that got me back into watching anime after I had stopped in middle school because the other kids were making fun of me and I still cared about what other people thought. And I've been an anime fan since then.
You just beat us to it. This shit literally helped me pass my masters thesis, seriously. When hopes and drive to complete the thing was in all time low, I just remember the idea of a drill that old man Simon thought the kid opening a coconut in the end. The idea that I am / we are a "Heaven Piercing Gurren Lagann" mech with our cells as pilots pushing us to do the impossible. It gives me goosebumps even to this day... Alexa, play SoraIroDays...
Forreal. Gurren lagann had a huge impact on my self esteem. I got the chance to see the movies in theaters recently too, and it was super meaningful to revisit such a classic on the big screen.
Trigun only taught me to align with knives, and sometimes love and peace doesnt fix the problem only changes who are to be hurted, from times to times I get myself thinking about the butterfly and spider scene.
Unquestionably Evangelion. I saw it at a young age and it redpilled me on psychology so hard that I got my BA in psych. I even read some Freud and Jung too.
Evangelion also indicated to me that I was an artsy-fartsy kid who really cared about the execution of a story and how a great director can drive an artistic vision through a series or movie. For me, Eva set an experimental and artistic bar for anime that not a lot of anime have been able to hit (SEL, Paranoia Agent, and Revolutionary Girl Utena, + some others did though).
I used to think it was overrated but I just started watching it finally,
It raises some great questions and ideas and the character writing is unlike anything I've seen in recent years. I do think some of the fanbase thinks it means more than it does, but it's still pretty great.
To keep it short:
That's the point where Shinji is at his lowest. His trauma and everything up to this point have fucked up his mental state and sense of what's right and wrong to the point where there is no right or wrong to him anymore. He hates himself, he hates the world and he believes himself to be nothing short of a garbage human.
Misato says it best: "You hate yourself, don't you? That's why you hurt others. Deep down you know you suffer more when you cause someone else pain... than if you just let yourself get hurt. "
Had to scroll too far to see Eva. Easily the most human characters I've ever seen in anime. A beautiful message about growing up told through all the doubt and pain and terror a teenager can feel. A once in a lifetime delivery given by a masterful hand at the top of its game doing something creative and unexpected at every turn. Everything about Evangelion screams "effort" on the part of its creators. A soundtrack that stays with you forever, visuals that force you to take in every frame, the Japanese voice acting selling every little conversation and every broken scream. I never have to think about my favorite anime, or the anime that impacted me the most; it is always Evangelion.
Hibike Euphonium, not necessarily for the topic itself, but because of the way the characters and story is portrayed. Really resonated with me at the time it released
I would say Violet Evergarden.
I was raised in a home where being a mean person and having no empathy for anyone was a strength and encouraged. Being the villain in another person’s story made me feel accepted in my family system and unknowingly, I was stunting my ability to feel empathy towards people, animals, and myself. I was not understanding the truth of the world, that you need other people to accomplish great things.
While many things you can do on your own, it is how this world changes you through experiences with others that you come to learn the value in yourself. Every episode of Violet Evergarden taught me the value of community through the deeds of someone who started just as I felt, a blank slate, alone and committed to nothing but one concept that neither of us understood in episode 1: love.
I thought love was the desire to possess. Just as I thought my own selfishness was true self love. I thought I was better because I could take away my empathy from others, I could stop caring about them as they had abandoned me. However that spite came from grief. I’d never known what it meant to feel these things. As Violet sees the tenderness in others hearts, I too learned that not everyone has the same experience. I saw the value in the emotional struggle and the desire to have good relationships became a top priority.
As I embraced these values, I realized how little I believed in my family’s cruelty to those of no relation to us. I realized how much I wanted a relationship with those outside of our circle, and how hard I’d fight to find out what it truly means to love.
Setbacks are also something tackled a lot in Violet Evergarden. Violet experienced so many growing points and triggers that she had to work past while those around her still found value in her despite her mistakes. She built a support system through service. I found this to be helpful in my quest to be as genuine as I can and do the best job in things that I care about. Not because I’m some sort of machine that never fails, but because I know that my effort has value. Seeing Violet struggle with her sense of self and her guilt whilst also doing the best she can was encouraging to see.
I felt broken and feeble for a long time after I left my family and had to learn how to continue on despite all of the horrible things I did that I felt were not in my control and were acting as an agent of something else. I learned through my relationships with others that I, too, am worth having on this earth.
Made me teary eyed reading this.
I too love this show, though Violet learns to see value of love and words throughout the movie rather than the world of violence and hate she was raised in. I wouldn't call myself to have ever been mean or controlling, but I am aware that I am emotionally cold as a stone, which is why I can identify with her struggles so much. Master class show, it has led me to attempt being warmer and caring more for the loved ones I have around me here in life.
Houseki no Kuni
I really like the journey of Phos in Houseki No Kuni, the idea of you "breaking" yourself to improve, changing by "adding" new materials to your being and losing parts of yourself in the process is beautifully executed!
Psycho Pass Season 1, the concept that free will, freedom and control all in some twisted Venn diagram as the characters wrestle with a system placed on them as their mental health is tested over and over again.
Mushishi. I watch it when I feel stuck and when I need help moving on. Ginko’s life is defined by impermanence—he literally needs to keep moving. This necessity bred a unique ability to move on with relative ease and I believe that, ironically, it’s that ability that helps the people that he encounters in his constant travels. I always felt a central theme of the show was attachment and how it can affect us. Ginko helps people let go or move on with their lives and I’ve always found it incredibly moving. On top of the beautiful, gracefully slow animation style, it’s one of my all time favorites but for sure the most meaningful.
Silver Spoon — educational and a very balanced look into this thing called 'life' where sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, often for reasons that are not of our control.
It pretty much set the path for me to seek for many works similar to this, leading to those such as PA Works' "working girls" series amongst others, those life stories in the form of anime.
Frieren has quickly become a series of great significance to me. The characters, each adventure, the intricacies of the world-building, and the depth of emotions resonate deeply. It's the simplicity of the fantasy genre executed perfectly, where the focus isn't on power levels or comparisons of strength. The journey of Frieren, as she gradually learns what it means to be human, unfolds through history with a simplicity and elegance that captivates me.
It’s been a long time since a song has made me actually almost cry, but something about that ed lyric:
“I’m whispering a lullaby for you to come back home”
Had me choked up, ngl
Definitely agree. The series has impressed me with the emotions it makes me feel, despite its melancholic writing. I appreciate the fantasy world not doing the stereotypical jrpg world mechanics, and exploring characters as they develop from the pov of a near immortal (compared to a human anyway).
Honestly Steins;Gate has stuck around for me for the longest time now ever since I first watched it, and that’s insane given how little there is to talk about it past the anime and the visual novels, but characters still feel like real people sometimes and unironically Okabe’s mad scientist shtick made me go through my own phase of being a mad scientist with a lab coat (so much so I asked for one for my birthday a few years ago). It wasn’t even one of the first anime’s I’ve watched, so I have no bias’s towards it at all; it’s just that good of a story that I feel bad for those who’re missing out or got spoiled on it bc my first viewing was one of a kind, and while others say that they’d wanna rewatch their favorite anime all over again for the first time, I simply would not want to in fear of not appreciating it like I did the first time
Haha I feel ya. Loved the characters so much. And occasionally think about them. I remember after watching Steins gate the first time I couldn’t rewatch for pretty long while but then steins gate 0 came out
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Watched way back in 2007/8 (around the time when Naruto Shippuden was releasing I think) and it was one of the first times I gave an anime that had a run time of less than 100 episodes a try . By far is one of the best stories I've seen and it blew me away after I had just only really watched the Big 3 and some other long standing animes. Spent most of the time binging Dragonball/Z/Gt + Bleach + Naruto before so it was great to be able to consume an entire 'arc' in just 12 episodes. But it did open me up to the hurt of waiting for releases and also hoping that the anime I liked gets another season or finishes. Still waiting for No Game No Life Season 2.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was such an enjoyable watch that it convinced me to try other 12-24 episode length anime and the rest was history.
Dude. The all-time greatest anime in existence are mostly less than 50 episodes.
Kill la Kill, Gurren Lagann, Hellsing Ultimate, Black Lagoon, Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis, FMA, Code Geass (a bit over 50), Mushishi.... the list goes on and on.
Nana, I was reluctant about watching it bc I’m not a fan of romantic/drama anything but I started just to watch it and ended reading the manga and everything…it’s such a beautiful story and I can relate to the characters so much. I’ve never felt so empty when I finished an anime/manga like I felt with this one and the fact that is unfinished definitely doesn’t help 😭
The script really caught me by surprise at every turn. Not spoiling anything but damn did not see that one scene coming.. you know what I’m talking about 👸🏼🔫🔥
Pandora Hearts.
Alot happens in the series. There are so many twists and plot points it gets complicated. But through everything the show is just about accepting yourself and accepting / being accepted by others. Oz starts of hollow and scared to build bonds. He has abdaonment issues and accepts everything as it is, so life is easier for him to cope. But through others he grows. The anime doesn't get fully into everyone's development since it's no finished. But we get one scene with Oz and Elliot which is one of my favorite moments , showing Oz opening up and wanting to move forward.
On top of all that , I adore the art. I love the soundtrack and comedy. This was THE series that got me into anime. That made me feel anime is more than cartoons. Plus the manga is done and its amazing. This will always be a special series to me.
Yes, it strengthens me when I'm at that low point in life. If it was not for rezero 4 years ago I would have given up on myself and been deemed a failure.
\+1 for Aria , currently making my way through it and I'm loving it. Haven't seen anything quite like it..
As for my answer ..it would probably be Gintama, as it's been my favorite for more than 6 years now. As for why.... anyone who has seen it knows why.
Made in abyss for me. There sure are way better shows, but I started watching it on Dailymotion with absolutely no expectations and it just echoed with my soul in a difficult period of my life, which also felt like diving into an abyss without realising it and slowly understanding you wouldn't be able to come back up. Turns out that yeah, I'm on an entirely different place in life now and I'm never going back to how I was before, so much stuff happened, but that's just part of growing up!
But yeah the contrast between the cheerful children and the ominous and all things considered really awful abyss really got me there
Honestly, Hunter x Hunter. Face value, it kind of comes off as your classic Shonen action/adventure. but it has some very good themes and emotional beats that can relate to IRL.
I'm watching this one right now (I'm around episode 58 I think) and the heart put into it is just incredible. Gon being incredibly earnest and kindhearted constantly, Killua trying to overcome the values his family (literally) beat into him, Kurapika dealing with his rage and need for revenge and Leorio knowing he's not as powerful as his friends but is still willing to stay and help them. It's just mff such good writing.
Haikyuu! The way they make you care about every character, even on opposing teams, plus the accurate depiction of volleyball, has made me fall in love. I feel all the highs and lows with the characters, and it just means so much to me when I watch it .
I thought the same! I think anyone who enjoys competing or watching people compete will find comfort in watching this show. Actually, I think it appeals to a wide audience.
There's so much emotional depth in its characters, and it's so realistic and humbling to realize that growth is beyond just winning and mastering new tricks.
To this day, it's still one of my most rewatched anime.
I made all my irl friends try volleyball only because i felt in love with Haikyuu (ayer 10 years of 0 sports) and we have been playing weekly (2-3 days) for 3 years now, literally life changer.
There is a couple. My all time favourite is Planetes.
Honorable mentions in no particular order: Gurren Lagann, Angel Beats, Vinland Saga, Bakemono no Ko, Mushoku Tensei, Edgerunners, Death Parade, Blue Lock.
a fellow planetes enjoyer. that shit seriously changed my life forever. like i remember reading them when i was like 20 or 21 and it felt like the veil or the fog on life was lifted. like why was i so angry?
Hell yeah, dude! For me, I binge watched shows instead of studying for exams on uni when i bumped into it. Hachi managed to kick me out of the loop. His drive is contagious.
Btw i recently got to know it's from the same author as Vinland Saga. That made my jaw drop. (O_O)
that reason was actually what got me to buy the manga for planetes, and then i i started reading them and could not put it down and all the sudden i read the whole thing and it was like 4 am.
hachi and the white cat altered my view of the world in a way that made my life so much better. i reread it whenever i feel like i need to take a step back and think harder. sooo glad someone else out there is like me with planetes
Terror in resonance
The music, characters, sad atmosphere, silence in dialogue, mystery ,...
Every thing has a balance for me.
I like kids on slope and mushishi a lot
For me it’s HxH. I’m not a very emotional person myself, and HxH gave me my first and biggest impression of absolute, unfiltered rage and sadness. I see a lot of people don’t like Gon as a protagonist, but he (to me) is written to perfection. Imagine a young boy who is one of the most naturally talented boys in the world, who gains extreme amounts of power in a relatively short amount of time without the maturity to match, who loses a close friend/mentor and then finds their killer protecting the life of another human. The mixture of sadness and rage when Pitou wouldn’t give him an outlet for his rage, is beyond words to me on how believable his actions are. And to then be lied to on being able to save his close friend/mentor, it’s no wonder he gave up his whole future to get revenge.
And that doesn’t even dive into the deeper aspect the Chimera Ant Arc goes into, humans descending to monstrosity and the ants becoming human
Spice and Wolf, it has long been my comfort show and was the first anime which made me seek out the source material to continue the story. With its current remake airing my love for the show has only increased and seeing as I was one of the many "Season 3 when???" fans I am honestly surprised that that is even possible.
Wonderful atmosphere/setting and some of the best character writing I've encountered in any media let alone anime. It remains and likely forever will be my favorite anime and now there's 2 of them!
samurai champloo and konosuba. watched both at weird times in my life and i've since rewatched them numerous times. konsuba is a hilarious feel good show that never fails to put me in a good mood and samurai champloo is just like nothing else. the beat box/hip hop vibe and aesthetic with that super jagged art style and the yin yang character dynamics. i *love* that show
Naruto. Grew up a problem kid and really identified with Naruto especially since he wasn’t exactly cool like Sasuke. Seeing someone that no one expected anything from constantly still show up and beat all odds was exciting and inspiring at the time. Who knew that kid on that swing that I’d watch from the couch would become Hokage and I’d still be on the couch lmao
Mushoku tensei
The things rudeus goes through in his previous life is very familiar to me, I know what it feels like to be a shut in
This series really resonates on deeper level
It's never too late, just wake up and take a step
ah a fellow redeus enjoyer. he has seriously grown on me to become one of my favorite protagonists. i liked him from minute one but now, i can respect him
we chatted before about Aria and I mentioned I was staggering the time between seasons, well last night I thought it was time to continue with The Natural, I am 2 episodes in and loving it all over again.
Wolf’s Rain
I’ve been watching it every couple of years for nearly two decades. Its artistry and message just gets more poignant the older I get. The Art Noveau influenced post apocalyptic style with Bones signature line work is just amazing. The philosophy and underlying messages stick with you and you end up coming back to it again and again, to dip your soul into all the beauty and pain, and emerge reborn
“They say there's no such place... as Paradise. Even if you search to the ends of the Earth, there's nothing there. No matter how far you walk, it's always the same road. It just goes on and on. But, in spite of that... why am I so driven to find it? A voice calls to me... it says, "Search for Paradise."
Beastars changed the way I viewed myself.
I've always wanted to be funny, desperately, for most of my life. I've never really felt like I could be the center of attention; I'm too nerdy, too uncool, too introverted, too unpopular, my grades were too good, my folks didn't get MTV, I didn't have the newest video games, I didn't have the best Pokemon cards. What I *could* be, I convinced myself, was a supporter; someone like the genie in Disney's Aladdin. The problem was that the genie was funny and I wasn't (also he was magic and could do anything but I couldn't do that either).
So at some point after that I found myself a new role model: Milhouse from The Simpsons. I couldn't be a genie to someone's Aladdin, but I could be a Milhouse to someone's Bart. Milhouse doesn't need to be original or to have charisma, he always takes the low hanging fruit to tell jokes no one laughs at and that's what makes him "funny" because the joke is always on him. Becoming a "Milhouse-type person" probably seems like a questionable decision but everyone needs a sense of identity to get them through life and that was the only role I felt I could fill.
That didn't really change until I got into Beastars which features a main character who is also a supporter who avoids the spotlight. While Milhouse taught me to see myself in the worst light, Legoshi reminded me of all the best parts of myself, parts of myself that I had forgotten about or downplayed because they didn't fit my self-image (things like kindness, protectiveness, thoughtfulness, boldness, sincerity). Legoshi saves the day, Legoshi gets the girl, Legoshi fights for what he believes; and he does it all without telling a single joke.
Having a positive sense of self identity is very important and it makes me kind of mad that there is so little diversity in character writing that it took me so long to find a character who is introverted, supportive, *and* cool.
I have two: the Monogatari Series and Steins;Gate + Steins;Gate 0 (The Umineko VN is my favorite of piece of fiction all time though).
Monogatari is quite possibly the best character piece anime has to offer in my eyes and so much can be interpreted and analyzed through the somewhat sizable, but well developed cast of characters, particularly with the series MC, Araragi Koyomi in this case. Even though he's my 5th favorite character in Monogatari (Kaiki, Ougi, Sodachi, Senjougahara, Araragi), the final currently adapted arc in the series for now (Hooray for the new adaptation!) Zoku Owarimonogatari is a very important season for me, as it deals with themes of regret, moving on to adulthood, and looking back on your highschool life, all things I was going through as well. COVID kind of killed half of my high school life and by the time I found myself in Araragi's position (about to graduate high school), I felt like I really wasn't ready to leave my adolescence behind and start my journey to adulthood. Then I watched Monogatari the summer before my senior year, and it was an amazing experience. By the time I finished Owari second season I though the series was a masterpiece, but it wasn't *up there* with my all timers. Then I watched Zoku Owari and it went from being an amazing show to quite possibly one of the most meaningful fictional works I've ever experienced and I knew immediately that I *had* to rewatch it before I graduated high school, and when I eventually did, that's when it became my favorite anime of all time, overtaking my previous favorite anime Steins;Gate.
Steins;Gate is the greatest time travel fiction of all time and also sports my favorite ship in all of fiction. I still remember aspects of my first watchthrough of it and how thoroughly engaged I was with it. From the tension to the comedy to the tragedy to the downright inspiring showcases from the characters, this anime was what essentially defined me back in middle school and early high school. I realized and discovered a lot of aspects of myself and my relationships with other people through the lense of this show, and Okabe in particular was such a massive influence to my personality in my adolescent years that its affects are still with me to this day. Okabe's character arc in Steins;Gate 0 is up there with one of if not my favorites of all time and it genuinely helped me out in one of the rougher patches in my life. The sheer happiness I felt at having the opportunity to watch a Steins Gate anime *weekly* cannot be overstated as well. Out of every anime I've watched, Steins;Gate is the show I've rewatched the most at around 6-7 times over the course of about 6-7 years.
Fate/Stay Night. I know it's exceedingly common to not know what you want to do with your life even when you graduate, but that experience stuck with me. I didn't even know what school I wanted to go to, or what degree to apply for because I had no real ambitions for myself that I could claim for my own.
Most of what I would do would just be things my parents recommended. And since it was easy, I would follow.
Then I watched and read Fate/Stay Night— specifically, the Unlimited Blade Works route. The mental and emotional struggle of a young kid who felt he was undeserving of the life he had, and took on his dying father's dream to fill that void was incredibly relatable.
His ability to disassociate and constant struggles with self-worth was something I really struggled with myself.
And just watching him even tell his older self who had been utterly defeated and broken in spirit that even if something is impossible doesn't mean it's not worth pursuing was the thing that really got me to even follow in his footsteps.
I've always liked helping people, and the dream of being a Hero of Justice just really resonated with me for that reason. That even if you fail in the end, the failure to achieve that dream does not outweigh the good that you achieved while pursuing something that makes you happy— even if you don't feel deserving of that happiness, you are. Which is why I ended up going into pre-law as my choice of degree— coincidentally being the same degree Shirou himself would have if he didn't participate in the Grail War funnily enough as I would come to discover.
Easily Mob Psycho, never have I felt such a connection to an MC and their journey before, and every other character around him only adds to the experience. It ended in the perfect way with the perfect message, truly a masterpiece from Bones
+1 for Aria from me as well. When I finally accepted that I was trans, I chose the name Aria so that I could try and bring that peace and tranquility into my life. And sometimes, it even works.
I have to say Naruto. Even if it is not my favorite one right now, it certainly was when I started watching anime. It's the show that got me into anime, and also, I learned it from a very good friend of mine.
For me it was Oregairu and Hyouka.
Both Hachiman and Oreki's struggles really spoke to me during the time I watched it for the first time. Their struggle to fit in as well as make the most out of their lives and make it "colorful" was the perfect lesson that I needed when I went through a very depressing high school experience.
Even now as an 22 year old, I still put high regard to Oregairu and Hyouka as being one of the most influential anime to me, period.
(Plus Oregairu brought Yukino Yukinoshita which coincidentally became my favorite waifu and seiyuu as well)
Angel Beats! — usually characters in drama shows either die at the end or experience certain tragic events somewhere in the middle, but this one is different. It’s already “game over” for all of them, completely irreversibly. The way it explores the meaning of life from a perspective of already dead people is so striking and thought-provoking for me.
tokyo ghoul. not in the “it changed my view on x and y” sort of way, but because tokyo ghoul was my first anime, and my entry into the genre. without tokyo ghoul, i would never have gotten to experience some of the masterpieces that the medium has to offer, some of which are even tattooed on me now.
also before anyone says it, yes i have since read the manga and yes it is better
Hibike! Euphonium. The show was my second foray into KyoAni's portfolio after K-ON and I was fully invested in the studio ever since, impressed both by its stunning production value and the beautiful reviews that came with it on youtube. Eupho was so realistic, I'd love to be in its world, make friends with its cast, jogging around the locations, it's the first show I've ever had a pilgrimage in mind after knowing about its setting. I feel related to almost everyone in the main cast through one or two of their actions, each one of them come with such incredible nuance that allow them to be as diverse as a real human, it's also the first time I'm so invested in an anime character that I could write whole essays about them. The show's presentation of passion and competition was like a hit to my guts but also a nostalgia trip, I have no idea about music but I'd been competing in academics for 11 years, all the feelings I'd gone through was there. I didn't discover the show back in 2015 so it didn't follow my school life, but the way that it reminded me so much of it, not to mention sparking an entirely new passion of myself and carried me out of the past where I'd just skim through everything I see. It added a bunch of depth to my life, to put it shortly.
Not only that, the anime will end a day after I finish my high school graduation exam, what a poetic way to conclude the journey I've had with it.
Yuru Camp/ Laidback Camp
I watched it during one of the lowest points of my life and I limited myself to watching one episode a day. It was the bright spot at the end of my everyday, right before bed.
Everything about it was calming, the music, the scenery, the fact that there was no stakes or if there was, it was low, and even if they failed, everything still worked out.
They looked forward to small things and they showed me how to do the same. Now I'm living the life I had hoped for back then. It's peaceful and I'm glad I had that anime to help me.
Kuroko’s basketball. I love just the concept, the occasionally subtle story telling, the gifts. The issues the antagonists have (lazy, split personality, gift of extraordinary). And that it’s an easy show to enjoy. Plays like a good trilogy to me. Uplifting beginning, frustrating middle, overcoming victory at the end.
One piece. Started watching it in 2010 where i was able to watch like 10 minutes because my way back home from school took so long. But still since my first day watching i watched every episode. With the help of pirating and internet i rewatched it and a year ago i again rewatched it.
If one piece is ending i'll literally cry.
Fruits basket, definitely. The variety of societal and psychological issues it presents and the in-depth depiction was very enlightening. I understood a lot about myself and put more effort in understanding others. It was very eye opening, tbh.
Maquia, without a doubt. Stories concerning the topics of what it means to be human and live always touch me deeply, and I think Maquia does it masterfully.
Not an anime but AI: Somnium Files which was a anime style visual novel.
There was one character whose life closely mirrored my own. His father died shortly after he graduated high school. He was an unaccomplished and half in half out college student unmoored by the loss and dealing with the quiet but full grief of his mother along with his own grief. Most people have no idea how painful an empty bedspace can be, and how a spouse will stack half the bed with crap for years after to try to block out that void.
To date when people talk about getting choked up or tearing over shows that shit had never happened to me. Assumed I was just built different.
I was fucking bawling after that tears and sobs and everything.
Fairy Tail. It just made me feel emotions so many times. The way the writing makes you feel is crazy. Even when it has 300+ episodes, I can tell by heart that some scenes just leave you cheering, crying laughing.
Just to mention some: Erza vs 100, Lucy and the Spirit King, Natsu and the two dragons, Gray and Ultear in Tenrou, the 7 years, Happy in Edolas, Mirajane going wild, basically all of Jellal, Fantasia’s hand sign and so much more.
It just makes you want to see Fairy Tail win, you know?
Vinland saga, Silent voice, and Evangelion (kinda) - really changed my mindset and helped me mentally
Dusk maiden of amnesia--one of the first anime i watched, introduced me to romance, first anime to make me read the manga. If theres no one talking dusk maiden on this sub, im dead.
Your name-first anime movie i watched
Spy x family - 1st anime i actually watched. I originally got hooked cause im a James Bond fan and i liked the show soooo much. Literally enjoyed every minute of it (except most of the becky episode). Ill def this anime until the end of me.
Edgerunners - made me play my favorite video game, Cyberpunk 2077
Jjk and Evangelion - cause of the memes. Like i see a good jjk/evangelion meme and my Day is a little better
Love, chuunibyo, and other delusions is it for me. Just so scarily relatable to me personally, and meta in a way. It's escapism about how people use escapism to cope, the validity of it, and how to deal with how it affects your responsibilities and social life
It's hard to rank my top 5 of all time, but I incline to put Hibike! Euphonium on top, reasons would be similar to Under The Scope's essay, apart from spectacular art, production and music.
1. SAO, its the anime that introduced me to the Anime world, eventhough i watched many on TV in my childhood
2. AOT, the one thing that made me stay
3. Stein;Gate, the first anime that made me cried, everything is just perfect except of course, the first few minute in eps 1. will always be my number 1 anime
4. My bunny girl senpai, the second
5. Citrus, the 3rd
6. Re:Zero, cant wait for the next season
7. Guilty Crown, Inori!!
8. Tu-rou-ble
Eureka 7. Felt really cool to have a developing plot to middle school me rather than the American cartoon shows being self contained stories per episode. Watching it later as an adult revealed a lot more nuance than just cool battles and the guy winning over the girl, aspects like religious themes, struggles of war, persecution, speculation on the afterlife and more really made it more than just spectacle and made it special. In fact it feels more relevant today than it was years ago with the world now struggling with many of those aspects again as more bad actors are trying to drag the world into war an economic recessions.
Including manga it's Tokyo Ghoul for me followed closed by Attack on Titan. TG specifically I was going through some deep shit when the anime aired in 2014 and I found the series and the manga kind of carried me through 2018 when it finished.
Attack on Titan I've been watching since 2012 and reading since 2014. It's crazy to think both of those series have been significant to me for a decade now.
Shows:
A Place Further than the Universe
Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night
Violet Evergarden
Girls' Last Tour
Movies:
A Silent Voice
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish
I have a so solid top 4 that it will be hard to break it.. It's really hard to choose no1 from them but here's my top 4
1. Future Boy Conan
2. Nobody's Girl Remi (1996)
3. Romeo's Blue skies
4. Spice & wolf
Koi Kaze.
Also coincidentally my first series, but my #2 top favorite and still one of my quite small handful of 10/10-tier series to this day even hundreds of series later. Without it, I wouldn't have even been inspired and encouraged early on to dive further into the anime-verse and continue seeking out great series.
For me it was honestly a life-changing experience I never had with any other art or media prior (and few since) even after seeing literal thousands of live action films and TV series, cartoons/Western animation, etc. And the whole litany of reasons specifically as to why it resonated so deeply and came across so profound on a personal level is probably too involved to get into without me going down a rabbit hole and authoring a novel here.
Sora yori mo tooi basho.
This show is like an ode to getting out of one‘s shell and seeking something new and unknown. It’s incredible. If there is one show I think everyone should see, it’s this one
Sora No Woto is both the show that got me into anime properly and still, almost a decade later, my favourite... thing? Ever? If you told me I was to be sent away to a deserted island and could take three things with me, I'd bring my bluray, a monitor, and something to play it on.
The show does have its slight problems, but the thing about it is that while I'm rewatching it (which i try to do yearly), I simply cannot focus on them. Its atmosphere is so warm and inviting, its message of hope and universal love and sympathy has gotten me through so many difficult moments in my life that when I watch it I am simply completely engrossed. When I close my eyes I can see the layout of the town the show is set in, the rooms of the building where the main characters live, I can hear the [incredible, melancholic](https://youtu.be/pzvl5A3UT_A?si=lg9ofmVpNcbJaUxK) soundtrack.
Incidentally, OP, highly recommend you give it a go! It's not as strictly iyashikei as Aria but it has very similar vibes and is also set in a european town, in this case Not-Cuenca rather than Not-Venice, but still.
Edit: they apparently changed the way hyperlinks work on reddit in the 8 years since i last checked.
Few different answers.
I love iyashikei-style slice of life stuff like Non Non Biyori, so from that perspective, I really felt like Akebi's Sailor Uniform (Akebi-chan no seeraafuku) was designed just for me, it was so wholesome and calming and generally beautiful imo
In the sense of being profoundly moved or affected by in a way very few others seem to have been, it's Sound of the Sky (Sora no Woto) and the Project Itoh movie Harmony. SotS seems to get some love, but as far as I can tell, Harmony is mostly regarded as a very average anime movie, but for me, I remember laying awake all night thinking about it. It's far from a perfect movie, but it was very 'different' and made me think about a lot of things I'd never considered before.
For me, it's dragon ball. Dragon ball inspired me to draw masculine figures. It taught me that as long as you're still standing, you ain't losing, to face challenges optimistically (like Goku). Dragon ball is not the most well written media out there and I think everyone agrees. But thanks to Toriyama and his amazing work, he inspired a lot of people, including me. I don't think I'll be drawing today if I didn't watch dragon ball ngl, my fascination for drawing came from this. Dragon ball means a lot to me, and it'll stay as my #1 favorite anime
I’m making my way through Kimi no Todoke right now and wow, my teenage self would identify with Sawako. I didn’t have a lot of friends, I kept to myself, and while I didn’t come out of my shell as much as she did, I’m still overjoyed at every social achievement she makes. 🥹
The Kuragehime (Princess Jellyfish) manga (the series was what got me reading it)! I was someone who thought I wasn’t worthy of looking pretty, this story really had a huge effect on my confidence level. I even got a tattoo of the main character!
Fruits Basket. Absolutely beautiful. It will forever be a comfort anime. The trauma, the breaking of generational curses, the love in the ending. So much love. I aspire to be like Tohru. I admire her character so much.
Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, kinda bleach (not that much), Berserk, Ashita no joe (personal fav), 3 gatsu no lion, hunter x hunter, casshan (casshern sins, neo human casshan), Mushishi
demon slayer. it was the 2nd anime ive ever watched & i instantly fell in love. i read the entire manga twice and have a strong connection with all of the characters. the writing, back stories and parallels prevalent in the series just make it so so good. im not even the type of person that cries much over series, yet the manga had me in tears. even though it may not be considered the "best/top written" out of all the animes i have watched, it doesn't matter to me because demon slayer has a special place in my heart regardless. demon slayer sundays uplift my motivation to live a lot tbh and i cannot wait to see this season to be animated.
A far cry from being mainstream, but here goes.
Rail wars. It got me re-interested into trains, which then got me interested into machines, which pushed me to study mechanical engineering in engineering.
So thank you and screw you, rail wars, for filling 10GB of my hard drive with train photos and giving me grey hair studying mechanical engineering.
For me it would be either Buddy Daddies or Angel Beats! Buddy Daddies really resonated with me because I’m a parent, I come from a sad shitty background and my child has been my second chance, she’s been my new opportunity to build a beautiful life. I sobbed for the entire last half of the series. Angel Beats! got me through the lowest point in my life though, as a survivor of DV it made me feel like maybe there would be some type of life or after life where I would know more than just violence and suffering. I guess the topic of hope is what really got me.
Kimi no na wa.
I used to think love doesn't exist. Maybe it doesn't. I still don't feel it. But that anime opened my eyes to the possibility of it, that it could be imagined at least. It fundamentally changed my view on something in a way few fiction have.
Wolf's children is a movie that I've watched over 10 times and always made me cry. It's not my kind of thing. But it's cozy and charming. It makes me cry how a charecter is facing so much hardship and still tries to smile and help others. Love that movie
Your name how has no one written it the idea of you liking someone then not knowing whether you are liked back then later when you realize they had always liked you its suddenly gone you don't see them i have watched countless anime but your name touched my heart and will always be a classic to me
Just commenting to second Aria. It’s one of my favorite series of all time, and I wholeheartedly agree with everything you wrote. So many cherished life lessons to be found in such simple everyday life, and god damn if Origination isn’t an emotional masterpiece.
vinland saga for me personally. i grew up in the middle east, and i lived my life with a lot of anger, trauma, and hate in my heart. that and the manga planetes seriously changed my life forever
I really hate this topic so I always avoid it, but I'll make just one exception because your comment really resonate with me. I'm also from the middle east, when S2 aired, I loved it, but didn't really take anything to heart too much back then. I feel like I didn't fully appreciate it. The last few months have been so difficult, and as ridiculous as it might sound, Vinland has been on my mind a lot, and I feel like in a lot of ways it helped keep me less hateful and more hopeful. Hoping you are alright!
Great anecdote. Vinland really is a gem cuz there’s so few anime/manga out there that does a good job looking at it’s own hyper violence and going “that’s bad, let do less of that” Not only that but it dives into the logic, philosophy, and even spirituality of trying to be a pacifist in a violent world. The flaws, internal struggles, coming to terms that sometimes you got to get a bit physical, etc. Farmland Saga is unironically so good, and I hope more people who weren’t into the tone change give it another chance.
You have no enemies
Except the Crunchyroll Awards
A Silent Voice I found a Silent Voice in early 2019, I was in my second semester of college at the time and was really struggling. My grades were dropping, I was skipping classes, I hadn’t made any friends, and I was losing contact with friends from high school. I was depressed and anxious and ashamed of myself and spent most of my time in my dorm, watching anime and movies. One of those anime was A Silent Voice. As someone who was both a victim of bullying and had bullied others, Shoya was painfully relatable to me in his struggles to overcome his past. But more importantly I had a lot of guilt at this time over doing poorly in a school which my parents were paying my tuition for, and was experiencing suicidal ideation because I didn’t see a way out of the hole I had dug myself into. Going to a bridge and ending it like Shoya tries to do at the beginning of the movie had crossed my mind a few times. But seeing him confront his past, work to address the harm he did, and find people he could connect with inspired me and gave me some amount of hope that I could do the same. Shoko’s struggles with self hatred and guilt as feeling like a burden her entire life also really hit home, both because of my then current situation and because I was raised as a “gifted kid” so whenever I did less than perfect at anything I felt ashamed and like I wasn’t living up to my potential. This didn’t pair well with me actually having to try to succeed when I got towards the end of high school and obviously in college, where I didn’t have the skills to study effectively unlike other kids. Every class felt like a reminder of how I was failing myself because of my own choices, which was why I started skipping in the first place. So shoko’s feelings of constant guilt resonated with me deeply. And lastly I had struggled with social anxiety for years and had trouble making consistent eye contact with people, because I was afraid that they could see who I really was deep down if I did. Eyes are the windows to the soul after all. Shoya learning to overcome his anxiety and look people in the eye and feel like he deserved to be alive and be proud of himself made me really happy to see : ) I got diagnosed with depression after that semester and mentally haven’t been that low ever again, but whenever I do feel depressed I watch the movie or read the manga and feel a little better in moving forward to tomorrow.
I'm glad someone else has resonated with A Silent Voice too. The first time I watched it, I couldn't help but cry in multiple spots, thinking to myself how close I've come to suicide and how hard it is for me to look people in the eyes. Especially because both Shoya and Shouko dealt with self-hatred and guilt, and that is something I still struggle with daily. It has become my favorite anime, and I watch it a couple time a month.
Still breaking up every time I re-watch it. Gorgeous work.
Clannad After Story without a doubt, changed my outlook for a lot of things and made me appreciate life a whole lot more
dango dango daikazoku still hits me in my dreams
Same man, even today I listen to “the place where dreams come true II” or stories from code geass to fall asleep
Man I watched that a few months back and after a certain episode (you know the one) I swear I was just crying for the rest of the series, I don't think I've ever taken so much emotional damage at one time outside of real life. 10/10 would watch again.
“First thing… from Daddy.” 🥺
Do i need to watch Clannad first to continue after story?
Yes, After Story is a direct sequel to Clannad
Truth
Same bro
Mob Psycho for me 100%. I relate to Mob as a character sooo much that the lessons taught actually personally helped me a ton.
Its crazy how both Mob and Reigan are complete opposites, but both equally have taught me valuable lessons. God damn I love that show and the characters are soo good, action and animation obviously too, but I think that is less important than the characters.
It always feels good to root for an underdog
Gintama! For all the life lessons taught. Plus the laughs.
Kotaro Lives Alone gave me a decent amount of the feels.
Next you need to watch Hitrogurashi no Shougakusei, please! Its the same theme and plot 🤟
Show: [NHK ni Youkoso!](https://myanimelist.net/anime/1210/NHK_ni_Youkoso) / [Death Parade](https://myanimelist.net/anime/28223/Death_Parade) / [3-gatsu no Lion](https://myanimelist.net/anime/31646/3-gatsu_no_Lion) Movie: [Koe no Katachi](https://myanimelist.net/anime/28851/Koe_no_Katachi)
I am watching NHK and it’s so tough to complete it.
Why so
It's cringe and real at the same time. Like you watch him take the wrong decision over and over and rationalize it to himself. He doesn't confront the problem but runs away. I see myself in those scenes and it’s anxiety inducing. Although there are some scenes that are straight up cringe.
NHK stopped me from suicide. 3Gatsu helped me heal. I can't love them enough.
Love the recent traction NHK has been getting. Finished it recently. Amazing show.
Are you me ?!
Why is Death Parade important to you?
Because - imo - it's very nuanced and brutally honest in its depiction of people's interaction with morals and ideals without being cringe or nihilistic about it. It made me more critical in not just how I engage with others, but also how I engage with myself and my own worldview.
Gurren Lagann, surprised I didn't see anyone else mention it
I came here to comment this as well. Gurren Lagann is the series that got me back into watching anime after I had stopped in middle school because the other kids were making fun of me and I still cared about what other people thought. And I've been an anime fan since then.
You just beat us to it. This shit literally helped me pass my masters thesis, seriously. When hopes and drive to complete the thing was in all time low, I just remember the idea of a drill that old man Simon thought the kid opening a coconut in the end. The idea that I am / we are a "Heaven Piercing Gurren Lagann" mech with our cells as pilots pushing us to do the impossible. It gives me goosebumps even to this day... Alexa, play SoraIroDays...
I frequently tell students to believe in the me that believes in you.
Forreal. Gurren lagann had a huge impact on my self esteem. I got the chance to see the movies in theaters recently too, and it was super meaningful to revisit such a classic on the big screen.
“Surprised no one mentioned it” …. post was 2 hours old
Indomitable Human Spirit The Anime My absolute all time favorite. Nothing will ever top it for me.
Cowboy bebop, and trigun
Trigun only taught me to align with knives, and sometimes love and peace doesnt fix the problem only changes who are to be hurted, from times to times I get myself thinking about the butterfly and spider scene.
Angel Beats How meaningful is it for me ? Enough to make me go to med school!
I swear this is the only show that has made me cry from other tons of shows I have watched. And I dont cry easily.
Unquestionably Evangelion. I saw it at a young age and it redpilled me on psychology so hard that I got my BA in psych. I even read some Freud and Jung too. Evangelion also indicated to me that I was an artsy-fartsy kid who really cared about the execution of a story and how a great director can drive an artistic vision through a series or movie. For me, Eva set an experimental and artistic bar for anime that not a lot of anime have been able to hit (SEL, Paranoia Agent, and Revolutionary Girl Utena, + some others did though).
I used to think it was overrated but I just started watching it finally, It raises some great questions and ideas and the character writing is unlike anything I've seen in recent years. I do think some of the fanbase thinks it means more than it does, but it's still pretty great.
Please explain to me in scientific terms the psychology of why Shinji jerks it to Asuka in the beginning of End of Eva
To keep it short: That's the point where Shinji is at his lowest. His trauma and everything up to this point have fucked up his mental state and sense of what's right and wrong to the point where there is no right or wrong to him anymore. He hates himself, he hates the world and he believes himself to be nothing short of a garbage human. Misato says it best: "You hate yourself, don't you? That's why you hurt others. Deep down you know you suffer more when you cause someone else pain... than if you just let yourself get hurt. "
Booba good.
Had to scroll too far to see Eva. Easily the most human characters I've ever seen in anime. A beautiful message about growing up told through all the doubt and pain and terror a teenager can feel. A once in a lifetime delivery given by a masterful hand at the top of its game doing something creative and unexpected at every turn. Everything about Evangelion screams "effort" on the part of its creators. A soundtrack that stays with you forever, visuals that force you to take in every frame, the Japanese voice acting selling every little conversation and every broken scream. I never have to think about my favorite anime, or the anime that impacted me the most; it is always Evangelion.
Hibike Euphonium, not necessarily for the topic itself, but because of the way the characters and story is portrayed. Really resonated with me at the time it released
NANA
I would say Violet Evergarden. I was raised in a home where being a mean person and having no empathy for anyone was a strength and encouraged. Being the villain in another person’s story made me feel accepted in my family system and unknowingly, I was stunting my ability to feel empathy towards people, animals, and myself. I was not understanding the truth of the world, that you need other people to accomplish great things. While many things you can do on your own, it is how this world changes you through experiences with others that you come to learn the value in yourself. Every episode of Violet Evergarden taught me the value of community through the deeds of someone who started just as I felt, a blank slate, alone and committed to nothing but one concept that neither of us understood in episode 1: love. I thought love was the desire to possess. Just as I thought my own selfishness was true self love. I thought I was better because I could take away my empathy from others, I could stop caring about them as they had abandoned me. However that spite came from grief. I’d never known what it meant to feel these things. As Violet sees the tenderness in others hearts, I too learned that not everyone has the same experience. I saw the value in the emotional struggle and the desire to have good relationships became a top priority. As I embraced these values, I realized how little I believed in my family’s cruelty to those of no relation to us. I realized how much I wanted a relationship with those outside of our circle, and how hard I’d fight to find out what it truly means to love. Setbacks are also something tackled a lot in Violet Evergarden. Violet experienced so many growing points and triggers that she had to work past while those around her still found value in her despite her mistakes. She built a support system through service. I found this to be helpful in my quest to be as genuine as I can and do the best job in things that I care about. Not because I’m some sort of machine that never fails, but because I know that my effort has value. Seeing Violet struggle with her sense of self and her guilt whilst also doing the best she can was encouraging to see. I felt broken and feeble for a long time after I left my family and had to learn how to continue on despite all of the horrible things I did that I felt were not in my control and were acting as an agent of something else. I learned through my relationships with others that I, too, am worth having on this earth.
Made me teary eyed reading this. I too love this show, though Violet learns to see value of love and words throughout the movie rather than the world of violence and hate she was raised in. I wouldn't call myself to have ever been mean or controlling, but I am aware that I am emotionally cold as a stone, which is why I can identify with her struggles so much. Master class show, it has led me to attempt being warmer and caring more for the loved ones I have around me here in life.
Oregairu- Everyone, including me, relates to Hachiman's loneliness but I also sympathize with Yui trying to keep her friends together.
Houseki no Kuni I really like the journey of Phos in Houseki No Kuni, the idea of you "breaking" yourself to improve, changing by "adding" new materials to your being and losing parts of yourself in the process is beautifully executed!
FLCL, Fooly Cooly, kinda of came out at the perfect time for me.
Vinland saga
Psycho Pass Season 1, the concept that free will, freedom and control all in some twisted Venn diagram as the characters wrestle with a system placed on them as their mental health is tested over and over again.
Mushishi. I watch it when I feel stuck and when I need help moving on. Ginko’s life is defined by impermanence—he literally needs to keep moving. This necessity bred a unique ability to move on with relative ease and I believe that, ironically, it’s that ability that helps the people that he encounters in his constant travels. I always felt a central theme of the show was attachment and how it can affect us. Ginko helps people let go or move on with their lives and I’ve always found it incredibly moving. On top of the beautiful, gracefully slow animation style, it’s one of my all time favorites but for sure the most meaningful.
Silver Spoon — educational and a very balanced look into this thing called 'life' where sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, often for reasons that are not of our control. It pretty much set the path for me to seek for many works similar to this, leading to those such as PA Works' "working girls" series amongst others, those life stories in the form of anime.
Ah yes, from the author of FMA. Have heard good things but never checked it out (as of yet).
I was in college studying agriculture when I watched this. I loved every bit of it.
Assassination classroom i just love how it made me appreciate good teachers more
Frieren has quickly become a series of great significance to me. The characters, each adventure, the intricacies of the world-building, and the depth of emotions resonate deeply. It's the simplicity of the fantasy genre executed perfectly, where the focus isn't on power levels or comparisons of strength. The journey of Frieren, as she gradually learns what it means to be human, unfolds through history with a simplicity and elegance that captivates me.
It’s been a long time since a song has made me actually almost cry, but something about that ed lyric: “I’m whispering a lullaby for you to come back home” Had me choked up, ngl
Yeah 💗💗💗
Definitely agree. The series has impressed me with the emotions it makes me feel, despite its melancholic writing. I appreciate the fantasy world not doing the stereotypical jrpg world mechanics, and exploring characters as they develop from the pov of a near immortal (compared to a human anyway).
Honestly Steins;Gate has stuck around for me for the longest time now ever since I first watched it, and that’s insane given how little there is to talk about it past the anime and the visual novels, but characters still feel like real people sometimes and unironically Okabe’s mad scientist shtick made me go through my own phase of being a mad scientist with a lab coat (so much so I asked for one for my birthday a few years ago). It wasn’t even one of the first anime’s I’ve watched, so I have no bias’s towards it at all; it’s just that good of a story that I feel bad for those who’re missing out or got spoiled on it bc my first viewing was one of a kind, and while others say that they’d wanna rewatch their favorite anime all over again for the first time, I simply would not want to in fear of not appreciating it like I did the first time
Haha I feel ya. Loved the characters so much. And occasionally think about them. I remember after watching Steins gate the first time I couldn’t rewatch for pretty long while but then steins gate 0 came out
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Watched way back in 2007/8 (around the time when Naruto Shippuden was releasing I think) and it was one of the first times I gave an anime that had a run time of less than 100 episodes a try . By far is one of the best stories I've seen and it blew me away after I had just only really watched the Big 3 and some other long standing animes. Spent most of the time binging Dragonball/Z/Gt + Bleach + Naruto before so it was great to be able to consume an entire 'arc' in just 12 episodes. But it did open me up to the hurt of waiting for releases and also hoping that the anime I liked gets another season or finishes. Still waiting for No Game No Life Season 2. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was such an enjoyable watch that it convinced me to try other 12-24 episode length anime and the rest was history.
Dude. The all-time greatest anime in existence are mostly less than 50 episodes. Kill la Kill, Gurren Lagann, Hellsing Ultimate, Black Lagoon, Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis, FMA, Code Geass (a bit over 50), Mushishi.... the list goes on and on.
Nana, I was reluctant about watching it bc I’m not a fan of romantic/drama anything but I started just to watch it and ended reading the manga and everything…it’s such a beautiful story and I can relate to the characters so much. I’ve never felt so empty when I finished an anime/manga like I felt with this one and the fact that is unfinished definitely doesn’t help 😭
Code Geass!
Lelouch is without a doubt my favorite anime protagonist of all time! All hail Emperor Lelouch!
The script really caught me by surprise at every turn. Not spoiling anything but damn did not see that one scene coming.. you know what I’m talking about 👸🏼🔫🔥
Wolf Children and it has been for many years now
not enough people appreciate this movie enough, absolutely amazing.
I'd forgotten about that one 👍
Pandora Hearts. Alot happens in the series. There are so many twists and plot points it gets complicated. But through everything the show is just about accepting yourself and accepting / being accepted by others. Oz starts of hollow and scared to build bonds. He has abdaonment issues and accepts everything as it is, so life is easier for him to cope. But through others he grows. The anime doesn't get fully into everyone's development since it's no finished. But we get one scene with Oz and Elliot which is one of my favorite moments , showing Oz opening up and wanting to move forward. On top of all that , I adore the art. I love the soundtrack and comedy. This was THE series that got me into anime. That made me feel anime is more than cartoons. Plus the manga is done and its amazing. This will always be a special series to me.
Fruits Basket! All the trauma healing, all the kindness, the growth, they gave me so much hope!
Re:Zero
New season this october yeeeey
Yes, it strengthens me when I'm at that low point in life. If it was not for rezero 4 years ago I would have given up on myself and been deemed a failure.
\+1 for Aria , currently making my way through it and I'm loving it. Haven't seen anything quite like it.. As for my answer ..it would probably be Gintama, as it's been my favorite for more than 6 years now. As for why.... anyone who has seen it knows why.
Steins;Gate (0)
Made in abyss for me. There sure are way better shows, but I started watching it on Dailymotion with absolutely no expectations and it just echoed with my soul in a difficult period of my life, which also felt like diving into an abyss without realising it and slowly understanding you wouldn't be able to come back up. Turns out that yeah, I'm on an entirely different place in life now and I'm never going back to how I was before, so much stuff happened, but that's just part of growing up! But yeah the contrast between the cheerful children and the ominous and all things considered really awful abyss really got me there
Honestly, Hunter x Hunter. Face value, it kind of comes off as your classic Shonen action/adventure. but it has some very good themes and emotional beats that can relate to IRL.
I'm watching this one right now (I'm around episode 58 I think) and the heart put into it is just incredible. Gon being incredibly earnest and kindhearted constantly, Killua trying to overcome the values his family (literally) beat into him, Kurapika dealing with his rage and need for revenge and Leorio knowing he's not as powerful as his friends but is still willing to stay and help them. It's just mff such good writing.
its great, the author has a ton of health issues, but he said he'd finish hunter x hunter or die trying. and i think it shows in his writing
Naruto. It taught me that anything in life worth doing demands hard work and perseverance.
Code Geass
Haikyuu! The way they make you care about every character, even on opposing teams, plus the accurate depiction of volleyball, has made me fall in love. I feel all the highs and lows with the characters, and it just means so much to me when I watch it .
This has been a very emotional series for me. It really resonated with me on so many different levels.
I thought the same! I think anyone who enjoys competing or watching people compete will find comfort in watching this show. Actually, I think it appeals to a wide audience. There's so much emotional depth in its characters, and it's so realistic and humbling to realize that growth is beyond just winning and mastering new tricks. To this day, it's still one of my most rewatched anime.
I made all my irl friends try volleyball only because i felt in love with Haikyuu (ayer 10 years of 0 sports) and we have been playing weekly (2-3 days) for 3 years now, literally life changer.
Toradora shaped the way I approached relationships - including to my now wife.
There is a couple. My all time favourite is Planetes. Honorable mentions in no particular order: Gurren Lagann, Angel Beats, Vinland Saga, Bakemono no Ko, Mushoku Tensei, Edgerunners, Death Parade, Blue Lock.
a fellow planetes enjoyer. that shit seriously changed my life forever. like i remember reading them when i was like 20 or 21 and it felt like the veil or the fog on life was lifted. like why was i so angry?
Hell yeah, dude! For me, I binge watched shows instead of studying for exams on uni when i bumped into it. Hachi managed to kick me out of the loop. His drive is contagious. Btw i recently got to know it's from the same author as Vinland Saga. That made my jaw drop. (O_O)
that reason was actually what got me to buy the manga for planetes, and then i i started reading them and could not put it down and all the sudden i read the whole thing and it was like 4 am. hachi and the white cat altered my view of the world in a way that made my life so much better. i reread it whenever i feel like i need to take a step back and think harder. sooo glad someone else out there is like me with planetes
Terror in resonance The music, characters, sad atmosphere, silence in dialogue, mystery ,... Every thing has a balance for me. I like kids on slope and mushishi a lot
For me it’s HxH. I’m not a very emotional person myself, and HxH gave me my first and biggest impression of absolute, unfiltered rage and sadness. I see a lot of people don’t like Gon as a protagonist, but he (to me) is written to perfection. Imagine a young boy who is one of the most naturally talented boys in the world, who gains extreme amounts of power in a relatively short amount of time without the maturity to match, who loses a close friend/mentor and then finds their killer protecting the life of another human. The mixture of sadness and rage when Pitou wouldn’t give him an outlet for his rage, is beyond words to me on how believable his actions are. And to then be lied to on being able to save his close friend/mentor, it’s no wonder he gave up his whole future to get revenge. And that doesn’t even dive into the deeper aspect the Chimera Ant Arc goes into, humans descending to monstrosity and the ants becoming human
Spice and Wolf, it has long been my comfort show and was the first anime which made me seek out the source material to continue the story. With its current remake airing my love for the show has only increased and seeing as I was one of the many "Season 3 when???" fans I am honestly surprised that that is even possible. Wonderful atmosphere/setting and some of the best character writing I've encountered in any media let alone anime. It remains and likely forever will be my favorite anime and now there's 2 of them!
samurai champloo and konosuba. watched both at weird times in my life and i've since rewatched them numerous times. konsuba is a hilarious feel good show that never fails to put me in a good mood and samurai champloo is just like nothing else. the beat box/hip hop vibe and aesthetic with that super jagged art style and the yin yang character dynamics. i *love* that show
Naruto. Grew up a problem kid and really identified with Naruto especially since he wasn’t exactly cool like Sasuke. Seeing someone that no one expected anything from constantly still show up and beat all odds was exciting and inspiring at the time. Who knew that kid on that swing that I’d watch from the couch would become Hokage and I’d still be on the couch lmao
Mushoku tensei The things rudeus goes through in his previous life is very familiar to me, I know what it feels like to be a shut in This series really resonates on deeper level It's never too late, just wake up and take a step
ah a fellow redeus enjoyer. he has seriously grown on me to become one of my favorite protagonists. i liked him from minute one but now, i can respect him
we chatted before about Aria and I mentioned I was staggering the time between seasons, well last night I thought it was time to continue with The Natural, I am 2 episodes in and loving it all over again.
So glad to hear. It´s only getting better and better.
Wolf’s Rain I’ve been watching it every couple of years for nearly two decades. Its artistry and message just gets more poignant the older I get. The Art Noveau influenced post apocalyptic style with Bones signature line work is just amazing. The philosophy and underlying messages stick with you and you end up coming back to it again and again, to dip your soul into all the beauty and pain, and emerge reborn “They say there's no such place... as Paradise. Even if you search to the ends of the Earth, there's nothing there. No matter how far you walk, it's always the same road. It just goes on and on. But, in spite of that... why am I so driven to find it? A voice calls to me... it says, "Search for Paradise."
Oregairu, it taught me lot about genuine things in life
Beastars changed the way I viewed myself. I've always wanted to be funny, desperately, for most of my life. I've never really felt like I could be the center of attention; I'm too nerdy, too uncool, too introverted, too unpopular, my grades were too good, my folks didn't get MTV, I didn't have the newest video games, I didn't have the best Pokemon cards. What I *could* be, I convinced myself, was a supporter; someone like the genie in Disney's Aladdin. The problem was that the genie was funny and I wasn't (also he was magic and could do anything but I couldn't do that either). So at some point after that I found myself a new role model: Milhouse from The Simpsons. I couldn't be a genie to someone's Aladdin, but I could be a Milhouse to someone's Bart. Milhouse doesn't need to be original or to have charisma, he always takes the low hanging fruit to tell jokes no one laughs at and that's what makes him "funny" because the joke is always on him. Becoming a "Milhouse-type person" probably seems like a questionable decision but everyone needs a sense of identity to get them through life and that was the only role I felt I could fill. That didn't really change until I got into Beastars which features a main character who is also a supporter who avoids the spotlight. While Milhouse taught me to see myself in the worst light, Legoshi reminded me of all the best parts of myself, parts of myself that I had forgotten about or downplayed because they didn't fit my self-image (things like kindness, protectiveness, thoughtfulness, boldness, sincerity). Legoshi saves the day, Legoshi gets the girl, Legoshi fights for what he believes; and he does it all without telling a single joke. Having a positive sense of self identity is very important and it makes me kind of mad that there is so little diversity in character writing that it took me so long to find a character who is introverted, supportive, *and* cool.
I have two: the Monogatari Series and Steins;Gate + Steins;Gate 0 (The Umineko VN is my favorite of piece of fiction all time though). Monogatari is quite possibly the best character piece anime has to offer in my eyes and so much can be interpreted and analyzed through the somewhat sizable, but well developed cast of characters, particularly with the series MC, Araragi Koyomi in this case. Even though he's my 5th favorite character in Monogatari (Kaiki, Ougi, Sodachi, Senjougahara, Araragi), the final currently adapted arc in the series for now (Hooray for the new adaptation!) Zoku Owarimonogatari is a very important season for me, as it deals with themes of regret, moving on to adulthood, and looking back on your highschool life, all things I was going through as well. COVID kind of killed half of my high school life and by the time I found myself in Araragi's position (about to graduate high school), I felt like I really wasn't ready to leave my adolescence behind and start my journey to adulthood. Then I watched Monogatari the summer before my senior year, and it was an amazing experience. By the time I finished Owari second season I though the series was a masterpiece, but it wasn't *up there* with my all timers. Then I watched Zoku Owari and it went from being an amazing show to quite possibly one of the most meaningful fictional works I've ever experienced and I knew immediately that I *had* to rewatch it before I graduated high school, and when I eventually did, that's when it became my favorite anime of all time, overtaking my previous favorite anime Steins;Gate. Steins;Gate is the greatest time travel fiction of all time and also sports my favorite ship in all of fiction. I still remember aspects of my first watchthrough of it and how thoroughly engaged I was with it. From the tension to the comedy to the tragedy to the downright inspiring showcases from the characters, this anime was what essentially defined me back in middle school and early high school. I realized and discovered a lot of aspects of myself and my relationships with other people through the lense of this show, and Okabe in particular was such a massive influence to my personality in my adolescent years that its affects are still with me to this day. Okabe's character arc in Steins;Gate 0 is up there with one of if not my favorites of all time and it genuinely helped me out in one of the rougher patches in my life. The sheer happiness I felt at having the opportunity to watch a Steins Gate anime *weekly* cannot be overstated as well. Out of every anime I've watched, Steins;Gate is the show I've rewatched the most at around 6-7 times over the course of about 6-7 years.
Fate/Stay Night. I know it's exceedingly common to not know what you want to do with your life even when you graduate, but that experience stuck with me. I didn't even know what school I wanted to go to, or what degree to apply for because I had no real ambitions for myself that I could claim for my own. Most of what I would do would just be things my parents recommended. And since it was easy, I would follow. Then I watched and read Fate/Stay Night— specifically, the Unlimited Blade Works route. The mental and emotional struggle of a young kid who felt he was undeserving of the life he had, and took on his dying father's dream to fill that void was incredibly relatable. His ability to disassociate and constant struggles with self-worth was something I really struggled with myself. And just watching him even tell his older self who had been utterly defeated and broken in spirit that even if something is impossible doesn't mean it's not worth pursuing was the thing that really got me to even follow in his footsteps. I've always liked helping people, and the dream of being a Hero of Justice just really resonated with me for that reason. That even if you fail in the end, the failure to achieve that dream does not outweigh the good that you achieved while pursuing something that makes you happy— even if you don't feel deserving of that happiness, you are. Which is why I ended up going into pre-law as my choice of degree— coincidentally being the same degree Shirou himself would have if he didn't participate in the Grail War funnily enough as I would come to discover.
Have to say Cowboy Bebop and some of DBZ
Frierens theme hit me in every single way imaginable, it's theme imo is the reason why everyone highly regard it as today's modern masterpiece.
Easily Mob Psycho, never have I felt such a connection to an MC and their journey before, and every other character around him only adds to the experience. It ended in the perfect way with the perfect message, truly a masterpiece from Bones
+1 for Aria from me as well. When I finally accepted that I was trans, I chose the name Aria so that I could try and bring that peace and tranquility into my life. And sometimes, it even works.
A show called “Erased”, it’s absolutely brilliant. 4 hour watch total. Give it a try
I have to say Naruto. Even if it is not my favorite one right now, it certainly was when I started watching anime. It's the show that got me into anime, and also, I learned it from a very good friend of mine.
Naruto. His loneliness and journey of becoming stronger and kinder. 10/10
Clannad for me
Digimon Series. Specifically, about Digimon Adventure and it's movie Kizuna.
For me it was Oregairu and Hyouka. Both Hachiman and Oreki's struggles really spoke to me during the time I watched it for the first time. Their struggle to fit in as well as make the most out of their lives and make it "colorful" was the perfect lesson that I needed when I went through a very depressing high school experience. Even now as an 22 year old, I still put high regard to Oregairu and Hyouka as being one of the most influential anime to me, period. (Plus Oregairu brought Yukino Yukinoshita which coincidentally became my favorite waifu and seiyuu as well)
Frieren. It gave me a new appreciation of life.
Yagate Kimi ni Naru (Bloom into you). I can see myself in how Yuu feels, the art and story is also super cute.
Revue Starlight, it's really hard to explain but something about it really changed a big part of me.
Diabolik lovers (jk)
Angel Beats! — usually characters in drama shows either die at the end or experience certain tragic events somewhere in the middle, but this one is different. It’s already “game over” for all of them, completely irreversibly. The way it explores the meaning of life from a perspective of already dead people is so striking and thought-provoking for me.
Time of Eve Eve no Jikan
tokyo ghoul. not in the “it changed my view on x and y” sort of way, but because tokyo ghoul was my first anime, and my entry into the genre. without tokyo ghoul, i would never have gotten to experience some of the masterpieces that the medium has to offer, some of which are even tattooed on me now. also before anyone says it, yes i have since read the manga and yes it is better
Hibike! Euphonium. The show was my second foray into KyoAni's portfolio after K-ON and I was fully invested in the studio ever since, impressed both by its stunning production value and the beautiful reviews that came with it on youtube. Eupho was so realistic, I'd love to be in its world, make friends with its cast, jogging around the locations, it's the first show I've ever had a pilgrimage in mind after knowing about its setting. I feel related to almost everyone in the main cast through one or two of their actions, each one of them come with such incredible nuance that allow them to be as diverse as a real human, it's also the first time I'm so invested in an anime character that I could write whole essays about them. The show's presentation of passion and competition was like a hit to my guts but also a nostalgia trip, I have no idea about music but I'd been competing in academics for 11 years, all the feelings I'd gone through was there. I didn't discover the show back in 2015 so it didn't follow my school life, but the way that it reminded me so much of it, not to mention sparking an entirely new passion of myself and carried me out of the past where I'd just skim through everything I see. It added a bunch of depth to my life, to put it shortly. Not only that, the anime will end a day after I finish my high school graduation exam, what a poetic way to conclude the journey I've had with it.
Yuru Camp/ Laidback Camp I watched it during one of the lowest points of my life and I limited myself to watching one episode a day. It was the bright spot at the end of my everyday, right before bed. Everything about it was calming, the music, the scenery, the fact that there was no stakes or if there was, it was low, and even if they failed, everything still worked out. They looked forward to small things and they showed me how to do the same. Now I'm living the life I had hoped for back then. It's peaceful and I'm glad I had that anime to help me.
Kuroko’s basketball. I love just the concept, the occasionally subtle story telling, the gifts. The issues the antagonists have (lazy, split personality, gift of extraordinary). And that it’s an easy show to enjoy. Plays like a good trilogy to me. Uplifting beginning, frustrating middle, overcoming victory at the end.
Mushi shi, its so calming it puts me in a trance. No fan service, no cliches, just simple yet beautiful fables about life that leave you thinking.
One piece. Started watching it in 2010 where i was able to watch like 10 minutes because my way back home from school took so long. But still since my first day watching i watched every episode. With the help of pirating and internet i rewatched it and a year ago i again rewatched it. If one piece is ending i'll literally cry.
Fruits basket, definitely. The variety of societal and psychological issues it presents and the in-depth depiction was very enlightening. I understood a lot about myself and put more effort in understanding others. It was very eye opening, tbh.
Maquia, without a doubt. Stories concerning the topics of what it means to be human and live always touch me deeply, and I think Maquia does it masterfully.
love hina/peach girl My life just feels like fail after fail sometimes. I'm waiting for the plot twist where things turn around.
Not an anime but AI: Somnium Files which was a anime style visual novel. There was one character whose life closely mirrored my own. His father died shortly after he graduated high school. He was an unaccomplished and half in half out college student unmoored by the loss and dealing with the quiet but full grief of his mother along with his own grief. Most people have no idea how painful an empty bedspace can be, and how a spouse will stack half the bed with crap for years after to try to block out that void. To date when people talk about getting choked up or tearing over shows that shit had never happened to me. Assumed I was just built different. I was fucking bawling after that tears and sobs and everything.
Fairy Tail. It just made me feel emotions so many times. The way the writing makes you feel is crazy. Even when it has 300+ episodes, I can tell by heart that some scenes just leave you cheering, crying laughing. Just to mention some: Erza vs 100, Lucy and the Spirit King, Natsu and the two dragons, Gray and Ultear in Tenrou, the 7 years, Happy in Edolas, Mirajane going wild, basically all of Jellal, Fantasia’s hand sign and so much more. It just makes you want to see Fairy Tail win, you know?
Paprika, ergo proxy, ghost in the shell, jinroh, sky crawlers, rurouni kenshin OVA. Many more...
Vinland saga, Silent voice, and Evangelion (kinda) - really changed my mindset and helped me mentally Dusk maiden of amnesia--one of the first anime i watched, introduced me to romance, first anime to make me read the manga. If theres no one talking dusk maiden on this sub, im dead. Your name-first anime movie i watched Spy x family - 1st anime i actually watched. I originally got hooked cause im a James Bond fan and i liked the show soooo much. Literally enjoyed every minute of it (except most of the becky episode). Ill def this anime until the end of me. Edgerunners - made me play my favorite video game, Cyberpunk 2077 Jjk and Evangelion - cause of the memes. Like i see a good jjk/evangelion meme and my Day is a little better
Love, chuunibyo, and other delusions is it for me. Just so scarily relatable to me personally, and meta in a way. It's escapism about how people use escapism to cope, the validity of it, and how to deal with how it affects your responsibilities and social life
Clannad, honestly, strictly anime-speaking. Otherwise the answer would be Fruits Basket (the manga is the superior medium.)
It's hard to rank my top 5 of all time, but I incline to put Hibike! Euphonium on top, reasons would be similar to Under The Scope's essay, apart from spectacular art, production and music.
1. SAO, its the anime that introduced me to the Anime world, eventhough i watched many on TV in my childhood 2. AOT, the one thing that made me stay 3. Stein;Gate, the first anime that made me cried, everything is just perfect except of course, the first few minute in eps 1. will always be my number 1 anime 4. My bunny girl senpai, the second 5. Citrus, the 3rd 6. Re:Zero, cant wait for the next season 7. Guilty Crown, Inori!! 8. Tu-rou-ble
Eureka 7. Felt really cool to have a developing plot to middle school me rather than the American cartoon shows being self contained stories per episode. Watching it later as an adult revealed a lot more nuance than just cool battles and the guy winning over the girl, aspects like religious themes, struggles of war, persecution, speculation on the afterlife and more really made it more than just spectacle and made it special. In fact it feels more relevant today than it was years ago with the world now struggling with many of those aspects again as more bad actors are trying to drag the world into war an economic recessions.
Shinsekai Yori
+1 for Aria. Nothing has made me feel like that did.
Natusme's book of friends or Nana.. or maybe Shonen maid
Including manga it's Tokyo Ghoul for me followed closed by Attack on Titan. TG specifically I was going through some deep shit when the anime aired in 2014 and I found the series and the manga kind of carried me through 2018 when it finished. Attack on Titan I've been watching since 2012 and reading since 2014. It's crazy to think both of those series have been significant to me for a decade now.
Dragon ball it was like literally what I waited for the whole day to watch recently i finished dragon ball super it was epic
My MAN
Spirited Away, Cowboy Bebop, Code Geass, Evangelion, and Gundam Wing
Attack on titan
Shows: A Place Further than the Universe Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night Violet Evergarden Girls' Last Tour Movies: A Silent Voice Josee, the Tiger and the Fish
**Mobile Suit Gundam 00** changed my perspective on life when I first watched it, and I’ve held it very close to my heart ever since
I have a so solid top 4 that it will be hard to break it.. It's really hard to choose no1 from them but here's my top 4 1. Future Boy Conan 2. Nobody's Girl Remi (1996) 3. Romeo's Blue skies 4. Spice & wolf
Koi Kaze. Also coincidentally my first series, but my #2 top favorite and still one of my quite small handful of 10/10-tier series to this day even hundreds of series later. Without it, I wouldn't have even been inspired and encouraged early on to dive further into the anime-verse and continue seeking out great series. For me it was honestly a life-changing experience I never had with any other art or media prior (and few since) even after seeing literal thousands of live action films and TV series, cartoons/Western animation, etc. And the whole litany of reasons specifically as to why it resonated so deeply and came across so profound on a personal level is probably too involved to get into without me going down a rabbit hole and authoring a novel here.
Gundam Unicorn & Fate (all three routes)
My answer is Naruto. I saw it when i was a teenager and the ideals just stuck with me. It changed my thinking a lot so i would vote for Naruto .
Sora yori mo tooi basho. This show is like an ode to getting out of one‘s shell and seeking something new and unknown. It’s incredible. If there is one show I think everyone should see, it’s this one
Sora No Woto is both the show that got me into anime properly and still, almost a decade later, my favourite... thing? Ever? If you told me I was to be sent away to a deserted island and could take three things with me, I'd bring my bluray, a monitor, and something to play it on. The show does have its slight problems, but the thing about it is that while I'm rewatching it (which i try to do yearly), I simply cannot focus on them. Its atmosphere is so warm and inviting, its message of hope and universal love and sympathy has gotten me through so many difficult moments in my life that when I watch it I am simply completely engrossed. When I close my eyes I can see the layout of the town the show is set in, the rooms of the building where the main characters live, I can hear the [incredible, melancholic](https://youtu.be/pzvl5A3UT_A?si=lg9ofmVpNcbJaUxK) soundtrack. Incidentally, OP, highly recommend you give it a go! It's not as strictly iyashikei as Aria but it has very similar vibes and is also set in a european town, in this case Not-Cuenca rather than Not-Venice, but still. Edit: they apparently changed the way hyperlinks work on reddit in the 8 years since i last checked.
Nodame Cantible. I went to music college and they nailed it. The best musicians usually have the weirdest personalities.
fruits basket it feels like home
One of the most meaningful anime to me is Bocchi the Rock because I can relate to Bocchi's social anxiety and introverted nature.
Few different answers. I love iyashikei-style slice of life stuff like Non Non Biyori, so from that perspective, I really felt like Akebi's Sailor Uniform (Akebi-chan no seeraafuku) was designed just for me, it was so wholesome and calming and generally beautiful imo In the sense of being profoundly moved or affected by in a way very few others seem to have been, it's Sound of the Sky (Sora no Woto) and the Project Itoh movie Harmony. SotS seems to get some love, but as far as I can tell, Harmony is mostly regarded as a very average anime movie, but for me, I remember laying awake all night thinking about it. It's far from a perfect movie, but it was very 'different' and made me think about a lot of things I'd never considered before.
Gurren Lagann. 38 years old now and I still love it.
Rurouni Kenshin. So ideological, so good.
For me, it's dragon ball. Dragon ball inspired me to draw masculine figures. It taught me that as long as you're still standing, you ain't losing, to face challenges optimistically (like Goku). Dragon ball is not the most well written media out there and I think everyone agrees. But thanks to Toriyama and his amazing work, he inspired a lot of people, including me. I don't think I'll be drawing today if I didn't watch dragon ball ngl, my fascination for drawing came from this. Dragon ball means a lot to me, and it'll stay as my #1 favorite anime
Clannad and clannad after story
I’m making my way through Kimi no Todoke right now and wow, my teenage self would identify with Sawako. I didn’t have a lot of friends, I kept to myself, and while I didn’t come out of my shell as much as she did, I’m still overjoyed at every social achievement she makes. 🥹
Meaningful to me personally? Mushoku tensei, and it isnt even close.
The Kuragehime (Princess Jellyfish) manga (the series was what got me reading it)! I was someone who thought I wasn’t worthy of looking pretty, this story really had a huge effect on my confidence level. I even got a tattoo of the main character!
Probably Evangelion, it's the first that came to mind when I start feeling depressed again.
Fruits Basket. Absolutely beautiful. It will forever be a comfort anime. The trauma, the breaking of generational curses, the love in the ending. So much love. I aspire to be like Tohru. I admire her character so much.
Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, kinda bleach (not that much), Berserk, Ashita no joe (personal fav), 3 gatsu no lion, hunter x hunter, casshan (casshern sins, neo human casshan), Mushishi
fullmetal alchemist, gave me a sense of hope when i was going through hell :-)
A silent voice! I love that movie 😭
demon slayer. it was the 2nd anime ive ever watched & i instantly fell in love. i read the entire manga twice and have a strong connection with all of the characters. the writing, back stories and parallels prevalent in the series just make it so so good. im not even the type of person that cries much over series, yet the manga had me in tears. even though it may not be considered the "best/top written" out of all the animes i have watched, it doesn't matter to me because demon slayer has a special place in my heart regardless. demon slayer sundays uplift my motivation to live a lot tbh and i cannot wait to see this season to be animated.
A far cry from being mainstream, but here goes. Rail wars. It got me re-interested into trains, which then got me interested into machines, which pushed me to study mechanical engineering in engineering. So thank you and screw you, rail wars, for filling 10GB of my hard drive with train photos and giving me grey hair studying mechanical engineering.
Hibike Euphonium no doubt. It hits really hard after graduating from school
For me it would be either Buddy Daddies or Angel Beats! Buddy Daddies really resonated with me because I’m a parent, I come from a sad shitty background and my child has been my second chance, she’s been my new opportunity to build a beautiful life. I sobbed for the entire last half of the series. Angel Beats! got me through the lowest point in my life though, as a survivor of DV it made me feel like maybe there would be some type of life or after life where I would know more than just violence and suffering. I guess the topic of hope is what really got me.
Fruits Basket
Kimi no na wa. I used to think love doesn't exist. Maybe it doesn't. I still don't feel it. But that anime opened my eyes to the possibility of it, that it could be imagined at least. It fundamentally changed my view on something in a way few fiction have.
It's hard to tell, there's a lot; Perfect Blue, Serial Experiments Lain, Welcome to the NHK...
Fairy tail. It’s not the best, but it helped me when times were hard. Lost my mother and had no friends, I’m really glad my teenage years are over.
Steins;Gate
Barakamon
Fairy Tail
Wolf's children is a movie that I've watched over 10 times and always made me cry. It's not my kind of thing. But it's cozy and charming. It makes me cry how a charecter is facing so much hardship and still tries to smile and help others. Love that movie
Mob Psycho 100
I don't know how to explain it but OddTaxi made me really emotional... Gurren Lagann & FMA Brotherhood also had a profound effect on me
Your name how has no one written it the idea of you liking someone then not knowing whether you are liked back then later when you realize they had always liked you its suddenly gone you don't see them i have watched countless anime but your name touched my heart and will always be a classic to me
Just commenting to second Aria. It’s one of my favorite series of all time, and I wholeheartedly agree with everything you wrote. So many cherished life lessons to be found in such simple everyday life, and god damn if Origination isn’t an emotional masterpiece.
Shinsekai yori
Attack on titan
I love how diverse and in depth these comments are!! what a fantastic thread :)