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What's the deepest/smartest anime you've seen?
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2deep2furious
Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Though the concept is quite hard to swallow for the majority and on top of that, the animation team didn't do the novel/manga justice. Poor quality of subs/translation available to the market has also contributed to its relatively small fan base in the English speaking world, sadly.
Evangelion takes time and effort to appreciate, it's actually quite well made. Take the concept of the AT Field for example, one can only savour the deep meaning behind it after spending time pondering about it...
Evangelion takes time and effort to appreciate, it's actually quite well made. Take the concept of the AT Field for example, one can only savour the deep meaning behind it after spending time pondering about it...
Senki Zesshou Symphogear: What other series can tie together something as frivolous as idols with swan songs, the Tower of Babel, and the moon?
For depth, I gotta agree with Mushishi. As well for Death Note and Steins;Gate for intelligence. But aside from those three I haven't really watched any deep or smart animes such as those. Except for School Days. 2deep4me
RahXephon, in so deep man in so deep
Steins;Gate wins it with intelligence
HoneyCakeZ
Intelligent - Yuru Yuri
Deep - Lucky Star
Deep - Lucky Star
Alucard wrote:
Definately agree with Ghost in the Shell.
Cerebral anime are not taken very seriously, it seems. :v
The deepest show I've seen is probably Revolutionary Girl Utena, due to its mastery of deliberate action. Everything in the show is deliberate and has meaning behind it, but analyzing one element of the show can lead you off on tangents that can have you miss a different topic altogether in the same scene. It is up to the viewer, however, to see whether the deliberate set-ups in place are either actual pieces of the overall puzzle or if you're chasing a red herring. It goes on to deconstruct shoujo, fairy tale, and magical girl tropes in quite the adult fashion. Mawaru Penguindrum is in the same boat as it, tackling similar topics while taking a different stance on them, with the multiple layers of message interpretation and thematic red herrings that make each rewatch all the more rewarding.
Several other very smart shows I've seen include some of the more cold and cryptic offerings of anime, such as Ghost Hound, Serial Experiments Lain, and Wolf's Rain. Each one requires the viewer to piece together what is going on, especially in the case of Wolf's Rain. More accessible yet still cerebral shows include the purgatory story Haibane Renmei, the interestingly documentary-esque Flag, the dramatic and reflective commentary Millennium Actress, and the dark yet thematically rich Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
There are plenty of others out there, but here are a few that I feel like people might not bring up.
The deepest show I've seen is probably Revolutionary Girl Utena, due to its mastery of deliberate action. Everything in the show is deliberate and has meaning behind it, but analyzing one element of the show can lead you off on tangents that can have you miss a different topic altogether in the same scene. It is up to the viewer, however, to see whether the deliberate set-ups in place are either actual pieces of the overall puzzle or if you're chasing a red herring. It goes on to deconstruct shoujo, fairy tale, and magical girl tropes in quite the adult fashion. Mawaru Penguindrum is in the same boat as it, tackling similar topics while taking a different stance on them, with the multiple layers of message interpretation and thematic red herrings that make each rewatch all the more rewarding.
Several other very smart shows I've seen include some of the more cold and cryptic offerings of anime, such as Ghost Hound, Serial Experiments Lain, and Wolf's Rain. Each one requires the viewer to piece together what is going on, especially in the case of Wolf's Rain. More accessible yet still cerebral shows include the purgatory story Haibane Renmei, the interestingly documentary-esque Flag, the dramatic and reflective commentary Millennium Actress, and the dark yet thematically rich Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
There are plenty of others out there, but here are a few that I feel like people might not bring up.
for deep - Now and Then, Here and There
for intelligence - people have mentioned them already
for intelligence - people have mentioned them already
Kantai Collection people say I can't appreciate it because I haven't played the game
Kantai collection is so deep, like that one episode where whats-their-faces had that cooking competition and gained the drive to win vs those other complete retards; Man, and all the other episodes where whats-her-name kept saying 'Poi', it felt like there was a deeper meaning to it. SO deep.Green Platinum wrote:
Kantai Collection people say I can't appreciate it because I haven't played the game
The only way the series could be any deeper is if it was about submarines.EneT wrote:
Kantai collection is so deep, like that one episode where whats-their-faces had that cooking competition and gained the drive to win vs those other complete retards; Man, and all the other episodes where whats-her-name kept saying 'Poi', it felt like there was a deeper meaning to it. SO deep.Green Platinum wrote:
Kantai Collection people say I can't appreciate it because I haven't played the game
Now that would be in a whole other level of deep.
Zetsuen no Tempest :v
actually i'm not sure ._.
actually i'm not sure ._.
[Superstar]_old
S2 maybeGreen Platinum wrote:
The only way the series could be any deeper is if it was about submarines.
Yes I know, an abomination if I ever did see one.[Superstar] wrote:
S2 maybeGreen Platinum wrote:
The only way the series could be any deeper is if it was about submarines.
Elaborate then, or is it just original is better because it's the original?Apex wrote:
The unadapted two routes(Amane + Rumiho) of S;G's VN is many times more intelligent than the anime.Kyonko Hizara wrote:
Steins;Gate wins it with intelligence
Monster, NHK ni Youkoso, Code Geass, Aku no Hana
Sora no Woto was surprisingly deep, despite being slice-of-life happy-go-lucky for the first 8 episodes.
Sora no Woto was surprisingly deep, despite being slice-of-life happy-go-lucky for the first 8 episodes.
cory in the house is the best anime i ever watched and the ending made me cry so much 
Will probably get a lot of flame for this... but the deepest/smartest anime I've seen is SAO. It is by far my favorite anime, possible because it was the first anime I watched. The development of all the characters and the message behind the anime itself. I would like to think that message is "Never take life for granted, and make the most of it."
I'd say that's definitely the repeated point of everything, but they mire it in nothing but harem antics and cardboard cutout young male power fantasy that anything SAO might have to say artistically comes across as either forced or incompetent.SkinnyJommy wrote:
Will probably get a lot of flame for this... but the deepest/smartest anime I've seen is SAO. It is by far my favorite anime, possible because it was the first anime I watched. The development of all the characters and the message behind the anime itself. I would like to think that message is "Never take life for granted, and make the most of it."
Not flaming you, just disagreeing with you.
Death note, fine it has the whole discussion on ethics and power.Tonnie123 wrote:
Death note and no game no life
But I will not pay any bratty prodigies always win the animation. NGNL is just a shallow shounen series.
ef: A Tale of Melodies was amazing...so deep and such symbolism...
there are many deep/smart anime though but this is my favorite
there are many deep/smart anime though but this is my favorite
So far it would have to be Hunter x Hunter, only because it seems to go into a lot of characters' backgrounds. From major characters to minor characters...
I know why u think like that, but when i listed ngnl i did it thinking of the thoughts in some of the games.Green Platinum wrote:
Death note, fine it has the whole discussion on ethics and power.Tonnie123 wrote:
Death note and no game no life
But I will not pay any bratty prodigies always win the animation. NGNL is just a shallow shounen series.
The overall is just complete madness but thats why i listed it. For some parts
Btw what does it matter if i say that ngnl is one of the smartest anime i have ever seen. Do you say highschool dxd would fitt better?
You just insulted my dad?Apex wrote:
NGNL is Jojo' Bizarre Adventure for sexually thirsty, gaming teens.
Mushishi still tops my list of deepest anime. It's not a very long list but still.
(If manga counts, because manga is relatively deeper most of the time imo, then anything by Asano Inio)
(If manga counts, because manga is relatively deeper most of the time imo, then anything by Asano Inio)
Liar Game for intelligence, and it badly needs an anime adaptation. Simply because series with anime just get more attention, and this one can't get enough.
And then either Another, One Piece, or Henneko for deep.
And then either Another, One Piece, or Henneko for deep.
Anime movie: Wolf Children
Anime Series: Steins;Gate
Anime Series: Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate
Definitely! Also No Game No Life for smartest and Zankyou no Terror for deepest-ryusakihatsue- wrote:
Zetsuen no Tempest :v
actually i'm not sure ._.
NGNL again? In a 1-2 years time we'll have people posting Danmachi.
Yeah :vGreen Platinum wrote:
NGNL again? In a 1-2 years time we'll have people posting Danmachi.
But Danmachi doesn't really add anything different to the popular genre fad besides that weird ribbon thing so people will probably just stick to NGNL. Even NGNL had it's 2colorful4u art and a "smart" feel to make it slightly different. Slightly.
I could be wrong though. Fanboys confuse me.
I could be wrong though. Fanboys confuse me.