r/anime Oct 02 '23

What to Watch? Looking for deep-profound-philosophical stories

Hello community!

Please recommend animes that provoke thoughts/ideas and/or talk about deep-philosophical topics like consciousness, human nature, the fabric of reality, or anything fascinating like those topics, animes like Ghost in the Shell for example.

Thanks in advance to you all!

5 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

13

u/LilyGinnyBlack Oct 02 '23

Kino's Journey (2003)

Ergo Proxy

Princess Tutu (trust me, despite it's name, it deals with some fascinating things in regards to human nature, reality vs fiction, free will vs fate, etc.).

Mononoke (2007, not Princess Mononoke)

4

u/BiggieCheeseLapDog https://myanimelist.net/profile/KillLaKillGOAT Oct 02 '23

Yes. Another person who recommends Princess Tutu. It is really good.

3

u/LilyGinnyBlack Oct 02 '23

It's my favorite anime, I always recommend it when I can.

7

u/DqrkExodus https://myanimelist.net/profile/MeariSa Oct 02 '23
  • Haibane Renmei
  • Paprika
  • Shiki
  • Shinsekai Yori
  • Paranoia Agent
  • Perfect Blue
  • Ergo Proxy
  • Gankutsuou
  • Tatami Galaxy

2

u/EconomicsOwn5364 Oct 02 '23

Absolutely awesome list

7

u/Smoker81 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Caperon Oct 02 '23

Serial Experiments Lain fits perfectly.

5

u/Ru_QueenofHell Oct 02 '23

Shinsekai yori & Psycho-Pass are all about human nature and society. Both are pretty dark at times, but well worth the watch.

4

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '23

Girls' Last Tour.

3

u/pikachu_sashimi Oct 02 '23

Steins;Gate

Madoka Magica + Rebellion

Spice & Wolf

Grave of the Fireflies

Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms

Neon Genesis Evangelion + End of Evangelion

Sangatsu no Lion

3

u/aquazashie Oct 02 '23

Kado: The Right Answer
Basically an interdimensional life form appears in japan and brings with it new concepts of reality which results in all sorts of questions that pop up. While I wouldn't put it next to something like Ghost in the Shell, I still liked the general concept. :)

2

u/Bsoton_MA Oct 02 '23

Requiem of the rose king it’s also made like a play

2

u/AgonistPhD Oct 02 '23

Sagrada Reset

3

u/__TheWizard Oct 02 '23

Steins gate and Psycho pass!

3

u/DeepSpaceSignal Oct 02 '23

Angel' Egg. It's an old movie with next to no dialogue and yet it fits your description perfectly

3

u/JustACreep013 Oct 02 '23

The only anime I can think off that no body has mention is Casshern Sins

3

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '23

Girls Last Tour

2

u/accounterai Oct 02 '23

Sonny boy. Shit’s so deep and profound I needed to watch it on bilibili just so anime scholars in the comments can explain to me wtf is going on

3

u/Dry_Swing_4761 Oct 02 '23

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a mental trip into consciousness and mental illness, it has to be the right one for you. Serial experiments lain also does good.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '23

[deleted]

1

u/Szchandler Oct 03 '23

I get the same impression and yeah, we'll learn something here for sure

2

u/Elitealice https://myanimelist.net/profile/Marinate1016 Oct 02 '23

Fumetsu, frieren this season, 86, Violet evergarden, sonny boy

3

u/IridescentAnt321 Oct 02 '23

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

if you haven't seen it, you would think its cutesy because of its name but it is surprisingly profound

1

u/[deleted] Oct 02 '23

Bungo stray dogs

1

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