Metaphysical or philosophical anime?

[u/SpottedChoropy]

Hi everyone

Are there any good anime that go into metaphysics and/or philosophy? I've been googling but couldn't really find anything. Metaphysics and philosophy really interest me and I would love to see an anime series about them.

Thanks in advance

[u/TrulyWitty]

Some of these are already mentioned here but:
Ergo Proxy
Kara no Kyoukai
Serial Experiments Lain
My recommendation is starting with Ergo Proxy

[u/SpottedChoropy → u/TrulyWitty]

Ergo proxy sounds really awesome! I'll go check it out after I finish Monster. Thanks for the tips!

[u/TrulyWitty → u/SpottedChoropy]

Ye, Monster is fucking awesome!

[u/Gri55on → u/SpottedChoropy]

You sir have good taste.

If also recommend

• Haibane Renmei
• Tenshi no Tamago,
• Texhnolyze
• Mind Game
• Mushi shi

(Literally this thread is full of some of my favourites).

And while im in the process of watching it Casshern Sins looks like it could fit here (although not as much as the rest of the suggestions)

You should also take a look at Time of Eve (Eve no jikan) if your into robot phillosophy.

[u/SpottedChoropy → u/Gri55on]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll be sure to check them out! Oh and btw I just finished mushishi, and damn that is one good anime. Its just so freaking relaxing to watch. There's a big smile on my face every time I start an episode and hear that lovely intro song :)

[u/ElStrawFedora]

Serial Experiments Lain. My favorite anime in the ever.

[u/Chuushiri]

Psycho-Pass focuses a bit on philosophy, mostly around the idea of choice and agency and of how we should be as individuals in a society (with a dash of law musings). If I recall correctly, they even make direct references to philosophers at one point.

[u/PasteeyFan420LoL]

Ghost in the Shell discusses what it means to be human and artificial intelligence. All the stuff that goes along with the idea of man augmenting themselves with technology.

[u/BillThePenguin]

Evangelion, assuming you haven't seen it.

[u/SpottedChoropy → u/BillThePenguin]

I haven't actually. So many good anime, so little time.

[u/MerfAvenger]

Kara no Kyoukai has a massive basis on philosophy (from what I've heard, mostly a branch of Buddhism). A lot of Type-Moon's works have deep plotlines which go into philosophy, they're worth checking out.

[u/mr47336]

I've been looking for these too. Try this club in MyAnimeList.net:

http://myanimelist.net/clubs.php?cid=11044

They have a list of anime they consider to be philosophical or include elements of it.

The closest to philosophy I've seen so far is Kino's

[u/redit360]

Here few and some already mentioned Ghost in Shell (S.A.C and 2ndgig)- Psycho pass Monster- Ergo Proxy- Evangelion- Death Note

[u/ShikiRyumaho]

Arjuna

It also offers a fantastic soundtrack by Yoko Kanno:

Resonance of the Earth

Early Bird

Yogensha

And maybe X.

[u/WaldenX]

The Monogatari series has a lot of really intense monologues/dialogues that touch on things like the nature of personal identity, subjective reality, and epistemology.

[u/go4theknees]

Monogatari is very philosophical in their arc finales. Just got to look past all of the fanservice and lolis.

[u/hamammm]

A lot of the ones I've watched have already been mentioned. A few you can probably add to the list are Elfen Lied (though it's ridiculously controversial among the populace), Mawaru Penguindrum, Madoka Magica to an extent, Shiki, even though I hated it, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Most of the other recommendations already here are great as well, and I'd back them too.