Ergo Proxy

insert wojak meme

Worldbuilding - "the process of constructing a world, originally an imaginary one, sometimes associated with a fictional universe." These kinds of shows are usually set in a fantasy and/or sci-fi world, and excel at establishing & showcasing the rules/history/economy of their fictional universe. List was created through collective data from multiple websites of people's answers as to what shows are considered to have great world building.

MC Female Detectives are quite rare. Here's a collection of them.
Some are less realistic detectives, e.g. in a magic show.
Only the most prevalent anime (meaning an anime not difficult to find) that they are an MC in is included in this list. This excludes sequels and such.

Anime Unleashed was an anime block that was broadcast on the American cable TV network G4. Anime Current is its Canadian counterpart. The block is notable for having a unique catalog of sci-fi anime including popular titles such as Serial Experiments Lain and rather obscure titles such as Betterman. In my opinion, this is one of the strangest but also coolest block of anime to air on American TVs.

Anime that either employ a cyberpunk style or contain elements of it, and are dark, moody, grimy and/or nihilistic.

These animes were the landmarks in anime industry. Critically acclaimed shows and popular for its story, characters, development, and the amazing experience that the audience might feel. Some of them are old and modern, but it has the same level of "masterpiece" that I've seen so far.

This collection was composed of mystery and horror animes. Some of animes were purely mystery and some of them were combination of both. They are great shows that will make your mind blown and thrilled at the same time. It may be the animes aren't meant for everyone but I still hope you'll give it a try. They are still enjoyable to watch.

Every animated media that has been made has the idea to tell a story and to express a feeling on the watcher. But then, there are some series which has a particular way to evocate their sentiments and they use different tools to do that. Thought provoking writing, displaying the characters' internal monologues, their struggles and fears, using particular cinematographic angles and by blending contrasting styles of animation, coloring and highly symbolical and metaphorical imagery - these are some of the many hallmarks signifying the said animation has psychological themes, and that it is avant-garde in it's approach. This method of expression is not limited to any genre, as well.

I do realize that animation like this may not be for everyone, but I firmly believe in it's artistic merits and integrity. Media like this allows us to peek into the human psyche and probably our own too, and it provides us with often interesting viewpoints of our world, even if fractured through the prism of the animated fiction. Shows like that also likes to ask us questions without answers, to give us moral dilemmas without solid conclusion or in summary, to provoke us to think.

The shows that were picked follow a pattern - the ones which are more straightforward, less abstract and easier to get into will be first and the more complex and obscure the works will be at the end.

anime with dark and psychological themes (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡

This list consists of psychological titles, which helped me to accept inevitability and cope with alienation, as well as some other existentional fears, thereby affected my personality above all others. Anime that makes you realise a lot about the meaning of human life and death, relationships, principles and most important: "self-concept".

Nearly all of them induce depressive thoughts, portray social problems that we face IRL, have biblical references and slow pacing. So be sure that you are in the right mood and prepared to face dark side of reality.

P.S. Despite the hopelessness and predestination you may feel while watching, these works of art still bestow warmth and hope through understanding the uniqueness of existence. The world is truly a cruel place and life is lacking meaning and purpose, yet we got the flustering chance to experience ourselves and the universe we share.

English dubs that I found to be really good and are at least comparable to (if not better than) their subbed counterparts. Part 1 - https://myanimelist.net/stacks/885


PM me if there are titles that I've missed.

characters are put in depressing situations

These are some pretty good psychological anime series and movies.. Some are new and some are a little older. Enjoy!

Post-apocalyptic anime.

This is a part of a series of stacks that are about artistic tendencies in anime (and that border the fine line between sophisticated and pretentious).

This stack is a work in progress.

Bibliography:
Broderick, Michael. “Superflat Eschatology: Renewal and Religion in anime.” Animation Studies: Animated Dialogues. 2007. 29-36.
Napier, Susan J. “Waiting for the End of the World: Apocalypctic Identity.” Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle. Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. 249-263.
Tanaka, Motoko. "Apocalypticism in Postwar Japanese Fiction." 2011. University of British Columbia, PhD thesis. 16-33.

Choujin Densetsu Urotsukidouji Movie should be included here, but is tagged as hentai on MAL, so otherwise this list couldn't be public.

Some are franchises, so only one entry per franchise.

"Elitist" has been a very generic and broad term to generalise many types of not-so-mainstream or "deep" anime, so this list is very diverse and it's criteria are not always clear cut and objective. Nonetheless I try to provide a proper explanation for why each entry is included. Generally speaking these are shows that fit one OR more of these adjectives: Experimental, Avant-Garde, Psychological, Philosophical, Obscure, Classic, Critically Acclaimed, Artsy, Old, etc...

Some shows here are not necessarily obscure or underground at all, but they are still here because they have been stereotyped as "elitist" by the community over time, due to their experimental or artsy nature. Similarly, some shows here are not necessarily artsy or experimental in nature, but their old/underwatched/obscure nature gives them a reason to be here. Not all aspects have to be checked to be included. Only one per franchise.

I have personally watched the great majority of the anime in this list, but there are a couple which I haven't. Still added them because of how strongly they are stereotyped as "elitist" or have fitting characteristics to be classified as such. I know my list still lacks many essential classics, I will continue to add and expand into this list as I watch those personally.

For more recommendations, go to my other Interest Stacks, "Elitist Anime 2" , "Elitist Anime 3" and "Elitist Anime 4", whose links are:

- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/4256
- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/4756
- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/10188
- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/15961

Collection of psychological anime that contain interesting themes and elements that make viewers think and inquire about the characters and the complexity of the plot.