If you liked
Shinsekai yori
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...then you might like
Wonder Egg Priority
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A perverse sense of unease and woe as we realize not all is as it seems; these two series break down the frustrations of adolescence, growing up, and the broader human experience with a glittering sense of hope.
If you liked
Shinseiki Evangelion
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...then you might like
Houseki no Kuni
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Cryptic pseudo-symbolism, a worthless main character, and a thick air of mystery that tells you something's not quite right
If you liked
Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
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...then you might like
Glass no Hana to Kowasu Sekai
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Cute girls in a surreal landscape fight strange abominations, while moe and light-hearted slice of life scenes contrast a dark, psychological drama complete with plot twists and a copious amount of mindfucks. These two are practically twins!
If you liked
Haibane Renmei
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...then you might like
Mushishi
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Tranquility, gentleness, melancholy, and philosophy carry these two anime that have a firm understanding of how an anime can wield atmosphere to its advantage. Both are pensive, slow, and beautiful, and they share a similar art direction.
If you liked
Shinseiki Evangelion
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...then you might like
Haibane Renmei
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While in many ways opposite in terms of execution, the similarities in symbolism, introspection, character exposition, and a feel for mystery in world development give these two comparable goals and create a sense of familiarity between one another.
If you liked
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu
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...then you might like
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!
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A crazy yet loveable girl drags around a passive guy against his will into shenanigans inspired by her hyperactive imagination. Each series has a similar comedic style and story development, although Chuunibyo is more dramatic while Haruhi Suzumiya is a bit wittier and more unpredictable. Both shows are also produced by Kyoto Animation.
If you liked
Gintama
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...then you might like
Osomatsu-san
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Each is a zany comedy with a borderline narcissistic sense of self-awareness, complete with parodies of other series, direct observation of anime as an industry, and breaking the fourth wall. They even have a shared director!
If you liked
Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
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...then you might like
Gakkougurashi!
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Cutesy cutesy girls thrown into edgy mcedgemeister worlds and forced to endure the hardships that come with it. Psychological undercurrents are certainly present, and did I mention both shows are very edgy? All important characters are girls and males either do not exist in this universe or are so worthless they are not worth any screentime. Gakkougurashi is focused more upon slice-of-life and showing how the girls live ordinary lives in a harsh world, while Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica has a focused story and more plot twists. Both are recommended for people who love moe but also love lots of edginess.
If you liked
Shinseiki Evangelion
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...then you might like
ef: A Tale of Memories.
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What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be alive? The ef series is nearly always grouped with other romantic dramas; naturally, because that is on its surface what it is. NGE is a post-apocalyptic mecha on its surface and likewise grouped with mecha series. As the show advances, it becomes clear its superficial story is merely a stimulus for its themes and philosophies. At heart, these two series are more about their philosophical flailing than anything else. They both are a collection of existential questions loosely strung together by their overall narrative. They have stories, yes, but at the heart that is not what they are about. They are defined by their philosophical boundary. Each series has its characters directly confronting and addressing the tumultuous emotions that define the human existence. They make use of surreal, unearthly animation in time with the portrayed themes, and the execution of the animation in ef commonly reminds of NGE's use of it during its psychological scenes. The characters are all deeply disturbed, and this leads the respective anime into psychological waters very quickly. We are confronted with the discomforting thoughts of the characters regularly, and their shaky mental state often sparks unsettling events. Their mental instability is perhaps the primary tool used by the respective series to generate the series' true focus on existentialism, wherein the characters' questions and concerns seem equally addressed to a general audience as they are to the character of conflict. The characters are entirely defined by their instability, and aside from the obvious psychological elements this brings, it means they often act in irrational and hateful ways that can easily make viewers dislike them, especially if they are judged based on forward actions exclusively. Evangelion and ef do not have similar settings, stories, or even a similar atmosphere, but they remind deeply of each other because they are both philosophical works of art defined more by the philosophies they address than the stories they tell. And both are good examples that a story should not necessarily be pigeonholed by the nature of its setting, nor that the dominant element of a story is necessarily its storyline.
If you liked
School Days
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...then you might like
Myself; Yourself
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Similar art, character designs, and narrative flow: a seemingly innocent and at first glance generic school slice-of-life makes a name for itself by quickly becoming unpredictable and making use of shocking and unsettling but unique drama. If you hated School Days, don't disregard Myself ; Yourself just yet. To become as f'd up as possible, School Days attempts to evoke feelings of loathing from the viewer; conversely, Myself ; Yourself attempts to evoke feelings of solicitude. This difference eliminates from Myself ; Yourself the primary element that creates such extreme contempt for School Days because the audience is actually intended to like the characters of Myself ; Yourself.
If you liked
Shiki
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...then you might like
Shinsekai yori
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A rural town, unexplainable happenings, and a penchant for tackling the human condition. Shinsekai Yori and Shiki throw the viewer into a quaint village where civilians are content with mundane lives and daily rituals. Soon enough, however, perhaps through uncanny circumstance or through fates invoked by their ancestors, our characters' lives are inverted and thrown into chaos that turns their worlds upside down. The chaos is revealed at a snail's pace and at the same pace drags the viewer through a labyrinth of plot twists, never fully giving away the direction of the story until the very end. Disregarding that both series have a country setting, a slow pacing, or progressively build into a massive climax, gaining momentum with each episode, the greatest similarity is how both series weave a tale intent on being just as much philosophical as it is thrilling. Shinsekai Yori and Shiki attempt to both analyze and criticize the unquestioned morality, viewpoints, and means of addressing problems in their societies' hive minds, providing the viewer with food for thought in morally gray areas. Ultimately, the viewer is left pondering, "Who's the monster?" Both anime are great philosophical thrillers assuming the viewer has the patience for their slow crawl and doesn't mind their oppressive atmospheres. If you appreciate the way one anime handles these themes, you'll likely appreciate how the other does.
If you liked
Clannad
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...then you might like
Steins;Gate
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Though the differences may seem small at first, there is a similar atmosphere about them. Steins;Gate is essentially a slice of life anime in the disguise of a science fiction thriller. There are multiple episodes that, from the eyes of an outside viewer, would seem like filler added to pad out the plot; however, it becomes clear to one who is watching how necessary each episode is to tie the plot together. Multiple episodes towards the end of the series feel like they were yanked out of the end of a Clannad arc. Likewise, each miniature arc in Clannad is needed to reach the end. Steins;Gate essentially attempts to bridge slice of life with science fiction, while focusing on the sci-fi. Clannad works similarly but instead focuses on the slice of life, where the supernatural elements only come together at the very end. Ultimately, though, the main similarities are the boundless, witty humor driven by each series' respective loveable male protagonist, his interactions with the people around him, how it is contrasted with a deeply moving drama, and the inevitable romance that sprouts from it.
If you liked
Cowboy Bebop
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...then you might like
Seihou Bukyou Outlaw Star
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Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star are both space westerns featuring a crew containing bounty hunters that attempt to make a living off their jobs. In both anime, the crews' attempt to "make it big" through high paying bounties or jobs is often foiled. Both are episodic anime that concentrate more on individual stories, while the overall plot is an undercurrent that compliments the series rather than dominating it. Cowboy Bebop's individual stories tend to be deep or compelling, while Outlaw Star's individual stories focus more on comedy instead, but Outlaw Star does not lack in emotion and Cowboy Bebop does not lack in comedy.
If you liked
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo
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...then you might like
Hotarubi no Mori e
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Both have an otherworldly, fantasy element where the life of a female lead is strongly influenced by the male lead, both have similar art styles, and they each have bittersweet endings.