Summary
- A Silent Voice prompts reflection on the impact of bullying and the worth of kindness.
- Psycho-Pass delves into justice, surveillance, and privacy, challenging viewers' beliefs.
- Steins;Gate shows the psychological toll of PTSD, altering perceptions on trauma.
Some anime feature such emotional and impactful storytelling that it will leave a lasting impression on viewers. Sometimes, people set in their ways will experience a genuine change of heart after seeing shows with powerful messages and narratives.
Fans who see these anime will question things that they may have never bothered about before. It's a testament to the amazing writing of these shows and movies that viewers will be left second-guessing the things they believed in.
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8 A Silent Voice
Teaches People To Be More Aware Of Their Actions
A Silent Voice
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- September 17, 2016
- Runtime
- 130 Minutes
- Director
- Taichi Ishidate, Naoko Yamada
It's easy to make fun of people for being different. Banding together with a group of friends and picking on someone may feel harmless in the moment, but people should question whether being so rude towards someone is worth the few minutes of laughter they'll enjoy at someone else's expense.
This is explored in A Silent Voice, a hard-hitting movie about bullying and the effect it can have on people. The show tackles mature themes, with the two main leads becoming the highlights of this incredible anime film that will make people think twice about how they treat others.
7 Psycho-Pass
Raises Questions About Justice, Surveillance, & Security
Psycho-Pass
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- 2012 - 2019-00-00
Fans of Minority Report will love what Psycho-Pass brings to the table. As compelling as this cop drama is, it also forces viewers to question concepts of surveillance, privacy, and the very notion of justice itself. The deep takes of this show will leave many fans questioning what they thought, or make them aware of pressing questions in modern society. The fantastic storytelling of Psycho-Pass ensures that fans will be left spellbound by this complex anime.
6 Monster
Makes People Wonder How A Person's Past Can Affect Their Actions
Monster
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- April 7, 2004
Monster's slow burn allows fans to savor the major developments of the series, to the point where the villain will become one of their favorite anime characters of all time. This is mainly to do with the series' incredible writing, which poses a captivating mystery.
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What makes Monster truly compelling is how it makes fans think differently about villains and their motivations. Johan Liebert is a fascinating character whom fans should hate because of his monstrous actions. Yet, things aren't that simple, and will force fans to think differently about what should be a black and white issue.
5 Violet Evergarden
Viewers Will Appreciate The Smaller Things In Life
Violet Evergarden
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- 2018 - 2018
WHERE TO WATCH
The beautiful storytelling of Violet Evergarden is in a class of its own. Seeing an ex-soldier try to rediscover herself while delving into the stories and feelings of other people as an Auto Memory Doll makes for a great time.
The emotions at the heart of Violet Evergarden will leave audiences thoroughly invested, leading to them appreciating the finer things in life. It will make viewers think twice about the impact of their actions, which is a testament to this anime's impact.
4 Steins;Gate
A New Look At PTSD While Experimenting With The Butterfly Effect
Steins;Gate
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- 2011 - 2015-00-00
- Network
- Sun TV, Teletama
- Directors
- Kazuhiro Ozawa, Kanji Wakabayashi, Tomoki Kobayashi, Koji Kobayashi, Tomoko Hiramuki, Hisato Shimoda, Shigetaka Ikeda, Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Yuzuru Tachikawa
Most people without PTSD find it hard to imagine what living with it feels like. After seeing Rintaro witnessing the death of his friends over and over again as he travels through time to prevent their demise, viewers will understand just how deep and scarring this trauma can be.
Even a joyful person like Okabe can lose his charm after seeing how the world is affected by the butterfly effect of changing things via time travel. This refreshingly human twist on a sci-fi show will grant viewers a new perspective on how PTSD can harm a person's psyche.
3 Death Note
Viewers Will Be Conflicted About Whether To Root For Light
Death Note
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- October 4, 2006
When Light first gets the Death Note, his execution of criminals is largely understandable. However, it's when he starts killing innocents standing in the way of his goal that it becomes hard to support him.
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And yet, crime is down in the world, and people can't help but support Kira as he molds the world in his idea of justice. He's definitely the villain of this series, but one can't help but wonder if certain deaths are justified to attain world peace.
2 Neon Genesis Evangelion
A Riveting Story That Tackles Many Mature Themes
Neon Genesis Evangelion
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- 1995 - 1996
WHERE TO WATCH
One of the deepest and most philosophical anime fans can check out, it's impressive that Neon Genesis Evangelion manages to tackle such heavy topics while being a mecha anime. The anime deals with heavy topics like religion, trauma, what it means to be alive, and a bunch of other deep topics.
Fans can't help but introspect about the events of this show, especially when things start getting darker and more personal. The deep themes of this show are bound to challenge and question a person's worldview, lending them a newfound appreciation of this show if they didn't get what it was talking about on their first watch.
1 Attack On Titan
Ideas Of War, Violence, And Hatred Passing Down Generations
Attack On Titan
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- 2013 - 2023-00-00
What seemed like a regular shonen anime with some messed-up Titans transformed into something else entirely after the time-skip. All of a sudden, Attack on Titan tackled everything from the horrors of war to the cycle of violence and did a great job of showing every theme without losing out on what made this series special.
By the end, some people may even go so far as to justify Eren's actions, as monstrous as they were. The mere fact that some viewers are willing to forgive genocide shows just how multifaceted Attack on Titan's narrative is, making it one of the best anime of all time, and will surely make viewers ask the big questions.
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