These are very unconventional, to say the least — but that’s what makes them good.
Sometimes, anime can feel a bit repetitive. Many otaku take a break from the medium and focus on different things: others, however, try to find works that break the rules and don't feel like your normal anime. Here are 5 great examples that are beloved because they are so different!
Odd Taxi is another example that not every anime has to be about action and hype to be successful. It’s the first-ever anime project for its director, Baku Kinoshita — and despite that, it is a widely beloved modern classic.
The anime is a great mystery thriller — that might as well have been a live-action movie. Its way of telling the story is certainly similar. Not a single element is out of place (yes, that includes the animal characters).
It’s ironic, really: the anime that got many older fans in the West into anime does not really feel like anime? Well, that’s actually true. Cowboy Bebop can only be compared to series of its era that were inspired by it (like Trigun) or other works by its director (like Samurai Champloo).
The structure of the anime, its aesthetics and cast all remind viewers of live-action TV series about space outlaws. It’s not the first anime of its kind, but it arguably perfected the genre — and the incredible visuals and music certainly played their role.
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt is on the other side of this spectrum. It feels like American adult animation — and that’s on purpose, as it was inspired by series like Drawn Together.
Panty & Stocking is essentially “what if Trigger staff got drunk and pitched their craziest ideas to each other” (yes, that actually happened). The most incredible thing is that it just works — and it is going to get another season soon.
Pop Team Epic (Poputepipikku) is… a thing. It’s a parody of anything and everything, making fun of pop culture.
Containing so many references it might as well be impossible to understand all of them, but it still has a lot of fans. Pop Team Epic is praised for its slapstick humor and for pushing the boundaries of the anime medium.
Boogiepop Phantom
The 2019 Boogiepop and Others (Boogiepop wa Warawanai) adapts the light novels of the 90s. While it is good, it doesn’t really do anything crazy — which can’t be said about the spin-off of the LNs from 2000, Boogiepop Phantom.
Boogiepop Phantom has a cinema-like direction and the most unique sound design in all of anime. It’s very hard to get into (you probably need to read the novels first, or at least watch the newer anime) — if you’re not familiar with the source, you will be incredibly confused at first.
That said, it’s also very rewarding, and even if you are not familiar with the franchise, you will at least appreciate the production.
These are very unconventional, to say the least — but that’s what makes them good.
Sometimes, anime can feel a bit repetitive. Many otaku take a break from the medium and focus on different things: others, however, try to find works that break the rules and don't feel like your normal anime. Here are 5 great examples that are beloved because they are so different!
Odd Taxi is another example that not every anime has to be about action and hype to be successful. It’s the first-ever anime project for its director, Baku Kinoshita — and despite that, it is a widely beloved modern classic.
The anime is a great mystery thriller — that might as well have been a live-action movie. Its way of telling the story is certainly similar. Not a single element is out of place (yes, that includes the animal characters).
It’s ironic, really: the anime that got many older fans in the West into anime does not really feel like anime? Well, that’s actually true. Cowboy Bebop can only be compared to series of its era that were inspired by it (like Trigun) or other works by its director (like Samurai Champloo).
The structure of the anime, its aesthetics and cast all remind viewers of live-action TV series about space outlaws. It’s not the first anime of its kind, but it arguably perfected the genre — and the incredible visuals and music certainly played their role.
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt is on the other side of this spectrum. It feels like American adult animation — and that’s on purpose, as it was inspired by series like Drawn Together.
Panty & Stocking is essentially “what if Trigger staff got drunk and pitched their craziest ideas to each other” (yes, that actually happened). The most incredible thing is that it just works — and it is going to get another season soon.
Pop Team Epic (Poputepipikku) is… a thing. It’s a parody of anything and everything, making fun of pop culture.
Containing so many references it might as well be impossible to understand all of them, but it still has a lot of fans. Pop Team Epic is praised for its slapstick humor and for pushing the boundaries of the anime medium.
Boogiepop Phantom
The 2019 Boogiepop and Others (Boogiepop wa Warawanai) adapts the light novels of the 90s. While it is good, it doesn’t really do anything crazy — which can’t be said about the spin-off of the LNs from 2000, Boogiepop Phantom.
Boogiepop Phantom has a cinema-like direction and the most unique sound design in all of anime. It’s very hard to get into (you probably need to read the novels first, or at least watch the newer anime) — if you’re not familiar with the source, you will be incredibly confused at first.
That said, it’s also very rewarding, and even if you are not familiar with the franchise, you will at least appreciate the production.
