I'll agree that the SAO Anime is really good, though I prefer the books myself, especially with the Progressive series adding to it.
Not gonna lie though, getting to hear Sugou squeal in pain at the end has got to be one of the most satisfying things I've seen in an Anime. The anime hit that part better than my imagination when reading it.
Mmm, I'm too tired to really put thought into which Anime I'd like to post here, so I'll just leave my comment at this for now and come back tomorrow, maybe.
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an anime that surprised me, probably deadman wonderland.
spend a lot of time watching anime and there will be nothing that surprises you XP.
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Can't really say. I just look at the boobs. But since I'm waiting for more Hestia and Lili, I'll see what gets mentioned here and maybe download a few.
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If your interest is just to look at them boobs you can watch highschool DxD (3 seasons), Hyakka Ryouran (2 seasons) and/or Highschool of the Dead (on hiatus)
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Already watched the released episodes of Highscool of the Dead, DxD made me cringe when I watched it, haven't heard of the other. That is one series I get to look up.
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I really liked SAO and the whole experimenting it does with what does it mean to live online and the blurred line between the "real" person an the avatars they choose.
But f*ck, every time they go to Alfheim the series takes a nose dip in quality. It feels like the writer stops caring and lets his sexual fantasies go wild on the plot.
About anime that surprised me... well, I'll need to think a little and edit this comment later.
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That was my first impression, also, but it turns out to be mistaken. A lot of people "disconnect" themselves from their in-game persona, saying "It's just a game. The stuff I'm doing in-game isn't stuff I'd do in real life." Is that true, however? If that kind of stuff would bother you in real life, why doesn't it bother you in "virtual reality?" Why are your actions in-game considered divorced from your personality? Aren't you the person making the choices about your behavior inside the game?
Those are the questions raised and explored in the entire series, but especially in the second (Alfheim) arc. A lot of people miss that, however, because the "blurred lines" effect of the first arc causes them confusion and discomfort in the second arc. People struggle with their perspective. "To what extent should I be suspending my disbelief to watch this?" That, too, is an issue deliberately raised by the writer and left for the viewer to think about.
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These are really deep, It's like english class but relevant:p thanks for your thoughts
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If I ever give it another try, I'll try to watch it from that perspective.
I have to admit those are thoughts I have most of the time, however :P.
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I see your point I just can't get over the fact that they went so rapey with Asuna for no reason, the tentacle scene was unnecesary.
Have you watched SAO 2? I think they really nailed the whole PTSD deal in Gun Gale Online.
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I haven't had the chance. Assuming it's the same quality of writing, however, then I should definitely be on the watch for it.
Yeah, the part you mention made me really uncomfortable, too, due to real-life experiences, but it was also sort of inevitable given that guy's personality. If it had been me, and it had been real life, I might actually have killed him. It would be wrong to do so, but I don't know if I would have been able to restrain myself.
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(mini spoilers?)
After being attacked by someone who tried to murder you (twice) and who threatened to rape a comatose friend / love interest (and other than 'word of god' from the writers, we have no way of assuring ourselves that it hadn't already happened),
(/mini spoilers?)
it would hardly be wrong. The dude showed himself as a clear and recurring threat, and without the guarantee of being found guilty, his threat would continue. Self defense~
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Yeaaaah. That's the primary reason I disliked the second season. Rape is often used as a shortcut subject to make someone villainous rather than giving the viewers a real reason to dislike them. I think it's referred to as 'kick the puppy' on TVtropes, a dumb shortcut that is really just "hey guys, hate this character". The tentacle scene was obvious fanservice, I facepalmed but the sour feeling in my gut from the subject of rape threats kinda made the entire thing worse. As with Khalaq, this may be due to a degree of experience with the subject, although it wasn't my own experience, rather someone I knew.
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Actually, the slug scene was only fanservice on the surface of it. If you look at it in respect to the theme of the entire series, it was a critique of the techs/moderators who manipulate the MMO without thought or care for the real people who are the gamers. Their job is to maintain the world and solve any technical problems that come up, but their focus is on the "machine" that is the game rather than the experience of the players. Abusing the power of their position, they view the players as little more than toys for their amusement.
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You should go watch DanMachi then too! Hestia is Bestia.
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No, Lili!
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Yep. Lili is a VERY good contest against Goddess.
Lili is best girl. We need her furry mode. Haha
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Lili wins hands-down. Though I'm wildly biased, I hate tsundere with a passion and have a total soft spot for girls with fluffy ears and tails.
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I got more of Lili. Though I can't share all my saved images. Some go a little bit too far to be considered SFW, even if they aren't pornographic. But take this one for now.
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I'm still waiting for the "Why?" part of your answer.
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It has Lili, and you don't want her to cry
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Ah. because you mentioned SAO and DanMachi is a new dungeon exploring anime show but it has usual tropes. What anime I was really surprised was Hatsukoi Limited. and I've explained it in another answer below.
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Well I already gave you my surprising anime below, but I'll throw my 2 cents in here as well.
You go into DanMachi expecting a standard fantasy anime with some harem thrown in. The first episode seems to confirm this, save that they play with several fantasy/video game tropes that you may not expect from what appears to be generic anime #8,734. Then you get a few episodes in and suddenly our hero is a damned big hero (in the ways that matter), extremely likable, and a foe has appeared that injects some mystery and peril that you don't usually see in harem animes.
It's by no means the greatest anime ever, nor will it change your opinion on the genre, in my opinion anyway, but so far it's been well done, and bounces between funny, tragic, sweet and intense. (Though I admit Lilis back story is handled rather ham-handed and smashes you over the head with an anvil of "feel this way now")
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Since I'm always trying to push Lili as best, I'll be nice and post some Hestia cosplay
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Kaiji. Hated the character design at first, but it grew on me.
The fact that the show is realistic most of the time and the main character is a regular guy who slowly becomes a gambling addict, plus the superb soundtrack made it one of my favorite shows ever.
Tried watching SAO once, dropped it when I got to episode 6. Not that it's bad, it's just not something I particularly like. Will I finish watching it someday? I doubt it, but I recognize I should give it another try.
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+1. It's on my list of surprising titles as well, and I've liked it so much I even watched the two sentai afterwards (first better than the second, just as the Kaiji anime series imo)! The road to/through the ship is really interesting, the choices he has to make shows much about logic, principles, survival and humanism in today's world.
My favorite anime of all time came out as a surprise title too. I wouldn't expect Legend of the Galactic Heroes to be so deep about all kinds of politics, about so many kinds of relationships between such charismatic characters, everything so well put in epic plot, a well-written plot that develops in such well-balanced pace. I couldn't help but think if I had that kind of show as a kid on my TV I'd be way more smarter than I am today. lol It seems it's just big in Japan as I imagine it is, still the blu-ray prices of the series are somewhat unreal.
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Totally agreed with what you've said about Kaiji, although I have yet to watch the two sentai.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes sounds pretty good, so I might give it a try soon.
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Kuyashii. Kaiji should get some new seasons. And yeah, I still listen to the OST sometimes, especially while playing mahjong. And speaking of mahjong, watch Akagi if you haven't already.
Also, no point in you even trying once more to watch SAO. It's just a generic self-insert harem. It may look nice for people who haven't seen the same cliches thousands of times in hundreds of different anime.
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Been thinking of watching Akagi eventually.
I don't think SAO is that bad, just not my cup of tea (And a bit overrated).
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Death Parade
I thought the show would be preachy and would have a terrible ending, but it was quite the contrary. Also, I didn't find the ending to be even the slightest bit predictable.
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Yowamushi Pedal, a series of about road racing on bicycles. I expected a lot of the standard sports anime pull, and while you do get some of it, it's handled so much better than most. All the characters are fun and have enough depth to avoid being cardboard cutouts (except the girls, they spout exposition and that's about it.) Our hero is pushed to grow by the strength of those around him, as per usual, but those around him also take solace in his tenacity and are pushed by his growth, which so many sports anime completely fail to show in an meaningful way. There is loads to laugh at (especially the little shorts after the credits, all of which are canon), and there are plenty of serious moments as well (if you can get past the over-the-top way Bushido seems to come into it.) I could gush about it for quite some time, its way better than it's subject matter would suggest.
The only major problem with the anime is its pacing, as half of the first season and the entirety of the second season are one race. Some episodes characters will travel a few km, others they move a whole 50 meters. I went into the series expecting to give up a few episodes in, and ended up impatient for the next episode to be released.
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+1. I don't even like sports anime, and yet I've somehow become invested in human-lizard hybrids and guys talking to their pecs a bunch of high-schoolers on bicycles.
But yes, pacing is weird sometimes.
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I thought SAO was great as well, didn't quite see everything you did, but found the story itself incredible. it is really the last arc (4th really, I believe there is one more that didn't make it to the anime) that cements the Idea here.
as for the one that suprised me, I don't know. For now I will have to go with Parasyte: The Maxim - it deals with desensitization for the most part of it, and for such a new anime, was really easy to get into. Normally I judge a book/show/etc by how much I can relate to the characters and feel like a part of the universe, and this one did quite well in that aspect, unlike death note and FMA:B where there was suspense, I really didn't feel integrated with the plot.
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Holy crap, I laughed so hard and only watched the first episode so far... Now I want to try and get back into SAO before watching it all. :D
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I KNOW IM A 3 WEEKS LATE...
oh man, i forgot to search for it after i watched SAO... IMHO Abridged stuff can be better than the original series xd (but watch it after the series).
also have my contributtion if you watched mirai niki with this 1 i discovered long time ago this wonderful masterpieces xd
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I like SAO season 1 not season 2.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica made me surprise. When I first hear this anime "Meh, another mohou shoujo", but shen I watch it ,the story overwhelm me.
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People usually consider Madoka Magica the Evangelion of the Mahou Shoujo genre :P.
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Didn't watch Evangelion, should I watch it? I rarely watch mecha, only code geas so far.
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It's pretty cool. I'd recommend learning about Hideaki Anno's life if you want to fully understand it, though.
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Ehm... Is Evangelion a mecha anime? Is an anime mecha just because it has mechas on it? Is Madoka Magica a shoujo just because it has mahou shoujos on it? I'm sure you know that the answer to the last question is 'no'. Well, I don't consider Evangelion an anime about mechas. An anime about mechas is Teggen Toppa or Escaflowne. Evangelion is a psichologic anime. You literally get into the main character's mind and see what he thinks, how he is feeling, the chaos in his head. Hate, love, responsability, fear... It's all there. The MC wants to flee, but he can't flee from himself. It's very hard to see.
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order to watch series then third movie, I recommend don't watch first and second movie, it same as series only short.
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Do it as soon as you can. I went in without knowing anything about the plot (try not to spoil yourself) and it really surprised me.
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Akame Ga Kill was a sweet anime, it's a bit unconventional and pretty fun to watch.
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Yesssss. Steins;Gate. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
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Enjoyed it, but it started off way too slow and felt like a generic slice-of-life thing.
I'm also one of the few people who seems to dislike Kurisu, because she is too pretty even by anime standards. I couldn't get over this feeling she was 'tacked on', almost as if she was completely outside of the design format for the others somehow. A bit like how you get a sixth sense in movies where all you can see is "HI I'M LOVE INTEREST, MY HOBBIES INCLUDE BEING THE LOVE INTEREST AND ALSO THE LOVE INTEREST". Guh.
Then shit got real.
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That's weird, never thought of Kurisu that way. I guess it's a different perspective. :P
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It doesn't seem to be an opinion many people share.
Something about her entire design makes her stick out like a sore thumb to me, like she just didn't belong there. It's the kind of feeling that I imagine people get when you see a weird crossover, a kind of "what is that person still doing there?".
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considering it's a VN, i thought all 5 girls were meant to be love interests, but they focused on kurisu too much in the show it seemed, but her importance in the plot took too long. Overall i agree with you, but it didn't bother me.
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That's one thing that would have been cool to show, the entire 'fail state' thing that was briefly alluded to in the anime (the deserted landscape). I would play the VN but the good ones tend to be loooooooooooonnngg~
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i confess, when i watch Log Horizon the first time, i though "just a cash in, try to squeeze some popular from SAO" but turn out it decent,no very good too , unique and have a complete different approch despite share similar begining
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One Piece is the one anime that surprised me. I only thought it would be Luffy and his gang getting the money and treasure but instead it's about corruption of the world government and Luffy and the gang constantly being heroes instead what a pirate would be.
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Hmmm... I might have to rethink my decision to skip that one. (I really dislike the artwork.)
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+1 to OP and artwork does change trough series, early episodes have a bit shitty art, it gets better
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Oh yeah, I used to hate One Piece because the art wasn't 'eye candy' and the plot sounded cheesy, but then I started reading some manga chapters, which basically has the same type of art, and It is amazing, the art fits so well in a manga, and then I started to watch the anime and realized the art style fits perfectly in a whole. But yeah, It gets better. Also you will stop noticing it while you progress watching, the plot is really cool and emotional.
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RWBY, another forum dweller recommended it and since it's free on YouTube and quite short I gave it a go, I saw all existing episodes in about 2-3 days.
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Saw that one. What was it that surprised you about it, though? And why?
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The action scenes and the story telling! I mean at first it looked very... meh to be honest, but on episode 1 they set the action packed tone, and from there on the story was surprisingly engaging.
Even though the themes are rather standard (super strong teens in a school in which they bond, and the creators develop each character in a couple of episodes that revolve around them) I did find myself caring about these characters and wanting to know what will happen next!
So yeah, great story, awesome art style and lore and eye catching fighting scenes! I do hope for a Season 3 soon :]
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RIP Monty Oum, though... We'll miss that amazing person. :(
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Hell yeah, RWBY was surprisingly amazing. These damn fighting scenes are so great!
It's what got me into anime, actually. I KNOW that RWBY shouldn't be considered an anime, and I don't either; but it still lead me to watching anime, since after being done with it, I wanted more. I started looking for something similar, but couldn't find any. Then, I stumbled upon Angel Beats!, and well... Here I am. :P
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Ah, Angel Beats...! )
That's actually another one I was surprised by. It started out somewhat "meh" and a little quirky, but it turned out to be quite good.
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I'd suggest you take a look on Hatsukoi Limited!
It's a highschool anime. What really surprised me is that there is really no "MAIN" character. There is a bunch of girls and a bunch of guys. and every episodes unveils each one's love! It's a really great anime. It's became my guilty pleasure to watch it.
"But Terminatorn, Why should I add another boring Highschool anime to my watchlist?"
Well, yes. It houses the same tropes commonly used in most HS anime settings. But the character rotation in almost every episode is delight to have. Eventually, you'll find someone to relate yourself with. It's more like watching the whole class evolve rather than a single character throughout the series.
PS:
I consider the Kappa and Class Beauty as the real main characters though as their love story really stood out for me.
add this to your watch list. This one you will not regret.
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+1
Guys, you won't regret watching this anime
It started as a cliche anime, but ended with beautifully
And yep Enomoto (blonde girl) and Kappa is the best couple too for me xD
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One of my most memorable anime.
EDIT: Learned how to attach images.
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Yeah I watched it a long time ago
But yeah still a memorable one for me
Congratz! xD
Here's your prize
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Death Note was first anime that really surprised me !
..and yeah the character development is incredibly cool.
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Yeah, I just don't get it why people hate it because of the main character :(
Well I don't really like him though, but not because of his physical body
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I had to drop it because of that character. He was just way too nerdy, weak and pathetic. He also looked un human, like a small fat Gollum. I had no sympathy or interest in him, no relation at all. So why care about what happens in the series? Shinji Ikari was understandable: A 14 yo ho lost his mom, his dad hates him, and abuses him/takes advantage of him, and oh yeah, the entire world is put on his shoulders.
This dweeb? He is just pathetic. Such a waste.
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lol I did the same thing as you did because of the same reason.
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I've never really cared for anime, so my liking an anime at all is surprising enough. Cowboy Bebop really surprised me, though. I randomly borrowed the first disc from another guy in the barracks years ago, back in the days before streaming. Back then, what to watch was really limited to what you had physically at hand, so I watched it because it was there. More than anything, I loved the music and aesthetic of the series.
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You should try Black Lagoon. It's the same kind, only in a modern day world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsL9vhMfyrs
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BL is far more dark, less hopeful and far less quirky.
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That always surprises me. Like when they're in a huge standoff and it looks like a huge fight is about to break out, but instead out of nowhere BAM more standoff! Never see it coming.
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Yeah, mainstream-est anime.. SAO
I liked it at the beginning
But then it's just *poof
I don't understand the harem purpose, saving damsel in distress almost in every episode :(
Gintama
You know what to expect?
Well
Yeah first time I watched it.. It just "I don't know what's reality and fantasea anymore"
Sometimes they'll make you sad & happy at same time
Maybe you'll cry & laugh at same time too?
xD
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Gorila ? is that you ?
...ohh its princess Bubbles xD
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Which gorilla?? Author or Kondo-san? Well obviously the groom xD
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This.
Gintama is sooo much deeper than it pretends to be
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Hmm, let's see... I'm pretty new to anime, haven't watched too many.
I'm not exactly sure what you would define as "surprising", since this is subjective. I'll list a few different kind of "surprising" animes I've watched.
Please note: There might be some very minor spoilers along the post, but nothing major that you wouldn't find on the anime's MyAnimeList or Wiki description. If there are slightly more important spoilers, they will be spoilered like this.
To start off my list, I'll begin with Steins;Gate, my favorite anime for multiple reasons.
Steins;Gate surprised me with its amazing story about time traveling and its consequences. When we think "time traveling", we usually think, "that would be an amazing and useful thing to exist". Steins;Gate seems to focus more on how every little bit of a change made in the past might result in an entire world being built based off that single thing.
It doesn't only make you realize that time traveling would be a much more complicated thing than we tend to think, but also that even if it could bring happiness and pleasure or luxury, it can bring a person sadness, and even lead to madness or desperation.
It's pretty deep if you think about it. Being a sucker for the theory of time traveling myself, this anime was a true masterpiece.
Second on the list is what I am currently watching, Kokoro Connect. It isn't the best anime ever, but it kinda surprises me, so far.
The entire anime revolves around personality-switching between a group of friends. At first, I just expected a regular, not so special anime. However, the anime actually focuses a lot on relationships and how switching places with someone else and learning more about them can change your view on them and their lives. Also that this can however lead to some undesired circumstance as well.
Third place on the list is shared by two animes. First is Angel Beats!, and second is Little Busters! and Little Busters!: Refrain. They both get listed at the same time because they are basically the same kind of surprising. If you haven't watched them yet, please avoid reading the spoilers below. I won't really spoil anything major, but for the best experience, I advice just watching them without knowing anything.
About Angel Beats!: The ending caught me totally off-guard. I did not expect this at all, since I hadn't read anything about it yet and just went in head first. It was pretty amazing overall, and the first real anime I've watched.
About Little Busters! and Little Busters!: Refrain: Same thing here, the ending of refrain caught me off-guard and surprised me greatly. I watched through Little Busters! and obviously noticed all the mysterious little unexplained details, but I kinda overlooked them, not expecting it to be of any major importance. Boy was I wrong. At the end of Little Busters!: Refrain, everything was clear, and I couldn't even believe that what I had just watched, both Little Busters! and Little Busters!: Refrain were basically a lie all along. What a freaking plot twist.
At fourth place; Code Geass: LeLouch Of The Rebellion (and Code Geass: LeLouch Of The Rebellion R2).
This one surprised me with how much more deep and conflicting LeLouch's world and life really is. Part-time rebellion leader, part-time everyday life student. His whole life is only dedicated to bring his sister a better world to live in... But in the process, how many sacrifices will be required to achieve his goal? Many, most likely. And all the time I watched it, I thought; "is it worth it? Is LeLouch really helping his sister by doing all of this, or only aggravating the situation even further?"
LeLouch fights through so much to achieve his goal, and loses so much in the process... It makes one stop and think for a bit. However, everything has its price. The ending was amazingly done, and kinda leaves the watcher hanging, but without it really being a cliffhanger; It just ends, seamlessly and perfectly.
So... I'm typing walls of text on Steamgifts at 2:20 AM again. Ugh.
I'll stop there. Good night, and cheers Khalaq! Always enjoying reading your amazing posts.
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Angel Beats, nuff said.
That anime was a train of full of feels going for an imminent crash. Damn the last 2 episodes... The anime itself gives a clear message while it progress, life or destiny or however you want to call it, can be a b*tch sometimes. Everything can end so suddenly and you wont realize it, leave pending stuff that you wont be able to achieve anymore. If you die tomorrow, will there be some mark you've left in the world?, have you achieved something in your life?, have you done something good in your life?, have you helped someone in need?. Cheesus I even cried with the last episode, it was a pretty good anime, fun sometimes, with action sometimes, I definitely recommend it if you want a massive attack of feels. BTW both OP and ED are masterpieces and the soundtrack its well incorporated to the scenes and situation.
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I agree with all of that. Loved Angel Beats, and cried the last episode. The OP is hauntingly beautiful, and just thinking about the "great escape" still makes me laugh. D
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Love, Chuunibyou, and Other Delusions. I thought it was going to be supernatural amine, but turns out it actually has a kinda maybe-romantic plot that isn't completely terrible.
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Yeah the 1st one was really great
But then there's the season where the downfall exists
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It's not that the second season was terrible, it's just that absolutely nothing happened.
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Yeah not terrible and nothing happened
That's why it's the downfall
At least a couple kissed, the twintail servant and Mori summer xD
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Every now and then, the topic of anime recommendations comes up. People's tastes vary, of course, but there are a lot of SG users who watch a lot of anime, so long lists of excellent titles are sure to follow. What we don't usually delve too deeply into is why certain titles are worth watching. I thought I'd broach that subject.
If you could pick only one, which anime (movie or series) surprised you most with its quality? Whether it was the story that traveled in unexpected ways, the characters which were unexpectedly real, or the message which was unexpectedly deep, this anime surprised you by being on an entirely different level. It not only entertained you, it broadened your understanding of what the medium could achieve. Tell us which anime surprised you, but more importantly, tell us why.
For me, it was Sword Art Online. It wasn't until the last, frigging episode that I finally realized I'd been missing the point entirely.
I had heard other people recommend it, and I had read the blurb for it, but it had sat on my "to watch" list for a long time. When I had finally gotten around to viewing it, it seemed to be pretty much what I expected. "Yet another action-oriented anime.* Guy fights stuff; guy gets stronger; guy becomes a hero. Oh, and throw in some females for the romance angle. It was OK for what it was, but the pacing was a bit uneven for an action series, and the second season wandered all over the place. "They seem to have turned this into a joke," I thought. "How many cliches and fetishes can they stuff into the remaining episodes?" I pretty much wrote off the entire series as a 'sellout,' and continued watching only to get to the end of it. I sure am glad I did, though, because it turns out I was totally wrong. Judging by the feedback of some others, I wasn't the only one, either.
SAO is not an action series. Nor is it a fantasy series, either. To be honest, it's not even 'entertainment.' Sword Art Online is Art, in all its uncompromisingly critical---and often uncomfortable---examination of the human experience. SAO is a deep, penetrating look at the meaning and depth of interpersonal relationships through the lens of online gaming. What does it mean to play a game? Where is the line between who you are online and who you are in real life? How does virtual reality affect the real relationships we forge between ourselves and other people? Does it even matter? To put it even more bluntly, what is the difference between the real you and the person you are online? Is there one?
These are questions psychologists have been discussing ever since the birth of the internet. Before that, a written letter was considered an expression of who you were, an extension of your personality. With the introduction of internet anonymity, however, all of that went out the window. SAO explores this subject in depth, exploring the entire breadth of human relationships. This anime is so much more than 'entertainment.' I highly recommend you check it out.
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