Unique Animes

[Danov]

For the past few months I’ve began watching anime again, but now I’m kind out of ideas regarding what to watch. I’m looking for something Unique, a show that is so awesome that, no matter what kind of anime I prefer, is a must-see for some reason. Examples of what I’m talking about:

Death Note

The way the battle between L and Raito was portrayed was perfect. Any other show Putted me on the edge of my seat so many times. The unforgettable characters, the dark atmosphere, the great history and remarkable moments of this anime made it one of the best and more satisfying shows I’ve ever seeing.

AIR

Well, to be honest, The first episodes were kinda boring for me, but when the “major” arc begun I couldn’t stop watching the show. The really good character development, along with really emotional scenes, made me love the show, and I couldn’t avoid some tears at the last episode, that was truly awesome ^^.

Welcome to NHK

This was the last show I watched. Although the comedy parts of the anime were great, the better part was, by far, the tense and dark atmosphere of the entire show. I connected a lot with all the characters, and I must highlight the great (and funny) friendship between Sato and that game guy that I forgot the name right now. I can’t explain why, but I loved the way both of them got along.

Evangelion

Probably I don’t have to say much about this one, as most people in the anime world know how incredible this show is. An almost flawless anime, with a great atmosphere during the entire series and a really great history.

Saint Seiya – Hades saga – Sanctuary chaper

Ok, ok, I know there is a lot of people here that don’t like this show, but I had to put it here. The first 13 episodes of the Hades saga were so good, but so good, that I can’t think of any other anime that had as great battles as the ones that occurred at these episodes. Saga, Shura and Camus X Saga, Seiya X Radmanthis, Kanon X Millo… not only those battles were great, but the history of the anime was also incredible, what made it a unbelievable great and enjoyable show to watch.


Well, I guess I made my point ^^. I’m searching for Unique Animes, animes that are so great that are must sees for any anime fan, don’t regarding the kind of it. Please, name for me the shows that, in your opinion, are really awesome and should be seen by everyone, and don’t forget to say why ^^.

[Ichihara Asako]

Mushishi stands alone, totally unique and incomparable to anything else. It's mostly episodic in nature, but is... well, unique. While it's often classified as slice of life, it's certainly a weird life to take a slice of. Also has an incredible musical score, which just adds to the overall quality of the seriesl

Elfen Lied is another unique series that I think is a 'must watch'. Again, incomparable to anything else for all the combined story elements. It also has one of the most powerful scenes in all of anime history, IMO.

Not too many others I consider unique, though. Hmm. I'll think about it more and come back later ^^;

[DarkDemonz]

I have to say Monster, it's by far the best anime I've seen with such a character development. You wouldn't expect what would happen next, it draws you in, atleast it did for me.
I think you'll enjoy this series if you liked Death Note, I've watched both, and to me, it both have a similiar atmosphere, must watch.

Also Baccano!, it's very enjoyable
Each of the stories in the series involves several unrelated plots intersecting and crossing each other as events spiral farther and farther out of control.

Both of those animes aren't just in one time line, it jumps around alot, which I find very interesting, on how it connects afterwards, both must watch to any fan of animes.

[devildog23]

Code Geass is unique, in and of itself, but many unconsciously compare it to Death Note. I don't find it similar, and hell I don't even find the main characters similar, other than that they are brilliant and have goals that will change the world. Its an amazing anime with twists and turns all over, season 2 airs in the spring. This is a definite must see.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is unique as well. The mix of genres and how the characters interact makes this a great watch.

Elfen Lied is another unique one. Imagine a harem-comedy-ecchi anime blended with SAW 3. The relationship between the two leads is really cultivating. EDIT - damn somebody beat me to it, I'll second it.

For something similar to Air, try Kanon 2006 and Clannad which both derive from the same game makers.

School Rumble can be considered unique as well. It is a hilarious anime that has a large cast and a plot based around romance.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann isn't particularly unique to its genre, but it is must see epic mecha that incorporates badassery and awesomeness.

Ongoing ones

Spice and Wolf - pick of the season, its about a wandering merchant who meets a wolf god.
D.Grayman - Not your typical shonen, it takes horror and despair and mixes it into comedy and great action.

[Spectacular_Insanity]

Nothing exists that is more epic than Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann! The most recent anime I've finished, it's just plain awesome, and epic from the first episode. My favorite part was that in TTGL, laws of physics aren't broken---they don't exist in the first place!

Here's some I really liked recently (I've seen them within this past year):
Code Geass
Claymore
Trinity Blood
Full Metal Panic

[Echoes]

I’m looking for something Unique, a show that is so awesome that, no matter what kind of anime I prefer, is a must-see for some reason.

Cowboy Bebop. Absolutely a must-see. Amazing characters, great action, great comedy. The soundtrack sticks with me to this day, there is really very little to complain about when you're talking about the Bebop. Certainly unique within its genre, and within anime, for that matter.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. If you enjoy mature and serious anime, this is simply a must-see. Splendid storytelling, deep and compelling characters with real motives and motivations. Philosophical, futuristic and some of anime's more memorable characters.

Aria the Animation / Aria the Natural. This one is very hard to sell by words alone. It's simply beautiful, relaxing and utterly uplifting to watch an episode of this series. It's about a group of women in training to become Undines, gondoliers, in a city called Neo-Venezia.
It really creates such a wonderful atmosphere and captures your heart with some of the most gentle characters you'll ever come across. Probably the most unique of the three I've mentioned, and certainly a must-see for anyone able to enjoy it for what it is; a relaxing, heart-warming experience. It's hard to watch an episode of this without smiling, or wishing you were actually in Neo-Venezia with them.

Hopefully you haven't seen all of these already, but I wouldn't really be surprised if you had.

[KholdStare]

So far I agree with Elfen Lied and Cowboy Bebop being both unique and easily to understand/most people will like them. I will also recommend Haibane Renmei, but not everyone will interpret it the same way I did.

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

Wacth all the anime in my signature, as well as Gankutsuou, Mushishi, Kamichu!, and Serial Experiments Lain.

[tbl]

Black Lagoon - How many over the top, violent action series are there that deal with existentialist philosophy?

[Troilism]

I second Black Lagoon. The first season is just amazing. AMAZING characters and just a super cool vibe to the whole show.

I also second Kamichu! This anime is so absurd but STILL manages to keep its slice of life feel. It's a really good watch but you HAVE to see it through to the end. It's about a girl who declares herself a god and she goes through various adventures.

Noien - The sci fi may not be unique but this show MADE it unique...Amazing characters, amazing action sequences, epic story and just a really great watch. Some parts of it may move a bit slow compared to other episodes but they are really great episodes as well. The second half of the anime doesn't decline in quality at all.

Serei No moribito - Wow. This anime surprised the shit out of me. The first couple episodes make you think it's an action anime but it's more of a slice of life anime. The fight scenes are INCREDIBLE even if they are a bit few but the characters are all really nice and the show is just a great watch, def diverges from what you think it would be.

zegapain - This show too is a lot different from what you would expect after seeing the main character. It's a mecha anime but the real twist is the story and character development of the series. A very nice watch but the fight scenes are a bit..blegh imo but that isn't what this anime is about.

[blewin]

I second Welcome to NHK, Zegapain, Mushishi, Baccano!, Code Geass (for those I've seen as mentioned in this thread).

Another one is Samurai Champloo. Mixing modern and olden elements, it's a serous yet funny show that follows the journey of three unlikely companions, whose suspicions and secrets add unexpected twists to the journey. Aside from the unusual use of uncooperative travellers, the anime employs hiphop music in an olden setting. Personally, I prefer Samurai Champloo to Cowboy Bepop, considering that the same author did both animes.

Honey and Clover also fits the category. Realistic, bringing many concerns that young adults face, H&C is littered with symbolism that makes viewers pause to think about the meanings of the messages. Funny yet anxious, poignant yet full of hope, it's an anime that all University age students can relate to (me for example, :P).

[Twisted Reality]

Originally Posted by Danov

Evangelion
Probably I don’t have to say much about this one, as most people in the anime world know how incredible this show is. An almost flawless anime, with a great atmosphere during the entire series and a really great history.

Uhh. . .flawless? That's rather debatable as a lot of people hated it. I liked it at the time that I saw it, but I now realize that it's got more than a few glaring flaws. Without ranting too much, End of Evangelion was a excessively self-indulgent mess by Hideaki Anno. No amount of, "it's too special for you" by him will convince me otherwise. Aside from that, you get way too many Asuka-type tsundere's and too many emotionless Rei-types as a result of this anime.

Monster
Seconded. Very unique. It's a detective noir show but has no supernatural elements at all. It's really more of a historical fiction set in post-Cold War Germany. Recommended if you enjoyed Death Note. Unlicensed, last I checked. In any case, the art is refreshing in that not all the characters are copy-paste templates. People can actually range from old, ugly, fat and beautiful. It's nice to see that they actually draw people who don't all look like teen models. It also helps that the plot also has a lot of twists and turns to keep you entertained. The show can basically be described as a large cast of characters attempting to discover or exploit "Johan Liebert," the central mystery and villain of the story.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Just so you know, the first episode is a home movie by the characters that parodies anime. (Stay for at least two episodes. The second episode is the "true beginning" and an intriguing hook.) The show has a great twist to it and it really actually succeeds as a multi-genre anime. It's a must-see for the simple fact that it tells a story without the humor making the show pointless or irrelevant and parodies anime while also paying homage to them. Nothing is as it seems in the story, making this show an addictive watch. The art and animation are also commendable. The animators mix up the perspectives of the same places, just so you don't get bored seeing them over-and-over.

Eureka Seven
Bones touched this, therefore it must be good. They really know how to combine fluid visuals with great environmental/equipment/character designs to make a world with head-crushingly amazing atmosphere. The world actually feels big and spacious. Some of the subplots don't work because there are so many characters and themes they have to juggle, but overall, it's an enjoyable Mecha show with a plot-central romance. Since you're learning about world from Renton's perspective, expect more than a few mysteries to unfold. . . slowly. The writers have no problems about throwing their world at you, leading you to wonder what Trapars, Scab Corals and pile bunkers are. . . or what exactly happened in the "Summer of Love". . . or what the Gekko State actually does. It actually can sometimes get cheesy at times, but all things considered, it's far superior to what most studios are capable of pulling off.

Gurren Lagann
Another Gainax show. Fortunately, this one doesn't take itself so seriously and it's genuinely entertaining. It's not a personal favorite of mine, but I really can't find fault with the show. It knows what it wants to achieve and pretty much accomplishes its goal. I just prefer have my anime on a more serious note.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex I and Stand Alone Complex II
Seconded. This show is the cyberpunk king of anime. Expect a lot of corrupt politicians, mega-corporations, social stratification, cyborgs and questions about what it means to be human. That aside, it's not perfect. Expect dialogue. Mountains of it. This is the show's greatest downfall. You may have to watch an episode more than once in order to get a feel for what's going on and why. Art can get lazy or inconsistent and the non-plot episodes can range from mediocre to excellent. The action is often a mix of John Woo (cyborgs) to duck-and-cover firefights.

Twelve Kingdoms (Juuni Kokki)
Forget all the Tolkien rip-offs or Dungeons and Dragons. Forget Inu Yasha or Fushigi Yugi. Twelve Kingdoms has a distinctly “Chinese” fantasy feel to it. That alone is a refreshing change of pace from the usual formula of the adventuring “munchkin” party. Twelve Kingdoms concerns itself more with world-building and national intrigue, especially after the first arc. There’s definitely a lot of the “balance of heaven and earth” themes going on and the personal drama revolves around personal character and the widespread cultural or political impact that it has. Art and animation can get lazy at times and a couple of the characters are utterly redundant. Aside from that, it's worth the trouble to watch.

[Blue flame]

second samurai champloo and cowboy bebop....... but u should also watch airgear if u want uniqueness lol and aishiteruze baby

[Tri-ring]

I would nominate Gallery Fake with it's sheer amount of information concerning fine art.
The first fan-sub team just threw in the towel and the second team is at it with one episode per month which I salute with all the time they are putting into research.
The rants they write within at their site is solid.

[NightSamurai]

If you haven't seen FLCL by now I strongly suggest you do so. For a Death Note feel, while remaining a great anime in its own right I suggest Code Geass.

[SeijiSensei]

As is often the case, my list of "unique" anime doesn't have many titles in common with the suggestions above. While you'll find Monster, Noein, Twelve Kingdoms, and Baccano! among my favorites in my signature, there are only two animes there I'd call truly unique:

Bartender - wonderfully mature stories with a bittersweet flavor; great use of theatrical effects to frame the stories as well; plus an education in the wide array of cocktails humans have invented

Mononoke - just doesn't look like anything you've ever seen with a great lead character; there are lots of shows about fighting demons, but none like this one

Dennou Coil might be close behind because of the originality of the story, the lovely artwork, and the impressive score, but it's still more conventional than either Bartender or Mononoke

[Twisted Reality]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

As is often the case, my list of "unique" anime doesn't have many titles in common with the suggestions above. While you'll find Monster, Noein, Twelve Kingdoms, and Baccano! among my favorites in my signature, there are only two animes there I'd call truly unique:

Bartender - wonderfully mature stories with a bittersweet flavor; great use of theatrical effects to frame the stories as well; plus an education in the wide array of cocktails humans have invented

Mononoke - just doesn't look like anything you've ever seen with a great lead character; there are lots of shows about fighting demons, but none like this one

Dennou Coil might be close behind because of the originality of the story, the lovely artwork, and the impressive score, but it's still more conventional than either Bartender or Mononoke

I assume this isn't the same as Princess Mononoke by Miyazaki?

EDIT: Nevermind, answered my own question. If this is actually horror with an evolving storyline, I'll be most interested. I can't enjoy episodic horror as much.

[Danov]

First of all, thanks a lot all of you that answered me, I didn’t expect so many people would post here so fast ^^

And secondly, how could I forget The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya ! This show is absolutely incredible, I really enjoyed watching it. I’m almost finishing Bacanno! , and that’s a hell of a show as well.

I’ll probably watch these ones first, because I already have them at my computer: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Mushishi and Code Geass. The first couple episodes of Gurren Lagann were good, so I guess I will begin with it.

Thanks you all once again, and keep the suggestions coming =D

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

Paranoia Agent is pretty unique. It seems to start out like a pretty normal detective story but quickly turns into a huge wacky mind trip. Some pretty insane stuff happens in this show that the least to say, out of the norm.

[C.A.]

On the level of truly unique, there's only 2 for me:

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu and FLCL.

Gurren Lagann is not the most unique mecha anime but its in an entire class of its own, nothing else can share the same room.