AnimeSuki Forums

Keit · 2004-07-22, 12:50

Hello there, I recently watched FLCL (really good) and it has got very many messages under its shell. I thought it was a really deep anime

So, now I am wondering if there are some preferrably romantic animes with underlying messages, not messages that are clearly visible, just so you can feel that they are there to help the mood. I have thought about Serial Experiments LAIN but I dont know if thats_too_ deep.
Some have told me Neon Genesis Evangelion but I have read that it is very psycholigical, so that it gets you to think, but fot no reason.

If you got my lousy language right I want a romantic anime with underlying messages that makes you think, and not just think because the anime wants you to.

7thMethuselah · 2004-07-22, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keit

Hello there, I recently watched FLCL (really good) and it has got very many messages under its shell. I thought it was a really deep anime

So, now I am wondering if there are some preferrably romantic animes with underlying messages, not messages that are clearly visible, just so you can feel that they are there to help the mood. I have thought about Serial Experiments LAIN but I dont know if thats_too_ deep.
Some have told me Neon Genesis Evangelion but I have read that it is very psycholigical, so that it gets you to think, but fot no reason.

If you got my lousy language right I want a romantic anime with underlying messages that makes you think, and not just think because the anime wants you to.

you may wanna try Saishuuheiki Kanojo (saikano) : A love story about the impossible love between a shy girl with a very special ability (i won't tell you what in order not to spoil it but it gets revealed at the end of the first episode) and a regular high school boy. All of this in the background of an all destroying war. Very beautifull, and often depressing and sad, it's an anime that will leave you breathless for days to come after seeing it!

Another great title is Wolf's Rain although this one isn't really that romantic, it certainly has the same feel about it. It's a tale of a world in serious decline where wolves (that can take on the shape of humans) live amidst man. As the world obviously is going further down the drain, these wolfs go out to search for a promised and fabled paradise only they can reach. A strong catching story with an unexpected end.

One last title : Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien top of the bill in romance titles, it'll grab you from the start, it deals about a triangle relationship between a man and 2 women. It sure made me think alot about how the situation could be resolved, an often sad and depressing but sometimes very cheerful and happy series about tough choices in life and the consequences they have for you and your environment.

DarkCntry · 2004-07-22, 13:33

NGE is a very psychological anime and it forces a lot of people to go insane trying to understand it. There are many religious undertones to it, and many more blatant ones. The perversion of it, the blasphemy, the retribution, etc etc...many of these are covered in it, but the problem lies in that it's also a rather confusing story to most.

Another one with semi-religious undertones is, don't laugh at me :P, Steel Angel Kurumi. Yes, it starts out all lovey-dovey and funny, but mid-way through you start getting the good vs evil fight out in the open.

Most of these cyborg/android-turn-human tales have a similar theme...Nuku Nuku Dash is a good one. There's also Steel Angel Kurumi Zero, which in itself is a prequel to the original series. They all deal with humanity and what it is considered to be human, is it the love and devotion to another, is it the actions that make the person, all of these questions tend to get asked and somewhat answered in these stories.

So to give you a pretty much listing of the ones that I think have underlying stories...

Steel Angel Kurumi (SAK Zero)
Nuku Nuku (more to the Dash! series)
NGE
Chrno Crusade
Wolf's Rain
Mononoke Hime
SaiKano
Lain (which is pretty much in the same vein as NGE in complexity to some)
Gungslinger Girl
Madlax
Noir (Madlax and Noir are pretty much the same with underlying stories as they are pretty much the same just as a different character set and telling)
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (not so much is it deep in underlying story as it is deep in overall story)

Keit · 2004-07-22, 13:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thMethuselah

you may wanna try Saishuuheiki Kanojo (saikano) : A love story about the impossible love between a shy girl with a very special ability (i won't tell you what in order not to spoil it but it gets revealed at the end of the first episode) and a regular high school boy. All of this in the background of an all destroying war. Very beautifull, and often depressing and sad, it's an anime that will leave you breathless for days to come after seeing it!

Another great title is Wolf's Rain although this one isn't really that romantic, it certainly has the same feel about it. It's a tale of a world in serious decline where wolves (that can take on the shape of humans) live amidst man. As the world obviously is going further down the drain, these wolfs go out to search for a promised and fabled paradise only they can reach. A strong catching story with an unexpected end.

One last title : Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien top of the bill in romance titles, it'll grab you from the start, it deals about a triangle relationship between a man and 2 women. It sure made me think alot about how the situation could be resolved, an often sad and depressing but sometimes very cheerful and happy series about tough choices in life and the consequences they have for you and your environment.

I have seen them all ^^

DarkCntry I will test some of the animes you recommended, thanks for the suggestions so far!

Btw. DarkCntry can i see Steel Angel Kurumi Zero before the original series or does it spoil?

DarkCntry · 2004-07-22, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keit

I have seen them all ^^

DarkCntry I will test some of the animes you recommended, thanks for the suggestions so far!

Btw. DarkCntry can i see Steel Angel Kurumi Zero before the original series or does it spoil?

Actually, Zero has no actual bearing on the overall story of SAK...however Zero does take place *before* the original SAK story but in a time period in the future. The Angels are still human in this one, and the short OVA is actually a bit more mellow and dramatic than the rest of the SAKs...but overall I don't think it can spoil you for any part of the original series.

dreamless · 2004-07-22, 14:10

When you want to have an anime with many many deep underlying messages, nothing can beat Kino no Tabi ~ The Beautiful World ~. All other titles pale in comparison to Kino no Tabi when it comes to thought-provoking deep meanings.

One of the titles that come close to Kino no Tabi is Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari, also called Hundred Stories and Requiem from the Darkness (licensed name?) I think. Wonder anime, if you can handle some dark underlying messages

There's also Hanada Shounen Shi and Princess Tutu, which have quite some good underlying messages.

If you are not looking for many deep underlying messages but just some depth in general, Boogiepop Phantom is nice. And seeing people has mentioned KGNE, I just need to recommend Kita He ~ Diamond Dust Drops ~ (get it fast! the number of seeds is decreasing each day!!!)

EDIT: oh, I almost forgot to mention Narutaru and Now and Then, Here and There, great series with great depth!

Arwyn · 2004-07-23, 08:45

I would also say that these titles fit the bill as well;

RaXephon- yeah, its mecha and high school kids (briefly), but gets very deep and very intricate pretty quickly. Love is a strong underlying theme throughout the whole series, and the series examines that question from several angles. Not to mention its got fantastic animation and music.

Blue Gender- This one has a pretty serious ecological message to it, but isnt obnoxious about it. It also has a romantic element to it, as well as examining a lot of societal issues. Despite the heavy subject matter, it still manges to be pretty entertaining, although a bit dark a times.

Jin Roh- Anime doesnt get much more serious that this title. It examines modern societies values (although in an alternate universe setting) and the place man makes for himself there. Excellent movie, but somewhat depressing as well.

Those titles are all liscensed btw.

Rx_Fink · 2004-07-23, 13:27

I'd be surprised if you haven't seen it but Princess Mononoke would be an excellent choice for you, I'd think.

Gundam 08th MS Team might be up your alley, but it may take awhile to get to the stuff you'll like. Gundams tend to be big in the climax, after all.

Esclaflowne is an excellent anime with a lot of romance, but most of the philosephy is all at the end.

This one might be controversial, but I found Gundam Wing pretty thought provoking and it has a smidge of romance.

Blue Gender fits your criteria, though I feel the quality of the series isn't very high.

I don't know if it's romantic enough for your standards, but Now and Then, Here and There is an excellent anime

Gunslinger Girls is also pretty good.

I'd suggest against Lain, that's as mind bending as they come. I watched it all in one sitting (I don't think I could've retained enough to understand it watching it any other way), and the experience was not unlike removing my brain, dropping it onto a broken glass covered asphault playground, and commissioning 4th graders to beat it wil dowel rods.

NGE is awesome and romantic at the end, and I don't think it's thought provoking for the sake of provoking thought, but it does require some very serious thought.

None of this fits your criteria as well as FLCL though, so don't expect any of it to please you as well. But hey, I think nothing is as good as FLCL.

fuz_mind · 2004-07-23, 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keit

Hello there, I recently watched FLCL (really good) and it has got very many messages under its shell. I thought it was a really deep anime

So, now I am wondering if there are some preferrably romantic animes with underlying messages, not messages that are clearly visible, just so you can feel that they are there to help the mood. I have thought about Serial Experiments LAIN but I dont know if thats_too_ deep.
Some have told me Neon Genesis Evangelion but I have read that it is very psycholigical, so that it gets you to think, but fot no reason.

If you got my lousy language right I want a romantic anime with underlying messages that makes you think, and not just think because the anime wants you to.

Have you seen Koi Kaze?

It's a love story; won't use the word romantic to describe it.

MidoriShinobi · 2004-07-23, 20:46

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne. I've only ever read the manga, but as far as I know the anime stayed true to it. It isn't liscenced, either. It seems cute and innocent on the surface, but actually has many dark religous undertones, and plot twists that make you think twice about things. I all around enjoyed it, so I reccomend it, but if your offended by religous references, I wouldn't watch it. (I almost see it as Angel Sanctuary, minus the insest, and gothic, angsty feel. There are funny and cute moments in KKJ, as well. It gets serious only as the series progresses.) Oh, and there is romance, of course. What else can you expect from Tanemura-sensei? It's worth looking into at least.

roguenoir · 2004-07-28, 04:27

Popotan: don't be distracted by its MEGA-fanservice.. the later episodes are pretty touching and thought-provoking. Too bad it's very recently licensed..

Inuzuka · 2004-07-28, 07:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keit

Some have told me Neon Genesis Evangelion but I have read that it is very psycholigical, so that it gets you to think, but fot no reason.

Spoiler for read this before reading thy' post plz:D:

Regarding EVA(*NeonGenesisEVAngelion*)
I read & saw EVA and indeed they are very psychological.(*Or rather it is*)
Seeing how the Manga and Anime differ and also the fact that the Manga was actually based on the Anime itself(*In a sense.Firstly,the anime was finished before the manga and thus,the anime acted more as a template for the manga,but then again they were made by different teams of people.(*The creator and core members of the story's team remain the same i think.*)So no garentees(*Yes,i share your spelling disorder*)wheather the manga would be as good.(*But it is good thus far*)EVA is great.

Well,technically it makes you think,so that it would be reagarded as a 'smart' anime and thus be admitted into the halls of anime classics.(*Which it already is*)
Secondly,i think the overall story is about veryone of the main charcaters,their psycological aspects as well,IMO this is the main reason i couldn't find some general message EVA was trying to deliver.

2004-07-22, 12:50	Link #1
Keit 타.파.피.카 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: sweden	Anime's with underlying messages Hello there, I recently watched FLCL (really good) and it has got very many messages under its shell. I thought it was a really deep anime So, now I am wondering if there are some preferrably romantic animes with underlying messages, not messages that are clearly visible, just so you can feel that they are there to help the mood. I have thought about Serial Experiments LAIN but I dont know if thats_too_ deep. Some have told me Neon Genesis Evangelion but I have read that it is very psycholigical, so that it gets you to think, but fot no reason. If you got my lousy language right I want a romantic anime with underlying messages that makes you think, and not just think because the anime wants you to. __________________

2004-07-22, 14:10	Link #6
dreamless /Ultimate Magic Attack!!! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Time Warp/Future	When you want to have an anime with many many deep underlying messages, nothing can beat Kino no Tabi ~ The Beautiful World ~. All other titles pale in comparison to Kino no Tabi when it comes to thought-provoking deep meanings. One of the titles that come close to Kino no Tabi is Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari, also called Hundred Stories and Requiem from the Darkness (licensed name?) I think. Wonder anime, if you can handle some dark underlying messages There's also Hanada Shounen Shi and Princess Tutu, which have quite some good underlying messages. If you are not looking for many deep underlying messages but just some depth in general, Boogiepop Phantom is nice. And seeing people has mentioned KGNE, I just need to recommend Kita He ~ Diamond Dust Drops ~ (get it fast! the number of seeds is decreasing each day!!!) EDIT: oh, I almost forgot to mention Narutaru and Now and Then, Here and There, great series with great depth! Last edited by dreamless; 2004-07-22 at 14:43.

2004-07-22, 13:33	Link #3
DarkCntry Blue Dawn Join Date: Jun 2004 Age: 44	NGE is a very psychological anime and it forces a lot of people to go insane trying to understand it. There are many religious undertones to it, and many more blatant ones. The perversion of it, the blasphemy, the retribution, etc etc...many of these are covered in it, but the problem lies in that it's also a rather confusing story to most. Another one with semi-religious undertones is, don't laugh at me :P, Steel Angel Kurumi. Yes, it starts out all lovey-dovey and funny, but mid-way through you start getting the good vs evil fight out in the open. Most of these cyborg/android-turn-human tales have a similar theme...Nuku Nuku Dash is a good one. There's also Steel Angel Kurumi Zero, which in itself is a prequel to the original series. They all deal with humanity and what it is considered to be human, is it the love and devotion to another, is it the actions that make the person, all of these questions tend to get asked and somewhat answered in these stories. So to give you a pretty much listing of the ones that I think have underlying stories... Steel Angel Kurumi (SAK Zero) Nuku Nuku (more to the Dash! series) NGE Chrno Crusade Wolf's Rain Mononoke Hime SaiKano Lain (which is pretty much in the same vein as NGE in complexity to some) Gungslinger Girl Madlax Noir (Madlax and Noir are pretty much the same with underlying stories as they are pretty much the same just as a different character set and telling) Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (not so much is it deep in underlying story as it is deep in overall story)

2004-07-23, 08:45	Link #7
Arwyn Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: God forsaken middle of nowhere, Texas	I would also say that these titles fit the bill as well; RaXephon- yeah, its mecha and high school kids (briefly), but gets very deep and very intricate pretty quickly. Love is a strong underlying theme throughout the whole series, and the series examines that question from several angles. Not to mention its got fantastic animation and music. Blue Gender- This one has a pretty serious ecological message to it, but isnt obnoxious about it. It also has a romantic element to it, as well as examining a lot of societal issues. Despite the heavy subject matter, it still manges to be pretty entertaining, although a bit dark a times. Jin Roh- Anime doesnt get much more serious that this title. It examines modern societies values (although in an alternate universe setting) and the place man makes for himself there. Excellent movie, but somewhat depressing as well. Those titles are all liscensed btw.

2004-07-23, 13:27	Link #8
Rx_Fink Cybernetic Wolf Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Olmsted (Cleveland area), Ohio Age: 40	I'd be surprised if you haven't seen it but Princess Mononoke would be an excellent choice for you, I'd think. Gundam 08th MS Team might be up your alley, but it may take awhile to get to the stuff you'll like. Gundams tend to be big in the climax, after all. Esclaflowne is an excellent anime with a lot of romance, but most of the philosephy is all at the end. This one might be controversial, but I found Gundam Wing pretty thought provoking and it has a smidge of romance. Blue Gender fits your criteria, though I feel the quality of the series isn't very high. I don't know if it's romantic enough for your standards, but Now and Then, Here and There is an excellent anime Gunslinger Girls is also pretty good. I'd suggest against Lain, that's as mind bending as they come. I watched it all in one sitting (I don't think I could've retained enough to understand it watching it any other way), and the experience was not unlike removing my brain, dropping it onto a broken glass covered asphault playground, and commissioning 4th graders to beat it wil dowel rods. NGE is awesome and romantic at the end, and I don't think it's thought provoking for the sake of provoking thought, but it does require some very serious thought. None of this fits your criteria as well as FLCL though, so don't expect any of it to please you as well. But hey, I think nothing is as good as FLCL.

2004-07-23, 20:46	Link #10
MidoriShinobi Boha-haha!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: 東京 Age: 35	Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne. I've only ever read the manga, but as far as I know the anime stayed true to it. It isn't liscenced, either. It seems cute and innocent on the surface, but actually has many dark religous undertones, and plot twists that make you think twice about things. I all around enjoyed it, so I reccomend it, but if your offended by religous references, I wouldn't watch it. (I almost see it as Angel Sanctuary, minus the insest, and gothic, angsty feel. There are funny and cute moments in KKJ, as well. It gets serious only as the series progresses.) Oh, and there is romance, of course. What else can you expect from Tanemura-sensei? It's worth looking into at least.

2004-07-28, 04:27	Link #11
roguenoir Rogue Member Join Date: Feb 2004	Popotan: don't be distracted by its MEGA-fanservice.. the later episodes are pretty touching and thought-provoking. Too bad it's very recently licensed..