Neo-Noir Anime

[devildog23]

Its summer, and I'm bored. I'm looking for a neo-noir type anime. Neo-noir is an updated style of noir. I don't really need the stress on detectives and crimes, but I am looking for that specific dark tone. Cynical emphasis is also a plus.

[Dawnstorm]

Given your sig, recommending Darker than Black is unnecessary. So:

I think Ergo Proxy might qualify. It's a philosophical, dystopian SF story. It can get a bit confusing, and at some points it might be tedious, but when it's good it's very good.

Then there's Kurenai. Guy who professionally "settles disputes" takes care of the daughter of a very influential family, who his boss kidnapped. Why? Oh, he'll find out. ("Chinatown meets Usagi Drop." Heh.)

You've probably seen the recent Psycho Pass? (Rather straightforward Cyberpunk thriller, but then cyberpunk tends to be the noir version of SF.)

[SeijiSensei]

Maybe Eden of the East fits? it seems rather bright on the surface, but the underlying story is pretty dark.

Of course, there's always Monster.

Finally you might give Mouryou no Hako a try. Here's the opening episode from YouTube, but I recommend doing a Google search to find the batch torrent that includes subs from Aero and Aoi. I cannot link to it here because it is on a site that also archives licensed material.

Don't be put off the by apparent "class-S" romance between the adolescent girls in the first episode. It sets up the rest of the story. And, while the story looks to have a strong supernatural component, there's more to that than meets the eye.

[devildog23]

I just finished watching Psycho-Pass, and it was right around what I was looking for.

I have seen both Eden of the East and Monster (both great series btw), but I will look into Mouryou no Hako, which looks interesting.

[Moresca]

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG if you have not watched them already. Yes it sports cyberpunk and mecha tags - but GITS is really a (very well constructed) political thriller with incorporated ruminations on the delineation between humans and machines as well as between reality and virtuality. It is also a commentary on rapid technical advancement and its impact on a only slowly adapting society. Terrific soundtrack.

In terms of cynical and dark social commentary it hardly gets more disturbing than Texhnolyze. Most reviews usually start with the sentence "This series is not for everyone..." You might end up feeling extremely detached while watching the very slowly unfolding story and aloof characters. It is a mystery at its core but if the handling of the series is your cup of tea, you will have to find out for yourself. Terrific artwork and directing. Rated R+. Just saying.

A lighter take on the themes, employing the buddy cops genre, in a vaguely futuristic setting with strewn in social commentaries is Heat Guy J. The character designs might need getting used to maybe, but give it a chance for the great unfolding story. Very nice soundtrack and well-done characters. Some camera angles and backdrops strongly remind of Blade Runner...

Adding a supernatural twist into a mystery/drama mix is Witch Hunter Robin. The series concentrates on its very complex characters and develops its plot slowly. It incorporates almost every motif associated with the genre you are looking for - this is especially true for the development of the heroine Robin. Very good soundtrack, nice artwork.

All of the above are on the slow side storytellingwise, do not expect action fireworks. Some series that also might qualify and be of interest - but enjoyment milage may vary depending on your taste:

C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control (explores similar themes as Higashi no Eden but a lot of topics crammed into a short series).

The Big O (more on the film noir side and only slightly "neo". Batmanish vibes with robot action; very nice artwork).

Casshern Sins (no detectives, a big dystopia tag; memory-loss, identity crisis, technological impact on society). Outstanding artwork (in my opinion at least) and ditto soundtrack.

[devildog23]

Great suggestions! I looked them all up and a lot of them fit the bill.

Characters and development of these characters are a huge factor in whether I like an anime or not. I remember seeing a few episodes of GitS back when it was on Adult Swim, and I distinctly remember that I didn't really like the characters. Since you've seen it, how is the character development?

Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone.

[Moresca]

Hmm. I cannot answer this without elaborating a little. I will comment within a spoiler-tag. No major spoilers in it - but peeps considering watching GitS SAC who do not want a n y preliminary info whatsoever, please stay away.

Spoiler for Assessment of character development in GitS SAC. Contains a reference to a basic story concept and (solely general) info on character origins:

GitS SAC is not a predominantly character-driven series. Only in season two the series gives some hints at the individual backgrounds of some Section 9 members. They act in their capacity as members of a special-operations task-force, essentially a highly trained counter-terrorist unit, so they are professional, cool-headed and matter-of-fact people.

They will in rare cases reveal their personal standpoint concerning some issues or allow a glimpse into their private lives. But mostly you will at best be able to make assumptions how they might feel about things on a personal level. That does not mean that the Section 9 members do not have personalities - they definitely do. But in most cases their personalities have already been formed and the characters are mature and probably have mostly come to grips with their own circumstances and decided how they want to perceive their environment. So no, in my opinion there is no pronounced character development.

I guess the characters are not intended to be particularly likeable or endearing to the audience from the get-go. The defensive reaction while watching them go about their business most likely has its roots in the concepts of "cyberization" - prosthetic bodies and brain manipulations on humans (in various degrees) will make most people thinking about the (ethical, social and legal) implications very uneasy and uncomfortable; ultimately the characters are too ambiguous to be easily likeable.

[Guardian Enzo]

Paranoia Agent has an element of Noir to it, and it's a great series to boot.