Dark, uneasy Anime

[Alen]

Hello everyone. Been busy with school lately but I'm ready for another great anime as I have some time now.

I'm looking for a very specific kind of anime. I want a show that makes me feel uneasy. A show with a very dark atmosphere and it should be character/story driven, not mindless action (note - I do like action in my anime but it shouldn't be the center of it.)

When I say dark and uneasy feeling I mean throughout the whole anime. The shows that I feel made me feel this are -


Phantom Requiem for a Phantom
Ergo Proxy
Gantz
Elfen Lied
Evangelion

So, the keywords are Uneasy, Dark, Despair, Hopeless, Sadness, etc. I think you get it.


PS - I'm thinking of watching Full Metal Alchemist or Brotherhood. Are they the same thing and if so which one should I watch? No spoilers please.

[Autumn Demon]

kurozuka

10char

[Dilla]

Does it have to be complete? If not, Shiki.

[Yang]

Originally Posted by Alen

PS - I'm thinking of watching Full Metal Alchemist or Brotherhood. Are they the same thing and if so which one should I watch? No spoilers please.

FMA and brotherhood are most certainly not the same thing FMA follows it's own story path while Brotherhood follows the manga's story, iirc it splits up around episode 30 and 15 so the first 30 of FMA and the first 15 of Brotherhood are somewhat similar in content. After that though, the story goes in a completely different direction.

Tbh, I liked how FMA covered the beginning in more depth since Brotherhood seemed to rush through it a bit but there'd be no problems if you started watching Brotherhood, it starts from the same beginning.

They're both really good shows though (Especially Brotherhoood, it's EPIC) so I'll recommend you watch both but since you're looking for something dark, I'd lean more towards Brotherhood, it gets a bit dark near the end but not "throughout". It's definitely not just mindless action too ;P Even if it's not exactly what you're looking for though, it's really good so definitely give it a try at least

[ISighZ]

Higurashi http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ency...me.php?id=6134 This anime is unique. The story is REALLY good and confusing. There are two seasons. 2nd Season explain the stuff that happens in the first season.
Monster http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ency...me.php?id=3750
And maybe Deathnote
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ency...me.php?id=6592

[jedinat]

Serial Experiments Lain
Texhnolyze - freaking depressing; I hated it

[Hooves]

I second Higurashi, well the first season atleast, gave me a very uneasy feeling with all the craziness it had. There is also Shiki to recommend also, but it's not complete, the beginning is good with the darkness feeling of something staring at you.

[Guardian Enzo]

Ghost Hound, for sure. Deeply unsettling psychological underpinnings, very character-driven. The sound design is also deliberately and very effectively disturbing. It's really a winner all-around.

[straferd]

Mai Hime.

The first 12 episodes are poor, almost made me drop it. Although during these 12 episodes you will see plenty of character development.

The rest are some of the best, dark and at times very sad episodes I have ever seen, rocketing Mai Hime to #3 on my Anime list.
Here is a very good review: http://www.anime-planet.com/reviews/a221.html

After Mai Hime you should watch Mai Otome.

[Haak]

Kara no Kyoukai - It's a series of seven films, each about murders that are taking place involving supernatural powers. The protagonist is Ryougi Shiki, a girl that posesses the ability to see the death in everything.

Fyi, though, the 6th film is a bit more lighthearted.

[Jaden]

Ghost in the Shell, if you can deal with your anime getting all philosophical on you.

the Chaos;Head anime I can't really recommend, even though it fits your request. Maybe look at the visual novel instead, it's a better experience and has an english translation available.

[Alen]

I should note that I'm not a fan of crime/detective or ghost stories. One of the main reasons I haven't really considered watching a few of the ones mentioned here (mainly Monster, even though its supposed to be really great..., and perhaps Ghost Hound)

As for Texhnolyze, it certainly did have the atmosphere to it but I watched around four episodes and dropped it. The characters and the story didn't interest me. It all seemed far too convoluted.

The others might be interesting but I need to do a bit more research on them.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Alen

I should note that I'm not a fan of crime/detective or ghost stories. One of the main reasons I haven't really considered watching a few of the ones mentioned here (mainly Monster, even though its supposed to be really great..., and perhaps Ghost Hound)

Don't worry, Ghost Hound is neither a detective or Ghost story. More like a Shinto-based psychological thriller.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Don't worry, Ghost Hound is neither a detective or Ghost story. More like a Shinto-based psychological thriller.

Even though it has the semblance of a detective story, Mouryou no Hako might fall into the same category, though it's based more in Onmyōdō traditions than Shinto.

Even though you don't like ghost stories per se, I'll toss out the series of stories that begins with Bakeneko and continues with Mononoke. Along with some remarkable animation and artwork, all the demons in these stories arise as a result of acts of human malevolence. The stories revolve around efforts by the protagonist, a mysterious apothecary, to understand the true natures of the demons by unravelling the past.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Alen

I should note that I'm not a fan of crime/detective or ghost stories.

Despite the whole murder case thing, I'd say Kara no Kyoukai has little crime/detective elements, if at all. The first film is a sort of ghost story but not quite, and it's only the first film.

[Random32]

Texhnolyze I personally think the first few episodes that make most people drop it are the best. It fits what you want perfectly.

[totoum]

Gunslinger Girl first season, it's quite similar to phantom requiem for the phanton in that it features brainwashed assassins,it really is a character study of all the different girls so it's character driven,there is some action also.

The ED and OP really set the mood.

Uneasy, Dark, Despair, Hopeless, Sadness are all all words that come to mind when I think of Gunslinger Girl

[Alen]

Oh yeah, I absolutely agree about Gunslinger Girl, I've seen it! Any other possibilities? I'm kinda reluctant to watch Monster, it just doesn't feel like something I would like...meanwhile I've been watching a bit of FMA.

[guuchan]

I'm not into dark anime so I don't have much to recommend, but I can name 2 off the top of my head: Interlude and ef - a tale of melodies. Interlude is just a 3-episode OVA, so it shouldn't hurt to try. I have always thought it's ED is one of the biggest ironies out there for its "mismatch". As for ef, if you do end up watching it, you might as well watch ef - a tale of memories. first.

[Godly_senselessness]

Originally Posted by Alen

Oh yeah, I absolutely agree about Gunslinger Girl, I've seen it! Any other possibilities? I'm kinda reluctant to watch Monster, it just doesn't feel like something I would like...meanwhile I've been watching a bit of FMA.

Watch Monster,you wont regret it.