Anime Recommendation Dump: Cultural Wasteland Edition

[Mr. Bambu]

v2025 has arrived.The premise remains the same for all the sorry souls of this wiki- I watch one anime a year, every year, to give the best looking ones a chance. It's not so much "will this change my negative perception of anime" but moreso "how many exceptions to the rule exist". While not constrained to suggestions from this wiki, we've done these since 2015, and will continue to do so until it becomes no longer fun.

The usual disclaimers stand- I would prefer a decent dub to a decent sub, so the two being equal, something dubbed will get preferential treatment. I don't care much about how pretty it looks visually (although obviously extremes on either end of this spectrum will inspire recognition). The preference is for something that isn't terribly long- I've said in the past that 50 episodes seems like a lot, and it holds true now. Finally, some recommendations will be met with overdramatic scorn and mockery- I want all to know that I am still just having fun (notably at your expense, but then, you volunteer for that when you join the thread, eh?).

There's been a shitload of recommendations in past years and I suspect the most honorable mentions will be mentioned again. Nevertheless, the list begins empty, and each suggestion will be met with me looking up the premise online. As a certified anime trope nonliker, we're looking for extraordinary things- that is, things that go beyond the established stereotypes of anime. To give an idea of what is enjoyed, the best anime that has been suggested so far was Neon Genesis Evangelion, followed by Death Note; the worst anime has been Bleach, by a large margin.

So, let's hear 'em. I'm sick, bedridden, and decrepit- so maybe I'll just watch the winner in a few days, instead of 240 episodes of a CDDA playthrough. Who knows.

Suggestions:

• Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū (First Witch)
• Eighty Six (RoTt35)
• Re:Creators (RoTt35)
• Steins;Gate (RoTt35, Rikimarox2, Nierre, Detective Blizzard)
• Serial Experiment Lain (RoTt35)
• The Rising of the Shield Hero (Grabbing Dragon absolutely ******* not)
• Castlevania (Drite77, Detective Blizzard)
• Berserk 1997 (Da3ggman)
• Devilman Crybaby (Crabwhale, Armorchompy, Detective Blizzard)
• Dorohedoro (Noneless21, Armorchompy)
• Charlotte (TWILIGHT-OP)
• The Fragrant Flowers Blooms with Dignity (TWILIGHT-OP)
• Precure (The King of Prudence)
• Majo no Tabi (The King of Prudence)
• Delicious in Dungeon (Armorchompy)
• The Big O (JohnConquest1)
• Golden Kamuy (Shmooply)
• Welcome to the NHK (Agnaa)
• Spongebob Squarepants (Deceived3596)
• Halo Legends (XSOULOFCINDERX)
• Love Flops (Pepsiman25th)
• Attack on Titan (Rakih Elyan)
• Shangri-La Frontier (Noneless21)
• Goblin Slayer (Franstel)
• Monster (Franstel, Da3ggman)
• Fate:Zero (DaReaperMan)
• Drifters (The Unknown Warrior1)
• Hunter x Hunter (YmTheSuper)
• Re:Zero (SatellaTheWoE)
• Boku no Pico (Steve1775 cmon man)
• Assassination Classroom (azontr)

 

[First_Witch]

What did you actually watch 2024

 

[Crabwhale]

He watched Frieren.

 

[First_Witch]

Huh, not bad.

I'm still championing Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū. Its 24 episodes long and tells a completed story from start to finish. Sadly no english dub though.

Small summary of the show

 

[RoTt35]

Eighty Six: It's a sci-fi war anime where the Republic is attacked by autonomous drones so the government segregates all races but its own, deeming them as non-human and forcing them to fight until death. At first the story is told from two points of view, a group of those soldiers and an idealistic republican officer who innocently tries to help them.

Re:Creators: It's about fictional characters of different media (anime, manga, games) and genres being transported to the real world where they meet their creators. Besides fights it also addresses the topic of some of the creations confronting their creators about the world of suffering in which they were created solely for the entertainment of the public.

For darker/complex anime I would recommend Steins;Gate and Serial Experiment Lain, I don't give a summary since they were already recommended in previous threads

 

[Drite77]

What's the prefered length? Anything you wouldn't watch due to how many episodes there are

 

[Grabbing_dragon]

The Rising of the Shield Hero​

 

[Drite77]

I don't know if I said it before, but I would recomend Castlevania. It has 4 seasons, the first only as 4 episodes with about 20-30 minutes each

Nice english dub and also fairly adult... Although I'll say sometimes the shows tries too much to be "for adults". Still a pleasant watch

Here's the trailer for the first season

 

[Shmooply]

Wait until Frieren season 2 so you can watch the Macht arc because it's the only good part of the story

 

[Da3ggman]

Berserk (1997) is probably the best adaptation of the series at the moment (though I’m in the minority of thinking the Memorial Edition adaptation is also very good). It’s very concise and manageable at 24 episodes, and you can easily find the entire series in dub and sub online on sites like YouTube.

Although I think you should read the manga for the best experience, its definitely not a bad option and you won’t miss much (except like, Wyald). Then again, I have a feeling that you’ll go on to read it anyway given your like for Evangelion and Death Note, as it’s very similar to those two as far as pure story and writing quality. Oh yeah, it also has practically no common anime tropes, so that’s a plus.

 

[Drite77]

Berserk (1997) is probably the best adaptation of the series at the moment (though I’m in the minority of thinking the Memorial Edition adaptation is also very good). It’s very concise and manageable at 24 episodes, and you can easily find the entire series in dub and dub online on sites like YouTube.

Although I think you should read the manga for the best experience, its definitely not a bad option and you won’t miss much (except like, Wyald). Then again, I have a feeling that you’ll go on to read it anyway given your like for Evangelion and Death Note, as it’s very similar to those two as far as pure story and writing quality.

Well, he did said he liked the art of the manga I guess

 

[Mr. Bambu]

The Rising of the Shield Hero​

there will come a day when you are sorry for your words and deeds.

I'll update OP later, my brain rebels currently.

 

[Grabbing_dragon]

there will come a day when you are sorry for your words and deeds.

Maybe, it all depends on how life works or changes for me , human experience, growth, and such.

I'll update OP later, my brain rebels currently.

I thought of 2 more good ones: 1st, Classroom of the Elite, and 2nd, Oshi no Ko. As for Shield hero, what I can say is just watch season 1 only.

 

[Rikimarox2]

Recommending Steins Gate as well. I think there are enough info about it from previous threads to need to rewrite it again.

 

[Crabwhale]

I'm sticking to my guns recommending Devilman Crybaby.

10 episodes, should be on Netflix. Extremely crass, violent and dirty show, but has a lot of heart in it, and an ending I don't think you're going to forget soon. Also the art looks baller.

 

[Noneless21]

How about Dorohedoro

 

[Grabbing_dragon]

I'm sticking to my guns recommending Devilman Crybaby.

10 episodes, should be on Netflix. Extremely crass, violent and dirty show, but has a lot of heart in it, and an ending I don't think you're going to forget soon. Also the art looks baller.

If I remember watching this correctly, it was a good watch, but it has too much fanservice.

 

[Shmooply]

Fanservice (Kickass bloody demon action OORAH)

 

[TWILIGHT-OP]

Same recommendation from previous year:-CHARLOTTE

Also if airs early then go for this anime
THE FRAGRANT FLOWERS BLOOMS WITH DIGNITY

 

[The_King_of_Prudence]

In terms of Precure, I'd recommend the original. I prefer season 3, but I'm not sure you will.

In terms of good suggestions, I'd say Majo no Tabi. Contrary to a lot of things, and only 12 episodes.

Kamen Rider does have an anime, but it's a sequel.

 

[Crabwhale]

If I remember watching this correctly, it was a good watch, but it has too much fanservice.

Fanservice is absolutely not what I would call 90% of the sex shit in Devilman lol

It either has a purpose or is downright ******* disturbing freak shit. Or both.

 

[YmTheSuper]

Would a show having more than 50 episodes be a complete deal-breaker?

 

[Armorchompy]

Regarding Noneless' suggestion, I haven't seen the anime so I can't vouch for how good of a translation it is but Dorohedoro's manga is one of my favorites, though in large part because of the style. Great story, great atmosphere and worldbuilding, a bit hornier than I'd like admittedly but very good stuff all things considered.

Similarly I think it's worth to bring up Dungeon Meshi again, not an absolute favorite but very solid and generally hard to dislike, has some really clever ideas in a skillful execution of the standard fantasy setting. Definitely more than a bit inspired by DnD as you know. Again haven't seen the anime, but the manga's pretty good.

 

[Mr. Bambu]

Would a show having more than 50 episodes be a complete deal-breaker?

no, but I might not finish it- I didn't finish Bleach or Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. If it looks good, or has the endorsement of a lot of you, I'd probably watch, at least a bit.

 

[Armorchompy]

(Oh also I read the OG Devilman manga and it was pretty cool albeit rushed, I figure an expanded adaptation of it could be pretty great if well made)

 

[Nierre]

still repping Steins;Gate

 

[JohnConquest1]

Powerpuff Girls Z The Big O.

 

[Grabbing_dragon]

• The Rising of the Shield Hero (Grabbing Dragon absolutely ******* not)

Bruh is being irrational with me. I recommended an anime that lacks everything he doesn't like. It's a revenge anime with a good plot and all.

If that's the case, I recommend '100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You' to any true degenerate weeb here. Our MC is going to get 100 girls. It is peak in every way, and all the girls are important to the story.We are getting season 2 this month, and for now, in the manga, the MC only has 31 girls in the harem on chapter 201. It's still ongoing.
things like this are only possible in a harem and are so fun

 

[Drite77]

What's the difference between the bolded suggestions and the unbolded ones?

 

[Crabwhale]

What's the difference between the bolded suggestions and the unbolded ones?

He likes the bolded ones more.

 

[Shmooply]

no, but I might not finish it- I didn't finish Bleach or Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. If it looks good, or has the endorsement of a lot of you, I'd probably watch, at least a bit.

What about revisiting anime you've watched before after they got more episodes? Golden Kamuy got a few more seasons in, and from what I've seen the artstyle and animation has gotten significantly better.

disclaimer im a loser who reads the manga instead of watching the adaptation take anything i say with a grain of salt

 

[Agnaa]

I'm going to resuggest Welcome to the NHK since you seemed partial to it last time.

I'm going to assume I don't need to pitch it again.

I'm going to leave this wasteland of a thread.

 

[Da3ggman]

Oh yeah, quick question, but is it possible (within the parameters of this suggestion thread) for you to watch multiple anime in one year, Bambu?

 

[Deceived3596]

Watch Spongebob Squarepants

 

[XSOULOFCINDERX]

I'm just gonna throw Halo Legends at the wall and see if it sticks.

 

[Drite77]

I'm just gonna throw Halo Legends at the wall and see if it sticks.

TBH its pretty mid

 

[CloverDragon03]

Once again I'm recommending The Dangers in My Heart. It's a pretty recent romance anime with two seasons totaling 25 episodes, and while there's more manga content afterwards, I imagine that's of no concern to you. To begin with, I'd say the 25 episodes available are perfectly satisfactory.

Unlike a number of romance anime, I really appreciate how this one doesn't waste my time with "will they, won't they" nonsense. Every episode actually feels meaningful to me.

 

[Pepsiman25th]

Love Flops

 

[Mr. Bambu]

Bruh is being irrational with me. I recommended an anime that lacks everything he doesn't like. It's a revenge anime with a good plot and all.

If that's the case, I recommend '100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You' to any true degenerate weeb here. Our MC is going to get 100 girls. It is peak in every way, and all the girls are important to the story.We are getting season 2 this month, and for now, in the manga, the MC only has 31 girls in the harem on chapter 201. It's still ongoing.
things like this are only possible in a harem and are so fun

Your forked tongue will find no passage here, demon. I know the Shield Hero degeneracy. It was one of those verses we very nearly didn't allow on the wiki due to said degen shit.

What about revisiting anime you've watched before after they got more episodes? Golden Kamuy got a few more seasons in, and from what I've seen the artstyle and animation has gotten significantly better.

disclaimer im a loser who reads the manga instead of watching the adaptation take anything i say with a grain of salt

Terry, I've done this before. Revisiting an anime isn't considered the anime for that year, but I've revisited Neon Genesis Evangelion (the movies, when the last one released) and Sword Art Online (when I'd first watched it, I thought it was decent, but I only saw the first bit; I returned to find thatuch of what came after sucked).

Oh yeah, quick question, but is it possible (within the parameters of this suggestion thread) for you to watch multiple anime in one year, Bambu?

Nope, probably not.

 

[Rakih_Elyan]

Attack on Titan