Thought-provoking anime?

I don't know about anybody else's experiences, but after watching Chrono Crusade, it's constantly made me think about faith and religion, more specifically, my personal faith. Not to mention I'll still be sad for a while whenever I think back to the anime and its ending, but the question of faith has firmly implanted itself into my mind, and I can't stop thinking about it.

So, discuss any personal experiences where anime has conjured up a storm of questions about life or other philosophical ideas. I dunno if it's just me being weird, but it bothers me slightly whenever I think about it.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Not particularly anime, but if you're tough enough to survive reading Ichi the Killer, the most violent manga ever, it'd sure make your mind do something.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Earth Maiden Arjuna
They say the creator was influenced by environmentalists. It got me thinking about how people don't really care about the environment. There was a part in the movie where there's going to be a nuclear melt down and one of the workers there said if people were more conservative about energy then they wouldn't be a need for nuclear reactors and the whole situation would never happen. So in the summer, I try to hold off on turning on the air conditioner.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

BERSERK - not a family-style anime by any means, but it's one of those underground anime/manga that pushes the limit of ideas...Moral of this post, beware of anyone that keeps a Behelit. This is by far the top of what I consider good anime & for those interested, a good intro is to see the anime first followed closely by the manga.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Though I've had the complete series for over a year now, I havent finished watching Serial Experiment Lain. That being said, what I have watched (about half of it) has really got my mind boggled. Thinking about computers, the internet and how they are basically taking over our lives (of course, I'm on the internet right now... dun dun dun).

Akira can obviously be said to highlight the pursuit of power and what it can do to you... destroying friendships as well as yourself.

And movies like Millenium Actress and Perfect Blue (alas, I havent been able to see this director's other movie, Peprika, yet) always make me wonder if that's exactly what its like to slowly be driven to the edge on insanity. Did that really just happen? How could it? Yet it occurs again. Stuff like that.

I like analyzing my anime.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I thought Paprika was an upcoming film?
Oh, it was finished already


Anyway,

Originally Posted by TemariPC31

Though I've had the complete series for over a year now, I havent finished watching Serial Experiment Lain. That being said, what I have watched (about half of it) has really got my mind boggled. Thinking about computers, the internet and how they are basically taking over our lives (of course, I'm on the internet right now... dun dun dun).

To be honest, I haven't finished the last disc of Lain yet either, but I think it raises questions more about defining self and human consciousness than just internet addiction. I suppose there is the question of relevance of information and memory and how dependant people are on technology (much like the first Patlabor movie), but I always saw the series' ponderings as more spiritual than machine related.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Texnholyze.

This anime is, in a nutshell, about the death of the human race, but not in the way we usually see it portrayed: war, or some natural disaster; but literally because they gave up as a species. I don't want to give too much away, but it is very good and very dark. Take anti-depressants before watching this one. It is an excellent series.

FELIPE NO

the patlabor movies. rather than focusing on battles with mobile suits, the main part of the story is the crime-solving aspect and it deals with some issues in technology, science and politics.

Most amazing jew boots

Ergo Proxy and Noein actually got me into philosophy. They made me think twice about what existence actually is.

Anyone know of an Existentialist anime? Desperately searching for one.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, it's in my view the ultimate anime, and really is the most thought provoking.

For heaven's sake, there's a mix of identity construction, Japanese philosophy, and western political thought all in one.

How ya doing, buddy?

Yea, I would have to second Ghost in the Shell SAC. It is one of my all time favorites.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Qwarky

To be honest, I haven't finished the last disc of Lain yet either, but I think it raises questions more about defining self and human consciousness than just internet addiction. I suppose there is the question of relevance of information and memory and how dependant people are on technology (much like the first Patlabor movie), but I always saw the series' ponderings as more spiritual than machine related.

Oh yeah, I feel stupid now. One reason why I havent completed the series is because its been so long since I watched it the first half of it (at least a year). I remembered it being thought provoking, but mostly the computers stuck out in my mind.

Also, while I remember it, I have to throw out the mother of all 'WTF just happened?' animes... Neon Genesis Evangelion. I don't even know where to begin with that one... just that the series' ending was much more fitting then the movie's ending To me it was never entirely about Evas and Angels and Nerv all in their own war, it was about Shinji and his journey from whiny bitch to 'I'm accepted'. The psychological mind-sets of children that the series explores is... mind-boggling.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

And a thread to bring out the Gunslinger Girl fanboy in me...

That show is still my absolute favorite because it delves into a lot of issues that are subject to a lot of debate. For example, we have the whole idea of mental conditioning and how the system works to get the girls to form a bond with their fratello to the point where they're willing to kill and be killed to preserve their handler. It also raises the question as to the costs and sacrifices the girls must endure, which go as far as to rob them of memories and emotion. Finally, the contrast between the way the girls behave when they're on a mission and the way they behave when they're in their rooms were a real eye-opener in that it makes you wonder what sort of process could make a ruthless killer, who, at the very core, is still a very young child.

All in all, the series really forces the viewer to confront the moral and ethical issues to determine whether what the Welfare Society does is really just or whether they're no better than the terrorists they try to kill.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I agree with Chikyuu Shoujo ArJuna; we always destroy and still we don't understand that we have destroyed them completely.

Addition:
Jigoku Shoujo (1st and 2nd)--- Does revenge really solves everything? I mean, anything. If revenge solves every little fragments, then war won't exist any longer. Revenge always bear new vengeance, that will trigger another revenge...an endless cycle. I mean, what's the point of revenge? It does not solve anything, it only satisfy mere disappointment.

Another fact, I feel really sad after watching these. People sure know how to be intentionally cruel.

Shaishuu Heiki Kanojo/SAIKANO---The power of love surely is strong...

X---I'm still thinking until now...which side is more correct? The dragon Of Earth? Or The Dragon Of Heaven? They both have their own truth and falses. It is really a brainstorm when you think about it.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Jigoku Shoujo and Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori
---

While Ozma just pointed out the meaningless of revenge, I was also shocked at how terrible people can be. Sure the premise and the delight we take in watching them get punished in each episode is somewhat ridiculous, but honestly, you can see in each episode how warped some people can be. The scary thing is that somewhere out there, there are people like this in real life.

For example, you just need to watch the first episode of Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori. The girl is being constantly tormented in her normal daily life, and then when you find out who is doing it in the last part of the episode and what happens, it is truly sickening. There's also a double twist right before the credits which shows that you can't quite trust anyone.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Summonmaster

Jigoku Shoujo and Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori
---

While Ozma just pointed out the meaningless of revenge, I was also shocked at how terrible people can be. Sure the premise and the delight we take in watching them get punished in each episode is somewhat ridiculous, but honestly, you can see in each episode how warped some people can be. The scary thing is that somewhere out there, there are people like this in real life.

For example, you just need to watch the first episode of Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori. The girl is being constantly tormented in her normal daily life, and then when you find out who is doing it in the last part of the episode and what happens, it is truly sickening. There's also a double twist right before the credits which shows that you can't quite trust anyone.

Who says I only pointed out about revenge? I DO point a bit about how people could intentionally hurt others.

Originally Posted by Ozma

People sure know how to be intentionally cruel.

Maybe you need glasses, if you had none.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Ozma

Who says I only pointed out about revenge? I DO point a bit about how people could intentionally hurt others.



Maybe you need glasses, if you had none.

Uh no...I meant that in the time context as in "he just did that recently."
Notice the "also" in the following sentence.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Giant Robo poses an interesting idea. A world where people have found the perfect power source and everything else is obsolete. They have these things called Shizuma Drives, the simpliest way to describe them is they're like super batteries. They use them for everything. Computers, vehicles, and even something as simple as a ciggeratte lighter are all powered by the Shizuma Drive. They're also recycleable thereby making the world pollution free. But what happens when an entire world is dependant on a single energy source? I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil it.

Don't be turned away from the series if you don't like giant robo battles, because inspite of the name and theme of the series, the story revolves far more around the characters and it's got ALOT of plot twists for only being a 7 episode OVA.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Wow. Unless I misread, nobody's mentioned Evangelion yet. Although that show's not so much thought-provoking as mind-numbingly pointless.

The only one that really got me thinking was Ghost in the Shell (seasons one and two, not the movies), in that it had me picturing the future and how far technology could progress. I wasn't so much 'wow'd or anything, but was more fixated on 'would anybody allow this kind of tech? What kind of laws and regulations would we have to install to get some of this stuff to work?' Prosthetic bodies as well always caught my eye, as I kind of wondered if I'd be willing to replace the flesh I was born with with something fake.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Yeah, Evangelion is as thought provoking as "What's 2 + 2?"

Spoiler:

For those who don't know: the answer is 4. :O

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

xxxHOLiC was thought-provoking to me and sort of played out in the similar manner of Jigoku Shoujo. They both explored the nature of human intent.

Boogiepop Phantom had thought-provoking aspects, although not necessarily philosophical per se.

Infinite Ryvius was thought-provoking and realistic. What would you do under the same circumstances? It's actually frightening and the way everyone started slowly losing their minds was very real.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I have to go with Jin-Roh, it has very well done story and some good plot twists, it is also very complicated kinda like ghost in the shell. I also have to get props to the English dub in this anime it is just high quality. This movie is very dark, it has some intense violent scenes, while not an action movie per say.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

good call, Jin-Roh was infinatly deep on many levels. It paralleled the story of little Red Ridinghood, while telling an alternate histroy of Japan after WWII, by following a special ops member as the main character. It is a really interesting movie. I can't believe I forgot to mention that one. I even own the DVD. Great music too

FELIPE NO

I always thought Spirited Away show something. The part where Chihiro's parent start to stuff them self with the food they found. They just eat the food without thinking and even said they can pay for it, without even asking. In reality, there are people who think that they have the money and can do just about anything, even hurt people.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Grave of the fireflies
It the most depress anime ever (for me), I didn't dare to repeat watching it because for the first time I can't sleep after I watched it that I've to watch comedy...and it haunted me for 2-3 days from unstopable thinking about it.
Grave of the Fireflies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jam it back in, in the dark.