Anime is a versatile medium that has demonstrated endless creativity and innovation over the years. There are plenty of acclaimed anime series that skew towards certain demographics, but there are just as many programs that become stronger when filtered through an adult perspective.
Hindsight in adulthood and the hurdles that life throws at people as they grow older can help powerful stories resonate in a different way than when a child views them. The depth that's present in some anime series doesn't become obvious until they're viewed as an adult.
10 Neon Genesis Evangelion Stares Into The Abyss & Confronts Depression
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a pivotal anime series that's representative of the depth anime can achieve. Evangelion poses as a mecha series where young pilots control powerful robots that battle against invading alien Angels. Underneath its premise, dark themes, philosophies, and existential crises give Evangelion its true power. Evangelion can be enjoyed purely on an action level, but the full extent of its layered message will only be fully appreciated by adults. Shinji in particular is a very different character when watching NGE as an adult.
9 Attack On Titan Is A Nuanced Journey That's Better For Adults
Several anime have emerged as colossal hits for modern anime, but Attack on Titan is easily among the best. Attack on Titan has found such success because its "man versus monster" narrative is full of tense battles, surprising casualties, and inspirational character development. Attack on Titan's narrative is dense and full of layered foreshadowing that will likely go over the heads of younger audiences. Adults can fully appreciate the intense drama that strikes these warriors on a personal level as they're forced to confront their values.
8 Death Parade Is A Meditation On Loss & Regret
Death Parade is a unique anime that can be enjoyed on an episodic level or as a larger narrative that's trying to say something about life, death, and everything in between.
Death Parade digs into something as grandiose as purgatory and eternal damnation through innocuous recreational games like billiards, air hockey, and darts. The one-on-one competitions that fuel each episode are easy to enjoy, but older viewers will gain more from these grim, remorseful character studies.
7 Kaiba Asks Adult Questions About Universal Ideas
Kaiba is a tight 12-episode series that often flies under the radar, but it's an excellent distillation of Masaaki Yuasa's fluid visuals and complex themes. Kaiba is infinitely interested in the concept of memories, how individuals can live on through legacy, and how experiences define an individual. Kaiba uses sprawling science fiction along with adorable characters to make its points about individuality and identity. This is a dense show that'll give adults plenty to discuss while children appreciate the colorful aesthetic.
6 The Great Pretender Is A Masterpiece In Challenging Serialization
Creating a narrative about heists and grifters that's both dramatically satisfying and believable isn't an easy task. The Great Pretender is one of the more confident anime about con-artists and thieves and each grift is given several episodes to play out. Strong characters and intelligent plotting turn The Great Pretender into a modern classic. Some of the more complex heists, however, may go over the heads of younger audiences. The Great Pretender also delves into mature subject matter, such as human trafficking.
5 Devilman Crybaby Is A Lot More Than Exaggerated Violence
Go Nagai's beloved Devilman franchise is nearly 50 years old and each exploration and adaptation of Devilman presents a compelling internal struggle where humanity must wrestle with its baser instincts. Devilman Crybaby covers themes of corruption, responsibility, and evil, but Masaaki Yuasa's animation translates this bloody body horror into gorgeous visual masterpieces. The constant carnage and stylistic flairs within Devilman Crybaby make it an accessible series, but it's much more than flashy deaths. Adults will appreciate its heavy themes.
4 Wonder Egg Priority Tackles Adult Themes Through Young Characters
Anime that intentionally subvert their genre norms to tell a challenging story are becoming increasingly common. Wonder Egg Priority riffs on the magical girl and isekai genres, but with a dark streak that's not afraid to ask difficult questions.
There are adorable characters in Wonder Egg Priority, but its story revolves around suicide and emotionally complex ideas that are better suited for adults. Wonder Egg Priority is a surprisingly mature allegory for grief, but younger audiences may get lost at surface-level analysis.
3 Carole & Tuesday Hits Hard For Anyone Who's Worked Their Way Up
Shinichiro Watanabe's Carole & Tuesday chronicles the earnest efforts of two burgeoning musicians, the titular Carole and Tuesday. Set in a futuristic space society, there are enough sci-fi influences to keep audiences entertained by more than just the beautiful music that Carole and Tuesday create. Carole and Tuesday's friendship will warm anyone's heart, but older generations will have a better appreciation for the grind that's required to make it in a creative industry.
2 Trigun's Examination Of Guilt & Grief Will Leave Adults Haunted
Trigun is an action anime series from the 1990s that's quite representative of the decade's interests. Vash the Stampede is a protagonist who is immediately compelling and capable, but still deeply flawed. Trigun has an episodic nature that dominates the first half of the series so it's easy to get lost in the kinetic and well-choreographed action. That said, Vash is greatly tortured by his past and all of the lives he's taken. Vash's internal pain reaches a breaking point and its rich existential trauma transgresses action protagonist norms.
1 Space Dandy's Satirical Humor Requires Necessary Reference Points
Space Dandy's 26 episodes accomplish a remarkable amount in that brief time. Dandy and his ragtag team of outcasts travel the galaxy as bounty hunters, but each episode deconstructs a different anime genre and forges its own unpredictable path. Space Dandy's heightened visuals and hilarious tone will keep younger audiences entertained, but adults will understand this referential series most. Audiences need to have seen enough anime to understand Space Dandy's onslaught of pop culture references and genre subversions.