Updated April 27, 2021 3.9K votes 1.5K voters 48.7K views
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Vote up the series that traditional anime lovers will love.
If you're like a lot of adult anime fans, you may not be up to date with every cartoon release. Maybe it's because adult responsibilities are getting in the way, or maybe you're just more of an old school anime fan. The classics are good, but if you don't watch anime released after the '90s, you're missing out.
There are a more than a few anime recommendations that are good for old school fans. The characters are different, but the tropes are as good as ever.
Fans of female protagonists and dystopian futures tend to like Ghost in the Shell. If you're one of those fans, you may also want to check out Psycho-Pass. Both shows follow brilliant female police officers searching for heinous criminals. The animes question the ethical implications of technological advances.
Ghost in the Shell asks viewers to grapple with what humanity means when people's brains can easily be transplanted into machines, while Psycho-Pass determines whether it's possible to judge a person's potential for crime before they've done anything.
NarutoandMy Hero Academiahave a lot in common, so if you're sad that Naruto is over and aren't ready to move on to Boruto, you have options. The protagonists have dramatically different personalities; Naruto is brash and excitable while Izuku is a little shy. However, the characters are exceedingly ambitious.
Both shows focus on large groups of kids mastering their magical abilities and fighting off organized villains. The main characters mature over time, though.
In Ouran High School Host Club, Haruhi Fujioka ends up embroiled in the strange world of hosting after accidentally breaking a vase and being forced to work off her debt. She politely attends to guests and deals with the boys in the host club. Each member is more eccentric than the last. In Monthly Girl's Nozaki-kun, Chiyo Sakura is coerced into helping a classmate illustrate manga after a love confession goes horribly awry. Through this new activity, Chiyo meets Nozaki's other helpers; they're all rather eclectic.
Not only do the two shows have similar premises, they also play with gender roles. Femininity and masculinity are somewhat subjective.
If you're a mystery anime buff, you may be familiar with Case Closed. It's a classic example of an episodic mystery show where viewers get to see a genius's deductive skills in action.Hyoukais another series in the detective genre, featuring a protagonist who regularly solves mysteries despite not feeling particularly enthusiastic about doing so.
Both series feature complex characters and a range of cases.
Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Windis one of renowned director Hayao Miyazaki's works. If you enjoy it, you'll probably also like Patema Inverted. In both movies, young girls from royal families discover a dark truth about the worlds they inhabit. They work to bring peace to their people. The interconnectedness of all beings comes up in each anime.
Nausicaä focuses on humanity's connection with nature. Patema is about humanity's connection to people who have been incorrectly judged.
Despite only having six episodes, FLCLis one of the most popular old school anime programs. In the show, 12-year-old Naota Nandaba doesn't really want to get involved in magical happenings. He craves a normal life. Unfortunately for him, the loving but selfish Haruko Haruhara has other plans to use Naota's powers for her own benefit.
In Mob Psycho 100, protagonist Mob just wants to go to middle school and make friends, but his incredible psychic powers force a more extraordinary life upon him. Additionally, mentor Reigen has his own intentions for Mob's abilities. Both anime are coming of age tales with quirky animation and occasional deep dives into psychology and philosophy.
