Hikari no Ou

Titles with uncommon storytelling, plot development and setting.

Part 2 of my list of anime which are considerably low in typical tropes.

Part 1 - https://myanimelist.net/stacks/6133

Exactly like my “best ops” interest stack, this is an ever-growing list of anime that have at least one ending song I love, even if I don’t love the anime itself.

List of Anime with 11 Episodes or Less

Notes:
1. TV only
2. Movie, ONA, OVA, and other type are not included
3. 1st Season/Part 1 only

Next: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/32362

"It's not a matter of good or evil; it's simply not possible to do it any other way."

Noir is characterized by such elements as cynical heroes, stark lighting effects, frequent use of flashbacks, intricate plots, and an underlying existentialist philosophy.

The isolation from society of the typical noir hero was underscored by the use of stark high-contrast lighting. Classic images of noir included rain-soaked streets in the early morning hours; street lamps with shimmering halos; flashing neon signs on seedy taverns, diners, and apartment buildings; and endless streams of cigarette smoke wafting in and out of shadows.

The inherent subjectivity of Expressionism is also evident in noir’s use of narration and flashback. An omniscient, metaphor-spouting narrator frequently clarifies a characteristically labyrinthine noir plot or offers a subjective, jaded point of view. Tension and suspense are increased by the use of all-knowing narrators and flashbacks, in that the audience is always cognizant of impending doom.

The heroes of noir generally share certain qualities, such as moral ambiguity, a fatalistic outlook, and alienation from society. They also exhibit an existential acceptance of random, arbitrary occurrences as being the determining factors in life. Such compassionless pragmatism is found in the most noble, as well as the most tarnished, of noir heroes. The weakest of such characters exhibit an abundance of tragic flaws.

Noir villains are often characterized as homme fatales or “spiders”; in the words of one critic, they are “comfortable in the world of cheap dives, shadowy doorways, and mysterious settings.” They cunningly and ruthlessly manipulate their counterparts to gain power or wealth.

Nevertheless, the noir villains often evoke sympathy, as they are frequently victims of emotional or physical abuse, with such victimization providing impetus for their vengeance. They are trapped in passionless or violent bonds of contract/servitude and resort to murder as a means of escape, usually destroying their conspirators in the process.

Source: Britannica - list will be kept updated

Some of these are questionable, like Suisei no Gargantia can be argued to be fully sci-fi, but there is a feel to it that makes me include it, along with organic and archaic elements that are woven together in a way that makes this appear more fantastical than your average sci-fi. Similarly, Gankutsuou is sci-fi with advanced technology, but it's futuristic imagery is conceptualized to cohere with the elegant 19th century setting of Dumas' novel. I'm also avoiding the inclusion of more than one entry per series, so if season 1 is on here, then season 2 likely fits just as much.

Animes where the ending is just bad, or where the start was promising but in the end it just couldnt deliver.

Be it plotholes, poorly forced plottwists, or just missing logic or pacing in general.

Here we have the classical rushed endings, going for shock value instead of good writing and stupid tropes that got "subverted masterfully" (is what the author probably thought).


TLDR: Yikes