Mawaru Penguindrum

Anime that contain the otherworldly and enigmatic beings from space!
Even if it's just for a single scene, if it has 'em, it's here.


Feel free to DM or message me about any questions, suggestions, or opinions about this stack!

These anime have bizarrely unique, wildly niche, or oddly specific concepts. From sentient clothes, to vampires in space, to undead idols, some of these anime may leave you wondering, "who even came up with this idea?..."

We've all experienced that frustrated feeling of enjoying an anime, only to find out that the rest of the show will never be fully animated or it has a horrible, rushed, incomplete, unsatisfying ending. Here is a list of anime with endings that are so fulfilling and complete that they will leave you with nothing but a heart full of contentment and/or bittersweetness. List was created through collective data from multiple websites of people's answers as to what shows are considered to have satisfying endings.

List of anime featuring at least one LGBT+ character that aren't BL or GL. I try to only put those that are either confirmed canon (in story or by the author) or so explicitly implied that there's little to none other interpretation.

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>>> SOME NOTES:

- Not all of these are "perfect" representations. Some more controversial portrayals have a warning in the comments.

- (Recent update) Edited the list so that characters who's sexuality is more "up for debate" are now written down as MLM/WLW instead of the mouthful Gay/Bi/Pan (which I'd forget to write in some places anyway)

- All nonbinary people are transgender. If a character is described as nonbinary instead of trans it's just to specify that that's what the anime more heavily points at.

- For the "not BL/GL" rule I went with whatever the anime is tagged as on MAL (though some of these I believe should've been tagged when they're not...). List might change as MAL keeps editing stuff.

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Please note that some of these I either haven't seen at all (look at the ratings to tell which ones they are) or watched long ago and don't remember well, so don't expect this to be 100% accurate.

--- Includes suggestions from AnnaSartin, Zuclyn, eblf2013, DigiCat, Mione48, RetroHead_ and gareki8

Large casts that are lonely, that usually comes together in a big city.
Out of 10, lonely vibe checked by yours truly.

List of Original Anime Series' (not including sequels/specials/movies)
Original Anime are anime without source material

These are some pretty good psychological anime series and movies.. Some are new and some are a little older. Enjoy!

This is the kind of stuff you'll want to show to your older relatives or a friend / significant other who isn't into anime in particular but is open to new experiences. Not necessarily to hook them on anime but simply to share a good time together.

What helps an anime end up on this list:
* either subdued or distinctly avant-garde appearance that transcends common anime design sensibilities;
* mature, adult-life-related themes;
* well-crafted, compelling story and character interactions;
* fresh and daring ideas or their execution;
* being otherwise remarkable as an art piece;
* moderate length.

What DOESN'T help an anime end up on the list:
* referencing or pandering to otaku culture, incessant fan service, and all that crap;
* slow-burn slice-of-life narrative;
* overly random, absurdist, reference-heavy humor;
* being too long or narratively incomplete;
* being too tropey;
* not being very good in general (regrettably, this includes bad and mediocre adaptations of good manga/LNs, so no Berserk, My Home Hero, or Golden Kamuy on the list).

These aren't absolute rules but they're hard enough that I would only consider minor exceptions. There is most certainly not enough room for every single piece that fits the bill, so take this as my personal, heavily curated top-50. If there is a sequel or a side-story that also deserves attention (or, conversely, one you should skip), I will mention it in the annotations, so please watch them.

List is subject to revisions and reordering.

A list of anime I believe share a similar style of storytelling to the works of highly revered author, Haruki Murakami.

I drew upon the subject matter and allegories frequently covered by Murakami in his stories. Those of escapism, eroticism, surrealism, loss, depression, loneliness, identity, and redemption.

More titles will be inducted over time, suggestions are welcome.

Series that emphasise the presentation of struggle and dramatic event(s) through culminating the portrayal of the experience to that point visually or by some other means.

electric air wave

Wacky and Trippy Anime

Kinda unpopular anime that for some reason are unpopular and more people should watch it.

shows with penguins! still a growing thread.

Is it true that there's no better salvation than not being born in this world? Is the world that ugly that it's not worth living in? Should I even give it a chance?

Here we are on this earth, with only a few decades to live and we lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that, in year's time, will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, great thoughts, real affections, and enduring undertakings. For life is too short to be little

warning: include theme of death and or nostalgia
Updated up to: Spring 2023


Part 2: https://myanimelist.net/stacks/20845

More you might like: https://myanimelist.net/profile/RokkanShojo/stacks

"Elitist" has been a very generic and broad term to generalise many types of not-so-mainstream or "deep" anime, so this list is very diverse and it's criteria are not always clear cut and objective. Nonetheless I try to provide a proper explanation for why each entry is included. Generally speaking these are shows that fit one OR more of these adjectives: Experimental, Avant-Garde, Psychological, Philosophical, Obscure, Classic, Critically Acclaimed, Artsy, Old, etc...

Some shows here are not necessarily obscure or underground at all, but they are still here because they have been stereotyped as "elitist" by the community over time, due to their experimental or artsy nature. Similarly, some shows here are not necessarily artsy or experimental in nature, but their old/underwatched/obscure nature gives them a reason to be here. Not all aspects have to be checked to be included. Only one per franchise.

I have personally watched the great majority of the anime in this list, but there are a couple which I haven't. Still added them because of how strongly they are stereotyped as "elitist" or have fitting characteristics to be classified as such. I know my list still lacks many essential classics, I will continue to add and expand into this list as I watch those personally.

For more recommendations, go to my other Interest Stacks, "Elitist Anime 2" , "Elitist Anime 3" and "Elitist Anime 4", whose links are:

- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/4256
- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/4756
- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/10188
- https://myanimelist.net/stacks/15961

Anime with unique art-style/premise and or surreal/dreamlike sequences