Interest Stacks

Aesthetics / Art Direction

Anime
byFiviG
Sep 26 2022, 8:54 AM | Updated Nov 16, 2025 9:11 AM
These pieces have a harmony, uniqueness or just an x-factor to their overall aesthetic presence, to include music/sound design.

This is not to be confused with animation though. While the two intersect, if something is interesting only for its animation quality, hopefully it's not here.

Feel free to message me if you think I should check something out that could be here. And if you disagree or think there is a better representative of something, let's talk.
Dragon's Heaven
OVA, 1988, 1 ep Me:- Author:6
mecha meets Moebius. Amazing.
Kanashimi no Belladonna
Movie, 1973, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
trigger warning.
the most visually arresting anime from the 70s, water coloring used to disturb
Tenshi no Tamago
OVA, 1985, 1 ep Me:- Author:6
visceral and haunting, Yoshitaka Amano's influence courses through its veins.
Palme no Ki
Movie, 2002, 1 ep Me:- Author:4
a muted Moebius 70s sci-fi aesthetic, some Nausicaa vibes, throw in a little Akira (because the animation director is the same). It's amazing (aesthetically speaking).
Kaiba
TV, 2008, 12 eps Me:- Author:6
arguably Yuasa's most distinct looking work, and that's saying something
Kaguya-hime no Monogatari
Movie, 2013, 1 ep Me:- Author:10
water color Ghibli, enjoy
Mob Psycho 100
TV, 2016, 12 eps Me:- Author:10
because Mob was directly translated from ONE's (the creator's) webcomic, Mob has a fluidity and freedom to it that even OPM S1 doesn't have. It's my favorite contemporary aesthetic.
Vampire Hunter D (2000)
Movie, 2000, 1 ep Me:- Author:9
clean and quiet. Yoshitaka Amano provided D's design and then the team worked around that.
Inaka Isha
Movie, 2007, 1 ep Me:- Author:-
nightmare fuel. pure and simple.
Mind Game
Movie, 2004, 1 ep Me:- Author:10
interesting because this film looks different during the different arcs within it. And that's just the tip of Yuasa's acid trip of a movie.
Fuujin Monogatari
TV, 2004, 13 eps Me:- Author:7
like actually cute and quirky. Prayin for a bluray of this one day.
Serial Experiments Lain
TV, 1998, 13 eps Me:- Author:-
90s static. It's really good (aesthetically).
Texhnolyze
TV, 2003, 22 eps Me:- Author:5
peak dilapidation
Ping Pong the Animation
TV, 2014, 11 eps Me:- Author:9
Yuasa's aesthetic molds perfectly with the offbeat emotional and kinetic story of Ping Pong. The manga paneling used is unique and works very well.
Little Witch Academia
Movie, 2013, 1 ep Me:- Author:9
clean character designs that pop with a bright color palette and brought to life with masterful animation. Check the second movie and show as well.
Cowboy Bebop
TV, 1998, 26 eps Me:- Author:9
Western, sci-fi, noir, jazz, cinematography and vibes. Timeless.
Kotonoha no Niwa
Movie, 2013, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
Still Shinkai's magnum opus in terms of aesthetic believability. Rotoscoping used here is insane. (Weathering With You, could be watched as well)
Metropolis
Movie, 2001, 1 ep Me:- Author:7
Some of the best backgrounds in the business. There's a great sense of verticality to this film.

Additionally 3D here looks incredibly intriguing despite being made in 2001.
Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä
Movie, 1984, 1 ep Me:- Author:10
personally my favorite aesthetic from Miyazaki. It feels sharp, timeless, quiet, grand and imaginative. "Dune" has been cited to be a partial inspiration.

Fun fact: Anno animated a particular laser beam scene during the finale, you'll know when you see it.
Bai Niao Gu
Movie, 2017, 1 ep Me:- Author:7
literally one of the most gorgeous spellbinding shorts I've ever seen.
Dead Leaves
Movie, 2004, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
Imaishi unchained. Got a feeling deep down he really likes Uzis.
Koukaku Kidoutai
Movie, 1995, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
crisp, clean and dreary, cyberpunk world building through atmosphere at its finest.
Shinseiki Evangelion Movie: Air/Magokoro wo, Kimi ni
Movie, 1997, 1 ep Me:- Author:4
a visceral experience. The show too should be seen from an aesthetic standpoint.
Arete Hime
Movie, 2001, 1 ep Me:- Author:6
Absolutely classic aesthetic to this 2001 movie.
Cossette no Shouzou
OVA, 2004, 3 eps Me:- Author:9
psychological gothic lolita
Tonari no Yamada-kun
Movie, 1999, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
absolutely wholesome and delightfully understated. Something about the the yamadas clean, uncluttered, focused frames really adds to the whimsy and poignancy of moments.

And some of the backgrounds are shockingly insightful in their abstraction.
Tekkon Kinkreet
Movie, 2006, 1 ep Me:- Author:7
Without a doubt, one of the most french looking anime's out there with a 10/10 OST by Plaid. Treasure Town is textured and alive.
Gake no Ue no Ponyo
Movie, 2008, 1 ep Me:- Author:7
crayon Ghibli
Promare
Movie, 2019, 1 ep Me:- Author:7
This movie is just colors and speed. Kind of hard to describe but I really liked it. Almost feels like they said hey, let the 'blue anime popsicle' be our aesthetic guideline.
Heike Monogatari
TV, 2022, 11 eps Me:- Author:6
Genuinely beautiful and absolutely consistent. Maybe my favorite contemporary work, aesthetically speaking.
Aru Nihon no Ekaki Shounen
Movie, 2019, 1 ep Me:- Author:9
artwork changes as the short progresses, very good experiment
1001 Nights
Movie, 1999, 1 ep Me:- Author:6
Yoshitaka Amano's designs come to life. His influence is greatest felt here.
FLCL
OVA, 2000, 6 eps Me:- Author:7
style like this doesn't come around every day. Imaishi, the pillows, Gainax, too good.
Casshern Sins
TV, 2008, 24 eps Me:- Author:8
quiet, sharp, rusty, ephemeral
Majo no Takkyuubin
Movie, 1989, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
It's really just too cozy, in a somber way. The town of Koriko is perfect.
Sonny Boy
TV, 2021, 12 eps Me:- Author:7
this is how you make a contemporary show look. A kaleidoscope of imagination, but more so than that just good 2d digital art.
Macross Plus Movie Edition
Movie, 1995, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
it's enchanting and kinetic
Redline
Movie, 2009, 1 ep Me:- Author:7
Literal crack. I love how crunchy and visceral everything is. There's a short called "Trava: Fist Planet" that was the precursor to Redline, check it out if you want a quieter version of this crunch.
Kaijuu no Kodomo
Movie, 2019, 1 ep Me:- Author:-
retains its manga DNA giving a unique vibe, additionally the end gets very exploratory
Houseki no Kuni
TV, 2017, 12 eps Me:- Author:6
3D done right. You can literally jus watch this for the hair. Goes to show you how much it matters in a design.
Kara no Kyoukai Movie 1: Fukan Fuukei
Movie, 2007, 1 ep Me:- Author:6
something from ufotable had to be here as their aesthetic has become the benchmark in contemporary anime. Garden of Sinners has got the most atmosphere from what I've seen by them.
Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
TV, 2011, 12 eps Me:- Author:7
aesthetic dissonance used well here.
Nekojiru-sou
OVA, 2001, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
Yuasa got to have his version of fun.
Jin-Rou
Movie, 2000, 1 ep Me:- Author:6
everything feels heavy. Like imagine if Berserk looked like this.
i know, i'm sorry.
Space☆Dandy
TV, 2014, 13 eps Me:- Author:7
Animation and style are incredible, most episodes are aesthetically different. Almost like an anthology with a continued story.

(S2 is more of the same if not better)
Interstella5555: The 5tory of The 5ecret 5tar 5ystem
Movie, 2003, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
a music video album set to Daft Punk's "Discovery" album, it's great.
Hells
Movie, 2008, 1 ep Me:- Author:6
ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka
TV, 2017, 12 eps Me:- Author:7
light and airy, just like its pastries
Umi ga Kikoeru
TV Special, 1993, 1 ep Me:- Author:8
Nostalgia is quiet
Wolf's Rain
TV, 2003, 26 eps Me:- Author:6
dilapidated oasis

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