Trying To Get Back into Anime; Searching for Recommendations

I have never been a massive fan of anime, but over the years I have had periods in which I have grown very fond of certain shows and films, and even read some manga depending on the subect. Anime is something I have a weird relationship with. I both love it and hate it. It pulls me in occasionally with something incredibly engaging with a unique artstyle and captivating story, but then once I have finished what I was watching, I am left feeling as if I am roaming a vast desert, where each grain of sand is a show or film, yet I feel I see nothing at all around.

To be a little less poetic and more straightfoward, I am saying that ultimately I feel that the vast majority of (modern) anime is completely lost on me. I find very little appealing enough to even give the shows a chance. Particularly as many streaming services have taken a liking to the somewhat-recent trend of anime with their low budget animation that looks disgusting, and more western appeal and influences. But this does not just pertain to the fault of streaming services, it extends beyond that into the realm of simply me no longer being part of the main audience the creations are, well, created for.

Every so often, something does catch my eye. Something hooks me in and gives me that old feeling of nostalgia. Where the humidity of the evenings returns, the memory of long nights binging through a show that I refuse to let go even as sleep lingers, growing stronger by the minute. I can't recall the last time I truly felt that same feeling, but sometimes something can get me close to it.

Some of my favourite anime shows are quite dated at this point. Niche animations of the Cyberpunk genre's peak with gritty colours, film grain, and the strong themes of the genre all presented in a small, relatively boxed aspect ratio. I have an account on MyAnimeList somewhere -- I can never remember the username or password -- which contains each of these animations, with a few I may have added to lists that I never ended up going through. Perhaps I should attempt to get back into the account and have a look after this.

Moving on though, these summer nights make me reminisce a lot, and I get that itch to dive back into anime. But I notice I spend a plethora of time searching and never really watching anything. Modern anime doesn't seem to cut it. It seems everything is surrounding highschool girls being highschool girls with an exaggeration of themes turned to eleven. That is not to say that I also don't mind the more colourful, lighthearted animations. Some of my favourites are just that: silly, bright, and still very much creative. However, it seems harder and harder to find. By the way, for some additional context: I really love Crayon Shin-chan. I don't think I can get tired of that.

Though it is clear that I do have a preference for the shows and films that are a bit more engaging. Ones that contain an engaging world that isn't just an excuse for fantasy worlds where everything is actually just an MMO, or fantasy worlds because then you can have cute elven girls. I love the creations that go over-the-top in world design, that heavily explore their genre's themes and create such immersion through the directing and animation. I have recently started to rewatch Patlabor, of which I highly recommend, and despite the lighthearted nature of it, it remains incredibly rich still. Perhaps I am completely oblivious, but are similar shows and films even being created anymore? Ones that are void of the modern era's tropes, that is.

What have I attempted to watch recently?

I haven't taken much of a dive back into anime yet, but I have started a few shows both new and old to try to mix things up and get a feel for what's out now. A few of them have been really interesting due to their animations and character development, particularly Ranking of Kings with its style of art, while still admittedly containing a few typical modern tropes. But it fits in incredibly well with its story, where the innocence of a child is challenged through not only a disability, but his life as a prince in medieval times. While I'm yet to finish the season, I have found it really engaging, and thoroughly enjoyed it so far.

I briefly started Monster, of which I can't really say a whole lot about since I still don't quite know where it is going. It appears to be heavily psychological surrounding two children and a series of murders. The aspect ratio and animation is great, and it really throws out a horror tone even if the episodes thus far seem to be relatively tame and slow. The storytelling being so gradual and somewhat vague has contributed to the curiosity I have and want to continue. I think that's all I can really say about that thus far, however.

A few weeks back I went through One Punch Man again to start it over and refresh my memory before started the second season, and when I did start it, I found it insanely disappointing. Having lost all the magic it had prior; I understand the want to focus more on other characters and tell other stories that don't just pertain to Saitama, but everything in the episodes just felt so cheap and completely different to the first season, down to animation, editing, and even how the episodes are told. It seemed to have fallen into that modern trope where it struggles to take itself seriously, which was already a big plus of the first season where our protagonist struggles to find a challenge. Instead, that is no longer the case, and the comedy took over a bit too much, removing us from that original concept. Perhaps I'll write about that specifically another time!

And lastly, ACCA. Though again, I am yet to really get into the show to properly understand where it's going. I like the animation and general character design so far, and the simplicity of the stories within the episodes. But that's about all I can say.

So! I'd love if people could recommend some anime shows and films to me! I'm happy for you to recommend anything at all. Even if it is one of the styles I have mentioned not really enjoying. Perhaps something's different, perhaps I will enjoy that recommendation. So go crazy! I can still heavily enjoy slice of life if it's actually engaging and extends beyond a mere combination of tropes. Let me know what your favourites are and why and what you've been watching!