Top 10 Most Philosophical Anime

[@maxderrat]

One of my viewers brought up a good contender that I probably should have at least addressed in the video: Berserk. Obviously, Berserk is legendary, and is deeply philosophical from a metaphysical and existential point of view. The reason I didn't include it is because my definition of anime for this list is limited strictly to TV series. The TV series of Berserk that we have from the 90s only covered the Golden Age arc which, though brilliant, only encapsulates a portion of the series' philosophical content. Plus, let's just not even talk about the 2016/2017 which just skips so much of that sort of stuff.

[@DrDolan2000]

The less said about that adaptation, the better

[@marcinsznel9776]

It's dangerous.

[@ostravamasterson4178]

Now make a video of how fia is fortissax and velka is velkahna the ancient ice dragon who birth the half breed with gwyn seath amd pricyla, for only those loved by dragons can weild lighting without burning, mhw director is also darksouls 2 director his dlc was called scholar of the first sin miyasakis test for him he thought it was gwyn it was Velka and history repeats with godwyn and fia new games help later games

[@adriansigler9197]

Whew I was sad when I got to the end but there was no mention of berserk. I absolutely love its questions. Do people need to pursue a lofty dream in order to find purpose and belonging, or can our need for self-actualization or whatever was at the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs be fulfilled by living a simple life with those we love? Personally part of me has always wanted to be remembered after my death for some contribution, musical or authored. Griffith’s choosing to leave behind-to put it lightly-his loved ones, contrasted against Guts’ realization upon returning to the Band of the Hawk that they are where he belonged all along, totally neutralized that part of me. I now appreciate my family more than ever and have made peace with the fact that I do not need to leave a mark on the world to live life to the fullest. So humbling and honestly liberating. Funny because this contrasts with my prior main influence’s philosophy, which can be found in Rilke’s letters when he says one has to bury themselves in solitude (no family; he even left his wife and child in pursuit of his art) in order to be their realest self. Rilke is actually like Griffith, not Guts.

[@victorlorca3631]

Hi, it’s a real shame that Berserk don’t have a good adaptation to anime, and Monster it’s my favorite anime also. I really think Pluto deserved a place in the list. I want to share some animes that I think you might like: - Mardock Scramble - Mushishi - Jin-Roh - Subete ga F ni Naru - Dennô Coil - Shinsekai Yori - Tengoku Daimakyou - Houseki no Kuni - Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū

[@calfcall]

"Tomorrow will be a good day." - Kenzo Tenma

[@dragooll2023]

Ice Cube copycat smh

[@tr-qr7pw]

@@dragooll2023 Who the fuck is ice cube?

[@youtubeenjoyer1743]

@@dragooll2023did a carbon-based life form just say… ice?

[@slavsit7600]

@@tr-qr7pw ice cube is a rapper, but idk if thats what hes referring to

[@nikolayzhelev8729]

@@dragooll2023 monster manga was finished 8 years before ice cube's song released

[@yopoxikeweapescai9066]

2:57 bro knows his audience

[@maxderrat]

I try to. :)

[@TheDankindonut]

10 - Texhnolyze 9 - Fullmetal Alchemist (franchise) 8 - Monster 7 - Steins;Gate 6 - Babylon 5 - Death Note 4 - Ghost in the Shell 3 - Psycho-Pass 2 - Kino's Journey 1 - Ergo Proxy Honorable Mentions: Pluto Code Geass Neon Genesis Evangelion Paranoia Agent Cowboy Bebop Serial Experiments Lain

[@parsapajouhandeh]

Thank you!

[@PersonManManManMan]

Very niiice

[@XAntohax]

You forgot Berfect Blue

[@ervamoten5830]

Another mention, Legend of The Galactic Heroes

[@monsterboomer8051]

Thanks, I can't decypher ###??? in the descriptions.

[@Valzack]

I disagree (Haven't seen a minute of this video)

[@ValiantGoat]

I haven't read your comment, but I agree.

[@yopoxikeweapescai9066]

Xdddd

[@Xel963]

lol same

[@You_Could_Be_Next]

​@@ValiantGoatNeither have I but I believe there is merit on both sides of your argument here.

[@Fantomstranger]

Spoken like a true soldier

[@adamquenano8563]

Another Anime that’s highly Philosophical is Legend of the Galactic heroes. I highly recommend it to those who haven’t heard of it.

[@ravenseeker8267]

Definitely, the OVA version from 1988 is absolute peak and definitive way of watching the series beyond reading the novels.

[@AngelPanicProjectYt]

Exactly my thoughts!!!

[@adamquenano8563]

@@ravenseeker8267 Top 3 Anime of all time.

[@You_Could_Be_Next]

Binary.

[@ioantudorspanu-dt4nv]

What I like about the LOGH is presenting the 4 archetypes of a society. Those are: Bureaucrat type Merchant type Warrior type Religious type

[@Gintoki_Freecss]

Texhnolyze on the list makes me so happy. If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend Mushishi as well. It’s also extremely philosophical and really relaxing to watch

[@Lin_Eileen]

I loved Mushishi so much is one of the most reflective anime i've seen it really makes you think

[@Lin_Eileen]

the background art is also consistently gorgeous in mushishi it's a treat to look at

[@KekPafrany]

Mushishi is my all time favourite.

[@ATC43]

Gotta shout out the Mushishi love. Often overlooked but its really one of the best and most contemplative animes I've ever watched.

[@Lin_Eileen]

@@ATC43 Yeah! Contemplative is the word i was looking for to describe it actually, reflective isn't exactly the most correct word to describe it in terms of what I know about speaking English, which is quite little honestly but I think I manage somewhat fine all things considered. Sorry for that random tangent I just went on to basically just say yeah true 😅

[@Nevir202]

Big shout out to "Stein's Gate" for the most original method of grappling with the paradox of time travel that I believe was first explored by HG Wells, "How can you change the past in a way that negates your reason to have gone back in the first place?"

[@Kellythelawyer]

This is the grandfather paradox. Many misinterpret the Grandfather Paradox to only mean the erasure of the traveller by the traveller's actions in the past, but it actually refers to any action that would prevent the traveller from going back in time for any reason. This could be erasure of the person or the need to travel, but it can also mean that the person is never in a position to travel. Of course, this paradox assumes that time is linear and one-way, which we cannot be sure. As Douglas Adams wrote in Mostly Harmless "Anything that, in happening, causes itself to happen again, happens again. It doesn’t necessarily do it in chronological order, though."

[@Reality-Distortion]

Dark also touches on it extensively.

[@CaseNumber00]

I encountered this in the 2006 visual novel Muv Luv Alternative. To sum it up, guy got isekai-ed from modern day Japan to a alternate time line where giant aliens have invaded and taken over 3/4ths of earth and they fight using mech. A lot of his classmates are present in the new world with different personalities. Later on in the story someone develops a methods to send his consciousness back to his original world so he can get vital knowledge to fight the aliens. A little later someone he knows dies and he runs away back to his old world for good. Due to scifi bullshit, the people he knows who were hurt or killed in the other world also start getting hurt and killed in his original world due to him being there, being a causality conductor. No one talks about it now but at the time of release, before the anime, many in the VN community suspected that S:G did lift a lot of things from Muv Luv Alternative, they said the same for the initial chapters for Attack on Titan. I dont really believe that about S;G but the AoT one I believe in now.

[@Nevir202]

@@CaseNumber00 TBH, from your description, that reminds me more of "Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure" than S;G.

[@tzakman8697]

Are you talking about the ending?

[@allourvice]

Two anime I would *highly* recommend that I didn’t see on this list are “Now and Then, Here and There” and “Darker Than Black” (FIRST season only of the latter). Would absolutely love to hear your insights on both. Thank you (and your wife’s recommendations) for another great video, once again!

[@tinkyy4516]

"Land of the Lustrous" and "From the New World" would fit perfectly onto this list. Highly recommend both Max!

[@ofiterpunte]

Land of Lustrous manga is a masterpiece. If the other one you mentioned is even half as good, I'm bumping it up on my list

[@tinkyy4516]

@@ofiterpunte Agreed but I may honestly like From the New World a bit more

[@the_lotharingian]

I do not recommend the anime land of the lustrous Because it is unfinished. Instead read the manga.

[@xiiir838]

​@@ofiterpunte From the New World, or Shinsekai Yori, is an amazing story, but not a great anime. The story, the characters and the concepts handled there are amazing, but it's not the best animation out there. Highly recommended tho

[@edoesto]

Absolutely agree on those two. I'd like to mention "Mawaru Penguindrum" as well.

[@helloface001]

Sidelining both Lain and Evangelion is brutal. I feel like you didn't give enough credit to Lain for not just questioning transhumanism leading to godhood, but that it directly challenges what constitutes a god in the first place, as well as being insanely ahead of its time a la MGS2. I could rant about Evangelion forever, but in short, it is analytical psychology manifest. I've seen about half of the series in this list, and I can firmly say that I contemplate the philosophies in Lain and Evangelion more than any other in the list.

[@hugofontes5708]

Pretty sure Max covered them in the past, but I can only imagine Evangelion didn't make it because it's more psychology than philosophy focused

[@maxderrat]

That's exactly the reason.

[@helloface001]

@@maxderrat That's fair, and I respect the response. Perhaps it's my own bias since as a psychology major, I tend to classify a lot of more esoteric early psychology (a la Jung) as being more philosophical than it is psychological, based on modern practice; I believe psychology in many ways to be the scientific manifestation of philosophy. If you disagree and exclude Eva on that basis, that's valid. I can see why strictly considering Jung as a psychologist could sort of disqualify Eva from this sort of list.

[@famsu5654]

Some other anime with philosophical themes not mentioned that I would recommend are: Kaiba, Mushishi, Vinland Saga (more for its 2nd Season), Fate Zero, Shinsekai yori, Princess Mononoke, Monogatari Series (not for everyone due to fanservice), Attack on Titan and Fumetsu no Anata e. I'm not saying they should be on the list, just mentioning them for anyone who wants to watch more. I would love to see a list like this related to manga, even if it's just recommendations and not a top ten, as the medium is significantly more dense with philosophical works in my opinion, due to the nature of how its created and published.

[@johncosco2348]

Yeah Fate/Zero definitely should have been on this list.

[@lifeisstrangetg8247]

I think manga would be great some might not adopted to anime Any suggestions for that kind of manga

[@grimscar]

@@lifeisstrangetg8247 For Manga an easy top-tier pick is " We Shall Now Begin Ethics." It's about a high school philosophy/ethics teacher and how it is continually relatable to his students who are struggling with the typical teen issues like dating, bullying, their sense of identity, being gay, peer pressure and societal expectations, parental expectations, anger issues, religion, free will, self-harm, etc.

[@lifeisstrangetg8247]

@@grimscar ill check it out

[@MrDou]

Fate zero is about iskandar/waver bromance. I refuse to believe otherwise

[@lionheart4424]

I knew Ergo Proxy would make it high, let's goooo! That ending still gives me the shills when I remember that last freaking line!

[@AlexSummary]

Since someone else mentioned it, I would like to recommend Mushishi as well. It’s a fantastic show that I had as my No.1 because of the lessons and how beautiful the show is. I hope you enjoy it.

[@Mordhereck]

Thanks! I'll take a look at it!

[@TheMindofRa]

Mushishi is definitely an epic anime. I wonder though... the mushishi act as yokai in a way and the tales told are reminiscent of older Japanese folkloric tales.

[@Neko123Uchiha]

Yep, I would highly recommend Max to watch Mushishi, because it truly belongs on this list! :)

[@Pathetic-Ali]

Pretty high on my watchlist 👀

[@GucciFatSuit]

Finally somebody showing appreciation to Mushishi. Set a slept on anime. It's one of the best episodic animes up there with Space Dandy.

[@av_8596]

Seriously, Ergo Proxy *needs* to be more popular. Personally, I believe every anime fan should give it a watch, at least once.

[@agustinac9230]

Texhnolyze too

[@Kokally]

0:18 It's fun coincidence that you used Digimon Tamers as the example of nonphilosophical anime then start your list with Technolyze, when they were both written by Chiaki Konaka.

[@potatofarmergyro1720]

That's not Tamers tho that's Digimon 02, Tamers is the 3rd series but Konaka did write like one episode in 02

[@octavius.augustus]

Digimon 4 was pretty philosophical tbh

[@lieutenantpepper2734]

This man is a lost mess.

[@MyBurninParadise]

I might suggest giving Dennou Coil a watch if you're a fan of Serial Experiments Lain, it's something of a spiritual successor.

[@stormer2349]

Kara no Kyoukai would fit into this list perfectly. Yin and Yang are a central part of Shiki’s duality, and the series as a whole. It even has some Buddhism sprinkled in. A lot of core themes are quite philosophical too, like finding meaning to life. Even has a lot of psychology where it brings in anima and animus to add another layer to Shiki’s duality. Peak series fr. Go watch it y’all.

[@roflattheworld]

Recommend giving Ping Pong: the Animation a watch too! It's surprisingly cutting and while the weird art style might be an initial put-off, it's absolutely a hidden gem.

[@Reality-Distortion]

You'd fall in love with Kara no Kyoukai. Epilogue by itself is like reading a long metaphysics phd, yet it's still all very connected and necessary to the series.

[@crawfordbrown5101]

Fate Zero is highly introspective. It’s ending especially focuses on the concept of utilitarianism. Is also delves deep into the meanings of honor and justice. It touches on ideals vs reality and how pursuing an ideal can lead you astray.

[@t2nexx561]

Yea im surprise Fate zero isnt in here that show literally changed me

[@tyhjyys]

that's what i like about anime. never know how something is going to make you feel. back in highschool, an episode of space dandy pretty much changed my worldview and that show is like 80% nonsense.

[@-toast-7905]

Which one and in what way?

[@tyhjyys]

@@-toast-7905 i just saw this, sorry. i would see a lot of anime growing up because of my brothers but never actually engaged with much of them as a kid. when i caught dandy on toonami one night i got hooked. it was the plant episode and i was so excited to watch more of it but it was just coming out weekly at the time so i had to wait and happen to catch it. next time i saw an episode was the fish episode weeks later. last episode i saw in that school year was the World without sadness. it hit me at such an odd time when i had a loss in the family and had plenty of time to think about death, worth and afterlife. i reckon that barrier in my mind would have broken sooner or later but dandy spun me a positive view and i appreciate things like that immensely now. i kindled my own interest in anime and storytelling as a medium in the process as well. i owe it to that show

[@The_Okami]

Oh no. You missed Baccano. The story in itself may not be the most thought provoking on first watch but its about immortal alchemists and does actually bring up some good thoughts

[@bastiangugu4083]

And it's great in other regard too. e.g. the non-linear story-structure, the quirky characters and the music. Loved it.

[@The_Okami]

@bastiangugu4083 I wish more people watched it. It's great. It's also pretty deep. Characters dealing with being immortal/fate/the devil/morality/personal philosophy/love/hate/regret. I honestly got choked up a lil bit at a couple of parts. The English Dub was great bc it mostly takes place in 1930ish America

[@ScuffedLife]

Miriiiaaaa!~ Isaaaaac-uh!~ Best duo of all time :D

[@AleSlevin]

Suggestions to complement this excellent list in no particular order: Tenshi no Tamago Shinsekai Yori Haibane Renmei The Tatami Galaxy Puella Magi Madoka Magica Shinreigari Mushishi Made In Abyss Sonny Boy

[@kelpiekit4002]

I'd definitely count Mushishi, which I see others have mentioned. Mob Psycho has some decent philosophy to it as well.

[@akhandtripathipyz9888]

Mob Psycho is not that deep bro

[@stryker5055]

Considering you mentioned Yoshitoshi Abe; Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain, I'm surprised you didn't even mention or display Haibane Renmei, which also is quite a profound show and has a very valuable message. I would check it out.

[@mihokspawn]

The body, the mind and the soul

[@mondruner]

The guy is kinda a casual judging by this list.

[@mihokspawn]

@@mondruner hahaha because casuals watch to technolyze and lain

[@mondruner]

@@mihokspawn They're not so obscure anymore.

[@mihokspawn]

@@mondruner what the hell are you talking about? You may be familiar with them, and there might be some people that know the shows. But if you put it in context of relative familiarity they are still very obscure.

[@Edis_Prime]

As a big fan of both your channel and philosophy, I highly recommend the anime and manga by the name Houseki no Kuni. It is a beautifully brilliant and rich story that combines body horror and philosophy in a way I have never seen any other story do, all thanks to its premise and setting which at first glance seems rather simple but very quickly branches out in awe inspiring ways.

[@sebastienrameau]

I've just read the first chapter, thanks to you. The drawing is weird, but the world and story seem promising.

[@iota-09]

​@@sebastienrameau ichikawa's style draw on from fashion design and also has(imho) a partial western influence, you'll see as the manga goes the her style evolves to better embody these aspects while solidifying its identity. For now, try to focus more on the masterful composition, as seen in the first chapters' fight of morga and goshe. That being said, on op's commment: huh, interestingly, i've never seen the breaking of the bodies of the gems as body horror, them being crystals made it so i never had that feeling...

[@littlebighead4482]

there is honestly a lot of really interesting and thought provoking philosophy in attack on titan, i highly recommend it

[@janhavishrivastava9155]

Yep this was comment I was searching for

[@dentekurayoibrahim5576]

Yep

[@Zeklan]

It’s a slow night at work. “The Fifth Element“ is playing (muted, but I can hear every scene in my head lol) on the small TV in the corner of my office, and there’s a new video from Max. Now this is what I call a good night!

[@Notfromthemoon]

I would also add and strongly recommend: Legend Of The Galactic Heroes Welcome To NHK Tatami Galaxy Sayanora Zetsubou Sensei Mushishi XxxHolic Houseki no kuni Noein Zankyou no Terror Un-Go Seirei no Moribito Shiki Haibane Renmei 86

[@minusfront]

Ah, Texhnolyze ... One of the most underrated anime in my opinion. A masterpiece, and also great ASMR source.

[@jeffpalaganas7404]

Honorable Mentions - Pluto, Code Geass, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Paranoia Agent, Cowboy Bebop, Serial Experiment Lain #10 - Texhnolize #9 - Fullmetal Alchemist (franchise) #8 - Monster #7 - Steins;Gate #6 - Babylon #5 - Death Note: #4 - Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: #3 - Psycho Pass Season 1 #2 -Kinos Journey 2003 #1 - Ergo Proxy

[@Shadow_Sonata]

One thing about Lain: Serial Experiments. It predicted the rise of social media (through The Wired) as well as it's addictive and toxic nature.

[@scerenidee]

Thank you, kind soul.

[@Kaebren]

about to give you guys the best recommendation of your life, Sonny Boy

[@spiritbreakeryt]

If One Piece is not comedy, it might be one of the phisiological anime too

[@pachucodreams]

I'm really curious what you'd think about Ghost Hound. The writer, artist, and director of SEL, Kino's Journey, Haibane Renmei, and Texhnolyze all worked on it and expands on a lot of pet themes this team has a penchant for.

[@artophile7777]

He has a video on it.

[@pachucodreams]

@@artophile7777 thanks, man. Didn't know that. I can't find it on his channel, is it older?

[@greensoldier2142]

I came here to proclaim the superiority of Legend of the Galactic Heroes to everything else on this list.

[@raudas-taxma6183]

Finally, I found a second guy on the internet who watched all the 110 episodes!

[@bibisumfan]

​@@raudas-taxma6183Here as well 🤲🏻

[@greensoldier2142]

@@raudas-taxma6183 plus the 2 movies and the 2 spin off seasons

[@TheKnightOfZ0]

Lmfao everything here curbstomps that shit.

[@TheKnightOfZ0]

@@raudas-taxma6183not some to be proud of

[@AscendantStoic]

There was going to be rioting if Kino wasn't included, catastrophe averted ... though I'll forgive not including "From the New World/Shinsekai Yori " cause you don't seem to have watched it, but I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend watching it, I don't think you have seen any anime like it, it's an absolutely mind bending ride and explores some very dark subject matter in very interesting and unexpected ways, I don't want to spoil anything but I think it has the best depiction of how truly and utterly terrifying certain types of powers could be. Also I should add that the thing I loved the most about Kino No Tabi is the fact it mimics the format usually used in fables and folktales where there is a series of short stories with some recurring characters and each story is supposed to teach a moral value or explore a philosophical idea (think Aesop's Fables with the talking animals).

[@johnnymellon7414]

From the New World definitely should have been on it...

[@JuniperLea]

I'd suggest the novel over the anime, personally, but it is excellent.

[@HolySnipy]

i tried to watch Shinsekai Yori 2 times with a break of many years. both times dropped at episode ~5. This anime is such a slog, i wonder if it gets better.

[@JuniperLea]

@@HolySnipy I also dropped the anime multiple times, but I had no issues reading through the novel.

[@johnnymellon7414]

@@HolySnipy watch the whole thing. You're in for a ride towards the last few episodes

[@captainahab2019]

I wasn't expecting to see such a deep and beautiful analysis in a yt video.

[@Ubermenschgaming_]

Another Max Derrat classic

[@andreelmatacoronavirusquin1322]

No legend of the galactic heroes is fucking criminal

[@sythaxe]

Chill out, bruv. i love glactic heroes, and it's fine if he didn't mention it.😅

[@greensoldier2142]

​​@@sythaxeagree, but my bet is he probably hasn't heard about it. Not to mention it would need an entire video of its own to explain all the different things. Dialectics, history etc.

[@sythaxe]

@greensoldier2142 Yeah, i also think he hasn't seen it yet, but maybe in the future he might watch it.

[@F4nTom_II]

Considering that Max has already covered much of my most favorite anime and even introduced me to a lot I never heard of before, his video(s) covering LOGH are now something I very, very much look forward to. It's bound to happen. Have faith and stay as yellow as Reinhard's mane!

[@DavidPereiraLima123]

Derrat, please do one about visual novels. That'd be awesome.

[@raviolichan4480]

YESSS HE NEEDS TO GET INTO VISUAL NOVELS!!

[@sicat2345]

would be awesome would take years tho

[@CerealKiller]

Holy Based! Babylon mentioned! Watched it recently just a few days ago and I have no idea how tf is it rated so low on MAL, it was actually really good.

[@mondruner]

It is awful

[@anonimoalfin]

Hey, Matt. Funny, as soon as I saw this vid in my notifications list I thought about Berserk and what your coverage of it would be like. And as soon as I started watching this vid, and reading the comments, I found this clarification. Like you, I'm not an 'otaku' and I'm far from being an expert. Of course my childhood was marked by Evangelion, Vampire Hunter D, Wizardry, Record of Lodoss War, Studio Ghibli etc. But it was in my adulthood that I became more deeply interested in anime and was introduced to Berserk, and the life and work of the venerable Master Miura. I started with the 1997 anime, then moved on to manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura, then the Golden Age Arc movie trilogy (2012-13), then the infamous CGI anime (2016-17), then the articles, books, forums, discussions, vids, analyses, academic papers, and then always back to the original material and anime from '97. Truly, Berserk is legendary. A work of art (not in the cliché sense that each fan attributes to their favorite anime, but a true work of great art). And it is the work of a true genius, who dedicated his life to Berserk, therefore it will always be a little out of reach for anyone's definite analysis, like happens with the works of Beethoven or Mozart. However, knowing you, I insist that you give it a chance, 'cause I'm sure that, like me, you will find there deep, rich and brilliant - although raw, visceral and heartbreaking - reflections on the human condition, suffering, the fragility of existence, injustice, morality, geopolitics... but also beautiful elaborations on love, faith, hope and beauty amidst the evil, unfairness and the cruelty of the world. Without a doubt, the most striking thing about Berserk for me is how real, how grounded, how accurate it is, as a portrait of the world we live in. I see it as a monument, a poetic apotheosis, to the strength, will, heroism and even kindness that men can be capable of, sometimes, even in the most overwhelming, miserable and unjust of circumstances. I would love a video from you about your own impressions of Berserk.

[@Shadow_Sonata]

Haibane Renmei should have been included as well. Especially with it's themes of loss, death , sin, redemption, among others. Very slow paced slice of life that steadily builds up to revealing the background. Also to some extent Puella Magi Madoka Magica for it's basis on Faust and the ' deal with the devil'. Being offered your greatest desire for a very high price, and the effects of that deal.

[@monoflekt4124]

Glad you reminded me on that one. Such an unique take imo!

[@TeQxktcg]

I would like add that, among others, Steins;Gate is originally a visual novel type game wherein you, the player, make branching decisions which adds a whole other dimension to the experience. In my humble opinion you should at least experience it once. If Steins;Gate, for whatever reason, is to played out for you te experience again or in another medium might I recommend Choas;Head. Not only is it from team and writers, it’s even set in the same universe, and the series where developed basically side by side or more aptly intertwined. Choas;Head does have an anime adaptation, but that’s besides the point; point is to try the interactive visual novel medium, regardless which series you pick.

[@anthonydelarosa]

My favorite anime is Monster. It’s an anime that not only asks us what the devil would look like as a human but also makes us question the concepts of good and evil.

[@Goldlion973]

Freaking brilliant!!!

[@blackLightYAGAMI]

what I like about Monster personally. is the question that if I were Johan; having come to terms with the inherent meaninglessness in things, would I because of circumstance make my lifes goal to point out to everyone that things don't have inherent meaning or would I make a life worth living despite the inherent meaninglessness of things?

[@abdi1298]

I geniunly hate monster. one of the worst anime

[@plugshirt1762]

@@abdi1298 horrendous take

[@Shadyside-]

Can't even spell. ​@@abdi1298

[@TheGojiShay]

You realize you must now plan on doing a separate list for just your own personal favorite anime list next right? Everyone's just gonna be curious and constantly ask you about it now until you do, lol.

[@lineialquantum]

Hey Digimon had me thinking about the meaning of life and death now

[@nightlydata2181]

I don' know if u've seen it but Mushishi & Land of the lustrous would be really cool to see u talk bout. I pretty much predicted the bulk of the anime on this list lol

[@anthonyju6392]

So glad you didn't include Serial Experiments Lain in this list. I haven't seen half of this list so I may have to give them a go.

[@OfficialRedTeamReview]

2:16 I was not expecting those to be in honorable mentions. Heck, i expected Evangelion to make it to the Top 5.

[@aHeroWith1000Names]

It's really not that philosophical, but that's not Eva's domain and that's okay. Where it could contend for gold is top psychological anime.

[@korengu]

i would like to recommend these 2; Kokoro connect H2O: footprints in the sand

[@visheshtripathi9717]

Mushishi deserved a place

[@b_e_thecreative]

Mushi Shi should be #1

[@himanshurohewal1623]

This is the first accurate list I have seen about philosophical animes. Some of which were not involved are ghost in the shell movies, paranoia agent, cowboy bebop, mushihi, tatami galaxy, sonny boy, count of MC, pluto etc.

[@g0pher2137]

I know that this comment is completely unrelated to the topic of the video, but as someone who most likely has asperger's (been told that by multiple psychologists, still waiting for the official diagnosis, they're expensive) and struggles in romantic relations Max's videos give me so much hope. From talking about difficulty of relationships, to mentioning having a girlfriend and now to being married. I know that this probably isn't the place to dump such a thing, but Max being an example of an occultism interested sperg (idk if this is a derogatory term, I don't mean for it to be) being in a committed relationship gives me hope for my future, as I also am one.

[@orfeas8]

This was a very good video. Thanks man. I have noted down the ones I haven't watched and will watch. I would love to see you explain the honorable mentions as well.

[@no_mnom]

Hey Max, it's been a while since I last recommended Houseki no kuni, since then it has ended and now that the manga is over I can recommend it wholeheartedly. It's a bit... Unique but it deals with existentialism, morality and the self as the main character attempts to find purpose and understand the world in which they live. I know this is about anime but I think you and maybe others who read this comment might enjoy this work

[@AscendantStoic]

@no_mnom But sadly the anime beautiful as it is isn't complete and there is no news of it getting a 2nd season to finish the story.

[@iota-09]

​@AscendantStoic the closest we got was a recent "we'd wish" from studio orange when asked if they're working on hnk It's been 7 years at this point, if the issue isn't studio orange, then my hopes are fading.

[@AscendantStoic]

@iota-09 Quite sad really, their take on 3DCGI anime was at the time one of the best ever done, they did stunning work on the visuals and music too.

[@YorasaDesu]

I believe Death Parade and Attack on Titan should be in the list. 🙂

[@davidcerioli]

Legends of the Galactic Heroes is also very dense in Filosophy and Politics, highly recommend both the old and new shows

[@MrGrimlocke]

Thanks for introducing me to a couple of series that I hadn't heard of before

[@Kiss97440]

You Should Watch : Monogatari Series Mawaru Penguindrum Shoujo Kakumei Utena Revue Starlight the Movie Shinsekai Yori Sonny Boy Patlabor 2 the Movie Haibane Renmei Serial Experiments Lain Ping Pong The Animation Maybe even Madoka Magica but I guess you already know about it. Thanks for the video and have a nice day.

[@Kiss97440]

And Yes I skipped The Intro (For Lain) 😢

[@thebeaconofgondor9169]

Also, read Goodnight Punpun

[@FunkyNutBlast2005]

Sonny boy and haibane renmei 😢 you have good taste, also I suggest watching "Kaiba2008" I feel like you would enjoy

[@prashantrana6790]

Shinsekai Yori and Sonny Boy are great contenders for sure

[@CaseNumber00]

I think Kaito The Right Answer should be somewhere. Very similar to the feel of Babylon, society has to discuss probelms and a lot of introspection but it also shit the bed harder than Bab and was forgotten faster.

[@savage7882]

I didnt find the 2nd season of Psycho Pass to be this horrible. I thought the concept of a perfect judge being inherrently imperfect is really interesting

[@khushnaseebkhan3686]

Thanks for the recommendations ❤ I highly recommend Haibane Renmai

[@weebofamv]

Some of these anime are either hard to get through, or just not the best production quality over all, because teh criteria dont include overall quality. However i must say, that the number 2 spot, which was previously unknown to me, is a true masterpiece, which i think everybody, not only anime or philosophy fans should give an honest try. W List and W video, as always! You make my day.

[@divad7137]

8:31 Honestly about Monster I really believe that it goes even deeper in my opinion than just this question. I'll try not to spoil a lot of it, but be warned, I'll still spoil a lot of it. Monster in my opinion is a central story about humanity and what it means to be human. And this theme of humanity, or lack there of imo is constantly present, through Tenma's powerful philosophy of humanity and hope, which is constantly contrasted with the cold and nihilistic philosophy of Johan of nothingness, through the experiments and events themselves that rid children of their humanity, of a name, of an identity. Evil is also something that lurks within the world of monster and our world, and that abyss and nothingness is constantly fighting in a way with that strong ray of hope that people like Tenma or Grimmer carry for humanity. Also Grimmer's character arc is amazing, he's literally embodying this theme in such a powerful way, because he manages to regain his emotions and finally feel again human even if his upbringing left him for most of his life cold and emotionally empty, unable to feel anything. It also seeks another question, whether all human lives are equal. Tenma believes this and manages to prove this principle and stands by it till the end. While Johan instead in his own words, believes more lives are more equal than others, which is why he is forcing Tenma at the end to shoot him or he'll kill Wim. In fact both may be right, because both have experienced these things. Also it looks at ideas of nature vs nurture through Johan and his lore and how he became the monster he was. Also the real monster of this story is not just Johan, or Bonaparta and Chapek who created him and Kinderheim 511, but deeper more obscure thing that exists in the soul of every human, that nothingness, that is the real villain. Johan is not truly detached even if he seems like it, because he still has this love and care for Nina, this obsession that makes him human. Overall I loved Monster, probably my favourite show I've seen in any medium. Truly amazing story.

[@Lin_Eileen]

I knew u were gonna mention Ergo Proxy 😊great choice 👍 it has a reputation in some anime circles for being too pretentious but i disagree the feeling pretentiousness is kinda a given when it comes to philosophical matters it's just about how invested you are in it and how you perceive it is all

[@LAK_770]

The P5 track you use in the intro (Confession/Secret) is an inspired cut. You hear the usual suspects from that OST over and over in video essays, but rarely anything else

[@berbec389]

In my opinion monogatari series is one of the most philosophical anime out there and if you havent you should definitly watch it

[@brandonontama2415]

I hope you will Dennō Coil someday, it explores a lot of interesting themes and ideas.

[@drearmouse9510]

Yo, Max! You manage to play Fear & Hunger yet? The Ergo Proxy bit reminded me of the game's philosophies & whew.. such an amazing work of art. Like Jacob's Ladder mixed w Berserk if it were more Pagan. And the sequel just expands on all of it even more. So good!

[@qxz9p]

Every time you throw in a xenogears or Chrono OST track it fills my little nerdy heart with joy

[@thefallstrokes]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it but Sonny Boy could have occupied a spot on the list. One of the most interesting animes in recent years with heavy philosophical themes and a great soundtrack.

[@heliumdown]

Absolutely agree. It's a very dense show that's difficult to parse in places, but he show is a gift for fans of original, thought-provoking works.

[@zerggiee9412]

I think it was recommended in another anime video you did, but I’d love to see your analysis on From The New World! It’s also called Shin Sekai Yori. It’s a sleeper gem of an anime and has some amazing and deep themes about humanity

[@radikaldesignz]

Just started watching. Kino better be on here. Edit: ok good. Had me worried for a sec.

[@frogblasttheventcore69]

I think Akira deserves at least an honorable mention, it's not as philo as the others, but the underground jail scene/ending and subtext is rife with cool concepts, even though it's a compressed version of the manga, it's well worth covering.

[@warpathh]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica is missing from this list.

[@pocketrocketradio]

I think it's awesome that you have the Deus Ex ost playing in the background during the Ghost in the Shell segment.

[@TVsTewi]

Its not animated but Naoki Urasawa's Billy Bat is utterly fantastic. Honestly i love all of his works and would recomened you read/watch them whenever you have time. And though unfinished forever Satoshi Kon's Opus is another good read.

[@ericv.9772]

If you could, could you do a Top 10 Philosophical Movies? If not then perhaps you could explore more movies with philosophical content which I would consider to be interesting.

[@UseTheLess00]

After seeing the honourable mentions I was like "that's bold. I'm in"

[@talachitas2001]

This, exactly, specially when I saw Evangelion as a honorable mention. I was like BRING IT

[@90maducc]

Another absolute *banger* from Max. I’m glad to have grown up watching the anime mentioned in the list. I would like to add to this list an anime called Texhnolyze. I hope that you’ve heard of this one.

[@deodeodeo8519]

Philosophy deze nuts ❤

[@Xel963]

oh no I've been deze nut'd

[@You_Could_Be_Next]

KZbin suggesting I translate this into English.

[@marcinsznel9776]

Your videos are amazing.

[@rudidellama3718]

From the top of my mind I can think of the anime Kaiba probably more in the existential side of thing, it have more to it but its been ages since I last watched. Maybe another one would be Moribito, while my memory is more fresh about the third book (the anime adapted the first one)

[@iliaalomia7798]

that anime deserves recognition

[@Suedetussy]

Thanks to you, i‘ve watched Monster, and i am very impressed and also a bit shocked that for decades i haven‘t known about its existence. I loved it for everything. It’s so good on so many levels. I thought it would be dark and gloomy, but i took out so many life lessons from it (the one you mentioned).

[@smartinezai]

You forgot to add Seinfeld

[@Scoopsdepoop]

The philosophy about nothing.

[@rimjobledouche5201]

George! You piloted the Eva again, didn't you?

[@davidtharp2125]

Ahhh, the show about nothing…

[@RadarFinsR]

COREY IN THE HOUSE IS MY FAVOURITE ANIME

[@emonsees65]

SERENITY NOW

[@ZankonProuductions]

Playing fallout 2/New Vegas’ most eerie track while you talk about Monster was such a great touch.

[@theguyishere249]

Max Derrat Have you ever heard of class 09. It's a very differen type of visual novel, that has alot of really mean spirted humor thats very well written. I would recomend it as a review.

[@redundantfridge9764]

That is a bold request. I too want to see what Max makes of Class of 09 and the sequel (and the new one coming out, eventually)

[@RadarFinsR]

Honestly you just keep getting funnier in your delivery of your tongue in cheek jokes absolutely loving it.

[@sechernbiw3321]

Shout out to the first Psycho-Pass movie, made before the second season but after the first. It's not on the level of the first season by any means, but it is actually a very good complement to the first season, unlike the second season. and not enough people know it exists. What the movie is basically about is how the same question at the heart of the first season plays out in the developing world.

[@akuma8334]

I'm super happy with this for the fact that ergo proxy is my number 1 anime and have been trying to get people to watch it but they couldn't get through the first episode, I'm very happy that there are others who sees it's genius

[@Shijikari8]

I'd like to mention Legend of the galactic heroes, probably the best anime imo, as mentioned by another comment, It is highly philosophical that deals with mostly socio-political themes. It's a must watch and I highly recommend it.

[@AjrinTasnim]

I recommend Tatami Galaxy it changed my perspective on life and its a quick watch. And monogatari, ofcourse, is my favourite anime in general

[@Innouruk_Prince_of_Hatred]

I just wanted to let you know Max, your a great Channel. Me and my Girlfriend like your Content. Especially your Silent Hill analysis and speculations are a treat. Your older series, for example the one where you talk about the Aion Book from Jung is also very special to me, you are are very nice Person and i wanted for you to know that.

[@Stake2]

It's a solid list but I wonder if "Terror in Resonance" should be on the list. I've not seen it but the premise (terror attack to fight valueless existence) sounds very heavy philosophically and the music is just amazing.

[@tacioob2337]

Hey I'm working, but my late night is made with 30 min of my yellow favorite 😂❤

[@badred3ZZ]

I got into anime for the exact same reason as you bro. Anime is profound.

[@cosmos6006]

I fell like this video was made for me I’ve been a massive fan of anime since I was maybe 6 and I love philosophy and I’m trying to study it in college I do think Sonny boy could have made it on your list tho not over Eva or lane witch where both honorable mentions but I still think it’s a amazing anime e that talks about things similar to fma but grate video

[@acykat2069]

Kino's Journey has to be my second favorite anime, after the Macross DYRL movie. (And that's mostly for visual style)

[@Dark_Peace]

Well, mainstream philosophical for sure. My #1 philo anime is Kill la Kill. Can't beat its multiple layers of themes.

[@williansatencio-rn1hl]

Can you make this list longer please ❤