Mononoke, Trapeze, The Tatami Galaxy, Ping-Pong, Angel's Egg, Gosenzosama Banbanzai... I could name lots of wonderful anime that don't seem to have the recognition they deserve, but I'd be here all day!
Don't tell me, I know most of the titles called in this thread.
But I see this is some kind of advertising to help less known series you love to get more recognition. People may look them up, but left only with a title, there is no reason they should. Give them a picture, a paragraph, heck, a few key words can wake the interest of people.
Help others to love what you love.
You're absolutely right, so I'm going to edit in some descriptions!
Mononoke is a 12 episode anime made in 2007. It's an episodic series about a medicine seller who travels from place to place, dealing with mysterious spirits known as "Mononoke". This is no action series, so you won't see the medicine seller constantly engage in combat; in order to destroy the spirits, he must learn their "shape", "truth", and "reason", adding an element of mystery. What makes it stand out are not only the many interesting stories it has to tell, but it's
distinctive visual style (
something it shares with many of the anime I listed).
Trapeze is an 11 episode anime made in 2009, from the same director and studio as Mononoke. Another episodic series, though very different in tone and atmosphere from Mononoke. It's about an eccentric psychiatrist named Dr. Irabe who treats patients with varying psychological problems. The premise might not seem very interesting, but the presentation absolutely is; it mixes
traditional animation with
rotoscoping and
occasionally live-action as well. As with Mononoke, the stories are pretty interesting as well. Strange, but very fun!
The Tatami Galaxy is an 11 episode anime made in 2010. It tells the story of a university student trying to find what he calls "the rose-colored campus life", where he'll meet a raven haired maiden and live out a perfect life. Unfortunately, instead he meets a strange and somewhat frightening man named Ozu; someone who is both his worst enemy and his best friend. I don't want to give too much else away about the premise, because it's something that really is best experienced fresh. It's a smartly written anime filled with wonderful characters, great humor and an uplifting message. Of course,
the visuals are fantastic as well,
often becoming quite surreal.
Ping-Pong is an 11 episode anime made just this year, by the same director as The Tatami Galaxy. I honestly never thought I'd enjoy a sports anime until I watched this. The visual style may
seem off-putting at first, but if you stick around you'll be in for one of the best anime of the year. It's a story about a guy nick-named Smile (who never smiles), and his friend Peco who play ping-pong together. Peco is talented, and has grown arrogant because of it, but things change as soon as Smile begins to show his true potential. Even if you don't like sports anime, or aren't at all interested in Ping-Pong, give it a shot.
Here's another screenshot, just because.
Angel's Egg is one of the lesser known works of director Mamoru Oshii, known for Patlabor and Ghost in the Shell. Released in 1985, the OVA follows a young girl carrying an egg throughout a wasteland. One day
she meets a man carrying a cross, and they travel together. The dialogue is very sparse, but the atmosphere is incredible. It's an amazing experience, thanks to the
incredible visuals. Just seeing them wander from place to place was mesmerizing to me. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone; definitely for people who love art cinema, though.
Lastly, Gosenzosama Banbanzai is a 6 episode OVA released from 1989-1990, again from Mamoru Oshii. This anime tells the story of a dysfunctional family that is pushed to their limits following the appearance of a girl named Maroko, who claims to be their descendent from the future. It's incredibly strange, and not everyone will enjoy it (the character designs do look
a bit odd), but for those who give it a chance, you'll find something truly unique! It often is presented as if the anime were a play, complete with spotlights, asides to the audience, characters exiting the stage through trap doors... and the story itself goes to some pretty bizarre and dark places. Personally, I love it since it's Mamoru Oshii directing an absurdist tragicomedy, and that's just the perfect thing for me. The fact that the animation is great doesn't hurt, either.
Anyway, these are all great and often overlooked. Watch them if you're interested!
