Forum - View topicSupernatural anime recommendations.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16963 |
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Since the rest of the official recommendation threads have been on page 2 for a week now, as Zalis asked for before making more, here's one more official recommendation thread following Dan's new genre search. This time we're going with supernatural anime. I had a hard time deciding between this and horror as they both go hand in hand so often. But horror does not have to be supernatural in nature, or vice versa, so keep that in mind. Below is Dan's definition of supernatural for us to go by for the recommendations.
I'll throw two out there to get things started; Vampire Hunter D (original and Bloodlust)--- Vampire Hunter D is set in the DISTANT future full of the occult and technology. Though the era is technologically advanced there's a real distinct medieval feel to the humans and how they live in towns and not cities anymore. Of course vampires have also basically taken over the night. In the original OVA and later movie you follow the adventures of "D" who's a half human/half vampire who hunts down vampires. there's a secret to his identity but I won't spoil that. To help him he has his hand.....which has this weird parasitic organism living in it that talks to him and can use a wind tunnel similar to that of Miroku from Inu Yasha. The original is a classic and one of the first big anime hits to land here and help make anime popular. So the original has a definite nostalgic feel to it. It isd old so the animation shows it's age but the story is very engaging and it was so different from other cartoons here at the time it really helped show case anime to Americans and how different and mature cartoons could be (just my opinion). That and it was a great show for any fans of vampires or the occult. The later movie (later by almost 2 decades) had gorgeous animation and colors really stood out well against the darker tones of the scenery. All the colors used for outfits and people really are striking and stand out. The animation was just done wonderfully. The plot was again your normal kill the powerful vampire but the character relationships again really make the movie stand out. Plus the character are mostly full of depth and not just whiny idiots you hope get killed. The plot keeps you watching as D goes from one action filled scene to another. Again, if you love vampires or the occult the movie delivers like the older OVA. Gilgamesh--- Gilgamesh is a title I think many never even heard about despite the fact it's relatively new. The premise for it is actually based on old Babylonian mythologies which is new to anime. Can't think of any show that's covered that topic before. The story takes place as a brother and sister are running from debt collectors in a scarred future. An accident called Twin X turned the sky into a mirror like substance and computers were rendered useless. Almost like a global EMP pulse in a way. The brother and sister discover there are those with basically telekinetic powers, and monsters, the Gilgamesh, as well with their own powers. The 2 sides face off to determine the fate of the world. Sounds like a end of the world series. The difference is the characters and their relationships really are what take the front stage over anything else. The show is very dark, literal and figurative, and full of gorgeous imagery. The characters are drawn very boldly and with very distinct characteristics. The Gilgamesh look like true monsters and the scenery is very dark but very detailed. Visually alone this show a treat for the eyes and what makes it so awe inspiring is it's all done without CGI. Even if you find the plot dull the animation should keep you interested. Though I doubt the plot will disappoint you either. It keeps you guessing and on your feet and often you'll be left wondering which side is really right in the struggle. The ending is also a very rare for any show and will surprise you. If you like nice dark suspenseful series pick this up. |
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jetz
 Posts: 2148 Location: Manila, Philippines |
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Red Garden - About 4 normal high school girls named Kate, Rachel, Claire and Rose. They wake up one morning not being able to remember what happened the night before. Suddenly, they are told that they died that night, and that they have "borrowed" bodies to keep them alive. Furthermore, they are told to fight these strange beings because if they don't, they won't get their normal bodies and will be doomed to perish.
It's sort of like action shojo, because in between the fight scenes there are also dramatic and romantic plots. Speaking of the plot, it can be a little confusing, but everything gets explained in the end. Animation is superb and it's definitely eye candy. |
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Kruszer
 Posts: 7994 Location: Minnesota, USA |
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Lunar Legend Tsukihime- Revolves arround Shiki Tohno who, ever since a childhood accident, has been able to see strange lines all over the place. When these lines are cut it means instant "death" for whatever it is, but special pair of glasses given to him by a mage he encountered blocks it and allows him to see normally. Because of his weak health he was sent away to live with relatives, but now his father has passed away and he was asked to move back into his family's mansion with his sister. One day his powers drive him temporarily insane and he ends up hacking a beautiful girl to death in a park. Believing it to have been a dream he goes about a day as usual but is surprised to find her alive and well waiting for him. She tells him that she's a vampire and forces him into helping her kill another vampire who's been murdering people in his town. There isn't much action, but it does have an excellent storyline, great characters, and an unique creepy atnosphere.
Witch Hunter Robin-Robin Sena is sent to Japan as a replacement Hunter for the STN-J, an organization that deals with people who have developed abnormal powers. However, Robin herself is a fire craft user and because of this she has a little trouble fitting in. However, everything changes when she accidentally stumbles upon Craft Secrets that STN would rather have concealed. Fate/Stay Night-When Shirou Emiya witnesses a battle between two epic spirits he becomes targeted himself so they can keep their secret. However, Shirou inadvertantly summons a magical epic hero of his own, a beautiful girl who calls herself Saber. It's then that he learns of the deadly competition that takes place in his town, where 7 Mages known as Masters and their magical servants (who are all the spirits of mythological or historical heroes/villains) compete for the right to wish from the Holy Grail. Despite being a complete novice who knows only a few spells Shirou decides to go through with the games to end the devastation they cause to the city, and forges an alliance with a classmate and fellow Mage Rin Tohsaka and her servant Archer. |
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kizzmequik_74
 Posts: 302 Location: QC, Philippines |
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Supernatural anime? Not exactly my favorite genre, so I haven't really kept up... So this one's pretty old.
Blood: The Last Vampire tells a story of a world where all is normal... Except that in the night, there roams vampiric demons known only as Chiropterans. The time is during the Vietnam War. The place is on the outskirts of Yokota Air Base in Tokyo prefecture. The story revolves around Saya, a teenaged girl who, despite appearances, is the single best hunter of Chiropterans. Her mission is to hunt down the a group of Chiropterans by being placed undercover in the high school on the base. Her only weapons are her natural abilities, and a razor-sharp katana. But there is a reason why she is able to battle on even ground with the monsters, a reason which hints that Saya is far more than what she appears to be... A short, 50-minute feature from 2000, this show simply oozes atmosphere from every corner of the screen. However, this is really its greatest strength and greatest weakness at the same time: it seems that the production staff decided to focus on the atmosphere and visuals at the expense of exposition. Really, we learn very little about the characters, nothing about their motivations, very little about their pasts, which makes it very hard to care about the characters. However, as a action anime, it is impeccable. As expected from Production I.G., when they get a budget for a feature film, the visuals are awesome. The animation is impeccably smooth, the CG is brilliant, especially considering its age, and the fight scenes have this visceral feel to them, which makes them very impressive. Issues of characterization aside, this movie is simply required watching for Production I.G. fans, and in general, fans of bloody supernatural anime. It's light on characterization, but if you really care for such details, you can always read the companion materials, or watch the Blood+ spinoff. That said, can anyone make a write-up on Blood+? I haven't seen it to completion, since when it was first shown here, it was scheduled in the American Idol result show's timeslot, and I was honestly torn between the two... 
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MorwenLaicoriel
 Posts: 1617 Location: Colorado |
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I'm not quite sure if this fits the genre, but I'm pretty sure it does?
Paranoia Agent - Tsukiko Sagi, a character designer struggling with a case of artist's block, is attacked by a young boy with a golden bat on her way home from work. Two detectives are assigned to her case, and at first one of them suspects that she may have faked the assault...until her mysterious attacker strikes again. Now called "Shounen Bat" (or "'Lil Slugger" in the dub), the detectives have to track him down and stop him before he hurts more innocent people. As the number of victims grow in number, the mystery deepens. Who is Shounen Bat? What's the connection between the victims? My summary doesn't make it sound very inline with the genre, but there's a supernatural feel to the series, particularly as the story progresses. It's an excellent anime, one of my personal favorites. |
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FUNiRepBlue (disabled)
Company Representative
 Posts: 66 |
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Ghost Hunt
Ghost Hunt has horror and supernatural elements in it. Here's the link on the encyclopedia on it anime#6817 Darker Than Black This one I wouldn't consider horror but definitely Supernatural. This one is a little on the bloody side but it's really freaking cool series! Hell Girl Again this is another supernatural style anime. Summary: According to rumor, a mysterious message board exists, accessible only at midnight. Those who find the site have the ability to post a grudge they harbor against someone, and the Jigoku Shojo (Hell Girl) will carry-out the revenge and then transport that person’s soul to hell. I think Ghost Hunt is my favorite from these 3 although they are all really good. That supernatural horror genre is my favorite type of anime. |
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11447 Location: Frisco, TX |
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*cough* Just thought I'd throw that in there  . Ghost Hunt is definitely one of my favorites. The way they divide the series up into different cases, the sleuthing and deduction, the creepy music and sound effects. Wow! I'm getting goosebumps just thinking of the "Blood-stained Labyrinth" arc. I wholeheartedly back this recommendation up for anyone wanting to watch an excellent supernatural mystery series.
Other recommendations: Hellsing Ultimate: Obviously more of an action series when you get down to the uber violence, but it is set around vampires, zombies/ghouls, werewolves (eventually), and other supernatural creatures/people. And of course, what better way to vanquish the evil than with Count Dracula himself fighting for the Hellsing Organization (notice I said Hellsing, not England). Blood, blood, and more blood all over the place. Dismemberment, arms being split in half, bone sticking out of flesh. You name it, Hellsing Ultimate has got it (and in style  ). *cough*
Hundred Stories: A chronicle of (I'm guessing) Japanese folklore. 13 episodes of.. weirdness. But not weird as in abnormal, weird as in freaky. It's completely episodic, but every episode is a different little horror story with an underlying moral (very similar to Jigoku Shoujo, but much more bizarre in the presentation, especially the artwork). Best to get your copies from Right Stuf while they're still in print. *cough* Mushi-shi: By far one of my all-time favorites. Yet another episodic series depicting the tales of Ginko the Mushi-shi as he travels all over Japan interacting with, educating, and assisting those who come into contact with the mysterious creatures known as mushi. I'm not even going to attempt to explain the concept of the series at this point since I've already got this thread to do it for me. But do check it out if you're interested in something beyond the norm. |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar Posts: 16963 |
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One other title I'd suggest to people is Requiem from the Darkness. The show involves Yamaoka Momosuke following a group of "investigators" of a sort who track down the truths, if there are any, behind legends to reveal them. Each times he follows them he winds up in precarious situations. The show is more episodic so if you can only watch an episode or two at a time that works out for you. The show is also very creepy. The backgrounds and scenery in this show are some of the creepiest I've seen period. Some of the characters themselves look strange enough on their own but with the environment they come off as something out of a ghost story. Considering it's almost time for Halloween this show would be a great one to watch about now. Great visuals and a very creepy atmosphere.
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Bosque
 Posts: 102 Location: Chile (castillian-talker) |
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I recommend Ponpoko
anime#809 It tells about a takuni tribe that sees it's habitat invaded by human's urbanization. Trying to solve the problem, the tanukis found no other solution than frightening the humans transfrorming themselves into ghost-like creatures. Very nice visuals (as almost every Ghibli film) =) Try this link if you don't know what takunis are, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki Bye 
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hazel_green
 Posts: 6 |
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i'd really recommend Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. check the information on that anime on this site and see if its the type you like. i think its suspense keeps the audience interested.
or, Death Note is nice too, but one of the main characters, Light, freaks me out. spoiler[I feel that he's sorta twisted.] that's what kept me away from the anime at first. |
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LordRedhand
 Posts: 1472 Location: Middle of Nowhere, Indiana |
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I would suggest Le Chevalier D'Eon, for a historic supernatural series
more about the series here- anime#6536 For something completely different, if action isn't your thing then Ghost Stories maybe up your ally, the dub is an adult comedy show and the sub is an "endearing" family show if you know a little about Japanese ghost stories. Info here- anime#1736 |
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FLMikeATT
 Posts: 58 |
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xxxHOLIC (kei) are pretty good.
Also, Mnemosyne no Musume Tachi (one of my all time favorite series). |
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Emerje
 Posts: 7413 Location: Maine |
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This has become a favorite sub-genre of mine for the last couple years. Nobody has mentioned my favorite yet.
Natsume Yūjin Chō (Natsume's Book of Friends): Takashi Natsume has the unique ability to see yokai, an ability that has been both a gift and a course his entire life. Due to this ability he has had trouble interacting with normal humans despite doing everything in his powers to hide it. After the death of his parents as a child he finds him drifting from relative to relative who only see him as "strange". At one point he is given an odd book that once belonged to his grandmother Reiko, the Book of Friends. He learns that Reiko also had the power to see yokai when she was his age, but bullied or tricked them into giving up their names (in fokelore having a yokai's name gives you power over them) which she kept in the Book of Friends. With the help of the powerful yokai Madara who disguises himself as a living "lucky cat" statue, Natsume is determined to return all of the names to their owners, however deserving they may be. Along the way he gains a new appreciation for both humans and yokai alike and finds that not all of the names Reiko took were out of selfishness. You can watch this for free on CrunchyRoll right now. This is my second favorite title of 2008 (behind Toradora) as well as 2009 (thus far). Very few shows have put me on the verge of tears out of sadness and happiness all at the same time, but this one does it to me with almost every episode. It's often uplifting, almost to the point of being inspirational, but can bring you down just as easily. The action is light, but exciting. No humans have extra powers beyond Natsume's sixth sense (which a very few characters share along with traditional exorcism techniques) so you get a feeling of imminent danger in the occasion that a powerful yokai does attack. I really have a hard time finding anything bad to say about the series, both seasons have been exceptional and I can't wait for a full-on licensed release to come about. I'm still waiting to finish both Rental Magica -- which unites the magics of our world in the form of "magic for hier" doing everything from exorcisms to retrieving artifacts -- and Wagaya no Oinarisama (Our Home's Fox Deity) -- about the daily life of a Japanese family and their live-in fox deity and a renewed awareness in the supernatural beings living among them. Unfortunately Kadokawa USA is sitting on both titles so who knows when I'll get to finish them. Another title that I just got around to finishing is Yozakura Quartet which features a pretty average Japanese town except for the fact that most of the citizens are yokai living in peace with humans. Of course peace only exists because it's being fought for as evil yokai are out to destroy the town. I found all of the characters to be extremely likable and most are very unique takes on traditional Asian mythical and supernatural creatures like oni and Chinese zombies. Fun series, I'm glad I got around to finishing it, can't wait for someone to pick it up. Emerje |
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Maylilyx
Posts: 1 |
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I don't know which anime to watch? I'm looking for something about a vampire. A romance only. But not TOO much drama or action. Like something a 10-20 aged girl from america wants to watch. The vampire has to be male. The girl cannot but can be other things like priest mage, angel, ect. Don't really like werewolf though.
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ShAkY
Posts: 4 Location: Victoria, BC Canada |
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Deffnitly watch Mushishi, and Mononoke (NOT princess mononoke) was good too, really different though
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