We asked the BuzzFeed Community to share “an anime that completely shattered your mind into a million pieces because it was so epic,” and people shared their favorite TV shows and movies. Here are the best responses:
🚨 Spoiler Alert 🚨
1. “Demon Slayer is greatly animated and has a wonderful storyline, and also Evangelion — kinda weird and sometimes slightly repetitive, but different.”
Ufotable
—kaa
“I know this is unforgivable, but I only recently saw Demon Slayer. I wanted to watch it earlier, of course, but never had the chance. But gosh! I’m only a few episodes in, and it already leaves me with awws and empathy — and, gosh, it’s too funny, cute, and sad! I already get surprised and touched by every single thing that happens. It’s refreshing to see an anime that’s both new and dramatic, yet hilarious to me, like this. Quite the anime. One thing I ponder on is why Tanjiro’s scar changed after the training in the first episode, or am I just overthinking?”
“I have watched a lot of anime and seen some great ones. Demon Slayer is one of the most beautiful anime I’ve ever seen. It’s so well animated by Ufotable. I also love the story of it as well.”
“I’m pretty hyped for the final arc of Demon Slayer. I started watching the anime without much expectation and was very pleased with the story. I really like how much of a good boy Tanjiro is and how, even though he is pretty strong in his own right, he remains humble and strives to be the best he can be so that he can help the rest of the Hashira and slayers.”
2. “Attack on Titan was an emotional roller-coaster. Realistic in the sense of loss. Erwin and Hange’s deaths were very emotional for me.
MAPPA
“The plot placement was so good and ingenious. Isayama needs his ass ate for what he did with AOT. No bad episode at all. I loooove a show that makes me feel miserable, it’s a type of high that is hard to find, and AOT did that for me.”
“Attack on Titan! I was a teenager when it first came out and was an adult when the series finally ended! Before then, I wasn’t too interested in the anime genre. However, my friend in high school made me watch the first episode with her, and I was hooked! The action scenes and true love for the animation itself really got my attention.”
—anonymous
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3. “Neon Genesis Evangelion, the series, is a profound apocalyptic mecha psychological drama. It’s definitely more for a mature audience.”
Gainax
“It is about a future where Earth is attacked by mysterious beings called ‘Angels.’ To protect humanity, a group of teenagers pilot giant robots called ‘Evangelions.’ The story delves deeply into the characters’ personal struggles, emotions, and psychological issues, especially the main protagonist, Shinji Ikari. While it features intense battles and sci-fi elements, it’s also a complex and often philosophical exploration of human nature and relationships. I also recommend watching the film The End of Evangelion, which also explains what happened during the Apocalypse.”
4. “I’ve always ventured into shonen and action anime since I was a kid, but I was recommended Erased years ago.”
A-1 Pictures
“I remember watching it with a sibling in one sitting and having my mind absolutely destroyed by the twists and thriller elements of the series. It’s such a great anime, and it’s a short one, so it’s good for people wanting to watch a new anime.”
5. “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners managed to pack so much emotion into the finale that I had to force myself not to cry.”
Trigger
—anonymous
“It’s just perfect. I still get teary-eyed when I hear ‘I Really Want To Stay at Your House’ by Rosa Walton.”
6. “I’m gonna go off on a different tangent and say that Goblin Slayer shattered me. To this day, I still can’t watch the first few minutes of the first episode.”
AT-X
“I’ve watched some pretty extreme anime before and was pretty cool with it, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING, could have prepared me for those first few minutes. Everything else aside from that was smooth sailing, and I really liked the rest of the series.”
7. It took me almost three years to catch up with both the anime and the manga, and I’m now a week-to-week watcher/reader. Oda’s level of foreshadowing is incredible, and One Piece is an absolute masterclass in world-building.”
Toei Animation
“When my boyfriend and I started dating almost four years ago, we started showing each other our favorite shows and movies. I started with The Good Place. He started with One Piece. I loved and was obsessed with Sailor Moon as a kid, but hadn’t really watched anime since then. It took me almost three years to catch up with both the anime and the manga, and I’m now a week-to-week watcher/reader. Oda’s level of foreshadowing is incredible, and OP is an absolute masterclass in world-building. There are so many beautifully done, emotional backstories. There are also some absolutely fantastic comedic moments. It’s inspired me to start writing again! Never thought I’d find myself caring about a group of animated pirates, but here we are!”
8. “The OG — Astro Boy (Mighty Atom) in the 80s.”
Tezuka Productions
9. “Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is amazing and deserves all the praise it gets.”
Bones
“The storytelling was fantastic, and it had the ability to make me laugh, cry, be angry, and happy all at once. It was my first actual anime I ever fully finished, and it’s been my absolute favorite since! It’s a must-watch for anime lovers.”
“Rich story, well-developed characters, and the constant pendulum from heartwarming to heartbreaking. Stories about familial love get me every time. Also, a SPECTACULAR portrayal of women! Riza Hawkeye, Izumi Curtis, Winry Rockbell… you will always be famous.”
“Technically, it’s two: Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Fullmetal Alchemist was the first anime I seriously got into, and I think the moment that really did it for me was seeing the horrific transformation and death of a really sweet character (a moment that has since become infamous for being tastelessly overmemed). Seeing that was one of the most visceral and gut-wrenching moments I’ve ever experienced in any form of media. That was when I realized I had stumbled upon a life-changing story that would stay with me forever. Unfortunately, the first series ended rather disappointingly, but thankfully, they had the chance to do the story justice with the remake series, Brotherhood. The ending to Brotherhood is so much more complete and satisfying, and to this day, it is the greatest animated series I’ve ever seen.”
—anonymous
“I know, I know, it’s cliche! But as an older sibling who went through so many traumatic experiences trying to protect her own younger siblings, I connected so deeply to the story and Ed Elric’s character arc. I saw my siblings’ journey to self-empowerment and their painful process of identity-building in Alphonse Elric. I cried like a baby every other episode. It was incredibly healing for me and will have a special place in my heart.”
10. “The 1997 run of Berserk made me a real anime fan. I had watched a few like Pokémon and Inuyasha, but it wasn’t until Berserk that I took anime seriously. Berserk showed me that there are dark stories for adults and that anime wasn’t just for kids.”
OLM Team Iguchi
“Okay, it’s a manga, but Beserk. If you’ve been in anime and manga fan spaces as long as I have, you’ve probably met someone who REALLY wants you to read Berserk— you should listen to that person! The art is gorgeous, and so is the story. It’s dark, violent, and it’s deeply emotional. The way it explores morality, human nature, and many other themes actually changed my life. (It does also have a few anime adaptations, technically, one from 1997 and one from 2016. They both cover fairly small portions of the story, and the 2016 one is just… bad. I’d strongly recommend just reading the manga.”
—anonymous
11. “For me, it was a movie called Ninja Scroll, followed by a more intense one called Bezerker, if I remember correctly.”
Madhouse
“Ninja Scroll is amazing.”
12. “Yu Yu Hakusho is great fun. It has the ability to be both funny and poignant while serving up easily digestible 30-minute episodes. It’s a great series (and a good look at ’90s culture)!”
Studio Pierrot Co
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13. “1989’s Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland was one of the first anime movies (although based on an American comic strip) to take my breath away as a little kid.”
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
“I’ll never forget how scared I was when the Nightmare King captured King Morpheus, and the creepy nightmare fog engulfed his body. It was the moment I realized that these types of cartoons didn’t hold back on violence or scary moments, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
14. “My Hero Academia is a show that isn’t just another generic superhero story, as it deconstructs Western superhero comics while adding a fresh and fun spin to those tropes.”
Bones
“The characters are well-written, the animation in both the series and movies is STELLAR, and the music is one of the most iconic scores in a franchise. To anyone who hasn’t watched MHA, watch it!!! 🔥”
15. “I like the whole anti-corporate themes and anti-capitalist themes of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead.”
Bug Films
“Consequently, I also thought One Punch Man is amazing for metaspoofs on the superhero genre. The original mind-blowers for me were Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and FLCL, both exploring different themes in opposite ways, but no less mind-blowing.”
—anonymous
16. “Death Parade is a true psychological journey full of emotion. It really made me think, and I just had to sit there and process everything that happened.”
Madhouse
—anonymous
17. “Jujutsu Kaisen was incredibly fun, as well as sad and heartfelt. It talks about morality, fate, and friendship in a way that I haven’t seen before. Even if the characters have powers, that doesn’t make them any less relatable and dynamic. The animation as well — chef’s kiss.”
MAPPA
—anonymous
“Two words. Jujutsu Kaisen. Here stars Yuji Itadori: a 15-year-old who ends up sharing the same body with a straight-up devilish human that existed years ago 😭. It’s unlike other anime in that there’s no redemption arc or ‘working together’ between the two. And the deaths 😱. Literally no one is safe here.”
—anonymous
18. “Yuri!!! On Ice is such a cute show, I love all the characters and their development, and Victor and Yuri are just the cutest!”
MAPPA
—anonymous
19. “Blue Lock is so cool. There were several moments that chilled me to the core! It’s incredibly different than most sports anime, and it’s truly a thrilling watch.”
TV Asahi
—anonymous
20. “Spy x Family is fucking amazing. It’s wholesome enough that I’m not always crying like when I watch Jujutsu Kaisen, but still enough action to keep me around.”
Wit Studio
“All the characters are well-developed, and the plot is amazing. It’s a funny, wholesome, and adventurous tale. I recommend it to everyone.”
—anonymous
21. “I thought volleyball was boring until I watched Haikyu!! The characters and their development are amazing, the matches were thrilling, the animation was fantastic, and it was a hilarious and emotional experience! I remember holding my breath, on the edge of my seat as I watched them play.”
Production I.G
—anonymous
22. “The Disastrous Life of Saiki K was the first anime I watched, and it made me a fan. I love the characters and how wild it is. I was laughing the whole way through.”
J.C. Staff
“It’s so funny and all the characters are amazing. Some characters are annoying, but you love them anyway because the show is so self-aware. A friend recommended it to me and I’m so grateful.”
—anonymous
23. “Given does such a good job at portraying LGBTQ characters. Mafayu and Uenoyama’s relationship was amazing, and I loved all of the characters. It managed to make me burst out laughing and make me sob; It’s an amazing ride.”
Lerche
—anonymous
24. “One that has stuck with me and continues to leave an impact is Assassination Classroom. I’d heard good things about it before, but I didn’t start watching it until I saw it aired on Toonami about four years ago.”
Lerche
“I ended up binging the whole show on Funimation’s streaming service, and I feel like that series taught me what it means to be a great teacher. Before I saw this show, if you had asked me, ‘Who do you think is the greatest teacher or mentor figure you’ve ever seen on screen?’ I’d probably say either Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World, Mr. Keating from Dead Poets Society, Mr. Onizuka from GTO, Mister Rogers, or Uncle Iroh.
But now, I can confidently say the answer to that is Koro-sensei. Interestingly, I finished watching Assassination Classroom shortly before embarking on a 10-week trip to Guatemala to work as a volunteer English teacher. I think watching AC gave me the inspiration and confidence I needed to succeed on that trip. And believe it or not, I’m now working full-time teaching English in Japan. Whenever I give my self-introduction presentation to new students and mention that AC is one of my favorite anime, the students tend to get really excited. I want to be a great teacher like Koro-sensei, and I try to treat every one of my students like a member of his 3-E class.”
—anonymous
“The way Nagisa killed Koro sensei killed me mentally. I come to the same episode and I still cry :(.”
Do you have a favorite anime (or animated show) that completely blew your mind, and which part was it? It’s okay if some people like the same show; we all love different things about it. Share in the comments or use this anonymous form.
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