I'm looking for stories that treat people with complete emotional sincerity. I want characters who feel like real human beings rather than jokes.
It's also important to me that they are psychologically believable characters. People should behave consistently with who they are, even when they make mistakes. I really like when it feels like the world keeps going even when your not watching (FMAB and Haibane do a good job at this). I also really value when emotion is treated with respect no matter how ugly it gets. when a show treats the characters with dignity and doesn't make light of or gloss over real things they might be feeling even if for most people it's uncomfortable to watch and they might not like it.
Another thing that's important is very strong internal consistency and no obvious plot armor. I care much more about a story keeping its own promises than whether the ending is happy or sad. I'm completely fine with supernatural elements or unusual mechanics as long as they are established early and followed consistently.
I also really like natural relationships. Clannad spoilers ahead For example some of my favorite parts in Clannad is when Tomoya and Nagisa are in bed talking to each other late at night or when Tomoya asks Nagisas dad if he can marry her. That plus really any of the relationships in Haibane renmei feel extremely natural with no obvious author pressure.
I'm totally ok if there is little plot but plot is also good as well. I'm totally ok if nothing happens for long stretches or is considered super slow. I really like when scenes are allowed to breathe and it trusts the audience to not get bored. FMAB is probably around the upper limit to how much action I typically like but if everything else fits really well I'll give it a shot even if it goes past it a little. Also open to old anime
my top favorite of all time are these:
Haibane Renmei (my gold standard)
Clannad and Clannad: After Story (Also tied for first)
Monster
Maquia
Plastic Memories
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
A Silent Voice (despite a few moments that may have looked like plot armor)
86 (same thing, but season two had a lot of plot armor)
Frieren
my anime hall of shame is pretty small, just kaguya sama and nichijou and the devil is a part timer. not really looking for forced comedy.
yeah but most of all I'm looking for an anime that will open a new perspective or that you genuinely feel like may have changed your life or worldview. like I said I don't mind if it's slow or has no plot or is depressing.
Here's all the anime I've seen so you don't recommend the same few things:
Children who chase lost voices
From up on Poppy hill
Clannad
Angel beats
Your Name
Your lie in April
5 centimeters per second
Ano Hana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Plastic Memories
Girl Und Panzer
Violet evergarden
Grave of the fireflies
A Silent Voice
Steins;Gate
Hotarubi No Mori E
I want to eat your pancreas
Weathering with you
Kanon
Air
Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea
I am sakamoto
The devil is a part timer
Spirited Away
Orange
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
White Album 2
Garden of words
Usagi drop
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
Charlotte
Suzume
Erased
Death note
FMA brotherhood
Monster
Frieren
Terror in Resonance
Kikis delivery service
Puella magi madoka magica
86
Neon Genesis Evengalion
Haibane renmei
Planetarian
Serial experiments lain
*last minor footnote, please don't recommend anything with lots of gore or fan service if you can help it. I really get turned off when a characters dignity is stripped by fan service to keep people watching. It ruins the fragile trust you build with the author which makes it hard to learn from. If you read this far thanks