Top 10 Most Philosophical Animes

Animes that deal with issues like God, boredom, life, death, ends and means, technology, religion, and similar themes.

The Top Ten

Serial Experiments Lain

Serial Experiments Lain is a Japanese anime series directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura. The characters were designed by Yoshitoshi ABe, the script was written by Chiaki J. Konaka, and production was overseen by Yasuyuki Ueda of Triangle Staff. The show originally aired on TV Tokyo from July to September 1998.... read more

Throughout the plot, there are strong influences from philosophy (overflowing themes such as reality, identity, communication, and God), computer history, cyberpunk literature, mystical orders, and conspiracy theories. Amazingly, the complexity of this animation has earned it several academic articles, similar to the unique Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Psycho-Pass

Psycho-Pass is an anime television series produced by Production I.G. It was directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani and Katsuyuki Motohiro and written by Gen Urobuchi. The series is set in a dystopian future where a person's mental state and criminal intent can be measured by a system called the Sibyl System... read more

The references not only to philosophies but also to politics, physics, biology, and even chemistry, robotics, and economics are not boring and are explained very well, either by the characters or by the plot itself. The highlights are Akane, Kogami, and Makishima, who are the characters with the most interesting development among them all. They manage to transform the already great experience of the anime into something more.
Monster

Monster (Japanese: モンスター, Monsutā) is a manga series written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It is often referred to as Naoki Urasawa's Monster and is widely acclaimed by critics. The series has won multiple awards and its anime adaptation is considered one of the finest of its decade.... read more

This is one of those works where tension, suspense, and mystery are present from beginning to end. But I'll warn you right away, if you have a taste for adventure, comedy, and don't like a psychological plot, then you'd better stay away from this anime.
Death Note

Death Note is a Japanese anime television series based on the manga created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The story follows Light Yagami, a gifted high school student with a strong sense of justice who discovers a notebook that allows him to kill anyone by writing their name in it. His actions as... read more

Light, after starting to make noise like Kira, gets into a dispute with L, an anonymous investigator hired by Interpol to hunt down the person responsible for the criminals' deaths. Both call themselves justice, each keeping their identity unknown.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is an anime series adapted from the Fullmetal Alchemist manga by Hiromu Arakawa. It closely follows the original manga storyline, in contrast to the earlier 2003 adaptation. The series is highly acclaimed for its animation, character development, and faithful adaptation... read more

In short, this is a philosophical line that postulates that "the whole is different from the parts that compose it." This means to say that society is more than the sum of several individuals, as it has its own characteristics that only a lot of human beings do not have together.
Dragon Ball Z

Dragon Ball Z is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation. It follows the adventures of Goku and the Z Warriors as they protect Earth from various villains. The series emphasizes themes of good versus evil and teaches values such as teamwork, loyalty, and perseverance.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, often referred to simply as Code Geass, is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise. It was directed by Gorō Taniguchi and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by the manga artist group Clamp. The series debuted in 2006 and is known for its... read more

The boy who wanted revenge against his father can now reach her with the help of his mysterious partner. Now, with the identity of the masked Zero, he can start what subtitles the anime: his rebellion. The anime gives us epic confrontations both physical and intellectual, a magnificent philosophy, a certain psychological air, scenes to leave your mouth open, amazing characters, a story that gave everything it had to give, and the most amazing main character of all time.
Kino's Journey

Short and excellent anime, as well as very philosophical and poetic, based on a light novel by Keiichi Sigsawa.
Terror in Resonance

It has a few mistakes but it has very good production and really cool action scenes. For those of you who haven't seen it yet, this is a good idea.
Paranoia Agent

Paranoia Agent is a Japanese anime television series created by director Satoshi Kon and produced by Madhouse. The story follows a series of mysterious assaults in Musashino, Tokyo, carried out by a juvenile attacker known as Lil' Slugger. The show delves into themes of mass hysteria, psychological... read more

The Newcomers

?
InuYasha

InuYasha is a manga franchise created by Rumiko Takahashi. It was adapted into two anime television series produced by Sunrise. The first aired for 167 episodes on Yomiuri TV in Japan from October 16, 2000, to September 13, 2004... read more
?
Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion, commonly referred to as Evangelion or Eva, is a Japanese animated television series produced by Gainax and Tatsunoko Production. It was directed by Hideaki Anno and originally aired in Japan from October 1995 to March 1996. The series is known for its psychological depth, complex... read more

The Contenders

Revolutionary Girl Utena

Anime known to many but seen by few. Despite its low popularity, it is strongly defended by those who watched it, mainly due to the huge amount of content it brings, both artistic and philosophical.
Ergo Proxy

Ergo Proxy is a Japanese cyberpunk science fiction suspense anime television series produced by the animation studio Manglobe. The series was directed by Shūkō Murase and written by Dai Satō. It originally aired from February to August 2006 and ran for a total of 23 episodes.
One Piece

One Piece is a manga franchise created by Eiichiro Oda. The manga was adapted into an original video animation (OVA) produced by Production I.G in 1998. The anime series produced by Toei Animation began broadcasting in Japan in 1999 and, as of now, has aired 851 episodes.
Astro Boy

Astro Boy, known in Japan by its original name Mighty Atom, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. It was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1952 to 1968. The original 112 chapters were collected into 23 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha, and the series is considered... read more
Dragon Ball GT

Dragon Ball GT is a Japanese anime series based on Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga. It was produced by Toei Animation and premiered in Japan on Fuji TV on February 7, 1996. The series ran for 64 episodes and concluded on November 19, 1997.
Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball Super is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation that began airing on July 5, 2015. It is a sequel to the original Dragon Ball manga and follows the events of Dragon Ball Z. This was the first new Dragon Ball television series with an original storyline in 18 years.
My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia is an adventure and superhero manga series written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi. It began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2014. The story follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers in a world where they are common, as he trains to become a professional hero... read more
Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a 2011 Japanese anime television series produced by Shaft and Aniplex. It was directed by Akiyuki Shinbo and written by Gen Urobuchi, with music composed by Yuki Kajiura. The series features an opening theme by ClariS, ending themes by Kalafina and occasionally the voice... read more
Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan, known in Japan as Shingeki no Kyojin, is a widely acclaimed anime series created by Hajime Isayama. The series premiered in Japan in April 2013 and debuted in English in the United States in 2014. It is recognized for its emotional storytelling, post-apocalyptic setting, and thrilling... read more

Amazing anime. The true allegorization of the work's political philosophy comes from its plot and characters.
Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. The series was originally serialized in Nakayoshi magazine from 1991 to 1997. The story was collected into 18 tankōbon volumes containing 52 individual chapters... read more
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (Japanese title Hoshi no Kirby) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Warpstar, Inc. The show adapts the beloved video game character Kirby into a whimsical, action‑adventure format. It originally aired in Japan from 2001 to 2003.
Sonic X

Sonic X is a Japanese anime television series created by TMS Entertainment. It is based on the Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise published by Sega. The series originally aired in 2003 and features Sonic and his friends being transported to Earth where they battle Dr. Eggman and his robots.
Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is a Japanese anime television series that premiered in 1998 and was produced by the animation studio Sunrise. The series was directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and featured character designs by Toshihiro Kawamoto and mechanical designs by Kimitoshi Yamane. The... read more
Naruto

Naruto is an anime and manga franchise created by Masashi Kishimoto. The manga was adapted into a television anime series produced by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex. It premiered on TV Tokyo and other TX Network stations on October 3, 2002... read more