Hey guys, So I know I’m being a little picky here but I’m looking for suggestions. I wanna watch some more shows that don’t, or barely use (looking at you Berserk with Puck), super deformed art style. Most often I see it used in animes of heavier stories that want a way to break the tension. It works, but I hate it. Demon slayer is a great example. I love the story but too often the art style changes, characters become large or tiny, have exaggerated expressions, etc. It seems to be for comedic effect, but it breaks my investment. I couldn’t finish demon slayer because of it.
I just watched Hell’s Paradise and that was great. They never used it or it was so sparingly used I didn’t notice. So I’m looking for a new show to watch, something Shonen that doesn’t use SD. Also, preferably with characters who are already reasonably competent without whining.
Anybody else hate that style? What are your suggestions?
Part of the reason they switch to super deformed style is so that they can save money on animation. Its faster and therefore cheaper to animate with less details. Sometimes they do it for comedic effect, which usually works. Sometimes its to convey something, such as a character’s emotions. Anime cannot convey the same subtlety in character emotions that live action film can, so the animators have to exaggerate it to communicate the point.
Now, as for shows that do not often use this technique, it depends on your particular tastes. Here is what I like, maybe something will pique your interest:
Heaven’s Lost Property (this one actually uses a super deformed style semi-often, but I still liked it so I am listing it here anyways)
Chobits
Black Lagoon
Full Metal Panic!
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Bubblegum Crisis (NOT Tokyo 2040)
Bubblegum Crash!
YU-NO (the iriginal game is literally a masterpiece, too bad the remake butchered the art style and soundtrack balancing becauae I like the removal of certain… “content”)
Akira (anime movie widely regarded as the greatest anime film of all time, not seeing it is actually committing a crime)
Super Dimension Fortress Macross / Robotech (Robotech version is slightly altered, but essentially the same story)
Overlord
Shuffle!
DearS
Konosuba
Record of Lodoss War (the original OVA series)
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (yes, I will judge you if you skip the Endless Eight Arc)
Goblin Slayer
DNA^2
Is this a Zombie?
Dallos
Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade (the original, not the Korean Live Action remake, which was okay but not anime)
Trigun (the original, not the new one – RIP Millie)
Cowboy Bebop
Parasite Dolls
AD Police Files
Angel Beats
Samurai Troopers
Dirty Pair
Chaika The Coffin Princess
Spice and Wolf
Kill la Kill (this one changes art style a lot, but thats a Studio Trigger signature, not the same as super deformed)
Shenmue the Animation (pretty accurate telling of the first two games, but the pacing is pretty wuick compared to the game, watch this only if you dont want to play the game)
takt op.Destiny
Captain Harlock
Darling in the Franxx
Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon?
Charlotte
Classroom of the Elite
Arifureta
Shimoneta
Knights & Magic
Pumpkin Scissors
The Quintessential Quintuplets
Ghost in the Shell
Idk, I feel like Mako’s monologues are exactly the type of thing OP was complaining about
As I noted, it changes style as is a staple of Studio Trigger works, but it’s not quite the same as constantly going to super deformed/chibi art. At the same time, Kill la Kill is a classic and should be on any recommend list regardless. Plus, I just listed a bunch of shows I like that could fit the request, one of them is bound to be interesting to OP.