10 best philosophical anime that you should try

Anime is often dismissed as simply cartoon entertainment. However, many philosophical anime series and films tackle complex philosophical themes that explore the human condition.

From questioning reality and morality to analyzing psychology and society, the best philosophical anime offer profound ideas to ponder. For fans who want anime that makes them think deeply and look at life differently, this list of the 10 best philosophical anime has incredible shows for expanding the mind.

While telling compelling stories, these philosophical anime focus on unique concepts and thought-provoking commentary on existence, purpose, values, and more.

Neon Genesis Evangelion, Death Note, and 8 must-watch philosophical anime

1) Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Image via Gainax)

This philosophical anime needs no introduction, yet its enduring fame stems not from robot action sequences but from its avant-garde exploration of the human psyche.

Underlying the story of teenagers piloting mechs to defend Earth from alien-like invaders lies a deep dive into the dysfunctional minds and relationships that ultimately shape identity and purpose.

With its striking animation mirroring fragmented psyches, Neon Genesis Evangelion remains an idiosyncratic and ambitious touchstone in animated storytelling that wrestles with philosophical notions of self-actualization, escapism, suffering, and what it means to inhabit one’s body and existence.

2) Ghost in the Shell

Ghost in the Shell (Image via Production I.G)

One of the most seminal cyberpunk anime films of all time, Ghost in the Shell perfectly encapsulates key philosophical questions regarding technology, identity, and what constitutes consciousness in an increasingly digitized world.

Set in a futuristic Japan where cybernetic augmentations are commonplace, the film centers on Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg public agent. Majot Motoko faces an existential crisis as she questions her humanity and identity amidst a reality where minds can be hacked.

With its influential aesthetic and thematic impact on sci-fi across all media, this philosophical anime classic contemplates profound philosophical matters revolving around transhumanism that feel prescient today.

3) Serial Experiments Lain

Serial Experiments Lain (Image via Triangle Staff)

A more abstract, surreal take on the relationship between technology and identity, Serial Experiments Lain is a cult classic series that's both unsettling and thought-provoking.

The philosophical anime follows an isolated high school girl who discovers the Wired—a global computing network analogous to the internet. She begins losing her sense of personality and reality as she immerses herself deeper into the network.

Using a fragmented narrative structure, Lain delves deep into concepts like communication and consciousness in the digital age. It also explores ideas about perception, memory, and the collective unconscious in a way that leaves much open to viewer interpretation.

4) Monster

While not overtly philosophical in nature, Monster examines the timeless moral question of what constitutes true evil through tense psychological drama.

The anime chronicles Japanese brain surgeon Kenzo Tenma, whose life enters turmoil after he saves the life of a young boy named Johan Liebert instead of the town's mayor. As he investigates a string of murders, Dr. Tenma discovers that Johan may, in fact, embody an unsettling form of human malevolence.

Monster drives viewers to contemplate the ethical complexities that divide good and evil people through its intricate character writing.

5) Steins;Gate

Centered around time travel, Steins;Gate delves into thought experiments about choice theory, causality loops, and the consequences of altering the past. Protagonist Rintaro Okabe accidentally discovers time-leaping technology, which sets into motion catastrophic shifts in the world line's flow of events.

As Okabe desperately attempts to undo the damage his temporal tampering has caused, Steins;Gate explores philosophical questions around changing fate against seemingly inevitable tragedy. Smart, suspenseful, and emotionally charged, this philosophical anime leaves quite an intellectual impression.

6) Ergo Proxy

For an avant-garde post-apocalyptic twist on existential philosophy, look no further than psychological thriller Ergo Proxy. Set in a domed futuristic city governed by artificially intelligent AutoReiv androids, the show interweaves Western philosophy with cyberpunk to question concepts of self and being.

References to philosophical thinkers like Descartes, Lacan, and Heidegger abound as the dome's citizens confront a mysterious virus that causes AutoReivs to gain self-awareness. This philosophical anime keeps viewers on their intellectual toes with its dense, metaphorical examination of existential awakening.

7) Death Note

Death Note centers on Light, a high school student who obtains a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone by writing their name inside. Light takes it upon himself to rid the world of evil by murdering criminals, soon finding himself locked in a battle of wits with a master detective known only as L.

A gritty crime thriller on the surface, this philosophical anime subtly explores vital moral quandaries. When Light's ideals become corrupted by power, the show probes questions about justice, hubris, and humanity's inherent flaws.

As Light and L's struggle escalates, viewers are left to ponder elusive ethical gray areas and the fine line between utopian dreams and nihilistic nightmares.

8) The Tatami Galaxy

Few anime series capture the exhilaration and anxiety of being a college student faced with big questions about one's future path like The Tatami Galaxy. This surreal dark comedy chronicles a nameless third-year university student consumed with regrets over missed opportunities.

As he agonizes over how joining different campus clubs could have led to a rose-colored university experience, each episode explores an alternate reality that reflects seminal philosophical questions about the nature of choice, personal identity, satisfaction, and regrets.

With stunning visuals emulating an abstract whirlwind in the protagonist’s frenzied mind, The Tatami Galaxy is a poignant and relatable reckoning for viewers grappling with existential questions about their purpose and place in life.

9) Mushishi

This acclaimed supernatural series elevates anime to high art with its meditative mood and lush watercolor visuals. This philosophical anime follows a mushi master, Ginko, on his travels across feudal Japan investigating mushi—primal ethereal beings that embody forces of nature and dreams.

Episodic in nature, each installment touches on philosophical themes as Ginko helps ordinary people plagued by mushi, exploring moral quandaries that blur boundaries between good and evil.

Mushishi offers a mesmerizing lens into the interconnections underpinning the natural world that shape causality, karma, virtue, and the greater meaning of the human condition beyond material appearances.

10) Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Image via Shaft)

Belying its magical girl anime tropes, Puella Magi Madoka Magica delivers an emotionally heavy genre deconstruction reflecting on utilitarian ethics and what constitutes self-sacrifice for the greater good.

It chronicles teenage girls who are given magical powers to fight abstract evil beings at the cost of their humanity. Despite its cute aesthetic, the story does not shy away from tackling dark themes regarding the value of individual happiness relative to societal well-being.

Ultimately, Madoka Magica drives home bittersweet philosophical questions surrounding altruism and whether the necessity of suffering in the human condition robs life of meaning and joy.

Conclusion

The hallmark of a great philosophical anime is its ability to craft stories that work on multiple levels—entertaining viewers with action, drama, or comedy—while also stimulating our minds with profound ideas to reflect on.

From the existential musings of Evangelion to the ethical dilemmas of Death Note, the shows listed above represent the best anime has to offer for insightful watching. Their thoughtful explorations of complex philosophical questions will stay with fans long after watching.

So expand the mental horizons and dive into the world of philosophical anime as one gets to discover shows that are not just enthralling, but enriching.