Help a 43 year old get back in the game.

I grew up watching 80s / 90s anime. Akira, Bubblegum Crisis/Crash, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Armitage III, Appleseed, Ghost In the Shell are the ones I remember loving most but I also enjoyed lighter stuff like gunsmith cats, trigun, dbz.

I know there’s great stuff out there but to be honest, and I’m not trying to start an argument or offend, but most of what I’ve heard people talking about in the mainstream has been awful to my tastes. The most recent thing I watched that I really enjoyed was BLAME! (Mostly loves the art style and pacing, the world was interesting but story wasn’t anything amazing).

Anyway hope someone of my generation can help point me in the right direction as I plan on getting Crunchyroll soon to at least start exposing myself to more options than what’s on Netflix. Open to dubbed or subbed. TIA!

Edit: Sorry to get picky but if at all possible I’d prefer movies / limited series to long running shows just due to time constraints. I’m never going to tackle One Piece and I’ve made my peace with that lol

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AutoModerator2026-01-13 15:32

Hi No_Pattern_2190, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch!

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gud_fellow2026-01-13 15:38

Attack on Titan

Chainsaw Man.

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 15:58

I forgot about AoT. I did like that but then caught up with the series during a gap before it finished and never went back.

InvoluntaryNarwhal2026-01-13 15:39

What mainstream, recent anime have you tried to watch that you've bounced off of?

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 15:57

Death Note is the highest profile one that I thought was really bad. Others I’ve tried I think we’re manly just it my age group/ gente (my hero academia). In general in recent years if it wasn’t on Netflix I didn’t know about it. I did like attack on titan come to think about it.

DarthFly2026-01-13 15:50

You will get a list of "favourites" from most people, so I will try to add something less common (almost).

Mob Phycho 100 (quite popular, but it deserves it)

Summer Time Rendering

Uncle from Another World (isekai)

Dark Gathering

Netflix also resurrecting Spriggan from 90th, but it's debatable if it's good or not. Liked it.

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 15:58

Thanks!

DogbrainedGoat2026-01-13 19:58

Mob psycho is amazing and hilarious, +1 on that

gobananagopudding2026-01-13 15:52

[deleted]

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 15:58

Thanks!

neonitik2026-01-13 16:13

Be sure to watch Space Dandy with the english dub because it is perfection

CryptidTypical2026-01-13 15:57

You sound a lot like me.

I really had to change where I was looking to find things that worked for me.

Mob Psycho 100 was great, it's a Shonen that lets it's young protagonist just be a kid who doesn't have everything figured out. I think I could relate to the psudo adult protagonist when I was young, but that ship has sailed.

I watch My Dress Up Darling with my partner and it's become our comfort show. I'm rooting for the characters so hard I can't stand it, lol.

Gundam is more popular than ever and It's a great time to get in. Sunrise is back to making content for the original UC timeline that started in the Late 70's. We recently watched the Original Moble Suit Gundam and It might have become my favorite anime of all time. I actually cried at work after I finished it. Watch that followed by Gundam Z, ZZ, and Chars counter attack.

There's some Janky parts to old Gundam, especially ZZ, but I have more patience for it than I did for it's 2000's toonami run.

Ok_Astronaut71422026-01-13 15:59

Odd Taxi

Stein’s Gate

Paranoia Agent

Giving you some weird and unexpected sauce from my faves. This from a guy who started on Space Battleship Yamato as a kid, and “rejoined” the anime fandom with Urusei Yatsura (the *first* time around)

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 16:09

Loved space battle ship Yamato! Forgot about that too!

Status-Shift-3892026-01-13 16:01

hey I know you’re talking about pacing but if you’re open minded to it Please I beg you to watch One Piece. It’s truly peak fiction, & theres nothing I would change about it. Countless other fans & I Wishes it was longer!

Other than that, if you like shonen types; Jjk, demon slayer, my hero, gatchiakuta, fire force are all good ones. I also recommend Frieren, Death Note, & Black Lagoon as it works for your taste and what you watched already

but seriously join the straw hats on their adventures you’ll laugh, cry, jump in excitement & watch as over 20 years of writing comes together to form possibly the greatest story to ever be created.🤌🏽

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 16:09

I will maybe get to one piece when I retire and my kids are out of the house haha

JurassicMonkey_2026-01-13 16:05

Seems you like cyberpunk and dystopian series. Try Psycho-Pass, 86, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, if you haven't yet. Will also throw in Jormungand since you liked Gunsmith Cats

preenox2026-01-13 16:09

Vinland Saga is something that I imagine captures most age demographics.
Watched it so far back that i cant remember much--think vikings and shit with a compelling story.

Apothecary Diaries could be something you love or not feel much about.
It takes place during China when an apothecary girl gets sold to the rear palace where she then resolves a lot of mysteries with her knowledge and intelligence as an apothecary.

LaisyFaire2026-01-13 18:20

I'm close to OPs age and Vinland Saga is one of the shows that really got me hooked again after a long absence of not watching anime.

LegbasHand2026-01-13 19:26

Vinland is cinema

Slow-Management68502026-01-13 16:11

Cyberpunk Edgerunners!

Uma-apreciator2026-01-13 16:19

Uma Musume Cinderella Gray, It's like a classic shounen

frodex_frodex2026-01-13 16:19

Well, I'm 55 and watch anime almost every day but only one or two episodes. Most of free time I read mangas.

Like many recommended, Mob Psycho 100 is very funny. Did you watched To Be Hero X. I'm liking it.

Do not despair, they are producing an One Piece with reduced episodes and an faster pace.

Dogpilekid2026-01-13 16:20

not as old as your generation, but not some baby faced teen either;

Things I think you'd like based off of your list;
86
- war series about a penal battalion of armored cavaley fighters known as the "86" who are considered less than human and their officer, known as "Handler 1". Their mechs resemble the tachiyomi from Ghost in the Shell. I am actually currently in the middle of binging it myself, but it has a more serious tone than most other current anime. It'd bot as popular as other anime for some reason, but based off of quality, it really should be.

Psycho Pass -
A series following police in a futuristic society where people are judged based off of how their personality may lead them commit crimes. I can only recommend the first season though, because other people told me the second season was terrible and I avoided it, but man was the first season good.

You might also enjoy
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
- an over the top mecha anime which shows power creep being done right ... or very wrong depending on your taste. Has a touch bit of "trigun" feels.

Sentenced to be a Hero
-There is only one (hour long) episode out right now, but it looks like it's gonna be this season's heavy hitter.

honestly, it'd help to know what you didn't like from the more recent ones. It'd also help to know when you dropped out of the game.
I'm gonna assume that Sword Art Online is gonna be "out" for you, but I do still recommend the very first few episodes. Everything after that... well, it's bad.

Flipside!

I liked Rurouni Kenshin and Y Yu Hakasho from the 90s, as well as Neon Genesis, Lupin the Third; Castle of Cagliostro, and Trigun (original). Gunsmith cats is ine of the classics that's been on my list for a while. Do you have any older anime recommendations? I'm kinda tired of people only really recommending ones that are recent, or that everyone knows about.

WISE_bookwyrm2026-01-13 16:48

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Somebody on another post recommended Irresponsible Captain Tylor -- it's one of my favorites as well. If you liked original Trigun...

United-Band30952026-01-13 16:30

Watch cyberpunk edge runners

De-Mattos2026-01-13 16:36

I'm not sure how long you've been out, but there have been other things Ghost in the Shell since the movie. Like the movie's own sequel, Innocence.

I recommend the most the two seasons of Stand Alone Complex from the 00's and their follow up movie, Solid State Society. It's smart, it isn't cute, and it's a high mark for anime on TV.

Used_Extension81692026-01-13 16:36

Patlabor 2 is the cleanest bridge between what you loved then and what still exists now.

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 16:42

That sounds familiar…I’ll need to check it out

King_Koragar2026-01-13 16:48

people gotta stop recommending shonen stuff. If lad bounced off Death Note they probably won't resonate with that stuff. Paranoia Agent and Ping Pong are both on Crunchyroll. Delicious in Dungeon has been a huge hit on Netflix. If you like those old cyberpunk OVAs you'd probably also vibe with Cyberpunk Edgerunners.

Perfect-Author-94442026-01-13 16:50

I'm of your generation, and I got back to anime a few years ago. I'd recommend: Psycho Pass, Hell's paradise, Heavenly Delusion, Undead Girl Murder Farce.
You can also check Chinese anime like Link Click, Lord of the mysteries and To Be Hero X.

SnooWoofers1862026-01-13 16:53

Girls Last Tour

Ascendance of a bookworms

Ranking of Kings

Kill la kill

Ninkoro

Basilisk

Summertime rendering

Magica madoka

Katanagatari

Gurren Lagann

Made in Abyss

Nichijou

Cyberpunk edgerunner

Knight of Sidonia

Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song

Heavenly delusion

Dungeon meshi

I was reincarnated as the 7th prince

Devilman: crybaby

finicky_foxx2026-01-13 17:00

Going on 45 years old and have been watching since lord knows when. Here's a few I think you might enjoy: chainsaw man, Goblin Slayer, link click, solo leveling, windbreaker, to be hero X (one of my personal favorites), maybe Demon Slayer (but it can be a little slow at first), jujutsu kaisen, Hell's Paradise.

Stuff that's not "anime" or I'm not sure counts as anime: Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Pantheon, Castlevania, Arcane, Love Death and Robots, Scavengers Reign

InvoluntaryNarwhal2026-01-13 21:32

Great list. Edgerunners is for sure anime. Studio Trigger for the whole thing.

maullidothethird2026-01-13 17:21

Lupin the third still alive and had a movie in theaters last year, also a crossover with cats eyes not long ago

Getter robo had a last part animated, getter robo ark.

Some old series started have remakes: captain Tsubasa ,orphen, Digimon, grendizer, magic knights reyearth (this year), ranma, rurouni kenshin and some more. Others have "sequels" like samurai warriors ( still early to know if is good or bad), gatchaman crowds ( is good and bad at same time, not for people who loved old series), cashern (long ago), legend of galactic heroes(early 2000 remake).

If you want something more cyberpunky: megalobox, akudama drive, cyberpunk edgerunners, inuyashiki, no guns life.

If you want new stuff, Vinland saga, frieren, ascendance of a bookworm, high score girl, Gundam build series, Gundam witch from mercury and gquuuux.

BitterClerk64772026-01-13 17:37

Blue gender , Akira , trigun , Fist of the north star, Bastard , Devilman Crybaby, Hellsing , Cowboy Bebop , Texhnolyze , Ergo Proxy , Serial Experiments Lain , Gunrave , Wolf’s Rain , Now and Then, Here and There , RahXephon ,Casshern Sins ,Boogiepop Phantom , Blue Submarine No. 6 , PlanetES

maullidothethird2026-01-13 17:43

Fist of north star isn't getting a remake/reboot?

BitterClerk64772026-01-13 19:46

Yeah sometime this year

kwirky882026-01-13 17:40

I just saw your edit so here are movies and short shows. There aren’t many like the shows and movies you bright up though because studios figured out they made more money off long running series with cross marketing to manga and light novels vs big bang theatrical releases. Movies are relegated to the lowest common denominator, most widest appeal after 2000. No ghost in the shell like experiences for adults, mostly family friendly affairs. OVAs are dead.

* millennium actress 2002
* Tokyo godfathers 2003
* evangelion remake movies (2009+)
* redline 2009
* your name 2016
* inu-oh
* the boy and the heron 2023
* mononoke 2024

Otherwise you have movies released as part of a series, like demon slayer, re:zero,

You can work your way forward in time. 43 year old here, got back in after decades a few years ago. Here are some recs based on the ones you mentioned.

* ghost in the shell standalone complex (2002)
* paranoia agent (2004)
* death note (2006)
* full metal alchemist brotherhood (2009)
* Tokyo magnitudes 8.0 (2009)
* guilty crown (2011)
* steins;gate (2011)
* psycho-pass (2012)
* attack on titan (2013)
* date a live (2013)
* kill la kill (2013)

This is around where in time the anime industry explodes, ramping up production, more releases per year. It also is moving away from the slow burn, moody anime of our youth.

* akame ga kill (2014)
* noragami (2014)
* seven deadly sins (2014)
* terror in ressonance (2014)
* one punch man (2015)

Mentioning one punch man because you were likely exposed to all the hero battle shounen it’s parodying via Saturday morning cartoons. Amazing action, good laughs for us old timers.

This is also where the isekai genre starts picking up steam in manga and light novels, soon to dominate anime

* overlord (2015)
* plastic memories (2015)
* bungo stray dogs (2016)
* erased (2016)
* grimgar of fantasy and ash (2016)
* konosuba (2016)
* mob psycho 100 (2016)
* re:zero (2016)

Re:zero is the first isekai to see major financial success. As an old time watcher it was great, scratched itches I didn’t know I had. Highly recommended. After here is where multiple isekais release per year. The anime subjects we grew up on pretty much die off after here.

* Inuyashiki (2017)
* made in abyss (2017)
* Tanya the evil (2017)
* golden kamuy (2018)
* how not to summon a demon lord (2018)
* violet evergarden (2018)
* beastars (2019)
* Vinland saga (2019)
* jujutsu kaisen (2020)
* 86 (2021)
* the case study of vanitas (2021)
* mushoku tensei (2021)
* akiba maid wars (2022)
* chainsaw man (2022)
* cyberpunk edgerunners (2022)
* lycoris recoil (2022)

The cute girls with guns genre is almost dead by this point. Lycoris Recoil is a rare release.

* summer time rendering (2022)
* uncle from another world (2023)

Uncle from another world is an ode to us 40 year olds.

* vampire in the garden (2022)
* frieren beyond journey‘a end (2023)
* heavenly delusion (2023)
* undead murder farce (2023)
* delicious in dungeon (2024)
* spice and wolf remake (2024)

maullidothethird2026-01-13 17:48

>Uncle from another world is an ode to us 40 year olds

I would say high score girl fit more in that sentence.

kwirky882026-01-16 00:03

That one has some nostalgia but just for one game, for the most part. I played a lot of street fighter 2 in my youth but uncle from another world touches on tech, online communities, broader nostalgia.

maullidothethird2026-01-16 02:23

HSG have lots of games, including dark stalkers and kof

No_Pattern_21902026-01-13 18:13

This is amazing, thank you!

darkthought2026-01-13 18:12

Frieren

design-reviewer1082026-01-13 18:31

Frieren.

Drudwas2026-01-13 18:47

Movies:

* Look Back
* The First Slam Dunk
* Inu-Oh
* Promare
* 100 Meters
* In This Corner of the World
* Sword of the Stranger

(Anything directed by Satoshi Kon if you haven't seen any)

TV - these are all well-regarded and short:

* Apocalypse Hotel (12 eps)
* Heike Monogatari (11 eps)
* Odd Taxi (13 eps)
* Sonny Boy (12 eps)
* Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song (13 eps)
* Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (12 eps)
* Erased (12 eps)
* 91 Days (12 eps)
* Death Parade (12 eps)
* House of Five Leaves (12 eps)

DogbrainedGoat2026-01-13 19:57

Cyberpunk edge runners is amazing, one off series.

Terminator Zero, also one off series, very good.

Dorohedoro, very cool art style, one series to watch, series 2 coming out in 2026, highly recommend it.

darryledw2026-01-13 20:33

Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song

yworker2026-01-13 20:36

You sound like me. I started back then and really got back into it maybe in 2010 period.

I really liked Steins;Gate, Cowboy Bebop, SAO, Spice & Wolf as what got me back into the genre. I think those are classics that you should watch!

Re:Zero was kinda a "new school" anime for me in my mind and it blew me away when it was coming out. Same for Mushoku Tensei.

I really liked Vivy Flourite Eyes Song, Heavenly Delusion, Cyberpunk Edge Runners for the gritty heavier anime.

Also Saekano was fantastic lighter romcom that always sticks out for me

otter_pickles2026-01-13 21:44

Black Lagoon, Monster, Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop will be more age appropriate for you. Trigun and Rurouni Kenshin have been remade and they are absolutely worth rewatching.