Anime with mature themes and characters

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

The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^

[](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!")

You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful.

The following may be of interest:

* [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams)

* [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search)

* [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me)

* [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order)

* [A list of tracking sites so others can more easily recommend shows you haven't watched.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/related_sites#wiki_tracking_sites)

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If you want serious, mature, great writing. Berserk if you don't mind reading then definitely the Manga but if not then the 1997 anime 

Legend of the Galactic Heroes, especially the 1988 series. 

Ghost in the shell or Psycho Pass

Fist of the North Star manga, not really the 80s anime.

There is an easy trick for finding mature anime. When you go to sites like AniList you can select the Seinen genre. You will get mostly adult characters, adult stories, adults comedy, political dramas, etc.

**Monster**

Also if you don't mind with slice of life or drama, I will recommend **With You and The Rain** and currently airing **Journal With Witch**

I'd first suggest the movie series The Garden of Sinners (Kara no Kyoukai) - while the two MCs are teens (**mostly** in their late teens throughout the main story) there are also a number of adult characters. The story is very mature, very complex and very well written. The animation is great (it's from ufotable, so that's
to be expected) and the score is superb.

The story is a mix of supernatural, horror, thriller and mystery.

There's ten movies in total, seven of which focus on the main story arc, then an 'Epilog' movie, and then two movies that are more 'side stories'/'extras'.

Note that if you watch it in release order the first four movies do NOT tell the story in chronological order - this is intentional (because that's how the original light novels were released) and is the way that first timers should watch it. For rewatches you can also try chronological order if you like. There's so much depth to the characters and the lore that rewatches are pretty much essential (and extremely enjoyable too - I've rewatched my Blu-rays a number of times over the years and will continue to do so once a year).

It's on Crunchyroll in the US:

https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G6DK07N7R/the-garden-of-sinners

plus it can be purchased on Blu-ray.

I also hate wacky faces, over exaggerated emotional responses and childishness, etc, so the replies in my posts reflect that.

For those times when you just want to relax, try the very maturely written Mushishi - beautiful background art and music, very well crafted stories. It's episodic so don't binge watch it because that kind of ruins it, it's best just to watch an episode when you want to relax.

The MC is an adult, as are a lot of the people he treats (some children too) and you won't find any over the top wacky faces or goofiness in this series (very rarely there is a slightly exaggerated facial expression but it's so subtle and brief that it's a case of 'blink and you'll miss it').

There's two seasons (26 episodes in the first, 20 in the second), two OVAs/Specials and one 'movie' (which is about 45 minutes long).

If you want to get an idea of its atmosphere, etc take a look at the following excellent overview video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZDnQtmFIU

there's clips in the video so minor spoilers but none that will ruin the experience.

Season 2 (and one OVA) can be found on Crunchyroll but it doesn't have season one, currently the best **legal** way to see season one is the official 'S.A.V.E.' DVD set of season one, which is extremely cheap.

Also see the following post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mushishi/comments/1jihzdz/has_season_1_been_totally_wiped_from_streaming/mjg1e8x/

Hyouka - set in high school but don't let that put you off, it's a very maturely written slow-burn anime which features minor school-based mysteries and a focus on the four teenage MCs. There's no wacky faces and silly sound effects, it's basically a beautifully crafted slice of life that takes its time to tell its stories in a very mature way. Beautiful art and animation too, as you would expect from Kyoto Animation (KyoAni).

And speaking of KyoAni, do also try another very mature production of theirs - Violet Evergarden (one series, one OVA/Special (which, chronologically, fits in between episodes 4 and 5 of the series) and two movies). It's on Netflix.

Land of the Lustrous (Houseki no Kuni) - a true anime masterpiece that perfectly uses its CGI animation to animate approximately the first 30 chapters of the 108 chapter manga (the manga was completed in 2024 while season 1 of the anime was released in 2017). Sadly we only have one season of this masterpiece, so if you want to continue the story after the last anime episode you'll need to pick up the manga.

The story is mature with some humor at times (but nothing wacky or over the top) but it's mostly pretty serious and becomes darker as the story progresses.

The characters are humanoid gems so they are long-lived and their ages vary - the youngest (the MC) is about 300 years old at the start of the story, while the rest are thousands of years old.

Do try the movies from Studio Ghibli, particularly those from writer/director Hayao Miyazaki. While quite a number of them are aimed at children they are so intelligently and maturely told that they are also loved by adults. They're all works of art.

Here's a list of Miyazaki's movies:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Hayao_Miyazaki#Feature_films

His first one, The Castle of Cagliostro, is rather different to what came after - it's very 'wacky', but entertaining nonetheless. His next one, Nausicaa of the Valley of the wind, is far more serious and epic. And don't skip the excellent Whisper of the Heart, he didn't direct that one but he did write the screenplay.

Enjoy!

BTW OP, don't worry that you're getting downvoted, that's normal around here for 'what can I watch?' requests. You've also expressed a dislike for immature anime, and as a lot of anime is rather immature you've immediately alienated most people who post and read this subreddit. Don't worry about it. :) I too dislike immature anime.

I've written a few replies to your request, simply because I didn't want to give you a 'wall of text' in one post. I could suggest many more mature anime but I don't want to clog up the thread. :)

Darker than Black
Ajin
Paprika
Shin Sekai
Kino's Journey
Madoka Magica (stay past episode 3, it's baiting you)
Eden of the East (there is a movie that condenses the series and a movie that ties up the series)
Mushi shi
Elfen Liad

- Vampire Hunter D
- Record of Loss War
- Castlevania
- Berserk (1997)

Psycho Pass
Parasyte
Ajin