asking here before I use AI - What suggestions do you have for me to watch?

TLDR: I grew up watching The Twilight Zone and military documentaries. What can you recommend that is short, has some military arc, and maybe has some conspiracies.

I'v watched maybe 5 or so Anime series to their end. I'm not really big into it but I get it (if that makes sense).

Here is a list of what I have watched / remembered and why I liked them.

Full Metal Alchemist - It has sci-fi elements. It has conspiracy plots. It has a focus on the military (these three are key for the remainder of my list.) Its about brothers bonding over a difficult situation. It has emotional trauma. It has good animation.

Trigun - Sci-fi, Conspiracy, Brothers, Trauma. Animation was weak but I still like it.

Pumpkin Scissors - Sci-fi, Conspiracy, Military, Trauma, Short season. I think a short anime is better than a long drawn out one with random character development and go-nowhere plot points. Which brings me to my next one on the list.

Girls Last Tour - Sci-fi, Military, Trauma, Short Season.

Sword Art Online - Sci-fi, Conspiracy, Trauma. This one had me hooked but I never came back for season two or beyond. It just kept going. Which brings me to things I don't want suggestions for despite loving the lore (I'v read the wikipedia of them and appreciate the story.)

DBZ - tried it. Too big.
Cowboy Bebop - again, its too much.
One Piece
Sailor Moon (This was a thing when I was a kid. Though I never watched more than an episode)
Pokemon (same thing - I watched the first season and tried to go back. Couldn't do it)

There are probably others.

My interests and whatever shaped them have lead me to enjoy Sci-fi, military, and conspiracy type stuff. That are short if possible.

I grew up watching The Twilight Zone and military documentaries.

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Commentaires

AutoModerator2026-02-01 22:24

Hi Worldly-Locksmith994, it seems like you might be looking for new anime to watch!

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Galle_2026-02-01 22:27

Well, the definitive military sci-fi anime franchise is Gundam. There are several Gundam series of varying lengths and quality, though, which makes it difficult to pick exactly one to recommend.

EDIT: Maybe Mobile Suit Gundam: 08th MS Team? It's only twelve episodes long and is generally well-thought-of.

Worldly-Locksmith9942026-02-01 22:39

Thank you. I'll check it out. Gundam was all the rage when I was growing up. Right next to Pokemon. It was maybe a generation or about 4 years before my time. Right at that line between the big hits. I remember seeing lots of the "older kids" having Gundam models that they built.

apkmasterofgames2026-02-01 22:29

Yeah you should check legend of galactic heroes. It has one of the best writing in all of anime

RyaReisender2026-02-01 22:51

He said Cowboy Bebop is too big for him, so not sure about this one, even though it fits all other criteria. Legend of Galactic Heroes has 110 episodes.

Worldly-Locksmith9942026-02-01 22:55

Yea, that's too much for me.

FMA was a lot and I think that's 52 or something for the OG and like 60 something for brotherhood.

Lots of filler episodes. Its still my favorite but not what I'm aiming for in terms of length. My limit would be around 50.

abandoned_idol2026-02-02 01:47

Fair enough.

LotGH is unfortunately the only "military documentary" anime.

North5142026-02-01 23:12

For military themed stuff here are some suggestions. I will say though, regardless if it is above your limit for episodes there literally is no better anime than Legend of the Galactic Heroes at doing military themed fiction in my opinion, in this medium (and it would be up there for military themed fiction in general for me as a big fan of mil fiction). So if that is deep want I would still throw it on a plan to watch list. You could just watch the first two intro films My Conquest is Sea of Stars and Overture to a New War, to see if it's for you. The only other work close to it, in quality in my opinion is equally long.

Anyway suggestions:

- Jin-Roh the Wolf Brigade - Film

- Genocidal Organ - Film - fits heavily too

- Saga of Tanya the Evil - 1 season of 12 episodes + a film, we should be getting S2 soon?

- Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blood Orphans - you can watch this largely standalone, no previous experience is needed - standalone Universe, more modern if that is a concern (2015) - 2 seasons - 50 episodes - if you want some short Gundam entries MS Team and War in the Pocket take place in the main UC universe however they are standalone stories where no context is needed and they are like 12/6 episodes. Both are complete stories.

- Space Battleship Yamato 2199 - Remake is largely good, and the first season is pretty much a complete story. 26 episodes for just the first season. Modern remake, a lot like Battlestar Galactica if you have seen that.

- Heroic Age - 26 episodes

- Blue Gender - 26 episodes

- Crest of the Stars - 38 episodes - granted the LN is still going to this day

- Armored Trooper Votoms - If you don't mind older early 80s anime it does have a conspiracy and it is a pretty gritty grounded mecha show 52 episodes, though the spinoff Mellowlink is like 12-13 episodes and also features a conspiracy/revenge story, so you could try that one too.

Worldly-Locksmith9942026-02-01 23:49

Thank you for the reply!
Would you recommend watching the intro films of Legend of Galactica before watching the first few episodes?

Or are you only saying that because you understand the anime might start too slow for me?

Again, I thank you for an awesome and detailed response to this question. Way more detailed than any shitty AI! Unless you're a bot. Then good bot.

North5142026-02-02 00:20

The first film is a prequel, and the second film is basically a much more well developed film of the first two episodes (you skip to EP 3 of the series afterwards).

>Or are you only saying that because you understand the anime might start too slow for me?

LOTGH is a show that is about big macro scale fleet battles (the main characters start out as influential officers for their respective sides), and people sipping tea while they talk about politics. They also do have some melee fights in space, imported from Dune. That said it's not what I would say a fast paced show, relative to other anime. It's a dialogue dense show, that said I don't think it's that hard to understand. Frankly more popular Western shows like Game of Thrones have more going on. It's not overly slow either, though the first arc (first 12+ episodes and films) does a lot of setup.

And no, I am not a bot.

Worldly-Locksmith9942026-02-02 01:01

Awesome. Thanks.

Good bot.

tiny_nova2026-02-01 23:32

*Eighty Six*

Parts 1 and 2 are 23 episodes in total. There's unadapted story if you want it. Sci fi mech military, introduces some light paranormal later. Some conspiracy stuff a la fma, though not as significant a portion of this story.

Worldly-Locksmith9942026-02-01 23:42

added to my list. Thanks.
[https://imgur.com/z2zfEL2](https://imgur.com/z2zfEL2)

thatfoobyron2026-02-02 02:22

If you liked Trigun, id reccomend the Reboot Trigun stampede, its shorter and cool animation and just now got a second season thats airing.
Sailor moon is cool, if you like the premise of whats basically power rangers but females then id reccomend Futari wa precure

You basically HAVE to watch Code Geass (no literally, if youre gonna watch anything watch this one)

Aldnoah zero

Saga of Tanya the evil (personal fav)
ghost in the shell (the most known and popular scifi military series)

Welcome to the NHK
Wolf's Rain
Full metal Panic

Gate

jin-rou (movie)

Sabikui Bisco
Golden Kamuy