Breaking the Drought

So as many of you know, I haven't watched anime in a non-social context for about 1.75 years. So I suddenly have the urge to go back into it in a very major way.
So this is essentially the "help Shogun get 'back' (though I never left it for any reason other than getting busy) into anime by suggesting great anime" thread. I tend to enjoy anime that utilizes symbolism, philosophy, and deep plot lines, so that's the first thing you should tell me about. I tend to like most shonen and seinen and truthfully I'm not that picky in that department with one major caveat: I don't care for romance or ecchi most of the time. If I want romance, I can find it and if I want ecchi, porn exists. Ecchi is the one that bugs me the most if it's in an anime that I would otherwise enjoy (it made High School of The Dead and Freezing completely unappealing to me). Obviously if there is romance as a side plot like in Sword Art Online, I don't mind at all. The romance warning is mostly so people don't suggest Clannad and Kanon.
Here is my MAL though I can't attest to how complete it is. It should be close enough though I never did update it all that often or seriously anyways.
http://myanimelist.net/profile/Shogun13
On the topic of dubbed vs. subbed I don't really care. Will watch dubbed if available/everyone on earth tells me the dub is terrible, will watch subbed if unavailable in dubbed.
So right now you might be wondering, hey Philip/Shogun/Crazy man, why didn't you just use the recommend an anime thread? The answer is that when I watch anime, I tend to devour anime and I probably will especially do that now. So if I find an anime intriguing and it's 13 eps, then chances are I'll be back in 5 hours asking for another one. I didn't see the point in basically taking over a thread when I can just make my own.
So I kindly ask for you to suggest anime to me.
And who knows maybe I'll join some of the video clubs...

 

@bedheadred I got this.http://myanimelist.net/animelist/Shogun13I found him by going through one of the old JD members profiles that I knew he’d have linked, didn’t think that you’d only have Stray and Fletch on there though as I could have sworn you’d have all of the old community members.
But you weren’t kidding when you said you’ve been absent from anime, last update being back in 2011, damn.Well lets see @shogun13, you could go and watch the other seasons of Hell Girl as I only see the first listed and as a 10 at that. I found them to get worse but the ending of the second season is definitely worth watching at least.
Lets see though seinen I’d recommendFirst is RAINBOW, I recommend this to everyone but I’m sure you’ll enjoy this dark tale especially. It has traces of romance [its unavoidable, most do] but it also has just about every darker theme in anime within only 26 episodes.http://myanimelist.net/anime/6114/Rainbow:_Nisha_Rokubou_no_ShichininPsycho Pass, cop thriller that is receiving a movie and 2nd seasonhttp://myanimelist.net/anime/13601/Psycho-PassJormungand was pretty good as well, I found it to be a less intense version of Black Lagoon and it has 2 seasonshttp://myanimelist.net/anime/12413/JormungandI also have to ask, you’ve seen both Another and Baccano right? I’m sure I remember reading really old posts about your thoughts on these 2 but still….
As I said, I didn't update some things on MAL, one of which being I watched Jormungand's 1st season, Rainbow's first ep, Stein's;gate, Baccano, and Another. Trust me this will keep happening as I think that a lot of the last two seasons or so I didn't update MAL. I'll update now so those who attempt to help me aren't thwarted at every turn. I really enjoyed that first ep of Rainbow so I'll work on that as of now. Also your comparison for Jormungand is quite apt, as I kept thinking Koko kept reminding me of Balalaika. The reason why I didn't continue Hell Girl is because at that point and I think still only the first season was dubbed. I prefer not to switch over once I watch one version or the other though I guess I could give it a shot once I go through these others.With Red's help alone, I'll be busy for a bit .Thanks guys.

 

Kill la Kill

OTT action and by the creators of Gurren Lagann

 

Kämpfer! *Sees comment about how Shogun dislikes ecchi >_>* Why shogun why!? T^T xD I kid (Though never on recommending Kämpfer) but have you seen Puella Magi Madoka Magica? Dark magical girl anime and a master piece that's won many awards. :3 Let's see... yeah, I got nothing else atm that others/you haven't said/ruled as a no already but hey, Red recommended Mnemosyne and I too have to agree with that.

 

Welp finished Rainbow. Might write review in future. Liked first half, second half was sorta meh, needed more suspense.

 

As a whole 8, first 12 eps, solid 9/9.5, other half 7,6.5.

 

According to MAL, our anime compatibility is medium-high, so I will put a few animes that match your criterions in decreasing order of my appreciation.

First, 07-Ghost, it has symbolism and philosophy, however, the anime ends before the manga, so if you want to finish it, you'll have to read it (which I do and it's worth my money). Only available subbed.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/5525/07-Ghost

K, it has a deep story line and maybe some philosophy, a sequel is coming out soon, as a movie. Available dubbed, but as you don't like to change from dubs to subs, you might want to watch it subbed since the movie is coming out soon.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/14467/K

Tsukihime definitely has some symbolism, but it has romance as well. Available dubbed.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/169/Shingetsutan_Tsukihime



Welcome to the NHK has some philosophy in there. Available dubbed. I suggest you read Mafiacow's review which I agree with. Also, I've seen it dubbed and the voices were fine.

http://dubtopian-review.eu/welcome-to-the-nhk/

http://myanimelist.net/anime/1210/NHK_ni_Youkoso!

 

Thats fair, basing it on an average instead of how you initially felt with the series, I was going to rate it 9 but just couldn’t lower it due to how much those first 12 eps gripped my interest. I’m glad you found this series to your liking, so far the lowest anyone that I’ve shared it with has rated is 8 so that is a record for one of my recommendations.

Also what should be one of the most obvious recommendations from both Red and myself, start the Gintama franchise if you run out of options.


Yeah staying power is one of those things that I highly prize. If there's a ton of junk in an otherwise good series then it really brings it down for me. So when the second half really let's me down, I have to reflect that. I can respect rating anime by its heights, but I can never do that. I can find genius in the most remote things, but if the package doesn't satisfy, it just doesn't.
Finished Jormungand, had a heavy debate over 9 vs 10. Went with 9, if only because the psychological impact on it just didn't get to the 10 level, if you get what I'm saying.
Probably going to watch one of Red's less serious sounding anime now, no need to stay in the Seinen hard fiction for too long, it's best to change it up every once in a while. Then after that I'll probably watch psychopass, which I'm frankly surprised I didn't start with, maybe because the other two I'd seen either 1 ep or the 1st season.
Thanks everyone for suggesting things. So here are my comments.
Yeah I watched Madoka, as expected there are still some holes on MAL. I mean I just noticed I didn't have Fate/Zero on it. Probably not going to do Kampfer. I might not do K until I get some more info on the movie that I'll do when I get there. Also yeah, I read mafiacow's NHK review, I'm sorta the dude who gave Mafiacow the prize. I have read, I'd guess, about 70% of the reviews currently on the site because I do hand edit them.