Japanese animation is undoubtedly one of the most expressive audiovisual mediums that exist. With constant innovations and hundreds of creators who refuse to stay within conventional boundaries, there is no doubt that they have prepared audiences to experience absolutely anything.
To give you several examples of this, today we bring you a top 10 list of anime that have played with formal experimentation and have tried all sorts of experiments, as compiled by Screen Rant.
10 – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
There is no doubt that Jojo’s fans can rejoice with its anime adaptation. Beyond wonderfully reflecting the action and narrative, the anime utilizes some interesting means of expression. For instance, when showcasing certain characters, their surroundings and colors undergo a complete transformation, a detail directly inherited from the manga and often employed by the author, Hirohiko Araki. Visually, it is an absolute delight, and each episode continues to surprise us with new ideas.
09 – The Animatrix
This anthology of nine animated shorts showcases, in each episode, new animated ideas ranging from the classic 2D style to CGI and even rotoscoping. We can witness a variety of formal experiments, all of which are of sublime quality. Without a doubt, The Animatrix is the perfect example of how much anime can innovate.
08 – Monogatari Series
This anime is filled with surrealism and strange narrative experiments, something that animation embraces wholeheartedly and uses to explore all sorts of things in the series. Studio SHAFT tries everything: from randomly adding CGI to completely changing the artistic style of a character or location, often as a comedic device.
07 – Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Another interesting experimentation by Studio SHAFT can be seen in Madoka Magica, where the blend of 2D and 3D animation is constantly present, showcasing innovative CGI techniques even within the genre. Moreover, the art style undergoes complete transformations several times, ranging from using imagery from real fairy tales to Western-style cartoons. Everything is fair game, but nothing is done randomly, and that is a significant part of its magic.
06 – Pop Team Epic
The adaptation of this webcomic and/or digital manga plays along the same lines as the original, presenting dozens of nonsensical scenes with various styles. The goal is to make it as entertaining and uncomfortable as possible, and it achieves that episode after episode. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most creative and bizarre anime series of recent years.
05 – FLCL
Another one of the best Japanese animation studios, as well as one of the most experimental, is Studio Gainax. In FLCL, the studio tried everything: from direct digital scans of its pages to breaking the fourth wall in a very literal way. It is a cult classic that is worth watching, and much of its magic lies in the fact that, once again, anything is possible.
04 – Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
Another gem from Gainax is this somewhat lesser-known anime where, based on the classic Powerpuff Girls concept, the protagonists face a new threat in each episode. But that’s where its magic lies: far from being a simple self-contained adventure story, Gainax takes the opportunity to change the animation style in every chapter, employing techniques ranging from rotoscoping to Flash animation to depict many of its sequences.
03 – Kill la Kill
Another great example of experimentation is Kill la Kill, a 2014 series that was the first creation of Studio Trigger, formed by individuals who previously worked at Gainax on Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. This anime throws all logic out the window and allows itself to be carried away by the disturbed mind of the protagonist, progressively affecting the animation to the point where, at certain moments, you don’t even know what you’re watching.
02 – Neon Genesis Evangelion
It is indeed one of the greatest anime of all time, and it consistently finds its place in these top lists. Although the original anime barely dabbled in this type of experimentation, in The End of Evangelion and Thrice Upon a Time, they took it to another level. From adding live-action footage of Tokyo to featuring actors dressed up as the characters, the anime has tried it all… and, of course, it has all turned out brilliantly.
01 – Bocchi The Rock!
Lastly, we have this anime that, in each episode, tries various techniques and visuals to depict the reality of its characters. It even causes its usual 2D image to disintegrate and transform into a 3D mix of CGI and live-action. It does it all, and everything is justified, which is truly commendable.
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