i was in awe of how beautiful 秒速５センチメートル's scenes are when i watched it.

i don't know much about animation styles, but i'd like to learn more. Which do you think are the most beautiful animations you've ever seen?

If not beautiful, in another way interesting or stylish is also fine...

IMO Mushishi (蟲師) is the most visually impressive manga and anime I've seen. It's one of my favorite anime in general; great music, excellent storytelling with a deep sense of nostalgic rural life and tragedy, and nice animation as well.

Hello Icecream! Great topic!

天使の卵 has the most interesting style I've seen in an anime, in my opinion:

I've watched different animes through time and some got stuck in my head. I'm posting list below. I wouldn't say that all of these are good animes (story wise or other) and some I thought were even bad. But it's just my opinion.

Hellsing
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=32
Hellsing (2006)
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=3296
-
These two animes you can compare because they are basically same but different styles of graphics.2006 version is more manga like.

Akira
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=28
-
Classic of animation, didn't like it though but graphics is nice for 1988.


CG&Visualy stunning
===============
Appleseed (2004)
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=1312
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=1208
Hoshi no Koe
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=104
Innocence (Ghost in the shell 2)
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=890
Karas
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=2179
Koukaku Kidoutai 2.0 (Ghost in the shell 2.0)
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=6122
Shigurui
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=5108
Vexille: 2077 Nihon Sakoku
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=5106
-
Visually stunning animes eather with CG or without. Here maybe you can compare "Ghost in the shell" and the new version "Ghost in the shell 2.0" (nicer graphics).

Unique styles of animation
===================
Detroit Metal City
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=5587
Gankutsuou
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=1868
Kemonozume
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=4392
xxxHOLiC
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=4032
-
All of these have their unique styles of graphics. Maybe the more standard are xxxHOLiC (people are really thin and tall) and Detroit Metal City (manga like inserts)

Miyazaki anime
===========
Gake no Ue no Ponyo
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=5107
Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=334
Howl no Ugoku Shiro
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?sho...e&aid=1218
Kurenai no Buta
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=306
Houhokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=370
Majo no Takkyuubin
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=286
Mimi o Sumaseba
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=336
Mononoke Hime
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7
Neko no Ongaeshi
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=679
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=112
Tonari no Totoro
http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=303
-
Basically very recognizable Miyazaki style animes. I would recommend to watch this. You can spot Miyazaki next time

I liked Katanagatari.

IceCream Wrote:Which do you think are the most beautiful animations you've ever seen?

Probably not the most beautiful I have seen, but Hanasaku Iroha and Ano Hana are very nicely drawn. Actually, most works from A-1 Pictures (Fractale, Sora no Woto, Kannagi) and P.A. Works (Canaan, True Tears) have amazing visuals.

Stuff by Studio 4°C is really nice

---------Visually Stunning (mostly referring to backgrounds)--------

Seirei no Moribito (Adventure, Fantasy)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/1827/Seirei_no_Moribito

A good fantasy story with amazing backgrounds and awesome fights, Production IG (anime studio known for amazing animation) at it's best.


Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Sci-fi, Psychological)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/467/Ghost_i...ne_Complex

Ghost in the Shell...It's kind of like The Matrix, only better. A Psychological sci-fi series based on the movie. The animation is top notch (Production IG, again XD ).


All the Key visual novel anime adaptations by Kyoto Animation (Comedy,Drama, Slice of Life):

Clannad
http://myanimelist.net/anime/2167/Clannad

Kanon (2006)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/1530/Kanon_%282006%29

Air
http://myanimelist.net/anime/101/Air

Once I got past the moe character designs, all of the three above really affected me personally. All are also great tearjerker series with beautiful animation, and all are about life, and living it to the fullest.


Sky Crawlers (Drama, Psychological) [Movie]
http://myanimelist.net/anime/3089/The_Sky_Crawlers

Slow, psychological movie about child solders engaging in aerial battles.


Le Chevalier D'Eon (Action, Mystery)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/1013/Le_Chevalier_DEon

An mystery series with great fight scenes. The backgrounds are so amazing it made me wish I could go to France and see the palace of Versailles for myself.


Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (Drama, Disaster)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/6211/Tokyo_Magnitude_8.0

A disaster series which focuses on the people affected, instead of special effects,
and it was pretty well drawn as well.


Higashi no Eden (Drama, Comedy)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/5630/Higashi_no_Eden

A drama/comedy series that deals with social issues. it has great animation, and one of the coolest OP animations I've seen in a long time.

-------Stylized Animation---------

xxxHolic (Comedy, Mystery, Drama, Supernatural, Psychological)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/861/xxxHOLiC

A good dark series, with a lot of youkai in it (which is a bonus for a youkai fan like me)...It's about people's problems, and how they deal with them. Parts reminded me of Kino no Tabi, and other dark psychological series.


Mononoke (Fantasy, Dark Story, Youkai)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/2246/Mononoke

xxxHolic and Mononoke's character designs are both based off of Ukiyoe paintings, but Mononoke does it much better. It feels like you are inside a living painting. As for the story, it's dark, and good, but didn't leave much of an impression on me in the end.


Kaiba (Psychological, Sci-fi)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/3701/Kaiba

Interesting mature series with child-like animation. Very "transporting".

The rays of inspiration have struck me :O

so far have looked at Icecream's, and Yudan.'s just awesome

They're super famous, but I second Miyazaki's animes. Really beautiful stuff.

I recently finally saw Ponyo, and what a beautiful trippy version of the Little Mermaid! Haha.

I was a big fan of 空の境界 for both the animation and the story.

When I think of unique and cool animation.... Ergo Proxy often comes to mind for me. Can't say it always has the best quality but it has a cool style.

Tolerence91 Wrote:Higashi no Eden (Drama, Comedy)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/5630/Higashi_no_Eden

A drama/comedy series that deals with social issues. it has great animation, and one of the coolest OP animations I've seen in a long time.

Definitely a cool series

Speaking of openings... Ergo Proxy has a pretty cool OP as well

I find the xxxHolic series was kind of disapointing, but the xxxHolic movie A midsummer night's dream is both interesting and really beautiful and is definitely a must see.

Anyone played the game Eternal Sonata? I would kill for someone to make an Anime with that graphical style. (Are there any..?) The only game I've played where I rushed through the gaming sections so I could sit back and enjoy the cut-scenes.

Most well drawn and beautiful animes have already been mention so far, though I would also like to point out かみちゅ. (Except for episode 4 ^_^). I simply adore this anime.

@IceCream: I just wanted to tell you that I have watched tons of animes in over 12 years now and that Byousoku 5cm is the best I've ever seen. I don't even expect seeing such a beauty, such a pearl, one more time. It's unique and if you'd like to see a beautiful animation in the same style look out for Makoto Shinkai's work, like "The land promised in our early days". They have more Sci-Fi touch, so it wasn't entirely my cup of tea. Byousoku is really touching as well, a romantic film (btw.. that damnd film made me find my current love, haha <3 Our favourite film. Therefore I decided to SRS it)

Some of these recommendations have unique styles but I don't think they are particularly well animated...
Anyway, I recommend anything by Satoshi Kon.

How come no one has mentioned Crayon Shin-chan (クレヨンしんちゃん) yet?

thanks for all the ideas guys!!! there's some cool stuff in here!!!

One of my favorite series is さらい屋五葉 (House of Five Leaves). It has a strange character style, but the backgrounds are very artistic and sumi-e like. Here's the trailer: Sarai-ya Goyou (House of Five Leaves) Anime Teaser Trailer

Bokusenou Wrote:All the Key visual novel anime adaptations by Kyoto Animation (Comedy,Drama, Slice of Life):

Clannad
http://myanimelist.net/anime/2167/Clannad

Kanon (2006)
http://myanimelist.net/anime/1530/Kanon_%282006%29

Air
http://myanimelist.net/anime/101/Air

I always think it's funny that all of these (except Clannad) are originally eroge, I know they made "clean" versions of them later but still...

Thanks for this list guys. I had become really bitter about anime thanks to all the moe~ kawaii stuff but this reinvigorated me. Especially "Angel's Egg", that was beautiful. I just watched Perfect Blue and Millenium Actress. I think I will watch Sky Crawlers next. Great work everyone!!

It hasn't come out yet, but I would keep an eye on "Dreaming Machine" - it's the unfinished work of the guy who did perfect blue / paprika and Madhouse is finishing it for him.

I remember 王立宇宙軍 オネアミスの翼 having a really nice look back in the day.

+1 for 空の境界。

Also, I kinda like ABe's style. Haibane is pretty beautiful and Lain is just awesomely trippy.

astendra Wrote:+1 for 空の境界。

Also, I kinda like ABe's style. Haibane is pretty beautiful and Lain is just awesomely trippy.

I think Despera should be coming out soon? Hopefully that'll be good.