Television series
Last Exile
Last Exile is a steampunk aerial adventure following two young sky pirates navigating a world where humanity has returned to a reborn Earth. Gorgeously animated with intricate flying sequences, it blends swashbuckling action with genuine worldbuilding and emotional stakes. For anyone who loves adventure that takes itself seriously without losing its sense of wonder.
If you liked this
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood2009
Serialized action-adventure with intricate plotting, a fully realized world, and character arcs that matter. Anime that respects its audience's intelligence and investment.
But Fifty-six episodes is a commitment. The early pacing is deliberate, and some side quests feel like obligation.
Attack on Titan2013
High-stakes aerial combat against overwhelming odds. Stunning animation of movement through three-dimensional space, mystery that sustains itself, and genuine surprise when major characters die.
But Later seasons divide fans sharply on story direction. The tone lurches between school-life comedy and apocalyptic horror.
Daria1997
Serialized growth without sentimentality. Two young women navigating the world on their own terms, with steady-handed writing that trusts you to care without being told to.
But MTV animation from the '90s looks deliberately flat. The humor is dry and sometimes misses. Some episodes are genuinely dull.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Last Exile
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Porco Rosso1992
Both obsessed with the mechanics and romance of flight itself. Planes are characters. The sky is as much a protagonist as anyone.
Miyazaki's love letter to flight and adventure. A cursed pilot and a young engineer rebuild a damaged plane while fascism encroaches. Whimsical and melancholy, action-light but alive with movement.
But Slow-paced and plotless by conventional standards. Ends abruptly on a note of ambiguity. No satisfying confrontation or climax.
More like this (7)
Nana2006
Two young women building a life together in a hostile world. Character-driven, musically rich, and unafraid of genuine hurt. The emotional complexity rivals any live-action drama.
But Shojo sensibility may feel overwrought. Focuses entirely on character and relationships; there is no plot momentum.
Mobile Suit Gundam1979
The template for everything that came after. Mecha as vehicles of war, not magic. Political complexity and character growth across a long narrative. Still remarkable.
But Broadcast anime from 1979 looks it. Pacing is repetitive. You will watch many mobile suit battles that blur together.
Carole & Tuesday2019
Two young women building something together against systemic opposition. Musically ambitious, visually gorgeous, and genuinely hopeful without being naive about cost.
But Set on Mars for no compelling reason. Some episodes stall. The ending divides viewers on whether it earns its sentiment.
Escaflowne1996
Lush fantasy-adventure with real emotional stakes, beautiful character animation, and a protagonist who changes as the world does. Romantically complex without being a romance.
But Twenty-six episodes is a weird length for the story it tells. Some plot threads are abandoned. Dubbed version is inferior.
Record of Ragnarok2021
Stylish tournament action with genuine stakes. Historical and mythological figures reimagined as fighters. Each bout is a self-contained story with character and consequence.
But The premise is ludicrous. Visual effects are sometimes janky. Shonen tournament structure means you know the shape of what's coming.
Black Lagoon2006
Action-driven adventure with genuinely skilled animation, morally compromised characters you invest in anyway, and a world that feels lived-in and toxic in equal measure.
But Gratuitously violent and crude. Female characters are often objectified. Some arcs meander. The tone is cynical bordering on nihilist.
Moana2016
Partners with conflicting goals forced together by circumstance, learning to trust. Ocean as vast, indifferent, beautiful obstacle. Adventure as duty, not escape.
Two young women—one reluctant, one determined—undertake an impossible ocean voyage to save their people. Visually spectacular, musically driven, genuinely funny, and sincere about cost and sacrifice.
But Disney formula is visible. Some songs are skippable. The twist resolves too neatly. Might feel shallow if you're looking for complexity.
