Anime like Aru Tabibito no Nikki

Kino no Tabi: the Beautiful World

Also known as Kino's Journey.

Studio: WOWOW , Genco , A.C.G.T. , Sentai Filmworks , Studio Wombat
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Psychological , Slice of Life

Based on a hit light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa, the philosophical Kino's Journey employs the time-honored motif of the road trip as a vehicle for self-discovery and universal truth. Deeply meditative and cooler than zero, the series follows the existential adventures of the apt marksman Kino along with talking motorcycle Hermes as they travel the world and learn much about themselves in the process. Imaginative, thought-provoking, and sometimes disturbing, Kino's journey is documented in an episodic style with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than action or plot, though still prevalent.

Tags: Philosophy , Episodic , Travel , Foreign , Tragedy , Meta , Motorcycles , Achronological Order , Female Protagonist , Dystopian , Agender , Guns , Rural , Steampunk , Snowscape , Mopeds , Politics , Cannibalism , Robots , Kuudere , Battle Royale , Aviation , War , Tanks

Tsumiki no Ie

Also known as La Maison en Petits Cubes.

Studio: Oh! Production , Robot
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

An old man lives in a town that has become submerged in water. As the water level rises, he's forced to build additional levels onto his home with bricks (cubes) in order to stay above water. One day he accidentally drops his favorite pipe into the lower levels of his home, and decides to rent scuba diving equipment in order to go searching for it. As he descends through his sunken home, the old man recalls memories of the past in each room.



Tags: No Dialogue , Environmental , Dystopian , Achronological Order , Post-Apocalyptic , Scuba Diving , Elderly Protagonist , Coming of Age , Fishing , Male Protagonist , Cosmic Horror , Tragedy , Family Life , Ships , Marriage , Photography

Mushishi

Also known as MUSHI-SHI.

Studio: Artland , Marvelous Entertainment , Funimation , Delfi Sound
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy , Mystery , Psychological , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Neither good nor evil, they are life in its purest form. Vulgar and strange, they have inspired fear in humans since the dawn of time and have, over the ages, come to be known as "mushi." The stories of the Mushi and the people they affect are all linked together by a traveling Mushi-shi, or "Mushi Master," who seeks rare Mushi sightings and uses his shaman-like knowledge of Mushi to help the affected people.

What are the Mushi and what do they want?



Tags: Environmental , Youkai , Mythology , Episodic , Philosophy , Rural , Travel , Male Protagonist , Animals , Iyashikei , Outdoor Activities , Exorcism , Tragedy , Snowscape , Eco-Horror , Seinen , Historical , Wilderness , Coastal , Primarily Adult Cast , Amnesia , Cult , Monster Girl , Suicide

Kujira no Chouyaku

Also known as Glassy Ocean.

Studio: Bandai Visual , Ai ga areba Daijobu , Tamura Shigeru Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy

Time has come to a standstill. A whale appears from a glassy ocean and spends half a day soaring gracefully across the skies. What makes this works extraordinary is the artist's decision to use the transparency and visual bulk of 3D computer graphics only for the un-moving ocean and glaciers. The people, whale, and ships are all hand-drawn, and with this contrast, he invites the viewer into a different world. This is a poem written in animation, the creation of a true fantasy. This project was a considerable under taking, and the results are marvelous.



Tags: Time Manipulation , Iyashikei , Elderly Protagonist , CGI , Achronological Order , Ships , Philosophy

Nekojiru-sou

Also known as Cat Soup.

Studio: J.C.STAFF
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Horror , Psychological

Cat Soup is an extremely difficult film to describe, due to its awesome surrealism and almost nonexistant dialogue. It is more a work of art than an anime. There are many underlying themes, such as the transcience of man's existence, but it can be enjoyed without understanding any of them. The plot, though simple, isn't necessarily understandable without being explained. The main character, a cat named Nyatto, embarks upon a journey to save his sister's soul, which was ripped in two when Nyatto tried to save her from Death. She trails after him, brain-dead. They encounter many brilliant, mind-bending situations, beginning with a disturbing magic show.



Tags: Animals , Surreal Comedy , No Dialogue , Philosophy , Cosmic Horror , Afterlife , Body Horror , Urban , Survival , Primarily Animal Cast , Seinen , Anthropomorphism , Gods , Male Protagonist , Circus , Time Manipulation , Cannibalism , Outdoor Activities , Rural , Ships , Religion , Nudity , Gore , Revenge

Kaiba

Also known as Kaiba.

Studio: MADHOUSE , Discotek
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Mystery , Psychological , Romance , Sci-Fi

It is now possible to store memory data, so that the death of your body is not actually "death". As memories are stored in databanks, they can be "transferred" to new bodies. Because so-called "memory trading" now occurs, it is now possible to steal memories and illegally alter them.

Society has fallen apart as authority has become lost and stagnant.

One day, a man awakens in a ruined room. His name is Kaiba. He has no memories, but he does have a pendant with a picture of an unknown woman inside.

In the skies are roiling clouds and electrical storms, impossible to pass without losing one's memories; above them lies the elusive realm of the rich and powerful, who barter others' bodies and memories for their own enjoyment and longevity. Below lies a troubled and dangerous world where good bodies are hard to come by and real money is scarce.

After suddenly being attacked, Kaiba escapes into space, and during his travels meets all sorts of people and regains his memories. Throughout it, he continues to be troubled by the world's problems, as well as his own existence. And what of the woman in the pendant, Neiro?

Tags: Amnesia , Dystopian , Memory Manipulation , Body Swapping , Philosophy , Space , Clone , Tragedy , Cyberpunk , Conspiracy , Heterosexual , Body Horror , Fugitive , Gender Bending , Cult , Terrorism , Post-Apocalyptic , Male Protagonist , Episodic , Cosmic Horror , Aliens , Psychosexual , Crime , Class Struggle , Primarily Child Cast , Drugs

a piece of PHANTASMAGORIA

Studio: Tamura Shigeru Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy , Sci-Fi , Slice of Life

While traveling the realm of dreams, I discovered a small planet, Phantasmagoria...

Life on the Glassy Ocean, a snowman's journey to the south, and the day that the giant lightbulb finally shone. Whispers of a great meteor, the confessions of a planetarium technician, and experiments to raise an artificial moon.

Short stories that unearth transparent moments like crystals — a fusion of the fantastical world illustrated by Tamura Shigeru and the ambient music of Teshikai Utollo.



Tags: Achronological Order , Philosophy , No Dialogue , Aliens , Kids , Work

Cello Hiki no Gauche

Also known as Gauche the Cellist.

Studio: Oh! Production
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Music

The story concerns Gauche, a professional cellist. During rehearsals for a performance, he is scolded by the conductor because his playing is not good enough. His timing is off and he seems to have no "feel" for the music.

Gauche returns to his lonely cottage and starts practicing. Then a cat enters who tricks him into understanding the inner meaning of the music. The importance of practice is shown by a cuckoo, rhythm by a badger and tenderness by a mouse. In four days he learns the true meaning and feeling of music and develops into a great musician.

Laced with popular classical music this special combines fun and inspiration for all ages and audiences.



Tags: Musical Theater , Rural , Male Protagonist , Classic Literature , Animals , Historical , Classical Music , Kids , Urban Fantasy , Anthropomorphism , Slapstick

Michi

Studio: Tomoyasu Murata Company
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

The My Road series - Scarlet Road (2002), White Road (2003), Indigo Road (2006), and the most recent instalment Lemon Road (2008) - can be read as meditations on loss and mourning. These poetic films tell their story through motif, character expression, music and montage and require repeated viewing for one to absorb the subtly evoked layers of meaning.



Tags: Stop Motion , Philosophy , No Dialogue , Rehabilitation , Puppetry , Rural , Male Protagonist , Episodic , Trains

rain town

Studio: Kyoto Seika University
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Sci-Fi

Hiroyasu Ishida's graduation project at Kyoto Seika University.

Tags: Urban , No Dialogue , Robots , Dystopian , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Iyashikei