Alternative Anime

Okay, we've all seen the mjor anime out there -Naruto, Code Geass, Death Note, Bleach etc.- but much of what is great in anime isn't seen through the quote unquote 'mainstream' series but in the undiscovered gems of the anime world; so this thread is for those lovers of the alternative. What is it about alternative series that you love?
Examples only if necessary, this is not a recomendation thread, don't get me pulled

To start things off; what I love about the alternative anime scene is their ability to shape the old archetypes of anime into new situations -ie the mindgames in Death Note v. Monster- and the general weirdness of series which CHALLENGE how we look at the world -see Sasameki Koto or Perfect Blue.

Don't forget children, many of anime's most widely known series started as back-room projects -cough NGE cough- ; Don't neglect the alternative it has much to show you!!

Talk soon
Mersein

I like how "alternative animes" tend to not sugarcoat anything. They're not pink, they're not kawaii when they don't need to be. There's not much "playing for the public" as authors try to entertain people with decent plot and dialogs, not tones of vulgar fan service with no sense of taste at all.

idk if sasameki koto really "challenged" the way we look at things, it was just a yuri, a damn great yuri at that, if you want more like that check out maria sama ga miteru and strawberry panic. But Yuri has a very large audience, so idk if this really falls under the "alternative anime" umbrella. I think maybe "meaningful" anime would be a better title, like The girl who leapt through time, that was awesome and really had me thinking about time travel , or even Brave Story, a very simple story but still a fantastic story about self discovery.

Quote :

not tones of vulgar fan service with no sense of taste at all.

whats wrong with vulgar fan service? haha.

Because there's a big difference between a good fan service and a vulgar one.

:Clarification: @theaerisfantasy
I come from an uber right wing family, SK (along with angel sanctuary, loveless etc) and was really my first foray into relationship structures other than hetero student-teacher, student love triangle, fawning eventual love etc. It resonates with me because of this; You may be right on the title though. Chalk it up to newbie-ness.
BTW--> SP = one of my favourites, yes it's kind of cliche but who can pass up fainting spells and painful histories? Thats what love stories are built on.

Steering this thing right back on topic... @Cromell
Precisely!! I'm sooo sick of anime that panders, entertainment is all well and good and I can see why companies take on purely amusing projects rather than meaningful series (thnx aeris ); I'm just glad that it is still possible to find art imitating life in anime.
BTW--> have a love hate relationship with fan service, you're right, big gulf between good and horrible.

Before I start ranting here...
I may just be preaching to the converted, but oh well, just glad somone picked up my little thread, run with it people; anime like all art-forms can teach as much as entertain.

PS to everyone: I want to point out at this juncture that I love anime in all its forms, Kawaii, meaningful or otherwise; I'm trying desperately not to be a hypocrite so do excuse me if, like much of the internet I come of as a little mentally ill
Now that I'm out of breath I do belive I'll move on :gasp:.