Most anime are inspired by a manga, and they are often made after a manga grows in popularity. Although there are other sources like video games, light novels, and other media, none of them are as influential as manga. However, some anime are a result of the creativity of writers, producers, and artists. They don’t need to rely on any other source for inspiration. Today we look at some anime who were not inspired by any source like manga. Gundam Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise, Gundam is a military science fiction franchise that began four decades back in 1979. After 40 successful years, it has generated over $20 billion in revenue and has become one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. Gundams are humanoid, bipedal vehicles that are controlled by a cockpit located in their torso. Its head serves as the camera and transmits images to the cockpit. The show’s pilots and protagonists are all genetically advanced human beings that have now adapted themselves for space. Most of the series is based in a fictional time when a calamitous event leads to a war between earth and space colonies. Even though it was released decades ago, it continues to be relevant even today, just like any other manga, movie, and anime series.
Gurren Lagaan
Directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan, also known as Gurren Lagaan, is a mecha anime series. The ruler Spiral King, Lordgenome, forces humans to live in isolated subterranean villages in an alternative version of Earth. The deuteragonists of the show Kamina and Simon, use the mecha called Lagaan to explore Earth’s surface. But they don’t realize that they will have to confront the forces of Lordgenome and other humans in pursuit of their goals. Gurren Lagaan went on to win numerous Japanese media awards for its fantastic storytelling and animation. If you love mecha anime, you need to watch this show; it will surely be one of the best anime you have ever seen.
Psycho-Pass
Psycho-Pass is a psychological crime thriller that recounts a future version of Japan run by a complex supercomputer system called Sibyl. It can determine the possibility of a person becoming a criminal by calculating their Crime Coefficient, which can then be used to punish the criminal on the spot if they are judged to be too dangerous for society. Akane Tsunemori, a rookie Inspector, works with Shinya Kogami to capture Shogo Makishima. The series does a brilliant job of engaging the viewers and making them question the very values of the system on which the futuristic version of Japan is built. People who enjoy psychological crime thrillers will love this show.
Angel Beats There are very few anime that are as depressing as Angel Beats. The series takes place in a high school that resembles a purgatory. The students there have to get over the trauma and depression of their past lives to reincarnate. The protagonist of the show, Yuzuru Otonashi, who is amnesiac, joins hands with Yuri Nakamura to protest against God for granting them painful and depressing lives. Angel Beats went to become a huge success and was praised for its mind-boggling action sequences. No other anime will take the viewer on an emotional roller-coaster like Angel Beats. Eden of the East A terrorist attack on Japan marks the beginning of the show Eden of the East. The authorities investigate the case with everything they have but find no clue to catch the person behind it. Surprisingly, there are no casualties in the attack. Three months after the incident, Saki Morimi meets an amnesiac Japanese man named Akira Takizawa in the United States. Even though Takizawa tells him that he is a terrorist, Saki still decided to be friends with him. However, Takizawa has 8.2 billion yen in the mysterious cell phone that he has with him. They then become part of a game where 12 other people called Seleco have to use the money to help Japan. However, if they use the money for their interests, they will be eliminated. The series became the Best TV series of the year in 2009 and became a massive hit in Japan. Although the show is outstanding, it still did not receive the recognition and popularity in western countries that it deserves. Cowboy Bebop There is no way that Cowboy Bebop won’t make it to this list. The show has been a classic and continues to be influential and relevant even after decades of its release. It recounts Spike Spiegel and his group of bounty hunters who go on adventures to chase criminals. The anime became one of the most well-known anime of all time and was a huge commercial success. It is responsible for bringing a whole new generation of anime fans in the 2000s. The show also won numerous awards for the soundtrack, animation, and storyboard. These are some of the anime that had no source material to inspire them. All of them are a result of the creativity of its writers and animators. Today all of them are well-known worldwide, and few like Cowboy Bebop are even argued to be the best anime of all time.
Comments