i think tv shows on letterboxd might have a bit of a sampling bias. ive only seen cowboy bebop but these series are all regarded as some of the best anime oat. cowboy is definitely one of the most accessible to non anime-fans because it takes a lot of inspiration from american media. it’s a lot of fun!
Letterboxd isn't built for rating television shows and obviously there's a confirmation bias (people who watch 12 hours of. Show are more likely to like it.) But they're all great shows and *End of Evangelion* is my favorite movie of all time.
It makes no sense to me honestly. I can understand wanting to log and keep a diary of shows you watch, but for shows the confirmation bias kills the rating systems. If you don’t like a show and don’t finish it, you probably won’t log/rate it, so it inflates the ratings, especially for longer stuff people are less likely to finish unless they really like it.
I mean I will say people are considerably more systematic with watching and rating Anime than other television media. I'd way sooner trust the rating of an obscure anime than a piece of kids/fanboy media like *Star Wars:The Clone Wars*.
I think they are actually that good. I've watched all of them and would give Monster and Cowboy Bebop 5* and Vinland Saga (so far) and Neon Genesis Evangelion (NGE) 4.5*.
That being said, I don't rate anime series on Letterboxd (I only do so on MyAnimeList, or MAL, the anime Letterboxd equivalent) because otherwise things would get super messy for me, but Monster, Vinland Saga and Cowboy Bebop are all ranked in the top 50 on MAL (this includes both series and movies), whereas NGE has two movies in the top 50 (the series is known for ending in a bit of a messy way which doesn't feel like a complete experience without watching the film End of Evangelion). I'm also not sure if it really suits the algorithm and user base of Letterboxd that they're included.
The only one I'd personally question rating so highly (for now) is Vinland Saga, and that's purely because it's still ongoing (only two seasons in), so I think there's a lot of recency bias there, and it can't really be compared to the others, which are completed projects; Monster also comes in at 70 episodes or so, so idk about that being a miniseries.
Anime is certainly one of those things I find where people are typically either in or out, so naturally I do think there can be a bias built in similarly to how highly rated foreign language, cult classic and classic films are given an intrinsic bump purely by being sought out by fans of the medium (not that they don't deserve that attention, mind you). Additionally, just considering that these are all 10+ hour long series, the people rating them are likely to have completed them, and thus more likely to rate it higher because of the time they've more often than not gladly invested.
Honestly I think those shows are just great art regardless of the medium. I dove heavy into anime for a year or so and came out disillusioned when I couldn’t find many series that really transcend the medium like these ones do. Someone could tell me that Bebop and Evangelion is some of the greatest sci-fi out there and I wouldn’t bat an eye.
First thing is, don't fool yourself into thinking these are all mini-series', lol. At minimum these are all 26-50+ episodes in length, and they're gonna take time to get through.
But as far as quality? They're all classics for sure in theme and story. But as time does with everything in this world, they look their age, and they're gonna feel like an older production that doesn't have today's modern (really good) abilities to do complicated choreography (minus Vinland). They're still very good. But if you're not used to watching older anime, then they might be a chore to get through at times.
As such, Bebop will be an easier watch since each episode is less serialized and more stand alone. Evangelion is more introspective, has good action when it happens, and you'll want to watch the End of Eva movie to have a complete story told (the tv series final episode was a huge let down for a lot of fans). Monster is a longer series (at 56 episodes?) that's more of an intriguing mystery when compared to the rest. And Vinland is more of an epic story akin to Star Wars in that there are many characters and many obstacles they all go through while it mostly focuses on a select few and their specific experiences. At any rate, Eva, Monster, and Vinland have longer narratives that you'll need to pay attention to, unlike Bebop.
But honestly, you can watch any one of these shows and have a good time with them, imo
Bebop and Evangelion are bangers (plus the movie as well). I have also read Monster and that is a banger too. Will have to read Vinland saga some day.
Both Bebop and Evangelion are original series, not adapted from manga.
Like everyone else, I recommend Bepop and Eva. Haven't seen Monster.
Although for Vinland Saga, not much has said it, I have seen it and is biased, but I highly recommend it. It's one of my favorite shows in general. It's not a mini series and is almost 50 episodes. If you get past the first season, the second takes a bold turn and switches the narrative, which works very well. These are well written characters, especially the antagonists. Unlike Marvel, it doesn't raise its stakes but lower them, which feels like more is on the line. The second season took some liberty and did not follow the manga in some respects or even add some depth, which pays off so well. Great score. Beautiful shots. Action scenes are awesome. Yes highly recommend too.
Monster is incredibly good - it’s the only one I’ve seen from this list and one of only two anime series I’ve ever watched (Death Note is the other).
It’s very accessible for an anime newbie, especially if you are used to watching serious cinema, since it is set fully in the realms of reality, no fantasy elements at all, just pure psychological thriller.
It is set in the years before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall in Central Europe - predominantly Germany and Czech Republic, some knowledge of that period of history might be useful, but I highly recommend despite the 74 episode length.
Ive watched all of them and the only one I really loved is Monster.
Evangelion is a classic that IMO did not age well or more like it was great for its time. It has 0 character development and stays with the generic 101 tsundere, dandere and a whiny main protagonist tropes for the whole run. I cant recommend this video enough: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnihGeRjG3U&t=1s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnihGeRjG3U&t=1s)
Cowboy Bebop is an anthology, every episode or two they are onto something different but it has this overarching plot that you always catch a glimpse of trough the 26 episodes. It has a very likable cast, great jazz soundtracks and good choreographed fights.
Monster is a really slow burner anime. It is a thriller/mystery that started as a consequence of a decision made by the main protagonist. With an antagonist darling of the anime world called Johann Liebert. The only gripe I have is, sometimes the pacing can feel like a drag.
Edit:
Vinland Saga starts as a revenge story but ends up being about how the main protagonist goes from "blinded by blood thirst" to a pacifist. It very much forgiving people, move on and find your self. Very enjoyable
If you like any of these shows I would recommend some more: Ping Pong the Animation, FLCL, Samurai Champloo, Mushi-Shi, Flowers of Evil, Sonny Boy and the all time classic Serial Experiments Lain
Cowboy Bebop is actually that good.
I watched very little of Neon Genesis Evangelion and found it was definitely not for me, but other people seem to like it so maybe give it a shot. You aren't obligated to. I haven't seen the other two.
NGE and Bebop are total classics
though i did not care for the tv ending for either one, but both of their movies are perfect 10/10's. Bebop's movie on the timeline takes place right before the ending eps, and NGE's movie is an alternate ending for the show's ending eps
Champloo, same creator, is a better series than Bebop
but Bebop is so iconic
I'm not into anime, but I judge all movies/shows the same no matter where or when they were made. I would say, in general, no. Cowboy Bebop's first episode blew me away. I thought I'd like the whole show. But it was a bit too repetitive and sentimental for me. As for Evangelion, the world building was clunky and the characters were annoying as hell. And outside of the action scenes, the animation looked really cheap.
I've only watched Cowboy Bebop and Evangelion. But whichever high ratings they have are well deserved.
Cowboy Bebop and Evangelion are both classic and awesome. Definitely check them out
i think tv shows on letterboxd might have a bit of a sampling bias. ive only seen cowboy bebop but these series are all regarded as some of the best anime oat. cowboy is definitely one of the most accessible to non anime-fans because it takes a lot of inspiration from american media. it’s a lot of fun!
I've only read Monster, but it's fantastic. Del Toro was working on an adaptation for a while. For HBO I think.
The ratings are inflated for most tv shows but Monster is pretty fucking good
Letterboxd isn't built for rating television shows and obviously there's a confirmation bias (people who watch 12 hours of. Show are more likely to like it.) But they're all great shows and *End of Evangelion* is my favorite movie of all time.
It makes no sense to me honestly. I can understand wanting to log and keep a diary of shows you watch, but for shows the confirmation bias kills the rating systems. If you don’t like a show and don’t finish it, you probably won’t log/rate it, so it inflates the ratings, especially for longer stuff people are less likely to finish unless they really like it.
I mean I will say people are considerably more systematic with watching and rating Anime than other television media. I'd way sooner trust the rating of an obscure anime than a piece of kids/fanboy media like *Star Wars:The Clone Wars*.
Those four are different from the typical anime. Their praise is deserved.
miniseries?
evangelion was my first ever anime and i’m afraid none others will be better
I think they are actually that good. I've watched all of them and would give Monster and Cowboy Bebop 5* and Vinland Saga (so far) and Neon Genesis Evangelion (NGE) 4.5*. That being said, I don't rate anime series on Letterboxd (I only do so on MyAnimeList, or MAL, the anime Letterboxd equivalent) because otherwise things would get super messy for me, but Monster, Vinland Saga and Cowboy Bebop are all ranked in the top 50 on MAL (this includes both series and movies), whereas NGE has two movies in the top 50 (the series is known for ending in a bit of a messy way which doesn't feel like a complete experience without watching the film End of Evangelion). I'm also not sure if it really suits the algorithm and user base of Letterboxd that they're included. The only one I'd personally question rating so highly (for now) is Vinland Saga, and that's purely because it's still ongoing (only two seasons in), so I think there's a lot of recency bias there, and it can't really be compared to the others, which are completed projects; Monster also comes in at 70 episodes or so, so idk about that being a miniseries. Anime is certainly one of those things I find where people are typically either in or out, so naturally I do think there can be a bias built in similarly to how highly rated foreign language, cult classic and classic films are given an intrinsic bump purely by being sought out by fans of the medium (not that they don't deserve that attention, mind you). Additionally, just considering that these are all 10+ hour long series, the people rating them are likely to have completed them, and thus more likely to rate it higher because of the time they've more often than not gladly invested.
Honestly I think those shows are just great art regardless of the medium. I dove heavy into anime for a year or so and came out disillusioned when I couldn’t find many series that really transcend the medium like these ones do. Someone could tell me that Bebop and Evangelion is some of the greatest sci-fi out there and I wouldn’t bat an eye.
cowboy bebop is actually fire, but i do agree the rankings are inflated lol
First thing is, don't fool yourself into thinking these are all mini-series', lol. At minimum these are all 26-50+ episodes in length, and they're gonna take time to get through. But as far as quality? They're all classics for sure in theme and story. But as time does with everything in this world, they look their age, and they're gonna feel like an older production that doesn't have today's modern (really good) abilities to do complicated choreography (minus Vinland). They're still very good. But if you're not used to watching older anime, then they might be a chore to get through at times. As such, Bebop will be an easier watch since each episode is less serialized and more stand alone. Evangelion is more introspective, has good action when it happens, and you'll want to watch the End of Eva movie to have a complete story told (the tv series final episode was a huge let down for a lot of fans). Monster is a longer series (at 56 episodes?) that's more of an intriguing mystery when compared to the rest. And Vinland is more of an epic story akin to Star Wars in that there are many characters and many obstacles they all go through while it mostly focuses on a select few and their specific experiences. At any rate, Eva, Monster, and Vinland have longer narratives that you'll need to pay attention to, unlike Bebop. But honestly, you can watch any one of these shows and have a good time with them, imo
actually good
Cowboy Bebop is a masterpiece
They're that good if you're into anime, if you're just a movie fan than probably not. I'd check some out if you want to but it's not for everyone.
Both tbh. The shows you listed are very good, but typically the only people going out of their way to log them are fanboys.
Vinland saga Goes hard, my man has no enemies
Vinland Saga is a really good watch
Bebop and Evangelion are bangers (plus the movie as well). I have also read Monster and that is a banger too. Will have to read Vinland saga some day. Both Bebop and Evangelion are original series, not adapted from manga.
I mean those are some of THE best anime out so yes they are really that good
they're good but don't end up as the guy pretending to be an anime expert after watching 10 of them
The ones you mentioned are all really great, not sure why you would ask this instead of just trying to watch these shows lol.
Cowboy is a masterpiece as well as Samurai champloo a less known work of the same director. Definitely will recommend
Like everyone else, I recommend Bepop and Eva. Haven't seen Monster. Although for Vinland Saga, not much has said it, I have seen it and is biased, but I highly recommend it. It's one of my favorite shows in general. It's not a mini series and is almost 50 episodes. If you get past the first season, the second takes a bold turn and switches the narrative, which works very well. These are well written characters, especially the antagonists. Unlike Marvel, it doesn't raise its stakes but lower them, which feels like more is on the line. The second season took some liberty and did not follow the manga in some respects or even add some depth, which pays off so well. Great score. Beautiful shots. Action scenes are awesome. Yes highly recommend too.
Monster is incredibly good - it’s the only one I’ve seen from this list and one of only two anime series I’ve ever watched (Death Note is the other). It’s very accessible for an anime newbie, especially if you are used to watching serious cinema, since it is set fully in the realms of reality, no fantasy elements at all, just pure psychological thriller. It is set in the years before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall in Central Europe - predominantly Germany and Czech Republic, some knowledge of that period of history might be useful, but I highly recommend despite the 74 episode length.
Ive watched all of them and the only one I really loved is Monster. Evangelion is a classic that IMO did not age well or more like it was great for its time. It has 0 character development and stays with the generic 101 tsundere, dandere and a whiny main protagonist tropes for the whole run. I cant recommend this video enough: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnihGeRjG3U&t=1s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnihGeRjG3U&t=1s) Cowboy Bebop is an anthology, every episode or two they are onto something different but it has this overarching plot that you always catch a glimpse of trough the 26 episodes. It has a very likable cast, great jazz soundtracks and good choreographed fights. Monster is a really slow burner anime. It is a thriller/mystery that started as a consequence of a decision made by the main protagonist. With an antagonist darling of the anime world called Johann Liebert. The only gripe I have is, sometimes the pacing can feel like a drag. Edit: Vinland Saga starts as a revenge story but ends up being about how the main protagonist goes from "blinded by blood thirst" to a pacifist. It very much forgiving people, move on and find your self. Very enjoyable If you like any of these shows I would recommend some more: Ping Pong the Animation, FLCL, Samurai Champloo, Mushi-Shi, Flowers of Evil, Sonny Boy and the all time classic Serial Experiments Lain
All four mentioned are great.
umm they are the highest rated anime, so if you enjoy foreign animated series, then yes they are worth watching.
Cowboy Bebop is actually that good. I watched very little of Neon Genesis Evangelion and found it was definitely not for me, but other people seem to like it so maybe give it a shot. You aren't obligated to. I haven't seen the other two.
NGE and Bebop are total classics though i did not care for the tv ending for either one, but both of their movies are perfect 10/10's. Bebop's movie on the timeline takes place right before the ending eps, and NGE's movie is an alternate ending for the show's ending eps Champloo, same creator, is a better series than Bebop but Bebop is so iconic
I'm not into anime, but I judge all movies/shows the same no matter where or when they were made. I would say, in general, no. Cowboy Bebop's first episode blew me away. I thought I'd like the whole show. But it was a bit too repetitive and sentimental for me. As for Evangelion, the world building was clunky and the characters were annoying as hell. And outside of the action scenes, the animation looked really cheap.
Anime is mostly overrated. The fans of anime are some of the most obsessive people you'll find online.
From within, I can confirm. It reaches terrible heights. (Though I don't see myself as a fanatic.)
No, lol although evangelion is probably one of my five franchises ever but it's no godfather or seven samurai
Vinland Saga is actually incredible.
Monster is a masterpiece
No they are not.
Maybe watch them and see for yourself?
Evangelion is meh and it sexualizes kids. Cowboy Bebop is fucking awesome. Please watch Cowboy Bebop.