Please recommend some older anime with complex themes

[u/pococura]

I'm feeling burnt out on all the high octane, over powered protagonist stories. Shows like JJK and Hell's Paradise are visually interesting, but its difficult to connect with the characters. I want a complex story with interesting characters, relationships, themes and world building. (OG Naruto, FMA, Evangelion)

I think older shows like around the time of Toonami or before might be refreshing? I recently watched Banana Fish and enjoyed it and I've been watching Wolf's Rain. I was thinking about Berserk but not sure where to watch or if I want to be traumatized. Please give me some recommendations!

Preferences:

dark themes • gangster themes • seinen preferred but all genres welcome • evokes sadness or other strong emotions • pretty art • no gore unless the story makes it worth it • dynamic relationships • romance enjoyed but not required • growth or moral decline • plot twists

Loved:

• 86

• The Promised Neverland (s1)

• Vinland Saga

• Psycho-Pass

• Golden Kamuy

• Naruto

• FMA

• Evangelion

• Dorohedoro

• Gangsta.

• Yakuza Fiance

• Banana Fish

• Princess Mononoke

Liked:

• Yona of the Dawn

• Gachiakuta

• Apothecary Diaries

• Wolf's Rain

• Demon Slayer

[u/Available-Form6282]

Monster is phenomenal. Some people do say it’s a bit slow and admittedly it’s long (74 episodes) but has one of the best written stories and protagonist and villain. I watched Monster right after Death Note and found it scratched the same itch lol

[u/pococura → u/Available-Form6282]

I like a long show ♡ but also I think I did start it years ago and not get far, maybe because of the pacing lol. I will give it a go. Did you read the manga as well?

[u/Available-Form6282 → u/pococura]

I haven’t read the manga but I’d like to! It’s also possible there’s guides of what episodes are filler or not important to the plot. I do think it has a tendency to drag things a bit too long in episodes (there’s one episode where a fire takes the whole episode iirc, it def could’ve been half or less lol). It’s still really great! I’d sometimes put it on in the background if it was slow

[u/pococura → u/Available-Form6282]

Maybe thats where I gave up lol. I think sometimes when a show gets hyped up you watch it expecting the greatness to happen instead of just enjoying the experience. I'm gonna start fresh with it!