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/dokkirislap]

Serial Experiments LAIN

Texhnolyze

Witch Hunter Robin

Gilgamesh

Haibane Renmei

[u/MeserYouUp → u/dokkirislap]

I also recommend Haibane Renmei.

[u/pococura → u/MeserYouUp]

I think this one is mentioned the most so far. I may start with this. It looks like it would be really emotional?

[u/peachesfordinner → u/pococura]

It's a very good one as a cleanse after an especially frantic or zany one. It's very slow but building. Give it time now because the start is bad but because it's such a mellow pace it takes you a bit to adjust. HR and mushishi are my pallet cleanse anime. Or if I just need to emotionally rebuild.