When it comes to visual design and world construction, Ergo Proxy is one of the most unique anime. If you enjoy mystery and sci-fi, you should certainly check it out because of the moody atmosphere and excellent tale it gives.
Here are some fantastic series in a post-apocalyptic environment that you will adore if you have already finished watching the masterfully created episodes of Ergo Proxy and are seeking for anime comparable in visual style or topic. Several of these anime, including Ergo Proxy, are available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
1. Ghost in the Shell
There is no need to introduce Ghost in the Shell. Fans of Psycho-Pass will be perfectly at home with the show’s cyberpunk atmosphere. The world is already complex, but Stand Alone Complex further complicates it. The original film is a milestone release in and of itself. It may seem like a simple idea to see a futuristic version of the police apprehend horrific criminals, but Stand Alone Complex’s incredible storyline makes this anime stand out.
One of the most well-known cyberpunk animes ever is Ghost in the Shell. The anime has a cinematic adaptation that was also released in 2002. The setting of Ghost in the Shell depicts a society in which people can undergo a full body transplant and turn into androids. While still concentrating on the mysterious Kusanagi Motoko and Section 9, Stand Alone Complex differs significantly from the first Ghost in the Shell. The main character is still dealing with criminals who have been augmented by cybernetics. If you enjoy cyberpunk, you will adore Ergo Proxy’s world creation, which is extremely comparable here.
Stand Alone Complex is based on the phenomenally popular manga series that also gave rise to the 1995 anime moive Ghost in the Shell. It presents a different plot from the manga as an elite law enforcement squad looks into incidents of cybercrime.
The Laughing Man, a cyber terrorist, is their first target, and it is this case that ultimately gives rise to the Stand Alone Complex, a sociopsychological phenomenon when multiple unconnected people respond similarly to a certain event.
2. Psycho-Pass
Despite their different themes, this show and Ergo Proxy really have a lot in common. Both feature a sizable portion of the major characters from each anime acting as a sort of police force, a good deal of courtroom drama, and some quite shocking turns in the plots’ conclusion.
The universe in which Psycho-Pass is set is one in which a person’s criminal intent can be quickly assessed using the Sibyl System, which determines a person’s threat level by calculating their Psycho-Pass. The Crime Investigation Department’s field agents finally subdue or murder those who cross the line of crime in their opinion.
Akane Tsunemori, a young inspector with a strong sense of justice, is the main character of Psycho-Pass. She learns from her colleague Shinya Kougami that the Psycho-Pass cannot be relied upon to predict a person’s future behaviour.
Both have highly elegant and exciting beginning and closing music, yet they may differ more in the unstated tone communicated to viewers viewing than other entrants. In favour of incredibly intriguing crime drama and psychological thriller perspectives, Psycho-Pass forgoes the anguish angle. Our breath of new air for Sci-Fi/Cyberpunk aficionados rose to a position deserving of recommendation on this list after three great seasons.
The story of Psycho-Pass is continued in a trilogy of movies that examine the origin tales of the show’s protagonists. Sinners of the System is often disregarded in favour of the anime series and Psycho-Pass: The Movie, so it may seem strange to suggest it in this piece.
This trilogy gives fans the chance to learn more about the brains of their favourite series characters while also getting a look into the pasts that shaped them into the people they are now. Fans who want to find out even more about the bizarre and ominous universe depicted in the original series should certainly check out the trilogy, which is a strong instalment in the Pscho-Pass series.
3. Monster
The protagonist of the narrative is a Japanese physician named Kenzo Tenma who resides in Germany. He interacts with serial murderer Johan Liebert, a former patient of his who is introduced to him. The two then proceed to engage in a game of cat and mouse as Kenzo is compelled to dive into Johan’s background in order to uncover the horrible cause of his homicidal tendencies. The show is routinely included in lists of the greatest anime of all time and is regarded as one of the best thrillers the genre has ever created.
Brilliant neurosurgeon Kenzo Tenma is regarded as one of the finest at the hospital where he works. Tenma will not hesitate to save someone’s life, even if it means prioritising the life of a common person over the lives of powerful people like ministers or generals. Tenma learned that the little kid whose life he spared had once been the renowned Monster, turning the ethical part of his existence into a curse. The cause of all the homicides in the city was one small youngster. Tenma embarks on his journey to atone for his actions.
The beloved programme Monster may occasionally have a little bit of a sluggish pacing issue, but overall, that’s a relatively minor quibble. In any case, this accurate translation is regarded by many as one of the finest thrillers in anime, with a gripping narrative that will have viewers on the edge of their seats right up until the very end. One of the most mind-tickling villains of all time is the titular Monster, Johan Liebert. Because of how cunning Johan truly is, watching the main characters struggle to find him throughout the series feels like an exercise in futility.
4. Serial Experiments Lain
Continuous Experiments One of the oldest anime on our list, Lain offers every component necessary for a psychologically-themed mystery anime. Iwakura Lain, a fourteen-year-old who is visited by his friend Chisa, who is purportedly dead, is the protagonist of the novel. He is drawn into the “Wired” universe. It is an anime that may require a second viewing or reading via internet debates to properly comprehend; yet, Ergo Proxy-like experiences can be had thanks to the complex philosophical ideas and existential problems it raises.
A far more complex story than the opening setting would suggest about an outcast youngster. Viewers are taken on a journey of constant discovery that begins with the recently departed classmate of protagonist Lain Iwakura texting other pupils after her death and continues well after the show’s relatively brief 13-episode, four-and-a-half-hour length.
For audience looking for something more focused on psychological perspectives and plot points, along with early concepts of social media from 1998, Yoshitoshi Abe’s first major project hones in on dark and despair-filled themes much farther than Ergo Proxy had throughout it’s runtime. Therefore, this is a match made in… purgatory?
5. Witch Hunter Robin
The protagonist of Witch Hunter Robin, Robin, is entrusted with hunting out witches for an unknown organisation. The novel puts the heroine in conflict and causes her to wonder what is actually going on due to the witches abusing their power and the increase in witch-related occurrences. In Witch Hunter Robin, the action is less important than the location and the narrative. You’ll adore Witch Hunter Robin if you enjoyed Ergo Proxy for its striking visual style. Each episode of the dismal alternate future will have you riveted to your seat because it is so gripping.
Robin is a witch who recently moved to Japan from Italy in order to join the STN-J, a group that hunts out witches. There, Robin discovers that not all of the organization’s intentions are as good-natured as it first appears, and that it attempts to catch the ESP, telekinesis, or mind control-wielding witches of Japan alive in order to study them.
While witches and AutoReivs are very different from one another, these series’ plots are really pretty similar. They begin as investigators, become involved in a case that develops into something more, and as a result, their world begins to fall apart. From there, they go on an exploration. The underlying structure is the same, however they arrive to different conclusions.
6. Darker than Black
A pre-apocalyptic environment is expertly captured in the 25-episode anime series Darker Than Black. From what is referred to as “Hell’s Gate,” a huge wall erupts over Tokyo, causing all sorts of issues for the populace. Contractors are psychotic murderers with exceptional abilities who are the focus of the plot. Every time they utilise their abilities, they are obliged to make a sacrifice, and the Foreign Affairs Public Security team is compelled to look into these instances and bring the Contractors to justice.
The crew is always at odds, from discovering the truth about the Contractors to halting Hell’s Gate, and the mysterious Messier Code BK201, the only person who appears to be capable of stopping the Contractors, making for an engaging anime to watch.
The show recounts what happens when two strange spatial openings known as Gates—a Heaven’s Gate in America and a Hell’s Gate in Japan—take place. One thing is certain, however: these portals break the fundamental laws of physics. The purpose of the gate is still a mystery. These Gates then started giving humans access to extraordinary abilities in return for their humanity.
Hei, a contractor in the underworld, completes the assignments and carries out his duty to use his skills, much like his colleagues. Hei embarks on his quest to learn the truth after the untimely deaths of the Contractors fuel suspicion towards the Syndicate.
Darker than Black is an underappreciated anime that has a sci-fi action-thriller with a fantastic idea. The concept of certain people becoming Contractors, who may employ supernatural abilities for a fee, is the main theme of the programme. Being wholly unique is already a huge accomplishment given how fantastic Darker than Black is. The fights are creative and seem distinct from the typical, all-out power struggles seen in, say, most combat shonen anime.
7. Texhnolyze
One of the greatest dystopian anime out there, this 22-episode series is directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki. The story is set in an underground civilization that humans created, and the protagonist Ichise, an orphan, loses an arm and a leg in a prizefight. He is taken in by a doctor who exploits him for research purposes and provides him with specialised prostheses, saving his life. He quickly becomes embroiled in a conflict for territory and embarks on a bloody investigation to learn the truth about Lux’s hidden metropolis.
This one is for fashionistas who crave the famous cyberpunk aesthetic that the genre is known for, as well as fans of Yoshitoshi Abe whose work dates back to the cult masterpiece Serial Experiments: Lain. This anime would appeal to anyone who felt the need to exchange the tension and angst of Ergo Proxy for a more action-packed, perilous, futuristic nightlife. Through the eyes of the protagonist Ichise and fate teller Ran as they find themselves in the middle of a three-way war for control of The City, it trades safety and an organised society for a more hazardous mafia-like conflict. If you enjoy prostheses and underground fighting circuits, you get extra points!
Ichise, an orphan who rose to fame as a street fighter, has his way of life destroyed when a vengeful promoter amputates his limb and leg. He is saved by a scientist who uses him as a test subject just before he passes away. He knows the city is on the verge of catastrophe and that only he can save it now that he has new limbs at his disposal and a new mystery female who can predict the future by her side.
Both television shows are about individuals who reside in some type of utopian lie that is discovered. The series loses more of its focus on the main storyline as it progresses and instead addresses deeper philosophical questions regarding their technologically superior lifestyle.