In Search of Mind Game Anime

[Shikomizue]

After watching One Outs, I have discovered the greatness that is the psychological genre. I am in the process of watching Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor, and Death Note is in my watch list.

So, any good psychological anime I should know of?

Edited October 18, 2015 by Shikomizue
Ignorance I guess

[Mugi]

Welcome To The NHK is sort of psychological, though it's more black comedy and drama than anything, still a good watch. Also Serial Experiments Lain.

[Monmon]

Any animes with penguins will mostly have psychological traits in it....dem penguins.

[Shikomizue]

Welcome To The NHK is sort of psychological, though it's more black comedy and drama than anything, still a good watch. Also Serial Experiments Lain.

I've already watched NHK but I didn't know it was in the psychological genre, that must be why I really liked it. SEL looks semi interesting, I'll give it a try.

Any animes with penguins will mostly have psychological traits in it....dem penguins.

Looks cool, I'll definitely check it out. I mean, I do like penguins...

[Mugi]

Ah, I forgot to suggest Monster too, definitely one of the best in the genre. Though given it's popularity, you might have already seen it.

[Shikomizue]

Ah, I forgot to suggest Monster too, definitely one of the best in the genre. Though given it's popularity, you might have already seen it.

I have not actually. that's what my MAL account is for. I'll check that one out as well.

[Down]

If you mean an anime that deals with concepts from psychology, there's Ghost Hound.

[Shikomizue]

If you mean an anime that deals with concepts from psychology, there's Ghost Hound.

Anything that includes psychology is what I'm looking for really, it doesn't have to be something specific. Ghosts are interesting, I've got a good feeling about this one.

[solidbatman]

Define psychology

[Shikomizue]

Define psychology

Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. It is an academic discipline and an applied science which seeks to understand individuals and groups by establishing general principles and researching specific cases.

Google exists for a reason.

[Wonderfullyevil]

Any animes with penguins will mostly have psychological traits in it....dem penguins.

FFFFFFF yes

If you're going to watch this there's Utena I guess.

And Shin Sekai Yori maybe

I really dislike how this genre is tagged because of how vaguely defined it is but those are my suggestions.

[Down]

Define psychology

Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. It is an academic discipline and an applied science which seeks to understand individuals and groups by establishing general principles and researching specific cases.

Google exists for a reason.

That's why I was trying to narrow it down to anime that features things like PTSD, schizophrenia, OCD, sociopathy... Or in a broader way examples of actual psychology as a science, used in fiction.

For example, Death Note for me is nothing but a straightforward Shônen Jump manga that transposes to a "battle of wits" kind of story what is usually done in "battle of fists" kind of story in this magazine. I haven't watched One Outs but it seems like a regular sports manga. Serial Experiment Lain's themes have more to do with philosophy and sociology, the introspection done on the character of Lain and on which the anime centers, which is done in a very Evangelion-like way, is more akin to a narrative tool than an example of "psychology". Mawaru Penguindrum is a character drama with underlying themes as various as family and terrorism, going through many others in the process (it's a bit messy in this aspect). There's nothing very "psychological" about it.

If we were to count as psychology any fiction that describes the mental processes of its characters or can be assimilated to a character study, we end up with the majority of all fiction ever done in our category, which is usually a symptom of an ill-defined category.

[Zodai]

On my part, Psychological refers to a heavy degree of internal conflict - with an aside here and there for external conflict along the lines of Death Note.  Code Geass might fit in here but it's not the first thing I would go for.  There's also some notes on tone that work best as well.

 

I'm going to suggest Evangelion, Shin Sekai Yori, and Madoka Magica.  Those are usually the main ones in this general area from my reasoning.

[Yuuko]

Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?  

[solidbatman]

Only reason I asked is because it sounds more like you are looking for a 2deep4me type show that is pretentious. But I didn't want to sound like a douche bag, until you informed me that google exists for a reason. Now I'm totally cool with being a douche.

 

Anyway, some pointlessly edgy shows for you might be Rebuild of Evangelion, Mirai Nikki, and Madoka Magica. These will be fun, and make you feel like you saw something deep, which seems perfect

 

For actual deeper psychological shows, JinRoh: The Wolf Brigade (a movie), Paprika (also a movie), Serial Experiments Lain, RahXephon, Neon Genesis Evangelion. These will be boring, but have actual depth to them. 

[FrozenRaven]

Higurashi i haven't finished watching it yet but everyone in that show seems messed up in the head so you might like it   

[Shikomizue]

Only reason I asked is because it sounds more like you are looking for a 2deep4me type show that is pretentious. But I didn't want to sound like a douche bag, until you informed me that google exists for a reason. Now I'm totally cool with being a douche.

I apologize, maybe I am looking for that type of show, I'm not sure how to describe the shows I've watched previously mentioned in the OP. Sorry I acted that way out of my own ignorance of psychology.

Anyway, some pointlessly edgy shows for you might be Rebuild of Evangelion, Mirai Nikki, and Madoka Magica. These will be fun, and make you feel like you saw something deep, which seems perfect

For actual deeper psychological shows, JinRoh: The Wolf Brigade (a movie), Paprika (also a movie), Serial Experiments Lain, RahXephon, Neon Genesis Evangelion. These will be boring, but have actual depth to them. 

I have no comments about Rebuild of Evangelion since I've never watched it, but I didn't enjoy Mirai Nikki for any 'psychological' themes it may have had, I enjoyed it for it's action, and the whole premise of it being a survival game. Madoka I didn't even enjoy that much tbh, the characters didn't interest me, and neither did the plot.

I've never watched any of those except Evangelion. While I can't say I understood it, I did enjoy it to some degree.

That's why I was trying to narrow it down to anime that features things like PTSD, schizophrenia, OCD, sociopathy... Or in a broader way examples of actual psychology as a science, used in fiction.

For example, Death Note for me is nothing but a straightforward Shônen Jump manga that transposes to a "battle of wits" kind of story what is usually done in "battle of fists" kind of story in this magazine. I haven't watched One Outs but it seems like a regular sports manga. Serial Experiment Lain's themes have more to do with philosophy and sociology, the introspection done on the character of Lain and on which the anime centers, which is done in a very Evangelion-like way, is more akin to a narrative tool than an example of "psychology". Mawaru Penguindrum is a character drama with underlying themes as various as family and terrorism, going through many others in the process (it's a bit messy in this aspect). There's nothing very "psychological" about it.

If we were to count as psychology any fiction that describes the mental processes of its characters or can be assimilated to a character study, we end up with the majority of all fiction ever done in our category, which is usually a symptom of an ill-defined category.

Psychology does seem like a broad term... I guess the best way to describe One Outs would be strategy and mind games.

Maybe that's what I'm looking for, mind games. I don't really know at this point.

[Darklord Rooke]

For actual deeper psychological shows,  Serial Experiments Lain

I want to second this. Hands down the best psychological anime I've seen.

EDIT: Although I agree with Down that it's more philosophical than psychological. 

Edited October 18, 2015 by Rooke

[Down]

Psychology does seem like a broad term... I guess the best way to describe One Outs would be strategy and mind games.

Maybe that's what I'm looking for, mind games. I don't really know at this point.

If you want a baseball anime that focuses on a low-key, realistic approach with a lot of strategy aspects, there's Ookiku Furikabutte, it's really good. Can't say it's really about amazing mind tricks but it's completely about actual baseball strategy instead of pure bruteforce feats.

If you want mind games, mind tricks, battle of wits or w/e, Death Note and Kaiji are indeed what you're looking for. Add Akagi to that for good measure. Code Geass kinda works? But it has a lot of other aspects. It's a very pop-corn show.
Oh, and Zetsuen no Tempest, too. If the famous "barrel" episodes are not mind tricks I don't know what is.

[Shikomizue]

Psychology does seem like a broad term... I guess the best way to describe One Outs would be strategy and mind games.

Maybe that's what I'm looking for, mind games. I don't really know at this point.

If you want a baseball anime that focuses on a low-key, realistic approach with a lot of strategy aspects, there's Ookiku Furikabutte, it's really good. Can't say it's really about amazing mind tricks but it's completely about actual baseball strategy instead of pure bruteforce feats.

If you want mind games, mind tricks, battle of wits or w/e, Death Note and Kaiji are indeed what you're looking for. Add Akagi to that for good measure. Code Geass kinda works? But it has a lot of other aspects. It's a very pop-corn show.
Oh, and Zetsuen no Tempest, too. If the famous "barrel" episodes are not mind tricks I don't know what is.

I think shows like Akagi are exactly what I'm looking for. I'll change the title accordingly.

[Mikado069]

I don't know if you already know about Danganronpa The Animation, since I didn't see it in your anime list. I didn't play the game to compare it with the anime, but the anime was about mind games and to me it was good.