While they may not be nearly as common as anime based on existing properties, original anime do exist. Designed fresh from a concept or idea that hasn’t been put to paper yet, they exemplify the medium in its purest form and prove that stories can exist and be created solely for anime. Of those shows, these are the 10 original anime that prove source material isn’t necessary.
Gurren Lagann
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
To say there aren’t many shows like Gurren Lagann would be an understatement.
Taking an overarching theme of “Spirals” and running with it in the most ludicrous directions possible, the show embraces imaginative mecha combat like few others in the medium. It bounces between wars for the fate of humanity, giant robots clashing via attacks with long-winded names, and declarations about each characters’ manliness on a whim, but it always does so in a way that’s entertaining and impossible to look away from.
Adding to this is the feeling that everything was designed first and foremost for animation. Each character and mech looks tailor-made for motion, with characteristics and physical traits that help them feel alive with each frame that passes.
It’s a must-arch for ay anime fan, and a go-to example of great anime made from scratch.
Death Parade
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
Death Parade is a strange beast even among original anime, but in a good way.
Not really settling into any one particular genre, the show offers a premise few may have ever thought of: What if the afterlife were a bar that offered a variety of games for you to play, and the outcome helped determined whether you go to heaven or hell?
Through this premise, the show digs into a variety of topics. Things like a shonen-esque fight to show remorse for one’s actions, a slice of life look back on the value of the people and places we care about, and a harrowing attempt to make sacrifices for those we love all take center stage at one point or another. Each shines just as brightly as the rest too, resulting in a show that’s difficult not to binge in a single sitting.
Eden of the East
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
People don’t talk about Eden of the East as much as they used to, which is a shame given its quality.
Offering a twist on the survival game genre, the show sees 12 individuals given 10 billion Yen each and tasked with “saving” Japan. Failure to do so, or using up all of the money afforded to them, means death. Likewise, missiles are striking random points in the country, and no one knows who is responsible for the attacks.
Weaving a story of mystery, intrigue, and deception, the show is a blast to watch in its entirety. Each new revelation keeps the intensity and excitement of the story maxed out, and the animation is always a high-quality visual treat.
Top it off with the fact that no plot threads are left dangling by the end of the series’ episodes and films, and it’s easily one of the best original anime you can spend your time on.
Anohana
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
Anohana is a must-watch not only for fans of drama, but for any anime fan in general.
While its premise of old friends helping a deceased member of their group pass on to the afterlife may sound strange, there are few shows that harness as much emotion as this anime does. Interactions between characters feel genuine, whether they’re playing an old video game together or dealing with past grudges to find mutual closure.
Its art style also pairs perfectly with the medium. Each character’s design, and the aesthetic of the environments, lend themselves well to whatever happens on screen. This remains true whether there’s a scene-setting shot of a photo reflecting light or a character sprinting through the forest in search of someone.
It’s a treat to watch all-around, and should be at the top of anyone’s watchlist if they haven’t seen it yet.
Code Geass
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
There’s a lot that can be said about how good Code Geass is and why it deserves a spot on this list.
The show nails its use of most all of the elements necessary for a great mecha anime. In addition to great battle scenes and mech designs, it boasts a fantastic story with plenty of intrigue, espionage, and human-based drama. Scenes of Knightmares duking it out with city-leveling weaponry blend perfectly with climactic showdowns of ideology between protagonists Lelouch and Suzaku.
What’s really impressive, though, is that it manages to wrap its story up in a satisfying way. The series is hailed for having one of the best endings in anime, and this has remained the case even a decade since its conclusion. The fact that this was an original production likely played a big par in this, with the story having been planned out from the start.
Cowboy Bebop
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
Cowboy Bebop is a poster child for original anime and their potential for high quality.
Set in the far-flung future of 2071, the show follows a group of luckless bounty hunters on their adventures across the stars. Some of those adventures are filled with psychedelic romps across a planet’s surface; others are homages to sci-fi horror films of years past, and yet others still are dramatic confrontations with the main characters’ pasts.
It’s all produced beautifully, with some of the best hand-drawn animation ever produced. bolstering this is an exceptional soundtrack that dips into almost every genre, as well as an ending that feels perfectly timed to make the story hit as hard as possible.
It’s a legendary show that deserves its pedigree and continues to carry the flag for anime that are created purely to share their own ideas.
Megalobox
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
Megalobox is an odd animal of a show, but one which continues to gain favor among anime fans with time.
Though it might appear on its surface to be a show about rising to the top in typical sports-shonen fashion, the true crux of the story lies in a theme of finding purpose, belonging, and family. How one does this can vary, and each character’s struggles with this fact make the story enthralling from start to finish.
To be sure though, the show’s spin on boxing does add some much-needed visual flair to the series. Battles between athletes enhanced with mechanical braces carry a satisfying weight, and the damage they sustain over countless matches makes the moments of sakuga feel that much more visceral.
Topping it all off is an interesting blend of cultural elements which, when taken together, paint a world one isn’t likely to see in other shows which rely on source material.
FLCL
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
FLCL probably shouldn’t exist.
This show is a collision of different ideas and genres that doesn’t care about properly explaining to viewers what’s going on or why anything is happening. Mechs which spring from peoples’ foreheads, a girl possessed by the spirit of arson itself, and a guitar-wielding woman on the hunt for a galactic entity all burst onto the screen without any clarification. They clash tonally with one another, and all seem to be desperate for the viewer’s attention regardless of what’s happening plot-wise.
Granted, one could figure parts of the show out with a rewatch or by paying close enough attention to the overarching themes. Even then though, the question of “Why” anything is happening is never truly explained.
It is, and always will be, a collision of ideas put to animation. And yet, that’s exactly why it works. It’s an exemplar of the strange and insane ideas that anime can be host to, and deserves its reputation as a must-watch slice of animated insanity.
Wonder Egg Priority
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
One of the most recent original anime out there, Wonder Egg Priority is the kind of series that would be near impossible to create in any other medium aside from anime.
Finding creative ways to portray teenage girls’ traumas and anxieties via animated visuals, the show has a sense of life and motion that few others could hope to boast. Everything from otherworldly creatures jumping across walls to a fully-grown human hatching from a normal-sized egg is done in a way that is enthrallingly surreal. The story makes these scenes all the more impactful, providing context and nuance to scenes that enhance the overall experience.
With that said though, it’s impossible to properly describe the show and everything it offers. It’s the type of thing that needs to be seen to be fully understood and enjoyed, and we can’t recommend it enough to anyone looking for something that breaks the mold.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Original Anime That Prove Source Material Isn’t Necessary
There are anime that are go-to examples of their medium, and then there’s Neon Genesis Evangelion.
A juggernaut of a property ever since it first aired in the ’90s, the show is iconic for more than a few reasons. Its striking mech designs; jaw-dropping sakura which only becomes more impressive with time; and mind-bending story of dealing with depression leave an impact on most anyone who watches it, for better and worse.
The fact that it’s an original anime-only adds to its pedigree. Sans any source material to speak of, it took the world by storm with its originality and continues to do so to this day.
It’s an exemplar of what can be achieved when a show is created solely to be created instead of to bolster an existing property. Anyone looking for a good original slice of animation have few better options available to them.
