Well, howdy there, y’all! Let’s yak a bit about them animes, you know, the cartoons from Japan? I ain’t no expert, mind you, but my grandkid, that little whippersnapper, he’s always watchin’ ’em. And this one, Death Parade, it got me thinkin’. It’s about folks dyin’ and then playin’ games to see if they go to heaven or… well, the other place. Real spooky stuff, but kinda makes you ponder, ya know?

So, if you liked that Death Parade, and you’re lookin’ for more like it, I got some ideas for ya. My grandkid, he showed me some that kinda give you the same feelin’. Like this Jigoku Shoujo, or Hell Girl, as they call it in English. This one ain’t about games, but it’s still about folks gettin’ what’s comin’ to ’em. Someone wrongs ya, you go to this here website, and poof! They’re gone. It’s kinda dark, just like that Death Parade.

Now, I ain’t seen a whole heap of these animes myself, but I hear there’s a whole bunch out there that are similar. My grandkid tells me there’s lists online, top 20 lists and such, of shows that are like Death Parade. He says if you liked the deep thinkin’ and the heavy emotions in Death Parade, you’ll like these other ones too. I guess it’s ’cause they all make you think about life and death, and what happens after. Kinda heavy stuff for an old gal like me, but I reckon it’s good for the young’uns to think about these things.

• Thinkin’ about life and death: A lot of these animes, they ain’t just about folks punchin’ each other. They make you think about the big questions, like what it means to be good, and what happens when we die. It’s like them old church sermons, but with more pictures and less singin’.
• Heavy emotions: These shows, they ain’t afraid to make you feel things. You get sad, you get angry, sometimes you even get a little scared. But that’s what makes ’em good, I reckon. They make you feel alive, even when you’re watchin’ folks die.
• Dark and calm: A lot of ’em have this kinda dark and calm feelin’ to ’em. It’s not like them action shows where everything’s explodin’ all the time. It’s more quiet, more thoughtful. Like sittin’ on the porch swingin’ after a long day, but with more ghosts and demons.

Now, my grandkid, he tells me that Death Parade was inspired by somethin’ called Death Billiards, a short little film. And he says there ain’t gonna be no more Death Parade, no second season. Each story in the show is kinda wrapped up nice and neat, he says. But if you liked it, there’s plenty more where that came from. You just gotta know where to look.

And that’s the thing, ain’t it? There’s so many of these animes out there, it’s hard to know where to start. But if you start with somethin’ like Death Parade, somethin’ that makes you think and feel, then you’re on the right track. You’ll find others, shows that are dark and calm, shows that make you ponder the big questions. And who knows, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two. Even an old lady like me can appreciate a good story, even if it’s got folks playin’ games with their souls on the line. Just goes to show you, there’s somethin’ for everyone out there, even in them cartoons from Japan.

So, if you’re lookin’ for somethin’ like Death Parade, don’t you fret. There’s a whole world of animes out there waitin’ for ya. Just keep your eyes peeled, and your mind open. And maybe ask your grandkid, if you got one. They seem to know all about these things these days. And if you find somethin’ good, you come back and tell me, ya hear? I’m always up for a good story, even if it’s a little spooky.

Psychological Anime: A lot of folks call these types of shows “psychological” anime. I ain’t sure what that means exactly, but I reckon it’s ’cause they get inside your head. They make you think about why people do the things they do, and what makes ’em tick. It’s like bein’ a detective, but instead of solvin’ crimes, you’re solvin’ the mysteries of the human heart.

Philosophical Anime: And then there’s the “philosophical” ones. These are the ones that make you ask the big questions, like what’s the meanin’ of life, and is there a heaven and hell. They don’t always give you the answers, but they make you think, and that’s what counts, I reckon. It’s like sittin’ around the fire with your friends and talkin’ ’til the sun comes up, only with more colorful hair and bigger eyes.

Anyways, that’s all I got to say about them animes. I’m just an old gal, but even I can see there’s somethin’ special about ’em. They make you think, they make you feel, and they tell stories that stick with you long after you’ve finished watchin’. So go on, give ’em a try. You might just find somethin’ you like. And if you do, well, you can thank that Death Parade for gettin’ you started.

Tags: [Anime, Death Parade, Similar Anime, Psychological Anime, Philosophical Anime, Anime Recommendations, Dark Anime, Calming Anime, Jigoku Shoujo, Hell Girl, Death Billiards]