Solid and compelling writing

[Takeshi]

Genres I am looking for: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mecha*, Sci Fi, Seinen, Slice of Life

As in no beach episode. No fanservice. No too obvious chicles.

As title said, solid and compelling writing. Mostly likely an ongoing story that doesn't last for more than 50+ episodes. No episodic storytelling unless an interesting overreaching story arc.

Feel to look away from some of my critirias. TTGL for example had very compelling characters and writing although it had its fair share of fanservice.

But at the same time no abstract or highly philosophical anime. -> Serial Experiments Lain. I'm thinking in terms of Monster, I think.

Check my A-P list. Feel free to suggest anime I got on my want-to-watch list.

*No Mecha with Shounen. The two follow each other most of the time.

[Al_Sleeper]

Twelve Kingdoms
Kemono no Souja Erin
Witch Hunter Robin

[dbml]

As in no beach episode. No fanservice. No too obvious chicles.

I feel your pain there. Sadly, such things don't really exist (for the most part).

It also looks as though your want-to-watch list has most of the good stuff covered. So I'll be mostly recommending from there.

From the New World/Shinsekai Yori - I consider this to be a masterpiece in both storytelling and drama. It's easily in my top five all time.
Steins;Gate - Light fanservice, comedic first half, very dramatic second half.
Angel Beats! - The series with a bit of everything. Have the tissues ready.
Le Chevalier D'Eon - Dark, mysterious, fantasy, drama, adventure... yeah, it's got it all. And some magic!

I still see that Katanagatari was on your dropped list. I plead, that you finish that series! If you liked what was happening, at least. If you didn't like it, as much as I hate saying it, just watch the final episode. You won't be disappointed.

[Mistgun_Zero]

Mahou Shoujo Madoka I thought you of all people would have watched it.
Nura Season 1 might be a little drag (you do get time to spend with some character but meh), but season 2 kicks ass. Once you finish season 2 start with manga (season 2 ends at Chapter 135). I don't know when season 3 is going to be, i.e., if they ever decide to make one.
mouryou no hako
Steins;Gate
Tokyo Godfathers
Phantom ~Requiem of Phantom~
RahXephon
Shin Sekai Yori
5cm per second

Extras which are nice:
Angel Beats <-- No action, kinda laid back, but quite emo towards end. Keep it for last.
Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu <--Cheesy at first, but reveals it's true dark nature later on. When the good part starts, the anime ends wanting a second season which is never going to happen. The Light Novel's are also not translated completely. (Baka-Tsuki, get your asses back to work!!!!)
Redline No story. Just crazy shounen fun with a cliche story done nicely. Can be watched over and over again. Have some popcorn and coke when you got nothing to do and turn this on. Will be quite fun then.
Trinity Blood Nothing much to give, but story is nice. The manga could continue, but the main author of trinity blood is now dead, though is continued through someone who worked closely on it and knew the whole story. Watch at your lesiure.
Nura is one of the most detailed manga's I have ever read. Each and evey youkai (demon) shown in the anime/manga is related to one of the demon's in their mythological past. Though the team which translated it have done a nice job of giving a detailed explanation, having even a little knowledge of Japanese folktale helps a lot and makes the manga much more enjoyable. If anyone has not read/seen this series, I strongly recommend it.

[zherok]

+1 to Mahou Shoujo Madoka, Katanagatari

I recommend Kemonozume. Solid, well written, gets to the point and doesn't linger.

[logos]

"No too obvious chicles" this made me laugh, typoes ftw xD

crest/banner of the stars
Blast of Tempest
Casshern Sins
C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control
Ergo Proxy
Fafner
Fantastic Children (imo the character design and visuals are...not what I like, but has a very solid/compelling story)
Gasaraki (one of the more realistic mecha anime out there...even though half the series is about mystical powers...)
Generator Gawl
Gunbuster 1+2
Kurau Phantom Memory
Last Exile
Maoyuu Maou Yuusha
Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind
Robotics;Notes
Shangri-La
So-Ra-No-Wo-To
Starship Operators
Texhnolyze
The Third - Aoi Hitomi no Shoujo
Trigun
Utawarerumono

[brunoais]

Dennou Coil <- IMO much more interesting than meets the eye. (it's on your to-watch list)
Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai.l <- IMO really heartwarming story. Once you start, there's no way back. (oh wait... you have already watched this...)
If you also want movies you can go towards studio gibli (If I checked correctly you have already watched some).
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time <- Also very good watch. with an interesting morale
Acchi Kocchi <- Not sure if this falls into waht you are after but it's a super cutzy simple story that falls into good humor.
Hanasaku Iroha <- Happens in an inn. Good compelling story with some nice comedy and drama in the right places.
mahoromatic <- Really good stuff. has ecchi but it's not it's main thing I only watched a small part yet (still finishing the manga) but it looks like it follows well the manga.
Kamichu! <- Super calm but interesting story (with contrast with Aria that has no story at all)

Those are the ones I can remember that were not told yet or you don't have in your list (thought I wrote about some you have :| )

[xfreidax]

Seirei No Moribito

[Ozzaharwood]

Seirei No Moribito

Twelve Kingdoms
Kemono no Souja Erin
Witch Hunter Robin

+1 to all of those. You know an anime has to have solid storytelling when they are based on novels.

[Takeshi]

Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate it.

"No too obvious chicles" this made me laugh, typoes ftw xD

The worst thing is I posted this at 10PM so I can't even blame me being sleepy. :p

Twelve Kingdoms
Kemono no Souja Erin
Witch Hunter Robin

I have already downloaded TK. Already strikes me as a well-written show.
Erin does look promising after a trailer, though I am looking for a more mature show.
WHR looks promising, now to hunt it down outside of BBT >_>

From the New World/Shinsekai Yori - I consider this to be a masterpiece in both storytelling and drama. It's easily in my top five all time.
Steins;Gate - Light fanservice, comedic first half, very dramatic second half.
Angel Beats! - The series with a bit of everything. Have the tissues ready.
Le Chevalier D'Eon - Dark, mysterious, fantasy, drama, adventure... yeah, it's got it all. And some magic!

I guess it's time to watch Angel Beats at some point and see what all the fuss is about. I was thinking about watching New World at some point, but then people started to talk about how incredibly hard it was to follow. I do like my "solid and compelling" writing, but I also like it when a story isn't needlessly complicated. Some of my favourite mediums are incredibly simple but strong in its writing. I'll have a look at Steins;Gate and Le Chevalier D'Eon. (<- oh that looks good)

I still see that Katanagatari was on your dropped list. I plead, that you finish that series! If you liked what was happening, at least. If you didn't like it, as much as I hate saying it, just watch the final episode. You won't be disappointed.

I did watch the last episode after you recommended it. And it was enjoyable, but it didn't make me want to go back and watch the eps I had missed. The story in Katanagatari isn't the issue for me. Strategist picks up a protector to go look for 12 swords? That kind of sounds epic, but it's the pacing for me and the dialogue. I don't feel like there is a point to the dialogue at all. It doesn't help advance the story, in my opinion. I guess it's just one of those "everybody-likes-it-except-for-me".

[Al_Sleeper]

Erin does look promising after a trailer, though I am looking for a more mature show.

Its second half is perfectly mature. Don't let the first episodes fool you.

[froody1911]

Sakamichi no Apollon
Kemonozume
The Tatami Galaxy
Pale Cocoon
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Jin-Roh
Now and Then, Here and There
Seirei no Moribito

[dbml]

I guess it's time to watch Angel Beats at some point and see what all the fuss is about. I was thinking about watching New World at some point, but then people started to talk about how incredibly hard it was to follow. I do like my "solid and compelling" writing, but I also like it when a story isn't needlessly complicated. Some of my favourite mediums are incredibly simple but strong in its writing. I'll have a look at Steins;Gate and Le Chevalier D'Eon. (<- oh that looks good)

Shinsekai Yori does have a few surreal moments, but it's not hard to follow at all. I'd call it a high fantasy dystopian series about the sacrifices that have to be made for the survival of civilization. It's dark, gritty and visually stunning.

I did watch the last episode after you recommended it. And it was enjoyable, but it didn't make me want to go back and watch the eps I had missed. The story in Katanagatari isn't the issue for me. Strategist picks up a protector to go look for 12 swords? That kind of sounds epic, but it's the pacing for me and the dialogue. I don't feel like there is a point to the dialogue at all. It doesn't help advance the story, in my opinion. I guess it's just one of those "everybody-likes-it-except-for-me".

Fair enough then. People like what they like. I won't fault anyone for not liking something I think is amazing. I completely understand your issue with the dialogue. To each their own.

[LC1984]

Kemono no Souja Erin, nothing to add to Al_Sleepers recommendation regarding that one. Only one tip, skip episode 25.

Monster, it is on your To Watch-list, really intense series.

Shinsekai Yori, I wouldn't call it hard to follow, just something with shouldn't be watch together with other distractions.

Seirei no Moribito, one of the few strong contenders for a fantasy/medival setting.

Yomigaeru Sora: Rescue Wings

Uchouten Kazoku

Silent Möbius

Saiunkoku Monogatari, cast resembles a reverse harem, but definitly a nice watch

Real Drive, a little weak the show, but interesting setting and character designs

Nodame Cantabile, on your To-Watch list

The Daughter of Twenty Faces (Nijuu Mensou no Musume), a pretty underrated anime, give it a try, maybe it will surprise you

Natsume Yuuchinjou, pretty interesting world and characters, sadly no really strong overreaching story arc, but character progress, but really slow

Victorian Romance Emma, on your To-Watch list

Please give some feedback for these shows, if these are near your desired thematic or not so much.

[Takeshi]

Monster, it is on your To Watch-list, really intense series.

YES. It really is something like Monster. It's mature, it has genius writing and very thrilling and exciting to watch. I've only watched 13 eps, but I am already excited to see how things unfold.

It's funny how our taste changes the older we get. Hajime no Ippo excited me when I was 20, Monster does it for me now that I am 25.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka I thought you of all people would have watched it.

Hah, what makes you say that? I saw the first five eps, and I can see why you'd think I would like it. Does it get darker other than what happens a few eps in? Certainly out of my comfort zone by miles.

[Al_Sleeper]

Yes, it does.

[Zel47]

Madoka is creepy as shit. It lulls you into cute/happy time, then asks you if you'd like to come and see it's nice boat. When I watched Higurashi I had to get up to turn on the lights. When I watched Madoka I got up and switched them off, because no false sense of security was going to make a difference.