The classic anime art style has become almost universally recognized as the popularity of anime and manga has grown over the years. While there is obviously a lot of variation within the realm of "typical" anime style (just compare One Piece to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, for example), even that can't for the art styles at work in some anime. A few of them, fans might not even recognize as anime until a closer inspection.
This list contains ten series that are well outside the "standard" anime style. Some are beautiful, evocative of classical paintings or watercolor masterpieces, and others are meant to be deliberately unattractive. Some are designed to resemble Western animation, while others embrace a wild new art style that's unlike either Western or Eastern animation. Since they're all so different, these aren't ranked in any particular order. They may or may not be to one's personal liking, but rest assured--each one is utterly unique in its look.
10 XXXholic
XXXholic revolves around a wish-granting Witch named Yuuko, and her destined follower and protagonist Watanuki, as they deal with wishes that clients ask for and engage with evil spirits that might stand in the way. Adapted from a series by iconic manga collective CLAMP, XXXholic uses an extremely stylized version of the typical anime style. While CLAMP has always been known for their "noodly people"--characters with very long, thin arms and legs--the XXXholic anime takes that to an extreme. A character's legs might make up 75% of their body in some shots, while arms still hang down to their knees. The show also takes a unique approach to maintaining focus on the characters by not filling in details on background characters--anyone without a name is usually little more than a faceless silhouette. Combined with its use of color, these traits come together to create a unique style and atmosphere that's sure to be exactly what some people are looking for.
9 Shin-Chan
In Japan, Crayon Shin-Chan is a series for children, but when it was brought to the US, Funimation gave it a gag dub that made it much more of an adult comedy. Shin-Chan follows the rude young boy Shin, as well as his frazzled family and neighbors as they go about their lives. The series' art style is evocative of its name, almost feeling as if it was initially sketched out with crayons. Characters have strange, cartoonish bodies that emulate a childish style, something more fitting for its original intent. As an adult comedy, the dubbed version isn't likely to appeal to everyone, but one certainly can't deny that Shin-Chan's style is unique.
8 Mononoke
Mononoke is a series about a mysterious medicine salesman who travels the countryside, defeating monsters known as mononoke. The series has a look akin to classical Japanese art styles, like Ukiyo-e paintings. Mononoke also makes use of a fairly limited animation style, with movements fading across frames rather than occurring smoothly, giving it almost a picturebook feel. The series makes use of a lot of complex patterns as well, which are projected across the image in an unmoving manner that can be quite uncanny. All of these details combine to make everything feel a little alien and rather suspicious--as appropriate to the series' tone.
7 Afro Samurai
Based on a doujinshi, or unofficial fan comic, Afro Samurai follows the eponymous character on his quest to avenge his father and claim the #1 headband, the ultimate proof that one is the strongest warrior. The series is well known for its unusual style, in many ways influenced by American art styles, and is particularly shaped by hip hop culture. Afro Samurai uses fairly thick outlines and highly dynamic colors to establish a world that's a crazy mix of feudal Japan and the distant future, with swords and honor duels existing alongside cyborgs and cell phones. The series' focus is very much on action, and the animation style is definitely designed around making these look as cool as possible.
6 Pop Team Epic
Essentially an animated sketch series, Pop Team Epic will make use of any and all art styles it can get its hands on. Segments have been done in live action, pixel art, CGI, and a distinct, deliberately ugly art style (seen in "Bob Team Epic" segments). The series' base style is incredibly simplistic, with main characters Popuko and Pipimi little more than bean-shaped bodies with arms and legs. As a comedic sketch series, it just uses whatever style best serves the joke--sometimes going way over the top just to make a point.
5 Tatami Galaxy
Tatami Galaxy (known on Hulu as The Tatami Time Machine Blues) is a series about an unnamed protagonist who attends college, and how his life might have changed events unfolded a bit differently. The anime series makes use of a very stark style, with characters' skin left pure white, and using light, barely visible outlines. Characters also feel a lot rounder and softer than your average anime, with more proportionate (if less detailed) features. The heavy use of black-and-white makes every ounce of color pop, emphasizing that which brings color to the world. Tatami Galaxy also makes use of real-world photography from time to time, something that's rare (though not entirely unheard of) in other anime.
4 Gankutsuou
Gankutsuou is effectively an adaptation of the classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo, adapted for Japanese culture and told from a very different perspective. As a series, it makes heavy use of CGI for much of the visual effects and backgrounds... but not everything. Characters are still rendered in a traditional 2D animation manner, making for a striking contrast between characters and background. The 2D animated elements make use of complex yet unmoving patterns, like Mononoke, and similarly lend an ethereal nature to interactions. The series also utilizes thin, light-colored borders, causing characters to blend together a bit while keeping them from standing out too much against their backgrounds.
3 Dead Leaves
Dead Leaves is kind of like FLCL, if only it was more psychotic. The story involves two beings, Retro and Pandy, awakening without memories, who then get arrested and sent to a prison colony on the moon known as Dead Leaves. Dead Leaves is a film rather than a series, with a style closer to adult animation in the US than anime. Its cartoony elements are fitting for the madcap action and deranged style, which makes use of bright colors and heavy shading. Mostly comedic, the film is really quite unusual for anime.
2 Kaiba
Kaiba is another work from the director of Tatami Galaxy, Masaaki Yuasa. It follows an amnesiac named Kaiba (or Warp, as he's initially known) who awakens with a hole in his chest and has to regain his memories. What unfolds is a tale of haves and have-nots, and how the digitization of memory and personality has affected the world. Kaiba has a style that almost is closest to Astro Boy, effectively taking anime back to its roots. The series is light on shading, making characters dramatically stand out against its beautiful backdrops while calling back to the simpler style used in the 1960s.
1 Panty & Stocking
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt is an anime comedy from 2010 which follows the eponymous characters, who are angels ejected from Heaven for being too rowdy, as they complete missions and earn "Heaven Coins" to be allowed back in. The series uses a sharp style with hard outlines, perhaps most similar to the original Powerpuff Girls cartoon. It draws inspiration from a variety of sources, both Japanese and Western, creating a unique blend of the two. Another adult comedy, Panty & Stocking is all about pushing boundaries and isn't likely to be for everyone.
Anime that look a little different usually have a reason for doing so, and as such many of the works listed here also stand out for other reasons, too. Give these series a try when the average anime is getting a little dull, and rediscover anime beyond those that fit the mainstream.
