Nah, the moments are not worth watching Season 2 regardless. I'm like the opposite on the villain comment there were too many loopholes with the villain in season 2. It was like they were trying to do Season 1 but in less episodes.
I'd argue the opposite - if you enjoyed season 1 for its philosophy, then season 2 is short enough that it's worth a watch. If you enjoyed it for its intricate plot and choices in character development, then yeah, give it a miss.
That being said I'm curious about your list. If your too embarrassed with your suggestions, you can always PM them to me .
Never embarrassed to talk anime.
Just that my last post was written on my phone, and cbf writing it all out. But, you asked, and so shall receive.
To note: I enjoy watching anime for the fact that it's held at a different standard to a lot of western media - particularly in terms of plot and character development. Not to say that anime's
better, just different. Like, you can see what I mean when you realise that these shows are crafted so meticulously, because every animation is specifically chosen (whereas for live-action TV, it could just be an extra, or someone didn't put something away, and each episode isn't so meticulously crafted), to the point that often each episode runs at the same time-frame to the second. So, in no particular order:
-Code Geass: if you've watched it, you know what I mean. If you haven't, watch it. It's a war-story anime, very similar to Death Note, but with mecha. Like, I honestly think I don't need to explain it, if you've seen it, you know what I mean - if you haven't and like anime (or even if you don't but have considered giving it a watch), just watch it.
-Gundam 00: made by the same people as CG, around the same time, which should give you an idea of the quality of the show. Most gundam series are very eh, but this one is really-well done. Set in a time that essentially mimics the cold war - however, this is because of humanity's reliance on an "orbital elevator", of which three exists, and are basically the home of all power. If one of these elevators were attacked, the resulting debris would wipe out civilisation around it. On top of that, the elevator is equipped with solar panels, and so essentially each one powers the nations that have built around them. However, whilst there's no fighting, it IS a cold war, still filled with terrorism and fighting. Cue the "protagonists", who use their own brand of terrorism to try and stop others from fighting.
What I love about Gundam 00 (mainly season 1 - season 2 is still good, but for its own reasons) is that it lets you make up your own opinion. It shows the story from every side, so that you can decide if the protagonists are on the good or bad side. On top of that, you grow with the characters - the protagonists start off knowing nothing about each other, and the world knowing nothing about them as a whole, and so you go on an actual journey as if you were a bystander in this world. The show even tries to trick you, and there's never a concrete answer about what's good, bad, or even who people in the show are. One of the best crafted series I've honestly come across
-Fate/series: there are three currently (with a fourth coming round the corner), and I recommend the latest TV release: Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (available on Netflix). Classic "mage war" type of series, where people form contracts with mythical characters from the past, to duke it out for the holy grail. Once again, really plays with the idea of what you see isn't as it seems, with a lot of complex problems in them. Also filled with some real meme-worthy lines, such as "But people die when they are killed", "the archer class really is filled with archers!", and my favourites, "just because you're correct, doesn't mean you're right".
-Digimon: Tamers: released to the western world as "Digimon, season 3", I pick this one specifically because of the attention to detail. The director of this series so carefully built the world, and you can tell when watching it (and if you don't believe me, his own personal notes got uploaded to the internet - and hoh boi, is it big). This series is a lot more mature, but carefully designed so that kids can still easily enjoy it, with most of the focus being on the three main characters and the relationships they form. Like, I could write an English essay on this, but in short: the first character, Takato, is as a father to his digimon, and you get an exploration of what it means to raise a child. The second, Henry, instead has one as an older brother, and the last, Rika, is that of a lover (do not google, for your own health). They even flip this on its head with the fourth and fifth children to be chosen - Jerry and Ryo. Jerry does the converse, with her digimon acting much more like a parental figure (to mimic the mother she lost as a child), and Ryo literally commands his digimon like a circus trainer. This show has a heavy focus on all the different types of relationships that exist, and really pushes them to show that all relationships and beautiful should be valid. Once again has some fun with the "who's the bad guy?" trope, with a twist ending villain that I think could not be better executed, particularly in driving the moral home. Digimon is a series built on "the power of friendship!", and this season in particular
really does that message right.
-Steins;Gate: in the same boat as Code Geass. This one, however, focuses on a rag-tag group of kids who like to play science in a shared apartment between two of the characters. Throw in some weird time-travel and some interesting (and as realistic as you can get for time-travel) physics, and you have a killer show. It doesn't really pick up until half-way through, but there's enough world-building and intrigue to keep to keep you going that far through it. Once again, the kind of series best explained by "you'll like it, but it's better I don't tell you why".
Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor: a story based around a world in which magic is common place, and many people go to a school to learn to control it. Cue the teacher, who's a dead-beat, but with a mysterious past. I don't want to reveal too much, but it's a very well-written piece, and so just like some of the entries in the list, the interest is in the intrigue, so if you like the idea of a show based around a magic school with a teacher who isn't as he seems, give it a shot.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: do not watch the first series. It's just plain shit. This focuses on a pair of brothers, who practice the science of "alchemy". Unlike the alchemy of history, this one fairly well matches our current understanding of science, with a twist of fantasy. With the correct chemical components, the two brothers (and other alchemists) have the ability to take one chemical out of a complex mixture, and move it around. This results from things as small as "concentrate the oxygen in the air along this specific path" and "heat this water up to boiling", to "change the shape of the earth so that it is now a barrier". The premise is that these two brothers tried to commit a forbidden act - bringing the dead back to life. In classic, "you can't play God" fashion, they learn that the human body is not easily re-created due to the fact that it has a "soul", and so they lose their bodies (one of them just his arm and leg, the other his whole body), with the show starting off as them on a journey to find a way to get their bodies back. There's a nice poetry about the whole series that I adore, and can wholly recommend to people of all types.
-Zetsuen no Tempest: this is a smaller hit that no many know of, but I love. It's based around a boy whose best friend disappeared "mysteriously" after the death of that friend's sister. The sister was brutally murdered, but no culprit could be named, as not a trace was left at the crime scene. A year later, the brother returns to the best friend, now on the run from a group. Using magical artefacts, they're able to accomplish great athletic feats, with some animation that is absolutely stunning - particularly in the colour play. The whole story is set along the lines of Shakespeare's
The Tempest, with the main character often bringing reference to parts of the play. A very touching story, and completely worth you giving it a watch.
-Classroom of the Exile: tbh, I don't have a lot to say, other than see Code Geass and Steins;Gate - it's better that I don't give too much away. Essentially, the protagonists end up at a boarding school, where each class is bunched together in terms of "perceived intelligence" (based on test scores and the like). However, this leads to an intense competition between each class, as they're all ranked against each other, and each rank is proportional to the amount of money they have to live off (and hence their prestige). Truly interesting, and I can only hope sequel series of it are okayed. If you enjoyed Death Note and Code Geass, you will love this.
Sword Art Online: yes, this is a turd of a show. But it's a fun turd, and unlike Naruto, actually features a story that's easy to follow with (sorta) no filler, so like, give it a watch.