Do you trust your narrator easily? Is the story dictated by your narrator reliable? Do you get irked by unexpected twists or enjoy them fully? If yes, there are a plethora of Anime and Manga on the internet for you whose narrators are not that reliable. These unreliable narrator movies are best to turn the story around and hook the audience to the screens. You believe the narrator throughout the film, and suddenly, you are in the middle of what is real, you exercise your mind and try to connect the dots, but still, there is uncertainty.
These genres of anime movies and manga have the best plot twists and story development. And while these unreliable narrator movies are a common trend in anime and manga, their plot and unexpected turns are still a matter of discussion today. In this article, we have enlisted the best 8 Anime with the unreliable narrator trope, for you to get hooked on their stories again and pick one that suits your vacation watchlist. So let’s get started.
What is an Unreliable Narrator Trope?
The unreliable narrator trope is a genre of storytelling in which the narrator cannot be fully trusted with the story he’s telling. There can be manipulations, hallucinations, evil intentions, personal vendetta, and any psychological setbacks of the narrator due to which the story is molded and does not portray reality. This kind of movie comes as a surprising element and compels the viewers to watch more of it.
8 best Anime or Manga with unreliable narrators movies!
1. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Where to Watch – Crunchyroll
This anime is sad and emotional. It is a story narrated by Mirai Onozawa, a 12-year-old who became the victim of a horrific earthquake, as is clear by the movie’s title. She narrates the story as her parents and younger brother are annoying, but the story changes as soon as they face the earthquake. It is shown that Mirai and her younger brother are struggling in the earthquake, and they find their parents only for the shocking and saddening truth to come up. Mirai hallucinates her younger brother for more than half the time of the film.
2. Monster
Where to watch – Netflix
So this is a complex anime about a twin brother and sister, Johan and Nina. Johan is a cruel serial killer. His actions are gruesome and come from a tormenting childhood. He was taken to the Red Rose mansion and faced atrocities and mental trauma, although somehow, he managed to escape after encountering everyone’s bloodshed there. As the episodes pass by, we come to know that these are not Johan’s memories but Nina’s. Johan struggles with his identity throughout the story, and it is rooted in his belief of Nina and him being twins, it implies that they are each other’s halves. It has convinced him that her trauma was actually his.
3. Odd Taxi
Where to watch – Crunchyroll
Odd Taxi is an anime depicted in a clever and fun approach. Hiroshi Odokawa, the narrator, is a taxi driver and quite an interesting fella. He identifies himself as a middle-age-man who looks like a walrus. Through his profession, he frequently meets other creatures and gets to know about them. It was later revealed that Odokawa had suffered emotional setbacks for a particular time in his early life that had impacted him in this way. One must watch this anime only for the innovative storytelling it has. Trust me it is the most engaging unreliable narrator movie. You should not miss this.
4. Bakemonogatari
Where to Watch – Funimation
Koyomi Araragi is the narrator of this anime, a former vampire, now cured. He knows the whereabouts of the supernatural world and supernatural beings. He often tells the story by manipulating some details or rectifying significant events, which can affect the truth and crux of the story. It is unsure whether he does it deliberately or it is the way he is.
5. The Tatami Galaxy
Where to watch – Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Crunchyroll
A must-watch anime for self-realization and time travels cliché. The unknown narrator of the anime convinces his audience that he is a hardworking and ambitious man with a purpose. However, his success is frequently blocked by the malevolent people around him (like Ozu). In the subsequent episodes, the narrator realizes that he is the one who is faulty. His actions and way of treating the good people around him is the main reason for his downfall.
6. Tomodachi Game
Where to watch – Disney+Hotstar, Crunchyroll
This anime will let your mind exercise and connect the dots and events happening on the screen. The story is about Yuichi, a competent high-school student, strong, caring, confident, and will make you believe he is the best. But in reality, he is a clever liar and an excellent schemer. The anime is based on a friend circle who are held captive, intending to get free, they have to participate in a game forcefully. Yuichi narrates the story, and the one who has not seen the anime can only imagine to what extent he has manipulated the story.
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7. Bleach
Where to watch – Hulu, Netflix, Crunchyroll
This anime is mind-boggling, and one could only bow down to the writers and creators of this. Sousuke Aizen is one of the best-written antagonists in anime and manga. He has superpowers ranging from controlling the six senses of his enemies to changing their interpretation of reality. Using his powers, he takes over the narrator’s position, and at some points, you might not differentiate whether you are watching the actual reality or the manipulative one.
8. Perfect Blue
Where to watch – Crunchyroll, Prime Video
Perfect Blue is a perfect psychological thriller directed by Satoshi Kon. It is originally based on the novel “Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis” by Yoshikazu Takeuchi. It is a story of a renowned singer Mima who decides to pursue an acting career. In the process of pursuing her acting career, she started to experience delusions where she couldn’t differentiate herself from the character she was playing on-screen. Soon a series of murders and deadly incidences started to happen to her, but in reality, she was not sure what was real and what was not. Whether it is she or someone close to her is deliberately making things go wrong around her, which is pushing her toward psychological trauma.
So, these were the 8 top-picked anime with unreliable narrator movies for you. Add them to your watchlist speedily to experience a different approach to storytelling.
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