Let's use this thread to recommend anime to others. I will go first.

Aoi Bungaku

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encycloped...me.php?id=11096

Plot Summary: An animated adaptation of six classical Japanese literature pieces, including No Longer Human (Ningen Shikaku) and Run, Melos (Hashire, Melos) by Osamu Dazai, Kokoro by Natsume Souseki, Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) and The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita) by Ango Sakaguchi.

The series started off with "No Longer Human", which was a rather dark, depressing arc. It was artistic and pretty, but overall always left me brooding at the end of each episode. The first story ended on episode four. It was okay, but I'm not likely to watch it again.

Then came episode five, where the next story segment began and Tite Kubo's character designs came in. Titled "In the forest, under Cherries in Full Bloom, it was SO different from the first story. It was like a completely different anime. Takeshi Obata's style wasnowhere to be seen. There was "Kubo" written on every character's face. There was light COMEDY. There was action. There was even a little fan service. All of these were completely unexpected given the nature of the first arc.

The last quarter of episode 5 became unexpectedly bloodier, however. There was sword-based action, and there were beheadings everywhere as a bizarre Japanese insert-song was played. It was a little misleading in terms of lightheartedness. But nonetheless, segment #2 still felt very different from segment #1.

I now recommend Aoi Bungaku: In the Forest, under Cherries in Full Bloom". I really liked it, and can't wait to see episode 6. The only downside is that the second story is only 2 episodes long. You need not have seen the first four episodes, as episodes 5-6 have a completely different theme and storyline.

I've taken screenshots from episode 5: