Steins;Gate (correction: episode 8 unfortunately has >!Okarin!< grope >!Luka!< because he doesn't believe that they're actually >!a girl in this worldline!<. Everyone rightfully calls him out for being a creepass)
Castlevania (shut up yes it is)
Vivy: Fluorite Eyes Song
Violet Evergarden (edit: NOT THE MOVIE)
Hyouka (skip the ova)
Belle
[Redacted]
Baccano
Deca-dence (I think)
Trigun
Akudama Drive
ACCA: 13 Territory Inspection Dept.
Fullmetal Alchemist
Spy Family
#Mushishi
5 Centimeters Per Second
Afro Samurai
Your Lie In April
Nichijou
Odd Taxi
Cowboy Bebop
Canaan
Sk8 the Infinity (arguably I guess because Adam is a creepass)
A Place Further Than The Universe
Supercrooks
Bocchi the Rock
House of Five Leaves
Weathering With You
#Haibane Renmei
Thus concludes the exhaustive list of animes I watched where I didn't have to put up with any sexualization of minors
If you only take one anime from this list, let it be Mushishi
I wish I'd seen Haibane Renmei by the time I initially made this list. Watch that too!
Yeah, if it were live action, it would be pretty uncomfortable to watch. That being said, when I think "sexualization," I think of A Certain Magical Index or Gate. If the worst a show has to offer is a few seconds of bad camera angle in one of the end credit sequences, it's miles ahead of the norm
I am exercising extreme control to not create a couple of dozen extra accounts across multiple instances to create an apparent wave of support for your dicision to include Mushishi because #OMG MUSHISHI IS THE GOAT.
My wife once described it as a "Warm hug and a heavy sigh during a tough season of your life."
Can be super melancholy at times and emotionally challenging but as soon as you either catch your breath / dry your tears / re-evaluate your life / heavy sigh a couple dozen time / sit in the dark in complete silence (episode dependent you immediately want to dive into the next episode. Even if you are unsure why.
Music: Beautiful
Story: Beautiful
Art: Beautiful
If you are looking for an anime that will make you think, feel, and wonder, then Mushishi is the one for you. It is a rare gem that deserves to be watched by anyone who appreciates the beauty and complexity of life. Mushishi is not just an anime, it is an experience.
Caveat: Mushishi may not be for everyone. Some people may find it too slow-paced, episodic, lacking in action or prefer more character development or continuity between episodes. Valid criticisms all, but I think they are outweighed by the strengths of the anime. Mushishi is not meant to be a typical show with a linear plot or flashy attention grabbing sequences.
It is meant to be a slice of life with a touch of magic. It is meant to be enjoyed at your own pace and with an open mind. If you can appreciate that, then you will love Mushishi as much as I do.
It is so good, but don't expect it to be overwhelmingly amazing. The first word I would use to describe it is calm. I think the reason they're so extremely excited to see it mentioned is because it's so very rarely talked about, because the calm and deliberate atmosphere doesn't lend itself to a lot of clip compilations or "Favorite Moments in Anime" discussions.
Have you seen Haibane Renmei? I just finished it the other night and it seems to fit in with everything you listed about Mushishi. I absolutely adored it, and it hit exactly the same strings in my heart that Mushishi did. Just know that it's a lot more emotionally heavy than Mushishi. You never have to linger on the depression that Ginko comes into contact with, but you have to go through the depression in Haibane Renmei right alongside the characters. It also doesn't explain every mystery like Mushishi does. It's very Ico/Shadow of the Colossus/The Last Guardian.
I learned my lesson way back when I watched Gate. I went into the forums expecting other people to share my opinion that the show would have been much better without the 970 year old demigod trapped in the body of a 12 year old girl. I did not expect that character to be everyone's favorite. Made me feel sick.
Is this not regarded as glorifying unhealthy relationships?
spoiler
The deaf girl falls in love with a boy who bullies her so much that her mom takes her out of the school because of the bullying - which includes her bleeding and having a permanent scar, and the repeated destruction of her expensive medical equipment. She confesses her love to the creep even before he apologizes (which he only does after he's been ostracized for years for bullying her). She also chooses to hang around (even alone) with another girl who is actively still bullying her.
One Punch Man is one of my all time favorite animes but Tatsumaki is absolutely sexualized. It doesn't matter that she's technically legal, she's still drawn and portrayed as a little girl, definitely doesn't belong on this list.