Starting this list with a rather old but still amazing anime, Tiger & Bunny is one of Sunrise studio’s works that left a huge impression on its audience even today. Set in Sternbild City, the anime tells the story of people with special superhuman abilities called NEXT. In this city, being superhero is a business: being a NEXT with powerful abilities could make you a superhero who not only fights for justice and keeping the peace of Sternbild City, it also gives you contract with Hero TV that would film you and score you as you catch the bad guys, and if you do it well enough, you might get more sponsors from companies to pay for your equipments, techs, and generally your life! Kaburagi Kotetsu, the secret identity of the superhero Wild Tiger, is one of the least popular heroes of Sternbild City, and now he has to deal with the city sensation of Barnaby Brooks Jr., a brand new superhero who is both competent and charming, and is somehow shockingly paired with him?!

Tiger and Bunny’s mech-like superhero costume designs had been mentioned as one of the inspirations for Gatchaman Crowds series’ costume design, which should already give you an idea of how stylish and fun this anime is. Like Insight, Tiger and Bunny doesn’t stop at questioning what makes one a hero; it also tackles how society works and how one could fit in when they’re inherently different. Both shows tell the story of people who has superhuman abilities—Insight with people who had been granted the NOTE, and Tiger and Bunny with NEXT. Both shows also have interesting, vast-range of characters who would immediately get you invested in their antics and relationships. Additionally, Tiger and Bunny has really kickass opening songs and endings, and boasts a really good cast including the veteran Hirata Hiroaki, Morita Mazakazu, Tsuda Kenjirou, and Kotobuki Minako. Its success doesn’t even stop with one TV series—Tiger and Bunny has had two movies released in the past seven years, and its fans are now anticipating a second season!

Manatsu Daichi would have never imagined that he would somehow be the pilot of the gigantic mecha, Earth Engine, to fight the alien intruders known as a Kill-T-Gang from Uranus, after accidentally stumbling into a space facility in Tanegashima. Getting involved as a pilot of Earth Engine isn’t the end of it, though—Daichi’s past dogs his steps as he finds out more about the mysterious death of his father, and the faint memories of having met a strange boy and a dream-like girl when he was a child. Delivered in BONES’ usual quirky and bright animation, Captain Earth draws the audience into a story of friendship, romance, and unsaid wishes among blinding scenes of space robot battles.

Both shows showcase sci-fi elements as well as the existence of a peace-defender organization, though Captain Earth take it into a broader level of protecting the earth itself. The group dynamics in Captain Earth would make you nostalgic for Insight’s Gatchaman—teamwork features heavily in each battle, and the battle animation are executed breathtakingly. Both shows also bring in the element of aliens, delving into how different but similar they could be to humanity itself, and of course, cliched-sounding themes that surprisingly come through together very well at the very end. The cast for Captain Earth isn’t at all bad, either; it boasts excellent cast with names such Irino Miyu, Suzumura Kenichi, Sakamoto Maaya, Kayano Ai, Hidaka Rina, Toyonaga Toshiyuki and Kamiya Hiroshi, which promises a treat on its own.

A work by the studio Trigger, Kiznaiver tells the story of teens from all over the world who were forced to join the experiment of the Kizuna System as the Kiznaivers. Kizuna System connects Kiznaivers through pain—if one Kiznaivers is hurt, the others would also feel it, forcing its participants to bare their true selves to each other. Agata Katsuhira, a reserved teenage boy who has no sense of pain after everything he went through, was abducted and forced to be one of the Kiznaivers. What sort of things did he learn through the bond he made with other Kiznaivers, and what sort of things will he discover in other Kiznaivers? What sort of impact the Kizuna System had for them? Kiznaiver delivers this in a touching way, almost blindingly bright animation, and amazing voice acting of top seiyuus such as Kaji Yuki, Terasaki Yukia, Maeno Tomoaki, and Kuno Misaki.

Like Insight, Kiznaiver tackles rather philosophical questions with a stylistic, rather hopeful look—while Insight asked questions about social harmony, Kiznaiver takes it more personally: what is empathy, and how do you go through your own and others’ pain? Despite its rather depressing themes, Kiznaiver goes through the plot without dropping too much into a melodrama. The sci-fi elements also play quite heavily in the core of both shows: Insight has CROWDS, while Kiznaiver has the Kizuna System, also designed with world peace in mind despite its questionable nature and nonconsensual participation. If you enjoy the gorgeous splash of color in Insight, then you’d love the style Kiznaiver comes in, too.

Who doesn’t remember this sensational anime who literally dropped a bombshell on us on Fall 2013? Another one of the many excellent works of Studio Trigger, Kill la Kill follows the story of Matoi Ryuuko who had long been searching for his father’s killer and finally arrived at the prestigious Honnouji Academy—a high school ruled by its cold-hearted student council president, Kiryuuin Satsuki, and her underlings the Elite Four. Those who make it to the top of the school hierarchy are granted special clothes, Goku Uniforms, which grant whoever wears it superhuman ability. After her defeat at one of the school students’ hand, Ryuuko meets Senketsu, one of the sentient Kamui, the rare God Clothes, who then partners up with her to stand against the Elite Four and hopefully uncover the truth about his father’s murder.

Kill la Kill’s excellent execution of plot and superhuman abilities themes doesn’t differ much from Insight, delivered in incredibly stylish animation and comedic action that keeps it from getting too dark. In both series, you also get to see incredibly strong, steadfast female protagonist—Insight with Hajime and Kill la Kill with Ryuuko. And while Insight tackles thought-provoking question, Kill la Kill does it in its own way: it does it through a fun satire that would simultaneously makes you laugh but also leaves you satisfied. Additionally, you get to enjoy Sawayuki Hirano’s kickass music and the solid voice acting of Koshimizu Ami, Yuzuki Ryouka, Suzaki Aya and Seki Toshihiko. It really is no wonder that Kill la Kill brought back multiple category awards in Tokyo Anime Award 2014!

If there is a series that really reminds you of Insight both in atmosphere and message, it would be Samurai Flamenco. Hazama Masayoshi, a model who surprisingly has been obsessed with superhero shows since he was a child, has a second, self-imposed job at night: he is the hero who brings justice, Samurai Flamenco! Except really, in such a peaceful, normal city, the only people he could confront are people who litter in the street, who jaywalk across the street, or school punks who gather at night and disturb the neighborhood. Add to that the fact that Masayoshi has no superhuman powers whatsoever and doesn’t even know how to physically fight. He then meets Gotou Hidenori, a local policeman who accidentally uncovered his hero gigs, and while initially Gotou told Masayoshi to stop, he is soon dragged into situations ridiculously escalating into nearly-unbelievable scale, including the descent of aliens and deciding the fate of the world! Samurai Flamenco brings to you a deconstruction of the tokusatsu genre, with surprising and bizarre plot twist, and a solid cast boasting names like Masuda Toshiki, Sugita Tomokazu, Tomatsu Haruka, and Yamazaki Erii.

Watching Samurai Flamenco gives you the same sense of satisfaction as it does with Insight—interesting, simplistic-sounding setup that later escalates into almost ridiculous but enrapturing storyline. Both shows showcase the message of what it means to be a hero, what responsibilities you have as a hero whether or not you have the power to be one, and what makes one a hero. Both also have gorgeous, stylish and eccentric animation with bright colors, and fun characters that endear themselves to you before you realize it. Samurai Flamenco is an entertaining anime that, like Insight, would simultaneously warm your heart, amuse you, and draws you into deep thoughts. It’s strange, but it works out.

It’s impossible to close this list of recommendation without mentioning Nakamura Kenji’s other stylish works. Tsuritama is one of them—a gorgeous work that would entrance you with its splash of colors, and then gets you hooked in with the amusing antics of its characters and heartwarming story, but also perhaps baffles you with the imaginative, supernatural plot that is surprisingly not-complicated when you get to the end, tackling a rather philosophical, coming-of-age question of “who am I?” in a quirky, but hopeful way similar to how Gatchaman Crowds Insight did. If you had loved Insight for Nakamura’s unique, stylish direction, then you would definitely fall in love with Tsuritama as well. Besides, both series brings in friendly and fun aliens!

The series revolves around the life of Sanada Yuki, who lives with his grandmother and hardly has friends since he has difficulties dealing and interacting with other people. Except then he meets a weird boy, Haru, who claims to be an alien and immediately latched himself to Yuki. Their meeting drew Yuki’s other classmate and fisherman, Natsuki, and their days turn into a wacky comedy adventure that somehow changed their perception of who they are, and how powerful friendship could be. Don’t be fooled with the simplistic summary—the show is in no way boring despite its simplistic looks and sound! Not only does it offer gorgeous, stylish animation and heartwarming characters, you can also look forward to hearing top-tier seiyuus including Irino Miyu, Ohsaka Ryouta, the ever hilarious Sugita Tomokazu, and Uchiyama Kouki!