Series that change their genre - do they exist?

[MFauli]

Ahoi,

i thought this deserved its own topic.

So, i just finished rewatching Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, and one thing came to my mind:

While that whole show is a very comedy-centric one, there were moments when, if done right, things could have taken a different outcome. Like when Nagato´s replacement tried to kill Kyon. That had such a serious tone and was so different from the nonstop comedy.

Anyway, this is why im asking:
Are there any shows that actually REALLY do "it", and go from one genre to another inmidest of the show? Like, a series starts out as a comedy-anime, and 5 episodes in turns into a violence-heavy drama-show. Just for an example of what i mean.


PS: Another reason why i thought of this is...well, often i think that comedy-shows are great at introducing characters, which would be ideal for ´some serious drama later on.

[MasterOfMoogles]

Clannad -> After Story comes to mind. Technically it's 2 different seasons, but still.

You could say Full Metal Panic switches between 2 different genres, most of the time.

[Board of Command]

Ergo Proxy: switches from futuristic sci-fi to bizarro

[darkshadow]

Well its not midway, but higurashi ni naku koro ni changes like mid first episode, well more like it switches back and forth a lot during the first ep, so you can go wtf during the second one.

[shinta|hikari]

School Days, definitely. I thought you would have come up with this one yourself, though.

[Shinji Ikari]

I would say a good example of that is Trigun. It's all just a comedy in the beginning, and then gradually it shifts gears and becomes more and more like a drama.

[MFauli]

School Days, definitely. I thought you would have come up with this one yourself, though.

Of course i had School Days in mind, but i wanted to hear about shows that i didnt know already.
I dont think Higurashi no naku koro ni fits my topic. The beginning of the show, yes. But after the first story, you know how it´ll always end up tragic. Im talking more about unexpected changes...like School Days, yeah, its the perfect example.

[Atheist]

Gungrave, switches from mafia to sci-fi.

[KrayZ33]

Excel Saga (?)

but that series is so weird that I don't (want to) understand it at all

I heard it switches the genre in every episode.. and turns it into comedy.

[Ryllharu]

Saikano. Starts out as a romance, then it becomes the most depressing anime ever.

Kiddy Grade (kinda). It starts out as a fun space series, but quickly gets serious after a certain key event. The charm (of the two heroines) is still there, but it's not as funny anymore.

Scrapped Princess is one of my favorite examples. It starts out as a medieval (with magic) fantasy series, and drifts into a totally different genre (not going to spoil)

Similarly, Utawarerumono does it a few times too.

Otogizoushi. Starts out as an awesome period adventure/quest series, then it becomes a really boring mystery series after a time jump of several hundred years. See, it doesn't always work out in good ways.

Full Metal Panic is probably the best example between the three seasons (and OVA) or the side episodes and the main plots.

[darkshadow]

Yeah scrapped princess was pretty badass, how could i forget about that one.

[MFauli]

Hm, many legit examples, though i must have worded poorly what i meant.

You know, going from, like, fantasy to scifi, is certainly a genre-change...but the mood doesnt change.
That´s what i actually meant, hence why i used the example of a comedy turning into drama. I´d like to watch such shows.

[Ryllharu]

Basically, you want Mahoro (both seasons key), Higurashi (both seasons key), and particularly Honey and Clover (mostly season 2, as linked).

Higurashi will swap genres the way you want in each of the arcs.

Other than that, Kiddy Grade as I mentioned above, as well as Scrapped Princess (though that has dark overtones to begin with)



This thread should really be merged into the Recommendation thread.

[Pandadice]

Ga-Rei zero i guess.

first two episodes are none-stop action-packed. then it does the time skip backwards and we get them teasing each other, and trying to set up dates, and naked weapon technicians and it was just really weird.. until it got back to the action.

Otogizoushi. Starts out as an awesome period adventure/quest series, then it becomes a really boring mystery series after a time jump of several hundred years. See, it doesn't always work out in good ways.

awman, i'd agree that the second half was boring half the time, but i think thats one of the coolest things i've seen in a series. a complete like restructure of the entire series, keeping only the characters and resetting everything half-way through. that was just awesome. it caught me so off guard too.

[David75]

Should they have to have Ushio die, I guess Clannad and Clannad After Story would qualify, from Easy/happy school life and mild comedy to slices of bitchy depressing life where the ones you love end up dying...