Color is everywhere. It’s loud, it’s vibrant, and in the world of modern animation, it’s often the default setting that we just take for granted. But there is something incredibly specific about anime in black and white that forces you to look at the medium through a completely different lens.
Honestly, most people think moving away from color is a step backward or a budget constraint. That’s rarely the case. When you strip away the neon greens of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners or the lush watercolors of a Studio Ghibli film, you’re left with the raw skeleton of the art. It’s just line work, shadow, and composition. For a lot of hardcore fans, that’s where the real magic happens.
The Gritty Legacy of Mono-Chrome
We have to talk about Osamu Tezuka. You can't skip him. He’s the "God of Manga," and his early work on Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atomu) basically set the blueprint for the entire industry. Back in 1963, when Mushi Production brought Astro Boy to television, it was in black and white. Was it because they loved the aesthetic? Well, partially, but mostly it was because color broadcasting was expensive and technically demanding for a weekly schedule.
But here’s the thing: those limitations forced a specific kind of creativity. Without color to differentiate characters or moods, the animators had to lean heavily on chiaroscuro—the contrast between light and dark. You see this same DNA in Tetsujin 28-go. These shows didn’t look "cheap" just because they lacked a palette; they looked like living woodblock prints or noir films.
It’s a vibe that hasn't actually gone away.
Why Artists Choose Anime in Black and White Today
Modern directors don't have to make things monochrome. They choose to. Take the 2023 release of Shin Godzilla: Orthochromatic or the special "Noir" edition of Godzilla Minus One. Even though those are live-action/CGI hybrids, the principle is the same as in anime: removing color adds a layer of documentary-style realism and dread.
In actual anime, look at Mushishi. While the series is famous for its hauntingly beautiful colors, there are moments and specific manga-to-screen adaptations where the lack of color emphasizes the supernatural "otherness" of the Mushi. Or consider the 2012 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure transitions. Araki’s work is famously colorful, but the high-contrast black and white moments in the animation pay direct homage to the "ink and paper" roots of the manga.
It’s about focus.
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When you’re watching anime in black and white, your brain stops looking for the "prettiness" of a sunset and starts noticing the weight of a character's expression. You notice the cross-hatching. You notice how a single drop of sweat or blood carries ten times more weight because it's the only dark spot on a pale face.
The "Manga-Sickness" Aesthetic
There is a specific movement within the industry that seeks to replicate the feel of reading a physical tankobon (manga volume). Think about Uzumanu (Uzumaki), the Junji Ito adaptation by Studio Drive. The production was famously delayed for years. Why? Because the director, Hiroshi Nagahama, was obsessed with making it look exactly like Ito’s pen-and-ink drawings.
They didn't just "turn off the color." They animated with textures that mimic hand-drawn ink.
It’s terrifying.
In horror especially, color can sometimes be a distraction. In Uzumaki, the black and white palette makes the spirals feel more intrusive, more like they’re burning into the screen. It’s a deliberate stylistic choice that connects the viewer back to the tactile experience of flipping through a manga in a dimly lit room.
It’s Not Just Old Shows
I get it. Some people think "black and white" just means "old."
Wrong.
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- Mononoke (The Series): While known for its psychedelic colors, it uses stark contrast and traditional Japanese art styles that rely on monochrome principles.
- The Big O: This show is basically "Batman meets Giant Robots" in a 1940s noir setting. While it’s technically in color, its soul is entirely black and white. The shadows are deep, the suits are dark, and the atmosphere is pure smoke-filled jazz club.
- Kanashimi no Belladonna (Belladonna of Sadness): An experimental masterpiece from 1973. It uses washes of color, but the fundamental power of the film comes from its stark, ink-heavy illustrations that feel like a fever dream.
The Technical Difficulty of "Simple" Art
People assume animating without color is easier. It's actually the opposite.
In a standard color production, you can use "color holds" or digital gradients to hide minor flaws in the line work. You can use lighting effects to distract the eye. In anime in black and white, there is nowhere to hide. If the anatomy is off, you see it. If the line weight is inconsistent, the whole frame looks jittery.
Director Mamoru Oshii (of Ghost in the Shell fame) has often experimented with desaturated palettes. He understands that the "gray space" is where the philosophy lives. When you reduce the visual noise, the dialogue and the environmental storytelling have to work harder. It's a high-wire act for the animators.
How to Appreciate the Monochrome Style
If you've grown up on the high-def, ultra-saturated world of Demon Slayer (which is gorgeous, don't get me wrong), jumping into a monochrome series might feel like a shock. Your eyes might hurt for a second. Give it ten minutes.
You’ll start to see things you missed before.
Start with the "Noir" Classics
If you want to dive in, don't just pick a random 1960s show. Start with something that uses the style as a weapon.
- Uzumaki: Watch this for the pure artistry of the line. It's the gold standard for modern monochrome anime.
- Dororo (1969): Compare it to the 2019 remake. The original has a rugged, harsh energy that the slick modern version—while great—sometimes lacks.
- The First Episode of Blue Box: Recently, some series have used monochrome segments to denote flashbacks or deep emotional shifts. Watch how the mood changes when the color drains out.
Finding the Rhythm
The pacing of these shows is often different too. Without the visual "sugar rush" of bright colors, the editing tends to be more deliberate. It's like listening to an acoustic version of a heavy metal song. You hear the lyrics better. In this case, you "see" the story better.
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Is it for everyone? Probably not. If you’re looking for a flashy "shonen" fix to watch while you scroll on your phone, you’ll probably get bored. But if you want to actually see the craft of animation—the actual hand-drawn effort that goes into every frame—there is no better way to do it.
The Future of the Aesthetic
We’re seeing a massive resurgence in this style. With the rise of "prestige" anime on streaming platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll, directors have more freedom to experiment. They aren't just making "cartoons for kids" anymore; they're making cinema.
And cinema has always loved black and white.
From the "Manga-style" filters in video games to the deliberate desaturation of "edgy" re-releases, the monochrome look is becoming a badge of artistic intent. It says, "The story is so good, we don't need the bells and whistles."
Actionable Ways to Explore This
If you’re ready to move past the surface level, here’s how to actually engage with this sub-genre:
- Check your settings: Some modern TVs have a "Cinema" or "Filmmaker Mode" that handles high-contrast black and white better than the standard "Vivid" settings. If you’re watching something like Uzumaki, turn off the motion smoothing. It ruins the ink-drawing effect.
- Compare the Manga: Grab the physical manga of your favorite show. Look at how the artist uses "screentones" (those little dots that create gray areas). Then watch the anime. See if the animators tried to replicate those dots or if they used solid gray blocks. It'll change how you see "shading" forever.
- Follow the Directors: Look up the works of Masaaki Yuasa or Sunao Katabuchi. They often play with limited palettes and "sketchy" styles that lean into the monochrome philosophy.
Anime in black and white isn't a relic of the past. It’s a stylistic choice that demands your full attention. In a world that's trying to be as loud and colorful as possible, there's something incredibly rebellious about a show that’s willing to be quiet, gray, and devastatingly beautiful. Stop thinking of it as "missing" color and start seeing it as "gaining" depth.
Explore the "Special Editions" of your favorite films first. Many blu-rays now include a monochrome cut. Watch it. You might find that the version without color is the one that actually stays with you.