What I mean by this (if any of these apply, send it my way!):
1.- I like the realistic and more mature aspect of some martial arts stories in manga and anime. Works written by people who know what they are talking about when narrating a story about fighting, either because you can tell they are martial artists or because they clearly studied MMA fights and what fighting is actually like when making the stories, and not just someone who is imagining how fighting would work. Even when this trope is subverted in some manga, like for example baki, you still get the sense that it was written as a love letter to martial arts by someone who deeply understands them. As opposed to something like dragon ball where the martial arts are more of a second or third hand interpretation of chinese kung fu movies and tropes, or some media where the fighting is alien from the story and you are forced to suspend disbelief, in this case, i'd like to know if anyone knows any literature where this aspect is explored more in depth.
2.- I like the deep philosophical themes in series like vagabond, berserk or vinland saga where the topics are deep, mature and gritty, but not edgy for the sake of it. Explorations about what life truly is about, what it means to be a good person, what makes life worth living, values, etc. Closest I can think of is Dostoyevski, however I'd prefer something more similar to how in japanese media they explore these topics inside of fantasy, stories about war, etc. I guess "For whom the bell tolls" could be a similar vibe to this tho I don't know if it's exactly what I'm looking for.
If you have any ideas that have this vibe, send them my way!
by Accomplished_Stop103