What is a good starting anime?

[Lord of Syntax]

I have been wanting to try anime for a while now, and I don't know what to start with, help me GitP!

I dislike mechas powered by FIGHTING SSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRTTTTT!, and I am also not looking for Goredeathbloodtits: The Darkining.

[Innis Cabal]

Fruits Basket. Its cute, its innocent, and at the very least the Manga has some pretty good looks into love, duty and relationships.

[Lord of Syntax]

Fruits Basket. Its cute, its innocent, and at the very least the Manga has some pretty good looks into love, duty and relationships.

Not looking for "cute and innocent", just not stupidly over the top stuff.

[Querzis]

Well...I never heard about someone who doesnt like Cowboy Beebop. Its not my favorite anime at all but I think its a good choice if you never watched any anime before, you just cant go wrong with Cowboy Beebop. That or Full Metal Alchemist (though I guess FMA is a little over the top, most anime are, its part of the fun.)

[BizzaroStormy]

Fullmetal Alchemist is a pretty good one to start off with. That or Outlaw Star.

[Cubey]

"What is a good starting anime?"
The answer is ALWAYS Cowboy Bebop.

Well, unless you're a kid below the age of... say, 14. Because some episodes get violent and bloody. But it's definitely not a bloodgore fest.

You can also watch Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. It's funny but cleverly written, philosophical but easy to get to. If you get put off by excessive silliness, you might dislike the first episode - but that's because it's an in-universe movie created by the characters themselves, and a very bad movie to that.

[Hadessniper]

I don't watch a lot of anime but I really enjoyed Fate/stay night. Also avatar: the last airbender is amazing even if it isn't technically anime.

[Atelm]

Seconding Haruhi, it's worth a look.

Also, can't go wrong with Studio Ghibli films; especially the older ones of the senior Miyazaki.

[Dr.Epic]

Well FLCL is one of the shortest animes out there (6 episodes) so if you don't like it won't have wasted too much of your life. Cowboy Bebop's also good. And you can't go wrong with Trigun. I'd suggest FMA but I think you might want to start off with a shorter anime series.

[Starfols]

Samurai 7. It follows the plot of the movie, but with anime. The plot and characters are great, but be warned: a lot of the laws of physics are broken, and there are giant robots (although the protagonists never pilot any). However, it is neither hammy nor preachy; it's just accepted as normal in that setting. It's also miles away from grimdark.

[Ravens_cry]

I also reccomend Cowboy Bebop. Interesting characters with intriguing pasts with an over arching plot, but also fairly episodic, so it's not like you have to remember every detail of every episode to enjoy it.

[Ozreth]

Either Cowboy Bebop or the three major Miyazaki films: Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle. All great.

[Dr.Epic]

Either Cowboy Bebop or the three major Miyazaki films: Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle. All great.

I actually didn't care for Spirited Away. I don't think it was a bad film but I think that many people new or cautious of anime might not take to it.

[Hadessniper]

I actually didn't care for Spirited Away. I don't think it was a bad film but I think that many people new or cautious of anime might not take to it.

It was one of the first anime films I saw and I absolutely loved it.

[_Zoot_]

I agree with the others, Cowboy Bebop, the Miyazaki films and/or Haruhi. There all really good, but i depends what you like.

[Dr.Epic]

It was one of the first anime films I saw and I absolutely loved it.

Still I think it's kind of iffy. At the expense of repeating something that's already been said a dozen times on this thread start off with Cowboy Bebop. It's good stuff.

[Lord of Syntax]

I have seen and loved most of the Miyazaki movies (not just the ones in english (Yay subs)). I meant like a show (some friends have suggested "Death Note").

[Xefas]

Cowboy Bebop, hands down. It's probably the best anime to watch first, because it's among the best anime ever made and has very wide appeal. I have never met a person who did not like Cowboy Bebop. If there is such a person, they have no soul.

Death Note is okay if you like lots of dialogue and tension without any of...what one would call 'action'. I loved it, personally. The first season anyway.

Haruhi is terrible, in my opinion, and you shouldn't go anywhere near it unless you enjoy deliberately wasting your own time for no return whatsoever on slightly pretentious pseudo-philosophical garbage that tries to go somewhere but ends up being nothing.

Fullmetal Alchemist also has slightly pretentious pseudo-philosophical garbage that tries to go somewhere but ends up being nothing, but it actually makes up for it with an interesting world, passably well done action, and a few genuinely okay characters. It's not the best anime ever, but it's 'good'.

Big O and Evangelion if you want insanely pretentious, yet legitimately philosophical stuff to keep you up at night wondering what the meaning of the past and existence, and one's own consciousness and existence means (respectively).

Fooly Cooly will allow you to relive puberty (hint: it's a lot like getting hit in the face with a bass guitar by a hot alien riding a vespa) via anime.

Bokurano and Saikano might make you cry, if you like sad stuff. Sad, sad...sad stuff.

If you must watch a Shonen Fighting Anime, your best bet, in my opinion, is Rurouni Kenshin. It's a bad genre by design, but I think Kenshin does a slightly better job of it than Naruto, Bleach, or Dragonball Z. At the very least it's shorter.

And finally, if you happen to be a pedophile, Cardcaptor Sakura is for you.

[LemonSkye]

It depends on what your tastes are. Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, and FMA are all very good, but they're all action series. Death Note's a more of a slow-burn thriller (and I honestly prefer the manga over the anime for that one, but that's just me), as is Monster. I'm personally a big fan of Nodame Cantabile (which is a slice-of-life comedy about students at a music school) and Axis Powers Hetalia (which is best described as a slapstick condensed version of world history).

Remember, anime isn't a genre; it's a medium, same as with any other type of animation. You've already crossed two genres off your list (shounen mecha and seinen dark action/horror), but you haven't said anything about what you do like. What genres are you a fan of in other media? Your tastes in anime will likely parallel those.

[thubby]

i second FMA or bebop, a lot of the other suggestions get very trippy.
sword stranger is an action movie but keeps it very down to earth (for anime)

there are a ton of others im just bad at this sort of thing :smallsigh:

[Lord of Syntax]

Drama is fine as long as it is not stupidly overdone.
I like smart humor, though not in the same thing as the drama.
I love steampunk and cyberpunk.

[Drascin]

I personally would recommend against Haruhi as your first anime. It is really good, but you probably want a slight familiarity with the anime clichés it treats so peculiarly before you watch it. So probably more around third-series material.

I'd say Bebop and FMA are good, and good first series material. My first anime ever was Rurouni Kenshin, personally, but then, I was seven.

Also, let's just say I have to disagree with a lot of what Xefas said - the series assessments, I mean.

EDIT: well, if you love Cyberpunk and all that, you might want to try Ghost in the Shell. It's pretty talky, but it's nice.

[thubby]

ghost in the shell is the mainstream cyberpunk anime. a lot of political/philosophical mess to untangle though.

[LemonSkye]

I love steampunk and cyberpunk.

I know you're looking for series and not movies, but I have to recommend Ghost In The Shell. You don't need to watch the films to follow the series (Stand Alone Complex), but you should watch the first film A) because it's good and B) it serves to introduce the world and the setting.

I haven't personally seen it, but I've heard very good things about Last Exile, which I think is steampunk. I have seen Big O, which is like steampunky Batman with giant mecha (and a theme song that sounds like a Japanese version of Queen's "Flash Gordon"), but is a lot less ridiculous than it sounds. The ending on that one's a little...unfinished, though.

[Attilargh]

Haruhi Koizumi is terrible, in my opinion, and you shouldn't go anywhere near it him unless you enjoy deliberately wasting your own time for no return whatsoever on slightly pretentious pseudo-philosophical garbage that tries to go somewhere but ends up being nothing.
I couldn't resist editing that a bit, sorry. In my opinion, Haruhi is a fun boy-meets-girl anime with a side order of "...and-has-to-save-the-world". It's got a cast of interesting characters and is silly, exciting, heartwarming and intriguing in equal proportions (of about 75% each).

But anyway, go with the sure thing. Cowboy Bebop is great, and if you don't like it, you have no soul.

Ædit:
I know you're looking for series and not movies, but I have to recommend Ghost In The Shell. You don't need to watch the films to follow the series (Stand Alone Complex), but you should watch the first film A) because it's good and B) it serves to introduce the world and the setting.
Iunno. The original movie is very talky and philosophical, which, if you're anything like me, is all well and good and utterly incomprehensible. Stand Alone Complex is much more down-to-earth about it all, and in my opinion introduces its setting actually much better, since it's not limited to two hours of screentime. 'Sides which, they're alternate universes anyhow. Still, both the movies and S.A.C. are very good.

[Lord of the Helms]

Cowboy Bebop, hands down. It's probably the best anime to watch first, because it's among the best anime ever made and has very wide appeal. I have never met a person who did not like Cowboy Bebop. If there is such a person, they have no soul.

*Puts on "Soulless" by Running Wild* :smallamused:

I didn't care too much for Bebop. Starts off somewhat nicely, but to be honest, except for the final two episodes, it always felt like "No matter what happens, nothing ever gets achieved anyway". Bounties aside, this felt especially bad with Ed, who joined the crew with uber leet hacking skills that would not be of any use, ever.
On the other hand, great music. Except, ironically, in the "Heavy Metal Queen" episode, because in the name of great almighty Dio, whatever that abomination was, it certainly didn't sound like heavy metal.

The nicest introduction I had was Gungrave, which for the very good first half is pretty much an anime that doesn't feel much like an anime at all and does the mafia drama thing very nicely. Not a big fan of the directions it took later when it got more bizarre and into monster-fights and all, but boy did they make a great finale.

For a shonen fighty anime, I'd say One Piece all the way. The fights are very satisfyingly awesome, and the characters all very likeable in their highly eccentric ways.

[Atelm]

I haven't personally seen it, but I've heard very good things about Last Exile, which I think is steampunk.


Indeed, Last Exile is an excellent series and well worth the watching.

[banthesun]

Drama is fine as long as it is not stupidly overdone.
I like smart humor, though not in the same thing as the drama.
I love steampunk and cyberpunk.

FMA is steampunky, and it's good for anyone really. Ghost in the Shell is pretty much a defining piece on cyberpunk, so these would probably be good for you.

[Prime32]

If you want to look at Death Note, I would recommend the manga over the anime. Better pacing.

For FMA, make sure it's the first series, not FMA: Brotherhood (which assumes you saw the old series and rushes anything that's common ground). There are some pretty major differences after the first few episodes. The old series had more of its own plot, while Brotherhood follows the manga more closely (if a little too literally at times). The original anime also has a very good dub, while Brotherhood episodes are still being released in Japan.

Basically, make sure that the first opening is Melissa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE5vxtmeJ8Q) or Ready Steady Go! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMDvps_q9qo), not Again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY_Zpx9sQFc).

[Tengu_temp]

Melissa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE5vxtmeJ8Q)

Jesus, this sounds so nostalgic. And it wasn't even so long since I've seen FMA, only 4 years.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Dai-Guard is worth a look.

Strange creatures appear and start attacking cities. A giant robot is created for the army to fight them. At which point the creatures disappear. For 20 years.

Then they re-appear. The robot is now used as a mascot for the company that created it, and is run by the publicity division. It costs a fortune to run so they have to get budget approval each time they use it.

Oh yes, and the army want it back as well.

The series (5 or 7 DVDs) is short, contains very little in the way of filler, and plays fair (the robots are large and cumbersome; they don't rewrite the rules half way through the series and so on). The story is mostly about the Dai-Guard team, and their interactions with management (including a hostile takeover) and the army.

The ending is interesting as well. Not what you would expect, but very "real".

[Lord Seth]

If you want to look at Death Note, I would recommend the manga over the anime. Better pacing.I think both had pacing problems. In the later portion, the manga went too slowly, while the anime went too fast.


Well FLCL is one of the shortest animes out there (6 episodes) so if you don't like it won't have wasted too much of your life. Cowboy Bebop's also good. And you can't go wrong with Trigun. I'd suggest FMA but I think you might want to start off with a shorter anime series.FLCL is a pretty bad choice as a first anime because the thing's so darn confusing. Cowboy Bebop is a good choice though.

If your tastes are more towards the comedic, Samurai Pizza Cats, while not exactly faithful to the original, is a great show. Sadly, with no official release, you'll just have to get episodes of it online.

[Prime32]

Dai-Guard is worth a look.

Strange creatures appear and start attacking cities. A giant robot is created for the army to fight them. At which point the creatures disappear. For 20 years.

Then they re-appear. The robot is now used as a mascot for the company that created it, and is run by the publicity division. It costs a fortune to run so they have to get budget approval each time they use it.

Oh yes, and the army want it back as well.

The series (5 or 7 DVDs) is short, contains very little in the way of filler, and plays fair (the robots are large and cumbersome; they don't rewrite the rules half way through the series and so on). The story is mostly about the Dai-Guard team, and their interactions with management (including a hostile takeover) and the army.

The ending is interesting as well. Not what you would expect, but very "real".Dai-Guard is basically what happens when Real Robot (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RealRobot) characters are stuck in a Super Robot (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SuperRobot) story.

[SparkMandriller]

Strike Witches.




why is everyone looking at me like that

[Otogi]

I started with Sailor Moon, so check that out.

[Optimystik]

Seconding Fullmetal Alchemist. Brilliant animation, cerebral, and tons of action. It's also "complete" (the first series + movie), plus it's ongoing (Brotherhood) in case you whet their appetite for more.

[Brother Oni]

Either Cowboy Bebop or the three major Miyazaki films: Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle. All great.

There are a lot more than 3 major movies by Studio Ghibli. :smallannoyed:

I think you mean the latest movies which have recieved a decent western distribution.

Some of the older movies, like My Neighbour Totoro, Porco Rosso, Laputa and Nausicca are all great introductions.


To the OP:
If you want the same first experience of anime as a lot of people here got, go for Akira.

[Winthur]

Cowboy Bebop, like, ehmigawd. =)

Seriously, awesome action, some proper thought and the humor won't strike you as odd. :smalltongue:

(I know a person whose first anime is Lucky Star and he... likes the comedy. My world crumbled.)

[Attilargh]

It shouldn't be that shocking. Lucky Star's a very well written show, and many of the jokes are either jabs at universally nerdy things, or just funny enough on their own merits that you don't need the knowledge that, say, all the Comiket stalls Konata wants stuff from carried, ahem, adult fanworks of a certain other recent Kyoto Animation production that year. (KyoAni is full of madmen.) It's not just a string of throwaway "Hey, we've got Hirano Aya!" gags.

Also, damn, those FMA openings really take me back. It's a really good series, and I fully endorse watching it. I personally prefer Brotherhood because it's closer to the manga in many ways (Hee, Kimblee! :smallamused:) and because of the positively gorgeous background scenery, but it's true that it sped through the bits it shared with the old series. So, watch both.

[Lord Seth]

The weird thing about Lucky Star is that you'd think it would have the most appeal for anime fans, but I know some people who dislike anime in general but who love Lucky Star.

[Starfols]

Cowboy Bebop, hands down. It's probably the best anime to watch first, because it's among the best anime ever made and has very wide appeal. I have never met a person who did not like Cowboy Bebop. If there is such a person, they have no soul.
:smallfrown:

Big O if you want insanely pretentious--
:smallfrown::smallfrown:

And finally, if you happen to be a pedophile, Cardcaptor Sakura is for you.
:smallfrown::smallfrown::smallfrown:


The weird thing about Lucky Star is that you'd think it would have the most appeal for anime fans, but I know some people who dislike anime in general but who love Lucky Star.
Lucky Star is actually the show that got me interested in anime. It wasn't the first thing I watched, but it got me interested in the genre medium art style Japanese animation industry.

[kamikasei]

:smallfrown:

Don't worry man, I have a Welsh ten-year-old who can help you out.

[Mando Knight]

Don't worry man, I have a Welsh ten-year-old who can help you out.

I dunno how Negi could help with that...

[Graywolf]

I would actually recommend Record of the Lodoss war. It was based (albeit losely) on D&D ikt's not particularly bloody, there's no giant mecha, and while there is magic there are no giant sweatdrops our mallets appearing from nowhere.

[Starfols]

Don't worry man, I have a Welsh ten-year-old who can help you out.

http://www.bobandandrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/chris-hansen.jpg


I dunno how Negi could help with that...

..Oh. Is he not using his soul? Can I have it :smalltongue:?

[Elvenoutrider]

Check out helsing. Its a vampire action anime

[Galileo]

If you like steampunk, I would second Last Exile and Samurai 7. Samurai 7 may start out with one of the samurai slicing a cruiser in half with his sword, but it's not too bad with the ridiculousness. And I can't really comment on Last Exile, having only just finished the first episode, but it looks like a really great steampunk anime.

[Maximum Zersk]

...Haruhi is terrible, in my opinion, and you shouldn't go anywhere near it unless you enjoy deliberately wasting your own time for no return whatsoever on slightly pretentious pseudo-philosophical garbage that tries to go somewhere but ends up being nothing...


:smallfrown: I died a little inside.

Plus, what's wrong with pretentious pseudo-philosophical garbage?

Anyway, I add my vote to FMA. Great series. And the other series here. Great Gateway series. Really!

[Surrealistik]

Akira all the way.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Definitely seconding Bebop as a really good intro anime. Very well-done, and I'm only halfway through it (yeah, I know...) Plus "Tank!" is one of the best openings ever.

After that, Fullmetal Alchemist (original) would be good to watch, and then the new series. FMA is a nice example of shounen that strives to be a bit more meaningful and thought-out than just straight fighting/action/powerz.

And although it has mecha (but not necessarily utterly ridiculous mecha), you may find Code Geass to be good...so far, it's turning out to be a great study of a tragic protagonist's descent into villainhood. And I'm told it only gets better (I'm halfway through Season 1).

[Amiel]

I would heartily recommend Samurai Champloo; it's by the same guy that does Cowboy Bebop.

I would also echo Last Exile; a very good one, that, and one that I will happily admit to shedding some tears when certain scenes in certain episodes featured.

Full Metal Alchemist, another great series, but one that can at times be bleak; it was an anime that enabled you to invest emotionally in characters. And it has the honor where you can care enough for a certain character to be genuinely angry at the what the studio did to that character.

Also heavily recommend Azumanga Daioh!, Hellsing, Ai****eruze Baby, Erementar Gerard, Gunslinger Girl (boobage), Inspector Conan, Full Metal Panic Fumufflo.

Edit: wait, why is the Ai... title censored?

[Attilargh]

And I'm told it only gets better (I'm halfway through Season 1).
You've been told wrong. The first season is really good, ends on a bit of a "Lelouch you dumb boop :smallsigh:" note, and then everything goes to heck in a handbasket come season two. Nothing makes sense anymore, and all the dramatic tension just disappears somewhere. And the ending is such a massive source of Fan Dumb that if I can't even facepalm for the fear of caving my own skull in.

I bet you an imaginary dollar he didn't. I kinda wish he did, but I'm probably wrong. We'll just have to wait and see until Shikkoku no Renya (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-12-07/code-geass/shikkoku-no-renya-manga-to-launch-in-2010) hits the shelves.

...But surely that's too easy, right? Right?


Edit: wait, why is the Ai... title censored?
Word filter doesn't like the four letters in the middle. I'm not 100% sure, but I think that in cases where you're not trying to, ahem, "get crap past the radar" so to speak, it's acceptable to subvert it by inserting black colour tags to break the word.

[Brother Oni]

I would actually recommend Record of the Lodoss war. It was based (albeit losely) on D&D ikt's not particularly bloody, there's no giant mecha, and while there is magic there are no giant sweatdrops our mallets appearing from nowhere.

TV series or OAV?

OAV has the more coherent story and generally better art quality.

TV series has more background, a better opening and Welcome to Lodoss Island. :smallbiggrin:

[Lost Demiurge]

*Snip*.

Damn, you're critical. Might wanna remember that some crap you can't stand is someone elses' magnum opus.

And FYI, I don't think that liking or disliking a particular kid's show (such as Cardcaptor Sakura) is enough of a qualifier to judge whether or not someone's a pedophile.

[pita]

I have seen and loved most of the Miyazaki movies (not just the ones in english (Yay subs)). I meant like a show (some friends have suggested "Death Note").

Death Note is the Penny Arcade of animes. Everyone's seen it. Watch it now, before someone spoils it for you. I thought it was the single greatest anime ever, until I started Monster. But Monster isn't for everyone: It's slow, and ponderous. If you liked The Wire (it's not an anime), you'll like Monster

[Prime32]

And FYI, I don't think that liking or disliking a particular kid's show (such as Cardcaptor Sakura) is enough of a qualifier to judge whether or not someone's a pedophile.Now, Code Geass: Knightmare of Nunnally on the other hand...

[Rogue 7]

Don't worry man, I have a Welsh ten-year-old who can help you out.

You're lucky I wasn't drinking my soda when I read that, or you'd owe my office a new monitor.

Oh, Negi and Chachamaru. That was ridiculous



And FYI, I don't think that liking or disliking a particular kid's show (such as Cardcaptor Sakura) is enough of a qualifier to judge whether or not someone's a pedophile.

How many Nanoha fans, myself included, do we have on these boards?

[Prime32]

How many Nanoha fans, myself included, do we have on these boards?*raises hand*
I watch it for the giant lasers and talking lightning-gun-scythes, honest.

[kamikasei]

Yeah Rogue, ridiculously awesome.


How many Nanoha fans, myself included, do we have on these boards?

*raises hand*

It's not actually a kid's show, though.

But I do watch it for the lesbianism and the explosions.

[Rogue 7]

No, but it is one for which "pedophile" has been attributed to fans of the show by critics.

[Nerd-o-rama]

*raises hand*

I wasn't even going to respond to this thread, but someone asked.

Also, don't get too hyped up about Cowboy Bebop, but it is pretty accessible. Read or Die (the OVA) is good for similar reasons, it's just shorter and has more ridiculous superpowers.

[Attilargh]

I guess I'll have to raise my hand as well. *raises hand* After all, Nanoha's part of the reason why G-System exists. [/shameless plug :smalltongue: ]

Watched A's again recently, by the way. Still as awesome as the first time.

[Drascin]

How many Nanoha fans, myself included, do we have on these boards?

Add another to the count. Trying to decipher how you're supposed to play Battle of the Aces for PSP as we speak, in fact. I should not be trying to play games in Japanese, but somehow I doubt a Nanoha game would ever get translated :smallbiggrin:.

[kamikasei]

Add another to the count. Trying to decipher how you're supposed to play Battle of the Aces for PSP as we speak, in fact. I should not be trying to play games in Japanese, but somehow I doubt a Nanoha game would ever get translated :smallbiggrin:.

Just learn the kanji for "zenryoku zenkai" and you'll be fine.

[Starfols]

Count me in. Nanoha was pretty cool. Haven't seen the A's or Strikers, though.


No, but it is one for which "pedophile" has been attributed to fans of the show by critics.

Can you blame them? there's innuendo everywhere.

[Thiel]

I'd recommend Armoured Trooper VOTOMS
It's a good series, even though it suffers a bit from the fact that it was made in the eighties.
And the newest series has and awesome (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naHtneYRffc&feature=PlayList&p=04C33634DFDD9230&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8) intro and an even better ending. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTM5SdaQgVk&feature=PlayList&p=04C33634DFDD9230&index=9&playnext=2&playnext_from=PL)
Its main winning point for me however, is that it manages to make the giant mechas seem reasonable and even logical, something few other shows manage.

Patlabor is another good series with reasonable mechas.


Strike Witches.




why is everyone looking at me like that

Isn't that the ones with girls that have airplanes for legs?

[Starfols]

Isn't that the ones with girls that have airplanes for legs?

What d'you mean 'the one' there's at least three :smalltongue:.

[Thiel]

What d'you mean 'the one' there's at least three :smalltongue:.

I don't know, I just saw a trailer about a year ago with some girls who attached aircraft engines and nose fuselages to their legs with magic.
Oh and one of the girls could use an M2 Browning HMG (Though that isn't terribly unique in the anime world. :smalltongue:)

[Attilargh]

You see a trailer of Strike Witches (http://www.funimation.com/strikewitches/), and you remember the... Machine gun? You, sir, are desensitized. :smalltongue:

[Starfols]

I don't know, I just saw a trailer about a year ago with some girls who attached aircraft engines and nose fuselages to their legs with magic.
Oh and one of the girls could use an M2 Browning HMG (Though that isn't terribly unique in the anime world. :smalltongue:)

I would guess Strike Witches. It's the most popular, but there's also another show called Sky Girls, and a magazine called MC axis (:smallsigh:).

[Thiel]

You see a trailer of Strike Witches (http://www.funimation.com/strikewitches/), and you remember the... Machine gun? You, sir, are desensitized. :smalltongue:

To be exact I remember two persons struggling to carry it to her and she just picks it up without any problem. I think they wore labcoats, but I'm not certain. :smallbiggrin:

But I can't remember how any of the girls look. :smallfrown:
And no, I haven't clicked the link yet.

[Atelm]

How many Nanoha fans, myself included, do we have on these boards?

*Raises hand* :smallsigh:


Haven't seen the A's or Strikers, though.


A's you should definitely watch, StrikerS was so-so in comparison to the first two seasons.

[Yrcrazypa]

I have been wanting to try anime for a while now, and I don't know what to start with, help me GitP!

I dislike mechas powered by FIGHTING SSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRTTTTT!, and I am also not looking for Goredeathbloodtits: The Darkining.

I would have recommended Gurren Lagann, but that show is extremely gratuitous with the FIGHTING SPIRIT! powering the mechs. It's so over the top that you may actually enjoy it though.

The only other anime that I have watched recently and like is Azumanga Daioh. One of those things that I NEVER thought I'd watch, because it looked so girly, and then I watched a bunch of clips of Kimura, and was hooked on looking up more and more until I watched episodes. It's very strange, but it's hilarious. It's basically about a bunch of high school girls, and the antics they get into.

[Reverent-One]

I'll throw in another FMA and Cowboy Bebop vote, and additionally, a vote for Trigun (which I'm really sad hasn't been mentioned yet). Trigun is a western style anime and varies between light and serious at times, neither one too much IMO, a cast of lovable characters, and a lot of badass, but not too over-the-top, fights.

[thubby]

I'll throw in another FMA and Cowboy Bebop vote, and additionally, a vote for Trigun (which I'm really sad hasn't been mentioned yet). Trigun is a western style anime and varies between light and serious at times, neither one too much IMO, a cast of lovable characters, and a lot of badass, but not too over-the-top, fights.

a good anime, but the main character being a nuke shooting plant might scare off a newcomer.

[CTLC]

Indeed, Last Exile is an excellent series and well worth the watching.

this, a thousand times this

[Frostwolf]

I am actually not a big fan of japanese animation, and could never really get into the hype around this medium.

I really don't know a lot about anime, and probably I don't even appreciate the good stuff, but there were two series that I actually enjoyed, and that might be an indicator that they are a good starting point.

The first one, probably the only japanese animation that I truly LOVE, was Wolf's Rain. The series is set in some kind of post-apocalyptic future and is centered around the last wolves (just simple wolves, not cyber-mecha-super wolves : ) ), which are able to disguise themselves as humans. Not over the top, no mecha stuff as far as I can remember, and an emotionally catching story.

The other one was mentioned already, and that was One Piece. Sure, the true Anime afficionados probably consider it to be quite bland, but I found the whole "Pirates and Giant Sea Monsters" theme to be quite fresh and entertaining.

The other people around here know a lot more about this form of art, but you might give my suggestions a try.

[LurkerInPlayground]

I'm finding it discouraging that most of the memorable anime that I can list off the top of my head fall somewhere within the fantasy genre:

The Vision of Escaflowne
There are steampunk mechs as knight's armor. Generally not powered by fighting spirit. Sometimes powered by the power of cosmic forces like Fate (read: plot). Plotting and cliff-hangers make it a lot of fun. And the steampunk mechs are actually very cool. A kingdom gets razed in episode two and you're sent on a rollercoaster of cliffhangers that make you want to watch "just one more." Themes include: Fate. Man against Fate. I guess. It's not always well-developed.

The Twelve Kingdoms
Pseudo-Chinese fantasy setting where the divine mandate of the heavens is a literal thing. The most satisfying thing about this show is that it tends to concern the growth of the protagonist from a mere high-schooler to mover-and-shaker in a world she doesn't belong in. Common themes include: The question of whether the Mandate of the Heavens is actually just, societal harmony as a reflection of inner harmony, the abuse of power (i.e. corruption) and potential pitfalls that occur from flawed character.

Moribito: The Guardian of the Spirit
Pseudo-Japanese, but with a lot of fantastic liberties. The protagonist takes on a young Prince in the capacity of a bodyguard because the Prophecies Foretell Doom and his Empire pretty much turns on him. Themes include: The necessary evils of revising history to maintain an empire. Some Harmony of the Way stuff but with a stronger emphasis on the ecological balances of the cosmic forces than than in the Twelve Kingdoms. Also, a investigative plot arc.

Some none-fantasy ones:

Monster. Suspense/thriller set in post-Wall Germany. Quite good if you're into that kind of thing. I'd rate it #1 or #2 on my personal list. The art doesn't look particularly "anime" like since its deliberately trying to copy the style of Naoki Urasawa. He's quite well-lauded in the manga circle, and for good reason. There's a lot of stuff involving early experiments with psychology in the era of the Soviet Union and quite a number of metaphorical skeletons-in-closets. It's a fugitive show with a heavy investigative bent.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya generally works best as a parody/tribute of anime that has a main romance/comedy plot with a very noteworthy plot twist a few episodes in. Some familiarity with anime doesn't hurt, since a number of episodes are riffs off of genres like space opera, slice-of-life, sports and murder mystery. And they're very good and very funny riffs on those genres. Best watched in airing (rather than chronological) order. I don't really recommend the second season so much though.

Blood+ is about . . . uhh . . . vampires. In this version, they're these kind of these cryptozoological creatures of prehistory who have survived to the modern age. (Think "Jenova" from FF7 and you get about the right idea.) Revealing anymore about it would spoil it though. Plotting makes it a worthy watch, although it won't be winning any awards for literature. There's a Abel-and-Cain story there that really works and really drives the plot.

Both iterations of Fullmetal Alchemist has alchemy in it. That may not tell you a lot. But anytime you see alchemy in stories, it's pretty much a license to write stories about Faustian sciences that might as well be indistinguishable from sorcery. You then mix that with themes of science being as spiritual quest for enlightenment and you get a recipe for drama. In short, the protagonists try to resurrect their mother through the power of alchemy. This doesn't really work out so well. Their innocence of childhood gets crushed rather dramatically, setting the tone for their adventures.

I can also probably name a dozen other animes based on genre or something. I have seen less good sci-fi than I like though. (And come to think of it, I've seen none with good horror or horror-related themes in it.)

[Graywolf]

TV series or OAV?

OAV has the more coherent story and generally better art quality.

TV series has more background, a better opening and Welcome to Lodoss Island. :smallbiggrin:

Well, they both bear the distinction of being one of the few animes that I actually own. :tongue:

That being said I like the OAV better, particularly the ending. I still recommend both, though I'd say you should see the OAV first.

[Lord of the Helms]

I'll throw in another FMA and Cowboy Bebop vote, and additionally, a vote for Trigun (which I'm really sad hasn't been mentioned yet). Trigun is a western style anime and varies between light and serious at times, neither one too much IMO, a cast of lovable characters, and a lot of badass, but not too over-the-top, fights.

Nice series, but it may not be a very good starting point, since the first couple of episodes are extremely goofy and silly (to the point I barely found them watchable), and extremely different from the tone it takes on later.

[Brewdude]

Watch Cowboy Bebop, and give us a reaction to each episode. :) It's obvious that it should be your first Anime series to watch.

However, Bacaano might still be on hulu, and is worth Marathoning. Not exactly a great first anime, but it's worth the price. :P