An Anime to ease me into Anime.

[A Raging Emo]

I'm going to agree with virtually everyone and say either Death Note or Spirited Away.

 

[Hazy]

Anyone know of any Anime for music nerds? Anything with an exceptional soundtrack, Jazz, Blues?

Bebop. Cowboy mother fucking Bebop.

 

[Lucifron]

Cowboy Bebop, hands down.

I wouldn't start out with Neon Genesis Evangelion, it's sort of... heavy.

Edit:

And ohshit totally this:

Anyone know of any Anime for music nerds? Anything with an exceptional soundtrack, Jazz, Blues?

Bebop. Cowboy mother fucking Bebop.

Cowboy Bebop is basically 100% musical awesomeness with 90% of the soundtrack, composed by the eminent Yoko Kanno, being jazz/blues.

 

[TheSquirrelisKing]

Anime is a wholly foreign area for me. I know some people that absolutely love it, and I respect their judgement enough to feel like I'm missing out on something.

I've mainly been brought up on Western stories, and I've tried to make a direct jump to Anime before with varying degrees of success. But, I've never been able to properly 'click' with the phenomenon.

So I need a transmission Anime to spark an interest.

Any ideas?

EDIT:

Two more points of consideration
- I watched the following Animes top to bottom: Death Note and Vampire Knight
- If there is an Anime with any, ANY sort of Blues music in it, I MUST have it!

I definitely have to second Cowboy Bebop, also ya, it's got blues in it.

 

[Darren20]

Princess Mononoke i'd highly recommend even though its a movie, it still kicks ass.
Lucky star is really good.
Detroit Metal City is really funny aswell.
Most of the above posts aswell Death Note especially.

 

[razer17]

- If there is an Anime with any, ANY sort of Blues music in it, I MUST have it!Cowboy Bebop... Cowboy Bebop!

I'm going to reccomend Death Note like a lot of others too. Also, you should check out code geass. It's a mech anime, but the story is the main thing.

 

[Sonicron]

I also recommend Spirited Away, one of the most high-quality animes I've ever seen.

As for a whole series, well... Death Note isn't bad, and it takes place in a realistic setting (except for the item serving as the series' namesake), but it takes a drastic slide downhill after a a certain point in the second half. It also gets ridiculously convoluted later on.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a bit more straightforward, and it has giant biomecha battles, which is always a plus, but it becomes awfully depressing after a while. Furthermore, the series finale is a pile of nonsense and should be disregarded in favor of the movie End of Evangelion.

My strongest recommendation for a series would be Full Metal Alchemist. The setting original, the plot is interesting (with a touch of mystery here and there without becoming inaccessible and a lot of good laughs as well), the characters are simply brilliant and the whole show is well-paced, never sacrificing story for action of vice versa.

 

[Eric the Orange]

Cowboy Bebop, EVERYONE likes Cowboy Bebop. People I know who are in the "anime is for losers" crowd like cowboy bebop. I have yet to meet someone who has given it a try and watched at least 5 episodes who hasn't liked it.

EDIT: bah, perhaps I should read the replies before posting. Bad habit I have. Well I still stand by my choice. Or if you a girl Oran Host Club is a good Soujou anime I hear.

 

[DP155ToneZone]

but I was putting off reading Vampire Knight mainly because I heard (after I bought it) it was like an anime Twilight.

No its not really. In the Anime at least, you could feel the character's conflicted soul. He was constantly tortured by his own existence. Self loathing doesn't usually do it for me, but they pulled it off in this one.

 

[ironlordthemad]

propper anime fans will probably kick me in the nuts for this buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, Dragonball Z was what got me into anime and I would recommend it too anyone going from western story too anime.
Maybe Gundam Wing?
The shiney robots can keep you entertained and you can pick up on things that you can transfer to other animes, like artistic style and themes...
I dunno...

One of my favourite anime movies is Akira but its a bit weird...

 

[GhostPhantasm]

cowboy bebop, Dragon Ball Z is a classic, outlaw star, air gear, beck (for music fans), tenjo tenge is good to me,

 

[Julianking93]

but I was putting off reading Vampire Knight mainly because I heard (after I bought it) it was like an anime Twilight.

No its not really. In the Anime at least, you could feel the character's conflicted soul. He was constantly tortured by his own existence. Self loathing doesn't usually do it for me, but they pulled it off in this one.

Hm, I guess I'll have to read it.

Sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Oh and if you're looking for manga, my all time favorite single manga is Clover.

 

[Layz92]

Death Note. Bar none.

Bar one actually. Hellsing is not pointlessly massive as apposed to some really popular shows and it is also well done.

Other than that the Spawn animated series... no wait that is western but still kicks the ass of most anime I have seen. Watch it anyway.

Edit: *facepalm* I forgot Afro Samurai.
Edit 2: *facepalm 2* I forgot Trigun (if you like your anime to be a little more cartoony/zany in feel)

 

[DP155ToneZone]

Cowboy Bebop is looking good ladies and gents!


Blues music really rocks. It's truly a remarkable genre. So badarse.

 

[Soisait]

Hmm... dont know about an anime that will ease the whole shock when you realise how much there actually is... though: Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Gungrave, Hellsing(personal favorite)... mostly fighting/humour animes for me i recommed watching Ergo Proxy later on when you start to get the anime/manga logic (that there isn't any)

 

[Booze Zombie]

Cowboy Bebop, the god among animes!

 

[wooty]

I started watching a few Miyazaki films, which eventually got me into Gunslinger Girl and has now blossomed into a full fledged addiction to Bleach, time well spent I think

 

[The Stonker]

Elfen lied if your a sicko
But I started to watch anime because of neon genesis evangelion

 

[elco]

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Trial by Fire, but without going the whole "Legend of the Overfiend".

OMG have you seen the Newest Movie........ just awesome, pure awesome!

 

[Cowabungaa]

Anyone know of any Anime for music nerds? Anything with an exceptional soundtrack, Jazz, Blues?

It's been said before, but because I'm such a massive fanboy I'm going to say it again:
WATCH COWBOY BEBOP!!!

And while someone else already posted an example of a song, I'll just do it again because I am again a massive fanboy:

Spoiler: WARNING! Awesomeness inside!

Really, watch that friggin' show!!! And while you're at it, watch Cowboy Bebop: The Movie as well, it's one of the best anime-based movies ever.