Anime for my girlfriend?? HELP!

[The_Healer]

Dragon Ball Z?

Well that was really the only anime I ever watched, because it was on conveniently before school.

And it was AWESOME

 

[Brad Shepard]

Try Fruits Basket or DNAngel

 

[BonsaiK]

I want my girlfriend to start watching anime. She has some weird back off about it, thinking the whole genre isn't credible...and weird.

I've recently gotten really into it all, watching some classics, recommended by my friend's sister, like neon genesis, akira, howl's moving caslte, cowboy bebop, princess mononoke, paprika, etc. I'm in love with this as a genre, because of how much freedom is apparently possessed by the animators and directors of these amazing movies.

Anyway, enough with this ranting, because I'm off topic now. I just need to get some legitimate suggestions for anime that might get her hooked.

Her taste in movies includes extremely cheesy, corny, girly stuff like the Notebook and Love, Actually. She also likes Airplane and Fight Club.

Anything she should watch that has the weirdness I like, without being too out there? I'm really excited to try and get her into all this.


Thanks for your help!!!

It's pretty obvious why a lot of girls don't like anime, when you look at how they're usually portrayed in anime. Trying to get your girlfriend into anime can be a one-way trip to the single life especially if the woman has any interest at all in gender issues so choose wisely.

I'd go for anything Miyazaki directs, and avoid everything else, because he's the only anime director I've seen who is reasonably consistent about not falling into the usual popular cliches and stereotypes of the genre as far as portrayals of women are concerned. He's a relatively safe bet compared to everything else out there. Maybe try Princess Mononoke because that's a little more "adult" than some of his others.

At the end of the day you do have to accept that if she's just not into it, there's not much you can do about it. Not everyone likes that stuff.

 

[CloggedDonkey]

try "welcome to the N.H.K". not only is half of it made on drugs[citation needed] but it has a deep story that is really good, but don't let her read the manga. sure, it's good, but there is a fair amount of boobie in it.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Also some random movie called fireflies or something, its about WW2 in Japan from a kids point of view.
Anyway I watched it like 5 years ago with my whole family, all my sisters and cousins cried so its perfect for a sappy movie.

Grave of the Fireflies, Miyazaki's debut film. Still one of, if not, his best work.

 

[Mordwyl]

If you really want to get her into anime, I'd go with the shoujo types. Avoid horrible shovelware shows like Lucky Star, Haruhi, K-ON and what have you at all costs. Regular Japanese people consider these shows garbage and I doubt your girlfriend will think any differently.

 

[lykopis783]

Samurai Champloo. Doesn't have any flashy super powers or space machines going on so it's less out there for people who haven't watched a lot of anime and it has a fairly fast moving story comapred to many mainstream anime these days... many of the episodes have a nearly independent story so they can almost be watched stand alone. Doesn't hurt that it has amazing style.

Then again if she's into lovey stuff... I couldn't really tell you. I'm a girl but I like my Gurren Lagann and Outlaw star (very good old school series).

 

[cernik]

Lets see...

Perhaps she'd like some school girl animes?

Azumanga Daioh
Lucky Star
Haruhi (That counts, right?)

perhaps a magical girl anime?

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha

Perhaps... something else?

Rozen Maiden

Those are the animes I've watched that felt 'girl-ish' to an extent, at least.

I second most of that, and...

DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU

 

[twostripe]

is it that big a deal that she watch anime?

 

[counttess]

Uh, Spirited Away is usually the gateway drug I use to introduce people to anime. I've yet to find someone who watched it and didn't like it.

I am a girl who didn't like anime until I watched this movie. ^^So that takes my vote.

Also, Princess Mononoke (I know I didn't spell that right) and then there's one called Memories that's older and is actually three mini movies in one. I haven't watched the third, and didn't looove the second, but the first mini movie I completely fell in love with. I think its called Steel Rose or something... it's pretty intense though, so definitely not as a first anime.

 

[ajb924]

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Umineko no Naku Koro ni
...
KIDDING. They're about SUPER MURDER. And beating the HELL out of children... It's fucked up.

Uhhh, girly stuff?
I'd go with Lovely Complex. That ones really cheesy/girly. It's only 26 episodes though.

What else...
OH!
H20 Footprints in the Sand! That's what I was forgetting. It's got a really good story.

 

[floppylobster]

I want my girlfriend to start watching anime. She has some weird back off about it, thinking the whole genre isn't credible...and weird.

I've recently gotten really into it all, watching some classics, recommended by my friend's sister, like neon genesis, akira, howl's moving caslte, cowboy bebop, princess mononoke, paprika, etc. I'm in love with this as a genre, because of how much freedom is apparently possessed by the animators and directors of these amazing movies.

Anyway, enough with this ranting, because I'm off topic now. I just need to get some legitimate suggestions for anime that might get her hooked.

Her taste in movies includes extremely cheesy, corny, girly stuff like the Notebook and Love, Actually. She also likes Airplane and Fight Club.

Anything she should watch that has the weirdness I like, without being too out there? I'm really excited to try and get her into all this.


Thanks for your help!!!

If she likes the Notebook and Love Actually try - Memories of Yesterday (also known as Only Yesterday) from Studio Ghibli. If she doesn't like that then there's not much hope for you.

Also try Ponyo or My Neighbor Totoro (subtitled in Japanese not English). But your best bet is Spirited Away. It won an academy award so she must take it seriously. Plue it's incredible.

 

[mannaroth]

Clannad/Clannad After Story has a plot that your girlfriend would probably like.

(Yes I watched it and liked it, and still consider myself manly. *beats chest*)

Yeah, This I've heard it's made people cry and After Story is considered to be one of the best animes of all times ratings wise.

 

[PrototypeExKrow]

Ouran host club

 

[PrototypeExKrow]

Funny thing is my brother got his girl into anime by making her watch bible black who knew

 

[Asturiel]

Trigun is a great starter anime. Got a western feel and got it's fair share of mushiness when it needs to. Plus it kicks ass and takes names. Plus the Dubs not horrendus so thats a good thing for people getting into anime.

Full Metal Alchemist is also a good one, very nice story and shait.

...Just please dont let her turn into an obsessive fangirl...please!

is it that big a deal that she watch anime?

Well if he is into anime then perhaps if he shows his girlfriend she will like it and he will feel good. Also good when you try to relate something to something else and your partner actually understands what the fuck your talking about.

Samurai Champloo. Doesn't have any flashy super powers or space machines going on so it's less out there for people who haven't watched a lot of anime and it has a fairly fast moving story comapred to many mainstream anime these days... many of the episodes have a nearly independent story so they can almost be watched stand alone. Doesn't hurt that it has amazing style.

Then again if she's into lovey stuff... I couldn't really tell you. I'm a girl but I like my Gurren Lagann and Outlaw star (very good old school series).

As much as I loved Samurai Champloo unless she's into just pure action and willing to forgive the true look into fuedal Japan its not a very good starter. Perhaps once she gets into the crack stuff she will enjoy it but not a good training bicycle.

 

[floppylobster]

Also some random movie called fireflies or something, its about WW2 in Japan from a kids point of view.
Anyway I watched it like 5 years ago with my whole family, all my sisters and cousins cried so its perfect for a sappy movie.

Grave of the Fireflies, Miyazaki's debut film. Still one of, if not, his best work.

If I could just take some of your words out of that last sentence there, namely - Still one of, if not, his best work. And just leave 'not his work'. Grave of the Fireflies was not even close to being Miyazaki's first feature film, and, more importantly, it was not written nor was it directed by him. I do like some of Takahata's work and I know there are people who love the overwrought emotionally manipulative film but it's not even close to being as great as Miyazaki's work.

 

[twaddle]

i got 2 words for you: RED. GARDEN.

 

[Xanadu84]

Miyizaki is the key here. Everyone likes Miyizaki. It's impossible to not like Miyizaki.