Anime Lover Needs The Next Step Up...UPDATED!
- Thread starter SalamanderJoe
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Dude just do what I did. Go to watchanimenow.com and pick whatever ambushs your interest. Trust me when I say asking that on a website like this is like asking about someones oppinion on Heavy Metal at a Protest the Hero concert, you are not going to hear anything over the "RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP THE SKYYYYY ASUUUUNNNNDERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
I am a big fan of SJ but quality on their anime is like the tide. Up and down and although there might be cute girls frolicking about your just as likely to see a big, hairy fat guy in speedos. Off the top of my head:
Samurai Champloo
:good animation, likable characters, funny scenes, cool story. Overall, very good throughout. Not my first choice but a short and sweet series for someone whos quite new to anime and a nice break from some of the heavier stuff the vets watch.
I am a big fan of SJ but quality on their anime is like the tide. Up and down and although there might be cute girls frolicking about your just as likely to see a big, hairy fat guy in speedos. Off the top of my head:
Samurai Champloo
:good animation, likable characters, funny scenes, cool story. Overall, very good throughout. Not my first choice but a short and sweet series for someone whos quite new to anime and a nice break from some of the heavier stuff the vets watch.
This. A million times this. Cowboy Bebop is not only the best anime I've ever seen, but possibly the best show I've seen grace television. Obviously, I LOVE me some Bebop.nuqneh1 said:
Man, everything Katsuhiro Otomo touches is a fucking masterpiece. Memories was amazing, Akira (needless to say is an absolute classic), and I adore the live action adaptation he did of Mushishi.Casual Shinji said:
As for animes I would suggest. Well, as a general rule I kind of like stuff that really makes you think, series with deeper philosophical, theological, and metaphysical themes really appeal to me, so keep that in mind when listening to my suggestions.
Anyways, Kino's Journey and Mushishi are two of my absolute favorites, they tend more to the quiet contemplative side than being heavy on action, which I like, so if you want something thoughtful and calm these two are excellent.
I just finished re-watching Ergo Proxy for the second time. It actually didn't really hit me just how good it was the first time through, but the second time through really sold me on it. At first it kind of seemed like another tired plot that I'd seen played out a million times before in the general futuristic utopia sci-fi genre... but if you'll give the show ample time you'll find that it's much more sophisticated than that, tending less to rehashing 1984 and more to attempting to understand the relationship between a hypothetical god and its creations.
Two other classics you might consider are Serial Experiments Lain and Neon Genesis Evangelion... I mention them together because even though they're extremely different, they do have some thematic similarities, and their style of presentation is pretty similar as well. Both of them will mess with your head, Serial Experiments Lain in particular. I would also say that both of these, especially Lain, are shows which can not be fairly judged by just one episode, so if you're going to watch them then set your resolve so that you watch them in their entirety. They're artistic masterpieces too big to be understood either as a whole or in their pieces, but if you only see the pieces then there's no way you'll be able to understand just how good they are.
Finally, I would suggest Black Lagoon. It's got some pretty badass action, great characters, and especially near the end, gets into some pretty heavy existentialist themes... and by pretty heavy existentialist themes I mean that they're quoting Sartre... By the time everything is said and done it gets pretty dark, but it's really good too. It's also a little easier to get into than Lain or Evangelion, as you could get a general appreciation for it just from watching a couple episodes, though, again, to really understand what it's saying it's best to watch the whole thing.
I highly recommend School Days.
A few
K-on
Bakemonogatari
Strike Witches Keep that one a secret. >.>
A few
K-on
Bakemonogatari
Strike Witches Keep that one a secret. >.>
Ah, that's what its called! As soon as I saw that name the lead female popped into my head. I remember seeing an episode of it round a friends house, asked what it was, and and then completely forgot what it was twenty minutes later. I'll look into that thank you!Outright Villainy said:
no love for darker than black? i found that anime to be really good and the recently finished ova series just tied the first and second series together, which was nice to fill in the pretty big gaping hole between the 2.
hellsing
all the others people have mentioned.
hellsing
all the others people have mentioned.
Oh, and if it seems a little slow for a couple of episodes after around episode 5 it gets incredibly awesome.SalamanderJoe said:
The whole "Theresa of the faint smile" arc is some of the best anime I've ever seen...
Edit: I think at this stage all the best ones have been mentioned, but I haven't seen Darker than Black mentioned, so watch that too! It's pretty dang cool.
Ok... trying to avoid the ones mentioned... this is gonna be hard...
One Piece. It's a long series, though.
Desert Punk. Short, but good.
G Gundam. Dude, any Gundam, really, but this is the first one I thought of that wasn't already mentioned.
... crap, everything else I can recomend has either been mentioned at least once or I just forget. But follow the other people's suggestions as well, 'cause they all are good ones.
One Piece. It's a long series, though.
Desert Punk. Short, but good.
G Gundam. Dude, any Gundam, really, but this is the first one I thought of that wasn't already mentioned.
... crap, everything else I can recomend has either been mentioned at least once or I just forget. But follow the other people's suggestions as well, 'cause they all are good ones.
Holy shit, somebody else who's actually seen Memories. Sometimes it seems like I'm the only one who ever saw that awesome body of work.Kpt._Rob said:
I didn't really like Steam Boy all that much so I don't know if everything Otomo does is great, but Memories and Akira (both the movie and the comic) were brilliant.
Two. Little-known, but not the creepy obscure ones you're talking about. More like hidden gems.
1. Clannad. It's a dramatic and comedic romance show. I know, probably not really your style; it wasn't mine either, trust me. But it's funny, cute, charming, and beautiful. And I guarantee it will make you cry. Guarantee it. I don't care if you've never shed a tear in your life, you will cry in this anime. Particularly in the second (and final) season, After Story. This show broke me emotionally; it's that good. Watch it.
2. Orphen (aka Sorcerous Stabber Orphen). It's a fantasy show from the mid-90s, if I remember right, and it's really, really good. It has some original concepts, some fantastic characters, and even the English voice acting is pretty good. Just make sure to get the first season; the second (Orphen: Revenge) is still quite good, but it has more of a comedic focus and doesn't really get going until about halfway through.
And... well... should I...?
Uh... Elfen Lied. Note that this is a very hesitant suggestion. It's a very mature anime, with its share of nudity and tons of really, really graphic violence. That, combined with its mature themes and emotionally tough situations, make it a really good anime that is incredibly difficult to watch. I recommend it hesitantly, only if you can handle it. If you struggle with the first 5 minutes, you should probably pass this one up.
1. Clannad. It's a dramatic and comedic romance show. I know, probably not really your style; it wasn't mine either, trust me. But it's funny, cute, charming, and beautiful. And I guarantee it will make you cry. Guarantee it. I don't care if you've never shed a tear in your life, you will cry in this anime. Particularly in the second (and final) season, After Story. This show broke me emotionally; it's that good. Watch it.
2. Orphen (aka Sorcerous Stabber Orphen). It's a fantasy show from the mid-90s, if I remember right, and it's really, really good. It has some original concepts, some fantastic characters, and even the English voice acting is pretty good. Just make sure to get the first season; the second (Orphen: Revenge) is still quite good, but it has more of a comedic focus and doesn't really get going until about halfway through.
And... well... should I...?
Uh... Elfen Lied. Note that this is a very hesitant suggestion. It's a very mature anime, with its share of nudity and tons of really, really graphic violence. That, combined with its mature themes and emotionally tough situations, make it a really good anime that is incredibly difficult to watch. I recommend it hesitantly, only if you can handle it. If you struggle with the first 5 minutes, you should probably pass this one up.
Blue Gender and Beserk... ...i like them.
they has alot of gore, drama, mechs(Blue Gender only). and some romance.
they has alot of gore, drama, mechs(Blue Gender only). and some romance.
I'd be hesitant to recommend Elfen Lied, but not for its mature themes; rather for its immature themes.Thaius said:
The fan service is blatant in that show, and the sillyness of scenes with Nyu can be really off putting against the darker main story. It's still a good anime overall though, the story is great, and the backstories are well fleshed out.
To recommend a mildly obscure series I love, Kino's Journey. It's kinda like the Twilight Zone in a sense, and it's mildly artsy without being pretentious.
And yes, watch the Ghibli's, definitely.
I'll hold off on recommending Nanoha since you're new to anime.
And yes, watch the Ghibli's, definitely.
I'll hold off on recommending Nanoha since you're new to anime.