Anime

[Alssadar]

Baka to Test to Shukanjuu for its genuine idiocy and perverted shenanigans.
Black Lagoon for explosions and girls with guns. Durarara, for genuine awesomeness.
Angel Beats for pure amazing, humor, plot, and TK.
Cromartie High School has a good English dub, no plot line, and is very amusing.

 

[Del-Toro]

I'm going to just jump on the same bandwagon half the thread has and add a recommendation for Baccano! Really, with this much volume, if you don't at least check it out I wonder what the point of the thread was.

I was hardcore into anime for a while, so...

I'm also going to recommend the series that got me really started, Kannazuki No Miko (literally the only Yuri series I ever watched, and still my favourite anime) with the disclaimer that it's something you'll either love or hate, and there is no way to gauge which party you will be belong to. I have personally been surprised by how schizophrenic those results are. I shouldn't even like it by all accounts, not with my dourness.

If you really, really like anime as a medium then I would recommend The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star. But only if you're a lover of the medium. If it was just that there were some anime series you liked and you're curious for more, maybe try something else. If you're entrenched in the sub-culture, they will seem like god's final gift to his creation. If you're on the wall they won't be what makes you a convert. Or maybe they will. If the previous paragraph is any indicator there isn't any way to gauge what brings people in.

If you like mecha but don't like being preached at, then Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory is a good choice. Odd for a Gundam series to not just be left wing propaganda but I guess that's what I found so refreshing about it, and as an OVA, the animation quality is significantly higher. Do note that it is very heavily front loaded, the home stretch is, for lack of a better term, a clusterfuck. Not an unwatchable clusterfuck, but a clusterfuck nonetheless.

If you aren't one of those people who blindly hate the church, to whom the prospect of a clergy protagonist isn't a cause to foam at the mouth, then Chrono Crusade is something to look into. It's well written and animated and all that good stuff that makes for a good quality anime series. Like 0083, however it's concluding arc lacks sufficient cohesion, and it has a Christmas episode, my mortal enemy.

I'm also going to recommend Black Cat. Before any otakus descend upon me like the thousand nations of the Persian Empire I'm going to note that there is probably more in the mangas, but the anime is pretty good as well. Of course, in a series with magical powers, a villain who tries very hard to be a good Sepiroth homage but only winds up being a bad imitation, and two climaxes, it will be the little details of the general plot that wind up killing your suspension of disbelief the most. And they will, trust me.

 

[Hookman]

Take a look at Hellsing. I haven't watched Rurouni Kenshin but I've read the manga and its really good. I'd like to ask, why do people have such a problem with Bleach and Naruto? I watch both series and I really like them. I understand some of the obvious flaws (Bright orange ninja, Flashback overdose etc.) but I still think they're enjoyable underneath the flaws, Bleach especially.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

OH MY GOD ANOTHER ONE OF THESE THREADS A:OIDP:MIOC:ASC

OT: Elfen Lied

 

[chromewarriorXIII]

Well, you've already watched the three I usually recommend (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Code Geass) so the only other one I can say is Panty & Stocking which I just finished. It's definitely not for everyone but I thought it was funny and unique.

 

[Ninonybox_v1legacy]

well seeing as you already watched Elfen lied i can't suggest that now...but luckily i have 2 more.

Lucky star (for lulz)

and Spice and Wolf (for the endearment, occasional lulz, and drama).

 

[Tony2077]

k on! and !! little strange at time but its really good subbed if you care
and manabi straight is good as well if you have a soul you will have a few tears come out ditto on the subbed
heroic age is very good
pm if you want more

 

[Ice Car]

Clannad. Kanon. Haruhi Suzumiya. Do NOT watch the dub for Kanon. Dubs are half decent for Haruhi and Clannad, but I still can barely stand them. English Subbed for the win. Always go for the original VAs, the dubs always choose the worst possible VA for a position and basically rape the character's voice.

By the way, wrong forum.

 

[Gindil]

Air Gear is alright, but you have to read the manga to finish it (or catch up to speed) but man the fanservice on that one...

The fanservice pales in comparison to ikkitousen *shudders*

I shall be back shortly to investigate this...

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

If you liked both BeBop and Full Metal Alchemist you might like Darker Than Black

 

[Konaerix]

Sure mate...

Dubbed:

-Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (Dubs are greats on this one!)
-Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (A dub exists for the first season only, but its sucks)
-Lucky Star (Dub is all right in my opinion, but you might want to stick with the subs)
-Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan (Short, yet great dub)
-Zero no Tsukaima (First season only, and a rather lackluster dub at that)
-Clannad (First season only, not that good of a dub)
-Shakugan no Shana (Season one only, but the dub isn't that bad actually)
-Rozen Maiden (Mediocre dub)

(This is all I can think of at the moment as I don't really watch alot of shows with dubs, check the other recomendations as well.)

Subbed only:

-Toradora!
-Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
-Kannon
-Working!
-Kannagi
-Baka and Test
-A certain magical index
-A certain scientific railgun
-Seitokai no Ichizon


Feel free to check any of these out and good luck!

 

[Marik2]

Air Gear is alright, but you have to read the manga to finish it (or catch up to speed) but man the fanservice on that one...

The fanservice pales in comparison to ikkitousen *shudders*

I shall be back shortly to investigate this...

I am not joking there is a pantysot every 3 seconds in that anime...

If you do a drinking game where you drank every time there was a pantyshot you'd die from alcoholic poisoning in the first minute...

 

[MrGalactus]

Boondocks, because it's hilarious.

Its awesome but does it count?

Uhhhhh...I dunno. It's the only one I enjoy, so maybe not. It looks like one! What constitutes an Anime?

Chibi (small) versions of characters pop out the sides of the screen and there are such emotions that need to ne shown like a popping vein for anger or a teardrop on you head to show distress

Oh, then yeah it is.
That's all you need to do to be one?

 

[acosn]

Elfen Lied convince me to like it. ready go

It's terrible. Gaping plot holes and shameless fan service crammed right into the middle of what's supposed to be serious plot construction, a plot line that utterly deviates from the source material because the director felt "just cuz." It's a mess of an anime and the only people who legitimately think its good are being distracted by the gratuitous gore.

That might be generalizing. There are many problems I have with Elfenlied, but what it does well it does very, very well.

I also think that most people today confuse any kind of nudity in anime as fanservice. The nudity in Elfenlied is no more fanservice than the nudity in Ghost in the Shell is.

That said there is plenty that I hate about the show: The character design is bland and boring, but then so is that of the manga. And the lore of Elfenlied is convoluted and stupid.

They pandered to the otaku audience with it, heavily. They could have built a split personality for the antagonist without making that retarded cat, and it would have given a lot more depth to the character.

And unfortunately, the reason that most people consider gratuitous nudity fan service is because the industry itself does. The folks behind Neon Genesis Evangellion called that notorious hospital scene with a rather coma-induced Asuka fan service, so it kind of set the uh. bar. for it.


When you strip out the excessive gore and dismemberment Elfen Leid just isn't any different from any other poorly constructed anime except that you might consider it convoluted instead of just plain shallow.


EDIT:

Oh, and Outlaw Star. If you like shows like Trigun and Cowboy Beebop it's right up your ally. It's also the kind of fan service I like because it's almost entirely confined to a single episode so if I genuinely don't want to watch it I can just skip it and know I'm not missing critical plot points because I didn't want to see herp and derp bump uglies.

 

[Casual Shinji]

They pandered to the otaku audience with it, heavily. They could have built a split personality for the antagonist without making that retarded cat, and it would have given a lot more depth to the character.

I think the point to Nyu (God, I hate that name) was that she was pretty much retarded. She can't talk, she pees herself. This created a nice contradiction with her violent personallity.

And unfortunately, the reason that most people consider gratuitous nudity fan service is because the industry itself does. The folks behind Neon Genesis Evangellion called that notorious hospital scene with a rather coma-induced Asuka fan service, so it kind of set the uh. bar. for it.

I think any sane person will look at that scene and would absolutely not consider it fanservice. Unless these days fanservice constitutes 14 year old boys jacking off into their hands. I also never tend to listen what creators have to say about the meaning of their own work; It can be pretty stupid most of the times and I like to formulate my own opinion of the story.

When you strip out the excessive gore and dismemberment Elfen Leid just isn't any different from any other poorly constructed anime except that you might consider it convoluted instead of just plain shallow.

That's not really fair to say. If you were to strip out the gore and violence from Berserk you would lose a lot of what made the comic good as well. That doesn't mean it's covering up bad storytelling. Elfen Lied definately had some bad storytelling, but the violence wasn't used to cover it up.
The violence was very effective in solidifying the notion that any of the characters (apart ofcourse from the male lead) could die at any second. Even if it was an innocent chlid, you knew that if he came across Lucy's bad side she would have no qualms in disposing him. And just as in Berserk the violence drove the point home that this (where the story takes place) is a cruel and unforgiving world.

Not that Elfen Lied in any way, shape or form comes even close to the brilliance that is Berserk.

As for the nudity in Elfen Lied, I view it the same way as I view nudity in a body horror movie: A contrast between the comfort and familiarity of the human form, and the grissly horror of what actually lies beneath the skin and how easily it can be taken apart.

But like I said, I don't even really find Elfen Lied to be very good, it just does a one or two things very well.

 

[Theron Julius]

As much as I would rather not encourage incorrect thread placement (should be in off-topic) I'm gonna say Gurren Laggan and Code Geass. I've been told Planetes is good as well.

 

[s0m3th1ng]

Anyone have a go at Moribito?
It was on adult swim for a wee bit and then disappeared. I believe it's the most well animated series to date.
The characters are realistic, makes fantastic use of CG, and the world is well fleshed out. I've only seen the first episode from Hulu though...

Also, how is Koukaku no Regios? It says it's a Post-Apocalyptic series but I dunno about the rest of it.

 

[FernandoV]

SOUL EATER only 51 episode, funny, action-ey, thoughtful, ETC.

 

[GodofCider]

Snip.

Rurouni Kenshin is likely a good choice.

Outlaw star is what I really recommend though. It's aged a little, but when it's all said and done. It's good. (Plus, you can't help but laugh at grappling star ship arms. ^_^)