Recommend an Anime for my Boyfriend

[Meemaimoh]

This might be something of a challenge.

My boyfriend does not like anime. He has never seen even one episode*, but he's adamant that he can't stand it, anyway. He says he finds it too weird, with the big eyes and exaggerated expressions. He also knows that many of them suffer from a lot of filler, and this is a HUGE deterrant.

I'd love to get him into some anime. I know he'd love Cowboy Bebop, but I'm worried that Ed would scare him off for being the bundle of anime-ish-ness that she is. I also think he'd quite like Fullmetal Alchemist, but I think the whole show is just a touch too anime-ish for him to get into just yet.

So basically, I'm looking for intelligent, exciting anime that are low on filler. They need to have an artstyle that is maybe just a little more western, or that at least has eyes that aren't two-thirds of the characters' faces. Ideally, they'd be well dubbed, too.

Some other things he likes, for inspiration:

- Star Wars
- A Song of Ice and Fire
- Pulp Fiction
- The Sopranos
- WoW

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


*We watched Grave of the Fireflies together, and I don't think he minded it.

EDIT: For anyone who wants to know why, or wants to tell me to stop being a pushy girlfriend or obnoxious fangirl or whatever else:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.210119-Recommend-an-Anime-for-my-Boyfriend?page=4#7113688

 

[Lust]

Black Lagoon. Can't go wrong with that. Yakuza kind of anime. Lots of violence and harsh language. Perfect.

Also, Gantz. Awesome horror.

Edit: Battle Angel Alita. It's philosophical, violent, and has a post-apocalyptic setting.

 

[snowman6251]

Rainbow: Lots-of-Japanese-That-I-don't-Remember-Goes-Here

Show about being in prison. Its pretty awesome.

EDIT: BOOM [http://www.goodanime.net/category/rainbow-nisha-rokubou-no-shichinin]

 

[SoloStoffe]

Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann.

Oh wait...

 

[jultub]

Death note? It's awesome at least

Edit: I think I ninja'd half this thread

 

[HSIAMetalKing]

Death Note maybe?

 

[Mookie_Magnus]

Hmm... Death Note and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion are good to start. Well-dubbed and low on filler.

Code Geass has more action, and I personally think it's better. Also, it's got giant robot battle-suits that can cut tanks in half.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Give him Howl's Moving Castle. If he doesn't like that then he's obviously broken and you may have to trade him in.
Also get him to try Grave of the Fireflies and Death Note.

A riskier choice is the thoroughly mindfuckingly weird Ghost in the Shell.

 

[wooty]

Look for Code Geass, its very good, very clever and even quite surprising at times. Very very little "anime-ish" scenes in it and it all seems to play out as a bit more adult aimed perhaps. The english dub of it isnt bad either, so I guess thats one hurdle avoided.

Sorry forgot to mention that the genre of it could probably be best described as mecha anime, giant robots with guns and some sword play but all merged into a very compelling story. Great soundtrack too

 

[Dumbfish1]

Welcome to the NHK

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Older ones: Trigun and Outlaw Star.

 

[Meemaimoh]

Black Lagoon. Can't go wrong with that. Yakuza kind of anime. Lots of violence and harsh language. Perfect.

Also, Gantz. Awesome horror.

Black Lagoon sounds perfect. I'll definitely look that up. Thanks!

Hmm... Death Note and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion are good to start. Well-dubbed and low on filler.

Code Geass has more action, and I personally think it's better. Also, it's got giant robot battle-suits that can cut tanks in half.

I haven't seen the Death Note anime, but if it takes the same turn after you-know-who's death that the manga did, I might pass. I got so disappointed.

Code Geass is one I've wanted to watch for a while. This sounds like a good excuse. Thanks.

 

[Jeralt2100]

Trigun is a good one, if a little goofy at times. Samurai 7 is an extremely well-crafted series that doesn't ooze 'anime' out of every pore like some shows tend to.

 

[JuryNelson]

I know he'd love Cowboy Bebop, but I'm worried that Ed would scare him off for being the bundle of anime-ish-ness that she is. I also think he'd quite like Fullmetal Alchemist, but I think the whole show is just a touch too anime-ish for him to get into just yet.

That's the trick. Because Trigun has some way rad action and shooting, but then sometimes Vash goes all Wiggly and the show becomes a silly cartoon. FMA, too. There's a new version of Fullmetal Alchemist (available for free on hulu.com!) that's even MORE anime-crazy than the other one, which is a huge bummer, because it's also way more compelling with no filler at all.

The first 9 episodes of Cowboy Bebop are completely Ed-free, though. And by the time Ed comes around Faye is there, and how can you complain at that point? Oh, I shouldn't say that, it's your boyfriend after all.

Berserk doesn't have any of that cutesy cartoon part, but then it doesn't have much at all except for blood and muscles.
Gundam Wing worked on me when I was younger, but I don't know if that's any good either.
Try a movie, is the best idea. Miyazaki counts as anime, and he's amazing all the time. Castle in the Sky or Howl's Moving Castle maybe. and then you can treat that as a foot in the door and move on to FMA, because by then he'll be used to big eyes containing compelling stories.

Samurai Champloo has some of the coolest fight scenes I've ever seen, and aside from the squirrel thing, the only 'cartoon stylized' stuff they do is more absurd than 'chibi.'

That's my reco: Samurai Champloo. Especially because it's basically Cowboy Bebop, but instead of space it's old Japan, and instead of jazz, it's hip-hop. How can you go wrong?

 

[Mikael Guldborg Rask Andersen]

Getting him into anime? How mean.

Anyway, I agree with Death Note and Code Geass. Those are definitely well-dubbed, filler-less and aren't too hard to get into.

 

[^=ash=^]

I would love to suggest GANTZ, however it isn't as intelligent as it is awesome. The only filler is the last arc aswell, so yeah worth watching maybe. Not sure if it's dubbed though.

Next is the obvious Death Note, very good anime, nice and intelligent with good story and charcters. Again not too sure on dubs but I assume it has been dubbed.

If a non-serious anime is needed to ease him in aswell I would suggest Gintama. Multiple little arcs, comedy and action, just a bit of fun really. Again not sure on dubs but the japanses VAs are very good in this one.

EDIT: Forgot about Black Lagoon and Elfen Lied (but that may be a little extreme)

MORE EDIT: Valkyria Chronicles is also an epic anime with great story and characters.

 

[DC_Josh]

Fullmetal Alchemist (not Brotherhood, the original)

It's how I got my non-anime student house into it and they ran the gamut from artists, actors and rugby players. It is very in depth and not too crazy!

 

[Crayzor]

Hmm... Death Note and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion are good to start. Well-dubbed and low on filler.

Code Geass has more action, and I personally think it's better. Also, it's got giant robot battle-suits that can cut tanks in half.

This. Code Geass is constantly good, whereas Death Note, in my opinion at least, got worse as it went on.

 

[havass]

Gundam Seed? heh. Or Code Geass. Code Geass was awesome, and with a touch of fan-service, too. xD
Just don't expose him to Bleach or Naruto yet. Unless he's into that type of crud.

 

[DeadMix]

FLCL and Death Note.

Definitely show him Princess Mononoke if you want a movie. Don't let the name fool you (or him), it's violent, epic, and one of the characters is a wolf the size of a Hummer.