Why do you watch anime? ( I usually don't) and what is it about it you like?

[ChromeAlchemist]

Your title and OP seem to be asking two different questions. Oh well.

Certain things can be presented differently in anime, and visually it's probably the most expressive medium out there.

Violence in animated form and violence live action are completely different experiences. Same for emotional scenes, same for comedy. There is a lot you can get away with in anime.

What do I watch? As a matter of fact, I do watch Naruto (since I was in school, which was, what, 7 years ago?) and I actually think it's one of the better long running series out there...at least better than Bleach.

I watch that because I enjoy the character development, the story (sans a few mis-steps) and the action.

As for my favourites, I'd say:

Noir
Perfect Blue (film)
Sword of the Stranger (film)
Black Lagoon
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (if you didn't like Death Note, I doubt you'd like that, despite them being so different)

Off the top of my head.

 

[JokerCrowe]

I watch anime because it's interesting. I'll try to elaborate, what I mean is, that I watched kids shows when I was a kid, I liked all kinds of shows and Cartoon Network was a big part of my life.
When i was in junior high, I thought anime seemed stupid, I just didn't get why people would want to watch children cartoons, it didn't matter that they were from Japan.

But then I got to watching one anime becuase I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and I really liked it. (it was Rozen Maide btw) I realized that even though it's a foreign culture and it's basically a cartoon, anime can have some really serious topics and stories. And be both engaging and interesting. Plus, the western animation is not as big or creative.

Anime can have some really cool stories, and if it were possible to make/watch live action versions of it, I would probably watch that, but it's a lot easier to make a cartoon about giant robots than it is to make a live action series about it.

Another thing that I really like is that it's so big, there are like a million different anime's out there, so even if you don't like typical Shonen anime or high school anime, there is still something for almost everyone.

I think it's easy for people to dismiss anime because it is a cartoon and Japanese culture can be considered weird in the west. But there are some really good ones out there, and not wanting to watch it just because it's a cartoon (and cartoons are for children) is kind of like saying that you don't want to read Watchmen because it's just a comic-book.
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I was really tired when I wrote this (I still am) so if you want to have something explained it's alright to ask. Sorry if this seems disjointed.

EDIT: I know that some people just don't like it though, But I say that you should at least give it a try before you say that you don't like it. And if you don't it's alright, it's not everyone's cup of tea. Just give it a try first.

 

[Arehexes]

I watch (and I'm listing ones I only finished and re-watched)

Afro Samurai(Nice action)
Azumanga Daioh(Down to earth humor)
Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan(When a angel has her halo stolen she gets the runs, how can you hate that)
Case Closed(A nice anime I could watch with my niece and it be safe and fun while doing adult)
Crayon Shin Chan(Funny crass humor, but watch the US release since the japan one is 90's pop culter)
Death Note(...I forgot why I liked it, I had a all night marathon and just remember going cool while sleeping during it)
Dragon Ball(Just watch it)
FLCL(Makes you go WTF man, but is also)
Detroit Metal City(About a shy guy who is nice, being the lead singer of a death metal band and how he has to juggle the two life styles)
Fruits Basket (If you like girly romance with some comedy watch this)
FullMetal Alchemist (Just pure awesome action)
Girl Meets Girl (It's another romance show, but not as funny)
Girls Bravo (It's a harem anime so I can't really say much because most are the same)
Great Teacher Onizuka (This is just a awesome show about a gangster wanting to be a teacher)
Love Hina (Again another harem anime but if you watch it make sure you watch love hina again also)
Karin(Or Chibi Vampire) It's about a vampire falling in love with a human, and if you say twilight I say this "They can't be in the sun, and they hate garlic and act like real vampires"
Please Teacher/Twins (Another romance anime but it's pretty good)
Ranma 1/2 (One of my favorites animes, it has light romance, comedy, fighting)
Samurai Champloo (A action comedy (but more action) about a young women looking for her father with epic fight scenes)
School Rumble (A down to earth (but in f'ing sane) show about a jacked up love triangle, and it's very funny once it gets rolling (I watched it like 6 times so far))

These are all the anime I would suggest watching, it's very diverse for different tastes....mostly

 

[Dorian6]

I never really understand when people say that they hate anime, as though it's all the same thing. It feels like how there are those who dismiss animation as a whole as being for children.

There are some that I like, whether it be for the action (The original Gundam) or the story (Outlaw Star, Berserk) or because I find them amusing (Chromartie High School, One Piece), but there are others that I don't like.

 

[Wintermoot]

sci-fi stuff mostly mechs
mechs rule

 

[Maxtro]

The main reason I like anime is because they can do things that would look absolutely ridiculous in live action. I love giant robots and well choreographed fight scenes with enemies shooting each other with power attacks.

What anime has over western animation is that the stories are often told in long sequential arcs. Even in anime that is made for kids, real adult issues are addressed and they don't talk down to the audience.

A good example would be comparing Puella Magi Madoka Magica to Winx Club. BTW, I don't think Madoka is made for kids. But both shows are about magical girls.

Heck my first real exposure to anime was Sailor Moon and that is a show that was made for little girls. And it just blew away the vast majority of cartoons I was watching at the time.

 

[Dan Steele]

Naruto..uhgggg..Believe it!..[/quote]

If you are watching the bastardized english version with some of the worst censoring and dubbed voices availible, that is realy going to skew your view on Naruto. On the flip side If you watch it in Japanese with English subtitles however, you are introduced to blood, gore, cursing, intense fighting, and the characters (Naruto included) actualy having the correct voice actors to suit their characters thus making the show more relatable and story driven.

Point simply put, watch Naruto again in Japanese or read the manga for it and you will see its much better than that abomination they put on public television.

I would also recomend the animes:
Tengen Toppa: Guren Laggan
Fairy Tale
Ghost in the shell

 

[Kahunaburger]

IMO, it doesn't make sense to dismiss all anime or like all anime just because it's animation from Japan. There are good anime and bad anime, just like any other show.

The ones I would advise would be:
Ghost In The Shell (cerebral postcyberpunk)
Samurai Champloo (cheerfully anachronistic mostly-Edo-period road trip)
Paranoia Agent (mindfuck)

Movie-wise, you basically can't go wrong with Miyazaki or Satoshi Kon.

But there are a lot of ppl in this thread who have seen a lot more anime than I have, so I'd imagine most of the shows listed here are good.

 

[RA92]

'Full Metal Alchemist' and 'Yakitate! Ja-pan'- 2 animes at the opposite spectrum that show how good anime can be.

Of course, most of the mass produced fan service is shit.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Why do you watch anime?

Because apart from game of Throne,s there ain't all that much on telly that's any good at the moment.

And the characters tend to find love and it makes me feel like there's hope for me yet.
Love or massive mecha. Both would be some sort of wonderful dream come true.

 

[Luvbird49]

I don't watch lots of anime (mostly because I'm in college right now and have limited free time), but I mostly like it for the art style. I know the specific drawing styles can vary, but the general form of anime/manga is very simple, yet incredibly expressive.

I loved FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood; I rank it and Death Note as my top favorites.
You're right, the main character does go crazy at the end, but I don't count that against it. It was Light's true nature being revealed as his actions caught up with him. At least, that's what I thought.

 

[hedges1001]

i watch it because it was a large part of my childhod in the uk with weekday afternoons from 4 - 6 being DBZ, gundam wing, then tenchi muyo then tenchi universe. so yeah as i grew up i watched more grown up anime and i highly recommend gurren lagann and to aru kagaku no railgun. i also quite like death note for the story and the animation quality because it wasnt a high action series it means that they would have to make the entire animation high quality.

 

[Jabberwock xeno]

Neon Genesis evangelion, and akira.

When you say the word anime, those two and DBZ should be the ones that pop in your head. Argueably ghost in the shell, too.

Fun fact: Ghost in the shell was inspired by an early Bungie game called Oni.

 

[spacewalker]

Animated shows generally have a much easier time making use of visual effects in story telling. Not that they always do it well but it is easier to do good animations than good CGI.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

I watch pretty much every single anime there is. (No I haven't watched them all yet.)

I watch them for my entertainment.

Right now, I'm watching One Piece, Bleach, Naruto Shippuuden and Beelzebub.
(And My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, if you count that as anime. (Which I don't.))

 

[blankedboy]

Completely depends on the anime. Take Higurashi, Ergo Proxy and FLCL. I love all three, but they have completely different appeals. Higurashi I like for the horror appeal and plotfuckery, Ergo Proxy for the drama, mindfuck and occasionally action, and FLCL for straight-up stupid comedy.

So yeah, it's safe to say there's no one reason I like or watch anime.

 

[blaqknoise]

The only anime that I've ever watched all the way through is Death Note and Wolf's Rain.

I couldn't really tell you why either... I just liked them.

 

[Thaius]

As a sidenote, try watching Naruto with subtitles. The English dub makes a lot of people hate the show without realizing that, without that awful English voice acting, it's actually very good.

OT: Because animation is not just a kid's medium, and Japan realizes that while the west barely makes anything notable. Pixar, occasionally Dreamworks, the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender... these are some of the very, very few people who make animated features that are not simple kiddy crap. While we animate Spongebob falling and laughing like a moron constantly, they are telling genuinely good stories with deep themes, relatable characters, and adult-oriented stories. Not to say all anime is like this, but the fact is that Japan often makes animated features that are mature and interesting, whereas most animation in the west is awful, timewasting crap. Stupid animation age ghetto...

 

[Loop Stricken]

Quick note to anybody who's watched and recommends Toradora!; please PM me a goddamn synopsis of the last episode because it made no. FUCKING. sense.

Thankyou.
[sub]yes, i mad[/sub]

[Edit: Scratch that. Missed the last like five minutes. ALL IS WELl!]