Essential Anime

rizz

rizz

New Member
Yep, i didnt want to hijack the other thread so i thought i would ask the same question for the video.

Consider me a normal white man who has very little Anime knowledge or appreciation. I have watched a couple fo films (Ghost in the Shell, Wicked City) but not really anything much. We have a Anime channel but all it shows is Cowboy Bebop.

So what is a good Anime to start on? I t could be a film or mini series. Since i would have to download a few to try before i consider a purcahse, a 500 episode saga is not the best. Ideally it should be quite accessible..I can work up to more involved ones later. Age certificate is not an issue, but i would like to avoid anything overly "dodgy" if at all possible.

So fire some ideas at me.
 
Cowboy Bebop is good to start with. Really.

But then again you've probably noticed that and finished it and are sick of reruns.

I recommend Bleach episodes 1-85ish (the first story arc ending with Rukia's salvation), Full Metal Panic (for a more comic edge; the first series or the new one, NOT Fumofu), and Shakugan no Shana (the first series, not Shakugan no Shana Second. But you may have to be of a literary mind to enjoy SnS. I'm an English Major and thought it was literary Gold. But it is very low in conflict for a "Magical Girl" genre anime.)
 
Gundam wing
Outlaw Star
Last Exile
Wolfs Rain
One Piece
Gundam 00
EF-Tales of a Memory
Samurai X
Kenshin
 
Essential anime, eh? Phew. That's a loaded question.

I also feel awkward posting suggestions for anime on a Christian gaming forum--not because I feel convicted after having watched certain series, but because certain series are not suitable for children or "young" Christians. Several series present ideas popular in Eastern religion and some use symbols from Western religions to illustrate their themes.

Yes, I'm thinking of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Love Evangelion or hate it, few people will deny that it's one of the few "necessary reading" staples of the last two decades of anime.

If you decide to watch Evangelion, take my word of advice: DO NOT watch End of Evangelion, for the love of all that is holy. It took me years to recover. *shudders*

If you want a more lighthearted mecha anime (minus the amazingly messed-up relationships and Jungian philosophy of Evangelion), check out Nadesico--but skip the follow-up movie, Prince of Darkness. (Seriously, what is it with writers messing up a decent series with a sucktacular follow-up movie?)

I would back Neirai's recommendation of Bleach, but for fewer episodes. I feel the story started to drag after episode 20 or so. I haven't started reading the Bleach manga yet, but I got bored with the series around episode 155 and plan to start in on the manga soon.

Shakugan No Shana (both the first and second series), Noein, and Dennou Coil are all personal favorites, but I don't know if I could list any of them as "essential" anime. Then again, if Dennou Coil gets set in front of the right Western critics, it could become wildly popular among US anime fans.

You may want to watch a few episodes of Naruto, just to see what all the fuss is about. After that, drop the anime and read the manga.

For a fresh twist on the vampire mythos, check out Karin. I wouldn't say it's essential, but it features one of the best (and, ironically, most believable) romances in recent memory.

Like it or not, the Magical Girl genre is integral to the anime education. Skip the Sailor Moon and go straight to Mai HiME, which is one of my and my wife's favorite series. You'll get the transformation sequence and dual life motif that are an important part of so many series without the effeminate men. The series is solid throughout, but it really shines after episode 13.

Another "like it or not": Akira. It's hyper-violent, the pacing is odd, and it can be terribly confusing, but it was many people's first anime film. Consider this The Godfather of anime: It's super-violent, so I can't recommend it to anyone, but it's also an important part of the history of the medium.

And don't let anyone talk you into watching Utena. I don't care how popular the series was. The first four episodes were so repetitive and awful that I couldn't stand to watch any more.

Skip Hellsing. Terribly overrated and cliche, from what little I could stomach to watch. When I make fun of action anime series that substitute copious amounts of gore for a decent plot, this series is what I have in mind.

You should probably watch a few episodes of the original Dragonball (not Z, not GT) series--but you don't have to like it. You just have to watch it.

I've read that Love Hina is the essential harem anime, but that's still not enough to convince me to watch it. The harem genre tends to be predictable and riddled with fanservice, so you could probably skip anything in this field without missing too much.

Outlaw Star was fairly popular in the US, but Cowboy Bebop is better. Way better.

Samurai Champloo is, IMHO, one of the greatest series ever. It has a few violent scenes, but nothing you wouldn't see in 10 minutes of Naruto or Bleach.

Skip Ninja Scroll. I don't care how popular the movie was. It's way too violent and shouldn't be viewed by anyone under the age of 140.

Nodame Cantible is one of the best series in recent memory. My wife assures me that the manga is just as good, if not better.

Lucky Star is my favorite "slice of life" comedy and was hugely popular among anime fans. Watch it after you've watched a few anime series so you can understand the humor better.

Speaking of humor, Excel Saga is probably the most popular parody series ever. Again, watch it after you have some experience with anime--and DO NOT watch episode 26. Seriously. Just...don't. Trust me. *shudders*

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu is another fan favorite. You'll probably stumble upon a video or animated .GIF of the dance sequence featured in the opening a few minutes into any casual online research on anime.

There are a lot of genres you'll want to avoid. I already mentioned the harem genre; of course, you'll want to skip hentai (which includes several subgenres), ecchi, lolicon, yaoi (gay), and yuri (lesbian) as well.

Remember that even some of the best series have fan service. Don't let that detract from the experience. For example: Read or Die TV, one of my favorite series of all time, features brief (but not gratuitous) nudity in one episode out of 26. The series is clearly aimed at a more mature audience, so the brief nudity--while unnecessary--isn't contrary to the tone of the series.

Oh, and just in case anyone was wondering, Kusanagi doesn't get naked in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, so I'd recommend that series, too. Essential cyberpunk.

Man, I could go on and on, but I listed my top three favorites (Mai HiME, Read or Die TV, and Samurai Champloo) and covered several other genres. I'll post again if I think of more, but for now, I think I need to take a break.
 
Clannad TV is very good. The movie follows a different style and covers a parallel (but different) set and is much more emotional then the series was.

Trinity Blood is an awesome anime that deals with vampires. I don't remember anything bad about it except for a lot of blood.

Air Gear is very good, supposedly another season will come out sometime. There is some nudity though, but iirc it was just fan service while introducing the characters.

I recommend ghost in the shell due to it dealing with a [believable] technology. For those interested in the series you should watch: GitS (Warning: Contains nudity), GitS2: Innocense, GitS SAC, GitS SAC2, GitS SAC Solid State Society. The SAC series is actually separate from the original movies, but contains the same characters.

Dennou Coil is really good once you get into the later episodes and you wont regret watching it at all. That said the first episodes are like dried-up, salted beef. You have to let it stew for awhile or it will be disgusting.
 
I'm just a novice anime kid. I've watched Blood+, Dennou Coil, and Samurai Champloo all the way through so far. I really enjoyed Blood+. I thought the plot was dynamite, and the characters believable. Dennou Coil was also a very fun anime. Samurai Champloo was pretty awesome, but I wouldn't rate it higher than the previous two.

Right now I am watching Full Metal Alchemist, and it is AWESOME. So far my favorite!

Of course, Dragon Ball Z will always hold a special place in my heart! I suggest starting with DB, then DBZ, and finishing with DBGT. It's a glorious adventure!
 
Heh we were just discussing that Tek left Clannad off his list. :)

I would hold off on the movie for now...I have a feeling the sequel (October) will do a nicer job of afterstory....
 
Hmmm no one mentioned "History's Greatest Disciple Kenchi" I really liked it. Yes it does suffer from some numerous anime clichés, fanservice (lazy artists with a compass IMO :p) and a predictable plotline however I found it a really enjoyable, endearing ride. In addition while it does have some Taoist themes it also has some morals which I can actually agree with, which is very rare for media of any type in this day and age. That series and the old "Record of the Lodess War" (not the new one) are the only anime I would care enough about to recommend. I actually own Lodess war on DVD. I too liked Dennou Coil but not near as much as the above 2 which are my highest rated ones.

Also...
Kenchi has some of the best sounding opening theme songs I've seen in anime IMO. Very upbeat, very fun just like the series.

Make sure you give Kenchi more than one episode because It may seem too atypical if you watch only one but it gets better.

Kenchi has a couple scenes of inferred nudity but nothing is shown and only a couple minor words but that's based on which sub you get (I've got a mix of Kuro-Hana and umai-Doremi subs). Really a very mild anime compared to others on this thread.

Lodess has one butt scene and one frame of what I can't even call nudity because it's so quick and on the edge of being covered.
I think it has a couple D-words and maybe a C in the whole series. Lodess War does get a tiny bit freaky in the dark God possession towards the end but it fits the plot.

Both series have violence but none of it bothered me. Especially since Kenchi put's all his fights on a moral level.

P.S. I am wondering hey Tek Did you watch Kenchi?
 
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From what I've seen people are listing only series to watch for the most part, where are the movies fella's? Here's a list of personal favorites in the movies section of anime.

Pretty much anything Miyazaki is guaranteed excellence.

Princess Mononoke
Kiki's Delivery Service
My Neighbor Totoro (my personal fav)
Laputa:Castle in the sky
Nausicaa (wife's personal fav)
Spirited Away
Howl's Moving Castle

Another series that was left out IMO was Last Exile.
 
Sooo many replies...

I agree with Elihu, those movies would be a good start.

I am not offended by violence, language or even slight nudity.. but dont want full on sex and porn..bleh.

I remember watching Akira, i enjoyed it if not a little confused by it. Wicked city had a good plot and some good scenes but was on the whole just very wrong, i enjoyed ghost in the shell movie.. might check out more on those.

I was also looking at Devil May Cry because i love the game. Has anyone any thoughts on that.

Also my wife wants to check some Anime out too, so we are going to decide together what the first project will be..lol (she goes on about Avatar? and Voltron? lol)

In terms of genre, i want pretty high levels of action. Not bothered about time/place setting really..i like Cowboy Bebop if thats any clue.

EDIT: want to try and stick to movies if at all possible to start, series can come later.
 
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If you like action, Blood+ is a great place to start. There isn't a TON of it, but it is AWESOME and the battle styles are just so pretty and fun to look at.
 
rizz said:
EDIT: want to try and stick to movies if at all possible to start, series can come later.
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Tokyo Godfathers is one of my favorite anime films. The three "heroes" of the piece are three homeless people--one of them a drag queen with a heart of gold. They find an abandoned baby (in good health, don't worry) in a dumpster on Christmas Eve and try to get the baby back to her mother, all the while working through their own problematic pasts.

No, I'm not making this up.

If you like dark humor with a happy ending, then you'll dig this one. It's rated PG-13, so there's some objectionable content, but not much (as these things go).

The movie is intelligent, well-written, hilarious, and, unlike many anime films, very easy to follow.
 
Here's a list of anime movies, courtesy of Animepedia:
5 Centimetres Per Second
Akira
Amon Saga
Appleseed
Appleseed Ex Machina
Armitage III: Poly-Matrix
Armitage: Dual-Matrix
Barefoot Gen
Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion
Bleach: Memories of Nobody
Black Jack: Capital Transfer To Heian
Black Jack: The Movie
Black Jack: The Two Doctors Of Darkness
Blood: The Last Vampire
Blue Gender: The warrior
The Cat Returns
Cowboy Bebop: The movie
Cyborg 009: Monster War
Cyborg 009: Legend of the Super Galaxy
Demon City Shinjuku
End of Evangelion
Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Grave of the Fireflies
Howl's Moving Castle
Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem
Jin-Roh
Kiki's Delivery Service
Laputa: The Castle in the Sky
Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro
Metropolis
Millennium Actress
My Neighbour Totoro
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Ninja Scroll
Oh! My Goddess
Paprika
Perfect Blue
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Pom Poko
Porco Rosso
Princess Mononoke (Japanese: Mononoke Hime)
Sailor Moon R Movie
Sailor Moon S Movie
Sailor Moon Super S Movie
Rurouni Kenshin: Ishin Shishi he no Requiem (Samurai X: The Motion Picture)
She and Her Cat
Spirited Away
Spriggan
Steamboy
Tales from Earthsea
Tokyo Godfathers
Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Voices of a Distant Star
Whisper of the Heart
X
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Some of these titles are OVAs (e.g. 5 Centimetres Per Second, She and Her Cat), not movies.

For the love of all that is holy, DO NOT watch Perfect Blue. You'll need therapy when you're done. One of the few anime films I genuinely regret watching.

Grave of the Fireflies has been called one of the most depressing movies ever made. It's also been called one of the best anime films ever. I haven't seen it yet, but I plan to--eventually.

Spriggan is like a bad imitation of a bad American film. Skip this one.

Steamboy is good, but not great. When Katsuhiro Otomo is associated with a project, expectations are set very high. This film didn't deliver on the hype. I've come to expect Eastern film to capture the moral complexities of war and history and this film's naive diatribe against armed conflict soured the experience for me.

Miyazaki has been called the Walt Disney of Japan, so watching at least one (if not several) of his films is "required reading" for anime. Of the Miyazaki films I've seen, Spirited Away is my favorite. Be forewarned, though: The film is unapologetically Eastern and may be difficult for Western audiences to understand. Watch the film once, find a good guide to Eastern mythology and folklore online, do some research, and watch the film again.

The visuals in Paprika are amazing, but you have to know going in that the film isn't supposed to make sense. The film is meant to emulate a waking dream--and it does exactly that.

For whatever reason, Tekkonkinkreet isn't on the list quoted above, but it's another excellent film. The film is dark and violent in parts, so be forewarned.
 
Atown said:
I see journalism school taught you well in the ways of biased writing :rolleyes:
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I didn't mean to deliver a "fair and balanced report." My post wasn't written as a news article; it was written as my personal opinion.

On the same subject: It's almost universally agreed that Cowboy Bebop is better than Outlaw Star. Check those two links for ratings and you'll see that Cowboy Bebop's rating is more than one full point higher than Outlaw Star's.

As I've said before, I like Outlaw Star. I enjoyed watching it with friends. I would recommend the series (minus the hot springs episode, which didn't air in the US) to others. At the same time, I hold that Cowboy Bebop is a much better series.
 
rizz said:
(she goes on about Avatar? and Voltron? lol)
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Oh so don't go there dude. You mess with my fond childhood memories of Voltron and I'll go directly to forming my blazing sword and finish you off :p ...If the blazing sword always worked why didn't they form it at the start of a fight anyway? Hmmm the mind boggles... :D
 
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