Anime. Opinion and recommendations.

[Bara_no_Hime]

But that doesn't explain why Code Geass,, Elfen Lied, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, Trigun, Ouran High School Host Club, and Berserk are still among my most-cited examples of good storytelling.
(FLAME BAIT: Soul Eater, Hellsing Ultimate, Haruhi, High School of the Dead, and Higurashi ain't that great in my opinion.

Agreed - on Hellsing Ultimate and Higurashi anyway. I wasn't impressed. As for Hellsing, I liked the original anime better.

Anyway, you've listed a very strange list of anime. Those aren't exactly starter titles.

I think a lot of this depends on what you like.

Like Bladerunner? Watch Bubblegum Crisis (the original, not 2040).

Like D&D or other gamer-related fantasy? Watch Slayers.

Like female assassins with guns? Watch Noir.

Like Power Rangers? Watch Sailor Moon (in Japanese, not English).

Like Gnosticism? Watch Evangelion.

Like Damian (the novel)? Watch Revolutionary Girl Utena.

Actually, that last one is a horrible starter Anime, but it's my favorite anime, so I can't help but plug it. It is very good, but also very weird.

 

[SadakoMoose]

Honestly, I can recommend just about anything from Satoshi Kon.
Paprika: An excellent exploration of the concept of fantasy and reality in a world made unreal by technology. It will keep you guessing.

Paranoia Agent: Part biting satire, part social commentary, and all Mystery. This 13 episode series follows an ongoing mystery while pursuing a number of seemingly unrelated yet fascinating stories. The later episodes really pick up, my favorites being Happy Family Planning, and ETC.

Perfect Blue: It's like a better version of Black Swan. But with J pop!

Tokyo Godfathers: Also amazing.

Aside from Satoshi Kon, I might also recommend:
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
A madcap black comedy satire about the ever despairful Nozomu Itoshiki, and the ever chaotic Homeroom Class that he teaches. Prepare to be shocked.

Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta, 8th MS Team, and Wing:
Zeta is the 80's at it's best, and wears it's era on it's sleeve like a badge of honor.
8th MS Team is the 2nd best Gundam OVA (Stardust Memory being the best, also recommended) and I only recommend Wing out of pure nostalgia. I remember buying the Deathscythe model kit at Target when I was a kid.
All feature a solid space opera/military drama story, usually good mecha action, sometimes AMAZING soundtracks (Men of Destiny is better than Danger Zone!) and some hard sci-fi elements.

Wings of the Honneasmise also comes recommended highly.

I could just a big text dump list of every anime I've seen that I consider to be "good" or "great", but that really wouldn't help. I suppose, check out the recommendations on that list, and if you see anything you like, research the studios and creative individuals that were involved in their making. You could start out liking Ghost in the Shell, and then end up watching Appleseed. That's the fun of discovery.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Gasaraki is one of my favorites, mechs, action and a bit of political intrigue to bring it all together.

 

[tealc25]

Hello glad to see I am not the only person who thinks most anime is vastly overrated. Also gives me an excuse to dust of the old... new... lack of posts, yea that one, account.
I have two recommendations.

1. Darker than Black: it has been said before but it is truly fantastic and the show that got me into anime along with Full Metal Alchemist. Dark, Intelligent, and realistic I think it is exactly what you are after. Plus they have two characters which are parodies of anime and its fans ;-)

2. Steins; Gate: This one is hard to describe but is basically a drama comedy, but don't let that turn you off it is Damn good. again Dark, Intelligent, and realistic. It takes a while for the show to click but once it does it is an absolute pleasure. Some of the best and most realistic dialogue between friends i have ever seen in any show anime or otherwise.

forgot to add, the second half of Steins; Gate isn't in American yet. Comes out in December last I heard, But if you are like me you will watch the second half with subtitles because of the great half-way twist.

 

[BishopofAges]

Personally, the issue I see with your post, position, and your friends/nonfriend's opinions seems to be that it weighs too heavy on who is American, who isn't, and the difference between the two. A story worth telling and hearing is good no matter if it comes from america, japan, or your crazy icelandic uncle with multiple personality disorder.

The rolling stories of your favorites seem to be all pretty solid, except for panty and stocking, that story is a might shallow and full of fanservice, but delivered in an entertaining manner. I do like it as well, but I don't generally thrust it forward when talking of my favorites in storytelling.

As for your flamebait, I can't say anything about your own personal opinions, but I will say I liked the heck out of Higurashi. It really takes the whole series to put it into perspective (more than just a "who's gonna go batshit and kill a guy this episode?" type show). If you're not in the mood to put in the time for more than one season, then its probably better to leave it be.

As for any real suggestions, I like the first season I saw of Spice and Wolf, Desert Punk was pretty good (though I didn't like the ending, myself), and I will probably get some very rude replies and PMs for this, but I liked Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood a lot more than the other version, thats just me.

 

[Bebop]

My List:

Angel Beats
Ghost In the Shell
Evangelion
Gundam 00
Elfen Lied
OutLaw Star
Gundam 08th MS Team (OVA series)
Code Geass
Summer Wars (movie)
School Rumble

I would say Angel Beats is the most necessary to see off this list. That series really doesn't get enough love.

totally agree. I fell in love with Angel Beats.

 

[Gatx]

Eureka 7 is a favorite of mine. Stellar animation, awesome mecha designs, and a very sweet story. Sequel totally messed things up though.

Fate/Zero is one of the better shows in recent memory that I've watched.

And if you're going to watch a Gundam show, forget Wing, SEED, 00, or whatever people might suggest to you because of they're massive popularity. You just need to watch Mobile Suit 0080: War in a Pocket, simple story about a little boy who thinks fighting is cool (like every other little boy) discovering the realities of war. It's also arguably the one that's least toy commercially because of that.

 

[The Wykydtron]

I have to completely disagree with your statement on Higurashi, I know it's pretty hilariously fucked up but did you ever stick around for the frankly epic season 2? I suppose I can't turn down a good mystery... Nah that's just an excuse, I rather like fucked up stuff to be honest. Once you finish the series all the seemingly random stuff makes sense in hindsight, especially if you rewatch it.

I won't disagree with HOTD though, you know the artist used to draw primarily hentai right? That explains so much it's not even funny.

I'm pretty much impossible to offend though. That helps with so, so much anime related stuff I swear. Maybe i'm just too open minded? Like that's a bad thing...

Oh did you ever watch Needless, one of my all time favourite anime? It's more manly than Gurren Lagann. I'm gonna sum it up with one screenshot

"AHHH Now he's got some kind of weird aura!"

I am the only person who ever mentions Needless in these recommendation threads. It irks me to no end. The entire soundtrack is literally like 50 different guitar solos.





I have to assume you've seen TTGL, seriously that anime is legendary.

 

[AsurasEyes]

But that doesn't explain why Code Geass,, Elfen Lied, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, Trigun, Ouran High School Host Club, and Berserk are still among my most-cited examples of good storytelling. Frankly, I don't trust reviewers of any sort, so I turn to you Escapists. I wanna hear your opinion on this medium of creative endeavor and toss out your opinions so we may all better ourselves and the world we live in by expanding our horizons.

All you're going to get from these people are the shows they liked. Their own personal top 10's, their bumbled pitches for their own pet shows, as opposed to any real recommendation. When you ask for handouts, you're just gonna get handouts.

If you really want to enjoy something, work to find it yourself. I and many pour over dozens of new shows ever year to find something worth watching. I have abandoned and forgotten more anime than you can even name. And in the end I've seen comparatively little (In 2012, I've only finished 3 shows, and have several more on backlog). But what I stuck with, I enjoyed.

If you want to go fishing for what anime has to offer in another man's catch, you should try Boku no Pico.

It's pretty much the best show you deserve.

I fear I might be incredibly paranoid, but you seemed to be oozing venom from every single word that was typed. Perhaps you should use less evocative language so people don't get the wrong idea and think that you're giving them a shotacon OVA out of spite, and get angry because you attacked them without provocation. Because God knows there could be nothing farther from the truth

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Hellsing: Alucard is not meant to be related it is just supposed to be violent and killing shit. I didn't go into Demolition Man expecting a great thought provoking movie neither should anything like that be expected here.
High School of the Dead: Honestly, what did you go into this expecting? I don't mean to come across badly but I really want to know what you thought you were getting here. I'm actually genuinely curious to what you thought you were getting and how told you otherwise? Same for Hellsing actually.

Here's a tip next time you look for an anime and it says ecchi [http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/highschool-dead-online] don't watch it unless you want fanservice.

Right that said I'll give you suggestions if you give me some stuff that you do like as in movies genres and etc. I mean there's no point in me saying go watch Big O it's pretty good if you don't like sci-fi noir stuff.

 

[Lalo Lomeli]

I loved "Comic Party", añso Zero no Tsukaima and 2x2 shinobuden

 

[AsurasEyes]

Hellsing: Alucard is not meant to be related it is just supposed to be violent and killing shit. I didn't go into Demolition Man expecting a great thought provoking movie neither should anything like that be expected here.
High School of the Dead: Honestly, what did you go into this expecting? I don't mean to come across badly but I really want to know what you thought you were getting here. I'm actually genuinely curious to what you thought you were getting and how told you otherwise? Same for Hellsing actually.

Here's a tip next time you look for an anime and it says ecchi [http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/highschool-dead-online] don't watch it unless you want fanservice.

Right that said I'll give you suggestions if you give me some stuff that you do like as in movies genres and etc. I mean there's no point in me saying go watch Big O it's pretty good if you don't like sci-fi noir stuff.

I disliked Hellsing and Highschool of the Dead because they were content to wallow in their genre rather than be anything else. Berserk was a competent drama and philosophical piece, along with being incredibly violent and sexualized. Alucard was a big boring white dude who growled absolutely terrible one liners, and the fact that Crispin Freeman is a great voice actor angers me because he deserves a better script.
High School of the Dead could be okay if it didn't embody that frankly scary nerd fantasy that the zombie apocalypse would be cool, along with treating women like objects. It was...objectionable. Even for me, and I watch Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt.

Big O does sound very interesting to me, I'll have to check that out. Thanks!

 

[Spade Lead]

The first anime I ever liked, Hellsing, had a fun story, but it will never be classified "good," unless the world is destroyed and "Twilight" is the only other piece of literature left on the planet.

That said, I have NEVER seen an anime where the main character wasn't a Mary-Sue or Marty-Stu.

The one anime I keep on my hard drive at all times, "Initial D" is just as bad. "Oh there is no way an 86 could beat an R32 on the down hill." Then Takumi wins the race with minimal trouble. Well, okay, obviously dude didn't know how to drive it (personal opinion, based on what I know about cars and driving), but still. And I actually got tired of "Bleach" because every time Ichigo came up against a boss who outclassed him he had some new magic trick that is ridiculously overpowered against people who unlocked that same power decades before he ever even heard about that power:

Rukia's brother: "Don't speak of Bankai as if you actually achieved it!"
Ichigo: "Who says I haven't?"

And Rukia's brother has been Bankai-ing for over two decades at this point.

Then, we get to the Bounts and he uses his Bankai in his hollow form. What the fuck, seriously? What next, is he going to drop a God-damned planet on the next guy? Is he going to absorb Goku in a crossover episode and destroy everything in all of soul society in one cosmic blast? (I hope I mentioned the right character, my former roommate watch DBZ, and I have never seen it in any order other than an episode I watched, shook my head at, then changed the channel.)




That said, I really enjoy Initial D, and recommend it to any of my friends who are interested in cars.

 

[Cyfu]

Do you like sport animes? I love them, Every time I watch one I immediately want to start with that sport.

List of sport anime:
1. Hajime no Ippo
2. prince of tennis (it's so over the top it's funny)
3. Overdrive (i think it's called that at least, a while since I watched it)

seriously, Watch Hajime no ippo!

 

[Spade Lead]

3. Overdrive (i think it's called that at least, a while since I watched it)

seriously, Watch Hajime no ippo!

Is that a motor-sports anime, like Initial D, or is it something?

Captcha: Battle Royal

Death Race, anyone?

 

[DarkSoldier84]

You might like Azumanga Daioh. It's not fantasy, sci-fi, or monster fighting. It's a slice-of-life series about a group of high school girls over the course of a year. It's cute and funny and great to watch with friends or family.

 

[Cyfu]

3. Overdrive (i think it's called that at least, a while since I watched it)

seriously, Watch Hajime no ippo!

Is that a motor-sports anime, like Initial D, or is it something?

Captcha: Battle Royal

Death Race, anyone?

it's cycling xD
It's about this shy boy who is in love with a girl in his class. She happens to be the sister of the captain of the cycling club and well, you can guess what happens

 

[Best of the 3]

To be honest, I actually like Higurashi. For some reason I seem to be in a minority. The story is weird and doesn't make too much sense till you've seen the sequel. The story after that is ok. As for crossing a line of violence / gore etc, personally I was never put off. Infact it was the first anime I'd ever watched. Everything else seemed mostly tame in comparison.

If you're looking for a good general anime, and since you went on a bit about American grittiness at your post, I'd recommend Black Lagoon and Black Lagoon 2. This anime was practically (if not intentionally) aimed at a western audience. It just screams western action movie to me with a few anime like querks. It's a fun gun toting, violence filled, character driven romp. The story is just there, not bad but not the main point. The characters really sell it for me. But best of all it's the most fun anime I've seen in a while. It gets weird at a few points but it's anime. That's expected.

Also watch it in an English dub. I know a lot of people are against it, but this anime has a lot of accents. American, Russian, French, Taiwanese, Irish and more. To get the most out of them, you'll want to hear the dub versions. Same reasons for the language. The English language is just a lot better at being offensive. For example, the main character Revy meets a Taiwanese girl, she always calls her "Chenglish". This wouldn't come across as well in a sub.

 

[Daveman]

Some of it's good, some of it's not, just like everything else in the world.

As for recommendations, I'm pretty sure it's just a universal rule that everyone must watch Deathnote.

 

[SuperSuperSuperGuy]

To respond to your so-called "flame bait":
I didn't think Soul Eater was all that great, either. Your stance on it is fair.
Never seen Hellsing.
As for Haruhi, a big thing to keep in mind is that Haruhi is not actually the main character. Kyon is. A big part of Haruhi's character development is how she slowly becomes less of a prick, as well. In addition, her tendency to be a prick is a huge motivator to the characters; imagine if someone like her found out they had godly powers. It would spell disaster for all of humanity!
I agree on HSotD.
Can you elaborate on what you meant by "fucked up stuff" when you spoke of Higurashi? I don't think I fully understand.

OT:
I love anime. I prefer it to most normal television programming. Some of my favourites include, in no particular order:
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Clannad (as well as After Story)
Gurren Lagann
Angel Beats
Fullmetal Alchemist (as well as Brotherhood, which was better, IMHO)
Code Geass
Nichijou
Durarara

My recommendation: any of these (that you haven't seen), but especially Madoka, Angel Beats and Nichijou.

Spoiler: Nichijou is freaking hilarious.