Getting into Anime

[217not237]

Persona 4: The Animation (Not a fanboy, I swear ._.)

Your avatar and title prove that, don't they?

 

[The Consequence]

Berserk. Definitely check out Berserk. It won't let you down

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Persona 4: The Animation (Not a fanboy, I swear ._.)

Your avatar and title prove that, don't they?

I guess my sarcasm meter wasn't at it's maximum, was it?

I should probably get that fixed...

 

[drednoahl]

It's difficult for me to do any recommendations for anime that are dubbed, aside from the Ghibli anime dubbed by Pixar. The Ghibli films directed by Miyazaki are generally regarded as excellent. If you like Miyazaki's style I think it's worth tracking down his old TV series Future Boy Conan and it's still one of my own favourites despite it's age.

Being an old git, all the anime I like are old (mainly because most anime before Evangelion had adult lead characters that I could relate to; these days most adults are portrayed as morons.) Having said that, Durarara!!, Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell (as mentioned) by others are oool series. I'd add Berserk and Great Teacher Onizuka.

I'll leave a few other suggestions - I think they should be fairly easy to track down and to my knowledge have a reasonable dub. They aren't my favourites though because there's no point recommending them unless you have a reasonable understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Dragon Half
Battle Angel Alita
Irresponsible Captain Tylor
Gunbuster
Welcome to NHK

Totally off topic - I was pretty much illiterate before I got into anime. Reading is good

 

[yman15]

Code Geass Welcome to the NHK Oh and one piece & Yu Yu Hakusho.Not sure if you like showen or not but Yu Yu Hakusho has an awesome plot, awesome characters with interesting character development and Hiei(he's just that cool). And One Piece... well One Piece is just awesome

 

[DarkRyter]

My recommendation is no recommendation at all.

If you're gonna get into this, I'd say it's best to find things out on your own. Maintain a MyAnimeList. Check out some blogs. Look through the most recent seasons. If a premise interests you, give it a shot.

Asking random motherfuckers for recommendations, and you're gonna be hearing the obligatory "Cowboy Bebop, Studio Ghibli, Fullmetal Alchemist, Ghost in the Shell" spiel over and over.

It's either that or a more... intensive fan will end up listing a slightly more esoteric title from their own personal log. Reading through this thread alone, I see Ergo Proxy, Bakemonogatari, Berserk, and GTO. Regardless of quality, they're not exactly newbie material.

And only 4 instances of the most reasonable recommendation, Durarara!. Saddening.

 

[michael87cn]

So, for a long time, my definition of anime was all kinds of wrong. The only experiences I had had with anime were Pokemon, Yu-gi-oh! and Dragonball Z, which I have learned since represents a very small part of what is anime. I also had a lot of preconceptions that Anime tended to be nonsensical and pull supernatural elements out of nowhere, which a lot of the ones on Cartoon Network Tsunami tended to do.

Since then, a friend got me into Baccano!, which I'm absolutely loving. I like the dark tones mixed with light comedy that it brings, and I love the wide assortment of characters, as well as the interesting story that, while it does have some out there elements like the Railchaser, still sticks to the rules it creates, which is all I really need.

My question to you, my fellow escapees, is this: Where do I go from here? Baccano! is sadly very short, so I'm wondering what else would be up my alley given how much I love this show. A friend has already recommended Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood to me, but what other animes would you suggest?

Well my first suggestion would be, look at some older anime. In my opinion a lot of the best stuff is older. Though there are some gems like Spice and Wolf.

Maison Ikkoku for example, GREAT anime, but old. Also, you may have a very hard time finding it... but it's worth every second of your time.

Also, Studio Ghibli.

 

[Marik2]

LOL its been such a long time since there was an anime recommendation XD

This chart should give you a good start
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/8671/listp.jpg

Wow, that's a really helpful chart. Thanks

I'd also recommend Witchblade

Yes there's half naked girls fighting each other, but it doesn't revolve around that. It's the aesthetic for the story and it doesn't shove it in your face.


Got a great dub as well

 

[michael87cn]

Code Geass Death note Oh and one piece & Yu Yu Hakusho.Not sure if you like showen or not but Yu Yu Hakusho has an awesome plot, awesome characters with interesting character development and Hiei(he's just that cool). And One Piece... well One Piece is just awesome

That second video isn't Death Note...

 

[DyranLK]

Hajime no Ippo, Berserk (although, the manga is much more superior in comparison to the actual anime), Death Note, One Piece, and Monster.

Out of those 5 recommendations, I suspect that One Piece might just not be the type of show you're looking for, however, as it is also reminiscent of Dragon Ball and whatnot, and since you seem to be searching for shows that are driven by more intricate plot mechanics and more mature characterization and all, it might not appeal to you. But it's still possibly one of the best manga of Shonen Jump atm. Alongside Toriko. But whatever the case.

 

[WayOutThere]

Witchblade is a ridiculously awesome show. Yes, I know what it looks like, trust me, its a very well developed and emotional (by the end piercingly so) story.

For comedy, try Level E, a bizzare show in that it doesn't precisely have a main protagonist (don't get too use to the baseball player, he isn't in much of the show). It's main strengths (besides well done comedy) are an abudance of personality and a strong conclusion. Note that the show it subbed only though.

Another good one is Bamboo Blade, a slice of life sports show about the members of a school Kendo team. Much of the show is just about the formation of the team itself with the actual competitions the club engages in taking a backseat. It isn't a show about misfits rising to the top its more about the team just trying to stay afloat in first place. That being the case the show lives or dies on the strength of its characters and, personally, these are some of my favorite characters ever.

 

[Marik2]

Witchblade is a ridiculously awesome show. Yes, I know what it looks like, trust me, its a very well developed and emotional (by the end piercingly so) story.

Yeah I was on the fence for a long time with that anime since I saw the "aesthetics", but I gave it a shot and I loved it.

I really loved the characters and the animation style.

 

[yman15]

Code Geass Death note Oh and one piece & Yu Yu Hakusho.Not sure if you like showen or not but Yu Yu Hakusho has an awesome plot, awesome characters with interesting character development and Hiei(he's just that cool). And One Piece... well One Piece is just awesome

That second video isn't Death Note...

Oops I had a brain fart. I meant Welcome to the NHK but I corrected it. Thanks lol

 

[Cpu46]

Snip

Some people don't enjoy it mostly because it just seems like a man on crack spend an afternoon animated, then he took some LSD and wrote the script and redrew some of the scenes in a completely different style.

That is one of the largest and most detailed understatements of all time. It made negative sense!
FLCL was so nonsensical that it made my brain shut down and pumped pure happy where thoughts once were.



OT: Eureka Seven is a must watch as is Gurren Lagann, Code Geass, and Trigun. I highly recommend Tower of Druaga, Soul Eater, and .hack sign. I loved Kurokami but I have heard people level some valid criticisms at it. If you love mecha then watch Gundam 00 or dust off the older ones like Wing, Zeta, and Seed.

Oh and FLCL will turn your brain to mush, happy happy mush.

 

[FireAza]

I like to think you've formed your new opinion because of my recent "Everything You Know About Anime is Wrong [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.338777-Everything-You-Know-about-Anime-Is-Wrong]" thread, OP

For anyone who has other suggestions, I should let you know that I'd prefer dubbed over subbed, at least until I get used to the whole format

I'd strongly suggest you get used to subtitles as soon as possible. Not just because I'm a purist (it's a NES game! It should be played on an original NES console!), but because the American anime industry is kinda dead in the water. With profits down, not very many dubs are being produced these days, that's if they even get licensed at all. I have a friend who just recently got into anime, and like you (and most new fans, we've all been there) he preferred dubs. Overtime, he's found that it's often difficult to find anime that have a dub available, so he's just had to get used to subtitles. If you're solid with subs, there's FAR more choices available to you. Plus, you get to hear it as the director intended! Subtitles may seem weird at first, but once you're used to be them, they're not anywhere near as distracting as they were at first.

As to recommendations, this is hard to do since you've seen so few anime. As I said in the aforementioned thread [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.338777-Everything-You-Know-about-Anime-Is-Wrong], anime is very diverse. I like to think at this point, I'd be able to tell what I'd enjoy before I even start watching it, but I continue to be surprised. Not only by anime that I loved more than I expected to, but also by the number of anime that turned out to be massive turd shish kabobs.

As I new fan, I'd suggest this: just leap in. Oh sure, start with anime that new fans would like, or anime that's similar to your favourite films, but the best way to learn, is to do. Go check the calendar on the aniDB, read some synopsis, and if it sounds interesting, give it a look.

 

[Gigano]

Well, Baccano! is pretty hard to top, but there are others worth checking out:

Fairly Broad appeal:
Berserk [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=57]
Black [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1147] Lagoon [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1148]
Death Note [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1000]
Excel Saga [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=270]
Monster [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=969]

More specific appeal:
Spice & Wolf [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1055]
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/anime/6503-Anime-Review-Higurashi-When-They-Cry]
Kara no Kyoukai - The Garden of Sinners [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.304952-TYPE-MOON-Review-Anniversary-Kara-no-Kyoukai]
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Christo [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=864]
Grave of the Fireflies [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=110]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.275533-Puella-Magi-Madoka-Magica-Review]
Steins;Gate [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/steins-gate/episodes-1] (The game is better [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.315473-Steins-Gate-PC-Game-Review] though, if not by much)
Usagi Drop [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/usagi-drop/episodes-1]
Fate/Zero [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/fate/zero/episodes-1] (still ongoing)

It ultimately comes down to preferred genres, but each of those should offer quality if you like their genre and themes.

 

[Jayse]

The first three here are visual masterpieces that you should watch for the quality of animation and scenery detail alone. The emotional stories are just the icing on the cake.
5cm Per Second
Voices of a Distant Star
The Place Promised in our Early Days
Black Lagoon (Honestly the best dubbing of any show other than Baccano!)

To add a few unique ones to that list you're forming.

I could spout good anime at you all day however if you have any genre preference I can suggest titles you might like a lot more than just generic good ones.

 

[Tanakh]

Since then, a friend got me into Baccano!

While most of the early reccomendations are good, if you liked Baccano! I think Lupin the Third is right up your alley. Lupin III: Crisis in Tokyo is a good movie to start, but TBH most of it's movies are good.

 

[AceTrilby]

I'm in the same boat, and I have a friend who recommended me several animes to get me started:

Highschool of the Dead
Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne
Darker Than Black
Claymore
Black Lagoon
Hetalia