So I want to try some anime...

[LadyRhian]

It all depends on what you like, My first anime was Speed Racer (aka Mach Go Go in Japanese), but I also watched Star Blazers, Robotech (which was assembled from three different Anime Series: Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada- all extensively cut and redubbed).

Things you may enjoy: Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Hellsing (if you like vampires), Escaflowne/Vision of Escaflowne, Sorceror Hunters, Fruits Basket, Gatchaman, Ghost Hunt, Saiyuki, Yu Yu Hakusho (i must confess that this is a hugely long series), Bubblegum Crisis, Black Jack, and Descendants of Darkness.

Here is the opening for Descendants of Darkness:

 

[Tanis]

Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Turn-A Gundam

Vision of Escaflowne

Outlaw Star

Cowboy Bebop

Wolf's Rain

Blue Submarine Number 6

Ronin Warriors

Mobile Suit Gundam: 08th MS Team

Jin Roh - Wolf Brigade

Crest of the Stars

Banner of the Stars I

Banner of the Stars II

Black Lagoon

Berserk

Tengan Toppa Gurren Lagann

Dead Leaves

Tecnhi Muyo

Tenchi Muyo - In Love

Tenchi Muyo - Tenchi In Tokyo

Tenchi Muyo - Ryo-Ohki

Dragon Ball (No, not Z...and frell GT, it sucked)

Galaxy Express 999

Adieu Galaxy Express 999

Princess Monokee

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Castle in the Sky

Kiki's Delivery Service

The Galaxy Railways

---------------------
IDK, my BFF Jill?

 

[RandV80]

There are many good anime's out there for different genre's and taste, but as you asked where to start let me be a little more direct. I'm not sure how you plan on acquiring your anime, btu one fully legal and hassle free service to watch episodes online is crunchyroll.com. I'm not sure if there are other sites like it out there, but this is the equivilent of a TV network website hosting their own shows for free online. While there is a paid subscription service you can access the large majority of whats there without out.

It's not the best place but they do have a couple great series. Some suggestions are:

The Melancholy of Harhui Suzumiya
Code Geass
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (they only show the first 4)
Last Exile
The Tower of Druaga (if you like fantasy/RPG's, and make srue to start on season 1)

It's a good way to start, before expanding into other area's.

 

[fishy009er]

Well I started with Dragon ball / DBZ then moved onto Bleach on the presumption that anything that had a boxed set MUST be a good show. I liked all 3 of these shows and I think they're a good place to start.

Then there's Cowboy Bebop (Awesome show!!!). And Elfen Lied if you want something more bloody.

Also I don't think I have laughed so hard or so much at "Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan". Seriously, I watched the opening on Youtube and just had to see the series.

 

[RandV80]

Would Ranma 1/2 count as "nothing to serious"?

Definately. That's where I started on anime, along with Slayers. They'll always be among my favorites because of that.

 

[Tim_Buoy]

by serious do you me like tone of the story or length of series
anyways some good ones are baccano trigun outlawstar gun x sword
o and my all time favorite ONE PIECE!!!! but this one is well above 450 episodes it has a light hearted tone most of the time and is really good

 

[TheTim]

definately Dragonball - Dragonball gt

 

[jultub]

A lot of people has already said Death Note (and a lot of more peoplw will say it ). It's very different from most other anime, and it really makes you think. That it's different doesn't mean it's for everyone though Might be you have more of a chance with Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. It's crazy over the top randomness with awesome monologues.

In the end, "nothing too serious" isn't telling us much. So everyone is gonna give you their favorite anime, and you'll have to figure out where what you're looking pops up

 

[Spy Killer]

Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Alchemist, Lucky Star, FLCL, Bleach, Inuyasha.

 

[Timbula.The.Great]

All very good suggestions. Alternatively you could do what everone else does and TRY SOME OUT FOR YOURSELF AND SEE WHAT YOU LIKE!!! Sheesh, what is it with people nowdays? "I wanna get into something new but can't be bothered figuring out if I actually like it. Please, random people on the other side of the world, tell me what I like!!"

yeah, but what happens if you accidentally watch naruto, bleach, or full metal alchemist brotherhood?

it would suck.

Very true, Ahlycks, but how did you come to that conclusion? By watching stuff and determining what you liked and didn't like. I liked Akira, Steamboy & Ghost in the Shell, so I wasn't sure if I'd like Totoro until I watched it and realised it was awesome. It isn't the same sort of genre. You just have to give things a go and decide what you do and don't like yourself..............however, I will say if you don't watch Neon Genesis Evangelion you're a buffoon.

 

[Daughterofether]

this was perhaps not the best idea llama. in about 4.2 seconds a few suggestions is already probably over 30 series. most of which i really wouldnt recommend to someone starting out.

specifically death note. death note is every involved and complex and steeped in specifically asian cultural references with only iconography in common with what most westerners are familiar with, and even that only because western iconography looks just as foreign and thus cool to the japanese as kanji does to us.

also ignore anyone that suggests hayate the combat buttler. theyre just not thinking. hayate is a comedy constructed almost entirely of in jokes you wont really enjoy unless you've seen enough other anime beforehand to get them.

what you SHOULD watch depends on what genres you prefer.

for action and anti twilight hellsing is very good and easy to get into ... i'd recommend vampire hunter D over it however because 1 - D is a movie and thus shorter, 2 - the original author of D is heavily invested in the mythos of bram stoker's dracula so there is less 'kick you into a sea of asian culture without a reference point' going on and 3 the english track is one fo the few i'd recommend and i figure if youre asking you probably dont want to leap into subbed anime

For romantic comedy, love hina and oh my goddess are classics with zero and heaps of fantasy elements respectively depending on your taste

for sci-fi i heartily recommend akira. again a movie so not a huge investment of time if you find you dont have the taste for anime and it is genuinely good sci-fi action.

drama kimi ni todoke. a very serious romantic drama and quite, quite touching. this one is a bit more of an insight into japanese culture too, including a close look at slightly more serious issues than most.

Also:

..............however, I will say if you don't watch Neon Genesis Evangelion you're a buffoon.

Very yes. Evangellion is truly THE must see series. But i wouldnt ever recommend it to someone looking for light viewing. thinking caps on for eva.

 

[Okuu_Fusion]

These are not that serious...

Zero no Tsukaima...
Occult Accademy...
Tenchi Muyo series...

 

[Gigano]

Death Note (thriller/action/psychological battle) or Slayers (comedy/fantasy) might be great starters. Baccano! (gangster drama/mystery/horror/comedy) too if ultraviolence isn't a problem. Gunslinger Girl (action/slice-of-life) could probably make a decent starter too.

As always, I'll have to recommend Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (When they Cry) (pshychological/horror/mystery), at least for later viewing.

 

[Haydyn]

DBZ
Yu Yu Hakusho
Get Backers

 

[Trilaanus]

Zone of the Enders, a sci-fi comedy about cargo ship captain James Links, estranged from his children who receives a giant pink robot(from his reportedly dead wife) named Dolores complete with the artificial intelligence personality of a naive young girl. And "she" falls in love with him! Scenes like her reading a fairy tale storybook and fantasizing that she is the princess and he's the prince of the story or her making a wedding dress out of giant pieces of cloth and dancing around the cargo bay, scaring the cat to death have to be seen to be believed.

 

[Baralak]

9.Gungrave. Possibly one of the most underrated shows I've seen. Gungrave is a truly great story about friendship, love and betrayal without ever falling into cheesiness the great animation, spectacular fight scenes and well thought out character development doesn't hurt either.

You sir, are awesome. I completely fell in love with Gungrave.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Nothing too serious eh? Hmmm...

Outlaw Star and Trigun. Try those, you'll hear about them a lot but that's for good reason, and since you're starting off those are good starters.

If you want something darker go for Baccano!

Fucking Baccano is not dark. Berserk is dark(ish). Shigurui is dark. Baccano! is woo-hoo sploonk blood wackiness.

I meant dark in terms of gore, I know overall it's pretty cheery and comedic. This guy is talking about the Toonami days of anime, so I'm assuming a good amount of blood might not be to his liking. Like

Spoiler

Rail Tracer (I'll call him that for the sake of ignorance) getting his arm torn off and you can see his insides

I mean Jesus I'm not saying it's comparable to Higurashi, Gantz, Berserk or Devil Man (oh yes, if you haven't seen that, it's split across 2 movies and it's brutal...unlike the series, that was tame) but gore is gore.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

DBZ
Yu Yu Hakusho
Get Backers

NUU! Getbacker's ending ruins the entire story! It really does! It was such a good series, then it had to end like that. It was worse than the Soul Eater anime ending...

 

[LaBambaMan]

My suggestions are:
Cowboy Bebop
Ghost in the Shell(either the first movie or the show is good)
Trigun
Outlaw Star
Pretty much any Gundam series except Seed
Robotech/Macross

 

[Haydyn]

DBZ
Yu Yu Hakusho
Get Backers

NUU! Getbacker's ending ruins the entire story! It really does! It was such a good series, then it had to end like that. It was worse than the Soul Eater anime ending...

It didn't ruin it for me, but I wanted to kill Ban after defeating Dr. Jackal.