Today's "Recommend an Anime" thread, brought to you by Zhukov.

[Zhukov]

It's happened. It's finally happened.

I've started... watching anime.

This is it. I've gone full nerd. There's no turning back. Only onward!

So to that end, since I know there's a metric ton of you on here who watch the stuff, I have came looking for recommendations.

I generally prefer entertainment that is more serious in tone. A bit of whackiness won't kill me and levity is fine, but I'm not interested in comedy or shows where the whackiness is the main draw.

Sci-fi/fantasy etc stuff is welcome, even preferred.

...

Spoiler: List of anime I've already watched, just so people know not to bother recommending these.

- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Akira
- Black Lagoon
- Cowboy Beebop (+ the movie)
- Ghost in the Shell (both seasons + movies)
- Toppen Tenga Gurran whatever the fuck it was called.
- Attack on Titan
- Spirited Away.
- Princess Monoko
- Nac... Nars...Someone-or-Other of the Valley of Wind
- Elfen Lied
- Grave of Fireflies

 

[Legion]

Darker Than Black - Assassins and spies with supernatural powers.The police and governments are aware of these beings, but the general populace is not. Has a kind of film noir vibe to it and follows a group who work for an organisation known as the "Syndicate". The characters with special abilities are known as "Contractors" due to them requiring to pay a price for using their powers.

It has two seasons so far. The first season is a lot better than the second (in my opinion).

Mardock Scramble - A film trilogy. The easiest way to describe it using non-anime examples would be a mixture between Kill Bill and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but in a cyberpunk setting. A girl is saved from an attempted murder by a private investigator and is subsequently turned into a cyborg via a life preservation program. She seeks revenge on the man who tried to kill her, as well as trying to discover the reason for why he did it.

The third film is not out in the West just yet. If you dislike nudity in general (even if it isn't fan service) then I suggest watching the cinematic version, as opposed to the directors cut. The only changes I am aware of is that scenes are changed to avoid it.

Death Note - The main character has gotten hold of a book that will cause the death of anybody whose name is written in it. He uses it to kill criminals, but gains the attention of a detective. The series is a game of cat and mouse as they are both trying to outsmart the other.

The second half of the series was a let down for me personally, but a lot of people like it.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - I have no doubt you must have at least seen people on here mention it. It is an extremely difficult anime to describe without going into massive spoilers. All I will say (as will countless others) is do not be fooled by the light hearted art style and if you do give it a chance, watch until at least episode 3 before judging whether it is for you or not.

Easily one of my favourite's, although I wouldn't have expected it based upon first glance.

 

[Casual Shinji]

[sub]One of us. One of us.[/sub]

- Watch Satoshi Kon's stuff. It's generally the most grounded of anime out there, and tends to deviate from most if not all of the usual tropes. So check out Perfect Blue, Roujin-Z, Tokyo Godfathers, Paranoia Agent, and Paprika.

- Robot Carnival, Neo Tokyo Labyrinth, and Memories are great compilations of short stories.

- Ninja Scroll is A-level fantasy action shlock with memorable villains and a likable hero.

- You can also try out the Patlabor movies, but they're extremely dry science fiction.

- And if you have a craving for childlike wonderment movies, there's ofcourse Hayao Miyazaki's stuff. Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Kill la Kill is by the same guys who made Gurren Lagann.

It's over the top and ridiculous, but it's very self aware of the fact.

It's a love letter to anime, but it's not afraid to mock it.

 

[Zhukov]

Mardock Scramble - A film trilogy. The easiest way to describe it using non-anime examples would be a mixture between Kill Bill and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but in a cyberpunk setting. A girl is saved from an attempted murder by a private investigator and is subsequently turned into a cyborg via a life preservation program. She seeks revenge on the man who tried to kill her, as well as trying to discover the reason for why he did it.

The third film is not out in the West just yet. If you dislike nudity in general (even if it isn't fan service) then I suggest watching the cinematic version, as opposed to the directors cut. The only changes I am aware of is that scenes are changed to avoid it.

Okay, that sounds kind of awesome.

When you say not out in the west, do you mean not dubbed or not available in english period? Because I'm fine with subtitles.

Kill la Kill is by the same guys who made Gurren Lagann.

It's over the top and ridiculous, but it's very self aware of the fact.

It's a love letter to anime, but it's not afraid to mock it.

Yeah... I reeeaally didn't like Gurren Lagann.

It was one of the first I watched when I was about 16-17. It's the only one on the list I couldn't get through. I got up to... oh I dunno, episode 10 or thereabouts, when some girls riding sheep turned up in a nick-of-time rescue and took down a mech with bolas.

Then I shook my head, wondered what the people who raved about it were thinking, and turned it off.

 

[stroopwafel]

I'd definitely recommend Texhnolyze(espescially if you're a fan of cyberpunk). It's one of the most emotionally gripping stories I've ever seen. If you look past its relentlessly grim and depressing exterior you see glimpses of people's unbendable spirit and this contrast gives the story a subtle sensitivity that really pulls at the heart strings. It's phenomenal and the show haunted my thoughts long after I watched it. The first few episodes are quite non-descript and vague though and it takes a few episodes for the storyline to pick up(though in retrospect you'll know how perfectly these first few eps set the mood).

Other good recommendations are Death Note(espescially the first half) and Darker than Black(just not the second season). These are similarly mature animes with truly excellent writing. There are a lot of other great animes but these are my definite all-time personal favorites.

 

[Legion]

Mardock Scramble - A film trilogy. The easiest way to describe it using non-anime examples would be a mixture between Kill Bill and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but in a cyberpunk setting. A girl is saved from an attempted murder by a private investigator and is subsequently turned into a cyborg via a life preservation program. She seeks revenge on the man who tried to kill her, as well as trying to discover the reason for why he did it.

The third film is not out in the West just yet. If you dislike nudity in general (even if it isn't fan service) then I suggest watching the cinematic version, as opposed to the directors cut. The only changes I am aware of is that scenes are changed to avoid it.

Okay, that sounds kind of awesome.

When you say not out in the west, do you mean not dubbed or not available in english period? Because I'm fine with subtitles.

I mean that it hasn't been released on DVD in any other country other than Japan yet, as it only came out a few months ago. I imported it, and there are no legal websites (to my knowledge) that stream it. The Japanese DVD does have English subtitles and the Blu-Ray version is region free though (cannot speak for the DVD version).

The second part was released very early this year, so following in the same pattern, the third should be early next year as well.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Macross Plus is a quick watch, only four 45 minute episodes. Think Top Gun, but in space.

*Most* of the Mobile Suit Gundam shows are pretty good, but I'd recommend the original, or G Gundam (the one with the Canada Gundam)

 

[shrekfan246]

If you can deal with something that'll make you scratch your head and constantly go "Wait... what?" then Serial Experiments Lain was... something. Er. It was certainly interesting enough that I had to watch it through.

It's a sci-fi story about a girl who has a connection to a cybernetic network that is something of another world beneath the surface of our world, and trying to explain any more of it would probably be too difficult for me this early in the morning.

If you don't mind time travel plots, Steins;Gate was the show that pretty much got me watching anime in the first place about a year ago or so. The plot meanders about a bit, and the first six or seven episodes feel like a slice-of-life comedy more than anything else, but once the time travel stuff is actually established it gets really dark in places. Basically, it's about a group of post-high school kids who accidentally create a time machine out of a microwave and then get wrapped up into a massive time travel conspiracy being run by "totally-not-CERN". The actual story doesn't make the most sense, as you might imagine, but the characters were really well done in my opinion.

I would suggest Baccano!, but it's a dark comedy as much as anything else, so unless you're a fan of the likes of Pulp Fiction, Snatch, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels I don't think you'd like it.

Dunno that I've really watched much more in the way of 'serious' anime. I tend to prefer lighter fare, myself.

EDIT: And just for the sake of practicality, Steins;Gate has a better Japanese dub than English, and Baccano! has a better English dub than Japanese. SEL doesn't really matter much either way, but I preferred Japanese because it seems more natural and makes more sense to me when an anime is based in Japan or distinctly Japanese areas for the characters to be speaking Japanese.

 

[VanQ]

Here's an updated list of shit I recommend. I second the people in this thread that recommend Steins;Gate and Madoka. When it comes to Nasuverse stuff, everything ranges from watchable to good with the exception of the Fate/Stay Night anime adaptation. Avoid that at all costs, though I recommend the VN if you don't mind reading.

Accel World [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=13857] - A good series based on a futuristic video game called The Accelerated World. It's pretty stylish all round. (Spiritual sequel to Sword Art Online)
Denpa Teki na Kanojo [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10519] - I made a long winded post here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.831667.20306635] about why I think this is such a must-see anime.
Eve no Jikan Gekijouban [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11350] - Set in a future where androids have become so indistinguishable from humans that they are forced to turn off all emotional programming and have a visible halo active above their heads at all times. There are however, places where androids are welcomed as they are with no restrictions and it's in these places that they can be who they truly are. But when their halo is invisible it's nearly impossible to tell if they're human or not. Time of Eve is the name of one such place where humans and androids can interact without ever knowing who is and isn't an android.
Mardock Scramble [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11338] - Legion posted a good summary in this thread already.
Fate/Zero [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=12376] - This is the Nasuverse done right. Try your best to track down the BD subs for this if you can, it's simply stunning both visually and storywise.
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=15245] - If you aren't allergic to Magical Girl anime, this is a really fun show with lots of great action based on Nasuverse stuff. It's not canon though.
Kara no Kyoukai [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7472] - A 7 part movie series with more excellent Nasuverse stuff.
Golden Boy [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=373] - No need to analyze this. It speaks for itself.
Hataraku! Maou-sama! [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14846] An evil lord flees from his home dimension into ours after his humiliating defeat at the hands of a hero and must acclimate to Japanese society while trying to plot his return to power.
Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10393] - Tenchi Muyo spinoff that's set in another world as the title implies. Yeah, this is a harem but it's great when a harem lead is not afraid of his own cock, he just has better things to do. Kinda gotta watch it to understand.
Magi- The Labyrinth of Magic [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14395] - Pretty cool story set in a middle ages Arabian Nights setting where magical labyrinths appear around the world full of treasures and Djinn that would choose the next king.
Mouretsu Kaizoku [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11399] - Also known as Bodacious Space Pirates. Don't expect One Piece, it's a show about strong and cute female characters and politics and insurance fraud. And a whole lot of Space Ship porn on the side. The soundtrack is also absolutely lovely.
Nazo no Kanojo X [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=13899] - It's honestly as weird as it sounds but it's a lovely story that's one of my all time favorites.
Shiki [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11302] - Slow starter but an excellent vampire horror story set in modern Japan.
Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14238] - An excellent RomCom that's as good as if not better than ToraDora!
Sword Art Online [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=13858] - Set in the world's first Full Dive MMO environment where 10, 000 players are locked into the game and will die in real life if they die in game. Excellent first cour but the second cour lacks the tension of the first. Hope to see a season two for Gun Gale Online.
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=11120] - Yeah, it sucks that the TV show has such an awful fanbase and the Endless Eight sucked too but this movie is an objective masterpiece. And I do not use that term lightly. Make Sure you watch at least episode 1-5 in chronological order, Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody and at least the first two and last episode of Endless Eight for maximum effect. This is a movie that actually managed to turn 5 minutes of deep introspection into one of the most tense and watchable scenes of all time.
The [email protected] [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=12436] - Based off an extremely popular Japanese video game series where you raise a group of 13 young, unknown girls to become top idols. Slow starter but it quickly picks up pace as the girls become more popular and it's worth watching for the performance scenes alone.
The [email protected]: Xenoglossia [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7442] - Ignore the relations it holds to The [email protected] and you have a giant robot anime that's so bad it's good. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion, it's so horrifying that you can't look away. The first episode sucks pretty bad but I couldn't stop watching after episode two.
Tasogare Otome X Amnesia [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=13892] - This is a pretty cool and interesting specimen. It's more or less a horror/romance story for girls but is extremely enjoyable nonetheless.
Log Horizon [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=15118] - It took a while for this show to grow on me. It's more or less about a bunch of MMO gamers that got sucked into the game and have to find their way in a world full of monsters and NPCs that have history and a will of their own. Small amounts of MMO and high amounts of politics and bureaucratic dealings.
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru - My Teenage RomCom SNAFU [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14888] - Really enjoyed the cynical MC of this show because he reminds me so much of myself when I was around his age and thought I was some special snowflake. I very much liked the art and animation of this one as well. It's got RomCom in the name but the show is more or less a sarcastic deconstruction of the genre and stands out as having some of the best writing of 2013.
Unbreakable Machine-Doll [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com.au/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=15107] - This show has delivered unto us one of the greatest miracles of the Universe. And her name is Yaya. I want a Yaya. Also, the show has a pretty decent story and great action scenes.

 

[MysticSlayer]

Darker than Black has already been advised, so I won't bother going further into that. Just know that it often gets compared to Cowboy Bebop.

After that:

Sword Art Online: Well, at least the first season, and don't worry about only getting half the story, as the story you care about from the start is resolved by the end of the first season. Anyways, it is sort of standard fantasy with a coat of MMORPG paint over it, but it is still a good anime with some memorable characters and fights.

Another: This is if you are into horror. The show is about a middle school class that is cursed. Half the show is figuring out the nature of the curse and how to stop it, and half the show is gruesome deaths and you trying to figure out how someone can die in each scene. Either way, it is an interesting delve into how people respond when confronted with death.

Wolf's Rain: It is about four wolves searching for paradise, which can only be opened when the white wolf and the flower maiden reunite. That's an oversimplification of the story, and, as always, things hardly go according to plan. It is a little darker and more mature in its themes than most anime, but if you don't mind that, then it should be a very enjoyable show.

Ergo Proxy: This is set in a dystopian future where mankind is forced to live in domes. Outside are proxies, figuring out the nature of which is half the show. Just be warned that the show doesn't have a constant tone and ranges horror to thriller to comedy to just about everything at some point, not to mention the ending completely missed a golden opportunity to play on its existential commentary, but regardless of its shortcomings, it is still a decent show if you enjoy dystopian sci-fi with some darker themes.

Log Horizon: Like Sword Art Online, the show is set in an MMORPG that is based on a fantasy world, but unlike Sword Art Online, this one is more concerned with exploring the way people interact in a world completely different than their own, particularly one where any meaning has been largely stripped away (it's impossible to die). It's noticeably different in tone and style than SAO once you get past the similar settings. If you can get past the first few episodes, you should be able to find a lot of enjoyment.

Beyond the Boundary: It's...sort of a fantasy. It takes place in the real world but follows Spirit World Warriors as they fight Youmu (i.e. demons). Regardless of its problems (primarily pacing), the show manages to play its strengths very well. It has great artwork, animation, fight scenes, and the interaction of the characters is incredible. Unfortunately, if they don't have a second season, then there will be a lot of unanswered questions, and as far as anyone knows now, there won't be one. Still, it does what it set out to do very well, and I personally found it easy to overlook the few problems that it had.

That's all I can think of right now and that hasn't already been mentioned at the time that I started writing this.

 

[Elfgore]

Sword Art Online- People get stuck in a game, MC is OP as shit, he got bitches falling all over him, and etc. When the action actually comes in though the show is amazing. But a good majority of the show is romance, so prepare yourself.

Code Geass- I avoided this show for so long, until finally I decided to watch it. The damn internet has spoiled everything about this show, but it is just amazing to watch this show play out. The MC is powerful, but he never breaks that OP barrier. As soon as you think he will some dude come along and whoops his ass. Best military/drama I've ever seen.

ChaoS; Head, Steins; Gate, Robotics; Notes- I've only watched ChaoS; Head, but these three series all tie together somehow. ChaoS;Head takes your usual harem and breaks into psycho bitches that can massacre everything. And Steins; Gate is often considered the best anime in existence.

Deadman Wonderland- The show has a great idea and the first episodes are just a joy to watch. It quickly goes downhill and has a really bad... nonexistent ending. It's worth it just to watch he first episodes though.

Fullmetal Alchemist (Both the original anime and Brotherhood)- Both are amazing, but brotherhood is alot darker than the other. The action is good and they sprinkle some comedy in there to lighten the tone.

Fairy Tail- Amazing action scenes, some goofy comedy thrown in, and some really likable characters. Just avoid the fanbase, it's like ship central.

 

[Fappy]

Darker Than Black - Assassins and spies with supernatural powers.The police and governments are aware of these beings, but the general populace is not. Has a kind of film noir vibe to it and follows a group who work for an organisation known as the "Syndicate". The characters with special abilities are known as "Contractors" due to them requiring to pay a price for using their powers.

It has two seasons so far. The first season is a lot better than the second (in my opinion).

Mardock Scramble - A film trilogy. The easiest way to describe it using non-anime examples would be a mixture between Kill Bill and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but in a cyberpunk setting. A girl is saved from an attempted murder by a private investigator and is subsequently turned into a cyborg via a life preservation program. She seeks revenge on the man who tried to kill her, as well as trying to discover the reason for why he did it.

The third film is not out in the West just yet. If you dislike nudity in general (even if it isn't fan service) then I suggest watching the cinematic version, as opposed to the directors cut. The only changes I am aware of is that scenes are changed to avoid it.

Death Note - The main character has gotten hold of a book that will cause the death of anybody whose name is written in it. He uses it to kill criminals, but gains the attention of a detective. The series is a game of cat and mouse as they are both trying to outsmart the other.

The second half of the series was a let down for me personally, but a lot of people like it.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - I have no doubt you must have at least seen people on here mention it. It is an extremely difficult anime to describe without going into massive spoilers. All I will say (as will countless others) is do not be fooled by the light hearted art style and if you do give it a chance, watch until at least episode 3 before judging whether it is for you or not.

Easily one of my favourite's, although I wouldn't have expected it based upon first glance.

Everyone always ninja's me from the get go with Darker than Black! XD

OP: Zhukov! Watch Darker than Black! It is super fucking good!

EDIT: And yes, the second season sucks. AVOID IT!

 

[Entitled]

I generally prefer entertainment that is more serious in tone. A bit of whackiness won't kill me and levity is fine, but I'm not interested in comedy or shows where the whackiness is the main draw.

I would just like to point out that in my experience, every time someone says that, the recommendation brigade uses it as an excuse to go into full grimdark territory (darker than Black/Death Note/etc), mixed with the occasional aquarell-toned ambient artsy stuff (Satoshi Kon, Ghibli, etc. shows).

Here are a few of my default recommendations that are NOT whacky gag comedies, but other than that, solid classics in various diverse genres:


- Scrapped Princess (High fantasy, magitech, fate of the world, magic sixteenth birthday, dragons)
- Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Space Opera, Tolstoy meets Asimov, political intrigue, prussians in space)
- Clannad (School life, romance, melodrama, You Will Cry, levity)
- Steins;Gate (Time travel, John Titor, You-can't-fight-fate, Large Ham protagonist, Tsundere)
- Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (Horror, thriller, supernatural mystery, extreme levity, gag scenes, school life)
- Full Metal Panic (Mecha, school life, action, comedy, sci-fi). (The second season, Fumoffu, alone is a pure comedy gag series)

 

[Mr.Savage]

Well, you've already watched one of my go-to recommendations (Black Lagoon), my other recommendation would be:

Spice & Wolf

S&W is about a travelling Merchant named Lawrence. In his wandering, he comes across a very strange girl, and stuff just kinda kicks off from there... It's a very unique show, sort of a combination of a travel log and medieval economics, with romance and action mixed in. I've never seen anything like it before or since. However, it's not quite as super action packed as Lagoon, and some might even get bored from the economics part of it. But when things do kick off, it's quite intense.

It's also extremely grounded, there's little to no whackiness in it.

As with Black Lagoon, the English dub is impeccable thanks to Funimation.

Here's the first episode, for your convenience

 

[Kyber]

I suppose that you are not looking for the high school girl animes, so I won't recommend Watamote or Lucky Star. (see how sneaky I was)

Kill la kill, it's good, but in my opinion inferior to SnK/AoT, but I guess it comes down to taste.

If you're at all interested in reading manga however, Berserk is superb. I can't even begin to describe how good it is.

Off topic: Did you like Attack on Titan?

 

[madwarper]

FLCL - Story of a boy coming age... That gets hit on the head by a guitar wielding alien, and then robots start pouring out of the wound. Just watch it.

Little Witch Academia - As the title says, there's an academy for little witches. Currently, it's a one-shot, but they planned to make a second episode after the success of their kickstarter, with the possibility of a full series or film. Just watch it, it's full of MLP: FiM awesomeness.

The Big O - Batman + giant mecha = Awesome.

Outlaw Star - A three-way space race to a galactic treasure between pirates, the military and the outlaws.

Silver Spoon - About the students of an agricultural oriented high school. Surprisingly educational.

 

[Knife]

I'm not big on anime myself but if you want some good ones, here's some you should check out :

Samurai Champloo - from the same guys who made Cowboy Bebop, except set in Japan's stylized Edo period.

Rurouni Kenshin - another one about samurais, ninjas, assassins and so on. The series can get a bit on the silly side at times. The prequel movie (Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen) however is definitely worth watching.

Berserk - "european medieval" with a touch of demons, it's mostly about the inner working of a mercenary band.

Ninja Scroll - take a dash of Samurai Champloo add some Berserk and realize it was made before all of those.

Death Note - basically a mouse and cat game between a detective and a serial killer who goes after criminals using a supernatural notebook which kills the person whose name is written in it. And yes the second part is utter crap, most fans you ask will tell you there is no second part. Yes, there are only 25 episodes. Anyone who says there are 37 is a filthy liar.

Full Metal Alchemist - both the original series and Brotherhood are pretty good (watch the original first). A tale about two brothers (who are alchemists - which is basically like magic in this anime) who lost their parents at a young age and try to use human transmutation (basically necromancy) to bring their mother back, things go horribly wrong and they work through the entire series trying to fix it. Ranges from dramatic and seriously tragic to borderline cartoon comedy (considering an anime is a cartoon...).

Hellsing - again both the original and Ultimate are good, though the original goes pretty weird towards the end and Ultimate abruptly ends without much of a conclusion (though it can be pretty weird all on its own). It's centered on a vampire named Alucard who works for the Hellsing organization - a vampire hunting group under the british gevernment, and his newly turned vampire Seras Victoria. It's mostly action and weird conspiracies with a dash of contemplation on the nature of humanity.

Captcha: in spades
I wouldn't say that captcha, actually most anime is crap, just like most anything really.

 

[Weaver]

I would really suggest making Madoka Magica your next anime. It's super short and is really great!
Death Note is really famous and, for once, probably deserves its fame. It's really excellent IMO.

If you want something a little... umm, odd I guess I'd also suggest Angel Beats.

I have a personal penchant for animes that respect your time and actually end lol.