Anime Recommendations Thread

[blkmage]

So, umm, yeah. I love Soul Eater and all, but it seems to be kind of dragging, so I figured I'd watch something else right now. A good fantasy anime would be nice, or something with a setting like Baccano!. Slice of Life, Mecha, and Sci-Fi are fine though, any genre probably would work, as long as it's pulled off well.

I'll give you some anime I liked, so you can get a hint of my tastes.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Both FMA's
Baccano!
Cowboy Bebop
Ouran High School Host Club
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Darker than BLACK
Full Metal Panic!
Early Bleach, with the best being the opening arc, and Soul Society was pretty good as well.

The winter 2010 season is starting this week so you might want to check out what shows are airing soon. In particular, I think you'll be interested in Dulalala!!, which is adapted from a light novel by the author of Baccano! and produced by the same team that did the anime.

You've watched Evangelion and Gurren Lagann, which are polar opposites in the mecha genre. I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend Macross Frontier as a mecha series that's pretty different from both of those and rooted in a different sort of tradition for you to check out.

Also, I can't remember if you've seen Eureka Seven or not, so watch that.

Not exactly fantasy, but Higurashi might be interesting to you if you're a fan of complex stories like Baccano!. I will warn you that it might not seem that way, but once the big reveals happen, you'll find that a lot of things aren't as simple as you might have thought in that show.

[Makachop^^128]

Hey guys :3
I was thinking about watching the last exile but I was wondering what other people thought of it before I started it. Also is Heroic age any good?

[That Dude]

Hey guys :3
I was thinking about watching the last exile but I was wondering what other people thought of it before I started it. Also is Heroic age any good?

You'd love Last Exile, Maka.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Hey guys :3
I was thinking about watching the last exile but I was wondering what other people thought of it before I started it. Also is Heroic age any good?

If you are into good things, then you will dig Last Exile for sure.

[yukoxholic]

Hey guys :3
I was thinking about watching the last exile but I was wondering what other people thought of it before I started it. Also is Heroic age any good?

Heroic Age is fantastic! I loved that series and one awesome thing about it was that it never dragged on. It is definitely worth checking out.

[Maokun]

You've watched Evangelion and Gurren Lagann, which are polar opposites in the mecha genre. I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend Macross Frontier as a mecha series that's pretty different from both of those and rooted in a different sort of tradition for you to check out.

Interesting. When I watched TTGL I couldn't help but noticing how similar it was to NGE. (Basically replace dark and broody with cheerful and over-the-top) Perhaps it's because I'm not a big fan of Mecha, and still both series appealed to me enormously. Or perhaps it's simply the Gainax signature.

Anyway, if you don't mind (or rather, if you dig) comedy mixed with your fantasy, I heartfully recommend Slayers.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Some of these may be up your Fantasy ally:
Tsubasa Chronicles:http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=4591
Twelve Kingdoms:http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=840
Moribito:http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6634

You could also try out Hikaru no Go:http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=912 It's not really fantasy, it's more of a sports type anime. But it is REALLY GOOD. I highly recommend it to just about anyone. Oh, and don't forget most of the Hayao Miyazaki films. There might be a few of his movies that you would like. They have reviews for almost all of them here.

They have reviews here for The Twelve Kingdoms, Hikaru no Go, and the Tsubasa Chronicles Movie in case you are interested.

I've seen about the first twelve episodes of Tsubasa, and while I initially liked it, the pacing really began to drag by about the second world, and I gave it up.
I just read the ANN review for The Twelve Kingdoms, it looks interesting, I may have to try it out.
I was keeping up with Moribito on Adult Swim when I still was watching Bleach, but then I kind of forgot about it after I missed a couple episodes. Maybe I'll pick it up again.

Ah, I read a little bit of the Hikaru no Go manga, it was pretty interesting.

The winter 2010 season is starting this week so you might want to check out what shows are airing soon. In particular, I think you'll be interested in Dulalala!!, which is adapted from a light novel by the author of Baccano! and produced by the same team that did the anime.

You've watched Evangelion and Gurren Lagann, which are polar opposites in the mecha genre. I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend Macross Frontier as a mecha series that's pretty different from both of those and rooted in a different sort of tradition for you to check out.

Also, I can't remember if you've seen Eureka Seven or not, so watch that.

Not exactly fantasy, but Higurashi might be interesting to you if you're a fan of complex stories like Baccano!. I will warn you that it might not seem that way, but once the big reveals happen, you'll find that a lot of things aren't as simple as you might have thought in that show.

Oooh, I may have to watch Dulalala!!. That was the one that had the ad after the Darker than BLACK episode, wasn't it?

On Eureka Seven I've seen the first five episodes, but I put it on hold after getting into Soul Eater. I may have to pick it up again.

Okay, Higurashi looked interesting, but I wasn't to sure if I should pick it up again.

Thanks to all who gave reccomendations!

[Makachop^^128]

Heroic Age is fantastic! I loved that series and one awesome thing about it was that it never dragged on. It is definitely worth checking out.

yay! ^^ thanks

If you are into good things, then you will dig Last Exile for sure.

lol okay thanks

You'd love Last Exile, Maka.

yea it looks pretty cool, almost steampunky

[Jeikobu]

Steenajack, could you please tell me more about the content (mainly spiritual) of Moribito?

I'm afraid to say that following your strict views on the several recommendations posted, you might as well give up about finding a fantasy anime that will not offend you. Fantasy by definition is something that strays from reality, which you could perfectly say "it's the world that God intended us to live in."

Call my views what you want, but I try to do what I feel lead to do. I don't really understand that last comment about what fantasy is supposed to be.

I'm not trying to say that your views are wrong, I'm just curious why you feel the need at all of finding a fantasy anime. I'm also curious why exactly you think that the wizardy, enchantry and sorcery in LOTR is tolerable but not in other works.

I look for fantasy because I enjoy fantasy. Simple as that. I enjoy very imaginative and fantastic epics. Just who I am. As for LOTR, I believe I already explained that in that case it's there to convey a Christian symbolism. See my first post.
[quote="Maokun (post: 1363618)"]Haibanes are not angels. This is repeated several times and the author keeps stressing it in each interview. They are absolutely unrelated to our concept of angels and belong to a totally different mythos. In fact, Haibane Renmei has a series of valuable moral and philosophical teachings that sadly seem to have been lost on you for hanging on technicalities.

"Prove all things]
You can stop getting so worked up, please. I never meant to say they were supposed to be angels. I guess I just didn't word that sentence very well. What I meant to say is, if I recall right the episode had the Haibane saying that when God tried to create angels, He failed, those failures became the Haibane. I may not be remembering it quite right, but the point is I definitely remember they made it like God made a mistake in His creating, and God never makes mistakes, as we both know.

[Maokun]

Call my views what you want, but I try to do what I feel lead to do. I don't really understand that last comment about what fantasy is supposed to be.

Wait, I'm not criticising your views or calling them anything. I was just pointing out that those views make the finding of a fantastic anime that won't offend you impossible. The last comment was pointing out that in the same way you say "I didn't like this because the Lord never inteded it to be like that" or "because it stands against the purpose God had for it" etc. pretty much rules fantasy itself out as fantasy is a world different from the reality God has us living in. You cannot try to judge fantasy worlds by real high-belief standards in the same way you cannot judge reality by fantastic laws. In other wordsm if you really enjoy fantasy stop trying to make it fit in realistic molds.

I look for fantasy because I enjoy fantasy. Simple as that. I enjoy very imaginative and fantastic epics. Just who I am. As for LOTR, I believe I already explained that in that case it's there to convey a Christian symbolism. See my first post.

Yes. Except that's a biased understanding. Read any of the several interviews with Tolkien and you'll find out that he denies, sometimes quite emphatically any kind of intent subtext, parable or symbolism in his ouvre. Now, LOTR indeed has several Christian life-applicable teachings. But so does The Matrix. And so does anything if you try hard enough to look the good on it instead hanging on technicalities and unaccuracies with the "real world" and God's Law. Remember that Jesus said that is not what enters the man what contaminates him. Try looking with the same benevolent and forgiving eyes you have for LOTR at other works and you might find amazing things.

You can stop getting so worked up, please. I never meant to say they were supposed to be angels. I guess I just didn't word that sentence very well. What I meant to say is, if I recall right the episode had the Haibane saying that when God tried to create angels, He failed, those failures became the Haibane. I may not be remembering it quite right, but the point is I definitely remember they made it like God made a mistake in His creating, and God never makes mistakes, as we both know.

Umm. I'm not worked out at all. I was simply curious and I wanted to point out that you could actually enjoy fantasy anime if you stopped viewing them from a judgemental point of view. Example: Haibane Renmei doesn't say that /God/ made a mistake making /angels/. What it actually states is that whatever higher being in HR's universe that created the haibanes (it is a fantastic world so it's not our same God!) apparently made a mistake. If you didn't get hung up on that, you could have realised that the series then proceeds to have the characters find out that the misery of living that they were blaming unto their "god" was rather, a product of their own unresolved guilt, and that when they let it go and actually accepted the forgiveness and second chance that being a Haibane is, and the friendship of their peers, they could find contentedness. Quite a valuable lesson for Christians and non Christians alike!

[uc pseudonym]

This is an oft-repeated argument. If your discussion is approaching reconciliation, that's fine. However, if both of you still disagree, I think that further posts would be unproductive. Argue via PM if you feel this point must be continued.

[steenajack]

Hey there Jeikobu. I don't think I'd recommend Moribito to you with your standards. For me (personally), the spiritual content was NOTHING new, offending, or blasphemous. I hear it's more slice-of-life than anything. But it's still a little magic, and one of the characters is possessed by a "demon". I haven't gotten too far into the series to give you more details, but I can tell you that it may not be for you given your standards.

[Jeikobu]

Hey there Jeikobu. I don't think I'd recommend Moribito to you with your standards. For me (personally), the spiritual content was NOTHING new, offending, or blasphemous. I hear it's more slice-of-life than anything. But it's still a little magic, and one of the characters is possessed by a "demon". I haven't gotten too far into the series to give you more details, but I can tell you that it may not be for you given your standards.

Ok, thanks for the info.

[steenajack]

You're welcome.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

I am trying to decide what to invest in after I finish Hunter X Hunter. I am thinking about Fullmetal Alchemist (which I will pick up one way or another) but I am also thinking about one other show. This is where you guys can come to my aid!

Would I dig Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle? The only other CLAMP productions I have ever seen was the first 20 episodes of Code Geass (the sexuality was too much for me but I enjoyed the other elements) and Angelic Layer (which I loved). What is it comparable to (If you like ___ you will love Tsubasa...again, avoid CLAMP comparisons as I am mostly unfamiliar)? Is it good or great? Is it depressing or just emotionally charged? Does it have a legitimate, non-rushed ending (or an ending at all)? Are the characters and plot engaging or flat? How much nudity/sexuality/fan-service?

Any detailed answers and opinions on the show are most welcome!

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

First I'd like to note that CLAMP only did the character designs for Code Geass, nothing else. Everything else was done by Sunrise.

Second, I would totally reccomend FMA, it's one of my very favorite anime(and the manga is ten times better).

Third, about Tsubasa. Now, I will admit that I've only seen the first 12 1/3rds episodes of Tsubasa. When I saw about the first five or six episodes I was really into it. Then it began to drag. A lot. The pacing in it was awful, it moved by really slowly, the animation was nothing fantastic, and the best thing holding it together was it's characters. I tried to get into it, but around episode 13, I honestly just lost interest. I can't reccomend it to you, unless you can stand the utter slowness it permeates(I hope I used that word correctly).

[AnimeGirl]

I don't think Tsubasa runs THAT slow. I mean, sometimes it can be a bit slow, but I'm sure there are way more slower animes out there (like .hack//SIGN, IMO, I haven't even finished episode 2!). I would personally recommend 'cause it's really clean, it has a good dub (and the dub has practically no language, just 1 "h" and "d", and not until season 2). I guess it all depends on the person. You should see for yourself if you'd like it, but as far as content wise, there really is nothing to be worried about, that is why it's my favorite anime. Pretty squeaky clean, the closest thing to fanservice would be in the first episode where you first see Fai's bare back, but you have to see that 'cause his tattoo is what he gives to Yuuko as a sacrifice to travel. Also, in the first episode, Sakura jumps on Syaoran, and they fall, and she's on top of him, but this scene is relatively harmless and is meant to be comical. I must warn you though; after episode 52, it was canceled (*sigh*), 2 OVA series were made but they are very violent, so if you wanted to continue, I highly recommend just doing it through the manga form, unless you can stomach it.

[Maokun]

Any detailed answers and opinions on the show are most welcome!

Tsubasa is very good, but in order to make it fully enjoyable, it would be good if you were more familiarised with CLAMP's universe. As Mr. HnCs said, Code Geass is not a CLAMP series and Angelic Layer may be their less representative anime. Since you are looking for something to watch, you may give a try to one of their older series before getting invested in the long and overarching business that Tsubasa is. I'd reccomend a series to you, but I'm not sure of your tastes. If you enjoyed Angelic Layer, perhaps you should try Magic Knight Rayearth. Misaki created Hikari based off the main character of that series (random trivia fact.)

[steenajack]

Could someone tell me more about the content in Fruit's Basket? I read the review, but I'm wondering if there may be anything else that the review left out. This would mainly regard sexual content. I read that there were some bisexual jokes in it or something?

[Wyntre Rose]

No, the review pretty much includes everything that I can think of - and I have to tell you, this was my first anime series and I adored it, so I've seen it over and over. I'll give you just a little more detail about the bisexual concern, though:

[spoiler] I very highly doubt that Ayame is bi. In the manga, he's head over heels in love with a girl - the anime doesn't get that far, unfortunately - and yes, he and Shigure play like they are in love, but it's just to get anyone's goat who happen to be listening in - usually Hatori or Yuki and Kyo. He does go into a flashback of his school days where he tells some teachers that a way to help the student body of his all boys school contain their hormones - apparently some of them wandered into the red light district, but that's all we hear about it - is for them to direct their love towards him. Now, this is a boy who also told his teacher that the reason he can't cut his hair is because he's a descendent of alien royalty...so judge for yourself if he was being serious or just fond of shock factor. The Haru "crush" might be serious...Haru's a hard guy to read. Yuki himself thinks Haru is just trying to make him feel uncomfortable: "What if Miss Honda were to take you seriously?!" but know that the yaoi fangirls don't agree with him. In other words, be careful of fan art of Yuki and Haru. Honestly, it's up for speculation. I could totally see Haru playing at it just because Yuki's so fun to tease - he's a sweet boy, but not much of a sense of humor - and Haru loves pushing people's buttons. In the manga Haru is also very much in love with a girl - again, anime never gets that far.[/spoiler]

Ok, so that "little more" detail became a lot more detail...lol. Sorry, just trying to be thorough.

[steenajack]

Thank you so much Wyntre Rose!!! I may just try this series out. It looks really good.

[Wyntre Rose]

You are very welcome! I would highly, highly recommend it to you. It's still one of my top shoujo manga/anime I've ever seen.

Edit: and if you'd like, you can watching it streaming free (and legal!!) on funimation's youtube channel here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqFyEnu2DC4&feature=PlayList&p=e0cblbfPNoI

[yukoxholic]

Hmm, yeah, so I'm in a bit of an anime slump. Any recommendations would be awesome. I'm up for anything as long as it doesn't involve excessive amounts of blood and gore and over the top fanservice aka panty shots, groping, etc because that just gets annoying after the 50th time especially if it's only the first episode.

I watch a lot of slice of life (Aria, Victorian Romance Emma, Hidamari Sketch, Bamboo Blade, etc) shoujo (Princess Tutu, Kaleido Star, Ultra Maniac, Peach Girl, etc) and certain action titles (One Piece, ROD the TV, Moribito, Inuyasha, Bleach (though I've stopped due to fillers), etc). This is just so you guys and girls get a gist of what I've seen and what I'm into. Though as stated I don't care what it is as long as the story is fantastic, characters interesting, and it eventually ends at some point.

Thanks in advance!

[blkmage]

I'll assume you've watched all of Aria. Also, Hidamari Sketch's third season is currently airing, so you'll probably want to check that out. Other slice of life/comedy stuff:

GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class is a lot like Hidamari but with more art
Minami-ke, only the first season
Sketchbook is another girls in art class one; a lot slower than Hidamari
Taishou Yakyuu Musume is a lot like Bamboo Blade, but about baseball in Japan in the 1920s

You might also want to check out So Ra No Wo To, which is airing right now.

Things that are like slice of life, but not really:
Kure-nai, has some action but feels like slice of life for a lot of it
Moyashimon, more comedic, but it's pretty good
Spice and Wolf, there is plot, but a lot of the appeal of this is its character development
Natsume Yuujinchou, not exactly slice of life, but the pace is slow and it's episodic

Shoujo stuff:
Kimi ni Todoke, currently airing, one of my own top shoujo manga picks
Nodame Cantabile, fantastic comedy about conservatory students and classical music

Romance and drama that isn't necessarily shoujo:
Clannad, the best show ever, it's about family (and dango)
ef - a tale of memories, is pretty good, I liked it, you might like it, I don't know
Toradora, you might like this too

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

You don't like Clannad very much, do you blkmage

But on topic, you may enjoy Azumanga Daioh for slice of life. I've only seen the first episode, but from what I've seen and heard it's on par with the manga, and the manga is quite amazing. The plot is that six high school girls go through high school. That's about it.

[steenajack]

Here's some you may like:

This is kinda of an action/sports thing, but it is REALLY good and REALLY clean:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=912

This one (a fantasy/action) has a VERY interesting storyline. There is blood, but I wouldn't say over the top. If you like Moribito, you'll like this: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=840

[AngelicTotoro]

I'm still wondering about these:


1. Rozen Maiden (I've watched the opening and this one looks a bit dark, I'm not to sure about it.)
2. Tegami Bachi
3. Pani Poni Dash!
4. Gakuen Alice
5. Tales from Earthsea
6. Lost Universe
7. Mermaid Melody
8. Clamp School Detectives
9. Sakura Taisen (Sakura Wars)
10. Romio x Juliet
11. Jyu Oh Sei
12. Record of Loddoss War
13. Shion no Ou

Please help.

[Tsukuyomi]

I haven't seen alot of those series ^^;

I haven't seen the Rozen Maiden, but I have read some of the manga ^__^ There is some majic involved, so if you have a problem with that sort of thing it's best to stay away from it ^__^

Kinda the same with Record Of Loddoss War ^__^ There's magic and spell casting ^__^

[SeraphicCharm]

question...should I keep watching Hanasakeru Seishounen? The episodes themselves are pretty clean, but the opening has some questionable content. To avoid this, I just skip past the opening and fast forward to the actual episode. Should I just stop watching the show altogether, on account of this?

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I've never seen it. What kind of questionable content is in the opening?