Anime Recommendations Thread

[Geirr]

thanks I'm gonna have to check out 5 centimeters per second it looks pretty good. Do you anything like Samurai 7? I love anime with swords and stuff like that too.

I watched S-7 a few years ago and I don't recall ANY gratuitous fan service or specific content offensive to Christians. The show does make use of the 'levels' of Japanese language in almost exactly the same way as the Kurosawa movie;* since I don't watch dub at all, I have no idea if the translators found any way to include this in English.

* In the Kurosawa movie, a peasant girl tries to talk to one of the Seven Samurai - he's handsome and *available* - but it becomes instantly clear by the grammar they use that a chasm of social stands between them that would doom any hope of a lasting relationship.

In the anime the 'levels' indicate much about each character's origins, and trustworthyness. One particularly loathesome male chara speaks with female endings..

Also, Two thumbs up for Sword of the Stranger.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

At your current request, I'm going to take a stab and suggest Macross Frontier if you don't have problems with fansubs. I recently watched it and had a great time with it.

It isn't hard sci-fi or military, but I think I can be comfortable recommending Eureka seveN, especially if you enjoy Frontier, since the Macross franchise influenced E7 quite a bit.

[Atria35]

With that as background, what would folks recommend in the realm of hard SF or maybe military?

Legend of the Galactic Heroes- it's military/sci-fi/drama. Lots of politics and war. It is old, so you might need some time to adjust to the graphics. But it's long and epic. You will find no better. Because it's so old, it's only fansubbed.

Valkyrie Chronicles- military. But it's more for the kids, so I don't know whether you'd enjoy it. My brother and I made fun of how stupid the characters were, but we're really in the minority, most people like it. Pretty sure only fansubbed, but I could be wrong.

Pumpkin Scissors- about a military war relief section. Licensed.

Time of Eve- more philisophical, like Planetes was, but if you can get your hands on the movie, then, well... it's only movie-length. You can watch it online legally.

Moonlight Mile and The Wings of Honneamise would also be great choices. Both are licensed.

EDIT: Seconding Hat's recommendations of Macross F and Eureka Seven

[Geirr]

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Will look into it - thanks!

Valkyrie Chronicles & Pumpkin Scissors

Enjoyed them both, bought the DVD (PS) and rented the PS3 game (VC).
Even made a Pumpkin Scissors AMV that ticked off a bunch of Russians:
http://akross.ruweb.net/ac2010/%5BAKROSS_Con_2010%5D_Geirr_-_Powstanie_Warszawskie.mp4

Time of Eve

Seen it, liked it very much - a real mind exercise like GitS, recommend it.
(One android is a little scantily clad...)

The Wings of Honneamise

Saw "Wings 'n' Honeymustard" a LONG time ago and enjoyed it greatly. Made before Evangelion, even...

EDIT: Seconding Hat's recommendations of Macross F and Eureka Seven

Will look into Macross F. I heard that there's a pregnancy out of wedlock thing in E7. Christian Morality check, please?

[steenajack]

So.....Could anyone tell me about the content of the anime posted in the link? It looks interesting, but specifically I'd like to know about:
violence
language
sexual content
drugs
religion etc

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10195

[Geirr]

Guin Saga - Watched it a couple of years ago.

violence

I don't recall anything gross; I'd put it at the level of Moriboto or Souten Kouro - swordy fun and maybe some bleeding from gashes there and there.

language

I watched the fansubs, and although there is an increasing (and annoying) trend for fansub groups to write in a swear word where the original Japanese has none, I don't recall an obnoxious amount of that. Characters surprised from behind might say "@$#%!!" once or twice but I don't recall any real potty-mouth characters.

sexual content

A couple of beautiful (but not skanky) characters here and there, but no illicit activity, no gratuitous glands, etc. Not enough to recall, in any case.

drugs

It's set in a sword & magic realm, no one fights sta-HONED iirc, and no one shoots up in a back alley - syringes haven't been invented in that world ... No mention of addiction to plant products or habit-forming substances.

religion etc

The setting is Empires at war and a heroic character trying to lead the two children of fallen rulers (their parents) as the palace is overrun by invaders in Ep 1. (so, not really a spoiler.) The children are well-behaved, though one is whiny and has a little growing to do - but that's part of the story.

One odd thing is that this unlikely hero has the head of a jaguar - he said he woke up that way and doesn't know why or what to do about it.
Kinda like the guy Utawarerumono who wakes up with a mask on his face that he cannot remove - and doesn't know why. I don't recall any prayers to deities, though some characters may be superstitious.

[steenajack]

Thank you so much!

[mysngoeshere56]

Hey everybody, so, here I am to ask for some more anime again.

Because of MAL's database lag and because I had other things to do, I stopped watching anime for a few months. As of a few days ago, I'm watching again. Right now, I'm mostly in the mood to go back and watch anime series I've seen before for the sake of nostalgia. However, I'd also like to find some new shows to watch. I'm just not sure what I want to watch...

Here's my MAL so you can get an idea of what I've seen, liked, and didn't like: http://myanimelist.net/animelist/mysngoeshere56

Overall, I like all my anime shows to be different. I'm not into seeing the same story twice. This is why magical girl shows haven't fared well for me, since a lot of them are too similar to the original Sailor Moon. The only other ones that I felt were original enough to give good scores (even superior scores) to were Cardcaptor Sakura and Shugo Chara!

Also - there were a few anime series that I *started* watching, but only saw a few episodes of and figured I might as well start over again to remind myself what happened in the first few episodes. Some of them I haven't re-started yet, but I plan to. These series are...

1. Clannad
2. Ergo Proxy
3. FMA: Brotherhood
4. Pandora Hearts

Tsubasa Chronicle's second season and Soul Eater were also among that list, but I have started those up again so I figured I might as well not list them in that bunch. ;P But, those titles are listed to let you know there's no need to recommend starting them.

Also - don't put a whole lot of stock in my "Plan To Watch" list. A lot of those titles I saw and added a few years ago and I probably wouldn't be all that interested in now. There is still stuff I want to watch on there, but I have to actually take the time to pick and choose what I want to leave on that part of the list.

And also, to explain how I typically give shows a number score...

10 - A complete work of art that should be read/watched by all.
8-9 - Has some flaws, but overall a brilliant piece.
6-7 - Good. Could be better, but worth going through at least once. Average.
5 - Okay. Watchable, but feel free to skip if you want. I'd only watch if bored with nothing else to do.
4 - Mostly pretty lame, but could be worse. Only if you're SUPER bored.
3 or below - A complete waste of time. Read a book instead.

So... Anybody have ideas for somebody as picky as me? ;P

[Atria35]

I suggest scrapping Tsubasa's second season and just reading the manga, since you can't get the complete story from the series, OVA's and movie combined.

Hmmm,.....
Since you seem to enjoy KEY shows, I'd recommend:
Victorian Romance Emma- period romance, lots of drama, good character development, definitely romantic.
Millenium Actress- for a romance that is told through symbolism and movies, about a young actress loves a man that she hasn't seen in many years.

For some action:
Birdy the Mighty: Decode- Birdy's outfit is a little risque, but it's not fanservice, it's just there. But it has an amazing, tight plot, great action, and a good story about an alien and a boy who must save the world. Better than it sounds.
Macross Frontier- has some of the most amazing battle sequences in space. Also has a great plot about trying to save space colonies.

For something else:
One Outs- a psychological anime about someone who's awesome at baseball. Genius character, rather brilliant and engrossing anime. I was really surprised, since I don't like sports anime. I love this one, though.
Planetes- awesome realistic sci-fi about people who pick up space garbage. Deals with the character's feelings and opinions on life and space, mixed with the politics of space garbage.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Has anyone seen the sixth One Piece movie, and if so, how much of the manga should I read before watching it?

[uc pseudonym]

I haven't, but I may be the closest to being able to answer your question. All the OP films have limited connection to the main series and are generally just about new islands with self-contained plots. All that matters is the crew, then. The last crew member you would want to be familiar with joins after the Alabasta arc, which I recall ending in the mid-200s.

[samurai10]

Has anybody seen Saint Beast?

It seems good in a questionable way. Like Ray/Rei.

[Atria35]

Has anybody seen Saint Beast?

It seems good in a questionable way. Like Ray/Rei.

Ummm. Maybe. Depends on how you feel about light shounen-ai. It doesn't have very good reviews, at least.

http://myanimelist.net/anime/1037/Saint_Beast

[AngelicTotoro]

I was watching mermaid melody and noticed the fortune teller character... I didn't like it too much, but it wasn't that bad...
I would just like to know all the spiritual/religion content in the show?
thanks!

(I feel like I've asked this like twice now, but since I can't remember... I'm asking again.)

[Narnian]

I'm trying to find some good anime to watch over the summer break. Any suggestions? A link to my MAL is in my sig. So far, I'm planning to finish The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya as well as watch Kimi no Todoke, Nana, Honey and Clover, Azumanga Daioh, rewatch Digimon Tamers, and finish the rest of my currently watching list (K-On!!, Tales of the Abyss, Bubblegum Crisis, and Lucky Star). I might watch Paradise Kiss too, but I haven't decided yet.

[Atria35]

I'm trying to find some good anime to watch over the summer break. Any suggestions?

I would recommend reading ParaKiss if you're planning on it at all, since the anime was overall a rushed and somewhat disappointing affair. Actually, I didn't really like the manga, either, but it wasn't as bad.

Summer Wars is a must, and I know I'm planning on a viewing of Welcome to the Space Show. Both take place during summer vacation.

Birdy the Mighty: Decode might also interest you, seeing the types of action anime you like. Yes, her outfit does *look* fanservicey, but she's not used for fanservice. It's just.... there.

Bamboo Blade would be a great one if you're looking for a comedy/slice-of-life.

And Dennou Coil is an awesome sci-fi, with some comedy and action/drama in the last half. If you end up liking that one, then you should probably also check out Planetes, which may not have *that* much action, but it does have a solid storyline and overall is pretty fun.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Since you enjoyed Fullmetal Alchemist, check out Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. It's even better! In that same vein, your enjoyment of Macross F makes me think you'd dig Super Dimension Fortress Macross. It's the original series that Frontier is a re-imagining of.

[MangaRocks!]

Alright, my first anime-info request!

My question is about Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: I know that there's some surprisingly violent stuff in it at times, but I really want to watch the series... so, my question for those who've seen it is, just how graphic does it get? I don't need to know *which* characters the violence happens to, of course, but I do need to know the actual details of what is shown happening to them, in terms of its graphicness, so I can decide whether it'll fit my tolerance level.

Thanks very much in advance!

[TWWK]

There's quite a bit of violence, but I wouldn't call any of it "graphic." The violence is more of the nature of "red stains on clothing" than anything detailed. However, there is a coldness and sometimes shock feel to the violence.

*sees Fullmetal Alchemist on your list*

I would say the "feel" to the violence is similar to that manga and that the images aren't as graphic.

[MangaRocks!]

There's quite a bit of violence, but I wouldn't call any of it "graphic." The violence is more of the nature of "red stains on clothing" than anything detailed. However, there is a coldness and sometimes shock feel to the violence.

*sees Fullmetal Alchemist on your list*

I would say the "feel" to the violence is similar to that manga and that the images aren't as graphic.

Oh, excellent! Thank you!

[Makachop^^128]

I haven't been watching too much anime but I kidna feel like starting the summer with a epic Anime
I kinda want something like Eureka Seven or Gurren lagann, Has action, yet a lot of internal stuff and well some romance too ^.^ I like animes that have a very meaningful plot too. If you have any suggestions please tell me! ^.^

[TheSubtleDoctor]

I haven't been watching too much anime but I kidna feel like starting the summer with a epic Anime
I kinda want something like Eureka Seven or Gurren lagann, Has action, yet a lot of internal stuff and well some romance too ^.^ I like animes that have a very meaningful plot too. If you have any suggestions please tell me! ^.^

For the lighter, actiony side of what you're describing, try Sengoku Basara, Gaogaigar (and Gaogaigar Final). Check out Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica, Serial Experiments Lain and Casshern Sins for the deeper (plot-wise), darker side of things. All of the above are IMO quite epic.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I haven't been watching too much anime but I kidna feel like starting the summer with a epic Anime
I kinda want something like Eureka Seven or Gurren lagann, Has action, yet a lot of internal stuff and well some romance too ^.^ I like animes that have a very meaningful plot too. If you have any suggestions please tell me! ^.^

I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard Xam'd is pretty similar to Eureka Seven. You also might be interested in Macross Frontier, which as a franchise I feel Eureka Seven borrows from pretty heavily. Full Metal Panic!, especially FMP!: The Second Raid, is a pretty solid mecha series. On the less sci-fi side of things there's Kamichu!, which is about a girl who wakes up to discover she's become a goddess. Kannagi, in a similar vein, is about a goddess in modern day Japan adjusting to what it's now like, though it's definitely a comedy. Library War, or Toshokan Sensou, is a personal favorite. And I don't think a better anime to kick off summer with would be Summer Wars, my personal favorite anime film.

[Atria35]

I haven't been watching too much anime but I kidna feel like starting the summer with a epic Anime
I kinda want something like Eureka Seven or Gurren lagann, Has action, yet a lot of internal stuff and well some romance too ^.^ I like animes that have a very meaningful plot too. If you have any suggestions please tell me! ^.^

Seconding Summer Wars, Macross Frontier, Madoka, Kamichu!, and Library Wars. Great anime all around.

Seirei no Moribito, Someday's Dreamers (no action in this one, but lots of great characterization), and Birdy the Mighty: Decode would also be great ones to check out.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Oh, yeah, Birdy is a fine show.

[Maokun]

I'll go and be the one to recommend the anime that can't be discussed here, er, the opposite of "Olden Apocalypsis Ademonion". I think it's the perfect fit for what you asking. Also, if you liked Gurren Lagann, is very likely that you'll like FLCL.

[AngelicTotoro]

I was watching mermaid melody and I would just like to know all the spiritual/religion content in the show?
thanks!

If someone has already answered this in the past, I guess I could just search for it.

[mysngoeshere56]

If someone has already answered this in the past, I guess I could just search for it.

I watched the full first season of this show. The fortune teller character is mainly played for laughs, and it doesn't really get serious (it's a running joke that her fortunes never come true, if memory serves right).

There's one episode in which a haunted house plays a large role and... (spoiler for the ending)

[spoiler]Two ghost lovers who haunt the house take possession of Luchia and Kaito's bodies to temporarily feel each other like they would in life. It's a very short scene, though. In my opinion, this would probably be the most disturbing part of the spirituality, but it's only in one out of 52 episodes.[/spoiler]

There's also a supporting character who's pretty much intended to be the goddess of the sea, but she doesn't appear very much.

Aside from that, there's pretty much just your typical magical girl elements (i.e. using special powers, charms, etc.). Every now and then a character will use cards to predict the future of their love, but it's mostly played for laughs and nothing serious. There are a episodes with scenes in which characters pray at a shrine, too (but it never gets too objectionable).

Overall, the religious content in the first season wasn't so bad (in my opinion, anyway). I can't speak much for the second season because this show really isn't my cup of tea and I got tired of it so I dropped it, but you'll probably want to be more careful with the second season. From the bits I saw/know, I do know that angels come into the story in the second season and are viewed as antagonistic characters. If somebody who's watched the full season wants to jump in and explain more of this, feel free to do so.

[samurai10]

I'm trying to find an anime for one of my friends. He's like super super super picky about what he watches, and I'm running out of ideas. XD He likes sci-fi and fantasy genres, and refuses to watch anything that doesn't have one or both of those genres.

So far, he LOVES FMA: Brotherhood, and Soul Eater. And yeah.... Any suggestions would be quite welcome. ^_^

Oh, and something dubbed would be preferable. He doesn't like subbed. In fact, he refuses straight out to watch subbed anime. So um, yeah. ^^

[Narnian]

Last Exile sounds like a good fit. Hmm, narrowing it down to dubs makes recommendations a bit harder. Lost universe is another good match as is Slayers. Inuyasha is another possibility. Advent Children, Bubblegum Crisis, Appleseed (I think it's dubbed), Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle, AD Police, Ghost in the Shell, Tales of the Abyss (another sub but good), are some suggestions. He might like Macross and Macross F, but the latter isn't dubbed. I don't know if it will be either. I'll have to think of more.
He should really consider watching subs as well as some of them are really good if not better than the dub.