Anime Recommendations Thread

[MightiMidget]

I'll drop a caveat about Ouran that although it is hysterical and fantastic? Some people find it offensive because the twin guys pretend to be in love with each other, Haruhi's father is a transvestite along with a couple other things here and there. It is pretty clean visually, there's just a lot of innuendo. Some people, like myself, find it utterly hysterical. Others find it tacky.

Seconding Kiki's Delivery Service, Summer Wars (and if the above would not be an issue) Ouran.

If the innuendo levels in Ouran would not be a turn-off, I'd also suggest Kaichou wa Maid-Sama!

Also, I would recommend Tsubasa RESERVoir Chronicles. The series, not the OVAs (Tokyo Revelations and Spring Thunder). The series I remembered being really tame in regards to violence, the OVAs however...are not (even though they're good). It is romance, yes, but it kind of vaguely falls under the same "feel" as Fruits Basket and Howl's Moving Castle. I've heard it's filler and botched in comparison to the manga, but...it was my third? ever? anime and I really enjoyed it regardless of its adaption quality.

Oh yes! Honey and Clover. Again, it's somewhat romance-based. But it's mostly just about a group of art school students trying to figure stuff out. And unless people getting drunk is offensive, I don't believe there was any additional innuendo...

[Maokun]

Wow... School Rumble boring? Then that means that she would find slice-of-life absolutely mindnumbing. Maybe Card Captor Sakura? It has action but its superclean and has a great female protagonist. It would also provide a nice, and possibly more approachable hook to follow with Tsubasa Chronicle as MM suggests.

Also, the movies Spirited Away and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. They are both clean but have great pacing, outstanding animation and unforgettable moments.

[MangaRocks!]

So, I've been hearing/seeing some stuff about Mononoke (the TV series) lately, and having looked up the premise, it sounds rather similar to Mushishi. I've read the Mushishi manga and thought it was quite good, so that similarity combined with Mononoke's interesting-looking art has me intrigued. I am also aware that if I decide to watch it, it's recommended to watch the Bakeneko/Goblin Cat arc of the Ayakashi series first. Since there aren't any content ratings for either of those that I can find in the reviews database at the moment (well, the Ayakashi series is in there, but it has no ratings yet ), what's their content like? (Specifically, in comparison to this? )

Thanks in advance!

[Atria35]

So, I've been hearing/seeing some stuff about Mononoke (the TV series) lately, and having looked up the premise, it sounds rather similar to Mushishi. I've read the Mushishi manga and thought it was quite good, so that similarity combined with Mononoke's interesting-looking art has me intrigued. I am also aware that if I decide to watch it, it's recommended to watch the Bakeneko/Goblin Cat arc of the Ayakashi series first. Since there aren't any content ratings for either of those that I can find in the reviews database at the moment (well, the Ayakashi series is in there, but it has no ratings yet ), what's their content like? (Specifically, in comparison to this? )

Thanks in advance!

The reason the Bakeneko arc is recommended first is because that's really where you're introduced to the idea of the Medicine Man (and I think he has the best lines there!). It's all about a guy who goes around exorcizing spirits who have been wronged in some way. That arc is also a direct tie into the last arc of the Mononoke series. The content for that and Mononoke is that
[spoiler]for nudity - undetailed, but there is implied rape in one arc, implied sex in another. From what I remember, you only see from the shoulders up, and virtually none of it actually happening, but you can tell it happened.

Violence- You almost never see anyone dying on the screen- their bodies are hauled off the page at worst, and then you see some blood. If you do see anyone dead, then you only see their bodies, and they're covered in blood but there's no gore.

Language- you're good, there's almost none.

Religion- I wasn't sure where this fell under, but one arc does deal with the spirits of children who were forced to be aborted, because having kids in a brothel wasn't okay.[/spoiler]

The thing that can get people is that it's rather psychadelic and trippy and symbolic at times, and that tends to be the most frightening parts of it.

[MangaRocks!]

Thanks very much, Atria-- that was really helpful! I'll be adding them to my to-watch list, then.

[impact777]

Has anyone seen the anime "Piano no Mori". It has been released here in Germany, but I can't find something here in the forum about it. >_<

[Atria35]

Has anyone seen the anime "Piano no Mori". It has been released here in Germany, but I can't find something here in the forum about it. >_<

It's clean. It's very, very clean. It's all about a prodigy in music, and he discovers some of his talent by playing a supposedly-cursed piano that's in a forest, but it's not really cursed, it just plays for brilliant piano players. It's all about the stresses of being a musical prodigy and the friendship between two boys who are prodigies.

[impact777]

Thank you Atria!

[mysngoeshere56]

Hey everybody, so I haven't watched much anime lately, and now I'm trying to get caught up again.

Would anybody mind recommending me some anime shows? Here's my MAL, if you'd like to look at it: http://myanimelist.net/animelist/mysngoeshere56

Also, a lot of the titles on my "plan to watch" tab are stuff I found years ago, but my taste has changed since, so I'm going to likely nix some of them. If it's something similar to what I seem to be into now, then I'll likely watch it, but I'm just letting you guys know about this ahead of time. Don't think that I might like something now if it's similar to what's on my "to watch" list.

Here's how I view my ratings...
3 or below - Not worth the time.
4 or 5 - It was OK, but I wouldn't have felt like I missed much if I didn't watch it.
6 or 7 - A decent, average score. Worth watching at least once in a lifetime.
8 or above - Great, and something I wouldn't mind and/or would enjoy watching again.

Basically, I'm shooting to watch stuff that I'd rate an 8 or above. Most shows that I would rate this high have a darker, melancholy, and/or potentially more Gothic feel to them. But, there are shows that I enjoy that don't fit this category (Ouran and Shugo Chara!, for instance).

So... I'll share my thoughts on all the shows I've rated 8 or above, so you guys can see why I enjoyed them so much.

Cardcaptor Sakura - For a long time, this was the only magical girl anime I liked. It doesn't fit my traditional mold, but it feels like an epic adventure and has something that everybody can enjoy.

Darker than Black - It was a bit hard to follow at times, but still very enjoyable in my opinion. The main characters were greatly memorable. I just finished it the yesterday, and I already want to start it again.

D.N.Angel - One of my favorites, by far. This was one of the 3 that got me into anime. I'm currently re-watching it (subbed only - I don't like the dub), and I enjoy every moment of it. The artwork, the characters, the story, and the plot are all wonderful.

Fruits Basket - A wonderful love story, and has lots of funny moments too. The only reason why the anime got an 8 instead of a 10 is because it ended so abruptly, and didn't continue the beautiful story that was in the manga.

Fullmetal Alchemist - So epic! I enjoyed every moment of this series. The characters, plot, and story are all incredible. And if anybody's thinking of recommending Brotherhood to me, you don't have to. I already plan to start it soon.

Kanon (2006) - My favorite romantic anime so far. I love Yuuichi, and the story has so many heartfelt moments. Definitely a top-10 for me.

Ouran High School Host Club - Not something I'd normally watch, but this was something I decided to, and I enjoyed it immensely. I liked all of the host club members, and Haruhi is one of the very few female characters I like. The ending was wonderful too.

Revolutionary Girl Utena - This is a "do not discuss" title, so I won't share my thoughts on it. All I will say is that the reasons why this is a "do not discuss" title in the first place are the reasons why I gave the series an 8 instead of a 10.

Sailor Moon - I love Sailor Moon R (except Chibiusa - she gets on my nerves), because it has a rich storyline with wonderful characters and a great plot. The other seasons, movies, and specials range from seasons almost as good (S season, Stars)to seasons that were somewhat weak (SuperS, especially the SuperS movie).

Shugo Chara - My favorite magical girl anime, because I loved Amu, and I also liked the fact that the magical boys played an equally important role. I liked seeing both the magical girls and boys transform and fight using similar attacks. Ikuto is my favorite character.

Tusbasa Chronicle - I love everything about Tsubasa, but I'm dropping the second season for now, because the manga is the only way to get the full story. I might go back to it later, though.

Vampire Knight - I *LOVE* the first season of Vampire Knight. One of the best anime series of all time, in my opinion. I didn't like the second season as much (for a few controversial reasons), so what I think of it as a whole will depend on how it ends (and it seems like the manga is the only way to get the full story for now). It'll either be epic fail if she ends up with Kaname, or epic win if she ends up with Zero. But either way, Vampire Knight is epic.

Wolf's Rain - I've yet to finish this, but I definitely will. I really like the premise and the characters are all likable. Having wolves play a part in the story is a definite plus.

xxxHOLiC - It's interesting how this takes place in the same universe as Tsubasa Chronicle, since they're hardly anything alike. Still, this is a wonderful show filled with lots of black comedy (with "black" being used in the sense of "dark" in that terminology) and some intense moments.

There were a few that came close, but I knocked down their ratings for a few reasons. Mermaid Forest could've made the cut, but I significantly lowered the rating because I felt the violence was a bit "over the top", even for me. If you've read up to here, you probably know that I'm perfectly fine with some violence/controversial topics in what I watch, but there is such a thing as "over the top" for me (The reason why I gave Cat Soup a 1 was because *all* of the violence was over the top). For me, the time when the violence was just too much was... [spoiler]...when the story arc of the woman who had that real face in a box began, and all the episodes after that.[/spoiler] If the early episodes were that intense, and/or if the series were longer, I wouldn't have finished it. I liked Pet Shop of Horrors, but some parts were a bit "over the top" for me too (though not nearly as much), and the fact that there really was no ending also was a bit of a disappointment. Princess Tutu was a bit too bizarre for my taste, but still very enjoyable and original. It was just... [spoiler]The ending was a little sad for Ahiru.[/spoiler]

Also, I really liked Bleach and Rurouni Kenshin, but put them on hold for now. They're both fairly long series, and I didn't feel like I had time to catch up to them (plus, there's a new Kenshin out now, isn't there?). But, now that they *both* have ended, I might try to. It will take me some time, though. One Piece was also great, but I stopped early on because I didn't want to watch something that was over 500 episodes long and mostly filler. I dropped D.Gray-man after one episode, because some of their spiritual plot devices somewhat disturbed me, but I have thought about giving it a second chance. Still not sure yet, though.

Out of what I'm watching right now, Clannad, Pandora Hearts, and Toradora! are off to a good start for me. I'm still not sure about Seto no Hanayome/My Bride is a Mermaid, but I'll see where it goes. I have mixed feelings about Soul Eater so far too (I like the characters and premise, but the fanservice is a bit much - we'll see how it goes in later episodes).

So... Anybody want to recommend anything? Thanks for your time!

[LinuxZombie]

I just finished watching the 1st season of K-ON! Which is awesome so far.

I also HIGHLY recommend Angel Beats! ( There is mild violence, but (no one really dies in the show, you have to watch it to understand ) The soundtrack for Angel Beats! is just as incredible as the series itself. A must watch.

I also HIGHLY recommend watching Clannad, and Clannad : Afterstory. Very moving anime and also humorous. (This one has some mild violence, and suggestive themes / scenes) Overall, very touching anime, I highly recommend it. After watching this one, I have started to look at my life differently.. no movie / anime / show has ever made me look at myself and how I see my relationships with others like this one has.

If you have any questions concerning these selections you can find me on FB under LinuxZombie, or you can get me on Skype as well under the same name. Or you can always hit me up here or at, gothrelic@hotmail.com. (I don't check my mail inbox that often so it will be easier to try one of the other options.)

P.S. If anyone knows of any really good anime, that follows Clannad or Angel Beats! or K-ON.. any recommendations would be awesome.. violence is okay.. no nudity ( i.e. Girls Bravo ) I prefer touching stories and comedies.. like Shuffle! (which is another good anime BTW.)

[Atria35]

Hey everybody, so I haven't watched much anime lately, and now I'm trying to get caught up again.

Would anybody mind recommending me some anime shows? Here's my MAL, if you'd like to look at it: http://myanimelist.net/animelist/mysngoeshere56

Don't bother with D.Gray-man- I tried really hard, and even though I completely crushed on one of the characters, it never really rises above a mediocre shounen and ends on a cliffhanger. Not worth it.

Thankfully you're right at the point where the fanservice in Soul Eater tones down a *lot*. Doesn't go to nonexistant, but becomes a lot sparser.

Since you liked Rev. Girl Utena, Maruwaru Penguindrum is a good choice. It's the same team, but the issues that made it a no-talky are not really there. It's a good mind-bender and symbolic show.

Since you liked xxxHolic, Mushishi and Natsume Yuujinchou are shows you really do need to check out.

Lovely Complex is a great romcom, and takes a different take on something romances usually deal with- height. She's got it, he doesn't.

Saiunkoku Monogatari is another reverse harem that I've heard nothing but good things about. From what I understand, it's not really a reverse harem, and the only objectionable content is one of the guys pretends to be gay since he doesn't want to be pressured to marry.

[Atria35]

P.S. If anyone knows of any really good anime, that follows Clannad or Angel Beats! or K-ON.. any recommendations would be awesome.. violence is okay.. no nudity ( i.e. Girls Bravo ) I prefer touching stories and comedies.. like Shuffle! (which is another good anime BTW.)

K-On- shouod check out Sound of the Sky, Azumanga Daioh, Manabi Straight, Bamboo Blade

Kanon (2006) is another Key anime like Clannad and Angel Beats!

You should watch Haibane Renmei if you liked Angel Beats!, as well as Ano Hana

[DecooPunk]

I was wondering if anyone knew a anime (besides erin, snow fairy sugar, and the studio Ghibli ones) that would be not rated higher than pg and has zero fan service, yaoi, yuri, gore, cussing?

[mysngoeshere56]

I was wondering if anyone knew a anime (besides erin, snow fairy sugar, and the studio Ghibli ones) that would be not rated higher than pg and has zero fan service, yaoi, yuri, gore, cussing?

The first thing that comes to my mind is Angelic Layer. You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelic_Layer

It's fairly clean overall. The only thing that some might not care for is the fact that the people playing the game are called "deus", which means "god" (and the meaning of "deus" is not emphasized on the show, just something I already knew). Aside from that, there's really nothing openly objectionable in it. No real fanservice (we see characters taking baths, but nothing below shoulder-level is seen). If there was any swearing, it would've been nothing above the d-word, because I don't remember anything about it. If memory serves me correctly, I think I typically watched it subbed, but the dub probably doesn't have any swearing at all (if it does, it's likely just as minimal).

(Oh and just so you know - Angelic Layer does take place in the same universe as Chobits (both were made by CLAMP), but if you enjoy Angelic Layer and still want to watch something that's pretty clean, don't watch Chobits. Chobits has a lot of fanservice in it, but Angelic Layer is very clean as a whole.)

And thanks for the recommendations, Atria! I'll be sure to check those out. And as always, if anybody else has more to recommend, I'm all ears to you guys too.

[Maokun]

Most shows that I would rate this high have a darker, melancholy, and/or potentially more Gothic feel to them.

Rozen Maiden immediately pops to mind.

Wolf's Rain - I've yet to finish this, but I definitely will. I really like the premise and the characters are all likable. Having wolves play a part in the story is a definite plus.

If you liked this, try following with Cowboy Bebop.

One Piece was also great, but I stopped early on because I didn't want to watch something that was over 500 episodes long and mostly filler.

Opposite to most titles of its category, One Piece has extremely little filler content and it's an all-around worthy experience. If the prospect of the 500+ episodes is too daunting, I suggest to try the manga. Not only presents a better (IMHO) rendition of the particular artistic style of the author, it's also a comparatively more attainable feat.

And since you have come to like magical girls with a twist and some darkness, I urge you to watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Perhaps you saw lots of people around here going crazy for that series the past year and it's for a reason.

[Vii]

I was wondering if anyone knew a anime (besides erin, snow fairy sugar, and the studio Ghibli ones) that would be not rated higher than pg and has zero fan service, yaoi, yuri, gore, cussing?

5 Centimeters Per Second - A romance OVA/Movie. The art is absolutely beautiful. There's no fanservice, yaoi, yuri, gore, cussing, anything. Unless you're opposed to romance there's nothing bad in it.

Kimi ni Todoke - Another romance anime. This one's super sweet. I don't remember any fanservice or cussing, and definitely no yaoi or yuri.

Cross Game - Baseball/Romance/Comedy/Slice-of-Life. No yaoi or yuri. Nothing blatantly fanservice-y. The worst swear would probably be "d-mn", and even then I don't remember it showing up.

[AngelicTotoro]

Most shows that I would rate this high have a darker, melancholy, and/or potentially more Gothic feel to them.

If you like mysteries along with all of that, then I'd suggest Gosick.
It does have some violence, a little blood and death. I don't remember how much swearing there was exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was fairly mild.

[mysngoeshere56]

Opposite to most titles of its category, One Piece has extremely little filler content and it's an all-around worthy experience. If the prospect of the 500+ episodes is too daunting, I suggest to try the manga. Not only presents a better (IMHO) rendition of the particular artistic style of the author, it's also a comparatively more attainable feat.

Really? A friend of mine told me that it was about 80% filler. Maybe her definition of filler differs from yours, though... Or maybe some episodes that looked like filler at first turned out to be more important later on. Either way, thanks for letting me know. I'll look into it a little more, then.

If you like mysteries along with all of that, then I'd suggest Gosick.

Oh yes! You're talking to a huge fan of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.

Thanks for the recommendations, everybody! I'll be sure to look up all these shows too.

[Atria35]

I was wondering if anyone knew a anime (besides erin, snow fairy sugar, and the studio Ghibli ones) that would be not rated higher than pg and has zero fan service, yaoi, yuri, gore, cussing?

Kaleido Star, Time of Eve, Dennou Coil, Bamboo Blade (this has one girl stalking another, but it's for revenge, not out of a crush or anything like that), Millennium Actress, Tamayura OVA ("fanservice" warning in that there's a bathing scene like in My Neighbor Totoro, where you see nothing and it's completely non-sexual), Usagi Drop (a little blood when she loses her first tooth, brief and definitely not 'gorey'), Yumeiro Pâtissière.

I want to add Ginban Kaleidescope to this list, but it's been a while and I can't guarantee no language even if the rest of it would qualify.

Really? A friend of mine told me that it was about 80% filler. Maybe her definition of filler differs from yours, though... Or maybe some episodes that looked like filler at first turned out to be more important later on. Either way, thanks for letting me know. I'll look into it a little more, then.

Your friend must have a very different definition of filler! I am shocked because, at least in the manga, there is no filler. Pretty much everyone they come across comes back at some later point, and every arc builds up the story.

[mysngoeshere56]

Your friend must have a very different definition of filler! I am shocked because, at least in the manga, there is no filler. Pretty much everyone they come across comes back at some later point, and every arc builds up the story.

Is it something that happens over a long period of time? If so, maybe she didn't get far enough to get to the parts when the arcs start coming together and seeming important, so she thought it was filler. Either way, thanks for telling me. I'll look into it and see if I can do this. 500+ episodes *is* a very heavy load (especially when you're a college kid ROFL! XD).

[Maokun]

Admittedly, the first leg of Luffy's trip is rather slow and filled with ultimately unnecessary mini-arcs (guy trapped in a treasure chest, I'm looking at you) but from a storytelling perspective they are vital as the characters that will become protagonists are introduced, their personalities and motivations explored and several running gags and motifs are established. Starting with Arlong's arc, (somewhere around chapter 80 of the manga) the series accelerates to the unmitigated, epic rate it will keep until today.

[Brizee-chan]

Can someone reccommend some anime for one who loves cutesy stuff/mahou shojou(magical girl)/shojou?
No nudity and stuff like that, and minimal cursing please.

[Neane]

Can someone reccommend some anime for one who loves cutesy stuff/mahou shojou(magical girl)/shojou?
No nudity and stuff like that, and minimal cursing please.

Full Moon o Sagashite and Kaleido Star come to mind.

[Atria35]

Can someone reccommend some anime for one who loves cutesy stuff/mahou shojou(magical girl)/shojou?
No nudity and stuff like that, and minimal cursing please.

+ 1 Kaleido Star.

Angelic Layer, Gakuen Alice, and Yumeiro Pâtissière would also be good choices. If you liked Madoka, if you haven't seen Princess Tutu you should make that priority.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Can someone reccommend some anime for one who loves cutesy stuff/mahou shojou(magical girl)/shojou?
No nudity and stuff like that, and minimal cursing please.

Heartcatch Precure

[Cianter]

Ok, this is a weird request thingy, whatever:P Anyways, do you guys know of any animes that have, like........animals? Like not normal animals, like fantasy animals and such, I'm just in a real animaly mood;) Just no Yuri or Yaoi, and as little nudity as possible, I can take a little, but not like full on, you get the idea:) And also, if there are any anime that all anime fans must watch (such as FMA, Fruits Basket, like the big ones that 'everyone' knows) just want to know if there are any legends I'm missing out on:)

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Princess Mononke and Twelve Kingdoms spring to mind in terms of fantastical animals.

[Atria35]

[quote="Cianter (post: 1555334)"]Ok, this is a weird request thingy, whatever:P Anyways, do you guys know of any animes that have, like........animals? Like not normal animals, like fantasy animals and such, I'm just in a real animaly mood]

+1 for Princess Mononoke and Twelve Kingdoms.

Also Kemono no Souja Erin, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Aso, as for must-watches...
Cowboy Bebop (Faye Valentine wears a risque outfit, but I don't remember any nudity)
Escaflowne (tv series not the movie)
Death Note
Sailor Moon (there is some shoujo-ai in one of the later series, implied, but you should at least watch the first season. No shoujo-ai in the first season)
Samurai Champloo is a major one, but there is implied sex in a few episodes. Slight partial nudity. One of the guys they meet and take around Japan for one episode is gay, but nothing comes of it other than the statement that he is. You could actually skip that episode if it makes you uncomfortable.
Clannad and Clannad Afterstory are must-watches
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - another must-watch, but does have some fanservice.
Spirited Away

Unfortunately, there are three (Akira, Monster and Neon Genesis Evangelion) that are 'legends', but I think they would fall outside of what you would be comfortable watching.

[MightiMidget]

Note on Cowboy Bebop that there is frontal, detailed female nudity in one of the episodes...though the character is male. (I believe the explanation given was some wartime gas with hormone-whacking side effects?)

EDIT: I believe that episode is Jupiter Jazz pt. 2, or episode 13 according to wikipedia. The nudity is brief and plot-relevant, but there. I do recommend Cowboy Bebop as an anime legend though, even though I didn't particularly enjoy it.

Seconding both Clannad series, and pitching Monster in spite of Atria's warning... According to Hulu the dub is TV-14, whereas the sub is TV-MA. I would guess that'd mean the dub would have cut out a lot of the sexual content. (There's strip clubs, brief sexual scenes and an off-camera rape) This may, by some standards, mean the dub ruined the series and it's not worth watching if it is edited? But it's just a thought.

[Cianter]

Thanks so much for all of the recomendations, I am actually watching Clannad now, so YAY^_^ Any others would be appreciated, and thanks again:)