Anime Recommendations

[Datana]

No mecha, huh? That's a pretty big limiter. Well, let's see... My list would probably be something like this:

Licensed in the U.S. / Out on DVD:
- Aa! Megamisama (Oh! My Goddess) [A short, romantic OAV with some nice designs and . Read the manga if you want more detail; the series only scratches the surface.]
- Card Captor Sakura [Cute to the max. If you're familiar with any of CLAMP's works, you should know generally what to expect.]
- Cowboy Bebop ["Space cowboy" type action with an unbelievable score and strong characters. One of the few shows I like the dub to.]
- El-Hazard: The Magnificent World [Fantasy/sci-fi blend in an Arabian setting and some humor added. Avoid anything other than the original OAVs, as they mostly range from mediocre to poor.]
- Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel Saga (Excel Saga) [You should probably only watch this after watching some other anime -- it makes plenty of references and spoofs every genre imaginable.]
- Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies) [Ever see a fatal trainwreck in slow motion? This gives a similar feel of impending gloom. Hardly anyone I know leaves the movie without tears.]
- La Fillette Révolutonnaire (Revolutionary Girl Utena / Ursula's Kiss) [This series is whacked. That's all I have to say about that.]
- Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke) [Like most Miyazaki films, this isn't to be missed, though is a good deal more violent than the usual Miyazaki film.]
- Serial Experiments Lain [Sci-fi, with some very weird and disturbing moments. Multiple viewings are probably necessary to get everything here.]
- Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen (Samurai X) [Like a live-action samurai movie brought to animation, and an epic plot to match.]
- Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkanku Romantan (Rurouni Kenshin) [Much more comedic than the prequel was; if you like one, the other may not be for you.]
- Seikai no Monshou (Crest of the Stars) [Hard sci-fi drama with some stunningly written characters.]
- Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer [While this is a movie based on a long-running manga, one can watch it cold. Just avoid the dub, which is one of the worst ones ever produced and reaches MST3k levels of badness.]
- Vampire Hunter D and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust [Two different takes on the same manga series -- both movies are good in their own ways.]

Fansubbed only (not licensed, or licensed and the owner is sitting on it)
- Kanon [A cute series that seemed kind of rushed in terms of plot progression, but still has a charm of its own.]
- Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa (Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind / Warriors of the Wind) [There was an excreable dub of this called "Warriors of the Wind" with major cuts and changes, but the original is simply unavailable in most parts of the world. This was also one of the first Hayao Miyazaki movies and exhibits his distinct art and directoral style.]
- Kurenai no Buta (Porco Rosso) [Also only available as a bad dub. A semi-idealistic take on the WW1 period with some weirdness and good writing thrown in.]
- Saishuuheiki Kanojo: The Last Love Song on This Little Planet (She, the Ultimate Weapon) [Takes the utterly overused "mechanical girl" genre and turns it on its head, making it into a dystopian, apocalyptic vision. The subtitle isn't kidding around with the "Last Love Song" part.]

Thisis only a fraction of the stuff I could recommend, but this should get you started.

[Datana]

Whoops -- missed the "limit 2" part. Rurouni Kenshin and Cowboy Bebop are probably the meat of the bunch I listed, though you may wish to look over the other parts as well. No damned "edit" button in this forum...

[Neko_Oni]

Larz: Jin-Roh is very cool. I think the art was done by the same group that did the GITS movie, so it looks very clean. Its a serious movie though, I don't think there's any comic relief in it. Definately worth a look.

[neoolong]

Larz: Jin-Roh is very cool. I think the art was done by the same group that did the GITS movie, so it looks very clean. Its a serious movie though, I don't think there's any comic relief in it. Definately worth a look.

Just remember that it's not really an action movie. It's more of a political drama. It does have some nice action parts, but that's not all it is. Just so you know what to expect before you watch it.

[Kuja]

Blue Sub 6 is kind of cool. It combines anime with CGI and pulls it off really well. Too bad the plot is kind of crappy.

[consequences]

Revolutionary girl Utena for the pure mind-fuck, get the movie if you want the whole series' mindfuck condensed into 2 hours
Dragon Half for pure fantasy comedy, only 2 episodes, but completely awesome.
Only get Lensman if you have never read the original books.
Weiss Kreuzz for the feel, the violence, and the awesome characters.
Ghost in the Shell, subtitled version, The original Cyberpunk anime, still vey cool.
Irresponsible Captain Tylor, for the outer space comedy.
Grave of the Fireflies and any other WW II set anime for the depression value.
Ranma 1/2, the first real anime I ever saw, and still glorious.

[lgot]

Spanky:

*Some fans say that because Kiyone is in MnE, it's some kind of OVA/TV1 mix, but I think that's absurd. Considering everything else in the film points to it being in the OVA (The larger blue house, Yosho's past, the appearence of Tenchi-ken, Tenchi's Wings of the Light Hawk...), I say that it's part of it.

But there is a slip of the continuity: Sasami is not Tsunami in MnE (I am not mistaken, this is the second movie , with tenchi's daughter right ?). When she was captured Yosho talk about Tsunami, but not about being the same one.
But yes, This second movie is the one more close to the OVA...
But the third movie is out of all continuity. Does not goes well with Tenchi Universe continuity as well, hence it shows him coming pacefully to the earth...

[consequences]

Arrrggghhh! I can't believe I forgot Campus Guardress.
Now that I think about it, throw Goldenboy onto the reccomendation list too.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Spanky:

*Some fans say that because Kiyone is in MnE, it's some kind of OVA/TV1 mix, but I think that's absurd. Considering everything else in the film points to it being in the OVA (The larger blue house, Yosho's past, the appearence of Tenchi-ken, Tenchi's Wings of the Light Hawk...), I say that it's part of it.

But there is a slip of the continuity: Sasami is not Tsunami in MnE (I am not mistaken, this is the second movie , with tenchi's daughter right ?). When she was captured Yosho talk about Tsunami, but not about being the same one.

Tsunami was ONLY mentioned in the OVA, and never in the other series. The very fact that she was mentioned in the film should mean something. Your second sentence doesn't make any sense. Just because Yosho doesn't mention it, doesn't mean that they aren't the same individual.

But the third movie is out of all continuity. Does not goes well with Tenchi Universe continuity as well, hence it shows him coming pacefully to the earth...

It is official fact that Tenchi Muyo in Love 2 is the the conclusion of the TV1 continuity. The second half of your second sentense makes no sense. And how does it "not go well with Tenchi Universe as well"?

[Dalton]

Whoa, what a friggin' haul.

I haven't watched much anime but my suggestions are...

Outlaw Star - Great space opera, but see the subbed version as the dub is crap. One of the first animes I got into when Toonami started up.

Trigun - AWESOME Future-Western. I'm a big fan of this type of anime (Star Wars-ish space western - anyone got any recommendations along these lines?). If you love Cowboy Bebop (like me) you will enjoy Trigun. Also has the biggest fucking anime girl I've ever seen.

Also, pick up the Cowboy Bebop movie when it comes out. I have it already from...other sources and it is very worthy.

Another anime along these lines is Iria: Zeram the Animation (an anime made from a live-action movie, but way better). Kinda hard to find, but IMO very much worth it.

If you want to go for the FUCKING BATSHIT INSANE (and funny) Anime, I definitely recommend Excel Saga and Dragon Half (thanks, Damaramu!). Both of these will have you pissing your pants with laughter.

As for Akira, I saw the dub and didn't like it very much at all. The same kinda went for Vampire Hunter D (gasp!) but I haven't seen Bloodlust so I'll withhold further comment.

Speaking of vampire anime, Hellsing is fucking GREAT.

And if you're in the mood for a COMPLETE MINDFUCK, try Serial Experiments: Lain and Perfect Blue.

Also, check out a great indie anime I recently saw called Voice from a Distant Star. Short, sweet and quite touching. Bit of a sob story there.

DragonBall Z is pretty good for the fights (you want to root for the good guy, just to see him kick ass) but it gets very boring and tedious between. Tenchi Muyo is also good for pretty much the same reasons.

And soon enough, I will get to Escaflowne and Neo Genesis Evangelion and see what all the fuss is about. And I must rewatch Ghost in the Shell...and Armitage III...damn, I forgot how much anime I've actually seen...

[Dalton]

Oh, and Spirited Away was one of the best fairy tales I've ever seen in my life. Outdoes every single Disney cartoon made.

[lgot]

Spanky:

Tsunami was ONLY mentioned in the OVA, and never in the other series. The very fact that she was mentioned in the film should mean something. Your second sentence doesn't make any sense. Just because Yosho doesn't mention it, doesn't mean that they aren't the same individual.

True, but she is there called only a starship and not a mixed being with Sasami. That is the failure. But I do agree, it is the more similar with the OAV...
Plus when they talk about the power of Sasami, it is not her power shared with Tsunami, but Sasami's goodness.
Seems like she is not the one of the OAVs, perhaps they took this off, otherwise that would make her capture a bit without sense...

It is official fact that Tenchi Muyo in Love 2 is the the conclusion of the TV1 continuity. The second half of your second sentense makes no sense. And how does it "not go well with Tenchi Universe as well"?

I never saw any official site about Tenchi making any continuity official. But then in the third movie Yosho comes to earth to live here, pacefully, which is not what he does in the Tenchi Universe. Plus the juraians trees are not the same thing in both stories.

[Utsanomiko]

I never saw any official site about Tenchi making any continuity official. But then in the third movie Yosho comes to earth to live here, pacefully, which is not what he does in the Tenchi Universe. Plus the juraians trees are not the same thing in both stories.

Actually, yes it is. That fits perfectly with the TV continuity.

And Shin-Tenchi Muyo! is the red-headed hunchbacked step-cousin of the Tenchi Muyo series. I nearly had a stroke watching the first episode.

Let me emphasize that: Do NOT watch the first epidoe of Shin-Tenchi/Tenchi in Tokyo. It is neurotic garbage.

[Kelly Antilles]

Tenchi in Tokyo is pure garbage. Gah, they just rewrote the whole story AGAIN putting all the girls in school uniforms. They must have been trying to compete with Sailor Moon or something.

[Larz]

Tenchi in Tokyo made me want to gouge my eyes out with cotten balls... most people don't even consider it part of the Tenchi series because it was so bad. It was their attempt to compete with all the cutsie animes that were flooding the scenes. Of course if you like american Sailor Moon you'll probably like Tenchi in Tokyo (either way, I feel sorry for those who do). But I can't believe I forgot Perfect Blue. A completely twisted work of art. And Iria the anime is far better then the live action one (pizza delivery boys I think were the ones bothering Iria?)

[Kuja]

Tenchi Universe is my favorite of the series.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Tenchi Muyo in Love is my most favorite film EVER.*

While Green Legend Ran was the first anime I saw**, TMiL is the one that made me an anime fan.

*Yes, I know that that's probably not grammatically correct, but that's the best way I can describe it.

**I've seen anime before GLR, but it was years before when I was little. GLR was the first anime that I could identify as such.

[Utsanomiko]

The fiasco of Tenchi in Tokyo was mostly due to the post-Evangelion Desolation of 1998. Production companies were racing to put out cheap, mindless series (as to how they thought this could cash in on Eva, I still can't understand), and networks started cracking down on content. That's why only the first half of Cowboy Bebop was aired in Japan. Battle Athletes also spawned from this void, IIRC.

For some reason, AIC and Pioneer thought wanted to see a Tenchi Muyo series that wasn't like a Tenchi Muyo series. Stupid decisions like that is why I've taken a cautious approach to anime in the last two years or so. To me, Japanese stuff used to be almost garenteed to be good, but nowadays alot of stuff has gotten carelessly flawed (not thoughtless, fortunately. I've still got the USA to guage that kind of quality.).

There's some more examples of the 1998 anime desolation, and some more factors in its existence, but I can't recall them. I know Spanky will probably correct me on them, especially since I'm going to mention that I'm calling the new AU Gundam series "Gundam Candidate"/"Candidate for Gundam" untill I can personally verify it's quality. So stuff that one up your straw and suck it, Mr. Dolphin!

[Kelly Antilles]

Manamo Hunter Yohko.

The movie (1), 2 and 3 are great. I had never seen 6 until recently and found that I really liked it. Forget 4-ever and 5 isn't half bad.

[Rubberanvil]

Imho Tenchi Muyo in Love is extemely asinine and pointless as it acheive nothing in the grand scheme of things.[/quote]

[seanrobertson]

I'm am beginning anime fan and since we've got numerous anime junkies I thought I'd ask for recommendations. So far the only show I've followed has been Cowboy Bebop.

All I ask is keep the recommendation to two (2) at most. And explain why. And no giant mechs, mobile suits, robots gihting shows.

I'm with you bro.

I've watched Cowboy Bebop...it was modestly interesting, though
why all of the characters were smokers baffled me. I don't like
smoking, myself--I actually started a thread in the off-topic
forum here about how baffled I was that I saw SO many pretty
girls chain-smoking--and I do understand that Japanimation comes
from a somewhat different perspective than does the health-Nazi
United States "eat dirt and nothing else" doctrine...but why does
Cowboy assert such characterizations?

I can tell you, from personal experience as a former cigar smoker
who never intentionally inhaled even the "finest" Cubano cigar's
smoke, that shit WILL slow you down. I'm a powerlifter/bodybuilder,
and endurance is by far NOT one of my top priorities...yet, occassional
cigar-smoking DID inhibit my performance, IMO. And we're talking about
maybe two cigars a month if that.

Habitual cigarette-smokers smoke more like 20-40/daily. Perhaps one
of the sweetest, most scrumpuous girls I've ever known, a sweet
thing named Lorie, smoked 40 cigarettes a day. At least. She was
smart as a whip, so I could never understand why she made such a dumb decision to become addicted to such a deleterious thing. Yet, those
almond-eyes and perfect...ooooh, PERFECT features...wow She was
something. Errr...anyway...

Lorie was a perfect physical specimen, but I feel 20 years down the road,
she would've been far happier if she had at least quit smoking by the
time she was 21-23 or so. I think the damage could've largely been
dealt with at such a point, as her smoking (from, say, 15-23) would've
lasted less than a decade. I've personally trained people who've smoked,
and currently smoke, far more than that timespan who are, by all indications, rather healthy (though I constantly remind them: STOP
FUCKING SMOKING!).

Alas, I digress. Cowboy Bebop advances a lifestyle that doesn't befit
anyone, and its stories, IMO, are rather limited...but when it comes
to other anime I've seen, CB SHINES! Most anime flat-out SUCKS.
There IS a reason it hasn't replaced even the horrible "Raymond Blows
the Milkman" or "The Fat Fuck UPS Driver Eats a Twinke" shows on United
States prime-time television. Gundam sucks, too.

I don't know that ANY anime is worthwhile. If you speak fluent Japanese,
and you come across an unedited something-or-other, it is probably okay...but generally speaking, ANY translation of Japanese to English is
pretty fucking bad. Evidence? See Symphony of the Night: Castlevania.
The Japanese version was fucking awesome. The English version was
a JOKE.

[seanrobertson]

I'll tell you something else...

Back when I was introduced to import products, the "Valis" series
of videogames was a real big thing. Valis III, in particular,
was RAD on the PC Engine CD-ROM system.

Valis--often pronounced "VARIS" in the English versions, whoops!--
is a perfect example of anime: a schoolgirl picks up a sword
to battle inter-dimensional demons, and she even has a fair
chance of WINNING.

If THAT was evaluated with the same scrutinity of the effectiveness
of Stormtroopers, Jem'Hadar, Klingon warriors, etc., anime would
be exposed as the real ass-end of sci-fi space that it is.

[HemlockGrey]

First anime I ever saw was NGE. Damned good, too.

[Kelly Antilles]

THE REASON WHY ALL THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN COWBOY BEBOP SMOKE:

The writer is a huge American movie fan. You see evidence in EVERY episode. Back in "the day", all actors smoked. This is his homage to the greats. Just like Spike knowing Jeet Kun Do, Bruce Lee's style of martial arts. There are many, many, many homages to Americanisms.

Check out http://www.jazzmess.com for lots of information on Cowboy Bebop.

[HemlockGrey]

If you live in my area, and you can find a copy, get a copy of the Principality Chronicles.