Anime Recommendations (Version 2.0)

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-01-05 12:54am

Okay, I'm looking for serious anime recommendations. I've got a growing interest in it and I'm looking for good series. My current favorites are Cowboy Bebop and Noir if it helps.

NO MECHA ANIME!! Your post will be deleted by Ed

if it's found to contain contrary recommendations!

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-01-05 01:02am

Record of Lodoss War (NOT CHRONICLES, Just the OVA)

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-05 01:03am

You like Cowboy Bebop and don't want mecha? O...K...no comment about that

. Anyway...

Ninja Scroll has some of the best fight scenes I've seen, even if it's only about a 7/10 on my scale.

If you just want to laugh your ass off one day, get Those Who Hunt Elves...a tank possessed by the spirit of a dead cat is one of the more normal characters. Only a 6/10, but mostly because my friend had seen it before and delivered all the punchlines before the characters did (until he got punched in the shoulder for about the dozenth time).

Personally, I'm waiting for the Wild Arms anime, since I've played the games, but I don't know anything about it.

Other than that, most everything I know is mecha-related, so I won't mention it.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-01-05 01:10am

You can try Love Hina or Tenchi Muyo (both romance comedies. TM is more sci-fi-ish and has action. Get the first 13 episode OVA of TM, then Tenchi Universe, but don't touch Tenchi in Tokyo).

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-01-05 01:12am

The Dark wrote:You like Cowboy Bebop and don't want mecha? O...K...no comment about that . Anyway...

I find that even the best done Mecha Anime do be dripping with fan boy wank. I like Gundam well enough but the mech fights always seem to come of... wrong. I by and large don't care for the giant robots/suits/gundams/whatever.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-01-05 01:15am

And what is the OVA? Shinova and Kelly both mention it.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-01-05 01:16am

Feature Films

Vampire hunter D

Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust

Ghost in the shell

Akira

Twilight of the dark Master

Series

Gundam wing

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-01-05 01:17am

Original Video Animation (or is it Original Animation Video... I can never remember which way it goes)

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-01-05 01:17am

Stormbringer wrote:And what is the OVA? Shinova and Kelly both mention it.

I believe it means Original Video Animation.

It's anime that's released directly to video only first. VHS is the initial release format.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-01-05 01:18am

Someone please tell me what is so great about Akira? I never liked it.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-01-05 01:20am

Series

Gundam wing

No MECHA DAMN IT!

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-05 01:23am

Stormbringer wrote:
Series

Gundam wing
No MECHA DAMN IT!

Besides...that was a crappy series IMHO. The UC series is better than any of the non-UC attempts. I would say (sorry Storm, ignore this if you wish) that the original Gundam and original Macross are the two mecha animes worth watching, since they're focused on the people with the mecha and mecha combat intended primarily as eye candy, not as plot devices as in Wing.

Datana · Post by **Datana** » 2003-01-05 01:37am

Well, the Rurouni Kenshin OAVs (licensed by ADV Films) are definitely worth a watch (as is the first half of the TV series, but that is distinctly lighter-hearted). In the U.S., you'll find it as "Samurai X." Also with a darker feel to it is Witch Hunter Robin (recently licensed by either Pioneer LDC or Bandai Entertainment, I forget which). If hard sci-fi is what you're after, try Crest of the Stars (licensed by Bandai). I'll second the recommendation of Vampire Hunter D, as well -- it was one of the anime that brought me back onto the scene.

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2003-01-05 01:49am

Neon Genesis Evangelion...

Wait!

I only consider it mecha-wank incidentally, the actual meat of the story is character driven and quite well done. And anyway, at least it comes right out and admits that the technology is basically magic.

Sokar · Post by **Sokar** » 2003-01-05 02:31am

My recomendations :
Perfect Blue - Wild psycho thriller, superior to most live action films

Ghost in the Shell - Excellent cyberpunk/sci-fi, Motoko Kusagani rules.

Wings of Honnieamesie: Royal Space Force - Excellent take on the space race in a world very similar to our own. Great visiuals and characters.

Vampire Hunter D and its sequel VHD : Bloodlust - Rocking gothic horor masterpieces

Tenchi Myuo: OVA - Funny as hell romance comedy with a cool sci-fi bent to it. Great characters and dialogue that will have you laughing your ass off.

Outlaw Star - The saga of Jean Starwind and the quest for the Galactic Ley Line. Great action/adventure sci-fi with a touch of techno magic thrown in to the soup. Not as deep as Cowboy Bebop, but still lots of fun

Blue Sub No. 6 - Excellent post-apocalyptic action sci-fi, serious eco-environment bent and a ending occasionaly as confusing as Evangelions, woth it for the seamless blending of traditional anime and CGI work .

Spriggen - excellent action/adventure sci-fi, follows the adventures of a secret societies super-soilders the "Spriggen" on their quest to keep dangerous ancient knowledge out of the wrong hands. The action sequences in this one blew me out of my chair, its awesome.

Warning !The followin reccomendations have mecha as part of the setting , but are NOTHING like the Gundam/Macross type animes

Patlabor : The Movie and Patlabor 2: Mobile Police - Excllent story and character driven stories where the mecha are only props and not the focus of the story. Deeply philosophical and political, expecially 2, which closely examines Japans role in the world and the use of its military. Gives these two a chance, you wont regret it.

More after you watch thoes

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-05 02:35am

Err...I take back my eye-roll and mecha comment...I just realized I was thinking of Outlaw Star's spaceship rather than something from Cowboy Bebop...je suis bete.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-01-05 02:37am

Kelly Antilles wrote:Someone please tell me what is so great about Akira? I never liked it.

I think it was what really brought anime into the US.

Also you have to be one of those weird, freaky, uber-intellectuals to enjoy it

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-05 02:48am

Shinova wrote:
Kelly Antilles wrote:Someone please tell me what is so great about Akira? I never liked it.

I think it was what really brought anime into the US.

Also you have to be one of those weird, freaky, uber-intellectuals to enjoy it

Err..correct me if I'm wrong, but Akira appeared in 1987. The Macross Saga was released in Japan in 1982 and in the US (as Robotech) in 1985. Akira may have been the first unAmericanized anime, but Robotech appeared before it. Both were important in establishing anime in America, though most people seem to prefer the manga of Akira nowadays.

Sokar · Post by **Sokar** » 2003-01-05 02:56am

The Manga actually explains what is going on , often movies of popular manga assume you've already read the original series and long exposition is unnecessary. Which makes many of us poor gai-jin confused as we get it in the reverse order.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-01-05 03:18am

Project A-ko

Just about the funniest parody of just about every Anime convention.

The Black Jesus · Post by **The Black Jesus** » 2003-01-05 03:40am

Ah My Goddess movie

Hellsing baby, yeah

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-01-05 03:44am

For more of a Noir Feel:

Crying Freeman
Golgo 13
Lone Wolf and Cub
City Hunter

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-01-05 03:48am

Crying Freeman's not bad, I've read the first two manga. Haven't tried Lone Wolf and Cub yet.

The Black Jesus · Post by **The Black Jesus** » 2003-01-05 03:48am

golgo13 is hintee, sir

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-01-05 03:50am

The Manga is Shojien (or Male action adventure)

Yes, he has sex, but mostly it's about killing people

Unless the only one you've seen is Queen Bee.

Also: Riding Bean, Gunsmith Cats