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[Mr Fahrenheit]

Ok! so my plans are as such, to start I'm actually going to rewatch paranoia agent because for the life of me I can't remember the ending so it seems like a good enough reason to watch the whole series again!

Next my list in the order I plan to watch is:

Monster: I know I love space stuff but the plot seems trippy and I like the sounds of it so far...

Planetes: Seems interesting quite a few recommendations (5th most recommended) too, gonna gladly check it out.

Steins;Gate: Again seems cool short series with only 24 episodes.

Gurren Lagann: Mr. Farenheit I apologize lol. But the most recommended and the plot seems cool and honestly seems very interesting!

Gunslinger Girl: Only had 2 recommendations but a pretty interesting story so this is on there!

Ergo Proxy: I actually like the story being about androids and robots so this is in there too!

Alien Nine: Seems very short with only 4 episodes but I like the bodysnatcher esque plot.

Kids on the Slope: 12 episodes long I can't complain with that and the plot seemed cool.

And that's it hopefully I'll be into anime after giving some of these a try, I'm going to Binge watch paranoia agent but with the rest I'm going to take my time and enjoy the ride. and if the ride ends up being amazing and I don't want off I'm gonna take all the other recommendations too starting with JOJO! lol

I said Kill La Kill is shit. Gurren Lagann is great, but a little over hyped by its fans.

But seriously, don't watch season 2 of gunslinger girl. That's not even just me, I've never met anyone who likes season2.

And Ergo Proxy is honestly some high level stuff, I won't lie. I watched the first 4 episodes when it first came out but didn't continue, and I only started again a month ago. It's REALLY good if you can get into it and its one of the few shows that's actually deep without just being total wank. It can get pretty ZzZZzzZ

Looked over the OP's list and the thread, I am dissapoint that Madoka Magika has only been mentioned once and not on said list, for shame AnimeGAF.
OP, you ever recall the stereotypical magical girl anime? Now imagine it flipped over and rebuilt from the ground up, that's what Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika is: a reconstruction of the magical girl anime that shows you the dark and cruel reality of the supposed genre.
It's a 12-episode anime series so not that long; its short length guarantees each episode has relevance and brings the plot forward. And the best thing is that it only takes 3 episodes for you to get hooked in which results in having your face look like this:

So watch it naow (or soon).

Yea, but the third movie is a sin against man. I was king Madoka, even had all the toys... But man, that movie... I wouldn't say it makes the show retroactively bad, but it's hard to ignore it.

 

[Wookieomg]

didn't see it listed in OP's list, so I'm gonna recommend Escaflowne. It's an older series, but it's one of my all-time favorites. Has awesome-as-fuck mecha action, an amazing soundtrack, characters that aren't annoying (!!), and a wonderfully realized story. I would be remiss not to say that the ending leaves something to be desired, but it's one of the greats, imho.

I can also recommend Dennou Coil, a sci-fi/drama/action anime. It's a more recent series about these children that wear augmented-reality glasses and play this sort of augmented game in their home town... A whole sort of ecosystem has sprouted up around these glasses, with currency and quests and things (but not like an mmo, a la Sword Art Online. It's much more subtle). The animation is amazing, some beautiful stuff there. Really heartwarming moments, and the story is very rewarding all the way to the end. Gets into some dark themes, and you really get a sense that the children are growing. Very poignant and I still cherish it to this day.

Also, I gotta throw Noein out on the table. It's a sci-fi masterpiece, imho. Came out several years ago, and boasts a VERY unique art style.. Might even be off-putting for some. But I found the action setpieces to be fantastic. The story is set around these children that get caught up in the middle of some alternate-dimensional warfare with this other cast of characters... I won't spoil anything more than that. But there is a great twist that gives the show this really great depth of feeling.

Enjoy!

 

[antiloop]

I know it's old but check out Maison Ikkoku. 96 eps of pure fun.

 

[Protag]

Question: just What is ping pong about?

Thanks

 

[daniels]

HunterxHunter2011
Akame ga kill
Kinos journey

 

[baterism]

Tonari no Seki-kun. Only 7 mins each. My favorite currently.

 

[AniHawk]

hey taco, i too fell out of anime sometime during the middle of last decade (it was eureka 7 that really did it). i'm kinda/sorta seeking out shows i had missed but heard good things about.

i'm watching gurren lagann right now. i would recommend it despite not being done (i have 7 episodes left?). just be aware that the first 13 episodes are essentially a backstory to the actual goodness that unfolds in the show's second half.

gurren lagann was directed by the animation director of flcl, so there's a lot of the same high energy there, and a lot of poking fun at tropes too.

kill la kill is also a good one, and a bit more consistent from the onset (and easier to follow), although rougher around the edges and obviously lower budget overall. it's also from the same guy, and the show winds up being a lot more satirical than gurren lagann (at least from where i can see both right now).

both are worth a watch. gurren lagann is interesting and kill la kill is fun. i'm finding there are a lot of people who live and breathe anime that will tell you any show is pure shit. it's great they're passionate about their hobby and stuff, but from the perspective of someone who just casually enjoys it, i have no issues with either one of these shows.

oh and this was on television a decade ago, but ghost in the shell stand alone complex (seasons 1 and 2) is really great.

 

[akachan ningen]

Just watch the first half of monster because the rest is ass. Then watch the ending.

 

[MistaPropella]

Hi I'm from Europe/Germany and want to watch more Animes and as there are so much more Anime BD in NA available I think I have to buy a Region A BD-Player, can you folks give me some advise on a good but cheap player and maybe a retailer who ships to Europe?
Thanks in advance.

 

[taco543]

hey taco, i too fell out of anime sometime during the middle of last decade (it was eureka 7 that really did it). i'm kinda/sorta seeking out shows i had missed but heard good things about.

i'm watching gurren lagann right now. i would recommend it despite not being done (i have 7 episodes left?). just be aware that the first 13 episodes are essentially a backstory to the actual goodness that unfolds in the show's second half.

gurren lagann was directed by the animation director of flcl, so there's a lot of the same high energy there, and a lot of poking fun at tropes too.

kill la kill is also a good one, and a bit more consistent from the onset (and easier to follow), although rougher around the edges and obviously lower budget overall. it's also from the same guy, and the show winds up being a lot more satirical than gurren lagann (at least from where i can see both right now).

both are worth a watch. gurren lagann is interesting and kill la kill is fun. i'm finding there are a lot of people who live and breathe anime that will tell you any show is pure shit. it's great they're passionate about their hobby and stuff, but from the perspective of someone who just casually enjoys it, i have no issues with either one of these shows.

oh and this was on television a decade ago, but ghost in the shell stand alone complex (seasons 1 and 2) is really great.

Yeah I made a list of where I'm going to start and Gurren lagann is pretty high up there actually so I'm gonna be on the ride for that one lol

 

[Necrovex]

Just watch the first half of monster because the rest is ass. Then watch the ending.

I can't comprehend your opinion.

 

[Moaradin]

Just watch the first half of monster because the rest is ass. Then watch the ending.

what.

 

[xBladeM6x]

How the hell did we get this far into this topic and not have someone suggest Claymore?

 

[Androidsleeps]

Start with Death Note. And that's it, you don't need to watch anything else.

 

[Necrovex]

How the hell did we get this far into this topic and not have someone suggest Claymore?

Claymore falls apart at the end. Like the whole final arc is bad.

 

[Evilisk]

Recommendations from GAF so far.

Just a few notes to go with your list:

-You have Gurren Lagan twice on your list (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan and Gurren Lagan are the same show), same with Gunbuster

-Fate/Zero is a prequel to an anime that is going to be coming out this year, Fate/Stay Night. Apparently Fate/Zero does work standalone but you do have the option of waiting for the original, just wanted to point that out

-Psycho Pass and Log Horizon are getting new seasons this year (in case they pique your interest)

-Gintama is a pretty big show and it's more of a long burn than it is a show that's really great from the start. You might want to watch that much further down the line

-With FMA, you should watch FMA2003 and then FMA Brotherhood, since Brotherhood does gloss a bit over some content that gets covered in 2003

-The One Piece anime's pacing gets really borked down the line (it starts off animating several chapters but to a certain point it starts doing a chapter:episode ratio) and that unsurprisingly affects the pacing. Just a warning

As for my picks, the only show I'm recommending is Durarara!! since the rest of my picks have been said. For movies, go with Blue Exorcist movie, Tokyo Godfathers and the Kara no Kyoukai series of movies (there's about 7ish of those).

 

[Necrovex]

I also feel Gintama wouldn't work too well for people unfamiliar with anime and Japanese gaming culture.

OP should wait a few years on One Piece as a group of editors are fixing the pacing problems on the latter parts of the show. They still have to fix the Whitebeard Saga, and they plan to work on the CP9 saga, Skypeia saga, and Alabasta saga.

Everything after Whitebeard is fixed though!

 

[borghe]

so my take on this whole topic...

it's like trying to say "I want to get into movies!!! where do I start!?!?"

the sheer scope and depth of such a statement (anime) is so vast.. are there some great recommendations in this thread? of course. largely most of the classics even. But going back to the movies analogy, in that situation you will likely get Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Star Wars, Jaws, Schindler's List, etc.. which are all great movies... but what about stuff like Midnight Run with DeNiro and Grodin? Big Trouble in Little China? Cheesy but fun crap like Single White Female or Basic Instinct? Shlock horror like the Troma or Full Moon stuff?

A great example of this in anime is Rail Wars... the op has been told "to kill it with fire" but it's honestly been VERY enjoyable for me. Not even the fanservice but just the more offbeat nature as opposed to the standard by the books shonen powerbuilding next ultimate evil stuff that has filled the thread so far.

anywho, certainly not out to pick a fight.. but seriously OP... grab a subscription to Crunchyroll or Funimation, throw a dart at a series and start watching it. If after 1-3 episodes you think it sucks... umm... stop watching? We are talking like an hour or less out of your life and you can and will find some enjoyable stuff that people just trash. This season is a disaster if you walk into the Summer 2014 thread.. yet despite constant complaints I am greatly enjoying:

Terror in Resonance
Rail Wars
Aldnoah Zero

If I stuck by other people's opinions I would never have even started them.. Well, Aldnoah Zero that might not have been the end of the world as it is mostly.. eh.... but it has an awesome soundtrack and excellent animation aside from ugly alien mecha designs.

 

[John Kowalski]

Question: just What is ping pong about?

Thanks

It's about people who are having their personals struggles strained by their love for ping pong. Ping pong is, quite obviously, their sport and they are all very skilled players who come from very different backgrounds, but who loses and who wins rarely matters. They learn about themselves and each other when playing it. It's very cathartic and life affirming, even if somewhat nihilistic. The characters are very strong and often say very important stuff. The art is very relaxed, but honest and straightforward.

Great soundtrack too. It's one of the best shows i've seen in my life.

 

[| Praxis |]

Subbed to this thread as I feel I'm in need of an anime education. Going to borrow Cowboy Bebop from a friend and start that as soon as possible. Haven't seen any anime mentioned that I used to watch as a teenager (Fist of the North Star, Wicked City, Battle Angel Alita, Devil Man, Legend of the Four Kings, Angel Cop etc..) So have a lot to learn.

I did try to watch Planetes about a year ago, but found it a bit preachy and on the nose with it's themes. Need to give it another go though as I was probably in the wrong frame of mind. Heard a lot of good stuff about Hunter X Hunter too so I will probably watch that after Bebop. Thanks for the thread op, good timing.

 

[AnathemicOne]

Yea, but the third movie is a sin against man. I was king Madoka, even had all the toys... But man, that movie... I wouldn't say it makes the show retroactively bad, but it's hard to ignore it.

Yeah the third movie is a bit controversial, people hate it or love it. Personally I'm in the camp of the latter, but I rather not detract this into a Madoka discussion, and besides the series itself is still worth watching regardless of the movie.

 

[stryke]

Despite having watched DBZ, Pokemon and Bleach, my real gateway drug to anime was Love Hina.

It's a great introduction to harems

 

[muteki]

I would suggest looking into shows/movies that match your interests in general, like scifi/fantasy or other genres. Lists are great but you could make a list of the best stuff ever and miss out on plenty of good shows, or get burned out too quickly. Luckily in this day and age anime in general is more accessible than it has ever been, so I would just jump in and watch something that interests you.

 

[Mesoian]

Tonari no Seki-kun. Only 7 mins each. My favorite currently.

Best OP and ED of the year.

Despite having watched DBZ, Pokemon and Bleach, my real gateway drug to anime was Love Hina.

It's a great introduction to harems

It is, it gets you prepped for the inevitable poor ending and lack of commitment shown by the cast.

Nisekoi is the Love Hina for the current generation. Just a lot of faffing and wringing of hands all leading to nothing because not one god damn person in that cast has a spine.

 

[cheezcake]

Subbed to this thread as I feel I'm in need of an anime education. Going to borrow Cowboy Bebop from a friend and start that as soon as possible. Haven't seen any anime mentioned that I used to watch as a teenager (Fist of the North Star, Wicked City, Battle Angel Alita, Devil Man, Legend of the Four Kings, Angel Cop etc..) So have a lot to learn.

I did try to watch Planetes about a year ago, but found it a bit preachy and on the nose with it's themes. Need to give it another go though as I was probably in the wrong frame of mind. Heard a lot of good stuff about Hunter X Hunter too so I will probably watch that after Bebop. Thanks for the thread op, good timing.

I felt the exact same way about Planetes

I'd recommend Ping Pong, my personal favourite anime now. Bebop is great so definitely watch that, Samurai Champloo is similar and pretty good as well. Also give Steins Gate a shot if the premise piques your interest.

 

[Kainazzo]

Despite having watched DBZ, Pokemon and Bleach, my real gateway drug to anime was Love Hina.

It's a great introduction to harems

I can't believe I spent the whole summer before 6th grade reading scans of Love Hina over a 28k connection. In retrospect it was a total waste, but dangit if harems don't have the 11-14 male demographic locked tight. That was over 13 years ago 0_o.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

The ones with the stronger starts are Death Note and to some extent Attack on Titan (just make it to episode 5)

Sword Art Online is a guilty pleasure if you've ever played an MMORPG

But the quality anime off the top of my head


Monster
Yu Yu Hakusho
HunterXHunter
Full Metal Alchemist (2003) WATCH FIRST then Shambala movie
Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood (Series 2) Watch this after 2003 then watch Star of Milos
Ghost In The Shell SAC
Hajime No Ippo
Wolf's Rain
Akira Story may not be for everyone, but the animation and ambition alone makes it a classic

There are many others but these are the ones that I could think of right now

 

[Blargonaut]

Everyone has mostly everything covered... but there's one gem no one's suggested yet that I highly recommend:

Redline (2009)
A down-on-his-luck driver competes in a futuristic and deadly galactic combat race!

Ignore the purists; I highly recommend the excellent English dub.

+ REDLINE CLIP AT THE JUMP (Youtube) +

Super-entertaining and more intensely action-oriented than thought-provoking, but it has some of the most jaw-droppingly detailed animation in a movie ever.

It's like watching Wipeout or F-Zero the movie on steroids

look at it
loooooooooooooook

This is an AMAZING movie. Utterly godlike animation and super-amped action. The English dub is excellent.

 

[kn0wsk1lls]

berserk watch anime first. then films. (also recommend manga)

 

[Mesoian]

Everyone has mostly everything covered... but there's one gem no one's suggested yet that I highly recommend:

Redline (2009)
A down-on-his-luck driver competes in a futuristic and deadly galactic combat race!

Ignore the purists; I highly recommend the excellent English dub.

+ REDLINE CLIP AT THE JUMP (Youtube) +





Super-entertaining and more intensely action-oriented than thought-provoking, but it has some of the most jaw-droppingly detailed animation in a movie ever.

It's like watching Wipeout or F-Zero the movie on steroids

look at it
loooooooooooooook

This is an AMAZING movie. Utterly godlike animation and super-amped action. The English dub is excellent.

And it's free to watch on Youtube.

There is literally no reason for you to not have seen this movie. It is excellent.

 

[Mumei]

All you need is Gundam(s), Berserk and Neon Genesis homie.

That's the .002% of anime that is good.

 

[| Praxis |]

I felt the exact same way about Planetes

I'd recommend Ping Pong, my personal favourite anime now. Bebop is great so definitely watch that, Samurai Champloo is similar and pretty good as well. Also give Steins Gate a shot if the premise piques your interest.

I thought I was the only one. Thanks for the recommendations.

 

[Necrovex]

You should be using this gif for the guy who stated half of Monster is shit.

I also feel a tad bad that I started to watch Hunter X Hunter 2011 rather than start with the 1999 series. Since I just reached the Yorknew City Arc, I can't justify rewatching the old stuff. :-(

 

[Linkark07]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki Kun. Great comedy, each episode is better than the previous one.

Also I recommend Working and Servant x Service, especially the former. So many laughs coming from all these animes.

Edit: Binbougami-ga too.

 

[Mumei]

You should be using this gif for the guy who stated half of Monster is shit.

I only saw his post after I had already posted and didn't feel like editing.

He's also wrong, though.

 

[MetalDeer]

A plan has been made on where to start!

Plan is as follows:
Steins;Gate

Good. Gooood.

 

[Sparkedglory]

Since Eureka Seven is already there, I'll recommend Michiko to Hatchin. It's a really good show. 22 to 24 episodes if I remember. Same company who made Samurai Champloo.

 

[isamu]

Quite a few of the series that I really enjoyed or think are good gateway series (not always the same thing!) have already been mentioned: Monster, Mushishi, One Piece, Code Geass, Death Note, Berserk, FMA:B, FMA (2003), Gurren Lagann, Black Lagoon, HxH, Planetes, Great Teacher Onizuka, Yu Yu Hakusho, FLCL, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Studio Ghibli films generally, and probably other series and movies I like but didn't see mentioned.

For series that I didn't see mentioned, though, I'd add: Legend of the Galactic Heroes, The Twelve Kingdoms, Full Metal Panic + sequels, Azumanga Daioh, Crest of the Stars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Baccano, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, Hikaru no Go, Hajime no Ippo, Ouran High School Host Club, Haibane Renmei, Fantastic Children, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, Kamichu!, Nodame Cantabile, Natsume Yuujinchou (Natsume's Book of Friends), Record of Lodoss War (13 episode OVA, not the TV series), East of Eden, Millennium Actress, Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen / Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal (same thing; you'll find it under one of those names) Vision of Escaflowne (TV series), and Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team. I'll add more if I think of any and someone else hasn't mentioned it~

I could narrow down if I had a better idea of exactly what you're looking for and what you like / don't like in anime.

And yes, Neon Genesis Evangelion = Neon Genesis.

Not a macross fan Mumei?

 

[Mumei]

Not a macross fan Mumei?

Are you secretly one of my friends from another forum who has been bugging me for years to watch Macross? <__________________<

 

[Ape Gone Insane]

As someone who is not big into anime, Death Note and Code Geass are the best options if you want to get into it.

 

[Sykotik]

Yo.

Yo.

Why isn't Berserk on the top of that list?

Well, perhaps you don't want to start with the best.

 

[MQX]

Movies:
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time(because you have Summer Wars in your list )
- 5 Centimeters Per Second(this is a good anime movie, but it can be a bit emotional/deep :/)

Anime:
- Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou(has a similiar comedy like Nichijou, but with High School Boys )
- Accel World(because of the action and the fighting in this anime )
- Ano Natsu de Matteru(Sci-Fi, Slice of Life, Comedy, Romance)

 

[SuperEpicGuy]

Rail Wars <- General consensus kill it with fire and stop being friends with the friend that recommended me this.

10/10, best consensus ever

I'm not into anime much. I only watch naruto because I've watched it from a long time ago. But attack on titan is a masterpiece. If you only watch 1 anime, choose attack on titan.

The soundtrack, the animation, the story are all excellent.

 

[stryke]

Tsuiokuhen should be on that list.

 

[lj167]

I didn't see them posted, and you've already made your list so I'm not sure how useful you'll find them, but the AOTY threads will give you a decent overview of the recent stuff that a decent portion of GAF liked:

2011
2012
2013

 

[Jotamide]

I just finished watching Steins;Gate and it's the best fucking thing I tell ya.

 

[thequickandthedead]

As someone who has recently bought the volumes, is there anything that makes the anime superior?

 

[Clairvoyance]

Start with Death Note. And that's it, you don't need to watch anything else.

Or he could watch something leagues better instead of something mediocre.

 

[Percy]

Start with some movies rather than diving straight into TV series is the first thing I'd suggest.

I'd also second recommendations for Redline and Summer Wars. Both are really good recent titles that look fantastic.

 

[Nibel]

Great list. Just remove that Steins;Gate garbage from it and you'll be fine.