Anime recommendations

[Yoru]

You forgot to mention the upcoming new season of Higurashi.

I have no idea what possible direction they could be taking the series...I thought they were finished with the source material.

Indeed I did, although that's technically not until March, and so is part of the spring season instead of winter.

And no, there were two more games to do, and I hear the 7th was quite long. I've also heard rumor that the director is intending on putting his personal touch on the series by adding in his own ending. Whether or not they're doing 7th + Original, 7th + 8th + Original or some other combination thereof, I don't know.

There's also the rumored Haruhi Season 2 this fall.

[Hoax]

OMFG MORE HARUHI

*E-SWOON*

...

Seriously, unleash the inner fanboi and so on.

OTOH its one of my favorite series ever but it doesn't need more eps.  Where some favorites demand more.  Hope they do right by it (can't imagine they wouldn't though).

[schild]

The is no reason whatsoever to continue Higurashi. You don't see Japanese companies cash in like that very often. Usually it's with 50 different action figures.

[Strazos]

Speaking of good series, I could definitely go for more FMP. Not that I've heard anything.

[Hoax]

Watched Welcome to the NHK very good stuff.  As long as you dont mind some of the uglier aspects of real life getting in your anime.

[schild]

Death Note kicks my goddamn ass all over the place.

[Simond]

Speaking of good series, I could definitely go for more FMP. Not that I've heard anything.

After S2 of Haruhi, of course.

[schild]

 Haruhi wasn't interesting enough for me. Death Note >>>>>>>>> Haruhi.

[Strazos]

I'll tell you how I feel once I find the room for Death Note, among other things.

[Velorath]

I'm still hoping that one of these days that the whole Anime fad will blow over 

[Sairon]

I'm still hoping that one of these days that the whole Anime fad will blow over 

Hehe, not for as long as it's offering something the western entertainment doesn't.


Anyway, depending on what you think of bleach and naruto, it might be worth to pick them back up again. They're stopping the filler bullshit now. Personaly I found both of them to be top notch before the filler bullshit, even if Naruto definetly is geared at a little younger audience and try to teach morals a bit to much at times.

[Chenghiz]

Yeah, Naruto is starting the story back up on February 15. I'm looking forward to it, given how cool the manga has been. The filler was just execrable.

[angry.bob]

Yeah, Naruto is starting the story back up on February 15. I'm looking forward to it, given how cool the manga has been. The filler was just execrable.

I stopped following Naruto when they started the filler, but I had liked it. Does anyone know if they're animating the Kakashi side story were he gets the eye?

[Hoax]

I strongly recommend that anyone who has an affection for sci-fi and anime give Ergo Proxy a try.  I thought it was pretty crazy and the atmosphere the art conjures was fantastic.

[Teleku]

Ok, I know I am bringing this up about a year late considering the last time it was discussed in this thread, but I just watched Haibane Renmei.  I downloaded it a few years ago when it came out for a roommate who really likes watching overlly cutsy anime.  I decided to leave it on my portable harddrive because it did look at least a little different and artsy, so I figured I might watch it someday.  As you may have noticed from my previous recommendations in this thread, I like more realistic/serious anime, usually with lots of guns and death.  Not the usual stupid vapid cutsy anime shit.

And holy fuck, I loved this series.

Despite having alot of the usual cutsy anime character cliches, the underlying darkness kept me intriged through the first few episodes.  Then it just became amazingly well done when they progressed into the two main characters ordeals.  Blew me away.  It was deep, imaginative, sureal, yet it wasnt to hard to fully understand what was going on by the end of the show (which is something most artsy anime fucks up on imo).  It had a good ending as well, which I feel most anime fucks up on also.

So yeah, I completly loved this anime, and have to recommend it despite the fact that its not the normal type of anime I like.  Though I know I probably wont find any, are there any other animes anybody can recommend like this?  "If you liked Haibane Renmei, you'll love this:" sort of thing?  Just in the mood for more now.  I know the director also did serial exparament lain, but I have heard alot of mixed opinions on that.  Is it still at least worthwhile to watch?  Or is it to incoherent (thats the impression I got from people)?


I think Japan is finally driving me insane.

[Strazos]

Um...Elfen Lied?

[Hoax]

You should try Lain because it does ellicit strong feelings from damn near everyone, I opted not to watch it because it was compared to Technolyze (which you may want to consider checking out, more dark stuff but with some guns this time, very very bleak).  I thought Technolyze was boring but I prefer my anime with a side of giant robots so who would listen to me right?

[schild]

Lain. Lol. Strong feelings of hate.

Have you seen She, The Ultimate Weapon [Saishuheiki Kanojo (spelling?) or SaiKano]. That's pretty serious and has guns and no cutesy shit.

Admittedly, I didn't like Haibane Renmei, but I really liked SaiKano. It may be just what you're looking for. There's also - reasonably recently - a decent SaiKano live action movie.

Also, DEATH NOTE.

[Teleku]

Thanks for the suggestions everybody, I`ll give Elf Lied, Lain, Technolyze, Deathnote, and SaiKano a try (Posters for all the god damn Deathnote movies have been all over the place here).  Im finding that watching anime is helping my Japanese anyways now, and I dont have a TV in my room so I never really watch local TV at all.  So even if I dont like any of it, I should still gain something, heh.

Even though I usually end up disagreeing with you on everything when it comes to Movie and Video Game preferences, I`m just curious why you didnt like Haibane Renmei Schild.  Granted, the more I look at it, the more I realize it just hit me hard emotionaly due to the subject matter it ended up focusing on (which I hadnt been expecting).  Rakka`s story in particular closly parallels some unfortunate real life events Ive had to deal with, so I suppose there was alot more heavy hitting at a personal level, which might not effect others.  Still, I thought the whole thing was really well done, despite going into with pre-established disdain.

[schild]

Whether or not something hits me on the emotional level doesn't really effect my enjoyment of a show. Things I've hated have hit me emotionally and so have things I love. Renmei bored me, plain and simple. It wasn't bad, it wasn't good, it was just just. I saw it during a period when I watched a SHITLOAD of anime (working in an anime store, new series every day or every other day. We were blowing through shit during 8-10 hour shifts (and during the day shift we didn't get many customers compared to the night shift - we had 5 solid hours of anime to just sit there and stare at each day). When we got to Renmei, a lot of people had been talking about it, so when it wasn't that good it struck us as something more mediocre. Maybe I should give it a chance. The best shows that came out of that period were the fansubs of Jungle Wa, FLCL (it had just been released) and Full Metal Panic 1. 2001-2002 were REALLY GREAT YEARS for anime straight outta Japan, and Haibane Renmei simply wasn't up to snuff.

The standout series from those 2 years are (imo):

Jungle Wa
The Cat Returns
Heat Guy J
Comic Party
Ultra Maniac (most people can't stand this)
Ai Yori Aoshi (I <3 Love Hina, definately these 2 are my GUILTIEST pleasures)
Love Hina OVA
Cowboy Bebop movie
Hellsing
Witch Hunter Robin (not sure it should be on a list with this other stuff)
Full Metal Panic
Noir
Hikaru no Go
Millennium Actress
SaiKano
Read or Die
Naruto (the early stuff was fantastic)
Spirited Away
Hunter X Hunter OVA
Azumanga Daioh
Get Backers

I can't believe I remember that period so vividly actually. There was just _so much good_. And somehow, there was more bad. I guess that's how it goes with anything. The amount of absolute shit we watched is just astounding. But the high points, man, really high. That list wasn't in any order, but of the anime I watched in college, Hunter X Hunter might take the cake. I adored that show in every way possible. It may very well be the best anime I've ever seen.

[Strazos]

Hellz yeah Comic Party, among others on that list.

But if you have Comic Party on there, why not Happy Lesson? Same era and all. I'd probably rank them about equally.

[schild]

Because I enjoyed Comic Party?

Generally, as a rule, besides Ai Yori Aoshi and Love Hina, I'm not a fan of Harem, but Comic Party was good entertainment with a premise that made it surreal. It wasn't normaly in 2002 for hobbies to be portrayed like that, not in anime or live action. Since then we've gotten Densha Otoko (movie, tv show, inevitable anime coming up here any way now), Akihabara@Deep, Genshiken, etc.

On that note, I left something VERY IMPORTANT off that list when I looked at my anime after that post - Abenobashi. I make no apologies though since it was from memory.

[Stormwaltz]

I've seen an even mix of shows recently.

Crest of the Stars (*****) - Chacacter-driven SF adventure. Imperious space elf princess and dry-witted human noble get caught up in a war.

Gunparade March (****) - Brutal military action plus dating sim. Seriously, it works. Unfortunately, the latter overwhelms the former at the end.

Starship Operators (***) - Terrible characters, but a couple of the most realistic starship combats I've seen in anime.

Ceres: Celestial Legend (**) - Starts great (if emo), falls to pieces in the second half.

And still plowing through Armored Troops VOTOMS. Good, but you have to be able to deal with the crude art and storytelling of the early 80s.

[Hoax]

Do not ever watch the second Gun Parade it is sooo terrible.

[schild]

Crest of the Stars, at the last Otakon I worked at was what people bought the most of when other people weren't looking. Guilty Pleasure City.

[Lantyssa]

So yeah, I completly loved this anime, and have to recommend it despite the fact that its not the normal type of anime I like.  Though I know I probably wont find any, are there any other animes anybody can recommend like this?  "If you liked Haibane Renmei, you'll love this:" sort of thing?  Just in the mood for more now.  I know the director also did serial exparament lain, but I have heard alot of mixed opinions on that.  Is it still at least worthwhile to watch?  Or is it to incoherent (thats the impression I got from people)?

You might try Neia_7.  It has a different, more whimsical flavor, but is more episodic and mostly ignored by everyone.

[Simond]

Everyone who liked Crest/Banner/etc of the Stars really ought to give Legend of Galactic Heroes a try.
Just, you know, make sure you schedule in enough time for it. 

[Furiously]

The standout series from those 2 years are (imo):

Cowboy Bebop movie - good
Hellsing - ok
Full Metal Panic - surprisingly enjoyable
Noir - I loved this
Read or Die - brilliant
Spirited Away - so surreal and cool

[Fabricated]

Noir bored me to death. Parts of it are like watching a kid play Virtua Cop at Chuckie Cheese where all the guys are turned into robots.

Other than that though, I haven't watched a lot of anime outside of what pops on Adult Swim off an on. One of my friends is a Tenchi Muyo fanboy and subjected me to two DVDs of the latest (and supposedly final) series. It's uh...Tenchi. Reasonably well animated though.

[Furiously]

I think Noir appealed to my inner autistic.

It was that each character had their own theme, the flashback growing, over-all plot, granted it was slow at times.

[Strazos]

God damn I have been getting pwned by "Welcome to the NHK' lately. I'm not even finished yet, but I'm pretty sure it's better than Haruhi.

And I really liked Haruhi.

[Hoax]

NHK and Haruhi are both really awesome.  I think Black Lagoon is terribly underrated, just watched it again (both seasons) and I really love that show.

[NowhereMan]

Have started watching Bartender and I'd like to add that I quite like it. Like most anime it takes a job (or institution, etc, etc.) and basically mythologises it but it does a good job of telling the stories in each episode and it gives me cocktail recipes.

Will have to check out NHK as I loved Haruhi.

[Strazos]

I mean, hell, it even spends an episode on MMO catassing. What's not to love?  :-D

[rk47]

hahah. i loved that mmo arc
admittedly I'm having a hard time getting 'attached' over anime after NHK ends.  :-( So I've not been watching anything for a while. Doubt there'll be NHK Season 2 tho.