Recommendations for Japanese anime

[auburngrad82]

I'm just beginning to get into the world of Japanese anime. I've been a big fan of animation but haven't seen much in the way of the Japanese version. Does anyone have any recommendations of what they consider "essential" anime?

I've seen and loved:

Spirited Away
Grave of the Fireflies
Castle in the Sky

I haven't seen any of the TV series since we live in the Boonies and don't have cable.

BTW, happy holidays!

[BigMcLargehuge]

1. Last Exile, definitely

Read or Die (OVA) {OVA = Original Video Animation, and is different from a series}
Someday's Dreamers
Akira
Ghost in the Shell (film), Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex (series)
Steamboy

[Khephra]

2. You've seen Steamboy?

How, when and where?

[BigMcLargehuge]

3. only an extended preview given to me by Columbia Tri-Star

they have the rights. It should street in February of 05.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

4. I'd add Ghost in the Shell 2

[Khephra]

6. The Read Or Die OAVs are on Cartoon Network tonight!

12:00AM, 3:00AM ET

[Khephra]

5. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

It's an old one, but it's only now coming out on DVD (February 22, 2005).

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

7. its also Miyazaki's masterpiece IMO

Though I still hold that Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi is my favorite film

[Az]

8. Current best show running in Japan

Naruto.

There is a recent trend in Anime. A show will start off a bit silly. Frenetic and fun are the focus. But then they over time start bringing in the real plot. What starts off as some minor subplot becomes and overwhelming and powerful real focus of the story. Trigun and to a lesser degree BeBop followed this pattern.

Naruto is a story about a near do well ninja in training and his growth. It is one of the most character rich and developed series I have seen in a long time. It vies with Rumikio Takahashi(Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha author) for depth of character.

Naruto is available for download at www.animesuki.com until it becomes licensed in the states.

Other excellent series include One Piece, Prince of Tennis (its better than it sounds), Full Metal Panic Fumoffu (you will laugh until you die.... violently), Full Metal Alchemist (playing on Cartoon Network currently), Jungle Wa Hale Nochi Guu (more existential than FLCL and Excell Saga), Stellvia, and Samurai Champloo (from the creators of Cowboy Bebop(you didn't think they just vanished did you?)).

[democracyindanger]

9. Akira

The One Anime You Must Watch.

I don't think anyone will disagree.

[Zhade]

10. Grave of the Fireflies killed me. So sad.

My tips: get fansubs online. Don't watch the horrible "Adult Swim"-ized re-edited American version of any series. Do, however, watch the original (but subbed) version of any of the series on the AS lineup.

I'll post suggestions tonight, when I get home.

EDIT: CLAMP stuff is pretty dependable, IMHO. More later.

[DrWeird]

11. Cowboy Bebop.

The series. Movie's good too, but watch the series in proper sequence.

[NuttyFluffers]

12. ugh, 'essential anime.' alright, but you asked for it.

*old classics*
ranma 1/2 (entertaining, but gets waaaaaaay old after several seasons)
urusei yatsura ("annoying aliens." one of the better series from the 70s)
speed racer (natch)
dragon ball (gag me)
sailor moon (gag me, but with sparkles!)
lupin 3rd (the movies can be a lot of fun, but the series is an acquired taste)
dirty pair (actually amusing, but very kitsch)
bubblegum crisis (mechs in high heels, oh my... ...)
gundam (... i never got into any of them)

*modern*
el hazard (actually quite fun, but it got carried away with new version)
tenchi muyo (like el hazard, but too many damn eature length movies!)
saber marionette 'add letter here, J/R/S whatever' (meh, mindless fun)
vision of escaflowne (also known as escaflowne, it started off fun.)
record of the lodoss war (oh, it had potential, but then it lost it's mind in the end)
x the movie (and then there's the series. great band X Japan made the music, art can be pretty, movie blows)
vampire princess miyu (actually pretty good start, but only recently has the story been further released in america)
demon city shinjuku (is so-so)
wicked city (a bit better, but not by much)
vampire hunter d (is good, solid ending, far better than sequel)
ninja scroll (oh god is this stupid. but the headbutt scene is great!)

*more modern stories*
evangelion (i loathe thee)
inuyasha (mindless, repetative, but sometimes fun)
cowboy bebop (often poetic, but sometimes it tries too hard)
kenshin (also the OAV of rouroni kenshin, one is high drama, another is series, which occasionally good, can tend to get on its high horse)
lain (started off good, then launched into the stratosphere with pretention and hyperbole -- but this is a common trend in modern anime. nothing like evangelion though, so far that is past jupiter and going)
arjuna (meh, is ok, i guess)
vampire hunter d, modern version (i thought it was poop)
big o (profoundly formulaic and stupid. the otaku fans eat this stuff up)
yu yu hakusho (it starts with potential, then it wallows in the same *&^% formula that plagues almost all modern anime now)

... well, there's a short list of what i've seen. i had a lot of fun with about half the titles here, and ended up despising to my very core another 30%. but go ahead and check 'em out.

[Old Mouse]

13. good reviews

You left out FLCL and Giant Robo

[NuttyFluffers]

14. i love FLCL as if it was my own child

it definitely is not part of the same vein that is pervading modern anime at the present, and therefore deserves major accolades. it is also mercifully psychotic and short, so it leaves on a real high note.

another anime that entertains me and is along the same mad universe as FLCL is Dragon Half. refreshingly insane.