The Anime Thread: Finding Good Anime

[Digi.k]

ah there is also Excel Saga

[SignOfZeta]

ah there is also Excel Saga

If you're interested in the "manic jibba jabba" genre you should check out Excel Saga's precursors, Assemble Insert and Child's Toy.

[roflmao]

The best thing I've seen recently is the new reboot of Mazinger Z. Since I've been a Mazinger kid for decades I can't really say how great this show would be for people who are new to the universe, but I was very very impressed. Its super hot blooded! Actual name: Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen.

Thanks for this recommendation, Zeta.  I grew up watching Force Five (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_Five) so I have to check this out.

[SignOfZeta]

If you like it hot blooded, you won't be disappointed. The first episode will melt your f*cking face off.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Yeah, Excel Saga is supposed to be really great, & really random!  I have it, but, it's one of many on my backlog.  Also, IIRC, I might mention that Naruto actually has some characters that are apparently based on Far East of Eden Ziria.  I recall the Sonnin in Naruto being based on the protagnists, Ziria(became Jiraya the Toad Sage), Orochimaru(a villian in Naruto), & Tsunade.

Also, as memories start coming back, Code Geass is fantastic, it's one of those series where you really start to think about who really is the good guy & who is the bad guy.  Sometimes it seems clear, but, other times, not so much.  They just released a dvd set of the entire first season, but I'm kinda hoping they'll do a blu ray version.

[termis]

As a casual fan, I mostly like the story-driven anime, rather than eye-candy material.  Let's see, ones immediately pop up in my mind are...

GTO
Salaryman Kintaro
Welcome to NHK

I *really* loved the Gundam design as a kid, and really, really tried to get in the series, but... it just doesn't hold my interest.  I started at the original UC Gundam, got to about episode 14-15 in the last 6 months.  Only reason I carry on is all the great shit I hear about Zeta Gundam, and I'd like to see the prequel before I get into this. 

Robotech is something that I also thought was cool as a kid/teenager, but never tried watching again as an adult.  Never got past the Macross saga.

I also have fond memories growing up with earlier stuff like Starzinger, Galaxy Express 999, Mechander Robo, but I'm not sure if I'd enjoy them all that much as an adult now.

[SignOfZeta]

For me, personally, Galaxy Express 999 will always be awesome. Its the frightening, bluesy, dark, brooding weirdest that at the same time is comforting. The concepts are so f*cked up and thought provoking and sad that it will never get old for me. Also, of course, space trains are great and the designs are just beautiful.

So its like a really good Cure album, basically.

[PunkicCyborg]

shonan bakusozoku was one of my favorites. It had a US release by the awesome company Animeigo on VHS. Too bad it didn't have a Laserdisc release.

[bartre]

personally, i love:
Higurashi no naku koro ni / When they cry - to date the only thing that has ever put my friends in the fetal position.
Gungrave - think Resident evil meets the godfather
Azumanga Daioh - already mentioned
GTO - already mentioned
Love Hina - already mentioned
Ah! my goddess - kind of a romantic comedy, but it's a good time.
Beck - the music alone makes this one worth watching.
Ranma 1/2 - already mentioned
Gunslinger Girl - it's about cyborg assassins, but it's not set in japan, so it's something a little different

but i hated:
Death note - it had a good concept, but after the 12th episode or so, it just ran around in circles
Lucky Star - there was no point, couldn't even give it a 3 episode test
Gunslinger girl season 2 - it ruined everything good about the first season.
Moon Phase - it seemed like it had an okay story, but there was this awkward sexual tension with a character that looked like she was 12, so that bothered me.

[Lilgrafx]

Samurai Champloo, the only anime I watched all the way through. I thought it was great.

[bartre]

Samurai Champloo, the only anime I watched all the way through. I thought it was great.

Champloo was really good, the only problem i had with it was the ending, it just fizzled out.

[SignOfZeta]

I think most anime fans hate the endings to most series. That's just the way it goes.

[bartre]

heh, sometimes i think that's true.
but 2 of the best endings ever go to gunslinger girl and elfen lied.
champloo's last episode was all like
"BOOM CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!"
and then
"BOOM BAD ASS ACTION"
and then
"FIZZLE! HA, I BET YOU THOUGHT THE CHARACTERS WERE GONNA SHOW THAT THEY GREW IN SOME WAY, DIDN'T YOU!"

[DragonmasterDan]

So having close to run out of new anime to watch, I ordered a few movies off of Amazon, I should have "The Girl Who leapt through time" and "Project Ako" next week.

[Arm]

If you like the Lunar series, you should check out Nadia the Secret of Blue Water series from Studio Gainax.
Also, there are 3 series which invented a new style in the 70s (World Masterpiece Theater) and are very worth looking for : Heidi girl of the Alps, 3000 Leagues in search of Mother and Anne of Green Gables.

Those series, based on books, were directed by Isao Takahata and the Layoutman was mainly Miyazaki. This was before their Ghibli period and after they left Toei Animation in the 60s.
These series are very oldschool, but the direction and story are better than most of todays more stylish/empty anime.

The character designer of these anime Yoichi Kotobe, who also worked for Toei in the 60's was later hired by Nintendo and created all the definitive designs of Mario and Zelda franchise and gave advice for the animation process, back then. It's obvious for the art style of Wind Waker, Nintendo was inspired by the animation movies Kotabe had worked on in the 60's. In Animal Treasure Island, in addition to character design, he was in charge of the stylish water animation.

Animal treasure Island http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/video/other/ld-ati-front.jpg
Hols Prince of the Sun http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/video/other/ld-hols-front.jpg
Puss in Boots http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/video/other/ld-pib-front.jpg