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Myth's Anime Thread

So, having heard all over the place that it's one of the greatest anime series ever made, I recently decided to watch Cowboy Bebop. And I ended up being a little disappointed.

I have the entire CB on DVD and never managed to watch more than 2-3 episodes. It didn't grab me.
 

Futhark

Inkling
Wow this is a long thread. Haven't read it all so I may be repeating what others have said. I think my favourite anime movie is Ninja Scroll. Ghost in the Machine is interesting at times. I like Naruto (ninjas again) and a short series called Trigun.
 

psylenda

Acolyte
First post here, halloo everybody.

I've been into anime since I was in middle school, starting off with Naruto (pretty typical entry-level anime) and Inuyasha, and since then I've watched most of the stuff mentioned in this thread except for Sword Art Online.

Anime I've liked a lot:
Cowboy Bebop
Inuyasha
.Hack//Sign
FLCL
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Gurren Lagaan (Anything by Gainax really)
Death Note
Ouran High School Host Club
FMA (I prefer the first series over brotherhood, even the ending)
Black Lagoon
Code Geass

Some maybe less well known recs
Samurai Champloo - directed by the same guy who did Cowboy Bebop, it has a similar episode structure and a stellar soundtrack by a Japanese hip hop artist, Nujabes.
Kare Kano - probably my favorite high school drama anime. In the english dub the main character (a girl) is voiced by the same voice actress that did Ash Ketchum. There's a lot of depth in the exploration of the character's emotions, but it's really dialogue heavy, and the director changed about halfway into the show. Even so I highly recommend this one.
Irresponsible Captain Tylor - I found this anime in a library one day and watched it for kicks. It's really campy but kind of endearing mecha anime--irresponsible rogue captains a space ship against an alien invasion force, saves the day. Kind of niche, I was very stoned when I was watching it
Paranoia Agent - This series was by Satoshi Kon, who did Perfect Blue and Paprika. It's kind of like an anime version of Lost with some magical realism elements thrown into the director's critiques of modern Japanese society. Really weird, really dark.
Welcome to the NHK - The only anime I've seen about a hikikomori. Pretty depressing, but watching it is a really cathartic experience if you can relate even a little bit.

I've only read the first fourteen pages of this thread, but I get the general sense that there's a lot of love for FMA, Attack on Titan, and SAO.

Personally, I consider NGE one of the best anime ever made (along with FLCL, which I consider the thematic "answer" to NGE). It's not for everybody though. When I was a melancholic teenage edgelord it was very therapeutic.. but it's dark. NGE is similar to Shakespeare's Hamlet, in that it's considered by a lot of people to be one of the greatest works in its medium, even though it's not a particularly enjoyable work when you actually get down to it. Similar narrative too. Young hero runs from conflict over and over until everything goes to hell.

Gainax did the weird montage ending to NGE because they ran out of budget, but it's consistent with what was happening; Shinji's ghostly convos were a representation of everyone's identities becoming fused by instrumentality. When he finally made the decision to go out and live life, everyone got separated back into their own bodies.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
Personally, I consider NGE one of the best anime ever made (along with FLCL, which I consider the thematic "answer" to NGE). It's not for everybody though. When I was a melancholic teenage edgelord it was very therapeutic.. but it's dark. NGE is similar to Shakespeare's Hamlet, in that it's considered by a lot of people to be one of the greatest works in its medium, even though it's not a particularly enjoyable work when you actually get down to it. Similar narrative too. Young hero runs from conflict over and over until everything goes to hell.

Gainax did the weird montage ending to NGE because they ran out of budget, but it's consistent with what was happening; Shinji's ghostly convos were a representation of everyone's identities becoming fused by instrumentality. When he finally made the decision to go out and live life, everyone got separated back into their own bodies.

NGE is probably my least favorite anime that I've finished watching. I can understand why other people like it and I even do appreciate the quality of its production and the themes it was trying to address. The first half I found moderately enjoyable. I think it was best when it was tackling the practical difficulties of fighting monsters with inadequate technology. As soon as it started getting existential it went way downhill. Mostly because it didn't have a single positive or valuable thing to say about the dark themes it was raising.

And my feelings aren't just based on the TV ending. I watched the movie ending immediately after finishing the series and honestly the movie probably made it worse. The whole thing ended up just being creepy and negative with nothing of real substance to offer. But like I said, I do understand why other people would like it. It just didn't work on any level for me.

I've been watching Naruto on Netflix, my first time watching it. I'm loving it.

Naruto gets bashed a lot, but it's a very good story with an interesting world and compelling characters. I watched all of the original Naruto except for the "filler" episodes (anything not based on the manga) and enjoyed it. I mostly watched it because my daughter was super into it at the time. But now she's moved on and I don't really feel compelled to dive into Shippuden (which has legendary amounts of filler). But I think it's a good example of a story that successfully develops an ensemble cast around a main protagonist.
 

Twinss Risen

Dreamer
Ah, anime... :eek:
Anime got me interested in drawing and then in comics (manga or western and such) and then... fanfiction stories haha! I guess anime is what got me to start writing for the first time. Anime also inspired me to create my own worlds and characters and such.

Now, when it comes to titles...
I remember the first anime I had watched were: Fullmetal Alchemist, Deathnote and Blood+
I have watched lots and lots of anime, but my standards have changed a lot, so nowadays I hardly find anything enjoyable.

The one anime that I used to love and still love, and I believe I will love for the rest of my life is Natsume Yuujinchou. There are 4 seasons out and the 5th season is on-going at this moment.
It's about a boy who has the ability to see creatures (Yuukai - Demons etc) that other people don't.
It has lots of drama, suspense but also looots of comedy. As a whole it's a very emotional anime and since I can really identify with the protagonist (Natsume) I just can not get tired of it.

Another anime (slow paced) that I really liked in the past is: Darker than Black.
Another nice anime is "Nobunaga Concerto"; although... It was a very peculiar anime, the drawings were... a bit uncomfortable to watch at the beginning, but eventually you get used to them, and you beg for a second season that never comes.

A fantasy anime that I also enjoyed is Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (only the first season :p).
A thriller anime that I enjoyed is: Another.
A comedy (lots of comedy) anime that I enjoyed is: Great Teacher Onizuka. Also: Daily Lives of High School Boys. Alsooo: Trigun. If there's one thing that anime can be the best of, is comedy.
An adventure anime that I enjoyed is: Brave10 (there are lots of homosexual innuendos though; for the ones who are sensitive about it)

There are countless anime that I had really "loved" in the past, but nowadays I just find them empty. I have evolved so much and I'm looking for something far better than the childish plot with the girl with the big boobs and the guy who plays it tough to get and is always grumpy...
I am now looking for emotion, for character development, for a deep story, or at least an interesting story structure. I want something that will remain with me even months after I finish watching the anime; something that will touch me deeply emotionally, or that will re-arrange my entire way of thinking.
I guess the latter is kind of hard to find in anime (it's most often found in movies and books).
 

Shafa

Dreamer
What a nice thread! I haven't read all of the posts yet, but was wondering if anyone had any suggestions regarding newer works ('16 - ongoing).
 

Mythopoet

Auror
@Twinss, some good stuff in your lists. Darker Than Black (kinda lacking in overall plot, but fantastic atmosphere), Magi (desperately waiting for a season 3) and Trigun (Vash is one of my all time favorite characters in anything) are some of my favorites too. Another was also good if you like gore and horror. (I can only enjoy that kind of thing once in a while.) I've started both Natsume and Brave10 (I love anything with Japanese mythology or history) but haven't been able to finish them yet. (My "to watch" list is ridiculous you have no idea.)

Personally, I don't think there's less anime with great story nowadays. But it seems that way because there's just overall more anime being made now. If you compare the amount of new shows in the early 2000s to the amount of new shows now, you'll see there's a huge surge. Anime is more popular than ever. So by extension it can seem like good anime is harder to find simply because there's a lot more anime to wade through. A good way to find the gems is simply to keep an eye on fandom hangouts where people watch a lot of new anime and see which ones stand up to general critique. Follow the people who have similar taste to yours and you're sure to find plenty of new stuff to enjoy.

I personally like to keep up with all the new shows coming out myself and I try a large number of new anime every season. Some I drop after one episode because I can tell it's not for me. Some I watch for 3-6 episodes and find that it's not for me. But every season I find many shows to enjoy and even new favorites fairly regularly. (And I'm a bit of a fandom junkie as a result.)
 

Mythopoet

Auror
What a nice thread! I haven't read all of the posts yet, but was wondering if anyone had any suggestions regarding newer works ('16 - ongoing).

Oh oh! Me, me! Of course it all depends on what kind of shows you like to watch. So I'll recommend some from several genres.

SF/F


ERASED- Satoru Fujinuma has the ability to go back a short space in time to alter tragic events. But when his mother is mysteriously killed (and he is the only suspect) he finds that he must relive events from his childhood to stop a chain of events with far reaching consequences to save the people he cares about. At the center of things is a little girl suffering from abusive parents whom he must prevent from being kidnapped and killed. (Complete story, adapted from a manga, though truncates changes the ending quite a bit.)

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash- an interesting take on the "unexpectedly transported into a fantasy world" trope. A group of modern teens are transported to Grimgar but have no memories from before their sudden arrival. What sets this story apart is how it focuses on the everyday aspects of survival (making enough money for food and shelter and such) as well as how truly difficult it is for sheltered teens from Earth to learn to use weapons and fight living creatures for their day to day livelihood. (This is an unfinished adaptation, but the light novels have been picked up for English publication.)

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress- Anime original story about a steampunk Japan overrun with zombie-like creatures called Kabane. Humans survive in several fortified cities and travel between them is only possible via heavily armored steam trains. A story with lots of action and gore and some decent mystery. Some people didn't like the ending, but I really enjoyed the whole show. It resolves the struggle against the primary antagonist (not the Kabane) while leaving room for future stories to be told.

Mob Psycho 100- Based on a manga written by One, the author of One Punch Man. This show is about a young teen, called Mob, who has ridiculous psychic powers, but a very reserved and insecure personality. His mentor is a con man who claims to have spiritual powers but actually relies on Mob's powers when he encounters something really psychic. The relationship between these two is the backbone of the show and is full of amazing moments and lots of surprises. This show also has a very unique art style and uses some really fantastic animation technique to make a very singular viewing experience. (Based on an ongoing manga.)

Planetarian- A short, 5 episode anime which completely adapts a Key VN about a city abandoned during a nuclear war where 30 years later a rough and tough scavenger accidentally runs into a female android left behind in the planetarium at the top of a department store. She treats the scavenger like a regular customer, insists on putting on a special planetarium show for him, cannot take no for an answer because she is a little broken, but finds she cannot do so because the projector is broken. The junker, even though he is annoyed by her, is also somehow touched by her pathetic dedication to the customers that no longer exist except in her mind. Their relationship is short and sweet and changes the junker forever. If you don't cry at the end you have no soul.

Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World- Another of the "NEET transported to a fantasy world" genre, but with surprisingly good plot and character development. Subaru finds himself suddenly transported to a fantasy world and believes his dreams of being the powerful protagonist of his own story have come true. Until he is easily killed shortly after arrival. When he wakes up again shortly before his pathetic death, only to die and come back again, he realizes he has a special ability to Return by Death until he changes the events that led to his death. Subaru soon gets swept up in a series of meetings and events full of intrigue and danger that also lead to him dying and returning over and over and over. What makes this story stand out is that it does not shy away from exploring in great depth what it would actually be like to die violently dozens of times and to live events several times over again (until he gets them right) when no one else remembers any of the time lines he "failed" (died) in. It takes a huge psychological toll and Subaru has to overcome his own lack of strength in order to help his friends in this world more than once. This show has truly amazing character development, and also A LOT of violence, tragedy and suffering. But it is really amazing if you stick with it. (Adaptation of an ongoing light novel series. Breakout hit of 2016.)

Tales of Zestiria the X- Anime adaptation of the video game. Across the world malevolence is spreading, causing the rise of dangerous creatures and natural disasters threatening the survival of the human kingdoms. But legend says that in such times a Shepherd will restore peace to the world. While Alisha Diphda, princess of the Hyland kingdom, searches for the mythical Shepherd that few now believe in, in the remote settlement of the Seraphs (beings with elemental powers) a man named Sorey has been raised since childhood after the death of his family. Sorey, the only human who can now see the Seraphs, and his best friend among the Seraph Mikleo, encounter a lost Alisha in a ruin near the Seraph home. This meeting ultimately leads to Sorey returning to the human world and taking on the mantle of the Shepherd which allows him to form pacts with Seraph and use their powers to purify Hellions while searching for the source of the malevolence. This anime has spectacular art and animation by UFOtable. It's just beautiful. (Unfinished adaptation, part 2 starts airing this January.)

Ok, that's a lot so I'll make a second post later for other genres.
 

Tim Reed

Dreamer
Hello all,

Ah, I am a big fan of anime also. Love the more arty stuff, rather than the jagged lines and excessive violence kind.

A list of some of my favourites are below (film and series):

Mushishi
Moribito
Your Name.
Anything Studio Ghibli
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Summer Wars
Ghost Hunt
Noragami
Steamboy
Persona 4
Patema Inverted

...to name a few.
 
My favourite anime/anime movies:

Digimon Adventure and Tamers [in Japanese]
Clannad, Kanon, Air, Little Busters, and Angel Beats [in Japanese]
Spirited Away [in English]
Howl's Moving Castle [in English]
Castle in the Sky [in English]
Princess Mononoke
Children Who Chase Lost Voices [in Japanese]
5 Centimeters Per Second [in Japanese]
The Last Unicorn [does that count?]
 
Hey, so I haven't read through the whole thread as it's rather long, but... XD I started watching anime about three years ago, and have watched around 100 shows since then. I actually started drawing the style before I knew anime was a thing, so I kind of entered the anime world backwards. I don't watch a ton of classics because given that I started watching anime for the art, I watch shows partly for their art, not just story.

A couple of my very favorites:
Boku Dake ga Inai Machi
Re: Zero
Yuri!!! on Ice
Haikyuu!!
Bungou Stray Dogs
 
So I recently finished watching Season 1 of AJIN: Demi-Human on Netflix, and I'm loving it. It's more mature than a lot of the anime I've been watching, I'd say about on the same level as Death Note in that respect. The plotting is top-notch, and the way the story develops kept me glued to the screen. Some decisions by the creators were rather wonderful. I'm starting S2 tonight.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
A couple of my very favorites:
Boku Dake ga Inai Machi
Re: Zero
Yuri!!! on Ice
Haikyuu!!
Bungou Stray Dogs

I've watched all of those except Haikyuu. (I don't really enjoy sports anime because I hate sports in general.) I'd highly recommend them all (except Haikyuu, of course ;) ).

I wanted to watch Ajin, but I don't have Netflix.

Madoka Magica is one I have no interest in, because it basically seems like the entire premise is to troll the audience. "Here's a cute magical girls show, everyone! Isn't it sparkly and nice? MUahahahahaha! Just kidding! ANGST ANGST ANGST."

I'm not actually watching a lot this season, which is weird. My list:

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju- S2 of SGRS. It's about the Rakugo storytelling industry in Japan, its heyday and its decline, as seen through the lives of the characters. It's a slow burning drama with a lot of emotion and a healthy side of tragedy. I adore it more than I can say. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who cares about storytelling. The animation and the voice acting are phenomenal.

KONOSUBA (short for God's Blessing on this Wonderful World!) S2- A hilarious take on the "NEET gets transported to a fantasy world" trope. All the characters are messed up and incompetent in various ways leading to many antics and shenanigans. Absolutely perfect if you want to laugh along with your fantasy.

Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga- S2 of Blue Exorcist which ignores all the ridiculous anime original content from S1 and goes back to the Impure King arc of the manga. Good stuff if you liked season 1.

Masamune-kun's Revenge- RomCom. Teen who was rejected by a girl years ago because he was fat loses weight and makes himself perfect in order to exact his revenge on her by making her fall for him and then rejecting her back. Does not go as planned.

ReWrite S2- an adaptation of a Visual Novel by Key. Basically all about how humans are ruining the earth and whether or not we should be destroyed, but centered around a guy with a harem of dangerous girls. The first season followed one route of the VN and season 2 is following a different route. TBH right now I'm not sure where it's going.

Chaos;Child- sequel to Chaos;Head Visual Novel by the company that made Steins;Gate. Chaos;Head had a lot of potential but had an unsatisfying ending. Choas;Child so far is interesting, but I've decided to put off finishing it until it's over because it's one of those shows where so much happens and it's hard to keep track from week to week. Better to binge watch it.

I'm also planning to get around to watching Little Witch Academia (the first episode was really cute) and Tales of Zestiria the X S2 at some point. I haven't had a lot of time to watch anime lately, which is sad.

Speaking of Steins;Gate, which is my absolute favorite time travel story ever in any medium, my daughter has been watching it lately and got hooked. Last night she got to a certain emotional twist in the story and went to bed sobbing. Haha. Her tears are delicious. But seriously, Steins;Gate is so good. Highly recommended.
 

Son of Eld

Dreamer
I haven't seen very many but the ones I have I absolutely love. Full Metal Alchemist, Death Note, Naruto/Shippuden, Avatar/Legend of Korra, Soul Eater, and my current favorite Attack on Titan (can't wait for Season 2 next month!).
 
I've recently discovered Hiiro no Kakera. For some reason it interests me immensely, though I can't actually watch it since I can't find it on Youtube, and it's $80+ for both seasons.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
I've recently discovered Hiiro no Kakera. For some reason it interests me immensely, though I can't actually watch it since I can't find it on Youtube, and it's $80+ for both seasons.

Looks like it's available on Crunchyroll. You should be able to watch it without subscribing, but there will probably be ads.
 

bestellen

Dreamer
I'd recommend is Red Garden. Girls fighting zombies after school is such a small part of the slow characterization you'll see there.
 
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