|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:19 am
Hello my fellow AGers!
Within the AG we have a wide knowledge of Anime and the newest releases, and are usually able to separate the chaff from the great additions.
These recommendations are usually made in passing in the main thread and, while helpful, it's usually hard to dig up these gems from the backlog.
SO...I have decided to make an official Anime Recommendation thread so that people can look over one list (or thread) and get an idea of some series they should watch.
I know that Stream makes a lot of great recommendations, and hopefully we'l get recommendations from everyone. A good way to do it would also be in a
If you liked series title here you'll love series title
format.
Here's my list (constantly a WIP)
For fans of fantasy/medieval stories/characters :
Claymore - While the ending is meh, there are lots of great action scenes throughout the series. Also, it's nice to see a female at the head of any series. She's no Major Kusanagi, but Clare does pretty well for herself in this series.
For fans of Giant Robots kicking a**...in fact, they're kicking so much a** they don't have time to take names :
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan - The series just wrapped up and all I can say is: AMAZING! If you haven't caught any of the other AGers singing its praises yet (I would be greatly surprised), be sure to check out this series. It will definitely be in my DVD collection as soon as it hits the US.
For fans of Magical Girls that also kick a**, while maintaining friendships sweet enough to give you Diabeetus :
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (Original and A's) Two short 13-episode series that integrate all of our favorite elements in anime. Cute characters, awesome fight scenes and occasional gut-wrenching drama. Of the two I think A's is even better because of
A) Fate's Zanber form
B) Signum
C) Shamal
and others. Enjoy!
Mai Otome - A spinoff of Mai Hime, placed in an alternate universe, this series is downright wicked. With a character who wields a dual-sided Ivy-esque blade (it can change into a whip form and totally PWN everything in sight) and other characters of equal badass-ness, it certainly gets off on the right foot. Better yet, the DVDs are out now! You may want to Netflix/Rent Anime it first, but I have a feeling once you watch you'll get hooked.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:47 am
If you liked Akira and Ghost in the Shell, you'll love Jin Roh (also referred to as The Wolf Brigade). I happened to see all three in short order, and they really coloured how I've looked at anime ever since, but I've noticed that Jin Roh doesn't nearly have the same exposure.
It's always been fairly intuitive for anime to be post apocalyptic because Japan is the only society in world history to have achieved the condition of post apocalypse, which is a chilling fact.
However, one big theme that runs through the three that seems much less intuitive is that they all prominently feature a domestic government that willingly and subversively employs and manipulates terrorists for political gain.
In Akira and Ghost in the Shell, this happened mostly in the background, but in Jin Roh, which is much grittier and more realistic, the human and social toll of exploiting terrorism (as well as the impact of terrorism on the victims) are explored in far more depth.
Jin Roh is one of those movies that gets described as a "meditation" on it's themes because the pacing is far slower than either Akira or Ghost in the Shell, but as a result feels far more human. Fuse- the protagonist- lacks the bombast of Kaneda or Motoko, but his fears and insecurities are far more understandable and relatable than the crippling social paralysis of Shinji.
Considering the fact that the film opens with the protagonist- a soldier- witnessing a young girl commit suicide via a satchel bomb and largely concerns itself with his relentless questioning of whether or not he should have pulled the trigger that night, it's incredibly topical and immediate even now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:49 am
Of the stuff that came out this season... I've watched a few first episodes. And while some of them hold potential, I haven't really seen anything I really like.
Potential
Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun (I'll probably be following this one)
Night Wizard
Rental Magica
Dragonaut: The Resonance
Shugo Chara!
Minami-ke
Shion no Ou
Just "ok"
Kimikiss Pure Rouge
Myself;Yourself
You're Under Arrest Full Throttle
Bamboo Blade* (I really need to see the 2nd ep. Except for the last 3 minutes, this was an exceptionally bad anime. The 2nd ep may bump it up to "just ok" status)
Ugh.
Blue Drop
ef - A Tale of Memories
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:00 am
Ms. Karen Starr If you liked Akira and Ghost in the Shell, you'll love Jin Roh (also referred to as The Wolf Brigade). I happened to see all three in short order, and they really coloured how I've looked at anime ever since, but I've noticed that Jin Roh doesn't nearly have the same exposure. It's always been fairly intuitive for anime to be post apocalyptic because Japan is the only society in world history to have achieved the condition of post apocalypse, which is a chilling fact. However, one big theme that runs through the three that seems much less intuitive is that they all prominently feature a domestic government that willingly and subversively employs and manipulates terrorists for political gain. In Akira and Ghost in the Shell, this happened mostly in the background, but in Jin Roh, which is much grittier and more realistic, the human and social toll of exploiting terrorism (as well as the impact of terrorism on the victims) are explored in far more depth. Jin Roh is one of those movies that gets described as a "meditation" on it's themes because the pacing is far slower than either Akira or Ghost in the Shell, but as a result feels far more human. Fuse- the protagonist- lacks the bombast of Kaneda or Motoko, but his fears and insecurities are far more understandable and relatable than the crippling social paralysis of Shinji. Considering the fact that the film opens with the protagonist- a soldier- witnessing a young girl commit suicide via a satchel bomb and largely concerns itself with his relentless questioning of whether or not he should have pulled the trigger that night, it's incredibly topical and immediate even now. I agree. Jin-Roh is not only beautifully animated, but also painfully relevant to the current times. It's a great film and I may screen it at my school followed by a discussion. Might prove interesting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:11 pm
Gankutsuou
Speed Grapher
Everyone else can deal with essay-reviews, from me just know that they're AWESOME.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:39 pm
Skizzors Gankutsuou Speed Grapher Everyone else can deal with essay-reviews, from me just know that they're AWESOME. tl;dr
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:58 am
Peppermint Elf Bamboo Blade* (I really need to see the 2nd ep. Except for the last 3 minutes, this was an exceptionally bad anime. The 2nd ep may bump it up to "just ok" status) We disagree ... but we have wanted to see an anime based on Kendo for a while now, so we are a bit biased. (though the idea of having an Kamina *same VA I think* as a Kendo sensei is pretty fun)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:43 pm
It's ancient and might be hard to find at this point, but I have to reccommend X (a.k.a. X/1999, but this is the correct name of the manga that the show is based on, and from my understanding the manga goes a lot further into the timeline than the show does). It does have some slightly vague homoeroticism, but it's got a great story. Watched the series through for the third time after not seeing it for a good 2-3 years, and I have to say it kept me guessing even though I knew some of the more major spoilers. My only recommendation for watching this show is to avoid watching episode 0 on disc 1. It's for the most part spoiler-tastic and can potentially ruin some of the events in the show.
episode 0 is completely from the perspective of one of the dream seers in the show, and just drops spoilers in your lap in the most unapologetic way possible.
I'll also second all three recommended by Spider (Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Jin-Roh).
Also on my list of recommended are:
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig (season 2)
Princess Mononoke
Spirited Away
Cowboy Bebop
Witch Hunter Robin
Darker Than Black
Full Metal Alchemist
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
FLCL
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 7:52 pm
Unfortunately, I'm not always so up to date on the newer stuff. I do try to keep up with AG recommendations, but I’m still very behind. So I'll toss out a few older recommendations, that might be unknown to some. I doubt it though. I will say, because I'm not sure many AGers have watched it, Chokotto Sister is insanely cute and I love it. So be sure to look into that eventually. Anywho…
I agree with all of Spider's recommendations. I'm in love with anything Ghost in the Shell-related and Jin-Roh is a film I hold in the highest regards along with the likes of Akira and Grave of the Fireflies.
Kino's Journey - Kind of a quiet observation of different societies from an objective perspective. Really brilliant show, which deserves at least another 13 episodes.
Wolf's Rain - I'll probably be shot down for this, but I absolutely adore this show. A lot of people dislike it, so I'll probably be one of the few to have some positive words for it. It mixes an epic journey with apocalyptic and even dystopian elements. Really great music from Yoko Kanno as well, not to mention some very nice dub voice acting. I will say one thing; four episodes are ridiculously dedicated to recapping the first half of the show. Still that's not enough to bring down this, dare I say, masterpiece of an anime.
Witch Hunter Robin - Them Anime Reviews compared this show to The X-Files and that's exactly the impression that I got from it. Very moody, quiet, and dark, yet also containing enough action to keep you involved.
And for anyone who has always thought about giving Gundam a shot, but never really gotten around to it. I would suggest The 08th Ms Team. It is probably the most brilliant Gundam incarnation to this date, in spite of it's relatively short run.
This is coming from a very limited knowledge of anime, but I think at least a few people in the guild would find themselves enjoying these shows. I’ve become pretty bored with the same regurgitated premises being spat out year after year. These shows are ones that go outside of the usual fair, I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:26 pm
Dark fantasy shonen:
D.Gray-Man- The anime's animation in my opinion is one of the best things Studio Pierrot has made, and sports an even better manga.
As for shoujo:
Revolutionary Girl Utena- The dub was excellent in my opinion, and was the only thing I have watched with magical girl themes I had ever gotten into.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:12 pm
Ashram McDuck Peppermint Elf Bamboo Blade* (I really need to see the 2nd ep. Except for the last 3 minutes, this was an exceptionally bad anime. The 2nd ep may bump it up to "just ok" status) We disagree ... but we have wanted to see an anime based on Kendo for a while now, so we are a bit biased. (though the idea of having an Kamina *same VA I think* as a Kendo sensei is pretty fun)
It really really needs to pick up the pace. All of the things that happened in ep 1 could've been packed into the first 5-7 minutes instead of dragging it out. This is why I said it could turn interesting because those last 3-4 minutes were good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 6:22 pm
Peppermint Elf Ashram McDuck Peppermint Elf Bamboo Blade* (I really need to see the 2nd ep. Except for the last 3 minutes, this was an exceptionally bad anime. The 2nd ep may bump it up to "just ok" status) We disagree ... but we have wanted to see an anime based on Kendo for a while now, so we are a bit biased. (though the idea of having an Kamina *same VA I think* as a Kendo sensei is pretty fun) Sorry dear Nabs, but I simply don't agree. xd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 11:48 am
Ashram McDuck Peppermint Elf Ashram McDuck Peppermint Elf Bamboo Blade* (I really need to see the 2nd ep. Except for the last 3 minutes, this was an exceptionally bad anime. The 2nd ep may bump it up to "just ok" status) We disagree ... but we have wanted to see an anime based on Kendo for a while now, so we are a bit biased. (though the idea of having an Kamina *same VA I think* as a Kendo sensei is pretty fun) Sorry dear Nabs, but I simply don't agree. xd
However, Shion no Ou seems to have A LOT of plot going on for a shogi anime. Lots of shogi + plot = promising. Oh and just so you don't think I'm biased, I'm not particularly interested in kendo or shogi. sweatdrop
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:49 am
Skizzors Gankutsuou Speed Grapher Everyone else can deal with essay-reviews, from me just know that they're AWESOME.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
