Anime recommendations/sources

straydogstrut · Mon 28/03/2011 00:10:25

I absolutely love anime but, beyond the major titles that get released here in the UK, i'm still very much a newcomer to all the stuff out there. Not being able to speak Japanese, it's not often I come across something new that I like and I have very specific likes which don't help: I don't go for all the cutesy art style stuff with the big eyes and the whiny voices , I prefer the more (realistic?) style of Cowboy Bebop, GITS, Samurai Champloo and so on..

I can't quite remember how, but today I discovered crunchyroll, a site providing free, legal videos of various anime shows, where I discovered Time of Eve (only 2 years too late!) which was fantastic, albeit frustratingly short. Since many of the other titles on Crunchyroll don't really appeal to me - although i'll watch a few on the off chance i might like them, and may buy a premium account if they add new titles regularly - i'm wondering if anyone who knows more about the anime scene can point me in the direction of similar (legal) services? I'm more than willing to part with my cash once I find stuff I like (I just picked up the dvd set of Time of Eve) but where to start? I've exhausted all the mainstream store shelves really.

Failing that, any recommendations? Films or series? Ideally stuff with English subtitles, rather than dubbed as I prefer to hear the original Japanese voices. I need a good series to really get stuck into=D

Cheers folks

Eggie · Mon 28/03/2011 00:35:50

No idea if you've seen them but Paranoia Agent and FLCL are pretty much, for their own reasons, the two most beautiful things in the world.

Chicky · Mon 28/03/2011 00:46:53

I'm a noob to anime but the Deathnote mangas are badass, there's a pretty spot on anime as well. Which i'm sure you have already seen

You should try searching 'watch free tv series online' in the site www.google.com, i'm sure it will present lots of genuine websites

straydogstrut · Mon 28/03/2011 00:55:26

Quote from: EHCB on Mon 28/03/2011 00:35:50
No idea if you've seen them but Paranoia Agent and FLCL are pretty much, for their own reasons, the two most beautiful things in the world.

I've heard of Paranoia Agent, but haven't seen either. I'll look them out, thanks!=D

Quote from: Chicky on Mon 28/03/2011 00:46:53
I'm a noob to anime but the Deathnote mangas are badass, there's a pretty spot on anime as well. Which i'm sure you have already seen

Yeah, i've got the Death Note anime, haven't read the manga yet. The anime's not bad, even if the main character is a total mysoginist=S I lost my patience with it when they introduced Near though.

Quote from: Chicky on Mon 28/03/2011 00:46:53
You should try searching 'watch free tv series online' in the site www.google.com, i'm sure it will present lots of genuine websites

Google? What's that?=P I know, of course, sorry, but recommendations are always welcome=)

Thank you both.

ThreeOhFour · Mon 28/03/2011 01:12:23

Quote from: straydogstrut on Mon 28/03/2011 00:55:26
Quote from: EHCB on Mon 28/03/2011 00:35:50
No idea if you've seen them but Paranoia Agent and FLCL are pretty much, for their own reasons, the two most beautiful things in the world.

I've heard of Paranoia Agent, but haven't seen either. I'll look them out, thanks!=D

Oh man you don't know of FLCL? It's amazing!

nihilyst · Mon 28/03/2011 01:18:06

I liked Monster (at least the episodes I've seen). It's very long and elaborate, around 70 episodes or so, but I enjoyed each of the first like 26 episodes I've seen. It's pretty realistic in tone, somewhat depressing but also optimistic. Backdrops and animation are top-notch. -- Damn, have to finish that one, already

straydogstrut · Mon 28/03/2011 01:30:13

Quote from: Ben304 on Mon 28/03/2011 01:12:23
Oh man you don't know of FLCL? It's amazing!

Just watched the first episode. That was, um, different..i'll see how it goes!

Quote from: nihilyst on Mon 28/03/2011 01:18:06
I liked Monster (at least the episodes I've seen). It's very long and elaborate, around 70 episodes or so, but I enjoyed each of the first like 26 episodes I've seen. It's pretty realistic in tone, somewhat depressing but also optimistic. Backdrops and animation are top-notch. -- Damn, have to finish that one, already

Thanks nihilyst, haven't heard of that one either, i'll give it a try=)

BruisedWeasel · Mon 28/03/2011 02:14:20

I really Liked Welcome to the NHK. Slice of life, but their lives are a bit crazy in the head.

Igor Hardy · Mon 28/03/2011 02:29:34

Anything mentioned so far on Hardydev I can heartily recommend:

http://www.hardydev.com/category/about-anime/

Well, maybe except the ridiculous Fist of the North Star.

Mati256 · Mon 28/03/2011 03:49:09

Quote from: BruisedWeasel on Mon 28/03/2011 02:14:20
I really Liked Welcome to the NHK.

NHK is awesome. I like really silly and girly anime like Lucky Star or Haruhi.

Dualnames · Mon 28/03/2011 06:02:17

Fooly Cooly is definitely on the must. I haven't seen Paranoia Agent, but I've seen everything else from Satoshi Kon, and you probably should check it out. My brother says it's quite an awesome series. I also liked a lot Shin Sheiki Evangerion (and not for the battles) but it's a bit of hate or love, and kind of childish at times.

Always watch animes with JAPANESE. I mean yeah, sometimes the english dub is okay, but you're watching foreign cartoons, give em the respect they need. Plus Japanese are awesome to hear.

Now, movies:

Akira (Just for great visuals)
Perfect Blue (Probably the most amazing anime film. I even did a review of it on hardydev)
They Were Eleven (Great plot, reminds me a bit of the Hitchhock suspense style, it's not what it starts to be)
My Neighbour Totoro (Yeah, kind of an okay movie, but the beginning is quite great, and I'd name my daughter Satsuki, any day.)
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Cause, IT'S AWESOME)
Memories (3 stories. The first is objectively the best though)

zabnat · Mon 28/03/2011 06:31:32

Quote from: Dualnames on Mon 28/03/2011 06:02:17
Always watch animes with JAPANESE. I mean yeah, sometimes the english dub is okay, but you're watching foreign cartoons, give em the respect they need. Plus Japanese are awesome to hear.

Agreed. And this is true for any tv/movie. Satan invented dubbing, if you watch with dubbing you are going to hell!

I don't really watch anime anymore, but I remember Serial Experiments Lain to be pretty cool, if a bit weird. Hmm... Noir and Hellsing (Ultimate).

Anian · Mon 28/03/2011 08:40:31

For some reason I was very dissapointed with Akira, not only do I generally not like the "retro" look in anime (as compared to modern ones (Paprika, Mononoke etc.) where there's even 3d and other effects inside and the drawings seem to be cleaner and animation is more fluid) but the story was just silly and the ending was lame if you ask me.

A lot of anime fans seem to dislike dubs, but usually I find the original voices to be kind of childish sounding. Yes, sometimes the voices in english are reallly bad but for the most part but I really don't like the way japanese sounds (I mean no offence, I just don't like it's sounds). On average I think it's down to personal preference though.

Radiant · Mon 28/03/2011 09:12:00

Quote from: straydogstrut on Mon 28/03/2011 00:10:25
Failing that, any recommendations?

Fullmetal Alchemist is extremely epic.

Igor Hardy · Mon 28/03/2011 10:28:54

Quote from: anian on Mon 28/03/2011 08:40:31
For some reason I was very dissapointed with Akira, not only do I generally not like the "retro" look in anime (as compared to modern ones (Paprika, Mononoke etc.) where there's even 3d and other effects inside and the drawings seem to be cleaner and animation is more fluid) but the story was just silly and the ending was lame if you ask me.

I just wanted to point out that compared to the visuals of Akira the looks and animations of all the AGS games out there are as "retro" as a cave painting. Or worse.

Anian · Mon 28/03/2011 10:33:47

Quote from: Ascovel on Mon 28/03/2011 10:28:54
I just wanted to point out that compared to the visuals of Akira the looks and animations of all the AGS games out there are as "retro" as a cave painting. Or worse.

Retro might have been the wrong phrase, I was just thinking that you can (for the most part) see this certain style and look older animes have when comapred to newer ones.

Igor Hardy · Mon 28/03/2011 10:59:09

Quote from: anian on Mon 28/03/2011 10:33:47
Quote from: Ascovel on Mon 28/03/2011 10:28:54
I just wanted to point out that compared to the visuals of Akira the looks and animations of all the AGS games out there are as "retro" as a cave painting. Or worse.
Retro might have been the wrong phrase, I was just thinking that you can (for the most part) see this certain style and look older animes have when comapred to newer ones.

The main difference I always notice is that coloring is done by hand rather than by computer, which looks much better.

Of course, since the 60s changes in style of editing and animation were made regularly and they differ greatly from anime to anime anyway depending of the team who did it. Maybe you're just used to a particular style.

abstauber · Mon 28/03/2011 12:38:32

if you're into steampunk, Last Exile could be your thing

Ilyich · Mon 28/03/2011 16:35:09

I hate anime. Well, no, I actually love it, but having plowed through tons of different series, I found very few to really like. It's the same with everything, really, be it western movies and TV-shows or music or games, but with anime it's more frustrating for me, for some reason. Probably because the potential capabilities of the genre are immense, and the quantity and technical quality is very high too. But there are real gems in these stacks of brightly-coloured rocks, so I'll recommend some of my favourites:

Mushishi - beautiful gloomy meditative supernatural series with strong Shintoistic undertones. Very poetic and understated anime, with gorgeous, but not in a usual way, visuals.

nihilyst have already mentioned Monster - I haven't watched the series, but the original manga is brilliant, as everything by Naoki Urasawa is (I'd especially recommend his Tezuka reimagining Pluto). And the anime has a David Sylvian song in the ending, so it must be good.

Welcome to NHK is a great example of mature slice of life anime, and has been rightfully recommended many times already. Also, Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a great anime in a similar vein, although it's much more ramshackled.

And I can't pass the opportunity to mention my favourite anime ever: Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - hilarious post-modern satirical series that's quite hard to get into, due to it's crazy off-the-wall tongue-in-cheek style, but it's totally worth it if you do.

And though you said you're not really into all this "cute girls with big eyes" stuff, I think you have to try Azumanga Daioh and Lucky Star - just to be sure. They both are really funny and delightful in a very special way.

I also have to add that I still haven't understood the greatness of FLCL, although I've tried to watch it many times. It's just weird. And I usually like weird. Grrrrr... Oh, well, can't be helped.

theo · Mon 28/03/2011 16:49:51

If you like gits, don't miss the gits series. Writing-wise they're not exactly mind blowing, but aesthetically they kick ass. I have spent SO much time looking at those backdrops, man oh man...