Anime for someone who doesn't like Anime?

[valleyvampiress]

I've tried to like the whole Anime movement thing but I just couldn't get with it. I am a big fan of the American style cartoons (fluid movement, fluid mouth movements), so I do like me some animation. I started watching Avatar after it was recommended on the TRS show and I liked it. I know it's not true anime since it was a really American style cartoon (which I liked), but I thought there's gotta be more stuff out there like this that I can be into. So far I have only gotten into Aeon Flux (the cartoon) and Avatar, both American made not surprisingly.

So what would someone recommend to a person like me who's not really into anime but enjoys serious cartoons (ie. X-Men, Spider-Man, Justice League etc)?

[iluciv]

Hi ValleyVampiress

Ninja Scroll, Cowboy Beebop, AKRIA, are ones I would say you would enjoy
and for a more so so one, Wicked City (I really like it but umm its tough to recommend.)

Some others slip my mind at present I'll add them when I remember.

On a American cartoon side I recently watch an old MTV cartoons (namely The Maxx) Was unreal watching these again they're so odd.

Anyway hope these suggestions are helpful

[untrueprophecy]

I might as well put this one out there, considering SOMEONE will mention it. FLCL a.k.a. Fooly Cooly a.k.a. Furi Kuri. I'm not a big fan of anime, but I enjoyed the short series enough to watch it a few times, partly because it's well made and partly because I didn't understand half of it the first time through.

[yibn]

The suggest you start off with Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, or Akira. Then move on to FLCL, Evangelion, Samurai Champloo, Hellsing.

Those that I listed are the big name ones that pretty much everyone has seen and don't drag on for hundreds of episodes and suck like DBZ and Naruto.

[darknessgp]

A couple of my first Animes that really got me into them were Last Exile, Guyver: The BioBoost Armor (The new one) and Fate Stay Night. Honestly, I'd say watch Guyver or Last Exile, both are IMO great Animes.

Also, just throwing this out there, but seriously watch Dragonball Z. At least through a few sagas, if you don't want to go through it all. Now, it's not a great anime, and it's mildly good. But at least for me and a few of my friends that are into Anime it showed us what we like in Anime and what we don't like. That's really what it comes down to, finding what you like in your Anime and finding Anime that brings that.

[kiko3642]

As mentioned above you should give Last Exile a shot. It has great characters, a great story, and great visuals. I would also recommend Wolf's Rain for another Anime with a great story. For something light and funny but not too light i would recommend Tenchi Muyo and Tenchi Universe.
Then move on to FLCL and Paranoid Agent.

Some of the Gundam Series are pretty good as well.

[spite]

Trigun
Gungrave
FLCL
Hellsing
Cowboy Bebop (i love the soundtrack to this)
Beck
Wolf's Rain
Devil May Cry
Shin Hokuto no Ken
Berserk (though i should point out the manga is much better)

And if you like Avatar you should try the stuff from Hayao Miyazaki as Avatar (though a great show in its own right) is heavily inspired by Miyazaki work especially in terms of the artistic style. i recommend Princess Mononoke

[godmode]

as i mentioned in the last thread, try Full Metal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, and RahXephon.

[matrix_prime]

I wasn't big into anime until I watched Robotech. At least checkout the Macross Saga, absolute gold.

I also REALLY like Zoids: Chaotic Century. The entire series is now out on DVD, and it reminds me alot of Robotech in that it actually creates characters that you care about.

[comhcinc]

isn't there already a thread just like this? with almost the same name?

[valleyvampiress]

isn't there already a thread just like this? with almost the same name?

Sorry about that. Didn't see it. Thanks for the suggestions you guys! There are some you suggested that I thought I might like but never tried out so I will give em' a go. And Spite, thanks for the Avatar related recommendation. I'm sure I'll like it if it's related. :)

[borbosha]

My personal favorite Anime (right now anyway) is Noein. It has a great story that is easy to follow and the animation is very well done. I haven't been watching anime for long and it is the second one I watched all the way through (Full Metal Alchamest being the first).

[MaxTheSilent]

Anyone know what NOIR is like?

I've popped it on my Netflix queue. The synopsis sounds cool but I'm not really into anime.

[lavahot]

Of course, you've all missed quite possibly my fav anime of all time, Fullmetal Alchemist. It is a very intense drama series, VERY intense. Like Rescue Me intense, but with some humor thrown in.

I wouldn't recommend FLCL, as I watch anime and I still don't know what was going on in that show, even though that might be the point of the show itself. GitS was very good, albeit sometimes hard to follow as a political drama. The second movie was extremely good, but I'd only recommend it if you understood the last two Matrix films. Cowboy Bebop was an amazing sci-fi series, something I wish there was more of.

It's tough to recommend more, as most of my experience stems from watching Cartoon Network, which doesn't always make good choices in programming.





The episode where the baby-minded serial killer dies while crying and howling by being crushed by a gigantic mechanical dog is one of my favorite moments in television ever.

[sack]

I have to say the only series that has really stuck with me was PlanetES

Maybe it's just the sci-fi dork part of me, but I really can't think of a better anime.

[gillsterhill]

Watch Bleach!

[geekluv]

Throwing my favorites into the ring here...

Fullmetal Alchemist is fantastic. That show fully brought me into anime. I'm slowly discovering my tastes in anime also, so I'm glad for this thread. I just finished Hellsing last night - incredible, especially if you enjoy a vampire theme (which I certainly do!). My favorite series so far is Trinity Blood. I recommended it to a friend recently, he liked it so much he watched 24 episodes in 2 days!

I've been renting different series from Netflix to see what I like but I need to find a good "rescource" for anime. PM me if you have any suggestions.

[sheir]

I'm going to recommend something that I personally feel is less anime-ish. There's this show called Monster, and it's an honest to goodness drama. Ignore the fact that it's animated, and it could be emmy-nominated shit. The show is gritty, somewhat realistic, and just really, really ****ing good. Highly, HIGHLY recommended to anyone who dislikes anime. I think this will change your mind.

[MaxTheSilent]

I'm going to recommend something that I personally feel is less anime-ish. There's this show called Monster, and it's an honest to goodness drama. Ignore the fact that it's animated, and it could be emmy-nominated shit. The show is gritty, somewhat realistic, and just really, really ****ing good. Highly, HIGHLY recommended to anyone who dislikes anime. I think this will change your mind.

That sounds like the kind of thing I've looking for.

I'm at a disadvantage that I'm not into sci-fi either, so I'm looking for anime that has strong story and characters, preferably in a more 'realistic' action or horror genre.

I'm not interested in incomprehensible sci-fi gibberish like EVANGELION.

I checked out a few eps of DEATH NOTE and quite liked it. The movie was made-for-TV, but still pretty good. Although the characters were all at least ten years older than their anime counterparts.

[valleyvampiress]

I'm going to recommend something that I personally feel is less anime-ish. There's this show called Monster, and it's an honest to goodness drama. Ignore the fact that it's animated, and it could be emmy-nominated shit. The show is gritty, somewhat realistic, and just really, really ****ing good. Highly, HIGHLY recommended to anyone who dislikes anime. I think this will change your mind.

I have to say, you have me very much intrigued by this description... I'll have to check it out.

And it seems like FA is THE ONE to watch so I'll try it.

[omanojoko]

Ghost In The Shell, anything (Stand Alone Complex, 2nd Gig, Solid State Society) is the best, I think.

And if i may, the secound movie is the best of the two movies. The Animation and story are great.

Thats my two cents

[nlatimer]

I'm disappointed to see that no one mentioned Rurouni Kenshin. While the entire manga was not made into an anime, what was is incredible. Its a substantial series, though not the hundreds long as Dragonball or Naruto. Also shorter movies like Voices of a Distant Star are well worth seeing, with much less time investment than that of a series.

[playervsfish]

I dislike most animes, but there are a few good ones out there. FLCL is just about the best show out there. Lupin III is a hell of a lot of fun. Ignore the guy who suggested Dragonball Z, and watch Yu Yu Hakusho instead. It's what you would get if you took DBZ and made it not lame.

[lavahot]

I dislike most animes, but there are a few good ones out there. FLCL is just about the best show out there. Lupin III is a hell of a lot of fun. Ignore the guy who suggested Dragonball Z, and watch Yu Yu Hakusho instead. It's what you would get if you took DBZ and made it not lame.

Would somebody that's never watched anime and is therefore potentially compeletely unversed in Japanese pop-culture understand FLCL? I can tell you right now, I can name all sorts of my buddies that don't know what a "manga" is or which way you read it.

[azzbo2045]

Fist of the North Star, Spriggan and AppleSeed.

[spite]

Would somebody that's never watched anime and is therefore potentially compeletely unversed in Japanese pop-culture understand FLCL? I can tell you right now, I can name all sorts of my buddies that don't know what a "manga" is or which way you read it.


You don't really need to be well versed in Japanese pop-culture to understand FLCL you just need a good understanding of metaphor.

[cyborgzombiedog]

Hi ValleyVampiress

Ninja Scroll, Cowboy Beebop, AKRIA, are ones I would say you would enjoy
and for a more so so one, Wicked City (I really like it but umm its tough to recommend.)

Some others slip my mind at present I'll add them when I remember.

On a American cartoon side I recently watch an old MTV cartoons (namely The Maxx) Was unreal watching these again they're so odd.

Anyway hope these suggestions are helpful

NINJA SCROLL is da shiat! :D The comic book for it isn't too bad either. I must say though that I too am pretty picky about my anime. Vampire Hunter D. "both movies", The chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury, Hellboy "both movies". Those are ones that I enjoyed.

CYA

[masherscf]

If you don't like Anime, I'd sneak in with a little classic Miyazaki. I can't imagine anyone not responding to "My Neighbor Totoro".

Search "Miyazaki" on Netflix or add "Miyazaki" to your TiVo wish list. You won't be disappointed.

[aerodash84]

I didn't really get into anime till a few years ago when my room mate made me watch InuYasha and it kind of started there. That show has run too long, missed too much, so I don't really watch anymore. Many have said Full Metal Alchemist which I watched the entire series in a matter of about two days through the magic of the internet. The movie is also a must watch if you see the show through. I have watched some Witch Hunter Robin, and really enjoy it. Another show that I have caught here and there is Crono Crusade (not like the games) I should actually finish those someday. If you want some anime that isn't about killing people, demons, and such Love Hina was entertaining and fun to watch with a friend. FLCL I personally didn't like I guess I didn't get it, but it wasn't enough for me to go back and watch.

[playervsfish]

Would somebody that's never watched anime and is therefore potentially compeletely unversed in Japanese pop-culture understand FLCL? I can tell you right now, I can name all sorts of my buddies that don't know what a "manga" is or which way you read it.

You mean someone like me? I know almost nothing about anime or Japanese pop-culture. Like I said before, there are only few animes that I watch.