Anime Recommendation Thread

Well, I'm not sure if anyone here has even heard of this anime, but I highly recommend Kemono no Souja Erin.

It's about a young girl who learns how to communicate with the most powerful beasts in the world, and ends up getting pulled into a civil war by people who want to take advantage of her relationship with the beasts. It's a very emotional anime with a lot of drama, but surprisingly there's no romance at all.


Fun Fact: I stumbled onto the anime while searching for an episode of Bleach when I clicked some random link on the page accidentally, but it's my all time favorite anime now!

I wasn't familiar with this title at all, but after looking into more details about it, it seems to have gotten nice reception and was written by the same dude who did Seirei no Moribito. I've heard good things about Seirei no Moribito as well as remembered that it's on the /a/ recommendation chart, so this might fact might help some people.

Seconding:
Princess Tutu
Spice and Wolf
Grave of the Fireflies

Adding:
Ghost in the Shell (1995); same tags as Stand Alone Complex, but under the "Movies" category.

Kemono no Souja Erin.

+'d

So I came over to my friend's house and he was viewing this forum. He told me about how he recommended Golden Boy and I had to kick him off so I could sign up for this forum and now I'm seconding this. The End.

Great. Another Sarah mult. added to seconding

Seconding:
Princess Tutu
Spice and Wolf
Grave of the Fireflies

done

Adding:
Ghost in the Shell (1995); same tags as Stand Alone Complex, but under the "Movies" category.

++'d

Also, planning on removing the following due to no recommendations for or against/waste of space (in no particular order):

Michiko to Hatchin
Kimagure Orange Road
School Rumble
Shugo Chara!
Miracle Train
Shakugan no Shana I/II/III

Support: Code Geass, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

And I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to oppose Bleach. It was great in the beginning but after the style change every character looks the same and the plot is going nowhere fast.

Seconding:
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~
Soul Eater
Darker Than Black

Seconding Bakemonogatari.

Seconding Bakemonogatari.

Thirding Bakemonogatari. Sure, it starts off feeling a little weird - the random cuts and scene changes are a little disorienting - but it's really very nice.

Now I just wish they have a second season that includes Koyomi Vamp, Tsukihi Phoenix and Mayoi Jiang Shi (Yes, that's in Chinese, and yes Mayoi gets featured again). >.>

updated everything@@

Thirding Bakemonogatari. Sure, it starts off feeling a little weird - the random cuts and scene changes are a little disorienting - but it's really very nice.

Now I just wish they have a second season that includes Koyomi Vamp, Tsukihi Phoenix and Mayoi Jiang Shi (Yes, that's in Chinese, and yes Mayoi gets featured again). >.>

Kizumonogatari was already announced to have an anime adaptation in the future, here's the source.

Also, every heroine will be getting a second story except Tsubasa. Here's a few release dates from Kodansha about the next five "Monogatari" novels.

Dec 2010 Keimonogatari (Kashimonogatari? Katamonogatari?): Mayoi Jiang Shi
Mar 2011 Hanamonogatari: Suruga Devil
Jun 2011 Otorimonogatari: Nadeko Medousa
Sep 2011 Onimonogatari: Shinobu Time
Dec 2011 Koimonogatari: Hitagi End

Recommending:
Baccano! | Action | 16 Episodes
Bastard!! | Fantasy | 6 Episodes
Combustible Campus Guardress | Action/Supernatural | 4 Episodes
Shigofumi: Letters from the Departed | Drama/Supernatural | 12 Episodes
Rin, Daughters of Mnemosyne | Mystery/Horror | 6 Episodes -- >

 Spoiler

18+ not a hentai but a lot of nudity and gore.. and I mean a LOT of gore. Not for the squeamish)

all of these are EASILY watchable in an afternoon.

Seconding
Golden Boy
Gintama

School Days LxH
Galaxy Express 999
Nyoron Churuya-san
SHUFFLE!
The Adventures of Hamtaro
Heidi Girl of the Alps
Dog of Flanders
Detective Conan (Case Closed)
Yu-Gi-Oh
Zoids

Listed the ones that weren't mentioned yet. The animes foreigners choose is most often the niche in Japan Mainstream Japanese people watch pomegranatety animes like Sazaesan and Doraemon.

School Days LxH
Galaxy Express 999
Nyoron Churuya-san
SHUFFLE!
The Adventures of Hamtaro
Heidi Girl of the Alps
Dog of Flanders
Detective Conan (Case Closed)
Yu-Gi-Oh
Zoids

Listed the ones that weren't mentioned yet. The animes foreigners choose is most often the niche in Japan Mainstream Japanese people watch pomegranatety animes like Sazaesan and Doraemon.

YuGiOh? a_@ do not recommend. Wasnt good to start with, and the episodes i have seen here and there that are more recent are even worse.

I do second both Case Closed and Zoids, though.

Recommending Cowboy Bebop. Finished it two days ago, it was amazing.

Elfen Lied, im about 9 episodes in, and im on the fence between recommending and not recommending.

One side of me says its awesome, with an interesting story. But the other side of me says the situations are just too dam varied. If i had to compare it to something, it would be Web Soup on G4, when they have the "cant be unseen" stuff followed by the "pallet cleanser". You get Lucy slicing and dicing, and then you get Nyu, Nyuing up the place. Fully though, I could never recommend this to someone just starting out watching animes, it would just scare them away. If you have gone through the waters before, then I fully recommend it.

Putting up my recommendation for Arakawa under the Bridge. Its easily one of the funniest animes Ive seen, and the underlying hint of romance between Ko/Ric and Nino was nice to see in the otherwise no where near serious anime.

Elfen Lied, im about 9 episodes in, and im on the fence between recommending and not recommending.

One side of me says its awesome, with an interesting story. But the other side of me says the situations are just too dam varied. If i had to compare it to something, it would be Web Soup on G4, when they have the "cant be unseen" stuff followed by the "pallet cleanser". You get Lucy slicing and dicing, and then you get Nyu, Nyuing up the place. Fully though, I could never recommend this to someone just starting out watching animes, it would just scare them away. If you have gone through the waters before, then I fully recommend it.

Putting up my recommendation for Arakawa under the Bridge. Its easily one of the funniest animes Ive seen, and the underlying hint of romance between Ko/Ric and Nino was nice to see in the otherwise no where near serious anime.

Elfen Lied...looking at a still image from the anime put me off already; it was the (in)famous scene in the first episode that contained nudity...somehow, I didn't really like what I saw.

As for Arakawa Under the Bridge, I watched through the entire first episode and then put it aside. It seemed a little too rushed and bizarre for me. I thought I had gotten used to bizarreness in anime after watching Bakemonogatari (and some other anime that had similar random cuts here and there), but I really found Arakawa too strange for my liking.

Elfen Lied...looking at a still image from the anime put me off already; it was the (in)famous scene in the first episode that contained nudity...somehow, I didn't really like what I saw.

As for Arakawa Under the Bridge, I watched through the entire first episode and then put it aside. It seemed a little too rushed and bizarre for me. I thought I had gotten used to bizarreness in anime after watching Bakemonogatari (and some other anime that had similar random cuts here and there), but I really found Arakawa too strange for my liking.

I finished Elfen Lied a lil while ago :c| Im still very much on the fence, and kind of pissed on how it ended. There is almost an obnoxious amount of nudity throughout the whole series, including parts where the girls are very very young (talking ~9 years old here). On top of that, some of the situations that are put forth for them is just creepy and weird (one of the girls in the anime had a step father that made her get naked and get on all fours for him....) I can see how it is a good anime, its story is incredible. That said though, I cant really recommend this to many people. From the situations (a puppy being killed by bully kids), to the nudity and ages of some of the girls (Mariko is supposed to be 5 and she is first seen totally naked....) right down to the very over the top killing (there is no real need for that with a story like this).

I also finished Arakawa Under the Bridge, and I fully recommend it. The weirdness is just what the series is all about, but its not anything like Funky Forest: First Contact (I also recommend this, but it isnt an anime...). Everyone in Arakawa just seems crazy;


Beyond the introductions, how the people are just becomes second nature, and then you focus on the crazy situations that always happen. Its 100% NOT serious, and its just awesome that way. Im really looking forward to the second season.

Also, one reason I can see it being sort of rushed, is how they have "episodes" within each episode.

Also, one reason I can see it being sort of rushed, is how they have "episodes" within each episode.

You mean, like a 4Koma?

Speaking of anime based on 4Komas, I recommend Seitokai Yakuindomo. There are tonnes of dirty jokes in it, and it never really gets old.

Working!! is also based on a 4Koma, and it's pretty good too.

You mean, like a 4Koma?

Speaking of anime based on 4Komas, I recommend Seitokai Yakuindomo. There are tonnes of dirty jokes in it, and it never really gets old.

Working!! is also based on a 4Koma, and it's pretty good too.

Hmmm, I would have to say yes and no. Each "episode" does give to the episodes story, but they are also their own stories within...sorta. The "episodes" kind of are just subtext for that part of the episode.

You mean, like a 4Koma?

Speaking of anime based on 4Komas, I recommend Seitokai Yakuindomo. There are tonnes of dirty jokes in it, and it never really gets old.

Working!! is also based on a 4Koma, and it's pretty good too.

Arakawa's chapters are really short. Some chapters are even as short as 2 pages. It does have a 4-koma feel, though.

I love Arakawa under the Bridge, personally. Arakawa is a master of comedy; it always knows how to toy with your expectations, and it always manages to be unpredictable- and executes it nicely. It has an incredibly entertaining and creative cast of characters. I didn't really know what Arakawa was trying to say in terms of themes- perhaps a parody of the Japanese attitude towards work, but I'm not certain; but it was a really nice watch.

Since you bring up 4-koma adaptations, I'd say the king of 4-koma adaptations would have to be Azumanga Daioh. I picked up the complete series in Borders for $20; and it's really quite good. I've seen a few scenes from the anime, and it's pretty funny.

Bastard!! | Fantasy | 6 Episodes
Rin, Daughters of Mnemosyne | Mystery/Horror | 6 Episodes -- >

 Spoiler

18+ not a hentai but a lot of nudity and gore.. and I mean a LOT of gore. Not for the squeamish)

I find it ironic you warn people about Mnemosyne and said nothing about Bastard!!. The manga was pretty much two panels away from hardcore porn.

The animes foreigners choose is most often the niche in Japan Mainstream Japanese people watch pomegranatety animes like Sazaesan and Doraemon.

Hey. Don't diss Doraemon. That's many people's childhood.

YuGiOh? a_@ do not recommend. Wasnt good to start with, and the episodes i have seen here and there that are more recent are even worse.

I liked Yu-Gi-Oh!. For an anime aimed towards pre-teens, it had decent plot, decent action, decent drama. But I wouldn't want people wasting a few hundred hours watching the entire series. People should have better things to do than watch one card game for 10 episodes. If anything, I'd recommend people watch episode 1, skip Duelist Kingdom, watch Battle City, skip every time Mokuba gets kidnapped, watch Battle City Semi-Finals, skip the Virtual Dungeon, watch Kaiba's Duel Tower, skip season 4 and 5, watch the last four episodes and you have an amazing anime.

I finished Elfen Lied a lil while ago :c| Im still very much on the fence, and kind of pissed on how it ended. There is almost an obnoxious amount of nudity throughout the whole series, including parts where the girls are very very young (talking ~9 years old here). On top of that, some of the situations that are put forth for them is just creepy and weird (one of the girls in the anime had a step father that made her get naked and get on all fours for him....) I can see how it is a good anime, its story is incredible. That said though, I cant really recommend this to many people. From the situations (a puppy being killed by bully kids), to the nudity and ages of some of the girls (Mariko is supposed to be 5 and she is first seen totally naked....) right down to the very over the top killing (there is no real need for that with a story like this).

I think you're misunderstanding Elfen Lied. While it does have gore and nudity, it is appropriate (for mature viewers) because it builds drama and pain. Because if you build drama from plot alone topped off with mediocre/poor animation, you get something like sola: half-in, half-out, half-assed drama. The puppy scene is strange for American viewers because it's a good sign we have a future psychopath in the making. However for Asian countries especially in more crowded and marketing areas, animals do killed and prepared on the street for sales so the children gets exposed to that sort treatment. So while the puppy scene was a bit extreme and slightly pushing the lines of believable, it was the tool to drive Lucy to psychopathic behavior. As for the stepfather, pedophilia surfaces from time to time on the news and afternoon talk shows, so that's quite realistic (and a handy tool for drama). The nude laboratory test subjects were treated inhumanly and the nudity was emphasizing that. Diclonius are outcasts, hated upon and looked down upon. It's not strange for human to treat those who are different like dirt (see District 9). Overall, Elfen Lied is a mature anime, not just in the visual violence but in its underlying themes as well. Have you considered the dimensions of character development? Brando, the di[SIZE="2"]c[/SIZE]k driven by revenge, ironically was driven to do good by cleaning the beach (though it wasn't his intention). He's also a man of his word. Nana, the supposed antagonist became the victim in "the girl who cried diclonius". But compared to Higurashi, I felt the gore in Elfen Lied was bearable. I had to adjust for Higurashi.

-Updated everything, including the post below.

Also, thinking about tagging some of these with Tsundere and Yandere. Because really, isn't that why we all watch anime?

Recommending Eden of the East and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.