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Novice Anime Discussion Part I (1 Viewer)

Rob Lutter

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2000
Messages
4,523
Welcome to Novice Anime Discussion!!

Wondering what all the fuss is about this [rant]"ANIME"[/rant] thing you have been hearing so much about?

Advanced Anime Discussion just confuse the hell out of you?

Disillusioned by the number of Japanese Animation titles and wondering where you need to start?


Well... this thread is for you! The Mini Otaku of HTF! :D

HTF ANIME RECOMMENDATIONS
--
HTF ADVANCED RECOMMENDATIONS

(Under Construction Forever ;) )
 

Tony-B

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2002
Messages
3,768
Yes, I hope that a lot of you people who have not seen anime before come in and try to watch some of it. Don't worry, we will help all of you out. I am a newbie to anime, and I would like to suggest a series for newcomers. Crest of the Stars. This series turned my world upside-down, and my opinion of anime too. I know that many people will suggest Cowboy Bebop, but I have not seen that yet, as many of you AAD posters know ;). I would also suggest watching Akira. It is a very good anime movie.
 

Dome Vongvises

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 13, 2001
Messages
8,172
I suggested this in the other thread long ago, but could Mr. Rob Lutter have a recommended/sorted list on the first post of the thread to look back on and reference?

This is my kind of thread. :emoji_thumbsup:
Easier for folks like me. :b
 

Rob Lutter

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2000
Messages
4,523
oh Jebus... I don't think I want such a task. I am already compiling the HTF Good Trader's List ;)

Tell ya what, whoever wants to do it... I can link to it in the first post :)
 

Tony-B

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2002
Messages
3,768
[c]:star:The Official HTF Anime Recommendations List:star:

Compiled and maintained by Tony-B, "The ever penniless and hopeful to win the lottery otaku, who gazes longingly at the list he dutifully compiles and updates on a regular basis at the request of those more fortunate than himself" - Woo Jae


Currently 54,138 characters (including spaces) long! (Source: Microsoft Word's word count feature)

Last updated on November 3, 2003

(Sorry for taking forever to update this thing. It's just that nothing really needs to be added here, seeing how most of the series are completely released at this point. Also, I am quite busy with school and everything. I hope you can understand where I am coming from.

I added recommendations from Mark Perkins, Adam_D, Ben Phillips, DaveGTP, Jesse Brickzin, Rob Lutter, Matthew Shaw, and Todd Terwilliger. Due to overwhleming demand, I added FLCL to the comedy section. Millennium Actress was added to the movie section. I also updated TV info for Cowboy Bebop, Inu Yasha, Banner of the Stars, GTO, and Hellsing. Of course, the NRY notations and release dates were updated. A new volume was added to Initial D. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it was really a ton of stuff! Especially gathering recommendations! Also, take a look at the most recommeded list at the bottom, because that was updated too!)

NRY = No Review Yet
OVA = Original Video Animation (in other words, it is direct-to-video in Japan)
ALL TV SHOWTIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN TIME[/c]

COMEDYMECHA/GIANT ROBOTSCI-FI
  • The Animatrix (Tony-B, Kong Chang, Eugene Esterly, JohnAD, Adam_D, DaveGTP, Jesse Brickzin) (7 RECOMMENDATIONS)
    This is a series of 9 short animes based on the world of The Matrix. The Wachowski Brothers either wrote or approved all of the scripts. Also, the shorts feature the voices of the actors and actresses who are in the movie. You can get information on each of the 9 shorts by clicking the link above.

    You can see 4 of the shorts that are on the DVD release right now by going to Warner Brothers' official Animatrix site. The DVD also contains an EXCELLENT documentary on the history of anime.

    REVIEWS
    AnimeOnDVD, DVDFile, DVD Talk, IGN DVD

    Note: The Animatrix also comes in another edition that includes the Audio CD soundtrack.
  • Cowboy Bebop and the movie: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (AKA Cowboy Bebop: The Movie in the US) (Rob Lutter, Mike Franklin, Morgan Jolley, Brendan Brown, Woo Jae, Tony-B, Andy_Bu, Rob Gardiner, ShaunS, Gary Neuwirth, mike martin, Dome Vongvises, Dan Rudolph, DaveGTP, Mark_Wilson, Kong Chang, Martin G, Jesse Brickzin, JohnAD, Jeff Kleist, Brian Brantley, Eric Chang, Mark_D) (23 RECOMMENDATIONS)
    REVIEWS
    Cowboy Bebop: Perfect Sessions box set (Now out of production. It is very hard, and very expensive to come by. You may find them on Ebay, but be careful! Most of the time on Ebay they are bootlegs! The bootleg for this collection comes on three discs, instead of six.), Session 1, Session 2, Session 3, Session 4, Session 5, Session 6, Best Sessions (Includes 6 episodes in Japanese Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround, and in English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround), Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie).

    The movie takes place between Sessions 22 and 23 of the TV series, so make sure that you have seen the series up until that point before seeing the movie.
  • Crest of the Stars (Tony-B, Brendan Brown, Woo Jae, Gary Neuwirth, DaveGTP, Kong Chang, Jason Birzer, Jesse Brickzin, JohnAD, Adam_D, Rob Lutter, Matthew Shaw, Todd Terwilliger) (13 RECOMMENDATIONS)
    REVIEWS
    Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4, Crest of the Stars: Collector’s Set (NRY).

    If you liked Crest of the Stars, then you should watch the sequel...

    Banner of the Stars
    REVIEWS
    Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3.

    Banner of the Stars airs on TV every Tuesday-Saturday morning at 1:00 AM on TechTV's Anime Unleashed. It is dubbed and they do edit the show. However, it is not for censorship purposes, but for time constraints. They edit out some filler scenes and parts of long shots.

    And if you liked Crest of the Stars and Banner of the Stars, then you should watch the third and final series...

    Banner of the Stars II
    REVIEWS
    Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 (Coming December 2, 2003) (NRY).

    Volume 3 of Banner of the Stars II will include the Lost Chapter of the Stars - Birth special.
  • Outlaw Star (Mike Franklin, Michael Morris, Kong Chang, Adam_D) (4 RECOMMENDATIONS)
    REVIEWS
    Outlaw Star: The Collection box set, Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3.
  • Trigun (Cary T, Michael Morris, Kong Chang, Tony-B, Martin G, Eric Chang) (6 RECOMMENDATIONS)
    REVIEWS
    Trigun: The Complete DVD Box Set, Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4, Volume 5, Volume 6, Volume 7, Volume 8.

    Trigun airs on TV every Monday-Friday morning at 1:00 AM on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The problem is that they show it dubbed and edited.
ACTIONSPORTSMOVIES[c]:star:Most Recommended By Genre:star:
  • COMEDY: FLCL (13 recommendations)
  • MECHA: Neon Genesis Evangelion (19 recommendations)
  • SCI-FI: Cowboy Bebop (23 recommendations)
  • ACTION: Berserk (9 recommendations)
  • SPORTS: None! (Every item has only one recommendation!)
  • MOVIES: Akira (14 recommendations)
[/c]

[c]:star:HTF’S FAVORITE ANIME. . . :star:
COWBOY BEBOP!



Links of Interest
100 Most Essential Words In Anime
ADV Films' Anime Network
AnimeInfo's Otaku Dictionary
AnimeInfo's Anime University
Anime News Network.
Anime News Network's Dub Track (Has unbiased English Dub reviews)
Anime News Network's Edit List
Anime News Service
AnimeNfo
AnimeOnDVD
AnimeOnDVD's Recommendation List
Anime Web Turnpike
Cartoon Network's Adult Swim site.
Dub Review
Fanboys Anime Glossary
Nausicaa.net (A great Ghibli fan site)
A Parent's Guide to Anime
Link Removed (Great information about how to spot pirated anime)
TechTV's Anime Unleashed site.

Studio Links
ADV Films
AnimEigo
Bandai Entertainment
Central Park Media
Manga Entertainment
Media Blasters
Geneon Animation
The Right Stuf International
Synch-Point
TOKYOPOP
Urban Vision Entertainment
Viz

Shopping (US sites)
Amazon.com's Anime section
The Anime Corner Store
AnimeNation
CDJapan (Great site that imports Japanese CDs and Region 2 DVDs!)
CNL (For all you Canadians that might be looking at the list.)
Deep Discount DVD's anime section
DVD Talk's section for Amazon.com's Share The Love program (You can get a 10% discount on anything on Amazon with STL)
FYE.com
Suncoast.com's Anime section
The Right Stuf International

Other HTF Anime Threads
(Every major thread dedicated to anime that is currently on HTF). Please don't post in them (except Advanced Anime Discussion Part V). If you want to refer to something from one of the threads, just post a link to or quote the message in here.

:star:Note to moderators: Please make sure that all of these threads are archived. I would really appreciate it.:star:
 

Rob Lutter

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2000
Messages
4,523
And now it's time for "Lutter Recommends"

Action
Lupin III
X:TV

Comedy
Fruits Basket
GTO
His and Her Circumstances (Kare Kano)
Love Hina
Mahoromatic
Ranma 1/2
Strawberry Eggs (I! My! Me!)
Tenchi Muyo OVAs

Mecha
Neon Genesis Evangelion
The Vision of Escaflowne

Science Fiction
COWBOY BEBOP **

Not in a genre
Lain

Movie Recommendations
Akira
Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaea
Grave of the Fireflies
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
 

Mike Franklin

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 23, 2001
Messages
133
Hello everyone, here are me recommendations on some anime as well.

MECHA
Robotech
Macross
Gundam (All shows except Mobile Fighter G Gundam)

SCIFI
Outlaw Star
Cowboy Bebop
Bubblegum Crisis/Crash(Ova)
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Blue Seed
Galaxy Express 999
Harlack Saga
Wings of Honneamise
Please Save My Earth

HISTORIC/MARTIAL ARTS
Ninja Scroll
Wrath of the Ninja( The Yotoden Movie)
Black Lion
Curse of the Undead Yoma
Dog Warriors: The Hakkenden
Sword for Truth

Action
Dragon Ball/Z/GT
Lupin III
Space Adventure Cobra
Fist of the North Star TV/Movie
Angel Cop
Inu Yasha
The Professional: Golgo 13
Spriggan
Berserk
Hellsing
Vampire Hunter D:Bloodlust

Comedy
Ranma 1/2
His and Her Circumstance
Tenchi Muyo/Universe
Project A-KO
Slayers

I know my list of recommendations is really long, but that is because, I don't what one genre of anime that a lot of people seem to do. I hope this will help out some newbies on what to watch.
 

Cary T

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 21, 2002
Messages
1,060
I'll recommend the ones that weren't mention:

Sci-fi
Trigun

Action
City Hunter

Movie
Anything from Miyazaki, my top 3 are:
Kiki's Delivery Service
Laputa
Nauiscaa of the Valley of the Wind
 

Elvie

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 1, 2002
Messages
55
I've recommended "Princess Mononoke" for lots of newbies to anime with very positive results :)

And don't forget the anime "Metropolis" ... can be a bit confusing for some newbies at times, but so beautiful that the couple of people I had watch it were impressed by the beautiful visuals. After those, I'd also add "Ghost in the Shell".

Just my 2 cents worth ...
 

Morgan Jolley

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2000
Messages
9,712
I second Lain, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion (series and movies), Princess Mononoke, Akira, and I suggest adding Spirited Away.
 

Eric F

Screenwriter
Joined
Sep 5, 1999
Messages
1,810
This is turning into the advanced anime thread- let's try and keep this to a basic level, things people will understand. There are too many suggestions for a starting point. Alot of the stuff listed I didn't "get" and I've watched a fair bit of Anime at this point. Culturaly alot of this material doesn't translate well.

Cowboy Bebop is a good example- it's not really "Sci-Fi". Sure, that's the setting, but it's more "Noir" than anything. So if you like films like Maltese Falcon you'll like Bebop. Bebop is the exception and not the rule. It's unique because it's steeped in Western culture, that's why it translates so well.
 

Tony-B

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2002
Messages
3,768
Eric, we SHOULD keep it to a simple level. However, I am just making a giant list of recommendations. I think that it will be a helpful resource in the future. I definitely would not suggest Lain for the newbies. It is way too strange. I think that I should branch the list out into 2 lists. "Novice recommendations" and "Advanced Recommendations". I would not know how to spilt it up, so I need help with that.
 

Mike Franklin

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 23, 2001
Messages
133
Tony-B

I don't see NGE as Mecha because the Eva's to me, are not the pure focus of the series. I see it more from the point of the main charater, and the Eva's are just there to make the story move along and to get to the bigger picture in the end. I'm tring to word it in away not to spoil the series for anyone who hasnt seen it yet. The series could go either way Mecha or Sci-fi, because it's really both, but to me it more Sci-fi. It has a future setting and a lot of cool technology, which if the foundation for telling the story of a young boy. NGE is one of those series that can be precieved so many diffrent and mine is just one of them.
 

David Lawson

Screenwriter
Joined
Sep 11, 2000
Messages
1,365
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Real Name
David Lawson
I think "Ghost In The Shell" is one of the most accessible anime titles out there. I'll recommend "Metropolis" as well, which isn't that confusing (until the end, perhaps).
 

Brendan Brown

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
Messages
220
Here's my list. (it's large, I'll split it into two I think) I'll put a note whether I feel strongly that a certain recommended anime is for Novices or Advanced watchers. if it isn't notated one way or the other, read the descriptions and think if that would appeal to you. Some summaries will be paraphrased descriptions

Action

Cowboy Bebop (Novice)
Aurally and visually Jazzy, this fun and retro-cool anime series is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser. If it can be called a vanity project, it's a vanity project for it's acclaimed composer Yoko Kanno.
Bandai has released the entire series over six volumes. A 'Best Sessions' set has been released with a selected 6 episodes remixed into Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1


Comedy

Ranma 1/2 (Novice)
One of the first animé TV series' I started watching. One of the first major comedy staples of the scene. Ranma is a teen martial-arts prodigy...then a mishap whilst training in China gives him a strange curse...whenever he's hit with cold water, he turns into a girl (hot water changes him back) when his father engages him to a friend's tomboy daugher back in Tokyo, Hilarity ensues.
Over the course of many years, Viz video has released nearly every Ranma film and episode onto dvd. It's a considerable collection.


His and Her Circumstances
From the enigmatic and troubled director of 'Evangelion' comes a high-school romantic comedy. Yukino Miyazawa is the overachieving good girl at her new high school, but little does anybody know that's it's all an act to garner praise to feed her own ego. When Soichiro Arima, the adopted son of a rich household, arrives on the scene and steals her thunder. Miyazawa starts plotting a hilariously disproportionate revenge...
'The Right Stuf' is releasing this series over 5 volumes. with the seamless branching, alternate angles, and incredibly complex multiple subtitle streams, these DVDs are some of the most complex ever made.


Abenobashi Mahou Shotengai (aka 'Abenobashi Magical Shopping District')
When 6th graders Sasshi and his female friend Arumi's home town Abenobashi (a shopping district near Osaka) is being torn down and "revitalized." Sasshi's family's house is demolished and his family moves into a small apartment. What he and Arumi don't realize is that three of the four magical animal statues of the district (one of which was at his old house) have been destroyed with the remaining one at Arumi's house. When a tragic accident destroys the remaining animal statue, Sasshi and Arumi find themselves shifting into different universes, each one with its own Abenobashi Shopping District. Broad and funny humour occurs as each era is a parody of a different style and setting to various 'genre' animé.
While there is an R2 release (in anamorphic widescreen no less) this show has not yet been licensed for R1.


Dragon Half
In a swords and sorcery style universe, Mink is a typical teen girl who incidentally is half-human and half-dragon. Just like many girls her age, Mink has a crush on a superstar pop singer named Dick Saucer. However Dick Saucer's image is also that of a renowned dragon slayer, and he's convinced that Mink is a vicious dragon pretending to be an innocent young girl! All Mink wants is to be fully human so she can win his heart....but life isn't that simple...
ADV has released both OVA episodes on one disc.


Mecha

Neon Genesis Evangelion
Watching the first episode, Evangelion appears to be just another giant robot show. all the requisite clichés are in place: the reluctant boy protagonist, a secret organization filled with brilliant scientists who produce and maintain said giant robot, sexy women, overzealous military types, and of course, major property damage.
Set in the year 2015, 15 years after a meteorite fell to earth and killed half the world's population, 14 year old Shinji Ikari, the quiet and abandoned-as-a-child son of NERV (the secret organization's) commander in chief, is summoned out of the blue to his estranged father's side just in time to pilot the aforementioned giant robot against a mysterious giant monster. Shinji is terrified of his new responsibilities, but as his new guardian, Misato Katsuragi, tells him, "You must confront your father, and you must confront yourself." From the grand orchestral score, to the overblown launch sequence, every last element of a pastiche is touched on...however...
The tone of the series takes a radical left turn, some of it starting as early as episode two, this episode reveals that Shinji's first battle is a disaster. The cabal that runs NERV scrambles to cover up the attack and lie to the public, while Shinji's father is chewed out for cost overruns and ignoring more important projects. The sexy and capable Misato turns out to be a beer-swilling slob with a grouchy pet penguin. And Shinji's defeat of the Third Angel? In his panic, he allowed the Eva to go berserk, caused the angel to self-destruct, and revealed a frightening hint of things to come: the Evangelions may be more organism than machine....
ADV has released this series domestically over eight volumes. However a very very much improved remaster (new telecine from original film and cel elements) is about to be released in Japan. Chances of that remaster being released domestically range from slim to none.


more to come.
 

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