What's up with Anime, where to start? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Lehmkuhl]

I am befuddled !

What is anime? Obviously it is some sort of animation, but what is it's attraction? What's special about it over other animation? Are they just cartoons or much more?

If one wanted to start into anime, where is a good start?

Thanks in advance

 

[Rob Lutter]

Anime is Japanese animation. While cartoons in the US have gone into one genre (the kiddy genre), Japanese animation can be dramatic, comedic, romantic, action-oriented, or sci-fi.
We have a running thread called Advanced Anime Discussion that would be better suited if you want to get more recommendations. Are you in college? Lots of colleges have anime clubs that meet and show the newest stuff from Japan... you may want to contact your Campus Activities office and find out.
I am really just getting started with anime (I have been watching it for about six months now) and my favorite series thus far has been Cowboy Bebop. It has great characters, a cool plotline, awesome music, and a GREAT ending

 

[Mark Lehmkuhl]

Thanks. The advance anime discussion is too overwhelming for a newcomer! I can't begin to sift through all that information.

What are some good dvd's to start with that best illustrate the genre?

 

[Rob Lutter]

Mark, just make this same post over there... more people will see it that know more than me

 

[Brian Kaz]

I got three newcomers into Anime with these titles:
Ghost In the Shell
Ninja Scroll
Grave of the Fireflies
Castle of Cagliostro
There is obviously much, much more great stuff out there, but these represent some different genres that Anime covers (Sci-Fi, Action, Drama, Fantasy). Oh, and do yourself a BIG favor by watching these with the original Japanese soundtrack.

 

[Ted Lee]

you'll probably hear the usual suspects mentioned. try these out (in no particular order):
SERIES
cowboy bebop (on the cartoon network) (sci-fi)
serial experiments lain (virtual reality?)
outlaw star (sci-fi)
trigun (western)
gasaraki (mecha)
neon genesis evangelion (mecha)
beserk (fantasy)
MOVIES
ghost in the shell (sci-fi)
akira (sci-fi)
ninja scroll (samurai/fantasy)
princess mononoke (fantasy)
grave of the fireflies (sad moving story)
if you can only check out a couple, do the ones i bolded.
if you're really serious about learning, you have to check out the advanced anime threads. i sat down one day and read them all straight through. there's one in the archives
there's way knowledgeable people there. most of the time i just lurk and listen anyway. it's definitely worth subscribing to.
also, check out these websites:
http://www.animeondvd.com/
http://www.digitalhoard.com/
http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/sho...ime&type=Movie

 

[Chris Beveridge]

Mark,
You may want to check out our anime primer as well as our Recommendations section, which has a number of genres covered and talks about the titles.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Recommending anime is very difficult given that it covers such a diverse range of styles and subjects, just as asking for movie recommendations would be. I'd look at Chris' primer and recommendations list as a start, but you really need to try a few titles to see some of the potential. Like everything elese, there will be stuff you like and stuff you hate.

 

[Mark Lehmkuhl]

Wow. I thought it was just Sci-Fi, didn't realize it was so all-encompassing. I will start with the recommendations. Thanks.

 

[Ted Lee]

mark - i updated my post to try to categorize the titles for you. it may not be exact, but it'll give you an idea (i hope).

 

[John Chow]

Tell us what kind of movies you like, and it may be easier for us to provide recommendations.
i.e., if you liked the Matrix, check out Ghost in the Shell. The Matrix borrowed a ton from anime in general, and some shots felt like they were directly from Ghost in the Shell.
I would say it is easier to start with movie length anime, since getting into a 13 or 26 episode series might be a bit intimidating.
Not sure where dublin, ohio is, but if it's close enough to one of the other cities here:
http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/sen/theaters.php
Go check out Spirited Away in the theaters.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

You probably already heard of Akira, but unless you already like anime or have seen a lot, you might not understand the significance of it, which is most of the quality of the film. Some friends of mine who like anime hated Akira, but they don't understand that while it could be considered an OK film today, it was a GREAT film when it was released.
Everyone seems to prefer Cowboy Bebop and I would have to agree. It's a 26-episode TV series on 6 DVDs, so it might take a while for you to see it all. I would recommend seeing a movie or two first so you can get into some of the idiosynchracies (sp?) of anime before taking the plunge into a series. My personal favorite series are Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion(another 26-episode series but this has 2 movies).

 

[Aaron Silverman]

As long as you're getting into anime, it's a good opportunity to learn Japanese! Spoken Japanese is actually a pretty easy language to learn the basics, and watching anime is great practice. Getting a book like one of the "xxx in 10 Minutes a Day" series can add a lot to your anime-viewing experience. (You'll find out for yourself how much better it is to watch with the original Japanese language track and subtitles than English dubs.)

 

[Rob Lutter]

Oh, and you MUST check out the Cowboy Bebop movie, Knockin' on Heaven's Door that is coming over to the states next year. I got the chance to see an, ahem, naughty copy of it and it is WONDERFUL
Someone else mentioned Akira. That is a REALLY good place to start (that is pretty much where I started actually... back when I was about 10, it was the first anime I had EVER seen ). The Vampire Hunter D movies are also a favorite of mine (think BLADE, but with cowboy hats )
I am watching His and Her Circumstances right now and I must say that it is turning out to be a wonderful show... I am already done with the first disc after 2 days and I CANNOT wait for the next one