General anime thread/Anime (and manga) New OP,Edits Coming Soon!

[nessokman]

This is not a simple list of anime. This is a list of some of the best anime I've ever watched and manga I've ever read. Also, this list is aimed at people whose only experience with anime is flipping past Dragonball Z on television. That means that this list will include no Naruto, no Bleach, no One Piece, no Pokemon, no Digimon, and of course no Dragonball. I'm not saying that those anime are bad, but chances are most of the people reading this have already seen them or something similar, and been unimpressed. This list is meant to give people an introduction to another side of anime, rather than the typical and repetitive shounen stuff you see on daytime TV (shounen means anime aimed at young boys). When browsing this list, I recommend that you look at the genre of the anime first, to see if the series would have any possible appeal to you whatsoever.

Feel free to make suggestions or ask questions. I'll add suggestions to the list as my time permits and as I see fit, and I'll answer any questions every time I check this topic.


The List:

Berserk
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Maturity Level: NC-17 - There's extreme violence, ****, and many other things that I found absolutely disgusting. Nonetheless, it is an excellent anime and manga (probably the best manga I've ever read).
Manga or Anime: I personally prefer the manga. The anime is pretty good, but only tells a portion of the story, and the animation is rather dated and wasn't exceptional to begin with. I feel that the manga is much better.
Story: Guts, the black swordsman, goes a quest for revenge against the man who betrayed him. Along the way he endures brutal battles against demonic creatures. About three volumes into the manga and two episodes into the anime, it goes into an elongated flashback that explains Guts' origins, and why he is seeking revenge. This is probably the best manga I've ever read. The first three or four volumes of the manga were rather tough going, but you're rewarded with an amazing and epic story.

Vagabond
Genres: Action, Adventure, Historical
Maturity Level: R - Quite a bit of violence, some sex, and one incidence of ****.
Manga or Anime: Manga. There is no anime.
Story: Essentially, this manga is about Miyamoto Musashi (Shinmen Takezo) as he develops his skill with the sword and eventually becomes the man who will become the most famous swordsman in Japanese history. However, this summary doesn't really do the story justice. It's not just sword fights, although there are plenty of those. Nor is it a dry retelling of the story of Musashi's life. Instead, it is a vivid portrait of a man and his development, both as a swordsman and as a person. It's a great read.

Serial Experiments Lain
Genres: SciFi, Psychological, Mystery, Philosophical
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Anime. There is no manga.
Story: When a dead classmate begins sending e-mails to her fellow students, Lain is intrigued. She begins to investigate what's happening, and discovers the world of the "Wired" (essentially the internet). She begins to be sucked in more and more by this virtual world, and the line between the real world and the artificial world quickly begins to blur. It's a fascinating series, but it can be very confusing. The opening song is also my favorite song I've ever heard in an anime, and that's saying a lot.

Monster
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Psychological
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Either. They're very similar, so you probably won't want to watch both, but they're both very good.
Story: Kenzou Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon in Germany, had it all: incredible skill at his work, a rich and beautiful fiancee, and a promising career at his hospital. However, after becoming disenchanted by hospital politics, he chose to save the life of a young boy who got shot in the head over the life of the mayor. As a result he lost the support of the hospital director, as well as his position in the hospital and his fiance. A short time later, the hospital director and the doctors that replaced him were murdered, and once again he was catapulted back onto the top. But as the chief suspect of the murders, Tenma did not get a easy life. As a matter of fact, it seems that the boy he saved was much more than he had appeared to be... Now to clear his name and to correct his past mistake, Tenma must get to the bottom of these and other murders, and investigate the truth of the Monster who is behind all of this. (From Anime News Network)

Death Note
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Psychological, Supernatural
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Either. They're very similar, so you probably won't want to watch both, but they're both very good.
Story: Light Yagami, the top student in all of Japan, is bored. One day he discovers a "Death Note", a supernatural book that causes whoever's name is written in it to die. Soon, he sets off the change the world using his newly acquired power, only to run up against the genius detective who goes by the name of "L". It's a thrilling battle of wits, and probably the most tightly written series I've ever seen. It also makes you question certain implicit assumptions about the nature of right and wrong, good and evil. It's both suspenseful and mind-bending. Unfortunately, it declines in its second half, but it's still an excellent series.

Neon Genesis Evangelion
Genres: SciFi, Mecha, Psychological, Philosophical
Maturity Level: R, maybe PG-13
Manga or Anime: The manga is still incomplete, and for that reason I recommend the anime. However, the anime has its share of problems, most of which are caused by a lack of money during the latter half of the show. This leads to some extreme animation shortcuts.
Story: At the age of 14 Shinji Ikari is summoned by his father to the city of Neo Tokyo-3 after several years of separation. There he unwillingly accepts the task of becoming the pilot of a giant robot by the name EVA01 and protect the world from the enigmatic invaders known as "angels." Even though he repeatedly questions why he has accepted this mission from his estranged and cold father, his doing so helps him to gradually accept himself. However, why exactly are the angels attacking and what are his father’s true intentions are yet to be unraveled. (From Anime News Network)

Azumanga Daioh
Genres: Humour, Slice of Life
Maturity Level: PG
Manga or Anime: Either. They're very similar, so you probably won't want to watch both, but they're both very good. The art in the manga starts out very simplistic, but gets better.
Story: It's essentially a show about a group of schoolgirls, but it's probably the funniest anime I've ever seen. The characters are all humorous in their own ways, and they're absolutely hilarious together.

Yotsuba&!
Genres: Humour, Slice of Life
Maturity Level: G
Manga or Anime: Manga. There is no anime.
Story: Done by the creator of Azumanga Daioh. The main character is a young girl with a tremendous amount of curiosity and an almost total lack of understanding about the world. This leads to some hilarious situations when she interacts with others, particularly her neighbors, who are also featured heavily in this story. Like Azumanga is probably the funniest anime I've ever seen, this is probably the funniest manga I've ever read. Really.

FLCL
Genres: Surreal, Psychological, SciFi
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Anime. The manga is nowhere near as good.
Story: I'm not really sure where to start. The story gets into gear when a guitar-wielding, pink haired girl arrives on her Vespa scooter, running over the main character and then, for no apparent reason, hitting him over the head with her guitar. And it only gets stranger from there. The anime is an explosion of weirdness and surrealism, which I personally think is great. You'll either love it for being so strange or you'll hate it for the same reason. There is no middle ground.

Planetes
Genres: SciFi, Slice of Life, Romance
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Both. They're both excellent, and rather different.
Story: In the year 2075, mankind has reached a point where journeying between Earth, the moon and the space stations is part of daily life. However, the progression of technology in space has also resulted in the problem of the space debris, which can cause excessive and even catastrophic damage to spacecrafts and equipment. This is the story of Technora's Debris Collecting section, its EVA worker, Hachirota "Hachimaki" Hoshino, and the newcomer to the group, Ai Tanabe. (From Anime News Network)

Witch Hunter Robin
Genres: Supernatural, SciFi, Adventure
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Anime. There is no manga.
Story: Witches are individuals with special powers like ESP, telekinesis, mind control, etc. (not the typical hogwart and newt potions). Robin, a craft user, arrives from Italy to Japan to work for an organization named STN Japan Division (STN-J) as a replacement for one of STN-J's witch hunters who was recently killed. Unlike other divisions of STN, STN-J tries to capture the witches alive in order to learn why and how they became witches in the first place. (From Anime News Network) This series starts off slow, with episodes that are, well, episodic. They're not bad, but about halfway into the series, the pace really picks up, and the main plot is amazingly gripping.

Paranoia Agent
Genres: Suspense, Mystery, Surreal, Psychological
Maturity Level: R
Manga or Anime: Anime. There is no manga.
Story: An elementary school kid dubbed with the title "shounen bat" or "lil slugger" has been going around attacking people with his bent, golden bat. Now, two detectives are investigating so they can stop this kid from making any more attacks, but they will find out soon enough... that this case is much more than they expected. (From Anime News Network)

Cowboy Bebop
Genres: SciFi, Action, Noir
Maturity Level: R
Manga or Anime: Anime. The manga features the same characters as the series, but none of its charm.
Story: This show follows a group of bounty hunters as they travel across the galaxy. It combines excellent animation with a great jazz soundtrack. The show is almost entirely episodic, but there is a main story that takes up five episodes scattered throughout the anime. It runs 26 episodes total, plus a movie which can be watched anytime after episode nine. It's a wonderful show, and it's the show that got me into anime.

Ergo Proxy
Genres: SciFi, Philosophical, Adventure
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Anime. There is no manga.
Story: In a future where the world has been ravaged by a nuclear apocalyse, there exists salvation in a domed city named "Romdeau", where humans and their android servants, the autoreivs, live in. Under the implementation of complete management control, it is a paradise where feelings are literally discarded, and the governing council dictates the way of life the citizens should live. But this utopian landscape is soon broken by a series of mystifying murders. Real Mayar, a female inspector from the Citizen Information Bureau, along with her autoreiv partner Iggy, are tasked to solve the murder cases. She is soon attacked by a creature drawn to her which is neither human nor android, and learns about the mysterious phenomena called "Awakening", an event which draws her further into the case...and to the world beyond the limits of Romdeau. (From Anime News Network) I personally feel that this series declines somewhat during its second half, but it's still enthralling and excellently done SciFi.

Ghost in the Shell
Genres: SciFi, Political, Police, Philosophical, Cyberpunk
Maturity Level: R
Manga or Anime: I haven't read the manga, but from what I've heard the anime is the superior of the two. Besides the anime series, there are also two semi-related anime movies, and one anime movie based directly on the show.
Story: Set a few decades into the future, where cyberization (integrating mechanical or computer parts into your body) has become normal, and the internet has taken giant leaps forward. Major Motoko is part of an elite Japanese crime fighting unit known as Section 9. Section 9 deals primarily in crimes relating to cyborgs and cyberterrorism, and contains some of the best hackers on the planet. However, this anime has a great deal of action as well, and the animation is topnotch. Combine that with the amazing fights made possible by the cyborg bodies of the characters (the Major herself is fully cyberized), and you've got yourself a topnotch anime. Truly the most thought provoking and intellectually stimulating anime I've ever watched, and that's saying something considering the anime I've watched. Perhaps my all-time favorite anime.

Haibane Renmei
Genres: Slice of Life, Drama
Maturity Level: PG-13, maybe PG
Manga or Anime: Anime. There is no manga.
Story: A dream of falling from the sky...and then birth. Rakka is born from a large cocoon into the Old Home, greeted by a group of females with small wings on their backs and shining halos above their heads. Soon Rakka’s own wings grow, a halo is placed on her head and she is told that she must work in the nearby town of Grie. She soon realizes that the town and the entire world they live in are confined behind the Wall, a tall, impenetrable wall that none except the mysterious Toga are allowed to exit. (From Anime News Network)

Golden Boy
Genres: Humor, Sex Comedy
Maturity Level: R
Manga or Anime: Anime. The manga simply doesn't compare
Story: I should warn you that the following plot summary will probably make the first episode a lot less funny. I'd recommend that you just take me at my word that Golden Boy is hilarious and go watch it right now.

Spoiler

Kintarou Oe doesn't look like it, but he is a genius who completed all his university courses and then quit before graduating. He becomes a wandering student, going from place to place on his bicycle, seeking to learn what he can about life, the world, and women. He is willing and able to do any job he has to prove himself. His travels take him to a variety of locations and a variety of women, each who learns to love the hardworking guy, but not before he can run off.

(From Anime News Network)

Ouran High School Host Club
Genres: Comedy, High School Drama, Romantic Comedy, Slice of Life
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Either. They're both excellent.
Story: Haruhi is a poor tomboyish student at a school for the ultra-wealthy, able to attend because of a scholarship, and unable to even afford a uniform. One day, she stumbles across the decidedly peculiar but very popular Ouran Host Club. She tries to leave, but accidentally breaks a vase, and unable to pay for it, she's told that she'll have to stay and do odd jobs. That is, until they decide she would be more valuable as a club member. Not realizing she's female due to her appearance, they fix her up and give her a male uniform. She's an instant hit, so they decide to have her keep up the charade even after they find out the truth. Haruhi, being average almost to a fault, doesn't know what to make of the unconventional activities of the Host Club (or of the even more unconventional members), but having little choice, she plays along. Before long, real bonds are formed, friends made, and Haruhi finds herself accepted in a way she could never have been otherwise in this affluent school. (From Anime News Network)

Great Teacher Onizuka
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Either. I haven't watched the anime, but I've heard nothing but good things about it.
Story: It's rather wacky, so if you're looking for something that takes itself seriously, look elsewhere. -- Onizuka is an ex-biker and gang leader who has one goal, to become the greatest teacher. He learns of the power and respect possible as an intern teacher, using his strength and connections to get his students to respect him. Now, graduated, he gets a job at a prestigious private school to handle their 'problem class' that made the past few teachers quit. He must handle a different sort of trouble when the trouble makers include some of the smartest kids in Japan who prefer a more cerebral approach to torturing their teacher. Onizuka must slowly win his students over and deal with their mistrust of teachers while handling the distrust of his fellow teachers. (From Anime News Network)

Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann
Genres: Action, Adventure, Mecha, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Anime. There is no manga.
Story: In their closed-off underground village, Kamina and Simon chafe at the limits imposed by the village elder. Yet all this will change, when Simon stumbles across a fantastic device - just as the village's peace is broken by a violent intrusion. (From Anime News Network)

NANA
Genres: Soap Opera (a really good soap opera), Romance, Drama, Slice of Life
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Either. Both are good.
Story: On board the train to Tokyo to meet her boyfriend Shoji, Nana Komatsu ("Hachi") happened to sit beside Nana Osaki who was traveling to Tokyo to fulfill her dreams of becoming a musician. The vocalist for her punk band "Blast", Nana aims for a major debut for "Blast" in Tokyo where her boyfriend, Ren, is the guitarist for a popular band "Trapnest". Sharing the same name "Nana", both girls quickly form a bond of friendship. Their paths cross again when they encounter each other while searching for accomodation in Tokyo. Eventually they decide to live together in the same unit and this further strengthens their bond as the two "Nana(s)" go through their love lives and career.(From Anime News Network)

Bokurano
Genres: Mecha, Psychological, Drama, Horror, Science Fiction
Maturity Level: R
Manga or Anime: Either. I've only read the manga, but I've heard good things about the anime.
Story: During a summer camp, 15 children, 8 males and 7 females, find a grotto by the sea. Deep within they discover working computers and some electronic equipment, and later the owner, a man called Kokopelli. Kokopelli claimed to be a programmer working on a brand new game, in which a large robot has to defend the Earth against fifteen alien invasions. He persuades the children to test the game and sign a contract. All but one of them signs, barely a moment later they mysteriously awaken on the shore believing what happened was just a dream. (From Anime News Network)

Beck
Genres: Drama, Coming of Age, Music, Slife of Life
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Either. I've only read the manga, but the anime is supposed to be good too.
Story: Tanaka Yukio, better known by his nickname Koyuki is a 14 year old who feels disconnected from life in general. Through the act of saving a mismatched dog, he meets guitarist Minami Ryuusuke, and becomes involved in Ryuusuke's new band BECK. Koyuki's life starts to change as the band struggles towards fame. (From Anime News Network)

Emma (Victorian Romance Emma)
Genres: Romance, Drama, Historical, Slice of Life
Maturity Level: PG-13
Manga or Anime: Either. I've only read the manga, but the anime is supposed to be good too.
Story: In late 19th century London, William Jones, a member of the gentry, meets and falls in love with Emma, and she with him. This chance meeting overturns both their lives - for Emma is a maid, and the barriers of class and wealth stand between them. (From Anime News Network)

Any and all Miyazaki movies
Genres: Mostly fantasy and adventure
Maturity Level: Mostly PG-13, maybe PG
Manga or Anime: Outside of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, it's all anime. Nausicaa is excellent in both forms.
Story: Varies. They're generally fantasy, with strong female and male characters and a underlying pro-environmental message that's not shoved in your face. They're all wonderful, as far as I can tell.

Other Recommendations:
Infinite Ryvius [Omnigamer]
Gunslinger Girl [Omnigamer]
School Rumble [Omnigamer]
Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni [Omnigamer]
Gankutsuou (Count of Monte Cristo) [Omnigamer]
Crayon Shin-chan [Matt]
The Twelve Kingdoms [Omnigamer]
Wallflower [Thundermistress]
Paradise Kiss [Thundermistress]
NANA [Thundermistress]
Doll [Thundermistress]
Beautiful People [Thundermistress]
Claymore [Omnigamer]
Grave of the Fireflies [Dodongo]
Noir [Dodongo]
Gantz [Keitaro]
Wolf's Rain [bluezaft]
Fantastic Children [Omnigamer]
Hajime no Ippo [twins506]
Akira [Flare233]
Elfen Lied [plasmawisp6633]
Blood+ [Lesheik]


Recommended Websites:
Anime News Network - It's a good place to get some basic information on almost any anime or manga, and it's where I took quite a few of these summaries from.
SurfTheChannel - This site is an excellent place to watch a lot of these shows online, for free.
Mangatraders - After you register, you can download a lot of free manga here.
OneManga - This site has almost as broad a selection as Mangatraders, and all of it can be read online without downloading anything.
CDisplay - The best tool I've found for reading manga on the computer.

 

[GREENLINKWORTHING]

no guyver?

 

[Omnigamer]

Which Guyver are you talking about? The classic Guyver was a short and rather underwhelming series. The newer Guyver from '05 was a retelling that filled in a lot more of the story, but production values were low.

Either way, not an ideal anime to bring somebody onboard with.

 

[Kashimaru]

What about GTO? You gotta see it (anime, manga and even live action)

 

[Keitaro]

Gantz and Death Note

I throw those at anime haters that think everything's all DBZ and Pokemon.

@Kashi: I hope that thing in your sig isn't real. It's sickening me

 

[bluezaft]

I watched Golden Boy after reading this, it was really funny. And speaking as a Person Who Doesn't Like Anime, you should add Trigun and Wolf's Rain. Those are just great shows.

Oh, and I remember Witch Hunter Robin from Toonami. It was the worst thing I've ever laid eyes on and some of my more anime-oriented friends agreed.

 

[Dash_Fox]

Berserk is too good. www.thehawks.org is a good berserk fan site if you like berserk.

 

[demoncaterpie]

Great list of animes! I've been telling people to check out Paranoia Agent forever! Claymore is also a great manga, probably one of the best I've ever read.

I recommend Shin-chan. It's the funniest anime I've ever seen.

 

[*~* James *~*]

lacks Girls Bravo

 

[Jabroni]

Azumanga and Deathnote FTW.

 

[tmw_redcell]

lacks Girls Bravo

Girls Bravo is basically a bunch of the stuff non-anime fans hate about anime rolled into one show. A harem anime with a simpering protagonist and bland humour.

What this list is lacking though, is...

GURREN--

LAGANN!

Don't believe in yourself. Believe in me, who believes in you!

Best new show of last season and will probably continue to be my favourite this season. None of the new shows have caught my eye. Ckaymore is getting pretty wicked but Gurren Lagann just hit a crescendo of aweosme this week (Episode 15). Watch it if you want to see a non-boring robot show with good characters, decent humour, and great action.

 

[Omnigamer]

^Completely agree with redcell on Girls Bravo.

I haven't taken a look at Gurren Lagann yet, although it's on my Watch List.

This latest season hasn't revealed anything that would fit this category yet, but the list looks good as it is.

 

[illboyzeus]

GTO's a great anime/manga, it's like the perfect gateway to different kinds of manga because it's so welcoming and funny.

 

[plasmawisp6633]

I know many people would like Elfen Lied. It's got almost no censored material, it's gory, and it sends a good message at the end.

Plasma Wisp recommends Elfan Lied

P.S. Evangelion's my favorite anime, but I don't think it's for everyone

 

[SHINE FX]

The Get Backers series is surprisingly good as well, despite its initially shallow storyline.

 

[Omnigamer]

I don't think I mentioned Gunslinger Girls earlier. It's a short series, but it goes through some great ethical/psychological trips. Some action, but the focus is elsewhere.

 

[Mediocre]

What about GTO? You gotta see it (anime, manga and even live action)

GTO is actually a series that I might want to add. I've only read the manga, but if the anime is at all similar, both would definitely have a place on this list.

Gantz and Death Note

I throw those at anime haters that think everything's all DBZ and Pokemon.

Death Note I've already got on my list.

Gantz is something I considered putting on there, but there were a few things putting me off. For one, the completely pointless fanservice and sex scenes might turn quite a few people away. For another, the series goes on for a long time with just combat and no real plot development. It takes a long time for anything to really happen that explains what's going on.

I've only read the manga, so the anime might be different, but I'm disinclined to add Gantz to the list.

I watched Golden Boy after reading this, it was really funny. And speaking as a Person Who Doesn't Like Anime, you should add Trigun and Wolf's Rain. Those are just great shows.

Trigun is much too close to typical shounen for me to add. The anime especially follows a very common shounen formula.

I haven't watched much of Wolf's Rain yet.

Oh, and I remember Witch Hunter Robin from Toonami. It was the worst thing I've ever laid eyes on and some of my more anime-oriented friends agreed.

I'm not sure why you say that. I'll admit that the main plot was a little bit slow in getting going, but other than that I didn't really have any major criticisms.

Great list of animes! I've been telling people to check out Paranoia Agent forever! Claymore is also a great manga, probably one of the best I've ever read.

I recommend Shin-chan. It's the funniest anime I've ever seen.

Claymore is something I might consider putting on the list, but I'm hesitant because it follows a lot of the shounen cliches, although it diverges from the shounen formula in some regards. It fits a little too well into the shounen mold for me to be comfortable recommending it to someone who's sick of seeing DBZ and Naruto.

I'll have to watch Shin-chan. I've heard good things about it from quite a few people who I think have good taste.

lacks Girls Bravo

I think redcell pretty much answered this one for me. Girls Bravo is pretty much exactly what I don't think should be on this list.

I'm not saying it's bad (although I personally didn't care for it), but it definitely has a lot of elements that are the reasons that many people dislike anime.

GURREN LAGANN!

Don't believe in yourself. Believe in me, who believes in you!

I've watched the first few episodes of Gurren Lagann, and I'm definitely enjoying it, but I'm not sure it belongs on the list.

I'll have to watch at least a few more episodes before I make a decision either way.

I know many people would like Elfen Lied. It's got almost no censored material, it's gory, and it sends a good message at the end.

Plasma Wisp recommends Elfan Lied

I enjoyed Elfen Lied quite a bit, but it has a lot of problems. The attempts at humor are pretty bad, in my opinion, and might turn a lot of people off. Moreover, like the main character, the anime itself seemed to have multiple personalities. It couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a comedy anime, a romance anime or an action anime. I also couldn't figure out whether it was trying to be humorous or whether it wanted to be taken seriously. Sorry, but I don't think many anime can successfully combine traumatic childhood **** with comical boob-groping. The anime had a serious identity crisis.

I thought a lot of the elements were well done, but overall it just wasn't cohesive.

The Get Backers series is surprisingly good as well, despite its initially shallow storyline.

What, exactly, separates Get Backers from other shounen series? I saw a little bit, and I didn't see anything that really set it apart.

I don't think I mentioned Gunslinger Girls earlier. It's a short series, but it goes through some great ethical/psychological trips. Some action, but the focus is elsewhere.

That's another anime that I need to watch.

 

[tmw_redcell]

I think Claymore's the kind of anime you can recommend to people who say they would like DBZ or Naruto if they were aimed at an older audience, faster-paced, had a story that actually went somewhere, non-ridiculous voice acting, etc. It's basically shounen anime with the bad stuff taken out. Unless the person doesn't like seeing a person get limbs cut off then spray copious amounts of blood a second later.

And I think basically anyone capable of enjoying an action cartoon will come to like Gurren Lagann. Give it till episode 8 for sure. Plus it has the benefit of having a solid first few episodes to get someone hooked instead of them having to wait for payoff.

Unfortunately most of the anime I've been watching lately doesn't belong on the list. The only reservation I have about Claymore and Gurren Lagaan is that they aren't done yet and could still turn lame. But even though I don't believe in Gainax, I believe Gurren Lagann will simply keep itself good by its own fighting spirit.

 

[demoncaterpie]

I've never seen the Claymore anime, I've only read the manga. I'm not sure if it's different, but the manga is pretty disturbing and freaky. It has a very serious and adult tone to it, which is something you don't see in animes like DBZ.

Read the manga before you decide on Claymore. It's very very good.

 

[Mediocre]

I'm mostly posting to say that Gurren Lagann is awesome. I'll definitely be adding it to the list sometime when I'm not about to go to bed.

Although I have to say, the character that's introduced in episode nine fits into typical anime character stereotypes a little to nicely for my liking, at this point. Still, I don't find her dislikable, and the anime in general continues to amaze me.

At this point, I'm definitely planning on picking it up on DVD when it comes out in the states. It's really high on my list of all time favorite anime right now, although it's a bit early to judge.

 

[Eor]

Medi, do you know of a place where I can watch Monster/Berserker (preferibly the first one) in original voices, subtitled, and without having me download an entire season? I've looked around, but cannot find anything of that sort. PM me if it's not forum worthy (aka legal).

 

[Got Blood?]

I'm not a really big anime fan at all.The only two I've watched are Tnchi Muyo (Universe & in Tokyo as well) and Love Hina.They're pretty much the same thing I've realized...Oh well,both are good anyway.

 

[commonyoshi]

Medi, do you know of a place where I can watch Monster/Berserker (preferibly the first one) in original voices, subtitled, and without having me download an entire season? I've looked around, but cannot find anything of that sort. PM me if it's not forum worthy (aka legal).

I didn't want to bother you, but Eor asked so I might as well tag along with him. I'm very interested in the Monster anime. The only problem is that my dad has a policy on downloading stuff off the internet.

Edit: no edit here. I fix'd it. Thanks bluezaft!
Hmm. No episode 5.

This isn't nearly as good as Dethnote, but I'm still only on episode 2. It's been kinda slow so far. The opening song is terrible. more edits: This is getting good.

 

[Omnigamer]

This is probably a good resource for Monster. I haven't used it in a while however, so speeds may be a bit slow. To the best of my knowledge, it doesn't have an American license yet, so it should be fine.

 

[bluezaft]

http://www.veoh.com/users/eternitigirl

There's yer darn monster that you guys convinced me to watch

 

[Mediocre]

This site works for Monster, too. I'm actually thinking of watching the series, as it's been a while since I read the manga, and the few bits of the episodes I watched to test it really caught my interest.

It's also got Berserk, but I'd really recommend the manga over the anime, if dated animation bothers you like it does me. If you don't care, the anime is a fine place to get started, although it does diverge from the manga in a few places.

 

[tmw_redcell]

I didn't want to bother you, but Eor asked so I might as well tag along with him. I'm very interested in the Monster anime. The only problem is that my dad has a policy on downloading stuff off the internet.

Edit: no edit here. I fix'd it. Thanks bluezaft!
Hmm. No episode 5.

This isn't nearly as good as Dethnote, but I'm still only on episode 2. It's been kinda slow so far. The opening song is terrible. more edits: This is getting good.

Monster is a pretty slow-paced show, but still great. Just so you know what you're in for. It's not as suspenseful as Death Note but it is better in other ways.

 

[plasmawisp6633]

Monster is a pretty slow-paced show, but still great. Just so you know what you're in for. It's not as suspenseful as Death Note but it is better in other ways.

Death Note was amazing. A little corny at times, but the ending made the entire thing worth it. The Japanese hardcore title song was cool too.

 

[twins506]

hajime no ippo is a really good anime. its about boxing but they do it in a pretty comedic way. it's definatly one worth watching in my opinion.

 

[CrystalMidnight]

Ok so since I got burned in my old thread about the anime I like and suggestions on what to watch I'll just ask here. Do any of you know any good animes with some romance not much though, action, fighting, explosions, mystery, humor extext. just not chick flickish.

 

[demoncaterpie]

Ok so since I got burned in my old thread about the anime I like and suggestions on what to watch I'll just ask here. Do any of you know any good animes with some romance not much though, action, fighting, explosions, mystery, humor extext. just not chick flickish.

Negima!'s got all that. I'd check it out, since it's my favorite manga right now.

As for anime...uh...Shin-chan?

 

[Dash_Fox]

Ok so since I got burned in my old thread about the anime I like and suggestions on what to watch I'll just ask here. Do any of you know any good animes with some romance not much though, action, fighting, explosions, mystery, humor extext. just not chick flickish.

Watch Berserk then read the Manga it's got everything! My friends don't like anime (I hardly like anime either) but Berserk really caught our attention because of its amazing depth and thought out story. It has romance, fighting, explosions, tons of mystery, some good humor, TONS of action, some explosions, good sword play and sword fighting, and if you like it... naked people! Lol

Don't get me wrong I've seen tons of anime, but Berserk touches my heart for some reason... it's so different and special compared to other anime or manga.

I agree, the manga beats the anime any day for Berserk. The anime has half decent animation, cuts out quite a bit of story, and censors some stuff. Though the anime is still good and it will help you start on the incredible experience that is Berserk.

Refer to the link in my previous post on the front page if interested.

-See you on smash online, Darth Fox! (PpS)

 

[Mediocre]

hajime no ippo is a really good anime. its about boxing but they do it in a pretty comedic way. it's definatly one worth watching in my opinion.

If I were to put any sports anime/manga on the list, Ippo would be it.

However, I'm still not too keen on putting it there, simply because it does, in a lot of ways resemble typical shounen stuff. The only shounen I've got on the list at this point is Death Note, and that's definitely atypical for shounen.

I'm really hesitant about putting Ippo on the list, because it fits the shounen mold a little too well.

Ok so since I got burned in my old thread about the anime I like and suggestions on what to watch I'll just ask here. Do any of you know any good animes with some romance not much though, action, fighting, explosions, mystery, humor extext. just not chick flickish.

Berserk.

Gurren Lagann.

Black Lagoon.

Kekkaishi.

Code Geass.

All these fit your criterion exactly, I'd say. Berserk is a very mature series, and by that I mean that some absolutely vile things happen in it, but it's probably the best manga series I've ever read. The anime's not bad either. Check out the first post for more information.

Gurren Lagann is skewed more towards humor and action. You'll also have to be able to tolerate mechs and really wacky humor, but if you can do that I can almost guarantee you'll like it.

Black Lagoon is very action oriented. It's pretty much a guns and bombs type series, but it has all the other elements you mentioned too. Like Berserk, it can get fairly disgusting at times, although generally I found it enjoyable.

Kekkaishi is, in my opinion, a very well done shounen series. It's like Naruto or something, only well paced and generally better done.

Code Geass focuses more on action and suspense. I'd describe it as a wackier version of Death Note plus mechs.

Negima!'s got all that. I'd check it out, since it's my favorite manga right now.

Negima! is not something I'd recommend to people who don't like harem. I didn't care for it much.

I've got to admit, I have a certain bias against harem, but I think that plasmawisp probably feels the same way, given that he asked for something without too much romance.

Also, you're aware that there are two Negima! anime, right? The first one was supposed to be horrible, but I haven't heard anything bad about the second.

As for anime...uh...Shin-chan?

I really ought to watch that.

Watch Berserk then read the Manga it's got everything! My friends don't like anime (I hardly like anime either) but Berserk really caught our attention because of its amazing depth and thought out story. It has romance, fighting, explosions, tons of mystery, some good humor, TONS of action, some explosions, good sword play and sword fighting, and if you like it... naked people! Lol

Berserk is really great stuff.

It does have everything that you mentioned, plus wonderful characters and an amazing, epic story. It's my favorite manga for a reason.

 

[demoncaterpie]

I was just recommending to Crystal a particular manga that I liked Mediocre. It doesn't have as much romance as you'd think, especially in the later issues.

I always recommend Negima! I know it doesn't fit your list, but I like it just the same

 

[Mediocre]

I was just recommending to Crystal a particular manga that I liked Mediocre. It doesn't have as much romance as you'd think, especially in the later issues.

I always recommend Negima! I know it doesn't fit your list, but I like it just the same

Oh, I'm not saying Negima is bad. For its genre, I think it's actually quite good.

I simply don't like harem. It's not that I dislike romance, either. I've seen quite a few romance anime that I enjoyed a lot, and I definitely like it when my anime shows have some romance in them. However, harem is something that takes all the elements I least enjoy about romance series and leaves out everything that I like.

I've found that romance anime focuses more on the characters and their relationships, while harem anime focuses more on the fact that there are a lot of girls who want to sleep with the main character and fanservice. Negima is no exception. It's good at what it does, but it's still not something that appeals tome.

And, yeah, it definitely doesn't fit on this list.

 

[demoncaterpie]

Oh, I'm not saying Negima is bad. For its genre, I think it's actually quite good.

I simply don't like harem. It's not that I dislike romance, either. I've seen quite a few romance anime that I enjoyed a lot, and I definitely like it when my anime shows have some romance in them. However, harem is something that takes all the elements I least enjoy about romance series and leaves out everything that I like.

I've found that romance anime focuses more on the characters and their relationships, while harem anime focuses more on the fact that there are a lot of girls who want to sleep with the main character and fanservice. Negima is no exception. It's good at what it does, but it's still not something that appeals tome.

And, yeah, it definitely doesn't fit on this list.

I completely agree with you. In all honesty, the only harems I like are the ones done by Ken Akamatsu because he actually does something new and unique with the genre. I'm not a fan of Tenchi Muyo or anything similar.

 

[twins506]

basilisk is another anime i really like. Its filled with lots of action and also has a strong emphasis on the romance element. oh yah it also has ninjas which is a plus. in some ways it reminds me of ninja scroll, which is another good anime. ( the movie at least. i didn't really get into the anime that much)

 

[Flare233]

Me and my friends rented Akira one day and it got us hooked on anime.

 

[brofan15]

the manga Dragon Hunters was a great series, you guys should check it out

 

[CrystalMidnight]

Wow lots of suggestions ok, I'll check them all out. Thanks ^.^