Welcome to the NHK! (Both the Anime and the Manga [Even the novel is amazing.])
I would put this on the list, except from what I remember it's pretty heavily reliant on otaku stereotypes. And if someone doesn't already like anime or manga (and is not Japanese), chances are they're not going to be familiar with those stereotypes, and therefore not get a lot of the stuff in Welcome to the NHK!
I'm not saying that WttNHK doesn't have value outside its use of those stereotypes. However, the heavy use of them makes me think it wouldn't really fit on this list.
I was actually kind of torn about Code Geass. It's a good show, but it's definitely not perfect and has some elements that might turn off non-anime fans. For example, the mechs and fairly heavy fanservice in the first season. However, I think the sheer energy of the show is strong enough to carry it through that, and I could definitely see it being an effective introduction to anime for a good number of people.
I'll probably put it on the list.
Haven't seen this.
Probably should. People keep mentioning it to me.
Code Geass is Death Note with Gundams =3 I feel like I need to rewatch the series because everyone loves it so much. I feel like something is wrong with me for not thinking it was that good.
Eh, people have different tastes. And I don't think Code Geass was anywhere near perfect. I just had tons of fun watching it.
EDIT: When you edit the OP be sure to remove OneManga as a source for reading online, as the site received one too many takedown requests and has since removed all of its manga.
Yeah, I'll probably replace it with Mangafox. Or maybe Mangareader? I dunno. I figure I'll also link to Baka-Updates and Baka-Updates Manga since they catalog pretty much every anime or manga ever fansubbed/scanlated and link you to the fansubber's/scanlator's website. I'll probably also replace AnimeNewsNetwork with MyAnimeList just because I like MAL better.
If any of you guys have suggestions to make about which sites to link to let me know, even if it contradicts what I said I was going to do.
It's kind of... Spanish, isn't it?
I mean, obviously Spanish speakers can watch/read anime/manga too, but since SWF is essentially entirely English speaking it doesn't make a lot of sense for me to link to a website that's in Spanish.
durarara! should be added
the story presentation is written like baccano
Apparently Ryohgo Narita loves exclamation marks.
Anyhow, I found Baccano!'s plot more coherent and engaging than Durarara!!'s. Looking around the net, Baccano! generally seems to be rated better, too. That's not to say that Durarara!! is a bad show, but I think it falls just short of being something I'd put on the list.
Not to mention that Baccano!'s setting will be a lot more comfortable to most Westerners than Durarara!!'s. Chicago feels a lot less foreign than Tokyo, even if both shows were made in Japan.
Lol Baccano should be added too.
Absolutely.
I am planning on it, in fact.
Death Note manga is imo superior to the anime.
I admit I haven't watched the entire anime, but judging from what I've seen of it and the ratings on MAL and ANN, the anime and manga are of very similar quality. I don't think it's worth making a distinction between the two for Death Note.
Welcome to the NHK is incredibly good, but you have to know a bit about Japan to really appreciate it, so maybe note that.
Honestly, in my mind that pretty much disqualifies it.
It's super unlikely that a new anime watcher would know enough about Japan to avoid missing out on a lot of stuff in WttNHK.
What about the KyoAni produced Key productions (Air, Kanon 06, Clannad) - they're not your typical anime at all, and are excellent examples of animated and emotional drama.
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with those shows. I will mention that just the character design is likely to instantly turn off a lot of potential viewers. From my experience, newcomers to anime have a fairly low tolerance for big eyed anime faces, and Key character design takes that style to its extreme.
That wouldn't prevent me from putting them on the list if I'd seen them and thought they would fit. Of course I haven't seen them, so it's kind of moot right now.
Would you like me to stick them up in the Other Recommendations list?