Probably just another recommendation thread

[random internet]

So, hiya there. I don't usually do this kind of thing (forums and social networking and whatnot), so forgive me for any blunders on my n-etiquette or lack of experience.

I was lurking in these forums trying to find something new to watch, but nothing really caught my eye, so I decided to start a thread myself.

Following is a list of anime I've watched already; the first list being the animes I hold in highest regard, and the second list simply anything I can think of that I have already watched (whether I liked it or not). I'm not particularly looking for films, nor will I bother posting the ones I've watched.

n.b. None of these are in any order whatsoever, as far as each entry in a particular list is located.

- Serial Experiments Lain
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Cowboy Bebop
- Legend of the Galactic Heroes
- Rurouni Kenshin
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Darker Than Black
- Baccano!
- Nodame Cantabile (Paris/Finale)
- Ergo Proxy

-------------------------------------------------------

- Spice and Wolf
- Captain Tsubasa
- Love Hina
- Gundam SEED (/Destiny)
- Chrno Crusade
- GetBackers
- Gantz
- Cardcaptor Sakura
- Saint Seya
- Texhnolyze
- Tales of the Abyss
- Berserk
- Great Teacher Onizuka
- Hellsing
- Bakemonogatari (and variants)
- Fate/Stay Night
- Ranma ½
- Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
- Gankutsuo
- Buso Renkin
- Blood +
- Death Note
- Suzumiya Haruhi no Yutsu
- Monster
- Wolfs Rain
- Tears to Tiara
- Ghost in the Shell (SAC/2nd Gig)
- Mirai Nikki
- RahXephon
- Blade of the Immortal
- Welcome to the NHK
- Samurai Champloo
- X/1999
- Inu Yasha
- Shaman King
- AnoHana
- Noein
- Basilisk
- Utawarerumono
- Vampire Knight
- Dragon Ball (Z/GT)
- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Guilty Crown
- Sword Art Online
- Blue Seed
- Kaze no Stigma
- Trigun
- Elfen Lied
- Code Geass
- Ouran Highschool Host Club

-------------------------------------------------------

I'm sure I must've forgotten quite a few, since I'm pulling these from the top of my head; regardless, again I apolozige if the list is a bit long (I should probably register an account on MyAnimeList) and if I failed to communicate something properly.

Arigato gozaimasu! (That felt corny as all hell)

[devildog23]

You have a lot of anime in your top that I have in mine, so I think I can find some good suggestions for you. Just throw these in a google search and let me know if any catch your eye.

I'm just going to assume that you've seen all of the sequels of the anime you listed, so I won't suggest any of them. Have you seen FMA: Brotherhood?

FLCL seems like it would be a good place to start. It is a 6 episode OVA, also done by the Gainax studio (NGE is a personal favorite of mine).

You seem like you like the pyschological series, so try Paranioa Agent. You've probably seen it already since you have everything that was once on Adult Swim on your list. Check it out if you haven't.

One dark horse I'd like to throw out there for you is Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu. The name sounds dumb, but if you can make if through the first episode, which is extremely cliche, it gets very good; it is also much darker than it sounds.

Zetsuen no Tempest was a good recent series that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Although you said no films, Kara no Kyoukai is a series of 7 films, which is basically an anime series. I marathon'd through them in a day...no regrets

A currently airing series, Shingeki no Kyoujin has already made it to my top list already. It combines elements of mystery, thriller and action masterfully. Definitely check this one out.

EDIT:

I completely forgot to add: Denpa Teki na Kanojo - a great 2 episode OAV that captures everything that I wanted in a series. Extremely dark, interesting/likeable characters, psychological and thriller elements, and well paced mind f*ck story. I really wish they would make a third OAV...

[kitten320]

I haven't seen some of the shows you have at the top yet but I can approximately get what you like so I would recommend the following:

Another, if you have ever watched Final Destination movies and liked them, this show could be to your liking.

Bakemonogatari is something you could try.

Beck - real life based about music bands.

You 100% have to check Fate/Zero, prequel to F/SN. It is 10 times better!

Dennou Coil futuristic about about a cyberspace layered on the real world.

Durarara is by same author as Baccano.

You can try Ga-Rei Zero, has slight similarities with Berserk and Elfen Lied.

Ghost Hunt if you like ghost, supernatural and detective kind of setting.

Jigoku Shoujo has similar theme to Death Note "Is it alright to kill bad people?" but is more episodic.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica are good, psychological series. don't let cute art deceive you, mostly kicks in after episode 3.

Mawaru Penguindrum depends a lot of symbolism, takes some time to get to best part but worth a check.

I personally didn't like it but maybe Mouryou no Hako could pick your interest.

Psycho-Pass are great futuristic series.

Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin are good series about group of friends who met in prison. Series follow their life while imprisoned and outside.

Shiki - villagers suddenly start to die and epidemic is suspected, but is it the case?

Shinsekai yori are really string and unique series that pick up as they go. I believe that it would be to your liking.

Steins;Gate shows how tiny change time/past can change everything.

From ongoing series, Shingeki no Kyoujin is a good show to try out.

I just started myself but Paranoia Agent looks very promising and something that could get you interested.

Comedy wise you could try out Chihayafuru, second season will finish airing soon. Really strong series.

P.S. And yeh, did you watch Brotherhood? story is different from original anime.

[random internet]

Thank you for responding.

Yes, I've watched FMA: Brotherhood, and while I understand it is the more faithful adaptation of the manga, I do believe the more serious tone in the 'original' did the series more justice.

Never seen Paranoia Agent or FLCL, heard about both of them but the premise of neither ever caught my eye; if you two are recommending, however, I will consider taking a second look at them.

This 'Legend of Legendary Heroes' (I agree, the name is quite silly) I had never heard about, and it does look somewhat interesting. I watched an opening and read through a few comments on Youtube to get an idea, one of the top comments mentions it isn't finished; what is that about? I'd really rather not start watching something and end up enjoying it just to have the experience cut short... Is it really incomplete?

And yes, I've watched Kara no Kyoukai, it was excellent; as I said before, the only reason I didn't add it to the list was because I was just listing animes. Had I been listing films and/or VN's; things like Kara no Kyoukai and G-Senjo no Mao would definitely have made it in the first list.

As for Attack on Titan, I've heard numerous praises, but I kind of have a policy of not watching ongoing anime so I don't get disappointed by it getting derailed halfway through/during a second season.

Onto the next list; I've ''read/played'' the Steins;Gate visual novel, so I though it wasn't worth it to watch the series, am I right or am I missing something?

I've also watched Durarara and Beck, just forgot to add them, sorry. As for F/Z, I didn't particularly like F/SN. I didn't dislike it either, I just thought it was fine; is the prequel that much better that I should consider checking it out?

Now, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica and Mawaru Penguindrum; are they really any good? I don't mean to judge a book by its cover, and I'll believe you if you tell me there's more to them than the art-style lets on; but I have to be honest, as far as first impressions go, these two have left a pretty unappealing one...

Lastly; Shinsekai Yori, Mouryo no Hako and Ga-Rei. I couldn't find much info on these three anywhere (aside from the basic premise), could someone give me an idea of what they're all about? I'd really appreciate it.

All in all, from the series you two listed the ones I'm definitely going to check out are as follows:

- Zetsuen no Tempest
- Denpa Teki na Kanojo
- Denno Coil (can't believe I had never heard of this, looks promising)
- Psycho-Pass (same as above)
- Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin
- Jigoku Shoujo

Thank you again.

[zarqu]

If you liked Texhnolyze at all, you should watch Shigurui. I think they are the perfect (if not the only) recommendations for each other since they are both very similar in mood/atmosphere. Shigurui is more recent, so the visuals are even more stunning.

[devildog23]

Originally Posted by random internet

Thank you for responding.
This 'Legend of Legendary Heroes' (I agree, the name is quite silly) I had never heard about, and it does look somewhat interesting. I watched an opening and read through a few comments on Youtube to get an idea, one of the top comments mentions it isn't finished; what is that about? I'd really rather not start watching something and end up enjoying it just to have the experience cut short... Is it really incomplete?

As for Attack on Titan, I've heard numerous praises, but I kind of have a policy of not watching ongoing anime so I don't get disappointed by it getting derailed halfway through/during a second season.

Yeah the light novel for 'Legend of the Legendary Heroes' is still ongoing, and there hasn't been a second season confirmed. Its a shame though the series has a lot of potential. There is some closure at the end of the anime so far, but it in no way concludes the story. If I were to compare it to something, the ending made me feel like the ending of Darker than Black. Where there are so many unanswered questions and I can stop watching there, but I really want to watch more....

The manga of Attack on Titan is still ongoing so similar situations. One episode left me so far on edge of my seat that I had to start reading the manga haha. But when the anime finishes airing, maybe you can check it out again to see if it is done.

Also I agree with you on FMA. Brotherhood just gave me the story that I wanted, but the art and tone of the first FMA fit the series so much better.

On a side note: After looking at your list, I took off a few anime I've never seen. I started watching Mirai Nikki and I just wanna say...this bitch is crazy

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by random internet

Lastly; Shinsekai Yori, Mouryo no Hako and Ga-Rei. I couldn't find much info on these three anywhere (aside from the basic premise), could someone give me an idea of what they're all about? I'd really appreciate it.

Shin Sekai Yori envisions a future world after humans have developed telekinesis. A period of civil war took place before the show begins between those with the power and those without. Eventually steps were taken to curb these powers and carefully manage children who display them. The story follows five friends from age fourteen to twenty-six as they determine how to live within the constrained world they face. I thought this was one of the better series I've seen in the past year or so and would definitely recommend it.

Mouryou no Hako is a bit difficult to describe. It's essentially a horror/thriller about a serial murderer who places the limbs of his victims in wooden boxes and scatters them around a city. But that really just scratches the surface. There's material about war crimes, religious con artists, and some rather detailed information on Onmyōdō and other types of Japanese mysticism. It's beautifully illustrated by Studio Madhouse as you can see in the opening episode. (Yes, the character designs are by CLAMP if you were wondering.)

The first episode might deceive you into thinking this is some "class-S" adolescent romance between two girls, but that just sets up the rest of the story. As the OP illustrates, the cast is almost entirely composed of adults. I'll warn you that it's a bit slow in the middle with a lot of exposition. You need to be alert to watch this show.

BTW, don't watch these episodes on YouTube at 240p. Do a search for "mouryou no hako torrents" and you'll find a complete set on a site I cannot link to here because of the Forum Rules. No single group subbed this show from start to finish; the batch includes a mix of subs from Aero and Aoi.

I can't help with Ga-Rei, I'm afraid.

Denno Coil (can't believe I had never heard of this, looks promising)

In my all-time top-ten, and certainly one of the best anime shows made in the past decade. The director and author, Iso Matsuo, spent seven years shopping the story around until Madhouse finally agreed to produce it. (It's very hard to get anime original productions made; it's still a medium largely dependent on adaptations of existing manga, novels, games, etc.) Here's a link to the original fansub torrent from the excellent, but now defunct group Ureshii.

I've got a couple of other suggestions. The first is Seirei no Moribito, an adventure story about a spear-wielding female bodyguard who is tasked with the protection of a young prince being targeted for assassination. You'll know if you want to follow this series after just the first episode. (I rank this among the best single anime episodes I've ever watched in terms of story-telling and direction.) Both Moribito and Dennou Coil have remarkable musical scores as well.

Finally I strongly recommend the Apothecary stories from Kamiyama Kenji about a travelling medicine seller who also slays demons. You should watch them in the order they appeared, first the three-episode Bakeneko followed by its sequel Mononoke. Sakurai Takahiro's performance in the main role is perhaps the best single performance by a male voice actor I've ever heard.

[kitten320]

Originally Posted by random internet

Onto the next list; I've ''read/played'' the Steins;Gate visual novel, so I though it wasn't worth it to watch the series, am I right or am I missing something?

I've also watched Durarara and Beck, just forgot to add them, sorry. As for F/Z, I didn't particularly like F/SN. I didn't dislike it either, I just thought it was fine; is the prequel that much better that I should consider checking it out?

Never played the novel so can't compare.

Not big fan of F/SN series either but I loved F/Z. A massive improvement. Story is much darker and engaging and I loved Saber here unlike in F/SN so yes it is worth a watch.

Even F/SN movie is better than original anime.

Now, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica and Mawaru Penguindrum; are they really any good? I don't mean to judge a book by its cover, and I'll believe you if you tell me there's more to them than the art-style lets on; but I have to be honest, as far as first impressions go, these two have left a pretty unappealing one...

Madoka is 100% not what it looks like. Was very reluctant to watch it myself since I don't like magical girl series but I have no regrets. 1st episode got my attention immediately. For some people it was after episode 3.

Until episode 3, series only had OP which is happy but no ED. After episode 3, an ED was released for the first time.

If my words are not convincing enough, check it out, I'm sure it will convince you. Visuals, sound and lyrics give you a good idea of what this show's real colors are:

Spoiler for Madoka ED:

Penguindrum wise... if you are in anyway familiar with Bakemonogatari series and found them interesting, you really should check it out. The anime is very different from majority and has a lot of surprises. First few episodes are weird a bit but then it really picks up.

Lastly; Shinsekai Yori, Mouryo no Hako and Ga-Rei. I couldn't find much info on these three anywhere (aside from the basic premise), could someone give me an idea of what they're all about? I'd really appreciate it.

Shinsekai Yori is a brand new anime that finished airing only few months ago. It is hard to describe it without spoiling. For one it has 2 big time skips what gives story more depth.
It is based in a future where people discover tylecenetic abilities but there is a catch.
The main village where main group of characters lives and studies has a secret, actually whole populations has lot of dark secrets which later reveal new secrets and answers. Those are really deep series. By the end you will start to question who is right and who is wrong. There are lots of things happening.

The only warning is that many people dropped after episode 8 since it was quiet yuri/yaoi heavy. However, there is a reason for that if you keep attention to information given until then and it is the only episode like that. It is more story focused after and yuri/yaoi barely pops up again. So yeh, don't let it push you away.

Ga-Rei Zero are prequel series to a manga Ga-Rei. I find anime better. Series focus on organization that fights dark forces (zombies for example). Mostly focuses on two good friends Kagura and Yomi.
For most part it shows how a positive person can get completely emotionally destroyed and to what it could lead.
It has slight mood changes. 1st episode has a WTF ending that made me want to see more since it was so different. Series start in the middle of a commotion, then go into a happy flashback that eventually leads to all the horror and drama we see at the start and see the final.

I would at least recommend to check first 2 episodes.


Mouryo no Hako is hard for me to describe since as I mentioned I was not fan of it. Mostly we have 2 cases: a girl gets pushed onto rails in front of a train and some maniac is cutting up girls and putting their body parts in the boxes. At first they seem like 2 different cases but then they start to connect and create a quite disturbing picture.


Hope you'll enjoy those shows you picked. Just for information, Psycho-Pass is done by same author as Madoka Magica so if you do like it, you'll have more reasons to check out Madoka

And Madoka also has slight similarities with Steins;Gate later on.

[random internet]

All right, I'm sold on Shigurui; will probably watch Shin Sekai Yori, Mouryo no Hako and Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu too. And I'll give Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica and Mawaru Penguindrum a chance, hope they turn out to be a good surprise.

Seirei no Moribito, as was suggested, I've already watched. Again, one of those that I forgot to include. Now that I think about it, I also forgot Higashi no Eden, Canaan and Mnemosyne, before someone suggests them. On a side note, a friend also recommended Mushishi. Any thoughts?

Thank you all again.