AnimeSuki Forums

Sunburst · 2012-09-12, 04:24

Hi there,

I've hesitated to post here for a while now, but I think this is the right sub forum for my question.
Recently I'm looking for an interesting Anime. I'm new, but not completely new to Anime and I've already watched a couple of series. However, I'm recently looking for a new Anime and I don't know if there are some Anime that might fit my interests. Recently I'm not prefering a special type of Anime, so I unfortunately can't specify what I'm looking for.

Some Anime I liked:
-Angel Beats!
-Clannad / Clannad after story
-Death Note
-Elfen Lied
-Amagami SS / Amagami SS+
-Steins;Gate
-Claymore
-Higurashi

Another Anime I've watched is "Lucky Star". I've watched it because it seems to be very popular, however I didn't get many parts of the humor. Maybe I haven’t watched enough Anime for getting them?
That’s why I'm recently hesitating to watch some of the other very popular Anime. Madoka Magica, Code Geass and Haruhi seem to be very popular, but I'm unsure if they would fit my interests.
Another question would be: Shall I watch all of the very popular Anime first, before I try some of the less popular series? In case of you would recommend this: Which Anime are a "must watch"?

I hope the text above contains enough information for you to post some suggestions for me. If you need to know something, please post it and I'll try to answer it as good as possible.

KholdStare · 2012-09-12, 04:57

My general advice for you is to never ever watch an anime just because it's popular. The only thing that's going to happen is that you set expectations sky high and when it's not as epic as you originally thought it would be, you'll end up not giving it a fair chance. Usually when I encounter such a situation, I read the synopsis, look up some non-spoiler summaries of its characters, and if a character strikes me as interesting, then I'd watch it -- not because it's popular, but because I have in mind my own personal reasons for wanting to watch it. Even if you want to watch an anime because a character looks cute or because your favorite seiyuu is in it, it's still much better than watching an anime out of obligation! What you're doing is excellent though; you'll be more interested in watching anime that are similar to what you've previously enjoyed.

Angel Beats/Clannad: I don't know any anime comes close to being similar to these two. They give me a sense of satisfaction few anime can replicate. I'm not going to automatically recommend Kanon and Air because they are quite different. What Angel Beats and Clannad have is a great mixture of comedic elements interspersed within many separate yet interconnecting serious plots. Maybe the only anime that can compare are ef - a tale of memories and its sequel ef - a tale of melodies, also possibly Bakemonogatari and its sequel Nisemonogatari.

Death Note: I'm a fan of this anime, and if you like the strategic main protagonist, then definitely Code Geass (both seasons) should be recommended. A shot in the dark may be Kaiji. While it doesn't have the "action" that the other two have, you will get the same adrenaline rush feeling.

Elfen Lied: This is another favorite of mine, which combines a nice plot with action that doesn't sugarcoat anything. While not the same mood as Elfen Lied, some other anime you may enjoy with a similar structure are Gunslinger Girl (both seasons), Saikano, Bokurano, and Ga-Rei: Zero.

Amagami SS: While arguably in completely different genres, you should give Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai a try because of the "reset" feeling that's in Amagami. Moving along with the romance genre, you should also give Kimikiss Pure Rouge a shot. If you want a good romance that's not a harem and without the typical cliché, then definitely go for one of my favorite anime Kimi ga Nozomu Eien.

Steins;Gate: Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen

Claymore: Berserk

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: I think we can all agree that there's no anime that's very similar to Higurashi, except for some "time" aspects in Madoka Magica but not much. Some say that Umineko no Naku Koro ni is similar in style, but others dismiss the anime adaptation as confusing, rushed, and lacking, so it's up to you. If you're after the murder genre, then Mirai Nikki and Shiki may be good. A few "ballpark" suggestions can be Ima Soko ni Iru Boku, Another, and the Kara no Kyoukai movies.

I hope this helps.

kitten320 · 2012-09-12, 07:03

No, never watch only popular shows first for half of them are a huge disappointment. Keep your mind open and watch everything.

I for example don't get the whole fascination of Gurren Lgann and Haruhi series. For me they were beyond boring. Though Haruhi movie was good, can't lie here.

Read descriptions and whatever seems fun, watch it.

It is hard to recommend when you didn't mention any genres so I'll try to go by your list:

Angel Beats! - just like Clannad it is done by same author so a good choice would be to watch 2 other works of his that are Air and Kanon2006. If I don't mistake, this autumn should air another work of his called Little Busters!

Clannad / Clannad after story - AnoHana series used to be compared a lot to Clannad. You might also want to try Toradora. They sre slightly different but still both have school life, drama, comedy and romance.

Death Note - If you don't mind episodic shows, you could try Jigoku Shoujo since they deal with same theme, is it fine to kill bad people?
Otherwise I can also add Ghost Hunt since both shows are suspenseful and have intelligent MCs. They also have supernatural themes and detective themes.
Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom are also good dark series that make you wonder about good and bad.
Code Geass actually is a good choice here since just like in Death Note we have an anti main character.

Elfen Lied - Deadman Wonderland reminds of it.

Steins;Gate - In this case I do recommend to check the famous Madoka Magica. You'll know why once you watch it. Despite the cute art, Madoka deals with some dark and heavy themes.
Mirai Nikki is also about time machines and wanting to change it but in a more shounen way.
Mawaru Penguindrum are a bit weird but interesting series that in some way are also dealing with time and death and how to change it.

Claymore - Berserk is compared a lo to it though they are different. What connected them is a knight era and some monsters.
Ga-Rei Zero is slightly more similar to Berserk but its main theme is something like sisterly relation, almost like Teresa arc. In both shows females are the lead and have more blood.
Fate/Zero is different but it also deals with dark themes. Really good series. Though you might want to check Fate/Stay Night first, the sequel which was released first. Fate/Night is not as good as Fate/Zero but if you watch Fate/Zero first then Fate/Night will be even less interesting so it is up to you.

Higurashi - didn't watch it myself yet but now that it is a bloody mystery so what comes to my mind is Another.

Hope this will help.

Also I second Shiki and Kami Nomi series

Vladrave · 2012-09-12, 08:00

I second:
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal
Fate/Zero
Code Geass
Steins;Gate

Madoka magica is about the magical girls but its very very different from your typical magical girl.

Kirito · 2012-09-12, 08:05

Why don`t you give Kowarekake no Orgel, To Aru Majutusu no Index, and Gurren Lagann a shot if you`re interested.

SeijiSensei · 2012-09-12, 08:07

Lucky*Star is full of anime in-jokes and parodies so it's unllkely to be as funny to someone who has not got a lot of experience watching anime. That's one of the things that made Lucky*Star popular with many anime fans but left less-experienced viewers scratching their heads. Here's an example:

TL;DR…

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Luckily for you there are dozens if not hundreds of quality anime shows that do not has as much self-referential material as these shows do.

I'll suggest Baccano! as a starting point. The first episode is a bit slow, but it gets better quickly. The story is set in Prohibition America and concerns encounters between gangsters and immortals.

Madoka is both visually stunning and conceptually interesting; I'd endorse that as well.

I strongly recommend Monster. Not only does it fit your apparent taste for mysteries, it is set in Germany and Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. I still think it is one of the best television shows I have ever watched including both animation and live-action.

Another possibility might be Ghost Hound, not to be confused with Ghost Hunt, about a boy who watched his sister die when they were kidnapped as young children. He is undergoing treatment for PTSD when show begins but has discovered he possesses the ability known as "astral projection." The show traces his attempts to identify the kidnapper.

I posted a reasonably long list of suggestions here just the other day, so I won't repeat them here. The pictures in my signature gallery all point to different shows that I would recommend. As a warning, they take you to the shows' Wikipedia entries which can contain spoilers, so don't read too far into the entries.

Augustana · 2012-09-12, 10:11

Hey if u liked Clannad i think u definitely need watch Kanon(2006) or Air ...
its from creators of Clannad if im not wrong.
and dont forget Kimi ga Nozomu Eien.,5 Centimeters per Second

Sunburst · 2012-09-12, 15:21

First of all: Thank you very much!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KholdStare

My general advice for you is to never ever watch an anime just because it's popular. The only thing that's going to happen is that you set expectations sky high and when it's not as epic as you originally thought it would be, you'll end up not giving it a fair chance.

The problem is that I don't know many Anime, so I thought that the "famous" Anime are popular because they're very good, so I thought when so many people enjoyed them, I'll like them too. Anyway, what you've written is true. Starting a new Anime with sky high expectations will usually lead to disappointment, I think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitten320

Angel Beats! - just like Clannad it is done by same author so a good choice would be to watch 2 other works of his that are Air and Kanon2006.

That these series have the same creator is a good argument for giving them a try, but KholdStare has written, that he/she wouldn't recommend these series because they're quite different to Clannad / Angel Beats!. So you would say that the differences between these Anime don't matter?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitten320

If I don't mistake, this autumn should air another work of his called Little Busters!

A new Anime from this creator? Thank you for the information, I'll keep the Anime in my mind and give it a try when it has aired. Is the date when it will be aired allready known?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I strongly recommend Monster. Not only does it fit your apparent taste for mysteries, it is set in Germany and Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. I still think it is one of the best television shows I have ever watched including both animation and live-action.

Monster seems to be a very long Anime. It has 74 episodes when I've understood it right. Don't you think this to be a problem? I've read that longer Anime (Like One Piece, Bleach and stuff) usually tend to contain many redundant episodes that are only made to make the Anime longer, what leads to a short story that is stretched over many episodes. Or am I mistaken?

I've looked up all of the recommended series at an Info-page and most of them are really interesting. At the moment I think I'll start with Kimi ga Nozomu Eien and then I'll continue with the other Anime you've recommended to me here. For example ef - a tale of memories, Shiki, AnoHana, Kowarekake no Orgel, Code Geass and Baccano! seem to be very interesting as well. Anyway I want to try most of the Anime which have been mentioned in this thread, so I think I'll have enough Anime for the next time.

Again: Thank you very much for helping me!

KholdStare · 2012-09-12, 15:52

I forgot to recommend AnoHana and Kowarekake no Orgel because they are not as "harem" as Amagami and Clannad, but I consider them very good anime also and second their recommendations. Fate/Zero is an amazing series, although I'm still on the edge about whether or not you should "know" the Fate/stay night anime/plot before. Although F/Z is technically a prequel, it airs after F/sn. I find that by knowing what will happen from watching F/sn first, I'm able to focus more on the intricacies of F/Z and appreciate it more. So yes if you plan on watching F/Z I'd recommend F/sn first.

Since you want to know about Clannad/Kanon/Air, I have a small comparison for you with light spoilers, so click if you don't mind.

Spoiler for Light synopsis spoilers for Clannad/Kanon/Air:

Whether or not to recommend Kanon/Air depends on what you enjoy from Clannad. For example, I like Clannad because it brings many elements together that do not work in a typical romance, so when I try to think of what other anime accomplishes this, I can only think of ef and Bakemonogatari.

Clannad vs. Kanon

If you really liked the witty protagonist Tomoya and the jester-like Youhei, you're not going to find that in Kanon. Kanon in contrast a more serious anime in a sense that it has a consistent gloomy/serious mood (which is good) without the usual comedic interventions that Youhei gives to Clannad. Another thing is that Kanon arcs are more definite. For example, after Shiori's arc, you won't see her again (until the last episode). In contrast, Clannad characters stay in Nagisa's club, so they still play a role after their arc. So overall, if you like Clannad most for the drama in After Story, then you'll like Kanon, probably.

Clannad vs. Air

Air is something else. It's more story-driven and to the point. It follows the general trend of lighthearted -> drama progression as Clannad, except it does so in 12 episodes instead of 52 or so. So in short, it doesn't fuck around. You won't get a season to ease you into drama, it just happens. The storyline is more convoluted but that's not a bad thing. You won't have many opportunities to laugh in Air but it's not depressing either...in fact arguably the opposite. It's just in my opinion not that similar to Clannad at all.

Conclusion

What Clannad, Kanon, and Air have in common is the addition of fantasy overtones that do not drown out the realistic slice-of-life nature of those anime, although the realism could be argued in Air. I like all three anime (Clannad: 8/10, Kanon 2006: 7/10, Air: 9/10). They are also similar in a sense that you feel like you got something out of watching them, and it gives a new meaning to how you view anime. But structurally, I feel the most similarity between Clannad and ef, probably because it comes down to the characters and how they interact with each other. /endtldr

totoum · 2012-09-12, 16:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunburst

Monster seems to be a very long Anime. It has 74 episodes when I've understood it right. Don't you think this to be a problem? I've read that longer Anime (Like One Piece, Bleach and stuff) usually tend to contain many redundant episodes that are only made to make the Anime longer, what leads to a short story that is stretched over many episodes. Or am I mistaken?

The difference between those and Monster is that the kind of shows you're talking about are adaptations of mangas that are still ongoing,the problem that creates is that an anime is generally faster paced than a manga,so the anime will catch up to the manga and the people making the anime will run out of source material, when that happens the people making the anime have to come up with "filler episodes" to fill space for a period of time while everyone waits for more manga material to come out.

Monster doesn't have this problem,the manga it's based on was already finished when the anime started so the staff didn't need to add filler.

Not sure that was really clear,maybe someone can explain better than me

SeijiSensei · 2012-09-12, 18:07

Monster is entirely compelling from start to finish with little "wasted space." From what I know from manga readers, the anime hews closely to Urasawa's original story. Yes, at 74 episodes, it's a long haul, but I never lost interest. If anything, I would have to tear myself away from the computer in the middle of the night to force myself to get some sleep rather than watching another episode of Monster.

Yes, it's that good.

I also found Hikaru no Go compelling throughout with the exception of a few episodes near the end. It's about the same length as Monster.

The really long-running series like Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece have hundreds of episodes with no obvious conclusion in sight. They are not really comparable to lengthy, but complete shows like Monster, Hikaru, Nana or Cross Game.

Sunburst, you have actually watched and enjoyed a show that notoriously suffered from the opposite problem, one where the anime had to come to an end before the manga was completed. That show is Claymore. If you found the ending to Claymore puzzling and inconclusive, it was because it was created by Madhouse once it became clear a second season of the show was not in the cards. In fact, the manga series was thought to have ended just this past May, some five years after the anime adaptation was released, but now it looks to be continuing once again.

kitten320 · 2012-09-12, 19:33

Kanon2006 and Air aren't really that different from Clannad. Well they are different in a sense that they are different shows. But Angel Beats and Clannad are far from being similar either yet you liked both, didn't you?
Both Kanon2006 and Air will make you feel. All of author's works deal with some emotional problems and involve magical themes. Regrets, memories, determination, tears, accidents, family issues... all of his works have it.

Just like in Clannad you have a male MC who ends up helping several girls but has a special relationship with one of them. What made Clannad slightly special is that it took things further, it showed what happened after the graduation and showed family life. Otherwise they aren't that much different.

For me Air had the most emotional ending. I still can't get over it. So in all honesty I do strongly recommend to watch them. You could leave Air for the last watch since out of 4 it is considered to be the weakest but still worth the watch

If I don't mistake, 1st episode of Little Busters should air on the 7th of October.

Regarding your comment towards Monster, no. Do not confuse shounen series like Naruto and Bleach with something like Monster. Shounen series usually last over 100-200 episodes. The genre shounen is something different all together. Shounen are action series that are usually meant for younger audience, but there are exceptions likr for example Claymore which is more serious.

Monster are psychological series with detective themes. I won't deny that I still think that series could be shorter. Some scenes seemed not to be that important. However, they deliver a good suspense atmosphere till the end. The number of episodes should not scare you here.
After all Death Note also was longer than standard. Of course it was not over 70 but 35 is already more than norm

KholdStare
I read your comparison and have to slightly disagree. In Clannad After Story all the main cast was basically ignored except Tomoya and Nagisa what in all honesty made series less interesting for me since Nagisa was least of my interest.
What I want to say is that Clannad and Kanon2006 are similar. They are probable the most alike shows out there. Clannad simply has more episodes so they could show more of the characters in 1st season.

P.S. Oh, I want to add Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? as a recommendation for Angel Beats. They are different since AB are more emotional. What they have in common is that main guy can't die no matter what happens. Both series have similar bloody humor.
Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? does go through some emotional themes but not to such extend.

Sackett · 2012-09-12, 23:00

Watching Lucky Star without watching Haruhi first is like watching Space Balls without watching Star Wars first.

Based on Clannad and Angel Beats, I think you would like Ano Hana, Bunny Drop, and Cross Game.

Based on most of the others I think you should check out Madoka Magica, Penguindrum, Another, Fulllmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Chrono Crusade, and Mirai Nikki.

You might like The World God Only Knows.

Haruhi is a good anime, so I think watching it wouldn't be a bad idea. The only thing I'd point out, is that part of the hype of Haruhi comes from the experience of watching it as a community when it came out with all of it's zany meta stunts- for example: the first season aired all the episodes out of order.

Since you are new to anime I'd suggest watching various anime in different genre to see if you like them or not. These anime would include:

K-On
Shakugan No Shana
Crest of the Stars
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Maison Ikkoku
Ranma 1/2
Ah My Goddess
Soul Eater

Sunburst · 2012-09-13, 05:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by KholdStare

Fate/Zero is an amazing series, although I'm still on the edge about whether or not you should "know" the Fate/stay night anime/plot before. Although F/Z is technically a prequel, it airs after F/sn. I find that by knowing what will happen from watching F/sn first, I'm able to focus more on the intricacies of F/Z and appreciate it more. So yes if you plan on watching F/Z I'd recommend F/sn first.

I think it won’t be wrong to watch the series in the same order as they’ve aired. So, if Fate/stay night has been aired before Fate/Zero, I’ll watch it in the same order, like you’ve recommended it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KholdStare

Since you want to know about Clannad/Kanon/Air, I have a small comparison for you with light spoilers, so click if you don't mind.

The comparison is quite helpful, thank you!
So Kanon is more like a gloomy drama and doesn’t have any comedic parts, like you find them in Clannad and is a very serious story at all? And Air is a light romance Anime that strictly follows a storyline, while not containing such sad parts like Clannad after story does? However, I’m not looking for a copy of Clannad. Rather I’m looking for Anime that might be interesting for me, so I’m also interested in Anime that don’t share all the aspects of Clannad. What you’ve written sounds good to me, so I think that I’ll try both.

Quote:

Originally Posted by totoum

Monster doesn't have this problem,the manga it's based on was already finished when the anime started so the staff didn't need to add filler.

Sounds good. Even if I didn’t knew that it takes more time to draw a Manga than producing an Anime. Till now I thought it takes longer to produce an Anime. Can’t imagine that animating a Manga is done so fast^^ However, when there aren’t any filler I’ll try Monster, I think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Sunburst, you have actually watched and enjoyed a show that notoriously suffered from the opposite problem, one where the anime had to come to an end before the manga was completed. That show is Claymore. If you found the ending to Claymore puzzling and inconclusive, it was because it was created by Madhouse once it became clear a second season of the show was not in the cards.

So Gonzo has written the end of Claymore on their own? That would explain a lot. ^^

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitten320

If I don't mistake, 1st episode of Little Busters should air on the 7th of October.

Thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sackett

Since you are new to anime I'd suggest watching various anime in different genre to see if you like them or not.

That's what I'm planning to do. It's just that I was unsure which Anime I might like since I've just watched a couple of Anime till now.

Finally I’m very impressed how many long and quality answers I’ve got. As I sometimes read in different forums, I expected I’ll just get some names without any explanations, but the answers I’ve got here are really very good and helpful. Unfortunately I’m weak at English, so I’m unable to answer in the same quality, but please be sure I’m thankful for every answer I’ve got.

KholdStare · 2012-09-13, 07:22

@kitten320: In After Story yeah, but I like looking at both seasons as one full anime so I made the summary based on both. You are right that Clannad took things "a bit further" which is the part I like the most. Clannad is currently my favorite anime of all time even with its flaws, and it will take a lot to change how I feel about it. And from my avatar I also didn't mind the Nagisa focus at all.

@Sunburst: Air is light romance yes, strict storyline yes, but uh...you can judge the "sadness" for yourself. One thing I'll say is that most of the teary moments in Clannad for me is actually the "happy" parts/resolution of a subplot (episodes 18 and 19 of AS).

And the final thing I'd say is that if you decide to watch Haruhi, oh god please watch it out of order (which is the airing order). Watching it in the correct order makes it more of an average slice of life show. While you won't be able to replicate watching an out-of-order episode than speculating with the community for a week (like Sackett said), it may lead you to thinking a bit more about why things happen and I dunno, maybe let you see it in a different...light.

Off-topic reply to below: Kanon never made me laugh... From the beginning scene...

Spoiler for Kanon Intro:

...I was already in the gloomy mood that would never be lifted.

kitten320 · 2012-09-13, 07:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunburst

So Kanon is more like a gloomy drama and doesn’t have any comedic parts, like you find them in Clannad and is a very serious story at all? And Air is a light romance Anime that strictly follows a storyline, while not containing such sad parts like Clannad after story does? However, I’m not looking for a copy of Clannad. Rather I’m looking for Anime that might be interesting for me, so I’m also interested in Anime that don’t share all the aspects of Clannad. What you’ve written sounds good to me, so I think that I’ll try both.

You got is wrong... As I said they are not same as Clannad and have their uniqueness but you made Kanon2006 sound too gloomy while Air too fluffy...

Kanon2006 does have comedic parts and MC is not stoic and does have sense of humor. Kanon might be less silly than Clannad gets sometimes but it still has comedy and fluffy episodes. But over all, yeh it is a bit more serious.

Air is shorter so it does go straight to the point but it is not all fluffy and has it's amount of tears too, especially at the end.

So yeh watch them. They are not Clannad rip off but still have similar things going on.

SeijiSensei · 2012-09-13, 07:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunburst

So Gonzo has written the end of Claymore on their own? That would explain a lot. ^^

Claymore is a Madhouse show.

Mangakasan · 2012-09-13, 12:19

I reccomend gantz, sword art online, freezing, maburaho, to Love ru (and the sequel), zero no tsukaima(and all of the sequels), school rumble, r-15, accel world,Toradora. Those are just a few good anime I could list off the top of my head.

2012-09-12, 04:24	Link #1
Sunburst Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Germany	Need some suggestions Hi there, I've hesitated to post here for a while now, but I think this is the right sub forum for my question. Recently I'm looking for an interesting Anime. I'm new, but not completely new to Anime and I've already watched a couple of series. However, I'm recently looking for a new Anime and I don't know if there are some Anime that might fit my interests. Recently I'm not prefering a special type of Anime, so I unfortunately can't specify what I'm looking for. Some Anime I liked: -Angel Beats! -Clannad / Clannad after story -Death Note -Elfen Lied -Amagami SS / Amagami SS+ -Steins;Gate -Claymore -Higurashi Another Anime I've watched is "Lucky Star". I've watched it because it seems to be very popular, however I didn't get many parts of the humor. Maybe I haven’t watched enough Anime for getting them? That’s why I'm recently hesitating to watch some of the other very popular Anime. Madoka Magica, Code Geass and Haruhi seem to be very popular, but I'm unsure if they would fit my interests. Another question would be: Shall I watch all of the very popular Anime first, before I try some of the less popular series? In case of you would recommend this: Which Anime are a "must watch"? I hope the text above contains enough information for you to post some suggestions for me. If you need to know something, please post it and I'll try to answer it as good as possible.

2012-09-12, 04:57	Link #2
KholdStare ISML Technical Staff Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Age: 35	My general advice for you is to never ever watch an anime just because it's popular. The only thing that's going to happen is that you set expectations sky high and when it's not as epic as you originally thought it would be, you'll end up not giving it a fair chance. Usually when I encounter such a situation, I read the synopsis, look up some non-spoiler summaries of its characters, and if a character strikes me as interesting, then I'd watch it -- not because it's popular, but because I have in mind my own personal reasons for wanting to watch it. Even if you want to watch an anime because a character looks cute or because your favorite seiyuu is in it, it's still much better than watching an anime out of obligation! What you're doing is excellent though; you'll be more interested in watching anime that are similar to what you've previously enjoyed. Angel Beats/Clannad: I don't know any anime comes close to being similar to these two. They give me a sense of satisfaction few anime can replicate. I'm not going to automatically recommend Kanon and Air because they are quite different. What Angel Beats and Clannad have is a great mixture of comedic elements interspersed within many separate yet interconnecting serious plots. Maybe the only anime that can compare are ef - a tale of memories and its sequel ef - a tale of melodies, also possibly Bakemonogatari and its sequel Nisemonogatari. Death Note: I'm a fan of this anime, and if you like the strategic main protagonist, then definitely Code Geass (both seasons) should be recommended. A shot in the dark may be Kaiji. While it doesn't have the "action" that the other two have, you will get the same adrenaline rush feeling. Elfen Lied: This is another favorite of mine, which combines a nice plot with action that doesn't sugarcoat anything. While not the same mood as Elfen Lied, some other anime you may enjoy with a similar structure are Gunslinger Girl (both seasons), Saikano, Bokurano, and Ga-Rei: Zero. Amagami SS: While arguably in completely different genres, you should give Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai a try because of the "reset" feeling that's in Amagami. Moving along with the romance genre, you should also give Kimikiss Pure Rouge a shot. If you want a good romance that's not a harem and without the typical cliché, then definitely go for one of my favorite anime Kimi ga Nozomu Eien. Steins;Gate: Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen Claymore: Berserk Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: I think we can all agree that there's no anime that's very similar to Higurashi, except for some "time" aspects in Madoka Magica but not much. Some say that Umineko no Naku Koro ni is similar in style, but others dismiss the anime adaptation as confusing, rushed, and lacking, so it's up to you. If you're after the murder genre, then Mirai Nikki and Shiki may be good. A few "ballpark" suggestions can be Ima Soko ni Iru Boku, Another, and the Kara no Kyoukai movies. I hope this helps. __________________ Kholdy's MAL, ISML Chat, Saimoe Blog, Saimoe Wiki

2012-09-12, 07:03	Link #3
kitten320 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007	No, never watch only popular shows first for half of them are a huge disappointment. Keep your mind open and watch everything. I for example don't get the whole fascination of Gurren Lgann and Haruhi series. For me they were beyond boring. Though Haruhi movie was good, can't lie here. Read descriptions and whatever seems fun, watch it. It is hard to recommend when you didn't mention any genres so I'll try to go by your list: Angel Beats! - just like Clannad it is done by same author so a good choice would be to watch 2 other works of his that are Air and Kanon2006. If I don't mistake, this autumn should air another work of his called Little Busters! Clannad / Clannad after story - AnoHana series used to be compared a lot to Clannad. You might also want to try Toradora. They sre slightly different but still both have school life, drama, comedy and romance. Death Note - If you don't mind episodic shows, you could try Jigoku Shoujo since they deal with same theme, is it fine to kill bad people? Otherwise I can also add Ghost Hunt since both shows are suspenseful and have intelligent MCs. They also have supernatural themes and detective themes. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom are also good dark series that make you wonder about good and bad. Code Geass actually is a good choice here since just like in Death Note we have an anti main character. Elfen Lied - Deadman Wonderland reminds of it. Steins;Gate - In this case I do recommend to check the famous Madoka Magica. You'll know why once you watch it. Despite the cute art, Madoka deals with some dark and heavy themes. Mirai Nikki is also about time machines and wanting to change it but in a more shounen way. Mawaru Penguindrum are a bit weird but interesting series that in some way are also dealing with time and death and how to change it. Claymore - Berserk is compared a lo to it though they are different. What connected them is a knight era and some monsters. Ga-Rei Zero is slightly more similar to Berserk but its main theme is something like sisterly relation, almost like Teresa arc. In both shows females are the lead and have more blood. Fate/Zero is different but it also deals with dark themes. Really good series. Though you might want to check Fate/Stay Night first, the sequel which was released first. Fate/Night is not as good as Fate/Zero but if you watch Fate/Zero first then Fate/Night will be even less interesting so it is up to you. Higurashi - didn't watch it myself yet but now that it is a bloody mystery so what comes to my mind is Another. Hope this will help. Also I second Shiki and Kami Nomi series __________________ My anime list

2012-09-12, 08:05	Link #5
Kirito Enjoying Snack Time! Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Where It's Legal to Marry Clara and Alice Age: 35	Why don`t you give Kowarekake no Orgel, To Aru Majutusu no Index, and Gurren Lagann a shot if you`re interested. __________________

2012-09-12, 08:07	Link #6
SeijiSensei AS Oji-kun Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 74	LuckyStar* is full of anime in-jokes and parodies so it's unllkely to be as funny to someone who has not got a lot of experience watching anime. That's one of the things that made LuckyStar* popular with many anime fans but left less-experienced viewers scratching their heads. Here's an example: TL;DR… Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload? Luckily for you there are dozens if not hundreds of quality anime shows that do not has as much self-referential material as these shows do. I'll suggest Baccano! as a starting point. The first episode is a bit slow, but it gets better quickly. The story is set in Prohibition America and concerns encounters between gangsters and immortals. Madoka is both visually stunning and conceptually interesting; I'd endorse that as well. I strongly recommend Monster. Not only does it fit your apparent taste for mysteries, it is set in Germany and Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. I still think it is one of the best television shows I have ever watched including both animation and live-action. Another possibility might be Ghost Hound, not to be confused with Ghost Hunt, about a boy who watched his sister die when they were kidnapped as young children. He is undergoing treatment for PTSD when show begins but has discovered he possesses the ability known as "astral projection." The show traces his attempts to identify the kidnapper. I posted a reasonably long list of suggestions here just the other day, so I won't repeat them here. The pictures in my signature gallery all point to different shows that I would recommend. As a warning, they take you to the shows' Wikipedia entries which can contain spoilers, so don't read too far into the entries. __________________ Taking Anime Seriously - Politics by the Numbers - Sports by the Numbers - MAL List - Avatars - Images

2012-09-12, 08:00	Link #4
Vladrave The Dark Slayer Join Date: Aug 2012	I second: Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal Fate/Zero Code Geass Steins;Gate Madoka magica is about the magical girls but its very very different from your typical magical girl.

2012-09-12, 10:11	Link #7
Augustana Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Estonian Age: 33	Hey if u liked Clannad i think u definitely need watch Kanon(2006) or Air ... its from creators of Clannad if im not wrong. and dont forget Kimi ga Nozomu Eien.,5 Centimeters per Second

2012-09-12, 15:52	Link #9
KholdStare ISML Technical Staff Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Age: 35	I forgot to recommend AnoHana and Kowarekake no Orgel because they are not as "harem" as Amagami and Clannad, but I consider them very good anime also and second their recommendations. Fate/Zero is an amazing series, although I'm still on the edge about whether or not you should "know" the Fate/stay night anime/plot before. Although F/Z is technically a prequel, it airs after F/sn. I find that by knowing what will happen from watching F/sn first, I'm able to focus more on the intricacies of F/Z and appreciate it more. So yes if you plan on watching F/Z I'd recommend F/sn first. Since you want to know about Clannad/Kanon/Air, I have a small comparison for you with light spoilers, so click if you don't mind. Spoiler for Light synopsis spoilers for Clannad/Kanon/Air: Whether or not to recommend Kanon/Air depends on what you enjoy from Clannad. For example, I like Clannad because it brings many elements together that do not work in a typical romance, so when I try to think of what other anime accomplishes this, I can only think of ef and Bakemonogatari. Clannad vs. Kanon If you really liked the witty protagonist Tomoya and the jester-like Youhei, you're not going to find that in Kanon. Kanon in contrast a more serious anime in a sense that it has a consistent gloomy/serious mood (which is good) without the usual comedic interventions that Youhei gives to Clannad. Another thing is that Kanon arcs are more definite. For example, after Shiori's arc, you won't see her again (until the last episode). In contrast, Clannad characters stay in Nagisa's club, so they still play a role after their arc. So overall, if you like Clannad most for the drama in After Story, then you'll like Kanon, probably. Clannad vs. Air Air is something else. It's more story-driven and to the point. It follows the general trend of lighthearted -> drama progression as Clannad, except it does so in 12 episodes instead of 52 or so. So in short, it doesn't fuck around. You won't get a season to ease you into drama, it just happens. The storyline is more convoluted but that's not a bad thing. You won't have many opportunities to laugh in Air but it's not depressing either...in fact arguably the opposite. It's just in my opinion not that similar to Clannad at all. Conclusion What Clannad, Kanon, and Air have in common is the addition of fantasy overtones that do not drown out the realistic slice-of-life nature of those anime, although the realism could be argued in Air. I like all three anime (Clannad: 8/10, Kanon 2006: 7/10, Air: 9/10). They are also similar in a sense that you feel like you got something out of watching them, and it gives a new meaning to how you view anime. But structurally, I feel the most similarity between Clannad and ef, probably because it comes down to the characters and how they interact with each other. /endtldr __________________ Kholdy's MAL, ISML Chat, Saimoe Blog, Saimoe Wiki

2012-09-12, 18:07	Link #11
SeijiSensei AS Oji-kun Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 74	Monster is entirely compelling from start to finish with little "wasted space." From what I know from manga readers, the anime hews closely to Urasawa's original story. Yes, at 74 episodes, it's a long haul, but I never lost interest. If anything, I would have to tear myself away from the computer in the middle of the night to force myself to get some sleep rather than watching another episode of Monster. Yes, it's that good. I also found Hikaru no Go compelling throughout with the exception of a few episodes near the end. It's about the same length as Monster. The really long-running series like Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece have hundreds of episodes with no obvious conclusion in sight. They are not really comparable to lengthy, but complete shows like Monster, Hikaru, Nana or Cross Game. Sunburst, you have actually watched and enjoyed a show that notoriously suffered from the opposite problem, one where the anime had to come to an end before the manga was completed. That show is Claymore. If you found the ending to Claymore puzzling and inconclusive, it was because it was created by Madhouse once it became clear a second season of the show was not in the cards. In fact, the manga series was thought to have ended just this past May, some five years after the anime adaptation was released, but now it looks to be continuing once again. __________________ Taking Anime Seriously - Politics by the Numbers - Sports by the Numbers - MAL List - Avatars - Images Last edited by SeijiSensei; 2012-09-12 at 18:20.

2012-09-12, 19:33	Link #12
kitten320 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007	Kanon2006 and Air aren't really that different from Clannad. Well they are different in a sense that they are different shows. But Angel Beats and Clannad are far from being similar either yet you liked both, didn't you? Both Kanon2006 and Air will make you feel. All of author's works deal with some emotional problems and involve magical themes. Regrets, memories, determination, tears, accidents, family issues... all of his works have it. Just like in Clannad you have a male MC who ends up helping several girls but has a special relationship with one of them. What made Clannad slightly special is that it took things further, it showed what happened after the graduation and showed family life. Otherwise they aren't that much different. For me Air had the most emotional ending. I still can't get over it. So in all honesty I do strongly recommend to watch them. You could leave Air for the last watch since out of 4 it is considered to be the weakest but still worth the watch If I don't mistake, 1st episode of Little Busters should air on the 7th of October. Regarding your comment towards Monster, no. Do not confuse shounen series like Naruto and Bleach with something like Monster. Shounen series usually last over 100-200 episodes. The genre shounen is something different all together. Shounen are action series that are usually meant for younger audience, but there are exceptions likr for example Claymore which is more serious. Monster are psychological series with detective themes. I won't deny that I still think that series could be shorter. Some scenes seemed not to be that important. However, they deliver a good suspense atmosphere till the end. The number of episodes should not scare you here. After all Death Note also was longer than standard. Of course it was not over 70 but 35 is already more than norm KholdStare I read your comparison and have to slightly disagree. In Clannad After Story all the main cast was basically ignored except Tomoya and Nagisa what in all honesty made series less interesting for me since Nagisa was least of my interest. What I want to say is that Clannad and Kanon2006 are similar. They are probable the most alike shows out there. Clannad simply has more episodes so they could show more of the characters in 1st season. P.S. Oh, I want to add Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? as a recommendation for Angel Beats. They are different since AB are more emotional. What they have in common is that main guy can't die no matter what happens. Both series have similar bloody humor. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? does go through some emotional themes but not to such extend. __________________ My anime list Last edited by kitten320; 2012-09-12 at 19:51.

2012-09-12, 23:00	Link #13
Sackett Cross Game - I need more Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: I've moved around the American West. I've lived in Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Oklahoma Age: 44	Watching Lucky Star without watching Haruhi first is like watching Space Balls without watching Star Wars first. Based on Clannad and Angel Beats, I think you would like *Ano Hana, Bunny Drop, and Cross Game. Based on most of the others I think you should check out Madoka Magica, Penguindrum, Another, Fulllmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Chrono Crusade, and Mirai Nikki. You might like The World God Only Knows. Haruhi* is a good anime, so I think watching it wouldn't be a bad idea. The only thing I'd point out, is that part of the hype of Haruhi comes from the experience of watching it as a community when it came out with all of it's zany meta stunts- for example: the first season aired all the episodes out of order. Since you are new to anime I'd suggest watching various anime in different genre to see if you like them or not. These anime would include: *K-On* *Shakugan No Shana* *Crest of the Stars* *Neon Genesis Evangelion* *Maison Ikkoku* *Ranma 1/2* *Ah My Goddess* *Soul Eater* __________________ Cross Game - A Story of Love, Life, Death - and Baseball. What more could you want?

2012-09-13, 07:22	Link #15
KholdStare ISML Technical Staff Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Age: 35	@kitten320: In After Story yeah, but I like looking at both seasons as one full anime so I made the summary based on both. You are right that Clannad took things "a bit further" which is the part I like the most. Clannad is currently my favorite anime of all time even with its flaws, and it will take a lot to change how I feel about it. And from my avatar I also didn't mind the Nagisa focus at all. @Sunburst: Air is light romance yes, strict storyline yes, but uh...you can judge the "sadness" for yourself. One thing I'll say is that most of the teary moments in Clannad for me is actually the "happy" parts/resolution of a subplot (episodes 18 and 19 of AS). And the final thing I'd say is that if you decide to watch Haruhi, oh god please watch it out of order (which is the airing order). Watching it in the correct order makes it more of an average slice of life show. While you won't be able to replicate watching an out-of-order episode than speculating with the community for a week (like Sackett said), it may lead you to thinking a bit more about why things happen and I dunno, maybe let you see it in a different...light. Off-topic reply to below: Kanon never made me laugh... From the beginning scene... Spoiler for Kanon Intro: A dream... (1) I'm seeing a dream. The dream I see everyday. The endless dream... The red snow... The world stained in red... The small, crying child was blocking the red sky. ...I was already in the gloomy mood that would never be lifted. __________________ Kholdy's MAL, ISML Chat, Saimoe Blog, Saimoe Wiki Last edited by KholdStare; 2012-09-13 at 07:33.

2012-09-13, 12:19	Link #18
Mangakasan BURST LINK!! Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: USA	I reccomend gantz, sword art online, freezing, maburaho, to Love ru (and the sequel), zero no tsukaima(and all of the sequels), school rumble, r-15, accel world,Toradora. Those are just a few good anime I could list off the top of my head. __________________ Strength isn't just about winning. Even if my attempts are pathetic and comical, and even if I'm covered in the mud of my defeat, if I can keep fighting and look up at the sky as I lie on the ground, that alone is proof of true strength!