Anime for non-anime fans.

[Daysleepin]

I have some how managed to talk my girl friend into watching some anime with me. She tends to see cartoons(anime by extension cause it is animated) as just for kids. First two that imidatitly came to my mind were Cowboy Bebop and Baccano. She rather enjoyed both. She expressed that some of the science fiction of Bebop was a turn off. So i am a little hesitant to introduce her to Code Geass. She does like fantasy and vampires, so i am thinking maybe the Hellsing OVAs, but what are your thoughts and suggestions?

[DrSmith]

What about Dance in the Vampire Bund or Shiki?

[kitten320]

If she likes Vampires than Shiki would be my main suggestion since it covers some seriouese topics and keeps the seriouse theme throughtout whole thing.

Not fantasys or vampires but Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom and Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin are also very seriouse series. They have some sad and dramatic moments, duno if it is of her taste but those stand out among standard animes.

Something with fantasy... you could try to watch FMA series. Despite having some typical anime clishes, series still stand out. It has great story.

If she likes ghost stories and detectives, you could try to watch Ghost Hunt.

Death Note coud be a good choice too.

But all of these series, except FMA, are quiet gloomy thogh Ghost Hunt has some comedy too.

What kind of genres does she prefer in first place? Action/horror/thriller/comedy/romance/etc?

Just try to avoid biggest part of shounen and school comedy.

[Hooves]

The genres would better help me find the perfect animes for your friend. Especially when it comes to dubbing down the list of vampire/fantasy animes there are.

Vampires - Seconding Shiki and Dance in the Vampire Bund
Fantasy - I'm not quite sure which type of fantasy your friend would prefer... Light-hearted comedy type? Medieval-type? Animal type? Will post as much as you need once I get more info on this

[Daysleepin]

She does like fantasy, she actually rather enjoyed the Lord of the Ring movies and is a fan of the D&D book series by R.A. Salvator. I hadn't considered Death Note but that could also be right up her alley.

Anyways a small list of genres she does enjoy.

Medieval-type fantasy, LotR, D&D type stuff.

Romance, Who doesn't enjoy a well done love story, though i would really like to avoid the harem genre when it comes to this.

light heart romance with more of a comedy feel to it.

psychological mind bending stuff, though i would like to not introduce her to Evangelion.

Horror/thriller would also be good since after all we are in the month of October.

[JRendell]

Sounds like she would enjoy Claymore.

I'd also have a look at Shingetsutan Tsukihime, Umineko, Mononoke Hime, Seirei no Moribito and Chrome Shelled Regios.

[DrSmith]

Originally Posted by Daysleepin

psychological mind bending stuff, though i would like to not introduce her to Evangelion.

Something from Satoshi Kon comes to mind:
- Paprika;
- Perfect Blue;
- Millennium Actress;
- Paranoia Agent

[Undertaker]

Medieval Fantasy:

The Record of Lodoss War
Legend of Legendary Heroes
Claymore

Romance:

Kimi ni Todoke
Lovely Complex
Skip Beat

Psychological/Fantasy/Thriller:

Death Note
xxxHolic
Bakemonogatari
Hell Girl

[Hayaku]

Hmm, introduce her to Vampire knight? Vampires, romance, action, and it's a bishi at that too :P All girls love bishounen right?

All my non-anime fan friends really loved Appleseed and Akira, and some of them loved Ghost in the shell, so maybe that would be something for her?

Also, Introduce her to some of Makoto Shinkai's work. He creates some really good love stories!

A sad anime that I think you should show her Grave of the fireflies. The only anime to make me cry, and it would open her up as well (if the mood is right)

By the way, why not show her Evangelion? I think you should let her see it

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

If your girlfriend really enjoyed medieval fantasy with romance, then I suggest to try the Tales series (Tales of the Abyss, Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Vesperia, etc), also, The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk and its sequel Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk. From the horror genre: as some posters already mentioned before, there are Ghost Hunt, Shiki, Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpuuchou (and its sequel), and Highschool of the Dead.

PS1: You're right, (to me) the original Evangelion series is not a good watch for newbies (especially the last episodes). Still, you can introduce her to the franchise by recommending the new Rebuild of Evangelion movies instead. So far, 2 movies have been released out of the planned 4. In my opinion, those movies are more newbie friendly (so far).

PS2: Don't tell me that your girlfriend is into Twilight!??

[SeijiSensei]

I'll strongly second Seirei no Moribito. Not only does it fit her interests, but it stars perhaps the most impressive heroine in anime.

The other series that has surprisingly yet to be mentioned is Cross Game. While it's putatively about two young baseball pitchers, it's really much more a character study and slow-moving romance. My college-aged daughter's hardly a baseball fan, but she followed Cross Game religiously.

In the psychological category, I'll recommend Ghost Hound and perhaps Mouryou no Hako, though the latter might be slow going for an anime novice. Bakeneko and Mononoke mix psychology and fantasy horror in a very artistic package.

There are other threads here about suggestions for non-fans and girlfriends. Here are a couple you might browse:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=65112
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=40436

Though it's hard to find these days, Saiunkoku Monogatari might be something you'd both enjoy.

[Niji]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Though it's hard to find these days, Saiunkoku Monogatari might be something you'd both enjoy.

Let me know if you don't find it, and want to watch it.

On another note, Black Lagoon might appeal though the second barrage has some disturbing scenes.

Michiko to Hatchin is a charming road movie, might work too.

[HasuMasu]

There's no way I'm not seconding Shiki and Death note.

[Sackett]

Shiki for the Vampires

I bet Fullmetal Alchemist would go over well.

Madoka Magica for the fantasy- this might really appeal to her, but you'll need to make sure she watches to the third episode. Before that it tries to make you think it's for kids, but it isn't.

Cross Game and Bunny Drop would be ones to show her the broad range of anime.

Crest of the Stars would be another good choice I think, except that it is Sci-Fi.

Katanagatari might be a good one for the fantasy.

Clannad for the light hearted romance. And Clannad: Afterstory for the melodrama.

[raitouazura]

how about tsubasa chronicle?
it have fantasy, psychology and light romance.

[Daysleepin]

Thank you for all the suggestions, and no Obelisk ze Tormentor, she is more of a Buffy / Interview vampire fan.

[kona~chan]

Seconding Clannad for romance,
also try inuyasha, gintama, and nurarihyon no mago

[bhl88]

Tiger & Bunny comes to my mind.

[MisaoFan]

Originally Posted by kitten320

Just try to avoid biggest part of shounen and school comedy.

Why she want to avoid to watch school comedy ? Because it's too cliche and generic ? Too childish ? Too vulgar ?

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Daysleepin

...and no Obelisk ze Tormentor, she is more of a Buffy / Interview vampire fan.

Thank God.