AnimeSuki Forums

wrook · 2007-11-09, 06:30

Hi guys!

I've been in Japan for the last 3 months and I've just started to have some time to watch Anime. My Japanese is pretty much entrenched in the intermediate stage (somewhere in the depths of JLPT 2).

I'm looking for suggestions on great anime that I can rent from the video store here. It has a pretty good selection, so pretty much anything that's out on video is OK (although I was upset to find that they only have the Inu Yasha movies and no TV).

The biggest thing for me is to find stuff that isn't too hard (i.e. even though I really want to watch Evangelion in Japanese, it's just beyond me...)

Stuff I've enjoyed in the past: Fruits Basket, Mahoraba, Karin, Samurai 7, Naruto, Dragon Ball (but not so much Z or GT), Dears, REC.

I like happy endings. I like nice love stories. I like cute girls.

But really, I'm not constrained by genre. The lower the language level the better...

Thanks in advance!

Ichihara Asako · 2007-11-09, 07:38

A lot of the series aimed at younger audiences, as opposed to more mature (including scientific/technical etc) series should be fine. Doesn't mean you should go watching a bunch of kids stuff, but you should, in general, steer away from the more... complex series.

Naruto is a fairly good example you list. Fairly simple language, other than jutsu names. Same would go for Inuyasha, Bleach, One Piece and most long running fighting series.

Stuff on a similar level to Fruits Basket (slightly marginally mature harem) would be Love Hina, and Ai Yori Aoshi. DearS, while on the more ecchi side, is probably still quite similar... but you could try Midori no Hibi, Chobits, Ah My Goddess.

Could shift back to the great comedies like Azumanga Daioh and Ichigo Mashimaro; cute girls doing cute stuff. ^_^ Language level is fairly simple in them, I think. You could include Lovely Complex for a school oriented romance, though I'm not sure how comfortable you are with kansai-ben, which can throw a lot of foreigners even when they have a reasonable grounding in standard Japanese. Also fairly new, not sure if all the DVDs are available yet.

Samurai 7... that's a hard one to compare anything to. At least while retaining a more simplified language level. Samurai Champloo, maybe, though I seem to recall it having some heavier dialogue. Or series on the mecha side of Samurai 7, would probably be getting too technical. I'm sure others will have some decent suggestions, though!

2H-Dragon · 2007-11-09, 07:46

Touch is one of the best classics out there. Also adachi's best work imo. It's baseball and romance mixed together. With some heavy drama at the middle. It's all set in our time. With normal conversations. So it should be a good one.

digitals05 · 2007-11-10, 08:50

naruto its seem can be classic in future..

KholdStare · 2007-11-10, 15:48

I'll recommend Love Hina and Cardcaptor Sakura for classics. They both fit the cute girl/nice love story criteria.

Ichihara Asako · 2007-11-10, 18:11

Come to think of it, pretty much any CLAMP story should be fairly easy to watch, generally not much complex language in them... X and xXxHOLiC may be a bit too much at times, but I think anything else should be fine (CCS, Chobits, Angelic Layer, Tsubasa etc).

7Th · 2007-11-10, 18:28

Future Boy Conan, may be a kids' show but it's an awesome classic kids' show.

Aoie_Emesai · 2007-11-10, 23:49

If you love classics, then you should watch Record Of Lodoss Wars OVAs. Greatest Fantasy anime of all time.

Happy Ending, decent love story, and a cute elf. Record breaking opening, not really but it's really nice.

The effects are sorta dull because it's old, but other than that, it's a good anime to pick up and watch, since it's only 13 episodes.

wrook · 2007-11-11, 06:43

Thanks guys! That gives me quite a lot to look at.

I actually forgot to mention that I have seen Touch -- In fact it's my personal favorite anime of all time... Not sure how I forgot it

I'll wander down to the video store tomorrow and see what they've got. Thanks again!!!

miaka · 2007-11-12, 09:14

kimagure orange road - classic romance anime
maison ikkoku - Takahashi Rumiko's work with proper ending, but a long series.

wrook · 2007-11-18, 08:05

I thought I would do a quick update. I ended up picking up a series that no-one mentioned, but that fits the bill perfectly: AA Megami Sama (Ah! My Goddess). Very easy to understand (they all talk *really* slowly), cute girls, love story...

Thanks again for all the replies. I will eventually try to see everything.

Ichihara Asako · 2007-11-18, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrook

I thought I would do a quick update. I ended up picking up a series that no-one mentioned, but that fits the bill perfectly: AA Megami Sama (Ah! My Goddess). Very easy to understand (they all talk *really* slowly), cute girls, love story...

Thanks again for all the replies. I will eventually try to see everything.

I did mention that, actually, as it came to mind as one that would be an easy watch. Glad you've found it good. Some others I mentioned (particularly Ai Yori) would be pretty comparable.

2007-11-09, 06:30	Link #1
wrook Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004	Easy to watch classics Hi guys! I've been in Japan for the last 3 months and I've just started to have some time to watch Anime. My Japanese is pretty much entrenched in the intermediate stage (somewhere in the depths of JLPT 2). I'm looking for suggestions on great anime that I can rent from the video store here. It has a pretty good selection, so pretty much anything that's out on video is OK (although I was upset to find that they only have the Inu Yasha movies and no TV). The biggest thing for me is to find stuff that isn't too hard (i.e. even though I really want to watch Evangelion in Japanese, it's just beyond me...) Stuff I've enjoyed in the past: Fruits Basket, Mahoraba, Karin, Samurai 7, Naruto, Dragon Ball (but not so much Z or GT), Dears, REC. I like happy endings. I like nice love stories. I like cute girls. But really, I'm not constrained by genre. The lower the language level the better... Thanks in advance!

2007-11-10, 15:48	Link #5
KholdStare ISML Technical Staff Graphic Designer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Age: 35	I'll recommend Love Hina and Cardcaptor Sakura for classics. They both fit the cute girl/nice love story criteria. __________________ Kholdy's MAL, ISML Chat, Saimoe Blog, Saimoe Wiki

2007-11-10, 23:49	Link #8
Aoie_Emesai ♪♫ Maya Iincho ♩♬ Artist Join Date: May 2004 Location: Unnecessary Age: 37	If you love classics, then you should watch Record Of Lodoss Wars OVAs. Greatest Fantasy anime of all time. Happy Ending, decent love story, and a cute elf. Record breaking opening, not really but it's really nice. The effects are sorta dull because it's old, but other than that, it's a good anime to pick up and watch, since it's only 13 episodes. __________________ How to Give / Receive Criticism on your work / Like to draw? Come join Artists Alike Visit my Deviantart Or Blog ~A Child should always surpass his/her parent, Remember.

2007-11-09, 07:38	Link #2
Ichihara Asako Horoist Join Date: Oct 2007	A lot of the series aimed at younger audiences, as opposed to more mature (including scientific/technical etc) series should be fine. Doesn't mean you should go watching a bunch of kids stuff, but you should, in general, steer away from the more... complex series. Naruto is a fairly good example you list. Fairly simple language, other than jutsu names. Same would go for Inuyasha, Bleach, One Piece and most long running fighting series. Stuff on a similar level to Fruits Basket (slightly marginally mature harem) would be Love Hina, and Ai Yori Aoshi. DearS, while on the more ecchi side, is probably still quite similar... but you could try Midori no Hibi, Chobits, Ah My Goddess. Could shift back to the great comedies like Azumanga Daioh and Ichigo Mashimaro; cute girls doing cute stuff. ^_^ Language level is fairly simple in them, I think. You could include Lovely Complex for a school oriented romance, though I'm not sure how comfortable you are with kansai-ben, which can throw a lot of foreigners even when they have a reasonable grounding in standard Japanese. Also fairly new, not sure if all the DVDs are available yet. Samurai 7... that's a hard one to compare anything to. At least while retaining a more simplified language level. Samurai Champloo, maybe, though I seem to recall it having some heavier dialogue. Or series on the mecha side of Samurai 7, would probably be getting too technical. I'm sure others will have some decent suggestions, though!

2007-11-09, 07:46	Link #3
2H-Dragon Silent Warrior Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Netherlands Age: 38	Touch is one of the best classics out there. Also adachi's best work imo. It's baseball and romance mixed together. With some heavy drama at the middle. It's all set in our time. With normal conversations. So it should be a good one.

2007-11-10, 08:50	Link #4
digitals05 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: KL	naruto its seem can be classic in future..

2007-11-10, 18:11	Link #6
Ichihara Asako Horoist Join Date: Oct 2007	Come to think of it, pretty much any CLAMP story should be fairly easy to watch, generally not much complex language in them... X and xXxHOLiC may be a bit too much at times, but I think anything else should be fine (CCS, Chobits, Angelic Layer, Tsubasa etc).

2007-11-10, 18:28	Link #7
7Th Mixtape Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 35	Future Boy Conan, may be a kids' show but it's an awesome classic kids' show.

2007-11-11, 06:43	Link #9
wrook Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004	Thanks guys! That gives me quite a lot to look at. I actually forgot to mention that I have seen Touch -- In fact it's my personal favorite anime of all time... Not sure how I forgot it I'll wander down to the video store tomorrow and see what they've got. Thanks again!!!

2007-11-12, 09:14	Link #10
miaka Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005	kimagure orange road - classic romance anime maison ikkoku - Takahashi Rumiko's work with proper ending, but a long series.

2007-11-18, 08:05	Link #11
wrook Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004	I thought I would do a quick update. I ended up picking up a series that no-one mentioned, but that fits the bill perfectly: AA Megami Sama (Ah! My Goddess). Very easy to understand (they all talk really slowly), cute girls, love story... Thanks again for all the replies. I will eventually try to see everything.