One Series Leads To Another

[RichardFromMarple]

Has anyone found they have started watching a series, & this has lead you to getting into a similar series?

I've done this a 2-3 times, often it's been a series by the same author or studio, or else recommended by a website like Myanimelist or TV Tropes.

[AnimeFangirl]

I did that recently. Dungeon de Deai led me to watch No Game No Life (same 'set in another world' premise) which in turn led me to try to watch Madan no Ou to Vanadis (also set in another world) which was so terrible that it broke the cycle.

And I've been reading one baseball manga after another, which all started when watching Big Windup led me to watch Major, which led me to watch One Outs, then Princess Nine, then I ran out of anime and started reading manga.

[Akito Kinomoto]

I used to let one show lead me to something similar almost all the time, but that's effectively stopped now because I eventually had the feeling that I've seen this somewhere before. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy them, but rather it's harder for me to try them in the first place. I like to mix it up these days and never stay in one confine for too long, otherwise my zest for watching gets short-lived.

[Fizix]

Not sure if all of these count really.

Fate to Garden of Sinners
Steins Gate to Plastic Memories (how disappointing)
Index to Railgun
Do the Full Metal Panic series count? Seeing as Fumofo (or however you spell it) is so different?

[Triple_R]

When I clicked on this thread, I honestly thought it would be talking about how anime is seemingly having a lot of sequels, remakes and even third seasons this year.

But the topic we've been given is a good one, so I'll raise a few of my own cases of "One Series Leads to Another".


Madoka Magica lead me into Psycho-Pass (Gen Urobuchi connection)

Love Live! lead me into Locodol (I doubt I ever watch Locodol without LL! improving my take on idol anime)

Clannad lead me into Kanon (I watched Clannad before I did Kanon)

[IceHism]

ehh, series never gets me to view similar series since i watch w/e interests me out of what other people recommend or what i already know but i do follow authors / writers.

Generally, i like to see different things. If i see a sci-fi show, the next show i watch will definitely not be sci-fi

[SPARTAN 119]

This impact sometimes works with me, sometime even going across genres, where an anime leads to some other genre or vice-versa.

For instance, I watched Higurashi because I saw snippits of it and was reminded of the Condemned series of video games (first-person horror/survival type game focusing in improvised melee weapons and dark, mysterious plotlines involving murder, insanity etc)

Another example, working the other way, the manga Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There led me to to Stuart Slade's web novel The Salvation War (both revolve around a fantasy world army getting their asses handed to them by a modern military force, but be warned, the Salvation War contains content that may offend the deeply religious).

Or, for an anime to anime (or in some cases to VN) example, I, like Triple R, watched Psycho-Pass, as well as Aldnoah Zero, Saya No Uta, and Kikokugai: The Cyber Slayer all thanks to the initial exposure to my Gen Urobuchi with Madoka Magica.

Apart from that, though, I usually just watch whatever interests me, much as IceHism stated, though I will occasionally search recommendations on My Anime List or follow things from the same author- i.e. Urobuchi.

Originally Posted by AnimeFangirl

I did that recently. Dungeon de Deai led me to watch No Game No Life (same 'set in another world' premise) which in turn led me to try to watch Madan no Ou to Vanadis (also set in another world) which was so terrible that it broke the cycle.

And I've been reading one baseball manga after another, which all started when watching Big Windup led me to watch Major, which led me to watch One Outs, then Princess Nine, then I ran out of anime and started reading manga.

Also, not directly related, but AnimeFangirl, I will tell you that Madan No Ou To Vanadis is much better in light novel form, one of the best LNs I've read in fact.

Also, if you want another good "fantasy world" story, I'd recommend Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There.

[DragoonKain3]

As someone who switched from manga to anime BECAUSE I can easily see 3 episodes of all anime every cour, I never really go from one series that leads to another. Same reason why My Anime List is totally useless for me... I kinda seen it all.

Closest one that I can think of is that I first watched Shirobako and thought it was boring as heck. It didn't help that it started with a group of girls doing cute stuff (I hate Moe girl SOL shows), so the first impression didn't help as I thought the director would be doing another Girls and Panzer. Even after the pilot episode, it was mundane stuff over and over. It was only until I was talking to my friend about how people misunderstood Saekano from the first episode because they were watching it from the wrong perspective that he laughed at me, as I was doing the same with Shirobako.

Which was true, as Shirobako should be seen less as an anime show, and more kinda like a fictionalized documentary about how the industry works. It being relative mundane is the entire point... I mean sure, they exaggerated small things here and there, but how down to earth a lot of the mini-stories are, just leads even more credibility that the show is actually based on real life events and real live people. So upon understanding that, I blazed through the show. So I guess you can say Saekano (a show that seems to be about making Visual Novels but it isn't really) made me finish Shirobako (a show that really is about making anime). Kind of ironic actually... XD




Apart from that, I can only think of OVA's, as I've since quit trying to cover all of them as they usually are tied to an existing series or coming soon ones. Anyway, one series that comes to mind is when I was watching Dai Mahou Toge and raving about it with a friend, and they told me to watch Dokuro-chan. Yep same craziness all over.

(Partly to blame about my bad initial impressions about Shirobako as well, since Dai Mahou Toge, Dokuro-chan, and Shirobako has the same director. Doesn't help this same director also did Witch Craft Works as his most recent work before Shirobako, which was yet another crazy anime. Then Shirobako comes along and I'm expecting something along those lines, but after the pilot I thought I got Girls and Panzer, when what I really got was a totally different beast than anything else he has done before. )

[AnimeFangirl]

Originally Posted by SPARTAN 119

Also, if you want another good "fantasy world" story, I'd recommend Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There.

Thanks a lot. I'll give it a try.

[SeijiSensei]

I do follow certain directors and watch at least a few episodes of any new shows they create, in particular Nakamura Kenji, Shinbo Akiyuki, and more recently the Mizushimas, Tsutomu and Seiji. If Iso Matsuo ever resurfaced I'd watch a show from him in an instant. I'm afraid he was driven from the industry by its over-reliance on adaptations. Nakamura seems to get more leniency in this regard, but other "originalists" like Akane Kazuki are no longer very prominent it appears. People like Shinbo get a pass because they bring in the big bucks. A couple of Nakamura's series, particularly Mononoke, have also been financially successful, and he had a long-standing tie to noitaminA.

[Eisdrache]

Do second seasons count? If so, then Symphogear s1 -> s2 -> Yuuki Yuuna. Maybe it will continue into Etotama.

[-Antares-]

This is the main way I discover new anime outside of sampling random currently-airing series. I often get into moods where I want to watch/read specific types of stories, or stories in particular settings, so I'll browse through user recommendations for series I've already seen on anime sites to find series that will fit with whatever it is I want at the time.

A lot of the time, though, I'll be looking into things based on staff. If there's an anime I really liked, I'll look into its director and see if they did other interesting things. I've discovered a lot of neat anime this way (things like Noein and Kemonodzume come to mind). I've also watched entire series that were directed by people that tend to bring distinctive visual styles like Shigeyasu Yamauchi and Rie Matsumoto just from having seen series where they directed only 1 or 2 episodes. Character designers and animators sometimes catch my eye, too. I'm pretty fond of Mutsumi Inomata and Yoshihiko Umakoshi.

I can't help but feel like following staff can be kind of risky, though. Watching something like Brain Powered looks extremely appealing to me from the staff but sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder why I was so cruel to myself to watch all of its episodes.

[SuitUp]

It recently happened to me with anime Love Lab leading into watching Bokura wa Minna Kawaiso, both by the same author: heh:
Though there have been other rather... strange connections in the past, Death Note led to Monster (by both being really good seinen), Monster led to Bokurano and Narutaru (searching for bleak series), NANA led to Honey and Clover (when I first started to get into romance), Honey and Clover ledbto Gin no Saji, Gin no Saji led to Barakamon, Barakamon led to Leon the Professional (this one isn't even goddamn anime and yet Barakamon is the sole reason that led me to watch it)... Strange how conecctions work huh
Lately I've been into webtoons, where Hive led to Distant Sky (thrillers), Distant Sky led to ReLife(by being in the suggested reading where I was reading Distant Sky ), ReLIfe led to Salty Studio, wich led to The Stories of those around me (same author, and really recomended reading, al the characters feel real and deal with relatable issues), and a big etcera ...
Also, people, I watched both Hikaru no Go and Cross Game based on Enzo's recommendations

[Houreki]

I'm watching Kekkai Sensen and I love it and I read in the thread of the series that Baccano is somewhat similar, so I started it last week and I'm enjoying it as well.

[Vegard Aune]

Clannad led me into Kanon and Air.
Lucky Star led me into a bunch of things.
Madoka Magica was what initially caused me to be interested in Fate/Zero, though I didn't actually watch the whole thing until after I saw FSN: Unlimited Blade Works.
And most recently, Hibike! Euphonium has led me to check out Amagi Brilliant Park, Hyouka, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, and has me considering Nodame Cantabile. So... it influenced me both to check out other recent KyoAni-shows I'd missed and other music-anime.

[Yui Is My Wife]

Well, the only real "link" I have in trying new and unfamiliar series are as follows:

1) Series starring Voice Actors I really love (If Toyosaki "Yui-chan" Aki, Tomatsu "Asuna" Haruka or ESPECIALLY the venerable Nozawa "Son Goku" Masako is in the cast, I will jump right into it raw without caring to know what it is about first. )

2) I will on principle watch anything and EVERYTHING that has Ms Kajiura Yuki as it's musical composer: She the uncanny gift to inject Classiness to the crass (Mai Hime), Substance into Beauty (Sword Art Online) and elevate to Magnificence to Divinity (Fist of the North Star, Madoka) with her Angelic Orchestral Majesty.

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

Happened to me with Type Moon series. Watched The original Fate Stay Night, which led me to the world of Type Moon, thus I started watching stuff based off their other work like Tsukihime and Garden of Sinners.

[Flower]

Sometimes I have done it based on studio (like KyoAni, Ghibhli or World Masterpiece Theatre), another time it was based on a particular VA whose voice I enjoy - Horie Yui.

Sometimes it is the perhaps more common pattern of season sequels.

Also, sometimes I get inspiration based on recommendations I read of in the forums here, particularly of slightly older or lesser known series.

[AnimeFangirl]

Originally Posted by Flower

Sometimes I have done it based on studio (like KyoAni, Ghibhli or World Masterpiece Theatre)

Oh yeah, I did that a few years ago, watching all the Ghibli shows that were out at the time back-to-back. Fun times.

[RichardFromMarple]

Originally Posted by AnimeFangirl

Oh yeah, I did that a few years ago, watching all the Ghibli shows that were out at the time back-to-back. Fun times.

I've been watching as many Ghibli ones as I can, helped by Film4 showing 1 a day a few weeks ago.