AnimeSuki Forums

Register Forum Rules FAQ Members List Social Groups Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   AnimeSuki Forum > Anime Related Topics > Reviews & Recommendations

Notices

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 2008-09-09, 19:39   Link #21
Measural
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
You really don't have to be into sports to enjoy sports anime. Sports anime have some of the best characters in any genre. Their determination inside the sport aswell as outside is phenominal. The way the characters interact with each other is at times better then most dramas and romances.
Spoiler for Overdrive Episode 25 Spoiler:
I believe TTGL may be a good anime to some but it can't really classify how big of a fan someone is. Some people like certain things others don't. I'm a Mecha fan yet I found the show to be rather poor. Popularity of a show shouldn't matter when it comes down to things. Look at Naruto/Bleach both anime started out great, but the repetitiveness of the series is a real lack-luster and now completly boring. TTGL might be a good anime to you but not to the next person.
Measural is offline  
Old 2008-09-09, 19:47   Link #22
ganbaru
books-eater youkai
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
Eh guy, he asked for animes than non-otaku could watch, not anime for ''turning someone in a Otaku''. For the sugestion, I second Mononoke Hime and Ghost in the shell stand alone complex.
I don't know is it count, but I did'nt watch TTGL ( and I don't have any interest in that kind of show), would it mean than I am a non-human, or a non-otaku too?
ganbaru is offline  
Old 2008-09-09, 20:14   Link #23
Deus ex Digital Boy
21st Century Digital Boy
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by ganbaru View Post
Eh guy, he asked for animes than non-otaku could watch, not anime for ''turning someone in a Otaku''. For the sugestion, I second Mononoke Hime and Ghost in the shell stand alone complex.
I don't know is it count, but I did'nt watch TTGL ( and I don't have any interest in that kind of show), would it mean than I am a non-human, or a non-otaku too?
he didn't specify, so I'm giving a certain kind of suggestion, which he may use if it's the situatian he desires.as for your question, yes. I can only assume so.
Deus ex Digital Boy is offline  
Old 2008-09-09, 21:56   Link #24
Sorrow-K
Somehow I found out
 
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
The OP has shot himself in the foot by making such an ambiguous request, so thread derailment was probably inevitable. Nonetheles...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deus ex Digital Boy View Post
that's why I'm saying he won't be an 'otaku'. Someone who gets all into every show that they see, and isn't picky or elitist. Someone who isn't just trying to watch all of one genre, but gets into every kind of anime just because it's anime. You can be a fan and not like TTGL, but it's unlikely that you'll find an otaku who dislikes it because the show is meant for people who are or have the potential to be otaku.
Are you kidding me? Do you realize how stupid this sounds?

What you're basically suggesting is that there's two types of anime fans, and the ones that can be labelled as "otaku" (and these are your own words) "gets all into every show that they see, and isn't picky or elitist." The hell does that mean? That they have no taste and are mindless and will willingly swallow whatever crap is poured down their throats. The idea that there are two types of anime fans (ie, those that are "picky or elitist" and those that aren't) is a dangerous enough suggestion to begin with, but what type of zombie likes everything that they watch? You can't make that sort of person... certainly not by making them watch TTGL. I find it bizarre that you're suggesting that you can.
Sorrow-K is offline  
Old 2008-09-09, 22:00   Link #25
ganbaru
books-eater youkai
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deus ex Digital Boy View Post
.as for your question, yes. I can only assume so.
Good enough for me, I always thinked than I was more a ''Reader without prejudice against anime/manga'' than a Otaku.
ganbaru is offline  
Old 2008-09-09, 22:54   Link #26
SeijiSensei
AS Oji-kun
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
We seem to have scared the poor OP away

Let me make some suggestions for different audience groups since we don't really know who the intended audience might be.

Mononoke Hime is probably the most thought-provoking work I've seen, and one of the most beautiful. I'd recommend this to anyone over the age of twelve who wants to see what anime can be. Few "villains" are more complex than the Lady Eboshi, and few couples more appealing than San and Ashitaka.

For younger girls, other than the Miyazaki films already mentioned, I might suggest Angelic Layer. It's a bit long at 26 episodes, but there are lots of cliffhangers. Misaki isn't necessarily my favorite in the plucky girl category (Shion of the age-inappropriate Shion no Ou probably tops my current list), but she's a decent heroine for this age group. For kids who've watched Pokemon, a show about a girl who grows by learning how to battle in an abstract arena won't be that unfamiliar.

Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu might be another option. It starts as a retelling of the Alice in Wonderland story so it would probably seem familiar at the outset. It's also presented in a format for younger viewers, with 10-minute episodes, and plot summaries at the beginning of each one. It's not a format that appeals to me as an adult, but it makes sense in a show intended for 8-10 year olds. It's also one of the most beautifully-animated shows I've seen.

Somebody else needs to contribute on shows for younger boys. I liked Hikaru no Go, but at 70+ episodes it's a non-starter for anime newcomers. I'm sure there are lots of good choices in this category, but it's not one of my genres.

For teens of both genders looking for a comedy, I'd suggest School Rumble. The show is hilariously funny pretty much from the outset, so you can enjoy the show without making as big a commitment as a 26-episode series might seem. It's certainly the sort of show where you can watch blocks of episodes over a long period. It has enough continuity to keep you interested, but many episodes stand on their own.

For older teens and young adults looking for an "action" show, I'd also endorse Black Lagoon. It has more in common with Western action movies than most anime, so it might seem more familiar to an audience of anime newcomers. Yet it still operates within anime conventions and conveys some feeling for Japanese culture though Rock's story. Black Lagoon is also presented in short story arcs, so it's easy to decide whether to quit or keep watching.

For mature viewers of both genders, I'd suggest Bartender (unless they're tee-totallers). The stories all concern love, loss, and renewal, which most older people can relate to, and the presentation is largely episodic. Bartender also has a wonderful didactic component as well. I enjoyed learning how the Margarita was invented, and how Scotch was the "liquor of rebellion." Each show even includes a cocktail recipe and a live-action demonstration. The smoky-bar jazz piano of Ootake Kaoruku completes the atmosphere.

Last edited by SeijiSensei; 2008-09-09 at 23:08.
SeijiSensei is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 03:30   Link #27
ddwkc
Lone Wolf
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Brazil
Send a message via MSN to ddwkc
Sorry for not being that specific and thanks for the response on the high level ^^.

I'm not trying to go into the merits of calling an audience geeky/non-geeky and that stuff. That discussion could go endlessly without a good, satisfactory conclusion. Gomen if offended anybody here.

I'm not trying to convert people to Animedom. Just wanna watch some anime with some "casual" people (like gf, for example) casually. I already tried animes like from Ghibli, School Rumble, and Monster with mixed results. But anyway:

The first target audience would be 17 ~ 25 years old. They don't know anything about anime culture or anime in general or even other geeky stuff like comics (they wouldn't associate Batman to comics, rather Batman to that Adam West show, for example), forums, or nerdy Internet (only email or MySpace/Facebook stuff) stuff, videogames (not even Wii), 80's and 90's cartoons, for instance. They may watch sitcoms casually, listen to hip hop or whatever is popular right now. If you mention anime to them, they may think about Pokemon or kid thing. In general would be that.

The second one would be those Evangelical Christian Kids that have control freaks as parents. Their parent check everything they watch. I was wondering if there are some anime that has absolute nothing that would offend a extremist Christian parent. The only anime that comes to mind is Unhabitaded Planet SURVIVE.

Thanks to you all in advance!
__________________
Eo tempore, cum tibi occuri,
Mihi vita laeta fuit,
Cum autem te nusquam conspexi,
Eo tempore mortem cognovi
ddwkc is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 05:16   Link #28
gaguri
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
For your first group, definitely Samurai Champloo. It's an insanely fun, episodic journey set in Edo Period but rendered in the funky colour of popular culture, espeically hip hop. It puts no emphasis on story or character developments, so it doesn't demand your audience to keep up with its progress, but characters are still very likable, comedy is great, stylish action choregraphy that is still rarely seen today and of course, it's just awesome to see things like hip hop thrown into your traditional samurai journey (breakdancing sword fight or a people rapping hip hop for example).

Also recommending Cowboy Bebop by the same creators. It's more laid back, cool and jazzy (not hip hop-y) and more mature, heavy and serious than Samurai Champloo. A tier above Samurai Champloo in my opinion, highly recommended as well.

Honey and Clover may also be something you should consider, as they look at the lives of college studnets studying/graduating and getting jobs/dealing with love/finding purpose of life, things that 17~25 years old would constantly face. Hataraki Man is another very good comedy series that also examines working lives of different people, and how they deal with them, which may be of interest to those already working fully in their fields. They both are heavy on the issues they explore, but there is no angst, the atmosphere should be light overall to enjoy watching together.

Also recommending Millenium Actress for a movie to watch. It's amazing.

For your second group, I've got nothing. Play them one of those bible videos or something.
__________________
gaguri is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 05:20   Link #29
Deus ex Digital Boy
21st Century Digital Boy
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sorrow-K View Post
The OP has shot himself in the foot by making such an ambiguous request, so thread derailment was probably inevitable. Nonetheles...

Are you kidding me? Do you realize how stupid this sounds?

What you're basically suggesting is that there's two types of anime fans, and the ones that can be labelled as "otaku" (and these are your own words) "gets all into every show that they see, and isn't picky or elitist." The hell does that mean? That they have no taste and are mindless and will willingly swallow whatever crap is poured down their throats. The idea that there are two types of anime fans (ie, those that are "picky or elitist" and those that aren't) is a dangerous enough suggestion to begin with, but what type of zombie likes everything that they watch? You can't make that sort of person... certainly not by making them watch TTGL. I find it bizarre that you're suggesting that you can.
I believe I said 'gets into' not likes. An otaku will give anything and everything a try. They might drop it, they might hate it, but they will watch pretty much anything that comes their way. The definition of otaku is that you are OBSESSED with anime. And a lot of anime, especially in modern TV, is aimed toward the kind of person who knows everything about anime and has seen just about everything. Some otaku shows are like Lucky Star where you will have a hard time even liking the show unless you have an otaku background, and others like TTGL are easier to get into and once you are drawn in, you want to find the background of the show.

I know my cousin watched it as one of his first getting into anime, and he immediately wanted to watch all the shows that inspired it, and wanted to get more into the medium and find more shows like that. At this point, he spends all his time watching anime and is interested in everything. THAT is an otaku.
Deus ex Digital Boy is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 05:27   Link #30
felix
sleepyhead
*Author
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: event horizon
My best guess at a all round best season to watch would be the first season (20~ or so episodes) of Naruto. But that falls out for simple obvious reasons.

Other then that of the top of my head I would have to say Seto no Hanayome.
(just because there's so much humor it's hard not to like it)

As for your second category, umm... I think by definition all anime are somewhat hopeless in that department.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei View Post
OK, I've had it with the TTGL=the only true way crap. I found Gurren-Lagann rather derivative and boring and quit watching about 6-7 episodes in. I refuse to let you tell me that I cannot be a fan of anime if I don't like this show. Let's show a bit more tolerance here, hmm?
You are correct, 6-7 episodes in it was crap. Unfortunetly TTGL became what it is in the seccond half, which you can't apreatiate if you didn't watch those 6-7 crap episodes. It's arguably not the best out there and I would say it's a bad suggestion for this thread since it requires patience, lots of patience. (and for the record, I dissagree with Deus's hardcore animefan ideals)
__________________
felix is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 07:22   Link #31
Sorrow-K
Somehow I found out
 
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deus ex Digital Boy View Post
I know my cousin watched it as one of his first getting into anime, and he immediately wanted to watch all the shows that inspired it, and wanted to get more into the medium and find more shows like that. At this point, he spends all his time watching anime and is interested in everything. THAT is an otaku.
Is it? I mean, it's so typical of these otaku-related loan words, like "otaku", to have ambiguous definitions and this strikes me as just your own interpretation of the word's meaning and little more. We could sit here and debate about the definition of "otaku" in the Western context for days, but this is neither the time or place. All I'll say is, I don't completely agree with your definition.
Sorrow-K is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 12:15   Link #32
Zenemis
Megabuddy
*IT Support
 
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Perth, Australia.
Age: 16
Death Note and Claymore both appeal to casual watchers.
__________________
Zenemis is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 13:02   Link #33
SeijiSensei
AS Oji-kun
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddwkc View Post
I already tried animes like from Ghibli, School Rumble, and Monster with mixed results....The first target audience would be 17 ~ 25 years old. They don't know anything about anime culture or anime in general or even other geeky stuff like comics....
"Mixed" suggests some people liked them and some did not. Since you cite a show as obscure as Uninhabited Planet SURVIVE, I've got to assume you've watched quite a lot of anime yourself. What shows met with a positive response? Why? As I and others have suggested, movies and episodic shows are much more accessible to people being introduced to anime than series. Monster, as great as it is, is just too big a commitment for someone starting out. I'd second gaguri's suggestions of Hataraki Man and Millennium Actress. I still think Black Lagoon would appeal to this group if they're looking for an action show.

Quote:
The second one would be those Evangelical Christian Kids that have control freaks as parents. Their parent check everything they watch. I was wondering if there are some anime that has absolute nothing that would offend a extremist Christian parent.
I'm assuming we need to exclude shows that contain magic or references to the supernatural, any weird usage of Christian symbols like Evangelion, any shows with sex or nudity or tolerance for homosexuality, and shows where "good" and "evil" are not unambiguous. That eliminates most of the anime I've watched. Here's what I have left:

Chi's Sweet Home. It's about a kitty.

Angelic Layer might be acceptable. I'd stay away from the rest of CLAMP's work though; too much magic, too much sex, and too much tolerance for homosexuality.

Saiunkoku Monogatari might pass muster. The supernatural part is a very minor plot component, and the characters don't go beyond kissing.

Azumanga Daioh, maybe? There is one girl who has a crush on another, but that's about all the questionable material I can think of. (Well, the teachers do drink an awful lot, and there is that one male teacher.... Nope, probably need to cross it off the list.)

Planetes might work for teens and up. Other than the fact that one character smokes, I can't think of anything troublesome in that show.

If it wasn't for Stresemann, I'd also suggest Nodame Cantabile.

I'm running out of options now.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Deus ex Digital Boy
[My cousin] spends all his time watching anime and is interested in everything. THAT is an otaku.
Glad I'm not one of them, I guess. As Sorrow-K says, your definition makes it sound like having taste and discrimination is somehow "elitist." Fine, call me an elitist, then, because I'm certainly not going to stop discriminating between the 10% of anime worth watching and the 90% that would be a waste of my time.

As for your cousin, I'd simply say, "get a life."

Last edited by SeijiSensei; 2008-09-10 at 16:52.
SeijiSensei is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 13:23   Link #34
MuraKami
Phase Angle
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
One can never go wrong with Ghibli movies, but if you meant some sort of interesting introduction, I would suggest The Vision of Escaflowne. Although older series, it's a mixture of adventure, fantasy, mecha, romance, it's of a "standard" lenght (26 episodes). The voice cast is popular and the soundtrack is good.
MuraKami is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 13:42   Link #35
Deus ex Digital Boy
21st Century Digital Boy
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei View Post
Glad I'm not one of them, I guess. As Sorrow-K says, your definition makes it sound like having taste and discrimination is somehow "elitist." Fine, call me an elitist, then, because I'm certainly not going to stop discriminating between the 10% of anime worth watching and the 90% that would be a waste of my time.

As for your cousin, I'd simply say, "get a life."
I would hope so, since 'otaku' is meant as an insult in Japan anyway.

And as for 'get a life' that's just offensive : p
Deus ex Digital Boy is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 15:10   Link #36
ganbaru
books-eater youkai
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei View Post
Glad I'm not one of them, I guess. As Sorrow-K says, your definition makes it sound like having taste and discrimination is somehow "elitist." Fine, call me an elitist, then, because I'm certainly not going to stop discriminating between the 10% of anime worth watching and the 90% that would be a waste of my time.

As for your cousin, I'd simply say, "get a life."
The ratio 10% good/90% waste of time is the same as every entertament thing ( books, TV, movies), the problem is than no one have the same values for determining the 10% good over the 90% waste of time .

For the cousin thing I would rather remember him than anime is not everything, there are also good stuffs ''outside''.
ganbaru is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 15:18   Link #37
Deus ex Digital Boy
21st Century Digital Boy
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Quote:
Originally Posted by ganbaru View Post
there are also good stuffs ''outside''.
these are lies. Also, I watch WAY more anime than my cousin, so what you say goes about 10 times for me XD

EDIT: HAPPY NOW, CAPTAIN SYNTAX?

Last edited by Deus ex Digital Boy; 2008-09-10 at 19:35.
Deus ex Digital Boy is offline  
Old 2008-09-10, 17:21   Link #38
ganbaru
books-eater youkai
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deus ex Digital Boy View Post
these are lies. Also, I watch WAY more anime than my cousin, so what you say goes about 10 times for me XD
What are the lies ? ( OK, the numbers are a approximitate).

How the fact than you watch ''WAY more anime than your cousin'' would affect the global ratio of good show/ waste of time show?
ganbaru is offline  
Old 2008-09-11, 00:52   Link #39
ddwkc
Lone Wolf
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Brazil
Send a message via MSN to ddwkc
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei View Post
"Mixed" suggests some people liked them and some did not. Since you cite a show as obscure as Uninhabited Planet SURVIVE, I've got to assume you've watched quite a lot of anime yourself. What shows met with a positive response? Why? As I and others have suggested, movies and episodic shows are much more accessible to people being introduced to anime than series. Monster, as great as it is, is just too big a commitment for someone starting out. I'd second gaguri's suggestions of Hataraki Man and Millennium Actress. I still think Black Lagoon would appeal to this group if they're looking for an action show.
Haha, I'm pretty much an otaku myself, I dig everything. Too bad Uninhabited Planet SURVIVE isn't that well known. It's such a good show.

Trying to express my audience's opinions. Ghibli movies were well accepted maybe because it has some "Disney" vibe or something like that. Monster had a positive response as well maybe because it felt like a TV series rather than a cartoon. School Rumble was received with a ??? mark by my audience. They didn't get the point of this anime. Don't know how to explain that one. They just didn't get it. Maybe too "japanesque" for them? Dunno. Maybe gonna try another high school anime to confirm this.

Quote:
I'm assuming we need to exclude shows that contain magic or references to the supernatural, any weird usage of Christian symbols like Evangelion, any shows with sex or nudity or tolerance for homosexuality, and shows where "good" and "evil" are not unambiguous. That eliminates most of the anime I've watched. Here's what I have left:

Chi's Sweet Home. It's about a kitty.

Angelic Layer might be acceptable. I'd stay away from the rest of CLAMP's work though; too much magic, too much sex, and too much tolerance for homosexuality.

Saiunkoku Monogatari might pass muster. The supernatural part is a very minor plot component, and the characters don't go beyond kissing.

Azumanga Daioh, maybe? There is one girl who has a crush on another, but that's about all the questionable material I can think of. (Well, the teachers do drink an awful lot, and there is that one male teacher.... Nope, probably need to cross it off the list.)

Planetes might work for teens and up. Other than the fact that one character smokes, I can't think of anything troublesome in that show.

If it wasn't for Stresemann, I'd also suggest Nodame Cantabile.

I'm running out of options now.
Probably gonna try Chi's Sweet Home and Angelic Layer.

Thank you to your suggestions, everyone here ^^
__________________
Eo tempore, cum tibi occuri,
Mihi vita laeta fuit,
Cum autem te nusquam conspexi,
Eo tempore mortem cognovi
ddwkc is offline  
Old 2008-09-11, 02:26   Link #40
wao
OK.
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The Fields of High Attus
Age: 34
All these posts and not ONE mention of Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo? FAIL! I dunno, that's the first anime I thought of when I read the title (granted, I was thinking about it a short while earlier).

This anime proved to be pretty successful among some schoolmates who otherwise watched practically no anime - the ending didn't please everyone but on the other hand it made for some nice short discussion and got some people interested in the show.

Granted, these were a bunch of (apparently) above-average intelligence teens, in an Asian country where anime isn't seen as so much of an outside culture as it would be in America. But I think the anime speaks on a general enough level (and relies on few anime or cultural tropes that require special understanding - the directing is on the level of respectable live-action films, if you ask me)
Enough that the OP's first group of friends should understand it. Heck, I think the second group's parents might just OK this as well, I can't think of anything that would badly influence kids at all.

Please do try this with your friends and tell us how it goes. It happens to be set in a high school setting so it should be good to test your friends' reactions in comparison to School Rumble.

(Speaking of which I haven't the slightest clue why folks suggested School Rumble, Azumanga Daioh etc - I thought it's a given that the OP's friends, being un-geeky, would also be extremely unfamiliar with Japanese-style humour.)


I also strongly second Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, I'm sure you can guess why blah blah... Ditto with Macross Plus, simply because it's cool shit and doesn't feel too "Japanese" - but I hope they don't find the style dated. I'd say Beck in a heartbeat if it weren't so uneven - what do you think?
If you want to be all funny and weird, Kaze no Yojimbo might work, but I think it takes too long to get set-up for casual viewers and the animation/direction is absolutely appalling sometimes (it'd be a classic hit if every episode was like 13 and 25!)
I thought about Baccano! as well, but perhaps they'll find it weird that a show set in America is drawn like that and they seem to act a bit differently from their perception of that time-period.
I'm not so sure about Honey and Clover, I think the girls might like it but I can see a group of friends invited over for dinner start getting bored with it. I have a hunch perhaps something like Paradise Kiss might work better?


I'd love to show the second group Planetes but as SeijiSensei said the parents might fuss about Fee's smoking, and maybe Hachimaki's rudeness.
Would Dennou Coil work for the second group? Oh fine, accuse me of pluggin the same shows over and over again, but it's a very fine anime (won't go down with the first group too well though) - supposed to be a kid's anime, but what else can you really recommend the second group anyway? It's largely quite wholesome thanks to the channel it airs on. The last part of the second half might get a bit strange, but not to an objectionable point I'm sure...
Or how about some Shinkai Makoto works? They might seem a bit odd, but not a complete turn-off. Depends on their personality I suppose.
__________________
Thanks for the fish
wao is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:13.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
We use Silk.