Anime - Help me out!

[Tokiopop]

Okay thanks a lot guys. I've seen quite a few series now, and many more on my list of things to watch. I've also started reading some horror manga like Ibitsu.

Here's what I've seen so far and what I though of it, if anyone's actually interested.

Didn't particularly enjoy (but was watchable)
Sword Art Online
Guilty Crown

Liked
Another
Angel Beats
Elfen lied
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Loved
Air
Cowboy Bebop
Clannad
Clannad ~After Story~
Grave of the Fireflies
Kanon
Mirai Nikki
Spice and Wolf (SEASON 3 WHEN!?)

As for currently watching, I'm looking at Aku no Hana and Hyouka. Enjoying both, despite the hate Aku no Hana gets it got really fucking good in episode 7. I really don't know what to watch next, maybe Usagi Drop, AnoHana, The Girl Who Lept Through Time, 5 Centimeters Per Second and Wolf Children?

As far as manga goes I've read very little. Just Elfen Lied (which I think I enjoyed more than the anime) and Ibitsu (creepy lolita girl!). I don't know what to read next, maybe just things I've seen the adaptation of and Yotsubato? Maybe some more horror like Uzumaki.

Any further recommendations based off that information would still be appreciated (I have a lot of free time over summer, unless I can find a job!).

I also just went to my first convention. It was the MCM ComicCon in London where about 80,000 people turned up. It was insane! Shinichirō Watanabe was there too!


I've hidden the original post just below...

Spoiler

A bit of back story first, which isn't too important...

So ever since I started regularly using the internet, which was about 5 or 6 years ago, I've seen anime everywhere. It honestly annoyed me for many years, but as I matured I came to not care for it at all. My american friend I've known since I was 15 (who watches anime, but never pestered me about it) knew how I felt about it. However, a few weeks ago he said to me "I know you aren't into this, but please just watch the first episode and if you don't like it you never have to click another link of mine again. But I guarantee you'll like it."

He linked me to the first episode of Sword Art Online, and since I'm a fairly open minded I watched it all. To my surprise, it isn't as bad as I had always believed it would be. I don't mind foreign language stuff as I quite regularly watch foreign films. I started to get hooked and watched episode after episode, until I'd finally finished the season a day or two after.

A week or so after that I started looking at my universities clubs and societies (I was mainly wanting to make some new friends to hang out with, since there isn't really anyone on my course I spend time with outside of lectures/tutorials). There was an Anime and Asian film society, which I turned up to last Wednesday.

They showed the first 2 episodes of 2 different anime, Clannad and some other action/fighting show that I didn't really like. But I liked Clannad quite a bit, and so over the past few days I watched it all and then the after story. I fucking loved it. It tore my heart out in the after story, though.

Anyway, that's the back story over...

Basically I want to watch more anime, but I'm a complete noob and don't know where to start. From what I've seen I don't mind action/fighting, but I get bored if it's ALL fighting and action. I like a good plot, or something that sparks emotions. Anything quality really, rather than a spectacle.

TL;DR - I disliked anime now I like it. Recommend me some good anime.

Thanks

 

[Cyan]

I'm glad you didn't close yourself for ever.
People change


I'm more in Drama/shoujo anime. (Shoujo is a style which can be described "for girl", but I use it more for "every day life" style).

I recommend you Bunny drop (or Usagi Drop), which is a short series (11 episodes).
A 30 year old guy learn (at the funeral) that his grand father had a hidden daughter.
Nobody in the family want to take care of her, so he decides to take her home. He will have to change his life style to live with her.

Sparks of emotions guarantee!
The design is different than usual anime (it looks more sketchy/pastel).
See it as a different art style.


If you like every day life, you could like Space Brothers. (currently airing in japan, lot of episodes)
In near future, two brothers are aspiring to become astronaut. few years later, one is already astronaut, while the other will start joining the Japanese Aerospace agency (Jaxa).

Edit:
Adding one I found good and emotional : Ano Hana ....(damn too long name to remember!) (en: That flower we saw one day). 11 episodes, about a ghost having a last wish.


If you also prefer movies instead of series, you have a lot of Ghibli to watch.
Some less known movie are good too.

If you like fantastic/scifi, maybe you'll like Children Who Chase Lost Voices, talking about Agartha/hollow earth myth, or The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, about a girl who can go back in time.



There are a lot of anime, users might recommend a lot of common movies or series they liked, but you could not like them.
Don't stop there, just try and be open minded. There are a lot of different style/story you can discover.

 

[Gundam Eclipse]

Fate/Zero is excellent, and while the experience would be much better if you had the read the visual novel(Fate/Stay Night, also has an anime adaption which, to put it very, VERY, mildly, pales in comparison to the visual novel.), its still worth watching on its own.

Kara no Kyoukai is wonderful, very creepy at times though.

[C] The Money of Soul and Possibility Control

Mawaru Penguindrum

Accel World, since you liked SAO. Its by the same author, so you might like this as well!

Jormungand

There's tons of other animu I could recommend, but I haven't watched any anime for many months now, and would need to go through my collection before I remember any others, pretty poor memory so yeah >3>;

 

[TyBlood13]

I personally recommend Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
I follows the original Manga, but there is a 2003 show that is quite different, but only watch it after you've seen the original story line.

I'd also say the original Dragon Ball, it had more adventure and less filler than Z.

 

[emigre]

It sounds like the whole battle anime malarky just isn't your thing and you prefer the more 'thoughtful' anime

If you liked Clanned than I recommend watching Angel Beats, Air and Kanon which are in the same mold. They're from the same studio if I remember correctly. So you'll have your heartstrings played with.

Chobits is another romance anime which is good. It was the first anime I watched that wasn't Pokemon or Digimon and it found to be really enjoyable. REC and Kids on the Slope are other ones which I thought were really good.

To more 'serious' stuff, Cowboy Bebop is a must watch. Genuinely excellent viewing. Great Teacher Onizuka was absolutely fantastic. A delinquent turned good becomes a teacher to a troubled class. It is over dramatic at times but hilarious and at times quite moving. The two Full Metal Panic main series were good though borderline batshit. It is a mecha anime but I enjoyed it and I usually don't like Mecha anime. Persona 4 the anime was a good adaptation of the game with a good blend of the main story and comedy.

There's couple of mystery shows I suggest as well. Hyouka is a recent one which is a mix between mystery and slice of life and I thought was really really good. It was a strong anime. Heaven's Memo Pad was one I enjoyed a lot. Spiral is another I really enjoyed for the most part. It wasn't perfect but it was a perfect remedy to the generic stuff. The story and premise was good for the most part.

For comedy, I whole-heartily suggest Full Metal Panic Fumoffu which is absolutely hilarious, its a spin off of misadventures from the main FMP series and it is a joy to watch. The Irresponsible Captain is sci fi comedy and was absolutely hilarious, I was really surprised how good it was. School Rumble and Working were also pretty good.

 

[Tokiopop]

Wow, guys! Thanks for the thought-out responses.

 

[Cyan]

Let us know what you thought about them when/if you watch them.
That way we can guide you to other series or movies.

REC and Kids on the Slope are other ones which I thought were really good.
[...]
There's couple of mystery shows I suggest as well. Hyouka is a recent one which is a mix between mystery and slice of life and I thought was really really good. It was a strong anime. Heaven's Memo Pad was one I enjoyed a lot. Spiral is another I really enjoyed for the most part. It wasn't perfect but it was a perfect remedy to the generic stuff. The story and premise was good for the most part.

I liked REC (it's funny to see a story about the backside of anime production, aka dubbing world ).
I don't know Kids on the Slope, I might check that.
I liked Hyouka, great anime and mystery solving! (I love the ending animation)
I liked less Spiral, but it was ok.

 

[Arras]

Steins;Gate is pretty heavy on the emotional and complicated plot (at least, the second half of it). Like emigre said, Angel Beats is good as well.

 

[The Catboy]

I am a mix bag when it comes down to the anime I like, but I mostly prefer comedy anime.

If I were to suggest some of my personal favorites I would suggest checking out some of these;
Hellsing: It's short action-packed, dark, and even funny sometimes. Alucard is a pure bad ass and the rest of the characters are just as interesting as well.
Squid Girl: This one shocked me by how much I enjoyed it. Being another short series and mostly comedy, it's easy to get into and enjoyable to watch.
Sgt. Frog: Because I fucking love Sgt. Frog.
Trigun: I can't really describe why I enjoy this one so much other than it's great anime.
Cowboy Bebop: It's worth every bit of praise it can get and worth mentioning a million times.
Chobits: Another series like Squid Girl that I didn't think I would enjoy, but ended up really loving in the end.
Angel Beats: Just watch it.
Paranoia Agent: If you are interested in a Psychological horror anime.

There are a few I would recommend like Kyo Kara Maoh! and Sukisho, but I am not sure if you would be interested in them since they are both Shōnen-ai, but they are both quite funny.

 

[Gundam Eclipse]

I forgot that you mentioned you didn't like action much, in that case, avoid Jormungand and perhaps [C] as well, from my post above. Fate/Zero is action based but its also much more than that at the same time, so you might end up liking that, same goes for Kara no Kyoukai.

Some other recommendations:

Baccano/Durarara, not pure action. Character-driven series, both of em, both excellent as well!

Steins;Gate

Bakemonogatari/Nisemonogatari(Sequel to Bake)/Nekomonogatari

Level E(Comedy)

The entirety of Evangelion, its a mecha anime and has action, but also has, not sure if this is the correct term,'philosophical' and psychological elements. Watch Neon Genesis, then Death and Rebirth, then End of Evangelion, and finally Rebuild of Evangelion(Which IMHO can be watched standalone as well, as it changes a lot of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion)

The World God Only Knows

Ano Hana

 

[Yumi]

I have a few but 2 is good for now. ;P

Soul Eater - It may not be 'serious' but its fun to watch. Quite colorful with action and some moments of reflections.

Voices of a Distant Star - "It chronicles a long-distance relationship between two close friends who communicate by sending emails via their mobile phones across interstellar space"[Wikipedia quote] // I really recommend this OVA. It's really touching and well...lovely.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

GITS: SAC might be your thing if you're looking for quality and something more plot oriented. Cowboy Bepop is definitely a winner. You may already know this, however, avoid anime like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Gintama, etc. like the fucking plague. Production quality is usually low and doesn't deliver on all fronts. Especially in the plot department.

 

[The Catboy]

however, avoid anime like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Gintama, etc..

Not to mention long as fuck. It's impossible to catch up/keep up with them nowadays.

 

[Gabbynaruto]

I'd say Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. It has a great story behind it and is really great from start to end. A masterpiece indeed. On the same line, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is also as great, though it spreads way longer than the 50 episodes Code Geass has. If you liked Persona 4, watch Persona 4 The Animation, a great anime based off a great game. FullMetal Alchemist/FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has been mentioned, so, watch it, it's a great anime.

 

[earlynovfan]

Glad you are interested!
I agre with Cyan, Shoujo/Drama is my favorite kind of Anime as well.

If you like Sword Art Online, I reccomend "dot hack//"
There are a few different series, I'd start off with Sign and then Legend of the Twilight.
(Roots is rubbish if you ask me.)

I also reccomend: Welcome to the NHK (About a NEET who is paranoid about leaving his apartment. Haven't seen too much of it, but the first episode is fantastic.)
and BECK: Mongolion Chop Squad. (It's about Urban Japan and forming Rock Bands and all that.)

 

[Gahars]

Can I throw in The Boondocks?

Because I'm throwing in The Boondocks.

 

[Kwartel]

I personally really liked Zetsuen no Tempest/Blast of Tempest which will finish next week. The show is about the death of a girl, mages, revenge, the end of human civilisation and how the hell that all connects. It has references to Shakespeare (Hamlet and The Tempest) and while there is some big action sequences, it's mainly build around dialogue. It isn't extremely deep, but it has great plot twists and it's one of the best shows I've seen lately.

I can also recommend Eureka Seven. It's centred about a boy and a strange girl in a world which is covered in a thing called the scub coral, which seems to improve life, but actually it's a hidden threat and the fate of the world lies in the hands of the boy and girl. I know, it sounds really cheesy, but because of the mystery around the girl and the heavy pressure on the shoulders of boy, the relationship between the gets really complicated. It's a great show, with a great balance between action and interaction between the characters.

I can also second what emigre said about Angel Beats, Air and Kanon.

If you are ready to get heavily confused and get drained in depression, you should watch Neon Genesis Evangelion. You will get confused and will need to read up a lot afterwards, but it's worth it.

I will definitely subscribe to this treat, so I can always give you more tips if you need some.

EDIT: I saw that people recommend Steins;Gate. Watch it. It's AMAZING!!

 

[Niksy]

I'd recommend Naruto (the manga is better) and Dragon Ball Z (and the original Dragon Ball as well)

 

[Arras]

I'd recommend Naruto (the manga is better) and Dragon Ball Z (and the original Dragon Ball as well)

From what I've seen I don't mind action/fighting, but I get bored if it's ALL fighting and action.

Those are probably not what the OP is looking for.

 

[BloodWolfJW]

Clannad is my favorite anime.

I watched all the stuff by Jun Maeda (who wrote Clannad) and love his work. I recommend you check out Air (sometimes referred to as AIR TV) and Kanon- both a quite similar to Clannad and even wrote by the same guy. Angel Beats! and Little Busters! is also written by Jun Maeda, but they're a little different than Clannad, Kanon and Air.

My favorite anime not written by Jun is Steins;Gate. I recommend most of the top 10 from MyAnimeList with the exception of Gintama- sorry, no more 200 episode anime for me.