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A "Must Have" List for Anime


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sonictail
ANN.au Editor in Chief


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 326
PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:58 am Reply with quote
Hey Guys,

I've been thinking, which series would be contained within a "Must Have" collection. We're talking a very small and tight collection containing the best examples of Anime today. You know, the kind of stuff that starts people watching (DBZ and NGE being two previous examples).

Now, I want to keep this strictly Anime at this moment in time, so please give me a hand here, what are your thoughts?

Mine? I'll restrict em to five titles (btw, I don't care if the titles have been released in australia)
1 - FLCL: Sheer Insanity and Comedy, It'll either get em hooked or drive em away
2 - Genshiken: Good example of great characters and drama, nice slow and easy going.
3 - Samurai Champloo OR Cowboy Bebop: Take your pick, one or the other. Both are awesome and incredibly good works.
4 - Captain Tylor or Captain Harlock: Space anime, make sure you cover it, Gunbuster will also suffice but it lacks a little in depth IMO.
5 - Giant Robo: This is the one, the only one, and if you can find the whole thing for $50 it's a bargain. Chuck this on and in 6 hours your friend will either be thanking you for putting him onto anime or strangling your neck for making him be riveted to his seat and miss his important meeting or something.

So there we go, that's my five. Anyone else?
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Xtreme-X



Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Posts: 10
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 4:17 pm Reply with quote
For me

1 - Teknoman: This is the series which got myself hooked on anime.
2 - Gantz: I love how this series is played out with the everyday person.
3 - Karas: The animation and story are excellent.

Thats all I can think of at the moment.
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aurelia



Joined: 26 Nov 2006
Posts: 28
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 11:56 pm Reply with quote
hmm today on my must have list is:

1. Ergo Proxy
2. Full Metal Alchemist
3. Naruto (Love me or hate me, that is the question, its just my silly litlle obsession, can't rap so ill just leave it at that.)
4. Cow Boy Bepop
5. Bleach
6. Studio Chibli: Howls Moving Castle / Princess Mononoke / Spirited Away
7. Blue Submarine No.6
8. I know I will love it when it comes out "Earth Sea" -Studio Chibli
9. Last Exile
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sonictail
ANN.au Editor in Chief


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 326
PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:09 am Reply with quote
Hrm,

Do you realise I mean a must have list of all time? Not just recent anime, through I do understand, if you are naming stuff you have seen recently. Think of it this way, five titles that you would always keep around, they cover a broad scope of anime and they have a good chance of getting a newbie hooked. Just titles, not specfic episodes.

ST~
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9902
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:51 am Reply with quote
Since you don't care if the titles have been released in Australia, does opinions from a non-Aussie count? Wink
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sonictail
ANN.au Editor in Chief


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 326
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:25 am Reply with quote
Anyone is always welcome here, especially you Dormcat. But it's a toughie, i've stumped quite a few people with this. So please, by all means share Smile
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CommunistHamster



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 51
PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:44 pm Reply with quote
Bear in mind I'm a newbie, but

PlanetES
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Haibane Renmei
Cowboy Bebop
Princess Mononoke

Oh, those are the only good anime I've seen. I recommend them heartily to you.
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DaZ616



Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 327
Location: Sydney, Australia
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 2:21 am Reply with quote
I believe aZumanga Daioh is a must have on the list. Its about everyday life at school combined with comdey and witty humor. I just love how each character to the series is unique and different, esp Osaka, most of the best humor comes from her Laughing

Also, GTO should be another series on the ' Must have" list. Combined with crude humor, important codas and lessions, crazy and pissed off expressions on Onizuka's face and comedy make it on my "Must have list"

All the rest that i think should be on the "must have" list is mentioned or stated by you guys previously.

-DaZ
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sonictail
ANN.au Editor in Chief


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 326
PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 1:40 am Reply with quote
Daz, list YOUR must have list!
And Hamster, your list while fairly recent it is fairly good. Haruhi is a odd title tho, will that pick up newbies like a vacuum cleaner?
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 9902
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:57 am Reply with quote
Just finished my journal club today...

Thanks for your warm welcome, sonictail. I've been thinking about your "the kind of stuff that starts people watching" requirement, and it is quite difficult to find suitable ones. So, before I start my own list, please allow me to perform a process of elimination by listing what I don't consider fitting. Twisted Evil Ironically, by doing so I have eliminated many of my favorite titles.

In my opinion, a good title to "draw people in" is better NOT
  • too long and never ends, so Naruto, Inuyasha, Bleach, DBZ, and many shounen titles are out. You can pick up your dropped jaws by now, mates. Cool
  • have too much obscure trivia and/or technobabbles, such as Genshiken or The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, two of my favorites. This also includes Neon Genesis Evangelion and Serial Experiments Lain.
  • too weird to one's ordinary life, like FLCL (I still don't quite get into it. In fact, I don't get into any GAINAX title at all).
  • too epic or heavy on shoulders, so even Ghibli movies like Grave of the Fireflies (although I don't like it as much as most people do), Nausicaa, or even Princess Mononoke are out. This category also includes Now and Then, Here and There, Gunslinger Girl, Kino's Journey, and Saikano.
  • too much objectionable contents, like Elfen Lied, Narutaru, or Gantz.
  • too calm and peaceful, such as Aria, Haibane Renmei, Only Yesterday, and Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (mind you that all of them are among the best anime/manga ever created). Many audiences, especially younger ones, cannot enjoy their beauty from quietness and serenity.

Still there? Wink Now here's my list:
  • For movies, Ghibli ones are always the first choices, but like I said above not every one of them are fitting: while all of them were highly successful financially, some are too heavy, while the storytelling of Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle are a bit metaphysical and not as straightforward and "clean" as others. I recommend Whisper of the Heart, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Castle in the Sky (Laputa), with the last one I regard as the most balanced anime movie in history and can be enjoyed by just about anyone. For non-Ghibli movies, I recommend Tokyo Godfathers by Satoshi Kon and Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) by Mamoru Hosoda.
  • For longer TV series, those with an adventurous plot lines are more fitting, for they often can create climaxes at the end of some episodes, making audiences ask "hey what will the next episode be?" Usually with two calendar seasons (24-26 episodes), many of them have "quest of the week" in the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the series, but a good writer can lay down bits and pieces of barely noticeable leads and start to pull them together in the middle of the show. Some of the best examples are Scrapped Princess, Last Exile, and R.O.D the TV. A good runner-up is Witch Hunter Robin, although its darker mood and less action-wise can drive a lot of potential watchers away.
  • Comedies and romances are less "gripping" than those I mentioned above, and most of those I've watched were either niched (Genshiken, AIR), too much fan service (He is my Master, Kyou no Go no Ni), or too heavy (Koi Kaze). However, those who have a fond for it can always start with Azumanga Daioh (note that I haven't got a chance to finish it) and Ah! My Goddess / Ai Yori Aoshi, respectively.

Guess that's my list as "must haves," particularly tailored for beginner-watchers in order to lure them into the world of anime.
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mjgeo



Joined: 08 Aug 2006
Posts: 133
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:32 am Reply with quote
sonictail wrote:

I've been thinking, which series would be contained within a "Must Have" collection. We're talking a very small and tight collection containing the best examples of Anime today. You know, the kind of stuff that starts people watching (DBZ and NGE being two previous examples).


Like Dormcat, I'm taking the approach of "the kind of stuff that starts people watching" to make my list. However I have a different set of criteria.

If you wanted something different, I'll make a new one. Otherwise:

Hunter x Hunter: The best shounen example I can think of. It has all the elements of other popular shows (DBZ, Naruto) that got a lot of people onto anime, only this one is better. As a bonus, it only takes a few episodes to get right into it, unlike most other shounen I've seen.

Mushishi: A great show for all ages, but especially fitting for older people who might be experiencing anime for the first time with a prejudicial opinion. It's a good show to convert those friends who have always had a particular (you know what I mean) view of anime. And since it's episodic, you only need to convince them to watch 1 episode.

Spirited Away: I would really have gone with Princess Mononoke since it's my personal favourite, but Spirited Away seems to be more suitable for the mainstream. A great example of anime at the highest quality in animation, VA, music etc. Also the story is good. And since the movie gets such good reviews outside of anime fandom, it seems like a logical place to start watching anime.

School Rumble: They may be better comedy series out there, and the new audience may miss some of the jokes, but I'd put SR as the best option to show a friend who likes a laugh. I showed a guy who isn't into anime and he thought it was great.


As for the 5th... damn what a hard choice. My knowledge of Shoujo is limited (I'm too much of a manly man [/sarcasm]) so I can't make a suggestion there. Otherwise it would be in as a starter for people who might want something a little softer. So in it's place I give you:

Grave of the Fireflies: I know... not exactly similar to your average Shoujo. But I thought I'd put this one in as a fine example of how it doesn't need to be live action to affect emotions. This would probably surprise first time anime viewers more than anything else I've seen, so it would be good to show anime in a whole new light.


I think you can see what I'm trying to do here. Each of the choices could easily be replaced with other similar shows, but I feel that given only 5 choices these would be the best to get any person hooked on anime.
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dormcat
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:03 am Reply with quote
mjgeo wrote:
My knowledge of Shoujo is limited

No offense, but this is quite evident, judging from the last example you gave.
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mjgeo



Joined: 08 Aug 2006
Posts: 133
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:47 am Reply with quote
dormcat wrote:
mjgeo wrote:
My knowledge of Shoujo is limited

No offense, but this is quite evident, judging from the last example you gave.


None taken, although Grave of the Fireflies was not meant to represent my Shoujo choice, but rather another category that I would have included anyway if the limit were more than 5.
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petran79



Joined: 10 Jun 2006
Posts: 122
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:32 am Reply with quote
Since I find that older anime titles should not be forgotten, here is my list, together with the more recent titles. Allow me to add another category that shouldnt be ignored: for older audiences like myself who forgot about anime and have fond memories during their childhood, the oldies would be a better introduction. Not only out of nostalgia but to appreciate and understand the older and current series more. But also younger viewers could benefit, especially the ones who are not so critical of older non-CGI productions .
Unfortunately today the TV quality standards are much different (and worse too in my opinion) than 15-20 years ago.

1.For adventure/classic sci-fi look no further than Mysterious Cities of Gold.
By the same team that made Ulysses 31 and Rose of Versailles, this is perhaps one of the best anime series of all time. A french-japanese co-production, just like Ulysses 31, that has perhaps one of the best scripts a 39 episode series could offer. Amazing traditional animation and soundtrack, great characters and adventure that starts from 16th century Spain to the civilizations of the Americas, make this an unforgettable experience. No official English DVD release, though there is a site that has some DVD-rips with the French videostream and the old English audio track. It is officially available in French and German. A classic, not broadcast anymore but never forgotten by those who saw it during their childhood (unfortunately I watched it much later).
Check also the other 2 series for good shoujo and sci-fi. Ulysses 31 was also very popular. Especially younger viewers should watch this. Then you can purchase and watch titles such as Last Exile or Nadia:Secret of Blue Water. Because since then no other series, whether from Japan or elsewhere (excluding some french productions like Les Mondes Engloutis or Once upon a time in space) reached the same high standard.

2. Similarly, another sci-fi title is O.Tezuka's epic Space Firebird. I saw this first when I was 9 years old dubbed but when I rewatched it again in Japanese, I found it as one of the best Japanese animated movies. Spectacular animation here too, experimental in a sense, it raises Tezuka's own enviromental and humanist concerns and uses some of his unique sci-fi elements too, found in his popular Hi no tori manga. It is old but worth a look, especially for the younger generation. Of course every series or movie where Tezuka is involved should be watched.

3.Other good titles are Y.Abe's 4 series, i.e Serial Experimets Lain, Texhnolyze, Haibane Renmei, Niea_7 ). Just as mentioned before, Haibane Renmei and Niea_7 provide a calm and soothing feeling, not found in anime very often. While Texhnolyze and Lain raise more complex issues in a darker and more violent, but effective overall, way. I'd advise watching them in the chronological order of production to understand the world of Y.Abe and the rest of the production staff. Experimental series too in a way, they were the series that made me more interested in Japanese animation. I wouldnt suggest Lain and Texhnolyze as introductory titles though, except if you like sci-fi.

Since Studio Ghibili films are a must watch, no need to mention anything.I'll just mention an often overlooked movie titled A Tree of Palme that got screened together with Spirited Away in Berlin Film Festival in 2002 but didn't turn very popular. Spirited Away won the festival there. Despite this it took 10 years to make and has stunning animation too.

For the rest of the genres mentioned, I am not a fan so other viewers probably know what titles to suggest.
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13lackcrusader



Joined: 29 Apr 2007
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:43 am Reply with quote
1. Hajime No Ippo (my favourite anime)
2. Slam Dunk (the funniest anime I've ever seen)
3. One Piece (also my favourite Anime)
4. Kiba
5. Gintama
6. naruto + naruto shippuden
7. bleach ( its a good anime but it drags on a bit)
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