Forum - View topicThe List - 7 "Gateway" Anime Sure to Get Newbies Hooked
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Touma
 Posts: 2651 Location: Colorado, USA |
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As soon as I saw "musical" I knew that I would vote for K-On! before I even looked at he poll.
It turns out even if I did not love K-On!, which I do, I would have had to vote for it by default because I have not read any of the other titles on the list. Not even one volume of any of them. Full Moon is on my list of books to borrow from the library, but I have not gotten to it yet. I have never had any interest in any of the others. I have never even heard of about half of them. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18362 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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One thing to keep in mind when making recommendations for alternate choices is that a true gateway title shouldn't be too specifically Japanese in style and content. That's why I think Tenchi Muyo! is the shakiest choice on this list, but I am inclined to agree with it because a) I am hard-pressed to think of an entry in that sub-genre that isn't deeply steeped in Japanese flavoring and b) compared to some of the harem titles that come after it, TM is mild enough to not risk being overtly offensive.
I do agree that AoT and Claymore would be excellent alternate choices for fantasy gateway titles (and for that matter, Scrapped Princess), but Lynzee seemed to be aiming for a "one representative per genre" approach and it's hard to argue against FMA being the top choice in the fantasy genre. |
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invalidname
 Contributor Posts: 2476 Location: Grand Rapids, MI |
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Perfect choice with High School of the Dead. It's irredeemable, unforgivable, unapologetic trash… and absolutely great at it. Easy to see non-anime fans going for it, at least those of the younger male demographic. |
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ANN_Lynzee
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 2999 Location: Email for assistance only |
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The series was very much on my radar for writing this list because its themes fit in with a lot of American sexy-horror stuff, but I ended up nixing it primarily because it does not have a conclusion. Most of us who have been watching anime for awhile are at least aware, when going into a series, that it might not wrap up because it's an entry into selling more manga volumes. I'd say this is not an expectation for American TV/film watchers (outside of a show being outright cancelled) with the most common reaction being to get anywhere from annoyed to outright pissed off if they like the show enough. I wouldn't subject that on someone if I'm trying to get them to watch more anime. I almost picked something other than Fruits Basket for the same reason, but it more or less wraps its arc up. There's just some strings left hanging. I agree with Theron on the case with Tenchi. Its sci-fi undertones and the fact that most of the plot takes place outside of the Japanese school system makes it more approachable than a lot of fanservice/harem shows that rely heavily on that format. Last edited by ANN_Lynzee on Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:30 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Mikeski
Posts: 608 Location: Minneapolis, MN |
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They are spoiler[literally the same character, as TLR:Darkness makes clear. So their results should probably have been summed up, if that's not too much of a spoiler. Though we didn't get percentages with this poll like we usually do.] Gateways: I was a dabbler back in the early 90s (I had college friends who were into anime), but it was the Ghost in the Shell series (movie + SAC) that really hooked me. Most of the stuff on the list is more "here's some anime that's kinda western and not entirely anime-like". A way to ease someone into it. If I were to try to introduce someone to anime directly (in the "jump in, the pool only seems cold for a minute that way" sense), I think I'd pick Full Metal Panic. Mecha (both the powered-by-tech and powered-by-gar kinds), high school setting, secret societies, unexplained powers, tsundere girl, moe-girl-in-charge, harem antics, that seriously-comedic or comedically-serious tone... It might be the most anime anime there is. (And it avoids a lot of the cringeworthy typically-anime stuff that a newcomer might not want to see right away.) If not, it's a good second choice after a western-ish show. If it was someone who I knew had a tolerance for the sorts of things Mikuru goes through, maybe Haruhi, instead. Or, if they had a preference for nudity, Asobi ni Iku Yo. If they leaned the other direction, Mushi-shi. (That's the only gateway I've tried to push anyone through.) Natsume's Book of Friends. For kids, Kamichu. Dennou Coil. Ghibli stuff (duh). Last edited by Mikeski on Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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zensunni
 Posts: 1294 |
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What, Mysterious Girlfriend X isn't a gateway anime? LOL!
But seriously, I agree with many of the shows on the list. Psycho Pass, despite it's twisted and sometimes graphic nature, is a good one for fans of dystopian fiction, particularly people who like the many movies that have been made based on the novels and short stories of Philip K. Dick. I would also include Steins;Gate, the dub in particular, as a good gateway title. It would be good for SF fans and has a great story. I'd be tempted to include season 1 of Haruhi as a gateway title... but probably not... It seems like there should be something that is basically a school based comedy in there... Maybe something like Full Metal Panic!. That has a really good balance of action and comedy, with a touch of romance. As for the poll, I added Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. So far it is really good. I have only seen Nodame Cantabile, or I might have chosen it. Sayonara Piano Sonata would also be a good choice, but it the original light novels are better than the short manga. |
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DangerMouse
Posts: 3991 |
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Nice to see Maka winning the poll, well done Maka, heh.
Yeah, I like the list and I'd also add Hellsing Ultimate, Attack on Titan and Ghost in the Shell SAC to the list as others have mentioned. Even with AoT being a little over-the-top, in a good way, with establishing the mood at first with some of the no-names screaming how scared they are before the dangerous events I think at the same time that raw/grittiness is one of the appeals of making the jump to anime viewing and the show is rather western with not a lot of distinctly Japanese nuanced stuff about it, like a number of the choices already in the list. Glad to see Psycho-Pass on there. Agreed Key, I also think Claymore and Scrapped Princess would be excellent additional choices for fantasy. Oh yeah, those are some nice choices Mikeski, definitely with you on GITS and those kids choices (Kamichu, Dennou, Ghibli stuff), and I think you're right about FMP, it kind of introduces a lot of the truly "anime" typical stuff in probably the most approachable way for new viewers and it has a good balance of comedy and action and those "anime" antics work a little differently than usual thanks to Sousuke's military fish-out-of-water reactions. |
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whiskeyii
 Posts: 2266 |
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If it were legally available in the US and not quite as long, I'd trumpet Monster as an excellent gateway anime. Lots of western characters, settings, and a fantastic dub, all wrapped up in a sort-of crime drama with great character stories.
Then again, it's LOOOONG. 
EDIT: I like Steins;Gate a lot, but I would only introduce someone to it with the caveat of "it's a slow starter". |
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DangerMouse
Posts: 3991 |
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Man, I loved Monster watching on Syfy, if only we'd ever get the rest of those sets.
Hmmm. For a gateway mecha (if you want to ease someone in before Eva) I'd probably add a modern standalone Gundam like Gundam 00. Perhaps also still Wing too, given it used to be a gateway show, if we ever got those new blu-ray remasters to improve the video quality since the old Bandai DVDs are rather dated since even the DVD version got an older previous remaster in Japan. Last edited by DangerMouse on Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Aura Ichadora
 Posts: 2300 Location: In front of my computer |
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Dragonball Z should've been on the list, but I suppose it would be too obvious of a choice. That and Sailor Moon. I know these were two series that aired in the 90s that got a lot of people into anime, and still does to this day.
A personal choice of mine is King of Bandit Jing. When I played that in the breakroom at work one time, EVERYONE enjoyed it. Most people I worked with had no clue about anime, other than it was something I enjoyed, but they really seemed to like that series. |
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DangerMouse
Posts: 3991 |
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Yeah Jing was cool, I loved that fun show when it came out.
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ParaChomp
 Posts: 1018 |
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I can't get into any of Shinichiro Watanabe's works for the life of me, they just bore me. I will not lie that they do have redeeming qualities and are don't feel alien making them a great first start.
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt yet. Slip it in between Robot Chicken and Archer and I doubt many people could tell that it's Japanese. Sure, maybe it might be too sexual for some people but I think it's a great start. Tiger and Bunny would also be an excellent fit. The theme of super heroes is common in Western culture and again, it's great on its own. The CGI might be questionable but the relationship between characters is what really drives the series home and makes it an excellent starting point.
Last edited by ParaChomp on Sat Aug 23, 2014 2:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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belvadeer
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Well spoken, just what I was going to say. Only problem is people will probably look at both as a product of their time and may pass them over because they're not drawn as "stylistically and slickly" as most anime today. Last edited by belvadeer on Sat Aug 23, 2014 2:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Themaster20000
 Posts: 866 |
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I think Cromartie Highschool is also a pretty accessible comedy (especially with the dub).
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unready
 Posts: 405 Location: Illinois, USA |
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A true gateway show has to be one that would encourage someone who isn't already into anime to take it seriously as entertainment and as an art form. Except for Cowboy Bebop, all of the shows on the list and virtually every recommendation in this forum would drive people away from anime, not attract them.
Yes, I understand that people are boosting their favorite anime here, but that's actually the problem. In other words, it's not even close to a solution. If you want to introduce someone to anime, it has to be a show that's most like any other show in television. Otherwise, to the audience you're trying to convince, it's just a cartoon. Requirement #1: The show must be demonstrably similar to some successful live-action show or genre. No one is going to marathon a show they don't already want to watch. You cannot tell them to "watch it all because it really gets good at episode 527." If the first two episodes aren't any good and aren't a complete story, it's over. You've lost. I know people here rail against episodic shows, but, seriously, never-ending anime stories are animated soap-operas. Requirement #2: The show must be episodic. I would say "needless to say," except I'm saying it, so maybe it isn't so needless, but the if you're trying to convince someone to take anime seriously, your example has to be good. Requirements #1 and #2 above can help, but an anime version of The Facts of Life (which meets those two requirements) probably doesn't stand on it's own. Requirement #3: The show has to be objectively good. As Theodore Sturgeon once said, "90% of everything is crap," so that's going to disqualify a lot of stuff right there. "Good" has to mean good for a wide audience, too. Attempting to appeal to a niche audience with a niche product from a separate niche is not a gateway. So I'll buy Cowboy Bebop. I can't think of a show that's like it, but it's close enough to Hustle or Leverage, you might interest someone. Even though they're bounty hunters, it's not really like Dog the Bounty Hunter. Maybe it's sort of like Chase, but Chase derailed itself pretty quickly and died. I'd have to think deeply to come up with an extensive list, but a few shows that come to mind are: . Monster, which bombed with anime fans. But so what? The point is to appeal to non-anime fans. It's like The Fugitive, although it stretches the idea of episodic, because most episodes are part of three or four part stories. . Bunny Drop, which is kind of like The Courtship of Eddie's Father, if Brandon Cruz was a girl and Bill Bixby was clueless about being a father. . Barakamon, at least so far, is very like Newhart or Doc Martin, with its city-boy-meets-odd-rural-folk angle, although I'm not yet convinced Barakamon is good. Doc Martin gets to be pretty one-note, and Barakamon could be headed the same way. . Mushi-shi is kind of like House for the medical mystery angle. It's very Japanese, but I don't see that as so big a problem. The English dub is also surprisingly good. Anime fans might be startled to hear Roy Mustang's voice coming out of Ginko's mouth, but remember that this isn't about anime fans. BTW, anything Tenchi is easily the antithesis of the topic. |
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