# Looking for really good Anime
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 26, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813 "2009-03-26T00:37:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/1 "2009-03-26T00:37:29Z")
Hi. I will be honest and say that most of the anime I have seen I haven’t liked. A long time ago I saw one of the many Gundam series (the one that features a blackhole at the end?) and I thought the story was really well written.
Recently I tried watching some of the other Gundam series and they were terrible in my opinion. The convoluted plots were in essence stupid. I could not get attached to any of the interchangeable characters.
Then I tried watching some Cowboy Bebop because I had heard that that was good. I thought it sucked. I tried some other anime but most were either too silly (way, way silly) or too dark.
Finally I stumbled upon Chobits and I really liked it. So I know there are some good anime series out there but I don’t want to wade through a ton of awful to find them.
I found this list: [Best ANIME?? - Forums - MyAnimeList.net](http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=5340) but the plot descriptions of many of them sound pretty weak.
Any suggestions for top of the line anime?
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/2 "2009-03-26T01:20:03Z")
If you like Chobits, you might try the other series by [Clamp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clamp_(manga_artists)).
Ultimately you need to be more descriptive. Saying, “I saw some anime” is like saying, “I saw some TV”. Knowing that you didn’t like Twin Peaks doesn’t tell me anything about whether you would like American Idol or Boston Legal, because these are unrelated things.
What books, movies, and TV shows do you like?
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### Author:  [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/3 "2009-03-26T01:32:08Z")
Sage Rat, thanks for answering. I am looking for people’s opinions on what they consider to be the best, not to be missed, anime series, rather than ask them to try to tailor their suggestions to my tastes. Then I will look closer at their suggestions as I am doing now with Your Clamp suggestion.
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### Author:  [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/4 "2009-03-26T01:58:59Z")
The only Anime i really really liked was Full Metal Alchemist. My freind showed me that one first, and that’s the standard that I now compare most others to when he tries to show me more anime.
FMA was a GREAT series, and I def. enjoyed it quite a bit. In the end it kinda peters down a bit, but the ride to get to that point was great.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/5 "2009-03-26T02:16:53Z")
> [@by-tor](#):
>
> Sage Rat, thanks for answering. I am looking for people’s opinions on what they consider to be the best, not to be missed, anime series, rather than ask them to try to tailor their suggestions to my tastes. Then I will look closer at their suggestions as I am doing now with Your Clamp suggestion.
Well the point is that the “not-to-be-missed” titles are generally going to be depressing with convoluted plots, just the same as Oscar contenders, and it sounds like that’s not your thing.
But I guess the “key” titles would probably be:
Evangelion
Akira
Ghost in the Shell
Spirited Away
Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Grave of the Fireflies
Cowboy Bebop
Tenchi Muyo (Original OVA)
Macross Plus
Perfect Blue
Though I’m unfortunately behind with anime post-2001ish. Personally, I’d also recommend:
Key: The Metal Idol
Berserk
Jin-Roh
The Hakkenden
Nadia: The Legend of Blue Water
Niea Under Seven
Revolutionary Girl Utena
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### Author:  [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/6 "2009-03-26T02:21:42Z")
Non-Miyazaki anime that I have seen and liked include Akira, Cowboy Bebop (the TV show), Grave of the Fireflies and that is about it.’’
Anything by Hayao Miyazaki is good though. Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Parco Rosso, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa etc.
Oh and also, if you intend on watching Grave of the Fireflies, be warned. It is the either the saddest or second saddest movie I’ve ever seen. Guys cry when watching that movie.
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### Author:  [@Garula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garula)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/7 "2009-03-26T05:12:18Z")
If you don’t care for Cowboy Bebop then you are dead to me.
In all seriousness, anything by Miyazaki is a good bet. I thought Spirited Away was fantastic. Full Metal Alchemist was quite good as well and does a great balancing act between silliness and darkness.
Death Note is the only big one in the last few years that I’m familiar with. Quite good, but probably much too dark and convoluted for your tastes.
Sage Rat’s list has most of the big names. Check them out on wikipedia and see if any of them appeal to you.
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### Author:  [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/8 "2009-03-26T05:34:27Z")
I second the FMA recommendation, as well as Miyazaki’s work. Some classic anime films I also recommend are _Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro_ and _Wings of Honneamise_.
Some older (mid-90s) series I enjoyed are _Ranma 1/2,_ _Tenchi Muyo_ and _Sailor Moon_. They all have silly humor, though, so you might not like them that much. Something more serious that you might enjoy is _Neon Genesis Evangelion_. It gets weird near the end, though. You might also like _Vision of Escaflowne_.
Right now I’m on a shonen anime kick. My current favorite is _Naruto_, but I also like _Bleach_ and am trying to get into _One Piece_, which is going to be difficult since they apparently have gone over the 500-episode mark.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/9 "2009-03-26T05:53:58Z")
Hm. You don’t like convolution or silliness. That cuts _Irresponsible Captain Tylor_ out, I suppose, but it may be worth looking into anyway. The protagonist is a goofy young man who, through either incredible luck or pure undiluted genius, manages to become captain of a starship in the middle of a war without any formal military training. It’s a great series and wonderfully written, funny without being stupidly and randomly silly. It’s also fairly short, having only a 26-episode run.
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### Author:  [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/10 "2009-03-26T12:22:11Z")
To clarify, I don’t mind some silliness. Chobits was somewhat silly in parts. It is when the sillyness is nonstop and extreme that I start to be annoyed. Balls with faces etc.
Some darkness is ok. But I don’t really like my entertainment to bum or gross me out.
Some plot convolution is ok as well but it often seems to be idiotic underneath or just there for the complication.
I did not like Princess Mononoke at all. I don’t see what people like about it. To each their own I guess.
Thanks for all the suggestions! I will research all of them.
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### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/11 "2009-03-26T14:22:14Z")
I would like to add _Serial Experiment Lain_ to the list. It’s very much a mindfuck, but a good one.
\*Paprika \*was good too. Again, very weird, very confusing, but good.
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### Author:  [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/12 "2009-03-26T16:17:25Z")
Two of my favorites that haven’t been mentioned are, “Only Yesterday” and “Whisper of the Heart”. These are more sentimental and thoughtful pieces with no 'splosions. Both are excellent movies that will fill your heart with joy, should you be in the mood to have your heart filled with joy.
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### Author:  [@Lady\_of\_the\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Lake)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/13 "2009-03-26T16:45:39Z")
Some recommendations:
[Inuyasha](http://www.amazon.com/Inuyasha-Season-Boxed-Limited-Necklace/dp/B0002Y17EW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1238084755&sr=8-4) This is a fantasy Anime, by the creator of _Ranma 1/2_ (which I also recommend).
The plot is simple: Teen girl sucked into other world, meets new friends, and tries to save the world. This is a very engaging and enjoyable anime, with a little bit of everything - drama, comedy, romance, action…
[Samurai Champloo](http://www.amazon.com/Samurai-Champloo-1-Episodes-1-4/dp/B000641Z72/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1238085209&sr=1-2) This is by the creator of ‘Cowboy Bebop’ (a well done Anime), but Samurai Champloo is much more to my taste, I find the characters to ‘jive’ with me more. (It may be because they are Samurai.) 😉
The plot is simple: Follow a group of three misfits as they fight, evade capture, save a few people, visit a few brothels and unravel a mystery - across fuedal Japan. Oh yeah, and try to kill each other - constantly…
These are both definite mass people pleasers, so I feel safe in recommending them.
Oh, and I had the same reaction to Princess Mononoke, but adore Spirited Away, therefore you might want to give that a try.
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### Author:  [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/14 "2009-03-26T17:15:18Z")
I’m trying to base my recommendations on the OP liking **Chobits** but not liking **Cowboy Bebop** , because I think that narrows the field a lot more than others seem to think.
First, keeping within the robot girlfriend genre, I’d suggest **Video Girl AI** and the two **Mahoromatic** series. Like **Chobits** , both explore serious issues, both for the every-boy type of central character and for his robo-chan girlfriends (since in anime the robots have feelings too). And also there’s **Android Ana Maico 2010** , where Ana doesn’t have a boyfriend, and regularly insists that she’s not a robot but an android.
Broadening a bit, a few that haven’t been mentioned but which might fit are:
**Fruits Basket**
**His and Her Circumstances** (also known by what strictly is the name of the manga, **Kare Kano** )
**Midori Days** (Japanese **Midori no Hibi** )
and one that I find is a real treasure, **Kamichu!** , about a middle-school girl who becomes a Shinto god, but never becomes god-like (though most of the other gods in that anime are not god-like by western standards).
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### Author:  [@Dioptre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dioptre)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/15 "2009-03-26T17:44:07Z")
In accordance with OP’s instructions (ie, based purely on my own preferences) my
favorite anime at the moment is “Full Metal Panic!” It has three seasons. The first is
good, the second (Full Metal Panic: Fumofu) is funny but silly, and the third is great.
The basic plot is that a teenage soldier from a top-secret anti-terrorist organisation, who takes
himself and his job _way_ too seriously, is assigned as bodyguard to a schoolgirl. Along with
protecting her, he has occassional anti-terrorist missions in giant mecha. Surviving the schoolgirls and late homework is a lot more challenging than the missions, but fewer people end up dead.
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### Author:  [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/16 "2009-03-26T19:55:49Z")
**Giles** ’ list will probably be your safest bet as a continuation from Chobits.
I might add _You’re Under Arrest_.
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### Author:  [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)
#### Post date: [March 26, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/17 "2009-03-26T20:02:33Z")
I finally saw [The Girl Who Leapt Through Time](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808506/) a couple of weeks ago. It’s one of the best movie-length animes I’ve ever seen.
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### Author:  [@Commander\_Keen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Keen)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/18 "2009-03-27T01:40:59Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#):
>
> I finally saw [The Girl Who Leapt Through Time](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808506/) a couple of weeks ago. It’s one of the best movie-length animes I’ve ever seen.
I agree with this. Also, _Azumanga Daioh!_
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### Author:  [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/19 "2009-03-27T01:49:13Z")
If you like really good characterization and relationship-development (not romantic, but personal/school/professional) with a side helping of conspiracy theory and giant mecha, you might just like _Neon Genesis Evangelion_.
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### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813/20 "2009-03-27T01:50:07Z")
My favorites:
**Cowboy Bebop**
**Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex** (though it’s pretty complicated. You do have to pay attention, because the series will not dumb it down for you)
**Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig** (which I liked even more then the first series)
**Death Note** (though it gets convoluted and some parts get a little hard to swallow)
**Desert Punk** (Like Mad Max but with a sense of Humor…with a teenage pervert as the “hero”. Starts out rather light, gets darker and more serious towards the end)
**Berserk** (Starts out Dark…and then gets worse. The only real comic relief is the antagonist commander due to his buffonery)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-really-good-anime/490813.md?page=2)