What about Paranoia Agent?
-FrL-
When I was trying to get into anime someone gave me Ghost in the Shell as my first. I was bored to tears and have pretty much sworn off all anime since. I did catch a few episodes of Cowboy Bebop on Adult Swim though and like what I saw.
But then there’s this…
I’ve heard other people mention this and when I ask for more details they all just mumble something about “It’s a western in space! Of course it’s a ripoff of [several different anime series]!” I remain unconvinced.
So what is it, specificially, about Firefly that rips off these shows. And don’t say “A girl in a box” because that answer is crap too.
I was wondering about that, too.
Calling CB a “western” is a stretch IMO. (Firefly’s not really a “western” either but it does have more of an explicit reference to westerns than does CB.) But even granting that, all I can think of is “They’re both westerns, in space, with asian cultural elements thrown into the mix.” But as you pointed out, “western set in space” is hardly enough to constitute something as a ripoff, and the asian thing–well, CB is an asian-produced cartoon so I see no significance there.
-FrL-
I agree with what some others have said about FLCL. A lot of the fun with FLCL is how it plays with anime conventions. If you’re a noob most of it will go completely over your head. Save it until you’ve seen more.
You might try Hayao Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky – it doesn’t have the magical sweetness of some of his later movies, but the action sequences involving sky pirates are really fun.
Operation Ripper, have you had a chance to try any of the above recommendations?
Anime encompasses a wide spectrum of genres and styles. It’s easier to recommend titles if we have an idea of what you like. (Thanks for telling us what you want to avoid.)
Have you seen any anime that you’ve liked so far? Do you watch the stuff on the Cartoon Network or Adult Swim? Do you read any Japanese graphic novels (manga)?
To para-paraphrase something I read on the Net, saying “Can you recommend me some anime?” is like asking, “Can you recommend me some American movies?” Unless we know your preferences, you’re going to get a boatload of titles isn’t much better than walking into a local Blockbuster and randomly picking a DVD off the shelf.
In light of all that ranting, here’s my list of titles with reasons what I find cool about them. I suggest you follow your gut feelings; if something doesn’t sound good, put them at the bottom of your queue (or avoid them outright). Sturgeon’s Pseudo-Law (90% of everything is crap) applies to anime, so you will eventually watch something that will make you bored/puke/sleep. (Don’t give up. There are hundreds of other titles out there.)
Note: Since you’re new to anime, I’m listing titles that should be easily available as domestic releases and are usually available in both English-dubbed and English-subtitled versions. If you feel like tackling things that are 1) classic ‘old school’, 2) still showing in Japan, or 3) following “Only-in-Japan” type topics, I suggest you go over to the AnimeSuki Forums. It’s like a Straight Dope for Anime.
Cowboy Bebop - Sci-Fi western about a ragtag group of bounty hunters. Good characterization, excellent mood. Music by the John Williams of Anime Soundtracks, Yoko Kanno. Action sequences are superb.
Samurai Champloo - Spiritual successor to Cowboy Bebop. Two samurai in turn of the century Japan with contrasting personalities and a young girl team up and … go places. Cool factor: anachronistic old-skool hip-hop influences. The Opening Theme song will give you an idea. Caveat: the ending is anti-climatic. It’s all about the journey.
Full Metal Panic - Boy with Steven Segal skills gets sent to a Japanese High School to protect a girl. Thing is, boy’s never been to high school (he’s been trained as a mercenary in Afganistan since childhood), and girl has no idea she’s a target of para-military bad guys. Funny and serious. See giant robots, explosions, and lots of whacks delivered by paper fans.
Full Metal Panic Fumoffu! - My favorite comedy series. Uses the characters from Full Metal Panic, but take out all the angst, drama, and serious stuff. No need to watch the original series. ‘Fumoffu’ is the battle cry of Bunta-kun. Think of a large Care Bear with a machine gun. 'Nuff said.
Full Metal Alchemist - Not at all related to Full Metal Panic. Two boys learn and use alchemy for personal purposes get caught up in a war carried out by the State Alchemist Military against a minority tribe. (That’s one storyline of many.) Cool alchemy symbols drawn everywhere, battles, and memorable characters who each have good intentions but end up in moral conflicts. If you think conservative religious fanatics made a big deal of the Harry Potter books for mentioning the occult arts, they’ll go spare if they watch this.
Vision of Escaflowne - It came out in 2000, but the animation is still crisp and vibrant. High school girl ends up on another world where people fight with giant robots that can transform into flying dragons. Like many good anime series, this has a bit of everything: sword fights, romance, war, political intrigue, and a coming-of-age story. Music by Yoko Kanno. Caveat: characters have weird pointy noses, which is shame, because without that, it would be almost as good as…
Macross Plus - The most expensive anime produced in its time (1994). In the future, two test pilots fly two different planes (that can also transform in giant robots) to compete for a military contract. However, the military also invested in a unmanned warplane driven by an A.I. (Please, don’t let your impressions of the movie ‘Stealth’ get in the way). Caveat: the story has plot holes (yes, Love can Solve Everything) you can drive a space battle cruser through; however, even the director admits that it was just an excuse for jaw-dropping plane battles. Music by Yoko Kanno. Unfortunately, character designs are by the same person who did Vision of Escaflowne. Please ignore the pointy noses. Available as either a 4-part video series or a Director’s Cut Movie Version. (Doesn’t matter which one you see. All the Top Gun scenes are there.)
Fushigi Yuugi - An oldie (1992) that’s still popular with newbies. Two high school girls (yeah, high school girls are popular types for main characters) open an old library book and, a la The Neverending Story, get sucked into the world of Ancient China. The natives there think these girls are goddesses sent to help them win a war. Unfortunately, these two best friends end up on opposite sides of two Kingdoms. Equal amounts of action and romance. Beware: this can be a tear-jerker. Not everyone makes it.
Rurouni Kenshin - Before the popularity explosion of Naruto, there was Rurouni Kenshin. A nice, cute guy who wanders around with a reverse-blade (a sword that’s sharpened on the wrong end) delivering justice by knocking the bad guys out. But wait, this guy has a past; when he was 15, he became the deadliest assassin ever to wipe out the old government to usher in the Meiji Restoration. He’s since taken a vow of non-lethalness, but if pushed, he will go medieval on ya. Comes in two flavors: a 5-year TV series that mixes both humor and action, and a completely serious prequel that covers his rise as the Hitokiri Battousai (Man Killer Sword Master). Note that some characters and story elements are taken from real-life Japanese history. (The producers have stressed that this is a work of fiction, though.)
Any movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki or made by his Studio Ghibli - This is basically the Disney of anime: family-oriented entertainment. Most of his titles have already been mentioned in previous posts. I highly recommend Kiki’s Delivery Service, Whisper of the Heart, and My Neighbor Totoro.
It would be interesting if we could hear your reactions to seeing these films. We old-school fans got interested in anime by watching some titles that would be considered dated (Ah! My Goddess, Kimagure Orange Road, Maison Ikkoku) or having bizarre story elements that would make our parents go @.@ (Ranma 1/2, Project A-ko, Fist of the North Star).
I liked Porco Rosso, but then again I am a flying boat enthusiast.
I can safely say it is one of the best flying boat movies ever made.
previous thread:
Brian
I just want to add a few things.
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I agree with almost everyones suggestions.
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You should wait a while to see FLCL or most of it will go over your head. You need a bit of a background to truely appreciate its oddness. It is in my top 5 for sure though.
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Hellsing was my intro to anime and I have been hooked ever since and Hellsing is in my top 5 as well. My step brothers had to convince me to watch at least the first episode since I had no interest in anime at the time. Well we ended up watching the entire first season and it was a work night for me but I didn’t care because I got hooked. Since no one else has mentioned it I’ll give a brief synopsis. Alucard is the most bad-ass vampire around and he is bound to the Hellsing family and helps them when they let him out. They have a control system on him so he doesn’t get too powerful. He helps the family who runs a secret government organization that fights other vampires. After watching it the first time I ordered the dvd’s the next day.
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Spirited Away totally raised the bar of my expectations of good anime. The first time I watched it I was a bit confused but loved the eye candy that it is and I immediately re-watched and then I figured it out. A very good movie that the whole family can enjoy and is another of my top 5.
Yay! Anime!
I agree with a lot of the suggestions above, though I’ll second only my favorites. A lot of the above can get…dark…I’m just so anti-angst that I start losing interest when it gets depressing.
I’m in agreement on Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo - they are excellent, though it really depends if space sounds more exciting to you or fuedel Japan…
Inuyasha is a great choice - it’s a solid fantasy that appeals to both men and women. The artist who created this also created Ranma 1/2 which I rather adore - though I had only bought the first two seasons before my husband cut me off of anime.
I’m also in agreement with the nominations for Spirited Away - just superb!
You can actually catch a few Anime’s on Adult Swim at night - I’ve been tivoing Naruto and enjoying it so far!
Hmmm…Fullmetal Panic is something I haven’t seen - and I am intrigued by this Fumoffu concept…maybe the Anime cut off is over…
I’m going to suggest some anime by type:
Action:
Naruto - follows a group of young ninjas in fights against bad guys. Not my favorite but still watchable.
Bleach - A young guy can see ghosts. A spirit reaper from the Soul Society crosses paths and lends him her powers. It’s got a great plotline and compelling characters. DBZ(Dragon Ball Z)-esque, but in a good way.
Berserk - A young fighter joins a group of mercenaries in the middle of a huge war. This one is bloody and violent to the extreme, but not for its own sake. Sadly it only covers a small portion of the manga.
Action/Romance:
Inuyasha - a half-demon falls in love with a human priestess, but finds betrayal and a quest for a sacred jewel.
Full Metal Panic: Reviewed earlier.
Comedy:
Love Hina: A guy becomes the manager of a historical inn occupied with all girls. Will he find his true love and enter Tokyo University at last? This is a great light-hearted and fun anime, with some fan service but nothing hentai.
Great Teacher Onizuka: I’ve never seen it, but I heard great things.
Golden Boy: Extremely vulgar, but laugh out loud funny. Follows the exploits of a 19 year old wanderer who does oddjobs to make a living, and inevitably gets in hilarious situations.
That’s enough to get you started. Many many anime recommmended in the posts above are great too 
Ah yes I forgot about adult swim.
Some of the shows I record and enjoy are Naruto, Trinity Blood and Bleach.
Other shows I’ll watch if I catch them are Inuyasha (SIT!) and Big O.
If you watch (and like) Vampire Hunter D, you HAVE to watch Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. It’s a much better sequel to the original, though you have to watch the original to get everything that’s going on in Bloodlust.
If you like comedy and light-hearted stuff, I suggest:
Ranma 1/2 (about a boy who fell into a cursed spring and is then able to change into a girl if splashed with cold water) - I highly recommend the OAVs if you don’t want to watch the entire series
Riding Bean (short OAV about bodyguarding)
Gunbuster, though the OAVs are more serious (about mecha)
Ebichu (about a housekeeping hamster who has a horny “Old Lady” master that dates a bad guy, it’s very adult and weird, but very funny at the same time)
Mix of fighting/comedy:
Bleach (a boy gains the ability to fight “Hollows” who prey on lost souls) - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Rurouni Kenshin (already described by Dopers)
Bubblegum Crisis and Bubblegum Crisis Crash
Serious, very introspective:
Evangelion (about a boy who has issues and has to resolve them in order to save the world)
Grave of the Fireflies (already stated by Dopers)
That’s all I can think off the top of my head! I hope this helps!
Star Blazers/Space Battleship Yamato is Anime Greatness.
Oh, for Anime humor in the Peter Sellers mode, try the Lupin The 3rd movies & TV series’.
And Urusei Yatsura/Lum. Very funny teen comedy.
Particularly the movie, Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro, which it’s fair to say is the best of Lupin. It’s also one of the famed animator/director Miyazaki’s early works, if not his earliest! Lupin is great 
This might bother the Purists, but a good introduction for a westerner might be The Animatrix. Also try Le Chevelier D’Eon if you like chivalric knight’s tales with shady secret conspiracies.
A bit of an older one, but one of my perennial favorites is Project A-ko which is a delightful self-parody of the anime genre. It is a very tongue-in-cheek tale of giant robots, massive space battles, super-powered girls, et al.
Is that the one where there is an anime inside the anime (the crew watch a show whose storylines parallel whats happening on the spaceship) ?
Brian
I haven’t seen any mention of Gunsmith Cats. It’s rather more American then a lot of anima, with no reference at all to demons or magic. Just lots of explosions and car chases.
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I’ve never understood how people can watch Mac+ without having watched the original Macross. I suppose it’s not entirely necessary to know the background of the Zentradi, and Zentradi/Human war to appreciate it, but it certainly helps. Understanding the significance of Guld’s Zentradi heritage makes a lot of scenes make more sense.