# Where do I start with anime? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253 "2005-02-03T21:05:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/1 "2005-02-03T21:05:15Z")
I like science fiction and fantasy genre movies (although not as much as I did, say, 15 years ago). I like independent and foreign films if they’re not too “arty.” I saw _Princess Mononoke_ and thought it was boring. I tried to watch _Ghost in the Shell_ and couldn’t get into it (they kept introducing new characters but I couldn’t figure where the plot was heading). But I still want to give it a try. What titles might you recommend to an anime newbie? What can I expect from the genre? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/2 "2005-02-03T21:24:53Z")
I can only talk about the couple I have watched regularly. _Ranma 1/2_ is very cute, and sweet. Does get repitious at times but it’s a lot of fun. Lots and lots of seasons, though. _Maison Ikkoku_ is a bit more mature, and is a very sweet love story with a lot of humor. _Ghost in the Shell_ - hard to follow, but pretty good. Let’s think. Uh…_Battle Angel_ - depressing as all hell. What’s that one…the butterflies one…the one about war in Japan? Depressing as hell. That’s all I could tell you. Of course there are a few I won’t admit to watching on the boards. 😃 I highly recommend the first two, by the way. Damn it all it’s really annoying me that I can’t remember that last one. ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/3 "2005-02-03T21:54:31Z")
Ninja Scroll. Vampire Hunter D Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Blood, the Last Vampire That is all. Seriously, I have run into the same issues…there are very few anime titles that I like, even if i like the concept. They get all weird and mystic/preachy/foreign on me. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/4 "2005-02-03T22:14:06Z")
One of my friends tried to get me into anime before and he suggested Ghost in the Shell. Ugh. :rolleyes: Ugh. I later saw a few episodes of Cowboy Bebop and Witch Hunter Robin on Adult Swim and liked those a lot. I’d recommend you start with some high quality TV and go from there. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/5 "2005-02-03T22:45:36Z")
A couple of the usual recommendations are Cowboy Bebop and Trigun. I also highly recommend Martian Successor Nadesico. But avoid the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Princess\_Clara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@Princess\_Clara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princess_Clara)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/6 "2005-02-03T23:47:30Z")
I find those “sacred” films like Ghost in the Shell boring as hell too and I consider myself an anime fan. I’ve tried out numerous series and while I’ve like some, most of them were crappy and only a handfull really clicked with me to the point of obsession. I guess you just have to try to find those special titles out there that were seemingly made for you. If you’re a girl then maybe try something more shoujo like Cardcaptor Sakura. It’s not horribly long and very “newbie friendly”. If someone tells you a certain title out there is the best that anime has to offer don’t believe them. My personnel favorite is Shoujo Kakumei Utena. I’ve rewatched every episode dozens of times and think about it often BUT I can definitly see how others would absolutly hate it. Anime can be a bit like Family Guy in that even if you’re a cartoon fan you can hate it, or you can find that the humor is just in your taste with others not getting it. ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/7 "2005-02-03T23:50:54Z")
_Don’t_ start with **Evangelion**. Wonderful sci-fi series – my favourite – but it’s even more confusing if you’re new to anime. I’d second the recommendation of Cowboy Bebop, though, since you’re a sci-fi fan. But give it at least four episodes, because a lot of people don’t like the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/8 "2005-02-04T00:02:19Z")
[ul] [li]_Urusei Yatsura_–alien Devil Girl becomes convinced she is engaged to lecherous Japanese boy, who chases & is beaten up by every _other_ girl in the world. Very funny.[/li][li]_Lupin The 3rd_–Alfred Hitchcock Big Robbery film, as written & acted by the Marx Brothers. Lupin’s girlfiend, Fujiko Mine, is true fanservice. [/li][li]Tenchi Muyo–top drawer hilarity.[/li][/ul] For a non-humor title, try _Big O_. Film Noir giant robots…who’d thunk it? ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/9 "2005-02-04T00:27:32Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I can only talk about the couple I have watched regularly. > > _Ranma 1/2_ is very cute, and sweet. Does get repitious at times but it’s a lot of fun. Lots and lots of seasons, though. > > _Maison Ikkoku_ is a bit more mature, and is a very sweet love story with a lot of humor. > > _Ghost in the Shell_ - hard to follow, but pretty good. > > Let’s think. Uh…_Battle Angel_ - depressing as all hell. What’s that one…the butterflies one…the one about war in Japan? Depressing as hell. > > That’s all I could tell you. Of course there are a few I won’t admit to watching on the boards. 😃 I highly recommend the first two, by the way. > > Damn it all it’s really annoying me that I can’t remember that last one. I think the one you’re thinking of is “Grave of the Fireflies.” It’s on my Netflix cue, but I haven’t seen it yet. Visions of Escaflowne: watch the real thing, not the one they chopped up for American TV. Sadly, if you want to get it from Netflix, they only have up to episode 13. I don’t know why, and it makes me angry. I’d suggest Cowboy Bebop too. Solid writing, interesting characters, good story lines, and it doesn’t follow too many of the anime stereotypes. Haibane Renmei was another “outside the norm” anime. Basically there’s a big walled in town that nobody’s allowed to leave, and into this town are born children who are hatched from cocoons and have wings. Sounds weird, and it is. No action, not even any real bad guy/good guy stuff either. Martian Successor Nadesico is especially noteworthy for its willingness to make fun of the entire anime genre with its anime within the show, Gekiganger. It’s more standard big-robot faire, but with a lot of humor. If you’re a guy and you are into the fanservice, Najica Blitz Tactics has more panties than you can shake a redwood tree at. I really only mention this because I’m watching it now and it’s fascinating how many different ways they can work panties and butt shots into a single half hour. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/10 "2005-02-04T00:36:23Z")
Hurm. I started as a kid, with stuff that was brought over for American audiences: Mighty Orbots, Robotech, Belle & Sebastian. Lately I discovered that Fox is running some anime on Saturday mornings. I like Shaman King & One Piece, although the American versions are a bit–bowdlerised, I guess. Sonic X is a riot, too, in a seriously “kid’s cartoon” way. While I like more quiet cerebral stuff like _Wings of Honneamise_ & _Windaria_, the audience for that stuff is not something I expect to have a large intersection with American animation fans. The high-falutin’ sci-fi is for high-falutin’ sci-fi fans, really. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/11 "2005-02-04T00:40:54Z")
> [@Stonebow](#): > > Ninja Scroll. While I did enjoy this the first couple times I watched this, I have to say… Avoid. I have NO idea why people keep suggesting this one as an early experience. It’s not irredeemably bad, but it’s not really all that good, and it’s…really quite brutal. Anyway…what you can expect from anime…that it’s animated. Without more specification, that’s it. What sorts of movies and TV shows do you like? What elements do you like in them? SF? Fantasy? Realistic? War? Romance? Mystery? Comedy? Two that I love, but from the sounds of things, you should avoid: Patlabor: The Movie, and its sequel. Both are very good, interesting mysteries with science fiction elements. But the villains, and the cops, have a tendency to slip into pholosophical musings, and they move so slowly it’s not funny. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/12 "2005-02-04T00:45:36Z")
I’ll suggest _Castle in the Sky_. You’ll probably find it more interesting than Miyasaki’s later films. _Lupin the 3rd_ was also directed by him, though it’s even earlier. For series I’ll second _Trigun_. Very funny, though it gets more serious towards the end, but it’s a good series. Haven’t seen the _Cowboy Bebop_ series but the movie is also good. I’m another who doesn’t quite understand all the hoop-la around some of the cult classics. _Ghost in the Shell_ is a good idea, but a bad movie. Fortunately, there’s a series which just starting showing up on American soil this summer. Better than the movie, and you should give it a try at least. It has a semi-episodic nature–some episodes are stand-alone, while others (complex) form part of a continuing plot. Here’s the colour code–green title screen=stand-alone. Blue title screen=complex. Ninja Scroll is…alright. If you don’t mind blood and gore and all that good stuff. It goes a bit over the top for me though, and the plot doesn’t quite redeem it. And like Tengu said, what do you like? It’ll be easier to recommend if we have a better idea of your tastes. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/13 "2005-02-04T01:37:48Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#): > > I’ll suggest _Castle in the Sky_. You’ll probably find it more interesting than Miyasaki’s later films. _Lupin the 3rd_ was also directed by him, though it’s even earlier. Only part of it. One movie (Castle of Cagliostro), 16 episodes of the first series, and 2 episodes of the second. Castle of Cagliostro is pretty clearly Miyazaki’s work - the characters used in it, but not in the rest of the series are clearly Miyazaki designed. Sadly, I’ve not seen as much Lupin III as I’d like. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/14 "2005-02-04T01:47:06Z")
Oh, and…another ‘I love these, but you probably won’t’ suggestion… If you don’t like movies that absolutely crawl, avoid anything that has a variant of the word ‘galaxy’ in the title, and in any way involves a train. OK…being less sillyvague, the movies in question are Night on the Galactic Railroad and the Galaxy Express 999 movies (well, the first two…I haven’t seen the third, yet. It’s shorter, so it might move a little faster.). Night, I adore, but when I went to rewatch it last night, I had to turn it off a half hour in, because I had to go to sleep soon, and it hadn’t even really started, yet. I exagerate not a whit. I love the movie, but good lord does it move slowly. GE999 is a little better in that regard, since it occasionally has periods of action-action, but it progresses slowly, and these are little bursts in among the travelling. When I get a better idea of what you do like, I might have a few more positive reccomendations. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/15 "2005-02-04T01:47:08Z")
Uh…actually I’ll second Ninja Scroll. I loved it. Jubei is hot. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/16 "2005-02-04T02:03:20Z")
I never liked Ninja Scroll myself. It always seemed to me to be from the “Check out the animated breasts and blood!” side of anime than the “Decent sci-fi and fantasy movies and shows” that hooked me. When you’re a fifteen year old its the greatest thing ever but I didn’t care for it. Now, recommendations. I would run down the list I’ve been compiling of shows that you really need to have seen as an anime fan, but that’s more for the obsessive (I don’t think someone who’s just curious really wants to watch Gundam, for example). So hitting the stuff I would considder entry level: Cowboy Bebop - It’s really popular for a reason and as I recall Cartoon Network still shows it. Full Metal Alchemist - This is airing on Cartoon Network on Saturday nights and it’s a fantasy series with great characters. Spiritted Away - Because I have to include some Miyazaki and out of what is currently available in the US its my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/17 "2005-02-04T02:10:39Z")
I liked Ninja Scroll, and it was one of the first animes I ever saw. It is a bit gory, and there are some slightly off-putting sex scenes if you’re not expecting it, but I thought the art and fight scenes were very well done. You might want to wait on it until later, though. Like everyone else, though, I think you’ll get better suggestions once we hear what your preferences are. What kind of shows and movies do you normally like? Do you like comedy mixed in with your sci-fi/fantasy? Do you like very dark dramatic movies? Big epic battles and stories? Are the relationships between characters enough to keep you hooked on something? ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/18 "2005-02-04T02:12:23Z")
Akira 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/19 "2005-02-04T02:17:12Z")
Hmm… I agree that the Ghost in the Shell movie wasn’t very good, but Princess Mononoke boring? In that case, I’ll recommend VHD: Bloodlust and Ninja Scroll. ---
**Author:** ![WilhelmGefallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@WilhelmGefallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilhelmGefallen)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-start-with-anime/288253/20 "2005-02-04T02:29:17Z")
Last Exile: Alternate earth (shock horror) very steampunk Cowboy Bebop Those Who Hunt Elves: (comedy) Najica Blitz Tactics: if you buy the set you get a free pair of panties, if thats your thing. Full Metal Panic (comedy, definately not the same as Full Metal Alchemist)