Best Animes to start off with

EvilGrainOfRice · newbie! Joined: Apr 23, 2007 Posts: 12

What Anime do you reccomend to those who have not seen/been exposed to anime previously?

I'm not nessesarily asking for myself (I watch enough anime as is >__>), but I wanted other people's opinions, since I have oodles of friends who've never watched an anime ever, and I want them to like it without scaring them away.

I'm thinking you don't want anime that has alot of cultural referances...like xxxholic or Ouran, because they've never actually seen an anime...

I was thinking stuff like FMA or Cowboy Bebop. Any other ideas?

drickiss1 · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:12 am Post subject:

Bleach is a good start. I recommended it to two people I know and told them it might take a few episodes to actually get into it but it gets good quick. One friend got up to episode 25 before he was bombarded with college exams then he stopped for a while. The other guy couldn't find episodes after Ichigo reaches Bankai. I would also suggestion the first Samurai X and then tell them to get into the R. Kenshin series, or DBZ when Goku first turns Super Saiyan. I think DBZ did it for me bc I had watched the two episodes before Goku changed and I was like this is so stupid and on going... I was bored and plus my younger siblings were watching it at the time. Then something about his transformation caught my attention. Samurai Champloo is also a good one bc it starts off with alot of action. I think deciding a good anime depends on what the person you're recommending it is into Genre wise. Action- Go with Bleach... Comedy Ouran High School Host Club maybe. Romance- that's a tough one bc if you've seen one you've seen them all.

du5k · A-Source Staff Joined: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 6357

I would say you start off with BEST ones there is, so you will have a better judgement of other animes.

Or you could start with the super long series, to give you a feel of the anime world, like Bleach, Naruto or One Piece. (dun try Dragonball)

Then maybe you could try animes of a different genre... here are some good examples of what I would call the best of their genre...

Shojo (Paradise Kiss)
Slice of Life (Honey and Clover)
Horror (Elfen Lied)
Comedy (Ouran High School Host Club)
Drama (Air/ Haibane Renmai)
Psychology (Serial Experiment Lain)
Harem (Shuffle!)
Fantasy (Fate/Stay Night)

etc.

eisenmeteor · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:10 am Post subject:

I'd say you take into account what kind of person it is. Maybe it's someone that likes drama and more real things then fantasy etc. In that case Honey & Clover would probably be best. Or perhaps Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan. You adjust according to the person since not everything fits everyone, but true series that are really big like FMA are probably good as well since they're abit of everything so it speaks to diffrent people.

Himitsu · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:42 am Post subject:

I say, you start off with a good anime movie. And who makes the best movies? Well... popular movies, but start with a Miyazaki movie. There's a chance that they have already seen Howl's Moving Castle, or Spirited Away. I personally enjoyed Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

Here are some bad ideas for first timers:
FLCL
Serial Experiments Lain
Ikkitousen, Tenjou Tenge, Eiken, etc. etc.
Perfect Blue
Higurashi
Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi (great series, but too unique)
Genshiken

I know quite a few people where their first series was Fruits Basket. But I'd recommend something general, or popular right now... a lot of people have entered the anime world through Bleach, Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist.

Kimmie-chan · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject:

Haha Sailormoon's a good one~ ^^

But I agree with Himitsu, any of the Ghibli Films are a good start, to get introduced with the 'style' of animation. (My freinds watched Spirited Away for the first time a couple years back and they really liked it, though they were a little tripped out by some of the character designs Laughing

)

I think a comedy+action series is a good start with anime though. Maybe not Ouran or School Rumble (too much parody and stereotype stuff newcomers won't understant) but like the generic Naruto, Bleach .... Smile

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LeTensai · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:21 pm Post subject:

It was said before but Ghibli movie spesially monoke or spirited away because they got decent art and people who want to get into something usually like things that look good .... anyway I'll sujest Fullmetal alchemist too

For younger people Naruto / Bleach / One piece would be nice
and for older Monster / maybe even evangelion

and for everyone cowboy bebop / and maybe some gundam.... if hes motivated

EvilGrainOfRice · newbie! Joined: Apr 23, 2007 Posts: 12

hahaa, my first anime was FLCL >__>

Thanks you guys for the reccomendations. Hopefully I can help add to the following XD

xenocrisis0153 · Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:45 pm Post subject: Re: Best Animes to start off with

MrSentimental · Heimin (Commoner) Joined: Jul 22, 2005 Posts: 62

Well, the Ninja Scroll movie "shocked" me into this Anime stuff, but the brutality and nasty treatment of women would turn some folks off, for sure. Elfen Lied would also pleasantly surprise some, but also "shock" some folks into turning and running. Full Metal Panic: 2nd Raid was very well done, and should turn some folks on to Anime. I agree with those who mentioned Full Metal Alchemist and Ouran High School.

ProdigyStar · newbie! Joined: Apr 30, 2007 Posts: 15

I think it would have to be Hajime no Ippo

No matter what everyone loves this anime

Its got something for everyone and is just addictive you want to watch more anime after this for sure

GRC · Heimin (Commoner) Joined: Apr 25, 2006 Posts: 80

achunkymonkey · newbie! Joined: Feb 24, 2008 Posts: 5 Location: 'Nati

it matters on the person's interests. Personally I started out with Full Metal Alchemist, was hooked, then moved onto Bleach. The most popular answers are probably Naruto or Bleach, but I think these could move too slow. Samurai Champloo was interesting and also fast paced, so a person could get into it.

xenocrisis0153 · Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:19 am Post subject:

this thread got burried... glad someone dug it up.

I have more to add to the list:

- Cowboy Bebop: definition of cool... great action, plus a prime example of the imagination anime displays of the future

- Love Hina: defined the harem genre, decent comedy, and shows how anime can be sweet and enduring while being pervy at the same time
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Faraz · A-Source Staff Joined: May 29, 2007 Posts: 343

As many have mentioned, it would depend on who the guy (or girl is) and what sort of genre they'd be more interested in. Also if they've never seen anime, starting with subs might be a bad idea. If you want to really hook em in, I'd go with a show that has a good dub on it.

Ghost in the Shell (I don't see how GiTS wouldn't work)
Death Note
Black Lagoon (best dub in the history of anime)
Fate/Stay Night
FMA
Cowboy Bebop
Elfen Lied (the dub is horrible but the shock factor should compensate)
Higurashi (again, no dub yet, but extra points for shock factor)
Code Geass
Noein
Basilisk (Ninja Scroll of the 21st century and an excellent dub to boot)
And my new favotire, Mnemosyne

I'd stay clear of comedies and shows that are just too out there for a beginner. For example, as much as I love Haruhi and Seto no Hanayome, I wouldn't show them to someone new to anime; you need to get a feel for the genre before you can appreciate these shows.