Anime

[The Cactuar Cat]

Every few pages or so we seem to have people who pop in to say "please recommend some good anime series". I'm no expert and I'm sure theres many series I've never seen let alone heard about so how about if we organised a top 20 essentials list type thing thats pinned to the top of Film & TV? This thread is 281 pages long now and people wont want to read it right from the start Thoughts?

It would help to introduce people as I'm always finding new stuff myself. Death Note is my latest taste, along with The Prince of Tennis and One Piece. I still need to go back to Bleach and Gantz. 20 is too short though, just a big list of loads of animes and a quick synopsis would be good.

Naruto

Bleach

One Piece

The Prince Of Tennis

Gantz

Death Note

Ranma 1/2

Beck

Paranoia Agent

Samurai Champloo

Cowboy Bebop

All top quality and there are many more. I don't think you can go wrong with whichever you pick. There's so much I haven't tried myself like Evangelion, Tsubasa, Guru Langeranan? as well as animes I don't like but many do (Full Metal Alchemist).

[The Cactuar Cat]

I'll post it in spoiler form so anyone who might be interested to see but so you won't go off in a murderous rampage if you see it.

1. Cowboy Bebop

2. FLCL

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion

4. Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex

5. Full Metal Alchemist

6. Berserk

7. Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen (Samurai X Trust/Betrayal)

8. Azumanga Daioh

9. Vision of Escaflowne (Series)

10. Hajime no Ippo

11. Monster

12. Samurai Champloo

13. Princess Mononoke

14. Akira

15. Eureka SeveN

16. One Piece

17. Spirited Away

18. Macross Plus OVA

19. Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann

20. PlanetES

We really Meh. Even with your opinions.

I missed SAC which I like and Azumanga. Shame on me. FLCL and FMA? No, no way. Mononoke.. no. Laputa and Kiki nowhere to be seen.. sorry, but no.

[imp]

I'll post it in spoiler form so anyone who might be interested to see but so you won't go off in a murderous rampage if you see it.

1. Cowboy Bebop

2. FLCL

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion

4. Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex

5. Full Metal Alchemist

6. Berserk

7. Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen (Samurai X Trust/Betrayal)

8. Azumanga Daioh

9. Vision of Escaflowne (Series)

10. Hajime no Ippo

11. Monster

12. Samurai Champloo

13. Princess Mononoke

14. Akira

15. Eureka SeveN

16. One Piece

17. Spirited Away

18. Macross Plus OVA

19. Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann

20. PlanetES

We really Meh. Even with your opinions.

Not a bad list! much better than what I was expecting.

EDIT: Well, there are a few I wouldn't include.. and a couple of hasty choices... and the ordering is wrong...

it seems to get worse every time I look at it.

[Mr.Jeff]

The list is mad! Numbers 5, 6 and 9 should not be anywhere near where they are!

[The Cactuar Cat]

Oh gosh, Escaflowne was one of my first and was also very Western (like FMA), it certainly doesn't deserve to be in that chart.

[imp]

Never seen 6 or 9, but I hear they're pretty bad. Agree that number 5 shouldn't be on there, but I'm not surprised that it is.

Anyone been keeping up with Dennou Coil? It's still -tastic!

[thefridge]

IMP, I dont read the manga for One Piece so I dont know what Ussop's fight was like. He however is my favourite character in OP.

Other than that, the uniqness of this show sets it apart from other anime shows. Everything from the characters, sets, stories, background, powers very unique and beautiful in its own right.

I watch the anime and although they can drag a story along for a long time and, what they do is tolorable, I mean, only when you compare it to something like Naruto do you realize how wonderful it actually is

A very decent list you guys have up there, although no 7, 10, 11 deserver a much higher ranking, specially number 11 which is on my all time favourite dramas.

The idea of creating a top ten is quite appealing, whats your favourites people?

[Mr.Jeff]

Never seen 6 or 9, but I hear they're pretty bad. Agree that number 5 shouldn't be on there, but I'm not surprised that it is.

Anyone been keeping up with Dennou Coil? It's still -tastic!

The problem with 6 is that while it's good, it's not done properly. Mind you, it couldn't get done properly due to the obvious restraints but still.... Edit: Explained properly!

The berserk manga is and willl be for fucking ages incomplete. Even so, they still made an anime adaptation of the first section of the manga. The problem being that while the storyline was compelling it leads to a dead end from which they can't/didn't continue which I think fundamentally ruins what a series should be about.

9 is just bizarre. It's mediocre at best. The storyline is ok but there's so many other things which surpass it.

Got Dennou coil waiting to be watched! Got lots of stuff waiting to be seen actually but I've been distracted by the xxholic and Tsubasa Chronicle manga. I Clamp.

[imp]

Thinking about it, I thought number four wasn't supposed to be that good...

The idea of a definitive RLLMUK top 10 is kind of appealing, but I think it'd be pretty difficult for a definitive top ten to emerge, I envision many many similarly ranked shows jostling for position and many equally weighted if a points system is used... I guess it's worth a try though, if it ends horribly we'll just pretend it never happened, right?

Do I stay up and watch some more shows while periodically refreshing Toshokan, waiting for episode 17 of lucky star, or do I call it a night and download it in the morning? Oh the decisions...

[Mr.Jeff]

Go to bed! You're not allowed to see it before me!

[The Cactuar Cat]

Thinking about it, I thought number four wasn't supposed to be that good...

The idea of a definitive RLLMUK top 10 is kind of appealing, but I think it'd be pretty difficult for a definitive top ten to emerge, I envision many many similarly ranked shows jostling for position and many equally weighted if a points system is used... I guess it's worth a try though, if it ends horribly we'll just pretend it never happened, right?

Do I stay up and watch some more shows while periodically refreshing Toshokan, waiting for episode 17 of lucky star, or do I call it a night and download it in the morning? Oh the decisions...

Golly gosh where did you hear of that? SAC(k) is fantastic, I heartily recommend you pick it up as you can get the whole season pretty cheap if you like your DVDs. I really recommend it as I didn't like the film but totally hooked onto this.

[Meh]

I'll post it in spoiler form so anyone who might be interested to see but so you won't go off in a murderous rampage if you see it.

1. Cowboy Bebop

2. FLCL - Yes.

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion - Yes.

4. Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex - As long as it's just the first season they're counting, yes.

5. Full Metal Alchemist - Fuck off.

6. Berserk - As much as I love Berserk, the anime didn't do it justice.

7. Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen (Samurai X Trust/Betrayal) - Hmm.

8. Azumanga Daioh - Well, definitely.

9. Vision of Escaflowne (Series)

10. Hajime no Ippo

11. Monster

12. Samurai Champloo - Yes.

13. Princess Mononoke - No.

14. Akira - Seriously, fuck off.

15. Eureka SeveN - Oh hells yes.

16. One Piece

17. Spirited Away

18. Macross Plus OVA - YES. YES. YES.

19. Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann

20. PlanetES

We really Meh. Even with your opinions.

Edited your post with my opinions on some of the shite in there

[Meh]

Golly gosh where did you hear of that? SAC(k) is fantastic, I heartily recommend you pick it up as you can get the whole season pretty cheap if you like your DVDs. I really recommend it as I didn't like the film but totally hooked onto this.

Oh, it's amazing. Totally brilliant stuff.

Then they completely fucking pissed it up the wall with the abysmal, miserable cunt that is 2ng GIG.

[Dandy_Sephy]

Edited your post with my opinions on some of the shite in there

Meh hates akira?

[imp]

Oh, it's amazing. Totally brilliant stuff.

Then they completely fucking pissed it up the wall with the abysmal, miserable cunt that is 2ng GIG.

That's probably what I heard!

My 'going to sleep trick' worked! Except that Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 4 is out, rather than lucky star 17. AMAZING OP time!

EDIT: it was amazing! This show's pretty much my most anticipated weekly.

[Bibly]

Anyone been keeping up with Dennou Coil? It's still -tastic!

Downloading the latest one .

Oh, and no FMP in the "To Watch" list makes Bibly an unhappy bunny . Doesn't AIR even get a mention (even if it might not be to everyones' tastes)? The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya? Twelve Kingdoms? School Rumble (First Season)?

Sounds like I should try compiling a list of my very own .

[Mr.Jeff]

The list goes on for a while since it has everything that people voted for. The one's you mentioned though: Haruhi - 25, 12 kingdoms - 41, School Rumble - 73, Air - 130.

Full list if you're really interested.

Finally finished all the available Tsubasa manga. Amazing stuff. I can't wait for the Ova in December now.

[Chow]

I'll post it in spoiler form so anyone who might be interested to see but so you won't go off in a murderous rampage if you see it.

1. Cowboy Bebop

2. FLCL

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion

4. Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex

5. Full Metal Alchemist

6. Berserk

7. Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen (Samurai X Trust/Betrayal)

8. Azumanga Daioh

9. Vision of Escaflowne (Series)

10. Hajime no Ippo

11. Monster

12. Samurai Champloo

13. Princess Mononoke

14. Akira

15. Eureka SeveN

16. One Piece

17. Spirited Away

18. Macross Plus OVA

19. Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann

20. PlanetES

We really Meh. Even with your opinions.

No Trigun, no deal! What happened to you Jeff? You used to be someone I could trust

[Mr.Jeff]

It's not my list! I said it was the list that came out from Neogaf! I can hardly place Cowboy Bebop at the top since I've never seen it.

My list would be far far worse than that.

Edit: For the benefit of Mr.imp, I've given Baccano a watch finally. Quite an interesting looking series even if I have no idea what's going on.

Edit again!: Just watched the latest Sayonara Zetsubou sensei. Fantastic stuff! Had me in stitches most of the way through.

[Meh]

I've started watching Claymore.

Now, it would be a great show, if they'd just iron out one little flaw.

FUCK OFF, RAKI. YOU FUCKING EMO.

[Mr.Jeff]

Get to episode 6 and you'll be fine meh! I think it's his voice that his the most grating part. Even with the same dialogue in the manga, it's less irritating because you can't hear his whiny voice.

[Meh]

I wish she'd just twat him one and leave him in a pool of blood on the floor.

[Lorfarius]

Heard a lot of good things about One Piece. But having looked it up turns out theres 317 episodes to date! Is there an end in sight or will it do a Dragonball and just keep going and going?

[imp]

Lofarius; One Piece follows the manga, which is 460 odd chapters in. I think it'll end. But maybe only in four or more years time!

You may as well start it, I think the first 50 or so episodes are very enjoyable. In fact, since the filler is minimal and skippable, the main story line up to about episode 150 is fantastic. Then it gets a bit shaky, while the story gets better, lately, the fact that the manga isn't that far ahead anymore (hello two year+ manga arc!) the episodes have gotten far more stretched out.

And Mr Jeff: I think Baccano! more than makes up for in style and intrigue for what it lacks (thus far) in sense.

and I Sayonara! I really really like the new OP too. I was slightly weirded out at first, but after countless times watching that youtube link...

[Zappster]

I've started watching Claymore.

Now, it would be a great show, if they'd just iron out one little flaw.

FUCK OFF, RAKI. YOU FUCKING EMO.

Meh.

It gets better though as you progress. I was considering dropping it around episode 4 but then came the flashback arc which changed my opinion of the series. Plus the episodes are now pretty much Raki free.

[Bibly]

I've started watching Claymore.

Now, it would be a great show, if they'd just iron out one little flaw.

FUCK OFF, RAKI. YOU FUCKING EMO.

He hasn't been seen for many episodes where I'm up to, and there are more Claymores, look forward to that!

[Meh]

Meh.

It gets better though as you progress. I was considering dropping it around episode 4 but then came the flashback arc which changed my opinion of the series. Plus the episodes are now pretty much Raki free.

Yup, just hit the flashback arc now, and it's so much easier to watch without that squealing cunt going on about gentless and tender hearts.

Teresa ftw.

[Lorfarius]

I'm 2 episodes into Gungrave and it's a bit.....meh. I hope it improves

[Meh]

Oh, I'm glad I stuck with Claymore.

Episode 7 was pure win.

[Ryan]

Heard a lot of good things about One Piece. But having looked it up turns out theres 317 episodes to date! Is there an end in sight or will it do a Dragonball and just keep going and going?

Watch it! It rocks!

There are 319 episodes out now (320 if you include this weeks, I guess), but they average about 20mins of new material each episode. There are about 100hrs of episodes.

As imp says that is getting worse, the last 50-or-so eps have had at most 15mins of new material. Unlike Naruto/Bleach they try and avoid adding 100 eps of crappy fillers.

The whole series now has decent subs - when I was watching there was a gap of 50 eps which only had crappy HK-subs, which were sourced from VHS. You're lucky now though, because it has all been done well.

Subgroups:

[KF] for the first 225 eps

[GeruSama] until 258

[ADC-Elites] until 294

[Vegapunk] or [ADC-Elites] from 294 onwards (vegapunk are faster, provide softsubs and provide in 720p!)

Oh, I'm a bit of an OP whore - it's the only long-running series which manages to stay fresh and have really good characters. It's really tongue-in-cheek, which is its secret..