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What are some of your favourite anime?
Just wanted to start talking about anime in general see what people like, share some of our favourite titles and such. I propose we link to MAL or AniList since Tildes doesn't necessarily have a bot that would do that automatically. I'll start!
- Shaman King was probably one of the first anime I watched alongside Pokemon back before I knew what anime was. It's a very nostalgic show for me and the english opening still gives me shivers.
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is something I've gotten to appreciate much more since I watched it later down the line when rediscovering anime for myself and starting to really get into it. It's one of the highest rated shows on MAL and it definitely deserves every bit of praise it gets.
- Spirited Away and The Wind Rises. If we are talking movies, these two would probably be my picks. The former brings forward very nostalgic memories and the latter I happened to see in the theaters and I loved every second of it. I feel like most of Miyazaki's works are going to end up on a lot of people's favourites lists.
I'd love to discuss each one deeper if people are into it but I want everyone to feel free and share as much as they'd like, including personal stories and anecdotes.
edit: Amazed to see so many people sharing their favourite shows in detail, and also glad that there are so many people on tildes who share one of my favourite pastimes. :)
Trigun and FLCL.
I really like the first episode of Cowboy Bebop. The whole series ends how it started. A couple trying to run away after being wrapped up in some stuff in hope of a better life.
Those are two of my favorites too. Recently watched the first couple episodes of Cowboy Bebop but wasn't totally hooked. Might give it another go soon.
Have you been watching FLCL Progressive?
Yeah absolutely, Watanabe’s shows are amazing, and the best thing is that whenever he goes for a new series he invites along Yoko Kano who usually does all the music and she’s a bloody genious.
Space Dandy is another and more recent of his shows. It’s very episodic in nature but it’s a joy to watch if you are into sci-fi comedy at all.
Space Dandy is definitely my favorite of Wantabe's shows (I know, I know, heresy to some). The perfect blend of music, ludicrously goofy characters, and surprisingly deep subject matter (warning: spoilers galore!), though I'll admit that last one only pops its head up now and then.
I’m confused, episodic shows are more common place than ever before?
In general the popularity of platforms like Netflix have increased the popularity of epiosidic shows from what I heard.
In anime, episodic shows are still the norm ? (Note that most of the responses are episodic even though the OP encouraged both anime and films)
IDK I don't have any real numbers, this is just what I perceive.
Is that what the new season they were talking about is called? I heard they were coming out with some new stuff. I don't know if I can. FLCL is so nostalgic for me. I don't think I could even sit down and watch FLCL. I have the entire thing in 1080p on my PC at home I believe. Maybe I'll add it to PLEX at some point. I downloaded it in 1080p but couldn't bing myself to watch it.
I love the Trigun episode where Vash is in jail and the guy in the bunker attacks and we see the real Vash for the first time. I mean his whole internalizing and assessing everything and getting right to it.
Yeah, it's a new season that is airing now. There are only 2 episodes left. Then there's another season, FLCL Alternative, that is airing is September I believe.
I have the same issue as you. I did re-watch FLCL a few months ago and it just wasn't as special as it was the first time I watched it. So far the new season has been fine but no where near as great as the original imo.
Haven't rewatched Trigun in years but I'm looking forward to watching with my kids when they get a little older.
FLCL just had this vibe to it and it was so mysterious and trying to figure it all out. I just would hate to ruin what it is to me. I really like music. I had all of these favorite albums, I listen to them and they just don't have the same significance to me that they used to. Don't want to do that with FLCL.
I'd even go as far as saying that the music is also better in Samurai Champloo, you can't beat that sweet Nujabes.
Great write-up! I found Re:Zero to be a bit over-hyped and it sometimes killed me how dense the MC appeared to be in his decision making but it wasn't bad overall. I think my expectations played a role in this as well, so I'm finding it a bit hard to judge the show in an unbiased way. Hopefully we do get to see another season though, since I don't know if anything's been officially confirmed.
I gave Fune wo Amu a shot after that season ended but couldn't get into it. I think the whole "word/dictionary" theme was a bit lost on me since I don't know that much Japanese. But what I saw of it was pretty adorable and relaxing in a way.
Inuyashiki, you're one of the few people I've seen enjoy that show. Between the CGI animation and a very weird ending that didn't sit well with me at all, I couldn't help but think there was a lot of wasted potential in that show. What did you enjoy about it? Just genuinely curious if I'm missing something.
Thanks for the write-up! I genuinely just wanted to see why a person that did end up enjoying it did so. And it's absolutely fine to enjoy different things. I see too many people try to defend something objectively when really it all stems from subjective factors like characters being relatable or the soundtrack resonating with someone. I like to think I've seen enough anime to at least somewhat objectively judge a show, because I have a pool I can compare it to, hence why I like discussing anime with other people. But by no means do I think that's more important than someone enjoying themselves.
So I'm glad you had a great time! :)
Pretty sure I'm a casual... Cowboy Beebop
I am a casual too. But Cowboy Bebop isn't just one of my favorite anime, it's one of my favorite things. Like out of all art, it's just so good.
I've only recently finished watching it for the first time after getting curious hearing about it every other day. It was kind of a rollercoaster as to how i felt about it: i was pretty much indifferent (possibly because it had been overhyped) up until the 5th episode after which i was 100% sold because of how great the action scenes were and how perfectly they blended with the music.
Bear with me please with this off topic since this is the first time for me here on Tildes; i've checked the 'formatting help' doc but couldn't find anything about the spoiler tag - is there really none? I wanted to go more in particular in my comment but found myself unable to...
I do not believe they've implemented spoiler tags (but could be wrong). It's been around for +10 years though, so I'd think you're OK to talk about it.
alright, good to know thanks. Eh, one can never be too sure about it - i myself have watched it for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. Frankly i was just looking for a pretext to ask about spoilers and try out how interactions were like on this website ^^
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann happens to be my (second) favorite piece of art in any medium, ever. Short of maybe Dark Souls, I've never seen something so thematically tight and consistent.
Haven't happened to be in an anime mood much recently so I haven't talked about it here all that often, but some other favorites are K-On!, Kill la Kill, Revolutionary Girl Utena, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, FLCL, Diebuster, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, and the second season of Chunnibyou.
AniList
Nice. I absolutely loved Kill la Kill. I found it to be very much in the same key as TTGL. People tend to criticise it but most of them are taking it too seriously. It's just a bunch of nonsensical, sexy and violent fun, which is incredibly well executed.
You mentioned Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, and that show is terrific as well. I thoroughly wish I was fluent in Japanese so I could appreciate the VO and the whole spectrum of emotions in the rakugo performances more. The stupidly good soundtrack is just a cherry on top!
I actually think both have a lot to say, with TTGL being the more coherent of the two in that regard. They totally hold up when taken seriously, not that watching them as just nonsensical fun is invalid.
I feel you with Rakugo. It feels like there's a lot there, and that it might be even more solid if you were already familiar with the performance standards. Watching the performances is already half the appeal for me.
Elfin Lied. Probably my all time favorite. Bloodshed, horror, sadness and romance all in one. Maybe not for everyone though, certain episodes are... difficult.
Dennou Coil. As a former angry/loner kid this one really spoke to me. Bonus points because sci fi.
Rurouni Kenshin. It's pretty rare for me to get through a "long" anime, but this one kept my attention. Cool story, good pacing, fillers aren't terrible.
Azumanga Daioh. It's just so darn cute...
Out of the ones you mentioned I’ve only seen Elfen Lied and I’ve got to agree it’s a solid show. I love how years later Stranger Things (a TV show) kinda takes some pages out of its book. Might just be me though :’)
Dennou Coil looks amazing in terms of the art style and I mean it’s MADHOUSE might need to give it a go!
Cowboy Bebop and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are my two go-tos for entry-level anime. Both have great storytelling, memorable characters, and are the only two anime for which I prefer the dubs
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is one I just got into last year; it hits the exact blend of wackiness and coolness to push my buttons. I initially got hooked by the music references, but I stayed for the JoJos (and Speedwagon)
Tengan Toppa Gurren Lagann takes the giant mecha genre, deconstructs it, and reconstructs it into ridiculous awesomeness (or awesome ridiculousness?). The final fight has the combatants hitting each other with galaxies
Fruits Basket wasn't quite as good as its manga, but I found it a solid enough execution back in high school.
[EDIT] I can't believe I forgot Rurouni Kenshin -- besides the standard shounen trappings, the setting is super historical and I nerded out hard about it. My girlfriend watched the dub as a kid, but the translation is just painful, that it is.
I think Fruits Basket was one of the few I liked the dub better than the subs. The voice actors just seemed better matched
I've only seen a handful (outside of films like Ghost in the Shell or Miyazaki's work which I've loved pretty much all of), but the standouts were Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note (which I really didn't expect to like as much as I did), Madoka Magica which was also a surprise, and most recently Made in Abyss and PsychoPass.
I watched Madoka quite early on (into watching anime that is) and it was a complete shock for me. Not going to go into too much detail so as not to spoil the show for other people but you know what I'm talking about :') I imagine you liked Made in Abyss for sort of the same reasons. Can't say I share the same opinion on MiA though, a few too many pedo-jokes and most of the characters being completely bland ruined it for me. I absolutely loved the premise and the world they built though, it's a shame the execution ended up being lackluster imo.
I only ever watched one punch man and it was great. Highly recommend
You might enjoy Mob Psycho 100, by the same creator.
Most of my favorite anime can be tied back to Satoshi Kon.
Paprika, Perfect Blue, and Paranoia Agent are some of my favorite animated works in general. I feel Satoshi really takes advantage of using animation to express something visually that can't be done in traditional film. Here is Satoshi's last film, a short piece on what it feels like to wake up in the morning.
Satoshi Kon is, without a doubt, a golden god. Both the animation and direction just work together so well, and his works are an exciting mess whether you're digging for symbolism and allegory or just watching it as a drug induced fever dream. I, unexpectedly, ended up loving Tokyo Godfathers as well. It's in a very different key from his other stuff but it's just so relaxing, funny and down to earth I had a smile on my face all the way through.
I've never watched Tokyo Godfathers. It was one of those anime I skipped over repeatedly and just a couple months ago realized it was one of Kon's movies. Thank you for reminding me of that, I'mma watch it this evening.
Steins;Gate, Nichijou, Ping Pong the Animation, K-On
Oh I loved Ping-Pong the animation! They managed to tell so many stories in so little time. The soundtrack was fantastic and once I got used to the art style I really started savouring it.
I'm one of those "I don't like anime but I like Cowboy Bebop" people so I'll with that.
Hmmm lemme see, I could recommend you some of the more mainstream anime that you might enjoy if you want. I have a few friends that don't "like anime" but watch the popular stuff. :')
I haven't seen it here yet so I'll say Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It's a sci-fi show in which humanity has conquered most of the galactic system and is now at war between The Empire and The Republic (remind you of anything?). I guess you could call it the Star Wars of anime, with memorable characters and never falls in the trap of manichaeism.
The show is a bit dated now with some animations looking a bit cheap but it still has some great action scenes. There is also a lot of alcohol drinking, apparently you can't be an admiral in the future if you're not sipping on a scotch.
Oh I've heard a lot of good things about it but never got around to giving it a shot. It's one of the longer shows though, isn't it? I need to find time to watch it as well ~_~
It's definitely a long show (110 episodes) but each arc is around 30 episodes, so you can watch an arc and then put in on pause for a little while. I know it's easy to get burned when watching long shows, especially when you know that there are tons of other shorter shows you could be watching. But there is no short show that can have this level of character development.
Ah, absolutely, I agree. There's a level of depth, world building and character progression in the longer titles that you'll never be able to capture in a 12 episode show, no matter how good it is. The longer format does have its issues with filler episodes being the gleaming one, but I can't see something like FmA: Brotherhood being anywhere as good as it ended up being at 12 or ever 24 episodes.
One Punch Man stands out from everything that's been released over the past couple of years doesn't it. A great studio picking up a manga made out of a web comic to come together into this funny, thrilling experience. You watch it in one sitting and are just left gasping for more. It's a shame the next season is taking them so long but no doubt it's going to be fantastic.
Shigurui, there's nothing quite like it, and it's way above the rest in my opinion, it's like high art anime:
https://youtu.be/KAqla4ngA3U?t=1288
Bonus sex scene:
https://youtu.be/W0lSY-sTsFY?t=149
It's a bit slow and the narration is quite peculiar (e.g. that one second cut with just "no" said in the first link above is a big character development), but everything is very well thought out.
It's very violent and full of passion, it's a bit like a Greek drama.
Halo Legends, because it's halo.