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[Alucard]

I've been into anime for the better part of 6 or 7 years now but I still feel like I haven't seen enough of it. I've loved Bebop, Trigun, and what I've seen of Escaflowne (first 13 episodes or so) but there's more out there. So, how about some recommendations? I'm looking for some great anime films with quality that is at least equal to the likes of Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, and Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

Also, what's the name of that anime where the song "Take Me Home Country Roads" is heavily featured? I saw it a long time ago and I REALLY liked it but I can't for the life of me remember the name. I think it was Whisper of the Heart or something similar.

Also, how are Wings of Honneamise and Nausica? (possible spelling error on that one)

 

[Chrono]

some recommendations:

HAJIME NO IPPO!

Now and Then, Here and There

Fruits Basket

One Piece

Last Exile

Scrapped Princess <---- A-keep still has the entire series in one torrent batch with many seeders.


EDIT:

and Planetes! This series deserves more.

2nd Edit: yeah and naruto of course. ^__^

 

[Ferrio]

GUU!

Naruto!

 

[levious]

what's the appeal to Fruits Baskets?

 

[Semjaza Azazel]

It's kind of old, but I've always liked Roujin-Z. It's about an old man and this health-care robot machine that gets possessed by his dead wife (more or less lol).

There's also My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and Spirited Away.

In terms of series, I like Nadia: Secret of Blue Water.

 

[DaveH]

Also, what's the name of that anime where the song "Take Me Home Country Roads" is heavily featured? I saw it a long time ago and I REALLY liked it but I can't for the life of me remember the name. I think it was Whisper of the Heart or something similar.

Whisper of the Heart.

There's a sequel that I haven't seen yet...

 

[DaveH]

Also, how are Wings of Honneamise and Nausica? (possible spelling error on that one)

I didn't appreciate Wings until the third time I saw it. It's more of a real feature-film movie than a genre anime. If you like Whisper, I guess you might like Wings. Nausica is more genre-like... it's a pretty nice adventure/fantasy story so I think you'll pretty much universally hear praise for it.

 

[Killbin]

I'm a Otaku since I was born. I've watched a loooot of anime stuff. Some good and some crappy ones. But damnit YOU HAVE TO WATCH #Saber Rider And The Star Sheriffs#

And awesome story, top characters, and an outstanding soundtrack.
An ol' time classic. IMO

 

[Mugen]

I only recommending series that are done.

Eva
Ippo
Gungrave
Read or Die (Ova and TV, Ova at least)
GitS TV (Season 1, season 2 is still going on)
Gundam Seed
GTO
FLCL
Outlaw Star (since you already saw CB and Trigun)
Hellsing
Scryed
Noir
Last Exile
Scrapped Princess
Full Moon (if you don't mind it's Shoujo-ness)
Azumanga (comedy... Seinfeld-like in terms of rich characters with very little plot)
Full Metal Panic and Fomuffu
Haibane Renmei and Lain (same artstyle, same director I think)
Rahxephon (kinda like EVA)
Tsukihime (VERY VERY UNDERRATED)

that's all I can remember right now.

 

[bjork]

You will watch Kiki's Delivery Service and marvel at its greatness.

This I command!

 

[RiZ III]

Gungrave damn it.

and Berserk.


Anime films are usually pretty lame, go with the series ones.

 

[Asbel]

Think of Laputa as a more light hearted version of Nausicaa.

And since you're into D, try Hellsing. All 13 eps of it, ha ha.

 

[Alucard]

Think of Laputa as a more light hearted version of Nausicaa.

And since you're into D, try Hellsing. All 13 eps of it, ha ha.

Yeah, part of the appeal of Nausicaa is that it heavily reminds me of Laputa. It looks like a really fun and fantastical adventure movie, which I always love in anime. The cover art is also gorgeous.

Hellsing is only 13 episodes? I might have to give it a try afterall. I really like the main character's design, plus his name is Alucard so that's an automatic plus.

Hmm, I can't find a decent price on Whisper of the Heart anywhere. I'm also looking for Serial Experiments Lain but that's nowhere to be found as well.

 

[Asbel]

Yeah, part of the appeal of Nausicaa is that it heavily reminds me of Laputa. It looks like a really fun and fantastical adventure movie, which I always love in anime. The cover art is also gorgeous.

Hellsing is only 13 episodes? I might have to give it a try afterall. I really like the main character's design, plus his name is Alucard so that's an automatic plus.

Well, I wouldn't say fun cuz Nausicaa has a serious tone throughout the movie. I would go with thrilling.

13 eps for Hellsing means there are some unanswered questions by the end of the series. It's also slow at times but the demonic powers are cool to see.

 

[neptunes]

Have you watched Kenshin yet?

 

[Alucard]

Have you watched Kenshin yet?

I've seen the (fantastic) OVA and about 12-13 episodes of the series. I don't really want to get into something that's terribly long. Plus, there is the money issue to consider.

 

[neptunes]

I could mail you the series.

The Kyoto Arc is not to be missed.

 

[Alucard]

Mail me the series? As in...how? We're obviously not talking about legit copies here, are we?

 

[Kiriku]

Whisper of the Heart.

There's a sequel that I haven't seen yet...

Are you talking about Neko no Ongaeshi (The Cat Returns)? 'Cause that's not really a sequel, just a stand-alone movie that's very loosely related to Whisper of the Heart.

 

[IAmtheFMan]

By all means, finish Escaflowne.

The first half was really good, but the second half of the series is truly astounding.

 

[AniHawk]

Hellsing is only 13 episodes? I might have to give it a try afterall. I really like the main character's design, plus his name is Alucard so that's an automatic plus.

Hellsing's a guilty pleasure of mine around here. I did a search before I posted an appreciation thread on the old GAF, and saw it received a lot of hate, so I saved myself the bashing.

I thought it was a well done series. I liked the main characters, and thought they were all reasonably well developed for the time span which was given. The animation seems to differ from episode to episode, but it's not completely unwatchable. I found the dubbing to be better than the subs since the English accents added just a little more to the feeling that it takes place in London. Action scenes are short, yet nicely done. There's also a lot of violence, but not overexcessive amounts of gore and blood. As far as the story goes, it kinda dips after the 7th episode, as the creators stopped following the manga and went in their own direction. It still holds well enough, but many preferred the path it was originally on.

There's a second season which has been in rumors for years now. The creator said that he'd think about a second season once the manga was finished, but I doubt we'll see it.

 

[IAmtheFMan]

Also, I've heard that the X series (the TV show, not the movie mind you) is one of the best. I just finished Escaflowne and will probably get this next.

Can anyone verify/negate this?

 

[Kabuki Waq]

yes the X tv series Rocks....for the most part.

 

[MetatronM]

Yeah, part of the appeal of Nausicaa is that it heavily reminds me of Laputa. It looks like a really fun and fantastical adventure movie, which I always love in anime. The cover art is also gorgeous.

Hellsing is only 13 episodes? I might have to give it a try afterall. I really like the main character's design, plus his name is Alucard so that's an automatic plus.

Hmm, I can't find a decent price on Whisper of the Heart anywhere. I'm also looking for Serial Experiments Lain but that's nowhere to be found as well.

You should see the box they have over here with the big Nausicaa statue and Ohmu figurine. If I didn't know that the DVD was coming out in the states a month after I got home, I would TOTALLY be buying it in a second. But I can't justify $75-80 on a movie I'm about to buy in my own language anyway and comes in a box too big to fit in my luggage.

Anyway, if you want pure, unadulterated FUN, watch ONE PIECE. Just look how excited Luffy is in my avatar. If you want something mildly akin to DBZ (but many times superior and not as stupidly slow paced), watch Naruto.

If you want that Bebop feeling, watch SAMURAI CHAMPLOO. The first episode alone should be required viewing.

As for movies, anything and everything by Hayao Miyazaki is a given, including his non-Ghibli outing with Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro. Nausicaa is one of my favorite anime movies of all time, mainly because I grew up with it not even truly knowing what it was. I guess you can kind of describe Nausicaa as being Laputa fused with Princess Mononoke. It kind of takes elements from both (or vice versa, being that Nausicaa is older than both). Spirited Away is Miyazaki's "best" film, though, and Totoro is by far the cutest.

I also recommend the works of Satoshi Kon, including such films as Perfect Blue and Tokyo Godfathers, as well as his recently completed 13-episode show Paranoia Agent.

And count me in for Serial Experiments Lain, as well. I'm kinda surprised you can't find it. I see it everywhere in the US, and it was relatively recently rereleased.

Oh, and for a healthy helping of insanity, go with the deliciously absurd (and yet surprisingly coherent, even if it doesn't seem so at first) FLCL.

 

[Chrono]

If you want that Bebop feeling, watch SAMURAI CHAMPLOO. The first episode alone should be required viewing.

Speaking of Champloo, the raw for episode 4 has been out for 4 days and there is still no fansub. =\

 

[MetatronM]

Speaking of Champloo, the raw for episode 4 has been out for 4 days and there is still now fansubs. =\

Yeah, I'm not very happy about that.

That said, I am happy that I picked up one of the two Champloo soundtracks yesterday. I've only listened to a couple tracks (aside from the OP and ED, of course), but they were friggin' awesome.

Really cool packaging too.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Neon Genesis Evangelion + End of Evangelion (dont even think of watching EoE before the series)
Berserk
FLCL
Gungrave (dvd vol 1 out on july 6th)
Rahxephon

 

[Pachael]

Ghibli non-Miyazaki is quite good too: Whisper of the Heart was well done, and I like the no-frills I Can Hear The Sea/Umi ga Kikoeru (sp) as well.

Nausicaa is not bad as a movie, but the books are exemplary in comparison, with so much more depth and length than the movie could afford. The Viz Perfect Editions are highly recommended, more so if you like Miyazaki's works - he does both story and art.

 

[ThirstyFly]

Also, how are Wings of Honneamise and Nausica? (possible spelling error on that one)

Wings is a fantastic film. It's about an alternate world's quest for their first flight into space. It's not the most action packed movie ever, but what it does have is well done and I don't want to give away too much, but it swells to an excellent bit towards the end of the movie. It's very character driven and also deals with the fictional politics of the world a bit, so if you're looking something with a detailed plot and amazing animation, I'd go for it.

The DVD is poorly authored though (I haven't seen it myself so I can't comment on just how bad it is) so if you're planning to buy, you may just want to give it a rent and wait for a better release to buy.

 

[Asbel]

Nausicaa is not bad as a movie, but the books are exemplary in comparison, with so much more depth and length than the movie could afford. The Viz Perfect Editions are highly recommended, more so if you like Miyazaki's works - he does both story and art.

You speak the truth sir. Although it's an unfair comparison and I would still highly recommend the movie especially to fans of Miyazaki's works. Also, the manga is currently being rereleased in a wider, longer 7 issue format with color foldouts.