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[Cornbread78]

....what Would they be and Why?

Barakamon:

For the easy going friend. The show is an easy to follow, sit back & chill anime that is probably one of the “safest” watches out there. There is no hidden agenda’s or anime/otaku culture built into the show to offset its theme. Also, the characters are great and the story carries a really good message along with it.


Fate/Zero:

For the friend that must have some action/adventure of blood lust, I recommend them this to watch. It has a good balance of story, and action to keep them interested, and the characters are interesting and engaging. While parts of this can be bloody and pretty intense, it’s well worth the recommendation to friends to watch if they are really into action based films.


What I really want them to watch:

Clannad and Clannad After Story-

The story is impactful regardless of gender and its important message of love and family is so great it shouldn’t go overlooked by young adults, especially those who are looking to start serious relationships or start a family. The reason why I tend to not put this #1 on my list is that the first season takes a long time to get through, and can be standard HS anime fare that may make them impatient to get to the meat and greatness of it as the story unfolds in After Story.


What would you recommend?

 

[BronsonLee]

Hamtaro

 

[LaserBuddha]

Not even once.

 

[kuroneko0509]

Doraemon

 

[KazenY2J]

Highschool DxD

 

[Yonafunu]

Right now? Probably One Punch Man

 

[Malyse]

School Days.

 

[Yawnier]

The Devil is a Part Timer

It's cool, funny, and short (12-13 eps).

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

I recommend anime to a bunch of people, some of them have watched only 1-2 shows, from what I've seen these ones have been huge hits.

• Space Brothers
• Ping Pong
• Chihayafuru
• Hunter x Hunter

I also want to drop that I recommend Shirobako to ANYONE that seems to care about anime at least a bit, it's so fucking good.

 

[Karsticles]

Cowboy Bebop. Very relatable, low on the Japanese humor and odd character representation.

 

[BossDarkseid]

If theyre into sci fi stuff then Steins Gate or GiTS perhaps.

 

[John Kowalski]

Ping Pong Pang and the yuasa x madhouse trifecta of greatness for a starter

then sol stuff like sketchbook, kamichu, kimi to boku

then i don't know a lot more things i guess

there's just too much that's worthy of seeing that i don't even remember right now

 

[Hektor]

I'd rather go with movies for newcomers due to the lower time investment, like

The girl who leapt through time
Ghost in The Shell
Akira
The usual Ghibli stuff

And so on and so forth.

 

[K.Sabot]

Ping Pong x Barakamon best of 2014 and the past couple years.

 

[Meowster]

It's been awhile since I've braved out and actively looked for new anime but I think Cowboy Bebop and the original Fullmetal Alchemist series are shows that anyone could enjoy.

 

[kitschykitty]

I just made a crunchyroll account and like murder mysteries, preferably something targeted towards adults, anyone have a good reccomendation?

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Akira bootleg VHS with English and French hardsubs. Just like how i had to get into Anime in the early 90s.

 

[Numb]

Deathnote
FML Brotherhood
20 more and then they can watch Jojo and understand how amazing it is.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Cowboy Bebop is where I'd go. Good characterization, with stylish action and relatable humor. And the soundtrack is amazing.

 

[Shaanyboi]

Ghost in the Shell SAC because it's one of the only ones I've enjoyed.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Cowboy Bebop is where I'd go. Good characterization, with stylish action and relatable humor. And the soundtrack is amazing.

Great starter anime.

One thing worth considering (because I've already seen it a few times in this thread) is that for newcomers, sub-only is a really poor choice. I get that a lot of dubs are... middling, but being able to present it in English enormously lowers the barrier to entry.

 

[Mesoian]

Go with the classics

Bebop
FLCL
GITS
Anything Ghibli
Anything Satoshi Kon

Couple dark horse pics for people with decent sense of humor

Nichijou
Humanity has Declined
Space Dandy
Arakawa Under the Bridge
Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei

 

[PillarEN]

Clannad (both season) of course. Because it's the best anime ever...

But, I can't. I think I would have to ease them into the medium so I'd say something like Welcome to the NHK is a suitable choice. It's grounded enough (even with the insanity but it's more for visual expression) in its actual story and characters that it could easily be made into a real life drama and nothing would be lost in translation. Plus it's a fascinating character study on a real issue in Japan. A 2 for 1 deal. Great anime and you actually learn something about the real issues the country is currently dealing with.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Ping Pong
Space Brothers
Cromartie High School
Daily Lives of High School Boys
Space Battleship Yamato 2199
Ghibli/Satoshi Kon stuff duh
Kaiji
Jin-Roh The Wolf's Brigade
Mobile Suit Gundam War in the Pocket
FLCL
Watanabe stuff like Bebop, Champloo, Space Dandy, Kids on the Slope, not Terror in Resonance because its garbage
Redline
Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

I think that covers a pretty wide array of genres and subjects.

 

[Arkeband]

Psycho-Pass.

The first season is front-loaded with really cringeworthy moe crap, so if they get through those and don't hate it, the show becomes legendary.*

*

Spoiler

provided they don't go on to S2.

 

[Quasar]

I just made a crunchyroll account and like murder mysteries, preferably something targeted towards adults, anyone have a good reccomendation?

You might like the current show Perfect Insider.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

I just made a crunchyroll account and like murder mysteries, preferably something targeted towards adults, anyone have a good reccomendation?

Watch The Perfect Insider, airing right now

 

[Crimsonlink]

I just made a crunchyroll account and like murder mysteries, preferably something targeted towards adults, anyone have a good reccomendation?

Beautiful Bones might be up your ally on crunchyroll.

 

[Quasar]

Though its a copout answer it depends on what kinds of stories they like.

I mean I could easily recommend Bunny Drop, but that kind of story wont appeal to everyone. Not everyone would like a story about a single guy raising a young relative whose parents have died/vanished.

 

[Extollere]

Redline. It's accessible, fun, and impressive. Also, it's probably what some people "expect" an anime to be, so it'll likely satisfy the itch and the curiosity at the same time.

 

[DrSlek]

Great Teacher Onizuka
Macross Saga: Robotech
Kenran Butoh Sai: The Mars Daybreak
Tekkaman

Edit: And of course, Cowboy bebop

 

[Generate]

Kino's Journey
Last Exile
Barakamon
Tsuritama
From The New World
Steins Gate
Read or Die
Durarara
Baccano
Paranoia Agent
Ghibli movies
Satoshi Kon movies
Shinkai movies
Haibane Renmei

 

[The Technomancer]

I'd probably start the with a film. Ghibli obviously is a good go to, but something like Paprika would also be a good start. Depends on their tastes. One Punch Man is awesome so far, and something people with a larger interest in action could get into. Hunter x Hunter 2011 starts pretty well if they have some childhood reference for similarly paced things like YuGiOh

 

[BGBW]

For a "curious" friend?

Hyouka.

Joking aside. I feel Space Brothers would be a safe bet. One, it's about adults, which is an instant get away from one the typical complaints for anime. Also, it's a rather long running drama which I feel would appeal more to those used to a lot of long running TV shows. It does drag a bit in the first major arc, but seeing as that was really only a problem for us following it while it aired I don't think I'd worry about that. Finally, it's very down to Earth (despite what the show is about a ha ha ha), helping show that animation in general can be used for stories that aren't just musicals for kids, crude comedies or fantasy.

 

[RMI]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - if they can get over the moe-ness of the initial few episodes, what awaits them is some twisted shit. Awesome art also, and as a whole the series doesn't overstay its welcome.

 

[PillarEN]

For a "curious" friend?

Hyouka.

But wouldn't the artstyle be too moe for them? I fear that's always a big thing for some beginners to get over. Otherwise yes. Beautiful soundtrack and the most gorgeous purple eyes to grace anime ever.

 

[Adaren]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - if they can get over the moe-ness of the initial few episodes, what awaits them is some twisted shit. Awesome art also, and as a whole the series doesn't overstay its welcome.

This. Short, varied, engrossing, exceptional quality in art and music, nothing cringe-worthy.

 

[Yawnier]

Kino's Journey
Last Exile
Barakamon
Tsuritama
From The New World
Steins Gate
Read or Die
Durarara
Baccano
Paranoia Agent
Ghibli movies
Satoshi Kon movies
Shinkai movies
Haibane Renmei

From the New World is one of my favorites of the last several years, but idk if I would recommend it to someone who is curious and new to anime haha.

 

[Vyrance]

Big-O because it's Batman basically

 

[Violet_0]

Oreimo aka My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute

so they never bother asking me again. And probably don't want to be my friends anymore

 

[Shai-Tan]

For non action

Mushishi
-rural (18th century?) Japanese X-Files supernatural detective/doctor curing various supernatural afflictions which take form of mushi (unseen creatures to most which can have a parasitic/indifferent but dangerous effect) that cause interesting human drama.

Mononoke
-interesting classical art style, in the form of supernatural murder mystery. a lot of speech making like in shounen anime but more interesting solutions than fighting.

Death Note
-basically a detective story with supernatural elements from both perspectives. Fun thought experiment to imagine how it would work. some characters that conform to annoying anime tropes but it only cringe inducing in a few of the episodes


Edit:

For action

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
-action series with political drama about a secret police that investigate and solve corruption and threats that arise from the military political industrial complex in a near ish future and social implications of robotics, cyborgs, immersive networks etc interesting philosophical ideas including the the one in the subtitle (stand alone complex). The second season is more of a political drama but still quite good. One of the few good action series that doesn't follow tropes in the shounen subgenre. Didn't like the prequel Arise OVA series that is currently on Netflix - watch the tv series or movies first

Princess Mononoke
-beautifully animated story about conflict between man/nature, some implied commentary about balance/exploitation of the environment but not heavy handed. I prefer the Japanese dub but English is ok.

 

[KazenY2J]

Psycho-Pass.

The first season is front-loaded with really cringeworthy moe crap, so if they get through those and don't hate it, the show becomes legendary.*

*

Spoiler

provided they don't go on to S2.

Um, what?
Did we watch the same show?

 

[Galang]

I think FMA: Brotherhood is the best of all worlds. Seems a great starting point to me

 

[Arkeband]

Um, what?
Did we watch the same show?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oAr4t5kK40

Also,

 

[Frustrated_Grunt]

I don't watch anime much, but my friends recommended we watch Nichijou and I loved it from personal experience. Probably one of the funniest cartoons I've watched in a while.

 

[Uzzy]

Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell and Ghost in the Shell. All of it.

Also, a whole bunch of movies. Paprika, Perfect Blue, 5 Centimeters Per Second, Ghibli stuff, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars. There's a huge variety available there. If they like it, then you can branch into actual series.

 

[BGBW]

But wouldn't the artstyle be too moe for them? I fear that's always a big thing for some beginners to get over. Otherwise yes. Beautiful soundtrack and the most gorgeous purple eyes to grace anime ever.

Well considering the definition of moe is about something that appeals greatly to that individual, surely it being so moe it's almost too much would be a good thing.

But honestly, I don't see what would be off putting about Hyouka's art style. It's one of the most beautifully animated television animations out there.

 

[zashga]

One Punch Man is all I've watched recently, and it's excellent. Other than that, I always loved Trigun and Samurai Champloo.

Edit: Forgot about Gurren Lagan. That one's fantastic too. Has a pretty fast start in terms of action and drama.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oAr4t5kK40

Dude that's just avatars in a virtual world. I think if anything people would be turned off by the first episode having that part about the rape victim and they kill her because her hue was too colored. And halfway through that video it shows a girl being choked to death, lol

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

Like I was saying elsewhere, it depends on what they enjoy watching outside of anime. Anime isn't a monolithic medium any more than live-action film or television is, and I think picking something like Cowboy Bebop as a one-size-fits-all "gateway" anime is simplistic.

Are you into older episodic TV adventure shows such as MacGyver? Watch Master Keaton.
Do you like the Anne of Green Gables book? Watch Takahata's TV adaptation of it.
Do you like BBC period dramas? Watch Emma: A Victorian Romance.
Do you like dialogue-less art films? Watch Angel's Egg.
Do you like martial arts or samurai movies? Watch Sword of the Stranger.

And so on. Whatever sort of media you like, I can probably find at least one piece of Japanese animation that fits the bill.