Best anime series?
 

For a total newcomer, what is considered the best or some of the best series? Not looking for a movie but rather a multi-season series. Thanks! :D

Re: Best anime series?
 

These are all only one season, but they're on my list:

Madoka Magica
Angel Beats
Baccano

Re: Best anime series?
 

That's kinda like asking "What's the best TV show?". It really depends on what you're looking for. Probably the best way to get worthwhile recommendations would be to narrow down the selections.

Are you only interested in English audio? Or are you willing to watch Japanese audio with English subtitles?

Where are you watching it? Are you going to buy a BD/DVD set? Or are you streaming? And which streaming services are you using?

Are you looking for Action, Comedy or Drama?

Re: Best anime series?
 

I can do Japanese audio or English. I'm willing to try out one season on something that is universally liked and get it on BD.

Here are some of my favorite TV series if that helps: X-Files, Continuum, ER, CSI, Monk, House, M.D., Alias, Burn Notice, Dollhouse, Angel.

Re: Best anime series?
 

I'd recommend watching a couple episodes on streaming before you buy. Anime sets tend to be expensive. And you might have to try a couple shows before you find out what you like.

You have Netflix, right? Try these two shows. They're widely considered to be the best shows from 2012 & 2013. Both have options for English audio or Japanese audio with English subtitles.

Sword Art Online - http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70302573
Attack On Titan - http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70299043

Re: Best anime series?
 

Thanks, will try them both :)

Re: Best anime series?
 

There are many "best" anime shows out there - but its all depends on your taste. BigDave's suggestions are great and they're most recently series. Attack on Titan just completed first season few months ago and they're working on second season.

My suggestions that are bit older but great series.

Death Note - I really enjoyed it because it's battle of mind between killer and detective (well sort of.) It's not on Netflix streaming, but available to rent on DVD.

FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - a great anime series (I believe they ran 4 seasons). Available on Netflix streaming.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Cowboy Bebop (obligatory)
Gungrave

Re: Best anime series?
 

Agreed. If you watch any anime series, this one is a must.

Re: Best anime series?
 

These are my two favorites. You can't go wrong with either...

Re: Best anime series?
 

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This video might help. He gives good recommendations.

Then when you're finished with this video, go watch Cowboy Bebop. And put Baccano! on your list as well. Both are crazy good.

Re: Best anime series?
 

My favorite is Berserk...by a mile. It takes place in a medieval setting (kings, knights, peasants, etc.), and it has supernatural elements. The first episode takes place in the future. It's weird, and you won't understand...until later, of course. Great characters, great story. Awesome. By the way, I have not seen the new version with better visuals. I've only seen the original series.

I would also recommend Cowboy Bebop, but it has a more episodic feel and some episodes are much stronger than others. It's about bounty hunters in the space age (distant future) who are not terribly successful.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Honestly, you need to find out what types of anime you're more inclined to favor. Coming from Western entertainment, anime is grouped along much different lines than our genres. Anime often goes to places in its stories that Western entertainment would never touch, which can be jarring for new viewers.

A lot of recommendations in this thread, but some definitely lean toward the initiated veteran. Puella Magi Madoka Magica might be the greatest anime of all time but one needs a firm grounding in the magical girl genre before properly understanding its greatness.

If you're into Dollhouse and Alias, there are many anime series along their lines of mysterious organizations controlling people as weapons. It's a popular anime theme. Try Darker Than Black or Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom.

Anime leans much more heavily on fantasy, big robots, and other things that would be too costly for live-action television.

My top recommendations for a complete newcomer to anime:

Clannad - Its sweet, poignant romance in a high school setting is easily understood. Save the second season for a couple of years down the line.

Sword Art Online - A straightforward adventure story that doesn't rely too heavily on anime conventions. A boy gets trapped in a MMORPG; if you die in the game, you die in real life.

Full Metal Panic! - You'll come to find out that a good portion of anime revolves around Mechas - basically huge robotic battlesuits piloted by humans. This is one of the more well-rounded ones with action and humor.

Toradora! - Another high school romance, though this one is entirely different than Clannad and probably better reflects typical anime characters.

Death Note - A wild concept pushed to its logical limits. Hollywood has been desperate to adapt this one as a big-budget movie since it was first released. What if you could kill any person on the planet when you wrote their name down in a notebook?

Monster - If you're into all the standard treatments of serial killers by Hollywood, this is the anime you're looking for.

Re: Best anime series?
 

I do like stuff where animals represent spirits :) I liked the movie Ghost in the Shell and generally like anime movies (last one I saw was Up On Poppy Hill). Didn't really like the FF movies when they came out but I think they were westernized.

Re: Best anime series?
 

If you are looking for an anime that's multi seasons on blu-ray that popular try

Shakugan no Shana it has 3 Seasons, OVA's, Movie

My thread I created on the show http://forum.dvdtalk.com/anime-talk/...-no-shana.html

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Re: Best anime series?
 

Oh and I don't want something to get a westerner their feet wet, I want something die -hard and :)

Re: Best anime series?
 

A Certain Magical Index | A Certain Scientific Railgun there are 4 seasons. 2 for index and 2 for the spinoff anime Railgun. It is only on dvd however. Also Season 2 of Index does not have a release date in North America yet.


My thread I created on the anime http://forum.dvdtalk.com/anime-talk/...c-railgun.html

A Certain Magical Index Synopsis: Kamijo is a student in Academy City, where people use science to develop supernatural abilities. The guy's got a lot of heart - luckily for a young nun named Index. She's on the run from a sorcery society that covets the astonishing 103,000 volumes of magical knowledge stored in her memory. When Index stumbles into Kamijo's life, she finds a faithful friend and protector. While Kamijo's easily the weakest kid in Academy City, he's got something else going for him: the Imagine Breaker, an unexplainable power stored in his right hand that negates the powers of others.

With scientists and sorcerers attacking from all sides, the Imagine Breaker will definitely come in handy, but it's Kamijo's loyalty to Index that will be his greatest weapon in the fight to keep her safe.

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A Certain Scientific Railgun Synopsis: Misaka's electro-manipulation abilities - and delightfully destructive Railgun projectile move - make her a rock star in Academy City. The techno-metropolis is packed with supernaturally powered students known as espers, including Misaka's flirty friend and roommate, Kuroko. She uses her teleportation skills as a member of the Judgment law enforcement team, fighting crime alongside her fellow agent Uiharu.

Joined by their friend Saten, a spunky Level 0 esper, Misaka, Kuroko, and Uiharu have a blast taking on danger whenever and wherever it arises. Luckily, in a city full of super-powered gangs, mad scientists, and the occasional weird monster, the girls have no problem finding plenty of excitement, action, and adventure!

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Re: Best anime series?
 

Most (all?) of the above answers list recent series or at least ones from the 21st century. I'll give you some older recommendations and I make them as someone who's been writing professionally about anime for 20 years and has taught courses on the subject.

Off the top of my head, four you should plunge into right away to give you a taste of the diverse styles and range of stories available in anime:
Rurouni Kenshin
Cowboy Bebop
Streetfighter II-V
His and Her Circumstances

A little more specialized (after you've gotten your feet wet):
Samurai Champloo
Tenchi Universe
Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Toward the Terra
Phoenix (Hi no Tori)

Going back a few decades:
Cutie Honey
Captain Harlock
Galaxy Express 999
Rose of Versailles (highly recommended)

And it wouldn't hurt to sample some of the all-time longest-running anime series that have made it to the west:
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Z
Pokémon
Digimon
Naruto

P.S. The entire Sailor Moon series is coming out soon, remastered and including the famous fifth season that never got released here, plus a new series remake that premiered in Japan recently.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Gingitsune: Messenger Fox of the Gods is a fun slice-of-life series you might enjoy. It's about a wise herald in the form of a fox that can only be seen by a select handful of humans.

Another series in somewhat of a similar vein is Zakuro, though it's steeped in Japanese history and the rising Western influence of its period, the 1920s.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Why stream only a couple of episodes you can stream it all?

Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix and TheAnimeNetwork are all good services. Or rent them on iTunes. There are other options; you get the idea.

The best time to subscribe to Crunchyroll is typically Black Friday. The best time to subscribe to Funimation is RIGHT NOW because they're doing a "your first 6 months for $20" promotion.

Re: Best anime series?
 

If you are willing to tolerate commercials, a lot of anime streams for free on sites like Hulu.

Re: Best anime series?
 

You should check out Ranma 1/2 on Hulu, I just watched a half dozen episodes and now its on my to buy list for next Viz sale.

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Re: Best anime series?
 

Signed up for the 14 day Funimation free trial and it's the $20 for six months after that, thanks for the tip! :)

Re: Best anime series?
 

The Funimation streaming is really only worth it if you have a ROKU.

If you want a free All-Access Guest Pass at Crunchyroll that lasts 48 Hours, let me know.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Given your taste in shows, I am surprised no one has recommended Serial Experiments Lain. I also second FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I would also delve into 80s anime (the best era in my opinion), OAVs like 3x3 Eyes and the Hakkenden are awesome.

Re: Best anime series?
 

I love Serial Experiments Lain, my favorite overall anime, but that's more like a long movie and isn't multi-seasons which Deb seems to be looking for.

Similar goes for BoogiePop Phantom.

A lot of quality anime is only a single season, so I dunno.

Tenchi Universe
Ayashi no Ceres
Naruto
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Great Teacher Onizuka
Cowboy Bebop
Lain
BoogiePop Phantom
Love Hina

... I watched a lot of late 90s/early 00s anime :lol:

Re: Best anime series?
 

Thanks! I'll let you know in a couple of weeks when I use up the other trial :)

I DO have a Roku and it's where I do most of my TV watching! I have an indoor bike trainer (use regular outdoors bike outside) and a treadmill and I do most of my triathlon training indoors so I spend hours a week watching movies and TV shows while I train.

Re: Best anime series?
 

What is the difference between the Classic and the non-classic?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...s+Lain+blu-ray

Re: Best anime series?
 

This is off topic, but if you're looking for good stuff to watch on the Roku, check out Acorn.tv. Lots of great British mysteries, dramas and comedies. They have a one month free trial.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Huh, Serial Experiments Lain is available in its entirety in Funimation and it does sound intriguing, looks like I found myself my first anime show! Thanks! :D Have to hurry up and finish up Continuum and then this within the next two weeks now.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Thanks, I'll check it out! :) I've seen the name through the channel list.

Re: Best anime series?
 

You might want to check out Wolf's Rain. Not technically what you mentioned, but kind of a similar vein.

Re: Best anime series?
 

There are no differences except price. Funimation re-releases their sets at lower prices after the first manufacturing run has sold out and calls it "classic." Identical discs, inferior packaging.

Re: Best anime series?
 

There was only one exception so far and that was Samurai Champloo Blu-ray. FUNimation re-authored the discs the Anime Classics release (original release was technically under Geneon USA with FUNimation doing the distribution).

With that said, expect the discs to be same unless we see something different.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Is Avatar: The Last Airbender considered Anime even though it was produced in the U.S.?

Re: Best anime series?
 

Re: Best anime series?
 

Ha ha. That thought just popped into my head as I was browsing around. So anime by definition has to be produced in Japan?

Re: Best anime series?
 

Yes.

Or, as Pikachu would say, "Pika--CHU!"

Re: Best anime series?
 

Yep, there's a lot of U.S. (and elsewhere)-produced shows that are in the style of anime, but they're not anime.

Re: Best anime series?
 

Hey, I just noticed something, did you go and edit the quote and un-capitalize my username and the title of the show? :lol: