Where to start with anime ??

[Batty]

Yeah, Akira set the mark for anime movies. And like everyone else has already mentioned:

Ghost in the Shell
Ninja Scroll
Vampire Hunter D
Cowboy Bebop
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Trigun
Applessed
And absolutely anything by Hayao Miyazaki.

I would also add:

Grave of the Fireflies
Devilman
Serial Experiments Lain
Millennium Actress
Cat Soup
Wings of Honneamise
FLCL

There are so many good ones.

 

[Kabukiman]

I have no interest in Anime as a genre, but I must say Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the best 'epic' tales out there. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to "try" it though, you need to jump in head first and watch the whole series to fully appreciate it.

 

[piccolodaimaoh]

I am a big fan of Anime, my favorite is Dragon Ball/Dragonball Z. But we all have to start somewhere so here are a few you could use as a starting point.

Akira - Everyone recommends it for a reason

Ninja Scroll - The movie not the series, a classic

Ghost In The Shell - The movie is a great starting point, then move onto the series Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Vampire Hunter D - The original movie from 1985 is one of my Anime essentials, Bloodlust is the semi-sequel from 2002 and is also good, visually stunning but the original is a better starting point

From the Miyazaki library you can't go wrong but I would start with Princess Mononoke but Castle In the Sky, Howl's Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro are also great places to start.

The television series are too numerous but I would recommend

Cowboy Bebop
Outlaw Star
The Big O
Bleach
Naruto

I would also say you can't watch Anime without checking out Mobile Suit Gundam. Gundam is like Star Wars in Japan, insanely popular. The giant robot genre is pretty much defined by Gundam. There are plenty of Gundam series so if interested look at Gundam Seed, Gundam Wing, Gundam 8th MS Team or the original Gundam from 1979.

Once you get an 8th grade education in Anime then you can move on to the really advanced stuff, namely Neon Genesis Evangelion. It will be worth the wait.

 

[TOE]

I am a big fan of Anime, my favorite is Dragon Ball/Dragonball Z.

I would have never thought that you like Dragonball Z ..maybe it is the avatar

 

[TOE]

If you like kiddie stuff with fighting, try:

Dragonball Z
Naruto
Bleach


If you like intellectual anime:

Deathnote
Case Closed


more-adult fighting anime:

Basilisk
Claymore

 

[Rogue Trooper]

Akira is a must.

Bio Booster Armored Guyver i use to really enjoyed when i was at school, think it was all the violence that did'nt involve ACME that got me hooked on to that.

Dragonball Z, don't even need to watch Dragonball. I watch DBZ first and its one of my favorites.

Hayao Miyazaki is amazing Princess Mononoke is my favorite of his. Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaa are all good.
You must have Film4 they've shown all his films and tend to repeat themselves.

Watched his sons Tales from Earthsea lastnight, lacks that special something Hayao's works have and the story did not makes much sense to me.

 

[Mooncat]

I saw the Appleseed Ex Machina figures that have been produced and recently watched a DVD that showed a trailer for it

Now Im not a big lover of Manga perse that despite owning about 3 or 4 anime movies, the usual Akira Ghost in the Shell etc

but I really really liked Appleseed

Its a combination of CGI and 2d Animation

Also the story was easier to follow

Definately rate that amongst one of the best

 

[eighthsamurai]

lot of recommendations for neon genesis evangelion and gundam - they are probably 2 of the biggest ones out there and i've never seen them. guess i should watch them at some point.

Devilman is pretty cool too from what I can remember, but it was a long time ago. For vampire related stuff you can try Hellsing or the Blood, the Vampire Slayer series but I didn't really like either too much (style over substance). Trigun is really fun. Once you see Cowboy Bebop though, I think you'll be more hooked. It'll make you want to watch every episode.

Wicked City is one i remember as being quite good. Quite violent and twisted, from the writer and director of Ninja Scroll, Azumi 2, a part of the Animatrix and Vampire Hunter D.

For poor kiddy fun, watch Doraemon - makes me laugh every time.

And if it doesn't have to be Japanese, I would highly recommend the Spawn series that came out quite a few years ago. Really cool. Wished they'd carried on with that series.

 

[eighthsamurai]

and Batty, you're the 1st guy i know who's liked Lain - i loved that series! it seemed so confusing and different at first, but gradually it got better and better. i had the series but i lent it to someone and they went away. he was a good friend so i never cared.

 

[lcummins]

Some good recommendations so far, but I'm surprised no one has mentioned Full Metal Alchemist! Great anime and I highly recommend it! Eureka Seven is another good one to watch. And another I would suggest is The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya!

 

[Joranthalus]

Evangelion
Cowboy Bebop
and pretty much any of the Miyazaki Studio Ghibli films....

These are my faves, and my wife even likes them...

 

[crasis]

No one here mentioned MACROSS PLUS?? Get with it, people! Seriously, the Macross universe is up there with the greatest film franchises in my book. Granted, there are a lot of sequels/prequels, but you don't need any previous knowledge of the story to see PLUS, and it delivers.

And, of course, the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross (which was force-fit as the first part of Robotech), may be dated in animation, but the story is pure magic to this day. It has been released uncut by AnimEigo and ADV, so you can see all the stuff they mangled/edited out for the Robotech version. And if you ever want to be blown away by the finest hand-drawn animation ever conceived in the 80s (to this day, I'd almost argue), then the film version, Do You Remember Love? is an absolute anime CLASSIC! That's the one that solidified my love of the genre back in the 80's.

The newest series in the franchise, Macross Frontier, is also a great place to start, but it hasn't been released on dvd yet, as it is currently airing in Japan. You can download fansubs weekly, though.


A lot of people here mentioned the more obvious ones, like Akira, Ghost in the Shell TV and Cowboy Bebop, but definitely check these out if you get a chance:

Gurren Lagann (though you may want to wait until you've seen more of the genre first, since you'll probably never find another series as mindblowing and EPIC!!!)

Bubblegum Crisis (the original 8-part OVA series, NOT the "Tokyo 2040" tv series. Fear not, the name of the show is very misleading. It's like Blade Runner on speed. I actually think a LOT of people here that are into Terminator, Blade Runner, etc. would go crazy for this if they gave it a chance. But avoid the English dub like the plague, as it is truly AWFUL.)

Escaflowne (Knights battling each other in giant robot suits of armor in an incredible fantasy world. What's not to like??)

Just about anything by Miyazaki, but particularly Nausicaä.

 

[SOLIDSNAKE]

TAY !!

GO with DRAGONBALL Z ALL THE WAY MAN !!
you are going to love it.

actually you would have to start with dragonball but I dint like it. I watched it so I would have a better understanding of the story line.

 

[piccolodaimaoh]

I would have never thought that you like Dragonball Z ..maybe it is the avatar

Is it that obvious?

Re-reading my opening sentence it kind of sounds like I am at an AA meeting for Anime fans.

"Hello, my name is Piccolo Daimaoh and I have been addicted to Anime for 23 years, 8 months and 5 days."

 

[carbo-fation]

So many Anime fans here and yet the evil Darklord still won't give us our own section!:emperor

Anyways, some great recommendations from everyone.

Here are my recommendations:

Younger audience

Dragonball
Dragonball Z
Naruto
One Piece (Not the American version; the dubbing ruins it!)
Bleach
Rurouni Kenshin (Also check out Samurai X the movie)
Tenchi Muyo (and all the spin-offs like Tenchi in Tokyo, Tenchi Universe)
Gundam Wing (Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz)
Mobile Suit Gundam (and Char's Counterattack the movie)
Gundam 0079
Gundam 0080
Gundam 0083
08ths MS Team Gundam
Zeta Gundam
Gundam Seed
Gundam Seed Destiny
Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Panic (and the Second Raid and Fumoffu)
Outlaw Star
Godanner
Gurren Lagan
Inuyasha
Shaman King
Saint Seiya
Sailor Moon (what? I liked it)
Captain Tsubasa
Saber Rider and the Star Sherrifs

Mature audience

Samurai Champloo
Samurai 7
Berserk
Gantz
Cowboy Bebop
Trigun
Escaflowne
Neongenesis Evangelion
Gun Grave
Hellsing
Wolf's Rain
Monster (awesome )
Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO)
Ghost in the Shell (plus both movies)
Macross
Last Exile
Fist of North Star
Elfen Lied
Death Note
Detective Conan (Case Closed)
Read or Die
Initial D
Vandread
Karas
Trinity Blood
Speed Grapher
Basilisk
Ninja Scroll
Claymore
Bubblegum Crisis
Black Jack
Black Lagoon

Standalone movies

All Miyazaki Movies
Steamboy
Metropolis
Grave of the Fireflies
Akira
Be Forever Yamato
Jin-Roh the Wolf's Brigade
Appleseed 1 & 2
Tekken
SF Shinseiki Lensman
Street Fighter the Movie


I've seen all of these animes and more, but these are the ones I'd recommend. Start with which ever one and I am sure you'll get into it. Let me know if you want some other recommendations.

 

[uscmhicks]

I think I would be going for the more intellectual ones and mature stuff.
To be honest I have seen dragon ball z a few times and am totally lost as to whats going on , I just see guys in different colored suits kicking each other in the face then say " wtf " and turn it off. I think if I was to start with that it would definitely have to be at the begging !.
Well anyway Akira is on the way , so that will be the first one guys !!!!

 

[MooMooEgg]

carbo-fation, that's a very good list.

it's pretty difficult to recommend a starting point, simply because anime is so diverse and "quirky," compared to american shows... I'd recommend staying away from any show that's been going on for multiple years (e.g., dragonball z or naruto), simply because of the dedication needed to watch them.

Cowboy Bebop is definitely a good place to start. Quality series, only 25 or so episodes long, not too childish or existential, and attempts to stay away from the overblown Japanese-style character drama/conflicts. Just some good sci-fi adventuring. think of it as an anime version of Firefly.

if you're looking for something extremely quirky and heavy in Japanese culture, I'd recommend Azumanga Daioh. It's extremely funny and cute, and avoids the typical boy-loves-girl formula (because there arent any love interests aside from the simble recurring male pervert character). Just schoolgirls getting into zany situations--almost Seinfeldesque... BUT some jokes will go over your head because they're heavily culture-based... the dvd notes (in the US version) are extremely helpful (and educational).

good luck =)

 

[McHavyck]

Akira, Steamboy, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies

 

[plasmid303]

You should just keep watching the Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films since you liked Spirited Away so much.

Laputa: Castle in the Sky
My Neighbor Totoro
Porco Rosso
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Princess Mononoke
Kiki's Delivery Service

And if/when you're ready to move on to the hard hitting stuff:

Neon Genesis: Evangelion
Rahxephon
Wolf's Rain

Everyone had great recommendations, some I haven't finished or even seen yet.

Oh, if you liked The Matrix, check out The Animatrix. I swear it's better than Reloaded or Revolutions.

 

[winter]

Hellsing - vampire insanity

Ghost in the Shell - Enjoy the TV series more, but see TV and movies

Trigun - great story

Cowboy Bebop - can't praise enough

Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust

Samurai Champloo - from the maker of Cowboy Bebop

Berserk - A character nemed Guts with the biggest sword ever!

Akira - hard to beat

Samurai X - great samurai movie

Ninja Scroll - one of the best