I think Cowboy Bebop will be the way to go. The reason that I can't show Baccano is that it definitely only has subs, and the reason I don't really want to show Perfect Blue is because gomidog was saying it contains nudity, which may very well put off my friends. ^^"
Although I must say, the trailer for Millennium Actress looks quite awesome. ^_~
Didn't know kiwi hailed from germany. Anyways I found an used offer for perfect blue on amazon.de for 40€. However I find that rather expensive and since a single volume of Cowboy Bebop runs about the same, I would think about a compromise: Cowboy Bebop the Movie. I think it has everything you are looking for and runs for less than 10€ on amazon.de.
I also saw that offer on Perfect Blue. But it's a used copy ("Gebraucht") and I'm not going to pay that much if it isn't even new. Since I haven't seen the movie yet I'll have to watch it first and then decide if I really want to buy it.
You know, I say this periodically whenever someone solicits anime advice, but a lot of these suggestions are pretty bad ideas, especially considering specifically what was asked.
For that kind of audience, with that particular mindset, it has to be a single work that can be watched completely in one sitting: a movie. It has to be something that does not include the tropes and stereotypes of "anime" or "kids' cartoons." It can't be something that starts slow, or is strange from the beginning, or otherwise is too alien for their tastes. Gundam (any Gundam) is a horrible idea, as is any entire series.
Since they need to be impressed upon with the idea that not all cartoons are for kids, we can assume a certain mindset coming in. Good but non-dark, light-hearted, or funny shows are mostly out, as is anything that, even if just on the surface, could be seen from a cursory glance as being a kids' movie.
The seriously best possible suggestions are:
Perfect Blue
Cowboy Bebop - Episode 5
Are you saying this as an episode 5 admirer? Because if I recall correctly, you said that both episode 1 and 5 are excellent episodes but if you've seen both of them you'll know which one to show your friends.
I don't see what the big deal about episode 5 is... Starting there is kinda dumb, cause seeing episode 1 (especially the prologue) greatly enhances the 5th episode. 2-4 are probably among the worst episodes of the series (although unfortunately they coincide with pretty important plot points such as getting Ein and Faye. So watching 1 then 5 is probably an ok idea.
Then after that, episodes 12 and 13 are probably among the best of the series (although, personally, Mushroom Samba is my favorite)...as well as the last 2.
I don't see what the big deal about episode 5 is...
Remember, you're not introducing people to "Cowboy Bebop:" you're introducing them to anime (at least, in this thread). Cowboy Bebop episode five jumps right into serious, violent, stylish ACTION. It's an immediate, short proof to people who don't get it that animation isn't a genre: it's a medium, and it can be serious. That's it's purpose. Take it from an expert: that particular episode is one of the best and fastest ways to turn a non anime fan into an anime fan.
I don't see what the big deal about episode 5 is...
Remember, you're not introducing people to "Cowboy Bebop:" you're introducing them toanime(at least, in this thread). Cowboy Bebop episode five jumps right into serious, violent, stylish ACTION. It's an immediate, short proof to people who don't get it that animation isn't a genre: it's a medium, and it can be serious. That's it's purpose. Take it from an expert: that particular episode is one of the best and fastest ways to turn a non anime fan into an anime fan.
Serious, violent, stylish action isn't really a rarity in anime. Also, the first episode of Cowboy bebop also has good action as well as a better storyline. It also isn't in the middle of the show.
I highly recommend Now and Then, Here and There. This anime starts off really happy but takes a really fucked up twisted turn. Your friends will be left with their jaws to the floor. By far one of the most fucked up anime I've ever seen. The genre is scifi other world. Rape and a lot of violence. Its also only 13 episodes long.
That's very true...which is just another reason why I prefer to just start at episode 1.
Besides being the first episode of the anime, it, somewhat unrelated to the first part of this sentence, also lacks the emotional impact episode 5 has. Really, go watch episode one and five again, compare them side by side. True, both have action, both are awesome in their own right, but episode one's mere purpose, along with the next few episodes, is introducing a person to Cowboy Bebop, the anime, its characters and the setting Whereas episode five is meant to build the story and get a person more emotionally involved with the anime as a whole.
To get a person into anime you mustn't do an half-assed job. You must bring out the big guns and favor to as many emotions and tastes as you can. And in that regard you have to admit that episode five of Cowboy Bebop is a way better choice than episode one is.
To get a person into anime you mustn't do an half-assed job. You must bring out the big guns and favor to as many emotions and tastes as you can. And in that regard you have to admit that episode five of Cowboy Bebop is a way better choice than episode one is.
Agreed. The risk of their not getting into anime is far greater than the detriment they have in watching Cowboy Bebop Ep5 without the additional understanding they gain from the prior episodes.
One problem with episode 5, some people I've shown it to tend to find the 5ish minute falling scene to be cheesy and over the top....I think it's badass, but that's just what some of my friends thought of it.
When my dad and I were watching Cowboy Bebop together, we started from episode 1, and we both found that we just thought it was kinda crappy and hard to follow. I really had to reassure him that the series would get better from that point, and I considered showing him episode 5 right after that to prove it. We ended up going in order from there anyway, but still.
The animation in that ep was top-notch as always, as was the music, but the story... I know I'm going to get some people who disagree with me (*cough*Rym*cough*), but the story for that episode was shoddily-done and trite. I didn't give a rat's ass about the situation or feelings of the one-shot characters, though their story was presented in such a way that it implied that I should care, at the very least by the end of the episode. The only things it really accomplished were introducing us to Spike and Jet, and giving us one cool fight scene. It also didn't help that the dub actors hadn't really found their footing with the roles yet, so everything sounded a little more stilted than it does later (especially from Jet). And don't tell me not to count the dub, because in order to convince some anime skeptics, they either won't watch something or won't enjoy themselves as much if the spoken language of the show isn't English.
Anyway, long story short: episode 1 and the environmentalist terror/Monkey Tuesday episode I think were probably the least interesting of the stand-alone episodes; subsequent stand-alones were put together much better. Thus, I'm in the "show episode 5" camp, as far as inducting people into liking anime goes.
If you want to convine someone that anime isn't just stupid kid's shows then Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise is a good choice, along with movies like Jinroh. If nothing else Golgo 13, but that might not make their views much better, just changed. Don't show it to your parents if you are trying to get them into anime! That wouldn't be something I would want to experience.
Wings of Honneamise...ehhh. True that it isn't a stupid kids show, but it's a tad on the boring side, so I don't know how good it would be for people you're trying to convert.
I just felt like the "emotion" of their story was being laid on too thick for the amount of screen time they had actually gotten. It felt too forced. To be fair, though, I think that's because everyone on staff was still finding their groove for the series at that point.
Comments
Totally.
Although I must say, the trailer for Millennium Actress looks quite awesome. ^_~
I'd like to get one first (the better one) and then get the second if I have the resources.
EDIT: It seems impossible to find a place to buy the Perfect Blue DVD in German, where as I can get the Cowboy Bebop DVD in my local DVD store..
Any thoughts on that?
Starting there is kinda dumb, cause seeing episode 1 (especially the prologue) greatly enhances the 5th episode. 2-4 are probably among the worst episodes of the series (although unfortunately they coincide with pretty important plot points such as getting Ein and Faye. So watching 1 then 5 is probably an ok idea.
Then after that, episodes 12 and 13 are probably among the best of the series (although, personally, Mushroom Samba is my favorite)...as well as the last 2.
Also, the first episode of Cowboy bebop also has good action as well as a better storyline. It also isn't in the middle of the show.
To get a person into anime you mustn't do an half-assed job. You must bring out the big guns and favor to as many emotions and tastes as you can. And in that regard you have to admit that episode five of Cowboy Bebop is a way better choice than episode one is.
One problem with episode 5, some people I've shown it to tend to find the 5ish minute falling scene to be cheesy and over the top....I think it's badass, but that's just what some of my friends thought of it.
The animation in that ep was top-notch as always, as was the music, but the story... I know I'm going to get some people who disagree with me (*cough*Rym*cough*), but the story for that episode was shoddily-done and trite. I didn't give a rat's ass about the situation or feelings of the one-shot characters, though their story was presented in such a way that it implied that I should care, at the very least by the end of the episode. The only things it really accomplished were introducing us to Spike and Jet, and giving us one cool fight scene. It also didn't help that the dub actors hadn't really found their footing with the roles yet, so everything sounded a little more stilted than it does later (especially from Jet). And don't tell me not to count the dub, because in order to convince some anime skeptics, they either won't watch something or won't enjoy themselves as much if the spoken language of the show isn't English.
Anyway, long story short: episode 1 and the environmentalist terror/Monkey Tuesday episode I think were probably the least interesting of the stand-alone episodes; subsequent stand-alones were put together much better. Thus, I'm in the "show episode 5" camp, as far as inducting people into liking anime goes.
Giant Robo
The Animation
The Day the Earth Stood Still