I want to get into anime but don't know where to start.

Necro

The title is self-explanatory. I your recommendations on anime.I haven't watched any "serious" anime like Vison of escaflowne or Ghost in Shell. I've only watched samurai Jack and Avatar if those count as anime.

mattytehhax0r

Those are good places to start. I think the guys did an episode entitled "Getting into Anime", which was pretty good, so I suggest you try to find that. Off the top of my head, I would suggest you watch basic genre anime. And by that, I mean basic by-the-numbers anime so you can determine what genres you enjoy.

kiwi_bird

Though many in the forum my disagree, I think Full Metal Alchemist is a good show to start off with. Same goes for Death Note.

Apreche

Cowboy Bebop, duh.

One Sin

I'm pretty sure we've had at least one other thread about this.

Erwin

I will tell you that if you are truly interested in anime you will have to start with the stuff that will be always good. So here is my list:
Macross


Macross Do You Remember Love (not licensed)


Rose of Versailles (not licensed)


Space Adventure Cobra (not licensed)


Phoenix / Hi No Tori (in all its incarnations)


Astroboy/ Tetsuwan Atom (If you can get the R3 dvds of the 2004 korean release get them, other wise get the 80s version)


Gundam Trilogy


Space Battleship Yamato


Candy Candy (not licensed)


Giant Robo OAV (super cheap)


I do not recommend Go Nagai action since I do not believe you can handle the Getter Rays just yet :P
But just in case you dare :P

Dkong

What series to start on?
Fullmetal Alchemist
Death Note
MAYBE Cowboy Bebop, but it really is all downhill from there. That's the biggest problem with it.


Where to get it?
Honestly, at first I'd start with just adult swim. Later on progress into torrents and netflix.

One Sin

I'm pretty sure we've had at least one other thread about this.

Found them.

EDIT: I'd be careful with Erwin's suggestions as they include a lot of old robot shows. Unless you like that kind of thing to begin with, the genre isn't going to pull you in.

Eryn

I agree with One Sin. Those shows are all indeed great, but they aren't exactly "starter" shows, especially not for someone who has only seen Samurai Jack and Avatar and probably wants to see anime that are similar to those (at least in the beginning). I'd recommend looking at the older stuff once you have a handle on the more modern newbie standards. Cowboy Bebop is probably the best one for that, as Scott said, or failing that, Trigun.

Another good thing to try would probably be any movie by Miyazaki; based on what you told us, I suspect you would probably really like Princess Mononoke best. Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky would also probably work.

A really great short series (only 13 episodes) that can be bought in a real cheap DVD thinkpak set is Kino's Journey ($34.99 on Amazon, $23.69 on DeepDiscount). If you like the character and emotional aspects of shows like Avatar (as well as wandering), you'll dig this show.

Erwin

I'm pretty sure we've had at least one other thread about this.

Foundthem.

EDIT: I'd be careful with Erwin's suggestions as they include a lot of old robot shows. Unless you like that kind of thing to begin with, the genre isn't going to pull you in.

That is why I put Go Nagai at the end. If you are talking about the Original Mobile Suit Gundam Trilogy, it is a good show that happens to have robots in it. And the same go with Giant Robo and Macross. I mean there are robots in Macross but the show is not just about the robots.
Most of the stuff that I choose come from the 70's and early 80's.
Tezuka will never disappoint (unless you have bad taste), and if you want something new then:

Black Jack is relatively new.

One Sin

MSG is a good show. However, is it a show that newer fans handle well? Most certainly not. Remember that each movie is two hours long and the visuals have aged horribly.

Regardless of whether they're good shows with robots in them or the robots are the show, you have to keep in mind that even compared to magic, monsters, and so on, the concept of giant robots duking it out is usually an unfamiliar one that can fly right over anyone who isn't expecting it.

Erwin

MSG is a good show. However, is it a show that newer fans handle well? Most certainly not. Remember that each movie is two hours long and the visuals have aged horribly.

Regardless of whether they're good shows with robots in them or the robots are the show, you have to keep in mind that even compared to magic, monsters, and so on, the concept of giant robots duking it out is usually an unfamiliar one that can fly right over anyone who isn't expecting it.

That is when I say, you are right.
Now I feel old
But really, are kids in nowadays not that familiar with giant robots?

Well, at least I am glad to say that my little 11 year old cousin was amazed after I let him watch the first OAV of Giant Robo, and my other 6 years old little cousin was in love with 80s Astrboy after he watched "The Greatest Robots of the World" episode.

One Sin

Judging by the rising popularity of ninjas in orange jumpsuits and moe girls, robots aren't in the limelight quite as much as they were in the 80's. It isn't rare for someone who got into anime in the 70s or 80s to name MSG or Macross as their first anime, but it's mostly Pokemon with the occasional Gundam Wing from the 90s. I've yet to hear someone say they got into anime in the 00s due to robot shows. It's all Naruto and Bleach with the occasional Death Note. The people watching Gundam 00, Eureka Seven, Macross Frontier, and Code Geass seem to be already favorably predisposed toward the genre.

Plahtigoe

Judging by the rising popularity of ninjas in orange jumpsuits and moe girls, robots aren't in the limelight quite as much as they were in the 80's. It isn't rare for someone who got into anime in the 70s or 80s to name MSG or Macross as their first anime, but it's mostly Pokemon with the occasional Gundam Wing from the 90s. I've yet to hear someone say they got into anime in the 00s due to robot shows. It's all Naruto and Bleach with the occasional Death Note. The people watching Gundam 00, Eureka Seven, Macross Frontier, and Code Geass seem to be already favorably predisposed toward the genre.

Well, Gundam Seed was one of the reasons I got in to anime...

Erwin

I got into anime in 1994 :S
South America always got stuff relatively late into the game. But I gotta say that if you have watched Macross before Macross F then you will be please with all the homages :P

Dkong

But really, are kids in nowadays not that familiar with giant robots?

short answer: yes.

Long answer (with a lot of opinions, so beware): Ok, we got Eureka Seven, some Gundam, and Code Geass on TV. After that, there's Macross Frontier and Gundam 00 that are available via fansubs. Then stuff like GaoGaiGar and Gurren Lagann are getting DVD releases. All in all, none of those shows are really that standout, especially compared to the likes of Death Note and Cowboy Bebop, which are currently airing (Bebop is on pretty much at least once a year on adult swim). Gurren Lagann is the only show of that group that I even come close to liking (I'm not watching Macross F until I watch the other Macross shows first). So all in all, kids are quasi familiar with giant robots, but are no where near familiar with good giant robot shows.

tranceotaku

Cowboy Bebop, duh.

This one is a easy. I think everyone that loves Cowboy Bebop would recommend it first. On that note, watch Cowboy Bebop and fall in love!

Erwin

But really, are kids in nowadays not that familiar with giant robots?

I'm not watching Macross F until I watch the other Macross shows first

What are you waiting for?

mattytehhax0r

I think the quickest (and cheapest) way to really get into anime is to just get netlfix. My anime watching exploded after getting it. They have just about everything that's been released to DVD here in America, and it's usually available to be shipped right away.

As far as things to watch first, Death Note, Ghost in the Shell: SAC, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, maybe Gundam SEED, and a Miyazaki movie. Personally, I'd say either Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke .

Funfetus

Personally, I'd say either Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke .

Or Totoro! Unless you don't like cute.

Omnutia

Personally, I'd say either Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke .

Or Totoro! Unless you don't like cute.

I think the distinction should be made between cute and heartwarming, of which Totoro is the latter.

Funfetus

I think the distinction should be made between cute and heartwarming, of which Totoro is the latter.

That's a good point. Totoro is definitely heartwarming. Perhaps "cute" was the wrong word. Adorable, maybe?

Geo

I think the guys did an episode entitled "Getting into Anime", which was pretty good,

While that was pretty damn good episode, it was kinda rushed because Scrym were tired and hungry. Maybe they should redo that episode when those unwanted effects weren't going through their systems?

Dkong

But really, are kids in nowadays not that familiar with giant robots?

I'm not watching Macross F until I watch the other Macross shows first

What are you waiting for?

Isn't it a sequel?

kiwi_bird

Princess Mononoke is a really good movie. It was the first Anime, aside from German TV, that I had ever seen. If I were you I'd just pick up the DVD and watch it.

Geo

Princess Mononoke is a really good movie. It was the first Anime, aside from German TV, that I had ever seen. If I were you I'd just pick up the DVD and watch it.

While it is a fantastic movie, don't let that be your first Miyazaki movie as it might be a little disorienting to those who aren't familiar with Miyazaki's style. That's like saying Apollo's Song should be your first Tezuka manga.

Erwin

But really, are kids in nowadays not that familiar with giant robots?

I'm not watching Macross F until I watch the other Macross shows first

What are you waiting for?

Isn't it a sequel?

What I mean to say was What are you waiting for to watch the original Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. Or you can just watch Macross: Do You Remember Love? (it is not licensed, it is super awesome, and it is basically the whole Macross TV series in a 2 hour movie :P )

Necro

I watched some of the anime that you have suggested, and liked most of them. The ones I liked were Cowboy Bebop, Vision of Escaflowne, Gundam Seed, Macross, and Fullmetal Alchemist. I haven't checked out all of the anime on that list, though. Thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm sure I'll discover more anime that I like as I watch more of it.

Commas should be followed by spaces. - Mr. Period

mattytehhax0r

I think almost as important as finding anime you like, is finding ways to find out about anime. I suggest (obviously) GN Wednesday, Anime World Order to educate your ass, and Fast Karate to entertain your ass.

Dkong

What I mean to say was What are you waiting for to watch the original Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. Or you can just watch Macross: Do You Remember Love? (it is not licensed, it is super awesome, and it is basically the whole Macross TV series in a 2 hour movie :P )

I'm waiting to finish up the stuff I'm currently watching (Hunter x Hunter, 31 eps, been at this series for almost 2 years now...Black Lagoon, 10 eps, been at it for almost a year...then Gurren Lagann, 10 eps, been at it since March). In short, I tend to watch a lot of series and movies (I've watched a lot of ep 1s of shows, and a lot of movies), but rarely ever do I finish an entire series. This shit's getting done over summer, though. I've been watching a lot more anime recently than I have in the past 2 years...so we'll see.

Exarion

I think you should give us an idea of the kind of things you like before asking advice. I can suggest all of my favorite anime, but there's no assurance that you will like any of them.