Need some new Anime to watch!

[Aeric]

I watched the entire series of Last Exile not too long ago, and I really enjoyed it.

 

[Filby]

Project A-ko

Oh man, I loved that movie. Simply hilarious. Biiko Daitokuji (Lex Luthor as a schoolgirl?) has got to be my favorite anime villain of all time. How can you go wrong with fully automatic wrist-mounted missile launchers?

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

I blame the Berserk anime for getting me into manga - stopping around volume 11 was unforgiveable. The main character actually grows a lot, I think Gutsu is much more perceptive (and even a little caring, as a mass killer can be) at where I'm up to in mid volume 29 - he started off with such a "I just want to fight" attitude. Love it.

 

[Nightfall]

Okay, of the ones listed here, what ones have decent DVD releases?

I've heard bad things about the Full Metal Alchemist and Ghost in the Shell releases, so I've avoided them. I've heard great things about the shows, mind you, just that the transfer over to DVD wasn't that great.

And Cowboy Bebop, that's one I'll have to look up, as well.

Uhm I don't know who told you that but I liked the DVDs for both show (FMA and GitS)

SC (Samurai Champloo) has some VERY decent DVD releases IMHO.

Inuyasha has PLENTY of DVD releases.

I don't know about Naruto as of right now.

Both Burst Angel and Gunslinger Girls are available via DVD.

Reasonable sure Akiro is, but Basilisk isn't at the moment.

Other than that I'm sure you can probably get the ones listed here on DVD but no idea on the quality.

 

[Dragonblade]

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - A GitS television series. It's essentially an "alternate reality" where the events of the movies never took place, and the series is closer to the original comic books. All but the last volume is out on DVD now.

Actually, I believe the new series is a prequel to the Ghost in the Shell movie. However, I don't really care for the original movie all that much. Stand Alone Complex is much better overall.

There is also a sequel to Ghost in the Shell called Innocence. Its not half bad.

As for Fist of the Northstar, I have never seen the live-action movie, but I heard its bad. I still think the anime is worth seeing at least once. If anything for the great quotes that you'll get out of it.

Anyway, I highly recommend the new Appleseed cel-shaded CG movie that just came out. Its really good. My wife actually cried during the hologram scene. Its pretty powerful. Those who have seen the movie will know what I'm talking about.

 

[Rackhir]

Actually, I believe the new series is a prequel to the Ghost in the Shell movie. However, I don't really care for the original movie all that much. Stand Alone Complex is much better overall.

There is also a sequel to Ghost in the Shell called Innocence. Its not half bad.

As for Fist of the Northstar, I have never seen the live-action movie, but I heard its bad. I still think the anime is worth seeing at least once. If anything for the great quotes that you'll get out of it.

Anyway, I highly recommend the new Appleseed cel-shaded CG movie that just came out. Its really good. My wife actually cried during the hologram scene. Its pretty powerful. Those who have seen the movie will know what I'm talking about.

GITS : Stand Alone Complex 1 & 2 are set in a timeline, where the original GITS movie didn't happen, though some elements are incorporated into the end of the first series. The second series is a continuation of the first. GITS :SAC is definitely much better than the first movie was. Haven't seen the second yet though, the DVD release looked really cheezy. So I'm waiting for a nicer edition to be released.

I have comments on the Live Action Fist above. It's worth watching once if you are a fan of Hokuto No Ken, just because it is such a train wreck. The new OVA series is great though.

 

[Nightfall]

Rach,

I saw a fan sub of GitS 2: Innocence. It's pretty decent if you can stomach the long dialogue scenes. This is probably why I enjoy GitS:SAC more as the series is more action oriented than philosophically heavy like GitS2 was.

I know the first DVD release wasn't dubbed and I believe didn't have any subtitles either. Another release supposedly will have those features plus some other stuff too.

The new Appleseed movie does indeed look quite good. Also of note, they are in the process of doing an Appleseed series some time in 2006 I believe.

 

[Chain Lightning]

Glad to see many people recommending Samurai Champloo. I have to say, since watching the Fan subs, it's probably my most favorite semi-current anime around.

Burst Angel and Gun Slinger Girls I'd recommend too. Fun did a great job dubbing those two series.

Yeah, I just picked up "Gunslinger Girls" and I must say, I like it. I thought it was gonna be another "Noir" rip-off or some OVA aimed at pedophiles. But it surprised me. I bought "Noir" and was disappointed. "Gunslinger Girls" was much better.

This girl I know was also constantly saying how I should check out "Full Metal Alchemist". So, when it was released stateside I went out and bought it. I liked it well enough, but a lot of it seemed to be just like any other anime. The opening sequenced grabbed my attention, but then it went away when the tone went from serious to super-light. I was like, "Hmm....okay". Not that I don't mind that style, but its seems to be the norm for most typical anime.

But.......I get to the second disc. Then ....wow.....now its getting good. Okay, I'm hooked. I was wrong to judge so quickly. Thank goodness I gambled and picked up the 2nd disc.

As with the previous posters, I'll also recommend:

-Macross Plus
-Appleseed (the new toon-shaded cgi one - can pick it up easy at Best Buy)
-Azumanga Daioh (if you're in the mood for something light)
-Read or Die (the self contained OVA single disc original release - not the TV series)
-anything by Miyazaki: so also check out "Howl's Moving Castle" when it hits your town.

and if you wanna dig further back in time and try to find older titles, I'd recommend:

-Gunbuster

My friend really likes "Voice from a distant star". So, one night he had me watch it. I was like, "Uh...dude, have you seen Gunbuster?" He answered, "No". Then I told him that "Voice" is practicall a total rip off of Gunbuster. Good OVA that has dropped off most people's radar. It'll start off kinda typical for anime, bubbly teenage girl who has overly admired an older classmate as a hero (in a pilot academy), but that's only the first episode. The series is a really well written sci-fi story. If you can find it, check it out.

I'm a big Gundam fan too, but I admit, that series is hard to get into because of the storyline. But then again, I jumped right in without seeing the original and was okay.

"Gundam 0083: Stardust Memories" is one of my favorites, but the odd thing about that OVA is that it goes back and fills in the gap between the original late 70's "Gundam" and the 80's TV series that was launched afterward "Zeta Gundam". It does stand on its own, but the story has more impact when you know what went on before and after it. I guess its like Cartoon Network's "Clone Wars" ... filling in the gap between Ep.II and Ep.III.

"Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket" is cool in that it tells a Gundam story from the viewpoint of a civilian boy. I really like this one.

"Gundam 08th MS Team": is pretty good too (ending isn't as strong as the previous two mentioned, but still good viewing). This series tells of the original war from the 70's Gundam (the One Year War) but from the viewpoint of the ground forces doing battle on Earth.

The numbers 0080 and all that is the Universal Calendar date. When mankind went into colonizing space, the switched to a universal system of keeping track of years. So the first Gundam cartoon took place in 0079. Stardust Memories takes place in the year 0083.

 

[Nightfall]

Chain,

I'm a little surprised you thought it would be a Noir clone. Mostly because when I watched, fan subbed mind you, I felt like "Wow. This is some good and deep stuff."

FMA does tend to start out slow, but by the 5th ep it really starts to kick into high gear. It gets even better after ep 25.

*is more of a Gundam Wing, Endless Waltz, Gundam Seed fan* Can't wait to see Destiny on DVD.

Gunbuster is good, but I felt Gunbuster 2 was better.

Stelliva is another good choice if you like mechs, though Eureka 7 isn't too bad either.

 

[Hopping Vampire]

Naruto (in this series, being action oriented and all, the main hero doesnt always win the fights he gets into. one of my favorite animes for the reason)
Bleach
Ghost in the Shell stand alone complex 2nd Gig
Gasaraki