So, I just watched all I can up to in The Future Diary. (Does anyone know where I can watch the last episode that aired 5 days ago?) I'm looking for a new anime to fill my time, so let's start a "best animes" thread. I'll start.
Death Note - 10/10 The protagonist, Light Yagami, finds a notebook that can kill people via divine power and goes about making his own semi-twisted form of justice. Detectives hunt for him, and they play a game of intellectual chess. Many moral questions arise. There's a sub out on Netflix Watch Instantly.
The Future Diary AKA Mirri Nikki - 10/10 The protagonist, Yukiteru, is granted a diary on his cell phone that can tell the future. He is forced into a survival game with other people who own similar diaries by his not-so-imaginary friend, Deus Ex Machima, and Dues' assistant Murmur. But can he make teams work with other players? Treachery, backstabbing, and death all play a large part. Some moral questions arise. It's on Hulu for free.
Ouran High School Host Club - 8/10 The main character, Hikaru, is a first-year at a new school where EVERYONE is either super-smart, super-rich, or both. He has to join the Host Club, where he entertains girls in a romantic fashion. But... he is really a she. Can she keep it under wraps? It's on Netflix Watch Instantly.
Hetalia Axis Powers - 9.5/10 Every country is personified and given a character, and it's history class! In this hilarious comedy, we see all our favorite countries such as "I'm The Hero" America, soft-spoken Canada, militaristic Germany, and crazy yet soft England. It's on Netflix Watch Instantly.
The only good anime ever was Dragonball Z. (And Cowboy Bebop, but that's so high quality that it doesn't even count as anime)
and if anyone says otherwise, you're doing it wrong and thus your opinion is void.
The only good anime ever was Dragonball Z. (And Cowboy Bebop, but that's so high quality that it doesn't even count as anime)
and if anyone says otherwise, you're doing it wrong and thus your opinion is void.
Really? DBZ is subpar and cowboy bebop is good, but there are a few you should like if you like it (e.g. samurai champloo).
My favorite is mononoke, but I'm not sure most of the people here would like it that much. From wikipedia:
Mononoke follows a wandering, nameless character known only as the "Medicine Seller" (voiced by Takahiro Sakurai). The series is made up of individual chapters in which the medicine seller encounters, combats and subsequently destroys various mononoke. The "mononoke" are a type of ayakashi, unnatural spirits that linger in the human world.
The Medicine Seller always proceeds in the same manner, using his knowledge of the supernatural to fend off the mononoke until he can learn the spirit's shape (Katachi), truth (Makoto) and reasoning (Kotowari). Only then can he unsheathe his sword and exorcise the demon.
It basically boils down to a mystery series with 2-3 episode long story arcs, really cool visuals and a lot of influence from japanese folklore. Oh yea, and not nearly as much action as that quote makes it sound like.
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"Virtue, Jacques, is an excellent thing. Both good people and wicked people speak highly of it..."
Best of the best:
-Code Geass (if you loved deathnote you will love this one)
-Blue Exorcist
-Neon Genesis Evangelion
-Count of Monte Cristo
-Paranoia Agent
-Cowboy Bebop (English dub is good)
-Full Metal Alchemist
I loved Inuyasha, Naruto, and DBZ also but they are acquired tastes and not for everyone. They're long ass series so if you're into that they're great.
I tend not to like most comedy animes, however Milk Chan (English dub is better) is super trippy and bizarre, and Golden Boy (English dub) is the LOLZ-iest anime ever.
Some other ones that were pretty good/enjoyable but not spectacular:
-Planetes
-Fruits Basket
-Gravitation (if you don't mind gay romance)
-Yami no Matsui
-Soul Eater
-Crest of Stars / Banner of Stars
-Record of Lodoss War
If you have a PS3 or Xbox I highly recommend getting Hulu+. It's 8 bucks a month and it has every episode of Blue Exorcist, Code Geass, Inuyasha, Soul Eater, Full Metal Alchemist, and Naruto.
For the most part all of these listed are ones with continuous stories (a progressing plot) and not "serial animes" where episodes aren't really connected to each other (which I hate).
Ghost in Shell: SAC - The original Ghost in Shell movie is a bit to dark in comparison to the manga for my tastes; however all the Ghost in Shell animes are of really amazing quality. It pretty much is the Cyberpunk anime with a lot of psychological undertones. This is by far my favorite anime with just the amazing quality put into it, both story wise and visually.
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
Full Metal Alchemist:Brotherhood - Do NOT watch Full Metal Alchemist. The first anime produced was terrible and completely off track of the manga. The remake, FMA:Brotherhood, is more faithful to the manga and is levels above the first anime.
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
Eden of the East - A lot of comedy relief, but still has a very serious plot.
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
Obligatory: TTGL, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, FLCL, etc.
Quick note, this is actually called Gankutsuou, but it is based on and fairly faithful to the count of monte cristo. And yea it's nice.
The art style in particular is one of those things that wouldn't work in just any show, but makes Gankutsuou rather visually impressive. Although I'm not sure how faithful it is to the original since I actually saw the anime and then read The Count of Monte Cristo and, well, they change protagonists, give supporting characters all kinds of new relevance (Beppo for instance was in like only one scene in the book but all over the place in the anime), and in general switch most things up. Although they do keep the overall plot and characters pretty similar outside of obvious things like Edmond Dantes not being all blue-skinned and stuff.
And on the note of series adapted from classic stories, I was rather disappointed by Romeo x Juliet, but some of my friends swear up and down about how good it is.
Also just because I noticed:
Quote from Iheartred »
Ouran High School Host Club - 8/10 The main character, Hikaru,
No doubt that Hikaru is a major character (although I ship Haruhi/Tamaki instead), but I think you mean Haruhi there. Who's actually a semi-decent example of a genderqueer protagonist. Though I'd say that's by accident given the absolute tactlessness in how they handle the transvestism that pops up from time to time...
-
Now, I could list series all day, but a lot of the stuff I'd mention has already been talked about so I'll avoid repeating others. So since it hasn't been mentioned yet, I'll add Revolutionary Girl Utena to the pile as pretty much my favourite series. It's got a surprisingly deep plot, some of the best music I've ever heard, and a striking visual style. The movie version is also very good if you don't mind having your symbolism come at you hard and fast (especially the last third or so).
Also: Black Butler. It was one of those series where I went into it not expecting much and came out of it wondering why it had to end. What can I say, Sebastian is simply one hell of a butler.
Finally, on the subject of series with Black in their names, Black Lagoon is pretty good. It has its ups and downs, and I'm not really a fan of the final arc, but the OVA more than made up for it.
Other stuff that I liked and can remember offhand but don't really have any comment on: .hack//SIGN, Elfen Lied, Escaflowne, Haibane Renmei, Hellsing, Kyou Kara Maou, Loveless, Trinity Blood, Witch Hunter Robin (edit: also the comedy Princess Princess option, which I like more as a way to get reactions from people who know what it is than as an actual show).
Frankly Durarara(or drrr) is one of the best things I've seen in a while, so I was surprised it hadn't been mentioned yet.
I'd also like to point out "Welcome to the NHK" and "Darker then Black" because there also very good
BARTHOLOMEW
Do you know what c.I.A. is, mrs. Lampert?
REGGIE
I don't suppose it's an airline, is it?
BARTHOLOMEW
Central Intelligence Agency -- C.I.A.
REGGIE (surprised)
You mean spies and things like that?
BARTHOLOMEW
Only we call them agents.
Full Metal Alchemist:Brotherhood - Do NOT watch Full Metal Alchemist. The first anime produced was terrible and completely off track of the manga. The remake, FMA:Brotherhood, is more faithful to the manga and is levels above the first anime.
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
I watched all of the original FMA before starting Brotherhood. Both are enjoyable, IMO. The original did a better job of creating an emotional investment with some of the characters (I'll never forget how disgusted I felt watching Night of the Chimera's Cry...didn't have the same impact in Brotherhood).
I've tried to get into a lot of animes but few really catch my attention. I got bored of Death Note after a certain point.
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A tier 3 Legacy deck was named after me. What have you done with your life?
I've tried to get into a lot of animes but few really catch my attention. I got bored of Death Note after a certain point.
The big problem for me with Death Note was:
Basically everything after L died was a huge drag that felt tacked-on simply as a way to make sure Light didn't win. Basically everything with Near/Mello was horridly written compared to the L stuff and the ending just makes me pretend that L dying was the real end and everything after never happened.
Right now, I'm watching Persona 4. Not bad, but silent protagonist is hard to pull off in an anime.
Recently finished Ika Musune season 2. Not as funny as season 1.
Before that, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which is very good especially if you haven't seen the spoilers. Also, Azumanga Daioh, a series that has eluded me for over a decade.
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"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Wing is the best Gundam series. Then again it's the one I grew up on, so that might affect my opinion slightly. Still, as far as Gundam series go (and I've seen way too many) it does hold up as the best one. I also like 0080 and 0083 and I guess Seed. Seed Destiny was an abomination, though.
. Also, Azumanga Daioh, a series that has eluded me for over a decade.
I need to watch the anime, I'm not a huge anime or manga fan but I read the azumanga daioh manga and its one of my favorites.
Two animes I watched that I have to recommend are baccano and Durarara which are done by the same people (durarara has several easter eggs and a cameo from baccano.)
Wing is the best Gundam series. Then again it's the one I grew up on, so that might affect my opinion slightly. Still, as far as Gundam series go (and I've seen way too many) it does hold up as the best one. I also like 0080 and 0083 and I guess Seed. Seed Destiny was an abomination, though.
I grew up on Seed, I did enjoy it much more than others and probably am biased, I thought destiny was meh, somewhat redundant.
But Gundam 00 really got to me, I definitely enjoyed the animation methods they employed on the series and really made it crisp and fluid especially in action scenes
A couple good ones that need to be mentioned, in my opinion:
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
I have to agree with this suggestion, somewhat surprised it wasn't mentioned already. Also, FLCL (or Fooly Cooly), was made by the same guy as TTGL and has a similar style. Both are great, however FLCL only has 6 episodes (to TTGL which has 24 I think). It packs a lot in those 6 episodes though.
Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Or Higurashi, When they Cry).
Oh my god yes. This show was fantastic. A few months ago I watched it again, it was just as fantastic as I remembered it being. Also, while it's not necessarily anime, if you liked this series you should check out Umineko. It's a visual novel. It's also made by one guy: the guy who made Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni. It is also considered the spiritual successor to Higurashi. Oh and when I say it's made by one guy I mean it is made by one single person (i.e. the art isn't very good but the story is pretty darn good).
Anyways, some recommendations of shows that haven't been mentioned yet:
Mushi-Shi:
Episodic series. Only a few characters are there for more than one episode. Very laid back show. Basically, it follows a man who's a "Mushi Master". This man (named Ginko) goes around helping people who have problems related to mushi. The english dub is pretty good.
Steins;Gate:
Holy crap this show is good. Seriously. It's funny, uplifting and entertaining the first half. Then the show takes a turn and boom, it's dark and thrilling. Great characters all around, good art, great story. Seriously, you should be watching this right now. It is fantastic. One of my favorite shows of all time.
Clannad:
A slice-of-life comedy/drama. The first season kind of sucks, especially compared to the second season (named Clannad: After Story). The way I look at the first season is that it's basically just an okay comedy with a little romance in it (most of the romance is very dull only because, in my experience, the viewer's understanding of the relationship is usually ahead of the show, as in "oh I already new that was going to happen" sort of feeling, there's just no excitement in the "romantic" parts of the first season). However, that being said, the second season is so incredible. If you don't cry, well then, I'm not sure you have emotions. If you want a show that'll make you cry and one that will make you look back on it, go for Clannad. Amazing show.
Wing is the best Gundam series. Then again it's the one I grew up on, so that might affect my opinion slightly. Still, as far as Gundam series go (and I've seen way too many) it does hold up as the best one. I also like 0080 and 0083 and I guess Seed. Seed Destiny was an abomination, though.
Stardust memory was ifrc the most popular, but i can't even remember where I heard that from, so take it with a grain of salt. The ONLY anime's i've ever watched were DBZ, the gundams, yu yu hakusho, and cowboy bebop, though.
gundam was fantastic, the entire way through.
Hikaru No Go
Samurai Champloo
Cowboy Bepop
Trigun
Baccano!
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (first arc mostly)
Death Note (first arc mostly)
FLCL
Though I'm not a big anime guy.
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"If you're Havengul problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems and a Lich ain't one." - FSM
"In a world where money talks, silence is horrifying."
The art style in particular is one of those things that wouldn't work in just any show, but makes Gankutsuou rather visually impressive.
Yea. Mononoke is similar.
Although I'm not sure how faithful it is to the original since I actually saw the anime and then read The Count of Monte Cristo and, well, they change protagonists, give supporting characters all kinds of new relevance (Beppo for instance was in like only one scene in the book but all over the place in the anime), and in general switch most things up. Although they do keep the overall plot and characters pretty similar outside of obvious things like Edmond Dantes not being all blue-skinned and stuff.
Yea I saw the anime first too, I think it's pretty faithful despite there being several cases of notable changes (peppo being a good example). Even the skin thing - he's really pale in the book, from being locked up, so it's analogous. But you know the japanese have gotta have some kind of demon or some ****, heh.
Then there's just a lot of things they did perfectly, like his smile. It gives the exact same feeling as the vague description in the book.
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"Virtue, Jacques, is an excellent thing. Both good people and wicked people speak highly of it..."
Moved from Water Cooler Talk to Entertainment. I suspect you'll get more knowledgable traffic here.
I know nothing about anime, so I have no idea if the OP is talking about movies, television shows, or both. So I moved it to the main Entertainment forum. If its more appropriate in a subforum, then I apologize.
Full Metal Alchemist:Brotherhood - Do NOT watch Full Metal Alchemist. The first anime produced was terrible and completely off track of the manga. The remake, FMA:Brotherhood, is more faithful to the manga and is levels above the first anime.
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
Couldn't disagree more, the Original anime was better in many ways, worse in others.
But here is my 3x3 of IMO the best animes I've ever seen. Note that I have seen well over 100 series.
Both FMA's are exceptional. I like the overall themes and storyline of the first, but nothing beats the roy/lust fight in the second and I think the coolest individual moments come in the second one, but they only got to gloss over some of the stuff they did gloss over in the 2nd because the first already covered it.
Really? I felt that the first FMA didn't really have that much character development, instead opting for more non-sequitur sidestories, this problem was further compacted by the fact that it had less episodes.
Some others I forgot: Durarara, Time of Eve, Samurai 7.
Some movies:
Everything by Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli (the only one Hayao Miyazaki did outside of Studio Ghibli was Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which is really amazing) and Satoshi Kon.
The Girl who Lept through Time
5 Centimeters Per Second
Metropolis
I still need to see it. While we're on the topic of anime films, Jin Roh is both great in general and very good for people looking for something... westerner-friendly I guess.
I also love basically every Ghibli movie except Porco Rosso
I've heard from a few people that it's the best of ghibli, though I still haven't seen it. Mind giving me vague reasons why you disagree?
But here is my 3x3 of IMO the best animes I've ever seen. Note that I have seen well over 100 series.
Though DMC could be swapped with Beck.
Man, the wings on the top one really made me think it was rahxephon for like 2 minutes before I saw the shoulders. That's confusing. You would probably like Rahxephon if you haven't tried it, by the way.
Both FMA's are exceptional. I like the overall themes and storyline of the first, but nothing beats the roy/lust fight in the second and I think the coolest individual moments come in the second one, but they only got to gloss over some of the stuff they did gloss over in the 2nd because the first already covered it.
Yea, I pretty much agree with this. I'd also say the action in the second was overall much better, and that although I think I agree about liking the themes and such of the first more... the endings kind of solidified my preference for the second series. Brotherhood delivered a very solid ending for the kind of show it was, and I didn't like the direction that the first went nor the implication it had on some of the themes.
Death Note - 10/10 The protagonist, Light Yagami, finds a notebook that can kill people via divine power and goes about making his own semi-twisted form of justice. Detectives hunt for him, and they play a game of intellectual chess. Many moral questions arise. There's a sub out on Netflix Watch Instantly.
The Future Diary AKA Mirri Nikki - 10/10 The protagonist, Yukiteru, is granted a diary on his cell phone that can tell the future. He is forced into a survival game with other people who own similar diaries by his not-so-imaginary friend, Deus Ex Machima, and Dues' assistant Murmur. But can he make teams work with other players? Treachery, backstabbing, and death all play a large part. Some moral questions arise. It's on Hulu for free.
Ouran High School Host Club - 8/10 The main character, Hikaru, is a first-year at a new school where EVERYONE is either super-smart, super-rich, or both. He has to join the Host Club, where he entertains girls in a romantic fashion. But... he is really a she. Can she keep it under wraps? It's on Netflix Watch Instantly.
Hetalia Axis Powers - 9.5/10 Every country is personified and given a character, and it's history class! In this hilarious comedy, we see all our favorite countries such as "I'm The Hero" America, soft-spoken Canada, militaristic Germany, and crazy yet soft England. It's on Netflix Watch Instantly.
What do you guys enjoy?
From Disappointing Signet Inc.!
Generation 16: First time you see this, change the number up 1 and copy into sig. It's a social experiment.
and if anyone says otherwise, you're doing it wrong and thus your opinion is void.
My favorite is mononoke, but I'm not sure most of the people here would like it that much. From wikipedia: It basically boils down to a mystery series with 2-3 episode long story arcs, really cool visuals and a lot of influence from japanese folklore. Oh yea, and not nearly as much action as that quote makes it sound like.
-Code Geass (if you loved deathnote you will love this one)
-Blue Exorcist
-Neon Genesis Evangelion
-Count of Monte Cristo
-Paranoia Agent
-Cowboy Bebop (English dub is good)
-Full Metal Alchemist
I loved Inuyasha, Naruto, and DBZ also but they are acquired tastes and not for everyone. They're long ass series so if you're into that they're great.
I tend not to like most comedy animes, however Milk Chan (English dub is better) is super trippy and bizarre, and Golden Boy (English dub) is the LOLZ-iest anime ever.
Some other ones that were pretty good/enjoyable but not spectacular:
-Planetes
-Fruits Basket
-Gravitation (if you don't mind gay romance)
-Yami no Matsui
-Soul Eater
-Crest of Stars / Banner of Stars
-Record of Lodoss War
If you have a PS3 or Xbox I highly recommend getting Hulu+. It's 8 bucks a month and it has every episode of Blue Exorcist, Code Geass, Inuyasha, Soul Eater, Full Metal Alchemist, and Naruto.
For the most part all of these listed are ones with continuous stories (a progressing plot) and not "serial animes" where episodes aren't really connected to each other (which I hate).
... You're welcome.
Other good shows: Baccano, Paranoia Agent, [C] Control, and Cowboy Bebop.
Updated 11/01/13
-->Standard:
:symwg::symwg::symwg: Aggressive Midrange
:symu::symu::symu: Devotion
-->Modern:
:symwg::symrg::symug: Kiki-Jiki Pod
:0mana::symur::0mana: Affinity
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
Full Metal Alchemist:Brotherhood - Do NOT watch Full Metal Alchemist. The first anime produced was terrible and completely off track of the manga. The remake, FMA:Brotherhood, is more faithful to the manga and is levels above the first anime.
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
Eden of the East - A lot of comedy relief, but still has a very serious plot.
(English Dub is quite nicely done and is on Netflix Instant Watch)
Obligatory: TTGL, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, FLCL, etc.
The art style in particular is one of those things that wouldn't work in just any show, but makes Gankutsuou rather visually impressive. Although I'm not sure how faithful it is to the original since I actually saw the anime and then read The Count of Monte Cristo and, well, they change protagonists, give supporting characters all kinds of new relevance (Beppo for instance was in like only one scene in the book but all over the place in the anime), and in general switch most things up. Although they do keep the overall plot and characters pretty similar outside of obvious things like Edmond Dantes not being all blue-skinned and stuff.
And on the note of series adapted from classic stories, I was rather disappointed by Romeo x Juliet, but some of my friends swear up and down about how good it is.
Also just because I noticed:
No doubt that Hikaru is a major character (although I ship Haruhi/Tamaki instead), but I think you mean Haruhi there. Who's actually a semi-decent example of a genderqueer protagonist. Though I'd say that's by accident given the absolute tactlessness in how they handle the transvestism that pops up from time to time...
-
Now, I could list series all day, but a lot of the stuff I'd mention has already been talked about so I'll avoid repeating others. So since it hasn't been mentioned yet, I'll add Revolutionary Girl Utena to the pile as pretty much my favourite series. It's got a surprisingly deep plot, some of the best music I've ever heard, and a striking visual style. The movie version is also very good if you don't mind having your symbolism come at you hard and fast (especially the last third or so).
Also: Black Butler. It was one of those series where I went into it not expecting much and came out of it wondering why it had to end. What can I say, Sebastian is simply one hell of a butler.
Finally, on the subject of series with Black in their names, Black Lagoon is pretty good. It has its ups and downs, and I'm not really a fan of the final arc, but the OVA more than made up for it.
Other stuff that I liked and can remember offhand but don't really have any comment on: .hack//SIGN, Elfen Lied, Escaflowne, Haibane Renmei, Hellsing, Kyou Kara Maou, Loveless, Trinity Blood, Witch Hunter Robin (edit: also the comedy Princess Princess option, which I like more as a way to get reactions from people who know what it is than as an actual show).
I'd also like to point out "Welcome to the NHK" and "Darker then Black" because there also very good
RADHAHAHA
BARTHOLOMEW
Do you know what c.I.A. is, mrs. Lampert?
REGGIE
I don't suppose it's an airline, is it?
BARTHOLOMEW
Central Intelligence Agency -- C.I.A.
REGGIE (surprised)
You mean spies and things like that?
BARTHOLOMEW
Only we call them agents.
I watched all of the original FMA before starting Brotherhood. Both are enjoyable, IMO. The original did a better job of creating an emotional investment with some of the characters (I'll never forget how disgusted I felt watching Night of the Chimera's Cry...didn't have the same impact in Brotherhood).
I've tried to get into a lot of animes but few really catch my attention. I got bored of Death Note after a certain point.
The big problem for me with Death Note was:
Recently finished Ika Musune season 2. Not as funny as season 1.
Before that, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which is very good especially if you haven't seen the spoilers. Also, Azumanga Daioh, a series that has eluded me for over a decade.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Well I recommend Gundam and like 90% of the series (I wasn't in to Gundam G)
I am actually a fan of the more recent ones (Gundam 00 and Gundam Seed/Destiny) so i'd recommend those first
I need to watch the anime, I'm not a huge anime or manga fan but I read the azumanga daioh manga and its one of my favorites.
Two animes I watched that I have to recommend are baccano and Durarara which are done by the same people (durarara has several easter eggs and a cameo from baccano.)
I grew up on Seed, I did enjoy it much more than others and probably am biased, I thought destiny was meh, somewhat redundant.
But Gundam 00 really got to me, I definitely enjoyed the animation methods they employed on the series and really made it crisp and fluid especially in action scenes
I have to agree with this suggestion, somewhat surprised it wasn't mentioned already. Also, FLCL (or Fooly Cooly), was made by the same guy as TTGL and has a similar style. Both are great, however FLCL only has 6 episodes (to TTGL which has 24 I think). It packs a lot in those 6 episodes though.
Oh my god yes. This show was fantastic. A few months ago I watched it again, it was just as fantastic as I remembered it being. Also, while it's not necessarily anime, if you liked this series you should check out Umineko. It's a visual novel. It's also made by one guy: the guy who made Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni. It is also considered the spiritual successor to Higurashi. Oh and when I say it's made by one guy I mean it is made by one single person (i.e. the art isn't very good but the story is pretty darn good).
Anyways, some recommendations of shows that haven't been mentioned yet:
Mushi-Shi:
Episodic series. Only a few characters are there for more than one episode. Very laid back show. Basically, it follows a man who's a "Mushi Master". This man (named Ginko) goes around helping people who have problems related to mushi. The english dub is pretty good.
Steins;Gate:
Holy crap this show is good. Seriously. It's funny, uplifting and entertaining the first half. Then the show takes a turn and boom, it's dark and thrilling. Great characters all around, good art, great story. Seriously, you should be watching this right now. It is fantastic. One of my favorite shows of all time.
Clannad:
A slice-of-life comedy/drama. The first season kind of sucks, especially compared to the second season (named Clannad: After Story). The way I look at the first season is that it's basically just an okay comedy with a little romance in it (most of the romance is very dull only because, in my experience, the viewer's understanding of the relationship is usually ahead of the show, as in "oh I already new that was going to happen" sort of feeling, there's just no excitement in the "romantic" parts of the first season). However, that being said, the second season is so incredible. If you don't cry, well then, I'm not sure you have emotions. If you want a show that'll make you cry and one that will make you look back on it, go for Clannad. Amazing show.
Stardust memory was ifrc the most popular, but i can't even remember where I heard that from, so take it with a grain of salt. The ONLY anime's i've ever watched were DBZ, the gundams, yu yu hakusho, and cowboy bebop, though.
gundam was fantastic, the entire way through.
Hikaru No Go
Samurai Champloo
Cowboy Bepop
Trigun
Baccano!
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (first arc mostly)
Death Note (first arc mostly)
FLCL
Though I'm not a big anime guy.
"In a world where money talks, silence is horrifying."
Ashcoat Bear of Limited
Then there's just a lot of things they did perfectly, like his smile. It gives the exact same feeling as the vague description in the book.
I know nothing about anime, so I have no idea if the OP is talking about movies, television shows, or both. So I moved it to the main Entertainment forum. If its more appropriate in a subforum, then I apologize.
Couldn't disagree more, the Original anime was better in many ways, worse in others.
But here is my 3x3 of IMO the best animes I've ever seen. Note that I have seen well over 100 series.
Though DMC could be swapped with Beck.
Some others I forgot: Durarara, Time of Eve, Samurai 7.
Some movies:
Everything by Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli (the only one Hayao Miyazaki did outside of Studio Ghibli was Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which is really amazing) and Satoshi Kon.
The Girl who Lept through Time
5 Centimeters Per Second
Metropolis