Best anime show/movie?

[turbozed]

I know, I know, most anime is pretty cheesy and aimed at a kid audience. The ones that actually *are* more adult involve tentacles and unmentionable goings-on. However, a few anime series and movies stand out for me and will forever make me a fan.

My favorite anime TV shows are: Rurouni Kenshin (Legend of Kyoto Shishio Saga), and Cowboy Bebop. CBB probably wins out as my favorite because of the marvelous writing, music, and imaginative conceptual production. I don't think I've seen another anime, or any TV show for that matter, that has come close to being so good. If anyone know of another anime with a similar feel, let me know. Oh, and I've seen Samurai Champloo and liked it but feel it still didn't come close. Also, I've been trying to get into Ghost in the Shell: SAC but don't think it's really got me hooked.

I haven't really seen any good anime movies lately. Stuff like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are asthetically pleasing but aren't really moving in the way they hope to be (at least to me). I never really got too much into the cult classics Akira and Ghost in the Shell either. What I really did enjoy, and I'll put down as my favorite was Ninja Scroll. Nothing like a little ultra violence and hardcore cool. The Vampire Hunter D movie was similar and comes in as my second favorite. Can anyone suggest a similar movie?

I haven't really been following anime recently so if anyone has found a gem, please let me know!

 

[Thracozaag]

Cowboy Bebop is great (although the movie was mightily disappointing). Some other favorites:

Witch Hunter Robin
Vampire Hunter D (original) and Bloodlust
Ninja Scroll
Anything by Miyazaki (Totoro and Naasica are my faves)
Graveyard of the Fireflies (most depressing movie I've ever seen, period)
Escaflone
Violence Jack
Record of Lodoss War
X
Perfect Blue
Blood: the Last Vampire

koji

 

[chrysalid]

akira is unsurpassed imo. watched one called 'dead leaves' recently, hyper-kinetic and off the wall j-weirdness, recommended. i think flcl is supposed to be excellent as well - some link between the two. imdb links:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439533/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279077/

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Not really what you asked for thematically, but here's a brief list of my favorites... maybe there is something on here that strikes your fancy.

FLCL (moderately random anime)

Jubei Chan The Ninja Girl:Secret Of The Lovely Eyepatch (experimentally random)

Don't Leave Me Alone Daisy (Extreme randomness, hilarity ensues)

Cowboy Bebop series/movie (already been mentioned, but I can't stress it enough, BRILLIANT)

Millenium Actress or Paranoia Agent (or almost any recent Satoshi Kon stuff)

Blue Submarine no. 6 (A classic with a decent storyline)

Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade (I think Steve B would like this movie)

Akira (Deluxe edition with the modern re-dubbing. The new dubbing is so much better!)

Anything from Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli (In Pom Poko, raccoons fight against humans using their magical shape changing testicles!)

Samurai 7 (Futuristic take on Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, It's pretty good)

Samurai Champloo starts off slow, but evidently gets REALLY GOOD right after I stopped watching it.

Bleach is also supposed to be really good.

 

[Get Smart]

hmm....so many to choose from

my fave Anime movies:

Ninja Scroll
Wicked City

Anime series:

Robotech, as cheesy as it is but in high school I couldnt wait to get home to watch it on tv
Urusei Yatsura
Ranma 1/2
Bubblegum Crisis (the original series)
GunBlaster

and +1 on hentai anime

 

[denimdestroyedmylife]

second the FLCL and Miyazaki and add Samurai Champloo.
I like the first two Ghost in the Shell flicks.
UROTSOKIDOJI!!!

 

[edmorel]

This will probably get me booted off this thread but the only anime that I watch (on TV, have not seen movies) is with my 7 year old and we both love Naruto and BoBoBo on cartoon network.

 

[Augusto86]

Originally Posted by denimdestroyedmylife

second the FLCL and Miyazaki and add Samurai Champloo. I like the first two Ghost in the Shell flicks. UROTSOKIDOJI!!!
First two? There only are two! But I live GITS, and I actually love the TV show even more. The movies are good, but too conceptual, whereas the involved plots and deeper development in GITS: Stand Alone Complex are even cooler. Haven't seen FLCL, but I hear it's cool. Samurai champloo is very interesting, I watched all 26 episodes the other day. And, of course, the old standby cowboy bebop. But Motoko kicks ass:

And almost as much, Saito:

 

[dusty]

Series - Neon Genesis Evangelion

Film - Anything Miyazaki

 

[faustian bargain]

another GITS fan here. it's a fast-paced show though - you really have to pay attention.

it helps if you read the manga it was based on, first. (which is a great piece of art in itself BTW.) masamune shirow is awesome.

 

[skalogre]

Well, I am ashamed to say that not only do I not own any anime, I never watch any either. Ironic considering I do two japanese martial arts, have decent amount of books on japanese art/culture and a large percentage of my DVDs are of Japanese films

Can anyone recommend any "gateway drug" anime that may be able to change my ways? Bear in mind that I have no problem with cinematic depravity, violence, nor with just plain strangeness

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by skalogre

Well, I am ashamed to say that not only do I not own any anime, I never watch any either. Ironic considering I do two japanese martial arts, have decent amount of books on japanese art/culture and a large percentage of my DVDs are of Japanese films

Can anyone recommend any "gateway drug" anime that may be able to change my ways? Bear in mind that I have no problem with cinematic depravity, violence, nor with just plain strangeness

Probably the easiest to start with is the last three Miyazaki films, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke. They are readily available in most video stores, Best Buy, and etc. They are kid-friendly, but are cinematic in scope and are also just great stories. From there, you can pick up the Cowboy Bebop or Trigun T.V. series' many places. It might take you a while to get through the whole thing, but it's totally worth it. For some more "adult" anime, Ninja Scroll (the original one only, not the sequel, or the crappy series) Wicked City was good (excellent call Jason!) Akira is a classic though, and shouldn't be missed. Again I'll put my vote in for the NEW dub of Akira, much less annoying than the old version. If you want complete strangeness, I cannot emphasize Don't Leave Me Alone Daisy enough. I swear to god that series makes my "grown up brain" die a little every time I watch it. Good luck finding it though, check Ebay. Pretty much everything suggested in this thread so far would be a good place to start. I'm just going by what is probably easiest.

 

[faustian bargain]

did they ever do a movie or series of the manga 'lone wolf and cub'? if so, is it as good as the books?

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by faustian bargain

did they ever do a movie or series of the manga 'lone wolf and cub'? if so, is it as good as the books?
I think they have... but to be honest, I haven't really been keeping up with my Anime as of late. Work keeps getting in the way of my movie schedule. So I'm not sure if its any good or not.

 

[turbozed]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

Robotech, as cheesy as it is but in high school I couldnt wait
Haha I'm in the same boat as you then. I was in elementary school at the time, but I always had an obsession with Robotech. I got really into it when Harmony Gold released the VHS tapes later on. My first website I made in 1993 was a Robotech homage. Actually my "TV Theme Song Lyrics Database" website might've been the first thing I made. It was the most popular for some reason. To answer Skalgore's question: I'd recommend to you Rurouni Kenshin. The fighting action is great, and in the process of a good story, you get to learn a lot about the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Meiji Restoration (some real history and some pseudo). Saito Hajime and the Shinsengumi were cool cats. Also, track down the OVA prequel to the Kenshin series. It's some of the best 4 episodes of all of anime. Cowboy Bebop: You'll like it, I haven't met a person who hasn't enjoyed it after watching the whole thing. Many of my friends love it, and I do as well. Both series are tough to get into. RK starts off a little slow and childishly as they introduce characters. Same with CBB, and the episodic nature of CBB doesn't give you the urge to "see what happens next" like some other anime but they're well worth the effort.