Sorry, took me a while to get to this, as I didn't want to just write up a half-assed reply... I like to go all-out, yo. ;)
So, blind recommendations... well, here's the list from my first comment, expanded for your reading enjoyment! (:
PopoloCrois - Fairytale fantasy. Very cute and storybook-like, but as with the works of the Brothers Grimm, there are some really dark undertones, and a surprisingly deep mythos, which give it a certain appeal beyond what its first impression might suggest. The 1998 series is more of a character study than anything, and deals a lot with concepts of racism and blind unquestioned traditionalism. The 2003 series is a bit more Saturday morning cartoon-ish, but it manages to actually top the 1998 series in terms of depth and character development during its second half. Both are absolutely excellent shows, and receive my highest recommendation - but then, since I fansubbed them and gave you copies, you could probably guess that. ;)
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni / When They Cry - One of the most brilliant mystery/suspense/horror shows I've ever seen. Starts out with a pretty awful first episode, but quickly gets better... and right around when the characters start going crazy and brutally slaughtering one another, then everything "resets" and the story starts over, you'll start to realize that there's something really special about this show. (: The first season basically presents you with nothing but questions, and the second is nothing but answers... but the way it's structured, it all fits together perfectly, like a finely-crafted puzzle. If you like mystery, and don't mind a bit of raw brutality and genuinely scary horror, this is definitely not a show to be missed.
Planetes - Simply put, one of the greatest sci-fi works I've ever seen, animated or otherwise. This show is particularly notable for having perhaps the single most realistic future world of ANYTHING EVER. It's even been praised by NASA for its technical accuracy (!). The idea is that by 2075, there will be so much debris in orbit around the Earth that something absolutely MUST be done to clean it up (as evidenced by the opening of the show, in which a single stray screw collides with a space shuttle and causes explosive decompression, killing almost everyone aboard). As a result of this growing problem, "debris sections" - essentially space garbagemen - are required to be staffed at any and all companies operating from orbital satellites. These garbagemen are regarded much as garbagemen today: they're the bottom rung of society. Except, these garbagemen risk their lives every day, going out into space to perform a valuable and absolutely vital service... they just don't get any real recognition for it. And Planetes is the story of one company's debris section. At least, that's how it starts. Awesome, awesome show, that seamlessly shifts from comedy to drama and back again, and does it all with beauty and grace.
Kodocha - I'll keep this one short and simple: Kodocha is a show that no one can possibly dislike. (: It's a fast-paced, cute, super-frenetic show about a child actress, her quirky family, and her dysfunctional classmates. It's another show that constantly switches from comedy to drama, but it does so in an entirely different way than Planetes... it's basically on a constant sugar high, never stopping to take a breath. (: Yet at times, it's so emotionally powerful, it's almost guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. This anime is an absolute classic.
Mahoujin Guruguru - Nobody's heard of this show, and it's a damn shame! This is an RPG parody anime from 1994 that's just... absolutely brilliant. (: This show is SO over-the-top, SO corny, SO ridiculous, you just can't help but love it! All the characters have levels, HP, and MP... there's a narrator who constantly flashes text boxes on the screen and identifies damage dealt, status ailments, etc... and virtually every RPG cliche known to man is covered, somewhere, in its 45-episode course. Yet while the whole thing is one giant parody, it also manages to succeed as its own entirely viable fantasy story, even proving totally original and unique in some spots. As an example, the priestess character Ju Ju lugs a giant altar around on her back, and during battle, she plops it on the ground, then prays at it for God to smite her enemies. She also carries with her a vial of holy water, which she uncorks and throws out in an arc in front of her. The holy water freezes in mid-air, and she just grabs it and uses it as a sword. It's awesome! (:
Ashita no Nadja - Another show no one's ever heard of, and probably the girliest show I've ever seen. (: It's the story of a young girl named Nadja Applefield, who's been raised in an orphanage outside of London around the turn of the century. A package arrives for her one day, containing a diary in an unknown language, a ball gown, and a letter claiming that these are her mother's things, and that her mother is actually still alive. After a series of events occur that I will not spoil for you, Nadja finds herself essentially joining a traveling circus as a dancer, and touring all of Europe (and some of Africa) in search of her mother's whereabouts. Along the way, she gets swept off her feet by lots of older men, dances at innumerable balls, and does a lot of other really girly things. But she also goes on treasure hunts and dodges criminals, so I guess it's all OK! ;) All in all, a really charming adventure/drama show. Fun, feel-good, and very soap opera-esque. And there's a HELL of a lot of dancing. (:
Clannad and Air - Two shows based off of the same company's visual novels. These are hard sells for female otaku, I've found, as they're very moe, and very, VERY Japanese - we're talking demure women, manly men, and lots and lots of melodrama, with lots and lots of moe. (: The reason I like them, though, is because they're SO WELL-WRITTEN. Seriously... these shows have some of the most realistic, sympathetic, likable main characters I've ever seen, and they're both about as emotionally involving as they could possibly be. Air is more "magical", dealing with a very Japanese, very intangible sort of mysticism... and Clannad is more realistic, starting from the moment when a boy and a girl meet, and continuing well beyond their graduation from high school, their entry into the workforce, their encounters with hard times, marriage, the starting of families, etc. These are anime soap operas, through and through, but they're among the best of the best, as far as I'm concerned. They're also HORRIBLY HORRIBLY DEPRESSING, however - Air, especially - so do beware. (:
Paranoia Agent - From one of my favorite writer/directors, Satoshi Kon, this is a really mature, rather heady show that falls somewhere in the horror/mystery/suspense category. Basically, each episode is about a different person who's found him/herself backed into a corner in life... someone who's faced with things he/she simply doesn't want to deal with, and sees absolutely no way out. And then, Shounen Bat (or Li'l Slugger, depending on which translation you watch) appears. Shounen Bat is a 6th-grader with a red hat, golden roller-blades, and a bent metal baseball bat. He'll show up right as someone is in the worst situation of his/her life, and beat that person senseless, landing him/her in the hospital, and in doing so, providing a convenient escape for his/her predicament. But who IS Shounen Bat? Is he real, or is he someone people have invented to get themselves out of tough situations in life? That's the question, right there! (: This show is just amazing. Not only is it creepy and entertaining, it's also perhaps the most brilliant satire of Japanese society that I've ever seen. If you show this to anyone who's ever lived or worked in Japan (and who came back a little bit jaded from the experience), that person will INSTANTLY glean satisfaction from this anime's dripping, sarcastic tone and thinly-veiled cynicism. It's freaking sweet. (:
Sorry if those last few lacked coherence in any way. It's late, and I'm starting to drift off, so I'll save the anime movie blurbs for another time. (:
Until then, hope I've given you a few options for new shows to check out! (:
Ooo, those sound really intriguing! I think I might have even stumbled across an episode of Paranoia Agent before.. that plot sounds very familiar.
So, question - How would I be able to watch these shows that you suggest? Is there a torrent or something I can download? Is there a preferred anime torrent website that you would recommend?
For things that haven't yet been licensed, www.animesuki.com is the best torrent site around. For things that HAVE been licensed, www.tokyotosho.info might have them - or you could just buy them in stores, if you're willing to take a risk on them. (:
Most of the shows I named can be found via BitTorrent, though, and only about half of them have been licensed. Of the licensed ones, Paranoia Agent and Planetes can both be bought in box sets for a rather decent price, with a bit of comparison shopping - though the rest are probably better left to fansubs.
I can always make you copies of things, too, if need be. ;) Or set up my FTP server so you can download these various shows from it. Just let me know. (:
Using an FTP server is just like downloading from a website, only less flashy, and it's only up when my computer is on. (: I'll put some stuff up for you and reply to a friends-only entry with the link, or email you with it if you give me your email address. (I just don't want to post it publicly, since it's a direct link to my computer!)
*nods* Alright :) I'll send you my email via LJ message! And thanks again - maybe I can return the favor by introducing you to some Russian pop band or something :3
Sorry, took me a while to get to this, as I didn't want to just write up a half-assed reply... I like to go all-out, yo. ;)
So, blind recommendations... well, here's the list from my first comment, expanded for your reading enjoyment! (:
PopoloCrois
- Fairytale fantasy. Very cute and storybook-like, but as with the works of the Brothers Grimm, there are some really dark undertones, and a surprisingly deep mythos, which give it a certain appeal beyond what its first impression might suggest. The 1998 series is more of a character study than anything, and deals a lot with concepts of racism and blind unquestioned traditionalism. The 2003 series is a bit more Saturday morning cartoon-ish, but it manages to actually top the 1998 series in terms of depth and character development during its second half. Both are absolutely excellent shows, and receive my highest recommendation - but then, since I fansubbed them and gave you copies, you could probably guess that. ;)
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni / When They Cry
- One of the most brilliant mystery/suspense/horror shows I've ever seen. Starts out with a pretty awful first episode, but quickly gets better... and right around when the characters start going crazy and brutally slaughtering one another, then everything "resets" and the story starts over, you'll start to realize that there's something really special about this show. (: The first season basically presents you with nothing but questions, and the second is nothing but answers... but the way it's structured, it all fits together perfectly, like a finely-crafted puzzle. If you like mystery, and don't mind a bit of raw brutality and genuinely scary horror, this is definitely not a show to be missed.
Planetes
- Simply put, one of the greatest sci-fi works I've ever seen, animated or otherwise. This show is particularly notable for having perhaps the single most realistic future world of ANYTHING EVER. It's even been praised by NASA for its technical accuracy (!). The idea is that by 2075, there will be so much debris in orbit around the Earth that something absolutely MUST be done to clean it up (as evidenced by the opening of the show, in which a single stray screw collides with a space shuttle and causes explosive decompression, killing almost everyone aboard). As a result of this growing problem, "debris sections" - essentially space garbagemen - are required to be staffed at any and all companies operating from orbital satellites. These garbagemen are regarded much as garbagemen today: they're the bottom rung of society. Except, these garbagemen risk their lives every day, going out into space to perform a valuable and absolutely vital service... they just don't get any real recognition for it. And Planetes is the story of one company's debris section. At least, that's how it starts. Awesome, awesome show, that seamlessly shifts from comedy to drama and back again, and does it all with beauty and grace.
Kodocha
- I'll keep this one short and simple: Kodocha is a show that no one can possibly dislike. (: It's a fast-paced, cute, super-frenetic show about a child actress, her quirky family, and her dysfunctional classmates. It's another show that constantly switches from comedy to drama, but it does so in an entirely different way than Planetes... it's basically on a constant sugar high, never stopping to take a breath. (: Yet at times, it's so emotionally powerful, it's almost guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. This anime is an absolute classic.
(to be continued)
Reply
Mahoujin Guruguru
- Nobody's heard of this show, and it's a damn shame! This is an RPG parody anime from 1994 that's just... absolutely brilliant. (: This show is SO over-the-top, SO corny, SO ridiculous, you just can't help but love it! All the characters have levels, HP, and MP... there's a narrator who constantly flashes text boxes on the screen and identifies damage dealt, status ailments, etc... and virtually every RPG cliche known to man is covered, somewhere, in its 45-episode course. Yet while the whole thing is one giant parody, it also manages to succeed as its own entirely viable fantasy story, even proving totally original and unique in some spots. As an example, the priestess character Ju Ju lugs a giant altar around on her back, and during battle, she plops it on the ground, then prays at it for God to smite her enemies. She also carries with her a vial of holy water, which she uncorks and throws out in an arc in front of her. The holy water freezes in mid-air, and she just grabs it and uses it as a sword. It's awesome! (:
Ashita no Nadja
- Another show no one's ever heard of, and probably the girliest show I've ever seen. (: It's the story of a young girl named Nadja Applefield, who's been raised in an orphanage outside of London around the turn of the century. A package arrives for her one day, containing a diary in an unknown language, a ball gown, and a letter claiming that these are her mother's things, and that her mother is actually still alive. After a series of events occur that I will not spoil for you, Nadja finds herself essentially joining a traveling circus as a dancer, and touring all of Europe (and some of Africa) in search of her mother's whereabouts. Along the way, she gets swept off her feet by lots of older men, dances at innumerable balls, and does a lot of other really girly things. But she also goes on treasure hunts and dodges criminals, so I guess it's all OK! ;) All in all, a really charming adventure/drama show. Fun, feel-good, and very soap opera-esque. And there's a HELL of a lot of dancing. (:
Clannad and Air
- Two shows based off of the same company's visual novels. These are hard sells for female otaku, I've found, as they're very moe, and very, VERY Japanese - we're talking demure women, manly men, and lots and lots of melodrama, with lots and lots of moe. (: The reason I like them, though, is because they're SO WELL-WRITTEN. Seriously... these shows have some of the most realistic, sympathetic, likable main characters I've ever seen, and they're both about as emotionally involving as they could possibly be. Air is more "magical", dealing with a very Japanese, very intangible sort of mysticism... and Clannad is more realistic, starting from the moment when a boy and a girl meet, and continuing well beyond their graduation from high school, their entry into the workforce, their encounters with hard times, marriage, the starting of families, etc. These are anime soap operas, through and through, but they're among the best of the best, as far as I'm concerned. They're also HORRIBLY HORRIBLY DEPRESSING, however - Air, especially - so do beware. (:
(to be continued)
Reply
- From one of my favorite writer/directors, Satoshi Kon, this is a really mature, rather heady show that falls somewhere in the horror/mystery/suspense category. Basically, each episode is about a different person who's found him/herself backed into a corner in life... someone who's faced with things he/she simply doesn't want to deal with, and sees absolutely no way out. And then, Shounen Bat (or Li'l Slugger, depending on which translation you watch) appears. Shounen Bat is a 6th-grader with a red hat, golden roller-blades, and a bent metal baseball bat. He'll show up right as someone is in the worst situation of his/her life, and beat that person senseless, landing him/her in the hospital, and in doing so, providing a convenient escape for his/her predicament. But who IS Shounen Bat? Is he real, or is he someone people have invented to get themselves out of tough situations in life? That's the question, right there! (: This show is just amazing. Not only is it creepy and entertaining, it's also perhaps the most brilliant satire of Japanese society that I've ever seen. If you show this to anyone who's ever lived or worked in Japan (and who came back a little bit jaded from the experience), that person will INSTANTLY glean satisfaction from this anime's dripping, sarcastic tone and thinly-veiled cynicism. It's freaking sweet. (:
Sorry if those last few lacked coherence in any way. It's late, and I'm starting to drift off, so I'll save the anime movie blurbs for another time. (:
Until then, hope I've given you a few options for new shows to check out! (:
-Tom
Reply
So, question - How would I be able to watch these shows that you suggest? Is there a torrent or something I can download? Is there a preferred anime torrent website that you would recommend?
Reply
Most of the shows I named can be found via BitTorrent, though, and only about half of them have been licensed. Of the licensed ones, Paranoia Agent and Planetes can both be bought in box sets for a rather decent price, with a bit of comparison shopping - though the rest are probably better left to fansubs.
I can always make you copies of things, too, if need be. ;) Or set up my FTP server so you can download these various shows from it. Just let me know. (:
-Tom
Reply
And I will definitely check out those websites you told me about :) Thank you for all of this information!
Reply
-Tom
Reply
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