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The Novice's Guide to Anime


Iceheart
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So, this got really tl;dr. Just read the bold print if you don't want to wade through everything.

 

This is inspired by two things - a comment made to me on Pinterest, and the fact that last night NyQuil stopped making me sleep and started preventing me from sleeping, and my mind needed something to occupy itself while I finally did fall back to sleep. So, here you go. If you've never really delved into anime other than Pokemon, and maybe being forced to watch Ponyo by an overenthusiastic preschooler, but you'd like to become familiar with it, this thread is for you.

 

BTW - hey fellow otaku, feel free to contribute your own knowledge or recommendations! I have pretty specified tastes, and I'm not too up on the most current stuff.

 

Here are the three things you should know before getting into anime. Two are essential, one is more so you don't get chewed out by hardcore otaku (that's what an anime fan is called):

 

There are ALL KINDS of anime, something for every taste. Honest. Animation isn't just for kids in Japan, and they make animated series' for everyone.

 

Now, in America, chances are we see anime made for kids (Pokemon), edited for kid consumption (Sailor Moon), or are downloaded in private and watched with Rosy Palm and her five daughters (the stuff with schoolgirls and tentacles).

 

The stuff with squeaky, obnoxious girl heroines and sparkly, pretty boy heroes is called "shoujo," which means "girls" in Japanese. It's made for tween/teen girls. There are some really stellar series' in the shoujo category (Fruits Basket, Ouran High School Host Club, and Princess Tutu are three definitely worth watching at some point), but if you think that all anime is whiny and girly, this isn't what you should start with. If your life revolves around Twilight, however, please watch Fruits Basket and see how teen paranormal romance should be done.

 

There's also a subgenre called "shounen," or "boys," that we see pretty frequently on Cartoon Network and the like. That's the action-heavy stuff with tropes like ninjas and robots (not that EVERY anime series with ninjas and robots is made for boys, nor does every shounen series have ninjas and/or robots). If that's not your thing either, that's okay, we can set you up with something else.

 

The stuff with tentacles and schoolgirls is called "hentai" in Japanese. It means "pervert." 'Nuff said. It's a SMALL, SMALL percentage of anime. It shouldn't scare you off the non-porn stuff if it's not your thing.

 

If this sounds really confusing, keep in mind that American tv has comedy/sitcoms, drama (with sub-genres - crime dramas, primetime soaps, etc), science fiction/fantasy, kid tv, tween/teen tv, etc. We're just using Japanese terms for things you're familiar with.

 

Some anime is total crap. This stuff is churned out. Not all of it is gold. But if you happen on a steaming pile of crap, please don't judge the entire genre on it, there's some gold, too - just keep looking, take recommendations, etc. You will find at least one series you can totally get into and enjoy.

 

Anime does not refer to a certain animation style. It refers to animation from Japan. This will get you chewed out of otaku conversations. Stuff like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Teen Titans may be drawn to resemble anime, but they're made in America, which means they're NOT anime. Even if the theme song is sometimes sung in Japanese. This isn't a quality judgement. Both are fantastic shows. I've seen every episode of both. But they're American animation, and otaku will fight you on this issue of terms.

 

The exception? The American show PowerPuff Girls was remade in Japan as a series called PowerPuff Girls Z. The original is American animation. The remake is anime.

 

ON TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS!

 

Back in the day my city had a boutique anime and manga shop. I still stay in touch with a few of the people I met there, many of whom womanned the store's register. I spent a LOT of time hanging out in the shop with my friends. And when a total novice came in and asked what they should start with, if they were over the age of 16, they were directed to Cowboy Bebop. Why? Most American TV is episodic. Japanese tv is often more storyline based, with lots of "cliffhanger" ending episodes, which can drive you mad if you're impatient. Except Cowboy Bebop. Not only is it a great story, but its style is accessible to American audiences.

 

This is a trailer for the movie that was made after the TV show, but you get the idea/feel of the franchise:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au1AO1xaEts

 

It's about intergalactic bounty hunters. If you think Firefly was the best thing that ever happened to TV, and you still cry over its cancellation, you'll eat Cowboy Bebop up with a spoon. Notice the female lead is not squeaky or helpless.

 

On the theme of sci-fi with strong woman characters, here's Ghost in the Shell.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18SYq0kz_78&feature=related

 

There are three movies (the third being more of a tv tie-in), and two tv series' (and I mean that in the British way). Watch the trailer for the synopsis, it explains it better than I can. The general gist of the show is philosophical cyberpunk detective fiction. The movies are heavier on the philosophy aspect that the tv show is. This series is smart and intricately plotted, and Kusanagi is one of the best female characters ever written.

 

More detective stories!

 

Death Note. Imagine if Dexter found a way to kill supernaturally. The only evidence is a notebook with his victims' names written in it, and he keeps this notebook very close. Also, this power turns him into a meglomaniac douche. Now imagine that the government calls in BBC's Sherlock to catch the serial killer. You have the general idea of Death Note. Yes, this show has a squeaky girl heroine, who turns into a tragic badass, think Caroline from The Vampire Diaries.

 

This is the full first episode:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CheI5Dse2jU&feature=related

 

Game of Thrones is super hot right now, right? Kentaro Miura did it first with Berserk.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNZkJFJacTM

 

Pseudo-Medieval politics! A heroine who wields a sword as well as the heroes! Bromance! Tons of nudity! Monsters! Swordfights! Honestly, it's something to take the edge off the cravings while waiting for Martin to finally release his next novel.

 

And finally, vampires. Are you sick of them sparkling? Having more sex than bloodlust? Want to see them be scary again? But still want them to be heroes to cheer for? Hellsing, yo.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRs-qWORKj0

 

(yeah, the dub accents are awful. You can watch it in Japanese with subtitles if it bothers you)

 

There are two series', Hellsing and Hellsing Ultimate. Hellsing mixes in some quirk and comedy. Hellsing Ultimate is just unapologetically brutal. So, if you don't want the quirk, just skip ahead to Ultimate.

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You will love Ghost in the Shell. It's the first series I though of when you said you might like to get into anime.

 

Once you watch GitS and if you really dig it, let me know, I have another recommendation for you, but it's not one to start with. You really need to get your feet wet with GitS first.

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Iceheart:

 

1) Can you recommend a series for me? Most of the anime I like, I've seen on Adult Swim. I don't know about many other less mainstream series. I like:

 

Death Note

Cowboy Bebop

Bleach

Neon Genesis Evangelion

FMA (The first one more than Brotherhood)

Paranioa Agent

Deadman Wonderland

Samurai 7

High School of the Dead

Trigun

 

Seen but had trouble getting into:

 

Casshern Sins

Ergo Proxy

Akira

 

Got anything new?

 

2) There was a shoujo type anime my wife kind of got into about 5 years ago. We never finished watching it and can't remember the name. It was about these kids, a boy and a girl, who were orphaned or maybe looking for their parents. They lived alone in the same house and had a picture of a house they used to live in with their parents. They're searching for this house in the series. And there was sexual tension. Can't remember if they were related or not.

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Iceheart:

 

1) Can you recommend a series for me? Most of the anime I like, I've seen on Adult Swim. I don't know about many other less mainstream series.

 

Have YOU seen Ghost in the Shell yet? The tv series' aired on Adult Swim, but something like 8 years ago. Edit: researching the following post, it looks like they're airing it now, too.

 

Otherwise, try Gankutsuo: The Count of Monte Cristo on for size.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaXvyrQv_5M

 

And/or Samurai Champloo.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3z0rNxMlrA&playnext=1&list=PLC24A952B29CD910E&feature=results_video

 

(if the "hip-hop" thing in a period drama puts you off, don't worry about it - there are a few subtle but hilarious references to hip-hop culture, but otherwise it's a show that balances samurai drama with comedy very well. I mean, look at those credits, you're in VERY good hands.)

 

Hey Novices! Once you really start getting into anime, pay attention to trailers (they are on every dvd you rent/purchase, and all over YouTube) when they say things like "By So-and-So, Director-Animator-What-Have-You of Such-and-Such!" Most people in the industry have multiple projects. It's like having a favorite author or live movie director. Chances are, you'll like most if not all of what they do, and it's an easy way to get recommendations.

 

2) There was a shoujo type anime my wife kind of got into about 5 years ago. We never finished watching it and can't remember the name. It was about these kids, a boy and a girl, who were orphaned or maybe looking for their parents. They lived alone in the same house and had a picture of a house they used to live in with their parents. They're searching for this house in the series. And there was sexual tension. Can't remember if they were related or not.

 

I really don't watch a lot of shoujo, and that doesn't sound familiar to me. Anyone? ID2 might know...

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I want to start watching anime! But... um... the RedBox doesn't have the stuff you recommended.

 

So, at my cousin's high school graduation party, I was talking to her then 13 year old sister and said sister's 13-ish year old friend. Both had recently discovered anime. Friend was trying to school me on it. I told her that I had been watching anime for so long that I remember the aforementioned anime and manga boutique, when it was the only place in town where you had easy access to anime.

 

Her response was "But it's all on Netflix."

 

I was like "Um, there was no Netflix back then."

 

And she was like "That's so dumb, it's all on Netflix."

 

And I was like "I'm talking the dawn of dvds here, when they were super expensive, and you had to rent them from a brick-and-mortar rental place."

 

And she was like "That's so stupid. You should watch Death Note. It's SO GOOD. You can stream it on Netflix."

 

And I was like "OMFG CHILD, I WATCHED DEATH NOTE THROUGH WHILE YOU WERE STILL FINGERPAINTING IN DAYCARE. I WATCHED STUFF YOU'RE STILL TOO YOUNG FOR WHILE YOU WERE UNABLE TO HOLD YOUR OWN HEAD UP." (well, I didn't yell at the kid, but I did semi-politely remove myself from the situation before I did).

 

And then I realized I was OLD. So old I couldn't relate to young otaku. UGH.

 

Anyway. Be glad you have multiple access points for anime, back in my day we didn't. And we had to walk three miles one way to school in a blizzard. True story. Well, the anime part.

 

But where?

 

This isn't a comprehensive list. These are just the easiest access points. And you do, of course, have the option of actually purchasing anime on dvd, Blu-Ray, and through download if you want. I'm posting this under the assumption that you don't want to spend a lot of money, if any at all, seeing if you like something.

 

A note: "sub/subbed" = Japanese with subtitles. "dub/dubbed" = English language soundtrack dubbed onto the original animation.

 

The aforementioned Netflix! I subscribed for the anime selection. Both discs and streaming, although they only stream the English dub. You probably want to start with that, but know that otaku purists HATE the dub (they can be rushed and/or over acted), and prefer the original Japanese soundtrack with subs. The dub is perfectly acceptable for beginners, if you're not ready for light reading with your viewing. Some dubs are actually well done. All discs have the option to watch the dub, or the sub.

 

Crunchyroll.com has both free and paid subscriptions, so you can get your feet wet without paying anything (the free service is ad supported). It's a full on community, with streaming video (including Asian live-action drama), news, message boards, etc. It's the best place to get the current stuff. And there are CrunchyRoll apps for most mobile devices. You will have to read subtitles, though - if they host dubs, I have yet to find them.

 

There are other streaming sites, too, this is just the most popular. You can google search for more if you'd like.

 

If you have a droid device, especially a Kindle Fire, check out AnimeDroid. It's a free app (well, I got it free on the Fire) that hosts the classic series', subbed, on a mobile device. Good for catching up on the classics while waiting for appointments, on lunch, etc. I think everything I recommended so far is on AnimeDroid.

 

YouTube and Vimeo. Now we're getting into quasi-legal territory. But chances are you can find full ep anime uploads to stream. The quality is probably crap, but it's a good way to sample.

 

The Anime Network. On my cable provider, you get this network on the super-ultra premium package that I'm not willing to pay for. Check your service, you may already have it. Otherwise, and this is news to me, they stream for free. It looks like most of the shows are just subbed, but they do seem to have some dubs, and they're clearly listed.

 

Cable TV. Like Joey said, Cartoon Network airs anime on their Adult Swim block. SyFy used to have Ani-Mondays, but it looks like they've discontinued it. Smaller cable networks sometimes air anime, too.

 

The Library. Anime is super popular with the teenage set. The libraries in my area, at least, are starting to buy more anime and manga. You won't be able to find everything, but check it out, you may find a series you're interested in - for free! Or at least a very nominal fee. And don't forget inter-library loan, if your home branch doesn't have what you want, other branches in the system might have what you're looking for, and can ship it to your home branch.

 

Anime Clubs. Here's the thing the kids didn't understand about the magic of the boutique - you make new friends there. It's social, in the face-to-face way. Which is why the migration to internet based rentals/viewing is sad. If you're a student, or active at a comic book store, bookstore, gaming store, or library, see if they have an anime club, or suggest starting one. Downside, you may run into the otaku version of The Comic Book Guy. They can be abrasive, and overwhelming to a novice. If you run into a hardcore fan who happens to be overenthusiastic or condescending, just breathe deeply. They're being ***holes, and shouldn't interfere with your new hobby. Remind people you're new, most otaku love to give recommendations and encourage novices.

 

Conventions. If you can find small cons with little to no entry fees, it's a good way to see anime on the cheap. They can be overwhelming for the novice, so I'd recommend knowing you like anime before venturing into a con.

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Attention Novice Otaku who are Moms and Dads, Cool Aunts or Uncles, Cool Older Cousins, or otherwise have children in your life.

 

This is a really important distinction. Anime is not "cartoons".

 

And I'm sure you'd say "but if cartoons are animated, and anime is animated, then anime is cartoons." Technically, you are right. But here is why you should make a very clear distinction between anime and cartoons.

 

Cartoons are for kids. We Westerners are getting better about making the following distinction, but since we're raised on animation and expected to wean off it as we get older, we tend to have a misconception about anime. Everything I have recommended so far has been PG13 to NC17 rated. Please don't think these are recommendations for family movie night.

 

Blockbuster used to group their anime without regard to rating, with hilariously dangerous results. I saw stuff I shouldn't have seen as a young teen.

 

Even stuff that seems innocuous at first can turn, especially if it's made for teens. There's this one series, Fushigi Yuugi, that was very "Disney Princess"... until, boom, it got R rated FAST.

 

Do not show anime blind to the children in your life, just because it looks cute at first glance. Watch it through first, and use your discretion.

 

But remember! Anime IS for EVERYONE! Just not every series or movie. There are seriously quality anime shows and movies out there for toddlers to high schoolers. I'll compose a list soon.

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Iceheart: I know what you mean about the old days before DVDs. I first tried getting into anime back then. I actually have a VHS of Trigun somewhere.

 

I loved Samurai Champloo! I really liked the first Ghost in the Shell movie. I feel like the franchise got mediocre after that.

 

Never heard of Gankutsuo. I'll be sure to check it out.

 

Also: Noir is good. Gunslinger Girl isn't.

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Heh heh. That conversation is like what I have with Power Rangers and having watched Super Sentai series as a kid.

 

Okay. Have you seen Shinesman yet? So. Freaking. Funny.

 

Two I'm looking for copies (haven't checked streaming options) are Planetes and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

 

I didn't have the patience for Planettes, but my dad really liked it (I think I just wasn't in the mood at the time). Haruhi is great, but a little slow. And I know CrunchyRoll has it, Anime Network probably does, too.

 

Also: Noir is good. Gunslinger Girl isn't.

 

Agree and disagree. Noir is one of my favorites, although I acknowledge that you have to wade through about two discs for it to get really good. I loved Gunslinger Girl. Super slow, but the characters really stuck with me.

 

I started watching Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom with a friend, which is very Noir-like (we pointed out right away that it's like Kirika is the Mirielle character). It's unintentionally hilarious, but then we're two hyper otaku girls watching a super serious anime together. You may dig it, but take that with a grain of salt, as I've only seen the first disc, and we were more snarking than watching.

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You keep throwing this word "manga" around. I am so confused.

 

Manga (pronounced "mahn-gah", not "mane-gah") are Japanese comics. They are often, but not always, the source for anime series'. I won't get into the details of manga here, but if you want more information, there's always trusty Wikipedia.

 

Fair warning, some anime is more of a tease to get you to read the manga than anything. Berserk is like that. If you ever get to the end of an anime series and feel like you're missing something, or that the ending was way too abrupt, chances are the story continues in the manga.

 

Manga is gaining popularity over here the same as anime. You can buy it in any bookstore, and rent it from most any library (usually in the Teen section). You can also read it online at sites like One Manga and Manga Fox.

 

P.S., just like anime/animation, there is such a thing as "Amerimanga."

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Heh heh. That conversation is like what I have with Power Rangers and having watched Super Sentai series as a kid.

 

Okay. Have you seen Shinesman yet? So. Freaking. Funny.

Ho ho! Looking for it now. The Wikipedia entry was enough. I'll toss out that I really enjoyed Irresponsible Captain Tylor.

 

An aside: I attended a panel at the last Wonder Con about comics in the classroom. One participant was Bonfire Agency's Steve Rotterdam. His insight was that manga/anime fans have traits that run conversely to typical comic fan stereotypes. That they are more socially engaged, especially about sharing what they're watching or reading.

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Heh heh. That conversation is like what I have with Power Rangers and having watched Super Sentai series as a kid.

 

Okay. Have you seen Shinesman yet? So. Freaking. Funny.

Ho ho! Looking for it now. The Wikipedia entry was enough.

 

I don't know where you stand on the sub/dub debate, but watch it dubbed at least once. Most of the jokes are culture-specific, and they translate the joke, not just the language the joke is in. SO. FUNNY.

 

An aside: I attended a panel at the last Wonder Con about comics in the classroom. One participant was Bonfire Agency's Steve Rotterdam. His insight was that manga/anime fans have traits that run conversely to typical comic fan stereotypes. That they are more socially engaged, especially about sharing what they're watching or reading.

 

I could see this, from my own experience. I've never felt half as welcome in an American comic book shop. Did he say why there's a difference?

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The Classics.

 

So! You're considering yourself an otaku now, more or less. A casual otaku, at least. And, being one of these socially engaged anime (and possibly now manga, too) fans, you start talking to people who share your hobby. And you start hearing names, characters, and quotes bandied about.

 

I won't cover the classics that are already in the 90's and 2000's American kid consciousness - Pokemon, Digimon, Sailor Moon, DragonBall (in all its incarnations), etc. Pretty sure you know about those already.

 

You're going to notice that I threw out exactly two of these in my initial recommendations. There's a reason for this. These are the anime that everyone will reference. Why? Some because they are legitimately that freaking good. Others because back in the day, anime was very difficult to find in the west, and these were some of the first titles to be licensed over here, or at least were some of the first to gain cult popularity.

 

Ryn, Joey, or anyone else - please feel free to add to my list, I'm sure I'll forget some!

 

Hey Novice Otaku - I'm NOT saying you absolutely have to watch these to be considered otaku. Watch what interests you. But you'll probably want to check these out at some point simply so you can say you've seen them.

 

I'll start with the two aforementioned - Ghost in the Shell, and Cowboy Bebop. We've been over these. Moving on.

 

The behemoth that is Akira. This is the one that people flipped out over a few years ago when some American movie company bought the rights to make a live action Hollywood film out of it, and threw out that they wanted to cast Leonardo DiCaprio, a 40 year old blonde guy, as the teenaged, Japanese main character, and that's just so wrong. Anyway. Notice Joey didn't like it. Probably because the movie tried to condense 6 phone book sized volumes of manga into two hours of movie. I'm sure you see the issue here.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqp1BDXpAJU

 

If nothing else, you'll finally understand a certain episode of South Park.

 

Ninja Scroll

 

I think this one is popular for two reasons. One - it's really, really, stinking good. Two, this was probably the first time American audiences saw "cartoon" characters as sexual beings who kill each other brutally. The sequel is terrible, and I haven't seen the tv series.

 

This trailer is NSFW.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O6_N4mQBos

 

Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's great. You just have to deal with the fact that they have NO IDEA how to end the freaking thing, so there's a ton of additions and reboots and retellings where they're trying to aim their dicks so they don't whiz it down their legs. It's about wangsty teenagers who are given giant robots (commonly called "mecha" in the anime community, btw) and forced to battle equally giant monsters to save humanity. I'm making it sound really awful, but it's actually quite good. Just watch the trailer.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOhu6a9hUq4

 

Now understand that more time is actually spent in the series focusing on the three main characters' psychological states while under extreme duress, and interpersonal relationships. Oh, and philosophy. Oh, and hormones. They're teenagers, after all.

 

I sound so cynical. I really did like this series, I swear.

 

Mobile Suit Gundam. If you were a teenage boy in the 90's, chances are your second or third (after Pokemon and the various DragonBall series') introduction to anime was Gundam in it's various incarnations, thanks Toonami!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqKlj87gcVc

 

You know how I said you don't need to see any of these to be otaku? I've never once seen a Gundam incarnation.

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The Classics, Part II (because Nightly won't let me link so many youtube videos in one post).

 

Lets move on to something cuter!

 

Anything by Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli.

 

You know how I said there's great anime for kids of all ages, reallytruly? Most of it is made by Hayao Miyazaki. behold, My Neighbor Totoro.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUyXe4qW8CM

 

HANFAN'S kids love it, and I first loaned it to them at 2 1/2. My grandma also loves it. Good clean fun for absolutely all ages.

 

Now, you may be saying "why do the names Miyazaki and Ghibli actually sound familiar?" That would be because Disney bought the English language rights a few years back. You've probably already seen these movies:

 

Spirited Away. This one was made for an 11 year old girl. You get the age range:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2BM6ACeiVs

 

Ponyo. Suitable for preschoolers (HANFAN'S kids like this one, too):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bskgNOXbdiE

 

The Secret World of Arrietty. All ages, probably best appreciated by elementary school aged kids:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlMe7PavaRQ

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I think the comparison people make of Mamoru Hosoda to Miyazaki is somewhat appropriate, though I think his films are distinct enough on their own. "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" and "Summer Wars" are sure purchases for any collection.

 

Edit: Just read his latest is called "Wolf Children." Looking for info now.

 

As for the Wonder Con panel I can't recall if it was just observational data rather than any in-depth study.

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I think the comparison people make of Mamoru Hosoda to Miyazaki is somewhat appropriate, though I think his films are distinct enough on their own. "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" and "Summer Wars" are sure purchases for any collection.

 

Yeah, I'm thinking about a "new classics" post, and Summer Wars was the first I thought of.

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I was looking for something else on Pinterest, and found an article I pinned a while back from The Mary Sue with novice-friendly anime recommendations for anyone who likes feminist and/or queer themes. I've seen a little more than half of their recommendations, and they're on to something.

 

10 Anime You Should Watch (And That Are Easy To Find!)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Marathoned the first 15 episodes of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and I am completely deeply in love with this. A near-too-heavy dose of fanservice throughout, but plenty of great action, characters, mythology, and comedy.

 

My son has been mainlining a lot of anime and Japanese TV over the past few years (including many seasons of the aforementioned Super Sentai), and he's declared that TTGL is his all-time favorite anything of any kind ever.

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Raise that boy's allowance! It really seems to be an inspired take on anime tropes' greatest hits. The only downside I find is the soundtrack is very subdued. Almost to the point of nonexistence. At the risk of appearing redundant of their work on FLCL, this show begs for The Pillows.

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