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Other than Evangelion, what are the best anime series/films by general consensus?

Deleted member 48205

User requested account closure
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Stuff mentioned already that is god-tier:
FLCL
Paranoia Agent
Ping-Pong

Stuff mentioned already that's not so good if you're older than 15:
Gurenn Lagann
Death Note
Attack On Titan
Steins:Gate
 

joe1

Member
Dec 12, 2018
16
Is really Evangelion still that good? It was like 15 years ago I saw and thought it was awesome, but I was around 15. I always think that it hasen't aged well..?
 
TheFireman

TheFireman

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Dec 22, 2017
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Kazura said:
Stuff mentioned already that is god-tier:
FLCL
Paranoia Agent
Ping-Pong

Stuff mentioned already that's not so good if you're older than 15:
Gurenn Lagann
Death Note
Attack On Titan
Steins:Gate
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Death Note's fine. It's not some deep experience like FLCL or Evangelion, but it's a well-scored entertaining thriller.

It's like comparing Die Hard to The Shining.
 
DustyVonErich

DustyVonErich

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,861
Akira
Cowboy Bebop
Ninja Scroll

Those are popular ones and top tier imo.

My favorite will probably always be Gatchaman / Battle of the Planets though.
 
McScroggz

McScroggz

The Fallen
Jan 11, 2018
5,971
Whenever my friend decided he wanted to give anime a try, after deliberation I told him to watch Full Metal Alchemist first. I don't think there's a better starter anime out there, and pretty much everybody loves it.
 

Deleted member 48205

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1,038
TheFireman said:
Death Note's fine. It's not some deep experience like FLCL or Evangelion, but it's a well-scored entertaining thriller.

It's like comparing Die Hard to The Shining.
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I didn't compare it to anything, but some people view it as some sort of masterpiece which imo it just isn't. I watched it in 2016 for the first time and barely got through it, and I only did it because my roommate swore it's the best shit ever, and even he had to admit that it wasn't as good as he remembered it...
 
Window

Window

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,282
True Savior said:
By general consensus, check this rankings of the best per year:
https://imgur.com/a/0ayQC
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Got it in higher res? It's a bit hard to read.

Who put this together?

Kazura said:
I didn't compare it to anything, but some people view it as some sort of masterpiece which imo it just isn't. I watched it in 2016 for the first time and barely got through it, and I only did it because my roommate swore it's the best shit ever, and even he had to admit that it wasn't as good as he remembered it...
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I tried watching it sometime soon after it's initial broadcast (2008/9) and could not get past like episode 10.
 
Sabretooth

Sabretooth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,051
India
I've yet to see a one who'll shit on Gurren Lagann.

DrForester said:
Revolutionary Girl Utena
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MizneyWorld

MizneyWorld

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
446
Obviously the answer is that there's a shit ton of anime out there and there's plenty for all tastes. Just explore and enjoy.

Plenty of already great recommendations and, by page 3, one can see a pattern of mentioned shows. Not seen as the best and usually overshadowed by Cowboy Bebop, my personal favorite is space western, Outlaw Star. Fun lead characters. Great visuals. Memorable music.

 
Brewster123

Brewster123

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Here's what I'd consider essential:

Akira
Cowboy Bebop
Practically all of Ghibli's Films
Summer Wars
Fullmetal Alchemist 2003
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (Watch 2003 first if possible)
The Tatami Galaxy
Steins Gate
Haibane Renmei
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
A Place Further Than the Universe

Here's some stuff that I personally like:

Serial Experiments Lain
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimiya
Hinamatsuri
Welcome to the NHK
Azumanga Daioh
Infinite Ryvius

Also, if you are wondering where to go to watch some of this stuff, here is a site that gives you the legal streaming sites for a given show.
https://because.moe/
 
JangleLuke

JangleLuke

Member
Oct 4, 2018
1,604
  • Your Name (Movie)
  • One-Punch Man
  • FullMetalAlchemist
  • Akira (Movie)
  • DragonBall Z
  • Wolf Children (Movie)
  • The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Movie)

And now, the obligatory Ghibli recommendations:

  • Lupin the 3rd: Castle of Cagliostro (technically not Ghibli, but it was Miyazaki's debut as a film director, and it's goooood)
  • Castle in the Sky
  • Porco Rosso
  • Princess Mononoke
  • Spirited Away
  • Ponyo
 
shoptroll

shoptroll

Member
May 29, 2018
3,680
Pretty much everything I would recommend has already been listed, but I want to add that I would probably take Ghost in the Shell SAC. The original film is definitely a classic, but SAC gets a lot more time to expand on its world building and spend time with supplementary characters who barely got any screentime in the original.

I also want to give props to the earlier shoutout to Patlabor. Production I.G's GitS work owes a lot to that series which in hindsight feels like a dry-run for what they would attempt with GitS and later SAC.
 

John Doe

Avenger
Jan 24, 2018
3,443
I'll have to rewatch Bebop because although I liked the characters, the music and the show on a while, I don't really understand the GOAT status that it has.

Is it meant to be an episodic anime? Because it kind of just jumps all over the place at times.
 
denpanosekai

denpanosekai

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,286
True Savior said:
By general consensus, check this rankings of the best per year:
https://imgur.com/a/0ayQC
Click to expand...
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Ah thanks for this, I really should bookmark it. I keep meaning to go through most of this list but I get suckered into new anime which is mostly trash (Devilman Crybaby, holy shit...) and I have this thing where I can't stop what I started until it's finished NO MATTER WHAT

I'll start with Gunbuster!
 
sph3re

sph3re

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8,395
denpanosekai said:
Ah thanks for this, I really should bookmark it. I keep meaning to go through most of this list but I get suckered into new anime which is mostly trash (Devilman Crybaby, holy shit...) and I have this thing where I can't stop what I started until it's finished NO MATTER WHAT

I'll start with Gunbuster!
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Aww man, I liked Devilman Crybaby. But I'm also a sucker for dark and edgy anime; I liked Higurashi season 1 right up until the last episode.
 
Korigama

Korigama

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Oct 25, 2017
20,475
joe1 said:
Is really Evangelion still that good? It was like 15 years ago I saw and thought it was awesome, but I was around 15. I always think that it hasen't aged well..?
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I consider its aesthetics and overall presentation more noteworthy than its story/writing.
Kazura said:
I didn't compare it to anything, but some people view it as some sort of masterpiece which imo it just isn't. I watched it in 2016 for the first time and barely got through it, and I only did it because my roommate swore it's the best shit ever, and even he had to admit that it wasn't as good as he remembered it...
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Death Note is trash, and its author is a hack.
sph3re said:
Aww man, I liked Devilman Crybaby. But I'm also a sucker for dark and edgy anime; I liked Higurashi season 1 right up until the last episode.
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I'm actually rather surprised by how glowing the opinions of Devilman Crybaby are around these parts. I didn't necessarily hate it, but it was still much too dark and edgy for my liking, definitely not something I have the urge to rewatch.
 
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Kimaris

Kimaris

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Nov 20, 2017
1,152
There's a disturbing lack of One Punch Man mentions ITT.

Also, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky is flawless.
 
denpanosekai

denpanosekai

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Oct 28, 2017
2,286
sph3re said:
Aww man, I liked Devilman Crybaby. But I'm also a sucker for dark and edgy anime; I liked Higurashi season 1 right up until the last episode.
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Eeh, my bad. Trash is too strong. It's actually pretty unique in its over-the-top edginess, but I have a real hard time following the convoluted plot. Too much random shit. I'm only up to episode 8 at the moment. I mostly watch these late at night and can't stay awake through most of the episodes because they're just too bizarre.

Korigama said:
I consider its aesthetics and overall presentation more noteworthy than its story/writing.
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FWIW I just finished watching Evangelion and the one thing I can say about it is I couldn't put it down. I've watched anime for over 20 years yet I completely ignored this series. Was impressed how much it held up after all this time. It went strange and dark places and never really recovered. I preferred when it was straight up about fighting angels but it was a good trip overall. The movies just muddle everything even further.
 
Korigama

Korigama

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Oct 25, 2017
20,475
Kimaris said:
There's a disturbing lack of One Punch Man mentions ITT.

Also, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky is flawless.
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One Punch Man is good, but I liked Mob Psycho 100 a bit better in regards to One's work.
denpanosekai said:
FWIW I just finished watching Evangelion and the one thing I can say about it is I couldn't put it down. I've watched anime for over 20 years yet I completely ignored this series. Was impressed how much it held up after all this time. It went strange and dark places and never really recovered. I preferred when it was straight up about fighting angels but it was a good trip overall. The movies just muddle everything even further.
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I can say that it's... distinctive in the direction it takes, if nothing else.
 
sph3re

sph3re

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denpanosekai said:
Eeh, my bad. Trash is too strong. It's actually pretty unique in its over-the-top edginess, but I have a real hard time following the convoluted plot. Too much random shit. I'm only up to episode 8 at the moment. I mostly watch these late at night and can't stay away through most of the episodes.
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Haha, you're right, the plot is pretty messy. I don't blame you in the slightest.
Kimaris said:
There's a disturbing lack of One Punch Man mentions ITT.

Also, Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky is flawless.
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OPM is something I can't recommend unless you actually have experience with Shonen anime. It's funny, but it's funnier when you realize how it parodies Shonen tropes.
 
Dream Machine

Dream Machine

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,085
Obviously Satoshi Kon's oeuvre.

Magnetic Rose was the short film in the anthology movie Memories that first put him on peoples' radar:
Tovf7sV.jpg
K7Sh2Je.jpg

Millennium Actress:
inwAXdd.jpg

xrels0t.jpg

XqdzoDj.jpg

QF6pP8y.jpg

Ohayou (Good Morning)


And of course The Dreaming Machine, which is totally coming out some day because of course they aren't just going to leave it completely storyboarded and half animated. Why would they do that? I'm not crying, you're crying.
elUyVA7.jpg



Every Frame a Painting did a video essay on him that I feel clinically compelled to share:
 
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Devilgunman

Devilgunman

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,451
Guren Lagann is my favorite anime of all time.

Gundam Iron Blood Orphan 1st season is also great, even though the 2nd season has the best mech fight in any Gundam series.
 
Legend of Aims

Legend of Aims

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,421
12 kingdoms
Bastard!
Gungrave
Ghost in the shell: stand alone complex
Dragon half
Full metal panic
Great teacher onizuka
Karas: prophecy and revelations
Kino's Journey
Magical shopping Arcade: abenobashi
S-cry-ed
Escaflowne
Rahxephon
martian successor nadesico
Slayers (everyone you can find)

Old school greats
 
Morlas

Morlas

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Oct 25, 2017
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I would recommend Cowboy Bebop to literally anybody
 
Olorin

Olorin

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,074
My personal favorite and a series I would recommend is Fate/Zero.

-great story
-good action scenes
-fantastic soundtrack
-some happy times...but mostly sadtimes
 
SonicX_Zero

SonicX_Zero

Member
Oct 26, 2017
469
Off the top of my head that some people havent mentioned

Tsuiokuhen (although some people would have my head for this)
Darker than Black
Daily Lives of High School Boys
Toradora
 

Deleted member 18021

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Oct 27, 2017
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The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is also pretty good.

Hrodulf said:
More specifically, the 1988 version. The 2018 version, unfortunately, doesn't seem to measure up.
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I thought it was fine, honestly. Probably a nice watch if you want to see if it's your thing before you commit to watching 110 episodes of the old show.
 
Cat

Cat

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Oct 25, 2017
1,126
US
Brewster123 said:
Here's what I'd consider essential:

Akira
Cowboy Bebop
Practically all of Ghibli's Films
Summer Wars
Fullmetal Alchemist 2003
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (Watch 2003 first if possible)
The Tatami Galaxy
Steins Gate
Haibane Renmei
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
A Place Further Than the Universe

Here's some stuff that I personally like:

Serial Experiments Lain
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimiya
Hinamatsuri
Welcome to the NHK
Azumanga Daioh
Infinite Ryvius

Also, if you are wondering where to go to watch some of this stuff, here is a site that gives you the legal streaming sites for a given show.
https://because.moe/
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Mostly this, but I'd consider Serial Experiments Lain essential.
 
Brewster123

Brewster123

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Cat said:
Mostly this, but I'd consider Serial Experiments Lain essential.
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Yeah, I personally really like the show, but I didn't list it as essential because I've found, at least within my social circles, some people really don't get a lot out of Lain. I'd like the essential stuff to be shows that almost everyone enjoys. Same thing goes for the other shows I listed like NHK and Ryvius.
 
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DaciaJC

DaciaJC

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Oct 29, 2017
6,685
Eila said:
Didn't read it myself but the manga does continue and is complete.
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Yep! I'm actually going through it right now. My understanding is that plans for a second season of the anime fell through and so they had to cobble together a non-disjointed ending, while the manga continued on for another seven years. From what I've seen/read so far, the anime is rather faithful to the source material, so a renewal or remake would be awesome.
 
s_mirage

s_mirage

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Oct 25, 2017
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Bubblegum Crisis. The original not 2040.

It's not perfect, and it wasn't finished so it ends somewhat abruptly (Bubblegum Crash provides something of an ending, but is inconsistent with the series), but the J-Rock soundtrack and late '80s - early '90s designs are great.
 
Kamagii

Kamagii

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Oct 27, 2017
618
South of Heaven
Akira
Cowboy beebop
Princess mononoke (Miyazaki in general but yea)
One punch man
Ghost in the shell
Perfect Blue
Paprika


All probably said but if not yea
 
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