World of Anime: Leo's Life in Anime

Anime has been around for a long time. Said to have started as early as 1917 with Japanese filmmakers taking bits of animation techniques from France, Germany, United States, and Russia while adding their own twist. Disney's success influenced Japanese artists and by the 70's manga started becoming really popular and by the 80's, anime became popular by mainstream Japan. 90's saw the start of anime becoming really popular overseas and today, anime is to me one of the most popular things in the world and can bring us all together no matter where we are. Now the question arises, is anime really that good?

I know most of you (If not all of you) love anime and take anime very seriously (I should know, Nour almost killed me for my comment on Haruhi). Talking about different anime and talking about the ones that are good and ones that suck. It makes me wonder what is so good about anime? I have seen anime before and like some (hell, I had the whole DBZ series on blank vhs tapes). I watched DBZ, Yu-gi-oh, Soul Eater, and the first season of Pokemon and I enjoyed them but that's the problem, I "enjoyed" them. I liked watching them as a kid but besides Yu-gi-oh I don't go back to watch them again and as some of you know I have not watched any new anime. Anime just began to bore me, I just shut off my mind and watch, I don't care when someone dies or when something bad happens (except when something bad happens in Soul Eater for some reason).

So it's my quest now to see what makes anime so great to people! I will look into ALL types of anime (even the dirty ones) and if you have any good examples of anime feel free to post where I can watch them and I'll watch some of it and do a first look review on it too. I will also take about the types of anime in general.

As some of you know I might not be here for February and have no idea how my life will be as of February. I really wish I could stay and do this series but it will have to be on hold. Sadly I may never be able to come back but also may never have to leave. If I can't come back I would like to have this series continue but understand if it doesn't (Because an anime fan can't take this series up since it's about a person who isn't a fan trying to learn more on the topic). Any ideas are welcome for this series and I hope this series works out.

Thanks for reading!

There's something "unplugged" about anime that most cartoons wouldn't dare to do in the US. People might disagree with me here, but some of the US cartoons I enjoy such as My Little Pony or Avatar, no matter how much someone may hate one or the other, are well-written and have a style that's alive and fun without treating it's intended audiences like their 6; it's why grown men watch My Little Pony and are entertained but you don't hear people watching Teletubes or watching Sesame Street. Sure most cartoons like those are looked at with fond memories for some and there's anime just like this, but I'm sure the nostalgia goggles are thick and not many people actually sit back and watches it all again.

Anime achieves something that most other cultures seem afraid to do and actors can never do without coming off as just plain silly. Either cartoons are for kids or a medium to see how foul one can be. (see South Park and Family Guy) If I want to watch a bigger then life murder mystery let's say, I'd tell someone to watch Death Note because it achieves a level of epic that actors just couldn't (see live movie). If someone wanted to watch some cheesy B movie style superhero fights, I'd tell them to watch Dragon Ball Z because it achieves a display of fight scenes reality can't (see live movie once again). Seriously, if I want to gawk at half naked women whom seem completely innocent and nothing is per say sexuality in any way besides the way they decide to dress, we got plenty of that too.

Are you looking for suggestions though? I could name things but it really depends on what you like.

I'm ok with watching anything. I was planning on talking about all types of anime.

Okies then, in that case...

http://www.lovelyanime.com/ <- My choice of anime streaming. It's the least ad cluttered place I've come across and easy on the eyes... and that's saying something because it's not exactly ad-free. Also if you torrent/download...
http://bakabt.me/ <- Excellent torrent database. They have a seed-leech ratio for members though so something to keep in mind. They also don't host licensed shows.

If we're talking romance, Clannad/Clannad After Story is probably the best anime I've seen. To put it simply, most romances aren't executed in a way for me to care and Clannad does otherwise. I've seen a lot of romance anime including the more popular shows with romance undertones like ToraDora and SAO, but they either wrap it up wrong or they're just not believable. Some people would say the beginning to Clannad is really boring, and I'd agree with anyone who said that who didn't enjoy humor of the anime that strings it along, but it's really worth finishing for those who do enjoy it.

Go to Myanimelist.com, hover anime and click "Top Anime". As of this post #1 is Gintama with a spelling error. #4 is Gintama again. #6 is Gintama without the spelling error. What I'm getting at here is Gintama is the only series I have ever watched that has breached 100 episodes and I haven't gotten sick of. I don't know how to explain it... but it's just a show that I can watch all of and watch again...

If you haven't watched Steins;Gate, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo, Summer Days and a vast majority of the Ghibli films you are wasting precious life. Get on that. I'd sit here and explain why each and every one of those is great but brb lazy, my episode of Hyouka finished buffering.

My First Look/Review List so far:
(1) Haruhi
(2) Soul Eater
(3) Death Note
(4) Fruits Basket
(5) Naruto

Imma try get this 5 out first and then look up more anime.
I have seen a bit of Ghibli films but will probably make that a special topic for later.

watch dragon drive
nuff said

Leokane wrote:

My First Look/Review List so far:
(1) Haruhi
(2) Soul Eater
(3) Death Note
(4) Fruits Basket
(5) Naruto

Imma try get this 5 out first and then look up more anime.
I have seen a bit of Ghibli films but will probably make that a special topic for later.

I don't know about Naruto in that list...Sure, it's really popular, but that's because of the mass amount of hype, and the fact that most people who watch it are in for the simplistic and 'flashy' stuff. It's nothing special, really. It's very much like Sword Art Online, only a lot longer...

I recommend Durarara, which takes place in a modern Japanese city, and is about street gangs. Baccano!(By the same author, and is superior in my opinion) takes place during the 1930s, and is about mafias(Camorra, to be specific, but no need for details when I'm just trying to get you hooked.) Both are insanely fun, DRRR is lovely and Baccano! is stylish. You can't go wrong with them to be honest.(For reference DRRR has around 24 episodes, and Baccano has 12-13, unless you count the bonus 3 episodes)

simple, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the gateway drug of anime

Al-Bhed wrote:

simple, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the gateway drug of anime

...I can't believe I never thought of this before, but YES, FMA:B is THE gateway drug to anime. A true masterpiece in my opinion, and is enjoyable to just about everyone.

http://www.worldduelingacademy.com/t5387-portal-anime-and-other-recommendations

You are free to look at this. Its incomplete, but I have a good start there...I really want to sort that out this weekend...I have a lot I want to do this weekend...

You definitely need to start out with Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Gintama, and the classic Cowboy Bebop. Don't be intimidated by Gintama's length. There is a lot to watch. So take it bit by bit and you will really enjoy it.