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03-17-2014, 10:03 PM
Table of contents
Introduction
Hello, I thought I'd give those who are new to the whole anime scene a helpful little thread to get you started on your adventure so you don't get a bad taste in your mouth from the very few not so great anime. I'll try to make this as detailed as I can and get you into the swing of things faster so you can be apart of this awesome section with knowledge and enjoyment. All I ask is a bit of your time to read this thread and come into this thread with an open mind and don't instantly shut it down before you even give anything a chance!
What is anime?
I will simply find a brief official definition for you and you can go from there.
Where to start
Ahh, such a question is hard to answer in a brief paragraph. Everyone is their own person and thus each anime will likely appeal to different people. You just need to think of what you enjoy in movies you've seen, books you've read and overall genres you wish to get into. Take myself for example, I'm more into action, adventure, slice of life and romance. You could be into Echhi and Shounen. Try to match them with what your interests are, makes it easier that way for me anyway.
Helpful sites
Here are some great sites to get you started. (Click on them)
Genres
There are a few genres but I'll go ahead and describe the more popular ones.
Action
Action anime usually include male main characters and have a fast paced story with many battles, deaths, injury and other things commonly found in action movies. Most great action anime back these elements up with a solid story line and likable characters. Action anime are considered to be much like adventure and shounen anime but instead have a more compelling, fast paced and shorter story and usually have a maximum of 24 episodes with most series having 12 episodes.
Adventure
Adventure anime is typically applied to anime in which a group of people and/or a single protagonist are placed in a series of events or one lengthy event which places their lives or the lives of someone they care about in danger. The protagonist/s will usually have to use his wits, allies, skills etc to navigate through these trials and eventually reach the goal they were after. Adventure anime usually have around 24 episodes and get stretch across multiple seasons. Unlike Shounen anime, adventure anime do not focus as much on hidden powers that the protagonist may have.
Slice of Life
Slice of Life anime usually tie in as a sub-genre of either comedy and/or drama genres. Slice of life is basically its namesake as in it is a “slice of life” the series usually follows a section of a characters life and the trials/events they encounter during that time. Slice of life rarely involves supernatural themes but like every rule there are exceptions. Slice of life anime usually have 12 or 24 episodes but rarely continue on for more than one season unless they get popular. Slice of life anime are excellent as sub-genre of both comedy and drama because they are usually fairly easy and enjoyable to watch.
Drama
Drama anime usually involve a protagonist or a group of select people and follows through a certain part of their lives. The protagonist is usually trying to achieve something in his life or he is unable to work out what he needs and what he wants. Drama anime usually have a very deep plot and character development is excellent. Majority of the time when watching a good drama anime you will be able to see as each character changes and grows because of the situations around then. Drama anime has produced some of the most influential series and has the ability to pull the heart strings of people who rarely get emotional.
Ecchi
Ecchi or erotic anime is used to describe anime that focuses on sexually stimulating content and is predominantly aimed at a male audience but also aims towards a female audience but with fewer amounts. Ecchi is usually full of content such as conversations with sexual references or misunderstandings about sexuality in dialogue for example double meanings. In the Ecchi genre prepared to see a lot of underwear cos-play, fetish clothing, nudity, ripped apart, wet, malfunctioned clothing. Ecchi is heavy on fan service but is great to watch as a series that doesn't make you think.
Horror
The horror genre of anime is quite different from films. It’s hard to find a physically scary anime but instead of spooky monsters anime defines itself extremely well by focusing on creating a creepy feeling which usually has a lot to do with characters mental stability and extreme amounts of violence and gore. The chances of finding an anime that won’t let you sleep at night are low but a few series take psycho to a new level.
Romance
Romance is almost always split into two sub-genre which are drama-romance and comedy-romance. Both of these sub-genre have produced great series. Drama romance usually focuses on the couple meeting and the struggles they encounter together while the comedy romance genre focuses on the couple and all the entertaining situations they find themselves in because of their different personalities. Romance series usually stretch for 24 episodes because they need the time to create an emotional link with the audience.
Credits to Tasemu for definitions
You can find other genres listed here:
Suggestions/Recommendations
There are a few animes that I have enjoyed in the past. If you have a recommendation, post it on this thread or message me and I'll certainly add it!
Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)
Genres - Horror, action, romance, drama, adventure.
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Genres - Action, Adventure, Shounen, Super Power.
Clannad
Genres - Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance.
Clannad (After Story)
Genres - Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance.
One piece
Genres - Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Pirates.
Highschool DxD
Genres - Comedy, Demons, Ecchi, Romance, School, Shounen, Harem.
Cowboy Bebop
Genres - Action, Bounty Hunters, Detective, Gunfight, SciFi, Seinen, Space Travel, Tragedy
Death Note
Genres - Action, Detective, Shounen, Thriller
Conclusion
Hope this has given you some insight on anime and what to start watching. This is mostly from my own experience so the thread can and will grow from other users too. I'll do my best to keep this thread up to date and add things when needed. Thanks for reading!
- Introduction.
- What is anime.
- Where to start.
- Genres.
- Helpful sites
- Suggestions.
- Conclusion.
Introduction
Hello, I thought I'd give those who are new to the whole anime scene a helpful little thread to get you started on your adventure so you don't get a bad taste in your mouth from the very few not so great anime. I'll try to make this as detailed as I can and get you into the swing of things faster so you can be apart of this awesome section with knowledge and enjoyment. All I ask is a bit of your time to read this thread and come into this thread with an open mind and don't instantly shut it down before you even give anything a chance!
What is anime?
I will simply find a brief official definition for you and you can go from there.
Quote:an·i·me
ˈanəˌmā/
noun
1.
Japanese movie and television animation, often having a science fiction theme and sometimes including violent or explicitly sexual material.
Where to start
Ahh, such a question is hard to answer in a brief paragraph. Everyone is their own person and thus each anime will likely appeal to different people. You just need to think of what you enjoy in movies you've seen, books you've read and overall genres you wish to get into. Take myself for example, I'm more into action, adventure, slice of life and romance. You could be into Echhi and Shounen. Try to match them with what your interests are, makes it easier that way for me anyway.
Helpful sites
Here are some great sites to get you started. (Click on them)
[To see links please register here]
[To see links please register here]
[To see links please register here]
[To see links please register here]
[To see links please register here]
[To see links please register here]
Genres
There are a few genres but I'll go ahead and describe the more popular ones.
Action
Action anime usually include male main characters and have a fast paced story with many battles, deaths, injury and other things commonly found in action movies. Most great action anime back these elements up with a solid story line and likable characters. Action anime are considered to be much like adventure and shounen anime but instead have a more compelling, fast paced and shorter story and usually have a maximum of 24 episodes with most series having 12 episodes.
Adventure
Adventure anime is typically applied to anime in which a group of people and/or a single protagonist are placed in a series of events or one lengthy event which places their lives or the lives of someone they care about in danger. The protagonist/s will usually have to use his wits, allies, skills etc to navigate through these trials and eventually reach the goal they were after. Adventure anime usually have around 24 episodes and get stretch across multiple seasons. Unlike Shounen anime, adventure anime do not focus as much on hidden powers that the protagonist may have.
Slice of Life
Slice of Life anime usually tie in as a sub-genre of either comedy and/or drama genres. Slice of life is basically its namesake as in it is a “slice of life” the series usually follows a section of a characters life and the trials/events they encounter during that time. Slice of life rarely involves supernatural themes but like every rule there are exceptions. Slice of life anime usually have 12 or 24 episodes but rarely continue on for more than one season unless they get popular. Slice of life anime are excellent as sub-genre of both comedy and drama because they are usually fairly easy and enjoyable to watch.
Drama
Drama anime usually involve a protagonist or a group of select people and follows through a certain part of their lives. The protagonist is usually trying to achieve something in his life or he is unable to work out what he needs and what he wants. Drama anime usually have a very deep plot and character development is excellent. Majority of the time when watching a good drama anime you will be able to see as each character changes and grows because of the situations around then. Drama anime has produced some of the most influential series and has the ability to pull the heart strings of people who rarely get emotional.
Ecchi
Ecchi or erotic anime is used to describe anime that focuses on sexually stimulating content and is predominantly aimed at a male audience but also aims towards a female audience but with fewer amounts. Ecchi is usually full of content such as conversations with sexual references or misunderstandings about sexuality in dialogue for example double meanings. In the Ecchi genre prepared to see a lot of underwear cos-play, fetish clothing, nudity, ripped apart, wet, malfunctioned clothing. Ecchi is heavy on fan service but is great to watch as a series that doesn't make you think.
Horror
The horror genre of anime is quite different from films. It’s hard to find a physically scary anime but instead of spooky monsters anime defines itself extremely well by focusing on creating a creepy feeling which usually has a lot to do with characters mental stability and extreme amounts of violence and gore. The chances of finding an anime that won’t let you sleep at night are low but a few series take psycho to a new level.
Romance
Romance is almost always split into two sub-genre which are drama-romance and comedy-romance. Both of these sub-genre have produced great series. Drama romance usually focuses on the couple meeting and the struggles they encounter together while the comedy romance genre focuses on the couple and all the entertaining situations they find themselves in because of their different personalities. Romance series usually stretch for 24 episodes because they need the time to create an emotional link with the audience.
Credits to Tasemu for definitions
You can find other genres listed here:
[To see links please register here]
Suggestions/Recommendations
There are a few animes that I have enjoyed in the past. If you have a recommendation, post it on this thread or message me and I'll certainly add it!
Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)
Genres - Horror, action, romance, drama, adventure.
Quote:Several hundred years ago, humans were nearly exterminated by giants. Giants are typically several stories tall, seem to have no intelligence, devour human beings and, worst of all, seem to do it for the pleasure rather than as a food source. A small percentage of humanity survived by walling themselves in a city protected by extremely high walls, even taller than the biggest of giants. Flash forward to the present and the city has not seen a giant in over 100 years. Teenage boy Elen and his foster sister Mikasa witness something horrific as the city walls are destroyed by a super giant that appears out of thin air. As the smaller giants flood the city, the two kids watch in horror as their mother is eaten alive. Elen vows that he will murder every single giant and take revenge for all of mankind.
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Genres - Action, Adventure, Shounen, Super Power.
Quote:Remake of the 1999 TV series of Hunter x Hunter based on the manga by Togashi Yoshihiro. A Hunter is one who travels the world doing all sorts of dangerous tasks. From capturing criminals to searching deep within uncharted lands for any lost treasures. Gon is a young boy whose father disappeared long ago, being a Hunter. He believes if he could also follow his father's path, he could one day reunite with him. After becoming 12, Gon leaves his home and takes on the task of entering the Hunter exam, notorious for its low success rate and high probability of death to become an official Hunter. He befriends the revenge-driven Kurapica, the doctor-to-be Leorio and the rebellious ex-assassin Killua in the exam, with their friendship prevailing throughout the many trials and threats they come upon taking on the dangerous career of a Hunter.
Clannad
Genres - Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance.
Quote:Tomoya Okazaki is a third year high school student resentful of his life. His mother passed away from a car accident when he was younger, causing his father to resort to alcohol and gambling. This results in fights between the two until Tomoya's shoulder is injured in a fight. Since then, Tomoya has had distant relationships with his father, causing him to become a delinquent over time. While on a walk to school, he meets a strange girl named Nagisa Furukawa who is a year older, but is repeating due to illness. Due to this, she is often alone as most of her friends have moved on. The two begin hanging out and slowly, as time goes by, Tomoya finds his life shifting in a new direction.
Clannad (After Story)
Genres - Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance.
Quote:A sequel to the recently wrapped anime based on the Key Clannad franchise. After Story is a path that opens in the original visual novel after all the other paths have been opened.
One piece
Genres - Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Pirates.
Quote:A boy named Monkey D. Luffy, inspired by his childhood hero "Red-Haired" Shanks, sets out on a journey to find the legendary One Piece, to become the new Pirate King. To accomplish this, he must reach the end of the most deadly and dangerous ocean: The Grand Line. Luffy captains the Straw Hat Pirates first through the sea of East Blue and then through the Grand Line. He follows the path of the deceased Pirate King, Gold Roger, from island to island on his way to the great treasure One Piece. On his way his crew grows to have a swordsman, a navigator, a sniper, a cook, a doctor, an archaeologist, a shipwright, and a musician. During the course of the story, the crew contend with both other less moral pirate crews and the Navy. The latter are the subordinates of the World Government, who apparently seek justice by ending the Golden Age of Pirates. Many background story elements involve the delicate balance of power between the World Government and the world's most powerful pirate crews.
Highschool DxD
Genres - Comedy, Demons, Ecchi, Romance, School, Shounen, Harem.
Quote:The story follows Issei Hyodo, a dim-witted, lecherous second-year high school student who is killed by a girl on his first date ever. Issei is reincarnated as a devil, and from that day forward, he serves as an underling of Riasu, a high-level devil who is also the prettiest girl on Issei's campus.
Cowboy Bebop
Genres - Action, Bounty Hunters, Detective, Gunfight, SciFi, Seinen, Space Travel, Tragedy
Quote:Once upon a time, in New York City in 1941... at this club open to all comers to play, night after night, at a club named "Minston's Play" House in Harlem, they play jazz sessions competing with each other. Young jazz men with a new sense are gathering. At last they created a new genre itself. They are sick and tired of the conventional fixed style jazz. They're eager to play jazz more freely as they wish then... in 2071 in the universe... The bounty hunters, who are gathering in the spaceship BEBOP, will play freely without fear of risky things. They must create new dreams and films by breaking traditional styles. The work, which becomes a new genre itself, will be called... "COWBOY BEBOP"
Death Note
Genres - Action, Detective, Shounen, Thriller
Quote:Yagami Light is an ace student with great prospects, who's bored out of his mind. One day he finds the "Death Note": a notebook from the realm of the Death Gods, with the power to kill people in any way he desires. With the Death Note in hand, Light decides to create his perfect world, without crime or criminals. However, when criminals start dropping dead one by one, the authorites send the legendary detective L to track down the killer, and a battle of wits, deception and logic ensues...
Conclusion
Hope this has given you some insight on anime and what to start watching. This is mostly from my own experience so the thread can and will grow from other users too. I'll do my best to keep this thread up to date and add things when needed. Thanks for reading!
