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Topic:
Anime suggestions
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Mastadge
Title:
Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Jun '99
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Date Posted:
2/26 2:04pm
Subject:
Anime suggestions
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I have watched virtually no anime. I have no particular bias. I love several Miyazaki films. Unfortunately, the world of anime has seemed, generally, too huge to broach, and equally unfortunately, some of the anime my girlfriend suggested I try was idiotic beyond belief. Anyway, I'm now looking into some stuff. Based on my taste and recommendations, here's what I'm thinking of checking out:
Cowboy Bebop
Ghost in the Shell (which seems to be huge. Assuming I like the movie, where do I go? The sequel? SAC?)
Berserk
Planetes
Death Note
Any other suggestions?
-----signature-----
"This will be our reply to violence:
To make music more intensely,
More beautifully,
More devotedly than ever before."
- Leonard Bernstein
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Jedimarine
Registered:
Feb '01
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Date Posted:
2/26 2:36pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
- Date Edited:
2/26 2:40pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Jedimarine
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Mastadge posted:
I have watched virtually no anime. I have no particular bias. I love several Miyazaki films. Unfortunately, the world of anime has seemed, generally, too huge to broach, and equally unfortunately, some of the anime my girlfriend suggested I try was idiotic beyond belief. Anyway, I'm now looking into some stuff. Based on my taste and recommendations, here's what I'm thinking of checking out:
Cowboy Bebop
Ghost in the Shell (which seems to be huge. Assuming I like the movie, where do I go? The sequel? SAC?)
Berserk
Planetes
Death Note
Any other suggestions?
ABSOLUTELY CHECK OUT:
Cowboy Bebep
Ghost in the Shell (and note...if you don't like the first film...SAC is very different...SAC/2nd Gig/Solid State Society are all win...2 films are good, but much more about style [not my cup of tea]).
Ranma 1/2 - It's the best investment you can make in anime.
Trigun
Gundam Seed (also Gundam Wing if you like such things)
Full Metal Panic
Castle of Cagliostro (Lupin III) - Anime at it's absolute finest.
Others that are fantastic, but may/may not be in genre's you will like:
Fushigi Yuugi - A great winding tale of romance and historical fiction
Love Hina - The crown jewel of "harem" animes.
Black Lagoon - If you enjoy Cowboy Bebop and want to see a darker version - see this.
Evangelion - It's just huge.
Those Who Hunt Elves - Hysterical
Lupin III TV series
Blood: The Last Vampire
Vampire Hunter D
Bubblegum Crisis 2040
Irresponsible Captain Tylor (hillarious)
Onegai Teacher
Appleseed (if you like anything about Ghost in the Shell - see this)
Newer things that look and sound like they have promise:
Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann
Gundam 00
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Innocent Venus
_______________________
This is just the beginning...you want more detail on any of this, or want to get into further branches off this stuff, just pm me.
It's funny...I'm not the anime freak amongst my friends...and yet I have developed quite a passion for it because of them. I wish my Star Wars fanaticism wore off on them as well as anime has on me. 
EDIT: Almost forgot the champion of modern anime - Record of Lodoss War - there are older animes...but this is what ignited the rabid phenomenon around the world.
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Darth_Omega
Title: Substitute RICHARDSON
Forum Feud Champion
Registered:
May '02
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Date Posted:
2/26 4:04pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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Mastadge posted:
Based on my taste and recommendations, here's what I'm thinking of checking out:
Cowboy Bebop
Ghost in the Shell (which seems to be huge. Assuming I like the movie, where do I go? The sequel? SAC?)
Berserk
Planetes
Death Note
Any other suggestions?
For your list I suggest scrapping Beserk, you'll be watching an incomplete story instead I recommend picking up the manga even though its still on going after 20 years or so. 
GitS - Its not that huge, basically there are two different adaptations so approach them as two separate universes.
First adaptations are the two movies Ghost in the Shell and Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Second adaptations are the two series and a movie: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig and the movie Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society.
Ultimately watch all of them as long as its in order. Considering you've already seen GitS watch GitS2:I afterwards check out the series.
Planetes definitely watch this one, best hard SF since... 2001 I believe (bold statements ftw)
besides that your list looks fine.
As for my recommendations:
Gunslinger Girl
Twelve Kingdoms
Mushishi
Kino's Travel
Mononoke (not related to the Miyazaki movie)
Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi
Seirei no Moribito
Evangelion
Rahxephon
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Eureka 7
Noein
Heroic Age
FLAG
Macross
Gankutsuou
Bubblegum Crisis (original not the remake)
The Girl Who Leapt through Time
Makoto Shinkai works such as 'Beyond The Clouds, The Promised Place'
Satoshi Kon's works such as 'Millenium Actress'
As for Gundam, heh if you think GitS is huge you'll be overwhelmed by Gundam. It has over 9 different series, OVA (direct to video series), original and compilation movies, sequels, side stories, multiple universes (some of them spanning their are own sequels) which can overwhelm any newcomer.
Personally I suggest staying away from it until you're comfortable with anime. But if you want to try out personally I find Mobile Suit Gundam movie trilogy an excellent entry point and if you don't like the dated animation then watch Gundam SEED.
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Mastadge
Title:
Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Jun '99
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Date Posted:
2/26 4:12pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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Thanks for the recs. I've also heard good things about Monster -- any idea when that's coming to DVD?
-----signature-----
"This will be our reply to violence:
To make music more intensely,
More beautifully,
More devotedly than ever before."
- Leonard Bernstein
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henchman24
Registered:
Feb '08
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Date Posted:
2/26 4:14pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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an important thing to keep in mind is genre within genre in my opinion. anime is no different than any form of art, it runs the gambit from crap-superb. if you are into sword and sorcery however, and giant mech batlles turns your stomach, it won't matter how amazing Gundam is, to you its going to suck. theres lots of music out there where i recognize and respect the artists talent, but dont want to listen to it =) for me Lupin is an example, i recognize how good it is, just not my cup of tea.
Jedimarine gave you a really good list...
Bebop is better than most you will see when all elements are considered, and is one of the few where you won't be missing out by watching it in english. only problem is alot of other anime seems crappy afterwards due to Bebops greatness. check out Samurai Champloo or Wolfs Reign, same creator same vibe encased in very different worlds, both decent but still lesser
R.O.D. (the movie or the series) are both top shelf in my mind, i saw the movie first and it really knocked my socks off, can find it dirt cheap too. Villains on par with Ninja Scroll (see below)Yomiko Readman has the coolest power you could possibly have but have never even considered having =)
FLCL is wierd as ell, but the music rox hard, and its smart
Trigun is on par with any of the best, another series with superb villains, the Gung-ho Guns are as wicked as they are diverse. it will take you a few of the early episodes to realize how REDICULOUSLY HARDCORE Vash the Stampede is. stick with it...meow
Ninja Scroll is a movie, so i suppose it can't be compared to a series, but nothing is better. the sequals are laughable in the sense that they aren't really sequals and thus suck. can't say enough about the bad guys
other stuff i wouldnt call great but enjoyable is out there, and i am sure i am blanking on some other great ones. Full Metal Alchy is enjoyable, Getbackers, Yu Yu Hakusho isnt bad on a juvenile DBZ level, Witchunter Robin also.
tastes surely vary, you are talking to someone who can't sit through 15 mins of Akira, overrated drek if you ask me =)
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Mastadge
Title:
Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Jun '99
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Date Posted:
2/26 5:37pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
- Date Edited:
2/26 5:51pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Mastadge
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henchman24 posted:
an important thing to keep in mind is genre within genre in my opinion.
I know. Fortunately, I have wide taste and enjoy just about any genre. It's quality I'm looking for -- character, story, style, whatever. That's why I'm looking here. There's a huge amount of anime out there, and I hear that some of it's really good, but thus far I've generally avoided it because I'm unfamiliar with it. But if there are good stories in the form, I'd like to give 'em a go.
henchman24 posted:
and is one of the few where you won't be missing out by watching it in english
Hmm. . .I prefer subtitles generally to dubbing. . .
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"This will be our reply to violence:
To make music more intensely,
More beautifully,
More devotedly than ever before."
- Leonard Bernstein
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Jedimarine
Registered:
Feb '01
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Date Posted:
2/26 5:48pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
- Date Edited:
2/26 5:57pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Jedimarine
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Quality stories abound in anime...even in series that are obvious fan service vehicles (of varying forms) there tends to be a core story behind it...you don't get too generic or shallow until you get to more ecchi/hentai stuff.
In truth, a good well to tell if there is a solid story...check for a manga for the title...especially in circumstances where the manga predates the anime, you've likely found a winner. There are exceptions, always...but it's a safe consideration for beginners.
May I ask...do you like episodic shows with a loose overall premise, or do prefer a sweeping episode to episode serialized series?
Anime can do both splendidly...but depending on how invested you are can determine what you will sit down with and for how long.
Examples:
Episodic Anime -
Cowboy Bebop
Ghost in the Shell SAC
Trigun
More linear Serialized Anime -
Fushigi Yuugi
Anything Gundam
Record of Lodoss War
Evangelion
Most series will become more serialized toward the final episodes...this is standard...but by then you are in or you are out.
OH!
Forgot a good one if you like your brain being jerked into altered states...
Serial Experiments Lain
By the end, you will be going "WTF" and "THIS IS AWESOME", all at the same time!
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Lord_Vivec
Registered:
Apr '06
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Date Posted:
2/26 5:56pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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Not much of an anime person myself, but from what I have watched:
Blackjack
s-CRY-ed
Record of Lodoss War
Last Exile
Evangelion
I recommend those
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The2ndQuest
Title: :
-Games
-LACWAC
-Lit Mod of Death
Registered:
Jan '00
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Date Posted:
2/26 6:48pm
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
- Date Edited:
2/26 6:53pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
The2ndQuest
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I'm told I have terrible taste in Anime, but I've really enjoyed the following:
-Outlaw Star (has a sort of Han Solo/Firefly vibe to it to a degree)
-Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (has a sci-fi 'Nam feel to it, feels more mature than other MSG series I've seen episodes from)
-Big O (a sort of Batman-meets-giant robot genre thing that is rather neat, IMO)
-Inuyasha (it's not "great", but in terms of long running, episodic things go, I enjoyed watching it, and it does have some cool characters, even if they're just 1-shots)
-Bleach (only recently caught a stretch of episodes part way through the series, but rather enjoyed it quite a bit in a video game kind of way (the whole "navigate enemy compound, fight increasingly more powerful boss characters to make your way to a tower and rescue princess" aspect), though episodes cutting back to the real world have some really annoying comic relief character plotlines that piss me off)
Movie wise, I really liked Princess Mononoke & Steam Boy, and found Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind & Castle in the Sky not too shabby. I really hated Spirited Away, though. Found Ghost in the Shell mezmorizingly gorgeous, but sorta "eh" overall, and Akira did nothing for me at all.
I really wanted to like Evangelion, but I found it to be a big mess that didn't know what kind of show it wanted to be. It pretty much starts off being one thing, then sort of meanders and goes nowhere with that direction, then eventually decides to forget it and starts something completely different. For all it's complex psychological content, it generally fails to find a consistant and entertaining means of delivering those plotlines. Not to mention it's main character is actually the least interesting one (which might actually be the point, but it's a terrible idea).
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Well, it's kinda a long story, see, I had this freaking sweet hat..."
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Darth_Omega
Title: Substitute RICHARDSON
Forum Feud Champion
Registered:
May '02
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Date Posted:
2/27 1:23am
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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2ndQuest some of the people who worked on The Big O also worked on Batman TAS hence the Batman feel in both the story and characters. Regarding 08th MS Team it isn't more mature then any other Gundam (except first half of ZZ, entire G and SD) however I think your referring to the militaristic feel which the other Gundams don't really have or not as much.
Mastadge posted:
Thanks for the recs. I've also heard good things about Monster -- any idea when that's coming to DVD?
Monster is definitely a must watch I would have listed it if it were a SF or a Fantasy though. However its not licensed for the North American market, so you have to resort to fansub downloading or you have to import from France, get yourself a R2 DVD player and hope that the French DVDs have English subtitles and with the current Dollar/Euro exchange rate that doesn't seem like a good idea.
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Jedimarine
Registered:
Feb '01
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Date Posted:
2/27 6:38am
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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The2ndQuest posted:
I'm told I have terrible taste in Anime,
Not terrible...just underdeveloped I'd say...looks like a healthier portion of your viewing is of the tv broadcast variety in the states, no?
The2ndQuest posted:
but I've really enjoyed the following:
-Outlaw Star (has a sort of Han Solo/Firefly vibe to it to a degree)
Ouch...have you seen Cowboy Bebop? I strongly encourage you to do so if you like OS...most people I know who liked OS and go on to see Bebop find a whole new world open before them.
The2ndQuest posted:
-Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (has a sci-fi 'Nam feel to it, feels more mature than other MSG series I've seen episodes from)
08th MS was ok...short, but ok...it was older in feel just because of the characters...but I'd say both Seed and the new "00" are particularly militaristic..."00" from what I've seen, is even moreso then 08th MS.
The2ndQuest posted:
-Big O (a sort of Batman-meets-giant robot genre thing that is rather neat, IMO)
Again...if you like Big O, you'll probably like Bebop...
The2ndQuest posted:
-Inuyasha (it's not "great", but in terms of long running, episodic things go, I enjoyed watching it, and it does have some cool characters, even if they're just 1-shots)
*My poor head>>>desk>>>violently*
Sorry.
At least you didn't say Kenshin...that's the unforgivable sin.
The2ndQuest posted:
-Bleach (only recently caught a stretch of episodes part way through the series, but rather enjoyed it quite a bit in a video game kind of way (the whole "navigate enemy compound, fight increasingly more powerful boss characters to make your way to a tower and rescue princess" aspect), though episodes cutting back to the real world have some really annoying comic relief character plotlines that piss me off)
Bleach is the emo generation's Dragon Ball Z...It's for the older brothers who think Naruto is too juvenile. But the truth is, most of the time they watch both. Shonen Jump is the devil.
The2ndQuest posted:
Movie wise, I really liked Princess Mononoke & Steam Boy, and found Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind & Castle in the Sky not too shabby. I really hated Spirited Away, though. Found Ghost in the Shell mezmorizingly gorgeous, but sorta "eh" overall, and Akira did nothing for me at all.
Mononoke is the best of the Miyazaki stuff...Ghost in the Shell the movie is about style more then story...SAC and it's offshoots are more story based, rather then a platform for "wows".
Akira blows.
The2ndQuest posted:
I really wanted to like Evangelion, but I found it to be a big mess that didn't know what kind of show it wanted to be. It pretty much starts off being one thing, then sort of meanders and goes nowhere with that direction, then eventually decides to forget it and starts something completely different. For all it's complex psychological content, it generally fails to find a consistant and entertaining means of delivering those plotlines. Not to mention it's main character is actually the least interesting one (which might actually be the point, but it's a terrible idea).
Evangelion isn't one show...I've never seen it all the way through...and I don't think I could keep up...I just lean on the expert updates from the "true believers" to set me up wherever I've jumped in. In truth, I just think it looks cool.
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Mastadge
Title:
Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Jun '99
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Date Posted:
2/27 7:04am
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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Jedimarine posted:
Mononoke is the best of the Miyazaki stuff
Sorry, but you're wrong. Mononoke is very pretty, but is blown away by Spirited Away. Howl's Moving Castle, Laputa -- both better than Mononoke. Looking elsewhere in Ghibli, Grave of the Fireflies is also better.
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More devotedly than ever before."
- Leonard Bernstein
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LAJ_FETT
Title: Tech Admin, CollectingCCG/TCG/Boardgames
Registered:
May '02
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Date Posted:
2/27 7:35am
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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I can add to the recommendations for Cowboy Bebop. It was shown on Toonami here in the UK and I loved it. They showed the English version.
Outlaw Star was pretty good as well. The same station showed it here.
I also liked Spirited Away and Metropolis. Sky Movies showed them.
Older anime I have liked:
Galaxy Express 999 and the Harlock and Esmeraldas spinoffs. (I actually have a GE999 poster on a wall here. The TV station in New Jersey that showed the series gave them away. The ad was all in Japanese with just the station address in English. I sent away for it without knowing what I was getting! You can see a pic of the poster here )
Escaflowne (English version)
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Jedimarine
Registered:
Feb '01
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Date Posted:
2/27 8:26am
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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Another good point.
Dubbing is bad 88% of the time.
Subbing is much better.
And trust me...coming from the person who swore he'd never watch anime to read when I had a star wars book on the shelf...you have to watch most anime subtitled.
I can count on one hand the anime's that had ok dubs:
1. Cowboy Bebop
2. Outlaw Star
3. Lupin III
4. Trigun
5. Ghost in the Shell
and even these...the subbing is superior.
Subtitles are vital...often because the dub quality is either very poor...or they have intentionally corned up the dialog to be "funny"...it need not be.
Subtitles...even if you hate the idea...it won't take long to sway you.
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The2ndQuest
Title: :
-Games
-LACWAC
-Lit Mod of Death
Registered:
Jan '00
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Date Posted:
2/27 10:27am
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
- Date Edited:
2/27 10:29am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
The2ndQuest
|
Jedimarine posted:
looks like a healthier portion of your viewing is of the tv broadcast variety in the states, no?
Primarily, or catching portions of said-series on Tv before watching them on DVD.
Jedimarine posted:
Ouch...have you seen Cowboy Bebop? I strongly encourage you to do so if you like OS...most people I know who liked OS and go on to see Bebop find a whole new world open before them.
I've seen CB on TV and found it an interesting show. Definitely a higher quality story than OS, though I found OS more fun- CB tends to have a much calmer pace. CB's a good show to chill to, but I prefer the more kinetic feel to OS. I also think I may have missed an couple episodes, because when i saw the last episode on TV, I didn't get the impact of the events transpiring. But I can see your later comment about the similarities between it and Big O.
Darth_Omega posted:
Regarding 08th MS Team it isn't more mature then any other Gundam (except first half of ZZ, entire G and SD) however I think your referring to the militaristic feel which the other Gundams don't really have or not as much.
Jedimarine posted:
08th MS was ok...short, but ok...it was older in feel just because of the characters...but I'd say both Seed and the new "00" are particularly militaristic..."00" from what I've seen, is even moreso then 08th MS.
I haven't compared 08th MS to some of the newer shows, but I do recall there being a distinct devolution from watching 08th MS to 0083.
Jedimarine posted:
Bleach is the emo generation's Dragon Ball Z...It's for the older brothers who think Naruto is too juvenile. But the truth is, most of the time they watch both.
DBZ never did anything for me- i couldn't get past the bulging vein look to the characters when they're fighting or pissed off. Kinda grosses me out, which few things actually do. Keeping the video game analogy, DBZ comes across as a fighting game, where Bleach has more of a 3rd person action platformer combat game feel..so the "genre" the structure resembles also falls towards my preference with Bleach.
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K'Kruhk, 140 ABY: "Why haven't I come forth earlier to share my Jedi knowledge with Skywalker?
Well, it's kinda a long story, see, I had this freaking sweet hat..."
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Koohii
Title: Games: RPG d6 GM
Registered:
May '03
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Date Posted:
2/27 11:18am
Subject:
RE: Anime suggestions
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Tenchi Muyo (has a kid with a lightsaber!!!!!) (OVA + movies)
Kiki's Delivery Service
Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)
Gundam Wing
Patlabor
Space Battleship Yamato/Starblazers
Bastard!
Magic Knights RayEarth
Record of the Lodos War (OVA)
Vampire Princess Miyu (OVA)
Marvel comics new animated movies (Hey, they're anime styled to the point they might as well be just anime)
Venus Wars
Superdimensional Fortress Macross!!!!! Macross 2!! Macross Plus!!!
Genesis Climber: Mospeada
Superdimensional Cavalry: Southern Cross
Castle in the Sky
The Cat Returns
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Ninja Scroll
Yeah, you can probablly tell how dated my list is... and how dated I am.
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