I have a friend I want to introduce to anime but I don't know where to start. I'm thinking Cowboy Bebop would be a great starter. It's funny, action packed, serious in a good way, well voiced, beautifully drawn, and intense. But after that, I'm stuck. Sailor Moon will always be my #1 favorite anime, but as a middle aged guy, I don't think he'd be into it (err, or maybe he would... D: ).
What series or movies may you suggest I show him to get him into the game?
If he likes Bebop, perhaps stick to series in a similar vein until he's a fan of the medium and willing to explore genres. Baccano, Black Lagoon, Darker than Black, GitS: SaC, Samurai Champloo, etc...
Do you know what kind of TV/movies he enjoys normally? That would be helpful, just show him anime that are similar.
Haibane Renmei
Coyote Ragtime Show [ducks]
Black Lagoon (as >>2 mentioned)
Trigun
Big O
Gunslinger Girl
Serial Experiments Lain
RahXephon
Read Or Die
Shakugan no Shana
Fullmetal Alchemist [ducks AGAIN]
why not start him off with a movie?
>>3
MVB detected!
Sci-fi:
Planetes is a must watch, then, and I'll reiterate DtB and GitS: SaC. I don't really like Trigun but that might be a good choice. Any mecha anime will do in a pinch.
Horror:
Hmm. Well, in my opinion, you don't know of too many horror anime because there aren't too many that are good.
Boogiepop Phantom and Higurashi, possibly. Both of these are very weird shows though and I wouldn't show them to a beginning anime fan.
>>4 Serial Experiments Lain
That is not a good idea for a starter =.=
>>9 depends on how much a thinker the person is
Boogiepop Phantom [Seconded]
Nods
Chobits is a pretty good starter anime.
Perfect Blue
Escaflowne
>>10
It really does. Lain is one I have shown with much success to anime neophytes who liked movies like Memento or The Usual Suspects.
>>13
I know people who absolutely hated Chobits, so I'm not sure it's as good of an idea as you think. Besides which, for a middle-aged guy (such as the OP is dealing with), the romantic comedy genre might not be the best. Among CLAMP works, xxxHolic might be better for that case.
The Big O [Seconded]
Kino no Tabi
Akira ofcoure, and Ghost in the Shell.
Ergo Proxy
Fullmetal Alchemist. Or Deathnote
Angel's Egg
Full Metal Panic!
Jin-Roh
Full Metal Panic Fumoffu is a good way to get ween someone.
Rebuild of Evangelion
Jin-Roh and Ghost in the Shell are a little hard to swallow for most first timers, a lot of underlining themes and techno-babble that most people might find unattractive. Trigun is a good one to start with if you have time to do the whole series, Akira is also good since it's probably the best quality animated film even after what, 20 years? It thing Gurren Lagann is also a good first show since it almost transcends the image of a good anime into just a plain epic story. I think almost any type of person can sit down and appreciate Gurren Lagann...
Shigofumi
Eternal Family
Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru
Ichigo Mashimaro
Hmm.. you can try a few of the Hayao Miyazaki movies.
Someday's Dreamers
Hellsing?
Tortov Roddle
Bleach. If he really appreciates anime, he will get fuckbored of it and ask you for better quality stuff. If he likes it, well, pat yourself on the back and let him go cruise control, watching that (and probably Naruto) until the end of time.
Aria the Animation
Aria the Natural
Aria the Origination
Aria the OVA
Ghost in the Shell series(including movies directed by Mamoru Oshii and TV Series "Stand Alone Complex" directed by Kenji Kamiyama)
Gunslinger Girl (Only the first series, the second series is a mass)
Gundam Series
Patlabor Series
Armed Trooper Votoms Series
Planet-ES
Moonlight Mile
Kanon Remake
Kon Hitoshi's(今敏) works:
Perfect blue
Sennen Joyuu
Mousou Dairinin
Paprika
they are good drawn and awesome BGMs(composed by Susumu Hirasawa 平沢進)
Clannad
Haruhi maybe?
EF: A Tale of Memories
Serial Experiments Lain [Thirded]
Rozen Maiden
Lucky Star
...Elfen Lied (maybe)
Key the Metal Idol
You're going to have to explain to the guy that there's plenty of genres to choose from, and tease out his tolerance for fanservice, exploding heads and lolis. If he's married, you're probably going to have to think of something he can watch in front of his wife. Find out what he watches now and pick a show that matches a genre he likes. It's easy to say that so-and-so is a great series, but if it comes off as lifetime movie bullshit to him and he hates lifetime movie bullshit, he's going to be turned off. Then again, if daytime soap operas are his secret love, there's plenty of stuff for that.
Seraphim Call
>>35
I disagree about Shinkai films... They're very slow, deliberate, and overtly romantic, which is something I wouldn't necessarily recommend to someone who is just getting into animated film. Don't get me wrong though, I think all his films are beautiful.
I'd definitely something more "gripping," like Perfect Blue.
Dennou Coil
If he is 18-30 aged (Seinen)
and quite deep-minded and likes a good plot, which is quite realistic yet supernatural, he will like 'GantZ'
This anime makes us think about our society and culture.
sadly the anime got cut short because of its, epicness and complications in production.
This Anime contains: Gore, Violence, Sex.
The Manga is recommended as it is past alot more stage/ phase/ arc in the plot as well and is exciting, however it is not for the weak-hearted and not suitable for young people. Female audiences will be put off by its seriousness. Lol
Kaiba
Digimon children's war game
Darker Than Black [Seconded]
I also think it depends on the person, what he likes to watch, whether he enjoys more shounen or deeper/darker/not understandable things
>>50
but I will second Elfen Lied here, I have few friends whom I recommended this show and they enjoyed it - it can make people understand that anime isnt't just childish pokemon stuff and also that it can contain deep thoughts
Honey and Clover
2x2=Shinobuden
Xam'd Lost Memories
oh gawd, dont show that to someone new to anime!
that movie takes an appreciation of anime to stay awake through.
its a great movie! angels egg is to anime as 2001: a space odyssey is to sci fi.
i love both but dang, if i didnt like anime and sci fi i would hate those movies.
>>1
You're asking people for advice on what to show someone new to Anime. I don't think you're in any position to introduce Anime to anyone if you can't think of at least 10 series they might be interested in.
But ffs, Anime isn't just one single genre. There's something for everyone. First find out what kind of stuff he's interested in, then show him something relevant. If he's a goth guy into blood and guts he's not going to fucking like Sailor Moon is he?
i have to agree with 66 minus the swearing though ^^ you need to know what kind of taste he likes. meaning, what he is into and based that and find the appropriate anime for him. but of course introduce him to other genre's as well. you can never know he might like other types of genre's as well. like sailormoon for instance.
>>50
that might be a bad start cuz rozen maiden-guy with dolls
lucky star - otakuismnot saying their bad cuz their my favorite
how bout naruto i started with that but eventually hated it because of ch.300 i think somewher around there.
I started my friend off with FLCL. Then I fed him some GTO. After that, he started downloading random stuff himself.
I think Spice and Wolf ^^
it is a funny series, but has this serious undertone that keeps it all at a deeper state than just some regular humour-show.. if any1 get my drift..?
Ninja Robots. It used to be on Cartoon Network back in 1999. I didn't realize what I was watching was anime back then.