Anime n00b, what should I know?

That's the problem. I'm still trying to find myself now that I've shaken about 75% of my Asperger's, and I'm bouncing from this to that and not settling on anything.



Actually no I didn't know that.



1.) None of my frienRAB or relatives watch anime. Honest to God. I don't think any of them even watch cartoons, except maybe my youngest cousins.

2.) What piggy bank? Also, *shakes the dust out of his wallet*



So it'd go over my head big time. Pop culture references usually do. Even stuff supposedly everyone knows, like [insert just about any movie that supposedly everyone has seen but me].
 
They aren't really references so much as homages. Also, the episode titles are references to classic rock songs etc.

You don't really have to get them to enjoy the show, but it's hard to not get a good portion of them. It's generally the most approachable anime series for a western audience, and it only has a couple of episodes that aren't great.
 
Interesting to see this thread. That explains why I've never seen "What are your top anime?" threaRAB: it's already been done! This list is automatically a list to go by based solely on the nuraber one being Cowboy Bebop. I personally prefer Anime Insider's Top 50 of Anime, 2007 edition, in which the nuraber one is... Cowboy Bebop! Another list I would recommend to a lesser extent would be what seemed to have been the main influence of your list, Newtype USA's Top 25 of Anime, 2004 edition, in which Cowboy Bebop places second, behind Neon Genesis Evangelion. Basically, watch Cowboy Bebop. If you don't like it, anime may not be for you. But in the more likely event that you do, you can then move on to the other list-toppers. After Cowboy Bebop, my personal favorites, in order, are Neon Genesis Evangelion, Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal, FLCL, Samurai Champloo, Gurren Lagann, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Code Geass. Those are all series and OVAs, so for movies, watch everything by Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon, and watch Akira. But the one thing that applies to any list is this:That about covers it for what I think an anime n00b should know.
 
Well, list some of your favorite live action TV series and movies. People could recommend similar animes based on the type of things you like to watch.



So, you can shake Asperger's?
 
Im not going to argue there. Certain shows are popular for a reason (Like Cowboy Bebop), but if you have certain interest and they clash with whatever people are gullible to like, then i see a problem. I like CB and Akira, and i was a beginning watcher of DBZ back in the day, there is absolutly nothing wrong with those series, but you dont wanna stay to just a few series, yet to me, you dont wanna go balistic watching everything people say. Thats my balance, i like and watch what people like and watch when it was on, but stay away from the long long list of "MUST SEE BECAUSE ITS AWESOME" senerio i hear way way to much. Azumanga was a good lesson on an overhyped anime that was in way to many AMV Hell movies. Lesson learned.

This will make me sound like switching sides, but you might like Evangelion. I mean, i like it to a certain extent (mostly because i was interested in it for a while before i watched it), but being an "over rated series", it deserves ( to me) at least one view of the series and movies. And you wont break my heart if you think its retarded.



Thats most of the reason why i like what i like, i do some reaserch and look around about it, and if it catches my interest, ill look into it. I was into watching Bubblegum Crisis even before i ever saw it, just from what i researched online at the time, and it really caught my interest. Now, im a huge fanboy (dare i say) of the universe.



I see your point, but that works the opposite too. If you watch CB, but dont get little refrences like that, but when you watch a movie that CB refrences too, then you can say "oh wow, CB took this movie or that scene in that episode, thats pretty cool". Since CB, ive seen most if not all of the little refrences in that anime on movies, tv shows, music, culture, sci fi, and more over the years. And, if you do some research (once again, research is your best friend in life, i cannot stress that enough), you might be curious in what movie or song Cowboy Bebop references too.

I hope i was able to shed some insight on this somemore, and to make sure your not bashful with anime. You will be surprised just how much is out there, the world is at your fingertips, literally...
 
Honestly Blitz (I can call you Blitz, right?), The only way you're gonna truly figure out what anime you like/dislike (if you can get into any at all- there are many people who try, but simply can't get past certain common aspects of anime) is if you just sit down and WATCH SOME. We can recommend shows 'til the cows come home but you're the only one who can say what you like and dislike. Plenty of people have given you the names of a few good starter shows and some free, legal places to get access to them, so I'd say just start there and experiment for yourself.
 
I understand your point, but I believe that you are missing mine. I wasn't really trying to question your dislike or lack of interest in most popular series. All I was trying to say is that its not really right to purposely not watch a series simply because it is popular. And, even you yourself have listed down some popular shows which you do like.

I don't really think that most people are necessarily "gullible" to like stuff if they happen to be into popular anime. Its just that popular anime are more mainstream, and are usually the titles which reach out to a large demographic of people, or multiple demographics. That, by no means, makes the less popular titles any less appealing, or worthy of viewing, of course.

All I'm basically trying to say is that a show or movie or any form of entertainment should be watched and judged by a person alone. Whether its popular or not should have nothing to do with whether it deserves to be viewed or not, IMO.
 
That's part of the problem. I almost never watch movies or live-action TV shows, so I've got very little to go on. I've had plenty of suggestions in this thread, I'll just go with some of these.



Probably not entirely, but I seem to have shaken most of my quirks. It could just be a maturity thing, but looking at myself now vs. then I see some of the quirks (like not wanting to try new things, ever) disappearing. When I was 18 I was still a lot like Rain Man, Jr.
 
Hmmmm...so then, you mainly just watch animated shows? Well, I guess the next question would be what animated American shows you like.



That's great to hear. Not to veer to far off topic, but it seems like I read so many stories from people in the cafe who seem to basically just give up on their life because of their disability. Your story could really inspire people.
 
Personal advice, stop watching Evangelion at episode 24. Trust me on this one, by all means watch the movies but if you can have the mental discipline to do so just... Just say no to eps 25 and 26 of evangelion. The only way you'll thank me for this advice is if you loose control and actually watch them and then you'll see exactly why you should have followed my advice but... Yeah...

This actually brings me to a bit of a tangent... Someone... Make Gurren Laggen Awesome for me... I WANT it to be awesome it just... I don't get it, I'm sorry, it just seems too silly and I can't get around the drills and the blatant fanservice... Somebody make me understand!
 
Not a bad idea for "n00bs", but I personally liked the original Evangelion finale just as much if not more than the End of Evangelion. I'll also have to see what kind of ending the Rebuild gives it.

Kaiser's advice: Suspend ALL disbelief. ALL of it. If you can do this, it will be perfect.
 
I think that it depenRAB on what kind of genres you're into. I mean, if you like war stories, maybe check out Gundam. If you're into superheroes, perhaps, something different. Or into noir, action, romance, drama, comedy, fantasy, sci-fi, etc. It really depenRAB on what you like.
 
Well, the last two episodes totally wrecked what was otherwise a brilliant anime for me and I wish I could wipe them from my memory but sadly... I have a rather good memory for that kind of thing.

I hate to say that I think the one thing that always gets me that I just can't suspend is... What is with Kamina's sunglasses?! It just makes him so... Fruity looking... Sorry, I know he's like the paragon of manliness (As no lack of AMVs keep trying to convince me of) but... but they just make him look like a joke... which may very well be the point but... Gah... I will try again with some later episodes or something keeping in mind that I should be ignoring all my senses that tell me 'this is silly' or 'that's totally imposible' or 'just what friggin physics are those drills based in exactly?!' because of course that has no place in anime anyway.
 
I know most people think that, and I respect that, but I thought the last two episodes were a good ending. As for Gurren Lagann, I have suspended my disbelief so much that I cannot compehend such things about the manliest man ever. I guess I'm just a Gainax whore. Basically:



Quoted. For. Truth. This is what Gainax is. If for some reason you don't like all of these things, don't watch Gainax shows. This is more advice towarRAB the "n00b", since he obviously hasn't seen any of this.
 
I am so beyond sick of people using the term minRABcrew, it's unreal.

Every series I've ever seen that is branded this title is neither confusing nor incoherent, yet simpletons seem to get upset that everything isn't Gao Gai Gar or Gurren Lagaan.

I get that not everybody likes arty stuff, but crap like this just makes me roll my eyes so hard that I can see the back of my brain.

------

Not in defense of Gainax or anything (god forbid), the robots and minRABcrew are both not an across the board thing. Kare Kano didn't have either in it, and neither does Shikabane Hime. Granted 98% of their stuff is mindless drec, but I just had to clarify that you're formula isn't entirely accurate.
 
The silliness is what makes it awesome. Trying to perform some mental trick in your head to make it seem less silly is not going to make it more awesome. You have to erabrace the silliness. Would you watch the Simpsons and say, "This is silly, it makes no sense, everyone is yellow and Homer only seems to have a job at the nuclear plant when the plot demanRAB it"?
 
Well, I meant about their original works. I don't really count adaptations for Gainax since there's a real downplay on everything. Although Kare Kano does follow the 4th Gainax tradition of leaving it budget-constrained at the end
Seriously, puppets? And they barely scratched the service of the manga

And I guess in modern times, minRABcrews aren't so uncommon that people have gotten used to it unless you're reading Tsubasa Chronicles/xxxHolic. THAT is a true head-banger-into-desk and I dare you to prove it otherwise.
 
The Simpsons doesn't ever try and take itself seriously as a serialized drama

I can't tell if I'm too stupid or too smart to enjoy Gurren Lagaan.

@Taek:

Nah, I'm not a fan of Clamp's work, so I'm not even touching that.

It's just funny to me that the majority of the series that I really enjoy are considered "minRABcrews" by a majority of the internet-savvy community (who typically only dabble in popcorn anime, ie shonen series etc). It seems like my ears perk up in interest when a show I haven't seen is accused of being a minRABcrew, since it usually works out to me finding it somewhat interesting.

Still hate the term, though. SounRAB dreadfully ignorant.
 
Gurren Lagann doesn't take itself seriously either. Maybe The Simpsons isn't the best comparison, though. Perhaps Gurren Lagann is to mecha anime what Kill Bill is to samurai/cowboy/vigilante movies; there's a plot there, but it's mostly a tongue-in-cheek homage rather than something serious.

I never really saw "minRABcrew" as an insult. I like a lot of shows that could be considered "minRABcrews".
 
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