Ninjasideshow

Im looking to get more into Anime. I've always liked the drawing styles.

Any suggestions on good series to pick up?

What title has the best art (In you own opinion)?

Thanks

Lasereth

I think the best two anime series are Cowboy Bebop and Naruto. You can't go wrong with DBZ if all ya want is cool fighting scenes...that's basically all you'll get from it.

-Lasereth

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Esoteric

Cowboy Bebop is a good choice, the movie is good too. Full Metal Alchemist is supposedly another good series, but I don't know as I've never seen it. I just heard it's good. If you want to get some movies try some classics like Ninja Scroll and Vampire Hunter D.

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Da Munk

Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (and its second season GitS: 2nd GIG), Fullmetal Alchemist, The Twelve Kingdoms, FLCL, and Wolf's Rain are all great series. Samurai Champloo and FLCL are both very highly stylized, something you might like since you mentioned you're interested in the art. As far as anime movies go there are many great choices. Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and JIN-ROH are some of the best I can think of. Hopefully this list can help you find something you'll enjoy.

Willravel

Da Munk, I think that FLCL ismore for anime veterans. It's really freaking out there.
Ninja, I suggest watching cartoon network, techtv, and the action channel. These channels feature decent anime. Cartoon network has always supported the DragonBall series, as well as dozens of others. Most people really enjoy DragonBall, the Gundum series', and Cowboy Bebop (arguabally the best anime series in history).
TechTV (now coupled with G4) has something called Anime Unleashed. This showcases several higher qhality and newer series from Japan. Amazing series like Lain, Betterman, and Geneshaft are recently featured on the show. Last Exile and Banner of stars are on as well.
Action Channel features the Vandread series and several classic Anime movies. Cowboy Bebop the Movie (Knockin on Heavens Door), Akira, Macross Plus, and Patlabor 1-3 (one of my favorites).
After you get established on these (which is how I got established), then start getting other movies from places like netflix. Blockbuster really has a poor selection, which is why I suggest netflix.
Enjoy.

KnifeMissile

The following recommendations are for both the manga and anime versions since one is based on the other and they're both excellent.

Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan
This is an often overlooked series in North America despite it being hugely popular in Asia. It's the story of a Hitokiri's (samurai/assassin type person) life, ten years after the Bakamatsu (late 19'th century civil war that resulted in a revolution), of which he played a pivotal role. It's an action/drama about redemption and forgiveness. It's entertaining at first and starts getting good at episode 8, then gets really good at episode 28. It is my personal favourite so please give it a try...

One Piece
This is currently (or was, I might be a little out-of-date) the most popular manga and anime in Japan, so you might want to give it a try. In this world, 50 years ago, the great pirate Gold Roger was finally captured by the marines. At his execution, he announced that his greatest treasure, simply called One Piece, was hidden somewhere along the Grand Line, the most dangerous sea in the four oceans. Shortly thereafter, everyone and their dog put together a ship to go looking for One Piece and a Great Age of Pirates has begun! One Piece is the action/adventure story of a young man and his pure determination to gather a crew, find One Piece and become the Pirate King...

Naruto
This is quickly becoming popular in both Japan and North America. The Nine Tails Demon-Fox was so powerful that a swing of its tail could cause mountains to crumble and tsunamis to flow. Luckily, one ninja in the village of Konoha, the fourth Hokage (leader of the village), sacrificed his life and managed to seal the Demon-Fox into the orphan child, Uzumaki Naruto, the title character. This is the story of Naruto growing up as a ninja among other ninja of varying skill. It's an action story with some very good suspense, surprises, and character insights. I personally think the manga is much better than the anime but the anime is quickly becoming popular so perhaps it's just me...

These are my biggest recommendations.
There are many other series that you may or may not like, depending on what you're looking for. A lot of people will recommend Cowboy Bebop but I'm not a big fan. It's very stylish but the characters are rather flat and the stories are unexceptional. For something just as stylish (but in a totally different way) with a better story would be the action/adventure anime Read or Die OAV (not the TV series, which drags a bit). Trigun is a good action/drama pseudo-western. For some reason, the anime is much more exciting than the manga. Azumanga Daioh is a kawaii (cute) and funny story about a bunch of girls, diverse in personality, going through highschool together. The manga is supposed to be like a newspaper serial (like Family Circus) type of thing (I've never read it) but the anime flows like a story. Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu is a hilarious (and mildly farcical) comedy about a militarized kid trying to go through an ordinary highschool. Please don't confuse this series with the original Full Metal Panic, which is a serious action series.

Again, I have more recommandations I could make but I've limited myself to somewhat recent series you're likely to find at your video store or online.
Good luck!

Willravel

Watch Cowboy Bebop not only for the style, but for the exceptional music, written by legend Yoko Kanno. It's combination of futuristic jazz and off beat funk is really original and makes the show truely original in the area of amine. I would also suggest Escaflowne, if you like a really good soundtrack.

Mr.Deflok

In terms of traditional artwork I'd have to say Jin-Roh is a masterpience, the animation is so realitic and life-like you'd swear those are real actors you watch on the screen. In terms contemporary artwork involving CG you can't go past Ghost in the Shell, it's sequel Innocence and even it's series, Stand Alone Complex, they're all unbelievably good.

At the moment though Voices of a Distant Star is my favourite anime all round, great story, great characters and brilliant animation.

Serious anime has the power to make me cry, strangely, most film cannot (unless it's Kurosawa).

EDIT: You should also try out some of Hayao Miyazaki's work, my favourite being My Neighbour Totoro, no evil bad guys, just two kids, their imagination, love and fun, and again, I cried my eyes out during it because it was so beautiful (the tree growing scene is perfect).

tropple

I have a soft spot for Gunsmith Cats. I like Cowboy Bebop, too. If you just want something seriously silly, Excel Saga is nice.

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Siccx

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, pretty much a must own for DVD. If you're looking for real good artwork this one has it, some of the best in my opinion, the whole style of it is good, the animation is smooth and even the soundtrack adds to the whole feel of the movie...

-=shikamaru=-

Okay, here I go....

For some beautiful anime, check out Cowboy Bebop, Hellsing, and X/1999. The last one is made by Clamp, so the animation is great although the story and such is a bit shaky...

FLCL/Furikuri (I refuse to refer to it as Fooly Cooly) is also amazing, although a bit odd. The bullet time scenes and the moving manga parts are amazing examples of anime craft. Watch it after you get used to a lot of anime.

Other good looking anime: Ghost in the Shell Standalone Complex, Akira (a classic), Last Exile, Wolf's Rain, Junni Kokki, and Naruto.

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marcopolo

My Picks

Tenchi Muyo OVA
Trigun
Hellsing
( My Personal Favorites )
Mahoromatic-Automatic Maid
Saber Marionette J
GTO-Great Teacher Onizuka

Mrs. Polo's Picks

Boy's over Flowers
Ai Yori Aoshi
His and Hers Circumstances
Kiddy Grade
My Neighbor Totoro
Spirited Away

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Redjake

Cowboy Bebop is the best anime of all time in my opinion

check out Naruto, it's fucking awesome too

DBZ has the best "HOOOOOLY SHIT!!!!!!" moments out of any anime I've seen so far


Best art so far is Cowboy Bebop though. I own the entire series on DVD. Good stuff.

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KellyC

The members who posted before me all give excellent choice, I just wanna add Doraemon if you're looking for anything playful.
It's about a robotic cat that come from the future to save a clumsy kid named Nobita from his future failures. He have a bunch of cool gadgets that he lend Nobita to help him get out of sticky situation. But in some cases, it only create more trouble for Nobita (as Nobita is a clumsy idiot who's slow on learning). I highly recommend it.

Oh, and Tenjou Tenge. Think high school setting combined with Street Fighter. 'nuff said.

If that didn't work for you, ALL the female character in Tenjou Tenge have enormous boobies

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Vizzini

For Manga go here: www.snoopycool.com

I highly recomend Yakitate!! Japan.

You'll read the synopsis and think "wtf lame" but trust me its damn good.


Oh and I can't recomend Full Metal Alchemist enough. Damn good but unfortunately it is now licensed. (Though that does not neccesarily mean you can't download it)

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twister002

the Serial Experiments : Lain series is good too. I finished Blue Gender a month or so ago and I enjoyed it.

Kadath

RahXephon has some nice drawing style. It's similar in spirirt to NGE, but the ending isn't tremendously disappointing.

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BuddyHawks

Series i'm surrently watching is Full Metal Alchemist. I love it, but there still making episodes so i have to watch them as they come out. im currently looking for episode 47.

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MageB420666

Well I didn't see Scarred Princess, which was good imo. i also did not see Chobits, which is ok.

never watch La Blue Girl, you will never be able to take anime seriously again.

The only other series that I have seen have already been listed, so I don't need to say anymore on that.

Oh, Castle in the Sky is a good movie, it was made by the same guy who did Spirited Away. Akira and Princess Monoke are excellent, and Metropolis is good if you like the Astroboy style.

And that is all I can think of right now.

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tropple

I really liked Metropolis. The Akira movie was okay, but the six-volume manga from a couple years ago was much better. I think the movie changed too much.

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Nafter

Keep a eye out for Howl's Moving Castle coming out soon, tis a film, entirely hand drawn, looks to be damn good.

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SSJwrestler

I'm a big fan of Outlaw Star, Rorouni Kenshin, Inuyasha, Trigun, any Gundam (but especially Gundam Wing), FLCL, Saiyuki, DBZ/GT, and this small comedy series called colorful.

tropple

Colorful....You pervert!

Hehhehe.. It's one of my favourites. But it never goes quite far enough.

I'm not a big mecha fan. NGE, Patlabor... That's about it, machinewise.

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Baldrick

Of recent anime, Last Exile is my favorite bar none... And check out a new series starting in October - Paranoia Agent. It's Satoshi Kon's (Millennium Actress, Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfather) first series, and even after only seeing the first four episodes, it's brilliant!

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exizldelfuego

Is that the same as Scrapped Princess? Guess I had a different fansub . Quite good though.

Naruto is great fun, though it drags a bunch. You'll get a long lull where the same battle is being fought for twenty episodes, and then the story will zoom forward at OMG!! lightning pace, and then lull again. It's a cycle with Naruto. I love it, though.

FLCL looks awesome. A guy showed the first episode in a contemporary asian art class, and now I'm kicking myself for not borrowing his DVDs to rip to my computer. It was excellent.

Cowboy Bebop is a fairly good story dolled up in excellent stylization and music. I had a lot of fun with it.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is an excellent series with ending(s) that will blow your mind.

Tenchi Muyo OVA was the series I popped my cherry on, as it were. Great artwork, excellent story for the first season, fun (but distracting) side stories for the second season. They're currently working on a third, so we'll see where that goes.

I personally can't stand Dragon Ball Z, but I'm thinking that might just be me.

GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka is an excellent and fun series. That guy cracks me up.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

MageB420666

Your right, it was Scrapped Princess, it's been a while since I watched it and I never could remember the title right, but it's a great show

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Soda_BoB

I'd have to say Naruto, I stopped watching anime a while back and at the moment, this is all I watch/read. It's good stuff.