Thread: Something special

A small warning; this may become a bit of a rant, but a question will follow.

I've been wading through other peoples recommendation threads over and over. I've checked toplists and my favorite directors, but still... I just can't find anything special anymore.

If I say I like GTO it doesn't mean I like Shonan Junai Gumi (Which I seriously thought sucked).

Recently I've found that genres doesn't matter to me anymore. I've tired of choosing based genres, I'm tired of giving animes chances that they don't deserve.

Now when I finished Eureka Seven yesterday I found that the thing I was searching for was not "the best" or "the most intelligent". Eureka Seven wasn't particularly intelligent, nor anything near the best, but I still enjoyed it enormously (Important to note though, it would have been much more awesome if Renton hadn't been so annoying). Why is that?

Doing some thinking back on other animes I've fallen in love with these last six months none of them have been... Amazing in an objective sense so to speak. Among those animes titles such as "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann" and "Planetes" stand out. It's not the story that captures me anymore. If it was manga I would feel the story to be most important, but with anime it is totally different.

It is the small defining moments that matter. The characters and the small moments that you never forget. Examples: The entire ending of Planetes, when Simon got over his aniki, the airborne reunion of Renton and Eureka, when Ogiue does a yaoi with Madarame and Sasahara and so on.

In simply words: When characters and happenings are harmonically brought together to pure win.

I want characters that you love even when they are assholes. I want happenings that doesn't have to make sense, but still make sense in some way, if you get what I mean.

These are the kind of things I'm looking for. I'm not looking for something funny or something dramatic. Cool is not the word. It doesn't even have to be original! It just has to be special in its own way. Can you help me?

BTW, I'm currently watching Wolf's Rain and as far as I've come it certainly seems to fit my criteria.

PS. I'm looking for ANIME this time around.

... i'll be short.

Watch anything.

You never know when there will be something "special". Really.

Originally Posted by Zaephyr

... i'll be short.

Watch anything.

You never know when there will be something "special". Really.

I understand what you are saying and I will probably do that, but I need somewhere to start. I know this is a bit on the tricky side to give advice in.

Like Hoshi no Koe, for example, was a start for me, but now I've watched everything by the director so that road has been exhausted for me.

Most people, I think, that "yeah, he should whatch FLCL or Hoshi no Koe. They're special in their own way". The problem is... I've watched most of the obvious answers I would think.

Like... If you sympathize with what I've said, then you can probably recommend me something. That is what I think.

If Yotsuba&! were animated, or YKK was fully animated (4 half-hour OVAs don't cut it if you don't know the story), or the Aria anime was actually good, I might have something to offer you. Hmm. Unless.

Okay, here's a thought: the Please Save My Earth OVA. I don't think that's an obvious answer.

Personally, I found Princess Tutu filled with such moments -- especially every five minutes or so the last half-dozen episodes -- but don't know how much they'd effect someone who isn't a writer. Unless they were a ballet fan.

I'm a little reluctant to reply. It honestly sounds as though you're almost at the end of your rope with anime. It might be an idea to take a break from it for a while so you'll be able to enjoy the medium more when you return.

Originally Posted by lews_therin_tel

If I say I like GTO it doesn't mean I like Shonan Junai Gumi (Which I seriously thought sucked).

Originally Posted by lews_therin_tel

In simply words: When characters and happenings are harmonically brought together to pure win.

I want characters that you love even when they are assholes. I want happenings that doesn't have to make sense, but still make sense in some way, if you get what I mean.

Have you seen Golden Boy? You should watch it, dubbed in english. It's timing and execution of comedy is a match for Genshiken's. The main character is also more than a little similar to Onizuka.

Secondly, The Soultaker. It is nothing if not striking, impressive and unique. Easily Akiyuki Shinbo's best work.

Originally Posted by lews_therin_tel

PS. I'm looking for ANIME this time around.

Goddamnit. All the way through reading that passage I was thinking "I have got to recommend him Witches by Igarashi Daisuke"
/sigh
It's only two volumes long.

P.s. have you read genshiken volume 9 yet?

i wish he asked for manga recommendations as well =\ i would've recommended Full Metal Alchemist - good story, characters, action, drawings... just an amazing complete package, imo.

anime-wise, i actually can't recommend anything that's breath-taking... after reading manga, anime feels very slow to me.

First, I agree with Zaephyr.

I watch all kind of anime and read almost all kind of manga except yaoi/yuri and pure shojo/shonen ai. Heck, I download almost everything in this web and read almost all of the manga. The best so far still Honeymoon salad and Li Hito.

My recomendation,

Full Miyazaki series
Grave of The Firefly - make me cry
Strawberry Egg - Pretty meaningful
Wolf Rain - Good life series
Air TV - A good anime
Infinite Ryvius - If you want to see real life depiction,this one good for you.
Sexy Commando Amazing Masaru-san - heh,my most favorite anime,its hilarious,unique and make you feel dumb. Go and find this one, You wont regret it.
Honey and Clover both season - Life
Aisteruze Baby - What Kindness is

Manga recomendation -
LevelE - figure, I wont give summary, better read it yourself and comment after finish all the chapter.

Ai - Ren - what being human is

*will add some more*

Originally Posted by jamie1990

Have you seen Golden Boy? You should watch it, dubbed in english. It's timing and execution of comedy is a match for Genshiken's. The main character is also more than a little similar to Onizuka.

Secondly, The Soultaker. It is nothing if not striking, impressive and unique. Easily Akiyuki Shinbo's best work.

I think I've checked out the first chapter of the Golden Boy manga sometime... But do I have to watch it dubbed?
But I will check out Soultalker. Thanks.

Originally Posted by jamie1990

Goddamnit. All the way through reading that passage I was thinking "I have got to recommend him Witches by Igarashi Daisuke"
/sigh
It's only two volumes long.

Maybe I will, but my list over mangas to read is very long.

Originally Posted by jamie1990

P.s. have you read genshiken volume 9 yet?

MY GOD! How did I miss this!?

First, I agree with Zaephyr.

I watch all kind of anime and read almost all kind of manga except yaoi/yuri and pure shojo/shonen ai. Heck, I download almost everything in this web and read almost all of the manga. The best so far still Honeymoon salad and Li Hito.

My recomendation,

Full Miyazaki series
Grave of The Firefly - make me cry
Strawberry Egg - Pretty meaningful
Wolf Rain - Good life series
Air TV - A good anime
Infinite Ryvius - If you want to see real life depiction,this one good for you.
Sexy Commando Amazing Masaru-san - heh,my most favorite anime,its hilarious,unique and make you feel dumb. Go and find this one, You wont regret it.
Honey and Clover both season - Life
Aisteruze Baby - What Kindness is

Manga recomendation -
LevelE - figure, I wont give summary, better read it yourself and comment after finish all the chapter.

Ai - Ren - what being human is

*will add some more*

The ones I bolded I have seen (Except wolf's rain which I am currently watching) and well... Honey and clover was silly. Morita-san was funny otherwise it felt shallow and boring. Grave of the fireflies was a great movie, no doubt, but I don't wanna turn into an emo or anything right now. Miyazakis best work is after all the completely awesome manga "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" and I hate he hasn't done anymore mangas since then. (No! Shuna's Journey wasn't a manga. It was a picture book with words. Eye-candy.)

Hm... Air... I've heard that it is insanely pretentious, though? And not really thought through?

i wish he asked for manga recommendations as well =\ i would've recommended Full Metal Alchemist - good story, characters, action, drawings... just an amazing complete package, imo.

anime-wise, i actually can't recommend anything that's breath-taking... after reading manga, anime feels very slow to me.
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I've have read and am lazily following the story of FMA. And having been interested in manga and anime in six years one would think that I would have checked it out about now :P But still. And about anime feeling slow I thought so too for a long time. Then I saw Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and realized how bloody wrong I was. It would never have worked as a manga.

Air TV, yes,its a bit pretentious.
After finish watching that series, my head hurt. Not for leisure, its a terribly sad anime.

Miyazaki, you are too young to retire T.T Hope he produce one last story about himself though. It will be interesting to see how he depict himself in anime.


Still,try find Masaru Sexy commando first, short anime but well worth your time. A bit old skool but its really good where common sense is being trampled over. I think very few people know this anime though.

Originally Posted by NibellungenValasty

Air TV, yes,its a bit pretentious.
After finish watching that series, my head hurt. Not for leisure, its a terribly sad anime.

Miyazaki, you are too young to retire T.T Hope he produce one last story about himself though. It will be interesting to see how he depict himself in anime.


Still,try find Masaru Sexy commando first, short anime but well worth your time. A bit old skool but its really good where common sense is being trampled over. I think very few people know this anime though.

hmm... I fnothing else comes up I might try Air. I'm a bit picky when it comes to sad stuff since I can for no reason stand high-pitched "cute" voices on the girls.

I checked out Masaru and... Well... It wasn't anything like what I was looking for, but it was damn funny. Short episodes to which makes it a great alternative if you want to take a break from serious animes.

Wait... Is Miyazaki going to retire? Hm... Anyone seen the movie his son made? You know if it's any good?