Introducing anime to other people.

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 9:50 am

What could be a good series to introduce people to anime ( GOOD ones, not the hacked up ones they show on basic cable)?

Propyro · Post by **Propyro** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 9:54 am

hmmm i don't know, a good one to get people in to anime, proibably something like Cowboy bebop or Trigun .... but you have to lend them the DVD's for that ... the televised series are pretty crappy .. bd dubs and shitty editing ... i'd say Eva but it can get confusing and discourage people.

AbsoluteDestiny · Post by **AbsoluteDestiny** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 10:01 am

Escaflowne is always a good one for people who dont think they like anime - but make sure they get to episode 2.

Disposable but entertaining and different things like Read or Die are good too.

dwchang · Post by **dwchang** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 1:50 pm

AbsoluteDestiny wrote:Escaflowne is always a good one for people who dont think they like anime - but make sure they get to episode 2

Not that you needed it, but (+10 for Ian)

I have to agree with Ian on this one and not only because it's my favorite show. Escaflowne is a great first anime since it has so many different genres in it that almost anyone will find something they like be it mecha, action, drama, romance, great character designs/development, great animation, great music and so on. I have yet to show that show to someone and them not "get into it" by Episode 4.

Another great suggestion is Cowboy Bebop. It's Episodic in nature, which US people are used to with our cartoons and the art is amazing. It's a great show and I don't know anyone who *hates* it (now someone will read this and prove me wrong

).

The one problem with showing "great" anime is that it's harder to appreciate "good" or "mediocre" anime later. I have found that problem to exist with myself as well as my friends I got into anime with stuff like Escaflowne and Kenshin. Then again...it's safer to just show them something great since the point is to get them into it right?

Just my two cents.

EarthCurrent · Post by **EarthCurrent** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 1:55 pm

I usually try and find out what sorts of live action films they like to watch and then go with anime titles that will cater to those tastes.

paizuri · Post by **paizuri** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 2:12 pm

Like the live action La Blue Girl movie?

Propyro · Post by **Propyro** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 2:45 pm

paizuri wrote:Like the live action La Blue Girl movie?

oh god no ...

SarahtheBoring · Post by **SarahtheBoring** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 4:03 pm

What worked for the people I know: Mononoke and Cowboy Bebop. Some Trigun. But then action movies go over well with them; I could probably have won them over with Lain as well, because we tend to like odd art movies and the like.

Finding something similar to a genre they like is probably going to help a bit, just because you don't have that extra hurdle.

I know people hate dubs (Don't start that argument, please), but for an anime newcomer it is often easier to just watch the dub. It's enough to get used to taking animation seriously without having to get used to the dialogue being in Japanese as well. Unless, of course, they watch a lot of foreign films and are used to following subtitles.

What you want to avoid (in my experience) are comedies with a lot of anime conventions, like sweatdrops and people going SD all of a sudden - those are fun, but the thing is, they take explanation, and to someone just coming in they look weird more than anything. That's something you kind of have to know about before you go in.

Also if they're not used to anime stylings, you might do better with something that's more realistically styled in terms of art direction etc. CB is one of those; Noir comes to mind, too, offhand. And anything by Miyazaki.

And I'd second to avoid Eva at first, too. Again, unless they like really complicated and confusing stuff already.

Basically you'd want to start with something with solid quality that is more or less "normal" in style, to make the transition into something with more creative visuals or a more nonlinear plot.

That's my theory, anyway. 8)

Bebop0083 · Post by **Bebop0083** » Sat Jul 12, 2003 5:49 pm

Propyro wrote:hmmm i don't know, a good one to get people in to anime, proibably something like Cowboy bebop or Trigun .... but you have to lend them the DVD's for that ... the televised series are pretty crappy .. bd dubs and shitty editing ... i'd say Eva but it can get confusing and discourage people.

i would diffently show Cowboy Bebop. i showed my friend it and he loved it. i think the first anime i really showed him DBZ but only bits of pieces of it. didnt really care for it as much. show i showed him Outlaw Star which was the first anime he watched complety. then moved on to Bebop i have yet to show him Trigun.

SQ · Post by SQ » Sat Jul 12, 2003 10:02 pm

Bannana Fish.

Not sure it it was made into an anime, but the manga will be sure to turn anyone over.

The fact that it's drawn in a semi-american style aslo helps too.

But, yeah, Escaflowne, Miyazaki works for a lot of people(although I personally do not like it).

When introducing people to anime, a lot of people will be turned away fi it ISN'T dubbed.
I know that when I tried to introduce a party of pweople to the Escaflowne movie, once they found out it had subtitles, they all left and didn't even give it a try.

Although, I don't understand why anyone would flock over to a movie theater to watch "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" in subs and not even give anime a chance...

But that's mainstream people for you.