Truly epic animated series... Recommendations?
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NakedMoleRat
Legendary Member
The magic schoolbus!
Robotech remastered is coming out soon. Years ago, for a new DVD release, they utilized the new transfers that ADV had used for the releases of the original Japanese versions of the shows, and recut Robotech to much, much visual improvement. They even added back some of the footage that had been previously removed.
Unfortunately, they also did a sound remix that was HORRIBLE. Obvious tacked-on new effects that stood out like a boil on the Mona Lisa.
Reportedly, that mix has been junked. I haven't heard reports yet about what this new release will sound like, but I have trouble imagining it being any worse.
Unfortunately, they also did a sound remix that was HORRIBLE. Obvious tacked-on new effects that stood out like a boil on the Mona Lisa.
Reportedly, that mix has been junked. I haven't heard reports yet about what this new release will sound like, but I have trouble imagining it being any worse.
You mean, as one to avoid, right? Right? :behave :lol
Paracord Junky
Well-Known Member
Japanese
my experience is pretty limited consider how big a nerd i am, but of what i've seen:
Ghost in The Shell - movies and TV series. it might help going in to know(if you don't already) that the the original movie and its sequel are sort of "AU" to the series Stand Alone Complex and ITS follow-up movie Solid State Society(which takes place after Season 2, SAC: 2nd Gig).
Trigun - good, but the manga was still going when the anime ended. that said, they did a better job than most "wrapping it up." (seriously, "new shoes?" WTF, man, W.T.F?)
Cowboy Bebop
Outlaw Star - a typical action anime, but it meets the criteria.
Fullmetal Alchemist - there are actually two anime based on the same manga, and they are both quite different. the first, simply called Fullmetal Alchemist, starts off in -line with the manga, but then, as is want to happen, outruns the manga and everything after the first act is more-or-less entirely the work of the studio writers. despite this it's still very good. The second series, FMA: Brotherhood, is more a translation of the manga than and adaptation. the overall animation, however, isn't as good in my opinion.
Gundam - pretty much any of the various gundam series up to Gundam Wing, especially the OVAs. I haven't seen any of the more recent incarnations(i saw G-Gundam, but i forget if that came later or not), so i can't comment, but i can say the artwork i've seen from Seed and 00 seems a lot more generic than their predecessors.
Rurouni Kenshin - a fairly typical shounen anime, but if you like that genre it's among the best in my admitedly-limited experience. it does have the distincion of better-than-average character development and relationships that actually develop as the series progresses, as opposed to coming out of nowhere for, worse still, the "harem" genre. only problem here is that the manga is greatly superior. it's another example of an anime ending while the manga was still going, with the whole third season being filler. they did make two OVAs, Reflection and Remembrance,which cover most of the third manga arc's plot, but ends the story VERY differently to how the manga author did, so much so that he has outright rejected it as canon. it's still well-written, and fits with the tone set in the OVA, but if watched back-to-back with the anime you'll find yourself wondering just what the hell happened to everybody to make them all into living Prozac ads. the manga ending sees the characters in a place much more consistent with how we've seen them grow.
Now, one thing these all have in common is the dubbing; they all range from pretty darn good to fan-frakking-tastic. this is really good as it means you can focus more on the animation than if you were having to read all the dialogue. the one exception to this is, sadly, Kenshin. it starts out pretty good, but it starts slipping a bit in the Kyoto Arc, and in little i've seen of the final filler arc it's downright sub-par(bottom line: if you decide to check out Rurouni Kenshin, get the manga instead).
American
Batman TAS
and just watch this video:
Top 11 American Anime
Dragonball Z is certainly epic, but you really need to be in the target age range to actually enjoy it. i still had to mention it, just for the nostalgia. the original Dragonball is pretty good though, but look for it uncut.
my experience is pretty limited consider how big a nerd i am, but of what i've seen:
Ghost in The Shell - movies and TV series. it might help going in to know(if you don't already) that the the original movie and its sequel are sort of "AU" to the series Stand Alone Complex and ITS follow-up movie Solid State Society(which takes place after Season 2, SAC: 2nd Gig).
Trigun - good, but the manga was still going when the anime ended. that said, they did a better job than most "wrapping it up." (seriously, "new shoes?" WTF, man, W.T.F?)
Cowboy Bebop
Outlaw Star - a typical action anime, but it meets the criteria.
Fullmetal Alchemist - there are actually two anime based on the same manga, and they are both quite different. the first, simply called Fullmetal Alchemist, starts off in -line with the manga, but then, as is want to happen, outruns the manga and everything after the first act is more-or-less entirely the work of the studio writers. despite this it's still very good. The second series, FMA: Brotherhood, is more a translation of the manga than and adaptation. the overall animation, however, isn't as good in my opinion.
Gundam - pretty much any of the various gundam series up to Gundam Wing, especially the OVAs. I haven't seen any of the more recent incarnations(i saw G-Gundam, but i forget if that came later or not), so i can't comment, but i can say the artwork i've seen from Seed and 00 seems a lot more generic than their predecessors.
Rurouni Kenshin - a fairly typical shounen anime, but if you like that genre it's among the best in my admitedly-limited experience. it does have the distincion of better-than-average character development and relationships that actually develop as the series progresses, as opposed to coming out of nowhere for, worse still, the "harem" genre. only problem here is that the manga is greatly superior. it's another example of an anime ending while the manga was still going, with the whole third season being filler. they did make two OVAs, Reflection and Remembrance,which cover most of the third manga arc's plot, but ends the story VERY differently to how the manga author did, so much so that he has outright rejected it as canon. it's still well-written, and fits with the tone set in the OVA, but if watched back-to-back with the anime you'll find yourself wondering just what the hell happened to everybody to make them all into living Prozac ads. the manga ending sees the characters in a place much more consistent with how we've seen them grow.
Now, one thing these all have in common is the dubbing; they all range from pretty darn good to fan-frakking-tastic. this is really good as it means you can focus more on the animation than if you were having to read all the dialogue. the one exception to this is, sadly, Kenshin. it starts out pretty good, but it starts slipping a bit in the Kyoto Arc, and in little i've seen of the final filler arc it's downright sub-par(bottom line: if you decide to check out Rurouni Kenshin, get the manga instead).
American
Batman TAS
and just watch this video:
Top 11 American Anime
Dragonball Z is certainly epic, but you really need to be in the target age range to actually enjoy it. i still had to mention it, just for the nostalgia. the original Dragonball is pretty good though, but look for it uncut.
Whoops, I was wrong. It's the 5.1 remix on the new release. No sale.
(I don't mind remixing, when it's done competently. I couldn't STAND this one. Awful, awful.)
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned "Darker than Black." Twenty Six episodes of "Heroes" type characters called Contractors who have to pay a quirky price for using their special powers, and some of them are very strange and unpredictable indeed. Very good story arc and character plotlines,and far,far better than I ever expected.
Same goes for "Planetes". Slow by usual Manga standards but based on "real" science (and very topical currently with all these saterlites dropping out of the sky) as it deals with the retreval of space debris.But great and thoughtful sci-fi.
Cowboy Bebop Remix is the best collection to pick up of the series and the stand alone film version is surprisingly strong as well.
But like most everybody else get the Ghost in the Shell collections if you can. A few episodes are very plot heavy and almost pure expostion but the best are absolutely that . The Major is the lead and template for every kick ass heroine you've ever seen, but the Section 9 team get a fair amount of character development around her as well . The Tachikomas used to get on my nerves but they redeemed themselves movingly at the end of the second series. As a series though its simply the best.
Interestingly Warner Brothers has apparently green lit a live action version of "Akira" today. God help us.
Has anybody seen 2001:Nights? The manga comics were a brilliantly drawn series about mankinds journey into the solar system and beyond. The trailer looked superb but the reviews were mixed. i'd like to know somebodies opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_gSwjE00ek
Same goes for "Planetes". Slow by usual Manga standards but based on "real" science (and very topical currently with all these saterlites dropping out of the sky) as it deals with the retreval of space debris.But great and thoughtful sci-fi.
Cowboy Bebop Remix is the best collection to pick up of the series and the stand alone film version is surprisingly strong as well.
But like most everybody else get the Ghost in the Shell collections if you can. A few episodes are very plot heavy and almost pure expostion but the best are absolutely that . The Major is the lead and template for every kick ass heroine you've ever seen, but the Section 9 team get a fair amount of character development around her as well . The Tachikomas used to get on my nerves but they redeemed themselves movingly at the end of the second series. As a series though its simply the best.
Interestingly Warner Brothers has apparently green lit a live action version of "Akira" today. God help us.
Has anybody seen 2001:Nights? The manga comics were a brilliantly drawn series about mankinds journey into the solar system and beyond. The trailer looked superb but the reviews were mixed. i'd like to know somebodies opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_gSwjE00ek
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Angelus Lupus
Sr Member
I'm not a big anime nut at all, barely watched any of the shows mentioned here, but I'm glad someone mentioned Mysterious Cities of Gold. When I was at uni I got hold of that show and from the very first time of hearing the theme tune again it was one of te bigest nostalgia burst I ever felt. Now I'm remembering other cartoons of my childhood that might fir in (depending how well I remember them). May well have to get hold of D&D, Ulysses 31 and Pirates of Darkwater agian, possibly Prince Valiant, too. (off to wallow in nostalgia)
Riceball
Master Member
I have to second the following:
Macross
Gatchaman
Yamato
Eva
Bubblegum Crisis
Thundercats (2011)
Clone Wars
Ghost in the Shell (TV & movies)
Patlabor
In addition to those I also recommend Young Justice, Teen Titans (cutesy but lots of fun to watch), Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Stellvia, Samurai 7, Gunbuster, & Last Exile.
If we're expanding to include movies then I have to add Akira, Macross: DYRL, anything by Miyazaki/Ghibli including Grave of the Fireflie (I dare you to watch it and not get at least a little bit misty eyed by the end).
Macross
Gatchaman
Yamato
Eva
Bubblegum Crisis
Thundercats (2011)
Clone Wars
Ghost in the Shell (TV & movies)
Patlabor
In addition to those I also recommend Young Justice, Teen Titans (cutesy but lots of fun to watch), Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Stellvia, Samurai 7, Gunbuster, & Last Exile.
If we're expanding to include movies then I have to add Akira, Macross: DYRL, anything by Miyazaki/Ghibli including Grave of the Fireflie (I dare you to watch it and not get at least a little bit misty eyed by the end).
I'm glad you said that. Seconded. It doesn't meet all of the OP's criteria for 'epic', but it's a great series. Anyone who liked 'Ultraviolet' should give WHR a go.
Commander Max
Sr Member
Thanks to Netflix I've been enjoying a lot of anime.
Besides a lot of the shows that have been mentioned.
One of my favorites is "Heroic Age", it sure meets the epic definition.
I've found that I do not like shows with subtitles. I don't know if it's an age thing, but I find I'm to busy reading the subtitles to watch the animation. It's almost like tunnel vision, it's weird.
Besides a lot of the shows that have been mentioned.
One of my favorites is "Heroic Age", it sure meets the epic definition.
I've found that I do not like shows with subtitles. I don't know if it's an age thing, but I find I'm to busy reading the subtitles to watch the animation. It's almost like tunnel vision, it's weird.
Evangelion - people can say what they want but the show is wayyyy more popular in Japan than almost everything else named - and it's still going.
Lupin the 3rd - the 70's series. Hard to find, but smartly done and action packed.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. I still watch this from time to time. Great storyline and even better fights.
Lupin the 3rd - the 70's series. Hard to find, but smartly done and action packed.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. I still watch this from time to time. Great storyline and even better fights.
Wolfie
Sr Member
Another vote for Evangelion.
I also enjoyed some of the Gundam series. W was more dramatic to me really political story wise. Plus I prefer that style of art...
I also really liked a few of the more girly ones lol Fushigi Yuugi comes to mind.
Vision of Escaflowne was the first series I watched Subbed, pretty good stuff.
My husband has been wanting me to watch the mentioned Wolf's Rain but we've not gotten around to it yet.
I had a friend who was huge into Outlaw Star as well.
I also enjoyed some of the Gundam series. W was more dramatic to me really political story wise. Plus I prefer that style of art...
I also really liked a few of the more girly ones lol Fushigi Yuugi comes to mind.
Vision of Escaflowne was the first series I watched Subbed, pretty good stuff.
My husband has been wanting me to watch the mentioned Wolf's Rain but we've not gotten around to it yet.
I had a friend who was huge into Outlaw Star as well.
My girlfriend and I love animation. (her a little more then me.) She keeps introducing me to new animation shows, and movies.
Last Spring, she gave me her "Avatar: the last air bender" DVD's and said, you have to watch these. I thought Oh boy, something else to take up a huge chunk of my time. I put it off a few weeks. I start watching and thought, "This is ok, but maybe I'm just getting to old for this stuff, because this is just not grabbing me the way it should" I kept watching anyway's. After the first season. (maybe even before that) I was truly in love with that show. Throughout the remainder of the show, I set on the edge of my seat, in love with the characters, and full of such hope for each of them. It's been a long time since any show, animation, or live action, has drown me in, and got me so invested in it, as this one did.
At the end of it's run, I was so sad to see it end, but unlike so many other shows, it came to a nice, natural ending, with a perfect jumping off point. It wasn't canceled, and cut off short. It wasn't forced to have a quicky ending. It had a very natural, smooth story arc that brought it to a beautiful end, and that is something you almost never see on TV.
I truly recommend that you give this show a try, and stick with it through the first season. If it's hart, hummer, action, and spirit don't draw you in by the end of it's run, you just may be dead inside. :lol
Last Spring, she gave me her "Avatar: the last air bender" DVD's and said, you have to watch these. I thought Oh boy, something else to take up a huge chunk of my time. I put it off a few weeks. I start watching and thought, "This is ok, but maybe I'm just getting to old for this stuff, because this is just not grabbing me the way it should" I kept watching anyway's. After the first season. (maybe even before that) I was truly in love with that show. Throughout the remainder of the show, I set on the edge of my seat, in love with the characters, and full of such hope for each of them. It's been a long time since any show, animation, or live action, has drown me in, and got me so invested in it, as this one did.
At the end of it's run, I was so sad to see it end, but unlike so many other shows, it came to a nice, natural ending, with a perfect jumping off point. It wasn't canceled, and cut off short. It wasn't forced to have a quicky ending. It had a very natural, smooth story arc that brought it to a beautiful end, and that is something you almost never see on TV.
I truly recommend that you give this show a try, and stick with it through the first season. If it's hart, hummer, action, and spirit don't draw you in by the end of it's run, you just may be dead inside. :lol
