Manga & Anime Recommendations

The later ones are an improvement. Mostly because they ease off on the really itchy lolicon fanservice.

Yeah, my favorite subseries has the least sketchy fanservice. Strikers.

wich Nonha subseries would you recomend me?

A's is probably the best. And after that it stops being Magical Girl, anyway

I liked Strikers most, personally. If you want to just watch one season the first or third would probably be easiest to get into since the third, Strikers, introduces a lot of new characters who sort of take center stage for a lot of things.

1st season: introduces the first two primary characters, Nanoha and Fate. A magical girl series gone berserk into giant robot style battling territory. 13 episodes, summarized by the first movie.

2nd season, "A's": introduces several more new characters. A direct sequel to the first season. Has a huge plot point revolving around dramatic irony. Highly praised by some, though others such as myself found it kinda boring. 13 episodes, summarized by the second movie.

3rd season, "StrikerS": the main duo is aged up to young adulthood, and they and the other main characters now work for the Time-Space Administration Bureau, which basically functions as a military organization. Introduces several more new characters. Much more focused on training, investigation, military activities, and a bit of political intrigue; much less loli fanservice (basically, none), though more yuri subtext. Features very brilliant teamwork on the part of both the good guys and the bad guys. Some fans dislike this because this season changed the series's tone from the fantastical magical girl feel to a more serious military-based feel, but this is my favorite season. 26 episodes.

edited 11th Sep '12 10:01:43 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

It would have been nice if they'd actually stayed relevant once the plot started going. Probably still a bit easier to jump into than A's, but the newbies are the least of the reasons for that

Changing the tone falls somewhere behind the glut of uninteresting characters, glacial pacing, and lower-quality animation on my list of issues with the season

The pacing is only slow for about half the series, then it picks up very, very quickly and sternly.

Also, I found the cast of characters interesting.

And I didn't notice animation issues.

...I'd argue all of those points, but we shouldn't drag this thread further off-topic

Actually, go use the Nanoha thread; I'd love to discuss them there.

I recommend the first movie then the second season : the first movie remove most of the pacing problem and the bad beginning of the first season (plus it is shorter), and the second season is really good.

There are a lot of series where a (relatively) ordinary boy meets a girl of mysterious origins, and they generally develop some sort of relationship. Elemental Gelade, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Guilty Crown, Eureka Seven, Record Of Lodoss War...

Are there any stories where a (relatively) ordinary girl meets a boy of mysterious origins, and they develop a relationship, and the female main character doesn't get overshadowed by the relationship or by the male love interest?

In upcoming series, there's Code Breaker and Kamisama Hajimemashita. And I think it's fairly common in shoujo fantasy series (...which I can't really help with)

Haven't watched Vision Of Escaflowne - how well does Hitomi fare in that?

Well I would have thought there were a lot of anime and manga that meet that criteria.

Sailor Moon almost meets it, except of course she's no longer just an ordinary girl. Inu Yasha almost counts as well.

So... Something like Vampire Knight?

Actually that show isn't very highly recommended is it?

Just watch Howls Moving Castle. Howl isn't the centre of the story at all. Then again although there is a romantic relationship the movie isn't actually a romance. Still.

edited 20th Sep '12 4:55:05 PM by UltimatelySubjective

@Iaculus: Hitomi is the dominant personality in every male-oriented relationship she's in, damn near. It's to the point that some people fucking hate her, and given what she does to Millerna at one point in the show I can't quite blame them.

@Fallen: If you want a new addiction, try watching Cardcaptor Sakura. That rocks.

edited 21st Sep '12 2:21:08 AM by TamH70

@Glenn: Utena fits, except the guy is the main villain and the actual love interest is someone else.

Note that title. Do NOT watch the dubbed version of it called "Cardcaptors." *music* the mystic adventure. Cardcaptors! A quest for all time... each card possess a power of it's own... something, something... to bring the power home.

I didn't like Cardcaptor Sakura, but that was because I didn't like the relationships at the time. It is still significantly better than the Adaptation Distillation that the dub did... She would sometimes use abilities we see her gain in subsequent episodes.

Shit, I still don't like one of the relationships in it, if we're being honest. CLAMP, I love ya, but you are so focused on love is love that you lead yourselves to be kind of stupid sometimes.

Could someone recommend to me any good short(apx. 12-26 episode) shonen anime that have a fairly realistic and healthy depiction of high school life in Japan.

If the series has this plus the existence of some kind of powers or supernatural element even better, though straight slice of life work great as well.

• I'll even take shojo recommendations.

So, you want a Shounen slice of life that actually focuses on going to school instead of... Doing a whole bunch of things that aren't school work?

Well obviously roughly half the manga out there are set in school. The best ones that are kinda sorta slice of life are the club-focused ones in my opinion. My top recommendations is Hyouka (actually better than it sounds, no supernatural elements). Then there's: Haruhi Suzumiya, Sket Dance, Ouran High School Host Club and Koi To Senkyo To Chocolate (not the greatest thing I've seen, but not terrible). Possibly even Kekkaishi (much heavier on the shouneny magicky stuff. Edit: Oh right and it's 50 eps, so I guess it's out) and Ookami San To Shichinin No Nakamatachi (I don't know how normal I'd call this even if it is almost completely mundane).

edited 2nd Oct '12 1:52:26 AM by UltimatelySubjective

Nichijou! Watch it, damn you! And Lucky Star!

I also meant to mention ones that aren't heavily focused on humor or gags.

edited 2nd Oct '12 2:06:17 PM by Vyctorian

Can anyone name some series with a larger team of protagonists, where all of them have very significant roles?

I know I've seen Nanoha Strikers (ten protagonists) and The Idolmaster (fourteen protagonists) and I've enjoyed both of them.