Netflix anime recommendations?
May 31, 2012 8:57 PM Subscribe
I have a netflix account, and I like anime (but know little to nothing about it). What are the best ones, on netflix, to watch? Among the one's I've seen and liked on Netflix: Samurai Champloo, Macross (all of them), Blue Drop, Spice and Wolf, and Gurren Lagann, and Initial D. There are others, but are there any hidden anime gems on Netflix that I'm missing?
I just started watching Mushi-Shi and it is really fantastic. I havn't seen any of the anime that you mentioned, but I think this show is similar to Ghost in the Shell.
posted by ruhroh at 9:13 PM on May 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by ruhroh at 9:13 PM on May 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
On Netflix off the top of my head. Gunslinger Girls, Last Exile, High School of the Dead, Eden of the East, Ouran High School Host Club, Mushishi, Gun X Sword, Elfen Lied, Noein, Baccano!, Trigun.
A bit of variety without going all Naruto-tard, awkward High School love story, or Cat Girl Harem-ish.
Definitely Mushishi, it's creepy and *shiver* like the good X-Files episodes.
posted by zengargoyle at 9:22 PM on May 31, 2012
A bit of variety without going all Naruto-tard, awkward High School love story, or Cat Girl Harem-ish.
Definitely Mushishi, it's creepy and *shiver* like the good X-Files episodes.
posted by zengargoyle at 9:22 PM on May 31, 2012
-Neon Genesis Evangelion
-Hakkenden: Legend of the Dog Warriors
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:27 PM on May 31, 2012
-Hakkenden: Legend of the Dog Warriors
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:27 PM on May 31, 2012
I really liked Scrapped Princess. Cowboy Bebop is also a popular one.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:33 PM on May 31, 2012
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:33 PM on May 31, 2012
Seconding Mushishi, though it's slower than most of what you've mentioned so far.
I can't confirm it because I don't have an account, but it looks like they have Planetes (I think it's probably the best sf anime ever), Moribito (pseudo-Japan kickass female bodyguard), Gankutsuou (Count of Monte Cristo in space ON DESIGNER DRUGS), and I've heard good things about Twelve Kingdoms but not seen it myself.
Also, whatever films they have by Studio Ghibli (Nausicaa, Laputa, Spirited Away, etc., except probably Earthsea, and don't start with Grave of the Fireflies!). Again, maybe slower than most of what you've listed (except Spice and Wolf), but excellent.
posted by wintersweet at 9:36 PM on May 31, 2012
I can't confirm it because I don't have an account, but it looks like they have Planetes (I think it's probably the best sf anime ever), Moribito (pseudo-Japan kickass female bodyguard), Gankutsuou (Count of Monte Cristo in space ON DESIGNER DRUGS), and I've heard good things about Twelve Kingdoms but not seen it myself.
Also, whatever films they have by Studio Ghibli (Nausicaa, Laputa, Spirited Away, etc., except probably Earthsea, and don't start with Grave of the Fireflies!). Again, maybe slower than most of what you've listed (except Spice and Wolf), but excellent.
posted by wintersweet at 9:36 PM on May 31, 2012
Fullmetal Alchemist, both series. It's been almost ten years since I first came across FMA and I still maintain Hiromu Arakawa writes the best three-dimensional characters I've ever seen/read. Some of the action scenes in the first series are fantastically animated. If you can, get the discs so you can select the language/subtitles - the Japanese voice acting is better than the English....the English version was so poor it actually pulled me out of the story (This is the only anime I say that about though).
Mushishi - it's one of those stories that stays with you (I was just thinking about it earlier today!).
Cowboy Bebop - gritty and funny.
posted by Lt. Bunny Wigglesworth at 10:00 PM on May 31, 2012
Mushishi - it's one of those stories that stays with you (I was just thinking about it earlier today!).
Cowboy Bebop - gritty and funny.
posted by Lt. Bunny Wigglesworth at 10:00 PM on May 31, 2012
Also, Fullmetal Alchemist, also both series.
Amazing, beautiful, awesome.
posted by DeltaForce at 10:20 PM on May 31, 2012 [2 favorites]
Amazing, beautiful, awesome.
posted by DeltaForce at 10:20 PM on May 31, 2012 [2 favorites]
You mean only on Instant Watch? If not, Revolutionary Girl Utena! Yeah, sounds girly as hell but it's trippy and cool.
posted by stoneandstar at 11:24 PM on May 31, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by stoneandstar at 11:24 PM on May 31, 2012 [1 favorite]
FLCL is quite wonderful.
Seconding (okay, thirding) FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 11:42 PM on May 31, 2012 [1 favorite]
Seconding (okay, thirding) FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 11:42 PM on May 31, 2012 [1 favorite]
Full Metal Alchemist is a good series, the movie is great too. I liked the mangas better, but the animes are good. I don't have Netflix, so I'm shooting in the dark here, but the anime I like are Busou Renkin, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (not to be confused with the original Full Metal Panic! which is slightly different...). If you like weirdness mixed with cuteness, you can watch Clannad or Ouran High School Host Club (though, again the manga was way better), FLCL, and, Excel Saga. Then again, if you really like weirdness, there's Kamen no Maid Guy. Then there are mind-trippy movies like Kakurenbo, Grave of the Fireflies, and Perfect Blue. There are more, but my mind is going blank trying to think of them.
You could always go classic and watch Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, any of the Gundams, and/or Dragon Ball/ Dragon Ball Z.
What?
posted by patheral at 11:47 PM on May 31, 2012
You could always go classic and watch Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, any of the Gundams, and/or Dragon Ball/ Dragon Ball Z.
What?
posted by patheral at 11:47 PM on May 31, 2012
Don't have a netflix account, but anidb has a decent list you can crossreference. The way I generally pick stuff out is by reputation. Ie Bones is pretty consistent; Studio Ghibli as well. Gainax is hit and miss.
So as far as hidden gems, I'll pull out a few:
* Real Diver. A less violent Ghost in the Shell, by the same author exploring the same themes. Also no fanservice and generally portrays more realistic female bodytypes, which I assume is penance for Mokoto's lingere outfit wtf. The credits music is pretty badass.
* Baccanno!! Defies sussinct description.
* Last Exile.
* Black Lagoon.
* Redline. Think gurren lagann meets initial D (more like F-Zero, but whatev).
* Dennou Coil.
* Fullmetal alchemist. I'm sorry but it cannot be stressed enough how full of win this is.
* Moriboto. Very good animation, deep characters, and plot. Originally a highly popular series of novels, which makes me hope some day we'll have more.
posted by pwnguin at 12:12 AM on June 1, 2012
So as far as hidden gems, I'll pull out a few:
* Real Diver. A less violent Ghost in the Shell, by the same author exploring the same themes. Also no fanservice and generally portrays more realistic female bodytypes, which I assume is penance for Mokoto's lingere outfit wtf. The credits music is pretty badass.
* Baccanno!! Defies sussinct description.
* Last Exile.
* Black Lagoon.
* Redline. Think gurren lagann meets initial D (more like F-Zero, but whatev).
* Dennou Coil.
* Fullmetal alchemist. I'm sorry but it cannot be stressed enough how full of win this is.
* Moriboto. Very good animation, deep characters, and plot. Originally a highly popular series of novels, which makes me hope some day we'll have more.
posted by pwnguin at 12:12 AM on June 1, 2012
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest Witchblade. No, really. Yes, it starts with violence and gratuitous anatomy, but there's good character relationships starting at the beginning, and the plot seriously kicks in around the sixth episode.
As I described it, "Witchblade: come for the fanservice, stay for the really good plot."
(Can't say much more without giving away some stuff that happens just before halfway through.)
posted by mephron at 12:20 AM on June 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
As I described it, "Witchblade: come for the fanservice, stay for the really good plot."
(Can't say much more without giving away some stuff that happens just before halfway through.)
posted by mephron at 12:20 AM on June 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
- Don't have netflix -
but check out Record of Lodoss War is it is on there.
posted by TrinsicWS at 2:09 AM on June 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
but check out Record of Lodoss War is it is on there.
posted by TrinsicWS at 2:09 AM on June 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
If you like Macross and Netflix has them, the recent Gundams (the other Big Serious Space fightey Robots series) would be a good place to start.
As you also like Gurren Lagann, FLCL has some of the same feel and is only six episodes long. More Gainax good stuff is The Wings of Honneamise (a far more serious movie about the first manned rocket flight in an alternate world, mixed with a bit of Christian imagery).
Neon Genesis Evangelion is also all about the giant robots (and Xtian imagery again) but also very mopey so not to everybody's tastes.
I also like Black Lagoon, about an everday salariman kidnapped by pirates and turned into their accountant (more or less) which is the sort of over the top "realistic" action/adventure story where you can have v. kewl gunbattles in which the named characters could stand three feet apart and miss.
posted by MartinWisse at 4:40 AM on June 1, 2012
As you also like Gurren Lagann, FLCL has some of the same feel and is only six episodes long. More Gainax good stuff is The Wings of Honneamise (a far more serious movie about the first manned rocket flight in an alternate world, mixed with a bit of Christian imagery).
Neon Genesis Evangelion is also all about the giant robots (and Xtian imagery again) but also very mopey so not to everybody's tastes.
I also like Black Lagoon, about an everday salariman kidnapped by pirates and turned into their accountant (more or less) which is the sort of over the top "realistic" action/adventure story where you can have v. kewl gunbattles in which the named characters could stand three feet apart and miss.
posted by MartinWisse at 4:40 AM on June 1, 2012
Mobile Police Patlabor (also known as just "Patlabor")
Tenchi Muyo
Ranma 1/2
Gundam
posted by Hanuman1960 at 5:19 AM on June 1, 2012
Tenchi Muyo
Ranma 1/2
Gundam
posted by Hanuman1960 at 5:19 AM on June 1, 2012
Nthing Cowboy Bebop and Evangelion, not only because of the animation but also because of the awesome theme songs for both. FLCL is good too.
I'd also recommend Sailor Moon, but AFAIK it's not Netflix-able, at least not all of it. But I am watching it now and it is magnificent.
Something which I'll also recommend and is on Netflix is Maison Ikkoku. It was originally a manga by Rumiko Takahashi, the same person who did Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2, and I love her overall style. It may not be to your taste, but I still recommend it.
posted by bookwibble at 6:25 AM on June 1, 2012
I'd also recommend Sailor Moon, but AFAIK it's not Netflix-able, at least not all of it. But I am watching it now and it is magnificent.
Something which I'll also recommend and is on Netflix is Maison Ikkoku. It was originally a manga by Rumiko Takahashi, the same person who did Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2, and I love her overall style. It may not be to your taste, but I still recommend it.
posted by bookwibble at 6:25 AM on June 1, 2012
If you've not seen Neon Genesis Evangelion yet, I really can't recommend that you check it out enough.
It isn't about giant robots, it's about the choice people have between being safe and alone vs. vulnerable and together. And how bad people are at recognizing and navigating that choice.
The crosses and Old Testament/Kabbalistic content is just there to give it some woowoo for Japanese people. No one involved with the creation of the series was a Christian, or even considering it as far as I know.
posted by Poppa Bear at 6:26 AM on June 1, 2012
It isn't about giant robots, it's about the choice people have between being safe and alone vs. vulnerable and together. And how bad people are at recognizing and navigating that choice.
The crosses and Old Testament/Kabbalistic content is just there to give it some woowoo for Japanese people. No one involved with the creation of the series was a Christian, or even considering it as far as I know.
posted by Poppa Bear at 6:26 AM on June 1, 2012
Anything and everything by Satoshi Kon
Seconding this too. I saw Perfect Blue recently and it haunted my dreams for a time.
posted by bookwibble at 7:18 AM on June 1, 2012
Seconding this too. I saw Perfect Blue recently and it haunted my dreams for a time.
posted by bookwibble at 7:18 AM on June 1, 2012
Do you have Netflix streaming, DVD, or both?
I really liked FLCL, Darker Than Black, and Shigirui: Death Frenzy. They're all on Netflix streaming.
Death Note is available from Netflix on DVD. The original series based on the manga is the 37-episode series on 9 discs.
posted by Boxenmacher at 7:19 AM on June 1, 2012
I really liked FLCL, Darker Than Black, and Shigirui: Death Frenzy. They're all on Netflix streaming.
Death Note is available from Netflix on DVD. The original series based on the manga is the 37-episode series on 9 discs.
posted by Boxenmacher at 7:19 AM on June 1, 2012
Last I checked Instant Watch had both GITS: Stand Alone Complex series as well as Solid State Society. Those are all worth watching if you like cyberpunk.
Musishi as noted above is wonderful, as is Gankutsuou. I don't think Twelve Kingdoms is on Instant Watch (I don't get DVDs) but it is probably my favorite series of all time.
posted by selfnoise at 8:56 AM on June 1, 2012
Musishi as noted above is wonderful, as is Gankutsuou. I don't think Twelve Kingdoms is on Instant Watch (I don't get DVDs) but it is probably my favorite series of all time.
posted by selfnoise at 8:56 AM on June 1, 2012
A note about Sailor Moon -- and this is just what I understand... I didn't watch it, but my two of my kidlings, some of my friends, and two of my nieces are rabid fans - seriously, can't put them in the same room and let them talk about Sailor Moon or there will be bloodshed. Anyway, from what I understand, there's the US version and the rest of the world's version. When they imported Sailor Moon into the US, they edited the hell out of it to make it "suitable for kids" so they are different. I don't know if Netflix has Sailor Moon, or if you're interested in watching it, but if you are, here's a website devoted to the differences.
Just so's you know.
posted by patheral at 10:17 AM on June 1, 2012
Just so's you know.
posted by patheral at 10:17 AM on June 1, 2012
Neon Genesis: Evangelion
Trigun
Cowboy Bebop
FLCL
Gundam Wing
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:58 AM on June 1, 2012
Trigun
Cowboy Bebop
FLCL
Gundam Wing
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 10:58 AM on June 1, 2012
I highly recommend Princess Tutu. It's about a duck who's transformed into a clumsy ballerina in order to act out the role of Princess Tutu in a fairy tale. Lots of ballet and fairy tale references.
posted by cuculine at 12:07 PM on June 1, 2012
posted by cuculine at 12:07 PM on June 1, 2012
Lots of good recommendations above! Here are mine.
Redline - essentially Wacky Races with the sensibility of Dead Leaves - is brilliant and stupid and crazyfun.
Birdy the Mighty - about a kickass galactic police agent girl - is pretty sweet even though the gender-switching premise and the Typical Mary Sue Male High-School Character are a bit silly.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a great film, very Satoshi Kon-esque (which is a good thing).
Sound of the Sky, about a small platoon of army girls in a peaceful backwater of a slightly-scifi alternate world, is lovely.
I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard a lot of good things about 5cm Per Second.
Death Frenzy is very well made but really, really violent, so be warned!
xxxHolic, a supernatural, stylistic light-hearted drama about a witch, a boy and a lot of supernatural, Japanese-folklore strangeness is very nicely done.
Rideback, about an injured ballet-dancer, her love of the titular motorcycle, and guerilla warfare - a little workmanlike but consistently good.
posted by Drexen at 1:33 PM on June 1, 2012
Redline - essentially Wacky Races with the sensibility of Dead Leaves - is brilliant and stupid and crazyfun.
Birdy the Mighty - about a kickass galactic police agent girl - is pretty sweet even though the gender-switching premise and the Typical Mary Sue Male High-School Character are a bit silly.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a great film, very Satoshi Kon-esque (which is a good thing).
Sound of the Sky, about a small platoon of army girls in a peaceful backwater of a slightly-scifi alternate world, is lovely.
I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard a lot of good things about 5cm Per Second.
Death Frenzy is very well made but really, really violent, so be warned!
xxxHolic, a supernatural, stylistic light-hearted drama about a witch, a boy and a lot of supernatural, Japanese-folklore strangeness is very nicely done.
Rideback, about an injured ballet-dancer, her love of the titular motorcycle, and guerilla warfare - a little workmanlike but consistently good.
posted by Drexen at 1:33 PM on June 1, 2012
Martian Successor Nadesico is a brilliant combination of a parody of an exciting over-the-top space opera and a genuine exciting over-the-top space opera. Just don't watch the movie that followed the series, it is awful.
And nthing: Bebop, Black Lagoon, FLCL, Evangelion
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:39 PM on June 1, 2012
And nthing: Bebop, Black Lagoon, FLCL, Evangelion
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:39 PM on June 1, 2012
(although looking at Netflix they only have the first three discs of MSN now since the old rights holder went bust and the new one hasn't brought their set out yet.)
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:52 PM on June 1, 2012
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:52 PM on June 1, 2012
And ack - I know this wasn't exactly what you were asking, but for some of these I would definitely check out the manga, too. Patheral mentioned the Fullmetal Alchemist manga was better than the anime, and I agree (but I love love LOVE both). If you do like the anime, check out the actual books!
Death Note was recommended above but I found the manga far superior to the anime - it's very low action and you can ponder over the words a bit more. That could just be me, though. Def. check out that story.
Nthing FLCL anime!
posted by Lt. Bunny Wigglesworth at 4:04 PM on June 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Death Note was recommended above but I found the manga far superior to the anime - it's very low action and you can ponder over the words a bit more. That could just be me, though. Def. check out that story.
Nthing FLCL anime!
posted by Lt. Bunny Wigglesworth at 4:04 PM on June 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
High School of the Dead is fantastic, but they only have 12 episodes. Netflix cut it off as it was really getting good. Right now, my son and I are obsessed with Blood +
posted by Redhush at 3:13 PM on June 2, 2012
posted by Redhush at 3:13 PM on June 2, 2012
I didn't think I'd like Black Butler at first, but I couldn't resist the Victorian demon butler/kid detective dynamic.
Also, I enjoyed the character designs of Trinity Blood but the plot didn't always go where I wanted.
And if you want something truly goofy and very probably offensive, there's Hetalia.
posted by dragonplayer at 9:45 PM on June 2, 2012
Also, I enjoyed the character designs of Trinity Blood but the plot didn't always go where I wanted.
And if you want something truly goofy and very probably offensive, there's Hetalia.
posted by dragonplayer at 9:45 PM on June 2, 2012
Again: Mushi-Shi
Oh and there's some great Anime movies out there, though I'm not sure if Netflix Instant Demand has many... I'm sure Netflix DVD service itself does though.
posted by RolandOfEld at 1:14 PM on June 4, 2012
Oh and there's some great Anime movies out there, though I'm not sure if Netflix Instant Demand has many... I'm sure Netflix DVD service itself does though.
posted by RolandOfEld at 1:14 PM on June 4, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses--I have streaming on netflix, but I'm thinking about getting the dvds.
posted by 630 at 11:52 PM on June 10, 2012
posted by 630 at 11:52 PM on June 10, 2012
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posted by gnat at 9:13 PM on May 31, 2012