Anime again: current touchstones

Posted on Posted in geekiness, personal Tagged with

My local library’s anime selection is pretty dismal. This makes me sad, because their movie selection in other genres is really quite good (especially British movies and TV shows).

They suggested that I fill out a suggestion form for anime series that are must-haves. I have several ideas from my last couple of posts about anime, but I thought I’d throw it out here, as well. What 5-10 anime series would you say were series that every library should have?

My criteria: can’t be from the 80s or early 90s. Anime has moved on since then. No Robo-whatever it was called that so many remember and love from their childhood. I’m talking *current* anime touchstones. Something from the last 10 years or so.

Suggestions?

ETA: I forgot to mention that I specifically told the librarian not to suggest Miyazaki films because I’d seen them all. I believe the library has most, if not all, of Studio Ghibli’s work.

About

Stacy Whitman is the publisher of Tu Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books. She specializes in fantasy, mystery, and science fiction for children and young adults.

17 Comments on “Anime again: current touchstones”

  1. A few that teens at our library would deem essential:

    Death Note
    Bleach
    Full Metal Alchemist
    any films by Miyazaki

  2. I watched “Knights of the Zodiac” when I was in High School. That was in Argentina, so I don’t know if the name of the series was literally translated.
    There were a lot of children’s series like Heidi, Astroboy and Super Champions (about soccer) that I wish I could see around again!
    Oh! And Sailor Moon. Loved that show!

  3. series anime: Death Note, Naruto, Fruits Basket

    standalone: anything by Miyazaki – Spirited Away, Nausicaa, Howl’s Moving Castle, Whisper of the Heart, Ponyo. also Blood: The Last Vampire

  4. I’m a little behind, but don’t think any collection would be complete without Cowboy Bebop – excellent on so many levels. Paranoia Agent is strange and disturbing and has a really odd, wonderful theme song. Ghost in the Shell deals with life and sentience among humans, cyborgs, and robots — and has some great action, too. I’ve enjoyed Full Metal Alchemist a lot.

    In movies, if you’re going there, you need everything by Miyazaki — even if you never get anything else. Grave of the Fireflies, also from his studio but not directed by him, is one of the most heartwrenching movies of all time; amazingly powerful. Oh, and Akira, if you’re going that far back.

    I’m sure there’s more, but that’s what pops into my head right now as outstanding.

  5. OH, from the 60s — though I got the feeling you weren’t going that far back – Astro Boy (the original and king of all TV anime), Speed Racer, Kimba. Can’t live without those.

    • Yes, I specifically said “current” and “not from the 80s,” so no, I’m not looking for Astro Boy. Thanks, though. The other suggestions are perfect.

  6. Hmm…Kate listed some good ones; I second her recommendation to get all of Miyazaki’s stuff. Also, I think I’d add Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, D.Grayman, & Code Geass to the series list.

    Some others that might not be staples, but should be considered are Clannad, Rurouni Kenshin, Ouran High School Host Club, & Cowboy Bebop.

    Personally, I’d avoid Blood: The Last Vampire – IMHO, there’s not enough bang for your buck.

  7. My teens have loved the following:
    Wolf’s Rain
    Fruits Basket
    Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle
    Full Metal Panic
    R.O.D.
    my teens were surprisingly pleased with the new “Romeo x Juliet” (my group was almost all boys…)
    My personal fave (but definitely from the ’90’s): Neon Genesis Evangelion

  8. Nodding at all these suggestions. They’re all the ones I would have listed, so I’m glad for the reinforcement. Fruits Basket, Tsubasa, R.O.D., Wolf’s Rain (such a sad ending, though), Deathnote, Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist—those are all ones I would have suggested.

    I didn’t mention Miyazaki above because I specifically asked the librarian the other day not to point me to his stuff, because I’d already seen them all, then forgot to mention that in my post. I’m pretty sure they have most of them, if not all.

  9. Hmm…it’s a little older, but “The Dagger of Kamui” is a film everyone should see, and it still looks good today. “Honey and Clover” is quite good if you like the love-polygon romantic comedy stuff. They should get all of the “Case Closed” seasons (1-5, I believe) and the first five movies. The new “Ah! My Goddess” TV series is quite good (two seasons of that). “The Twelve Kingdoms” is quite good, too.

    “Crest of the Stars”
    “Banner of the Stars”
    “Banner of the Stars II”
    “Witch Hunter Robin”
    Any and all of the “Gundam” series (they stretch back into the very late ’70s, though several are very current)
    “Last Exile”
    “Lucky Star”
    “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”

    That should do for now. I highly recommend all of these. ^_^

  10. Well, two of my top suggestions are late 90s– Cowboy Bebop and Serial Experiments Lain. The former is funny, poignant, and action-packed. The latter is… very odd, but appealing both visually and otherwise.

    Haibane Renmei is by the same creators as Lain. It’s very sweet and slightly ominous, about some people who look a lot like angels but obviously aren’t. They’re supernatural, but not in any useful way.

    Grave of the Fireflies: Out of date, true, but there is such a thing as a classic. The saddest damn movie I’ve ever seen.

    Azamanga Daio: It’s a great schoolgirl anime, without (most of) the perversity that often comes with. Mostly just kids and young teachers being their hilarious selves.

    Let me second both Ghost in the Shell series. The movie is fair, but not as necessary, in my opinion.

  11. Bleach and Naruto are long. They are not even done yet. They are huge investments, but they should move through circulation quickly enough.

    If you want to move away from the Shonen Jump bits, you could add Monster, Le Chevalier Deon, RIN (might be too adult), The girl who leapt through time (film), Simmer Wars (film), Paprika (film).

    Has anyone watched The book of Bantora? It seems like it might be fitting, the main characters are librarians of a sort.

  12. Definitely Haibane Renmei. My family enjoys Angelic Layer, Kaleido Star, Dual: Parallel Trouble Adventure, Chance Pop Session, Dai-Guard, A Little Snow Fairy Sugar, Cardcaptor Sakura, Scrapped Princess, Chrono Crusade, Princess Nine, and xxxHolic.

  14. My suggestions might repeat some of those already listed, but I personally enjoy:

    Gungrave
    Hellsing
    Last Exile
    Witch Hunter Robin
    and Noir

    I hope the library takes your suggestions.

  15. Just to reiterate the ones that are popular now:

    1. Bleach
    2. Naruto
    3. Death Note
    4. Fruits Basket
    5. Full Metal Alchemist
    6. Soul Eater
    7. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
    8. Code Geass
    9. Ouran High School Host Club
    10. Tsubasa Chronicles

    Some recent personal favorites:
    1. 12 Kingdoms
    2. Hellsing
    3. xxxHolic

    Hope that helps!

  16. There’s always so many new Anime coming out, like 10-20 series a season. It seriously gives us heaps to look forward to – I just wish there were more romance titles, as I love them the most out of all Anime genre. All that’s released nowadays, is ecchi Anime, and they’re so overused, and lame.