Best/most recommended anime of the 2000's...

[cuchulain]

I just thought that I would start this topic to help get some other forums beside the main SPC one going.  Anyway, I've noticed that I've been less interested in anime lately, mainly because there just don't seem to be as many quality shows coming out of Japan.  The early 2000's shows are the newest ones I find myself wanting to re-watch with any kind of regularity.  So with that said, have I missed out on some shows that were only fansubbed or just flew under the radar?  Or am I just a big dummy and don't know what I'm talking about?  I'd really appreciate it if people could recomment some newer shows that are worth checking out.  The last show I found myself really liking was Gurren Lagan.

[Matt Pushinka]

Yeah, I've lost most of my interest in anime nowadays. The last I've saw Its, by coincidence, the best I've ever seen: Cowboy Bebop (1998). Pretty awesome and with an INCREDIBLE soundtrack.

Well, I mean, THAT'S THE KIND OF ANIME WE HAVE TODAY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de_1P5asQ1c ???

Anway, my friend keeps saying that I should whatch Medaka Box. Anyone knows anything about it?

[Violet]

For the 2000s?  Lucky Star, Rozen Maiden, K-On, Hell Girl

[cuchulain]

Thanks Violet, several of those are actually on hulu, and I'm watching Hell Girl right now!

[spartacat]

If you like Lucky Star, I highly recommend Nichijou. It's much more madcap in its humor

[cuchulain]

I'm watching Lucky Star right now, thanks for the recommend and God Bless Hulu.  The anime selection really is great.

[Violet]

If you like Lucky Star, I highly recommend Nichijou. It's much more madcap in its humor

I've been watching Nichijou.  I still like the characters in Lucky Star better.  Nichijou is funnier, it doesn't try to be realistic so they can get away with a lot more.  So watch both.

[PizzaCatFan]

This list may not be up everyone's alley, but here's what I have from the post-2000 era.  Just a select few.

- Ai Yori Aoshi (I feel, one of the better 'harem' style romance-comedies that came out on the heels of the popular (but poorly executed and paced at times) Love Hina.  I much prefer AYA over Hina nowadays.)

- Utawarerumono (A nice dose of war and politics (without it getting too deep) set in a post-apoc setting that screams 'feudal' more than 'sci-fi'.)

- Twelve Kingdoms.  (Loved, LOVED this one.  Can be slow to start, but it did a decent job of world building.  Ended too soon, didn't fare too well in Japan, sadly.)

- Saiunkoku Monogatari (Story of Saiunkoku)  (Another I'd put up there as a must-watch if one wants a strong female lead....which is a rarity in anime.  The romance theme is very mature in mind, not fluffy, and not the center of the plot.  This is yet another world/character building story, set in a fantasy-ized version of a China-like country.)

- Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad (A look into the goings-on of an up-and-coming rock band.  FAR better than Gravitation, which was just shounen-ai fluff that put the music plot secondary.  This show puts it up front and center, and does so in a very mature realistic fashion.  The dub for this is quite excellent too.....very gritty and realistic.)

- Mushi-Shi (More artsy than story driven really.  Things can be tricky to follow if you're not well versed in Japanese folklore and myth, but it's a beautifully done thing.)

- Romeo x Juliet (Gonzo did a nice modern anime take on the classic Shakespeare tale)

- Spice & Wolf (Set in some medieval-ish setting, follows the exploits of a young merchant and a wolf-girl deity.  Gets heavy into the 'economics' dealings of the series' world.)

If you're wondering why I didn't list titles like FMA, Ouran, Naruto and Haruhi Suzumiya, is because these are so oft-mentioned that I'd just be repeating myself.  I found FMA to be nothing more than an excuse for a dark story and high-violence, which doesn't appeal to me too much.  Ouran was a fun romp, lampooning the 'snooty rich' lifestyle, Naruto is "This generation's DBZ", but I guarantee it will be far less fondly remembered, because it started purely on Internet buzz, not on CN.  Ditto Haruhi Suzumiya....again, purely Internet popular.  This, and Lucky Star's DVDs sold poorly, plus a flurry of other reasons, mostly economical, leading to Bandai Entertainment's eventual U.S. division closure.

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Other than those, I don't know what to recommend.  I'd stay away from the 'moe' stuff, like AIR, Kanon, and Clannad.  They're beautifully drawn works, but they meander on WAY too long.  They should have been OAVs instead of full-blown late-night TV series.  They were made purely to move DVDs and soundtrack CDs to the masses of 'otaku' and 'hikkikomori' in Japan, and I share no connection with its male leads.  If one can't connect with the characters in some way, it can make for a very boring experience.

Anime's become like music.  To find the good stuff, you gotta kind of dig deep nowadays.  All that ever is talked about in other online forums that are more anime-centric than this one, only talk about the things everyone else is watching, so you never hear about much variety.

Sadly, a lot of folks' anime viewing nowadays often begins and ends with whatever ran on TV (Naruto, et al), or whatever got the most 'buzz' online (ie: Haruhi Suzumiya).  Then again, there hasn't really been much I'd cite other than what I have listed...nothing worth anyone's time anyways.  They're just things I'd recommend to someone looking for post-2000 anime.

My only anime viewing the last few years has been Kingdom, which just got a 2nd series green-lit to start this summer.  I love historical fiction and world-building series.

Poke around Hulu, YT, and FUNimation's pages.  Some or all these aforementioned should be lurking about, or rent from Netflix if you have access to that.

[cuchulain]

Thanks again for the recommends, Violet.  I'm checking out Nichijou right now.  Also, when I'm done with that, I'm going to watch Romeo x Juliet on Hulu as well, so thanks to PizzaCatFan.  I've always loved Studio Gonzo's work since seeing Hellsing, so I'm excited about that.

Also, while I'm at it, could someone recommend a good anime review site?  I'm not a big fan of AnimeNewsNetwork, because it's too cluttered and disorganized (and not much on reviews anyway) and I've never been a fan of Chris Beveridge (Anime On Dvd/Fandom Post or whatever his new site is).  Back in the day when I was more into anime, I relied on Anipike, and it's dead now.  Maybe there isn't an alternative, but I thought it was worth asking anyway.

[PizzaCatFan]

I don't rely on those sites either, at least not their reviews or forums.  I do still use ANN for news items, but that's about it.  Never hit up the Fandom Post (too much clutter about other 'geek' things that aren't anime related...in fact, more of that 'than' anime & related news clutters up that site).  Paid or not (I don't know), they tend to be biased to certain genres, distributors, or whatever else, and there seems to be more whining and moaning over superficial, technical details rather than...you know, enjoying anime?

You'll like Romeo x Juliet I think.  Don't let the slight alterations throw you off.  The base story of Shakespeare's tale is still intact.  It's just spiffed-up in only the way Gonzo knows how.  I've heard / read the original play enough times in my life, so it was a refreshing thing to see it fleshed out with modern elements, while staying true to the original play.

That studio's been doing this for years now.  Akira Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai" (their take is called. "Samurai 7"), and another famous story, "The Count of Monte Cristo" were also given the Gonzo anime treatment.  May want to look into those as well.

Happy anime watching.

[cuchulain]

Started on it this morning, Pizza Cat Fan.  I've got to say, as a Shakespeare fanatic it's right up my alley and I love the Studio Gonzo art.  If only I didn't have to go to work...