this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2024
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I have watched a lot of the studio Ghibli stuff but not sure what series to start on, looking for recommendations

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[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

I believe the best starter animes must meet some criteria:

  • not too long (seeing something having hundreds of episodes is a huge hurdle)
  • self-contained (no spin-offs of other franchises that you need to know)
  • completed (no "if you want to know how it ends you have to read the source material or hope for a second season")
  • no need to know cultural references (what the fuck is a shikigami?!)
  • universal themes (love, hate, friendship, hardship, etc.. Stuff that applies to everyone)
  • characters should be likable (no one keeps watching if they dislike the characters)
  • interesting from the start (no "uh, it gets great from the 5th episode, just keep at it")
  • interesting throughout (show shouldn't fizzle out or run out of steam)
  • normal visuals (yes, shows with unique art styles can feel fresh for someone with more than 1000 shows under their belt, but for a new watcher better keep it normal)
  • not mundane but not too far "out there" (just the right amount of fantastical)
  • no off putting material (gore, over-the-top violence, etc.)
  • it should end on a positive note (I wouldn't have touched another anime ever again if Grave of the Fireflies were my first one)

With all those criteria listed, I believe the best show that ticks all the checkmarks is Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago