Anime titles you didn't expect to like

[AnimeGirl]

...I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to disparage your love of Cardcaptors- I have a special place in my heart for Cardcaptors, too. It's just that now that I've seen the original, and know how badly they chopped it up for American audiences, I feel disappointed that the people who brought it over didn't think that American audiences couldn't handle the original.

No, it's OK. I knew you weren't trying to. I've seen some of the original, and I honestly didn't like it. But that's me. Also, all 70 WERE dubbed, but we who watched it on Kids WB only got to see 39 of it, 3 of which were 6 episodes combined. When I found that out, I was like "NO WAY!" but I've seen all 70 dubbed on YouTube. I enjoyed it better when I finally got to see all of it.

But I am not mad, perhaps I overreacted. Besides, I'd probably get mad if someday they make an edited version of any of my fave animes I am watching now. Although...I'd probably watch it for kicks. XD!! Though I doubt (and hope) that'll never happen....

[Sailor Kenshin]

HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

Sorry. It's just when I was younger, I read the manga of Cardcaptor Sakura and loved it to death. So when I heard it had been licensed and dubbed, I was eager to watch it...and was appalled. APPALLED at how butchered and destroyed the show was compared to the original.

Cardcaptors started on episode eight of Cardcaptor Sakura. EPISODE. EIGHT. THEY SKIPPED SEVEN ENTIRE EPISODES. Why? To introduce Li, of course! Because we all KNOW that shows for girls are stupid and dumb, no, we need to pretend that Li is equal to Sakura (he never was) and that he was a co-star of the show (he wasn't), otherwise we can't get boys to watch this show that was intended for girls.

Plus that awful, awful intro that was garbage compared to Catch You Catch Me. I can accept that the intro has to be changed for the dub (because of licensing music costs, and whatnot) but couldn't they at least have made a DECENT intro?

Fortunately Pioneer released the series unedited and subbed on DVD so I mean it's all good but still...sorry to go off on a tangent. I'm just a bitter Cardcaptor Sakura fan. >.>

But tell us how you REALLY feel....

(I love CCS and never, ever saw the dub. Yay.)


OK, back to subject: though I am a huge Miyazaki fan, I did not think I could stand watching Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind because I thought it would be a hippie tree-hugger disaster.

I should have known better: it was a Christ allegory and I loved it.

[Atria35]

OK, back to subject: though I am a huge Miyazaki fan, I did not think I could stand watching Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind because I thought it would be a hippie tree-hugger disaster.

I should have known better: it was a Christ allegory and I loved it.

... Actually, it was never meant to be a Christ allegory. People have taken it that is, but... no.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I'm failing to see how one could even mistake Nausicaa for a Christ allegory.

[Nate]

Especially since Miyazaki is a big fan of "There really isn't true good and evil, everything is gray."

[Sailor Kenshin]

I'm failing to see how one could even mistake Nausicaa for a Christ allegory.

I'm failing to see how anyone could see it as anything but.

[Nate]

What, are my posts invisible or something?

[Falx]

...

Is it because the wound that temporarily kills her is in her side?

That's pretty flimsy, IMO.

[Fish and Chips]

What, are my posts invisible or something?

Characters dying and coming back is a Christian allegory now.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a Christian allegory.

[ShiroiHikari]

Kira Yamato is a Christ allegory. His cockpit got blown to Kingdom Come with him inside it and he came back later.

Ahem. Um. Something on-topic. Ooh, I know. I honestly did not expect to like My Neighbor Totoro, because when I saw it I had seen other Miyazaki films and had already made up my mind that I don't like him. Still, it was a very charming movie.

[rocklobster]

back on topic here.
Another title I didn't expect to like was Angelic Layer. It just seemed too girly. But the story was well-written and I wound up enjoying it.

[Atria35]

I didn't expect to really like Rideback- I mean, it had racing and sort-of mecha. But instead I found something that had strong messages about politics and self that I found to be incredibly touching.

[AnimeGirl]

back on topic here.
Another title I didn't expect to like was Angelic Layer. It just seemed too girly. But the story was well-written and I wound up enjoying it.

Who wouldn't like a story about dolls that beat each other up? XD!!! I loved it 'cause it's cute, and funny, and well.....they're battle dolls! Being "battle dolls" I think can attract both audiences. Girls like dolls, guys like fights, put them together....and you have ANGELIC LAYER! And the plot, though simple, had alot of depth, especially when it came to the player's pasts. I also like to think of Angelic Layer as "How CLAMP plays with dolls" XD!!! I wish it was a real game....

[Atria35]

Who wouldn't like a story about dolls that beat each other up? XD!!! I loved it 'cause it's cute, and funny, and well.....they're battle dolls! Being "battle dolls" I think can attract both audiences. Girls like dolls, guys like fights, put them together....and you have ANGELIC LAYER! And the plot, though simple, had alot of depth, especially when it came to the player's pasts. I also like to think of Angelic Layer as "How CLAMP plays with dolls" XD!!! I wish it was a real game....

Eh, I'm impartial. For me, the anime seems to... drag, a bit >.>"

But I totally agree that it would be SO COOL to have a RL game like that!

[AnimeGirl]

Eh, I'm impartial. For me, the anime seems to... drag, a bit >.>"

But I totally agree that it would be SO COOL to have a RL game like that!

I loved it though. I just started on the manga, and was a bit disappointed, but we'll see when I buy the last 5 volumes. We should have a thread on what kind of angels we'd have if the game existed. ^.^

[VerityDemortem]

I didn't expect to like Wolf's Rain, the first episode just seemed boring. That was a long time ago. I didn't except to like Naruto either, because the main character seemed so immature at first, but now I think it's amazing.
On a backwards note, I used to love the Tsubasa Chronicle anime, but ever since reading the manga I can only watch the movie and OVAs. I'm not exactly sure why . . . might be the animation.

[Adie]

I wasn't sure if I would like Gurren Lagann, but I ended up really enjoying it. ^^

[Atria35]

I forgot about this one: I really thought that I wouldn't like Detective Conan/Case Closed. I mean, it started so long ago, is so long (and yeah, that does frustrate me, but...), and has a somewhat silly premise, but I really enjoy this. While I really, really, REALLY want Jimmy to finally get the antidote, I also enjoy this more for the mysteries that he solves more than anything else.

[Firebird3613]

I didn't expect to like anime in general. I think it was because I had seen Pokemon when I was really young, and thought it was weird. But then, of course, that may have been because I was a wimp back then.

Ouran High School Host Club: at first I didn't really like it. Then, as I watched more and more episodes, I really enjoyed it, and it became one of my favorite animes.

Romeo x Juliet: I never really liked the actual play, so I was pleasantly suprised when I watched this one. It's currently my #1 favorite anime as of right now. Pity not many people have heard of it.

I can't really think of any others right now.

[SnoringFrog]

DNAngel - My friend brought the Manga to school one day and told me what it was about; I refused to read it because it was "stupid" (not action). Then he left study hall for a bit and I had nothing to do so I grabbed it and started reading and got hooked.

Mushi-shi - I believe I watched this one because I thought it was a weird idea that wouldn't work too well. I ended up loving it because it was unique. Being able to pick up anywhere in the series is nice, and the design of the mushi was often pretty interesting.

Spice and Wolf - When I first read about this anime, it was basically "economics + anime = Spice and Wolf". Personally, I found economics class to be very boring, but I enjoyed how much of it I recognized the concepts of already from playing Kingdom of Loathing. So I figured "hey, this sounds really weird, so I'll give it a shot" and it quickly jumped up to one of my favorites.

[rocklobster]

too bad DN Angel's creator isn't actually the committed type. The manga's taking how long to wrap up?

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

too bad DN Angel's creator isn't actually the committed type. The manga's taking how long to wrap up?

Yeah, imagine someone prioritizing their health over some comic they're working on.

[Atria35]

Tetsuwan Birdy Decode season 1- I thought it would be a silly anime about the love between a boy and an alien, and having to save the world. I.... was SO wrong! Not only is the love not between the alien and the boy, while there is some inherent fanservice due to her outfit (on the skimpy side, like a bikini) and her job (she masquerades as a human model), this is filled with serious sci-fi drama! There's action, there's murder (not graphic, thankfully), there's a genuine threat to the world (people die 4 ReALz), and some unrequited love. I just wish the second season had been as good.....

Princess Tutu- I was beyond skeptical when I started watching, but I changed my mind after 6 episodes. It went from silly to somewhat serious, and I started realizing that it was turning into a fairytale on it's own. I was impressed.

[Doubleshadow]

Hakuouki - It's based on a dating sim and had what appeared to be a built-in Mary Sue, so I had low expectations, but it was well-reviewed so gave it a try.
Good, not just not bad, but good! Nice, consistent art, high animation budget, choreographed, actually drawn instead of still-frame fights. The girl lead actually has a personality and initiative and is likeable (she really grows on you), and a plot! Historical fantasy well-written and well-executed. I really do pine until each new episode is out.

Opening theme absolutely sucks though. XD

[Atria35]

Hakuoki - Nice, consistent art, high animation budget, choreographed, actually drawn instead of still-frame fights. The girl lead actually has a personality and initiative and is likeable (she really grows on you), and a plot! Historical fantasy well-written and well-executed

I think we're watching two different versions of the same anime >.>" I think the best part of it is the Op theme! lolz.

[the_wolfs_howl]

I suppose it's safe to say that I didn't expect to like Lovely Complex much, even though I'd received a very favorable recommendation that should have clued me in. I've only seen the first three episodes, but I really like it so far ^_^

[SnoringFrog]

Yeah, imagine someone prioritizing their health over some comic they're working on.

Is that what's happening? I never heard anything just saw that the manga stuck forever near the end. I'm not sure what volume I'm on, I've been reading fansubs online so I could be ahead of the American schedule. I think I'm only missing 3 of the American manga though. Maybe 4, how many will there be total? Do we know?

[Atria35]

Is that what's happening? I never heard anything just saw that the manga stuck forever near the end. I'm not sure what volume I'm on, I've been reading fansubs online so I could be ahead of the American schedule. I think I'm only missing 3 of the American manga though. Maybe 4, how many will there be total? Do we know?

According to Wikipedia, "D.N.Angel premiered in Japan in the November 1997 issue of Monthly Asuka where new chapters were serialized monthly until Sugisaki put the series on an extended hiatus after the August 2005 issue. The series eventually returned to serialization, starting in the April 2008 issue of Monthly Asuka, where it continues to run." So no idea how many volumes total there will be- that will probably depend on the ending.

No idea why the ending is on hiatus at this point, though.

[SnoringFrog]

Ok. It seems like it's coming to a close. Can't remember if a preview in the manga mentioned that or if that's just me.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I try not to judge a title before I watch it, but sometimes I have done so. And then the anime in question sometimes surprised me. Here are some titles that surprised me:
Azumanga Daioh--usually weird titles don't go well with me. But after five episodes, I laughed so much I had to see the rest
Big O--I saw a late episode and couldn't follow it. Then it was rebroadcast and I got hooked
Chrono Crusade--the negative-seeming review on CAA seemed like a bad one. But when I tried it out, I found it very enjoyable.
Now and Then--I was prepared to really hate this one, but its positive message made me change my mind
Neon Genesis Evangelion--I was kind of wary of this because it was banned here. But I saw it and liked it. Especially after I saw the second movie

Did I answer this already? For me it was Rurouni Kenshin. From the promotional ads on Cartoon Network, the anime seemed like it would be a stupid, bloddy sword-fest and nothing but.

I watched it by accident one day and was immediately hooked, to the extent that I would actually whine in frustration when each episode ended.

We eventually bought the series through the Kyoto arc.