Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[heydude6]

Start with 2003. It opens much stronger than brotherhood and it remains rather consistent throughout. There are a few bad episodes (most notably episode 4 and 9), but overall it's a good story even if it is very different from the manga (minus the notorious last 3 episodes of course, who could forget that!). Hopefully from this point you'd be able to get them to watch/read whatever version you want them to look at next, though they might have the same initial reaction to brotherhood as you did.

Alternatively, you could start them on brotherhood (skipping the boring and pointless first episode of course) and just hope that they're able to forgive the flaws. Most people's tastes aren't as sophisticated as they would hope so they might not even notice the problems.

Ultimately it's your decision. Ideally you'd want them to read the manga but forcing people to read is a very difficult task.

[Reelya]

So I'll start this off by saying that I'm a huge fan of FullMetal Alchemist. I've read the first 18 volumes of the Manga and read more whenever I go to the library. However, I've only tried the first two episodes of Brotherhood before leaving in disgust because of the exposition before deciding that the manga was better.

The question is simple. I have two relatives I'd really like to get into the story of FullMetal Alchemist, but they're filthy casuals they don't like manga and prefer anime. I know there's some complicated way to get into FullMetal Alchemist through the anime, but... I don't know it xD

So how would you recommend starting FullMetal Alchemist through the anime? Any suggestions for them?

I have only dabbled in the 2003 series, but from what other people have said, the original anime was made before the manga finished, so it veers off after a certain point, and the second anime was made to adapt the rest of the series. However, rather than being a complete remake or a sequel, they decided to start Brotherhood with what is effectively a lengthy series recap, in a compromise attempt to appeal to both new viewers and returning viewers at the same time. Skimming past material like that ruins the tone of the thing, so as heydude6 says, the 2003 show's opening and overall consistency are better.

Start with the 2003 version, watch that, and if they want more they can watch Brotherhood, but you can skip X number of episodes at the start since you already covered that material (google it later). That way you skip most of the weakest episodes of both, which are the hasty recap part at the start of Brotherhood.

I don't see a need to skip the alternate ending of the 2003 version, they should be perfectly fine realizing that Brotherhood is an alternate continuation of the story.

[Derpy Dev]

Alternatively, you could start them on brotherhood (skipping the boring and pointless first episode of course) and just hope that they're able to forgive the flaws. Most people's tastes aren't as sophisticated as they would hope so they might not even notice the problems.

Okay, didn't actually hate the first episode, just hate the fact that they tried to introduce literally every military character in the same episode.

Spoiler: Spoilers, but only up to 18 because I haven't read further. (click to show/hide)

They even managed to show Kimblee and Bradley; the ladder being more important because the Subtlety Brick was thrown.

I think my decision will largely be based on what the City of Heresy (the first plot, but I really loved the Brotherhood name for it) looks like in both shows because I do have a Christian family...

[Cthulufaic]

The new FLCL episode was good, but not as good as episode 2 imo, this one was very rapid fire with lots of things happening in short succession.
BUT, its introduced new plot threads and new ideas and it left just enough to figure out to make me feel smart, so that's a plus. 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And hey, the more tie-ins and references to the 1st season the better!

[Max™]

It's very weird and will get better on a second watch, like the first one did.

I still giggle over stuff like Momimi tossing little comments and "heheheheh" in here and there.

[Cthulufaic]

Yo this week's episode of Megalobox is fucking amazing.  Everyone needs to watch Megalobox, cause the finale is next week.

[Zangi]

So how would you recommend starting FullMetal Alchemist through the anime? Any suggestions for them?

Oh hey, my signature is relevant again.

[Tack]

Megalobox is everything good the golden age of anime combined with everything good about modern anime.
The art style is intense

[Stuebi]

So I've rewatched Oregairu ("My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected") for what feels like the third time, while desperately waiting for new LN Volumes to come out, and thought I'd ask around for any similiar recommendations in either the Rom/Romcom genre. I've only ever really liked this and Toradora, being the two shows where I was actually invested in the characters and where the romance was neither forced nor written badly.

Also fine with other genres, if they do contain a decent romantic aspect. Decent in my case referring to "not needlessly glued onto the plot" and contributing to the story, rather than taking away from it.

[Reelya]

Also fine with other genres, if they do contain a decent romantic aspect. Decent in my case referring to "not needlessly glued onto the plot" and contributing to the story, rather than taking away from it.

You could try Lovely Complex, Kimi ni Todoke, Ore Monogatari.

Or ones like Nana, Beck, Skip Beat, Kids on the Slope, Nodame Cantabile. They'll all music related ones.

[Tack]

Also why did nobody tell me that Steins:Gate was great?
I mean many people did, but it took way too long for me to be convinced.

[Parsely]

Also why did nobody tell me that Steins:Gate was great?
I mean many people did, but it took way too long for me to be convinced.

I absolutely hated the fucking characters at the start, which gave it massive impact when it managed to convince me that these characters' obnoxious, cliched quirkiness was completely justified, so I'm not surprised if other people also struggled to make it through the first 3 or 5 episodes.

[Tack]

I'm up to episode 13 and the protagonist has shitted me to the point of frustrated tears.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Him not being able to plan ahead or make basic links, I can easily get. They straight up paint it as a character flaw, he's a terrible strategic thinker.
His inability to function in a nonfictional conspiracy scenario is bonkers, but sure, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt if he continues to not take SERN seriously right up until bullets start flying.

However, the fact that he has so far spent the entire episode shouting incoherently at all of his friends, especially the part time soldier who definitely knows what's going on... that's full of shit.
How about, every time you shift timelines, you call a round table and explain fucking exactly what all of the changes have been so that everyone is on the same page? It's like there's no functional reason behind that particular dysfunction, especially considering how trusting he is of his lab members.

[Parsely]

the protagonist has shitted me

Uh, he what now???

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

His inability to function in a nonfictional conspiracy scenario is bonkers

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Why? He's just an 18 year old kid, why should he be acting like a hardened spy? He's just authentically eccentric, you're not supposed to take his lab club or his self-proclaimed mad scientist status seriously, which can be hard to accept because of anime tropes.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

How about, every time you shift timelines, you call a round table and explain fucking exactly what all of the changes have been so that everyone is on the same page

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Keep watching, you do get that moment. For now you need to pay attention to what the story is trying to tell you with Okabe's initial reaction to the time travel.

[Reelya]

Well new shows starting, time to see if anything sounds interesting (season chart). Not counting spin-offs or sequels here since if you already know then you'd be onto them already so it's not worth mentioning. I also skimmed past all the ones where teenagers discover they have magic powers to fight monsters or MMORPG isekai ones, idol ones, purely pervy ones, etc.

As for sports ones, the choice this season are men's swimming (all about abs), girl's beach volleyball (looks bouncy) and girl's Badminton (which has an incredibly cliched synopsis: a genius player quits the sport but then meets a dedicated player who trains all the time to be the best. A motivating coach, friends and rivals drive them to win the highschool tournament. That's the plot of dozens of other sports animes).

Below are ones that sounded at least somewhat interesting to me (n.b. interesting doesn't automatically mean good).

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes

Based on mystery novels written by Mochizuki Mai. There is an antique shop in Kyoto's Teramachi Sanjou shopping district. High school girl Mashiro Aoi unexpectedly runs into Yagashira Kiyotaka, the son of the shop's owner, and ends up working part-time at the shop. Kiyotaka is called the "Holmes at Teramachi Sanjou," and he and Aoi solve odd cases brought to them by various clients.

Sounds decent

Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki

The scary great king comes from the other side of the sea… The big incident ‘Genkou‘ that shook medieval Japan is being drawn in an original way in this historical anime, along with the beginning of the Samurai…!

According to wikipedia the title is "Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion" which gives some context to the synopsis. It's a military drama about the Mongol invasion of Japan.

Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro:

This is a story of a nerdy bookworm girl on her way to school, and yes, that's the entire premise, as she's not getting to school any time soon. Taking her "usual" route to school, it becomes an increasingly unusual adventure, and all the more ridiculous as it carries on

The concept could be a lot of fun

Jashin-chan Dropkick

Jashin-chan Dropkick is a violent slapstic comedy about a delusional gothic lolita, Yurine, who summons a demon girl with the tail of a cobra, Jashin-chan. They'll have to live together until Yurine finds a way to send Jashin-chan back to hell, or until Jashin-chan kills Yurine.

Sounds fun

Grand Blue:

Iori Kitahara is just beginning his freshman year at Izu University ... But things don't exactly go according to plan ... he encounters a group of rowdy, naked upperclassmen, who immediately coerce him into participating in their alcoholic activities.

College life comedies aren't that common in anime so it could be decent

Back Street Girls: Gokudolls:

A group of 3 yakuza failed their boss for the last time. After messing up an important job, the boss gave them 2 choices: honorably commit suicide, or go to Thailand to get a sex reassignment surgery in order to become "female" idols

... what the living fuck?

Happy Sugar Life

pure love psycho horror story of a girl named Satou Matsuzaka, who has someone she likes. She experiences a sweet feeling when she sleeps with her, and thought it must be love. Everything will be forgiven as long as she protects this feeling, even if she tricks, commits crimes, steals, or even kills

Crazy lesbian stalker- the anime ... ?

One Room 2nd Season
... One Room was one of the weirder anime shorts. It's a romance series, but you are the MC (it's in first person), and the girls talk to you, with slight pauses in the dialogue where you are supposed to be talking.