@Yamchaa:

THEN LET ME MOLEST YOUR COLLECTION

I wanna molest whoever's anime collection that is!

Hmmm well Azumanga Daioh -----> Best Student Council/Pani Poni Dash! They're all in a school setting with very strange, eccentric, and downright crazy characters and adventures.

@smoking crimson:

YAyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *glomps*

@Karmira:

I'm sorry, exams tend to do that to me. Plus with all of the challenge slams and stuff, I haven't had the time to hunt around lol. I'll be be back on the 25th, methinks.

@smoking crimson:

Yep, yep~ I have one up already if you haven't already seen it. You're behind, RR. I've been raving about that one for ages~

@Karmira:

What, of Hakuouki? xD

@:

haha yeah, it's a great change of pace. when life is good, you just want something light and fluffy and innocent :) however, when life sucks, you want something darker and more seductive haha! like vampire knight, black bird, or hapi mari XP

@smoking crimson:

You finally saw it??!! GREAT! Now I can spam you with wallpapers of it.

@:

Mwahahaah! I've read that one toooo. Hmmm... here is a beautiful one for Kyo, Hirari. It's about the bridging of classes and the wonder of Japanese traditional dance. Also, one of the best mangakas out there is Shinjo Mayu. Variety, verry hot bishies, and romance, adult and romantic. ^^ I only dislike two of hers. I can have MANY moreeee for you if you know these. ^^

@Yamchaa:

Exactly! They were the GOOD OLD DAYS. <3 They are classics. I haven't watched any new anime pretty much lol...I prefer to rewatch the older ones like them. :)

I can suggest a few titles...

• The Twelve Kingdoms
• Fist of the North Star new, and old
• The Irresponsible Captain Tylor
• Flame of Recca
• Berserk
• Gad Guard
• Kiba
• BECK Mongolian Chop Squad

Sorry for the lack of comparison animes..

Oh, and if you have the guts to tackle a long one, then I cant end this comment without an honorable mention for my favorite series------ One Piece -------

If you like Akira or Fist of the North Star...you know, classics that are incredibly violent (Akira was, right? It's been a while lol!), then you'll possibly like Angel Cop and Cyber City Oedo 808. All of these series are on the older side (80's-early 90's), and all quite violent. If you watch Angel Cop or Cyber City in English, you'll be in for A TON of profanity, too lol. But yeah, I am comparing them mostly on the classic gory goodness that makes them.

If you like Aria the Animation etc., you might like Binchou-tan. :) One of my favorites...Binchou-tan is also a sweet slice-of-life type. It's incredibly relaxing to watch. The music in both series are beautiful and soothing. Binchou-tan is beyond cute and sweet...and you get good lessons out of it like in Aria.

Thanks to whoever recommended Hakuouki Shinsengumi no Kitan, it's epic. <3

For me, I'd have to recommend if you're into fairytales & sort of twisted stuff, unusual, darkish stuff, I'd recommend Dokuhime & Ludwig Kakumei. The art for both is very beautiful, very unique.

Dokuhime is about as the name implies, 'Poison Princesses'. These posion princesses are used as political tools by the queen of a kingdom- (can't recall atm) and the story follows one of these princesses called Lycoris, who is sent to a kingdom with three princes, all unique in their own ways. It's a bit mature in parts, so I recommend that you be mature to read it.

Ludwig Kakumei is a bit more popular, imo, but still not verily so. It's about a prince called Ludwig- he travels to different kingdoms to find himself a wife. It has a twist because almost all of the characters in Ludwig Kakumei are parodies of fairytale characters, save for a few, most notably, Ludwig, Wilhem & Dorothea. It's finished, so it's a highly recommended read from me. Plus they have some pretty epic cosplay pictures around the internet!

The difference between the two is fairly minor (one is mainly told from a girl's pov, while the other is from a guy's pov, Kakumei is more humorous in parts, while Dokuhime is rather dark) but if you like one, you're probably going to like the other too. :3

@beloved blood:

I was a little hesitant myself, but I think more people should read and or watch it . I really do wish it was more popular

I'll add in another lil rec here too then (what lil) (shhhh) -

If you like Rurouni Kenshin, for more than just a pretty face of a samurai "so cool so kawaii!" though admittedly that would be right too, and more because of the gripping story, fluidly animated action, and the sympathy we can feel for the samurai who earnestly swears never ever to kill again, but is forever hounded by violent reminders of his past and the present aggression and conflicts in Japan - don't watch Hakuouki - you might like .... *struggles to think of one* let's go for Yu Yu Hakusho.

Yu Yu Hakusho's a little old school but the animation for action scenes is just as lovingly and fluidly done. Also, you'll grow to love the characters, for all their grit and stupidity. eye candy comes eventually too Both appear to be awesomely done anime adaptions for their respective manga as well. Also for its length, both YYH and RK manage to keep most of their storyline well perhaps not entirely fast-paced (we're talking long-running shounen here) but certainly have the watchers wanting to see more. Got to love Shounen that very likely have bigger female fanbases. lol

A question to anyone reading this, from the curious:

What old school shounen (or any other genre), that isn't so obviously directed at female audiences, would you recommend? Other than DBZ and Gundam, that is. :)

@FaithlessFighter:

lol I'm not sure if Rurouni Kenshin is "anime in its purest form", since people would more likely point at stuff like Dragon Ball and/or Doraemon in response. But certainly, Rurouni Kenshin was one of those anime that non-anime fans could watch and have to admit that woah, anime or not, it's at least a lil bit awesome. :D

@Karmira:

Ahaha, most definitely X3 Oh gosh, it's like they took a bag of bishies and just turned it upside down over the series and said, "There you go. Enjoy~" XD

Now after grabbing the series recommends for me, I will short out a few. ^^ I don't go for the beaten track anime or mangas very often anyways.

1) If you are a fan of the classic fantasy/science fiction stories, such as Lord of the Rings and Anne McCaffrey's boos, and have been looking for a dose of that in your anime, you need to look for Tears to Tiara. Set in what seems ancient times, it sets your expectations on its heels. It isn't your normal romance or your normal adventure story. It combines Arthurian legend, post-apocalyptic, Christianity, and many other sets of mythology to bring a a really magical tale to life. I can't stop watching it. : ) The story begins when the priestess of the conquered tribe in the Empire is captured to be sacrificed, in order resurrect the Demon King. However, the Demon King's end of the world and the end of the world for the Empire are not the same things, and there are many secrets to be explained.

2) If you are a fan of boy love stories with a lot of depth, you will fall for Mirage of Blaze Set in modern time, Mirage of Blaze is based off a Japanese series of novels, and the anime is both the beginning and the beginning of the end of the story. A high school student is the reincarnated leader of an underworld army that suppresses demons from the Feudal Era of Japan. He is soon found out by his vassal Naoe and after a struggle, begins to accept who he is thanks to him. However, the leader Kagetora and Naoe have a twisted painful past which is not forgotten. Blend of adventure, history, magic and very complicated relationships, it is engrossing. Word of warning: The OVA is for an older audience.

Yami no Matsuei is another shinigami story variation. The shinigami are beings who deal with deaths which are not recorded beforehand, in other words, crimes or dark magic. The first main character is a veteran, an oddball with an eye for sweets, but a very serious edge emerges in business matters. He has been there for a very long time. The second character died at age 16 and chose to become a shinigami due to his dark secret. This show is a blend of mystery, the darker realms, and friendships. It can be translated as light shonen ai too. The villain in this story is still one of the best ever!

Another amazing fantasy but modern world anime is Kaze no Stigma. Clans in modern Japan inherit certain elements, except wind. Wind is given to one person by a diety and that person happens to be an outcast with a dark past from the fire clan. When someone starts killing people from the fire clan, he is blamed then has to save the day with the new heir, a hot redhead with the power to call the most powerful of flames. Thus starts a strange relationship and the best partnership to get at the darkness of the magical clans.

I'll take a break here. Yes, a lot of my choice had secrets or darkness in them. That is because I like complexity and I love it when the lines of good and evil are no longer clear. xDDD

If you like My-Hime, then you might like A Certain Scientific Railgun.

Specifically, if you (like me) put your good sense on hold and watched the former, then prepare to suspend that good sense one more time and get ready for the latter! My-Hime is another entry into the magical schoolgirl canon, but this time they've got magical creatures with them to focus their powers. Of course, you can't gather a group of magical girls together without someone else planning a nefarious plot to use them. Overall, it's big, loud and goofy. Oh hey, guess what, A Certain Scientific Railgun is kinda like that too! Here we have more girls with powers, but the twist is that the magic can be considered a branch of science. Like the former anime, this one too groups together a sizable number of girls...who are at the center of a shady plot that threatens their very way of life! Like My-Hime, A Certain Scientific Railgun doesn't even pretend to achieve anything grand, other than to give you visual spectacles, climactic battles, and oodles of girls with powers.

If you like cuter animes (like Azumanga Daioh or Yotsuba&!) you may enjoy Gakuen Alice. Though it's not set in a shorter, slap-stick style, it's a school setting with younger kids... I'm trying to think of a better anime to go off of to recommend Gakuen Alice... Maybe Tokyo Mew Mew?? The kids all have special powers called an Alice, hence the title. It's cute and pretty short, some drama later on. Meh.

I saw someone recommended those who enjoyed xxxHolic or Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles may like Ghost Hunt--and I concur. If you like a bit spookier and mystery animes, Ghost Hunt is for you--there's essentially a new "ghost" case every episode or so, so it keeps the plot moving and interesting.

I'd definitely recommend Mawaru Penguindrum to those who like Madoka Magica or more melancholy, some-what mysterious animes. Pretty short and definitely emotional.

@Kitty K.O.:

THEY BETTER! It's not over yet! And I know exactly what you mean. It is REALLY hard to choose a favorite there.

@Wakusei Aoshi:

I'll have to look into your recommends soon, especially the first bunch. I knew about two of those, but I didn't know of the rest. Samurai anime are amazing!

@Karmira:

Well, I didn't want to say it was better, lest I be mauled by rabid Fushigi Yuugi fans, but yes, I like Saiunkoku better X3 I love Ryuuki and Seiran X3 Heck, ALL the guys are so awesome~! <3 I hope they come out with a third series X3

Some people put their Ghost In The Shell comparison recommendations I guess I'll put mine. If you like that the Ghost In The Shell stuff I'd recommend Patlabor. Both are shows about a police/security force using technology robots to solve cases. In GiTS case there's tachikomas and in Patlabor there are the labors

@Yamchaa:

If you like mecha in general, then I guess you can make the jump from Gundam to Gasaraki. However, I'd like to fine tune it a bit more, if I may!

If you like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig, then you might like Gasaraki.

Putting aside the mecha involved in both series, each has its own strong story based upon political intrigue, suspense, and one-ups-manship. If you like the kind of story that delivers grand politics that span generations and nations, then both series give you the goods. On closer inspection, you notice that both involve social upheavals and populist movements (sound familiar in today's times?), with various actors along the edges and in the shadows advancing their own agendas. Who's playing who? Which side is the right side? Who has the power, and what will they do with it? All political questions worth contemplating, which both anime do very well in their own distinct (yet related) way.

@:

Yayyyy for obscure manga titles!! I love Skip Beat and Backstage Prince! If you liked Backstage Prince, you better be reading Black Bird now. It's her latest and her best so far. It's also wayyyy complicated. Also, another OBSCURE manga title I am reminded of after you said Skip Beat is the manga version of Special A. Another heroine and hero completely in love but one of parties denies it. The anime of that is really cute and is true to the story until the last couple chapters, too.

If your strolling for a good laugh, "Bobobobo". Ditch the logic and enjoy.

If your cruising for friendship, Zatch Bell all the way. One of the few animes where your always rooting for the main character no matter what.

If your looking for that light Shounen experience try Hitman Reborn. Its not weak yet its not too DBZish

If your trying to fly go for Air Gear. Air Gear is extremely motivational and one of the funniest without being cliche animes.

If you want anime in its purest form lol Rurouni Kenshin. Back when Americans were like "Derp wuts anime?"

Those are just a few.

For those of you familiar with "Mobile Fighter G Gundam", you may find this comparable to all things "Zoids". Both "Mobile Fighter G Gundam" and "Zoids" feature piloted giant robots battling for sport, although the mecha in all the "Zoids" anime are animal-shaped in contrast to the battling mecha in "Mobile Fighter G Gundam", which are human-shaped.

Also, you fans of "Hellsing" out there may want to check out "Witch Hunter Robin" and "Corpse Princess". All of them involve demon/monster hunting as a major theme.

@Kitty K.O.:

You are sooooo right about your second one. Saiunkoku is definitely for those who like Fushigi Yuugi. It's amazing! Sorry, Yuu Watase, I like it betterrrr.

@stararnold:

Voltes V and Combattler V are spot on recommendations. I guess if one likes combining robots Daimos wouldn't be a bad recommendation either?

Even a few more to go.

If you're a familiar with "Voltron - Defender of the Universe", you may want to look into "Chou Denji Robo Combattler V" and "Choudenji Machine Voltes V". Both obscure series compare to the Lion Voltron part of the show as each of them centers around a five-member group whose vehicles form into a super giant robot.

Also, if you're a fan of "Vision of Escaflowne", see the "Mazinger Z" spinoff series "UFO Robot Grendizer", which also has a protagonal prince who's one with his piloted giant robot.

Do you love those schlubs who are addicted to Japanese culture? Are you one of them? Do you think Welcome to the NHK, Lucky Star, and Genshiken were masterpieces of real otakuness? Then hold on tight because this anime goes back to the beginning when otaku were scorned and either obsessive or not otaku. What is this anime you ask? The two episode Gainax OVA Otaku no Video from 1991.

Otaku no Video is considered by many to be the "bible" of otaku. If you want to know how to live your otaku life to the fullest, watch this anime.

Ken Kubo is living a really good life. Good college grades, star tennis player, female friend who wants to be his girlfriend. That all changes when he meets his old high school classmate Tanaka. Tanaka and his circle of close-knit friends are all otaku and somehow manage to get Kubo to join in the fun. As he descends in their world, Kubo loses all of what he had. College drop-out, quit playing tennis, girlfriend hates him. But as the story progresses, we see Kubo not only well-adjusted to his new life but becoming a better person for it. Granted, the last few episodes are somewhat hard to believe, but hey, this is Gainax and an anime about otaku fandom. In addition, the anime is interspersed with the sobering truth of the otaku lifestyle in the mockumentary Portrait of an Otaku. Within this, we see show recorders, military otaku, the first evidence of an American otaku in Japan (whose interview is highly controversial to this day for American viewers), perverts, cosplayers, merchandise thieves, garage kit builders, and a plethora of others. This part is almost always disturbing but it is clear that otaku, like all else in this world, is a double-edged sword. One can hope there are more fans like Kubo, who dives right in and transcends what it means to be a fan.

@piggyback garu:

I love meru puri too :)

@inufluffy12:

^^U Sorry if that was insulting to fans. But yeah, it's the same with the original Yu-Gi-Oh... All kids know is Yusei and the new guy from Zexal... WHERE DO THEY THINK THE NAME EVEN CAME FROM?!

So yeah, sorry to fans. Wasn't meaning to be insulting...

So another recommendation. Have a penchant for mecha anime like Gundam? Do you enjoy the thrill of racing but can't find a good anime regarding it (because honestly, Intial D and Speed Racer ain't cutting the mustard) ? Let's put the peanut butter in the chocolate and get ourselves IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix].

To this day, it is, in my mind, on of the most underrated animes of the 21st century, if not all time. First, it was dubbed by Cartoon Network of all companies and became one of the most popular Toonami shows of its time.

Synopsis: The international world of sports in 2021 focuses it's eyes on the IGPX, a series of races he'd between two teams of three pilots. The story surrounds Team Satomi and the pilots Takeshi Jin, Liz Ricardo and Amy Stapleton. Together, they hold on to their hopes of winning in the IG1, the cream of the crop and the unequivocal best racers in the world.

What make this series stand out is an all-star cast of voice actors and various celebrities. Takeshi Jin is voiced by none other than Haley Joel "The Sixth Sense" Osment. Amy Stapleton is Hynden Welch (Starfire from Teen Titans, Princess Bubblegum Adventure Time). French pilot Fantine Valjean is played by Karen Strassman (Kallen Stadtfeld of Code Geass, Miyuki Takara of Lucky Star). American pilot and villain Yamma is played by Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker and The Joker). German pilot and Takeshi's foil Alexander Cunningham Hume is played by the man of one voice, all of them sexy, Steven Blum. Rounding out the cast is Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants, Ice King of Adventure Time) as race announcer Benjamin Bright.

Tie in some romance, plot twists, and two full seasons of all killer, no filler action and consider this anime delicious.

@kyouyarenge:

Agumon???
D: I know exactly what you're saying.
Sucks to be a Digimon otaku in this day and age.

Pokemon -> Digimon

Okay, I know Digimon use to be popular. But let's admit, nobody ever really cared about Digimon. And any little kid now can tell you about Pokemon, but ask them about Digimon and they think it's a new Pokemon. And why they're similar? I think that's self explanatory. Just look at a Charmander, then go find whatever the heck the main character's digimon is called.

@angluvdeath:

I second that.

if you like yu yu hakusho you'll like getbackers. both of them have supernatural abilities and fighting (they even use some of the same legends.)

And here I thought I had a pretty big anime collection… Suggestions:

If you like xxxHolic you might like Ghost Hunt. They both deal with rather supernatural mysteries - xxxHolic's usually sticking with the demon realm and curses while Ghost Hunt is more about (as the name implies) ghosts. While xxxHolic's episodes are almost invariably stand alone episodes, Ghost Hunt is filled with two, three and even four part episode arcs. Also, the characters on both shows are very fun and interesting people.

If you like Ouran High School Host Club you might like Magikano. Both shows follow a group of rather wacky high school students and their various hi-jinks, before ending with a two-parter that actually has a plotline. Unusual humor abounds on both shows. The only differences of any import are: while the students on Ouran are normal humans, most of the cast of Magikano are witches. Also, Ouran is mostly guys surrounding one girl (reverse-harem) while Magikano is mostly girls surrounding one guy (harem). Although I truly believe that if you like one you'll like the other.

If you like Fullmetal Alchemist you might like Pumpkin Scissors. Honestly, it's a little difficult for me to explain why these two shows are so similar because one (Fullmetal Alchemist) deals with alchemy and doesn't even take place on earth and the other (Pumpkin Scissors) is about a small section in the military that deals with war relief and it takes place in what is most likely Germany. However both shows feature an interesting cast, are not afraid to get into the grittiness of war and delve into what it means to be human. Also the main characters (though one is male and the other female) bear a striking resemblance to one another in attitude.

I just adore all the activity that's been going on here the past two weeks. It almost seemed dead towards the end of last year.

If you like Yu Yu Hakusho, you'll love HunterXHunter :3

If you like Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, xxxholic and Ninja Scroll (stick with me here...), then you'll love CLAMP's X (or X/1999). It is the same magical craziness we love but much darker and with more intricate fights/powers, like Ninja Scroll.

If you like Visions of Escaflowne, check out Magic Knight Rayearth. Both are shojo/mecha mash-ups.

If you like stories of people being transported into another world, such as Inuyasha, you might also like Fushigi Yugi, 12 Kingdoms, Kyo Kara Maoh, or either of the two series above.

If you like NANA, you will also like Paradise Kiss. Instead of drugs, sex and rock n roll, it's about drugs, sex and fashion.

If you like Claymore, you'll like Fate/Stay Night. Both are about butt-kickin' ladies with big swords.

If you like Elfen Lied, you might like Serial Experiments Lain or Gilgamesh. If you're an Evangelion fan, you might like these. Why? They have the same sort of mess with your head vibe.

If you liked uh...something with a princess and a castle in it and magic and stuff, you'll love meru puri

@Yamchaa:

oo. gundum wing. a classic. never finished it though. well i cant wait for those updated pics.

10 years!!!!! wow.

For fans of Lucky Star, Nichijou and Daily Lives of High School Boys (which just started airing and is very similar to Lucky Star, however starring boys instead of girls) would be a good choice, not to forget Working!! (released as Wagnaria in the US) and Baby, Please Kill Me (also currently airing).

If you prefer more "adult" anime with a darker theme, such as Black Lagoon (which is a must-watch if you haven't seen it), I would recommend Guilty Crown and Garden of Sinners/Kara no Kyoukai.

I'll post more as soon as I can think of them.

@Yamchaa:

Aw, someone mentioned Generator Gawl (about time!) and I love that show. I'll certainly be checking out that others you mentioned.

lol, let me have another go?

I see people recommending Special A to Ouran fans. Well, the comparison of those two has always been there, yes, but let's try this:

Ouran High School Host Club ---> Gakuen Alice / Honey and Clover (Season 1, at least)
Why? Because, if you loved Ouran's combo of wacky but lovable characters, exaggeratedly extravagant humour with its over-the-topness brushing bizarre and stupid-smart alike, and a dash of romance and drama; this two will give you such a fill.

Admittedly, the romances in each anime are all kind of different from each other - but it would be interesting to watch them all together.
Elementary school puppy love among very special X-men children --> High school romance in a wack-out, prestigious school --> Largely one-sided but beautiful romances between art university students. :3c

@:

omg right? i feel like NO ONE else appreciates those sweet, innocent shoujo types anymore ;_; i mean, i love black bird and hapi mari as much as the next girl, but sometimes you just need a dose of sugary-sweet loving <3

@:

You are very welcome ^_____^ Honey Hunt is only online up to ch 21, but there are at least 6 vol out in english (barnesandnoble!) so enjoyyy!!

@SuperAnimegirl33:

Yay!! Someone mentioned Trinity Blood!!! I love Trinity Blood, just wasn't sure when to mention it >.>

If you like HELLSING then you'll like TRINITY BLOOD!
1. They both have similar story lines.
2. The main characters are both extremely amazing.
;)

I'm going out on a limb here but I did think of this earlier before the conversation started.

If you liked Ouran High School Host Club and the love story in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, you will find that Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) may be the show for you and here's why.

• All three are school related dramas with the lead being a female falling for the near perfect male specimen.
• All three deal with the dark and mysterious past of a male character.
• Ouran had two characters, Haruhi and Tamaki, who became better in the social eye than they originally were by becoming close to one another. Going in the opposite direction, Kare Kano is about the two most popular students, Yukino and Soichiro, who said Forget everything, let's fall in love. That's exactly what they did.
• Kare Kano does have it's funny moments like Ouran but keep in mind, it was made by Gainax, a known production company of doggy downer anime. Imagine if Ouran's last couple of episodes took an even more dramatic turn.
• Much like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, scenes that feature the two leads waste no time in developing chemistry or plot. This increase the time we have for action and comedy.
• It is always good to watch an anime that was made a while back. Kare Kano premiered on TV Tokyo in 1998 so there will be some who enjoyed the smooth texturing of Ouran and GWLTT that will find the older style off-putting. To each his/her own
• Like Pokemon? Then as an added bonus, you'll hear Veronica Taylor as Yukino and Rachel Lillis as Yukino's mother.

In conclusion, both animes are different from Kare Kano. One should note that it is good to see different anime from time to time. If the anime is within your specific genre, for example romance, so much the better. You will see how one genre can vary so much in shows that are, yes, more different than similar. But it is not without it's charms.

Don't believe me yet? There is a great YouTube amv of Kare Kano featuring Electric Light Orchestra's Mr. Blue Sky. Masterfully done amv with little effects that goes to show, without glitz and glamour, you can still have a gem.

If you like Big Windup, then you might like Major. Here's why:

1. It centers around baseball.
2. It also emphasizes one's desire to improve and struggling to achieve a goal.
3. It gives significant focus on the role of group dynamics in shaping the life of the main character, such as friendships, rivalries, teamwork, family, and love interests.
4. It can be quite emotional to watch, especially with Season 1.
5. It is a somehow realistic, in my opinion. There may be some scenes depicting superhuman strength, but all in all the story is quite realistic in emphasizing that one doesn't always win and that life will always have its ups and downs. Life isn't about being at the highest peak of the mountain, but it's also about the struggles and challenges that you faced in order to reach that peak.

Granted, I actually haven't seen Big Windup. But based on what I've read about it, I think the comparisons are valid.

;A; My anime collections only about a third of that.

Hmm, not too sure which is more well known .-. ((I'd probably say Zatch Bell???)) but Zatch Bell and Law of Ueki

Both are stories about young people with special powers fighting for some strange reason in japan to decide a ruler of a completely different world, with 'sponsers' who give them their power. (/.3.)/
Action/Comedy I guess?

If you liked Princess Mononoke; I encourage you to watch the unrelated anime series, Mononoke. You might like it as it too is set in Medieval Japan, and deals with the supernatural mononoke. You might not like it so much when you start flinching at bright colours, and hiding behind cushions in fear of Japanese dolls and sliding doors. 8) that would be entertaining to watch.

Mononoke however is a rich display of Japanese culture and colours, with absolutely absorbing animation and art direction. It is about a Medicine seller who travels Japan, hunting down Mononoke which have been terrorising human households and will now terrorise you through the screen muahahaha. The show can be downright creepy and the creepy bit is that sometimes it's not because of the mononoke... It's the humans' reactions.
To take off some of the bite from the horror, fangirls can roll over in awe of the stoically fab-fabulous Kusuriuri-san at least. I mean, look. I dare you to watch the anime just to find this soft moment. :3c

And if Mononoke proves too scary/fantastical for you - try Mushishi, it deals with similar subject material but with a completely different feel; more earthy and human and the 'science' is almost believable. And then there is Ginko. <3
Rant desu

Well, I don't read a lot of mainstream stuff, aside from Skip Beat, but here are a few (very shoujo) suggestions from yours truly <3

if you like HANA KIMI, you'll like LOVE SO LIFE and FASTER THAN A KISS and STARDUST WINK and VENUS IN LOVE because they are all super kawaii, innocent love stories ^___^ they're as sweet as sugar and just make you feel good, and they have great stories about real life and real relationships.

if you like BLACK BIRD (what girl doesn't?!) then I recommend LOVE MONSTER, because it's also a "monster" (demon) and schoolgirl story about finding true love where you never expected, and coping with being part of "two" worlds. very deep and a little risque but very good!!

also, if you enjoy HAPI MARI (mappy marriage), you need to check out Hadashi De Bara Wo Fume!! both are really amazing love stories about poor girls who marry rich men in a desperation to take care of their families....and then slowly fall for their cold businessman husbands. adorable, a little ecchi, and great storylines!

@:

Another great recommendation for SKIP BEAT fans is HONEY HUNT <3 Though they are no longer publishing online, there are at least 6 volumes out in America so far ^_____^

A young girl who is shy and a hard worker is betrayed by someone close to her and, through various events, decides to go into show biz to get even and prove her own skill/determination. but this one includes TWO hot guys (twins, no less!) and a sexy manager, too ;) certainly not as tormented as Ren-kun, but definitely a great deal of fun!!

If you like Neon Genesis Evangelion, then you might like Alien Nine. Here's why.

Putting aside the obvious (and perhaps potentially misleading) symbolism involved, NGE is an anime that explores childhood on various levels, e.g. how the interactions of parents, friends, and others shape or guide us as children. Just how do we become ourselves, whatever that amounts to? Alien Nine does something similar, but this time the symbolism is rooted in biological objects. Again, don't be mislead by the biological symbolism (biology itself shouldn't tug at our hearts or elicit sympathy, unless your good friend got 24% on her last bio-exam and is grounded for that reason). This one dwells on the formative years, as well, but it also gives its own twist to the slice of life genre - well before anyone else attempted it. At times amusing, grating, confusing, or heartbreaking, Alien Nine refuses to give you neat conclusions or clear answers, but it does guide you towards a cathartic experience...if you're brave enough to let yourself be open and, ultimately, vulnerable.

@Natsu nii:

love that you mention W juliet and cheeky angel! they are great slice of life/ gender bender manga :D a lot of fun! W Juliet is along the lines of Hana Kimi (school girl, more innocent and focuses intently on one couple) whereas cheeky angel is more like ranma 1/2 in that it is slightly more of a shonen style manga, battles and whatnot as opposed to being focused on romance and drama lol!

@infinatelove42:

I agree, special A and Host club have some very similar elements. Although I'd beg to say that MAID-SAMA and Special A are VERY similar!

*gapes* That is SOME collection...!!!

If you like "Clannad", you should definitely try "Aishiteruze Baby!" The main girl's family is in a similar situation to the Okazaki family in "Afterstory" at the outset. It is very cute, and you won't need to keep as much kleenex on hand. ^^'

Also, if you like "Ouran High School Host Club", check out "Special A"! SA is a hilarious shojo anime.

Any Johnny Yong Bosch fans out there? Here are a couple well-known and some maybe not so well-known anime he's in: Trigun, Code Geass, Last Exile, Wolf's Rain, Heat Guy J, Durarara.

I could probably list others...but not including repeats of some of the ones already mentioned, not much is popping into my head right now.

I'm sure that a lot of you have heard of that old cliche of "Inuyasha is DBZ for girls." Well, I disagree. Personally, I think Inuyasha is a lot more like Fushigi Yugi. Both have girls that can travel between worlds and fall in love with guys from those respective worlds. OK, so I've only read the Fushigi Yugi manga and seen about 10 episodes of Inuyahsa, but I think they're pretty similar from what I know of both series.

@ChibiSasuke:

Oooo, cool! Another anime like Higurashi?! Awesome! I'm so glad I saw this! I'm definitely going to check it out. You're awesome! Aww, Love Com and High School Debut, I love them both! Ah, funny shoujo

Ouran Highschool Host Club :

• AAA ,
• Special A,
• Hana Kimi,
• He's Dedicated to Roses,
• Kimi ni Todoke

Hmmm... Let's see here...

Death Note fans? You may like Monster, it is also a psychological thriller circling around the concepts of "good & evil" and "right & wrong". They both have crazy killers, after all. It's really good, though I prefer the manga over the anime, even so, the anime's not too shabby itself.

Anyone like Future Dairy? You may also like Deadman Wonderland, though the anime's been taken off, but I think it's coming back. It went off back in October, so maybe it's back on crunchyroll? I miss the manga so much >.<. Watch out though! This one gets intense and gritty, so those of you who like your anime like that, go ahead and click the link!

Also, anyone who likes casual "everyday life" manga/anime (you know, kind of like Azumanga Daioh or Lucky Star), you might like Mainichi Kaasan. It's an animated series that's hilarious! It's also good if you study Japanese :D, or trying to learn :D! Go ahead, tackle those listening and comprehension questions!

Naruto -> Fairy Tail/Yugi-Oh!/Cardcaptor Sakura/Bakugan/Magical Knights of Rayearth

For me, they're all similar because each manga pertains to a story of friendship and its essence which is more important than any magic or jutsu or any ability that we know in the world.

If you like Ghost in The Shell you might like Claymore as they both feature a stand alone female protagonist

Spice & Wolf -> Wolf's Rain because they both have to do with people turning in to wolves(otherwise idk what else is similar my friend is the one who watches Wolf's Rain so I hear about it from her but I watch Spice & Wolf).

bleach->angel beats->black rock shooter.... because all of them are in a world between heaven and hell and both try to help the people there move on to heaven

man i wish my anime collection looked like that!!!!

Pandora Hearts > Are you Alice/God Child/Shirokuro Kitan/Ludwig Kakumei

Because they all have creepy elements and are fairly stylish, and some of them have literature references.

Rurouni Kenshin > Sengoku Basara/Otogizoushi/Blade of the Immortal/Vagabond/Burning Hell

All are very action-y and include lots of sword action and are a bit of historical fiction (as in some are actually based off of the history or are in a historical setting)

Ouran High School Host Club > Seiyuu Ka-!/Kuragehime

All of them deal with genderbending. One with a girl as a boy, the other with a boy as a girl. They're also adorable and hilarious shoujo.

There are a lot more I want to say, but I can't think of popular manga that is similar to it... With that said...anybody looking for a pleasant and very creative manga like no other (that I can think of) you should go read Baka&Gogh.

Here are a few more to go.

For all you "Lucky Star" fans, an anime similar to "Lucky Star" is the mockumentary "Otaku no Video". Both anime are fictional explorations of Japanese pop culture in general.

Comparable to ".Hack//Sign" is of course "Monster Rancher" because both series each mainly takes place inside a video game.

"Ghost In The Shell" compares well to a few lesser-known anime: the 1960s anime "8 Man", "Cyborg 009", the 1970s "Robot Hunter Casshan", "Armitage", and "Kiddy Grade". All of them are action anime with human-sized mechanical humanoids as the stars.

Lastly, "Inu Yasha" is similar to obscure titles "Legend of the Millenium Dragon" and "Battle Girls: Time Paradox" (based on the pachinko game "Sengoku Otome"). They all involve modern-day youngsters traveling to early eras of Japan.

K-on! -> Hidamari Sketch(Sunshine Sketch) because both have to do with 4 friends(even though in K-on Azusa comes in) in school and both are a slice of life.

Fullmetal Alchemist -> Hero Tales because it is by the same artist so the characters look a little alike and they part with the eye is similar.

@:

LolXD I have also not seen any "Presea" and Lloyd" yet and I don't want to so I know how you feel.

My manga collection is close to looking like this e ue;;; (I bought another one today too OTL)

Fullmetal Alchemist >> Tegami Bachi || Both have such lovable characters, and of course, the steam punk is out of this world. ;u; Who doesn't love steam punk, right?! 8DDD

Togainu no Chi (manga) >> DOGS: Bullets and Carnage (manga) || Guns. And blood. And sexy men. Enough said! = u=d Haha, but really, they both take place in a post apocalyptic type setting with much more in depth story lines aimed at maturer audiences.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni >> Another || Although Another has just started being subbed in English, I can already see a couple of similarities between the two. Both revolve around a male protagonist who moves to some random town in the middle of nowhere. Of course, weird things happen to both those protagonists, and everyone always seems to know something they don't. They're treated somewhat like outsiders. Ominous stuff 8D

Toradora! >> High School Debut (manga) / Love Com || WELL, IF YOU LIKE SHOUJO-Y SLICE OF LIFE STUFF, THESE ONES ARE FOR YOU. High School Debut and Love Com are both amazing manga, by the way. I know Love Com has an anime, but I have yet to see it. Toradora! also has a manga, but I have yet to read it. Anyway, both center around two seemingly different people who somehow end up together in a weird twist of fate. All are romance/comedy, and take place in high school. Yeah. They're all great. If you love cutesy stuff, you must read/watch! >u<

I cheated a bit and put some manga. Honestly, I don't watch anime very much. I'm more into the reading instead ^ ^; (plus it's a lot cheaper to collect xDDD).

@FujinKeima:

This made me want to watch Maria+Holic!

If you like "Tokyo Mew Mew", you may like the 1970s anime T.V. series "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman" (or simply "Gatchaman" as it was called for its uncut/unamericanized North American release). Both series each centers around a superhero team of five members wearing similar costumes with each member having a different costume color code while they battle a tyrant who's after Earth's natural resources.

Fo those of who who have seen "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED", an anime similar to that is the 1982 anime T.V. series "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross" as both each centres around a war-hating mecha pilot who has a singer love interest and is involved in a space war where there are no actual good guys or bad guys.

For those who have seen the first "Pretty Cure", a similar anime is the 1980s anime T.V. series "Dirty Pair", which like that magical girl anime itself, centres around a duo of cute female vixens with one gal having short and warm-colored hair and the other having long and cool-colored hair.

Awe.. sadly my collection is only a 1/3rd that size TTwTT

-Marchen awakens romance is similar to various different series Example Digimon or bleach where the main chara is sucked into some sort of portal and has to have advertures and ultimately resucue the other realm and or their own-

-Gunslinger girl and solty rei have a lot in common too, the main chara(s) are created to be weapons for power/ politcal influence and have no memory of their pasts even though their living weapons they still act innocent or childlike

Cheeky angel, W juliet and Ranma 1/2 all play with gender roles where in which one half of the pairing- a boy has basically become a woman

i know it's a bit of a stretch but from what i've read 20th century boys reminds me alot of the book 1984. some sort of new religious/political power comes into play and threateds or has altered the entire worlds pov. both uses symbols with the implyment of being watched and both showcase the uglyness of the world. the majority of the world is force to accept the new veiw but there is always a small resistance force ...i guess by that logic deathnote counts too.. :/

time gaurdian and xxxholic- the both take on a mysterious shop setting and in order for one to be granded what they want they must give something up to the shopkeeper in return.

Full moon O sagashite is a really weird version of cinderella. The heroine has some sort of barrier to get to the man of her dreams and a fairy godmother/shinigami grants them a fancy dress/healthy body for a limited amount of time.

I'm gonna quit while i'm ahead haha

Thats an impressive collection :D is it urs Adam? :D

@:

LolXD Really, because I have never seen that.

You've all heard of Naruto and some of you probably hate it or still love it. A series similar, or at least starts off similar is Nabari no Ou. Both revolves around the world of ninjas and there are different shinobi countries. Both main characters has some sort of powerful demon inside them, which is why they are targeted by several people who wants the power. That's about it for similarities though.

It'll take me some time to try to remember others. If I remember, I'll comment. Btw that's a really big collection. Endless respect for you!

@Yamchaa:

ooooo cool. i like. how long have you been collecting?

If you like The Prince of Tennis, I recommend Big Windup!(aka Ookiku Furikabutte or Oofuri).

Both are sports anime although Prince of Tennis is obviously about tennis and Big Windup! is about baseball. Quite honestly, I haven't watched/read Prince of Tennis, but I've seen many an Oofuri fan compare the two and recommend it to fans of the tennis anime/manga. For me, Big Windup! is an excellent series that deserves more fans or at least, recognition. Even if you're not a fan of sports anime/manga, I suggest giving it a shot!

that collection looks like 1/4 of 1/2 of my collection.

If you like Dragon Ball series you'll love Yuyu Hakusho. Theyre both intense over the top Shounen fighters.

If you like Katekyo Hitman Reborn then you'll love Hyde and Closer. They both follow a classic wimpy kid who meets a powerful and KAWAII tutor who tries to make them into a real man.

Ill think of some more in a bit.

Wow,I respect that collection's owner.
I'm much more fluent with manga these days,but here it goes:

• Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei--->Maria+Holic
  Well,I heard they were from the same studio so that would explain LOTS of things.Maria Holic has the same demented humor,filled with obscure references and sociopathic behavior with the twist o being in a all-girl high school,complete with an (extremely perverted) lesbian "heroine" and a sadistic guy cross-dressing as a nice girl..MariaHolic even has references from Zetsubou-sensei.

• To-Love-ru--->Sumomomomomomo
  The latter is pretty much "To Love Ru,with martial artists".The premise is more or less the same,with the main character having to marry the daughter of a man of power,against(?) their will.They're both fairly light-hearted though the main difference would be that Sumomo is less ecchi and more fighting (also is a parody of shounen manga,in a way).The cast also share similarities.

I'm not sure if Maria+Holic can be considered obscure...

@Yamchaa:

Totally agree with GTO and Gokusen comparison. Gokusen hardly gets any love and indeed if you like GTO you'll probably like Gokusen too. Oh, and there was also even a live action drama series of the Gokusen that's worth checking out too.

You know his collection is bigger than that now, I know that for a fact.

Now let's see here if you watch Initial D then you should definitely give Wangan Midnight a try. Both are about street racing in Japan and both have anime with electronic music and both have pretty awesome races. Plus Wangan Midnight has the added bonus of having really awesome arcade and PS3 games with fantastic music composed by none other than the legendary Yuzo Koshiro. The composer for games like Actraiser and Streets Of Rage.

Also if you like GaoGaiGar you'll definitely like Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspector There's also the series before it Super Robot Wars OG Divine Wars but, good luck finding that one. Both GaoGaiGar and SRW: OG The Inspector are awesome throwbacks to older mecha anime. Both have shout outs, both have veteran voice actors and both have hot blooded action. Also both have epic theme songs. GaoGaiGar has the Ga ga ga ga ga GaoGaiGar theme and Super Robot Wars has JAM Project a collection of awesome anime opening singers including Dragon Ball Z's Hironobu Kageyama singing the theme songs Max Power and Ryuusei Lovers. Plus after watching the SRW anime maybe some of you will want to play the OG games and see that the original characters are awesome too.

@Yamchaa:

That's a big anime collectionO.o It is big then mine and my sisters together and my sister has a pretty big collection she can't have everything out.

Tsubasa Chronicles Reservoir -> Pandora Hearts because they both involve searching from memories.

Fullmetal Alchemist -> Tales of Symphonia because they both have to do with two worlds (Tales of Symphonia- Sylvarant&Tethe'alla, Fullmetal Alchemist- The world Ed and Al live in&Our world)

Birdy the Mighty: Decode -> Stellvia of the Universe/Dragonaut the Resonance because both have to do with space and aliens and saving Earth.

Sailor Moon -> Cardcaptor Sakura/Tokyo Mew Mew/Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch because all are magical girl animes that have to do with saving the World.

whos anime collection looks like that?

Yotsuba and Bunny Drop

If you like Yotsuba, than I think you'll really enjoy Bunny Drop :) Though I will admit, Yotsuba has a bit different style of how it's written, comedy, and plot. But Bunny Drop was one of my favorite and it sort of reminded me of Yotsuba in a way, but with a I guess more developed plot. If you're read Yotsuba, you know that it's more like short stories format, and that's where it differs most from Bunny Drop I think. (EDIT: whops, I'm sorry, I didn't see that someone already mentioned this while I was off in lala land typing XD;;)

One Piece and Fairy Tail

If you like One Piece, you'll like Fairy Tail. Now, I know that Fairy Tail is well, pretty known, but still, OP I think is a lot more popular. Anyway, Fairy Tail is easily one of the series I love! If you look at them, yeah both art styles kind of go together, yeah they both have a lazy not-so-heroic-hungry-but-still-heroic main character, but both of the series are very different. The plots them selves are different as well as the characters. While I see some similarities in the characters. (Nami/Lucy, Luffy/Natsu, Zoro/Gray, Chopper/Plue, Sanji/Loke, etc.) Each of them has a unique back story.

BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad and La Corda d'Oro

Man, two of my favorite animes! Why? Simply because I love the music! The plots are very different, but I think you could agree, the music is fantastic. La Corda d'Oro has a more variety of interments while BECK has the vocals and awesome guitars. BECK I thought also had really good voice actors (Japanese I feel was better and it made more sense because in the Japanese version, they have people who speak English, while if you listen to the dubbed version, you totally miss that... Haha, yeah, just a quick fun fact~) while La Corda d'Oro I don't (think?) is dubbed, it still has fantastic voice actors.

I'll probably do more later, but I'm tired......

Wish I had that much anime but they closed the closest Border's bookstore which was my only source for buying anime. :(

Damn!! thats alot of anime..*Me want* Me want

Okay, that's sooo not what my collection looks like (mine's quite a bit smaller). But I certainly have a recommendation: If you enjoy Azumanga Daioh or Lucky*Star, then you may enjoy GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class (it streams on Crunchyroll). All three of these are about high school girls, everyday life, and were all based on 4koma (I also recommend the GA manga too; it's published in America by Yen Press).

I have other recommendations, but I don't know what to compare them to! >_<

If You Liked Elfen Lied/Death Note/Higurashi no Naku Koro ni You'll like:
Mirrai Nikki. (my obsession right now, along with Katekyo Hitman Reborn).
The anime are similar because they involve a lot of killing have to do with mysteries and such. It's basically a battle royale with the ability to view the future through using a cell phone. And it features one of the most popular yandere's out there.

It's currently unknown to most, which is surprising, but it's up to par with most top animes out there! XD

How fun =3 Okay, so if you guys like Kekkaishi, you might like Shounen Onmyouji. Both involve a young boy fighting against various monsters using "magic." Basically, they're both somewhat like buddhist priests, in a sense. And ladies, for y'all, there are plenty of good-lookin guys in this one =eue= Ohoho~ *is hit* I highly recommend it =3

Also, if you liked Fushigi Yuugi, then you'll love love LOVE Saiunkoku Monogatari! No lie! Both are in a long since past Asian setting, in royal palaces and involve the leading character being the center of a few male attentions =eue= But I'd definitely say this one is a MUST-SEE! X3

Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok/Detective Conan. Both series feature a little boy who was once an adult and now is a detective. Only difference is that Loki's a god who was sentenced to being a child while Conan drank poison which turned him that way. Also both have a little girl who was once an adult (punished the same way as the boys) but both those characters come later in the series.

Oh, this sounds like fun. I'm hoping this is open to manga recommendations, too?

For anime series I'll first recommend watching Jyu Oh Sei, and if you find you like it, then I suggest watching Guin Saga. Both series are based on 'survival of the fittest'. Both are very action-packed and involve great character development.

For manga, I'd say if you're a fan of the Deadman Wonderland series, you should most definitely pick up Aphorism. Both series throw their characters into confined and intense life or death situations. Both series also involve characters with 'new' supernatural powers. (Also, another similar title which fits in with these two would be After School Nightmare)