Fall 2009 Season Anime

Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini

This is a sequel to the first Darker Than Black series, which is about 'contractors' with special powers but must complete a remuneration whenever they use them in addition to supposedly losing all of their emotions.  Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini is the anime I look forward to the most for this season.  The story starts off with the birth of a new contractor when a metor hits the campsite of a father and his twin children.
Fast forward a few years to an attack on the family's home in order to find meteor pieces.  Re-enter Hei version: shabby alcoholic! ~_~  And of course he wants in on the action too! By the way, I love that July is getting some more screen time.

Studio:Bones
Category: well-rounded, action, superpowers
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Kimi ni Todoke

The story about a girl named Sawako who unintentionally gives off a menacing aura. All of the school is under the impression that she can see ghosts and curse people, and thus nicknamed her 'Sadako' (The Ring). She really just wants to make friends, especially with one of the boys she admires.
Needing a bit of shoujo every now and then (all though it seems a little more often nowadays), I am enjoying this series. It reminds me a little of Nosatsu Junkie (manga). My only complaint is that the episodes I've seen so far are a little drawn out with all the thoughts going on in Sawako's head, and a lot of the characters' unwarranted drama. Production I.G. is doing a nice job of animating this show though, it's quite pretty!

Studio: Production I.G.
Category: shoujo, romance, comedy
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To Aru Kagaku no Railgun

A side story of To Aru Majutsu no Index (which I actually never finished due to loss of interest), this show seems to have a few more interesting aspects than just 'guy is willing to sacrifice his life for any female that crosses his path'. This show focuses of Misaka, the strongest esper of Tokiwadai High School, and her crew of buddies - two of which are part of the Judgment organization in charge of keeping peace in Academy City.
Similar to Mai Hime, with less serious aspects like Mai Otome, this show is well animated and a nice well-rounded one to throw into your mix.

Studio: J.C. Staff
Category: shoujo, action, comedy, high school, superpowers
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Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

This is a re-telling of the Full Metal Alchemist story that is more closely tied to the manga than the previous anime series.  It is about two brothers Ed and Al, who attempt to bring their mother back from the dead, and wind up losing an arm, a leg, and a body because of it.  Ed joins the military and becomes a state alchemist in order to gain access to knowledge that may help them in their journey to recover their original bodies.
I actually prefer the first series better, this show is falling into more of the pure 'shounen' style of storyline: there's a cliff hanger every episode that is solved withing the first two minutes of the next, the characters and plot don't seem as well developed, etc. But, since this is also done by Bones, I will probably watch it through to the end.

Studio:Bones
Category: well-rounded, action, adventure
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Sasameki Koto

Sumiko is a tall and athletic high school girl who is secretly in love with her best friend Ushio. Unfortunately Ushio is only interested in "cute" girls and is completely oblivious to Sumiko's feelings.
This anime is similar to last season's Aoi Hana, but has a little more comedy interspersed in between the drama and relationships.

Studio: AIC
Category: shoujo-ai, shoujo, romance, comedy
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Tegami Bachi

The story about a class-divided, barren world, where towns are spread out, and the only ones allowed to travel in between them are Letter Bees.  The story revolves around a young boy named Lag Seeing who was 'mailed' to his aunt after his mother was taken from him.  The Letter Bee who picked him up and cared for him while he was in transit was Gauche, who becomes an inspiration for Lag to pursue the career of Letter Bee.
I actually prefer the manga artwork to that of the anime.  Though the animation itself is not bad, it seems to lack depth.  This anime has a similar feel to Hunter X Hunter and D Gray Man, so we'll see if it gets better as the series progresses.

Studio: Studio Pierrot
Category: shounen, action, adventure
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Nyan Koi

A guy who is allergic to cats accidentally defaces a cat-god statue and is cursed! Now he can hear cats talk, and must help them, otherwise he will turn into a cat himself.  This show is okay for comic relief, but a little redundant in the stereotypical harem sort of way.  I think it's great that GITS's Motoko is the voice for Nyamses - the momma cat!


Studio: AIC
Category: comedy
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Yumeiro Pâtissière

Sugar! A story about a girl with a good sense of taste who aspires to become a patissiere.  Upon entering her new cooking school, she is visited by a sweets fairy who helps her through the various cooking trails that come her way.
This show will make you hungry for dessert, but the shoujo sugar may give you a toothache.

Studio: Pierrot
Category: shoujo
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Aoi Bungaku
A wealthy young man gets involved in revolutionary politics against his father's will (who is a big politician).  On the run from the government, he meets a woman, sleeps with her and attempts a double suicide with her... but only he survives. He seemingly starts to lose his sanity, and hallucinates that his 'monster' self is following him around.
This is kind of a scary / psychological type of show, and the monster image is hind of creepy.  Overall the show feels more like Kurozuka or Moryou no Hako.

Studio: Madhouse
Category: Scary, psychological
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The Sacred Blacksmith
A female wimp, I mean knight is determined to prove herself.  In a fight with a monster, she breaks her sword but is saved by a valiant young man wielding a katana (who also happens to make them).  So of course she is going to follow him home and pester him to forge a sword just for her.
This show is rather generic, and the girls armor is ridiculous.  I haven't really been keeping up with this one.  It kind of seems like a video game gone anime.

Studio: Manglobe
Category: shounen, action, adventure
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Kobato
More Clamp sugar - but I think I liked Card Captor Sakura better.  This one is about a magical girl who is out to mend wounded hearts, so she can collect them as konpietto in her little dream jar.  The first thing that annoyed me was her sidekick plushie that is just plain mean (and not very funny).  Next is the push that 'singing is the only thing she is good at' and it's terrible! >.<

Studio: Madhouse
Category: shoujo
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Kämpfer
The ultimate harem anime - a highschool boy turns into a girl for these Kampfer battles, and is adored by someone no matter what is current gender may be.  The story is supposed to be about two teams of super power users who are supposed to eliminate one another.  Oddly, they all possess 'endtrails animals' (rude little plushies that talk and have their endtrails hanging out all over the palce) who seem to be given to them by the same person.  And of course there is a love-polygon with almost every character in the series who all attempt to strip given the opportunity.  -_-
I don't really care for this show as it's more on the ecchi side, and wouldn't recommend it for lack of plot, character development, etc.

Studio: Nomad
Category: action, comedy, romance
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Book of Bantorra
Hmm how to describe this one?  Strange?  Something about humans giving up their lives and becoming 'meats' or human bombs. And that everyone's life is recorded into these books that are maintained in a super library.  Not very interesting. 

Studio:David Production
Category: shounen, mystery, action, superpowers
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Anime from the backlogs

Gokusen
A young yakuza heir wants to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher.  But if the all-boys school she works for finds out her true backgound, she will lose her job.  Of course she is placed a class full of delinquents, so it doesn't hurt that she is also skilled in martial arts.  This show has a similar feel to GTO, but with none of the potty humor, and better animation.  This show is good for a light change of pace every now and then.

Studio:Madhouse
Category: comedy
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Bokurano
Fifteen children explore a mysterious cave while attending a sumer nature camp.  They find a lot of high tech equipment and are confronted by a man who asks them if they want to play a game.  Being teenagers, they all agree and find themselves signed up to battle in a giant robot (because it's Gonzo!) with the fate of their world in the hands, of course!
The first few episodes are of Bokurano are interesting, and then the series falls into a loop of predictability and drama.  By the end not much is resolved, so I wouldn't really recommend this show.  If you have time to kill, then maybe.

Studio: Gonzo
Category: drama, mecha, mystery
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Planetes
In the year 2075 humanity has greatly expanded its presence in space. With this growth also came an enormous amount of space debris, which causes catastrophic damages for space travel. This story is about a group of debris haulers who strive to perform their jobs despite being looked down upon by the rest of their corporation.
The first half of this series wasn't bad, the second half went in a completely different direction than the first, and all the characters got angsty and angry with each other. The focus also shifted from Ai to Hachimaki. They rapidly wrapped up the story in the end, which was neither conclusive or satisfying. All in all the series was okay, but I wouldn't recommend it in particular.

Studio: Sunrise
Category: sci-fi, drama, romance
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Heroic Age
To be added soon...

Studio: Xebec
Category: drama, mecha, action, sci-fi
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Macross Frontier

To be added soon...

Studio: Satelight
Category: drama, mecha, action, sci-fi
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Macross Zero

To be added soon...


Studio: Satelight
Category: drama, mecha, actio, sci-fi
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Hajime no Ippo
A submissive (but amazingly muscular) high schooler wants to become a boxer.  And so the training begins...
The animation for this show has an older feel and is set up to be a "I'm gonna get stronger!" type of storyline.

Studio: Madhouse
Category: action, shounen
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Ayakashi Ayashi
Humanity is burdened with ghost/god/beast beings called Youi, and a group of individuals with the power to excorise Youi band together to defeat them.  The group of exorcists or ayashi are looking for a member with the ability to find the words behind things (Ayagami) to aid them in their jobs.  Enter a vagabond-type character being hunted by the law who happens to possss the Ayagami ability!  The first few episodes show the main character is also running from his super-colorful past in addition to the authorities.
This show may get interesting, so far it's a little generic... but it's BONES!

Studio: Bones
Category: shounen, adventure, superpowers
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Oniisama E...
Misonoo Nanako goes to an all girls school, where everyone strives to become a part of the elite group known as the Sorority.  And with any all-girls school comes the female bullying, rumors jealousy, drugs, etc, etc.  The main character gets bullied, the three giants of the school (in status and height) have their own issues, and everyone is up in everyone else's secrets while trying to keep their own.
Drama upon drama upon drama!  This show was made in the early 90s, from a manga made in the 70s - so expect animation to be along the Rose of Versailles style.  And if you aren't in the mood for drama and female insecurities, I wouldn't pop this one in.  Sometimes you need to work up so watching a show like this - maybe after a shounen marathon?

Studio: Tezuka Productions (I've never heard of them!)
Category: shoujo, romance, drama, drama, drama
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Like Eureka Seven and Nausicaa put into one! The story is about life forms (Hiruko) that can inhabit a host and turn them into a bio-weapon. On the way to school, Akiyuki is caught in a terrorist attack, from which he is 'infused' with a Hiruko, turning him into a Xam'd. In order to maintain his self-consciousness and not turn into stone, he attracts the help of Nausicaa, I mean Nakiami, a Tessican woman whose race respects the Xam'd. To top it all off, Akiyuki's country is at war with another, both of whom seek to eliminate the Xam'd.

All in all the show had a different storyline with diverse characters. The series had a good start, then got little a slow middle, and then had a moderate wrap up - but I would still recommend it. The animation was clean and pretty. It was interesting that this series came out on the US Playstation network before it was released to Japan.

Studio: Bones
My Rating: 4 stars
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siutou's Links

• My Anime List - Quick find and sortable version of the anime I have seen
  
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• My Animepaper page  -  User page on Animepaper

 Anime Links

• Anime News Network   -  Great site for series information, can search by series title
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• Orisinal  -  Cute and calming flash games
  

A high schooler named Light stumbles upon a Death Note dropped by a shinigami (death god); the Death Note has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it.  Seeing that the world is unfit to continue as is, Light takes it upon himself to rid the world of all those he deems to be criminals and begins killing them off one by one.  As panic spreads throughout the police force and world organizations, the top detective is called in to investigate the case.  He goes by the name "L".

I really enjoyed the Death Note manga series, despite the fact that I don't like scary anything. The suspense has a similar feeling to Code Geass, where it's kind of a cat and mouse game, and you don't know which side to root for.    And who can deny the artistic talent of Takeshi Obata?  At 12 volumes, the series is just the right length!

My Rating: 5 of 5 books
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This is my favorite strawberry flavored tea. The fruity flavor is nicely contrasted with a mild vanilla flavor that is delicious. Though this tea is good hot, I really like it iced. I usually brew a pot for 3 minutes (not too long because you want the flavors to stand out over the green tea flavor), and then put it in the fridge. Remember, if you brew it too long, you can always add water when you pour yourself a cup! I found this tea at my local Nijiya store.

The description from Lupicia Fresh Teas:
Green tea with matcha is flavored with sweet fragrance of strawberry and vanilla.

The verdict:  5 out of 5 teacups

Product website

This wallpaper originated from Kuroboshi Kohaku's art book: Beautiful World. (The artist who does the artwork for Kino no Tabi or Kino's Travels.) The original image is under the 'Original World' section, hence the text. My aim was to make a happy, light, and visually pleasing wallpaper that still caught interest. I had to be artistically creative on the areas of the background and her scarf that didn’t exist in the first place – hope you can’t tell! While doing the background I remember not blinking that much. >.<

This wall went through a few of revisions before getting to this one, taking me about 2 weeks in total. (The second wallpaper I ever attempted!)  Other notes: There are three hidden starts in the picture… can you find them all?

Available in full and wide screen versions.

Download:
  1280x1024  (original size)
  1024x640

The Cherry Rose (#26) tea has a good smell, but doesn't actually taste that good once brewed. I wasn't that much a fan of either the hot or cold version, as the green tea is overpowering: and the result of all the flavors is a little on the plastic side. The tea is available in loose and pre-packed tin (of loose tea) form.  The Remedy Teas store was pretty cool, they had 150 little test tubes of tea lining the entry wall for you to smell, and of course I smelled them all!  Unfortunately I only found three that I wanted to buy, and two of which I would recommend.  But this store probably has at least one tea for everyone, and is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area - they are working on their online ordering system.

The description from Remedy Teas:
26. Cherry Rose
A jubilee of cherry and rose will melt your heart with this fresh tea that is full of beauty and bursting with cherry flavor. A perfect cup hot and cold, this blend contains fine green tea, cherries, cherry essences and rose blooms.

From Remedy Teas I would recommend #21 Strawberry Sunrise and #22 Pineapple Green.

The verdict:  2 out of 5 teacups

Product website

One of the better non-artificial strawberry flavored teas I've tried.  The Strawberry Sunrise green tea (#21) is pretty good hot, and delicious iced!  The tea is available in loose form.  The Remedy Teas store was pretty cool, they had 150 little test tubes of tea lining the entry wall for you to smell, and of course I smelled them all!  Unfortunately I only found three that I wanted to buy, and two of which I would recommend.  But this store probably has at least one tea for everyone, and is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area - they are working on their online ordering system.

The description from Remedy Teas:
21. Strawberry Sunrise
Start with smooth green tea, add strawberries, throw in some ooohs and aaahhs and you're on your way to pure strawberry nirvana. Contains a green tea, strawberry pieces, rosehips, natural essences and papaya bits.

From Remedy Teas I would also recommend #22 Pineapple Green, but I would not recommend #26 Cherry Rose.

The verdict:  4 out of 5 teacups

Product website

The Pineapple Green tea (#22) is great hot, and even better iced!  Its subtle green tea flavor doesn't overpower the pineapple notes.  The tea is available in loose form.  The Remedy Teas store was pretty cool, they had 150 little test tubes of tea lining the entry wall for you to smell, and of course I smelled them all!  Unfortunately I only found three that I wanted to buy, and two of which I would recommend.  But this store probably has at least one tea for everyone, and is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area - they are working on their online ordering system.

The description from Remedy Teas:
22. Pineapple Green
Fresh sencha green tea bursting with smooth, sweet tropical taste. Refresh with this intoxicating blend of Japanese green tea, pineapple pieces, natural tropical essences and flowers in a perfectly pleasurable cup.

From Remedy Teas I would also recommend #21 Strawberry Sunrise, but I would not recommend #26 Cherry Rose.

The verdict:  4 out of 5 teacups

Product website

An interesting blend of green and black teas with bold fruitful and floral notes (hibiscus, guava, coconut, strawberry, and flowers).  I also use this tea when making tea cookies, and the smell when you bake them is amazing! Strangely, sometimes the tea has a peppery taste. Perhaps when the tea is in between hot and cold, but I would still highly recommend trying this tea!  The tea is available in loose and bag form.

From the Harney & Sons company I also recommend their Tropical Green tea. I have also tried the following teas, but wouldn't recommend them as much: Black Apricot, Black Lychee, Black Mango, White Peach.

The verdict: 4 out of 5 teacups

Product website

A mix of tropical flavors (but mainly pineapple) in a well-balanced green tea. The leaves for this tea in particular are quite large, which is nice! Available in loose and bag form.

From the Harney & Sons company I also recommend their Caribe tea. I have also tried the following teas, but wouldn't recommend them as highly: Black Apricot, Black Lychee, Black Mango, White Peach.

The verdict: 5 out of 5 teacups

Product website

Dennou Coil: A Circle of Children was an unexpectedly great show, and definitely one of my favorites (if not the most favorite)!  This is a story about kids with glasses that allow them to see a digital world mapped on top of reality, and trying to discover the truth behind a virus that emerges from corrupted spaces.

This series is painfully under the radar, and almost seems like a Miyazaki movie turned tv-show.  Satchi and the Mojos are so cool!  XD  If you don't know what I'm talking about, now is the time to find out.

Studio: Madhouse, Bandai
My Rating: 5 stars
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Genre is located after the title in the [ ].

Title	One-Line Description	Studio
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl who Leapt through time)  [adventure/well-rounded]	A high school girl gains the power to time travel, and rather enjoys it.  Only later does she find out that it comes with consequence.  The character designer is the same for Neon Genesis Evangelion and FLCL.	Kadokawa Shoten, Madhouse
Princess Mononoke  [adventure]	Cursed by a demon god trying to destroy his village, Ashitaka leaves his village to find a cure.  His journey pulls him into a battle of man versus the forest gods.	Studio Ghibli
Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind  [adventure]	Archetypical story of a warrior princess from a small kingdom who opposes the armies of would-be conquerors, for the sake of the plants and animals that lie between them.	Studio Ghibli
Ghost in the Shell / Ghost in the Shell: Innocence  [action/pshycological]	In the future, humans cast aside their physical bodies for cyborg ones, where their 'ghost' is copied into a cyber brain and they can directly access the net.  Brain hacking has become a problem, and a group known as Section 9 are sent to investicate a series of political brain hacks by an individual known as the Puppetmaster.	Production I.G., Bandai Visual
My Neighbor Totoro  [adventure/kids]	Two girls move with thier father to the country side to be closer to the hospital where their mother is staying.  In their back yard is a giant tree, protected by the forest gods known as Totoro.	Studio Ghibli
Neko no Ongaeshi (The Cat Returns) [adventure/kids]	Upon saving a seemingly stray cat from traffic, Haru receives the reward of becoming the bride of the Cat Kingdom's prince.  She seeks out a mysterious and suave cat known as the Baron to help her cancel her engagement.	Studio Ghibli
Sword of the Stranger  [action]	A nameless samurai stumbles upon 'a boy and his dog' who are being pursued by the Mings from China.  Among them is a strong Western fighter who only wishes to seek out strong opponents.  Very very beautiful (bloody) animation from Bones, but I must say that the Chinese dialogue is funny!	Bones
Spitited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi  [adventure/kids]	Upon moving to a new town, Chihiro and her parents stop at what appears to be a deserted theme park but is really a bath house for the gods.  Mistakeningly eating the gods food, Chihiro's parents are turned into pigs, and she must find a way to rescue them.	Studio Ghibli
Howl's Moving Castle  [adventure/kids]	In a time when magician's are used in warfare, a young girl named Sophie meets a young man named Howl by chance.  She is targeted by a jealous witch, and turned into an old woman.  Now she must find a way to break the spell.	Studio Ghibli
Beyond the Clouds, A Place Promised In Our Early Days  [romance/adventure]	A beautiful movie by Makoto Shinkai.  The scenery in all of his movies is amazing (Voices of a Distant Star, 5cm Per Second).  Of his three movie's I've seen, I like this one the best.	CoMix Wave Inc.
Whister of the Heart  [romance/kids]	A young girl notices that the same person has been reading all of the library books before she reads them.  By meeting this person she learns more about herself and what she plans to do in the future.  More of a slice-of-life movie.  This is technically the prequel to The Cat Returns, but the Baron character is the only thing in common.	Studio Ghibli
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust  [action]	A handsome young vampire hunter is contracted to retreive a kidnapped woman from the hands of Meyer Link, a fearsome vampire with evil connections.	Madhouse
Perfect Blue  [scary/pshycological]	A pop star trying to break into the actng world meets a lot of resistance from her fans and a crazed stalker.  As the people around her are killed, she starts to lose her sanity and can no longer tell what's real and what isn't.  This one is along the lines of a pshyco-thriller.  Same creators as Paprika and Paranoia Agent.	Madhouse
Laputa, Castle in the Sky  [adventure/kids]	Pirates and shady people are after a young girl named Sheeta.  With Pazu's help the two embark on a journey of adventure, insearch of a castle belonging to an ancient race of people.	Studio Ghibli
Kiki's Delivery Service  [adventure/kids]	When a young witch turns 13, she must leave her home to hone her craft.  Kiki's best skill is broom flying so she established a delivery service in a seaside town.	Studio Ghibli
Spriggan  [action]	Action packed James Bond type movie about what Noah's Ark REALLY is.  Lots of guns and explosions - it's great!	Bandai Visual, Shogakukan, TBS, TOHO
Paprika  [scary/pshycological]	A new dream therapy device is being developed, but it the prototype is stolen before the government can approve it for use.  In the wrong hands the device can be used to destroy a person's mental state, so one of the head research developers uses her online alter ego to retreive it.  The first 5 minutes of this movie are awesome (opening and title credits).  The rest is ok, but not as good as Perfect Blue.  Same creators as Perfect Blue and Paranoia Agent.	Madhouse

Title	One-Line Description	Studio
Mushishi	A mushishi travels the world helping people with their seemingly supernatural mushi problems.  Mushi are beings that most humans can not see, but are similar to the gods of nature.  I completely love this anime - a nice mellow change of pace with an interesting concept and seperate by linked stories to keep you thinking.	Artland
Natsume Yuujinchou / Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou	Like Mushishi meets Kekkaishi.  Natsume is usually a target for spirits and is troubled by them.  After moving to a new home, he finds the 'Book of Friends' amongst items he inherited from his grandmother, which has the power to command the spirits whose names are in the book.  Natsume is determined to return all the names to their rightful owners, but not all the spirits are nice ones. Seasons 1 and 2.	Brains Base
Top wo Nerae 2 / Aim for the Top 2 / Gunbuster 2	A young runaway aims to become a member of 'Topless', and elite group of pilots who protect their world from space monsters while piloting mech suits.	Gainax
Noein ~ towards another you	A young girl is caught up in the fight with people from the future who have returned to the past in order to save the world from a terrible fate.  Haruka finds out that she has a direct effect on this future, but that there are a multitude of parallel worlds spanning from each decision she may or may not make.	Bandai, Lantis, Satelite
Mai Otome / Mai Otome Zwei	Kind of the sequel to Mai Hime, using some of the same characters in a different setting.  This time students have 'robes' instead of 'children' and are caught up in a war between nations and insurgent groups.  It's funny to see some of the characters in a different light, but this one seems to appeal more to the fan service crowd.	Sunrise
Mai Otome ~0S.ifr~	The prequel to Mai Otome, involving Arika's mother.  Doesn't come out very often.	Sunrise, Bandai
Revolutionary Girl Utena	Tom boy Utena enters high school unknowing she is about to be pulled into a fight for the Rose Bride, one who will bring about change before the end of the world.  Gets into the 'villan of the week' mode, but overall sets itself apart from the rest of them.  The movie (retelling) is artsy and interesting too.	JC Staff, TV Tokyo, SoftX
FLCL / Furi Kuri	Naota's life is drastically altered when a crazy woman on a Vespa knocks him senseless, and causes a strange bump to sprout from his head.  Kind of a coming-of-age story except with crazy space pirates, an shady public organization, and a homeless pyromaniac of a girl friend.	Gainax
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei	An artsy and very strange story about a teacher who is in despair from everything in the world, and is bent on killing himself.	Starchild

Title	One-Line Description	Studio
Shigofumi	A shinigami who delivers the last words from the dead has a unique situation in that she is the only shinigami that ages.  She also has mysterious past that comes to light when a high school student recognizes her.	JC Staff, Bandai, Genco
Kara no Kyoukai ~ Garden of Sinners	A string of supernatural suicides baffle police requires an individual with her own super natural powers.  Intriguing cinematrography and beautiful art.  Music by Yuki Kajiura (Mai Hime, Noir, Tsubasa, Aquarian Age).	ufotable, Aniplex, Kodansha, Notes
Ghost Hunt	A supernatural detective agency picks up an unlikely assisstant who is unaware of her own powers.  By the same author as Twelve Kingdoms.	JC Staff
Shion no Ou	A family is brutally murdered, with the only survivor a young girl who loses the ability to talk.  Now in high school, Shion is a rising star in the world of shougi whose past is starting to resurface.	Studio Deen
Paranoia Agent	A string of attacks by a boy with a bent golden bat, known as 'shounen bat' proves to be not just a simple open and shut case.  Weird and interesting, the opening is particularly ...disturbing!	Madhouse
Ergo Proxy	Similar to Aeon Flux and Bubblegum Crisis.  In the future, humans are aided by androids, some of which exhibit beserk symptoms and start killing humans.  Real Meyer is a detective for the dome city on Romdeau and is attacked by something neither human nor android, which kickstarts an investigation leading her to question her own reality.	Manglobe

Title	One-Line Description	Studio
Moyashimon - Tales of Agriculture	A college entrance student had the ability to see and talk to microbes - and they are soooo cute (and a little  mischievous)! (Pictured above)	Shirogumi, Dentsu, Fuji
Lucky Star	Similar to Azumanga Daioh, this one follows a group of high school girls, and the main one is a game playing otaku.	Kyoto Animation
Azumanga Daioh	A group of high school girls, one a child prodigy and another in desperate need of Ritalin.  Give it a few episodes and it will grow on you.	Genco, J.C. Staff

Title	One-Line Description	Studio
Nodame Cantible / Nodame Cantible: Paris Hen	College students attending a music school, and a genius pianist and violionist aspires to become a world famous conductor though he can't leave Japan.	J.C. Staff, Genco
Fruits Basket	An orphaned high-school girl decides to live on her own in the wilderness (which is actually on someone elses property) and stumbles upon the family secret of the mosrt popular boy in school.	Studio Deen
Honey & Clover I / Honey & Clover II	College students attending art school, and their daily issues.	Genco, Dentsu, Fuji TV
Ouran High School Host Club	A group of high school girls, one a child prodigy and another in desperate need of Ritalin.  Give it a few episodes and it will grow on you.	Genco, J.C. Staff
Nana	The story of two roommates in Tokyo whose only thing in common is their name.  One is an aspiring rock star, the other is a timid art graduate trying to make it on her own. Slice of life, comedy, punk bands, and dramatic relationships run rampant in this series.  This has a little bit more drama.	Madhouse
Skip Beat	A girl who followed her childhood love turned pop-star to Tokyo finds out he was only using her.  To get revenge, she promises to surpass him in show business.	Hal Film Maker
Paradise Kiss	A smart high school girl studying for college entrance exams is taken in by a group of fashsion designer students who want her to be their model.  Artsy style and modern themes. Franz Ferdinand does the ending song.	Aniplex, Dentsu, Madhouse, Fuji TV, Shodensha
Vampire Knight	Cross University is seperated into two seperate classes, the Day Class and the Night Class.  What the Day Class doesn't know is that the Night Class consists only of Vampires.  Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryuu are tasked with keeping the peace between the two.	NAS, Studio Deen

This page is temporary until I can create a post for each recommended series.

Titles are 'approximately' ordered by favorite to less favorite, but don't let that throw you off, I recommend all the anime on this page.
Organized in table format with info links, descriptions, and studio info; because it's interesting to see a trend in the good studios.

Title	One-Line Description	Studio
Code Geass / Code Geass R2	The country of Japan is conquered by Brittania, spawning a wave of revolution, where a young man make a contract with a strange woman to gain the power of suggestion.  Like Death Note meets Gundam with CLAMP as the character designers.	Mainichi, Sunrise
Mai Hime	A group of girls with the ability to see the red star next to the moon are thrown into battles with their 'children' - mechanized weapons that respons to their commands.	Sunrise
Soul Eater	Young students at the Shibusen Academy aim to make their weapons into Death Scythes by obtaining 99 Kishin souls and one witch's soul.  Could have ended better - but all is well till the last 10 minutes....	Bones, Dentsu
Hunter X Hunter	A boy goes in search of his father, who is a well-known Hunter.  Gon must become a Hunter himself in order to find him.	Nippon Animation
Claymore	Women fused with the blood of youma are used by an organization for hire to kill youma.	Madhouse
Kekkaishi	Two feuding families with the ability to see ayakashi are sworn to protect the land of Karasumori, a land overflowing with power which attracts evil ayakashi.  And this sacred / cursed land resides underneath a school.	Sunrise, Yomiuri
Kure-nai	A high school boy working as a negotiator is given the task of protecting a young girl of a wealthy family, from her own family.	Brains Base
Gundam 00 / Gundam 00 S2	A group of young pilots aim to end all war with their superior mobile suits.  Supposed to be the 'first' Gundam installment.  Season 2 occurs 4 years after the first.	Sunrise
Neon Genesis Evangelion	"The classic mecha anime."	Gainax
Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto	A samurai with the fate of the 'eternal assassin' must seek out and destroy an evil energy bent on leading the world to ruin.	Bandai, Sunrise
X TV	Two sides with supernational powers fight over the end of the world, story by CLAMP.	Madhouse
Witch Hunter Robin	Secret organization who hunts down and prosecutes 'witches', with the help of their own fire witch.	Bandai, Sunrise
Eureka Seven	"Evangelion for kids", mechs that ride on trappar currents flowing over the world, and a mercenary ship fights against the military.	Bones, Bandai
Gunslinger Girl	Young girls who are at the edge of death are taken in by the Social Welfare Agency, given cybernetic bodies, and trained to be assassins for the government.	Madhouse, Bandai
Chevalier d'Eon	During the time of the French Revolution, a young man seeks to find his sister's killers.	Production I.G.
One Piece	A young boy named Luffy sets out to become the Pirate King.	Fuji TV, Toei
Toward the Terra (Terra e)	Similar to X-men. Humans with supernatural powers known as Mu, are discriminated against and chased to the ends of the universe.  But what the Mu are really are looking for is a way to coexist with the humans.	Aniplex, Mainichi

This page is temporary until I can create a post for each recommended series.

Titles are 'approximately' ordered by favorite to less favorite, but don't let that throw you off, I recommend all the anime on this page.

Organized in table format with info links, descriptions, and studio info; because it's interesting to see a trend in the good studios.

Title	One-Line Description	Studio
Dennou Coil: A Circle of Children	Story of kids with glasses that allow them to see a digital world mapped on to of reality, and trying to discover the truth behind a virus that emerges from corrupted spaces.	Madhouse, Bandai
Xam'd: Lost Memories	Like Eureka Seven and Nausicaa put into one!  This one comes out on the US Playstation network before it comes out on the one in Japan.  Update: releasing again!	Bones
Full Metal Alchemist	Two young boys attempt to bring their mother back to life, but pay a heavy price. Now they travel the world to regain the bodies that they have lost.	Bones, Aniplex, Square-Enix
The Twelve Kingdoms (Juuni Kokki)	Epic story of a high school girl who receives allegiance from a mysterious man, is chased by large monsters, and is taken away to another world with two of her friends.	Studio Pierrot
Rahxephon	Story of a high school boy unaware of the world outside Tokyo and the blue-blooded aliens who live next to him. Similar to the Truman Show and the Matrix, but with mechas and beautiful art.  "Evangelion done right."	Bones
Scrapped Princess	A princess deemed as the 'poison that will destroy the world' by the followers of God Mauser, struggles to stay alive with the help of her siblings.	Bones, Kadokawa
Darker Than Black	With the appearance of an impentrable field came a rise in individuals posessing supernatual powers at the expense of their conscience.	Bones, Aniplex
Ghost in the Shell SAC / 2nd Gig	In the future where there is little difference between man and machine, a secret orginazation known as Section 9 is established to deal wth cyber terrorism and international conspiracy.	Production I.G.
Seirei no Moribito	Epic story of female bodygard protecting a young prince posessed by a spirit, who is being targeted for assassination by the king.	Production I.G.
Kare Kano (His and her Circumstances)	The two top students at high school find their rivalry may be love instead.	Gainax
Full Metal Panic! / FMP! TSR / Fumoffu?	A teenage military specialist is assigned to protect a high school girl suspected of becoming the next target of an organization after kids  possessing the 'whispered' knowledge.	Kadokawa
Vision of Escaflowne	A high school girls gets thrown into a world where the Earth appears as a second moon.  She travels with a young king to unite the countries against the Zaibach empire which is trying to obtain them all.	Sunrise
Last Exile	Two young pilots take on the mission of protecting a mysterious girl when they pull her from a plane crash.	Gonzo
Read or Die / Read or Die TV	A klutzy secret operative for the British Library posessing the ability to control paper seeks to obtain a stolen book which could be used to end the world. / A trio of sisters for hire, all who have the ability to control paper.	Studio Deen, Aniplex, Studio Orphee, JC Staff
Cowboy Bebop	Bounty hunters in space! A crew of mismatched characters take down wanted criminals and come to terms with their own pasts.	Bandai , Sunrise
Rurouni Kenshin TV / OVA1 / OVA2	Near the end of the Meiji restoration, the most feared assassin disappeared without a trace.  Ten years later he returns as a cheery vagabond who vows not to kill, trying to escape his past.  The first OVA of this series is the one of the best anime I've ever seen (Kenshin's past). The second takes place after everything and was a let down.	SME Visual, Fuji TV, Aniplex
Bamboo Blade	A high school girls kendo club aims for the nationals, led by an elite freshman who would rather watch anime.	AIC
RD Sennou Chousashitsu (Real Dive)	In the future, humans are connected directly to the internet or 'the Metal'.  A young man is put into a coma during a diving accident only to wake up 50 years later and find that the world has drastically changed.	Production I.G.
Michiko & Hatchin	In Brazil a woman escapes from a high security prision, and further away a foster child deals with the abuse from her foster family. What happens when the two get together? By the people of Cowboy Bebop, Ergo Proxy, and Samurai Champloo, this one looks interesting with a high production value. :D	Manglobe
Baccano!	A pulp-fuction style of individual stories congregating into 1920's story of the mafia and immortality.	Brains Base
Kurau: Phantom Memory	A scientist researching a new form of energy loses his daughter when an experiment goes awry and a pair of energy life forms take over her body.  One of the pair goes dormant, and the other promises to return the girl's body when her pair awakens.	Bones
Samurai Champloo	A deliquent, a samurai, and a waitress go in search of a samurai that smells like sunflowers. Random, crazy, and fun!	Manglobe, Fuji TV
Toshokan Sensou (Library Wars)	A young woman strives to become a member of an elite library task force in the fight against government supression of free media.	Production I.G.
Rideback	After losing her ability to dance, a dance prodigy joins a rideback club (specialized motorcycles) at her college.  Little does she know her abilities will be targeted by government and terrorist organizations.  A little like Full Metal Panic and Toshokan Sensou.	Madhouse
Haibane Renmei	People with charcoal wings born from coccons are forced to live as second class citizens to the normal humans.	Kadokawa, Fuji TV