No.

Fate/Zero is an anime with next to no fanservice, beautiful aesthetics, and a mature plot with interesting characters. I highly recommend it.

Frankly, I can see where you come from, but it's almost never fair to judge an entire genre because of what some have in them. I won't watch Game of Thrones anymore out of principle, but I'm not swearing off all medieval-themed stuff because of it.

I'm not going to tell you to just 'suck it up and deal with it' on content you don't agree with (I've tried that before and it just doesn't work for me), but the fact that it is so prevalent... you'll likely at least learn to just shrug it off and move on eventually. But again, don't call off a genre because of one or two bad samples. There are many better ones to choose from, for all 3 of those areas [ironically you're better off looking up ones that get good reviews from critics but not much attention or recognition or fans].

Sword Art Online is my least favorite anime, with Angel Beats coming close. Both are horribly overrated. You outta check out Code Geass, though it has more fanservice (but it's pretty spread out). Plus the story doesn't fall flat on its face halfway through!

No.

 

http://youtu.be/n6jCJZEFIto

I actually went back and watched SAO through a second time not long ago.

I, too, have never quite been able to see the appeal of anime. The main reasons I never started watching it to begin with were, for one and as you said, the animation style always seemed odd to me and secondly the voice acting drove me crazy. I mean, seriously, what's with all these never-ending grunts, sighs, and other unnecessary vocalizations? Must just be a cultural thing I guess, so, all the power to them.

That said, I actually have made an earnest effort to see "what it's all about" and my initial opinon -- I'm not a fan of anime -- hasn't changed, though the reasons have changed a little. I've started to see that the animation style, same as any show here in the west, does vary significantly enough from show to show so there are some that I dislike more than others. I may also simply be getting used to it. In any case, as a whole, the animation doesn't bother me as much anymore and didn't bother me a whole lot in SAO to begin with save for the "super close-up to face while doing a battle cry" shots.

The next reason I'm not a fan is the plot/characters. So many of these shows play out like a bad piece of fan fiction. I can only suspend my disbelief so far and I find too many of these characters unbelievable (examples that come to mind are Code:Breaker and Sonic X). SAO I kinda liked because of the subject matter and I actually thought for the most part that they did a good job with the plot. They explored the psychological aspects of being trapped in a death game, the fact that life is happening wherever you are, etc. As for the "beat monsters, get girl" part I do partially agree, but I guess I'm kinda forgiving on that since the show is about a video game and beating monsters is kind of a schtick there. Really though, I do feel that Asuna developed a liking for Kirito not for how well he played but rather who he was as a player. Once the ALO arc starts though, this no longer applies. I can forgive the idea that a person will be broken by literally being trapped in a cage by some creep, but whereas the Aincrad arc was years the ALO arc is but a couple days. That's an awfully small window for someone with as strong of a character as Asuna to go to pieces the way she did. As a whole the second half of the show was pretty rubbish and I only found one aspect of it an interesting subject to explore.

The third reason is, yes, the "fanservice". There's a reason I don't watch many television shows as a whole be they actually on a TV or just streaming on the 'net.

All that said, I've tried a fair number of anime shows and SAO is the only one I actually managed to watch all the way through.

This was all going to have some sort of cohesive ending but I've suddenly lost my train of thought.

Meh.

Takuma Nuva

I agree with Kayru, but I'd also like to add in that anime isn't really a genre per se as much as it's a classification of cartoons (specifically those from Japan) and there are lots and lots of genres and different kinds of shows within anime. Which to me only reinforces the point Kayru made, that swearing off anime entirely because of some things that vary wildly between series and genres is premature.

That said, I do really not like SAO very much. Although it's super pretty and the music for the first half is pretty good, I think it's a ridiculously derivative work with a very poor, unremarkable cast of characters. Also, harem anime in general tend to be annoying and bleh. (The only harem anime I don't mind are Index, because it's not a romance series in any fashion, and Monogatari, because the characters grow out of that) I didn't really mind its art direction or violent elements, though the sexual stuff in the second half got super uncomfortable.

If you want a good story--not even a good anime, or a good tv show, just a legitimately great story with great characters and art (and around no fanservice), I do recommend Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. There's some violence and gore, but it's not pervasive throughout, and it is not the focus. It's just a really, really good show.

Princess Tutu.

Watch it. Seriously.

The style (at least in character design) fits in with most anime. Super thin people with big eyes and all, yeah sure, BUT it is actually pretty cultured. It draws a lot of its plot and elements from ballets, and it actually does so pretty well. The music used is classical music from a variety of composers (again, from ballets like Copellia, The Red Shoes, Cinderella and Swan Lake), and while it may not be as action packed as, say, Gurren Lagann, it still is pretty dramatic.

Synopsis: The story is about a duck that falls in love with a prince, who sees the loneliness in his eyes and wants to see him smile; it's about a young girl in ballet school who, despite her lack of talent and ditziness, never gives up and keeps trying to do what she can, even if it's not much; it's about a graceful princess whose sole desire is to rescue her prince, however, once she confesses her love for him, she is fated to turn into a speck of light and vanish. Oh, and they're all the same person.

While I can't say number three is totally out of the question with this show, I can say that it is severely tame compared to any other anime I've seen.

This is the one anime that I wish everyone would at least give a shot. It's dramatic, light hearted and a lot of fun. It's definitely something different from the typical anime genre, so I think you might like it.

For those that ignored the disclaimer:

The following blog post is not intended to be offensive to anyone who likes anime. The author of this blog post understands that she is not qualified to make an informed and reasoned judgement about the entire genre thereof, and therefore anything below is not intended to bash, make fun of, or otherwise deride any beings who may enjoy the genre.

Just pointing out that fishers duly noted that her opinion of a couple animes does not account for all of anime.

-Rez

Rez, dude...

You didn't shout "OBJECTION!" before you presented evidence...

That's a penalty for the defense.

(Anyway, I also second the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood recommendation. Love that one)

You should give Attack on Titan a try, there's no fanservice in it.

-

*scribbles down all the recommendations* Thank you everyone. I'll take it under advisement.

@Scanty Demon: I'm not sure how a well composed piece of band music is supposed to get me to like a story. You're going to have to do better than that.

I actually went back and watched SAO through a second time not long ago.

I, too, have never quite been able to see the appeal of anime. The main reasons I never started watching it to begin with were, for one and as you said, the animation style always seemed odd to me and secondly the voice acting drove me crazy. I mean, seriously, what's with all these never-ending grunts, sighs, and other unnecessary vocalizations? Must just be a cultural thing I guess, so, all the power to them.

[...]

All that said, I've tried a fair number of anime shows and SAO is the only one I actually managed to watch all the way through.

[...]

Takuma Nuva

Well yeah, SAO does have one redeeming quality.

It's short.

Anyway, I agree with much of your post. I think the sighing, etc, is supposed to indicate emotion - apparently that's very important for the style to get across. I didn't mind it at all as much as the other things I had to complain about above though.

Again, here, I'm not knocking on SAO is much as finding it a flawed article; I think the ALO arc qualifies as an unnecessary drag-out in some respects and that it could have been closed by then - just have Asuna wake up when Kirito did, story solved. Yeah? It would eliminated a good deal of the tarnish/flaws of the series. My opinion though.

Rez, dude...

 

You didn't shout "OBJECTION!" before you presented evidence...

 

That's a penalty for the defense.

 

(Anyway, I also second the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood recommendation. Love that one)

The problem with this argument is that I didn't hire Reznas as my lawyer, Tekulo. As such, your logic is invalid.

Excuse me, but I am the one with the gavel here.

(Just... just imagine me doing a Zoidberg impression for that line, okay? =P)

Excuse me, but I have the blog entry and the disclaimer here.

just gonna third the FMA:Brotherhood recommendation, and second the AoT recommendation...only if you're okay with a lot of gore, death, etc.

because good god is it violent.

Thanks. I always research prior to watching as a matter of principle - I'm okay with a certain amount of violence, but if the whole thing is a gorefest, I'll pass.

Violence for the sake of violence is not cool either. It better be for an actual reason - doesn't have to be 100% clear at first what the reason is, but it needs to be implied that there is a reason. Otherwise I'm done.

Thanks. I always research prior to watching as a matter of principle - I'm okay with a certain amount of violence, but if the whole thing is a gorefest, I'll pass.

 

Violence for the sake of violence is not cool either. It better be for an actual reason - doesn't have to be 100% clear at first what the reason is, but it needs to be implied that there is a reason. Otherwise I'm done.

It's not pointless violence, at least.

I would think a bunch of people-eating giant monstrosities would lead to violence. It's never just people beating each other up pointlessly, thankfully.

It's still really, really bloody though and the art style is funky, too, even compared to other anime.

I have been warned. O_O

I saw the first episode of Attack on Titan, and I found it to be twenty times more goofy than scary.

Haven't gotten around to seeing the rest, but I will eventually.

I saw the first episode of Attack on Titan, and I found it to be twenty times more goofy than scary.

 

Haven't gotten around to seeing the rest, but I will eventually.

Attack of Titan can admittedly be pretty goofy on its own due to the art style, all the yelling, etc, and it becomes even more so under the right circumstances.

(It is INCREDIBLY FUN to watch in a group, especially if that group has an unconventional sense of humor. I watched most of it with a club and we spent the entire time laughing)

fishers that was the opening theme to Cowboy Bebop. It also has Steven Blum in the dub, a phenomenal dub, existentialism, space western, it also got me into anime.

Also I'm really disappointed I seem to be the only one to have watched Cowboy Bebop.

I've seen it, Scants.

Anyway, back on the Attack on Titan discussion, I think people really over-exaggerate about how violent it is. When I saw people talking about it, literally all I saw was "this show is really dark and disturbing" "it's scary and very very violent" and a video titled "All Attack on Titan Death Scenes (18+)".

I've seen it, Scants.

Anyway, back on the Attack on Titan discussion, I think people really over-exaggerate about how violent it is. When I saw people talking about it, literally all I saw was "this show is really dark and disturbing" "it's scary and very very violent" and a video titled "All Attack on Titan Death Scenes (18+)".

It's not that violent. More violent then what you normally see? Yes.

But there are far more violent things...thankfully I haven't looked for them. But it still is violent enough to warrant the "Yes, it's very violent" tag, especially early on.