4.0. Anime Recommendations N-R
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This article is from the misc anime FAQ, by nikkou with numerous contributions by others.
4.0. Anime Recommendations N-R
NADIA (SECRET OF BLUE WATER). Recent TV series in 39 parts. Starts as a Miyazaki-clone light action-adventure about a girl with a mysterious past and a fantastic amulet, "Blue Water", and the young boy who takes off with her. Gets silly for long stretches, ends with a bang. A 6-hour compilation of the TV series is titled "Nadia: The Nautilus Adventure". A new Nadia Movie is also out & not well reviewed. This series is being made available in dubbed format from Streamline Pictures.
NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND is probably Miyazaki's most popular film - a sort of post-apocalypse mystic eco-fantasy, more notable for plot, character, music and designs than the smoothness of animation. Excellent Jo Hisaishi soundtrack, too. Based on the comic (manga) of the same title. A classic.
OMOIDE POROPORO. (English title "Only Yesterday") Contemporary sentimental drama about a yuppie Japanese woman looking back at her youth and life-choices, brilliantly animated by Miyazaki pro Isao Takahata. Talky, actionless, and stunningly beautiful. ORANGE ROAD. A TV series, many OAVs, and a movie. Contemporary high school students work out their love triangles and try to grow up, even though one has ESP "powers". A kindly, comic look at the youth experience, relatively easy to understand. Recommended. Fan-subtitled versions of it all exist, courtesy of Arctic Animation. AnimEigo released the OAVs and Movie in subtitled format.
OUTLANDERS. Cute but vicious space invader Kahm picks up a human pet, then tries to help him save Earth from even nastier daddy. SF/Fantasy from Manabe. Available dubbed from US Renditions.
PATLABOR - near-future police use mecha to combat criminals who use "labors" (mecha). Light action/comedy. The movie is more serious, and IMHO is a surprisingly neat action mystery if you can understand the dialog to follow the plot twists. Manga Entertainment will be releasing the movie both theatrically and on video. The TV series and OAV series are being released by USMC.
PLEASE SAVE MY EARTH is an interesting but mostly quiet story of a group of 7 people who gradually become aware that they are reincarnations of aliens who had been observing the Earth from a base on the moon. Gradually their old relationships impact their current lives.
PORCO ROSSO directed by the master Hayao Miyazaki's is a light-hearted but mature and sentimental film set in the 1920 Italian Adriatic, as a valiant pilot (who happens to be a pig) fights air pirates for his honor and for his lady. Top notch animation. PROJECT A-KO (the 1st film). Spoof of just about every anime series, about three school-girls with super-powers and mecha and bad cooking. Very, very funny, or very very silly, depending on if you get the jokes. Several sequels. All available from USMC in subbed & dubbed formats.
RANMA 1/2. Current comedy about a boy with a curse that turns him into a girl whenever s/he gets wet. (Could be worse - his dad gets turned into a Panda, and I won't even mention the little piglet or the cat.). More slapstick from Rumiko Takahashi. Available dubbed & subbed from Viz Video.
RIDING BEAN, a contemporary crime story about a crook-with-a-heart- of-tarnished-gold, well executed with an engaging, twisty plot and fast action sequences. Available subbed & dubbed from Animeigo.
ROBOT CARNIVAL. 8 separate short pieces by different artists, some serious, some comedy, almost all very well done. All involve a robot somewhere - some more than others. Some comedy, some pathos. Artsy. Streamline dub versions exist (only 2 segments had dialog, anyway.) Available dubbed from Streamline Pictures.
ROSE OF VERSAILLES: Historical fantasy set in France in the years before the French Revolution. The central character is Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes, a fictional swordswomen who becomes the head of Marie Antoinette's bodyguards. Many real historical figures and events are included in a story of romance and intrigue. A dramatic series, with beautiful artwork, based on the manga by Riyoko Ikeda. A 40 episode TV series.
ROUJIN-Z. Akira's creator tells a story of a new automated hospital bed running amok looking out for its patient's welfare.
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