When I started watching anime I mostly only saw what was on Toonami or late night Adult Swim (which might tell you how old I am). But I learned that I could watch anime online and so I watched my first series that I found on my own... and it was School Days.
It didn't get better because I watched Green Green and the incredibly boring Tokimeki Love Memorial. I probably should have given up on anime, but I then watched Azumanga Daioh which had just come to the US at the time (again, says how old I am).
Azumanga Daioh was the first series I ever went out and bought. I still own the DVD box set. It's a slice of life genre (which also became a pet favorite of my) which means there is no real plot, just a group of girls going about their normal school lives. The only weird thing is Chiyo, a ten year old super genius who gets to go to high school (which is not actually allowed in Japan school system). We follow Chiyo, Tomo, Sakaki, Osaka, Yomi, Kagura, their teachers Yukari and Nyamo, and a few others throughout their three years in high school (Japan has three years of middle school and three of high school).
I think what made this work for me was that I felt like I knew these people like the ADHD Tomo, the tomboyish Kagura, the spacey Osaka, and Yomi is basically me. And at ending (which is obviously their graduation) almost made me cry because it was like I was watching close friends eventually have to go their separate ways.
This is a series I love to death and it makes me sad that it's starting to fade from the memories of otaku today. Even worse it was licensed by ADV who went bankrupt so DVDs are out of print. But if you can watch it, do it because it will brighten your day.
It didn't get better because I watched Green Green and the incredibly boring Tokimeki Love Memorial. I probably should have given up on anime, but I then watched Azumanga Daioh which had just come to the US at the time (again, says how old I am).
Azumanga Daioh was the first series I ever went out and bought. I still own the DVD box set. It's a slice of life genre (which also became a pet favorite of my) which means there is no real plot, just a group of girls going about their normal school lives. The only weird thing is Chiyo, a ten year old super genius who gets to go to high school (which is not actually allowed in Japan school system). We follow Chiyo, Tomo, Sakaki, Osaka, Yomi, Kagura, their teachers Yukari and Nyamo, and a few others throughout their three years in high school (Japan has three years of middle school and three of high school).
I think what made this work for me was that I felt like I knew these people like the ADHD Tomo, the tomboyish Kagura, the spacey Osaka, and Yomi is basically me. And at ending (which is obviously their graduation) almost made me cry because it was like I was watching close friends eventually have to go their separate ways.
This is a series I love to death and it makes me sad that it's starting to fade from the memories of otaku today. Even worse it was licensed by ADV who went bankrupt so DVDs are out of print. But if you can watch it, do it because it will brighten your day.