First, there was Anime 102: A Course of Anime For Newcomers. Exactly what it sounded like: a list of anime to start with that required little or no knowledge of anime, or Japan, to be accessible. Now comes the next installment: Anime 201: Some Understanding of Japan Required.
This next list focuses on titles which are moderately more advanced viewing. These are titles which have some aspect of Japanese culture, or which assume a degree of familiarity with anime and its tropes. Not so much so they'll throw the average viewer completely out of their seat, but elements of either (or both) are present, and need to be called out on some level.
Among the titles discussed in the list is one that I don't think gets nearly enough praise: Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, a great mix of samurai-style action and thoughtful, epic-scope drama. The whole series has been released on both DVD and Blu-ray Disc, and it's a show I can easily see savored by any number of future generations of both newcomers and existing anime fans.
Check out the Anime 201 list, and feel free to make additional recommendations. The list is a living document, and will be added to constantly.
Images: Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. Image courtesy Pricegrabber.
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