RE: Anime Recommendations
Gantz sucks. Period.
I want to personally reccomend the anime and manga versions of
Rave. This is my favorite, the story, character, art style, depth and action scenes are perfect. Everyone thinks fairy tale is Mashima's latest craze, Rave is the most underrated anime/manga. It should get so much more attention than it has. I have the entire manga colletion irl and it was probably the best purchase I have ever made. Be aware that the anime was near ending before it was cancelled.
Ok here are some classics.
Cowboy bebop is a must as omahanime mentioned. It is fantastic, funny and action packed. Space cowboys is the story for any anime ever. And if you want something with a good story along the 26-episode anime line,
Outlaw star is another classic that any anime fan HAS to watch. Interesting, funny. And both titles have the best dub any anime has ever thrown out. Better than the usual funimation and the dub ompany that must not be named.
Death Note, which your watching...keep watching it.
Early
Naruto is great, post time skip is a little...meh, but still good. You say to not reccomend it, however the action is great, the story is intruiging and the characters are anything but lovabale.
Eureka 7 has masses of character development packed with story and action. On the subject of Mecha anime, Gurren Lagann is one of my personal faves as well. Robots the size of universes, throwing galaxies at them. While in the background, the only acceptable version of opera and rap is played.
DragonBall is fun. Explanation below link.
The Melencholy of Haruhi Suzumiyama, has many different characters. Odd plot with small nods to later plot devices. A smart, funny and a seasoned anime with 3 seasons and a movie.
If you want a long running anime. Try
One piece.
Things are really hotting up in the manga but in the anime it is just about to start it's filler arcs. If you want to catch up now, One Piece looks like it's about to do a Naruto. Skip the filler and take an episode a day. When you get to the filler, the main story should be continuing.
JoJo's bizzare adventure is a manga only but it has a looooong running series. Around 900 chapters and still going strong, time travel is involved and one fighting game that is amazing.
Bakuman is also very good. A story about 2 mangaka and there dreams to make a popular anime. Done by the artists of Death Note, not sure if MadHouse did the animation too but it is still great.
Fun girl anime that I find interesting and no-one else does. I don't know why. Would be
Strike witches, which I love and
Puella Magi Madoka Magica. This starts out as a magical girl 7-12 girl anime but soon reveals itself to be a depressing death filled madness ride. It's a great dark tale. Lucky star incidentaly is a good slice of life anime, if your into that cutesy stuff. It's awesome!
Looking for something new to follow?
Autumn/Fall 2011 anime listings
Source 2
Source 3
Sources are unchecked.
This is just with the time and the amount I can be bothered to type. I'll post something bigger tomorrow. These are the common known anime, if you want something less mainstream, search it or wait for my post later. Hopefully someone else can post something I have never heard on before. That is, if you WANT something less mainstream.
I can't believe you have never watched Death Note before...who ARE you?