Anime from 2004 onward

[gatotsu911]

1998 was a pretty awesome year for basically everything. Anime, video games, movies... everything. (...that I care about.)

But, as Tarnsman said, the biggest difference between 90s anime and 2000s anime is that bad anime from that era were, on the whole, still a lot better than bad anime now. (Anime in general - TV, OVAs and movies.)

Bad 90s anime = gratuitous sex and violence, incomprehensible plot

Bad 2000s anime = gagworthy moeshit, no plot whatsoever

I know which option I prefer.

Also, the real decline in anime didn't start until the late 2000s. Most of the good series/movies from that decade were from the earlier half of it.

[Tarnsman]

Anime hasn't declined. There are more shows now, so the 90% that are crap are simply more prevalent and easier to access.

[Twin Drive Sigma Aquarion]

I see four series I actually consider good: Arjuna, Noir, Fruits Basket and Banner of the Stars II (last I haven't seen but it's supposedly great)

You forgot Zoids: New Century Zero.

[gatotsu911]

Anime hasn't declined. There are more shows now, so the 90% that are crap are simply more prevalent and easier to access.

That's true in principle, but the fact is that of all the post-2007 anime I've seen and heard of, very few have looked even remotely appealing or good; it's a sea of derivative, soulless drivel. I'd say the percentage of bad anime has risen from 90% to, I dunno, 95%, and the bad stuff is way, way worse. It's pretty similar to the creative bankruptcy going on in Hollywood, now that I think of it, but if anything it's even more grim.

Also, @OP, I'm pretty sure Code Geass fulfills all of your criteria, if for no other reason than that it goes out of its way to include every anime cliche imaginable.

[Merridian]

That's true in principle, but the fact is that of all the post-2007 anime I've seen and heard of, very few have looked even remotely appealing or good; it's a sea of derivative, soulless drivel. I'd say the percentage of bad anime has risen from 90% to, I dunno, 95%, and the bad stuff is way, way worse.

Either you haven't watched very much or you're just blasting your opiniongun at maximum power. More anime means more anime; as far as I've been able to discern, the shit/good proportions have remained about the same.

What are your criteria for good shows, bad shows, etc? Do you give particular shows a chance if they're done by a particular studio? What factors go into discerning what looks good versus what looks terrible? How do you judge those things after having watched a show?

The only decline that has occurred in the past few years is the number of shows that are produced yearly, but there are still significantly more shows being produced now than in the 90s. Given that we still have directors like Yuasa, Nakamura, and Ishihara still churning out shows (and Shinbo, I guess), while Hosoda and Shinkai continue their efforts on the silver screen--combined with the older directors that haven't totally given up on anime--I'd say that the past five-ten years has been more innovative for anime than the entirety of the 80s and most of the 90s. Some of the creative bankruptcy you're probably seeing are only showing up either in aspects of works (e.g. A-1's handling of the character designs for Sora no Woto) or in what are otherwise pandering, generic shows that generally clog up most of any medium anyhow. That kind of generalization doesn't serve well as a barometer for the industry.

[Tarnsman]

@OP, I'm pretty sure Code Geass fulfills all of your criteria, if for no other reason than that it goes out of its way to include every anime cliche imaginable.

But Geass is unintentionally hilarious.

[The Eva Monkey]

Where is the Mecha? Where is the high school?

Not important.

[Mr. Tines]

Why has nobody said "There's a thread for that!"

Mecha
Comedy
Action
High-school

Well from my top 20 of the 00's I'd say

High-school -- Maria-sama ga miteru
High-school + action -- Dennou Coil
Mecha -- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (it's a Gundam series at heart)
Action -- Nijuu mensou no musume
Action + mecha -- Kemonozume
Comedy -- Chi's Sweet Home

[Tankred]

But Geass is unintentionally hilarious.

It's also FABULOUS!

[Twin Drive Sigma Aquarion]

It also leaves out an extremely important element: Mark 1s!

[Xard]

It also leaves out an extremely important element: Mark 1s!

no one watches Code Geass for the lame mechas. It is watched for homolust and C.C's pizzabutt

[Twin Drive Sigma Aquarion]

no one watches Code Geass for the lame mechas.

Except for mecha fans dude.

It is watched for homolust and C.C's pizzabutt

There is no homolust in it and what is a pizzabutt?

[Tankred]

Except for mecha fans dude.

The mecha are rubbish though.

[Tarnsman]

Except for mecha fans dude.

The Mecha in Code Geass mostly looked like crap, the cool land-based battle mechanic was quickly abandoned, and the actual fights were barely above SEED in terms of boring overpowered bullshit.

[Xard]

Except for mecha fans dude.

Just like with SEED the core target audience for Code Geass were fujoshi (which means it's just natural and expectable that you dig it, don't worry )

Let's go over this again as a reminder. Formula for succesful modern SF mecha anime: Bishoujo + bishounen + mechas. Different series weight these things a bit differently.

SEED: Bishounen >>>>>> mecha > bishoujo
Code Geass: Bishounen > bishoujo > mecha
Macross Frontier: Bishoujo > mecha > bishounen
Rebuild: Bishoujo > bishounen > mecha
(incidentally this reveals why Macross is my favourite out of these )

Mechas have very little to do with Code Geass's popularity and it's not exactly series favoured by /m/echa enthusiasts. In general people don't give shit about the mechanical designs in it and it should be mentioned that Geass unit (don't remember which got in) got quite a bit active hate in recent Sai Mecha and was quickly kicked out from the tournament.

There is no homolust

it's not much of a comic exaggaration to say I had this expression when I read that

in it and what is a pizzabutt?

that is pizza butt, not to be confused with pizzabutt-kun aka our own The PRPD

[Defectron]

(bites pizza butt)

But Geass is unintentionally hilarious.

Very true, though I want to throw this out as a warning, if plot contrivences, shark jumping and dumb filler episodes annoye you, this series will irritate the hell out of you at certain moments.

[Twin Drive Sigma Aquarion]

Just like with SEED the core target audience for Code Geass were fujoshi (which means it's just natural and expectable that you dig it, don't worry It's a smile. )

1. When the hell is SEED targeted towards fangirls?
2. I'm not a fujoshi!

Let's go over this again as a reminder. Formula for succesful modern SF mecha anime: Bishoujo + bishounen + mechas. Different series weight these things a bit differently.

SEED: Bishounen >>>>>> mecha > bishoujo
Code Geass: Bishounen > bishoujo > mecha
Macross Frontier: Bishoujo > mecha > bishounen
Rebuild: Bishoujo > bishounen > mecha
(incidentally this reveals why Macross is my favourite out of these )

I don't know what bishonen or bishojo even are.

Mechas have very little to do with Code Geass's popularity and it's not exactly series favoured by /m/echa enthusiasts. In general people don't give shit about the mechanical designs in it and it should be mentioned that Geass unit (don't remember which got in) got quite a bit active hate in recent Sai Mecha and was quickly kicked out from the tournament.

Actually they do have to do with popularity, hell it's the only reason it attracted my attention so naturally it'll attract other people (even if they don't like knightmare frames). They could have been decent if they just put in mark 1s and showed some sixth generation knightmares.

it's not much of a comic expression to say I had this expression when I read that

Explain how there is homolust or I call crap.

that is pizza butt

That picture tells me nothing other than typical fanservice junk.

[Tankred]

I'm waiting for the anime adaptation of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin. I wonder if it will be a set of films or an OVA, I don't think it'll be a series as they're already making a craptastic new series in a new alternate timeline.

@TDSA, the reason shows like SEED and Geass are popular are because they're filled with pretty boys, everything's pretty, with big eyes. Hell, I think SEED is the first Gundam series where there are no humans, it's just filled with big-eyed aliens with shiny skin.

[Mr. Tines]

what is a pizzabutt?

The series is a running commercial for Pizza Hut (who sponsored the series); CC is possessed of an inordinate fondness for all the pizza on screen, and also of an ample derrière. A causal link was assumed by fans.

[Ornette]

Whenever people start watching anime is typically going to be the period of time they identify (with nostalgia) as being "the best" period of anime. I started watching anime a decade ago, so mid-late 90s shows are my favorite. People who started watching anime in 2008 are going to think mid mid-late 2000s shows are the best.

I started watching in the 90's, or late 90's if you consider being able to easily download a wide(r) variety of shows via usenet and XDCC, since before then it was a matter of what volume of whatever OVA was being carried at the video store or what was shown on TV. If that's considered the start of watching anime, then I'd go back to when Mazinger Z and Getter G was being aired on TV. That's nostalgic for me, but when I try to rewatch those shows, can't sit though them anymore. Been there already, moved on. Stuff like that and watching "Star Blazers" on TV is still nostalgic, but the shows just don't age the same as my nostalgia does. Well, Yamato was still pretty awesome the last time I rewatched it.

TDSA: I see you're playing the "I don't understand anything you say" card again in order to deflect points other people are making. This isn't discussion, you know where this leads as it always does. Stop it