Who knows, one day, a friend might walk up to you and ask you, an experienced anime fan (or at least I presume) : "Hey, I'd like to start watching anime but I really don't know where to begin... Can you recommend me one?" What anime do you usually recommend to "newbies"? Is there a particular genre you often recommend, do you stick to short 12-episode anime or do you often recommend longer ones? What other tips do you give to those who want to get started on anime? I personally like to recommend "safe" anime such as pretty much any sports anime or a comedy anime such as Sakamoto Desu Ga. As most of you know, some things in anime can get pretty weird, and encountering those things in one of the first anime you ever watch often doesn't leave a good impression on you. Sports anime are relatively realistic and they have a great plot full of suspension, which makes it very easy to grow accustomed to the cast of characters while at the same time slowly beginning to introduce you to some of the things in Japanese life that you will see in other, perhaps "less safe" anime as well, such as the use of suffixes, the "respect your elders" and the perverseness of Japanese teenage boys. I tend to stick to "shorter" anime because, well, those don't take too long to finish. "Mainstream" anime usually has a lot of episodes, which could be seen as a drawback in my eyes.
Well, I like anime but only specific things in anime, people know this before asking. So I can only really recommend what I watch, I'm just not interested in some genres the same way I'm not interested in the same genres when represented with western live action. And as far as that goes: If someone is new to anime and wants to see some quality detail in animation, action, fights and military stuff I would recommend to them Gundam Wing. It's what got me started on Gundam and in a large part anime at all and it did so for many western Gundam fans. It's got a decent English dub which is a plus for anyone new (because having to read subtitles can become a knock against it before they really give it a chance)and it's a self-contained story of 50 episodes + Endless Waltz, there is not too much filler or anything to catch up on. Maybe Gundam 00 instead if they are the kind of person who says things like "this looks old" in a bad way to things. If someone is not new to anime but wants to check out something Gundam: Turn A Gundam, definitely. It's my favorite anime and it's very much less "this is about big mechs fighting" compared to what someone might think. The mobile suits are ancient in Correct Century, and on Earth society in many ways is back to the late 19th-early 20th century. It's like a dichotomy of styles and times, the past and the moon and the mobile suits with high tech and most of Earth back to a simpler way of living. It's a quality story, presentation all around is great and it has a wider appeal, I think, to someone who really isn't into average mecha stuff than other Gundam series. Turn A is a little different than average.
