Two things I want in anime

[jimsan]

Baccano isn't Europe based, but it's one of my recent favorites, it takes place in 1930's America and has very little cheap animation. It skips around a bit (ok, a lot) but the storyline just draws you in.

Tengen toppa gurren lagann would be something you would hate from the sound of it, but IMHO the first 8-10 episodes are pretty funny. (Think cheap animation, but it's ok because they're making fun of it...)

[Alondro]

Escaflowne is in the present day, set on the magical world of Gaia, which has a mixture of Medieval/modern/magic tech, which shares some sort of orbital parameters with Earth, upon which Isaac Newton lives as Emperor Dornkirk and wants to use the Fate Prognostication Engine to create his ideal future of order using the power of Atlantis that the Draconians hid away after they nearly wiped themselves out. 

*looks askance at his Escaflowne dvd*

Right. I'll just... think about that a bit.

One DVD?  Ah, you have only seen the movie.  That's very different from the series.  They could never have fit the entire series plot into the movie.  Now you must watch the series!   

[Alondro]

You generally need an anime that catches everyone's fancy enough to create a genre.

So far, nothing has sprouted up that's generated any interest in the Medieval Europe.  There certainly is enough material for some very interesting fantasy re-tellings of historical events:  Crusades, Stonehenge, Vikings, Dracula (I'm surprised no one's done an origins story yet based around Vlad's life, maybe making him a more sympathetic character who makes the pact to become a vampire to protect his homeland from the invading Turks.  Vlad is considered a hero in Romania.)

Hmm... maybe I should be writing these anime... and become rich and famous! 

Then use my fame and money to gain powers... and RULE THE WORLD!!   

[Sunblink]

On that note, for what it's worth, I can, in reasonably good conscience, recommend Dragonball.  To name a few of its advantages: the first season covers a great deal more plot than its successor in half as many episodes, a fight lasting more than one episode is a special event, the power levels (so to speak) are within human comprehension, and it can be pretty funny sometimes.

I do concur there. I loved the first Dragonball to pieces, which is why the movie makes me froth at the mouth.

But then again, it's pretty rare for me to see a movie adaptation which is actually loyal to the source material.

[Howl]

I guess summed up in one word, what I'm looking for is 'realism'. Effects draw from the realism. Now I'm not saying it has to be things that could happen in real life, things like furry characters, magic, those are fine. Even big mechas. But effects like repeating things thrice is crossing the line. To admit, the only reason I can watch Onmyou Taisenki is because of Kogenta.

[Turnsky]

I guess summed up in one word, what I'm looking for is 'realism'. Effects draw from the realism. Now I'm not saying it has to be things that could happen in real life, things like furry characters, magic, those are fine. Even big mechas. But effects like repeating things thrice is crossing the line. To admit, the only reason I can watch Onmyou Taisenki is because of Kogenta.

realism and anime don't often go hand in hand.

but if it's realism you're after...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_of_the_Fireflies

[Howl]

I've heard of that. Not my cup of tea.
But, I find things that interest me. That's what matters.

[Teh_Hobo]

I guess summed up in one word, what I'm looking for is 'realism'. Effects draw from the realism. Now I'm not saying it has to be things that could happen in real life, things like furry characters, magic, those are fine. Even big mechas. But effects like repeating things thrice is crossing the line. To admit, the only reason I can watch Onmyou Taisenki is because of Kogenta.

realism and anime don't often go hand in hand.

but if it's realism you're after...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_of_the_Fireflies

Sad movie is SAD.

[jimsan]

Ugh, Grave of the Fireflies...  don't remind me.

If you want "slice of life" anime (realistic?) Bamboo Blade and Planet ES are both good.