Yeah, outside of Avatar, I can only think of two other cartoons that actually had a (good) story to tell.

Reboot - This was on the original Toonami. It starts off episodic (like many other action cartoons), but later on it gets a coherent plot, and I really enjoyed it (at least as a kid, it's been years since I've seen it). Lots of good memories watching this & DBZ back to back.

Gargoyles - This was a 90's show, but I didn't get into it until a couple years ago (late night on Disney XD). The animation was wonderful, the story is interesting, and it could get surprisingly dark for a Disney property (always thought it would make a great addition to Kingdom Hearts).

There was also a BattleTech: The Animated Series, Redwall, Exosquad (kinda), Beast Wars (to an extent), Xyber 9: New Dawn...I want the 90's back...

Also Oban Star Racers, though that's kind of a french-produced, japanese-made anime-ish cartoon.

Oban Star Racers was really good.

Most of the good animated stories seem to be in movies nowadays though. I heard Paranorman was basically a really good horror movie except animated, which is cool.

BTW, I'm up to chapter 513 in Bleach. This is easily the most intense/bloody I've seen the series get yet. I won't spoil who, but they're actually starting to kill people off (then again, this is the final arc, so it's no huge surprise, just sad).

Just doing my part to make this a better thread.

_{For the 99% of you who don't get it, that's Char Aznable from Mobile Suit Gundam. All of his Mobile Suits were said to be three times faster than regular mobile suits. Due to his popularity (he outranks even the Main characters in popularity in all the shows he's been in), it's a semi-common meme in Japan to make anything related to him 3 times better/faster/etc. ad nauseum. even his balls are three times faster. So yeah, now that Char Aznable has graced this thread, it is now three times more awesome. Thank you, good night.}

Detective Conan has a character who pretty much exists to be Char Aznable. Like same voice actor and everything. The current arc is apparently partially just a giant gundam reference from a mystery standpoint.

I'm not kidding about any of that.

What episode does the arc start? I must watch this.

...no...

I can't do that. "Arc" in Detective Conan means "small parts in certain cases that eventually leads into an occasional big plot related case". Not to mention how little technically happens in the plot. It's more like mysteries by themselves, giving you hints towards everything that will be revealed at major points in the stories. Also, it's a japanese naming pun...thing. I'm not the biggest expert on it but at this point we have characters roaming around being mysterious named Akai Shuichi, Okiya Subaru, Masumi Sera and Tooru Amuro.

Best I can give you is to look up Detective Conan 425, near the end is Akai being awesome (though awesome is semi-limited for a fairly realistic series like Conan, but still awesome). Or look up Detective Conan 674 which is the only time so far Okiya, Sera and Amuro have been in the same area at the same time (mainly because the latter two were only introduced recently with Amuro introduced literally in the previous case).

Doh....well, the naming puns I get. That's good enough for me.

@konata lol thats kinda why i never started baka and test i heard it was too ecchi but idk i might give it a go at least later xP

yeah i know i seen this situation a few times before even in like pokemon(were story isnt much needed) but at times i feel like it could so lead to 1 or 2 more episodes just based on that scene

what about when a anime is ok but the whole plot or episode seems to go so slow that by the time the characters get to the point its the end of the episode? -.-

oh and yeah sorry im a few days late D= seems like i havent been on here much

As RR is slow...

TOONAMI UPDATE GO

Naruto - On the chat I was on during this before I got distracted, halfway through people were annoyed with the lack of strategy from Naruto. Perfect timing for the first real good strategy of this series. Thinking about it, I'm surprised at how believable it is that the 12 year old ninja stopped Zabuza from trapping Kakashi. He underestimated them and beginning of the next episode, he has no choice but to let go of the prison jutsu. He can't dodge it any other way.
Thundercats - The 3rd trial is the dumbest thing ever, but I forgive it. I'll even forgive the lack of consequences shown at the end. This show is my current best example of dumb fun action so it doesn't matter (though it does prevent the series from reaching the levels of Avatar or Symbionic Titan for me).
Samurai 7 - It's still...pretty good. Going towards a climax maybe. But, the series peaked during the village arc and I only care about a few of the characters, most of which are NOT the samurai themselves. I still demand Kiku and his little kid friend to just have a series of their own. I'd watch the hell out of that.
Symbionic Titan - Cliched "no one will listen to me until it's too late!" story but it works and the action was awesome.
Eureka 7 - I nearly forgot about the "Renton vs. racism" episode. Also, I love the contrast between his new family and the Gekko State. This is such a well done story in every way, and it hasn't even gotten to the best parts yet.

Yeah, sorry I spaced out on my Toonami update (I miss most stuff anyways, lol). Anywho:

Bleach - Repeat. Missed it.

Naruto - just caught the very end, where they just fooled whomever they're fighting.

ThunderCats - Pretty good episode, although I missed last week's episode.

Samurai 7 - Missed it.

Sym-Bionic Titan - Missed it.

Eureka 7 - Pretty hard hitting episode, emotionally wise.

Tenchi Muyo! GXP - Yeah, he (Seina) was was pretty much just running dirty errands for the perverted robot all episode...

So apparently tomorrow ShonenJumpAlpha becomes Synced with WeeklyJump in Japan. That's... actually really neat.
Anyways, I'll just leave some manga impressions here.
(I always feel awkward talking about the manga since I don't watch much anime myself, I can't seem to force myself into hunkering down and watching some)

Bleach: Well, the final arc is... err...well, it's Bleach all right. Taking it's slow time, trying to force another "twist" on us, trying to play Ichigo up as having "deeper unknown strength!". It's disappointing. Well, then again Bleach started disappointing me ever since the end of the Soul Society Invasion arc.

Naruto: I hope that the Shinobi War Arc is wrapping up (or the whole series) since it seems to be wrapping up fairly well, and right now I'm more interested than I've been for the rest of this arc. Seriously, if they keep up the momentum of the last chapter or two, and get a good conclusion this arc (or the manga itself, I dunno, it seems like it could be fitting if they just wrap up more stuff...) then I'd be a very respectable ending in my eyes.

One Piece: ...Hmm... you know, Punk Hazard's pacing is weird. It seems to be speeding up/wrapping up like the arc is ending, but it's clearly not. It's really shaken up the pacing and formula for the arcs... wait. One Piece has plenty of non formulaic arcs. Well, this one is just odd. I like it, and I think it started out great, but the way it is currently is probably lowering it on my list of favorite arcs. I'd place it lower than Thriller Bark, and MAYBE Fishman Island, cause I liked the whole 10,000 vs. 10 thing in that one.

Toriko: Anyone read Toriko? It's pretty decent. I like it. Anyway, this arc was kinda boring, but it does a whole 's*** just got real' moment and I like it. Though I probably like the series solely for it's charm, but that's okay with me.

Nura: This one just ended. I have no clue what it is, tried reading it, and it bored me too much couldn't get it to it.
Cross Manage: Some manga about lacrosse. There probably is a more descriptive term for what kind of manga it is but heck if I know. I like it though. It's amusing, and it's lighthearted, and interesting.
Nisekoi: Don't know what to call this either. I probably should look up the terms for these things. Or you guys could tell me. It's a comedy with like 1 guy and 7+ girls who are all, like, romantically interested in him. Yeah... it's... not as bad as Bleach. :3 (sometimes it's interesting, sometimes it's a chore to read.)
Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal: Hey, I um, liked 5D's. I thought it was okay. This isn't.
Blue Exorcist: I don't like it.
Ruronni Kenshin Restoration: This is like a remake, right? Well regardless, it's decent. It's got good action and interesting characters, albiet the pace isn't something I'm too fond of. But It's neat.

Now, someone who actuals knows what they're talking about, rip me apart for any and all ignorance.

@TysonOfTime Nisekoi is refered to as a Harem. Hm, nice to meet someone else who didn't enjoy his first impressions of Blue Exorcist. I liked the anime more from what I've seen but it still doesn't grab me.

The Final Arc has me the most excited I've been about Bleach since the Soul Society Invasion Arc, personally.

I don't know how far you're into it, but I just finished up 512, and so far, it feels like it's going to be long enough to be worthwile, while not dragging on (something new seems to be revealed, or something new happens, every couple of chapters, so it feels fresh).

I still don't understand how the Quincy are able to steal (and then actually use) Bankai, and I'm still wondering where the Quincy have been hiding all this time (prior to their reveal), but I'm sure that'll be revealed soon enough. I also can't wait until they finally reveal the history of Ichigo's dad (why he, a captain level Shinigami, left Soul Society, & why no one in Soul Society seems to know he exists. You'd think they'd know something is up with Ichigo when he first arrived in Soul Society during the Invasion arc, sharing the same family name & abilities as someone who was obviously high ranked in their organization at one time).

Whatever the case, this arc is better than that crappy Fullbring Arc...

I'm on Ch. 522. Oh, you're on 512? No wonder it seems remotely interesting.
To me the whole Quincies coming from nowhere and being more powerful than everyone seems stupid. The only remotely thing I feel is awesome about this arc is that they killed off 2 named characters (SPOILERS Byakuya doesn't die End Spoilers) and making Retsu the scariest character in the entire series.

The power of the Quincies is actually pretty well explained, from what I have read.

It was mentioned (by the Quincy Ichigo fought in Hueco Mundo), that all the weapons Uryu Ishida have are outdated relics inherited from his grandfather, and thus not as powerful as their current weaponry (at least 200 years more refined, for the sole purpose of war with Soul Society). Even with his outdated gear, Uryu was able to match (and actually best) a captain's Bankai (when he fought Mayuri in the Invasion Arc), at the cost of his abilities.

With their 200 years of refinement, the Quincy have been able to perfect that form (where they won't lose their powers), giving them an equivalent to Bankai. Furthermore, they have been able to force the captains into a handicapped state, where they're unable to fight at full strength. In other words, they are equal to (not superior) to the captains in strength, but the captains aren't able to fight at full strength (if they were able to use their Bankai, and thus fight at full strength, they'd be able to fight at an even level, as is shown when Ichigo fought his opponent in Hueco Mundo, and when Kenpachi was able to defeat 3 Stern Ritter).

I'll agree that the sudden appearance of the Quincy (an entire army, in fact) kind of came out of left field, but they still have time to explain it, I suppose.

Has someone already picked up the first half of Little Busters? Crunchyroll only has episode 13 onwards.

_{not that I was excited for it or anything...}

_/hides

I was also going to check out Encouragement of Climb because I didn't see much else that I could get into easily, but the first episode was buggy :/ I think my iTouch is too old to use the Crunchyroll app, so back to youtube I go, ho hum

@Magikarp - The rest of Little Busters will appear at a steady rate, which means I can safely put it off until it's done.

Also, yeah, if you're iPod Touch is gen 3 or older, and doesn't support iOS 4.3.1 or higher, you can't run the CR app anymore. It sucks...not that I found it easy to watch anime on my iPod, anyways, but whatever, it still sucks.

Blue Exorcist is a slow show. I love the anime's slightly faster pace and style, but it is still exceedingly slow to start. The anime only gets going, like, halfway into it. And then it's over in 12 episodes. I do love the emphasis on story and characters, rather than on action, but that can only carry an action anime so far. And to be quite honest, the action so far has been boring (I got halfway into the anime), and I flipped through volume 3 of the manga, and the action is still fairly boring. I'm not asking them to go to rediculous power-levels early on like Fairy Tail, but...the main character rarely fights. He's the son of the g-ddamned Devil. I want to see him fight. -_-

Well, the Shonen Jump ALpha is now officially Weekly Shonen Jump. The design is much better and looks great.

...However, I am confused as to it being synced with Japan, as the chapters are those that I read translations of last week...
Hmm. I'm gonna go figure this out...