I've just recently started getting into some anime, mostly films since I don't have the patience or the time to sit through hours and hours of a series that I can't complete in one night. But what I've really loved the best is the stuff that isn't aimed solely at young men or another specifically targeted demographic - like the works of Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai. Another one I've seen recently is The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, which blew me away.

Can anyone recommend other stuff in this same vein? I don't have anything against violent or young male centered anime, it's just that for obvious reasons there's a lot more information available in English online for that as opposed to more general audience stuff - this board itself is proof of that. But I know Ghibli is very profitable, so there must be other anime out there in the same vein. IMDb recommendations are useless as usual.

Ah, I see. You don't really care for the old run of the mill male hero who battles monsters. I know of a few anime movies that I think you'd love. If you love Miyazaki, then I'm guessing you already seen his masterpieces Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Nausica: Of The Valley Of The Wind.

One of my favorite anime movies is Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven's door. There is a series called Cowboy Bebop, but you do NOT have to see the series to understand anything. In fact, I watched the movie first and instantly wanted to watch the series. It's very different from Miyazaki and it DOES have violence (with guns and spaceship chases), but it also has it's share of comedy, romance, and adventure. Give it a chance.

Another one I'd recommend is Perfect Blue. It was made in 1997 and it does not center around a male hero who battles monsters. It has a slow start, but I heard the ending is great! It's about "the story of Kirigoe Mima, a Pop Star, who is announcing her retirement from singing so that she can pursue a career in acting. The transition is a tough one, and suddenly she starts receiving threatening letters. About the same time, she also comes across a web-site that seems to know too many personal details about her. It is tough for her, because she hasn't been an actor, and she must take on roles that are "beneath" her in order to get her start. When a close friend dies she starts to go inside herself, and question everything that she has become as a person. The story evolves as we learn more and more about her, and the life that someone in her line of work lives. This is a story about obsession, and there are times when the violence is a little over the top, but it ends up being necessary to the film as we are led on a story that has one amazing ending."

-IceBlink

Thank you so much for your sharing. I think I need to find it out.