Have all the good ideas been taken?

[BadgerGold]

Think about it, they all seem to be taken! And an anime can't really made without copying
Yu-Gi-Oh takes away card games and games in general tbh.
Naruto takes away ninjas.
Dragonball takes away super powers and space.
One Piece takes away pirates.
Pokemon takes away collecting monsters.
Monster Rancher takes away raising monsters and video games.
Bleach takes away the afterlife.
Full Metal Alchemist takes away science.

There are loads of romantic ones and some strange ones too but reall the first class ideas have been taken.
BUT we can help! (I suppose although we might not actually accomplish anything)
Think up some ideas with me! Ideas that you think could actually happen and not just regurgitated.

I have three ideas:

Knights (But with super swords/horses or some jizz)
Pilots (But like with super planes or some jizz)
Vikings (But with super beards or some jizz)

Fire away people! Share ideas! And create a story if you wish!

[HolyShadow]

SIMPSONS DID IT

[Eia]

SIMPSONS DID IT

DAMNIT

[BadgerGold]

What did the simpsons do? Regurgitate?

[XxEnslavedNekoxX]

Every idea has already been done. But it isn't so much the ideas as the characters and the journeys that make things so fun to watch. We watch the same things over and over again but the characters and journeys is what make us like one thing over another even if it is the same thing.

Besides that all those animes are all mainstream things. What about Record of Lodoss War? Or Berserk?

[Kochiha]

Nobody's done a bottle of Mountain Dew having a staring contest with Geddy Lee.

[XxEnslavedNekoxX]

What about animals that turn into other animals? Like a horse that turns into a dog? Can't say there would be a story that one could grasp, but I don't think that's been done XD

[Kochiha]

I'll get to work on that.
Another one I can't think of is somebody that cuts themself off from the world by not speaking because they are afraid of the terrible acts humans commit. (His Christian Science parents don't help.) His only method of communication would be the psychic link he has with his twin sister. The psychic twins thing has been done, I know, but having it in conjunction with that other stuff sounds damn good.

[XxEnslavedNekoxX]

I'll get to work on that.
Another one I can't think of is somebody that cuts themself off from the world by not speaking because they are afraid of the terrible acts humans commit. (His Christian Science parents don't help.) His only method of communication would be the psychic link he has with his twin sister. The psychic twins thing has been done, I know, but having it in conjunction with that other stuff sounds damn good.

That definitely sounds interesting. I'd read that :D

[Kochiha]

Expect it in a couple of weeks, perhaps.

[XxEnslavedNekoxX]

Awesome :D
I'll be waiting impatiently. ^_^

[fairywings]

And this is why I prefer older anime. :P I feel like new series are mostly just rehashes of old ideas, and I can usually find an older show that is really similar that I prefer to any new show. However, there are some gems of new shows that take a common plot idea and rework it to make it innovative or add a new element to make it interesting.

I actually wouldn't even say that most of the shows you listed should be on there as taking away certain plot points because there are countless shows before them that had them. For example, a LOT of early anime deals with space/aliens (Robotech, Harlock, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Galaxy Express 999, Urusei Yatsura, etc), and ninjas are also a popular theme in anime such as Ninja Scroll, Ninja Ressurection, Ninja Cadets - and those are just the ones with Ninja in the name off the top of my head, lol.(also Shadow Skill is a decent one too) Yu Yu Hakusho, Nazca, Devilman, and just about any anime with demons can also be said to deal with the afterlife. You could consider Akira, Lain, Generator Gawl, etc science anime too (a lot of things in the sci-fi or genetic modification type genres). I agree there are not that many pirate anime other than space pirates, but there is a 70s show called Treasure Island, and the anime Black Lagoon involves pirates too. I will agree with your Pokemon and YuGiOh examples though. :)

And there are plenty of anime about Knights of many types - see Record of Lodoss War, Magic Knights Rayearth, Berserk, most fantasy comedies(like Slayers, Elf Princess Rane, Dragon Half, or Rune Soldier) have knights involved too.
And there are lots of pilot anime too - Porco Rosso, 801 T.T.S. Airbats, Yukikaze, the Cockpit, Sky Crawlers(actually 2008), etc.

Because all of these common plot types are already taken, most of the newer anime that have innovative plots tend to be either really out there, or just have interesting character relationships or great comedy. I have yet to see a real Viking anime, as you have mentioned! (That might be interesting...)

[fairywings]

What about animals that turn into other animals? Like a horse that turns into a dog? Can't say there would be a story that one could grasp, but I don't think that's been done XD

In Pom Poko, the tanuki(raccoon dogs) can transform into other figures such as other animals or humans. I'm sure that could be expanded upon though for a whole show, though. :P

[DannyLilithborne]

Ideas should not be judged by how original they are. Originality is absolutely impossible. Even what you think is original has its sources in something in the past. It is impossible to avoid being infuenced by past works.

Blind pursuit of originality will lead to death, 'cause that's the only thing you can do while living that you haven't done before. :P