The Top 50 Anime of All Time...According to Anime Insider

[EricDent]

Here is a list of the Top 50 Anime of All Time, as seen in the 50th Issue of Anime Insider.

Long Post alert

50: Vision Of Escaflowne
49: Saikano
48: Berserk
47: Kino's Journey
46: Cardcaptor Sakura
45: Fantastic Children
44: Irresponsible Captain Tylor
43: Giant Robo: The Animation
42: Twelve Kingdoms
41: Azumanga Daioh
40: Urusei Yatsura
39: Astro Boy
38: Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
37: Fruits Basket
36: Night On The Galactic Railroad
35: Excel Saga
34: Trigun
33: Read Or Die OVA
32: Princess Mononoke
31: Gunbuster: Aim For The Top!
30: Samurai X: Trust And Betrayal
29: The Place Promised In Our Early Days
28: Planetes
27: Samurai Champloo
26: Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket
25: Princess Tutu
24: Serial Experiments Lain
23: Galaxy Express 999
22: Patlabor The Movie 2
21: Tokyo Godfathers
20: Gankutsuou
19: My Neighbor Totoro
18: Boogiepop Phantom
17: Paranoia Agent
16: Grave Of The Fireflies
15: Haibane Renmei
14: Ghost In The Shell/Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
13: Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind
12: Now And Then, Here And There
11: Fullmetal Alchemist
10: Macross Plus
9: Akira
8: The Castle of Cagliostro
7: Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
6: Neon Genesis Evangellion
5: Revolutionary Girl Utena
4: FLCL
3: Millennium Actress
2: Porco Rosso
1: Cowboy Bebop

What are your thoughts?

[SpiritOfFire]

List doesn't know what the hell it's talking about.

[EricDent]

So, what would your "Top 10" be? Let's just do 10, cause 50 takes too long.

10: Azumanga Daioh
9: Hellsing Ultimate
8: Ai Yori Aoshi
7: Love Hina
6: Tenchi Muyo!
5: Pani Poni Dash!
4: Nerima Daikon Brothers
3: Guyver
2: SDF Macross
1: Gatchaman

[Kayro Shin]

List doesn't know what the hell it's talking about.

I concur with that :up:

So, what would your "Top 10" be? Let's just do 10, cause 50 takes too long.



My Top 10 is in my sign :p

[Mack_Tien]

Anime Insider should've kept that list amongst themselves ...

My top 10 (no particular order) ...

1) One Piece
2) Flame of Recca
3) Fullmetal Alchemist
4) Naruto
5) Dragonball
6) GTO
7) Trigun
8) Fist of the North Star
9) DragonballZ
10) JoJo Bizarre Adventures OVA

[Miang]

It's nice to see Utena made it up as high as #5.

[coolmccool5]

1. (tie) Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, and InuYasha movie 3
2. (tie) Cardcaptor Sakura and Blood+
3. One Piece
4. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
5. Naruto: the Movie
6. Sailor Moon
7. Love Hina
8. Cowboy Bebop (Haven't seen the entire series yet, so it may change in place)
9. Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
10. Samurai Shamploo

[Planeswalker28]

List doesn't know what the hell it's talking about.

Damn strait!

Naruto/Naruto Shippuden
Pokémon/Pokémon Chronicles/Pokémon D/P
Full Metal Alchemist
Dragon Ball Z
Zatch Bell
Avatar(if it counts)
One Piece

Thats just off the top of my head and in no particular order(i did it fast so there is not 10 of'em).

[SS4Zach]

1.Death Note
2.Fullmetal Alchemist
3.Kaketyo Hitman REBORN!
4.Trigun
5.Hellsing
6.Paranoia Agent
7.One Piece
8.Yu Yu Hakusho
9.Naruto
10.Dragonball

[Kingoji]

Freaking Evangelion, baby!!

Also Nadesico, FMP!, Negima!?, Excel Saga, Akira, Guyver, Trigun (LOVE AND PEACE!!!), FMP?F!, FMP!TSR.

[darkblade123]

i dont even know 50 anime

1. naruto
2. full metal alchemist
3. elfen lied
4. yu yu hakusho
5. pokemon
6. tenjou tegne
7. death note
8. dragonball
9. bleach
10. one piece
11. beet the vandel buster
12. hunter x hunter
13. inuyasha
14. yugioh
15. MAR
16. digimon
17. zatch bell
18. shaman king
19. rave master
20. spiral
21. blood +


thats about all i can remember that i really liked

[Biollante spawn]

Gundam wing :)
G gundam
Gundam seed destiny
Just gundam in general is the best, its been around since the 70's

[Fred333]

The list looks pretty solid to me.

[SpiritOfFire]

G Gundam
Trigun
Samurai Champloo
Mobile Suit Gundam WING
Paranoia Agent
Fullmetal Alchemist
Neon Genesis Evangelion
FLCL
Cowboy Bebop
Eureka seveN


In terms of dubs, this list is appropriate.

[EricDent]

After I am done typing it up on another forum, I will post the "Reasons" they chose these anime as the Top 50. Note they are more like reviews of the shows, which include MAJOR spoilers for people who have never seen them.

These are taken directly from the magazine, so don't blame me.

Here is a quick example:

# 50
Vision of Escaflowne (Bandai)

Mecha shows and high fantasy have such different styles that any marriage between them should end in disaster - but in Escaflowne, it's the best of both worlds, The story of Hitomi, a high school girl transported to Gaia, where she aids a winged prince with her new clairvoyant abilities, has all the elements of good fantasy, plus stylized robot combat and swordfights. The rich world of Gaia has plenty of nuanced characters; the heroes are imperfect and the villains are dastardly without being caricatures. Even with Hitomi's power, viewers never know what will happen next, as the ability to predict the future continually changes it. "[It] inspired me to become a voice actor," actor Crispin Freeman says of the series.

Warning: When it is done, it will be a VERY LONG post. Just letting you know.

[Miang]

The main thing I remember about Escaflowne was that it had Sir Isaac Newton as the mysterious shadowy evil mastermind guy at the end... I did like the mecha designs though.

There's plenty of reasons to justify Utena though, probably not the least of which is that there's really nothing else out there like it. The plot revolves around a rather bent story tale in which a girl, after being rescued by an anachronistic prince on a white horse resolves to become one herself and who comes to a strange school where the campus elites are embroiled in a series of ritualistic duels revolving around the ownership of and engagement to the Rose Bride at the behest of "The End of the World". There's the Escher-esque design of the dueling arena with the fairytale castle suspended upside down above it, the pseudo-operatic themes for each duel, plenty of surrealistic touches (Surf-boarding elephants, boxing kangaroos, an episode wherein one of the characters becomes convinced she's laid an egg), growing up, emotional despair, ennui, incest, so on and so...

It's great in its own right, I've certainly never seen anything else that can switch back and forth from comedy to seriousness so frequently and easily, but the sheer uniqueness of it ought to guarantee it a spot even if nothing else was considered.

[Th3DarkCloud]

Eh, I agree, the list is just...
I mean, they have Astro Boy there... I only saw part of the dub of it, but still, it was horrible.


But anyway, here's my top ten (not in order):

Code Geass
Death Note
FullMetal Alchemist
One Piece
Rental Magica
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Jigoku Shoujo
Rurouni Kenshin (before the fillers ruined it/got it cancelled)
Ghost Hound
Clannad

Yeah, three on the list have only a few episodes out so far, but they're still awesome.

[Dbfan]

That list sucked so bad.

Mine would be

1. Samurai Champloo
2. Ghost in the Shell
3. Hellsing
4. FLCL
5. One Piece
6. Lupin the III
7. Hagaren
8. Evangelion
9. Yu Yu Hakusho
10. Trigun

Like I always say, if I had all the anime I watched in front of me, my list would probably be a lot different. I simply have bad memory, and can never remember the names of anime I've watched.

[EricDent]

The first of several parts of Mini-reviews of the "Top 50 Anime of All Time" as written in Anime Insider Magazine. I will do 10 at a time to save a long wall of text.

These are NOT my reviews, they are DIRECTLY from the magazine.

Warning: May Contain Spoilers from the show

LONG posts...

#s 50-40

#50
Vision of Escaflowne (Bandai)

Mecha shows and high fantasy have such different styles that any marriage between them should end in disaster - but in Escaflowne, it's the best of both worlds, The story of Hitomi, a high school girl transported to Gaia, where she aids a winged prince with her new clairvoyant abilities, has all the elements of good fantasy, plus stylized robot combat and swordfights. The rich world of Gaia has plenty of nuanced characters; the heroes are imperfect and the villains are dastardly without being caricatures. Even with Hitomi's power, viewers never know what will happen next, as the ability to predict the future continually changes it. "[It] inspired me to become a voice actor," actor Crispin Freeman says of the series.

#49
Saikano (VIZ Media)

This series about the romance between high school seniors Shuji and Chise warms viewers' hearts, then stomps them in "the most bittersweet love story you will ever watch," according to Lance Heiskell, marketing director of FUNimation. The couple lives in a small town, isolated from the conflict raging around them, until a nearby city is bombed, killing a friend of Shuji's and revealing Chise's secret: she's been transformed into a military weapon. She struggles to maintain control of her body while Shuji tries in vain to distance himself from an old flame. The series is a frighteningly realistic portrayal of war, especially the toll it takes on the younger generation, those who are incapable of preventing conflict but made to fight.

#48
Berserk (Media Blasters)

A fantasy saga for those who hate the prim and convenient elves-and-rings stuff, Berserk is a fierce tale of medieval war and hardened warriors, where the only magic is dark and twisted. Born on the battlefield, Guts is a cold mercenary who catches the eye of Griffith, the leader of the Band of the Hawks. Griffith manages to force Guts to join by defeating him in a swordfight, embittering Guts and making his most loyal solider, Caska, jealous of Griffith's trust in the newcomer. Besides a desire for glory and a gift for strategy, Griffith has dangerous ambitions and dark secrets, and they'll envelop everyone around him. Betrayal, bloodshed, and the occult round out this not for the weak-hearted series.

#47
Kino's Journey (ADV Films)

At a glance, Kino's Journey seems a laid back chronicle of one young traveler and a talking motorcycle. Yet director Ryutaro Nakamura (Lain) and witer Sadayuki Murai (Cowboy Bebop) lace it with deceptively gentle allegory, sending Kino through one symbolic locale after another: a town of pleasant, maturity-obsessed adults rationalizes murder, and a group of stranded cargo handlers shares a disturbing secret once Kino rescues them. While it might be didactic in a lesser show, Kino's Journey presents its little meditations with an evenness that's rare in any medium. Kino's world may be a calm and frequently cute place, but the stories within it make for an uncommonly sharp series.

#46
Cardcaptor Sakura (Geneon)

If you've never given the often-disappointing genre of majical girl shows a try, you've never seen what super artist group CLAMP (X, Tsubasa, Chobits) can do. Sure, the series sold toys, but it also spun a multi-layered tale about the hardships of growing up that was accessible to adults as it was to grade-schoolers. Young Sakura's accidental release of the dangerous Clow Cards obliges her to catch them, a task in which she is assisted (and thwarted) by friends and strangers alike. Sakura doesn't always win, and there are as many sad moments as there are happy ones, but when you've got Kero, the adorable guardian of the Cards, on your side, you can't help but keep trrying.

#45
Fantastic Children (Bandai)

This compelling drama of otherworldly technology and love spans time and space, set to hauntingly beautiful music composed by Kouji Ueno. In 2012, living on an island with his parents, Tohma offers help to a pair of orphans, pulling him into a hundred-year-old mystery. The girl Helga compulsively paints a strange image, a shadow of a memory connected to the Belfort Children, white haired kids who keep popping up across generations, searching for the reincarnation of their beloved princess. As the paths cross, Tohma learns the truth behind these mysterious figures, and his own connection to their home. Filled with romance and adventure, this is one often-overlooked series that is truely...well, see the title,

#44
Irresponsible Captain Tylor (Right Stuf)

Along with Ranma 1/2 and Tenchi Muyo, Tylor is responsible (no pun intended) for creating scores of anime fans in the mid-'90s, promising the adventures of "The Most Irresponsible Man In Space." Justy Ueki Tylor joins the Space Navy hoping for a life of leisure, but lucks into commanding the Soyokaze - the spaceship serving as the dumping ground for the Navy's misfits. Despite his laziness, his inability to stand up to his crew and his complete lack of awareness. Tylor manages to outwit enemy fleets, befriend the princess of the enemy Ralgon Empire, and save humanity. The best part? The anime never really answers whether Tylor is a secret genius or just a lucky idiot, leaving the viewers wondering just like his crew.

#43
Giant Robo: The Animation (Media Blasters)

A tribute stunning in its ambition, Giant Robo honors not just Mitsuteru Yokoyama's campy Giant Robo manga, but nearly everything else he created. Drawing upon Yokoyama works from Sally the Witch Sangokushi, director Yashiro Imagawa throws the title robot and its prepubescent handler, Daisaku, into a war between the high-powered Experts of Justice and the enigmatic terrorist group known as Big Fire, with civilization itself hanging in the balance. Giant Robo isn't afraid to sacrifice its best characters for the sake of good ol' bombast, and while the story is ostensibly about Daisaku and his big robot, the best moments lie in the supporting cast of over-the-top heroes and their marvelously animated slugfests.

#42
Twelve Kingdoms (Anime Works)

No mere escape-and-wish-fulfillment fantasy, Twelve Kingdoms offers a rich, complicated world that runs by its own set of intricate rules. When she's swept away to the land of the Twelve Kingdoms, flame=haired Yoko would rather be back in Japan, even teased as she was by all her schoolmates, some of whom arrived with her. The land is harsh, she's not treated like a princess and she must solve the mystery of what brought her here and how she can get back. Twelve Kingdoms refuses to simply dazzle with strange creatures and magic, instead investing in character development and a perfectly paced plot.

#41
Azumanga Daioh (ADV Films)

Oddly, there are very few animes just about schoolgirls. Sure, you've got schoolgirls with robots, schoolgirls with psychic powers and plenty of naughty schoolgirls. But Azumanga Daioh is just about six girls becoming friends, learning and growing up -and being incredibly hilarious at the same time. Together, the six deal with homework, tests, bizarre teachers, school festivals and summer trips. Its potent humor comes not from overblown nonsense, but from how real and recognizable the characters and situations are. Anyone who's been in high school can find something to laugh at.

#40
Urusei Yatsura (AnimEigo)

Before Inuyasha, before Ranma 1/2, Rumiko Takahashi catapulted herself to fame with Urusei Yatsura, the twisted tale of the world's most lecherous high school student, Ataru, and the alien girl Lum, who is determined to marry him. With a huge cast of characters drawing from Japanese myth and countless parodies, no other anime has ever managed to be so insane. "Takahashi's first series is, in my mind, her best," says Rob Bricken, former editor of Anime Insider. "It's a cavalcade of insanity and hilarity, providing a broad canvas for absolutely anything to happen upon, as long as it's devastatingly funny, even 25 years later. The mayhem is so insane that alien invasions stop impressing the main characters by about episode 15."

So there you have it.

[Biollante spawn]

i want to hear why gundam is #26...and plus iv never heard of war in the pocket....

[EricDent]

Part 2 #39-29

#39
Astro Boy (Right Stuf)

You can credit the genius of Osamu Tezuka that Astro Boy is just as entertaining now as when it first aired in Japan in 1963. Astro has entertained three generations, fighting for robot equality, learning about humanity, dealing with rejection from his creator Dr. Tenma and beating up bad guys and bad robots alike. What could have easily been a one-note heroic character is so much more, because of the tragedy and prejudice Astro overcomes during his adventures. Astro holds the honor of being the only anime character made an honorary Japanese citizen - on April 7, 2003, in Takadanobaba, where Tezuka predicted Astro would be created when he made the manga in 1951.

#38
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (Urban Vision)

When it comes to animation, Bloodlust gets bonus points for a slick, beautiful presentation that far outstrips the original Vampire Hunter D. But the sequel, directed by Ninja Scroll's Yoshiaki Kawajiri, is more than just darkly pretty; it's a brilliant adaptation of (and an improvement on) Hideyuki Kurata's third VHD novel. Pretty-boy vampires are everywhere in anime, but this film gives a depth of humanity to Meier Link, who just wants to love a human woman. And then there is the stoic half-vampire D, trapped between one world he doesn't want and the one that doesn't want him, letting viewers see all sides in a dramatic tug-of-war. The action is satisfyingly intense as D fights creatively monstrous ghouls on the way to a final dramatic showdown.

#37
Fruits Basket (FUNimation)

Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket is the best selling shojo manga in America, and it's anime is just as popular. Why has it succeeded where so many have failed? The perfect combination of humor, drama, romance and action, as helmed by director Akitaro Daichi...and of course, the the plethora of bishonen certainly don't hurt either. The plot - the impossibly good-natured Tohru meets the mysterious Sohma family, who turn into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac when hugged by members of the opposite sex - sounds like standard shojo fare, but it makes no mention of Tohru and the Sohmas' emotional damage, nor of the gut-busting humor found throughout the series.

#36
Night on the Galactic Railroad (Central Park Media)

Many directors tried to extract movies from Kenji Miyazawa's famous unfinished 1927 novel Night on the Galactic Railroad. None succeeded until writer Hiroshi Masumara and director Gisaburo Sugii (Touch) turned into a haunting anime odyssey, transforming the cast of Miyazawa's story into cats. A feline boy named Giovanni escapes a life of poverty by hitching a ride on a flying train that appears during a village festival. He's joined by his only friend, Campanella, and the two witness strange sights as their journey and the film itself veer toward a subtly grim determination.

#35
Excel Saga (ADV Films)

Mere words cannot do justice to Excel Saga. Sure, we can say the main character dies several times. Or that she tries to kill her manga creator. Or that the director himself appears to cause havoc. Excel Saga is theoretically about Excel's pitiful attempts to take over the city of F for her boss Ilpalazzo, but mainly it's a non-stop stream of Monty Python-esque lunacy, brutal parodies of anime, and a lot of pure nonsense. It probably contains more dialogue per episode than any other anime, thanks to Excel's lengthy speeches. You might figure out hat she is saying, but you'll never figure out what's going on. And we like it that way.

#34
Trigun (Geneon)

What happens when a rogue priest, two insurance girls and an outlaw worth sixty billion double-dollars walk into a bar? If the outlaw is Vash the Stampede, mass destruction is the most likely result. The wild west atmosphere of Studio Madhouse's (Ninja Scroll) Trigun and it's humanoid typhoon with a heart of gold result in plenty of madcap hijinks and some of anime's most exciting gun battles, but like its pacifist gunman hero, it's more than it seems, asking some heavy questions. In a world with no future, can everyone be saved? Is forgiveness possible once someone has broken a precious vow? The climatic battle gets points for being as much about Vash's emotional journey as who's the quickest draw.

#33
Read Or Die (Manga Entertainment)

From the Bond-esque opening theme, Read or Die screams its unique brand of cool. Take the spy films of the '60s, add crazy powers, like the ability to control paper, throw in a great deal of bibliomania, and you get Read or Die. Yomiko Readman, a.k.a The Paper, is a secret agent for the British Library who has to stop the evil reincarnations of historical figures like Beethoven from killing everyone in the world. With great characters, a great soundtrack and incredible action, the Read or Die OVA is the cream of the R.O.D. crop, and one of the most entertaining anime ever made.

#32
Princess Mononoke (Miramax)

Princess Mononoke is the darkest of Hayao Miyazaki's works, with more violence and a less optimistic ending. After being cursed by a rampaging boar god, Prince A****aka leaves his village to find what caused the boar's madness. He finds Irontown, where Lady Eboshi manufactures iron bullets and guns, to the resentment of the forest, its spirits, and the wild girl San. A****aka becomes caught in the middle of a brutal war between nature and technology. "As a new fable," says Scott Green of AICN.com Anime, "Princess Mononoke stands as an eye-opening testament to what anime can offer.

#31
Gunbuster: Aim For The Top! (Bandai Visual)

Years before Evangellion or FLCL, Gainax dove straight into the heart of '80s geek fandom with the space opera Gunbuster. Kicking off as a parody of sports drama and giant robots, the series transforms rapidly around heroine Noriko and her part in an interstellar war against gargantuan space insects. It may start silly, but Noriko's path from starry-eyed schoolgirl to elite mecha pilot hits every high point of classic anime science fiction - and even invents a few of its own. Directed by future Evangellion helmsman Hideaki Anno, Gunbuster's a hard-hitting classic.

#30
Samurai X: Trust And Betrayal (ADV Films)

It's a prequel to the Ruroni Kenshin series, but you'll find no goofy samurai here. Trust and Betrayal is a dark drama that tells the story of Kenshin's early days as a misguided assassin. Kenshin gets a harsh wake-up call when he is drawn to Tomoe, the fiancée of one of his victims. Wanted by just about everyone, he runs off with her, and the results leave him with an eternal regret. With its unique combination of animation and live-action footage, Trust and Betrayal is a heartbreaking look at one of anime's most famous samurai.

#29
The Place Promised In Our Early Days (ADV Films)

The Place Promised is a lyrically beautiful film that tracks a war in an alternate-future Japan and its effect on three high school friends: Takuya joins an underground rebellion, Hiroki drifts aimlessly and Sayuri lapses into a coma connected to a tower that pierces the fabric of space and time. Trapped in a bizarre self-created world, she struggles with loneliness and her unspoken crush on Hiroki. It all comes together wonderfully at the film's climax, establishing director Makoto Shinkai's gift for mixing spectacular imagery with heart-rending pathos.

[Biollante spawn]

waaa still no gundam

[EricDent]

OK I get the gist, War in the Pocket it is.

#28-18

#28
Planettes (Bandai Entertainment)

Some brands of spacefarers are trying to save worlds. Others are just trying to clean up the garbage. Such is the fate of the members of Half Section, the team that has the dangerous but little-respected job of clearing debris from Earth's atmosphere in the year 2075, when travel to the moon and space stations is common. The setting is out of this world, but the cast is fully down to earth; poignant character development builds emotional bonds with viewers. It's not all drama, either - the low gravity "moon ninjas" episode is hilarity no anime fan should miss.

#27
Samurai Champloo (Geneon)

The buddy flick and the road-trip movie are two staples of modern cinema. Combine them with hip-hop and make it a 26-episode series by famed director Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop) and what do you get? A stylish, action packed series that plays merry **** with the notion of historical accuracy. As waitress Fuu, samurai Jin and vagrant ronin Mugen make their way across Japan in search of the Sunflower Samurai, viewers get to see everything from riotous comedy that lampoons both anime and its viewers to poignant tales of love, loss and family. No matter where the trio goes or what they find, this is one series where the journey truly is more important than the destination.

#26
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket (Bandai)

Ever since robots went to war in 1979's Mobile Suit Gundam, Gandam series have ruled geek hearts with gritty battlefield drama and sleekly designed mecha - but 0080 stands above the rest. Bratty little Al views the One Year War like it's a TV superhero show, since he lives in a neutral space colony far from the front lines. But when Zeon soldiers arrive to spy on the colony, the story becomes one of friendship and betrayal. With its unflinching gut-punch of a final episode, War in the Pocket nails everything that makes Gundam worthwhile.

#25
Princess Tutu (ADV Films)

Once upon a time, a young prince shattered his own heart to defeat an evil raven...but the storyteller died before the narrative was complete. When the fairy tale collided with real life, the result was a young ballerina named Duck who really was a duck, and was also a dancer named Princess Tutu with the power to restore the lost emotions of the prince's heart - including loneliness and fear. Less a magical girl story than a meeting of ballet and folklore, Tutu transcended the genre by examining the very nature of stories. Is there any use in defying fate? Tutu takes a simple premise and crafts a complex story.


#24
Serial Experiments Lain (Geneon)

It may seem laughable now, but the '90s saw science fiction fascinated by the Internet and all it promised. While Hollywood takes on this brave new World Wide Web frequently became unintentional comedy (Hackers, anyone?) , one anime series had the right idea. Set in the alleged "present day," Lain's title schoolgirl prodigy investigates a classmate's suicide through the vast "Wired," touching on government conspiracies, secret societies and all the weirdness you'd expect to find on the Internet. Coated in symbolism, Lain covers a lot of territory in its 13 episodes, including mental disintegration, the breakdown of the family ideal, the nature of reality and how a net-connected world changes all of these. Pretentious it may be, but Lain actually has something to say, and its intellectual core gives it the staying power that all good sci-fi needs.

#23
Galaxy Express 999 (Viz Media)

The Galaxy Express 999 is a steam-powered train rolling through the stars, but it's merely a means to an end for young Tetsuro, who's out to avenge his mothers death, even if it means putting himself in an undying robot body. Along the way, he'll meet a mysterious woman named Maetel and come to some harsh realizations about the true price of immortality. Themes of honor, revenge and life's meaning crop up in all of Leiji Matsumoto's stories, but Galaxy Express 999 has a particularly dramatic edge that strengthens the film's goofy premise (and even goofier theme song), and the ride is worth taking.

#22
Patlabor The Movie 2 (Manga/Bandai Visual)

Director Mamoru Oshii and writer Kazunori Ito, who'd later collaborate on Ghost in Shell, found something great when they turned their slice-of-life mecha series Patlabor into a top-caliber political thriller. When a terrorist act puts near-future Japan under martial law, clues about the culprits are revealed to an unlikely source: police commanders Goto and Nagumo. The mecha battles are amazing, but Patlabor 2, which director Junichi Fujisaku (BLOOD+) dubs "a masterpiece unsurpassed even today," gets its real draw from Oshii's meditations on the future of Japan and its neutered military.

#21
Tokyo Godfathers (Sony Pictures)

Three homeless friends - a drunkard, a transvestite, and a runaway - find an abandoned baby in the trash on Christmas Eve, and attempt to track down "Kiyoko's" mother. Being biologically male, Hana is thrilled with the role of temporary mother, while Gin is reminded of his failures as a father, and Miyuki struggles with homesickness. The trio's journey takes them from their pasts to the completely unexpected, courtesy of director Satoshi Kon and Kiyoko's inherent luck. Tokyo Godfathers gives off a warm-fuzzy feeling as the members of this odd family are granted their own Christmas miracles.

#20
Gankutsuou (Geneon)

Revenge is a dish best served fabulous. That's the lesson we took away from the mind-blowingly beautiful Gankutsuou , a space-age spin on Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. Years ago, Edmund Dantes was betrayed and lost his best friends, his fiancée and his freedom. Wit the help of a demon-like entity that lives inside of him, he's back as the Count, ready to take revenge on his former cohorts as well as their children, no matter what it costs him. Not only is this vengeance tale told with enough grace to make it worthy of the literature classic, but the series is absolutely gorgeous. The bold, layered colored textures and digital animation give Gankutsuou a look never seen in anime before or since, making it a title worth seeing just for the visual delights; it just so happens that the story has enough intrigue and action to match its beauty.

#19
My Neighbor Totoro (Buena Vista)

Two children, 11-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei, move to the country where they enter the magical world of the huge, adorable creature called Totoro-and director Hayao Miyazaki pulls it together with such skill that it captivates all ages, and even reminds adults of what it's like to be a child, where everything is new and wonderful. "Miyazaki' work is a list of some of the best anime ever made," says Yen Press co-publishing director Kurt Hassler. "But Totoro captures a level of childlike simplicity and innocence that is so artfully achieved that few works - film or otherwise - can even approach." There is no better representation of Miyazaki's films...whic is why Totoro has become the mascot for Studio Ghibli itself.

#18
Boogiepop Phantom (Right Stuf)

It starts with a beam of light bursting from the roof of a high school-or is that where it ends? As several supernatural forces battle the elusive specter of Boogiepop for control of the school, the students caught in the crossfire are driven to bizarre extremes. It could've ended up just another high-school show, but writer Sadayuki Murai (Cowboy Bebop) turns the story into a fascinatingly non-linear series, highlighting the insecurities and triumphs of adolescence with a rare and penetrating honesty. Animated with deliberately muted palettes, Boogiepop might confuse us at times, but its twisting maze of stories is ultimately quite rewarding. Anything that can silence our snicker at the name "Boogiepop" deserves some respect.

[EricDent]

#17-7 (the rest will be later on cause I have not gotten that done yet).

#17
Paranoia Agent (Geneon)

For proof of Paranoia Agent's appeal, look no further than its trippy opening of laughing people in front of mushroom clouds and natural disasters set to an echoing song. The series was a shift from director Satoshi Kon's usual feature films, but retains his trademark psychological underpinnings and shocking plot twists. Many characters are pushed to their mental limits and then relieved from their suffering by a bat to the head from a leering boy on rollerblades. Two detectives attempt to uncover the perpetrator, only to find their own sense of reality slipping away. Gossiping housewives, a split-personality teacher and a host of others connected to each other through coincidences make this series as bizarre as it is gripping.

#16
Grave Of The Fireflies (Central Park Media)

Grave of the Fireflies is not just one of the greatest anime ever made, it's one of the greatest movies ever made. The only reason it's so low on this list is that it's hard to watch again - most people can only sit through the tragic tale of two orphaned children starving to death in the aftermath of the firebombing of Kobe during World War II once. In fact, it starts with narrator Seita dying, and gets more depressing from there. Based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Akiyuki Nosaka, Grave of the Fireflies is one of the most powerful anti-war films ever made, as declared by Roger Ebert. It doesn't side with anyone, simply examining the human cost of war with brutal honesty. Grave is required viewing for all anime fans.

#15
Haibane Renmei (Geneon)

A girl plummets from the sky above a pastoral village, striking Haibane Renmei's dual chords of the innocent and the ominous. When young Rakka falls into the town of Glie, she's welcomed among the Haibane and soon gets the stumpy wings and halo that mark her as one of the flock. Yet there is something subtly unnerving in Rakka's new home: a strange wall surrounds the village, and her fellow Haibane have secrets to hide. Inspired by the novels of Haruki Murakami, artist Yo****oshi Abe (Serial Experiments Lain) started Haibane as a simple fan comic and turned it into an entrancing animated fable. While the gentle pace and sepia-tinged animation might relax viewers for many episodes at a time, there is always a hint of despair in Rakka's life, and it only grows as the series continues. Other shows may move faster and burn brighter, but Haibane Renmei's detailed, touching character study is unmatched.

#14
Ghost In The Shell/Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Manga Entertainment/Bandai)

Mamoru Oshii's Ghost in the Shell dazzled audiences on both shores. Major Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg and member of Section 9, hunting down terrorists in a futuristic Japan. The film is a gripping crime drama with mind-blowing technology and a heaping dose of sci-fi reflections. Director Kenji Kamiyama calls it "the movie that depicted the big bang of that new infrastructure that we know as the Internet from an almost prophetic standpoint." Debuting seven years after the film, the series Stand Alone Complex perfectly captured the spirit of the original with the latest animation techniques.

#13
Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind (Buena Vista)

Based on Hayao Miyazaki's own manga and made in 1984, Nausicaa is set more than 1,000 years in the future, where ancient wars have rendered most of the planet poisonous. A young princess named Nausicaa tries to bring peace to the still-warring kingdoms and understand the deadly plants and insects that rule most of the world. "This movie really showcases [Miyazaki's] ability to massage his transcendental ideals into something so easy to watch for fans of all ages," says AnimeNewsNetwork columnist Bamboo Dong. Nausicaa is also Miyazaki's purest "message film" - lamenting the aggressive nature of humanity, and the power and beauty of nature.

#12
Now And Then, Here And There (Central Park Media)

In anime, it's not rare for a normal young boy to face overwhelming odds yet emerge victorious. But what happens when that boy is taken to the future, where children are forced to fight in a mad king's war and hope is a thing of the past? Akitaro Daichi (Fruits Basket) exposed the horrifying effect war has on children and the depths to which anyone can sink. Murder, **** and psychological abuse make this an emotionally searing tale, but the most frightening aspect isn't the unfamiliar landscape; it's that even so far into the future, such behavior is believable. Now and Then ends no happier or sadder than it should; it sticks with us because it's so hauntingly real.

#11
Fullmetal Alchemist (FUNimation)

If there is an heir to Evangellion's throne-an anime that is as brilliant as it is entertaining-then that anime is Fullmetal Alchemist. Two brothers, Ed and Al Elric, try to resurrect their mother to disastrous results: Ed loses an arm and a leg, while Al loses his entire body, getting stuck in a suit of armor. The brothers set out to find the Philosopher's Stone, which will allow them to fix their bodies...but they'll have to face beings called homunculi, a conspiracy in the military, humanity at its worst and the father who abandoned them when they were little. Although there's plenty of adventure and comedy, Fullmetal also comments on the brutality of war and genocide. This incredible combination sets Fullmetal Alchemist firmly on the throne.

#10
Macross Plus (Manga Entertainment)

Macross Plus lives up to its name-it's everything you loved about the original Macross, but taken to new heights. You'll find the same love triangles, unstable pop stars and awesome jets that transform into robots, but they're all better in Plus. The stars are the fighter pilots Isamu and Guld, former best friends with a major rift between them, who test new prototype jets for the military. There's Myung, the woman they both love, who's also providing the emotions for the galaxy's biggest-and totally digital-pop singer, Sharon Apple. Isamu and Guld turn their test flights into a bitter grudge match in which they nearly die, and Sharon goes berserk, kidnapping Myung and trying to kill Isamu while taking over the minds of her fans. The original Macross is a classic, but it's not that hard to improve on it when you have a staff like Plus. It was directed by the legendary Shoji Kawamori (who also helped create the original Macross) and co-directed by eventual Cowboy Bebop director Shinichiro Watanabe, with music by Yoko Kanno, whose Sharon Apple songs are still amazing techno-pop, making the soundtrack a best seller for years. The combination of Macross' mecha and then state-of-the-art 3-D CG animation still holds up nearly 15 years later. But most of all, it's the incredibly real and realized characters that make Macross Plus such compelling viewing, just like the original Macross...but more so.

#9
Akira (Geneon)

From the opening destruction of Tokyo by nuclear explosion to the final battle between the massive, out-of-control psychic Tetsuo and the laser-wielding Kanada, Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is relentless, and relentlessly awesome. Neo-Tokyo is full of terrorists, marauding motorcycle gangs and the forces of a semi-fascist government. when biker Tetsuo is captured for his psychic abilities, his friend Kanada gets caught up in a revolutionary attack, the government's secret psychic program, and Tetsuo's own mental issues and anguish, which could mean the destruction of the entire city. Made in 1988 with the largest budget ever for an anime (at the time), Akira was a calling card around the world about the possibilities of animation as an art form. Even now, nearly 20 years later, the film holds up visually to even the most recently made anime, bolstered in no small part by the incredible soundtrack by Shoji Yamashiro and some amazing action set-pieces. More importantly, Akira's examination of social instability, disaffected youth and power is just as pertinent now as it was then. It's no wonder Akira is considered one of the greatest animated films ever made.

#8
The Castle Of Cagliostro (Manga Entertainment)

It should come as no surprise that the best Lupin the 3rd film is the one directed by Hayao Miyazaki, albeit during his pre-Ghibli days. The two anime icons are both at their best in The Castle of Cagliostro, combining the action and adventure of the Lupin series with Miyazaki's heart and storytelling skills. The film features a less playboy-esque Lupin getting entangled with a beautiful princess, an evil count and (of course) a massive hidden treasure. Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko and Inspector Zenigata are all present; there are car chases, a legion of evil ninja thugs, skin-of-their-teeth escapes and, most of all, an unparalleled spirit of fun that no other Lupin anime has quite captured. "The quintessence of the God of Anime's touch is all here," gushes Kenji Kamiyama, the director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. "From the story to the characters to the artwork, this movie is packed with all that makes animation entertaining."

#7
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (Bandai)

With realistic characters and a setting that's only a slightly altered version of 1960's Japan, Jin-Roh's a far cry from the typical anime movie-and that's part of what makes it so special. In a world where Japan fell under German rule during World War II, the nation's grown into a tense police state dominated by riots, terrorist cells and brutal crackdowns. Constable Kazuki Fuse seems to be just another cog in the government's riot-control machine, but when an encounter with a bomb-carrying young woman ends in tradgedy, Fuse's shaken to the core. Watched closely by his superiors, he strikes up a friendship with the would-be bomber's sister, who seems to like prolongged silences and the gruesome original version of "Little Red Riding Hood" as much as Fuse does. Jin-Roh owes much to Mamoru Oshii, who wrote the original script and lent the red-eyed police armor from his Kerberos films, but the movie's ultimately the work of the more humanistic director Hiroyuki Okiura, and, in the words of Shizuki Yama****a, Broccoli International USA's director of operations, "if you take an Oshii base story and toss in Okiura's taste, you get a solid story with the romantic element." With Okiura's deft (and sadly little-seen) style in effect, a potentially laborous political drama becomes a gripping battle for Fuse's soul, and one of the most affecingly tragic tales anime has to offer.

[True Perfection]

Umm... Top 4

1. Azumanga Daioh
2. Dragon Ball (DB, DBZ, DBGT)
3. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan
4. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

I really haven't seen that many animes, just mainly Shonen. I also enjoyed for what it is worth Cardcaptors (from what I have seen of it). My friend is mainly responsible for getting me into the variety of others. Really love Azumanga Daioh. It's such a beautiful, funny and touching series.

I watched the final episode of Azumanga Daioh on my final day of my final year of school. It left me teary...

[Lebanese Dragon]

1. FMA
2. Kenshin
3. Princess Mononke (this is a movie)
4. Fruits baskets (one of the best social comedy animes)
5. I can hear the ocean (a movie)
6. Spirited Away (a movie)
7. Castles in the Sky (a movie)
8. Ah! my Godess
9. Evangaleon
10. Ghost in the Shell (movie and series)
11. Cowboy bebop (movie and series)
12. DBZ
13. Blue Gender
14. Detective Conan
15. Lupin III
16. Bleach/Naruto

Those are some of the better animes, especially if you're tired of watching pure action flicks.. I highly recommend the top 5, adn if you get a chance just start randomly picking from the list below their all at least decent... If you don't like pure action then avoid, bleach, naruto, and DBZ... and you should enjoy the rest as they are much more of a mix of things... Also i think for a hcange of pace a lot of people would like Detective Conan and Lupin III, some good stuff... I have others but those are the ones that i at least watched a decent amount of each, and they coudl hold my interest... there are a lot of different categories of anime types represented in that list, and those are the best of each one that i've encountered, and i'm fairly picky about anime, i don't watch the full season of too many of them. So I hope you can enjoy trying one of them out : ).

P.S. many of the animes have stand alone movies you can watch, and understand without watching any of the series for them,.. if you don't have time to watch the whole series or not sure if you'll like it, just try the movie they have of it.

[Biollante spawn]

1. Gundam (all seasons)
2. Kenshin
MA
3. Princess Mononke
4. Fruits baskets (one of the best social comedy animes)
5. I can hear the ocean
6. Spirited Away
7. Castles in the Sky
8. Ah! my Godess
9. Evangaleon
10. Ghost in the Shell
11. Cowboy bebop
12. DBZ
13. Blue Gender
14. Detective Conan
15. Lupin III
16. Bleach/Naruto

Those are some of the better animes, especially if you're tired of watching pure action flicks.. I highly recommend the top 5, adn if you get a chance just start randomly picking from the list below their all at least decent... If you don't like pure action then avoid, bleach, naruto, and DBZ( and also if you do not enjoy fight for 5 minutes, then talking for 5 episodes)... and you should enjoy the rest as they are much more of a mix of things... Also i think for a hcange of pace a lot of people would like Detective Conan and Lupin III, some good stuff... I have others but those are the ones that i at least watched a decent amount of each, and they coudl hold my interest... there are a lot of different categories of anime types represented in that list, and those are the best of each one that i've encountered, and i'm fairly picky about anime, i don't watch the full season of too many of them. So I hope you can enjoy trying one of them out :).
yeppers

[EricDent]

Here is a special Thanksgiving treat, the last of the list.

Warning REALLY LONG post ahead.

#6
Neon Genesis Evangelion (ADV Films)

It's hard to get near Neon Genesis Evangelion without being lost in the crowds drawn by it's unceasing popularity. Ever since it's 1995 debut, it's been analyzed, criticized, vilified, glorified, overrated, undervalued and talked about in circles where anime seldom treads. It's best to see it all as a testament to the enduring impact of Evangelion. On one level, it's a giant robot show, with it's halfway post-apocalyptic setting and its simple story of whining young Shinji Ikari drafted into piloting one of the mysterious pseudo-robots that stands between mankind and the destructive race of aliens called Angels. Yet right in the middle of escapist power fantasies, director Hideaki Anno stripped away Evangelion's facade, transforming the series into a brutal psychological drama and striking a disaffected chord that still echoes in anime today. Despite all the elaborate imagery and red-herring Christian references, Evangelion's a powerfully human story at its heart. And while its wide effect may invite backlashes, that story stays the same and the characters remain compelling. Its influence lingers on both sides of the Pacific. "Evangelion was the perfect storm for the North American anime boom," recalled Scott Green of Ain't it Cool News. "Its thundering titans, gravity of character drama and Rorschach symbolism all made for an unparalleled experience."

#5
Revolutionary Girl Utena (Central Park Media)

It began as a tomboy story with a noble twist: rescued by a mysterious prince as a young girl, Utena Tenjou vowed to emulate her savior and become a prince herself. What could have been a simple gender-bending romp takes an eerie turn when Utena transfers to Ohtori Academy and inadvertently becomes a duelist, one of several students who partake in swordfighting bouts over ownership of Anthy Himemiya, the Rose Bride. The 39-episode series and lavishly animated movie, which took Utena's basic storyline and wrapped it in even more symbolism, are more than a magical girl adventure with an edge. Visually influenced by the classic Rose of Versailles series, director Kunihiko Ikuhara (Sailor Moon) mixed together allegory, ritual and the dark side of traditional shojo elements for a multi-layered tale that encompasses everything from feminism to the basic conflict between good and evil. "Utena proved that Kunihiko Ikuhara is a genius," says Shizuki Yama****a, Broccoli International USA's director of operations. Utena starts off seeing things in black and white, but she's surrounded by shades of gray. No character escapes an exploration of the weaknesses in their hearts. Utena is more than an adventure; it's a psychological roller coaster.

#4
FLCL (Synch-Point)

There is no question, no contest that Gainax and Production I.G's six-part OVA is the coolest thing ever created by human beings. By filling it with everything he loved, director Kazuya Tsurumaki created a universal tale of the trials of growing up, a tale that's spectacularly bizarre and entertaining. Naota is already dealing with his big brother's absence when he's hit on the head by self-proclaimed alien Haruko Haruhara. And then the robots start bursting from his head. And then come the space pirates, arson, a giant hand, a guy with seaweed for eyebrows and so much more (including an obese cat voiced by Evangelion director Hideaki Anno). And thanks to the incredible music from guitar gods the pillows, the whole thing rocks harder than every other anime. "It's compact but complete, and enjoyable viewing it just once or a hundred times," says Broccoli International USA's director of operations Shizuki Yama****a, who helped produce FLCL's U.S. adaptation. "There's so many layers in this simple boy-gets-hit-with-a-bass-guitar-by-an-alien-girl-on-a-Vespa story."

#3
Millennium Actress (Dreamworks)

Satoshi Kon impressed many with his psychological thriller Perfect Blue, but his reputation as one of anime's leading minds was cemented by Millennium Actress, a heartbreaking cinematic masterpiece. Filmmaker Tachibana and his unconvinced cameraman sit down for an interview with retired film star Chiyoko, who was inspired as a child to become an actress while harboring a wanted man for one night. Despite his short stay, Chiyoko fell in love with the artist, who left behind a key to his art case. Determined to return the key, she became an actress in order to travel the world, hoping he'd one day recognize her on the silver screen. Her career spanned playing a princess in ancient Japan to a space-age astronaut, and the interviewers are pulled in for a strikingly real ride through her roles. Each echoes her eternal quest and surrounds he filmmakers as she recounts her experiences. Tachibana becomes her overlooked protector, shielding her in real life during an on-set earthquake. Yet Tachibana also learns a heavy truth: Chiyoko will never find the man she seeks. A marvelous journey into magical realism, the film is a dizzying blend of visual technique and masterful storytelling. Like Chiyoko's many roles, a number of animation styles were employed, allowing the characters to slip out of time and into her memory. Yet there's more to it that pretty images, and the film's emotional appeal and character make it an instant classic.

#2
Porco Rosso (Buena Vista)

There are a lot of Hayao Miyazaki films on this list, and rightly so. So why does Porco Rosso, one of Miyazaki's least known films, rank ahead of such classics as Nausicaa, Totoro, and Cagliostro? The answer simply is that Porco Rosso is perfect. A longtime lover of airplanes and flight, Miyazaki truly soars in this movie, creating a film that's funny, sad, amazing and entertaining all at once. The eponymous pig is Marco, a former WWI Italian fighter pilot who became so disgusted with humanity he literally turned into a humanoid swine. Now a bounty hunter, he deals with rival flying gangs, a mechanically minded young girl, a suave American and Gina, the woman he loves but can never tell. There are thrilling dogfights, unspoken romance, comedy and the specter of WWII looming all over the whole production, casting a pall that truly lifts Porco's deceptively simple tale into the realm of masterpiece. The film is more sophisticated than Totoro, less preachy than Nausicaa and Mononoke and just as adventurous and entertaining as Cagliostro, but with a maturity and melancholy that turns Porco into the most perfect film Miyazaki has ever made. Perhaps it's because the planes-one of Miyazaki's favorite subjects-are so prominent in Porco Rosso that the filmmaker's talent is so pervasive throughout the film, and his joy is so clear. Or maybe it's because the gruff, disillusioned Porco is the closest character to Miyazaki that has ever appeared in his films.

#1
Cowboy Bebop (Bandai)

There's a good reason that Cowboy Bebop ran on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block for four straight years, despite there only being 26 episodes. It's because Cowboy Bebop is the most devastatingly entertaining anime ever made, and watching it eight times in a row is still more fun than watching virtually anything else. It's not just because of the decidedly down-to-earth sci-fi setting of 2071, which looks alot like today, but with interplanetary travel. It's not the fully realized characters, who are unique and individual without ever sacrificing believability, and have fantastic designs by Toshihiro Kawamoto. It's not just the action, as these guys fly through the solar system hunting for criminals for bounties. And it's not just the incredible jazz and blues score, composed by Yoko Kanno at her most creative and prolific. Cowboy Bebop is the best because it is all those things, and no other anime is. The show revolves around Spike Spiegel, a bounty hunter who used to work for organized crime; his partner is the former cop Jet Black,and together they seek criminals while planet-hopping in their spaceship, the Bebop. They're quickly joined by the beautiful gambling addict Faye Valentine, whose past is a mystery even to her; the young and totally spastic hacker Ed; and the Welsh Corgi dog Ein, who's likely smarter than them all. They hunt for bounties together and deal with killers, space truckers, mushrooms, spoiled food and their pasts, especially Spike, whose former crime connections and former love collide to form Bebop's incredible finale. But mainly, the four characters are so fun, so cool, so real, they form a family that every viewer feels a part of, and wants to watch again...and again...for years straight evidently. Add to that the music, which contains easily the best soundtrack ever created for an anime. From the bass-heavy, bongo-filled opening theme "Tank!," Bebop's cool is blatantly obvious; and despite all the jazz and rock bent, Yokko Kanno explores-literally-every single musical genre during Bebop's 26 episodes, and probably some that didn't exist previously. From baroque techno to romantic heavy metal, Kanno does it all, with help from her band The Seatbelts. If there's any one element that made Bebop so unique when it first aired in 1998, it's Kanno's music. Whether you are just want to see an episode or are planning on having a marathon. Bebop really does have it all. There are stories focusing on action, on comedy, on the dramatic, troubled pasts of each of its characters, but each episode has something for everybody and, like life, usually mixes them all up together. Whether the plot is set on a decidedly Western planet or features a dogfight in space, it's always familiar; it's science fiction at its most accessible. And whether the episodes are stand-alone or follow the overarching plot of Spike's past catching up with him, Bebop is never anything but captivating and entertaining.

[backthen]

G gundam
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Z
Yu Yu Hakushow


those should be in there

Although, i did like paranoia agent, especially late at night on adult swim, it would add to the mood.