What is your Top 10 Anime of All-Time?

[talkwithtim]

Hey there Kumoricon fans! I'm putting together an article about the Top 10 Anime of All-Time and I'd like some input from you! If you have a few minutes tell me your top 10 list and a brief description why these are the 10 best of all-time.

I'm talking about anime that has had a major impact on the industry or fan base, anime that is classic, must-see for n00bs, and amazingly creative works of art. The best of the best of the best.

I will be compiling the results for my article and I'll be pulling quotes from your descriptions if I find them interesting. Thanks for helping out! 

[Blue Leader]

Lets see now...

1. Mobile Suit Gundam
The original "Mobile Suit Gundam" that started it all. It showed a futuristic though believable war that I feel really drew people into it. It had a great story, believable characters (many of which you could "connect with"), lots of action, and was really ahead of its time. A true classic.

2. Kaleido Star
No where near is old as Gundam, Kaleido Star is and always will be one of my favorites. Kaleido Star was another fantastic but believable series that followed a young girl who was trying to make her dreams come true, but had to trudge through all of the trials and difficulties that came with it. Nothing is ever easy, and this series showed it.
Not to mention it was something quite different from what you usually see in anime. Really, how many series do you see about acrobats and other performers on a stage?

3. Ghost in the Shell
You can probably start to see a pattern here. A futuristic war on terrorism, and yet still kept its believability. Nothing was too bizarre in this movie (and later a series), and while everything was very high-tech it showed a future that could easily happen.
It was full of action and drama, and had characters that you could relate to in many ways. It also showed the darker side of the technological advances and cyberisations that are even happening today, and showed how we could (and possibly are) losing are humanity the more we try to perfect ourselves digitally.

I'll post more as I think of them...

[camname21]

To Love Ru - recently seen, was great.  "Cute & Sexy" type of anime for all those guys out there..

[talkwithtim]

Any other suggestions for what could be considered the 10 best, must-see, anime movies/series of all time?

Possibilities:
* Princess Mononoke
* Ninja Scroll
* Cowboy Bebop

[Man of the Public]

Top 10 in No Particle Order
Big O
Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Black Lagoon
Shin Magzinger Z
Shin Getter Robo Armageddon
Lupin The 3rd
One Piece
Captain Harlock
Trigun
Azumanga Daioh

Honorable Mentions
Baccano
Casshern SinS
Lyrical Magical Girl Nanoha
The Skullman
Cromartie High School

[NARUNIK]

My Top 10:

1. Gankutsuou
2. Noein
3. The Place Promised in Our Early Days
4. 5 Centimeters Per Second
5. Eureka Seven
6. Ergo Proxy
7. Pale Cocoon
8. Darker Than Black
9. Dennou Coil
10. Cowboy Bebop

Runners Up:
Spice and Wolf
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Azumanga Daioh
Chi's Sweet Home
Chobits
FLCL
Ghost Hound
Hidamari Sketch

YAY for Eureka Seven!
Oh and Spice and Wolf is a really good one! It just leaves you off with cliff hangers..

1.Eureka Seven
2.Naruto Shippuden
3.Naruto
4.FullMetal Alchemist
5.Spice and Wolf
6. Tatakou Shisho-Book of Bantorra
(The following are my animes as a little kid.
7.SONIC
8.Megaman
9.Digimon (The one where they actually transform into the Digimon)
10. Pokemon (The original version)

[oslapedo]

I read more manga than I watch anime but here goes. :O
~ Blood+

~ Code Geass
~ Clannad
~ Case Closed: Detective Conan
~ Ghost in the Shell/SAC
~ Poke'mawn until May's episodes
~ Digimon's first two seasons
~ Ceres: Celestial Legend
~ GALS!
~ The Blank of Haruhi Suzumiya

Hmmm.

[Coconutty93]

MAJIN TANTEI NEURO NOUGAMI (FTW <3)
Kuroshitsuji
Sailor Moon: Stars
Shugo Chara
DOGS: Bullets and Carnage
Ouran High School Host Club
Blood+
K-ON!
Ceres: Celestial Legend
Code Geass

I'd probably change it but from off the top of my head, that's what I got. d

[~boogiepop~]

1. Baccano!
2. Boogiepop Phantom
3. Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni
4. Haibane Renmei
5. Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
6. Last Exile
7.Escaflowne
8. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
9. Serial Experiments Lain
10. Trigun

~ GALS!

I thought I was the only one who had seen all of this :O

[oslapedo]

You might be- I haven't seen all of it, just as much as I could while it was on ondemand

But I love it anyways~

[StarryShay]

Higurashi~
Shuffle!~
Shugo Chara~
Kuroshitsuji~
Code Geass~
Super Gals~
Pokemon~
Chobits~
Air Gear~
Baccano~

[Coconutty93]

Higurashi~
Shuffle!~
Shugo Chara~
Kuroshitsuji~
Code Geass~
Super Gals~
Pokemon~
Chobits~
Air Gear~
Baccano~

I wanna watch Higurashi!!! ;o; Maybe I'll download it somewhere! >8D

[The_Geek]

Clannad
Kuroshitsuji
Tales of the Abyss
Hellsing
Deathnote
Tsubasa/xxxHolic
D.Gray-Man
Strawberry Panic!
Jigoku Shojo
Tales of the Abyss

[Trumby]

This is...mostly in order.

Baccano!
Last Exile
5cm/s
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Spirited Away
Cowboy Bebop
Gunslinger Girl
Trigun
Full Metal Panic! (all three seasons)
Fullmetal Alchemist

[oslapedo]

^ Gunslinger Girl and FMA are some of the best manga I've read but I can't say the same for their anime adaptions. :,O

[Coconutty93]

Higurashi~
Shuffle!~
Shugo Chara~
Kuroshitsuji~
Code Geass~
Super Gals~
Pokemon~
Chobits~
Air Gear~
Baccano~

I wanna watch Higurashi!!! ;o; Maybe I'll download it somewhere! >8D

DOWNLOADED!!! d

[Figgles]

So hard to choose. >< But I guess my top ten would have to be...

(No particular order)

Pandora Hearts
Kuroshisuji
Nighthead Genesis
Bleach
Code Geass
Vampire Knight
Hellsing
Trinity Blood
Death Note
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

[TomtheFanboy]

I refuse to prioritize any more than I already have.

Neon Genesis Evangelion
Azumanga Daioh
Macross Plus
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ouran High School Host Club
Ranma 1/2
Dragonball (but not Z)
Lupin 3rd

I can't decide between Cowboy Bebop and Coyote Ragtime Show. Bebop is the original and it's untouchable, but Coyote Ragtime Show just takes everything up to 11 while still doing a brilliant homage to the shows that came before. I'd pick both and close out the list but I feel that I'm still missing some facet of anime that makes me like some other title more than one of these.

[Anamink]

These aren't absolutely in order, but it's close enough.

1. Naruto ((Even if you don't personally like the series, just look at the impact it's had on the anime world. It's branched off into every area-- movies, games, calendars, food, trinkets... everything. Not to mention the fact that it's been going for a freaking long time. Personally I find it really easy to get sucked up in the plot, and I've become really emotionally invested in the characters... but not everyone would agree. It's really a balance of humor, action, friendship, and heartache.))

2. Code Geass ((Another work of art by CLAMP. The story is utterly compelling and leaves you guessing until the very last episode. The characters are supremely complex and it's interesting to watch how they develop through the series. The artwork/animation is simply gorgeous, but I've always been a CLAMP fan anyway.))

3. Akira ((It may be an older movie, but it's a must-see for the more mature anime fanbase. The story is really indescribable, and may take a few viewings to understand. It's very cyberpunk setting-wise, and has some awesomely weird psychological undertones.))

4. Hellsing ((Absolutely a work of art. Now these are REAL vampires, not those silly "I sparkle in the sun" Twilight geeks. This is definitely a series for more mature viewers due to excessive violence and language, although I must admit I first watched it when I was pretty young. >.> It does go a bit into the "what does it mean to be human?" psychology, but mostly it's a great supernatural thriller.))

5. Kuroshitsuji ((What I loved most about this one was the setting, taking place in the Victorian era around the time of Jack the Ripper. I fell in love with the character designs and their clothing even before I watched it, but I'm glad I did-- it was a wonderful series with a great mix of humor, action, and rather cynical psychology. I really love the way Ciel developed through the series.))

6. Neon Genesis Evangelion ((There's no way I could make a top anime list without including this one! Aside from my intense dislike of the main character, I have always loved this series. Futuristic setting; giant, sort-of-alive robots beating up giant, monstrous angels; psychotic children trying not to lose their last bits of sanity; and various moral dilemmas, including the cloning of people. This is another one that may require multiple viewings.))

7. Pokemon season one, MAYBE season two ((Back when pokemon first came out, it really was a huge deal. I remember when my brother and I first started playing fan-translated versions of the original Japanese games, before they became popular in America, and I was ridiculously excited for the cartoon to start. Although it's mostly just poorly-animated drivel about cute/silly little creatures beating each other up and "bonding" with their owners, kids everywhere fell in love with it. And who can forget "Hey you, Pikachu!" for the N-64; I get to talk to my very own pet pikachu? Yes please!!))

8. Saiyuki ((A new take on the classic "Journey to the West" story, Saiyuki is loads of fun. It has demons, action, drinking/smoking, and hot guys. What's not to love?))

9. Sayounara Zetsubou-sensei ((Possibly the most cynical series I have ever seen, this is a must-see for pretty much everyone. It's a classic example of things you know you're not supposed to laugh at, but can't help doing so. It's like one giant social commentary on life, mostly referencing Japanese culture, and dips into practically every controversial issue you can think up.))

10. The Slayers ((There's nothing deep and profound about this series. The animation is fairly old, and extremely cartoony. But that's a big part of what makes this series so charming; you're not SUPPOSED to take it seriously. The characters and story are silly and overly dramatic, but there are times you'll be clutching your stomach in agony as you laugh hard enough to practically lose consciousness. I wouldn't recommend watching every season at once, lest you suffer permanent brain damage, but it's a light-hearted series that's great for watching when you're tired of the multitude of depressing series out there.))

[oslapedo]

CLAMP only did the character designs for Code Geass, not the plot or anything else =3=

[CloudStrife32]

Not in completer order, but close enough.*shrugs*

- Baccano!
- s-CRY-ed
- Trigun
- Cowboy Bebop
- Sailor Moon
- Witch Hunter Robin
- The Legend of Zelda (The cartoon, which I consider an anime...>>)
- Digimon
- Bleach
- Air Gear

[Mitsukai Mizu Amaya]

FullMetal Alchemist
MARS (It's a taiwanese drama based on a japanese manga, so it counts in my book! xD)
Shippuuden Naruto
Strawberry Panic!
Noein
Sailor Moon
Kyou Kara Maoh
Angel Sanctuary
Axis Powers Hetalia
Ranma 1/2

EDIT

Forgot some of the runner-ups: Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, the ORIGINAL Pokemon, Trigun, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Fruits Basket, and Dragonball, DBZ, and DBGT...
In reality, the only favorites are 1-6... after that, I picked at random. I love them all. xD

[Mister_manji]

heh, well I might as well. I'll try to leave out movies.

In no particular order

Cowboy Bebop
Gundam Wing
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Escaflowne
FLCL
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Princess Mononoke
Black Lagoon

I'm trying to think of something more modern, but nothing has really stuck with me in the past year or two.

[Anamink]

CLAMP only did the character designs for Code Geass, not the plot or anything else =3=

Don't mind me, I fail at life...

Well, CLAMP still did amazingly well on the character designs for Code Geass, imo. Even if they didn't do anything else.

[talkwithtim]

Thank you for all the great comments! I'm putting together the results today and will post the article soon!

[Wuntvor]

I just wanted to say that it is impossible to list a top 10 without also putting in a genre.  This is like saying what are the ten top films of all time.  You are going to get a different list from every individual.  Maybe what you should have is your favorite of ten categories.  Favorite anime movie, favorite anime comedy, favorite anime horror, favorite anime mech series, favorite anime drama, favorite magical girl anime, favorite shounen anime, favorite shoujo anime... You get the idea.

I also noticed that many of the shows listed are ones that have come out in the last 5 years, or that have aired on American TV.  Anime is so much bigger than that.

Here are a few shows that I feel need mentioning that I did not see on the list:

Kiki's Delivery Service - Whenever I think of a first anime for new viewers to watch I immediately think of Kiki.  This excellent film by Miyuzaki and the team at Studio Ghibli deserves a place in everyone's DVD collection.  If you don't get any of the other Ghibli films, get this one.  It captivates all audiences, and is an enjoyable romp.

Tokyo Godfathers -  Another great movie by another great animator.  This anime has become part of my Classic Christmas repertoire.  It rates right up there with Miracle on 34th St. and It's a Wonderful Life  The main characters are a trio you don't often see as heroes in any tale: A teenage female runaway, a 40 something wino, and a drag queen.  The three find a baby in the garbage on Christmas and decide to return it to it's parents.  A great comedy, drama, suspense movie.

Seirei no Moribito - Although this is a fairly new series I want to mention it here because it is a visually stunning masterpiece with a great story.  I was captivated by this show after the first episode and couldn't wait for the next release.  For fans of Xena Warrior Princess give Moribito a try.

From the recent batch of shows I recommend the following:

Toradora  - A fun school comedy with a new twist on the lovers triangle.  Extremely popular.

K-ON - From the number of people anxiously waiting for season two I will have to say that this show is a winner.  The series is about an all girl High School band.  The name K-ON is abbreviated Japanese for Light Music.  All the girls are sweet and have their own groups of fans.  Definitely worth a watch.

Shugo Chara - I mention this one because it is a popular kid/teen anime that is now in it's third season.  I find it rather cute and addicting even though I am an adult.  You can place it in the same category as Pokemon, Digimon, Monster Rancher, Card Captor Sakura, and DiGi Charat.

Older shows that need mentioning:

Scrapped Princess - This is a great series that I feel doesn't get the recognition it deserves.  If you like Full Metal Alchemist (Another great show) then you really need to try Scrapped Princess The overall feel of the show is the same.  Make sure to have tissues handy.

Chobits - I don't suppose this can really be listed as a top 10, but it is dear to me.  Chobits was the first anime I ever rented and watched, knowing it was anime.  This is the show that got me hooked.  Yep, you can blame it all on Chii.

Saiunkoku Monogatari - A shoujo masterpiece that I found totally captivating.  For those who like court intrigue, romance, and womens rights, this is a must see.  I like it better than Fushigi Yuugi which is a similar type of show.

Planetes - Among the space shows out there I find this one to be the most realistic and entertaining.  Garbage collectors in space!  I love the female pilot who smokes all the time and has to sit in a special chamber to suck up her smoke.  The episodes where she hasn't had a smoke in three days, and is suffering from withdrawal  Priceless.

Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl - I won't be surprised if you have never heard of this one.  It is an oldie but a goody.  Fan subbing groups have never finished this great series about a normal high school girl who has a natural talent for judo.  Her family runs a dojo and her father was the greatest in Japan, until his 6 year old daughter threw him!  Now Yawara is being trained by her grandfather to be the best ever and win the Olympics, only problem is she just wants to be a normal high school student and go to a girls college and learn to cook!  A current show that is similar is Cross Game or maybe Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Ken`ichi

I listed eleven. Oh well, as I said these are my opinions of shows everyone should see.  There are others as well in every category, these are just the ones that popped into my head first or left a lasting impression on me.  Take the list for what it is worth.  If you watch even one of these shows, then I guess I accomplished my goal.   

[talkwithtim]

I just wanted to say that it is impossible to list a top 10 without also putting in a genre.  This is like saying what are the ten top films of all time.

The genre is anime. And I asked about the top ten anime films of all time. I thought that was pretty clear. In any case, the article has been posted. You can read it here - best anime movies!

[JeffT]

I just wanted to say that it is impossible to list a top 10 without also putting in a genre.  This is like saying what are the ten top films of all time.

The genre is anime. And I asked about the top ten anime films of all time. I thought that was pretty clear. In any case, the article has been posted. You can read it here - best anime movies!

Anime isn't a genre--it's a combination of medium and culture. Genre categories would be like action, comedy, romance, drama, etc.

[Konan-ChanX3]

My top 10 in no particular order:
Chobits
FMA
FMA:Brotherhood
H2O
Negima
Hetalia
Loveless
Naruto
Ninja Nonsense
Trigun

[shadoworganoid]

Not really in any order;

1. Code Geass
2. Magical Girl Nanoha (all 3 series)
3. Burst Angel
4. Wolfs Rain
5. Dragon Drive
6. Air Gear
7. Yugioh 5D's
8. Zoids Genesis
9. Tokyo Mew Mew (what can I say?)
10. Dot Hack

[Kimiski]

Not in any particular order... cause my brain is too tired to function that orderly....

1. Astro Boy
2. Sailor Moon
3. Pokemon
4. Kiki's Delivery Service
5. Cowboy Bebop
6. Trigun
7. Akira
8. Neon Genesis Evangelion
9. Gundam
10. Ouran High Host Club

[Cyprus]

Off the top of my head & in no particular order:

1. Trigun
2. Death Note
3. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
4. Cowboy Bebop
5. Gundam Wing
6. FLCL
7. Baccano!
8. Elfen Lied
9. Rurouni Kenshin
10. Hellsing

Once again I say, there is so much good anime out there that I find it exceptionally hard to only list 10, let alone in any particular order. I have several more that I would love to add to that list so I just grabbed the first 10 I could think of that I loved.

[Kimiski]

Once again I say, there is so much good anime out there that I find it exceptionally hard to only list 10, let alone in any particular order. I have several more that I would love to add to that list so I just grabbed the first 10 I could think of that I loved.

My top 10 list would be completely different for anime's I loved. I just put the top ten according to what was described in the first post.

(I'm talking about anime that has had a major impact on the industry or fan base, anime that is classic, must-see for n00bs, and amazingly creative works of art. The best of the best of the best.)

If they were what I loved Pokemon and Gundam at least would not be on my list, lol.

[Cyprus]

I went by the title "What is your Top 10 Anime of All-Time?" which to me meant by my standards

[Kimiski]

I went by the title "What is your Top 10 Anime of All-Time?" which to me meant by my standards

If that's the case my top ten would look more like....
1. Sailor Moon
2. Slayers
3. Fushigi Yugi
4. Blue Seed
5. Pandora Hearts
6. Eden of the East
7. Ouran High Host Club
8. xxxHolic
9. Tenchi Muyo
10. Clannad

Close to Making the List:
Fruits Basket (Though I like the manga more so.... hence it not making it)
Princess Tutu
Trigun
Cowboy Bebop
Utena
Claymore
Kino's Journey
Full Metal Alchemist
Chrono Crusade

[Ako]

My top 10 anime off the top of my head not in any real order...
1. Seto no Hayanome
2. Shakugan No Shana
3. Hayate No Gotoku
4. Zero No Tsukaima
5. Code Geass
6. Full Metal Panic
7. Bakemonogatari
8. Nyan Koi
9. Saki
10. Valkyria Chronicles

[winry799]

Don't know if I'm too late for your article or not, but here's my list of animes (not mangas, right?) No particular order either.

1. Ouran High School Host Club (hilarious, pulls me into the story, and I love Kyoya)
2. Dragonball Z (one of my first animes, got me into watching anime!)
3. xxxHolic (funny, sad/dark, everything I love!)
4. Honey and Clover (I can relate to it, being the same age, and Mayama is my ideal man)
5. Serial Experiments Lain (thought-provoking)
6. One Piece Funimation version (Always puts me in a good mood, awesome adventure story)
7. Fullmetal Alchemist both versions (Funny and dark, makes me think, and the story is so original)
8. Fruits Basket (so many types of characters, and I love the idea of the zodiac story retold)
9. Deathnote (best plot twists ever! o.o )
10. Love Hina (I can relate to Naru, and the whole anime just makes me laugh every time!)

[thesirensings]

Too late to make it to the article, but what the heck? I've been invited to share my opinion, and I shall.

In no particular order:

Noein
Princess Tutu
Heat Guy J
Elfen Lied
Kino's Journey
Karas
Paranoia Agent
Spirited Away
Howl's Moving Castle
The Cat Returns