Must See Anime - A list of 20

[markbarkins]

So, I know there is already a thread for anime suggestions, but a friend recently just started getting into anime and asked me for recommendations. It made me start thinking about what people felt about the anime movies/OAV/series that are absolutely must-see. I'm posting mine here, but I'm more curious to see what others have to say.

In no particular order:
1. Akira
2. Cowboy Bebop
3. Neon Genesis: Evangelion
4. Vampire HUnter D
5. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
6. Princess Mononoke
7. Black Lagoon
8. Darker Than Black
9. Berserk
10. Code Geass
11. Death Note
12. Toradora!
13. Mobile Suit Gundam
14. Dragonball
15. Fist of the North Star
16. Ghost in the Shell
17. Hellsing
18. Record of Lodoss War
19. Super Dimensional Fortress Macross
20. Highschool of the Dead

[Corey]

If you knew there was already a thread for suggestions, why not just post this in that thread with some kind of disclaimer?

[Gare]

Good list, I agree with a decent portion of it. When it comes to Hellsing though the OVA series is preferable and for Berserk you gotta read the manga as well for the full experience. I would also add Fate/zero, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (both old and new), Aria (all seasons) and Baccano.

If you knew there was already a thread for suggestions, why not just post this in that thread with some kind of disclaimer?

Eh, it's fine as far as I'm concerned. We really need to be more lenient with thread-related rules otherwise it hinders activity.

[Sheras]

So, I know there is already a thread for anime suggestions, but a friend recently just started getting into anime and asked me for recommendations. It made me start thinking about what people felt about the anime movies/OAV/series that are absolutely must-see. I'm posting mine here, but I'm more curious to see what others have to say.

In no particular order:
1. Akira
2. Cowboy Bebop
3. Neon Genesis: Evangelion
4. Vampire HUnter D
5. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
6. Princess Mononoke
7. Black Lagoon
8. Darker Than Black
9. Berserk
10. Code Geass
11. Death Note
12. Toradora!
13. Mobile Suit Gundam
14. Dragonball
15. Fist of the North Star
16. Ghost in the Shell
17. Hellsing
18. Record of Lodoss War
19. Super Dimensional Fortress Macross
20. Highschool of the Dead

I'll respond to the ones I have seen.

Akira is good
Bebop is a must
Vampire Hunter D was forgettable IMO
Darker Than Black is amazing, could not stop watching that one
Code Geass, probably in my top 3 all time
Death Note, probably my #1 all time
Toradora!, very good anime, easy going, something to just relax to
Hellsing, I would recommend Hellsing Ultimate instead, much better story, longer and so much more in depth
Highschool of the Dead, the thought behind this anime was okay, and i like it, but so many unnecessary panty shots and all that.

[Beelzebub]

There's no Venus Wars on your list, so...

Seriously though, those are some good picks for sure. I've seen and enjoyed many of the anime on your list. Though my recommendations list would consist of a lot more 80s/early 90s anime. Including, but not limited to...

Bubblegum Crisis
Riding Bean
Wicked City
Roujin Z
Hokuto no Ken
Venus Wars
Patlabor
Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma
Iczer One
Galxay Express 999
Appleseed
Dominion Tank Police
Guyver
MD Geist
Bio Hunter
Golgo 13
Devilman

[Jazzmarazz]

I can only agree with about half and I cannot agree with the order at in the least. Maybe I will come back and share my own list, but I am sleepy.

[Sheras]

Well this is my list, no particular order

Attack on Titan
Blue Exorcist
Break Blade (Movie series)
Code Geass
Cowboy Bebop
Darker than Black
Death Note
Duradura
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (way better than normal FMA)
Hellsing Ultimate (better than normal Hellsing)
Log Horizon
Psycho Pass
Steins;Gate
Gurren Lagann
Spice and Wolf
Venus Wars
Akira

[markbarkins]

If you knew there was already a thread for suggestions, why not just post this in that thread with some kind of disclaimer?

I thought about it, but while the primary purpose was because I was curious as to what other EP'ers would say; I also wanted a place where people that are just getting started with anime could jump right in and get a solid list right off the bat.

Highschool of the Dead, the thought behind this anime was okay, and i like it, but so many unnecessary panty shots and all that.

True. True. But as far as getting the feel right for a zombie flick, I thought they did an excellent job.

There's no Venus Wars on your list, so...

Ah! Venus Wars. It's been so long since I've seen it I had forgotten about it.

I can only agree with about half and I cannot agree with the order at in the least. Maybe I will come back and share my own list, but I am sleepy.

It wasn't meant to be in order, and the reasoning also wasn't to post my favorite or top 20, but to make a list that give a sampling to someone new to it. Sort of like an anime mixtape. In retrospect, that may have been a much better thread title.

[Cookie Monster]

As Corey said, let's try to stick to posting just the top 20 lists in here. If this thread gets polluted with comments on the lists and discussions we'll end just having a duplicate of what we already had, which would be pointless.

[Gypsy]

Not ordered, except Spice and Wolf #1 ofc. Except not really because LOGH is the goat. This list is not trying to be objective (I like some crap and will undoubtedly have too much crappy romance). When I say stuff like FMP I mean the entire franchise. There won't be much newer stuff because I'm a grumpy old Sprung now.

Spice and Wolf
GTO
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Rurouni Kenshin
Slayers
Full Metal Panic
Ah My Goddess
Love Hina
Gurren Lagann
Negima
Orphen
Patlabor
Scrapped Princess
Azumanga Daioh
Chobits
Black Lagoon
Kaleido Star
Crest of the Stars
Overman King Gainer
Nuku Nuku

Just ignoring Sheras due to Death Note. There is a lot of stuff I had to leave out since I've seen so much, but I feel pretty firm on at least 3/4 of this list.

[Sheras]

Just ignoring Sheras due to Death Note. There is a lot of stuff I had to leave out since I've seen so much, but I feel pretty firm on at least 3/4 of this list.

Just noticed this....wat?

[FlavaFlave]

OK, so here's my top 20. No particular order, although since this list is coming out of my head on a first serve basis the movies towards the top I will say are probably better than than the bottom part. Most of these movies Beelze has mentioned since we both seem to think alike, but there may be a few new ones on here. I'm going to include dates on some of these since they been remade, and also to illustrate the point that this isn't a bullshit list and that I'm actually putting some effort into this.
Here goes:
1. Akira
2. Venus Wars
3. Roujin Z
4. Royal Space Force/Wings of Honneamise
5. Ninja Scroll (1993)
6. Galaxy Express 999
7. Macross The Movie "Do You Remember Love" (1984)
8. Castle of Cagliostro
9. Nausicaa The Valley of the Wind
10. Laputa: Castle in the Sky
11. Project A-Ko
12. Fist of the North Star (Movie 1986)
13. Vampire Hunter D (1985)
14. Tank Police (OAV 1-4 1988)
15. Wicked City (1987)
16. Ghost in the Shell (Movie 1995)
17. Robot Carnival
18. Neo Tokyo
19. Area 88 (OAV 1-3 1985)
20. Dirty Pair Project Eden

Honorable mentions:
Macross Plus the Movie
Demon City Shinjuku
Perfect Blue
Paprika
Giant Robo (OAV 1-6)
Crying Freeman
Devil Man (OAV 1-2)
Tekkonkinkreet
Angel Cop (OAV 1-6)
GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka (1-24)

Pretty much everything on this list is a movie except the OAV stuff as mentioned - I'm more of a one and done guy and prefer my anime's strict and to the point. I know most of these are "old", but IMO they're much better than the long drawn out 24+ episode stuff that is going on now.