Animes You Have to See Before You Die.

[Kung_Fu_Master]

Exactly what it kind of, sort of says eventually on the Tin....Forum...um....Thread..........but only if it applies to a certain genera.

We've had a recommendation thread but We've never(As far as I now) had one that went like this.

This is not a "Favorites" list or a "I Liked this show" Thread. This is a "If you have not seen this show by the time you die, YOU HAVE NOT FULFILLED YOUR LIFE." Thread.

Now, not everyone likes the same stuff so to help that out you might want to say what genera it is.

or to keep things simple.

-Name:
-Genera:
-Sub/Dub:
-What it's about: (No spoilers)
-Why you liked it:
-Why we should see it:



If you're asking 'Why is he doing this?', the answer is simple........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................I need things to watch and I don't want to go through the trouble of starting one that will turn out to be horrible. That and I hope my selfishness helps you guys to.




-My recommendation-

-Name: Tengen Toppa Gurren Largenn

-Genera: Mecha, Action, Drama, Drills

-Sub/Dub: I've seen both and either one is good. Dub if anything.

-What is it about: Humans live underground. One day a timid young boy finds a small mecha with drills. With some help from his energetic older bro as well as a well timed Gaint Mecha and Warrior Girl he discovers the world around him and beyond. Better than it sounds.

-Why I liked it: "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!?"

-Why you should watch it: If you like Robots driven by pure determination and chewing bubble gum(The latter is not needed to watch) then this is a must.

[Sapphire225]

-Name: Clannad
-Genera: Romance, Drama, School Life,
-Sub/Dub: Sub definately if you want to go for excellent acting
-What it's about: A girl and boy try to establish a drama club, as well as other students, but there lives tend to get in the way. Whether it be love, their pasts, or their experiences of those around them, they struggle through high school, helping each other along as best as they can.
-Why you liked it: It's probably one of the most heartwarming, tear-jerking, hilarious and entertaining animes out there.
-Why we should see it: Moes, Cool characters, hilarious scenes, emotional-rollercoasters

[Atria35]

-Name: Monster

-Genera: Mystery/Drama/Psychological/Horror/Thriller

-Sub/Dub: Dub is adequate. Sub is fantastic.

-What it's about: Kenzou Tenma, a brilliant Japanese brain surgeon working in Germany, saves the life of a small boy who has been shot in the head. Little does he know that doing so would destroy his entire career at the hospital and that his fiancé would leave him. When the hospital director and doctors of the hospital staff are suddenly murdered, he gets a second chance but also renders him as the main suspect to the murders. Life goes on for Tenma as he saves people at the hospital, and he goes back to the joy of being a surgeon again.

Years later, an injured thief gets brought to the hospital. After Tenma saves his life, he finds out that the thief is involved with the rising count of serial murders happening in Germany. Suddenly Tenma is involved in it all when the little boy, who is now a young man, turns up and kills the thief in cold blood right in front of Tenma. Now Tenma must clear his name, find out more about the boy he saved in the past, and reevaluate what the value of life is.

-Why you liked it: The complexity of the story, where everything led to a new clue about Johan's past or that of his sister, the questions it brought up of nature vs. nurture and the nature of good and evil.

-Why we should see it: This has a story that's driven as much by the characters as the events. The characters are all well-rounded with strong motivations and are very sympathetic, and are easily recognizeable by their personalities alone. The bad guy is truly evil. And though it pushes the boundaries of believability plot-wise, it's carried off so well that it makes you think that it really could have happened.

[rocklobster]

I'll recommend two for now and come back for others.
1.-Name: Haibane Renmei
-Genre: Fantasy/Drama
-Sub/Dub: both are equal in spectacular quality. The dub matches the sub's voices amazingly well.
-What it's about: A group of angelic beings called Haibane live in the town of Glie, where they co-exist with normal humans. The story is told through the point of view of Rakka, a new arrival.
-Why you liked it: The story really made me think about God, even though it's not written with a Christian audience in mind.
-Why we should see it: It has beautiful music, scenery, and even though it's not based in Christianity, it does have a few similarities with Christian thought.
2.-Name: Trigun
-Genre: Sci-fi/Western
-Sub/Dub: both are great, and the dub is the first to ever feature the great voice actor Johnny Yong Bosch!
-What it's about: Vash the Stampede is dubbed "The Humanoid Typhoon" because wherever he goes, destruction seems to follow. Is he really as dangerous as he seems?
-Why you liked it: I liked it because it had a lot of humor early on, but got more serious later. Vash is actually a very likeable hero, and the rest of the cast is great too.
-Why we should see it: Trigun is a true classic. It has great animation and a great story. The story has a few great quotes and made me realize that nothing is really written in stone: as one character says, we are given a blank ticket at birth.

[Atria35]

-Name: Pale Cocoon

-Genera: Drama, Sci-fi

-Sub/Dub: It's only in sub!

-What it's about: A future where the continuity of history has broken off, a world of enormous ruins that continues endlessly. Oceans and continents have vanished, existing only within the archives brought up from the remains. Ura works in the Archive Excavation Department, which restores and analyzes the data left behind. One day, he finds a disturbing visual record...

-Why you liked it: The atmosphere. They used shades of gray and black, and occasional green to emphasize how dark and gloomy it was. The end also got me.

-Why we should see it: It's one of those OVAs that doesn't take a whole lot of your time, but still manages to make a convincing story. It's also visually stunning.

-------------------------
-Name: Planetes

-Genre: Sci-fi/Slice-of-life/Drama/Romance

-Sub/Dub- I'm a big fan of the sub over the dub for this one.

-What it's about: In the year 2075, mankind has reached a point where journeying between Earth, the moon and the space stations is part of daily life. However, the progression of technology in space has also resulted in the problem of the space debris, which can cause excessive and even catastrophic damage to spacecrafts and equipment. This is the story of Technora's Debris Collecting section, its EVA worker, Hachirota "Hachimaki" Hoshino, and the newcomer to the group, Ai Tanabe.

-Why you liked it: The characters. They're all... characters! Through Ai, you see that the world isn't all black-and-white, and you see as she starts facing the realities of living and working in a politically-charged atmosphere. You also get to watch the others as they follow their dreams and question why they're working in that environment.

-Why we should see it: This is one of the most realistic sci-fi out there, with actual problems that we're facing today and spaceships that would theoretically be possible to build today. You see realistically the problems that such crews would have and what politics would have to be dealt with. It's also a very moving human drama where you can sympathize with the characters. You almost start dreaming with them about how wonderful and fantastic space is, even with all the hardships you face out there.

[CrimsonRyu17]

- Name: Kara no Kyoukai
- Genres: Action, Mystery, Supernatural.
- Sub/Dub: Only available in Sub.
- What it's about: A teenaged girl, who possesses the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception", a supernatural ability that allows the user to see the "death" of everything in existence and kill the object by destroying its "origin".
- Why you liked it: Unpredictable, complex characterizations, stunning animation, plot centered around murder.
- Why we should see it: If you can handle the content (18+) then I'd highly recommend it if only because it's the best anime movie series to come out in a few years. Also has an amazing musical score by Yuki Kajiura.

I can't say much about it without spoiling it unfortunately.

[Fish and Chips]

You all knew I was going to make this post.

Name: Giant Robo
Genre: Wagnerian opera, Greek tragedy, Hong Kong action cinema, mecha, superpowers

What it's about: In a future to come, the third energy revolution arrives with the invention of the Shizuma Drive, and mankind reaches a newfound period of prosperity. But, within the shadows of this bright peace, two powers clash against each other. A secret organization bent on world domination, the BF Group! And to oppose this threat, the Experts of Justice is formed from members gathered from all across the globe! With them is the most powerful robot on the planet, Giant Robo, and the young man who commands it; his name is Daisaku Kusama!
Why you liked it: Click
Why we should see it: Because you like good things, therefore it stands to reason you should watch good things. And Giant Robo is the best of all things.

More seriously now, Giant Robo is the story of the young inheriting the will of the old, of revenge and sacrifice, and whether it is good to live in a world built upon such things. Giant Robo is about adults who look to the future and children who consider the past, and is that relationship a weight to hold us down or a pedestal to push us upwards?

"Can happiness be obtained without sacrifice? Can a new era be achieved without tragedy?"

Still just a boy, Daisaku Kusama is tasked by his dying father to save the world he couldn't. Conscripted into the International Police Organization's Experts of Justice, he endeavors in earnest to grant his father's last wish. But a dark cloud forms; another young man, similarly called, appears on the world stage, his ambition to destroy this world completely!

Giant Robo is an Anime about truth and justice; Giant Robo is an Anime about accepting who you are and deciding what you must do; Giant Robo is an Anime about electric-powered Feudal Chinese warriors facing off against Arabian businessmen who cut shock waves through the Earth and light cigars with a thought.

There is also a giant robot in it.

Watch Giant Robo.

[Nate]

I don't want to watch any of the anime mentioned in this thread because I don't want to die.

[Sheol777]

I am going to live forever....

so far, so good

[Hiryu]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything obvious like Cowboy Bebop or Trigun yet. Or maybe we're trying to steer away from the obvious.

Name: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Genre: Adventure, Supernatural, Slice of Life, Comedy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Psychological
Sub/Dub: Both are available. I thought the dub was rather good. It does have Crispin Freeman, so that should be a pretty good hint on how good it is. I usually don't watch subs if there's a dub. I'd imagine the sub is good too, though.
What it's about: On the first day of high school a beautiful girl named Haruhi Suzumiya introduces herself as having "no interest in ordinary humans". She asks for any aliens, time travelers, aliens or espers to join her. Watching her weird behaviour is Kyon who sits in front of Haruhi and is the only person who talks to her. When Kyon comments about Haruhi's joining every club in school and then quitting he unwittingly gives Haruhi an idea to start her own after school club. Thereafter Kyon and several others find themselves dragged, literally, into the Save our world by Overloading it with fun Suzumiya Haruhi's Brigade (the S.O.S. Brigade for short). (Thanks ANN!)
Why you liked it: It was different from anything else I've seen, which is most like any good AAA title anime like Cowboy Bebop or Hellsing. It has a good plot.
Why we should see it: Because I said so. Or I'll cut off your big toe.

Now, here's something probably not everyone's seen.

Name: Yu Yu hakusho
Genera: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Supernatural, Comedy, Drama, Martial Arts
Sub/Dub: Both are available. Again, I don't watch sub unless the dub just sounds terrible. The dub I thought was pretty good.
What it's about: Yusuke, 14-year old hooligan who is notorious for being strong and mean, uncharacteristically saves a young boy from being hit by a car. He takes the hit and dies. Botan, the Grim Reaper, gives him a chance of living again if he meets certain requirements. He does, and eventually becomes the Spirit World's next Spirit Detective.
Why you liked it: The characters and plot were interesting.
Why we should see it: Because it's good. Unless you want to be a total noob and not like anything that's not made after 2005. This was made in the Early 90's, but wasn't brought over to the US until a decade later.

[ABlipinTime]

I don't want to watch any of the anime mentioned in this thread because I don't want to die.

Neither do I!

I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything obvious like Cowboy Bebop or Trigun yet. Or maybe we're trying to steer away from the obvious.

Someone already mentioned Trigun.

[Atria35]

Name: Yu Yu hakusho
Why we should see it: Because it's good. Unless you want to be a total noob and not like anything that's not made after 2005. This was made in the Early 90's, but wasn't brought over to the US until a decade later.

I think you mean "made before 2005"- however, I've seen and liked lots of things made before then and still thought it was terrible.

That being said, it's still a classic so people should watch a few episodes, even if they decide they don't like it.

-----------
-Name: Mushishi

-Genre: Fantasy/Mystery/Drama/Supernatural

-Sub/Dub: Both the sub and dub are equally good.

-What it's about: “Mushi”: the most basic forms of life in the world. They exist without any goals or purposes aside from simply “being.” They are beyond the shackles of the words “good” and “evil”. Mushi can exist in countless forms and are capable of mimicking things from the natural world such as plants, diseases, and even phenomena like rainbows.

But even that's an oversimplification of what Mushi are. So what are Mushi and why do they exist? This is the question that a “Mushi-shi”, Ginko, ponders constantly. Ginko relentlessly chases rumors of occurrences that could be tied to Mushi, all for the sake of finding an answer.

-Why you liked it: How calm and relaxing it was. The stories told. They were all very different, all very touching- they pulled my emotional heartstrings.

-Why we should see it: The art, the animation, the music, the stories.... This is a deep and rich story that makes you think about the world around us. And it's all presented in rich drama that refuses to cross the line into sappy or melodramatic.

[rocklobster]

-Name: Spirited Away
-Genera: Fantasy
-Sub/Dub: both are good. Disney always has top-notch dubs
-What it's about: A girl named Chihiro and her family are taken to the spirit world when they visit an abandoned park. Chihiro must pass a secret test of character in order to be reunited with her parents.
-Why you liked it: I love beautiful animation and the voices were just well-done. The music was great too.
-Why we should see it: It's Studio Ghibli, and so far it's the only anime to ever win an Oscar. That should be reason enough.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

-Name: Cowboy Bebop

-Genera: Sci-fi, Action, Drama (at times), Comedy (at times)

-Sub/Dub: The dub for this show might be the best ever recorded. You can't really go wrong either way, though.

-What it's about: The show follows the adventures and antics of the ragtag bunch of intergalactic bounty hunters (refered to as "cowboys") who make up the crew of the spaceship Bebop.

-Why you liked it: It felt epic in scope but somehow also seemed personal, down to earth and slice-of-life. The stories are self-contained, but there exists a tangible underlying plot thread. The sheer variety of things the show does, and does well, is staggering: John Woo style gunfights, spaceship combat (including awesome "Itano circus" sequences), horror episodes, comedy episodes that weren't physical comedy or otaku in-jokes, and oh-so-much more. The bottom line, though? This show just oozes cool.

-Why we should see it: One piece of the series' catch art refers to the show itself as "The work that will become a genre unto itself." Brazen? Perhaps, but not far from the truth. If you are interested in seeing creators take great pains to push the boundaries of the medium, to do something different and do it with lots of panache, and hearing Yoko Kano at the peak of her powers, then Cowboy Bebop is for you. Seriously, this show is over a decade old, and I don't really think another piece of anime has successfully pulled off the kinds of things Cowboy Bebop was able to.

Play outside of the sandbox, kids.

[Juliannesan]

Rurouni Kenshin.

End of story. [I'll explain more about it later]

[Nate]

Rurouni Kenshin except for season 3 which you should pretend doesn't exist

Fixed that for you.

[Rocketshipper]

-Name: Super Dimension Fortress Macross (NOT Robotech!!!)

-Genre: Sci-fi Space Opera

-Sub/Dub: Sub definitly. Didn't think most of the dub actors fit the characters

-What it's about: In 1999, an alien ship crashes on South Atalia Island and makes the human race aware of other life in space. Ten years later, the ship is reconstructed and christened as the SDF-1 Macross. However, on the day of its maiden voyage, an alien race called the Zentraedi make their appearance on Earth, beginning the UN Spacy/Zentraedi war that would change the history of both races forever.

-Why you liked it: An amazingly moving well told story with timeless characters and a classic love triangle set to the backdrop of an epic galactic war. And an amazing soundtrack.

-Why we should see it: A classic groundbreaking anime that paved the way for future shows in the genre.

[Atria35]

-Name: Ouran High School Host Club

-Genre: Romance/Comedy/Shoujo

-Sub/Dub: Both the sub and the dub are fantastic! You can't go wrong with either one (though the opening song sounds a lot better in Japanese)

-What it's about: Fujioka Haruhi won a scholarship to attend Ouran High, a school reserved for the rich and prestigious. Unfortunately for Haruhi, her high school days took a turn when she stumbled upon the Host Club, a group of guys who use their specific traits and charms to entertain the women of Ouran High. Even worse was that Haruhi had accidentally broken an 8 million yen vase in the club. Unable to repay her debt with money, Haruhi found herself with no choice but to work for the Host Club, becoming a male host herself.

-Why you liked it: The humor. I recognized many of the things that they were in effect making fun of by taking them to the extreme. The characters. They all managed to be convincing and sympathetic. The sparkles. Because they sparkled.

-Why we should see it: It's probably the shoujo anime to watch. Very few shoujo anime ascend to the heights of fame and wonderfulness that this anime managed to. Both guys and girls can get into this because what it plays around with it so familiar to anyone who reads and watches anime and manga.
--------------------------------------------
-Name: Kino's Journey

-Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama

-Sub/Dub- I liked them both equally. You can't go wrong with either.

-What it's about: Based on a hit light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa, the philosophical Kino's Journey employs the time-honored motif of the road trip as a vehicle for self-discovery and universal truth. Deeply meditative and cooler than zero, the series follows the existential adventures of the apt marksman Kino along with talking motorcycle Hermes as they travel the world and learn much about themselves in the process. Imaginative, thought-provoking, and sometimes disturbing, Kino's journey is documented in an episodic style with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than action or plot, though still prevalent.

-Why you liked it: It made me think about life, about why I do things and how it would look to other people. It was a very philisophic anime that made me wonder about the world.

-Why we should watch it: If you hear talk about philisophic anime, this is the name that you hear bandied about. The things that it makes you think about are all very relatable- it never attempts to go beyond what normal people would wonder about when encountering new places and people. And then manages to weave them together with ideas about love and life. The places and people she visits are fascinating and all present new and different opportunities to see people at their best... and worst.

[Atria35]

-Name: Full Metal Alchemist/ Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

-Genre: Action/Fantasy/Adventure/Drama

-Sub/Dub: Both the sub and the dub are great! I'm sorry to say that they weren't able to get the full cast of the original Japanese VA's for FMA: Brotherhood.

-What it's about: Two brothers, one goal: To bring their mother back to life. It fails miserably, and both are left with bodies that they have gone into the world to find a way to fix. As they do, they are led into a web of military conspiracies, lies, and incalcuable dangers.

Note: FMA and FMA: Brotherhood are NOT sequels- FMA was made in the beginning of the manga's run, and around the halfway point goes way off of the storyline of the manga that was later written. There is also a movie that concludes the original's story. This was done with the mangaka's permission. FMA: Brotherhood is a remake of the series that holds much closer to the manga's storyline.

-Why you liked it: The action and adventure were amazing, very fluid and wonderful to look at. The humor was great. And the storyline was epic, to say the least.

-Why we should see it: This is one of the best shounen out there. It manages to stay appropriate for younger teens, but deals with a heavy storyline that draws in more than that. The original has a very interesting premise as its end, and manages to stay a good story even though it may not be what the mangaka wrote. Brotherhood, with a larger and wonderful cast of characters, brings the story to a satisfying conclusion that is even more involved than that of the original.

[Winry]

-Name: Full Metal Alchemist/ Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

I second this one =)

[QuirkyIceHeart]

Well, there's always Baccano!...

-Name: Baccano!
-Genera: Action, Supernatural, Seinen
-Sub/Dub: I personally hate what I've heard of the dub, though few others seem to...
-What it's about: "During the late 1930s in Chicago, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, is starting its legendary journey that will leave a trail of blood all over the country. At the same time in New York, the ambitious scientist Szilard and his unwilling aide Ennis, are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir. In addition, a war between the mafia groups is getting worse. On board the Advena Avis, in 1711, alchemists are about to learn the price of immortality." As the story progresses, these seemingly unrelated events and people begin to come together into a much bigger story...
-Why you liked it: Well, first of all, it's old America, but with immortals and such, making for a pretty interesting setting. The characters are all extremely well defined and unique: Some hilarious, and others... warped. Very warped. And most happen to be both. The story telling style breaks regular boundaries and has no one main character, instead following many individuals.
-Why we should see it: It's a classic, its title is a word based on 'ruckus', it has some of the more memorable characters of the anime world, it's both hilarious and intense, and is all pulled together with an intelligent, experianced grace.

And then I, personally, would say that Code Geass is a must watch... >.> (And Death Note, but I've only read that)

[Zangetsu]

-Name: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni/When They Cry
-Genre: Horror
-Sub/Dub: Sub (Some people might like the dub)
-What it's about: When Keiichi Maebara moves to an Podunk town called Hinamizawa he thinks that life couldn't get any simpler. But when he hears rumors about disturbing happenings that happen in the town he finds that it's not so simple after all.
-Why you liked it: I'm a huge sucker for mystery type shows and movies. So when I had this anime with all of these questions that needed to be answered I had to continue until they were.
-Why we should see it: This anime can get pretty scary at some moments, so if you like a good scare or chill than it's a definite watch. I will warn anybody who doesn't like violence though, there are more than a few bloody spots.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]-Name: "Aria The Animation/Natural/Origination"
-Genera: Slice of Life, Drama, Comedy
-Sub/Dub: It's only available in Sub format from "Right Stuf International"
-What it's about: Three Female Gondoliers in training go about their day-to-day lives in a terraformed city on Mars called "Neo-Venesia".
-Why you liked it: The "Aria" trinity is such a gentle and calming series. The animation is really a cut above anything I've seen in a long time. The story is very captivating, and the characters are downright lovable.
-Why we should see it: "Aria" is the type of series that puts you in a very peaceful state of mind. It's the kind of series that you can't help but be attracted to. [/color][/SIZE][/font]

[AnimeGirl]

I'm sure there's more, but I'll recommend the one at the top of my list of all anime I feel close to.

-Name: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles (and the OVAs Tokyo Revelations and Spring Thunder)
-Genera: Fantasy, Romance, Action, Adventure, Dark (later on)
-Sub/Dub: I feel in order to enjoy it to it's fullest, watch it in BOTH LANGUAGES! Either audio is excellent, with everyone's voices mtaching perfectly. The acting is especially good in the OVAs!
-What it's about: It's about 2 childhood friends, a young archealogist boy named Syaoran and a girl named Sakura, Princess of Clow Country and one who holds mysterious power within her. One strange night at the ruins, Sakura outspreads wings and before she's sucked into the wall, is saved by Syaoran, but her wings break off into feathers, which is a manifestation of her soul and memories (and without them, she'll die). At a strange shop that grants wishes in another dimension, Yuuko offers her help...for a price! For the ability to jump world to world to retrieve each feather, his sacrifice is their bond, meaning any memory which she had of him will be erased, and he accepts. Joined by Kurogane, Fai, and a little creature named Mokona, they jump from world to world, in search for her memories that holds great power. Each world has it's own adventure, and by the Acid Tokyo arc is when it takes on a darker edge and gets really deep.
-Why you liked it: I was already familiar with the two main characters, since they were from Cardcaptors, so it was cool to see them again in a whole new adventure. The soundtrack is gorgeous, the story is an absolute masterpiece, and the characters are easy to get attached to! There's alot of sacrificial love involved, which makes one think if you were in that situation, if you loved them that much would you do it? And through all that pain and suffering, all the characters still strive on, not losing hope, no matter the obstacles!
-Why we should see it: Because it's a masterpiece. Despite some of the horrors they face, and shocking revealings, and all of the sacrifices, and tragedy, it's hard not to get attached to and feel apart of their journey. It can be fun, emotional, heart-breaking, even horrifying at times. But all in all, an intense journey you wouldn't want to miss! Plus...it's CLAMP! Note though: After the Library arc in season 2, no need to watch the last 10 episodes, just watch the OVAs, and to fill in gaps read manga volumes 18-21 (after Acid Tokyo) and then 24-28 for the conclusion.

Oh, and I third Atria's recommendation of Fullmetal Alchemist. I would of put that one down here, too, but she already did, and someone already seconded it, so I third it! XD!!

[Atria35]

-Name: Detective Conan (aka Case Closed)

-Genre: Mystery/Comedy/Adventure/Shounen

-Sub/Dub: I'm honestly a fan of both. Even though the names and places were Americanized in the dub, which is utterly silly when most Americans know what the cities they name actually look like

-What it's about: Kudo Shinichi is a seventeen year-old high school detective whom people call the "Modern Sherlock Holmes." However, one night after a date with his childhood sweetheart, Ran, Shinichi witnessed an illegal trade and, caught off his guard, was knocked unconscious and fed a drug that was supposed to kill him... but he woke up and found himself shrunken to a seven year-old. In order to track down the men who did this to him, Shinichi hid his identity and lived with Ran, whose father happened to be a hopeless detective, and with that came a series of murders and mysteries that he must solve. (ANN.com)

-Why you liked it: The mysteries are ingenious, the characters fairly interesting, and even the oldest of the episodes hold up to the test of time in humor, dialogue, art, and animation. It's like watching Murder, She Wrote for kids!

-Why we should see it: This is the standard for mystery anime. Even though it's still going strong at over 500 episodes, has approximately 5 billion movies, and has no end in sight, this still manages to be a fun ride for the most part. The mysteries still manage to be engaging. The stories still are good. My only regret is that only the first 5 seasons are licensed!

[That Dude]

-Now And Then, Here And There

-Genre: Sci-Fi/Seinen/Tragedy/War/Action

-Sub/Dub: Both are great, the dub is one of the best that I've heard.

-What it's about:Shu is a typical Japanese boy, but has an unbeatable, optimistic and determined attitude. However, when he sees a mysterious girl with strange eyes named Lala-Ru up on a smokestack, he is soon pulled into a strange desert world. Shu soon discovers the true terrors of war, which includes genocide, brutal torture, hunger, thirst, and child explotation. Now Shu is trying to save Lala-Ru, as well as his hard earned, and often relunctant, new friends from the insane dictator, Hamdo. Whether Shu can possibly accomplish saving those he cares about while still holding up to his values remains to be seen. Taken from ANN.com

-Why you liked it: It's extremely compelling, the characters seem real, even though the show is extremely brutal and disturbing it never lets go of hope and is always pointing to how even the most horrifying of circumstances can still have good come from them.

-Why we should see it: One of the most dramatic, dark, disturbing yet hopeful, moving anime ever made. If you aren't affected by it when you are over with it, it's questionable if you have emotions at all.

[crazypackersfan]

There's only one anime that I've seen that deserves to be on this list... unfortunately, we're not allowed to talk about it here. So I'll just give 3 letters...
[spoiler]Eva.[/spoiler]