Classics

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

I can't help but feel like I'm probably missing out on some great anime that I ignored at some point and never remembered it was supposed to be good. Are there good anime missing from my list? I'm open to watching anything, just describe it for me - not the plot but why you like it. If I don't know why I might like it I will not watch the show. I will just glance over our post disinterested. Anything other than 'completed' is open for suggestion because sometimes there are shows on my dropped list I didn't give a healthy chance.

http://myanimelist.net/profile/2008digitalboy

[jedinat]

I've tried watching Ghost in the Shell: SAC like three times over the past few years and failed each time. I tried again last week, watched the first 10 episodes, and actually found it pretty interesting. It might be due to the philosophy film class I'm taking right now--the brainy crap hooks me a bit more these days I guess, lol.
Fruits Basket is entertaining, why on hold? Some nice comedy and feel-good drama.
Kaleido Star can be quite good as well. Some shoujo-ai undertones and lots of emotion, some pleasant animations.
Midori no Hibi is probably worth a watch, for some light romantic comedy with a not-so-annoying male lead.
Witch Hunter Robin is good. Cool main character and appealing dark tone. Though kind of slow and a la Noir, which you dropped. (and I liked)
Lamune is worth a watch, if only for it's refreshing lack of plot, for the most part.

I cannot forgive some on your drop list...
Juuni Kokuki... okay, you gave it a chance, but why?! It's like my favorite anime, lol (yes it's obvious why--you are not me, lol)
Ranma 1/2... one episode?? It's a classic, and just fun... for a couple seasons at least.
Eh, there's some others, but I don't care so much about those.

You've got a lot more on hold that I would watch... especially if you want to watch an anime, as you apparently do (don't really understand the "on hold" thing)
Ah! My Goddess, Aishiteruze Baby, Clannad, Hellsing Ultimate, Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Kokoro Library, NightWalker, xxxHOLiC, and more... all at least worth a watch.

[viperx116]

Death Note - The premise is interesting and unique. I like the spy vs. spy feel as in the two protagonists try to outdo each other.

Love Hina - What's not to like? One of the best comedy/romance animes out there.

Hikaru no go - Basically about a kid trying to get better at playing Go. I like it cause it introduced me to what Go is (a board game), and it's surprising fun to watch.

Eyeshield 21 - Put football and humor together and this is what you get. It's better than watching regular football on TV because this actually has a story and shows character development.

One Piece - I don't know why you dropped this. IMO, this is the best anime/manga ever made. Sure the art is different from normal shonen, but you have to give it a try. The story starts out a little slow, but it gets better and better.

School Rumble - Over-the-top comedy in a school setting.

Soul Eater - Has comedy and action. It has more than once main character, and each one gets about the same amount of screen time.

[james0246]

This time jedinat beat me to the punch (stong seconds for GiTS: Sac , Juuni Kokuki and Tylor), so I will beat him/her with size and length .

These are all titles I ranked fairly high (7 to 9) on myanimelist.

From your On-Hold List:
Akagi - Wonderfully inventive and compelling sports series. Several strong characters with some great development (also see Kajii below).
Berserk - You have Berserk on hold? This is, arguably, the pinnacle of 'mature' fantasy, with some great battles, good music (from Susumu Hirasawa who currently works exclusively with Satoshi Kon on Kon's movies), solid character development, and great story. There may be no real magic used, but this series is still great fantasy.
Excel Saga - easily the zaniest series ever conceived, with some of the funniest parodies in the history of anime. This series only gets better the more you learn about the history of anime and its many prestige titles that Excel Saga viciously parodies.
Ghost Hound - some serious story problems mare this very solid very slow paced title. Interesting characters and intriguing setting will keep you coming back for more, even if the stories conclusion is a bit lackluster.
Infinite Ryvius - strange adaptation of Lord of the Flies with some great twists and interesting developments.
Key the Metal Idol - inspired look at the world of a J-Pop idols, via the eyes of a maladjusted girl that is an 'android' trying to become human. Did I mention the evil organization/company (that creates J-Pop idols) that wishes to destroy the android girl before she becomes successful.... Strange but still sold story.
Monster - How could you have one of the best dramas from the last few years on-hold? Nazis get their asses handed to them by the titular Monster, and that is all you need to know to watch the first 13 episodes and then the next 60 (did I mention the occasional cross-dressing...maybe I should mention that?).
Mushishi - intriguing series dealing with an interesting reinterpretation of Japanese folklore.
Nodame Cantabile - very good romance between two aspiring artists with opposite personalities. Very realistic (emotionally) and quite compelling.
Noein - how can you go wrong with an anime that deals with the concept of infinite universes .
Now and Then, Here and There - this story sets out to abuse its characters in the worst ways possible as many times as it possibly can...how can you not like that . Good story, interesting secondary characters (the lead is a Shounen clone), with an amazing villain.
Planetes - realistic sci-fi about futuristic orbital garbage-men...sounds like fun to me.
Seirei no Moribito - if you ever desired to see a strong female that is not insane (Revy) or a cyborg (Motoko), look no further than Barusa.

From Your Dropped List:
Ergo Proxy - while this series starts slow, it rapidly picks up steam by episode 5 or so with continually interesting storyline and some very good characters.
X - great modern fantasy (from the creators of Code Geass and Cardcaptor Sakura) with a superb ending.

New Entries (in no particular order or rank):
Kaiji - even better than Akaji .
Macross - classic Mecha series that inspired a great deal of the 80s 'realistic' mecha series (realistic in the respect that the physics of the universe are not that dissimilar from our own universe). Genre defying romance greatly adds to this series, as well as many other broken conventions that have since turned cliché.
Macross Plus - very good story with some amazing music (from Yoko Kanno) and wonderful aerial action.
Paprika - it is Satoshi Kon...enough said.
Night on the Galactic Railroad - beautiful philosophical reflection on life and death. Superb film with wonderful 80s animation.
Patlabor (series) and Movie I and II - interesting realistic mecha series in which a newly developed police force use giant mechas to fight other giant mechas in a not so distant future (1999 ). While the series is fun and interesting, the movies, by director Mamoru Oshii (he also did the series) are wonderful philosophical discussions of modern Japan and its place in the world (The second movie, eerily reminiscent of 9/11, deals extensively with how terrorist attacks can destabilize a modern society).
Bokura ga Ita - very cute and charming coming of age/romance story.
Bokurano - while the first few episodes are a bit lacking, this series becomes increasingly more interesting as the story progresses.
El Hazard: The Magnificent World - great cross-dimensional comedy/action/romance from back in the days when the Pioneer label meant something...
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin - great series about a pack of wild dogs who learn to fend for themselves and survive in the wilderness. Good characters, great story. Very epic.
Hajime no Ippo - probably the best sports program currently being produced.
Hikaru no Go - somewhat like Kajii and Akaji, Hikaru no Go turns a previously underappreciated sport into a tense competitive sport. There is also something about a Ghost (which is the heart of the series) and rivalries...
Kekkaishi - one of the most interesting new action series with some of the coolest super powers in recent memory (the powers seems simple, but the anime and manga come up with some wonderful deviations and extensions).
Oniisama e... - I doubt you will ever be able to find this great series (I have only ever seen it in Japanese without subtitles or in Italian) about the dark nature of an all Girl's Private School and the tortured heroine that must deal with the intense popularity contests within the school as well as many personal secrets. From the makers of the great Rose of Versailles.
Mahoujin Guru Guru - very cute and often hilarious parody of RPGs.
Maison Ikkoku - wonderful 'adult' romance between a Widow and a Ronin.
Only Yesterday - wonderful josei title from Studio Ghibli about a 30-something woman who, while on vacation back to her home village/parent's house, reflects on her childhood and the dreams she achieved or gave up as she grew older.
Porco Rosso
Victorian Romance Emma
Whisper of the Heart

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

Responses for some things I'd dropped or hold or w/e:

Fruit Basket: I've just seen a couple of eps on funimation channel.
Kaleido Star: I've got no real excuse for n ot finishing this, I love it like crazy.
Witch Hunter Robin: No streams exist and I can't find a good download. If you can help me through PM I'd appreciate it
Juuni Kokuki: I just found it boring. I've given a number of reasons to support my dropping over the past year on my blog. I think I've justified myself by now.
Ranma:1. No Ending 2. Length

Most of those On Hold are shows I like but don't have an urgency to watch. I will get to all eventually.

Death Note - I had read the manga beforehand and I think DN looses it's fun after one go-through. The shock value was the only thing pushing me through.
One Piece: I didn't drop One Piece. It's my favorite shounen ever. However it's like 300 fucking episodes long. I have never finished an anime that was over 60 episodes.
School Rumble: I have no plan to pick this back up. Didn't like it.
Soul Eater: Will get back to this once it's over.

james, everythign you picked from my on-hold list are shows I fully intend to complete I'm just taking a while. Most were shafted to on hold by my automatic 3-months of no watching mechanism. All great shows, some of which I even own.

Ergo Proxy: I fucking hate Ergo Proxy. A LOT. Fucking poor man's Texhnolyze. I will never watch that show.
X: I have heard no shortage of bad things about the animated series is why I never bothered with it.

Everything else looks very interesting and I will definitely try from all of you.

[mit7059]

If you want something thats amazing and classic go watch Patlabor, I don't see it anywhere on any of your lists. I also second Nodame Cantabile and Planetes

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

Thing about Patlabor is I can't find it.

[james0246]

Originally Posted by Deus ex Digital Boy

Thing about Patlabor is I can't find it.

I know that it has been released in America for years (not that you necessarily live in America ). That being said, you will not find it online, only on DVD or VHS.

[BetoJR]

Originally Posted by james0246

I know that it has been released in America for years (not that you necessarily live in America ). That being said, you will not find it online, only on DVD or VHS.

There's hardly anything you cannot find online. As for Patlabor, the series, the movies and the OVA's are readily available on torrent trackers around the globe.
Now, if we can't show them here, that's another story.

[Theowne]

I don't know what your preferences are, but your list is missing the two "classic" romance anime, from which most following anime have been inspired by to some extent, and in my opinion none have managed to do better. The anime are "Maison Ikkoku" and "Kimagure Orange Road". The first is a long but satisfying anime and is a "evolving" love story with actual growth from the characters and is just an all around "heartfelt" series. The second I am not quite done with, so I can't give a proper explanation, but it is usually grouped along with MI as being the most significant "classic" romance series.

As for other classics, you are missing quite a few Studio Ghibli titles which would qualify. Such as, "Grave of the Fireflies", "Porco Rosso" and "Whisper of the Heart".

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

Theowne I've only avoided kimagure because it is love triangle and I don't like love triangle. I do intend to see Maison though.

also grave of fireflies isn't ghibli I don't think. but I intend to watch all 3.

Beto, yeah, it's possible but I have no hard drive space and no money T_T

[Theowne]

Grave of the Fireflies was indeed animated by Studio Ghibli, and directed by Isao Takahata (not Miyazaki, as many people seem to think).

[BetoJR]

Deus ex Digital Boy, yeah, that's a problem. A big one.

But it's one that also involves most of the series being suggested here, as most classic series tend to be a bit over the standard 13-26 episodes of today's anime. And also have spin-off OVA's, movies and/or other forms of continuations... KOR, for one, has both OVA's and movies. Same goes for Patlabor. $pace is a necessary commodity, friend.

[Theowne]

As for the space issue, with the internet being what it is, there are options to go around this problem if one is willing to make a compromise....

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

Originally Posted by Theowne

As for the space issue, with the internet being what it is, there are options to go around this problem if one is willing to make a compromise....

which is how I watch mots anime. However Patlabor has no streams. I have looked hard.

[KholdStare]

Seeing how we're not very compatible, I won't say much. However, I will say that you should keep going with Cardcaptor Sakura. It can be "boring" if it's not your type of anime in the beginning, but it really picks up starting around episode 35 or so. At least, you haven't gotten through my favorite episodes in season one.

[Deus ex Digital Boy]

Originally Posted by KholdStare

Seeing how we're not very compatible, I won't say much. However, I will say that you should keep going with Cardcaptor Sakura. It can be "boring" if it's not your type of anime in the beginning, but it really picks up starting around episode 35 or so. At least, you haven't gotten through my favorite episodes in season one.

I LOVE CCS, however I can't get past the fact that it's so loooooong.