Your Top 5 Anime

[Matty]

I thought it would be helpful for people searching for new anime to watch if others could list their favourites; a sort of recommendation through loving it themselves. A brief description of the anime would be great as well.

I get asked a lot about recommendations; and I'm sure a lot of others do as well. So post your favourtites and hopefully that helps others.

1) Clannad & Clannad After Story
I guess Technically they're two different series, but I'm sure everyone would agree that they fit as two seasons. I wish High School was like this when I went there. There's no special powers, or saving the world type stuff... just average high school kids growing up; very sad series in the second season, but VERY VERY good.

2) Elfen Lied
Wow! One of the greatest series I've ever seen; everything about it was beautiful. The story, the characters, and the animation as well. A love story; A blood bath; A phychadelic train ride. This series had it all; along with the heartbreak of stolen innocence.

3) Neon Genesis Evangelion (The 26 episode series)
Not for everyone. This series really gets into your head, especially at the end. I reccommend the two movies afterwards as well (Death & Rebirth, The End of Evangelion) as they give an alternative ending to it. Great action scenes, amazing story, and characters that on some level you can relate to. But again, not for everyone.

4) Paprika
I got a thing for the phycadelic type movies; and this one fits the bill! This was the animated movie that inspired the Hollywood Blockbuster "Inception." If you've seen Inception, then you know what to expect from this. I watched the bluray version, so the animation was top-notch, so I'm unsure of how good the original was. The story was incredible! The movie is about a machine that can show you your dreams; I wish they would actually invent something like this.

5) My Neighbor Totoro
A studio Ghibli film.... I had a really hard time deciding wich one to pick as my favourite. So lets call it a draw between this one, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies, Howl's Moving Castle, and Spirited Away. I chose this one because it was the first Studio Ghibli movie I watched; and it's still one that I love to watch over and over again with my nephew. I don't think Studio Ghibli needs any description or introduction, so we'll leave it at this.

[darkrider21]

1 clannad and after story.2fruits basket.3moon phase.4trygun.5neon genisous

[SpeaR]

Well this is my current list and instead of saying a summary I just linked to myanimelist
My 3-5 always keep changing and recently I moved Gintama above One Piece

1 - Gintama
2 - One Piece
3 - Major
4 - Great Teacher Onizuka
5 - Kaiji

While your only asking for anime I will also share my 5 favorite manga

1 - One Piece
2 - SKET Dance
3 - Liar Game
4 - Bakuman
5 - Noblesse

[Screwby]

There was a pretty recent thread about this but oh well I'll just list it here.
Anime
1. Bakemonogatari
2. Kara no Kyoukai
3.Arakawa Under the Bridge
4.Baccano!
5. Welcome to the NHK!

Manga
1.Kagami no Kuni no Harisugawa
2.Holyland
3. Pretty Face
4Private Prince
5.Mx0

Manhwa
1.Tower of God
2. Crepuscule
3.Immortal Regis
4. Anuki
5. A Fairytale for the Demon Lord
Looks promising. City of Dead Sorcerer

[kita_tsuki]

Anime:
1. One Piece
2. Code Geass
3. Star Driver
4. 07- ghost
5. Gosick

Manga:
1. Black Butler
2. One piece
3. 07-ghost
4. Gosick
5. Rust Blaster

[Gjallarhorn]

Anime:

FLCL - 6 OVAs, 2000. Surrealist Comedy, Sci-Fi, Coming of Age.

Kara no Kyoukai - 7 films, 2007-2009. Supernatural Thriller, Mystery, Action, Romance.

Tekkon Kinkreet - Film, 2006. Adventure, Psychological, Drama.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - 27 episodes, 2007. Mecha, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic, HOT-BLOODED MANLINESS.

Grave of the Fireflies - Film, 1988. World War II, Semi-Autobiographical, Tragedy.


Manga:

One Piece - 1997 - present. Adventure, Action.

Berserk - 1990 - present. Dark Fantasy, Epic, Action, Tragedy.

Soul Eater - 2003 - present. Supernatural, Action, Comedy.

Ares - 2001-2007. War Epic, Adventure, Action.

Akumetsu - 2002 - 2006. Political Terrorism, Psychological, Action.

[mangeassshajigan]

5. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
4. One Piece
3. Dragon Ball (series)
2. Yu Yu Hakusho
1. Code Geass

[TheWired]

Almost no one followed the directions about leaving a description lol....

1. X (clamp) TV series. (apocalyptic/teens with super powers/mythological) - beautiful art style
2. Cowboy Bebop. (swashbuckling/scifi/comedic/adventure/hip/jazzy) - awesome soundtrack & great characters
3. Death Note. (plot twists/battle of the minds/murder mystery/drama) - one of the smartest series I've seen - keeps you guessing
4. Serial Experiments Lain. (psychological/dark/disturbing/cyber/drama) - beautiful minimal art style - intoxicating
5. Gunslinger Girls. (drama/girls-with-guns/action/scifi) - minimal washed out art style - unique concept

I could always add more but that's what came to mind... but those were TV series, here are my top 5 anime MOVIES:

1. Ghost in the Shell (original & innocence). (cyber-crime/action/psychological)
2. Princess Mononoke. (fantasy/adventure/epic)
3. Jin-Roh. (dark/drama/wartime/mystery)
4. Voices of a Distant Star. (drama/scifi/romance)
5. Blood: The Last Vampire. (horror/action)

[TadashiED]

#1 Clannad/After Story - What can I say...this was the best one I've ever seen (which is why it's #1 lol). As I watched this, everything just seemed so perfect to me. The story, music, characters, personalities, just everything lol. It had the perfect mix of fun, happy and cheerful times along with those sad moments or even those moments where it makes you reflect on your life and what's happening around you. This show honestly changed my outlook on life :')

#2 AnoHana - AnoHana was simple beautiful in my opinion. Because it was a short 11 series show, things developed perfectly. I loved the characters and I loved the story. The way it was about how a group of best childhood friends drifted apart as they grew older and because of a death was something that I could relate to. The OP and ED were also beautiful and it has over 2000+ hits on my iTunes since I often listen to nice touching Anime music to help me sleep

#3 Angel Beats - Also made by KEY, this was always my #2 up until AnoHana haha. It's amazing, has an amazing soundtrack and of course, the personalities of the characters are distinct, funny, cute and yeah...all that kind of stuff. The show had plenty of funny moments, and it never gets boring. This was one of those Anime that really hits the heart
.
#4 Kanon2006 - Again, also made by KEY. All of their shows have similarities and the characters are all amazing. The soundtrack wasn't my favourite in this one, but this still is one of my favourite Anime. Loved the story in this one too ~uguu

#5 Shakugan no Shana - I couldn't decide between this and Steins;Gate lol but I'll go with this for now. SnS I thought was amazing. I know there are a lot of people who don't like it, but I found myself strangely attracted to this show. With the whole "guy dies but something happens which keeps him alive" and his bonds with people, I loved it lol. I really loved how Yuji gained power, and didn't just fade out with no abilities like other MC I know haha. And the whole romance thing was pretty cute too hehe (I'm a sucker for romantic stuff ahaha)

All and all, there are probably A lot more Anime that could probably tie in with my 4th and 5th but I'll leave at that haha. The thing with the first 4 is that they all made me cry like a baby LOL and they hit me hard too at some points since they can closely relate to situations in real life. I could also probably write tons of paragraphs about these shows, but I have my chicken sandwich from BK waiting for

[ACBlackJ0ck]

In no order:

1. Ga Rei Zero
2. Eden of The East
3. Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
4. Seitokai no Ichizon
5. Clannad (and After Story)

[darkrider21]

magna 5Genju no seiza4Lament of the lamb3black butler2monster1chobits books 1 and 2

[kyoshiro20]

1.clannad after story
2. naruto shippuden
3. tengen toppa gurren laggan
4. Samurai 7
5. Trigun

[-RukiaKuchiki-]

Anime
1.bleach

2.Guilty Crown

3.Ghost in the shell

4. Gundam 00

5.Code Geass

manga
1. bleach
2.Accel world
3.naruto
4.RealPG
5.Guilty Crown

[Dorian Gray]

1. Code Geass (Mecha/Action/Super Power/Drama)
2. Spirited Away (Adventure/Supernatural)
3. One Piece (Adventure/Action)
4. FLCL (Comedy/Sci-Fi/Parody)
5. Ouran High School Host Club (Romantic Comedy)

[LunaLuffsYoux]

1. Clannad Afterstory
2. Black Butler
3. Nabari No Ou
4. Angel Beats!
5. Sands of Destruction

[KageNoNeko]

Well, here I go.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist
2. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (It could easily be as my number one, but the original has more memories attached to it.)
3. Ouran High School Host Club (The manga is better, but the anime series is good for getting a taste of the manga.)
4. Kore Wa Zombie Desuka? (Did I spell that right? About a zombie, a magical girl, and other magical elements.)
5. Shikabane Hime (Corpse Princess is about these walking corpses that are trying to kill a hundred corpses in order to move on or something like that.)

[BestFly]

1. Lucky Star
-Adapted from a 4koma. Lucky Star is a slice of life comedy about 4 girls living their lives. The anime is full of references to other shows so people with decent anime knowledge will get the most out of it.

2. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
-A comedy/sci-fi anime that follows around Haruhi, a girl who wants more than anything to meet aliens, espers, and time travelers. So she creates the SOS brigade, a school club that investigates anything remotely close (and a lot of times totally unrelated) to the supernatural. The ED dance sequence is famous among anime fans.

3. Steins;Gate
-Sci-fi/Thriller. S;G is a little slow out of the gate, but quickly picks things up. It is a show based on time travel and changing past/future and the potential effects it can have. Armed with arguably the best lead in the past 5 years, S;G takes you on a mental and emotional roller coaster ride.

4. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
-Mecha/Sci-fi/Comedy etc...TTGL is what I'd call and epic among epics. If your experience from mecha is limited to Eva and Gundam...forget everything, you havn't seem them like this. TTGL is one of the few shows where their "Jumping the Shark" moments are just pure awesome. Everything is way over the top, like it should be.

5. Mawaru Penguindrum
-Mystery/Drama/Comedy/Fabulous Max. Penguindrum is created by the makers of Utena. It follows around two brothers in search of an item called the "Penguindrum" so they can rescue their sister from death. This can also be called Twists the anime, because there's like a twist an episode.

[Liberate]

1: Kaze No Stigma
2: Ah! My Goddess!
3: Gintama
4: Demon King Daimao
5: Trinity Blood

Honestly, they all are awesome. ^_^

[Kaleohano]

1. Spice ad wolf (if you say anything else, you're wrong.)
-Incredibly well developed characters and environments. and one of the few animes that WILL have you sitting at the edge of your seat over a love story. the way the characters interactions with each other change as the story and richness of their unique personalities progresses and grows is pulled off absolutely flawlessly. they don't just blurt out whatever they're thinking as characters in anime have a tendency to do. they keep silent and hint that there is something on they're mind they are not yet willing to share. this sense of mystery gives the characters a level of depth that makes them feel much more human. furthermore, the lack of this information makes you reflect more closely on the actions they take so you my try to deduce what they're true feelings are (many things in this one are open to opinion).

2. Full Metal Panic!
-One of the few animes that you WILL laugh out loud over and over and over again during just one episode.. caracters are all unique and interesting and sousuke is a total boss

3. Fullmetal Alchemist (either version)
-its the one that first got me hooked on anime so its just gotta be in my top 5. besides the fact that its a damn good anime lol

4. Trigun
-you just can't help but love the humanoid typhoon. he truly is one of the most lovable characters ever created.

5. Soul Eater
-Unique and interesting characters. an art style thats either loved or hated but ultimately works out perfectly for the mood of the show, and a story thats just good enough to keep you wanting to see the next episode. gotta keep it up with the five.

Holo (Horo in the japanese version) from Spice and Wolf

[Jasanime]

I couldn't possibly put them in order! Fruits Basket, Elfin Lied, Stein;Gate, Air, Code Geass.

[SakuraKiss13]

1. Ouran High School Host Club
2. Special A
3. Maid Sama!
4. Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi
5. Kare Kano

[Ryuu No Kage]

1.Fairy tail
2.Naruto
3.High school DXD
4.High school of the dead
5.11 Eyes

[Kagome]

I've got TOO many to have just five! D: I have too many tops to have just 10...come to think of it...<o<;;;

[katlover]

1. bleach
2. fairy tail
3.naruto
4.sekaiichi hatsukoi
5.pretty cure (season 1:wtf)

[Ragenomics]

Anime
1. Berserk
2. Fist of the North Star
3. Kenichi The Mightiest Disciple
4. Revolutionary Girl Utena
5. Excel Saga

Manga
1. Samurai Deeper Kyo
2. Berserk
3. Spice & Wolf
4. Toriko
5. Fairy Tail