CONFUCIUS

Every time some anime forum brings out a top 10 anime of all time poll, I would cringe and say to myself "Am I too old or these little kids have no taste ?" I mean, shows like Gundam Seed ?! Full Metal Alchemist ?! Ok, sure, they are popular, but top 10 of all time ?! Considering most of the posters here are mature types (age 20 to 30) who have watched a fair amount of classic anime and appreciate the good stuff. I thought it would be interesting to see what your top 10 anime of all time is (please put in your reasons as well ) Here's my list : 1- Neon Genesis Evangelion: Most of the Macross fans would probably disagree but EVA is my No.1 because it was one of the few shows which was driven by flawed characters. Shinji, Asuka, and many others may not be the types that we like, but they are the types that we can relate to and find in our society. It's not hard to see somebody in your workplace or school and think " Hey, that poofy little wimp over there reminds me of Shinji." And that's what makes EVA my no.1 2-Macross: There isn't much to say as most of the posters here know how good this show is. Main reason I would put Macross above Gundam is that Macross is more complete, it's enjoyable from the first episode to the last where as Gundam took a while to become enjoyable. 3-Gundam: IMO the first half of Gundam is ordinary and quite repetitive, but the awesome battle scenes and the storyline in the second half is what makes it such a classic. 4-Akira: When I first saw Akira I was stunned, I did not have a clue on what the story was about but the ride through the city scene and the action just captured me, a few years later I watched it again and I still don't have a clue on what it's about but hey, I still love Kaneda's bike and that Ride through the city scene. 5-Maison Ikkoku: There are very few love comedies that doesn't provide a dose of fan service, and Maison Ikkoku is one of those. Maybe it's the female character's widow status, or the hilariously unique characters, or the humble suburban Japanese background, there's no doubt Maison is one of the most original love anime around. 6-Patlabor TV Series: Character driven mecha show at it's best. Personally I don't think the mecha design is as original as EVA or Gundam(though I do love the Griffin) but the characters and the satire display of Japanese culture in this show makes it absolutely fun to watch. 7-Nadia-Secret of Blue Water: Like it or not, I think Hideaki Anno is a genius and this adventure anime of his is extremely underated. Like EVA, the characters are flawed but unlike EVA they are not dislikable. There's no stunning artwork or amazing battle scenes, just intriguing characters and simple but interesting storyline. 8-Gunbuster: If it wasn't for the last two episodes, I reckon Gunbuster wouldn't be regarded as a classic. The last two episodes are the only time where I feel captured by the sacrifices Noriko and her companions made to save humanity. If the first four episodes are as emotionally powerful and intriguing as the last two, Gunbuster would have been my No.3 instead. 9-Gundam 0080-war in the Pocket: I've put this OVA series in my top 10 because it's probably the only mecha show that display the cruelty of war through a civilian's eyes. And IMO the last duel scene is the one of the most powerful and dramatic scenes in anime. 10-Cowboy Bebop: I'm not sure if Bebop is the right choice yet as there are numerous animes that could easily be on it's spot (Macross Plus, Nadesico, Orange Road, etc) But at the end of the day, Faye's bum and boobs, Megumi Hayashibara's electric voice and Yoko Kanno's music just persuaded me, eventhough the dialogue in Bebop can be cheesey and corny at times, and the title "Cowboy Bebop" is as bad as "Samurai Champloo".