Can we come up with a definitive "classic" or "must have" anime list?

[Velaryon]

Hi Playgrounders,

I've recently (and semi-unofficially) been put in charge of buying the anime for the public library where I work. More specifically, anime for ages 13+, because the children's department will be responsible for whatever is aimed at younger audiences.

*Edited to add* By ages 13+, I mean that I'm not looking for things targeted at younger children. I can and do purchase things aimed at more adult audiences, so long as they're not basically porn. Titles like Attack on Titan, Elfen Lied, or Highschool of the Dead are totally okay for this collection.

I'm a casual anime fan - I've seen some but not all of the classics, but have at least heard of many of them. I'm not at all obsessed with otaku or Japanese culture, I don't speak the language at all, but I enjoy me some anime now and then. This makes me the closest thing to an expert my department has got on anime. I have friends who are more into it than me and they've been helpful, but I'd like to solicit a broader group of opinions.

I don't have a big budget to work with - I can buy about 6-8 titles on average per month, depending on price (we use a vendor that sells specifically to libraries which is often but not always cheaper than buying via Amazon). I'm trying to build my library's collection into something that has a good balance of classic and newer anime. I won't be able to get everything, but at least I can try to cover the "must haves."

That's where you all (hopefully) come in. What are some of the must-haves? I'll keep a list here in the first post of anything that I think gets enough suggestions to list, plus a few obvious ones that I'll include right off the bat.

Akira
Astro Boy
Baccano!
Black Butler
Bleach
Clannad
Code Geass
Cowboy Bebop
Cross Game
Death Note
Dragonball / Z / GT / Kai
Durarara!!
FLCL
Fruits Basket
Fullmetal Alchemist / Brotherhood
Ghost in the Shell (and movies)
Gundam / Wing / G Gundam
Gurren Lagann
Hunter X Hunter
Lupin the Third
Madoka Magica
Neon Genesis Evangelion
One Piece
Ranma ½
Rurouni Kenshin
Sailor Moon
Samurai Champloo
Slayers
Soul Eater
Stein’s;Gate
anything Studio Ghibli
Sword Art Online
Trigun
Urusei Yatsura

EDIT: I've upgraded the list in my post to include everything I've seen recommended more than once. Thanks everybody, and keep 'em coming!

[Douglas]

If I had to list off the top of my head the most major popular anime shows ever, that list would be:
Dragonball and Dragonball Z
Naruto
Bleach

Your list is missing Dragonball and Naruto. I mention Dragonball separately because, while it and DBZ are part of the same story, there's a time skip between them and the episode numbers start over. DBZ episode #1 is not, in fact, the first episode in the story - the entire Dragonball series takes place before it.

Another important distinction to note is that "Fullmetal Alchemist" and "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood" are distinct shows. They're both based on the same manga, but the first one was made while the manga was still in progress and splits off into its own plot part way through.

It technically doesn't qualify as anime because it wasn't made in Japan, but Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel show The Legend of Korra are the same style and similarly popular.

[meltodowno]

I'll go for the more out there options to cover some beyond the normal genre's

FLCL
Redline
Love Hina
Excel Saga
Hellsing OVA's


and Gurren Lagaan as it didn't make the original list.

(missed the 13+ requirement)

[Yora]

Hi Playgrounders,

I've recently (and semi-unofficially) been put in charge of buying the anime for the public library where I work. More specifically, anime for ages 13+, because the children's department will be responsible for whatever is aimed at younger audiences.
Does that include 16+ as well? There is plenty of great stuff that probably is too talky and complex to most older kids.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I'd put forward Madoka Magica as a modern classic, except that the show is hugely cost-prohibitive to acquire. I think it's $50 for a set of four episodes?

I'm trying to think of anything else that might really fall under the moniker. How close to 13+ should it be? I'll echo the 16+ question, especially when it comes to content.

I'll definitely recommend Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, though I don't know how much of a classic it qualifies as. Very quality show, however.

[Illieas]

note these are ones people haven't selected yet. I agree with most put up

Cyber punk:
Ghost in a shell stand alone complex is a classic. The only problem is the subjects can be heady.

Magical girl:
sailor moon for old school nostalgia.

Shonen
Ruroni kenshin especially the orgin story OAVs subbed (its dubbing is terrible).
hunter x hunter old series It starts with a main character that isn't the best fighter. It has one of the best fleshed out battle system.

Mecha
Gundam (I started with wing and liked 08th MS team) the mecha of choice
evangelion the deconstruction of that genre
full metal panic another good entry

harem/love game
claanad /claanad after story. the after story improves it greatly
Stein's gate the evil scientist and dealing with the consequences of his actions

MOVIES:
The works of Satoshi Kon (to note his works are kinda heady and trippy):
perfect blue
millennium actress
paprika

the works of Mamoru Hosoda (very family oriented works and very emotional movies think pixar):
the girl who leapt through time
Summer wars
Wolf children

Ones I like but are unsure if I would call classics
spice and wolf
samurai champloo
death note
kanon

edit strike out for ones I know will have a hard time making the 13+

[mallorean_thug]

Hmm, a list of titles that should be purchased for the teen section of a library definitely has very different requirements than a list of what I would consider "classics" or "required watching". Because you need stuff that:

Is currently liscensed in the US
But not by Aniplex USA because they're too expensive
And has a dub
And is not inappropraite for 14 year olds.


Plus, you're really looking for titles that will see circulation, regardless of how good or bad you personally think they are. I actually have a friend that has this exact job, so I'll see if he can whip up a list of popular titles for you.

[JCarter426]

You may find this list helpful (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SlidingScaleOfAnimeObscurity). It won't tell you anything about quality, but it's a good measure of how notable a series is, and therefore helpful in determining what would be in demand.

(Disclaimer that stuff that's popular is not the same as stuff that I'd recommend.)

And to add some specific examples off the top of my head (not all I have yet watched):

Evangelion
FLCL
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Haruhi Suzumiya
K-On!
Ouran High School Host Club
Ranma ½
Slayers
Steins;Gate


And that's keeping things PG-13, otherwise I would add Madoka and many others.

[BannedInSchool]

I don't know how well-regarded it is, but I have a soft spot for Macross Plus for the shedding of manly tears near the end. :smallsmile:

[Lethologica]

Teen anime? Sports are seriously underrepresented here, fellas.

Some suggestions:
Ping Pong The Animation
Slam Dunk
Hikaru no Go
Hajime no Ippo
Eyeshield 21
Kuroko's Basketball
IGPX
Initial D
Cross Game
Over Drive

[Velaryon]

Does that include 16+ as well? There is plenty of great stuff that probably is too talky and complex to most older kids.

Perhaps I should clarify, since I've seen this come up more than once. By "13+" I mean things that are not targeted to audiences younger than that. Things like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and so on are most likely going to be bought by the children's department and therefore I don't need to worry about buying it myself.

On the other hand, we already have Attack on Titan, so things with a bit more violence and gore are not prohibited. As long as it would appeal to a broad enough audience to be worth the purchase, I'm not going to exclude something as "too mature" unless it's basically porn.

I'm going to add something to the original post to make it a bit more clear what I meant.



Hmm, a list of titles that should be purchased for the teen section of a library definitely has very different requirements than a list of what I would consider "classics" or "required watching". Because you need stuff that:

Is currently liscensed in the US
But not by Aniplex USA because they're too expensive
And has a dub
And is not inappropraite for 14 year olds.


It's okay to have things that are subbed now and then - I would prefer when possible to have DVDs where English and Japanese dubs are both an option, but it's not an absolute requirement. If there is some awesome and popular (in the USA) anime that happens to not have an English dub for some reason, I would still consider it if it's available. Price is a much more serious concern.


Plus, you're really looking for titles that will see circulation, regardless of how good or bad you personally think they are. I actually have a friend that has this exact job, so I'll see if he can whip up a list of popular titles for you.

Exactly! Things that will see is the only real criteria I'm looking for here. Popularity and quality are important only insofar as they can help predict circulation. If I were building this collection for myself alone, I wouldn't touch anything Dragonball or Inuyasha at all because I hate them both passionately, but since I'm looking for broad appeal they will qualify on popularity.



You may find this list helpful (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SlidingScaleOfAnimeObscurity). It won't tell you anything about quality, but it's a good measure of how notable a series is, and therefore helpful in determining what would be in demand.

(Disclaimer that stuff that's popular is not the same as stuff that I'd recommend.)

And to add some specific examples off the top of my head (not all I have yet watched):

Evangelion
FLCL
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Haruhi Suzumiya
K-On!
Ouran High School Host Club
Ranma ½
Slayers
Steins;Gate


And that's keeping things PG-13, otherwise I would add Madoka and many others.

Excellent link! Using the scale on that page, I'm looking for things primarily on levels 0-2, though I will dip into level 3 and occasionally level 4, budget permitting, for truly awesome stuff. After all, the library's collection is intended also for the serious anime fans who have probably already seen most of the well-known stuff.

FLCL is another one I personally detest, but I just put it on my ordering list for this month since I think it's pretty popular and we don't have it. I'm looking into FMA: Brotherhood as well since I don't think we have it yet.

[Lethologica]

FLCL is another one I personally detest
u wot m8



If we're factoring in popularity, I guess I have...to suggest...ugh...sword art online

Also: Mirai Nikki, Elfen Lied, Death Note, Ninja Scroll, Code Geass, Kill La Kill, Psycho-Pass, Clannad, Soul Eater, Ao no Exorcist, Ano Hana, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Bakemonogatari, Hunter x Hunter, Eureka Seven, Shakugan no Shana, Blood+, Claymore, Trinity Blood, Vampire Knight, D.Gray Man, and Hellsing Ultimate.

Not to mention Rurouni Kenshin, Baccano, Durarara, and Space Dandy. (No, I don't know why I separated these off into their own list. Maybe the other one had just gotten too long?)

[Kyberwulf]

I would recommend Louie the rune soldier, Desert Punk, and Azumanga Diaoh Devil Part timer, and Kenichi History's mightiest disciple.

[JoshL]

1) Record of Lodoss War - it is one of my favorite things ever (though to be fair, I have a lot of those)
2) Slayers (seconding)
3) Baccano!
4) Revolutionary Girl Utena (though on the mature side, I think it fits the "not actually porn" requirement)
5) All Ghibli, but if we're going to be specific, I think Spirited Away is the must-have (Nausicaä is my favorite so would be my second pick)
6) Paranoia Agent - maybe not widely thought to be Kon's best work, but it's really brilliant.

That said, not sure how popular Lodoss or Utena is these days.

[Rater202]

Were I in your shoes, and had to assemble a list of must have anime for a collection. I'd include The Original Dragonball as an example of fantasy/adventure and Dragonball Z as an example of a Shonen Fighting Anime, one or more of the Gundam Series as a go too mecha series(G Gundam is my favorite, but others may prefer one of the others as they're more traditional)... The go too Mon Series would be Pokemon, but you've said that goes in the kiddy department, so I'd direct you to one of the Digimon Series(Adventure or Tamers are widely considered the best) which is a bit more mature in tone than Pokemon is and does approach the mon genre from a different angle. Sailor Moon is the go too Magical Girl anime, for good reason, but I'm told that Madoka is a popular alternate take, if significantly darker in tone.

I'm quite fond of Cyborg 009 as a science fiction/espionage anime, though I caution you to make sure you get the version of the anime from the 2000s if possible, as it's based on a rather old manga and some of the original designs for characters were um, a product of the times, so to say, and thus earlier versions of the anime might draw some unwanted attention. Though I've heard there's going to e yet another remake this fall, so there's that.

beyond that, it really depends on the kind of people coming into your library.

[Reddish Mage]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Ghost in the Shell movies, as that was quite an important set of movies (not to mention influential on a certain set of siblings that made another movie about the internet).

Also the request for "classic" anime means that we must have Astro Boy, which is the first anime.

I think we should also add some 70's anime like Urusei Yatsura (aka "Those Obnoxious Aliens" aka Lum!), Cutie Honey, and Lupin the third.

Also speaking of classics note Tenchi Muyo was not only hugely popular but sparked a genre (Ranma 1/2 and Oh My Goddess! are also "harem comedy" but all the drek that followed follows Tenchi to a T...not to mention the echi).

[Rodin]

DBZ, Naruto, Hunter X Hunter, One Piece, etc., are all kind of problematic if you're on a budget. That's mainly because there's just so MUCH of them. There's around 300 episodes of DBZ, and Naruto is at 600+ at this point.

So, the question is whether complete series are a must. If not, for the big long running Shonen shows I would stick with the first couple story arcs. For example:

DBZ - Saiyan saga for sure, if possible Frieza saga as well (although that still brings you to 100+ episodes)

Naruto - Zabuza arc and the Chuunin exams. Going all the way through to the end of the exams gets you to 80 episodes.

Hunter X Hunter (2011 version) - Much easier, you can get to the end of the tournament in 40 episodes.

Edit:

And my "everyone should watch this" show is Slayers, particularly Slayers NEXT. Perfect library fare too - not kiddie, but also nothing offensive either.

[Reddish Mage]

DBZ - Saiyan saga for sure, if possible Frieza saga as well (although that still brings you to 100+ episodes)

Just watch Dragon Ball Z Kai, they rereleased the shows in HD, recut so the fights flow smoothly and tossed out the 15 Episodes worth of repetitive animation where we just see Goku walking down a road and rushing to King Kai's place (I exaggerate...but only slightly)...




And my "everyone should watch this" show is Slayers, particularly Slayers NEXT. Perfect library fare too - not kiddie, but also nothing offensive either.

"when sorceresses loss their power." Ok, that's about as bad a innuendo goes

Slayers, Lodoss Wars, even Rune Soldier... I suppose its not surprising to see the playground recommending every D&D anime.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Ghost in the Shell movies, as that was quite an important set of movies (not to mention influential on a certain set of siblings that made another movie about the internet).
I suppose I was mostly thinking about the impression that The Major's outfit might leave on some patrons. OTOH, it wouldn't be the edgiest thing that floats about in libraries.

[Lethologica]

I would have recommended the GitS movies if I'd noticed that they hadn't been specifically recommended.


I suppose I was mostly thinking about the impression that The Major's outfit might leave on some patrons. OTOH, it wouldn't be the edgiest thing that floats about in libraries.
Besides, the use of the Major's various states of dress and undress in the GitS movies is so much better than in SAC.

[mallorean_thug]

Hmm, so my friend got back to me with a list of what he'd guess to be the top 20 titles by circulation:

Full Metal Alchemist
Trigun
Naruto
Bleach
Yu Yu Hakusho

Cowboy Bebop
Black Butler
Attack On Titan
Steins;Gate
FLCL

Fruits Basket
Sword Art Online
Inuyasha
One Piece
Fairy Tail

Cross Game
Sailor Moon
Death Note
Bamboo Blade
Soul Eater

Obviously this is limited to titles that our local library already has, and as such skews towards older titles because there's only so much budget and shelf space to grab newer stuff. That said, those would probably make a pretty good starting list.

If you wanted another place to pull ideas from, while MyAnimeList is known to have pretty bad taste, its taste does tend to align pretty closely with the current US underage anime fandom. So looking at its Top Anime list (http://myanimelist.net/topanime.php) could help.

Alternatively, a blogger I follow put together a weighted average of the opinions of most of the aniblogosphere (http://thecartdriver.com/animetacritic-v-2-more-reviewers-more-lists/) that I've found to be incredibly useful in finding good shows to watch. It could be similarly useful if you want more shows that a critical consensus of being high quality.

[cobaltstarfire]

I'm going to put in a note for The Vision of Escaflowne (the series), to help round out the fantasy suggestions some. It was fairly well received back in its time, and I feel is good for a general audience like you'd have at the library.


I have no idea how it compares in terms of price to other anime, it's got a definite beginning and end (26 episodes).

[JCarter426]

Seconding some that slipped my mind:

Fruits Basket
Macross
Sword Art Online (I almost put SAO on my list, but I realized I only ever hear about it in a negative context, so I wasn't sure if I should :smalltongue:)


Perhaps I should clarify, since I've seen this come up more than once. By "13+" I mean things that are not targeted to audiences younger than that. Things like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and so on are most likely going to be bought by the children's department and therefore I don't need to worry about buying it myself.

On the other hand, we already have Attack on Titan, so things with a bit more violence and gore are not prohibited. As long as it would appeal to a broad enough audience to be worth the purchase, I'm not going to exclude something as "too mature" unless it's basically porn.

Titles like Attack on Titan, Elfen Lied, or Highschool of the Dead are totally okay for this collection.
Well, that certainly extends the list. Most of these have already been mentioned, but I'd add:

Baccano!
Black Butler
Code Geass
Death Note
Ghost in the Shell
Hellsing
Madoka
Monster
When They Cry

Also, I'm going to add a recommendation that might be a bit out there:

Outbreak Company.

It's recent and I don't believe it was all that popular, but the entire plot is about introducing anime to another culture. As a result it's a surprisingly educational resource on a number of anime tropes, and references many of the series already mentioned via knock-off parodies.


Excellent link! Using the scale on that page, I'm looking for things primarily on levels 0-2, though I will dip into level 3 and occasionally level 4, budget permitting, for truly awesome stuff. After all, the library's collection is intended also for the serious anime fans who have probably already seen most of the well-known stuff.
Yup, that sounds about right. I'd also add that you likely won't have to bother with some level 0 stuff that most of your audience has already seen or is still airing. And go for 3 or 4 to cover specific genres, like Hyouka for mystery. You might also want to include ones that better known in Japan and possibly referenced in other anime, such as Yamato.

Another thing occurred to me. Check the guests of anime conventions in the area - production staff especially. Series that draw that sort of attention are ones you're looking for.

[Sliver]

Some of those have been already said, so I'm just going to list some of my favorites:

Accel World
Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu LOVE!
Death Note
Detroit Metal City
Denki-gai no Honya-san
Hataraku Maou-sama!
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de
Juuni Kokuki
Madoka Magica
No Game No Life
Steins;Gate

I also started watching Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic and I'm enjoying it...

[Feytalist]

I personally think it would be criminal not to include at least the first Ghost in the Shell movie.

My personal recommendation would be for Mushishi. It's less well known, but still regularly ranks near the top of Best Anime lists. It's also something rather different than the usual fare. But, well. Like I said. Not super well known.

[danzibr]

Cross-referencing my personal list with Ctrl+f, I have some to add:

1) .hack//SIGN is pretty classic. I guess.
2) CHAOS:HEAD gets honorable mention. Not a must-have, but worth watching.
3) Fushigi Yuugi. Now this is great.
4) Outlaw Star.
5) Tenjou Tenge is catchy and 13+. The anime never finished though...
6) X is good.
7) Utawarerumono is decent. I guess not must-have.

I guess of that list, Fushigi Yuugi is what I would classify as the best.

[Kato]

First off: There really are no "must see" anime I think. Its up to personal preference, though some likely hold more value than others or are more generally accepted as "good".



The List:

Akira
Bleach
Cowboy Bebop
Dragonball Z
Fullmetal Alchemist
One Piece
anything Studio Ghibli
Trigun

Just a few words on the list as it stands:
Bleach over Naruto? I only know the former second hand but I thought Naruto even with it's massively varying quality was overall considered better :smallconfused:
I'd recommend DB Kai over the original Z, it decreases the volume and thus required money and does not really lose in matters of quality.
FMA is a debated subject but you should carefully consider whether to get the original anime or Brotherhood (I personallyprefer the latter)


What else, apart from things mentioned (over and over, like Steins;Gate which I adore, Code Geass or Baccano)
Additional to Baccano: Durarara/Drrrrrrrrr. It's... not basically the same but very similar in tone, but set in modern Tokyo exploring things like the effect of chat rooms on modern society. (Slightly. It's really just a bunch of fun)
Someone mentioned it already but again: Gundam. Problem: which one? The original(s) don't hold up that well. 08th MS Team or War in the Pocket are widely regarded as great OVAs, so maybe better if you are on a budget. I personally think 00 is a pretty good new series and mostly adequate for beginners, even though some jokes may be lost without knowledge of the franchise. (I would of course recommend the best Gundam entry ever, G Gundam, but it's very much different from the rest of the franchise)
Gurren Lagann often is found in many favorite lists and usually widely appreciated... except by people who hate it. It's kind of polarizing. (A bit surprised it only was mentioned a few times yet :smalltongue:)
The Hellsing OVAs were mentioned and are generally good but... I wouldn't likely put them in a library myself, somehow. They're fine to watch if you like action and blood but that's not for everyone. (Well, what is, though) (I would stay away from the original anime though)
Something many people like but I... well, I saw it probably too long ago but don't hold in too high memory, but it was only mentioned once so a repeat: Samurai Champloo. It's Cowboy bebop with Samurais, kind of.


sidenote: Avatar is... well, not anime, and probably not really 13+, but it's definitely another cartoon worth having.

final note: Please don't get Elfenlied. Nobody deserves to punish themselves with that :smallsigh:

[Yora]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Ghost in the Shell movies, as that was quite an important set of movies (not to mention influential on a certain set of siblings that made another movie about the internet).

Well, I was just about to. :smalltongue:

The TV series is also excelent, though on a limited budget I would keep it for later.

Seirei no Moribito is also excelent. At only one season it might be more affordable.

[Lethologica]

final note: Please don't get Elfenlied. Nobody deserves to punish themselves with that :smallsigh:
And yet many people are gluttons for punishment. Cases in point: SAO, Bleach, Yu-gi-oh...School Days...

[Yora]

They could just read the manga, which is actually really good.

[Rodin]

Bleach over Naruto? I only know the former second hand but I thought Naruto even with it's massively varying quality was overall considered better :smallconfused:


I think the list is just in alphabetical order.

As to which to get if you can only get one? I'd probably go Naruto myself - not for quality reasons, but because Naruto is just more popular. In terms of overall quality I don't consider there to be a huge gap - they both have their ups and downs.

...I started writing an analysis about 3 times here, but I think I'd better not. Naruto v. Bleach is a one-way ticket to flame-war town only surpassed by the console wars...

[Velaryon]

Just a few words on the list as it stands:
Bleach over Naruto? I only know the former second hand but I thought Naruto even with it's massively varying quality was overall considered better :smallconfused:
I'd recommend DB Kai over the original Z, it decreases the volume and thus required money and does not really lose in matters of quality.
FMA is a debated subject but you should carefully consider whether to get the original anime or Brotherhood (I personallyprefer the latter)


Yeah, Naruto slipped my mind during the initial post. I also deliberately left off a few that I thought of in order to help spark discussion. I've not seen it myself so I can't comment on the quality. It looks like it appeals to the same fan base as Dragonball, which is not my cup of tea.

Speaking of Dragonball, I suppose I shouldn't have specified Z - that's just the form with which I'm most familiar.

FMA it turns out we already have. I'm thinking of ordering Brotherhood, but have to see if I can afford it on my budget.

Speaking of budget, some of Aniplex's DVD's are horribly overpriced, so I probably won't be able to get shows like Sword Art Online. I'm confident it would circulate, but not enough to justify spending about $90 for every seven episodes. My library's vendor doesn't seem to carry Aniplex shows at all, so while I would like to get shows such as Durarara and Kill La Kill, I'm not sure I'll be able to even if I can afford the Aniplex Markup.



final note: Please don't get Elfenlied. Nobody deserves to punish themselves with that :smallsigh:

Oh I know, I've watched it myself. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't easy to watch.

Anyway, I'm gonna scroll through all the responses again and expand the list in my first post by adding anything I see mentioned more than once.

[mallorean_thug]

the Aniplex Markup.

Aniplex just prices for the US market at the same prices that it (and every other Japanese company) price for the Japanese market. This is to prevent reverse importing, and to try to keep the same business model that works in Japan for its overseas business. That these prices look ridiculous to us is just a testament to how unhealthily niche and devoted the market for anime in Japan really is.

[Velaryon]

^ I've seen that elsewhere on the net tonight (doing some research to find out why they were so expensive). It's unfortunate that they feel the need to do that, because it prices a lot of their stuff out of the market for many people, and probably for me as well. While I'm sure a show like SAO would circulate plenty, it's not going to check out enough to justify the insane price tag it currently has (compared to, say, a normal Hollywood action film or comedy for about $20), and I also have to consider the possibility that it could get stolen or broken.



Anyway, I'd like to add that I am not starting from square one in building this collection. When I took over in March, the collection had some obvious holes in it but also has a lot of the basics covered already. For example, we are lacking Fairy Tail, Black Butler, Samurai Champloo, FLCL, and a few others, but we already have Trigun, Attack on Titan, a lot of various Dragonball stuff (but not all of it), almost everything Studio Ghibli, and about four or five of Satoshi Kon's films. My predecessor was not an anime fan and largely went off of reviews and recommendations from our vendor, which hit a lot of the big ones but missed some others (including ones we can't get through this vendor).

It's also possible that I'll use the suggestions here to help me decide on things to get rid of - sometimes we do have to unload things that aren't checking out anymore. I discovered a Robotech DVD that hasn't checked out in more than four years - that's gonna have to go because we don't have shelf space for things that aren't getting checked out. I also have to take this into account when purchasing the classics - if everyone's already seen Cowboy Bebop, will anyone still check it out? Definitely a concern I have to pay attention to.

But that's for me to worry about - please suggest stuff that's classic, even if it's old! This has been super helpful already. :smallcool:

[Hiro Protagonest]

No Aniplex means no FMA Brotherhood and no Gurren Lagann. And that's terrible.

[Reddish Mage]

^ I've seen that elsewhere on the net tonight (doing some research to find out why they were so expensive). It's unfortunate that they feel the need to do that, because it prices a lot of their stuff out of the market for many people, and probably for me as well. While I'm sure a show like SAO would circulate plenty, it's not going to check out enough to justify the insane price tag it currently has (compared to, say, a normal Hollywood action film or comedy for about $20), and I also have to consider the possibility that it could get stolen or broken.

Yes, it is a problem that anime is so expensive, especially considering that anime only came into the US because of piracy (back in the days when that meant having to cart a VHS or Betamax over the border) and continues to be heavily pirated. I think the piracy affects the price so that distributers price it towards the hardcore. For the rest of us crunchyroll, Hulu, and cable (and sometimes the distributers websites) are good places to get these things. For a library I can see how its hard to justify spending $30 on a DVD for a niche audience if you are still having to fill out your collection of popular movies that can be bought at $20 or less.



But that's for me to worry about - please suggest stuff that's classic, even if it's old! This has been super helpful already. :smallcool:

In a sense of course, libraries are there not just to cater to our tastes but also to provide enrichment. While I'm not going to suggest they take the place of any literary classics I think the anime fan would increase their depth of appreciation if they had access to a few things from the 50's 60's 70's and 80's (the latter being the "Golden Age of Anime").

Astro Boy is THE beginning of anime and so certainly deserves a place.

After that shows like Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express as well as Gundam (but the latter being the biggest by far) helped define a certain genre in the 70's. I would think the Lupin III movie and Uruseu Yatsura, however, are more towards the taste of a teenage audience.

Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most popular anime writers, and her shows are filled with a style of humor that is distinctly Japanese. Ranma 1/2, in particular, can be said to be the first popular transgender comedy.

Miyazaki early works in the 70's and 80's are classics, as is "Akira," but note that
when studio Gainax came into being towards the end of the 80's it marks an end of an era and a new approach to anime just as it started to become popular in the US...

[ben-zayb]

I'm not sure what defines a "classic", but seeing Bleach on the list is making me cringe (and this is from someone who can enjoy it). Of course, if we're just going by our personal definition of "classic", here are mine that haven't made the list yet:

Gatchaman: With reboots and multiple (including cross-medium) adaptations under its wing( (pun intended), not to mention being one of, if not the, main inspiration for the super sentai genre, I'm surprised that this hasn't been mentioned yet.

Hajime no Ippo: This is my standard for sports manga at least in the earlier parts of tge series, and the first season animation is arguably one of the most visually striking in its time. Most people I know who watched and liked this weren't even anime enthusiasts.

Astro Boy and Princess Mononoke: these two are exactly what I expected on the list of "classic" animes along with Akira, and so their absence feels just plain sacrilege

EDIT#2: Does Voltron count as anime? If so I'd also include for almost exactly the same reason as Gatchaman.

[Rodin]

I'm not sure what defines a "classic", but seeing Bleach on the list is making me cringe (and this is from someone who can enjoy it).

Part of it is popularity. Bleach has been off the air for over 3 years now, yet is still sitting at #28 on Crunchyroll's popularity list - higher than some of the shows which are currently airing. It's a no-brainer for a title that will be regularly checked out and get people interested in anime who might not otherwise watch any.

I still remember a conversation I had when I was in high school with an acquaintance who was big into anime. She asked what I had seen and I proudly said "DBZ!" She said "No, I meant real anime."

Looking back, I see what she meant. But if I hadn't watched DBZ, I wouldn't know what anime is. Get 'em hooked first, then show them the good stuff.

[Velaryon]

Astro Boy and Princess Mononoke: these two are exactly what I expected on the list of "classic" animes along with Akira, and so their absence feels just plain sacrilege

EDIT#2: Does Voltron count as anime? If so I'd also include for almost exactly the same reason as Gatchaman.

Princess Mononoke isn't absent - I included a blanket "everything Studio Ghibli" right from the start. Best of all, between the adult collection, children's collection, and our two satellite branches, we have every Studio Ghibli feature film except for Only Yesterday, which I can't find for purchase, and When Marnie Was There, which should be coming to theaters in the US pretty soon.

As for Voltron, I'm not certain whether to count that as anime or not. I think its appeal would be limited since it's aimed at younger audiences and also pretty old, but what there is available is also pretty inexpensive. I'll file them under "things to pick up when I need to spend $10 worth of budget."


In a sense of course, libraries are there not just to cater to our tastes but also to provide enrichment. While I'm not going to suggest they take the place of any literary classics I think the anime fan would increase their depth of appreciation if they had access to a few things from the 50's 60's 70's and 80's (the latter being the "Golden Age of Anime").

To an extent, yeah. However, we aren't a museum either - my primary criteria has to be whether I think people will use an item if we spend money on it. I haven't been at my job long enough to get a good sense of overall trends in what people are checking out yet, but I have to be careful when picking older shows, especially with a relatively limited budget like I have.

Updating the OP again to include more titles that have been mentioned.

[Olinser]

Any list of 'classic' anime MUST include Vampire Hunter D. It was one of the first, if not THE first anime to be released outside Japan, and is one of the biggest reasons that it continued to be exported.