A little backstory.
Wayyyyy back in my college days, I stumbled upon a thread in the now defunct dota-allstars anime discussion forums titled
"Anime you should watch before you die." At the time I only just "liked" anime, not as much as now, where I watch 10+ series per season. As it was my last year of college and had only my thesis to finish, I found myself with a lot of time to spare so I figured, why not get a little more into anime besides just playing RF online and DotA all day.
So I took the most common suggestions and watched. And it blew my fucking mind. It seemed to me that Japanese animation was just leagues better than the shit that Hollywood was coming up with. I started getting into anime more after that.
That thread changed my life. Without it, I might not have gotten so into anime. So in honor of that thread, I would like to invite you to share your own list of "Anime you should watch before you die". I recommend including a short description/explanation to convince potential viewers to watch it. Here's mine:
- Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
NGE was, simply put, ahead of its time. The super robot genre was already a staple of anime at the time, but NGE managed to create its own distinct feel, with its deep, psychological storytelling and symbolism. Some may find that the story is difficult to comprehend, but you would be remiss not to watch this cornerstone of japanese anime.
- Akira (1988)
One of the earliest cyberpunk animations, Akira paved the way for the expansion of anime into the west. It cemented cyberpunk as a genre in animation with its style. A definite landmark in animation in general and the sci-fi/cyberpunk itself, which has influenced works such as The Matrix and continues to influence animation today.
- Rurouni Kenshin - Tsuiokuhen (1999)
One of the few animated works that many would consider calling a "masterpiece". This vivid portrayal of a fictional swordsman in the bloody bakumatsu will leave you in awe at what can be achieved in the medium. I highly recommend watching this in the original Japanese audio.
Thus ends my soliloquy.
I'll keep my list short. Maybe add a few more in the future. I hope some will find an anime they can enjoy in this thread.
Peace.
