I have an interest in the history of anime and am working my way through a list of anime in chronological order. I am currently in the mid 70s. Sometimes I think I will never work my way up to the present day. lol
My tastes in anime (and media in general) are quite varied, but here are some of my favorites in no specific order;
Flanders no Inu (A Dog of Flanders): A gentle historical drama that follows a young Belgian boy named Nelo who lives with his grandfather, a poor milkman. Despite his lowly station Nelo is bright and possesses a natural talent for drawing. He is also best friends with Alois, though her father, Nelo's landlord, does not approve. The titualar dog (Patrash) is a constant presence, but mostly has little to do with the plot.
I highly recommend this anime for it's beautiful animation and deep characterization. But be warned, there isn't much action or high drama, and there are 52 episodes, so this series takes patience.
Ashita no Joe (Tomorrow's Joe): Yabuki Joe is a street brawling runaway who one day catches the attention of Tenge, a washed up ex-boxer. Tenge sees Joe's potential and decides to train Joe to become the next champion. Joe is undisciplined and resistant until he lands in prison and forms an epic rivalry with fellow inmate Rakishi. High drama ensues (with a dash of humor).
Puela Magi Madoka Magica: You have likely heard of this one. Without spoiling too much I will say that this is essentially "The Watchmen" of the magical girl genre.
Akira: A high watermark of technical achievement in Japanese animation and a major breakthrough for anime in the west this harrowing sci-fi epic follows disenfranchised teens, Kanada and Tetsuo, as they get drawn into a surreal world of psychic powers and conspiracy. Both visually and neratively complex this is a must see for fans of mature themes in animation.
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakush (Spirited Away): Chihiro's is moving with her parents to a new town, and isn't terribly happy about it. On the way there they stumble upon a mysterious abandoned resort town. As the sun sets the town comes to life and her parents get turned into pigs! The town isn't abandoned after all, but rather a resort town for spirits. Chihiro must navigate this strange spirit world in order to save her parents and get back to the human realm.
Anju to zushio-maru (The Orphan Brother): I consider this to be the capstone of Toei's early animated features. The style is very distinct from modern anime, but important in it's development.
A brother and sister are orphaned when a rival samurai has their parents killed. They are then taken into slavery before they manage to escape. What follows is a tale of tragedy and determination against all odds, even death.
