Really good anime: what might I be missing?

I must admit that most anime I've seen just sort of makes me shake my head... as in 'what do people see in this???'

Of course many of the Miyazake films are great in every way -- visually beautiful, charming stories. I think Totoro and Kiki's Delivery would be on my favorite 50 films list. Ghost in the Shell and Stand Alone Complex 1 & 2 worked well for me. Wings of Honneamise was beautiful. There was a series titled 'Nana' that I watched without feeling too much guilt in my pleasure.

There just aren't many anime films not related to Miyazaki that I could seriously recommend to others. And most of the episodic ones... never mind. I did watch Bubblegum Crisis more than once. I can't explain why.

Have I missed anything really great? Perhaps those of you who set a similarly high bar might throw out a few titles I might like.

 

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Baccano
Nagi Asu - A Lull in the Sea
Durarara
Tokyo Ghoul
Non Non Biyori
Clannad
Food Wars
GATE
World Trigger
Sword Art Online
Fate/Zero
Attack On Titan
Yona of the Dawn
Toradora
Chaika: The Coffin Princess
Sound! Euphonium
Shirobako

Just a few from recent memory that we really liked.

Non Non is quiet, funny, and reminds me a lot of Miyazaki. Nagi Asu is simply gorgeous. Attack On Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood have great action and interesting stories. Clannad is so sad you'll want to shoot yourself in the head. Baccano and Durarara are non-linear, bizarre, funny, and exciting.

 

COWBOY BEBOP.

 

Some people may only want to invest the time to just watching movies (and don't get me wrong, I adore the Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli movies), but for me the really great anime are the television series.

I've watched over 300 series and I can enthusiastically recommend the following:

Haibane Renmei (2002) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=271

Mahoraba Heartful Days (2005) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=2443

Ergo Proxy (2006) - 23 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3302

Cowboy Bebop (1998 - 1999) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=23

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (2004) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=2430
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's (2005) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3440
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS (2007) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4688

Cardcaptor Sakura (1998 - 2000) - 70 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=102

Simoun (2006) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4239

Monster (2004 - 2005) - 74 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=1539

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) - 14 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3651
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (2009) - 14 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6367

Kamichu! (2005) - 16 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3195

Kino`s Journey [ Kino no Tabi: the Beautiful World ] (2003) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=575

Fate/stay night (2005) - 24 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3348
Fate/Zero (2011) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8160
Fate/Zero (2012) - 12 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8880
Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works (2014) - 12 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9977
Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works (2015) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=10760

Stellvia of the Universe [ Uchuu no Stellvia ] (2003) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=630

My-HiME (2004) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=1554
My-OTOME (2005 - 2006) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=3216

Clannad (2007 - 2008) - 22 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5101
Clannad After Story (2008 - 2009) - 22 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5841

Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight (2007) - 12 episodes + 1 special http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=4125

Azumanga Daioh (2002) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=106

Serial Experiments Lain (1998) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=99

Paranoia Agent [ Mousou Dairinin ] (2004) - 13 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=1265

K-ON! (2009) - 12 episodes + 1 special http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6257
K-ON!! (2010) - 24 episodes + 2 specials http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7307

Bakemonogatari (2009 - 2010) - 15 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6327
Nisemonogatari (2012) - 11 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=8658
Nekomonogatari [Kuro] (2012) - 4 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9453
Monogatari Series: Second Season (2013) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9183
Hanamonogatari (2014) - 5 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=10046

To Aru Majutsu no Index (2008 - 2009) - 24 episodes + 1 special http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=5975
To Aru Majutsu no Index II (2010 - 2011) - 24 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=7599
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (2009 - 2010) - 24 episodes + 1 special http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=6460
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S (2013) - 24 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9484

Death Parade (2015) - 12 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=10905

Nagi No Asukara (2013 - 2014) - 26 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9387

Sidonia no Kishi "Knights of Sidonia" (2014) - 12 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9892
Sidonia no Kishi: Daikyuu Wakusei Sen`eki "Knights of Sidonia: Battle for Planet Nine" (2015) - 12 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=10713

Junketsu No Maria "Maria the Virgin Witch" (2015) - 12 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=10178

Non Non Biyori (2013) - 12 episodes http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=9722
Non Non Biyori Repeat (2015) - currently airing, latest episode is #7 http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=10587

Well, it certainly can be so cathartic. Anytime I need a good cry I just re-watch Clannad After Story episode 18 -
Ushio: "Is it alright not to hold it in anymore? Sanae-san told me. Places I can cry are in the bathroom... ...and in my Daddy's arms."

 

Thanks. I'll print these out, and other suggestions. Sounds like Clannad is a good place to start, from the consensus.