What do you think the consensus greatest anime of all time is?

From an anime purist standpoint, what do you think the definitive greatest anime ever is? Or at least what you think majority of people would say. For example most think TDK is the greatest CBM ever.

Albeit subjective, my opinion would have to be Hunter x Hunter.

The Nen power system while highly complex, is incredibly written and its mechanics are solid.

Character development also is high-level (Meruem, Youpi, Pakunoda, Chrollo etc.) Just wish they'd have done more with Kurapika.

The way Togashi had the personalities/characteristics of Meruem and Gon flip at the end of the Chimera Ant arc was nothing short of genius.

Easily the consensus, and I agree. Although my personal fave is FMAB

From what I'm reading on MAL, it's Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Cowboy Bebop. Literally no one ever criticizes it.

Consensus? I haven't looked into it, but I'd guess it's Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Consensus greatest manga is Lone Wolf and Cub, though.

Cowboy Bebop is seen by casuals and elitists alike to be universally great so probably that.

Naruto, obviously.

Consensus? It's either Cowboy Bebop or Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Bebop no question

Well I have in the past, so... :P

I suppose I'll agree with this:

And maybe Brotherhood as well, yeah.

Dragon ball Z id bet.

I assumed everyone would say Death Note lol not Cowboy Bebop.

DBZ. It really hinges entirely on popularity if you want us to go by what most people will say.

Consensus of what?

Shounen fans? ... Its probably one of the following DBZ, One Piece, Naruto, etc

Hollywood Critics? ... Spiritied Away since it won an Oscar.

Millenial Hipsters? ... Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Neon Genesis Evangelion, etc

Japanese themselves? I don't know... probably Astroboy

So I guess consensus is the fact that it is both popular enough, beloved, and love by both elitist and casual, and US audience.

I have to disagree with lots of the one said like

Death Note because of the second half.

Neon Genesis Evangelion because lots of people hate Shinji, and I cannot blame them if they watch End of Evangelion, and the original ending was done with crayons. Also there too much war over the movie or manga being better.

DBZ is consider trash by lots of elitist and the fact that Buu saga exist.

Hunter X Hunter, eh not mainstream enough also let be real is only the chimera arc that people really like, also too many things happening and then not happening, and never really finish satisfying enough (damn you author).

The maybe list from those stated would be

FMA Brotherhood since it is universally love, and manage to be mainstream enough, granted the shonen tropes does hurt it a bit.

Cowboy Bebop, a gateway anime that people do not really criticized and highly respect.

Spirited Away since it won an oscar and is movie both casual and non-casual like it.

Back away weebs, this is the true king of anime:

Depends on what "great" means.

DBZ is one of the most popular, iconic, and influential anime.

But in terms of objective quality? Hard to say.

DBZ for action/shounen, Death Note for non shounen.

One Punch Man could be up there one day but it's still too young to include, season 2 dropped the ball pretty hard too compared to 1st season so idk.

Tbh HunterxHunter , Yu Yu Hakusho & Cowboy BeBop

@ovy7: Nice one. Had forgotten about it. Don't think I've ever seen anyone say something about it.

@magian: Yeah, it's a highly regarded anime, tho not that popular as IMO it isn't an anime that it would be easy to get into for the casual anime watcher.

The best manga is Battle Angel Alita, pre Last Order.

Anime is harder to say.

@ovy7: Have you checked the new anime?

@magian: Yes I did, and I really liked it.

It's definitely not DB.

Consensus? Either Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away, although Your Name appears to be the current favorite among anime fans. For series, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood ranks at the top of most online poll/sites with Steins;gate also having a strong following. The well known shonen are popular but also divisive, so if we’re talking consensus I don’t think they rank in the top five to ten.

Code Geass!

Fate/Zero is up there for me.

It’s always been between Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop in my opinion.