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I'm trying to settle a long-standing debate with my friends about the best anime of all time, and I need a broader perspective. We've been arguing for weeks, with me championing a classic like Legend of the Galactic Heroes for its epic scale and them pushing more modern hits. I'm looking for arguments that go beyond personal nostalgia and consider lasting cultural impact, storytelling innovation, and character depth across different eras, from foundational series to recent critically acclaimed works.

Hard to pick just one, but LoGH’s political chess is still impressive years later.

If we look at cultural reach, classic era shows like Gundam and Astro Boy set templates for world-building and mech genres, while newer hits like Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer pushed streaming and global fan events. It’s not just nostalgia—these shows changed how and where people watch anime.

Storytelling wise, some of the best come from people who broke format: Eva’s psychological intensity, LoGH’s sprawling political arcs, and Vinland Saga’s quiet, brutal character study. Each era brings different strengths—grand scale vs. intimate arcs—and the best cross-era comparisons show how craft evolved, not just favorites.

I’m with you on LoGH as a landmark, but I’d frame ‘best’ as what future creators borrow from. If we measure influence by mechanics—nonlinear timelines, ensemble casts, world-building density—early series did a lot, but newer shows often refine those tools.

What do you want out of the debate? If it’s 'what changed the medium', we could list breakthroughs; if it’s 'which story sticks with you', that’s more subjective. What should we prioritize?

Personally, I keep returning to long-running epics like One Piece for character arcs that actually age and grow, while a tight masterpiece like Neon Genesis Evangelion nails the psyche of a generation. Both kinds show depth, just in different flavors.

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