Ten Older Essential Anime Series!

I'm an old Otaku. I have been ever since I re-discovered Japanese Anime back in the Dinosaur Age.  (Otherwise known as the old cable channel, VHS age!)  And one question keeps popping up year after year from newer Otaku.  "What's the best anime series ever made?  What makes X or Y soooo important to you older geezers....., err........ Otaku?  Why do you call these older series essential?"  So kiddies, here's the answer.  You may want to take notes!

First off, an "essential older collection" is different from a simple list of favorites. There are series out there which have become institutions of a sort, and which are exemplary of their genre (or were in many cases even responsible for perfecting their genre).  They may or may not have been superseded since, but they are still the yardstick upon which newer series are measured: 

The top ten older essential anime series!

Gundam - (any one you choose). The series that have always defined the giant mech genre. The only way you would get my own personal favourite Gundam Seed away from me is over my cold lifeless body.

Neon Genesis Evangelion - The classic WTF series combined with Giant Robots. Love it or hate it, if you haven't at least seen it, you're not a true Otaku. Rahxephon would be a good runner up.

Record of Lodoss War - (the first series). Brought classic fantasy to North American anime. Escaflowne would be a good second choice.

Princess Nine - The first and arguably still one of the best sports anime ever licensed over here. I feel sad for the newer otaku who have never seen this classic.

Crest/Banner of the Stars - Proved that you could adapt a serious sci-fi novel to anime. Twelve Kingdoms would be a good runner-up for fantasy fans!

Bubblegum Crisis - (the original eight OVA's) - The classic that defined the killer cyborg/blade runner type genre. Still one of the very best.

Ai Yori Aoshi - The best damned harem anime ever made! Proves that a harem anime isn't just panty shots! Runners-up. Any of the Tenchi Muyo's.

Robotech - The series that for many of us, pioneered Japanese animation into North America. What a revelation at the time compared to a GI Joe or a Transformers. An animated series in which people had doubts and even hero's could die! Even today, it is one of the best examples of an early space opera out there. Star Blazers would be a good runner-up.

His & Her Circustances - one of the classic and best school romance/relationship series out there. A good runner up would be Fruit's Basket or newer series like Kanon.

Haibane-Renmei / Kamichu! - (a tie) Perfect examples that anime doesn't have to be about conflict, killing or even having a villain at all. That an anime series can just be wonderful and magical in it's own right. Angelic Layer, Kaleido Star and Initial D would all be good runners-up.

I haven't bothered to list anything in say a specific comedy genre nor Shonen fighting genre as there's simply too many out there and I wanted to keep the listing to ten. Nor have I bothered with the really dark angsty and/or crazy paranoid series for similar reasons. People's tastes just vary too much for any to really end up in a must have category.