My top five animes? Hm... that takes some thought.
Detective Conan
I kind of feel this is a given. It's a DC wiki after all. I really just love this series and I don't really know why. My favorite character (Heiji) is only in episodes so often, the plot is painstakingly slow, there are too many episodes to keep track of, and yet I love it anyway. *shrug* However, if I really had to say why I liked it, I'd probably have to mention how realistic all the characters are. The characters are all unique in their personalities, their interactions with others, the way they think, their weaknesses (some even have really bizarre ones like Kaito), what makes them stand out... it's just a really great cast. There's also the relationship between Shin-chan and Ran that always has me on the edge of my seat. In many other animes I will get frustrated because two people obviously like each other but are too stupid/shy/something to either notice or do anything about it. Here they both know how they feel but there's an actual barrier between them that just makes it seem all the more real to me.
Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Both equally good series. I started out watching the first series and then after hearing that they were going to make a second based off the manga, I eagerly bought a few volumes and started to read it. I must say that I fell in love with the series all over again. Despite starting similarly, the series are two completely different entities. I love how there are so many different viewpoints of what's right and wrong or how a conflict should be resolved. There never seems to be any singular good way to do things. Everything has a price and the proper people will pay for their decisions. The world is also very creative and build fantastically. I never get tired of this series.
Code Geass
How can anyone NOT like this series? I'm not really a fan of mechas but this series just brings so much more to the table! With beautifully designed characters (Clamp did the character designs <3) and more plot twists than you can possibly hope to count, this series is always keeping you guessing. It has you laughing one episode and crying your heart out the next. It also has what I believe is the single best ending in an anime ever. It was just amazing. The music meshed perfectly with the storyline and really contributed to the overall feel. It's one of my favorite anime soundtracks.
Fruits Basket
This was my first real anime that I watched after learning what anime actually was (I had no idea things like Pokemon and Sailor Moon and stuff were made in Japan back when I was but a tiny child) so it will always hold a special place in my heart. A friend of mine introduced me to it after learning about it from her cousin. She told me all about it and I instantly fell in love with her description of Kyo. After finally watching the series, I wasn't disappointed. Being a fan of the zodiac (both western and Chinese), I loved the idea of the different zodiac animals being portrayed as people.
Tsubasa: Resevoir Chronicles and xxxHolic
I feel like I have to put them both here since their stories are so intertwined. For Tsubasa, okay, I admit, the anime suddenly stopped and didn't go anywhere and was never resolved. It ended crappily and didn't really do the manga justice. Still, it is one of my favorite stories so it needs to be mentioned. Anime-wise the music was fantastic. I also loved the return of familiar characters along with some newer ones. They took much of it out in the anime but there are also a lot of crossovers with other Clamp series. xxxHolic had more of this with random items from other series (such as the star wand from Cardcaptor Sakura) appearing in the storeroom. I also find the ending of Tsubasa simply hilarious. Anyone else might not but I was very amused.
Yea I write too much. Um... here are some other series I'm quite fond of.
D.N.Angel
Vampire Knight
Ranma 1/2
Yakitate!! Japan
Skip beat!
Saki
I'll stop now.
