What Anime are you Currently Watching?/Anime Recommendations

[MrPopo]

fighting empty soda can girls,

I remember watching a few episodes of that show, but apparently I didn't like it enough to watch the whole thing, as I wasn't able to find it on my computer.

[isiolia]

Cowboy Bebop really is an exceptional example of the genre and is among the highest quality examples in the genre along almost any axis of comparison, be it animation, design, dubbing, music, story cohesion, etc...

I'd say story is really where Bebop is most easily nitpicked. Not that what's there is bad, mind you, just that it bounces all over. In a sense, it's probably something that really benefits the series with regard to accessibility. Like you mentioned, it's not a series that'll really leave you confused. Plus, it's got something for everyone.
However, it does severely limit the time given for any of its character development, actual plot, and so on. A good bit of the series is one-off episodes, which can be hit or miss. More focused series that consistently develop characters and story can come out ahead there. I mean, I'd say that Bebop tends to make excellent use of little screen time, but still, only so much they can do.

[Xeogred]

Bebop is a good gateway anime to me, but hardly one I'd call a favorite.

[Exhuminator]

I think our tastes are different. I'll lay it out by saying I didn't like Evangelion or LAIN.

I am not a fan of those series either.

But Escaflowne and Macross Plus

Escaflowne was good, it sort of got a spiritual successor in the Break Blade saga. Macross is Macross, it's got its good stuff and its bad stuff.

I'll list 20 anime series that have come out since 1998 (Cowboy Bebop's release year), that I found to be better than it was. I want to reiterate one more time though that I do not think Cowboy Bebop is a bad show. It's just not a show that I found to be 10/10 material, more like 7/10. Keep in mind that I'm only listing television shows below, I'm not getting into OVAs and movies (yet at least).

Beserk (1998)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserk_%28manga%29

Monster (2001)
Trailer: (not a good trailer, but I couldn't find an official trailer for this)
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_%28manga%29

Last Exile (2003)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Exile

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex & 2nd GIG (S1 2003) (S2 2005)
Season 1 Trailer:
Season 2 Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_ ... ne_Complex

Texhnolyze (2003)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texhnolyze

Gantz (2004)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantz

Gungrave (2004)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gungrave_%28anime%29

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (2005)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gankutsuo ... nte_Cristo

Samurai Champloo (2005)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_Champloo

Speed Grapher (2005)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Grapher

Black Lagoon (2006)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lagoon

Le Chevalier D'Eon (2006)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chevalier_D%27Eon

Claymore (2007)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claymore_%28manga%29

Death Note (2007)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Note
This series has my favorite opening ever:

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (2007)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moribito: ... the_Spirit

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurren_Lagann

Ultimate Survivor Kaiji (2008)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiji_%28manga%29

Tiger & Bunny (2011)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_%26_Bunny
Gotta love that Pepsi advert:

Pyscho-Pass (2012)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho-Pass
Do not watch season 2 of this show. They changed writers and the series went to shit.

Death Parade (2015)
Trailer:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Parade

I would especially recommend Samurai Champloo and Black Lagoon to fans of Cowboy Bebop. As far as all time best anime series I've ever seen go, Berserk is the ne plus ultra. It still holds up after all these years. And it came out the same year as Cowboy Bebop ironically enough.

[isiolia]

Thing with Berserk is, you might as well go read the manga, because it's far more expansive and the anime leaves some things out that are relatively important, if I recall (it's been a while). As opposed to, say, Claymore, where the manga goes on for a lot more...but the anime sticks to it fairly closely outside of the last few episodes, which more or less modify it to wrap things up instead of a next-chapter type deal. So, if you want more, it's pretty easy to just jump in after what the anime covers.

Not that they aren't good, just sayin'.

Definitely though, fans of Bebop should check the two series you mentioned out.

[Exhuminator]

Well, the Beserk anime series was meant as a primer to the manga. It does an excellent job of setting up the beginning of the Beserk saga. I agree though, everyone should read the manga after they watch the anime.

[SonicGamer74]

Interestingly enough, you listed Samurai Champloo as a series that's better than Bebop.

I only find that interesting, because both shows have the same director.

[Exhuminator]

Same director yes, but different writers.

[marurun]

OK, what on your list have I seen...

I watched Samurai Champloo and just didn't like it. As soon as I started to get into it the series would do something to throw me out. The animation was quality and all, but I found at the end I didn't feel particularly attached to the show. I also found the plot and characters both to be a little lacking. The show seems to be a tad divisive in that the people who like it love it and the people who don't don't get why everyone else loves it so much. I fall into the latter category.

Gankutsuou was impressive in some regards, but very confusing in others. Watching it made me feel a bit scattered at times. I think the storytelling was too fragmented and had too many twisty bits. I enjoyed it, but it won't go on any of my top lists.

Ghost in the Shell SAC was pretty good. I don't like it as much as Bebop, but I do like it. Very solid series. Doesn't have as many long slow places as the first movie, but does still occasionally drag. Pacing is pretty good despite that, though. And the plotting is pretty good, too.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is a series I have very mixed feelings about. It was really great in places, but it had serious pacing problems and at times I found it difficult to take it seriously. I know I'm in the minority of only liking the series on the whole and not loving the ever-loving crap out of it.

I read volume 1 & 2 of the manga for Death Note and was bored out of my mind. Left me with no desire to sample the manga.

I couple of those other ones are on my "give them a try" list as I can.

My top TV and OVA series are, in no particular order:

Cowboy Bebop
Escaflowne (not as keen on the movie version)
Bubblegum Crisis
Tenchi Muyo: Ryo Ohki (first OVA series, 2 is OK and 3 is meh; TV series not interesting to me)
El Hazard (OVA, not TV)
Macross Plus
Macross (original TV series)
First couple seasons of Ranma 1/2 (and just forget it after season 3)
Ghost in the Shell SAC
Trigun
Macross Frontier
Gundam Zeta
Outlaw Star (OK, maybe not top, but not too far off)
Wolf's Rain (For the most part. Having 3 recap episodes was a bit questionable.)

[Exhuminator]

Gankutsuou was impressive in some regards, but very confusing in others.

I will admit that you had to really pay attention at all times to keep up. It wasn't a drive by anime for sure.

read volume 1 & 2 of the manga for Death Note and was bored out of my mind. Left me with no desire to sample the manga.

The anime is leagues better. I know that's a rarity, it's usually the other way around. But Death Note is that rare exception.

As for your list, I'll respond:

Cowboy Bebop = You know how I feel about this one.
Escaflowne (not as keen on the movie version) = I'd give the series 8/10, movie kinda sucked.
Bubblegum Crisis = I love the hell out of this series, seen all of it, even barely related stuff like Parasite Dolls.
Tenchi Muyo: Ryo Ohki (first OVA series, 2 is OK and 3 is meh; TV series not interesting to me) = I hate Tenchi Muyo.
El Hazard (OVA, not TV) = I have not seen this.
Macross Plus = Good stuff overall.
Macross (original TV series) = Good stuff overall.
First couple seasons of Ranma 1/2 (and just forget it after season 3) = I hate Ranma.
Ghost in the Shell SAC = God tier.
Trigun = I have not seen this.
Macross Frontier = Very solid stuff.
Gundam Zeta = Haven't seen this.
Outlaw Star (OK, maybe not top, but not too far off) = I saw the first two episodes, but it didn't grab me. I will revisit it someday.
Wolf's Rain (For the most part. Having 3 recap episodes was a bit questionable.) = I own a copy of this series, haven't watched it yet. I've read nothing but good things about it though.