Best anime not based on manga.

[jenrya]

what in your option is the best anime not based on a manga. The best one I know of is cowboy bebop.

 

[Red Arrow]

Do movies count?

If not, I'll definitely go for Shinzo / Mushrambo. I still haven't seen the second season, but the first season was absolutely awesome. Especially the earlier episodes with the wacky adventures and Yakumo's specialness used as a plot device to get them into danger.

If movies do count, I will go for Spirited Away and Arriety. Who doesn't like Ghibli movies? Those are two of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. (Still need to watch My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service) Ponyo and Princess Karaguya were also wonderful.

 

[KYO'NYUU IMOUTO]

Shin Seiki Evangelion and Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch. Without a doubt, both stand at the pinnacle of the television medium. The film versions of Evangelion #25 and #26 did the virtually impossible by taking the best ending for a television series possible and then redoing it while making the end result just as fulfilling. Code Geass' likable cast of characters and music got to play in two totally different genres all within the same narrative. The build up to the chaotic, game-changing ending is just as brilliant as the final arc is itself.

 

[Fawfulmark2]

Paranoia Agent.

 

[Golden Geek]

Paranoia Agent.

Anything by Satoshi Kon falls under this category. (Okay, Memories was based off a manga, but he was only the art director.)

Some of my personal favorite anime originals are Princess Tutu (the manga ran while the show was airing, but it was an alternate, watered-down story that had pretty much nothing to do with the great anime) and Serial Experiments Lain.