Fenxy

My favorite soundtracks are from Noir, Ceres, Utena, and Kenshin. It drives people nuts when I turn on my i-pod; pretty much all I listen to are anime soundtracks and DDR music!

I second Noir and Utena. I have to add:

.Hack//Sign
Mai Hime
Mai Otome
Tsubasa: Resevoir Chronicals
(all same composer that did Noir)

Honey and Clover (Dramatic ballads and melancholy)
Beck (It's a rock anime... of course it's good music!)
Stellvia of the Universe (rock band Angela does the soundtrack)

I third Noir. Not crazy about Utena, though, but it might be just because I hate that anime.

I also second .Hack//Sign.

Those aside, I like some of the songs from the Ghost in the Shell movies (mostly the choral pieces), as well as the intro to the Love Hina series (where Megumi Hayashibara sounds TOTALLY different than in anything else she's done).

On a related note (and maybe this should be a new Note entirely), I like the stuff Utada Hikaru's done with the Kingdom Hearts series. Does anyone know whether she's done much in the Anime world? (Probably has and I just don't know it.)

I don't believe that she's done any anime songs, but her cds Deep River and Distance are really good. Avoid Exodus, though - it kind of stinks compared to the other two.

in terms of ambiance to the series, I have to say that Aria the Natural has the best songs that is fitting to the style of the series. With the vocals of Makino Yui heading the OPs Undine and Round table featuring Nino with EDs, the introduction of great insert songs make this anime experience wonderful.

Aria the Natural is clearly my vote on this.

I love the intro to and musical sequences in Haruhi. I'll also put in the vote for .Hack. I think that Honey and Clover's music was great too, and was especially impressed with how all of the background music managed to match yet still feel different. The opening to the beginning of season 1 was something else, too.

Honey and Clover had some of the best insert music. When I first picked up the series I was shocked to see (hear) that there were original songs by Spitz in almost every single episode. It's some good stuff.

I'm going to have to go with what Michael said. I've always been a fan of Yuki before the show, but it also introduced me to Suneohair and Spitz, both two great artists that I now would occasionally put on repeat. Plus, the other insert stuff by Yuzo Hiyashi is great car music... at least for me.

I've also been getting into classical a bit lately, so I've also been greatly enjoying the Marimite OST. And as a I'm more of a J-rock fan than anything else, the FLCL OST will always remain one of my favorites.

Oh man I forgot about the FLCL OST. I've been a huge fan of the Pillows ever since.

FLCL has the best music in any anime I've watched, no question about it.

Oh and .hack//sign is a worthy contender too, I love Kajiura's composing!

I've been fond of Tsubasa Chronicle's lately. :)

Princess Tutu. It's chock full of great pieces of classical music and it put it to good use.

I also find His and Her Circumstances and FLCL were excellent at using the right music at the right time to take the moods to a whole nother level. Add Cowboy Bebop to that list, you don't get any better with the musical synergy than episode 5.

Noir.
Samurai Champloo.
Boogiepop Phantom.

I looooooove the Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex Soundtracks.

My top three OSTs (for listening to outside of the series as much as in context) are .hack//SIGN+Liminality, Sousei no Aquarion and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, but Wolf's Rain, Tsubasa, Noir, Avenger, Elemental Gelade, Mai-HiME and Kurau: Phantom Memory all rank highly.

As you can probably tell, I'm a big Kanno and Kajiura fan, but I don't that everything they've done is top notch; in particular I don't think the music for Mai-Otome, Escaflowne and Bebop was all that spectacular (sorry, I tried to like Bebop's music but I just can't get on with it.)

Oh yes, I had completely forgotten Sousei no Aquarion. That was some damned good intro music. I kept watching the intro for every episode in the first season because I liked it so much.

ive heard of the horror movie anime series of Sairen....(btw that movie is freaky as hell) but i think the best would have to be death trance (anime series)

id have to say Higurashi no Naku Koro ni; the tracks suit the genre perfectly IMO, and are a joy to listen to on their own

You serious? Higurashi has a nice OP and a nice ED but apart from that there is almost no music at all.

The last year, Simoun definately had the best music. No other series had that many great and fitting tracks.

I have to toss in for Cowboy Bebop and Death Note.

Completely awesome.

In no particular order: Rurouni Kenshin, Naruto, and Cowboy Bebop. In terms of op/ed, I'd say the best song I've heard is Wild Rock from Saiyuki Reload.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto before. That series really has a really intense soundtrack.

Apart from that, I also really enjoyed the ALI-project's work in .Hack//Roots. I also second .Hack//Sign, Simoun and Tsubasa Chronicle. And let's not forget Noein and Escaflowne.

Hey guys :)

As I love anime music, I hope I can bring my opinion!

A little quote first:

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto before

=> Sorry I didn't post before, I also think this series has an amazing soundtrack (I have a little review on my blog if people are curious :) Link ot the review)

I really, really enjoyed following soundtracks:
1. Make it simply, all OST's of Yuki Kajiura (Noir, Madlax, hack/Sign, TRC, Mai Hime/Otome.)
2. Kenji Kawai, ans his amazing work on Fate Stay Night
3. Recently, the Soukou no Strain OST, definitely worth it!
4. On same level: Chevalier d'Eon, Kiba and Red Garden have interesting music too!

That's it for the anime music :)

Gensomaden Saiyuki
Onegai Sensei and Onegai Twins
Full Metal Panic and Second Raid
Initial D Stages 1-4
Vandread Stage 1 and Stage 2
You're Under Arrest

I've got a hell lot more music from Animes, but music from those top my list.

I love a lot of anime music, since music truly adds flavor to the series itself. I would say if it's an anime I enjoy, then I'll definitely enjoy the music like Yoko Kanno music.. Bartender etc. etc.

My favourites are music by Kenji Kawai, Hajime Mizoguchi ( Jinroh ) and of course Hisashi Joe.

I should update this a bit.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya now tops the list of anime with the best songs.

I've blogged about one of the songs before and frankly, that is also the best clip in any anime I have watched as well.

I love the songs from Fushigi Yuugi, Beck and Rurouni Kenshin.

cowboy bebop and eureka seven

Wolf's Rain, .hack//SIGN, Naruto (Shippuuden also), Nana, Rahxephon, Evangelion.

I love the soundtrack to Hellsing. It was perfect for the series and it's also great "mood" music, i.e. creep people out music. However, I like to listen to it when I clean the house...

I also really like the music for Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell SAC.

Cowboy Bebop or Samurai Champloo.

naruto opening musics normally is quite excellent. i really love the one from orange range.

Rurouni Kenshin OVAs, Gunslinger Girl, Escaflowne, Big O.

Rurouni Kenshin and Bleach definitely have very good soundtracks!~

Kenshin OVA, Noir, Earth Girl Arjuna, .hack, Tsubasa Chronicles...