Collider has published a listicle highlighting classic anime series that it argues still outshine much of today's output, despite the current boom in the genre driven by hits like Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and Jujutsu Kaisen. The author selected eight pre-2010s shows based on staying power, writing quality, animation, influence, rewatchability and critical reputation, arguing that newer anime often lacks qualities that made these earlier series enduring classics.

The article profiles several entries in detail: Maison Ikkoku is praised as a mature, slow-burn romance superior to typical high-school love stories; Bleach is highlighted for its recent resurgence, strong power system and lasting influence on the genre; Great Teacher Onizuka is noted for balancing crude comedy with serious themes like bullying and suicide; and Cowboy Bebop is described as a genre-defining series that has never been successfully replicated.