Truthfully? The best stuff is the sampler on Saturday mornings. Yeah, even if it's dubbed and censored extensively. 'Cause that is most likely to be on the playground come Monday. WB's new ties with CN have enriched their line-up from both sides of the Pacific; even under the new management, Fox has answered with Shaman King. The anime iceberg is just so huge, for all genres... I'd be broke if I were paying for my 'box of samplers' ^_^;

I think you really really must begin with Miyazaki. Anything by him. Disney for once is doing an okay job by him, and they include the subtitled versions. Spirited Away, Totoro, Princess Mononoke, etc. Miyazaki is a genius and an artist and a man of great heart... it's wonderful how it comes through in his films.