THE B-LIST: Giant robots, aliens and spaceships

Just over a year ago, I devoted a B-List to some of my favorite shojo — or "magical girl" — anime and manga.

But, of course, that barely scratched the surface. So this week I'm looking back at some of the other formative animes of my youth, this time with a focus on the action-heavy, sci-fi series full of spaceships, punching and giant robots.

5. "DRAGON BALL Z." For most millennials, this was the gateway into anime, and it remains one of the most popular series of all time. DBZ — and it predecessor, simply titled "Dragon Ball" — follows hero Son Goku, a powerful alien raised as a human, and his many friends as they enter fighting championships and defend the Earth from various invaders (aliens, androids, etc.).

While the series is sometimes bloated, infamously taking multiple episodes to cover a single fight, it's an evergreen classic for a reason. With its blending of Chinese mythology, colorful characters, alien technology and violent action, it doesn't lack for excitement. (For the record, my favorite character will always be villain-turned-grumpy-dad Vegeta.)

4. "THE BIG O." Forty years ago, a cataclysmic event made everyone in Paradigm City lose their memories. Now Roger Smith, a "negotiator," works as a private detective/bodyguard with the help of his android assistant R Dorothy, gun-toting butler Norman — and The Big O, a giant robot that may help unlock the secrets of the past.

"Big O" is what you'd get if you took Batman and blended him with film noir, dystopian fiction and giant robots. It's a series all about style and atmosphere, packed with art deco architecture, jazz music, sleek cars, femme fatales (who may be literal fallen angels) and giant monsters wrought by mad science. There's a lot of mystery and weirdness in this series, and boy, does it look pretty!

3. "GUNDAM WING." The wildly successful Gundam franchise is the gold standard of giant robot fiction; it's grossed over $20 billion as of 2018. Beginning with "Mobile Suit Gundam" in 1979, there have been dozens of stories in this space opera over the decades, and everyone has their favorite — mine has to be "Wing."

In the distant future, space colonies fight for independence from a despotic government on Earth. To that end, five teens are trained to be spies/assassins/soldiers, given high-tech Gundams (giant robots) and sent to Earth to fight for their respective colonies.

There's plenty of meaty commentary on child soldiers, the horrors of war and fanaticism — primary protagonist Heero Yuy is even willing to blow himself up for the cause — and the thrilling action sequences are matched with just as compelling human drama as the boys find love and family beyond their deadly mission.

2. "OUTLAW STAR." If you loved "Firefly" and want more space Western goodness, "Star" is a must-watch. (In fact, I'm positive Joss Whedon blatantly cribbed material from this series; just look at River's reveal in "Firefly" and Melfina's in "Star." It's pretty dang obvious.)

A motley crew — gun-toting Gene Starwind, 11-year-old mechanical genius Jim Hawking, bio-android Melfina, ninja Twilight Suzuka and alien cat-girl Aisha ClanClan — inherit a prototype spaceship they dub the Outlaw Star and set off to find the mythic Galactic Leyline, pursued by space pirates, mad scientists and ruthless assassins.

As I've already expounded on in previous columns, I'm a sucker for a good found-family story. And "Star" is a fab one, with plenty of thrilling chases, shootouts and dark magic for extra flavoring.

1. "COWBOY BEBOP." Is this the greatest anime series of all time? Possibly. With a mere 26 episodes, it sure has left an indelible mark on pop culture.

Set in 2071, "Bebop" follows deceptively laid-back bounty hunter Spike Spiegel, his cyborg partner Jet Black and the rest of the Bebop crew — amnesiac con artist Faye Valentine, teen hacker Ed and Ein, a genetically-engineered sentient corgi — as they take odd jobs to survive and frequently face the secrets of their painful pasts.

It's a futuristic Western, but it's also a cyber-noir. There are elements of pulp fiction and often goofy comedy. There's rousing jazz music courtesy of Yoko Kanno and lots of dwelling on loneliness, karma and ennui.

And it's one of the best written, best animated, most complex anime series ever made. Fingers crossed the forthcoming live action show — starring the perfectly cast John Cho as Spike — is even half as good as the original.

• ANGIE BARRY is a page designer and columnist for The Times. To suggest future topics for The B-List, which covers pop culture, history and literature, contact her at abarry@shawmedia.com.