I don't really like anime that much... If it's based on a manga (so like in most cases), the manga is always better.
Though my experience in this field is limited, I have to agree.
Dragonball Z is pretty dire as an anime, but the manga is very entertaining. Dragonball I can't comment on the anime as I've never watched it, but I've been steadily picking up manga volumes for a while (only up to 8, though).
Read alot of Ranma 1/2 years ago (belonging to a friend, up to maybe vol 13), and loved every bit of it. Recently picked up the 1st volume for myself. Might continue to get more if I can be bothered.
As for anime, I only recently started actually downloading it for myself, but so far I've watched Haruhi (excellent), Lucky Star (I want to say it's horrible but I'd be lying if I claimed not to have enjoyed it) and Azumanga Daioh (amazing, of course, wish I'd watched it 5 years ago like everybody else did, though...must get the DVDs), and right now I'm halfway through Midori no Hibi, which I'm utterly loving. Watched Chobits, which was given to me by a friend, too, but I'm a bit "eh" on that. It's cute, but seems to be missing something in its execution. Also I find it hard to believe that any relationship between Chii and Hideki could possibly be healthy. Maybe the manga's better.
I'm also a Studio Ghibli fan. My favourite, though, is "Only Yesterday", which nobody's heard of because it wasn't directed by Miyazaki. :( Totoro's my second favourite but this is just such a wonderful film that doesn't get the attention it deserves. "My Neighbours the Tanakas" and "Pom Poko" are also excellent and underappreciated.
Oh yeah, and people need to read the manga of Nausicaa. It shames the movie version, seriously.
Other things I couldn't fit in the rest of this post: I <3 FLCL, despite possible accusations of excessive weirdness for the sake of it. The first anime I watched alot of other than DBZ was Eva...which I can't comment on until I see it again (I wasn't really at an age where I could fully appreciate anything, never mind something like Eva). I recently picked up the first volume of Yotsuba&! (by the creator of Azumanga Daioh) and it's brilliant.
Also I made myself watch all three seasons of Sonic X. The first two were DIRE, even subbed, but, I have to confess, I actually enjoyed the third season, even though I had to watch it dubbed (and I know how many crucial elements were cut, played down, or screwed around with in the dub). I dunno, it just seemed so much more fun to me, no dicking about with a full cast of uninspiring cliché human characters, just Sonic and the gang going on a big dumb adventure in space. Even Chris was tolerable! Maybe my standards were just lowered by the first two seasons, which were a chore to sit through, but I can't deny I was entertained throughout basically every episode.
Though the way all the furries were able to breathe, fly, and talk in the hard vacuum of space made my head hurt a bit.