good anime that shmup fans should watch?

[Sarethums]

Im all ways looking for a shmup/hell shooter styled anime but haven't come across much. Im a bit funny when it comes to anime, i really want to get into it but often struggle to do so. Stuff that I love from anime is Ghost in a shell 1, Cowboy Bebop, Macross plus and of course Dragon Ball Z. Any suggestions for movies or series that are not too cheesy or wtf japan!? I see there is already an anime thread, this one is quite specific though, if it must go then thats ok too.

Much appreciation

sarethums

EDIT:
The Suggested List (of doom)

Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Yamato 2199
Area 88 OVA (not the 12-episode remake, the original)
Yukikaze
Mecha
MD Geist
1988 OVA
Gundam 0079 Trilogy
Salamander OVA
All the U.C Gundam
Seikai no Senki
Saraba
Tenamonya Voyagers
Salamander OVA (specific order) 2nd, 1st, 3rd.

[BIL]

Anyone with an appreciation of the classic "unfathomably massive space armadas duking it out with lasers" setting should try out Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It's a damn good science fiction anime besides, and the armada scenes are far from the only focus, but they're what leap out immediately.

[Hagane]

Yamato 2199. It's superb in every sense and perfectly fits what you are looking for.

[Sarethums]

Yamato 2199. It's superb in every sense and perfectly fits what you are looking for.

im 5 min into episode 1, this is awesome, thanks.

[Furry Fox Jet Pilot]

Area 88 OVA (not the 12-episode remake, the original) and Yukikaze

[Bananamatic]

You could try mecha

also MD Geist

[KennyMan666]

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

This right here forever. It might not be that shmuppy of a series, but it's the single best animated series ever produced and so it should be watched by everyone.

[blackoak]

Anyone with an appreciation of the classic "unfathomably massive space armadas duking it out with lasers" setting should try out Legend of the Galactic Heroes.

I'm guessing one should start with the 1988 OVA, not the films? 110 eps, damn... is it quality all the way through?

[BIL]

The original series (only one I've seen) is pretty damn long, but yeah - I'd honestly say it maintains its quality and only gets better as it develops. I came for the space fleet battles and stayed for the endearing cast and story. Absolutely nothing in there that I'd describe as filler.

[KAI]

There's your danmaku. Watch the Gundam 0079 Trilogy.

[blackoak]

sounds great, let me queue that up. thanks!

to OP, I'd recommend the Salamander OVA. Is it great? Probably not, but as a Gradius fan I really enjoyed it.

[Aleksei]

Watch the Gundam 0079 Trilogy.

Watch all the U.C Gundam.

OP, I'd recommend the Salamander OVA. Is it great? Probably not, but as a Gradius fan I really enjoyed it.

I enjoyed it

[Obiwanshinobi]

Seikai no Senki.

[GaijinPunch]

sounds great, let me queue that up. thanks!

I watched about 26 episodes (1 season) way back when. Mind you this was fan-subbed VHS days (actually SVHS off of LD!). It was good, but it's a daunting watch. A slow burn, not action-packed... lots of charaters... many with German names. It would be cool to watch through it again if I had the time.

Yamato 2199. It's superb in every sense and perfectly fits what you are looking for.

im 5 min into episode 1, this is awesome, thanks.

Another one I need to watch. Huge Yamato fan (Saraba is of course, the best). From what I can tell it looks awesome... this is what I was dying for the in 90's but got that turd Yamato 2520.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I watched the original Uchuu Senkan Yamamoto Youko OAV-s but wouldn't really recommend those. The makers didn't seem to have the budget to do what they really wanted to. Too much rigid exploitation, too little heart.
I have more fond memories of the animated Tenamonya Voyagers, but that was "wtf?" alright.

[Edmond Dantes]

Seconding the Salamander OVA. Just one suggestion: Watch them in the following order: Second episode, first episode, third episode. The reason is because if you watch them in episode order, then the first ep (based on Salamander) spoils the plot/ending of the second episode (based on Gradius), and it actually makes the second episode drag since you already know how its going to go.

[Sarethums]

Thank you so much for all the replies, ive compiled a list of all the suggestions in the original post.