The Anime Encyclopedia by Helen McCarthy, Jonathan Clements (2001, Paperback, Illustrated)

My reason for purchasing this book was to look up series I've been wanting to buy to have a better idea of what they are. Also, I spend alot of time on websites reading anime reviews and found this helpful. It was released in 2001, though, so it's not up to date. I can tell you that they re-released it though last year and updated it, which included roughly 300 more pages. I would highly recommend the newer version for people really into anime, but since it's very pricey compared to the older copy, the older copy may be more suitable for your price range. It's a must- have for anime newbies or junkies alike.