Actually, all of these are exceedingly popular. Spirited Away is also the most recent entry on that list, so it's not actually 'pretty old'
Eh, it IS pretty old (seeing as the writer has since done another film, which is almost out on DVD), only the others are older

Also, Id actaully say anime itself was relatively unknown (or at least for what it is, rather than for a genre of kids shows, or hentai, both of which are common misconceptions based on the fact that those types of shows get more publicity than shows like Evangelion or, say, Cowboy Bebop)