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Top 10▲▼
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Rating▲▼
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| Azumanga Daioh (TV) |
Masterpiece |
| This was one of the very first shows I saw when I started getting into anime, and it probably played a big part in what got me hooked on the genre. On the surface its a simple feel good comedy, but there is so much more to it. All of the characters develop very distinct and very lovable personalities which really help to define the show. The course of the show follows the main characters as they progress through high school (3 years in japan), and the growth that occurs during that time. You get to see the events that happen on a yearly basis, things like the culture fest and the sports fest, and what changes from year to year and what stays the same. At its core though, it still is a feel good show with lots of laughs and a very strong cast. |
| Eureka Seven (TV) |
Masterpiece |
| This series was amazing, and I was quickly hooked on it even though I'm not really a huge fan of the mecha scene. Even though the premise of the show is the mecha, it is amazingly deep beyond that. The two main characters quickly come to share a strong bound, and that grows as the two really change immensily throughout the series - and in a much more meaningfull way than your run of the mill coming-of-age story. The supporting cast is also very deep, and most of them go through a change as the series progress too, although some more than others. The story is very good, and it can at times be hard to really put it all together, but by the end of the series when you see the whole picture, it really is superb. Mecha fans won't be disapointed either, as the giant robots do get alot of screen time too, and the action sequences they are involved in are amazing, which brings me to the animation and music. As to be expected from studio BONES, the animation here really impressed me, the character designs are all very good, and the flow of the action sequences is simply amazing. The music too was absolutly awesome, and it did a great job in setting the mood for the series, whether that was a heartfelt moment or a tense battle. |
| Fullmetal Alchemist (TV) |
Masterpiece |
| The very first anime I ever saw, the one that drew me in, and the one that still remains my number 1. FMA really is a masterpiece beyond words, but here it goes. The core of this series is the incredible bound that is shared between the main characters Ed and Al. Their selfless actions time and time again throughout the series and their amazing maturity (especially for their age) is nothing short of inspiring. The series ropes you in right from the very start with some beautiful action scenes, before it takes you back to the heartbreaking tragedy that has brought the two brothers to where they are now. You really see just how tough the two are, and everything that they went through and continue to go through. As their journey goes on, you meet a very large and diverse supporting cast, the friends that you can't help but love, the villians you really stir up your emotions, and everything in between. The story that unfolds is very dark, but equally amazing and deep. This is an absoulte must see, and I simply can't see any other title even enroaching upon its spot on the top of my list. |
| Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (TV) |
Excellent |
| As to be expected of something adapted from a novel, the story behind gankutsuou is extraordinarily deep, quite possibley the deepest out of any other anime I've seen. Almost all of the characters have two faces, one being the one that everyone sees in the aristocratic society that the show takes place in, and the other usually involving very dark actions from their respective pasts. The path the antagonist of the series takes toward his ultimate revenge is astonishing, something that was truely a joy to behold. The music was also extremely good, most of the score being made up of the kind of classical piano and woodwind sounds you would expect given the placement of the series in an aristocratic paris. The animation and artwook is also superb (and very unique). The backgrounds are all beautifully done, allthough they do sometimes lack substance (and other times they are ripe with it). The characters themselves are where the real uniqueness shows itself, as their clothes and hair are like windows to a static pattern background. Its something you can either love, or it can give you a headache, it did take me a while to get fully used to it myself. |
| Hikaru no Go (TV) |
Masterpiece |
| The first thing I have to say about HnG is that (unfortunatly) it might not appeal to everyone. Go, while very popular in eastern asia, is only recently becoming anything at all in the states. If you don't have even the slightest interest in the game, you might not be able to hold an interest in the show either (although knowledge of the game is not necessary, I myself had never played a game of go before I saw the series). Now, on to the good stuff. I loved this series, the story is really that of Hikaru and his progression from wanting nothing to do with go, to his desire to become the number one player in the world that is jump started by sai. Even being about go, the series really manages to stay very interesting, with new developemts coming often. The animation is very good, especially with respect to the characters as most of them look rather stunning. The part of this series that shines the most to me is the music, I don't really have a word for how good the music was in setting the mood for the series and giving a sense of tension to everything, it was just that good. |
| Kanon (TV 2/2006) |
Masterpiece |
| Well, wow. This version is so many worlds better than the 02 version that I don't know where to start. For starts, since is KyoAni, the animation and artwork are both absolutely amazing. While all of the character models (except Yuuichi) are basically the same as 02, the difference in quality is still amazing. The pacing of the show is also very good, the way in which everything unfolds, intertwined and with heavy use of symbolism and foreshadowing makes this in to an incredible story, even for someone who knew, for the most part, what was going to happen. The music was also superb, adding the final touch to the number of emotional scenes throughout the show. Simply put, the way this show is presented is powerful, and i have nothing bad to say about it. |
| Last Exile (TV) |
Excellent |
| Over all, this was a pretty awesome show. The story is very strong throughout, and it doesn't have any points where it moves really slowly - although there are a few times when it moves really fast. The two main characters are developed very well, and I really grew to like and sympathise with them. The animation and artwork are fantastic, and the CG parts blend in with the traditional animation very well. All of the ships are very detailed, as are the character models. The music, too, was most excellent. It really set the pace for the show and really added to the overall feel. The entire setting of a semi-futuristic world blended with a grimy early 19th century fell really worked and made the whole thing feel unique. On the downside, there was a very large cast, and some of the characters just aren't developed quite as much as you would like; I found myself wishing I knew more about certain people. Some parts of the story I would have liked to seen explained a little more thoroughly, and the last episode felt a little rushed as far as closing out people's stories. Regardless, it was a very good show and I was very much impressed, I definately recommend it. |
| (The) Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV) |
Masterpiece |
| This is another show that gets on the list based on its immense levels of funny. The entire cast with the exception of our main character / narrator is made up of an impressive collection of shall I say "mentally unstable individuals." On a more serious note, the cast all have their litte quarks that really make them funny, but the best part is the utterly apathetic commentary of the main character and narrator kyon. He is the only normal person amidst this cast of wackos, and his attitude towards the whole thing is hilarious. There is a semi-story thing going on here, but its rather confusing and leaves alot unexplained (although I'm pretty sure that its done that way on purpose - it makes it funnier when you have no idea whats really going on). The animation is also very good, and the characters especially are all done in very bright colors and look very pretty most of the time. |
| Rumbling Hearts (TV) |
Masterpiece |
| I really liked this, it is a very touching story that can really stir up alot of emotions. The story explores the life of the characters AFTER school, where they're out in the real world, which really adds to the whole feel of the show, as its not like a run of the mill high school drama. The tragedy that strikes this group of friends early in the series is nothing you would ever see coming, and it really shapes what the rest of the series will become. You get to know the characters well enough that you can really feel their pain, and there is alot of it in this show. There is a strong sense of the pain and sadness that the characters are going through, and whether that sounds depressing or not, it really makes the story shine. There is a bit of comic relief provided, and it does its job well by helping to lighten the mood at needed points without interfering with the story (it actually plays a part in it sometimes). The ending is rather good (although that does sort of depend on who you are routing for) - either way though it brings the series to an end in a way that you aren't left totally emoitionally drained. The animation is pretty good, and I rather liked the character models myself. The music was also very fitting, as it really needs to be in a series like this (I find that music is really what helps me feel the gravity of an emotional situation). |
| Yakitate!! Japan (TV) |
Excellent |
| Like Hikaru no Go, this is an amazing show, and like Hikaru no Go, it unfortunatly might not appeal to everyone. The series follows Azuma as he strives to create "the bread of japan" in a series of almost shounen style bread contests really. Once the show gets kicking you're introduced to a number a rather unique characters to complement the country bumpkin Azuma. And if you're thinking that contests about bread can't be interesting, then think again. The whole way the go about it is amazing, and the judging (done by a few judges throughout the series via absolutley hilarious 'reactions') really takes the cake. Most of these reactions (and alot of the other jokes in the series) are puns aimed at things like popular elements of japanese culture, and at things in written and spoken japanese, which is where the appeal issue comes into play, you might not find some of these things very funny if you aren't interested in them. The animation in this show is rather amazing and very detailed, especially for a series of this length. The characters and background all look brilliant and the bread in particular is done very well. |
