Yep, I’ve finally put together a top shows list. As I hopefully made clear in part one and part two of my critical biases post, this is obviously my list – it represents the things I think are most valuable in stories in the way I think they’ve best been articulated. It’s also just a list of shows I enjoy – there’s no hard criteria here, so I wouldn’t stress the numbers too much. Also, it’s a bit front-loaded – I only started watching anime seasonally about two years ago, so the last couple years are disproportionately represented. Incidentally, I’m not including movies here either – I think direct comparisons between shows and films are a bit of a stretch, but if they were included, this list would certainly be somewhat different. And finally, I’m absolutely (and thankfully) certain this list will change over time – there are still piles of widely beloved shows I’ve never seen, so I’m sure the current rankings will be filled out in the years to come. So with that all said, let’s get to the list – Bobduh’s Top 30 Anime of All Time.
-edit- I have now created a Top Shows Addendum for shows that have either fallen off or just barely missed this list. Please enjoy these additional almost-top shows!
Flip Flappers marries the blossoming artistic vision of many of anime’s most talented young animators to a story teeming with the rich psychological inquiry that anime does so well. Centered on a girl on the verge of young adulthood who feels too paralyzed by consequences to decide who she wants to be, Flip Flappers takes her on a wild adventure through a series of evocative alternate realities, all of which ultimately reflect back on the human interiority of her own world. Flip Flappers appreciates the inherent beauty of our distinct internal worlds, and pairs a wild tour through the human experience with a core character arc that reflects thoughtfully on the complexity of love, identity, and growing up. Slotting somewhere thematically between FLCL and Evangelion, it is a can’t-miss addition to anime’s coming-of-age pantheon.
Here’s my review of Flip Flappers.
Flip Flappers is available streaming on Crunchyroll.
Gatchaman’s a goddamn busy show – in the course of a 12-episode run, it covers everything from internet culture to crowdsourcing to the necessity of leadership to social responsibility to human nature to… well, you get the idea. And it explores all these ideas while also staying remarkably light and breezy – you could enjoy the show purely as a fun, visually interesting, musically brilliant adventure without even thinking about how identity is constructed in the digital age, or whatnot. And when you combine these two strengths, you get a show that proves you don’t have to be dry to be smart – you can make awesome points about how the internet will change the world without ever giving up a sense of fun and moment-to-moment excitement. Brain food and comfort food at the same time.
Here’s my review of Gatchaman Crowds.
Gatchaman Crowds is available at Amazon and streams on Crunchyroll.
Giant Robo is Bombast Incarnate. Featuring an epic clash between the Experts of Justice and Big Fire, there’s no room for subtlety in this production – it’s all massive robots and deadly superspies and fights for the fate of the world. It’s also a beautiful thing – a series of seven OVAs released over most of a decade, the show is a gorgeous ode to classic super robot storytelling, brought to life with strong animation and rich colors and epic orchestral scores. And yet for all its larger-than-life size, the show also tells a gripping story, full of fully-articulated characters and reflections on family and human ambition. Giant Robo essentially feels like the final act of the Greatest Robot Story Ever Told – it has absolute confidence, and earns the viewer’s trust through constant dramatic hooks and total polish in execution. Even if you generally like smaller stories, I’d give Giant Robo a chance.
Here’s my essay on Giant Robo.
Giant Robo is vaguely available on Amazon.
Bokurano manages the difficult feat of staying tonally downcast and even desolate at all times while simultaneously conveying an unflinching message of optimism, and belief in humanity as a species. Its premise is terribly arbitrary and cruel, and very few members of its young cast survive, but the stories they tell in their leaving reflect the kaleidoscopic spectrum of the human experience. Its compelling scifi narrative ultimately becomes little more than a stage for its young stars to shine, as they each take up an impossible mantel and fight on behalf of their species, their cruel guide mocking them all the while. But Bokurano does not believe in its guide’s cynicism; though the world it posits is harsh, its young heroes shine all the brighter for it.
Here’s my review of Bokurano.
Bokurano is available streaming on Crunchyroll.
Kyoto Animation excel at making quietly excellent little dramas, and Sound! Euphonium counts as one more feather in their distressingly pincushioned cap. The show is as gorgeous as you’d expect, the drama is understated but well-articulated, and the episodes are full of those alternately funny or poignant little moments that KyoAni’s mastery of animated storytelling always provokes. And Kumiko is one of the most fun people you could possibly follow around a story like this, with her snark and clumsy bluntness making her a refreshing and relatable protagonist. You can enjoy this show for its close viewing of the classic band experience, for its funny mess of jokes and characters, or for its well-articulated personal drama and reflections on goals and identity. It succeeds on all levels, making it one of the most impressive and fully realized high school dramas around.
Sound! Euphonium is available streaming on Crunchyroll.
As the only long-running shounen on my list, HxH’s a bit of an outlier. But HxH is not your typical shounen – directed by Madhouse (likely my pick for the best studio of all time) and adapted from a source by the writer of Yu Yu Hakusho, Hunter x Hunter is basically a master class in what makes adventure entertaining. Though it starts off “only” demonstrating it knows how to make challenge-based television entertaining (in lieu of actual fights, it generally sets up compelling puzzles of all shapes and sizes for its heroes), it ends up jumping from genre to genre, dabbling in crime thriller, tournament shounen, and even war drama. And through it all, the show’s fantastic aesthetics elevate it above almost everything out there – in direction, in sound design, in pacing, in animation, in basically every relevant aesthetic metric, Hunter x Hunter triumphs. That it’s been maintaining this level of quality for well over a hundred episodes is nothing short of astonishing – in fact, I’d say Hunter x Hunter has only gotten better over time.
Here’s a critical breakdown of HxH episode 116, and here’s an essay on the recently concluded (and breathtaking) Chimera Ant arc.
Hunter x Hunter 2011 is available streaming on Crunchyroll.
Mushishi is one of those strange, special shows that seem to just emerge confident and fully constructed, exude excellence for all of their running time, and then go quietly on their way. Its vignettes are dreamy and ambiguous, full of resonance and compelling ideas but never didactic. Its world is mysterious and enchanting, evoking both a more resigned and possibly more dangerous version of Miyazaki’s mystical forests. Its production is fantastic, with beautiful backgrounds matching a wonderfully understated musical score and a great sense of pacing to conjure its powerful, singular atmosphere. And all this works in service of a show that’s fundamentally just incredibly calming and sedate – a series of long, lazy afternoons spent enjoying the company of a master storyteller.
Here’s my essay on Mushishi.
Mushishi is available at Amazon and its sequel streams on Crunchyroll.
Grouped together because they really do feel like two sides of the same coin, both of Gainax’s Buster shows would also make this list independently. Flippant and heartbreaking, cynical and triumphant, personal and universal, each of these OVAs tells a story of humanity’s struggle against all the forces of the universe with style and heart. And each can stand alone, as well – Gunbuster is helmed by a pre-Eva Anno already exhibiting his unnerving style of direction, and Diebuster offers a very appropriate conclusion to the FLCL era of Gainax production. Only six episodes each, too – it’s pretty remarkable how much story each of these manage to tell.
Here are my essays on Gunbuster and Diebuster.
Both Gunbuster and Diebuster are available at Amazon.
Shinsekai Yori is basically tailor-made for fans of fantasy and scifi novels. Heavy on worldbuilding and questions of human nature, its story unfolds on a scale far greater than most anime, exploring a compelling dystopian society by following one generation from childhood through adolescence and well into adulthood. Though I often feel its characters fade into the background of its storytelling pretensions, it all works in service of an incredibly compelling central narrative, and its devastating conclusion justifies everything that came before. It’s a rare and valuable thing – few shows work on the scale of Shinsekai Yori.
Here’s my review of Shinsekai Yori.
Shinsekai Yori is available at Amazon and streams on Crunchyroll.
An idol show?!? I could actually go on for a while about what makes various idol shows great (and I have), but as far as Idolm@ster specifically goes, this show is just a solid episodic drama that succeeds in almost everything it attempts. It’s got a rich and well-developed cast of characters, lots of great little character stories, and a bunch of fun adventures like “the team runs a Sunday game show” or “one idol ends up as a runaway bride while another fights yakuza goons.” On top of that, Idolm@ster features one of the best creative teams in recent memory – a bunch of former Gainax staff and other great creators combine to make this one of the most beautifully directed and animated shows I’ve seen. Even if you don’t have any interest in idols, Idolm@ster’s combination of fun stories and gorgeous execution makes it a rare and impressive show.
Here’s my review of The Idolm@ster.
The Idolm@ster is available streaming on Crunchyroll.
wtf ? whres dragonball and dragonabll z in the likst?
you lost my respect.
you know nothing John Snow.
It’s actually Jon Snow, technically.
Well he miss sao
DBZ is the worst anime ever
It’s meaningless and has no story only fights
Naruto rokzz
Dragonball z, onepiece bleach, naruto, hunter x hunter, samurai champloo all these anime should be in the top 10
Naruto:I think your wrong because DBZ is the best anime ever that I’ve seen,Naruto might be good, I also love it..But I think naruto has too much fillers..like they repeat every single bit..in conclusion I think you are wrong.:P
Nah.. Dragon Ball is too monotonous in comparison to many of these anime series.
Really i think these animes looked pretty good but not one of my favs was on the list i have not lost any respect for this guy like black butler or death note was not on there or my all time fav my little monster i think i can rember it being called plus you can not really compair anime styles from there story line because they are all diffrent kinds like si fi, horror and so on so for you to lose respect for this dude is not fair and just bearing in mind rember that is his opinion he might not of watched dragonball was it or whatever just saying.
p.s. sorry about spelling :3
Well these anime is some of the best ended anime.
If you think Dragonball should be in the top 30’s, sorry to tell you… You’re a moron.
Dragon ball series is most watched in us.u r calling them morons…….i think ur the moron
I might be biased as an Australian, but in my experience everyone from the US are morons anyway
well im not the original poster but i think he is right. if its most watched in the USA then it only adds to thei list of why most Americans are morons. and before you get all defensive im american myself and ill gladly call all Americans morons. sorry for any spelling mistakes/grammar errors as I’ve said I’m american
I don’t think you could leave out Blood+, Code Geass and Death Note in your top 30. Atleast one of them would easily make it in there.
Code Geass is actually in the addendum to this list. The others didn’t make it, though.
Are you saying Death Note didn’t make it because you watched it? Seriously?
Well, I’d actually agree with him there. I liked Code Geass better than Death Note because there were more elements than just fighting and the climax was far more interesting.
I just finished Blood+ yesterday and I think I’m having the blues because it ended.
personly i love death note i even have the death note book on a necklase but if code geass is being agued to be better i might try it out 🙂
what are you taking about there was no fighting in the death note o.O
Hi! I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your list a lot! I started to watch anime a little more than a year ago and since none of my friends, or family or ANYONE around me knew anything about anime, I felt lost and just watched whatever shows I thought were good, until I came across your list and you introduced me to all these masterpieces! (Madoka literally changed my life :’))
So, I just wanted to say that. Thanks a lot!
Hugs from Chile! (please forgive my English)
Your english was great better than most Americans lol.
Amen to that
Yeah, I think you need to re-watch Toradora. If you still think it belongs on this list, you need your head checked. Unfortunately for me, I absolutely must finish a story once I start it. But Toradora is literally the most boring show that I have ever seen in my entire life, and I kind of hope you fall on a spike for recommending it to me. Have a nice day.
i thought that about spice and wolf if i am honest sorry if you are a fan
I think that attack on titan should have been on the list. It is my favorite anime ever created and it deserves it. I don’t know if this is best anime’s or worst anime’s and even if it is best these are opinions not facts so who even knows. There will never be a way to tell if one anime is better than another, because what if someone watched that anime more than another person. What if somebody hated an anime that someone loved.These are all opinions and opinions aren’t factual. There isn’t and never will be a way to tell.
I rest my case.
Well, I think this is pretty obvious, but these lists can’t be “objective” or “factual” for the simple reason that different people like different stuff in anime, as in everything.
Every media review is based almost only on opinions, so don be bothered if someone doesn like your favourite anime.
Also, Sorry for my bad english, it’s not my mother language.
Great list so-far! But I can only see down to #21. I don’t see any way to navigate to the rest of the list and the ‘next’, ‘previous’ buttons at the top go to different articles. Hep!
There should be a “Pages: 1 2 3” right beneath “Like This” at the bottom of the page, before the comments. You can click on 2 or 3 to see the other pages.
I am missing Deathnote, Mirai Nikki and Sword Art Online – Same as Fairy Tail
Mirai Nikki? SWORD ART ONLINE? FAIRY TAIL?!
You don’t belong here. Those are bottom 30 animes of all time.
Are you serious? Fairy tail, bleach, Death note, shingeki no kyojin, sword art online and psycho pass are epics as per my thought.
Popular is not necessarily great. I really love SAO and maybe the first 14 episodes deserve some recognition, but the rest of it so far is at best mediocre. Fairy tail is just one of those anime/manga like one piece,naruto,bleach. Don’t get me wrong I follow and love these anime’s, but they can not even come near to evangelion or other anime’s like that. Popular isn’t alwaysgood in terms of quality. Death note though probably deserves a top spot. One of the few popular ananime’s that is actually good
Dude really mirrai Nikki in the bottom 30? Ur trippin that’s one of the best anime ever made
Pokemon is no 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hallo,
I am looking for a new anime to start.
gurren lagan is one of my favorite animes… so I am looking for a anime similar to it that will make my hair go up becouse its so fackin awsome! So any suggestions? I have watched atack on titan, FLCL, naruto and a couple more…
One piece for sure! And don’t give up until episode 30 and don’t let the number of episodes get to you.. It’s more fun when you have a lot of episodes to watch.. Just do it – nike style..
xD nike style.. I started it in the past, reached 100 ep and stoped becouse I was watching it in english and some episodes where left out in english so I got mad and stopped it.. never watch anime in english kids.. definately gonna start it again in the feature… thx
You’re welcome but dude watch it English subbed not dubbed. The dubbed is good compared to others but it ruins the experience. It’s so much better with the Japanese plus English subs, and they don’t make subs anymore as far as I know.
I loved gurren lagann too.. you can also watch death note.
Oh and do not search a single thing about one piece because I got many spoilers and had it ruined for me. Do not watch any one piece movies until any time after episode 500. Do not search episode 500. Do not say h any tv specials until after that too. So just after you finish the arc that is around 500s, you may watch the other stuff, which are also pretty damn good.
u know I am gonna search ep 500 right away right?
Lol don’t do it
Sorry i’m late for the party any who you should watch Death note,Full metal Alchemist Brotherhood,Code geass,Tokyo Ghoul,Sword art online
Note:Death note and FMA brotherhood are one of the best anime evermade
So i noticed no ones mentioned kill la kill. If guren lagan is one of your fav’s watch kill la kill. FMA brotherhood however as mentioned by the peeps above IS the best anime of all time. In case you havent watched it.
Exactly, Why isnt kill la kill mentioned. Should defenitely watch it and it should avan be in this list!
Watched it. Wasn’t a fan. Reviewed it too, actually:
https://wrongeverytime.com/2014/04/14/kill-la-kill-and-grounded-conflict/
“kill la kill” made by same the people as gurren has lots of fanservice but a good message great comedy, and over the top attitude
Wow. Dude. Where’s Inuyasha?
Sailor Moon? Kuroshitsuji? Naruto? Bleach? Ouran High School Host Club? (I mean, c’mon, if your a slop for romance you’re really missin’ out here) Durarara? Gakuen Alice (The manga is better I guess) Kaichou wa maid sama?
Fullmetal Alchemist? Clannad (Ya, know, the saddest bestest anime ever? T^T) I won’t mention Death Note and Code Geass ’cause I see others bein’ already given you shit about them..Sword art online though? Fairy Tail? Soul Eater? Wolfs Rain? Honestly, I cold go on forever. And seriously, if anyone new to anime (By new I mean only started watching in the last 2 years) hasn’t seen these, seriously, stop reading and get your butt seated in front of your computer and watch these amazing animes. They all have heart wrenching story lines, beautiful art styles and episodes that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
what do you suggest for a real anime newbee? like seriously new (as in the last year) so far I’ve only watched (please don’t laugh), Pokemon, Digimon fusion, yugioh, and Avatar Last Airbender plus a few , movies like Piplo. serious newbe! please help! :3
Depends on your likes and dislikes, for me I do not care much for mech stuff. Ones that I usually recommend are Maid Sama, Soul Eater, Full Metal Alchemist, and Zero’s Familiar. (Also check out anime news network’s website, they have info on just about every anime ever to come out.)
In my opinion watch Code Geass, Sword Art Online, Angel Beats,Kill la Kill, and the Irregular at Magic High School.
I’ve actually watched all of those!
ive watched anime for about two years now and ive have seen all of the above anime plus all the recent ones like nogame no life unlimited bladeworks ect. i am trursty for anime and i cant find things to watch i have seen 90% of all popular anime including all of bleach, naruto, onepiece, fairytail and im catching up to gintama now. do you any suggestion?
Looking through your list of watched shows, now that I am just as into anime as you are (although with no interest in making lists for anyone other than close friends) I see that our tastes differ greatly, given that you dropped some of my top 5 after a few episodes. That said, I would recommend Btooom!, Medaka Box, Mirai Nikki, and Strike the Blood. Most to your taste will probably Medaka and Btooom!, but give the others a try as well. Also, No Game No Life picks up around the middle of the show as far as concept, and it truly pains me to see Akame ga Kill dropped after one episode.
It may also be noteworthy to you, among the very first few I watched, NGE and Puella Magi were the ones that sucked me into a new world, and both of them were watched because you have such vivid descriptions of them.
No CODE GEASS,??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? it was better than cowboy bebop for crying out loud
it sure as hell was NOT better than cowboy bebop.
I think it was. Pretty much only Americans liked Bebop, Geass is more internationally enjoyed.
Code Geass is the funner show. Bebop is the greater show. Geass is a fun ride, to be sure, but it is lacking in the technical mastery of story and animation put on display in Bebop. Code Geass is an amazing piece of entertainment. Cowboy Bebop is a great work of art. Well, that is how I feel about it anyway.
As far as your objection to it not being on this list, Geass is actually number 31 on his list, so it JUST BARELY didn’t make the cut. It’s still on his top 50 though. You can check that out on the extension of this list he made if you click on list at the top there and scroll down.
Pokemon is no 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello, Mr.Bobduh. I sent my comments to ask.fm.
I learned the article of Top Anime lists 30 on a japanese web site. It is objective and useful for me too. Then on the column of comments, always there are many severe or cruel comments, however your selection is high evaluation. Some wrote “this is not selected by pictures but by tasting its story” or “it’s good taste”. Even there is a comment ” this can be more trustworthy than japanese one”. Like these, it is popularity.
Incidentally, this is my question, have you ever watched the Animes original made in “Key”?(Key is one of the japanese game brand) And If you have watched it, please I would like you to give me your opinion. For example, “CLANNAD” or “AIR”. CLANNAD is one of the masterpieces in japanese anime. These works have attracted japanese people and have not stoped it even today.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Hello! I’m surprised to hear my list has shown up on Japanese sites, but thanks for stopping by. The one Key work I’ve seen was Clannad (along with Clannad After Story), which I had mixed feelings on. I wasn’t a fan of the show’s early material, but thought the section after high school (the second half of After Story) was very good. I think Kyoto Animation are at their best when they’re creating small, relatable character moments, and I think that stretch of episodes had some of their best.
Thank you very much!
O.O you’ve watched clannad , that the show right there but i only didn’t like one part about it and that was the afterstory not all of it but just some parts cause they were confusing , but at the end i still liked it even if it was sad ^.^
hides from horrific comments under a desk
Umm i think you should check out monster by Noaki Urasawa its an excellent anime.
I agree with this. Based on your list, I think Monster would right up your alley.
agree
I totally respect your top 30 but in my opinion These anime belong to the top ten:
Full metal alchemist
Hajime no Ippo
Death note
Hikaru no go
Kenshin Love and betrayal ovas
Pretty good list it included a lot of good anime but there were quite a lot of anime that deserve to be on the list but none that don’t deserve to be on the list. The oly mistake I see with the list is it would of done better as maybe a top 50 or 60 list, and You explained why you like all of them witch was pretty cool. This isn’t how my list would be arranged but we all have different preferences.
Nice list! Very refreshing to see some of the newer deserving titles on there. I noticed you didn’t check out Monster yet, and definitely recommend it. Berserk and Technolyze are fantastic too, but Monster is very much worth a watch.
I’ve actually read Monster’s manga, and yeah, it’s definitely great.
Where’s Full Metal Alchemist/Brotherhood? Trigun? Rurouni Kenshin?Berserk?Attack on Titan?… so many good anime series left out…
baccano and steins gate are the first that i noticed that really REALLY need to be higher up the list
I second that you should watch Ouran High Host Club. And I also thank you for your well written and well presented article. My girlfriend and I will now be working our way through your list that we haven’t seen.
=)
Death note isn’t in this? you monster…
Here is my Top 10:
10.The Law of Ueki
9.Tokyo Ghouls
8.Bleach
7.Hunter x Hunter (2011)
6.Attack On Titan
5.One Piece
4.Akame Ga Kill
3.Death Note
2.Air Gear
1.Naruto
i prefer attack on titans and death note these two is bae af
oh and naruto too
I have watched quite a lot of anime from so many different categories. I like your list even if I don’t personally agree with all the choices on it. I have never sat down and made a top list or rationalized them out. Here are ones that I do find myself recommending to others though:
Air
Soul Eater
Zero’s Familiar
Wolf’s Rain
Wall Flower
Princess Princess
anything Studio Ghibli
Ranma 1/2 (it might be “old” but it was one of my first animes and holds a special place)
Slayers (same here.. one of the first series I watched all the way through. An oldie but a goody)
I am glad to see a list that does NOT include Bleach, Dragon Ball or Pokemon! There are a lot of popular but highly over rated animes out there.
So i’ve checked your list and, as someone who has seen more anime series and manga than he remembers, there are a few I consider to be a must see and which I fully recomend (in no particular order and only series that have ended):
Trigun
Gungrave (please don’t judge the series by the “beyond zagreb” parts the main story is awesome!!)
Wolfs Rain
Mirai Nikki
Zankyou no Terror (which i realize is in the addendum)
Ouran HighSchool Host Club (a bit off from the rest of the list but I can be a centimetre (obscure reference) faggot as well)
Helsing Ultimate OVA
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (mainly the first season)
Black Lagoon
Tokyo Ghoul (yeah the main character is an idiot for most of the series but that ending though)
Rurunin Kenshin (damn, old but gold)
Full metal Alchemist (watch both for different feels)
Another (I quite enjoyed this on despite being gory and all, i really enjoyed the plot twists and the character development, oh and great OST)
Darker than Black (great first series and the second isnt bad as well)
Mushishi (very of the list but a nice show as well)
and my def. #1 of all time and the only one on this list that is still ongoing
#1. One piece – Before you start watching take this into consideration – dont let the first 40/50 Episodes demotivate you, this series grows on you like a mofo, don’t watch any movie until you are beyond the Mariejoa Ark (i think around episode 500). If after a fight against a strong character a little children appears to be in trouble, it’s a filler, please fast forward until the little children or mini person is waving goodbye all happily.
the centimetre reference is to samurai champloo which isn’t so obscure and you should also definately watch. as well as Afro samurai, for some reason having Sam. L. Jackson as the voice of the main character makes it even more badass.
ONE PIECE IS NUMBER ONE 4SURE! Glad to see someone think the same. Oh and the fillers are pretty good I’d recommend watching all of them.
What about Toradora?
Listen man, I respect different opinions but I will never compare a single love anime to One Piece… They’re just always inferior; the drama is not even comparable; so goes for the action, music, story, and comedy…. It’s just inferior… Sorry bro, just watch One Piece and you’ll understand. Maybe the only thing Toradora is better at is the art, but once I started One Piece I was already too excited about the story that I got used to the art, which got better over time.
omg right there with you. the water 7 arc is my fav and almost brought me tears and it also has one of most bad ass part of the anime
Hmmh… How about triggers Kill la Kill? In my opinion, despite its light nudity, it has the best mixup with puns and the plot. Shoud defenitely be in this list. Anyone with me?
Well, despite the fact that I do agree with many of your choices – including Eva as first, obviously – I cannot stop to wonder what are your thoughts about Elfen Lied, since it’s pretty much a human nature and “broken” characters experience masterpiece.
Also, if we are going down this path, I should also ask about Mirai Nikki, since Gasai Yuno is for sure one of the best depicted anime character’s I’ve ever seen (despite the fact that I’m a HUGE Eva’s fanboy), and the series itself is very personality-focused.
Not only that, but I feel that your list suffer from a “fear” of blockbusters. Just to point out, it may seem childish, but Pokémon is much more optimistic, sincere and rich than Code Geass, wich you included in your addendum.
I’m by no means trying to criticize your choices or oppinions. I’m just a curious reader. Nice job anyways 🙂
Shiki is completely mediocre and watching it felt like the author trolling the audience with one idiot character after another. I couldn’t find myself giving a shit for anyone on this show.
You have an overall good list but this is garbage and you could have replaced it with Monster if you needed a horror anime.
hardly a list why isn’t one piece on it?
Hahah true one piece is the best
in your top 30 anime lisy, only cowboy beebop is ok, the rest is for a top 100 or 200 best anime.-
some title for a top 30: GTO , yu yu hakusho, death note, tokyo ghoul, bleach, angel beats, Ken the warrior, saiyuki
Troll?
No, it’s the truth
Oh i forgot,,,also Tiger Man!!!
Great list! If you haven’t yet, check out Perfect Blue and Paranoia Agent (both by Satoshi Kon). I feel safe you’ll like them (and I’ll forgive you for their glaring omission) 😉
Why Isnt Durarara and Kuroko No Basuke Here?
The list is great… But I don’t think you should have left Death Note and Fullmetal Alchemist. Both easily are among the best of anime of all time.
LUPIN IS THE BEST ANIME EVER
OMG… Where is Full Metal Alchemist? And One Piece? And Death Note? Those are one of the best anime created by now.I can´t see Ranma 1/2 and Samurai X or Bleach in this list either… kinda sad. And how could u position Hunter x Hunter in the middle of the list when an anime- and a manga of course- as good as that must to be in on of those first places… I mean… is a masterpiece! I respect ur choice about Neon Genesis Evangelion, but I´ll position that anime before FMA and One Piece… Anyway… Nothing more to say.
Hmm…. I can’t see Code Geass, Clannad or Haruhi Suzumiya… Where are them? >< And Rainbow Nisha? and Nanatsu no Taizai? and Zankyou no Terror? You deceived me…. ¬¬
While I don’t agree with every pick on the list, I love the layout and how it’s written. And you put Eva in the top spot, which makes you A-OK in my book.
I’m putting a Top Ten Anime Series video on my channel this weekend (my channel is all about board games, but I’m stating a side series that’s about my other pastimes), and I was checking other people’s lists to see what I may have forgotten. I’m way out of the anime loop, so I haven’t even heard of most of these. But one of my goals this year is to catch up on series I’ve missed, and I’m bookmarking this list (and your addendum) to give me inspiration. So thanks for that.
Carry on sir, you do good work.
Psycho Pass and Attack on Titan for sure.
My bad, you mentioned Psycho, but still, Full Metal man.
Not a bad list, glad to see someone appreciates Madoka, NGE is an understandable choice, but Baccano! Should’ve been higher on the list, it’s dub, characters, and story telling style are all fantastic.
Deathnote, Sword at Online and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood should have been in the list…
Hey there I m a beginner in watching this anime stuff and I want to catch up with up some great animes so I need some suggestions.
Top 2 Anime series is Freezing and Toradora
I miss Elfen Lied. Best anime ever, in my opinion. I cried hard.
NARUTO SHIPPUUDEN?
ONE PICE?
ok…I’ll just ask once…ONCE… WHERE THE FUCK IS ASHITA NO JOE??????????????????
I can’t believe Inyuasha, Van Helsing Ultimate, and Naruto Shippuden was not added to this list.
Blue Devil, Devil May Cry, or even the the Final Fantasy origins. WTF is wrong with you.
To all of those who are about to begin watching anime:
Please, DON’T watch SAO, Mirai Nikki, One PIece, Dragon Ball, Naruto, Fairy Tail and Shingeki no Kyojin. First make sure you watch anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Madoka, Ergo Proxy, OreGairu, Monogatari, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, Shinsekai Yori, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Jigoku Shoujo. Don’t go right into mainstream anime, those kind of anime will just get you the wrong idea of what anime is about. You’ll see what I mean when you get there.
After all, you can’t compare something like SAO with a masterpiece like Evangelion.
PS: I’m not from a English-speaking country, so there may be some mistakes here. Sorry about that.
Listen up bro.. Just because you placed one piece on that list, you’re not an anime expert.. I’ve watched hundreds of anime and now that I’m watching OP I know it’s wayyy better than NGE, which I hate because it’s so pathetic; but maybe the story is fine. Madoka was just so boring for me. IDK about you people. I respect different opinions but NGE will never be on top in my dictionary. It’s true that you shouldn’t watch mainstream anime first, but if you’re saying that One piece sucks, you’re inhuman.
i think you forgot some great animes like code geass, deathnote, bleach, one piece, naruto S. …
Baccano is the best anime of all time
What about fate zero it is an amazing anime I know lots of people will wonder what this is but it is a great show on Netflix it has intense fight, a amazing plot, and it can really grap your attention just like it did me. Also if anyone decides to watch this it has 5 stars,has 2 seasons with 25 episodes in all, and if you like the series there is a great sequel called Stay Fate Night.
Aldo the sequel is not on netflix
Seriously dont’ watch these anime’s. They are better experienced when they are played as Visual Novels. Fate/Stay Night is a very popular and highly rated VN.
Highest Rated Visual Novels: https://vndb.org/v/all?q=;fil=tagspoil-0;o=d;s=pop