Top 30 Anime Series of All Time

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!

30. Flip Flappers

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.

29. Gatchaman Crowds

Gatchaman Crowds Best Anime List

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.

28. Giant Robo

Giant Robo Best Anime List

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.

27. Bokurano

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.

26. Sound! Euphonium

Sound! Euphonium Best Anime List

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.

25. Hunter x Hunter 2011

Hunter x Hunter 2011 Best Anime List

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.

24. Mushishi

Mushishi Best Anime List

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.

23. Gunbuster! + Diebuster!

Gunbuster vs Diebuster Best Anime List

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.

22. Shinsekai Yori

Shinsekai Yori Best Anime List

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.

21. The Idolm@ster

The Idolmaster Best Anime List

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.

2,750 thoughts on “Top 30 Anime Series of All Time

  1. This is an amazing list. Thank you so much for putting it together! I swear… Every list has the same group of amines but this one is different. Even though my favorite anime is and always will be bleach (it was my first show.. I started watching it from day one), I understand why it isn’t on here, along with Naruto, death note, and the many others that people complain about.

  2. Honestly, I only knew 2 anime on this list and I have watched a ton of anime my friend. I don’t know what you were on when making this list but either were into like entirely different anime or you were drunk when making this.

    • It’s sad when you say that you’ve watched a ton of anime, but doesn’t know about 28 other anime’s in the list.

      • Well, some people have a knack on trying to look intelligent by completely distancing themselves from what is popular or with anything of entertainment value. This blogger is indeed one of them. To disregard Full Metal Alchemist, One Piece, Code Geass, and Death Note simply because they are commercial successes doesn’t give justice to their makers. Not to mention industry game changers: Dragonball and Doraemon.

        • Wait Neon Genesis Evangelion is a not known anime? Madoka Magika? FLCL?…

          In my own top anime list I have animes like the ones you said, but then again this is his list and his preferences.

        • No smart one. We do that because most anime series that are really popular have a horrible story and no character development,they usually have over 200 episodes (which is way to many for anyone to watch). Also some of the anime series that are hidden in the depths of the Internet are better than all the crap you people watch such as frikin Naruto and whatever that other one like it is. So you should think to watch some actual good anime before you judge it instead of spending your time on all the crap you apparently think is the best thing in the world.
          Sincerely,
          Someone apparently way smarter than you

          • agreed, though I am a One Piece fan, I also recognize it’s not fantastic (I’ve just been watching for a decade), and this list is something I agree with (for the most part). HxH (which is on this list) is better than any of the six most popular shonen. Though, I think FMA 2003 is much better than Brotherhood.

          • What yall don’t seem to realize is that it’s still just opinions.
            This list is this guy’s opinion, whether you guys agree or not makes no difference, it’s still just opinions.

            People complaining about ”popular” anime’s not being on the list, other people then complaining about those ”popular” anime’s being shit and the ones they watch are much better.

            Every single one of yall is so busy trying to look more intelligent than the last guy that you seem to be forgetting that it’s only opinions, not facts.
            Someone calling an anime you like shit doesn’t actually make it shit to anyone else but him, just like you liking an anime doesn’t make it good to anyone else but you.

            I think some of yall need to go back to school and learn the difference between opinions and facts.

            As for my OPINION of the actual list:
            I personally don’t agree with some anime’s on the list, not that it matters ’cause it’s not my list. xD
            But others actually sounded interesting and after seeing your list I decided to watch them and absolutely loved them (Like HxH 2011, PMMM and NGE)
            So thanks for that~ 😀

        • This person listed their criterion for their work. He looks for theme and for characters. He also strays from long-running series. He actually mentions in (I think part two) his ‘take my list with a grain of salt’ post that Code Geass is around an 8 in his book. I will say I do believe that FMA (either series) should be reconsidered for this list. It has both obvious and subtle themes, wonderful characters, and a great story arc. All of this is my opinion, using my own criterion, that I will not take the time to list, so, yea…

          • I agree about 2003, but Brotherhood is like a 6/10 imo. It messed up the pacing in the beginning and had some super slow parts (the final arc was soooooooo drawn out), and the characters just didn’t have the same… humanity that they did in 2003. Specifically, the homonculi.

        • But still a newcomer anime viewer should now about anime like bleach,db etc
          He should listed them too.

          • As someone who doesn’t watch a ton of anime (maybe two or three series a year, starting only 3 or 4 years ago), I really appreciate the variation in this list from most others. Because let’s be honest, 9/10 lists of “Best Animes” are going to include Bleach, DB, Full Metal Alchemist, etc.

            And while yes, those may be some of the best animes out there, ain’t nobody going to want to start off watching a show with 300+ episodes. That is extremely daunting for someone new to the genre. But yes, to be fair, a better title for this list should have been “Top 30 Anime Series That You May Not Have Heard Of”

          • Newcomers should know, but be encouraged away from things like Bleach and Naruto… For much of the anime community that I’ve seen, those shonen series that run on forever are their very first taste of anime, and I believe that it’s a poor representation of what it has to offer. Not that they’re explicitly bad, but they’re not super fantastic either, and in the time it takes to slog through hundreds of episodes of those, people can watch easily dozens of other series to the end. If shonen series appeal to you, that’s all well and good, but I’d say that a more diverse intro to anime should be used.

    • Admittedly, some of these are unknown to me. However, if you only know 2 then you are certainly missing out on some absolute gems!

  3. Naruto, fairy tail, fullmetal alchemist brotherhood ,death note,bleach,one piece
    are some of the best animes

    • You basically just listed the top 6 popular shounen and only two of the said 6 are somewhat comparable to the anime on this list.

      • The naruto anime is bullcrap. But the manga is good. The one piece anime is amazing. Death note too. Fma too. Fairy tale is meh; same goes for bleach: they’re not the best but they’re good – just not as good as OP.. Although I don’t agree with this list of ba. Romance anime.. I can say I agree with one or two. I’ve watched like at least 40 percent of this list and I completely disagree with the top 2… Evangelion is a pile of shit tbh. The characters are just pathetically disgusting. Other than that.. I can say i agree with mushishi and gurren lagann and some others I think.

        • I mean, the point of Eva is that the characters are SUPPOSED to be disgusting, cuz they basically represent the ‘poles’ of human behavior, with Shinji being to the far left and caring only what others think and Asuka being on the far right and caring only what she thinks, with all of the other characters lying on that spectrum somewhere with Rei (barely a human) in the middle. I’ve heard it described as the Rorschach test of anime lol, and makes absoluuuutttelllyyyy no sense, in that wonderful most Japanese-y of ways lol, until you watch it all and get the abstract mind-fukkery (lol, Japan).

          Oh yea, you gotta watch the movie, not the final 2 episodes, which make no sense and are…odd and bad. The episodes are like, a constant DMT trip of dialogue in a closed room. The movie is like, a DMT trip involving the death and rebirth of humanity, with all sorts of FUBAR between lol.

          While some popular animes need to be on his list (seriously, Full Metal is basically (at least thematically to some degree) a remake of Eva with characters you actually LIKE) a lot of the Shounen can be excluded purely cuz everyone has already seen it if they’re googling what anime to watch. But seriously, One Piece is a show purely about the trip, and watching how a (mentally challenged) boy can make an effect on the…what am I saying lol, the plot to One Piece is FORWARD, but the level of colorful silliness is higher than any other shounen, but when it’s time to get serious OP can make you cry lol. It’s got a level of creativity and hysterically Flat-Static Arch-typical characters that everybody loves (and hates). The level of fluff/episode is getting pretty high in the 700s lol, but whats to be expected? Bleach can be pretty annoying, and even Naruto is only interesting when it wants to be, but OP makes you upset when an Usopp episode is over (lol, well anyone BUT Usopp)

          • Tl;Dr
            Eva may take an additional watching, and watch the movie The End of Evangelion, not the last 2 episodes of the series

            Where’s the love for the classics? There wouldn’t be Slipknot with out The Rolling Stones?

          • Totally agree and understand your comment bro. Its just that these types of characters never appeal to me. However, I respect your opinion. Yes, one piece is about the journey, not the destination, and that’s what makes it interesting imo.

    • never saw naruto, but a lot of people say it’s good, fma, i prefer the manga, death note was really good, but i didnt really like the ending. one piece i saw like 3 episodes, so far its a bit boring for me(no offense) but i can understand why people like it, fairy tail i love to death, but i hate the fanservice overload, but i know some people hate it, and bleach, ive only seen one episode, so i cant say anything yet, but im planning to continue watching

      • WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT DID YOU JUST SAY NARUTO IS ONE OF THE BEST ANIME?!!!! WTF DUDE GO WATCH SOME MORE ANIME NARUTO SUCKS ASS. THE MANGA IS GOOD BUT THE ANIME SUCKS ASS. Agreed with death note, one piece, and fma.. But bleach and fairy tale aren’t THAT amazing. Naruto sucks ass.

        • I hav watch naruto’s whole series..and i find it entertaining and motivational..and stop saying its bad and stop giving false advise about naruto..

      • You can’t say anything about one piece for 3 episodes.. Watch 20 and I’ll understand. Right now at 688 the episodes are better than before so at least get to 20 before judging.

        • Yea, you can’t abort one piece before they get to the Grand Line. The only Shounen main character more amusing than Luffy is potentially Goku, but where DBZ is not much but BWRAAAAAAHHH (while dragon ball is awesome, a lot closer to OP) OP has a weird level of balance between the odd and interesting (says something, cuz the show is odd as hell lol). Basically think a version of Naruto that you actually LIKE the whole show, and a cast of wierdos that you’ll probably grow to like. If you like Naruto or Bleach or whatever, watch OP; its very similar but a little bit less 1 dimensional.
          (or maybe its very 1 dimensional, and they just go that direction forever lol)

  4. I appreciate your list so much. Thank you for watching what other people don’t.

  5. was scrolling threw and was wondering when Evangelion would pop up XD that show is very very good but i guess of sort of have to truly understand it’s message in order to really appreciate it my favorite is either Evangelion or Blue Exorcist, not really to sure what i love about it so much but i really loved it

    • Bro, BLUEe was going some sweet places, then all of a sudden the show got cut… Did you feel it? By about the last six or seven episodes they just rushed to the end and glossed over so much story building they had set up. It was NOT finished properly.

  6. I would have liked to see some along the lines of AoT, or lelounch, more darker anime, but decent list, a few i havent heard of and downloading now.
    Cheers.

  7. I’ve recently been exploring, on a search for more anime. I kept looking at “best anime” lists and everything had the same thing. This is an entirely different and unique compilation. I have yet to see any of these little beauties make it onto anyone else’s top anime list, which is a shame. Many people call themselves anime enthusiasts and yet they refuse to watch everything that the anime world has to offer. This is a great collection of the more underestimated shows out there. There were two that I had never even heard of, which is a plus for me because that gives me more stuff to watch. Anyways, my objective is to A, commend you for such a well thought out and tasteful list; and B, thank you for putting the effort in to making said list.

  8. Where are the animes like Dragon ball z or Naruto? To be honest the fact that they aren’t even on the list shows that this isn’t a proper good list at all. I agree with Hunter x Hunter but I want it to be more near the top 5 or 10.

    • Dragonball Z and Naruto do well enough as baseline shounen, but they hardly manage to reach the storytelling apex of anime. Oftentimes, shounen ignore proper and realistic character development in favor of unrealistic “hard work” power ups that do little to really cement the characters as people. This is why I can’t imagine DBZ or Naruto(despite my intense love for DBZ) appearing on a top anime list that has any real consideration for anime as a storytelling medium.

      • I agree with Thalion. DBZ and Naruto are by far some of the most popular animes in North America, however like Thalion said they lack in any real anime character development and focus more on just fighting. Also, if your going to just say that it is a bad list just because those two aren’t there, try to follow up on it. I doubt that you have watched many of the animes listed here.

        • hey dude i might not ‘ve seen a lot of aime shows i won’t agree with you about Naruto if you say that it focuses on fight more than emotion you ‘ve probably not seen it properly…….

  9. I wonder if you’ve seen an anime by the name of berserk? Within it’s genre atleast it is a perfect representation of Anime’s action capabilities.

    • It was really weird for me… I got like forty minutes in, and there was just this bizarre sexual tension between flowy white hair guy and berserk cool tough guy. And the animation was jarring, one seccond it was sweet paints, the next it was gross 3D models overlayed on traditional backgrounds… It’s just not for me.

      • You attempted to watch the movies, try the actual series. Berserk is easily in my top 5 favorite anime. I highly recommend you give the series a real chance. It is spectacular.

  10. when it comes to comedy anime, most people would disagree, but the most hilarious anime was Bobobo, I am not putting the whole thing because that would be a lot to spell. To me, its like an anime version of spongebob squarepants

  11. Recently found someone mention in the comments about “downloading some of these shows” based on these recommendations.
    It’s good to see this list inspiring people to watch otherwise-not-so-popular shows. But keep in mind that (at least in North America and especially USA), you can stream most of these series legally (and often for free).
    Therefore, please see the list below.
    Note: some of the Funimation shows are members-only, and Hulu is only available in USA

    30.. Baccano Funimation
    29. Mawaru Penguindrum Hulu
    28.. Psycho-pass Funimation
    27.. Gurren Lagann Crunchyroll, Hulu
    26. Gargantia Crunchyroll
    25. Gatchaman crowds Crunchyroll
    24.. Steins;Gate Funimation
    23. Chuunibyou Crunchyroll
    22.. Spice and Wolf Funimation
    21. HunterXHunter Crunchyroll
    20.. Mushishi Season 1: Funimation; Season 2: Crunchyroll
    19. Gunbuster and Diebuster Unable to find
    18.. Shinsekai Yori Crunchyroll
    17. Hyouka Unable to find
    16. Toradora Crunchyroll.
    15.. Kids on the slope Crunchyroll
    14. Shiki Funimation.
    13.. Kyousougiga Crunchyroll
    12.. Cowboy Bebop Funimation
    11.. Ping Pong the animation Funimation
    10.. Kino’s Journey Hulu
    09.. The Eccentric Family Crunchyroll
    08. OreGairu Crunchyroll
    07.. The Monogatari series Various seasons found on Crunchyroll, Daisuki, also Wakanim.tv if you can read French
    06.. FLCL Funimation
    05. the Tatami Galaxy Funimation
    04. Katanagatari Unable to find
    03.. Revolutionary Girl Utena Nozomi Entertainment
    02.. Madoka Magica Crunchyroll
    01.. Neon Genesis Evangelion Unable to find
    TBA: Shirobako Crunchyroll

  12. I just watched Kids on the Slope. I loved the holy bananas out of it. It’s now one of my top favorite anime that I’ve ever watched.

  13. i think those are just the top of your own, not everyone.
    some anime like welcome to N.H.K and other good series werent there.

  14. I think Utena beats Madoka in terms of artistic quality, but I guess not so much in entertainment value.
    The fact that Utena is even on the list means the author knows what’s up better than the vast majority of anime (re)viewers.

    Serial Experiments Lain, GitS, and Kara No Kyokai feel like they should be on the list, even if it means making the list longer.

  15. I am just baffled how One Piece is not on here! one piece has AMAZING character development, a great story that progresses very well, and just overall very lovable and unforgettable characters.

    • Agreed… But people always associate mainstream anime with bad anime… I honestly think one piece is the best.

  16. No Urasawa’s “Monster”? I am rather surprised; Though it might not be in your particular wheelhouse (not meant in a condescending way, we all have preferences after all), as it is a very slow paced, convoluted and rather un-anime-ish crime drama (or you might just not have seen it).

    • I really like it, and probably one of the very few anime that deals with life and is so natural and realistic. Unlike most other anime where improbable things happen around

  17. wow we have very similar taste/opinions! Tatami Galaxy recently usurped my favorite spot (was FLCL), but I agree that Evangelion, while being flawed, is simply the best show the medium has to offer. Would love to get your opinion on Welcome to the NHK if you’ve seen that one. I’m currently watching it (suuuuper late on this one) and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

  18. This list is amazing, admitted. but i just have a general question about anime lists.

    I hardly ever see Space dandy on these lists, is that because I’m missing that it’s awful, or does it just not get the love it deserves?

    It is my favorite anime of all time (though i can’t really explain why) but I never see it in any top anime lists, even though it has genius art and a few really interesting stories

  19. I think you should see anohana and elfen lied. I don;t know but these are the two animes that I would not forget.

  20. Thanks for the list. I have seen 75% of the list and agree with your reasoning behind every rank. I’ll try to lool up the others as soon as I have some free time.
    However, to leave Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood entirely off the list is just a tad too much, I think. I can understand not listing Naruto, One Piece etc., but how do you justify FMA:B’s exemption?
    The difference (for me atleast) between all the titles listed and Fullmetal is that the latter made me feel angst for the characters. I’m not saying the others didn’t make me feel that, but that Fullmetal made me feel it more intensely.
    I think that the danger the characters were facing actually felt real. I was suddenly reminded of a horror/mystery novel I was reading where the main character couldn’t trust anyone, because trusting someone couldn’t ultimately mean your death.
    Manga had the seem feel to it. And the Anime successfully translates that from the pages to the screen.

    But still, a great list. Thanks.

  21. Thanks a lot for this list !

    I was looking for new anime to watch, and it’s a relief to find your blog after having browsed through bunches of all-the-same top lists that only gather the most-viewed popular shonen.
    I watched a good half of the animes you list here, and I would recommend all of them, so I know that the remaining half is what I will have to watch in the next months ! 🙂
    Sure, some of my personal favorite are missing (Samurai Shamploo, Afro Samurai, Elfen Lied…), but the fact that you put Puella Magi Madoka Magica as your second best makes it even ! 😀
    So, thanks again: I will keep an eye on your awesome blog, and do not bother too much about all the “Hey, where is Naruto / One piece / Bleach” 😉

  22. I was thinking that this was a great list until I saw NGE as #1… But seriously, you managed to sum up the value of the show pretty well, even though I still think it’s overrated. Other than that, this was a fantastic list. Glad to see that Bleach, One Piece, Naruto, etc. weren’t included. They’re fun to watch, but they’re far from being the best shows out there. And I’m so glad that Shinsekai Yori was on here. It’s a pretty damn underrated show.

    • Dear ayy,

      Apparently since you said One Piece is far from the best, you don’t understand anime.

      Sincerely,
      Anime Expert

  23. How come cowboy bebop is never on any lists. Cowboy bebop is by far one of the best animes ever ( not THE best, just one of the best). if any one hasnt seen it and is going to watch it in english, its one of the few animes that are better after they’re dubbed.

    • Thats cause SAO ruins itself by leaving Aincrad and locking Asuna up in a cage as sex bait. It takes a sweet romance and balanced power dynamic and just bends it over the table. Suddenly we go from real life consequences for everyone to just Kirito tryna keep his waifu from being raped and his cousin/sister awkwardly trying to get with him. This is not ideal.

  24. Is Sword Art Online to short of series to be on here, or does everyone hate it for some reason? Personally, my favorite of all time.

  25. I finished Gurren Lagann and it is the best anime ever. Even comparable to one piece, and its on Netflix. Gurren Lagann should have been on the top of this list.

  26. My God. . . .
    There could not have been anything worst than this.
    I have seen nearly 200 anime’s in my lifetime, leaving 3 animes all of these are basically the worst a person can see. Dude what were you drinking. This must be a joke.

    • Ay buddy, listen here! 200 doesn’t even scratch the surface of what me and my best bud Yugi have seen. I was born and raised on the streets of Brooklyn, so I know a thing or two about roughin it in the big city. These anime are some of the best shows out there, and if you can’t see that then it’s clear that you haven’t spent enough time in the big city like me.

  27. I don’t know how people can sit behind their PC and hound on someone who took their time to make such a diverse list of anime. I have seen several on here and they are all in my top anime list. People fail to see that this list is coming solely from the perspective of the creator and that there is no top anime list because everyone prefers a mix up of different things. Instead of going crazy and hailing insults about this list, you should try watching a few of the series mentioned and come back. Your tone will change and you’ll be whistling a new tune.

  28. Regarding all these comments about “this and that anime is better, this guy is clearly drinking”, I think if you read through the descriptions you can probably see this is a CHARACTER centered list. In other words, this is a good list for people who LIKE THE CHARACTERS IN ANIME. And unusual art, lets throw that in too.
    You like action or animation quality/production? That’s totally fine, shows like Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul, and SAO are all great choices to that end. This is Bobduh’s list, not yours, and no one’s going to catch every last good show out there in hte last 20 years. I’ve only seen about two thirds of these and don’t even like some of them myself. I also feel there’s some worthy items missing here like FMAB or maybe a Fate series. Or Death Note, and I haven’t even seen that yet, I know it’s that good.
    But come on people. Be constructive. You want others to like your favorite show right? So don’t announce in the same sentence as you whining like a small child who didn’t get all he wanted for Christmas, that’s sure gonna make tons of fans REAL FAST. Bobduh like characters, so understand that, take what you want, and get a move on. Or sit here and troll, I guess the internet needs you too to properly function.

  29. I don’t know if you still are editing this post, but Tatami Galaxy is available outside of Japan. It’s licenced by Siren Visual in Australia. Unless you are specifically talking about North America. Ignore this then.

  30. I do love Madoka Magica, but… something rubs me ever so slightly the wrong way. I think most of the characters themselves are just shy of great, as few of them develop substantially, if at all. While I do recognize it WAS limited to 12 episodes, it left something to be desired. Other than that, aesthetically and philosophically it’s one of the best anime I’ve seen.

  31. Stop talking about Naruto, One Piece and Attack on Titan, for the love of God. You don’t make a list with Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and Shostakovich and Arctic Chipmunks, Miles Citrus and those of their kind side by side, do you? So no, they don’t belong in this list.

    Also, if you even think of Bleach, shoot yourself.

    I personally would have awarded Cowboy Bebop and Sakamichi no Apollon a much higher position, and I would have also included Samurai Champloo. That goes to show how each individual favors different elements of a show, and as you can guess, I highly favor having a killer soundtrack.

    • I’ve watched a lot of anime. And one piece does deserve to be on the top

      • I am watching one piece to and like it but its not a very good one. The music is not that good and the story line is not good to. Also i dare to bet that non of the crewmates wil die.

        • You’re not looking at it the right way. And how the hell is the story not good.

          • I didn’t mean the story sucks but its not in my list of best stories. The serie is in my opinion a little bit predictable. The only time one piece really surprised me was at the navy HQ (don’t want to spoiler people but i think you know what moment i mean). And after the 2 year skip he finally start to setting steps to become pirate king. for my opinion that took very long.

            I’m not attacking one piece i like the serie and love the characters and the comedy, but i like the series where even the good characters can die a little more.

            If you disagree with something let me know

    • I think the reason it’s hard for people to see it that way is because all of anime kind of lives in the same space. Like with music, we have classical music and jazz and pop etc. So we can talk about the best pop songs of all time, and the best rock songs of all time, but we never talk about the best songs of all time because the criteria for what makes a good song differs depending on the genre. You don’t listen to pop music because of its complex arrangements and artful instrumentation, you listen to it because it’s fun and you want to dance. And you don’t watch a show like dragon ball or one piece to get a complex insight into the human condition. You watch it because the fight scenes are awesome and the characters have cool powers.

      Both are equally valid reasons to watch a TV show. I love naruto, one piece and fairy tail. But that’s why it’s good to have those kinds of categories. Because an anime fan might watch something like The Tatami Galaxy and just be mad confused by it. It’s the same reason so many people think anime sucks. All they see are the DBZs and SNKs and they aren’t into that. That’s why I like to show people stuff like Bebop and NGE. Because they were my intro anime and they also handled theme and character very well, so people may not like anime after watching them but they can at least appreciate that anime can do more than just offer you amazing fight scenes. It can also say something about life too. Miyazaki is another great choice. Then, if they like that, I show them some others, some of which are on this list, some of which aren’t.

      And by the way I’m not complaining about what isn’t on this list, though there are quite a few anime that would be on mine that aren’t here. But this is this dude’s list. And it’s a really good list. And remember that there more than just 30 great anime, so there is no way he could have included all the great ones on this one list.

      • Well said but to be honest I watch one piece because I love the journey, and I love the story and the character development and the introduction of new characters, as well as the music (not the best but still pretty good). Awesome fight scenes are just an addition to me.

  32. I am a starter anime watcher and only 1 of the anime list i have seen. So i asking myself now if my anime selecting sucks. The anime’s i have watched are:
    -cowboy bebop
    – mirai nikki (future dairy)
    -elfen lied
    -claymore(incl. Manga)
    -samourai champloo
    -death note
    -sword art online(first 2 seasons)

    And the standaard anime’s:
    -naruto (up to date)
    -one piece (up to date)
    -bleach

    My question is do i choose the wrong anime’s or where they just not good enough for this list?

    • You watched the most famous ones, which is quite logical when beginning. Most of them focus on action , fun, and “easy feelings”…

      However, the more you watch anims, the more you are used to these “usual strings”, and you get bored with them. This list is, in my opinion” about anims that takes some distance with the classical patters, and try to be more subtle with characters and emotions.

      So, I think it’s good to know the classics, some of them are even really good (Samurai champloo remains in my favorites). When you’ll begin to think “Ho, not this shit again” when watching anims, come back to this list and you will discover some really nice variations.

      • you probebly right that i only watch the most famous ones because i get most of the anime i wachted from 9gag.

        I have started today with the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. I had already heard from this anime en was already on my list to watch. so when i saw that it was the number one of this list i tough that i better could start it soon. In my planning to watch first was actually kill la kill but that one has to wait. I hope Neon Genesis Evangelion is as good as the poster of this top 30 says it is. Or is it only the 3rd season that is so great? actually it doesn’t matter even if that’s the case i still gonna watch the whole serie

        • Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the choices of the list I do not personally agree with…
          I do not feel it’s anything but a very repetitive storyline with “easy” emotions and archetypal characters… but it is only my personal feeling. And the fact I do not like the visual of it perhaps biased my vision of it…

          But still, many love it and I guess any anime fan should watch it as a “classic”.

          If I was to advice you some animes, it would be Urobuchi’s, listed by the author. (Psycho-pass, Suisei no Gargantia and, first of all, the awesome Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

    • Remember that this is a list of 30 anime, and there are thousands of anime.

  33. all i see are people arguing on who is the anime expert. none of you are anime experts each person has their own taste on what type of anime they prefer so shut the fuck up on who’s the best.

  34. Thanks for posting the list. I have seen maybe 50% of those listed.

    Based on your list, it seems you (the author of this essay) like to see unique anime that pushes the envelope for the genre in terms of portrayal of people, imagery, story telling.

    You may enjoy some some of the titles (all anime series) I will list below if you haven’t seen them.

    More main stream and likely already on your list to watch:
    Planetes
    xxxholic
    Samurai Champloo

    If you want to see something darker and disturbing (could be on your list as well):
    Paranoia agent
    Serial experiments lain
    Texhnolyze

    Some really old anime and probably not on your list:
    The irresponsible captain Tylor 1993 (comedy space opera)
    Future boy conan 1978 (Miyazaki classic)

  35. This list is good and all but what about the classics such as dragon ball, one piece, naruto, bleach and i’m just gonna trow this one in, fairy tail.

  36. I loved Shiki and the tragic twists.. I just finished watching the new Stike the Blood which is pretty nice.

    I fell in love with Soul Eater, but Wolf’s Rain somehow captured my heart, it was the first animie I watched.

  37. Are there ever going to be better anime storys it feels to me that people lost there touch in drawing anime and making it exciting. Is it always going to be same sad romatic storys can we see more action then love-_-

  38. Legend of the Galactic Heroes

    I am familiar with most on this list. And would rate Legend of the Galactic Heroes above them all. It is verily the pinnacle of creation, other animes should bow down before it’s glory and weep at their own unworthiness.

    Though there were some good animes on this list, good show! Baccano! and Cowboy Bebop among others were not completely unbearable.

    • I’m not sure if this comment is satire (I only kind of suspected this because of its exaggerated tone) but, LGH is definitely on my top 5, but I wouldn’t say it is as the pinnacle of anime. It’s far too literary. The visuals do play into it and add to it but not enough for an animated medium to make it the greatest ever that all anime should strive to be like. If we were talking just writing that would be one thing, but anime is animation. Not all anime should strive to be like LGH anime has so much more to offer than that. I mean again, it’s one of my all time faves but I there are anime on this list that do things LGH didn’t. And while LGH is really good at the writing thing, it isn’t so good at the aesthetic thing, which is where some of these other anime on this list, like The Tatami Galaxy or Hyouka, can give us entirely different, but no less valuable experiences. This is why I don’t even like the concept of ranked lists. My top 30 wouldn’t be a ranking on a from best to worst basis, because when you get to that level of greatness it’s like comparing apples and oranges. Each has something unique to offer that the other does not.

      Honestly though, if all that anime has to offer to you is what LGH gave you, I suggest you read books instead of watch anime. Books are normally far better at these kind of literary, intellectual narratives, which is why LGH is the exception, rather than the norm even among great anime.

Comments are closed.