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.
First, I want to thank you for posting this, a lot of these sound really interesting and I can’t wait to start watching them (my list animes to watch just keeps growing). Second, if you haven’t already, I would really reccomend watching Death Note. It’s a really good anime and, although I may be biased because it’s one of my favorites, it’s probably one of the best I’ve seen and I think you may like it. I feel it deals with human nature and even though the situation the characters are all put in is extreme they’re reactions to that situation, especially the side characters, are all pretty realistic. It also deals with the nature/meaning of justice and how different people have drasticallly different views and opinions on the subject.
I remember him saying he’s already read the manga (and liked it) so didn’t really feel like watching the show.
How is Tokyo Ghoul NOT in this??
This list has basically become my to watch list after completely agreeing with everyone on here that I have watched previously especially after seeing Kyousougiga on it which surpised me quite a bit considering it is one of my favorites. Also Tokyo Ghoul is a good anime but at the time this list was published I don’t think it was released yet. Another notable example of something I care highly for is Fate/Zero which isn’t here and people have different opinions. Considering how good all these anime are comparatively speaking I am not sure even I would rank Tokyo Ghoul that high even though it was pretty enjoyable definitely a top 50 anime.
What about Inu Yasha, I remember watching it long ago and I remember it being pretty good. Just thought I’d let you know. cx.
i think it wasnt released at the time the list was made
This list is updated. Bobduh dropped it after 1-2 episodes. So that’s why it’s not here.
I’ll tell you how, open episode 2 at the moment the bad guy is yelling “im dying, dying, dying!!!(x10)” and if you are a normal human, you cant continue to see that anime.
Tokyo Ghoul??? TG had the potential to be good, but it sucked. The storytelling is really bad, animation sucks, no climax. Watch FMAB or HxH and you will see how a war atmosphere should be build.
How is Death Note not on this?
The manga is a 7/10 for him.
this iss an OUTRAGE !!!!!!!! Mankind you let us down…..
Because tokyo ghoul is terrible compared to most of these
Lol ? Where’s One Piece ? Naruto ? SAO ? Death Note ? Attack on Titan ? and many more
I tried to edit the above comment to remove my “tasteless” comments, alas, I am unable to do so. So I will re-write it here, without the needless comments.
You just named all the most popular, mainstreamed anime for NA. This is a top 30 personal list, meaning the guy might like these titles, however, there ARE better anime out there.
A good example would be “Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon”. This anime, is so much better than Naruto is. Also has a lot of potential.
Naruto – Watched all (Btw, most people dislike this anime, because of Sasuke)
SAO – Watched all
Deathnote – Read the manga (Dont need to see the anime)
Attack on Titan (Watched all available)
One Piece – Not a fan of pirates, likely not to look at this one.
HAHA you are missing one hell of ur anime life if you don’t consider to watch One Piece… I’m not one of those ppl who’re fan of mainstream anime and pushing it towards who don’t.. but… believe me.. it’s one of the best 🙂
Well one piece and naruto are just impossible to watch, waaaaay tooooo loooong, not enough lives, SAO sucks big time, the other 2 should be on the list
Naruto and one piece are mind bogglingly amazing
Parasyte was also a very good Anime.
not true! NARUTO IS POSSIBLE! if you have absolutely no life hahaha WORTH IT THO.
SAO DOES NOT SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what other anime.. is that only it shouls be fantasy and romantic. I know all the anime are romance but it should related with us 🙁
This list has most of my favorites (which is rare), so I took it pretty seriously and researched a few of the ones I hadn’t watched, with some great results:
Shinsekai Yori was totally new to me, and while it started off kind of flat, I got sucked in about halfway through. It has some incredibly powerful moments, and I’m really glad I discovered this.
Kino’s Journey was also something I’d never heard of, so I watched that and thought it, too, was phenomenal, if a bit heavy-handed at times.
Then I watched Puella Magi Madoka Magica and wasn’t particularly amused, haha. I can see why you would consider its form without major defect, since it doesn’t take any huge risks except with the occasional collage-style animation and stumbles very little in its execution, but I wouldn’t put it anywhere near my top 30, and I DEFINITELY wouldn’t call it perfect.
But, you know, you can’t win ’em all, so I tried Katanagatari next. I’m about 8 episodes in, and I’m struggling to push through, because I find it exhausting and predictable. Oh, well, like I said, you can’t win ’em all. I’m a 30 year-old American dude without an exceptional interest in anime as a concept or Japanese culture in general, so I try to watch what’s considered good and remain realistic about the fact that most of it doesn’t appeal to me. The top of the list struck me as more feminine than my tastes tend to run, but I’m still grateful I discovered it.
To be honest, if you cut out your top 2-9 entirely and rearranged a few things, the list would closely resemble my top 20. Ping Pong, Bebop, Monster and Mushishi are probably my top 4, and I’d sneak Champloo in somewhere around 10.
Anyway, thanks for sharing.
I am confused how you don’t have one piece, death note or naruto on here. 0.0 Those were the first 3 I expected to see especially since there 3 of the most reconized animes ever to be released. Also sao and attack on titans as new but 2 of the most popular animes.
Those Anime is already well know to be called good and I agree with his decision to not put them in this list. How in the world someone doesn’t know those three?
Did
SAO is way too bad to be on any list, the enemy turns out to be a pussy and walks off the plot like some kind of wise hero :S, nevertheless the next enemy turns out to be a mere human a FUCKING LAWYER blackmailing the “hero”, thats just way too stupid.
The enemy wasn’t a pussy, and didn’t walk out FOREVER, and the next enemy…. okay, yeah, that was fucking creepy.
DN AOT and SAO are all quit good but naruto and one peice are really hard to watch.
fairy tail and my little monstar are good to
Alright so far I agree with your List but why Monster doesn’t make it to the list?
If it was me the First one on the list is Monster
While the last is Bacaano just like you
Monster is great, but I read the manga for it, so I haven’t felt much need to check out the anime version.
Eh, there really isn’t much need to watch the anime if you read the manga. It’s pretty much a panel by panel adaptation. Loved the score though.
Anyway, interesting list! I think I’ve only seen like half of these but I’m definitely interested in checking some more out. Don’t think I ever heard of Gargantia or Shiki, will definitely plan on seeing those some day though stuff like Utena & Evangelion should probably come first.
Of what I’ve seen on this list, my favorites would be Hunter x Hunter (Chimera Ant is my favorite story, period), Cowboy Bebop, Mushishi & Ping Pong the Animation. All within my personal top ten.
i think u cant rank the anime like this. u need to classify them. like action ,thriller, story etc. else most of the animes will be missed out
Where’s Shirobako.
Where’s Gintama? Gintama is the only one comedy anime with epic action. Gintama also can combine all of genre in anime. There aren’t any animes out there like Gintama. I think Gintama should had a place there if that shitty OreGairu is there. Sorry for grammar error.
How About Attack on Titan?
Why I Attack on Titan and Kuroko no Basket are not in the list? :/
Ano Hana, Haruhi Suzumiya, Shirobako are some anime that deserve to be on this list!!! (but thats ok)
although Ano H can be a bit cry babyish it will still make you cry, these shows are definitely worth checking out, especially Haruhi.
Been watching Armoured Trooper VOTOMS, its turning out to be really entertaining along with Area 88 (the OVAs). 88 had well directed action sequences and both shows have well thought out episodes.
Im only on episode 6 of VOTOMS but its turning out to have good pacing with interesting set ups each time. A badass MC and a very warhammer 40k post apocalyptic cowboy bebop style setting (which i love personally). The show is a real robot style show like gundam wing.
the Area 88 OVAs had amazingly well directed action sequences with moments that will leave you going “No way i cant believe that just happened!”. The MC was tricked into being a fighter pilot for a foreign legion, with themes that are based on the nature of war and what it takes to survive. A bonus: the show has real life jets.
Although both shows are aged (it especially shows for VOTOMS) they both proved to be hugely entertaining shows that are backed up by some cool 80s tracks. (If you really dont care for aerial combat then maybe skip 88)
my runner up prize: Daily Lives of Highscool Boys – a comedy with highschool boy style humor, people overthink situations with hilarious results.
Thank you for making this list, i will check some of these out!
ah excuse my ignorance (shirobako), this is the first article I’ve read and i have actually havent been watching anime for all that long. 6 months maybe :s as a side note, i did actually watch FLCL, Cowboy Bebop and OreGairu.
I’m guessing who ever put this list together hasn’t watched Naruto and one piece. I suggest they do
but naruto and one piece are both really hard to watch on youtube cause there are hardly any good quality youtubers that do them.
Then stop watching one piece on YouTube ffs. Go to watchop.com
Shit taste weebs confirmed. Naruto and One Piece are garbage, learn to anime properly. You probably like Attack on Titan and Tokyo Ghoul too.
Just cause an anime is dumb, which those 4 are, doesn’t actually mean they suck. My top five anime are Penguindrum, Hyouka, Tatami Galaxy, Psycho Pass and Madoka Magica, so generally serious, lightly artsy stuff because my top criteria in judging stories are character, theme and originality.
That said, another point you shouldn’t forget when judging is fun. I had a great time with Attack On Titan, cause it’s fun. It has great, fist-pumping music, seriously spectacular fights and an interesting base concept. It doesn’t aim for much and it doesn’t have any deep message or anything, but it’s pretty good at what it does.
I can’t say much about the others except that I did enjoy the Naruto manga until the end of the “Pain-Arc”, for similar reasons as I gave Titan. Doesn’t try to do much, but does it quite alright, and the fight scenes are awesome.
There is no such thing as shit taste. Everyone likes different things for their own personal reasons, and as much as I hate shows like Akame ga Kill!, Fruit of Grisaya or Tokyo Ravens, all of which I hate with a passion, dismissing people for their taste is nothing but a dick move. Read more of Bobduhs essays and learn. It did me good, it’ll do you good.
No Code Geass? No Clannad?
He has Code Geass in the addendum at #33
Dragon Ball?
Attack On Titan?
Death Note?
(I would put SAO but that gets a bit… weird)
He ain’t a fan.
6/10 for him.
Hasn’t seen. The manga is 7/10 for him.
Your list is kind of interesting, not bad but dude, leaving samuari champloo out samurai x trust and betrayal, angel beats, death note, full metal alchemist brotherhood, just too name a few.
Hunter x hunter 2011 and cowboy beboop are so misplaced they are definitely top 10 in any list they are mastrepiece.
But hey i cant judje somebodys opinion is just the ones you think are the best for you.
He actually really loves HxH (in some ways, more than his #12 Ping Pong), but 148 episodes does lead to a lower time return rate.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on Wolf’s Rain
SAO is plenty solid, and a must watch for fantacy gamers. I do understand why some Shōnen anime is not on the list. Also missing from the list K-ON! and Oreimo.
This is a serious question, I swear I’m not trying to be mean or anything, but have you read a bit of Bobs blog? He has a bit of an… interesting relationship with Kirino.
This was amazing, and I strongly agree on most spots (at least on the shows I know). I share your passion for tragic, ambitious epics (eg: your first three spots) but that sort of begs the question: why is Wolf’s Rain nowhere here? It has great themes, great characters and great direction, what’s not to like?
Its not that good . Its a story of some boys turning into wolfs when they are in that kind of situation . And their is also a girl , which every wolfs are fond of..
Personally, I think Hunter x Hunter 2011 is the no. 1 best anime out there. It excels in every aspect, as stated above. The animation is beautiful, the characters are all unique, interesting and extremely well developed with well thought out back stories and motives, the different genres present throughout it are very well handled and executed and the plot in itself is incredibly unique and flows far better than most. HxH has a good grip on suspense and also knows when it needs to be serious. In addition, despite its serious scenes, HxH, more often than not, has an intoxicatingly light-hearted atmosphere that just makes you smile. Not to mention the OST, which is pure genius. HxH is my all-time favourite anime and I seriously recommend it to anyone ever. Bare in mind this is my own opinion though.
Just wondering, how many times have you updated this list? And when you update it, do you simply insert the new show in the appropriate place and kick the bottom shows into the addendum, or do you reshuffle the order based on your updated preferences?
Why is “the seven deadly sins” not here?
Awww you missed the original fma 2003, eureka 7, and some others that are my favorites. Especially magi. I was hoping you’d put magi high on your list but was saddened to see you didnt. Oh well, your opinions not mine. Good list though I like alot of these
I found Eureka 7 really slow and tedious… Got to episode 37, and was not loving it. Nothing really happens. Theres like fossil mechs? Cool, lets take this somewhere. But she just goes too slow.
Clannad should be considered but its not watched much nowadays, the comments here are about anime people just watch and think that they are the best without seeing other works. Im fairly sure a list that I would make would contain stuff like sukitte iinayo, hanasaku iroha or even Ah my godess because they are a lot less biased that other commentors skewed views.
Claymore. Such win. And samurai champloo.
This list is shit. Where’s Texhnolyze, Mononoke, Haibane Renmei, and Mouryou no Hako???
So apparently having a different opinion means that a PERSONAL list is bad? smh
How about read the whole fucking list. Haibane Renmei is there.
It probably wasn’t there at the time.
WOW.. with all these anime in ur list… how come Code Geass isn’t included? u seem to be like me liking such stories in anime.. did u forget about Code Geass? in terms of every aspect you’ve mentioned…. Code Geass almost has it all.. watch it or rewatch it dunno if you watched it already but.. i consider Code Geass Top while reading your anime toplist. 🙂
And Also Parasyte the Maxim.. kinda new but it is one of a kind anime of this year for me 🙂
Code Geas wasn’t really a pillar of excellence to me. It’s story feels really contrived and then the crushing end to the first half seemed like a logical end. The seccond half gets better with a more realistic global paradigm introduced, but after a little bit it falls appart again when it goes into some weird NGE shit with trying to destroy individuality and whatever else, without adequately explaining it. Then I think there had to have been a better ending, it felt like a cop out. On top of that, the voice acting was less than supperb, and the art fell flat for me in many places. AND D-Tard was a name. What teh fuck kind of name is “D-Tard”? How much do you have to hate your child to name him D-Tard?! I digress.
i’ve seen over a 100 or more anime but i only watched one on this list (shiki) whuuut .
This comment section is fucking hilarious; it is just filled with people who don’t know basic grammar bitching about naruto/attack on titan/sao garbage not making it on this list. I love it.
While I admit there have been people mourning about their favorite anime’s not been listed, mostly due to the lack of diversity in the anime’s among the one’s they’ve seen, it’s still not necessary that everyone should know english grammar because it might not be their first language, and also it doesn’t make one who knows it, superior to the rest. In my opinion it’s necessary to have a good behaviour (use of F words) than good grammar.
It’s just hilarious to me that everybody who was complaining about sao/attack on titan/etc. ALL had such bad grammar it made their posts borderline unreadable. It just made me think “hmm…I can see why most of these shows are probably too much for you to handle…”
The only reason people are complaining about this list is if they haven’t watched a lot of them.
boo hoo
You should watch Kaiji, it´s a very good show, you’re gonna like it.http://myanimelist.net/anime/3002/Gyakkyou_Burai_Kaiji:_Ultimate_Survivor
I’d say the future diary is a must watch as well.
where the hell is FMAB or FMA at least
So, is Serial Experiments Lain for noobs or something? I thought it was brilliant…
It’s in the addendum. And while it is brilliant, I would say that as fascinating as the show is, it’s just not… likeable enough to call it a top show. Just my opinion of course.
Also, this might be weird, but I’d actually take Digimon Tamers as the top Chiaki Konaka show. It’s the same basic topic and still dark as f*** but much less… opressive. It’s characters are also articulated better, and the story feels more coherent. It’s weird for me to say this, because as a massive Ikuhara fan I’m really into nonlinear story-telling, but Lain just feels a little disjointed to me.
Please don’t misunderstand. I love Lain, I really do, I just love Tamers more.
Nice, list but Cowboy Bebop is the best anime by a long shot. It received universal acclaim from more sources than anything else. And its absolutelly unique in its themes. It wonderfully captures a moment in character lives. it doesent have to be uber popular to be better.
seriously no NARUTO SHIPPUDEN … why is that … and fairy tail or fullmetal alchemist
Why put garbage on a top 30 list?
Gugure! Kokkuri-san is a nice anime as well
Decent list but kinda odd to not see Berserk, Trigun, Baccano, Monster, and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood were not on it though…
Honestly, I’m really impressed with your list. I’ve been hitting this up occasionally for recommendations and I’ll say I’ve been pretty happy with what I’ve found between this and your addendum. Particularly Gargantia, Terror in Resonance (just finished…wow) and Katanagatari.
I probably never would have found some of these otherwise, thanks for putting this together!
I know you don’t have a lot of the widely known favorites and there seems to be some complaints, but I appreciate seeing some things that are a little off the radar. I don’t have a ton of friends that are into anime so the main reason I look at top lists is to get recommendations; its refreshing to see one that’s different.
Hey Bobduh, I’m a long-time admirer/stalker of your beautiful website and all of the wonderful things you write. I may not always agree with you (namely on Madoka Rebellion: I feel that while the themes of the movie and the series do clash in many ways, Devil Homura is NOT fan catering and that Rebellion is an important deconstruction of the fanbase while also being a story that uses the religious parallels from the original series to present a compelling story about loss of faith, gasps for breathe) but your writing is passionate, intelligent, thoughtful and inclusive, and it’s helped me to find my own voice as an anime reviewer and look at shows in ways I hadn’t before considered. Your top 30 list is what got me into anime and many of them have now become my personal favorites.
The reason I have chosen now of all times to finally post a comment though is perhaps the most idiotic and trivial of reasons, and I apologize for this in advance. I just can’t help but be curious. On your list you say that Hyouka is Kyoto Ani’s masterpiece, and yet on your MAL you gave it a 9 while you gave Chunibyo, another Kyoto Ani show, a 10. What’s the deal, Bob? I can’t handle this inconsistency, you’ve gotta clear up this all-important matter at once.
I completely second everything Christopher says here, down to the word.
Now, Bobduh, give us closure! This incoherence is dissolving the matrix! It’s like dividing by Zero! Don’t let this happen, Bobduh! Only you can save us now!
Worst list
No naruto
Deathnote
Attack o titan
Fullmetal alchemist
Code geass
I completely agree with you
gigantor is my all time favourite
–
To be honest, I’m kind of disappointed that Evangelion took first place. It’s an okay show that isn’t always fun to watch and lacks animation qualities because of it’s tight budget.
I’m also disappointed that masterpieces such as Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion and Maybe even Soul Eater didn’t get on to the list.
I would have understood if you left these out because of their popularity and wanted to give different anime a chance in the spotlight, but Bebop and Evan are extremely over rated.
Apart from that. I completely agree with this list.
Naruto , One piece , Death Note ,samurai champloo ???Damn bro you suck
Bob, based on this list, I highly recommend you to check out Wandering Son (Japanese: Hourou Musuko). One of the best dramas ever which also handles the topic gender identity in a very mature way. Not to mention it is absolutely gorgeous (think stuff like Hyouka and The Eccentric Family).
http://myanimelist.net/anime/8426/Hourou_Musuko
worst top anime review ever…. missing best anmies like dragon ball -z,gt ,kenshi samurai,many more
It’ missing my personal favodites, therefore it’s bad!!1!11
How old are you
so many good animes not named in here
what happend with SAO, mirai nikki, Shingeki no kyojin, Death note???
In the trash can where they belong.
This list is gorgeous. Honestly, it’s one of the best lists of anime on the web. Most people only like shounen garbage, and this list could save them from being humiliated on /a/ if they ever decide to go to 4chan.
Overall, 9.5/10 list man.
Yes, yes it is. Thanks for doing your thing, Bob.
No Death Note or FMA Brotherhood?
Thoughts about; Berserk, GunGrave, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, The Rose of Versailles, The Twelve kingdoms, Genshiken, Detroit Metal City, Hajime No Ippo, School Rumble?
He’s familiar with almost none of them.
He read the first LOGH novel and thought it was okay. He’s also a huge fan of the Genshiken manga.
Lastly, he thinks DMC’s director is one of the best in the industry, since he liked Mushishi and Aku no Hana, but he has not seen DMC.