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.
Great list! I really recommend finishing the Yuasa catalog. While Kaiba and Kemonozume are a lot messier than Ping Pong or Tatami, I actually found that they resonated a lot more with me. Both are original works by Yuasa and so his vision feels very clear. I’m sure these are already in your catalog, but I think they, especially Kemonozume, would resonate with you.
I’m definitely going to get to them when I can! I’ve actually had Kaiba slotted in as one of the next shows I watch for a while now.
No Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood?
Agreed.
He hasn’t read it yet.
No mainstreams.
How can there be “no mainstreams” if Evangelion is on here?
Evangelion? More like Madoka, Psycho-Pass, and TTGL.
if madoka magica and evangelion doesnt count as mainstream then neither should Code Geass, FMA, Angel Beats, Clannad, Beserk, steins gate and many others should be in list too
Actually, FMA Brotherhood is the only Anime Ive watched from beginning to end and I thought it was excellent. I tend to look for it first on any must watch list!:-)
I know right? That’s one of the best animes out there!
Great list !! I have checked some of them on your review and decided to try it out, many of them are really good (Especially Oregairu, I never tried it until I saw your review and it is one of my favorite now.)
Anyway, can you do a review of Chuunibyou the second season?
I know that it is not as good as season one which I really love and glad to see it on your list but I think it still has a potential though.
You have an amazing list!! There’s so many anime i have to watch now. I have a recommendation (sorry if they’re already on your list and i just missed them). Legend of the Legendary Heroes. It’s not the most well known anime and is kind of doofy in the beginning if that’s the right word for it, but it gets deeper as it goes. And its only about 25 episodes so nothing too long.
i agree the dragon ball series was a classic these anime’s and i couldn’t help but notice but it seems this list hasn’t not got any anime which people would put under the category mainstream why is that?
Legen of legendary hero’s is perfect in my eyes just wish they made a second season
Really great list, I couldn’t do a better job at a top anime series list. In fact, my own top 30 series list would be mostly identical to yours but changing the ordering.
I recently watched Katanagatari just after seeing it here. Great show as well. Now I will watch Eccentric Family and OreGairu, the ones I haven’t watched from your top 10.
Wow I feel like such a noob. I haven’t even heard of 95% of these animes. I got a lot of catching up to do.
This might be un-hipster and “too mainstream” for me to suggest, but the ORIGINAL Dragon Ball series is a classic. Great adventure, humor, characters, fight scenes, and emotional content.
Maybe it’s #31 on your list?
31 is actually Penguindrum, he has an addendum now.
why do i feel dat dis list is a bit…..sluggish….no FMAB,no DBZ,no Parasyt the maxim or whatsoever…..nope!!!…….sorry,but i think its a very awkward list…..and who puts steins gate and psycho pass so below in a list!!! TOTALLY ABSURD!
This person just doesn’t enjoy DBZ, FMAB, and Parasyte.
Having seen both Steins;Gate and Psycho Pass (the former being one of my favorites), I’d say maybe one reason they’re on the first page is because they’re a bit sterile (in my opinion at least)?
Where is naruto,fairytail,tokyo ghoul and death note?
We are talking best of all time here, not crowd favorites. I love naruto as much as anyone but you have to admit the writing is pretty juvenile, honestly a lot of the most popular anime are rife with poor writing mechanisms.
if you read it you’d understand a majority of these are coming of age/slice of life/ romcom this person obviously likes that kind of show more than action/suspense/drama, even evangelion is slow in my opinion. But shonen do not ever deserve a high spot on a top under 50, imdb has them all above the 60 range and i agree, they are great fun to watch, and can be hilarious but despite my liking of them i do not believe they contend for the throne
This is just for finished stuff too I think.
I haven’t watched it in years, but the second I saw Shinsekai Yori on here, I got goosebumps down my spine. Seriously guys, you need to watch this. I’ve watched more anime series than I can remember, and lots of them have faded from memory, but Shinsekai Yori will never leave my mind. Its just too good, characters too strong (In my opinion, most seem to oppose that viewpoint) and the story will tear your heart to pieces
I MUST ABSOLUTLY AGREE ..Shinsekai yori.. is one of the best anime i have ever ever seen it s probably my number 2 on my list..
I must absolutly agree greatest anime ever ,a definite must watch anime
Where is Wakfu? ^^’
Death Note?
ANgel Beats?
Code Geass?
Yes, those are anime, why do you ask?
(If you want to know what Bobduh thinks, he hasn’t seen Death Note, he gives Angel Beats a 5/10, and Code Geass is #33)
No Fullmetal Alchemis of any flavor?
No Samurai Champloo?
None of the “classics” like Astro Boy, Space Battleship Yamato, and Macross?
Don’t forget the original colored anime film: Hakujaden (1958). Based off a Chinese folk tale.
If we’re talking about classics, this is worth looking at.
HxH should be higher but I understand this is your opinion my top five all tied for first
Hunter x hunter which is probably my fav
Full metal alchemist brotherhood
Magi
Attac on titan which had the potential to be the greatest anime of all time
Fairy tail cause it makes me laugh and desent battles
These are my top some because how good they are and some because of the wsy I feel when I watch them like magi makes me feel uplifted and fairy tail makes me laugh
Worry mentions some could be switched with ones on my list
Sao, akame ga kill. pysco pass, chiaka the coffin prince, Jo Jo, k,
Actualy Angel Beats is crappy one, but i agree no major animes on this list.
Excellent list, gives me a lot to look into! I share your enthusiasm for character driven stories, and I feel that anime is probably the best medium for such a style.
I must say: Your list is wonderful. Thanks to your list, I finally watched Utena, finally finished Bebop, watched Crowds, Toradora, FLCL and Gargantia. I will keep exploring you list. I already watched Lain, Zankyou no Terror, Aku no Hana, Code Geass, Penguindrum, Psycho-Pass, Haibane Renmei, Shin Sekai Yori, Shirobako, Madoka and Evangelion prior to checking this list. All great works, but by now, Utena and Bebop (and Nadesico, which isn’t on this list) are tied with Madoka and Eva as favorites.
If you’re interested in suggestions here’s a list of anime I personally loved:
-Aoi Hana
-Azumanga Daioh
-Blue Drop
-Bokurano
-Boogiepop Phantom
-Bubblegum Crisis (for those who love 80’s anime. I started anime this way)
-Cardcaptor Sakura (The CLAMP Classic)
-Durarara!! (same author as Baccano!)
-Ergo Proxy
-Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
-Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (the definite GitS, in my opinion)
-Martian Successor Nadesico (God damn it, I loved Nadesico)
-Now and Then, Here and There
-Paranoia Agent (Satoshi Kon’s only TV Series)
-R.O.D. the TV (Deeper than the OVA, if you ask me)
-Texhnolyze
-The Vision of Escaflowne
-Un-Go
There are also a bunch of Anime I heard are great, but still haven’t checked. Those are:
-Crest of the Stars
-Hourou Musuko (from Aoi Hana’s author; deals with transgender kids)
-Legend of Galactic Heroes (apparently, the anime no one dares to troll)
-NANA
-Real Drive
-Sasameki Koto (compared to Aoi Hana as a down-to-Earth Yuri)
-Simoun
I have the impression I’m the only one on Earth who’d enjoy Seraphim Call. I love it, but haven’t seen anyone else who does. You may try it if you want. Can’t promise it will be of your liking.
Also X, a CLAMP great (The TV series, not the Film).
And how could I forget my love for Oniisama e…?
And me mentioning Azumanga Daioh without mentioning Nichijou. It was the craziest anime I’ve ever seen until I watched FLCL. Beautiful animation from KyoAni.
This List is great. I haven’t seen a majority of them on here. I’ve finished Shinsekai Yori – which was AMAZINGLY good. I started on Haibane Renmei today and I had trouble really focusing and following it; I’m on Ep. 8 right now and I feel lost. So maybe I just wasn’t giving it my full attention. I want to watch a lot of these.
I always find myself searching googling ‘Best Animes to Watch’ and this is by far the best list I’ve seen. Thank you. This helps me with my lazy/boring weekends since I’m home from college. (:
SHAMAN KING
It’s the best anime of all time!
Where is Durarara
Is “Ping Pong the Animation” actually anime?
It seems more like a detailed style of cartoon made in Japan than an anime.
Most people define “anime” as being simply animation from Japan.
one Piece? :'(
Now that Sound! Euphonium has ended,
inb4 people start asking: “wheres psycho pass lol”
Beautiful comment, love it.
I haven’t acquiesced to watching Euphonium yet. Just how good is it?
Visual and audio presentation is great. YMMV with the story depending on whether you resonate with its themes and characters.
Check out this blog’s author’s posts on it.
Well…great list but I couldn’t see my favourite anime; Death Note. It was a great one, I have watched it several times. So, try watching it.
really awesome list ! but what about fullmetal alchemist ?!!
Really like your descriptions and will definitely check these out. I feel if you like these, you’d probably like Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s a gripping story with deeply flawed characters and fascinating animation – my personal favourite by far.
oh my god very awesome list very nice can you please check out my list and give me your valuable opinion
http://netsama.com/top-10-anime-series-of-all-time-till-2015-top-10-levels-of-anime-series-of-all-time/
and can you please tell me what kind of ad you’re using with google Adsense
I think your list will be more effective if you explain what you look for out of a show and then show how your top shows fit those criteria.
Well, just with Psycho Pass you have me, but what about FMA? and Code Geass?
Just thought I would share some of my favorites, and see if you’ve seen them 😀 I really had a great time watching Mononoke, as well as Shigurui. Both are quite deep, and quite dark I would say, but worth seeing at least once. I’d also really recommend Monster. That show made me think a lot about humanity, and just how powerful one person’s words can be.
Also Elfen Lied O_O I don’t know if I was just young when I watched it, but that show was so emotional for me. Heartbreaking and beautiful.
Decent list but no “Welcome to the NHK”? Seriously?
I also wondered why it isn’t listed there. I mean all my favorite NHK surrogates are in this list (like Tatami Galaxy for example) just not the masterwork itself
He has read the manga for it, and he generally doesn’t watch the shows if he has already read the story. However, the anime differs from the manga in several ways and it is worth partaking of both imho.
You should totally watch Vampire Knight, it tells the story of an academy that has two classes one for humans and the others for vampires. The two guardians Zero and Yuki have to protect the humans from finding out that the other students are vampires and it also shows the romantic side between two people very important to Yuki. I thought it was an amazing show and I wish that they would make more seasons since I have so many unanswered questions about the show. It had officially ended however I really wish they carried it on I’m having a Hazel Grace moment right now where she wanted to know more about “The Imperial Affliction” ( p.s sorry about the long comment i just love the show that much! 🙂 )
This list just reeks of hipster IMO.
Actually it reeks of someone who values good character writing, strong thematic storytelling and shit like that.
How dare he have such opinions?! Next he’ll say FSN has bad writing. What a tosser
You eat your mother with that mouth? No reason to be “that guy”, I was just stating my opinion as well. I just wouldn’t call most of these anime mainstream, that’s all.
Great list, only missing one masterpiece. Code Geass should be in the top 5 and it isnt even in the top 30!
Code Geass is in the top 50 though.
How is it possible that you totally ignored animes like Samurai Champloo, Afro samurai and Samurai 7?
Or even Kiba. I loved this anime… but it seems that people in general doesn’t like too much stuff like this.
He hasn’t seen Kaiba yet as far as I’m aware, but he’s planning to.
DEATH NOTE ?
SWORD ART ONLINE ?
ATTACK ON TITAN ?
TOKYO GHOUL ?
NORAGAMI ?
SOA, Death Note, Gale gun?
It’s pretty sad that when you seach “best anime of all time” on google this page comes up as first or second choice. It would be understandable if this was a pure list and wasn’t ranked in order, but as it stands now it’s ranked atrociously based on little more than personal tastes, I seriously doubt the author of this list has even watched enough anime to have the credentials to put it together.
what the fuck else are you supposed to base an anime ranking on other than personal taste? it’s almost like…it’s subjective…or something…
Bobduh has watched a LOT of anime, period.
This list is great and it gives me some wonderful anime choices, considering I’ve never read, nor watched any of these (sad, I know).
But, out of interest, you didn’t mention any of the “Big Five”? Personally, I despise, Bleach and One Piece (mainly Bleavh), but – Where’s Naruto? 🙁 I absolutely adore Naruto and, yes, some people do say it’s childish, but I don’t find it so. So! Would you mind elaborating?
I think Code Geass should be on this list.
So what no Fate/ Stay Night?
I would have placed Shinsekai Yori at the first place, but its just my point of view 😉
I was looking for a good anime so I stumbled upon this list. There’s never been an Anime to ever surpass NGE – in my own opinion. And when I saw NGE as #1 I was rejoicing. Kudos to the one who made this list. (not only for giving credit to NGE but for the interesting recommendations)
I love this top 30 list. It has none of the anime i’ve previously watched or heard of so that means 30 anime series to watch and hopefully like!!
U WOT M8!? Do u have romance comedy action m8?
Perfect list. Maybe I can add only Claymore..
Holy avocados, WHAT THE HELL…?
I checked your animeList…
YOUR DROPPED LIST…? KILLED ME…
MOST OF YOUR RATINGS…? KILLED ME…
YOUR TOP 30…? KILLED ME…
You dropped some anime or underrated lots of stuff that can easily match one of your tops… (perhaps you got your days where you get impatient and drop stuff quickly…?) then again, that’s a personal taste.
You gave me such a strong mental breakdown, that I am going to watch all of your top 30 list you mentioned. (about 20 that I did not watch.)
You seem the contrary of me, which in turn,
a very interesting subject to study.
Here is some that I believe you did not watch that is worth checking:
-Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou. (7/10)
-Aoi Hana. (7/10)
-Aoi Bungaku Series.(8/10)
-Kaichou wa Maid-sama! (7/10) (I’m not sure if you would like this based on the data I’ve seen,.)
-Higashi no Eden. (6.5/10) (I’m suggesting shows I liked + you still did not watch, however this anime while interesting it was rushed.)
/*********************************
-Arakawa Under the Bridge. (10/10) (UPDATE: Potato! you watched it and rated it 3…? You did not catch the “deep” meaning behind it. this is one of the few shows that an average kid and an average grown up can watch the anime together, then get two completely different answers if you asked them both what did they just saw.) the 2nd season is as enjoyable my fellow negative…
*********************************/
Well, there is not much anime into my life anymore but I will be using your list as a pointer to what should I watch when I feel abandoning my studies for a bit.
Good luck! and I hope night-raid will get you for what you dropped. c:
lan oç death note nerde piç
Really no code geass?
what about fairy tail?? fullmetal alchemist?? soul eater??naruto??
Um, no DZB!!! That’s what got me into anime, still remember running home in grade school to watch it on TV! It’s still to this day the only anime show I have watched dubbed! It will always hold a spot on my top 10 list <3 great list though!! have only seen about half, I don’t have time to watch as much anime as I used too. =/
Some really great anime here. No doubt.
Though no love for Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Strange.
Wonderful list!
I’ve been steadily watching them over the past couple of months.
Based on your taste, you may like “Tenkuu no Escaflowne”. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend it.
Noob here. Just wanted to say thank you for introducing me to Steins;gate. Amazing story, unforgettable characters, and insanely funny at times. El psy congroo, god bless!