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.
Naoki Urasawa’s Monster is an amazing anime never to be found in an top list. Long enough to develop a story, but short enough not to be repetitive.
This blogger actually loves Monster! Just, he read the manga and therefore can’t put it in his top anime list.
Very nice list, it has all that I need from such a ranking to make it add some titles to my to watch list
1) It arbitrary private list – I value them so much more than those made by accumulating votes
2) It has some titles I’ve never heard about – whenever I see some obscure title it makes me believe that author really just listed the things that impressed her/him
3) It has titles I’ve seen and enjoy myself – so I can see that we hava somewhat similar taste
I totally agree about Utena, Tatami Galaxy, Uchoten Kazoku, Kino no Tabi, Ping Pong, Cowboy Bebop, Mushishi and Haibane Renmei. I didn’t care that much about Spice and Wolf, Katanagatari or Hyoka but I admit they had something.
Spice and wolf is awesome I really liked that anime but I’m not sure about the other as I haven’t watched it
What about Tokyo goul FMA brotherhood and code grass even guilty crown and undefeated weakest bahamut chronicles
Code Grass definitely should go in the top 420
^ Best comment right here.
fck U Code geass deserves top3
fuck you it doesnt even deserve to be in the list
Lol truth Code Geas was sub par
For a top 3 it has to be amazing not average.
lol its a play on words referencing weed
A list without One piece isn’t a list.
And why the fu** is not Hunter X Hunter on the top 10??!?
Because like he implied in his HxH entry, he’s not a huge fan of that genre in anime. He is reading the One Piece manga though, and posting his thoughts on this blog. He likes it!
And if it makes you feel any better, he thinks Chimera Ant on its own could be worthy of the top 10, it’s just that it’s not the only arc in the series.
one piece seriously. the most fucking idiotic and childish anime ever. In my view a fan of one piece/dbz is not an anime fan but infact he is a bullshit fan
A lot of us cut our teeth on Dragon Ball Z, so I have to stick up for it. As for One Piece, I actually agree that it’s childish, but it seems like the new generations DBZ. It’s getting people into anime and that’s what counts. I’m pleasantly surprised at how unique this list is.
I always kinda suspected Light Yagami would be like this.
Actually the character depth and how complicated the plot in One Piece makes it one of my favorite shows. You literally have to re-watch episodes to see all of the Easter eggs the author places in the manga and show. The story is literally so complicated that I have watched it more than 4 times all the way through and still be surprised when something small and not important get brought back into the show as a main focus point. If you’re basing One Piece show off of the fact that Luffy is a simple-minded person and you think the rest of the story is just fighting then you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about I will respectfully disagree with your wrong opinion. Seriously give it a try and tell me that you don’t like the show. I would say for me it only took 3 episodes to like the show. It took me 50 episodes to fall in love with it and to being a loyal fan. I know that might sound too long for you short anime fans, but when you’re talking about an anime that started in 1999 and is still being innovative and still have a loyal fan following that beats out all of the 50 max episode series any day. I have plenty of friends whom I have recommended the show to them and every single last one of them has liked it more than the simple story plot 50 episode anime series.
Well said brotha!! One Piece is easily the greatest anime of all time as it tackles very complicated plot that about almost everything in life. I specially like how they care about each other that it made me really cry out of joy.. Words really cant explain how this show is truly amazing. One has to have a heart made of stone to not to like this amazing show.
What about Naruto + Shippduen?
He read the manga up until the Pain arc. Hunter x Hunter is a great, somewhat similar show.
Too much filler in Shippuden. Sorry it dropped out of my top ten a looong time ago. The original Naruto series by itself is definitely in my top ten. But since it is unfortunately all together as a whole it falls with Shippuden.
Maybe because it’s just not that good?
Tell me I accidentally skipped over inuyasha because it has to be on this list!
I mean even as far as long runners go it’s not super acclaimed. Bobduh’s not much of a binge watcher.
Inuyuyasha is pretty much like Bleach. It amassed a huge following, but never became known as ‘one of the best anime’ or ever got critical acclaim really and has kind of died out a significant amount, though people will always know of it.
I do think , to be fair, Inu was bigger than Bleach though.
Inu was an amazing show I agree with u but plz some anime just dont get reconized until like 10 years like bleach or one piece or InuYasha
I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have gone for a million years if they weren’t recognized pretty quickly. If anything, time has been unkind to InuYasha (good to One Piece though, as far as I know).
I dont know how Beserk is not ont the list that 90’s series was great new series is back in in july
Yes to it all, great list, but please….. Where is Deadman Wonderland…?
it’s not on here because the was no ending
Yea Deadman Wonderland was pretty cool, but it switched from the manga sooo much that it was horrible. Also the no ending killed the show for me too. They went into an arc that wasn’t even fully explored in the manga…
I also think Inuyasha deserves to be on any top Anime list. Anyone who takes the time to watch the entire series and movies and really get a feel for the characters and environment can appreciate it. It is unlike many others in several ways and I think it has a very inviting world to dive into. Sometimes some of the best things are overlooked by the masses. Inuyasha is certainly one of them. Loved the story and characters, thought it ended very nicely as well.
I agree. I think people just don’t have the attention span to actually watch and fully enjoy the long animes. They are spoiled with the small 50 episode series.
Wait don’t get it , why can’t t he put it in his top anime list if he’s read the manga?
Because this is a great anime list not manga
If he saw the anime for Monster, Cross Game, NHK, etc. and thought they were really good, they would be on here. But until then, he can’t actually recommend those anime. Things change when something gets adapted, and someone who hasn’t seen the anime can’t speak to how those changes affect that experience.
For example, Bobduh likes Death Note but dislikes director Tetsuro Araki. So just because he likes something doesn’t mean that he can blindly recommend its adaptation (though he likes the things on this anime list a good deal more than Death Note).
Despite the title, this post is meant to talk about the shows he personally has been impressed with.
oh shit 😐
first i did not realize that this is just top anim !
i was confused what does it mean !
i thought a lot and there was no answer until it became clear for me that this the anim without manga series or i should say original anim series yeah ?
Ok so I was in to the likes action anime and funny romcom like living with monster girls.
But I gave, Your lie in April a watch.
Seriously that had me choking up. Totally had me.
If none of you lot have seen give it ago.
Giving the ones on this list I’ve not seen a watch now.
Cheers for the list and run down.
It’s my opinion but I think Tokyo ghoul,akame ga kill and sword art online should be included on this list
is this a joke? lmfao
It has to be SAO had a shit second season. It was rushed soo bad.
Why is there no Future diary that was a beast anime, Most people didn’t like the ending but the show is super dark so the ending should be dark, its in my top 10 forsure.
Mirai Nikki is one of the worst anime
I was wondering, do you have a Top Anime Films list? If yes, can someone link me to it? I can’t find it. If not, are you planning to make one? I’d love to see it!
Idk
One. i barely know and heard of half of those
two. 1/3 of those are bad like really -.-
three. At least add one of the really good ones like dragon ball z or one piece,naruto
so yeah i think it is a bad one but i don’t really know yet
forgot fairy tale
I agree with Fairytale and One Piece, but I believe this guy doesn’t like action anime that much. Naruto the original series can go on this list leave Shippuden out. DBZ is an oldie, but top anime idk.
I just finished Madoka and you’r so right but I’m surprised that some of these anime’s r not on your list (cause most listed I read have at least one of these few)
1.) InuYasha
2.)Bleach
3.)One Piece
4.) DBZ
5.)Fairy Tail
6.)SAO
7.)Blue Exorcist
8.)Haikyuu
9.) Pokemon (I’m Sorry I really had to who doesn’t love one ting about this cute little show)
1) #22
2) #22
3) #22
4) #22
5) #22
6) #19
7) #7
8) #12
9) #22
I just finished Madoka and you’r so right but I’m surprised that some of these anime’s r not on your list (cause most listed I read have at least one of these few)
1.) InuYasha
2.)Bleach
3.)One Piece
4.) DBZ
5.)Fairy Tail
6.)SAO
7.)Blue Exorcist
8.)Haikyuu
9.) Pokemon (I’m Sorry I really had to who doesn’t love one thing about this cute little show)
Where is Fushigi no Umi no Nadia ?
In the trash where it belongs.
Nah, Nadia was a good anime. Somewhere in the low top 100, but not top 30.
Why have I been putting off Evangelion for so long? This is amazing. It is the show I have been looking for, I think. It’s honest, it loves its characters, it understands them. It’s so human.
U so right. A list without One piece, Fairy tale n HxH not in top ten. This guy’s a joke
but where is the attack on titan?
Its just someones opinion
Nothing to get upset about
Admin your taste is as bad as fuck. I mean seriously no Hajime no ippo wait wait now let me give you my list ass hole
1)Death note
2)Hajime no ippo
3)naruto+shippuden
4)welcome too .N.H.K.
5)Attack on titan
6)One punch man
7)steins gate
8)parasyte the maxim
9)code geass(just made in the best list)
(these are the top of the top ones)
now top ordinary ones
1)FMA & FMA BH
2)samurai champloo
(these were the top among ordinary)
(now ordinary)
3)Eden of the east
4)darker then black
5)one outs
6)Erased
(from here the list becomes more and more crappy)
7)black butler
8)Noragami
9)blood-c
10)Monster(just better then shiity ones)
(and now the most shitty animes ever made in the history Warning:the lost one is worse then shit)
1)mirrai nikki/future diary
2)one piece(thanks for 720 episode bull shit assholes)
3)TOkyo GHoul(no words to explain this crap)
where’s bleach?
Thanks, I needed a list of bad Eva ripoffs.
First of all bleach should b in the top five, or at the very least be listed. also im wondering how you can have a much better taste in anime when ao no exorcist, fairy tail, and full metal alchemist are not listed but naruto is
Lol then he rips on One Piece, which it is a better show than Naruto. Naruto filler > One Piece filler.
No fist of the North Star? At least FLCL was in the Top 10. One day, hopefully the One Punch Man will make this list. A very simple story with amazing animation and a huge variety of characters.
they forgot One Punch Man, Fairy Tail, and One Piece
He didn’t like One Punch Man (Hunter x Hunter is more his style of action), he hasn’t seen Fairy Tail, and he’s reading One Piece instead of watching it.
One Piece manga is awesome and the anime follows the manga pretty closely. Let him know for me.
Come on dude.. U trolling :D?
This dude is a fucking idiot I hope he kills himself.
Pretty incredible list; as someone who’s watched a vast amount (1200?) anime myself, I’m pretty impressed with the turnout of this. There’s four our five I’d replace, and maybe chance the order of some, but other than that it’s extremely solid.
THINGS THAT IM HAPPY DIDNT MAKE THE LIST
-one piece
-naruto
-dbz
-sao
-blue exorcist
-fairy tail
-InYuyasha
-Tokyo ghoul
-akame ga kill
All of them are stereotypical garbage meant to cater to a young audience, with the longer shows having a select few decent arcs mixed in with hundreds of fillers and completely unimportant episode. Tokyo ghoul, akame, and blue exorcist are terrible adaptations of good manga, and it’s a shame they even aired in the first place.
You obviously haven’t watched One Piece.
This is bullshit. No AoT. No death note. No soul eater.
Probably because they’re garbage
Soul Eater was pretty cool. The story should have expanded a little more. It felt rushed and the ending was terrible.
What about Samurai Champloo and Trigun? Or Kill La Kill?
Anybody?
I don’t really think Madoka should be so high up. I love it, but I think Cowboy Bebop should be higher.
Also, I just want to put it out there… I really don’t like Evangelion. I almost watched it all. I’ve seen the dozens of remakes and movies… I STILL DON’T LIKE IT. ><;
The first two paragraphs are me. Especially Trigun and Kill la Kill. (If you’re wondering why they’re missing, Trigun and SC don’t interest him enough to finish, and he didn’t like KlK). Madoka was really good the second time around for me though.
Can’t do anything to help you with Eva though. It’s a somewhat polarizing show! Lilith help you if you watched End without episode 24 though.
Rurouni Kenshin? Tenchi Muyo? Sailor Moon? Slayers? Ranma? Beserk? Ghost in the shell?
He likes Tsuioku-hen, but he’s not sure exactly how much he likes it. Ghost in the Shell is off-limits because this list doesn’t have movies – he has not seen SAC. The rest he hasn’t seen either.
Those are definitely anime worthy of a top 100 list, excluding sailor moon and wanna, but not a top 30 list.
But where is gurren lagann
Check the addendum.
I love Naruto ! Fuck you guys !!
I couldn’t get into HxH just because how long it is . Naruto was pretty much the only Super long Anime I could watch and still be obsessed with start to end even though I already read the Manga.
Tokyo Ghoul is fucking awesome . F the haters. K ( project k) I thought was very good too !! Not too long not too short but great story line! Deathnote is classic , attack on titan is also a classic ! Cowboy bebop ! Duhh! Pyscho pass I like too but its not GREAT! I’m more into crime anime’s ! But I will definetley check some of these out ! Thank you !!
Follow me on twitter ! @nancyybotwinnn
Kys where Monster at. No excuse if you only read the manga. the anime is exactly the same. Monster #1
Seriously appreciate this list and the accurate descriptions. Refreshing break from the naruto/OP fanboys (though apparently not in the comments). These kind of animes are more of my pace.
One show I never see on any lists is NaNa and it’s actually a really good show. Its about two girls with the same name living together. Ones an uprising star and the other is still finding her way and constantly love struck by guys. If you like romance and drama this is a good show to watch.
This blogger actually did write-ups on Nana’s first two episodes.
Nana is incredibly well done, very possibly the best shojo anime in existence.
These comments are just… ugh..
90% of them make me want to throw up. Throwing titles around like one piece, sword art online, fairy tail… Please, are you all 14?
This list is gorgeous and it taught me what a good anime should be.
I live by this list practically.
Lol and you think One Piece is simple and you must have not read or watched it for that long and gave up on it… Shame. You’re missing out on a great show.
I feel like most of these comments are from people who:
1. Didn’t read the intro paragraph at all. Or any of the explanations for why Bobduh thinks each show is great. And they DEFINITELY didn’t read either of the critical biases posts.
2. Have watched few (if any) of the shows on this list.
3. Have very little brain functionality in general.
It’s pretty clear that most of these people have just come off of finishing Naruto, Bleach (ugh..), One Piece, and Fairy Tail and are trying to find another mystical superboy fantasy adventure anime to binge on for 300 episodes in their mother’s basements while they chow on pizza Pringles and try to drown out the emptiness in their hearts caused by the fact that girls never date the “nice guys.”
So I read this list about a year an a half ago, and since have watched many of these shows in their entirety, and several more at least halfway through. I’ve been very impressed at most of the shows on this list. A few have found their way into my top ten (hello Shinsekai Yori and Tatami Galaxy), and a couple were a little disappointing (sorry Spice and Wolf; I just couldn’t get interested). But ALL of them were very thought-provoking and engaging; a sweet relief from the formulaic tendencies of more popular shows like Bleach (I mean really: discover new enemy, lose, gain new power, win, rinse and repeat).
I do have to make one shameless call-out. I love One Piece. I think it is a feat of art, world-building, character creation, comedy, drama, adventure, and a general high fantasy manga masterpiece. That’s the catch, though, and why I think it doesn’t necessarily belong on this list. I’ve only really read the manga. I’ve watched the show maybe up to episode 30, but the pacing is slow, the art is weaker in general, detail is sparse, at least in the early episodes. The show maybe (very probably) increases in quality in the later seasons, but it simply takes too long to get there.
There. Now that that’s off my chest, all you greasy caveman basement-dwelling lowlifes should keep your lame cries of “WHY NO DBZ AOT SOA” etc. to yourselves and go learn to think at a level beyond fifth grade. Or at least learn to respect and appreciate the culmination of somebody’s extensive time, effort, and concentration to put together such a wonderful, detailed, and critically analytical list.
Monster. Rainbow and most things by Madhouse should be on any list.
He does mention in the tidbit about Hunter X Hunter that Madhouse is probably his favorite studio of all time. But, as he points out in the intro, this is HIS list. Making your top pick list is innately very subjective, and we all differ greatly over what sort of features we are looking for in a show. I think the most important thing to get out of looking at another’s top pick list is that it simply is theirs. Not yours. That’s especially important to realize for a couple of reasons.
First, it gives you insight into the writer’s mind and thought process. We can see from Bobduh’s list (and from his critical biases posts), he’s pretty bent on characters. He leans toward shows that focus mostly on character development and relationships. As we can also see from the inclusion of shows like Shin Sekai Yori, he’s also willing to let lackluster character writing slide by in favor of very strong themes and a grand scope. Both of these key in together perfectly to show why EVA is his top pick: there’s probably no other anime that focuses on themes so grand with characters so deep and dynamic. Certainly none that pull it off as well as EVA.
Second, it provides an outlet to experience shows the likes of which you may not have seen, and from a perspective other than what you’re used to. If I had tried to watch Shin Sekai Yori before going over this list and reading his brief notes on each show, I would have dropped it by the second or third episode and let a gem slide right past me. The characters are simply too distant and the show never really gives you a reason to grow attached to them, which makes it difficult to find a reason to watch. If I don’t care about the characters, why should I care about what happens to them? However, looking at it from a fresher perspective, that of a fan of sci-fi novels and world-building, I was able to glean a lot of enjoyment at just how in-depth this show is in its plot and construction. And after watching it through to the end, I got way more out of it than I had ever intended.
In the end, while it’s always gratifying to see your favorite show at the top of somebody else’s list, I think it’s better to see a variety of shows you haven’t seen or aren’t even familiar with. That’s why I sought this list out in the first place. I was tired of seeing the same shows at the top of everybody’s lists, and I was looking for a top list with a little keener insight. So your favorite show not being on on somebody else’s list does not disqualify the list. They could very well love the show almost as much as you do, they just have several others they love even more. Maybe Bobduh gives Monster and Rainbow and Death Note all 8.5/10, but everything on this list to him is 9.5 or higher. Or maybe he hates all the shows you like (screw him, right?). But at least this list has some variety and fresh perspective, and that in itself gives it great value.
P.S. If you haven’t done so already, read some of his in-depth reviews. Read some on shows that you like, that you don’t like, that you haven’t seen, it doesn’t matter. They are all very thoughtful and engaging, and, regardless of whether you’re familiar with the material he’s reviewing, the experience will be rewarding. They also help give more insight into his psyche, and what qualities of a show make him tick. Maybe they’ll make you tick too when you start looking for them?
Thank you for giving One Piece the respect it deserves. It’s my favorite show from all of what you mentioned and from the story line that is all relevant until the end. The reason wwhy I like the show soo much because of all of the theories that you can come up with. I also like the fact that their are characters from just about all corners of the earth and not just one or 2 different ethnic groups in the show. The different places you get to visit as well and the fact that pirates are awesome.
Thanks for the list.
Those comment bad about fairy tail that’s your opinion. I enjoyed it but never did nuratu and other similar ones. One piece I couldn’t stick with. Bleach was fine like a 7 overall not a great but watchable without the why did I waste all that dam time moment afterwards.
I liked d grey man but had stopped .
Few anime I liked stopped without really climaxing talk about mental blue balls.
I watched many many anime and have diverse taste but has have something.
Sadly so many anime are just other anime in different place with different faces.
I liked some fighting one kenichi or something. It showed 1/10 truth to martial arts while exaggerating things completely but having been around sort of like the real life stereotypes I found it funny as hell.
But one really sent me on roller coaster emotion ride I watched on I think Netflix or crunchy…can’t remember it was
Your lie in April(I think) man was greatly written as far as plotting and character development while playing the emotional cues.
If you want feel something in your beating heart I recommend it. It’s not the typical kind for me to watch I just did and was greatly thankful for the time I spent.
Nah it’s cartoons but they developed a style known as anime that let them produce more drawing less. My families pros in cartooning world.
Basically watch any anime look carefully.
They’ll draw one pic but pan it instead of drawing multiple. Makes the story progress with less art being made. They also draw out all but say the mouths and save it then draw mouth variations only.
Western style was draw each frame new. Took lot more time. And never looked as good because slight differences.
There’s other things but it is cartooning and anime is like word movie
Then there’s genres of movies or anime.
Kids as lil as 2 have anime made for them.
You must not been around much anime convention and stuff.
obviously a women made this. If you put idolmaster above hunterxhunter(2011) You’re a fucking idiot.
You just go away.
The show about little girls and teen girls with big boobs is ranked above the show about two cute gay boys, and you think a woman wrote this?
How are the boys gay? Hisoka might be, but I think he’s bi or just fucking insane.
This list is fucked up man kudos to u all who said one-piece is childish u guys are fucking hypocrite top ten anime of all times
Dragon ballz
One-piece
Naruto
Code geass
Death note
Fairy tail
Hunter x hunter
Well Every one has à different taste i Will say my top
1)bleach
2)Naruto
3)Beelzebub
4) great teacher onozuka
5) fairy muskuteers
6) air gear
7)sekeirei
8)kenichi The mightiest disciple
9)fortune arterial
10)The law of ueki
Sorry bout #4 i mean great teacher onizuka
Still waiting on that “Top 30 Anime the Internet Thinks Should Be On My Top 30 Anime List” list.
Not counting unnecessary sequels (necessary ones being End of Evangelion, Nisemonogatari/S2, etc), there’s 682 episodes on this list right now. The addendum brings it up to 981.
I honestly have not watched many of the animes that are on this list. I have some work to do. I will say do not give up on One Piece. It is an awesome anime and manga. I was wondering if you got a chance to watch Hitman Reborn? Also a decent show. I want to know about some of your top manga though. I was wondering if you have ever heard of crazy girl Shinbia? It is an awesome manga and not really a typical manga that would catch my eye and become a fan of, but in all honesty I fell in love with it after the second episode. Another manga is City of Darkness. I think that if you haven’t read this one yet you would enjoy it. Have you ever watched Dance in the Vampire Bound? Or Accel World? Also the last manga that I think is the best of all time is Crows and the sequel Worst. If you ever get to read or watch anything from this list please promise that you give this series a try. I think it is awesome. I like the fact that is more real life and not supernatural. It is refreshing to see an manga that is not about power ups and magic power.
I will say that 3 of my top ten are on this list. HxH, FLCL, and Cowboy Bepop are all awesome animes and amazingly they are the only ones’ that I have seen from this list. I’m not much of a romance type of guy when it comes to anime, but try out the manga Crazy Girl Shinbia, it is a romanced based show.
I hate how many people put One Piece in the same category as Naruto and Bleach. I think that it is far superior to both in the fact of story telling, art, character development, and relationships between the characters. If you keep reading you’ll see the difference. It does get pretty awesome when you can see the manga come alive though.
I just had to throw this out there. Rather than ranting about what you think, read the list and move on. If like me, you were here to try and find titles you haven’t had the pleasure of watching, then watch them. IF you disagree with the list, then disagree… If you want to rant, then please strive to be constructive… otherwise, why are you wasting your time…. when you could be watching anime… ; x
just remember.. lists are subjective because its impossible to include all audiences when making a list.. you have to prioritize either based on your values or your perception of the mass majority of people… just worry about finding more titles to enjoy instead of getting all agro over someone’s opinion
Would have liked to see Durarara or Berserk make the list… both are insanely good and extremely deep in tone and themes.
Baccano! is in the addendum. It was originally #28, but then he saw a bunch of things he liked more.