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.
Try watching XXXHolic. It is one of the funniest anime shows I’ve ever seen. 🙂
Try watching XXXHolic. It’s super funny! To me anyway. 🙂
sao?
sucks ass.
This list is crap no dbz it can’t call its self top 30
I love Sao!! Yeah, definitely try it. Its not for everybody, but still…!
sao all the way
ai like your likes when people search for top anime, im tired of finding bleach naruto and fma cause i already saw those. This is fresh and good at the same time.I have only seen Baccano if thats number 30 i cant wait to see the rest. I also love your descriptions.
So wrong a list that it turns up to be right
I have thoroughly enjoyed your Top 30 list. I found it by doing a search of “Top Anime”. Thank you for your in-depth reviews that are obviously based on a familiarity with classic literature. You reference “Catcher in the Rye” and other works in your reviews. I was pleased to see that a couple of series that are my favorites are on your list (e.g. “Spice & Wolf” and “Hyouka”). I just want to suggest a couple of other series for you to try, if you wish.
-Acchi Kocchi: This show is just plain fun. It’s a more-than-friends less-than-lovers story about the relationship between a very tall boy and a diminutive girl, and life with their friends. If you want a light-hearted romp with warm fuzzies attached, I highly recommend this series.
-“Hanamaru Kindergarten”, which is a flawed (by characters not evolving), but entertaining distraction by Gainax. It is one of the things Gainax does (did) best. Total innocent kawaii. And, the music is great.
-“The Pet Girl of Sakurasou” which is just the opposite, in that all of the characters and their relationships evolve during the series. And the ending is completely satisfying. Seriously, if you can watch both seasons of Sakurasou and not get weepy at least once (or more!), you’re made of sterner stuff than I am, Gunga Din! Plus, the settings are gorgeous.
-“Hanasaku Iroha” is another series with gorgeous settings, about a girl who was born and raised to the age of 16 in Tokyo, and is then shipped off to live at her grandmother’s traditional hot springs inn. There, she has to work hard for the first time in her life. Of course, it’s a coming-of-age slice-of-life story. But, one of the best I’ve seen.
I’ll be checking out shows I found in your list! Anime is a great way to learn about life and people! Isn’t that one of the oddest things of our time?
Sincerely,
FarnhazenBrep (my identity on YouTube)
Check out my “Anime Favorite Themes” playlist by going to YouTube and putting this into the YouTube search box:
PLjL7J7SlQZ5H0ocTQQBTP4rdfnICFsfA8
kinda upset to see that No Game No Life isn’t on here but definitely a quality list ^~^
Try death note and monster
You might like them
Attack on Titan just superb plus it’s on Netflix
SI SIN DUS ESSEN UND WIR SIN DIE JAEGER!
🙂
Where’s Trigun :
watch one piece please, 493 is one of the best episode
n
dsfgshbsrt
Tatami Galaxy is actually available outside Japan! I own the Region 4 DVDs.
Australian licensors seem to love noitaminA so hopefully Ping Pong will get a release here too eventually.
No Code Geass?
I reject this list
ok screw all you death note and code geass fans the best anime of all time is undisputedly dragon ball z (it might be so obvious the writter of this article forgot to mention)ok code geass and death note should be in the list so should fma:brotherhood,afro samurai,one piece only falls short because it is drops and rises and its so long its hard to overlook the hhundred out of six hundred eps that were actually crappy….and narutos storyline is now officially bullshit,black lagoon really should be in this list but trigun is more top 100 than really top 30.
either way when watching anime your considered a nerd but when watching dragon ball z your somebody screw every other anime(neon genisis does get no 2 prob even n o one if it was given more resources and effort)dragon ball z is the GREATEST ANIME EVER
dragon ball z is a cartoon not anime, god like 1 punch and some 100 screams
Please please please watch Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (not the 2003 one) and give your opinion on it. Probably the best shounen, if not best anime ever.
I get so emotional about stein gate at ep 22 T.T
where is outlaw star that anime was epic
Well,this blog is nice.Not the ones the majority of fans out there wants or i call “generic”.Considering the list can be updated,it may be hav more great titles in the future.My favs are in there as well like steins;gate and oregairu.
While the list lacks some of those popular anime like code geass,clannad,fullmetal alchemist and the other newer titles.I believe,this is a list of shadowed or we say,not-so-known,cause we know that most of the anime served to us are for the fanservice,romcom and the comedy and some other stuff the producers know,in which targets the majorities interest for anime.Nvertheless,good list,a fresh and interesting titles.
You’ve missed death note
Yeah death note,full metal alchemist brohood,fate/stay night fate/zero…….dude u even missed k-project.
I’m not sure if it’s already been mentioned, but check out Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Its much better than the original and is probably the most personal and understanding of people of any shounen I’ve seen while also telling a fantastic epic story with great characters. Its the only thing that beats Evangelion and Madoka for me. Its amazing to see a show be as funny and epic as brotherhood and also explore the meaning of life and the universe so deeply and intelligently. Its very worth watching.
I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned but you should really check out Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, it’s a much superior show to the original (no offense to it, it isn’t terrible). For me it’s the only show that has Evangelion and Madoka beat and of all shounen I’ve seen it’s by far the most personal and understanding of human nature. It has a fantastic epic story as well as many of the greatest characters I’ve seen. What I find especially impressive though is how it’s a show that can be hilarious and have awesome fight scenes yet explores questions about life, the universe, what it is to be human and much more. It’s a beautiful show that’s really worth watching.
Thank you for an awesome post, I’ll make sure to check these out. It gave me many useful tips.
I’ve seen a mere 5 of the 30 shows you have on here, seems like I have a lot to look into!
Try Anohana: The Flower we Saw that Day
Please, do yourself a favor and watch Death Note.
I agree its a personality changer you’ll definetly fall in love with it,,………L rocks.
Today, I went to the beach front with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell
to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab
inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
What about (SAO) Sword Art Online….
missing heaps, samurai champloo, FMA:B, death note, code geass, ghost in the shell. all of these deserve a a top 10 imo
no story greater than one piece in my opinion (so far), I prefer seinen anime rather than shounen, mushi-shi, FLCL, baccano bebop in that list is my favourite hyouka is very good, gurren lagan just good and etc etc or i can add mindfucking anime tehnolyze, ghost in the shell, serial experiment lain that far greater than evangelion in 1st list ( in my opinion ) and many more that are not on that list, i completely agree in your review about FLCL when my friend mock me for enjoying stupid random story
BUT ONE PIECE is exceptional shounen anime
the best seinen anime i have ever seen is ghost in the shell in my opinion and but i put one piece above it for such structural world and amazing story telling, or even where the idea come from ( such as from brocken spectre phenomenon, enthropy rubberband, etc ), and arghhh too much to describe ONE PIECE !!!
well if you consider anime movie watch Studio Ghibli Animation, directed by talented Hayao Miyazaki such as nausicaa of the valey of the wind it has very great story and many more from studio ghibli
but still i put one piece above any seinen and even Hayao Miyazaki’s movie not because nostalgic or fanboy or blablablabla
I simply amazed in how Eichiro Oda speak his mind, his imagination !!
You apparently are watching Full Metal Alchemist, but what you should really be watching is Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. It’s so much better, mostly because it follows the original manga story line pretty much exactly as opposed to the first anime series, and as far as manga series go, you couldn’t ask for better. The characters are so well developed and really human, the battles actually have meaning, the world building is interesting and full of analogy, its just great.
NARUTO
Pokemon is the best.
Pokemon is the best.
Code geass ?
DO YOU EVEN LIFT BRUH ?
FMA DEATH NOTE ?
I GUESS The Eccentric Family is better than those epic animes
GOD not even attack on titan
WHAT A DISGRACE TO THE GOOGLE FRONT PAGE
attack on titan is a good anime but it is nothing in comparison to anime that actually move pple instead of just hardcore action…go watch some afro samurai that aint even on the front page and is waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy more epic than attack on titan.
are you proud of what you have wrought, mr creamer
Where is, ‘is that a zombie?’ That’s like, the best anime in the world.
Try One Piece, Bleach, Hajime no Ippo and Dead Note 🙂
there are those that search for action and explosions. but i am not that person i seek an underlieing them that illuminates the human condition. pathetic list. except neon evangelion. but that what any pathetic list would have on its top just to try to have some sustenance. black and white bullshit. pathetic.
Great list! I haven’t heard of alot of these and I’m eager to check them out. Even people who are barely into anime already know of Death Note, Naruto, One Piece, Dragon ball, Full Metal, etc. Every top list is boring and repetitive because they are compiled of only the most popular titles. The titles in this list are more on the fringes and I appreciate that. Obviously the list just reflects his own taste so it cant be wrong or pathetic. Thank You!
holly shit come down the dude doesn’t like the same shows as you ur pathetic just like his reflection on the search of human nature
seems that the blogger is truly into their romances, for me SAO has been one of the most heartbreaking stories that I have ever encountered, no matter the medium and whilst I am relatively new to anime as a medium I can’t believe what I have encountered already! Thank you for this list I look forward to flying through it, made by someone who appears to have the same love and fascination about the ultimate question; the human condition…
you really have to read The Brothers Karamazov
What about Berserk? I know the anime is only the first arc but damn that is what got me started on Anime and have found it difficult to top it! Talk about moving people.
Let’s be honest here, when we look up “Best Anime, Great Anime, and etc.” We’re usually looking for Decent+ Animes we Haven’t Watched… And This Person Gives Us Exactly That. Thank You. I Hope I’ll be able to enjoy em. I Don’t Get Why Some People are Saying Watch ____ Cough Main…Stream… Chances are that we’ve already heard or watched it… On a side note why is Anime a spell mistake Dx
where is eureka seven!!! , U now eureka seven is my favourite
where is eureka seven
Why dont you try watch Noragami…
Where is samurai champloo?
No clannad nice job! fucking idiot
This list is just a bullshit, i mean where are the good anime series in it??People who are watching this list should try watching One piece, Death note, Naruto, Hajime no ippo, Fairy tail, Fullmetal alchemist, Hunter x hunter, sword art online, Akame ga kill, Attack on titan etc. Thank you.
Ew no.