Tarotist's Blog

Anime Relations: Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai

2018 comes to a close, which means another list of my Top Watched Anime! Unfortunately for me, 2018 was one of the worst years I've ever had. I had to deal with a lot of problems in 2018. As a result, I was unable to watch as much anime as I did in the previous year. In 2018, I have seen a total of 48 different series. As I've done before, I will be listing the anime that I watched and the rank that I feel they belong to. Not all of these anime will be from 2018 as I continue to watch all kinds of anime. Think of it as anime of the modern day competing against the anime of the past. Since this will be focusing on anime TV series and OVAs, unless the movie is connected to a TV series, standalone movies will be excluded. And, with the exception of a few anime, anime consisting of multiple seasons will be ranked together as one.

Because I watch all genres, it can be very difficult to rank such a list. While this list can generate a swarm of opinions, the fact remains that this is MY list. Remember that you are you and I am me. My opinions have been finalized, so here are the anime that I have seen in 2018.





Anime in the bottom tier simply did not appeal to me at all. I did not find them interesting in the slightest and found them to be a complete waste of time. Perhaps others might find them to their liking, but I wouldn't give these anime a second go.


48. Ulysses: Jehanne D'arc to Renkin no Kishi

Season Aired: Fall 2018
Studio: AXsiZ
An alchemist meets a young girl whom he grants the power to save France from the English. I'm fond of the story of Jeanne D'arc, so I picked this up. I soon found out that I came across a disaster of an anime. Poor art and animation, easily forgettable characters, protagonists who barely do anything, and writing that insults the very history of Jeanne D'arc herself. This anime had absolutely no direction whatsoever and proves that fan service alone is not enough to sell an anime.

47. Masou Gakuen HxH

Season Aired: Summer 2016
Studio: Production IMS
A teenager possessing a valuable Heart Hybrid Gear uses the power of his libido to strengthen the Gears of Earth's strongest women in order to combat creatures invading from another dimension. I gave this a go hearing about how sex can be used as a power source to fight enemies. The concept is interesting, but its execution is average at best as most of the scenes are simple softcore erotic scenes. Unfortunately for this anime, if it's not doing the ecchi, it's not doing anything. The characters are very generic and are nothing outside of the usual cookie cutter stereotypes. The action scenes are pretty basic, the story is something we've all heard of before, and it simply is not fun to watch at all. Other than its notable erotic scenes, Masou Gakuen HxH has nothing to offer outside of the ordinary.

46. Lord of Vermilion - Guren no Ou

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: Asread
A red fog descends upon Tokyo giving rise to vicious monsters, and it is up to a group of individuals with a special kind of blood to fend them off. From the first episode, I was able to easily tell that this series was going to be made on a super low budget. The art and animation is very poor, and all but a few characters are remotely interesting at all. The pacing of the series can be somewhat slow as it tries to expand upon certain events that don't really add up to anything. It does have a few characters who have notable personalities and designs, and they are probably the best thing to come out of this show aside from its pretty good OP and ED songs. The story does have something that may make it intriguing, but it does not expand upon it enough to make it worth watching. I would have recommended this anime for viewers looking for a certain type of story, but Vermilion does it so poorly that it would be best to just avoid it.



Anime within this tier do have some watching value, but not enough to make the watching experience fulfilling. Depending on the watcher's taste, these anime may have much more positive opinions. In my case, these anime could have done more, but just didn't make the cut. Watch if you're interested. Otherwise, pass.

45. Sora to Umi no Aida (Between the Sky and Sea)

Season Aired: Fall 2018
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Sea life are mysteriously unable to exist in the waters of Earth, so fish tanks are made in space where space fishers are sent to catch highly coveted seafood to bring back to Earth. Sora to Umi no Aida is a mix of Slice of Life and action elements surrounding a group of girls who aim to become recognized space fishers. It does a decent job of its space fishing element, but this anime being based off a mobile game kind of hurts it with the added element of deities that only players of the game would understand. The characters are pretty decent although it does have some sexism in it where girls are discriminated which honestly doesn't really help the series much. One thing that I personally disliked about the series is its focus on the slice of life portion more that the action portion which kind of made the series a drag to watch. It's a pretty average series overall but nothing to write home about.

44. Nanatsu no Bitoku (The Seven Heavenly Virtues)

Season Aired: Winter 2018
Studio: Bridge
The Seven Heavenly Virtues travel to Earth in search of a Messiah. Succeeding Sin: Nanatsu no Taizai, Nanatsu no Bitoku is a short ecchi series featuring each angel representing one of the seven virtues. The episodes are short, so not much can be done within the time limit of that episode. It also looks like the anime was made on a very low budget as the scenes in each episode don't have a lot of animation. The character designs are quite nice though, and the voice acting is decent. The different scenarios can be pretty fun to watch as well. Watch it for the ecchi, otherwise just give it a pass.




The tier where anime range from below average to above average in rating. The anime within this tier are certainly watchable, but the experience for the watcher will vary depending on their tastes. They may not be groundbreaking, but they can still be enjoyable.

43. Mahou Shoujo Site

Season Aired: Spring 2018
Studio: production DoA
A bullied and abused girl is given the opportunity to become a magical girl where she must then face off against other magical girls to change her fate. Edge is the first thing that comes to mind when this anime is mentioned as it contains a lot of blood and over the top expressions that can be as more comical than horrifying. The concept of each magical girl having their own unique "stick" was rather interesting at first, but given the battle royale concept of the series, there wasn't a lot of action to utilize them. The characters aren't very memorable save for one or two, and this is made worse when a large number of characters are introduced midway who become completely forgettable afterwards. It's hard to tell exactly what the anime was trying to accomplish given its ending, so there isn't really much else to say. I will say though that its overdramatic scenes make for a pretty entertaining watch.

42. M3: Sono Kuroki Hagane

Season Aired: Spring 2014
Studio: Satelight
An area of darkness known as the Lightless Realm is a place where life ceases to exist, and it is up to a group of boys and girls with their darkness-resistant mechs to investigate the phenomenon. Despite having mechs, M3 is a more drama and mystery focused anime that focuses on its characters and their connection to the story's conflict. Because of the nature of the anime, there is a lot of gray to be seen, and the character designs and personalities are pretty gray themselves. The one thing holding this anime back though is the writing. M3's screen composition is written by the infamous Mari Okada, and she makes her characters dramatically talk...a lot...especially in M3 which slows the anime's pacing by a lot. In addition to that, despite the number of characters, most of the screen time and dialogue is centered on the main characters, leaving the side characters as time padders to add anything extra to the series if it needs it. For the most part, the anime is pretty average aside from the long sections of dialogue that feel like dragging the story longer than it should be. It has a pretty good ending though, so I will give it that at least.

41. Caligula

Season Aired: Spring 2018
Studio: Satelight
All is well in a city in Japan until a virtual idol's song causes a massive disturbance, and those who are resistant to this distortion must discover the reasons of the city's sudden transformation. Caligula's first episode starts out rather slow where lots of psychological exposition is used and gives you the feeling that nothing particularly special is going on...that is until you reach the end of the episode when things start going haywire. What Caligula is is a character-driven show that delves upon each character's issues and resolves them through fighting. There is a plus and minus to this. The minus to this is that the characters have very bland designs, and the limited episodes that the series has hinders the development of the characters, making them rather uninteresting. To compensate for this though is the use of music during the more intense action scenes that describes the issues and feelings of the central character of the episode which I praise it for as it is done quite well. The art style also changes slightly depending on the current "world" which is a nice touch. The limited episode count makes the series feel rushed somewhat, but the last few episodes salvage the blandness of the series with a pretty interesting message. As most game adaptations go, Caligula may not be a great anime, but I did enjoy it for its themes and its ending.

40. Dorei-ku the Animation

Season Aired: Spring 2018
Studio: TNK, Zero-G
When two people wearing a special mouthpiece meet, they can challenge each other in a duel, and the loser becomes the slave of the victor. I originally thought that Dorei-ku had a more disturbing premise, but it is actually quite tame. It does go a bit overboard at times, but only when the anime needs it to be necessary. The art and animation isn't that great, but its concept is pretty good. The master-slave rules stay consistent throughout the series, and there are many twists and turns to keep things interesting. Despite the large number of characters, each character gets their own share of the screen time to know their backgrounds, their personalities, and their motives enough to give them a reason in being in the series. The best part is that all of the characters are connected to each other one way or another, which makes for a pretty nice if somewhat rushed ending. The limited number of episodes may have compressed some of the story a bit, but it's a pretty entertaining watch overall.

39. Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu

Season Aired: Fall 2018
Studio: CloverWorks
The most huggable man in showbiz is overtaken by another man who happens to have a very special interest in the former top huggable man. This is my second Shounen Ai anime, and this one takes the sexual tension to the next level to the point that it becomes pretty rapey. Well it's rapey at first, but it becomes more tolerable as the series goes on. Despite the rape nature, it's pretty lighthearted and fun. It does get a little dramatic in the later episodes but never to the point that it breaks the lightheartedness. The art is passable, but having lined underchins for everyone can be a little distracting. The animation is pretty simple, but it does look great on certain episodes where the budget is upped a bit. It does have a filler episode or two despite its 12-episode length which doesn't help it much. The characters are what you would expect in a Seme-Uke relationship, but how you see it is up to you. It may be disturbing for a first time Shounen Ai watcher, but it is a relatively fun show nonetheless.

38. Citrus

Season Aired: Winter 2018
Studio: Passione
The result of a mom's remarriage leads her daughter to transferring into another school where she meets the student council president who becomes more than just her stepsister. A straight-up Shoujo Ai is quite uncommon in anime, and Citrus is one of these Shoujo Ai stories that takes the step forward. The art and animation is great for its first episode, but the quality gradually decreases as the anime progresses up to the last episode. The MC of Citrus happens to be a very interesting and enjoyable character to watch. She may be impulsive, but she is gutsy and very caring which makes her perhaps one of the most likable characters in the cast. Her co-MC however is rather hard to discern, and her sudden actions can make her a character that is hard to understand. The supporting characters aren't bad, but as the series reaches the 2nd half, the supporting characters feel more generic and are just there to cause some drama for our main characters. The drama in the series is pretty cliche in general if you're familiar with how Shoujo drama works, so it isn't much of a surprise. Well, there is a lot of cucking going on in the series, so you may find that either fun or disturbing. Citrus has its ups and downs, but it is pretty entertaining overall. If you're not fond of a lot of girl-to-girl kissing, Citrus might not be for you. But if you can tolerate these kisses, then Citrus can be a good introduction to the Shoujo Ai genre.

37. Hisone to Maso-tan

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: Bones
An innocent air force rookie who speaks her mind becomes the chosen pilot of a dragon. Once again, Mari Okada lends her script writing skills to the table, but for this anime it suits her style well with a protagonist who talks a lot. The story revolves around fighter jets that are secretly disguised as dragons that can only be controlled by select pilots. The story was doing well at first, but it tends to try to do a little too much during the second half which hurts it a bit. Shoji Kawamori being the master vehicle transformer of anime made the transformations of plane to dragon very well done, but sadly we only see this a few times in the series. The MC is quite prominent in the series, but aside from two other characters, all other supporting characters are forgettable and don't really add much to the series. The art can be hit and miss for some, but I didn't mind it and say that it adds to the charm of the series. The story might fall a bit after the second half, but at least the animation is pretty good.

36. Zombie Land Saga

Season Aired: Fall 2018
Studio: MAPPA
An aspiring young girl dies only to be revived as a zombie to form an idol group to save Saga. The zombie concept adds a fresh new take on the idol subgenre, adding comical horror elements as well as carrying a special message behind it. The series starts off very strong, but its momentum slowly diminishes as it progresses further. The characters are quite fun to watch, but only two of them really stand out from the rest which both helps and hurts the series. The art is decent, but the animation varies between episodes. Sometimes it goes for hand drawn performances while others go for a rather choppy CGI direciton. While the drama in the series is handled pretty well, it is nothing special and feels like the usual drama found in other anime. Since it's an idol anime, the one thing I'm critical about is the music. Some of the music is good, but for the most part they sound generic and thus rather forgettable which in turn makes the anime rather forgettable. It's a nice watch, but it could have done better.

35. Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai

Season Aired: Fall 2018
Studio: CloverWorks
A student comes across various girls who are under the effects of Puberty Syndrome. Bunny Girl Senpai is a series where a guy meets a girl who suffers from a social problem of some sort, and he tries to solve it. This anime's greatest strength is how the characters interact with each other. The dialogue that is spoken between characters is both amusing and intriguing which makes these interactions fun to watch. The issues that each girl has to deal with can be related to which make them rather easy to understand...well if it weren't for the scientific terms used to explain them. Why scientific rather than psychological? Given the nature of the series and the several arcs in it, the formula can get pretty repetitive. Meet girl, find out problem, ask a genius, solve problem, repeat. And most of these problems are pretty predictable and can be solved in your head if you're familiar with the situation. That leaves the execution which varies between arcs. Some arcs it does right, while other arcs feel rushed or poorly paced which weakens its impact to the viewer. One other notable issue I have with the series is the protagonist. He's definitely fun to watch, but what I have against him is that he seems too perfect and always seems to know the answer. It kind of takes the fun out of things when he already knows exactly what to say to save these girls in need. And when he isn't acting all high and mighty, he feels out of character. So when a dramatic event involving him occurs, I don't really feel much out of it. The series is not perfect, but it does what it needs to do.

34. Satsuriku no Tenshi (Angels of Death)

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: J.C. Staff
A girl trapped in a multi-story building must find a way out as she evades various people that aim to harm her. Angels of Death is an RPGmaker game adapted into an anime, but I have no knowledge of the game so I will not judge the anime based on that. The series starts out strong, giving out a survival horror vibe that catches its viewers' attention. From then on, the anime becomes more of an adventure puzzle game as expected of an RPGmaker game where the main characters must travel around the building and look for clues to progress forward. This aspect of the series is pretty well done even though the characters tend to find the answers pretty quickly. The MC is dead-eyed, seemingly apathetic, and soft spoken which makes her different from the usual protagonist. Her depressing personality also provides some of the humor found throughout the series which is nice. The art and animation is decent, and the backgrounds and environments do a good job in keeping a creepy and ominous feel. The dialogue is pretty straightforward as what you would expect to hear from a game. The one thing that hurts the series though is that the protagonists like to recycle the same topic over and over which leads to dragging out some episodes longer than they should be. The conversations between the characters isn't bad, but it gets tiring when they have to constantly reassure themselves on what they have to do. It has a pretty nice ending though that leaves it up to the watcher to interpret what happened. The watch can be a drag, but it ends in a satisfying manner.

33. Island

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: .feel
A man who only remembers his name is washed ashore where he meets a girl that he recognizes, but he also learns that the island he is on is not what it seems, and he begins to search for answers about the island as well as himself. A rather surprising hit of Summer 2018, Island looks like a basic slice of life anime at first, but begins to develop into something more as you progress into it. The story doesn't seem to go anywhere, but it is during the second half where things start being put together. The art is pretty clean given its island setting, and the music is not bad either. The characters don't really seem like much at first, but as you learn who they are, you begin to respect them more. That isn't saying that their relatively special since they are pretty basic for the most part. What makes this series is its final episodes and how the mystery is solved. Unfortunately I cannot say more than that to avoid spoilers. All I can really say is that I wished that the series extended into 24 episodes or so to give the characters and plot more time to develop. If this anime was given the time and budget to expand its story and characters, Island easily would have become one of the best anime of 2018.

32. Hanebado

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: LIDENFILMS
An abandoned daughter is reluctantly made to play badminton that sparks memories of her past where they only mindset she has is getting good. Hanebado seems like every other Sport anime at first until it decides to bring in some heavy drama, tragic backstories, and condescending characters to trigger its protagonist to becoming a badminton monster. Many of these seem to be put in just to get the MC riled up, but in all honesty it is what makes the series entertaining and different from the usual sport anime. Then again, sometimes the drama and insults being shout from one to another get to be a bit much. The animation is very well done, but I personally find the drama between characters more interesting. Speaking of characters, there are only two who I found remarkably interesting: one of the MCs and one of the characters who is related to her past. There are actually two MCs, but the other MC is just your typical sport protagonist who just wants to go as far as she can which is a trope that I have seen already and thus have no interest in said character. The story is not exactly the best, but is entertaining given the drama that goes around in the series. What is unfortunate though is that despite attempting to differ from other sport anime with all the drama, the series ends in a rather generic fashion which I found disappointing and predictable. Hanebado may not necessarily be a positive anime to watch, but it definitely is a pretty entertaining one.

31. Back Street Girls: Gokudolls

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: J.C. Staff
Three mafia members get a gender change to exploit the profits earned from being idols. This anime has almost no animation at all and is merely a slideshow of different scenarios that the trio experiences throughout the series. The element that brings out the comedy in this series is the voice acting as there is a LOT of screaming going on. Combine that with the perverse humor and the concept of girls having the minds of men and you got yourself a recipe for hilarity. There are three stories that occur in each episode. Sometimes these stories can be slow and boring, while other times it can get downright crazy. Some of the episodes can be a drag to watch, but when the humor kicks in, it kicks in with a bang. If you've ever wanted to experience the life of an idol behind the eyes of a man, Gokudolls will deliver that experience to you.

30. Mahou Shoujo Ore

Season Aired: Spring 2018
Studio: Pierrot Plus
An aspiring idol witnessing her friend in trouble drives her to awaken her powers as a magical girl...except that instead of a girl, she becomes a magical man! Mahou Shoujo Ore takes all of the lighthearted elements that make a magical girl anime and twists it around by turning the girls into MEN! For the most part the series is a Magical Girl parody that makes fun of the genre in various ways. It also breaks the fourth wall a bit meaning that it is self-aware and knows that it's making fun of itself. Aside from the magical girls being magical men, the anime has some pretty weird and hilarious antics that make it enjoyable to watch. Despite the gender swap from girl to man, all you have to remember is that these magical men are girls inside who retain the same personalities as their original selves which adds more to the humor. The support characters are pretty fun too, especially the one character who speaks without saying anything which is always funny to see. There are a few instances where the art kind of changes a bit which seems intentional but can be a bit of a turn off to some. Also there is a filler episode in the middle of the series that, while still enjoyable, doesn't really add to the overall series. It is worth watching to the end though as the series like to throw some surprises at you. It's a fun show if you can get past the Shounen Ai tease aspect and realize that these are just girls in a man's body.

29. Mahoutsukai no Yome (The Ancient Magus' Bride)

Season Aired: Fall 2017
Studio: WIT Studio
A young girl is sold off to a Magus where she learns about the world of Magic. The Ancient Magus Bride is a fantasy slice of life anime about a girl who travels to various places, meets various creatures, and experiences various magic. The backgrounds of this anime are drawn very well and make you feel like you're in the fantasy world. The animation is also pretty good in some portions of the anime. The story is somewhat episodic to follow the MC's adventures, but there is an overarching story that leads somewhere. The stories are pretty good for the most part, but one thing that tends to get repetitive is that MC always seems to get herself involved in trouble somehow which basically acts as the trigger to start a new story. The stories aren't bad, but it's kind of a downer to see the MC have to suffer over and over again. The music is good and adds to the anime as well. Let's not forget the opening themes which are sung by Macross divas JUNNA and May'n respectively. Don't expect a lot of action with this series. See it more as a slice of life series where you get to explore a magical world alongside the protagonist.

28. Goblin Slayer

Season Aired: Fall 2018
Studio: White Fox
The world is filled with powerful monsters, but one man chooses to hunt down the world's weakest monster to show that even the lowest of threats can prove to be devastating if left unchecked. The art is decent, but the character designs are pretty good. The animation is decent as well, but it does look good where more budget was used in it. The characters don't have names but are called by their titles which works just fine for this anime. There isn't really much to the characters, but they all center around the MC which is good. It also does teamwork very well, giving each character their share of the spotlight. The series starts off pretty disturbing at first, but that is to establish the type of setting the anime takes place in. It's pretty identical to how Cross Ange started out so I'm used to it. Unlike most anime where there is a chosen hero to defeat the ultimate villain, Goblin Slayer centers on the average man fighting against monsters that veteran adventurers won't even bother with. It's like posting a quest to slay a wild boar in a guild surrounded by powerful adventurers that only want to fight dragons. This is the message that the anime is trying to convey, and it is important to understand that to be able to see this anime from the MC's perspective. Some of the episodes can be a bit slow, and the MC has a one track mind, but he calls himself the Goblin Slayer because he slays goblins. Is there anything else that needs to be said? He does what does best, and there isn't anyone else that can do a better job than him. He's the type of person that does the work no one else wants to do, and he gets respect and recognition for doing it. And that is what makes him one of the more unique protagonists of 2018.

27. Madan no Ou to Vanadis (Lord Marksman and Vanadis)

Season Aired: Fall 2014
Studio: Satelight
A young lord is captured by a warrior of Vanadis who then becomes her ally where they travel the land to defend their homes in the ongoing war. Despite this anime being labeled as an Ecchi and having quite a bit of fan service, the fan service is rather tame and only becomes apparent during the more comical scenes. This anime centers on war, but it uses a surprisingly simple but effective method of displaying war without having to spend too much budget on animation by using animated chess pieces to resemble the armies of different sides. Using the chess pieces to display the positions of the armies immediately tells the watcher what kind of situation the characters are currently in which makes things a lot easier to understand. Some of the war anime I've seen tend to try to animate armies, but execute it poorly. The use of chess pieces here make things very easy for the viewer to understand. The art and character designs are pretty good. The action scenes aren't all that great, but there are a few moments where the animation does a little more to make things look impressive. There is one episode where the background animation looks pretty hilarious but I can give that a pass for how funny it looked. Unfortunately the issue of limited episodes makes its mark on this series as well where some of the episodes and plot had to be cut short to fit within the duration of the series. There are some characters in the opening animation that get very little screen time which probably appear later in the story, but the anime stops at a point where you never meet them. Still, it's a good short series if you need some war and fan service. However, the one thing that bumps this anime really high up is its special episodes (Tigre-kun and Vanadi-chu). The specials are super hilarious and have some of the best comedy I've ever laughed at. Even if you didn't like the TV series, the hilarity of the special episodes make this series worth watching.

26. Violet Evergarden

Season Aired: Winter 2018
Studio: Kyoto Animation
The war has ended, and a young girl who was a weapon becomes an Auto Memoir Doll to learn the meaning of love. Violet Evergarden centers on the titular character who has known nothing but war her whole life, and she must transition from being a soldier to being a writer to provide her service to her clients. She starts off emotionless but begins to learn more about what it means to be human as the series progresses as she writes more letters. The MC heavily reminds me of Sagara Sousuke from Full Metal Panic, and I wished that the anime had some more humor to it to demonstrate her soldier-like personality. The art and animation is great as expected of Kyoto Animation, but there are a few moments in the series where the animation was either too much or surprisingly lacking. As for the characters, aside from the MC, there is only one other character that I found memorable. Everyone else is forgettable. I'm not saying that they were bad, but because of the nature of the series, the stories told from episode to episode tend to get repetitive which leads to its emotional impact getting more stale as it progresses. Meet Client, learn about the problem, write a letter, read letter, cry, repeat. A few of these episodes were good, while others tend to overdo the dramatic crying. Still, it's an interesting series and can be a good watch if you need something to cry over.

25. Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: Kinema Citrus
A girl joins an elite performance academy where she dreams of performing the play "Starlight", but the auditions are more than what they may seem. This anime immediately reminded me of Shoujo Kakumei Utena (my #1 of 2016) based on the outfits and how each "audition" begins. A lot of work was put in the animation and backgrounds of the auditions which makes the performances quite a spectacle to watch. The series seems episodic at first, but it leads to a twist that changes your entire perspective of the anime a la Utena. That being said, I do have two issues with the series. The first is that the character designs are pretty basic. The characters were all introduced at once in the beginning and it makes it hard to remember who's who. And while each character has different hair colors and hairstyles, their faces all seem to be the same which made them hard to connect with. That transitions to the second issue I have with the series in that despite the number of characters there are, only three of them matter. The rest of the cast is just there to fill the other episodes to lengthen the duration of the series to its required 12 episodes. But that is made up with the fun action scenes and interactions between characters. It can be a bit of a drag to watch when the auditions aren't happening, but how the plot adds up together makes the story as a whole pretty satisfying to watch.

24. Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online

Season Aired: Spring 2018
Studio: Studio 3hz
A spinoff of Sword Art Online, Gun Gale Online takes place in the same universe where a girl gets to play a game with an avatar that is much shorter than her true self. Gun Gale Online is a much lighter and more comical series than its parent anime that focuses on gunfights rather than sword fights. The action scenes are quite lively, and the short and quick MC makes things pretty interesting. Of course it also follows the Sword Art Online trend where the MC always has to be the strongest character on the battlefield. The art looks good for the most part, and the MC's voice acting works very well for her character. The story is pretty simple in that the MC just has to participate in the games. There aren't any real grudges aside from the series antagonist who wants nothing more than to have a good time. Other than the main three, every other character is pretty forgettable as they don't leave much of an impact. It's one of the few anime that focuses on gun play in a video game, so it will definitely appeal to people who are fans of the first-person-shooter game genre.

23. Juushinki Pandora

Season Aired: Spring 2018
Studio: Satelight
An intelligent scientist is responsible for Earth's destruction, and now it is up to him to find a way to save it from the ever evolving biomechanical lifeforms that slowly close in on the planet's last settlements. Juushinki Pandora takes place in an apocalyptic setting that centers on one of the only remaining cities and where everywhere else is desolate wasteland. Led by Shoji Kawamori and animated by Satelight, you can expect the usual CGI animation that he implements in his anime. In all honesty, it doesn't really look that bad. It's a bit choppy, but certainly not bad. The location is based off of a city in China, and they way it looks in the background really captures how a city looks like in nighttime. The animation is decent, but become especially good during certain episodes where the action really goes in. The story is mostly monster of the week for the first half and can feel episodic, but it serves to introduce the characters and establish the foundation for the second half. The story isn't really delivered in the best way as there can be a lot of exposition in some episodes. What makes this anime stand out for me are the characters. Despite the number of characters in the cast, all of them get their share in the spotlight and none of them are left out up to the very last episode. And these characters aren't just your ordinary characters. Top them off with some Kawamori cheese, and they become pretty funny with their own likes, dislikes, and personalities. I really like how the MC is depicted: a hunched genius who wears pajama slippers and has no sense of direction. Despite his looks, he's very quick when it comes to analysis, and it is because of this that everyone depends on him in this desperate situation. The other characters are just as fun: a kung fu girl who loves sweets and is a master at housekeeping, a sniper who loves cats and adult establishments, a secretary who likes to cook, and a bold princess who has no objections of showing a little skin to make herself comfortable. The series has its notable flaws in its plot and villains, but it has its positives with its fun characters and cheesiness. Juushinki Pandora is an anime that leaves the message of remembering to stay positive even in the darkest of times. Also, the opening theme is beautiful, and it works with the opening animation very well.
Best Opening Theme for anime that aired in 2018

22. Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse

Season Aired: Summer 2012
Studio: ixtl, Satelight
Aliens from space known as BETA invade the Earth and humanity must unite to fend off these creatures, but humans uniting together is easier said than done. At first Total Eclipse may seem like the usual Mecha anime with some fan service added in, but the underlying political conflict between nations is the real meat of the series. Uniting humanity means bringing different races together, and as we humans know, not all races get along with each other, and this serves as the recurring issue throughout the series. The action scenes are pretty good with the CGI being relatively smooth. Fan service is apparent in the series, but it never gets in the way for the more serious moments, which is great. Fan service when having fun, but stop the service when things get serious. The characters are pretty decent overall. They're not bad, but they're not too special. The political conflicts and racism is what makes this series interesting as we constantly wonder which nation is acting suspicious towards another. It's one of the elements that make character interactions in this series thrilling to watch. The series is split into two different arcs. The first one is merely introduction and training while the second focuses on the political struggle. While the story is good, the one major flaw that the series has is that its pacing is pretty slow and it takes a while for it to progress. But the anime does get more intense as it progresses, so you will be rewarded if you are patient. Also, Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse's opening theme is kickass.
Best Overall Opening Theme of 2018





I found the anime in this tier to be highly enjoyable and well done. While they do not make it to the top of my list, they are still worth a watch and are very memorable.

21. Boku no Hero Academia Season 3

Season Aired: Spring 2018
Studio: Bones
Season 3 of Boku no Hero Academia. Season 3 has got a lot more action scenes than the seasons before it as well as giving the side characters more time to shine. The characters are put in more dangerous situations, and this makes the action scenes more thrilling to watch. The action scenes themselves are good, but I was rather disappointed in a major fight in the series that everyone said was going to be awesome. The dialogue was good, but the fight itself was pretty lame. Other than the major climactic episodes, Boku no Hero Academia S3 continues on with the usual training and character resolutions. It does have a few filler episodes, but those are enjoyable as well. The series still proves to be exciting to watch, and I expect to see the same quality in the following season.

20. Hataraku Saibou (Cells at Work)

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: David Production
An anime that shows how cells personified work in the human body. Personified cells isn't a unique concept, but it most certainly is an uncommon one, and Cells at Work executes this very very well. The accuracy of how each cell is portrayed in the anime compared to real life is spot on, and this makes this series both entertaining and educational. Each episode tackles on a different illness, and we get to see how the cells work to defend the body from the illness. The character designs are well done, how the body is depicted as different kinds of machines was a very creative thought, and how the anime describes each and every little detail makes the series a joy to watch. The one thing that gripes me with this series is its repetitive formula. Show Red Blood Cell, have her come in contact with a pathogen, White Blood Cell arrives and defeats the pathogen, analyze, defeat more, and summarize. It's like this for most of the series, and if I recall correctly, one episode uses most of the same animation in a previous episode which made me feel like I was watching an episode twice. As an anime, I find it just above average at best, but when it comes to execution with the educational aspect, no anime this year has Cells at Work beat.
Best Execution
Best Concept

19. Seven Deadly Sins - Revival of the Commandments

Season Aired: Winter 2018
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Season two of Seven Deadly Sins. The anime retains its art style and animation quality of its previous season but with even more action to boot. The background behind the characters get explored further, giving us more character development and understanding. It also introduces a new character that adds even more fun to the series. The one thing I noticed with this season is that it felt like it was trying to rush through certain events. Sometimes it felt like they were skipping a big fight or something just to get to a certain point. This became more noticeable in the second half. I guess they did it so that the series would end at a certain point. It's still as fun as it was before, so if you've seen the first season, you'll enjoy the second season just as much.

18. Yama no Susume Third Season

Season Aired: Summer 2018
Studio: 8bit
Third season of Yama no Susume. At first, I was disappointed that there wasn't going to be as much mountain climbing in season three compared to season two. However this was made up by adding some drama into the mix that helped add to the two lead characters. There was still some exploring in season three along with the new character that the girls met at the end of season two. The art was great like before, and the tension of the drama between the two leads was done very well in conjunction with the mountain climbing. While I did not like this season as much as season two, I feel like this season was made to prepare for the inevitable season four which I hope will definitely give me the mountain climbing that I've been waiting for.

17. Overlord II and III

Season Aired: Winter/Summer 2018
Studio: Madhouse
Season two and three of Overlord. When I watched Overlord season I, I didn't really feel much out of it since I didn't know where the anime was going to go. But after watching season two and three, I now understand the direction that this anime is going for. Simply put, Overlord is a series that focuses on how the world reacts to our protagonist rather than the other way around. Rather than see the world behind the eyes of the hero, we instead see the world behind eyes of the people who have eyes on the hero. It's a pretty unique concept that can be difficult to execute, but this anime does it well. What the hero is doing is manipulating the land and the people around him to see what will happen, and seeing how they act is what Overlord's signature aspect is. The art and animation is decent for the most part. Many people complained about the usage of CGI in Overlord III. I personally was not affected by it. Trying to describe the story of Overlord II and III is rather difficult because of the nature of the series, but what I can say is that if you can catch on to what the anime is trying to do, it can really hook you in.

16. Schwarzesmarken

Season Aired: Winter 2016
Studio: ixtl, LIDENFILMS
A prequel to the Muv-Luv series where aliens invade Europe during the Cold War, and Germany must do all they can to defend themselves not just from the invaders but also from each other. While this anime is related to Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse, it would be best to watch Total Eclipse first to get an understanding of the aliens, the mechs, and the themes that revolve around the series. Both Total Eclipse and this share similar themes, but I rated this series higher because of its better pacing and story told in fewer episodes. Unlike Total Eclipse, there is almost no fan service in this series, which leaves its focus directly on the story itself. Given the current setting, the story is actually pretty dark. You don't know who to trust, and you don't know what will happen next just as a war should be were you don't know who's winning or who's losing. The characters aren't very memorable, but they do carry the story along very well. While Schwarzesmarken has better pacing than Total Eclipse, its flaws become very significant in the final episodes where it makes some questionable direction choices that leave you wondering if some scenes could have been done better. Nevertheless, Schwarzesmarken does a good job depicting war and is a worthy successor to Total Eclipse.

15. Shichinin no Nana (Seven of Seven)

Season Aired: Winter 2002
Studio: A.C.G.T
A middle school girl studying for exams to join her love interest in the same school stumbles upon a microwave that duplicates herself six times, each duplicate depicting one of her personality traits as well as super powers. Seven of Seven is a shoujo anime, but unlike the usual Shoujo about a girl trying to advance on her romantic interest, this anime instead focuses on the MC studying for her exams, and her six clones make things rather interesting for her. Each members of the seven get super powers, but are depicted as a sentai group rather than magical girls which is a change from the usual concept. The art is fine, but the animation takes it up a notch when the characters do more action than usual. While the seven clones are the same person, they are all voiced by different voice actors in the Japanese dub (in English, they're all voiced by the same person). One of the notable aspects of this series is how well the voice actors are able to speak in sync with each other in some scenes. Speaking of voice acting, Nana Mizuki is the lead voice in the series, and considering that the anime mostly focuses on studying, you get to hear Mizuki speak a lot of English in this series. English is spoken quite commonly in the series, especially during one episode where it is required for the MC to speak it. The anime itself is pretty lighthearted and fun with the many different situations and antics that the MC and her clones can pull off. It may look aged compared to modern anime, but Seven of Seven is one of those anime that I enjoyed from beginning to end. Also, the Opening and Ending themes are great, especially the ending theme.
Best Ending Theme

14. Killing Bites

Season Aired: Winter 2018
Studio: LIDENFILMS
A college student is dragged into the middle of a tournament where humans enhanced with animal traits are forced to fight to the death. This may look like an Ecchi anime at first, but it becomes more like a traditional battle anime. From the beginning, you'll see that this anime is cheesy and over the top with its accompanying narrator. However, praise has to be given to the excellent character designs as well as accurately portraying the traits of their respective animals. The action scenes are also pretty good compared to other ecchi anime. And despite the anime seemingly showing off its sexy female characters, it actually strikes a balance by giving the male characters ample screen time as well. The story is pretty simplistic, and the MC is more of a supporting character rather than a main so don't expect much with the plot. Instead, watch Killing Bites as a ridiculous, sexy, action-packed, educational, and fun anime. ^_^

13. Emma: A Victorian Romance

Season Aired: Spring 2005
Studio: Studio Pierrot
The life of an honest man of the gentry begins to change when he sets his eyes on a humble maid. Emma: A Victorian Romance is a story centered on the trope of a wealthy character falling in love with another character of a much lower class. The art is simple but very fitting for its setting, and the animation only does what is necessary to present the story. Outside of the Opening and Ending animations, the music is put to a minimum and rather uses silence to interpret the emotions of the characters. As the story trope is pretty common in various forms of media, the plot can be rather predictable, but it is presented in a way that keeps it entertaining. However, do take note that there is almost no comedy or humor in the series, and I believe that it is done to flesh out the characters' personalities more. The first few episodes can be a bit of a struggle as they seem pretty slow and it can feel like nothing is happening, but once the romance kicks in, the anime becomes highly engaging. I could have easily binge watched both seasons in a single week if I wanted to. The only major complaint I have about the series is its ending in that it felt like it tried to finish many things in a single episode and didn't have enough time to fill in a few gaps for the rest of the story. Emma is a great watch for romance fans who can tolerate a slow start, but while the ending may be conclusive, it might not be a satisfying one...

12. Poputepipikku (Pop Team Epic)

Season Aired: Winter 2018
Studio: Kamikaze Douga
Cute girls doing WTF? Things. Pop Team Epic is a series of short comedy skits that does whatever it takes to make fun of today's anime by using various references from movies, anime, and video games and mixing them up into random scenes that will bewilder any watcher. The anime is completely random, so you will find the anime either funny, boring, stupid, or in a way, honest. I will give it a lot of credit for its creativity and various forms of animation ranging from CGI, Still Frame, abstract, and video game parody. An episode is only around 10 minutes long, but it repeats itself to fill the 20-minute episode requirement for Japanese Television. While the episode repeats itself, the voice actors change from female to male in the second half, and the script and some scenes may be different from the first half, so it is worth it to watch the 2nd half to spot the differences. It's an anime that those new to the medium won't find interesting due to all of the references that it makes. However for those who have been playing video games and watching anime since the good ol days, Pop Team Epic might just spark up your perspective on today's modern anime.

11. Aquarion (Evol, Logos)

Season Aired: Spring 2005, Winter 2012, Summer 2015
Studio: Satelight, Production Reed, 8bit
The destruction of Earth has resulted in the last few remnants of humanity gaining special powers, and they must use their abilities combined with a powerful mechanical weapon to combat the shadow angels who aim to annihilate the human race once and for all.

Aquarion is a pretty interesting concept of combining humans with super powers and implementing it into a mecha which determine its abilities. That means that the mecha's abilities vary depending on who pilots it. Kawamori loves his 3s, and it is shown here again where the mecha requires three pilots to use it. Aquarion's story feels rather episodic where each episode deals with something about life or the environment. Basically it's the monster-of-the-week formula, which means repetition. The repetitiveness of the series kind of makes it stale in the first half, and I will admit that I got bored a few times in some episodes. The action sequences are really fun however, and knowing how Kawamori likes to top his anime with cheese, you can expect a lot of scenes to be a little over the top. Its story is also pretty interesting which involves two lovers from many years ago who are reincarnated into present day. Of course due to the series' slow pacing, it might take a while until that plot point becomes relevant. The characters are decent for the most part, but it has a pretty satisfying ending. The OVA however is amazing. You can say that the OVA is like a retelling of the TV series but in a different manner, much like how the Macross movies are the same story as the TV series but told in a different way. The OVA has got some really intense magic scenes, and it really goes to show what CGI can do when a studio has the budget for it. The Aquarion TV series is good, but the OVA is better.

Aquarion Evol is a direct sequel to the original Aquarion within the same universe and same background. It's a bit rocky at first, but once you meet the characters, the anime starts rolling. Evol is much more active and better paced than its previous season, and the characters are a lot more fun to watch probably because this series doesn't take itself too seriously. There are some moments of fan service and a lot of jokes that will keep you watching and wanting more. The action scenes are great as well, and the messages about life and the environment make its return as a kind of staple to the series. As great as Evol is, its weakest aspect are its two lead characters in that they are pretty bland. And you know that it isn't good when you prefer watching the supporting characters than the lead characters. While you could watch this without seeing the original Aquarion, it is strongly recommended that you watch the first Aquarion so that you will have the background knowledge you need to understand some of the story elements in Evol. It has a lot of fun twists where things may not be as they seem, so if you're looking for surprises, Aquarion Evol has got plenty of them.

Aquarion Logos differs from the previous two series in that it is in an alternate universe in a modern day setting, but the themes of Aquarion from the previous seasons remain. Because of the drastic change in setting, many people consider this to be the worst season. However, I personally think that Logos is on par with its previous two seasons, and it does a good job with its concept and characters. Where Aquarion and Evol center on life and the environment, Logos centers on the concept of words and their effects on humanity. This is a pretty relevant topic as we humans reach the digital age where we often communicate with the written (or typed) word. And when words become twisted, bad things happen. I liked this concept, and it is what kept me watching. Logos looks like it was made with a much lesser budget than the previous two seasons, but it makes up for that with having characters that are just as fun to watch. Logos is quite lighthearted including the action scenes, and the characters all have some weird trait that makes them distinct from one another. The action scenes can be hit and miss with its animation, but as the previous seasons have done, it likes to take things a little further than usual to add some spice to the series.

Aquarion has the slowest pacing, but has the most balance with its characters and story.
Aquarion Evol has the most fun and colorful cast with the best pacing, but with the worst lead characters.
Aquarion Logos is the simplest of the three with not as great art and animation, but has an interesting concept and bright characters along with it.

Even with the differences between the three series, all of them share one great thing in common: the music. The soundtrack of Aquarion and Evol sound very orchestral, operatic, and vibrant with choral voices that resound in various parts of the series. Logos has a more modern hip-hop like soundtrack that makes things sound intense and hype when the tension is high. I consider all three series to be great and make for a good watch when you want something philosophical and hilarious at the same time.



I guess even if I watched less anime than last year, I STILL don't have enough space to place my top 10 in the same blog post! Oh well, you know what that means...

Anime Relations: Sora yori mo Tooi Basho

Here we are again. The final 10 anime that I have chosen to be the best of the best that I have seen this year. Now just because these are my top 10 anime of the year doesn't mean that they're perfect. They don't have to be 10s or 9s or even 8s to be part of this tier. The reason why I chose these 10 from the rest of the anime that I watched this year is because these are the 10 that stood out the most for me.

Now...without further ado!




#10.

Anime Relations: Centaur no Nayami

Another year, another completed list of anime. 2017 has been a year of highly anticipated sequels, so this list is going to be STACKED, and it's going to make the anime even harder to rank! In 2017, I have seen 53 different series. I actually watched more than that, but I removed some of the more minor anime because CHARACTER LIMITS! As I've done before, I will be listing the anime that I watched and the rank that I feel they belong to. Not all of these anime will be from 2017 as I continue to watch all kinds of anime. Think of it as anime of the modern day competing against the anime of the past. Since this will be focusing on anime TV series and OVAs, unless the movie is connected to a TV series, standalone movies will be excluded. And, with the exception of a few anime, anime consisting of multiple seasons will be ranked together as one. And because of the many sequels this year, expect a lot of "identical to the previous season" descriptions.

Because I watch all genres, it can be very difficult to rank such a list. While this list can generate a swarm of opinions, the fact remains that this is MY list. Remember that you are you and I am me. My opinions have been finalized, so here are the anime that I have seen in 2017. Time to trigger some fanboys!





Anime in the bottom tier simply did not appeal to me at all. I did not find them interesting in the slightest and found them to be a complete waste of time. Perhaps others might find them to their liking, but I wouldn't give these anime a second go.

53. Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen
Season Aired: Winter 2017
Studio: A-1 Pictures
The story from the original manga that takes place some time during the second half of the first season which was original content, Kyoto Fujouou-hen centers on the exorcists and the mystery of a stolen artifact. Kyoto is pretty identical to the first Ao no Exorcist in terms of its story progression. That isn't really a good thing because my main gripe with Kyoto is how slow its progression is. Each episode has heavy amounts of dialogue centered on the characters which does not help progress the story at all. The forced comedy doesn't help it either. Even the action scenes didn't feel like anything new, and like season one, also has an anti-climactic ending. The first season was somewhat interesting with its characters, but the second season was such a chore to get through that I was dozing off into sleep in each episode. Kyoto Fujouou-hen failed to maintain my interest, making it fall to the bottom of my watched anime of 2017.

52. Kakegurui
Season Aired: Summer 2017
Studio: MAPPA
In a school filled with rich students and rampant gambling, a new transfer student enters to bring her game to the table. Kakegurui looked promising at first with its theme and art style. The games were pretty interesting, and the "faces" were a nice touch. There was a lot of effort put into the opening animation, and the music in the series fits gambling well. However, with a protagonist who simply wins, and the face gimmicks, unless there was enough variety, the impact of these faces and games were going to get stale. Really really fast. And that is what brought Kakegurui to its downfall. The progression can be summarized with: New opponent > Play game > Opponent taunts MC with faces > MC wins > MC taunts opponent > End of Episode > Repeat. Gambling is meant to be an unpredictable game, and the fact that Kakegurui made it predictable is what destroyed all of my interest in it. The games were boring, the characters were being overly edgy, the "psychological aspect" didn't feel psychological, and the face gimmick just didn't do anything after the first few episodes. I know that this anime shouldn't be taken seriously, but if I have to TRY to not take the anime seriously, then the anime has failed in its intent. If you're looking for thrill in a gambling anime, Kakegurui is not that anime.




Anime within this tier do have some watching value, but not enough to make the watching experience fulfilling. Depending on the watcher's taste, these anime may have much more positive opinions. In my case, these anime could have done more, but just didn't make the cut. Watch if you're interested. Otherwise, pass.


51. Big Order
Season Aired: Spring 2016
Studio: Asread
A high school boy haunted by his memories of "The Great Destruction" is among one of many to be given the Order, a mysterious power that grants the wishes of those who wield it. Made by the same creator of Mirai Nikki, Big Order has a few concepts identical to its predecessor such as its characters and its "edge" factor. Simply put, Big Order is a disorderly mess. So many things happen very quickly, and trying to keep up with all of it makes watching the anime very difficult. It was doing decently in the beginning, and then things happen and then...uhh....yeah. One thing I will give the anime credit for is certain scenes in the series where it doesn't take itself seriously. Even though it isn't primarily a comedy, it does have a few scenes to give its watchers enough to laugh at it. Unfortunately this does not continue the whole way through, and the final episodes are pretty much a headache to get through. Big Order might be an anime heavily disliked by many, but at the very least I do have a few good memories out of it.

50. Lucky Star/Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku
Season Aired: Spring 2007
Studio: Kyoto Animation
An episodic anime about the daily lives of four high school girls and their observations of their experiences through different mindsets. I took an interest in watching this due to the main character being an otaku. As with all comedies, the jokes in Lucky Star can be hit and miss. Unfortunately for me, many of these jokes leaned towards the miss side. I found myself bored and having to struggle with watching the series. I did find a select few jokes that made me laugh out loud, but unfortunately these mostly occur at the beginning and end of the series. The parodies were pretty good, paying references to different anime. But unless you are familiar with these anime, the jokes involving these parodies will fly right over your head. The opening theme is fun. The ending theme varies though, and I personally wished that they stuck with the karaoke segments. The best part of the series is the Lucky Channel, but it's pretty sad since I have to wait until the end of the episode to get to it. Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku is a spinoff of Lucky Star and is pretty identical, but I found the jokes in Miyakawa-ke to be more satisfying. Lucky Star looks cute, sounds nice, and can be fun, but it didn't really satisfy the comedy aspect for me.

49. Netsuzou TRap
Season Aired: Summer 2017
Studio: Creators in Pack
When a girl finds a boyfriend, she asks her childhood friend for advice which brings their friendship to a new level. The title isn't a typo with the caps. Netsuzou TRap represents NTR aka Netorare which put in simple terms means getting cucked. Everyone loves cucks because of how easily it is to emotionally tease a person. The anime looks normal on the outside, but has a lot of things happening in the background. Being a Shoujo Ai, many people were anticipating themes with the given tag. Unfortunately this is what made it disappointing to watch as the anime was more about abuse, misunderstandings, weak drama, and a dense protagonist rather than actual NTR and Shoujo Ai. The art wasn't bad, and the character designs were pretty appealing, but the overall concept of the anime as well as its short run time just wasn't enough to leave an impact. I did have fun watching it though hehehe...

48. Jigoku Shoujo: Yoi no Togi
Season Aired: Summer 2017
Studio: Studio Deen
Season four of Jigoku Shoujo. I wasn't too thrilled on the announcement of a new Jigoku Shoujo, but given that I have watched the previous seasons, I decided to give this one a go. Sadly Jigoku Shoujo 4 has a few major problems with it. First off is that it is only 6 episodes long (with the other 6 being reruns). Given how Jigoku Shoujo progresses, there is no way for Yoi no Togi to develop a decent story within 6 episodes which was proven true given how it ended. Second is how it recycles some of the stories from previous seasons and uses them for this season, so it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. And third isn't as major as the previous two, but the art in the series is noticeably poor in quality. However, there is one thing that I highly praise Yoi no Togi for, and that is Episode 3 which I consider to be one of the best episodes to air in 2017 as well as perhaps being the best episode in the Jigoku Shoujo series. The anime as a whole may have been underwhelming, but Episode 3 will definitely be an episode to remember.

47. Mayoiga
Season Aired: Spring 2016
Studio: Diomedea
A bus full of people searching for a new life end up in an empty village that holds an ominous mystery. It's strange how this anime seems to be so disliked by the community. From the first episode, I was already able to tell that this "horror" was going to be a fun ride with its large cast of characters. Mayoiga felt like an anime parodying a Hollywood teenage horror flick where it feels more cheesy than scary. There are too many characters to keep track of, so all you can do is familiarize yourself with their distinct traits. The characters were unusual, but they weren't boring. They're not the most intelligent of individuals, but it looks like they were made that way to make them feel like normal everyday people to fulfill the tropes found in modern horror stories, and I'm fine with that. The anime deals with phobia in a way. The animation might not have been great for it, but it did get its point across. The anime did feel a little slow and congested at time with all the characters, and I personally found the overall story and conclusion rather weak. It wasn't great, but it certainly isn't the worst anime I've ever watched. Perhaps it may have failed as a horror anime, but it certainly succeeds in parodying teenage horror movies, so give Mayoiga a watch if you need some horror cheese.




The tier where anime range from below average to above average in rating. The anime within this tier are certainly watchable, but the experience for the watcher will vary depending on their tastes. They may not be groundbreaking, but they can still be enjoyable.

46. Seitokai Yakuindono + S2
Season Aired: Summer 2010
Studio: GoHands
A previously all-girls school has just turned co-ed, and a male transfer student is immediately chosen to become vice president of a student council where two of its members make sexual innuendos to everything. Sex jokes the anime, Seitokai Yakuindono (or SYD) follows a style similar to 4-koma Manga where a situation is presented, one character comments about it, and then a joke is made. This occurs throughout the entire series, so it becomes very repetitive. While I am one who is quite fond of lewd jokes, I found the humor in SYD to be rather weak. Throughout season 1, I only giggled once or twice, and some episodes didn't even make me crack a smile at all. The jokes come in very suddenly, so it's difficult for the humor to build up. However, I noticed an increase in quality entering the OVAs and Season 2, and along with it came better transitions and executions with the jokes. The voice acting helps it a lot as well. The art and animation isn't anything special, though they use quite the budget for the first and final episodes. Also, the 1st Ending theme is really catchy. It's not labeled as an Ecchi anime, but there's a lot of perverted going on in SYD. There is very little nudity, so I guess you can say it's a "safe ecchi".

45. Overlord
Season Aired: Summer 2015
Studio: Madhouse
A VR game player chooses to stay logged in his game during its final hours of activity, but discovers that he is still in the game even after the servers were supposedly shut down. Overlord uses the "trapped in a game" trope commonly used in modern day game anime. Typical overpowered protagonist who has all the power and such and sets forth to conquer his enemies. Cool. Sadly I didn't really find the anime all that interesting. It's got some nice character designs, but the side characters don't really do much throughout the anime since we already have our overpowered MC. The interactions he has with other characters feel very bland due to his "insensitive" passive skill that makes him immune to emotions and such. And the story doesn't really have much of an aim due to how open-ended it can be. Overlord is average at best as it doesn't really have anything special to set it apart from other anime with an identical concept.

44. Arata Kangatari
Season Aired: Spring 2013
Studio: Satelight
A student from modern day Japan incidentally changes places with a young man from a different world where he is given the responsibility to right its wrongs. Arata Kangatari has an interesting Isekai premise where someone from one world trade places with one from another. Unfortunately the story focuses more on character from the present more than it does on the character from the different world. This anime would have been amazing if both were given equal screen time to see how each reacts in the other's respective worlds. The animation is decent. The art is nothing special, but I will hand it to the character and weapon designs. I personally would want to see more of this, but the adaptation was butchered with an original ending. The progression is pretty slow, and the story can be rather predictable. The weakest aspect of the anime however is the MC and the villain. The conflict between them does not feel natural at all, and it seems like the director forced the conflict for the sake of making them enemies. This is especially apparent for the villain. He does have his reasons for fighting, but the way it shows just doesn't click at all. Aside from that, the anime is decent, but because it deviates from the Manga, you could just give the anime a pass and read the Manga instead.

43. Ojisan to Marshmallow
Season Aired: Winter 2016
Studio: Creators in Pack
A woman attempts to seduce an older co-worker by taking advantage of his love for marshmallows. It's a simple concept, but its execution is what makes it fun to watch. The characters are fun, and the seduction attempts are cute and exciting. Even though the ongoing theme is "seduction", you don't have to worry about anything offensive or fanservicey. The ending of the series is a bit of a letdown, but for a short series, Ojisan to Marshmallow is an entertaining watch. It's also not very often that you find an anime about an obsession over a certain something with someone using that to exploit said person, so this would be worth the watch just to see what would happen.

42. Spiritpact (Ling Qi)
Season Aired: Summer 2016
Studio: Haoliners Animation League
A young man dies, and is then revived into his younger self and is made the partner of a powerful exorcist. Ling Qi is my very first experience with a Shounen Ai anime, and honestly, it wasn't that bad at all. The Shounen Ai aspect only occurs about three times throughout the series and it wasn't really that big of a deal to take away from the watching experience. Adapted from a Chinese Web Novel, it might take some getting used to with the names. Also, the art and animation is average at best. The series' greatest flaw though is its pacing. The anime progressed really quickly, jumping from one incident to another and resolving conflicts seemingly just after they started. While the anime is labeled as a Shounen Ai, there are a few female characters about, and the main female character is pretty good comic relief for the stoic deuteragonist. Other than that, the anime is pretty average at best. Its concept is alright, but the pacing weakens its overall impact. I was thinking of it needing a second season to continue the story, and what do you know? A second season was announced. I won't be too excited, but I'll still watch it anyway.

41. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans S2
Season Aired: Fall 2016
Studio: Sunrise
Season 2 of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-blooded Orphans. Season 2 retains the formula of season 1 with the large amounts of dialogue with the many characters in the series. However, there is a tad bit more action in season 2, and it looks as great if not greater than season 1. However, the large number of characters and learning about their backgrounds tends to saturate most of the screen time, causing the pacing to be just as slow as season 1. During the second half, things just start happening, and it's pretty hard to feel for them because of how instantaneous they happen. I didn't really care about the side characters as they didn't really do much during the season, and the main characters only had tiny bits of development but are mostly the same as they were before. As for the ending, I understood what it was going for, but how it happened felt very anticlimactic. Iron-Blooded Orphans might have upped the action a bit, but the characters are still as poorly developed as they were in season one, making season 2 pretty disappointing.

40. Berserk (2017)
Season Aired: Spring 2017
Studio: Millepensee, GEMBA
Season 2 of Berserk (2016). Berserk Season 2 continues where it left off in season one. There have been some noticeable improvements in the animation, and the introduction of new characters give the anime some better entertainment value. However, there is one episode where the animation quality drops significantly, and this is due to the amount of work needed to animate the scenes. This was proven by having to delay the next episode by having to put up a recap episode, which shows that the studio was struggling. One thing to note was the final episode, where the final scene was drawn in a different kind of art and animation. While I do praise the studio for doing this, it also hurts to see it as it should have been the art style for the series from the beginning of season 1. The action scenes were still nice to watch though, and the series progressed in a good pace. It's not a bad watch if you can tolerate the CGI animation, but there will be that one episode where that animation reaches a new low, so be prepared for that.

39. Black Rock Shooter + OVA
Season Aired: Winter 2012
Studio: Ordet, SANGIZEN
A young schoolgirl attempts to befriend a shy and withdrawn classmate as her alter ego battles her in a different universe. Black Rock Shooter has a surprisingly interesting concept that displays its drama and conflicts through its action scenes. In the real world, we see the drama as the characters converse. At the same time in the alternate world, the characters in real life are represented by their alter egos and combat each other to resolve the conflicts between them. This was done quite well, and the 50/50 mix between hand-drawn and 3D CGI suit the anime's premise nicely. The action nice, but I can't say the same for its drama. The drama between the characters feel very overblown and unrealistic, and the way their conflicts are resolved feel all too sudden making the resolution feel unnatural. I guess this is what you would define as "Melodrama", and Black Rock Shooter's main conflicts revolve all around it. The action scenes and animation are great, so it still can be an entertaining watch if you can tolerate its melodrama.

38. Skirt no Naka wa Kedamono Deshita
Season Aired: Summer 2017
Studio: Magic Bus
A college student comes across a beautiful woman who happens to be more than what she is under her skirt. 2017 seems to be starting this short H-anime trend where an H anime airs each season. The only one I've seen this year is Skirt, and despite its rapish theme, it actually isn't bad. The story is pretty straightforward, the characters get just enough development, and the H-scenes don't last very long due to the short run time. The ending however does end on a very satisfying note, which actually raised my opinion of it. It's an H anime, but it was able to present its story much better than most other anime nowadays. If you don't mind the H, then give it a watch.

37. Sin: Nanatsu no Taizai
Season Aired: Spring 2017
Studio: Artland, TNK
Lucifer has fallen from the Heavens for disobeying God, and now she must do battle against the Seven Deadly Sins to rise to power once again. Sin: Nanatsu no Taizai is an interesting tale of Lucifer's story with a dose of Ecchi mixed in. As Artland were on their last legs due to bankruptcy, the art and animation quality of the series is really subpar with the exception of a few specific episodes. Like Berserk, it also needed a recap episode for the studio to catch up. The story of Sin is pretty episodic, where the MC takes on a new trial in each episode. These trials are based on one of the seven sins, and how they are represented in the anime is actually one of the series' strong points. They can range from either being brutally violent, to just being plain silly, and each trial can be pretty fun to watch as long as you don't take the anime seriously. The art isn't the best, but the character designs as well as the character personalities suit their respectable characters very well. As for the animation, you can tell which episodes were given more budget, but for the most part doesn't look great. Another notable aspect of the series is its music in that there is an insert song in every episode, sometimes during still frames to pass the time, while other songs are played during action scenes. Most of these songs are forgettable, but there are one or two songs that sound pretty good. The ecchi aspect can be a little inconsistent. One episode can be loaded with fan service, while another episode might have only one or two brief moments of ecchi. Sin: Nanatsu no Taizai might not be the best choice if you're looking for a story with some fan service, but it's an ok watch if you don't take it seriously. The ending is a letdown, but at least we get Nanatsu no Bitoku (Seven Heavenly Virtues) as a spinoff to make up for it.

36. Nanbaka + S2
Season Aired: Fall 2016
Studio: Satelight
Nanbaka is about the world's most formidable prison and the daily lives of its guards and prisoners. This anime has got colors and sparkles for days, giving the series a bright atmosphere in a rather gloomy setting. Comedy is a hit and miss, but this anime got me laughing within the first minute. The humor is great, and the characters have their own quirks and traits that make each of them entertaining. Its action scenes are pretty dynamic as well with different kinds of variety and more humor to add to the mix. Nanbaka is pretty self-aware that it is a comedy anime, but it does have its serious and dramatic moments, and this is where the anime kind of stumbles a bit. It's not that the drama is bad, but after getting used to all the comedy, you kind of don't want the drama to be there to ruin the moment, so this tone shift kind of hurts its original premise. Season 2 tends to focus more on these serious scenes, and the action that comes with it makes Nanbaka more like a battle shounen rather than a comedy. Also, the series ends in a cliffhanger, and it is unknown whether or not a Season 3 will be made. All in all, Nanbaka is fun when it is being funny, but it becomes dull when it gets serious so I can understand if that is something that turns off its viewers.

35. Dirty Pair Flash (OVA 1-3)
Season Aired: Winter 1994
Studio: Sunrise
An alternate take of the original Dirty Pair where two unwilling partners work together to complete various tasks throughout the galaxy. As this is an alternate story, Flash can be watched without having to have seen the original Dirty Pair. The biggest notable change is the difference in characterization between the original Dirty Pair and Flash's Dirty Pair. In Flash, the MC's intellect is toned down a bit, so they might not be the brightest tools in the shed. That doesn't mean they're completely bad though. Kei is more of a shoot first ask questions later type of character, while Yuri's gone full anime girl with how self-conscious she is about her looks as well as her overall personality. I still prefer the original Kei, but Flash Yuri is just so fun to watch. As for the stories? Well it lacks the spy and adventure themes that the original Dirty Pair had, so it loses points there. It does have a few new scenarios that are somewhat interesting, but fall flat in comparison to the original. And don't worry about the Ecchi tag. Nudity only appears about four times throughout the three OVAs and occur very briefly, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Flash might not be as strong quality-wise compared to the original, but it's new take on its characters should still provide enough entertainment for a good watch.

34. Gokusen
Season Aired: Winter 2004
Studio: Madhouse
The acting head of a renowned Yakuza clan becomes the school teacher of an unruly classroom of students. I was first introduced to this anime from watching the live action adaptation of it back in the day. The younger sister anime of Great Teacher Onizuka, Gokusen is about an overpowered female teacher who must keep her power in check to keep herself and those close to her away from trouble. The character designs might be off-putting at first, but they stop being a bother after watching through a couple of episodes. The characters are funny, and seeing how the MC's struggle between lashing at anyone who offends her and maintaining her moral conduct is the highlight of the series. She's not afraid to start a fight, but she can't start a fight or her entire gang will get involved. It's a fun watch, but the few amount of episodes it has makes you want to beg for more. And because it is Madhouse, don't expect any sequels to be made. You'll have to read the Manga if you want to see more adventures of this gang leader of a teacher.

33. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! + S2 (Konosuba)
Season Aired: Winter 2016
Studio: Studio Deen
Upon death, a high school student is granted the chance to start a new life in a new world, and he brings the Goddess that revived him along with him. Konosuba can simply be described as a fantasy slice of life anime where crazy things happen. Rather than having to train and learn magic to fight an evil tyrant or something, Konosuba centers more on using these learned skills to survive and get by in everyday life. Something funny happens in just about every episode, so you'll be giggling pretty often. The art and character design isn't really pleasant to look at though (thanks Deen), and the characters themselves are a mixed bag. While they each have notable traits to add to the fun, they sometimes overplay their roles, causing the comedy to stale, reducing its humorous impact (especially in Season 2). The Goddess Female MC Aqua is the funniest and most dynamic of the bunch, and I always looked forward to seeing her mess up in something. Darkness has her moments as well. As for Megumin and the rest, I didn't find them all that special, but that's just me. The story doesn't really go anywhere, so if you're looking for some easy humor, Konosuba will give you a fair share of laughs.

32. Bikini Warriors
Season Aired: Summer 2015
Studio: feel.
Four maidens in defense-boasting bikinis set forth on a journey to defeat the evil that threatens the land. Some people may decide to watch this just for the bikinis, but the actual appeal of this anime is how well it parodies classic JRPGs. Anyone who has played a classic JRPG like Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy will easily relate to the different situations brought upon our heroes. The art and character designs aren't bad, and the voice acting is pretty good. And while the characters are walking around naked throughout the series, the ecchi doesn't make itself apparent until the situation calls for it, so the fan service isn't really a bother. Short, arousing, and easy to relate to, Bikini Warriors is a comedy that lays itself bare for ecchi lovers and gamers to watch.

31. My Girlfriend is a Faithful Virgin Bitch (Shobitch)
Season Aired: Fall 2017
Studio: Diomedea, Studio Blanc
A student's confession to his crush is accepted, but this girl doesn't know how to be a girlfriend! A 4-koma style anime identical to SYD, Shobitch is a school comedy filled with sexual innunedos and a lot of misunderstandings. The most noticeable flaw with this series is its poor art and animation where there is minimal movement among the character actions (although the eyes on the female MC can be very mesmerizing). The jokes aren't that great in the early episodes, but they significantly get better during the second half. The delivery is great, the themes and concepts are hilarious, and I found myself laughing at least once in each episode. And the jokes don't just cater to the male audience. There's a character in this anime that gives some fan service to the females as well. One thing that sets Shobitch apart from other anime is that the couple is established from the very beginning. And despite it looking like a harem, the side couples don't interfere with the couple very often and seem to acknowledge them. The misunderstandings can add to the humor though Also, the MC doesn't fall for the common ecchi cliche tropes either, so that's another plus. While the jokes are simple, they do enough to make the anime entertaining. The word "bitch" in the title might be misleading though, since the female MC is pretty well behaved for the most part. And don't worry about nudity as there is almost none to be found in the series. If you can look past the bad animation, Shobitch is a good watch for some lewd laughs.

30. Shingeki! Kyojin Chugakkou
Season Aired: Fall 2015
Studio: Production I.G.
A chibi-fied, lighthearted school parody of Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) where the MC wants revenge against the titans for taking his cheeseburger. If you feel a little melancholic after watching Attack on Titan, Chugakkou is a great remedy for it. This anime series takes all the dark aspects of the original series and turns it all around into a fun little comedy anime. The characters and elements from the original series return, but with a comical twist. It's cute, funny, and easy to watch, and it is very entertaining to see the characters act in a new light while retaining their original personalities. Fans of the series who prefer the darker theme of the original might not enjoy this as much, and perhaps you may not take the main series as seriously after watching the same characters in comedy fashion. I still recommend it if you're a fan of the original. I don't recommend it if you haven't seen the original though, since it's a lot funnier if you understand the references.

29. Kakumeiki Valvrave + S2
Season Aired: Spring 2013
Studio: Sunrise
When a dispute arises between the nations on Earth and the nations in space, a small colony declares independence, and a young student becomes a vampire to pilot a powerful weapon known as a Valvrave to defend his friends. Hoo boy where to start with this anime? Well to summarize, it's dramatic, immature, and downright ridiculous. There's a war going on, and when the people that take control are a bunch of high school students, then you know that things are about to get crazy. The action scenes with the mechs may be done in CGI, but the animation is pretty flashy. The characters are...well there's many different kinds of characters. Some follow common anime tropes, while others like the second MC can be pretty clever. It's got good music though as expected from Sunrise. As for the story? Hahahaha...ehh...well, it's definitely entertaining that's for sure. This is one of those anime that you kind of need to have an open mind to get the most out of it. Season 2 is a little more focused and serious on the story, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have its moments of "what the hell just happened?" Plot holes, themes that don't fit in, and over exaggeration are some of the things you'll find in Valvrave, so whether you find that entertaining or a waste of time is up to you. At least the music is good...

28. Ousama Game the Animation
Season Aired: Fall 2017
Studio: Seven
A class of students receive a text saying that they must play the King's game or they will die. There are anime that botch their execution so badly that it ends up becoming a complete disaster, and then there is Ousama Game, an anime that does everything wrong...BUT DOES IT SO RIGHT! Idiotic characters, super edgy gory scenes, melodrama taken to the next level, random sex, and things that make absolutely no sense happen in this series. See the horror tag? Change that to comedy, and you'll have yourself a rocking good time with Ousama Game. It's dumb, over the top, ridiculous, and loads of fun! It might not be the best anime ever, but it certainly will be one of the most entertaining anime that you'll ever watch!

27. Just Because!
Season Aired: Fall 2017
Studio: Pine Jam
A student transfers back to his previous school where he reconciles with past friends prior to graduation. This anime progresses quite slowly and takes its time to build up its atmosphere and tension for its upcoming conflict. The backgrounds in this anime are amazing, using both CGI and hand-drawn art styles to make it look as detailed as possible. You can't really say the same for the character designs since they don't really look as good, and there are some flubs where they mess up on the faces too. The anime has a quiet feeling where you can watch what happens with a sense of calmness and ease. As for the story and characters? Well it seems special, but in the end, it's a pretty straightforward anime that you can watch if you're looking for a simple romance. Not a bad anime, but nothing special. It's watchable just because.

26. Centaur no Nayami
Season Aired: Summer 2017
Studio: Haoliners Animation League
A world where evolution has taken a turn, and centaurs, angels, demons, mermaids, and other animals are all classified as "humans", Centaur no Nayami centers around the life of a young Centaur and the world around her. This anime is quite different from your usual slice of life in that its major themes center around race and discrimination, making its world building its strongest aspect. Even though there are different races of different forms, they all live in harmony and respect each other's appearances and ethnicity. One thing that you have to keep in mind with this anime is that even though the races and appearances are different, all of them are humans, so you must not show prejudice to the characters in order to enjoy this anime. For example, you see an "angel", but this angel is a human, so you must cast out all thoughts and perceptions you have of angels to understand this character. Despite having racial themes, the anime is quite lighthearted and cute. The characters and how they react to different races is interesting, and these "monster girls" have surprisingly good designs even though the art isn't the greatest. The anime is pretty episodic in nature, and it does have a few boring episodes, but it being a different kind of anime speaks for itself. It's a pretty hard anime to describe because it is one of those anime where you must have the mindset and understanding to enjoy it to the fullest. Don't judge an anime by its cover. Give Centaur no Nayami a watch if you want to venture into something different from the norm.

25. Welcome to the Ballroom
Season Aired: Summer 2017
Studio: Production I.G.
A young student with no goals for the future stumbles upon a competitive dance studio. Ballroom is a competitive dance anime with a simple and straightforward story commonly seen in Shounen sports anime where the MC goes from nobody to somebody with some training. The art is great, the character designs look excellent, and the music is very fitting. Characters get some overly long necks now and then, but you get used to that. However, Ballroom suffers from one very significant flaw, the dancing. The anime does a great job explaining how the dances work, but the animation of the dance itself is very lackluster. Many of the dance scenes are either repeated steps or still frames which completely destroy all immersion. Most of the dance scenes are a few frames of moving feet, then the action stops to show the dancers striking a pose. Dancing is a continuous motion, and I was expecting to see these dances in motion. Instead we get still frames, and that makes Ballroom's sport aspect a huge disappointment. A sport that relies on good animation has nearly no animation at all. There are a few scenes with some dancing, but that only occurs like 5 times throughout the series, and they're usually the high-budget episodes. There was even one episode where there was nothing but still frames with the characters giving commentary about their dances. They can describe the dances, but what's the point of these dances if we can't see them in motion? And dancing is done in tandem with the music, and not once does this occur throughout the series. That being said, Ballroom completely fails in the execution of its primary theme. The saving grace of this anime is actually its comedy. The anime does well in delivering humorous scenes with its characters. The characters may look like beautiful ladies and handsome gentlemen, but they are still human beings when they're off the dance floor, so seeing these princes and princesses turn into tigers was a real treat. The characters aren't really anything special. They're usually fleshed out by a flashback or backstory episode dedicated to them, which hurts the pacing a bit. One notably funny character in the first half of the series disappears in the second half, which significantly reduces the fun factor of the anime. The series may fail as a sport anime, but it does have a good sense of humor and a variety of characters to keep itself entertaining.




I found the anime in this tier to be highly enjoyable and well done. While they do not make it to the top of my list, they are still worth a watch and are very memorable.

24. Hataraki Man!
Season Aired: Fall 2006
Studio: Studio Gallop
An anime about a magazine editor who struggles to maintain the balance between her devotion to work and her relationship with her boyfriend. A pretty obscure anime with a peculiar theme, Hataraki Man centers around life in the workplace where the MC deals with issues like relationships with her co-workers, finding new stories, meeting deadlines, scheduling interviews and so on and so forth. While this anime has comedy, drama, and romance tags, they are not as significant as the slice of life tag due to the work-centered focus of this anime. There will be some who will find this anime very boring because of the lack of humor or banter, but I found this anime to be very intriguing. The progression may be a little slow, but I was sunk into the anime to see how the MC deals with certain situations. This anime is tagged as a Seinen, and all of the characters in the cast are adults, so expect some adult-like themes. This anime might not be appealing to a younger audience, but if you're looking for a realistic anime that centers on the workplace, Hataraki Man might be one of those anime where you tilt your head at first and then nod in approval afterwards.

23. Princess Principal
Season Aired: Summer 2017
Studio: Actas, Studio 3hz
A group of teenage spies working for the Commonwealth of London engage in various tasks to counteract against the Kingdom that has created a wall to separate itself from the rest of the country. Young girls, technology, and skills in combat, espionage, and deception can be pretty common among the many anime we have today. What separates Princess Principal from the rest of them is its setting in the steampunk era of early 20th century London. The attention to detail of the city as well as the character designs suit the anime very well. The series is pretty episodic, but the way it tells its story in each episode is surprisingly engaging. The character designs look pretty identical, making it hard to tell who is who at first. But the anime does plenty to flesh out each character so that you can easily distinguish one character from another. It's action scenes are also well done, although some of these scenes have some notable issues with their animations. One of the common complaints with Princess Principal id the abilities of its characters in that they seem to always succeed in whatever they do. It makes their actions feel unrealistic at times, and one of the characters uses the same special tactic several times throughout the series without fail which makes it hard to maintain a suspension of disbelief. Nevertheless, Princess Principal is good at what it does, and each episode brings a new surprise to the table. The conclusion to the series feels weak and rushed, but I hope that means that we will get a sequel sometime in the future.

22. Kara no Kyoukai + Mirai Fukuin
Season Aired: Winter 2007
Studio: ufotable
A high school student converses with a shy young girl only to learn that she has an urge to kill. A movie series animated by ufotable, Kara no Kyokai has got some visually impressive scenes with the action and animation to boot. The movies are pretty long, but are quite intriguing. Combine those with interesting characters and entrancing music and you have yourself a pretty good package...well almost. I do have a few issues with the series. The biggest one is that the movies did not air in chronological order. The "first" movie that aired is actually the fourth story chronologically. I didn't give a the first movie a high rating because it didn't feel like an introductory movie, and when I learned that it wasn't the first story, it severely influenced my first impression of the series. So if you do plan to watch Kara no Kyoukai, watch it in chronological order (2, 4, 3, 1, 5, 6, 7, Mirai Fukuin). My other issue with the series is the 7th movie which concludes the main series in that there is a rather notable plot hole that didn't leave a satisfying feeling upon completing the movie. Perhaps it is just me who has a conflicting feeling with the ending, but overall Kara no Kyoukai is a great series. Just make sure you watch it in chronological order if you don't want to have the same bad first impression like I did.

21. Kagewani
Season Aired: Fall 2015
Studio: Tomovies
Mysterious creatures have been attacking innocent lives across the country, and a scarred researcher is on the pursuit to learn the origins of these vile creatures. The first thing you will notice about this anime is its animation style and presentation in that it uses something akin to cardboard cutouts and are moved as if they were picked up and put down while re positioning their body parts. It may not be the typical anime art style, but you'll soon come to see that it suits the anime very well. The anime progresses in a "monster of the week" style format. It's episodic for the most part, with only the main characters to carry the story forward. Given the short duration of the series, the characters are pretty simple, but get enough screen time to flesh them out. The greatest aspects of the anime however are its horror elements along with its sound effects. Kagewani is filled with jump scares, silent suspense, and terrifying-yet-well-designed monsters. The anime nails the Horror aspect perfectly, and the high thrill makes you hold your breath and wait to see what happens. And when you're done with one episode, you immediately want to go to the next to experience a new thrill. It is difficult to find an anime that executes its horror well. Kagewani is among the few that succeeds in delivering its horror. The series can be completed in 2 hours, so definitely give Kagewani a go if you're in need of a quick scare.
Best Horror

20. Flip Flappers
Season Aired: Fall 2016
Studio: Studio 3hz
A middle schooler comes across an energetic young girl who introduces her to a mysterious new world where they venture forth to search for magical crystal shards. Flip Flap...Flip Flap...that song's going to get stuck in your head if you choose to watch this bizarre series. Flip Flappers is a magical girl anime with some pretty innovative ideas. There's a lot of color with great animation and action scenes to compliment it. What makes Flip Flappers stand out from other anime is the various worlds that the girls venture through. A land of living snow, a factory, a haunted school, and a city that reminds you of Tron are just some of the places that you will get to see. The characters are pretty tolerable, but you'll understand them later in the series. One thing the anime does well is how these adventures add to the development of the MC in a rather subtle way. How she surpasses each obstacle reflects her current state of mind and current stage of development. It might be hard to catch, but it can be surprisingly complex if you give it some thought. This might not always apply though, especially near the end where things start to get a little out of hand. I wasn't really satisfied with the ending, but this is one of those anime where the journey is much better than the destination. Flip Flappers is a pretty strange anime, but it's got a lot going for it, so give it a watch if you want to try something with a bit of obscurity.

19. Shingeki no Kyojin S2
Season Aired: Spring 2017
Studio: WIT Studio
Season 2 of Shingeki no Kyojin. The story continues where we left off from Season 1, but this time we get more focus on the side characters rather than the main characters this time around. The action scenes were amped up a bit with some CGI, which is fine although pretty glaring during certain scenes. The progression is a bit slow, but at least unlike season 1, season 2 is actually getting somewhere. I was spoiled a bit, but I found the story to be a bit predictable so these "surprises" didn't really affect me that much. Action fans will be satisfied, and the number of cliffhangers are plentiful to get you watching from one episode to the next. The series actually ended at a pretty tense point, which might leave a bad taste for wanting more. Fortunately season 3 was announced next year, so we won't have to wait for long to see what happens next.

18. Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka? (SukaSuka/WorldEnd: What do you do at the end of the world? Are you busy? Will you save us?)
Season Aired: Spring 2017
Studio: C2C, Satelight
The last remaining human becomes the trainer of a group of girls who will become the weapons to fight against the great beasts responsible for the world's destruction. This description might make this anime sound like an action series, but actually it is more of a character-focused drama. One of the most important keys to immerse yourself into this anime is to put yourself into the shoes of the characters to understand how they feel during certain situations. The anime will not explain it to you, so unless you empathize with the characters, you won't find this anime very interesting. This element makes SukaSuka calm but at the same time very tense. There are not a lot of anime that can do this well, but SukaSuka is one anime that successfully does it. The art is beautiful, the music is fantastic, and the characters are cute. However, the premise leaves a constant melancholic state in the atmosphere which is what helps add to the silent tension. This tension slowly builds up towards the finale which leaves a powerful impression on the watcher. SukaSuka is a great watching experience, but it suffers from not explaining enough and thus desperately requires a second season to make the story feel complete. We do not know if that will ever happen, but SukaSuka is definitely a story that I want to continue to the end.

17. Net-juu no Susume
Season Aired: Fall 2017
Studio: Signal. MD
A woman quits her job to seek a new life as a NEET playing an online game. Net-juu no Susume breaks away from the usual "trapped in a game" premise and instead chooses to focus on both the game and reality. One of my favorite voice actresses, Mamiko Noto, voices the MC in this series, and her performance is simply flawless. The MC is a timid 30-year-old woman who's afraid to show her face, and Noto portrays this character extremely well. This behavior leads to many of the comical situations throughout the series, and many of them can be really cute to the point where you start to blush. The Male MC is in a similar predicament, and trying to figure out how to deal with uncomfortable situations adds even more humor to the mix. The art is clean and colorful to look at, and you can easily distinguish between the real world and the game world. Perhaps the only major flaw of the series is the minimal backstory given to the female MC, which makes her way of living questionable. Aside from that, the anime is really fun to watch. There is very little drama, so you can watch this without worry.
Best Female Voice Acting

16. Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukou (Girls' Last Tour)
Season Aired: Fall 2017
Studio: White Fox
Civilization has been decimated, and among the survivors are two young girls who travel the world in their Kettenkrad in a constant search for supplies and a curiosity of the remains of humanity. A surprise hit of 2017, Girls' Last Tour is an adventure slice-of-life anime where the girls drive, come to a stop, look around, make a comment, and then continue on their way. As simple as this seems, the small amount of dialogue in each episode says a lot more than what is spoken. The two MCs are polar opposites. One is focused and calculated, while the other is a bit air-headed and carefree as if she's had too much dank weed. This helps in the dialogue when the two have opposing opinions or different perspectives on certain themes, and this is what helps make Girls' Last Tour's simple formula so enthralling. To add to that, the coloration and detailed backgrounds add more to the calm-yet-ominous atmosphere, and the use of music and sound enhances that feeling even more. And speaking of music, the OP and ED are really fun songs to listen to. Girls' Last Tour may be a simple watch, but its stunning visuals and philosophical themes are going to get you thinking about it.
Dankest Anime

15. Boku no Hero Academia S2
Season Aired: Spring 2017
Studio: Bones
Season 2 of Boku no Hero Academia. Looks like this little battle Shounen got a budget upgrade with more action scenes and double the episodes of season 1. The characters are mostly the same as they were before, but all of them get a good share of the spotlight. I also have newfound respect for some of the characters that I didn't really have interest in before, so that's a plus. The music, drama, and animation are as great, if not better, than season 1. The action scenes are exciting as well, although I found them to be a bit formulaic. Still, it does a good job doing what it does. A season 3 has been confirmed, so let's keep the hero train going! Plus Ultra!

14. Chikyuu Shoujo Arjuna (Earth Maiden Arjuna)
Season Aired: Winter 2001
Studio: Satelight
A girl dies, who is then revived and is chosen as the Avatar of Time to combat the creatures that will lead to Earth's destruction. As one of Satelight's first anime, Arjuna's art is bad...very bad. It also makes attempts to blend 2D animation with 3D CGI animation. Sometimes it works, but for the most part it doesn't work very well. So visually it's pretty bad. I do like the MC's hairstyle when she's entering Avatar mode hehe. Also, the anime centers on philosophical topics based on Hinduism, and these topics get pretty controversial where you will find yourself disagreeing with them. And yet I found these topics to be very interesting despite how controversial they are. Arjuna is an anime that completely sunk me in and got me indulged in its topics about environmental preservation, chemical waste, human deformities and such. I disagreed with some of them, but I liked it. It might feel slow paced and boring, but the dialogue and how things were explained caught me hook, line, and sinker. The characters were great to watch as well, seeing the problems they're facing and how they have to deal with it. There is one character who can get a little annoying, but I personally didn't mind him much. Earth Maiden Arjuna might not look great, but with the themes that it covers, it is most certainly one of the most interesting anime that I have ever watched. It's an anime that you will either love or hate. It's philosophical concepts may contradict your own, but I think that is what makes Arjuna such a delight to watch.

13. Oniisama e...
Season Aired: Summer 1991
Studio: Tezuka Productions
A young girl enters a prestigious school, and her sudden induction into its exclusive sorority makes her a target of envy of those who wanted her position. Oniisama e...An anime highly regarded as being one of the most dramatic works in the anime industry. I gave it a try with expectations about the drama and how it would go about it based on its art style and...WOW! I didn't expect this kind of drama! Most of the drama I see is the usual complaining and crying. Oniisama does that...and takes it a little further to the point of over exaggeration. Drama usually makes you feel bad, but in Oniisama e..., the drama is FUN! Seeing these girls go at it, lashing at each other, making comebacks, and sabotaging one another made this anime extremely entertaining. I thought it would be a melancholic and rather boring series, but this anime blew my expectations away and gave me something enjoyable. Sometimes the drama goes overboard to the point where you can't take it seriously, but it does have its more serious emotional moments to switch it up. The characters seem a little rough on the outside, but after taking several episodes to develop, they actually become really likable. The art is dated, but suits the anime's dramatic style. The animation is decent, but uses still frames for its more dramatic scenes, which is perfectly fine in my opinion since it lets you imagine how it happens in your mind. But if there's one thing about Oniisama e... that caught me completely by surprise, it's the sound direction. The use of sound to portray emotions and build tension is done so well in this anime. In certain scenes, the sound design can turn this drama anime into a horror series. This makes the anime really thrilling to watch, and I never got bored with the series even when I expected it to have a boring episode. Well...not every episode. The "fun" begins to slow down during the last arc of the series, which dropped my score of it a bit, but it is still an entertaining watch overall. Whatever perceptions and thoughts you have about drama in anime, don't bring them to Oniisama e..., because this anime has that style of drama that you won't find in modern anime.

12. Top wo Nerae 2! Diebuster
Season Aired: Fall 2004
Studio: Gainax
A girl leaves home to become a "TOPLESS" to combat monsters invading the Galaxy. Diebuster is the sequel to Hideki Anno's Gunbuster. In the beginning, it feels identical to its predecessor, but after the first episode, the action kicks in. There is a lot of color, and the smooth and fast animation makes these colors very vibrant. Aside from the MC, it was kind of hard for me to remember the side characters as they didn't really stand out that much. There are some dialogue-heavy scenes which can feel a little dragged out when the action is so intense. The pacing might be a bit iffy in the beginning, but the second half is where the anime shows how great it is when it comes to animating action scenes with a lot of detail, sound effects, and fitting music. And like Gunbuster, the ending is a big surprise that will leave a smile on your face. Just make sure that you have seen Gunbuster first, and you'll get to relive that experience again in Diebuster.

11. Infini-T Force
Season Aired: Fall 2017
Studio: Tatsunoko Productions
A schoolgirl comes across a wish-granting pencil that is coveted by beings from different worlds, and it is up to a group of superheroes to protect her. Infini-T Force is an anime fully rendered in 3D CGI, but unlike other CGI anime, the animation for Infin-T Force runs very smoothly. It looks like animation used for video games, but that is perfectly fine as it suits the superhero aspect well. While the story is mostly tropes commonly seen in superhero stories, Infini-T Force executes it well and adds some drama to this supposedly upbeat anime. The protagonist is very unlikable in the beginning, but she will change as the anime progresses and you will come to understand why she is who she is. There are some sad moments in this series, and I did tear up a few times. The strongest aspect of the series is actually the animation itself. The detailed backgrounds, the fluid action scenes, the lighting, and the great use of music all compliment each other to present a sense of realism to its story. The facial expressions in particular are highly animated, and the voice acting along with the mouth movements make the voices of the characters sound very natural. Both the heroes and villains have great designs with their own unique characteristics to distinguish themselves. If there is one issue that Infini-T Force has, it is that the side characters don't really get too much screen time and are kind of just cast to the side until they are needed. The series does end with a satisfying closure, but there is an upcoming movie to continue the story, so I am very much looking forward to that. Don't judge it by its CGI. Infini-T Force is a superhero series where you will get a nice balance of action and drama that will prove to be both entertaining and emotional.
Best Animation


Now then...because of this massive list, I do not have enough room to list my top 10 anime here. So...

Anime Relations: Kuzu no Honkai

Here we are again. The final 10 anime that I have chosen to be the best of the best that I have seen this year. Now just because these are my top 10 anime of the year doesn't mean that they're perfect. They don't have to be 10s or 9s or even 8s to be part of this tier. The reason why I chose these 10 from the rest of the anime that I watched this year is because these are the 10 that stood out the most for me.

Now...without further ado!




#10.

Anime Relations: Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

Here we are again. The final 10 anime that I have chosen to be the best of the best that I have seen this year. Now just because these are my top 10 anime of the year doesn't mean that they're perfect. They don't have to be 10s or 9s or even 8s to be part of this tier. The reason why I chose these 10 from the rest of the anime that I watched this year is because these are the 10 that stood out the most for me.

Now...without further ado!


#10.