Expansion list of my memorable anime (forever under construction):
40: Paprika
Few directors have had visions to the magnitude of the late Satoshi Kon’s, and even fewer have wielded their vision as smartly and confidently as Kon did in Paprika. His take on diving into the dreams of people in Paprika was a full-on attack on the senses that almost threatened to overwhelm at times. Where many would lose control of such a wild premise, however, Kon instead rides effortlessly through incredible transitions, manipulation of space, and a clear focus of his end product – an exhilarating and mysterious chase after the innermost thoughts that its characters represent through their dreams.
39: Koe no Katachi
The brilliance of Koe no Katachi, aside from its beautiful animation foundation in Kyoto Animation and director Naoko Yamada, is in how it proportionally rewards what one chooses to take away from it. It can be a cursory tale of seeking redemption and a caution of the widespread trauma that bullying can have, but it can also be a devastating yet hopeful depiction of some of the many aspects of human nature and the struggle in finding the right paths in life. In fact, the only thing Koe no Katachi doesn’t – and appropriately shouldn’t have – is an easy answer.
38: Nodame Cantabile
Nodame Cantabile is one of anime’s perfect storms in terms of chemistry. It’s rarely short on comedic moments, but can effortlessly transition into pivotal drama. The eccentricities of Nodame often seem like a strong clash with the irritable uptightness of Chiaki, but the development between them surprises and endears at every turn. Supporting cast members that threaten to be one-note belie their own individual and unique perspectives and motivations, and everything is tied together at the root by an undying passion for classical music in all forms. The result is a brilliant and joyous series that radiates personality at will.
37: The Ancient Magus' Bride
The Ancient Magus’ Bride spares neither detail nor question with its premise. The pairing of Chise and Elias is not only complex and provoking at surface level, but also becomes emblematic of a disinclined, turbulent meshing of humanity and mythology. As the story navigates both its mysterious world and the inner workings of its protagonists, it carefully ruminates on the complexities and unspoken rules that effect both. The closest thing we’ll likely ever get to a hypothetical Neil Gaiman-xxxHolic crossover, The Ancient Magus’ Bride constructs an engrossing and multifacted world - inspired by Western stories, but filtered through Eastern storytelling sensibilities.
36: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Stand Alone Complex’s fortress of a series is stout, constructed upon a wealth of ideas augmented by strong writing. Its overarching plot may seem overwhelming at first, but comes together methodically almost as if to mirror Section 9’s stoic professionalism. However, this plot, coupled with individual episodes into Section 9’s exploits, serves to showcase its cold world of cybernetics and its accompanying issues. Ranging from philosophical explorations of boundaries between man and machine to relevant worldly topics like cyber culture and war atrocities, Stand Alone Complex paints a paradoxically rich but sterile world that’s impressively abundant with food for thought.
35: Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
How does one paint Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei in a positive light? Ironically, by highlighting its ordinarily negative qualities. Many of the characters are one-note to the point of being very specific caricatures, much of the animation style is disorienting and perverse, and many of the series’ jokes are the kind that would make one gasp in horror rather than laugh. It takes Akiyuki Shinbo’s signature biting, rapid-fire directorial flair for the series to go fully off the chain in embracing its deranged traits, and nothing in Japanese society and culture is safe from the hilariously dark and irreverent fallout.
34: Banana Fish
Banana Fish’s gritty and harrowing world plays host to one of anime’s most intense stories as a pulpy underground encounter kicks off into a far-reaching conspiracy with extreme stakes and wildly unpredictable emotional peaks and valleys. Although the narrative of Banana Fish is already harshly riveting and elaborately woven, it’s the characters that really elevate its impact, centralizing around the intimate yet tentative relationship between Ash and Eiji. Add on a myriad of provocative themes such as abuse of power and dealing with trauma, and Banana Fish carves out its place in anime as one of its gutsiest narratives yet.
33: The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
Taking a different turn from the usual zany antics of the SOS Brigade, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya teaches the old adage that absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder. With the usual elaborate setup of a normal Haruhi arc, Disappearance opts for an alternate timeline that captures an empty, void feeling that perfectly contrasts with the series’ mischievousness. Disappearance is like a puzzle piece snapping into place for the series; not only does it bind together many threads in the Haruhi timeline, but it more importantly reaffirms what makes the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise the quirky phenomenon it’s become.
32: Ranking of Kings
For a series with the veneer of a classic hero’s journey, Ranking of Kings holds qualities about it that, much like its spirited protagonist, let it punch above its weight in imaginative ways. An expansive epic of machinations and multifaceted motivations, the series skips no detail, whether it’s in its intensely choreographed sequences or its evocative storytelling and dynamic characterization. Its portrayals of unconditional support, forgiveness, and perseverance are consistent even when mixed with the narrative’s propensity for surprises and misdirection, giving the series a blend of ascendance, empathy, and complexity that truly feel as if they’re against all odds.
31: Fruits Basket (2019)
Nearly fifteen years after its original conclusion, Natsuki Takaya’s iconic series reiterated itself as a shoujo staple with a fully realized anime adaptation. Much like how it deftly alternates between endearing humor and crushing tragedy, Fruits Basket’s initially capricious Zodiac-themed premise is thoroughly unmasked by heavy and intimately woven themes. While utterly heartbreaking, Fruits Basket comes out as ultimately uplifting - it openly bears the wounds of its characters and their pasts, but the healing and perseverance it shows in the face of cyclical abuse and numerous other traumas lead to emotional payoffs absolutely exalting in how comprehensive they are.
30: Natsume's Book of Friends
A quaint, melancholy, and unassuming series, Natsume’s Book of Friends surprises in how quietly and efficiently goes for the heart, becoming quite the evocative anime throughout its various vignettes. Through the eyes of a boy who’s seen too much, Natsume’s Book of Friends depicts the boundaries between the worlds of humans and youkai and the soulful conflicts that often come when the two interact. These struggles reflect in the experiences of the titular protagonist Natsume, who comes to acknowledge being part of both worlds as an initially unwilling medium while he quietly tries to find his place in the world.
29: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
(coming soon)
28: Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club is a well-meaning sarcastic love letter to shoujo romances everywhere. From its amorphous art style to its gross yet self-aware exaggeration of many of the genre’s archetypes, it would already serve very well as an excellent parody of both romance clichés and the fans who feed off them. Yet as much as it may be biting, it also clearly loves being part of the genre, having a charming cast headed by one of the most admirable heroines in the genre. Ouran takes the best of both worlds to become a polished gem amongst shoujo romances.
27: Mushishi
I can’t say that Mushishi isn’t something to be merely watched so much as it should be experienced – a key strength of it is its transcendent use of atmosphere to evoke a wide array of feelings, many of which words fail to do justice. What really pushes Mushishi into a realm of its own, however, is its ability to depict glimpses into the vast expanses of its supernatural nature. Although functionally a collection of short stories, Mushishi takes every opportunity to reach for a higher plane of understanding, creating a meditative poignancy that captures the myriad facets of nature itself.
26: Pluto
In retelling a part of Tezuka's Astro Boy, Naoki Urasawa makes his distinctly elaborate style felt and masterfully creates something uniquely poignant from it. Futuristically speculative but also cognizant of the mistakes and cycles of the past, Pluto's exploration into robots and artificial intelligence as they intersect with the extremes of human behavior is complex yet thunderously gripping. Guided at first by the premise of an elaborate murder mystery, Pluto's narrative unwraps and grows in scope into a suspenseful dive into the heart of humanity's most unfathomable emotions and how their consequences either advance or even almost destroy our world.
25: Honey and Clover
I could default to calling Honey and Clover an excellent college life series, but its lessons can still be pervasive and relevant well beyond those years. With snapshots into its characters’ lives that only progress as time itself would dictate, Honey and Clover shows that reality is often the harshest teacher we’ll have, but also the one that we may learn the most about ourselves from. Equally gregarious as it is heartbreaking, Honey and Clover has messages that’ll be relevant to everyone, whether it’s about moving on, finding fulfillment, or just all of the little rollercoasters that come with life.
24: 3-gatsu no Lion
Forgoing gratuitous platitudes and inorganic dramatics, 3-gatsu no Lion goes straight for the pulse in how it depicts human emotions in a manner that’s both reserved and resounding. Despite tucking away many difficult feelings within its sizeable ensemble, the series chooses to exist broadly within everyday interactions, rounding them out with varying degrees of levity and allowing its characters to feel all the more real and meaningful for it. 3-gatsu no Lion paints a heartfelt, multi-dimensional portrait of how people internalize and try to overcome their struggles in an effort to stay course with the nonnegotiable dealings of everyday life.
23: Baccano!
It comes as no surprise that the series named after an Italian word for ruckus would revel in chaos, and Baccano! unloads its madness in a bombastically orchestrated manner. Across a disjointed timeline centered in the twilight of Prohibition-era America, Baccano! features a motley crew consisting mostly of lunatics with seemingly unrelated threads that entwine in the most absurd cases of happenstance. Baccano! exhibits borderline cockiness in how it bucks storytelling conventions, but with an eclectic display of personalities and Tarantino-esque action violence to go along with its cacophonous narrative, the series amasses the manic energy of a runaway train.
22: Aria the Natural
As a follow-up, Aria the Natural takes the series to its next logical steps; the wonders of Neo-Venezia are ever more expansive, and the Undines that we have come to know in Animation become more realized as both their own personalities and the audience’s conduits into the magic of Aqua. Natural retains the series’ base charms – the relaxing pace, sentimentality, world-building, immersion, subtle awe, and joy – but ever so gradually escalates them in a way that one can’t help but get further lost into the world of Aqua as its ordinary everyday events push upon surreal and magical boundaries.
21: Bakemonogatari
Bakemonogatari is an intricately constructed contradiction. It’s quick-cut and minimally animated for TV, though also noticeably frenetic and ephemeral for a novel adaptation. The dialogue can be long-winded and verbose while details flash by like a blink. The content flirts shamelessly with anime subculture and vanity, but pays homage to the unique charms of Japanese folklore and ghost stories. The gateway fusion of the quirky duo of SHAFT and Nisio Isin, Bakemonogatari set its roots in their experimental tendencies, and through subversive direction, sharp writing, and a memorable cast, it became a phenomenon and ambassador for the possibilities of anime.
20: Cross Game
Cross Game’s premise isn’t the most grandiose of anime plots, but it goes the extra mile in ways that too few anime do. The series hinges its drama on the most subtle and careful moments; rather than drill down on the series’ driving tragedy, it comprehensively depicts the ways how people impact others’ lives both during their lifetimes and well after they’re gone. Victories are hard-earned, and losses sting and linger. Because of the unassuming realities of baseball, games are tense and suspenseful, but decided through believable tactics and realistic scenarios. Mitsuru Adachi has a long-standing reputation of being a master technician with characterization and drama; true to that reputation, every thought and action here is meticulously written and has plenty of driving motivation behind it. Modest premise aside, Cross Game illustrates how passion for the intricacies of both sport and character drama will always be timelessly treasured in anime.
19: Steins;Gate
Starting out as a seemingly preposterous basement project amongst misfits, the one thing Steins;Gate knows how to do from there is escalate. The checklist is long for the series: details connect to one another, characters settle themselves into more involved and sometimes sinister roles, Chekov’s guns are loaded and fired, dread and discomfort builds, and momentum grows as the series matures into one of anime’s most thoroughly thrilling time travel stories. Steins;Gate’s key strengths stem from its deceptively efficient attention to detail, whether it’s towards plot or characterization. Although the core pseudo-science is inherently unbelievable, many of the conceptual pitfalls of time travel are addressed carefully as to almost seem plausible. Characters that would otherwise be known for just their personal idiosyncrasies all get opportunities to present themselves more candidly. In its goal to deliver an absolutely impressive and harrowing ride, Steins;Gate is nothing but comprehensive all the way through.
18: Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Puella Magi Madoka Magica’s path toward acclaim is one that I feel isn’t just about being shocking, unexpected, or tonally adverse, even if those are all certainly merits in its favor. Even having become a flagship for genre deconstruction, Madoka’s construction of a viciously impartial and detached universe inspired by distinct literary pieces and metaphysical concepts demonstrates is a tight net of ideas waiting to be explored and digested. Within the confines of twelve episodes, this brainchild is initially obscured, revealed piecewise in order to deliver some of the most stunning heel turns ever seen in anime. Perhaps the abstract yet oddly geometric aesthetic provided by SHAFT partially betrays its surface-level twists, and maybe the initially moe veneer the series puts on tries too hard to hide its demons in hindsight. But nothing can foretell the genre confines, storytelling conventions, and perceived expectations that Madoka successfully lays to total ruin.
17: Kara no Kyoukai 5: Paradox Spiral
Paradox Spiral is Kara no Kyoukai at its absolute peak and the culmination of four prior movies’ worth of intricacies and establishing acts. It’s the most elaborate and complex of the mysteries presented so far, which is an impressive feat in its own right given the series’ dense and exhausting ensemble of themes and concepts. Where it really elevates itself above the rest of the films in the series, however, is in its fantastic direction. The film’s use of repetition, multiple perspectives, distortion, and even stillness creates a dark and eerie atmosphere that heightens dread and anticipation. Packed within this confident cinematography is a thematically rich conspiracy that invites an abundance of interpretations that one can pick apart for days. With a core story like this garnished with unnervingly beautiful palette and brilliantly animated climaxes, Paradox Spiral has so many ways that it can blow one’s mind many times over.
16: Gungrave
Nothing about the way Gungrave kicks off would suggest that it would become one of anime’s most emotionally charged crime dramas. With Yasuhiro Nightow’s bombastic fingerprints all over the creative designs, it has the initial look of a Devil May Cry-inspired action series, perhaps stemming from its origins as a cult video game. However, the series quickly moves to show a more personal, character-driven side, depicting the rise of two best friends who climb the world of organized crime and the machinations that eventually lead to massive emotional ramifications for them. Gungrave explores both the best and worst of people who are bound by friendship and loyalty, chronicling an arduous rise stained by countless tragedies along the way. It’s an anime that masters the ability to say volumes without much spoken dialogue, thanks to an engaging story, complex characters, and heart-wrenching moments delivered with the efficiency of a well-placed bullet.
15: Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal
The story of how Himura Kenshin came to be known as the Hitokiri Battousai carries with it an extremely heavy weight. Trust and Betrayal is Rurouni Kenshin at its rawest and most evocative – in an era of Japan fraught with violence and upheaval, Kenshin himself is in one of the most tumultuous periods of his own life. What would have been an otherwise noble and idealistic vision that he pursues is irrevocably stained as the fights he partakes in are bloody and visceral, depicted in order to fully realize the carnage left behind as the consequences of his actions. Trust and Betrayal is an emotional wringer that corrupts ideals, shatters peace, and trades off justice for senselessness. Through it all, the deepest depths of Kenshin’s character are brought to light, allowing us to witness the tragedies in his youth that would have such a profound impact in his later life.
14: Neon Genesis Evangelion
It is impossible to overstate Evangelion’s spot in the annals of anime for good reason. Interpretations and analysis of the anime take a myriad of different directions, leading to it becoming a poster child for complex and polarizing auteur projects. I’ve personally never been particularly confident about my own interpretations of the series - there are far too many starting points for dissecting the series’ finer details, whether it’s religious, psychoanalytic, philosophical, or deconstructive. What keeps Evangelion resonant in my mind, however, is its remarkable ability to emote amidst its complex themes. Not drawing from just one place mentally, Evangelion deep-dives into a wide array of negative stimuli such as depression, trauma, detachment, and resentment among others. Amidst countless debates and controversy amidst its audience, what remains ironclad about the series is its stagnant and oppressive atmosphere – innately catatonic, yet brimming with volatility and disregard for genre and medium conventions.
13: Mawaru Penguindrum
The first thing about Penguindrum that I marveled at was how confident it was in its flamboyance. Kunihiko Ikuhara is a director who clearly wears his influences on his sleeve, shown by the 90s-esque shoujo style of Penguindrum artistic direction mixed with aesthetics hearkening back to theatrical productions and strikingly Dezaki-influenced visuals. The influences don’t end at just a visual standpoint, however – the second thing I marveled at was Penguindrum’s story, an epic yet intimate struggle against fate and nihilism, bears symbolism and themes that only become more fascinating the deeper I pry into them. Stylistic and inspired can’t begin to describe Penguindrum’s multi-layered and often puzzling narrative, which rarely ever shies from being a rollercoaster of panache. It’s a series that undoubtedly rewards engagement but earns captivation; many anime can say they’re just as crazy, but none have quite the unique ambitions or allusions that Penguindrum exhibits in spades.
12: Your Name.
For a movie that presented itself as a comedic body-swap romance on the surface, the sheer abstraction and poetry that came out of Your Name was nothing short of miraculous. Drawing upon the differences between modern and traditionalist Japan, Your Name makes both feel distinct and relevant as Taki and Mitsuha acclimate not to just new bodies, but the different cultures and environments surrounding them as well. It’s upon this foundation that Makoto Shinkai begins to build Your Name’s core strengths, creating feelings of longing, dreaming, waking up, and yearning among other things, increasingly drawing upon strong yet thoughtfully visceral and evocative emotions and ideas. With these and an amalgamation of motifs, Your Name crescendos in intensity toward its climactic moments, and as everything it’s built up erupts into an expansive, star-crossed exclamation, it creates a stunning display of genuinely romanticized beauty that will not be forgotten any time soon.
11: Millennium Actress
Of all of Satoshi Kon’s works, Millennium Actress is the one that stands out as the most emblematic of Kon’s unique talents as a director. Its intermittencies in navigating between reality and imagination capture a rich and colorful motion of the titular actress’s life, meshing her spoken narratives with outbursts of cinematic action and artful flair. The foil between film and reality aren’t the only contrast that’s utilized to great effect, though – Millennium Actress also has a whimsical and seemingly spontaneous journey fly against the winds of tragically fatalistic and intimidatingly fruitless realizations. Through the lens of Kon’s iconic manipulations of perception, Millennium Actress bursts with creativity and challenges conventions with every passing chapter of Chiyoko’s life. It’s arguably Kon’s most unrestrained work, a vividly amorphous masterpiece that molds itself to many motifs and trains of thought – undoubtedly one of the most enriching and rewarding experiences anime has to offer.
10: Simoun
There’s so much to dissect when it comes to elaborating on why I love Simoun. As a character-driven yuri series, it’s thunderously dramatic, yet acutely mindful of its characters and their stories. With its premise engaged in a war, it’s harrowing and raw in how it chooses to fixate on the carnage and senselessness of a tainted conflict. The world of Daikuriku is curiously imaginative and accentuated by a sweeping Toshihiko Sahashi soundtrack that envelops it in a majestic tone. The real heartbeat of the series, however, is its incisive scrutiny into what it truly means to grow up. For some, that idea constitutes maturity and one’s acceptance into society at large – the beginning of a new era. For others, it signals the loss of innocence and the end of a time in which we view the world through complaisant lens. Do we consummate our individuality when we take the first steps into adulthood? Or do we suppress it in an effort to assimilate into the broader collective known as society? Far beyond just existing as a fantastical war drama, Simoun is an epic conflict of themes that’s provocative and complex, a call to arms that emanates intensity and emotion.
9: Toward the Terra
Toward the Terra is a proudly ambitious realization of space opera’s potential given the vast amounts of room in it for imagination. From a narrative perspective, it’s an epic that takes place across generations and accommodates elements of dystopias, biblical parallels, political ideologies, and literature-inspired allegories without missing a beat, even as it threatens to burden itself with more than its 24-episode run can hold. Its two leads, both depicted to have been molded by this world in very different ways, are crafted to be shouldered with the many foils and contrasts the series presents – most critical of which is the clash over being able to control humanity’s very thoughts – all while bearing their own unique turmoil as the leaders of their factions. Their origins and intertwined stories generate the sparks of a struggle that commands attention via triumphs and tragedies alike, rarely lacking in drama and emotion. Behind them, Terra’s cast has little in terms of wasted characters; many make an indelible impact on the story, whether it’s marking a pivotal change or representing a facet of the story’s overarching ideas. An invaluable product of 1970s animanga, Toward the Terra has both scope and precision to match the classics.
8: Castle in the Sky
(Coming soon)
7: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
6: Princess Tutu
5: Kaleido Star
4: Haibane Renmei
3: Ef - a Tale of Memories
2: Aria the Origination
1: Gunslinger Girl
Sorry for the mega late reply, first christmas/new year took all my time and after that i simply forgot this profile for a short time.
"One can only imagine how proud he and Triela would be of Speranza" Man, those lines hit me hard, i just imagined Triela and hilshire standing together holding hands and smiling(heaven form) when Speranza went up on the scene to speak.
And i agree on the sequel part, i would take no risk in destroying this manga, which a sequel have a high chance on doing. Let it stay a masterpiece.
Overall Triela is the brightest star. What do you think about the ending? Weren't all the cyborgs sent out to an island to spend the short life they had left? Triela and Hilshire dying together is something i saw a little ahead and i feel it is much better for them to die together rather than apart(At last they died together feeling). I didn't except Jose and Henrietta's death though, suicide came to my surprise, another(At last they died together feeling) I though the mangaka was going to pull another one with Rico and Jean, good thing that didn't happen. Petrushka Don't have long left because of cancer, not sure if she went to that island or stayed with Sandro with her remaining time. At the end jean seems to be some high ranking chief(Didn't get with me what he is chief of) Him having a picture of Rico at his desk probably means that she is dead and confirms that she meant a lot to him. Roberta Guellfi/Triela's daughter leaves the ending a good one. Not sure who the father is, but i guess, Hillshire?
If.. aida yu decided to make a sequel, what do you think it would be about?
I was random clicking all around, i added you to my bookmark a few days ago after i saw your profile hoping i could smack up a conversation.
It's such a shame that harem and horrible romance manga's get all the attention while Gunslinger girl gets pushed out to the sidelines. Gunslinger girl got only 803 completed on mal.. they are missing out on an amazing read.
I started the manga were the anime left off, which was chapter 15, i did read all the 85 chapters in one go, couldn't stop. I started reading around 17:00 and finished 21:00 went to bed and had a dream about piano and violin: one of the best dreams i ever had.
Man, you almost said exactly what i felt about the manga. If you don't mind me giving my option; "it never forces you to feel one way or the other" Exactly, It let's you choose how to feel and what to think about it. My favorite part too is the relationship between the cyborgs and their handlers/Fratello specially Triela and Hilshire, Rico and Jean. Seeing the past of the characters made it so much stronger to read. Henrietta and jose probably had the most drama however Triela is still my favorite.
Sorry for my English, it isn't my native language.
On another note, Ef a tale was amazing, haven't watched it since 2011 however that anime was a real emotion puller. Nice list background you got there.
After looking at your page i think i am going to re-watch the first season of Gunslinger girl. I completed the manga a few days ago and it was a blast. Fellow Triela fan are you too.
All Comments (5) Comments
"One can only imagine how proud he and Triela would be of Speranza" Man, those lines hit me hard, i just imagined Triela and hilshire standing together holding hands and smiling(heaven form) when Speranza went up on the scene to speak.
And i agree on the sequel part, i would take no risk in destroying this manga, which a sequel have a high chance on doing. Let it stay a masterpiece.
Overall Triela is the brightest star. What do you think about the ending? Weren't all the cyborgs sent out to an island to spend the short life they had left? Triela and Hilshire dying together is something i saw a little ahead and i feel it is much better for them to die together rather than apart(At last they died together feeling). I didn't except Jose and Henrietta's death though, suicide came to my surprise, another(At last they died together feeling) I though the mangaka was going to pull another one with Rico and Jean, good thing that didn't happen. Petrushka Don't have long left because of cancer, not sure if she went to that island or stayed with Sandro with her remaining time. At the end jean seems to be some high ranking chief(Didn't get with me what he is chief of) Him having a picture of Rico at his desk probably means that she is dead and confirms that she meant a lot to him. Roberta Guellfi/Triela's daughter leaves the ending a good one. Not sure who the father is, but i guess, Hillshire?
If.. aida yu decided to make a sequel, what do you think it would be about?
It's such a shame that harem and horrible romance manga's get all the attention while Gunslinger girl gets pushed out to the sidelines. Gunslinger girl got only 803 completed on mal.. they are missing out on an amazing read.
I started the manga were the anime left off, which was chapter 15, i did read all the 85 chapters in one go, couldn't stop. I started reading around 17:00 and finished 21:00 went to bed and had a dream about piano and violin: one of the best dreams i ever had.
Man, you almost said exactly what i felt about the manga. If you don't mind me giving my option; "it never forces you to feel one way or the other" Exactly, It let's you choose how to feel and what to think about it. My favorite part too is the relationship between the cyborgs and their handlers/Fratello specially Triela and Hilshire, Rico and Jean. Seeing the past of the characters made it so much stronger to read. Henrietta and jose probably had the most drama however Triela is still my favorite.
Sorry for my English, it isn't my native language.
On another note, Ef a tale was amazing, haven't watched it since 2011 however that anime was a real emotion puller. Nice list background you got there.
Mind if i ask your thoughts about the manga?