1. Gintama - If you were to ask me what I thought was the best anime of all time was, my answer (at the moment) would be Gintama. I also don't see this answer changing any time soon, if ever. Believe me, it doesn't have 5 of the top 10 spots on MAL (with the most recent season rightfully taking #1) and most other lists for nothing, they didn't get there by some fluke, it earned them. Having seen a lot of the other critically acclaimed and popular anime, I can confidently say that Gintama outdoes all of them, quite comfortably too. It just has so much more to offer, outstanding humour, memorable characters, amazing fights, and it can punch you right in the feels when it wants to. It's amazing to watch a show cover so many genres and excel at all of them. The tone-shifts are really well done and it can change from wildly ridiculous and funny to super depressing in the space of 20 seconds and it doesn't feel forced whatsoever. The OST for this show is incredible and very well used, full of beautiful piano melodies, more intense orchestral symphonies and the downright bizarre. The animation isn't the best by any means but it is consistent and does improve as it goes on which is more than most long-running shows can offer. While it struggles to find its feet in the first season with lots of character introductions and inconsistent quality of episodes, once it hits it's second season (ep. 50) and the first serious arc (ep. 58-61), boy does it take off and it doesn't stop that climb upwards with the last two arcs of Gintama° (ep. 300-307, 308-316) being not only the best so far but also containing at least 4 of the best episodes I have seen of anime as a whole. Also having picked up the manga afterwards, what's yet to be animated is even better. It honestly feels strange comprehending that it can get better but it does. While the start wasn't as good (this being caused by budget issues, threats of being cancelled etc.. all of which they make fun of in the show), it was still funny and that's Gintama's secret... it make's you laugh. All the characters (not just the main characters, but all the side characters as well) get proper development over time and are funny in their own way, and once they make you laugh, you care about them. Then later when those characters go through serious situations you're 100% on board with them. Overall, honestly, I don't think I have found anything more enjoyable than this series, not just in anime but across all mediums. 万事屋よ永遠なれ - Be Forever Yorozuya. "If you have the time to fantasize a beautiful ending, why not live beautifully until the end?" - Gintoki Sakata
"I'll always and forever.. be waiting in Kabukicho with the Yorozuya sign hanging outside my door." - Gintoki Sakata
"Zura ja nai, Katsura da" - Kotarou Zura Katsura
2. Shakugan No Shana - The first anime I ever watched. I had seen bits and pieces of mainstream anime like Pokemon and Dragonball but had never sat down and watched an anime properly. I was blown away by just how creative it was, I loved the characters, their back-stories and the way they all grew with the show. Oh, and the world-building. The fight scenes are incredible and the animation was brilliant for its time and could still hold its own today.. almost. It was amazing. I know now that Shakugan no Shana is no masterpiece and it has flaws but back then I didn't, I thought it was perfect. Every anime I will ever watch was a consequence of me enjoying Shakugan no Shana. I love it unconditionally. "Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!" - Shana
3. Haikyuu!! - This shounen sports anime about volleyball is simply outstanding. It's all about the hype with Haikyuu!! Not many shows can make me as excited to watch the next episode as much as this. The characters are great and how they gel as a team and bring out the best in each other is a pleasure to watch. The animation is fantastic, the soundtrack is as well. The games are entertaining and the opponents always have different things that they excel at which keeps it even more interesting. The second season is also off to a strong start. Such a great show, it doesn't put a foot wrong. "So long as I am here, you will be the strongest" - Tobio Kageyama
4. Non Non Biyori - This fucking show! I could be having the worst day of my life, a day where everything that could go wrong did go wrong and all I would have to do to cheer myself up would be to watch this show. It makes me immeasurably happy. On the surface it's just cute girls in the country doing cute things but a lot of what they're doing is what I did as a kid. It's simple but very effective and accomplishes what it wants to do masterfully. Also the scene backgrounds and landscapes, all the artwork is hand-painted and gorgeous... I really need to go back to country Japan. "I need you to take this seriously and say goo-goo" - Renge Miyauchi
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