My Top Animes

A list dedicated to my all-time favorite Animes!

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender

Although not technically an Anime, it being an American-made show and not Japanese animation, it's produced in the style of an Anime, heavily influenced by Asian animation in content, art, and feel.

I put it on top because it was the show that first introduced me to Anime, and it's so unquestionably good that I don't think it can be discounted as one of the best animated shows of all time. Besides having the most epic final battle EVER.

2. Naruto/Naruto Shippuden

Although I find the filler seasons (9 and 11) incredibly annoying, and the current season 12 tedious, with its silliness concerning animal balls and the side-plots about the battles in the 4th Great Ninja War, it's still in my top 5. I've watched season 8 three times because it is just that good, and the story arc in the current season where Naruto confronts the Nine-tails as well.

3. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

An undisputed can't miss for Anime fans. "Brotherhood" actually follows story of the manga, whereas the first series FMA deviates about 20 episodes in, when the Anime caught up with the publication, and it gets really weird and doesn't make much sense. But I prefer the way the first few story arcs were done the first time around, so I usually tell people about to watch it for the first time to watch the original up until Ed reaches Building 5 and defeats the two suits of armor, then begin watching "Brotherhood" around episode 8.

4. Blood+

An action-packed vampire love story. The rivalry between Saia and Diva is hear-wrenchingly tragic, and Hagi is one of my all-time favorite characters for so many reasons, one being his unconditional devotion to Saia.

5. Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler)

One word: Sebastian.

6.  InuYasha

An action-comedy about a half-demon. Really funny at times with endearing characters and a really sweet (and infuriatingly frustrating!) love story, I couldn't help but love this one. A 90's classic.

7. Steins;Gate

For those who haven't seen it, I'm not going to spoil anything about this one. I went into it totally blind, not even knowing around what the plot was centered, and that made it a supremely gratifying experience. It's in my top 10, so just watch it. That's all.

8. Nurarihyon no Mago (Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan)

An all-around epic Anime about Nura Rikuo, a part-human, part-demon heir to the Nura family, a Youkai clan. Even as I read the manga, I'm still praying for a third season.

9. Gurren Lagann

At first I thought it was just going to be an excuse for battling mechas, but it's funny, the characters are developed and interesting, and it's just plain epic! 

10. Ouran High School Host Club

Rounding out my top 10 is one of the most hilarious Animes I've ever seen. Although it, too, was left unfinished at about the halfway-point at the end of the first season, you can't help but feel good when you watch it. It ingeniously parodies different themes found in Shoujo Manga, and constantly had me laughing out loud. I tried to read the manga, so as to absorb the end of the story that was cut off, but it just doesn't have the same... something... charm?... that the Anime has. I wish they'd make a second season!

11. Elfen Lied

If I were talking about manga, this one would be higher on the list. As it stands, the Anime was unfinished, ending about halfway through the story; one of the saddest, tragically beautiful stories ever.

12. Natsume Yuujin-Chou

Visually beautiful animation, heart-warming stories, and interesting characters make Natsume one of my favorites. I really hope Brain's Base makes a season 5.

13. Shugo Chara!

An endearing and funny story about a middle-school girl and her friends who have "guardian characters," hatched from their hearts' eggs. Don't just toss this one aside because it's Shoujo, it's supremely entertaining for many reasons. Definitely a top-20!

14. Un-Go

 There are so many reasons why I love this anime. The animation is stunning, the music is great, the stories are interesting, and it isn't based on a manga, for once. It would be higher on the list if it weren't for the fact that it was only a measly 11 episodes (not counting Episode 0, the promotional movie).

15. High School of the Dead

At the time when I watched it, it was the raunchiest Anime I'd seen,* but that didn't deter me from its zombie-killing awesomeness. Anxiously awaiting the announced, but not-released, second season!















[*Definitely not the raunchiest Anime I've seen anymore. Ikkitousen is...]

16. Trigun

An epic anime that in my opinion was too short. The last few episodes felt hurried and incomplete, but final nonetheless. I wish there had been two seasons and the wrapping-up of the story had been more spread-out, but it's still a classic and a top-20's.

17. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

A futuristic Anime about an apartheid-world where the "Britannian" (nice play on words, there) Empire rules the world. Lelouch, a former Britannian prince, leads the rebellion in Japan. Although it showcases more fighting robots called Knightmares, the characters are deep and well-developed, and the social commentary on apartheid and racism makes it poignant and interesting.

18. Death Note

A dark drama along the lines of "Dexter" about a self-righteous serial-killer who thinks he's ridding the world of evil. The real appeal of this show, in my opinion, is the relationship between Light and L, and how they try, fail, and try again to best one-another, all while putting on a show of friendship.

19. Angel Beats!

At first, I dismissed this one as a silly music video show, but once I got into it, it became a sweet story about love, loss, and accepting death. The ending was so sweet, I fell for it.

20. Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl)

The first episode misled me to believe that this Anime would be more J-Horror in nature, but quickly diverted from that path, which was disappointing. But the first two seasons stuck with me as interesting, heart-warming, and tragic all at the same time. The third season has an interesting twist at the end, but is also very strange, and just began to take an odd course compared to the rest of the show. Still, it's the first real Anime I ever watched, and it got me hooked. It will always be a favorite.