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Top Ten Favourite Anime - Round 2 [Dish #59]

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Top Ten Anime Series

A while back I did another entry like this, but since then I've watched several more anime and my preferences have changed somewhat. Since I've been watching a lot of anime lately, I figure now would be a great time to redo my top ten list. Some of these shows were on the previous list, but many were not. I'm glad that I've expanded my horizons even further however, because some of these shows are truly amazing and I cannot believe I hadn't seen them yet. Onwards!

Honourable Mentions

Before I get into the list, there are a few great anime that came close but didn't quite make the cut for the final top ten. Most notably among these are Fate/Zero, Darker than Black, Zetsuen no Tempest, Aoi Hana and Kokoro Connect. I'm honestly not sure why I couldn't put Fate here, so I'll skip that out. As for the others, Darker than Black and Zetsuen no Tempest are both really good anime but are let down by dramatically weaker second halves to their stories. Aoi Hana meanwhile is overshadowed by it's manga so much that I just couldn't include it and consider it fair. Kokoro Connect nearly made the tenth spot, and honestly it normally would. However I've watched it so many times recently it's gotten a little stale for me, which is a shame because it's great. So it can sit here instead.


Number Ten - Isshuukan Friends


Honestly, it surprised me to see this anime manage to stay on the list. However it's heartwarming story, talented voice acting and beautiful art style have left a lasting impression on me. In Isshuukan Friends the main protagonist meets a girl (no shocker there I know) who loses all memory of her friendships at the end of each week. The show follows the pair as they repeatedly reform their friendship and despite the pain it causes them, struggle to overcome the girl's condition. If you like slice of life anime, especially those with a more tragic twist, and heartwarming moments I highly recommend you give this a go.


Number Nine - Naruto/Naruto Shippuden


I can already hear those of you who are anime connoisseurs crying out in physical pain here, but hear me out. Whilst in many ways this story about super-powerful ninja is just another typical shounen anime, there's things that set it above the other anime of the genre. Firstly, the story is actually quite complex in both parts. Whilst most anime of this genre have very shallow plots, the plot of the Naruto series is almost consistently deep and at times deals with some pretty major stuff. The other thing that sets it apart is the characters. There are some truly amazing characters in this anime and not just because of badassery, but because there's actually real character development and depth here which is something other anime in this genre tend to lack.


Number Eight - Elfen Lied


This is one of those anime that you either love or hate. In Elfen Lied a group of powerful humanoid creatures known as Diclonius are hated, experimented on, hidden from the public, tortured and oppressed. After escaping a military complex, one such Diclonius suffers a head wound that results in a split personality half innocent like a child and half murderous psycho out for revenge. Following her escape she ends up drawing several others into her struggle. This anime has a bad reputation because it does contain excessive amounts of nudity and gore, however beyond the surface lies a masterpiece with an amazing story. I can get why many dislike it, however I am not one of those people.

Number Seven - Angel Beats


Angel Beats is an interesting anime, following a group of teenagers in the afterlife as they struggle to come to terms with their deaths, fight strange enemies and ultimately live out the lives they lost. This anime takes some getting used to and starts out seeming more a comedy than anything, but as the story progresses you'll find yourself encountering just as much sadness as happiness. This anime has some truly beautiful plot lines, great characters and has the capacity to make you laugh with joy and shed tears of sadness... so long as you can get passed the original goofiness.


Number Six - Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi


More commonly known as Erased, this anime follows the story of a 29-year-old failed manga artist with the bizarre ability to be transported back in time to prevent fatal events from occurring. Usually this only takes him a few moments back in time, however when he discovers the body of his murdered mother this strange power activates and throws him back in time many years to his time as a primary school student. Given a chance to remedy the tragedies of his past and his present, the main character must work out how a string of child abductions is related to his mother's murder and prevent them to save not only the life of a young girl from his past but also that of his mother in the present. Erased is a fantastic story with some very interesting characters and I highly recommend it.


Number Five - Clannad/Clannad: After Story


Clannad is an interesting Slice of Life anime with supernatural undertones at times. It follows the life of Tomoya Okazaki, a high school bum who spends more time ditching class than in it after a chance encounter leads to him developing a circle of close friends whose problems he attempts to solve. The second half of the anime, After Story, is deeper and more tragic following Tomoya through the trials and tribulations of his adult life. Clannad is another one of those anime that seems to primarily consist of humour at first but as it progresses you begin to get hit with some quality feels and find yourself quite attached to the characters, many of whom are highly relatable.


Number Four - Death Note


When a young genius gets a hold of a Shinigami's Death Note, a book that will kill anyone who has their name written on its pages, he begins to enact justice on the criminals of the world drawing him into an intellectual battle with an equally genius detective. There's not really any action in Death Note, but it is easily one of the most intense anime I have ever seen as brilliant minds are pitted against each other in a desperate attempt to see the other captured/killed. Whilst the second half of the anime is definitely weaker than the first, it is still by far one of the most incredible shows I have ever watched.


Number Three - Puella Magi Madoka Magica


At first glance this anime seems to be your typical, cutesy magical girl anime. It is not. The stark contrast between the art of witches and the magical girl's that hunt them reflects the nature of this show quite well. It seems to be soft and fluffy a first but is actually one of the darkest and most tragic stories around. Instead of watching cute girls do things, you get to watch cute girls go through hell as their lives are thrown into turmoil and ruin as they fight dangerous entities called witches to the death all for the sake of a single wish.


Number Two - Anohana


This anime tends to be called slice of life, but I think a more accurate term would be "supernatural drama". When Jinta Yadomi awakes to find himself being haunted by the ghost of a long dead childhood friend, they and their old group of friends are forced to confront the tragedy of their past and their feelings towards each other as they attempt to fulfil a wish that Menma (the ghost) is unable to even remember. Whilst it does have it's share of comical moments, this anime is arguably the most heart wrenching story I have ever come across and I feel no shame in admitting it brought me close to tears. This anime is truly beautiful and something I highly recommend. If you cry easily, keep tissues on hand.


Number One - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni


One thing that has not changed since I last did an anime top ten, is that Higurashi is number one. After several years since my first viewing of this anime, it is still my favourite. Wonderful art, a brilliant and complex plot and a fantastic cast of characters are always a fantastic combination. In Higurashi you explore multiple timelines as differing circumstances in each lead to one of a group of school friends from a small village to paranoia, murder and/or suicide as a deeper underlying plot gradually unravels. This anime is dark, complex, twisted and confusing and all in a good way. It truly is a masterpiece of Japanese media and I don't see it being knocked from the number one position in my eyes any time soon.


So, do you agree with any of my choices this time round? Obviously not everyone is going to have the same tastes as me, but these are the anime I've enjoyed the most in my years watching it. If you haven't seen any of these and they sound like your cup of tea, you should definitely give them a go.
-gimmepie


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GP really really no.9 damn. But it's your opinion for me Naruto is No.1 though. Good list other than that. I also like death note and clanaad.
 
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11
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Desinishon;bt104821 said:
GP really really no.9 damn. But it's your opinion for me Naruto is No.1 though. Good list other than that. I also like death note and clanaad.

Hey, lots of people wouldn't even rate it so be thankful xD
 
10,078
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  • Age 32
  • UK
  • Seen Oct 17, 2023
Clannad's art style freaks me out so much that I'm never going to watch it. Honestly I don't rate Slice of Life anime, they just don't hold my interest.

One anime I feel that's missing from your list, which fits well with the genre you seem to like, is probably Psycho Pass. Have you seen it? :o

I'd also definitely make room for Fate somewhere in the list ;) haha.

Desinishon;bt104821 said:
GP really really no.9 damn. But it's your opinion for me Naruto is No.1 though. Good list other than that. I also like death note and clanaad.

That's a good place for Naruto tbh. Although the overall story of Naruto is good its terribly in terms of pacing/filler/etc.
 
25,439
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Mana;bt104823 said:
Clannad's art style freaks me out so much that I'm never going to watch it. Honestly I don't rate Slice of Life anime, they just don't hold my interest.

One anime I feel that's missing from your list, which fits well with the genre you seem to like, is probably Psycho Pass. Have you seen it? :o

I'd also definitely make room for Fate somewhere in the list ;) haha.

Yeah it's not for anyone, although it surprises me that you find Clannad's art freaky haha. I have not seen Psycho Pass but I probably will eventually. I have a lot of anime I really want to see still and it's one of them.
 
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