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My Top 10 (in no particular order)

Cowboy Bebop: There's not much to say that hasn't been said. Strong characterization (even for the minor characters), amazingly consistent animation for a series of its length and a strong, diverse soundtrack that fits the varying mood of each episode.

Black Lagoon 2nd Barrage: I was really surprised that I ended up liking this one as much as I did. I enjoyed the first season, but I didn't think it was partiuclarly impressive. But this season really began to realize the full potential of the ideas present in the first series, particular the stronger emphasis on the moral gray areas and the darker aspects of the setting.

Roanapur is said to be an ugly place full of the lowest of the low, but I didn't really feel that until the start of the second season with the excellent Hansel and Gretel arc. This arc was very disturbing and at the same time tragic and the real ugly brutality present in this arc really enhanced the story. The same applies to the Gangsta Paradise arc which greatly develops the main cast. Balalaika's true colors are revealed and even though the main characters are working together with her, her actions are ruthless and cold-blooded complexifying the situation while the antagonists of the arc (save for the blond guy) are easier to sympathise with.

Seto no Hanayome: For a show with its style of humor. It's amazing how consistently funny it is. It's probably the funniest anime I've ever watched. Not to mention the animation is quite consistent and when it does take shortcuts, they're very well disguised (I didn't notice them until somebody pointed them out on AnimeSuki and even then he only noticed them when he slowed the show down frame by frame)

The reason the show manages to stay so funny is that it knows how far they can take one joke and when to drop it before it gets run into the ground (a weakness I find some comedy anime suffer from) The strong seiyuu acting helps out too.

Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight: This short series managed to make a large impact on me. Within 12 episodes it managed to make me love all of the girls and care about what happens to them. It really made the last few episodes deeply poignant for me.

I also found it interesting that the show has two storylines going on at once. On one hand, the show's about Manabi's quest to create a fun school festival and breathe life into an otherwise drab place (the extensive usage of gray and darker colors despite being a light-hearted show really enhances this drabness) but at the same time, the show is equally Mikan's story; the tale of how this shy and insecure girl begins to assert herself thanks to Manabi's influence.

Although the show is very funny (and there weren't any jokes that fell flat for me) I often found the serious moments to be more memorable which often boast some impressive use of visuals to tell a story, examples are featured in episode 4: spoiler[ Mei's flashback and her nervous breakdown halfway into the episode] and in episode 7: spoiler[ the scene where Manabi explains her vision of the school festival to the student council president (I found it very fascinating that most of the scene is done without dialogue and the story is told through imagery which I found to be strangely beautiful and effective)]

Plus, I love the soundtrack, especially the famous 'clapping song' that also plays in the next episode previews.

Grave of the Fireflies: The 1st fictional work to make me cry. The premise of the film is pretty depressing by itself but the film never degenerates into melodrama which it could potentially have done if lesser writer/animators handled it. The lack of dialogue and music in some scenes is often more powerful and dramatic.

My Neighbor Totoro: This film really captures very well what it's like to be a kid. It's like the opposite of Grave, being very optimistic and upbeat and the innocent sense of wonder and amazement the children exhibit when they move into their home and when they interact with Totoro is infectious.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Although quite a few people had problems with the first episode, I loved this show from beginning to end. The first episode I thought was extremely funny and also a clever of hooking the audience in spoiler[ It's sort of a self-deprecating disguised version of the show's story] and the rest of the show holds up too, mixing the mundane with the fantastic. I also really found the constant backshadowing and foreshadowing to be very clever (this show is even better on repeat viewings) and it really built up to an exciting finale. The show's great in chronological order too.

Elfen Lied: A somewhat odd contrast of a very dark and disturbing story with a cutesy artwork style, but I loved the style. The character designs enhance the innocence of the characters and makes the extreme physical violence and the psychological violence even more affecting. The show also has a very fascinating and at the same time strangely sympathetic antiheroine as well as one of the best and most fitting OP songs I've ever heard.

Kino's Journey: A series that tackles some rather difficult and complex philosophical issues, but one that executes this much better than most. A lot of the series that try to be philosphical tend to come across as well anvilicious and as a result, tends to fall flat and feel dry. Not so with this series. This show doesn't preach and instead presents complex situations to the viewer and pretty much allows the viewers to make of it what they will, an approach I find to be more effective. The settings are very well-utilized to enhance the situations.

Great Teacher Onizuka: Extremely funny and the same time a very inspirational story. This show skillfully blends serious social commentary on the Japanese school system (though its general themes are pretty universal) with over the top comedy, with each element enhancing the other. Eikichi Onizuka is also my favorite fictional character but the rest of the cast is excellent and memorable as well particularly the complex Kanzaki Urumi.

Top 5 Worst

From I''s: this is the 2002 OVA I'm talking about here. I found this OVA to be incredibly boring, largely because the characters aren't really well-defined. They just don't see to have much life in them and because of them I find it hard to care about anything that happens in the OVA. Not to mention the flashback are very repetitive to the point of annoying.

Itsudatte My Santa: This OVA is way too rushed. The seiyuus pretty much spit out huge paragraphs of dialogue within a matter of seconds regardless of the scene and it really ruins any impact the scenes may otherwise have. I guess this is the fault of the director/sound director for not directing the seiyuus well. Not to mention the 2nd episode recycles a lot of the elements of the first one.

Green Green OVA: This one has really poor animation (not quite Musashi Gundoh level) but bad enough to really ruin enjoyment of the anime. It isn't very funny either (the TV series IMO wasn't much better but it had a few moments that were chuckle-worthy)

You're Under Arrest No Mercy: It is has probably one of the offensive and over the top portrayals of Americans I've ever seen. The American characters are practically caricatures and because of that they're largely uninteresting and unfunny. Not to mention I find it extremely lazy of the character designer and animators to just recolor the character designs of the major supporting cast in the You're Under Arrest franchise to create the Americans.

Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora: I like the character designs and the music, but I otherwise find this anime to be incredbily over-dramatic to the point of being unintentionally comical. Also, Kyoshiro tends to come across as too much of a self-absorbed ass so it's difficult for me to believe in the romance between him and Sora.

It's been 20 months or so since I last updated this list(good lord, was I that generic? *barfs*), so I'll take the oppurtunity to do so today. It is a new year, after all and I believe I've included more than enough details. you might notice me getting a little braindead in some of these reasons, because I decided to put quite a bit of effort into this than I did last time. I feel like I just wrote an absurdly long essay paper.

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My Top 10 Favorite Anime -

10. Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
GONZO can be good... sometimes. However, Gankutsuou pretty much hits the nail on the head in terms of quality. It's innovative, impressive and beautiful art, animation and scenery is just gorgeous. I don't know if Alexandre Dumas would be rolling around in his grave about this adaption of his famous novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, but I was rolling around everytime The Count's delicious plot came closer and closer to completion. The music was quite fitting of the series as a whole. The characters were all really likable, even the very, very minor ones!

9. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yeah, yeah... I know some say "overrated", but look at where it was when it first came out. It was on practically everyone's Top 5 or 10. As time passed and better anime came out, Evangelion faded from memory or became "overrated". You can't deny the fact that Evangelion was good back in its day. Those days have long since passed, but this series is still on my list, amazingly. The animation is still pretty nice, for its age. The music is orgasmic, for the lack of a proper term. Hideaki Anno is a genius and I look forward to the Rebuild movies. I can handle 26 episodes of angsty Shinji, hot Asuka, cute Rei and bad... Misato! I really love this series.

8. Azumanga Daioh
I had never seen Azumanga Daioh before, but I took a huge sacrifice (paying MSRP ... $75) to watch it. I had a little buyer's remorse for about 2-3 episodes, but the buyer's remorse quickly faded. I loved this series. It was refreshing, comedic and fun. Chiyo-chan is clearly the most cute character ever. I can't say I hated any character, it was one of the more likable series I've watched. The OP is pretty good, didn't care for the ED. It was an overall excellent experience for 13 hours of my life. In the end, it was worth spending that much on it.

7. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
It's fluff, it's the good stuff. The music is stellar. The catchy OP and ED pieces are fun. The animation, from Kyoto Animation, is just absolutely gorgeous. The characters are all pretty likable, yes, even Haruhi. She is one strong-willed young lady. I particularly like the scifi aspect of the series, its not normal - like most of the cast. It's a unique fluffy series. Whether you watch it in chronological or broadcast, you'll enjoy it either way - or atleast I did anyways, since I watched both versions. I don't see it falling off my Top 10 anytime soon, that's for sure.

6. Le Chevalier D'Eon
Another excellent series I've watched. Production I.G. has once again taken a Top 10 slot, after 2 months of having no representation on my list. The animation is expected of I.G., beautiful scenery, lush animation and pretty high-quality character animation, etc. The music fit the series perfectly, the OP and ED were freakin' awesome and got me pumped up for the episode or next episode, depending which 1 I watched. I have to say, I rather loved the political intrigue of the royals and the revolutionaries. It was a very interesting twist on French history.

5. Air
A visually stunning, well planned and excellent all-around series. The music, especially the OP, is just so spiritual, I guess. The characters are all extremely interesting, even Potato to some degree. My favorite character, honestly, was Haruko Kamio. She had an interesting 180 degree turn in attitude with Misuzu. Again, Kyoto Animation was able to show they have beautiful series, Air is no different. It's full of lush scenery, character designs and buildings - such amazing detail. The only character I really hated was Michiru, but that was changed. Otherwise, all the characters were likable and had good qualities to them.

4. Kaleido Star
Another one I absolutely, positively loved from GONZO, directed by Junichi Sato and Series Composition by Reiko Yoshida, your going to get gold - I did! The animation is stunning, breathtaking stunts(just don't try to do them at home), vibrant colors and gorgeous costume designs. The first OP is I really enjoyed. The second OP, not so much. The third OP, I really liked. The EDs were relatively nice and good. The soundtrack is quite excellent overall. You gotta love Sora. She's truly an inspiration and makes this series. Fool provides some much-needed and great comic relief. The secondary characters are all great. I enjoyed every second, minute, hour and day I watched this. I loved to watch Sora try and try again to get to her dreams.

3. Giant Robo the Animation
Giant Robo is considered one of the true classics of anime. With each episode varied in time(35-60 minutes each), each episode is like a movie, it sounds and feels like one. It's over-the-top action and adventure will leave you grinning cheek to cheek. The music ranges from grand pieces to more light-hearted tracks. It's pretty stunning. The animation is top-notch and solid for being made between 1992 and 1998, some of the best I've ever seen from that era. All the characters have honor, dignity and respect - which makes them all likable, even the secondary characters are.

Tie[]1. Gunbuster
Tie[]1. Diebuster
No way? A tie?!?! Well, they do deserve the top 2 spots, but the sad part is - I couldn't decide which one should get 1st and which one could get 2nd. The final consensus was to just give them tied status. Both series were remarkable and breathtaking. The animation for both were superb. The fact they were short (6 ep each) really helped them get to the point. It really didn't feel like 6 hours, it felt like I had watched a full 24 episode anime. Noriko and Nono were the best female leads I've watched in a longtime. The music, both OPs - were catchy to a degree, Groovin Magic sure had groove to it. Gainax really went all-out on this series. Gunbuster and Diebuster have single-handily restored my mecha faith and only made me even more of an anime fan. Gunbuster and Diebuster are respectively, permanent members of this list. They won't go anywhere. That's for sure.

Other notable favorite(s): Elfen Lied, Death Note, The Twelve Kingdoms, The Third, Utawarerumono

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My Top 5 Least Favorite Anime -

5. Serial Experiments Lain
Zzz. Huh, what? Did you just wake me? Thanks, I was watching episode 1 of Lain, but now the volume, which had 4 episodes, is over. I slept through all that? I got my usual sleep, the anime must've just been boring. It was, trust me. You'd have to have patience to sit through this anime. The OP song, Duvet, was definately the highlight and I could always listen to it, but other than that - I felt as if Lain was essentially a waste of time. The animation was subpar to me, I've never liked Madhouse to be honest, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. The characters were relatively uninteresting. It's just not worth watching anymore and has earned a slot on my least favorite anime.

4. Eureka Seven
I sometimes wish I was BONES in a grave... because this is pretty much what happened when I watched it. BORED TO DEATH. That was a bad joke, but of well, I'm not a funny person. The only upside to this series was Ray, Charles and the OP/ED. That's all. Everything else was just boring. The animation is some of the ugliest I've ever seen. Renton, Eureka, every other Gekkostate member were flat and uninteresting characters. The mecha was alright, didn't care much for the designs. The romance was weak and seemed forced. Too much angstyness for my liking, if this series was 24 episodes less, it wouldn't be in this position. I can handle 26 episodes of angstyness, but not 50. Dai Sato's biggest disappointment to me. I can never watch another BONES series because of this atrocity.

3. Hajime no Ippo
Another annoying series with totally unlikable characters. Good lord, I hate sports anime and this only cemented that fact in my head. The character designs were unappealing to me. The music was godawful gave me headaches. The animation was just mediocre. Ugh, this anime gave me some of the worst buyer's remorse ever, thank good I had a defective disc, so I could trade them in for some better anime. If I had watched anymore, I'd be in bad shape. People recommend this left and right, force it upon you like a rabid HnI fan, saying "itz teh best animu evr, liek watch it" -- I gave it a 20 episode shot -- it failed. See if I ever take someone's recommendation again.

2. Hellsing (Entire Franchise)
Ah yes. Mindless action, with vampires. Another extremely overrated franchise. I never saw what was so good, I mean, if you like mindless entertainment, this would be up your ally, but otherwise, I just didn't care for it. The animation for both is pretty 'meh', so to speak. Music is lackluster and unexciting. It just lacks so many elements that could make it good. I had no expectations going into the series and ovas, but I'm glad -- I was still disappointed at how lackluster the story was. It had some potential, but failed on both the series and ova fronts.

1. MushiShi
This series is extremely overrated, the animation is dreadful. Ginko is very unlikable personality. The OP is more annoying then Bottle Fairy's OP, which is pretty sad. It's not very impressive. The fact FUNimation's video quality only made the animation look far worse. It was just an unappealing, unworthwhile and unexciting experience. I set my expectations of the series way-too-high and once I watched a few episodes, it plummeted faster than the Stock Market in 1933. People said if I liked Kino's Journey(which I loved to death), then I'd like MushiShi. Boy, they were wrong - I didn't enjoy MushiShi one bit. Sure, its won awards -- but they obviously never impact my decisions.

Other notable least favorite(s): Overman King Gainer, Beck Mongolian Chop Squad, Hell Girl, FLAG, Pumpkin Scissors

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This list is extremely difficult! I haven't seen near as much as so many others but the ones I have seen are lovely so... here we go!

10)Dragon Ball Z
I know! I know! You can point out the corniness of the show, the lack of a decent female character, the lackluster Dragon Ball GT, but over all, the good parts of the show come out on top (for me). Great characters that I adored (Goku! Trunks! Even Vegeta is funny sometimes!) and some of the best fights I've ever seen. Not to mention the (ENGLISH!) music was great... I love Bruce Faulconer! My first ever anime and, without DBZ, I would have never been introduced to the nine anime I hold closer to my heart than this one. Plus, who doesn't want to go SSJ? I mean, really. Spiky blonde hair and super strength? It's genius!

9)FullMetal Panic! and Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid
Let me say this first: I hate mecha.
"Ah hah!" I hear you say, "But FMP! is on your top 10!"
That's why. It's the mecha I love over all the ones I utterly despise. It doesn't have the annoying politics and obsession over the best models. It's based on the characters, not the suits. I love Kaname and Sosuke (What a cute couple! Nyaaaa!) together, and apart. The music was lovely, the characters were wonderful and I found myself enjoying a mecha. Definitely will be rewatching these two soon!

8)Naruto!
Believe it! This one is like DBZ but so much more improved. Intellect is required to win a variety of times (especially the further into the story) and all the characters progress. A major drawback of DBZ was that all the great characters got one time to shine... and then proceeded to be useless. With this one, everyone improves and is still useful. It's got a unique twist in it, spoiler[Sasuke leaving, you know! I totally didn't expect a major character to go Dark Side on us. And I used to be a Sasuke fangirl!] I'll never understand those who dub it as a mindless shonen action show. It's got depth and interesting characters, and the action is just a major plus! Not to mention some great music, this show has got it all. Personally, of the Infamous Filler I saw, I liked it (well... mostly.)

7)Fate/Stay Night
I was surfing YouTube, as young-uns my age are prone to do, when I found an AMV with one of my favorite songs. I didn't watch the video much as I had never seen the show but the more I did see, the better the show looked. So I checked it out and by about episode six or so I was waiting every week for the next episode to come out subbed on YouTube. It was my first subbed show but I found that I still enjoyed it. I occasionally went back to watch it for a while until my number 6 came out, but that was it until I spotted volume 1 in Best Buy with my brother. I agreed to pay for it out of my money and so we started. I was a bit worried about it... I'd never found a show he hadn't seen and I hoped that he'd have the same high opinion of it I did. Not only that, but I hoped the dub came up to meet my expectations. Well, it did! Not only did my brother like the show as well but the English adaptation was flawless. The music was great, the character designs lovely (I want Saber's dress, oh my GOD!) and the plot interesting. However, if you do check out this series, or have already in English, rewatch the episode where Archer fights Berserker in Illyasviel's mansion in Japanese. All I can say is: Engrish is lovely.

6) Ouran Highschool Host Club
I haven't seen a lot of shojo because mostly I'm exposed to what my brothers watch which is mostly shonen. However, I found this one on a suggestion from someone out of my RP forum and fell in love. The plot is cute, the humor is great and I love the music. Not to mention the characters! What more could a girl ask for? The only drawback to this series is Kaoru and Hikaru's over-the-top "brotherly love". I wasn't a big fan of that but the rest of the series far surpassed what was required to override that dislike. Everyone from Tama-chan to Kyouya the Shadow King is lovable and I adore Haruhi's personality. After Watching The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya I always giggle at the name Haruhi in reference to either of them. How can two so totally different people have the same name!

5)Claymore
Simply amazing. I was always angry at hearing the lovely ending theme to the show because I wanted more! My family and I followed this show's sub near religiously and tuned in every week to watch. The unique story, the lovely characters, and the great music! Did I mention the great music? Raison d'Etre had to grow on me just a bit but in time I came to adore it equally with Danzai no Hana. The music during the show was beautiful as well and really fit the scenes. I can't wait to see this licensed and hope to find the voice acting in the dub just as fantastic as the original.

4)Clannad
Again, my family and I are watching this one weekly on subs and it still blows me away. Fuko's arc pulled me from crazy hyper (DANGO VS. STARFISH!) to horribly sad and in tears. I enjoyed watching Nagisa and Okazaki play mom and dad to this cute little, starfish-loving girl. And, of course...
Don't forget Tomoyo the Great!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SWpwNCzSwNc

3)Gunslinger Girl
While no one should be able to say that "adorable little girl assassins" is a bad idea, I can image it done poorly. Gunslinger Girl, however, does it PERFECTLY. With not too much action to override the ideas behind the show, GSG is in perfect balance. It recognizes very clearly that the use of these cybernetically enhanced girls is abhorrent, and the conflict of how much to brainwash the girls. The main fratello (pair) of Jose and Henrietta are so interesting on their own. The complex relationship between all of the fratello are unique and amazingly developed. The show focuses on what it should -- not the (great) action sequences always but the people behind them. Combined with a great musical score and wonderful animation it makes Gunslinger Girl stick right here in my top 10.

2)The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Amazing. It's hard to make this one #2 and not tie the two! Episode 00 is the first thing you see coming into this show and it's scary at first. It looks like an amateur student movie with a bad plot and a director who really likes to dress people in skimpy clothes.
Well it is! The more I watch even just that one episode the funnier it gets. 00 aside, the show shines with it's great humor and unique characters. And who couldn't love Haruhi! The world revolves around Haruhi (literally and figuratively) and she deserves it. A unique personality and a great voice makes Haruhi one of my favorite main characters. Kyon's realistic way of looking at things balances Haruhi's chaos perfectly and no one can forget the wonderfully funny Mikuru and the mysterious and amusing Itsuki. Not to mention Wendee Lee's fantastic singing (does anyone exist who doesn't like that concert scene?). Again, my basic formula of judging character designs, music and plot gives Haruhi this high rank on my list.

1)Death Note
I don't understand how you can't love Death Note. The great concept the unique characters the awesome music and the INSANE BATTLE OF THE WITS! Watching Light and L operate against each other and later "together" puts you on the edge of your seat. As Ryuk put it so perfectly, the first one whose face and name are revealed will die. I'm not sure what else to say but PURE GENIUS. And did you know? Gods of Death love apples.
WARNING: This show has been proven to make people who don't like apples suddenly like them and have a constant urge to eat them.

My top 10 faves:
In no particular order-

1. City Hunter- This series in both anime and manga format hasn't been too well received, but I loved the comedy and drama aspects very much. While it is "old school" from the 80's, I'll always have a spot for shows like these. With some fun openings and endings, I've enjoyed the music on the show. Only thing I need now is to see the last City Hunter special from '99.

2. Trigun- No point in adding on what's already been about the show, but I can say that with some of the philosophy that's mentioned in the show, it does ring true for what most people can try to pay attention to as far as how to live one's life, hopefully for the better. Definite cool opening and a pretty weird/eerie (to me anyways) ending, this one's got a good feel for it all.

3. Cowboy Bebop- Another one I don't need to add what's already been said for the show, it just plain rocks for me. ALL of the music on the show and movie is also enough said.

4.Fullmetal Alchemist- Here's another one where I don't need to add on with what's good about the show. Comedy, action, drama, it's got it all. Also has some nice openings and the endings are cool as well.

5. Desert Punk- I took a real off chance on this series when it first came out, but I haven't had so much fun trying to root someone who is the biggest, perverted, a-hole on the face of post-apocalyptic earth. Definite fun openings and some nice endings as well, especially with how it changes in the middle of the series to get ready for a change in tone on the series.

6. Martian Successor Nadesico- A pretty cool "fan service" show with a kind of Gainax referencing style in the comedy portions, an interesting drama back story that's pretty intriguing, and a cool opening and ending theme song.

7. Tenchi Muyo!- I actually first got into the series when it premiered on the Sci-Fi channel for the 3rd anime marathon. After that, I had to go and get all I could for the series, especially the soundtracks. As much as there has been some discussion about the music for the show, I actually enjoyed it, mainly with the Tenchi Muyo TV/Universe opening, and the endings of the 1st 2 OVA series.

8. Initial D- I first played the game of the series in the arcades, and then took a chance on the anime and manga a short while afterwards. Ever since then, I've been getting the soundtracks and wishing to find an AE86 for the US. I know it ain't the same as the Trueno or Levin, but it's still something that I can build upon when I'm given the oppurtunity.

9. Dominion Tank Police- Have to go back to some old school goodness with a series I've watched back from the very first Sci-Fi channel anime marathon. Had an interesting background for the story, some nice comedy, and included some nice drama back drop on the 2nd part of the original series. Definitely dug the opening and ending in both dub and sub, but I still have a place for the dubbing of the original that had a bit more of a good mood set for the music.

10. Galaxy Express 999 A BIG TIME classic that had some beautiful artistry, music, a compelling storyline, and an interesting take on space travel. I really hope this gets brought back onto DVD real soon.

My 5 worst-

1.Ninja Resurrection- I WANT THE HOUR OF MY LIFE BACK!!!!!

2.Outlanders- Old school, but not as good, plus plenty of "Huh?!" moments for me.

3.Raven Tengu Kabuto- .....old school once again, but it was just TOO cheesy.

4.Demon Beast Invasion- *shivers*

5.Pilot Candidate-BORING!!!!!!

Last edited by zawa113 on Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:41 am; edited 5 times in total

My Top Ten, no particular order

Cromartie High School
I adore its strange comedy. To me, this is the Monty Python of anime. I adore the anime, I adore the manga, its simply irresistable. Its difficult to add anymore here, its very episodic and feels ADD everywhere, but watching just one random episode can easily put a smile on my face, even on the worst days and it takes a special anime to do that.

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Y'know what? I'm going to put Avatar here after all, even if its a Western show (I'd feel like I was being a hypocrite for having Robotech here, but not Avatar). This show has everything, comedy, awesome fight scenes, drama, the list goes on. Unlike some other Western attempts at anime series, this show has a lot of class, charm, and character, and it tends to not insult the viewer's intelligence (like when spoiler[ Appa is stolen, abused, and comes back terrified of fire and a little unfriendly]). All in all, it really is a great show that just has everything and everything in perfect balance. I really think some anime companies could take hints from Avatar of how to blend things right, it's better than most anime.

Princess Tutu
My favorite magical girl show and overall shojo show. Granted, I am a huge fan of classical music (hence the username), and that was certainly an appeal, but the 2nd half of the anime is one of the strongest and most exciting things I have seen in all of anime. So many ideas and themes are explored that I haven't seen presented in the same way in any other anime (or in the combination that Princess Tutu presents them in). I got a highly unique experience from PT, several now favorite composers, and a story that encompasses the drama and tragedy from many ballets while sticking to its own story at the same time. Sure, its easy to cliche already existing thing, but to borrow from them while staying true to your own story line is extremely difficult and Princess Tutu pulled it off without a problem like it was almost effortless. Its in my 2nd spot behind Robotech right now.

Robotech
It might be very westerenized, but the fighting, drama, and pacing are simply unmatched by any other sci-fi series that I've seen. Its fun to just ride along with the characters and no matter how predictable some things seemed, sometimes they weren't. Sure its graphics are outdated and its music too, but you can't judge a book by its cover. Robotech also has the distinct ability to accomplish in 1 episode what many series take two to do, and Robotech does it without feeling overly rushed at any given time or too confusing to follow.

Mushi-shi
This is an anime where I can just lose myself. Not necessarily in the visuals, but the episodic drama means I can also watch any DVD and get into each story seperatly. I enjoyed how each episode explored a different mushi, area, and concept. Nothing ever felt repeated twice and everything felt fresh and exciting from beginning to end (even if I did get the dvds in a random order)

Key the Metal Idol
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this series going into it, but wow, being plesantly surprised is a good thing. The characters are well developed, the plot keeps me glued, and I actually feel a need to root for Key. Scenes without Key are just as interesting and I don't feel any scenes were wasted in this series, even if episode 14 talks your ears off...

Metropolis
Beautiful and fun to watch, it also has an interesting and exciting storyline. Given how much I currently adore Osamu Tezuka, this is actually what started it for me (with a huge boost from Astro Boy: Omega Factor for the GBA, go play it). It gives an interesting future for humanity that isn't entirely depressingly bleak, nor overly cheery, it feels actually realistic. The theme of acceptance is big in the Tezukaverse and while its not as obvious here as it is in something like Astro Boy, the story could've changed immensely had spoiler[Tima's attempt at humanity not been ignored by high power people.] And as with all great Tezuka works, you can ignore the theme and be entertained, or accept it an be challenged, either way, good times!

Noein
I finished rewatching this series for a 2nd time, and I still enjoy it just as much as the first time. Its mostly due to strong characters, and I did rather wish Yuu would just do something a lot, but ignoring Yuu in those times, I enjoyed watching the cast hang out. The quantum physics and science and technology aspect also appealed highly to me and I found the whole show interesting. Bit of a hidden gem for me if you will, I mostly got it because it said "The Anime Donnie Darko" on the back of the box.

Interstella 5555
Sometimes, people just watch or play something and then feel a tremendous need to tell everyone else about it because it completely changed how they viewed something. I watched Interstella 5555 and told 4 people about it within 24 hours because it completely changed how I look at music videos, anime potential, and a whole bunch of other little things. There's nothing else quite like a purposely animate AMV to a whole album, let alone making it have an interesting over connecting story in the whole thing. Given that I like techno (and classical music), this was sorta like Fantasia, except with Daft Punk for me. Also let me add another movie to my top 10 list, huzzah!

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Yeah, so my rule is usually to ignore the masses, yes, for they have usually served to infuriate me by telling me horrible stuff is great. Thus, I avoided TTGL for a while, but man, this is one of the best (if not the best) mecha action shows I've seen. It's epic in scope and cuts the junk that other ones do by literally making their machines run of fighting spirit and throwing out things like electricity. Not to mention that it's highly enjoyable all the way through, has tons of memorable and lovably characters, the whole show is charming to a maximum degree, and it's midway points are epic enough to be finales in any other show. It made me remember what a good mech/action show is supposed to be again, I haven't been this excited over a show in ages! Much like when I first saw Interstella 5555, I just can't look at things the same way again. I will be rewatching this show several more times before the year is out. Seriously, I cannot even find the words to describe how epic this is! It is AWESOME!!

Honorable Mentions:
Catnapped!
Astro Boy [2003]
Outlaw Star
GTO
Phoenix (the recent one, 2004-ish)
Maison Ikkoku (going here because I didn't see most of the anime, but read all of the manga. About 5 times.)
Monster
Tokyo Godfathers
Master Keaton

My 5 WORST anime

1. Grave of the Fireflies
while I don't like the other ones on my worst list, this is by far the worst thing I have ever seen. The idea itself isn't bad, but it feels like forced plight. To me it felt like they made the main character extremely stupid but then the director turns around and asks us to feel sorry for him despite some conscious descison to make Seita a pride blinded moron. At the end of watching this, I'd say "Good ridance, and support social darwinism". It seems to me that a lot of people take this to mean that I think that the problem of war orphans is a joke and that I laugh at it for some strange reason, but I don't think that's true at all. Its quite sad that some children become orphans due to war and things happening outside of their control and don't find it very funny at all. But I don't think I should have to force myself to like this movie to prove that I don't find war orphans to be funny.

2. Alien Nine
This was one of the first animes I ever saw, and I just never got it. I rewatched it again a little while back, and I still can't stand it. At every moment of potential emotion, all the main character did was cry. It felt like she spent more than half the show whining or crying. Regardless of her reasons, its just very boring to watch.

3. Howl's Moving Castle/Spirited Away
I put these together because they are almost the same exact movie. What I find is that they boil down to is this: one is about a young girl crying and doing chores, and the other is about a young girl who looks like an old lady doing chores and crying. Sure, they're both pretty enough, but they are just so very boring when it boils down to it. A quote by Mugatu from "Zoolander" compliments my point perfectly: "They're the same face! Doesn't anybody notice this? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"

4. Ranma 1/2
The beginning is great, but then it just drags on and on and on....I rather wish something would have happened to advance the love interest plot more without introducing another angle to the love triangle thing. Sometimes, when things get too cliche, I tend to hate them too. Ironically, this was one of the shows that got me into anime, but now I just can't stand it. It goes to number 4 because if I were enticed to see it with a group of half drunks, I could still be entertained too, under those circumstances.

5. Vision of Escaflowne (TV)
After mulling it over for some time, I really can't think of a show that I found to be more overrated than the TV Escaflowne. Now, just to clarify, I watched the TV first, then the Movie, and didn't watch the Fox Kids version years back (although I was aware of it), and I actually preferred the movie to the TV. This had a lot of factors that would have led me to believe that I would like it, artwork by Nobuteru Yuuki (fan of Chrono Cross), blending of genres that I liked, etc. The problem was, I did not enjoy having Hitomi be the main character, she didn't do enough on her own and I could usually see the story continuing just fine without her and what she did do made her seem like a Deus Ex Machina machine. You may especially wonder why this is in my bottom 5 when Noein is in my top 10 (both written by the same person, Kazuki Akane, FYI), but part of the thing is that Escaflowne just didn't age all that well and while it may have started some of the cliches now common, seeing it for the first time 10 years after the fact just makes it a cliche-bore fest. The more I think about it, the more I cannot stand this show, but I put it at spot 5 for being in the "vastly overrated" category.

Here's My Top Best Anime: (Except for Fushigi #1, the remaining 6 series were in no particular order.)

Fushigi Yugi (I love this anime because.....)

Heartfelt journey and memorable characters are definitely the best factors this anime has to offer. Watching this anime took me into a wonderful and magical world. This series has a very good character development. You'll see that Miaka, (even though she always tends to runaway and frequently need to say Tamahome's name) you'll notice that she have grown throughout the series. The relationship between the warriors deepens and you'll start to care towards them. Fushigi Yugi can be comical, dramatic, romantic, magical, with a little dash of action at the same time. I myself was really drawn to this series, I have shed tears, laugh and be a witness to all of the obstacles the characters had to deal with.

Therefore to sum it all up, Fushigi Yugi is the best anime for me because the characters were all unforgettable, even the bad guys are not that evil (you feel sorry for them too!). This series maybe mediocre when it comes to animation but the character designs were great. The story was very interesting and addictive that keeps me glued to my sit. This is by far the best anime I've ever seen.

Overall Fushigi Yugi has been a great ride, it can be dramatic at times and the timing of the slapstick jokes were fun. It can manipulate with your emotions throughout the series.

EF ~A Tale Of Memories~

I'll say this is the most beautiful and breath taking series I've ever seen. Very ingenious use of visual techniques. The use of artistry, imagery and metaphoric devices were top notched. At first the story seems to be cliche but it exceeded those other anime that has the same premise. Using all of these devices it intensify and heightens the emotions of the characters and as well as the atmosphere were clearly brought-out.

All in all the series concludes really well, as the story seems never rushed and the ending was summed with delivered messages. I really enjoyed the soundtrack as well! A Guilty pleasure to watch and Renji and Chihiro were the best couple for me because their love story was heartwarming and bittersweet....

Kamichu!

I'm a sucker for slice-of-life, I love Kamichu because I find the main character very charming as well as the story itself. I like the setting, it's very relaxing and soothing. The shyness of the character everytime she's near her crush were very enjoyable to watch, it just gives you the warm fuzzy feeling. (Ha!) This series was.... I'd like to say innocent, because it revolves around the daily life of a shy middle school girl who happens to be a God.

So what can I say, except that this series is very relaxing and it's a nice break from the usual anime. I really enjoyed the simple atmosphere of this show. The animation was great and the ending song was upbeat.

Seto No Hanayome

Best in Comedy Genre for me. It was very hilarious and unique. The characters are very entertaining and the main characters were cool. Each episodes has it's own charm and the jokes weren't the usual (in my opinion). I have never laugh so hard like this before, each characters has their own personalities and traits that are just fun. The best thing is the story isn't random at all, it has a good plot and I'll say the ending of this anime was just Epic. I love all the characters and the the mermaid thing was crazy! It was a fun ride and seriously, I've never watch any comedy anime this fun. Total Knock-out, LOL.

Ouran High School Host Club

Endearing and some memorable characters too! The story was very original (again my opinion). The "commoners" ideas were wack and funny. The art was cool and the animation is great as well. The story were entertaining too! Haruhi is not your typical heroine, she doesn't care about her appearance, she's very dependent and smart. I also like the idea of the host club, it was very refreshing. Gotta love Honey-senpai and the Twins. Overall this series earned a spot on my list. Enjoyable.

Detective Conan / Case Closed

This series is very clever, genius, fun, and entertaining at the same time. I wonder how do they come up with all of cases. But anyways I'm into mysteries too, and I really love this show, I'll still be waiting for the ending. (whew it's interminable). All of episodes were fun, especially the movies I really enjoyed them. So for now this is the only thing I can say, because this series isn't over yet....
Great detective show.

_Summer

I really love, I mean love this OVA, I don't know why, it's very simple and great. I wish that there were more episodes but seriously I love this series!!!!! The story isn't original nor great but I love the atmosphere of it. The characters were fun especially Chiwa she's my fave. It only has 2 episodes, but even so this anime has definitely have a spot for my top lists. Enjoyable episodes. Seriously I'm addicted to this! They need to do more episodes.

I'll add more if I've seen some best.... for now it will be only this titles. "Sorry if there are some grammar mistakes...."

This list was made on January 24 2008. it's subject to change as I see more series.

Top 10 Best Anime

1. AIR TV

Drama being my favorite genre, AIR is the best drama anime I've seen and will see for a very long time. It also has a little bit of comedy and romance in it. The characters are very well developed and the fact that there is also an alternate retelling movie makes it even better. By far , my favorite anime.

2.Neon Genesis Evangelion

The first anime that I have seen.Eva is the show that brought me into watching anime.
I guess it's needless to say anything else about the show that is considered to be a legend among anime series.If you haven't seen this , you can't declare yourself an anime fan . Go watch it now !

3.The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi

If you like anime with a weird story then this one's for you. The idea of running the episodes in a scrambled order seemed very original to me , but at the same time it wouldn't have been so great if it were to be shown in a chronological order. At first it may not seem very good , but in fact , this anime is a true masterpiece. Can't wait for the second season !

4.Elfen Lied

My second seen anime . You have to see the story and the character backgrounds that lie beyond its gore and blood. Kouta had to go through a very hard past, but , in my opinion that still doesn't change the fact that he's a loser.

5.Full Metal Panic

I am referring to all three seasons of it .
While the first season was good , but not great , the other two definitely made up for it. Fumoffu is by far my favorite comedy show , and The Second Raid is almost the complete opposite of Fumoffu,being a great mixture of drama and action.

6.Ghost Hunt

I love horror / ghost stuff and Ghost Hunt is just that. Every character has a completely different personality than the others. It's just that the ending left me a bit disappointed.
Before seeing Ghost Hunt , I didn't believe that an anime can really scare me.

7.Chrno Crusade

Chrno Crusade was a very good blend of comedy, drama and romance. The fact that spoiler[ everybody gets killed in the end , is definitely unique and truly sad.] The story is also pretty good.

8.Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien [Rumbling Hearts]

Although many people consider it just another love triangle / soap opera, in my opinion it's the best romance anime Takayuki rules when he becomes depressed and forgets to shave and to cut his hair. I'm still waiting for the second OVA episode.

9.Shingetsutan Tskihime

The atmosphere in this anime is great ! While everything is blurry and unclear at the beginning everything becomes more understandable as the series progresses . For some unknown reason it reminds me of Fate/Stay Night.

10.Black Lagoon

I guess I'll just say what I think of its storyline.That should be enough:
Black Lagoon shows the true side of the world and with how much ease can one man kill another. And Rock gets "trapped' in this side of the world, but after some time , for some reason he doesn't feel the need to leave it.

Top 5 Worst Anime

1.Pokemon

What can be the worst and overrated series ever , if not Pokemon ?

2.Digimon

Of course , the more 3D and more tech version of Pokemon. I really "like" the way absolutely every monster's name ends with the suffix "-mon". Cut me some slack !

3.Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Z is bad , but this one just can't be described in simple words. As the great AVGN said :

Quote:

I'd rather eat dia****a vomit out of a buffalo's a**s.

4. Rahxephon (or what the heck's its name)

Evangelion plagiarism much ? Hideaki Anno should sue those guys. I cannot believe that some people consider it better than NGE !

5.Ikkitousen

The amount of fanservice in this anime is unimaginable . It blows to millions of pieces the microscopically small amount of story line and character development it had in it. It just blows. Can't believe they made a second season out of this c**p

So,this is my list . If you took the time to read it , I thank you. Smile

Last edited by braves on Fri Sep 26, 2008 2:12 pm; edited 1 time in total

NOTE: I removed the previous post entirely and replaced it with a new one.

TOP 4 (in order)

1) Naruto- This series pretty much got me back into anime 2 years back. Amazing looking fights, great soundtrack and just a simple yet engaging storyline, along with a plethora of interesting characters. It's too bad that Shippuden doesn't seem to be on its same level.

2)Ghost in the Shell:SAC (both seasons)- Just awesome. Plain and simple. It's a great action/cyberpunk series without being overly pretentious like the original movie. I'm glad that I saw this series first instead of the movie, because I never would have given it a chance if I did. Oh, and Yoko Kanno is awesome, too. Cool

3)Samurai Champloo- Hip hop and anime? Normally anything with hip hop is a recipe for disaster, but this one meshes both of these subjects perfectly. It has some immense replay value due to its episodic nature. And this is yet another series that has an awesome soundtrack. Music is key for me when it comes to how much I like a series.

4)Yu Yu Hakusho- Great shonen series. It's got a lot of soul in it, which more than makes up for its standard tournament setup.

I meant to post this on my ANN anniversary...but I forgot! Embarassed

Oh, well. Here it is now. My bottom five has not changed from last year. Why? Because of the wonderful recommendations I have received from all of you, I have managed to steer clear of anime that sucks!

****************

1) Sailor Moon - this was the first anime that I saw and while it is a sentimental favorite...it's very good, in my opinion. I loved most of the episodes; I feel they were well written and acted. But what I loved the most was that you got to see Usagi/Sailor Moon grow into a woman and into her powers. I like that sort of thing, I like to see some sort of growth in a character. While I realize that not many people like this story, it really is a good starter series for people new to anime.

2) Ceres - Dark, moody, serious, and very funny at times. This also has what I like: character growth. And not just of the main characters but several side characters. You get to see many of them improve themselves. Including villains! Aya and Toya are amongst my favorite anime couples and what they have to do to be together. Not to mention that it is one heck of a story.

3) Fushigi Yugi - Again with the growth thing! But the story is good as well as the animation. I just plain enjoyed this series. Miaka is not the brightest heroine in the box, but she has a good heart and really does try to do her best even when her heart is breaking into little tiny pieces. Her warriors may seem stereotypical but I've yet to really seen another anime where there are characters that have made me as attached.

4) Cardcaptor Sakura - Another well-written story with growth of characters and all that great stuff! A magical girl story and unlike Sailor Moon, Sakura's battle outfits change every episode, courtesy of her best friend Tomoyo. Sakura is another heroine who tries to do her best in the face of adversity. And it’s also fun watching her relationship with Shaoran grow and change. It’s also fun to see her relationship with her brother, Toya. That is one tough brotherly love!

5) Fullmetal Alchemist - I like this one because of the growth thing again. I loved most of the characters even the ones you are supposed to "hate". I have to say that I cried when Lust spoiler[ died. She didn't deserve that one bit! ] Actually, there were several characters that I cried about, but Lust really was the one that I was rooting for. I feel that the ending of this series was very good. The movie put an even better ending but even without the movie, the ending would have been very satisfactory.

6) Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid – I’m actually enjoyed this one better that the first two. It has such a strong story line; it kept me riveted to my chair watching the TV. It was very interesting to watch how Kaname and Sousuke handled being separated from each other. And watching that psycho Gates was fascinating as well. This certainly was not as funny as FFUMOFU nor was it as funny as the original series. This one is quite serious in every way.

7) My-HiME - This is such an incredibly heart-breaking story. It has really captured me. What those poor girls have to go through. And what they are driven to have to do to win. The torment that was forced on each and every one of the HiME was horrible yet fascinating. I did enjoy this story a great deal. Mai was a terrific heroine. And Mikoto was the most charming non-cat cat girl I've seen! I enjoyed how each of the Hime's powers were different, yet complimentary to each others and yet, spoiler[all could hurt each other as well.]

8) Ai Yori Aoshi - What a great story. While there are harem elements to this story, the hero, Kaoru, isn’t as spineless as most male harem leads. The love that Kaoru and Aoi share and show to us is just incredible. Even when they are unable to say publicly how they feel, you see it in every glance and small touch. The only difficulty I have with this series is that there was not a conclusive ending to the story.

9) Princess Tutu – What a delightful twist on the magical girl story. Duck is a very charming girl who tries very hard at being something that she could never be. Mytho is wonderful to watch as he becomes…more…with every episode. Rue is both terrible and tragic. And Fakir is more than what he seems; he is both strong and weak. While the terribly romantic side of me is rather disappointed with the ending, it is also the only way that it can be.

10) Fantastic Children – Another really great story. Lots of twists and turns in this tale. It took me a bit to get used to the character designs but they grew on me. One character really irritated me for the longest time. Her…unawareness…of her surroundings and what was happening around her bothered me a great deal, but once she snapped out of it, I liked her a lot better. The story did keep me hooked and wanting to see more. I was surprised by several of the twists (even though, some I should have guessed). Very enjoyable story.

Honorable Mentions:

The Story of Saiunkoku – This has only 2 DVDs released in the States. I’m both glad and sad that I have the DVDs. Glad because I really enjoyed what I could see of the story. Sad because the chances are slim that I’ll be able to see the rest of the story because this is a Geneon title.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle – This series isn’t completed yet but I really enjoy this. Of course, I’m a fan of CLAMP. There are times when the story goes slowly but I think it also more than makes up for it in the details. I enjoy seeing characters that have been previously know to me in the different situations with slightly different personalities.

My-Otome – This is a very funny series so far. Arika makes me laugh all of the time. But, like My Hime, I have a feeling that this will go dark rather quickly. I’m looking forward to seeing how this story will end.

My Bottom 5:

1) Inu Yasha - This is a love/hate relationship for me. I wanted the darn thing over with so I can see the ending, which sucked big time! There were too many filler episodes and not enough concluding of the original storyline!

2) E's Otherwise - I was unhappy with the ending. I don't mind "vague" endings but this didn't even approach that!

3) Louie the Rune Soldier - No growth of any of the characters especially the title character. He didn't improve with his magic, with his sword skills, he just kept going like the boar he was described as in the series: charging blindly straight ahead. Not only was he dumb, he made the supporting characters dumb as well.

4) Shrine of the Morning Mist - I'm not really sure why I'm putting it on here, but I'm just not really happy with the series. It’s not that it’s a bad series; it’s just not one of the greatest. Probably it’s because the only truly interesting character in this story is Koma, the cat woman, whose identity and background really isn’t explained. I’m going to borrow Zalis’ description and call it “Awesomely mediocre.”

5) X the Movie - For crying out loud spoiler[ everybody dies in this ], why not dislike it.

Top 10

#10: ef - a tale of memories (Status: Finished)
Three big reasons here. First, it has probably the best art direction of any series, using all sorts of visual tricks to draw out little things from the story. Second, it has a great portrayal of a character with anterograde amnesia. There's plenty of retrograde amnesia out there... for a story to look at anterograde amnesia is quite remarkable, I think. Finally, there is episode 10, which really brings out the bittersweet emotions on one character's side and the happier emotions on another's side. This is only amplified by the brilliant musical scoring in that episode and the aforementioned art direction spoiler[(namely, the infamous 100-yen countdown scene)].

#9: Da Capo (Status: Finished (both this and Second Season), rewatching first season (Ep. 12))
The following applies only to the first season. This was one of the first anime series I watched, and I think is what officially cemented a general love for visual novel adaptations. It starts off pretty nicely, introducing the cast and letting them interact... then, episode 16 comes around and the show becomes a nice dramatic piece which explores various things about most of the characters. spoiler[In particular, the "main couple's" conflicting feelings between adopted-sibling love and romantic love, the sense of loss and subtle hatred of a neglected childhood friend, and the fading wishes of the other girls...] ...all were done very nicely, and some were quite emotionally poignant. It was a great series to be "introduced" to this type of show, as well as spoiler[not-blood-related sibling romances].

#8: Sister Princess (Status: Watched on DVD)
First anime series I bought on DVD, and also among one of the first I watched overall. And I'm going to feel silly explaining this... but anyways. For a show that is advertised like it's going to be little more than a ridiculous sister-harem farce, this show has an amazing amount of depth. It really does a nice job of exploring what a brother-sister relationship is like at its closest, carefully treading the line between that and outright incest (admittedly, it leaks over a few times). And aside from being a cute and warm show overall, it's also a mysterious show which leaves some of its puzzles to the readers--who exactly is the girl in the yellow hat? And what exactly happened in episode 15, anyways? I don't think this show is good for those who want incest fetishes satisfied... but for a show about a lonely guy who suddenly finds himself amongst family and learns to accept and enjoy it, the series is one of the best.

#7: Seto no Hanayome (Status: Finished)
This one started out pretty funny, then really grew on me as the cast expanded to include a number of wonderful characters. The comedy is very much over-the-top, which I like, while having a sly wit to it that keeps the show refreshing. Everything is further improved by the impressive voice acting, which draw out the comedy with a wide vocal range. And it all builds up to an amazingly epic conclusion in the last episode.

#6: Asatte no Houkou (Status: Finished)
A story which takes the age-switching device normally played for comedy and looks at it seriously. It has a certain relaxed and refreshing atmosphere that I love, combined with a nice story that gently weaves in many little issues to create a very nice-looking story that made me smile and be assured that spoiler[a non-blood-related sister doesn't have to "get together" with her "brother" to make a touching story between the two]. Hugely underrated.

#5: Ouran High School Host Club (Status: Watching (Ep. 8), anxiously waiting for FUNimation to release the DVDs)
Yeah, only eight episodes in and it's already in my top 10. Yeah, it's ridiculously hilarious. More than that, though, it's a fun and sometimes insightful look at a poor girl's view of rich society. It's a show that allows us to see that there is more to the world of the rich than just money and overinflated egos (though those are there too and make for some good comedy). Add to that the whole crossdressing escapade and a general feel-good feel to the show, and this is a series that FUNimation really needs to get out as soon as possible.

#4: Mahoraba ~Heartful Days~ (Status: Finished)
I'm a big fan of "feel-good anime" (see Sister Princess and Ouran Host Club). And that's why this show is great: it does a near-perfect job of being what it says right in the title: heartful. A show with colorful characters (literally) that have plenty of comedic scenes--and the show does great comedy too--yet has its own draw (pun not intended?) by being a heartful comedy with a small underlying layer of tragedy. It's nothing much, but adds just enough depth into the story to make the comedy and heartfulness have extra impact. Oh, and there's the whole spoiler[personality-changing part, which I actually think there should have been more of. Kozue's alternate personalities are very fun and intriguing. Oh, and many points to her voice actress for being able to voice all of her personalities' very distinct voices.]

Oh, and by the way, it's totally different from Love Hina. Razz

#3: Clannad (Status: Watching (Ep. 16))
My Key/KyoAni experience has been: first episode of Air, then much of Kanon, then Clannad. I could take the easy way out and say I love this show for much the same reasons I love Kanon (below), but not only would that not quite be true, but it would also break my pattern of writing ridiculously long dissertations for my favorite shows. So... Clannad has hit upon many of the same emotional tugs as Kanon did, starting off with Fuko's story, which was incredibly beautiful and rather sad. What then makes this series distinct is its use of post-modern humor (Fuko Master!) and the series' focus on family--a theme I've always liked. Really, it's the whole family theme added to the Key-KyoAni combo that really makes this show great for the 16 episodes I've seen so far, and as long as KyoAni doesn't drop the ball, it may well overtake Kanon and maybe even the #1 position. We'll see.

#2: Kanon (2006) (Status: Finished sub, collecting DVDs, watching dub (Ep. 8))
And, well, here's Kanon. It was good from the start, but it was at the end of Makoto's arc, when I was hit by the full impact of the story, that I knew I had found a real winner. The show has not let me down since, and is almost at #1. The show covers many of my favorite themes: friendship, family, a bit of the power of miracles... and the great visuals only help.

I should say, though, that I watched the 2002 version first, and so the ending of this version somewhat threw me off a bit: whereas the 2002 version went more for surprise and impact, this version's ending was instead soft and very poetic. I have no problem with that and would love such an ending, but I got thrown off expecting something similar to the previous version. That said, I can't wait to get back to this upon a re-watch, when the full power of the ending will probably hit me the best... it may even take #1 after that.

#1: Fruits Basket (Status: Finished sub, bought DVDs, watching dub (Ep. 13), collecting the manga (up to vol. 5), desperately hoping against all hope for a second season)
I'm a guy, and my #1 is a shoujo anime. But that's insignificant. There's a ton of reasons why I love this show so much so as to put it as #1. Among them is, as I mentioned with Mahoraba, how I love these sorts of feel-good anime series. However, what really brings Furuba up to the top is its unique, refreshing, and beautiful look on life. Some of this is represented in simple lessons that take on a new life thanks to the wonderful cast. Then, there are those lessons that are more unusual... but very much true in a special way. Example: spoiler[From Kisa's story, about how we only start being able to like ourselves because there are others who like us first.]

And then, there's spoiler[when Momiji tells the tale of a "foolish" traveler who gave away everything of his to "help" others even though they were taking advantage of him, up to letting himself be eaten by goblins... and Momiji thinks the traveler is lucky because he did not know sadness.] That's the sort of thing that really gets you thinking about life in ways you may have never thought of before--the sort of thing that really makes this series among the best of any story in any format ever.

Honorable Mentions

#11: Myself; Yourself (Status: Finished)
Some pacing problems related to the general lack of episodes needed keep this one from being in the top 10, but it's still great for having likable characters, interesting plot twists, and one of the best sibling duos ever (I loved episodes 10 and 11 in particular).

#12: Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Status: Finished first season, watching second season (Ep. 1), re-watching first season at college's anime club (Ep. 5))
When this show isn't milking out black comedy for all its worth, it works well as an introspective insight about all the truths in the world you never want to say but know are true. Also notable for its art direction--and from the same folks who did the aforementioned ef, too, though used more for comedic effect.

#13: Nodame Cantabile (Status: Finished through college's anime club)
Being a symphonic band member, the subject of this show was definitely one I could relate to, which is my primary reason for liking this one so much. Add to that wonderful character interactions, great music, and insane comedy and the end result is one of the most enjoyable shows I've seen.

#14: Lucky Star (Status: Finished, awaiting DVDs)
Yeah, the otaku humor is great. Even better is the general humor which hits upon more familiar parts of life, done with just the right timing to make it hilarious. And best is episode 22, which manages to seamlessly combine great comedy with a touching moment for one of the best single episodes ever.

#15: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Status: Finished)
While it was very good, I don't quite see what all the hype is about. Still, that doesn't lessen the fact that it's got awesome characters (particularly Yuki and Kyon) and some of the greatest quotes ever, and is a solid series overall.

#16: Cardcaptor Sakura (Status: Finished, including both movies)
One of the first anime series I've ever watched. Got interested because I liked Cardcaptors and wanted to see what the original show was like. (I don't think I like Cardcaptors anymore. Razz

) A fun show that mixes a childlike sentimentality with a deep plot and great character interaction to make a wonderful show (and a good proper introduction to magical girls).

#17: Minami-ke (Status: Finished first season, watching second season (Ep. 1), awaiting re-watch of first season at my college's anime club)
Brilliant comedy that works for many reasons, but probably most notably for being a girl-centered comedy like Lucky Star and Azumanga Daioh... that actually has a decently-sized male cast, and plays them for the fun that happens when the worlds of two genders collide. And it does this without losing the feel of a girl-centered comedy.

#18: Aishiteruze Baby (Status: Watching (Ep. 14))
A series that's somewhat similar to Fruits Basket in that it's a feel-good type story with underlying tones of tragedy. Different in that its focus is on how interacting with the indomitably-cute Yuzuyu-chan slowly transforms a playboy into a respectable guy. I'm expecting this one to climb some ranks as I watch more episodes.

#19: Lamune (Status: Finished)
One of the first anime series I watched. I love childhood-friend-romance stories, and I think this is one of the best ones of that sort out there (if not the best). I think what made the show work so well is how it worked so many little stories throughout to show how the two main characters have grown closer. Hugely underrated.

#20: Mai-HiME (Status: Finished from college's anime club)
Great show, though admittedly, I couldn't really get fully into it until the last episodes where the drama and character interactions were at their peak. And I loved the ending; I thought it was quite epic. (Maybe it helped that I was a bit spoiled on it.)[/spoiler]

top10 best:: (random, not starting with best or anything)

1- Air + specials:
This one is Drama, Since this is my Favourite genre it just had to be in here, The story is totally awesome from beginning to end and the past plays a big part. In Would defenitely recommend this to everyone.

2- Haibane Renmei
Where to start... the story is original, the music is totally awesome, graphics very nice also. now my opinion: Totally Awesom!! this was totally the Drama Anime is Was looking for, the story evolves around Rakka, she is a newborn in old Home where a part of the haibane live. most of the story involves rakka and Reki, The Anime takes place in a village ( pretty big though) surrounded by e magical wall, which is said to protect the people, no1 know what's on the other side, Haibane are basicly humans with wings, but they can't rlly fly. Alot of magic and mystery which totally fits the Anime,

3- Kanon 2006:
This is one of the best Drama series out there, the story is very unique, + the music is very very nice and fits the genre and the snow surrounded area in the anime, Just Like Air, spoiler[this contains alot of dreams Which kinda become reality]

4- Strawberry Panic:
This Yuri rlly Impressed me. I love the arts and the music is just Fabulous. In the entire series you don't see a single guy... so you gotte love the genre also. The story progresses rather slow, but you rlly get to know the charakters and the details surrounding the story, and there are alot of charakters, in the first 14 eps or so, you get all kinds of hints about some kind of drama that happened in the past, then in a few eps, you suddenly get a massive amount of information and then the story rlly gets interesting.

5- Dears:
hehe This story is totally Insane. the Dears:: slaves from outerspace come to earth and start l;iving with the humans. to bad the anime only has 13 episodes and the ending is kinda bad. but this1 you can't miss. if you want to know the real ending. buy the manga's it's worth it =)

6- Ouran High School Host Club
hehe Totally awesome. the overall genre is comedy, every episode is a story on it's own with a bigger story developing on the background. This anime is different from others because of the detailed background information you get on most of the charakters. this anime is Totally crazy and a must see for all, Also I would recommend the Mangas, they're rlly coowl : )

7- 5 cm's per second
3 stories in 1 movie. the stories are very nice but the graphics... OMIGOD totally the best I've seen. to bad not all Animes are made this nice. Ofcourse theres more to Anime then Graphics alone, Music also fitted the style of the Anime. Just overall... it was rlly something else to watch and I was totally Blown away

8- Elfen Lied
3 stories in 1 movie. the stories are very nice but the graphics... OMIGOD totally the best I've seen. to bad not all Animes are made this nice. Ofcourse theres more to Anime then Graphics alone, Music also fitted the style of the Anime. Just overall... it was rlly something else to watch and I was totally Blown away

9- School days
School days starts offf as a typical comedy romance anime. but as the story progresses.. this comedy turns more into a drama story. the story completely turns near the end wghich i rlly haven't seen before. kinda weird but truly worth watching also the graphics are great

10- Haruhi Suzumiya no Yuutsu
This is one of the best comedy animes Ever, the graphics are very nice. the story is rather weird but very interesting overall, but the humor in this serie is different from others and very fun to watch: overall a must see

Top5 WorsT:: ( in Random order )

1- Lamune
2- you're under arrest
3- Eiken
4- Air Gear
5- Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit

Lilithi wrote:

5- Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit

Just a friendly request, but I would like to know why you put this series in your Top 5 worst?

Last edited by Zalis116 on Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

Aromatic Grass wrote:

Lilithi wrote:

5- Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit

Just a friendly request, but I would like to know why you put this series in your Top 5 worst?

Yes, I'd like to know as well, since The Rules don't allow listing:

Quote:

3) Discussions should carry some measure of intelligence to them. Consider if what you are writing is relevant or important to others. If it does not contribute to the discussion, do not post it. Please post detailed answers to questions; lists and one-liners do not contribute.

Also, I really encourage you to read this part:

Quote:

2) This forum is an English-language forum. All users are expected to have a working knowledge of proper English. We are not an IM chatroom; we expect proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. All conversation must be in English. If English is your Second Language, please say so in your first post.

My top favorites:

1. ONE PIECE- This series is just BRILLIANT!!! It's better than everything else I have watched. The characters are awesome, have awesome powers, and the series is very dramatic and Oda will always throw in surprises when you least expect it! I definitely recommend watching/reading this! Just avoid the 4Kids dub. Watch the sub or FUNimation dub.

2.DRAGON BALL/Z- I grew up with this anime, and it's what got me into Shounen anime with the fighting and all. Maybe this is what made me like One Piece so much.

3. DEATH NOTE- Wow... this series is just... amazing. Lovable characters, and lots of plot twists!

4. SONIC X- Okay, some of you might think I'm crazy for this. But, I have always had a love for Sonic the Hedgehog since 1994. I think Sonic X is very charming and it is very dramatic at times. I admit I've cried watching it before. Just stay away from the 4Kids dub.

5. DR. SLUMP- This one is just so funny and innocent! Funny characters and story.

6. FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST- This show is pretty cool. But it can be kind of annoying, due to the differences between it and the manga. Same goes for Death Note, but I think that one pulled it off better.

My least favorite anime of all time:

NARUTO Oh my God... I just can't STAND THIS! I used to like it, but once the dub came out it became too overhyped. Plus, as I got farther into the series, I got really bored with it. The characters are uninteresting and hardly get any time to shine! Especially all of those support characters. God, they're so bland and they just plain-out suck. Shippuden is just confusing to me. Not the Naruto I used to like.

I'm not really much of an anime watcher... but there are some others I like, but I have a hard time keeping up with (like Detective Conan, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) and some I still plan to get into more (like Hunter X Hunter, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Bleach).

My Top Favorite!!

1) Tengen Toppa Gurren Laggen: where to start! The story of one boy who finds a drill while drilling and uses it to defy fate and change his destiny!! Good god what were they thinking when they made this one!! The quality of the anime was quite good. Very well drawn and very discriptive. The comedy was kinda your standard japanese humor. You know the sneezing when someone mentions you, laughing at the penis size of asain men, and bleeding noses. The story line though is the one that makes it my favorite anime. I mean a Space-Time Punch?? Fighting in the rip between the 10th and 11th dimension?!?! The idea that humans are "spiral beings" that can cause the end of the universe?!?! FIELD DAY IN THE WRITERS HEAD!!! lol!! A definite must-see!!

2) Kenichi: now heres your standard action/comedy anime that shines brightly. Shirahama Kenichi, a kid who was bullied by everyone during middle school and called "Weak Legs" decides to learn how to fight to protect the ones important to him. Going through tough fights and hellish training, his heart never strays from his path to protect. The quality of the anime was okay. Great sense of humor!! AAPPPAAAAA!!!! lol!! This story line is kinda slow at first but when you finish the series your left with a sense of... joy maybe? Happiness? Whatever the case whenever i finish this series i feel that i can achieve anything through hard work.

3) Death Note: talk about demented!!! Im pretty sure i dont have to say much about it seeing as how famous it is. The only thing i can say is...I WISH I HAD A DEATH NOTE!!! SO MANY PEOPLE NEED TO DIE!!! j/k! At anyrate great anime great story line/plot. Always on the edge of my seat with this one i am.

4) Yakitate Japan!!!:HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! So Funny!!! Who woulda thought that bread making and reactions to the bread could be so freaken hilarious!!! Azuma Kazuma a young man ,who met an influential baker when he was very young, has grown up making deliciously fantasic bread is trying to make Ja-pan!! a bread that would be acknowledged by the world as japan bread! Facing many challenges in the large bread world, he battles great bakers from all over and finally creates a bread so good a persons whole personality changes!! Oh the comedy!! Oh the laughter!!! A must see for a good mood!!

Some i need to talk about

Claymore: it starts off bad. Then its gets worse. THEN it actually get more worse. It was so depressing at times i needed to pause and have a smoke thinking "GOD when is it going to end?!!?" FANTASTIC!!! LMAO!! Making me feel that depressed get u put on the spot!!

Ghost in a Shell SAC & SAC 2nd Gig: Wow. Very detailed in almost every aspect. From the drawing to the plot to the action, great!! Only thing is every episode seems like 40 minutes so much is happening!!

Naruto Shippuden: only episode 26 where the old woman does her ultimate attack. That was a down fight. And i think 43 or 44...the one where naurto and orrichimaru fight. man the action was way better then the original series.

Worst

1) Zoids: what...IS...THIS??? No really!! What is it?? All around very bad!!! Very boring!! Action is weak! Humor is weak! Everything is weak! WASTE OF MY LIFE WATCHING IT!!

Witch Hunter Robin: TALK ABOUT BBBOOOOOOORRRRRRIIINNNNGGG!!!It was like blah bla blah! i mean the anime quality wasnt that bad at all. In fact that was its best trait. Everything else? no. no. no. I could only force myself to watch 5 episodes.

Disgea: one of the worst gaming to anime series ever!! the only reason i watched the first couple of episodes was because i liked the game alot. But what did they do to the anime?! Why did i watch those 3 episodes?!?

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