Animation studios - rank their shows from best to worst

[something]

Note: Original creators, not various overseas licensors like ADV or Geneon!

I know it can be tough sometimes to know what show "belongs" to what company, but my experience is that it's usually held to be the group credited with "Animation Production" (check ANN). If no such company is listed, usually it's just one listed as "Animation", I guess. So FMP: Fumoffu is considered "a Kyoto Animation show" by fans rather than, I dunno, Fuji TV (broadcaster) or the 7 companies under "Production". Anyway, make your best guess. And don't jump down anyone's throat (or mine) if you think we've "misclassified" something. Inform, sure, I'd love to know where I'm off. But berate? No.

So how would you rank the output of various studios? Nothing exhaustive (though go ahead if you want to), just list some of the highlights for better or worse that you think of when you think KyoAni, Gonzo etc. Note that this is ranking shows relative to each other rather than saying they're good or not (though include that if you want, I sort of am with "love" "like" "meh" "cant get into"), so for me even the "lowest" KyoAni title might be brilliant. Oh, mostly TV shows, but OVAs are ok I guess. Not interested in movies, but I'm not going to stalk you and kill your pets if you list them anyway.

I'll start with a few, best at the top and descending in enjoyment from there. I'm also noting (very vaguely, with "a few", "half", "most", "all") how much I saw of each, to put my ranking into perspective. I mean, don't have a heart attack when Death note is listed below Strawberry Panic, for example... I saw all of SP and only 7 eps of Death Note, so things will change when I finish the latter. :sd: And if the list seems biased towards studios with recent work, that's because I didn't start paying attention to the Japanese side of things until I started watching shows as they came out over there about 5 years ago. Also, studios purely in alphabetical order.

Since it got long, I'll put them in those pop-in/out spoiler tags. Just click the studio name to see the titles!

BONES
Love:
[tab]Scrapped Princess [all]
[tab]RahXephon [all]
Like:
[tab]Angelic Layer [all]
[tab]Darker than BLACK [half, got licensed]
[tab]Ouran High School Host Club [all]
[tab]Fullmetal Alchemist [a few]
Meh:
[tab]The Skullman [a few]
Can't get into:
[tab]Wolf's Rain [a few]

Things may change as I watch more, and I *will* own FMA one day,... when it's cheap. It'll undoubtedly be much higher when I do. But Scrapped is definitely top for them, and Rahx is incredible. DtB has a good chance of moving into Love, but I kinda need to see the rest first and that won't be any time soon... Skullman I just don't have much of an opinion on, I should really finsh it. I guess I'm not nearly the Bones whore some people are, but they have some great titles.

Gainax
Love:
[tab]His and Her Circumstances [all]
[tab]Neon Genesis Evangelion [all]
[tab]Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann [half, got licensed]
Like:
[tab]Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi [all]
Meh:
[tab]He is my Master [all]
Can't get into:
[tab]This Ugly Yet Beautiful World [...half?]

No, I've never seen FLCL though I've wanted to. Still holding out for it cheap. Mahoromatic is in the backlog, but I really want to see lovely Mahoro so it will probably be viewed within a month.

Gonzo
Love:
[tab]Chrono Crusade [all]
[tab]Kiddy Grade [all]
[tab]Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo [all]
[tab]Full Metal Panic! [all]
[tab]Kaleido Star [1st season]
Like:
[tab]Basilisk [all]
[tab]Last Exile [all]
[tab]Welcome to the NHK [all]
[tab]Romeo × Juliet [half, ongoing]
Meh:
[tab]Trinity Blood [a few]
[tab]Gad Guard [half, DVDs in backlog]
[tab]Blue Submarine No.6 [all]
Can't get into:
[tab]Kaze no Stigma [a few]
[tab]Pumpkin Scissors [a few]
[tab]Speed Grapher [a few]
[tab]Seto no Hanayome [a few]
[tab]Burst Angel [a few]

Most of the bottom ones and ones I just couldn't get into at all and thus saw (very) little of, so take my criticism with a grain of salt. Ranking the top was pretty hard, but CC's ending is just too powerful to put any lower. Romeo x Juliet is sort of provisionally ranked, I've sort of fallen away from it around the halfway point, but I'll get back to it eventually, and it'll likely end higher.

JC Staff
Love:
[tab]Azumanga Daioh [all]
[tab]Nodame Cantabile [all]
[tab]Honey and Clover [all]
[tab]The Melody of Oblivion [all]
[tab]Mahoraba ~Heartful days~ [all]
[tab]R.O.D -The TV- [all]
Like:
[tab]Rune Soldier Louie [all]
[tab]Zero no Tsukaima [1st, all; 2nd, a few, ongoing]
[tab]Karin [all]
[tab]Slayers/Next/TRY [all]
[tab]Tsukihime, Lunar Legend [all]
[tab]Alien Nine [all]
[tab]Daphne in the Brilliant Blue [all]
[tab]Ai Yori Aoshi [all]
[tab]Asatte no Houkou [all]
[tab]Okusama wa Maho Shojo [all]
[tab]Spiral [all]
[tab]Best Student Council [half]
[tab]Excel Saga [all]
[tab]Someday's Dreamers [all]
[tab]Sky Girls [a few, ongoing]
Meh:
[tab]Maburaho [a few]
[tab]Gunparade March [a few]
Can't get into:
[tab]Doki Doki School Hours [a few]
[tab]Ikki Tousen [a few]
[tab]Puni Puni Poemy [all]
[tab]Sugar: A Little Snow Fairy [a few]
[tab]Eiken [somehow tolerated almost one full ep]

Er, I guess Slayers is theirs? ::shrugs:: Since they have so many, like Madhouse, I'm probably subconsciously being a little tougher on what gets into Love as opposed to Like. The whole Like section for these guys is one big clusterfuck, it could have gone dozens of different ways. They seem to be the biggest for me, just passing the other powerhouse, Madhouse. Only seen one ep of Sky girls (2-3 will be soon) so it's kind of a provisional ranking.

Kyoto Animation
Love:
[tab]The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi [all]
[tab]Kanon (2006) [all]
[tab]Lucky Star [half, ongoing]
[tab]Air [all]
[tab]Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid [all]
[tab]Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu [all]

Everything they touch is inherently gold. The unchallenged gods of anime. Period. Clannad and Haruhi S2 will be amazing. I need say no more.

Madhouse
Love:
[tab]Cardcaptor Sakura [all]
[tab]BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad [all]
[tab]Claymore [most, ongoing]
[tab]Denno Coil [a few, ongoing]
[tab]Gungrave [all]
[tab]Gunslinger Girl [all]
[tab]Pita Ten [all]
[tab]Record of Lodoss War OAV [all]
[tab]Galaxy Angel [half]
Like:
[tab]Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran [all]
[tab]Strawberry Panic! [all]
[tab]Chobits [all]
[tab]Death Note [a few]
[tab]Trigun [all]
[tab]Chance! Pop Sessions [all]
Meh:
[tab]Sakura Wars OVA [all]
[tab]Otogi-Jushi Akazukin [a few]
[tab]Ohedo Rocket [a few]
Can't get into:
[tab]Ichigo 100% [a few]
[tab]Kiba [a few]
[tab]Oku-sama wa Joshi Kousei [a few]
[tab]Boogiepop Phantom [all]

Man, classification can be hard with a huge studio like this. I must say I never seriously thought before about "whose show" CCS was, for example, but looking at the entry I guess Madhouse gets the nod? Apparently I have a few Madhouse shows in my DVD backlog too, like X, so I can't rate those. Also, it appears Abenobashi is shared between Gainax and Madhouse, but I give that one to Gainax. Death Note is probably "love" when I get to see more than 7 episodes. Galaxy Angel represents the whole franchise.

Shaft
Love:
[tab]Hidamari Sketch [most]
[tab]Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~ [all]
[tab]Popotan [all]
[tab]Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei [a few, ongoing]
Like:
[tab]Pani Poni Dash! [half, DVDs in backlog]
[tab]REC [all]

All in all, Shaft has done more than I realized. It's only with Hidamari Sketch that I stopped and looked at the company and realized... I like them~! A lot. And I once again cannot emphasize enough just what a crime it is that Hidamari Sketch is so unknown. He is my Master/Kore ga Watashi no Goshujinsama seems like another shared one (with Gainax) but I guess I'll give that to Gainax too.

Sunrise
Love:
[tab]My-Otome [all]
[tab]My-HiME [all]
[tab]Crest/Banner of the Stars/II [all]
[tab]Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion [half, got licensed]
[tab]Vision of Escaflowne [all]
Like:
[tab]Cowboy Bebop [all]
[tab]s-CRY-ed [all]
[tab]Idolmaster Xenoglossia [half, ongoing]
[tab]Outlaw Star [all]
[tab]Yakitate!! Japan [most]
[tab]Gasaraki [all]

Crest/Banner is one of the big ones I was unsure of. Whose show is that really? Anyone know? For lack of anything better, and because it involves space, I chose Sunrise from the list. Outlaw star seems to be equally Sunrise and Xebec? ::shrugs:: All in all, I don't watch much Sunrise compared to others, but what I do see I like. I'm ignoring Zwei for now since it's an OVA, and calling it 'all' for Otome, but I can't wait to see Zwei =D

UFO Table
Love:
[tab]Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight [all]
[tab]Futakoi Alternative [all]
Can't get into:
[tab]2x2=Shinobuden - The Nonsense Kunoichi Fiction [a few]
[tab]Coyote Ragtime Show [a few]

2 for 4 and they're not prolific, but after Futakoi Alt and Manabi, I'm dying to see them do something else interesting. Manabi in particular was an absolute trimuph of character interaction. Massugu GO, UFO Table!

Xebec
Loved:
[tab]Martian Successor Nadesico [all]
[tab]Stellvia [all]
Like:
[tab]Heroic Age [half, ongoing]
[tab]Fafner [all]
[tab]Bottle Fairy [all]
Meh:
[tab]Avenger [all]
[tab]Busou Renkin [a few]

Only watched Bottle Fairy because my gf at the time liked it, but it was decent. Nadesico and Stellvia are two of my all time favorites. The news, on the same day, *officially* stating neither would ever get a sequal is still the blackest single day in anime news history for me. I feel like I'm missing something of theirs though... And even though I thought Avenger was fine, I still can't bring myself to put it above meh =P Need to see more Busou Renkin before I can rate it fairly.

*** Mmm, that's enough. I'll do some more studios when/if people respond and remind me of obvious ones I missed.

[LenMiyata]

Grumble Grumble Grumble

You have to include Studio Ghibli, the only Anime studio to bring home that 'Best Animation Feature' Oscar for 'Spirited Away', with many other significant movies)

And you have Production I.G. for their 'Ghost in the Shell' series (both Movie and TV), 'Blood+' TV series, 'Love Hina' series , and many other movie productions...

[something]

You have to include Studio Ghibli, the only Anime studio to bring home that 'Best Animation Feature' Oscar for 'Spirited Away', with many other significant movies)
As I said, "Not interested in movies." Also, I've only seen three Ghibli and don't really feel compelled to run out and see more.

And you have Production I.G. for their 'Ghost in the Shell' series (both Movie and TV), 'Blood+' TV series, 'Love Hina' series , and many other movie productions...
Hmm, Prod I.G... I love GitS, but it looks like I've seen almost none of "their" shows, so not enough to bother listing.

[Splitter]

KyoAni obviously. The fluidity and balance of the characters against the many backdrops are unparalleled.

Also J.C. Staff for great consistency throughout the majority of their projects.

[something]

KyoAni obviously. The fluidity and balance of the characters against the many backdrops are unparalleled.
Also J.C. Staff for great consistency throughout the majority of their projects.
...But I was asking to rate their shows, not what your favorite studio is :sd: Guess I need to make the subject line more obvious in case thats all people read.

[Splitter]

KyoAni obviously. The fluidity and balance of the characters against the many backdrops are unparalleled.
Also J.C. Staff for great consistency throughout the majority of their projects.
...But I was asking to rate their shows, not what your favorite studio is :sd: Guess I need to make the subject line more obvious in case thats all people read.

My bad. But dude, that's a shitload of shows.

[something]

My bad. But dude, that's a shitload of shows.
Heh, people can do just one or two studios or whatever they want. I definitely didn't do anywhere near all the shows I've seen, and I know others have seen more. Butnote some of them are just "a few" meaning I didn't even get to about halfway before giving up, and some are ongoing.

I just kinda started intending to do Gonzo (because they're all over the place and I never really systematically ranked them), KyoAni (just to emphasize my love) and one or two others but as usual with me, it kept going...

[Konoha]

Studio Pierrot has put out so much stuff, you should think about adding it too when you have the time.

[something]

Studio Pierrot has put out so much stuff, you should think about adding it too when you have the time.
By percentage I haven't seen very much of their stuff, but they do indeed have a number I've seen. They're apparently one of those studios that are big, but who I don't think of by name often. Probably will add them later, marthoning Haibane Renmei now.

Speaking of, who did that one... Hrm, that one isn't very clear. I guess credit would go to Radix? Dunno who I'd credit it to.

Edit: ok, looking at the OP I guess it would be Radix, credits say 'Animation produced by' which I can only assume = Animation Production =P

[The Great Bear]

Too many shows to think about.

I agree that just about anything touched by Kyoto Animation is gold. Of course, their work does also pop up in some unusual places. For example, the background art in Inuyasha is done by KyoAni. Yeah. So, check out the quality of the background art next time you're watching Adult Swim and bored to death.

J.C. Staff I would consider one of the best houses for fanservice. Even if their favorite title by them for me is Azumanga Daioh :sd:

Looking over your lists, I generally agree with where you've ranked everything.

And I'll be curious as to your reaction to Mahoromatic. The ending…well, let's wait until you get there.

[something]

And I'll be curious as to your reaction to Mahoromatic. The ending…well, let's wait until you get there.
I already know the general outline of what to expect, and yes I completely dread it, especially if I'm really liking the series to that point. But for $4 a disc, I couldn't turn down finally seeing cute Mahoro boobies <3

[Konoha]

Listening, to some BGC music, I totally forgot - AIC!! They've done quite a bit of stuff. Mmm, El Hazard :9

[Lumberjack]

Here's a couple from me for now:

Gonzo

Love:
Last Exile
Gankutsuou
Full Metal Panic!

Like:
Basilisk
Desert Punk
Samurai 7
Chrono Crusade
Hellsing

Meh:
Speed Grapher
Trinity Blood
Peacemaker

Can't get into:
Burst Angel
Kiddy Grade
Gad Guard
Gantz
Gravion


Madhouse

Love:
Fighting Spirit
Gungrave
Master Keaton
Trigun

Like:
Cardcaptor Sakura
Gunslinger Girl
Shingu

Meh:
Tenjho Tenge

Can't get into:
Boogiepop Phantom


I'll do a few more studios a little later.

[EmperorBrandon]

I will try some out, and more studios when I think of more...

Kind of grouping them up based on studio, so the category I give it may not be absolute in terms of my liking (i.e. "Decent" on one may be pretty close to "Love" on another. I know, a bit confusing... @_@ )

EDIT: I think I've gotten my list somewhat thorough now, thanks to looking over My Anime on ANN

J.C. Staff

Love a lot:
Mahoraba Heartful Days
Azumanga Daioh

Love:
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Asatte no Houkou

Decent:
Honey and Clover
R.O.D. the TV
A Little Snow Fairy Sugar
Karin
Tsukihime

Don't really care about:
Best Student Council
Excel Saga

Hal Film Maker

Love a lot:
Princess Tutu

Love:
Pretear
Saber Marionette J Again

Decent:
Fushigiboshi no Futagohime

Don't like:
Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan


Bones

Love a lot:
Angelic Layer
Ouran High School Host Club

Decent:
Scrapped Princess
Fullmetal Alchemist
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
Eureka Seven

Don't really care about:
RahXephon
Wolf's Rain

Gonzo

Love:
Kaleido Star

Decent:
Romeo X Juliet
Chrono Crusade

Don't really care about:
Trinity Blood


Gainax

Love:
Petite Princess Yucie
FLCL

Decent:
Neon Genesis Evangelion

Don't really care about:
Nadia
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi

Don't like:
He is My Master


Sunrise

Love:
Outlaw Star
Sgt. Frog

Decent:
Cowboy Bebop
Gundam 08th MS Team
My-Otome
My-HiME
Big O
Inu Yasha
G Gundam

Don't really care about:
Witch Hunter Robin

Don't like:
Mobile Suit Gundam
Gundam Wing
Gundam Seed
Gundam 0083

Kyoto Animation

Love a lot:
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Love:
Kanon 2006
Lucky Star
Full Metal Panic Fumoffu

Toei

Love:
Sailor Moon

Decent:
One Piece
Ojamajo Doremi

Don't really care about:
Dragon Ball
Zatch Bell
Bobobo


Pierrot

Love a lot:
Super GALS!

Love:
Fancy Lala
Great Teacher Onizuka

Decent:
Tokyo Mew Mew
Bleach
Ceres: Celestial Legend
Yu Yu Hakusho
Naruto


Madhouse

Love a lot:
Cardcaptor Sakura
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Love:
Chobits
Paranoia Agent
Galaxy Angel

Decent:
Metropolis
X TV
Trigun
Record of Lodoss War

Don't like:
Reign The Conqueror


Triangle Staff

Love a lot:
Magic User's Club

This one's brief :sd:


Ghibli

Love a lot:
Whisper of the Heart
The Cat Returns
Spirited Away

Love:
Kiki's Delivery Service
Porco Rosso

Decent:
My Neighbor Totoro
Castle in the Sky
Grave of the Fireflies
Princess Mononoke

Don't really care about:
Howl's Moving Castle

Shaft

Love:
REC

Don't really care about:
Pani Poni Dash


Oriental Light and Magic

Decent:
To Heart
Pokemon

Don't like:
Godannar
Steel Angel Kurumi


AIC

Love a lot:
Magical Project S

Love:
Dual
Tenchi Muyo (franchise ranging from "love a lot" to "decent")

Decent:
Ah My Goddess!
Record of Lodoss War CotHK


Deen

Love:
Fruits Basket
Full Moon o Sagashite

Decent:
Read or Die OVA
Kokoro Library
Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok
Fate/stay Night


Gallop

Love:
Nurse Angel Ririka SOS
Kodocha

Decent:
Rurouni Kenshin

Don't like:
Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters


Other one-shot loves for studios would be Rozen Maiden for Nomad, School Rumble for Studio Comet, Gakuen Alice for Group TAC (don't think I've had others for them yet, at least not ones where they were the main animating studio)

And then there's Production I.G., Xebec, Bee Train, and some others I looked over (but mainly stuff I don't care too much about with those)

[something]

Triangle Staff
Love a lot:
Magic User's Club

This one's brief :sd:

Haha, thats like, say... Seven Arcs for me. It'd look like:

Seven Arcs
Love:
[tab]Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha/A's/Strikers [most, ongoing]

THE END. Only other show they did was Inukami, which I haven't seen. So of the ones i have seen, uh... perfect record? :sd:

[EmperorBrandon]

Haha, thats like, say... Seven Arcs for me. It'd look like:

Seven Arcs
Love:
[tab]Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha/A's/Strikers [most, ongoing]

THE END. Only other show they did was Inukami, which I haven't seen. So of the ones i have seen, uh... perfect record? :sd:


Heh, I'm mainly skipping over studios where I've seen only one, but if it's something I really like... Triangle Staff has done a good amount of other stuff like Lain, Niea, Macross Plus, Space Pirate Mito, etc., but haven't seen none of it yet.

[LelouchLamperouge]

I decided to be overthetop and list everything I've watched in the last 10 years. ^_^" Call me crazy, but its really depressing me.

It's in spoilertags, so just click on the studio and thar ya go.

I'll add all the details and such later, this here alone was a task in and of itself. ^_^

Gonzo
[Love]
- Blue Submarine No.#6
- Full Metal Panic!
- Last Exile
- Chrono Crusade
- Gankutsuou
[Like]
- SaiKano
- Kiddy Grade
- Samurai 7
- Solty Rei
[Meh]
- Afro Samurai
- Basilisk
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Hellsing
- Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School
- Final Fantasy Unlimited
- Desert Punk
- Speed Grapher
- Trinity Blood


J.C. Staff
[Love]
- Loveless
- Shakugan no Shana
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Spiral
- Excel Saga

Hibari
[Love]
- Kashimashi
- Nerima Daikon Brothers
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Duel Masters

Bones
[Love]
- Fullmetal Alchemist
[Like]
- Kurau Phantom Memory
- Wolf's Rain
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Eureka Seven

Gainax
[Love]
- Nadia Secret of Blue Water
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
[Like]
- FLCL
[Couldn't Get Into]
- His and Her Circumstances
- This Ugly Yet Beautiful World

Kyoto Animation
[Love]
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
- Air
- Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu!
- Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Munto
- Munto 2: Beyond the Walls of Time

Comet
[Couldn't Get Into]
- School Rumble

Ufotable
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Ninja Nonsense

Manglobe
[Love]
- Ergo Proxy
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Samurai Champloo

Fantasia
[Love]
- Rumbling Hearts
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Stratos 4

Nomad
[Meh]
- Rozen Maiden

Satelight
[Love]
- Heat Guy J
[Meh]
- Hellsing Ultimate
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Noein

XEBEC
[Like]
- D.N.Angel
- Elemental Gelade
- Pilot Candidate
- Shaman King

Production I.G.
[Love]
- Blood+
- Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig
- Le Chevalier D'Eon

DEEN
[Love]
- Read or Die OVA
- Rurouni Kenshin
- Soul Hunter
- Detective Loki
- Eden's Bowy
- Fruits Basket
- Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
- King of Bandit Jing
[Like]
- Kyo Kara Maoh!
- Mon Colle Knights
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Rave Master
- Yumeria

Sunrise
[Love]
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080 War in the Pocket
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory
- Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team
- Cowboy Bebop
- Infinite Ryvius
- The Big O
- Outlaw Star
[Like]
- s-CRY-ed
[Meh]
- Mobile Fighter G Gundam
- New Mobile Report Gundam Wing
- New Mobile Report Gundam Wing Endless Waltz
- SD Gundam Force
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Inu-Yasha
- Witch Hunter Robin
- Brain Powerd
- The Vision of Escaflowne
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

Toei
[Love]
- Sailor Moon
- Sailor Moon R
- Sailor Moon S
- Sailor Moon SuperS
- Digimon Adventure 001
- Digimon Adventure 002
- Digimon Tamers
- Digimon Frontier
[Like]
- Bo^7
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Air Gear
- Dragonball
- Dragonball Z
- Dragonball GT
- One Piece
- Yu-Gi-Oh!

Madhouse
[Love]
- BECK Mongolian Chop Squad
- Death Note
- Paranoia Agent
- Trigun
[Like]
- Gunslinger Girl
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Beyblade
- Tenjho Tenge

Pierrot
[Love]
- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Gakkou no Kaidan
[Like]
- The Twelve Kingdoms
- Midori Days
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Naruto
- Bleach
- Saiyuki

Tatsunuko
[Love]
- Samurai Pizza Cats
- Tekkaman Blade
- Gatchaman
- Robotech
- Speed Racer
[Meh]
- KARAS

AIC

[Love]
- Now and Then, Here and There
- Tenchi Muyo Series
[Couldn't Get Into]
- AD Police
- Blue Gender
- Godannar
- Nightwalker
- Sol Bianca
- Vampire Princess Miyu TV

Genco
[Love]
- Elfen Lied
- Genshiken
- Kino's Journey
[Like]
- Serial Experiments Lain
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Super Milk-chan

TMS Entertainment
[Love]
- D.Gray-man
[Like]
- Case Closed
- Monster Rancher
[Couldn't Get Into]
- Hamtaro
- Sonic X

BeeTrain
[Love]
.hack//sign
Arc the Lad
Noir
[Meh]
.hack//Legend of the Twilight
[Couldn't Get Into]
IGPX
Medabots
Spider Riders
Wild Arms - Twilight Venom

Gallop
[Love]
Rurouni Kenshin


Radix
[Love]
Haibane Renmei


I really hope I did this right and didn't just waste 2 hours of my life. ^_^

Yes, I do realize Rurouni Kenshin is listed twice, under DEEN and Gallop. I don't feel like it right now.

Excuse while I go regain some sanity!

Do I get a cookie? :)

[DKL]

Wow...

I just realized that I need to watch more shows from other studios.

[EmperorBrandon]

I really hope I did this right and didn't just waste 2 hours of my life. ^_^"

BeeTrain and a few others to be added shortly. I needa break. ^_^"

Excuse while I go regain some sanity!


Hah, yeah, it definitely takes a lot of time to be thorough with a topic like this. :D Pretty interesting in checking it all out though as I can see where I stand with particular studios (mostly variable for any one studio though).

[DKL]

OH!

Let me just say this:

I'll watch ANYTHING from ANYONE...

The only studio I really can't sit with is BEE TRAIN; literally all attempts at watching their shows have ended with failure.

I just can't do it.

But yeah... not a good idea for me to rank since I generally like stuff I watch anyway.

[EmperorBrandon]

Yes, I do realize Rurouni Kenshin is listed twice, under DEEN and Gallop. I don't feel like it right now.


Well, they are both correct. Gallop did the first 66 episodes, and Deen took over for the rest (I only listed Gallop since I have only seen what CN aired)

[something]

The only studio I really can't sit with is BEE TRAIN; literally all attempts at watching their shows have ended with failure.
Hmm, yeah, BeeTrain... I put Avenger under Xebec since they're also animation production but that should be a BeeTrain show in my mind, upon thinking about it more. But I like BeeTrain. Avenger was ok, Noir was very good and El Cazador de la Bruja is UTTERLY AMAZING IN TEN BILLION WAYS taco taco tacoo yes sir banana chimichanga LOVE!

And the Madlax set is in my backlog, but I look forward to it.

[roastedpekingduck]

OH!

Let me just say this:

I'll watch ANYTHING from ANYONE...

The only studio I really can't sit with is BEE TRAIN; literally all attempts at watching their shows have ended with failure.

I just can't do it.

But yeah... not a good idea for me to rank since I generally like stuff I watch anyway.

Strangely enough, I dislike Bee Train as well and have never enjoyed anything of theirs I have watched. Madhouse whores must think alike. :P

[DKL]

Thing about Bee Train is...

Mashimo, I'll concede, has this distinctive style that really carries over to the other shows he does; you can just tell it's his... whether by the intro animation or the story-telling [or the music].

But the problem is when you don't ENJOY it.

For someone who doesn't really dislike a whole lot of things and enjoys a whole range of things... it's amazing how I somehow ended up blacklisting an entire studio like this.

But, I should try as there has got to be SOMETHING the studio has done that I can watch.

Maybe Tsubasa, who knows?

[HitokiriShadow]

And I'll be curious as to your reaction to Mahoromatic. The ending…well, let's wait until you get there.
I already know the general outline of what to expect, and yes I completely dread it, especially if I'm really liking the series to that point. But for $4 a disc, I couldn't turn down finally seeing cute Mahoro boobies <3

The good thing is that they make it really, really easy to pretend the last episode doesn't exist. Unless you hated the 'first ending' as well.

Uh, that's a lot of titles to consider, so I'll do it... at some point. Some point not at 2 a.m.

[something]

But, I should try as there has got to be SOMETHING the studio has done that I can watch.
El. Cazador. Far as I can tell, even people who couldn't care less about Noir or Madlax love El Cazador. And it's nothing like .hack or Avenger or the others.

[Sweeped]

Thing about Bee Train is...

Mashimo, I'll concede, has this distinctive style that really carries over to the other shows he does; you can just tell it's his... whether by the intro animation or the story-telling [or the music].

But the problem is when you don't ENJOY it.

For someone who doesn't really dislike a whole lot of things and enjoys a whole range of things... it's amazing how I somehow ended up blacklisting an entire studio like this.

But, I should try as there has got to be SOMETHING the studio has done that I can watch.

Maybe Tsubasa, who knows?
Tsubasa is easily worse than anything else he's done, bar maybe Avenger. El Cazador isn't much better either, it's just prettied up with more obvious fanservice.

It's pretty easy to write off almost the entirety of Bee Trains output, Mashimo directs almost all of it anyways, though IIRC someone else is helming the Monster Princess OVA and I've heard that's a departure from the Bee Train norm.

[something]

El Cazador isn't much better either, it's just prettied up with more obvious fanservice.
Er, if you mean overtly sexual fanservice, then I think you need to check that you're watching the right show, because that's not how El Cazador is at all.

[HitokiriShadow]

Maybe he means more obvious yuri? I don't know, since I haven't seen past the first episode of El Cazador yet.

[something]

Maybe he means more obvious yuri? I don't know, since I haven't seen past the first episode of El Cazador yet.
Having seen 16 episodes, it wouldn't be correct to say that either, if that's indeed what he meant. Ellis and Nadie clearly care a lot about each other, but Strawberry Panic (or even My~HiME) this is not.

[Splitter]

BONES

Love
- Eureka Seven
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Ouran High School Host Club
Like
- Angelic Layer
- Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
Meh
- Wolf's Rain


Gainax

Love
- FLCL
- Mahoromatic
Like
- His and Her Circumstances
Meh
- Evangelion
- Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi


GONZO

Love
- Kaleido Star
Like
- Chrono Crusade
- Full Metal Panic!
- Kiddy Grade
- Last Exile
- Vandread
- Welcome to the NHK!
Meh
- GANTZ
Dislike
- Gate Keepers / 21
- Saikano
Hate
- Hellsing


J.C. Staff

Love
- Alien Nine
- Azumanga Daioh
- Mahoraba ~Heartful Days~
- R.O.D. The TV
- Shakugan no Shana
Like
- Karin
- Puni Puni Poemy
Meh
- Detatoko Princess
- Honey and Clover
- Ikki Tousen
- Loveless
- Shingetsutan Tsukihime
Dislike
- Ai Yori Aoshi
- Excel Saga


Kyoto Animation

Love
- Air
- Full Metal Panic (Fumoffu / TSR)
- Kanon 2006
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Like
- Lucky Star


Madhouse

Love
- Black Lagoon
- Cardcaptor Sakura
Like
- Beck
- Death Note
- Gunslinger Girl
- Paradise Kiss
- Trigun
Meh
- Strawberry Panic!
Hate
- Chobits
- X/1999


Studio Deen

Love
- Fruits Basket
- Full Moon
- Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Like
- Maria-sama ga Miteru
- Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito
Meh
- Fate/Stay Night
- GetBackers


Sunrise

Love
- Code Geass
- Cowboy Bebop
Like
- Mai HiME
Meh
- Escaflowne
Hate
- s-CRY-ed


Not mentioned are Seven Arcs and ufotable, though I've only seen one or two shows of theirs, what I have seen has 100% wowed my socks off.

Also I have a personal disgust for Bee Train and any of Toei's attempts at adapting Key works.

[something]

Studio Deen
Love
- Fruits Basket
- Full Moon
- Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Like
- Maria-sama ga Miteru
- Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito
Meh
- Fate/Stay Night
- GetBackers

Man I definitely do need to do Deen then, as I've seen and liked all of those, except FSN which I will see when it's cheap.

[angelx03]

It's pretty easy to write off almost the entirety of Bee Trains output, Mashimo directs almost all of it anyways, though IIRC someone else is helming the Monster Princess OVA and I've heard that's a departure from the Bee Train norm.

That's Murder Princess. :sd:

And that title is probably the most action packed series they have done aside from those IGPX pilot episodes.

[pbruiz]

Gonzo
Love:
Seto no Hanayome

Like:
Bokurano
Vandread
Full Metal Panic!

Meh:
Kiddy Grade
Chrono Crusade
Burst Angel


Gainax
Love:
Gunbuster
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann

Like:
His and Her Circumstances
FLCL
Mahoromatic
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi
Gunbuster 2
Re: Cutie Honey


Bones
Love:
RahXephon

Like:
Skull Man
Angelic Layer
Scrapped Princess
Fullmetal Alchemist

Meh:
Wolf's Rain


J.C. Staff
Love:
Azumanga Daioh
R.O.D The TV

Like:
Alien Nine
Shana
The Melody of Oblivion

Meh:
Ai Yori Aoshi
Gunparade March
Someday's Dreamers
Ikki Tousen

Madhouse
Love:
Boogiepop Phantom
Death Note

Like:
Claymore
Paradise Kiss
X TV

Meh:
Chobits

Sunrise
Love:
Code Geass

Like:
Dirty Pair
Inu Yasha
Gasaraki

Meh:
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
Outlaw Star
Witch Hunter Robin
Cowboy Bebop

Deen
Love:
Higurashi
Maison Ikkoku

Like:
DNA²
Fruits Basket
Full Moon
You're Under Arrest

Meh:
Mouse
Yumeria
Star Ocean EX

[LimePie]

TOEI Animation
Love:
Ojamajo Doremi (most)
Sailormoon (all)
Like:
Futari wa Pretty Cure (1st season, some of Max Heart)
Ashita no Nadja (all)
Yes! PreCure 5 (several, ongoing)
Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne (all)
Marmalade Boy (most)
Hana Yori Dango (most)
Gokinjo Monogatari (a few)
Meh:
Konjiki no Gash Bell (a few)
Xenosaga TV (all)
Dragonball/Z/GT (A wide range from various parts of the series. I actually enjoy the earlier Dragonball episodes.)
One Piece (a few)
Couldn't Get Into:
Digimon (a few)

Kyoto Animation
Love:
Kanon 2006 (all)
Air (all, TV and Summer specials)
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (all)
Lucky Star (half, ongoing)

GONZO
Love:
KaleidoStar (all)
Romeo x Juliet (half, ongoing)
Like:
Kiddy Grade (all)
Last Exile (several)
Chrono Crusade (a few)
Couldn't Get Into:
Final Fantasy Unlimited (a few)
Trinity Blood (a few)

BONES
Love:
Ouran High School Host Club (all)
Fullmetal Alchemist (all)
RahXephon (all)
Like:
Angelic Layer (all)

[Sweeped]

It's pretty easy to write off almost the entirety of Bee Trains output, Mashimo directs almost all of it anyways, though IIRC someone else is helming the Monster Princess OVA and I've heard that's a departure from the Bee Train norm.

That's Murder Princess. :sd:

And that title is probably the most action packed series they have done aside from those IGPX pilot episodes.
err yeah. I can't help but get the names confused :sd:

[prc]

Don´t really remember which studio did what, but some of my favorite shows are from Studio Pierrot.

Their best:
Kimagure Orange Road
Pastel Yumi
Creamy Mami
Magical Emi

Their worst:
Yu Yu Hakusho
Ayashi no Ceres

BTW, try http://pierrot.jp/english/title.html if you want a list of all their titles.

[StudioZEL]

Ok, here I go.

Kyoto Animation
Love:
Full Metal Panic: Fummofu
AIR
Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Kanon 2006
Lucky Star

I'm with something on this one. The indisputed gods of anime (at the moment). Thus far they seem to be holding fast and I can only hope that it'll last forever (it won't, but I can dream can't I?)

Gainax
Love:
Neon Genesis Evangelion
FLCL
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (thus far)

Like:
His and Her Circumstances

Meh:
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (didn't get far)

Dislike:
Mahoromantic (didn't get far)

Gainax is a very hit of miss company with me. For every treasure there's a dud, or in many cases, a show I simply don't get around to watching for whatever reason.

Bones
Love:
Ouran High School Host Club
Angelic Layer
Fullmetal Alchemist

Like:
Rahxephon

Meh:
Scrapped Princess (didn't get far)

Disliked:
Wolf's Rain (didn't get far)

Hard to say as I don't particularly follow the studio around.

AIC
Love:
Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-Ohki OVA Season 1-2
El Hazard: The Magnificent World OVA Season 1
Tenchi Muyo GXP

Like:
Ah! My Goodess OVA and TV
Tenchi Universe
Battle Athletes OVA
Burn Up W
Bubblegum Crisis

Meh:
Dual: Parallel Trouble Adventure
Tenchi Muyo: Ryo-Ohki OVA 3

Dislike:
Record of Lodoss War TV
Tenchi in Tokyo

AIC was one of the first studios I ever followed, so I've had my share of ups and downs with them. ^^

Gonzo
Love:
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo

Like:
Hellsing
Gatekeepers

Meh:
Full Metal Panic (gave up partway)
Chrono Crusade (gave up partway)
Last Exile (gave up partway)
Final Fantasy Unlimited (gave up partway)
Bakuretsu Tenshi (gave up partway)
Romeo X Juliet (gave up partway)
Gantz (gave up partway)
Vandread (gave up partway)
Samurai 7 (guess what? gave up partway)

Gonzo Gonzo Gonzo. Never have I encountered an anime company that has SOOOO much potential, but usually ends up eliminating any interest I might have had at a show's beginning with horrible, horrible, pacing. Hell, the only reason I gave Full Metal Panic another try with Fummofu was because I was informed that it was not Gonzo at the helm, but KyoAni (who's AIR had, pardon the pun, blown me away). *sigh*

Xebec
Love:
Buso Renkin

Like:
ex-Driver
D.N.Angel

Meh:
Martian Successor Nadesico

Pretty indifferent at the moment, but I really enjoyed Buso Renkin.

JC Staff
Love:
Azumanga Daioh
Excel Saga
Puni Puni Poemi

Like:
Tsukihime

The funny thing is I've only seen these as far as I know, but I like 'em all. ^^

Madhouse
Love:
Cardcaptor Sakura
Gungrave
Record of Lodoss War OVA

Like:
Death Note
Devil May Cry (still ongoing)
Digi Charat
Phantom Quest Corp.
Chobits

Meh:
X

Dislike:
Devil Hunter Yohko
Ichigo 100%
Sakura Taisen TV

I either love 'em or hate 'em. Thankfully it's more the former than the latter. ^^

Sunrise
Love:
Cowboy Bebop
The Vision of Escaflowne
Mobile Suit Gundam 0079

Like:
Keroro Gunso
Gundam Seed/Destiny
Outlaw Star

Meh:
Argento Soma (didn't get far)
Infinite Ryvius (didn't get far)
Inuyasha
My HiME (didn't get far)
The Big O
Gasaraki

They're such a huge name, it's hard to say sometimes. I know I'm missing stuff here. ^^

Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Love:
Detective Conan (still ongoing)

I LOVE DETECTIVE CONAN!!!!!!!!! (end)