Top 10 Favorite Anime thread

[something]

I've been meaning to update mine, although I haven't in over a year. So I might as well post a new thread.

I wasn't planning on doing a running tally with points and all like we used to, because I don't think things really change fast enough to need it. So this will be less formal than the previous ones... in other words, divide (or don't) however you want, list less or more than 10, use whatever criteria you deem fit, whatever you feel like doing.

Previous thread: http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?p=1811736

Will be posting my update as a reply.

[something]

My old list 2010/09/18:
01) Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (6430) ◄0►
02) Clannad (7809) ◄0►
03) Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (4576) ◄0►
04) Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (6698) ◄0►
05) Toradora! (10050) ◄0►
06) Kanon 2006 (6431) ◄0►
07) Touka Gettan (7508) ◄0►
08) Aria (5504) ◄0►
09) K-ON! (10562) ◄NEW►
10) Hidamari Sketch (6811) ▼1

I had last updated this a long time ago for when I added K-ON! in recognition of the second season blowing me away. 13 months later I'm back, and updating it again... for the same show.

01) Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu ◄0►
02) Clannad ◄0►
03) K-ON! ▲6
04) Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha ▼1
05) Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ▼1
06) Toradora! ▼1
07) Aria ▲1
08) Hidamari Sketch ▲2
09) Kanon 2006 ▼3
10) Touka Gettan ▼3

There are a lot of reasons behind this... but the most important is that it's one of those franchises I've just come to love more and more as time has gone by, not less. There are many shows that I genuinely adore, but once they're over the experience just kind of... ends. AnoHana is a recent example - beautiful show, definitely one of the best I've seen and deserving of that elusive 10/10. But have I really thought of it since it ended? Not much... and that's not at all a knock on the show, it's just a sign of how rare it is for a show to stay in my mind continuously for months and months, let alone years, when I'm watching 12-25 new shows a season and working overtime every week.

K-ON!, on the other hand, I've just never gotten over loving. After season one, we got the second season. Then there's the approximately 30 CDs I own from it, with all kinds of great music. Then there's the live concerts, first Let's Go! then Come With Me!!, both of which I gushed about at length in the JP forum K-ON! thread. And now the movie is coming, so I have yet more to look forward to. And I don't even read the manga because I want to avoid spoiling the inevitable third season of the anime, so that's a whole huge area more I could be experiencing. Since the anime has ended, Kotobuki Tsumugi has actually gone up my list of favorite characters, sitting behind only Furukawa Nagisa (#1), Suzumiya Haruhi and Hatsune Miku - third if you exclude Miku for not really being an anime character. This franchise just never ends for me. (Obviously, it has the advantage of being ludicrously successful and an infinite stream of merchandise... a show like Touka Gettan could never compete on those terms.)

Music plays a big part as well. The Ookami to Koushinryou series may not be the best (though it's quite good, both seasons get a 9/10 from me) but every time I listen to Mitsu no Yoake (literally my favorite song ever) I think about how much I like the show, and that magnifies its stature in my mind beyond what the anime alone would warrant. And K-ON! has music, for damn sure. The same applies to Clannad and Aria especially, but others as well. It's obviously playing a big part in how deeply I'm getting into Idolmaster as well, perhaps unsurprisingly. Back to K-ON!... I'm listening to Tenshi ni Fureta yo! as I type this. How could I ever stop loving this show?

For every Monday through Thursday night at approximately 9PM EST I've been having what I've dubbed Houkago Soup Time. A warm bowl of soup (I don't drink tea or like sweets, unfortunately), and an episode of K-ON!. I just finished episode 12 of the first season, i.e. their awesome season-ending (well, sort of, there's the special and BD episode) concert. It's pretty amazing how the show can follow a tiring 10-11 hour workday and, in 25 minutes, make everything in the world right again. The show really hasn't lost one bit of its impact on me. At my current pace, one a night four days a week, the second season should last me through December 7th. It's hard not to watch multiple at once though...

K-ON! is also the best example of the way my Top 10 has changed in the past year or two. It's become so packed that a one season show just can't make it in anymore. I don't think I'll ever see a one cour or even two cour show that, by itself, cracks in. Hell, if Madoka couldn't do it, you know nothing can. My top 10 now is really more like a top 10 franchises. Only four of the 10 are one season and all of them are two cour, and they're all from 2008 or earlier. It's all about how a franchise thrives over time I guess. More stuff is more stuff to love, and the only thing better than a great show is a great show twice. If Madoka continues like Shinbou wants, I could see it cracking in past some of the one season shows... Touka Gettan and Kanon's spots are up for grabs, barely. Toradora and Gurren Lagann are a bit safer for now.

Anyway, yes, this thread is 50%... okay maybe 80% an excuse to gush about how much I'm still loving K-ON!. But I really have been really wanting to update the list for a while, and it seems better to start fresh than to bump an old thread.

[FUNiOP]

This list will likely change frequently:

01. Clannad/Clannad After Story
02. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
03. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya/The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
04. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion/Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
05. Cowboy Bebop
06. Steins;Gate
07. Gintama/Gintama'
08. Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal
09. Neon Genesis Evangelion
10. Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Specifically, Steins;Gate will likely move up even more. I could see it moving up as high as #3. Hell, it could even get to #2. Definitely not #1, though. There's a big gap there. I basically did my micro-review post for the past season in the Currently Watching thread to gush about it more, so most of my thoughts are over there. As for why it could keep moving up on my list, I just keep thinking about it, posting about it, discussing it, re-watching it, re-watching the rest of my list, and I just keep realizing how much I love it more and more. So that's the big thing I'm thinking about regarding my list these days. I may update at any time, and it will likely be to bump Steins;Gate up more.

[Draneor]

I... probably should update my list. It has been almost four years and about half of the shows I had listed shouldn't be there based on my current feelings. The problem is I don't have any replacements. The titles that could take their place, like Angel Beats and K-On!, I never finished. And I don't feel right ranking anime as tier one when I've yet to complete them. Others, like OreImo, are far too risky until I know there is an acceptable ending. Then there are shows that have potential but I've yet to really dive into (IMS) or are just now airing (Haganai).

Kanon, Clannad, D.C., Higurashi, Hayate, and Stellvia aren't going anywhere. But that still leaves four slots. I guess I'll just have to think about it.

[MelancholicMariya]

I hope I don't mess up the thread system again. Anyway, here goes!

1) Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei
2) Hidamari Sketch
3) Maho Shoujo Madoka Magica
4) Maria Holic
5) Katte ni Kaizo
6) Eden of the East/Higashi no Eden
7) Neon Genesis Evangelion
8) Toaru Majutsu no Index
9) Steins;Gate
10) Code Geass

Eden of the East was a very enjoyable series. To me it felt really original and all of the characters were fantastic, even with very limited screentime. It was an amazing series even with an ending which may of felt a little bit off at points. It's great.

Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei was and still is brilliant. I never knew I'd love Japanese political humour as much as I would. The characters are named after, and most are based off of, modern controversial issues in Japan, and even though it's poking fun at them Kumeta develops the characters very well even with these limitations. The series manga or anime, is always funny. I hope SHAFT in some way can produce more, they even snuck some SZS into the Negima! Anime FINAL apparently, SHAFT must really like it as much as I do.

Hidamari Sketch, I hardly need to say anything about this series for you to know why it's close to the top. It's relaxing, and has fantastic characters. Miyako is always great, everything she says is perfect.

Maria Holc. I feel like I have to defend this one in some way. My username is to some extent based on the male lead of this series, but not too much. It's actually based on my real name too, I feel like I've said that before somewhere. Mariya is a crossdresser who picks on Kanako and his maid, Matsurika, is brilliant, and his maid is actually my favourite character. A lot of people consider this series hateful towards lesbians and such. Not... at all, really. I can see why some would think that, but it's really not. There's a ton of well drawn lesbian imagery within the anime. It's never downright hateful towards anyone, Mariya is just a bitch to anyone who gets close to ruining his "dream". Also I think in the manga it turns out Mariya just straight up has gender identity issues and isn't doing this whole competition just for the "sport" of it. He kind of likes being a girl. Also it's a lovely looking series and the soundtrack is probably the best soundtrack to any comedy so far.

Katte ni Kaizo (or Katteni Kaizou) is another one of Kumeta's works. Like Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei to some extent it's a political humour, but when it first started as a manga it was raunchy. The OVA's adapt this change too. OVA episodes 1 and 2 are just full of gay jokes, sex jokes, people getting erections, piss jokes, men accidentally having sex with each other and at one point a guy ejaculates on his own face. Truly it's the greatest anime of all time, right? Well, sadly, after OVA 1 and 2 the series becomes political to the way SZS is political, to some extent. It's based on people who have some kind of issue, like SZS. Kaizo thinks he's a cyborg and some of the science club, and it's older members, are just crazy. The series is bananas and I can't wait for the 3rd BD next week.

From here on it's series' basically everyone has seen. I felt like I needed to explain my top 5 at the least. Code Geass is there because that series is so friggin' dumb I just can't help but love it. A beautiful mess is what I would call it.

My list is largely dominated by SHAFT and Shinbo's sense of humour is great. Though I can understand why some people may hate his humour.

Edit: Changed Eden to 6 instead of 1. I realised my love for Shinbo runs deeper than it should.

Edit 2: I'm an idiot and completely forgotten about Madoka Magica at 5am.

[pianocello]

Been a while since I updated:
1) Saber Marionette (entire series from J all the way to J to X)
2) Battle Athletes Victory
3) Ping Pong Club
4) Daphne in the Brilliant Blue
5) Strike Witches (all seasons)
6) El Cazador de la Bruja
7) Yuru Yuri
8) Jubei-chan the Ninja Girl (all seasons)
9) Getsumen to Heiki Mina
10) Queen's Blade/Mitsudomoe (tie)

I think my No 1 has remained constant for the last 15 years. They just don't make them like they used to.

[MelancholicMariya]

Originally Posted by MelancholicMariya

I hope I don't mess up the thread system again. Anyway, here goes!

1) Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei
2) Hidamari Sketch
3) Maria Holic
4) Katte ni Kaizo
5) Eden of the East/Higashi no Eden
6) Neon Genesis Evangelion
7) Toaru Majutsu no Index
8) Steins;Gate
9) Code Geass
10) Darker Than Black

Last night I was a complete idiot. I went dumb for an entire hour and forgot to include, potentially, the best anime this year. I have no idea how I forgotten this.


1) Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei
2) Hidamari Sketch
3) Maho Shoujo Madoka Magica
4) Maria Holic
5) Katte ni Kaizo
6) Eden of the East/Higashi no Eden
7) Neon Genesis Evangelion
8) Toaru Majutsu no Index
9) Steins;Gate
10) Code Geass

How could I be such an idiot? Of course Madoka Magica way up at the top.

This isn't a, stuff went down, stuff went up in my list. This is just me correcting my list. I'll update the original post now.

[Orochimaru]

My tentative top 10:

1. Naruto/Naruto Shippuden
2. Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)
3. Blood+
4. Bleach
5. Samurai Champloo
6. Basilisk
7. Death Note
8. Inuyasha
9. Elfen Lied
10. Black Lagoon

Comments no one probably cares about:

The reason it's "tentative" is that there are a few shows I've seen that should probably be on this list, but that I haven't yet rewatched and thus don't know exactly where they should fit in, namely Soul Eater, Higurashi, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, and Code Geass. If I were to take those into consideration, Elfen Lied and Black Lagoon at least would almost certainly not be here, but they're both great shows so I want to include them for now. I'll update this in a few months (or more) when I've rewatched some of them.

As for the ranking itself... there is absolutely no competition for #1. From there on, it gets a little trickier. The main problem is Bleach. In a way I feel like it should be #2, and in a way I feel like it shouldn't even be on the list. It has a lot of great parts, but also a lot of really boring filler that really weighs it down... so right now I decided to go with my traditional rankings and put it behind FMA and Blood+, but ahead of Samurai Champloo. The same thing applies for Inuyasha, in a way... although the filler in that one doesn't bother me as much... I might move Inuyasha up later, or not. This is what I'm going with for now.

Other series of note... whenever I eventually get around to watching One Piece (I liked it a lot dubbed on TV, but I'm not sure how or when I want to go about watching it now...), that will almost certainly be on the list. I could also see Hunter x Hunter being on here eventually, but the first series (OVAs included) didn't quite make it and obviously the new one will have to go for quite a while longer before it can even get close...

[ultimatemegax]

Honestly, there's only 6 series that I feel worthy of being called "favorites" (mostly because they're the 6 that I've imported/will import).

1. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya:
The drug that got me into the anime medium to begin with. A show that sparked many philosophical conversations with friends and yet remains open to new viewers. Something that can be watched in multiple ways, yet still find a way to make sense. Seeing the movie in a sold out theatre with other fans is still one of the happiest days of my life. I could go on and on, but I'm sure my post will be long enough as is. Having read the rest of the novels (and helped somewhat in fan-translation of the latest two), I know there's some great scenes to come. Plus the next season focuses on my favorite girl!

2. Toradora!:
My go-to example of why I say I'm not always right. After watching the first episode, I hated the character designs, felt the show was tired and cliche and nearly dropped it. Encouragement kept me going and I'm incredibly grateful I didn't drop the show. The story kept dragging me in and in as the series went on. It was the first show that made me truly upset that it was over when the final scene ended. A wonderful story. Bring on the OVA!

3. Clannad/Clannad ~After Story~:
Everyone is a part of the big Dango family! I had heard the expression "Clannad is life" beforehand, but really nothing else describes the series without going into spoilers. I laughed, I cried, and after watching 2/3 back-to-back, I went emotionless for about two weeks afterwards. While the final episode is a bit weird, it's still a very touching story.

4. Hanasaku Iroha:
A bit recent, but still one that I fell in love with at first sight. One of my most anticipated shows of the year that somewhat disappointed me during the middle episodes, but had some amazing episodes throughout the run. I was still upset the day after that there wouldn't be another episode the following week. While the story faltered, I felt the cast of characters were all great, especially Ohana and Nako. The new story should be great next year.

5. To Aru Kagaku no Railgun:
I'm a fan of the psudeoscience that the Raildex universe uses in Academy City as it's somewhat logically consistent unlike the magic side. Having said that, focusing on the quartet of girls was a great strategy for the story as it allowed the universe to grow, yet remained stable throughout the run. Saten's scenes in the final two episodes were great and helped cement her as one of my favorite characters. The next arc will be very interesting as it'll adapt something that most fans saw from the Index anime first.

6. Saki:
When I think of this show, the word "fun" immediately pops into my head. It's a show about crazy mahjong playing with loads of yuri subtext yet it never takes itself truly seriously. I greatly enjoyed the characterization that was given to all four final teams and for the first time in a series, couldn't pick a team I wanted to win even though the outcome was obvious. I can't wait for the spinoff to start next spring.

Outside of these six, I find it very difficult to say a show fits on my "favorites" list. While I may like a show or think it's good, no others really fit into the category that these franchises are in.

[Draneor]

Originally Posted by something

For every Monday through Thursday night at approximately 9PM EST I've been having what I've dubbed Houkago Soup Time. A warm bowl of soup (I don't drink tea or like sweets, unfortunately), and an episode of K-ON!.

Can I ask what kind of soup?