Agreed. One of my top 3 was Gunsmith Cats. Manga had way more to tell than the 3 episode OVA. But then you things like Berserk. The 97' anime I get doesn't tell much beyond an intro and the ending was...what it was. However, seems like the story was dragging on long before the author passed away. I'm a firm believer in short but sweet with anime series. The 26 episode models is more than enough to create something memorable. Having list Ranma 1/2 in my 3 as well, the TV series ending was...okay. Rumiko took another 5-years to complete it and seems like it's still open ended.
Yeah, I’ve not gotten around to Ranma (but I do have all the Blu-Ray sets, as they were on sale for pretty cheap one time at RightStuf, as I said in an earlier post I used to sometimes blind buy anime if it was on sale for a good deal and there was no way to legally stream lots of pre-2010s anime), but I did really enjoy the Inuyasha anime but BY GOD, that story could have been way shorter. I’m not even talking about filler episodes as I found out later there were occasional episodes that felt filler but were actually from the manga!
That’s why I’m looking forward to the new Urusei Yatsura anime. Since it’ll be only 50 episodes, I’m hoping they’ll condense Rumiko Takahashi’s story into something more reasonably paced. Obviously purists will be pissed, but I just want a more reasonable intro to the series. And hey, if I do really love it, the manga omnibuses are available to buy.
BTW, speaking of Inuyasha, I always loved this RC skit:
Yeah, I’ve not gotten around to Ranma (but I do have all the Blu-Ray sets, as they were on sale for pretty cheap one time at RightStuf, as I said in an earlier post I used to sometimes blind buy anime if it was on sale for a good deal and there was no way to legally stream lots of pre-2010s anime), but I did really enjoy the Inuyasha anime but BY GOD, that story could have been way shorter. I’m not even talking about filler episodes as I found out later there were occasional episodes that felt filler but were actually from the manga!
That’s why I’m looking forward to the new Urusei Yatsura anime. Since it’ll be only 50 episodes, I’m hoping they’ll condense Rumiko Takahashi’s story into something more reasonably paced. Obviously purists will be pissed, but I just want a more reasonable intro to the series. And hey, if I do really love it, the manga omnibuses are available to buy.
BTW, speaking of Inuyasha, I always loved this RC skit:
Goodness, Inuyasha...
So, a couple years back, my wife asked me to watch it. Started off okay, honestly. Then Naruko is revealed as the antagonist and after much effort they defeat him. Then he comes back again...and again...and I stopped on episode 110. I liked it up until about the 34th episode but it was still tolerable until about 43. Every fight seemed to be just like the previous. I its he was hyped big time in the 2000s. I never got beyond volume 5 of the manga but Dunno I'd artwork made it shine. The animated version seemed to get less budgeted beyond episode 30 too. I pay attention to everything in animation. I recall some battle where all these Feudal era farmers attacking 'the gang'; each having the same face... I remember background characters that were actually well drawn and distinct.
With Urusei Yatsura, I think the 300-some episodes were enough. Maybe one of the movies could help people warm up to it without having to spend so much time watching 50 vs the original. I'm not really into reboots of anime which were done well the first time. But I'm all for anime on stories never adapted. Read the manga "Creature", that deserves a series and isn't even in physical print...
1) Bible Black
2) Night Shift Nurses
3) Mezzo Forte
Enjoy!!
okok
here's the my real picks
1) Black Lagoon
2) Full Metal Panic
don't let the gif fool you. This is a very good mecha themed show.
3) 0080 War In The Pocket
Imo, still one of the best series in the whole Gundam franchise. It's short (only 6 episodes) and you don't need to know the lore of the One Year War to enjoy it.
You two are the exact opposite of me. I'm not into mecha anime, though I'm sure I'll check out some Gundam as everybody is raving about it. @Sub_Level, submit some shows instead of the movies. You have a Bleach avatar so that could count.
Now that's clean, though I prefer Doom's horizontal text due to easier reading.
We're focusing on anime series my man so the movie has to be excluded. I'm pleased to see the infamous Cowboy Bepop, but One Punch Man, is that even good?
1. Yu Yu Hakusho
-Great shonen that doesn't overstay its welcome like that big 3, ended just in the right length based on my own opinion.
2. Steins;Gate
-One of those show that I wish I could erase my memory just so I can experience it again, the first 10 episodes are really slow, but the second half are amazing. I don't think there are any other time travel show that can outdo steins;gate.
3. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
-If you never heard of this show, go in completely blind, you will be surprise how great it get after 3 episodes. Don't google this one, the spoilers are everywhere.
We're focusing on anime series my man so the movie has to be excluded. I'm pleased to see the infamous Cowboy Bepop, but One Punch Man, is that even good?
yeah I know just wanted to mention it anyway. Uhm yes, to me its one of the greatest action/comedy animes in so so many years. It's short, it doesnt waste your time with fillers, it has pure simple comedy, pure simple action and it was animated by the best at Madhouse. Season 2 is a piece of shit tho(different studio that had no idea how to animate). I hope s3 redeems itself and lands with a more capable studio.
Heres a clip I always use to show ppl to get them interested in it. Minor spoilers ofc.
I am no expert and some of the ones i would have said are already memtioned so i thought id put ones i didnt see whilst briefly scrolling if they are mentioned my apologies
Dimension W
Gangsta
Lycos Recoil (as its fresh on my mind)
don't let the gif fool you. This is a very good mecha themed show.
3) 0080 War In The Pocket
Imo, still one of the best series in the whole Gundam franchise. It's short (only 6 episodes) and you don't need to know the lore of the One Year War to enjoy it.
I own all of these (with the exception of War in the Pocket as it has NEVER had a pal region release )
Black lagoon is one of the anime I always suggest to none anime fans because outside of the creepy "twins" arc its pretty much one of the coolest shows around, with a great cast of characters and not too "alien" to regular TV show watchers as its not really heavily influenced by Japanese culture outside of one arc.
Full Metal Panic recently came back... and I had to promptly pretend the new season didn't exist, I can tolerate CGI, but dear god they would have been better just leaving the series unfinished if this is what they wanted to produce after 15 years of silence. The fact that main relationship sours due to the plot makes it the least intresting season and feels much more generic without the fun little moments in the prior seasons (less so second raid) but the first 3 seasons are one of my favourites in anime, top 10 for sure.
War in the Pocket is as personal as Gundam gets, I always tear up when Al plays back Bernies message even though I know it's coming every time. I wish they would release a Blu-Ray already in the UK, alongside 08th MS team its one of the series I am desperate to own a physical copy of.
don't let the gif fool you. This is a very good mecha themed show.
3) 0080 War In The Pocket
Imo, still one of the best series in the whole Gundam franchise. It's short (only 6 episodes) and you don't need to know the lore of the One Year War to enjoy it.
2. Steins;Gate
-One of those show that I wish I could erase my memory just so I can experience it again, the first 10 episodes are really slow, but the second half are amazing. I don't think there are any other time travel show that can outdo steins;gate.
Ah man, Azumanga Daioh is so great. Might be my personal 2nd favorite anime comedy after School Rumble.
Also I just love this video. It’s so dumb but by god they made most of it work pretty damn well. My favorite parts are Chiyo screaming, “back you devils!”, who they picked to play Eomer, and Yukari giving the Isengard speech.
Oh boy. Narrowing it down to three is hard. I'll give three that popped into my head without much thought
1. Rahxephon.
Do you like Evangelion but hate Shinji? I do. This is a great alternative. If I had to pick an anime as my favorite it would be this. I've watched it through all the way about 5 times. Great art and music. Great dub. Good characters and story (even if it cribs from eva a bit much). It hit me exactly at the right time and was one of the ones that propelled me further into anime.
2. Cowboy Bebop.
Yes, I know the most obvious of answers but it's still great. The soundtrack remains unmatched. The characters are awesome. The ending is gut-wrenching. It holds up pretty well outside of some cg used in spots. Get the blu ray it looks great.
3 Ergo Proxy.
Fun fact. At least I think I recall reading it somewhere back in the day. This is the first anime released in HD. Beautiful show when the A team animators were working. Another great soundtrack with one of the best openings ever. Very "heady" It's been a long time since I've watched it all the way through so I can't remember if its actually deep or just pretending to be. Either way, it's super engaging. I'm sure I'm one of the few that really like this show but I just love it.
I'll second some others that I read in the thread.
Hellsing Ultimate. Really good and one of my favorites. The first ova isn't as good animation wise but after that its top notch and still looks great.
Azumanga Daioh
This is legitimately one of the best slice-of-life comedy series ever made. It's hard not to have a great time watching this. Just watch the op!
Fulll Metal Panic.
A great blend of action and comedy. The second season is pure comedy and it's probably my favorite out of all of them.
I could go on about my favorites. There's so much good shit out there. Here's one more for the hell of it.
Escaflowne
Great soundtrack. Great mech design. The story was really great at least in the first half. The second half felt a bit rushed.
Yeah...I'm watching Bebop for the first time but I did give Outlaw Star a chance...just like I gave Excel Saga a chance. I know the two are far apart but in the late-90's, some of those didn't move me. Always great to hear there are fans of Outlaw Star but it almost feels like their were enough cyberpunk / space themed anime titles already at that time with Bebop and Trigun. Of those three I'd say Trigun was my favorite too just because they weren't too far off from the manga and gave it somewhat of a closing which wasn't too melodramatic but also not salty like Berserk 97' (love Berserk 97 btw)
Yeah...I'm watching Bebop for the first time but I did give Outlaw Star a chance...just like I gave Excel Saga a chance. I know the two are far apart but in the late-90's, some of those didn't move me. Always great to hear there are fans of Outlaw Star but it almost feels like their were enough cyberpunk / space themed anime titles already at that time with Bebop and Trigun. Of those three I'd say Trigun was my favorite too just because they weren't too far off from the manga and gave it somewhat of a closing which wasn't too melodramatic but also not salty like Berserk 97' (love Berserk 97 btw)
Oh yeah, even with that ending though. Berserk 97' is one my wife's still talking about and thanks for sharing Guts' theme! Bringing that vibe in. Thanks AlteredForms
too...this is one of the most fun threads I've come by in O/T in awhile.
Since my top three were all series I'd like to give my movie picks. These are pretty standard and nothing shocking but someone may not have seen them.
1. Ninja Scroll.
This is one for a lot of us that got us into anime. Great action film. Lots of blood and gore. Sex. Ninjas getting massacred by the dozens. It's great.
2. Sword of the Stranger.
Another great and simple action film. It has one of the best "he's back!" moments I can remember. Stellar fight choreography. The final fight is legit top-tier Hollywood shit.
3. Princess Mononoke.
My favorite studio ghibli film. Great in every aspect. A little heavy-handed with its message but it's executed so well that I can look past it.
Yeah...I'm watching Bebop for the first time but I did give Outlaw Star a chance...just like I gave Excel Saga a chance. I know the two are far apart but in the late-90's, some of those didn't move me. Always great to hear there are fans of Outlaw Star but it almost feels like their were enough cyberpunk / space themed anime titles already at that time with Bebop and Trigun. Of those three I'd say Trigun was my favorite too just because they weren't too far off from the manga and gave it somewhat of a closing which wasn't too melodramatic but also not salty like Berserk 97' (love Berserk 97 btw)
Never understood the Trigun love. It was always just ok to me. "Eat-Man" is very similar, came out around the same time and blows Trigun out of the water in every way....IMO
Yeah...I'm watching Bebop for the first time but I did give Outlaw Star a chance...just like I gave Excel Saga a chance. I know the two are far apart but in the late-90's, some of those didn't move me. Always great to hear there are fans of Outlaw Star but it almost feels like their were enough cyberpunk / space themed anime titles already at that time with Bebop and Trigun. Of those three I'd say Trigun was my favorite too just because they weren't too far off from the manga and gave it somewhat of a closing which wasn't too melodramatic but also not salty like Berserk 97' (love Berserk 97 btw)
Never understood the Trigun love. It was always just ok to me. "Eat-Man" is very similar, came out around the same time and blows Trigun out of the water in every way....IMO
ShirAhava
You’re breaking all the rules man lol. These anime you’re ragging on have been included in several all time greatest lists and mentioned by people here. I’m going to take their word over yours if you don’t mind.
That’s enough recommendations outta you naughty boy. Making a mockery of my 3 submission limit. Peel me off some GAF Gold and I won’t snitch to the mods .
Never understood the Trigun love. It was always just ok to me. "Eat-Man" is very similar, came out around the same time and blows Trigun out of the water in every way....IMO
Trigun worked with me because it's one of few where I read the manga first and nearly 15-years after (only recently) decided to watch the full series. In the retro anime thread, I posted recently how the TV series was great but not well budgeted. Eatman (the 97' OVA) similarly. I bought the SD blu-ray and really enjoy it. You read that right...SD blu-ray...
Anyway, Eatman is a great one but the budget falls in and out randomly. The soundtrack was not so great either. A lot of late 90's anime had this thing for out of tune vocalists singing to guitars screeching with feedback or fret sliding. Bebop sorta beats em' all on soundtrack.
That’s enough recommendations outta you naughty boy. Making a mockery of my 3 submission limit. Peel me off some GAF Gold and I won’t snitch to the mods .
We have more votes for Trigun. Seems as though IGN knew what they were talking about when the two included it in their top 25 all time anime list.
There have been multiple votes for that show. I’m going to assume that you’re in the minority dude.
ShirAhava
You’re breaking all the rules man lol. These anime you’re ragging on have been included in several all time greatest lists and mentioned by people here. I’m going to take their word over yours if you don’t mind.
Its cool Just being honest! Be careful rolling with the majority tho. A lot of these all time lists pretend like the 70s and 80s never happened I've been an anime fan since 1991 and have seen more than most a lot of the shows people name as the 'best of all time' kinda trigger me because only a newer fan would even say that but I digress!
Oh man, where to begin. Anime as whole has been a part of my life since childhood. So, it's hard to choose between what I consider to be the creme de la creme that anime has to offer and the most nostalgic/influential anime I watched growing up. So, I decided to go with the former. For me, anime is a composition of 4 things: story, animation, music and voice acting. They all combine to create some the greatest visual spectacles and stories humanity has created. To be a greatest of all time anime, it must not only be great at each of these departments, but it must go beyond and excel at each one of them! So, without further ado, these are what I consider the best I've ever watched:
3. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
What can I say about Gurren Lagann that hasn't been said before? It is no surprise to me that it is held in high regard by many anime fans because of how much of an impact it has had in the people that have watched it. The animation is one of the best in the industry, and it has that particular style that would go to become the unique style of studio Trigger (makers of other bangers like Kill la Kill and the just released Cyberpunk Edgerunners). I think its message can be applied to people of all ages and all walks of life. For me, it came at a time that I was dealing with depression and many insecurities as a teenager. It also happens to be one of the first anime shows I watched after several years of me being on hiatus from watching anime. Gurren Lagann is truly a timeless story! The anime has a bombastic in medias res start with a huge space battle raging on. A mysterious cloaked figure in a battleship looks on to the stars, only to realize with his crew that all the stars shining in the firmament are in fact are enemies that are ready to attack. With no fear and unrelenting swagger, our cloaked figure vows to vanquish his enemies from space time. Heck, no words can do this sequence justice! Just watch the iconic beginning to Gurren Lagann here:
That title sequence always gives me the chills!
We then have an abrupt change of scenery. Back on earth, we learn that long ago humanity abandoned the surface, living only underground where resources are limited and precious. In fact, it's been so long that the surface itself has become a myth! We are then introduced to a young boy named Simon. When he was little, his parents died in one of the many frequent earthquakes and subsequent cave ins that the people have learned to greatly fear. Being an orphan, Simon is ostracized from society and is mocked and rejected by his peers. As such, he is forced from a young age to work as a miner to be useful to society and support himself. He excels at this job, more than anyone else in his colony, but even then, he leads a mostly solitary life, ever fearful of meeting the same demise that his parents did. His only friend is a young man by the name of Kamina that, much like himself, has become a pariah of society. His crime: believing in the existence of a surface, the need for everyone to stop looking down at the dust, to stop quaking in fear of the walls crushing them, to abandon their rocky prison and go up to the surface where an infinite open blue sky would greet them, thus claiming their own freedom. The authority figures don't take kindly to this, branding him a troublemaker, disturbing the peace of society and disseminating lies among them. As a result, he spends a lot of time in solitary confinement, but Kamina never breaks and never let's go of his dream. To me, he is the greatest prototype of an "aniki' or "big brother" I can think of in anime. Not only does Kamina aspire for greatness, but he sees the greatness in Simon that no one else sees, not even Simon himself. In one his antics, Kamina devices a ridiculous plan for him and Simon go to the surface, one that involves using Simon's skills with his drill. It is at the climax of this event that, literally, everything comes crashing down through the ceiling... revealing truths about the world that sends ripples across the reality of the small underworld colony, changing it forever, and kickstarting the adventure of Simon, Kamina, and the bodacious sniper girl Yoko that just emerged from the "myth" called the surface.
From the very beginning, the core tenets of Gurren Lagann are clearly communicated to the audience:
Don't look down to the rocks, look up to the sky!
Even if you don't believe in yourself, believe in me that believes in you!
With your own drill, pierce up the heavens!
Who the heck do you think I am?!
Anyone that has watched the show will probably remember these phrases because they carry so much significance to the development of the story and the characters. The iconic image of Kamina or Simon pointing up at the sky is probably the best way to summarize the series. It is a call to look up, not down, and set our sights high above from where we are. It reminds in this regard to the movie Interstellar by Christopher Nolan. It is in essence is a coming-of-age and beyond story for Simon, from being a frightful insecure child with no friends and with no aspirations for the future to a grown man full of confidence, optimism and trust in his own abilities and that of his friends to reach beyond the limits he imposed upon himself, those imposed unto him by others or even the universe itself. It is a story of brotherhood, a story of love, a story of friendship, but it is also about loss, acceptance and carrying on a legacy. It is hilarious when it is hilarious, but serious when it is serious. It is outrageously over the top, but also full of heart. I laughed, and I also shed some tears. By the time the credits roll, this hopeful and triumphant tune will remain with you for years to come:
Without a doubt, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one the greatest of all time!
2. Made in Abyss
In what would become one of the greatest surprises for me last year, I can safely say that Made in Abyss is one of those projects that stand out by being exceptional and special in every way. It's impossible to do justice to Akihito Tsukushi's story just with words. At first glance, the looks are very deceiving. It looks like it might a cute show for kids, but the show is so much more than that. In fact, I wouldn't recommend any child to watch this show! It is one of those extremely rare series that I'm not sure which format to recommend for other people to consume it... the manga and anime are both amazing, so I normally just end up recommending both! To give you an idea, the manga looks like this:
The style is unlike anything else I've ever seen. The art is beautiful, and I often times found myself just stopping to look at the art of the panels. They are just beautiful to look at! So, when I learned there was an anime adaptation for this series, I immediately knew it was going to prove to be a very challenging task to do it any justice at all. However, I was surprised and delighted to find out that not only was the anime a faithful adaptation, but it also was exceptional in its own right in every way, from visuals, to animation, to voice acting, and music. It was evident to me that this was a labor of love from all the parties involved. The promo video they released prior to launch does an excellent job of capturing the feel of the Made in Abyss anime:
In order to keep up with Akihito-san's art, they made every background and scenery look like a painting, and they blended it with some highly evocative and melancholic music, which is very different from any anime currently produced. The voice acting is also on point... Riko's personality bubbles up with curiosity, enthusiasm and optimism, Regu's is sprinkled with naivety, courageousness and loyalty, Nanachi's is very memorable with her iconic mischievousness, mystery, cunning and "naas". There is so much personality infused into these characters with just their voices, that you can learn a lot about them just from hearing them speak.
However, in the end what makes this series so special is the world itself that was so carefully crafted by the author to bring everything to life. The world of Made in Abyss is harsh and dangerous. It is full of mystery and rich in lore. The story starts with young Riko being raised as an orphan in the village of Orth. She is a deeply curious individual that is drawn to explore all the secrets the great Abyss has to offer, a great chasm that exists right in the middle of the island where Orth is, founded by the many courageous explorers that came before over many generations. From expeditions, the cave raiders of Orth are able to extract ancient relics, all of which have different ranks depending on how useful they are. The lowest 4th tier relics are of little consequence. The special grade relics at the top can change the destiny of entire nations or of the world. For this reason, cave raiders are willing to risk it all, even their own lives, in the search of the next great treasure or discovery deep in the Abyss. Some do it for fame and money. Others are just in search of greater knowledge. However, there is a big catch and a big mystery: the further one goes down into the Abyss, the harder it will become to climb up to the surface. This is known as the Curse of the Abyss. The effects it has on the cave raiders change depending on which layer they are on the Abyss, which are differentiated by an abrupt change in the topology, flora and fauna. In the first layer, the cave raiders will get some mild nausea and dizziness. In the second layer, these effects will be greatly magnified. In the third layer, hallucinations will take place. In the fourth layer, one will bleed from every orifice. In the lower layers, ascending will have the effect of losing one's sanity or humanity, in the deepest layers it is sure death. Additionally, the deeper the layer is, it will have more dangerous creatures and plants, some of which defy anything humans have ever seen or encountered. As such, cave raiders are divided by ranks denoted by a whistle they carry around their necks, which determines how deep into the Abyss they can go. Red and Blue whistles are novices and are not allowed to go very deep, but more experienced cave raiders like the black whistles, can go very far, as deep as the 4th or 5th layer. There is a special rank of whistles, the white whistles. These are the most daring and special cave raiders. In a way, they are monsters themselves, going deeper than any of the other cave raiders and using the relics they have discovered in the Abyss to continue to survive and explore it. These individuals are not normal, and some consider them to be really dangerous. In fact, there is something dark about them, as if the darkness of the Abyss is slowly shedding their humanity the deeper they venture into it and the more they use the relics they have found within it. Eventually, a white whistle might do a "final dive", going into the 6th layer from whence there is no return. After all, there is a saying in Orth that "everything must return to the Abyss".
For Riko, this is all fine and dandy. Her mother is a white whistle that goes by the name of Lyza "The Annihilator". Wanting to follow after her footsteps, Riko is eager to venture deeper and faster into the Abyss than any of her peers. She is fascinated by the relics that can be found by cave raiding and has the tendency of keeping many of her most interesting finds, much to the chagrin of the headmaster of the orphanage and her instructor. The students are supposed to hand them over to be sold to fund the operations of the orphanage, which is meant to raise a new generation of cave raiders from among the orphans of Orth (of which there are many because of the many lives that are claimed by the Abyss). Her adventurous behavior has gotten her in trouble many times before, landing her the ultimate punishment in the culture of Orth of being strung up naked (a strange quirk, but it has its charm). All is well for Riko until one day she and one of her friends are attacked by a massive creature called a crimson splitjaw while raiding in one of the upper layers. Just when everything seemed lost, a great beam of light comes out of nowhere and hurts the flying snake-like creature, making it flee the scene. The beam was highly effective, even melting some of the fossil trees from the area. She then proceeds to investigate what the source of the beam was, which leads her to discover an unconscious young boy that with a closer inspection turns out to be robot! In time this robot boy regains consciousness, exhibiting intelligence that is on par with humans. However, he also has lost all his memories, so Riko decides to name him Regu after a dog she used to have (which is to him quite irredeemable). I don't want to get into spoiler territory, but eventually both Riko and Regu set out on a journey to go to the deepest layer of the Abyss, both in search of answers that are deeply personal to each of them. Their adventure is a constant struggle for survival. In their way, many perils are faced, many bonds are made, many foes are faced and many feels are had.
Made in Abyss excels at evoking a feeling of wonder and adventure into the unknown. The music only helps to accentuate this feeling:
Made in Abyss is story about friendship and courage, of pressing on against incredible odds. It is about pursuing one's dreams, no matter how dark, how deep or how dangerous that Abyss might seem to reach them. It is about becoming the person you need to be to face the trials ahead of you. It is about not giving up, no matter how dire the situation might be. It is about making the hard choices when it matters the most. It is about seeing the light when we are surrounded by darkness. It is about becoming resilient and stronger despite the ugliness, unfairness and suffering of life. It is about the dangers of seeking for knowledge at the expense of others. It is about what it means to be human. It is about having that courage to set out on our own adventure to fulfill your own destiny.
Made in Abyss is truly a masterpiece of our times. And I can't wait to see the adventures that lie in wait at the bottom of the Abyss for Riko and her friends.
Also, Nanachi is adorable and fluffy and of my favorite characters of all time! Naaa...
1. Fate Series
OK, OK... Yeah, I know I know I'm cheating a little bit here but hear me out! One of the things that makes the Fate Series so special is how big it has become over the years. From its humble beginnings as an erotic visual novel with Fate/Stay Night, it was so special from its base that it sprung into an international juggernaut media empire. Eventually, they rereleased the visual novel to remove any of the lewd content and make it accessible to an even bigger audience. The series has many adaptations and spin offs across many different media formats: manga, anime, visual novels, movies, video games, you name it. Of course, the biggest one of them probably being the popular gacha game Fate/Grand Order, which by itself could be a media empire of its own with multiple manga and anime adaptations. The world of the Fate series is deep, with lore scattered across many different universes. However, to remain on topic, I want to particularly make mention what I consider to be some of the best anime adaptations of all time: the Fate anime adaptations by studio ufotable. These encompass Fate/Zero, Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works and finally, the trilogy of movies Fate/Stay Night Heaven's Feel.
I was interesting for me to watch these adaptations in that order, because with each release you can see how ufotable evolved as a studio... and it was already amazing starting with Zero:
And then with Unlimited Blade Works they stepped up their game:
And it all culminated with the masterpiece that is the Heaven's Feel trilogy:
When I watched the Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel III. spring song movie in the movie theater might jaw just dropped to the floor from watching from what I consider to be the pinnacle of animation in anime so far. And it is with this particular trilogy that I want to put my emphasis on to make a case for the Fate series as the GOAT anime.
So, allow me to do a quick summary of what Fate/Stay Night is: it revolves around a young high school teenager name Shirou Emiya. His goal is to become a hero of justice. He inherits this dream from his adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya, who related to him how he always regretted he was unable to become that during his youth. Shirou then decided to fulfill this dream in place of his father. Kiritsugu saved Emiya when as a child a fire engulfed his neighborhood, and no one survived except for him. Kirutsugu also happened to be a mage, but to avoid entangling his son in what he considered a dangerous and violent world, he decided to not teach him too deeply the ways of magic. He merely taught him magic to reinforce or fix things. Because of some unexpected events, Shirou then gets involved in a mage conflict known as the Holy Grail War, of which he had no knowledge about prior to being entangled on it. Essentially, 7 different mages compete against each other by summoning heroic spirits, known as servants, to aid them in battle. These heroic spirits can take the shape of famous figures from history or fiction, and they have great magical and combat abilities. The end goal is to eliminate all other mages from the event, either by taking out their servants or killing the mage, and claim for themselves the Holy Grail, which has the ability to grant any wish to however claims it. One of the pillars of the Fate/Stay Night series is that the identity of the servants is not known, this is to gain an advantage over other servants that they might not know what kind of powers they have, or what weaknesses they might have. However, each servant has an ultimate power known as a Noble Phantasm, which is a last ditch magical attack in an effort to win a battle that by being used it becomes pretty clear what the identity of the servant is. Each servant that is summoned has a class (like in an RPG), so to keep their identity hidden they are referred to as their class, which are Saber (yes, this is THE Saber), Archer, Rider, Assassin, Berserker, Caster and Lancer.
So, this is the setting Fate/Stay Night. But, since the original was a visual novel, there are actually 3 different routes you can take, all of which corresponded in the game originally to what girl you "chose". However, each story is a lot deeper than this and very different from each other. In a way, they complement each other by developing characters and story plots that were not touched upon on the others, making it very satisfying to go through them all.
The Fate Route is the one where Shirou falls in love with Saber, the servant he summoned to fight in the Holy Grail war. She is a gentle, regal, proud warrior. She is too formal and stern at times, but slowly begins to warm up to those around her, showing a gentle selfless side to her. As much as I love this route and its story, I think it's the least interesting of them all. It is essentially a story of him getting started on the path to become a hero of justice.
The second route, Unlimited Blade Works is far more interesting to me, since it explores what it really means to become a hero of justice, with all its repercussions. It is a fight of Shirou with himself to come to terms as to whether he really wants to become a hero of justice, what it will cost, and he if he is willing to pay it. It is an excellent story about fighting our own demons and perhaps our greatest enemy: ourselves. Also, the girl of choice here is Rin, a mage girl that is also involved in the Holy Grail War as one of the participants. She is what I call a fake tsundere. She wants to appear hard in the exterior, showing no mercy and raining hell on her enemies, but usually ends up walking back on her grand schemes when it comes to hurting other people. She is actually very kind and caring in the inside. She is very talented as an heir to a long lineage of very powerful mages, and she wants to live up to that legacy. I like her a lot.
Finally, we have the Heaven's Feel route. To me, this is the most interesting of all the routes, because this time Shiro has to choose between becoming a hero of justice or sacrificing that dream to become something else entirely. He finally comes to terms with an old adage Kiritsugu shared with him long ago: "in order to become a hero of justice, you have to let someone else die". Shirou wanted to reject this notion, declaring he would save everyone, and no one would be lost. However, it is during this route that he finally comes to understand what Kiritsugu meant. This time, the girl of choice is no other than his friend Sakura, which has a presence in all the other routes and is obviously in love with Shirou. She is younger than him, so she refers to Shirou as "senpai". Sakura is a tender and gentle person; she is soft spoken and sweet. However, it is during this route we learn of the terrible things she has had to endure, and that despite it all, she is still such a sweet and good person. To me, the Heaven's Feels story is in a sense a culmination of the entire Fate/Stay Night series, exploring all of its themes and having the most satisfying conclusion to the entire saga.
Despite its high-octane action, Fate is filled with quiet thoughtful moments. There are a many philosophical moments scattered across it, especially in Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay Night. Even after saying all this, I've just scratched the surface of this amazing series. There is intrigue and mystery. There is romance. There are plots and back stabbings. Each mage has their own reasons to participate in the war, and so do the servants. At its core, Fate asks what it means to be a hero, and what is the cost of becoming one. It is about growing up and facing disappointment. It is about overcoming evil once it has taken ahold of us. It is about stepping up and living up the potential inside of you. It is above all about not being afraid to sacrifice good things for things that are far better.
And the music... well, the music is amazing.
They music has a great way of conveying the feelings of the characters, and the situation they are going through. In here this particular track perfectly encapsulates to me the explosive inner conflicts Sakura is going through in the movie trilogy. If you listen closely, there are hints of her sweet and gentle person still in there, but also the hints of the darkness growing within her, slowly taking over, making her fall... and it's hard not to feel bad about it when you get to know Sakura, the gentle maiden.
All this combines to create some of the greatest pieces of art of our times. Yes, if I had to choose, I'd say Heaven's Feel is the GOAT, and invite all of you who haven't experienced to do so.
Not a top 3 or anything but if you want something really weird, unique and short, check out Sonnyboy.
It left my wife feeling extremely sad at the end of it.
Oh man, where to begin. Anime as whole has been a part of my life since childhood. So, it's hard to choose between what I consider to be the creme de la creme that anime has to offer and the most nostalgic/influential anime I watched growing up. So, I decided to go with the former. For me, anime is a composition of 4 things: story, animation, music and voice acting. They all combine to create some the greatest visual spectacles and stories humanity has created. To be a greatest of all time anime, it must not only be great at each of these departments, but it must go beyond and excel at each one of them! So, without further ado, these are what I consider the best I've ever watched:
3. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
What can I say about Gurren Lagann that hasn't been said before? It is no surprise to me that it is held in high regard by many anime fans because of how much of an impact it has had in the people that have watched it. The animation is one of the best in the industry, and it has that particular style that would go to become the unique style of studio Trigger (makers of other bangers like Kill la Kill and the just released Cyberpunk Edgerunners). I think its message can be applied to people of all ages and all walks of life. For me, it came at a time that I was dealing with depression and many insecurities as a teenager. It also happens to be one of the first anime shows I watched after several years of me being on hiatus from watching anime. Gurren Lagann is truly a timeless story! The anime has a bombastic in medias res start with a huge space battle raging on. A mysterious cloaked figure in a battleship looks on to the stars, only to realize with his crew that all the stars shining in the firmament are in fact are enemies that are ready to attack. With no fear and unrelenting swagger, our cloaked figure vows to vanquish his enemies from space time. Heck, no words can do this sequence justice! Just watch the iconic beginning to Gurren Lagann here:
That title sequence always gives me the chills!
We then have an abrupt change of scenery. Back on earth, we learn that long ago humanity abandoned the surface, living only underground where resources are limited and precious. In fact, it's been so long that the surface itself has become a myth! We are then introduced to a young boy named Simon. When he was little, his parents died in one of the many frequent earthquakes and subsequent cave ins that the people have learned to greatly fear. Being an orphan, Simon is ostracized from society and is mocked and rejected by his peers. As such, he is forced from a young age to work as a miner to be useful to society and support himself. He excels at this job, more than anyone else in his colony, but even then, he leads a mostly solitary life, ever fearful of meeting the same demise that his parents did. His only friend is a young man by the name of Kamina that, much like himself, has become a pariah of society. His crime: believing in the existence of a surface, the need for everyone to stop looking down at the dust, to stop quaking in fear of the walls crushing them, to abandon their rocky prison and go up to the surface where an infinite open blue sky would greet them, thus claiming their own freedom. The authority figures don't take kindly to this, branding him a troublemaker, disturbing the peace of society and disseminating lies among them. As a result, he spends a lot of time in solitary confinement, but Kamina never breaks and never let's go of his dream. To me, he is the greatest prototype of an "aniki' or "big brother" I can think of in anime. Not only does Kamina aspire for greatness, but he sees the greatness in Simon that no one else sees, not even Simon himself. In one his antics, Kamina devices a ridiculous plan for him and Simon go to the surface, one that involves using Simon's skills with his drill. It is at the climax of this event that, literally, everything comes crashing down through the ceiling... revealing truths about the world that sends ripples across the reality of the small underworld colony, changing it forever, and kickstarting the adventure of Simon, Kamina, and the bodacious sniper girl Yoko that just emerged from the "myth" called the surface.
From the very beginning, the core tenets of Gurren Lagann are clearly communicated to the audience:
Don't look down to the rocks, look up to the sky!
Even if you don't believe in yourself, believe in me that believes in you!
With your own drill, pierce up the heavens!
Who the heck do you think I am?!
Anyone that has watched the show will probably remember these phrases because they carry so much significance to the development of the story and the characters. The iconic image of Kamina or Simon pointing up at the sky is probably the best way to summarize the series. It is a call to look up, not down, and set our sights high above from where we are. It reminds in this regard to the movie Interstellar by Christopher Nolan. It is in essence is a coming-of-age and beyond story for Simon, from being a frightful insecure child with no friends and with no aspirations for the future to a grown man full of confidence, optimism and trust in his own abilities and that of his friends to reach beyond the limits he imposed upon himself, those imposed unto him by others or even the universe itself. It is a story of brotherhood, a story of love, a story of friendship, but it is also about loss, acceptance and carrying on a legacy. It is hilarious when it is hilarious, but serious when it is serious. It is outrageously over the top, but also full of heart. I laughed, and I also shed some tears. By the time the credits roll, this hopeful and triumphant tune will remain with you for years to come:
Without a doubt, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is one the greatest of all time!
2. Made in Abyss
In what would become one of the greatest surprises for me last year, I can safely say that Made in Abyss is one of those projects that stand out by being exceptional and special in every way. It's impossible to do justice to Akihito Tsukushi's story just with words. At first glance, the looks are very deceiving. It looks like it might a cute show for kids, but the show is so much more than that. In fact, I wouldn't recommend any child to watch this show! It is one of those extremely rare series that I'm not sure which format to recommend for other people to consume it... the manga and anime are both amazing, so I normally just end up recommending both! To give you an idea, the manga looks like this:
The style is unlike anything else I've ever seen. The art is beautiful, and I often times found myself just stopping to look at the art of the panels. They are just beautiful to look at! So, when I learned there was an anime adaptation for this series, I immediately knew it was going to prove to be a very challenging task to do it any justice at all. However, I was surprised and delighted to find out that not only was the anime a faithful adaptation, but it also was exceptional in its own right in every way, from visuals, to animation, to voice acting, and music. It was evident to me that this was a labor of love from all the parties involved. The promo video they released prior to launch does an excellent job of capturing the feel of the Made in Abyss anime:
In order to keep up with Akihito-san's art, they made every background and scenery look like a painting, and they blended it with some highly evocative and melancholic music, which is very different from any anime currently produced. The voice acting is also on point... Riko's personality bubbles up with curiosity, enthusiasm and optimism, Regu's is sprinkled with naivety, courageousness and loyalty, Nanachi's is very memorable with her iconic mischievousness, mystery, cunning and "naas". There is so much personality infused into these characters with just their voices, that you can learn a lot about them just from hearing them speak.
However, in the end what makes this series so special is the world itself that was so carefully crafted by the author to bring everything to life. The world of Made in Abyss is harsh and dangerous. It is full of mystery and rich in lore. The story starts with young Riko being raised as an orphan in the village of Orth. She is a deeply curious individual that is drawn to explore all the secrets the great Abyss has to offer, a great chasm that exists right in the middle of the island where Orth is, founded by the many courageous explorers that came before over many generations. From expeditions, the cave raiders of Orth are able to extract ancient relics, all of which have different ranks depending on how useful they are. The lowest 4th tier relics are of little consequence. The special grade relics at the top can change the destiny of entire nations or of the world. For this reason, cave raiders are willing to risk it all, even their own lives, in the search of the next great treasure or discovery deep in the Abyss. Some do it for fame and money. Others are just in search of greater knowledge. However, there is a big catch and a big mystery: the further one goes down into the Abyss, the harder it will become to climb up to the surface. This is known as the Curse of the Abyss. The effects it has on the cave raiders change depending on which layer they are on the Abyss, which are differentiated by an abrupt change in the topology, flora and fauna. In the first layer, the cave raiders will get some mild nausea and dizziness. In the second layer, these effects will be greatly magnified. In the third layer, hallucinations will take place. In the fourth layer, one will bleed from every orifice. In the lower layers, ascending will have the effect of losing one's sanity or humanity, in the deepest layers it is sure death. Additionally, the deeper the layer is, it will have more dangerous creatures and plants, some of which defy anything humans have ever seen or encountered. As such, cave raiders are divided by ranks denoted by a whistle they carry around their necks, which determines how deep into the Abyss they can go. Red and Blue whistles are novices and are not allowed to go very deep, but more experienced cave raiders like the black whistles, can go very far, as deep as the 4th or 5th layer. There is a special rank of whistles, the white whistles. These are the most daring and special cave raiders. In a way, they are monsters themselves, going deeper than any of the other cave raiders and using the relics they have discovered in the Abyss to continue to survive and explore it. These individuals are not normal, and some consider them to be really dangerous. In fact, there is something dark about them, as if the darkness of the Abyss is slowly shedding their humanity the deeper they venture into it and the more they use the relics they have found within it. Eventually, a white whistle might do a "final dive", going into the 6th layer from whence there is no return. After all, there is a saying in Orth that "everything must return to the Abyss".
For Riko, this is all fine and dandy. Her mother is a white whistle that goes by the name of Lyza "The Annihilator". Wanting to follow after her footsteps, Riko is eager to venture deeper and faster into the Abyss than any of her peers. She is fascinated by the relics that can be found by cave raiding and has the tendency of keeping many of her most interesting finds, much to the chagrin of the headmaster of the orphanage and her instructor. The students are supposed to hand them over to be sold to fund the operations of the orphanage, which is meant to raise a new generation of cave raiders from among the orphans of Orth (of which there are many because of the many lives that are claimed by the Abyss). Her adventurous behavior has gotten her in trouble many times before, landing her the ultimate punishment in the culture of Orth of being strung up naked (a strange quirk, but it has its charm). All is well for Riko until one day she and one of her friends are attacked by a massive creature called a crimson splitjaw while raiding in one of the upper layers. Just when everything seemed lost, a great beam of light comes out of nowhere and hurts the flying snake-like creature, making it flee the scene. The beam was highly effective, even melting some of the fossil trees from the area. She then proceeds to investigate what the source of the beam was, which leads her to discover an unconscious young boy that with a closer inspection turns out to be robot! In time this robot boy regains consciousness, exhibiting intelligence that is on par with humans. However, he also has lost all his memories, so Riko decides to name him Regu after a dog she used to have (which is to him quite irredeemable). I don't want to get into spoiler territory, but eventually both Riko and Regu set out on a journey to go to the deepest layer of the Abyss, both in search of answers that are deeply personal to each of them. Their adventure is a constant struggle for survival. In their way, many perils are faced, many bonds are made, many foes are faced and many feels are had.
Made in Abyss excels at evoking a feeling of wonder and adventure into the unknown. The music only helps to accentuate this feeling:
Made in Abyss is story about friendship and courage, of pressing on against incredible odds. It is about pursuing one's dreams, no matter how dark, how deep or how dangerous that Abyss might seem to reach them. It is about becoming the person you need to be to face the trials ahead of you. It is about not giving up, no matter how dire the situation might be. It is about making the hard choices when it matters the most. It is about seeing the light when we are surrounded by darkness. It is about becoming resilient and stronger despite the ugliness, unfairness and suffering of life. It is about the dangers of seeking for knowledge at the expense of others. It is about what it means to be human. It is about having that courage to set out on our own adventure to fulfill your own destiny.
Made in Abyss is truly a masterpiece of our times. And I can't wait to see the adventures that lie in wait at the bottom of the Abyss for Riko and her friends.
Also, Nanachi is adorable and fluffy and of my favorite characters of all time! Naaa...
1. Fate Series
OK, OK... Yeah, I know I know I'm cheating a little bit here but hear me out! One of the things that makes the Fate Series so special is how big it has become over the years. From its humble beginnings as an erotic visual novel with Fate/Stay Night, it was so special from its base that it sprung into an international juggernaut media empire. Eventually, they rereleased the visual novel to remove any of the lewd content and make it accessible to an even bigger audience. The series has many adaptations and spin offs across many different media formats: manga, anime, visual novels, movies, video games, you name it. Of course, the biggest one of them probably being the popular gacha game Fate/Grand Order, which by itself could be a media empire of its own with multiple manga and anime adaptations. The world of the Fate series is deep, with lore scattered across many different universes. However, to remain on topic, I want to particularly make mention what I consider to be some of the best anime adaptations of all time: the Fate anime adaptations by studio ufotable. These encompass Fate/Zero, Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works and finally, the trilogy of movies Fate/Stay Night Heaven's Feel.
I was interesting for me to watch these adaptations in that order, because with each release you can see how ufotable evolved as a studio... and it was already amazing starting with Zero:
And then with Unlimited Blade Works they stepped up their game:
And it all culminated with the masterpiece that is the Heaven's Feel trilogy:
When I watched the Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel III. spring song movie in the movie theater might jaw just dropped to the floor from watching from what I consider to be the pinnacle of animation in anime so far. And it is with this particular trilogy that I want to put my emphasis on to make a case for the Fate series as the GOAT anime.
So, allow me to do a quick summary of what Fate/Stay Night is: it revolves around a young high school teenager name Shirou Emiya. His goal is to become a hero of justice. He inherits this dream from his adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya, who related to him how he always regretted he was unable to become that during his youth. Shirou then decided to fulfill this dream in place of his father. Kiritsugu saved Emiya when as a child a fire engulfed his neighborhood, and no one survived except for him. Kirutsugu also happened to be a mage, but to avoid entangling his son in what he considered a dangerous and violent world, he decided to not teach him too deeply the ways of magic. He merely taught him magic to reinforce or fix things. Because of some unexpected events, Shirou then gets involved in a mage conflict known as the Holy Grail War, of which he had no knowledge about prior to being entangled on it. Essentially, 7 different mages compete against each other by summoning heroic spirits, known as servants, to aid them in battle. These heroic spirits can take the shape of famous figures from history or fiction, and they have great magical and combat abilities. The end goal is to eliminate all other mages from the event, either by taking out their servants or killing the mage, and claim for themselves the Holy Grail, which has the ability to grant any wish to however claims it. One of the pillars of the Fate/Stay Night series is that the identity of the servants is not known, this is to gain an advantage over other servants that they might not know what kind of powers they have, or what weaknesses they might have. However, each servant has an ultimate power known as a Noble Phantasm, which is a last ditch magical attack in an effort to win a battle that by being used it becomes pretty clear what the identity of the servant is. Each servant that is summoned has a class (like in an RPG), so to keep their identity hidden they are referred to as their class, which are Saber (yes, this is THE Saber), Archer, Rider, Assassin, Berserker, Caster and Lancer.
So, this is the setting Fate/Stay Night. But, since the original was a visual novel, there are actually 3 different routes you can take, all of which corresponded in the game originally to what girl you "chose". However, each story is a lot deeper than this and very different from each other. In a way, they complement each other by developing characters and story plots that were not touched upon on the others, making it very satisfying to go through them all.
The Fate Route is the one where Shirou falls in love with Saber, the servant he summoned to fight in the Holy Grail war. She is a gentle, regal, proud warrior. She is too formal and stern at times, but slowly begins to warm up to those around her, showing a gentle selfless side to her. As much as I love this route and its story, I think it's the least interesting of them all. It is essentially a story of him getting started on the path to become a hero of justice.
The second route, Unlimited Blade Works is far more interesting to me, since it explores what it really means to become a hero of justice, with all its repercussions. It is a fight of Shirou with himself to come to terms as to whether he really wants to become a hero of justice, what it will cost, and he if he is willing to pay it. It is an excellent story about fighting our own demons and perhaps our greatest enemy: ourselves. Also, the girl of choice here is Rin, a mage girl that is also involved in the Holy Grail War as one of the participants. She is what I call a fake tsundere. She wants to appear hard in the exterior, showing no mercy and raining hell on her enemies, but usually ends up walking back on her grand schemes when it comes to hurting other people. She is actually very kind and caring in the inside. She is very talented as an heir to a long lineage of very powerful mages, and she wants to live up to that legacy. I like her a lot.
Finally, we have the Heaven's Feel route. To me, this is the most interesting of all the routes, because this time Shiro has to choose between becoming a hero of justice or sacrificing that dream to become something else entirely. He finally comes to terms with an old adage Kiritsugu shared with him long ago: "in order to become a hero of justice, you have to let someone else die". Shirou wanted to reject this notion, declaring he would save everyone, and no one would be lost. However, it is during this route that he finally comes to understand what Kiritsugu meant. This time, the girl of choice is no other than his friend Sakura, which has a presence in all the other routes and is obviously in love with Shirou. She is younger than him, so she refers to Shirou as "senpai". Sakura is a tender and gentle person; she is soft spoken and sweet. However, it is during this route we learn of the terrible things she has had to endure, and that despite it all, she is still such a sweet and good person. To me, the Heaven's Feels story is in a sense a culmination of the entire Fate/Stay Night series, exploring all of its themes and having the most satisfying conclusion to the entire saga.
Despite its high-octane action, Fate is filled with quiet thoughtful moments. There are a many philosophical moments scattered across it, especially in Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay Night. Even after saying all this, I've just scratched the surface of this amazing series. There is intrigue and mystery. There is romance. There are plots and back stabbings. Each mage has their own reasons to participate in the war, and so do the servants. At its core, Fate asks what it means to be a hero, and what is the cost of becoming one. It is about growing up and facing disappointment. It is about overcoming evil once it has taken ahold of us. It is about stepping up and living up the potential inside of you. It is above all about not being afraid to sacrifice good things for things that are far better.
And the music... well, the music is amazing.
They music has a great way of conveying the feelings of the characters, and the situation they are going through. In here this particular track perfectly encapsulates to me the explosive inner conflicts Sakura is going through in the movie trilogy. If you listen closely, there are hints of her sweet and gentle person still in there, but also the hints of the darkness growing within her, slowly taking over, making her fall... and it's hard not to feel bad about it when you get to know Sakura, the gentle maiden.
All this combines to create some of the greatest pieces of art of our times. Yes, if I had to choose, I'd say Heaven's Feel is the GOAT, and invite all of you who haven't experienced to do so.
I think right now my first selection would be Trigun. That is the only one that I'm sure with being in the top 3. I did want to say Gurren Lagan but I only like the first half. I would also say Neon Gensis Evangelion but that ending annoys me. Then you have all of the major heavy hitters like dragon ball, naruto, one piece and any of them could be in the top ten
Tenchi Muyo would be my second top three. The original series or is it ova episodes.
I guess I'll just go with great teacher onizuka or GTO for the last one.
I think my personal favorite though is Dokkoida.
I really wanted to put initial D or Slam Dunk but I barely remember Slam Dunk and initial D is just really good.
This would have been so much easier if this was a top 20.
Out of all the people I mentioned in the opening post. saintjules
is the only one who hasn't showed up. I'm guessing the anime avatar was only for show?
)
(love Berserk 97 btw)
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