PatreonBest Anime 2014
What are some of the best anime series? Obviously, this can't just be about new anime or anime that's still going, or there might not be much to talk about...
Here's my top 15..or so:
(*I watch both the sub and dub of the top four* Anything Miyazaki is not mentioned becuase.... OMGosh there is so much win in him, and Studio Ghibli)
1. Cowboy Bebop
Sure, Anime News Network has their own list of top anime series too: www.animenewsnetwork.com/...age-top-100-anime-listing , but they have 20 or more staff on hand and years of dedication. Another Anime magazine posted Cowboy Bebop as #1 of all time. Don't ask me who, I can't dig through boxes of books to find the magazine. In the article, it just surpassed Neon Evangelion. This Cowboy Bebop series captured me from beginning to end with their art, characters, stories and soundtrack. Did I mention the soundtrack was and may become the real use of the word 'epic?'
2. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=497105
I can't say enough good about this series. It is steeped in culture, history, action, and drama! The protagonist is a young woman named Balsa. Balsa is an ex-assassin that is charged with the responsibility of raising a foreign prince away from his nation where some officials conspire to kill the boy. Friends and family who were not fans of anime were hooked on this series after seeing the first three episodes. I am confident that you will love it!
3. Heroic Age
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=405144
Moments that give you a crackling aura and loud shouting, moments of heart wrenching pain, action, and a beautiful sound track make this anime my #3(So close behind Moribito). I love this series with a passion. Their art style caught my golden eye and the music caught my golden ear.. and then came the writing, which sold me on getting the series. The main character is a young boy, appropriately named, Age. Age is an innocent, just, and energetic character who sacrifices himself for a race of people that he was given prophecy would find and adopt him. If you love action dramas like Cowboy Bebop and Gundam Wing, you definitely need to watch this series!
4. Hikaru no Go!
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=1063498
Hikaru is a cheeky young kid. He almost sells a family heirloom Go board(much like Othelo), when he discovers that it is haunted by a ghost. Hikaru figures he could use the ghost to kinda cheat on his school work and decides to keep the board. Through many conversations and events, the ghost and Hikaru realize that he has a natural talent for the game. If you are looking for a series that has great colloquial culture, this is one to watch!
#5.Witch Blade
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=554927
This series is not for the faint of heart and borders on outright Ecchi due to the uniforms during battle. Aside from that warning though, this series is beautiful! This is my #4 because I'm not an emotional person, but I literally cried at some points. The main character is a woman named Masane. Masane-san wakes up at the beginning of the story to find her city utterly destroyed by a blast and no memory of what happened. She finds herself with a baby girl at its epicenter and cares for the baby girl. Through the series she deals with desperately trying to be a good mother, keeping her child from the government child placement program, and a new threat that seems to doom her and her child to a fate far worse than death. This series is as much about epic battles as it is about family coming together.
#6. Ghost in a Shell: Stand Alone Complex
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=394719
Motoko Kusanagi and Yoko Kanno can't go wrong. The two movies and series are beautifully written, illustrated, and scored! This is a cyberpunk series that focusses on the question of what it means to exist. This is an existentialists wet dream, but it is an awesome dream.. though it really isn't about a person dreaming at all. Just watch and be amazed. This series is very addicting and lasts for three to four seasons.
#7. IGPX
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGPX:_Immortal_Grand_Prix
This is a highspeed series that follows a racing team from their beginnings to near stardom. Despite what you might think of a series based on a simple race (as I did) this series is very fun to watch and will keep you coming back for more. The second season doesn't contribute a lot to the race itself, but the character relationships are what keep season two great and the finale is awesome-beautiful!
Haley Joel Osment, the boy actor who starred in American horror film "Sixth Sense" voices Takeshi Jin. Aside from a great list of supporting actors, he does a great job with it, I hardly recognized it until the finale and I screened the credits for the names. Amy is voiced by the same person who did Chii, Chiriko, Sumomo, A-20(.hack/sign), and others.
#8. Trigun
"LOVE AND PEACE!"(Vash Stampede) Need I say more? Actually, I do. Vash is a guy who's near immortality and involvement in several catastrophic events label him in history as the most dangerous outlaw on his planet and the responsible party for the deaths of millions. Enter two ladies from an insurance group who find a quirky young man who matches several garbbled descriptions of the infamous legend. Through danger and disbelief, these characters stick together while the real tale of what Vash's history unveils and his final conflict with someone close to him from his past life.
#9. Fruits Basket
Many would argue that I'm looney for not having Fruits Basket in my top four and for good reason. If you've ever seen this series, you'd know why. It's one of the best Dramas and has a massive following! I loved every episode when I could watch it!
#10 Manyuu Heikenchou
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=895959
Yes! I KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ECCHI while some episodes are even hentai, but hear me out. This series is about a high ranking warrior girl who tries to set things right by disavowing her position with a ruling clan that values society based on their breast size. This is a kind of Robin Hood meets genderbent, voluptuous, rebel. It is about breast reduction, yes, but what made this series for me is the reestablishment of value on a woman not for their skin, but for their spirit and soul. Call me a sap, I know I am. The soundtrack is excellent too!
#11. Digimon season 4: Tamers
Again, I'm a sap for emo turns graceful... and Renamon.
#12. Martian Successor Naedesico
Not to be looked down on is Martian Successor Naedesico. The movie and series are such great conspiracy thrillers and while much of it is as cheesy as Tenchi Muyo, it really has a great, diverse cast of characters!
#13. Card Captor Sakura
Before I was sane, I went insane as an Otaku of sorts over this series. Sakura is a young school girl finds out that she has magical powers and much like Inuyasha, forges a quest to reclaim magical cards. Along the way, she falls in love with an heir to the master of the cards. This is all about school life and magic randomly messing with their lives. It was adorable and Sakura and her friends were great admiration for a long time.
...And Now we've reached 'tl;dr' levels of text, so the rest will be hopefully well trunkated. ..
#14. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood of Blood
#15. Hell Girl
#16. Zoids: Chaotic Century
#17. Macross Plus
18. Naruto
Naruto is one of those that is still going(but is likely to finish with Masashi Kishimoto's finale). Personally, when I first recognized this series, it had been going for five years already. I disliked it though since I thought that it was styled to compete with Deleter for pedophiles because of the puffy coats and stuff. Despite that, I'd become a Naruto_no_Hinata shipper... and it finally became canon!
Honorable mention:
Avatar the Last Air Bender
This series is a korean animation style(manwa), where I am talking mainly about Japanese animations. Regardless, this is one of the top three I've ever seen.
Saber Rider and the Star Shariffs (1980) Probably one reason that Zoids sucked me into the anime world in the first place.
I haven't watched Strawberry Marshmello, Wolf Children, Sky Fall, Attack on Titan, Neptunia, or others you might find beyond words, these are just on my shelf already or going to be soon. I am looking forward to watching them and Space Dandy....though I dislike many of the newer anime as they are too "You-Only-Live-Once" type.
What are your favorites?
Here's my top 15..or so:
(*I watch both the sub and dub of the top four* Anything Miyazaki is not mentioned becuase.... OMGosh there is so much win in him, and Studio Ghibli)
1. Cowboy Bebop
Sure, Anime News Network has their own list of top anime series too: www.animenewsnetwork.com/...age-top-100-anime-listing , but they have 20 or more staff on hand and years of dedication. Another Anime magazine posted Cowboy Bebop as #1 of all time. Don't ask me who, I can't dig through boxes of books to find the magazine. In the article, it just surpassed Neon Evangelion. This Cowboy Bebop series captured me from beginning to end with their art, characters, stories and soundtrack. Did I mention the soundtrack was and may become the real use of the word 'epic?'
2. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=497105
I can't say enough good about this series. It is steeped in culture, history, action, and drama! The protagonist is a young woman named Balsa. Balsa is an ex-assassin that is charged with the responsibility of raising a foreign prince away from his nation where some officials conspire to kill the boy. Friends and family who were not fans of anime were hooked on this series after seeing the first three episodes. I am confident that you will love it!
3. Heroic Age
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=405144
Moments that give you a crackling aura and loud shouting, moments of heart wrenching pain, action, and a beautiful sound track make this anime my #3(So close behind Moribito). I love this series with a passion. Their art style caught my golden eye and the music caught my golden ear.. and then came the writing, which sold me on getting the series. The main character is a young boy, appropriately named, Age. Age is an innocent, just, and energetic character who sacrifices himself for a race of people that he was given prophecy would find and adopt him. If you love action dramas like Cowboy Bebop and Gundam Wing, you definitely need to watch this series!
4. Hikaru no Go!
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=1063498
Hikaru is a cheeky young kid. He almost sells a family heirloom Go board(much like Othelo), when he discovers that it is haunted by a ghost. Hikaru figures he could use the ghost to kinda cheat on his school work and decides to keep the board. Through many conversations and events, the ghost and Hikaru realize that he has a natural talent for the game. If you are looking for a series that has great colloquial culture, this is one to watch!
#5.Witch Blade
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=554927
This series is not for the faint of heart and borders on outright Ecchi due to the uniforms during battle. Aside from that warning though, this series is beautiful! This is my #4 because I'm not an emotional person, but I literally cried at some points. The main character is a woman named Masane. Masane-san wakes up at the beginning of the story to find her city utterly destroyed by a blast and no memory of what happened. She finds herself with a baby girl at its epicenter and cares for the baby girl. Through the series she deals with desperately trying to be a good mother, keeping her child from the government child placement program, and a new threat that seems to doom her and her child to a fate far worse than death. This series is as much about epic battles as it is about family coming together.
#6. Ghost in a Shell: Stand Alone Complex
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=394719
Motoko Kusanagi and Yoko Kanno can't go wrong. The two movies and series are beautifully written, illustrated, and scored! This is a cyberpunk series that focusses on the question of what it means to exist. This is an existentialists wet dream, but it is an awesome dream.. though it really isn't about a person dreaming at all. Just watch and be amazed. This series is very addicting and lasts for three to four seasons.
#7. IGPX
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGPX:_Immortal_Grand_Prix
This is a highspeed series that follows a racing team from their beginnings to near stardom. Despite what you might think of a series based on a simple race (as I did) this series is very fun to watch and will keep you coming back for more. The second season doesn't contribute a lot to the race itself, but the character relationships are what keep season two great and the finale is awesome-beautiful!
Haley Joel Osment, the boy actor who starred in American horror film "Sixth Sense" voices Takeshi Jin. Aside from a great list of supporting actors, he does a great job with it, I hardly recognized it until the finale and I screened the credits for the names. Amy is voiced by the same person who did Chii, Chiriko, Sumomo, A-20(.hack/sign), and others.
#8. Trigun
"LOVE AND PEACE!"(Vash Stampede) Need I say more? Actually, I do. Vash is a guy who's near immortality and involvement in several catastrophic events label him in history as the most dangerous outlaw on his planet and the responsible party for the deaths of millions. Enter two ladies from an insurance group who find a quirky young man who matches several garbbled descriptions of the infamous legend. Through danger and disbelief, these characters stick together while the real tale of what Vash's history unveils and his final conflict with someone close to him from his past life.
#9. Fruits Basket
Many would argue that I'm looney for not having Fruits Basket in my top four and for good reason. If you've ever seen this series, you'd know why. It's one of the best Dramas and has a massive following! I loved every episode when I could watch it!
#10 Manyuu Heikenchou
safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=895959
Yes! I KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ECCHI while some episodes are even hentai, but hear me out. This series is about a high ranking warrior girl who tries to set things right by disavowing her position with a ruling clan that values society based on their breast size. This is a kind of Robin Hood meets genderbent, voluptuous, rebel. It is about breast reduction, yes, but what made this series for me is the reestablishment of value on a woman not for their skin, but for their spirit and soul. Call me a sap, I know I am. The soundtrack is excellent too!
#11. Digimon season 4: Tamers
Again, I'm a sap for emo turns graceful... and Renamon.
#12. Martian Successor Naedesico
Not to be looked down on is Martian Successor Naedesico. The movie and series are such great conspiracy thrillers and while much of it is as cheesy as Tenchi Muyo, it really has a great, diverse cast of characters!
#13. Card Captor Sakura
Before I was sane, I went insane as an Otaku of sorts over this series. Sakura is a young school girl finds out that she has magical powers and much like Inuyasha, forges a quest to reclaim magical cards. Along the way, she falls in love with an heir to the master of the cards. This is all about school life and magic randomly messing with their lives. It was adorable and Sakura and her friends were great admiration for a long time.
...And Now we've reached 'tl;dr' levels of text, so the rest will be hopefully well trunkated. ..
#14. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood of Blood
#15. Hell Girl
#16. Zoids: Chaotic Century
#17. Macross Plus
18. Naruto
Naruto is one of those that is still going(but is likely to finish with Masashi Kishimoto's finale). Personally, when I first recognized this series, it had been going for five years already. I disliked it though since I thought that it was styled to compete with Deleter for pedophiles because of the puffy coats and stuff. Despite that, I'd become a Naruto_no_Hinata shipper... and it finally became canon!
Honorable mention:
Avatar the Last Air Bender
This series is a korean animation style(manwa), where I am talking mainly about Japanese animations. Regardless, this is one of the top three I've ever seen.
Saber Rider and the Star Shariffs (1980) Probably one reason that Zoids sucked me into the anime world in the first place.
I haven't watched Strawberry Marshmello, Wolf Children, Sky Fall, Attack on Titan, Neptunia, or others you might find beyond words, these are just on my shelf already or going to be soon. I am looking forward to watching them and Space Dandy....though I dislike many of the newer anime as they are too "You-Only-Live-Once" type.
What are your favorites?
