Let me just start off with saying Merry Christmas and soon to be Happy New Year! Honestly, I decided to do this on a whim, so hopefully it works out LOL. As for my standards of choosing my favourites...I mostly base it on how much I liked it when I first watched it, whether I still remember parts of it now, and whether I would want to watch it again. I'd say that all the ones listed below are ones I would definitely watch again and that I have memorable moments in each that I can't forget about. So, I guess you can say, I chose these because they had a lasting impression on me even though it's been years. The only ones I'm unsure about are the 2019 ones since they're so recent that I'm not sure if I will REALLY remember them in the future, but I did really like them so I added them anyway haha.
P.S Since I took a break from anime for a couple of years (at least) and only kindaa started getting back into it around 2016, I really don't have that much memorable ones for this decade tbh lol. Nevertheless, this is my list~
2010
P.S Since I took a break from anime for a couple of years (at least) and only kindaa started getting back into it around 2016, I really don't have that much memorable ones for this decade tbh lol. Nevertheless, this is my list~
2010
Durarara!! series
Genre: Action, Mystery, Supernatural
Episodes: 60 (4 seasons)
My Rating: 7.5
The Durarara!! series really holds a special place in my heart tbh. I think it was the first time in a long time that I felt that an anime was interesting in a way I couldn't describe. Honestly, I've never felt that the plot of Durarara is its' strongest point, and I think this is further shown in the latter few seasons where it can get a bit jumbled up with the amount of characters and intersecting plot lines that make it pretty confusing. I think the light novels were much more enjoyable in that aspect. However, what made Durarara!! something I still remember to this day has to be the characters. Whether it be Orihara Izaya or Shinra, I think it was difficult for me to dislike any of the characters. They were all so eccentric in their own ways, yet so interesting, and yet their stories would continue to involve the others without them even realising. I found it really enjoyable and understandable to see Mikado (MC) try to break out of his mundane days, and yet at the same time question whether this so called exciting life was what he really wanted. I think I just found it really fascinating how everyone's motives for being who they were all connected with each other, and I loved that. So, I think if you want something to do with eccentric characters, I think Durarara!! can provide that very well. I mean, I will forever remember Heiwajima Shizuo throwing vending machines etc around loll, gotta love those moments.
2011
Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
Genre: Psychological, Drama, Magic, Thriller
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 8
I was always unsure of whether I would like Madoka, but I think after watching it, I defimitely thought it was more interesting than I thought it would be. I think it was mostly the character designs that put me off tbh, they just looked so childish and round lol, and honestly, I still don't like them but I was okay with it haha. Since it is revered as a dark magic girl anime, where it is one of those times where you really shouldn't be trusting the magical pet this time around, I think it is understandable to see why it is so popular. Although it may take time to pick up for others, I did in fact kinda enjoy Sayaka's story. Sayaka kinda imo depicted what would happen to a normal girl if they chose to be a magical girl on a whim, and for another person. A lot of magical girl shows like to show how the MC would do their best to protect their world and have boundless motivation and spirit for that alongside their friends etc, but Sayaka's story kinda shows how if you do it without thinking things through properly, you'll regret it. I think a lot of the girls depict the darker sides of being a magical girl that other "happy" shows will never explore, and I found it really interesting because I've always thought about these things. I've always thought about how being a magical girl is so much pressure, there's so many burdens to bear, and how it can really affect your emotions and your mind. So, I think if you enjoy that type of magical girl story, you might enjoy this (assuming you haven't watched it already!).
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Shounen
Episodes: 148
My Rating: 9
If I haven't shown this enough in my posts, I can tell you now that HxH is my all time favourite shounen anime/manga. I loved the 1999 anime, I loved the manga and I loved this adaptation too. I think the Spiders are great villains by how they are depicted to our MC Gon etc. They have the right amount of power to instil fear into our MCs but at the same time, I love the dynamic of the Spiders where losing the head of the team would not erase their existence and their purposes for doing what they do. I also really enjoy Gon and Killua's dynamic as they grow together as people and with their powers. I love how the powers of Nen work and I honestly really enjoy the fights and the adventures they go through. If there's a shounen to recommend, I would always recommend HxH. The only problem is though, that I hate the Hunter Exam arc in the 2011 version lol. I know the 1999 one has added scenes etc, but I feel like the 1999 version definitely captured the Hunter Exam arc much better despite its changes (which were relatively minor enough to not detract from the story too much imo). Yorkshin City, I personally prefer the 1999 version as well because of the darker tones etc, but 2011 was still great. And then, of course, because the Chimera Ant arc and the Election arc are actually animated in the 2011 version, you definitely have to watch the 2011 version for more lol. But otherwise, I'd recommend the 1999 version any day as well. Especially since Kite's role is so diminished in the 2011 version, it made Gon's anger later on so random since there was no build up for it, whereas in the 1999 version, it was shown better. Tbh, after writing this, I want to do a comparison thing now LOL.
Anyway, if you like shounen, there's no way you shouldn't have watched HxH because really, it has great villains, great power concepts and interesting characters. Honestly, it's a 10/10 experience if you watch both adaptations and read the manga, since I think it's only through that way will you really get the best experience out of it (mainly because the manga had a lot of chapters that were like sketches etc when the author got sick).
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Shounen
Episodes: 148
My Rating: 9
If I haven't shown this enough in my posts, I can tell you now that HxH is my all time favourite shounen anime/manga. I loved the 1999 anime, I loved the manga and I loved this adaptation too. I think the Spiders are great villains by how they are depicted to our MC Gon etc. They have the right amount of power to instil fear into our MCs but at the same time, I love the dynamic of the Spiders where losing the head of the team would not erase their existence and their purposes for doing what they do. I also really enjoy Gon and Killua's dynamic as they grow together as people and with their powers. I love how the powers of Nen work and I honestly really enjoy the fights and the adventures they go through. If there's a shounen to recommend, I would always recommend HxH. The only problem is though, that I hate the Hunter Exam arc in the 2011 version lol. I know the 1999 one has added scenes etc, but I feel like the 1999 version definitely captured the Hunter Exam arc much better despite its changes (which were relatively minor enough to not detract from the story too much imo). Yorkshin City, I personally prefer the 1999 version as well because of the darker tones etc, but 2011 was still great. And then, of course, because the Chimera Ant arc and the Election arc are actually animated in the 2011 version, you definitely have to watch the 2011 version for more lol. But otherwise, I'd recommend the 1999 version any day as well. Especially since Kite's role is so diminished in the 2011 version, it made Gon's anger later on so random since there was no build up for it, whereas in the 1999 version, it was shown better. Tbh, after writing this, I want to do a comparison thing now LOL.
Anyway, if you like shounen, there's no way you shouldn't have watched HxH because really, it has great villains, great power concepts and interesting characters. Honestly, it's a 10/10 experience if you watch both adaptations and read the manga, since I think it's only through that way will you really get the best experience out of it (mainly because the manga had a lot of chapters that were like sketches etc when the author got sick).
2012
Kingdom
Genre: Action, Historical, Seinen
Episodes: 38
My Rating: 8
Kingdom loosely follows the story of Qin Shi Huang, the Qin Emperor who first unified China, by telling it through the perspective of a peasant called Shin who rises through the ranks to general etc and creating this era alongside the king. It's the time of the warring states so the different kingdoms are constantly at war with each other. For Kingdom, it might be better to first accept that there can be a lot of Dynasty Warriors-esque times where generals can slice a couple of people in one blow etc, so if that doesn't bother you, Kingdom is definitely worth a watch. I can't say the same about S2 since the 3D etc killed me, so I just went to read the manga, but I can definitely say that I still really enjoy the story. The battles are still very enjoyable to see unfold, because not only does it involve a lot of fighting, it involves a lot of strategy, and looking at battles from the big picture, whilst taking in different elements of battles such as the differences between generals, strategists, the amount of supply armies have, terrain etc. Tbh, I don't remember much from the first season, but it's really only the beginning of everything, so it really helps to introduce the characters, their motives etc.The wars are very engaging to watch and read, so I guess if the anime isn't your cup of tea, maybe try reading the manga, because I definitely love the manga more haha. Otherwise, S3 has been announced, so it's worth trying it out!
2013
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Episodes: 24
My Rating: 8
Honestly, my rating is mostly for the Sisters arc, since I feel like the other couple of episodes/fillers were rather boring in comparison haha. Anyway, if you've watched To Aru Majutsu no Index, you might not think there's any point seeing Misaka's perspective, but honestly, it's definitely worth a watch imo. I think the anime captured really well what exactly happened and how much more devastating Misaka's breakdown to Touma was, and why she is so grateful and in love with him tbh. Seeing Misaka begin from thinking the idea of the Sisters was impossible to her slowly realising what that choice she made as a young kid caused, to her thinking that she could rectify things by herself without involving anyone else, to her hopes being shattered that this experiment isn't something she would be able to stop herself, was utterly heartbreaking. I really think it really helped to put into perspective the ups and downs of emotions Misaka felt, and just truly how desperate she was to save all these clones of hers. It's definitely better to watch Index first to get the context behind a lot of things surrounding Touma etc and then watching this, just because the impact would be much greater and understandable imo. I really loved watching the Sisters arc, and honestly it's probably one of my most favourite arcs of the Index series, so yep, definitely recommended~!
Log Horizon
Genre: Action, Game, Adventure, Magic, Fantasy
Episodes: 25
My Rating: 8
When being stuck in an MMO was getting popular, Log Horizon was one of the first ones to push this concept to being even more popular. It obviously isn't as popular as SAO is, but I'll always prefer Log Horizon over SAO even though they are vastly different. SAO focuses on Kirito being the hero and the protagonist that will always be the one to save everyone and solve their problems with his OP strength etc. However, Log Horizon focuses more on teamwork. Shiroe is more of a piece to the whole board, so even though he is one of the most important ones considering the strategies he would discuss with others etc, it is impossible for him to work things out in this world by himself. What I really loved about Log Horizon was how it really felt like an MMO, it really felt nostalgic, where I would be like yeah, you would need to do that, yeah going to dungeons, levelling up, getting equipment etc, and the world building is much more integral to the plot, because it is more focused on how the characters learn to survive in this world by creating a system for things such as guilds etc rather than solely looking for a way to go back to the real world. They establish lives here and you get to really see different jobs at work, and I think that was what I found to be the most enjoyable part of this show. Tbh, S2 is definitely rather lacklustre though, not only did it seem to wholly focus on the newbies, I think the animation also dipped lol. The thing is, this was only apparent in the anime for me, because when I read the light novels, I still really enjoyed the arcs, so yeah, sadly S2 bombed so it's unlikely to get another season, sigh, but it's still good and worth a watch!
White Album 2
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance, Slice of Life
Episodes: 13
My Rating: 7.5
Although unrelated to its predecessor White Album, the story focuses on the dynamic of one guy, two girls who all become good friends as they practise music and songs from the first White Album. This story was through and through a love triangle, but it was honestly a really enjoyable love triangle tbh, because all the characters felt very realistic, and I really felt that I could understand all the decisions that were made by each character, and how everything ended up as it did. Personally, even though I had my favourite girl, I never hated the other one, and thought that everything was a nice depiction of young love, youth and music intertwined together with quite a bit of drama as well. Although we have new people singing the songs of the previous show, it had a nice and different taste to it that was pretty cool as well. Anyway, I would definitely recommend this if you love some drama, a love triangle, relateable girls and nice music haha.
P.S I know White Album (the first one) gets a lot of crap for being bad and the MC being a terrible guy etc, but I personally really liked it, because I think it showed really well the emotions of all the characters, how distraught they all were, how they all were looking for some comfort and love in their own ways and how that ended up affecting their relationships. It's definitely not something nice and pure, but I still very much enjoyed it, so I really think it's a preference thing. So, if you're interested in it, but have been deterred by bad reviews, I would recommend to try it as terrible as some of the people can be.
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance, Slice of Life
Episodes: 13
My Rating: 7.5
Although unrelated to its predecessor White Album, the story focuses on the dynamic of one guy, two girls who all become good friends as they practise music and songs from the first White Album. This story was through and through a love triangle, but it was honestly a really enjoyable love triangle tbh, because all the characters felt very realistic, and I really felt that I could understand all the decisions that were made by each character, and how everything ended up as it did. Personally, even though I had my favourite girl, I never hated the other one, and thought that everything was a nice depiction of young love, youth and music intertwined together with quite a bit of drama as well. Although we have new people singing the songs of the previous show, it had a nice and different taste to it that was pretty cool as well. Anyway, I would definitely recommend this if you love some drama, a love triangle, relateable girls and nice music haha.
P.S I know White Album (the first one) gets a lot of crap for being bad and the MC being a terrible guy etc, but I personally really liked it, because I think it showed really well the emotions of all the characters, how distraught they all were, how they all were looking for some comfort and love in their own ways and how that ended up affecting their relationships. It's definitely not something nice and pure, but I still very much enjoyed it, so I really think it's a preference thing. So, if you're interested in it, but have been deterred by bad reviews, I would recommend to try it as terrible as some of the people can be.
2014
No Game No Life
Genre: Game, Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural, Ecchi, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 8
Although this show can get quiteee ecchi especially because of the weird but crazily understandable dynamic between Sora and Shiro, I still loved it. It's definitely not a show for everybody, but I honestly loved the concept of the whole show, with Sora being the one who's great at I guess thinking outside of the box and having the charisma to be manipulative and smart in his own way, whilst Shiro has the technical brains, and how they got transported to a world perfect for gamers like them, which is a world where wars are not fought with raw strength and power, but instead through games. As long as the rules are established, and the rules are not broken, anything goes, so the world is perfect for intelligent and witty people like our MC duo. Tbh, it is probably true that a lot of the comedy and ecchi can throw people off with how weird it can get, but if you're good with it (I actually thought the show was pretty normal until I recommended this anime to my friend and she thought it was so weird LOL), I think you'll love it. The games are fun, yet can be so ridiculous, but that just makes it all the more entertaining, and I just love how Sora and Shiro are so confident together, and play different roles in making the games that much more fun and entertaining.
Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to
Genre: Comedy, Ecchi, Harem, Seinen, Slice of Life
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7
If you watched Aho Girl recently, this is an older series by the same author! Honestly, I prefer this series over Aho Girl just because the MC girl in Aho Girl is so crazy (yet hilarious) that it took me a while to get used to her. However, in this story, the guy is the hilarious one that's a perverted mangaka always needing help from his assistant for reference, and thus hilarity ensues as he gets in all sorts of situations with the different girls as he tries to make it big with his manga. Honestly, I don't think I remember too much of it anymore, but I do remember thinking it was super funny and I loved every bit of it, because I immediately went to read the manga after watching the anime haha. To be fair, it's a comedy slice of life so it just kinda thrives on the funny situations etc, so you'll only know if it's a hit or a miss after watching it. For me, I really enjoyed it haha.
Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
Genre: Comedy, Romance, School
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7
Although I prefer the manga more because I feel like it flows better, the anime was still really funny and good. This is another slice of life comedy, but it kinda lends itself to making fun of a lot of shoujo manga tropes, which is pretty funny. The story follows Chiyo who really likes this guy in her class, as she tries to confess to him, he mistakes her as his fan, because he is actually a shoujo mangaka! The funny thing is, Nozaki has zero love experience yet he makes things up on the fly, and I really don't know how his manga sells, but I guess the sparkles and the references he gets from the everyday life of the people around him really helps lmao. The story mostly depicts Nozaki trying his best to draw up proper stories (he really needs to thank his editor haha) alongside his friends of which quite a few are his assistants as well as his references loll. I really loved the characters in this and find each "couple" to be really unique yet hilarious, definitely recommended for comedy!
Genre: Comedy, Romance, School
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7
Although I prefer the manga more because I feel like it flows better, the anime was still really funny and good. This is another slice of life comedy, but it kinda lends itself to making fun of a lot of shoujo manga tropes, which is pretty funny. The story follows Chiyo who really likes this guy in her class, as she tries to confess to him, he mistakes her as his fan, because he is actually a shoujo mangaka! The funny thing is, Nozaki has zero love experience yet he makes things up on the fly, and I really don't know how his manga sells, but I guess the sparkles and the references he gets from the everyday life of the people around him really helps lmao. The story mostly depicts Nozaki trying his best to draw up proper stories (he really needs to thank his editor haha) alongside his friends of which quite a few are his assistants as well as his references loll. I really loved the characters in this and find each "couple" to be really unique yet hilarious, definitely recommended for comedy!
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance, School, Shounen
Episodes: 22
My Rating: 8
At the time the anime came out, I already read the manga and had the opportunity to read the ending before the anime ending, hut honestly I think the ending still hit me pretty hard even when I knew what was coming. A lot of people like to refer to this anime for something sad and tragic, and it's pretty true, but at the same time, it's a pretty hopeful one. I guess if you want something that shines hope in darkness, there's a bit of that here. The story follows Kousei. a piano genius that has stopped playing the piano for his particular reasons. One day, he is introduced to a girl that wants to befriend him because she likes his friend, yet somehow through their meeting, he comes to face and understand a different way of approaching the music he once left behind. Honestly, if you're into drama, music and lots of heart-wrenching moments, you'll probably enjoy it. For me, I think what I really enjoyed was that the whole time, it was quite obvious what Kaori hoped to do for Kousei from the beginning and it was really satisfying to see her achieve it. Maybe others don't like Kaori's personality and I wouldn't say I'm the biggest fan either, but I think she was what Kousei needed to move forward. I also related with Tsubaki even when I didn't agree with her decisions in the first part, however I really think I couldn't help but relate to that helplessness of hers at not being able to help Kousei because of that disconnection with music. It really made me think about how I have a friend that experienced many struggles with music, and yet I knew I could never properly understand or give the right comfort to her because I wasn't a part of that world. Maybe it sounds like excuses, but I really think the world of music can be something hard to understand for people like me, so I really related to those feelings of never being able to be a part of the world my friend held such a huge part of her life in.
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance, School, Shounen
Episodes: 22
My Rating: 8
At the time the anime came out, I already read the manga and had the opportunity to read the ending before the anime ending, hut honestly I think the ending still hit me pretty hard even when I knew what was coming. A lot of people like to refer to this anime for something sad and tragic, and it's pretty true, but at the same time, it's a pretty hopeful one. I guess if you want something that shines hope in darkness, there's a bit of that here. The story follows Kousei. a piano genius that has stopped playing the piano for his particular reasons. One day, he is introduced to a girl that wants to befriend him because she likes his friend, yet somehow through their meeting, he comes to face and understand a different way of approaching the music he once left behind. Honestly, if you're into drama, music and lots of heart-wrenching moments, you'll probably enjoy it. For me, I think what I really enjoyed was that the whole time, it was quite obvious what Kaori hoped to do for Kousei from the beginning and it was really satisfying to see her achieve it. Maybe others don't like Kaori's personality and I wouldn't say I'm the biggest fan either, but I think she was what Kousei needed to move forward. I also related with Tsubaki even when I didn't agree with her decisions in the first part, however I really think I couldn't help but relate to that helplessness of hers at not being able to help Kousei because of that disconnection with music. It really made me think about how I have a friend that experienced many struggles with music, and yet I knew I could never properly understand or give the right comfort to her because I wasn't a part of that world. Maybe it sounds like excuses, but I really think the world of music can be something hard to understand for people like me, so I really related to those feelings of never being able to be a part of the world my friend held such a huge part of her life in.
Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Horror, Psychological, Drama, Seinen
Episodes: 24
My Rating: 8
Kiseijuu is a rather old manga but it got a surprisingly nice adaptation! I really liked the music, the characters, the struggle and the "parasites". The story follows Shinichi, a guy who because he wore his headphones to sleep, the parasite wasn't able to properly take host in his brain and take his body, and instead it ended up settling in his right hand. As they both struggle to coexist and survive against other parasitic monsters, they develop an interesting bond of trust that changes both of them. Tbh, I really enjoyed Kiseijuu/Parasyte, I thought Migi (the right hand) was really entertaining, and I liked how they ended up meeting different kinds of hosts and how they tried to survive in this world. I also think the character Tamura Reiko was probably the most memorable to me in this show because I think her existence, her changes and her thoughts were the most prominently engaging in terms of the whole problem of whether coexisting with parasites was possible or not.
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Horror, Psychological, Drama, Seinen
Episodes: 24
My Rating: 8
Kiseijuu is a rather old manga but it got a surprisingly nice adaptation! I really liked the music, the characters, the struggle and the "parasites". The story follows Shinichi, a guy who because he wore his headphones to sleep, the parasite wasn't able to properly take host in his brain and take his body, and instead it ended up settling in his right hand. As they both struggle to coexist and survive against other parasitic monsters, they develop an interesting bond of trust that changes both of them. Tbh, I really enjoyed Kiseijuu/Parasyte, I thought Migi (the right hand) was really entertaining, and I liked how they ended up meeting different kinds of hosts and how they tried to survive in this world. I also think the character Tamura Reiko was probably the most memorable to me in this show because I think her existence, her changes and her thoughts were the most prominently engaging in terms of the whole problem of whether coexisting with parasites was possible or not.
2015
Shokugeki no Souma
Genre: Ecchi, School, Shounen
Episodes: 24
My Rating: 8
Honestly, it took me a while to start Shokugeki no Souma because all I heard from others was about the tentacle food porn and I was like yeah...not watching that. However, what seemed to be such a ridiculously fanservicey idea turned out to actually be very interesting! Mostly because the story really does focus on cooking, I mean, sure there's the OTT stripping from how good the food is etc but I have to admit that the food is really delicious looking and the trials our MC Souma and his friends face to improve their cooking are really fun. I also love that there was a chef consulted for the dishes, and I think that's what really made the story and the food preparation and cooking so realistic yet interesting to know about and see. Some things are still rather shounen-esque of course with the way the story goes with their goals and the different chefs that appear to challenge Souma, but I think it only enhanced the story, since Souma is quite an admirable MC who aims to win but would never falter in loss. It sounds pretty cliche, but I think Souma really epitomises the idea of finding success in failure and hard work, I think his attitude towards cooking was shown very nicely and I think it contrasted really well with all the other different types of chefs and their styles. I really enjoyed the different cooking styles that the other characters specialised in and thought it was really fun. However, I do have to admit that the story kinda falls off from the third season onwards and DEFINITELY does not get any better (I finished the manga), so whilst I do love the story, it's hard to recommend the lead up to the ending because not only does it destroy a lot of the ideas and characters they built upon before, the cooking gets pretty outrageous lol. Otherwise, loved it and would still recommend it.
Arslan Senki
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Historical, Shounen
Episodes: 25
My Rating: 7.5
Honestly, I don't remember that much about Arslan lol, but I do remember enjoying it. It follows our young prince Arslan who is forced to go on the run and recruit allies to take his kingdom back due to war. He ends up finding a few trustworthy allies of which all have their own particular reasons for following Arslan. Tbh, if you want a story of a great leader and a very serious gut wrenching one, you probably won't find it here, because even though Arslan talks about the problems of war with different kingdoms etc, I feel like at its' core, the story was more of a chilled out one for you to kinda enjoy the ride on. It has a lot of the typical elements you expect such as some growth for Arslan as he tries to fulfil his duties as a prince and restore his kingdom, whilst facing problems of attaining such allies to achieve this. It was pretty fun and interesting, and the characters are pretty amusing considering their personalities so it's worth a shot :D
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Historical, Shounen
Episodes: 25
My Rating: 7.5
Honestly, I don't remember that much about Arslan lol, but I do remember enjoying it. It follows our young prince Arslan who is forced to go on the run and recruit allies to take his kingdom back due to war. He ends up finding a few trustworthy allies of which all have their own particular reasons for following Arslan. Tbh, if you want a story of a great leader and a very serious gut wrenching one, you probably won't find it here, because even though Arslan talks about the problems of war with different kingdoms etc, I feel like at its' core, the story was more of a chilled out one for you to kinda enjoy the ride on. It has a lot of the typical elements you expect such as some growth for Arslan as he tries to fulfil his duties as a prince and restore his kingdom, whilst facing problems of attaining such allies to achieve this. It was pretty fun and interesting, and the characters are pretty amusing considering their personalities so it's worth a shot :D
One Punch Man
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Comedy, Supernatural, Seinen
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 8
OPM is a title that most people have probably watched - basically follows a hero who can defeat nearly everything in one punch. It kinda sounds silly and I guess it kinda is considering how strong Saitama is and yet no one really knows how strong he is, except his cyborg apprentice that joins him later on. I think the best thing about OPM is the fun and the comedy. It's pretty hilarious seeing all the different weird monsters that pop up and how the characters interact with Saitama. However, other than the comedy, the story does explore more serious aspects such as Saitama's boredom of defeating everything in one punch and how to handle his lack of purpose in life. Although maybe that's more prominent in S2 since S1 focuses more on establishing Saitama as a character alongside a lot of other heroes such as Mumen Rider who is probably the epitome of what it is to be a hero even though he is exceedingly weak, and yet he never yields. I think it's really fun to see all the different types of heroes and monsters, and I think that's the highlight tbh. A lot of people lament the dip in animation in S2 and I do agree with them, however, since it still adapts the story properly, it is still enjoyable to say the least. However, if you read manga, I'd suggest reading it for Murata's art instead, because the art is so phenomenal and really makes the experience so much better imo.
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Comedy, Supernatural, Seinen
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 8
OPM is a title that most people have probably watched - basically follows a hero who can defeat nearly everything in one punch. It kinda sounds silly and I guess it kinda is considering how strong Saitama is and yet no one really knows how strong he is, except his cyborg apprentice that joins him later on. I think the best thing about OPM is the fun and the comedy. It's pretty hilarious seeing all the different weird monsters that pop up and how the characters interact with Saitama. However, other than the comedy, the story does explore more serious aspects such as Saitama's boredom of defeating everything in one punch and how to handle his lack of purpose in life. Although maybe that's more prominent in S2 since S1 focuses more on establishing Saitama as a character alongside a lot of other heroes such as Mumen Rider who is probably the epitome of what it is to be a hero even though he is exceedingly weak, and yet he never yields. I think it's really fun to see all the different types of heroes and monsters, and I think that's the highlight tbh. A lot of people lament the dip in animation in S2 and I do agree with them, however, since it still adapts the story properly, it is still enjoyable to say the least. However, if you read manga, I'd suggest reading it for Murata's art instead, because the art is so phenomenal and really makes the experience so much better imo.
2016
Boku Dake ga Inai Machi
Genre: Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Seinen
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7.5
Aside from the anime original ending that I think really killed the story with how the villain was handled, I honestly enjoyed the anime, mostly because I really think the anime spent a lot of time and effort on building the whole thing about Kayo, but didn't have enough time/effort/episodes to deal with the rest of the story, of which the manga definitely handled better. The story follows Satoru, someone who has been able to rewind time before an incident occurs to fix things, of which it usually just rewinds him to minutes before or something. However, one day, when he is accused of a murder, his life suddenly rewinds back to when he was a kid, and so he starts to realise that this is all related to an incident in the past where a classmate was abducted and killed, so this is his chance to fix things again right from the beginning. Anyway, I really loved it (mainly the manga), the anime really does the whole childhood part with Kayo's circumstances really well and it's quite heartwarming to watch whilst unravelling the mystery. I have to say though, the mystery is one that becomes pretty obvious as Satoru investigates, it's not something mind breaking or full of twists (sorry if you want that), but is instead a slow paced unravelling simple mystery, and I honestly think it was perfect like that (for me anyway). Because for me, I think the mystery was the guiding factor for the story, but it was never really the whole point of it, since it was more for Satoru to instead change his life, his way of doing things and to do what he never could in the past, and I think the story achieved what it wanted through this new chance of his. I honestly really liked how Satoru faced everything he ignored in the present and it was really nice to see how much more he felt satisfied with himself after everything. I think the mystery lures you in, but then Satoru's character keeps you engrossed in the story haha. Just please read the manga ending instead lol.
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Supernatural
Episodes: 10
My Rating: 7.5
Konosuba is honestly pretty hilarious. I think the reason Kazuma ended up reincarnating in another world was hilarious and I loved how he thought he was smart for thinking outside of the box and choosing to take the Goddess Aqua with him to defeat the demon lord instead of any of the weapon options, but in the end it backfires on him because she's so useless lolll. I just love the antics between his whole party and the "suffering" he experiences from taking care of them tbh, although to be fair, he's not the greatest guy ever either loll. But I love how flawed they are in their different ways and yet are still able to survive in this world and cause such trouble (and save some people lol). I think the most enjoyable part is the interactions between the party of them, so if you don't like them, it might be difficult enjoy (Darkness is honestly too OTT for me), but otherwise it's a really funny isekai adventure with ridiculous characters.
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Supernatural
Episodes: 10
My Rating: 7.5
Konosuba is honestly pretty hilarious. I think the reason Kazuma ended up reincarnating in another world was hilarious and I loved how he thought he was smart for thinking outside of the box and choosing to take the Goddess Aqua with him to defeat the demon lord instead of any of the weapon options, but in the end it backfires on him because she's so useless lolll. I just love the antics between his whole party and the "suffering" he experiences from taking care of them tbh, although to be fair, he's not the greatest guy ever either loll. But I love how flawed they are in their different ways and yet are still able to survive in this world and cause such trouble (and save some people lol). I think the most enjoyable part is the interactions between the party of them, so if you don't like them, it might be difficult enjoy (Darkness is honestly too OTT for me), but otherwise it's a really funny isekai adventure with ridiculous characters.
Hai to Gensou no Grimgar
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7.5
Opposed to Konosuba, Grimgar is probably one of the more realistic isekai stories. It's not as popular as other isekai and sometimes it's even forgotten to be an isekai since it only creates the setting for the characters to be lost in a world they have no idea about, and with no memories of anything. What I really loved about Grimgar though was how it portrayed really well the struggles of being an utter novice having to go on hunts etc. It really shows the problems of lacking money, lacking equipment, lacking strength and lacking knowledge on how to defeat monsters. The first time they killed a goblin scene still kinda irks me to this day because the way they killed it just showed how difficult yet frightening it was to live in this world. However, I do have to note that although I really liked how our main characters really do start from rock bottom of knowing nothing to actually being able to take care of themselves, it can be frustrating to watch through because of how uncooperative and different they all can be, but I guess it's all part of the growing process?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7.5
Opposed to Konosuba, Grimgar is probably one of the more realistic isekai stories. It's not as popular as other isekai and sometimes it's even forgotten to be an isekai since it only creates the setting for the characters to be lost in a world they have no idea about, and with no memories of anything. What I really loved about Grimgar though was how it portrayed really well the struggles of being an utter novice having to go on hunts etc. It really shows the problems of lacking money, lacking equipment, lacking strength and lacking knowledge on how to defeat monsters. The first time they killed a goblin scene still kinda irks me to this day because the way they killed it just showed how difficult yet frightening it was to live in this world. However, I do have to note that although I really liked how our main characters really do start from rock bottom of knowing nothing to actually being able to take care of themselves, it can be frustrating to watch through because of how uncooperative and different they all can be, but I guess it's all part of the growing process?
Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Psychological, Thriller
Episodes: 25
My Rating: 8
I only watched Re:Zero like a year or two ago, but I really liked it. I'm a defender of Emilia btw, she really doesn't deserve the hate just because people love Rem so much lol, especially when Emilia was always so kind to Subaru and accepting of him. Anyway, Re:Zero is another isekai, but in this one, Subaru is basically a normal everyday human (that's a bit more strong and athletic than the regular otaku since he works out) that gets taken to another world and is somehow given the power to restart his life from a certain point whenever he dies. It sounds like an OP power, but really, when you watch what Subaru has to go through, I don't think anyone would want that power anymore. Re:Zero really enraptures the negatives of living in another world with a power where you would never truly die, which is probably worse than actual death because there's a form of finality to it. Anyway, it really shows the tragedies of possessing such a power and reliving things again, whilst Subaru tries his best to make it past certain points so that he can survive and not die over and over again. Honestly, it's pretty dark, pretty saddening, very disheartening, but really good in its' portrayal of it all. I think if you want something different from your regular OP isekai MC, this is the one, but just make sure to endure a lot of suffering with Subaru lol.
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Psychological, Thriller
Episodes: 25
My Rating: 8
I only watched Re:Zero like a year or two ago, but I really liked it. I'm a defender of Emilia btw, she really doesn't deserve the hate just because people love Rem so much lol, especially when Emilia was always so kind to Subaru and accepting of him. Anyway, Re:Zero is another isekai, but in this one, Subaru is basically a normal everyday human (that's a bit more strong and athletic than the regular otaku since he works out) that gets taken to another world and is somehow given the power to restart his life from a certain point whenever he dies. It sounds like an OP power, but really, when you watch what Subaru has to go through, I don't think anyone would want that power anymore. Re:Zero really enraptures the negatives of living in another world with a power where you would never truly die, which is probably worse than actual death because there's a form of finality to it. Anyway, it really shows the tragedies of possessing such a power and reliving things again, whilst Subaru tries his best to make it past certain points so that he can survive and not die over and over again. Honestly, it's pretty dark, pretty saddening, very disheartening, but really good in its' portrayal of it all. I think if you want something different from your regular OP isekai MC, this is the one, but just make sure to endure a lot of suffering with Subaru lol.
Yuri!!! On Ice
Genre: Comedy, Sports
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 8
Yuri!!! On Ice may be hyped up a bit too much, but it is still a really nice story involving figure skating. I've always been enamoured by the figure skating stories in manga and anime so I might be a bit biased, but I really loved the choreography, the music and the skaters' motivations on the whole. I thought the music and everything was nicely used and brought to life in their programs, and I loved it. Yuuri starts off as a rather negative guy towards his hopes of achieving something in figure skating, but with the help of Victor coaching him and them growing together, I found it to be a really simple but well done story about people who really enjoy figure skating. Some people might be turned off by Victor and Yuuri eventually developing a subtle but definitely romantic relationship but I think it was very natural and didn't mind it tbh/ Otherwise, definitely worth watching for the variety of figure skating programs and skaters!~
Genre: Comedy, Sports
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 8
Yuri!!! On Ice may be hyped up a bit too much, but it is still a really nice story involving figure skating. I've always been enamoured by the figure skating stories in manga and anime so I might be a bit biased, but I really loved the choreography, the music and the skaters' motivations on the whole. I thought the music and everything was nicely used and brought to life in their programs, and I loved it. Yuuri starts off as a rather negative guy towards his hopes of achieving something in figure skating, but with the help of Victor coaching him and them growing together, I found it to be a really simple but well done story about people who really enjoy figure skating. Some people might be turned off by Victor and Yuuri eventually developing a subtle but definitely romantic relationship but I think it was very natural and didn't mind it tbh/ Otherwise, definitely worth watching for the variety of figure skating programs and skaters!~
3-gatsu no Lion
Genre: Drama, Seinen, Slice of Life
Episodes: 22
My Rating: 8
I think I've said a lot about 3-gatsu no Lion before in my previous posts so I'll try to keep it short lol. The story focuses on Rei, a teenager who plays shogi for a living, which sounds great and all, but underneath all that, you can tell that although Rei definitely does enjoy playing shogi, he also thinks that he can't do anything but play shogi because it is the only thing he can do after destroying so many people's lives on his pursue of getting better and better at shogi. The story mainly focuses on Rei as he handles his inner turmoils from his past, his previous and current decisions, and how he finds it difficult to live, yet can't help but want to live. A lot of people have said that the story really captures depression very well, and I can definitely feel the emotional struggles of Rei so much that it hurts. Although shogi plays a big part in the story, you don't really have to know much about it. I really enjoyed how the existence of the Kawamoto sisters really helped to give some hope to Rei in his life, and I think if you like a story that starts off with feelings of devastation everywhere to glimpses of hope in life, you'll like it. I think SHAFT really brought the atmosphere of the story into the show really well and I just couldn't put my finger on why I liked it so much even though it's quite a tough watch with how emotionally burdensome it can be with all the pain and circumstances Rei has to live with.
Genre: Drama, Seinen, Slice of Life
Episodes: 22
My Rating: 8
I think I've said a lot about 3-gatsu no Lion before in my previous posts so I'll try to keep it short lol. The story focuses on Rei, a teenager who plays shogi for a living, which sounds great and all, but underneath all that, you can tell that although Rei definitely does enjoy playing shogi, he also thinks that he can't do anything but play shogi because it is the only thing he can do after destroying so many people's lives on his pursue of getting better and better at shogi. The story mainly focuses on Rei as he handles his inner turmoils from his past, his previous and current decisions, and how he finds it difficult to live, yet can't help but want to live. A lot of people have said that the story really captures depression very well, and I can definitely feel the emotional struggles of Rei so much that it hurts. Although shogi plays a big part in the story, you don't really have to know much about it. I really enjoyed how the existence of the Kawamoto sisters really helped to give some hope to Rei in his life, and I think if you like a story that starts off with feelings of devastation everywhere to glimpses of hope in life, you'll like it. I think SHAFT really brought the atmosphere of the story into the show really well and I just couldn't put my finger on why I liked it so much even though it's quite a tough watch with how emotionally burdensome it can be with all the pain and circumstances Rei has to live with.
2017
3-gatsu no Lion S2
Genre: Drama, Seinen, Slice of Life
Episodes: 22
My Rating: 9
A lot of S2s fall off story-wise, but 3-gatsu no Lion really only ups the game tbh. With Rei slowly opening up to the Kawamoto sisters and slowly becoming a guy that is able to finally allow himself to think that it's not an inconvenience to interact with others, you feel like you can really see the result everyone hoped for, a happier Rei. Otherwise, the story follows into Hina's arc which involves bullying, and honestly it was a pretty emotional arc, not only was it saddening, but I couldn't help but be so taken away with Hina's character and how strong she was. It really shows how troubling and difficult it is for everyone when bullying happens, and how sensitive and difficult of a topic it can be to work with. I honestly found everyone's reactions, everyone's thoughts and emotions to be very realistic and I really loved how everything unfolded.
3-gatsu no Lion S2
Genre: Drama, Seinen, Slice of Life
Episodes: 22
My Rating: 9
A lot of S2s fall off story-wise, but 3-gatsu no Lion really only ups the game tbh. With Rei slowly opening up to the Kawamoto sisters and slowly becoming a guy that is able to finally allow himself to think that it's not an inconvenience to interact with others, you feel like you can really see the result everyone hoped for, a happier Rei. Otherwise, the story follows into Hina's arc which involves bullying, and honestly it was a pretty emotional arc, not only was it saddening, but I couldn't help but be so taken away with Hina's character and how strong she was. It really shows how troubling and difficult it is for everyone when bullying happens, and how sensitive and difficult of a topic it can be to work with. I honestly found everyone's reactions, everyone's thoughts and emotions to be very realistic and I really loved how everything unfolded.
Inuyashiki
Genre: Action, Drama, Psychological, Sci-Fi, Seinen
Episodes: 11
My Rating: 7
Inuyashiki is quite a unique one, especially since it features an older man as the protagonist. Tbh, it's not something really great, but I still really enjoyed it because of how different it all felt from the usual stuff. Also helps that this is by the same author as Gantz haha! Anyway, the story follows Ichirou, an old man who has a family but can't find his home to really be a "home" with how his wife and child treat him like air. One day, when he gets an emotional breakdown, he runs somewhere to relieve his feelings of sadness, and then a bright light consumes him. When he comes to, he slowly discovers that his body isn't how it's used to be and that he's some sort of mechanised weapon. As he slowly adjusts himself to this new body, he finds another person who has a similar body as his, and that's where the interesting part is! I really loved the contrast between Ichirou and Hiro as the MCs because it really shows well how different people handle similar experiences. For the both of them, they felt that they lost their humanity once their bodies changed, and yet they both harbour completely different perspectives on what it means to "feel alive" and how they both search for it in their own ways, whilst showing the repercussions of their actions. I thought this contrast was the most interesting part of it and really enjoyed how they both struggled in their own ways to find what it meant for them to be alive. The 3D took a bit of time to get used to, but otherwise, it was good.
Genre: Action, Drama, Psychological, Sci-Fi, Seinen
Episodes: 11
My Rating: 7
Inuyashiki is quite a unique one, especially since it features an older man as the protagonist. Tbh, it's not something really great, but I still really enjoyed it because of how different it all felt from the usual stuff. Also helps that this is by the same author as Gantz haha! Anyway, the story follows Ichirou, an old man who has a family but can't find his home to really be a "home" with how his wife and child treat him like air. One day, when he gets an emotional breakdown, he runs somewhere to relieve his feelings of sadness, and then a bright light consumes him. When he comes to, he slowly discovers that his body isn't how it's used to be and that he's some sort of mechanised weapon. As he slowly adjusts himself to this new body, he finds another person who has a similar body as his, and that's where the interesting part is! I really loved the contrast between Ichirou and Hiro as the MCs because it really shows well how different people handle similar experiences. For the both of them, they felt that they lost their humanity once their bodies changed, and yet they both harbour completely different perspectives on what it means to "feel alive" and how they both search for it in their own ways, whilst showing the repercussions of their actions. I thought this contrast was the most interesting part of it and really enjoyed how they both struggled in their own ways to find what it meant for them to be alive. The 3D took a bit of time to get used to, but otherwise, it was good.
2018
Hataraku Saibou
Genre: Comedy, Shounen
Episodes: 13
My Rating: 7
Cells At Work is a very interesting premise that I quite enjoyed watching. It basically follows the lives of a particular red blood cell in a body as she tries her best to get used to her "job" as she is faced with the different problems this human body she is living in has. Honestly, it really puts into perspective a lot of the things that can be going on in our bodies without us even knowing, such as how white blood cells interact with bacteria, how platelets try their best to stop bleeding, and all of this is done in a very entertaining way. Stuff like bacteria is shown as like monsters invading, and although a lot of the show becomes a monster of the day kinda thing, it is still very interesting to watch and learn about the different cells in the body. I think if you like biology and want to learn things in an entertaining form, this would be a good pick, but otherwise, regardless of that, it's still really fun to watch, I mean, watching Red Blood Cell try her best to remember the route she should go on is so cute and heartwarming.
Violet Evergarden
Genre: Slice of Life, Drama, Fantasy
Episodes: 13
My Rating: 7
A lot of the love I have for Violet Evergarden is probably attributed to how beautiful it was in terms of the animation and the stories of the people in it. The plot follows our MC Violet who lost her hands at the end of the war and is now forced to readjust her life back to the normal everyday when the only thing she is knowledgeable about is fighting. After losing her superior who said words to her that she couldn't understand, she is given work at a postal company as a "Auto Memory Doll" that transcribes people's thoughts and feelings into paper to send to others. Honestly, the story was quite a relaxing yet emotional ride. It was really interesting to see how Violet improved and changed from being someone who could not possibly understand "feelings" into someone who is able to write in a way that keeps with the personality she has whilst showing that she does understand the thoughts of her clients. It also really puts into perspective how important letters were and could be, and how reliant people are on them to convey feelings across physical borders. I really enjoyed the stories of the different clients seeking Violet's help to write letters, and I really enjoyed how all this intertwined with herself as she tries her best to understand people and the concept of love.
Genre: Slice of Life, Drama, Fantasy
Episodes: 13
My Rating: 7
A lot of the love I have for Violet Evergarden is probably attributed to how beautiful it was in terms of the animation and the stories of the people in it. The plot follows our MC Violet who lost her hands at the end of the war and is now forced to readjust her life back to the normal everyday when the only thing she is knowledgeable about is fighting. After losing her superior who said words to her that she couldn't understand, she is given work at a postal company as a "Auto Memory Doll" that transcribes people's thoughts and feelings into paper to send to others. Honestly, the story was quite a relaxing yet emotional ride. It was really interesting to see how Violet improved and changed from being someone who could not possibly understand "feelings" into someone who is able to write in a way that keeps with the personality she has whilst showing that she does understand the thoughts of her clients. It also really puts into perspective how important letters were and could be, and how reliant people are on them to convey feelings across physical borders. I really enjoyed the stories of the different clients seeking Violet's help to write letters, and I really enjoyed how all this intertwined with herself as she tries her best to understand people and the concept of love.
2019
Dororo
Genre: Action, Adventure, Historical, Supernatural, Shounen
Episodes: 24
My Rating: 8
Dororo is an anime I didn't expect to like as much as I did tbh. Initially, the first episode didn't grab me, but I think it really did afterwards when it started exploring the different demons that appeared and the humans who interacted with them. Dororo focuses on the story of Hyakkimaru who had lost most of his limbs due to his father sacrificing his body to the demons for a prosperous land. Although sent to his death, Hyakkimaru by chance happened to live and be saved by someone who ended up raising him. However, it seems that regardless of what Hyakkimaru wants, he kinda finds out that specific demons possess his body parts and in order to get them back, he must kill them, and so he begins his journey to search for these demons and regain his body and his life back. Along the journey, he meets a kid named Dororo and they start journeying together as they both find their reasons for living and fighting against the existence of demons. I think what fascinated me the most about Dororo were the various demons that forged some sort of relationship with humans whether it be coexisting or one taking advantage of the other. Although the main plot line is for Hyakkimaru to take back his body parts and see his parents once again as he is forced to contemplate the purpose of his existence, a lot of the story can be rather episodic with the story/demon of the day types, so it really depends on if you like that. Personally, it was a treat to watch it weekly for me, and although I feel like the second cour lacked a bit in terms of animation and how things were resolved, it was still good.
Kimetsu no Yaiba
Genre: Action, Historical, Shounen, Supernatural
Episodes: 26
My Rating: 8
Kimetsu no Yaiba is probably the most popular shounen of 2019 after episode 19, which it really did have awesome animation tbh and I had to admire it for a bit too haha. Otherwise, the plot follows a pretty simple and common story of a boy named Tanjiro losing his whole family to demons, and is left with a sister that has turned into a demon too. After fending off a demon slayer and convincing him that his sister is different from other demons, Tanjiro is told to reach out to a man who ends up teaching him skills to become a demon slayer himself in order to find a way to change his sister back into a human. It's a really simple premise with a pretty straightforward storyline with Tanjiro having to train, pass trials, becoming a demon slayer and fighting demons to protect his sister whilst trying his best to discover a way to help her. But, honestly, it really works as a nice simple premise, and it has really beautiful and fluid animation to help with it, so you can't help but be impressed by the visuals during the fights a lot of the time. I really like Tanjiro as the MC and find him really refreshing because although he's the typical nice MC, he is also a very stubborn and kind big brother type that just can't help but help everyone around him. He's not overly naive and is prepared to kill the demons, he would sympathise with them but he won't let them live to kill other people, and I think it's really nice to see an MC that is decisive about the way he handles things. Although his companions aren't the most interesting to me, I find it cute how they're so attached to Tanjiro for their respective reasons. For me, it's a pretty wholesome shounen show and I really like stuff like that haha.
Genre: Action, Historical, Shounen, Supernatural
Episodes: 26
My Rating: 8
Kimetsu no Yaiba is probably the most popular shounen of 2019 after episode 19, which it really did have awesome animation tbh and I had to admire it for a bit too haha. Otherwise, the plot follows a pretty simple and common story of a boy named Tanjiro losing his whole family to demons, and is left with a sister that has turned into a demon too. After fending off a demon slayer and convincing him that his sister is different from other demons, Tanjiro is told to reach out to a man who ends up teaching him skills to become a demon slayer himself in order to find a way to change his sister back into a human. It's a really simple premise with a pretty straightforward storyline with Tanjiro having to train, pass trials, becoming a demon slayer and fighting demons to protect his sister whilst trying his best to discover a way to help her. But, honestly, it really works as a nice simple premise, and it has really beautiful and fluid animation to help with it, so you can't help but be impressed by the visuals during the fights a lot of the time. I really like Tanjiro as the MC and find him really refreshing because although he's the typical nice MC, he is also a very stubborn and kind big brother type that just can't help but help everyone around him. He's not overly naive and is prepared to kill the demons, he would sympathise with them but he won't let them live to kill other people, and I think it's really nice to see an MC that is decisive about the way he handles things. Although his companions aren't the most interesting to me, I find it cute how they're so attached to Tanjiro for their respective reasons. For me, it's a pretty wholesome shounen show and I really like stuff like that haha.
Fruits Basket 1st Season
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Supernatural
Episodes: 25
My Rating: 8
Honestly, I don't remember much about the original Fruits Basket anime back in the day, but I do remember liking rice balls because of it lol. Fruits Basket follows the story of Tohru losing her family and finding a place she can call home with the Soumas as she finds out secrets that each of them turn into animals of the zodiac! It's definitely a great slice of life show alongside some drama, and although there are lots of sad moments due to the saddening back stories of most of the characters, everything usually ends on a positive note, mostly because Tohru is such a ball of energy and positivity. Maybe she seems unrealistic to others because of how nice she is and how she can soothe everyone she meets, but I think realistic or not, she really brings that feel good anime feel with her throughout the whole show, and I can't help but be attracted to how there are a lot of moments where I feel like I can learn some sort of life lesson from the her that lives by her mother's principles. It's a really heartwarming show, and even though it looks like a reverse harem, it really isn't haha, I'd say (at least for the first season anyway), the main focus and theme would be family and living in a world where we all feel like we don't belong in yet being able to find a home in it because of the people around us. Each character's story is unique but very detailed and thought out, making the emotions of the characters and their stories very real and close to the heart imo, definitely a must watch whether you've watched the first one or not~ The visuals look very good whilst keeping that old style and feel of shoujo animation back in the day, so even though it's "new", it still feels really nostalgic.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Supernatural
Episodes: 25
My Rating: 8
Honestly, I don't remember much about the original Fruits Basket anime back in the day, but I do remember liking rice balls because of it lol. Fruits Basket follows the story of Tohru losing her family and finding a place she can call home with the Soumas as she finds out secrets that each of them turn into animals of the zodiac! It's definitely a great slice of life show alongside some drama, and although there are lots of sad moments due to the saddening back stories of most of the characters, everything usually ends on a positive note, mostly because Tohru is such a ball of energy and positivity. Maybe she seems unrealistic to others because of how nice she is and how she can soothe everyone she meets, but I think realistic or not, she really brings that feel good anime feel with her throughout the whole show, and I can't help but be attracted to how there are a lot of moments where I feel like I can learn some sort of life lesson from the her that lives by her mother's principles. It's a really heartwarming show, and even though it looks like a reverse harem, it really isn't haha, I'd say (at least for the first season anyway), the main focus and theme would be family and living in a world where we all feel like we don't belong in yet being able to find a home in it because of the people around us. Each character's story is unique but very detailed and thought out, making the emotions of the characters and their stories very real and close to the heart imo, definitely a must watch whether you've watched the first one or not~ The visuals look very good whilst keeping that old style and feel of shoujo animation back in the day, so even though it's "new", it still feels really nostalgic.
Isekai Quartet
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7
This one was definitely an unexpected favourite of mine haha! Honestly, when it was first announced, I thought it'd be terrible but I tried it out anyway since I knew most of the characters and having a crossover between all these characters sounded like it could be interesting. Well, it's so much better than I thought! I ended up looking forward to it every single week! It has the very simple premise of each party of characters somehow respectively "accidentally" pressing a button that takes them to another world where they're all forced to take classes with the rest of the cast as they try to figure out where they are, who these other people are and why they're here. It's a pretty hilarious show mainly because of the Konosuba cast (since they are from a comedy show after all), but I just really loved the interactions between the other characters as well, especially scenes like *spoilers* Kazuma and Subaru understanding and connecting through the fact that they were both "summoned" to another world. Basically, if you want to see your favourite characters interacting with each other, definitely watch this, it's very short but it's such a ball of fun haha. I'm really looking forward to S2! I'm not the biggest fan of Shield Hero but I am curious about how the addition of his party will affect the dynamics of the class.
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7
This one was definitely an unexpected favourite of mine haha! Honestly, when it was first announced, I thought it'd be terrible but I tried it out anyway since I knew most of the characters and having a crossover between all these characters sounded like it could be interesting. Well, it's so much better than I thought! I ended up looking forward to it every single week! It has the very simple premise of each party of characters somehow respectively "accidentally" pressing a button that takes them to another world where they're all forced to take classes with the rest of the cast as they try to figure out where they are, who these other people are and why they're here. It's a pretty hilarious show mainly because of the Konosuba cast (since they are from a comedy show after all), but I just really loved the interactions between the other characters as well, especially scenes like *spoilers* Kazuma and Subaru understanding and connecting through the fact that they were both "summoned" to another world. Basically, if you want to see your favourite characters interacting with each other, definitely watch this, it's very short but it's such a ball of fun haha. I'm really looking forward to S2! I'm not the biggest fan of Shield Hero but I am curious about how the addition of his party will affect the dynamics of the class.
Vinland Saga
Genre: Action, Adventure, Historical, Drama, Seinen
Episodes: 24
My Rating: 8
Although Vinland Saga hasn't ended yet, I still wanted to talk about it regardless. I've heard about Vinland Saga for a loooong time (the manga) but I never picked it up because I don't think it's my thing. Tbh, it still isn't, but I still quite like it, mainly because of Askeladd though haha. The story follows the story of Thorfinn who sneakily follows his father on his boat thinking it would be just like a fun adventure, not knowing that in the end, he would witness his father's death. As he is faced with his father's killer, he swears that he will get revenge, and thus lives a life ridden with death and war hoping to become strong enough to get revenge. It's a pretty simple premise as a whole, but it really enraptures a lot of other stories and stuff, because it shows the lives of Vikings. It shows how war can destroy any side, and how the Vikings will pillage any village and place for food, honour and live their way of the warrior. For me, I think Askeladd really encapsulates what a Viking probably is, and what survival in this world really means. He is also very charismatic, ruthless and smart, I think I really watched the show mainly for him haha. I just really enjoyed how he's definitely not a nice guy, he definitely doesn't hesitate to use others, he doesn't trust anybody either, but at the same time, you can't help but feel for him on many levels. On the other hand, it's just saddening to see what Thorfinn descends into, but I guess that is important to his growth and his story. I think it's definitely worth a try to see if you're interested in it, especially since it is quite different from the usual anime nowadays.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Historical, Drama, Seinen
Episodes: 24
My Rating: 8
Although Vinland Saga hasn't ended yet, I still wanted to talk about it regardless. I've heard about Vinland Saga for a loooong time (the manga) but I never picked it up because I don't think it's my thing. Tbh, it still isn't, but I still quite like it, mainly because of Askeladd though haha. The story follows the story of Thorfinn who sneakily follows his father on his boat thinking it would be just like a fun adventure, not knowing that in the end, he would witness his father's death. As he is faced with his father's killer, he swears that he will get revenge, and thus lives a life ridden with death and war hoping to become strong enough to get revenge. It's a pretty simple premise as a whole, but it really enraptures a lot of other stories and stuff, because it shows the lives of Vikings. It shows how war can destroy any side, and how the Vikings will pillage any village and place for food, honour and live their way of the warrior. For me, I think Askeladd really encapsulates what a Viking probably is, and what survival in this world really means. He is also very charismatic, ruthless and smart, I think I really watched the show mainly for him haha. I just really enjoyed how he's definitely not a nice guy, he definitely doesn't hesitate to use others, he doesn't trust anybody either, but at the same time, you can't help but feel for him on many levels. On the other hand, it's just saddening to see what Thorfinn descends into, but I guess that is important to his growth and his story. I think it's definitely worth a try to see if you're interested in it, especially since it is quite different from the usual anime nowadays.
Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7.5
I juuust finished watching this show and I kinda hope there's a S2 in the future haha~ When I first saw the PV for this show, I thought it was hilarious because the story focuses on the Goddess Ristarte summoning a hero to the Divine Realm to go save a world that is endangered by a demon lord. Apparently it's a common thing to summon heroes from other worlds to get them to help the gods save worlds endangered by these demon lords lol. Anyway, the hero she ends up summoning is called Seiya, and she chose him because of his good stats, but what she failed to read was that he's a very cautious guy! Even when he kills something like a slime, he would use one of his strongest skills and use them a couple of times to ensure its' death lol. A lot of the show revolves around the comedy of how cautious the hero Seiya is (although I can totally relate to it loll) and how Rista has to deal with him being like that, whilst being a weirdo herself loll. I think the chemistry between Seiya and Rista is pretty funny and you gotta love the crazy expressions Rista has all the time as she drools over Seiya and when she is flabbergasted over his actions, she's got a whole ton of expressions, it's pretty funny. Although the show is mainly focused on comedy though, it does do its' serious parts pretty well too, especially when the party gets closer and closer to the demon lord. It was a pretty fun ride, and even if it wasn't the most thought provoking anime it was quite enjoyable and definitely one of the better isekai anime this year~
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Episodes: 12
My Rating: 7.5
I juuust finished watching this show and I kinda hope there's a S2 in the future haha~ When I first saw the PV for this show, I thought it was hilarious because the story focuses on the Goddess Ristarte summoning a hero to the Divine Realm to go save a world that is endangered by a demon lord. Apparently it's a common thing to summon heroes from other worlds to get them to help the gods save worlds endangered by these demon lords lol. Anyway, the hero she ends up summoning is called Seiya, and she chose him because of his good stats, but what she failed to read was that he's a very cautious guy! Even when he kills something like a slime, he would use one of his strongest skills and use them a couple of times to ensure its' death lol. A lot of the show revolves around the comedy of how cautious the hero Seiya is (although I can totally relate to it loll) and how Rista has to deal with him being like that, whilst being a weirdo herself loll. I think the chemistry between Seiya and Rista is pretty funny and you gotta love the crazy expressions Rista has all the time as she drools over Seiya and when she is flabbergasted over his actions, she's got a whole ton of expressions, it's pretty funny. Although the show is mainly focused on comedy though, it does do its' serious parts pretty well too, especially when the party gets closer and closer to the demon lord. It was a pretty fun ride, and even if it wasn't the most thought provoking anime it was quite enjoyable and definitely one of the better isekai anime this year~
Movies
Koe no Katachi
Genre: Drama, School, Shounen
My Rating: 8
I remember when I finished watching this in the cinemas, I thought to myself, I wouldn't mind watching this again tbh. At that time, I had two friends who wanted to watch it, so I did end up watching it twice, but I honestly didn't mind at all because I think it resonated with me that well. The story revolves around Shouya, who as a kid bullied Shouko because she is deaf. To him and the class, it was fun and harmless, but after escalating the problem to the school, Shouko ends up transferring, and Shouya is pinned the blame for all the bullying even though others were in on it as well. From then on, Shouya ended up being bullied by these classmates that were all once on his side. After experiencing that, he learns to regret his past actions and try to redeem himself.
For me, I found the movie quite emotionally moving because of how Shouya and Shouko were portrayed. The other characters just kinda made me pissed off at their existence because of how unrepentant they were for any of the things they did. Anyway, the highlight has to be Shouko and Shouya's relationship in this because of how natural it all felt I guess. Shouya couldn't forgive himself for subjecting Shouko through such bullying, but he tries his best to apologise, and make up for his past mistakes. Considering how terrible he was as a kid, it was obvious how others would view and treat him, but seeing him try his best in his own way to change things up, not because he wants to be forgiven, but because he wants Shouko to be able to live life normally again without fear of bullying and allow that incident keep her from others. I think I was just really moved by Shouya's sincerity in all this, and I think that made the movie worth it for me. I read the manga after the movie, and although the manga definitely fleshes out a lot of other things that I was a bit confused about in the movie, I think the movie was really great and beautiful in itself.
Genre: Drama, School, Shounen
My Rating: 8
I remember when I finished watching this in the cinemas, I thought to myself, I wouldn't mind watching this again tbh. At that time, I had two friends who wanted to watch it, so I did end up watching it twice, but I honestly didn't mind at all because I think it resonated with me that well. The story revolves around Shouya, who as a kid bullied Shouko because she is deaf. To him and the class, it was fun and harmless, but after escalating the problem to the school, Shouko ends up transferring, and Shouya is pinned the blame for all the bullying even though others were in on it as well. From then on, Shouya ended up being bullied by these classmates that were all once on his side. After experiencing that, he learns to regret his past actions and try to redeem himself.
For me, I found the movie quite emotionally moving because of how Shouya and Shouko were portrayed. The other characters just kinda made me pissed off at their existence because of how unrepentant they were for any of the things they did. Anyway, the highlight has to be Shouko and Shouya's relationship in this because of how natural it all felt I guess. Shouya couldn't forgive himself for subjecting Shouko through such bullying, but he tries his best to apologise, and make up for his past mistakes. Considering how terrible he was as a kid, it was obvious how others would view and treat him, but seeing him try his best in his own way to change things up, not because he wants to be forgiven, but because he wants Shouko to be able to live life normally again without fear of bullying and allow that incident keep her from others. I think I was just really moved by Shouya's sincerity in all this, and I think that made the movie worth it for me. I read the manga after the movie, and although the manga definitely fleshes out a lot of other things that I was a bit confused about in the movie, I think the movie was really great and beautiful in itself.
Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni
Genre: Drama, Historical, Seinen
My Rating: 8
I had the opportunity to watch this movie in the cinemas and honestly, I think I really liked it. It depicts the perspective of a normal everyday girl trying to live her life to the fullest in an unfamiliar environment as she is married to someone she barely knows. It shows the struggles of everyday life, but also the happiness of it through our MC Suzu being a bit ditzy, but very hardworking. I also think it showed very well how easily a person's life can change from war, and how difficult it can be to live through that as well when it comes to the choices you have to make amongst the experiences of life and death.
I think what really lured me in for this movie was how everything unfolded. In the beginning, it feels like a very slice of life story where it shows Suzu's everyday difficulties of having to live with marrying someone she doesn't really know, having to take care of a family that doesn't treat her in a very welcoming way in a whole new environment she is unaccustomed to. These tidbits might seem mundane to some, but I think it was pretty enjoyable seeing her face these hardships in her own way. In the second part, the tone changes with how the war affects their everyday lives regardless of how involved they were, and it just kinda shows how saddening and difficult it is for people who just wanted to live a normal life like Suzu to suddenly have everything ruined by other people's decisions that were out of her hands. I think it was very enjoyable seeing how realistic it felt and how tough it can be to just watch how terrible life can be.
Welll, even though all I did was summarise a bit of my thoughts for each one, it definitely took quiteee a while haha. Still easier than other stuff though. Btw, I just wanted to mention that I didn't include Steins;Gate because I think the anime is really boring and I could never get into it or its' style, HOWEVER, I would definitely recommend the visual novel! It's funny, because I really hesitated on starting the VN since I really didn't like the anime, but when I started the VN, I was pretty much instantly intrigued by the whole thing, the VN definitely has a much better flow and explains a lot of the concepts much better, it also delves into the relationships with the other characters better imo. On the other hand, Steins;Gate 0 VN was a chore to go through for me tbh and I didn't like most of it because of how 2D the whole story felt and how a lot of things felt so forced(?), the story wasn't engaging at all and the characters were really shallowly explored imo, even my favourite Mayuri felt so bland, sigh. As for otome games, I really enjoyed Hakuoki (Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms), even though a lot of the translation felt a bit too localised with some of the guys saying stuff like "let's boogie" and it just completely took me out of the Bakumatsu period in historical Japan, but I still enjoyed it because of the Shinsengumi. I think even if you're not a otome game person, you would still love Hakuoki for how deep the story goes in terms of communicating the spirit of the Shinsengumi, so definitely play it if you're a Shinsengumi fan! I'm currently playing Phoenix Wright and Subarashiki Hibi so I might talk about them in a separate post next year, but otherwise yay! All done for this year! Hope everyone has a happy new year! 2020 incomingggg! I am excited for the Bakarina anime and Re:Zero S2 next year!~
Favourite Moments in Anime of 2019
Although I really enjoyed the ending of Vinland Saga and do think it was an awesome moment for Askeladd, I really wanted to note the most heart wrenching moments that literally moved me to tears. I think music is really such a beautiful and yet strange thing because these songs in their respective anime really hit me so hard. Obviously, they're spoilers and really shouldn't be watched if you intend to watch the anime, because the best thing about these moments is the build up to those moments, they feel like culminations of the whole journey the characters had gone through put into a song, and it really brings you to tears.
Genre: Drama, Historical, Seinen
My Rating: 8
I had the opportunity to watch this movie in the cinemas and honestly, I think I really liked it. It depicts the perspective of a normal everyday girl trying to live her life to the fullest in an unfamiliar environment as she is married to someone she barely knows. It shows the struggles of everyday life, but also the happiness of it through our MC Suzu being a bit ditzy, but very hardworking. I also think it showed very well how easily a person's life can change from war, and how difficult it can be to live through that as well when it comes to the choices you have to make amongst the experiences of life and death.
I think what really lured me in for this movie was how everything unfolded. In the beginning, it feels like a very slice of life story where it shows Suzu's everyday difficulties of having to live with marrying someone she doesn't really know, having to take care of a family that doesn't treat her in a very welcoming way in a whole new environment she is unaccustomed to. These tidbits might seem mundane to some, but I think it was pretty enjoyable seeing her face these hardships in her own way. In the second part, the tone changes with how the war affects their everyday lives regardless of how involved they were, and it just kinda shows how saddening and difficult it is for people who just wanted to live a normal life like Suzu to suddenly have everything ruined by other people's decisions that were out of her hands. I think it was very enjoyable seeing how realistic it felt and how tough it can be to just watch how terrible life can be.
Welll, even though all I did was summarise a bit of my thoughts for each one, it definitely took quiteee a while haha. Still easier than other stuff though. Btw, I just wanted to mention that I didn't include Steins;Gate because I think the anime is really boring and I could never get into it or its' style, HOWEVER, I would definitely recommend the visual novel! It's funny, because I really hesitated on starting the VN since I really didn't like the anime, but when I started the VN, I was pretty much instantly intrigued by the whole thing, the VN definitely has a much better flow and explains a lot of the concepts much better, it also delves into the relationships with the other characters better imo. On the other hand, Steins;Gate 0 VN was a chore to go through for me tbh and I didn't like most of it because of how 2D the whole story felt and how a lot of things felt so forced(?), the story wasn't engaging at all and the characters were really shallowly explored imo, even my favourite Mayuri felt so bland, sigh. As for otome games, I really enjoyed Hakuoki (Kyoto Winds and Edo Blossoms), even though a lot of the translation felt a bit too localised with some of the guys saying stuff like "let's boogie" and it just completely took me out of the Bakumatsu period in historical Japan, but I still enjoyed it because of the Shinsengumi. I think even if you're not a otome game person, you would still love Hakuoki for how deep the story goes in terms of communicating the spirit of the Shinsengumi, so definitely play it if you're a Shinsengumi fan! I'm currently playing Phoenix Wright and Subarashiki Hibi so I might talk about them in a separate post next year, but otherwise yay! All done for this year! Hope everyone has a happy new year! 2020 incomingggg! I am excited for the Bakarina anime and Re:Zero S2 next year!~
Favourite Moments in Anime of 2019
Although I really enjoyed the ending of Vinland Saga and do think it was an awesome moment for Askeladd, I really wanted to note the most heart wrenching moments that literally moved me to tears. I think music is really such a beautiful and yet strange thing because these songs in their respective anime really hit me so hard. Obviously, they're spoilers and really shouldn't be watched if you intend to watch the anime, because the best thing about these moments is the build up to those moments, they feel like culminations of the whole journey the characters had gone through put into a song, and it really brings you to tears.
Given - Episode 9 song
Honestly, I didn't expect how hard this song would hit me. I already liked the very realistic slice of life moments in the anime already and I really enjoyed Mafuyu's background, but seeing it all put into a song, and to be sung so beautifully yet filled with heart wrenching emotions, it was just so amazing. I couldn't stop watching it again and again tbh because it touched me so much, especially with the flashbacks and Mafuyu's feelings. Definitely my favourite moment and song in 2019.
Kono Oto Tomare! S2 Ep 12
I really wanted to include Kono Oto Tomare as one of my favourite anime in 2019 but honestly, whilst I enjoyed it, I can't help but compare it to how much better the manga was done (imo). I found a lot of the anime rather dull compared to the manga, so what really made me like it was the story itself and not the anime, so yeah I didn't include it. However, for stories involving music, something the manga can never show is the music itself (even though there was a live performance done for the manga), so seeing and hearing Tenkyu in the anime was so awesome. I honestly never thought it would sound as beautiful as it did and that they dedicated a lot of the episode to the piece itself (which I really loved). Definitely much better than how they handled S1. I think one of the judges described it as "A truly wonderful performance can go beyond experts and reach those who don't know much about koto. Its heart can reach even those who speak a different language and live in a different culture." and I think that sums it up perfectly tbh.
