Slayers primarily follows the greedy and powerful sorceress Lina Inverse, who strikes fear in just about everyone for her reckless power. One day, when she’s about to bash in some bandits, a knight swoops in, thinking she’s a damsel in distress, devastates the thieves himself, and then proclaims himself her guardian. Well, she decides to keep him around as she wants his Sword of Light, but as they romp around the universe avoiding they find themselves being followed by a pair of mysterious individuals. Before there was Louise from Zero No Tsukaima and before there was Megumin from Konosuba, there was Lina from Slayers. She was and still is the master of explosions, chaos, and destruction. She actually destroyed entire worlds in her time. She also set the premise for ridiculous and zany protagonists whose objective was to make you laugh first and foremost. It’s tough to beat the mix between blowing things up and comedic gold that E&G Films incorporated into the show.

Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu throws us into a medieval world of magic and swords. However, there are certain people who have such mastery over magic due to the possession of the Alpha Stigma, or cursed eyes to most people, which allow for extreme forms of magic. One such person is Ryner Lute, who has been imprisoned for numerous years. However with his childhood friend now king, Ryner is sent out into the world, accompanied by the powerful warrior Ferris Eris, in order to discover magical relics and help the world achieve peace. Admittedly Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu, suffers from a plot that verges on the incomprehensible by the end. You’ll have to do quite a bit of piecing together for the last few episodes, but up to that point it really is one of the most enjoyable magic shows out there. Ryner and his relationships with the various people he meets consistently provide comedic moments. Then there’s the depiction of the overwhelming power of the Alpha Stigma users, from Ryner who can copy any magic he’s seen to Tiir who can physically consume magical powers/attacks for power. It’s exciting and action packed with a fair amount of underhanded politics to balance out the lighter aspects.

If you haven’t watched Konosuba then just stop reading this and go watch it now. It’s one of the best shows this year has had to offer in terms of comedy. It takes a young shut in, has him die, and then gives him a chance to continue life in a fantasy world. He likes this opportunity, but truly despises the goddess who is offering him the deal. Thus, when she says he can take something with him into the new world, he says her. The higher ups approve and we have two, rather helpless, beings in a dangerous fantasy world. Konosuba does a lot of things right. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, it provides a more realistic portrait of the adventures a normal person would have if thrown into medieval world full of monsters and magic, and it has a solid cast of inept characters. One character who joins Kazuma and the goddess Aqua is an archwizard of the Crimson Mazoku, Megumin. Between her and Aqua, magical moments of explosions and destruction can be viewed on an episodic basis. Now, Megumin’s explosion magic might be more impressive than Aqua’s water (fountain) magic, but both have their moments of awesomeness and hilarity.

Yggdrasil, an extremely popular virtual reality game, is finally come to and end. Taking in every last second of the game is the player Momonga, a powerful wizard and master of the massive guild Ainz Ooal Gown. However, Momonga is surprised to find out that even when the clock has hit midnight that the game is not only still on, but that he’s stuck as Momonga and all the NPCs have taken on personalities of their own. Momonga literally decimates practically anyone and everyone that gets in his way. He also can take a hit like no other. When humans rain down the power of heaven and light on him, he doesn’t even flinch. He laughs it off and then plows on. He is the King of Undead for a reason, and Madhouse did not hold back any punches when showing flair to his power. Even when he isn’t blasting things to smolder, he’s impossibly strong. Clementine sets an explosion off inside his skull, he’s a skeleton for those unaware, and he’s unaffected.

Little Witch Academia follows Atsuko Kagari as she decides to become a witch and begins classes at the renowned Witch Academy, where her idol, Shiny Chariot, graduated from. However, she realizes two things really quickly. She doesn’t quite fit in, and Shiny Chariot is looked down upon by most magicians as a hack. Thus we follow Atsuko as she tries to fit in with her new surroundings without losing her passion for magic. Little Witch Academia accomplished what few shows in this day and age could have done: brought back the magical girl without it seeming cliché. A major reason why this animation was so successful is because of Studio Trigger and their incredible artwork. It had that certain texture, color, and flair that you generally only expect from big companies like Studio Ghibli or Disney. This helped viewers really buy into the world and enjoy the entire ride with its displays of magical prowess.

Two things are at the center of Academic City: technology and psychic abilities. Considering that 75% of the city’s population are perfecting their esper abilities, it really isn’t surprising that this city is about 30 years ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to technology. It’s within this this city that a student gains the ire of a dangerous organization after meeting a girl capable of memorizing all of the forbidden grimoires. Everyone in this city has some kind of magical ability, which provides for constant excitement. Battles are consistent and draw you in quickly thanks to awesome character designs/personalities as well as gorgeous animation by J.C.Staff. Whenever Accelerator hits the scene, the quote on quote overpowered badass of the series, you know things are about to get crazy, and they do.

Dungeons, deadly mazes that hold magical treasures beyond the imagination, are spread across the world. Djinns rule over these Dungeons and they will grant their power to those who finish the maze. In gaining the power and riches of a dungeon a person can easily become king. Now, Alibaba has dreams of becoming a king and has in eyes set on a dungeon. Luckily for him, he runs into a young magician by the name of Aladdin who has the power to help him beat the dungeon. Magi is one of those shows that simply has a perfect mix of adventure, magic, conspiracy, and just about every story element imaginable. It has a massive world filled with incredible warriors, who have attained incredible magical power. It also helps that each character is actually extremely interesting and fully developed rather than just being run of the mill characters whose main trait is their power. This makes every battle twice as exiting, because we’re extremely invested in the outcome.

The battle for the Holy Grail takes place between seven magicians who summon renowned heroes from different ages to their side. The events of Fate/stay night cover the fifth Holy Grail War and in particular the actions of the young magicians Rin Toosaka and Emiya Shirou as they try to stay alive in this bloody battle. One of the strongest aspects of Fate/stay night is its premise: magicians summoning the incredibly powerful spirits of heroes across time. In doing so, ufotable sets itself up to coordinate absolutely mesmerizing battles as well as give shout outs to mythology and history buffs. Truly, watching the battles between people like Arturia and Gilgamesh will blow your mind. There’s just so much to take in and this happens on an episodic basis. Fate/stay night is simply one of those shows that incorporates so many different things into its narrative (and it does it well) that almost each moment of the show has something for you to get excited about or ponder.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica follows the events that transpire after a pair of middle school girls, Madoka and Sayaka, are offered an unbelievable deal by Kyuubey, a mysterious cat-like creature. The deal? He will grant them one wish and in return they will have to act as magical girls and receive tremendous powers. It sounds like a sweet deal, but then why is the mysterious transfer student, Homura, a magical girl herself, so determined to ensure that they don’t accept the offer? Madoka Magica is a masterpiece because of how powerfully it turns the idea of magical girls on its head. This isn’t some light and fantastic show, with minor conflicts that you know will be resolved by the end. No, this show takes a dark turn by episode three and never turns back towards the light. It delves into the costs that people make to achieve their dreams and how such costs ripple throughout those closest to them. It also has powerful action scenes as the girls take on witches, incredible and unique animation, as well as a strong story that grips you the entire time.

Fairy Tail presents a world full of magic. It presents a world full of magic and adventure. It presents a world full of magic and adventure and monsters and action and conflict and guilds. This show is simply a massive world that we get to explore as we follow around members of one of the most prestigious guilds in the world, Fairy Tail. It’s almost impossible to not have at least seen an episode or two of Fairy Tail in the past several years. It’s one of those magical shounens that just blows everyone out of the water due to the scale of the world it creates as well as the lovability of most of the characters. However, the particular reason why this show tops the list is because of the massive amounts of magic it throws at you. Every single person shown has their own special power and use it to great affect. From Natsu’s fire dragon techniques to Gray’s ice magic to Lucy’s key to Celestial spirits to Ezra’s Requip Magic for armor, there really is an endless supply of powers to be viewed and admired. First things first: honorable mention to Cardcaptor Sakura. As a classic, it’s up there with the likes of Sailor Moon. It has a suprisingly complex story, which varies considerably depending on if you watch it subbed or dubbed. It also incorporates magic gloriously through the Clow Cards and their respective magical beings. Who didn’t love Windy? The only reason it’s not included is because it’s on the last list and Slayers definitely needed some love.

Suki na Mono wa Suki Dakara Shou ga Nai!!, or Sukisho for short, will not keep a fujoshi waiting when it comes to boy on boy action. Sora is, in his mind, an ordinary high school boy who gets attacked by his new roommate the first night he’s there! When Sora confronts Nao the next morning, he’s in for an even bigger shock! This is not the first time the two have met… When everyone in Sora’s life confirms he and Nao were childhood friends, he’s not sure what to make of the pink-haired boy who kissed him in the night and then denied the event taking place. But the two boys have another consciousness inside them: Yoru and Ran. These two try desperately to be together much to Sora and Nao’s frustration! Before they can hope to understand their own feelings though, they’ll have to understand their past together, which they might not want to remember. Sukisho and Gravitation both share a similar brand of comedy where completely crazy scenarios become all too common place for our main characters. From cross-dressing to the ridiculous demands of others, it seems turmoil is inevitable. Sora and Nao also have a rocky start to their relationship with constant fighting and bickering, much like Shuichi and Yuki. Both couples also have a huge network of friends and family involved with them, which is different from the usual dynamic of adding characters only to cause drama in the established relationship. While Sora and Nao share part of a dark past, it is Nao and Yuki who suffer far more and thus are more damaged. Both Sora and Shuichi are also victims to certain horrors, yet they keep a pretty positive outlook. No worries about a sad ending, though, as there is plenty of love and laughs in store!

Without any explanation, Keita is suddenly called to the prestigious high school BL Academy where only elite students with special talents are accepted. Thanks to his kind upperclassmen, Keita enjoys his new life filled with interesting characters. He’s even able to move past the fact that in truth… he himself has no talents to speak of. But his new friend Kazuki will stop at nothing to reassure Keita and keep him safe; even if it means hiding their past and the shady actions going on in the school. Gakuen Heaven is another comedy with some dark elements, and we definitely mean darker than a bad breakup. There is no lack of innuendo and cute moments, though like Gravitation, it’s not as explicit as some of the other titles out there. We are granted a huge cast full of personality that exists beyond simply being love rivals. Just as Shuichi grows closer with the people he meets in the music industry, so too does Keita form meaningful friendships with his new schoolmates. If you’re left wanting more, make sure to check out the dating simulator it’s based on!

Yuki has always had strange powers that allow him to see someone’s inner pain, a power he and others wish he did not possess. It seems more of a bother than anything, until he meets the Gion Clan, those with other exceptional abilities that wish for him to learn to control his powers under their guidance. Fighting alongside them is Luka, a quiet and powerful fighter, who only shows concern for Yuki. While the two have never met, Yuki can’t ignore an overwhelming urge to be by his side. He must leave his old life behind in order to battle Reiga and his army of Duras, creatures of darkness. As he goes, Yuki comes to realize this strange new life isn’t nearly as unfamiliar as it first seemed. Uraboku is definitely the darkest show on the list. While both Gravitation and Uraboku contain death and violence, there is a distinct lack of comedic relief in Uraboku. Both shows focus on a story outside of the relationship; Uraboku’s being the struggle to stop darkness from destroying the world. Both Shuichi and Yuki take on pain so they can protect the ones they love, not just their lovers. This story definitely shows more feeling than physicality, saving the action for the battle field. If you want a more mature boy’s love where the stakes are higher than a broken heart, look no further.

When Ritsu changes careers from literary editing to shoujo manga editing, the once confident man feels more lost than he did after his first love broke his heart… How fitting then, that his new boss is none other than Masamune himself! Ritsu decides to take this opportunity to focus on a new future while Masamune wishes to return to the past. Unfortunately for Ritsu, his boss is not only a shameless pervert hell-bent on getting back together, he’s also a genius in the field of editing. When his whole job revolves around love stories, what hope does he have to escape from this love himself? Ritsu and Masamune’s relationship is filled with the fighting and butting heads that made Shuichi and Yuki’s relationship so fun to watch. Just as Shuichi tries to move up in the world of music, Ritsu does his best to prove himself in the world of shoujo manga editing. One big difference is that Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, just like Junjou Romantica, focuses on three different stories. Ritsu and Masamune are the main couple, sharing space with other troubled lovers. Raunchier than Gravitation, this title has as many laughs as it has steamy scenes!

When Izumi and Ryouma meet 10 years after shooting a commercial together, Ryouma is overjoyed to see his costar! Izumi is less than happy at their reunion, considering that, still to this day, Ryouma thinks he’s a girl. Just as Izumi feared, Ryouma finds out and is horrified that the crush he’s been harboring for so long is for another male! Izumi is an otaku who hates the spotlight as it is, and this only solidifies his will to be a hermit mangaka (manga writer). Fate definitely has different plans for the boys as they’re pulled further into the entertainment industry and into each other’s arms! Tenderness replaces disgust, understanding overtakes anger, and there are stars in the boys’ futures! Love Stage is a super cute and fun story of two kids who start out feeling repulsed by each other and slowly find themselves falling in love. We have much of the same comedy we encountered in Gravitation, and a cast of characters that add depth to the story. Though Izumi doesn’t possess talent for his passions as Shuichi does, the two similarly get fired up and work hard to achieve their dreams. In the beginning, Ryouma harbors the same disgust Yuki felt towards Shuichi when Izumi is discovered to be male. However Izumi and Ryouma get lovely-dovey much more quickly. As it is a newer title, the artwork is much nicer than some of the older ones, and you can easily get lost in Izumi’s eyes!

Haru can’t believe the task his mother gives him; to rehabilitate a young wild boy who would rather be around wolves than people. Despite their incredibly tumultuous start, Haru’s patience wins over the untrusting Ren. Haru is like a big brother, and the older man promises Ren one day they’ll live together. When an accident causes Haru to forget his promise, and Ren entirely, the younger boy takes it upon himself to fulfil their oath. Even without his memory, Haru quickly returns to his old patterns of doting on and spoiling Ren. Haru’s brothers are reluctant to accept Ren as their new brother, but Haru works hard to achieve his dream of living with all of them. While Haru considers all his brothers to be precious, there’s something special about the bond he shares with Ren. The two must work out exactly the nature of their relationship with the pressure of their family upon them. Super Lovers focuses on family dynamics in an incredibly nontraditional family. Just as Shuichi would do anything for Yuki, even give up music, Haru is willing to give up a better paying job so he can be by Ren’s side. Like Gravitation, the younger lover gets into harm’s way due to a jealous individual and is rescued by Haru, whose love Ren was starting to doubt. While there is a fair amount of drama, hope is kept alive by absurd reactions and hilarious circumstances. The tender moments between the two are sure to get your heart beating! Check it out, and keep an eye out for season 2 announced for January 2017.

Hinomoto is an unstoppable force in Japan’s high school soccer league. He’s currently ranked number one among many, and his skills are unmatched on the field. A lot of fans expected that he would take things to the pro level and join the J-League, but Hinomoto knew that if he ever wanted to become even better he would need to live abroad and play in the European league. Before all of that would happen however, he would meet Nanjo Ichimaru, another strong player who seemed to have similarities to Hinomoto’s favorite childhood player. The two would join together and eventually play on one of the J-League’s weakest teams, SA Nishigaoka, and so now these two must work together to bring this slacking team back to victory. Soccer is all about teamwork and morale, and for SA Nishigaoka these two areas were severely lacking. Hinomoto wanted to fulfill his dream of playing in the big leagues, but this became even more of a challenge for him and Nanjo. Hinomoto must now focus his attention on not only bringing the team back to life, but ensuring that he can use this experience as a stepping stone towards the big leagues. Tokyo Wonder Boys is sure to amaze you with it’s graceful techniques, and because it’s serialized by jump there’s certainly quality placed highly on its artwork.

Teppei was born in the countryside and had a passion for soccer from a young age. Much of his skills are credited from his older sister, who taught him the many techniques and strategies about the beautiful game. After seeing great progress from Teppei, his sister encouraged him to join the Mizumoto High School soccer team. With all of his years of experience under his belt, Teppei is ready to embark on a new journey in the world of soccer, but with every new journey comes new challenges. His opportunity has risen and now it’s up to Teppei to show everyone what he’s made of. Teppei is hungrier than ever to go onto the field and show everyone just how strong he is. Fantasista is such a great story because it shows how valuable relationships are with your family, and how much of an inspiration they can be to your overall growth as a person. Essentially starting from the bottom and working your way to the top is no easy feat, but Teppei ensures his sister that all of the training they put in together will surely pay off in the end. This story is sure to captivate you not just with the sheer action on the field, but because it teaches us how to appreciate those around us, and the advice people provide to better our lives for the future ahead.

Yuuki is considered as one of the top players on his team, along with his close friend Shinichi. Yuuki made a promise to his childhood friend Miyuki that he would work hard so that he could enter the prestigious J-League, and take on the best of the best. He decides to take a different course than Shinichi and joins a normal soccer league in hopes that his path to stardom can be attained. He signs up for the best school in the country but is then shocked to realize that all of the members of the team of dissipated, and all that’s left is a young girl named Rin and her friend Ayane. Unsure of what transpired, Yuuki must now confront this problem and also deal with the antics that both girls committed, and to restore the team back to its full form. Something truly weird is happening and Yuuki just isn’t too sure as to why. He joins a prestigious school league team only to find out no one is left but two random girls. Little does he know that these two girls have more in store for him than he imagines, and it will only propel him closer to his true goal. There’s a lot of blackmail, crossdressing, and very shameless acts that happen throughout this manga which are bound to excite you both on and off the field, so be sure to check this one out to see the outcome!

Whistle focuses on Shou and his dream to be a well known high class player. One major issue is that he isn't very skilled at the game. He enrolls into Musashi no Mori High School, which is recognized for having a top class soccer club, but due to his inexperience the hill he had to climb became very high. Shou managed to pick up where he left off and improve his skills at Sakura Jousui Junior High, shortly after departing from Musashi. With enormous encouragement from his newly acquired teammates, and most importantly his own strive for success, Shou makes it his goal to continue being the spirited leader of the team, and to keep the team alive by any means necessary. Whistle shows that, with just enough determination you can accomplish just about anything in life. Shou started off very weak at soccer but eventually made his way to the top of the team, simply because he never went off course and kept his promise. It’s truly inspiring because Shou is a great example of someone who doesn’t give up despite how hard the beginning was, and that the process of it all is what truly makes the experience richer in the end.

Ultras is a collection of stories put together to create some interesting moments of laughter, and fun. In the story of Ultras, the national team had just scored a triumphant victory in the European Championships and the entire country roared with excitement throughout the streets. Main lead Leon celebrates wildly by drinking and raising hell, and then somehow throughout the entire ordeal finds himself in bed with someone he shouldn’t have gotten involved with. That individual is named Al, who is a member from Ultra’s rival team Liberta, and Leon tries to convince himself that their little fling just wouldn’t work out. Unfortunately your heart can’t let go of what it truly loves, and so now with the memories of Al lodged inside of his heart, he now has to juggle not only his team but his new found love interest. Expressing our sexuality is a normal thing and in Japan there are a lot of manga that look at male couples. While most of the action takes place on the soccer field, Leon gets distracted a lot by his new love interest which starts to affect his game slightly and his team as well. Just how he’ll manage that’s for you to find out through reading this, but also be sure to read the other 5 stories that take place in just one entire volume! They’re sure to be just as entertaining as Ultras, and some of the stories tie into one another which make for an interesting ending.

Kakeru didn't really have much faith in himself pertaining to soccer. He figured it would be best if he focused more of his time off the pitch and helped to encourage other players on the team, which included his brother Suguru who’s currently the leading scorer. Things turn tragic when an unfortunate accident turns his world upside down, and Kakeru starts to reevaluate what he must do next in his life. Kakeru didn't realize that within himself there was a hidden talent gifted to him by his brother, and it wasn't until a familiar face makes her way back into his life that he recognizes it all. With dreams of one day performing on the main stage of the world cup, Kakeru trains harder than ever with the motivation of Nana who too, is a top ranked player for the women’s national squad. Area no Kishi is a heart wrenching story in its beginnings because so much happens throughout Kakeru’s life, that you totally feel for everything he’s going through. He had to deal with an incredible loss that really threw him into a dark state of mind, but eventually the light managed to reach him with the help of his childhood crush Nana. It’s so wonderful to see how he works extremely hard to overcome his past burdens, and to become the best striker on the team and to live out his dream. This is surely a must read for those who love a mixture of romance, character growth, and a hard working protagonist that shows us that anything is possible.

Tsubasa has experienced a lot of setbacks such as tough rivalries and uphill battles to reach the championships. Now it is time for Tsubasa to pack his things and move forward, and to become victorious in his purpose to stand next to the upper echelon of players in the ultimate battleground: The World Cup. Tsubasa moves with his mother to Nankatsu City to pursue his career. Nankatsu has a lot more competition of higher skill levels and Tsubasa requires more training to be on the same level. Throughout his new experience in Nankatsu, he meets a young girl named Sanae and a talented goalkeeper named Genzo. His Brazilian coach Roberto Hongo sees potential in Tsubasa and offers him one of the greatest opportunities any fan of soccer would love, a chance to play in Brazil. They all share the same passion for soccer, and so they all place their hearts together to ensure that team Japan is well represented, and Tsubasa leading the way to win the championship for the nation.

Sora just felt in his heart that he’d done everything in his best abilities, and decides to hang up his boots shortly after his graduation. However fate wasn’t about to leave him empty handed, and one day he encounters Wakamiya Shiki, a young talented woman who represents the national team. After meeting with her something within him starting to unravel again, and from that very moment the sleeping giant woke up once again and Sora immediately found himself right back in the one place he loved: the soccer field. Many of our chosen manga all have a lot to do with main leads who somehow lose their passion for the game, and then come back even stronger than ever. The very same premise can be defined here with Juuichi Bun no Ichi, where Sora just felt that his path had ended in the world of soccer, but the world was saying otherwise. His stubborn outlook on things sometimes cost him a lot of opportunities, but once he met with Shiki, his tragic past and poor attitude began to melt away as he became more powerful over time. Sheer motivation, inspiration, and devotion to the game are some of the things Sora learns over time from Shiki, and the two build a strong bond to create a wonderful story of triumph and commitment to the things you love.

Tsukushi and Jin have aspirations to make it into the big leagues of soccer. Tsukushi claims to have no special talents and considered a burden by many of his teammates, while Jin is widely regarded as a soccer genius and is masterful on the field. One night the two cross paths and suddenly each of their lives change as they both get dragged into the competitive world of soccer. We follow Tsukushi as he goes through many rough ordeals such as running laps, and doing deeds for others, only to transform into a leader who brings the team to victory. Tsukushi just didn’t have soccer built into his blood naturally, but that didn’t stop him from training like a beast to ensure he became the best at what he enjoyed. Every night while everyone else would be partying away, Tsukushi would run laps, ask for advice from other rival team players, and learn the true form while playing on the field. He not only became an incredible talent over time, but his passion to achieve more was what fueled his team to better themselves, and to overcome their own insecurities. A powerful story that brings not only tears of joy and excitement, but a profound feeling of motivation to cheer Tsukushi on to keep going.

Giant Killing follows former East Tokyo United captain Takeshi Tatsumi, who abruptly leaves the team after a long successful career to join a lesser known team in England. This decision alarmed many as their team morale plummeted, and their new captain Murakoshi isn't able to pick up where Takeshi left off. Several years have passed since the incident and Takeshi makes his way back to East Tokyo but this time to help rejuvenate this once intimidating team back to prime form. Since his departure, many fans of the club still held a deep resentment for what happened, and a lot of weight is put on Takeshi’s shoulders in order to restore faith in the team. The fans only want the team to bring home the championship, but with so much on the line Takeshi has to make every shot count in order to win back the respect of not only his squad, but the adoring fans that once held his name in high regard. There’s much to be entertained by in this action packed soccer manga, that’s sure to have you cheering Takeshi on to lead his once proud team to a well deserved victory.

The sequel to the Anitore! EX series of shorts, Anitore! XX once again aims to provide cute girls for you to exercise with, in the form of Asami Hoshi and friends. With each episode sitting at 4 minutes in length, the girls of Anitore! XX go through various exercises that you can do at home, with the aim of keeping fit, and improving their chests! Not sure how the chest thing is relevant to the viewers but we're hardly going to argue. Alternatively, of course, you can simply sit and enjoy watching the girls exercise, in fact, this is without a doubt the main draw of the series. A similar idea to the exercise with an anime character smartphone apps that recently popped up, while we can't vouch for Anitore! XX's fat busting ability, we can guarantee that if it's anything like its predecessor then it's a wonderful source of fan service. While not really an ecchi show, the onslaught of short shorts, loose tops, and gratuitous camera angles will not leave you wanting, along with a host of cute girls, including a fanged tsundere, sweet-talking lady, and a deluded fallen angel. So if you're after some quick but delicious fan service without the commitment of an actual storyline, then this is the show for you. Unfortunately, there is no trailer for Anitore! XX out yet, but check out the video for its prequel, Anitore! EX, below to get an idea of what it's all about!

So here's a spin-off of Ultraman no one ever expected. With the planet now enjoying a more peaceful period, the monsters previously defeated by Ultraman have been reborn into the world as cute girls! Yes, Kaijuu Girls literally takes the Kaijuu monsters from the live-action Ultraman series and transforms them into cute, chibi monster girls. Although we can't be sure quite what the series will involve yet, you can probably expect comedy and slice-of-life antics, along with plenty of cute girls doing cute things. Another short series for the list, if you enjoy shows like last season's Onigiri then we'd highly recommend giving Kaijuu Girls a try. Although we don't know how much fan service might be in the series, we'd recommend fans of Monster Musume pick this up too, just for the rare glimpse of pretty, anime monster girls. Be sure to check out the trailer below for a look at some of the cuties that will be arriving, and with artists from Nitroplus and pixiv behind the character designs, we can almost guarantee that at the very least, Kaijuu Girls is gonna be hella pretty.

The world of middle school ping pong is a mess after the fall of their previous champion. So now is the perfect opportunity for Koyori Tsumujikaze, a transfer student at Suzumegahara Middle School, to smash her way to the top. Along with a team of other cute ping pong playing girls of course. Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume or the easier to pronounce Ping Pong Girl is the next big thing for cute girls playing sports. With a pretty ecchi manga to draw from, we can hope for plenty of fanservice from Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume, with small, tight bloomers, gallons of sweat, and girls who enjoy ping pong a little bit too much. The PV suggests that they're going in a more cutesy, moe direction with the anime, but much like similar series such as Ro-Kyu-Bu, there's no doubt that they'll still keep most of the fanservice. One interesting point to note is that the director Yasuhiro Irie also directed Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, so whether his previous success will rub off on Ping Pong Girl, only time will tell.

Now here's blast from the past, more than 10 years after it's last episode aired, Tenchi Muyou! Ryououki is back for a fourth season, with several voices from previous series reprising their roles. The series focuses on Tenchi Masaki, an ordinary boy who is also the heir to his family's shrine. Accidently, he manages to release a "demon" from its 700 years of captivity in a mountain shrine, only the so-called "demon" turns out to be space pirate Ryoko Hakubi. As you would expect, this is the perfect time for more alien girls to show up, as Tenchi learns more about who he really is and acquires a harem of beautiful girls in the process. Tenchi Muyou! Ryououki is up there with Ah! My Goddess and Love Hina as one of the original harem series about, so you can guarantee an authentic harem experience. If you enjoyed either of those classics or newer series like To Love-Ru or Date A Live, you'll likely find something to love in Tenchi Muyou. It'll be very interesting to see how much of an update the art and animation gets, given that the previous entries to the series are starting to look a bit dated now. Judging from the visuals released so far, though, AIC are doing a great job of upping the quality without losing the retro look the series has. As an OVA, Tenchi Muyou! Ryououki's episodes are going to be seriously spaced out, but we think that just gives you more time to catch up on the previous three seasons! Whilst there isn't a trailer out for the new season yet, be sure to keep an eye on Honey's front page for more Tenchi Muyou! Ryououki news!

Another sequel for the list, Okusama ga Seitokaichou!+! continues the story of student council president wannabe Hayato Izumi and his wife to be Ui Wakana. After Ui beat him to the presidency by handing out condoms to all the students, Hayato was forced to accept his position as the student council vice president instead. To add salt to the wound, the cute and crazy girl then turned up at his apartment, announcing that she was not only his fiancee but would be living with him from now on. As adorable as Ui is, though, it's all a bit much for Hayato, with not just her but a few other girls getting him into only the lewdest of situations. Well if you were sad to see Summer's Masou Gakuen HxH go, then here's your replacement. The previous season of Okusama ga Seitokaichou! has some of the raunchiest ecchi about, which is no surprise considering the studio Seven has actually made some pretty decent hentai before. Along with the borderline hentai came a super cute harem of girls that will not leave you wanting, so we can likely expect the same quality ecchi harem package from this sequel. There's no word on the duration of the series yet, but with the prequel being short at around 10 minutes per episode, expect the new series to follow a similar line. So if you're a fan of seriously ecchi series like Kiss X Sis or Shimoneta, we'd highly recommend checking out Okusama ga Seitokaichou!+!.

Yes, that is eight exclamation marks, which is exactly how excited you should be about this show. Keijo follows talented gymnast Nozomi Kaminashi, who has turned her eyes away from gymnastics and instead towards the gambling sport of Keijo, with hopes of earning riches for her poor family. In Keijo, girls battle with their butts and breasts to knock each other off of small platforms in the water with big bucks at stake. Now training along with the other students at Seto City Keijo Training School, will Nozomi have what it takes to whip hips alongside the pros? From Xebec, the studio that brought us Love Hina, To Love-Ru, and Haiyore! Nyaruko-san, comes yet another fan service filled series, and if the current trailer is anything to go by it'll leave no ecchi fan disappointed. With not a male character in sight bar the cheering audience, it's cute girls all the way down, and fingers crossed we can bet on some yuri action as well. There aren't a whole lot of sports ecchi anime out as of yet, but with Keijo!!!!!!!! and the ping pongers of Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume on the way, hopefully, it's a genre which sees some success in the coming Fall season.

Berserk follows Guts on his journey for revenge. In this sequel to the 1997 anime, Guts is the hellish black swordsman, who after being branded, has picked up the giant husk of iron sword known as the Dragonslayer in order to take down the Apostles and get his revenge. However, each and every day he is hounded by demons and none of the apostles are easy targets. So it’s really a question of will he survive till the end? Much like its predecessor the 2016 Berserk embodies a terrifying dark fantasy world. How does it do this? Well, it throws in a lot of gore and brutality in order to show everyone that this is not the fantasy they would want to ever live in. We have Guts literally splitting people in half with his sword each episode, people being torn apart by demons frequently, and scenes of torture on a semi-frequent basis. Blood is spilled and lapped up at a rather disturbing level in this anime.

Corpse Party follows nine high school students as they are transported to an alternate dimension of their school. This alternate is the home of a pretty sadistic ghost, who had been murdered on the grounds years ago, when it was still an elementary school. Now this ghost happily puts its victims through terrifying mazes and different levels of torture. So the question is if any of these nine students will make it out alive? Corpse Party’s school theme may or may not help with the absolute terror it throws in your face. Perhaps to some, the animation is just too round and soft to be taken seriously, despite people’s eyes being gouged out. Then again, maybe the fact that these terrible and gruesome acts, like having your tongue cut out, are happening to kids actually makes it worse. It really depends on your viewing preference. Nonetheless, blood is shed and anyone who isn’t a blood fiend will find a lot of the scenes tough to swallow.

Another sends us to the eerie environment of Class 3-3 at Yomiyama North, the exact classroom that Kouichi Sakakibara is transferring into. His first impression of the place is rather off putting as everyone seems to be in a gloom and there’s a particular girl with an eyepatch that no one else seems to notice. The girl’s name is Mei Misaki, and when her and Kouichi get to talking they decide it’s time to figure out why this class seems so haunted. The creators at P.A. Works definitely enjoy finding interesting ways to kill people. They also must enjoy drawing such scenes as Another is simply a series of extremely brutal and specific deaths, all of which will make you cringe. There’s a moment where a girl takes a tumble down a set of stairs to have her neck impaled by the pointed end of her umbrella. We also have heads getting smashed on concrete, boat accidents, intentional stabbings and so much more. Basically, you’ll watch this and you won’t know what to do as going outside is clearly not an option yet anymore, but staying still isn’t too safe either.

Genocyber throws viewers into a dystopian future where massive corporations are fighting for complete control of the world. One corporation, The Kuryu Group, has found The Genocyber, a cybernetic and psychic weapon that will most likely allow them to come out on top. One problem, the Genocyber cannot be contained and basically starts destroying everything. [SPOILER] Essentially no one you meet at the beginning survives to the end. That’s the degree of death that occurs in this anime. Not only is the kill count extremely high, but it’s depictions are downright terrifying, and considering the time period, ahead of their time as well. Heads with only a string of skin attaching it to the rest of the body, bodies gutted, kids ripped apart, and so much more are on display. There’s even one moment where you watch a brain getting crushed inside its own skull, and it’s in live-action footage. The only reason why this show isn’t number one is that the actual production values were quite subpar, with okay audio and an extremely confusing story.

The dead have risen and have essentially taken over society at large in Japan. However, Takashi and his ex-best friend’s girlfriend, Rei, have yet to fall. The same goes for several other female students that the two team up with in order to search for family members and discover the cause of the outbreak. However, will they be strong enough to properly take on horde after horde of the undead? Yes, Highschool of the Dead is an ecchi, and is quite ridiculous from time to time. However, the fanservice in this show is twofold as it’s perfect for the hormonally charged as well as afficianados of gore and horror. First there’s the way humans get bitten into and torn apart by zombies. It’s on par with any zombie flick on the big screen. Even more epic is the way that our team of survivors plows through the masses of undead. Saeko Busujima, the badass president of the Kendo Club, and Kouta Hirano, an otaku with a love for guns, in particular ravage these ungodly forces in spectacular fashion. It’s bloody mayhem in these halls with arms and heads and entire bodies being torn through.

Ganta Igarashi is ready to start off a new year at school. He has his friends and he’s really interested in this one girl, who actually talks to him, and he seems happy. Then his entire classroom is blown to bits, and as the sole survivor, he is suspected of the crime. Well, people clearly have something against the boy as his trial is completely set against him, with fake video evidence included, and Ganta is sentenced to the prison Deadman Wonderland. When everyone’s superpower in the show is based off the way they are able to control blood, you’re bound to be in for bloody treat. They essentially need to cut themselves or be cut to use their blood in the first place, so things get gory really quickly. However, this battle aspect of the show wasn’t even required to earn the show its spot. That first explosion in the classroom with the bodies torn up to shreds was enough to shock most. Then it’s only added to with the fake video of Ganta playing with the dead bodies and the very first gauntlet where people are being sliced in half, speared to death, and incinerated. If Ganta had just stayed in the normal part of this terrifying prison, then it still would have been a show full of hacked limbs

In 2006, Studio Deen released Higurashi no Naku Koro ni to haunt many unsuspecting anime viewers. It seems simple and plain enough as it follows Keiichi Maebara as he moves to a small village and becomes friends with several girls from his school. However, things begin to shift as Keiichi starts learning about murders and other terrifying events that are in connection with the village’s patron god, Oyashiro. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni was and still is a masterpiece to gore aficionados. Why? Simple, the blood of each individual was not ripped from the body because of an all out fist brawl/swordfight/gun showdown. No. Psychological games were played every step of the way leading to intense moments of torture and pain. When one character kills herself off by repeatedly impaling her own neck on a knife, you’ve hit gory gold. When a character is crucified and stabbed to death, then you’re just swimming in a pool of blood. Similar to Corpse Party, its only possible drawback is its animation styling.

There’s a group of supernatural humans, who are referred to as Diclonius, that can control deadly, invisible telekinetic hands. One human with such powers called Lucy gets captured by the government and becomes the victim of inhumane experimentation. One day she breaks out, but sustains a head injury causing her personality to split. Thus, it’s in a state of child-like innocence she runs into two college students, who take her in. Little do they know about the other half of her personality or about the government groups searching for her. Elfen Lied is one of those shows you probably watched, hearing that it was a classic, and then found yourself shocked to see body parts being torn off. The telekinetic hands of Lucy are insanely dangerous, and we get a full display of their gruesome power early on. First episode, she’s trying to escape and when the guards finally have her cornered she takes an unassuming assistant hostage. She then proceeds to rip off the assistant’s head and annihilates the group of guards. There aren’t as many moments with as much blood smatter afterwards, however, there are a ton of cringe worthy moments as Lucy dissects certain people and we get a nice view of bone and muscle.

In Britain exists the Hellsing Organization, an extremely ancient group that has been secretly protecting Britain from the monsters of the night. How do they fight monsters such as vampires? Well, they happen to have one, the first vampire ever actually, fighting for them. The vampire’s name is Alucard and he is hell incarnated. However, a group of Nazi vampires would like to vie for that accolade, and so Hellsing Ultimate begins. If there was ever a show that captured the idea of let the bodies hit the floor, it’s Hellsing Ultimate. They literally have moments where Nazi vampires are marching with humans impaled on bayonets. It also has insane amounts of blood spatter on a constant basis. That should be expected when most of the vampires don the shark mouth style and basically can rip neck opens with ease. Though the Nazi vampires do kill a lot of people, brutality still goes to Alucard, our protagonist. He is absolutely unforgiving and literally tears people apart when he sets loose. Episode by episode, there’s a certain Tarantino quality to it.

Akari Hizamaru will go to hell and back to save his childhood friend. Well his version of hell is Mars and he goes there to fight cockroach-like monsters, which might be connected to the virus that plagues his friend. From the very beginning Terra Formars promises a lot of gore. The series starts with Akari in a cage fight against a bear, which he soundly defeats due to the release of his supernatural powers. Immediately, we’re getting all the close ups and the bloodshed that define this terrifying experience. However, all of that doubles upon landing on Mars. In reality, it’s reminiscent of the 1997 movie Starship Troopers, but with a lot more moments of cringe. There are flashes of skeletal frames as heads with the spine attached get ripped out. In the end, heads roll on a considerable basis in this show and they always use special affects at the right moment to make the kill feel visceral.

Hotarubi no mori e is the story of a little girl, Hotaru Takegawa who, curious to investigate on the mountain god of a tale story she had heard about before, ends up losing herself in a mysterious forest. Unable to find her way to go back home, in the very moment she gives up and starts to cry in desperation, a masked boy suddenly appears before her. His name is Gin and he is a fascinating spirit of the forest. Gin offer the little girl his help, provided that she’ll never try to touch him, or he would disappear. Once out of the forest, he warns her to not come back anymore, but Hotaru breaks the promise every summer, making their relationship become something more than a simple friendship. Conceived by the same author of Natsume Yūjinchō, Hotarubi no Mori e is the story of a simple girl who finds herself involved with the world of spirits. Just like Natsume, she has to go through the joy and hardness to be a human who can’t find her place in the reign of dead, but still that is incapable to live apart from it. Hotaru’s feelings for Gin are sweet and on the same time ephemeral, as Natsume’s friendship with the yōkai he wants to set free from the cage Reiko chained them into is. So, if you liked Natsume Yūjinchō, a story about simple but fragile, bitter bonds, then you should definitely give Hotarubi no Mori e a try!

In a world in which human race tries to peacefully co-exist with nature, there are hidden forces that inhabit another dimension and are able to interfere with humans’ slide of life. In Mushishi, these forces belong to insect-like creatures called Mushi, the nearest to the source of the existence, that are capable to change their appearance in all the forms existing in nature, such as plants and even diseases. Not much is known about these creatures, since only few people in the world are able to see them. These people are the Mushi-shi, experts of mushi, who investigate about their mysterious origin. Ginko, a man whose ocular orbit is strangely empty, is one of them. Asking himself what’s the meaning of life and mushi’s existence, he travels the world trying to answer the questions are tormenting him so much. As in Natsume Yūjinchō, also in Mushishi the element of the solitary struggle between the main character inner self and the meaning of the existence of strange creatures which only they are capable to see can be found. Ginko is a tormented young man who is searching for responses, a lonely human that can’t share his fate with normal people, who are unaware of the ghosts and spirits which surround them. He’s alive but his fate dragged him into the world of dead he got mixed up in and can’t run away from. Maybe the atmosphere of Mushishi is a little heavier than Natsume’s one, but you can’t lose this series if you like stories full of mystery, doubt and with a very meaningful plot.

Uchōten Kazoku is one of those anime that can really surprise its audience, being very particular in his genre. This story is, yes, about spirits and troubles, but it’s told by an original point of view, because this time is a tanuki’s family to talk about their life in co-existence with human beings. The tanuki in Uchōten Kazoku are able to shift their shape and mimic any kind of creature in the world, but they like to use their ability to change in human beings in order to observe their lifestyle from a closer perspective. The main character Yasaburō Shimogamo, son of a well-known tanuki family that spend their life carefree and taking care of a tengu, is the most curious of the all the members of his family about human. In particular, he’ll find himself dealing with Benten, a mysterious and ambitious woman, he’d like to be similar to. Uchōten Kazoku’s main character is what reminds of Natsume the most, in this anime. As the latter, Yasaburō suffers for being an outcast in a world full of cheerful tanuki. He doesn’t want to be mindless as the member of his family, but his blood force him to be the way he hates to be, making him a character divided between a nature he can’t get rid of and his desire to be human. A cute story you need to watch if you like stories about doubt and questions like Natsume is.

This anime is a charming story about a young girl, Makoto Saeki, and her fate as the heiress of a strange power that had been transmitted from mother to daughter for generations, in her family. This power allows Makoto to be able to see and converse with a fox-like spirit called Gintarō, that is the protector of the Inari Shrine where her family works. Although their differences, Makoto and Gintarō will do the best they can to help the people they love and care about to solve their problems. Despite Natsume, Makoto accepts her fate as a human being involved with the supernatural world, but just like him she’s the only one able to see and talk with a spirit and has to keep it a secret from others’, pretending to live a normal life. Her ability makes her a lonely heroine, who has no choice but to accept her burden and use her power to better herself and the people who are near to her. With its enthusiastic and fresh atmosphere, covered in mystery, this funny and sweet shojo anime will get you as the most comical parts of Natsume did.

Another anime that resembles Natsume Yūjinchō for his most carefree moments and simplicity is Fukigen na Mononokean, in which we find all the elements that made Natsume the masterpiece it is, such as cute, but still creepy spirits, school life, troubles and the struggle against persistent yōkai. Fukigen na Mononokean follows the events of Ashiya, a poor young student targeted by a puppet-like yōkai, which drained his energy so much he is forced to spend the first week of classes in the infirmary. What scares Ashiya the most is that no one but him can see the spirit, so he ends up asking for the help of Abeno, a tea shop owner, who instead of exorcising the thing, helps Ashiya to make his view of yōkai’s world wider. Fukigen’s main character Ashiya, like Natsume, feels touched by the yōkai’s past from the first episode and decide that, even if he doesn’t like them, he must do something to understand them, avoiding misjudging. And it can make possible this wistful atmosphere by using a combination of action, fun and moving stories, in which the hero gets involved into without even know why. That makes Fukigen na Mononokean a piece that Natsume’s fan should never miss.

xxxHOLiC is the story of Kimihiro Watanabe, a student who’s able to see supernatural beings that he hates to death. One day, while haunted by a demon, he ends up in a strange building where he meets Yuuko, a mysterious and attractive woman. Being somehow aware of Watanabe’s desperate condition, she proposes him a deal: she will help him get rid of his power to connect with the otherworld if he helps her with her unconventional shop, that exists to grant people’s wishes. Old but gold is exactly the best way to describe xxxHOLiC, an anime that no one who is fond for spirit and ghost stories should ignore. Not only because it’s by The Clamp and his concept and animation are terrific, but also because is a simple, but on the same time complex kind of story. Just like the spirits that inhabit Natsume’s world, xxxHOLiC ghosts show a vast range of emotions, that goes from sweetness to fear, from tenderness to cruelty. All of them has a traumatic past, that Watanabe is forced to be implicated with, despite his will. Accompanied by the strange Yūko, who can be, in a sense, comparable to Nyanko-sensei in her role of guide, Watanabe will act as the solitary hero of a world unaware of the existence of spirits. You should try this anime if you want to revive the adventures of Natsume from a very eclectic and superb narrated point of view!