Cruising in at number ten in our top anime cars selection, we start off with the very colorful anime Comet Lucifer. Sougo is a young boy who lives in a world called gift, a vibrant land covered with blue crystals called Gifdium. His hobby is to wander around collecting rare crystals which leads him into this mysterious cave, paired with his classmate Kaon. This eventually leads him into meeting a mysterious young girl with blue hair and red eyes. What this mysterious girl's backstory entails is uncertain, but there are lots of laughs and great story in this wonderful anime. Now you're wondering, where does the car come in. Well, it arrives very much in the first episode of the series. Roman and Otto are two of Sougo's other close classmates who own a very out of this world looking, high speed shark car. Blazing in with a hot red exterior and a sleek shark design on the front, this car gets its spot on the top 10 due to its cool looking body, but also having the ability to hover at top speeds, and can pretty much travel on any terrain, which is awesome. Check out this winter season's Comet Lucifer for more action.

Drifting into the 9th spot in the top anime cars spotlight is none other than Capeta. This manga turned anime series was quite popular among the car enthusiasts, but fell short of reaching the masses in a major way. At a staggering 52 episodes however, the anime did end up becoming a success and the manga sold reasonably well. Capeta is the story of a young boy with dreams of becoming the worlds number one Formula One racer. Losing his mother at a young age, it left an emptiness inside of him which lead him to put on a facade to maintain a manly image in front of his father. However, he felt lonely due to the loss, but it drove him to chase his dream even more. He eventually meets his rival Naomi, who is the current champion. His goal: become number one. Capeta had a passion for cars at a young age, and through this love for cars he eventually fell in love with formula one racing. The formula one circuit is always a spectacle to watch, due to the insane speed at which these cars race at, but you also get to see the finesse behind it also. This wonderful anime couldn't miss the finish line in our top 10, so we hope you strap yourself in and enjoy this fast paced racer.

Entering in at number eight on the Top 10 Anime Car spotlight is none other than Mr. Uchiyamada's notorious Toyota Cresta. In GTO, Onizuka is a former gang member turned aspiring teacher, who finds himself in a school full of troublemakers, and its his job to transform these students into well behaved individuals. Throughout this wonderful school anime, we come to know and love Onizuka for his innate ability to read every situation, and solve every problem that comes his way. Unfortunately, no one could solve the ongoing problem that Uchiyamada had with is beautiful white cresta, that always met its fate at the hands of Onizuka. The Toyota Cresta was a very popular luxury 4-door sedan in Japan in the late 90's. With its pearl white exterior, and eye catching interior, its no surprise that Uchiyamada insured this car three or four times throughout the entire GTO series. At first glance the Cresta may come off as somewhat bland by today's standards, but Japan has a strong taste for simplicity and the Cresta had all of that and more in one package. To see more of the shiny white Cresta, be sure to check out the wonderful anime series GTO.

Tailenders is an action packed race of a lifetime where main character Shiro attempts to perform a risky u-turn in a race, which almost costed him his life. Without his notice, he somehow recovers entirely from the serious accident but his heart is now replaced with the engine of the very same racing car that almost ended it all. Due to this flaw, Shiro is then relegated and can no longer participate in major racing events. He then comes across another venue which takes place in a distant colonial planet which allows racers of his rank to take part. Shiro is then given the opportunity once again to make a name for himself in the world of futuristic F-1. F-1 cars are always a beauty to admire due to its very simplistic approach to design, and aerodynamic ideals in mind. In Tailenders, Shiro's F-1 takes a whole new approach completely modifying a normal F-1 and turning it into a futuristic beast. Reaching unfathomable speeds, Shiro's F-1 is not only beautiful aesthetically, but its one car you don't want to run into if you ever feel the urge to do a street race. Check out Tailenders if you like a need for speed.

Number six on the lineup brings us to yet another very fast paced anime called eX-Driver. The story takes place in the future where most cars are controlled by the A.I. However Shoichi and his comrades decide to keep it classy and cruise in the most incredible list of cars you could ever have in an anime. Their goal is to ensure the safety and well being of the citizens in the city, since most cars due tend to show signs of age after much use and become a liability for many. It's a very action packed anime filled with lots of great attention to detail with the Subaru WRX, Lotus 7, and more. As mentioned earlier, this anime really knows its attention to detail all the way down to the specific engine noises each car makes on the road. Shoichi's Lotus 7 is such a classic car which gained its popularity in the late 60's to early 70's. Lotus founder Colin Chapman emphasized the importance of performance through implementing a lightweight and simplistic design. The car became famous in the clubman racing circuit which eventually lead to its legendary status that we all know of today. If you like nostalgic cars with great realism, then check out Shoichi's ride in eX-Driver.

So we are now rolling our way right into the top 5 anime cars, and at fifth place we have Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter. Based on the popular arcade card game of the same name released by Square Enix, the story takes place in a futuristic world where “A.I.” cars have taken the world by storm, and have revolutionized the entire car industry. Kakeru, who is a student at Arcadia Academy was called upon by his principal and was given a mission hereby granting him his very own A.I. Car. The objective: to save humanity by chosen drivers like you. Kakeru finds out however, that his car is no ordinary car, but one that transforms into the extraordinary robot known as Gyrozetter. The premise of the story pays somewhat of a homage to the transformer and voltron series, where cars become heroic robots to help save the world from demise. The Gyrozetter is just a real stunning car to look at with its flashy red exterior which looks very similar to the Subaru BRZ. Whether or not you're familiar with cars, the many different car models showcased by Toyota, Mazda, and more will surely entice you to watch this exciting anime.

Our fourth place spot brings us to another anime that went under the radar due to its genre, but definitely had a lot of imagination behind it. Nico is a young woman who finds herself bored, stuck in her normal routine with nothing new to discover. Suddenly, this mysterious truck passes her by as she wanders down the Tokyo streets, but then realizes this truck has been the center of attention on internet chat sites. It's flashy design sparks her interest and she chases it down but then suddenly bumps into side characters Gatsu and Makito. They all decide to hop in Nico's A class Mercedes and chase down this mysterious truck, which changes form periodically. While the story may seem strange at first, Next A-class is a very imaginative anime which really takes you on a road trip with spectacular visuals, and attention to detail. The A-class is no car to sleep on as it is one of the worlds most popular luxury vehicles to own. It's sleek and modern design truly capture the attention of those looking onward, but really draw you in once you see the interior. This truly deserves a spot on the list simply because it's Mercedes.

Coming in at number there is one anime racer you do not want to miss. Redline is an extremely fast paced, high octane anime which takes place in a futuristic world full of vibrant colors and intense battles. JP, the lead character in this anime takes part in the most deadly racing tournament in the universe: Redline. Everyone revs up to participate since this tournament is held once every five years, and the stakes are so high that you would be crazy not to miss out. JP is a reckless daredevil driver who completely ignores the term speed limit, and goes beyond the fifth gear into unimaginable speeds. However most races don't come without some scandal, as organized crime syndicates and corrupt governments are doing their bid to tip the scales in their favor. You can never have an anime without some romance, as JP meets his rival driver Sonoshee, a hardcore racer who shows no remorse for anyone. Redline is an insane anime to watch because every scene that pops up on screen is just nothing short of excellence in terms of artistic direction. JP's highly modified car looks very similar to the bumblebee corvette but with a touch of crazy customization in almost every possible way. There is no shortage of action in this anime, as every race has you biting your nails as the petal is put to the metal for the top spot in redline. Check it out!

We are now shifting into the final gears to cross the finish line in our Top 10 Anime Car spotlight. Today in our garage is none other than the Fair Lady Z. There is no question that Nissan has created a car that stands the test of time in almost every possible way. The Fair Lady Z was created in 1969 as part of Nissan's strategy to create affordable sports cars, and pave the way for many car manufactures. Since then, the Fair Lady Z has seen constant cosmetic changes, but never lost the prestige that its so known for. In Wangan Midnight, Akio takes his Fair Lady Z out for a spin on the Tokyo Shuto Expressway (One of the original street racing spots in Tokyo, and is the longest, straight road in the country) when he is challenged by Tatsuya's Porsche 964 Turbo “Blackbird”. He ultimately stood no chance against the beast, and eventually fell behind. This led Akio to become faster to overtake his enemy. There are certain cars that just stand out without really having to try, and the Fair Lady Z is that car that exudes confidence in its sleek design and performance. As you watch Wangan Midnight, you are given a glimpse of just how powerful and dominating the car can be once maxed out to its full potential. Akio goes to the full extent of making sure his Fair Lady is well equipped to put a stop to Tatsuya's intimidating 964 Turbo. If you love street racing with a passion, then drift your way over to Wangan Midnight.

Initial D isn't the first car anime that Japan has created, but it is the anime that has surpassed every other car anime in every way possible. The unspoken rule is that if you haven't watched Initial D, then you haven't truly experienced the captivating lifestyle of street racing. Crossing the finish line at number one is none other than the AE86. Takumi is your ordinary young teen who finds himself working as a delivery boy for his father's tofu restaurant. This delivery route eventually becomes his training ground, as Takumi eventually finds a love for street racing, and is now on his way to become Japan's best street racer. The reason the AE86 comes in at number one is not due to the aesthetic of the car, but rather its prestige. In Japan, the AE86 (or hachiroku in Japanese) is considered to be one of the iconic cars that really paved the way for street racing due to its performance on the road. Street racing has been extremely popular in Japan for years, and even today you will see an AE86 somewhere in the list of cars on the lineup. With its panda color exterior and very fundamentally sound performance, this car has become a fan favorite for newcomers and veterans in the scene. Definitely check out Initial D for more of the AE86.

Imagine a world where gods, demons and man peacefully coexist and interracial partnership is allowed? Welcome to the world of Shuffle! …! The title has an exclamation point, so… Tsuchimi Rin is a normal high school student living with his childhood friend Kaede and has an eccentric and playful friend in school, Shigure Asa aka the Mary S—*ahem*. Rin might as well be the future ruler of the universe because the royal families of the God and Demon world moved into Rin’s neighborhood. Apparently, the daughter of the king of the gods, Sia, and the daughter of the demons, Nerine, are deeply in love with our hero Rin after having met him in the past. With lots of girls vying for his love, Rin has a lot of things to do. While this a token harem anime, Shuffle! was nice enough to give every girl character development and a decent entry point if you’re interested in diving into the world of harem anime. You’ll be watching the show like you were reading the Visual Novel the anime is based from. Seeing Sia’s, Nerine’s, Asa’s and Kaede’s stories and them why they fell in love with Rin. It’s great and the art is great too… if you can get past the rather chipmunk voices of certain characters…

Oyamada Kouta (voiced by Mamiko Noto) is a country boy that moved to the city to attend high school. His life changed quite chaotically as he encountered Minamoto Chizuru — a well-endowed fox spirit… girl. As typical as anime goes, Chizuru finds Kouta very attractive and spared no expense trying to seduce him. Things get more chaotic after the two attracted a wolf spirit named Ezomori Nozomu… obviously a girl despite lacking the defining features of a… never mind. With two supernatural entities around him, trouble is bound to happen — Kouta is involved in many supernatural events. Kouta’s high school life will never be the same. And he’s a lucky ba—*ahem* Sorry, my jealousy got the best of me. How do I put this… Kanokon is similar to Shuffle!, like the guy met the girl at a young age, they meet again a few years later, and girl announced she’s in love with the guy. Kanokon’s pacing usually deals with something supernatural and Chuzuru seducing Kouta using the plump body of hers. Unlike Shuffle!, Kouta finally declared his love to Chizuru, but like Shuffle! (one of the girl is fine with polygamy), Chizuru is fine with having Kouta as a mistress. Hey, it’s anime logic. Don’t argue.

Suminoe Keita, Suminoe Ako, and Suminoe Riko are step siblings (yeah, I know) after their parents remarried. Since this is a romance-centric anime, the sisters are very attracted to our hero in a very, very, very, VERY lustful way. Initially Keita avoided her (step) sisters’ advances since he thought it wasn’t right to get so—romantically involved with his new family. Things changed after Keita transferred to the same school as his sisters. He’s slowly getting attracted to them. Incest is one of Japan’s favorite fetish and Kiss x Sis is one of the best out there, but… It’s not really “real” incest since Keita isn’t related to her sisters. But who cares! The story is usually centered around their school lives developing feelings among the three. Keita would get jealous when his male classmates flirt around his sisters and same thing for the sisters getting all jealous when Keita is with some girl. Oh, and their parents totally approve. Lucky guy!

Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière (that was a mouthful) is a young magician who rather sucks at conjuring spells, resulting in either an explosion, or an explosion, or an explosion. Due to her lack of mastering the arts, she is nicknamed “Zero Louise” by her peers. Which is not entirely true, by the way. Making things explode is a successful conjuring of a spell too, right? In an upcoming test, each student must summon familiars, or a servant to support their masters. Despite Louise’s desire to summon a powerful familiar and prove that she can summon properly, she ended up summoning a boy from Japan named Hiraga Saito. Since Saito was summoned, he is officially Louise’s familiar. Despite him being a familiar, Louise is slowly developing feelings toward Saito. I mean, come on, it was obvious. A girl and a boy together? You do the math. The relationship with Saito and Louise is rather… well… unstable. Let me ask you: How many seasons does Zero no Tsukaima have? Okay. And what is the most common plot element you see in them? Yeah, that’s right. Even though Saito and Louise became lovers in season 1, Saito is a playb—I mean, a flirtatious young man. The majority of the female cast, from the well-endowed maid Siesta to the future Queen herself, are all attracted to him. Louise really needs to chain Saito down like a dog.

Kiss x Sis on crack? You bet! Aoi Aki and Aoi Sora are a pair of close siblings that shared a strong intimate bond when they were young. During their, you know, puberty, she finally realized their the feelings for each other and eventually they made love. Aki and Sora have another sibling, Aoi Nami, and they try their darndest to keep their new relationship a secret from Nami and, well, she wants a piece of the action. As any anime goes, Nami eventually found out. It’s not a spoiler if it’s already obvious. You know, John Wayne Bo—never mind. Aki Sora can be summed up with one word: Lust. Sora is the typical short guy who happens to be the nicest guy in the world and girls love him for this trait. Like, you know, the only reason why guys in other harem anime get a harem. The story is rather sad and the most tragic character is Nami. She’s not sure she wants her brother’s love, or wants a penis, so she can bone her best friend. No, I’m not saying that metaphorically.

Yasaka Mahiro, your average and blandest boy (fact) around was minding his own business until he met a mysterious girl named Nyaruko. This girl is a special agent who was sent to Earth to protect Mahiro from monsters. Why are the monsters after Mahiro? Does he have something that they want? And who is Nyaruko? And is H.P. Lovecraft rolling in his grave after he found out Japan turned his Eldritch horrors into cute and sexy girls? You get lots of fanservice from this one, courtesy of the Eldritch horrors trying to seduce Mahiro. Unfortunately, the relationship involving Mahiro and Nyaruko is rather slow and it took two seasons and 3 OVAs for something to happened. Mahiro may be the blandest boy in the history of anime, he at least has some standards for a girl to love, and it clearly showed in Season 2 where Cthulhu, another Eldritch horror under the guise of a cute girl who practically stole the show. Nyaruko is in trouble unless she does something.

Kawakami Kiiko is a girl with supernatural powers: she can move things with her mind. Kiiko meets an attractive young girl named Saitou Aaya and starts developing feelings towards her. The two eventually get together and while everything’s fine for the both of them, Kiiko will soon discover that Aaya holds a secret that could ruin their relationship. Interstellar Space Lesbians! Aaya is a very sexually active young woman and the series revolves around them playing hooky. If you take out the constant love-making, the story overall is very barebones, but it won’t deny the fact that these girls are madly in love. There was a two year gap between episodes and the cliffhanger at episode one made a lot of people upset and speculate. At the time, it was one of the most controversial yuri anime and people speculated and argued for many, many months. Did the final conclusion satisfy these vocal fans? That’s for you to find out.

Yamada (no, not that Yamada from Working!!) is a 15 year-old virgin who just entered high school. She is fairly attractive and any guy will fall for her, but there is one problem that’s been bothering Yamada for a while: She thinks her vagina looks weird. Ah, anime. Ever so creative! So Yamada’s dream was to have sex with 100 men. However, she fears that experienced partners will tease her about the look of her vagina or find out that she’s in fact a virgin. Luckily she stumbles upon fellow virgin Kosuda Takeshi and with his help, she’ll be able to gain more experience and bed more experienced men. Unfortunately for Yamada, Takeshi doesn’t know how to sweep a girl off her feet. Yamada’s journey to sex is going to be a long and difficult one. The anime suffers from the usual “open ended story, must read manga for ending” syndrome and while it sucked, the anime is good at viewing sex through a female perspective. Yamada wants to have casual sex with many men, but can’t make that jump. She sees Takeshi as a tool so she can achieve this goal, but soon realizes she fell in love with Takeshi and eventually find out that making love to the one you love is more enjoyable than having sex with 100 random guys.

Daisuke Aoki is a 3rd grade teacher who meets Kokonoe Rin, a very young girl with long hair. After an act of kindness from Aoki, Rin made Aoki, her teacher, her lover. Rin literally wants her 3rd grade teacher to be her lover. Who would have thought that your biggest obstacles in your life comes from the most unexpected places. But is Rin’s love for Aoki really true? Are her feelings just puppy love? Or is it genuine true love? Does actively seducing Aoki mean something else? Aoki got 99 problems, but a lo—okay, that was bad. The content of the show is really not for the casual viewer because, well, the synopsis states a love story between a grown man and a very young girl who seduces Aoki on several occasions throughout the series. Admittedly, I didn’t watch rest of the OVAs and OADs, so I can’t say Aoki and Rin ended up together, but if you read the manga, something did happen. This kind of romance story is very rare in anime. But it’s interesting!

Bakemonoagatari tells the story of various characters with different circumstances… like… them being supernatural beings and all. Enter Koyomi Araragi and due to certain chain of events, he retained his humanity after being bitten by a vampire. After the encounter, Ararararararararagi (sorry, keys got stuck) meets people with supernatural issues and problems. One of the people Ararararararararararararararararagi meets is Senjougahara Hitagi, a girl who doesn’t weigh anything and has this thing about staplers. The story mainly involves the two as they argue and talk about their lives. Supernatural lives. Bakemonogatari is number one mainly because it has a good story to tell and the development and relationship between Arararararararararararararararararararararararagi and Hitagi are realistic despite the show’s fantasy setting. Their constant banter, or as I like to call it machinegun dialogue, is an amusing source of humor. And that’s it… Saying any more will ruin it. Go watch Bakemonogatari if you haven’t already! Try keeping up with this fast line of delivery though. Bakemonogatari, isn’t technically an ecchi show with lots of boob and panty shots, but rather Bakemonogatari has lots of well-placed dirty humor and a few semi-nude shots. Which is good because the show is focused more on the story rather than the fanservice.

Keitaro Urashima has failed the mock exam for Tokyo University. Spectacularly. But despite his parents' complaints, he doesn't want to give up - after all, he made a promise with his childhood sweetheart that they would reunite there. So, he takes up his grandmother's offer to continue his studies at her inn, only to discover (in a rather embarrassing way) that it's been turned into an all-girls dormitory, and that his grandmother has left her position as manager to go on a trip. One thing leads to another, and Keitaro ends up becoming the new manager of Hinata House and (barely) in charge of a harem of five girls. A classic shonen ecchi anime full of slapstick comedy and risqué situations, Love Hina is a must-see if you you're a fan of other series of this genre. If you also enjoyed the setting and romantic progression in Princess Lover!, you're in luck, as Love Hina has a similar tempo, with the protagonists of both series facing similar challenges. Much like Teppei, who is suddenly thrust into a whole other social class, Keitaro is pushed into accepting his new position as head of house, meaning he has to move out of his parents' place and start a new life. Also, just as Teppei struggles to see eye-to-eye with many of the girls around him at first, Keitaro too has to overcome many misunderstandings and mishaps in order to be accepted by the girls he lives with.

Boasting not just one but two seasons (the twelve-episode-long sequel having aired April 2015 - June 2015), Nisekoi follows high schooler and reluctant yakuza family heir Raku Ichijo on his quest to be reunited with the love of his life. As a child, he made a promise to share his future with a girl - the only issue is, he can't remember her name or face. He hopes that it just might be his crush since middle school, Kosaki Onodera, but all is not fair in love and harem anime. Raku is soon dragged into a forced engagement to enemy yakuza group heir Chitoge Kirisaki, in order to preserve the peace and prevent a war from breaking out. Before long, Raku is surrounded by potential first loves and new flames, including a frail fake princess and a hitwoman with a guy's name. Although both Princess Lover! and Nisekoi are technically school love comedies, many of the scenes in both take place outside of the school setting, making the characters more rounded. The main male leads in both are forced into engagements, although Teppei has a say in where his relationship will lead, whereas Raku must keep up a lovey-dovey pretense. Raku too is not well-liked by most of the girls at first, especially his fake fiancée. But through showing his sincere side, he manages to win over even the most defensive of tsunderes. If you're after more of the romantic comedy that Princess Lover! provided, this shonen harem anime is bound to deliver.

Big changes are happening in Shougo Mikadono's life. After his father's death, he's named the heir to the family's world-famous enterprise. In order to prepare him for the role, he is transferred to Miryuin Private Academy, which his father attended in the past. However, that's not the only preparation Shougo has to do - according to his father's will, he will only inherit the business if he manages to find a suitable wife to support him before he graduates. With Miryuin Academy having a suspiciously high percentage of female students, you'd think this would be an easy task. But with the Mikadono name and a hefty inheritance tag attached to him, Shougo quickly finds himself in the midst of a battle of affection between several girls. As if that wasn't bad enough, Shougo discovers that one of them may be his half-sister with whom he was separated at birth. With the graduation deadline looming and an incestual marriage to avoid, who will Shougo choose as his bride? The central male characters in both Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imoto ga Iru! and Princess Lover! tread very similar paths. Both move home and transfer to prestigious schools after the death of a parent or parents, and suddenly become the centre of attention due to their name and status. Their romantic lives are also alike, with Teppei being engaged and Shougo searching for a wife, and both are pursued by several girls who share their own similarities. For example, Konoe Tsuruma, the first girl to pursue Shougo, has a playful teasing personality and believes in fateful encounters, which calls to mind Princess Lover!'s Charlotte Hazelrink. If you enjoyed Princess Lover!, Nakaimo is definitely worth checking out!

Haruhi Fujioka does not fit in at school. A poor student at the elite Ouran High, all she wants to do is find a quiet place to study so she can keep her scholarship. However, during her search she ends up quite literally stumbling into the Host Club's room and smashing an incredibly expensive vase. With her androgynous appearance and gender-neutral name, Haruhi is mistaken for a male student and forced to work at the host club in order to pay off her debt. Possibly the most popular reverse harem series, OHSHC has both hilarious and touching moments throughout. Ouran High School Host Club might seem out of place on a mostly shonen, harem, ecchi anime list, but the similarities between this shojo romantic comedy classic and Princess Lover! can't be denied. Much like Teppei, Haruhi, who had avoided connecting with the snobby students at Ouran High, is suddenly pushed into the deep end of high society. Out of her depth at first, Haruhi learns to deal with the quirks of the rich, whilst teaching them that being poor is not the end of the world. The romantic school comedy elements are incredibly similar, but with the harem being reversed, Ouran High School Host Club is also perfect for those who enjoy cute guys instead of (or as much as!) cute girls.

Appearances can be deceiving, and despite how he looks, Akiharu Hino is not a delinquent. His new classmates, however, might need some convincing, especially after his first meeting with fellow student Sernia Iori Flameheart results in him accidentally groping her. This first day at Hakureiryou Academy, a boarding school that trains dignified ladies, lords, and their future servants, suggests that Akiharu's new high-school life is going to be anything but easy. After unintentionally landing his hands on the majority of the girls, and being reunited with his childhood tormentor Tomomi Saikyou, how will Akiharu adapt and make a name for himself as a reliable future butler? The setting of Ladies vs Butlers may vary to that of Princess Lover!, but the foundations of the two series share several similarities. Both Akiharu and Teppei move house and transfer into schools that have a definite class divide - in which they stand on the opposite side to the girls that form the main harem. The ecchi scenes are also constructed in a similar way, taking the form of accidental fumbles and comedic misunderstandings as opposed to intentional come-ons. If you enjoyed the storyline and pace of Princess Lover!, you're bound to enjoy this series just as much.

The city is scary, and city girls are something else altogether. Or so thinks country bumpkin Kouta Oyamada, who has just moved from his grandfather's house in the sticks to attend metropolitan Kunpo High School. With no romantic experience until now, this shy first-year high schooler soon finds himself at the unrelenting mercy of upperclassman Chizuru Minamoto, a girl as touchy-feely as she is energetic. Which would all be well and good, except Kouta soon discovers that Chizuru is quite literally as high-spirited as her personality - in fact, she's a fox spirit. And she's not the only one who's willing to break a few spirit-world rules for her human beau. Soon, wolf spirit Nozomu Ezomori is on the scene, interfering in Chizuru's flirtations and trying her own style of stoic seduction. With two teenage girls trying to feel him up at any given moment, and various spiritual creatures creating havoc, how will Shouta make it out of high school alive, or for that matter, human? This school romantic comedy is full of the fanservice you'd expect from an anime similar to Princess Lover! with the highlight of having very forward female leads. The romance and competition of the love-triangle in Kanokon brings to mind the harem in Princess Lover!, and bright and bubbly Chizuru shares several personality traits with lively Princess Charlotte. But the strong female characters aren't the only thing that makes this anime worth watching. Much like the divide between the rich and the working class in Princess Lover!, there too is a worldly divide in Kanokon, between humans and spirits. In both anime, the differences between the position of the male lead and the girls in the harem leads to conflicts and exciting action. If you want some fantasy fighting to go with your panty shots, this is the anime to watch next.

The Mera Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit) is a Logia type fruit that allows the eater to possess the ability to transform its eater’s whole body into the element of fire and control them at their will. The first seen user of this fruit is Portgas D. Ace and some of the deadly techniques Ace acquired while wielding the power of this devil fruit include Hiken, or “Fire Fist” which is Ace’s signature attack and the technique that earned his nickname the “Fire Fist Ace”. It was used by Ace when he was battling against Marshall D. Teach or Kurohige. One more notable mention from his powers is Ace’s ultimate technique Dai Enkai: Entei, or “Great Flame Commandment: Flame Emperor”

Similar to the Mera Mera no Mi, Goro Goro no Mi is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that grants its eater the ability to transform into the element of electricity and control them at eater’s will. Wielding the power of this Devil Fruit is Enel, “God of Skypiea”. Having this power allows Enel to transform use his ultimate technique Max 200,000,000 Volt Amaru or “Thunder God”, which transforms Enel into a giant Raijin(Thunder God) made of pure electricity. It was seen during his fight with Luffy in the Skypiea Arc.

Hie Hie no Mi or Ice-Ice Fruit is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that grants its eater the ability to transform into the element of ice and control them at its will. Admiral Aokiji or Kuzan is the current user of this devil fruit. With this power, Aokiji can easily freeze a large area of ocean and everything in it. This technique is called Ice Age. After the resignation of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Aokijin and Akainu battled to the death for 10 days on the island for the Fleet Admiral position. Aokiji was able to turn half the island into a frozen wasteland. Akainu eventually won the battle proving his superiority over Aokiji.

Magu Magu no Mi or Magma-Magma Fruit is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that grants its eater the power to transform into magma and control them at his will. Sakazuki or Akainu, one of the Marine Admirals, was revealed wielding the power of this Devil Fruit. Unlike Portgas D. Ace’s powers of the Mera Mera no Mi who grants the power of flames, Sakazuki’s Magu Magu no Mi pose as a more superior Devil Fruit than him. (Magma is stronger than flame) In the Marineford arc, Akainu was seen using his signature technique Dai Funka, or “Great Eruption” to melt the incoming iceberg attack from one of the Whitebeard Pirates. Using his powers, Akainu succeeded in fatally injuring Jinbei and Luffy before they escaped Marineford.

Pika Pika no Mi is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that grants its eater the ability to transform into the element of light and control them at its eater’s will. Eating this fruit has granted Admiral Kizaru incredible abilities such as being able to travel at the speed of light, being able to shift into light to bypass incoming attacks, and of course attacking his opponents using the speed of light. One of his techniques include Yasakani no Magatama or the "Yasakani String of Jewels”, and it was seen in the battle of Marineford where he fires a barrage of deadly light particles that causes extreme damage when hit. It was shown to easily penetrate the layer of ice around Marineford.

Zoan Devil Fruits are devil fruits that allow its eater to transform into another species or hybrid species at will i.e. weapons, animals, and beasts. Of all the Devil Fruits, a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit is presumed the rarest, topping off even the Logia-type Devil Fruits. Marco was seen wielding the power of a Mythical Zoan beast, the phoenix. With this power, it was presumed that it affected his body capability like those who wield Paramecia-type Devil Fruits rendering him to be able to regenerate quickly from his wounds. His ultimate technique the "Blue Flames of Resurrection" allows him to recover from any damage he receives in his human form by reverting back to his phoenix form, hybrid phoenix form, or simply summoning those blue flames around his body or wounds.

Ope Ope no Mi or Op-Op Fruit is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants its eater the power to create spherical space or "room", in which the user has complete control over the placement and orientation of the objects inside. Armed with medical skills passed down from his father, Trafalgar Law, the current user of this Devil Fruit, is able to surgically separate a person’s body and removing the hazardous components from their bodies, earning him the nickname “The Surgeon of Death”. This Devil Fruit is often referred to as the “Ultimate Devil Fruit” as it has the ultimate ability to grant another person eternal youth in exchange for the current eater’s life. The process is named “Perennial Youth Operation”.

Hito Hito no Mi or Human-Human Fruit Model Daibutsu is another Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows its eater to transform into a hybrid human form of a Buddha Statue (Daibutsu). Fleet Admiral Sengoku is currently wielding this Devil Fruit power. It was seen during the Marineford battle when Sengoku was able to suppress the Blackbeard pirates from burning down Marineford. Although the full extent of this Devil Fruit’s power is yet to be revealed, it was shown in the Marineford arc that Sengoku’s Devil Fruit was able to deliver considerable amount of damage to Marshall D. Teach who wields the power of Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit).

Yami Yami no Mi or Dark-Dark Fruit is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allows the eater to transform into the element of darkness. Marshall D. Teach or Kurohige is seen wielding the power of this fruit after he stole it from the Whitebeard Pirates. With this power, Kurohige is able to suck an entire city to nothingness or void. Another terrifying ability of this Devil Fruit is that the eater is able to suck and nullify other Devil Fruit eater’s ability, rendering them powerless. It was first seen after Shirohige’s death, Marshall D. Teach was able to obtain his powers through an unrevealed reason, making him the only pirate capable of wielding two different devil fruit powers.

Gura Gura no Mi or Tremor-Tremor Fruit is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants the eater powers to create and control vibrations used to make earthquakes. The fruit was eaten by Edward Newgate (Shirohige), making him by far the strongest pirate crews in the world (Whitebeard pirates). In the battle of Marineford, Fleet Admiral Sengoku revealed that Shirohige holds the power to end the world. With the power to create shockwaves capable of creating tsunamis and earthquakes, Shirohige demonstrated the extent of his powers when he single handedly destroys the Marineford headquarters and tilting the whole island and the sea around it. The technique was called Shima Yurashi, or “Island Shaking”.

We are starting this list off with a reversed harem anime aimed towards all the girls out there. The story revolves around high school girl Ritsuka Tachibana. As it is often the case in anime, she leads a normal teenage life until her world suddenly gets turned upside down. Her school turns out to be frequented by evil powers and she gets drawn into a fight between devils and vampires while trying to stay alive. Dance with Devils was highly anticipated amongst fans of reversed harem stories and these fans certainly weren’t disappointed. While the show might have some flaws, it brought some fresh wind into the well-known genre, especially with main heroine Ritsuka. Unlike the heroines of similar shows she is a strong female lead that is more than just prey to the guys around here. With its interesting main characters this show deserves the first spot on our list.

Next up is the second season of a well-received anime that combines romance, comedy and school in one show. The sequel continues the story of cold-hearted high school student Hachiman Hikigaya and his role in the Volunteer Service Club. He is slowly getting a hang of his new job, but has to realize that there is much more to solving the problems of other people than just offering the best solution. Some problems are harder to overcome than others and Hachiman has to experience that in his own life. One of the main strengths of this series is its storyline that resonates with a lot of viewers. Not only fans that are still in high school, but also older people that are thinking back on their school years will understand the struggles of the main cast. The characters didn’t feel like they were playing any stereotypical roles and really made the viewers feel for them. On top of the great characters and good storyline you will also experience a charming high school love story so check this series out if you haven’t already.

After two anime set in high schools let’s go back to the realm of the dark with another story featuring vampires. The second season of Diabolik Lovers shows how Yui Komori’s life continues at the Sakamaki mansion. She is still more like a toy to the vampire brothers than an actual human being, but she has nowhere else to go. However, her life might change once again when four new vampires appear. It’s the Mukami family and they seem to have more plans with Yui than just becoming her friend. Explaining the second season of Diabolik Lovers is easy: If you have enjoyed the first season you will also like More, Blood. If, however, you already couldn’t stand the beginning of the story then chances are high the sequel also isn’t for you. All fans of this show are rewarded with another mystery surrounding Yui and even more good-looking yet dangerous vampires stepping into her life. This show goes out to everyone who enjoys untypical forms of romance as well as creatures of the night.

The last sequel on our list is Junjou Romantica which after seven years surprises fans with a third season. As in the previous seasons you will meet a lot of good-looking guys that are lost in their lives and especially in their relationships. It is about the every-day struggles of being with someone and how hard it can be to express your feelings. What makes Junjou Romantica stand out from other anime is the complexity of the love stories. You will see all different kinds of people falling in love and finding themselves trapped in love triangles and similar situations of unrequited love. The third season continues in the spirit of its prequels, but adds great animation as well as comedy and more every-day life scenes to the mix. Junjou Romantica certainly is a must-watch for Yaoi fans and the third season is no exception!

Are you an otaku dreaming of finding your true love? Then you might be able to relate to the next recommendation on our list. Our hero Tomoya Aki is, you might have guessed it already, a full-blooded otaku who one day stumbles across his dream girl. She is everything he ever wanted in a girl and beautiful enough to inspire him to create a visual novel with her as the star. He grabs a group of friends and starts on this big project only to realize that it might be harder to accomplish than he had expected. Saekano really surprised a lot of viewers with its great quality, not only in animation and design, but also for the storyline. It is not your typical Ecchi story and also does not focus on fan service, but rather has a great set of characters that combined make up a hilarious team. Tomoyo’s love is really heart-warming and especially otakus can appreciate the great storyline. Give Saekano a try if you are a fan of beautifully designed rom-coms!

The most recent season gave rise to a lot of fantasy and magic shows; let us introduce you to one of them that also includes a good dose of romance. A Tale of Worst One combines modern days with a new form of magic that converts souls into swords. Users of this magic are known as Magic Knights and they compete against each other in ruthless fights. Student Ikki Kurogane is one of them, but he is known as the Failed Knight or the “Worst One”. One day he is challenged by beautiful number one student Stella in a fight that might change his life completely. You can probably already tell that A Tale of Worst One tries to combine a lot in one show: you have magic, but also lots of action, a futuristic design, a high school setting and - of course - romance. What might have been a disaster actually turned out to be a great story that easily entertains its viewers. The romance in this show comes in the form of a harem, so fans of these relationships certainly will not be disappointed. If you are looking for a fun show to watch in the last weeks of this year check out A Tale of Worst One.

After exploring one of the most recent shows let us bring you back to the beginning of the year with an anime that has a setting as unique as its name. This show revolves all around an underground dungeon in the city of Orario and the stories that adventurers have to tell about it. Viewers follow the unlikely team of Bell Cranel and Hestia on their journey into the Unknown. While Bell is an upbeat explorer ready to go on an adventure, Hestia is a goddess that tries her best to support Bell. Be ready for a more than unique adventure! Danmachi was able to convince with its simplicity yet novelty. What we mean is that it is a laid-back story that does not try to reinvent the wheel, but still has a lot of interesting and new combinations. It has a dungeon setting and lots of fantasy elements including gods and goddesses. The romance in this show is innocent and develops slowly together with the adventurous storyline. A true must-watch for fans of adventure and fantasy stories!

We are slowly moving towards our top recommendations and what better show to start with than Snow White with the Red Hair? Red-haired Shirayuki is a good-hearted girl that works at an herb shop in the mythical country of Tanbarun. She is a smart and diligent girl that just wants to live a quiet life where she is able to help others. However, the prince of her country has an eye on her and forces her to flee the country if she doesn’t want to become his server. Shirayuki makes her way into the neighboring kingdom and meets prince Zen who needs her help to become a man worthy of his title. After some stories aimed mainly towards male viewers we have another show that girls can enjoy. We are back in a fantasy setting with a beautiful love story. If you are a fan of enchanted worlds, simple lifestyles and good-looking princes than this show is certainly worth your time. The story is straightforward yet includes enough twists and turns to keep it interesting. If you are looking for a good Shoujo anime and can also appreciate love stories than give this show a try.

Sometimes in life, we want to get away from the constant tedium of work, school and general life and dive into a completely different world. Whilst Non Non Biyori doesn’t present us with the alien world you may be imagining, it’s a world that many of us may still be unfamiliar with. The country. Following a group of kids in the countryside, this slice of life comedy never fails to put a wide grin on your face with moments of sheer joy throughout. Whether it’s just going up a mountain to see the stars or jumping in a river, they’re moments that are so separate from our adult reality that it feels nostalgic, yet painfully foreign. We watch through the eyes of Hotaru, a girl who has come from the city to the small country town of Asahigaoka as she contrasts our lives with the lives of those who live the simpler life. If you’re ever at all stressed, Non Non Biyori is the cure for you.

Superheroes have been on a rise recently. With Marvel and DC competing when it comes to their film franchises, fans are given the opportunity to see a whole variety of different sorts of heroes on the big screen. However, when it comes to the modern hero, Gatchaman Crowds has a completely different perspective on what heroism is all about. It’s not about saving people from an evil villain, but rather saving society from itself. It sounds vague, but Gatchaman Crowds executes it with ease and this is especially true when it comes to its sequel, Gatchaman Crowds insight. Whilst the first season dealt with the Gatchaman trying to stop Berg Katze, an alien that inspires chaos throughout society, insight takes on the opposite approach with an alien that tries to bring society together. What sounds like a brilliant idea at face value quickly turns disastrous as Gatchaman Crowds conveys these themes and messages phenomenally.

Baccano is a story about a train and the things that happen on that train. Well, maybe that’s underselling it. Baccano, along with the writer’s other work, Durarara!! takes advantage of a huge cast of characters to deliver a wider narrative. Whilst most other stories struggle with balancing this amount of characters, Baccano employs a structure dependant on capturing slices of time and seeing events from a new perspective. If a train carriage explodes (It doesn’t, this is hypothetical), then we may get 5 different viewpoints on that event throughout a single episode as we see the aftermath in every way. This isn’t limited to current events either, as Baccano shows the audience all of the information we need to know that leads up to current events with the same kind of structural brilliance. We’ll watch a scene and have no idea what’s going on, only to continue onto the next scene happening at the same time but from a different perspective that fills in those essential gaps. It’s the perfect series to marathon as you’re always searching for that small bite of extra information to complete this mental jigsaw and I highly recommend that you go ahead do so.

Do you remember Beyblade? How about Pokemon? Now what if we took those tournament battles and put mecha from the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise in them instead? Gundam Build Fighters takes the battles from the Gundam series and reinvents them into a lower stakes context, really allowing other parts of the series to shine out. With friendships and rivalries being born in the Gunpla Battle Arena, it plays out much like a sports series with many of the ideas being carried over into this (unfortunately) fictional sport. With exciting action, motivated and interesting characters and with slower inconsequential episodes strewn throughout, it achieves a blend that other series within its vein struggle to get close to. With Se Jun Kim as chief animation director, each of the battle scenes are fast, flashy and a spectacle to watch as mecha unleash new and more elaborate weapons as the show continues. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Gundam fan or not, watching Gundam Build Fighters may be the best decision you make today.

Coming up with my favourite anime overall is an odd choice but everytime I think of it, one series just keeps popping up. It’s in my bio on Honey’s Anime, it’s in my Twitter banner and I even take the chance to mention it whenever I can on my Youtube Channel. Chronicles of the Going Home Club, one of the best comedy anime available. With even the name of the series itself being a joke, Chronicles is a non-stop barrage of jokes that never stops. Driving through every style of comedy there is, including meta-comedy, surrealism and even simple word-play, it’s an absolute joy to watch through. Each character in Chronicles offers an extreme personality of some kind and with great dialogue, these are fully utilised in each and every skit to great success. If you’re a fan of comedy series, you have no excuses not to watch Chronicles of the Going Home Club. There’s no episodes where it stops being funny, no moments where it gets dull, it starts at 110% and somehow manages to not crash and burn as it uses its extreme characters to their full extent. And that is why it’s my number 1 anime overall.

In the world of D Grey Man, young Allen Walker has inherited the power to battle against the demons (akuma) of the world unleashed by the evil and enigmatic Millenium Earl. The disturbing thing for Allen and his comrades is the way that these akuma are created. By manipulating the vulnerable and depressed in the world, they are tricked into selling their soul and humanity, often out of grief, to be eternally transformed into horrific creations with no free will. D Grey Man features excellent action, comedy and an excellently evil antagonist that the viewer can’t help but cheer for Allen and cohorts to eventually crush and defeat. The first opening theme for D Grey Man is a gothic J rock masterpiece, featuring dramatic lyrics, guitars, organs and a penchant for the over the top that perfectly fits an anime concerned with conquering demons using magical weapons. The emotions of the voice is amplified by the driving rhythm, sounding almost heartbroken and distressed, something that emulates the overall themes of depression and suicide which are referenced throughout the series. I would defy the regular D Grey Man viewers to refrain from shouting out ‘don’t cry’ in broken English at the climax of the chorus.

Mixing stylish modern street culture with Edo period Japan and stunning visuals, Samurai Champloo is a comedic action epic following two complete opposite wandering samurai Mugen and Jin, along with one ditzy tavern girl Fuu and their journey across Japan to find the samurai who smells like sunflowers. Featuring an interesting and alternative take on Japanese period history, the true appeal of Samurai Champloo is the interactions between the 3 companions and how their differences eventually unite them towards a common goal. Samurai Champloo’s journey is stylish and sophisticated, evoking similarities to Tarantino’s works in cinema. The opening song for Samurai Champloo is an original composition for the show featuring smoky, downbeat hip hop vocals, an old school golden era style beat that DJ Premier would be proud of and seamless scratching and mixing. It perfectly combines lyrics about samurai and swords with a very modern feel, which harps back to the overall mood of the show, combining modern style and sensibilities with a historical Japanese setting. The undeniably cool ambience of the song exemplifies the cool and lethargic approach to life that the trio of protagonists share, simply drifting through life, finding their way without worry.

Atop a mountain, looming over the common populace is the elite academy of Honnouji. Satsuki Kiryuuin rules over her academy with an iron fist, offering the power of the Gouku uniforms to students who prove themselves dedicated and worthy enough. Ryuuko Matoi arrive on the scene with a deadly grudge against Satsuki and one half of a secretive scissor sword. In order to confront her nemesis, she must first battle her way through the schools elite fighters including the student council body Elite 4. For her to be powerful enough, she first needs a uniform that can provide her with the same boost as the artificially created Gouku uniforms. That’s where the immensely powerful seifuku Senketsu comes to the fore, using the power of her blood to transform Ryuuko into a hyper sexualised but super powerful warrior, capable of toppling the academy hierarchy. The second opening song for Kill La Kill is an epic, digitised rock song featuring powerful female vocals and a unique driving guitar rhythm. The intro in particular is a fantastic slow build up into the uplifting and exciting vocals and then straight into the main heavily digitized guitar riff. Its high tempo and fantastic build up towards the momentous chorus packs the same dramatic and over the top punch as Kill La Kills action scenes. There are few anime songs that can equally emote that feeling of a passionate battle quite like this one.

What happens if you’re a god in modern Japan that’s not a household name? maybe you don’t have your own shrine to receive donations and no school children are wearing charms purchased from your Meiko caretakers. Enter the world of Yato, a tracksuit wearing handyman of a God, unknown to the general populace and without a shrine of his own. All he owns is his jar of 5 yen coins he receives for performing menial tasks he advertises on park walls with chalk and spray paint. However after he is inadvertently saved by a high school girl named Hiyori, and acquires a new Divine Instrument (humanised weapon) Yukine, Yato’s world begins to change, perhaps one day he will be a god everyone worships. The opening to Noragami is a stylish, J Rock//Punk track with tonnes of attitude and biting vocals. This theme is a perfect fit for the cool depictions of traditional Japanese culture blending in with the modern and edgy aesthetic of Tokyo. Featuring, sneering crowd roaring shouts and chants with a punchy melodic vocalist, clanging punk rock guitars and some excellent drumming. This theme perfectly sets the bar for the high pace action Noragami brings when the world of the gods clashes with the world of man.

In a metropolis constantly threatened with impending doom at the hands of terrifying and powerful monsters and freakish natural disasters, surely the life of a super hero should be action packed and fulfilling? Unfortunately for Saitama this is not the case. With his brutal training regime of 100 press ups 100 sit ups and a 10km run each day his power levels have surpassed even the most diabolical creation from distant corners of the galaxy. Saitama is bored of his super hero life and desperate to face a foe he can defeat in more than just one punch. Will joining the Hero Association allow him to finally face an opponent that can withstand his ferocious power? A brilliantly tongue in check anime about super hero’s with over the top personalities and powers deserves and intro song that pays tribute to that. A power rock ensemble with countless fist pumping bromance moments included, One Punch Man’s opening theme song is cheesy and epic in equal quantities. Combining powerful riffs and chords with vocals that I liken to a Japanese glam rock God, this theme has everything to get viewers hyped for the hilarious over the top action that is to follow. ‘Hero’!

On the site of a major explosion and disaster in central Tokyo, a combined prison amusement park has been erected to provide a new method of prisoner corrections, one that provides brutal entertainment to the masses. When Ganta is falsely imprisoned in the facility for murdering his entire class, he soon discovers that he will have to compete in hellish death games to stay alive and to eventually earn his freedom. What begins as a harkening to classic science fiction like The Running Man develops into a dark action film focusing on the prisoners who have inherited bizarre powers to control their own blood from the great disaster that hit Tokyo. The opening theme to Deadman Wonderland perfectly fits the thematics of the show. A heavy grunge rock track with English vocals, it features lyrics and imagery all about being trapped in the Deadman Wonderland and being treated like a puppet for the masses. The chorus ‘I will be your deadman’ is synonymous with the roles the unfortunate recipients of the dead man powers have to fill. The song brings back imagines of early 2000s bands such as Korn as does well with its lyrical imagery of blood, one of the key concepts of the show.

Being trapped in a maximum security prison doing manual labour when you thought you were attending a new all girls school as the only 5 guys? Sounds like everyday adolescent males dream turned into a terrible nightmare. Especially when your prison guards are three insanely attractive but maniacally man hating female members of the secretive disciplinary committee. Filled with more immature sexual humour than all American Pie films combined, Prison school’s story of sexual awakening and boys will be boys redemption story is the funniest anime show from the summer’s line up in Japan. The opening theme for Prison School features a heavy breakdown style guitars and modern metalcore style intro. Over this is the shows excellent voice cast providing vocals complete with awesome fist pumping cries of ‘break out’, ‘guilty’ ‘freedom’ during the chorus. Featuring funny and dramatic lyrics like ‘this prison of love’, This opening theme perfectly sets the tonne of this overtly gratuitous but hilariously funny take on the chastising of adolescent sexuality, and many of the common tropes that are found in anime.

How would you survive if the world seemingly plunged into chaos, zombies tearing apart your classmates and nowhere to hide? Probably team up with outrageously sexy and deadly female students including the president of the kendo club and battle across the devastated city. High School of the Dead features grossly over the top violence and ecchi fan service for both males and females. The action and battles is intense and is perhaps one of the best representations of zombie killing action in an anime format. The opening song for High School of the Dead is by Japanese rock band The Akeboshi Rockets, renowned for their excellent live shows. The opening riffs alone are enough to get the blood pumping, building the energy and tension for the main chords to kick in along with the drums. After this clang calms down, haunting female vocals enter the fray, almost siren like until she unleashes a tenacious element that takes listeners by surprise. The chorus is strong and resonates with the listener the sense of desperate survival the characters experience existing in a city that has literally gone to hell.

Hugely popular take on what happens when the modern gangs of Tokyo clash both with each other and the supernatural. Durarara!! is an interesting examination of modern day friendship, manipulation and the role that technology plays as a tool of communication. In the world of Durarara!! anyone can become the leader of the most notorious gang in all Ikebukuro, the Dollars, with the use of social media. Many of the people in Ikebukuro are not quite what they seem and may have multiple persona. However the bonds of friendship made between Masaomi, Anri and Mikado are genuine and lasting despite all the problems they encounter. The second opening theme for Durarara!! is a memorable Indie rock anthem with a heartfelt shout of a chorus. It cleverly transitions between soft melodic guitars and sorrowful vocals into an intense, loud and vibrant chorus that is written to be enjoyed shouting along with your arms around your friends. It even includes some hip hop styled vocals while still remaining relevant and tuneful and steering as far from nu-metal/rap rock territory so that the integrity of the track as a whole is maintained.

In the world of Nabari, clans of ninjas blend and adapt into modern day society, all while competing and searching for the most powerful ninjiutsu ever seen in Japan. The unlikely recipient of this dangerous and unpredictable power is a apathetic and lethargic teen Miharu, around who a secret war is about to be waged to kill him and extract the power to become the ruler of the Nabari world. While initially appearing to be another shounen ninja anime, Nabari in fact becomes about a deep relationship between 2 males with the elder living on borrowed time due to the ninjutsu power he wields. His inevitable decline and Miharu’s desperate attempts to save him is powerful beyond words. This theme is my favourite throughout the many hundreds of shows I’ve watched and is a band I gladly listen to at any time. It’s an indie rock song that packs one of the catchiest choruses I’ve heard while also effectively conveying the tonne of the show. The emotion displayed by the vocalist clearly exemplifies Miharu’s feelings of desperation for his friend Yoite to survive and having the desire to do anything necessary to save him. The song has enough catchy guitar hooks and driving rhythms to encompass the action packed side of the show, while staying rooted in modern music helps create the feeling that these are traditional ninjas adapting to modern Japanese cities and life.

Kurashita Tsukimi lives in an apartment complex that is females only. Tsukimi is obsessed with jellyfish and her friends who live at the dorm also have their own nerdy obsessions so they all get along in what they call the "Sisterhood". Tsukimi's life takes a turn when she meets Kuranosuke, a beautiful woman who is not as she seems. Don't count Chieko out just because she's a little strange! Chieko takes her kimono seriously and wears one on a daily basis, keeping in mind to take proper care of them. Unlike her other sisterhood sisters, Chieko acts as the resident "onee-san" and can be quite civil for the most part, though sometimes she just comes off as creepy with her love of disturbing dolls and the like. Regardless, Chieko pulls off the traditional wear just nicely and shows that she is the mature one amongst her sisterhood. Maybe the kimono makes the girl?

Mugen is a wild card while Jin is a quiet but strict ronin. These two cross paths when Fuu saves them from being executed for fighting, but she didn't save them for free! She wants them to help her find the samurai who smells of sunflowers. Now, they set off on a journey, but hopefully they don't kill each other first. You know how I said maybe the kimono makes the girl? Yeah, well, Fuu demolishes that idea. Like her rowdy cohorts, Fuu tends to make a mess of things no matter what, but you have to love her! Fuu is the balance between Mugen and Jin, yet that doesn't mean she's the level headed one. Fuu has shown herself to be quite the glutton and fool when it comes to love. She also gets herself into more trouble than not, but that's just what makes her a fun kimono girl, don't you think?

Higurashi Kagome is just an ordinary high school girl who ends up being dragged into a cursed well by a demon. Kagome is surprised to find herself 500 years in the past during the Sengoku period with the Shikon Jewel inside of her. The sacred jewel shatters after battling a demon so Kagome must work with Inuyasha, a half dog demon half human, to collect the shards before they fall in the wrong hands. Who could forget the little jewel that is Rin from Inuyasha? Rin is a little orphan girl who often wears a kimono and travels by Sesshomaru's side. She's got a childlike innocence despite all the grief she has been through and will always risk her life to save the lives of others. While Rin has no special powers unlike many of the main characters of Inuyasha, she has something special within her that allows her to change the lives of people like Sesshomaru. Rin is a darling little kimono girl with a big heart that you can't help but fall in love with.

Ayase Chihaya fell for the world of Karuta when she made friends with a boy in her class, Wataya Arata. Together with her friend Mashima Taichi, they played karuta as a team before Arata had to leave town, forming an unbreakable bond. Years later, Chihaya is still set on playing karuta as a team with her friends so she sets off to start a karuta club at her school! Chihaya is one beautiful kimono girl who has more interest in karuta than she does for her own well being. Chihaya is a crack up, though, because of her own single minded determination. She's hell bent on getting better and advancing forward, which sometimes seems to cloud her own judgement. Although Chihaya really doesn't have the right mannerisms for wearing kimono, she does wear it well and it gives her an air of elegance to the surprise of those around her. Just don't underestimate Chihaya because she will swipe every card right from under your nose! She's a fierce one, but that's what makes her a fun heroine!

Hinamori Amu has a reputation for being "cool and spicy" but in reality, she's really shy and loves cute things! Upon making a wish to be more open, Amu wakes up to find there are 3 colorful eggs in her bed, which hatch to reveal Guardian Characters: Ran, Miki, and Su. With the help of these Guardian Characters, Amu's personality changes and she finds herself joining the student council to seal the X eggs! Meet little Temari, Nadeshiko's Guardian Character and Shugo Chara's kimono girl! Much like her kimono suggests, Temari is a well-mannered and elegant character with a talent for traditional Japanese dance. Temari is a cute little Guardian Character with Nadeshiko's best interests in mind. Just don't make her angry because Temari can be quite vicious.

The Devil King, Sadao, is on the verge of conquering the world when Hero Emilia defeats him. Sadao ends up going to another world: Tokyo! The desire to conquer the world still runs in his blood so he has decided to conquer this new world, but first he must work at a fast food restaurant to survive! Suzuno is an adorable one who accidentally ended up being an anime kimono girl due to her studying about Japan from historical dramas, but the kimono look really does suit her! Suzuno is the serious type with a talent for assassination, so watch out for her! She'll cut you down fairly quickly. You'd never know that she was an executioner of the Inquisition. Yeah, Suzuno is not someone you want to take lightly...

It's been a year since the "The Black Rebellion" and the Black Knights have gone underground after the execution of their leader, Zero. Britannia has increased the oppression of the Japanese while the Britannians in Area 11 are at peace once more. One day, a Britannian student skips school to gamble in a game of chess, but it appears he is being followed by certain forces. It is on this auspicious day that is memories are unlocked and Zero returns to once more bring about the rebellion! Young Sumeragi Kaguya is an interesting girl who seems to live with the dream of being Zero's wife, while also realistically accepting the fact that Zero may be one who harem. Aside from that, she's a strong willed young woman with greater charisma than most of the members of Black Knights. Kaguya may be young, but that doesn't mean she can't hold her own as the headmistress of her family and fellow rebel.

Hanabishi Kaoru comes across a beautiful girl in a kimono who looks bewildered at the train station. He offers to help her find her way, which in fact turns out to be in the direction of his own home. When they arrive at the address she is looking for, the kimono girl is devastated to find out that it is now an empty lot. At Kaoru's home, the kimono girl shows him a picture of a boy she is looking for which in fact turns out to be Kaoru! The kimono girls turns out to be Sakuraba Aoi, his arranged fiancee! Not many seem to follow the rules of wearing a kimono the way Aoi does. Aoi holds herself properly as the daughter of the Sakuraba family and makes sure she behaves in a way that is befitting someone of her stature and dress. Although Aoi is quieter than the other girls around Kaoru, you can clearly see who holds the favor in Kaoru's heart making her the clear winner in this harem! You will adore the adorable dandere kimono girl that is Aoi in this ecchi classic!

Himura Kenshin appears very upbeat and sunny, however in reality, Kenshin has a dark past as an assassin during the Meiji restoration. Kenshin is now in Tokyo where he befriends a female kendo master and other friends who will help him to fight off the enemies from his past. You just can't forget one of the first anime to introduce the west to kimono! Kaoru is a headstrong kendo master that is not to be taken lightly. She's skilled, spunky, and passionate about her dreams, but Kaoru also has a heart of gold. She's no damsel in distress, which makes her the perfect partner for Kenshin. It's really no wonder why Kaoru made it on the list of top 10 anime girls in kimono! Kaoru's a kimono girl like no other!

Fushimi Inari is an ordinary, shy middle school girl who cannot express her feelings for her crush Tanbabashi. One day Inari saves a kitsune pup and is given one wish to be granted by Uka-no-Mitama-no-kami. Inari asks for the ability to change her form which actually changes everything in her life. No one is more befitting #1 on the list of anime girls in kimono than our very own Uka-no-Mitama-no-kami from Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha. Uka is a sensitive soul with a great love of humans that seems to be lost amongst the other deities. She cares very much, even when it puts her own life in danger. That's not all, though! Uka is a hilarious deity with a love of video games, watching humans, and eating delicious foods. Let's not forget that Uka is amongst the most powerful of deities. Combined with her elegant beauty, it's no wonder Uka is so popular! She's a charmer like no other. That's what makes Uka the top of this list of anime kimono girls!

Around 2003-2004, I was investing my time into harem anime or anime that were adapted from visual novels, and mecha shows because, well, I was a young lad back then so I sought romance shows. I’m also a sci-fi nerd and watched a lot of shows that involved robots. I only knew of FMA after hearing so much about it on image boards, and it was recommended a lot by friends. I was reluctant at first glance because it’s a shounen show, but after watching the first episode, boy was I wrong. Alchemy is a scientific technique of understanding the structure of matter. The technique involves decomposing and reconstruction of matter into any form. If performed skillfully, it is possible to create gold out of lead. However, alchemy, like every branch of science, must follow the rules that governs nature — only something can be created from something else of a certain mass, the Principle of Equivalent Exchange. The Elric Brothers found out the consequences the hard way as they travel the land in search of the fabled Philosopher’s Stone, a stone that is said to be capable of create anything by defying the Principle of Equivalent Exchange. Along the way they unravel government corruption, inhumane experiments, human transmutation, and people playing god. Fullmetal Alchemist is a grand adventure that takes you various places and discover the dark side of alchemy. The storytelling is so tight, you hardly let out a sigh because each episode is packed with story and character development. My favorite part is of course the bond of the Elric Brothers. They’ve seen things that will make any man go insane, but they held through the dark times because they greatly support each other. FMA is one of my favorites because it told a great story, has one of the best OST out there, and the huge cast of characters that you’ll either love or hate.

After Earth’s natural resources were depleted, man adopts solar and nuclear energy as main sources of power and they peered into space’s untapped resources. The advancement of technology, new world order has led mankind into the Cosmic Era. Around mid way into the Cosmic Era, mankind is divided between the normal Earth-dwelling humans known as “Naturals”, to the genetically-altered humans known as “Coordinators”, who fled into space colonies after a series of hate crimes from the Naturals. The conflict grew into a full scale war that tore the world apart. Kira Yamato, a young science student working in a military factory of a space colony governed by a neutral nation was under attack by the Coordinators. Little did Kira know that the neutral nation is secretly developing a new kind of experimental weapon that will turn the tide of the war. Purists (i.e. Universal Century fans) will mock me for saying I love Gundam SEED more than the original Mobile Suit Gundam, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I did watch the movie version of the original Gundam and it didn’t really age well. Gundam SEED is a form of reboot to the Universal Century Gundam with similar whiny main characters, plot points, and twists. SEED is meant to draw in the younger audience by introducing a modern take of an old formula. Did SEED succeed? Yes it did. If you watched any Gundam show, the story starts when the young protagonist piloting the Gundam because he wants to protect his friends, the colony explodes, they get chased by a persistent villain, enter Earth, sand area, water area, go back to space, destroy the weapons of mass destruction. Yeah, it’s predictable, but it’s irrelevant in the long run because SEED makes up for it by giving the viewers an immersive war-torn world, a huge cast of characters, and sexy Gundams to drool over. My favorite character on the Naturals side is Flay Allster. She’s very annoying at the first part, but after a traumatic experience, she became bitter, mentally unstable, blames Kira for everything, and manipulated him because she knows he has crush on her. Despite all of that, she developed genuine feelings towards Kira and the parting at the end was so emotional. My favorite character on the Coordinator side is the main antagonist Rau le Creuset. Even though he wears a mask, a signature gear for a Gundam villain, he is no Char Aznable clone. Rau is purely psychotic hellbent on destroying humanity. He’s charismatic, skilled, deadly and gave Kira a run for his money. Oh and don’t ever watch Gundam SEED Destiny. Just don’t. Yeah, I know. I talk a lot.

Tsukamoto Tenma is a girl in love with classmate Karasuma Ooji and like any heartstruck girl, she can’t muster up the courage to confess. On the other hand, school delinquent Harima Kenji has fallen in love with Tenma, but he’s having trouble confessing. Will these two finally notice their feelings for each other or will things get complicated when they start misunderstanding each other? Misunderstanding The Anime. This sums up School Rumble nicely. There is no plot to follow here, so you watch a colorful cast of characters doing silly things because of a series of hilarious misunderstandings. Though Tenma is the anime’s main character, it’s actually Harima Kenji who gets the spotlight. Kenji is one of the best examples of great male leads in anime like School Rumble. Majority of the male MCs are generic-looking wusses and it was refreshing to see something different. What makes School Rumble a joy for me to watch is the interaction with delinquent Harima Kenji and spoiled rich girl Sawachika Eri. At first they’re so incompatible, as they pass each other like it’s nothing, but after a series of encounters and misunderstandings, they become somewhat very good partners in school events, and Eri slowly develops feelings for our hero. Unfortunately, Kenji is ever so oblivious and single-mindedly too infatuated with Tenma to notice. If you want a very funny high school comedy with a dab of romance, School Rumble is your first stop. Season 2’s second half wasn’t good, but I do suggest you keep on watching because they amped up the Kenji x Eri in second season.

12-year-old Kouyama Mitsuki has big dreams of becoming a singer. One day, she made a promise with a boy named Eiichi, that one day when they meet again, they will have both fulfilled their dreams. Unfortunately for Mitsuki, she is diagnosed with a growth on her throat and if left untreated, the tumor will take her life. However, she refuses to be treated because in doing so, she will forever lose her ability to sing and fulfill her promise to Eiichi. As her last days pass by, she is visited by two soul takers (shinigami), Takuto and Meroko to prepare for her departure to the afterlife. Refusing to give up, Mitsuki shows her resolve and passion to sing, and convinces Takuto to help her. With his powers, as well as some reluctant support from Meroko, they push Mitsuki to pursue her dreams by giving her a temporarily healthy body. Will Mitsuki fulfill her dream as a singer and meet Eiichi or will she fail and succumb to her illness? Normally, I avoid kiddy shows like these because they usually don’t tell any interesting stories, but after hearing a lot of good things about, I decided to give it a shot. And thank god I did. At first glance Full Moon wo Sagashite is your typical kiddy anime with lots of fluff, but unlike other kiddy shows, Full Moon dared to stand up to tell a very mature story. Full Moon wo Sagashite isn’t all about the story, the anime has great memorable music. While the track list is small compared to other idol anime, it compensates by how powerful each song is. Sung by MYCO with music by Changin' My Life, each song has a purpose, a meaning in terms of the story and Mitsuki herself. Every time I reminisce about Full Moon, I end up in tears. Every time I listen to the song New Future, my tear ducts can simulate the Niagara Falls. No other anime has pulled my heart strings this hard as Full Moon. Dare I say Full Moon wo Sagashite is the most beautiful anime ever made.

After meeting a young warrior killing a dragon, Kanzaki Hitomi and the warrior were teleported to the war-torn world of Gaea. The warrior Hitomi went with is Van Fanel, a prince to a small nation protected by dragons. Hitomi follows Van and his mysterious giant suit of armor called Escaflowne, on a quest to unite the countries of Gaea against the ominous Zaibach empire. Little does Hitomi know, she posses the power that would lead Gaea to peace or to utter destruction. Hitomi is a great female protagonist who is not a pretty face that just sits in one spot and lets the hunky boys do all the work. Hitomi is the group’s oracle, moral support, protector and friend. She has insecurities and feels jealousy, but what can she do? She’s just human. Each of the supporting characters play an important role in the story. Even the digger, Mr. Mole, is part of everything. Actually, there is no unlikable character in the anime, even the villains are well-developed and fun to watch. Seriously, how can you not like the bloodthirsty Dilandau Albatou? Vision of Escaflowne is hands down my all-time favorite anime because it got everything right and balanced them to perfection: a great main character, great cast of supporting characters, great villains, amazing pacing (seriously, once you’ve watched the first episode, you’ll end up watching more), amazing art and animation, romance, drama, mecha, action, an amazing orchestral score, and a timeless story all packed nicely into 26 episodes.

Adapted from another 4-koma manga by Takatsu Karino, the same creator of Working!!, this anime would be the next obvious choice to watch if you loved Working!!. Set in a particular City Ward’s health and welfare section, this anime follows the daily life shenanigans of the laidback Hasebe Yutaka who turns out to be very capable, Miyoshi Saya who isn’t very good at communicating but is very popular as a life problems consultant among old people, and Yamagami who aims to exact revenge on the man who allowed her name certificate to pass. Like Working!!, this anime is pitched as a workspace comedy and slice of life genre. Of course, the comedic quality of it is not a question; the quirks of each character guarantees to threaten you to choke on your own laugh. Not only is it written by the same author of Working!!, the animation for Servant x Service is also handled by A-1 Pictures, giving it a very familiar feeling of Working!!, especially with its very colorful and fluid animation. It really isn’t a stretch to say that Servant x Service and Working!! are siblings. If you enjoyed Working!!, it is very likely that you would love Servant x Service as well.

Adapted from a light novel, Hataraku Maou-sama! half-fooled its audience with a grand shounen anime opening scene: in the world of Ente Isla, The Demon King Sadao, well on his way to conquer the world, is beaten by the Hero Emilia. Barely managing to flee with his Demon General Alciel, Sadao stumbles into the real world of Japan, and begins to plan his strategy to take back Ente Isla—except that he needs to blend in the human world first without his magic capabilities, which means he has to assume a new identity of Maou Sadao, live in a very cheap apartment, and… work as a part-timer in MgRonald’s. Hataraku Maou-sama brings us the shenanigans of Sadao’s life as a part-timer in MgRonald’s, including his new dream to be the Best Employee of the Month. Like Working!!, it highlights the everyday workplace situations and blows it up with a grand silliness that would rip laughter straight out of your belly. The clever combination of shounen anime-like exaggeration actions and comedy makes it fun to watch through all the 26 episodes, and is definitely a great choice if you want to watch another anime like Working!!.

Workplaces don’t always mean a restaurant, or a public service office. Sticking close to the daily life and communities of Japanese society, Tamako Market is an anime set on a shoutengai—a shopping district community—focusing on Kitashirakawa Tamako and the local shopkeepers. Having a family who owns the mochi shop on the very back of the shoutengai, Tamako goes through the shoutengai every single day to go home, greets the other shopkeepers, and would sometimes buy groceries from them as well. With everyone within the shopping district being so tight-knit, it sets the tone of the show where it relies on the relationships that comes with many people coming together to work in one place. Like Working!!, the colourful, large cast of characters turns the workplace situations into a comedic setting. Tamako Market also has a very vibrant and colorful animation that reminds you of Working!!, except with Kyoto Animation’s emphasis in character animation. Even with its subtle comedic cues, Tamako Market doesn’t fail to bring you laughter the way Working!! does.

Going back to restaurants setting, Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru follows the story of a mystery-lover and trouble-magnet Arashiyama Hotori, who has to work at the Seaside Maid Café by leaning on the advices from her friend Tatsuno Toshiko. Being the unpredictable, if clumsy, girl that she is, Hotori attracts hilarious strings of problems from ghosts to aliens, and through her extraordinarily ordinary daily lives and work, the audience is taken through a great journey of laughter as well as several thought-provoking life lessons to learn. Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru’s best point would be its fluid animation provided by Shaft. If Working!! has Wagnaria with its quirky workers and regulars, then SoreMachi has Seaside Maid Café with its interesting visitors and employees, as well as great comedic cues and exaggeration that makes it really interesting and fun to watch, highlighting the silly extraordinary points of Hotori’s ordinary life, whether it be alien attacks or a simple love triangle—or perhaps, square. Just by watching the opening sequence, this anime would remind you of Working!!. Also supported with an excellent seiyuu line-up such as Irino Miyu and Sakurai Takahiro, SoreMachi gives you a rather interesting feel by the combination of exaggerated comedy and light philosophical daily musings, and is definitely worth a try!

The newly booming high school comedy anime, adapted from a 4-koma manga with the same title, Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun peeks into the daily shenanigans of Sakura Chiyo, who falls in love with Nozaki Umetarou, an aloof and at times scary-looking schoolmate who turns out to be the mangaka of an immensely popular shoujo manga series. After her attempt on confessing fails and she ended up being one of Nozaki’s assistants, Chiyo’s school life begins to turn very interesting as she learns how far Nozaki would go in the name of his manga, including recruiting their friends to help him as manga assistants, and turning her art club activity into a chance to gather materials for his next chapter. The quirks of each characters and how it influences their relationships with one another as well as how it brings belly-laughter to its audience has a very similar feel to Working!!, as Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun takes a mangaka workplace even into the school life: from the shenanigans that stem from taking pictures for background references, to a mangaka all-nighter struggle and effects the next day, and dealing with traumatic editors. Doga Kobo manages to capture and even takes the comedic aspects of the manga into a new level—the rodeo scene, for example, is done and blown up very well in the anime. For Nakamura Yuuichi, Okamoto Nobuhiko, and Sawashiro Miyuki’s fans, this anime is a must-watch, as these seiyuu bring their characters flawlessly into life. A fine choice for another slice of life comedy anime for a fun marathon.

The first thing that might pop in your head when you see this anime would be bizarre. Really, a Canadian polar bear opening a café, with its regulars being humans and—a Panda, a Penguin, and even a Llama and a Sloth? Not to mention that said polar bear apparently likes to tell tall tales and is also a master of pun. Balancing slice of life comedy and the cuteness of various animal characters, Shirokuma Café brings you into the hilarious daily life of its characters as they gather in the café for a break after work (or just all the time, really), and, at times, might even bring you into tears with the occasional heartfelt episodes. Studio Pierrot does a simple but beautifully colorful animation with Shirokuma Café, which, similar to Working!!, is set on a food service business. The comedic cues it uses are slightly different from that of Working!!, but it also doesn’t only bring you laughter, but also embarrassing coos at its characters, as well as inexplicable attachment to each and every one of them. Fukuyama Jun, who also plays Takanashi Satou in Working!!, holds the role of Panda-kun here perfectly, along with Sakurai Takahiro, Kamiya Hiroshi, Endou Aya, and several other top-tier seiyuu such as Konishi Katsuyuki and Hanazawa Kana. In short, if you love animals and puns-related jokes, this would also be the perfect choice of watch.

High School delinquent Harima Kenji is in love with fellow classmate Tsukamoto Tenma. There's only one problem... Tenma is in love with fellow classmate Karasuma Ooji. This romance comedy is sure to give you a laugh or two as the different parties try their best (often failing) to win the hearts of their crush. School rumble emphasizes more on the comic effect that arises due to the frustration of failing to get the crush to notice them. Originally starting of as a comedy show, the story eventually progresses and ends up as a heartwarming tale. Never losing its sights on the romance and comedy tag. School Rumble is a good balance of romance and comedy.

Miyazawa Yukino's social standing was threatened by a new-comer. Arima Soichiro seemed to be better in everything - grades, looks, humble and likeable. She is not pleased with her new position as number 2 as she was used to getting all the praises and respect of her fellow classmates. How will jealousy and envy transform into love as the both of them adapt to his and her circumstances. Besides all of the issues apart, the story is a well-balanced tale of how two seemingly competing individuals eventually get together in a school setting. No doubt old, it can be considered a classic of a romance and slice of life anime.

Odd things are happening to members of the Cultural Research Club. Without any explanation, a supernatural occurrence caused all 5 members to switch bodies at random times. While it starts off as bewilderment, all 5 members will soon learn the deep dark secrets that each individual hold as they live through the personal lives of the body of the person they switched with. Can they accept the harsh reality and maintain their relationship as friends? Even more so, will some of them accept the feelings of the other party, especially if it was not meant to be known yet. Kokoro Connect had an interesting premise. No longer will characters observe the world from their standpoint. As different aspects of their lives are modified and changed. They will have to live the lives of others both at school and at home. While many would presume that it is a strong intrusion of privacy, the show did great in portraying romance as different characters come to terms with the dark past and traits of their crush. Who though? We are not here to spoil any plot though!

Poor Kuronuma Sawako is just a misunderstood girl at school. Her niceness and quiet demeanour is often misinterpreted as being awfully similar to the ghost character of hit horror movie, The Ring. Having the same long straight black hair of Sadako, the main antagonist is more than enough to send everyone running away in fear. Luckily for her, she happens to meet the popular Kazehaya Shouta. Will this be a new chapter in her life? Kimi ni Todoke is actually a very simple but yet beautiful tale of school romance. Even though Sawako is isolated for most of her life, she maintains a sweet and innocent personality. It makes you happy to see her getting along with Kazehaya at school and in the classroom. This is a classic romance anime that is adapted from a hit manga and for good reasons too!

Shizuku is only interested in scoring the best in any exams. Focused only in her studies at school, how can someone who was nicknamed "Dry Ice" ever find romance? Enter Haru, gentle and caring on one side but an uncontrollable monster at the other. These two social misfits seems like a very bad equation for love but hey, love is blind. While the romance element takes a while to emerge in the series, it is worth the wait. Both characters are odd in their own way and there may even be times in which you will feel that there is no progress at all. Opposites do attract however, and there will definitely be romance in the classroom!

After being stood up at a date during Christmas Eve, our main character Junichi Tachibana's heart was left in pieces. Jaded on the concept of love, he keeps it to himself most of the time and spends most of his time with his close friends. The story will branch out depending on the arc of the heroine and he will find love once again. This time however, it remains true. Presented in different arcs, each exploring the routes of the different heroines, Amagami SS shows the start and end of every romantic interest of the different girls. All occurring in the school setting, but the anime shows how a different personality can change the view of the main character. What is particular good is the variety of main heroines such that it will be easier for you to pick a new waifu!

Switching from an all boys school, it can be awkward to be the first few batches of girls to enter. Even more so if you're the first female student president. Misaki Ayuzawa goes beyond that barrier however. She is strict and an adept fighter as well. Her reputation for utilising such methods for discipline earned her the nickname of "Demon President". It should've ended there, however she has a secret, she works at a maid cafe. What happens when the most popular boy in school enters her cafe one day and see her in costume? Kaichou-wa Maid-sama sees a couple being brought together in school. What is truly remarkable is the fact that this relationship has many ups and downs and it is definitely not easy to maintain. Yet, the characters devotion and dedication to each other proved that nothing could've stood in their way.

Life is not easy in Sakura Hall. All of the residents are quirky and weird. Kanda Sorata is a new resident of this dormitory and he already wants out. His friend, Aoyama Nanami recommends that he get out but joins soon after as well. The final individual to this rom-com is Shiina Mashiro, a gifted artist. She quickly forms a liking to Sorata. Her childlike ways earned her titular nickname - The Pet Girl of Sakurasou. Sakurasou juggles between friendship and romance. Bordering between the fine lines between these relations can be heart wrenching. Who do you think will end up with Sorata in the end? The school friend, Nanami who received and gave support to Sorata throughout their school life or the new comer, Mashiro, who has innocent qualities and a childlike personality.

Ryuuji Takasu was unfortunate enough to be born with sanpaku which made him appear fierce and even evil looking. However, he is a gentle soul at heart and even a germophobe. He long had a crush on his classmate Minori Kushieda. Next, is Aisaka Taiga. Miniscule in size, she has a crush on Ryuuji's best friend, Yusaku Kitamura. Due to circumstances, they will find themselves aiding each other to get the romance that they desire. Whatever will transpire next? Whenever someone thinks of romance in a school setting, most would've heard of ToraDora. From start to beginning, you will always be immersed in the story and there will never be a moment where the story diverges away from its main theme. Truly a stunning masterpiece, it is a must watch for romance lovers.

It was a chance encounter, but one that will change the lives of both Okazaki Tomoya and Furukawa Nagisa. While going up the slope towards his school, Tomoya met the sickly and frail Nagisa. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was purely coincidental or it could even be the inherent goodness in Tomoya. Regardless, he took it upon himself to be Nagisa's friend and helped her adapt into high school life. The events that follow can only be surmised as an exemplary form of love and gives meaning to what it truly means to give your all to that special somebody. If anything, Clannad is known throughout the industry, is for its emotional conclusion and stunning animations at its time, it can be said to be Key's best work of art. Generally well received, most will say that it is a tearjerker and an anime that even holds the potential to change the world for you. It is subjective, but it is definitely a masterfully crafted story and perhaps even the quintessence of a romance anime. It goes without saying that we rank it at Number 1.

For those who are just getting into otome games, maybe you'd like to consider Princess Debut. The story begins with the protagonist dreaming of being whisked away by a prince when a princess suddenly bursts out of her closet. They decide to switch places, so you end up in the Flower Kingdom where you will have to attend the Ball of Saint Lyon. Now, you've got 30 days to learn how to dance and find a prince. As an otome game, Princess Debut delivers all the features of standard otome games where you are able to pursue your prince as you please, but it doesn't make you play through several months or years to get to the ending like some other otome games. There isn't a main focus on any one aspect of the game. You have a few rhythm mini games, a few cut scenes, and the days go by fast so the game doesn't drag. There just isn't enough time for you to get bored. Overall, it's a great otome game for starters or those looking for something to kill time. You won't feel invested in it, but it also won't take up too much of your time collecting CGs.

Yo-Jin-Bo is another great otome game for starters. This English otome game is available for everyone who owns a PC so almost anyone can play! It stars Sayori, a normal high school girl, who finds herself a century and a half in the past after she discovered a mysterious pendant on an archeological dig. She's not sure what's going on, but now, Sayori has become Hatsuhime, the princess of the Mochizuke clan, who is destined to die. With the help of 6 bodyguards, Sayori must try to change her terrible fate. The plot of Yo-Jin-Bo is a familiar one that you may have seen in some anime, but you get the chance to be the main character! If you're a fan of Japanese pop culture, you'll love Yo-Jin-Bo for its references. Yo-Jin-Bo has a very light tone with some emphasis on humor so while the plot may not be as awe inspiring, you'll still find yourself having a lot of fun with this otome game before trading it in for something a bit more complex.

If you are looking for a casual otome game without too much emphasis on the dating sim aspect, Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island may be just the game you're looking for. In Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island, you play as Annie who's lazy and dreams of marrying wealthy. In an effort to save her butt, her grandfather whisks her away and dumps her on Sera Island where she must train in alchemy to help with the resort's construction. Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island is an otome game for casual dating sim players who also enjoy RPG style gaming. You get to gather materials, battle monsters, and synthesize items. It's a fairly simple game, but that doesn't mean you'll ever find yourself getting bored. There's so much to do that you wish you had more time before the deadline! Despite being a relatively short otome game, there are still 7 endings to enjoy!

While the story of the Story of Seasons is simple, it is a highly addicting game to play. Most of the games focus on the rebuilding of a run down old farm. You've just moved in so you have new neighbors and some interesting village stories, but your main focus is to rebuild your home into a great farm once more! Along the way, you fall in love, build a family, and help make the town a great place to live in. Story of Seasons is an adorable game with many fun aspects. If you don't like farming, raise livestock! Can't decide on a life partner, court them all and have your pick of the litter! Story of Seasons also tends to include many different mini games and festivals so the gameplay stays fresh and there's so much to enjoy. It's hard to get tired of Story of Seasons no matter how many different versions you play.

For all of you history buffs out there or those of you who have a thing for somewhat historical figures, Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ may be the time of fanservice you need. Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ follows the story of a young girl who has been called a monster all of her life because everything that touches her melts and deteriorates. She has lived in isolation for 2 years, but one day, a man rescues her from her solitude and soon, she finds herself in the middle of a political struggle and civil unrest. Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ is a wonderful English Otome game with a rich story. Story driven, English otome games are uncommon, but don't hesitate to check Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ out! In this otome game, you will come across somewhat historical figures such as Van Helsing, Victor Frankenstein (who is accurately the scientist!), and Sherlock Holmes, though the names may differ due to copyrights. You'll find yourself in the center of many nefarious plots and mysteries, but which bishounen will help lead you the right way? Let's not forget that you melt everything you touch, so how will you get your happily ever after?

One of the first of many story driven English otome games released this year, Amnesia: Memories holds its own as one of the top English otome games. Not surprising, the Amnesia otome games are one of the top otome games in Japan! Much like the anime, you are a girl who cannot even remember her own name. At the start of the game, you decide which door you want to enter: the spade, the clover, the heart, or the diamond. You wake up in a strange place after being involved in a potentially fatal accident. Since then, you have been able to see a supernatural creature named Orion who is determined to help get back your memories, but hiding the fact that you can't remember is tough and it makes it worse when your boyfriend gets suspicious! Unlike some other otome games, in Amnesia: Memories, you converse a more with the other characters, especially with the boy that you like. While you do technically get to choose your route, it is much harder to get the right ending with that many chances to converse with others. With that aside, you get to learn how your relationships were before your accident and how your amnesia changes everything. You get to learn about the boy's' sides and find out what went wrong on both ends of a relationship. Each route will open your eyes about the boy you are dating and change the fate of your relationship! An added bonus, you'll love the beautiful graphics and CGs this English otome game has to offer!

Don't let the artwork fool you, Sweet Fuse: At Your Side is a definite must play for otome game lovers. It follows the story of Saki, a girl who was just going to the opening of her uncle's video game themed amusement park. At the opening ceremony, a villain dressed in a distasteful pig costume takes the staff and Saki's uncle hostage, demanding that 7 people stay in the park to complete the games or else the entire amusement park will blow up with the hostages as victims! Together, you must work with these 6 males to save the lives of the staff and your uncle. Sweet Fuse: At Your Side is a splendid English Otome game with an elaborate plot, fun game play, and many sweet moments. The protagonist, Saki is one sassy girl with a lot of personality. She's always there to slap sense into those boys and you have to love her temper. Although your choices of males are a bit odd (some are old with kids!), each character has his own background story that will touch your heart. The story itself changes quite drastically with each playthrough as you choose different guys and find out the many secrets behind the villain. As far as otome games go, Sweet Fuse: At Your Side is perhaps one of the most exciting!

If you're looking for an English otome game with plenty of plot, action, and thrill, then you may want to take a look at Persona 3. In Persona 3, you have the choice to play as a female or male who decides to join the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES) where you will be investigating the Dark Hour. During the Dark Hour, you enter Tartarus where you must fight Shadows who feed off of the minds of humans. Be warned, you don't want to play Persona 3 unless you have a lot of time on your hands. The gameplay is pretty simple: you use personas to fight shadows, but you need to take the time to synthesize powerful personas and build relationships with your friends to create social links and strengthen your personas. There's so much to do that you'll get lost in the game for days or even weeks. You can't even deny how thrilling the plot is; everything in this game works together to make the perfect otome game. If you don't like RPGs, fighting games, or amazing plots, then this otome game just isn't right for you.

As a game that was just released, you might be hesitant since there aren't as many gaming reviews, but Norn9 is an otome game like no other. We follow young Sorata into the Meiji periods where he meets 3 young girls and 8 young men who ride aboard the Norn ship on a mission, however soon they learn there may be a traitor on board so defenses are up and its time to keep an eye on one another to find the traitor! This English otome game, allows you to pick between 3 different characters with their own unique personalities. Based on the girl you pick, you then get to choose between 3 different boys. While the start of Norn9 is the same no matter who you pick, as soon as you have picked your path, the story changes quite drastically. The story itself is very exciting, despite being on a direct route, but each character has their own struggles which can make your heart wrench. You'll soon find yourself completely enthralled, wanting to play through each route to see how the story unfolds. Will you discover the traitor? Will you find love?

There's no english otome game as popular or well known, as Hakuoki. Hakuoki follows the story of a young girl, Chizuru who is searching for her missing father. On the night she arrives in Kyoto, she is almost attacked by men, but the Shinsengumi intervene. After saving her life, the Shinsengumi take Chizuru into custody only to find out that they are both looking for the same person. Now, Chizuru is under the protection of the Shinsengumi as they work towards bettering Japan and finding Dr. Yukimura. Hakuoki is an otome game that has been around for some time and has had many releases, but the four games released in English are all variations of the same games, whether it's Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom, Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi, or Hakuoki: Stories of the Shinsengumi, however that just means anyone can play Hakuoki! There are so many mysterious involved in Hakuoki and the political struggle is quite dire, but you will soon find yourself invested in its intricate plots and beautiful imagery. The members of the Shinsengumi are no slouches either. Which samurai will win your heart with his blade? Which samurai will you end up saving from himself?

Ergastulum is a crime city. It is filled with numerous gangsters and illicit transactions occurs at every corner of the street. In this series, we will be taking a look at a duo of unaffiliated individuals simply known as the "Handymen", a duo to complete any odd jobs as long as it pays. Find out more about their history and their affiliation to the Big Four gangs in Ergastulum. Gangsta has an abstract feel to it, in a way that the story progresses at a pretty fast pace, certain elements might be left out. The Handymen takes the standpoint of the middleman, so no matter what they do, they will see conflict all around them, all the time. Definitely a good Action anime for the middle of the year.

Owari no Seraph is a blend of two horrors - a pandemic that caused the collapse of humanity, and the vampires that seek to overthrow the human race and make them their slaves. Hyakuya Yuuichirou seeks to end this suffering, and hatches a plan to escape. Being the only survivor, he seeks vengeance against the vampire and will do whatever it takes to annihilate them. Owari no Seraph has many action scenes depicting the conflict between the human race and the vampires. Just as the human race possess the will to reign supreme and free again, the vampires will do whatever it takes to suppress their slaves and ensure that they will never rise again. Owari no Seraph will see two factions fighting it out for their individual beliefs.

Arslan Senki tells the story of a crown prince who had lost his kingdom. Destined to rule the city of Pars, Arslan does not believe that he has what it takes to rule a kingdom. He lost his first battle at a tender age of 14, and he watched the kingdom fall to the hands of one of his father's most loyal retainers. It is up to Arslan to reclaim his rightful position and make himself king again. Arslan Senki is loosely based on a Persian epic tale. Arslan also narrates the adventures of a heroic prince who was forced to flee for his life and slowly reclaim the kingdom that was rightfully his. A very fast-paced story, you will be cheering for Arslan as he braves through the impediments along his way.

Orario is a thriving society. However, this society sits above a multi levelled dungeon simply named as the Dungeon. Bell Cranel is a 14 year old rookie who starts his career roaming the dungeons... picking up girls. Unfortunately for him, instead of saving girls, he ended up being saved by a goddess known as Hestia. What will happen next after the chance encounter. While not being a video game, you can almost envision a game-like setting where the objective is to roam the dungeon to gain rewards and experience. Danmachi is similar to that in a sense that the character is aided by a goddess. Other elements of dungeon games that are also present, are magic and fighting. Simply put, watching Danmachi is almost as good as playing a video game!

When salaryman Momonga became trapped in the popular Online RPG game, Yggdrasil, he must learn to adapt to the new world as the Non-Playable Characters (NPC) are starting to come to life and having a mind of their own. With no more connection to the physical life, Momonga will have to make the video game his new home whether he likes it or not. How will his new life play out for him? Overlord features a Sword Art Online type premise in which characters are trapped in a virtual world. Instead of fighting to get out of the online game however, Momonga is fighting to survive, as he is trapped in the game world indefinitely. Featuring intense fight scenes and a moderately paced storyline, Overlord will surely appeal to the gamer inside you!

Focusing on the Bishamon arc of the manga, Bishamon is known to have many “loose spirits” with her, known as shinki. However, with the sheer amount of shinki that she has, it is impossible for her to form an emotional connection to all of them in the long run. In addition, she still has that one pressing problem with a certain minor god - Yato. This new season will explore the connection between them. Ever since the first season of Noragami came out, there were pressing issues posed by the fans. Such as, where is the new season? Why does Bishamon have a strong resentment towards Yato? Well, this new season serves to explain the connection and continues the Noragami franchise. You can certainly expect more Yato and Hiyori development as well as the ongoing conflict between Bishamon and Yato.

More than 300 years have passed since the Calamity War has ended. Even though Mars has since been colonised, it is now suffering from poverty. Entirely dependent on Earth, there has been talks for independence to improve the problem of poverty. Mikazuki Angus, an orphan and security enforcer for Chryse Guard Security (CGS) was assigned the role of a bodyguard for Kudelia Aina Bernstein. His team, consisting entirely of orphans were attacked by the Earth unit, and its leader Orga Itsuka ordered Angus to enter the fray. Angus will have to decide to fight against his friends or fight with them. Fans of the Gundam series can rejoice as this new instalment of the franchise is packed with intense Action and fast-paced story. The artwork has been redeveloped and can be said to be one of the best one in the franchise. The story had a well-balanced feel to it and the music complements the anime. With raving reviews everywhere, we place it at Number 4 on the list.

Seven servants, seven Masters, one grand prize. The servant that outlives the other six and stands victorious will claim the Holy Grail, the artifact that is said to grant any wish. Servants summoned by their Masters will work hand in hand together as they survive and eliminate the competition. Only one pair will be able to claim the almighty Holy Grail. Fate/Stay Night is the most anticipated action anime reboot. With Ufotable holding the reins now, fans will be treated to the stunning visuals and even more detailed fight scenes, how the visual novel was meant to be. This remake follows the Unlimited Blade Works route or simply known as the Toosaka Rin route, where Emiya Shirou ends up with Rin. With excellent heart-pumping action scenes, Fate is one of the top action anime in 2015.

This is a continuation of the hit manga series, this series feature yet another JoJo and his compatriots on a quest around Egypt as he locates the Joestar family nemesis, Dio Brando. Along the way, they will have to face numerous assassins sent by Dio. JoJo is packed with heavy intense action. Dubbed as the most masculine show in the year, it had good reasons too. The weapons in JoJo are the physical manifestations of tarot cards and their powers are symbolic to the meaning of the archetype. So it's like a story within a story. And because there are 21 cards, you can be guaranteed that every episode is packed full of action.

Most heroes are revered for their skill, if not their intellect. The outplaying of opponents, the overwhelming force to succumb evil beings showing that justice, fairness and goodness reign over evil... Until Saitama comes along, the most anticlimactic hero of all. His strength is unparalleled, and he wins matches with only… one punch. Hence the name One Punch Man. One Punch Man is certainly the most hyped anime in 2015. Originated from a manga of humble origins, it stands as the most popular running anime this season, if not the whole year. Mixing both comedy and action, viewers will be laughing and enthralled at the action scenes as well. It will be too much to explain why One Punch Man is a hot favourite this season, so why not watch it? You will not regret it. We place it at number 1 and give it the title for the Best Action Anime in 2015.

What's there to say about our little Koise Natsuno? He's kind of like the lone wolf in Shiki. While Natsuno hates the countryside and is a city boy at heart, you know he's a pretty good guy since he's willing to sacrifice everything for this small village. Unfortunately, Natsuno has that cold, hard shell that's difficult to get past. Now, what's everyone's favorite werewolf wearing for the winter season? As the weather gets cold, Natsuno dons on a reddish brown, checkered parka over a white button down shirt with black capri pants and pink sneakers. While in most cases, this would probably be on the list of weird anime fashions, but this is the type of fashion that only a bishounen can pull off. Don't worry, Natsuno is just that bishounen! Somehow this odd attire suits him quite nicely whether it's his body, attitude, or perhaps it was just made for him, but Natsuno looks like one sexy bishounen now in his warmer winter wear. Kids, don't try this at home!

Perfection is hard to find, but Morishima Haruka comes pretty close. She can be quite mischievous and sly, but most of the time, Haruka is pretty playful and loves to tease. Even though Haruka is extremely popular amongst her class, Haruka still has her own insecurities which makes her so cute! How can you not fall in love with Haruka for the holiday season? Haruka does a great job looking fashionable yet warm for the winter season. Taking a look at her winter fashion, she has put on a fur-lined, white trench coat that complements her figure and gives off that innocent girl charm that Haruka seems to possess. You'd never guess that she has a devilish side underneath that trench coat!

If you're a tsundere fan, you'll love Gareki! Gareki is at times cold and quick to reject you, but in truth, he's just shy and embarrassed easily. Gareki does all in his power to protect what's important to him, even when it means sacrificing his own happiness, but he doesn't do it for the glory! He's just the hero we all need. Gareki hits the streets in his sleek outfit consisting of a deep blue top coat, black zippered turtleneck, red pants, and gloves. Of course, you can't forget Gareki's goggles! Gareki's outfit not only makes it easier to handle those winter winds, but it suits Gareki quite nicely as the brooding type. If you're looking to Gareki as your winter fashion model, don't forget the gloves! Your fingers will thank you.

If there was ever a pure hearted shoujo character through thick and thin, Sawako would be that character. She believes wholeheartedly in everyone around her and will do anything to ensure that everyone is happy even when it means she's left behind. She's a little unusual, but Sawako is an adorable young teen who is just finding her place in this world, and we all can relate, can't we? Sawako is just a darling in her knee length dress and knitted poncho for the new year! She also made a smart decision finishing off her outfit with knee length boots to make it easier to trek through the snow yet stay in style. You have to love her poncho though, which is not only a great way to stay cozy for the winter, but it compliments her innocent personality beautifully! Sawako's choice in winter fashion is just perfect for hatsumode this season!

The perfect way to describe Juvia: Gray crazy. She's the adorable water mage of Fairy Tail who's strong, clever, and completely obsessed with Gray, which makes her a little more than just crazy. She's quick to go into her own fantasy world and make up her own delusions, but you can't deny that Juvia is a worthy member of Fairy Tail. Not many can deny the charms of one Juvia Lockser. She looks dazzling in her blue dress, which is cinched at the waist, and matching blue, fur lined cape and cap. Now, this is how you dress to impress! Juvia adds some definite sex appeal with the high slit up her side and knee length boots. Juvia not only looks cozy, she's about to bring the fire!

When it comes to girl friends, Nanami is one of the most stubborn. She has had her share of issues, but she keeps going headstrong into her relationship against all odds! That doesn't mean she's an idiot either, because she doesn't let herself get taken advantage of. Nanami is strong in her own convictions and speaks her mind; Nanami is the role model most teenage girls need to survive their adolescents! Of course, Nanami does it perfectly on a Christmas date! Nanami shows off her sweet style with her adorable magenta dress complimented with her whitish pink, fur lined bolero perfect for winter fashion. Of course, her dress may be short but the knee length boots add the perfect touch as well as keep her warm. If you're looking for that innocent look for your holiday date, just go to Nanami for any winter fashion consults!

How can you possibly not like Mikoto? He's got attitude, which is the essence of fashion winter or spring! Mikoto is a man willing to do anything for his comrades and he's a great leader too, though he may not seem like the most serious, he's not one to take lightly. Mikoto is a complicated man, but you will definitely understand why his clansmen love him so much. Now, here's one anime character that really brings the fire this season! Mikoto shows off his winter fashion sense with his fur-lined, black leather jacket, white v-neck and denim jeans. It's a casual look that suits his rougher appearance just right! Leather's a great material if you're looking to keep warm and keep the winter breeze out yet maintain your winter style. Mikoto's also got just the right jewelry to finish off the rough-around-the-edges look.

Although Ryuu doesn't stand out like the other characters from Kimi ni Todoke, you have to admit that he's one of the best supporting characters. He's a man of few words, but when he does speak, he doesn't waste words. Ryuu doesn't care for gimmicks, tricks, or plots. He's the type who is blunt and to the point, but he's just the type of person that we need to be or the best friend we need. Ryuu is another character from Kimi ni Todoke with some great winter fashion sense. He dons on a white down jacket perfect for keeping insulated, but compliments the jacket with a cap that rounds out the look very well. He may look like some casual high school boy, but Ryuu shows off the kind of a style that guys should wear for the winter. When coupled with his easy going and quiet personality, it's a great example of winter fashion done right.

When it comes down to tsunderes, Kirino is one of the most stubborn, but it adds to her cuteness. She loves little sister eroges, has an obsession over a magical girl anime, and is quick to run to her brother for help when needed. Kirino is probably one of the cutest little sister types, not because of her looks, but because she has her own personality. She's a little girl with plenty of attitude! Kirino may be known for being an otaku amongst anime fans, but don't forget, she's a model, too! For her winter fashion, Kirino puts on a lovely light blue long sleeve under a blue spaghetti strap dress that's cinched at the waist with a wide brown belt. To top it off, she's added a fur lined, down vest to add a touch of warmth to her stylish outfit. Everything complements each other nicely and works well to keep Kirino warm during her Christmas date. Isn't Kirino as cute as always?

Minami Haruka is that girl next door that everyone loves and respects. She's talented in everything, but spends most of the time just taking care of her sisters rather than going out on dates or joining any clubs. Although Haruka can be rather sweet and caring, she's got everyone wrapped around her finger and rightfully is nicknamed "Banchou"! What winter fashion article would be complete without a kimono? Haruka is that girl next door that everybody loves so of course you'll fall in love with her in her beautiful light blue furisode featuring white blossoms and a pretty violet design on the sleeves. Not only does Haruka's furisode show off her beauty, grace, and elegance, it's a wonderful outfit for staying warm during the cold winter. Why not try a kimono for hatsumode this season? It's a timeless winter fashion that will not go out of style!

It’s impossible to discuss anime similar to Akira and not bring up Ghost in the Shell. First appearing as a movie in 1995, Ghost in the Shell has since expanded to include not only 3 more movies, but a TV show as well. It’s even expanding further, with another anime movie just released this year as well as a live adaptation in the works. The most recent iteration is Ghost in the Shell: AAA, which mainly retells the four movies in a new way as well as show new content to connect to the most recent movie. Ghost in the Shell is set in the middle of the 21st century, where Major Motoko Kusanagi serves as part of Section 9, an elite task force whose purpose is to protect the city of Niihama. Technology has advanced to the point where the average citizen can have advanced technology be integrated with their brain in order to access various online networks. The Major, as she is usually referred to by her team, has had her brain been integrated with these advanced technological parts. In addition, the Major also has a full body prosthesis to support her “cyber brain”, making her a cyborg, and a deadly threat to any criminal that gets in her way. The amount of similarities between Akira and Ghost in the Shell are numerous. Both Akira and Ghost in the Shell are very much engrained in the “cyberpunk” genre. Ghost in the Shell also explores deep themes much like Akira does; one of the themes they both share is the idea of losing one’s humanity and what exactly defines a human being. Both are action packed, with plenty of normal fights that take place as well as superhuman ones. Needless to say, it’s safe to say that Akira and Ghost in the Shell go hand in hand.

Elfen Lied is a perfect example of a series that can be grand despite its short length. The story focuses on Lucy, a girl who brutally escapes the confines of her surroundings only to end up barely alive on a beach and with no memory of what’s happened. Found by two normal teenagers, Lucy does her best to recover, but the attempts by a special assault team assigned to bring her back to her facility as well as the return of her memories only brings nothing but trouble. Elfen Lied shares a strong connection with Akira in terms of its test subjects. Both series focus on the experimentation on live subjects, adapting them with psychic abilities, and the consequences that happen as a result. Both series also tend to show an extensive amount of graphic violence as well as psychological violence. If you found yourself interested in the experiments conducted and the psychic abilities used in Akira, then you’ll find yourself enjoying Elfen Lied.

If you’re looking for an anime that somehow combines Akira and Ghost in the Shell, then Psycho-Pass would be your best bet. Set in the not-so-distant future, the world of Psycho-Pass is very dangerous. It has become possible to measure a human being’s emotions, dreams, and passions in a quantifiable way. The more negative these are for a person, the more likely they will be caught and disciplined. The series focuses on a group of policemen as they struggle to maintain public order and manage crime in a world where criminals try to fight and exploit this system. One of the similarities between Psycho-Pass and Akira is their complex storylines. Psycho-Pass is very focused on staying on track with its story, which is a good thing, as you have to pay close attention to how the rules work in this world. You also have to pay attention to the motivations of the criminals themselves in order to understand what exactly is going on. Psycho-Pass also has its fair share of fights that are filled with gore, and the setting itself bears a resemblance to Akira. If you liked the complexity of the events in Akira, then this is definitely worth checking out, as well as the recent movie.

Ray Steam is a young boy that lives in the United Kingdom who spends his time inventing, which makes sense, as his whole family is made up of inventors. The plot of the movie is set into motion when a mysterious invention from Ray’s grandfather arrives on Ray’s doorstep. Called the “Steam Ball”, the invention is one of great power, a power that many villains would like to get their hands on so they can use it for the wrong reasons. It’s up to Ray and his friend Scarlett to try and keep the Steam Ball out of the wrong hands. Akira was directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, who made a lot of ground breaking decisions in adapting Akira to the big screen. As a result, we have the masterpiece that is Akira, and Steamboy was Otomo’s follow-up. If you are a fan of the animation style of Akira, then Steamboy is perfect, as it is very much similar to Akira not only in the particular style used to draw the characters, but also in the sequences used, such as the action scenes and the vast shots used to capture the scenery. In addition, the setting itself is quite unique, as most anime are not set in the United Kingdom. But if you look closely, there are minor characters or locations in the backgrounds that very much appear as if they could belong in Akira. If you liked Otomo’s approach to how the apocalyptic scenes and the action sequences in Akira were set up, then you will enjoy the similar style he uses in Steamboy.

Tekkon Kinkreet is a movie about 2 orphan boys who are the best of friends. Whether it’s exploring Treasure Town for fun, beating up thugs, or just flying (you read that correctly), Kuro and Shiro do everything together. When mysterious entrepreneurs from a foreign land arrive in Treasure Town and decide to tear it down to make way for an amusement park, Kuro and Shiro naturally take it upon themselves to be the ones to stop them. But as they realize that these are their biggest adversaries ever, and as their relationship with one another begins to take a turn for the worst, Kuro and Shiro will have to decide what’s most important: themselves, or each other? Without a doubt, Tekkon Kinkreet is a modern retelling of Akira’s story in its basic form. From the very beginning, we see Kuro and Shiro chasing a gang of boys away that is very much reminiscent of the opening of Akira. Both films seem to have settings that resemble a bleak environment where the gangs are in control, not the police, and both stories have the main characters fighting for something bigger than themselves. But ultimately the key similarity between Akira and Tekkon Kinkreet is the schism that occurs between the leader of the gang and a member that the leader protects, and the attempt to fix that schism. If the reason why you enjoyed Akira is because of the characters of Kaneda and Tetsuo and their relationship, then Tekkon Kinkreet perfectly exemplifies a similar struggle.

Set in the year 2267, Freedom is the story of Takeru, a young boy who spends his time racing his hovercraft against other rival gangs. However, things soon change when he is faced with the task of discovering the origin of Eden, the doomed megalopolis that was mankind’s first space colony on the moon before a cataclysmic environmental disaster devastated Earth. As one thing leads to another, Takeru soon learns that things are not as they appear… Freedom is essentially Akira set in outer space. The characters and the technological aspects were designed by none other than Otomo himself, and although he didn’t write the story, it’s certainly similar enough in the sense that the main characters are living their normal lives until they stumble upon something much bigger than themselves. Due to the length of the series, it’s almost as if you’re watching another Akira movie of some sort. If you were a fan of the racing bike scenes from Akira as well as the basic plot, then Freedom is right up your alley.