The town of Yomiyama has been living under a cloud for more than 26 years. There’s an oppressive atmosphere and the town is full of secrets after the death of a middle school girl in 1972. A 15-year-old boy named Kouichi Sakakibara transfers into the class the dead girl was in 26 years later and can’t shake an eerie feeling about the whole school. He also keeps finding himself crossing paths with Mei Misaki, a mysterious girl wearing an eye patch. Driven by his curiosity, Kouichi gets closer and closer to the girl despite Mei’s warning to keep his distance. He also begins to slowly reveal the truth behind the macabre goings-on in the small town. The art is stellar. The use of light and tone from the schoolyard to the creepy doll shop really sets the mood. Tsutomu Mizushima, the director, keeps you guessing and trying to anticipate the next method, moment and victim of death. We’ve watched a lot of anime over the years and this one is like watching a Hitchcock classic. Another is a twisted tale that makes you watch, despite your instinct to look away, and that is one of the main reasons it’s on the list.

Tracen Academy is the school you want to attend if you want to win in a derby. The school doesn’t teach you how to ride, though, it teaches you how to run. The world we witness is a world similar to our own with one exception: horse girls. They’re girls born with two legs, two pointy, furry ears and a tail that love to run, run, run. The girls train and race around tracks of turf and dirt covering miles of distance all for the chance of winning prize money, trophies, and the chance to sing and dance [record scratch]. Yes, we said sing and dance. The top three winners in each race give an idol-like performance. Why? Because this is anime and just being a horse girl isn’t enough, you’ve got to sing and dance, too. The story focuses on Special Week, a horse girl from the countryside trying to become the best horse girl in Japan. We watch the girls train and compete in a fun slice of life/sports anime. Pretty Derby just started airing in April but has already gained quite a following. The colorful character design is one of the most attractive parts of this program. You also get clever characters who are cute as can be, even when they spend half the show in tracksuits. We also see some attention to detail in the design since all of the girls are based on real racehorses and many take the coloring of their hair from their namesake. In Silent Suzuka’s case it’s in the green ear covers she wears. A classic slice of life ensemble surrounds Special Week with characters ranging from hyper, to calm, to tsundere. A message of sportsmanship also pervades in the series. The girls work night and day to be the fastest and the best yet if they lose they don’t sulk, they congratulate the other girl and are ready to work harder to beat them next time. We think that sportsmanship is just what we need in our hyper-competitive society. The fine fillies of Pretty Derby are definitely worth checking out.

We all have issues with our families and Yasaburou Shimgamo is no different. He is also a tanuki and so is his family. The beautiful and imperial city of Kyoto has been home to tanuki and tengu for centuries and the humans of Kyoto have no idea. Yasaburou is one of three sons of an influential tanuki family. He spends his days using the tanuki shape-shifting ability to look human and move among humans much like his mother who spends her days hustling pool. The family is also mourning the death of the family patriarch, Yasaburou’s father, who was eaten by a group of humans. The story is part drama, part slice of life, and part mystery as they live their lives and come ever closer to understanding the real reason behind their fathers' demise. The artistic style of the series reminds you a bit of Kyoto Animation with its soft color tones and soft edges in the character design. If you’re reading this, P.A. Works, that's meant as a compliment. We find the story realistic to the point we can easily think the tanuki walk among us. The attention to detail is also noteworthy. You can tell without a doubt that from the osen to the ice cream shop that many locations are artistic renderings of real places. We love the creativity of storytelling in this tale of tanuki and recommend it to all ages.

Ancient artifact? Check. Alien invasion? Check. Reserved high school girl? Check. We are go for a mecha battle anime. The excavation of the Kurobe Dam in western Japan revealed a massive ancient artifact that seemed to defy human understanding. The United Nations sets up a lab for the top scientist in the world to research the monolithic structure. A school is established for the children of the scientists and among the students we find Yukine Shirahane, the daughter of the facility’s head. Yukine manages to set a young samurai free from the object; he’s from the Sengoku era and named Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma. We find at the same time an alien race determined to expand its empire has had its eyes set on Earth. It isn’t the first time they tried to invade, either. We watch Kennosuke, Yukina and a cast of school kids, scientists and soldiers attempt to live their lives and defend the planet against overwhelming odds. Kuromukuro is a great story told in two arcs. The first arc, 12 episodes, establishes the characters, their relationships, and our reasons for caring about them. The second arc is the battle. The end of the series leaves the potential for a third arc, one that couldn’t come soon enough for some of us. A big reason to like this story is the details in the grounded nature of the human-made mecha. You don't see the human-made mecha fly or defy the laws of physics. The characters talk about mass and energy consumption and you feel like these machines could exist. We will admit the alien-made mecha is a bit fantastical but it’s from an interstellar species so we can let that slide. The story is a fun slice of life and adventure. If you like mecha anime this should absolutely be on your list.

Otonashi awakes to find himself outside a school he doesn’t recognize and in a gun battle. A bossy, armed school girl quickly informs him he’s already dead and that he is currently in the afterlife. Yuri, the aforementioned school girl, inducts him into the SSS or the Afterlife Battlefront. The SSS is a school organization determined to fight their way out of the afterlife. The enemy is none other than a girl they refer to as Angel because she can make wings appear on her back. Despite believing that Angel is evil, Otonashi is inexplicably drawn to her. He finds that not all the assumptions they have been making about the afterlife are correct and a greater mystery is yet to be uncovered. Angel Beats! has two really important things going for it: music and characters. We find the music for the open is remarkable, the notes cascading off the piano make you feel as though you are floating to some ethereal place. The music by the band Girls Dead Monster is awesome. The song “Last Song” is sung with such deep passion and angst it feels as though you’re listening to someone’s soul being torn from their body. The singing voice for the lead singer Masami Iwasawa is vocalist Marina. The second song is “My Soul, Your Beats” sung by no other than anime songstress LiSA. The other outstanding part of Angel Beats! is the characters, or more so the backstories of the characters. We take moments to look into the lives of the members of the SSS and what led to their deaths to send them to the afterlife. The stories are gut-wrenching. A what-if story about two members meeting before they died is even more so. You should check it out Angel Beats! for the music, emotion, and some fun moments too.

Chika has never been considered a girly girl. She was an all-star volleyball player and spent more time in sweats than skirts. Chika comes to the conclusion at the beginning of her high school life to become a “cute girl.” She decides that she should leave the athletic life behind and join the Wind Instrument Club and play the flute. She develops a crush on her teacher and quickly discovers she has a romantic rival in her class. Haruta, Chika’s best male friend is also crushing pretty hard on his teacher. Haruta Kamijou is also everything that Chika aspires to be, feminine and filled with grace. The best friends attempt to live their perfect high school lives and get the attention of their instructor. Unfortunately, mysteries just keep getting in the way as Haruta and Chika prove to be the Holmes and Watson of their school, constantly drawn into solving some of the biggest puzzles plaguing the pupils. HaruChika is a great slice of life. You have the mystery angle and the club setting but basically, it is a slice of life. We watch these two characters with good chemistry tease and support each other. A big reason that this story is on the list is Haruta; he is gay, he is out, he is unembarrassed, and no one cares. The fact that he has a crush on a male teacher isn’t any more significant than Chika’s crush. We applaud P.A. Works for simply creating a character that isn’t a stereotype or odd. He is just Haruta and he happens to like boys. The choice to go with a progressive character is enough reason to place HaruChika on the list.

Yuu Otosaka is a charming and smart high school student, except that he isn’t. He is actually a con-man and a cheat. Yuu has a secret power that allows him to hop in someone’s body and control it for five seconds. He uses his power to get into a prestigious high school where he meets Nao Tomori, a mystery of a girl that seems to have a lot of power in the school as the student council president. Nao catches Yuu in the act and basically blackmails him into joining the student council. He finds that the student council has a secret mission to seek out, find, and bring in adolescents who have powers and protect them from a mysterious organization. P.A. Works does a great job with this show. Of course, we get stellar character design, voice acting, and artwork, but we also get a great story. You start out watching a program that feels like a lot of supernatural high school shows. You feel like they may be going down the route of Yamada-kun and the 7 Witches or The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya then they throw you a curve ball at the beginning of the second arc and it becomes something epic. The school story becomes something far greater than finding kids with powers, it becomes a tale of sacrifice to ensure a generation of children isn't enslaved by powers with malicious intent. The transformation Yuu makes from self-centered jerk to savior is truly great and a key reason to watch.

The human race didn’t always live on land. We, at least in this world, once lived beneath the sea. We lived and worked under the sea blessed with the power to breathe underwater. The story says that at some point some humans decided to leave mother ocean and because of that were stripped of their underwater abilities. A divide gradually developed between the two peoples despite their living side by side in many shore-side towns. A Lull in the Sea follows the story of Hikari Sakishima and Manaka Mukaido, along with their childhood friends Chisaki Hiradaira and Kaname Isaki, who are forced to leave the sea and attend a school on the surface when their school closes due to declining population. The children of the sea have to adapt to their new school and new ways of doing things in an attempt to live their lives as chaotic events beyond their control begin to gather around them. A Lull in the Sea is simply beautiful. You can watch the whole story without the sound or translation and simply be awed by the masterpieces that serve as the background. You will notice the world beneath the waves appears to be inspired by the villages in the Greek islands. The story itself, despite the fantastical setting, is about children from the wrong side of the tracks showing up at a school where they face prejudice and mistrust not because of how they look but because of where they were from. You even get a nice star-crossed romance too. We wholly recommend this masterpiece of animation in art and storytelling.

Yoshino Koharu is a recent college graduate and she has been out on 30 job interviews and struck out 30 times. She grew up in a small town and wants nothing more than to leave that small-town life behind and live the exciting life in Tokyo. Her dream seems to be fading with each rejection. She finally gets a job with the tourism board in the town of Manoyama. She is to serve as their queen for a period of one year as the leader of the towns “mini-kingdom”—the kingdom of Chupacabra. The kingdom, by any other definition, would be called a tourist trap. Sakura Quest is about a town that is trying to find itself in the new economy, an economy where artisan woodworking and farming just aren’t the prosperous careers they once were. The spunky queen assembles a court of other young ladies–more than one of whom have had their big-city careers stall–and have looked to start over in the small town. The girls work hard and gain experience about the job, the town, life and themselves as they try to pull a town back from the brink of disappearing. Sakura Quest is a fun slice of life about new beginnings. We watch five girls, Yoshino, Shiori, Maki, Sanae, and Ririko, trying figure out who they are when the lives they had planned didn't work out. The art and character design are top-notch as you would expect from P.A. Works but where this anime excels is in the storytelling. The scriptwriters and the director make believable characters that seem like people you'd meet every day, especially if you work in a small town. P.A. Works was able to take something as mundane as a small town struggling to attract tourists and turn it into a gripping drama without shoehorned melodramatic moments. The compelling characters will have you looking forward to each episode and, without any spoilers, the ending is the most perfect ending for a show like this you could imagine.

“We wanted to make an anime about the industry as it exists in the present,” were the words P.A. Works CEO Kenji Horikawa used when asked about this love letter to the anime industry. Shirobako, or the White Box, referring to the blank sheet of drawing paper animators use, focuses on several young women at the beginning of their careers in the industry. Aoi Miyamori is the lead in this story because as a production desk assistant she is involved in nearly every aspect of making anime. You follow her ups and downs as she stresses to the breaking point trying to wrangle artists, distributors, suppliers, actors, and directors to meet deadlines and get their anime on the air. Do you want to know what the industry is like? Horikawa said this is it. The characters may be a bit eccentric and some of the situations push the envelope for comedic reasons, such as locking a director in a closet until he finishes his storyboards. Shirobako, in general, has a cast of real people. You simply need to search the net for “Shirobako in real life" and you'll see several of the characters are almost direct portraits of their real-life counterparts. The most obvious is of the fictitious company's president, Masato Marukawa, and Masao Maruyama, the founder of Madhouse productions. The story could easily have been a drama with living, breathing actors. The settings are realistic and the situations relatable, making them both connect with the audience on multiple levels. We, as lovers of anime, can’t recommend this anime enough. This anime about the process and passion of making anime makes it the obvious number one choice for this list of Top 10 Anime by P.A. Works.

Umetarou Nozaki is a young shoujo manga artist. While he is blunt when it's about pointing out embarrassing things, he is very oblivious when some the girls show an interest toward him in spite of working with shoujo tropes on daily basis. Chiyo Sakura, a bright and cheerful girl, has a crush on Nozaki. Mustering all the courage up, she tries to confess to Nozaki... but Nozaki mistakes her for a fan and gives her an autograph in exchange?! Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun and Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai are both romantic comedies, produced by the same studio – Doga Kobo. The viewers can easily recognize a similar art style, but they share more than merely this. These two shows revolve around quiet protagonists, with a passion: manga for Nozaki, photography for Tada. Both of them happen to deal with girls who are their polar opposites–Chiyo and Teresa–and will teach them what love is. While Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai has a deeper focus on the romance, we can safely affirm that both these shows share a lighthearted atmosphere full of comedy, so you'll enjoy Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, if you're enjoying Tada-kun!

Kindhearted 17-year-old Sorata Kanda decided not to throw away the little stray cat he picked up. His decision, though, resulted in being kicked out of the standard Suimei High School's dormitory, and forced to move to the infamous Sakura Halls – where problem kids live. Sorata accepts his fate, but he can't wait to move out of Sakura Halls... at least until he meets Mashiro Shiina. Mashiro is an artistic genius, but she lacks common sense altogether; it's up to Sorata to take care of Mashiro now. How will things develop between the two? Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo and Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai are both romantic comedies, in a school setting. In both we can find the main theme of a new foreigner transfer student–Mashiro and Teresa–who is weird, but act as a trigger for the main protagonist's growth. In both, the events revolve around art clubs–painting or photography–and there is a big range of different characters who surround the main protagonists. The treat: both feature a pet cat. If you enjoy comedy anime, with a hint of romance, in a school environment, Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo can be your next step after Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai!

Meet Narumi Momose, a 26-year-old woman who is a full-fledged fujoshi, an otaku to the core who also loves idols, games and manga/anime related stuff. Due to her passion though, her boyfriend decided to break up with her, and she quit her job. When Narumi joins a new company, she reunites with a childhood friend, Hirotaka Nifuji, who not only is a gaming otaku, but he also knows about Narumi's secret. After some post-work drinking sessions, the two realize that only an otaku can date an otaku. That's how Narumi and Hirotaka begin dating... Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii and Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai are both shows of the current season, and both of them are romantic comedies. Even though the premises are different, these two shows share the main concept: how hard it is to deal with love. Hirotaka and Tada share a similar personality: they are calm, quiet and kind. Both of them have to deal with a female counterpart who is their exact opposite – Narumi and Teresa. Just consider Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii a more mature version of Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai: they share the same good vibes!

Banri Tada had a tragic incident after high school ended, and he is now struck with amnesia, which keeps dissolving the memories of his hometown and past. That event cannot stop his life, though: he decides to begin a brand-new life in Tokyo and enrolls a law school. Tada's university life starts off with a bang: a beautiful girl named Kouko Kaga shoves a bouquet of roses into his face. Tada and Kouko's meeting is fated, and it will mark the beginning of unforgettable memories for both of them! Golden Time and Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai are both romantic comedies, starting off with a chance meeting between the two main protagonists. Both these shows feature a female lead who acts in a unique way and manage to change their male counterparts. As both Golden Time and Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai are romantic comedies, they blend perfectly comedy parts with deeper emotional ones. If you are watching, and loving Tada-kun, we can guarantee that you'll love Golden Time all the same!

When Kazunari Usa's parents begin to work in a different area, he starts living alone in the Kawai Complex. In spite hoping to not encounter weird people along the way, Usa finds himself dealing with the strangest personalities. Even if Usa wishes to run away from Kawai Complex, he decides to stay: his crush – Ritsu Kawai – is a tenant at the Kawai Complex. The problem is, the other tenants discover Usa's crush on Ritsu, and begin to tease him non-stop! Will he manage to confess to Ritsu, or will he eventually leave the boarding house? Bokura wa Minna Kawai-sou and Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai both revolve around high school students who start takin their first steps towards romance and trouble that the teenage years bring along. Both these shows have a school setting and a big range of characters with weird personalities. Usa and Ritsu are on the polar opposites, just like Tada and Teresa; yet their relationships will grow step by step. Both are coming of age stories, where the characters deal with what it means to grow up and face the hardships, but everything is lightened by the comedy parts! It's not a stretch to say that you're bound to like Bokura wa Minna Kawai-sou, if you like Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai.

Risa Koizumi is a tall high school girl – 1,72 cm, much taller than the average. Atsushi Ootani is a small high school boy – 1,56 cm, much smaller than the average. To make things worse, Koizumi and Ootani's crushes fall in love with each other, leaving them brokenhearted. Together, the two of them unconsciously act as a comedy duo, to their classmates' amusement. Their different personalities, and different heights make them a funny duo, and with ups and downs, a couple of friends, too. But what if one of them falls in love with the other? Both Lovely Complex and Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai are romantic comedies in a school setting, revolving around a group of friends. Although in Lovely Complex the comedy part is stronger, both these shows feature two totally different people, who deal with love for the first time. Among ups and downs, in both these shows we follow the growth of the characters, the development of their relationships, and the way they face the hardships. Just consider Lovely Complex a more lighthearted version of Tada-kun Koi wo Shinai!

Aihara Yuzu is forced to transfer to a new school when her mother remarries. As a rather sociable gal, Yuzu thinks of this as a chance for her to experience new things like love and new friendships, but of course, the school she ends up at is a super strict all-girls school, which does not match Yuzu’s flashy style. To make it worse, Yuzu’s new sister is actually the student council president, Aihara Mei, who confiscated Yuzu’s phone and chided her for her fashion! The relationship between Mei and Yuzu started off rocky, but there might be more sizzling under the surface for the two of them as Mei forcibly steals Yuzu’s first kiss. Did we menton that Mei is technically engaged? Citrus has to be one of the few newer only girls anime that has plenty of drama, but just look at its setting! Citrus is set in an all girls school and the plot is about two step sisters, so it’s clear that this is going to be an anime mainly focused on girls. Let’s not forget the very few appearances by men who are supposed to be important, but are actually forgotten amongst the other girls involved in this anime. Citrus is a great example of an anime that might have parts for men, but the plot is most definitely centered on an all girls cast from the two main characters to the other girls who are in love with them. Of course, you get a lot of drama in this anime, but hey, sometimes we enjoy watching that, right?

Moeta Kaoruko is training to be a mangaka for yonkoma manga (4-koma manga) at the age of 16. As such, Kaoruko is moving into a dorm for young mangaka where she is going to share a room with Koyume, who does shoujo manga. Also living at the dorm are Ruki, a mangaka dealing in smut, and Tsubasa, a shounen mangaka. These four girls may be lumped together because of their love of manga, but fun times are in store for them! Comic Girls is an only girls anime that steps away from the drama that Citrus has and focuses more on a bunch of girls hanging out together, working towards their dreams. Kaoruko is rather inexperienced, but at this dorm, she’s going to learn a lot more about manga and teenage relationships than she is prepared for, but that’s all the fun of dorming with girls, right? Get your mind out of the gutter, they are just going to have some (probably) innocent misunderstandings and help each other grow. Comic Girls may technically be about manga, but it’s really about how these four mangaka help each other during the toughest of times so that they can continue to grow and develop into proper professionals.

For the most part, when it comes to only girls anime, the genre tends to lean towards comedy and slice of life. Many anime featuring an all girl cast will be about their lives and their friendships, with some other things sprinkled between. There’s no intense drama, no one gets hurt, and the girls just have fun. These type of anime tend to set the basis for many iyashi-kei slice of life, but most of all, they make up most only girls anime! Let us show you an example of a few.

Hoto Cocoa is going to high school away from home, so she’ll be livign with the Kafuu family who owns the Rabbit House Cafe. Cocoa immediately befriends the founder’s daughter, Kafuu Chino, who has a fluffy white rabbit named Tippy that sits on her head. At her new home, Cocoa will have to work at the Rabbit House Cafe in return for allowing her to stay there. At the cafe, Cocoa will befriend Tedeza Rize, a gun loving waitress; Ujimatsu Chiya, a waitress from a different rabbit-themed cafe; and Kirima Sharo, a girl who acts like a lady but is actually working because she’s poor. Everyone is a little different but these 4 girls know just what it means to be friends! When it comes to slice of life, most people will immediately think of an anime like Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka, an only girls anime. The cast is all female except for Tippy the rabbit and the barista, but they hardly play much of a real part to the progression of the story. Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka just has a group of girls who are all different, but they get along in their own ways because they care about each other. There’s little to no drama, proving it to be quite the iyashi-kei slice of life. The girls just focus on their friendships and coffee. Lots of coffee! It’s just a fun loving only girls anime; what more can you reall ask for?

Angels are usually required to live amongst humans in order to gain an understanding of them before they can be full-fledged angels. Even the top angel, Gabriel White Tenma, has to complete this task before she is allowed to become a real angel and fulfill her mission of bringing the greatest happiness to all of mankind. Once on Earth, Gabriel forgets about her ideals and becomes an otaku in love with video games and not much else. One of Gabriel’s friends, April Tsukinose, is a demon who is fed up with Gabriel’s attitude towards life, but Gabriel doesn’t want to change for anything. The two of them have another angel friend, Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha, who is a bit of a sadist, and a demon friend who is determined to rule the Underworld, Santanichia McDowell Kurumizawa. Ah, Gabriel DropOut… It was quite popular during its season for its comedy and slice of life aspects. This only girls anime has almost no men whatsoever, but the girls are all silly and cooky in their own way, which makes for an entertaining watch. Just look at Gabriel, who has to be basically bribed or dragged to school or Santanichia who is actually more or less a saint, despite being a demon. While crass, this all girls anime is full of humor and fun times and just like Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka, all these different characters are brought together through friendship. It may be supernatural, but Gabriel DropOut is a slice of life like so many other only girls anime and it is really fun to just watch.

Nishimura Hideki, otherwise known as Rusian online, had his heart broken when he confessed to an avatar online only to find out that she was actually an older man in the real world. Oops. He vows to never fall for an avatar again until one day, a girl called Ako declares she wants to marry Rusian. Rusian is still scarred by his past, but he figures it’s OK so long as the person’s avatar is cute. As it turns out, Ako is actually a cute girl in real life, and the other members of Rusian’s guild are girls who go to school with Hideki. One of the most recent yet enjoyable game otaku romances can be found in Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?, otherwise called Netoge. It may be a harem anime, but make no mistake about who the pairing is in Netoge; It’s Rusian and Ako forever! Hideki has his hands full, though, as he tries to show Ako the difference between the game world and their own. While the romance isn’t exactly the same as Wotakoi, it’s still cute and rather comical as Netoge uses otaku jargin and tropes to appeal to game otaku. If you loved Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii for all the fun references to otaku culture, you’ll enjoy the game otaku references that Netoge brings to the table.

Morioka Morika is 30 years old and unemployed. She quit an awful job after 11 years and is finding peace for the first time in playing MMOs as the male avatar Hayashi. It is in the MMO world that Morika meets Lily, a healer who soon becomes her best friend. As it turns out, there’s an office worker named Sakurai Yuuta who plays the same game as Morika and they are just about to have a fated meeting at a konbini. Net-juu no Susume is yet another cute romance involving two game otaku. While the situation between Net-juu and Wotakoi are different, the two have a similar feel with the main characters experiencing unexpected romances with people who understand/share their hobbies. Narumi has more experience in love than Morika, but that doesn’t mean they both don’t have their own new experiences in their new romances. If you like watching Wotakoi for the dynamic between Narumi and Hirotaka, you will enjoy watching Yuuta and Morika as they delve into a new world of relationships.

Serinuma Kae is just your usual high school fujoshi who spends her time in class shipping classmates. She tends to be ignored because of her weight, but one day, her favorite anime character is killed off and the ensuing stress results in her rapid weight loss. With her new skinny appearance, Kae finds herself at the center of attention with a harem of bishounen at her beck and call, but she’s not interested in anything but BL! If you love Narumi because she is a fujoshi who enjoys going to BL events, and you like the dynamic between Narumi and Hanako, then you will absolutely love Watashi ga Motete Dousunda, otherwise known as Kiss Him, Not Me. First of all, Kae has a friend named Shima who shares her love of all things BL, which is similar to the dynamic between Narumi and Hanako. Of course, Shima is similar to Hanako in that they both are professionals at doujin events with Shima being a doujin artist and Hanako being a rather famous cosplayer. Kiss Him, Not Me has a lot of references towards BL and makes fun of the reverse harem genre with fujoshi jokes. If you like the fujoshi detail in Wotakoi but want it blown up, then Kiss Him, Not Me is the anime for you!

Tsunashi Hajime is just an otaku who works and spends all of his free time at home. Hajime is married to an OL Kaoru who doesn’t understand his otaku hobbies at all, but she enjoys drinking. While these two couldn’t be more different, they still find love between them that goes beyond just physical attraction. Marriage is a lot more than the physical stuff, and they are about to learn what it means to live with someone so different from themselves. If we’re talking about romance, you may want to consider Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken, where you will be able to see the rather cute dynamic between Hajime and Kaoru. While Kaoru isn’t an otaku like Narumi, the couples in both anime actually do not have exactly the same hobbies so the anime is about them getting along despite their differences. It’s really rather cute to see how Hajime and Kaoru get along as a married couple despite not actually liking the same things. Like Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii, you just get to see how a cute couple get along in spite of it all, and it’s just a fun watch in Danna ga Nani wo Itteiruka Wakaranai Ken.

Tsutsui Hikari uses his identity as an otaku to avoid others in life, especially social convention. He’s resigned himself to being an outsider at school and being bullied by others. Then there’s the beautiful Igarashi Iroha who embodies everything that Hikari hates about real high school girls and he gets stuck cleaning the pool with her one day. While Hikari is quick to disregard her, Iroha proves that she cares when she defends Hikari from others. Somehow, the two have begun dating and Hikari is not sure how ready he is for a 3D girlfriend. 3D Kanojo: Real Girl is yet another otaku-themed love story this season, although it’s focused on a younger couple in high school and only one of them is an otaku. In fact, Iroha doesn’t actually have any otaku hobbies, but like the previous entry, we get to enjoy another anime with two different individuals who somehow make their romance work. It’s rather cute to see Hikari open up and try to trust someone who may not understand all of his quirks. 3D Kanojo: Real Girl tends to lean more towards an otaku and the different relationships he develops with different people, but it’s clear that his romantic relationship is the most prominent one of all as it changes his the most. If you are looking for an otaku romance that also has branching storylines revolving around friendships, you may want to check out 3D Kanojo: Real Girl.

Yamagami Lucy is a driven young woman who works as a civil certain in Mitsuba thanks to her grudge against the lax civil servant who has made her life difficult. Lucy’s place is in the Welfare Administrative Section where she will work with Hasebe Yutaka, a slacker and a flirt; as well as Miyoshi Saya, a girl who has never had a job in her life. These three are prepared to start working their government jobs under Ichimiya Taishi, a man who does not know how to advise his team despite his 8 years of experience. Will they be able to handle the stresses that is working in a government office or will the three of them get caught up in the troubles of the citizens, their own romances, or life itself? If what you love about Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii is the rather adult romance in the workplace involving some fun and quirky characters, then Servant x Service is the perfect anime for you! Lucy and Narumi have similar personalities as they are both energetic and fun, which is probably why they attracted the notice of their male counterparts, which in Lucy’s case is Yutaka. The relationship with Lucy and Yutaka is so cute and funny, and sometimes you just want to cry for Yutaka, but that’s what makes the anime so fun. Yutaka lacks Hirotaka’s serious and somewhat dull manner, but that’s not a bad thing! If you want the cuteness and the laughs of Wotakoi in a workplace setting with actual adults, then Servant x Service is perfect for you.

You know it’s going to be a great countdown when even the number 10 spot is an icon of anime. Through her cold, calculating pragmatism and intoxicating skills as an orator, not only does Dorothy Catalonia stand out as a great warmonger in a franchise full of them, but she does so at the age of only 15. Despite her age, she has tremendous skills as a leader, tactician and back-stabber, which she used to become the most influential figure to push for all-out war between the space colonies and the Earth Sphere United Nation. There is one thing holding Dorothy back, however, which is that she’s putting on a façade during all of this. Yes, underneath Dorothy’s badass exterior lies an insecure, lonely and emotionally unstable young girl. This adds many interesting layers to her as a character, but also compromises her efficacy with achieving her goal of all-out war, leading to her ultimately becoming unsuccessful. But ultimately, it’s the journey that matters and not the destination and although Dorothy’s plans may not have gotten very far off the ground, watching her get there showed her to be one of the most fascinating war orchestrators in anime.

Little Witch Academia is all about how great magic is and the importance of pursuing one’s passion and as professor of modern magic at the Luna Nova Magic Academy, Croix Meridies is directly tied to them. Throughout the anime, we see that the world’s supply of magic is being expended and that the general population mistreats the magical community with little regard for respect or fair treatment. Croix’s solution to these issues is to kill the two birds with one stone, by draining the magic-less masses of their spirits and converting them into refined magical energy. Her approach and motivation fits strangely well with the mentality the series has been promoting up to this point, so much so that protagonist Akko temporarily joins Croix’s cause because she wants to preserve magic, just like anyone else would, it’s only her methods that break the deal. Another point in Croix’s favor is that she barely leaves any time for there to be a war at all, as the average humans don’t even know what hit them before they are defeated. At first, her plan proves to be an unimaginably successful tactic. Soon, however, her plan goes further than anticipated and her machines escape her control and hijack a nuclear warhead, intending to drop it on the country, killing everyone, Croix included. Needless to say, this massive misstep stops her from advancing further up the list. Nevertheless, she still accomplishes enough to justify overlooking her weaknesses.

In yet another interesting example of a warmonger in anime, we have one who also happens to be the hero of his story. Yes, you heard that right, Toru wants war, but he’s the hero. More accurately, Toru feels like he needs war. Battle quickly became an integral part of Toru’s identity, to the point where he looked forward to fighting because it allowed him to "leave proof that he lived." Unfortunately for him, that part of Toru’s identity left him once the war ended, and he was without his main reason for living. Because of this, when he met the titular Chaika Trabant, he jumped to the chance to join her in her quest to potentially resurrect her late father. Partially because he likes Chaika and wants to support her and partially because her dad was the infamous warlord behind the war Toru was a part of. Toru sees this as a ticket to his ideal life and sets out with the hope of rekindling the flames of war. Toru’s status as a warmonger is the centerpiece of his character arc and although he stays this way throughout the majority of the show, the fact that he finishes his development by abandoning this side of him, he loses points as a warmonger. But who knows, maybe a sequel will rectify this in the future.

Two warmongering protagonists in a row, how about that? Lelouch vi Britannia was once the Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, until his father exiled him and his sister to be political hostages for the rival country of Japan. When Britannia later attacked the land of the rising sun, Lelouch’s life was directly put in jeopardy by his own royal family. That’s just about all the motivation Lelouch needs to jump into a Knightmare Frame and fight back against those who have wronged him and he isn’t about to play nice. Lelouch boasts many other hallmarks of a great warmonger, such as a massive following and an uncanny ability to bring people to his side. Combined with his skills in the cockpit, the estranged Britannian Prince is a force to be reckoned with in any war setting. There is a lot of overlap between Toru and Lelouch, seeing as they’re both warmongering main characters with sad backstories. Where they differ is in how far they take their warmongering, as while Toru abandons his goals, Lelouch goes the whole nine yards; betraying friends and allies, lying to his numerous supporters and putting his few loved ones in danger all for the sake of furthering his goals. While Toru can be considered more of a flawed hero, it’s difficult to see Lelouch as anything less than an anti-hero, or even a straight-up villain and that’s why he has earned his spot on this list.

The line between terrorist and warmonger is razor thin, but when someone’s acts of terrorism become as dangerous as those perpetrated by the Sphinx group, they can safely be categorized as frightening examples of both. Being one half of this group (and arguably its leader) it stands to reason that Nine would earn his spot here. He strikes fear into the hearts of people nation-wide and makes entire cities crumble with a calm, detached demeanor, all for initially unclear motives. But beyond his impressive accomplishments it’s his characterization that makes Nine so great. Whether it’s because of the multilayered relationships he has with those around him or the subtleties in how he expresses himself, many will see Nine as one of the most engaging characters put to animation. The best part is that, like Toru, he is the protagonist of his series, so he has plenty of screen time to capitalize on that.

You can’t have a great hero without great villains, so it stands to reason that the franchise that has given us many of the best heroes in recent anime will give us some of the best villains as well. The best example is undoubtedly Stain, someone who has become disgusted with the modern trends in hero work, seeing almost all of them as false heroes looking for nothing more than fame and fortune. His solution? Kill them all. His ideology and striking design make him a fascinating character and he’s extremely strong to boot but it’s, his powers of influence that truly makes him fascinating. Stain only ever planned to fight a one-man-war, but after an unexpected tv appearance, he inadvertently starts a massive revolution with tons of people joining his cause overnight. Subsequent story arcs deal with the many different facets of his following, a testament to his lasting impact on the show’s world. Stain wanted to fight a war and he not only succeeded but got one even bigger than he ever imagined thanks to the strength of his warmongering, thus sealing his spot on the list.

How can one even explain why this guy is such a great warmonger? Well, one could point to the fact that Teach was once part of the group of top warmongers in his story, who were so war-hungry they literally called themselves The Seven Warlords of the Sea. These warlords work under the world government, which uses them in its war against One Piece’s many pirates. Further cementing Blackbeard’s status as a warmonger, he left the Seven Warlords by effectively declaring war on the government, making him someone who has warred against both the law and outlaws. Blackbeard has been behind the most world-shaking events in One Piece’s story, such as the Summit War, the death of legendary pirate Whitebeard and much more and he did most of it himself. This is thanks in no small part to Blackbeard’s unique advantage as someone who is able to hold possibly limitless numbers of devil fruit powers, whereas the rest of the world can only have one per person. That’s right, he’s such a warmonger he can wage war on the natural laws of his universe. And he wins.

*Major spoilers for the manga Devilman and just about every adaptation of it below!!* Up until this point, we’ve been looking at people who have brought war to countries, planets and even galaxies. With that, it only stands to reason that Ryo Asuka stands above almost all of them, as the wars he has started have spanned all of reality itself and although his enemy initially appears to be his longtime friend Akira, the titular Devilman, his real target is none other than God himself. But how can a skinny blonde kid possibly pose a threat to the divine creator? Well, there’s no dancing around this… he’s the devil. No, really, he is actually the fallen angel Lucifer, the embodiment of every evil known to man, including war. It was Ryo, or Satan, or whatever you want to call him, who created the demons that serve as antagonists throughout the story and unleashed them on Earth. He also gave Akira his devil characters, effectively playing both sides of the war. Ryo is not only great at war, he created the very concept and as a result, he has become a warmonger the likes of which only two can surpass.

Ryo may have waged war against God, but his powers as Satan make that feat more understandable. Regular humans can’t fight God, after all, and showing them doing so in your story without some fictional supernatural power would probably look kind of stupid. But this begs the question, what would be the greatest accomplishment a normal human could feasibly attain through a war? What about absolute control over all of humanity? What about absolute control over all of humanity in a future where most have left Earth and spread themselves across space? Enter Reinhard von Lohengramm. Reinhard started life as a boy born to an upper-middle-class family, he didn’t have any immediate resources that would help him make a start as a warlord, but that didn’t deter him from revenge when the Goldenbaum Dynasty kidnapped his sister. He joined the military and quickly rose through the ranks thanks to the incredible skills he displayed in the war against the Free Planets Alliance, eventually defeating their prodigy Yang Wen-li in direct combat and conquering all the human settlements in space and declaring himself Kaiser. Reinhard achieved an accomplishment with a scope that doesn’t even exist yet and he did so only using skills that exist in real life, such as clever political maneuvering and good military tactics. Such an unbelievable accomplishment with a believable skillset is far more impressive than powerful feats from supernaturally powered characters and that is why Reinhard deserves his spot above the likes of Ryo, as much as we all love him (or hate him, depending on how you look at it). Plus, let’s be honest, Reinhard rocks the wavy blonde locks way better than he does.

Whether he goes by Casval Rem Deikun, Char Aznable, The Red Comet, Edouard Mass, Quattro Bajeena or whatever other aliases, there’s no arguing that this man is the greatest warmonger in anime. The most central quality to a warmonger is how rooted they are in war and how closely they hold it to themselves. Blackbeard only gained his ambition for conquest late in his life, Ryo sat around for who knows how long before beginning his war and Reinhard retired into the life of a privileged monarch. From the Universal Century calendar year 0068 to his death in 0093, Char only existed for war. Considering he died at the age of 33 this means that he would be focused squarely on the battlefield for 25 years, or 76% of his life. As Casval Deikun, Char was the son of Zeon Deikun, founder of the Zeon, founder of The Principality of Zeon. He got his first taste of real conflict when his father died a suspicious death while announcing the principality’s separation from the Earth Federation, causing the population to blame the Earth government and enter war with them. Casval hid under an alias and joined the Zeon army, not to fight for their cause, but to climb up the ranks and get close enough to the Zabi family, his father’s real killers, to kill each of them indiscriminately. All may not have gone according to plan, but Char only found one goal after another worth fighting for. This driven attitude led him to be an active part in almost every major military battle that happened during his lifetime. But fighting isn’t the only skill Char can bring to a war. He has major accomplishments as a tactician, a trainer and a political leader. He was so dedicated to each one of his causes that he never lived life off the battlefield. If he couldn’t get what he wanted without a war, then war was always his next step and that’s why he’s the best warmonger in anime.

If there is one unanswerable question that continues to haunt humankind, it would have to be the afterlife. What happens after someone dies? Does it all just end? Regardless of the medium, many creators have expanded upon this subject, but precious few compare favorably to Haibane Renmei. Based on a short doujinshi by Yoshitoshi Abe, Radix's anime is simultaneously beautiful and haunting. Haibane refers to beings with a halo and gray wings who live in a village known as Old Home. Without any memories of their own, these children are randomly born from a cocoon and live a peaceful life within the walls of their village. Haibane Renmei follows Rakka, a recently birthed Haibane who cannot quite accept her new existence. Moving along at a somewhat slow pace, Haibane Renmei's story is simple but acts as a reasonable instigator for the themes tackled by the anime. While the afterlife is explored, Rakka's journey centers on self-discovery, friendship, and whether there is any truth in the universe. With barely any understanding of why they are in Old Home or their purpose, Haibane Renmei's cast struggles to discover salvation.

Rightfully recognized as a classic of the genre, Shoujo Kakumei Utena blends shoujo tropes with striking imagery and psychological themes to create one of anime's crowning achievements. Distraught over the sudden death of her parents, Utena Tenjou regains her will to live after a chance encounter with a wandering prince. Determined to follow in the footsteps of the person who helped revitalize her spirit, Utena joins Ootori Academy with the goal of becoming a prince. Unfortunately, the teenager ends up embroiled in a vicious competition with the winner getting control of the mysterious Anthy Himemiya. Boasting fantastic but surreal animation, Shoujo Kakumei Utena is packed to the brim with metaphors and allegories. Serving as a crash course introduction to existential philosophy, Utena's journey is defined by a lack of meaning. In order to free Anthy from society's shackles, the protagonist sets out to revolutionize the world. Obviously, this is easier said than done, as the central pair's individuality and free will are constantly put to the test. Is there any meaning to our actions and can we control our own destiny? Shoujo Kakumei Utena attempts to tackle such timeless topics while delivering an incredibly engaging and relatable overall narrative.

Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World is the definitive road trip anime. Based on a series of light novels by Keiichi Sigsawa, Kino's Journey centers around the enigmatic title character who travels from one country to the next. Accompanied by an anthropomorphic motorcycle named Hermes, Kino spends only three days in each country, as she believes this to be the optimum time to learn the society's way of life. Referencing multiple philosophical, social, and political schools; Kino's Journey is a tale of self-discovery. For the most part, Kino is a detached protagonist who refuses to get involved with the country's practices. Rather than try to fix their problems or force her own beliefs onto the larger populace, Kino yearns to understand why people behave the way they do. Whether visiting a civilization of criminals where killing is legal or a moving country that inconveniences everything in its path, the protagonist uses these experiences to learn more about herself. In some ways, Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World shows there is no such thing as a universal truth. What works in one country might lead to ruin in another, yet that does not invalidate the former's social norms. Kino's Journey visits some pretty dark places, but the anime avoids coming across as nihilistic. At the end of the day, Kino and Hermes remain hopeful that each country holds something of value.

Ping Pong The Animation is a sports anime like no other. Honestly, that classification is rather misleading, as Masaaki Yuasa's series only uses ping pong as a backdrop for the character-driven story. Ever since they were young children, Yutaka "Peco" Hoshino and Makoto "Smile" Tsukimoto have played table tennis at their neighborhood recreation center. While both children are rather talented, Peco is the only one who genuinely enjoys the sport, while Smile just uses ping pong as a means to escape from reality's harsher trials. Anxious and lacking confidence, Smile was saved by the charismatic and heroic Peco. As a result, the former put the latter on a pedestal and continued to play ping pong just to spend more time with Peco. Now in their teenage years, Hoshino starts to self-indulge, forcing Tsukimoto to raise his game and drag Peco back to the ping pong table. Ping Pong The Animation's character development needs to be witnessed to be truly appreciated. While Smile and Peco receive the most attention, the remaining cast members are expertly written and realistic. Yuasa's series is a ground-breaking sports anime that centers around characters struggling through an identity crisis, as they try to define their place in the world.

Isin Nisio and VOFAN's Monogatari series is difficult to accurately explain to anyone unfamiliar with the novels or anime adaptations. The premise is relatively straightforward; Koyomi Araragi is a half-human, half-vampire who uses his supernatural expertize to protect his loved ones from apparitions. Even if this is a precise way to summarize Monogatari's plot, it is far from sufficient. Owarimonogatari sees Koyomi Araragi dealing with a strange transfer student named Ougi Oshino. Driven by a peculiar desire to understand Koyomi's thought process, Ougi presents the high schooler with a string of riddles that question his relationships and life choices. While he might be the anime's protagonist, Araragi is hardly ever presented as a traditional hero. Blending unconventional storytelling techniques and one of the quirkiest animation styles in the business, Owarimonogatari forces Araragi to examine his past actions to determine whether these experiences actually led to any positive changes in his personality. Tackling themes like justice and death, Shaft's anime might not be for everyone, but deserves to be given a chance!

What constitutes a human being? Is it merely our physical bodies or something more? If we were to evolve as a species, what would happen to those who are left in the dust? Shinsekai yori will make its audience ask these questions and much more. Due to a sudden outbreak of psychokinesis that only affected a fraction of the population, a war broke out between those gifted with these abilities and the rest of humanity. Once this period of unrest reached its end, the psychics set out to create a new peaceful world. Alongside a couple of her friends, the young Saki Watanabe has recently awoken to her powers but she cannot help but feel frightened for those children who fail to make the grade. Shinsekai yori is a slow burner and the anime's philosophical implications only truly became apparent during the last couple of episodes. Prior to these final revelations, A-1 Pictures deliver a fantastic supernatural mystery bolstered by stunning animation and a gorgeous soundtrack.

Toei Animation might be largely known for its long-running shounen anime, but the studio has a couple of gems in its catalog. Based on Japanese folklore, Mononoke presents a series of cases investigated by the Medicine Seller, a mystical practitioner of the occult who seeks out malevolent spirits. Initially, this might seem like your typical monster of the week anime, but that is far from the truth. Separated into five arcs, Mononoke is a surreal examination of human behavior. While each story centers around a spirit, in reality, the still-living humans who were involved in the creation of that supernatural creature are the ones being examined by the Medicine Seller. In order to kill the Mononoke, the protagonist has to learn the entity's Form, Truth, and Regret. This concept is actually tied to Mikkyo Buddhism's "Three Secrets" style of exorcism. Largely set in Feudal Japan, with the only exception occurring in the final arc, each case includes many stunning revelations and a couple of heartbreaking moments. Mononoke's animation is stylish and otherworldly, with Toei regularly employing startling sounds and unsettling imagery to create a sense of dread. The Medicine Seller might be hunting spirits, but they are not always the monsters.

From the same director who created Ping Pong The Animation and Netflix's recent Devilman Crybaby, Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei is an adaptation of Tomihiko Morimi's novel of the same name. Watashi is a lazy college student who is always searching for that one perfect shortcut which will set him up for life. Unfortunately, he also happens to be friends with a punk named Ozu, who loves nothing more than to lead Watashi astray! Each episode launches from the same point: Watashi pursues an intangible goal, like a perfect campus life, but Ozu ends up getting in his way. At first glance, Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei's story seems rather episodic and inconsequential, but that is actually the point. Rather than focusing on some grand overarching storyline, the Tatami Galaxy is more interested in life's little events and how they shape our future. Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei's opening few episodes came across as rather abstract, but that quickly changes as the season progresses. Through his many misadventures and interactions, Watashi learns what it means to truly live life.

When caught in a dire situation, one might commit acts that, on any other day, would be considered unthinkable. Do the ends justify the means? A promising brain surgeon with a beautiful fiance, Dr. Kenzou Tenma has his whole life ahead of him. Employed at an esteemed hospital, Tenma's actions are motivated by a code of ethics that allow the doctor to distinguish right from wrong. Sadly, not everyone sees the world in the same light. One night, Tenma is forced to choose between operating on a young boy or the mayor. As the former was the next in line, Tenma disobeys direct orders and the mayor ends up passing away. The young doctor sticks to his guns and has his entire future taken away from him. Jump forward a couple of years, Tenma is barely making a living but finds comfort in knowing that he did the right thing. Unfortunately, the boy he saved turned into a bit of a psychopath who considers Tenma to be his father. The title does not only refer to Monster's antagonist but also the darkness that lies within all of us. As the good doctor is pushed to his limits, Tenma begins to commit heinous acts in the name of the greater good.

Mushi refers to supernatural entities that represent "life" in its most basic form. As far as the rest of the planet is concerned, these phenomena serve no purpose and pursue no goal. They merely exist in a state of "being" and labeling them as good or evil would be missing the point. While they might not have any sinister intentions, humans who come in contact with a mushi tend to suffer consequences. Mushishi is the term used to describe humans dedicated to learning more about these entities. As one of these people, Ginko travels across the continent in search of cases to investigate. Depending on the situation, the protagonist might have to interfere with a village's actions to try to prevent a disaster. While he generally attempts to offer a helping hand, Ginko understands that change is not always possible or warranted. Mushi might be harmful to humans, but Ginko believes that the only way forward is for the species to coexist. Rather than reaching for a sword to exterminate these supernatural creatures, the Mushishi attempts to solve problems by promoting empathy and education. The first step to conquering one's fear is to understand what lurks in the dark.

You Keika had to struggle with poverty his entire life. Yet, things got worse when he died after being hit by a truck and woke up ten years younger. While thinking he had been reborn, though, he meet a white-haired man named Ki Tanmoku. He reveals the truth to You: You is dead and is now in a spirit form. Then, Tanmoku asks him to sign a contract with him. That's just the beginning of You Keika's hardships as a spirit! You Keika is our yaoi boy for the 10th position! He had a life full of hardships as a fortune-teller, and part-time computer mechanic; then he died. It's not difficult to feel sympathy toward him, as his life became even more complicated when he became a spirit. You Keika is boisterous, friendly and a very caring person. Becoming a spirit shadow and Ki Tanmoku's husband, he managed to keep a positive mind. Side by side with Ki, trying to protect him and being protected in return, he will eventually learn the meaning of love and give us viewers very tender moments. We really love a pure-hearted yaoi boy like You Keika!

Toyohi Utsumi is a wanderer boy who by chance, one night met a professional wizard: Chiharu Kashima. It's love at first sight for Toyohi, and being a straightforward person, he doesn't waste time and confesses to Chiharu. The thing is, Chiharu is bashful and lacks self-esteem, so he easily mistakes Toyohi's genuine feeling for a mere curiosity toward wizards. Will Toyohi manage to break through the wall Chiharu has been building for his entire life? Toyohi is our 9th yaoi boy, with a happy-go-lucky personality. He is always smiling, caring, and understanding of the people surrounding him. He doesn't judge people, he is driven by curiosity when he asks questions – even the strangest ones. So, when this curious wanderer decided to settle down, it was out of blind love toward Chiharu. Toyohi does all he can to help Chiharu understand what an amazing and valuable man he is, and eventually makes him realize that he is interested in Chiharu the man, not the wizard. Didn't he deserve a place in this ranking?

Misaki Takahashi is a high school student preparing for university entrance exams. His brother's best friend – Akihiko Usami – is a famous author and offers Misaki his help. It's just too late when Misaki discovers what kind of author Usami is – a very naughty one – and that he was in love with his brother. In the meanwhile, a new, unknown feeling start to grow within him... could it be that he fell in love with Usami? Misaki is probably the cutest yaoi boy in this list! What with the way he struggled with his feelings toward Usami, or the way he doesn't want to trouble others. He is easily embarrassed, and at the same time easily pleased. Misaki is very attentive to what other people feel, and it doesn't take much for him to blush and get flustered, all the more when Usami is involved. He is your typical uke, while showing a tougher side of him when the right time comes. Absolutely adorable.

Masahiro Setagawa is your average high school boy who stopped believing in the existence of heroes meaning he lost faith in people. Left alone constantly by his parents since his childhood, he lost his way, joined a gang, and became an errand boy for all kinds of delinquents. Kousuke Ooshiba – the brother of Masahiro's best friend – known as the “Bear-killer” is feared by all the gangs, one day helps Masahiro get away from trouble. Partly regaining faith in human beings, Masahiro declared himself Kousuke's underling, and decided to protect him. But what if Kousuke becomes his homeroom teacher and a feeling different from admiration develops? Masahiro is a yaoi boy toward whom the viewers feel immediate sympathy. He is reserved, introverted, but also realistic. He is the kind of boy who keeps apologizing, who is always certain he has done something to upset others, even when that's not the case. At the same time, he is able to stand up for himself, all the more when someone affects the persons he cares about. In his interaction with Kousuke, he becomes meeker and it's easy to understand what a hero Kousuke is in Masahiro's eyes!

Izumi Sena was born in a family of stars: his mother is an actress, his father a producer, and his brother is a rock star. When he was child, he took part in a commercial for a wedding magazine, and that's when he decided that he would stay away from the showbiz. Izumi's only dream is to become a manga artist. Ryouma Ichijou is a popular actor and was in the same commercial as Izumi ten years prior. Unaware that Izumi was a boy, he fell in love with him at first sight, but how the situation will turn out, now that the magazine calls for the 10 year anniversary? Izumi is your typical otaku boy who just wants to collect Magical Girl LalaLulu's items. He wishes to become a manga artist, and he trusts his drawing skills. We like Izumi for his obstinate side: he falls in love with Ryouma but wouldn't admit it until the very end. At the same time, he shows a passionate side when it's about anime and manga. Just like every yaoi boy in this list, love will teach him to stand up for himself and the ones he loves, and to gain self-esteem.

Ritsu Onodera, a literary editor, transfers to Marukawa Publishing, but instead of the literary division, he begins to work in the shoujo manga department, dealing, for the first time in his life, with very tight schedules. His new editor-in-chief is Masamune Takano, a very strict man, who can be very tactless. Takano immediately recognize Onodera as his first high school love, but Onodera doesn't, as Takano has changed his surname. When the truth is out, Onodera is left speechless: is he working for the man who tore his heart apart?! Our 5th position is a tsundere yaoi boy who once was shy and gentle. After his heart was broken into pieces, he turned into a very cynical man who doesn't believe in love. Onodera is hardworking, and prideful, focused only on his job, as it became his reason for living. The one who crushes that wall is Takano, his first love. Interacting with Takano, Onodera shows his tsundere side to the fullest, and then his cutest one, melting into Takano's grasp. He is probably the epitome of the yaoi uke, and that's why we love him!

Hybrid Child are artificial humans that reflect the love they receive by their owner. Kotarou Izumi, young heir to the noble Izumi family, finds an abandoned Hybrid Child in the garbage, and decides to take him home. The name he gave to his Hybrid Child was Hazuki, but his family repeatedly tried to throw him away. Koutaro was obstinate, though; he wanted Hazuki to be with him forever, and wouldn't change his mind through the years. Their bond keeps growing, but ten years later they both discover a horrible truth: Hybrid Child have a certain life span... and maybe it's not that long. Koutaro Izumi is a yaoi boy example of loyalty, attachment and determination. When he found Hazuki, he immediately fell in love with him, in spite of Hazuki being an artificial human. If Hybrid Child reflect the love they receive, Hazuki was the proof that Koutaro loved him deeply. When he discovered that Hazuki's life was about to come to an end, Koutaro swore he would save Hazuki no matter what. His desperate attempts brought us viewers to tears, and that's why he deserved our 4th position!

When Haru Kaidou turned 17 and his mother called him back in Canada, asking for help, he jumps on the first plane. Haru didn't know what kind of “help” his mother needed, but there he found Ren, an 8-year-old boy Haru's mother saved from an orphanage. What seemed to be an easy task, suddenly turns to a challenge: Ren is little, but he is savage, bashful, and distrustful. Will Haru manage to tame the little beast by the end of the summer? Growing up and moving in Japan with Haru, Ren Kaidou turned to a very straightforward person, honest with his feeling, unable to tell lies, and very righteous. A bright personality with a poker face, who can become very obedient and meek when it's about Haru. In fact, Haru stole his heart, and Haru's heart was stolen by this 15-year-old teenager. In spite their age gap, in many occasions Ren proved to be even more mature than Haru. A very good fit for our ranking!

Honor student Rihito Sajou, and guitar player Hikaru Kusakabe are classmates on polar opposites. Sajou is quiet, diligent, and serious; Kusakabe is straightforward, hotheaded, and he is popular with the girls. While their personalities may clash, while preparing for the chorus festival and practicing together, something happens. Suddenly, a new feeling deeper than friendship begins to blossom... Hikaru Kusakabe is our yaoi boy with a free spirit, who likes people and is liked back. He had to be in our ranking, because he proved to be strong-willed when he fell in love with Sajou and had no problem admitting it. Basically, he found himself struggling with Sajou who loved him back but found it difficult to reveal. Comfortable with himself, popular with girls and boys, Kusakabe is able to hit where it hurts and, conversely, to be the most devoted, and caring boyfriend!

No.6 revolves around Nezumi and Shion, who live two sides of the same coin. Shion lives in the city of No.6 where everything is beautiful, and peaceful, while Nezumi lives outside the walls of the city, where the rejects end up. One stormy night, Nezumi appears covered in blood in front of Shion's home. In order to save him, Shion did all he could, but eventually it results in him being downgraded from his position in the society. Shion is deprived of his brilliant future... and Nezumi disappears for years. Nezumi had to be our first position, for several reasons. Outwardly he is rude, sarcastic, and unconcerned. Not only that, Nezumi is also intentionally cold, and keeps his distance from others. As the series goes by, though, we see his real character pop up. His resolve crumbles when things come to Shion. Eventually, we realize Nezumi's true self: over-protective, brotherly, affectionate, and devoted. As we can put up with his rude side, once we realized his true personality, he had to be our first position!

Mob Psycho 100 revolves around the story of Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama. Shigeo is a middle school student endowed with psychic abilities at a very young age. As a very shy and introverted person, Shigeo realizes that the use of his abilities is perceived negatively. So, he restrains from using his skills as much as he can. As Shigeo becomes more aware of who he is without his abilities, he seeks to become friends with Tsubomi, a girl in his class, who he’s had a crush on. Wanting to grow closer to her, Shigeo continues on his journey balancing his supernatural gift and learning to fit in. Mob Psycho 100 and Hinamatsuri are both entertaining anime capturing a similar comedic style about superpowers and fighting. Our characters demonstrate a parent and child relationship, portraying personality traits that are very much alike. The duos in both make an unusual pair, but their wild antics make for an amusing viewing experience.

Beelzebub follows the story of Tatsumi Oga, a first-year high school student at Ishiyama High. This institution is recognized for its delinquent attendants, and its common knowledge not to mess with Tatsumi. One day, Tatsumi encounters a man floating down a river. After saving this man, the man spontaneously bursts open down the middle, revealing a baby who immediately forms a bond with Tatsumi. Tatsumi later discovers that this baby is named Kaiser de Emperana Beelzebub IV, or Baby Beel —the son of the Demon Lord! With help from Hildegard, Beel's demon maid, they attempt to raise Baby Beel, surrounded by juvenile delinquents and demonic powers. Beelzebub and Hinamatsuri share many commonalities, but the most notable is that our main male characters, Tatsumi and Nitta, are two “rough around the edges” guys who come into contact with a supernatural entity who aids them further down the road. Baby Beel and Hina have extraordinary powers but are humbled by humanity, learning and growing with the help of their young mentors. For the most part, viewers get a similar vibe when watching Beelzebub and Hinamatsuri.

Saiki Kusuo is your average high school student, except for the fact that he has impressive superpowers at his command. Despite the fact that his abilities are the envy of every ordinary person, Saiki finds his superpowers an inconvenience. As he tries to live life as normally as possible, his powers are a burden, continually getting in the way of being just like everyone else. Featuring characters with psychokinetic power, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan and Hinamatsuri are fantastic comedies highlighting the lives of Saiki and Hina as they try to integrate their abilities into everyday life. Whether their powers are an inconvenience or an advantage, viewers are eager and anxious to see how their remarkable skills will unfold in countless scenarios.

On one peculiar day, Kobayashi meets a dragon named Tohru in the mountains. Agreeing that Tohru can stay at her house during a drunken conversation, Kobayashi realizes what she’s done the next day and turns Tohru away. As Kobayashi is feeling some guilt, or perhaps a sour stomach, she changes her mind and tells Tohru to stay, with a few conditions. Can this dragon maid clean? Do laundry? Greet people? Cook? Watch and see how Tohru acclimates to the chores of humanity while also bringing her squad of friends to Earth, how Kobayashi helps Tohru and friends along the way, and as Kobayashi discovers a new way of living. Life was dull and boring for Kobayashi and Nitta until they were graced with a supernatural being. From that moment forward, their lives changed for the better. Both Miss Kobayahi’s Dragon Maid and Hinamatsuri contain unexciting young adults who are introduced to an exciting, out of this world being that must learn how to survive with humankind. The pairs in each series ultimately learn a bunch of things from one another, and in the end, their lives improve exponentially.

Alice to Zouroku tells the story of an extraordinary girl named Sana. Sana possesses a unique ability known as "Alice's Dream", which allows her to create anything from her imagination. Sana has existed in a laboratory, enclosed and trapped and subjected to all sorts of testing. Longing for a better life, she escapes, meeting an old, stubborn florist named Zouroku Kashimura. When the authorities finally catch up with Sana, Zouroku is roped into Sana's troubles. However, underneath his stubborn quality, Zouroku has a heart of gold, offering Sana a place to stay. From this moment on, an exciting life begins for the most unlikely pair. Both in the supernatural genre, Alice to Zouroku and Hinamatsuri share an identical story of a young girl guided by an older male but approach this concept from different directions. Alice to Zouroku has elements of mystery and adventure while Hinamatsuri is a little slice of life and comedy. Nevertheless, both stories express a personal and collective journey of two varied ways of life merging into one.

Haré+Guu follows the story of a young boy named Haré, happily living with his mother, Weda, in the jungle. One day while out running errands, an ominous being overshadows Haré. Frightened, he quickly runs back home, arriving at the sight of a new houseguest, Guu. The next day, Guu is not who she appears to be the first time they met, but no one seems to notice the change. Throughout the series, Haré is faced with many obstacles as he tries to keep Guu out of trouble. Haré+ Guu and Hinamatsuri are exciting comedic anime containing a colorful cast and a compelling story. The characters and overall theme are vibrant, engaging, and truly enjoyable to watch. Observing each relationship, we notice their similarities, getting a taste of slice of life appeal.