If there’s anyone who can hate men without sounding crazy, it’s Misaki Ayuzawa. Her father left her, her mother, and sisters without any way to support themselves, which forced her to find a job at a Maid Café, even if that goes against the rules of her school. Speaking of her school, it used to be an all-boys high-school that just recently became co-ed and she managed to become the first female student council president to make sure every misbehaving boy would change their ways. And she has managed to keep her double life secret, until Takumi Usui, one of the most popular boys in her school happens to walk into the maid café and promptly starts blackmailing her: he will keep her secret, as long as she spends time with him. While blackmail is not a really good way to start a relationship, later on, we find out that Takumi had been watching Misaki from afar, and that a lot of his actions are also to protect her from other guys who can be less nice than him. While Misaki can defend herself from many dangers –as the former gang known as the Three Idiots can attest- that doesn’t mean she can do it alone, or that she doesn’t also feel something for Takumi. Soon, it becomes more about how Misaki can’t keep fooling herself, and how far Takumi will go to show his love.

When Youta Moteuchi played Ai’s tape on his broken VCR, he wasn’t expecting her to come out through the TV to fulfill the promise of her tape box: I will console you. However, as she was played in a broken device, she is not like a normal Video Girl, and can also fall in love. Because of this, she fell in love with Youta and was having a lot of problems helping him to get together with Moemi, the girl whom Youta originally loved. It’s a very complex love triangle, where Youta at times doesn’t realize that his personality alone is enough to make any girl who is paying attention to fall in love with him. Video Girl Ai is one of those now classic anime that people know more by word of mouth than because they watched it. While the manga goes a lot longer than the anime, it’s the anime which managed to capture those who watched it. It’s the small things, like Ai making food for Youta even if she slices her fingers every other cut, and then Youta eating it despite the fact that Ai hid it because Moemi came to make dinner for them, or Ai happy to have a day with Youta where they would be together without worrying about anything else and naming it “A day with Youta wearing the dress he bought me", what makes this couple so adorable and memorable.

On paper, Suzaku and Euphemia were the most perfect couple that the empire of Britannia had ever seen, and the ones who would’ve brought peace to the Japanese people and the Britannia Empire. From the moment they met, when she literally fell from the sky while escaping from invisible enemies, you can tell they are completely in love with each other. Despite Suzaku being an eleven, a second-class citizen, and Euphemia being a princess of the Empire and close to the throne’s succession, she championed him to become her knight. With his help, she was trying to make sure that the war between Elevens and Britannia came to an end. In any other story, they would’ve succeeded. They were perfect to each other, even managing to finish each other’s sentences when talking at the same time. Despite their huge class differences, Euphemia never tried to force Suzaku into anything: even the orders she gave him in public were previously agreed to by him, and most of the time were things he was already planning to do so her ordering him was just part of their relationship, her way to protect him somehow. They were the Romeo and Juliet of the Code Geass’ universe, whose courtship also caught the viewers and made the end of their relationship even more tragic.

In the old days, some couples courted each other by letter, without once crossing words because of social rules. Mashiro Moritaka and Miho Azuki, however, do so because they want to show the strength of their conviction to their dreams. Mashiro wants to be a mangaka, while Miho wants to be a voice actress, so they promise not to see or talk to each other until Mashiro has a hit manga that can turn into an anime so that Miho can be the voice actress of the main character. Despite how strange their relationship sounds since both are not only dedicated to their dream but also have promised to marry each other when they reach their goals, it's one of the sweetest parts of the series. While others have a lot of problems in their own romantic endeavors, Masahiro and Miho keep in touch through letters, emails, and texts, and thus avoid any misunderstandings. Even when Masahiro is in the hospital and people insist she has to see him, she refuses; not out of hate, but because she knows that he’ll get better and fulfill his promise to her. It’s that strength of conviction what makes them such a perfect couple.

Shouta Kazehaya is one of the most popular guys in his school, so no one really understands why he keeps speaking up in favor of Sawako “Sadako” Kuronuma, a scary looking girl that is usually the target of a lot of bullying. It’s not that Sawako is not kind, in fact, those few who have talked to her for enough time have discovered that she is very eager to help those in need, but she is fast to jump to conclusions and is completely convinced no one can love her. And that may be a bit frustrating for Shouta, who is obviously in love with her. They’re one of the most “Traditional” courtships on the list, as most of the work is done by Shouta trying to show Sawako how much he loves her. While Sawako had already decided she wanted to change and make more friends, it’s his support and friendship that help her take the extra step and stand up for herself. One of the greatest things about seeing them get together is how they help each other grow to become better people. And although their courtship is long, and at times you want to yell at Sawako for not realizing her feelings, it’s still very sweet.

One would think that when you have to chase magical cards and ensure that you are the absolute heir of an old magician, romance is not precisely the priority. But when the card hunters are starting their teenage years, it's impossible to avoid. However, neither Sakura nor Sayoran realize their feelings for each other even as everyone around them starts noticing how their friendship is turning into love. Sure, Sakura had a crush on Yukito, her brother’s best friend, and Sayoran seemed affected by the magic inside of Yukito, but that was not enough to throw everyone off the scent. The most adorable part of this particular relationship is that, at first, neither of them realize how much the other means to them. We get to see them fall in love little by little, and how they start courting the other without even noticing they’re doing it. The way in which both realize their feelings and then hesitate to make them known to the other is one of the many reasons why everyone was happy to see the young couple return in Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Hen so we can see how their relationship evolved.

When Keiichi Morisato accidentally dialed the Goddess Heavenly Helpline instead of a nearby pizza place he couldn’t know he would become one of the protagonists of the love story of the millennium. From the moment when he asked Belldandy for “a goddess like her to stay at his side forever”, he started the longest courtship ever put to anime form, as we follow them in their daily lives as both try to gather the courage to be completely honest with their feelings to each other. The romance/courtship between Belldandy and Keiichi is quite famous for being the longest “Will they, won’t they” in anime where we already know that they will end up together at some point but still don’t know when or how. While that can be a bit tiresome to some viewers, the truth is that most fans loved the long road to the moment where the pair of lovers could finally be together without challenges. It’s a nice reminder that sometimes the courtship is not just about making your partner fall in love with you, but also winning the approval of their family.

Childhood friends usually end up together. That’s something that has become a bit of a rule in anime so we, as viewers, know what to expect. Winry Rockbell and Edward Elric are one of those couples since their story is also a shonen story where romance is not exactly the priority. After all, when you are trying to find a forbidden alchemy technique to get your body and your brother’s back to normal, there’s not much time to woo the girl you love. And Winry has no time to wait for Ed either. She wants to be the best automail specialist in the kingdom and is working hard to become that. Sure, she started her path to help Ed keep his arm and leg in working order but, in time, she learned to love her work. The beauty of Winry and Ed’s courtship is that is very subtle. We only get to see them together at very short intervals, usually starting when Ed has broken his arm or leg again and thus Winry is furious with him. And yet, the love they feel for each other is quite obvious. And there's a lot to say about that great moment where once everything has been said and done, Ed finally asks Winry to marry him the only way he knows how: By pledging her half his life, in an equivalent exchange.

At first sight, one may think that Victor Nikiforov took the idea of courtship a bit too far and a bit too aggressive when it came to courting Yuri Katsuki, when all Yuri did was to repeat a routine that had been done by Victor –five-time world champion of ice skating- and that is not really a reason for Victor to suddenly leave his home in Russia to become Yuri’s mentor and help him win the Grand Prix. Much less to make his offering while naked at Yuri’s family bath-house, but that’s what Victor did to start his relationship with Yuri. Most of the series show how Victor’s over the top personality bewilders Yuri, who, yes, admires and even loves Victor and has done so from afar for a long time, but can’t be as open and wild as Victor is in part because he’s naturally shy, and in part because of how he was raised. They make a cute couple, and it’s impossible not to cheer for them, even if one may be worried that Victor can sweep Yuri off his feet easily. And this is what makes the series’ reveal of why Victor left everything to woo Yuri so perfect, and a very good reason to include their courtship in our list.

Takeo Gouda is the perfect example of a gentle giant. He is quite strong and doesn't look like a high-school student, but at the same time, he is always ready to use his strength to help anyone who needs him. Unfortunately, not many people see this side of him, and girls tend to run away and speak ill of him behind his back. All girls except Rinko Yamato, who, after Takeo saves her from a molester on the train home, starts trying to hang out with him and get to know him better. The problem is that Takeo is convinced Rinko is only around because she likes Takeo’s best friend, Makoto, and thus decides that he will do his best to make sure that Rinko and Makoto are happy together. There are a lot of misunderstandings on the road to Rinko and Takeo’s happiness together, but it’s one of the most heartwarming situations, not only because Rinko sees past Takeo’s looks and right into his heart, but because we also have a wonderful friendship between Takeo and Makoto –who, we learn later, refuses to date any of the girls who swoon over him precisely because they badmouth Takeo and he can’t be with someone who does that to his best friend. There’s a lot to love as we get to know the trio, and once everyone is on the same page, the reward is as sweet as the road that got us there.

We’ll stop scaring you by showing off some notable three-star Servants which are not limited. Although he isn’t the most attractive Servant, Caesar does his job well. Like a true Saber, Caesar’s skills allow him to buff his entire party’s attack and noble phantasm. His deck contains mostly quick and buster cards, so he’s able to do a good amount of damage by adding crit stars on top of his busters. Fergus is another great three-star Servant, who not only buffs his team’s attack, but can protect himself. His evade skill can protect him from most noble phantasms for one turn, and provide him with a defense buff for three turns.

Just about every four-star Saber Servant is good with the exception of three, but if we had to choose our favorites, we’d recommend Saber Alter, Rama, and Saber Frankenstein. Saber Alter was made to be the four-star version of Artoria, meaning she has an incredibly high attack, a powerful AOE noble phantasm, and the exact same skills. Rama deals extra damage to demon type enemies, but also has the divine trait. This means that he could receive extra damage from Servants who are made for killing divine Heroic Spirits. The Saber version of Frankenstein far exceeds her berserker counterpart. Frankenstein is a crit machine and can fill up her NP gauge quickly. Fran-chan is limited to the second summer event banner, so make sure you get her or else she’ll be gone forever.

Finally, we have the Saber SSRs. Although Artoria is well loved, and the most popular Fate character by far, she is nowhere near the greatest five-star. Her Saberface counterparts, on the other hand, are absolutely game-changing. Take Okita Souji, Fate/Grand Order’s first SSR crit Saber; Okita can generate a lot of crit stars with her quick cards and use the crits on her buster cards. She has a quick noble phantasm, a skill that helps her gather crits, and another skill that buffs her quick cards. Combine all these, plus use her evade, and you’ve got an untouchable Servant. Then we have who many believe to be the best Saber Servant, and one of the best Servants in the game; Musashi. Musashi is truly OP amongst the Sabers due to her Fifth Form skill. This skill doubles the number of hits on any card. For example, her arts and quick cards hit 3 times, but use Fifth Form, and she’s hitting the enemies 6 times. If you use this skill in a Musashi brave chain, then expect the enemy to be toast.

Okita and Musashi are fantastic Servants, but they are also limited. If you missed your chance to get them, then try your hand at summoning Altera. She’s not nicknamed The Destroyer for no reason. Think of Altera as a berserker among Sabers. With her buster based deck, buster noble phantasm and skills that boost her attack even further, you’re looking at a total enemy KO. She also has a good crit star generation rate to pound her foes into submission. Like Rama, Altera is a divine Heroic Spirit, but she also has the riding trait. This makes her an easy target for Archer Servant Oda Nobunaga, so make sure you avoid using Altera when versing her.

Yuuto Suou is in another world. He becomes the patriarch of clans to save them from being taken over or decimated. In this new world, he is learning quickly how it is survival of the fittest and he needs to save those close to him. He now aims to become king in another world surrounded by beautiful maidens who pledge their loyalty to him. To be blunt, this anime is an assault on everything. The art is terrible, the story is a cringefest, and the concept is dull and has been done multiple times before. The voice acting might be the only going for it, but the girls calling Yuuto “brother” and “father” is unforgivably bad. Somewhere around episode two, I checked out and no longer wanted to see more. While the light novel may be something liked, which you can thank the talented translators who worked hard on it for, the anime & original story itself are showing that isekai is more or less dead and the bottom of the barrel needs to be scrapped for something to be pushed out and called “an anime.”

Jashin-chan is summoned from Hell one day by a girl who is really into the occult. Yurine is her name. The problem is that Jashin-chan wants to go home and Yurine has no idea how to send her back. So Jashin-chan is forced to live with Yurine in her closet. The problem is through, Yurine is poor. So things like meat for hotpot are a luxury. Jashin thinks if she can kill Yurine, she will be free from the mortal world. Thus daily she tries to take Yurine out. I really have to note that this anime really let me down. I originally translated the page for it on Honey’s Anime, and I really wanted it to be good. But after just one episode, I was ready to send Jashin-chan back to the cesspool of Hell it belongs to. The series teases a bunch of supernatural beings including an angel who has lost her halo, and the initial setup on paper sounds great. However, the art is subpar and the humor, if it can even be referred to as that, is mundane. Nothing feels funny and it just feels forced. Rumor has it that the first episode is actually meant to be the final episode of the series, and if that is the climax, then I shall bow out gracefully now and not subject myself to it.

Ongaku Shoujo tells the story of a fledgling idol group by the same name who meets a girl named Hanako. She is the spark that they need to elevate themselves from C-tier idol to SSS-tier. Through her drive and passion, she helps the team grow even further. To be honest, idol anime is not my cup of tea. I do watch some series here and there to diversify my watching habits and expose myself to new ideas and genres. However, this reminds me of other series that are, frankly, forgettable. Idol Jihen, Action Heroine Cheer Fruits, Ongaku Shoujo. That is where this idol group that wants to elevate itself beyond, will just fall. With the successes of decent idol shows like Love Live! Sunshine!! and Bang! Dream, companies are churning out idol anime in hopes that they will reach the level of sales that the aforementioned shows enjoy. Sadly, Pine Records should have invested in a better writer and a bit better art via a different studio. J.C. Staff might have been able to elevate this anime to another level, but with 12 generic characters that are a dime a dozen in anime, generic sounding tracks, and a story that is also–surprise–generic, Ongaku Shoujo will fade into obscurity rapidly. Thank goodness, too.

Referring to the 1990s version of Berserk, the final episode sees Griffith promoted to the level of a deity by sacrificing the Band of the Falcon. Over the course of the "Golden Age" storyline, Guts develops from a battle-driven loner to a respectable member of the team. Besides becoming Griffith's best friend and temporarily providing a distraction from his twisted dream, Guts forms an emotional connection with Casca, the Band of the Falcon's unit commander. While the incident is foreshadowed, nothing could have prepared viewers for the fifth Eclipse's insanity! Up until this point, Guts has mostly fought other humans, so the sudden leap to demonic armies was a huge change! More importantly, audiences are forced to watch these terrifying entities tear the Band of the Falcon apart. Alas, Griffith left the worst for Casca, as this entire ordeal culminates in the likable young girl being raped by the person she once idolized. There is simply no forgetting this whole episode, and the anime's failure to warrant a sequel meant that closure was not provided. Putting aside 2016's Berserk series, a fan's final memory of the anime was this brutal massacre.

In a franchise packed with legendary scenes and revelations, Nina Tucker's tragic conclusion ranks as one of the industry's most heartbreaking moments. A sweet girl who loves her father Shou and her pet dog Alexander, Nina may be the friendliest person in the entire series and she quickly develops a touching relationship with Edward and Alphonse. As she is only four years old and lacks a mother, the siblings are rather protective of Alexander's daughter. Unbeknownst to Nina, her mother did not actually run away, but she was used as an unwilling test subject by Shou and died in the process. As the deranged researcher faces losing his license after a year of aborted experiments, Shou does the unthinkable and attempts to create a Human Chimera by merging Alexander and Nina. While the transmutation is deemed a success, this once beloved girl is left as nothing more than a broken mutation. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's version is also very good, but the original anime's earlier arcs are better paced, so audiences are allowed more time with Nina prior to this horrific turn of events. As the realization of what transpired slowly takes hold, Edward reacts by beating Shou to hell and back again. Frankly, he got off easy.

Yes, we are going to discuss this damn moment! Elfen Lied largely consists of a string of bloody scenes featuring half-naked girls who can tear people to shreds with a mere thought. Over the course of 12 episodes, countless children and adults are butchered, but the most infuriating death does not even involve a human. Subjected to some rather harsh experiments and mercilessly bullied, Lucy finds solace in a small puppy that she meets in the wilderness. Sacrificing her own meals to supply the dog with food, this adorable little pooch is the only thing that keeps the young girl from completely losing her sanity. Eventually, Lucy befriends another child and confides in her about the puppy's existence, a move that proves to be a mistake. Lucy's tormentors learn about the dog and proceed to brutally torture and kill the puppy in front of the girl. Frankly, words fail to do justice to this scene's horribleness! Thankfully, Lucy punishes the dog killers with a bit of her own murdering! Animal cruelty and massacred children, Elfen Lied is truly a family show.

Starting out as a relatively ordinary mecha series about teenagers fighting massive alien-like creatures, Neon Genesis Evangelion's final two episodes took viewers on a peculiar journey into the protagonist's shattered psyche. Angsty and submissive, Shinji Ikari gets a bit of a bad rap, but the boy was pushed into a situation that is far beyond anyone's imagination. Sure, it is comfortable to believe that our behavior would be closer to Gurren Lagann's Kamina than Shinji's constant whining, but life is packed with disappointment. While the series' finale is interesting, Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion tends to be considered the anime's true conclusion. Be it Rei's colossal transformation or the story's general madness, scenes from this one film could make up this entire list; nevertheless, the biggest shock comes about during one of the quieter moments. Unconscious in a hospital bed, Asuka Langley Souryuu has been reduced to a shell of her former self. Despite treating him like crap, Shinji decides to visit his former partner, but things take a turn for the perverse when Asuka suffers a wardrobe malfunction. Unwittingly and unknowingly exposed to the world, Asuka's vulnerability sparks something in Shinji, who decides to "relieve" some tension while in the hospital room. Considering the amount of stress he has been under, it is a small miracle that the resulting release did not drown everyone in the building.

Gorgeous but haunting, Shinsekai Yori tackles themes of utopia, social tension, and corruption. In this universe, a minuscule percentage of the population gained psychokinetic powers, which rocked the natural order of things. While the normies had an overwhelming numerical advantage, they quickly found themselves under the boot of these new superpowered humans, resulting in the psychics creating a new world order. The anime takes place many years after this battle. Establishing certain rules to maintain the equilibrium, society consists merely of psychics, while anyone born without powers seems to disappear off the face of the planet. For the most part, the series deals with a war between humans and an ugly species known as queerats. In an attempt to shift the power balance in their favor, the latter try to overthrow their oppressors, but they end up falling short of their goal. Throughout the entire series, the queerats are clearly presented as the villains. In the final episode, Shinsekai Yori throws out a frightful revelation that retroactively changes the entire experience: queerats are powerless humans. In order to further establish their dominance, psychics twisted the genes of everyone else so they would resemble animals rather than people. The queerat leader Squealer reveals this to an audience of uninformed psychics, who merely laugh at the absurdity of his claim.

Is it possible to pick only one moment from Attack on Titan? While Wit Studio's anime may be the most mainstream release of the last decade, the story regularly subverts expectations. The pilot episode features a shocking scene involving the protagonist's mother and the teeth of a Titan, while episode five threw out an unexpected curveball with Eren's own (temporary) demise. In summation, Attack on Titan understands how to keep its audience guessing. Occurring in the phenomenal second season, the anime nearly broke the internet when Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover were declared to be the Titan-Shifter and the Colossal Titan respectively. Sent to infiltrate Wall Maria and act like spies, these two sought to kidnap Eren and Krista Lenz. For more than 30 episodes, fans grew to appreciate Reiner and Bertolt as endearing members of the Scouting Legion. Obviously, this admiration flew out the window when these two reveal that they are responsible for the murder of countless people. This twist is actually just spouted out abruptly by Reiner, with little build-up or fanfare; suddenly, Reiner and Bertolt are Titans.

Oh, come on! How could this adorable anime about two adventure-seeking rascals be anything other than precious and endearing? Kinema Citrus' Made in Abyss deserves every ounce of praise flung its way and the second season needs to happen sooner rather than later! Based on Akihito Tsukushi's manga, the premise centers around a seemingly bottomless chasm that opens in the middle of a town. Motivated by the allure of the unknown, many Divers seek to investigate this strange phenomenon, although the odds of survival get exponentially worse as someone ventures further down into the abyss. Aided by an amnesia-suffering robot named Regu, Riko aims to reach the bottom of the chasm and reunite with her mother. Immediately, the anime establishes that this task is effectively impossible, but the duo manages to survive the first couple of levels without too much trouble. Just as they start to get comfortable, Riko's arm gets poisoned and the only option seems to be an amputation. Well, the anime went through with it. In a five-minute scene that feels like it lasts forever, Regu botches an attempt to separate Riko from her arm. Shown in all of its graphic glory, Made in Abyss quickly reminded viewers that this journey was not meant for the faint of heart!

Okay, things really did escalate quickly! If it looks and acts like a magical girl anime, then it must be a magical girl anime. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica preys on this false assumption, as Shaft's highly rated anime lures viewers into a false sense of security. Be it the unbearably happy opening theme or the protagonist's airheaded behavior, Puella Magi Madoka Magica's initial three episodes stick strictly to the tropes and clichés associated with the genre, but this illusion is shattered by a single scene. Serving as Madoka's sensei, Mami Tomoe is a cheery magical girl who strives to save the lives of everyone around her. In other words, Mami is aces and seems borderline unstoppable. While the veteran fighter puts on a brave face, Mami suffers from bouts of loneliness, so Madoka hopes to repay her teacher by becoming her partner. Just when things are set to improve for Mami, she is mercilessly killed during a battle with a witch! Nowadays, anyone with a passing knowledge of anime knows that Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica is a borderline horror series masquerading as a magical girl story; however, this was not the case during the anime's original run. For some odd reason, violent decapitations and Sailor Moon do not seem to gel together!

Horror stories are often used to comment on social issues, although the vast majority of them tend to revolve around "humans being the real monsters." Admittedly, this idea is about as unexpected as Goku unlocking a new form of Super Saiyan but certain examples manage to say something new despite utilizing the same exact words. Shiki requires patience. Taking place in a small town cut off from the rest of Japan, vampires start targeting civilians in an attempt to transform this location into their new home. For the first half of the series, the humans pretend that nothing bad is happening, but things change when the town's resident doctor captures his transformed wife and performs a gruesome experiment on her. This scene could feature on this list, but there is another moment that sticks out. A bratty fifteen-year-old who enjoys tormenting others, Megumi Shimizu is the first villager to be turned, and she is not exactly a likable character. Even though the girl deserves to be punished for the blood on her hands, Megumi's death scene is haunting. By this point, the humans have started butchering any vampire in their way, and the worst was left for Megumi. Tortured and helpless, she is run over by a tractor. Okay, that may sound slightly humorous, but there is nothing funny about watching a fifteen-year-old girl get slowly squished to death.

Of course, this death scene takes the top spot. Presented as the anime's equivalent of Luffy or Naruto, Kamina is simply the coolest person to ever exist. Flashy, confident, and endlessly quotable; Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann's free-spirited superstar has enough charisma to instigate a mass rebellion against the powers that be. After sitting through eight fantastic episodes, Kamina genuinely seems to be near immortal! Maybe not physically, but Gainax's character just feels like the type of person who should always be there. Sadly, death comes for everyone and Kamina is far from an exception. In the aftermath of a particularly testing battle, everyone's favorite protagonist simply stops breathing. Describing this moment as "shocking" is a gross understatement, as words cannot capture the emotions instigated by this solitary frame. If Kamina can bite the dust, then nobody is safe! In retrospect, Gurren Lagann's decision to kill Kamina proved to be the correct choice, as Simon needed to be thrown into the deep end to truly develop into a worthwhile hero. Still, Kamina manages to make dying seem easy!

Let's go on with a show of the current season, Gokudolls! This story revolves around three yakuza members who disappointed their boss one more time. After failing an important mission, the boss gives them two options: honorably commit suicide, like a real yakuza member should, or going through a surgery to become girls, and train in order to become idols. After spending one year training, their debut brings them a lot of popularity... this is how three former yakuza members turn to idols! As the show is still ongoing, we still don't have a clear idea of how it will go on, but by now we can affirm that this is an amusing anime. We follow the three women through their flashbacks to their past as yakuza members, compared to their current life as female idols. Give it a chance as it may turn out to be a wonderful yakuza anime for the current season!

Two places where the law of physics are ignored appeared: the Heaven's Gate – in South America – and the Hell's Gate – in Japan. As a consequence, Contractors emerged as well: those who exchanged their humanity for supernatural abilities. Misaki Kirihara, living in the city next to the Hell's Gate, finds herself facing Hei, a Contractor also known as “Black Reaper”. Together, they will discover a plot threatening the existence of Contractors. Even though Darker than Black is not specifically a yakuza anime, the yakuza play a role in a few episodes. In fact, there are two characters related to a yakuza group, and they are two brothers: Hitotsubashi and Kenji Sakurai. Affiliated with the Nakazawa Group, these two brothers will make their appearance and unveil yakuza plots, and schemes.

As a child, Raku promised to his childhood friend that they would marry in the future. Years after, Raku's memories are faint, but all what remains of his childhood friend is a pendant. During high school, Raku falls in love with Kosaki Onodera, yet being the heir of a yakuza family, he has some duties. That's why, in order to bring peace between his family and the Bee Hives, he has to fake a romantic bond with Chitoge Kirisaki. Their fake love life begins... and it will be full of trouble! As you can understand by the premises, here the yakuza have an important role. Both our protagonists, Raku and Chitoge, belong to yakuza families. Not only that, they are also forced to fake a romantic relationship in order to forge peace between the two families. As Nisekoi is a shounen anime, you can expect gangsters very far from reality. In fact, in spite of being related to yakuza, Nisekoi has funny turns of events, and a lot of gags!

During his summer vacation, Michishio Nagasumi's life undergoes an odd twist of events: he risks drowning in the sea, but he is saved by a beautiful mermaid. She is Sun Seto, and she belongs to a yakuza mermaid family. Their law says that if a human happens to see a mermaid, that person or mermaid, has to pay with their life. That is, if Nagasumi doesn't want to marry Sun... in order to save both of their lives, Nagasumi asks for Sun's hand, and their journey together begins! Seto no Hanayome is a different kind of yakuza show. In fact, it wields supernatural elements, and the yakuza here are mermaids and mermen. Of course, by these premises you can expect a comedic show, full of gags, what with the poor Nagasumi finding himself in a very odd situation changing his life for good. Pick it up if you wish to watch a lighthearted show involving yakuza!

As the heir of the fourth boss of a yakuza clan, Ryunosuke Oohara will have to succeed his father someday. In spite being a troublemaker, losing it as soon as someone tries to talk to him, he is a kindhearted boy with just one dream: to quit yakuza and marry Naoki Satoya, his childhood friend. Naoki, on the other side, can't accept the fact that Ryunosuke is willing to throw away his duties for something fruitless like love between two men. We don't forget our fujoshi/fudanshi readers: as you can see, even the yaoi/BL genre can involve yakuza. In Tight-rope, we find the successor of a yakuza clan who doesn't care about the situation he's in. Even when pushed by his father, he keeps choosing his love toward Naoki. This short yakuza romance is totally worth watching, so be sure to give it a try!

Yoshifumi Nitta is a member of the yakuza, and one night a strange object falls over his head. The strange thing is a box, and much to Nitta's surprise, it contains a girl – Hina – with supernatural powers such as telekinesis. Since her power can become a helping hand in Nitta's yakuza business, he takes her in. There's a huge problem, though: if Hina doesn't use her powers, her powers run wild to the point of destroying everything around her. Not to mention, she may eventually use her powers on Nitta, as well... Hinamatsuri is yet another yakuza anime with supernatural and comedy elements. It revolves around a yakuza member helped constantly by a mysterious little girl wielding supernatural powers. Nitta and Hina, on the polar opposites, manage to create a particular bond. If it's true that this show is full of gags, it's also true that as a seinen anime it wields some deeper themes. Pick it if you want to see how a yakuza member can be troubled by a little girl!

Durarara!! x2 Shou is the sequel of Durarara!! This amazing show takes place in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, and it revolves around a huge range of characters. The story follows closely each of them, through their ups and downs. In a city where gangs keep wreaking havoc, each character will be at the same time victim and perpetrator of what's going on. In Durarara!! x2 Shou there's a yakuza group called Awakusu-Kai. One of their members is Mizuki Akabayashi, who falls in love with Sayaka Sonohara, mother of Anri Sonohara – one of the protagonists of Durarara!! By the end of the season, Akabayashi manages to become part of the Dollars, in spite his old age. Even though it's not strictly related to yakuza, Durarara!! x2 Shou has some yakuza appearances and it is about gangs. You won't be disappointed!

Kumiko Yamaguchi is about to start her dream job as a math teacher. However, her enthusiasm is tested the moment she steps into the Shirokin Academy: the all-boy school is full of delinquents. Kumiko is not a girly girl, though; in fact, she is the head of a powerful yakuza clan, with a lot of skills, and strength. While trying to keep her criminal background a secret, she will have to tame the horde of delinquent students... Gokusen deserved our third position, as in this anime yakuza play an important role. Kumiko, at the age of 23, is the acting head of the Ooedo Clan, as her parents died years prior and her grandfather is ill. Kumiko is surrounded by a bunch of thugs who respect her, and tend to be overprotective, but she – like a real yakuza – has the ability to assert her authority. If you crave for a non-conventional yakuza show, pick Gokusen up. This josei anime won't fail you!

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Ryo Saeba works in Tokyo as a City Hunter. Together with Kaori Makimura, they are “sweepers”, and try to maintain the city clean. Kaori is responsible for getting clients, and protecting the female clients from Ryo's advances, while Ryo is very adaptable: at times assassin, at times bodyguard, he does whatever clients request. With his Colt Python, Ryo walks the streets of Tokyo trying to help desperate people! Ryo and Kaori's job is to clean the city, and help people; that's why the yakuza intervenes in this show. Ryo being a flawless contract killer, the yakuza somehow admire him. Not only that, they go as far as to hire Ryo, in order to solve the most difficult cases. So, Ryo helps the yakuza, and they sometimes cooperate. If you want to take a look to the Tokyo underground, join the sweepers of the city!

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Let's end this ranking with a super popular, and overly appreciated show! Great Teacher Onizuka revolves around Eikichi Onizuka, who was once a biker gang leader. Now reformed, Onizuka has one dream: to become the greatest teacher. The only hindrance between Onizuka and his goal is a class of delinquents trying to push him away. But the great teacher Onizuka has his own methods: he doesn't care about legal, or illegal, he just sees the ultimate goal, and he is willing to do whatever it takes! We chose Great Teacher Onizuka as our number one as this show is amazingly good, and overly appreciated, and through years it keeps gaining new fans. Onizuka is a former delinquent, and yakuza is the reason he became a teacher: basically, he thought that he could only succeed in organized crime. In fact, he graduated cheating from a standard university, and his methods as a teacher are questionable. However, throughout the show, Onizuka will face the yakuza in numerous occasions, sporting his past as a gang leader. You should give GTO a try, it will make you crack up!

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Asobi Asobase comes to us from the legendary director Seiji Kishi, who recently got buff and started posting about it online, and tells the story of classmates Hanako and Olivia. Olivia is a born Japanese, but since her parents aren’t ethnically Japanese, she looks like a westerner. This causes people to assume she cannot speak Japanese, and she uses this to her advantage. Hanako is a rich young girl who is quite smart and athletic, but is about as slow as molasses in a blizzard. The two meet Kasumi, a brilliant young student who is so bad at English, it hurts. Olivia wants to play games with Kasumi, and Kasumi agrees that if she can beat her, Olivia must teach her English. Wanting to mess with her, Olivia agrees. When she finally loses though, the three girls come together to create a club where they can play games and become better friends. First off, let us say that this comes from Seiji Kishi. The man has directed hits like Angel Beats!, Persona 4: The Animation, Tsuki ga Kirei, Seto no Hanayome, Danganronpa and more. Asobi Asobase has really just smashed that record by becoming so incredibly popular so quickly. The comedy is manic and always unexpected, and honestly feels a lot like Nichijou, but about twice as funny. Anything and everything that you would think would be normal, like say, going to the bathroom, is compounded by the twist of butt lazers. Something, you would never expect. Bangs are very important as is how babies are made, fashion, and voodoo. The series touches on so many topics and moves at breakneck speed that we are left in tears because of how it works itself up. You are doing yourself a disservice by not watching at least through episode four of this series.

Ash Lynx is a pretty boy in the 1980s in New York City. He runs a popular gang and fights against Dino, a man who kept Ash around as a sex toy when he was just a child. However, with Ash taking care of his brother who was destroyed by war, he’s torn… till Dino gets something that could be the key to understanding his brother. Ash is out for revenge and answers. At the same time, young, passionate Eiji Okumura steps off a plane as an assistant cameraman here to work. When their paths cross, nothing will be the same. At first, admittedly, I was scared of Banana Fish. The first word to describe it was “Josei” which means that normally, the series would be a thin plot with tons of BL to fuel fujoshi into dumping money into it. However, that is not the case for Banana Fish. The art is good, the story is interesting, and honestly, even though there are the BL/gay tones, they do not detract from the story as most do, but rather, they lend to it showing more dimension and hurt to the characters. They are fleshed out excellently and the story is at times, a bit shocking for how gritty it is. One expects Josei to be more mild and soft, not with people getting shot up, raped, drugs, violence and more. The series may have been originally from the 80s, but it holds value well and is a clear frontrunner for the season.

Those who are around us that are overtly proficient at something actually hide a secret. They are not skilled on their own, but rather, they are so good at what they do because of their predecessors. It is not that these modern day geniuses studied under the greats, but rather, they have help from little dolls named Aguu. Aguu are dolls, or rather living people, who were shrunk down akin to a process like voodoo where their bones and organs are all removed, but are kept alive through black magic. Aguu can only be made by tailors and are inserted into the bodies of regular people giving them unnatural amounts of talent. When Ai learns that her classmate and best friend Machi is a genius when it comes to ballet, Ai is depressed. A chance encounter though, helps Ai see the light and she learns that Machi has Aguu sewn inside of her body. Machi offers to give Ai one to help her become a genius herself. However, when Ai gets cold feet and a fight breaks out, she flees with some help, but Machi is irreversibly damaged. Ai must now fight against a revived Machi imbued with the power of Aguu and stop her. Honestly, it sounds weird, but the story and pacing of Aguu is quite good and caught me off guard. I was expecting a poor story, but decided to try it out anyway. The first episode is okay, but while most anime take 3-6 episodes just to set up a story, Aguu started sprinting at episode 2. I hope it doesn’t stop either, because I love this show in a weird way. I will say that a negative the show faces is that it’s sadly Studio Deen in charge of it. Studio Deen has a very bad habit of animating shows poorly that aren’t natively Japanese–and even when they are, it’s dodgy at best–so there are moments where things don’t flow right or you are not sure how something is going to proceed. Still though, the story, voice acting and more is enjoyable, so we recommend this for sure.

Kirino is coming back to Japan from America, but life is going to get a lot more complicated. Kirino still requests help from Kyousuke, but there’s a bit of drama awaiting them both on the horizon. In fact, it may involve romance. If the name doesn’t give way to the fact that this is an siscon anime, then the plot surely will. Kyousuke’s life basically seems to revolve around Kirino and for some reason, he has nothing outside of that life. At some point, Kyousuke even breaks up with girlfriend, Kuroneko, to date his little sister. Just why?! Oh yeah, it’s one thing to be a siscon and another thing to be straight up incest, and boy, does this go in the wrong direction.

Creatures called “ghouls” hide amongst the humans in Tokyo instilling fear in its residents as the ghouls hunger for flesh. Here, we meet Kaneki Ken who finds his life changes when he invites Kamishiro Rize out on a date that ends horribly. Rize was a ghoul, but after an incident, Ken finds himself fused with Rize so he’s become half ghoul himself. It’s hard to not love Tokyo Ghoul as an anime, but some scenes are downright gruesome. From the bloody deaths of both humans and ghouls, there’s a lot to make you want to puke. Then there’s the cannabalism that’s included. Oh, and let us not forget that last part of Tokyo Ghoul where Kaneki Ken becomes the play thing of Yamori. That torture scene is just downright terrifying and will have you dry heaving in terror and disgust.

Kasugano siblings Haruka and Sora are going to live in the countryside at an old family home after the loss of their parnets. Back in their family home, there are many reminders of the past including old childhood friends. However, there’s a lot that has been suppressed and with the twins’ return, they are begin to come out of the woodworks once more. Yosuga no Sora really grabbed headlines after the type of content this anime exposed right on daytime television. Yosuga no Sora plays out like Amagami SS where different stories are told each episode, but some of the episodes just become horrid as we see themes like rape and incest play out on the screen in favor of serious manners. While one could joke about these themes the way some anime do, watching them unfold in the seriousness that they were shown, is just another story. It’s no wonder Yosuga no Sora was so controversial considering how unsettled it left us viewers.

Lucy has telekinetic hands that allow her to do all sorts of things and a pair of horns that separates her from appearing completely human. This has resulted in her being experiented on by the government, but at the first sign of escape, Lucy takes it. Haunted by the events of her past, Lucy is merciless in how she treats others, but once she escapes, she ends up with Kouta and his cousin Yuka who take her into their home. Elfen Lied is an infamous anime and for good reasons. Within the first few minutes of the first episode, you see people being decapitated and slaughtered mercilessly at the invisible hands of Lucy. It’s horrifying to watch, and that’s not even the worst scene. There are more scenes to discover including a rather notorious scene involving a puppy and some young children. This anime is not for those weak of heart or stomach because of the events that take place, but there is a reason why this anime is so loved by the anime community.

There is a ritual that students perform using paper charms that is supposed to bond them as friends forever. However, the charms actually are part of Heavenly Host Academy, a school that no longer exists after numerous murders. This sends the kids into an alternate dimension where their very lives are at stake. Ah, if you are a fan of gore and horrific events, then you should prepare yourself for Corpse Party: Tortured Souls. If the name doesn’t give you any hint as to how gruesome Corpse Party can be, just close your eyes and imagine decaptiations, severed tongues, stabbings, and bludgeonings. Oh, and did you see that this is only 4 episodes long? Corpse Party: Tortured Souls really knows how to add the into an anime and you will find yourself queasy just looking at all that this short anime has to offer.

Saeki Koushirou may be a wedding planner, but love has always been difficult for him. His family is broken and he has not seen his mother or sister in years. One day, Koushirou meets a high school girl that sparks feelings within him, but actually, she’s his sister. Is it too late for them to be siblings now that there’s a feeling of romance between them? Oh incest...It’s definitely nothing new to any anime otaku, but Koi Kaze was one of the first anime to tackle this theme in anime. Of course, at that time, it wasn’t fetishsized so it played out more with taboo and controversy. There’s also the fact that Koushirou’s little sister is a minor, which plays more into that controversy. That’s why Koi Kaze is so notable as we explore Koushirou’s journey as he fights his incestuous feelings. What makes it all the more notable is how reciprocated his feelings are and well… You’ll just have to watch to see how it unfolds.

Shoujo Tsubaki revolves around the life of Midori, a girl whose life falls apart when her mother falls ill and eventually dies. Upon the tragedy, Midori is seduced by a stranger who brings her to join the circus. Here, the freaks and obsurdities are real and no one cares about your life circumstances. If you have never heard of this anime, well, it’s a special one. So special that despite not having been shown in many theatres or having many physical copies, Shoujo Tsubaki is still very well known for its ero guro themes. Some of the scenes are not for the feint of heart and this anime will surely disgust many, but it’s great horror story telling from the shouwa period and you will not forget it any time soon.

Aoki Daisuke is finally teaching and his first class is full of third graders. Unfortunately, he gets into a sort of strange tangled web with one of his students, Kokonoe Rin who makes him her lover. Of course, he also somehow finds himself entrapped in the complicated lives of Rin and her friends as well. It’s time to get down to the grossest and here we have one of the most notorious anime, Kodomo no Jikan, an anime about pedophilia meant for the lolicon. The relationship between Daisuke and Rin is a bit complicated, but it’ll surely disgust you no matter how far their relationship progresses. Can you watch this anime without throwing up while watching Rin come on to Daisuke and force her way into his love life as he forces his way into her personal life? Hmmmm.

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Pico is spending his summer working at his grandfather’s coffee shop when he comes across Tamotsu. Tamotsu is just trying to find an escape from the dullness of the city and his 9-5, but when he meets Pico, there’s a spark that he was never expecting. Gender, sexuality, and age will prove to be no boundary for these two as they discover what it means to be attracted to each other. Here’s another you’ve probably heard of and oh boy, does this take it up a notch from Kodomo no Jikan. Boku no Pico depicts the relationship between a pre-pubescent boy and a grown man. By relationship, we mean sex. Just hang tight and watch as Tamotsu guides young Pico to adulthood. Just hold onto your lunch.

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Hasegawa siblings Utsutsu and Yume have been scarred after being left on their own by their abusive parents. However, red butterflies have been appearing around them, tormenting them. They are a sign of the Pupa virus, which has infected them. The Pupa hatches within Yume and she becomes this monster that has an insatiable hunger for flesh, while her brother Utsutsu is infected but given the ability to regenerate. With this power, Utsutsu will prove how much he loves his sister by being her willing sacrifice so long as it eases her pain. Oh, Pupa...Is there anything quite like Pupa? With a sort of cannabolism combined with incest and gore, Pupa makes the ultimate gross out anime that will make you throw up. Watching Yume feed off of her big brother Utsutsu as her living food source is gruesome to say the least. Utsutsu really just accepts his lot in life and is more than willing to feed Yume endlessly because his feelings for Yume reach that far. Just be prepared.

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The people of the continent of Piena have lived in peace for years. They are secure in the knowledge that the Demon God and his army are confined to a large land mass off the coast only connected to Piena by a small, easily defended isthmus. A legend also states that when the Demon God revives, six heroes will be chosen by the goddess of fate and will rise up to fight the demons. The heroes are given the moniker The Braves of the Six Flowers. The two main characters in the story are Nashetania Loei Piena Augustra, the crown princess of Piena, and Aldet Mayer, the self-proclaimed strongest man in the world. We follow Mayer, Augustra and the other braves on their mission to fight the Demon God. The story sounds straightforward, right? But what we think is simply an action anime takes a psychological turn when seven heroes appear at a small temple near the border of the demon lands. You need to remember that there are only supposed to be six. Mayer must fight for his life using his physical strength and intellect against several unique fighters in his attempt to discover the imposter who could be working for the demon army. We have some really obvious comparisons between Rokka no Yuusha and Anglomois. The first is a relatively peaceful country under threat of invasion from an overwhelming enemy. We have a princess in each story, Nashetania in Rokka who is a great warrior, and Teruhi-Hime in Angolmois. Teruhi-Hime hasn’t proven herself a great fighter but she has proven her bravery to fight by her willingness to be on the front lines. The second is the rogue character. Aldet Myer seems to be a clever man who uses his skill, strength, and intelligence to defeat his opponents, yet he is an unknown quantity to the princess and the established heroes. Kuichii Jinzaburo was exiled from mainland Japan for a crime and is new to the island. He was stripped of his status and from the moment he got off the ship considered a prisoner. Kuichii Jinzaburo, however, will become the princess’ and possibly the island and Japan’s savior. Angolmois seems to be a straightforward show about military tactics with some romance thrown in. Rokka, on the other hand, has a lot of plotting and scheming with some great superpowered battles. You should enjoy both.

The Kativarna Empire’s imperial might is waning. Kativarna is rotting from the inside as the nobles and royal family become corrupt, using the government to enrich themselves instead of serving the people. The empire decides to go to war with the Republic of Kiokia, a war they think will bring easy glory. Kiokia, on the other hand, has a different idea of how the war was to go and fights back. The republic adopts new tactics and technology that help them fight the Kativarna forces to a stalemate. Ikta is a brilliant young officer who is a believer in the new philosophy of science. He hates the empire for its corruption and reliance on illogical religious dogma but has no choice but to serve. He and his fellow officers become the favorites of the young princess Chamille Kitora Katjvanmaniknik who trained with them at the officers' school. The young princess bets that Ikta with his new philosophy of science just might help change the nation. The story of Alderamin on the Sky and Angolmois are both stories of war and often fighting against the odds. We find in many moments that Ikta and his comrades are outnumbered with their backs to the wall and have to find a way to stay in the fight. The plot of Angolomis is built on the concept of fighting the seemingly unstoppable foe. We also know this is anime because we have a princess in the mix. The two stories have princesses and each one begins fighting for her life while balancing ideas like duty and honor with the realities of the world. The heroes are a little similar, though I wouldn’t bet on Ikta to beat Kuchii Jinzaburo in hand-to-hand combat. Ikta wouldn’t bet on himself either. Yet the two protagonists seem to have a very realistic approach to what can be accomplished on the battlefield and are both willing to get creative to find a way to win. If you like smart military men, Ikta is your guy and Alderamin on the Sky is your anime.

Pop quiz: You’re a 17-year-old Japanese high schooler and you fall back in time. Where do you land? Answer: The Warring States Period in the court of Oda Nobuna (Nobunaga), of course. Sagara Yoshiharu is just that kind of young man. He not only time travels but finds that Oda Nobunaga, the fearsome samurai warrior hellbent on unifying the country, is actually Oda Nobuna, a fearsome samurai princess surrounded by fearsome female samurai generals, who is still hellbent on unifying the country. He fills the role of Kinoshita Tokichiro, a.k.a monkey, and becomes her indispensable advisor and love interest. We follow Sagara as he uses his knowledge of the future to help Oda Nobuna unify the Japanese and possibly change history along the way. The Ambition of Oda Nobuna and Angolmis: Record of the Mongol Invasion are both works of historical fiction. The Mongols did invade Japan in 1272 and they were the favorite to beat the Japanese – at least on paper. The Ambition of Oda Nobuna mentions real battles, castles, tactics, and people. We are, however, given a lot of fiction in both of these shows. Yes, Oda Nobuna was a man, so that show goes without saying. The idea of a samurai leading people of Tsushima to fight the Mongols could be true, so we did a little research and couldn’t find anything on Kuchii Jinzaburo that wasn’t a reference to the anime or manga. The battle of Tsushima Island did happen when the Mongols landed 1,000 soldiers on the beach on October 5, 1274, and were engaged by So Sukekuni, the administrator of the feudal province. If you like your history and don’t mind a few liberties taken with the story you should check out The Ambition of Oda Nobuna.

A gateway is discovered on the moon that allows people to jump to Mars. The people that migrated to the red planet seeking a better life mainly find just dirt and rocks until a scientist uncovers an ancient technology called Aldnoah. The super science of Aldnoah lets them wield military power on a massive scale. The discoverer of Aldnoah declares himself Emperor and states that the Martian or Vers Empire, as it was called by the ancients, should conquer their former home for its abundant resources. A war breaks out and the moon shatters, with the fragments showering down upon the blue planet nearly destroying the environment. The war becomes a cold one and in the three following generations the Martins no longer consider themselves humans, but Martians, creating a great divide between the two peoples. A second war begins as the Martian knights decide that dominion over Earth is their right. The attempted assassination of Princess Asseylum of Mars is just the excuse they need to resume their invasion. We watch childhood abruptly end for teenagers as they have to take up arms or face extinction. Inaho Kaizuka and his friend are tossed into the battle. We follow a web of political intrigue and heroism as the story takes shape. The two stories are absolutely comparable despite the obvious difference that Aldnoah.Zero is science fiction that features Martians and mecha and the other one set in the 13th century. We are dealing with native forces attempting to repel much larger and more powerful forces. The Mongols, historically speaking, were an unstoppable force. The Mongol army was able to conquer the unconquerable and when they set their sights on you it was usually time to surrender. We see the Martians take on that same role by having superior weapons compared to the people of Earth. A princess plays a big part in both stories. Princess Asseylum is one of the main reasons the forces of Earth manage to hold their own in the early stages of the war by fighting after finding out it was the Knights that ordered her death. The lead male protagonists are both highly intelligent. We think Inaho might be one of the best tacticians we’ve seen in anime, the best thing is the science he uses to defeat enemies is often real. The story may be set in the future but the story of Aldnoah.Zero is timeless.

A peaceful day in the business district of Ginza, Tokyo is suddenly interrupted by the shrieking of dragons in the sky and the howl of soldiers clad in armor running through the streets. The modern civilian population first is caught off guard, then is in a panic and made easy prey for the spear-wielding foot soldiers. The casualties would have been much higher if Youji Itami, an off-duty Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) officer, hadn’t taken charge of the situation and began coordinating a response with the police. The invaders had traveled through a dimensional gate that appeared on the streets of Ginza. The JSDF secured the gate and sent in an expeditionary force to what they designate as the Special Region. The army is sent to neutralize any potential threats that may use the gate to invade Japan. We find Youji Itami and his squad in a medieval fantasy landscape where the JSDF’s military might quickly shifts the balance of power with its ability to defend or strike any threat with overwhelming force. We enter a world of adventure and politics as Itami their native allies and the Imperial Princess Pina Co Lada work toward peace between Japan and the people of the Special Region. In this case, the story isn’t about the underdog fighting off the evil invaders. The empire in the Special Region bit off more than it could chew when it attacked Japan. The Japanese could wipe out the empire in minutes but they don’t. Japan wants to come to a peaceful solution so both sides can prosper. Itami is an excellent soldier as well as a great leader for his squad. He attempts to never let on how skilled he actually is and is constantly underestimated, much like Kuichii Jinzaburo. We know from the way Kuichii Jinzaburo is initially treated that because he is an exile from the mainland the soldiers treat him as something less than a man. The princess, in gate, is a knight in her own right and wants what is best for her people even if that means being humble and accepting that the Japanese could destroy them in the blink of an eye. She doesn’t see herself as needing to be protected. We believe that even though Teruhi-Hime doesn’t think she needs protecting, she probably does. The two stories are filled with strategic planning and we’d consider both to fit firmly in the military genre.

The kingdom of Kouka seems an idyllic place filled with happiness and peace, especially to the sheltered princess Yona. She lives her days at ease and in luxury surrounded by attendants and doted on by her father. Her illusion of peace is shattered when she sees her father the king murdered by her cousin Su-won. The sheltered princess flees for her life. Yona is accompanied by her devoted bodyguard and soon learns the truth of the kingdom outside of the castle walls. A world of poverty and corruption surrounds her and she learns fast that her returning to the throne given the state of the kingdom may never happen. She is eventually joined by several extremely capable warriors who help her be both sword and shield for not only the people abused by the system but for the country as its instability makes it a target of invasion. We couldn’t help but draw a couple of comparisons immediately when we watched Angolmois. The first of which is an idyllic land invaded, in this case, the island of Tsushima off the coast of Japan is invaded by the Mongol horde. The second is the princess. Yona is a sheltered princess who has to grow up fast to survive, the same goes for Teruhi-Hime who for all her confidence isn’t nearly ready to succeed her father, even if that was allowed. The third is the trusted general, for Teruhi-Hime it’s Kuchii Jinzaburo who feels indebted to the princess for treating him with respect and giving him something to fight for. For Yona, it’s her bodyguard Hak Son who can not only lead men, but fight, and will never betray her. The two stories may even have more similarities, as the Angolmois is only four episodes in as of writing. We’ll have to see. We do however recommend Yona of the Dawn for amazing storytelling about a riches-to-rags princess that learns what to value by having nothing.

If you’re looking for a light and fluffy take on the boys love genre, you could do a lot worse than Super Lovers. It tells the tale of high schooler Haru and his younger stepbrother Ren, who spent a summer together in Canada getting to know each other. But when Ren comes to live with Haru in Japan five years later, Haru doesn’t seem to remember anything! Can they repair their relationship and figure out how they really feel about one another? Though the underage and incest-y overtones may turn some people off, this anime is very light on sexuality. Instead, it features adorable moments of bonding and love that are enhanced even further by the gorgeous music and animation from Studio Deen. It doesn’t necessarily do anything new for the genre, but the story of this cute young couple will give you the warm fuzzies nonetheless.

This anime takes the common teacher/student romance and brings it closer to the real world and modern sensibilities. Our young protagonist, Masahiro, was resigned to being bullied by neighborhood gangs, but that all changed when a mysterious figure known as Kousuke Oushiba saves him from his plight. He thought he’d never see his hero again, but a year later, Masahiro finds out that Kousuke is his new math teacher! Will he be able to get closer to his beloved Kousuke, or will their different stations in life keep them apart? Since these two knew each other beforehand and all romantic moments have clear consent, there isn’t as much of an uncomfortable status difference between them as tends to happen in similar boys love relationships between a superior and an underling. Masahiro and Kousuke also face realistic prejudice against their unorthodox relationship, and their struggles with the world around them strengthens their bond all the more. If you’re a longtime boys love fan and want something that bucks the trends, check out Hitorijime My Hero.

Ooo cool, a sci-fi boys love anime! If you love dystopian young adult fiction but wish there was a little more gay in it, this could be the series for you. No. 6 is a light novel adaptation set in the titular perfect city that’s blocked off from the post-apocalyptic wasteland surrounding it. It follows Nezumi, a fugitive from outside the walls, and Shion, a boy who protected him long ago and was booted out of the upper class because of his actions. Together, they explore the city’s hidden underbelly and uncover what’s really going on in No. 6. This anime is well worth watching just for its 1984-esque social commentary, but the romance between Shion and Nezumi is the icing on the cake. Their upbringings and personalities couldn’t be more different, and yet they bring out the best in each other over the course of their adventure. For a dramatic sci-fi yarn with just the right amount of boys love and fujoshi fanservice, give No. 6 a shot.

And now for something completely different – Chinese anime! Mo Dao Zu Shi (translated as either “The Founder of Diabolism” or “The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation”) is set in a fantasy world based on Chinese mythology and stars two men who wander the countryside fighting ghosts, solving mysteries, and even raising children together. But there’s a twist – both of them have recently been resurrected from the dead and used to be archenemies in their previous lives. Despite this complicated premise, the show is proving to be a blast so far. It shifts constantly between tragic drama and off-the-wall comedy, the animation is an exotic feast for the eyes, and the characters are just as likable and interesting as they were in the original novel. Only time will tell if Mo Dao Zu Shi can gain traction with the Japanese and Western boys love audience, but we sure hope so!

If you think today’s anime pretty boys look feminine, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The main characters of Patalliro are so girly that they make Sailor Moon’s Zoicite and Kunzite (who were inspired by this anime) look like frat boys. But even with their long hair, prominent eyeshadow, and impossibly beautiful faces, Major Jack Barbarossa Bancoran and assassin Maraich Juschenfe still kick serious ass. The story makes very little sense – it starts out with a young king fleeing assassins who ends up in space somehow – but that hardly matters. Its bizarre art style combines old school shoujo with psychedelic imagery in its own dizzying way, and the relationship between Bancoran and Maraich is as dramatic and otherworldly as everything else around it. For a history lesson on the genre and a unique boys love story unlike any you’ve ever seen, take a gander at Patalliro.

Written by the same author as the boys love classic Junjou Romantica, Sekaiichi Hatsukoi focuses on the tingly feeling of first love and how it affects people for their whole lives. It follows three couples who are all connected in some way to the manga industry, which lets the anime tell intriguing love stories while also giving insights into a world that most of us are unfamiliar with. It doesn’t have sci-fi or fantasy elements, fancy animation, or even super original story concepts, but Sekaiichi Hatsukoi makes it this high on the list because of how masterfully it explores its characters and the theme of a pure first love. It isn’t all about sex or flirting – just a genuine relationship between two people who can’t ever forget one another.

Like Mo Dao Zu Shi, Banana Fish is a fresh face this season. But even though it’s still airing, we can see from its faithful adaptation of the manga so far that it’s bound to match (or even exceed) its legendary source material. This anime takes place in the underground crime-ridden streets of New York City, updated from the ‘80s setting of the manga to 2018. Hapless Japanese photographer Eiji Okumura finds himself sucked into the life of Ash Lynx, a young gang leader with mafia ties and a shadowy past. Their relationship develops slowly over time from a mutual fascination with each other’s worlds to an actual romance built on trust and understanding. It’s handled subtly and realistically, weaving in complicated issues like culture shock and Ash’s skewed sense of sexuality after his childhood as a sex slave. We’ve only seen a bit of this so far in animation, but we’re confident that the rest of Ash and Eiji’s story will play out brilliantly in this new form.

Perhaps the most mainstream and popular of all boys love anime these days is Yuri on Ice – the 2016 ice skating show that actually had the balls to confirm a gay male relationship between the two main characters. It’s a fairly standard sports anime otherwise, but the adorable and realistically structured romance between Yuuri and Victor is definitely the highlight of the show. Yuri on Ice avoids the common boys love trope of obvious seme and uke roles by having Yuuri and Victor be close in age, blurring their teacher/student relationship with moments of genuine friendship, and making Victor more flamboyant and girlish than Yuuri while still retaining his manliness. Plus, each of them has heartfelt reactions to scenes like the kiss on the ice and Yuuri telling Victor to quit being his coach, further cementing them as real human beings with their own lives and feelings who desperately want to spend their lives with each other. For those of us who’ve been waiting decades for a realistic gay relationship in anime, Yuri on Ice is here to please.

If Patalliro is the progenitor of old school boys love, Gravitation does the same thing for modern yaoi anime. It was an outlier at the time of its release, since its engaging characters and catchy music actually garnered it a fair amount of popularity even outside of the typical boys love demographic. It proved that yaoi didn’t have to be explicit or solely catered towards girls in order to be successful – it just needed to tell a great story. The main characters, Shuichi and Yuki, are the classic uke and seme pair right down to their character designs. But since they’re such well-written characters with realistic goals and interactions, this structure doesn’t take away from their relationship. It could even be said that they’re the best examples of the seme and uke archetypes in modern anime, leaving room for later shows like Yuri on Ice and Banana Fish to change up the formula that they perfected. Gravitation was revolutionary in its day, and still holds up almost two decades later.

With only a 60 minute run time, how can this movie weave a romance that warms our hearts so much that it beats out all of the longer anime to top this list? We’re not exactly sure, but watch Doukyuusei to find out for yourself. It tells the story of Rihito and Hikaru, two complete opposites who bond over their mutual love of music. They don’t realize at first what they’re in for, but their young hearts begin to beat in sync as they slowly come to love one another. Rihito and Hikaru’s adorable relationship is just young love, pure and simple. It’s realistic, raw, and lays bare the troubles that teenagers face as they mature and have to face their future. No tricks, no tired tropes, just love. And in the end, that’s all we fans wanted in the first place.

Kashiwagi Sora is a diligent young boy living alone while his father is out travelling the globe looking for adventure. Sora sometimes receives exotic souvenirs from his dad that are usually cursed objects out to kill him. This time though, Sora has received a huge coffin from his dad and what’s inside is not Dracula or Ramses II but rather a palm-sized mummy whom he named Mii-kun. So a coffin with a cross, excavated from Egypt and there’s a tiny mummy inside of it… Yeah, we know, Japan is weird. But that what makes Japan great though because you’ll never know what crazy and unique stories they’ll cook up next! Right then! At its core, Miira no Kaikata is a cute and cuddly story of master and pet with a dose of serious character background and origin. Fortunately, the cute stuff is abundant in quantity, very inoffensive that you’ll have the urge to grab your pillow, or pet, or anyone close with your arm’s reach and cuddle them non-stop.

Much 3D. So Doge. Muco is an energetic Shiba Inu who loves her owner Komatsu very much and the show is mainly about our cute dog doing cute doggie things every day. You’ve seen the memes, you’ve seen videos from popular Twitter and Youtube personalities, and you’ve read an article about a dog managing a store in Japan; the Shiba Inu breed is quite popular and it’s still a popular breed with or without the Doge meme. Itoshi no Muco isn’t an accurate portrayal of a typical life of a Shiba Inu, but it’s nonetheless a cute show of the energetic Muco and her daily adventures with her human master, as Muco tries to figure out what is her master trying to or say. The show lacks any story, but that’s not the point of Itoshi no Muco. If you’re looking for anime featuring cute dogs, then Itoshi no Muco is the best pick, especially if you’re a fan of the Shiba Inu breed.

In a seemingly normal kitchen with seemingly normal bananas, one of the bananas started moving. As it turns out, there was a cat inside the banana, and apparently every banana in the kitchen are cats! This rare wildlife observation focuses on these banana cats, and the star of the group is named Bananya, and he wants to be covered in sweet, sweet chocolate! Now don’t worry, Honey’s Anime didn’t forget the cat lovers, so here is Bananya, a cute short anime about banana cats playing in the house when the humans are away. Each episode is 3 minutes long, but it’s packed with cuteness that you many end up getting type 2 diabetes. And the short length of the episodes make Bananya a perfect intermission between anime shows, or a great way to relieve stress. If you’re feeling guilty for eating bananas now, then, well, we don’t blame you.

Ryuuichi’s parents have died in a tragic plane crash and he is left alone to take care of his baby brother Kotarou. But one day, Ryuuichi has received an invitation from a chairwoman from an elite academy to be their guardian. There is a condition, however—Ryuuichi must earn his stay by becoming a babysitter for the children of the school faculty. It’s sort of a cheap trick to list an anime about cute babies in a list about kawaii stuff, like it’s similar to you holding your baby sibling to impress a girl in school that you’re an adorable and gentle guy but Gakuen Babysitters is… uh… actually that. Then again, the list is largely composed of shows featuring girl-only casts… *ahem* It’s not like we’re downplaying the anime and Gakuen Babysitters didn’t paint these babies as innocent angels because there are very funny moments involving Ryuuichi having to take care of his baby brother while having to deal with these little hell spawns from the school’s faculty. Babysitting is chaotic and hellish, but it’s cute to watch the little devils run amok around the daycare and breathe a sigh of relief that it’s Ryuuichi doing all the hard work, and not you. H-Honey’s Anime loves babies, by the way! Just saying!

Yuzu, a young fox girl, arrives in a small, peaceful town populated by humans and animal spirits alike. Accompanied by her guardian Bikuni-sama, Yuzu goes uphill to the magnificent hot springs inn named Konohanatei to work as a new attendant. At Konohanatei, Yuzu befriends other fox girl attendants as they greet and serve the visitors—be it human spirits, animal spirits or even gods—and help them heal their tired bodies, and rejuvenate their souls with the calming hot water and relaxing atmosphere of the Konohanatei inn. It’s just a cute-girls-doing-cute-things show, but this time with a supernatural twist involving beings based on Japanese folklore, and has a more serious tone compared to the happy-go-lucky shows we’ve listed. Konohana Kitan certainly has lots of kawaii moments revolving around Yuzu getting used to working at the inn, to her meeting new people with a story to tell, and interacting with the rest of the fox girls working at the inn. And just like the premise of the story, Konohana Kitan has healing properties that you feel rejuvenated after watching an episode.

The story revolves around Ichinose Hana, a shy girl who is about to start her new life in high school. There she meets new friends and new experiences, and maybe perhaps, her new life may finally fix her introvert personality. Slow Start is comparable to other slice of life shows featuring an all-girl cast like Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?, Non Non Biyori or Kiniro Mosaic. Argue all you want, but these types of shows exist because Japan loves cute things and there is nothing more adorable than watching a group of girls doing mundane everyday things while doing something random like one of the girls is attracted to older women, especially if they’re a teacher. Slow Start has your typical slice of life quirks but with some yuri bits like the aforementioned girl who is attracted to her teacher, so the anime can be watched for either the cute girls stuff to the student-teacher teasing. Oh, and the animation quality is so very good!

Some would say Hirasawa Yui has some few screws loose because who in the right mind would join the Light Music Club on their first day of school without knowing how to play a musical instrument? Jokes aside, Yui is fascinated by the idea of playing music, so she signed up, and as the club grew with other members, Yui steadily learns to play the guitar and the club start making headway in creating new songs while lazing around drinking tea, and eating sweets. Kyoto Animation has produced many outstanding shows, and a lot of them are slice of life shows that will make you laugh, or cry, or giggle in delight with their adorable cast of cute characters. In fact, Kyoto Animation can fill up this list with their shows quite easily, but for the sake of not turning this into a Top 10 Kyoto Animation Anime Shows, we’re going to pick at least 2 of them and we’ll start with K-On!. K-On! is your typical slice of life show featuring a group of girls managing the light music club. While there are music-related stories within K-On!, and the music nerd in you will yelp in joy when seeing real-life musical instruments from famous brands, majority of the episodes are focused on each girl’s personality and how they interact with each other. Each character has their own quirks that you find absurd to the point every actions they take are adorable, or in this case, kawaii like Yui sleeping together with her guitar named “Gitah” and constantly clinging on to Azusa, or Ritsu mistaking Mio’s mails as love letters. Each episode is filled with cuteness that sometimes you often forget that K-On! is about music.

Lucky☆Star is a slice-of-life show about four cute high school girls going about their daily lives. Konata is the resident otaku, Kagami is the responsible big sister and resident tsundere, Tsukasa the sweetest little sister around, and Miyuki, the smart, well-mannered and big-breasted girl. Another Kyoto Animation creation, Lucky Star is another slice of life show about a group of girls going about their daily lives. The differentiator here is Lucky Star is more on otaku culture with 4th wall-breaking jokes referencing other anime (most notably KyoAni’s Haruhi no Suzumiya no Yuutsu), gaming, and the typical life of anime fanatic in Japan. Konata, Kagami, Tsukasa and Miyuki take on popular stereotypes like the girl gamer/otaku, the resident tsundere who, for some reason, couldn’t get a boyfriend despite her cute looks, the meek and clumsy little sister, and the classy, yet clueless rich girl. Lucky Star may not stand the test of time because pop culture references will get outdated, but Lucky Star is a very kawaii anime with cute character designs, a vibrant color palette and talented voice actors that give these adorable girls souls.

Yuuki Aine is a very eccentric girl who is helping her family run a cafe. Aine’s world has completely changed after she meets the top idol Minato Mio from the prestigious idol school Star Harmony Academy. Mio has invited Aine to sing and dance together, and seeing her potential, Aine enrolled to Star Harmony Academy to become an idol to bring smiles to everyone. The Aikatsu! series is considered, by a lot of fans, as the imouto of big-name idol anime like Love Love! or The Idolm@aster because, unlike her big sisters, Aikatsu! is more focused on the lighter side and cute stuff with little to no drama involved. Aikatsu Friends! is the 2nd spin-off series and currently, they fixed the problems the other series had like focusing more on fewer characters, removed drama and hints of boy-girl romance, and more emphasis on Aikatsu!’s greatest strengths—idol activities and great music. The characters are extremely cute, but not in a way that is shoved into your face like a character who always trips, always acting tsundere, or a girl who wears frilly dresses and brags how cute she is. The cuteness of the girls in Aikatsu Friends! comes from within, meaning, you appreciate the girls through their action and determination of being the best idols who brings smiles to everyone. To give you an example: Mio is one of the most professional idols in the industry, but after she hangs out with Aine, we soon find out that Mio is clumsy at friendship because she was too preoccupied with work. We see her tries to be close to Aine by asking her to walk together to school, or work together to create the best dresses. Idol anime is often serious, but if you just want to enjoy idol anime without the excess baggage of angst and drama, Aikatsu Friends! is the best pick.

Sakura is your average middle schooler who is always full of energy, gets teased a lot by her big brother, has a loving father, a dead mother, has a best friend with a weird hobby and has a crush on someone who is older than her. One day, she stumbles on a book she saw in her dream, and upon opening it, the cards are magical and Sakura accidentally scatters them throughout the world. Keroberos appears before Sakura and told her that he’s the guardian of the Clow Cards, magical cards holding immense power, Sakura has released. What are they gonna do? Well, Keroberos has appointed Sakura the title of Cardcaptor and it’s up to them to find and retake the Clow Cards before they bring catastrophe to the world! For many older fans of anime, Cardcaptor Sakura has a special place in their hearts as perhaps their very first anime they’ve seen. To some, Cardcaptor Sakura has taken them to many wonderful adventures with Sakura in her search to retake the missing Clow Cards, or probably the first anime that features a ton of cute frilly dresses. Cardcaptor Sakura is like a fashion show in a way with Sakura wearing different dresses in every episode, and that fact alone is one of the reasons fans love about the anime. Every episode will have you yelping “kawaii” every time you see Sakura in a dress more extravagant than the former, and the dedication of Sakura’s wardrobe designer and friend Tomoya will give you hints that Tomoya is obsessed with Sakura. In fact she is. But if dresses aren’t your thing, then the characters, especially Sakura are more than enough to give you a different dose of kawaii. Story and strong characters are important, even in anime just wanting to be cute, and the novelty of kawaii quickly wears off when the object or person in question has no personality at all. Cardcaptor Sakura (new or old) is number one on the list because not only Sakura, Tomoya, or even Syaoran are cute with their quirks like a girl in love, a stalking girl or a boy too stubborn to express his feelings. The novelty of kawaii is very plentiful all thanks to the various cute dresses Sakura wears in every episode. You’ll never get bored at looking Sakura and never get bored of her all thanks to a well-developed story and character arcs that keeps Sakura interesting. Oh and Protip: Do not watch the new Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen without watching the first series because you’ll miss out on a ton of story and character development.

In the town of Yomiyama, a student named Misaki passed away during the year 1972. However, despite her death, students of that class still pretend she exists. Years later, Kouichi Sakakibara transfers into class 3-3 and discovers that the students are ignoring the existence of one girl. The truth behind her existence will unveil the horror behind the town. Another is a story with its misgivings. As a horror story, it can come off tropey, having characters fall into the usual trappings of the genre. Part of the problem is how it designs its horror, specifically the use of “shock scenes.” These scenes elicit a momentary fear, but it doesn’t last--similarly to a jump scare. Great horror wants to continue, eliciting emotions that keep you thinking, and hopefully help you understand your fears. Despite its weaknesses, Another is a good case study. Thriller is commonly used within the horror genre, and if you’re interested in feelings of suspense or anticipation, Another satisfies that craving. A good thriller wants to supplement its genre--give a much needed push to emphasize a theme, message, or create a viewer’s investment. To do so, the story must balance its emotions effectively. Thrillers are like roller coasters. However any roller coaster that keeps rising or keeps falling will ultimately just make passengers nauseous. This means the best way to keep the ride fun is to introduce periods of rest. These moments let viewers absorb their thoughts, contemplate their emotions, and compare previous scenes. It’s these moments that allow viewers to bask in a show’s successful payoff. While Another is certainly a show that accelerates quickly, giving the much wanted thrill in any thriller, its sporadic use of shock scenes, cash in viewer emotions too quickly, creating a weaker payoff in exchange for small rushes of fear.

The passing of the beloved, the death of the spurned, and words from the dead can come in many forms. While people were alive, they might not be able to say what they wanted, but even in death, the Shigofumi can say the words of the departed. Originally a light novel series by Amamiya Ryo, Shigofumi is a relatively unknown series. Shigofumi is an episodic tale, structured to hide your understanding about its protagonist. Instead, most episodes will focus on the recipients of the Shigofumi, the “Letters from the Departed.” Through these interactions, the veil slowly lifts behind the protagonist’s story. As an episodic story, Shigofumi uses most of its emotions in a non-continuous fashion. As such, its strength and weakness is in its variety. Some stories will appeal to audiences, while others simply don’t invoke your interest. The benefit of such storytelling comes later when the payoff of your observations culminate into a grand finale. Whether this style appeals to you, Shigofumi is still an interesting watch for those exploring how thriller invokes empathy.

Shiki has an enduring and atmospheric musical composition. While not something I always mention about a show, I think Shiki develops a traditional message of horror, one that lasts and endures like its unsettling track. Humans are not so different from monsters. Shiki is a social commentary on humanity and mob mentality. It is also a cautionary lesson against the dangers of never understanding your own fears. As a vampire story, it quickly burns the word “vampire” at the stake and offers a less loaded term: Shiki. This isn’t a story that wants pre-existing biases. If this happens, it would lose its message and impact. Emotion, therefore, is used to elicit fear, but also empathy. Emotion drives the story, influences characters to do outrageous acts, and paves the road for Shiki’s final act. The stages through which the village awakens to its situation helps structure its emotional wavelength. The anxiety of the villagers not knowing what is causing so many deaths, the surprise of the cause, and later, for us, the anticipation and dread of the foreboding end. Characters in the show are, unfortunately, comically clueless. Common critiques of the show tend to be character-focused to the point where viewer disdain is a legitimate obstacle to the show’s themes. If your tolerance for certain genre trappings is decent and you’re interested in conceptual ideas, Shiki is a show worth watching.

Phantom is the code name for an elite assassin owned and controlled by an American syndicate, Inferno. By coincidence, a Japanese tourist witnesses Phantom’s assassination and becomes captured. Brainwashed, Zwei becomes his new title, the next generation of Phantoms. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom was originally a visual novel created by Nitroplus. The visual novel, Phantom Inferno, was also the debut of Gen Urobuchi, known for his work on Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, and Psycho-Pass. For those who appreciate the previous works, Phantom is exemplary of Nitroplus’s iconic dark, gritty, and dramatic stories. If you’re a fan of assassin stories, Phantom does a lot right: themes of a haunting past, the question of redemption despite misdeeds, the relationship between humanity and sin, and so much more. As one of Nitroplus’s earlier works, some of arcs have an archaic setup, but are still enjoyable. As a thriller, the show has you following the development of Ein and Zwei, assassins of the underground syndicate, Inferno. These two and their growing awareness of their actions will be the focus on Phantom’s plot. As previously mentioned, the show is sectioned into arcs, each developing ideas from the previous. Assassin stories tend to have a strong dichotomy: the real world and the underground world. As your investment grows into the plot, one of the most fascinating ideas from Phantom is the concept of “inheriting sin,” or the idea that past transgressions will inevitably birth more transgressions. It’s from this core idea that much of character investment and emotional swings will arise. If you’re interested in character-focused assassin stories and questions of redemption, Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom is a great introduction into the ideas.

Kaiji Itou contributes nothing to society. He spends his day drowning in alcohol and wallowing in his situation--he was tricked into debt by a former co-worker. Unable to pay his debt, Kaiji jumps at any opportunity to quickly get rich, his first jump: into the world of underground gambling. Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor is the quintessential gambling anime. When people think of gambling anime, people usually think of Kaiji, and for good reason. This show mirrors the highs and lows of the gambler’s addiction--a perfect example for those interested in the thriller genre. Kaiji does the ultimate gamble, one where life and death is the bet. The underdog aspect of these gambles, and the genius that blossoms to overcome impossible odds is an obvious attraction for the show. Kaiji wants to play with the characters’ emotional highs and the crushing lows. Your investment in Kaiji and his survival have a very tangible payoff--his survival. Kaiji isn’t a genius by any means, but his circumstances require him to push forward. The adrenaline rush of the gambler’s high becomes the guiding star for the story. If your interest in the thriller genre isn’t in its complementary nature, look towards Kaiji for a solid bet.

In the year 2010, Britannia has become a world power, dominating much of the world. Countries are now stripped of their name and reduced to a number. Area 11, formerly Japan, is a contentious zone and the home of an exiled prince, Lelouch Lamperouge. In between the conflict between the “Elevens” and the Britannian forces, Lelouch happens upon a secret weapon, C.C., a girl who bestows upon him the “Power of Kings.” Code Geass is a show that lives on a steep cliff. Every episode has viewers wanting more, hanging on the very formula that keeps them climbing. Code Geass is unpredictable, and much of the excitement of the show rides on its setup, the power of the geass. Borrowing its name from the Irish concept, the géis is an obligation or vow, one that bestows upon its recipient a responsibility to do certain actions. Code Geass has an interesting premise, and the show crafts its plots around it well. The ability to control others allows the protagonist to trap his opponents into a well-crafted plan or squirm his way out of a loss. With such power, however, comes the dangers of its abuse, and Lelouch and his rival, Suzaku, soon reflect the uglier sides of their world view. Hubris is a classical folly, and in Code Geass, it is a constant equalizer. Human emotion--their flaws and strengths--root these characters into relatable figures, but as they struggle to meet their ideals, they struggle to keep their former selves. Viewer suspense comes from the hope of a successful plan. Viewer dread comes from the loss of an ideal, a future where things could be better. At times, Code Geass can seem ridiculous--season 2, especially. However, as a show that knows the strength of its design, it produces the most unbelievable excitement, and is a creative addition to the thriller genre.

In the summer of 1983, Keiichi Maebara has moved into the village of Hinamizawa. Hinamizawa is known for its patron god, Oyashiro. Every year, a festival is held to celebrate their local god. However, Keiichi later learns that with the festival come mysterious disappearances and a malevolent cause: Oyashiro’s curse. Higurashi is an iconic and beloved anime. As one of the most well-received horror anime, it was a series that helped introduce the idea of a “supernatural mystery” to the medium. Originally a visual novel written by the esteemed Ryukishi, Higurashi is a mystery that veils a greater message. However, Higurashi is also one of the hardest anime to recommend because of its gratuitous content. Blood, gore, mutilation, and grotesque imagery, Higurashi’s first season did not hold back. However, despite all of its stomach-churning content and questionable animation (season 1), the show promised a payoff to its violent mystery. Lurking in the background, past the fear of the unknown, past the bloody veils was a cathartic story that truly changed its viewers. Ever since, horror anime would constantly be compared to Higurashi. Due to Higurashi’s nature (a mystery), I’m being cautious on the details. As a thriller, it easily supports the horror elements of the story, first investing viewers in the survival of its characters, then in the salvation of its characters. The payoff for the show’s emotional investment is exemplary of the thriller genre. If you’ve ever been nervous about the horror genre or simply want to understand how thrillers use emotions, Higurashi is a must watch.

In the world there exists shinigami, death gods who can kill any person by looking at their victims and writing their names into the Death Note. Wanting to satisfy his curiosity, drops a death note into the human world where it’s picked up by a high school prodigy, a genius with no parallel, Light Yagami. Recognizing the power of the Death Note, Light decides to kill criminals, building a new world where people worship him as a god. When Death Note released, it exploded in popularity, capturing the attention of popular media. When one thinks of anime, Death Note has become a recognizable icon that’s embedded its way into pop culture, producing several movie adaptations. Death Note’s fame comes from one particular arc, when the protagonist must face his greatest rival, an equally intelligent, social outcast by the name of L. Under that pseudonym, L is able to avoid the powers of the Death Note. In a dramatic battle of wits, the story became iconic as a thriller. A single mistake could reveal Kira’s identity. The tension that arose from living a double life made for some of the best suspense the genre can produce. While Death Note is memorable for one arc, the show is more than a psychological thriller; it evolves with its arcs. It begins as a supernatural thriller, then moves to psychological thriller, finally ending as a crime thriller. The show, through a multitude of subgenres, portrays a decent spectrum of the genre, helping its place in this list’s rankings. If your interest in thriller is any of the above subgenres, then Death Note is highly recommended.

Monster revolved around Dr. Kenzou Tenma, a famous brain surgeon, one lauded by his peers as a revolutionary mind in the medical field. However, his life comes to change when he’s confronted with a grave decision: to save the life of the town’s mayor or the life of a child. His morals push him to save the child, despite the pressures from his superiors, and years later, his beliefs are questioned when the very child he saved becomes a killer. Monster is a thriller mystery, and one that has caught the public eye. Guillermo del Toro, known for his directing of Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, and The Shape of Water, has shown interest in a Live-Action adaptation of Monster, and for those in the know, there’s plenty of reason why. Monster has a unique way of telling its story. While most of the plot will center around Dr. Kenzou Tenma, other seemingly disconnected characters are introduced, interwoven, and brought to relevance. The strength of its characters are their depth and relatability. The main antagonist of the show becomes a reflection of society, its dark underpaths and the moral questions of the story, the justification of saving a murderer’s life. If you’re interested in a a story for an adult audience, Monster is one of the best psychological thrillers even outside the anime medium. The responsibilities, ethics, and psychological toll of being a doctor is the main focus, not just a side story. The emotional investment in its characters and especially in the psychology of its protagonist, culminate into one of the best stories the medium has to offer.

Rintarou Okabe is a self-proclaimed mad scientist. As a college student, he spends his time inventing “future gadgets,” most of which are hardly useful. However, when Okabe and his lab members create the “Phone Microwave,” it seems innocuous of first, morphing its contents into a green gel. It is only later that they learn of an unexpected result, this invention can send text messages into the past. Steins;Gate is part of the science adventure series, a collection of stories that share a single universe. Of this series, Steins;Gate is the most popular, debuting first as a visual novel with the famous artist, Huke, then later as an anime adaptation. Steins;Gate is a marvelous addition to time travel stories, choosing to focus more on the misdeeds of time travel than the splendor of its power. By following the invention of a prototype time machine, the cast has unwillingly cast the die for the global race for power, the control of time. For time travel stories, the suspension of disbelief is usually assumed. After all, time traveling doesn’t exist--or does it? Utilizing real world events, Steins;Gate builds up its tension by first creating a connection, that our history is interwoven with the abuse of time travel. By doing so, Steins;Gate creates an incredible immersion, going so far as to explain the mechanics of its travel as intricately as possible. The value is in the details. To specify so much creates immersion, to have immersion allows for investment, and to have investment, means your emotions can be influenced. Steins;Gate is not just science fiction; it’s a thriller. The elements of both genres graces the medium with a thought-provoking and emotionally compelling story. If suspense and excitement are your interests or if you want to see a great science adventure story, Steins;Gate brings new life to its genres.

Tokyo has become a dangerous and divided city with the existence of ghouls, beings that must eat humans to live. Even though humans have found ways to fight against the ghouls, a violent revolutionary group of ghouls threaten to overthrow everything. In the midst of these changing times, a college boy, Ken Kaneki, finds himself thrown fully into the war as he’s turned into an artificial half-ghoul. Like most thrillers, there’s fear of the unknown, uncertain livelihoods, precarious relationships, and epic battles. However, what Tokyo Ghoul does best is portray both sides to the story with characters of various levels understanding and tolerance. On the ghouls side, we have characters like Hinami who has never eaten a living human, and yet must live knowing that she’s considered a monster. There’s Kureo Mado on the human side who’s very inhumane is his relentless and disturbed pursuit to kill ghouls. Thus, personalities intermix and histories are revealed in a seamless, yet shocking fashion.

Polygon Pictures’s winter thriller, Ajin, takes us into a world where supernatural beings, said to be immortal, exist. For a long time, these supposed immortals have lived in relative peace with humanity with a few documented interactions. However, this all changes in Japan, when one Ajin, Satou, begins to terrorize the nation. No longer are Ajin some mysterious force for scholars to theorize about, but a daily terror. It’s when this fear is growing that Kei Nagai discovers in a terrible bus accident that he is one of these supernatural beings. If you’re not into CG, this might be a tough one to swallow. However, it’s definitely worth a shot. Ajin provides a very detailed portrait of a society and its dependence on information. Between students gossiping about a viral video in which an Ajin is murdered multiple times to news reports with the names of suspected Ajin an innate sense of fear and paranoia is built throughout the world. Heightening the fear and causing mass discrimination towards the Ajin are the extreme, gritty terrorist actions of Satou. Overall, this anime not only sets up intensive questions of morality and truth, but feels extremely relevant to many contemporary dilemmas.

Otherwise known as Attack on Titan season two, Koutetsujou no Kabaneri is the best thriller this season. Created by Wit Studio, this anime follows the main character, Ikoma, in a steam punk, apocalyptic world that is overrun by zombie-like monsters, the Kabane. A perfect mix of the graphic novel Snowpiercer and the series Attack on Titan, Koutetsujou no Kabaneri pushes and pulls viewers between a desire to find out the historic events that triggered such a world calamity and the fear of what further discoveries the future will hold. Though many might see it as a rip off of AoT, the creators have clearly developed a more concise narrative. You won’t find yourself pointlessly watching an episode of training that was difficult due to a technicality. From the first episode, there’s a train attack, a city overran, and a hero who wants to haunt the memories of those who left him to die by sacrificing himself for them.

Mirai Nikki sends Yukiteru Amano down one terrifying journey as he finds himself in a rat race to become the new god of time and space. With 11 other contestants, each holding a future diary with an incredible power, Yuki must meticulously maneuver himself through increasingly dangerous situations in order to survive. Episode by episode, Miraii Nikki proves itself to be a thriller of outstanding proportions. Paranoia, fear, and excitement mix together into a compelling narrative is Yuki propelled through a world where he can’t trust anyone. Furthermore, the one person he relies on frequently, Yuno Gasai, is an insane stalker. The best part of this is show is that you always feel a cold sweat, as if someone’s watching you. However, instead of being able to turn around, you’re shot forward, as Yuno decidedly blows up entire classrooms of students or axes someone in the face to protect Yuki.

Normal life is challenging enough, but apparently to Madhouse it’s not hard enough. Apparently, Earth needs to be invaded by aliens who are able to burrow into brains and take full control of their hosts. From there they basically normal, but are able to morph into insane forms in order to kill and eat their prey, more humans. That’s the setting that Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu throws you into. Now, our protagonist in this world, Shinichi Izumi is one such human who has had an alien species invade his body. However, it wasn’t able to get to this brain and thus it simply resides in Izumi’s right hand. Essentially he has become a hybrid of sorts that threatens the parasitic invaders and so has a hit on his head. This circumstance forces a tenuous collaboration between Izumi and his right hand, Migi, who together must carefully navigate this dangerous environment. Keeping us strapped in each and every episode is this thriller’s extraordinary synthesis between brutal fights and murders to the personal drama of Izumi as he tries to side step the attention of friends and family in order to protect them.

Death Note’s narrative follows the events after the Shinigami Ryuk drops his Death Note into the human world. By chance, it falls into the hands of the idealistic and slightly bored high school senior Light Yagami. From there, Light begins to use the Death Note, which has the power to kill anyone whose name is written within its covers, in order to create a utopia. However, his version of justice is questionable to say the least and catches the attention of the world-renowned detective known as ‘L’. It’s hard to believe that almost a decade ago Death Note had us chasing after Light Yagami as he made himself into a literal god. This anime is considered a classic for a reason. Government officials, secret societies, gods of death all come together in glorious battles of the mind. However, the main two in the ring, consistently challenging each other more, is Light and L. Whether it’s admitting to Light he’s “L”, challenging him to a tennis match, or handcuffing himself to Light; L constantly throws down the gauntlet. From there, we get the joy of watching Light finesse his way out after some intense reasoning.

You find yourself in a bar-like setting, with a person you may or may not know. There’s also a bartender with great hair who goes by the name Decim. He says it’s time to play a game to decide whether or not you’ll be reincarnated or sent to a void. This is Death Parade. Death Parade demands your attention from start to finish as it presents an extremely unique thriller. With its singular environment, our attention focuses in on the characters as they play rather ordinary games to decide their fate. However, each game has a twist, and so every single character quirk or twitch becomes heavily pronounced and holds levels of meaning. Emotional and psychological warfare are a constant in this thriller, and you won’t be able to look away as you consistently wonder what death really means in this world.

Zankyou no Terror follows the activities of the two-member terrorist organization, Sphinx, and the desperate attempts of the government to solve each of their riddles. Now, Nine and Twelve, two high-school aged boys, are the ones leading the attacks in order to enact revenge against the experimental and cruel government program that they were brought up in. As they, push forward though, they recruit a quiet and reserved girl into their schemes as well as earn the attention of some incredible detectives. Zankyou no Terror is the modern portrait of the police procedural/psychological thriller that shows like Monster and Death Note popularized years ago. It shares their twisting plot, dynamic characters, and unflinching look at the darker depths of human nature. However, it’s more concise in its narrative, driving each episode home with one battle in this war having been won or lost. Thus, there is never a wasted moment as we are pulled into a terrorized world where stuffed animals are the make up for bombs and Greek riddles must be analyzed and situated in context of modern infrastructure. Really pushing this show forward is the intelligence of the characters and their ability to test one another to greater degrees. It’s a constant chess match, with explosions for every pawn or rook taken. Everyone has something invested in the plot and everyone, whether or not they care to admit, have something to lose.

Steins; Gate shoves us through the maddening consequences of time travel as we follow the adventures of Okabe Rintarou, a self-proclaimed “Mad Scientist” and head of the Future Gadget Research Laboratory. Alongside two other members of the Future Gadget Research Laboratory, Okabe happens to invent a phone microwave capable of sending messages to the past and thus changing their lives. In the words of the main character, “No one knows what the future holds. That’s why its potential is infinite.” This quote is the show’s inherent strength. Anything is possible and as his crew’s antics with time travel unravels into a universe ripe with tragedy, Okabe finds himself frantically sending messages to the past and getting into insane situations in order to get a happier outcome. Nailing this show so high up on the list is the fact that it is successfully able to incorporate so many different aspects into its narrative with ease. Okabe’s Dr. Pepper jokes, the perverse nature of Daru, and the swift tongue of Kurisu play out humorously, adding an extra layer to the show overall as well as enhancing the darker aspects of the show.

Boku dake ga Inai Machi blew the anime community away this this January. Without trepidation, it sends Satoru Fujinuma into the past, and, in doing so, throws viewers into an emotionally charged, dramatic thriller. You see, Satoru has this strange ability, which he calls ‘Revival,’ that activates when a tragedy occurs. Basically, said tragedy occurs, his ability activates, and then the he is sent back generally several minutes just before the incident. For the most part, he uses this ability to constantly save the lives of others. However, when his mother is killed and he’s framed for the murder, his ability goes into overdrive sending him 18 years in the past, to when he was only 11. This happens, as Satoru soon figures out for himself, because his mother’s death might have something to do with the abduction and murder of his quiet classmate, Kayo Hinazuki. So not only can he possibly save his mother, but also a child whose memory has haunted him. Well, rather than turn this show into a simple murder mystery, which could have been solved in about half the episodes, the creators at A-1 Pictures focus on the complex ways that human interactions can play out and how intensely certain relationships can define our personalities and actions. Parental abuse and bullying play a heavy part in this anime, but so does friendship and a mother’s uncompromising love. In many ways, Boku dake ga Inai Machi really portrays the range of humanity and the importance of connecting with one another. However, to make such ideals shine as brightly as possible, an extremely dark shadow must be cast over the entirety of the show. Be prepared to be glued to your screen for this one as you explore just how impressionistic human nature is.

Violet was a young girl who was raised as a mere tool to do the bidding of a country’s army to fight against the opposing side. When the war ended and peace was returning, it came with a high cost for Violet who was only left with the words of her commanding Major to comfort her though what the words meant, she did not know. Claudia Hodgins, a friend of the Major and President of the CH Postal Service Company, took her under his wing and employed her as an Auto Memory Doll where she would transcribe thoughts and feelings that are so distant to her. Will Violet be able to grow beyond the weapon she was and learn to understand the words the Major told her? Kyoto Animation brings a beautiful slice of life, drama, and fantasy story to life in an anime that matches said beauty through its visuals and musical composition. Violet Evergarden takes the audience on a nuanced journey of self expression and understanding as we see Violet struggle and learn to connect with other people’s emotions as well as her own using letters while dealing with her past trauma. While themes of hope and looking forward are present in this work, it does not naively overcast the impact of emotional scarring the character has faced from their past and the quest to know themselves more deeply. Expect some tears coming down your face.

One fateful day, a traveling merchant by the name of Kraft Lawrence arrives in the farming town of Pasloe where he comes across a strange woman who he discovers is the wolf deity of the harvest, Holo. Now with her existence as nothing more than a fairy tale among the locals, Holo forms a business partnership with Kraft to travel the country together to do business across different towns and cities in the hopes of Kraft earning enough to opening a store and for Holo to return to her home in Yoitsu, a land that lies far to the north. Spice and Wolf is a romance, adventure, and medieval anime that manages to be as entertaining as it is educational when it comes to tackling its themes surrounding economics and trade. Yet the reason this anime makes the list is both due to the struggles the characters come to face from guilds, churches, and merchants when seeking their goals as well as the compromises they make to survive even at the cost of their dream. All the while a forbidden romantic tension grows between a man and a deity.

Sophomore high school student, Naho Takamiya has a strange start to school when she receives an envelope carrying a mysterious letter that appears to come from herself, 10 years in the future, when she is 26 years old. Naho is rationally skeptical until events detailed in the letter begin to unfold in her life, so she slowly becomes convinced. The letters do not only speak about her but also a new student named Kakeru Naruse whom Naho is asked by her future self to keep watch over. Will Naho come to feel the same regret as her future self or will things be different this time around? Orange is a school romance and drama anime that tackles sensitive subject matters of depression and regret. Orange does well in illustrating the barriers that these inner challenges we face can have on our relationships as become more closed off or don’t communicate, even with the ones we love. Orange is ultimately a story about how the choices we make can influence those around us and change the future for better or worse.

Equivalent exchange is the idea that “to obtain something, something of equal importance must be lost;” this is an absolute rule of alchemy. The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, both gifted for their age, attempt the most forbidden aspect of alchemy: human transmutation and there by breaking the absolute rule. Their desperate experiment backfires, Edward is left missing an arm and a leg and Alfonse is left with his soul. To further research into getting their bodies back, they both become state alchemists and begin a long journey to uncovering answers in search of the one thing that can make things right, the philosopher's stone. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is a shounen, action, adventure, and fantasy anime. Not only is the premise of the anime heartbreaking when you come to learn more of it as an audience member, but the tragic events which the Elric brothers experience on their journey of redemption is equally sad. Whether the sadness comes from meeting alchemists who have crossed far beyond the line or watching their friends die in an attempt to uncover the truth, the road to salvation is paved with much sorrow. Yet it might help to know this anime is not without its bright moment and humour.

Satoru Fujinuma, 29-year-old manga artist, finds himself bestowed with the ability to move backwards in time, though he does not have full control over it yet. While he wishes to do only good with his ability, things change drastically as he finds himself framed for a murder he did not commit. While in chase, he is transported back to 1988 when he was child and is left to uncover what may be the truth behind the tragedy surrounding a classmate and perhaps the murder in his future. Yet will he be able to change anything as a child? Will he survive? Erased is a seinen, supernatural, and psychological mystery anime that takes its main protagonist and thrusts him into a mind-bending and sorrowful circumstance as he races against the clock to save a girl and himself by uncovering the mystery that had long eluded police for years. You will feel a mix of nervousness, hopelessness, and at times bittersweet emotion as you watch the tale unfold.

Below the seemingly stoic exterior of a shogi prodigy named Rei Kiriyama, who turned professional in middle school, is a spiral of trauma and anxiety from his past. From his parents’ death, his adoption, as well as the pressure to live up to his reputation, it can all become too much. Rei will need to learn to have faith in his mentors at the Shogi Hall and three neighbourly sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo Kawamoto, as well as their grandfather. Through his matches and blooming relationships. He will learn to grow as a person. From the creator of Honey and Clover comes this strikingly beautiful story of individual growth and resilience. Using its unique artistic style to personify the inner monologue of the tortured Rei, March Comes in Like a Lion follows an enticing narrative dealing with themes of depression and self-esteem as well as growing beyond one’s own trauma. The authenticity of the protagonist’s struggle and mirror of a warm and happy external world in contrast to the inner workings of Rei’s thinking is what helps define the sadness the story carries.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you one day woke up dead? That is the situation that Otonashi finds himself in when he is informed by a girl named Yuri that he has passed on. She claims to be a part of an afterlife battlefront to defend against a girl named Tenshi who is thought to be an enemy. Yet as Otonashi spends more time in this place and uncovers more about the secrets that lie beneath and those of the mysterious Tenshi, will it finally bring him and others peace? This anime brought to you by P.A. Works begins the portion of the list where those listed are guaranteed to make you cry once if not profusely. Angel Beats! is a supernatural action-oriented school anime that despite its comedic moments, carries with it some of the saddest backstories you can experience in a high school anime. The use of music in this anime is particularly effective in drawing out emotion in ways that are like the following entries on this list.

Jinta Yadomi has been spending his time reclusively hiding in his home away from school, playing video games, and living everyday like the one before it. One day, he comes across his old friend Meiko "Menma" Honma who looks the same as the day he last saw her many years ago. She visits him to request he and their old friends fulfill a wish that he promised, yet how can that be possible when Menma is dead and this girl that visits Jinta is probably just a manifestation of his guilt, a hallucination. Yet as time progresses, Jinta finds himself more convinced it is the actual spirit of Menma and seeks to bring together old friends who were split apart by her death. Can Jinta reunite everyone to grant her a last wish or will they think Jinta has gone insane and leave Menma’s wish unfulfilled? A-1 Pictures brings you a stunning supernatural, slice of life, and drama anime that shines a light on the impact a single person’s death can have on friends and family afterwards. It shows us how we can be divided or brought together by such tragic events. The anime especially showcases how time affects the wounds we are given and if we can ever really move on. Anohana: The Flowers We Saw That Day is as beautiful a story as it is tragic accompanied by a score that will stay with you long after you finish watching.

A former piano prodigy, Kousei Arima was looked at as if he was a metronome perfectly replicating great compositions of music. This all changed when his mother died, and he found himself unable to hear the notes he had been playing, therefore dropping out of competitions entirely. Many years passed with no change in sight for Kousei. Kousei just walked through life unfulfilled alongside his friends until he encounters the effervescent Kaori Miyazono, a beautiful violinist who might just change his outlook on life and help his music. Your Lie in April, through vibrant animation and a beautiful score, brings you a story that shows the impact that new relationships can have on our lives for the better. It shows how one person can change our outlook or energy and keep us pushing forward. Yet what brings this anime near the top of this list is the interwoven tale of love and loss and finding hope even in the darkest of times. Be ready to cry when you watch this anime.

It is 1945 and the second world war is almost at a close. Japan is in ruin from bombing, and the land is decimated. Studio Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies follows the turbulent journey of a young boy named Seita and his little sister Setsuko who find themselves orphans and homeless, left to scour the destroyed lands in hopes of surviving. When all they have is each other, will they be able to make it through unharmed? There are various elements which contribute to an artistic work evoking feeling of sadness to varying effect. While various anime on this list are grounded somewhat in reality, allowing the audience to empathise with the circumstances of a character that others may have experienced, this work takes it one step beyond by setting its story near the end of one of the darkest wars in human history, an actual historical event. This movie, if nothing else, speaks of the consequences of war and how we are all affected in one way or another. Grave of the Fireflies does not make light of the consequences and tragedies its characters experience. It will leave you in tears.

When you are part of a common after school club, the first impression would be of a normal slice of life anime on club activities and their daily interactions. However Kokoro Connect is not just a simple slice of life anime. This is a story of a group of 5 friends who find themselves in various supernatural phenomenons that will test their friendship to the limits. Whether if it is a body switch or the temporary ability to read a random person's mind, the secrets that friends keep to themselves ought to be hidden for a reason. Through this trial, the true dispositions of each individual are revealed for all to see. Even amongst friends, the privacy of one's mind is the only thing that is kept away. We find ourselves unable to say certain things at times but we choose to keep them to ourselves. In this sad anime however, all barriers are broken down and the friendship that that is shared is threatened. What makes it particularly sad are the hidden secrets that one will, for the greater good, be turned against them. With no other outlet to explain themselves, some of the characters in this series will have us sympathizing with them.

Banri Tada is a newly enrolled student into law school. Due to an accident however, he had lost his memories prior to entering high school. Upon entering the school gate, Banri ran into another freshman, Mitsuo Yanagisawa who was having a hard time dealing with his overly attached girlfriend Koko. They soon became quick friends. Banri soon meets one of his childhood friends, Linda but unfortunately, due to his memory loss, he was unable to recall the relationship of him and Linda. The developing relationship between him and Koko soon conflict with the forgotten memories of Linda. When Banri lost his memories, he'd forgotten about that one eventful event that might have potentially changed his life. Now, as Banri enters high school, he begins another relationship. All this while, not knowing the past relationship he had with the childhood friend he met - Linda. As the story and revelations slowly comes to light, the current relationship he has could also be potentially threatened.

Japan - a country that lies on the edges of the Ring of Fire. Earthquakes are not uncommon in this country and this anime depicts a situation of what will be if an 8.0 earthquake hits Japan. Mirai and her brother must travel from the other end of Tokyo back to their home without the aid of transportation. Along the way, they will only be greeted with the sights of death and panic. Not all is bleak however; as they will meet other survivors who are still striving to survive. Follow the siblings as they start their long and arduous journey home. This sad anime is quite realistic and that is why it is quite hard to take in. For people that have gone through a severe earthquake, it can also be quite distressing to watch. This anime paints an authentic scenario in an earthquake such as the despair the people faced, encountering death and the constant worry for their loved ones. Throughout the anime, you will be cheering for the siblings as they travel back home while at the same time empathize with them in their dire situation.

Takari Toono and Akari Shinohara were two very close friends. While their relationship can't seem to get any sweeter, a transfer of Akari's family to another region forced them apart. Choosing to maintain a long distance relationship, they continued to communicate via mail. As the years passed, they grew more distant from each other. While still maintaining fragments of memories of each other and yearning to meet each other for one last time. Everyone knows that maintaining a long distance relationship is hard. Byousoku 5 Centimetre portrays not just how hard it is to maintain such a relationship, but also the anguish and frustration that comes with it. This sad anime also emphasizes highly on emotions. The sequence where both parties remembered each other was especially heartbreaking to watch. You are forced to see them yearning for each other but know that it never happened.

Self proclaimed mad scientist Okabe Rintarou is interested in the research of future gadgets. Alongside his assistants, Mayuri Shiina and Hashida Itaru they begin their creation of a new machine called the Phone Microwave. After a series of tests, they soon realise that the device has the capability of sending emails back to the past. Time however, is not a toy. They will soon realise that altering the past will have drastic effects on the future. Together with a newly joined team member, Makise Kurisu they seek to reverse the effects of manipulating time and put it back on its original path. How does it feel to continue living in reality alone despite being surrounded by the same friends and acquaintance that you have? In Steins; Gate, due to the tampering of time, Okabe is forced to alter time back to its original state. If he should fail, his friends' lives are at risk. Along the way, the developing relationship between Okabe and his lab assistant does not help as the whole timeline is not stable and he risks losing everything.

In the distant future, human-like androids known as Giftias were developed to serve society. They serve a variety of functions to society ranging from work to even human companions. Giftias act and function just like any human being such that it may even be hard to discern them apart. The only downside to this - Giftias are programmed with an expiry date and they last about 9 years before their memories and personality are completely wiped out from existence with no way to ever recover them. Coming from the viewpoint of one such Giftias, Isla have accepted her position and her short time in this world. Even though there is one person who actually loves her, Mizugaki Tsukasa. Memories and remembrance are the reminders of the events that have passed. Although they are no longer in the physical world, they still live on as impressions in our mind and are the last connection we have with them. That is why this anime is incredibly sorrowful to watch. It is already known that all Giftias has an expiry date and though it is unavoidable, it becomes extremely painful to watch as they continue their relationship while trying to ignore the inevitable..

When Otonashi woke up and found out that he was in an unfamiliar environment, he was confused. What mattered was not that fact that Otonashi has no bearings of his location but the fact that he was dead! Meeting the eccentric Yuri does not help him in this supposed afterlife as he was still clueless of the situation he was in. Agreeing to join SSS, Otonashi becomes part of a group that is intent on taking down the one being in this world that is equivalent to God - Tenshi. Strangely enough, he is oddly drawn to this enigmatic character. Whilst regaining his memories, he will soon learn the true nature of Tenshi and this mysterious high school that he is stuck in. While finding out his the meaning of his existence in this new world, Otonashi becomes quite attached to this new group of strangers that he may now call his friends and comrades in battle. The reason why they fight is not entirely clear. Their only objective is to rebel against the supposed God in the new world. Yet however, it was Otonashi who eventually realise that Tenshi was just about in the same position as them - lost and unsure. Watch until the end to find out the special woeful relationship between the two of them

Due to a tragic event that caused the demise of one of their friends, Jinta, Hisakwa, Tsurumi, Anjou and Atsumu have strayed apart since their childhood. Now living separate lives independently from each other, they soon enter high school. Due to an appearance of a ghost of the distant past, Jinta embarks to reconnect with his peers in an effort to bring everyone together again. The journey is not easy however as the conflicts that was buried in the past have surfaced again. The feelings of each other and the root cause of the accident are some of the hurdles the group have to overcome before they are able to reconcile. Despite being a short anime of only 11 episodes, this sad anime has managed to grip and tug at the heartstrings of many. Short and sweet is the best way to describe this anime. The overarching theme of this anime is friendship. This anime depicts how the bonds of friends can be so strong that they can even reach out from beyond the living to reconcile old differences.

Child prodigy Arima Kousei is renowned as an extremely gifted pianist. He holds a reputation for playing on point to any musical piece has earned him the title, the human metronome. Unfortunately, the passing of his mother has made him fear music such that Arima can longer hear the sounds he plays. Even as he enters high school, Arima cannot bear to touch another piano. Just as all hopes of him playing the piano again is extinguished, he met the carefree Kaori Miyazono, whose personality is reflective of her free spirited style of playing the violin. And it was then he decides to step into the world of music again. What makes Shigatsu particularly poignant is the use of music to express emotions. How the characters play their instruments is reflected by the mood such that it becomes easy to understand them. Since the theme of the anime is music, it shows how music carries the potential to alter someone's viewpoint of the world. The conclusion of the anime sums up the story very well and remains as the most emotional scene in the anime. Shigatsu is a very expressive anime and is able to convey the emotions of the anime directly to the viewers.

Tomoya Okazaki is an individual that had lost his drive to excel in anything. Preferring to be labelled as a delinquent and waste his life away, Tomoya meets the sickly and frail Nagisa Furukawa. A short exchange between the both of them ensured their eventual friendship. Tomoya learnt that her sickness is the reason why she did not attend school nor have friends. Reviving the drama club, he recruits other girls with their own share of problems. By listening to their problems and trying his best to aid them, Tomoya starts to realise that life was not as boring as he originally thought it was. At the same time, the relation between Tomoya and Nagisa continues to develop. After Stories is simply the continuation of Clannad - Season 2 if you will. In After Stories, it takes after the visual novel of the Nagisa's route. Here, the relationship of Tomoya and Nagisa is expanded. The drastic event that occurs during this series is the reason why Clannad is known as the anime of true love and romance. Clannad itself does not fall too short of expectation as well! It contains the arcs of the different heroines with each ending in a bittersweet fashion. All in all, Clannad remains as one of the saddest anime and it is a MUST watch if you're an anime lover.