Shingeki no Kyojin showed viewers that it would be one heck of a gritty show from the first scenes of the first episode alone. With the anime’s fifth episode, however, the anime managed to outdo itself, shocking viewers everywhere. How was it able to do this? By having the main character get mutilated, then eaten of course. When Eren’s body parts started getting bitten off, some part of viewers are still hoping that plot armor would be invoked and he would somehow get out of the fatal situation. But no. That’s not how Shingeki no Kyojin works. Eren gets eaten, much to Armin’s horror. For viewers unaware of what would happen next from the manga, the scene where Eren gets swallowed is one definitely deserving of WTF status.

School Days is straight up one of the most messed up anime out there, featuring arguably the worst protagonist ever to be conceived in fiction. For the most part, viewers are just wishing for death to befall the contemptible Makoto. Well, in the last minutes of the last episode, he finally gets what he deserves, in the form of a vengeful Sekai. And boy, does he get it. Contrary to what the anime has been showing its viewers so far, the last few minutes, which involves Sekai stabbing Makoto multiple times and Makoto reacting in the most realistic way possible. It’s gritty, undaunted and bloody. The fact that Katsura kills Sekai right after and opening her up to check if she is indeed pregnant just adds to the WTF-ness of School Days’ ending.

Kemonozume is a fairly unique anime despite a premise that has already been done in the past. Featuring a story of demons and humans overlaid by a tale of star-crossed love, the anime is able to separate itself from the conventional demon-human theme by making its demons as realistic as possible. The intro of episode 8 is one thing that proves this, as a young man (who is actually one of the anime’s demons) fondly muses about his budding relationship with a girl he is falling in love with. He happily looks back at their past and a passionate kiss they shared with each other. And then… he transforms into a demon and bites off half of her body. This is just WTF at its best.

From the 12th episode of this epic anime comes a scene that simply made the anime’s fans go WTF! Nina Einstein, the shy and demure girl with glasses who has a knack for science, turns out to have a knack for something completely different. As it turns out, she has a really huge crush on Euphemia, and this eventually turns into an obsession. This obsession culminates in a scene where Nina masturbates to a magazine photo which showed an image of Euphemia, but she does not do it in a conventional way. She uses a table to pleasure herself. This scene was actually cut out in the anime’s release through Adult Swim in the West, and it quickly turned iconic, with fans of the series calling out Nina for defiling the poor “Table-kun.” Seriously, this scene even sparked the #savethetables in Twitter.

Gainax is responsible for a lot of classic WTF moments in anime (one of which you will see later in this list), but one of the biggest ones is arguably the post-credits scene of this wildly surreal anime, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt. After a series of episodes that are no less than awesome, Panty and Stocking eventually triumph over their adversaries, and all seems well. Eventually, the credits roll and viewers are left with the feeling that this strange yet awesome series has finally ended. And then, the post-credits scene starts rolling, and Panty finds herself looking at Stocking’s sword, sticking out of her head. As Stocking subsequently cuts up Panty into hundreds of pieces, she reveals that she was a demon all along. Just… W.T.F.

Kill la Kill is known for being an anime that is as weird and disturbing as Gurren Lagann is uplifting and epic. A huge reason for this lies in the villain of the series, arguably the worst mother ever conceived, Ragyo. Throughout the course of the series, viewers get to witness her savagery towards people, especially her children. In fact, when she comes face to face with a child she once threw away, she literally tore off her daughter’s heart in response. Perhaps the most cringe-worthy scene involving Ragyo does not involve the acts of violence she perpetuates towards her own children. Rather, it would be in the first scenes of Episode 21, where she seemingly engages in a threesome with her daughter Ryuko and Nui. Her tender expression, and the fact that she and Nui were all literally all over her daughter’s bound, naked body, is just plain out WTF.

Mahou Shoujo Magica Madoka is proof that one should never judge an anime by its cover. Originally packaged as a conventional magical girl show with adorable moe characters and a cute mascot, this anime sucker punched viewers on its third episode by killing off Mami, a character that has been built up as an awesome, endearing magical girl from the first episode. The scene has gained notoriety over the internet, with numerous fans losing their heads to well, Mami losing her head. The fact that it happens so suddenly, without any warning, is one of the worst things about the scene. After the initial shock, it was the finality of her death that truly made viewers all over the world say a huge WTF. By the way, the scene itself, just like Marco’s death scene in Attack on Titan, has become a hub for puns. After all, with everyone being head over heels for Mami, why would the series cut her off so soon?

Elfen Lied started off strongly, with a bloodbath that was way too much for some. Eventually though, the anime paced itself out, showing each plot progression very well. That is, of course, until this scene happened. In Lucy’s flashback, viewers were treated to one of the most unforgettable scenes in anime ever, as a group of young boys meets their ultimate fate as Lucy’s first victims. In a lot of ways, the boys were asking for it. After all, before getting killed, the boys showed viewers that they were the sickest, most vile group of young children that could possibly be conceived, as they mercilessly torture and kill Lucy’s puppy. While the entire scene was just a huge WTF for a lot of viewers, it is the fact that most who view the scene felt justified by the kids’ deaths that are truly worthy of notoriety.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: End of Evangelion never packaged itself as a simple anime. Indeed, from the first scenes of the movie alone, viewers immediately knew that they were in for a very memorable ride. As the film plays out, however, everything just goes into overdrive, with scene after scene being more intense from the last. Eventually, the whole of humanity disintegrates. Yes, the whole world really dies. The imagery utilized by Gainax during the entire sequence is all but WTF-worthy and disturbing as heck, but what really got viewers and fans was when the whole world, including characters that have been developed over the series, dissolving into LCL one after another. If that’s not enough, the world ultimately restarts, with just Shinji and a reformed Asuka being the first two humans on Earth again.

The final episode of the Berserk anime is probably the most WTF moment in anime out there. After finally saving an emaciated Griffith, Guts, Casca and the Band of the Hawk are trapped into a hellish dimension by the God Hand. The group of beings then offered Griffith a position among them if he would sacrifice his comrades. For Griffith, the choice was quite easy. Thus, this notorious scene was born. Members of the Band of the Hawk, especially those who were built up through the course of the anime, began to get mauled and killed off one by one in the most horrifying ways possible. But that’s not all. Griffith, who was then reborn as Femto of the God Hand, proceeded to rape Casca, Guts’ lover and comrade, before the Black Swordsman. Insane with rage, Guts cuts off his own arm to get to Femto, but despite his best efforts, everything has already gone to hell.

Starting out we’ve got a good old fashioned slice of life, Saki. Saki Miyanaga is your typical high school student, and by typical I mean a prodigy when it comes to Mahjong. Well, when you can control the flow of the game to get your score to equal zero every time. It’s safe to say she knows what she’s doing. However, for “Saki”, she actually hates the Mahjong due to childhood games with family. That all changes when she’s taken to her school’s mahjong club by a friend. Which begins to ignite Saki’s old passion. The similarities are near parallel for these two anime. We have main characters that don’t care for a tabletop game that, turns out, they could be labeled the best when they play. Not to mention both shows start out by going to a gathering spot where others come together and their respective games. No matter which of these two you start with, the other will be a great follow up and complement nicely.

Now, you might be thinking, “I like the concept and all, but I need something heavier.” Don’t worry, we have just the thing for you as we go into the world of Shion no O. After her parents were murdered, Shion Ishiwatari was adopted and taught the game, Shougi. Through her incredible talent for the game, she became a famous Shougi player. With this, she uses her skills to discover the killer who took her family, causing her to lose the ability to speak. Both Hikaru no Go and Shion no Ou have a gifted characters that use their talents to change their lives. Hikaru and Shion end up using GO and Shougi to look for something of meaning. Hikaru searches for a future while Shougi looks for answers to her past. Through simple games, Hikaru no Go and Shion no O are bound to keep you excited for each round/match that will come your way. With questions needing answers, rivals being made, and twists around the corner, these two are sure to satisfy what you’re looking for.

Next up on our list is a bit more relaxed than our last entry, but does not stray from the intense drama. Chihayafuru tells the story of a tomboyish girl, Chihaya Ayase, who spent most of her time following the path laid out by her sister. That is, until she is introduced to the game of Karuta, known as both a mentally and physically taxing card game. Once in high school, she aims to set up a Karuta club with the hopes of winning the national championship. The similarities between Chihaya Ayase and Hikaru Shindo are beyond close. They are both inspirational when they start out being passive about a particular game. Yet, through the game they master, both discover and develop themselves and have a drive that makes you want to cheer them on to the very end.

Taking a break from the “tabletop” games, let’s look at other types of games that can fit the profile you’re looking for. Up next is Kuroko no Basket. Light and shadow combo, Tetsuya Kuroko and Taiga Kagami make up the “power house” for the Seirin High School Basketball Team. Using their special talents, along with their team, they quickly rise through the ranks to go head-to-head with the top teams of their region, to best Kuroko’s old team, The Generation of Miracles. Tag teaming is a strong strategy used in both Hikaru no Go and Kuroko no Basket. You see the characters develop in a manner that complements each other while honing their own skills. Already retaining skills of their own, it causes both teams of Hikaru/Sai and Kuroko/Kagami to rise through the ranks of their respective games. This is a great anime to watch if you like drama, suspense, and surprisingly action.

Let’s get back into some thrills and suspense. If you’re looking for a drama keeping you at the edge of your seat, then look no further. Because here’s Touhai Densetsu Akagi: Yami ni Maiorita Tensai. Shigeru Akagi, a boy trying to outrun the law, finds himself in a bit of trouble. Landing in a game parlor, Akagi is shifted into a game of Mahjong with some questionable people. After being placed in a situation of life or death he reveals that gambling is second nature to him. With no fear of death, what could he possibly have to lose, yet still have everything to gain? This does bring up an edgier side to tabletop gaming. However, the level of dedication and determination presented in Hikaru no Go and Touhai Densetsu Akagi: Yami ni Maiorita Tensai is admirable and well deserved. Though Hikaru isn’t running from the police, he is quite often found in situations where he is underestimated, much like Akagi. With this, they both prove themselves in-game as a force to be reckoned with.

Last, but not least, on our list is one of the highest grossing anime of all time. Topping off our list today is none other than Yu-Gi-Oh! This story goes from ancient Egypt, all the way to modern day. Yuugi Mutou receives a gift from his grandpa one day, and it’s an ancient puzzle. After assembling the pieces, the puzzle turns out to be a pyramid with strange powers. The spirit of the puzzle, Yami Yuugi, comes out and shares body and mind with Yuugi Mutou. Together they play the game of Duel Monsters to become the King of Games, and to unlock the mystery beyond this new alter ego. What were the similarities between these two anime again? An old object that has an ancient spirit dwelling within it that becomes one with the main characters? Perhaps that there is a game that encompasses their entire way of life? Maybe it’s that neither main character is any good at their respective games until their alter ego kicks in. We might be stretching it on this one. However, this anime is definitely one that has great twists and exciting plot points throughout the whole series.

In the world of Afro Samurai, the Number 1 headband will be worn by the best fighter. The only way to obtain the headband is to defeat the current wearer. However, only the Number 2 headband wearer can challenge the Number 1 headband wearer. On the other hand, anyone can challenge the Number 2 headband wearer. The story follows Afro, who seeks revenge after his father, who wore the Number 1 headband, was murdered by a villain named Justice who wore the Number 2 headband. Afro Samurai is a very straightforward and action-packed anime. As there are only 5 episodes,not many details were explored in the series. It can be a good anime for one who only seeks to watch many katana fighting scenes and do not care much for plot. In this series, you can watch the main protagonist, Afro, go against fighters who are mostly non-humans, such as robots and humanoids! The katana fight scenes can be pretty gory, but that is to be expected from slicing people or other creatures up!

Saya Otonashi is an anaemic amnesiac who lives a happy life with her family. However, one day, she is attacked by a Chiropteran which is a creature that feeds on the blood of the living. Saya learns that she is the only one who can defeat the blood-sucking Chiropterans as her blood causes the bodies of the creatures to crystallize and break into pieces. Thereafter, she embarks on a journey and wields a special katana to get rid of the Chiropterans. This story is not about a world of samurai. It is about a highschool girl wielding a katana, defeating blood-sucking vampires! If you think an anime series featuring a cute female lead with a katana to be cool, then you are totally right. While the anime takes on a darker and more serious tone, it still has room for some comedy.

Akitsu Masanosuke is a masterless samurai. Despite being a skilled swordsman, his meek and naïve personality causes him to be let go by the people who hire him. One day, he meets Yaichi, who is the leader of the gang in “Five Leaves”. Even though Akitsu is hesitant and worried about the gang’s activities, he feels like there is more than meets the eye. As he is desperate for a job, he agrees to work as a bodyguard for Yaichi. If you are looking for a katana anime which features many katana fight scenes, then this is not an anime for you. Unlike many other anime in the katana and fighting genre, Saraiya Goyou is not a story about the main protagonist trying to be the best swordsman there is. It is simply a story revolving around a swordsman who just wants to earn a living by being a bodyguard.

Tatsumi is a naïve swordsman who travels to the capital to earn money so that he can help his poor village. Unfortunately, when he reaches the capital, he realizes how corrupted it is after he goes through a series of unfortunate events from meeting people with ill intentions. Through a series of twists, Tatsumi decides to join Night Raid, which is a group of assassins who intend to overthrow the government. In Akame ga Kill, each member of the Night Raid carries different types of weapons which may not necessarily be a sword. However, rest assure that you will be seeing katanas being used a lot in this series, as katanas are the main weapon of choice for the protagonist, Tatsumi, and the deuteragonist, Akame. Thus, you will be seeing characters wielding katanas who fight against other characters using different forms of weapons!

The story is set in the Sengoku period in Japan. Nanashi is a wandering samurai who saves a young boy, Kotarou, and his dog, Tobimaru. The young boy has no family and is pursued by an organization from China. One of the pursuers is a man named Rarou, who has blue eyes and blonde hair. Unlike the other pursuers, Rarou has different intentions in his pursuit, as he only aims to fight the strong. This anime features beautifully fluid animation as the fight scenes are to die for. The fight choreography is well thought out instead of a typical “one-slash-and-die” style of fighting between samurai. Besides that, if you are a dog lover, there is a dog as a sidekick which may be a factor that entices you into watching this series!

Unlike other swordsmen, Yasuri Shichika fights without using a sword. He lives with his sister, Nanami, on an isolated island called Fushou Island. One day, he encounters the ambitious strategist, Togame, who aims to collect the 12 legendary swords created by the masterful swordsmith, Shikizaki Kiki. Togame enlists the help of Shichika, so they can go on a journey together to find the 12 swords. The very definition of a swordsman is a man who fights with a sword, so how could it be possible that a swordsman fights without a sword? That is for you to find out in this series. Each of the 12 swords have their own unique abilities, thus the viewers anticipating what kind of power the next sword possesses!

Fuu Kasumi is a waitress in a tea shop. When she accidentally spills a drink on a customer, she then experiences the receiving end of incessant harassment by a group of samurai. Mugen saves her with his fighting skills that resemble breakdancing. Unluckily, Mugen picks a fight with Jin, a samurai who uses a traditional style of swordfighting. During the fight, the local magistrate’s son is accidentally killed so the Mugen and Jin are set to be executed. Fortunately, Mugen and Jin are saved by Fuu, who then enlists their help to find a certain samurai who smells like sunflowers. The word Champloo actually comes from the Okinawan word “chanpuru”, which means “blend”. In this anime, you can expect a mixture of themes, most notably, the combination of funky hip hop motifs with traditional swordfighting! Even the music features a blend of traditional and modern music, which gives a more stylistic feel to the fight scenes.

Kurosaki Ichigo is a 15-year-old high school student who has the ability to see ghosts and spirits in which he meets a shinigami named Rukia Kuchiki. When Rukia sustains a serious injury due to protecting Ichigo from an attack by a Hollow, she realizes that she is unable to defeat it. Hence, she transfers her shinigami powers to Ichigo to defeat the Hollow. Ichigo then becomes a Shinigami who wields a large Zanpakuto sword. Zanpakuto is a type of katana that is the main weapon of various parties, including the shinigami. The size of the katana reflects the spiritual power of the wielder but, nonetheless, there are more important attributes than the size itself. The katana also varies in shape, appearance, and abilities. To learn more about the katana and enjoy watching swordfights with supernatural beings, you should watch this series!

It is the Meiji era which is a time of peace, and there are individuals who are not satisfied with the era changing and want to bring back violence and war. Himura Kenshin is a wandering swordsman who bears an X-shaped scar on his cheek. He has a gentle and meek personality now, but he used to be a pretty badass assassin known as Hitokiri Battousai. He vows not to kill another person again, so he now wields a sakabato which is a reverse-blade katana. if Kenshin is really sincere in not killing anyone anymore, why doesn’t he just wield a katana that is blunt on both edges? That’s because he does need it for certain situations such as cutting cannonballs or pottery. Warning: The series may inspire you to imitate the power moves used by the swordsmen, which can be pretty embarrassing in real life.

Humanity has been attacked by aliens known as Amanto, and the samurai join the fight against the them. Upon realizing the aliens’ power, the Shogun betrays the samurai, which leads to the aliens taking over feudal Japan. Swords are also prohibited from being carried in public. The story focuses on Gintoki Sakata, an eccentric samurai with a penchant for swords. He takes on odd jobs in order to pay his rent and other needs. This is a samurai series that is filled with creative parodies which include popular shonen series such as Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece. As katana are banned in the world of Gintama, Gintoki mainly uses a wooden katana known as bokuto. The fight scenes are still pretty exciting to watch, but the main appeal of Gintama lies in its comedy which does not cease in quality despite the many episodes.

Let’s start this list off with a character who might have only made a smaller appearance, but who definitely deserves some recognition: Ageha Kurono from the second season of Rosario to Vampire. Rosario to Vampire is the story of Tsukune Aono who gets sent to a youkai academy, a school for everything and everyone supernatural. Ageha Kurono is the mother of one of the girls attending the academy. She is a succubus and therefore is beautiful, outspoken and at least a little bit eccentric. Ageha deserves the first spot on our list since she encompasses everything a succubus stands for while still being a mother to her daughter. Of course, their mother-daughter relationship isn’t discussed in much detail, but it is nice to see a succubus who also has a private life and does more than simply seduce men.

We are staying in the year 2008, but moving on to a fantastic adventure with Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk. This lesser known show revolves around a tower that is filled with demons, evil spirits and everything in-between. Of course, imminent danger is never a problem for true adventurers and soon the tower also hosts a clan of warriors who are ready to fight their way to the top and kill everything that stands in their way. Succubus is one of those demons living in the tower. She is - take a guess - a succubus of course and ready to play mind games with the adventurers. Disguised as the goddess Ishtar she tries to guard the Blue Crystal Rod and stop our warriors. Succubus might only play a minor role in the overall storyline of this show, but she is definitely an interesting character. An enchanting succubus that can easily fool others - our second choice on this list.

Have you ever heard of Carnival Phantasm? If not, you should definitely check it out. Not only because of our next succubus Len, but because it is a simply hilarious show. Carnival Phantasm is an adaption of the gag manga Take-Moon, produced for the 10th anniversary of Japanese game company Type-Moon. The anime consists of a couple of stories that are all based on the company’s previous work like Fate/stay night, Tsukihime or Melty Blood. In the midst of this chaotic storyline you can find Len, a succubus familiar. Len has one of the more interesting backstories on this list. She was once a human girl, but after she died she was able to transfer her soul into the body of a black cat. Now she can shapeshift between two forms while also having the ability to manipulate the dreams of others. Shapeshifting, dream manipulation, glaring red eyes - Len has a lot to bring to the table and easily made it onto this list.

Let’s move on from a quiet blue-haired girl to a fierce red-haired princess. Rias is a beautiful senior student and member of the Occult Research Club. She is also the daughter of the Gremory clan of devils and has the power to resurrect and bind people to her - people such as high school student Issei Hyoudou. Some of you might start to argue at this point that Rias technically isn’t a succubus. And while it is true that she is described as a devil, you can definitely say that she is a female demon who knows how to play around with people. Rias is fierce and has a hot temper while also being loyal and protective. Rias is the full package when it comes to female demons and that is why we simply had to include her in our Top 10.

Succubus are not a thing of the past and they can also appear in more recent shows. Such as Artemis in Maria the Virgin Witch. This story is set in France during the Hundred Years' War against England. Maria is a young witch who cannot continue standing still while innocent people die. She sets out to bring peace between the two nations, only assisted by her magical powers and her succubus familiar Artemis. As a familiar, Artemis is very protective of Maria and is always ready to help her out whenever she is in need. She is a tough girl with a questionable sense of fashion, but she also has a childish side and loves to tease Maria. Artemis shows a different side of succubi with her caring and loving personality. She is a character you shouldn’t miss out on, so give Maria the Virgin Witch a try if you haven’t already.

Some demons want to harm humans while others just want to play around with them. Just like Elucia “Elsie” de Lute Ima in The World God Only Knows. Keima Katsuragi is an otaku who is much more popular with digital girls than with girls in real life. Ready to take on any challenge he meets Elsie, a demon from hell who challenges him to date and retrieve demon girls who have escaped from her realm - a challenge that might be a little bit bigger than Keima had expected. Even though Elsie is called a shinigami, we want to include her since she has all the qualities of a succubus. Namely, she is able to easily attract the opposite gender while still remaining powerful and in control. At the same time she is also sweet and pure. With Elsie you get evil and innocence combined in one character and that is why she could not be left out from this Top 10.

Only four girls are left on this list and the first one is Astarotte Ygvar from the comedy show Astarotte’s Toy. The story begins with kind-hearted Naoya Touhara being kidnapped into a magical world ruled by Astarotte. She might look like a little girl, but is actually a succubus princess who needs to build a harem in order to survive in her world. Nothing should be easier than that if it wasn’t for one problem: Astarotte hates men. Astarotte’s Toy is a lesser known anime even though it is a great combination of ecchi, comedy and fantasy elements. Besides, the idea of a 10-year-old succubus who hates men is simply too hilarious to miss out on. Astarotte is a full-blown succubus, but adds her own spin to the well-known characteristics of her race.

We are back again in the year 2015 and diving head first into the story of Shinmai Maou no Testament. Everything suddenly starts going down for high school boy Toujo Basara. First, his father decides to remarry. Then he tells Basara he will have two new stepsisters. Finally, he decides to go on a trip and leave Basara behind with his new siblings. That alone would have already been bad enough, but there is also the fact that his sisters are actually a demon lord and a succubus. Maria looks like your typical little sister with her pigtails and cute little dress, but there is more to her than that. As a succubus it is her job to guard her sister. She takes her role seriously and is loyal and protective, always ready to do what her sister tells her to do. Maria is your childish yet trustworthy succubus on this list.

We are slowly getting to the end of this Top 10, but there are still two girls left we need to introduce to you. The first one is Mayu Tsukimura from the Ecchi show Good Luck! Ninomiya-kun. Shungo Ninomiya’s life could be easy: he is good-looking, popular and lives in a big house. But everything changes when two siblings move in with him and ask him for a favor. He has to help innocent Mayu overcome her fear of men by staying close to her all day long. Shungo isn’t thrilled and to make matters worse he also has to find out that Mayu is actually a succubus. This anime doesn’t take itself too serious and jokes around with the succubus stereotype. Mayu is a highly popular girl and since she cannot control the powers she has over the opposite sex, she is often chased around by guys. Of course, she isn’t aware of the way she acts and constantly gets into hilariously awkward situations. Fans of Harem and Ecchi should give this show a try.

Last but not least, we want to finish this list right where we started, with Rosario to Vampire. Did you really think we would leave out Kurumu Kurono herself? As we already mentioned earlier, Rosario to Vampire revolves around mythical beings studying together at a youkai academy. Student Kurume is a succubus girl who loves seducing guys with her good looks and succubus charm. Who would have thought that she would develop actual feelings for hero Tsukune and insist on winning him over? Kurumu is exactly how a succubus should be: charming, outgoing, flirtatious and yet kind-hearted. She actually cares about the people around her, but that does not mean that she isn’t a force to be reckoned with. Combining all of that with the personality and life of a typical high school girl brings a new twist to being a succubus. Kurumu is probably the most well-known succubus in anime and deserves the last spot on our Top 10.

Hakuouki: Otogisoushi is a very promising comedy show of this Spring season, based on the super-popular otome game. It follows the everyday life of Hakuouki’s characters, but in miniature. For those of you who haven’t played the game or watched the anime adaptation, Hakuouki is a historical drama about the rise and fall of the Shinsengumi in feudal Japan. Very much like Attack on Titan: Junior High, Hakuouki: Otogisoushi takes the original story’s popular characters to turn them into the loveliest midgets ever. You’ll find lots of petite samurai fooling around and doing silly stuff. And let’s be honest, we all love chibis.

Neko Neko Nihonshi is the anime adaptation of a manga comic which parodies life in feudal Japan. These hysterical (no typo there) short series present some of Japan’s historical figures such as Queen Himiko, daimyo Oda Nobunaga and samurai Ryouma Sakamoto… as cats! Neko Neko Nihonshi retells some of the major events in Japan’s history in the most ridiculous and adorable way possible. That is with all of its protagonists being cute little kittens. If you want to learn some of Japan’s history and get a good laugh while at it, or if you just happen to love funny kitties, then this educational parody will be perfect for you.

Agetarou is the heir to his family’s Tonkatsu restaurant, though he’s not so excited about cooking. Instead, he prefers the night life. That is until he has an epiphany; he realizes there are many similar things between cooking and DJing. From that moment onwards, Agetarou is determined to master and to combine the arts of being a DJ and cooking Tonkatsu. By merely looking at the illustrations you’ll get an idea of how bizarre this show is. Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou is a very atypical anime, yet promises to be a lot of fun. It has groovy music, comedy and the weirdest characters seen in a while. We’re looking forward to meat (yup) the master of DJ cuisine. I’m sure he’ll deliver some tasty beats. ;)

Unhappy is likely to be the most kawaii slice of life comedy show of the upcoming Spring season. It’s a school show starring five moe girls, each of them with a sort of curse or “bad karma” that makes their lives miserable. Hanako, Hibari, Botan, Hibiki and Ren will have to find the way to cope with their problems and not be discouraged by them. This show presents a set of poor girls who can’t seem to help being miserable, as they all have a reason to be unhappy. These “unhappiness” are quite absurd and ridiculous, like Hibiki’s terrible sense of direction or Ren’s curious attraction of everything female (whether human or animal). We’re guaranteed to get a lot of fun from this super kawaii show.

Uchuu Patrol Luluco (or Ruruko) is the cutest romantic comedy in quite some time. Ruruko is an extraordinarily ordinary girl who lives with her father in Ogikubo, a city located in outer space in the Milky Way, where earthlings and aliens coexist. There, she will meet ΑΩ Nova, a mysterious transfer student from across the galaxy. Ruruko’s life is about to turn upside down in the face of her first love. Contrary to Ruruko’s character, this show is everything but ordinary. We’ll get to join these intergalactic characters in their ridiculous adventures. This unearthly story promises to be one of the funniest of the season. Why? Because there’s no gravity in space. :P

Why fall in love when you can fall asleep? Meet Tanaka-kun, a languid boy who spends most of his time sleeping, particularly in class. However dim this character may seem though, you will have trouble not loving him. He’s charming and irresistible in a very peculiar way. At school, he meets the large Ohta-kun, who takes a certain interest for him. Ohta will try to open Tanaka up and help him shake off his dark and shut-in ways. This school slice of life comedy is one of the most anticipated of the upcoming season, plus the main character is kawaii as hell.

And for the most anticipated comedy show of the Spring season 2016 we have Sakamoto Desu Ga?. In this seinen school comedy we’ll meet the amazing star student, Sakamoto. He’s a first year high school student who’s good at everything. He’s attractive, he’s smart, he’s graceful, he’s athletic and he’s cool. But not regular cool, he’s cool at a whole new level of coolness. I would say he’s at -459.67°F. Every girl at school wants to be with him and every guy at school wants to be him. That is why Sakamoto is often played tricks on by his envious classmates. Of course, this only serves to make Sakamoto show off and get even more attention as he fools his classmates in the funniest and most cracking ways. Watch out for Sakamoto! You won’t be able to get your eyes off him.

Choosing a top 5 is never an easy task, since there are so many spectacular titles out there that truly belong in the upper echelons. I couldn't help but to immediately throw in D.Gray Man simply because it was one of the very few anime that stood out to me with design and captivating story. Allen Walker is the main protagonist from the story alongside Lavi and Yuu, who all are out to destroy the Millenium Earl's plans. Allen has the power of being able to exterminate ghouls using his powerful cursed eye and an anti-demon weapon as his arm. Every scene in the show always caught my eye, and kept me hungry to see the origins of Allen, but also see him take down Earl. One of my favorite scenes from D.Gray Man is in the ghost of mater story arc, where Allen and Kanda find themselves in danger and square off against a level two akuma. The two bicker back and forth finding no common ground, but are totally unaware that their comrades Guzol and Lala are in grave danger. Lala loses her innocence heart and Guzol is on the verge of near death, and this all enrages Allen to the point where his cursed arm takes on its alternate form, a cannon that shoots out a huge beam of energy destroying anything it touches. Allen completely crushes the akuma with ease, but due to exhaustion he falls to the floor losing all of his powers. I loved this scene because it displayed Allen's true form but also his burning desire to protect those around him. A very heroic and cool way to end a deadly battle, and I found myself crying with joy after witnessing it. I'll be frank, one major reason why I chose this show was because of Abingdon Boys School, a band created by famed artist T.M. Revolution. Call me a groupie, but I loved the opening intro “Innocent Sorrow” because it provided passage into the show itself. The melody and vocals were such a draw in, that there was never a moment of disappointment. Truly love this show in all its entirety, and on the plus side there is a new season being released this year! Allen Walker finally returns!

GTO will always be a series that will stand the test of time in almost every way, because it teaches us the values of life. A lot of anime nowadays really focus on the flashy effects and gore, while GTO brings you back down to reality to educate you on the issues that matter: our well being. Onizuka had a pretty rough upbringing along with his close friend Ryuuji, who were both in a bike gang causing all sorts of trouble. Onizuka had enough of that life and wanted a change, so he decided on becoming a teacher to guide those who suffer from their own personal struggles. One great example is when Onizuka first arrived at the campus and was immediately chastised by vice principal Uchiyamada due to his ruthless past, and negative image that he brought along with him to the class. Throughout the series, Uchiyamada continually lashed out at Onizuka despite Onizuka showing him nothing but respect for his work. Onizuka would always destroy his beloved Cresta which sparked even more anger and stress in Uchiyamada. All of those outbursts finally caught up to Uchiyamada, who fell ill during an excursion and Onizuka came to his aid and saved the school from being closed down indefinitely, but his life also. This taught him never to judge anyone by their appearance, to be calm under pressure and to be more accepting of people since we all have our own imperfections. This truly relates to me in every way because teaching has been a profession I've taken seriously for most of my life. It's always essential to take initiative to help others out of struggles by relating to them and providing an outlook that they can visualize positively. Onizuka was such a strong leader in this regard because not only was he able to teach, but he did so in the greatest way possible: Calculating the situation, subtracting the drama, adding in food for thought, and summing it up all together to bring harmony among everyone.

Death Note is one of the very few anime I took very seriously to the point that that I bought every single movie, spin off, and memorabilia one could imagine. Light's character created so much tension and excitement throughout the entire series, that your heartstrings either couldn't handle it or you would succumb to withdrawal from having to wait until the next episode. The character relationships were arguably some of the best in anime, because you could see the polar opposites clashing at every turn. This clashing and sense of surprise were what truly sold the show, and bought my soul for the show's lifespan. The story follows Light as he stumbles across a mysterious book dropped by a shinagami named Ryuk, who found himself bored and wanted to see how a human would make use of the death note. Light truly despised the current state of the world and wanted to rid of all the criminals who he thought created an imbalance. After writing the name of one notorious criminal down and seeing the surprising after effect, this prompted him to write off more criminals in order to create a utopian world where crime was nonexistent, and people would worship him. This dream would soon turn into a downward spiral of affairs, as now this curiosity turned Light into an obsessive cold hearted killer himself and introduced us to one of the best character plots of all time, Light and L's battle of wits. The major selling point of this show was the notebook itself, since it sparked such a widespread of people going out to buy their own “death note” to see if they could actually write names and see the outcome (which proves how evil we truly are). Fortunately, no one was harmed when I wrote names down in my book, but consequently I dropped my book in water and thus the note book died. A true karmic ending to the death note series.

There is just something intriguing about Makunouchi and his innate ways of picking up boxing. This drive and determination are what drew me to the character in the series. Perhaps it is because I can relate to him in many ways, one of which having the sheer passion and motivation to never give up amidst all that is happening around him. Furthermore, what is so captivating is the burning desire in Makunouchi to accomplish the goals he sets for himself. The self sufficient demeanor is what sparkles the most since he relies solely on his heart to overcome his obstacles. In what would seem like an impossible feat in real life boxing scenarios, Makunouchi makes every battle seem effortless once he powers up his inner beast and unleashes his beloved Dempsey Roll on his adversaries. Every match is a nail biter, as you're presented with not only a man to man bout, but also a battle of wit, technicality, and finesse. Makunouchi was your typical high school loner, who would always get bullied after school for that very reason. One afternoon while being assaulted under a bridge by a group of students, a mysterious man came to his rescue knocking out every single one with an array of punches and uppercuts. This display of strength and confidence sparked Makunouchi to take up boxing at the very same gym that this mysterious man (as we come to know as Takamura) went to, and from there Makunouchi's life changed forever. His fear of being bullied turned into a burning passion to overcome his battles with inner pain, and use it to demolish any opponent in his path in the ring. Whatever winnings he would receive, he would bring it back home to support his mother and the fish market she had running. From there, the story takes us on a journey through Makunouchi's growth as a lonely student to one of the world's greatest boxers in the series. Makunouchi is not only a winner inside the ring, but his humble upbringings make him such a lovable character among his peers, primarily Takamura. The two are such polar opposites in their style and performance, but compliment one another in such a comical fashion that it makes you truly enjoy every moment the two train together. Pound for pound, Hajime no Ippo is by far one of the greatest anime out there and is a must watch for anyone looking for inspiration.

Eurobeats and JDM (Japanese Domestic Model) cars are what make up the whole recipe in Initial D, and is one of the main reasons why I love this show so much. The story is captivating, as we see a young man come into his own throughout the course of the series. Takumi had no passion to race intially, but his passion to drive was in high gear. It was then that his close friends Shinji and Itsuki convinced him to take a chance with street racing, and he managed to do so. His father Bunta was secretly tuning his now famous AE86 at times when Takumi would be at home, but once on the streets the beast came alive and he could not be stopped. I could go on for an eternity about how wonderful this show is, but I'll keep it frank. Initial D is a show that displays not only a list of some of the world's best performance cars, but it showcases a display of sheer talent and tenacity in the eyes of Takumi, Keisuke and the rest of Project D. Every race has your heart pumping, while the euphoric rhythms of eurobeats keep your head bobbing as the rubber burns on the concrete, and the wheels squeel with excitement at every deep corner. Every battle is a rank match, and Takumi makes his way up the ladder convincingly and without much effort. Similar to Makunouchi from Hajime no Ippo, Takumi shares that inner desire to win, and you can see it in his eyes when he races. That truly makes you want to just get in your car and dance to the heartbeat.