The Tachibanakan dorm is the perfect setting for a shoujo-ai story: a bunch of girls living together, enjoying the perks of youth while exploring her feelings and sexuality. However, Hanabi Natsuno never imagined herself in that situation, much less being the centerpiece of a lesbian love triangle. What was supposed to be her home ended up being much more than that, surrounded by girls very willing to seduce her, and with little to no sexual compunction. Upon arriving, Konomi posed her eyes on Hanabi, but Hanabi herself was far more interested in Iori. As you can tell, this is a funny love story between inexperienced and innocent girls, and that's why you'll end up rooting for the mysterious Iori. We all prefer the bold girl rather than the jealous one, right? All in all, 3 minutes per episode is not enough for proper character development and there's not much more to say, though Tachibanakan Triangle still has some cute scenes between the girls to make up for it.

Happy Sugar Life is one of those anime that are better experienced when going blindly. In fact, we'll do our best not to spoil the juicy details of this psychological thriller that also happens to be an intriguing love story between girls. One of the protagonists, Satou is a teenage girl in search of love, trying to leave her life as an "easy girl" in the past. Shio, on the other hand, is a pure and innocent kid. At least there’s no sex implied between these two... Are you in for a lolicon (maybe one-sided) lesbian story? We hope you do because behind this hard-to-swallow premise lies one of the best drama anime of 2018, and one of the most interesting couples of the year... from a dark point of view, that is. Satou loves Shio and does everything necessary to make her happy, but at the same time, she constantly questions herself about her feelings for a little girl and that's why she keeps this fact a secret. Then again, we're not saying this relationship feels wholesome in any way nor Happy Sugar Life is an anime for everyone, but we have plenty of reasons to consider Shio and Satou as one of the best, most engaging GL couples of last year.

In 2017, a short PV for the Kase-san Series manga showed us what the story of Tomoka Kase and Yui Yamada would look like if it finally had an anime version. In 2018, the long-awaited OVA finally debuted, and it really touched us with the tenderness of these two. Visually pleasing and very straightforward, Asagao to Kase-san depicts pure lesbian love in the best possible way, even dealing with sex but without stepping into the fanservice realm. We have a shy gardening-lover (Yui) who falls in love with the most popular girl in the school (Tomoka), surprised by the fact that she loves her back. At first, you would think that this is the typical, awkward story of unrequited love, full of misunderstandings, drama, and crying. However, Tomoka does in did love Yui back and is not afraid of being the one leading the way. Though the story definitely feels too perfect and predictable, there's no way you don't like this girls' relationship!

OK, so we already talked about a perfect couple like Yui and Tomoka, and we also talked about a twisted one like Shio and Satou. How about an intermediate point, with cute girls slowly falling in love but enough drama to keep you entertained? Yes, another one of the best anime couples of 2018 is the one involving the Aihara girls. Starting life in a new school is never that easy, but for Yuzu, it was at least a chance to meet new guys. Too bad that everything ended up going backwards: it was an all-girls school, the student council was too strict for her liking... and the one she unexpectedly fell in love with was not only the student council president but also the chairman's granddaughter and her own step-sister! Even if you don't enjoy incest anime, Yuzu and Mei make a perfect couple. In the cookies of yuri, sisters are the chocolate chips!

We can't ignore the popularity of student council presidents in Japanese schools, so it's only natural Yuzu Aihara wasn't the only one falling in love with an undeniable role-model. In this case, love started the other way around, with soon-to-be president Touko Nanami expressing her feelings for a freshman student. While Yuu likes Touko, she associates love with a sparkling feeling she's not actually experiencing, and so this couple's drama begins. Yagate Kimi ni Naru is an anime about finding out what love ultimately is, and you can imagine how difficult and tricky the answer could be. Still, even without noticing, Yuu and Touko were always there for each other, and that's why they're the best GL couple of 2018 in our eyes. Could there have been more action and decision on Yuu's part? Absolutely, but that would put her and the whole story as another face in the shoujo-ai anime crowd. For a mature, honest, and natural lesbian relationship in anime, look no further!

When it comes to gore in anime, basically the only rule is that there are no rules. As with a lot of things in anime, there aren’t a lot of limits to what animators can put into their work. Of course, if they want it to be broadcast on normal television, they have to be more considerate. That’s why anime like Danganronpa changed all of the excessive blood to its signature bright pink colour. It’s why Tokyo Ghoul cuts away a lot during violent scenes or leaves half the screen in a black shadow. These anime want to be broadcast during prime time, so they have censored their violence level to do so. But not all anime is so concerned with this, and a lot of gore anime is niche enough they already know they won’t get the prime time audience. Thus, they aren’t worried about censorship. Literally, anything becomes okay to be in the anime. People being dismembered, splattered, and crushed, eaten alive, impaled, burned, ripped, and more - it’s all there. And while sure, you can see some of that stuff in live action horror movies, but anime can make it last as long as the animator wants to. They can add in extreme excess of blood, they can make it all happen in slow motion, they can even show an x-ray effect of what is going on, on the inside. Basically, for gore anime that is going to be mostly consumed in a private home after buying a Blu-ray, just about anything is okay. Actually, we can’t really think of anything that isn’t okay; Genocyber breaks the unspoken rule of not killing children on the screen, after all. Gore anime doesn’t feel the same kind of pressure that other media may feel to bring the blood but keep a certain rating to sell - the world of anime can do whatever it wants. And people will watch it, sometimes for that very reason.

Like most creative media, the only limit is the imagination of the creator themselves! Gory anime are the same, just with a much darker and arguably twisted imagination at work. Live action stories are always limited by what they can achieve with special effects and the budget. Anime doesn’t have such limitations. If the animator can envision it, it can be brought to life. That means that gore anime writers can put anything they want into a story. The more over the top and gory, the better! Do they want to show someone eating the intestines out of someone else? No problem. Want to make an entire world out of blood and bones? You got it. Can someone’s head come off and blood spurt for an indefinitely long time like a fountain from the wound? Of course! Whatever an animator has in their dark mind can be brought to life through anime. So if they can imagine it, it can come to life. That limitless imagination and ability to put anything into the story is only exemplified by the lack of rules. When animators don’t have to worry about ratings and finding a suitable audience because they already know one is out there, they can push all their limits. They can be creative and try new things that they only dared to imagine before. And they can bring gore to the screen in ways that other media would never get away with, and never be able to achieve. There’s a lot of power in anime, and gore animators use that power to make some of the most gruesome and intense anime out there.

The somewhat quirky and definitely underrated super robot, sci-fi anime Planet With was one of the more interesting series of 2018, and while its ED is largely done in traditional fashion, it is still very solidly constructed and represents its series quite well. The most visually striking part of this ED is how it frames each of the characters in two different periods of their growth or facets of their personality, split across the middle of the screen with the other half being reflected in Souya’s mask. This and other aspects give hints to the show’s depth without explicit spoilers. Everything is tied together with a high energy anisong-style rock song which reaches an awesome climax (ooh that piano!) right near the end that definitely will get you excited for the following episode!

While the show itself was a bit controversial, especially with a plethora of recap episodes, Beatless at least has given us a great ED! First and foremost, this ED stands out with its music "PRIMALove", another great electronic-heavy pop piece from masked anisong goddesses ClariS. Another good thing about this ED is how it tells a story of sorts, it’s centered around Yuka Endo (Arato’s sister) and follows a day in her life from waking up to meeting up with Arato at the beach. In particular, the sequence of her riding her bike against the sunset in sync with the music and then standing and joking around with her brother in silhouette on the beach really stand out and make this ED one of our favorites of 2018!

Tackling the controversial subject of love between people with a wide age gap, After the Rain was a surprisingly sensitive take on the idea framed in slice-of-life anime style that felt somewhat similar to Kotonoha no Niwa (The Garden of Words) and with it, a beautiful, albeit somewhat minimalist ED. Pop singer Aimer’s emotional voice paired with the slow and soft instrumentation creates a rich ballad that moves flawlessly through the flowing visuals transitioning from rain to sunshine. We particularly enjoyed the zooming transition of the transparent umbrella in and out of frame. Altogether, a simple and clean ED that delivers a memorable and intimate experience.

Dagashi Kashi 2 continued the snack-infused shenanigans of the first series with a new short format and a fun new character in Owari Hajime that sent the show straight to the top of dagashi-related anime and was well-received by fans. While the ED might not quite live up to the jammin’ "Hey! Calorie Queen" of the original series, "Okashi na Watashi to Hachimitsu no Kimi" has its own sweetness that has worked its way through our arteries as one of our favorites of 2018. This ED unusually starts off with a section of spoken word that then explodes into a really catchy intro and a more typical energetic and happy anisong for the rest. Visually, it centers around the characters and the plethora of snacks and candy. We really enjoyed how many of the sequences were seamlessly cut together following a trail of different desserts and how the beginning and end are tied together. Bonus points for seeing the characters singing parts of the song also!

High Score Girl’s eclectic mix of middle school romance themed around the bustling Japanese arcade game scene of the early 90s made for an entertaining series last year, standing out even more with its heavy use of 3DCG and unique character designs. The artstyle for this ED is even stranger with a combination of oil pastel and watercolor-like environments with heavily stylized, flat character designs. The small movements and focus on Akira and Haruo’s interaction reveals much of their relationship, the switch to stark black and white at the moment they touch at the end punctuates this ED. Etsuko Yakushimaru’s soothing vocals and the trippy, minimalist electronic accompaniment really sells the feeling of nostalgia and mystery and sounds memorable in its own right. Other details like referencing the vintage games ubiquitous to the series with a pixel-art style font in the credits, all come together to make a marvelous ending!

Grand Blue’s humorous depiction of college life, a sadly underutilized time in a world drowning in high school anime, and the rowdy antics of a certain diving club more likely to be drinking that partying made for a popular comedy series in 2018 and gave us a great ED in the process! As far as in-universe EDs go, Grand Blue’s is one of the best showing Iori and Kouhei belting out the over-the-top dramatic song in karaoke with heavy support and wotagei cheering from Shinji and Ryujiro. As it often happens in the series, we soon find them stripping down to their boxers in full otaku enthusiasm. Needless to say bonus points for seeing the characters singing! Simply put, this is a brilliant approach for a comedy anime to handle their ending theme. It captures the character’s personalities and the feeling of the show perfectly and was one of our favorite EDs of last year for it!

The Science Adventure series is one of the most beloved multimedia franchises, and has arguably given us the best visual novel anime adaptations out there with Steins;Gate. Steins;Gate 0 continues this legacy of excellence, this time following an alternate history where Okabe Rintarou fails to save Makise Kurisu. Time and time travel are the key themes explored in the series and this ED explores this visually with heavy use of clockwork gears, hourglasses, and the eroding “sands of time”. It also features a lot of cool transitions, with the zoom into Mayushii’s eye that becomes an hourglass with Rintaro Okabe’s coat blended into the flowing sand being a highlight. Zwei’s slowly building, progressive rock track works masterfully with the excellent and fitting visuals to bring this ED to a grand and satisfying closing for the series.

CLAMP’s beloved magical girl series return to anime with Clear Card definitely brought a lot of feelings of warm nostalgia to many anime fans, especially seeing the series reinvigorated with stunning art and animation from Madhouse. Even in a series known for great EDs like "Groovy!" and "Honey", "Jewelry" impresses with its stylish, colorful, and well-animated sequences that capture the personalities of the main cast wonderfully in the simple story told by the ED itself. It’s also ultra-cute, we especially loved Sakura’s various facial expressions and the cheerleader sequence where she jumps up to spell out her name! Saori Hayami’s gentle and relaxing song feels right at home in the series and is synced with the visuals well, we really couldn’t ask for more in this ED!

“Jewelry” PV

Seishun yadda yadda Bunny Girl’s pseudo-science fiction, high school romance light novel adaptation was a big hit popularity-wise in 2018. Following the strange, supernatural manifestations of “puberty syndrome” with a cast of cute teenage girls and a lackadaisical, social outcast protagonist, perhaps Bunny Girl Senpai’s greatest contribution was its spirited rockin’ OP and this pretty and catchy ED. Or EDs rather, as there are actually six different variations focusing on the main female characters and one where they are together. Each ED has a different dominant color and shows the singer slowly walking along a beautiful beach at various angles and facing another character at the end. While somewhat simple, this approach works really well and the song itself is simply sublime, made even better by having the different variants. Haunting and memorable, "Fukashigi no Carte" was one of the best anime ending themes of 2018.

The unusual premise of ordinary high schoolers trying to travel to Antarctica proved to be quite an emotional and heartwarming experience in last year’s A Place Further Than the Universe. While we definitely enjoyed the opening, this time around the ED stole the show for us. The standout part of this ending is definitely the song "Koko kara, Koko kara" which strikes a brilliant balance of the feelings of triumph and wanderlust with a touch of relaxing nostalgia. Major props to the voice actresses who really brought their characters to life in a unique way with this song. The repeated piano melody throughout the piece was also really striking, as was the picturesque backgrounds and cute use of flowers, stars, and penguins to represent the cast and their growth along their journey. The whole thing is reminiscent of travel photo albums you could imagine the characters making for themselves, a perfect bookend to a story about a fantastic journey, and our pick for the best ED of 2018!

"Koko kara, Koko kara" (From Here From Now On)

Nadeshiko is a girl passionate about camping, but it wasn't always like that. It all started when she got lost in her new town, with Rin letting her spend the night by her camp, even though Rin loves being alone and enjoying tranquility and silence. After that night, Nadeshiko discovers how fun and comfy camping can be, and so she recruits a group of adventurous friends to share the perks of the newly discovered camping lifestyle. It's hard not to fall in love with Nadeshiko's cheerful and friendly personality, especially when she tries her best to learn something new or takes care of her friends. In fact, it's inexplicably comforting to see Rin softening her heart to Nadeshiko, so don't worry if you find yourself smiling at the screen with every one of Nadeshiko's interactions. Yuru Camp is by far the most wholesome anime of 2018, and its main character has a lot to do with that.

Japanese people have a thing for blond foreigners, even more so if we're talking about gold-haired Russian girls. Misha Takanashi is a haafu living in Japan with her father, and a great object of desire for Tsubame, the lolicon housemaid. Okay, we admit the premise is quite creepy, but we also admit that by anime standards, it would be really difficult to ignore such a cute young lady even if you were a former JSDF officer like Tsubame. Her outfits, her childish reactions, her clumsy moments... everything about Misha is too cute to handle! Tsubame's ways definitely can get quite extreme sometimes, but Misha Takanashi is one of those anime girls that one could stare at forever and ever. It would be better to wait a few more years, though!

Let's continue with lolicon, though this time we'll talk about a child-looking high school student. In Slow Start, Kamuri is the shyest and most random girl of the bunch, frequently acting like she doesn't even know what to do other than sleeping and eating. This socially awkward sweetie, being short and cute as she is, has developed an aversion to those that take her as a kid, acting in unexpected ways or simply getting mad in the most kawaii ways you could imagine. Get ready for a lot of pouty faces! Kamuri is overly attached to her friend Eiko, who is the total opposite of her. In fact, watching them together brings out the top moe moments of Kamuri, those where she's as sweet and airheaded as only she can be. Who wouldn't want to watch her play the marimba all day long, while her ribbon dances to the music?!

So far we’ve been presenting you actual girls, but the second place on this list goes to the moe version of something that's far more interesting from a scientific perspective. In Hataraku Saibou, an anime that shows you what happens inside your body as if it were a crowded community or town, platelets —those blood cells in charge of forming clots to stop bleeding— are represented like a group of cute kids, led by the one we know simply as Platelet-chan. Though they do their job just like any other cell, platelets act in the most childlike way, so even the tougher T cells can't help falling for their cute appearance. On behalf of all of them, we have chosen the leader Platelet-chan as the most moe character on the show. We definitely want a spin-off anime showing the daily life of platelets!

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san may be an anime about two teenagers battling each other to see who's the wittier of them both, but it's also one of the cutest anime romances of 2018. Though sometimes she can be a teasing smartass, Takagi is a sweet girl who uses her sparkling intelligence to hide her love for her friend and classmate Nishikata. Sure, Takagi is the one leading the way for the most part, but when she loses control of the situation is when moe lovers can't get enough of her. We have to say Rie Takahashi's tender voice is probably the reason we love Takagi so much, a perfect mix of sweetness, mischief, and the purest innocence. In addition to that, Takagi-san is arguably the most relatable character of this list, and next to Nadeshiko, the one with whom we would most like to hang out. Enjoy your award, moe queen of 2018!

After graduating, angels are sent down to Earth, In order to learn about humans and help them. As the top angel in her class, Gabriel White Tenma heads to earth in order to be a great angel who brings happiness to everyone. Gabriel's time on earth started out well as she assisted every person she came across in need of help. However, after discovering the world of video games, everything changed. Now instead of her usual angel work, Gabriel does nothing but laze around at home and play video games. Gabriel DropOut follows the story of Gabriel, her fellow angel Raphael, and the teams Vignette and Satanichia as they go about their daily lives in the human world. Gabriel DropOut and Endro focus on a group of four girls as they go about their daily lives in school. While Gabriel DropOut may not share the fantasy setting, it still has its own fantasy aspects with the angels and demons that make up a good portion of the story. The comedy of both anime is largely centered around the interactions between the main girls and their relationships with each other. If you liked Endro for the combination of moe and fantasy, Gabriel Dropout is the perfect anime for you.

One day while leaving for work, Kobayashi finds a dragon waiting for her at the door. The dragon transforms into a girl wearing a maid uniform named. The dragon reveals her name is Tooru and Kobayashi had agreed to let her stay with her during a conversation they had when Kobayashi wandered into the forest in a drunken stupor. Feeling bad the situation, Kobayashi agrees to let Tooru stay with her and work as a maid. Now Kobayashi must learn to coexist with her new dragon maid. At its core, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon is a comedy centered anime similar to Endro. Outside of the comedic aspects, both series is taking on a wide variety of story themes that don't get as much screen time as the comedy but are still perfectly executed. The stories are also pretty similar with the growth of the characters being a major focus. We get to see Kobayashi and Tooru grow closer together and really come to understand each other, just like the way the girls in Endro come together and become a better team.

The energetic Kokoa Hoto has just moved to a new town in order to attend school. Cocoa learns that she will be staying with the Kafuu family that runs the cafe, Rabbit House. In exchange for living there, Cocoa starts working part-time at the cafe alongside Chino Kafuu, who Cocoa quickly befriends despite Chino's shyness. Along with Chino, Cocoa also befriends her coworker Rize Tedeza, her classmate Chiya Ujimatsu, and Sharo Kirima. Together the girls have tons of fun adventures while they enjoy their daily lives as waitresses and students. Much like Endro, Gochuumon Wa Usagi Desu Ka? has plenty of moe for you to enjoy. While the anime don't have much in common in terms of the setting or the overall plot, they both have tons of moe and comedy. Both anime don't have a lot going on when it comes to the story, instead they focus on the characters and their relationships with each other. This allows both series to really focus on the characters and the comedy and do it well. If you are looking for a fantastic slice of life series with cute characters and tons of comedy this is the anime for you.

At Tennomifune Academy you will find the best and brightest students in all of Japan. However, class 1-7 is unlike every other class in the school. Class 1-7 is referred to as the Happiness Class where every student suffers from personal misfortunes. The goal of the class is to help each one of the girls overcome their issues and find true happiness. Anne Happy follows the story of An Hanakoizumi and her friends Ruri and Botan as, they work hard to overcome the difficulties they face while pursuing normal happy lives. Anne Happy and Endro are both funny anime that center around a group of girls trying their best to enjoy life. Both series have a nice combination of comedy and cute moments that really make them enjoyable and relaxing. The anime also share some pretty similar characters. While there are many similar personalities between the two casts of characters, An and Juulia share the most similarities. Both characters are positive, air-headed, and are able to overcome any obstacle thanks to chance.

Tetsuo Takahashi is a biology teacher at Shibasaki High School that has a fascination with a group of half-monster, half-human beings known as the Demi. Takahashi believes that the only way for hum to truly understand them is if he is able to interact with them firsthand. Thankfully for Takahashi, with the Demi's integration into regular society, he now has plenty of them to interact with. Takahashi decides to interview Three girls from his class, the vampire Hikari Takanashi, an energetic vampire, the dullahan Kyouko Machi, a snow woman named Yuki Kusakabe. Through his interviews, Takahashi hopes to find out all about the Demi and if they are really as unusual as he thinks. The main similarities between Demi-chan wa Kataritai and Endro are the slice of life and comedy in both series. Both series focus on a relatively small cast of characters and they are able to carry the stories with all of the hilarious situations they find themselves in. Both anime do a great job at keeping the comedy fresh by surprising you and always upping the ridiculous things that happen in the story. If you want a fantastic slice-of-life and comedy anime that you can laugh and unwind, Demi-chan wa Kataritai is the perfect anime for you.

Kazuma Satou has suffered an embarrassing and pathetic death. Now Kazuma finds himself face to face with the goddess Aqua. Aqua gives him the option of going to heaven or being reincarnated in a real fantasy world. Kazuma chooses to be reincarnated in the fantasy world, but now he finds himself tasked with killing the Demon King. With the ability to chooses any one item to help him on his quest, Kazuma chooses Aqua to go with him. Despite Aqua's status, she ends up being useless to Kazuma and his quest. Now with their fate tied to the defeat of the demon king, the pair begin a journey that will be anything but ordinary. While Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo and Endro may not seem like they have very much in common on the surface they actually share many similarities. Both stories have fantasy settings and revolve around a group that comes together in order to defeat a demon lord and constantly end up inadvertently stopping the demon's plans. Both series also have a heavy focus on the comedy and will keep you laughing all the way through. The combination of the comedy and the fantasy setting, along with the way they are used to enhance each other is similar in both anime. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo and Endro are both light hearted comedies that have an interesting setting that sets them apart from other similar anime.

In Japan’s Sengoku Era, an orphan named Kotarou and his dog Tobimaru steal from villagers in order to survive. However, Kotarou is forced to live life on the run when he is targeted by assassins sent by China’s Ming Dynasty for unknown reasons. The two run into Nanashi, a ronin who takes refuge in a small temple, after Kotarou is attacked and Tobimaru poisoned. Nanashi saves them from their pursuers and feels no need to keep helping them; however, when Kotarou offers him a gem in exchange for his continued protection until they reach their destination, he accepts. The three set out on a dangerous journey as the Ming Dynasty send after them a terrifying swordsman out to capture Kotarou and fulfil a mysterious prophecy. The first thing that will stand out to anyone watching Sword of the Stranger is the historical component which makes up much the movie’s plot and characterization. Being based in the Sengoku Period of Japan’s history, Sword of the Stranger and Dororo already have setting in common. However, they’re also the same in how the main characters in both series are young, orphaned, streetwise, thieving boys who manage to find themselves formidable protection. The other thing is the prophetic element present in both – that aspect in both titles is expressed through the bodies of the main characters. In Dororo, it is introduced when Hyakkimaru’s father interacts with the 12 Demons and they take his body parts upon his birth; while in Sword of the Stranger, it is Kotaro’s blood said to be the key to an elixir of immortality.

The 13th century saw the rapid growth of the Mongolian Empire and in this period, the terrifying Angolmois, the “Great King of Terror” is prophesied by Nostradamus to have been born in Mongolia. A group of prisoners are exiled to Tsushima Island in order to be thrown into the fray as the first line of defence against the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274. They join the Sou clan who join with the Toi Barai clan in order to fight off the invading forces. The main similarity here is of course the historicity of both Angolmois and Dororo. While Angolmois is different due to the geographical placement and focus of its events, the two shows are still reconciled by their setting in certain points in history, as well as the supernatural component underlying both stories. The 12 Demons who grant Hyakkimaru’s father’s wish in Dororo can be contrasted with the prophecies of “the Great King Angolmois”, courtesy of Nostradamus. The word “Angolmois” is said to be an anagram of the French word “Mongolais” – the Mongolians and therefore, Genghis Khan. The two shows therefore also find similarity in the fact that they (technically) have titular characters.

The year is 1600. The place is the arena which came to be known as the Battle of Sekigahara. Shimazu Toyohisa is the rearguard for his retreating side and sustains critical injuries when he suddenly finds himself in a modern, bright white hallway. The only other person is the stoic Murasaski, a man standing in this hallway with hundreds of doors on both sides. Toyohisa is pulled into the nearest door and falls into an alternate world populated by creatures from fantasy, as well as warriors from different eras of Toyohisa’s world long thought to be dead. One such warrior is the famous Oda Nobunaga, whom Toyohisa quickly befriends in a politically volatile landscape. He soon learns that he and the others have been summoned as “Drifters” to combat the “Ends”, the people responsible for the creation of the Orte Empire, people who subjugate elves and other demihumans. Toyohisa and the Drifters must now fight in a new war against new enemies in order to protect the subjects of the empire, as well as the interests of the Drifters themselves. Drifters is wild, but get this – so is Dororo! The first and most obvious similarity is the fact that both stories are based on feudal Japan. Drifters establishes its story in what is supposedly one of the most important wars in Japanese history, while Dororo places itself somewhere in that timeframe. Dororo’s inclusion of mythical creatures, often called “demons” or “ayakashi” by the characters correlates somewhat with Toyohisa’s appearance in a fantasy-type world – the supernatural is very much just the natural in these two shows.

Set in Edo Japan, Yasuri Shichika is a swordsman who practises a unique “swordless” style which uses the user’s very body as the blade. He is the Seventh Head of the Kyotouryuu school, living quietly with his sister Nanami. Then Togame, the strategist, sent by the Shogunate to retrieve twelve unique swords called the “Deviant Blades”, asks Shichika to help her in her mission. He accepts, interested by Togame herself, setting out on a dangerous adventure where they will encounter formidable swordsmen and elites who seek the power of the blades themselves. Set in a period in which samurai and the Shogunate are still very much prominent and prevalent, Katanagatari’s most important similarity to Dororo after historicity is of course the “dynamic duo” aspect. Yasuri Shichika and Togame travel across Edo Japan together, battling various foes (who are admittedly human beings), much like Dororo and Hyakkimaru do on their adventures. Shichika and Togame’s dynamic is of course very different from that of Dororo and Hyakkimaru; however, in both cases, the continued association proves to be a major growth factor for the characters involved.

Kitarou is a friendly ghost who spends his afterlife trying to help people in any way that he can. In a world where youkai, monsters and other supernatural phenomena are commonplace, Kitarou helps humanity by combating the ones who cause harm in order to achieve his dream of having peace between human beings and spirits. 20 years into the 21st century, people have forgotten all about the youkai, but after strange events leave all the adults in her life dumbfounded, 13-year-old Mana writes to the Youkai Post, hoping to receive some kind of assistance. Kitarou arrives, ready to help! First off, much like Dororo, Gegege no Kitarou is a show finding itself rebooted in the same era! The aforementioned reboot boon of the 2010s did not leave out Gegege no Kitarou, which also saw a revival in its 50th year. Gegege no Kitarou and Dororo’s main similarity lies in their inherent supernatural component – “youkai”; or “ayakashi”, commonly known as demons are an integral part of both characters’ “lives”, as it were and are also harbingers of much harm to regular humans in both universes.

Kasumi Fuu is a young waitress who spends her time working at a small teahouse, until her clumsiness causes her to spill a drink all over a customer. The resulting commotion results in the outbreak of a sword fight in the small tea shop – the contestants being the wild Mugen and the ronin, Jin. Their fight results in the destruction of the shop and the death of the magistrate’s son. They are soon arrested and sentenced to death, but they’re rescued by Fuu who decides to hire them as her bodyguards as she embarks on a quest to find a samurai who smells of sunflowers. Initially disapproving of the idea, Mugen and Jin eventually agree to assist Fuu on her quest – all while reminding her that their fight never really ended. The delight of the journey over anything else. Well, at least that’s what some people will tell you. People who watched Samurai Champloo will most definitely agree and attest to this – and this is where we find a major similarity between Samurai Champloo and Dororo. Both feature characters on a journey, some with major goals in mind, others sort of just got wrapped in it all. In Dororo, there is an occasional third traveller, which makes it even more like Samurai Champloo. Naturally, it is the historical setting of both shows that make them closer to each other than anything else.

In Shanghai during the 1930s, gang fights and murder were rampant in the streets. The 62nd successor of the deadly Hokuto Shinken technique, Kasumi Kenshiro, can hope to keep some semblance of peace. Things become even worse when martial artist Fei-Yan brings a young orphan named Erika into the city in order to protect her. Many powerful, horrible people are after Erika’s secrets and even a full-out war looming on the horizon will stop them from killing anyone in their way. If Kenshiro hopes to keep these people at bay, he’ll have to use everything he has to protect Erika. Souten no Ken is unsurprisingly incredibly similar to Hokuto no Ken being its prequel, but the attention and inclusion of historical facts do give it a different feel. With pressure from foreign powers shaping the events of the anime, it makes the surrounding world feel more real. It’s still very much a ‘good old Kenshiro goes around fighting and killing people in gruesome ways while not being able to save everyone’ so if you’re a fan of Hokuto no Ken and can get past the 3D models, you’ll like the familiarity.

Chidori, an eager and loyal ninja girl, continues to serve her Lord Nobunaga. As Nobunaga moves his sites to Anegawa and later, Ishiyama, he must rely on his clever and powerful allies to help him realize his dream of uniting all of Japan. Whether it be suggesting muscle contests, sneaking into castles, or slaying entire squads while looking adorable, Chidori wishes for nothing more than to prove her usefulness to Nobunaga. This minisode series is about the Sengoku Era focusing on its many battles as opposed to which warlord is the most date-able, so it shouldn’t seem surprising how much blood and death is in it. However, due to the incredibly cute and simplistic art combined with Chidori’s adorable attitude, it can be a bit shocking at times. The general feel is light and funny, yet we watch people get killed and even mutilated. For those with a serious fascination for the Sengoku Era as well as a darker sense of humor and appreciation for cute things, it’s great.

When a royal edict commands that the Prime Minister’s daughter must marry into the cruel Ye family, he hatches a scheme to replace his beloved daughter with the twin sister he shunned and forced to live in the mountains. He doesn’t care what happens to his abnormal, psychic daughter Yunxi and Yunxi just can’t wait to start a new life. Of course, her new husband wants nothing to do with her, but Yunxi rejoices in her newfound freedom. Perhaps her new life will be more wonderful than anyone could have imagined. While there are many romantic stories of marrying into royalty, Yunxi’s fate hardly improves when she marries the sadistic Youming. Marrying off your children at the whim of the royal family or for political gain is, unfortunately, historically accurate. So too is the notion that children with special abilities or different powers would bring calamity on their household. Despite these depressing themes, Tong Ling Fei is a very fun and upbeat show about an unstoppable woman refusing to let anyone control her happiness.

10 years after the initial war of the Kouga and Iga ninja clans, their shaky alliance begins to unravel. With increasing hostility between Tadanaga Tokugawa and his brother, a new threat arises hoping to make use of the chaos to hide their sinister plans for power. Siblings Hachirou and Hibiki not only have to deal with the tremendous pressure of their clan wanting them to procreate for the sake of keeping their bloodline pure, but also of knowing a simple mistake in wielding their powers can be the difference between protecting or destroying their clan. There’s a lot to take in with this one. Before you get up in arms about the incest, know we’re not thrilled about it either but hey, it’s history. While this is more of a fantasy setting, the Iga and Kouga were real ninja clans. When, how, and who you were born to absolutely dictated your fate, much as it does in the repeating events of the sequel to Basilisk: Kouga Ninpou Chou.

The second season of Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru has even more sword boys and more everyday life in the Citadel. The threat of the Retrograde Army is never far off and the ancient weapons must be ready at any moment for battle. That doesn’t stop them from trying out human customs, making food, and coming up with new ways to welcome new members. Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru is the natural progression from season 1. With even more humanized weapons, more historical figures and their relationships are explored through the viewpoint of their trusted weapons. There are many historical events that are covered, and a lot of them are relatively unknown to minor history buffs. If you like cute boys you’ll certainly get your fill, but if you love Japanese historical figures and the weapons that helped them claim notoriety, Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru will provide.

Shinsaku and Kogorou are good at what they do but following orders is not one of those things. Defying the Choshu’s orders, the two warriors attempt to steal a rumored magical timepiece that can grant phenomenal power to whoever wields it. However, after stealing it themselves, a mysterious ninja woman steals it from them. Not long after, they find themselves in a strange version of Kyoto that seems to meld the past and the future. All they know for sure is that the all-powerful man lording over the frightened city must be defeated, but how can they stop someone who can stop time itself? This is an example where people get a little creative with history. During the Bakumatsu, otherwise known as the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Shinsengumi fought to protect both the Tokugawa as the ruling clan and to protect peace in Kyoto from those opposing Western influence into Japan. In this new Bakumatsu universe where male fighters wear revealing clothing and incredible future technology keeps the new lord in power, we also see numerous historical figures meeting and fighting with people who weren’t alive at the same time.

Once a renowned cultivator and demon exterminator, Wei Wuxian became feared and was killed by the very people that used to admire him. In an interesting twist of fate, Wuxian’s soul is summoned into the body of a tortured man who gives up his life in exchange for revenge. Wuxian is more than happy to get another shot at life and just hopes his past won’t come back to haunt him, but it does in the form of cultivator Wangji who has never forgotten him. China seems to have a lot of characters in horrible, dark circumstances that really make the most out of their life. Set in a fictional ancient China where demons and zombies plague humans, Mo Dao Zu Shi employs many historical themes such as class systems, folklore as reality, and life being governed by the official religion of the time/place. It’s beautifully animated with gorgeous characters and exciting fight scenes.

Siblings Okou and Seiji run the small shop Izumoya known as the place to rent anything from everyday items to beautiful decorations or clothes one could not normally afford. It is whispered though, that they also have tsukumogami, or objects that over time became sentient and gained spirits. While Okou and Seiji cannot talk directly to the tsukumogami, they are able to listen to the conversations of their rentable items and learn the secrets they keep. If you wanted a spiritual historical setting without the drama of massacres and or slavery for a corrupt royal family, Tsukumogami Kashimasu will definitely work for you. It remains relatively stress-free while still making you feel like you’re in another time. The different stories told by the Tsukumogami help you see what life during the Edo period from samurai to common folk was like from samurai to common folk as well as some of the superstitions of the times.

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When the Mongols threaten the small island of Tsushima, they find an unlikely hero in the exile Jinzaburou. Impressed with princess Teruhi’s resolve to face the destruction facing her home, Jinzaburou resolves to help her along with other exiles brought over from the mainland. The Mongols are a fearsome and merciless enemy, but some things are worth fighting for. It’s no surprise a story about war will be bloody and depressing and that’s definitely in store with Angolmois. While the fighting is the main point of the anime, there are so many characters with different philosophies, loyalties, and experiences that make you invested in them before they’re usually brutally murdered. There’s a little bit of humor to break up the tragedy, and an indomitable fighting spirit that will make you want to watch this show to the end.

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Sugimoto has earned himself the name ‘The Immortal” after his daring accomplishments during the Russo-Japanese war. He hopes to simply raise enough money to take care of the widow of his best friend who died by his side. He happens upon the legend of a great treasure map tattooed onto the backs of prisoners that when combined leads to innumerable wealth. After meeting an Ainu girl who also seeks these prisoners for her own reasons, the two join forces in the desolate cold of the Hokkaido wilderness. Set in the Meiji Era, a time not often the setting of anime, we get to know the Ainu people, a people not often in anime. It has a lot of history in the setting, plot, and people but with the very personal and interesting story of a war veteran that can be gentle and vicious and his alliance with Asirpa, a girl whose actions are ruled by balance and respect for nature but harbors a lust for vengeance. It’s not for the faint of heart as the gathering of ‘maps’ is a little gruesome, but there’s a lot of philosophy, exploration of the Ainu people, and intriguing characters.

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The difference between a walking cliché and an actual character often boils down to whether or not they have reasons within the narrative for fitting into their tropes that expand on their characterization. From a superficial glance, Bunny Girl Senpai seems like a show full of the clichés that seem inescapable in the world of light novel adaptations, but the reality of the series goes much deeper than that. Take our protagonist Sakuta, for example. He’s a withdrawn teenage boy who engages in minimal social interaction prior to the series’ inciting incident and doesn’t react very strongly to most things in the story, even if they often warrant it. This is fairly typical for heroes of this sort of plot because bland character writing is an easy way for lazy authors to get their audience of teenage nerds to project themselves onto the character. Sakuta is not a bland character though, he’s someone who has led a tough life which involved taking on massive responsibilities at a young age, which conditioned him to bottle up all of his emotions. This is naturally a very harmful way to deal with a difficult situation and the negative effects of this toxic lifestyle are what causes Sakuta to receive what the show dubs “adolescent syndrome.” This is the concept of mental hang-ups and issues being represented physically and it’s also part of what makes the show interesting as it allows for multiple characters to be explored in detail in a concise manner. Sakuta’s symptoms of adolescent syndrome are a set of claw marks that appear on his chest and begin to bleed as his repressed feelings begin to surface, a clever—albeit not subtle—way of showing how his internalized emotions are “clawing” their way out from within him. The way in which he learns to deal with it makes for an endearing character arc that brings a rollercoaster of emotions made only better by the equally good arcs of the many supporting characters that happen simultaneously. The show is a great example of a character-driven story.

This is not a romance show. That might seem a bit odd to start off with, but you need to know that in order to not be put off by this show. Anyway, After the Rain follows a high school girl who falls in love with a middle-aged divorced father who is also her boss. She contrives ways to get closer to him on a physical and emotional level before eventually convincing him to go on a date with her, at which point they begin getting to know each other more closely. As that happens, we—the viewer—begin to learn more about them, their backstories and their passions. After the Rain is not a romance anime, but it is a show about love. Not love between two people—our male lead is not romantically interested in his employee and hangs out with her outside of work more out of politeness and respect than anything else—but the love we all hold for that one special something in our lives that makes us feel at home. We’ve all had something like this in our lives, a sport, an art, or perhaps something entirely different that resonated with us on a level like no other and After the Rain’s not-quite couple is no different. As their relationship develops, so does their history with their passions. They’ve both had to leave theirs behind for personal reasons, but through their friendship, they begin to think that leaving their niches behind may not be as easy as they had thought. It’s a touching story told through a gorgeous art style that blends shoujo and seinen sensibilities—reflecting the two leads—and has a lightly subdued color palette with a number of pop-y elements that match perfectly. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that the backgrounds are pretty flat and don’t fit the very stylized characters that well, but it’s a small price to pay for such a gripping anime.

Okay, this time it's actually a romance show. Or more accurately, it's a part romantic, part comedic, and part dramatic exploration of dating between otaku. It may seem hard to believe that one show could pull off all those tones in only 11 episodes without feeling half-baked, but thanks to strong characterization communicated through witty dialogue delivered at an expert pace where every exchange in every scene last just long enough to be developed while also being quick enough to fit a lot of it in each individual episode. It’s not the prettiest show, as should be expected from an A-1 Pictures production, but what the visuals lack never gets in the way of the storytelling and all audiences will surely be able to enjoy seeing its ensemble cast’s lives through moments big and small, both touching and uplifting

And now for something different, but not completely. This is a show that centers around one major moment in the lives of its ensemble cast, specifically a trip to Antarctica. Why Antarctica specifically? Well, there are reasons for it explained in the narrative, but the real reason lies within the show’s thematic layer. For each of the girls that make our cast, the journey on which they embark parallels an internal journey toward independence, each of them wants to feel free and self-sufficient so what better place to realize that ambition than the only ungoverned continent on Earth? What exactly this freedom means has its own differentiating nuances between each character that are revealed as the bonds between the group strengthen throughout the series. Their dynamic is expertly developed through both writing and visual direction and while the pastel highlight color palette may turn some people off, the gorgeous frozen landscapes make it worth sticking through until the end. If you’re sad that Kyoto Animation went a full year without engaging in their classic cute moe girls formula, you owe it to yourself to give this a watch.

Speaking of a cute girls moe show, we have easily the most underrated show of the year. When Mitsuboshi Colors premiered, its first episode’s funniest gags spread throughout the internet like wildfire, but it never really received the same level of attention after that. The series follows the Colors, a club comprised of 3 small girls as they try to find fun ways to spend their days together. Their favorite activity is protecting the town from attacks, after all, all the grownups are always busy, so they can’t rely on them to do it. That sort of attitude is exactly what makes Mitsuboshi Colors special; it has a loving representation of childhood, accurately capturing the blissful innocence of this period of life, leaving no nostalgic feelings unearthed. These girls are cute, not because of contrived character traits that pander to moe sensibilities, but because more so than any other show in the genre, they all feel like real little girls.

Wotakoi reminded us how great anime in an office setting can be, and Aggretsuko was quick to back it up. Like the former show, Aggretsuko follows a colorful of working adults, but unlike Wotakoi, all the characters are anthropomorphic animals. If you somehow haven’t heard, the ones responsible for this series are none other than Hello Kitty creators Sanrio and they’ve brought their appealing character aesthetic to the project in full force. All the characters in the show may be cute and cartoony, but as the series goes on, we see that they’re more complex than even a lot of human characters. Everyone has their own personal troubles and their own ways to cope with them. The show weaves a complicated web of personal relationships that are explored through hilarious gags, lovable character moments and lots and lots of death metal and we empathize and identify with all of its cast members throughout the whole thing.

How do you make the best superhero fiction to be put on screens in Avengers: Infinity War’s year of release? Well you start with endearing characters who are just as varied in their personalities and ideologies as they are in their superpowers, then you introduce enough new characters to expand the world and add more layers to the plot without making the show feel crowded, then you throw in a plot filled with conflict and intrigue that challenges them all on an intellectual level and a dash of the year’s best sakuga and you’re there. HeroAca spent 2018 continuing its transformation from digestible shonen romp to an introspective look at the lives of some of the current media's most beloved characters. And all that without mentioning the high-flying action that at its best makes Hollywood's big summer blockbusters look tepid. This series keeps getting better and better, and we hope to see its upcoming 4th season reach an even higher spot on our list of the best anime series of 2019.

It may seem premature to put a show that hasn’t ended yet on our best of the year list, but with Jojo’s, there's no doubt that the series as a whole will stay just as amazing. The 5th part of Hirohiko Araki’s magnum opus of shonen/seinen manga isn’t quite the best one, but it’s pretty damn close and David Productions’ adaptation of it has been just as on point as it was for the previous 4 excellent parts. The anime brings all new dimensions to the legendary series through clear expertise in cinematography, coloring and especially sound design. And since part 5 contains many of the best fights in the entire franchise, we wouldn’t dream of forgetting about the visuals that let us see them in motion. The world of Jojo’s never fails to stimulate the imagination, creating a compelling fantastical reflection of our own, so being able to see it through beautifully fluid animation which maintains an astounding amount of detail on a consistent basis is a feast for the senses. A special shoutout goes to Rin Ogawa and especially Takahito Katayama, two animators responsible for almost all of the best-looking moments in the show and the most impactful moments of the year by extension. It seems like there’s nothing this show can’t do.

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There’s nobody in anime quite like Masaaki Yuasa. Beyond having a visual style unlike anyone else in the industry, he’s built up a well-deserved reputation as one of the greatest anime auteurs of our time. Through projects like Kaiba and Ping Pong: the Animation, he’s earned a place among the likes of Mamoru Oshii and Satoshi Kon for his evocative work as well as the feelings of fascination and alienation he is able to consistently inspire in viewers. His take on Go Nagai’s famous Devilman manga is probably not his best work and occasionally feels restricted by its episodic structure, but it never fully becomes a simple commercialized anime either. Yuasa’s touches are all still here: his garish, yet inviting neon coloring style, his combination of highly abstract art with realistic movement and overall gorgeous design sense. This all goes a long way towards selling both the dramatic character moments and visceral displays of violence and gore that made the source material so special. Devilman: Crybaby arguably never fully reaches the same heights of arthouse cinema that Yuuasa’s best have, but it still mostly comes off as his unfiltered artistic interpretation of Nagai’s masterpiece and if all that stuff still doesn’t appeal to you, then you’ve still got some beautifully gory fight scenes to look forward to. It’s rare that a visionary anime director gets to adapt the work of a visionary mangaka like this, so be sure to give it a watch.

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At the crossroads between shonen battle anime and shonen sports anime lies Megalo Box, a story about the downtrodden who are ignored by the privileged, about the spirit of sportsmanship, about making the best possible life for oneself and about boxers in the future who beat the ever-loving shit out of each other with robotic enhancements. This show is an adaptation of the classic 60s boxing manga Ashita no Joe, though it focuses much more on adapting the themes and feelings expressed over the characters and scenarios used to share them. Perhaps its biggest accomplishment is its ability to somehow explore almost all of these thoughts and feelings just as well as the original 20 volume manga. It does this in part thanks to a quick pace that never feels rushed and character writing that will convince everyone that this story isn’t still being talked about 50 years after its debut for nothing. It’s also thanks to a gorgeous visual style that features grain and grit that we haven’t seen realized this well since the industry made the move to digital coloring. Add the kickass fights and the testosterone-fueled hard rock/hip-hop soundtrack and you’ve got a show that reaches the heights of the anime classics that brought the first anime boom to the west during the Toonami era. And the great parts of the show don’t even begin to stop there. We published several articles on how the show accurately replicates real boxing and incorporates it into its visual storytelling and there are a ton of other little subtle visual tidbits that add to the narrative and call-backs to the original Ashita no Joe that reward viewers for being attentive without ever distracting from the plot. Looking over it even further, relevant commentary on modern Japan and the politics of professional athleticism are also abundant. We said in our top 10 flops of 2018 list that the worst kind of anime becomes worse the more you think about it, but the more thought we put into Megalo Box, the clearer it becomes that it is the best show of 2018.

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