Shinji, the main character, is notoriously one of the most polarizing characters with how he’s always “whiney.” To most fans, having the chance to pilot a robot may be the coolest thing ever, but let's be real here. How would you feel if your estranged father just called you just to throw you into a life or death situation? You’d probably be pissed yourself and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Eventually, even Misato who was friendly with him until that moment told him to get in and fight. Misato’s demeanor in wanting Shinji to comply is a reflection as to how Japan is a group oriented society as opposed to an individual one like in the West. Japanese believe in maintaining balance and harmony, and that everyone has their role to fulfill. Anyone who acts differently is seen as a disturbance and is branded as selfish. In Japan, they love to say that nail that sticks out gets hammered, and this is what happens to Shinji. If one person is acting out of unison, then the harmony is out of unison and Misato ordering Shinji is a pure example of that without any regard to his legitimate plights. Unfortunately, this is also very true in Japanese society.

Another quality that (probably) won’t be in the consciousness of non-Japanese viewers or those not aware of Japanese societal norms, is the idea of “gaman,” or “endure,” and it relates to the group oriented mentality. Take for example, you’re getting a divorce and you’re losing everything and to top things off, another loved one is dying of cancer. Your life has hit rock bottom. Do you expect people at work to pat you on the back? We can’t answer for your respective societies, but in Japan, as portrayed more recently in its domestic media, they just tell you to “gaman” and show loyalty to your company because they’re your real family. If you can’t demonstrate “gaman,” everyone is going to think of you as a weakling. There are times when you need to be strong, but with how “gaman” is presently exploited in Japan, it’s as if no one’s allowed to mourn or process certain difficulties, and it can be destructive to a person’s mental health. Unfortunately, this cultural notion has been abused for the last 30 years in Japan, and Evangelion does its own unique job of implementing this for its own domestic audience. One can say this goes to how people criticize Shinji and the rest of the cast from both internally within the show for their plight, and from the audience to stop being whiney. As stated, people love to attack Shinji (we understand a great fraction of it is mostly for humor purposes) and such reactions are a true reflection of actual Japanese society as to how they deal with those with mental illness. When one tells the other to “gaman” without any consideration of their circumstances (Shinji’s 14, has no formal training, has never grew up in a stable environment, and has enough growing pains to deal with), it’s a recipe for disaster that helps no one, and this is masterfully demonstrated in Evangelion.

Another thing to consider, where are the professional mental health counselors in this series? A good number of companies and armed services have mental health assistance and for NERV to employ teenagers as mech pilots, it should be natural to include much services, or is the equivalent to CPS in a post-second impact world just about as useful as Chicago’s gun control laws? Realistically, it all comes to how mental health isn’t really openly talked about in Japan, especially during the original broadcast of the series, and seeking such help was difficult (though some studies have shown there have been improvements in the last decade). Due to this notion with how mental health is perceived, no one seeks the help they need due to how society labels them. As a result, such individuals feel they can’t be of contribution since they don’t fit “the harmony” and just shut-in, or “hikikomori,” and we see this on multiple occasions throughout Evangelion.

No Carole & Tuesday song list is ever complete without Galactic Mermaid by The Mermaid Sisters. In Acapella form, the quartet who claim to be neither men nor women just simply use every swear word in the book that would make legendary comedians George Carlin and Richard Pryor proud. When you watch this anime in its Japanese audio and is then transitioned to this quirky song, it’s going to have you instantly laughing. The song is absolutely ridiculous for every reason possible, but you can’t help but enjoy it. It’s the kind of song that you want to listen to when you’re having a bad day, or stuck in traffic. Yes, The Mermaid Sisters were disqualified midway but after seeing this unpredictable performance, we would love to see someone compete on one of those singing shows and sing this song for everyone’s amusement (preferably dressed as The Mermaid Sisters).

So you’re doing laundry and just waiting for time to pass by. You could be looking at your phone and tablet like most people these days do but for Carole & Tuesday, they just make a song up on the fly. When they make up a song like that, it comes to show the creative talent they have. After all, the idea for Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror simply came from looking at a rear view mirror while driving. Compared to the first song they come up with together, this song a perfect reflection of how their relationship has developed in the short time they’ve spent time together and how they’ve overcome adversity thanks to it.

No, we’re not talking about the Justin Bieber song, but a song with the same name sung by Pyotr, a futuristic Instagram sensation. Love Yourself is very befitting for Pyotr due to the nature of his pre-existing fame by no means meant to be for self-validating. It’s a great reflection of his outgoing personality and confidence and through how the actual singer delivers the lyrics, the audience can feel a genuine sense of who he is. Views can get a feel that his persona is by no means fake, and he wishes for others to feel the same about themselves. Lastly, no one can deny that rotoscope isn’t dead when you see him dancing as he sings.

If anyone can be considered a rival to Carole & Tuesday, it has to be Angela an actress/model who is now aspiring to be a singer. Despite her pre-existing fame, she still wishes to show that she wants to pay her dues. Yes, uplifting songs to put people up as if they can move mountains can be cheesy and trendy, but this song does a great job of keeping such themes fresh. Move Mountains is very energetic and is an excellent contrast to Angela on a superficial level who, people believe she’s had everything handed to her. The song is a great reflection that she wants to achieve her career as a singer based on her own merits, and that she has the talent and dedication to overcome her personal and professional obstacles.

At number one, we put in the first song Carole & Tuesday made together, The Loneliest Girl. What makes this song great is how it perfectly reflects where Carole & Tuesday were upon meeting, and how their abrupt friendship turned into something magical. Obviously, both of these young ladies were lonely in their own ways despite coming from totally opposite backgrounds. Now that they’ve chosen to walk this path together, they use this song to express the hopes that their friendship will bring. Through The Loneliest Girl, you truly feel that within their brief time together, you see that they have a strong relationship and how they value it, which is why we put this song at number 1.

Chicago in the 1930s sees the transcontinental train known as the Flying Pussyfoot begins its legendary journey which will leave a trail of blood in its wake. In New York, an ambitious scientist and his assistant are searching for missing bottles of an elixir of immortality while a gang war between mafia groups in the area worsens. In the year 1711, aboard the Advena Avis, alchemists are about to pay a hefty price for dabbling in immortality. All these events all connect a bigger story which is explored through the eyes of a duo of would-be thieves, Isaac and Miria. With its multifaceted story and great art style, Baccano!! is the kind of show a Leo would absolutely love. There is a heavy emphasis on the centrality of the Flying Pussyfoot’s journey – a journey kickstarting the events of the series much in the same way Leos find themselves breathing life into the spaces they frequent; or at least trying to do so!

15-year-old Aotsuki Ushio is the energetic and stubborn son of an eccentric temple priest. His father had often told him stories about the monsters known as youkai, but Ushio took them to be mere fable. However, when Ushio’s father is away on work, Ushio discovers a terrifying youkai impaled by the legendary Beast Spear, pinned to the wall in their basement for the past five centuries. The beast tries to coax Ushio into setting him free and a reluctant Ushio grants that wish but a sudden youkai outbreak threatens the lives of Ushio’s friends. With no one else to rely on for help, Ushio elicits the help of the basement youkai, Tora, with the Beast Spear as his only insurance that Tora won’t get out of hand. Thus, begins the journey of an unlikely duo through the scary supernatural world. An ancient prophecy, a whole bunch of eerie and interesting monsters, and of course, some really pretty art and you have your Leo purring happily. Ushio to Tora has all of the above and perhaps because of the way they highly regard themselves, Leo feel just a little bit understood by the protagonist Ushio and his ability to befriend a wide variety of beings.

Aslan Jade Callenreese, also known as Ash Lynx, is a young runaway picked off the streets of New York and raised by the infamous mafia boss, Dino Golzine. Now 17 and leading his own gang, Ash comes into possession of a drug called “Banana Fish” – the same two words his brother, Griffin, has been muttering since his return from the war in Vietnam. Ash’s investigation is hindered when Golzine sends his men to Ash’s hideout to retrieve the drug. While Ash is at the bar, his friend, Skip, introduces him to Ibe Shunichi and his assistant, Okumura Eiji, a pair of Japanese photographers. The two are looking to report on American street gangs. They're interrupted by Shorter Wong, one of Ash’s friends, who warns them about Golzine. Soon after that, Golzine’s men storm the bar and kidnap Skip and Eiji. Now Ash must rescue them and continue looking into Banana Fish, but will his mafia connections do his investigation more harm than good? Yet another show with more happening in the background than it initially suggests, the crime-addled series of Banana Fish is a great anime for the average Leo to watch because it is pleasing to the eye, but also a showcases of extreme loyalty and friendship courtesy of the protagonist Ash and his relationship with Eiji and the rest of his ragtag group of allies. Leos being the friendly souls that they are, they are very protective of their “pride” – in every sense of the word.

Hayasaka Yukari is a final year high schooler who has her hands full working hard to graduate and do well on her university entrance exams. She isn’t concerned about where exactly it is she goes, as long as she gets too leave the town in which she’s lived her entire life. One day while walking down the street, Yukari is approached by a suspicious man with multiple piercings and bleached hair and she attempts to escape but only ends up meeting the guy’s friends. It turns out that they’re final year design students from a fancy art school who would like Yukari to be their model for their final project. Yukari initially thinks it is a waste of her time but the more she gets to know them, the more she grows to adore and admire them for pursuing their goals. Will modelling for this group of eccentrics give Yukari the inspiration she needs to pursue her own goals? Or will it blossom into something else entirely? Fashion and opulence are some of the words of the day when one decides to pick up Paradise Kiss. With a headstrong protagonist going against the grain in order to achieve a lofty goal, Paradise Kiss speaks directly to the inner diva of the Leo, but also the intense fire that burns within them. The Leo desires to be seen, heard and celebrated, very much like Yukari herself seeks approval from her mother despite the rockiness of their relationship.

Nicholas Brown and Worick Archangelo are known in their city of Ergastulum as the “Handymen”, mercenaries who take on difficult jobs. They’re hired by mobs and the police alike. After they finish a job involving the killing of a pimp, they find themselves taking in Alex Benedetto, a prostitute who was also put on their hit-list. The city itself is in turmoil due to gang violence and at a point, and once being the safest place for the “Twilights”. The Twilights are superhumans who were created as the result of a drug but they’re now on the run from an underground organisation which is hunting them down. Coming from the now-deceased Studio Manglobe, Gangsta is very much everything the title says it is. With organised crime, violence, drugs and overall turmoil ruling the city of Ergastulum, Leos can find the chaos to be incredibly entertaining. That isn’t to take anything away from the series itself – its fast-paced action and great art and animation can go a long way to impress the Zodiac’s lion and their vitality and their busybody nature.

It is not uncommon to view cars as extensions of the driver. Car promotional material and marketing sell them not just as a vehicle but as a catalyst for the spirit of adventure—freedom unrestrained. Customizing your car can be seen as a way to display your personality. From external modifications like color to internal changes like hydraulic lifts to raise or lower your car, there is an entire culture behind personalizing your vehicle. You can learn just as much about a person from their car as you can from how they speak. Redline is fully aware of this idea, evident through its character and car designs. Cars like the Machinehead Tetsujin are literal extensions of the body, his car exterior changing to fit his muscular frame. When he injects nitro, a booster that allows cars to run faster, his muscle burst like he used steroids. The magical girl duo, or the “cosplaying rejects from a porno,” as the Robo World residents call them, are especially flamboyant. Their “magical transformation” turns their vehicle from machine to an over-the-top performance and visual “sensation.” Part of the charm is how character designs communicate character. Not only do they wear their hearts on their sleeves, but each character races whole-heartedly for the finish line. That earnestness supplements an already adrenaline-filled movie.

Redline is a film where its pacing moves as quickly as its races. To convey its story, the film borrows its approach to its characters. Since character designs transfer to their vehicle designs and dialogue, viewers can make logical deductions on how a character will act. This is the same with Redline’s story. Certain things can be logically deduced. For example, the first race is a qualifying race. If a driver manages to get past the yellow line first, then they win. Thus when that race is called the Yellowline, it’s literal. The Redline, by inference, is a race with bigger bets at stake. If people must qualify, then this race is the best of the best. These logical deductions are also spelled out in the script. The race of aliens on Robo World are the obstacles and antagonists on the film. The location of the Redline is on a demilitarized planet that they promised to leave for refugees. However, they break their promise and try to kill the racers, turning the Redline race into an obstacle course with bullets. The Robo World characters, while not actual robots, are clearly depicted as the villains. Borrowing some conventions, they have a chessboard mapping their targets, a furless cat they pet, and a hyper disintegrator-cannon which they quite proudly named Literally. Given their on-the-nose depictions, it’s fitting they also do the same in the story. When workers rebel against their Robo World overlords, the Robo villains state exactly that. When the Redline takes place close to home, they also state their disdain and concerns over hiding their military secrets. This kind of exposition is in-character, allowing readers to be aware without seeming tedious.

Woven into the film are storylines that converge on the Redline. To promote the race, the background stories for each racer is given a promotional video. Thus, each character is given time to market themselves. To do this without seeming jarring, the film’s editing, specifically the transitions, must be creative, providing logic to the chaos. The promotional videos are peppered throughout the film, creating a pace akin to a race. For example, after JP crashes by a “fluke,” the viewer is aware that what happened once could happen again. Once he’s voted into the Redline by fans—the fact that is only possible because two racers drop out due to the dangers of Robo World—JP goes to his trusted mechanic and asks for another car to win the Redline. He eventually gets a test version of said car, only to crash it after. To transition properly, there is a news report of his crash, which then transitions back to the Redline Racer promo videos. From there, two promo videos introduce characters: a Dirty Cop racer (Gori-Rider) and Miki and Todoruki, Japanese riders presumably from Earth. After seeing how Gori-Rider handles his “criminals,” we’re given a brief understanding of Miki and Todoruki. The video cuts short because they call Gori-Rider an expletive (on live television)—forcing the viewers back to Frisbee, the Parts Collector for JP’s racing team. JP’s crash is firmly in our minds, and Frisbee, the person who sabotaged JP’s Yellowline victory, is given a shot where he stares at JP’s new car, implying he might sabotage it again. It is this kind of editing that helps to cohesively exist. Even after the promo videos are done, new storylines are introduced: Sonoshee and JP’s romance/underdog story, Frisbee’s past and his reasons for being in the mafia, the Robo World motivations and the events happening on their planet, and so on. Having so many stories creates layers to an otherwise simple story. By properly using good editing, the chaotic and fast-paced nature of racing transfers to every story, giving its viewers a taste of Redline’s stakes.

Initially, the film’s visual style can seem disorienting. However, once viewers become accustomed to it, this collage of animation becomes an asset, a ticket into how many minds interpret an ethereal experience. By combining different thoughts, Mind Game becomes a community of ideas. While it's understandable that one vision, one person at control, can make a work more consistent and effective; there is a benefit to having “too many cooks in the kitchen.” The phrase refers to the idea that too many people doing the same thing ruins the result. Similarly, it can also mean if too many people are leading others, results will not yield. From a creative standpoint, too many people interpreting a work can make for a disorienting experience. If the goal, however, is to make something “disconnected,” then having multiple people is efficient. The job of the Director then is not so much to prevent these ideas but to let one’s creative mind roam, then to make sense of it—to create a free association.

Mind Game uses a lot of visual cues to aid viewers. Characters, for example, will have visual traits. Such as Atsu, a yakuza handyman, who has a head shaped like a pointy egg. Through his preoccupation with a soccer ball, viewers become aware of his background in the sport. However, given his current “occupation,” (loan shark and killer) it’s difficult to associate Atsu with anything other than a villain. When the yakuza’s boss explains Atsu’s past—how he never knew love, how he’s made mistakes, and how he’s kinder than he looks—it seems impossible to believe, especially after he’s killed the protagonist. However, those words leave a thread we later follow, an association. With that association comes the film’s next segment. As the yakuza chase the “born again protagonist” and heroines, our heroes crash their car into the sea and are promptly swallowed by a whale. Something so convenient feels like a miracle, a callback to God’s words, “I’m on your side,” when he lets the protagonist revive. It is here, in the whale’s stomach, that a large portion of the film takes place. Inside the whale’s stomach, the main cast meets an old man. Trapped for 30 years, he recounts his past, a vague “business deal.” A package he delivers gets him chased into the sea. From the visuals, the film implies he’s a former yakuza. Ironically, by escaping the yakuza, they are now closer than before. From the old man’s story, the film reconnects with prior images and ideas. The briefcase the old man takes has the icon of a manga character, a boy who controls time. Secondly, this character often fights crime, specifically against gangsters. By taking these two images, the film has connected to a prior association—that even though he is a former yakuza, he isn’t a bad guy, a point that gets reiterated through empathy. This reminds viewers of Atsu’s previous description. The characters in the whale aren’t just in the same position physically but also morally. They all share the same predicament, stuck in a “prison.” Prior to this part, the film has moved locations several times from Paris to Post-occupied Japan (WW II), finally ending in modern Japan. However, now that the characters are stuck in a whale’s stomach, moving locations is exactly the problem. Thus, to capture the film’s adventurous spirit, each character plays with their imagination, giving them freedom from reality and boredom. It is here that the film becomes more dream-like. To escape reality, characters play upon their fantasies, making stories and finding adventures where it seemed absent. This requires the audience to connect with loose associations, and in doing so, participate in the same dream state the characters share.

However, dreams can’t last forever, and the main cast is desperate to find an escape. When an opportunity presents itself, they rush to leave the whale’s mouth. When this happens, all the years spent “captive” disappear. In its place are dreams of the future—the infinite possibilities that come with freedom. After these future visions, the film has a series of flashbacks. From these scenes, familiar characters can be picked out, allowing viewers to make sense of each character’s past. Through these series of flashbacks, what was once an anachronistic film slowly makes sense. The flashbacks from the beginning of the film now make sense and time flows forward. Cutting back to the present, we see the old man’s belt, and it’s a rewinding clock. All the years lost in the whale have been changed, and each character now lives their dreams—this time, in reality. Time has allowed everyone to connect to one another, bringing out their best selves and greatest happiness.

The word kappa itself is a combination of kawa (meaning ‘river’) and wappa (a somewhat obscure form of an archaic word meaning ‘child’). This is further complicated by many regional names for the same creature such as kawaso (which also means otter) and kawako (which is kawa plus kodomo, the modern world for child). In any case, kappa are typically depicted as humanoid creatures roughly the size of a child that live in rivers or ponds. They usually have green, slimy (or scaly) skin, a turtle-like shell on their back, webbed feet and hands, large eyes, a bird-like beak, and a distinctive “dish” cavity on top of their heads (called sara) that holds a pool of water in the center and is surrounded by hair that often resembles plant leaves or reeds.

True to their often English-localized name of “river imp”, kappa are typically described as being quite mischievous, frequently playing tricks on humans and doing things like stealing food, especially their preferred food: cucumbers. They are also said to be competitive, sometimes challenging humans to sumo wrestling or shogi matches and sometimes perform good deeds like irrigating farmers' lands or giving people fresh fish. Once befriended, they are supposedly very loyal. Coversely, kappa can also be malevolent with many accounts of them drowning humans and animals (particularly horses), kidnapping children, and even cases of eating or raping humans. One particularly peculiar behavior involves a mythical organ called a shirikodama that kappa are said to be able to remove from humans’ anuses to gain power and steal their soul. When kappa are not submerged, the dish on their heads holds a small pool of water which allows them to survive on land as long as it remains wet. Since kappa are also said to be obsessed with manners, the easiest way to subdue them is to bow deeply as they will return the favor and spill out their dish, rendering them unable to move until it is replenished. According to folklore, if you do refill their dish using water from where they live, they will become your friend forever.

Like some other famous yokai such as oni and tengu, kappa have become part of pop culture while still remaining important in their religious origins. There are still Shinto shrines and ceremonies dedicated to kappa across Japan and they are also famously venerated at the Sogenji Buddhist temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo which has enshrined the mummified arm of a kappa. Cute modern versions of kappa often appear as mascot characters for towns and businesses or on warning signs near rivers and ponds. One prominent modern example is Shiki City’s bass guitar-playing kappa mascot Kapal who won the Yuru-chara Grand Prix in 2018 as Japan’s most popular mascot. Likewise, kappa characters have been featured in many manga and anime series, perhaps most prominently in last season’s Sarazanmai and Keiichi Hara’s film Summer Days with Coo.

The latest from revolutionary director Kunihiko Ikuhara, Sarazanmai tells the story of three boys who repeatedly transform into kappa to capture shirikodama from the butts of strange ‘kappa zombies’. Sarazanmai references nearly every aspect of kappa lore from their love of cucumbers to the aforementioned shirikodama, sumo, and even their alternative name of kawaso also meaning otter with Otter Empire as the main antagonist.

A young boy named Koichi stumbles upon a large stone that turns out to be a fossilized kappa. Naming the revived kappa Coo, Koichi and his family must adjust to life with their strange new friend, especially after the news media gets wind of Coo’s existence. Summer Days with Coo is a heartwarming adventure film exploring friendship, family, and traditional Japanese folklore.

Arguably the most recognizable motorcycle in all of anime, Kaneda’s bike has been etched into the minds of anime fans new and old thanks to that frequently-referenced slide animation and the iconic, minimalist movie poster. Symbolizing Kaneda’s power and leadership of the gang, this ultra-high-performance motorcycle’s sleek design, intense red color, and amazing effects—particularly the distinctive green static electricity coming off the front tire and engine sounds made by splicing recordings of a MiG-21 fighter jet and a 1927 Harley-Davidson—make it stand out. Smaller details like the various corporate logos of Canon, Citizen, Shoei, etc. add further character and the film’s amazing production values in animation really bring this bike to life!

Finally a motorcycle with a personality! Quite literally in this case as Kino’s companion and vehicle Hermes has not only intelligence but can even speak, often providing pessimistically realist commentary on the state of affairs along with frequent complaints and occasional poorly explained technical information and misremembered quotes. As something of a comic relief character, Hermes and his interactions with Kino are a highlight of the series. Hermes’ design is based on the real-world Brough Superior SS100 motorcycle with a seriously retro-cool aesthetic. These custom-made British cycles built from 1925–1940 were used by T. E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, whose his death in an accident prompted research into creating safety helmets. They were also the first production motorcycles capable of reaching 100 mph (160 km/h) and remain highly sought-after collection pieces.

While scooters of various sorts have been featured in many anime series, and are a very common sight in Japan, maniac alien investigator Haruko Haruhara’s vehicle of choice, a bright yellow 1965 Vespa Super Sport 180, is certainly the most memorable. Very emblematic of Haruko’s character and matching her otherworldly eye color, with its unpredictable movements, supernatural speed, ability to fly, and perhaps the initially inconsistent model it features prominently in the series, it embodies the chaotic coolness that made the OVA series so fun to watch. Similar to Kaneda’s bike, details like the iconic P! sticker (referencing the pillows, who provided the series’ music) and the 56-56 license plate number (pronounced goro-goro in Japanese which is an onomatopoeia that can be used for thundering, purring, stomach grumbling, or lazing about) further adds to its connection to FLCL and Haruko’s character. Likewise, the stop-motion photo sequence in the ED using a real Vespa cements this scooter in our anime memories.

As alluded to previously, motorcycles and scooters are quite popular in Japan and Japanese manufacturers like Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki have been dominant forces in the industry worldwide for decades. In fact, the Honda Super Cub is the most produced motor vehicle in all of history with over 100 million units. Small engine vehicles are popular for their usefulness and fuel economy in large Japanese cities while high-end performance machines like Kawasaki’s Ninja H2R are the fastest and most powerful production motorcycles on the market, capable of reaching 250 mph (400 km/h)! Japan is also famous for its Bosozoku (literally meaning “running out of control tribe”) motorcycle gangs which started in the 1950s and peaked in the 1980s and 1990s which the Capsules and Clown gangs in Akira clearly took inspiration from. Taking influence from other subcultures like the mods of Britain and American greasers and bikers, Japanese motorcycle gangs are known for their street fashion boilersuits and leather jackets emblazoned with huge kanji characters and other symbols, pompadour hairstyles, long hachimaki headbands, etc. Bosozoku are probably most famous for their highly customized motorcycles combining elements of American choppers and British café racers with elongated seats, squeezing the handlebars inwards along with other modifications, and finished with striking paint jobs and stickers. It should be noted that while their numbers have decreased significantly in modern times, some of these gangs are legitimately violent and engage in yakuza-like criminal activity.

When we finally learned that Toi and Kazuki had met in the past, we were so surprised! Toi and his brother had just gone through the worst, and Toi was ready to give up everything he loved for his brother. He decided to quit soccer, throwing his ball and micanga over the side of the bridge. Standing at the bottom of the bridge was Kazuki. Kazuki receives the micanga from Toi and decides to use this momentum to play soccer himself, hoping that it will give him the connections he has been looking for. This was a surprising moment for us, especially because Kazuki didn’t seem to remember it at all. The micanga had already been an important symbol for Kazuki’s relationship with Enta, and we also discovered that it was an important symbol for Toi and Kazuki with this scene.

For quite some time, Kazuki has been texting with his brother Haruka as Sara Azuma. When he is discovered, he flees and hides for a time. He feels guilty for what happened with Haruka’s accident and he tried to make up for it in various ways and heal their connection, but yet continued to drown himself in guilt. Haruka sends one last text to his brother, which is only revealed to us after Haruka is captured. It was a powerful moment, hearing Haruka’s side of the situation and learning how much love he has for his brother. Haruka’s message was part of what helped change Kazuki in the end, as he fought to save his little brother. Kazuki had been struggling up until that point. He felt he did not deserve to connect with his brother, but that was all he wanted. This was the turning point to help him return to the person he used to be. From this point on, Kazuki is much happier and it is all thanks to Haruka reaching out to his brother.

Mabu and Reo were some of the most mysterious characters from the beginning, though we eventually learn the truth about them. Reo thought that Mabu had died and been replaced by a fake, yet he continued to hope for his partner to return. The tragic truth of the matter is that Mabu had really returned, but he was forced to sever his connection with Reo in order to be with him. It is a truly twisted revelation and results in an emotional scene when Mabu finally sacrifices himself in the hopes that Reo will get what he wants.

As Toi, Kazuki, and Enta completed the final Sarazanmai, instead of leaking information from the past, they were shown moments from a potential future. We see plenty of difficult scenes ahead for the three boys. Yet the main scene connecting all of their possible futures together is one of the three boys playing soccer together on a competitive level. It’s heartwarming to see that, though they might have many more struggles ahead of them, Toi, Enta, and Kazuki could still have that bright future they had dreamed about together! This is one of the most powerful and inspiring moments from the series.

Toi has fought through self-hatred and judgment in order to be at his brother’s side. When he finally gets to leave with his brother, he is torn because of his new friendships with Enta and Kazuki. In the end, he does leave with his brother, but his brother dies shortly after in a gunfight, leaving Toi alone once again. This death scene is emotional for many reasons. Toi was without any family at all and he had also just severed his connections with his friends, leaving him feeling truly alone. And though his older brother had always seemed like a bad influence, Toi finding the picture of him in his brother’s pocket shows how much he really cares. There is a reason this moment is what drives Toi to want to destroy all of his connections, and we see the despair he feels vividly in this scene.

Demons. That says a lot when it comes to a hentai anime, right? This one focuses on the succubus type of demon. On this delivery, we follow the steps of a valiant hero that journeys throughout the world in the company of yet another demon in the hopes of vanishing other kinds of demons from the world. But there is a force against them that wants to make them fall into temptation and so we find the hero at the hands of demons that want to show him why the succubus is on top when it comes to being in bed. Monmusu Quest is a Hentai that disguises a gruesome scenario with an “adorable” animation; the protagonist is under restrain constantly, and so he is forced to fornicate over and over again with all sorts of women that are part “human” and part… creature. Tentacles, spider legs, crab pincers. It all happens, and always against his will while the females enjoy on his struggle to resist. Keep in mind… we are barely looking at the 10th Bestiality Hentai Anime on this list.

This is a special one because it involves two separate titles; Shoujo Senki Soul Eater and Shoujo Senki Brain Jacker. Now, these two series are not directly involved in any way, but they have a similar development and concept where the two protagonists are overpowered by beast-like enemies and then forced to fuck and moan as they are humiliated by abnormally long cocks. One of them is as huge as a horse’s! Because of that, it shouldn’t be surprising to see Kaifon Lin (from Shoujo Senki Brain Jacker) have her womb deformed by a cock that’s just too big for her. Now, what makes these two series worthy of being on this list? Well, they both contain scenarios where the protagonists are forced beyond their limits as they are being defeated. One suffers defeat, and the other also suffers from betrayal, but they are both brought to their knees as they are beaten, which is part of the fun. Both series move through a few scenes so it’s not always the same characters in the same sex scenes. The idea of these hentai series is simple and straightforward, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be enjoyed!

This series is one of the most recent on this list, and the setting is one that resembles a typical anime or D&D campaign; the protagonist is a character that has always wanted to go out on an adventure alongside her old childhood friend, Erick, and some sort of steward, Nina. After retrieving a cursed sword, Shiira (the protagonist), is cursed with an insatiable lust that triggers every so often and causes her to fall victim of diverse creatures that prey upon her soft flesh. The story is enjoyable, and it gives the feeling that the world where it takes place is bigger than initially proposed. Although the sex scenes are quite vanilla, the style of the story is how the protagonist is forced by her own friends to have sex with her despite her contrary wishes. All in order to keep her safe, allegedly. For the fan looking for casual hentai that’s just not too brutal, Maken no Hime wa Ero Ero no Desu is just about perfect since it’s not too heavy on the harsher tags of the series itself.

Have you ever seen a werewolf bang a person? No? Well, prepare yourself. This hentai takes place in a setting where the rabies virus has the awful capability of turning the infected into a primal machine of subject to its instincts. While the series revolves around a couple of members from some sort of SWAT team, the real villain is a dog (a Corgi, we suspect) that has that strain of the virus and spreads it throughout the city. This hentai mixes odd romance, strippers, werewolves, rabies, dogs, blood, killing, and a bit of gore. Megami Kyouju features all sorts of sexual acts! Electric shocks, guns going into pussies… It could be a good anime. There is a good balance of depravity, cruelty, sex, blood, and plot. There is an actual investigation going through the episodes where all the cases of rape and homicide are explained as being part of the virus development. Because of the antiquity of this hentai, the animation isn’t all that great, but the fact is that the scenes are quite exciting as you wonder if there will be either blood or moaning. Or both. If you enjoy rough sex, you might just enjoy this little piece.

We couldn’t leave this little gem outside the list. This hentai has 3 delicious episodes where we follow the return of Princess Knight Dragundaala Catue to her realm, where she was to re-join her family and her old love interest. But it all goes off a cliff when she finds a horde of demons has taken over the realm, and its leader has the brilliant idea of exchanging the freedom of the kingdom if the voluptuous princess can withstand a few, tiny, insignificant number of days of torture and abuse. Princess Knight Catue is mostly about the sex scenes, most of them being about the princess herself. However, we also see her mother being under the unbearable weight of temptation and sex with her daughter’s “friend.” This hentai is almost a decade old, but the animation is solid, and the quality of the sounds is awesome as you can hear Catue gargle semen as several cocks are pushed down her throat. There isn’t any “gore” on the chapters, but the fact Catue is ravaged for over a week at the hands of her subjects, enemies, pigs and friends, makes it worthy of appearing on the list. At some point, you can see her giving birth to little monsters. Humiliation, rough sex, deepthroat… count us in.

How could we make a bestiality list without tentacles? We couldn’t. Cambrian is also an old hentai, but that doesn’t render it useless. Cambrian explores the reality of human cloning, where the doctor in charge, Haruhiko Yamagashi, decides to go a bit beyond the line of “ethical research.” Human cloning wasn’t enough, so he levels up his game and brings mutation into the play, creating aberrations on his wake. Within the first minutes, we see actual tentacles (octopus’ tentacles) coming out from a woman’s vagina and then into her mouth. Yes. That kind of hentai. It’s like a fusion of Bible Black and Resident Evil. We would watch that. Cambrian has a superb animation, but you couldn’t expect less from the crew that brought Bible Black to life, and the design of the characters and the “enemy” is just something that makes every sex scene thrilling since it’s not always the “monsters ravages girl” scene. While this hentai doesn’t show much in ways of killing, dismembering or blood, that is rewarded through a good plot that explains all that’s happening and hot monster sex scenes. If you want some good tentacles in action or the depravity that comes with scientific discoveries, then Cambrian is for you.

Right between new and old stands Kuroinu. It is set throughout a series of strongholds where the rulers of the different factions of a kingdom or alliance, and while we are told these rulers once had the mercenaries under their command, they have now turned their backs against those rulers. Every chapter mostly involves one of the different factions, specifically the leader, and how she is ravaged and reduced to a simple sex slave. Some of the last chapters come to explain how it all happened. Kuroinu is simply superb in its design; the elves and humans are made in a way that you can almost see the jiggling of their breasts and asses, and the sound of the actresses just adds to the feeling of seeing real characters. While we admit the scenes are a bit typical when it comes to betrayal and conquest, the development of these is just enough to pump you up; The movement of the hips as every thrust drills into the flesh and the cum dripping from their mouths is made in a way you can see how realistically they were designed. In general, this is a good addition to this list since there is more than humans in the scenes (elves and ogres, for instance), and some scenes include mind-breaking and bondage.

Pandra the animation is not about a panda, don’t worry. As a matter of fact, it comes from the pronunciation of “Pandora”, around whose box the story revolves. Now, it all begins when a certain girl arrives to the academy and decides to look for Pandora’s Box, releasing the entity held inside it and causing it to attach to herself. This entity demands her to bring her magical powers from the female students that study there. Any guess on how she obtains that magic the entity wishes? Pandra combines an animation style that has been quite famous in the last few years, but it also allows for enough dialogue to explain why everyone is getting banged by a multitude of clones, a minotaur, demons, or a whole bunch of tentacles. One of the best features of this hentai is the fact that you get to see how some sort of unicorn-girl participates in a gangbang with the image of her “oni-chan.” The plot is quite straightforward, but just the way it all unfolds is thrilling, and the motion and gloss of the characters makes it all that alluring to the eyes.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="DMM" url="https://www.dmm.co.jp/mono/anime/-/detail/=/cid=403jdxa57231" ]

A classic in all rule. In this hentai, we follow the steps of the second in command of the main villain of the whole series, for Makai Kishi Ingrid is part of a series of hentai anime that take place on the same universe. On this hentai, we get to witness the betrayal of one of Ingrid’s acquaintances, and through the chapters, we see how that traitor does everything in his power to humiliate her and make her bow down to him and his troops. Still, we get to see more than Ingrid, we also see the submission of an Anti-Demon Ninja; Murasaki. Demons, gargoyles, chimeras, ogres… we see it all. Makai Kishi Ingrid explores all the way from surgery to bondage and prostitution. It’s particularly on the first and third chapters that we get to see the cruelty Kiryuu (the main antagonist) can achieve. Both women are “sold”, physically modified, gangbanged, covered in cum, beaten, and forced to breed with ogres and beasts. The sex is rough and brutal as they scream for Kiryuu to stop his madness. Brutal, although not all that gruesome.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="DMM" url="https://www.dmm.co.jp/mono/anime/-/detail/=/cid=h_007pxy10044" ]

And now… the best for last… Mashou no Nie 3. This hentai has a similar story to Kuroinu, one of the hentai series listed on this list; a large army of pirates turns on those who had hired them to increase the power of a kingdom, and so they take it upon themselves to take what’s theirs by “right.” The pirates take over and trick and assault their former leaders for their own amusement. This hentai is brutal; the pirates stop at nothing and show no mercy, willing to even ravage the youngest princess. The animation has a crude sense to it, often using a First-Person POV to take a stare at the victim in turn. The humiliation is always present as some of the victims are even forced to serve as toilets and have booze-enemas. This only serves to picture how ruthless pirates could be, and how far they were willing to go. The sequences are fast and crude, much to any fan of rough sex and bestiality. By the way, there’s a scene with a kraken.

[sourceLink asin="" asin_jp="" cdj_product_id="" text="DMM" url="https://www.dmm.co.jp/mono/anime/-/detail/=/cid=62gbr016" ]