Taking place in UC0093, 5 years after ZZ, Char and Amuro are back to settle their rivalry. Char has risen from exile with his own Neo Zeon movement and is using asteroids to destroy the Earth so he can force humanity into migrating to space thinking it will fulfill his father’s legacy. With the final phases of his plan in place, Amuro has to race against the clock in order to stop Char once and for all. While Tomino in recent years has admitted he can’t remember, there were some reports in the late-80s that he was planning to bring back Char in ZZ if Char’s Counterattack wasn’t approved. However, the movie got the green light and the rest is history. Considering that this movie is mostly about Char and Amuro’s rivalry, it’s necessary that you see the original Gundam trilogy first to understand it. In addition, it’s also mandatory to see Zeta Gundam first to understand Char’s motivations. Other than that, the movie has amazing animation and a sweet soundtrack.

Unicorn takes place in UC0096, 3 years after Char’s Counterattack. Char may have perished but his legacy lives on through Full Frontal, Neo Zeon’s newest leader who is the spitting image of Char himself. Once again, the hero is another teenage academic overachiever, Banagher Links. However, Banagher’s origins in this series gives him a distinction in comparison to his predecessors since his ancestors played a role in forming the political landscape of the Universal Century dating back to its very beginning. Character designs are once again provided by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, the designer of the original Gundam series. Thanks to his inclusion, the style of the series is appropriately applied to modern-day animation techniques and yet still feels in tone with the original Gundam. However, what makes Unicorn distinct is how it finally addresses the Newtype situation in how they’re recognized in a political sense. Unicorn internally acknowledges how Newtypes have always been seen as ace pilots, but the series explains they’re more than that. When you get to the ending, it finally addresses how mankind should include them in a society where people now live in space.

Set in UC0123, the universe is at peace and the remnants of Zeon have moved on to the history books. However, the Federation must fight a new threat, the Crossbone Vanguard, a band of space pirates. Frontier IV has been attacked by the Crossbone Vanguard and teenage mechanic Seabook Arno has been drafted to pilot the Federation's newest Gundam, the F91. Cecily, his best friend, is taken by the pirates and it turns out that she’s the daughter of their leader, Iron Mask, a mix of a Char and Darth Vader! F91 is a movie that was intended to be a TV series, but staff disputes ended up turning it into a movie. The movie certainly shows it was rushed but when you watch it, you see how it truly had so much potential. While this movie can’t really add much to the mythos due to its unfortunate circumstances, you do see the potential it had as a series.

Victory Gundam takes us another 30 years into the future in the year UC0153. The Federation’s power has lost much of its control and the Zanscare Empire is looking to conquer the solar system! So who is the only one that can stand up to this evil empire? 13-year-old Uso Ewin, son of two leading rebels against the Empire. Muller Miguel, Uso’s mother, entrusts her son with the titular Victory Gundam to end things with the Zanscare Empire once and for all! Victory Gundam’s designs may come across as cute and it does have some WTF moments (girls in bikinis with jet packs and bazookas?), but it’s about as dark as Z Gundam. The series is full of a lot of tragedy and Uso goes through a lot at his vulnerable age. In addition, there are rumors that Uso may be a descendant of Char since Char had a relationship with a woman named Nanai Miguel in Char’s Counterattack. Considering that his mother’s last name is Miguel, some made that conclusion. Tomino has said it’s only coincidental that they share the same last name but he did initially consider it.

In the city of Hellsalem’s Lot, it is common knowledge that supernatural entities live alongside human beings. A secret organization known as Libra is made up of humans and supernaturals alike; in order to keep the peace in the city. Leonardo Watch is a photographer who gets caught up in a situation that leaves his sister blind and imbues him with a power called the “All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods”. In search of answers, Leonardo goes to Hellsalem’s Lot and; soon after; finds himself involved with Libra as his once-normal life changes forever. Like Dorohedoro, the world of Kekkai Sensen is one that is littered with strange and interesting supernatural phenomena. Powers, strange creatures and humans living in the slew of non-human entities; and half-human entities is the name of the game. This is the main reason why Kekkai Sensen sits at the very top of this list. Much like Caiman, Leonardo Watch finds himself right in the middle of some weird circumstances and seeks to find out more about his new abilities and way of life. Kekkai Sensen and Dorohedoro also bear the similarity of having protagonists whose lives were changed by some kind of physical change that they experienced. Caiman’s lizard head is the more obvious example of the two, but Leonardo’s All-Seeing Eyes have the same effect and like Caiman’s new head, Leonardo is given an interesting new set of abilities as a result.

The story is set ten years after the appearance of strange spaces known as “Gates”. Heaven’s Gate appeared in South America while Hell’s Gate appeared in Japan. These gates are places where the laws of physics no longer apply and from these gates, people obtained supernatural powers and became entities known as “Contractors”. One such Contractor is the enigmatic BK201, codenamed “Hei”, dubbed the “Black Reaper”, who completes missions for a mysterious organization as the truth behind the state of the world slowly begins to reveal itself. Darker Than Black has a fairly gritty and dark feel (no pun intended) to it that makes it similar to Dorohedoro in terms of basic feel. Both shows have the premise of strange sites where a supernatural event forms the foundation of the story and the events that occur therein. Both Dorohedoro and Darker Than Black feature characters who have interesting supernatural abilities and physiologies that have been changed as a result of these abilities. Darker Than Black also shrouds its superpowered characters in mystery. The Contractors and the Sorcerers are comparable because of this element, which also speaks to the overall feel of both shows. There are also some light comedic elements in Darker Than Black and in Dorohedoro, which contrast the darker parts of both shows.

The floating city of Tiphares is a testament to human ingenuity and the advancement of society. Like any city, Tiphares has to manage its waste; which it does by dumping its junk in the Scrapyard. The Scrapyard is a terrible place that many people and cyborgs call home. Ruled by the inhabitants of Tiphares, residents of the Scrapyard have no hopes and live off the junk of the people above them. Ido is a mechanic and doctor living in Scrapyard who one day finds a well-preserved cyborg head in a scrapheap. He gives her a body and she begins a new life, quickly learning to become a formidable warrior. In terms of setting, Dorohedoro and Battle Angel Alita have a similar idea, with there being an “aboveground” and an “underground”. Within this duality, the latter is where the main characters live and events of the story unfold. The world of Alita is also one where human beings also have their fair share of physical oddities in a world that is both violent and apocalyptic, which is what gives both Battle Angel Alita and Dorohedoro their grungy, dark feel.

In Tokyo, humanity lives side-by-side with its natural predator: the ghouls. Ghouls are vicious creatures that appear to be regular humans but have an insatiable appetite for human flesh. When 18-year-old Kaneki Ken goes on a date with the beautiful Kamishiro Rize, his life changes forever as he’s thrown into the chaos that is the world of the ghouls. After his fated encounter with Rize, Kaneki begins his new life as a half-human, half-ghoul rarity. Dorohedoro and Tokyo Ghoul have various things in common, like a very dark feel, fairly graphic violence and of course, a plot depicting struggle between two groups. The conflict between ghouls and humans in the Tokyo Ghoul universe is similar to that of the Sorcerers and the residents of the Hole. Both anime also feature a protagonist who has had his life change as a result of physiological changes. The world of the ghouls and life in the Hole are comparable because those two realms represent the everyday experiences of a group living in the shadow of; or being oppressed by another group in their respective universe. Kaneki’s change into a ghoul as a result of outside influence is comparable to how Caiman received his lizard head after an encounter with a mysterious Sorcerer; thus both main characters have arcs concerning the truth behind the most notable parts of their lives.

The Berühren Corporation has released the technology to create cyborg soldiers to the public. The Extended are people who have cybernetic enhancements and one such Extended, Inui Juuzou, runs a business built around Extended-related issues. When an Extended crime is reported, Juuzou soon finds himself at the centre of it all when a kidnapped child and large robot are involved. No Guns Life and Dorohedoro feature characters navigating a strange world that is unlike the one we know in search of some kind of truth to a mystery. Over and above that, both series are set in a realm of dark science-fiction, with there being a marked difference between two sets of people in the respective stories. For Dorohedoro, this is the difference between Sorcerers and humans, while No Guns Life plots a difference between people with cybernetic enhancements and those without such. With enigmatic protagonists who have strange physical features, Dorohedoro and No Guns Life give a similar feel in contexts that are completely different. The worlds of both anime are also marred by chaos and carnage; with Dorohedoro perhaps being more so than No Guns Life. However, the two anime also have a striking similarity with how the Sorcerers of Dorohedoro have dominion over the Hole; much like the Berühren Corporation does with the lives of any and all who are “Extended”.

The future is bright after the discovery of a 4th dimension that brings with it a limitless energy supply. In order to use this energy, humanity develops technology called “coils”, which allow people to harness the energy of this dimension dubbed Dimension W. However, like with most things, the technology is soon monopolized, resulting in a flood of illegal coils in the market. Collectors are people who track down illegal coils for a living and Mabuchi Kyouma is one such collector, but also a strange case because he does not use coil technology or the limitless energy of Dimension W. Mabuchi soon gets embroiled in a series of events that leads him to partnering up with an android known as Yurizaki Mira, who is very closely tied to the advent of coils and the discovery of the new dimension. Dimension W is similar to Dorohedoro with how it is set in a context where different dimensions definitely exist, one of them bringing some level of change to the way in which the respective world works. Dorohedoro has a post-apocalyptic setting in which there are two separate dimensions, while Dimension W brings forth the advancement of humanity with the introduction of another realm being central to the storyline. In both cases, the existence of these other dimensions is shrouded in mystery. Another element to consider when comparing the worlds of Dorohedoro and Dimension W is the idea that one realm in both series is one inhabited by people, while the other is used to the benefit of those people. The difference is that the resource being used in Dimension W is unlimited energy, while the Sorcerers of Dorohedoro make use of the Hole in its entirety as a testing ground.

Clearly, we’re starting with the least surprising ones first. Mirio is descriptively attractive; he’s tall, strong, blonde and has blue eyes. But… with a face reminiscent of Vault Boy from the Fallout games, even those traditionally attractive features don’t really inspire any sighs when you first lay eyes on him. Though, when we get to know Mirio better and find out how positive and supportive he is and what his goals are in life, we can’t help but find him at least a bit cute. Then, we see him in his uniform and, bam! Vault-Million looks somehow sexier! (Though he looks pretty good in civilian clothes too.) But when we really started crushing on Lemillion was when we saw his passion and determination regarding saving Eiri and then making her smile. *swoon* We’re kinda secretly hoping they become an item once Eiri is old enough to date...

Genzou, better known as “Animal Mask” to his fans, is a professional wrestler who loves animals more than life itself. That’s why, when the princess of a fantasy world summons him to kill the demon beasts threatening her kingdom, he German suplexes her and runs off to raise funds for a pet shop. Genzou’s immense strength and irresistible cuddles win over the demon beasts immediately (just like Maple’s infectious enthusiasm helps her build her own ragtag crew), and soon he has a home full to bursting with new animal and human/animal hybrid friends. He even manages to get the whole town excited about professional wrestling and organizes a tournament that brings them together as a community! Kemono Michi is good, wholesome fun and well worth your time.

The title may give you the impression that this anime is a shallow parody of the isekai trend, but That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is actually a heartwarming tale about a lonely nobody who is reborn in a new world and gradually builds up a community of friends and followers who truly care about him. Rimuru Tempest starts out as a lowly slime stuck in a cave with a tsundere dragon, but with his friendly attitude and the power to absorb the traits of anything he eats, he grows into a powerful city leader. We think he and Maple would get along famously!

Misato Kurihara just wants to live a normal life, but she’s so gifted that everyone around her treats her like a symbol of perfection rather than as a person. She meets her premature death courtesy of Truck-kun, and her one request to the gods is that she be reborn as a regular person with nothing special to alienate her from others. Of course, that’s not exactly what happens. She reincarnates as a noble girl who’s incredibly talented with magic, so she runs off to become a hunter under the alias “Mile”. There, she forms an adventuring group with new friends she meets at the hunter school and tries to hide her exceptional abilities... with little success. This is a lighthearted, self-aware isekai that thrives on situational comedy and cute girls doing cute things, just like how Bofuri affectionately parodies different types of gamers. Check it out if you need a show to relax to after a hard day.

Okay, so the tone of this anime is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum to Bofuri and the other shows on this list, but it’s such a similar concept that we had to mention it here. Naofumi is sucked into a fantasy world where he becomes the legendary Shield Hero, one of four heroes who are destined to save the kingdom of Melromarc from ruin. Unfortunately, his grand adventure is cut short when the two-faced princess frames him for sexual assault and turns the entire country against him. With only his smarts, a shield, and a burning desire for revenge at his side, he must rise from the ashes to prove the corrupt royalty wrong. If Bofuri wasn’t such a sparkly and happy show, Maple might’ve been in Naofumi’s exact same position…

From the same director as Kemono Michi (although a few years earlier) comes Konosuba, one of the best-known comedy isekai out there. Our adventuring party consists of a smartass otaku named Kazuma, the obnoxious goddess Aqua who reincarnated him into this world, an overconfident mage named Megumin who spams her one magic attack over and over, and a masochistic warrior named Darkness. Together, they bumble their way through their quest to defeat the Demon King, stumbling over hilarious hurdles the whole way through. Bofuri owes a lot to Konosuba for its sitcom-like scenarios and spot-on comedy, so don’t just leave it on your plan to watch list forever!

Even though Sword Art Online has pretty much singlehandedly defined the modern isekai genre as we know it, its questionable quality has kept it from becoming a classic. However, this spinoff about an insecure tall girl finding her calling as an adorable pink player killer in a shooter game is everything that we wish the main series could be and more. The spectacularly animated action scenes and instant camaraderie between Karen and Pitohui make this unique gaming anime a total joy to watch. Karen is much more of a trophy hunter than Maple, but her ability to make friends and create a new life through an escapist fantasy makes us think that she would join the Maple Tree Guild in a heartbeat.

On the outside, Orphen comes across as lazy since he can’t afford to pay rent at the inn he stays at and can’t pay his tab at the inn’s bar. It’s not because he’s lazy, it’s because he’s willing to lend money to those in need. Prior to the beginning of the series, he lent a good amount of money to Volkan, a scheming dwarf who has no intentions of paying him back. In addition, he keeps his promise to teach Majic, the son of the innkeeper, the art of sorcery. Beyond giving out money to people who probably don’t deserve it, he’s willing to put himself in harm’s way to help a person or an entire village from a larger threat.

Though he abandoned the Tower of Fang while he was a teenager, he knows that he still has to use his abilities in a responsible manner. Obviously, he could use his magic to make some quick cash, but he doesn’t. When he enters a village inhabited by residents who want to kill him, he refrains from using his magic on them knowing they wouldn’t be able to handle the impact. Instead, he uses his magic to flee and knowing when to flee and when to fight will be handy on a crazy adventure.

Orphen is a man that keeps his promises and doesn’t take advantage of people. When he tells Majic that he can teach him how to be a sorcerer, he actually does (despite leaving town with the impression that Majic and Cleao weren’t hiding in his wagon, but he left the town for good reasons) after Orphen and Childman confront Azalie. The audience might assume he’d just rip Majic off and not teach him anything but as it turns out, he’s already teaching him the basics. In addition, when Cleao knocks out an assassin that was about to fight Orphen, Orphen doesn’t exploit the situation as he waits for him to wake up and talk with him.

Orphen is a man who sacrificed everything for Azalie. The flashbacks effectively demonstrate how close they were. After she turned into a dragon, he was the only one at the Tower of Fang who refused to give up on her. As stated earlier, he sacrificed everything (including his real name) just for her. When he finally finds her, he also has to deal with Childman and everyone else he knew from his childhood who want to kill her, as opposed to turn her back to normal. While he does cooperate to a certain extent, when it’s time to fight, he does everything he can to plea with Azalie hoping there’s still a bit of human left in her without wanting to resort to violence. Thanks to his undying love for his sister, that compassion can certainly be helpful on an adventure.

In addition to being able to somewhat hold his own against Azalie (as a dragon) without being too aggressive, he was able to defeat a Deep Dragon, an alleged god in the world of Orphen. While Orphen’s first confrontation didn’t go well, to the point that it temporarily hurt his mental state, when it came to the rematch, he was able to exploit his training and experience to see that even a god can have weaknesses. With the assistance of Majic’s natural magical abilities to manipulate light, he was able to bring the Deep Dragon to its feet. His distinguishing cleverness in such situations is a true testament to the United States Marine Corps creed (or meme) of “Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome,” and that makes him an amazing adventure companion.

Shigokare: Ecchi na Joshi Daisei to Doki focuses on the story of Suou Akira who suffered from an incurable disease and somehow, he was able to put it at bay and continue with his normal life. At school, however, Akira needs to pass the exams to be able to continue on his path in life. Thankfully for him, he gets help with the studies and all those who teach him are hot college girls who are horny all the time. One of the best hentai anime to have come out in 2019, Shigokare: Ecchi na Joshi Daisei to Doki x2 Love does an incredible job of giving us the same diversity as Resort Boin, with multiple girls taking part in the sexual acts throughout the episode. Although Akira's personality is quite different compared to that of Daisuke's, the women around him are very straightforward and don't waste a chance to get a cock to fill their pussies and get drenched in cum. If you're a fan of Resort Boin, you'll definitely not be disappointed at Pink Pineapple's latest work.

Kuroda Koutarou has an experience of a lifetime when he gets caught in the changing room of the girl's lacrosse team. Upon finding him there, the girls decide to tie him and up and use his body the way they want. Through no fault of his own, Kuroda gets constantly bullied by the girls and forced into doing all kinds of dirty stuff with the girls. Joshi Luck! bears a strong resemblance to Restore Boin as both the hentai anime feature sex with lots of different girls to please the viewers. Although Kuroda appears to be a guy in the palms of all the girls around him, he doesn't shy away from stepping into action when needed, which is akin to how Daisuke does it at times. The anime has no lack of great sex scenes and we get to see it all with great animation being one of the biggest assets of this show. If you want to see horny girls wanting to get their pussies filled with cum at every chance they can get, Joshi Luck! is the anime for you.

Kanojo x Kanojo x Kanojo is based on the story of Shiki who is looking forward to life at the place of his relatives for a while. There, Shiki is greeted by three extremely beautiful girls, namely Natsumi, Akina, and Mafuyu. For one reason or another, the girls seem to be in love with Shiki and make sexual advances towards him, leading to competition in the house for Shiki's cock. With a couple of episodes to build all the action over, Kanojo x Kanojo x Kanojo sees Shiki enjoy the offers put in front of him by the girls to the fullest. Kanojo x Kanojo x Kanojo ranks among the best of hentai and there are solid reasons for that. The anime features it all, from the most intimate of relationships among our characters to wild, meaningless sex at times which is what we love the show for, and it is also why this anime is so similar to Resort Boin. For Shiki, the time he spends over at his relatives is probably the greatest of his life and we can see why that's the case for him as all the girls he's surrounded by are incredibly hot. Like Resort Boin, we get to see a great amount of sex with multiple girls in the anime as Shiki makes sure to fuck the girls to his heart's content and cover them in his cum.

Hinagiku Virgin Lost Club e Youkoso focuses on the story of Kuroko, who appears to be innocent on the face yet sexually-charged on the inside at all times. Her love interest, Suguru, barely ever shows any interest in her so she decides to do what's best; blindfold him and pretend to be his crush to have sex with him. Having done it once Kuroko doesn't seem like she intends to stop, doing so again at every opportunity that she gets. Kuroko's relationship with Suguru is very exciting right from the get-go and she isn't scared to rape him if it means that she takes pleasure from it. Suguru, believing that he's having sex with his crush, finds himself enjoying the warmth of Kuroko's pussy as well and he does his best to fill her womb with his seed time and again. Just like Daisuke, Suguru isn't afraid to let strong women dominate in sex and at the same time, he doesn't seem to mind as long as he gets to bury his cock in someone. As the anime progresses, we get to see more girls getting involved in a sexual relationship with Suguru, and it turns into a raunchy harem, which is also what we love Resort Boin for.

Mankitsu Happening's story is based in a manga cafe where Keiichi Oyamada lands a job thanks to help from his friend. Although his life has been highly uneventful to date, a twist of fate sees to it that his life is reinvigorated, thanks to sexual favors from his co-worker Rei Suzukawa and his childhood friend, Kururu Hiiragi. With time, even more girls decide to join in on the action, and that's what makes Mankitsu Happening so special. Mankitsu Happening is filled with some of the most incredible sex scenes we've seen in hentai and that's part of what makes it so special. Along with having decent directed episodes with some steamy sex scenes, Mankitsu Happening also delivers on the story, which keeps the watchers on the edge of their seats most of the time. Being a harem hentai anime, there are lots of similarities between Mankitsu Happening and Resort Boin, such as all the girls being hungry for having the protagonist's cock buried in them. It almost feels as if the girls have a competition among themselves for who gets to become Keiichi's best slut and he feels indifferent about each pussy that he fills with cum. We think Mankitsu Happening is truly one of the best hentai anime out there.

One of 2019's most popular hentai anime, Seikatsu Shuukan is focused on a boy named Shuntarou who fantasizes about having sex with his sisters all the time. Unfortunately for him, he gets caught by one of them and is then humiliated to no end. Surprisingly, one day, he realizes that he has turned into a child and to his luck, all his sisters seen to find him irresistible. Taking the identity of Koharu, he decides to fuck all of his sisters and pay them back for what they did to him. Seikatsu Shuukan is filled with incredible moments, and the incestuous relationship that Shuntarou shares with his sisters is similar to what we see in Resort Boin, with Daisuke and Maya. Furthermore, Shuntarou and Daisuke are very similar to each other in the sense that they're both incredibly horny at all times and want to fuck girls in front of them at all times. The anime doesn't shy away from giving us a number of girls to enjoy watching in action, and at the same time, Shuntarou dominating their bodies with his cock till they are sore is what we love to see. If you enjoy watching Resort Boin, it goes without saying that you'll love Seikatsu Shuukan as well.

Coming out in 2004, Planetarian contrasted from Key’s previous stories, Kanon (1999) and Air (2000). Commonly, in Key visual novels, it’s the protagonist that solves a heroine’s problem. Borrowing from other visual novels of the time, Key VNs used a popular structure. By separating heroines into their individual stories, readers could choose their favorite heroine, pursue their story, learn how it weaves into the grander themes of the work, and ultimately reach that heroine’s ending. This type of formula allowed the main character to parallel the player, making choices that influenced the story. With Planetarian, however, the story is kinetic, meaning there are no choices. Furthermore, the short length of the story (roughly 8 hours) made the story concise and approachable for new VN readers. This last fact helped its “unofficial localization” in the West. At the time (the early 2000s), visual novels were rarely localized outside of Japan. Early VNs were either translated by fans (Tsukihime, Narcissu) distributed as non-PC, DVD player only formats (Phantom Inferno, Hourglass of Summer), or on the rare occasion, released as a PC game (Ever17). As such Planetarian was one of the earliest works that influenced an English-speaking VN audience.

Those familiar with Key will notice Jun Maeda’s archetypal setting. Kanon, Clannad, Angel Beats, and Little Busters all feature a school setting. One advantage of this setting is familiarity. Most audiences will have some memories of school, and by linking those memories to a setting, an author can invoke a sense of nostalgia and early childhood romance. Commonly in Jun’s works, he will also slowly integrate supernatural/spiritual elements later. These aspects of his story twist the traditional love story into something more overarching. In contrast to his other works, Planetarian, takes place on a devastated, futuristic earth. Marked by a constant downpour, cities are now abandoned to all but machines. Instead of invoking nostalgia--Jun rips it out of the picture. Looking back on the past is just a painful reminder: humanity destroyed itself. Starting the story with such a low point establishes a norm. In Jun Maeda’s works, the transition from this normal world to the next is commonly done through an intervention--the choice of the player. However, Planetarian has no choices, therefore Jun must change how characters develop.

For the majority of the story, there are only two characters: Kuzuya, the Junker, and Yumemi, a broken but optimistic robot. Familiar readers will know Jun is a craftsman of love. As a romance writer, it’s no surprise, however, unlike his other works, romantic love is not in Planetarian. If the common trend in Jun’s work is to have a protagonist change a heroine, and in turn, love changes them both, then Planetarian is a switch of the formula. In Planetarian, the character who changes is not the heroine, but the protagonist. The heroine is a robot, therefore incapable of change (in this setting). Thus, she has what is called a “flat character arc.” This means that she does not undergo major developments. Authors will use characters with flat character arcs to prove that a constant exists in the world--that despite the world changing around them, there can exist a truth. In the case of Planetarian, it’s the optimistic robot who changes the Junker. Kuzuya, hardened by more than just the weather, has seen humanity’s worse. In the anime, they go further into this, showing his wartime experience. With time, humanity has not built itself towards the stars; they’ve doomed themselves to never see them. Thus, part of this story’s intrigue is to see how Maeda adapts his themes into a darker setting. In a world where humanity has killed one another, Jun must prove love can live--that love doesn’t have to be towards one person; it can be towards all.

Maeda’s works are not just romance or comedy. To be a part of the nakige subgenre, he must make use of tragedy. In Planetarian, Jun Maeda uses a classic romance trope: the chance meeting. As readers learn, Yumemi wakes up at the Planetarium due to a backup generator. However, in a clear echoing of the end, that same generator dies, and Yumemi’s constant sleep cycles conjure a more sinister meaning. Having changed, the Junker believes in the same humanity that once destroyed itself. Yumemi’s optimism has shown him a new (star) light, and he pursues an escape with her in tow. However, as he nears the city’s borders, a war machine shoots at the Junker. To protect Kuzuya, Yumemi walks towards the robot, her arms open as if to hug it. In her eyes, that robot is just a little broken--just like she is. The robot shoots its cannon towards Yumemi. In that time, Kuzuya shoots back, saving himself, but not Yumemi. In the story’s final scene, Yumemi has several minutes before she falls “asleep.” As rain fills her vision, “tears” start to form. Before she dies, she shares memories still dear to her heart with the Junker. It’s in these moments, we understand the show’s subtitle. Yumemi is a light in a dying world, a hope for time to turn back once more. Her dream is a faint nostalgia of times long past. It’s a dream shared by humanity and robots: the Reverie of a Little Planet.

There are a lot of shops on the sixth floor of Shibuya Parco for the discerning otaku. Two of the biggest ones are the Nintendo Store and the Shibuya Pokemon Centre. The Nintendo Store is the first of its kind in Japan with displays for all of Nintendo’s biggest franchises. From Animal Crossing to Mario and everything in between, there’s a lot of merchandise available to peruse. You can even buy a Nintendo Switch! If you aren’t easily embarrassed, you can also play Switch games on a big TV screen against the shop staff. The Shibuya Pokemon Centre is right next door with a life-size, “breathing” Mewtwo right at the entrance. The Pokemon Centre is sleek and black with a lot of Mew and Mewtwo goods along with everything else that the shop has to offer. There’s also a lot of Pokemon and Mario collaboration goods available at both of these stores.

Besides the two big ones, Cyberspace also has a Capcom store with lots of cool goods and a fun Monster Hunter themed photo spot. By appointment only, there’s a Touken Ranbu store staffed by women in traditional Japanese clothing. There’s a Shonen Jump Shop with larger than life statues of Luffy and other beloved characters. And there’s also a few pop-up spaces that have rotating exhibits, shops, and one cafe that always cater to otaku so you never know what you might find! Finally, taking up about 1/3 of the floor space of Shibuya Parco’s sixth floor, there’s an eSports cafe. This cafe space has lots of large tables complete with outlets and internet access to give gamers a great space to play. With lots of signs for huge online games like Fortnite, it’s easy to see who this space is being catered towards.

Shibuya Parco has a lot more in it than just the Cyberspace floor. There are a lot of restaurants to choose from (including two that cater to vegetarians and vegans, a rare find in a shopping mall) and a store that sells fashion inspired by Evangelion called Radio EVA. Shibuya Parco also has a rooftop garden that is free to enter and offers 360-degree views of Shibuya from 9 stories high. The coolest part is that you can take the stairs on the outside of the building which wrap around all four sides and lead to the street level with lots of great views along the way. We recommend going down the stairs rather than up but if you are happy to go up nine flights of stairs don’t let us stop you!

Maiko Sakuranomiya is a sweet girl who dreams of saving up enough money to travel the world, but every job she interviews for rejects her because of her severe case of resting b*tch face. Luckily, she happens upon a café that specializes in character waitresses, and she’s the perfect fit for a sadist role. Blend-S follows Maika as she goes on adventures with the other colorful waitresses, comes to terms with her fake sadist persona, and forms a sugary sweet romance with the Italian owner of the café who is just as obsessed with Japanese culture as she is with world culture. The relaxed patisserie atmosphere and quirky characters remind us of Nekopara’s setting, so be sure to check it out!

In this world, human/monster hybrids called “Demis” coexist alongside regular society and try to fit in as best they can. Schoolteacher Tetsuo is curious about their lives and struggles, so he arranges interviews with three of his students (a vampire, a Dullahan, and a snow woman) and a fellow teacher (a succubus) so he can understand them better. The writers have clearly put a lot of thought into how demis would actually live in modern society, and if you look closely, parallels exist between this and the real-world xenophobia Japan often wrestles with. Of course, if you’re just here for the cute monster girls without any of the unnecessary sexualization that tends to pop up in these kinds of shows, it has no shortage of that. If the societal differences of Nekopara caught your interest, you’ll love the intricately detailed world that Interviews with Monster Girls has created.

Kyoto Animation brings back the snuggly everyday coziness of K-ON and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya with Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, a charming little anime about an overworked programmer and her apartment full of mythological maids. The excitable and endlessly curious dragon Tooru becomes Kobayashi’s “servant” after the woman drunkenly offers her a place to stay, and Tooru’s presence eventually attracts even more quirky dragon girls to the house. Like Nekopara, each character has their own personality quirks and charms, so it’s hard to pick just one as best girl. The show’s magnificent animation and memorable characters make it perfect fuel for reaction gifs and meme videos, but it’s also a wonderful experience in its own right.

This cat-rific kids cartoon may have come out almost 20 years ago, but it’s remarkably similar to Nekopara and may have even served as inspiration for the original visual novel. Taruto and the other food-themed catgirls are actually just regular cats, but since they think of themselves as equal to humans, that’s how we see them in the show. Besides the ongoing plotline about Taruto possibly being the magical princess of a long lost cat kingdom, the story mostly focuses on the day-to-day antics of the cats and their interactions with the humans who can’t understand them. It’s a great anime to share with the younger children in your life, so give it a shot next time you need to find something to watch together!

Similarly to Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, The Helpful Fox Senko-san is about a mythological monster girl moving in with a stressed-out adult for the sole purpose of making their life more bearable. Salaryman Kuroto is so tired and overworked that dark energy has begun to take root inside his body and will destroy him if it’s left to fester, so it’s up to the fox goddess Senko and her friends to make him feel better before the darkness swallows him whole. This is a premise that could easily go south if not handled with care, but it turns out to be so unrelentingly wholesome that you’ll feel your own anxieties melting away just by watching Kuroto give Senko head pats and fluff her tail. If you want the anime equivalent of having a soft, warm puppy curl up in your lap, this show is for you.

Is the Order a Rabbit has adorable girls who work at a rabbit-themed café, gorgeous backgrounds depicting an Italian-inspired village, and a talking bunny who has a habit of perching on people’s heads—what more could you possibly ask for? The outgoing newcomer Kokoa instantly makes friends with the café owner’s shy granddaughter Chino and her pet rabbit Tippy, as well as the other waitresses who work at the Rabbit House and its rival restaurants. It doesn’t have much in the way of plot, but the cuteness factor and surprisingly funny comedic moments (especially with the “military otaku” Rize) are more than enough reason to see this anime all the way through to the end.

While a good percentage of the core cast of Pet all have the ability to enter a person’s memories, they all express it in different ways. For the other leads, such as Tsukasa and Hiroki, they can “transition” through people’s subconscious by assuming the form of water and as a goldfish respectively. In the case of Satoru, his power is expressed by using a door similar to Doraemon’s “door-to-anywhere.” Due to the nature of Satoru’s, his boss Katsuragi always uses him as a last resort when it comes to invading the minds of others.

Despite being a lackey to “The Company,” Satoru is very loyal to Hayashi, his surrogate father. If it wasn’t for Hayashi saving his life as a child, he’d probably still be a vegetable as he was introduced at the beginning of the series. Thanks to Hayashi teaching Satoru how to overcome his catatonic condition and how to use his power, Satoru appropriately sees him as a father figure. When Pet transitions to Satoru being 19, they haven’t been in contact for the last couple of years and the series demonstrates that he worries about Hayashi and misses him.

As we mentioned above, Satoru is mostly portrayed as a lackey since he’s mostly serving as Katsuragi’s chauffeur, but episodes 5 and 6 perfectly demonstrate that he’s capable of thinking for himself in his desperate search for Hayashi. While he’s under surveillance, he manages to use his power to manipulate the hotel staff into confessing they’re watching him under orders of “The Company,” and he uses his personal knowledge and abilities to sneak out and search for Hayashi. When he meets Jin, another senior member, he feigns that he’s not knowledgeable about "The Company" despite Hayashi previously telling him all of their doings.

While Satoru looks like a street punk, in addition to his respect for Hayashi, he’s very empathetic. When he goes to Hiroki and Tsukasa’s fish store, he sees Hiroki suffering from a nervous breakdown and does everything he can to help; when Hiroki accidentally damages a tank, Satoru goes out of his way to help as well; when he listens to Hiroki’s problems with his powers, he does his best to cheer him up; when he meets Jin, who wishes to see her mother who she has no memory of, Satoru immediately states that he’s willing to take her into the memories of someone who knew her.

What’s great about Satoru is that he conquered his own childhood demons. When the audience is first introduced to him as a child upon the beginning of the series, you’d swear he was going to be on severe medications and institutionalized for the rest of his life. Thanks to Hayashi’s intervention and upbringing, Satoru has become his own man by showing all the qualities we have shared on this list. While he may have extraordinary abilities, he’s truly a humble young man who is thankful for what he has in life and wants to share his positivity with others.