Sado’s life takes a turn when he discovers that he has a thing for pain and misery. Well, his own anyway. Admitting this fetish has made Sado more miserable, but he is determined to change things. Sato volunteers to join a special club at his school where the members try to help each other cope with their own issues. The club president, Isurugi, has a deathly fear of cats, however believes herself to be a god. Yuno has androphobia. The nurse has a love of forcing people into cosplay. Then we find out that Sado’s best friend Hayama loves to cross-dress….As the girl Sado has a crush on! MM! might sound like any other school life anime, but there is a lot going on in MM! that quite clearly makes it crazy. The ridiculous jokes regarding the SM fetish can be quite outlandish as Sado has been known to use the power of masochism to save lives. Yes, boys and girls, masochism gives Sado superpowers. Don’t even get us started on the fact that his name is Sado! With his superpowers, Sado is able to help people from their many “issues” or fetishes that plague their everyday lives. Now how’s that for crazy?

Kusakabe Sakura will eventually invent immortality, stopping the aging process in women after the age of twelve, ultimately offending God. The angel Dokuro-chan is sent back in time to kill Sakura before he can invent immortality. Dokuro-chan believes Sakura can spared, so she spends her time occupying Sakura to keep him from inventing immortality. However, there are a few times when Dokuro-chan loses her mind and bludgeons Sakura with her bat, Excalibolg. Luckily, Dokuro-chan has the power to revive him! At first glance, Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan doesn’t appear to be that different from other school life anime, but the crazy factor here can be found in our adorable little Dokuro-chan, who can and will bludgeon you to death. For a four episode OVA, we get to see a lot of bloodshed and gruesome beatings, but you know, it’s done in a “cute” way. Apparently it’s perfectly OK to beat the life out of people so long as you can bring them back and you’re an adorable angel. If that thinking isn’t crazy, then what is?

Naota’s plagued by confusing advances by his older brother’s girlfriend, Mamimi who is coping after Naota’s brother departure to America to play baseball. Naota is not sure what to do, but it doesn’t help when a woman on a Vespa runs him over. This woman calls herself “Haruko”. Haruko hits Naoto on the head with her bass, causing a conspicuous horn to grow out of his forehead. This one encounter changes Naoto’s life forever. FLCL is a cult classic that is making headlines because it is finally getting a sequel, twenty years later. Yet, what is FLCL really known for? When you’re a young boy like Naota, cursed by raging hormones yet perplexed by the presence of older women in your life, the last thing you need is a blemish. What happens when that blemish is in the middle of your forehead, in the shape of a horn, and produces a mecha? The shit just hit the fan! Crazy doesn’t even begin to describe FLCL, which is a mixture of preteen awkwardness, mecha battles, and getting smacked in the head with a bass! Perhaps FLCL covers those awkward preteen years perfectly?

Aliens called the Amanto have taken over feudal Japan, banning swords and shutting down the way of the samurai. Armed with a wooden sword, Sakata Gintoki still follows the way of the samurai even though his sweet tooth and job as a yorozuya might make it hard to believe. Gintoki has passionate meganekko, Shimura Shinpachi, and qipao-clad glutton, Kagura by his side helping him with odd jobs. However, odd jobs are not as easy as you might think. From getting into trouble with the police to facing assassins, these three find themselves in more trouble than they bargained for. Nothing is ever easy for a samurai/errand boy. Gintama is one of those crazy anime where you are left wondering: “What the hell did I just watch?” From the Amanto to running into kappa in a pond, our main characters are always getting into trouble! Gintoki is always running into the Shinsengumi, who are incompetent, fighting off Amanto, and trying not to get killed by Kagura’s dog! How crazy do you have to be to continue to do odd jobs like Gintoki? Gintama is an anime with a lot of insanity, but you’ll love every gut wrenching minute of it!

Katsu Kaizou is very gullible at the age of 17 and believes in just about anything. Kaizou believes that aliens are everywhere plotting to take over the world. After joining the science club at his school, a whole new world opens for Kaizou. He gets to come into contact with many strange things that he never got to experience before. Maybe he’s not so gullible after all! Katte ni Kaizou is not even close to sane. It may only be six episodes long, but so much kookiness goes on, where to even start? Katte ni Kaizou has comedic nudity, odd creatures, strange people, and unexplainable happenings that often leave you wondering: “What the hell is happening?” Nothing seems to follow a logical course of action, but maybe that’s what makes this anime so fun. Guess you’ll have to watch it to see just how crazy this anime is.

Panty and Stocking, also known as the Anarchy Sisters, were booted out of Heaven for being foul-mouthed nasty-ass bitches. Now these sick angels are roaming limbo kicking ghost ass with their main man, Garter Belt. Panty likes Sex and Stocking likes sweets. These two angels are going to paint the Daten City streets with all sorts of bodily fluids. If Panty and Stocking can collect enough Heaven Coins with their deadly lingerie, they just might be allowed back in Heaven. Anything’s possible with Panty and Stocking! If the summary didn’t make you think this is a crazy anime, watching it will. The comedy is all over the place, the villains are so weird, and damn, they use panties for weapons. Now that’s just crazy. Think of this as a Japanese anime copying an American cartoon created for Adult Swim. Get the picture? From mass crotch slapping to Garter Belt’s wild actions, there’s no end to the craziness here.

Nishijou Takumi hears about the “New Gen” murders that have been happening around Shibuya, Japan. Takumi dismisses the idea, believing it has nothing to do with him, however strange things begin to occur leaving Takumi horrified as he receives images on his PC of a girl with pink hair at murder scenes. Takumi begins to confuse reality and fiction, adding to his stress. To make matters worse, the murderer seems to be coming for Takumi. ChaoS;HEAd is one of those anime that centers on a protagonist who is a little less connected with reality. Takumi lives by the age old adage, “I don’t care if it has nothing to do with me”. Watch as Takumi is haunted by images of the murder scenes and who he perceives to be the murderer, but there are so many more mysteries to be found deeper in the story that Takumi has yet to find out. The craziness cannot be described here; you’ll have to find out what happens when an extreme otaku finds himself in the center of a murder mystery and all fingers are pointed at him!

Maebara Keiichi has just moved to the quiet town, Hinamizawa, where he spends his time playing games with his friends in school. Things aren’t as they seem as Keiichi soon hears of a murder in the town of Hinamizawa. Now, terrible things are happening one after another. Worst of all, Keiichi’s new friends may have some gruesome mysteries of their own. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is quite literally based on insanity. This anime is in a continuous cycle of innocent friendship, strange deaths, and psychotic murderers. As you start watching, you will find yourself questioning: “Why?” Each scenario is different, yet oh so much the same. Yet, why is it all happening? Well, that’s some craziness you’ll have to watch to find out. We may not say exactly why, but there’s no doubt that Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is one crazy anime.

Amano Yukiteru has no other friends except for imaginary friends Deus Ex Machina, the god of time and space, and Murmur, Deus Ex Machina’s servant. Yukiteru usually spends his time writing a cell phone diary. One day, Deus Ex Machina reveals himself to be a real god and gives Yukiteru a future diary which he will need in order to survive the battle royale against 11 other future diary holders to become the next god of time and space. A strange girl, Gasai Yuno, makes it her duty in order to ensure Yukiteru’s survival, but there’s more to Yuno than Yukiteru seems to realize. Aside from the bloody battle royale that is Mirai Nikki, one of the craziest characters has to be Yuno. Everyone seems to have a somewhat logical course of action, but Yuno is a missing a few screws. From kidnapping to murder, there is no end to the lengths Yuno will go for Yukiteru. Now, that’s true craziness, but if it’s for love, can you really say it’s crazy? We did!

One day, when Itou Makoto discovers that a schoolmate Katsura Kotonoha rides the same train, feelings of love are sparked within Makoto. At the same time, a rumor has spread saying if you are able to take a photo of someone you like with your cell phone without anyone finding out, that person will return your feelings. Makoto takes a picture of Kotonoha but is found out by his classmate Saionji Sekai, who has decided to help him ask out Kotonoha. Sekai easily gets the two together, but right before Makoto’s date, Sekai kisses him. And so, what will happen in this school life romance? If you haven’t seen it, read about it, or played it, you have definitely heard of it. School Days is one of the most infamous anime out there that have continued to dance on people’s tongues years after being aired along with Boku no Pico and Bible Black. It’s just something you have heard of at least once. What starts out seemingly as a dramatic shoujo anime soon escalates to something on a whole new playing field. Some girls will talk bad about you, others will slap you, Sekai and Kotonoha’s actions are, to put it mildly, much worse. By the end, you will be so dumbfounded, you’ll ask yourself: “Why did they do it?!” Combining extremely naive characters, a disgusting protagonist, and a series of bad choices, there’s no denying that the end result is one crazy as hell anime. Teenagers may make mistakes, but this is what happens when you make the mistake of loving crazies.

Shirokuma Café is the story of one Canadian white bear who was once picked up from an iceberg by a human couple. Shirokuma has opened up a cafeteria by a zoo after quitting his old job. Although Shirokuma has no contact with his family in Canada, the customers at the café now act as Shirokuma’s family. Everyone, from humans to animals, are drawn to Shirokuma’s café, keeping it packed, because of Shirokuma’s charismatic personality. Not only is the protagonist a bear, much like Kuma Miko’s Natsu, Shirokuma Café shares the life of a Shirokuma who creates an unusual family blended with humans and animals alike. Although everyone is different, they create a support system for Shirokuma, similar to the way Natsu and Machi do for each other. They share laughs, stories, ambitions, and their hopes for the future. Shirokuma Café and Kuma Miko show that families come in all shapes and sizes, but that doesn’t make them any less of a family.

Welcome to the countryside of Asahigaoka where it may appear boring, but is home to five students who, despite their age differences, go to school together. Miyauchi Renge may be the youngest, but Renge is clever and her catchphrase is: “Nyanpasu!” The Koshigaya siblings consist of three kids: Suguru the silent 9th grader, Komari the 8th grader, and Natsumi the rather mischievous 7th grader. Lastly, our newest arrival is Ichijou Hotaru in the 5th grade who moved from Tokyo and seems a bit mature for her age. Here we get to see just how extraordinary the countryside really is. Non Non Biyori is a slice of life anime set in the rural countryside, much like Kuma Miko. Although everyone equates the country to boredom, Non Non Biyori shows that it is everything that you make of it. In Kuma Miko, we have Machi who wants to move to the city, in Non Non Biyori, we have Hotaru who is moving to the Asahigaoka from the city. We can compare Machi’s determined attempts at moving to the city to Hotaru’s attempts to adapt to the countryside. Perhaps, the countryside isn’t so bad? Well, we do have fun kids like Renge, Suguru, Komari, and Natsumi while Kuma Miko has Natsu. There are a lot of antics going on in the countryside. How could anyone ever say the countryside is dull?

Tamako was raised on mochi; she knows everything that has to do with it! Tamako spends her free time creating new types of mochi for her family’s mochi shop, Tama-ya. Unfortunately, life is more complicated outside of mochi and Tamako is going to need the help of her best friends Midori and Kanna to figure things out. Life only gets more complicated when it comes to love and her best guy friend, Mochizou who runs the rival mochi shop in the shopping district. Now, there’s a bird that speaks Japanese entering Tamako’s life. Just how will she be able to handle it all? Tamako Market is a slice of life anime that follows Tamako as she grows up, much like Machi. Tamako discovers she cannot live a peaceful life and has to make hard decisions, which Machi must do as a miko and a maturing young girl. Not only are our main characters the same, both Kuma Miko and Tamako Market have talking animals! How can anyone forget Dera? Tamako Market takes on a slightly more serious approach than Kuma Miko as Tamako’s life becomes more complicated, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them all the same.

Doma Umaru is beautiful, elegant, graceful, intelligent—Umaru is the perfect high school girl. When Umaru goes home and the front door closes behind her, Umaru is another person entirely. At home, Umaru is cloaked with a hamster hoodie and becomes a chibi who is just too lazy to do anything including any of the housework. Umaru only has time for junk food, video games, and anime, while forcing her onii-chan, Taihei to take care of the rest. Umaru isn’t always at home, but when she hangs out with her friends or competes against her rival, Sylphinford, Umaru knows just how to have fun. Himouto! Umaru-chan is just a comedy about the life of a teenage girl who just wants to do what she wants, just like Machi. Umaru may not have the responsibilities that Machi does, but she sure has the determination. Taihei acts as Natsu and must rein in Umaru and attempt to teach her the right ways. Taihei and Umaru bicker the same way Machi and Natsu do, but in the end, they are both always there for each other. Himouto! Umaru-chan is a great anime for laughter and enjoyment!

Handa Seishuu is good looking, skilled, and youthful. To top it off, Seishuu is a narcissist and a calligrapher. Seishuu has won an award for one of his works, but a seasoned calligrapher deems it unoriginal, setting Seishuu on a downhill course. Seishuu is sent to the Goto islands to reflect on his actions! As Seishuu adapts to the rural lifestyle, he attempts to find inspiration in between all of the fujoshi students, noisy children, and old men that drop in to visit. While he may want to get his work done, Seishuu is learning more than he ever imagined in this rural town. In Kuma Miko, Machi had her heart set on moving into the city, while Seishuu wants to get out of the countryside to get back to his work. However, as time progresses, Seishuu sees there’s more to the countryside than meets the eye, which we see Machi slowly realizing. The countryside may seem boring, but both of our protagonists are learning the true benefits of living in it. Barakamon may seem like the serious type, but don’t let the plot fool you. There’s plenty of laughs to be had and some slice of life fun for all of your Kuma Miko fans!

Hoto Cocoa was looking for her new boarding house when Cocoa comes across the Rabbit House café. Eager to cuddle with all the rabbits, Cocoa enters only to find that it is an ordinary café with a single rabbit named Tippy, a strange rabbit that hardly acts like one. Kafuu Chino is the young girl who works in the café. As it turns out, the Rabbit House is the same boarding house Cocoa will be living in and working as the new waitress. From work to school, Cocoa is getting used to her new life in a new town, making interesting friends and learning about customer service all in the Rabbit House. Lastly, we have Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka?, a slice of life anime that revolves around the lives of young school girls and a talking rabbit. Sound familiar to you? Cocoa is much like Machi with her perseverance, hard headedness, and the way she expresses her emotions. When Cocoa wants something, she will not falter! Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka? follows a similar plot, but the story is set in a coffee shop. Cocoa makes new friends, finds new rabbits, and tackles her new life. It’s a story of how Cocoa grows up and it couldn’t be more enjoyable.

In its second attempt at an anime adaptation, Hunter x Hunter sits alongside My Hero Academia as one of Weekly Shounen Jump’s most popular series. Although, referring to the much absent former as ‘weekly’ does sound odd. In a world where power is latent and must be unlocked through life’s challenges, the two series share many a similarity as characters grow through battle. It doesn’t hold the same sort of stylistic charm as HeroAca does, but what Hunter x Hunter brings to the table is certainly valuable. With Gon and Killua, they travel the land, getting attached to various character driven adventures, many of which focusing on a core concept. Whether it be a tournament arc, gangsters in New York or an RPG inspired adventure, the series is constantly prepared to reinvent itself in avoidance of becoming at all repetitive. With an ever growing cast, the anime’s structure is something to be admired, taking the time to adapt even the smallest moments in the manga into something special.

My Hero Academia couldn’t have come at a better time. With the combination between hype for Captain America: Civil War and last year’s One Punch Man, superhero stories have never been more popular. As many will be aware, One Punch Man acts more as a parody of these sort of stories, based around the idea that he has become so strong that he never gets to have the awesome battles that we see in My Hero Academia. However, even though these fights end quickly, the action animation is among some of the best in years. With Space Dandy director Shingo Natsume taking up the helm, many of the same faces are back to deliver their own unique styles in this absolutely crazy production. Technically under Studio Madhouse, the staff is compiled from faces all over the industry, even including Bones and Dogakobo animators. If you haven’t seen it yet, get ready to sit back and be stunned by impressive spectacle with some laughs along the way.

Superheroes aren’t dead and both Gatchaman Crowds and My Hero Academia make an attempt to modernize the concept, but in different ways. My Hero Academia has looked at superheroes and imagined a world where it has become the norm, opposed to the classic idea of these people are special and to be revered. However, Gatchaman Crowds has imagined a world not too divorced from our own, where a collective entity of people can make up a superpower in itself. The greatest villains within Gatchaman Crowds aren’t the aliens that appear to induce havok, but rather society itself. In the first season, people could take control of avatars known as CROWDS which were strong enough to take over cities and cause chaos. Becoming an ongoing conversation throughout the show, the cast of Gatchaman superheroes eventually fall into conflict in the second season. Much like My Hero Academia, there’s a conversation about power to be had and whilst Gatchaman certainly goes deeper, both are valuable contributions to a culture around superheroes.

Both being a part of the new age of Weekly Shounen Jump, they both boast a large cast of characters training to defeat their respective opponents. As relationships start off tense, both shows feature rivalries growing into new friendships and some brilliant moments of the underdog getting their chance to really shine. It’s interesting to note that three of the magazine’s most popular new series have an anime this year with Shokugeki no Soma getting a second season later this year. Assassination Classroom is part “Let’s kill our teacher because he’s a world destroying monster” and part “Our teacher is actually a really cool dude”. I’d try to use actual genre tags, but very few actually fit the narrative of this ridiculous series. It’s a bizarre concept that manages to capture you with its emotional resonance through assassination.

Concrete Revolutio is one of the best series of 2015 and it works to evaluate heroism to its core values and puts superheroes into an entirely different context than we’re used to. Like My Hero Academia, it’s a series about superheroes, but once again, one that goes deeper into the issues. In a way, Concrete Revolutio is the anti-thesis to My Hero Academia, where superpowers are something that are feared rather than aspired to. ConRevo follows the Superhuman Bureau, a team of superhumans working to regulate and protect superheroes whilst acting in the interests of the government. With a constant conflict between an idealistic justice and a real world compromised justice, it’s not afraid to ask viewers the hard questions and force them to watch the outcome of their choices. There is no correct answer in Concrete Revolutio. An ideal justice is flawed and a real world compromise restricts freedom. The only way you’ll find out where you stand on the issues is to watch it.

Whilst a superhero show like My Hero Academia and a mecha such as Gundam Build Fighters don’t seem like they’d even be in the same ballpark when it comes to similarity, you’ll find that the narrative pacing and style has a lot in common. Both directed by Kenji Nagasaki and written by Yosuke Kuroda, this was the dream team for My Hero Academia’s adaptation. Gundam Build Fighters exists within a world where model robots based on Gundam can come to life and be controlled by anyone. However, whilst our protagonist, Sei Iori is good at building Gunpla, he’s terrible at controlling them and constantly loses battles. But everything turns around for him when an alien named Reiji appears, teaming up with Sei to uncover the mysteries behind the Plavsky Particles and win the World Tournament. It’s a fantastic series and it’s got a really strong grasp on the character relationships involved and always takes the opportunity to give us those really human moments.

Dr. Kenzou Tenma works in Europe as a renowned brain surgeon. Kenzou is highly praised and looked upon as one of the greatest young minds in the field. He has a beautiful fiancée and is just about to get promoted, but one day, Kenzou must decide between saving the life of the mayor or of a small boy. Ignoring the advice of those around him, Kenzou is compelled morally to save the boy. Soon after, a string of murders amongst the surgeons leads Kenzou to question his decision as all the clues point to the boy he saved. Now, Kenzou must figure out who the little boy is and if he really has something to do with the killer. If gripping mysteries are your cup of tea, Monster will surely quench your thirst. Monster if a fan favorite when it comes down to anime mysteries and it will not disappoint Sherlock fans out there! From murder mystery to a boy who challenges our main protagonist, Kenzou, there is no end to how gripping Monster can be! You’ll soon find yourself floating alongside Kenzou, attempting to solve the puzzle before he can, but is it really as easy as Sherlock makes it out to be?

The story of Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru follows Tatewaki Shoutarou who meets Kujou Sakurako. Shoutarou is just a high schooler, but his world changes when he comes across the bone-loving Sakurako who is a bit eccentric. Together, they come across a series of cases that require Sakurako’s great ability to analyze bones. Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru follows the same style as Sherlock in which each episode displays a new case in which we must attempt to unlock the case. Sakurako, much like Sherlock Holmes himself, is capable of discovering every clue down to the smallest detail, after everyone has already made their own assumptions. Using her power of analyzing, Sakurako is able to reveal what is the most likely scenario, but should she ever be wrong, Sakurako will quickly turn her assumptions around to get the right conclusion. Sakurako is also quite eccentric making her a difficult one to converse with. Does she sound like Sherlock Holmes to you?

A Death Note allows Shinigami to kill anyone so long as they can see the face of the victim and write their name down. Ryuk, a bored shinigami, decides to give a human a Death Note to see what would happen. Yagami Light is the highly intelligent young man who comes across the Death Note. He is disgusted with the current state of the world and tries out the Death Note on a criminal. When Light discovers that the Death Note works, he wants to use it to rid the world of criminals. The police soon catch on and believe there is a serial killer on the loose targeting criminals, so they recruit the help of a brilliant yet eccentric young man only known as L. If we were ever to turn Sherlock around and view the entire situation from the viewpoint of James (Jimmy) Moriarty, it would follow something like Death Note (without the supernatural powers and good Samaritan mindset). The main similarity to Death Note and Sherlock would be the battle of wits that ensues throughout both series as we root for one side (usually the side that we see the world from). If you love a thrilling battle of wits between prodigies, you will more than enjoy Death Note. It’s a never ending competition between the youngest and most intelligent minds!

Kudou Shinichi is an expert detective at the budding age of seventeen. While pursuing two suspicious men, Shinichi witnesses illegal activity. After catching Shinichi, they drug him with an experimental substance and leave him for dead. Shinichi is astonished to discover that not only is he alive, his body has reverted back into that of a seven year old! With his intelligence preserved, Shinichi keeps his state a secret from everyone. Working under the alias of Edogawa Conan, Shinichi is determined to keep solving cases while also looking for a cure to his condition. Detective Conan features young Shinichi who, much like Sherlock Holmes himself, is able to find the smallest clue in a crime scene to discover what truly happened. Shinichi uses the same power of deduction that Sherlock Holmes uses to uncover the truth in every mystery. Much like Sakurako, Shinichi is capable of backtracking if his assumptions are wrong, to come to the proper conclusion. Hell, Shinichi pays homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by utilizing “Conan” as his alias. Now, this is an anime worth watching for many Sherlock fans out there!

Using the Sibyl System, each citizen in Japan is able to have their mental state examined to determine their criminal intent or “Psycho-Pass”. Anyone found with criminal intent is dealt with by Inspectors and their Enforcers, who were once Inspectors who developed a criminal intent and must work for Inspectors in exchange for their freedom. Tsunemori Akane is a conscientious woman who wants to carry out justice fairly, but she must work alongside Enforcer Kougami Shinya. While working, Akane learns of the errors with the Sibyl System which has her in a mental battle between what justice truly is and if the Sibyl System can truly keep people safe if it is corrupt. Psycho-Pass may not seem similar to Sherlock, but let us consider a few things. First off, when a crime is committed, we have no knowledge on who the criminal might be since their Psycho-Pass checks out alright so our protagonist, Akane, led by Shinya, must figure out the mystery on her own. Each crime committed has not provided many clues yet somehow, Akane and Shinya are able to eventually figure out the criminal. Then we have our antagonist who just can’t seem to be shot down. Psycho-Pass is quite clearly very similar to Sherlock, although it does have a darker tone that sets it apart as it criticizes the idea of a “utopia” and how the government treats its “criminals”. Psycho-Pass is not just a mystery, it is a statement on a utopian regime that may be more corrupt than we believe. If you love Sherlock, but also love darker stories, Psycho-Pass is one series that is for you.

Narumi Ayumu is the younger brother to Kiyotaka who was once regarded as a renowned detective and pianist. One day, Kiyotaka disappeared leaving only a clue about “The Blade Children”. It’s been two years and there have been a series of murders and incidents that are related to the Blade Children. Ayumu teams up with the school journalist, Yuizaki Hiyono, to unlock the mystery. Right from the start you have one clue: The Blade Children. While the following events unfold before you, you get to enjoy witnessing Ayumu and Hiyono unlock the mystery that is Spiral: Siuri no Kizuna. Along the way, much like Sherlock, you get to see just how all of the events affect their lives and how Ayumu changes. Not only is it about the mystery, it’s about the evolution of Ayumu and how he is able to converse with others. Ayumu may not be as awkward as Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes, but we get to see just how he changes all the same.

More commonly referred to as “Dr. Nakabachi”, Shouichi Makise was a scientist researching the field of time travel, and is also Kurisu’s father. Jealous of his daughter’s academic success, Dr. Nakabachi attempts to murder his daughter in order to steal her research on time travel. Dr. Nakabachi’s popularity mainly lies in the fact that he is the main antagonist we the audience see in the series. However, compared to the other characters as well as his short screen time, Dr. Nakabachi’s popularity is pretty low. That being said, he does inadvertently play a key part in being the catalyst that helps bring Okabe and Kurisu closer together.

The owner of the CRT store below Rintarou Okabe’s apartment as well as Okabe’s landlord, Yuugo may have a small role in the story, but has a big impact overall. A big, muscular man, Yuugo earns himself the nickname “Mr. Braun” from Okabe due to his passion for CRT television, resulting in Yuugo often losing his temper with Okabe over his eccentric behavior as well as his “experimenting” in his apartment. Yuugo’s reveal of being associated with CERN and the action he takes once Okabe catches him, however, is pretty monumental, as we begin to see the first test for Okabe in terms of whether he can push through traumatic events in order to set things right. While he’s one of the least popular characters on the show due to his limited role, people still tend to enjoy Yuugo if not for his straight man attitude towards Okabe.

Moeka Kiryuu is quite the opposite of most of the other girls in the series. Unlike the others who are happy and vibrant, Moeka is very much stoic and takes matters seriously, almost dangerously so. Moeka also tends to be expressionless a lot of the time, which only adds to the accidental humor she portrays as she solely communicates to anyone via cell phone, even if they’re right in front of her. Because of her emotional walls, it takes some time before Okabe and the others understand why she acts this way. Moeka tends to be popular in the sense that she stands out from the rest of Okabe’s friends in terms of her personality. Fans can also relate to her preferred form of communication and the humor that results from that. Definitely one of the more unique personalities in Steins;Gate.

A close friend and classmate of Mayuri’s, Ruka tends to be very shy and outright feminine in terms of his interaction with others. Ruka’s story and character are different in the sense that while most of the others tend to wrestle with various terms of loneliness, Ruka struggles with his desire of wanting to be female instead of male. Okabe’s travel to different world lines actually makes this possible, resulting in Okabe having to acknowledge Ruka’s feelings toward him and how to further pursue their relationship. Ruka’s popularity tends to resonate towards those with similar feelings as well as being the subject of humorous misunderstandings Okabe and the rest of the group have with his appearance when they first meet him.

The most popular waitress at the maid café that Mayuri works at, Faris is actually very similar to Okabe. Both are characters who act a certain way in order to hide who they really are. In Faris’ case, her family is very wealthy due to them owning much of Akihabara; as a result, Faris felt that those who knew this would treat her differently, and has only confided this knowledge to those who she really trusts. Faris’ popularity lies in the “moe” personality she exaggerates while at the same time being more than just the façade she puts on. There’s definitely more than meets the eye when it comes to her backstory for those interested in mystery, and at the same time there’s a simple humor Faris portrays in terms of her interactions with Okabe and Mayuri.

Itaru Hashida aka Daru is Okabe’s closest friend as well as a hacker in various types of software. Daru also possesses an incredible amount of knowledge regarding otaku culture, making him have perverted tendencies. Despite these traits, however, Daru serves as the voice of reason in the group; it is because of his down to earth approach that he is able to keep Okabe (and sometimes Mayuri) in check whenever they get too excited about something. Daru’s popularity lies in being relatable to anime fans in terms of his style of humor as well possessing a similarity with many anime fans in real life.

First appearing as a part-time employee for Yūūgo Tennouji, Suzaha enters the series as a normal tomboy who enjoys riding her bike. As the series progresses, however, it is soon revealed how Suzaha is not only from the future, but that her father, who she spends a majority of the series looking for, is Daru. Suzaha is definitely popular in the sense that she’s quite mysterious; she keeps a polite distance from everybody and appears to be someone altogether when something catches her interest in regards to her mission to find her father. She also tends to be full of surprises in terms of her fighting ability, her mission, and her very identity.

A naïve and innocent girl considering her age, Mayuri is the childhood friend of Rintarou Okabe. Even though Mayuri can be a bit socially inept in terms of understanding the world around her (including her friends), Mayuri has an innocence about her that marks her as a kind of “moral compass” in the story. Mayuri plays a big role in the series in terms of being why Okabe is who he is as well as the decisions he makes later in the story. Many people like her mainly as being a very sweet person as well as having the type of humor younger fans of anime tend to enjoy. Even older fans who aren’t big fans of her humor can appreciate how Mayuri tends to instigate some of the other characters into their kinds of humor.

The main character of the series, Rintarou Okabe aka Okarin is a self-proclaimed mad scientist who is eccentric in every sense of the word. Constantly talking to himself, manically laughing at random moments, always on the lookout for the “Organization” that’s always after him… Okarin certainly seems to lead an interesting life to those who don’t realize he’s simply a university student who’s just a bit odd. The fact that he acts this way in order to make his Mayuri’s life more enjoyable, however, reveals the true character beneath all the bravado, and it’s just one of several key moments where Okarin’s true character is revealed. Many fans of the series like him not only because of his quirks, but also because when the moment really mattered, Okarin despite having his wildest dreams come true, chose to do whatever it took to make sure his friends would be OK, especially those closest to him. Even if you’re not a fan of his humor and awkward interactions with the other characters at the beginning, you find yourself rooting for him as he travels through the different world lines to save his friends from their fates.

Needless to say, Kurisu Makise is easily the most popular character, and for good reason. A beautiful young girl considered to be a scientific genius and quite mature for someone her age ends up spending her time researching time travel with some wacky offbeat peers (to say the least). Considering how easy it is for a fair amount of anime fans to identify with Okarin or Daru, it’s no surprise that seeing someone like Kurisu hanging out with them and revealing that she shares their interests can be welcoming to them. Add in the fact that fans feel that she’s a go-to example of a tsundere character, and you have yourselves a character that you’re constantly talking about. Kurisu does go through her own development just as much as Okarin does; by the end, she appears to be a lot more relaxed and even happier to be around people that care about her and who she can relate to. Without a doubt, Kurisu is the most popular character.

Gyokuen Ren is definitely a queen of evil. She’s a deceitful, cold-blooded, psycho woman hiding behind her façade of a loving and caring wife and mother. Gyokuen’s the widow of the last two Emperors of the Kou Empire, for which she now holds the title of Empress Regnant. Gyokuen’s known for her great beauty and her gentle manners. Although, when she reveals her true self, Gyokuen’s charming blue eyes turn red and she displays a grim smile, which may be the last thing you see as she cuts you down in tiny pieces. This sadistic lady takes great pleasure in deceiving people and Gyokuen’s capable of anything to gain power, even if it means killing her own husbands (or should I say: especially if it means killing her own husbands?).

We know Vivaldi as the Queen of Hearts from the anime version of Alice in Wonderland. She is Queen of most of Heartland and, as such, Vivaldi is very powerful. Vivaldi shares many of the original Queen of Hearts’ characteristics, mainly her cruelty and her obsession with beheading people for even the slightest offense or mistake. However, Vivaldi is quite original and unique in some things. She is particularly glamorous and attractive, to the point of causing Alice to admire her. Plus, Vivaldi seems to have a soft side. Vivaldi is very fond of stuffed animals and cute things, as she has a room full of them. She also has strong feelings for her brother and for the King, although Vivaldi hides those feelings quite well most of the time.

Otohime is one good and noble Queen. As Neptune’s wife, she holds the title of Queen of the Ryugu Kingdom. She’s a fair mermaid with a pure heart, who only seeks to achieve peace and fraternity between fishmen and humans. Sadly, Otohime can’t manage to make a difference before her time comes. Otohime can be constantly seen preaching about equality and how humans and fishmen should leave their differences behind and coexist. As a pacifist, she encourages people to let go of hate and to forgive those who do them harm. However, Otohime is not all rainbows and butterflies. If your manners are not right, she can get really mad and smack your face off. So, just try not to have snot hanging from one nostril (from both is fine, though).

Neo-Queen Serenity is the future version of Princess Serenity and the Queen of Crystal Tokyo. This is Usagi’s most powerful form and it is revealed that when she becomes queen, she stops aging. In fact, Neo-Queen Serenity remains Queen of Crystal Tokyo well after the 30th Century! It’s also revealed that in this future, Neo-Queen Serenity is married to King Endymion, the future version of Mamoru Chiba (Tuxedo Mask), and that she gives birth to Chibiusa Tsukino on the same year that she becomes queen. She looks pretty much the same as her teenage self, except for some more mature looking features and a fancier dress. Neo-Queen Serenity also has exceptional healing powers and the ability to render humanity virtually immortal. It is not surprising that Neo-Queen Serenity is regarded as the “True Messiah”.

Shiro is an 11 year old child prodigy who excels at any kind of games. Together with her step-brother Sora, they are known in the virtual world as “the blanks”, a group of players who are invincible. For their exceptional gaming skills, the two are transported to the world of Disboard, where everything is decided through games. In little time, Sora and Shiro win a local tournament that grants the winner the crown of the Kingdom of Elchea, the last kingdom of Imanity (humanity). Thus, Shiro becomes the new Queen of Elchea and leads her people to prosperity. With her brother’s equally brilliant mind and his guidance, Shiro sets her mind to conquer new lands for the welfare of the Imanity… and for fun of course; Disboard is a world of games after all.

Petralka Anne Eldant III is one of our favorite loli queens ever. The 16 year old monarch of the Holy Eldant Empire has everything we want from a royal spoiled brat. Petralka Anne Eldant III’s cute, childish, she always gets what she wants, and she’s an otaku (she gets extra points for that, obviously) who loves to make Shinichi read manga for her. Out of her love for the Otaku culture, Petralka Anne Eldant III develops strong feelings towards Shinichi. Thus, she’s often jealous of Myucel and constantly gets between them. Queen Petralka could well be regarded as the Queen of Tsunderes.

As an honor student leading a completely ordinary life in Japan, Youko Nakajima would have never thought she was bound to become the ruler of a fantastic kingdom. When a knight appeared kneeling before her, she was even reluctant to accept his oath. Shortly after she was magically sent to Youko land of the Twelve Kingdoms, she learns that she’s the heiress to the throne of the Kei Kingdom. Although Youko initially refuses to accept her place on the throne, in time, Youko becomes a strong character and a confident leader. Eventually, she’s willing to embrace her destiny as Queen of Kei. Youko proves to be a fine ruler as Youko cares for the well-being of her subjects and is capable of overcoming the many challenges of being the head of a realm.

Elizabeth is the third princess of the Kingdom of Liones, yet a rightful and worthy heiress to the throne after her father was captured during a coup d’état. She’s determined to defeat the Holy Knights and recover her kingdom by seeking the aid of the Seven Deadly Sins. Thus, Elizabeth joins Meliodas, captain of the Deadly Sins, in his journey to find the other members. Elizabeth is not just another member of the royal family. She also happens to have a divine origin, as it is revealed that Elizabeth’s the “apostle of the goddesses” as well as the reincarnation of Meliodas’ past lover, Liz. Due to her divine nature, Elizabeth has special healing powers, although we have to admit her well-endowed figure is her most divine characteristic.

Henrietta de Tristain is first introduced in the series as the Crown Princess of Tristain, to later become the actual Queen of Tristain with the passing of her father. Henrietta makes a wonderful and honorable queen, since she really cares for her subjects and is capable of enduring great trials. Despite being so kind and loving, Henrietta proved to be a strong leader by holding off an invasion while mourning for his recently assassinated cousin and lover, Prince Wales. Eventually, Henrietta is able to overcome her loss and begins to develop feelings for Saito. As the strong ruler she is, Henrietta’s even willing to compete with Louise for the love of Saito. This lovely queen certainly knows what she wants. Talk about an iron fist in a velvet glove…

As you may have guessed, our #1 queen is Saber, also known as Queen Arturia Pendragon. Saber is the legendary ruler of Britain, regarded as King Arthur in the legend. Sabe’s known as the heroic “King (should we say Queen) of Knights”, who now serves Shirou Emiya in the Fifth Holy Grail War. As a proud knight, Saber holds her honor in the highest esteem, often letting go the chance to destroy another servant. The only thing Saber cares for as much as her pride is the Holy Grail, which she seeks to make up for her failure during her time as Queen of Britain. Despite being such a proud and honorable knight Saber’s not overly confident as protector of her realm, as can be seen in Fate/Zero when she’s given a free lesson on kingship by Iskandar and Gilgamesh. Saber makes a better knight than a queen but we love her anyway. :3