AnimeSuki Forums

asdamp · 2012-12-16, 05:09

Hi I can´t seem to find any good anime lately even tho i like all kinds of genres so i decided to make a thread where you guys post your top three favorite anime in any genre . Preferably not older then 10 years old

it´d be awesome if you could write a small description or the just the genre of the series too thx

Spoiler for Most of the series i have seen:

ption or just write the genre of the series

Sackett · 2012-12-16, 09:58

My top three? Difficult question.

I'll say:

1: Maison Ikkoku : Romantic Comedy. Actually, the romantic comedy for anime. Most anime romantic comedies today draw at least a little from Maison Ikkoku, but I still think Maison Ikkoku did it best. One of the few anime to have huge breakout into general society.

2: Space Battleship Yamato aka Starblazers : Epic Space Opera. Might be nostalgia talking (the first anime I ever saw), but to me it's still one of the best anime around. One of the few anime to have huge breakout into general society. Has an awesome remake going on right now. (Space Battleship Yamato 2199)

3: Neon Genesis Evangelion : Tragedy/Rebirth, Philosophical, Mind Screw. Oh and Giant Mecha too. Deconstruction of The Hero's Journey and the Mecha genre. One of the most influential anime of all time.

However... you said to limit it to within the last ten years, so with that limitation:

1: Cross Game : Romantic Comedy, Slice Of Life. Oh and Sports too. Like almost all of Adachi's works, Cross Game addresses the biggest issue of life: death. A sweet love story as well. Adachi is one of the greatest mangaka and Cross Game is one of his two masterpieces (the other being Touch).

2: Madoka Magica : Tragedy/Rebirth, Philosophical. Magical Girl too. Inspired by Faust, Madoka touches on some of the great questions posed by religion. Deconstructs the Magical Girl genre, as well as several of the most common types of Heroes.

3: (tie) The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (inc. sequels up to The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya) : Genre Buster, Satire. Hard to describe without spoiling. Infamous for it's trolling of the fanbase (watch out for Endless Eight in season 2), in the original airing episodes aired out of order. Haruhi still manages to hit a bunch notes just right. See if you can spot the shout out to Space Battleship Yamato. I recommend watching in DVD order.

3: (tie) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood : Epic Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Philosophical. I see you've seen the original FMA anime. You should check out Brotherhood. The first quarter of the story is similar but with some important differences, then everything goes off in a very different direction. Much more satisfying ending in my opinion. Obviously influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion.

-Necromancer- · 2012-12-16, 10:01

Sket Dance
Kore wa zombie desu ka
Angel beats

CeDeR · 2012-12-16, 10:50

My top 3 would be Ghost in the shell, Akira and Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind, but they are over 10 years old so....

1.- Ghost Hound - The story starts a bit slow but its quite interesting, dark and unique; its heavy on psychological elements, has a great opressive atmosphere, a lot of experimental visual and sound design. Same director from Lain. (Horror, Psychological, Mindfuck, Supernatural)

2.- Mushishi - Another one that starts slow, its episodic and certainly an environmental show, but dont be fooled by this, its quite thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The main character is very likeable; without giving too much away hes kind of a detached, unbiased, and unprejudiced traveler. (Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural)

3.- Kaiji (Both seasons) - Basically about gambling and the emotions that players undergo. Depicted in the ruthless world of extreme gambling, where you can observe the real human nature come to life through several characters and the story. Great character designs, colour/tones and an intense dramatic atmosphere. (Psychological, Thriller, Suspense)

kitten320 · 2012-12-16, 12:35

3? That's hard... well you already have one of them in your list and that's Phantom

At this point of time I'll have to name:

Ghost Hunt - adore this series, bought a DVD few days ago and re-watched everything all over again. My first anime on actual DVD, I have no regrets.

The reason of why I love it so much is because it involves two favorites of mine: ghosts and detective kind of setting.
What really makes it good are great atmosphere, good soundtracks, entertaining animation and from movie related career - some great angle shots.
I also like character intersections.
Series know how to build the mood and make you curious. My favorite arcs are 2nd, Bloodshed Labyrinth and to some degree the arc before that.

Shiki - as far as I know this series are done by same author. They are bit weaker but series still have a nice build up, some very memorable soundtracks too.
Genre is the same, mystery. Though in this series case you as a viewer know who is the culprit and just observe how characters deal with the problem.

Ga-Rei Zero - great first episode, it actually made my jaw drop. For the first time I did not predict what will happen.
A very memorable side/main character aka Yomi.
Great build up towards emotional final.
This series did a lot of things differently from standard.
It is action/supernatural/suspense/drama...

Hmmm... I know you said 3 but I'll add 2 more.

Mai HiME - first anime that had me at the edge of a seat. Now that I have seen more stuff, it doesn't have such big impact anymore but I still like the series and keep them close.
It has awesome character cast with nice action and good comedy/drama mix. It also has some of my favourite soundtracks.
Slightly reminds of F/SN.
By the way, you should check Fate/Zero. A prequel to F/SN but with much better execution and story.

Chihayafuru - an unexpected star of this season. Majority including me picked series out of boredom and then ended up loving it.
It has beautiful animation and interesting character cast. Series are about Japanese card game Karuta. The game on its own sounds very boring but series were able to make it look very entertaining and showed several sides to it.
I personally can't wait till January to watch season 2.

There is so much more I could say but I'll stop by seconding Madoka.

oompa loompa · 2012-12-16, 16:24

Wow, threads like these make me realize that there are a lot of really great anime out there. And that I've spent a lot of time watching anime over the last 8 years

.

Anyhoo.. top 3 is really difficult. So what I'm going to do is weigh the amount I've re-watched the show heavily; I've grown up a lot, changed a lot, so I'm going to give a lot of importance to this even if the shows didn't have as strong an immediate impression as other shows.

1. Welcome to the NHK - comedy, psychological - This show is an absolute masterpiece IMO. The ending was a little rushed, but ultimately appropriate. There is no other show I've watched that balances some quality comedy with such a serious, tragic story. This is more a personal choice though, because I see a lot of myself in the protagonist. And the main heroines voice melts me like butter on a pan. Definitely one of the most mature anime I've seen, though that might change in a few years when I'm out of school and working. Do you know the difference between sad (i.e. tear jerkers), and depressing? Watch this show if you don't

2. Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - comedy, science fiction, romance - Whats to be said about this one that hasn't already been said? Excellent premise, excellent original script, and excellent production values. KyoAni at the peak of its prowess. Particularly the premise of the show though, I just find absolutely brilliant.

3. Neon Genesis Evangelion All iterations - mecha, sci-Fi, psychological - To be honest, evangelion always seemed like an unfinished product to me. The whole show was so... raw. It certainly wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But still, what it achieved, (or at least came close to achieving) was really groundbreaking. I can't think of another show which is so epic, yet goes into the minds of single characters so deeply. While also providing loads of fan service and mecha action. I know this one is more than 10 years old, but the animation and style stands the test of time if thats what you're worried about.

Honorobale mentions ( I could easily swap any of these into my top 3):

Madoka Magica
Serial Experiments Lain
School Rumble (first season)
Noein
Nodame Cantabile
Kaiba
Samurai Champloo
Cowboy Bebop
(and many more that I can't recall at the moment..)

creb · 2012-12-17, 01:24

It's always hard to select a top 3, as I have a bunch of shows that for various reasons could be my favorite anime at any given time. I'm just going to suggest the following show, which is not on your list. Without any knowledge of what shows in your list you actually enjoyed, I have no idea if you'd enjoy this one, but it is among my favorite anime of all time.

Planetes

Ostensibly, this is a show about an under-funded and under-manned space debris collection department in the near future (2075). In reality, it's a lot more. The show is basically split into two halves. The first half is a lot of character development and background in a lot of self-contained episodes, but it's all done so as to allow the story to kick into the meat and potatoes in the second half, where things begin to be more about the over-all story, rather than individual episodes.

The show covers a dearth of issues in what is probably the most realistic portrayal of space in an anime (and possibly in any other visual media as well). The interweaving of social strata, corporations, governments, economics, relationships between first and third world countries, and how it all relates to space become the focus of the story in the second half, though never with a preachy attitude. The show doesn't really dictate, but rather shows you that life can be a messy place, far more complicated than the normal fictional black and white issues we are often thrown, and yet, the overall ending is one of hope for a better future, despite it all.

It contains a large cast of characters, most of which feel very real, and I found myself empathizing with nearly all of them in their various plights, regardless of what side of the issues they ended up on by the time the series ended.

I am, possibly, biased, as I'm somewhat of a space nut. But, this is my favorite space-related show, regardless of medium. If I had to pick a genre, I'd say hard science fiction character-driven drama.

Hard science fiction, because the technology is very realistic. Character-driven drama, because even with all the attention to detail they put in to the technology and setting, this show is very much driven by its characters.

It's easy to forget that Sunrise used to be capable of masterpieces.

It is also more than 8 years old, but it had superb animation for its time that has aged very well.

barcode120x · 2012-12-17, 10:15

Why need a top 3 when you can have a #1 that has a ton of genres it it?! My #1 is GTO, Great Teacher Onizuka. It has a lot of genres in it especially for its length (50 something episodes) that range from drama, to action, to romance, and of course the best one, comedy!

I also recommend watching the Live Action right after.

Darthtabby · 2012-12-18, 00:39

Top two for me are easy: Mai-HiME and Macross Frontier. Both are shows that take anime cliches and conventions and play around with them for fun. They're also both shows that have a lot more emotional power and character depth than is initially apparent. The downside to this is that the shows can be difficult to fully appreciate the first time through, especially Mai-HiME, which doesn't show what its really capable of until around the two thirds mark (on the other hand I think it's also only capable of doing what it did during its final third because of that long build up).

As far as a third show goes, I'm a huge fan of Full Metal Panic, however my love for that particular series might partly be because I've been involved with FMP fandom activities and have read translations of source material well beyond the point the anime has adapted.

So perhaps the third show on the list should be Ga-Rei Zero. The shounen manga its a prequel to may be mediocre, but the show itself is great. It tells the story of two sworn sisters from exorcist families who eventually end up crossing blades against each other. Its a bit like Revenge of the Sith in that it tells the story of a future antagonist's fall from grace, but I think it does it far better. You are going to need to be okay with mood shifts to enjoy this one though, as it starts off pretty dark, becomes much lighter in flashbacks, then becomes dark again as it returns to the events shown at the beginning of the series.

fukarming · 2012-12-18, 05:07

It really depends on what genre you like and what kind of show you want to try next.

But my top 3 will be

Infinite Ryvius: Drama/ Sci-fi. (1999-2000)
THis is a good review for the series
http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/infinite-ryvius/

For the Highlights
Characters: Three-dimensional and detailed.
Drama: Chilling to the bone.
Theme: Many references to the real world.

Gungrave.
http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/gungrave/
The Highlights
Dynamic: This is how friendship should be done.
Animation: Brilliant, but cuts too many corners.
Music: Stylish violin solos.
Themes: Overstated, but well presented.
First episode: If you don’t like it, watch the second episode.
Pathos: If this anime doesn’t leave you speechless, then there’s something wrong with you.

Honey and Clover
http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/honey-and-clover/
http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/honey-and-clover-ii/

in short, drama/romance at its best, with the right dose of comedy.

there are alot more to recommend: Mawaru Penguindrum Twelve Kingdoms, Revoluntionary girl Utena (1997),

All the series above are quite heavy, if you want something lighter and fluffier:

YuruYuri, Azumanga Daioh, Squid girl (Ika-musume), working! are all good shows that is very enjoyable without the need of alot of brain power. Since they are lighter and fluffier there is not much to put into description. Best way is to watch a couple episode and see if u like the comedy style or not.

asdamp · 2012-12-18, 13:51

Awesome suggestions guys thx

and it´s fine if it is less or more then 3 x)
and i enjoyed like 90 % of what it is in my list the genre does not really matter too much

Flower · 2012-12-18, 17:08

Hmm ... well, just because "why not":

1. Prolly my all time fave is the "Aria" trilogy.

2. The Clannad/Clannad: After Story series.

3. Kemono no Souja Erin.

Lightning_Wing · 2012-12-18, 18:09

1. Steins;Gate

The science-fiction atmosphere (which is actually not to sci-fi for me), the muted colors, the vibrant characters and their even more brilliant interactions all make this one of my favorite shows ever, and especially one of my favorite anime.

2. Bakemonogatari

While it has been criticized for its lack of action, I find that its jumpy, quick animation style and colorful relationships make this another very good show. Also, I really like its surreal atmosphere that focuses on showing an entire environment over realism.

3. Gintama

This is one of the funniest shows ever. Period. No anime truly makes me laugh as much as this one does, and it has one of the best shonen characters-no one of the best main characters of all time.

Also, Blue Exorcist may join this list as well at some point, when I'm done watching it.

NinjaRealist · 2012-12-18, 19:08

My top two favorites are manga:

1. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind(manga) - The anime is damn good but the manga is IMO the GOAT manga. A must-read.

2. Akira (manga) - Again, the anime movie was good but can't hold a candle to this incredible manga. Also a must-read.

3. Haibane Renmei - It's a tough call. I would put Bokurano and Azumanga Daioh up there too. But Haibane Renmei is just such a beautiful anime. I would recommend all three, but if I had to recommend only one, it would be this one.

oompa loompa · 2012-12-19, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by fukarming

Infinite Ryvius: Drama/ Sci-fi. (1999-2000)
THis is a good review for the series
http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/infinite-ryvius/

For the Highlights
Characters: Three-dimensional and detailed.
Drama: Chilling to the bone.
Theme: Many references to the real world.

When I saw this I thought ' HMMM... sci-fi psychological masterpiece that I haven't seen or heard of?!? MUST SEE '. I've learnt two things about this show,
1.) as far as I'm concerned the reason it isn't more popular is because of the awful little snippets of hip-hop 'ryvius' in the show and at the half way points of each episode,
2.) this show is pretty fucking good. Maybe its just me, but quite a hidden gem, I'm watching it now and enjoying it a lot. If you missed this one, give it a shot! ( if you can stand the awful awful little hip-hop snippets)

Ferp · 2012-12-19, 11:47

1. Berserk: You've most likely seen Berserk, but if you haven't I would watch it anyways, even though it is older then 10 years.

More modern animes...

Bakemonogatari, for the reasons stated by Lightning Wing. It's really just a unique show.

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood is just a more fleshed out FMA. Truly an awesome show.

Gundam Wing (not sure if this is older then 10 years). Not really sure why I loved this show, probably has to do with Heero the MC being so bad ass.

Mangakasan · 2012-12-19, 17:42

1:Ladies vs butlers
2:samurai girls
3:sekirei but you already have that on your list
Hope this helps!

ShootingxIce · 2012-12-20, 17:25

I say, my favorites are:

1. Sword Art Online
2. Angel Beats
3.My Little Monster

Aqua Knight · 2012-12-21, 13:23

1)
2)Full Metal Panic
3)Darker thank Black

TiaxZatch · 2012-12-23, 00:50

I highly recommend Code Geass. It's really has a mix of everything. The protagonist, an ex-Prince of an empire rises up and forms an army to take over the Holy Empire of Britannia which has basically enslaved Japan. On this quest he encoutneres a strange girl who gives him powers in which he can control people. A somewhat accurate description is it combines Death Note and Gundam SEED. It's a mecha show but carries multiple elements common in anime. The protagonist has a magical power with unknown and strange origins and an army full of mechas yet there's still a couple episodes showing him as a regular teenager at school where he deals with normal teenage problems.

It has plot twists, tear inducing scenes, great battles and even some romance. I mean this show really packs in a lot which makes it my favorite. Now it has its flaws like most but I think it's special.

2012-12-16, 05:09	Link #1
asdamp Member Join Date: Feb 2012	Your top three Hi I can´t seem to find any good anime lately even tho i like all kinds of genres so i decided to make a thread where you guys post your top three favorite anime in any genre . Preferably not older then 10 years old it´d be awesome if you could write a small description or the just the genre of the series too thx Spoiler for Most of the series i have seen: Aishiteruze Baby ai-yori-aoshi arakawa-under-the-bridge akaneiro-ni-somaru-saka amaenaideyo angel-beats Anohana asobi-ni-iku-yo ano-natsu-de-matteru asura cryin aquarion-evol bakemonogatari Ben-To black cat bleach blue exorcist bokura-ga-ita brigadon Brighter than the Dawning Blue Busou Renkin chaoshead chrono-crusade chrome-shelled-regios- dance-in-the-vampire-bund- death note - deadman wonderland dog-days dragon crisis earl-and-fairy eden-of-the-east elemental glade elfen lied fairytail fate stay/night fma freezing gift-eternal-rainbow gosick goshusho-sama-ninomiya Hidan no Aria high-school DxD highscool of the dead honey-and-clover hyakka-ryouran-samurai-girls Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou ichigo-100% infinite stratos inuyasha kaichou-wa-maid-sama kare-kano katekyo-hitman-reborn kampfer kanon karin katanagatari kaze no stigma kimikiss-pure-rouge kimi ni todoke kore-wa-zombie-desu-ka kurozuka- last exile lovely-complex- maken-ki mashiro-iro- midori-days mayoi neko overrun mirai nikki my-goddess nana natsuyuki-rendezvous nazo no kanjo x nodame-cantabile natsume-yuujin-chou- naruto nogizaka-haruka-no-himitsu- oda-nobuna-no-yabou oretachi-ni-tsubasa-wa-nai- Omamori Himari onegai teacher onegai twins ¨ paradise-kiss peach-girl phantom-requiem-phantom Princess Lover qwaser no stigma rec rosario + vampire Sakamichi no Apollon sekirei Senjo no Valkyria shakugan no shana Sola sora-no-otoshimono souleater special-A spice-and-wolf suzuka tenjou-tenge They are my Noble Masters To love Ru toradora 8 9 tokimeki-memorial true-tears tsuka-tenma-no-kuro-usagi Zero no Tsukaima ption or just write the genre of the series __________________ "Angels banished from heaven have no choice but to become devils"

2012-12-16, 09:58	Link #2
Sackett Cross Game - I need more Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: I've moved around the American West. I've lived in Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Oklahoma Age: 44	My top three? Difficult question. I'll say: 1: *Maison Ikkoku* : Romantic Comedy. Actually, the romantic comedy for anime. Most anime romantic comedies today draw at least a little from Maison Ikkoku, but I still think Maison Ikkoku did it best. One of the few anime to have huge breakout into general society. 2: *Space Battleship Yamato* aka *Starblazers* : Epic Space Opera. Might be nostalgia talking (the first anime I ever saw), but to me it's still one of the best anime around. One of the few anime to have huge breakout into general society. Has an awesome remake going on right now. (*Space Battleship Yamato 2199) 3: Neon Genesis Evangelion* : Tragedy/Rebirth, Philosophical, Mind Screw. Oh and Giant Mecha too. Deconstruction of The Hero's Journey and the Mecha genre. One of the most influential anime of all time. However... you said to limit it to within the last ten years, so with that limitation: 1: *Cross Game* : Romantic Comedy, Slice Of Life. Oh and Sports too. Like almost all of Adachi's works, Cross Game addresses the biggest issue of life: death. A sweet love story as well. Adachi is one of the greatest mangaka and Cross Game is one of his two masterpieces (the other being Touch). 2: *Madoka Magica* : Tragedy/Rebirth, Philosophical. Magical Girl too. Inspired by Faust, Madoka touches on some of the great questions posed by religion. Deconstructs the Magical Girl genre, as well as several of the most common types of Heroes. 3: (tie) *The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya* (inc. sequels up to *The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya) : Genre Buster, Satire. Hard to describe without spoiling. Infamous for it's trolling of the fanbase (watch out for Endless Eight in season 2), in the original airing episodes aired out of order. Haruhi still manages to hit a bunch notes just right. See if you can spot the shout out to Space Battleship Yamato. I recommend watching in DVD order. 3: (tie) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood* : Epic Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Philosophical. I see you've seen the original FMA anime. You should check out Brotherhood. The first quarter of the story is similar but with some important differences, then everything goes off in a very different direction. Much more satisfying ending in my opinion. Obviously influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion. __________________ Cross Game - A Story of Love, Life, Death - and Baseball. What more could you want?

2012-12-16, 10:50	Link #4
CeDeR Inactive Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Usa	My top 3 would be Ghost in the shell, Akira and Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind, but they are over 10 years old so.... 1.- Ghost Hound - The story starts a bit slow but its quite interesting, dark and unique; its heavy on psychological elements, has a great opressive atmosphere, a lot of experimental visual and sound design. Same director from Lain. (Horror, Psychological, Mindfuck, Supernatural) 2.- Mushishi - Another one that starts slow, its episodic and certainly an environmental show, but dont be fooled by this, its quite thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. The main character is very likeable; without giving too much away hes kind of a detached, unbiased, and unprejudiced traveler. (Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural) 3.- Kaiji (Both seasons) - Basically about gambling and the emotions that players undergo. Depicted in the ruthless world of extreme gambling, where you can observe the real human nature come to life through several characters and the story. Great character designs, colour/tones and an intense dramatic atmosphere. (Psychological, Thriller, Suspense) Last edited by CeDeR; 2012-12-16 at 13:12.

2012-12-16, 12:35	Link #5
kitten320 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007	3? That's hard... well you already have one of them in your list and that's Phantom At this point of time I'll have to name: Ghost Hunt - adore this series, bought a DVD few days ago and re-watched everything all over again. My first anime on actual DVD, I have no regrets. The reason of why I love it so much is because it involves two favorites of mine: ghosts and detective kind of setting. What really makes it good are great atmosphere, good soundtracks, entertaining animation and from movie related career - some great angle shots. I also like character intersections. Series know how to build the mood and make you curious. My favorite arcs are 2nd, Bloodshed Labyrinth and to some degree the arc before that. Shiki - as far as I know this series are done by same author. They are bit weaker but series still have a nice build up, some very memorable soundtracks too. Genre is the same, mystery. Though in this series case you as a viewer know who is the culprit and just observe how characters deal with the problem. Ga-Rei Zero - great first episode, it actually made my jaw drop. For the first time I did not predict what will happen. A very memorable side/main character aka Yomi. Great build up towards emotional final. This series did a lot of things differently from standard. It is action/supernatural/suspense/drama... Hmmm... I know you said 3 but I'll add 2 more. Mai HiME - first anime that had me at the edge of a seat. Now that I have seen more stuff, it doesn't have such big impact anymore but I still like the series and keep them close. It has awesome character cast with nice action and good comedy/drama mix. It also has some of my favourite soundtracks. Slightly reminds of F/SN. By the way, you should check Fate/Zero. A prequel to F/SN but with much better execution and story. Chihayafuru - an unexpected star of this season. Majority including me picked series out of boredom and then ended up loving it. It has beautiful animation and interesting character cast. Series are about Japanese card game Karuta. The game on its own sounds very boring but series were able to make it look very entertaining and showed several sides to it. I personally can't wait till January to watch season 2. There is so much more I could say but I'll stop by seconding Madoka. __________________ My anime list

2012-12-17, 01:24	Link #7
creb Hiding Under Your Bed Join Date: May 2008	It's always hard to select a top 3, as I have a bunch of shows that for various reasons could be my favorite anime at any given time. I'm just going to suggest the following show, which is not on your list. Without any knowledge of what shows in your list you actually enjoyed, I have no idea if you'd enjoy this one, but it is among my favorite anime of all time. Planetes Ostensibly, this is a show about an under-funded and under-manned space debris collection department in the near future (2075). In reality, it's a lot more. The show is basically split into two halves. The first half is a lot of character development and background in a lot of self-contained episodes, but it's all done so as to allow the story to kick into the meat and potatoes in the second half, where things begin to be more about the over-all story, rather than individual episodes. The show covers a dearth of issues in what is probably the most realistic portrayal of space in an anime (and possibly in any other visual media as well). The interweaving of social strata, corporations, governments, economics, relationships between first and third world countries, and how it all relates to space become the focus of the story in the second half, though never with a preachy attitude. The show doesn't really dictate, but rather shows you that life can be a messy place, far more complicated than the normal fictional black and white issues we are often thrown, and yet, the overall ending is one of hope for a better future, despite it all. It contains a large cast of characters, most of which feel very real, and I found myself empathizing with nearly all of them in their various plights, regardless of what side of the issues they ended up on by the time the series ended. I am, possibly, biased, as I'm somewhat of a space nut. But, this is my favorite space-related show, regardless of medium. If I had to pick a genre, I'd say hard science fiction character-driven drama. Hard science fiction, because the technology is very realistic. Character-driven drama, because even with all the attention to detail they put in to the technology and setting, this show is very much driven by its characters. It's easy to forget that Sunrise used to be capable of masterpieces. It is also more than 8 years old, but it had superb animation for its time that has aged very well. __________________ http://myanimelist.net/animelist/creb http://myanimelist.net/mangalist/creb It feels like years since they've been updated, btw. Also, cake.

2012-12-16, 10:01	Link #3
-Necromancer- Otaku Join Date: Nov 2012	Sket Dance Kore wa zombie desu ka Angel beats

2012-12-16, 16:24	Link #6
oompa loompa Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: 28° 37', North ; 77° 13', East Age: 33	Wow, threads like these make me realize that there are a lot of really great anime out there. And that I've spent a lot of time watching anime over the last 8 years . Anyhoo.. top 3 is really difficult. So what I'm going to do is weigh the amount I've re-watched the show heavily; I've grown up a lot, changed a lot, so I'm going to give a lot of importance to this even if the shows didn't have as strong an immediate impression as other shows. 1. Welcome to the NHK - comedy, psychological - This show is an absolute masterpiece IMO. The ending was a little rushed, but ultimately appropriate. There is no other show I've watched that balances some quality comedy with such a serious, tragic story. This is more a personal choice though, because I see a lot of myself in the protagonist. And the main heroines voice melts me like butter on a pan. Definitely one of the most mature anime I've seen, though that might change in a few years when I'm out of school and working. Do you know the difference between sad (i.e. tear jerkers), and depressing? Watch this show if you don't 2. Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya - comedy, science fiction, romance - Whats to be said about this one that hasn't already been said? Excellent premise, excellent original script, and excellent production values. KyoAni at the peak of its prowess. Particularly the premise of the show though, I just find absolutely brilliant. 3. Neon Genesis Evangelion All iterations - mecha, sci-Fi, psychological - To be honest, evangelion always seemed like an unfinished product to me. The whole show was so... raw. It certainly wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But still, what it achieved, (or at least came close to achieving) was really groundbreaking. I can't think of another show which is so epic, yet goes into the minds of single characters so deeply. While also providing loads of fan service and mecha action. I know this one is more than 10 years old, but the animation and style stands the test of time if thats what you're worried about. Honorobale mentions ( I could easily swap any of these into my top 3): Madoka Magica Serial Experiments Lain School Rumble (first season) Noein Nodame Cantabile Kaiba Samurai Champloo Cowboy Bebop (and many more that I can't recall at the moment..)

2012-12-17, 10:15	Link #8
barcode120x MSN, FNP-C Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ontario, CA Age: 34	Why need a top 3 when you can have a #1 that has a ton of genres it it?! My #1 is GTO, Great Teacher Onizuka. It has a lot of genres in it especially for its length (50 something episodes) that range from drama, to action, to romance, and of course the best one, comedy! I also recommend watching the Live Action right after. __________________ "Avoiding the truth but trying not to lie, and it's just terrible." "Caring may occur without curing, but curing cannot occur without caring." “Uncertainty is the most disturbing part of decision making.”

2012-12-18, 00:39	Link #9
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	Top two for me are easy: Mai-HiME and Macross Frontier. Both are shows that take anime cliches and conventions and play around with them for fun. They're also both shows that have a lot more emotional power and character depth than is initially apparent. The downside to this is that the shows can be difficult to fully appreciate the first time through, especially Mai-HiME, which doesn't show what its really capable of until around the two thirds mark (on the other hand I think it's also only capable of doing what it did during its final third because of that long build up). As far as a third show goes, I'm a huge fan of Full Metal Panic, however my love for that particular series might partly be because I've been involved with FMP fandom activities and have read translations of source material well beyond the point the anime has adapted. So perhaps the third show on the list should be Ga-Rei Zero. The shounen manga its a prequel to may be mediocre, but the show itself is great. It tells the story of two sworn sisters from exorcist families who eventually end up crossing blades against each other. Its a bit like Revenge of the Sith in that it tells the story of a future antagonist's fall from grace, but I think it does it far better. You are going to need to be okay with mood shifts to enjoy this one though, as it starts off pretty dark, becomes much lighter in flashbacks, then becomes dark again as it returns to the events shown at the beginning of the series.

2012-12-18, 05:07	Link #10
fukarming Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009	It really depends on what genre you like and what kind of show you want to try next. But my top 3 will be Infinite Ryvius: Drama/ Sci-fi. (1999-2000) THis is a good review for the series http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/infinite-ryvius/ For the Highlights Characters: Three-dimensional and detailed. Drama: Chilling to the bone. Theme: Many references to the real world. Gungrave. http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/gungrave/ The Highlights Dynamic: This is how friendship should be done. Animation: Brilliant, but cuts too many corners. Music: Stylish violin solos. Themes: Overstated, but well presented. First episode: If you don’t like it, watch the second episode. Pathos: If this anime doesn’t leave you speechless, then there’s something wrong with you. Honey and Clover http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/honey-and-clover/ http://www.nihonreview.com/anime/honey-and-clover-ii/ in short, drama/romance at its best, with the right dose of comedy. there are alot more to recommend: Mawaru Penguindrum Twelve Kingdoms, Revoluntionary girl Utena (1997), All the series above are quite heavy, if you want something lighter and fluffier: YuruYuri, Azumanga Daioh, Squid girl (Ika-musume), working! are all good shows that is very enjoyable without the need of alot of brain power. Since they are lighter and fluffier there is not much to put into description. Best way is to watch a couple episode and see if u like the comedy style or not. __________________ They came first for sharks fin,I didn't speak up because I don't eat sharks fin. Then they came for foie gras,I didn't speak up because I don't eat foie gras. Then they came for Toro (bluefin tuna) sushi,I didn't speak up because I don't eat sushi. Then they came for me and force me to be a vegan by that time no one was left to speak up.

2012-12-18, 13:51	Link #11
asdamp Member Join Date: Feb 2012	Awesome suggestions guys thx and it´s fine if it is less or more then 3 x) and i enjoyed like 90 % of what it is in my list the genre does not really matter too much Last edited by asdamp; 2012-12-18 at 14:04.

2012-12-18, 17:08	Link #12
Flower Blooming on the mountain Join Date: May 2010 Location: Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light....	Hmm ... well, just because "why not": 1. Prolly my all time fave is the "Aria" trilogy. 2. The Clannad/Clannad: After Story series. 3. Kemono no Souja Erin. __________________

2012-12-18, 18:09	Link #13
Lightning_Wing 1.048596 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Location?	1. Steins;Gate The science-fiction atmosphere (which is actually not to sci-fi for me), the muted colors, the vibrant characters and their even more brilliant interactions all make this one of my favorite shows ever, and especially one of my favorite anime. 2. Bakemonogatari While it has been criticized for its lack of action, I find that its jumpy, quick animation style and colorful relationships make this another very good show. Also, I really like its surreal atmosphere that focuses on showing an entire environment over realism. 3. Gintama This is one of the funniest shows ever. Period. No anime truly makes me laugh as much as this one does, and it has one of the best shonen characters-no one of the best main characters of all time. Also, Blue Exorcist may join this list as well at some point, when I'm done watching it. __________________

2012-12-18, 19:08	Link #14
NinjaRealist Battoru! Join Date: Sep 2012	My top two favorites are manga: 1. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind(manga) - The anime is damn good but the manga is IMO the GOAT manga. A must-read. 2. Akira (manga) - Again, the anime movie was good but can't hold a candle to this incredible manga. Also a must-read. 3. Haibane Renmei - It's a tough call. I would put Bokurano and Azumanga Daioh up there too. But Haibane Renmei is just such a beautiful anime. I would recommend all three, but if I had to recommend only one, it would be this one. __________________

2012-12-19, 11:47	Link #16
Ferp Member Join Date: Jan 2012	1. Berserk: You've most likely seen Berserk, but if you haven't I would watch it anyways, even though it is older then 10 years. More modern animes... Bakemonogatari, for the reasons stated by Lightning Wing. It's really just a unique show. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood is just a more fleshed out FMA. Truly an awesome show. Gundam Wing (not sure if this is older then 10 years). Not really sure why I loved this show, probably has to do with Heero the MC being so bad ass.

2012-12-19, 17:42	Link #17
Mangakasan BURST LINK!! Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: USA	1:Ladies vs butlers 2:samurai girls 3:sekirei but you already have that on your list Hope this helps! __________________ Strength isn't just about winning. Even if my attempts are pathetic and comical, and even if I'm covered in the mud of my defeat, if I can keep fighting and look up at the sky as I lie on the ground, that alone is proof of true strength!

2012-12-20, 17:25	Link #18
ShootingxIce The sun goes down... Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: California	I say, my favorites are: 1. Sword Art Online 2. Angel Beats 3.My Little Monster __________________

2012-12-21, 13:23	Link #19
Aqua Knight Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Age: 31	1) 2)Full Metal Panic 3)Darker thank Black __________________ I can’t sleep tonight…fish girl, sing me a song!

2012-12-23, 00:50	Link #20
TiaxZatch Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009	I highly recommend Code Geass. It's really has a mix of everything. The protagonist, an ex-Prince of an empire rises up and forms an army to take over the Holy Empire of Britannia which has basically enslaved Japan. On this quest he encoutneres a strange girl who gives him powers in which he can control people. A somewhat accurate description is it combines Death Note and Gundam SEED. It's a mecha show but carries multiple elements common in anime. The protagonist has a magical power with unknown and strange origins and an army full of mechas yet there's still a couple episodes showing him as a regular teenager at school where he deals with normal teenage problems. It has plot twists, tear inducing scenes, great battles and even some romance. I mean this show really packs in a lot which makes it my favorite. Now it has its flaws like most but I think it's special.