Board 8 > Kokoro's top 100 anime of the past five years.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I actually didn't really like Chitose's development. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details, but I remember not liking the last couple episodes for one reason or another. (I did like her character during the early/middle episodes though) The ones I really did like throughout from a development standpoint were Kazuha and Momoka.
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64. Maria the Virgin Witch
https://myanimelist.net/anime/26441/Junketsu_no_Maria

Maria the Virgin Witch is what I'd call a coming of age story for our main character Maria. She is a girl (a witch obviously) hate violence and conflict and uses her powers to intervene in them. Seeing this Michael (the angel) makes a decree that if Maria was to lose her virginity she would also lose her powers.

The setting is the 100 years war but there is not much actual war in the show. Instead it's more about a story of what happens when extreme idealism is met with the world and more the effects of it. The show tackles several big social issues within its air time and some of them are better addressed than others. The show also does not shy from things that might make the viewer uncomfortable as it does pretty well at making the viewer feel what the characters are in a given situation.

Maria is the star and gets a lot of development and backstory. The rest of the cast is more supporting, but Joseph also gets a strong development arc. A lot of the show does have some clear "this guy is good and this guy is bad" type things where I think more morally gray characters would have benefited this title greatly.

The show is pretty much is a big hodgepodge of genres going from drama, comedy, thriller, action, romance, and so on. It even has some fan service tossed in there for good measure. While it doesn't excel at any of these things it doesn't do any of them poorly. Their placement in the show might be a little off but the reflection the shows tone at a given moment when compared to a characters mindset is noticeable.

Maria the Virgin Witch is a show I think has a hard time finding an audience because it doesn't really have a lot for anime fans (who normally appreciate very specific traits of anime) and because it's not really extraordinary in any way to make it a classic. However, I still think this is a show that should be on a watch list.

63. New Game!
https://myanimelist.net/anime/31953/New_Game

New Game is a slice of life comedy set in a small game development studio. However, if you're looking for a show that is like about the industry... this is not the show for you. It has some hints about it and uses parts of it for like plot points, but it's basically cute girls doing cute things. I will say though that the second season's tone is different and is closer to what people wanted this show to be to begin with.

Any slice of life comedy is going to be reliant on characters and the comedy. Starting with the characters it's interesting that all of them are adults, but many of them don't act as so? Or I say that but honestly most of them are like early to mid 20s and based on the workplace environment they are in I often find this complaint to weak at best and unfounded at the worst points. That said I think the entire cast is fun but no one really stands out as like a centerpiece or carry for the viewer. Aoba (the main girl) is cute and easy to root for but doesn't quite have the personality to draw people to her. I will like to mention Kou, who I wish would just not wear pants at all, she does relatively little in the show but also has pretty high waifu level potential. But if I had to choose a favorite it would be the genki, Hajime Shinod (who has legs for days).

The comedy is decent enough. It's really more cute than funny I'd say. There are not a lot of real jokes in the show with punchlines more situations that are funny. It's hit and miss at times and I think the comedy level of the show is what places this a little lower than some other shows in the genre that have ranked higher on this list. Don't get me wrong there are very funny parts but not all of them hit the mark.

Despite that this is a good pickup for anyone who likes the moe genre. It has cute characters, serviceable comedy, and some of the best art I've seen for the genre in a while. Praise Dogo Kobo.
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bump
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Updates in a bit
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62. School Live!
https://myanimelist.net/anime/24765/Gakkougurashi

Warning: This particular write up contains spoilers. Granted, they are revealed in the first episode but that's part of the effect for it. These are unavoidable for the write up without making excessive use of censor tags, which if you don't know based on my previous topics, I dislike using.
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School Live is one of the more interesting shows on the list. It cashes in on the moeblob craze that is still going on to this day, but also makes a big twist on it and putting them in a post apocalyptic environment. I would not really call it a horror show, although it has some elements to classic horror and especially the zombie genre in it.

The show stars a group of girls who are part of the school living club. One of the girls, Yuki Takeya has completely blocked out the actual state of things and the other girls more or less pander to her trying to keep her "safe". There's not really character development in the show but it's interesting how the new girl (Miki Naoki) clashes with the rest of the group and how different circumstances changes how each girl reacts. There is not a lot of psychological stuff going on, but you can tell they put pieces of it in there to make the show more than just girls and zombies.

Even though there is not really a "story" there is progression and a suitable climax to the show. It uses each girls strength in the given situation apparent. Also, even though the show is clearly a comedy there are a bunch of sad parts too. But even so each episode is presented very well and the art direction in particular is very strong for this title.

School Live is a truly unique show that almost manages to blend two conflicting genres perfectly together. It has some issues with being a bit too cliche if you strip away the moe, but it's packed with cute laughs, tense moments, and even some heartbreak.

61. Natsume's Book of Friends
https://myanimelist.net/anime/32983/Natsume_Yuujinchou_Go

Note: The one I listed is season 5 but the write up is like an overview of the show more because there are so many episodes I've lost track of which episode is in which season anymore.

Natsume's Book of Friends is... I think... the longest running show that is going to appear on this list. It's so long that I jokingly call it Natsume's Neverending Book of Friends. It's about Natsume who has the power to see yokai. He has essentially inherited the book from his late grandmother, Reiko. The book holds the power to release or bound yokai which makes Natsume a target not only for sinister yokai, but also for other humans who would wish to use the book for themselves. Luckily for him Natsume has a power yokai named Madara on his side, but often times Madara is disguised as a fat cat.

Each episode is typically standalone with maybe references to ones in the past when certain events happen. I suppose the closest show to this would be mushishi, but Natsume is much more suited to have a longer run mainly because a lot of the episodes have some sort of emotional effect somewhere. It is slow paced and not a show I recommend binging, but in general the episodic stories are well crafted.

The core characters are Natsume and Madara. It's interesting to see both of them have some changes over the course of the seasons, Natsume is more obvious, but Madara's happens more mid season 1 and he just stays like that. There are side characters that come and go and it's always nice to see their subplots get developed along the way.

Natsume's Book of Friends is a good show that is somewhat held back from never really completing its subplots it starts (really why even have them if you aren't going to do anything with them) but as far as this genre goes it's hard not to give this one a watch.
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60. Muromi by the shore
https://myanimelist.net/anime/16910/Namiuchigiwa_no_Muromi-san

This is the only half length show that is on the list. It's about a boy (Takurou) who meets a mermaid (Muromi) while fishing on a dock. Now, partly because of interest and also partly because he seems like he has no other friends, both of them often return to spots where they can meet up... along with other mermaids and creatures too.

As far as comedies go Muromi is one of the more successful ones in terms of hits to misses. Even in parts where the jokes fall kind of flat, it just looks funny or the characters reactions make it funny, or something like that. It has fall backs if one things falls. If the OP is any indication the show is completely over the top which makes for an insanely fun time.

The cast is great. Takurou has some clear annoyance at Muromi but there is a clear level of appreciation for her friendship as well. Muromi herself is immature and somewhat annoying, but in the good anime type way. None of the characters are really fleshed out, but they have great interaction with each other which really helps bring the show into its peak.

The art style is like a throwback almost but the level of animation the title has is pretty impressive overall in how smooth it is. The OP especially is among the best on this list when you mix the visuals the music together.

If you want to watch something that is a bit zany in its situational humor you should give this show a try.
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59. High School DxD New
https://myanimelist.net/anime/15451/High_School_DxD_New

New is the second season of HSDD and is a direct sequel to the first season. The second season explores the backstories of several characters most notably Yuuto Kiba and Akeno. It's also obviously about Issei trying to improve his dress break power among other things. There's also tons of fan service.

Besides the returning cast a couple of notable new characters are introduced in Xenovia (blue haired), and Gasper (Trap). Gasper adds some funny comedy especially because his gimmick is that he's scared all the time and hides in a box. The rest of the cast does get some development overall and as note characters that got focus in season 1 (mainly Rias) take a slight backseat.

The show itself is actually a good balance of action, comedy, story elements, and fan service. Obviously the big draw is the fan service as that's like what brings a lot of the stuff together. A lot of sexual trope humor is in the show. Thankfully the fan service is very good and the majority of the girls in the show are also on the upper end of anime attractiveness. When compared to something like Heaven's Lost Property (which again, within the genre is probably the golden standard), DxD has stronger comedy but weaker emotional impact. As for the characters comparison it's interesting because HLP has characters that go through more distinct transformation arcs while DxD explores more of character history.

In any case DxD is one of the best modern ecchi shows that has aired. The first two seasons are pretty much must watches in the genre, the third season is not that good and is skippable. In case you're wondering my favorite girl is Xenovia.

58. NouCome
https://myanimelist.net/anime/19221/Ore_no_Nounai_Sentakushi_ga_Gakuen_Love_Comedy_wo_Zenryoku_de_Jama_Shiteiru

This is a show I completely forgot aired in this time frame before I made this list. It's about Kanade Amakusa who has a condition called "Absolute Choice". Basically, his life is a dating sim where a voice in his head tells him to choose from two or more specific options. He must choose one or suffer a migraine until he does. Of course the choices he gets are insane.

Like the title states the show is a comedy and it is among the funniest shows on this list. It's not as balanced as some other comedies that are going to appear a bit later but in terms of like pure laughs this one is hard to match. It's not just because the plot gives the situations a new flair but the cast is dead on too. If you thought the cast to like Muromi or Sakai was zany, the cast here is that and a bit more.

The cast overall is still a bit shallow but their diverse personalities work very well when they react to the different absolute choice answers. Chocolat is a girl who fell from heaven but has no memories and seems very clueless, but sometimes reverts to normal Chocolat who is actually smart. Furano is a tsundere/kuudere type cross who has some of the best lines in the show, and Ouka is a typical genki. Also, contrary to my normal tastes in this case I like Furano because every time she opens her mouth it's hilarious for some reason.

There's really not much else, there's not story beyond Kanade trying to complete missions to get rid of the curse but that's just a way to get into more funny situations. I will say that a show with a similar premise called "If Her Flag Breaks" aired a few months later. Don't watch that, that show is a trainwreck in the worst way. Noucome is a trainwreck but an amazing one.
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I liked Koneko and Furano most from those two shows. It's been a long time but I think I remember liking Noucome more than I thought I would. Although, I think I felt the choices were a bit too one sided a lot of the time. Like there's a bad choice and a really, really bad choice so it's more like choosing between the bad choice and a severe headache.
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Updates coming.
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57. The Devil is a Part Timer
https://myanimelist.net/anime/15809/Hataraku_Maou-sama

There once was a battle between good and evil... God's chosen champion and the evil demon army led by the Satan. After a long clash the side of good rose victorious ridding the world of the evil forever. Or so that would have been the case but Satan managed to escape at the last moment with a portal to modern Japan. Now without the magical powers of the spiritual realm (or whatever they call it in the show) the demon must take the identity of a human and work at a fast food restaurant in order to make ends meat.

Okay the opening paragraph might not be exactly right but that's basically the background of the show. In this case it's worth noting that even though Sadao does share the same name as Satan he's not like the Satan in terms of say the one in The Blue Exorcist. It's stated somewhere that he's simply named after him. In any case the cast is pretty fun, almost all of them are from the spiritual realm so living as normal humans is hard for them so there are a ton of misunderstandings and funny moments. Overall each of them has like their own little quirk as they try to adapt to normal life. Among the best ones is Suzuno Kamazuki (who is the best girl).

There is not much of a story really as it's mainly a situational comedy. There are like story elements and minor arcs but nothing substantial. A bigger issue is that the show speaks at around episode 10 or so, much like Hyouka did near the end of its 2 season run. Giving the latter episodes a kind of meh feeling overall. But no matter what this is an easy show to like.

56. Watamote
https://myanimelist.net/anime/16742/Watashi_ga_Motenai_no_wa_Dou_Kangaetemo_Omaera_ga_Warui

Watamote is a comedy anime that is probably the definition of cringe to a lot of people. It's among the more polarizing shows that have come out in the past five years with some people really liking the comedy it has and others being incredibly put off by it. The anime is about Tomoko, a socially awkward girl... okay that's putting it lightly... a girl who is so socially inept a b8er would be able to talk to a girl who is not their mom much easier than she would be able to talk to anyone.

The anime is another situational comedy most of the skits have long build ups with a huge punchline at the end. As far as like the way they are crafted it's one of the best shows I've seen. Some of the best ones were like the meet and greet and the vibrator scene. So the anime is a lot of "this is kinda weirdly cute" and boom you either laugh hysterically or tell yourself "that's so wrong."

The only real character worth mention is the main Tomoko. She is an unpopular girl not really because people are not nice to her, but more because she can't act in any sane manner around most people. But she wants to make friends and greatly overcompensates in her trying to get them. She sounds like a character that might be someone you can be sad for... but no because other scenes do show that she'd basically do almost anything to impress like cheat against children in a card game. She is also a bit of a pervert. Honestly, she's someone who is amazing fun to watch but maybe not as much to hang around with.

Also almost all anime now has a reference or two somewhere and Watamote is not a parody so it's a bit more limited but the Death Note one almost floored me. Not telling you guys where it is but when it happens you'll know. Beyond that though Watamote is a well pieced together comedy that doesn't really have a lot of laughs per minute but saves them for maximum impact.
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Two shows I didn't like interestingly enough. Watamote probably isn't too surprising, but I feel like one of the only people who reacted negatively to The Devil is a Part Timer. Something about the way the show handled the more serious side of its fantasy elements really rubbed me the wrong way.
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I couldn't really get into Watamote. I liked Tomoko best when she has someone to talk to which is a big problem.
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55. The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior
https://myanimelist.net/anime/21405/Bokura_wa_Minna_Kawaisou

Kawai Complex is a light romantic comedy about Kazunari Usa who wants to get away from weirdos to stay at the inn the show is named after. However, it turns out everyone at the place is a weirdo but it also so happens that Ritsu Kawai a girl who Kazunari has a major crush on also lives there, so he can handle all the other guys... right?

There really is not too much to say about this one. Each character is zany in their own way with Kazunari being the really only normal one. Ritsu is quiet and a bit shy, but also not too out of the ordinary. It's really more the feel the show gives you more than what actually happens in it here. The comedy is good and the characters are enjoyable but it's how they work together as a package. Aside from mainly Ritsu (who gets the bulk of the character development) each character does get some level of development overall and some of them even have serious issues but the show tackles them in more comedic ways.

A huge aspect too is the art style and animation. It really fits this almost not totally there type feeling where it's almost aloof in a lot of cases. However, this is much more a comedy than a romance and a lot of it is really just friend zoning with some breaking out of the friend zone potential after the show is over. I do think this is a great series but one that is probably better than the sum of its parts.

54. The World God Only Knows: Goddesses
https://myanimelist.net/anime/16706/Kami_nomi_zo_Shiru_Sekai__Megami-hen

THWOK:G is the third season (and likely last) of the series. It skips a significant amount of content from season two and I will say that the first seasons are pretty much required viewing for this one. This season continues to follow the exploits of Keima Katsuragi as he has to keep making girls fall in love with him in order to capture runaway spirits that the girls are being possessed with. This time though he must do it again in order to unleash the goddess residing in each girl.

I'll be honest... I don't recall why they are awakening the goddesses in the first place. But in terms of like how each conquest is crafted this is the best one in the series. This is by far one of the best harems I've seen with a surprising amount of individual character development and good comedy that doesn't rely on fan service.

As for why the series is good overall, it's mostly because the main character is not a complete loser. A lot of times it's the girls who are the main focus, but that's not really true here we are not rooting for a particular girl to win, we are rooting for Keima to win all the time. His departure from a typical harem protagonist is one of the anchoring factors of the entire series. That said because of the way the show works in arcs of conquest there are issues with I can't be assed to remember anything about any of the girls besides Elsie and Haqua.

From a technical standpoint TWGOK:G has a great soundtrack and surprisingly good production values from Manglobe (remember this is a studio that went bankrupt). Too bad the shoe never saw the ending.
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pyresword posted...

Something about the way the show handled the more serious side of its fantasy elements really rubbed me the wrong way.

That's like a good part of like what the comedy in the show is built off of.
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But I mean like there's parts where it wasn't going for comedy and those are the parts that bothered me.
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53. Space Dandy
https://myanimelist.net/anime/20057/Space%E2%98%86Dandy

Space Dandy is a dandy in space. It is the result of a lot of the Cowboy Bebop team coming back together (including both Watanabe and Masahiko Minami) which is why the show got any real hype to begin with. It is also a rare show that aired in the US before Japan and it was already fully dubbed. The show has a plethora of talent working on it and it seems like a different person was in charge of each episode which gives it a very different feel in time.

Of course this is not always a good thing as Space Dandy is among the most inconsistent shows on this list the good episodes are among the best ever like the high school musical one deserved an Emmy. But some other ones are very forgetable. Not even things like art styles or tone are really kept. Although there are unifying factors like character personalities and stuff almost anything goes.

The anime itself follows Dandy, a cat like creature who is not a cat named "Meow" and a robot "QT" as they go searching for bounties on dangerous aliens. You might remember that Spike was also a bounty hunter. But Space Dandy is a comedy and the characters, while not inept do often get in the way of themselves. There's no continuity at all where each episode should be seen as a one off with the same main cast. The characters are all quirky in somewhat dumb ways like Dandy being obsessed with a space hooters rip off called Boobies.

In terms of animation goes, Space Dandy is among the best you'll see on this list. It's incredibly amazing to watch and look at for a show as a whole. Space Dandy is a rollercoaster in both tone and to an extent quality but its unique flair and some of the huge highlight episodes really makes the whole package worth it.

52. PriPara
https://myanimelist.net/anime/23135/PriPara

Note: I have not finished this show yet, but do plan on marathoning the rest when I can.

PriPara is going to be the oddest entry on this list. The show is clearly made for little kids and is a cheap idol style anime with lame cg dancing and stuff. But in reality it's one of the most charming shows that has aired in the past five years.

The anime stars Laala Manaka as she wants to go to PriPara a place where any girl (or guy) can become an idol. However, her school forbids it and when she does get her ticket to get in she has to be careful not to get caught. Along the way she meets other girls who also want to become idols and rise the ranks to stardom.

The show is very simple and is mainly about them trying to follow their dreams. It differs greatly from other idol shows as there really isn't any major internal conflicts or self-retrospective but simple anime like villains giving the show a much more old school vibe a lot of times. In a great deal of cases the villains simply end up becoming friends later on maybe it's to like teach kids a life lesson or something, I don't know.

The characters themselves are also simple but likable. A lot of them have like a running gag such as Lala saying "kashkoma!" or Sophie running out of energy and going "psshuuu" there's even an episode where they completely make fun of these things.

From a technical standpoint the show is pretty bland but passable. The overall show is kind of repetitive with a lot of the gags being repeated a lot but somehow it remains funny, like you expect it to happen. Here's a fun one, take a shot every time kashkoma is said (don't you'll die).

Even so, this is a show I'm not sure I'd watch unless you're digging deep into a reserve for new things to see as it's quite lengthy and takes a certain mindset to get into. But if you have the time this is a wonderful little show that will put a smile on your face.
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51. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren
https://myanimelist.net/anime/18671/Chuunibyou_demo_Koi_ga_Shitai_Ren

The cast returns in Ren and they really step things up for the most part. Dekmoari and Nibutani continue their lovers quarrel which leads Nibutani to walk down a path she wants to forget abouut. Kumin does something incredible by being comic relief in a comedy show and making it work. Yuuta and Rikka largely stay the same characters in the end. This does say they are not very enjoyable to watch, they are, there is just some disappointment.

Ren also adds a new character, Shichimiya. She's Yuuta's childhood friend which obviously leads to Rikka having doubts about the state of their relationship. This is what you could call the "story" of Ren.

In my opinion the individual parts of Ren are even better than the first season. I've already gave praises to the returning cast. The romance is cute (although not very fulfilling), the battle sequences are significantly better than the first season, the jokes are better, and the moe meter is just off the charts. However, there are some sacrifices it makes and they are big ones.

I have two main issues with Ren. The first is with Shichimiya, she's touted as a main character but ultimately gets less screen time than the rest of the characters by simply not going to the same school. However, she arguably gets the most significant story arc and character development. This is find and good but the progression is obvious and jumpy because of her lack of screen time. She still only serves one purpose in the anime and that is to put doubt into Rikka's head about Yuuta.

The next is that at the end of the anime everything is still back to the status-quo. I know a lot of anime do this, but it's not as forgivable here since it actually touts that there is going to be a change at the end and then they just pull it away from you. One of the reasons why I didn't mind the drama in the first season was because Rikka actually had a major character revelation and something became of it. Here she might have somewhat of the revelation but the ultimate payoff is very weak.

Now for the animation. It's top notch, Kyoani's budget and know how is really obvious especially during the chuuni sequences which are an absolute joy to watch. It doesn't matter if they don't really make sense they are some of the best "fight" sequences I've seen. The sound and music in the show are noticeably good and detailed. Again, where they really shine is during the chuuni fights where everything is just amplified.

In the end I would say Ren has better peaks versus the first season but as a complete package it's very shallow. The anime teeters in the last quarter without the payoff required to make the whole thing work. That said, 95% of the anime is a joy to watch.

Yes, this does mean I believe the first season to be good enough where it can be placed separately from this one.


That leaves the first 50 down. A lot of huge titles are still left.
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Okay, my time to talk again.

Dropped Girlish Number for reasons no one cares about hearing.

I enjoyed Maria for a while, but dropped it when it started blatantly insulting catholicism, it was fine when just ribbing on it, but not those later arcs.

Enjoying New Game+, as their second season should have been called. More characters that actually influence the cast was needed.

Noucome I watched twice, originally checked it out with an irl friend, don't remember if I watched fully with him, second time was with JONA. It kinda falls apart towards the end like a lot of gimmick comedies do, still was entertaining.

Kawaii Complex was cute.

TWGOK... That arc too low imo, but I'm not the person who usually argues with someone's list.

Didn't bother with the second season of Chuu2.

So let's see... of bottom 50... I've seen...

Looks like 20/50. 21 if you count the fact that I watched over half of Maria the Virgin Witch, and of course three shows I watched the first season of but not the second. Only one I actually plan on continuing.
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I've read some of the manga of the devil is a part-timer, and it's definitely amusing. Later on the plot takes a fairly sharp turn, but i'll not talk about that. The priorities of each character from the other land and how they've adapted to the main world (what's their non-magical specialty) is a large part of the story.

KokoroAkechi posted...

Ren has better peaks versus the first season but as a complete package it's very shallow.

Thats basically how I would describe Chuni S2
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oh hey finally I show I've seen

Kawai Complex was fun despite having some stuff in there I don't usually like. The characters are kinda hit or miss. It took me until about episode 5 to start liking the show, once Ritsu and Usa started coming into their own together.
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I've seen 21/50 so far. There's still so much anime I need to watch but haven't gotten around to.
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IVe only finished 11 on his list
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Posting here because not sure ill be on until later.
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Updates will resume tonight.
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50. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
https://myanimelist.net/anime/23289/Gekkan_Shoujo_Nozaki-kun

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun is a comedy anime that sometimes tries to tout itself as a romance, but don't be fooled it's like 95% comedy here. It's about a Chiyo Sakura, a girl who has fallen in love with Nozaki-kun. Too bad he's oblivious to all of her advances and she ends up being his assistant for his shoujo manga. Now she works so that her senpai will notice her.

In terms of the star of the show it's by far Nozaki himself. He's just so clueless about everything that it's hilarious. Like what he does makes sense in some twisted way, but you think to yourself "that's not how it works". Like most comedies all the characters have their own quirk that adds to the show a bit.

There's not much of a story but there are touches of relationship progression here and there (it doesn't go anywhere). Some of the elements in the actual manga they are making as it relates to the show is pretty funny as it pretty much makes fun of all the normal cliches of shoujo manga. Besides that there's little else to the show. It's funny in a cute type way. Having exposure to shoujo titles does help out a bit but not exactly required.

49. Yona of the Dawn
https://myanimelist.net/anime/25013/Akatsuki_no_Yona

Yona of the Dawn is an action/shoujo anime that takes place in a sengoku (or whatever) era world. The main character is Yona, a sheltered princess who throughout the course of the series learns the truth about her kingdom and what she must do to protect it.

There are massive spoilers that happen early on in the show and fortunately this is one show where I can not talk about them and do this write up. Yona goes through a wonderful transition from hapless girl to someone who can take care of herself. The show unfortunately does not end at a finishing point, but it's still worth while. The rest of the cast are more role players. The more important ones are Hak, Yona's knight and guardian, and Yun a young boy who if I recall often gets mistaken for a girl or something.

The story for most of the show is that they have to find the 5? (I forget) dragons that reside in different warriors. Yona, with her red hair, is like part of a prophecy or something to unite them? In any case each of the dragons that we get to see has an interesting backstory and special power. Some of the show reminds me of like dynasty warriors in terms of what the main characters can do.

The two main shows I see this compared to a lot are Arslan Senki and the Snow White with Red Hair. Let me tell you, this show is much better than both of them. Both Arslan and SWwRH have significant issues. Arslan doesn't really give you any reasons to care for his plight or have characters memorable enough for you to keep track of. Snow White tries to tout that she is becoming a strong female... only to be constantly rescued by the guy in the show. There is sense of character growth at all in it. Not saying that Yona is a perfect show or doesn't have issues (it does), but they are more forgivable.

In any case this is a great anime and one of the easiest shoujo titles to get into. 100% recommended here.
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Note: I actually finished the next write up but deleted it on accident and now i have to retype it. I'm going to do that later. >.>
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Best Nozaki episode was when he played the visual novel trying to understand how romance works.

Good show.
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I think Nozaki at 50 is the first show I consider to be definitely too low.
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48. Shomin Sample
https://myanimelist.net/anime/25099/Ore_ga_Ojousama_Gakkou_ni_Shomin_Sample_Toshite_Gets%E2%99%A5Sareta_Ken

Shomin Sample is bound to be one of the more polarizing shows on the list. It's about Kimito, a lucky boy who is chosen to stay at an all girls school to teach them about commoner life and also about males. When I say chosen I obviously mean he's kidnapped and semi held there against his will. And when I say teach I mean basically explain everything that normal people actually do.

As mentioned the girls are incredibly ignorant of like real life. There are some wonderful scenes like one where they have to order from a starbucks and call the ordering an "incantation" or when Kimito gets cup coodles and they think it's the best thing in the world. It's almost surreal in a sense that these small things that we take for granted or might even annoy us they think is like a wonder of commoner life. Okay not really they are just funny scenes that do their job well.

The main girls are pretty crazy. The normal one is Aika (Tsun-pure) who is "unpopular" or whatever but also very gullible. In addition there is a loli genius who has to take off her clothes to solve problems, a girl who carries around a katana, and maid who threatens to cut off Kimito's dick, etc. The sword girl is particularly entertaining when paired with the loli. The main guy too is not that bad. There is some level of "romance" going on but it's really like they are a group of friends who might be a little too forward with each other for the amount of time they've spent together, but this is a comedy so I can let that slide.

The story if there is one is really that they are members of a club called the "Commoners Club". It's where kimito can teach them more about normal life. It's basically like normal things people might do with friends and stuff. There's also some minor drama and such but not enough to take away from the comedy. There's also a bit of fan service in the show. Not the get you hot and bothered type, but the lets put it in there because people like to see it type. To be honest the character designs are pretty cute and the fan service is done fairly well especially the comedic parts of it.

Shomin Sample can be dumb, but it's a good comedy with a likable cast, good fan service (has a thing for thighs), and some great cast interaction.

47. Actually, I am...
https://myanimelist.net/anime/29785/Jitsu_wa_Watashi_wa

Actually, I am is a shonen romcom. Asahi Kuromine is a boy who has a hard time keeping a secret, so when he finds out that the girl he's had a crush on is actually a vampire and that if anyone finds out her dad will take her out of school he has to keep this secret... but can he?

Each of the characters has a certain "secret" about them. Not going to go through them all but each of them provide a certain challenge for Kuromine in his growing harem. Kuromine is a bit generic overall but he fills his role well. Youko (the vampire) has scenes where she can look hot but a lot of times she's just incredibly cute.

Eventually in the story the keeping the secret part is not as important as the harem aspects, but there's a certain level of depth to the characters that keep it enjoyable. Honestly a lot of the show is fairly generic with a small spin on things but the execution, comedy, and the characters bring it all together. The comedy is stronger than the romance, but there is some level of harem aspects that actually do get addressed.

No more to say about this one just a well executed anime that does most things it has to very well. Could have used some more time as the romance aspects get stronger later on, but that's the life of anime.
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Going by the first post it looks like you finished about 350 shows during the past five years, which means that Shomin Sample is appearing roughly 290 or so shows too high on this list.
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Shomin Sample definitely a good contender for worst anime of the last five years.
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46. Konosuba
https://myanimelist.net/anime/30831/Kono_Subarashii_Sekai_ni_Shukufuku_wo

Besides shows that are not on this list, this one is probably going to be the most contested show in terms of its placement. Konosuba is one of the more known shows on this list and I'm guessing most of you guys know what it's about. If you don't it's about how Kazuma dies and gets sent to a "fantasy world" where he has to defeat the demon lord. However, when he builds his party the members are not the ones an adventurer would want.

The biggest draw to the show is the cast. Each of the main girls has their thing that makes them funny. I'll be honest I still like Megumin the most, but Aqua has grown on me quite a bit for some reason. (Nature's Beauty!) I almost thing that out of all the issues the girls have I'd probably rather have her around me because she's also the only one who has shown a certain level of normalcy. On an individual basis each character is pretty great and has a lot of funny interactions with each other. However, I do feel that the show could use a couple more "meaningful" interactions. Still that's nitpicking.

The comedy is mostly great but can have a few misses. Again, the cast is more defined by their gimmick than their personalities and the show could have used a couple more episodes each season too. I also think S2 was weaker overall but that didn't affect where I placed the anime. Despite some of the issues Konosuba is one of the most enjoyable another world shows that have aired... ever.

45. 91 Days
https://myanimelist.net/anime/32998/91_Days

91 Days is a gangster type anime that takes place during the prohibition era. The anime is about Angelo Lagusa, who as a young child saw his family murdered by the mafia. Now with a new identity he plans on infiltrating them to take out his revenge.

I'll be honest, I didn't really like this show at first. But eventually the slow burn is worth it and the level of character depth the two mains have and their backstories makes it reasonably difficult to tell who is the actual good guy if one exists. Seeing Angelo's plans unfold and Nero's struggles to live up to his family name while things you see in a lot of anime have extra impact because of the level of characterization they get.

I'll be honest, there is not too much else here. The animation is honestly lackluster and the twists in the show are somewhat predictable. The strength of the show relies a lot of the atmosphere and dynamic of the two main characters but imo it's so good that it carries the entire show.
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44. Charlotte
https://myanimelist.net/anime/28999/Charlotte

To be honest Charlotte is an anime that is a lot of missed potential. It does somethings so extraordinarily well that it was at one time in consideration for like anime of the year (as a spoiler it's not even the best show of the season its in). The anime some teenagers have special abilities, one of them is Yuu Otosaka who has the ability to take over someones body for 5 seconds (but during this time he himself can't do anything). Eventually his abuse of the power gets the attention of Nao, another teenager who runs a group who is in charge of making sure their powers don't get abused, but there are more motives to it than that.

Charlotte is pretty much a show where normal reviews will be spoilerific so this will be relatively brief. The cast is varied and for the most part enjoyable. Each of the characters have their own flaws but I think a huge part of the show is the human aspect each character has. A lot of it is played up anime style, but within the comedy and drama there is a certain touching aspect to everything. Of course the ending was a big rush because you know not enough time, but I think it was the best they could do given the constraints. I think another factor that I like about the show is that not everything always works out nicely for the cast.

Speaking of the cast itself, I'm going to spend a while talking about Nao Tomori. While the rest of the cast is good and all (like pizza sauce), the show seems to have put a great deal of focus on Nao. She basically has the type of brain power and problem solving skills as a Tensai but with much deeper characterization. She has some tsundere aspects to her. There's one scene where she explains her future goals. While somewhat unassuming it's one of my favorite scenes of the show. Truthfully she's the anchor for the show and honestly if you think about what happens to her you can't help but feel sorry for her.

In terms of the story, it's interesting. Like it takes on more than it can accomplish in the short time it has but the message it's trying to get across is still there. There is the nagging issue that the anime probably needed maybe three times the episodes. Some would also argue that we didn't really need the introductory ones at the start. But I do think the early ones were needed overall.
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I always just thought of Nao as a mix of Yuri and Kanade
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Mac Arrowny posted...

Shomin Sample definitely a good contender for worst anime of the last five years.

Normally I'd agree except Haruchika also exists.

...there's probably worse than that which I didn't watch, but my god I did not like that show.
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Well, I wouldn't say that it's the worst period, just a good contender.
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Fuck you for reminding me that Haruchika exists

That show could've been pretty good if it were competently made, I think.

But nope LOL
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43. Is the Order a Rabbit?
https://myanimelist.net/anime/29787/Gochuumon_wa_Usagi_desu_ka

Is the Order a Rabbit is a moe slice of life comedy show. It's somewhat between a show like Kiniro Mosaic and Tamayura: Hitotose. It's about a group of girls who work or are friend with the girls who work at a coffee shop.

I'll be honest, I didn't really like the first season of the show. It might have been that it aired in a particularly strong season but not liking a show from one of my favorite genres takes some work. However, the second season really did something, it ramped up the moe meter full force. Even the art style is cuter than that of the first season.

The cast is basically a bunch of moeblob girls doing moe girl things. They honestly are not as memorable as some of the front runner characters in the genre (aka Kyoani shows) but they work together well as a group and the individual plots for each segment are enjoyable. There's really nothing to talk about though since it's a slice of life show and this one doesn't really go for anything except being cute. IMO the show lacks a carry or a type of tone that would catapult it passed other shows in this genre that have yet to be listed. Even so it remains an enjoyable watch for those who like the genre.

Oh, also. The ED is probably the cutest thing I've seen in the season.

42. Owarimonogatari
https://myanimelist.net/anime/31181/Owarimonogatari

Owari is the... I've lost count how many monogartari entries there are. The series itself is a type of mystery/comedy drama or whatever show. Each season has a slightly different tone which is why it's hard to really pin down exactly where to classify it.

In any case Owari is one of the better entries. It's divided into three (four) main arcs. The first two are pretty much like a set up for later on and don't require too much knowledge of past events, but as it goes on and more characters appear it's clear that the anime looks to dig deep into back stories of already established characters from the past. Something that is welcome.

As far as the characters go the only real new character is Sodachi Oikura and I can't talk much about her. But it does have major focus on both Shinobu and Suruga Kanbaru (who is my favorite girl). The latter one gets a ton of backstory. Suruga herself really already got some in Bakemonogatari and gets more in Hana. In any case the actual interactions of the characters this season is great. At some points it feels like the cast does not really interact with characters outside of Araragi. I felt like even though other seasons were decent, it lacked a sense of connection from each arc is not something this season suffers from as much.

If you are a fan of the series you'll probably enjoy this segment but it can take some time to get used to the change in tone for this season in particular. For those not initiated... you have quite a lot of catchup to do.
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I did like most of the Shinobu Mail arc a lot, but I can't say I cared too much for the season overall. It almost killed my interest in the series, but thankfully the other recent stuff I've liked a bit more.
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41. Non Non Biyori
https://myanimelist.net/anime/17549/Non_Non_Biyori

Non Non Biyori is a serene slice of life comedy about a group of kids who live in the country side. The show current has two seasons. The second one is not a sequel but it takes the first season and gives up more information of the events that happened.

The cast of the show is interesting because each of the girls varies wildly in ages. The interactions between them almost border on them being more a family than simply friends. While each person is going to have their favorite character mine is undoubtedly Renge. She's a first grader with the catchphrase "nyanpasu". It's just that her facial expressions are pretty spot on all the time.

The comedy is pretty good. It's not like laugh all the time funny, but more that's cute type funny. I think a big part of the appeal of the show is a lot of the things that happen in the show are things that I might have done with my friends. A lot of the show is mundane, but made fun by the characters in it. There are some scenes though that had me rolling, like the fireworks one in the second season.

Non Non Biyori is a real feel good anime that I think is easy to enjoy. It's very accessible and doesn't have anything that might make a potential viewer shy away.

40. Girls Und Panzer
https://myanimelist.net/anime/14131/Girls_und_Panzer

Girls Und Panzer mixes two things that go together very naturally. Moe schoolgirls and Tanks.

The story is rather simple. In this day and age it is the lady-like thing to drive vehicles of mass destruction. Each school has its own tank club which wages "war" with other schools in battles of panzerfen.

However, the tank battles are amazing. Each episode has this odd mix of tension and moe that seem to be balanced perfectly. It's always interesting to see how the undertanked and under experienced Oarai Girls Academy uses strategy to win their matches.

The characters are all pretty decent. None of them except Miho (who starts off by hating tank operating for story reasons) get any development, but they all have a certain charm to them. A lot of them are rather cliched, but mesh together very well.

The antagonist (other school) characters are varied and each represents a different country and brings new obstacles for the characters. No tank battle is the same!

The animation is kinda middling. In the first episode (among the only episodes with no tank battles) there is not really much to see, but parts of the tank battle they really used more of the budget on it especially later on as the show gained a lot of traction in Japan. The music that plays is very military (like anthem like or old patriotic stuff) which usually represents the country they are fighting. It's not spectacular, but fits very well.

Girls Und Panzer hits most of its targets. It has an inoffensive cast and compelling tank battles. The quality of episodes stays the same or gets better with each one meaning there is not a lot of let down as far as the show goes. I salute this anime.
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bump
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Nozaki was great, I'm planning on catching up to the airing manga for Yona since it's been long enough, Konosuba is the only show I've ever dropped twice, 91 Days was okay at best, Charlotte was just bad, Gochiusa was great (second season ended up in my top 10 shows for a few reasons), NNB is also in my top 10 anime but more because it's one of the best things I've seen.

So 5 more things added.
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39. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
https://myanimelist.net/anime/14719/JoJo_no_Kimyou_na_Bouken_TV

JoJo's Bizzare Adventure is an action series often seen to be the precursor to the modern shounen battle. Each part of the show takes a slightly different tone overall. The first season focuses on the first two parts (Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency) and they have somewhat loose connections to each other.

Like I said the show is split into two parts. Each part stars a different JoJo. The first part stars Johnathan Joestar, a more proper and polite individual. He is at odds with the main arch enemy of the series, Dio. I don't really have to talk about Dio, he's as bad as they come. But Johnathan is pretty dull and a big reason why a lot of the first part is kind of dull overall. The second part covers Joseph Joestar (Johnathan's grandson) in his battle against Kars. The big difference is that Joseph is a much better lead due to his more wisecrack attitude and on the fly type thinking. On top of that the final battle with Kars is among the best fights I've seen put to animation ever.

The cast of the show is large and weird. Like there's too many JoJos, Speedwagons, etc to keep up with. As of now they've adapted 4 total parts (I consider part 2 to be the best one) and I have a hard time keeping track of everyone. In general though each cast member typically brings some sort of... bizarre entertainment to the show. I'd say that post part two there are episodes that are pretty strong, but it's not quite as consistently enjoyable.

The anime has one of the most distinct animation styles on this list. A lot of the scenes look like they were pulled directly from the panel like you're actually watching the manga animate before your eyes. It's clearly not always the cleanest animation but works well enough. The sound quality is excellent though.

If you haven't seen it yet JoJo is worth a try just because of the legacy it has left behind.

38. Chaika the Coffin Princess
https://myanimelist.net/anime/20853/Hitsugi_no_Chaika

Chaika the Coffin Princess is mostly an action/adventure anime that follows the titular Chaika as she is on a journey to bury her father's remains. This would be that interesting except that her father was the emperor who was defeated and his remains scattered. Now she has to collect them from around the nation and to do so she employs the help of a sibling bounty hunter duo, Tooru and Akari.

The show takes place over two seasons with a healthy mix of action, story, and character development overall. Nothing about it is spectacular but it's a series where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Still, no aspect is actually weak. The story itself features several twists to keep it interesting while also maintaining a sense of cohesion throughout it all. It does rely slightly too much on too many asspulls here and there. The show does well in that whenever it answers something we want to know it has already posed a new, maybe even more pressing question.

The main cast is small overall only consisting of the 3 I mentioned and a couple more that get added later on. Tooru is someone who is basically looking to find his own worth. Akari is more of a supporter type. Chaika is both naive and has less of a sense of self than the others. They each also have a certain charm to them, especially Chaika who often utters her catch phrase "shocking truth."

Chaika the Coffin Princess is a strong show on almost all fronts. It has some failings in like minor details and I personally am rather upset at the ending (although specifically why is a huge spoiler), but this is a very strong entry.
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37. Food Wars!
https://myanimelist.net/anime/28171/Shokugeki_no_Souma

This is one of the more known titles on the list but if you don't know what it is... it's basically a battle shounen where they cook instead of hit each other. They also have food orgasms. Food Wars follows Souma Yukihira on his quest to become the number one chef at the prestigious Tootsuki Culinary Academy.

In my opinion one of the strengths of the show is that it has a lot of balance in where the appeal lies. Starting with the cast it has several standout characters in Souma, Erina, and Alice specifically. But each member gains a bit of backstory and have reasonable influence on the overall story or other characters. Even if some of them are basically just nice to look at (like Ikumi) they still add something.

Speaking of being nice to look at. The first season has a fair amount of fan service overall. It does help that the show does have a collection of some of the best looking female characters I've seen in a show... like ever. There's a good amount of comedy too, and a lot of the show is actually funny. Beyond that most people in the cast is fairly likable (at least the ones that need to be) and even the ones that might not do that much are either cool or just hot.

The actual shokugeki though are the high points and each one is a battle of wits and oneupmanship. It helps that the shokugeki has a wager on them raising the stakes, sometimes where it's the point of no return (although one might argue this kind of takes away the tension of it makes it to obvious). But that's a relatively minor issue.

Food Wars is a great series and season 3 is coming in the Fall. 100% recommended for just about anyone.

36. Yuru Yuri (S2+3)
https://myanimelist.net/anime/12403/Yuru_Yuri%E2%99%AA%E2%99%AA

Yuru Yuri (or easy going yuri) is a slice of life comedy series about of group of middle school girls. If the title didn't give it away the show has a lot of Yuri understones (which get stronger later on but remains basically family friendly). The show focuses more on the friendship of the girls and their funny antics and just being cute overall.

S2 (and 1) were done by who might be the new king of moe slice of life comedy, Dogo Kobo. Season 3 is done by TYO Animations. There is a distinct difference in the two seasons in direction and style. Dogo Kobo's is easily the funnier of the set with more running gags and more general moeness. TYO's version approaches it from a more endearing standpoint wanting you to have more of a "warm" feeling with their character interactions versus being more strictly a comedy.

As for the cast first there is KYOUKO TOSHINOU. If there was a "leader" it would be her. She's energetic and basically always fun. There's Akari, who I almost forgot about, Yui the cool one, and Chinatsu the girl who is... kinda there but also leads to some of the funniest moments. There's a decent side cast with each girl having their own gimmick. The best one is obviously Ayano screaming Kyouko's name whenever she enters a room. Also, Kyouko's favorite ice cream is rum raisin.

Since it's a slice of life there's no story beyond how they got the club started. The comedy is more balanced so it doesn't have like the killer scenes like a nichijou but the cast just has an extreme level of likability. Both season are great and despite their differences people who liked the first two should like the third.
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KokoroAkechi posted...

Food Wars is a great series and season 3 is coming in the Fall. 100% recommended for just about anyone.

No Risa Taneda is a tragedy
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no update tonight
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BK_Sheikah00 posted...

KokoroAkechi posted...

Food Wars is a great series and season 3 is coming in the Fall. 100% recommended for just about anyone.

No Risa Taneda is a tragedy

gonna be Erina's time to shine too

literally the saddest thing ever
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Updates in a little bit
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