Board 8 > Robazoid Ranks 275 Anime and Top 100 Anime Characters 3 (The Top 60)

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11. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai
https://myanimelist.net/anime/37450/Seishun_Buta_Yarou_wa_Bunny_Girl_Senpai_no_Yume_wo_Minai
Fall 2018 (13 episodes) plus 1 movie
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 8.26/10
Best Characters: Sakurajima Mai, Azusagawa Kaede

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmeBn8A6TuU
(I could only find the OP in 60 FPS, my apologies)

My Mai figure: https://imgur.com/aAq4lfu

Premise: A mysterious syndrome sometimes strikes adolescents, and Azusagawa Sakuta always seems to get swept up in it. One day he meets Sakurajima Mai, a former actress who most people are no longer noticing, not even when she stands right in front of them in a bunny girl outfit.

The Good: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai is a supernatural drama. The title makes it sound a lot worse than it is. I remember making fun of it before it started airing because it sounded like one of those raunchy comedies that always suck. Then it captivated me a few minutes into the first episode and never let go. The premise is that theres a mysterious affliction called adolescence syndrome (the Crunchyroll subtitles switch to puberty syndrome halfway through, but I prefer adolescence). It hits vulnerable people in different ways, starting with Mai. She used to be an actress until she quit right before high school. Her fame made it difficult for others to approach her, and soon she never interacted with anyone and it was like she was invisible. Adolescence syndrome is making that lonely high school atmosphere into a reality, and more and more people are unable to notice her at all. She meets Sakuta when shes out one day in a sexy bunny girl outfit, which she only wears because itll surely get a reaction if anyone can see her. Sakuta, having encountered adolescence syndrome once before, decides to help Mai figure out how to get past it.

Rascal is similar to the anime Monogatari in a lot of ways. They both have short arcs where the hero encounters a girl who has a unique supernatural problem and he helps her out. However, Rascal is a lot less stylish and a lot more grounded. Unlike Araragi from Monogatari, Sakuta is also thankfully not one of the worst characters ever. He has wit and confidence, and a personality that creates a fun dynamic with almost anyone he meets. His chemistry with Mai in particular is off the charts, but I liked his relationship with each of the girls. Still, for me at least, Sakuta was just the solid foundation supporting the main focus of the show. Each of the arcs explored an adolescent problem in a creative and compelling way. Each of the girls were great characters, and I always sympathized with whatever they were going through. The stories were dramatic without ever becoming melodramatic, and there were lots of fun scenes or great character interactions.

The Bad: I cant think of any big negatives. I guess its lame that the sequel movie still isnt streaming anywhere. I watched it in theaters in 2019 (it was the last time I was in a theater, in fact) but Im sad I couldnt rewatch it for this ranking.

Overall: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai was such a wonderful surprise when it first aired. That first arc with Sakuta and Mai made me care about both of them and their problems very quickly. The rest of the anime was very well put together as well. I liked eachtof the girls and all of their arcs dealing with adolescence syndrome.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/1/AAcDcBAAD60D.png

CHARACTER: Azusagawa Kaede (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai)
https://myanimelist.net/character/151021/Kaede_Azusagawa
Voiced by: Kubo Yurika
TOP 100 RANK: 54th

SPOILERS FOR RASCAL DOES NOT DREAM OF BUNNY-GIRL SENPAI

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYspHQaneLc

Early on in this anime, I noticed the similarities to Monogatari. I liked that other anime well enough, but it had a few significant problems. I was on guard while watching this because I wasnt sure how far those similarities would go. Kaede, being clingy with her brother to the point of sometimes crawling into his bed, set off alarm bells early on. Please dont be like Araragi was with his sisters, I thought. Thankfully, Rascal knew better than to go down that route. Kaede has a surprisingly compelling reason for acting how she does. Getting to know her better turned her into one of my favorite anime characters.

Throughout the anime, we learn Kaede's backstory. She was bullied so badly that adolescence syndrome kicked in. Her affliction took self-harm to a new level as cuts and bruises spontaneously appeared on her body. It even sliced Sakuta's torso with something that looked like claw marks. It got so bad that, finally, Kaede cut herself off from her body. It was essentially amnesia, and the new Kaede had none of the old ones memories. Everyone looked at her like she was broken, like they all wanted her to turn back into someone else. Sakuta was the first one to realize this new Kaede was her own person, and she latched onto him hard after that. She then spent all of her time cooped up in their apartment. Knowing all of that, it makes sense why Kaede acts how she does. Shes a whole new person who doesnt know much about the world. Sakuta is all she really has, so Kaede strives to be the best little sister she can be. It sometimes verges on clingy or inappropriate, but I liked how Sakuta understood why she was like this. He was endlessly protective and supportive.

Even though Mai is a better character, I think Kaede's arc might be my favorite in the show. Its all about her realizing that she cant hide away forever. Inspired by all the other girls shes seen Sakuta help, Kaede makes a list of goals and begins working through them. Its cute watching her accomplish things like going outside, going to the beach, and so on. The more that Kaede manages to do, however, the more it looks like her old personality is resurfacing. Sakuta is afraid to lose the new little sister hes gotten so close to, but he hides that sadness in order to make her last dsys as good as possible. They go see pandas at the zoo, and even visit her school at night. That was the last item on her list. The next morning, the new Kaede is gone and the old one returns with none of her memories. Almost everyone is happy shes back to normal, including Sakuta. He just also feels the pain of having lost her other self. The video I linked is him listening to Kaede's diary, which was a really emotional scene. It shows how much she loved him and appreciated everything he did for her. Sakuta is still sad, but he knows hell have to move on and begin getting to know his old little sister again. Kaede's arc had a lot of things I always enjoy, like amnesia which let me compare and contrast her two distinct personalities. The bittersweet conclusion also really got to me.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/2/AAcDcBAAD60E.png

CHARACTER: Sakurajima Mai (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai)
https://myanimelist.net/character/118739/Mai_Sakurajima
Voiced by: Seto Asami
TOP 100 RANK: 14th

SPOILERS FOR RASCAL DOES NOT DREAM OF BUNNY-GIRL SENPAI

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXL7OS-eGgg

Unlike the long video for Kaede, the video I linked for Mai is short. Her arc had wonderful moments too, which Ill cover soon, but my favorite thing about Mai is all the little things. Her chemistry with Sakuta is amazing. Theyre both confident people, and they enjoy a certain style of banter and teasing. Then, every so often, one of them manages to make the other get flustered and blush. When it happens to Mai, its always super cute. During the time loop arc, the first time Sakuta asked Mai out was my favorite one. I liked the way she tried to hide behind her script so he wouldnt see her blush when she agreed to date him. The final ask-out was good too, though. The way Mai kissed his cheek was great. Those two are perfect together, and I like how supportive Sakuta is of her acting dreams.

Mai's adolescence syndrome arc is my second-favorite one after Kaede's. Seeing how she dealt with slowly disappearing from everyones perception hooked me right away. Mai tried to play it cool, but the ease with which she accepted Sakuta's help showed that she was worried about it. It clearly hurt when she couldnt even buy food for herself. There were also great moments like when they were in the hotel together and Mai suggested sharing a kiss so Sakuta wouldnt forget her. Once its clear that shell soon fade from his awareness as well, however, Mai accepts it rather than let him kill himself trying to stay awake. He thankfully manages to remember her, which is followed by the public confession scene that was simultaneously embarrassing and awesome. After something like that, no one is able to forget Mai!

After her one big arc, I loved how naturally Mai transitioned into a great support character. She was always quick to believe whatever weirdness Sakuta was dealing with, and she trusted him without being stupid about it. When Futaba needed to stay over, even though she knew nothing would happen, Mai stayed over as well just to guarantee there wouldnt be any dumb drama. When the older Shoko, Sakuta's first crush, left a letter asking to meet him, Mai admitted she was curious about the mysterious girl as well and let him go. I also liked how Mai reacted at the end of Kaede's arc when she realized it had been Shoko, rather than her, who helped him get through the pain. Logically, Mai knows its wrong to be upset, but emotionally I get why it would hurt that another girl was the one to be there for him. Most importantly, they quickly talk it through and make up. Sakuta and Mai are both just such mature people. I enjoyed their relationship a lot, especially the cute little moments like when she admitted that she loved him more than he realizes. I remember her having some epic moments in the movie too, but I couldnt rewatch it and I dont remember it well enough to really talk about it.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
10: This anime is an invader trying to conquer humanity.
C45: This character will die if they take their hat off.
9: This anime is going to sleep outdoors.
C56: This character just wants to be left alone.
C24: This character loves to eat.

Were done the 9/10 Amazing Tier. All that remains are the ten anime in the 10/10 Perfect Tier. As always, thanks for following along, everyone! Remember to give me a recommendation too, if you havent yet (or you can wait until after the top ten if you want)

Rascal is a great monogatari-lite

Araragi better but sakuta is good too

10/10 PERFECT TIER

10. Squid Girl
https://myanimelist.net/anime/8557/Shinryaku_Ika_Musume
Fall 2010 (12 episodes), Fall 2011 (12 episodes) plus 2 OVAs
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 7.42/10 S1, 7.47/10 S2
Best Character: Squid Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR64Xn5syrw

My Squid Girl figure: https://imgur.com/AxHOnNq

Premise: Angry at humanity for polluting the ocean, a creature named Squid Girl begins an invasion of the surface. She gets stopped right away at a beach restaurant called Lemon House, and Squid Girl is forced to begin working there!

The Good: Squid Girl is a comedy about an anthropomorphic squid who tries to invade humanity. She has a lot of squid abilities, including tentacle hair which can stretch long distances and pick things up. Despite that, Squid Girl loses at literally the first place she attacks. After breaking a wall at Lemon House, she's forced to start working there to pay for fixing the damages. There are a lot of quirky characters who round out the cast. The main ones are the Aizawa family who own Lemon House. Eiko is the middle sister who is often exasperated by Squid Girl's antics, younger brother Takeru thinks she's fun, and older sister Chizuru is nice and friendly but is terrifyingly strong. There's also a dedicated lifeguard named Goro, a friend of Eiko's named Sanae with a perverted crush on Squid Girl, a group of American scientists who think Squid Girl is an alien and want to study her, and so on.

I really loved Squid Girl. Each episode is split into three comedy segments. While some were certainly better than others, I didn't think any were outright bad on my recent rewatch. Squid Girl herself is a fun character. She's always looking for opportunities to invade humanity even though it's clear she can't dominate anyone. She has a great dynamic with everyone in the cast, and I liked watching them all grow closer. A lot of the jokes in this made me laugh out loud, too. If you have any affection for lame puns, this is the anime for you! In the Japanese audio, Squid Girl ends most of her sentences with 'de geso' (basically she's saying 'tentacles' in the same way a cat girl has random 'nyas' in their sentences). The subtitles get really creative with this and include as many squidding tenta-cool inkcredible puns as they possibly can. It's great. Squid Girl isn't exactly for children, MAL says it's rated PG-13, but it has the charming feeling of an old Saturday morning cartoon. Watching Squid Girl always made me laugh and feel happy.

The Bad: The only bad thing I can think of is that there was never a full third season. I wanted more Squid Girl adventures!

Overall: Squid Girl is my favorite anime that is purely a comedy. Each episode has three segments, and I found almost all of them hilarious and enjoyable. Squid Girl herself is always a lot of fun. She has neat abilities and plays off everyone in the cast in different ways.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/1/7/AAcDcBAAD7AV.jpg

CHARACTER: Squid Girl (Squid Girl)
https://myanimelist.net/character/20512/Ika_Musume
Voiced by: Kanemoto Hisako
TOP 100 RANK: 46th

SPOILERS FOR SQUID GIRL

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSxVWzFNM0w
(From the first episode)

Squid Girl isn't the most complex character, but she was always lots of fun. She bursts out of the ocean planning to conquer all of humanity in a month or so. When asked how many humans she thinks there are, Squiddie guesses a few thousand. Not that it matters much when one of the first people she encounters is the superhuman Chizuru. Squid Girl starts working at Lemon House after that. She never loses her invader attitude, but the only thing she ever successfully invades is the hearts of her friends.

I enjoyed all the different ways people reacted to Squid Girl. Sanae was obsessed with her, as was Cindy and her scientist cronies because they all really wanted to study an alien. Kids like Takeru and his friends thought she was fun to play with, mostly because Squid Girl's mentality was pretty childlike too. Nagisa was afraid of her, and it was cute how much Squid Girl loved having someone treat her like a serious threat. Her most important friendship is still easily with Eiko. As much as they sometimes annoy one another, whenever it gets down to it, it's clear they both care deeply about each other. I liked the one segment in the OVA episode that was just them playing the crappy games the MIT scientists made.

Squid Girl doesn't know much about the surface world, and it leads to lots of great jokes. She's like a kid a lot of the time in the way she doesn't understand everything or when she sees something cool and wants her own right away. Just a few random examples off the top of my head, it was funny how she was terrified of inflatable orca whale floaties because she thinks they're real and they're her natural predator. It was cute how she wanted her own kiddie pool even though they live right on the beach. Squid Girl played on the teacup ride at the amusement park for ten hours straight and had an absolute blast the whole time. I also love her way of speaking, full of fun squid puns. Like I said at the end of the anime write-up, Squid Girl always made me laugh and feel happy.

Squid Girl being bullied too much made me sad. I wish there were more times when she won. I didn't like Chizuru that much either. Squid Girl herself was fun though.

I thought it was fun seeing Squid Girl lose or get bullied. She had funny reactions whenever things didn't go her way, plus she had too much of an ego to let anything get her down for long.

Squid Girl was a fun show but I'd put it pretty squarely in the realm of middle-of-the-road comedy.

Bunny Girl Senpai was pretty good. I think sometimes it leaned a bit too much into the supernatural stuff in ways that didn't help it, but still probably in my top 25% or so of shows.

NOTE: The movie for this came out on Crunchyroll literally yesterday. Ive already watched it, but I wont talk about anything from it in the character write-ups because one day is a bit soon to expect people to have seen it

9. Laid-Back Camp
https://myanimelist.net/anime/34798/Yuru_Camp%E2%96%B3
Winter 2018 (12 episodes), Winter 2021 (13 episodes) plus one movie
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 8.27/10 S1, 8.53/10 S2
Best Characters: Kagamihara Nadeshiko, Shima Rin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-EwChG1WTA

My Rin and Nadeshiko figures: https://imgur.com/9UXcgji

Premise: Shima Rin enjoys going camping, and she often heads out on solo trips during the winter. Then one night she helps a stranded girl named Kagamihara Nadeshiko, and their encounter awakens a love of camping in her as well.

The Good: Laid-Back Camp is a relaxing slice-of-life about camping. There are five main girls. The first is Rin, an introverted solo-camper who spends most of winter riding on her motor scooter to different campsites. She helps out the energetic Nadeshiko one night, which leads her to embrace the fun of camping too. Nadeshiko joins the schools camping club, meeting Chiaki and Aoi. Rin's friend Ena also sometimes joins them with her adorable dog Chikuwa. All of them have fun personalities and good dynamics with each other.

The best thing about Laid-Back Camp is that it has the perfect relaxing atmosphere. Theres never any real conflict or drama. Its just calming auras while watching these girls live their lives and go camping. Watching this anime is like snuggling up under a warm blanket. I wouldnt call it a comedy, but it has some amazing jokes. I usually hate food porn, but watching these girls cook and enjoy delicious meals on their trips was always nice. There are also educational bits where they teach the viewer about things like how best to start a fire, and those contribute to the laid-back atmosphere too. The art style makes everything look really pretty. Im one of the least outdoorsy people imaginable, and this anime still made camping look like a fun time.

The Bad: Laid-Back Camp is flawless, at least at being the kind of anime it sets out to be. Anyone looking for a compelling plot or deep character development wont find it here. If you want good vibes, though, I cant think of anything better.

Overall: Laid-Back Camp is my favorite relaxing anime. The five cute girls always create the perfect atmosphere on their camping trips. Watching them visit beautiful wilderness locations, set up their gear, and then hang out while eating delicious food was mesmerizing. It also managed to have some poignant moments too, mostly about the importance of appreciating things and enjoying life. If someone is having a bad day, this is the perfect anime to cheer up with.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/2/0/AAcDcBAAD7B8.png

CHARACTER: Shima Rin (Laid-Back Camp)
https://myanimelist.net/character/152119/Rin_Shima
Voiced by: Touyama Nao
TOP 100 RANK: 57th

SPOILERS FOR LAID-BACK CAMP

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpbhgAZeVcM

I dont like her as much as the energetic Nadeshiko, but Rin is still a great character. Shes a good example of an introvert who isnt shy and doesnt hate other people. She just usually prefers to be on her own. Using her trusty motor scooter and camping gear given to her by her grandfather, Rin takes a lot of joy in visiting winter campsites. She sets up her tent and chair, builds a fire, and then kicks back and reads a book. It all feels so ritualistic and calming. Rin is quiet, but shes still a nice girl. When Nadeshiko is stranded and needs help, Rin gives her food and helps her contact home without any trouble. They even enjoy the beautiful nighttime view of Mt. Fuji together.

Nadeshiko is overjoyed later when she learns Rin goes to the same school as her. Rin, however, is wary of joining her in the camping club. A few hours is one thing, but Rin treasures her solo camping trips too much to give them up. I really like how the other characters approach this. They dont think Rin is being rude, and her introvertedness isnt treated like a problem that needs to be fixed. They all understand that Rin just likes her alone time. Still, she could stand to open up a little, so Ena tells Nadeshiko where Rin is camping so she can stop by and repay her for the help the other day.

After that, Rin slowly opens up to the idea of camping with other people. The video I linked is a beautiful moment between her and Nadeshiko. Theyre camping in different places, but they share photos and its like theyre closer than ever. Finally, Rin agrees to go camping with everyone, and she has a good time! She still has time to herself, like in the second season when she rode by herself rather than driving with everyone. Rin is still very much a solo camper. She just learns to appreciate spending time with other people as well.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/2/1/AAcDcBAAD7B9.jpg

CHARACTER: Kagamihara Nadeshiko (Laid-Back Camp)
https://myanimelist.net/character/152120/Nadeshiko_Kagamihara
Voiced by: Hanamori Yumiri
TOP 100 RANK: 24th

SPOILERS FOR LAID-BACK CAMP

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4W_avZNUZE

I picked that video for Nadeshiko because it shows her being a good cook and super comfy. Both of those are important elements of Laid-Back Camps charm. There were a lot of other moments I considered, though! Her awe when she first sees Mt. Fuji. Her joy when she realizes Rin goes to the same school, followed by sprinting straight into a window. The way she accepts that Rin wants alone time, but still reaches out to her to grow closer like in the video I linked for Rin. All of that is great.

Nadeshiko, more than anyone, epitomizes the comfy vibes that make Laid-Back Camp so great. Shes always ready to help cook and enjoy a delicious meal. She was a founding member of secret society BLANKET, which is spreading its influence as we speak. Nadeshiko is just so kind, friendly, and enthusiastic about camping. It was nice watching her no matter what she was doing. I mean, this is a girl who gets hyped over buying her own cute little gas lantern. How can you not love her?

I also like her relationship with her big sister. Sakura often drove Nadeshiko around, and she even had a rough night sleeping in a car just to give her little sister her first camping trip. Theres a nice moment in the second season where Nadeshiko does something nice in return. With her first paycheck from her part-time job, she buys Sakura some reusable hand warmers that she likes. Its clear how touched Sakura was by this, especially since Nadeshiko had been talking nonstop about all the expensive camping gear she needed to buy. She still did something nice for her big sister. I thought that was really sweet.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
8: This anime is running away to a new country.
C5: This character has cut most of their hair off.
7: This anime is being sent to a fortress in a small town.
C38: This character wants to learn how to play music.

EDIT: There must be some error in the character numbers because I said Rin would be 56 in the hint yesterday but she's 57 in the write-up. I'm not sure at the moment which is right, but I'll figure it out when I get home. I'm guessing no one cares about their exact number other than me, though! EDIT 2: Squid Girl is one off too, oh no!

Yuru Camp's great. Need to watch the movie, and looking forward to S3. Your top 10 is I think mostly things I haven't seen, but that one I get.

Yuru Camp definitely great. Rin #1.

8. Snow White with the Red Hair
https://myanimelist.net/anime/30123/Akagami_no_Shirayuki-hime
Summer 2015 (12 episodes), Winter 2016 (12 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 7.76/10 S1, 7.98/10 S2
Best Character: Shirayuki

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjtTsCCTZUY

Premise: Shirayuki flees after her countrys prince tries to make her his concubine. Thanks to a chance encounter with another prince from the neighboring country of Clarines, Shirayuki moves there and begins working towards becoming a court herbalist.

The Good: Snow White with the Red Hair is a drama/romance anime. The two main characters are Shirayuki, a red-haired girl with training as an herbalist, and Prince Zen, the second son of the king of Clarines. Theres a huge gap in their social standing, but they meet after a chance encounter. From that point on, the two are drawn to each other.

There are a lot of reasons why I love this anime. I always find things like collecting herbs and using them to make medicines interesting. The setting is also really refreshing. Its a medieval world that isnt based on our own, but theres no fantasy or magic. Still, the best thing is the two main characters and the blossoming romance between them. Shirayuki is just so cheerful and proactive that shes always fun to watch. Even when she gets into trouble, she does her best to solve it herself. She also refuses to use her connection to Zen for any unfair advantage, preferring to forge her own path by using her skills to become a court herbalist. Zen is great too. He isnt just some hunky dude for the main girl to swoon over. He works hard to be the best prince possible. Its great watching Shirayuki and Zen support each other, and lots of moments between them are super cute. I like the side characters like Obi too, but these two are the main draw.

The Bad: Ive said this before in the top ten, but Im sad this never got another season. Its a good sign when the worst thing I can say about an anime is that I wanted more of it! At least Snow White with the Red Hair still ended at a good point, not a dumb cliffhanger or something.

Overall: Snow White with the Red Hair is my favorite romance anime. Thats a genre which is fraught with stupidity like harems or fanservice or melodrama that could easily be resolved if the characters just talked to each other. This doesnt have any of that, and its such a pleasant story by comparison. It has a lot of arcs that are great on their own, but it also builds a wonderful overall story with the politics of the kingdom and the relationship between Shirakyui and Zen.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/1/3/AABz_zAAD7OV.jpg

CHARACTER: Shirayuki (Snow White with the Red Hair)
https://myanimelist.net/character/18323/Shirayuki
Voiced by: Hayami Saori
TOP 100 RANK: 5th

SPOILERS FOR SNOW WHITE WITH THE RED HAIR

(I couldnt find a good video for her)

Shirayuki is one of my favorite anime characters. Im a big fan of herbalists, for one thing. Everything involved in growing plants or searching for ingredients or figuring out their properties and using them to make potions or medicines, all of that stuff is captivating for me. Being an herbalist isnt the focus of the anime, sadly, but there are still lots of great moments where Shirayuki uses her skills. I loved her court herbalist exam where she realized the water was tainted. Then she went above and beyond to replant the entire garden, which even shocked the people running the test because she wouldve passed just by noticing the issue and making a note of it. I also really loved small arcs like the one where she realized a mysterious illness at an outpost was caused by the poisoned wood they were burning. Shirayuki is such a driven and intelligent person, it was great seeing her skills at work.

Her romance with Zen is still the most important part of the show, and I adore that too. I like that it avoids all the usual pitfalls of a crappy anime romance. They dont fall madly in love right away. They catch each others eyes when they first meet, sure, but it takes a lot of interactions beyond that before its clear theyve fallen for each other. Zen is a prince and Shirayuki is far below him in social status. This is a realistic problem, and both of them acknowledge it. However, I love how this is never a big source of drama. Zen is steadfast in his desire to be with Shirayuki, so there are no love rivals on either end, and no one gets far when trying to drive them apart. They have such a healthy respect for each other. Its one of the best romances Ive seen.

Im sad this never got another season because I know the source material is still going. Still, it picked a great moment to end on. Shirayuki managed to befriend the prince from her own country, the one who forced her to flee in the first place, and she gained something like a royal title because of it, which narrowed the gap in social status. Zen is also working hard to convince his brother that hes serious about wanting to be with her. The two still had a long way to go, but it was clear they were on the right track and will get there eventually. Im not ashamed to admit that the kiss they shared at the end of the second season (plus all of the earlier kisses) made me giddy. I love Shirayuki as a character a lot, and her and Zen have the perfect romance.

Snow White with the Red Hair is pretty good, but I find some of the later politicking a bit dull. And I can't help thinking of it as boring Yona.

I agree on liking Yona a lot more but I felt they were relatively different shows. Yona was a lot more on the action-adventure side of the spectrum whereas Snow White with the Red Hair was more slice-of-life in a fantasy setting.

This top 10 so far has been a lot of shows where I was just like "this is fine", and the #7 is looking to mostly continue that trend assuming it's Sound of the Sky, though that one I like noticeably more than Snow White or Squid Girl. (Haven't seen Yuru Camp yet)

Yeah, other than the two shows having fantasy-ish settings, protagonists with red hair, and romance, I didn't think Yona and Snow White were all that similar. I just really hated how unfinished Yona felt, Snow White at least ended at a solid point so it didn't feel like a prologue.

Anyway, I apologize for being so late with the second write-up today! It might get posted pretty late, but I promise it will come.

Red Hair Snow White is definitely great, but I thought the ending was the weakest part. Definitely worse than Yona's.

7. Sound of the Sky
https://myanimelist.net/anime/6802/So_Ra_No_Wo_To
Winter 2010 (12 episodes) plus 2 OVAs
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 7.54/10
Best Character: Sorami Kanata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9agkY8NLiic

Premise: A young girl named Sorami Kanata joined the army to learn how to play the bugle. Shes sent to a fortress in the border town of Seize and begins training under Kazumiya Rio.

The Good: Sound of the Sky mixes a few genres. Ill call it a cute girls slice-of-life military post-apocalyptic drama. Kanata joins the army and is sent to a small unit guarding a border town. Led by the extremely lax Filicia, they dont follow military protocol there. Other than a few odd jobs around their fortress or in town, the only duty they really have is to play the bugle every morning at dawn to wake the town up. Kanata always dreamed of learning music, and shes ecstatic to be taught by the talented Rio. The other characters are Noel, a quiet mechanic who often works on their broken spider tank, and Kureha, a girl who just wants their unit to be taken seriously.

I mentioned several genres at the start of this section. Sound of the Sky really does go through all of them. The world has undergone a few horrific events for reasons that are mostly lost to time. The result is a setting filled with conflicting myths and hints of things from the past. In the first episode, Kanata fell into a lake and saw the fossilized skeleton of a giant winged creature. It was that moment where I realized this was going to be a special show. A lot of it is cute girls slice-of-life where they hang out or do minor duties, which was a lot of fun. Then there were other times where things got serious, and I thought it nailed that tone as well. Basically, Sound of the Sky had a lot of different moods and did a lot of different things, and somehow every single one of them appealed to me.

The Bad: This is yet another anime that I consider flawless. It has two special episodes that fit into the middle of the series, and both of those were really good. I guess the biggest flaw is that there werent even more special episodes, because clearly there was room for them!

Overall: Sound of the Sky is, notably, not my favorite anime classified as cute girls fun except with deeper themes. Theres more than one of those in my top ten. Its probably my favorite combination of genres. The slice-of-life antics are funny and carefree, and the more serious bits give it all so much more weight than there is in a typical cute girls show. I liked all the characters and everything they went through, but Kanata was easily my favorite.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/8/9/AABz_zAAD7Sp.jpg

CHARACTER: Sorami Kanata (Sound of the Sky)
https://myanimelist.net/character/24488/Kanata_Sorami
Voiced by: Kanemoto Hisako
TOP 100 RANK: 38th

SPOILERS FOR SOUND OF THE SKY

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjaqjIAh6Bk

Much like Sound of the Sky itself, there are two sides to Kanata. Day to day, shes a friendly and energetic girl. She fits right into the lax military unit, and she gets along with everyone once she gets to know them. Shes closest to Rio because shes her bugle instructor, though, and Kanata admires her skill. Theres also a connection neither of them knows about. When she was a child, Kanata met a beautiful soldier who played the bugle for her. It was a small moment, just to cheer up a kid in a ruined town, but it stuck with Kanata and was the reason she wanted to learn music.

She didnt know at the time that this was Rios sister, or that she was a princess, or even that the woman died a short while later. All of this is a good example of the contrasting tone I loved from Sound of the Sky. There are beautiful moments. There are connections between people like Rio teaching Kanata. Sadly, theres also always tragedy and signs of the degrading world lurking at the edges. To me, the fact that these girls can still find happy moments together, even with the world as broken as it is, makes those bright moments feel so much more meaningful.

The video I linked is from near the end of the anime. Two opposing sides have been led into war by power-hungry generals who think one last fight will bring their side to victory. The girls, knowing that all this death is meaningless, throw themselves into the middle to try and stop it. Their one spider tank wont do much on its own, though. So, Kanata climbs out and plays Amazing Grace. Its just enough to make everyone pause, and then Rio arrives with orders to cease the assault. Even on a dying world, amidst warmongers and hatred, a beautiful song is enough to catch everyones attention. Its enough to avert disaster. The world might be beyond saving, given that deserts are expanding and no one knows if the damage can be reversed. Still, none of the girls are giving into despair. Theyre going to keep living their lives and doing their best. I just really loved the themes of Sound of the Sky, and Kanata represented a lot of them.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
6: This anime is going to go back to the start and try again.
C66: This character has a perfect memory.
C11: This character knew from the beginning that they would rank at this spot.

I apologize again for posting the second write-up so late. It was a busy Saturday for me. Only one anime tomorrow, and then we'll be into the top five! The last two character anime will be #1 on Wednesday. 2-5 all have one character each.

Sound of the Sky is one of the earliest anime I remember being hyped up for. I'm often a fan of anime that cross slice of life with something unusual (Manabi Straight, Kamichu, etc.), and this seemed like a good example of that. Didn't really work out for me though. Wasn't a fan of the cast, and the music elements were poorly done.

6. Sagrada Reset
https://myanimelist.net/anime/34102/Sakurada_Reset
Spring 2017 (24 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 7.34/10
Best Characters: Souma Sumire, Asai Kei

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_hDrwm_km4

Premise: Most people in the town of Sakurada have strange powers. Asai Kei possesses a perfect memory, and he teams up with Haruki Misora, a girl who can reset the world to an earlier time. Only Keis memory is unaffected, so together they try to solve problems and avert tragedies.

The Good: Sagrada Reset is a supernatural mystery anime. I love how this anime sets things up using a creative mix of different powers. The main duo is an interesting team, too. Haruki has the power to essentially create save states and then reset to that moment. The drawbacks are that she can only have one save, she can only reset back to each save once, and t erases her memory as well. Kei, meanwhile, has a relatively basic ability compared to the zany powers throughout Sakurada. He has a perfect memory. Thankfully, he can also recall things from before the reset. The two of them would be weak on their own, but together theyre a formidable force.

There are multiple arcs where Kei and Haruki are asked to resolve a problem. These situations inevitably have a lot more going on than it would at first seem, and they need to find a way through using whatever powers they have. For example, one of their friends can send telepathic messages to anyone at any time. Another can temporarily transfer powers between people. One girl can talk to cats in her dreams. Kei must take whatever allies he has, plus Harukis limited resets, and find a way to solve problems that quite often could have deadly consequences.

Im a big fan of these multi-layered mysteries. I mean, sometimes there are a half-dozen different powers weaving together and its just mesmerizing to watch it all play out. Still, they wouldnt mean much without good characters. Luckily, Sagrada Reset has several of those too. I imagine Haruki might be too emotionless for a lot of people, but I really loved her and her relationship with Kei. As for him, he was a solid protagonist with good morals and brilliant creativity when it came to chaining powers together. Still, my favorite character is their friend Sumire, the girl who seems to know everything. All three of them had impressive character arcs, but hers was the one that resonated with me most strongly, as Ill talk about in her write-up.

The Bad: Let me preface this by saying, none of this bothered me personally. I thought Sagrada Reset was fascinating from beginning to end. Im just sure that some people are imagining flashy DBZ superpowers, and this simply isnt that kind of show. This is a very talky anime. There are lots of long conversations where the characters debate morality and philosophy. The characters usually dont show much emotion, either. That doesnt mean they dont have them. Sumire, Kei, and Haruki all undergo incredible emotional arcs. Theyre all just very quiet, reserved people who are usually focused on the matter at hand. Again, this didnt bother me, but I dont need to look very hard to find reviews complaining that everyone in this is boring. If I convince anyone to watch this (and I really hope I do), I just wanted to point out potential shortcomings so you can go in with the right expectations. It was still one hell of a ride.

Overall: Sagrada Reset is my favorite mystery anime. There are things that might bother other people, such as the reserved characters or the lack of flashy battles. For me, I fell in love with everything about this. People who at first seemed emotionless wound up having some of the most emotional depth Ive ever seen. A confrontation where people have a simple conversation might not seem exciting, but the way the unique powers interacted with each other always kept me invested. This also has a time travel element, and Kei needs to be very careful due to the limitations of Harukis resets. I adore how the mysteries never rely on hidden information or dumb twists. Its all about taking the tools available and using them in the right ways, and I found it enrapturing to watch it all play out.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/5/3/AABz_zAAD7Z5.png

CHARACTER: Asai Kei (Sagrada Reset)
https://myanimelist.net/character/146224/Kei_Asai
Voiced by: Ishikawa Kaito
TOP 100 RANK: 66th

SPOILERS FOR SAGRADA RESET

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHuwDYfE1qw

Kei has a perfect memory in every way. It can even survive Harukis resets, which was why Sumire introduced them to each other. They had a rocky start due to Harukis emotionlessness, but Kei quickly proved how her reset could help other people. Over the years, they grew very close. Sadly, it never turned romantic due to an early stumble. Haruki, who isnt exactly a pro at understanding feelings, mistook her initial affection for love. Kei decided to put this to the test by kissing her, and then resetting when she admitted it didnt make her happy. Wasting their reset for that had tragic consequences when they couldnt go back and stop Sumire from dying. The guilt of that mistake has haunted Kei for years and kept him from pursuing Haruki.

When certain powers came together to potentially revive Sumire, Kei leapt at the chance. The new Sumire, though now a few years younger than him, quickly re-established her place in his life. She often flirted with Kei, which bothered a jealous Haruki. I really liked how Kei always made his feelings clear, however. There was a scene where Sumire pointed out that his affection for Haruki could be a confused mix of different feelings. Kei pointed out that, if he could feel all of that for one person, that probably means he was in love with them.

The final arc really brought the relationship between Kei and Haruki together. Everything has gone wrong, and all hope seems lost. Sakurada has had all its supernatural powers sealed, which also erased peoples memories of them. Only Kei still recalls everything, but hes lost Harukis reset ability and he cant do anything on his own. He goes through a bit of soul searching. He looks at Sumire living a normal life and wonders if this is the way things are supposed to be. However, Kei decides he must return things to the way they were, and he also figures out how.

Using one of his trademark combinations of unique powers, Kei takes Haruki into a photograph of a frozen moment in time. Since powers still existed in that time, Harukis memories begin returning, resulting in a jumbled mess that leaves her thoroughly confused. Kei doesnt have enough time to win her over with logic, so he appeals to emotion. He admits that he was never honest about his feelings for her. That he was too much of a coward to ever let anyone see his weaknesses, or to see him cry. But now he wants to go back, to get that big second chance, and to make that happen he begins crying in front of her. The video I linked shows those feelings reaching Haruki, and its a wonderful moment between them.

Once theyve reset to a few days ago, Kei is of course able to make it all work out. I love how the final confrontation with the big bad is them having a conversation in a car, its so different from how most shows would do it. That isnt the most epic part of the finale, however. Kei is ready to show Haruki everything, and that means coming clean about his mistake all those years ago. Thanks to their friend who can temporarily transfer powers, he gives Haruki his perfect memory and has her remember that day, and the kiss. Its such a sweet moment when she admits that her past self had lied. The old Haruki, who as I said wasnt an expert on feelings, had said it didnt make her happy. The current Haruki, having gone through some truly wonderful character development, admits that it had made her happy. Aww. I love everything about Kei and Haruki together, and I hope they continue being a team even after the story ends.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/5/4/AABz_zAAD7Z6.png

CHARACTER: Souma Sumire (Sagrada Reset)
https://myanimelist.net/character/146245/Sumire_Souma
Voiced by: Yuuki Aoi
TOP 100 RANK: 11th

SPOILERS FOR SAGRADA RESET

(I couldnt find a video for her, which is too bad because she has one really amazing scene that Id have loved to include)

Sumire is an enigma early on. She does weird things like introduce Kei and Haruki without being clear about her reasons. Soon after, she dies in a way that seems impossible. It mightve even been suicide, though Kei has trouble accepting that. In any case, the death of Sumire haunts him for years, and he leaps at the first opportunity he gets to bring her back. Thanks to a photograph taken by someone who can freeze time with his pictures, plus a creative mix of other powers, Sumire is pulled from the past and brought back from the dead.

The more I learned about her, the more compelling Sumire became. Her power is revealed. She can see the future of anyone she talks to, and its guaranteed to happen unless she herself takes action to change it. The old Sumire used this power to set up an incredibly long gambit. It was a plan that would unfold over years and take some impossible twists. The plan even required her to die, solely to circumvent a power that would compel her to tell the truth. She set things up so her revived other self could lie on a technicality, because they werent the ones who had set this all up. It was a flawless plan, and, in the end, it saved Sakurada. But it cost Sumire everything.

I loved the emotional arc Sumire went through after her revival. The new Sumire, though still supporting the plan of her past other self, came to loathe the role she had to play. Sumire loved Kei, after all, and one of the first steps of the plan was introducing him to Haruki, the girl who would inevitably steal him away. The new Sumire was plagued not just by thoughts about who she really was, but also by constant reminders that the guy she loved would never be hers, and it was all her past selfs fault. Sumires clone situation brought up a lot of great philosophical and moral questions, and the anime deeply explored every single one.

Even though it was her who set everything in motion, and even though it all went exactly as she planned, no one lost more than Sumire. I loved the fake date she set up with Kei, one where she could try one final time to win him over even though she knew it wouldnt work. Even though she knew it would end with her in tears. She still acted it all out, and it was heartbreaking. I love Kei and Haruki as a couple, but Sumire was the character I wound up having the deepest connection to. She really emphasized the dark side of being able to see the future.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
5: This anime is going to prison for hundreds of years.
C31: This character should have never picked up that coin.
4: This anime is being swallowed up by a shapeshifting, self-replicating monstrosity.
C3: This character has lost their entire family.

Oh Sagrada Reset is an anime that has been on my radar for a while. I've been looking for a new show to watch so maybe I'll try this one.

Hopefully it at least follows the trend of the rest of my top ten and you think "this is fine"! It's an anime I could see not appealing at all to some people, but I really loved it

Interesting skimming through this; currently Odd Taxi is your highest ranked anime that Ive seen (with HxH before that).

Robazoid posted...

It's an anime I could see not appealing at all to some people, but I really loved it

This was a weird show to try and scout out ahead of time because it's one of those shows where 1/3 of the reviews were "masterpiece" and 1/3 of them were "esoteric garbage". (At least 2 years ago this was the case I have no idea about now)

Also for what it's worth I think there is at least one show that will break the "this is fine" trend, because there's a show I liked a lot that I remember you watched which hasn't shown up yet unless my memory is awful.

I struggle to imagine loving an anime like Sagrada Reset based on how it's described, I like mysteries in general but I can easily see myself becoming bored. Maybe someday.

Based on your original listing I've read the manga for 3 of the 5 remaining series on your list (which, at least one of the others is an anime original) and I don't think those next two are any of those 3, so I guess I know the top 3.

Robazoid posted...

MAL Score: 7.34/10

Huh, I feel like this score was below 7 when it was airing.

guess i shouldn't be shocked but i haven't even heard of anything in the top ten so far

Yuru Camp and Sound of the Sky are on my list of things to watch, and I've heard of Squid Girl and Snow White with the Red Hair, but I've never heard of Sagrada Reset

5. Akudama Drive
https://myanimelist.net/anime/41433/Akudama_Drive
Fall 2020 (12 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 7.61/10
Best Character: Swindler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ8iRrphkQo

Premise: Set in a cyberpunk future, the city of Kansai has both technological wonders and criminals called akudama. One of the most dangerous, a mass murderer known as Cutthroat, is about to be executed. However, a mysterious benefactor has hired several other top akudama to rescue him, and an ordinary person gets swept up along with them.

The Good: Akudama Drive is a sci-fi action anime. The cyberpunk setting is wonderful. It's full of neon signs and futuristic splendor contrasted against the dark underbelly of society. This isn't just a standard sci-fi setting, however. The world had a lot of creative ideas and hinted at interesting lore as well. I loved learning everything about it. Still, the characters are the main draw in this anime. There are six akudama criminals, each with their own personality and special skills. There's a master hacker who can get into any system, a courier with a fancy bike, a brawler with super strength, and so on. I loved every single one if them. There were a lot of awesome fight scenes in this, but they were equally as entertaining when they were all just standing around bickering. Each of the akudama has a forceful personality, and they didn't always work well together.

Still, my favorite character was a woman who was a completely ordinary person. Circumstances put her in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she's confronted by the akudama crew. Her only way out is to pretend that she's an akudama too. She claims to be a master trickster named Swindler. Then she needs to keep up the act while under intense scrutiny and while being dragged along through seemingly impossible situations. She works great as audience avatar reacting to the insanity just like an ordinary person would. She also adds to the group dynamic surprisingly well. During her misadventures with these criminals, she gets to experience every aspect of society. The story goes to some genuinely compelling places. The themes are great too, examining things like oppression and authority. There's also wonderful action scenes, occasional gore, and a lot of fun moments to balance that darkness out and keep it from becoming too bleak. This show excelled at everything it did. It was all just so stylish and cool.

The Bad: There are no flaws. Akudama Drive isn't even an anime where I can say the generic "it's too bad there weren't more episodes or another season ". This is a self-contained story that doesn't need additional content, and more episodes might've screwed up the perfect pacing.

Overall: Akudama Drive is probably the anime in my top ten with the most mainstream appeal. If anyone following along with my ranking feels compelled to watch at least something, this is your best bet. The interesting characters, difficult situations, and intense action scenes coupled with an overall fun tone probably could've carried the anime on their own. The fact that Akudama Drive also has so much depth beyond that is what elevated it into my all-time favorites.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/5/0/AAcDcBAAD7n6.png

CHARACTER: Swindler (Akudama Drive)
https://myanimelist.net/character/179399/Ordinary_Person
Voiced by: Kurosawa Tomoyo
TOP 100 RANK: 31st

SPOILERS FOR AKUDAMA DRIVE

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zit7N-M9_gc

At the beginning of the story, this character really is an ordinary person. She works a regular job, then goes home to do it all over again the next day. That all changes when she has a chance encounter with the akudama called Courier. She gets arrested for a petty crime, and that puts her right in the path of the akudama crew breaking out Cutthroat. She pretends to be an akudama herself, claiming that, as the trickster Swindler, she even managed to erase all evidence of herself, and that's why none of them have heard of her. Their mysterious benefactor is happy to have another criminal on the team, and Cutthroat develops an uncomfortable obsession towards her and vows to protect her. Most of the others don't really care. Only Doctor doubts Swindler's story, which is enough to keep the ordinary person nervous.

This anime couldve easily been too dark to be enjoyable, especially with an innocent girl surrounded by dangerous killers. Thankfully, Swindler's situation is usually played for absurd comedy instead. I loved watching her string together dumb lies, and she was also fun in parallel with Hoodlum who was pretending to be a much more dangerous akudama than he really was. The group dynamic, action scenes, and hints of bigger things carried the show through the Shinkansen robbery. Then they rescued two mysteriously immortal artificial children, and the real depth of the plot began coming into focus. Swindler learned the truth about Kansai, as well as what the mythical Kanto actually was. She viewed these kids as a normal person would, too. Despite their powers or whatever sacrificial role they're expected to serve, they're still just kids. Swindler becomes genuinely invested in getting them to safety.

She started the story as an ordinary person, but I loved Swindler's believable transformation into the exact badass akudama she'd been pretending to be. She actually does swindle Kansai into chaos. Not once, but twice! She also manages to hold her own when the deranged Cutthroat finally snapped. Still, my absolute favorite moment in the anime is in the video I linked. It has such a spoilery title that I wasnt sure if I should link it even with the spoiler tag, but it's too good of a moment to pass up. Swindler finally embraced her accidental akudama identity, and then she got her own intro just like the others did way back at the start! It was so epic, and helped ease the sadness of what happened immediately after. Plus, Swindler won in the end. The kids get to safety and, with any luck, Kansai might start addressing its deeply rooted societal problems. Swindler's whole arc was just so fun and satisfying.

Need to watch that since it's on Crunchy now.

4. A.I.C.O.: Incarnation
https://myanimelist.net/anime/36039/AICO__Incarnation
Spring 2018 (12 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 6.54/10
Best Character: Tachibana Aiko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq9fFLVSroA

Premise: A self-replicating organism known as Matter has gone out of control and now threatens the world. Tachibana Aiko, a young woman who lost her family to the initial disaster, learns that shes the key to stopping it. However, thatll mean fighting their way back to the facility where it all began.

The Good: AICO is a sci-fi action anime, and everything about it seemed designed to appeal to me specifically. To start with, I love the Matter. Its basic form is a self-replicating mass of red ooze that's been snaking its way down what used to be a river. It possesses a kind of intelligence and is capable of shapeshifting into various dangerous, alien forms. The only real weapon against it are cartridges with a chemical mixture, but the Matter quickly mutates so different parts of it require different mixtures and nothing works for long. I love the battle scenes where the characters have to stay alive while trying to get a sample so they can mix the right bullets. It added a strategic element beyond "shoot the thing until it dies". Everyone had different roles, and where they were or how they covered each other really mattered. There's lots of pseudoscience behind the Matter, and learning all the layers of the disaster that spawned it was interesting. Still, the important thing is that no one has been able to stop it. All the dams along the river, which were converted into makeshift blockades, have been overrun and abandoned. Now only one final gate sits between it reaching the ocean, which, in theory, would mean the end of the world.

That's where a high-school girl named Aiko comes in. Her father worked at the facility where the Matter was created, and her whole family was there on that fateful day. Aiko was the only one who escaped, and she's still recuperating when a mysterious transfer student approaches her. He convinces her that she's the key to stopping the Matter. There are competing factions involved, including government agencies torn between studying the Matter or trying to destroy it with heavy ordinance. Aiko sides with a ragtag group of mercenaries who are willing to fight their way up the river. Aiko is one of the best anime characters ever, as I'll talk about more in her write-up. She approaches this strange situation in a realistic and compelling way. I liked all the other characters too, even if not all of them get much development. They all fulfill their roles. I even sympathized with the closest thing the story had to a human antagonist, which really sold the conflict. Beyond that, I also loved the story's pacing. Its so focused on a singular goal, and there are very few detours along the way. There are also some interesting themes about sense of self and ideas like the greater good.

The Bad: There are one or two nitpicks I could harp on (I'm not sure if they ever explain why they need to fight up the infested river, couldnt they just walk right to the facility from the other side?), but I love AICO and I refuse to let minor plot holes ruin it for me. The biggest problem was that it released with a terrible dub. Apparently it now has a new dub thats merely mediocre, I dunno, I only watched it subbed. Still, no matter where I looked when this was new, the awful dub was all anyone talked about and it felt like no one gave it a real chance. Now this wonderful anime has faded into obscurity. It won't appeal to everyone as much as it did to me, obviously, but it deserves so much more credit than it initially got.

Overall: AICO is my favorite action anime. It has one of the most perfect stories Ive ever seen. I love the awesome fight scenes and compelling character dynamics as Aiko and her guardians fight their way through the alien Matter, all while political and scientific figures are maneuvering behind the scenes. Theres hardly a wasted moment, and every aspect manages to come together for a satisfying conclusion.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/1/AAcDcBAAD7qR.jpg

CHARACTER: Tachibana Aiko (A.I.C.O.: Incarnation)
https://myanimelist.net/character/148848/Aiko_Tachibana
Voiced by: Shiraishi Haruka
TOP 100 RANK: 3rd

SPOILERS FOR A.I.C.O.: INCARNATION

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw4V7PBt4Xw

The story opens with Tachibana Aiko still confined in a wheelchair, slowly recovering from the tragedies that have defined her life. First, she lost her father and was seriously injured in a car accident. Then she lost her mother and brother in the Burst. I like how Aiko carries herself early on. She isnt constantly depressed. She has friends and hobbies like making paper airplanes. Its still a melancholy scene when she returns to her empty home for the first time and sees all those reminders of the loved ones who are now gone.

She soon learns the truth behind the Matter. The surgery after her car accident involved swapping her brain into an artificial body, and this was what triggered the Burst. I like how realistically Aiko takes all of this. Her first instinct is to run away, and even for much of the story after that shes wary of the mysterious transfer student who is her only source that any of this is true. Ultimately, the mysterious visions shes been getting seem to prove a connection to the Matter, and the hope that her mother and brother are still alive is too enticing for Aiko to ignore.

Even though shes essentially cargo for everyone else to deliver, I love how Aiko refuses to be dead weight during their journey. Shes always aware of the risk everyone else is taking, and she tries to help them however she can. Using her awareness of the Matters movements to provide support gives her a unique role. Theres also an awesome scene where her enhanced body lets her wield a rifle in each hand. Aiko can be a badass when she needs to be! Whenever they reached a checkpoint and shocked the Matter so they could have a brief reprieve, her connection to it made that agonizing for Aiko. I liked the strength she showed in bearing that pain and then pushing on.

All of that is great, but what really makes Aiko one of my favorite characters is how she reacts to the final plot twist. It turns out shes the artificial brain, not the human one. Shes the one who needs to die to stop the Matter. I love that Aiko isnt a self-sacrificing saint right away. Her first instinct is to panic and flee. Once shes had a heart-to-heart with her other self, though, Aiko is ready to die so that everyone else may live. And its this final choice that convinces everyone shes worthy of life after all, and they fight to make that possible. There's a bit of an ass-pull with that hamster thing remaking her body, but, oh well. It was still a great moment, and the themes of sacrifice and one's sense of self were compelling. One of my favorite things in fiction is comparing different sides of a character, and the real and artificial Aikos allowed for that.

The video I linked is just the ED. It doesn't seem especially meaningful, at least not until the very end once the viewer realizes what it means. It shows one Aiko on a hike back down the river, reconnecting with her past. The other is moving forward into a classroom, ready to live a life of their own. I love how the ED turned out to be an epilogue all along. AICO really was a beautiful story.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
3: The ranking is almost over, but first this anime will take one final look around.
C91: This character doesn't bother with carrying a weapon.
2: This anime isn't allowed to go outside.
C1: This character keeps everyone's spirits high.

You know, I kinda want to watch Akudama Drive again after reading those writeups. Good series.

Akudama Drive was the reason I was following this topic to see where it fell, glad it was ranked so high! I only dabbled in anime every now and then until this show, and it put me in a major anime kick. Been watching quite a bit of shows thanks to this topic, but I'll wait until the whole list is finished to talk about them. Got some recommendations that I'll list after this finishes as well

Akudama Drive very good stuff yeah. AICO was pretty alright with some good moments, but not that special. Too bad the Akudama team's next anime wasn't something anyone cared about.

Grey Goo: The Anime, eh... I may pick that up but will be sure to get the subbed version if so!

I can't believe we're so close to the end and we've run out of room for several legendary series to appear. Going to have to revisit your current new nomination list once everything's done to get something on there (other than Legend of the Galactic Heroes unless more users magically appear to nominate that!)

Also my challenge as late since I don't recognize any series from the hints is try to figure them out by googling, but the hints are vague enough that I've been stumped through the top 10. Even #3 and #2, I can't put my finger on either... hidden gem 1-cour series or more mainstream stuff I've forgotten about? To be determined, I guess!

I finished another recommendation today (Beastars) but I'll wait until Thursday before doing a write-up for it. I'm going to miss slowly typing out anime thoughts on my phone to kill time when things are quiet at work. I want to stretch these out as long as possible.

MartinFF7 posted...

I can't believe we're so close to the end and we've run out of room for several legendary series to appear.

There are definitely a lot of popular anime I haven't seen! Of the 60 anime in the last anime save-my, for instance, I've only seen 27 (or will see counting recommendations). There are a few really big names I was expecting people to recommend, but I don't know how many episodes they have or if they're streaming anywhere, so that might be why.

I think I'll give Akudama drive a try

3. Girls Last Tour
https://myanimelist.net/anime/35838/Shoujo_Shuumatsu_Ryokou
Fall 2017 (12 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 8.20/10
Best Character: Chito

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF5MKNwbRhg
(I think this has other scenes edited over parts of the OP, but it was the closest thing I could find)

Premise: Two young girls, Chito and Yuuri, are some of the last humans left after wars and other cataclysms led to a long decline. They ride through the ruins of a multilevel city, scavanging for supplies while wondering about the people who used to live there.

The Good: Girls' Last Tour is a post-apocalyptic slice-of-life. Chito and Yuuri wear military uniforms, ride around on an armored bike, and carry guns. However, this isn't remotely an action anime. It's a lot closer to being relaxing like Laid-Back Camp. Military gear is just one of the most plentiful things left to scavenge in the ruins of civilization. The multilevel megacity is such an interesting setting. Parts of it are familiar, but other areas are entirely alien or too broken to even understand. It's also large enough for the girls to get lost for days in what looks like maintenance corridors. I loved seeing new places because of what I could infer about the world and the things that had happened in it. There was a lot of history and creative touches packed into the places the girls wandered through.

I was always happy to see what the girls would find and what they would do, too. A story like this, set just before the end of humanity with no hope that things will get better, could've easily been too bleak to enjoy. GLT does often have a melancholic tone, both in the signs of wasteful excess and destruction that are plentiful in the city and in the signs of human lives and joys that are now gone forever. Chito and Yuuri still have each other, however, and that's enough for them to keep pushing forward. They rarely let anything get them down for long. Instead they marvel at the wonders and try to imagine how things used to be. They also delight in finding little moments, even something as simple as shooting out a working hot water pipe to create a makeshift bath. Who knew the end of the world could be so cozy? I also loved the conversations they had, which were often philosophical and meaningful without getting too preachy. It was just realistic. These are the kinds of things people would talk about in this situation when there's nothing better to do. Everything in this anime was enthralling.

The Bad: I've said it before and I'll say it again. The biggest flaw in Girls' Last Tour is that it ended after only one season. At least it stopped at a good point, but, still. From what I know it adapted most of the manga. It would've been nice to get a few extra episodes just to reach the end. Other than that, I thought Yuuri could be a bit much at times. She worked as someone for Chito to interact with, but Yuuri could be a bit annoying at times.

Overall: Girls' Last Tour is another anime I classify in my head as "cute girls with deeper themes". It isn't quite my favorite one of those, but it was still just such a wonderful and unique experience. The apocalyptic setting was always interesting and packed with details. The girls were really good too. I have a soft spot for stories where characters are able to find happiness no matter how hopeless their situation is. Even though humanity is doomed, it was surprisingly nice to watch Chito and Yuuri wander around while living in the moment as best as possible.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/4/6/AAcDcBAAD70W.png

CHARACTER: Chito (Girls Last Tour)
https://myanimelist.net/character/154098/Chito
Voiced by: Minase Inori
TOP 100 RANK: 91st

SPOILERS FOR GIRLS LAST TOUR

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulcgmM9U3lk

Thst video shows one of my favorite moments in Girls' Last Tour. It starts to rain, so the two take refuge in the ruined shell of some ancient war machine. Eventually they realize the rhythmic potential of droplets striking metal, and they set up enough to create a beautiful song. It's the kind of moment they found over and over again on their journey. It's a simple joy, and it didn't need a bunch of resources or preparation. It was just a nice rhythm that they experienced together. For me, at least, moments like this were poignant and beautiful. The girls were always barely scraping by, but there were signs everywhere in the city of how well people used to live. That excess, coupled with wars to claim even more, was what doomed humanity. If something as simple as a song made by the rain could be so mesmerizing, it makes me wonder if there was even a point to all that progress towards inevitable destruction.

Chito and Yuuri really are an inseparable team. Still, of the two, Chito was easily my favorite. She cared about more than food, for one thing. Chito kept a journal and treasured books. She was always the voice of reason, and the one who tried to honor the memory of the people who were now gone. I really liked the scene where they explored what turned out to be a graveyard. For one thing, it was another nice thematic moment when they realized the useless objects they were finding, like a button or a scrap of cloth, were actually people's treasured possessions. Again, it doesn't take a whole lot for a small thing to become meaningful. When Chito realized that, she insisted on putting the objects back. After all, if they were taken from that place, the items would lose all meaning.

One of my favorite things in GLT was seeing the city and trying to imagine its history. I loved moments like when they explored a crater and realized it was damaged in some ancient battle. Then people who settled the area afterwards had another big battle around the crater. It really drove home the theme that humanity had brought this on themselves. Still, the great thing about GLT was that it never wallowed in gloom. I loved the video montage they saw from the camera near the end of the series. Alongside newsclips of war and images of unimaginable destruction, there were also simple moments with families or children playing or girls giving a school report. It's nice to remember that it wasnt all bad. Seeing the regular lives those people had also gives Chito and Yuuri the strength to keep going. Even in a world with no hope, it's important to always remember that there's still happy things too.

GLT didn't quite grab me, but I'm enjoying the author's following manga Shimeji Simulation.

Oh damn, a show I actually watched and still didn't get the hint... but like Sceptile it didn't appeal to me, and I really really was looking forward to watching a "wandering post-apocalyptic landscape" anime, but it just wasn't what I thought it would be. Conceptually never liked the idea of some massive multi-layered megacity (literal physical impossibility?), also not really a fan of the animation style. Maybe went into the show with too high expectations, too. I'm sure that ideal post-apocalyptic anime series is out there somewhere...

Chito best girl, for sure, Yuuri annoying as hell. Favourite scene is when they're driving on the walkway that starts to collapse, lol.

ohhhh I just realized I did the dub for GLT too, damn maybe I really just need to stick 100% with subbed anime

I didn't get the hint either haha.

GLT rocks, and is a great adaptation of everything it covers... but the latter parts of the manga are my favorite parts of the series, so I like the manga even better, whoops. Highly recommend reading at some point. It's too bad they didn't adapt the rest somehow.

MartinFF7 posted...

I'm sure that ideal post-apocalyptic anime series is out there somewhere...

Humanity Has Declined, Gurren Lagann, Attack on Titan, Casshern Sins, Dr. Stone, and Neon Genesis Evangelion are some of my favorites.

GLT is an odd mix of depressing and uplifting. Danger and relaxation. It strikes me as the kind of anime that will really appeal to some people and not appeal at all to others. It was one of the few anime I've recommended to my brother and he couldn't even get past the first episode!

Haha, yeah I can see that, unfortunately... what's been the most successful Brozoid recommendation (if any?)

MacArrowny posted...

Humanity Has Declined, Gurren Lagann, Attack on Titan, Casshern Sins, Dr. Stone, and Neon Genesis Evangelion are some of my favorites.

Yeah GL and AoT are among my favs, NGE doesn't have that post-apocalyptic feel though. I read about Dr. Stone before and seemed like an interesting concept; never heard of the other two, will look them up.

I've got Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress deep in the queue since that was recommended for AoT fans, and Ergo Proxy which I know nothing about but I believe is set in a post-apocalyptic world as well (and came highly recommended), it's the long-delayed next show in my queue to watch... never enough time.

MartinFF7 posted...

what's been the most successful Brozoid recommendation (if any?)

We watched Death Note together way back in the day and he loved it (until the last arc), and he liked Attack on Titan S1. My brother tried Steins;Gate on his own, years before I watched it even, but he quit after five minutes because Mayuri annoyed him. He also made it four episodes into ReZero, half an episode into GLT, and a few episodes into my #2. We finally learned that he has a very low tolerance for, as he put it, "screechy anime girls". As you can see, my brother has bad taste!

If only Shiki were still streaming somewhere. That's one of the few I think he might like.

pyresword posted...

Also for what it's worth I think there is at least one show that will break the "this is fine" trend, because there's a show I liked a lot that I remember you watched which hasn't shown up yet unless my memory is awful.

Yeah ok Girls' Last Tour is the show I was talking about here. I really liked this one. Big picture it's a very somber show but it also has the capacity to be uplifting when viewed from a particular perspective. The writing has just the right mix of amusing interactions and introspection, and it's got great production values and a strong artistic direction to back it up. Just a really good series all-around.

I will never forgive Crunchyroll for not even including Girls' Last Tour in the best soundtrack category of their anime awards for that year.

MacArrowny posted...

Humanity Has Declined, Gurren Lagann, Attack on Titan, Casshern Sins, Dr. Stone, and Neon Genesis Evangelion are some of my favorites.

Humanity has Declined was a really cool show. It's an absurdist comedy so it's a bit different than the others on the list, but yeah.