Tag: Top 5

Top 5 Anime of 2023

Top 5 Anime of 2023

Honorable Mentions

Well, it’s the final day of 2023. And, looking back on the year, there was a decent amount of good anime. But, was 2023 better than 2022? The stats are in, and the answer is no. At least, not in terms of the anime I watched.

I watched 46 anime that aired in 2023, which is up from the measly 37 I watched in 2022. However, my average rating for the year decreased to 6/10 in 2023 from 6.3/10 in 2022. It looks like those extra anime I watched this year didn’t help.

Now, before we get into my top 5 anime of the year, I have a single honorable mention. This list only includes anime that started and finished between January 1 and December 31, 2023. That means Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End didn’t qualify for this year’s list.

But, if Frieren was allowed to be on the list, I’d put it in the #3 spot. So, let’s take a look at what it would have bumped out of my top 5.

5. The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You anime series cover art
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

That’s right, Hyakkano made it onto my top 5 for the year since Frieren didn’t qualify. To me, this was the biggest surprise of 2023. I was not expecting this anime to actually be any good. But, it is.

Hyakkano might be the new best harem anime. It has everything you could want. It’s funny, it has a wide variety of cute girls, it has good ecchi content, and every girl wins. It doesn’t matter who your favorite is, she’s going to come out on top.

Though, if your favorite isn’t either Hakari or Karane, you’re objectively wrong. At least out of the first six girlfriends. Maybe some of the other 94 we haven’t met yet are better than those two. But, so far, the original two girlfriends are my favorite.

4. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 anime series cover art
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2

Mushoku Tensei Season 2 is very good. But it has two pretty different halves. And one of those halves was much better than the other. In the first half, we have adventure stuff. And in the second half, we have magic academy stuff. Guess which half I like more.

The main reason why I like Mushoku Tensei is the adventure. I love exploring the world, going on quests, fighting monsters, and meeting adventurers. That’s the cool stuff. And, to its credit, this season had some great adventure content at the start.

Then, we get to the Ranoa University of Magic. Don’t get me wrong, I still think this part of the season is good. And I’m sure it’s building up characters and subplots that are going to be important later. But, it’s not nearly as interesting as following Rudeus’s adventures.

3. Vinland Saga Season 2

Vinland Saga Season 2 anime series cover art
Vinland Saga Season 2

Was there any question that Farmland Saga was going to make it into my top 5 anime of the year? Vinland Saga Season 2 was easily the best drama anime of the year. And, yes, the drama in this season is better than the action in Season 1.

Now, there is one thing Season 1 has over Season 2: Askeladd. But, he still makes some appearances in this season via Thorfinn’s nightmares. And, we get a lot of other good characters in this season to make up for Askeladd’s absence. So, overall, I think this season is better.

The main focus of this season is on how war hurts everyone. It hurts the winners, losers, and innocents who get caught up in it. And this season does an amazing job of illustrating this on an individual level.

2. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 anime series cover art
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

I’m sure Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is the #1 anime of the year for a lot of people. It was a fantastic season. Not every episode was a banger. But, there were a lot of them. And a lot of those great episodes were back-to-back.

The first arc of the season was a flashback arc featuring Gojou’s and Getou’s backstory. It serves as the prequel to Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which itself is a prequel to the second arc of this season. This flashback arc was good. But, the main draw of the season was the Shibuya Incident arc.

I’d heard that the Shibuya Incident arc was the best of the series. And, now that I’ve seen it, that checks out. The start of this arc was a bit slow. But, once it got going, it was almost non-stop action with great animation.

1. Heavenly Delusion

Heavenly Delusion anime series cover art
Heavenly Delusion

Of course, I had to have a controversial #1 anime of 2023. Heavenly Delusion was the only anime I rated 9/10 this year. The others on this list all got 8/10. But, it’s not like I thought this was going to be my top anime of the year when I watched it back in the spring.

Hyakkano might be the anime that surprised me the most. But, Heavenly Delusion was the one I went into expecting it to be a toss-up. Based on the synopsis, I thought it could either be great or terrible. And, it ended up being great.

This series follows two teens as they explore a post-apocalyptic world. They fight monsters, meet other survivors, and uncover dark secrets. If you’re into mystery adventure series, I highly recommend checking this one out.

Final Thoughts

What were your top 5 anime of 2023? I’m assuming a lot of peoples’ top 5 include Mushoku Tensei, Vinland Saga, and Jujutsu Kaisen. But, did Hayakkano make your list? What about Heavenly Delusion? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this end-of-year article, remember to share it with everyone you know. Also, follow me on your social media of choice so you don’t miss out on any future articles — links are in the footer.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and JasonHK for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. And, I’d like to thank Pepe and Rob for supporting at the Kouhai tier. To learn more about supporting this blog, check out DoubleSama.com/support.

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Top 5 Anime of 2022

Top 5 Anime of 2022

2022 Anime Recap

Now that we’re at the end of 2022, it’s time to look back at the best anime of the year. But, before we get to that, there are a few things we need to go over to add context to the top anime.

First, I only considered anime that both started and ended in 2022. If an anime started in 2021 and continued into 2022, it didn’t make the cut. And the same is true for anime that started in 2022 and will be continuing into 2023.

Apparently, I only watched 37 anime from 2022. That’s far fewer than the 54 anime I watched from 2021. But, I enjoyed what I watched more this year than last year. My average score for 2022 was 6.3/10 compared to 5.6 in 2021.

Why is there such a large discrepancy, though? Were the anime in 2022 that much better than those in 2021? No. The simple answer is that I intentionally avoided more anime I knew were going to be bad this year.

And, we should keep in mind that these numbers don’t tell the whole story. They don’t include anime that cross between years. And they only represent the new anime I watched, not all the older anime I also watched.

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5. Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun

Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun anime series cover art
Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun

My #5 anime of 2022 is Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun. I love Made in Abyss. Specifically, I love the adventure, the world, the atmosphere, the lore, and the music.

But, this season of Made in Abyss is actually my least favorite. I prefer both the first season and the movie Dawn of the Deep Soul. In my opinion, The Golden City of the Scorching Sun was a bit slow. We spent a lot of time in one place rather than exploring the 6th layer.

However, with that said, this season gave us a lot of great lore. And some of the best parts of the season were when we got to go back in time and follow the Ganja Party.

You’ve been missing out if you haven’t seen Made in Abyss yet. And if the reason you haven’t seen it is that it looks childish, let me assure you it’s not. It’s very dark and graphic. The abyss is not for the faint of heart.

4. Call of the Night

Call of the Night anime series cover art
Call of the Night

Somehow, I feel that Call of the Night being at #4 on my list isn’t going to be the biggest upset. But, I can understand why some of you might not agree with this anime making the list at all.

The OP and ED are quite possibly the best parts of Call of the Night. I admit that. But, they’re also some of the best OPs and EDs of the entire year. Other than that, what does the series do that’s special? Well, the answer is, not much.

So, why is it on this list? To me, Call of the Night was one of the most fun anime to watch this year. Every episode is good. The characters are enjoyable. It’s easy to watch. And I’d love for there to be another season at some point in the future.

Also, I can’t leave out the fact that this is the only anime with Nazuna Nanakusa. If you’re looking for an anime featuring a cute, vampire NEET, Call of the Night is the series for you.

3. Akebi’s Sailor Uniform

Akebi's Sailor Uniform anime series cover art
Akebi’s Sailor Uniform

Now, this is probably the most controversial anime on my list. When it was airing, it didn’t seem like many people gave Akebi’s Sailor Uniform a chance. But, as you can tell from its placement, I’d say it’s one of the best anime to come out of 2022.

Akebi’s Sailor Uniform has a lot of great characters. And that’s important because it’s a slice of life series. The “plot” isn’t that special. It’s about Akebi becoming friends with all the other girls in her class. But, the characters are what make this series special.

Also, I think this is the best-looking anime of the year. And I don’t mean it has the best animation. Though, it does have pretty good animation. I mean that the art of this series is the best. It’s the prettiest anime of 2022 like Violet Evergarden was in 2018.

The last thing I’ll say is that the OP song, “Hajimari no Setsuna” is my favorite OP song of the whole year. Sure, other anime on this list have better OPs including their visuals. But, if I’m only going by the song, this is my favorite.

2. Chainsaw Man

Chainsaw Man anime series cover art
Chainsaw Man

Did you think Chainsaw Man was going to be #1? Well, it’s not. It’s definitely a good anime. But, it’s not the best anime of 2022. In fact, I only gave Chainsaw man and the anime before it on this list 8/10s. The actual #1 anime of the year scored higher than that.

Now, I was expecting to be able to say that Chainsaw Man was the most popular anime of 2022. But, that’s not actually the case. Both Spy x Family and Attack on Titan: The Final Season Part 2 were more popular.

However, I think Chainsaw Man is better than those anime. Sure, I also think it’s pretty much just Jujutsu Kaisen x No Guns Life. But, that’s a good combination. Chainsaw man pulls it off well. And it looks good, has a fun cast of characters, and has an interesting power system.

One of my main complaints about this series is that I would have liked to binge it. Since I was reviewing it weekly, that wasn’t possible. But, if you haven’t watched Chainsaw Man yet, I’d recommend binging it.

1. Mob Psycho 100 III

Mob Psycho 100 III anime series cover art
Mob Psycho 100 III

If not Chainsaw Man, Mob Psycho 100 III had to be my choice for the best anime of 2022. And as I hinted at earlier, this was the only anime of the year that I rated higher than 8/10. I gave Mob Psycho a 9/10.

The previous 2 seasons of Mob Psycho were very good. So, it’s no surprise that this season was very good, too. And what I love most about this series isn’t the great animation. It’s how characters you’d never expect to make you feel something do.

For example, I never expected I’d actually care about Dimple. And yet, in Episode 6 it happened. Somehow, I became emotionally attached to Dimple, the most unlikeable character. But, that’s why Mob Psycho is so good.

Now, I’m not sure if this season was the end of Mob Psycho. The season felt like it wrapped everything up well. And I don’t only mean everything from this season — I mean everything in the series. But, if there is more coming, I’m sure it’ll be great.

Conclusion

What were your top 5 anime of 2022? Do our lists have any series in common? And should I rank the worst 5 anime of the year in a future article? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me on your social media of choice — links are in the footer. And, come join our Discord server to discuss anime with other members of the community.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and Key Mochi for supporting this blog at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about how you too can become a supporter, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

My Top 5 Anime of 2023 article is available now!

Worst 5 Anime of 2021

Worst 5 Anime of 2021

Worst of the Worst

At the end of last year, I wrote about the Top 5 Anime of 2021 (that I watched). Now it’s time to do the opposite — the worst 5 anime of 2021. And, honestly, I blocked most of the anime on this list out of my mind until I checked what I watched in 2021 and was reminded.

Before I get into my picks for the worst anime of the year, I have some honorable mentions. The fifth-place anime on this list got a 3/10 rating, but it wasn’t the only one. So, what else did I rate that low?

Well, this may surprise you, but Deep Insanity: The Lost Child didn’t make the cut. It was the worst anime of the fall season, but not one of the five worst of the year. And the other two are So I’m a Spider, So What? and Redo of Healer. I think both are bad anime. However, I didn’t hate them as much as those on this list.

#5 – Log Horizon: Destruction of the Round Table

Log Horizon: Destruction of the Round Table anime series cover art
Log Horizon: Destruction of the Round Table

Log Horizon: Destruction of the Round Table is probably going to be the most controversial entry on the list — as it should be since it’s in the fifth slot. I know a lot of people like Log Horizon, and I did too, for the first season.

But, the second season was bad and this third season was even worse. I didn’t care about the characters or plot and the season as a whole was extremely boring. Nothing about this season reminded me of what I originally liked about the series.

And I think the fall of Log Horizon is partially why I chose it to be here over the honorable mentions. Those other anime are bad. But Log Horizon was enjoyable at one point. Seeing it fall to what it is in this season was extremely depressing.

#4 – Otherside Picnic

Otherside Picnic anime series cover art
Otherside Picnic

Otherside Picnic is an anime I genuinely forgot existed before starting on this list. I remember I wasn’t originally going to watch it because I thought it sounded bad. But, I let someone convince me that it would actually be a decent show. It wasn’t.

The concept of the series is fine. It’s about girls who explore the “Otherside,” which is a mysterious world of monsters with its own rules of reality. I have no issue with that, much like I have no real issue with the basic premise of Deep Insanity.

However, the execution was very poor and even now I can’t quite remember how the series ended. I think it had one of those open endings that leave literally everything unanswered — which is to say, the bad way to handle an open ending.

#3 – The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon’s Judgement

The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon's Judgement anime series cover art
The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon’s Judgement

Do I even have to explain why The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon’s Judgement is on this list? I feel like most people know how severely the show dropped off in the later seasons. I’m not even sure what season this is, but I think it’s the fourth. It might be the fifth.

What’s surprising about Dragon’s Judgement, however, is that I actually think it was an improvement over the previous season. I gave this one a 2/10, while I gave the previous season a 1/10. Still, that’s plenty low enough to make the list of worst anime of 2021.

The good news is that I think this is the final season of the series. It ended with the possibility of a spin-off, which might happen. But since it’s a spin-off, I won’t feel obligated to watch it and therefore won’t.

#2 – Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won’t Lose

Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose anime series cover art
Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won’t Lose

There were only two anime I rated 1/10 in all of 2021, and Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won’t Lose is one of them. As with Otherside Picnic, I completely forgot this series existed. And when I was reminded of it, I was wished I could forget it again.

I really wanted to rank Osamake as the worst anime of 2021. It was definitely the hardest series for me to sit through all year; every episode infuriated me. If you genuinely like this anime, I don’t see how we could ever be friends.

There’s not really anything else to say. I might even rank this as my least favorite anime of all time. That’s how much I hate it. I can’t think of another series that was as unpleasant to watch as this one.

#1 – Ex-Arm

Ex-Arm anime series cover art
Ex-Arm

How do you beat my least favorite anime of all time on a worst anime of 2021 list? You be Ex-Arm. I don’t even hate Ex-Arm. I think it’s absolute garbage. But I don’t hate it. Still, even with my dislike of Osamake, I couldn’t justify not putting Ex-Arm in the “top” spot.

This anime was genuinely the biggest “L” of the year. Everything about it sucks. The plot sucks, the characters suck, the art sucks, the animation sucks, I don’t remember the music, but it probably sucked too.

And, to top it all off, the director of the series actually thought he was going to revolutionize the anime industry with it, despite having never worked on an anime before. Oh, and the rest of the team that made this series also had no anime experience. Classic.

Conclusion

Of course, my picks for the worst anime of 2021 are completely objective and based on fact. But, I’d still like to know what your picks for the worst anime of the year are. Are any of my choices on your list? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this list, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me over on Twitter @DoubleSama so you don’t miss out on any future content. And come join our Discord server if you’re interested in discussing anime with other members of the community.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and Toma for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about how you too can become a supporter of this blog, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

For more 2021 anime content, check out my ranking of all 54 anime I watched from 2021 on a tier list.

Top 5 Anime of 2021

Top 5 Anime of 2021

2021 Anime Overview

2021 isn’t quite over yet, but I think we’re far enough into the fall season for me to have a good idea of my ratings for every currently airing anime. So I figured I might as well run through my top 5 anime of the year before 2022 begins and we all forget the anime of 2021.

But, before I get into my top 5 anime of the year, let’s take a look at some data real quick. I watched 55 anime that began airing in 2021, and those are the anime I’ve taken these top 5 from. Anime that began airing before 2021 and ran into 2021 don’t count, and neither do any of the older anime I watched this year.

Now, of those 54 anime, my lowest score was 1/10 and my highest score was 9/10. That’s right, there were no 10/10 anime this year. Additionally, my average rating for the year was 5.6/10, which is honestly worse than I expected it to be.

With all that said, let’s get into the top 5 anime of 2021.

#5 – To Your Eternity

To Your Eternity anime series cover art
To Your Eternity

To Your Eternity isn’t a series I expected to break into my top 5. It’s a very good adventure anime, and its peaks are extremely high. But as a 20 episode season, I did feel like it dragged on a bit too long at points.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t the adventure that I liked the most about this series, though. I’m always looking for a good adventure anime. But To Your Eternity’s main draw is actually the supporting characters and their stories.

My personal favorite of these supporting characters is Gugu. His story is definitely one that was a bit too long. But the payoff at the end of his arc made it all worth it. I also really liked Hayase, who’s probably the best villain of the year (there weren’t many candidates, to be fair).

#4 – Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 2

Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 2 - The Eve of Awakening anime series cover art
Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 2 – The Eve of Awakening

While I didn’t think the first season of Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story was very good, I do think the second season is. And since the second season is what aired in 2021, that means it’s fair game to be put on this list.

The #4 and #3 spots on this list were the hardest to settle on because I really wasn’t sure where I wanted to place Magia Record. But in the end, I decided that while Magia Record had the highest peaks of any anime this year, the anime that took the #3 spot was just more consistent with how good it was.

Now, let’s talk about those peaks for a moment. Magia Record Season 2 went crazy with the animation in two or three episodes. If the story was better and it maybe had one more episode with animation like that toward the end, I would have given it a 10.

#3 – Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S anime series cover art
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S

As I mentioned in the previous entry, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S is in the #3 spot because of how consistently good it was. There weren’t peaks. It was very good from start to finish, which is what I expect from Kyoto Animation at this point.

I think a lot of people preferred the first season of Dragon Maid. But I actually preferred this season. Dragon Maid S had less of a focus on Tohru, which I get people don’t like. However, in exchange, it really served to build up the supporting characters — Elma and Lucoa in particular.

Ilulu is also a great addition to the series. I was worried that she was going to be the main focus of the whole season, but that wasn’t the case. She was used sparingly, and I really enjoyed every time she was on screen after her introduction.

#2 – Sonny Boy

Sonny Boy anime series cover art
Sonny Boy

Sonny Boy was a wild ride. It’s a supernatural mystery series that keeps you guessing with each passing episode. After the first two episodes, I actually put this series on hold until it was done just so I could binge the rest of it in one go.

This is definitely the most underrated anime on this list. I’m really not sure why it’s rated as low as it is by the general public. But, maybe people just don’t like confusing anime. I was certainly confused even by the end. That’s also part of what I think makes it so good, though.

I never got the feeling that the series was confusing because it was poorly written. Instead, it’s more like it was confusing because there’s just so much to unpack and it’ll take multiple rewatches for everything to really sink in. It’s a good kind of confusing.

#1 – Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation anime series cover art
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Are you surprised that Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is my #1 anime of the year? Because you shouldn’t be. Even if we had only gotten the first part of the series this year, it would have broken into my top 5 — probably between To Your Eternity and Magia Record.

But then we got the second part, which is still airing, and I think it’s even better than the first part. Collectively, both parts of Mushoku Tensei definitely make it my favorite anime of the year and it’s the series from this year that I’m most looking forward to (hopefully) getting another season.

I also think it’s no exaggeration to say that Eris is a huge part of why I love this series so much. Yes, the story, art, music, animation, and other characters are all great. But I absolutely adore Eris’s character. She’s perfect in every way and I want her to be happy.

Conclusion

And there you have it. Those are my top 5 anime of 2021. Did any of my picks make it into your top 5? Is your top 5 completely different? Post your lists in the comments so I can take a look (and possibly roast your taste).

If you enjoyed this article, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me over on Twitter @DoubleSama so you don’t miss out on any future content. And come join our Discord server if you’re interested in discussing anime with other members of the community.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and Key Mochi~ for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika and Senpai tiers respectively this month. To learn more about how you too can become a supporter of this blog, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

Check out the Worst 5 Anime of 2021 now. And for more 2021 anime content, check out my ranking of all 54 anime I watched from 2021 on a tier list.

My Top 5 Anime of 2022 is now here!

Top 5 Anime on Netflix

Top 5 Anime on Netflix

Introduction

Over the past few years, Netflix has really stepped up their anime game. In fact, I hadn’t used it for anime in months, and when I logged in this morning what I found was a fairly substantial amount of new and interesting series.

But, just because Netflix has gotten better in regards to anime still doesn’t mean they’re the best at it. For example, if you want to watch a series that’s currently airing and Netflix has the broadcasting rights for it, then you’re out of luck until at least the end of the season.

Of course there are other ways to watch these series, but I’ll stay on topic for today.

I don’t know if this is part of the deal Netflix made to get the rights to these series, or if Netflix just really doesn’t understand how the anime community works. My guess is the latter, but we may never know.

The other problem I have with Netflix is how it handles titles for which it has exclusive streaming rights. Slapping “Netflix Original” on series and movies is a great way to confuse people who may not be familiar with the anime industry or Netflix’s business practices.

Basically, if something is referred to as a “Netflix Original” that just means Netflix paid for exclusive streaming rights. Netflix did not make the anime or other show in a vast majority of these cases. Also, by labeling series as their originals and releasing them long after they originally aired, Netflix is able to pass off old series as new.

One example of these practices in effect is how they handle the Fullmetal Alchemist live action movie. They call it a “Netflix Original,” but it was made in Japan by Japanese people and studios with no affiliation to Netflix. Further, the movie came out in 2017, but Netflix advertised it as a 2018 movie (although it even says 2017 on their platform) to make it seem newer than it really was.

But, enough about how Netflix is an unscrupulous company, let’s take a look at some of the best anime it currently has to offer.

5. Your Lie in April

Kousei Arima from the anime series Your Lie in April
Kousei Arima

Your Lie in April is a drama about music and love. It follows a 14-year-old prodigy pianist named Kousei Arima as he learns to navigate through life with the help of his friends and the only thing he was ever good at, the piano.

This series is also technically a romance anime, but the way I see it, the romance in it is secondary. The main focus is on learning that even though life sucks sometimes, there are always reasons to keep moving forward, whether they be friends, family, passions, or romance.

The female lead of Kaori Miyazono helps Kousei to reignite his passion for playing music and teaches him some valuable lessons about how to look at the world along the way. The best comparison I can make to another series would be March comes in like a lion.

This series is also 22 episodes long, so while it’s possible to binge in a single day if that’s your thing, it’s going to take up most of it.

4. Fullmetal Alchemist

Edward Elrich from the anime series Fullmetal Alchemist
Edward Elrich

This is usually the part at which I say FMA and FMA:B are both good in their own rites and that I have them rated the same, but today I feel like doubling down on the fact that I prefer FMA over FMA:B. And, before you get mad about that, a lot more people have seen FMA:B than FMA, so they don’t need me to recommend it; they’ve already seen it.

With that out of the way, FMA is the darker of the two series, and that’s a big reason as to why I prefer it. It’s six years older than FMA:B, so it doesn’t look as pretty, but I genuinely think the story is better. And, if you don’t know, it’s about two brothers who go on an adventure to find the philosopher’s stone so they can get their bodies back.

One of the biggest complaints I often hear about FMA compared to FMA:B is that FMA goes off the rails and doesn’t follow the original source material after about episode 12. While this is true, you need to remember that just because something is source material doesn’t mean it’s better.

Yes, FMA:B follows the source material, but FMA is still a better story regardless. Also, if you somehow haven’t watched either version, I recommend FMA first and FMA:B second. This isn’t because I prefer FMA, it’s actually because since FMA:B looks nicer, I feel FMA will be judged too harshly simply for being older if it’s watched second.

FMA is 51 episodes long, so it’s not something you’ll be able to binge in a single day, but the good part about that is that there’s a lot of content to watch. And, just in case you were wondering, FMA:B is 64 episodes long.

3. In This Corner of the World

Suzu Urano and Shuusaku Houjou from the anime movie In This Corner of the World
Suzu and Shuusaku

In This Corner of the World is the only movie to be featured on this list, and what a movie it is. It’s a historical drama, so you already know I love it based on that alone. The story follows a girl named Suzu Urano as she lives in a small town near Hiroshima during WWII.

As you can probably tell from that one sentence description, this is a very real and depressing movie. However, the art style contradicts the events of the movie in a fairly extreme way. It has an almost Studio Ghibli feel to it, and a watercolor-like color palette.

And, I get it, the art style might put some people off, but I promise that the art style works for the story that’s being told. I’ve refused to watch anime due to art styles in the past, but I can admit that often when I actually give such anime a chance, I find that the art usually adds to the experience rather than takes away from it.

Also, since this is a movie rather than a series, it’s also the entry on this list which requires the smallest time commitment. I watched it on a flight, so it’s something relatively easy to fit into even the busiest of schedules.

2. Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden from the anime series Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden is the newest anime on this list, having just aired at the beginning of 2018. As with Your Lie in April and In This Corner of the World, it’s a drama with a heavy focus on the drama. The series follows a girl by the name of Violet who’s trying to figure out her new life after the Great War took everything from her.

She lost the only person she ever cared about, as well as both of her arms. But, despite the hardships she’s been through, she works hard to make her new life a meaningful one for those around her while also learning the meaning of love.

Visually speaking, this is probably the prettiest anime I’ve ever seen. That combined with an extremely emotional story is what makes Violet Evergarden so good. And, episode 10 is probably the single best anime episode I’ve ever seen. I’ll probably dedicate a future post just to that one episode.

There are 13 episodes in the main season and a special 14th episode which can also be found on Netflix. The 14th episode lands somewhere in the middle of the season chronologically, but I don’t remember where exactly. And, there’s a movie coming out in early 2020 if I’m not mistaken.

1. Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki from the anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Madoka and Sayaka

And, finally, the best anime currently on Netflix, Puella Magi Madoka Magica. This is one of those anime I was talking about earlier when I mentioned that art style had put me off of series in the past. For a long time I didn’t watch Madoka because I thought the art style looked stupid, but now it’s my second favorite anime period.

Of all the series on this list, Madoka is the one which can really be spoiled the most, so I’ll be discussing it in some vague terms here. It’s a dark, psychological-ish take on the magical girl genre, and it’s executed masterfully.

The art style is specifically chosen to contrast with the plot of the series, just like with In This Corner of the World, School-Live!, and Made in Abyss. And, not only does the art style serve a specific purpose for the series, but it’s pretty unique and amazing too once you really look at it.

It’s a 12 episode series, so it’s manageable to binge in a single sitting if you so choose. There are also three movies for Madoka on Netflix, but the only one I would recommend is the third one, Rebellion. The first two movies are just recap movies and cut content from the series so I would just stick to the series and then Rebellion movie.

And, as a bonus, there’s a new Madoka anime coming this year hopefully.

Conclusion

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