My Top 20 Anime List - Part 2
Thoughts from a Canadian Living in Japan
This is the second part to my non-definitive list of anime that I like. Do my tastes in anime match yours?
The Non-Definitive List Part 2(2)
I have already gone over my criteria for what constitutes my favorite anime in detail in Part 1, so I won’t burden you with extra reading. However, it is best to remind readers that this list is not in any particular order and is continuously evolving.
What resonates with me today may be dismissed tomorrow.
With that being said, I wonder if you can guess what anime I will write about next. Were you correct? What were you surprised about? Most importantly, what is your favorite anime? Perhaps you can introduce me to something new. Feel free to leave a comment and share with the community.
Let’s begin!
My Top 20 Favorite Anime Part 2(2)
Number 10
Cowboy Bebop is an anime for a mature audience. I state this not because of the violence, vulgarity, or any severe grotesqueness, but because of the very erratic pacing. Each episode has its own pace and sometimes seemingly meanders from the main plot. However, who said that a space bounty hunter needs to be action-heavy in every episode? It is not Star Wars: The Mandalorian. It is something more.
I first watched this long ago in Canada and I could not get past the third episode. This anime was not to my tastes at that time because it was boring. It wasn’t until the Netflix Live Action release that I decided to have a look at it once again. I am sure glad I did!
Cowboy Bebop anime is a perfect blend of divine jazz music and heavy character pathos. It is truly sublime. If you are a fan of science fiction TTRPGs or science fiction in general, then this is the show for you.
By the way, the Live Action version was fine, it just didn’t have the slow meandering pacing of the lengthy anime that I adore. Sigh. I must be getting old.
Number 09
If you have read my first part of the top 20, then you will know I had a thing for cute elves. This next entry would then not surprise you, or would it?
My next entry is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. This charming tale is set in a fantasy world with a delightful setting, and memorable characters. I must confess, initially I wasn’t enamored with the main character, Frieren. Two-thirds through the series, I thought she had been poorly written as she came across rather dull, sullen, wooden, and very emo. My opinion changed after reading a fellow blogger, Polar Bear’s post. https://note.com/white_cuma/n/n325f08996d00
Simply put, Polar Bear stated that Freiren has lived a very, very long time, and she will continue to live a very, very long time. Therefore, her emotional maturity may still be evolving, and she also would have a different series of emotions that we as humans would not. This got me to thinking about Star Trek and its’ depiction of Vulcans. Bing Bong! It all made sense now. This made me enjoy the series even more! I would like to rewatch it again soon with this new revelation.
I know what you’re thinking. Brett may have been rather slow on the uptake with this concept. However, it goes to show that one simple remark could easily change my perspective and help me enjoy things a whole lot more! Thank you, Polar Bear, my friend.
By the way, my tastes in women have matured. I am an adult now. No more cutesy elves for me.
I now like my women strong and daring like this! Oops! TMI
Number 08
Continuing with the fantasy genre, I am currently fascinated by Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (I think the developers of manga and anime are deliberately trying to make titles longer to frustrate everyone. Let’s say “Dan Machi” for short, this anime’s nickname.
Dan Machi is an anime series that has various elements to it; there is a great deal of silly humor, and the story lines, while predictable at times, still manage to hold the viewer’s attention. Another intriguing aspect of the show is the interaction between the gods and the main characters; these gods interact with the characters just like regular humans would, which makes for an interesting dynamic. Additionally, the setting is unique and engaging, adding an extra layer of depth to the overall story, reminding me of SAO. And let’s not forget the animation – it’s simply superb!
All in all, despite its generic fantasy, flavor-of-the-week, dungeon delve nature with over-the-top characters, I truly love this anime.
Number 07
Although anime may have originated in Japan, it is now widespread worldwide. Each country appears to be developing its version of anime these days, except for Canada, which appears to be lacking. I am glad that I stumbled upon this relatively new title by chance. Allow me to introduce you to Trese.
Trese is a Singaporean anime based in the Philippines. It is considered an urban fantasy as it takes place in our modern day with elements of the supernatural and magic, specifically using Filipino folklore as a backdrop.
It is grim, dark, and serious.
What if vampires and ghosts really exist? Trese, the Filipina detective, will hunt them down and eradicate or exorcise them. She is tough, intelligent, and has secrets.
Urban fantasy is currently one of my favorite genres, and Trese truly exemplifies it. This can be found on Netflix.
Number 06
Following the trend of international anime, I will add two more American anime that fit under the same umbrella. They are Avatar the Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
These anime are internationally famous. Live-action movies, TV series, board games, comic books, novels, and more have all been made covering these two animated series. They are sublime.
They are both a fantasy series with heavy use of magic. There is comedy, romance, action, adventure, and highly memorable characters. The world setting is amazing, using the elements as magic.
Watching these reminded me of many Japanese anime and yet, unique in their way. Korra is my favorite of the two series; however, Avatar was most memorable. Avatar is the first series that I would recommend as it sets the stage for Korra.
Believe it or not, this series was introduced to Japan awhile ago but never became popular. There are a few reasons of which I will let Copilot tell you about, but the main reason, in my opinion, is that sadly, they were not made in Japan.
I beseech the Japanese reading audience to escape the confines of the Galapagos effect and explore these new titles, including Trese. There is a reason why they are popular, and I would love for you to share in that with me.
I believe these can be found in many places now, fully translated.
Number 05
Space Battleship Yamato 2199 is currently my favorite anime. I have watched it three times and still enjoy it. The animation is crisp, the battles are epic, the characters are memorable, the storyline is simple, and the soundtrack is wonderful. I honestly can’t find any faults with this anime except for the common quirk of “Wave Motion Gun is at 120%.”
Also, the 2199 series appropriately borrowed from the Das Boot soundtrack, which I am enamored with. Since this series doesn’t have to be watched in order, I have listed it as number 5 so I can listen to Das Boot as I type. If you love science fiction and haven’t watched Yamato 2199 yet, what are you waiting for?
I am currently watching the second series 2022.
Number 04
As you know, I am in love with TTRPGs. Dungeons and Dragons was a big part of my youth, and it is still in my mind to this day. Although I will probably never play D&D ever again (it’s too heavy for my tastes now), I can’t help but love the basic theme of dungeon delving. I can’t think of a better representative than the new series, Delicious in Dungeon (DnD for short).
A random dude on Facebook asked a question that I thought I would write. He asked, “I like cooking and I like dungeon delving, can someone sell me on Delicious in Dungeon?”
It is a ridiculous question.
Obviously, if this person eats monsters in their everyday life, they would love this show! Seriously, I found this question silly. However, appropriately silly. The premise of the series is silly too!
Simply put, these characters are doing a serious dungeon crawl reminiscent of a typical Dungeons and Dragons game, with the ridiculous element of cooking and eating monsters. Unheard of, undreamt of, unbelievable, and fun all the same.
It is funny, over the top, and amazing. I can’t recommend this enough for those of you that like fantasy anime in general. The first episode is enough for the watcher to get the overall picture of what the series entails.
Number 03
I am sure everyone in Japan knows about or has seen Fullmetal Alchemist – Brotherhood. So, I hope it wouldn’t be amiss if I avoid going into detail about it. Simply, it is awesome.
There is a live action Japanese movie, but I just couldn’t watch it through. I could only tolerate the first action sequence. It was barely watchable as it was. I also know that Fullmetal Alchemist is a long series and to just mash the whole series into a 2-hour movie would be a shame. I bought this series and have not regretted my purchase.
Number 02
Modern anime with crisp lines, computer graphics, and modern aesthetics will always attract me. I know it isn’t traditional 2D animation that anime critics would approve of, but I don’t care. Anime will evolve and I will be with it when it does.
Let me introduce you to my newest inductee. It is Netflix’s Arcane – League of Legends.
Arcane has a fresh gothic steampunk setting. Its characters are vibrant. The music is wonderful. It is a beautiful anime.
I am truly looking forward to the second season. Once it is published, I will enjoy rewatching the first series again so I can remember it better. It isn’t that Arcane was forgettable, it is because it is heavy in setting and tone with lots of moving parts.
This is a series I recommend you watch if you have the time.
Number 01
Phew! That was a very long list. I am so happy that I didn’t have to put them in any order of preference. There are just so many anime that I love and I wish I could watch more of them. Eventually, I guess.
Having gone through quite a few of them already, I will round off this article by giving you a few of my favorites that honestly all deserve a ranking, I just don’t want to write anymore.
I am lazy!
With that being said, I will give you a quick list of what I like. Consider them all honorable mentions to represent number 1.
- Fairy Tail
- Log Horizon
- Sword Art Online
- Goblin Slayer
- That Time I was Reincarnated as a Slime
- Inuyasha
- Overlord
- Kaiju No.8
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Solo Leveling
- Tower of God
- and more!
Thank you Everyone
Thank you for coming to the end with me. I hope you learned of something new, or you felt some nostalgia. If you liked this, please leave a like.
Again, if you have an anime you would like me to watch, or a favorite anime that I can look at, name it. I will check it out.
Have a great day everyone.
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