The Only Animes Truly Worth Watching (series)
This is a list of the only good animes out there; the ones that you can recommend to anyone and not feel embarrassed afterward.
This means no annoying screaming, no fanservice, no crazy power scaling, no dumb or useless female characters, no basketball-size breasts, no terrible, laughable Engrish, no one-note characters, no 3-hour flashbacks before an important fight, no too many deus ex machinas, no cliche anime writing, no huge moe eyes, no excessive fillers, no huge art/animation drop after the first ep., no power of friendship bs, no talking more than fighting in a fight, no trashy humor, no overdone fetish violence, no kids being the strongest bs, no too many -exposition in a monologue- moments, no crazy art shifts, no overdone melodrama, and no villains being redeemed.
Now, some animes on this list will have a few of these anime tropes or sins. But they don't do them in a usual, cliche way. They do them with purpose, in a stylized, inventive, or deconstructive way. Or they don't do them too many times so that you're sick of it.
The most important thing is that these animes have art or high art in them, something special that's unexplainable.
Hopefully, this list will increase with time.
This means no annoying screaming, no fanservice, no crazy power scaling, no dumb or useless female characters, no basketball-size breasts, no terrible, laughable Engrish, no one-note characters, no 3-hour flashbacks before an important fight, no too many deus ex machinas, no cliche anime writing, no huge moe eyes, no excessive fillers, no huge art/animation drop after the first ep., no power of friendship bs, no talking more than fighting in a fight, no trashy humor, no overdone fetish violence, no kids being the strongest bs, no too many -exposition in a monologue- moments, no crazy art shifts, no overdone melodrama, and no villains being redeemed.
Now, some animes on this list will have a few of these anime tropes or sins. But they don't do them in a usual, cliche way. They do them with purpose, in a stylized, inventive, or deconstructive way. Or they don't do them too many times so that you're sick of it.
The most important thing is that these animes have art or high art in them, something special that's unexplainable.
Hopefully, this list will increase with time.
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- CreatorShin'ichirô WatanabeHajime YatateStarsKôichi YamaderaUnshô IshizukaMegumi HayashibaraThe futuristic misadventures and tragedies of an easygoing bounty hunter and his partners.Cream of the crop. Fantastic characters, story, most of the episodic storylines, and animation/art. Watch the movie before the last 4 episodes for the best experience that is chronologically accurate.
- StarsYûto NakanoTravis WillinghamKôjun ItôGinko is an expert travelling around to investigate a primeval life-form, the "Mushi," and helping people with Mushi-related supernatural problems.Small, spiritual stories that have poetic artfulness. Season 2 is also great.
- CreatorNaoki UrasawaStarsHidenobu KiuchiLiam O'BrienMamiko NotoTenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy. The boy, now a charismatic young man, reappears 9 years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders.Still haven't finished this one, but besides overused flashbacks at times, this is incredible stuff. The dub is also solid but not better than Cowboy Bebops.
Edit: After finishing the entire thing, I can safely say that I wasn't disappointed. Whenever the show started becoming a little tedious, it would switch characters, sides, or gears, and the new stuff would always be fresh and exciting. The ending leaves a lot of room for thinking, and there are many possible interpretations for the whole story. - StarsMayo SuzukazeJunko IwaoNozomu SasakiIn the era of Japan's Meiji Restoration, an assassin regains his humanity.Special OVA, people in the 90s really knew how to make an anime. Eternal animation and art quality. The main anime is a joke compared to this.
- StarsShirô SaitôAtsuko TanakaOsamu SakaThe futuristic adventures of a female cyborg counter intelligence agent and her support team.Great season 1 with an even better season 2. GITS series is almost a match for Oshii's movies.
- StarsDaisuke NamikawaEmi ShinoharaSeizô KatôThe series starts off at a tournament where a one armed samurai faces a blind one and quickly flashes back to reveal the history between the two fighters.A crazy, stylized, samurai show with subtleness and cinematic qualities. After finishing, go read the manga.
- CreatorKentaro MiuraStarsMarc DiraisonNobutoshi CannaCarrie KeranenGuts, a wandering mercenary, joins the Band of the Hawk after being defeated in a duel by Griffith, the group's leader and founder. Together, they dominate every battle, but something menacing lurks in the shadows.What can I say about this one? It's still the best rendition of Berserk, just lacking in the animation department. Don't watch the newer adaptations except for the movies.
- CreatorShin'ichirô WatanabeStarsKazuya NakaiGinpei SatoAyako KawasumiFuu, a waitress who works in a teahouse, rescues two master swordsmen, Mugen and Jin, from their execution to help her find the "samurai who smells of sunflowers."Not as great as Cowboy Bebop, of course, but still a very unique, picturesque, traditional and urban show with great music and the coolest of characters. This anime probably has the best opening in current anime history.
- CreatorYoshihiro TogashiStarsIssei FutamataMegumi HanCristina ValenzuelaGon Freecss aspires to become a Hunter, an exceptional being capable of greatness. With his friends and his potential, he seeks out his father, who left him when he was younger.Best shonen out there, beautifully realized by the MADhouse studio. Old HxH is also worth watching if not better in some aspects.
- StarsAyako KawasumiKari WahlgrenSayaka ÔharaSeven chosen mages and their summoned heroic spirits fight against each other to try and win the Holy Grail: a magical device that can grant any wish.True GoT of anime that has a trashy sequel, sadly. The most epic show on this list.
- StarsJunko TakeuchiYuki KaidaAnnika OdegardThe history of Gon Freecs, a boy who left home alone to become a Hunter. In the hard test, Gon meets Leorio, Kurapika and Killua.I've mentioned above that I heard the old HxH is quite good. Well, it's not just quite good, it's equal to the new one. Not as polished, not as sharp in design, not as animated perhaps, but it's also not as playful, bright, and innocent which is a positive. The music is also, as seems to be the case with older anime, much more atmosphere-centric, and it doesn't beat you over the head with constant leitmotifs that are so repetitive. The 1999 version is a must-watch for admirers of great shonen titles.
- CreatorRafal JakiStarsZach AguilarKagga JaysonKenichiro OhashiA Street Kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he chooses to stay alive by becoming an Edgerunner, a Mercenary outlaw also known as a Cyberpunk.This is the type of anime that appears only once in some ten years' time. An almost perfect visual marvel, with absolutely fitting music for the cyberpunk sub-genre and good sympathetic characters that you love to watch. At first glance, it seems like a mindless fun type of show, but later you get an appropriate emotional depth that elevates the entire thing from being something extremely simple. Even if it remained a simple action series, it would have been on this list just for its production value.
Anyone who likes synth-wave, go watch this! - StarsVic MignognaAaron DismukeRomi ParkWhen a failed alchemical ritual leaves brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric with severely damaged bodies, they begin searching for the one thing that can save them: the fabled philosopher's stone.Honorable Mention no 1.
The Brotherhood version is slightly worse or better but my pick is this. There's a lot of trashy comedy though and the animation starts going down, besides some other problems. - CreatorHideaki AnnoStarsMegumi OgataMegumi HayashibaraKotono MitsuishiA teenage boy finds himself recruited as a member of an elite team of pilots by his father.Honorable Mention no 2.
Too many angsty teens screaming and illogical plot points, but this anime still hits deep. Very depressing show until the end. Watch The End of Evangelion after finishing this. Don't bother with the rest of the films unless you want a retelling with better overall animation. - StarsMabuki AndôNaoto AdachiKôji TsujitaniWhen the crown prince, Chagum, is born with an ancient water spirit inside him, the emperor sends assassins to dispatch the child - but Balsa, a warrior hired by the empress to protect her son, won't let them murder Chagum without a fight.Honorable Mention no 3.
More of a 7 than a 6 but some CGI moments are show-killing and the main plot and lore are not very interesting. - StarsMamoru MiyanoBrad SwaileVincent TongAn intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.Honorable Mention no 4.
It's the best cat and mouse chase ever until one character dies. Great soundtrack, although a lot of it is stolen material. - StarsJessie James GrelleBryce PapenbrookTrina NishimuraAfter his hometown is destroyed and is traumatized, young Eren Jaeger vows to cleanse the earth of the giant humanoid Titans that have brought humanity to the brink of extinction.Honorable Mention no 5.
More of a 6 than a 7. The plot and world-building are great but the characters, not so much. Spectacular show at times and has an incredible soundtrack. I can applaud it for its ambitiousness in these terrible times for anime. - StarsMakoto FurukawaKaito IshikawaMax MittelmanThe story of Saitama, a hero that does it just for fun & can defeat his enemies with a single punch.Honorable Mention no 6.
OPM has a great season 1 of pure animation brilliance and solid humor. There are some great fights here. S2 is whatever, don't bother.
Edit: S2 is not bad, actually. Garou is awesome and the comedy is still pretty fresh. - CreatorRyôgo NaritaStarsMichael C. PizzutoJ. Michael TatumCaitlin GlassA crazy fantasy caper involving alchemists, immortals, gangsters, outlaws and an elixir of immortality, spread over several decades.Honorable Mention no 7.
Nice idea and entertaining characters, put it all on a train and you have a trill ride. - CreatorShôji KawamoriStarsEdward MannixBryan CranstonMichael ForestTwo old friends/rivals find themselves rival test pilots in competing projects while a mutual old flame returns to them with her own secrets.Honorable Mention no 8.
Still not perfected Watanabe's 2 guys and a girl effort, but still very good. - StarsDavid VincentMatthew MercerDaisuke OnoThe story of the Joestar family, who are possessed with intense psychic strength, and the adventures each member encounters throughout their lives.Honorable Mention no 9.
Silly fights, happenings, and characters but also nice colors, designs, and a great adventurous feeling. Season 1 is pretty bad but as the show goes on, it sort of gets better and better. Jojo suffers from many anime sins, but this is one of the few that somehow makes them charming. - StarsKôki UchiyamaAyumu MuraseKyle McCarleyWith demons reawakened and humanity in turmoil, a sensitive demon-boy is led into a brutal, degenerate war against evil by his mysterious friend, Ryo.Honorable Mention no 10.
Original presentation, great soundtrack, and a great ending. But, the tonal shift isn't smooth and some melodrama goes too far. - CreatorWarren EllisStarsRichard ArmitageJames CallisAlejandra ReynosoA vampire hunter fights to save a besieged city from an army of otherworldly creatures controlled by Dracula.Honorable Mention no 11.
If it was only 2 seasons long with better animation, this could be even better. I put it at the end because it isn't really an anime. - CreatorMichael Dante DiMartinoBryan KonietzkoStarsDee Bradley BakerZach Tyler EisenMae WhitmanIn a war-torn world of elemental powers, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.Honorable Mention no 12.
I remembered Avatar after typing that Castlevania isn't really an anime, which is also the case here. Avatar is pretty good. Almost an 8. Watch Legend of Kora afterward, it's a solid sequel and has some great fights. - StarsMallorie RodakMonica RialJamie MarchiIn the year 2199, the space battleship Yamato embarks on a voyage to the planet Iscandar, to retrieve a device that will rejuvenate a war-ravaged Earth.Honorable Mention no 13.
More of a 7 than a 6 but thinking back on it, it's not a really memorable show in terms of characters and events except at the end. That doesn't mean they're bad, just your run-of-the-mill type of thing. Looking at the number of votes I strongly think that this show needs to be here as it's pretty underrated and forgotten. Beautiful art and animation with CG blended in well, especially considering the time this appeared. - StarsYûto UemuraMike HaimotoShin'ya TakahashiFollowing a tragedy, Thorfinn embarks on a journey with the man responsible for it to take his life in a duel as a true and honorable warrior to pay homage.Honorable Mention no 14.
VS has some great moments but the humor and the soundtrack could have been better. 3D bits were also not the best and the language barrier situations were depicted in a pretty bad way.
S2 is gorgeous, and a great adaptation of the manga material. - StarsRikiya KoyamaKôhei KiyasuSteve StaleyIppo, a teenage boy with a pure heart and unrelenting determination, discovers a passion for boxing after veteran fighter Takamura saves him from bullies.Honorable Mention no 15.
Watched 20-something episodes of this show. And although dumbish, like many sports animes, it has so much fighting spirit. The characters are engaging, lovable, and inspirational. I just watched it at the wrong time. - StarsJoe ThomasBobby ThongMari ShimizuJim Hawkins, a thirteen-year-old boy in the eighteenth century, runs the Admiral Benbow Inn with his mother since his father died. The plots starts when a drunken sailor decides to stay in the hotel.Honorable Mention no 16.
I really wish that I could put this one higher, but it's sadly very outdated. Still, this is an absolutely incredible show for all ages that has a great adventurous feel. The anime's Long John Silver might be one of my favorite characters ever. - StarsTakahiro SakuraiSetsuo ItoChris NiosiA psychic middle school boy tries to live a normal life and keep his growing powers under control, even though he constantly gets into trouble.Honorable Mention no 17.
Strange that I forgot this but added OPM. In short, it has pretty good comedy, nice horror bits, excellent fights, and animation, and it's just a super charming and relaxing show. - StarsChikao ÔtsukaJûrôta KosugiAbie HadjitarkhaniThree members of the Joestar family, a clan of psychic fighters, set out on a quest to destroy their family's ancient enemy.Honorable Mention no 18.
Old Jojo OVA is pretty great. The 2000 one has the best character art style to this day, but it's slow at times, and the action isn't really exciting. All of those bad things change in the 1993 version, which is the best Jojo part 3 iteration. The action is directed in such a tense yet funny way, and the animation is excellent throughout most of the run. The soundtrack is something new as well, leaning much more on setting atmosphere and tone instead of featuring character themes.
2000 OVA - 5; 1993 OVA - 7 - CreatorYasuyuki UedaStarsMichael ForestLiam O'BrienPatrick SeitzIn a man-made underground society, descendants of a banished generation vie for control of the crumbling city of Lux. Ichise, an orphan turned prize fighter, loses a leg and an arm to satisfy an enraged fight promoter.Honorable Mention no 19.
This one almost made it into the list, but it's not anime in the general sense, but more of an art-house anime. Most people I've ever met wouldn't enjoy or even finish watching this.
It's kind of pretentious, definitely artistic, deep for sure, but a very tough watch. Best if you binge in a series of 5 episodes or more.
Texhnolyze is as real as the dreams we are all having. - StarsMasaya OnosakaToshihiko SekiMiho YamadaCount D, a quite interesting pet shop owner from an area called Chinatown, sells rare and hard to come by pets to people longing for something special, but with each sale comes a contract. If the rules of the contract are followed, everything goes fine, but if someone should break the rules of the contract, the pet shop cannot be held responsible for anything unfortunate that might happen. Leon Orcot, a homicide detective, has linked many odd and unexplainable deaths together; they all were customers of Count D's pet shop, and he intends to find out why.Honorable Mention no 20.
I forgot to add my short opinion on this one, so, in short, I'll say that I like my animes to be atmospheric, and this one has that in plenty.
The key here is music, which has that spatial, funky, spiritual sound that embellishes every scene and creates a colorful note that goes together with the episode.