MY TOP 50 FAVORITE ANIME OF ALL TIME (THREAD)

Anime has been my first real hobby and I dedicated a lot of time on it for years. Of the hundreds of anime I've watched throughout those years, I've come up with 50 of them that stood out and represents best of my anime experience.
50.) DARKER THAN BLACK [SERIES]

It's about people who use superpowers that requires "remuneration" to activate. Memorable for its insanely good action sequences and one of the coolest male protagonists I've seen.
49.) SERIAL EXPERIMENTS LAIN [SERIES]

Infamous for being an absolute mindfuck to watch. This was released at a time when the Internet was still doing its baby steps towards the mainstream and it accurately predicts the Internet age that'll eventually come. Black Mirror who?
48.) NATSUME'S BOOK OF FRIENDS [SERIES]

It's about a guy that discovers his deceased grandma's "Book of Friends" where she put all the names of the spirits she made fun with and now those spirits want to get their names back. Sounds creepy but this is actually a very calm watch.
47.) YOUR NAME [FILM]

This is one of the more ambitious romance films I've seen in a while. It has its flaws but it delivers with such emotionally compelling presentation. This is actually Makoto Shinkai's most optimistic film yet and I'm excited what he's going to do next.
46.) TSUKI GA KIREI [SERIES]

The title is actually holds two meanings: "the moon is beautiful, isn't it?" and "i love you". This is a sweet, simple romance between two socially awkward individuals that has a very fulfilling conclusion. More love stories should follow its steps.
45.) WELCOME TO THE NHK [SERIES]

This is an anime that tackles mental illness with a touch of dark humor. Basically portrays the ugly reality of being an "otaku". However, the story builds up to one of the best catharsis I've seen in anime. It's depressing but hopeful in ways.
44.) KILL LA KILL [SERIES]

Who says fanservice can't make a great anime? This anime is so over the top in many ways yet I had a blast watching it. If there's something I learned from the show, it's that anyone could and should be able to wear whatever the hell they want.
43.) CLANNAD [SERIES]

Back in high school, this anime caused me to go depressed for months. It might be too melodramatic to some, but it has one of the best crying sessions I've ever had. And the soundtrack, I used to cry myself to sleep listening to it.
42.) WOLF CHILDREN [FILM]

This is such a heartwarming family drama that could've done more with its story, but the flawless presentation more than makes up for it.
41.) GREAT TEACHER ONIZUKA [SERIES]

The title never lies, Onizuka is a teacher all of us wish could have. He's not that smart and way too reckless for his job, but his coolness more than makes up for it. This is a school comedy that will make you laugh and cry several times.
40.) PRINCESS MONONOKE [FILM]

This is one of the more darker and mature Ghibli movies that explores environmentalist themes and couples it with a capitalist-centered conflict. It's not your typical lighthearted Ghibli film, but it stands as one of its best.
39.) AZUMANGA DAIOH [SERIES]

This anime was so ahead of its time, it basically pioneered the "cute girls doing cute things" trend and manages to hold up well until this day. It's funny, heartwarming, and weird at times with a cast of well-written characters.
38.) KIDS ON THE SLOPE [SERIES]

This anime made me nostalgic for a time I wasn't even born in yet. Aside from that, it made me interested in jazz for a short while. This is a period drama that is lighthearted yet bittersweet at times.
37.) PING PONG THE ANIMATION [SERIES]

Ping Pong has never looked this stylish and intense. It's a psychological anime that deals with self-confidence when threatened by competition. Realistic for its portrayal of the sport and not superficial unlike typical sports anime.
36.) THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA [FILM]

One of the most beautiful yet heartbreaking animated films I've ever seen. Thank you Isao Takahata for this masterpiece, may you rest in peace.
35.) STEINS;GATE [SERIES]

El Psy Congroo

This anime takes it time by establishing its premise and setting on its first half then takes us into an intense mystery time travel rollercoaster chase on its second half.
34.) NIGHT IS SHORT, WALK ON GIRL [FILM]

This is a surreal yet heartwarming tale of romance only Masaaki Yuasa can ever pull off. Brims with such eccentric charm that you can't help but go along with its joyous celebration of love.
33.) A SILENT VOICE [FILM]

I've been a fan of the manga years before this film got released and I have to say, it delivered despite cutting some parts of the story. It deals about bullying but it's not just about the victim, but also the path to redemption of the perpetrator.
32.) FROM UP ON POPPY HILL [FILM]

This is such an underrated Ghibli film that gets unnecessary hate because it's not made by Miyazaki. I'll tell you what, this is arguably one of the best teen romance I've ever seen and it's done in a manner that's more mature than you think.
31.) MONONOKE [SERIES]

This is an unconventional and bizarre horror anime that tackles Japanese folklore and mythology. The presentation is so stylish and artsy yet it delivers stories that can be really disturbing at times.
30.) KINO'S JOURNEY [SERIES]

This is a calming and beautiful anime about a wandering motorist that goes from town to town. It can get dark at times but its atmospheric presentation helps in soothing your watching experience.
29.) LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC HEROES [SERIES]

I liked this most for its interesting conflict between a democracy run by bad leaders and an autocracy run by a good leader. It has complex world-building, compelling characters, and a well-structured plot.
28.) PERFECT BLUE [FILM]

This is a terrifying psychological horror not only about the consequence of fame, but also the struggle for identity on and off the camera. If you know the film Black Swan, this is the animated film that basically inspired it.
27.) SHOUWA GENROKU RAKUGO SHINJUU [SERIES]

This is an incredibly well-done period drama that focuses on the art of "rakugo" which is basically verbal storytelling. Its rakugo scenes is presented hypnotically and amazingly with a lot of personality and charisma.
26.) USAGI DROP [SERIES]

This is about a man who adopted his grandfather's illegitimate daughter. Honestly one of the best stories I've seen that deals about parenting. It's very heartwarming and sweet while being unafraid to show the struggles of a single parent.
25.) KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE [FILM]

I first watched this film as a kid and it shattered my perception of witches as evil minions of Satan. This is a feel-good adventure story with a really pleasant romance development. It's carefree vibe will basically melt your heart
24.) PARANOIA AGENT [SERIES]

Being Satoshi Kon's only non-film endeavor, Paranoia Agent is an incredibly creepy mystery/psychological anime. It's a slow burner yet highly rewarding if you give it the attention it demands.
23.) BERSERK [SERIES]

Ignore the CGI remake, watch this then read the manga afterwards. This is an incredibly dark and violent anime that gets even worse when you reach the ending. Dark fantasy done right with well-written and developed characters.
22.) MONSTER [SERIES]

This is the ultimate slow burner anime that will really test your patience. It has a really slow pacing but rewards the viewer with a well-developed plot. A psychological anime that takes its time dragging the viewer to the horrifying unknown.
21.) NODAME CANTABILE [SERIES]

A musical anime that showcases one of the best romance developments I've seen. Not only that, but the individual characters as well. This will leave you all warm and fuzzy, making you wonder why you're not talented at playing musical instruments.
20.) DEATH NOTE [SERIES]

The very first anime I fell in love with outside of Naruto. The mind games still amaze me up until this day. It could've been perfect if not for its ending which gave me mixed feelings. Overall, it holds up well for me after years of watching it.
19.) HAIBANE RENMEI [SERIES]

The story of this anime is an allegory for suicide and coming to terms with it. It doesn't make it obvious that way, but that's how I ended up interpreting this anime. Beautiful and poetic, it holds so much power with what it can show and tell.
18.) COWBOY BEBOP [SERIES]

I mean, who doesn't love this anime? It exudes such a cool atmosphere, reminiscent of tropes you see in Hollywood in the likes of Tarantino. Not only that, but its episodic nature allows it to explore its setting and characters with flair and style.
17.) ONE PIECE [SERIES]

The best among the Big 3. With its memorable story and characters, I don't regret ending up watching hundreds of episodes of this. It's honestly one of the highlights of my anime experience because I've been deeply invested with this anime several times.
16.) BECK [SERIES]

This anime got me into music, rock music specifically. It has a rock and roll attitude to it that impresses me up to this day. Very realistic for its portrayal of how bands and the music industry work. It also has an incredible soundtrack.
15.) MILLENNIUM ACTRESS [FILM]

Satoshi Kon's magnum opus. This is an unconventional, surreal, yet emotionally potent romance story that is told through the career of the main protagonist. It contains one of the most impressive animated sequences I've ever seen.
14.) PLANETES [SERIES]

It's about garbage men in space, portraying every day life there without much action. But still, it's the best space sci-fi anime I've ever seen. It deals with man's obsession for outer space and curiosity of what lies beyond. Philosophical and ambitious.
13.) HOUSE OF SMALL CUBES [SHORT FILM]

It's only 12 minutes, yet it says a whole lot more than most films. Watch it for yourself, I'll leave a link.
12.) SPIRITED AWAY [FILM]

Again, who doesn't love this anime film? It's a memorable tale of adventures and revelations that you'll start to miss once the entire thing is over.
11.) ARIA [SERIES]

This is the ultimate slice-of-life anime set in a terraformed Mars. It's a story about three gondoliers and how they develop their friendship through this same passion of rowing gondolas. It sounds mundane but it's a world that I'd gladly like to get lost in.
10.) GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX [SERIES]

While the original film is great, I picked this because it contains one of my favorite arcs of all time (Laughing Man). Incredibly mind-boggling and adrenaline-pumping, this is the best action sci-fi series I've ever seen.
9.) NANA [SERIES]

An incredibly memorable romance anime that's more mature than most I've seen. It manages to break my heart several times as the characters undergo their own personal struggles. Like Beck, it also has an incredible soundtrack though it has a more punk attitude.
8.) NICHIJOU [SERIES]

Yes it's a moe comedy, so what? This show has such an unorthodox and bizarre humor that basically caters to the "meme" side of me. It's an unholy marriage between anime girls and 4chan humor. It's not for everyone but it certainly is for me.
7.) MUSHISHI [SERIES]

This anime can be so atmospheric and beautiful at times, yet can also be unsettling and creepy. There's no in between. It's a mysterious field trip to a forest full of spirits out to curse you. Some end with a cure, and some end with a tragedy.
6.) CASTLE IN THE SKY [FILM]

I remember as a kid, I'd watch this film over and over again. It's basically the ultimate adventure movie for me. Floating castles, lost civilizations, flying pirates, magic stones, they all fascinated me. Everything's enchanting and exciting.
5.) FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD [SERIES]

The best shounen anime out there. A vast setting that manages to explore it well through world building. A plot that has a gigantic scale. Characters you actually care about. This has about everything you need to make a perfect anime
4.) TENGEN TOPPA GURREN LAGANN [SERIES]

This anime isn't for boys, it's for men. An anime so insane and over-the-top that it doesn't care if it breaks the rules of physics, it's a real hypefest. I mean, it has a battle where it throws universes left and right like frisbees.
3.) 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND [FILM]

I've watched this film more times than any other film. It's a soul crushing story about unrequited love and feelings never reciprocated. Basically flips the middle finger to every romance stories with happy endings and I admire it for it.
2.) HONEY AND CLOVER [SERIES]

My favorite romcom of all time, and it's in a college setting. Watching this helped me throughout my college years, facing all of my existential crisis moments and romantic frustrations. It's a perfect portrayal of how to deal with unrequited love.
1.) THE TATAMI GALAXY [SERIES]

I honestly had a hard time putting in words what this anime means to me. Luckily, I have a review I made years ago that will help enlightening you about it. This anime left such a deep impact within me, it's hard to justify in 280 characters.
To the manga fans out there, I also made a manga edition https://twitter.com/ranylsan/status/1108775662498660352
You can follow @ranylsan.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

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