Here are a few of my favorite anime, as of March 2024. I have a long but scattered history with anime, and my list will reflect that with how varied the ages of the shows I've listed are from each other. I want to start my site with a list present so people have some idea of the things I like and have watched. That's an important piece of context to have available for people reading or watching my reviews. Starting from the top, we have...
Kamisama Kiss
Things I like in fiction: supernatural beings, romance, a male lead who is initially a bad ass ‘eating crow’ by falling for a generally naive girl. How the heck was Kamisama Kiss NOT going to be at the top? The things that really stands out to me are that they are also to let Nanami have a bit of a harem without losing the fact that Tomoe is the main guy, and the fact that each of the key boys she interacts with are a different shade of villain who all end up caring about her. Would I recommend any of the three in the real world? Nope. But in fiction, they’re the hot fudge on my Sundae.
Dragon Ball Super
In its own way, Dragon Ball Super is Kamisama Kiss for boys. Because the bad guys so often end up becoming allies, but instead of being love interests (all the time) they are more likely to turn from enemies to (more) friendly rivals. Another thing I really adore about Dragon Ball Super is the time and care that is spent on the massive cast’s interpersonal relationships with each other and their families. Action and adventure shows can fail to sell us on what the characters are fighting for, or just doing a casual wave and nod. But Dragon Ball Super is not afraid to slow down or speed up its pace to make sure the viewer knows exactly what’s at stake—and then rewarding us with kick ass fights and power ups to defend what is held dear—and that’s very compelling to me.
The Ancient Magus Bride
Gorgeous visuals, the best use of celtic myths and creatures in anything, ever, and a cast of compelling characters are quite a cocktail for a compelling series. The Ancient Magus Bride knows when to speed up and slow down its plot. It recognizes the need for exciting encounters and closer, more personal moments between characters. If you can get past the “Oh my God what am I watching?!” feeling of episode one, I promise there is something truly exquisite here that has something for practically everybody.
Made in Abyss
This is an extremely beautiful show with great characters, terrifying situations, psychological and visual mind-fuckery, and a compelling world. That said, it is not for the faint of heart and there are going to be people who will nope out on this either during episode one or (far more so) at episode 10. If you can roll with its punches, there’s a hell of a story to be experienced here. But if you can’t, don’t feel bad. This is definitely not an “E for Everyone” anime.
Sailor Moon
Aww, look. It’s my own personal gateway anime. The Sailor Scouts are some of my favorite female characters ever. I’m particularly fond of Jupiter and Mercury. This is another show that does a great job of blending normal life and being a super hero; a theme I’ve discovered over the years that I truly love. Molly’s crush on Neflight was my introduction to crushing on a villain, and that has definitely stuck. While Serena and Darian (yes, I’m using the retro English names) aren’t my favorite characters in the show, they are admittedly more interesting than most leads. Although the first four episodes of Sailor Moon, with just theme, Luna, Molly, and Jedite, are s-l-o-w, as a warning to anyone trying to get into this.
My Hero Academia
I’m here for The League of Villains. Okay, that’s partially true. While I do adore Shigaraki, Dabi, and Toga, MHA has a massive, fascinating cast both among heroes and villains. I really like how different characters get the spotlight at different times. Although I’ll say up front that if you think Ida and Ochaco are going to be the other main characters besides Midoriya after finishing season one, get ready for disappointment because that’s NOT the case and I see lots of people get burned by that idea. That said, My Hero Academia is a fun and exciting show that picks apart all the things we tend to think about super heroes and is a solid watch.
Demon Slayer
Beautiful artwork, gorgeous music and a simple but effective plot. That pretty much sums up Demon Slayer in a nutshell. There are some fantastic characters in this show, ranging from the precious protagonist Tanjiro and his ‘demon we must protecc’ sister Nezuko, to badass but socially inept Inosuke, to intriguing (and in most cases attractive) villains like Douma, Muzan, Kokushibou, Akaza and Gyutaro. One of the things I like most about Demon Slayer is how Tanjiro is able to empathize with the tragedies demons have gone through, without going all buddy-buddy rather than taking them out. It shows the contrast between his emotional state and the reality of the world he has found himself in, and it highlights the level of risk he carries as he tries to find a way to restore Nezuko’s humanity.
Death Parade
A bit more mature and sophisticated in its design and characterization than most of the stuff on this list, what drew me into Death Parade’s orbit is its absolutely kick-ass premise. Souls come to Decim’s bar to be judged so it can be determined where they will go in the afterlife. As someone who is obsessed with death in mythologies and lore, how was I going to turn that down?! Decim ends up with an assistant, Chiyuki, who is a soul that has lost her memory. I’ll sum it up like this: Death Parade is a fascinating story with a bittersweet ending that is true to its nature. Distinct, thought provoking, and well worth your time.
InuYasha
Another longtime favorite that I mainly follow for side characters and villains. While Kagome and InuYasha struggle with ‘will they or won’t they’ and the comedy of ‘sit, boy!’ that makes the question all but irrelevant, I’m busy watching Miroku and Sango (whose interactions are hilarious) and, villain-lover that I am, swooning over Sesshoumaru and Naraku. Interesting situations and conflicts, an overall solid cast despite how I roasted InuYasha and Kagome, and an interesting variety of different takes on the supernatural keep things moving along at a solid pace.
Yu Yu Hakusho
Great fight scenes, interesting world building and lore, and a group of ‘heroes’ who have an interesting spectrum of shades of gray to their character. While the guys here do tend to ultimately be doing ‘a’ right thing, they don’t always tend to do it in the way the world they are in would view as ‘right’. Also, Koenma is funny and Botan, Genkai and Kayko all add a perspective that can make things more relatable for anyone seeking a bit more feminine pov among all the madness.
Fushigi Yugi
I hunted this down on eBay about twenty years ago and it was an ‘annual watch’ for about a decade. I’ll admit that the first half is better than the second, in my opinion. Also, with seven people protecting Miaka and Yui each, some get more screen time and development than others, which is a shame. Still, there are a lot of interesting draws here including Tomahome, Hotohori, and Nakugo, so depending on what you’re into (notice I included a villain?) you’ll probably find something or someone to like.
Yuri!!! On Ice
Three compelling main characters, an undercurrent of romantic tension, and the story of a guy who hit rock bottom but has the nuts to stand back up. Yuri!!! On Ice was my introduction to any kind of sports anime, and it clicked with me immediately. It probably helped a lot that I’ve loved watching figure skating since I was a kid. I binged this so hard, and thought it was a solid watch from start to finish.
Yu-Gi-Oh!
This is mainly here because of two words: Seto Kaiba. The balance of his character, between being an unapologetic asshole but equally being fiercely loyal and protective of his little brother, Mokuba, is still etched deep into my memory despite the fact that the last time I watched this was twenty years ago. I like this man so much that I have a figure of him on my shelf to this day. The main cast are pretty cool. Pegasus is intriguing. But to me, Seto Kaiba is the main draw.
The Devil is a Part Timer
Hilarious. Balances the reality of working a crappy fast food job with the insanity of the devil coming to earth and needing to do that. Great fight scenes. Fun characters. If the idea of the devil working at McDonalds grabs you in any way, give it a go.
Code Geass
I already know what you’re going to ask: why is this at the bottom? Well, mostly because I watched it a long time ago and the two things I remember from the show are things I can’t talk about here because they are massive spoilers. In short, they are what happens to Princess Euphemia and the ending of this anime as a whole. But trust me, this is worth watching. And I do plan to rewatch it so I can give a more legitimate review and recommendation.
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