Gushing About Shows You Like (Sugar Wiki)/Anime and Manga: Difference between revisions

* I recently started watching ''[[Yu Yu Hakusho (Manga)|Yu Yu Hakusho]]'' on Youtube again, and I absolutely love the way it goes from hilarious to awesome to touching and I want to give all (Well, most) of the characters hugs.

* [[School Days (Visual Novel)|School Days]] is often said to have an [[Idiot Plot]], but this troper appreciates the [[Downer Ending]] that he felt was deserved.

* And don't forget the brilliant [[Revolutionary Girl Utena]] which is the deconstruction of ''[[Wake Up, Go to School, Save Thethe World]]'', [[Darker and Edgier]] version/ ''Deconstruction'' of magical girl series and fairytale motifs and ''[[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic]]'' and you've got one hyper cool show! My fave is Utena

** ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]] A's'' is definitely the best fighting-anime {{[[User|Smokie]] this dude}} has recently seen. You said it, ''grand epic fucking magical battles''. And don't forget the very good soundtrack, the high quality animation and [[The Woobie|woobie]] antagonists, and the weapons that deliver [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|CMoA]]'s just by talking (or transforming). Apart from the epicness, it also had [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]] / [[Tear Jerker]]'s. It's ''that'' brilliant. [[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikersStrikerS|StrikerS]] is also awesome, though. And both [[Dark Magical Girl|Fate]] and [[The Berserker|Vita]] are wonderful!

** [[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Strikers|Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS]] gets even better. Some people complain about the characters getting older and new characters introduced and sometimes taking the spotlight, but it fits in perfectly with the tone of the series: People grow up, old friends sometimes grow apart, new bonds are made, people get new responsibilites. Also, more great characters, cooler and darker villains, and, coolest of all, even more epic befriendings.

*** Seriously, [[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikersStrikerS|StrikerS]]. [[User:Marvel Girl|This troper]] was shocked at first when they added the new characters, but then you see the ''whole plot revolves'' around these people and where they come from. Brilliant, from the opening rescue scene (which sets up a shocking wham moment in episode 17) all the way to the very end, which even has a callback to the opening scene that made me cry.) And Quattro getting her ass kicked is still one of my most favorite moments in anime.

** This troper broke down into Epic [[Squee|Squees]] of [[Department of Redundancy Department|Epicness]] when she heard that ''Miyafreakin'zaki'' was bringing one of her favorite [[Howl's Moving Castle (Literaturenovel)|semi-obscure children's books]] to gorgeous anime life. Even if it's not the most faithful adaptation, and even if it [[Deus Ex Machina|doesn't explain its ending well]], it still awes this troper for the wonderful job it manages to do of bringing its ''characters'' to life--Sophie, Howl, and Calcifer are everything they should be, and everything else she considers part of a lovely [[Alternate Continuity]]. Plus, the animation is awesome as ever--she literally gasped when she saw the castle for the first time.

** This is the most wonderful thing this troper has ever read. It developed in the same way a character would develop - starting off with undesirable traits (in this case, too much fanservice) before refining those traits while still keeping enough to make the individual in question recognisable as who they are. It was this troper's introduction to the world of ecchi manga, and in its later editions became the most fun, action-packed series to ever be printed, with huge, hot-blooded fights that [[DragonballDragon Ball]] would be envious of - Negi Vs Rakan in particular. Every character (of which there are many) is well-developed and relatable with just tons of character development, the [[Applied Phlebotinum]] feels mroe like hard science than magic, and the manylocations involved [[Scenery Porn|are simply beautiful.]] Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou Ken kamatsu. It's just such a shame you're ending such a beautiful, epic story so early.

* ''[[Mobile Fighter G Gundam (Anime)|G Gundam]]'' is the best anime when it comes to fight scenes, the thrilling battles, the Hot Blooded action as friends battle friends for the right to be named Gundam of Gundam. In particular the Master Asia vs. Domon Kasshu fight is the finest in anime history. Just a teacher and student with a father and son relationship fighting to see who was right. Countering each other's moves until the finally use Sekiha Tenkyoken, where Domon and Master Asia give a teary farewell to each other before Master Asia dies from his injuries.

* ''[[Gankutsuou (Anime)|Gankutsuou]]''. Sure it's just ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (Literaturenovel)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' [[Recycled in Space|IN SPACE!!!]], but it somehow manages to do much more with the concept than you would have thought possible. Setting the story in the future could have just been an empty gimmick, but instead it allowed for the animators to do new and interesting things with the plot and the setting (and to push the [[Rule of Cool]] into new extremes!) The series also has characters who are interesting enough to not get overwhelmed by all of the [[Scenery Porn]]--the best character of all, being the Count himself who manages to be one of the most darkly fascinating [[Magnificent Bastard|MagnificentBastards]] in all of anime.

** Just ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo (Literaturenovel)|The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' [[Recycled in Space|In space]]? Being a (surprisingly) faithful adaptation to the original novel alone makes this anime one of the best! Having read the novel before watching the anime, I can honestly say that it captures the flavor of the book perfectly.

* This troper read the first volume of ''[[Read or Die (Anime)|Read or Die]]''. It's fucking awesome. Yomiko is a cute and [[Hot Librarian]] whose book fetish and occasional bouts of ditziness brought about by said book fetish make her even cuter. Not to mention her [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] at the end of the volume. Barring the fact that she's fictional and a product of an author's imagination, she makes this troper want to give her a big hug.

* For me, ''[[Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure (Manga)|Jo Jos Bizarre Adventure]]'' is everything about Shonen Action Manga gone horribly right. I love the series for the awesome fights, crazy unique stands, bizarre and interesting characters and general oddness that pervades the series. Best of all, the individual stories are largely self contained and each part manages to find ways to keep the whole thing fresh. Never change, Araki.

** Oh god, so damn straight. Finally [[Needs More Love|someone acknowledges its impact]]. When it comes to Shonen, THIS is one of the must-watch/read series you just CANNOT miss. When shows like ''[[DragonballDragon Ball]]'' and ''[[Yu Yu Hakusho (Manga)|Yuyu Hakusho]]'' are worldwide classics, ''JoJo's'' and ''[[Fist of the North Star]]'' were underground, cult classics that redefined the genre [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|at the same time it was starting to become popular]]! There's hundreds of shonen authors, but seriously, in my opinion, people like [[Hirohiko Araki]], [[Fist of the North Star|Tetsuo Hara and Sho Fumimura (a.k.a. Buronson)]] are millions, and I mean [[Up to Eleven|MILLIONS]] of light years above everyone else.

* ''[[Five5 Centimeters Per Second]]'' is just perfect in every way, with an escalating series of [[Tear Jerker|sad]] and [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|sweet]] moments that goes [[Up to Eleven]] in a way never before accomplished by a romance film. Quite simply it is the greatest romance movie ever made.

* ''[[DragonballDragon Ball]]'' and its sequel ''[[Dragonball Z]]'' are the greatest action adventure anime/manga series of all time. It's got explosive over the top fighting scenes, cool interesting characters with unique and distinctive looks and and a storyline that is both straightforwardly simple yet surprisingly complex at the same time. There is just so much wrapped into this one series. There's aliens, robots, demons, it's like they just a smorgasboard. The series just keeps reinventing itself over and over again.

** It's basically [[Kinnikuman]] meets [[Journey to The West (Literature)|Journey to Thethe West]]. It pays tribute to a huge pool of influences spanning all media (most notably [[Superman]]), and receives tribute from an equally large and diverse group (only [[Alien]] had a comparable influence on video games). Yet somehow, there's nothing quite like it.

* [[User:Figment Jedi|This troper]] loved ''[[Kaiba]]'' and finds it a serious shame that it's so underrated. Yes, it's a bit of a [[Mind Screw]] getting in and towards the end, but if you pay attention enough, it isn't too hard. Part of the point of the beginning being confusing for first timers is that they essentially know as much as the then-amnesiac protagonist. The first half of the series does very well in exploring the setting, getting into a borderline [[Crapsack World]] that results from the line between rich and poor being even larger from digitized memories tech. The second half then gets back to the plot and it is awesome. The series unique art style also helps it in standing out from most other modern anime, having a look resembling [[Astro Boy (Mangamanga)|Astro Boy]] and "The Little Prince", the latter of which is very fitting considering various aspects of the plot. Seriously, give it a shot.

* The manga version of [[Akira (Manga)|Akira]]. Even though the film constantly overshadows it, the original is bigger, actually coherent, and just more ''epic.'' Katsuhiro Otomo's artwork renders everything from individual facial expressions to ''[[Sphere of Destruction|the psychic leveling of entire cities]]'' with meticulous, stunning perfection. And let's not forget the best thing the movie left out - Kei's aunt [[Mama Bear|Chiyoko]], AKA two hundred pounds of heat-packing, tank-driving [[Badass]] in an apron.

* X the TV is so good that I am AFRAID to read the manga and see how much was left out and shuffled around. The art, the music {{spoiler|(well, not the opening theme, it's kind of grating)}}, the character development... all of it is just gorgeous. The first time I watched it, I had to pause it every three or four episodes and just ''cry'' at how damned sad and beautiful it was. The clincher? The proof that it is truly one of the greatest tales of [[The End of the World Asas We Know It]] [[Because Destiny Says So]]? I am not a fangirl of any of the characters. Yes, you read that correctly. '''I watch this show for the plot.''' Not for the Kawaii quotient (though it does have that) but for the actual storyline. That is a powerful anime right there.

* On the subject of [[CLAMP (Creator)|CLAMP]], ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura (Manga)|Cardcaptor Sakura]]'' may get cries of [[Tastes Like Diabetes]] from some, but its charming "day-in-the-life-of-a-[[Magical Girl]]" setup just doesn't fail to please me. Charming characters, sweet, ever-evolving relationships between the characters, and a story that doesn't rely on lots of shock value to make it interesting. Definitely worth a look. [[Macekre|Original Japanese version, please.]] >.<

* [[Wolfs Rain|Wolf's Rain]] needs more love. It's gritty and epic and incredibly awesome, and the one anime that rendered me ''mentally catatonic'' after its [[Downer Ending|depressing but awesome ending]]. You can't go wrong when everyone in the main cast is a fricking ''badass.'' I'm including the humans, too--they may be obviously outshone by the wolves, but how many people have the guts to even TRY keeping up?

* I don't watch much anime and I can't say I've read a lot of manga either, but I absolutely love ''[[Death Note (Manga)|Death Note]]''. It's so well written and thought out, I love the characters, and it's one of the few things I've seen in which I truly didn't know what to expect.

*** Yeah, the best part of [[Samurai Pizza Cats]] was that unexpected cameo from the [[Death Note (Manga)|Death Note]] characters... Fitted the show's random atmosphere perfectly.

** This troper is pretty sure that if Yotsuba were a real little girl, world peace would occur right then and there, the moment she popped into existance. She would give a half-wilted dandelion to a horrible dictator, say, "Enjoy everything!" and walk off acting like an airplane and singing. He would "awwww" so deeply, [[How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Literaturenovel)|his heart would grow three sizes]], he'd call off every war or imposition he'd ever made, free the wrongly-imprisoned, and start giving out puppies. Air-lift her to the next country with issues, lather, rinse, repeat. In fact, I'm starting to think this is a pretty good strategy. Yotsuba Not Bombs, anyone?

** Yotsuba (and [[Persona 4 (Video Game)|Persona 4]]) MADE ME an optimist. I was a pessimist before I read Yotsubato, and I am now a full, cheerful, skipping optimist.

* This troper really liked ''[[Darker Than Black (Anime)|Darker Than Black]]'' and wishes another season would be made (although difficult given the series' ending). It has competent (often [[Badass]]) and sympathetic characters and makes one of the best uses of the "[[X -Men]]" [[Fantastic Aesop]].

** How awesome is ''[[Darker Than Black (Anime)|Darker Than Black]]'', exactly? Why, enough that the second series seems to feature a previously unheard of 13-year-old girl as the protagonist ''and it still looks awesome''.

** How awesome is ''[[Darker Than Black (Anime)|Darker Than Black]]''? If you do not know how to use your powers, you can GTFO. If you can reality warp the area around your body, you had better put your powers to better use than only summoning a ''shotgun and twin swords.'' If you know how to use your powers, come and stay. If you have pyrokinesis, you will use it to spontaneously ignite people. If you have ice powers, you will not use it to make the "ice block around a person" gimmick, you will use it to ''freeze the blood of their veins.'' And if {{spoiler|you have the power to "change structures on an atomic level, you won't be changing bullets into rubber, or some of the more immediate effects that come into mind- no, you'll be altering a particle stream on your very first go.}}

* ''[[Gintama (Manga)|Gintama]]'' is the best damn shounen series I have ever watched.

* ''[[Ghost in Thethe Shell]]'' was an awesome movie. Beautiful visuals, intelligent characters, a world that you could actually believe was real, and an amazingly deep plot that works on many levels. ''Stand Alone Complex'' was all that and more, so beautiful that I've watched the entire series multiple times and still can't get tired of it. ''2nd Gig'' somehow was even better, and ''Solid State Society'' blew me away. They somehow manage to bring together action, drama, philosophy and a compelling plot that never suffers from [[Pacing Problems]] or [[Fridge Logic]]. Somehow the series just gets better every time you see it. For TV writers out there: Kusanagi, Batou, Togusa and Aramaki are how you write heroes. Everything about that series is pure awesome.

* [[Lupin III]] is as funny and awesome today as it was when it was first animated. So what if the animation's a little rough? You've got a [[Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass]] [[Kaitou|kaitou]] [[Handsome Lech]] constantly on the receiving end of [[Armor-Piercing Slap|ArmorPiercingSlaps]], a gruff deadly marksman sidekick, a [[Stoic]] samurai [[Badass]] who could give most of the characters of [[Samurai Deeper Kyo]] and [[Rurouni Kenshin]] a run for their money, and a hot <s> double</s> <s> triple</s> quadruple agent [[Ms. Fanservice]]! Did I mention even though she's kidnapped a lot, she's always [[The Lancer]] and never [[The Chick]]? Or that ''all'' of them get to be a [[Deadpan Snarker]] at one point or another? Or that they're chased by the original [[Sympathetic Inspector Antagonist|Zenigata]]? Hell, do I even have to mention the time they ''stole the statue of [[wikipedia:Christ the Redeemer (statue)|Christ The Redeemer]]???'' [[Lupin III]] is, in essence, [[Cowboy Bebop]]'s [[Bottle Fairy]] [[Cool Big Sis]]; all the manic fun, none of the angst. The clincher? ''[[The Castle of Cagliostro (Anime)|One of the movies]] was directed by Miyazaki-sensei!''

* I loved ''[[Ai Yori Aoshi (Manga)|Ai Yori Aoshi]]''. By turns sweet, funny, and endearing, not to mention speaking to my hidden romantic side, I really came to care about the characters and root for them to get a happy ending. The anime was [[Cut Short]], so finishing out the series was the first time I've purchased manga. I had to know how it ended.

** There was nothing about ''[[Ai Yori Aoshi (Manga)|Ai Yori Aoshi]]'' that I didn't love. From Aoi to even, yes, Mayu, I love every single one of them. If I had to complain, it's that it ''ended.'' I would happily read another 12 volumes of Tina and Aoi and Kaoru and everyone else just to be able to keep reading.

* ''[[Ah! My Goddess (Manga)|Ah My Goddess]]'' will remain as a personal favorite. It's like ''[[Bewitched (TV)|Bewitched]]'' without the suck. I like the characters, the stories are enjoyable, and, what can I say, I like listening to Eileen Stevens channel [[Kikuko Inoue]]. Some people criticize [[Yamato Nadeshiko|Belldandy]], but I wonder what show they're watching, or at least why being sweet and nurturing is considered a flaw. What can I say, it just hits my soft spot. Season 3 now, please!

* Can I just put a pre-emptive Gush in for Netflix? If you love movies, especially anime, which can be hard to find some places, you have ''no excuse'' for not having a 'flix subscription. I purchased ''[[Ai Yori Aoshi (Manga)|Ai Yori Aoshi]]'', ''[[Solty Rei (Manga)|Solty Rei]]'', ''[[Ah! My Goddess (Manga)|Ah My Goddess]]'', ''[[Cowboy Bebop (Anime)|Cowboy Bebop]] Remix'' and ''[[Samurai 7 (Anime)|Samurai Seven]]'' after seeing them from Netflix, and would get even more if I [[Reality Ensues|had the dough]]. Not to mention the fact that I can quickly search for and add a series if I hear about it from [[Tropes Will Ruin Your Life|the Tropers]]. And since I have an X Box 360, I don't even have to wait for discs sometimes. I just want to find the guy who created it and give him a big hug!

** Just recently finished watching the entire [[Avatar: The Last Airbender (Animation)|Avatar]] series and [[Tsukihime (Visual Novel)|Tsukihime]] anime ([[Fanon Discontinuity|I know, I know]], but I had to find out), am about to finish watching the [[Fate/stay Stay Night (Visual Novel)night|Fate Stay Night]] anime (getting my father interested in the [[Visual Novel]]), and have just discovered their cache of [[Slayers]] DVDs. I will second your notion.

** Strongly thirded. Living in a small town, finding anything besides major releases in video stores before Netflix, especially anime, was tough if not impossible. The number of great series and movies I've watched since joining Netflix has been worth it all by itself. Now with the advent of streaming... currently watching ''[[Clannad (Visual Novel)|Clannad]]'' this way and just loving it.

* ''[[Potemayo]]'' is like nothing else. Imagine if [[Yotsubato|Yotsuba]],[[Azumanga Daioh (Manga)|Osaka]] and [[Shakugan no Shana|Shana]] were genetically spliced with a cat... and the result was a foot high and unbearably cute. Do the same splice again,this time using Sakaki and [[Suzumiya Haruhi|Asakura Ryouko]] as the source and giving her worm-things that fire [[Breath Weapon|laser beams from their mouths]] on the side of her head. Place them both in a [[Puni Plush]] anime series,populate it with gently parodic [[Anime Character Types]] and introduce them to the big,confusing world. Have [[The Stoic]] as the oblivious [[Love Interest]] of both the moe-blob and a [[Shrinking Violet]]. Sprinkle with [[Ho Yay]] and [[Parental Bonus]]-style humour. Strain through the pure essences of Japan. Now you're close to the twelve episodes of charm,joy and just plain [[Widget Series|"Wait,]]''[[Widget Series|what]]''[[Widget Series|?"-ness]] of Potemayo. Caveat: the last episode. [[Tear Jerker|Bring tissues]]. - [[User:Ack Sed]]

* ''[[Rah XephonRahXephon]]'': Not just the [[Lighter and Softer]] version of Evangelion, but so much more than that. And has a really well-constructed [[Jigsaw Puzzle Plot]] to boot.

* Anything by Kitoh really. The guys is delighfully depressing, and strange as it might sound ''[[Naru TaruNarutaru]]'' helped This Troper get OUT of a depression...

* Only now is [[Higurashi no Naku Koro Nini]] on here? For shame. Granted, I suppose like the Elfen Lied example above, the gore would put some people off. This troper does not like horror. At all. Still I regret not picking Higurashi up sooner. It is so much more than I thought it might be when I first read summaries on [[That Other Wiki]]. It has made me [[Crowning Moment of Funny|laugh]], [[Tear Jerker|cry]], and [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|feel all warm and fuzzy inside]] in addition to freaking me out. Thank you, Ryuukishi07 and 07th Expansion.

* ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia (Manga)|Axis Powers Hetalia]]'', in all its flaws, is awesome. Nothing ever managed to make this troper laugh so hard. The [[Ho Yay]] is a plus, too; all the [[Official Couple|Official Couples]] manage to make this troper either giggle or go 'Aaaawwww, they're so cute.'

* I know that whenever I'm having a bad day or anything is going wrong I can pop in ''[[Azumanga Daioh (Manga)|Azumanga Daioh]]'' and within minutes will have a huge goofy grin on my face. I think its [[Cloudcuckoolander|Osaka]].

** Definitely Osaka. And Chiyo (Chiyo-chan in a [[Everything's Better Withwith Penguins|penguin suit]] for the cute). And Sakaki. And Tomo. And Yukari. Hell, even ''Kimura''. When a series has such a vastly varied set of characters with almost one-note personalities yet makes them all lovable, you know you have a good thing.

** I think it's partially the fact that the show is kind of simple and comfortably consistent with its setting and characters. It kind of reminds me a little of ''[[Corner Gas (TV)|Corner Gas]]'' in that everyone always acts the same, in the same places, and very little changes between episodes. It's just relaxing and reassuring to sit and experience the stories delivered from the quirky little world it portrays. At the beginning of each episode you get an energetic, weird, happy theme song to get you ready, and the end gives you a less energetic, still happy but kind of quiet/reflective sounding (and slightly [[Crowning Music of Awesome|REALLY EPIC]]) sounding song to trick your brain into thinking that what you just watched makes perfect sense.

* ''[[Tenchi Muyo!]]''. All of it. Ryo-Ohki, Universe, even Tokyo. To say nothing of the two spin-offs, and the spin-off-off. It's been about 15 years or more since I first saw it and I still obsess about this show. The characters get into your heart and never leave, much like the girls do in tenchi's house. The action and scale of the superpowers are truely mind-blowing in a way I've never seen done right, before or since. And they're almost completely irrelevent since the major plots all focuses on this little house on a tiny island on an insignificant backwater little world. Love, drama, carrots, it's all here, whenever you want it, or even if you don't. And then there's Sasami. Oh good gods, Sasami... I'm sorry if lolicon [[Squick|squicks]] you out, but I absolutely love that little girl, with all my heart. She is everything that's right with the franchise. I could go on, and in my head I certainly will, but I think you get the point...

* I love [[Digimon (Franchise)|Digimon]]. I love the heavier, more serious material in a children's show, I love the way it stays far away from [[Status Quo Is God]], I love the [[Character Development]] and that being [[Big Damn Heroes]] actually did take its toll on the kids, many of whom had breakdowns in some form or another.

** [[Digimon (Franchise)|Digimon]] was amazing--it's what got me into anime as a kid. It really shows that kids can handle occasionally dark plotlines and character development. I'd love to see more children's shows on either side of the Pacific follow its example.

** [[Digimon (Franchise)|Digimon]] was a saving grace for [[User:Shadow Stained Sky|this troper]] in his younger years. And despite the flak it receives, he ''liked'' ''[[Digimon Frontier (Anime)|Frontier]]''. The characterization was something that touched him...of course the previous seasons have done it, but the members of the fourth season seemed much more...personal, to him.

* ''[[Digimon Savers (Anime)|Digimon Savers]]'' was epic, especially with a tough street-fighting trainer, woobie Ikuto and a masterful soundtrack.

* ''[[Digimon X Evolution (Anime)|Digimon X Evolution]]'' from the makers of the CGI ''TMNT'' and ''Astroboy'' in full CGI. It may look outdated, but it lacks the soundtrack of whiney humans, and has some of the most badass Digimon with close-to-saviour status in Alphamon. It also has some interesting contemplations and a heart-filled ending.

* This troper absolutely adores ''[[Aria (Manga)|Aria]]''. After I got my new computer and needed some new anime to fill it up, I browsed the "best rated" list at Anime News Network, and stumbled across Origination. It was 13 episodes, so decided to give it a shot, not downloading the other two seasons on the mistaken impression that it was a prequel (it's called "Origination," after all...) The first episode confused me a little, and it took a while to figure out where President Aria's eyes were, but the pace was kind of refreshing. When I went on to watch the second episode, its beauty and warmth convinced me to finish watching. Then I saw episode 9. Oh. My. God. It was so incredible. I got the rest of the series off bittorrent immediately after watching that episode, and watched from the beginning. When it came time to re-watch the portion of Origination I'd already seen, it was like a completely new experience. Then I got to the ending. It was just so well-done and emotional, I cried out of happiness so much that morning. I then got the soundtrack and rewatched a few episodes after listening to it for a bit. It's even better!

* ''[[Monster (Animemanga)|Monster]]'' is amazing - dark, unquestionably mature, intelligently written and totally unflinching in the way it tackles topics like bigotry, the existence of Absolute Evil and the value of human life. Although loaded with a huge cast of characters and many plot twists and turns, the story manages to make sense and come together without the need to suspend disbelief. The contrast between the [[The Messiah|heroic]] Kenzo Tenma and the [[Magnificent Bastard|chilling]] [[Complete Monster|Johan]] is one of the best hero-villain dynamic This Troper has seen. The anime is also a completely faithful adaptation and managed to [[Adaptation Distillation|enhance this troper's understanding of the manga]].

*** Fourthed. It must be the darkest, most mature manga/anime that This Troper has ever seen, tied with Elfen Lied, and even then [[Monster (Animemanga)|Monster]] and its story will inevitably suck you in and make you explore human nature, its ups and its downs, and several characters (which have excellent backstories) more than Elfen Lied ever did, while giving out different interpretations on a lot of things, and always leaving it open for interpretation of the viewer. Words fail This Troper.

** Knowing full well where it falls on the [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism]], I still massively enjoy reading and watching ''[[Monster (Animemanga)|Monster]]''. I actually care about the characters and what happens to them-- even Johan. The plot is cool, the huge amount of detail put into character design floors me every time, and I'm constantly recommending it to people.

** [[Pita|I]] don't like Anime much, to be honest. It feels like, much of the time, when a show is bad, people judge it by different standards than they do non-anime, just because it's anime. I hate gratuitous catgirls, I hate watching shows with no understanding of anywhere other than Japan, and I hate having every single relationship loaded with gay subtext. I had nearly given up on the entire platform. This was until ''[[Monster (Animemanga)|Monster]]''. Clever writing, clever plotting, great characters, amazing themes, and none of the things that had irked me about other animes. It's just an amazing piece of fiction. It is, to other animes, what [[The Wire]] is to other TV series, South Park is to other [[Western Animation]] series, and [[Inglourious Basterds]] is to other movies. Truly a brilliant show.

** ''[[Monster (Animemanga)|Monster]]'' pulled [[Tropers/Sunny V|me]] in from the first few episodes, for all of the above reasons.

* No love for [[Devil May Cry: theThe Animated Series]]? Sure the ending sucked, but the show had absolutely amazing action sequences, which really, is the entier bloody point, and still maneged to have a couple heartwarming scenes that completely avoided Narm. Pure almighty awesome.

* ''[[Mai Hi ME-HiME]]'' is simply brilliant. It suckers you in with interesting, sympathetic characters and excellent comedy, and then {{spoiler|[[Tear Jerker|turns]] [[There Can Only Be One|this]] [[Anyone Can Die|completely]] [[Break the Cutie|on]] [[Wham! Episode|its]] [[Growing the Beard|head]] for the Carnival arc}}. That and Miyu is just plain [[Badass]]. The only downside is the (very stupid) fourth episode and {{spoiler|[[Fanon Discontinuity|the utterly mishandled last episode]] ;_;}}, but the rest of the series more than makes up for it.

** ''[[Mai Hi ME-HiME]]'' is the absolute pinnacle of everything a great anime should be: stunning visuals, beautiful and haunting music, excellent characters and humour, a varied and fascinating world that combines elements of familiarity and mystery, with an atmosphere of intrigue and ancient secrets... this troper was so hooked he finished it in under 72 hours. Also -- it is the most emotionally powerful anime I've seen. The first [[Wham! Episode]] left me utterly reeling, I was reduced to tears more than once, and the ending of the first story arc was so full of awesome that part of me felt I might as well go home, there couldn't be any more to see. [[Serial Escalation|And it only got more awesome from there.]] When it came to the actual final ending I could hardly see the screen through my tears; no [[Fanon Discontinuity]] there for me.

* ''[[Ga -Rei Zero]]''. An original plot, sympathetic and likeable characters and an absolutely brilliant {{spoiler|tragedy}} full of twists and turns. Add to this some excellent world building, beautiful animation and character designs and the growing sense of unease and suspense as things [[It Got Worse|start to spiral]]... oh yes. Brilliant show. [[Needs More Love]].

* ''[[Macross Frontier]]'' is, bar none, my favorite [[Anime]] ever. Now, I don't exactly have the greatest amount of experience to pull from, but ''damn'', will I be surprised if anything manages to top ''Frontier''. [[Wagon Train to Thethe Stars|Cool setting,]] [[Attack of the Fifty50 Foot Whatever|20-meter giants]] [[Mundane Fantastic|walking around like normal people]], an incredibly well-balanced [[Love Triangle]] {{spoiler|that ''never gets resolved''}}, a soundtrack made up ''entirely'' of [[Crowning Music of Awesome]], a [[Tear Jerker|tear-jerking]] [[Heroic Sacrifice]], epic space battles with plenty of [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Crowning Moments Of Awesome]] all around, and the ''animation''. OH MY GODS the animation. ''Never'' have [[Humongous Mecha|giant]] [[Transforming Mecha|transforming robots]] seemed so utterly, totally plausible. Somebody on the show page mentioned that ''Frontier'' was the ''[[Macross]]'' answer to ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'', and I cannot think of a more fitting comparison. Hopefully [[Executive Meddling|Harmony Gold]] will find it in the place where their heart used to be to greenlight a dub and a North American release, but until then, at least I have my fansubs.

* Where is the love for ''[[D .Gray Man-man]]''? The art, the characters, the humor, the darkness, the plot, just everything about it makes it my favorite manga ever. Especially the characters, I love all of them to pieces, especially Kanda, Allen, Lavi, Lenalee, Komui, Miranda, Krory, Tyki, Road, and, and...yeah, all of them. Even the Noah, as a family of antagonists, they're so convincing, they actually get upset when a member of their family dies, not like the typical "Oh he deserved it" response you usually see from shonen villains. That alone makes them endearing to me. It makes me so sad whenever the manga is on hiatus, but that just makes the new chapters even better for me. I don't think anything about ''[[D .Gray Man-man]]'' could dissapoint me.

** ''[[D .Gray Man-man]]'' has the best characterization in a shounen manga I've ever seen. Everyone's personalities are fluid, and they change and act accordingly to their experiences. And their pasts and motivations are being revealed little by little as the story goes on; They're apparent in the little things, instead of the usual infodumps. Maybe now that the manga is moving to a monthly schedule, the pacing will get better and we'll move on to yet more massive awesome.

* I think only one other person mentioned [[Trigun]]. What the hell. Okay, maybe for everybody else out there, it was just another sci-fi western anime. But to me, it was so markedly special because it was not only my [[Gateway Series]] to anime, but it's allowed me entrance into a whole genre of other works I didn't even know about. Hell, from watching Trigun, I got interested in [[Firefly]] and then [[Serenity (Film)|Serenity]], and also [[Gun X Sword]] which VERY, VERY MUCH deserves a mention. The poster of Vash on my wall and the fact I went against my parents wishes and painted the word T.R.I.G.U.N on my wall in red paint only serves as a small testament to how much the series has changed my life.

* [[Pluto]]. Amazing manga written by [[Naoki Urasawa]], is often forgotten, when, in my opinion, is better than 20th Century Boys. Some people say it's just ''[[Monster (Animemanga)|Monster]]'' with other characters and [[Recycled in Space]], but it's a totally different thing. This troper started reading it only because she was bored and didn't have any good manga; she didn't expected it to be so interesting and moving. With big tearjerkers and amazing ending. One of my favourite manga ever.

* ''[[Hayate the Combat Butler (Manga)|Hayate the Combat Butler]]'': It's just so funny it's awesome. A very, very good [[Affectionate Parody]] of mainstream [[Shounen]]; where more than half the goodness is all of the Meta-related jokes and gags. [[Rie Kugimiya]] is still a Loli Tsundere but not as flat as Taiga or Louise, because she is (actually all of them are in the show) deliberately [[Genre Savvy]]. Lastly, it's got '''[[Norio Wakamoto|Norio freaking Wakamoto]]''' in it. I rest my case.

* ''[[Clannad (Visual Novel)|Clannad]]'': Why is ''[[Clannad (Visual Novel)|Clannad]]'' not yet here!? The story was just ''absofreakinglutely beautiful'': two people with problems end up turning to each other for help. Other friends are roped in; they help each other, forming [[True Companions]]. The second season could only have awesomeness that changed {{[[User|Mapi-chan]] this troper's}} view on life and family forever. ''[[Clannad (Visual Novel)|Clannad]]'' is so much more than a non-violent version of ''[[Higurashi no Naku Koro Nini]]'' (no offense to that show; incidentally, it's one of my favorite shows in the horror genre primarily because of the friendship factor) simply because of the fact that, not just does it focus on the [[True Companions]] banding together, but it has two people who really, ''really'' need each other to be whole. When Nagisa {{spoiler|died, Ushio filled the void,}} and it was her doing that the Okazaki family (and everyone else) could live [[Happily Ever After]] (see [[Gainax Ending]]).

** THIRDED. ''[[Clannad (Visual Novel)|Clannad]]'' is easily this troper's favorite anime. It's gorgeously animated with awesome development of Nagisa and Tomoya's characters and relationship. Seriously, they are the ultimate couple; like someone said earlier, they literally could not live without the other. Not only that, they were a cute couple that struggled through all sorts of hardships but in the end, were still standing together. They made you care about their romance and if you didn't bat an eye at {{spoiler|Nagisa's death}} or {{spoiler|Ushio and Tomoya's true reunion in the field of flowers}}, then you were truly a hardened person. And unlike other anime, they didn't really focus on the negative, '"emo" aspects (like bad pasts, etc.) as much, and actually worked toward making the best of things and overcoming tragedy, especially through the [[Power of Friendship]]. Finally, an anime that's positive!!

* [[Fate/stay Stay Night (Visual Novel)night|Fate/StayNight]]. Yeah, the Anime. Not only does it feature likeable characters and the greatest [[Complete Monster]] ever to grace the world, but the fight scenes cross the Awesomeness line seventeen times. And This Troper understands that the visual novel [[Up to Eleven|is somehow BETTER.]]

* ''[[Paranoia Agent (Anime)|Paranoia Agent]]'': One of the best animes ever created. No, seriously.

* One year, I spent New Year's Eve watching ''[[Haibane Renmei (Anime)|Haibane Renmei]]''. I could have gone to a party, but I'm glad I didn't. The combination of well-earned emotional intensity (every episode building gradually on each one that came before, right up to the ''devestating'' finale), complex layers of symbolism and meaning with no one "correct" interpretation, gorgeous animation, superb music, and a storyline that's ultimately life-affirming and optimistic without papering over the difficulties or complexities of life... I spread out the watching of the episodes as much as possible, and by the end I was in floods of tears. It remains my # 1 anime of all time.

* ''[[The Big O (Anime)|The Big O]]''. Lavishly animated! Stylish noir atmosphere! Masterfully composed soundtrack (This Troper owns both soundtracks; they set him back $60 altogether but were worth every penny)! And a main character who is, more or less, Batman plus James Bond plus GIANT ROBOT PILOT. Add in the ontological mystery, ''Schwartzwald,'' and the thought-provoking [[Gainax Ending]] and you have a winning combination. BIG O! ''SHOWTIME!!!''

* I don't care what every one says, [[K-On!]]! is one of the best anime during it's season. I don't give a shit if it's story isn't engaging or [[Serious Business|"serious"]], this show has [[Moe Moe|one purpose, and one purpose only]], it doesnt try to hide it, and it does a damn good job on it's purpose! And both it's ending and openings are some of the best out there!

* ''[[Zettai Muteki Raijin -Oh]]''. Who says you need [[Gambit Pileup|overly complicated government/organization/whatever conspiracies]], [[Wangst|wangsty teens]] and [[Deus Angst Machina|situations]] to make an awesome show? Not for me at least. I JUST adore the characters, how surprisingly realistic their individual personalities are, and how they interact and given the good old [[Character Development|character development]]. And I adore [[Humongous Mecha|giant robots]] with wings. And as the theme song says...."the [[Power of Love|power of love]]/dreams is absolutely invincible...." and as the TV series' ending and penultimate battle in the [[OVA|OVAs]] add, "[[Love Redeems|redeems]]". All said and done without cheese and [[Narm]]. Character development+ excellent execution+ well-thought, fast-paced mecha action=WIN.

* ''[[Bakemonogatari (Light Novel)|Bakemonogatari]]'' was the best series on TV summer of '09, hands down. While too much dialogue would normally be a complaint, the dialogue in ''Bakemonogatari'' is ''exactly what makes it so awesome.'' Seriously, episode 3 was nothing but the two leads having a conversation on a playground for 20 minutes ''and it was completely amazing.'' Combine that with SHAFT's visuals and the best ED ever and you have an amazing series.

* [[Monster Rancher (Animeanime)|Monster Rancher]], just [[Monster Rancher (Animeanime)|Monster Rancher]]. The plot was awesome, the characters were memorable, the story was well-paced, and unlike other [[Mons]] series of the time, the hero battled alongside his monster friends. Plus it had the guts to have a [[Bittersweet Ending]] for the second season (In [[Lalalei 2001|This Troper's]] opinion, it was better than the third season's ending).

* ''[[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano]]'', where every episode involves cuts to events taking place minutes, days, months or years before or after the scene you were just watching. Combine that with the 1930s, trains, monsters, immortal alchemists, and a whole pack of wacky, lovable characters and you're in for an awesome series. And if that doesn't make you want to check it out, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msg8ypnLqaw the opening sure as hell will.]

** Oh, I am one of the many fans who watched ''[[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano]]'' ''because'' of the OP. In fact, I first started reading the first novel (1930 novel) and just had to watch the anime. After watching the anime, I can say that I love all the characters, I love Ryogo Narita (I like [[Durarara]] too) , and I love everything about it. Oh, and I became a Graham Specter Fangirl.

** This troper feels like she's in the thirties whenever she watches ''[[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano]]''. Also to this troper, the show ''feels'' so realistic that at one point she thought that she's ''with'' the cast when they're doing their crazy antics.

* ''[[Lucky Star (Anime)|Lucky Star]]'', anyone? Animation is good, drawing style is interesting, references are numerous, characters have some actual depth, seiyuus are awesome, opening is even crazier than in ''[[Tenshi Nini Narumon]]'', [[Show Within a Show]] is not irritating, ending is one of the best things in the whole show. Oh, and CV elaborates the main plot. Awesome!

* Despite the astounding amount of [[Internet Backdraft]] it has gotten, this troper feels the need to mention [[Umineko no Naku Koro Ni (Visual Novel)|Umineko no Naku Koro Nini]]. Yes, you heard right. The show so openly criticized by the SN readers/players, and called downright horrible by those who've watched the anime as a stand alone. I'd heard about it by one of those bashing reviews, and out of curiosity, had looked it up and started watching it. Granted, it ''is'' filled with [[Narm]] and the main character is the Largest Ham to end all [[Large Ham|Large Hams]], but it really doesn't deserve the harsh critique it's getting. The characters are colorful, it takes a little unique spin on the [[Groundhog Day Loop]] setting itself apart from it's predecessor, the [[Narm Charm|Narm is just so outright hilarious]], and Beatrice is possibly the biggest [[Badass]] that this troper has seen by {{spoiler|Dragging the resident [[Large Ham]] out into a crowd with Bernkastel nearby, NAKED AND ON A CHAIN, and then proceeding to whip him around by it.}} And this is coming from a fan of the original sound novel.

* I am SERIOUSLY disappointed that [[Gao Gai GarGaoGaiGar]] hasn't been mentioned yet! Seriously, I can NOT get enough of that theme song. Every time the theme music starts up, you KNOW awesome is going to happen! So much manly, hotblood and GAR in this series it's insane! Always perks me up to think of the song in my head.

* No love for [[ScryedS-Cry-ed]]? Seriously? It was just as hotblooded as [[Gurren Lagann]] and it's not mentioned yet? The opening theme song sold the series for me from the get-go. Both the anime and the manga versions of scryed were just awesome. Just so awesome, hotblooded and so full of yelling!

* ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (Anime)|Gundam SEED]]'' should be noted as well. It has all the best things in Gundam, and takes it [[Up to Eleven]]. Great characters, well created Gundams, and [[Beam Spam|Lazers!]]

** Seconded. Bleach and Naruto were what got me into anime, but it was ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (Anime)|Gundam SEED]]'' ''and'' ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (Anime)|Gundam SEED Destiny]]'' that made me stay. Clever plotting, sympathetic heroes and villains, [[Badass]] combat, and in--in my opinion--did the best job of any of the Gundam series of showing the effects of war on kids. And that's not getting into the characters. There isn't a character in this series I don't love in one way or another, whether for being a great person, for being a total monster I could love to hate, or something in between. The multiple points of view, the [[Grey and Gray Morality]] (and in the case of Seed Destiny, white and grey and black morality) all made both shows fascinating for me, and the reason I'm still watching anime. I've discovered many more since then, but Seed and Seed Destiny will always be my favourites.

* This troper is not at all surprised that not only has neither Crows nor Worst been mentioned yet, they don't even have their own pages on the Wiki, and only Worst has a page on [[wikipedia:Worst chr(28)mangachr(29)|The Other Wiki]]. Really, Crows and Worst [[Needs More Love|need more love]]. Crows and its sequel series Worst, both by Hiroshi Takahashi, follow a group of Japanese high school delinquents as they get into street fights, form factions, and generally just try to prove they're the best fighters around. They're kind of idealized delinquents; they don't do drugs, commit crimes (exceptions: assault, of course, and the occasional kidnapping by the villians), or even bully people (in fact, it's the opposite: they're more likely to attack the best fighter around than someone who can't or won't fight back). They're pretty much good kids who just [[Blood Knight|really like to get into fights]]. There are no mind-blowing plot twists, no incredible feats of strength/agility/whatever, no world-shaking, far-reaching events, and this troper, without a doubt, [[Proud to Be Aa Geek|has nothing in common with the characters]]; yet I love the characters and I eagerly await each new chapter, which sucks me into the world of these young warriors and leaves me energetic and in a good mood. It helps that many of the characters are just [[Badass Normal|dripping with awesome]]. Worst is tied for my favorite series (with [[Fullmetal Alchemist]], in case you're curious) and Crows is easily a close 2nd. Please, at least check it out.

* ''[[Hyakujitsu no Bara]]'' (or ''[[Maiden Rose]]''). Quite simply the best [[Boys Love|yaoi]] manga I've ever read. The art is beautiful and detailed; I have a [[Good Looking Privates|military uniform]] fetish just because of this manga. The main characters are complex: deeply flawed but sympathetic, [[Badass]] yet still very human. The rape is not [[Victim Falls For Rapist|romanticized]] like in other yaoi: it's used to show how miserable the relationship of the protagonists is because of the unfortune circumstances. There are awesome side characters and great fight scenes every shonen manga would be proud of (though in this manga the fights are more realistic than most shonen battles). It's a serious and believable story with a world and a [[Porn Withwith Plot|plot]] both captivating albeit sometimes confusing. The [[Flower Motifs]] are beautiful and meaningful, not just there to make the backgrounds prettier. The [[Bonus Material|omake]] are truly humorous. A yaoi manga, but about so, so, so much more than just two guys getting it on.

* I am saddened that nobody's mentioned [[Bomberman Jetters (Anime)|Bomberman Jetters]] yet. The relationships between the team members and their family members are just plain heartwarming (especially White Bomber and his brother, I'm a sucker for brotherly love), and then the whole Jetters organization is kind of like another strange family -[[Vitriolic Best Buds|sometimes caring and supportive, other times hilariously violent towards one another]]. The bad guys are frequently funny too, although they have some moments that [[Tear Jerker|can and]] [[Evil Counterpart|will catch]] [[Arch Enemy|you off guard]]. And they visit so many crazy planets! There's plenty of action, lots of adventure, a nigh-unhealthy amount of wackiness, and many moments that will make you go "aww" for many reasons. I probably sound like a rabid fangirl but I don't care.

* ''[[Detective Conan (Manga)|Detective Conan]]''. From someone who grew up devouring any decent detective/mystery fiction he could get his hands on (Doyle, Christie, Mc Bain, Hammett, Queen, etc.) I was dubious about a mystery based series dealing with a teenaged detective turned kid. Then I read the manga. It's impossible to get through the stories without seeing how much the mangaka loves the genre and it's various tropes as much as I do, his knowledge and usage from countless mystery sub-genres are impressive as well. And while the filler episodes in the anime generally lack the same quality as their manga counterparts, the Non-Serial movies are surprisingly good.

* The fact that [[Beck]] hasn't yet been mentioned on this page, and is in fact woefully underdeveloped in terms of support all over the site, makes me sad. Simply put, Beck is probably my favorite series of the past five years, at least in part because it's so very, very unassuming. No giant robots, no super-deformed humor, no magic, no absurd relationships between characters that neither will ever admit, none of that crap. It does what it does, youth drama with romance and friendship and bullying all woven through with the power of great music, and does it really, really well. Slice of life anime with a great climax? Not since [[Kiki's Delivery Service|Kiki]] has it been done so well, and never since. But the characters are what really make it. Everyone acts like a normal person, and the illusion of deep characterization is so pervasive that I had to watch the anime three times to realize that, actually, it really WAS just an illusion. The coming-of-age story is masterful, the bonding of the band members {{spoiler|and their breakup and reformation}} is wonderful, and... well, I think Maho and Koyuki have the single best-written romance EVER. Seriously, it's incredible. The style is nothing to scoff at either. The art is very unique, but not in a strange way like [[Studio Shaft]] or [[Kaiba]], just in its realism and its very, very low-key nature. The atmosphere and sound effects are never anything less that functional, and that's all they ever need to be, because we have the MUSIC. Oh my dear sweet Jesus, the music... Anyway, I've gone on long enough, but the last thing I have to say is that this is one of precisely three anime (the others being [[Cowboy Bebop]] and [[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano]]) that I categorically refuse to watch subtitled. The dub is just far, far too good, and it's the icing on the dense, small, incredibly tasting cake that is Beck.

* Where is the love for ''[[Kara noKarano Kyoukai (Literature)|Kara no Kyoukai]]''??? Not only does it have some of the most beautiful animation this troper has ever seen, but it has an engaging puzzle-of-a-story, intriguing characters, a soaring soundtrack, and the perfect mix of almost every genre you can think of. The movies are brimming with complexity yet the final movie ends with one of the most satisfying conclusions this troper has seen in any movie or anime. This is the first time this troper has loved an anime this much in a long while.

* ''[[Blame|Blame!]].'' I was with this manga ever since the first volume came out and I have loved it to death ever since. Every single page is an indulgence in awesome art and [[Scenery Porn]], and the story distills every human-survival and cyber-punk story down to its barest elements and just shows you what it means to be human and far beyond the apocalypse. I know that it's not to everyone's tastes, but for me it is everything I have ever loved about science-fiction and it speaks to me on a universal level every single time.

* The original [[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]!: Powerful messages of friendship, fights that you don't mind take more than two episodes (or chapters, the manga is even better than the (two) anime), and an unbelievable main character growth arc from start to finish. An obvious amount of research put into the Ancient Egypt segments, mythological allegories, actually portraying certain mythological figures in a way that doesn't demonize them (like the Egyptian god Set and the man and his reincarnation that (sorta) bear his name).

** No love for ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX]]''? The first and second seasons started out as light-hearted with serious moments, and even some minor subversions of tropes used awesomely. It got into the Mind-Screw season 3, with reincarination of one lover while the other is immortal looked at logically (even though nobody's sure if that's how he meannt it), it looked at everyone realistically. Even season four is good in returing back to its roots while still keeping the silly side.

* There are not enough good things to say about ''[[Kimi Nini Todoke]]''. The overall mood of the setting can make even the most hardened stoic melt. The characters are very lovable and entertaining, with the lead in particular having that particular shade of kindness and hope that makes you wish she were real just so you could [[Cool Big Sis|grab her in an armlock and mess up her hair]]. The writing is great, and emphasizes just how special the characters are and how they're better off for it. Overall, it's just one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have with a [[Shojo]] series.

* I will admit that I'm NOT surprised that ''[[Bobobo Bobobobo Bobobo]]'' hasn't gotten any gushing yet. For a series that was on CN for its entire run, it's vastly underappreciated and bashed unjustly. But consider this: It an [[Affectionate Parody]] of anime ITSELF, concentrated into a 76-episode series, mocking every part of every genre. In reality, it's like the /b/ of anime, and I love it. The English VA casting is surprisingly well done, with each character's personality shining through immediately. But more than that, for me and the many fans I've spoken to, this show is escapism in hilarity, [[Crazy Awesome]] [[Sweet Dreams Fuel]] with enough utterly lovable characters to fuel my Perverse Asexual Cuddlelust into the end of time. Not to mention it has one of the friendliest fanbases I've EVER seen, probably due to the nature of the show. It's not brilliant, it's not the "greatest anime of all time", but it's genuinely bizarre and bizarrely genuine. To anyone who ever watched five minutes of the show and dismissed it (ALL SIX THOUSAND OF YOU), I suggest you give it another try.

** Then go read ''[[Virgin Night]]'' and ''[[Ai-Ren]]'' by the same author, [[Tanaka Yutaka]], and feel it all even more. When you are done with those, follow [[Mimia- Hime]] for something that is quickly evolving into an epic fairy tale of transcendant beauty.

* [[Kurogane no Linebarrel]], full of badasses on both sides, and has lovely character developement for it's [[Jerk Withwith a Heart of Gold|protagonist]]

* [[El -Hazard: theThe Magnificent World]]. This troper first watched it dubbed on the TV at an anime convention years ago, and he absolutely fell in love with it. It's true there are some bad dubs out there, but El Hazard's was just so good, especially Jinnai and his crazy evil laugh. To this date, this troper has re-watched El Hazard's dub many times, and he has never seen it in the original Japanese. Of course, he prefers not to think about Wanderers or the series that came after it...

* [[NeedlessNEEDLESS]]. It's [[Fan Service|pure fanservice]] packed in [[Up to Eleven|pure fanservice]] served on [[Serial Escalation|pure fanservice]] plate. And it's [[You Keep Using That Word|fanservice]] of [[Taste the Rainbow|any kind]].

* No love for ''[[Bludgeoning Angel Dokurochan (Light Novel)Dokuro-chan|Bludgeoning Angel Dokurochan]]''? This show is proof that mindless and needlessly bloody entertainment can be a work of art! [[Tropers/Encrypted 12345|I]] just love how this show doesn't even try to shove an [[Aesop]] down your throat and works completely on [[Rule of Funny]]. Oh, and the [[Superlative Dubbing]] is also [[So Cool Its Awesome]].

* This troper thinks ''[[The World God Only Knows]]'' is made of awesome. That it manages to simultaneously [[Affectionate Parody|parody]] the [[Unwanted Harem]] and [[Dating Sim]] tropes and play them completely straight gives it a unique charm, and all the characters are memorable in their own right. The [[Character Development]] is surprisingly well-written, and the fact that it doesn't rely on [[Fan Service]] like so many other series of its genre is commendable. Despite being primarily a comedy series, it knows how to be heartwarming at the right moments, and the recent arcs have actually begun to develop a fascinating underlying mythos. To seal the deal, this series might have more [[Shout-Out|Shout Outs]] than ''[[Lucky Star (Anime)|Lucky Star]]'', and they're actually quite well executed in a way that doesn't detract from the story.

* For having [[Awesomeness Withdrawal]] on it's page, it's surprising not to see any love for ''[[Shinryaku! Ika Musume]]'' on here. The hilarious hijinks of our squid girl [[Villain Protagonist]] may not be get her any close to her invasion of the surface world, but she definitely succeeds in invading the hearts of all who enjoy the series. This troper cannot be happier that [[Media Blasters]] is licensing the series, AND a second season is on the way in Japan.

* Nobody has mentioned ''[[Steins ;Gate]]''? What a shame. Probably the most mind-blowing anime of Spring and Summer 2011, and is a time-travel series that is extremely emotionally gripping. Together with Madoka, this anime is, to this troper, one of the best animes of the year.

* [[LE Xicon 712|I]], who used to frequently edit [[TV Tropes]] all the time, now is back to gush the [[Precision F-Strike|fuck]] out of ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]''. It's atop the best anime this year. Kotetsu is an [[Adorkable]] BAMF and he won me over when he tried to make friends with [[Defrosting Ice King]] Barnaby. The other heroes are also awesome, ranging from the awkwardly cute Japanophile Ivan Karelin/[[Shapeshifting|Origami Cyclone]], [[Camp Gay]] Nathan Seymour/[[Playing Withwith Fire|Fire Emblem]], and aspiring [[Idol Singer]] Karina Lyle/[[An Ice Person|Blue Rose]], among the others. The plot started kind of slow, but soon the heartwarmingness of Kotetsu and Barnaby really made me love this series. The final episodes left me on the edge of my seat. God, please Bandai, dub this series, it deserves to be on [[Adult Swim]]!

* ''[[Mouryou no Hako]]'' is, sadly, very much under the radar. It's beautifully illustrated and animated (courtesy of [[Madhouse]] and [[CLAMP (Creator)|CLAMP]]), full of horror, [[Mind Screw]] and [[Psychological Horror]], and effectively betrays your expectations of what is ''supposed'' to be a supernatural series. Deep, thought-provoking and mysterious, this is detective anime unlike you've ever seen before.

* No love for [[Shaman King]]?! Shaman King for the longest time was my FAVORITE MANGA (and then I discovered [[One Piece (Manga)|One Piece]]...ahem) Shaman King is so awesome and filled with SO MANY likeable characters! I also love how the main character is so different from your usual stereotypical main heros in Shounen series! Yoh Asakura is one of a kind :D

* Personally I consider [[Agent Aika (Anime)|Agent Aika]] as one of the best anime, for [[Panty Shot|more]] [[Panty Shot|than]] [[Panty Shot|one]] [[Panty Shot|reason]]. Other than Aika is certainly one of the best anime women out there.

** The [[Mobile Suit Gundam (Anime)|Un]][[Zeta Gundam|iv]][[Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (Anime)|er]][[Chars Counterattack|sal]] [[GundamMobile FSuit Gundam 91F91|Ce]][[Mobile Suit Victory Gundam (Anime)|nt]][[Mobile Suit Gundam 0080 War in The Pocket (Anime)|u]][[Mobile Suit Gundam The 08th MS Team|r]][[Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory|y]]: Realistic humans, warts and all, believable politics, true real robot warfare, human evolution, awesome mecha designs, great if dated music, etc. I love the Universal Century for its depth and, at the same time, its simplicity of human stories. Also, Newtypes rule.

** ''[[Mobile Fighter G Gundam (Anime)|G Gundam]]'': Wacky but lovable characters, kick ass fights and [[Crowning Music of Awesome|soundtrack]], with truly emotional scenes. Shining and God Gundam are only the top of a magnificent, if eccentric, robot line-up.

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (Anime)|Gundam Wing]]'': Nearly [[Nigh Invulnerability|invincible]] Gundams, lovably psychologically disturbed pilots, one of the best female leads in Gundam (Relena), and a [[Magnificent Bastard]] in Trieze that would make [[Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (Anime)|Paptimus Scirroco]] blush. Zechs is also a superb Char clone, and the first real heroic version as well.

** ''[[After War Gundam X (Anime)|Gundam X]]'': It all starts with [[Badass Normal]] [[The Hero|Garrod Ran]], who takes on mobile suits with a pistol and a zip line, mobile suits with a car, and entire space fleets with one massive Satellite Cannon, just to save his girlfriend. And he's just one the many badasses of the series.

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (Anime)|Gundam SEED]]'': Instantly interesting characters and world, it really took off in the second half with the ultimate team up of Kira and Athrun, and their amazingly cool Gundams, Freedom and Justice. They proceeded to knock some sense into the world gone mad, and it was glorious to behold.

*** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (Anime)|Gundam SEED Destiny]]'': Despite later problems in the series, Destiny started out very well, with amazing mecha and action, some good character scenes, and well written mysterious men such as Durandal. Even when the series suffered quality control, it still featured some great fight scenes and phenomenal music.

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Anime)|Mobile Suit Gundam 00]]'': A very unique Gundam series in many regards. Its has a group of heroes that are at first hard to approach, Lockon aside, but soon they grow on you as they grow into more mature characters. The fights and animation are dazzling, and the political climate of the series is full of tension and intrigue, as well as character you actually cheer on as they try to fight seemingly [[Bigger Stick|invincible Gundams]].

* This troper is no newbie in anime and manga, so he knows high school romance mangas very well, but no other manga has touched this troper heart as much as [[GE - Good Ending]], lets see, it works with common tropes and stories and gives them a twist to keep you entertained? Check, it includes very human and relatable characters? Check, you can actually say: "That same thing happened to me" many times? Check, it has MANY cute and beautiful moments? Check, a great artwork? Check, I dont get tired of saying it, [[GE - Good Ending]] is simply great.