Top 10 Anime of This Decade
I felt I have not talked about anime in awhie :)
Anyways I see a lot of blogs and so forth making lists of their favorite series from this decade and since I like making lists I thought I would try to make my own. Amazingly with the help of my ratings on MAL I had a very easy time picking my top 10.
1) Fruits Basket
Premiered Summer of 2001
My first shoujo so it will always have a special place in my heart. Although this story has fantasy undertones (a young girl a discovers family cursed to turn into animals of the zodiac whenever they are hugged by members of the opposite sex) really I feel it is more a slice of life about loneliness, friendship, and love.
2) Azumanga Daioh
Premiered Spring of 2002
Probably my favorite anime comedy. Right now there are so many imitation series of a group of HS girls with different personalities. But this was pretty much the first and in my opinion still the best. In the end I really ended up loving each girl and even cried a little at the end when they graduated. *sniff*
3) The Twelve Kingdoms
Premiered Spring of 2002
One of my favorite fantasy anime series (right along with Escaflowne) and the one I always recommend when people are looking for great female characters. Basically this series has it all well developed characters, a well thought out/interesting world, a beautiful score, and an epic feel that ties it all nicely together.
4) Princess Tutu
Premiered Summer of 2002
A Mixture of fairy tales, ballet, and classical music with a touch of both cuteness, dark undertones, and meta creates in my opinion one of the best most beautiful anime tales. Every time I watch the last episodes I still choke up. Ahiru is a character I will always believe in.
5) Honey & Clover I count Seasons 1 & 2 as one series because only with both seasons you get the entire story of the manga
Premiered Spring of 2005
Having been a college student at one time (not so long ago) I feel this is the series I could most identity with. I could especially identify with the very ordinary Takemoto. Not every character needs special powers or talents and Takemoto is the perfect representation of this. Of course Honey & Clover is not just about Takemoto and it would not be the same without all the quirky characters that make up the cast. This is the story about a bunch of art students but really it's just about growing up and finding your place in the world.
6) Mushi-shi
Premiered Fall of 2005
I have said many times that this is my favorite anime series (so I guess I am going to repeat myself). It's hard for me to say just what I love about Mushishi. I became a fan of anime because of the continuous storylines (that unlike American series actually go somewhere) but Mushishi is episodic. Yet in every story the characters touch me in some way because they come off as real not characters at all. I like that the story is not about Good VS Evil but more about Man dealing with a supernatural mother nature that he just doesn't understand. And I not so shamelessly love that the main character is a traveler. Basically Mushishi is just a beautiful and magical story that really takes you somewhere else but it doesn't just take you there it makes you believe it once existed.
7) The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 1st Season I don't count the 2nd series in this case
Premiered Spring of 2006
Pretty mainstream now but I watched it when it first came out when the word of mouth was just spreading. Yes it's not deep but it sure is a lot of fun. I love Haruhi, Kyon, Yuki, Itsuki, and maybe even Mikuru and would love to join the SOS Brigade but more importantly to watch Haruhi realize her friends (and not aliens, espers, and time travelers) are her real happiness.
8) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Premiered Summer of 2006
My favorite anime movie of this decade (and this is counting the more critically acclaimed Spirited Away). Although you can say since the film deals with time travel it is a sci-fi picture the fact that the science fiction element was just used to enhance the slice of life aspect is what I really enjoyed. In reality this film is not focused on science fiction but friendship and first love and it pulls these elements off perfectly.
9) Gurren Lagann
Premiered Spring of 2007
When I started to watch anime I watched mostly shounen (like DBZ, kenshin, and Yu Yu Hakusho) yet this is the only shounenish title on this list. But it takes the themes of shounen and manages to tells it in 27 episodes. Gurren Lagann is a wonderfully epic tale of growing up and believing in yourself. Oh and there is one of those giant robot things. :P
10) Dennou Coil
Premiered Spring of 2007
I never thought a story about grade school kids could be so engaging, but Dennou Coil proved me wrong. Although Dennou Coil is somewhat a science fiction series that deals with augmented reality I think it's really about childhood and finding connections between real people. This is something that I think is increasingly important as we become more dependent on technology and the virtual world. In the end Dennou Coil was an extremely fun & creative series but it also ended up being very moving.
Now my favorite series that has started in this decade but has yet to finish is Cross Game :)
I was also thinking of making a list of my favorite films of this decade but I think I really only have two absolute favorites.
1) Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2) Pan's Labyrinth
Also Favorite TV series of this decade are:
1) Life on Mars (The Original BBC Version of Course)
2) Avatar: The Last Airbender
That pretty much sums it up
Anyways I see a lot of blogs and so forth making lists of their favorite series from this decade and since I like making lists I thought I would try to make my own. Amazingly with the help of my ratings on MAL I had a very easy time picking my top 10.
1) Fruits Basket
Premiered Summer of 2001
My first shoujo so it will always have a special place in my heart. Although this story has fantasy undertones (a young girl a discovers family cursed to turn into animals of the zodiac whenever they are hugged by members of the opposite sex) really I feel it is more a slice of life about loneliness, friendship, and love.
2) Azumanga Daioh
Premiered Spring of 2002
Probably my favorite anime comedy. Right now there are so many imitation series of a group of HS girls with different personalities. But this was pretty much the first and in my opinion still the best. In the end I really ended up loving each girl and even cried a little at the end when they graduated. *sniff*
3) The Twelve Kingdoms
Premiered Spring of 2002
One of my favorite fantasy anime series (right along with Escaflowne) and the one I always recommend when people are looking for great female characters. Basically this series has it all well developed characters, a well thought out/interesting world, a beautiful score, and an epic feel that ties it all nicely together.
4) Princess Tutu
Premiered Summer of 2002
A Mixture of fairy tales, ballet, and classical music with a touch of both cuteness, dark undertones, and meta creates in my opinion one of the best most beautiful anime tales. Every time I watch the last episodes I still choke up. Ahiru is a character I will always believe in.
5) Honey & Clover I count Seasons 1 & 2 as one series because only with both seasons you get the entire story of the manga
Premiered Spring of 2005
Having been a college student at one time (not so long ago) I feel this is the series I could most identity with. I could especially identify with the very ordinary Takemoto. Not every character needs special powers or talents and Takemoto is the perfect representation of this. Of course Honey & Clover is not just about Takemoto and it would not be the same without all the quirky characters that make up the cast. This is the story about a bunch of art students but really it's just about growing up and finding your place in the world.
6) Mushi-shi
Premiered Fall of 2005
I have said many times that this is my favorite anime series (so I guess I am going to repeat myself). It's hard for me to say just what I love about Mushishi. I became a fan of anime because of the continuous storylines (that unlike American series actually go somewhere) but Mushishi is episodic. Yet in every story the characters touch me in some way because they come off as real not characters at all. I like that the story is not about Good VS Evil but more about Man dealing with a supernatural mother nature that he just doesn't understand. And I not so shamelessly love that the main character is a traveler. Basically Mushishi is just a beautiful and magical story that really takes you somewhere else but it doesn't just take you there it makes you believe it once existed.
7) The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 1st Season I don't count the 2nd series in this case
Premiered Spring of 2006
Pretty mainstream now but I watched it when it first came out when the word of mouth was just spreading. Yes it's not deep but it sure is a lot of fun. I love Haruhi, Kyon, Yuki, Itsuki, and maybe even Mikuru and would love to join the SOS Brigade but more importantly to watch Haruhi realize her friends (and not aliens, espers, and time travelers) are her real happiness.
8) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Premiered Summer of 2006
My favorite anime movie of this decade (and this is counting the more critically acclaimed Spirited Away). Although you can say since the film deals with time travel it is a sci-fi picture the fact that the science fiction element was just used to enhance the slice of life aspect is what I really enjoyed. In reality this film is not focused on science fiction but friendship and first love and it pulls these elements off perfectly.
9) Gurren Lagann
Premiered Spring of 2007
When I started to watch anime I watched mostly shounen (like DBZ, kenshin, and Yu Yu Hakusho) yet this is the only shounenish title on this list. But it takes the themes of shounen and manages to tells it in 27 episodes. Gurren Lagann is a wonderfully epic tale of growing up and believing in yourself. Oh and there is one of those giant robot things. :P
10) Dennou Coil
Premiered Spring of 2007
I never thought a story about grade school kids could be so engaging, but Dennou Coil proved me wrong. Although Dennou Coil is somewhat a science fiction series that deals with augmented reality I think it's really about childhood and finding connections between real people. This is something that I think is increasingly important as we become more dependent on technology and the virtual world. In the end Dennou Coil was an extremely fun & creative series but it also ended up being very moving.
Now my favorite series that has started in this decade but has yet to finish is Cross Game :)
I was also thinking of making a list of my favorite films of this decade but I think I really only have two absolute favorites.
1) Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2) Pan's Labyrinth
Also Favorite TV series of this decade are:
1) Life on Mars (The Original BBC Version of Course)
2) Avatar: The Last Airbender
That pretty much sums it up