The quintessential anime

It's been over a century since the inception of the first pieces of Japanese animation, also known as anime. Since then, thousands upon thousands of pieces of anime were created, and in my 21 years I have watched a fair number of them. Some were awful, some mediocre, and some were absolutely phenomenal.

As the title suggests, today we'll be taking a look at those anime that are, in my humble opinion, the best of the best: those worth being called masterpieces, the quintessential anime.

Keep in mind that I haven't yet had the time to watch some of the older classics, so if you don't see the likes of Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Artland, Madhouse, 1988) or Cowboy Beebop (Sunrise, 1998) know that I simply didn't have the time to see them and that they would most likely be on the list if I had.

The list will be laid out in somewhat of a chronological order of the year of release.

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion (Gainax, 1995) and Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (Gainax, 1997)

What a series to begin the list with. The defining mecha anime. One that still has huge cultural impact more than twenty years after it's end.

The series is set in then future 2015, fifteen years after an event known as the Second Impact which destroyed most of humanity and it follows Shinji Ikari, a boy from Tokyo-3 after he gets involved with a shady organization known as Nerv, which is run by his estranged father Gendo. Shinji is the only one capable of piloting Nerv's ultimate weapon: the bio-machine mecha Evangelion, which he must use to fight strange beings known as Angels. Later, he teams up with Rei Ayanami and Asuka Soryu Langley, the trio facing the ever more challenging task of saving humanity each day.

On the surface, Evangelion's premise sounds fairly simple. Yet, underneath it's surface lays a very complex story, which isn't afraid to ask difficult, philosophical questions such as "What do I need to do to be accepted?" or "How do we live in a world where even God wants us dead?" The story deals with the heavy themes like dealing with trauma, acceptance, family issues and depression and each character has their own problems to confront. On the topic of characters: in Evangelion no one is perfect, and both the main and supporting cast are deeply flawed people, silently suffering. The state of the characters also reflects the mental state of director Hideaki Anno, who was suffering through depression during both the show's and the film's production. When it comes to the epilogue film, The End of Evangelion is a response from Anno to the fans unsatisfied with the show's ambiguous and stylistically strange end, and it is one of the most bizarre, surreal viewing experiences one can be subjected to and it is definitely a must-watch companion piece to the show itself.

2. Ghost in the Shell (Production I.G, 1995)

Cyberpunk is my favorite SF genre, and this anime is what initially got me into it.

The film is set in 2029 and follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a public security agent dealing with a cyber-terrorist threat.

With this piece, director Mamoru Oshii questions humanity in a world where electromechanical body augmentations are the norm. Where do we draw the line between man and machine? If humans are no longer made of flesh, can machines be human too? Those are some of the questions the film poses to its audience, but it is up to the audience to find their own answers.

On a technical standpoint, this anime is superb. The character animation is crisp and clean, with beautiful, highly detailed and often dynamic background art. The sound design deserves praise, especially the brilliant original soundtrack by the legendary Japanese composer Kenji Kawai.

Ghost in the Shell is a massive franchise, but I encourage you to at least watch this film, because even as a standalone it works great. Although a bit short, it both entertains as well as asks questions that are becoming more relevant in our world with each passing day.

3. Princess Mononoke (Studio Ghibli, 1997)

Even to people who don't watch anime at all the names of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki shouldn't be foreign. During a career which spanned multiple decades Miyazaki and his studio have created numerous classics of anime, many of which deserve a spot on this list. However, I chose to include only Princess Mononoke, as I believe it to be their best work to date.

Princess Mononoke is a warning about man's indifference towards nature and his exploitation of it set in a fictionalized version of feudal Japan during the Muromachi era where the worlds of mankind and spirits collide. The protagonist of the story is an Emishi (ancient Japanese ethnic group) prince named Ashitaka who, after murdering a corrupt kami (神, Japanese for god or spirit) and being inflicted by the same curse, travels westwards in hope of finding both a cure for himself and the source of the corruption.

The story of Princess Mononoke isn't groundbreaking by any means, but it is executed incredibly. The writing is solid, offering a good look at both the perspectives of the protagonist and the antagonist of the film. The motivations of the antagonists are really well articulated, showing that their actions are not conducted out of pure malice but out of necessity. Overall, the story is quite enjoyable and thematically relevant to the modern day problems the world is facing, most prominent being deforestation and pollution.

The animation is stellar, as expected of Ghibli, with a seamless and then groundbreaking use of CGI. Character animation is also very smooth and highly polished and is most certainly impressive for its age. Action sequences are incredibly well choreographed and the key animators deserve nothing but praise for it.

I can't say much more about Princess Mononoke other than it's an overall well executed film in all it's aspects. It is great fun to watch for people of all ages, and like any other Miyazaki film posesses that characteristic Ghibli charm. All in all, a great anime film, and like most Ghibli movies, a quintessential anime.

4. Monogatari series (Shaft, 2009)

Monogatari series is possibly my favourite anime series of all time. The original novel series is the brainchild of legendary Nisio Isin, also known for his work on Katanagatari and Medaka Box, while the anime series is produced by the immensely talented folk over at studio Shaft.

In its essence, Monogatari is an surreal, satirical and often brutal (in both literal and metaphorical sense) deconstruction of the Otaku (オタク, Japanese slang for nerd) culture which follows Koyomi Araragi, a high school senior loner as he gets sucked into paranormal activities happening in his small, rural hometown.

The writing in Monogatari is brilliant. The constant banter between characters and smart wordplay accentuate the already weird world of the paranormal and the occult. Character development throughout the series is phenomenal, especially so for Hitagi Senjougahara and Mayoi Hachikuji. Alongside the satire (sometimes bordering on parody) of the otaku culture, the show is also a critique of the modern Japanese society and its treatment of adolescents who are pressured into highly stressful situations by it. Put it all together and you get a brilliant (might I add, mostly female) cast with some of my favorite characters of all time.

If this isn't enough to interest you, the visual design surelly will be. The scenery is surreal and dreamlike, with the animation focusing on the characters with the experimental architecture of the background scenery accentuating them and giving them an interesting setting to interact both in and with it. I heard someone comparing the Monogatari series' visual design with French new wave cinema and that couldn't be more on the point.

For me, the highlight of the series is the 2016 three part prequel movie Kizumonogatari, which also serves as a great starting point. The weirdness and uniqueness of the Monogatari series needs to be seen to be believed, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, because it expects that you are a part of the culture it critiques.

5. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Bones, 2009)

Often lauded as the greatest anime of all time, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one hell of a ride.

Not to be confused by the 2004 adaptation of the same manga written by Hiromi Arakawa, Brotherhood follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who attempted a taboo alchemical ritual in hopes of reviving their dead mother, which has caused Edward to lose his arm and leg and Alphonse's soul to be stuck in a suit of armor. Together they travel around looking for the fabled Philosophers Stone which they hope will help them regain their lost bodies.

The story is definitely the biggest strong suit of this show, with excellent pacing, well written characters and an amazing cast of villains. It also touches upon some heavier themes like the conflict of science and religion, questioning of authority and even genocide and the heavy tolls it leaves on both the survivors and the ones who carried it out. Granted, this isn't the best commentary on genocide and the horrors of war, but it's none the less well executed and has a meaningful role in the story.

There is not much that I can say about animation without turning into a Bones fanboy. As one of the most distinguished studios in the industry, they are always pushing the boundaries of traditional animation and as a result their work always ends up being highly polished, consistent and of high quality. The case is the same for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. This show is a decade old yet it still keeps up and even outperforms many of today's anime in therms of raw animation quality, mainly thanks to the amazing animators who were engaged in this project, like for example the grandmaster of animation himself, Yutaka Nakamura, who invented and popularized many techniques used in action animation today (yutapon cubes, rotating camera, use of impact frames as key frames etc.). The fights are all well choreographed and amazingly animated, and incredible detail was put into animating the openings (all five of them are stunning, seriously).

To summarize it all — great writing, great message, great animation: Brotherhood has it all. It is no wonder why it gets all the praise it does, and if you were forced to choose only one anime from this list to watch, you better make it this one.

6. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Shaft, 2011) and Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion (Shaft, 2013)

Coming fresh off of the anime adaptation of Bakemonogatari, the first entry in the earlier mentioned Monogatari series, director Akiyuki Shinbo wanted to make an anime that will revolutionize and forever change the magical girls genre. The product of his effort is Madoka Magica, possibly the greatest magical girl anime of all time.

Madoka Magica is the story of Madoka Kaname, an ordinary middle schooler who dreams of becoming a magical girl. She gets that chance when a mysterious creature known as Kyuubei offers to grant her what she desires. Through interactions with other magical girls, Madoka realizes that being a magical girl isn't nearly as simple as she thought it to be and begins to question her dream and Kyuubei's proposal.

I can't elaborate more without getting into spoiler territory but Madoka Magica is an excellent subversion of its genre and one that paved the way for other magical girl anime which were more serious and adult oriented. Still, even after so many other entries in the genre Madoka stands as the best out of the bunch.

With this one, Shaft hit it out of the park when it comes to visual design, which is incredibly unique with its blend of traditional 2D animation and what seems like collage stop-motion. There is a lot of Shaft's surreal animation Shinbo became well known for with his work on Monogatari which gives the anime a dreamlike setting and feel.

The music is also incredible with many memorable tracks from the highly talented Yuki Kajiura further enhancing the surreal atmosphere.

Although every aspect of it is superb, Madoka Magica still feels like it's greater than the sum of its parts and that quality was also carried over to the sequel movie titled Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion. With the broadcast of the spin-off series Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record set for January 2020 now would be the best time to start watching it.

7. Steins;Gate (White Fox, 2011)

Someone, somewhere once thought that a story about a bunch of otaku who made a time machine out of a microwave would be a good idea... and they were goddamn right.

As mentioned above, the story of Steins;Gate is centered around Rintarou Okabe aka Mad Scientist Houoin Kyouma, a college student who, together with his friends, makes silly inventions for fun. All that changes when he discovers that he accidentally made a time machine out of an old microwave and now Okabe must deal with the dangers of time travel as well as a shadowy organization who wants to silence him.

The story is what makes Steins;Gate so great. The first half is deliberately slow paced and focuses on world building and character development. Some people will call it boring and will say that nothing of significance happens in the first twelve episodes but I disagree, since the second half of the show so masterfully plays off of the first half's build-up. The writing is definitely up there with some of the best anime has to offer.

The animation serves its purpose fine enough. It isn't really game changing in any way, but neither is it bad per se. However, animation isn't the only thing that makes an anime, and Steins;Gate's writing definitely makes up for it. The visual and sound designs are nice though, with the show's rendition of the Akihabara district in Tokyo serving as a great setting.

With its many twists and turns, Steins;Gate stands as one of the most engaging SF thrillers of all time. Although the slow pacing of the first half might be a turn-off for some, those who watch it until the end will find it to be something quite special.

8. Fate/Zero (ufotable, 2011)

Since I was a kid I was fascinated by myths and legends: great heroes facing monsters, massive armies clashing, the gods toying with lives of mortals. So, when I discovered the Fate series I immediately got hooked. For those uninitiated, Fate is part of the Nasuverse, a fictional universe created by Japanese writer Kinoko Nasu and his company TYPE-MOON, which is centred around magic and secret societies of mages in the modern world. Out of all the entries in the Nasuverse, the Fate series is probably the best known. The basic premise is a battle royale between mages who summon legendary heroes to fight for the Holy Grail.

Somewhat ironically, the best part of Fate, Fate/Zero isn't even written by Nasu himself, but by another author: Gen Urobuchi, who also wrote and co-created the earlier mentioned Madoka Magica. Fate/Zero tells of the Fourth Holy Grail War, and it follows the Mage killer Kiritsugu Emiya as he's being hired by the powerful Einzbern family of mages to win the Grail for them.

The first couple of episodes are really exposition heavy and might turn some people off because of that, but I assure you that it is necessary. Otherwise, you would be spending hours browsing the TYPE-MOON wiki in order to understand the whos and whats of the show. And the characters are what makes the show for me. Kiritsugu is possibly the best anti-hero in any animated medium ever. A complex person with a tragic and complicated past who's just trying to do what he thinks is best while trying to reach his ideal of a "hero of justice". The supporting cast is also great: the idealistic heroine Saber who serves Kiritsugu, Waver Velvet and his greater than life servant Rider, the scheming priest Kirei and the greatest hero, and greatest douchebag, to ever grace this Earth with his presence: Archer. The story is a great thrill, full of great twists, always keeping you guessing which mage Master or heroic spirit Servant will bite the dust next. The ending is great too, surprisingly unexpected, but I can't go into many details without spoiling the plot.

Animation-wise, Fate/Zero was revolutionary for its style. Coming fresh of another Nasuverse entry, The Garden of Sinners movie series, studio ufotable brought their amazing in-house blend of CGI and 2D animation to the table, creating a visually stunning TV show with production quality rivaling that of high-budget animated movies. Yes, the CGI is noticeable sometimes, but the models are very detailed and their on-screen movement is smooth and natural which doesn't hurt the viewing experience at all in my opinion. What really needs to be praised is ufotable's effects animation, which is the best in the business. Because of that, every blow of the sword, thrust of the spear and bullet hit feels impactful, as befitting of the greatest heroes of our myths and legends.

On a side note, I also want to commend composer Yuki Kajiura for her work on the amazing soundtrack for this series, with some instant classics like Sword of Promised Victory and The Battle is to the Strong.

All in all, Fate/Zero is an amazing standalone series and even more amazing as a part of the Nasuverse. Although it reveals some minor details from the Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel movies, I still think that it's a great spot to start watching if you're interested in the massive jumble of alternate and branching timelines that is the Nasuverse. To sum it all up: tl;dr - watch Fate.

9. Hunter x Hunter (Madhouse, 2011)

Battle shounen (Jap. 少年 - lit. boy) is undenuably the most popular and well-known genre of anime and manga, with entries such as Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach and One Piece. The impact this genre has had on the industry is massive, and for a long time the fans of the more popular series argued which one is the best. For a long time I thought it was Naruto, but then I found Hunter x Hunter. Often hailed as a subversion of the genre, Hunter x Hunter plays with the common shounen tropes to create the most unique and memorable entry in the genre in a long time.

Hunter x Hunter follows Gon Friecks, an extraordinary boy who finds out that his father Ging, whom he long thought is dead, is actually not only alive but also well known as one of the most powerful hunters, elite adventurers who perform various dangerous tasks. After finding that out, Gon sets out on a journey in order to meet Ging and become the best hunter in the world. The premise of HxH sounds, and is, very simple and very shounen-y. Where it deviates from the formula is that in comparison to other popular heroes, Gon's path isn't nearly as straight forward nor easy going. During the course of the story Gon and his friends often find themselves beaten by much stronger enemies, or forced into situations where they're nothing more than glorified bystanders watching more powerful hunters and villains duke it out. The villains are amongst some of my favourites in anime, with the best one in my eyes being the king of the Chimera Ants, whose character arc is both surprising and sad, and the same can be said for most character arcs in the show. Simply said, most of the characters are amazingly written. Also, the power system of Nen is one of the best that I've seen, with clearly defined and strict rules which makes the amazing battles of HxH possible.

The show's animation is great, being done by the veteran animators of studio Madhouse, who are well known for their animation quality. There are a lot of battles and most are animated really smoothly. I also like the character design, with clear, thick lines and unique color palettes. Also, the soundtrack is amazing and there are a lot of great tracks that complement the atmosphere extremely well.

In summary, great production values combined with a creative and unique story make Hunter x Hunter possibly the best battle shounen of all times, and certainly the best one in recent years. Although it is fairly long at 148 episodes it is well worth a watch, especially for the Chimera Ants arc which reached such heights of quality storytelling that other battle shounens can only dream of reching it.

10. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series (David Production, 2012)

Is this a JoJo reference? As a matter of fact, dear reader: yes, this is a JoJo reference. And if you have no idea what that means, then fasten your seatbelt because this is going to be a wild ride.

Based on the highly popular manga of the same name by Hirohiko Araki, JoJo's Bizzare Adventure is hard to explain. It's weird, it's flamboyant, it's colorful, it's oozing with style and most importantly it's uniquely bizarre. The series is centered around the Joestar family, and follows different generations of the family as they embark on all kinds of adventures, from fighting evil Aztec vampire gods to trying to defeat the head of the Italian mafia. With each new part (each part follows a different Joestar) there is a change to the tone and the themes of the story. Out of eight parts of the manga, five have been animated: Phantom Blood, Battle Tendency, Stardust Crusaders, Diamond is Unbreakable and Golden Wind. Each part introduces a new protagonist and a new storyline, with really creative villains and battles. The battles become even better when part 3 introduces Stands instead of Hamon techniques of parts 1 and 2. Stand battles are possibly the best part about JoJo's, with each stand being unique and having a specific niche, and Araki's creativity in writing the battles ensures that no battle is the same.

The animation is also really unique, with David Production managing to bring each panel of the manga to life creating a nearly perfect adaptation of a work many claimed to be unadaptable. Their stylized animation really works well with the series, with great choices of color palettes utilizing Araki's philosophy that colors shouldn't be set but insted should represent the characters' current mood. Pair that with an awesome choice of both insert music and original score and you get something with a killer style.

I can't talk about JoJo without bringing up the impact pop culture has had on it, and the impact it has had on pop culture. Araki is a huge fan of pop and rock music of the '70s and '80s and he puts a lot of music references in the series, whether it was character or Stand names or something else entirely. The series itself is also highly quotable and memeable, and over the course of the last five years or so you can find memes of it and references to it almost everywhere on the internet, with every reference being followed up by the inevitable question: "Bro, is that a motherfucking JoJo reference?", hence the first two sentences of this segment.

Even if you end up hating it in the end, the fact that JoJo's Bizarre Adventures is unforgettable is undeniable. When it comes to anime it is definitely the weirdest and most stylish one on the list and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone.

11. Attack on Titan (Wit studio, 2013)

I don't even know where to start with Attack on Titan. The brainchild of Hajime Isayama, this manga and anime have left me speechless more times than I can count. Full of mystery, suspense and political thriller, Attack on Titan is much more than just humans vs monsters action. This is one of the best written manga that I've read and also one of the best written anime that I've seen.

Attack on Titan follows Eren Jäger, a loud and rowdy boy living in the Shiganshina district of Wall Maria, one of three walls which have been the last safe havens of humanity ever since

Titans, giant humanoids who feast on humans, appeared a century before the story's beginning. Eren dreams of becoming a Scout, a soldier who fights to reclaim land outside the walls, despite the Scouts having a terrible reputation. However, one day a giant Titan taller than the walls apears and destroys the outer wall of Shiganshina district, plunging Eren and his friends straight into the grim reality of the world they live in.

As I said earlier, there is much more to Attack on Titan than a simple good vs evil and humans vs Titans fights. What are the Titans, where do they come from, what is in Eren's basement, that his father promised to show Eren before he mysteriously disappeared? At first, the questions are overwhelming, but slowly we learn more about the world together with the cast and the story starts slowly piecing itself together. Only when you finally get the full picture will you realize that there have been hints of the truth hidden all over the place, but just like our characters, you couldn't notice them without prior knowledge. Safe to say, Attack on Titan's writing is simply genius, a mystery box story done right.

Attack on Titan also shines on the technical aspect. The animation is superb when it matters, and the background art is plain gorgeous. With this project, studio Wit has really shown great appreciation and understanding of the source material. The character design is great, with thick outlines and very expressive eyes. The choice of voice actors was also on point, with some of the best voice acted scenes I've heard in a while. Unfortunately, there is some really glaring CGI in some scenes, but overall quality remains consistent throughout all 59 episodes.

And the soundtrack. Oh man, the soundtrack. Hiroyuki Sawano has really outdone himself with this one. Some of the tracks from this soundtrack are on my repeat listens ever since I heard them for the first time, for example You See Big Girl / T:T, Vogel im Käfig, Apetitan and Apple Seed. The soundtrack is incorporated in the show so well and it adds a lot of weight to the scenes that, paired together with the amazing animation and an awesome story, it creates something truly special.

With the way the manga is going now, Attack on Titan is slowly shaping up to be one of the best manga stories ever told. And if the production of the show's final season goes as smoothly as the first three have, we will have a true classic on our hands, an anime that transcends its art form and enters the realm of mainstream entertainment, a quintessential anime that is fit to be called the best of all time.

12. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (Deen, 2016) and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi hen (Deen, 2017)

Those who know me might know that my favourite novel is Ivo Andrić's Prokleta avlija, a story about storytelling. A meta-story, if you will. And I've always enjoyed those: works of literature in which an artist examines what storytelling really is, how stories are made, and ultimately, are stories even worth telling? And color me intrigued when I first found this mouthful of an anime which examines just that.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu and its sequel, subtitled Sukeroku Futatabi hen (lit. Sukeroku again arc), is a profound drama of times changing and of an old man unable to make amends with his past. The main character is Kyouji, a foolish young yakuza fresh out of prison, who seeks to become a rakugoka (someone who does rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese storytelling). In order to do so, he decides to become an apprentice to the greatest rakugoka there is, Yakumo Yuurakutei VIII. Although he has turned many wannabe apprentices down, Yakumo accepts Kyouji as his student, unclear to all others why, and dubs Kyouji Yotarou (fig. slow witted fellow). After some initial conflict, Yakumo decides to tell his life story to Konatsu, his adopted daughter, and Yotarou. Through telling his story, Yakumo questions his own life, the value of his stories and whether he should let the old art of rakugo die.

The writing in this one is superb. While watching it, I couldn't stop thinking about the parallels between this and Prokleta avlija, the ringed structure of the story, the question of storitelling and storytellers legacy. If Andrić had ever written an anime, it would end up looking something like this, I reckon. In all my years of watching anime, never have I come across a story that resonated with me this much.

Studio Deen doesn't really have a stellar reputation when it comes to animation quality, but the animation here serves its purpose well enough. I'd go as far as to say that although there isn't much dynamic animation, there are some amazing shots here with terrific composition and great choice of color palette. The character design is really nice as well, with every character being unique and recognizable. The music also fits the show well, with a lot of tracks being Japanese folk songs played on the shamisen.

Ultimately, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu would work just as well in a live action form. That doesn't harm the viewing experience at all. On the contrary, with a story this good, it might be just the perfect watch for people who dislike anime tropes. This is by far my favorite drama, and I'd recommend it to anyone because it truly is something unique and special, and if you like belles lettres as much as I do, you're guaranteed to enjoy this show.

13. Your Name. (CoMix Wave Films, 2016)

Ever since the release of 5 cm per second, people have hailed Makoto Shinkai as the next Miyazaki and the greatest anime director of this century. Throughout the years he has built for himself a formidable opus of stellar, groundbreaking animation and in it, Your Name. stands out as his best work to date.

Your Name. follows Taki, a boy from Tokyo, and Mitsuha, a girl from the countryside, as they find themselves swaping bodies on ocasion, and through that experience they start developing a long distance relationship.

If I could describe Your Name. in one wo

rd it would be melancholic. The story's central idea is the unexplainable feeling of longing you sometimes feel. That feeling when you know that something's missing in your life but you simply can't figure what it is. The film's writing is solid, bar some hard to explain shenanigans in the third act. Nonetheless, the characters are interesting, there are also some jokes I found pretty funny, and there are the feels, which hit pretty hard by the end. All combined, the story of Your Name. is pretty enjoyable.

The animation in Your Name. is otherworldly. The sheer ammount of detail CoMix Wave Films put in each frame, paired with great direction by Shinkai made this movie a treat for the eyes. The light and water effects are the best I've seen in an animated feature, be it 2D or 3D, the backgrounds are wallpaper worthy, and the color palette is bright and vibrant.

The soundtrack is also worth a mention. Done by the amazingly talented indie-rock band RADWIMPS, it really fits the story well, which is not surprising considering how Shinkai worked really tightly with them during the entirety of production.

When we sum it all up, Your Name. stands as a shining example of aesthetic heights animation can reach. Even if it didn't have any coherent story it would still be worth a watch for the visuals alone. But with a story this touching, it places itself amongst one of the best animated movies of recent times.

14. A Silent Voice (Kyoto Animation, 2016)

Kyoto Animation is the studio widely known for their amazing talent in creating extraordinary tales of ordinary people, capturing the magic of everyday life. Among the studio's many talented artists, Naoko Yamada quickly rose to prominence thanks to her great direction and storyboarding, so it was only a matter of time before she was put in charge over a full length feature film. The product of that is A Silent Voice, a touching film of a young man desperately searching for redemption.

The film revolves around two teens, Shouya Ishida and Shouko Nishimiya. Back in elementary school, Shouya was the class clown, so when the mute-deaf girl Shouko joined their class, Shouya and his friends started to bully her. The bullying got worse over time, so when the school noticed it, the entire class blamed Shouya as the only bully. Several years later, the now outcast Shouya meets Shouko by chance, and decides to try and redeem himself.

The story beautifully tackles the questions of self worth, depression and belonging, which are even more emphasized by the visual choices in the movie, with most characters having their faces crossed-out when shown from Shouya's point of view, showing his insecurity and distance to those around him. However, the most important thing the film puts before us as viewers is the question whether Shouya and all the other bullies truly deserve to be forgiven. Because of their behavior they did ruin a disabled girl's childhood. Shouko's character arc is really well done as well, showing that even when the bullying stopped, she still had a fair share of hardships, and that she still struggles to fit into society, being limited by her disabilities.

I briefly mentioned the films visuals as a narrative device before, but not talking about the beautiful animation on display here would do this film a great disservice. The color palette is really saturated but soft, giving the film an ethereal feel, akin to a dream or a memory. As expected of KyoAni, the animation is on point. Usually you wouldn't put much effort into animating relatively static scenes, but with A Silent Voice, KyoAni pushed the limits of animating slice of life to its furthest. The characters are expressive in their movement, rarely standing still during the scene. Even when seemingly nothing is happening, they and movement, whether it is bystanders, flower petals or water, making the world seem more alive.

I must also highlight the calm, ambiental soundtrack of Kensuke Ushio, perhaps better known by his stellar work on Devilman Crybaby. His OST further fortifies the dreamlike ambience of the film, working perfectly with the visuals.

The overall choice of the color palette, animation and audio-visual design make A Silent Voice really stand out amongst its peers, only being rivaled in sheer animation quality by the likes of Shinkai's recent works and ufotable's Heaven's Feel trilogy. If there is any negative remark I can make towards this film, it is that the pacing in the third act is too fast, and that it could've been done slower. Even with that said, Yamada's directing is great, and I feel that with this film she has proven herself to be among the best directors in the business, which is further solidified with her somewhat experimental Liz and the Blue Bird.

15. Violet Evergarden (Kyoto Animation, 2018)

At first, I didn't like Violet Evergarden. I even dropped it after just two episodes, but the plethora of rave reviews on the internet convinced me to pick it up again. And although I bawled my eyes out, I didn't regret it one bit.

Violet Evergarden can be most easily summarized as a story of coping with loss. Set in a low-steampunk world where World War I just ended, Violet Evergarden follows the titular girl who has lost both her arms in combat. Having been raised on the battlefield as a child soldier, Violet struggles to understand the meaning behind human emotions, so when she is fitted with prosthetic arms she decides to become an Auto Memory Doll, a ghost writer of sorts, in order to understand the meaning behind emotions and more importantly, to figure out what "I love you" trully means.

The key themes in Violet Evergarden often remind me of Vladislav Petković Dis's Možda spava, a poem where the subject struggles to come to terms with his loved one's passing and the same can be said for many of the characters in this show. The story's structure is episodic in nature, with Violet being the only link that ties all the short stories together. And it is precisely in those almost standalone episodes that Violet's story really shines. Being in the role of a ghost writer, Violet takes the back seat and gives the spotlight to troubled people she is hired by, and with helping them overcome their issues she herself grows as a person. These short stories are really touching and many people will find them relatable. I'm not an emotional person, but episodes 3, 7, 10 and 13 made me cry a lot.

As expected from Kyoto Animation, the animation is brilliant. The character design is sharp and very detailed, making their natural and expressive movement even more impressive. What impresses me the most is the sheer production quality this show has. I've seen many animated films with way worse production values. I would go as far as to say that this production even gives the best anime films in the industry a run for their money. The CGI is so well blended in that it's impossible to notice if you don't know it's used in a scene, the lighting is perfect and effects animation is stellar. Put all together those things make what is perhaps the most beautiful anime of all time.

Evan Call's soundtrack is also beautiful, with a smartly incorporated typewriter in some of the tracks. The soundtrack reinforces the more emotional scenes amazingly further amplifying their impact.

All summed up, Violet Evergarden is perhaps the most impressive TV production anime in history and KyoAni's passion for this project shows. It is worth noting that the production scheduling was amazing, with episodes being completed months before they were scheduled to air, which is a rare occurrence in the industry. For those wanting more, KyoAni followed up with an OVA and a spin-off movie subtitled Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll. With both living up to the quality of the original show, and with a sequel movie in the works, I believe that Violet Evergarden is a modern classic in the making, and the quintessential anime drama.

16. Vinland Saga (Wit studio, 2019)

"A true warrior doesn't need a sword." The true meaning behind those words, spoken by Thors, is the essence of Vinland Saga. What is a warrior? How does man achieve his goals through peace in a time of endless conflict? If God is benevolent, why doesn't he lead us away from sin? On the surface level, Vinland Saga is just a simple tale of revenge, but if you dig deeper you will see that it doesn't shy away from difficult questions like these.

Based on the manga by Makoto Yukimura, which is further inspired by a cycle of Icelandic sagas of the same name, Vinland Saga follows Thorfinn, a young Viking who, seeking revenge, joins a group of mercenaries lead by Askeladd, the man whom he wishes to kill. Through his raids on England with Askeladd's gang Thorfinn experiences the brutal reality of war and finds himself slowly lost in an endless spiral of violence, straying ever further from the path his father Thors, a great warrior of that time, whished for him.

Vinland Saga's writing is simply beautiful. The characters are deep and complex, with amazing development during the entirety of the show. The true standout here is Askeladd. At first he seems like the classic charismatic bad guy that we've seen a lot of times. As we learn more about him we see that he is nothing more than just a product of his time, a man who did everything he could to survive the harsh world he lived in. He isn't a villain and he most certainly isn't a hero. He is just a sad old man tired of it all. Honestly, he's one of the best written characters I've seen in in a long time, as well as being a part of one of the best casts of characters I've witnessed in recent years. The larger than life marauder Thorkell, the meek prince Canute, the disillusioned priest Willibald and the great warrior Thors, probably the most important character in the show. Our main character Thorfinn is also written incredibly well. A traumatized child who had no time to grow up, Thorfinn's entire arc is soul crushing, but his time is yet to come in the future seasons.

In the visual department, Vinland Saga also stands out. Just like Wit's other great work, Attack on Titan, the love for the source material oozes through almost every frame. From the amazing animation in important fights, to the superb shot composition and beautiful background art, the visual design is amazing. I admit, there were some scenes with CGI that weren't really great, but those were far and few between and the quality of everything else more than makes up for those. The music is great too, with a lot of soft, almost melancholic piano tracks and some great brass orchestra pieces for combat music.

In the end, I was enamored by Vinland Saga. Do you know the feeling when you first witness a piece of art and something in you immediately clicks and you realize that you're witnessing greatness? That is what Vinland Saga is to me. Some might call it recency bias, but I genuinely believe that although its first seson just ended, Vinland Saga will be remembered as one of the greatest stories this medium has to offer.