After, dare I say, many days of deliberation with myself, I have finally chosen a “Top 20”. I was going to do a top 5, then the list grew to 10, and then somehow it got to 20… I mean I love all anime equally so it was really REALLY hard for me to even choose! I tried to keep my reviews on each of them short just because the list is so long! So in no particular order, here are my top 20 favorite anime series you should definitely watch!

Gintama

Where to even start with the crazy anime?! It’s hilarious, it has amazing action scenes, tons of parodies, samurais, and much more! This anime is truly one of the best! This series grows in originality with each passing episode, the art is phenomenal, the soundtracks are wonderful, and the characters are definitely the icing on the cake! So it is no wonder that Gintama has become one of Sunrises’ flagship series, and not to mention a staple series of Shounen Jump!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/918/Gintama

Natsume Yuujinchou

Oh man… the amount of love I have for this series is unreal! I was already obsessed with the manga, so when this turned into an anime… I can’t even tell you how happy I was! This anime, to me, is very powerful and definitely a masterpiece. I’ve never experienced so many emotions in just one anime. The artwork is ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING. The story/ each episode leaves you with a heartfelt/bittersweet message. The soundtracks are astounding, I was literally hooked on the first opening and ending songs. The characters are all so unique and complex! Definitely be sure to give the manga a read as well!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/4081/Natsume_Yuujinchou

D. Gray-Man

I randomly picked this manga up and I am so glad I did! I was completely hooked on the manga and definitely the anime when it came out but to be honest, I was really sad when it ended on episode 103 because well no spoilers! I’m glad they made the Hallow series, but it took so long because the poor creator was in a huge legal battle for basically 3 years! The story was well paced, stunning, and original. The art and action scenes were utterly amazing and beautiful. The soundtracks were really good and impressive! I really recommend picking up the manga first then watching the series!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/1482/DGray-man

Lucky Star

This is a super adorable comedy! I always use the Otakus Rule picture of Konata everywhere as you can see. This show is just pure comedy, each episode is different so there is really no storyline! The art is adorable and the soundtrack is cute. To summarize, Lucky Star is about the daily life of these girls, there is no drama, you can relate to many of the characters (especially Konata!), and is overall just a very warming and peaceful series!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/1887/Lucky_Star

Corpse Party

I introduce to you one of the GORIEST and most DISTURBING animes of all time! You might say no I’ve seen Elfen Lied, Another, Blood-C, etc. Well, I’m telling you now, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve watched this. It is a complete horror and gore anime! WARNING: WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK! It only gets worse later on! I’ve made a couple of my friends watch this… they had to start drinking alcohol because they found it so disturbing (sorry not sorry)! It was originally a horror survival game that was doing ok, but to get more sales they made it into an anime, and it definitely worked! The soundtrack is extremely well done, the art is phenomenal, and the story well you will just have to see for yourself!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/15037/Corpse_Party__Tortured_Souls_-_Bougyakusareta_Tamashii_no_Jukyou

Fruits Basket

Charming, original, heart-warming, hilarious, and much more! This anime definitely touches your heartstrings. This anime is a slice of life, contains some drama, romance, and comedy. The art is really well done. The soundtrack is very beautiful. The characters are unique, wonderful, and I loved watching them grow. I am VERY excited for the 2019 version of this anime!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/120/Fruits_Basket

K-On!

This is definitely a cute comedy with incredible music! The music/soundtracks are amazing and definitely memorable. The story is really memorable and every episode is really fun to watch. The characters are all different, delightful, and unique. Don’t expect any real seriousness, except for when they prepare for concerts. For me, K-on has a proper balance of a comedic story, adorable characters, and great music!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/5680/K-On

Ghost Stories

WARNING: WATCH THE DUB ONLY! Going into this series, you should know that the dub and the sub of this anime are DRASTICALLY different! The sub is a bit more “serious”, while the dub is totally CRAZY. So of course, I watched the dub version after I tried to watch the sub but got bored. Thank you Aniplex for making the best dub of an anime ever. There is no story. Every episode is just a gold nugget all on its own. The characters are so unforgettable, I loved all their personalities, and I loved the relationship between them all. The soundtrack was alright, but the opening and ending songs were definitely catchy!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/1281/Gakkou_no_Kaidan

xxxHOLiC

JUST TO BE CLEAR I LOVE EVERYTHING BY CLAMP! xxxHolic is definitely one of Clamp’s finest series. This anime does crossovers with other Clamp series, which is very uncommon in anime! The art is absolutely marvelous, despite the body proportions. The story is phenomenally done and has loads of thought-provoking and incredibly insightful dialogue. The music was well done and the songs were very impressive!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/manga/10/xxxHOLiC

Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

This is NOT your typical regular romance anime! The story makes you go anywhere from laughing your butt off to bittersweet moments you can’t escape from! I completely love the charming art style, and the soundtracks are really unforgettable! The characters and their developments are definitely some of my favorites. Watching their feelings grow towards one another was definitely a heartwarming ride! Definitely give the manga a read as well because it is completed and goes deeper into the characters backstories!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/7054/Kaichou_wa_Maid-sama

Gokusen

I loved this anime! It is hilarious, heart-warming, and packed with some action. Kumiko lives a double life of being a high school teacher and the head of a yakuza clan! I love that Kumiko is a very strong female lead. I really liked the storyline and seeing all the characters, especially the delinquent students, develop. The art is more of a comedic style but is overall pretty good! I definitely had a lot of good laughs out of this anime! I wish it wasn’t only 13 episode long, because it definitely leaves you wanting more.

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/242/Gokusen

Shinryaku! Ika Musume

This anime was nothing but innocent, hilarious, and adorable! Ika Musume, aka Squid Girl, comes out of the ocean to take over the world! Every episode is unique and fun. Not much of a storyline, as it really is just comedy and cuteness. The art is very pleasant and beautiful, especially the characters. The soundtrack is remarkable and all the songs were really memorable.

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/8557/Shinryaku_Ika_Musume

Assassination Classroom

This anime left me with bittersweet feelings.  This anime is extremely enjoyable, funny, and at sometimes bittersweet. The art is very bright, fun, and cheerful. I really loved the style of this anime and how the characters are drawn. The storyline was very unique. The soundtrack was very catchy and bubbly. I loved seeing the characters develop and become closer. The second season picking up right after the first one definitely tugs at your heartstrings so be prepared!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/24833/Ansatsu_Kyoushitsu

Bananya

I LOVE CATS! Yes, there are tons of other amazingly cute cat animes like Chi’s Sweet Home, etc. but this was just so adorable, unique, and original I just couldn’t help not putting this on my list! Watching this anime is a life experience you can not pass up! This anime just screams cuteness! It has comedy, adorableness, adventure, romance, and much more. Surprisingly, yes this anime does have a little story to it. The story is just following this family of Bananyas. The art will squeeze your heart to death with the cuteness overload. The soundtrack was just as delightful as well. The characters are so adorable and surprisingly this anime has character development. It’s surprising that amount of amazingness you can fit into 3 minutes!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/32664/Bananya

Death Note

Stop crying, I can hear it from here! I already agree with you, whoever let Netflix do that Death Note adaptation really needs a talking too! The anime is a complete masterpiece! Even the Japanese live actions movies were really good! The story is incredible, the art is astonishing, and the soundtrack is downright stunning! The cat and mouse game between Light and L makes you grip the edge of your seat! Death note makes you question your morals as you go through the series, which is one big reason I think this anime is one of the best I’ve seen!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/1535/Death_Note

Soul Eater

I really love this anime! The storyline and art were so unique! There was a good handful of deep moments where you got to see what really drove the characters to make the decisions that they did. The characters’ personalities were so different and their development throughout the series was phenomenal. The action scenes were absolutely stunning. The soundtrack was incredible.

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/3588/Soul_Eater

Samurai Champloo

10/10 just watch it! The art, storyline, soundtrack, characters… I mean honestly, everything about this anime was just stunning! The action scenes were just phenomenal. The soundtrack is a blend of hip-hop, rhythm & blues, and traditional Japanese. The characters are fun and interesting. Overall the anime is filled with amazing action, comedy, and bittersweet moments!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/205/Samurai_Champloo

Ghost Hunt

Ghost hunt is a great blend of horror, comedy, mystery, and supernatural! The storyline and art were fantastic, each episode and hunting case was always so diverse so it always kept the story fresh. The soundtrack, which is the most important in any horror anime, was remarkable. During those scary and suspenseful parts, the music definitely made you grip the edge of your seat waiting for something to pop out at you! I loved all the characters and all their unique different personalities. I loved watching them and the relationship between them all grow! I definitely had to read the manga for more once the show ended.

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/1571/Ghost_Hunt

Satsuriku no Tenshi (Angels of Death)

This anime is very new like it came out in July of 2018 new. Before this masterpiece became an anime it was a horror RPG maker game, that became a manga series, and then became an anime! This anime had me on the edge of my seat every episode! This anime goes through characters with some serious mental health problems, it points out the characters different point of views towards religion and life. You get to see into the main character’s backstories, which let me say is where it tugs on your heartstrings. The characters backstories show you why they make the decisions and act the way that they do. I loved seeing the characters and all their unusual and unique personalities. The art and soundtrack are simply outstanding.

Link: https://myanimelist.net/manga/96525/Satsuriku_no_Tenshi

Mushishi

Not only am I obsessed with this anime I am obsessed with the soundtrack, especially the opening song “The Sore Feet Song” by Ally Kerr. The storyline was balanced but packed with folklore, supernatural beings, drama, intriguing moments, and tons of adventure. The story never gets stagnant or old because each tale is so refreshing and different. I loved all the characters introduced and definitely the main character, Ginko. The art was astonishing and downright beautiful!

Link: https://myanimelist.net/anime/457/Mushishi

Thank you for reading my long Top 20 list! This is my first ever review/recommendation blog so if you have any tips I’d love to hear them! I will do my favorite anime movies soon so be on the lookout! I highly recommend all these animes! I’ve only listed ones that I have completed. So, be sure to check them out! If you would like me to check out an anime that is your favorite then comment below and let me know! I’d love to hear what your favorite animes are!