This is a response journal to 's journal which can be found here: [link]

Mine comes with full reasons and backing for each position on the list, so I'd appreciate it if you took time out to give it a quick read and let me know what you think, but don't feel obliged to.. you can, if you want just browse the titles and see what comes where, or you can ignore it entirely (freddie..)

Bear in mind that I can only judge anime that I’ve seen and that this is only my opinion. Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I ask you to respect mine as I would yours. Also, allow me to add, this list is different to my favourite anime.. while my favourite anime list has changed dramatically since I first made it back in April, it is still different from this list… by best I mean the ones I feel succeed most in the following 5 criteria: Story/Plot, Art/Animation, Music/Sound, Characters, Enjoyment. My favourites are listed by purely relying on the last one.. enjoyment.
So this is my top 10 best anime that I’ve ever seen.

Oh, and I’m only allowing one anime per franchise. While I may mention another series in the franchise for various reasons, the one listed is the one that deserves the spot in my opinion.


10. Golden Boy

A great, little OVA we have here. A comedy, ecchi anime which follows the main characters journey around Japan meeting a bunch of attractive women.. and hilarity ensues..
This anime is just funny, all the way through.. it’s crude, it’s dirty, but it is hilarious. If you sit down and accept it as what it is, then you should love it. If you don’t like ecchi, however, I’d say stay away. The character of Kintaro is brilliantly done, and his personality fits the series perfectly and makes it what it is. Really, this is a gem.

9. Trigun

Trigun is one of those classic anime that should be watched by every anime fan at some point in my opinion. Whether you come out liking it or hating it, it’s the kind of show that is always worth the effort. The story starts episodic but picks up fairly quickly and gets pretty deep, it’s well written and clever. The series’ protagonist Vash is one of the great anime heroes. In many ways he’s more real than many other heroes you’ll see due to his flaws and the guilt he feels. The supporting cast are also well written and feel more like real people than fictional characters in terms of personality, while they’re skill and gunmanship still keeps it very entertaining to watch. The series has good animation throughout, the fight scenes look great and the landscaping and backgrounds are stunning. The series has a strong comedy side to it, while managing to keep it’s darker side in view. The moral issues faced and discussed are intertwined nicely with the story, and overall the series has a very solid feel to it.

8. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

To be honest, I’m pushing this down, I love the Haruhi franchise, and the me that has watched the anime series multiple times, read most of the books and bought each volume of the manga as it comes out... despite them all telling the same story... is calling out to put it higher. But... I overrate it. While I love the franchise it certainly isn’t as good as I make it out to be in discussion. The story has its plot holes, the characters have their respective flaws, however, this doesn’t make it, in any way, a bad series. It is still one of the best I’ve seen. It’s interesting, it’s clever, it’s fun and enjoyable. While the 2009 remake doesn’t work as a series, due to the nightmare that is endless eight, generally the new episodes add some new life to the show and delve deeper into some of the character’s minds, along with Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody setting us up for what should be a great movie that many fans will be looking forward to next year. Haruhi is always a tough one to judge, it’s so popular and so loved, and sometimes it’s hard to see why. Even I fail to understand it sometimes, but each time I reread it, or rewatch it I fall straight back into that old loop and can’t put it down or turn it off till I’ve finished it.. and in my eyes, that is the mark of a great series.

7. Ouran High School Host Club

When I first picked up this show, I was unsure.. I have to admit. I’d heard a lot about it, I’d seen it’s popularity.. but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it might be overhyped. Upon completion of the first episode however, I was glad to see I was wrong. The show grabbed me from the first episode with its interesting premise and likeable characters. The show’s main attractions are definitely both the characters and the writing. Each character is well-written and has a detailed backstory that is explored fully throughout the series, characters are developed and have distinctive personalities which never become confused within the duration of the show. The writing and comedy of Ouran really is brilliant, and it makes the show that much more enjoyable. Both the original Japanese and the English dub for this show are excellent, the voice actors in both versions suit the characters and give a very good performance. The one problem I might call it out for, is the romance side to the anime is never explored to its full potential. While I can’t speak for its relation to the manga as I haven’t yet read it, I would have liked to see a bit more development there. Otherwise, this show is brilliant.

6. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni started off this series well, it had an interesting idea and implemented it well, but due to a lack of real theme and story going through each arc was too separate, so while it made for a very interesting and tense watch, it didn’t live up to its potential. Kai, however, not only lived up to this potential, but far exceeded it. By steadily revealing the mysteries and questions left at the end of series 1, Kai drew the viewer in. With a more detailed and continuing story, Kai had a better sense of completeness to it. The story became darker, with some seriously chilling scenes and whole episodes in it, which only helped to emphasise the clever writing. The pacing of the series is perfect, it never reveals too much or too little at any one time, and fans of the original series will certainly love it. The characters become more developed and interesting in Kai as well, with certain themes of character continuing throughout the story arcs. However, despite the darker sides to the story, Kai manages to keep the light-hearted scenes of the first one in tact without any damage to the overall feel of the anime. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai really is a masterpiece of clever writing, intuitive ideas, developed characters and a brilliant atmosphere. Both series are a must watch.


5. Clannad ~After Story~

Picking up where Clannad left off, Clannad ~After Story~ only heightens the impressiveness of the series. One of the best written slice of life stories out there, with a nice twist of fantasy to add that small cloud of the unknown over the series, allowing the viewer to enjoy the everyday characters and settings, while still suspending their disbelief slightly. ~After Story~ is one of the most emotional anime I’ve seen, once again building upon Clannad in that area, which focused steadily on all the main girls one by one and their touching stories, ~After Story~ finally focuses it’s attention on one of them, and her relationship with Tomoya. The other character’s then serve as the supporting cast from that point on, and, unfortunately make less appearances.. this is, in my opinion, one of the main two flaws with this otherwise outstanding series. Once dealt with in Clannad, ~After Story~ just seems to shun the majority of it’s likeable and interesting charcacters to one side in order to focus it’s attention primarily on two. Gone are the extra side stories delivered in Clannad, but the brilliantly written romance story between these two character’s and their future slightly makes up for this lacking.. unfortunately, the other flaw holds it back from being much higher on this list, however, I cannot discuss it without revealing major spoilers of the plot. Watch it, enjoy it, and chances are, you’ll probably like it far more than I, as many people seem to do.

4. Kanon – the 2006 remake

Similar to the first series of Clannad in more than a few ways, Kanon, is a remarkable anime. The characters and setting for this anime drew me in from the start. One of the primary differences from Clannad though, is that the plot is set from the start, with Yuichi’s memory loss being the main drive for the series, and how his interaction with the 5 female leads eventually begins to fill in the gaps. Similar to Higurashi, Kanon leaves a set of questions for the viewer from the off and steadily answers each of them at a good pace. While not as clever as Higurashi, it does certainly manage to do this well, however, this is not the strongest point of the anime. The strongest point of Kanon is the emotion. Kanon handles it’s emotion brilliantly, developing characters enough for you to grow attached to them, meaning you care about the ups and downs of the lives that are explored throughout the series. The art and setting of Kanon are a thing of beauty, along with the music. The opening sequence is the most beautiful and fitting opening to any anime series I’ve seen and reflects Kanon’s atmosphere perfectly. Again, there is an element of the supernatural in Kanon, which allows the viewer to suspend their belief when something unnatural seems to occur. Kanon’s flaws are few and none of them truly big enough to make a dent on this shining series.

3. Aria the Origination

This is a series that not many people appear to have seen in comparison to others on this list, which is a huge shame. For slice of life fans, this show pretty much perfects the genre. The backstory and setting are clever and intuitive; they serve as a perfect place to set a slice of life anime. Despite slice of life following characters on their everyday lives, the sci-fi and fantasy elements to this anime really make it something special in the genre. This is the third instalment of the series, with Aria the Animation and Aria the Natural being the first 2, both of which are also excellent anime, but Origination perfects the formula the first two seasons set down. With extremely likeable characters, an original idea behind it and some beautiful artwork and landscapes, everything feels right in this series. The pacing is just right for a slice of life, and the climax of the whole series which occurs towards the end of this final season works brilliantly. This series really isn’t given the credit it deserves, and to any and all fans of slice of life, I say, watch Aria, it is stunning.

2. Death Note

A series pretty much every anime fan knows or has heard of at at least one point since looking into anime. It is hugely popular and for good reason. It is a brilliantly written series. The story is dark and deep, very clever and explores parts of the human mind very well. The characters overall are well thought out, and their personalities and actions adding much to the series, however, 2 stand out. These 2 are obviously Light and L, two of the greatest anime characters I’ve ever seen. Both very similar and very different, these 2 make the show what it is. Without them Death Note would not nearly be as good. Light is, in many ways the perfect anti-hero. He’s very normal, despite being a genius, many people would probably try the same thing Light does if given a power such as the Death Note, and because he’s so normal you don’t know whether you should want him to win or lose, however, he can’t really be described as a villain, as the majority of his actions and goals are beneficial to society. L, is then the perfect contrast to Light, despite them being very similar in personality and traits, they’re exact opposites when it comes to actions and judgements. While Light portrays someone you can find walking down any old street, L is a character who could only exist in fiction. His looks and personality, his strange mannerisms and brilliant mind make him an impossible human, but he remains one of the greatest characters I’ve ever come across in any media. The character of L is truly a masterpiece. Both the music and animation in this series are at a very high standard, the soundtrack being full of songs that suit the scenes they play over brilliantly. From scores that build tension to breaking point, to songs that pour emotion out. The animation also brings the series to life, with excellent artwork on the characters and surroundings. Death Note is definitely one of the anime greats, intelligent, dark, fast-paced and incredibly enjoyable to watch, this series really is a must-watch for anyone, anime fan or not.

1. Elfen Lied

This really is, for me, the pinnacle of anime that I’ve seen. Elfen Lied just overflows with emotion and beauty. The story is well written, with a very dark undertone to it that becomes explored more as the series progresses. The characters are prefect for the story, all of them having their moments to shine, but it is Lucy who really stands out among them. Lucy is one of the most likeable anti-heroes you will ever find. Despite being a cold-blooded killer, you warm to her almost instantly, she’s lost in a world that wants rid of her, without anyone to trust and handed a deadly weapon from birth. This series stands out for me as the best anime I’ve seen for many reasons. The emotion portrayed is of a level rarely seen, the beauty to the show contrasts so perfectly with it’s bloody and violent surface. The climax and ending to this series are one of the best I’ve ever seen, and the series as a whole probably feels the most complete and solid I’ve seen. This series really is magnificent. The song Lilium, the opening theme for Elfen Lied, is another thing this series really has running for it. The song, again, fits the show perfectly and is heard several times throughout the series in different forms and adds a level of splendour to the blood-soaked scenes it plays over.In my opinion, Elfen Lied, when ranked on the 5 criteria given at the beginning, comes closest to perfection. It may be beaten in some areas by some shows, but as a whole, when everything is pulled together, nothing else touches it.

And that's my list.. hope you enjoyed it.. and if not, feel free to dispute my claims by commenting below. I'll admit now my anime scope is not the widest and there are many genres, let alone shows, that I'm still yet to touch on, and I'm sure as my knowledge of the anime world expands this list will change, however, for now at least, this list is what I truly think.
If you want to do your own list please leave me a comment with a link so I can read it, I'd love to see what your top 10 is

In other news... yes I am still working on that Shimei pic, but her right hand is going to drive me insane.. it probably will look awful upon finishing because of all the marks where I've rubbed it out and started again... but, i shall persevere..

Ooh almost at 2000 pageviews Prize for the person who gets it? If you're ok with something small that won't disrupt my drawing schedule, then sure

anyways.. that's pretty much it for the time being i think..

c ya

Favourite dA artists:
I guess I'll go by alphabetical order, so as not to display any particular favouritism..
- A great traditional artist, has some really great pieces.. if you like my gallery, you should like his more!
- While their gallery isn't huge, I'm sure most people would agree the small amount in there definitely means we can expect great things! Really looking forward to more stuff ^^
- A very talented artist. Uses artisan crafts to mostly create sprites, but does other great work too! ^^
- Unfortunately taken down all his stuff, but will hopefully be doing a new style soon
- An up and coming artist. Room for improvement, but has a great art style, and now that she's started using colour her pictures look even better! Loves yaoi.
- An awesome gallery, full of brilliant pictures, very colourful, bright and cute. New account of
- A great gallery full of Large, lively pics, lots of action and colour. A must see!
- A brilliant pencil artist, some brilliant Naruto and Final Fantasy pics, along with several others. Newer pics using digital art are just as awesome!
- A fantastic artist with an array of likeable characters for her comic strip Unsound of Mind and her recently started manga heartcore. A huge gallery full of great stuff!!

Yeah, so the above are my favourite artists on dA at the moment, I advise to everyone who reads this that you check out each and every one of them, they're all certainly worth the time it takes to browse through their galleries! Hope you all find some new favourites within these 9 too ^^

Clubs: