I’m still relatively new to anime, having hated on it for my entire life until I actually gave it a chance in 2021, so keep that in mind with my list. I also have a hard time going in numeric order so these are my unordered top 10.

• Ghost in the Shell (the whole franchise)
• Cowboy Bebop
• Legend of the Galactic Heroes (specifically Die Neue These)
• Attack on Titan
• Spy Family
• Anything by Makoto Shinkai (especially Suzume)
• A Silent Voice
• A Sign of Affection (don’t judge me)
• My Happy Marriage (again, don’t judge me)
• Demon Slayer (reluctantly)

I say reluctantly on Demon Slayer because I have my criticisms of it, but the animation and the overall concept are really enjoyable. I just don’t like the super tropey “WaTeRbReAtHiNg 254th FoRm! MeNtAl ExPlAnATiOnS!” thing. I know that’s pretty common in anime but as a writer and former hater, that still drives me nuts. Show, don’t tell.

As for the two “don’t judge me” ones, I say that jokingly because my preferences are typically for mature, complex narratives more than romance stories but I feel like both of those are really maturely-written for romance anime. A Sign of Affection was utterly wholesome and My Happy Marriage’s Cinderella archetype with magic systems and mild political drama is pretty fun, especially given how gorgeous the art is.

As for GITS, that was my gateway to anime in general. After loving Cyberpunk 2077, I wanted more cyberpunk-themed media. GITS was one of the top recommendations so I decided to break down my barrier and check it out. It ended up completely changing the paradigm for me when it came to anime and it’s still probably my number 1 simply because it’s so heavily philosophical and beautifully-made.

LOGH Die Neue These was a funny one for me because one of the first anime shows I ever had recommended to me was the original one from the 80s. I couldn’t find anywhere to watch it (legally) and so I never really gave it a go until I got a Crunchyroll sub for a bit in late 2022/early 2023. I ended up semi-bingeing it and I really loved it, the story was great and the setting had all the right classic Star Wars vibes for me (but with a more complex plot behind it all).

AoT became a favorite for me because I was looking for something to give me at least some of the same vibes that Avatar: The Last Airbender did, in terms of the epic scope of it all. Aside from a very awful first half of season 4 (screw Gabi), I really loved that one.

A Silent Voice is a masterpiece, not just of anime, but of storytelling. Not many stories can deliver me a true gut punch but that one did. Same with Shinkai’s works, all of the ones I’ve seen have been phenomenal stories with some of the prettiest art and animation I’ve ever seen.

Bebop is pretty self-explanatory given its reputation. Aside from a semi-underwhelming finale, the world building was great, the art is still some of my favorite and the plot was remarkably well-written.

Finally, we have Spy Family, which is just about the funniest and most wholesome piece of media I’ve ever seen. That one, I’ve even succeeded in getting some family members into, to the point where I didn’t even have to see Code White alone because they wanted to see it.