Best of the Decade

Post by **JWR** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:05 pm

As 2010 comes to an end it is time to look back on the those anime that grew to hold a special place in our hearts and are high on our rewatch list.

This my list and as being my opinion I know that each persons tastes differ so please add your own.

In no order:

Noir 2001
Story telling at itâ€™s best, it kept you guessing all the way thru the end.

Shuffle 2004
Great art, good story a good mix of fun and drama.

Last Exile 2003
Range Murata designs, complex story with characters well written.

Ai Yori Aoshi 2002
Beautiful art, a well written romance comedy.

Spirited Away 2001
Hayao Miyazakiâ€™s Oscar award winning story that brought anime a higher profile in the USA.

Full Metal Panic 2002-2005
Great Art, fun story interwoven with dangers.

Kanon 2006
A supernatural mystery done with some of the most beautiful artwork.

Stellvia 2003
A future story done in a very realistic fashion with characters you care about.

Clannad + After Story 2007
Kyoto Anime art with a simple romance story that is an emotional rollercoster.

Ghost in the Shell stand alone complex 2002, 2nd Gig 2004
The revamp of a classic series done right.

Summer Wars 2009
One of the joys of this current year.

Full Metal Alchemist 2003
Highly original story that is bittersweet.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2006
Pure fun.

Voices of a Distant Star 2002
Makoto Shinkai out does a lot of studios with just a Power Mac.

Non Anime
Wall-E 2008 Pixars best.

Up 2009 A very entertaining story.

The Incredibles 2004
fun mix of comedy and action.

Finding Nemo 2003
A favorite "babysitter".

Justice League - The New Frontier 2008
Great story with the golden age DC universe.

Coraline 2009
Neil Gaiman

Corpse Bride 2005
Tim Burton

9 2009
Shane Acker's very orininal story.

Joost · Post by **Joost** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:33 pm

I like your list but I see no European animation and that is a shame.
It should include at least Walz with Bashir or Persepolis

ReiTheJelly · Post by **ReiTheJelly** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:52 pm

I haven't had the opportunity to watch much anime in the last few years, but here are my "favorites of the year" (in no order):

2000:

Ah! My Goddess: The Movie
Angel Sanctuary
Banner of the Stars
Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card
InuYasha
Mamotte Shugogetten
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

2001:

Angelic Layer
Earth Maiden Arjuna
Fruits Basket
Hellsing
Hikaru no Go
Pretear
Prince of Tennis
Read or Die (OVA)
Spirited Away

2002:

Chobits
Full Metal Panic!
Full Moon wo Sagashite
GetBackers
Haibane Renmei
Kiddy Grade
Naruto
RahXephon
Twelve Kingdoms
Witch Hunter Robin

2003:

Fullmetal Alchemist
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu!
Kaleido Star
L/R
Peacemaker Kurogane
R.O.D. the TV
Stellvia

2004:
Bleach
Howl's Moving Castle
Kyo Kara Maoh!
Rozen Maiden
Samurai 7
Samurai Champloo
Tactics
Wolf's Rain

2005:

Eureka 7
Loveless
Mushishi
Tenjho Tenge
Trinity Blood
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles
xxxHOLiC

2006:

Black Lagoon
Code Geass
Le Chevalier D'Eon
D.Gray-man
Death Note
La Corda d'Oro
Ouran High School Host Club
Paprika
Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Shonen Onmyouji
Simoun

2007:

Claymore
Gurren Lagann
Saiunkoku Monogatari

2008:

Kuroshitsuji
Rosario + Vampire
Skip Beat!
Vampire Knight

2009:

Chi's Sweet Home
Fairy Tale
Hetalia (sort of...)
Valkyria Chronicles

2010

HakuÅ

Post by **JWR** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:35 pm

Joost wrote:I like your list but I see no European animation and that is a shame.
It should include at least Walz with Bashir or Persepolis

Unfortunantly those have not been readly avalible to me since I live in the USA so I can only go off what I have personally seen. I hope by getting a diverse list from everyone who adds to this thread I can find ones like you mentioned I may have missed.
So Thanks Joost I will add those to my list and hopefully I can find copies of those to watch in the future.

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:47 pm

I searched through my 8+ ratings on MAL. These were my personal favorites from 2001-2010:

2001:
Sadamitsu, Hikaru no Go

2002:
Beat Angel Escalayer, Witch Hunter Robin

2003:
Suika (Wet Summer Days), ONE ~True Stories, DNAngel, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, Mizuiro TV series

2004:
Elfen Lied, Wind ~a Breath of Heart (complete series including extra episodes)

2005:
AIR TV series, Iriya no Sora, Gunbuster 2

2006 (by far my favorite anime year):
Kanon (2006), Black Lagoon, Code Geass 1st season, Asatte no Houkou, Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 1st season, Zegapain, Higurashi, Ergo Proxy, Fate/stay night TV series

2007:
School Days, Nanatsuiro Drops, Terra e TV series (epic!), Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora, Death Note, Sword of the Stranger Movie

2008:
True Tears, Xamdou (Xam'd), Kara no Kyoukai 3rd Movie, Eve no Jikan

2009:
Cross Game, Clannad Kyou Chapter

2010:
Fate/stay night movie, Break Blade 1st Movie, Eve no Jikan Movie

I don't recommend School Days to anyone except those who like bloody, gory harem-gone-wrong romances.

graymouser · Post by **graymouser** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:43 pm

My favorites over the past 10 years in no particular order.

Vampire Hunter D; Bloodlust
Mushishi
Twelve Kingdoms
Loveless
Mirage of Blaze
Yami No Matsuei
Xxx-holic
Hellsing
Fruits Basket
Noir

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 7:05 pm

Ah...that reminds me. I still have to see the "King of Thorn" Movie from this year. That might be up there too...maybe.

darksuzaku · Post by **darksuzaku** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:23 am

Lets see my favorites for the last decade:

2000
------
Seikai no Senki: (2000/1) -> The first series aired on 1999 so i use the second one. 3rd is also very good.

2001
------
Figure 17: (2001/2)

2002
------
Haibane Renmei
Juuni Kokuki: (2002/3) -> Specially the 2nd and 3rd arcs

2003
------
Scrapped Princess
Uchuu no Stellvia
Gunslinger Girl: (2003/4) -> Only the 1st series.
Unhinhabited Planet Survive: (2003/4)

2005
------
Blood+: (2005/6)
Aria: (2005/8) -> Specially the 1st and 3rd TV series

2006
------
Kanon 2006: (2006/7)
Fate Stay Night: (2006-2010) -> TV series and movie

2007
------
Clannad: (2007/9) -> Specially the 1st series
Claymore

2008
------
Spice and Wolf: (2008) -> Specially the 1st series

2009
------
Kemono no Souja Erin

2010
------
The Disapearance of Haruhi Suzumiya: (2010) -> The series was very good but the movie is the very best from this year.

Quacker · Post by **Quacker** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:33 pm

(Disclaimer: please forgive me if my years are wrong or completely off, I am going by when I viewed the series & unfortunately Official Aussie release dates are a bit behind other areas - from a few months to even a couple of years. For example Kanon, Clannad & Air all only got officially released this year!?)

Best hits of the past decade, hmmm that is really testing the memory.

2000:

Cowboy Bebop (on the humble VHS no less?)

2001:

Martian Successor Nadesico (first full DVD anime set)

2002:

-

2003:

Rahxephon (first new anime series collected in over 12months)
Full Metal Panic!

2004:

Last Exile (Same reasons as JWR. Collecting this series stretched into 2005 as I can remember waiting 2months for each new volume to be released).
Rahxephon Movie
GitS
Escaflowne (started to be re-released on DVD format towards the end of '04)

2005:

Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu!?
Wolf's Rain
Elfen Lied

2006:

Eureka 7 (another Studio:Bones masterpiece)

2007:

Full Metal Panic: TSR
The melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

2008:

Evangelion 1.01 (Re-imaging of the classic series)
Fate/Stay Night
School Rumble
Speed Grapher

2009:

Gurren Lagann
School Rumble: 2nd semester
Shuffle!

2010

Evangelion 2.22
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Bladeworks (movie)
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
High School of the Dead (a fine example of "Dumb" anime executed correctly - Babes, Blood & Guns mixed with Zombies).
Kanon (3/4years behind everyone else - but well worth the wait)

I am sure there is heaps more, but these are the anime that really stand-out & I have since enjoyed re-watching numerous times.
Thanks to everyone who have already listed their favorites; given me some inspiration to check-out those anime series I have not yet seen (nor heard of).

rosesleep · Post by **rosesleep** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:53 pm

No one likes Kung Fu Panda? I thought that was pretty cute

genomexec · Post by **genomexec** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 12:01 am

Some favorites...

Spirited Away
Monster
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Death Note
Claymore
Natsume Yuujinchou
One Outs
Kimi ni Todoke
Higashi no Eden
Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger
The Sky Crawlers

darksuzaku · Post by **darksuzaku** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:18 am

Keropi wrote:Ah...that reminds me. I still have to see the "King of Thorn" Movie from this year. That might be up there too...maybe.

Seems the trailer was very promising. The plot was for sure very promising with the cold sleep thing, which reminds a lot to Blue Gender. But the fun plot only lasts maybe for the first 30 minutes......

.... from that point and when you realize that there was no cold sleep, or that it only lasted 48 hours.... then monsters of all kinds and thorns appearing from nowhere in that small fraction of time......

.... oh well, i expected this movie to be in those "best of the decade" but it doesn't arrive close to the list.

-_-

Shampoo · Post by **Shampoo** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:57 am

genomexec pretty much named almost all my
personal favs of the decade! lol!

You have good taste sir!

Heres my short list of the creme de la creme (in anime)
that come to mind:

-Boogiepop Phantom
-Noir
-Naruto (original series)
-Monster
-Paranoia Agent
-Death Note
-Dennou Coil
-Michiko to Hatchin
-Eureka 7
-Mononoke
-Natsume Yuujinchou

As far as movies:

-Tokyo Godfathers
-The Girl who Leapt thru Time *
-Paprika

* I must be the only fan that disliked Summer Wars.
It was soo.... disjointed and badly paced, like it didn't know what
it wanted to be.

I think they rushed the scriptwriting to just get it out there
while the success of TGWLTT was still fresh.

Keropi · Post by **Keropi** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:39 pm

darksuzaku wrote:
Keropi wrote:Ah...that reminds me. I still have to see the "King of Thorn" Movie from this year. That might be up there too...maybe.
Seems the trailer was very promising. The plot was for sure very promising with the cold sleep thing, which reminds a lot to Blue Gender. But the fun plot only lasts maybe for the first 30 minutes......

I had a feeling it wasn't going to work. The manga spaced out the events pretty well. It ended up feeling a little like Half Life in terms of wandering around and plot events. The movie wouldn't have a chance to go into all the details and you wouldn't be able to think about it for very long before everything gets revealed.

Well...I'll see what I think of it when I see it.

GuyvarIII · Post by **GuyvarIII** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:45 pm

This list sticks to just anime and I still may have missed a couple, but here's my highly eclectic list:

Animatrix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx_jlOb5sbw)
A really great anime anthology in the tradition of Robot Carnival and Neo-Tokyo.

Aoi Bungaku (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEVNXSDsIUM)
Well-known, timeless literary masterworks superbly re-envisioned by some of this decade's top anime creators.

Ayakashi/Mononoke (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_shRtK_no)
Wisecracking dialog in Ukiyo-e style!

Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CZaflPqhtg)
One of my favorite oldskool anime directors, Ryôsuke Takahashi, doing a mythic retelling of the Meiji Restoration.

Basilisk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1_EoTlE34g)
Romeo and Juliet ninja style with great action scenes.

Bleach (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSsjo-sb9hY)
Young teen must become the man.

Beyond the Heavens: Souten Kouro (http://www.mommo.hu/media/Souten_Kouro_OP)
Badass Sangokushi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) from the viewpoint of the man everyone loves to hate, Çao Çao.

Casshern Sins (http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/MQDPGtg7U00)
Angsty meditation on life and death with updated retro-character designs and kickass action.

Cat Shit One (http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80587650)
CG gritty buddy-buddy war drama with fuzzy bunny commandos, and dromedary terrorists.

Chi's Sweet Home (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32leAZiZ_lM)
Cutest anime of the decade. The adventures of a family and their stray kitten.

Fullmetal Alchemist (http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/fmalch ... eadygo.htm)
Emotionally hard-hitting tale of the cost of power.

Gantz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omkvD2kq1uc)
After death, for some there's a hellish purgatory.

Giant Killing (http://vimeo.com/11785484)
Great story with endearing characters about building a winning team from the ground up.

Gundam Unicorn (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1IuUhxu1NM)
Tomino and Sunrise's love-letter to the UC Gundam fans.

Gungrave (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3imw2FS-vQ)
Moving mafia style story of betrayal, vengeance, and redemption.

Hellsing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vykgCPi-fho)
Badass vampire action with a side of love and SM.
"Yessss, my Master!"

House of Five Leaves (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0vuFmlEmlM)
Atmospheric, thoughtful tale of the power of tolerance and forgiveness.

Koutetsu Sangokushi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AExk_5FzzNM)
Three Kingdoms from the viewpoint of Wu: obsession, corruption of power, love, loyalty, and sacrifice.

Kurozuka (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d64BLgMuvCs)
The cyclical nature of existence with an immortal pair of lovers; one who cannot remember, and the other who will never forget. Based on a Kabuki masterwork, redone in almost cyberpunk style!

Naruto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-Jyt-Tcz2M)
The shonen anime of the decade.

Nodame Cantabile (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4cq8p ... lean_music)
Romantic comedy done right.

Paranoia Agent (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nttSKBJ38k)
A stylish glimpse of humanity’s shortcomings.

Platinum Hugen Ordian (http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c95/G ... df7e6e.mp4)
Masami Obari’s surprisingly moving take on Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” with big ‘bots, badass heroes, and busty babes.

Redline (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmNnkvC171w)
Fast, furious, fun.

Requiem From the Darkness (http://www.wat.tv/video/requiem-from-th ... ey33_.html)
Wistful and creepy classic Japanese ghost stories.

Samurai Champloo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OuRajFzMYI)
Too cool for school. Deliberately anachronistic, fast paced, samurai “road movie” TV series.

SD Gundam Sangokushi: Brave Battle Warriors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sl02qm_TOg)
Third time’s the … cutest. Surprisingly faithful three-kingdoms adaptation with super-deformed chibi Gundams.

Tenjho Tenge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74fP4waPN9Q)
Love takes a backseat to duty, as the innocence of youth is corrupted by the greedy designs of adults. Done with tons of fights, and fan service.

Trapeze (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LWpeqFGO74)
A funny, fond take on the foibles of modern society.

Toward the Terra (http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/terrae ... etgirl.htm)
A TV remake of the ‘80s movie. Classic sci-fi, space opera on what makes us human. Based on the manga by “49er” Keiko Takemiya.

And, while it’s not really high on my rewatch list,
Shigurui: Death Frenzy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL033M5y6T4)
was one of the most impressive looking anime of the decade … a gory, horrifying indictment of the hypocrisy of so called samurai honor. Unfortunately, it is really hard to watch.