Top Japanese Animes From The Decade

20. Beastars: 

This show is not here because it has a great story or particularly strong direction, it’s here because it is a snippet into the future of Japanese Animes from Japan; good looking 3D. After successfully making what I consider a milestone on anime with 2017’s Houseki No Kuni, Studio Orange has impressed me and others alike once again with BEASTARS, an anime adaptation of  the manga of the same title by Paru Itagaki which is just wonderful, I won't go into details but just know that is Zootpia but it has a way more nuance commentary than “racism bad”. Actuall you know what, fuck it. The story is worth discussing. So there are carnivores and herbivores and they treat each other respectfully and as equal. Except that our series takes place on a highschool (HOW ORIGINAL I KNOW), so most people are young and hot-headed so they are just outwardly racist (speciest? food-chainist?) towards the opposite group. Which is justified because in this world there is such a thing as racial superiority. Carnivores are bigger, stronger, generally considered natural leaders and just better off socially in general. There is a really important balance to be maintained in this society with all these racial tensions at all times. So our main guy Legosi, is a grey wolf, he had to live all his life with people being afraid of him, which is common for carnivores but when most of the would end up being extremely approachable and charismatic people to combat this, our dude Legosi presents himself as a shy, pacific and weak little guy. This is, however, contrast with the fact that he is naturally a killing machine who is stronger that 90% of his peers and has to constantly conceal his true strength and natural impulses. The carnivores, in metafictional context, can represent any number of things like the wealthy, extroverted people, men, naturally talented people...etc which make it already form the premise thematically rich especially when you consider that most of these interpretations I just listed are at some point hinted at as being a correct reading of the material. But this is a love story, you classic Juleo and Romet, our man Legosi finds himself smitten by a dwarf bunny who is cute as hell, a loner just like him and an actual fucking slut (she’s a good person don’t worry). So the drama comes when our mate Legosi starts to wonder if his feelings for her are genuine and come from a place of true understanding or he just wants to literally ingest her. It is a cute story, beautiful mango. And the anime is just great too they do this thing where you really can’t tell when it is CGI and traditional 2D. Furthermore, they are usually used at the same time and you won't even realize. This allows for more facial expressions for minutes and increases the over all production insanely. It looks better than most anime and it doesn't even have great art direction. So I guess that was my whole point. This makes me excited for the next things to come on this future decade.

I'll just leave the OP because couldn't fine any good clip.

19. Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?:
DO YOU EVEN FUCKING LIFT BRO?!!! This fucking anime is all about a group of girls hitting that bench and getting those GAINZ bro. If you ever need motivation to work out just read this anime book or watch the anime show. It is beyond entertaining, informative and educational about bodybuilding and general fitness. HAI SAIDO CHESTO!!!~

18. Oshiete galko chan:

This show is short, like 3 minutes an episode short. Our protagonist is Galko-chan whose name and general appearance are based on the Gyaru archetype that are basically sluts dressed in a particular way. The joke and general thesis of the show is that despite her appearance Galko is an innocent kindhearted girl that isn’t slutty at all. And in the same way the rest of characters are introduced a basic stereotypes and are later revealed to be way more complex. It’s “Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover the Anime” it is, however extremely lighthearted and iyashikei to the core.

This show has cute and juvenile sense of humor so it might not be for everyone.

A page from the anime book 

17. Inferno cop:

This ONA is everything an anime should be. It tales the tale of Inferno Cop, a police officer’s avenging ghost and incarnation of JUSTICE itself as he travels through time and space encountering wacky characters and ridiculous campy shit. It is short, hysterical and not very Japanese in the most Japanese way. It is mostly animated by waggiling cutouts of characters and objects to create barely moving scenes that then have an obscene number of digital effects added to them creating a jarring effect of visual clusterfuckery and it’s the funniest shit ever. This show was made by studio trigger on their break time as they were producing Kill la Kill so it is forgiven for not being the most impressive narrative masterpiece. It doesn't need to be tho, it is a simple wacky  comedy and pleases my simple mind. Inferno cop is on YouTube.Watch it.

My personal favorite.

16 Shimoneta:

In a world where porn and everything sexual is strictly banned by the government, Ayame Kajou, a highschool student reveals against the system as she commits acts of terrorism by making PORN rain Money Heist style. This show is an aggressive attack on prudish attitudes and censorship, of course. Now this show is raunchy as fuck, similarly to prison school it goes BALLS DEEP on the pervert mindset. Yet, this show so self aware that the antagonist is another “ero-terrorist”, is just that he’s (as presented by the show) a little bit too depraved. This guy is a mirror to the show itself showing us, degenerates how normal people see us. It also makes it so that it is understood that sexual liberty has its limits too. This show is not subtle, it will make no attempt to hide its message. It will actually take the message and SIT IT ON YOUR FACE just so you get it.

15. Highschool of the Dead:

Celebration of tits, violence and everything camp. It is a quintessential zombie show; dumb. But it does its dumbness so smartly that it makes it look dumb on the surface but smart of the not-surface. I mean characters have character and motivation and hopes and dreams, that’s more than the walking dead ever had *honk*. Character dynamics are a fun and organic, the action is great, MATRIX BOOBS? YES.

The Legendary MATRIX BOOBS SCENE

14. Bananya~:

Yo check this shit out

13. Monster Musume:

I don’t have any excuses for this one. I just think is hot and find it very funny that I think so.

I have too much respect for you to put a clip.

12. Rick and Morty:

I TURNED MYSELF INTO A PICKLE MORTY!!! 

I'M PICKLE RIIIIIIIIICK!!!!

Good characters, very funny. haha.

11. The Whole of Kendrick’s Lamar Discography (Studio Albums):

Section 8.0, Good Kid M.A.A.D. City, To Pimp A Butterfly, DAMN. These four albums share many similarities; they are narratively driven with a clear chronological order, have themes that inform us of Knderick’s changing worldviews and are fucking amazing. When looking at all these four as whole series divided in different parts it paints a man that grow from a gangster affiliated good kid to an existentially conflicted super star. It has already been commented how Kendick’s work has a heavy “movie” feel to it. This, however, is an effect that varies greatly from project to project. In Section 8.0 he presents the album as a lecture on life he is giving to his peers, In G.K.M.C. he uses not only use voicemails but many of the songs themselves are short episodes cohesively sequenced one after another. In his two latter projects TPAB and DAMN opt for a stronger emphasis on themes rather than concrete narrative. In these two albums that we would see Kendrick talking about his relationship with God in a more personal and intimate way than before, where he told stories about his experience with religion at a social level rather than about God himself. In TPAB he goes through a faith crisis where he’s constantly tempted by the devil and confronted by God. We see him taming his demons and finally coming out with a newfound outlook on the world that finally sort the turmoil established on the first track “Wesley's Theory”. DAMN is okay I guess.

Bitch where you when I was walking?

10. Konosuba: 

Light novel anime have with time become more and more self aware and meta. It was cute and cool at first with shit like Haruhi’s endless 8 but it has by now become as tired as the tired lack of self awareness it originally tried to subert. The characters regularly call attention to how cliche a situation is, but they do nothing about it. As Digibro siad “It’s like if someone was pissing in the middle of the street and everyone was staring at him, and then he yelled out, “I’m pissing in the street!” And everyone was just like, “oh, well, at least he knows what he’s doing,” and went back to shittweeting.” So Konosuba, looking at this, did something awesome: it took it further and made a comment of the self awareness of Isekai anime by being an Isekai anime that is disgusted to be one. All our protagonists are sacs of shit. There are no noble heroes with pure intentions nor funny jabs at the fact that this is a trashy light novel adaptation. It is just done with that shit and so is the audience. Konosuba’s cast are all extremely flawed people that distance themselves as much as possible from the tropes they are meant to embody. They do this by adding a crucial twist to everyone; the hero protagonist Kazuma is a total coward and relies on his wits and fucking people over rather than some OP bullshit magical power, Aqua is a beautiful goddess priestess that is a condensing cunt and a total dumbass, the sage and all powerful wizard Megumin is a pretty much useless chunibyo loli, and the noble paladin Lalatina is a sadomasochist that loves being beaten up and humiliated by monsters. I can spend all day explaining why this is funny but just watch it.

9. BoJack Horseman:

This is a character exploration of a tormented, washed up Hollywood actor. It de-glamorizes the movie star lifestyle and humanizes the greater than life figures of Hollywoo. Although the show is ludicrous and the characters are millionaires that live on the top of society, the show has universal themes of addiction, loss, self-hate, regret and family that makes it easy to relate to.

8. Prison School:

This show knows well how the mind of a horny teenager works and uses the powers of an adult mangaka to put those degenerate fantasies to the paper with top quality, over the top artwork. I challenge you to not pop a boner as we join our four main guys as they become the first male students on an all-girls school. Their plans of wooing girls comes to a grinding stop, however, as they are unfairly imprisoned by a crime they definitely committed. This is their fight for freedom as they combat the student council’s attempts to get them expelled. Holy shit this show is funny.

EPIC TITS OR ASS SPEECH.

7.Dark Demon Blood Series: 

Tons have been said about the series. Everyone should be aware that these are great pieces of art. It has simple gameplay yet it manages to keep you on your toes with great  level design where enemies are placed as to fuck you when you least expect it. The level design is, however, very mindful of player progression and every time time you fight an enemy you will gain some kind of knowledge being it of the map, your own equipment or the enemy itself. These games are also beautiful to look at.

6. The BakeMonogatari Series:

All of this show is a meta-fictional commentary on light novels and otaku media in general. The characters are not presented as people but as the essence of the archetype they represent. Very cool direction and visual identity thanks to Akiyuki Shinbou and studio Shaft. This is that one with the  toothbrush scene. 

5. K on:
Cute girls doing cute things but it's directed masterfully and characters evolve slowly and organically. King of Iyashikei? Maybe. Beautiful. Watch it.

only found a meme version of this scene.

4. Roma:

Roma feels like those dreams you wake up from and need a couple of minutes to process that they're not real. God-tier immersion from director Alfonso Cuaron.

3. Kill la kill:

Alright so this is pretty much "Themes the Anime". It comments on so many different things that you could say it comments on nothing. And that's pretty much the main commentary it wants to make. Very smart IQ>300 people will get these thematic nuances and embrace the coexistence of opposite contradicting ideas, dumb people will think that it doens’t really makes sense and is just fan-service (which it does and it is). But even if you are one of these dummies that doesn’t get it, it is, nevertheless, a visual delight; everything from the color palette, animation and direction is inventive and creates an aesthetic that incorporates the narrative themes to the visuals every moment of the show, making the themes and ideas get to you because even if you might have not noticed, your brain does. Furthermore, this aesthetic makes the most out of the inherent advantages of the medium of animation which is reason enough for us to celebrate it. Go studio TRIGGER. Go Imaishi sensei. Watch it, it has lots of tits. 

2. The Biggest Problem in the Universe Podcast: 

Dick Masterson and Maddox have the best chemistry I’ve ever seen. Both of them being satirists, they don’t talk down to their audience and the humor of the show comes form a very metatextual place. After a couple episodes you’ll find yourself laughing not at the jokes but at the things these two crazy assholes are saying; one dumb, ugly Armenian guy who thinks he is smarter than everyone else whilst also being offensively autistic, and a crazy Mexican libertarian who thinks Neoliberalism actually works for the better of most whilst being very clearly a successful guy who won on life’s lottery. This show WILL change your outlook on at least one thing you were sure of you stance on.

Highlight some made I really like. You need the whole context to appreciate it well.

1.5. Horseshoe Finale: 

Endless Jess is a fucking genius. The man created the Kill La Kill of YouTube. What I mean by that is that he took complete advantage of the medium to create a masterpiece that could only exist on early 2010s YouTube.

Horseshoe Finale summarizes the entire saga in a brief 2 hours of absolute creative genius

1. Gintama:
I will not make Gintama justice with words, no one will ever, but I’ll try to do my best to explain why I think Gintama is the best Anime of all. Gintama’s author has a complete understanding of how narrative structures work, more specifically he knows how audiences react to certain tropes and narrative devices. He also understand pop and otaku culture to almost the same extent. So when you have such strong grasp on the art of storytelling, what do you do? Do you make a heartwarming love story? Do you make an epic story? Do you make a slice of life story? Do you make a comedy? No, you make GINTAMA. Although most would consider Gintama strictly a comedy the way jokes are built on a foundation of legitimate compelling narratives. This is how most Ginatama’s major arcs are structured: It introduces a character, their problem and the obstacles that are on their way to achieve it, this character will end up meeting our main cast who run an odd jobs company, they will try to solve the problem with ridiculous funny situations and fail, one major plot twist is revealed, be it via the introduction of a new character or new information, the main cast will choose, considering this new information, what is the morally righteous path to take and will act according to it, character plot thread is resolved, arc ends. It is formulaic bullshit. Yet, almost every time it manages to make the new characters empathetic and likable, even if you can see it all coming. And of course there is the constant jokes, which usually become recurrent within one arc and continues to one up themselves. It this constant pull between comedy and genuine drama that keeps you perpetually disarmed for what's to come. It is worth mentioning at this point that a lot of Gintama’s comedy is referential, which some dumb people think is inherently a bad thing, but that might have a point that many jokes might fly over your head because you weren't reading shounen jump on the 80s or are well versed on Japanese  politics but the seer volume and quality of the jokes will make this mostly an non issue.