Top 10 Most Beautiful Anime
- Categories: Anime, News
- Date: May 15, 2011 23:20 JST
- Tags: Character Design, Clannad, Denpa Onna, Fine Art, Hanasaku Iroha, Rankings, SF
A ranking of the most beautifully illustrated and animated anime highlights some of the most sumptuous and aesthetically pleasing titles Japanese animation has to offer.
The ranking, which defines “beautiful composition” as “well executed scenery, expressions and motion” whilst specifically excluding consideration of story, character design, music and so on:
1. Time of Eve
2. Hanasaku Iroha
3. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai
4. 5 Centimeters Per Second
5. Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko
6. Clannad
7. Angel Beats!
8. GitS: Stand Alone Complex
9. Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
10. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Moeblob haters will doubtless be delighted to finally encounter a ranking free of K-ON!, which came only 14th, sandwiched in between Hourou Musuko and Gosick.
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I won't say that Hanasaku, Ano Hana, and Denpa aren't quite lovely, but I do think that this list tends a bit too heavily towards the current season, and neglects quite a few very well animated films. Perhaps inclusion of the other forty might be of interest? (And since I know a bunch of you can't read Japanese).
11. Natsume Yuujin Chou
12. Nausica of the Valley of the Winds
13. Hourou Musuko
14. Keion!
15. Gosick
16. True Tears
16. A Certain Scientific Railgun
16. Oreimo/My Little Sister
19. TVA Mushishi
20. Sayonara no Tsubasa
21. Hakuouki
22. Toradora!
23. Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works
24. PlanetES
25. Kannagi
26. ARIA
27. Innocence
28. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi/Spirited Away
29. Aoi Hana
30. CANAAN
31. Ga-Rei:Zero
31. Mononoke Hime
33. Strike Witches
33. Sora no Woto
35. Kamichu!
35. STAR DRIVER Kagayaki no Takuto
37. Ao yori Aoshi
37. Houkago no Pleiades (the one sponsored by Subaru on Youtube)
39. A Channel
39. Maria-Sama Ga Miteru
39. STEINS ; GATE
39. R.O.D. (doesn't specify the OVA or the TV series)
43. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
44. Saraiya Goyou/ House of Five Leaves
45. Saki
46. Tamayura
47. Old Japanese Manga Stories/ Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi (I've never seen this one before, so just a direct translation)
48. Yomigaeru - RESCUE WINGS
49. Idol Master - XENOGLOSSIA
50. Ibara no Ou - King of Thorn
I am happy that people still remember Ga-Rei Zero. Such a great series.
Natsuki's bike was so badass, sad they didn't use it later :(
Natsuki's
bike was so badass, sad they didn't use it later :(fixed
Epic troll is epic, i really don't quite know how they got away with showing nearly none of the main cast for the entirety of the first episode.
xD
In the end it just turned out to be a prequel to Ga-Rei, huh...
Don't forget Soukou no Strain. That one killed almost the entire known cast at the end of the first ep.
I still don't get why they introduced characters with background story just to have them all killed in the first damn ep.
Didn't like it...
lol, no paprika or millenium actress. another case of complete incompetence.
Complaining about the lack of Ghibli, another case of crazed fanboism
Those aren't Ghibli works but Satoshi Kon's (RIP), another case of complete ignorance.
Unfortunately, s/he does have a point.
Some of the vista's and "scenery" in their works are quite breath taking.
In my case, I'd say a work like Summer Wars for instance. From the train station to the location of the house to the representation of the 3d world.
So I also find the lack of their presence odd.
Or to reference a movie quote.
"I find their lack of awareness disturbing."
Oops..
Summer Wars was by Madhouse I see..
Odd, reminded me of Ghibli for some reason.
Ah well..
Still odd not to see them on the list at all.
>Ghibli
Get the fuck out.
why are these list always polluted with most recent shows? Do these people have short term memory loss?
More like this list leans towards what people enjoyed rather than what actually has quality artwork put into it. Way too many shows in there that doesn't really have any special quality to the artwork or animation compared to every other show on earth.
I find it heartening to see Kamichu!, Aria, and Kannagi in that list.
im surprised no one mentioned eden of the east..
Eden of the East came to mind for me as well. Good call.
more than Higashi no Eden, WHERE IS PAPRIKA!?! and The Sky Crawlers?!?! fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
"Hanasaku Iroha"
This list is shit. Moving on.
how does Kara no Kyoukai(garden of the sinners) not make this list? Another shit list indeed.
Feminists need to GTFO.
aw SOMEONE's butthurt XD
WTB Explanation of what makes this list shit for having Hanasaku Iroha. Hanasaku Iroha IS pretty, whatchu talkin about bitch.
Iroha is basically about some wrinkled old cunt assaulting her workforce and being a general blight on humanity.
Never said it wasn't beautiful looking or the animation was bad just not deserving of a number 2 spot. I've seen better art styles and lots of anime with way better animations, so in other words this list is shit only compiled of most recent shows, aside from few. Its a pity people over look older shows, for years later when people vote on this list again Iroha will be a thing of the past overshadowed be the current trend of new shows. That's the real pity here.
This list is talking about Beautiful animation, plots don't matter at all. The art of that series is one of the most beautiful i've seen this season.
Iroha animation es Awesome
The fact Iroha is number 2 on this list confirms that this list is shit. Moving on...
The fact that hanasaku iroha is in the list makes it clear its beatiful than ur average animation. U just too stupid too see it or maybe its that u r born imbecile so u will never understand it. Pity
Lots a new stuff, as usual. Does Japanese otaku have short term memory loss or something?
Anyway, I love AnoHana, Denpa Onna, and Puella Magi's animation. That's it. But Gankutsuou, theatrical films, anything by Masaaki Yuasa and Kenji Nakumura are much more visual inventive/interesting to me.
But even I'll admit that every anime on this list has some really great animation.
Gankutsuou is quite similar to what Madoka attempted. I'm in the middle of Madoka, and I'm quite impressed with the level of commitment to the alternate world. But other than that, there's not much more that shines in it artistically. The animation is actually quite off in many places, with variance all over.
Based on some of the things on this list, anime like Evangelion belong on there as well. But again, yeah, peoples' short-term memory plays a big part in these.
I wonder if I'd like Madoka more if Sankaku wasn't such a fucking spoilerific place sometimes.
uh newsflash, no one made you look lol
Newsflash, Sankaku reveals everything in the headlines and preview photos before you click the More-link.
Agree, some Oshii movies had also beautiful animation too, and they din't make in this list.
Short memory, yes. How come there is no Durarara or Bakemonogatari here?
Having newer stuff on this particular list actually makes more sense, due to newer series having improved visual clarity over older series by proxy of being newer. Whether or not visual clarity is all that there is to beauty in Art/Animation or is it's most important factor however, is more complicated, and is up to the eye of the beholder.
MADOKA SHOULD TAKE ALL THE SPOTS!
EPIC FAIL!!! Comedy the Animation didn't even make it here. A legendary anime with exceptional artwork too boot!
im just glad clannad is up there
I agree these are (almost) all very beautiful, but "Top 10 most beautiful anime of the last year" would be more accurate.
I think these are beautiful too, but I kind of think it should be called 'best background in anime list' instead.
I'm personally more into the thematic beauty of something like Princess Tutu, Aria, Tatami Galaxy, Kaiba or even Panty and Stocking personally.
Can't argue too much with just eyecandy though.
That's the catch when ranking anime by visual appearance. As we all know visuals evolve, especially that animation nowadays is mostly computer-assisted.
Half the stuff on this list didn't come out last year.
BAKA!!
thas coz its older than last year dumbass
Lmao anon 6:04, that's the point.
ew, i smell weaboo (anon 6:04)
Eve no Jikan is right, but the rest...
Ef easily beats most of 'em.
Whatever.
This, I give a thumbs up! Some gorgeous anime on this list.
And I give thumbs down for some animes on this list.
Angel beats I.E. can be a good anime but is not beatifully ilustrated, is more an average illustrated anime with tons of fans that try to keep it on the top positions of the rankings.
I don't get it why people bash Angle Beats so much. It had a lots of nice moments, awesome OST and left an impact on me especially at the end. So it pretty much deserves to be on that list. Also I haven't played the game so it's not out of fanhood that I say this. :(
SOME nice moments. The animes in these list were awesome ALL AROUND. Especially Clannad.
What game? Maeda Jun developed the story for the anime before any talks of it ever becoming a Visual Novel ever came up.
If they're developing a VN, it's due to the audience's demand. Also, though it's true that Angel Beats had a great impact on many (myself included) it had some fairly mediocre animation at points. I still think it's one of the best anime in recent years.
so nice moments, awesome OST and left an impact on you = beautifully illustrated?
You were probably away from your monitor when watching the panning of the campus scenes in Angel Beast, or missed the garden scenes.
Although the quality started to slip half way through the series. I must admit.
The list is good,... No derails coming from meh...
However, in Strike Witches - the reproductions of the Naval Warships were uncommonly good. The detail on the Akagi were impecable.
Speaking of illustration and animation, Angel Beats has few good moments and few bad or very bad moments.
Don't let the OST or the story to blind you, the visual quality of angel beats is not bad but is not awesome too.
Wow, so much win titles.
Fuckin' agreed.
Well I wouldn't count Denpa Onna and Madoka to beautiful animes.
Those Shaft-like "artistic" animes aren't really bad, but I prefer the classic art.
And damn I agree with Eve no Jikan being first!
I wish they'd make a sequel.
I'm COMPLETELY surprised kara no kyoukai wasn't up here, i mean from the beginning to the end, my face must have been lit up like a disco floor, plus it had very "smooth animation" i guess cuz they are feature length-ish films
Kara no Kyoukai and Karas both should be up there. Talk about eyegasms galore. But I guess OVA's don't count when it comes to these lists.
I agree, but.. I think death note was a beatuy too .. :/