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10. Umineko no Naku Koro ni

Following the great success of Ryukishi07‘s Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Umineko is a different story presented in a similar fashion, employing the use of “time resets” in telling the story. Instead of taking place in a town with crazy little girls, Umineko takes place on a remote island with greedy people who want gold. The island is supposedly haunted by a witch that threatens to kill everyone unless they find her treasure in time.

Umineko, while a good series, is a bit of a disappointment. The first few episodes definitely drew me into the series, as Maria’s definitely one crazy awesome psycho. However, it didn’t take long for things to get way out of hand. The plot became very confusing and just didn’t make much sense at all. Despite all this, it’s still a damn enjoyable show to watch, even if you don’t know what the hell is going on. It’s nowhere near as good as Higurashi, but really now, what is?

9. Hayate no Gotoku!!

While not as good as the first season, the second season of the franchise was still an excellent and very fun show to watch. In the second season, there are significantly less parodies and the layout is much more non-episodic. Most of the characters from season 1 are back, and there are even some new additions to the cast. There is an actual story to follow this time, and much of it is spent on the romantic aspect of the show. Don’t let that fool you though, because it’s still a drop-dead hilarious show.

Fans of the first season may be upset with the changes, but I think season 2 did a fine job at delivering more content to viewers while still remaining the comedy it always was.

Hayate no Gotoku!! is currently available on Crunchyroll

8. K-ON!

KyoAni‘s long-anticipated anime adaptation of Kakifly’s immensely popular 4koma manga. K-ON! is definitely good for some light humor and runs exceptionally high on the moe scale. There isn’t much plot to the show, and it’s mostly a typical slice-of-life, but there’s music! Yui, Mio, Ritsu, Tsugumi (and later on, Azusa) form a “light music club” with their goals set high: they want to perform at Budokan.

There are certainly pacing issues in the show. One complaint I have is that for a show that focuses on music, there just doesn’t seem to be enough of it. There certainly are an array of concert and practice scenes in the show, but by the end I was left wanting more. However, the cuteness/moe factor of the show is what kept me interested. The comedy is light-hearted and fun, and the animation is superb. Unless you’re one of those crazy people that thinks moe is the cancer killing anime, this show is definitely worth a look.

7. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

A nerve-wraking, heart-warming, tear-jerking tale of what could happen if Tokyo were struck witth a magnitude 8.0 earthquake. It’s hard to believe that a show about an earthquake could run for 11 episodes and still manage to be a great show throughout all of it, but Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 pulls it off. While visiting a robot exposition with her brother, Mirai and her brother Yuki are caught in the midst of the earthquake. They survive, but now they must go through many trials and tribulations to find their way home to their parents, assuming they are still alive.

This show will definitely tug at your heartstrings. It plays with your emotions in many ways, and that’s what makes it so great. The production value is high, and it certainly shows in the animation and visuals. It’s a wonderful show that even those who don’t like anime will not want to miss.

6. Needless

Yes, you read that right. Needless. I realize I’m being very bold in saying this, but Needless is a damn good show. Yes, it’s stupid. Yes, it has a dumb story that’s overly-clichéd. Whatever. This show is non-stop over-the-top action comedy and that’s why it’s awesome. Needless follows the story of Adam Blade, Eve Neuschwanstein and their comrades as they struggle to prevent their rival Adam Arclight and his minions from taking over the world with their immense power.

Take Gurren Lagann‘s art style and craziness, add more fanservice and a dash of moe, and you have Needless. Some people will rip this show apart to shreds, but I say that those people are just expecting too much. Needless is an action comedy, and that’s it. Don’t expect a deep story or even a story that makes sense, or else you’re just going to be banging your head on your desk after watching 5 minutes of the show.

5. Eden of the East

Eden of the East is an incredible sci-fi mystery about a man who is mysteriously thrown into a Battle Royale-style contest where he must fight to be the last man standing. Except that this time, the entire nation of Japan is at risk. Eden will immediately immerse you in its many mysteries after one episode, and will easily make you want more. Gradually, more and more mysteries are revealed as the plot unfolds.

This is another show with excellent production value. Viewers will immediately be taken by the level of detail in the characters, backgrounds, and animation. The Eden TV series is followed by two movies (one of which is still in production) that conclude this epic story.

Eden of the East is currently licensed and will be distributed by Funimation Entertainment

4. Kurokami the Animation

Another excellent yet overlooked series, Kurokami is an epic fantasy story with a Shakugan no Shana-like feel. In the world, there is a rumor that for every person, there are two people who look exactly like them, known as doppelliners. Should a person come into contact with one of their doppelliners, they risk immediate death. There are some who are looking to exploit this system and use it to their advantage.

Kurokami is a visually stunning series. The action scenes are over-the-top awesome, and the animation quality is excellent. The story may not be an entirely original concept, but it still has a fresh feel to it. If you’re looking for a good action show with awesome characters and a great fantasy story, then Kurokami is definitely worth checking out.

Kurokami the Animation is currently licensed by Bandai Entertainment and is available on Crunchyroll and YouTube

3. CANAAN

CANAAN is another awesome girls-with-guns anime. The formula has worked in the past, and it certainly works here. CANAAN has impressive visuals during fight scenes, so if you’re craving some eye candy, there’s a good reason to watch this show. Even then, the show manages to have a great cast of characters and an exicting story.

Some may knock this show for its typical shounen action-like feel. However, CANAAN is definitely a fun ride full of excitement and suspense that should not be overlooked.

2. To Aru Kagaku no Railgun

Originally a manga side story to To Aru Majutsu no Index, Railgun certainly delivers where Index failed to. Although Index was a good show, there were many pacing issues with it that caused it to fall apart at times. Such is not the case with Railgun, where every episode is a chock full of laughs, great story, and amazing action.

Every episode delivers outstanding production value and fresh comedy while managing to balance it all out. There are very few parts that could be considered “dragged out” or “boring” and that’s what makes this show worthy of the #2 spot in this list.

1. Seitokai no Ichizon

Yes, that’s right. Seitokai no Ichizon. Hate it, love it, or love to hate it, this is the absolute best anime series of 2009 in my opinion. Why is it so great? Seitokai parodies everything from Death Note to K-ON! in a very fresh style and presented by an incredible cast of “moeblob” characters. It’s like Lucky Star, but with a greater focus on recent anime, and that’s why I love this show so much. Seitokai not only parodies anime series, but it also pokes fun at the entire anime industry, adding even more humor that will have you rolling on the floor.

Even aside from that, there are still tons of hysterical jokes that aren’t parodies. So even if you’re sick of parody anime, don’t be turned away, because there are tons of original jokes too.