Our Top Ten Animes of 2019
Happy New Year!
We thought that the best way to welcome the new year was to celebrate all the Animes that made 2019 so memorable. Here's hoping 2020 brings us just as many gems 😊Here’s a list of our top ten favourite animes of the year that we think everyone should check out. FYI we didn’t include any animes that were either remakes (ex. Fruits Basket) or any that were on a second or later season (ex. My Hero Academia). These were just some of our favourites that came out this year, if you have any of your own that didn’t make the list let us know which ones they were in the comments below.
Now let’s get started!
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| Studio: Kinema Citrus | Duration: 25 episodes | Watch on: Crunchyroll, Funimation |
10 – The Rising of the Shield Hero
We don’t know if it was just us, but 2019 seemed to be chock-full of Isekai* animes – Out of the many we saw though only two made our list this year, the first one being “The Rising of the Shield Hero”.The story starts off by introducing a self-proclaimed NEET by the name of Naofumi Iwatani. While looking for a new light novel to read at the library, Naofumi comes across what seems to be an unfinished novel (always suspect) talking about the Cardinal Heroes. The Cardinal Heroes are a band of four heroes, The Sword Hero, the Spear Hero, the Bow Hero, and the Shield Hero, who are tasked with saving the world against waves of monsters.
The next thing we know Naofumi is being sucked into the book only to find himself transported to that very same world. And if being stuck in some weird medieval fantasy land wasn’t bad enough he’s also just been named the new legendary Shield Hero. He’s also told that if he ever wants to go home again he’ll have to successfully defeat the monster hordes along with the other heroes. Talk about daunting…let’s just hope defence really is the best offence.
*Isekai: when a character is transported to a fantasy or parallel world.
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| Studio: TMS & 8Pan | Duration: 24 episodes | Watch on: Crunchyroll, Funimation |
9 – Dr. Stone
We find ourselves at a high school in modern-day Japan when; all of a sudden "Woosh" an emerald glow suddenly encompasses all of the earth, turning every human into stone. Fast forward 3000 years later and that’s when our story picks up again. A human has somehow managed to break free of the petrification; this boy’s name is Senku Ishigami. Lucky for the world he just happens to be a scientific genius. We follow as our protagonist attempts to leap from stone age tools to modern-day technology and science. Senku establishes what is a main priority for survival and what steps need to be taken in order to advance him in his goal of reviving all of humanity. One of the most interesting things about this show is watching how they break down every step of the process. Sure makes you wish you paid more attention in science class… |
| Studio: Bones | Duration: 24 episodes | Watch on: Netflix |
8 – Carole & Tuesday
If the names Shinichiro Watanabe, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, or Michiko & Hatchin piqued your interest then you’ll probably enjoy this cute story about friendship and music.The story takes place on Mars years after it’s already been colonized. Tuesday a girl from a rich and influential family decides to run away to the big city to pursue her dream of writing and performing music. Hard enough dream to accomplish on its own, but what if we told you that no one writes music anymore and that 90% of the world’s music is now produced by Ai? It sounds impossible, doesn’t it?
Pretty much as soon as she steps foot into the city she gets her luggage stolen. Turns out running away is a lot trickier than Tuesday had anticipated. With no money and no clothes, things are looking bleak, that is until she runs into Carole, an orphan girl who also wants to perform music. Recognizing kindred spirits in each other they decide to form a duo “Carole & Tuesday”.
Ok, 3, 2, 1, Let’s Jam!
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| Studio: David Production | Duration: 24 episodes | Watch on: Crunchyroll, Funimation |
7 – Fire Force
The world has mostly become uninhabitable and there have been cases of spontaneous human combustion. The remaining survivors have taken refuge in Japan, and have clambered together to develop a technology that allows humans to survive in the earth’s new harsh climate. In order to ensure humanity’s survival, the government has put together a fire brigade called the Fire Force, who takes the saying fighting fire with fire to the next level. The fire force consists of 8 companies, that are made up of various pyrokinetic users (people who can create and control flames) that are tasked with ending human combustion. We follow a strong-headed boy from the 8th company named Shinra Kusakabe. Of course, there’s more to him than just being a 3rd generation pyrokinetic.
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| Studio: MAPPA / Tezuka Productions | Duration: 26 episodes | Watch on: Prime Video |
6 – Dororo
Some might remember an anime by the same name that came out in the late 1960s. It was the very first adaptation of the manga artist Osamu Tezuka’s work Dororo. Since then there’s also been a live-action adaptation… We don’t think we need to remind you how we feel about live-actions... Luckily we’re not here to talk about that, we're here to talk to you about the new 2019 animated adaptation which is amazing!The story takes place during the warring states era in Japan. The lands are being torn apart by war, droughts, famines, and people are suffering everywhere. One region, Daigo, being struck particularly hard. To combat this bad luck the Lord of Daigo strikes up a deal with some powerful demons. In exchange for making his lands prosperous and rich, he will give them anything they want, the payment turns out to be his newborn son and heir. The demons take his sight, his hearing, his limbs, whatever they want until all he is left with is a skinless stump of a body and a strong will to live.
A kind doctor takes pity on this deformed infant and gives him prosthetic limbs and a name, Hyakkimaru. Over the years Hyakkimaru realizes that killing strong demons will restore his stolen body, and so begins his quest. Along the way, he befriends a young child named Dororo who helps him retain his humanity, as we later learn that the more of his body he regains the more the lands will return to their previously enfeebled state.
If that happens then people will again suffer greatly, but should it be alright for one soul to be made to suffer so that others may prosper? Is it right to trade one for the other? Let’s get philosophical!
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| Studio: Eight Bit | Duration: 24 episodes | Watch on: Crunchyroll, Funimation |
5 – That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
Which brings us to the second Isekai anime on our list “That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime”.
As Satoru Mikami lies dying in the streets after getting stabbed, he prays that should he be reincarnated that he would like to possess certain abilities and traits. Someone should have told him to be careful what you wish for because when he later wakes up all alone in a cave he discovers that he’s been reincarnated as a Slime! Not really having a purpose in this new world he passes the time by eating things like rocks or plants. That is until he comes across a great dragon named Veldora Tempest who’s been imprisoned in the cave. Befriending Veldora Tempest, Satoru Mikami newly renamed Rimuru Tempest vows to help break Veldora’s seal. But in order to do so, he’ll have to become much much stronger, and so the journey begins.
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| Studio: Production I.G. | Duration: 23 episodes | Watch on: Crunchyroll |
4 – Run With The Wind
Surprise surprise… It was only a matter of time before an anime by Production I.G. made the list (lol)Not only was this the best sports anime of the year hands down, but it was also one of the most moving and visually beautiful ones as well. Have we mentioned how much we love Production I.G.?
Late one night after leaving a bathhouse, Haiji Kiyose witnesses a young man getting chased by an angry store clerk. You’d think that witnessing a robbery would be the intriguing factor in this scenario, but not for Haiji, no no what catches his attention is the speed at which the robber is fleeing. Even trying to catch up with him while on his bike proves difficult. That’s when he knows beyond a doubt that this mystery criminal is the missing piece, all he has to do now is catch him, then convince him it’s in his best interest to join his long-distance running team, and then qualify for the Hakone Ekiden relay marathon. How hard can it be?
Let the races begin!
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| Studio: Wit Studio | Duration: 24 episodes | Watch on: Prime Video |
3 – Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga takes place during the Danish occupation of England in the 11th century and follows the story of a young boy named Thorfinn who’s on a quest to exact revenge for his father’s murder. We travel from Iceland all the way to England, all the while watching as this happy and carefree boy changes into this hardened and skilled warrior.
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| Studio: Ufotable | Duration: 26 episodes | Watch on: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu |
2 – Demon Slayer
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| Studio: Clover Works | Duration: 12 episodes | Watch on: Crunchyroll, Funimation |
1 - The Promised Neverland
And lastly in our number #1 spot is “The Promised Neverland”, which is in our opinion the best anime series of the year. We loved this one so much we even wrote a whole anime review about it! So if you watch nothing else from our list do yourself a favour and give this one a shot, it’s bound to have you sitting on the edge of your seat.The story takes place at an orphanage, where we’re introduced to three friends Emma, Norman and Ray, who are the oldest in a bunch of 37 children residing at the manor. Along with their caretaker Isabella, everyone seems to treat each other as family, and for the most part, everyone seems happy. It seems like the perfect place to live before a kind family decides to adopt you. Too perfect…We’re gonna save everyone some trouble and let you know right now that this isn’t one of those feel-good slice-of-life stories… oh no this lands somewhere closer to the Hansel & Gretel type of story.
You’ve been warned, but we promise you’ll enjoy this Neverland.
~ Stay Obsessed
Wow, you both did a great job with you reviews. This is awesome for lovers of animes.
ReplyDeleteThanks! We had a lot of fun working on it ~
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