250 RECOMMENDED SHOWS
* = Light recommendation
** = Medium recommendation
*** = Strong recommendation
**** = MUST-WATCH
COMEDY
Arakawa Under the Bridge (2 12-ep seasons) - **
Barakamon (12 eps.) - ***
Ben-to (12 eps.) - *
Garzey's Wing (3 eps.) - ****
Detroit Metal City (12 short eps.) - ***
Hanamaru Kindergarten (12 eps.) - *
Strawberry Marshmallow (12 eps. + OVA) - **
Inferno Cop (12 short eps.) - **
Insufficient Direction (12 short eps.) - *
Konosuba (12 eps. + OVA) - ***
Is This A Zombie? (2 12-ep seasons + OVAs) - *
Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (26 eps.) - *
Legend of Duo (12 short eps.) - *
Level-E (12 eps.) - **
Gag Manga Biyori (3 12 short ep seasons) - **
Plastic Nee-san (12 short eps.) - ***
Minami-ke (4 13-ep seasons + OVAs) - **
Mitsudomoe (1 13-ep season, 1 8-ep season) - **
Oruchuban Ebichu (26 short eps.) - *
Otaku no Video (2 hour-long eps.) - ***
Pani Poni Dash! (26 eps.) - **
Panty & Stocking w/ Garterbelt (13 eps.) - **
Prison School (12 eps. + OVA) - ***
Puni Puni Poemy (2 eps.) - *
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (3 12-ep seasons + OVAs) - ***
Seitokai no Ichizon (1 12-ep season, 1 10-ep season) - *
Shimoneta (12 eps.) - **
Teekyuu (7 12-ep seasons) - *
Thermae Romae (3 short eps.) - *
Watamote (12 eps.) - **
Cromartie High School (26 short eps.) - ***
DRAMA
Aoi Bungaku Series (12 eps.) - *
Asatte no Houkou (12 eps.) - **
5 Centimeters Per Second (3 short films) - **
Black Jack (start with the 4-ep special from 2004 and go from there) - *
Haibane Renmei (13 eps.) - **
Koi Kaze (13 eps.) - *
Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica (13 eps.) - ***
Infinite Ryvius (26 eps.) - ****
Nana (28 eps.) - **
Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen (4 eps.) - ***
Simoun (26 eps.) - **
SUSPENSE
Gankutsuou (26 eps.) - ***
Kaiji (2 26-ep seasons) - ***
Steins;Gate (26 eps. + Movie & OVAs) - ****
Umineko no Naku Koro ni (26 eps.) - *
Young Black Jack (13 eps.) - **
TEEN MELODRAMA
Air (13 eps.) - *
Kanon 2006 (26 eps.) - *
Clannad (2 26-ep seasons + OVAs) - *
Angel Beats! (13 eps.) - **
ef - a tale of memories (12 eps.) - ***
Hibike! Euphonium (12 eps.) - **
Hourou Musuko (11 eps.) - ***
Little Busters! (1 26-ep season, 1 13-ep season) - *
Maria-sama ga Miteru (3 13-ep seasons, 1 5-ep OVA, + specials) - **
ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Hataraki Man (11 eps.) - **
Honey and Clover (1 24-ep season, 1 12-ep season) - ***
The Legend of Black Heaven (13 eps.) - **
Princess Jellyfish (11 eps.) - **
Welcome to the NHK (24 eps.) - ****
NieA_7 (13 eps.) - *
Shirobako (24 eps.) - ****
Sore ga Seiyuu! (13 eps.) - *
Usagi Drop (11 eps.) - **
The Tatami Galaxy (11 eps.) - ***
HORROR
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2 26-ep seasons + OVAs) - **
Red Garden (22 eps.) - **
Shiki (22 eps.) - ***
ROMANCE/ROMANTIC COMEDY
Akagami no Shirayukihime (2 12-ep seasons) - **
B Gata H Kei (12 eps.) - *
I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying (2 12 short-ep seasons) - ***
Denki-gai no Honya-san (12 eps.) - *
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun (12 eps.) - **
Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha (10 eps.) - **
Jitsu wa Watashi wa (13 eps.) - *
The World God Only Knows (3 12-ep seasons + OVAs) - **
His and Her Circumstances (26 eps.) - ****
Kimi ni Todoke (1 25-ep season, 1 12-ep season) - *
Ouran High School Host Club (26 eps.) - **
Ranma 1/2 (161 eps. - Use my Ep Guide if that's too much) - *
REC (12 short eps.) - **
ReLIFE (13 eps.) - **
Toradora! (26 eps.) - ***
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches - **
Zero no Tsukaima (1 13-ep season, 3 12-ep seasons + OVAs) - *
SLICE-OF-LIFE/IYASHIKEI
Aria the Animation (2 13-ep seasons, 1 26-ep season + OVAs) - ***
Flying Witch (12 eps.) - *
GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class (12 eps. + OVA) - *
Gakkougurashi! (12 eps.) - **
Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight (12 eps. + OVA) - **
Genshiken (2 12-ep seasons + OVAs) - ** (manga is ****)
Is the Order A Rabbit? (2 12-ep seasons) - **
Hidamari Sketch (4 12-ep seasons + OVAs) - ***
K-On! (1 13-ep season, 1 26-ep season, + OVAs + Movie) - ****
Kamichu! (12 eps. + OVA) - **
Koufuku Graffiti (12 eps.) - *
Lucky Star (26 eps. + OVA) - ***
Natsume's Book of Friends (4 13-ep seasons + OVA) - ***
So Ra No Wo To (12 eps. + OVA) - **
Tamako Market (12 eps. + Movie) - **
Yokohama Shopping Log (2 2-ep OVAs) - *
SPORTS
Baby Steps (2 25-ep seasons) - ***
Bamboo Blade (26 eps.) - *
Ping Pong the Animation (11 eps.) - ***
Saki (1 25-ep season, 1 13-ep season) - **
ACTION/ADVENTURE
Baccano! (13 eps. + OVA) - ***
Black Lagoon (2 12-ep seasons + OVAs) - **
Blood+ (50 eps.) - *
Canaan (13 eps.) - **
Darker Than Black (1 26-ep season, 1 12-ep season + OVA) - **
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (64 eps.) - ****
Nadia: the Secret of Blue Water (39 eps.) - **
Gunslinger Girl (13 eps.) - ** (manga is better, don't watch season 2)
Hunter X Hunter (2011) (148 eps.) - ****
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (1 26-ep season, 2 24-ep seasons, 1 39-ep season) - **
Kill la Kill (24 eps. + OVA) - ***
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (12 eps.) - *
Mai-HiME (26 eps.) - *
One Punch Man (12 eps. + OVA) - **
King of Bandits: Jing (13 eps. + OVA) - *
Samurai Champloo (26 eps.) - ***
s-CRY-ed (26 eps) - **
Sengoku Basara (2 12-ep seasons + Movie) - *
Trigun (26 eps. + Movie) - **
Yuu Yuu Hakusho (112 eps.) - ***
Zetsuen no Tempest (24 eps.) - *
ALL-AGES ADVENTURE
Cardcaptor Sakura (70 eps. + Movies) - ***
Digimon Adventure (50 eps. + Movies) - **
Ookii 1-nensei to Chiisana 2-nensei (1 ep.) - **
Pokemon (276 eps.) - *
Princess Tutu (13 eps. + 24 half-length eps.) - **
SCI-FI/CYBERPUNK/FANTASY
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2 26-ep seasons + Movie) - ****
Battle Angel Alita (2 eps.) - *
Kaiba (13 eps.) - **
Last Exile (26 eps.) - *
Log Horizon (2 25-ep seasons) - ***
Psycho-Pass (22 eps. + Movie, DON'T WATCH SEASON 2 IT SUCKS) - ***
Serial Experiments Lain (13 eps.) - ***
Space Dandy (2 13-ep seasons) - ***
Starship Operators (13 eps.) - *
Texhnolyze (22 eps.) - **
The Animatrix (9 short films) - *
Twilight Q ep. 2 (OVA) - *
Utawarerumono (26 eps.) - *
MECHA
Code Geass (2 25-ep seasons + Spinoffs) - **
Escaflowne (26 eps.) - *
Eureka Seven (50 eps.) - ****
Full Metal Panic (1 24-ep season, 1 13-ep season + Spinoff) - *
Giant Robo the Animation: The Day The Earth Stood Still (7 long eps.) - ***
Mobile Fighter G Gundam (49 eps.) - *
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (6 eps.) - ***
Mobile Suit Gundam Trilogy (3 Movies) - **
Neon Genesis Evangelion (26 eps. + Movie) - ****
RahXephon (26 eps. + Movie) - *
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (27 eps. + Movies) - ****
Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster + Diebuster (2 6-ep OVAs) - **
CONTEMPORARY SCI-FI/FANTASY
Earth Maiden Arjuna (13 eps.) - **
Bakemonogatari (15 eps. + like a million seasons, OVAs, and Movies) - ***
Dance in the Vampire Bund (12 eps.) - *
Dennou Coil (26 eps.) - ***
Durarara!! (1 24-ep season, 3 12-ep seasons) - **
Fate/Zero (1 13-ep season, 1 12-ep season) - ***
Gatekeepers 21 (6 eps.) - *
Eden of the East (11 eps. DON'T WATCH THE MOVIES) - **
Kara no Kyoukai (7 Movies + others that aren't worth it) - ***
Boogiepop Phantom (12 eps.) - *
Kure-nai (12 eps.) - **
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (3 13-ep seasons, 1 26-ep season + Movies) + *
No Game No Life (12 eps.) - **
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2 14-ep seasons + Movie) - ***
To Aru Majutsu no Index (2 24-ep seasons + Spinoff series) - *
GOOD FANSERVICE SHOWS
Cat Planet Cuties (12 eps. + OVA) - *
Highschool of the Dead (12 eps. + OVA) - **
Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou (12 eps. + OVA) - *
Kanokon (12 eps. + OVA) - *
Seikon no Qwaser (1 24-ep season, 1 12-ep season) - ***
Strike Witches (2 12-ep seasons + OVAs + Movie) - ***
Yuushibu (12 eps. + OVA) - *
ODDBALL/MINDFUCK
Alien 9 (4 eps.) - *
FLCL (6 eps.) - ****
Futakoi Alternative (13 eps.) - *
Humanity Has Declined - ***
Kuuchuu Buranko (11 eps.) - **
Mononoke (11 eps.) - ***
Paranoia Agent (13 eps.) - ***
Neo Ranga (48 short eps.) - *
Samurai Flamenco (22 eps.) - *
Revolutionary Girl Utena (39 eps.) - ***
The SoulTaker (13 eps.) - *
EPISODIC CONTEMPLATIVE ADVENTURE
Casshern Sins (26 eps.) - ***
Cowboy Bebop (26 eps.) - ****
Kino's Journey (13 eps. + OVAs) - **
Mushishi (1 26-ep season, 2 10-ep seasons + OVAs + Movie) - **
Wolf's Rain (26 eps + OVA, 4 recaps you should skip) - *
ARTHOUSE
1001 Nights (short film) - *
Airy Me (music video) - **
Ani*Kuri 15 (15 1-min films) - *
Aru Tabibito no Nikki (6 short eps.) - *
Kanamewo (music video) - *
Le Portrait de Petit Cossette (3 eps.) - **
Angel's Egg (film) - **
Furiko (short film) - **
CLASSIC FILMS (ALL MUST-WATCH)
Akira
Ponyo
Ghost in the Shell
Grave of the Fireflies
Howl's Moving Castle
Jin-Roh the Wolf Brigade
Ninja Scroll
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
The Secret World of Arrietty
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Memories
Metropolis
Princess Mononoke
When Marnie Was There
Only Yesterday
One Piece Movie 6
Perfect Blue
Redline
Roujin Z
Spirited Away
Millennium Actress
Kenya Boy (ironically)
Steamboy
Summer Wars
The Sky Crawlers
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Tokyo Godfathers
My Neighbor Totoro
Welcome to the Space Show
Ocean Waves
Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
QUICK ACTION FIX
.hack//QUANTUM (3 eps.) - *
Black Rock Shooter (1 long ep.) - *
Blood: The Last Vampire (Movie) - *
Cat Shit One (1 ep.) - *
Cencoroll (1 ep.) - **
Daicon IV (Music video) - ****
Fastening Days (Short film) - **
Gunsmith Cats (3 eps.) - **
Kizuna Ichigeki (1 ep.) - *
Little Witch Academia (2 eps.) - ***
R.O.D. OVA (3 eps.) - **
Riding Bean (1 long ep.) - ***
Sword of the Stranger (Movie) - **
Sukeban Deka (2 eps.) - *
Tenamonya Voyagers (4 eps.) - *
Venus Wars (Movie) - *