The Best Anime of 2019
1.The Promised Neverland
Release date: January 11
Director: Mamoru Kanbe
Animation production: CloverWorks
The Promised Neverland follows 11-year-old Emma and her best friends, Norman and Ray, three of 37 orphaned children who live on a mysterious walled estate called the Grace Field House. Under the watchful eye of their caretaker known simply as Mom, the children are afforded the best that life can offer. Gourmet meals, plush beds, immaculate white outfits, and ample play time while they wait to one day be adopted by a loving family. However, the quiet idyllicism of Grace Field is swiftly shattered when Emma and Co. stumble upon a dark secret which underlies the House’s very existence. Horrified by their discovery, the three conspire to escape with the rest of children into the outside world, as the machinations of both their caretaker and Grace Field’s mysterious benefactors move steadily to completion. With a premise that sounds like a cross between From The New World and Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go, The Promised Neverland is an engrossing fantasy thriller with deft animation, savvy editing, and a taut atmosphere of mortal horror juxtaposed against a disquietingly cheerful exterior.
Director: Mamoru Kanbe
Animation production: CloverWorks
The Promised Neverland follows 11-year-old Emma and her best friends, Norman and Ray, three of 37 orphaned children who live on a mysterious walled estate called the Grace Field House. Under the watchful eye of their caretaker known simply as Mom, the children are afforded the best that life can offer. Gourmet meals, plush beds, immaculate white outfits, and ample play time while they wait to one day be adopted by a loving family. However, the quiet idyllicism of Grace Field is swiftly shattered when Emma and Co. stumble upon a dark secret which underlies the House’s very existence. Horrified by their discovery, the three conspire to escape with the rest of children into the outside world, as the machinations of both their caretaker and Grace Field’s mysterious benefactors move steadily to completion. With a premise that sounds like a cross between From The New World and Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go, The Promised Neverland is an engrossing fantasy thriller with deft animation, savvy editing, and a taut atmosphere of mortal horror juxtaposed against a disquietingly cheerful exterior.
2. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Release date: April 9
Director: Haruo Sotozaki
Animation production: Ufotable
Adapted from Koyoharu Gotōge’s ongoing Shonen Jump manga series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba follows Tanjiro Kamado, a young charcoal merchant turned demon slayer, as he sets out on a journey of discovery and revenge to not only avenge his family’s grisly murder, but to find a cure for his younger sister Nezuko, who survived their family’s attack only to be transformed into a feral half-demon with an aversion to sunlight. Ufotable is perhaps best known for their work on the Fate franchise, a byzantine dark fantasy series renowned for its dazzling fight sequences and digital animation; fortunately, those qualities carry over to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. While the show might not be as thematically-nuanced or poignant as, say, Dororo, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an impressive shonen adventure series in its own right and is sure to appeal to any fan of Naruto or Black Clover and stands as one of the most well-animated fantasy chanbara series to come out this year.
Director: Haruo Sotozaki
Animation production: Ufotable
Adapted from Koyoharu Gotōge’s ongoing Shonen Jump manga series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba follows Tanjiro Kamado, a young charcoal merchant turned demon slayer, as he sets out on a journey of discovery and revenge to not only avenge his family’s grisly murder, but to find a cure for his younger sister Nezuko, who survived their family’s attack only to be transformed into a feral half-demon with an aversion to sunlight. Ufotable is perhaps best known for their work on the Fate franchise, a byzantine dark fantasy series renowned for its dazzling fight sequences and digital animation; fortunately, those qualities carry over to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. While the show might not be as thematically-nuanced or poignant as, say, Dororo, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an impressive shonen adventure series in its own right and is sure to appeal to any fan of Naruto or Black Clover and stands as one of the most well-animated fantasy chanbara series to come out this year.
3. Vinland Saga
Release date: July 7
Director: Shūhei Yabuta
Animation production: Wit Studio
Adapted from Makoto Yukimura's popular historical fiction manga series, Vinland Saga tells the journey of Thorfinn Karlsefni, a legendary Icelandic explorer as he embarks on a perilous quest to avenge the death of his father. Initially set in the year 1002 A.D., the series follows Thorfinn's story from childhood to adulthood, maturing from a lighthearted boy into a harsh, relentless warrior until finally leaving to colonize North America alongside Leif Erikson. Drawing elements from real-life historical accounts, Vinland Saga is an intense and captivating fictionalized depiction of a fascinating, albeit under-discussed, chapter of European history: the Vikings. Beneath the heart-pounding action and impressive animation pulses a resolutely humanist theme of anti-violence and pro-human decency, with Thorfinn’s father Thors imparting him with the life lesson that every human being is fighting a hard battle and that no one is truly his enemy. Still early in its season, Vinland Saga has already secured its place as one of the year's best.
Director: Shūhei Yabuta
Animation production: Wit Studio
Adapted from Makoto Yukimura's popular historical fiction manga series, Vinland Saga tells the journey of Thorfinn Karlsefni, a legendary Icelandic explorer as he embarks on a perilous quest to avenge the death of his father. Initially set in the year 1002 A.D., the series follows Thorfinn's story from childhood to adulthood, maturing from a lighthearted boy into a harsh, relentless warrior until finally leaving to colonize North America alongside Leif Erikson. Drawing elements from real-life historical accounts, Vinland Saga is an intense and captivating fictionalized depiction of a fascinating, albeit under-discussed, chapter of European history: the Vikings. Beneath the heart-pounding action and impressive animation pulses a resolutely humanist theme of anti-violence and pro-human decency, with Thorfinn’s father Thors imparting him with the life lesson that every human being is fighting a hard battle and that no one is truly his enemy. Still early in its season, Vinland Saga has already secured its place as one of the year's best.
4. Dr. Stone
Release date: July 5
Director: Shinya Lino
Animation production: TMS Entertainment
Concurrently running alongside Riichiro Inagaki's popular sci-fi adventure manga, the Dr. Stone anime follows the story of Senku Ishigami, a genius, leek-haired high school student with a passion for astronomy and space exploration, and his oafish, lovable childhood friend Taiju Ōki as they attempt to rebuild civilization in the wake of a mysterious event that transforms every human being on the planet into stone. A sci-fi action comedy that plays out like a post-apocalyptic mash-up of Andy Weir's The Martian crossed with Rick and Morty, Senku and Taiju embark on a quest to revive every human being on the planet and crack what caused their sudden affliction using nothing more than wits, brawn, guile, and pure ingenuity to science the shit out of this problem. From constructing shelter to distilling alcohol, building fires to forging gunpowder, every new discovery is as thrilling to witness in action as it is hilarious to hear explained to Taiju in Senku's dry, matter-of-fact wit. If you're looking for an anime that'll make you feel just a tad bit smarter for having watched it, Dr. Stone is the anime for you.
Director: Shinya Lino
Animation production: TMS Entertainment
Concurrently running alongside Riichiro Inagaki's popular sci-fi adventure manga, the Dr. Stone anime follows the story of Senku Ishigami, a genius, leek-haired high school student with a passion for astronomy and space exploration, and his oafish, lovable childhood friend Taiju Ōki as they attempt to rebuild civilization in the wake of a mysterious event that transforms every human being on the planet into stone. A sci-fi action comedy that plays out like a post-apocalyptic mash-up of Andy Weir's The Martian crossed with Rick and Morty, Senku and Taiju embark on a quest to revive every human being on the planet and crack what caused their sudden affliction using nothing more than wits, brawn, guile, and pure ingenuity to science the shit out of this problem. From constructing shelter to distilling alcohol, building fires to forging gunpowder, every new discovery is as thrilling to witness in action as it is hilarious to hear explained to Taiju in Senku's dry, matter-of-fact wit. If you're looking for an anime that'll make you feel just a tad bit smarter for having watched it, Dr. Stone is the anime for you.
5. Fruits Basket
Release date: April 6
Director: Yoshihide Ibata
Animation production: TMS/8PAN
Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket is a perennial favorite among fans of shojo (i.e. 'young woman') manga for its charming slice-of-life storyline, empathetically rendered characters, engrossing relational dynamics, and earnest, offbeat humor, and the series' early '00s television adaptation even more so. This year's reboot, produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by Yoshihide Ibata (Kill La Kill, FLCL Progressive), is a meticulous and loving take on the source material that champions its dedication to telling the original manga's story in full. Fruits Basket follows the story of Tohru Honda, a hardworking and optimistic high schooler who is taken in by the Soma clan, a reclusive family whose members each carry the reincarnated spirit of an animal from the Chinese Zodiac. While balancing the demands of school and her new role as a surrogate member of the Soma clan, Tohru grows as a young woman while inadvertently facilitating the growth of each of the members of the family, tightening bonds that vacillate between the familial and romantic. 2019's Fruits Basket is a disarmingly endearing romantic comedy with just enough twists on the formula of the genre to pull in newcomers while satisfying longtime fans of the original.
Director: Yoshihide Ibata
Animation production: TMS/8PAN
Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket is a perennial favorite among fans of shojo (i.e. 'young woman') manga for its charming slice-of-life storyline, empathetically rendered characters, engrossing relational dynamics, and earnest, offbeat humor, and the series' early '00s television adaptation even more so. This year's reboot, produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by Yoshihide Ibata (Kill La Kill, FLCL Progressive), is a meticulous and loving take on the source material that champions its dedication to telling the original manga's story in full. Fruits Basket follows the story of Tohru Honda, a hardworking and optimistic high schooler who is taken in by the Soma clan, a reclusive family whose members each carry the reincarnated spirit of an animal from the Chinese Zodiac. While balancing the demands of school and her new role as a surrogate member of the Soma clan, Tohru grows as a young woman while inadvertently facilitating the growth of each of the members of the family, tightening bonds that vacillate between the familial and romantic. 2019's Fruits Basket is a disarmingly endearing romantic comedy with just enough twists on the formula of the genre to pull in newcomers while satisfying longtime fans of the original.
6. Dororo
Release date: January 7
Director: Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Animation production: MAPPA, Tezuka Productions
In the midst of a terrible plague at the height of Japan’s Warring States period, Lord Daigo Kagemitsu of the Ishikawa province makes a pact with 12 demons in order to save his region and secure a path towards a future of wealth and power for his region. In exchange, each of the demons collect on Kagemitsu's debt by taking body parts from his newly born son -- his limbs, his eyes, his tongue, his skin -- until the baby is rendered into a horrifying testament to his father's sins, a newborn that's only exposed muscle and bones. Years later, the boy, having survived his father's attempts to get rid of him out of shame, grows up to become an itinerant swordsman named Hyakkimaru with a prosthetic body, sheathed swords for arms, and the extrasensory ability to "see" demons. Adapted from Ozamu Tezuka’s original manga and anime from the late ‘60s, Dororo tells the story of Hyakkimaru’s quest to slay demons, regain his humanity, and learn to open up to other people in a time of immense cruelty with the help of his companion, an orphaned thief by the name of Dororo. Produced by Studio Mappa (Kids on the Slope, Yuri on Ice, Banana Fish) and directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Rurouni Kenshin, Hunter × Hunter '99, and Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn), Dororo is an anime as viscerally violent as it is heartbreaking, and a series that should not be missed.
Director: Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Animation production: MAPPA, Tezuka Productions
In the midst of a terrible plague at the height of Japan’s Warring States period, Lord Daigo Kagemitsu of the Ishikawa province makes a pact with 12 demons in order to save his region and secure a path towards a future of wealth and power for his region. In exchange, each of the demons collect on Kagemitsu's debt by taking body parts from his newly born son -- his limbs, his eyes, his tongue, his skin -- until the baby is rendered into a horrifying testament to his father's sins, a newborn that's only exposed muscle and bones. Years later, the boy, having survived his father's attempts to get rid of him out of shame, grows up to become an itinerant swordsman named Hyakkimaru with a prosthetic body, sheathed swords for arms, and the extrasensory ability to "see" demons. Adapted from Ozamu Tezuka’s original manga and anime from the late ‘60s, Dororo tells the story of Hyakkimaru’s quest to slay demons, regain his humanity, and learn to open up to other people in a time of immense cruelty with the help of his companion, an orphaned thief by the name of Dororo. Produced by Studio Mappa (Kids on the Slope, Yuri on Ice, Banana Fish) and directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Rurouni Kenshin, Hunter × Hunter '99, and Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn), Dororo is an anime as viscerally violent as it is heartbreaking, and a series that should not be missed.
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7. THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime initially looks like it’s going to be a wish-fulfillment power fantasy. It’s about a middle-aged Tokyo man who dies while protecting his co-worker from being stabbed. But before completely dying, he awakens in a fantasy world as a low-level slime monster in a cave. Thanks to some strange abilities given to him as part of his transference to this fantasy world, he’s able to absorb items and creatures, allowing him to use and combine their abilities. After befriending a powerful dragon and receiving its blessing, he sets out to learn more about the new world he’s a part of.
The subsequent story could just be about him using his cool new powers in a fantasy world to get everything he ever wanted. Instead, the show is full of empathy. Rimuru is incredibly overpowered, but they understand that while they are possibly indestructible, others aren’t. So they end up using that power like a well-meaning middle manager, knowing how to delegate, and when and how to correctly protect and support others. This all adds a charm to the show, as the drama and story becomes less about Rimuru and more about those around them.
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8. KAGUYA-SAMA: LOVE IS WAR
Kaguya-sama: Love is War has the intensity and mind games of Death Note, except it’s a bizarre rom-com about two people who like each other and are trying to get the other one to admit it first. Kaguya is vice president of the student council at a prestigious private school and heiress of a rich and powerful family. Student council president Miyuki is from a less auspicious family but is one of the most popular students at school.
The concept is an interesting twist on a high school rom-com, but that alone isn’t enough to put it on this list. The show’s animation adds so much to the tension and emotional stakes of each scene, with incredibly stylized shots and exceptionally well-animated moments. These shots often elevate the absurdity of the dramatic confrontations, which are comedically great when you remember how trivially stupid the stakes are here, with both characters scheming to get the other person to ask them out. This isn’t a will they / won’t they show. It seems obvious that they’ll eventually come together. It’s just about watching the bizarre antics as these two would-be lovers stumble over their pride.
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