I started watching anime when I was sixteen. My sister introduced them to me. We would watch some Studio Ghibli's classics, like 'My Neighbor Totoro', 'Spirited Away', 'Howl's Moving Castle' and my personal favorites 'Whisper of The Heart' and 'From Up on Poppy Hill'. Only later, I started getting into series. My first anime series was probably either 'Fruits Basket' or 'Death Note'. Which are two completely different genres. Anyway, I personally think the best kind of anime are the ones that would make you cry. Below are a few anime that have made me shed a tear or two. I highly recommend you to check them out!
AnoHana.
Genres: Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural.
Episodes: 11.
Jinta Yadomi and his group of childhood friends have become estranged after a tragic accident split them apart. Now in their high school years, a sudden surprise forces each of them to confront their guilt over what happened that day and come to terms with the ghosts of their past.
My ratings: 8.5/10. Great story line, enjoyable characters and amazing soundtrack.
Barakamon.
Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life.
Episodes: 12.
As a punishment for punching a famous calligrapher, young handsome calligrapher Handa Seishu is exiled to a small island. As someone who has never lived outside of a city, Handa has to adapt to his new wacky neighbors, like people traveling on a tractor, unwanted visitors who never use the front door, annoying kids using his home as a playground, etc. Can this city guy handle all the crazy hardships? Find out in this wacky island comedy full of innocence and laughter!
My ratings: 8/10. It's very funny and easy to watch. Valuable moral values too.
Akame Ga Kill.
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy.
Episodes: 24.
Night Raid is the covert assassination branch of the Revolutionary Army, an uprising assembled to overthrow Prime Minister Honest, whose avarice and greed for power has lead him to take take advantage of the child emperor's inexperience. Without a strong and benevolent leader, the rest of the nation is left to drown in poverty, strife, and ruin. Though the Night Raid members are all experienced killers, they understand that taking lives is far from commendable and that they will likely face retribution as they mercilessly eliminate anyone who stands in the revolution's way.
This merry band of assassins' newest member is Tatsumi, a naïve boy from a remote village who had embarked on a journey to help his impoverished hometown and was won over by not only Night Raid's ideals, but also their resolve. Akame ga Kill! follows Tatsumi as he fights the Empire and comes face-to-face with powerful weapons, enemy assassins, challenges to his own morals and values, and ultimately, what it truly means to be an assassin with a cause.
My ratings: 8/10. Despite of it being an action anime, it has it slow and precious moments. Great character development and amazing story line. (Warning: it does contain gore and blood.)
Code Geass. (Season 1 and 2)
Genres: Action, School, Sci-fi, Military.
Episodes: 25.
On August 10th of the year 2010 the Holy Empire of Britannia began a campaign of conquest, its sights set on Japan. Operations were completed in one month thanks to Britannia's deployment of new mobile humanoid armor vehicles dubbed Knightmare Frames. Japan's rights and identity were stripped away, the once proud nation now referred to as Area 11. Its citizens, Elevens, are forced to scratch out a living while the Britannian aristocracy lives comfortably within their settlements. Pockets of resistance appear throughout Area 11, working towards independence for Japan.
Lelouch, an exiled Imperial Prince of Britannia posing as a student, finds himself in the heart of the ongoing conflict for the island nation. Through a chance meeting with a mysterious girl named C.C., Lelouch gains his Geass, the power of the king. Now endowed with absolute dominance over any person, Lelouch may finally realize his goal of bringing down Britannia from within!
My ratings: 9.5/10. This is hands down the best anime I've ever seen. The intense story build up and amazing character development every episode makes it hard for me to stop watching it. Not to mention, the plot twist at the end of Season 2. (Warning: it does contain gore and blood.)
Say I Love You!
Genres: Romance, School, Shoujo.
Episodes: 13.
Friends suck, and trusting someone is just setting yourself up. That's the lesson Mei Tachibana learned after her heart was ripped out and only a shell was left where a girl used to be. But unlike so many, she found an easy solution: she'll never make another friend. Ever.
Okay, maybe that's not as easy as it sounds, but it's worked for Mei - or at least, it did until handsome, charming and annoyingly popular Yamato Kurosawa came along. For some freakish reason, he seems to like Mei. He even gave her his phone number! As if she would ever call him. Except she did. But only because she needed help. Still, he came. He actually came. And now things are getting way too complicated.
Mei's no princess in a tower. She's not waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue her. So why did he have to kiss her and confuse everything? And why are those three little words so hard to say?
My ratings: 7.5/10. In my opinion, it's just like any typical shoujo anime but what makes it really enjoyable for me is that I could relate to the main character, Mei, in some aspects. Plus, the guy is handsome and it made me cry at 3 in the morning.
White Album 2.
Genres: Drama, Music, Romance, Slice of Life.
Episodes: 13.
Fall, when graduation is only half a year away.
Haruki Kitahara, the final member of the light music club that dissolved, plays his guitar by the window after school in preparation for the school festival. It was the one and only adventure of a good student who spent two diligent years on his studies.
But when a flowing piano melody and a voice as a clear as bell harmonize with his guitar… He goes from being alone, to being two, then three in the light music club, as the semester he dreamed of, no, hoped for, began.
Haruki Kitahara, the final member of the light music club that dissolved, plays his guitar by the window after school in preparation for the school festival. It was the one and only adventure of a good student who spent two diligent years on his studies.
But when a flowing piano melody and a voice as a clear as bell harmonize with his guitar… He goes from being alone, to being two, then three in the light music club, as the semester he dreamed of, no, hoped for, began.
My ratings: 7.5/10. This anime is about a love triangle between two girls and a guy, who are in a band together. Sounds complicated, right? Well, it is but I enjoyed it very much.
