Best Anime of 2010

The year 2010 had a lot of titles in store for us, I myself had my hands full watching these series and I have yet to finish some 2010 titles. There are plenty of good titles this year as well as some which I wasn’t interested in. I wasn’t disappointed with the anime this year but some of them just lacked the wow factor in which all of us have been looking for.

Before anything else, let me iterate the titles I have watched this year. Titles are sorted alphabetically. Also note that some of the titles listed here are still on going.

I had a hard time sorting which ones will make it to the top 10. There were some titles that almost had the same rating but I had to drop one for the other just so I can complete this list.

And now, without further ado, my top 10 list for the year 2010:

10. kaichou wa maid-sama!

A title filled with comedy and romance, maids and school life.

It starts with the story of Misaki Ayuzawa, who tries to hide her identity in school, she is the student council president at the same time she works as a maid in a shop because her family is financially unstable. Her secret is then discovered by a certain Usui Takumi who is a classmate of hers. The problem now is; how will she be able to keep her secret while maintaining her peaceful school life?

9. bakemonogatari

If you are a fan of a series that is composed of a few arcs of randomness and mystery then bakemonogatari may fit in your collections.

The story centers on Koyomi Araragi, a third year high school student who has recently survived a vampire attack, and finds himself mixed up with all kinds of apparitions: gods, ghosts, myths, and spirits. Each episode will make things clearer as you progress.

8. angel beats!

I was curious on what this title would bring me so I decided to watch it. Have you ever been wondering on what awaits you after death? This piece gave me a new idea on life after death.

In a world after death, angels fight for their fate and their future. Yuri, the leader of the Shinda Sekai Sensen, rebels against the god who destined her to have an unreasonable life.

7. nodame cantabile finale

Nodame comes back with another sequel (3rd season), this time, its the Finale. Going back to the first Nodame, I was not quite interested in classical music but that changed after watching the first season of Nodame. If you haven’t watched the first season yet then now is the time to do so.

The series continues the relationship between two aspiring classical musicians, Megumi “Nodame” Noda and Shinichi Chiaki, as students and after graduation.

6. break blade

I consider myself rewarded this year as I find yet another high-class meccha action movie. The animation is stunning and the story is good!

In the continent of Cruzon, an impending war between the Kingdom of Krisna and the nation of Athens is brimming. The people of this land are able to use quartz for whatever purpose they desire. Yet one person, Rygart Arrow, is not. He is an “un-sorcerer,” a person unable to use quartz. But this characteristic will enable him to pilot an ancient Golem, one strong enough to put up a fight against the invading army of Athens.

5. fate/stay night: unlimited blade works

I watched the fate/stay night series and it was cool. I was looking forward to more action as I heard that Unlimited Blade Works was in the making. I was surprised since my expectations were satiated! This is an alternate retelling of the original series compressed into one movie! A must watch!

This is the adaptation of the 2nd route of the popular visual novel: Fate/Stay Night. In this route, Tohsaka Rin will be the major female character. Revelations about Shirou and his destiny will be made.

4. kimi ni todoke

Another romance-school life anime has popped up on my 2010 watch list. I was in search for a comedy, romance type and then I noticed that kimi ni todoke matched that criteria. If you’re into that genre then this title is just for you!

Kuronuma Sawako is completely misunderstood by her classmates. Her timid and sweet demeanor is often mistaken for malicious behavior. This is due to her resemblance to the ghost girl from “The Ring”, which has led her peers to give her the nickname Sadako. Longing to make friends and live a normal life, she is naturally drawn to Kazehaya Shouta, the most popular guy in class, whose “100% refreshing” personality earns him great admiration from Sawako. So when Kazehaya starts talking to her, maybe there is hope for the friendships Sawako has always longed for. Maybe…there is even a little hope for some romance in her future.

3. a certain scientific railgun

I thought this title was a sequel to to aru majutsu no index (a certain magical index). I was interested in the fore-mentioned series so I sneak peaked into this piece. This series is actually focused on the story of Mikoto Misaka. I personally prefer this over to aru majutsu no index. It is packed with more action and adventure.

Academy City. 2.3 million inhabitants. 80% of the students are active in the “Brain Development Program”, a.k.a. espers, and out of those only 7 are Level 5s.

Meet the civilian protagonist Mikoto and her friend Kuroko, maintainers of peace and order in the university district. Kuroko is a member of “Judgement”, while Mikoto happens to be one of the lucky seven.

2. durarara!!

Urban styles are actually my taste when it comes to animation. This anime is quite similar to Baccano! I really liked how the story was expressed in this title, I was immediately hooked after watching the first episode of this piece! It is packed with action and twists as the cast uncovers the dark secrets of Ikebokuro.

In Tokyo’s downtown district of Ikebukuro, amidst many strange rumors and warnings of anonymous gangs and dangerous occupants, one urban legend stands out above the rest – the existence of a headless “Black Rider” who is said to be seen driving a jet-black motorcycle through the city streets.

Ryuugamine Mikado has always longed for the excitement of the city life, and an invitation from a childhood friend convinces him to move to Tokyo. Witnessing the Black Rider on his first day in the city, his wishes already seem to have been granted. But as supernatural events begin to occur, ordinary citizens like himself, along with Ikebukuro’s most colorful inhabitants, are mixed up in the commotion breaking out in their city.

1. full metal alchemist: brotherhood

The first version of full metal alchemist deviated from the manga and so brotherhood was created to re-tell the story once again, this time in the manga point of view.

Yes! you read it right! this year’s #1 anime in my list is full metal alchemist: brotherhood. This anime really kept me awake from beginning to end.

In this world there exist alchemists, people who study and perform the art of alchemical transmutation – to manipulate objects and transform one object into another. They are bounded by the basic law of alchemy: in order to gain something you have to sacrifice something of the same value.

The main character is the famous alchemist Edward Elric – also known as the Fullmetal Alchemist – who almost lost his little brother, Alphonse, in an alchemical accident. Edward managed to attach his brother’s soul to a large suit of armor. While he did manage to save his brother’s life, he paid the terrible price of his limbs.

To get back what they’ve lost, the brothers embark on a journey to find the Philosopher’s Stone that is said to amplify the powers of an alchemist enormously.

And this wraps up my top 10 anime list for 2010. I hope you enjoyed reading this post and that it was informative in a way to give you an idea on which titles are good and worth watching. This list is only based on my own scoring, I may be biased on the ratings but then again, we may not have the same interests in terms of genre.

Comments and reactions regarding this list is very much welcome!