An incomplete list of all the anime TV series, movies, and OVA’s I’ve seen, enjoyed, and would recommend.
Disclaimers: This is not a list of all the anime I’ve seen (I’m not gonna out myself as to how much anime I’ve watched lol), this is simply what I’ve liked watching and would suggest if you’re looking for recs. What constitutes worthy of recommending? Some anime in this list have genuinely blown me away in terms of its narrative depth and technical excellence, some are just guilty pleasures and good ol’ plain entertainment. It’s that deep and also not that deep.
To keep this archive relatively easy to read, I’ve organized this list into ‘television shows’ and ‘movies’ only. I can’t be bothered to find and log all OVA titles; it’s implied that you should check out the extra material! I kept genre tags to a minimum because it can be hard to describe most anime, as there is a lot of genre-blending.
Please also read my personal notes on certain materials; they contain tidbits of info, like, aspects of this content I particularly liked, and mature content warnings (MA). In regards to mature content, please do watch at your own discretion and conscience. I personally wouldn’t watch them again — I believe most, if not all, mature content listed is stuff I saw before I became a Christian. I only include them on these lists because they’re seriously well-made anime. Lastly, the star column just means I LOVE these anime shows and films!
television shows
All titles listed in no particular order, genre descriptors are kept at a minimum
| name | year | amount of seasons | total amount of episodes | genre | notes | ⭐ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| frieren: beyond journey’s end | currently airing | 2 | 38 | fantasy, adventure, drama | incredible storytelling | ⭐ |
| steins;gate | s1: 2011, s2: 2018 | 2 | 47 | sci fi, thriller, drama | has ova | ⭐ |
| jujutsu kaisen | currently airing | 3 | 47 | fantasy, supernatural battle shonen | has 1 movie, MA | |
| Full metal alchemist: brotherhood | 2009 | 1 | 64 | fantasy, steampunk action-adventure | ⭐ | |
| violet evergarden | 2018 | 1 | 13 | slice of life, drama | has 1 ova, 2 movies, beautiful soundtrack | ⭐ |
| monster | 2004 | 1 | 74 | psychological thriller, mystery | ⭐ | |
| kaguya sama: love is war | 2019-2025 | 3 | 37 | romance, comedy | has 3 ovas & upcoming movie. a masterful romantic comedy | |
| fruits basket | 2019-2021 | 3 | 63 | romance, drama, supernatural | has 1 movie, beautiful soundrack | |
| the apothecary diaries | 2023- | 2 | 48 | historical mystery | ||
| vinland saga | 2019-2023 | 2 | 48 | historical drama | i actually love the farmland arc | |
| mob psycho 100 | 2016-2022 | 3 | 37 | supernatural action comedy | ||
| 86 | 2021-2022 | 1 | 23 | mecha, military sci fi drama | ||
| haikyu!! | 2014-2020 | 4 | 85 | sports comedy | not seen any ovas or films | |
| attack on titan | 2013-2023 | 4 | 94 | dark fantasy, action | not seen any ovas, ma | |
| sound! euphonium | 2015-2024 | 3 | 39 | musical, slice of life | has 1 movie | |
| cowboy bebop | 1998-1999 | 1 | 26 | space western | has 1 movie | |
| bocchi the rock! | 2022 | 1 | 12 | coming of age, music, comedy | ||
| death note | 2006-2007 | 1 | 37 | psychological thriller, supernatural | ma | |
| nana | 2006-2007 | 1 | 47 | music, drama, romance | ||
| neon genesis evangelion | 1995-1996 | 1 | 26 | mecha, apocalyptic, psychological drama | has 1 movie, not seen recent films and extras, ma | |
| hunter x hunter | 2012-2014 | 1 | 148 | fantasy, action adventure | not seen any of the movies, ma | |
| kimi ni todoke: From me to you | 2009-2024 | 3 | 38 | romance, slice of life, school | ||
| odd taxi | 2021 | 1 | 13 | psychological thriller, mystery | ||
| ranking of kings | 2021-2022 | 1 | 23 | adventure, coming of age | ||
| shouwa genroku rakugo shinju | 2016-2017 | 2 | 25 | historical drama | ||
| dandadan | 2024- | 2 | 24 | supernatural action comedy | ma | |
| chainsaw man | 2022- | 1 | 12 | fantasy, horror action | has 1 movie, ma | |
| yatagarasu | 2024 | 1 | 20 | historical fantasy, mystery | ⭐ | |
| kono oto tomare | 2019 | 2 | 26 | music, coming of age | ||
| yona of the dawn | 2014- | 1 | 24 | historical, adventure fantasy, romance | ||
| journal with witch | 2026 | 1 | 12 | slice of life, drama | ||
| pluto | 2023 | 1 | 8 | sci fi thriller, mystery | ||
| chihayafuru | 2011-2020 | 3 | 74 | sports, romance, slice of life | ||
| aoashi | 2022- | 1 | 24 | sports, coming of age | ||
| the disastrous life of saiki k | 2016-2019 | 3 | 56 | supernatural comedy | ||
| blue box | 2024- | 1 | 25 | sports, romance | ||
| orb: on the movements of the earth | 2024-2025 | 1 | 25 | historical mystery, sci fi, drama | ||
| horimiya | 2021-2023 | 2 | 26 | romance, comedy | ||
| fate/zero | 2011-2012 | 2 | 25 | dark fantasy, action, psychological thriller | related to fate franchise, ma | ⭐ |
| fate/stay night: unlimited blade works | 2014 | 2 | 26 | dark fantasy, supernatural, action | related to fate franchise, ma | |
| sakamoto days | 2025- | 1 | 22 | action comedy | ||
| naruto | 2002-2017 | 2 | 720 | action, adventure | i skipped all filler eps | |
| toradora! | 2008-2009 | 1 | 25 | romance, comedy, slice of life | ||
| cardcaptor sakura | 1998-present | 4 | 92 | magical girl, romance, fantasy |
movies
All titles listed in no particular order, genre descriptors are kept at a minimum
| name | director | year | genre | notes | ⭐ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a silent voice | yamada naoko | 2016 | coming of age, psychological, drama | beautiful story. The soundtrack! | ⭐ |
| look back | oshiyama kiyotaka | 2024 | coming of age, psychological drama | A film i felt so seen, the soundtrack is great too | ⭐ |
| perfect blue | kon satoshi | 1997 | psychological thriller, horror | ma | |
| 100 meters | iwaisawa kenji | 2025 | sports, drama | ||
| hotarubi no mori e | omori takahiro | 2011 | supernatural, romance, drama | i cried so hard | |
| paprika | kon satoshi | 2006 | psychological sci fi, mystery | ||
| millennium actress | kon satoshi | 2001 | historical drama | ⭐ | |
| wolf children | hosoda mamoru | 2012 | fantasy drama | i cried so hard | |
| violet evergarden: the movie | ishidate taichi | 2020 | romance, drama | i sobbed | ⭐ |
| your name | shinkai makoto | 2016 | romance, fantasy, drama | i cried so hard | |
| 5 centimeters per second | makoto shinkai | 2007 | romance, drama | ||
| the end of evangelion | anno hideaki | 1997 | psychological drama, mecha | ||
| fate/stay night:Heaven’s feel trilogy | sudo tomonori | 2017-2020 | dark fantasy, action, psychological horror | part of fate franchise, MA | |
| the girl who leapt through time | hosoda mamoru | 2006 | sci fi, romance, coming of age | i cried so hard | |
| spirited away | miyazaki hayao | 2001 | fantasy, adventure, coming of age | ||
| howl’s moving castle | miyazaki hayao | 2004 | fantasy, romance | ||
| whisper of the heart | Miyazaki Hayao | 1995 | coming of age, romance, slice of life | felt so seen watching this | |
| my neighbour totoro | Miyazaki Hayao | 1988 | fantasy, slice of life | ||
| ponyo | miyazaki hayao | 2008 | fantasy, adventure | ||
| from up on poppy hill | miyazaki goro | 2011 | coming of age, drama | ||
| Kiki’s delivery service | Miyazaki Hayao | 1989 | fantasy, coming of age | ||
| the secret world of arrietty | yonebayashi hiromasa | 2010 | fantasy, adventure | ||
| princess mononoke | miyazaki hayao | 1997 | fantasy, adventure | ||
| the cat returns | morita hiroyuki | 2002 | fantasy, adventure | i grew up watching this all the time | |
| tamako love story | yamada naoko | 2014 | romance, coming of age, slice of life | This comes after the tv show tamako market | |
| cowboy bebop: knockin’ on heaven’s door | watanabe shinichiro | 2001 | neo-noir space western | a midquel |