Definitive Top 100 Anime of All Time
Hey there - My name is Michael Bellonis, and I’m here to rank the 100 Greatest Anime of All Time. While I’m whittling away at this list, my goal is to leave reviews of the anime I watch here, and rank them at the end of the review. So, I’ll give details about the anime, review them, and at the end will show my current MAL ranking, whether or not it’s a contender for the list, and if so where at in the ranking it currently falls (all subject to change once the list is finalized).
Comments will be open, so please feel free to discuss - but remember, this is all subjective, so keep it friendly!
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Some ground rules for the list: This list will only go over anime series - be it web series, OVA, seralized. As long as it’s an anime series, and not a movie, it’s eligible for this list (movies are a whole other beast, I’ll dedicate a list to them). There won’t be any hard rule against multiple titles from the same director or studio - as long as it’s good, it’s eligible. This list will encompass all of anime, so it won’t have any bias to any specific genre or era of anime - so it won’t be chock full of just Shonen titles, or have classics pushed to the top just because they’re classics and the list had an obligation.
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A little about myself before you dive in: As a Toonami kid, I’ve been watching anime since the late 90s - but more than that, I have studied anime and film history, have watched hundreds and hundreds of movies, have read countless comics, books, and manga, have taken whole writing courses, and even write my own comic books - all that is to say that I at least have a little qualification to be making this list apart from just being an anime fan. So, I hope that helps you see this as more than just another list that showcases the latest, flashiest Shonen Jump adaption (though, those can be great, too!).
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Wandering Son
The Eccentric Family
Casshern Sins
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This list is temporary, and only sums up the ones I have reviews up for - The reviews on this page only showcase the anime I’ve been recently watching, whether it’s a first time watch or a re-watch. There are many others on my list that I’ve seen in the past and know my feelings on, but I won’t show here just yet.
Top 100 Anime Ranking (Not Final)
8 - Kaiba (2008)
14 - Orange (2016)
18 - Gunbuster (1988)
41 - Time of Eve (2008)
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This is a list of all the anime I’ve watched and reviewed that unfortunately do not make the cut.
Kaiba (2008) - REVIEW
“The sun burns so brightly, so why is this world so cold?”
Kaiba is a 12 episode original anime series that was released in 2008, and was directed by Masaaki Yuasa (Devilman Crybaby, The Tatami Galaxy).
MSG 0080: War in the Pocket (1989) - REVIEW
“…It seems that people die really easily, don’t they?”
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the pocket is a 6 episode OVA series that was released in 1989, and was directed by Fumihiko Takayama (Bubblegum Crisis, Patlabor 3).
Milky Subway: The Galactic Limited Express (2025) - REVIEW
“If you don't fix your ways soon, do you think anyone's gonna come to your rescue when you need it?”
A 12 episode ONA series that was released in 2025, and was directed by Yōhei Kameyama.
House of Five Leaves (2010) - REVIEW
"Comparing the past to the present...I like the present better. I want to always be able to feel that way."
House of Five Leaves is a 12 episode anime adaption that was released in 2010, and was directed by Tomomi Mochizuki (Ocean Waves, Ranma 1/2), and animated by Manglobe (Samurai Champloo, Ergo Proxy).
Star Wars Visions: Volume 3 (2025) - REVIEW
“It’s all connected.”
Star Wars Visions: Volume 3 is an anime anthology series that was released in 2025 and is comprised of a variety of studios and directors, including Studios Trigger, Wit, Kinema Citrus, and more.