Miku’s Top 50 Anime of the 2000s — Part 3: #38 – #32

PART 1
PART 2

INTRO: I originally got the idea for this ambitious task from ArizUtaku, so thanks to him for that. At first I wasn’t planning to do it, but everyone else seems to be doing these Best of the 2000s countdowns, including the NBA, so I figured, why not. Besides, it’s a once in a decade opportunity.

There are a few rules a made: The anime has to have finished airing in the 2000s. Also, I only chose one series per franchise. I chose no anime that is currently airing at the time of this post, and most obviously, it has to be an anime that I have finished watching. Although, I’ll say right now that I did make a few exceptions to these rules. ^^

As we count our way down the 30s, you will probably come to realize that comedy is my favorite genre of anime. Below are just a few of the many series that have made me laugh throughout the years. But there is also one major action series that has brought be to tears, not from laughter but from sadness.

#38 School Rumble

I haven’t seen the 2nd season yet, so I can only speak for the first series. Even so, this is one anime that you shouldn’t miss. Harima is a delinquent you has a Tenma, but is too afraid to confess to her. In the same vein, Tenma has a crush on this quiet boy named Karasuma, but can’t garner the courage to confess to him. As this high school comedy rolls along, more love triangles and crazy situations develop. I love how the background characters who only make small appearances in one episode and seem insignificant at first, end up playing a much larger role in the next episode. Therefore, it’s probably safe to say that director Shinji Takamatsu (Gintama) made it his job to make every character in the series important!

#37 Lucky ☆ Star

For Kyoto Animation being one of my least favorite anime studios, it’s surprises me that Lucky ☆ Star is the second anime of theirs to make it on my list (the first being Kanon at #51). This is probably just further proof of how universally appealing their anime are (Haruhi being the premier example, even though personally I despise it). Lucky ☆ Star is a parody anime at heart, poking moeful fun at the anime and otaku subculture –– the main character, Konata, is an oktaku herself! It’s funny because I see a bit of myself in “Kagamin,” and yet I’m a huge slacker like Konata (aren’t we all?). Some anime have tried to imitate Lucky Star (Seitokai no Ichizon, for example), but none have been able to replicate it. I hope they make a true series sequel in the future (no more Haruhi or K-ON! plz, KyoAni! EDIT: I take it back, K-ON!! is good. ^_^), because the OVA bombed. People have criticized Lucky ☆ Star for being boring –– and they are right: in one infamous episode, all the quartet talks about is food for the whole 30 minutes… Luckily, the director was changed after episode 4, or else the series surely wouldn’t have been as popular as it is today. Lucky ☆ Star is probably best known for having one of the fastest and most addicting OP themes.

#36 Colorful

When I made this list, I said there would be some exceptions to the rules I laid out, and this is one of them. This anime originally aired just outside the 2000s, in September 1999. The show is basically a short comedy sketch consisting of 16 episodes that are only 6m each in length. It’s a comedic view about how easily men are tempted by women’s bras and panties and how they will literally do anything, and I mean anything, just to get a glimpse up a woman’s skirt. I love the pop-art animation style, which is what makes this anime unique from other ecchi series. Ask any guy if they’ve tried one of the tactics shown in this anime once during their life, and if they say no, they are probably lying.

#35 GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class

My 3rd favorite anime of 2009, this was the first anime that made me fall in love with the animation style of AIC (Sora no Otoshimono, Strike Witches 2). Even though I like to call GA a non-perverted version of Macademi Wasshoi! (they have nothing in common, but I think the character designs look similar –– especially Kisaragi and Suzuho with their HUGE glasses), people will mostly compare this anime with Hidamari Sketch, because of their pureness and that they are both about high schoolers involved in an art class. The only significant difference that I can draw (no pun intended) between these two is that HS is more of a slice-of-life anime, similar to Lucky ☆ Star, while GA pinpoints directly on the actual “art” aspect, including terms and definitions. I should warn those who have never taken a drawing or painting class that they may miss out on some of the jokes. Even though some of the episodes felt like a review for me since I took some art classes in high school, I still learned a few new things from this anime.

#34 Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan

I am talking about the first season, because the second season had no real story and was saturated with basically nothing but fan service. This 8 episode OVA (which is really only 4 eps, because they are 15m long) is the perfect blend of moe and brutality. I know they sound like two things that should never brought together, but that’s exactly what makes this anime so funny. Don’t let Dokuro’s cute looks fool you, because she will literally grind you into little bite-size pieces with her spiked club, Excalibolg, before you can finish saying “Pi-piru-piru-piru-pi-piru-pi.” This is what Sakura has to endue almost every day, and I almost feel sorry for him… Nah, I would do anything to be in his place and live with a voluptuous angel from the future.

#33 Ga-Rei -Zero-

Ga-Rei -Zero- was my 2nd favorite anime of 2008. Even though the anime came out three years later, it was actually a prequel to the manga “Ga-Rei” (which is currently my favorite manga of all-time). “Paradise Lost” is also one of my favorite theme songs. Once you see the OP intro, you just know you’re going to be in for an epic ride. This series holds the title of having one of the most shocking first episodes I’ve ever seen, but overall, the anime might be a bit too melodramatic for those expecting a full-on action series. Ga-Rei -Zero- revolves around sisterly love and has a few tear jerking moments (this was only the third time I’ve cried during an anime). Heck, even the subtitle of this anime states: “Will you kill someone you love, because of love?” That’s not to say Ga-Rei -Zero- is short on action scenes, ’cause there is plenty of bloody action to quench your thirst. The animation in itself is superb: all 12 episodes deserve a 10 in the animation department, and I don’t even want to think how high the production costs were for each one. Most of all, I’ll never forget how many times I screamed “WHAT?!” at my screen because the episodes always ended during the most exciting part! XD

#32 Minami-ke Betsubara

Ask anyone who has seen Minami-ke and they will call it a modern classic. You can’t call yourself a fan of slice-of-life, without seeing this anime. Kana and Chiaki remind me so much of me and my sister, respectively: Kana being the kind and ditzy one who always jokes around, and Chiaki always calling her sister a “bakayaro” (a strong term for idiot), but being admireful of her caregiver. Even though the first season is the most favored among fans, I enjoyed the 2nd season the most out of the trilogy, despite people saying that the new studio, asread, ruined it. I liked the deadpan humor that they used, but I guess it’s not for everybody. Still, in my opinion, the OVA, Betsubara, tops them all. It contained everything good about the first series, while staying coherent with the humor of the second series, and bundled it all up into one pretty little 30-min package.