Best Anime of 2018

    
 
    2018 is well behind us now, a year that brought plenty of variety, surprises, sequels, and disappointments in the world of anime. Looking back on things, I gave a lot more anime than I would have a chance to improve past the age old "three episode" rule. Despite still dropping a handful of anime a little later into the seasons, I feel like I have a better understanding of what makes some stuff harder to keep up on week by week, but I hope next year I can push myself to watch more stuff I don't initially like to find the hidden gems, if not to pad out some more scores below 6/10. Setting aside my struggles with giving media a numerical rating, here's a real quick and easy look at the best anime to come out in 2018, starting with #10:

   

10. Hinamatsuri

    The bottom position of the top 10 list is always the hardest to pick with anime because there are always so many shows that are equally as good and deserving to make an appearance. Zombieland Saga, Pop Team Epic, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san, Goblin Slayer, and Overlord II & III, for example, are definitely honorable mentions that don't appear on this list. However, easily the best comedy anime of this year, and one that I still have a good laugh about just thinking back to a couple of the scenes, Hinamatsuri pushes past the rest. Hinamatsuri is an excellent combination of all the best parts of Japanese humor: sarcastic and dead-pan one liners, outrageous scenarios that have a hint of relatable truth, and creative plays on words and expectations. Watching the antics of a psychic from another world being raised by a Yakuza, and the cast of characters that interact with them and on their own, is truly a hilarious and fun time to be had.
 

9. Yuru Camp△

    Yuru Camp is comfy incarnate. There's no better way to describe it. I picked this up a little while after it finished airing, and it's as laid-back and enjoyable as it gets. When you watch Yuru Camp you can't help but feel like you should be curling up in a nice blanket while you learn some stuff about winter camping. The characters are comfy, the music is comfy (and reminds me a lot of Animal Crossing which is also comfy), and the slice-of-life events are comfy. Trust me, you want this comfiness in your life.

8. SSSS.Gridman

    Coming back from the disappointment brought about by their collaboration with A-1 Pictures on Darling in the FranXX, Trigger bounces back with an anime reboot of a show from the live action kaiju fighting, Ultraman era. SSSS.Gridman is another example of Trigger "saving anime" by taking a tried and true concept like turning into a giant hero that beats up monsters, and combining to power up a la Power Rangers' Megazord, and slowly evolving the plot into something different before ramping up to a hype finale. I was especially impressed by the effective use of CGI for fights, and the designs of the characters, Gridman, and kaiju. If you can get past the endearingly cheesy nature of Ultraman and similar, SSSS.Gridman is for sure a must watch from 2018.   

7. Violet Evergarden

    One of the standout Netflix original anime to come out this year by Kyoto Animation, Violet Evergarden is 2018's most beautifully animated and directed story about the effect of meaningful, and carefully thought out communication. The effort of detail put into everything from background vistas to a character's facial expression is unlike anything I've seen in animation since at least Your Name. While the main character is probably the weakest part of the anime, the stories that happen around her are both heart warming and heart wrenching to say the least. I recommend Violet Evergarden to anyone who likes dramas with lovely short stories each episode.

6. Boku no Hero Academia 3rd Season

    Boku no Hero Academia continues to be the Shounen anime powerhouse for the ages, with no signs of slowing down. Joining the ranks of Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and Fullmetal Alchemist, Boku no Hero Academia boasts some of the most consistently good plot, fights, and characters in anime. I've said this before, and I'll say it again, even if you're not totally into anime but you enjoy superheroes, this anime is absolutely worth checking out. 

5. Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3

    Switching this season into more of a political conflict or man vs. government type of anime, Shingeki no Kyojin's third season is one of the most thrilling and interesting anime of 2018. The stakes continue to rise at an alarming pace, and the mystery of what could possibly happen next made this anime one of the hardest to wait for as it aired. If you were already hooked on Attack on Titan in the past and haven't got around to start this latest season, prepare to be hooked harder than you were before.

4. Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai

    Despite it's fan service bait appearance, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai turned out to be one of the most surprisingly good anime of 2018. The dialogue is by far the best written of any show this year, and the chemistry between the main character and each of the other characters in the anime is incredibly satisfying. What's most surprising about Bunny Girl Senpai is how accurately or relatable mental health and growing up as a high school student is depicted, as well as the interesting ways that the common difficulties of getting older manifest themselves supernaturally. It felt a lot like a lite version of the Monogatari series, and I thoroughly enjoyed every episode.

3. Steins;Gate 0

    Steins;Gate 0 comes up way high on the list just out of personal enjoyment, but I also feel like it deserves its third place spot just because of how good the Steins;Gate series is as a whole. As I've said before, this anime has the best use of time travel I've seen in any form of media, as well as interesting takes on artificial intelligence and the preservation of human memory. The science fiction is grounded in ways that make sense, and the characters interact in ways that agree with their development and circumstances, all while being a super interesting and jaw dropping show.

2. 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season

    3-gatsu no Lion has been talked about way less than it deserves online, and I'm not sure why beyond people thinking a show about a young Shougi player would be boring. This is a drama anime where the characters, young and old, all feel real. Everything about the stories and experiences of every character, no matter how small, feels authentic. Every emotion, from joy to sorrow, is so palpable you can't help but feel exactly what the character is feeling. I have never been so invested in the outcome of a Japanese chess-like game that I don't totally understand before. 3-gatsu also does a exceptional job of putting the struggles of things like depression and bullying into a poetically animated interpretation. This is by far the most under appreciated anime of this year, and a series that I strongly recommend to anyone. 

1. Devilman: Crybaby

    Another Netflix original anime, and one that came out right at the beginning of 2018, Devilman: Crybaby is the year's absolute best. Totally uncensored in its subject matter, and high on shock factor without being way too edgy, Devilman: Crybaby will undeniably go down as a must watch classic of anime history. The story is thought provoking, surprising, and soul crushing, the animation is super stylish and fluid, the characters all play interesting and important roles, the voice acting is absolutely top notch, and the music is the best I've ever heard in soundtrack. Devilman: Crybaby is the definition of a masterpiece.