One reason anime has become so much better than in the past is the adoption of HD, flatscreen TV's and the blu-ray disc. The blu-ray disc is able to record high definition content, and the HD tv is able to play it. Once enough people owned these two tools, anime was forced to live up to its new, higher standards or risk becoming irrelevant. Though I'm sure animators would have wished to remain at the lower standards to reduce workload, technology forced them to 'up their game' and provide visually spectacular series that fully employed the technology of the modern era. Nowadays, virtually any series is better drawn and better animated than even the best series of the past. The dumbest shows can have such splendid visuals that you can simply ignore the plot and watch for the art alone. Infinite Stratos is one popular example of this phenomenon.
In that case, no series can be described as in its 'finished' form until it's available on blu-ray. Once you're released on blu-ray, it's impossible to look any better, because blu-ray disks capture every pixel of detail there is to be had in the show. But commonly dvd disks have to erase detail to save on storage space and can't display high resolution pictures. Now, among expert circles, there are sometimes advocates for the dvd release being higher quality than the blu-ray release, due to obscure technical details. But the overall trend is in favor of blu-ray, so let's just ignore these exceptions and assume the blu-ray release is always the final, perfect form of a show.
Blu-ray releases also commonly come with extras, even extra episodes, that give new additional content to each of our favorite shows. Therefore whenever a series is announced to have a blu-ray release, people can celebrate because it will mean a little extra bonus to the length of the series, as well as to its visual quality. Due to this fact, a series can't be called 'over' until its blu-ray release has arrived. Before the blu-ray release, all series are just 'works in progress.'
Of our top 110 series, how many have gotten a blu-ray release? I'll need two symbols to answer this question: # = completely released in blu-ray. % = partially released in blu-ray, or planned to have a blu-ray release. Those without any symbol are the sad remaining series that have received no attention from the blu-ray fairies at all.
Why should it matter what series have blu-ray releases? Because if you want to collect and watch the best anime series, your archived version needs to be of the best possible quality. The best deserve the best. Top anime deserves nothing but blu-ray copies for future viewing and reviewing.
1. Clannad (2007-2009) #
2. Pretty Cure (2004-2011+) %
3. One Piece (1999-2011+) %
4. Code Geass (2006-2009+) #
5. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (2004-2010+) %
6. Seikai no Monshou/Senki/Danshou (1999-2005)
7. Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (2006-2011+) %
8. K-On! (2009-2011+) #
9. Naruto (2002-2011+) %
10. Dragonball (1986-2011) %
11. Haruhi Suzumiya (2006-2010) #
12. Kanon (2002-2007) #
13. Fairy Tail (2009-2011+) %
14. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007-2009)
15. To Aru Majutsu no Index/Kagaku no Railgun (2008-2011) #
16. Angel Beats (2010) #
17. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011) #
18. Da Capo (2003-2011)
19. Katanagatari (2010) #
20. The Idolm@ster (2011+) %
21. Vandread (2000-2001)
22. Full Metal Panic! (2002-2005) #
23. Kobato (2009-2010)
24. Working! (2010-2011+) %
25. Toradora! (2008-2009+) %
26. Record of Lodoss War (1990-1998)
27. The World God Only Knows (2010-2011) %
28. Bakuman (2010-2011+) %
29. Sora no Woto (2010) #
30. Hayate no Gotoku (2007-2011+) %
31. Evangelion (1995-2009+) %
32. Basilisk (2005) #
33. Galaxy Angel (2001-2006)
34. Saki (2009+) %
35. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
36. Major (2004-2010)
37. Sailor Moon (1992-1997)
38. Air (2005) #
39. Prince of Tennis (2001-2011+)
40. Hanasaku Iroha (2011+) %
41. Usagi Drop (2011+) %
42. Inuyasha (2000-2010)
43. Ranma 1/2 (1989-1996)
44. Angelic Layer (2001) #
45. Ore no Immouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (2010-2011) #
46. Ef (2007-2008) #
47. Rurouni Kenshin (1996-2001+) %
48. 12 Kingdoms (2002-2003) #
49. Uuchuu no Stellvia (2003) #
50. Utawarerumono (2006-2009) #
51. Summer Wars (2009) #
52. Mononoke Hime (1997)
53. Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu (2010-2011+) %
54. Cowboy Bebop (1998-2001) %
55. Battle Athletes (1997-1998)
56. Samurai Champloo (2004-2005) #
57. Amagami SS (2010-2011+) #
58. Macross (1982-2011) %
59. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (2011) %
60. Zero no Tsukaima (2006-2008+) %
61. Berserk (1997-1998+)
62. Claymore (2007) #
63. Valkyria Chronicles (2009-2011) #
64. Negima! Magister Magi Negi (2004-2011)
65. Read or Die (2001-2004) #
66. Sora no Otoshimono (2009-2011) %
67. Bleach (2004-2011+) %
68. Card Captor Sakura (1998-2000) #
69. Shakugan no Shana (2005-2011+) %
70. Nichijou (2011+) %
71. Strike Witches (2007-2010+) #
72. Hunter x Hunter (1999-2011+)
73. Gundam (1979-2011+) %
74. Martian Successor Nadesico (1996-1998) #
75. Break Blade (2010-2011) #
76. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) #
77. Kimi ni Todoke (2009-2011) %
78. Spice and Wolf (2008-2009) #
79. Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka (2008-2009)
80. Bastard! (1992)
81. Mahoromatic (2001-2009) #
82. Alien Nine (2001-2002)
83. Fatal Fury (1992-1994)
84. Bakemonogatari (2009-2010+) #
85. Iria: Zeiram the Animation (1994)
86. Guyver (1986-2006) %
87. Lucky Star (2007-2008) #
88. Azumanga Daioh (2002)
89. To Heart (1999-2010+)
90. Spirited Away (2001) #
91. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
92. Tamayura (2010-2011+) %
93. Scrapped Princess (2003)
94. Steins;Gate (2011+) %
95. Gunbuster (1988-2006) #
96. Shamanic Princess (1996-1998)
97. Akira (1988) #
98. Moshidora (2011) #
99. Soul Eater (2008-2009) #
100. Fate/Stay/Zero (2006-2011+) %
101. Ninja Scroll (1993-2003+)
102. Howl's Moving Castle (2004) #
103. High School of the Dead (2010-2011) #
104. Sora no Manimani (2009) #
105. Kanokon (2008-2009) %
106. Hikaru no Go (2001-2004)
107. Gosick (2011) %
108. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)#
109. Ghost in the Shell (1995-2006) #
110. Flame of Recca (1997-1998)
44 of the top 110 are completely released in blu-ray.
35 of the top 110 are partially/planned to be released in blu-ray.
That leaves 31 unreleased in blu-ray in any way, shape, or form. Most of these are old series that were drawn poorly to begin with, so nobody sees any point in a blu-ray release. They're also too old to generate much commercial notice, meaning a blu-ray release would doubtless lose money for a company instead of earn money. But some really should be released in blu-ray -- old Miyazaki films, for one. Or recent good series like Kobato and Tengen Toppa Gurrenn Lagann. Hopefully someday people revisit their decisions on these old series and give us a top archival copy in the future. It took a long time, but even Star Wars got a blu-ray release eventually.
But let's assume the 31 unreleased series are never released in blu-ray. That still means that 35 of the series already in our top 110 are going to become Better in the near future. For free. Just by changing the medium of their release, they'll get a little bit more fun and aesthetically pleasing than ever before. That's around 1/3 of the total good anime out there slated for improvement. This is just one more reason that the future of anime is bright.
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