The Top 130 Anime: Before the Dawn

It's the start of the spring season, which means my 'first impressions' article will be arriving shortly.  Hopefully some spring series are worthwhile, in which case I can replace some of my lackluster series that are currently ranked with something more impressive and deserving.  I plan to keep Gundam as an 'honorary ranked' series just for its historical value and popularity, so it will always be ranked last in every ranking, but still always be ranked from here on.  As a result, the series I really have on my chopping block are Trigun, Saint Tail, Yu Yu Hakusho and Tears to Tiara.  Can a single spring season really cough up 4 worthy series though?  Can it even produce one worthwhile new series?  Who knows, only time can tell.  But this is what the anime scene looks like before the vital spring season's new wind blows:

1. Pretty Cure (2004-2013+)
2. Clannad (2007-2009)
3. One Piece (1999-2013+)
4. Code Geass (2006-2013+)
5. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha/Triangle Hearts (2000-2012+)
6. Fairy Tail (2009-2013+)
7. Naruto (2002-2013+)
8. K-On! (2009-2011)

9. Seikai no Monshou/Senki/Danshou (1999-2005)
10. Dragonball (1986-2013)
11. Higurashi/Umineko no Naku Koro Ni (2006-2013+)
12. Kanon (2002-2007)
13. Da Capo (2003-2013)
14. To Aru Majutsu no Index/Kagaku no Railgun (2008-2013+)

15. Katanagatari (2010)
16. Bakuman (2010-2013)
17. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011-2013+)

18. Angel Beats (2010)
19. Full Metal Panic! (2002-2006)

20. Haruhi Suzumiya (2006-2010)

21. The Idolm@ster (2007-2013+)
22. The World God Only Knows (2010-2013+)
23. Hayate no Gotoku (2007-2013+)
24. Saki (2009-2013+)
25. Working! (2010-2012)

26. Sword Art Online (2012)

27. Kobato (2009-2012)

28. Shinsekai Yori (2012-2013)
29. Record of Lodoss War (1990-1998)

30. Toradora! (2008-2011)

31. Sora no Woto (2010)

32. Galaxy Angel (2001-2006)
33. Major (2004-2012)

34. Basilisk (2005)
35. Inuyasha (2000-2010)
36. Ranma 1/2 (1989-2008)
37. Sailor Moon (1992-2013+)
38. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007-2009)

39. Boku ha Tomodachi ga Sukunai (2011-2013)

40. Hanasaku Iroha (2011-2013)

41. Air (2005)
42. Ore no Immouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (2010-2013+)

43. Little Busters (2012-2013+)

44. Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu (2010-2012)

45. Bake-(etc)-monogatari (2009-2013+)

46. AKB0048 (2012-2013)

47. Papa no Iukoto wo Kikinasai (2012+)

48. Prince of Tennis (2001-2012)
49. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
50. Vandread (2000-2001)

51. Love live (2010-2013)

52. Rurouni Kenshin (1996-2012)
53. Uuchuu no Stellvia (2003)
54. Utawarerumono (2006-2010)

55. Hunter x Hunter (1999-2013+)
56. Ef (2007-2008)

57. Fate/Stay/Etc (2006-2013+)

58. Cowboy Bebop (1998-2001)
59. Angelic Layer (2001)

60. Bleach (2004-2012)
61. Strike Witches (2007-2012)
62. 12 Kingdoms (2002-2003)
63. Summer Wars (2009)

64. Nichijou (2011-2012)
65. Girls und Panzer (2012-2013)

66. Evangelion (1995-2013+)

67. Claymore (2007)

68. Macross (1982-2012)

69. Sora no Otoshimono (2009-2012+)
70. Card Captor Sakura/Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (1998-2009)
71. Mononoke Hime (1997)

72. Berserk (1997-2013)

73. Yuru Yuri (2011-2012)

74. Usagi Drop (2011-2012)

75. Shakugan no Shana (2005-2012)

76. Amagami SS (2010-2012)

77. Valkyria Chronicles (2009-2011)

78. Samurai Champloo (2004-2005)

79. Battle Athletes (1997-1998)

80. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (2011-2013+)
81. Martian Successor Nadesico (1996-1998)
82. Natsuiro Kiseki (2012)

83. Hyouka (2012-2013)

84. To Heart (1999-2012)

85. Shinryaku! Ika Musume (2010-2013+)

86. Break Blade (2010-2011)
87. Kimi ni Todoke (2009-2011)
88. Spice and Wolf (2008-2009)
89. Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka (2008-2009)  
90. Azumanga Daioh (2002)
91. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
92. Scrapped Princess (2003)
93. Steins;Gate (2011-2013+)
94. Hikaru no Go (2001-2004)

95. Seitokai no Ichizon (2009-2012)
96. Tamayura (2010-2013+)

97. Baccano (2007-2008)
98. High School of the Dead (2010-2011)
99. Guyver (1986-2006)

100. Death Note (2006-2008)

101. Spirited Away (2001)

102. Lucky Star (2007-2008+)

103. Ginga E Kickoff (2012-2013)

104. Chihayafuru (2011-2013+)

105. Zero no Tsukaima (2006-2012)

106. Ghost in the Shell (1995-2011+)

107. Tari Tari (2012)

108. Flame of Recca (1997-1998)

109. Bastard! (1992)

110. Gunbuster (1988-2012)
111. Shamanic Princess (1996-1998)

112. Soul Eater (2008-2009)
113. Moshidora (2011)

114. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

115. Gosick (2011)
116. Akira (1988)

117. Fatal Fury (1992-1994)

118. School Days (2007-2008)

119. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 (2009)

120. Alien Nine (2001-2002)

121. History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi (2006-2012)

122. Vividred Operation (2013)

123. Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru!  (2013)

124. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

125. RG Veda (1991-1992)

126. Tears to Tiara (2009)

127. Yu Yu Hakusho (1992-1995)

128. Saint Tail (1995-1996)

129. Trigun (1998-2010)

130. Gundam (1979-2013+)

This ranking system is prophetic, because it counts the value of sequel seasons before they've even aired.  For instance, Oreimo, Railgun, Tamayura, Fate/Stay/Etc, Bake-etc-monogatari, Saki, Hayate no Gotoku, The World God Only Knows, and Sailor Moon are all ranked higher than they otherwise would be on the basis that their future episodes will also be good and improve the series overall.  It almost goes without saying, however, that series that are still alive and expanding are better than series that are dead and abandoned, because living series still have the potential to get better.  Any series that still has a + sign attached to it I treat in a more favorable and optimistic light than those without + signs.  As a counterbalancing force, I also treat in a favorable light series that have actually reached their natural conclusion, like say Death Note or Bakuman.  It's so nice for an anime to have an actual ending that they also get props in my rankings.  So another way of saying it is I penalize series that are 'dead' but not 'done.'  Everyone else gets a bonus versus series in that predicament.

Even this rule has an exception, however.  If a series is selling so well and has so much additional source material that it's "obvious" that a sequel will eventually be announced, I give those series a sort of phantom + sign.  In my heart, I know they'll be expanded eventually.  This applies to series like Sword Art Online, Yuru Yuri, and Working.  It does not apply to series like Haruhi Suzumiya, because it's been years since the last portion aired and nothing new has ever been announced, so I have to believe for some reason the series really is dead, as unimaginably stupid as that is.  As you can see, these phantom + signs are a very fragile existence.  I feel certain that once A-1 Pictures finishes its current work and frees up some time on its busy schedule, they will announce the next season of Sword Art Online.  It is one of the highest selling series of 2012 and has tons of additional novels left to animate, which could easily support another 24 episodes.  The studio may also be waiting for the Alicization arc in the light novels to end before the anime adaption begins, so it can tell the story in full in one sweep.  If the final Alicization novel is published and there's still no anime announcement, my faith in a second season will be shaken, but until then I'm confident enough to rank Sword Art Online as though its sequel has already been announced.

As good as the original Aincrad storyline was in SAO, the light novels have only continuously improved since then.  Alicization is a very solid story with deep philosophical merit and a beautifully detailed virtual world.  Gust Gale Online has a rousing shooter game setting (like Call of Duty) instead of Alfheim's swords and sorcery world and a fantastic character in Sinon.  Lastly, Mother's Rosario is one of the best and most moving stories ever told.  It is Reki Kawahara's masterpiece.  If Sword Art Online really does animate all the remaining source content, never mind #26, SAO could eventually reach the top 10 series of all time.  When you combine the incredible writing ability and imagination of Reki Kawahara, Yuki Kajiura's music, and A-1 studios' animation, the sky is really the limit.  I trust A-1 pictures to deliver a better product than even Kyoto Animation at this point.