Apples to Apples Anime Rankings:

 

Apples to Apples Anime Rankings:

The overall rankings are a comprehensive resource to draw upon, but wouldn't it be fun to sometimes compare apples to apples?  What if I did a rankings of exclusively short series compared to each other?  How about rankings of exclusively completed series versus each other?  If I carve these rankings up into smaller pictures, a new picture of quality comes to light not reflected by the overall head to head competition.

Incomplete short stories have the most working against them.  If we filtered out everyone who comes from a more advantaged background, however, who shows up as a diamond in the rough?

(Incomplete, for the purposes of this post at least, is defined to be missing such a large segment of the the show that it gives you no sense of resolution whatsoever and leaves you wanting to kill someone because your show has been so severely butchered.)

Top Incomplete Series with greater than 11 episodes but fewer than or equal to 25 episodes of non-filler content (and no announced sequels that would bring the episode count above 25 or to a satisfying conclusion):

1.  Papa no Iukoto wo Kikinasai
2.  Angel Beats

3.  Boku ha Tomodachi ga Sukunai
4.  Eromanga Sensei
5.  Suka Suka

6.  Koutetsujou no Kabaneri

7.  Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

8.  Ryuuou no Oshigoto!

9.  New Game

10.  Shadows House

11.  No Game No Life

12.  Juuou Mujin no Fafnir

13.  Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!
14.  High School of the Dead

15.  Akame ga Kill!

16.  Ken Tensei

17.  Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

18.  Kanojo mo Kanojo

19.  Outbreak Company

20.  Claymore

21.  Sakura Trick
22.  Rokka no Yuusha

23.  Mikakunin de Shinkoukei

24.  Hyouka

25.  100 Kanojo

26.  Death March
27.  Choyoyu

28.  Hanayamata
29.  Locodol

30.  Isekai Nonbiri Nouka

31.  Dimension W
32.  Btooom!

33.  Shikkakumon

34.  Gate

35.  Kitakubu Katsudou Kiroku

36.  Sore ga Seiyuu

37.  Broken Blade

38.  Tearmoon Empire

39.  Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru!

40.  Amagi Brilliant Park

41.  Sokushi Cheat

42.  Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
43.  Ao Haru Ride

44.  Imouto Sae Ireba ii

45.  Sora no Otoshimono

46.  Ao no Hako

These are basically the 46 shows that are great despite getting terribly shafted by the anime gods.  There's no telling what their potential could be if they had been given either more length and/or a satisfying ending.  They could be top 10 shows.  For all we know they could be the best anime ever.  Since they never got a chance to be heard, their worth is totally obfuscated and plunged deep down into the rankings through no fault of their own.  These are the 46 unsung heroes of my rankings, who managed to be some of the best anime around with both arms and both legs tied behind their backs.

Top Incomplete Series with greater than 25 episodes but fewer than or equal to 50 episodes of non-filler content (and no announced sequels that would bring the episode count above 50 or to a satisfying conclusion):

1.  K-On!
2.  Seikai no Monshou/Senki/Danshou

3.  Spy x Family

4.  Sousou no Frieren

5.  Haruhi Suzumiya

6.  Maria-sama ga Miteru
7.  Grisaia
8.  The World God Only Knows

9.  Berserk

10.  Vinland Saga

11.  Granblue Fantasy the Animation

12.  Yama no Susume

13.  Honzuki no Gekokujou

14.  Flame of Recca

15.  Youjo Senki

16.  KonoSuba
17.  Umineko no Naku Koro ni

18.  Spice and Wolf

19.  Kiniro Mosaic

20.  Guyver

21.  Akatsuki no Yona

22.  Aishiteru ze Baby
23.  Valkyria Chronicles

24.  The Eminence in Shadow

25.  Goblin Slayer

26.  Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu

27.  Bastard!!

28.  Yuru Yuri

29.  Hataraku Maou-sama!

30.  Miyuki
31.  H2

These shows were given a little more support, but still not nearly enough length to get the story told.  They're just as betrayed as their shorter cousins, and likewise, any of these shows may well be a top 10 or #1 contender if they'd just been given a chance.  31 more missed opportunities.

Top Incomplete Series with length beyond 50 episodes but still clearly not enough because it still abruptly breaks off midway (and no announced sequels that would bring the series to a satisfying conclusion):

1.  Fairy Tail

2.  Dragon Ball

3.  Sword Art Online

4.  Bake-(etc)-monogatari
5.  Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha

6.  To Aru Majutsu no Index/Kagaku no Railgun
7.  Major
8.  Full Metal Panic!

9.  Ranma 1/2

10.  Rurouni Kenshin

11.  Da Capo

12.  World of Witches

13.  DanMachi
14.  Hayate no Gotoku

15.  Saki

16.  Edens Zero

17.  Touch/MIX

18.  Hunter x Hunter

19.  Tales of 'X'

20.  To Love-ru

21.  History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi

22.  Hikaru no Go

23.  Prince of Tennis

24.  Kyoukai no Rinne

25.  Soul Eater
26.  Baccano/Durarara

27.  Chihayafuru

28.  Kimi ni Todoke

These shows were given a lot of support, but the rug was snatched out from under them at just the wrong moment, toppling them down from any chance to compete for the title of the best.  Like usual, a lot of these shows could be in the top 10, or even try for the position of #1, if the support had been as thorough as that given to One Piece or Naruto has been.

That covers all the incomplete but still great ranking series.  Now let's fairly compare shows that reached their conclusions but did so with varying lengths.  Short series should only have to compare to other short series, medium to medium, and so on.

Complete Series with greater than 11 episodes but fewer than or equal to 25 episodes of non-filler content aired or announced:

1.  Kanon

2.  Shinsekai Yori

3.  Katanagatari

4.  Princess Principal

5.  Basilisk

6.  Scrapped Princess

7.  Ef

8.  Vividred Operation

9.  Record of Lodoss War

10.  Kanata no Astra

11.  Ro-Kyu-Bu!

12.  Sora no Woto

13.  Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai

14.  Kobato

15.  Air

16.  Shukufuku no Campanella

17.  Valvrave the Liberator

18.  Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka
19.  Rocket Girls

20.  Tari Tari

21.  Shiroi Suna no Aquatope

22.  Selection Project
23.  School Days
24.  Schwarzesmarken

25.  Extreme Hearts
26.  High School Fleet

27.  Nekopara

28.  Atelier Escha/Ryza

29.  Myself;Yourself

30.  Kokoro Toshokan

31.  Girls Band Cry
32.  Zettai Bouei Leviathan

33.  Gosick
34.  Happiness!

35.  Kamisama ni Natta hi

36.  Natsuiro Kiseki
37.  Boku Dake ga Inai Machi
38.  Shuumatsu no Izetta

39.  Girlish Number

These shows are impressive because they managed to enter my rankings with a short story that introduced everyone, created a wall of complications, and broke it down all within just 25 eps or fewer.  To think that you can do so much with so little really proves the genius of the creators behind these shows.  If anyone is looking for a satisfying list to start watching anime on, these short stories with proper conclusions are probably your best bet.

Complete Series with length greater than 25 but fewer than or equal to 50 episodes of non-filler content aired or announced:

1.  Clannad
2.  Little Busters!
3.  Cross Game

4.  Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru

5.  Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

6.  Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai

7.  Girls und Panzer

8.  AKB0048

9.  Non Non Biyori

10.  Angelic Layer

11.  Shin Seiki Evangelion

12.  Cowboy Bebop

13.  Uuchuu no Stellvia
14.  Vandread

15.  Shirobako

16.  Toradora!

17.  Hanasaku Iroha

18.  Puella Magi Madoka Magica

19.  Oshi no Ko

20.  Samurai Champloo
21.  Steins;Gate

22.  Zero no Tsukaima

23.  Wake Up, Girls!
24.  Amagami SS

25.  Kuromukuro
26.  Martian Successor Nadesico
27.  To Heart

28.  Assassination Classroom
29.  Tamayura
30.  Death Note 
31.  Mahoromatic

I love this category.  This category has zero flaws.  It's sufficiently long to tell almost any tale imaginable, while still reaching a proper ending and not just wandering off into eternal no plot progress hell.  It gives you the story, the whole story, and nothing but the story.  These shows are like laser beams of greatness.  It's no wonder so many of them are such famous classics that the whole world showers them with praise, even people who generally hate anime still end up liking shows that fall into this category.  This is like Goldilocks' favorite porridge.

Complete Series of length beyond 50 episodes of non-filler content aired or announced:

1.  One Piece

2.  Naruto

3.  Pretty Cure
4.  Bleach

5.  Fate/Etc

6.  Uma Musume

7.  Code Geass

8.  Kimetsu no Yaiba

9.  Inuyasha

10.  Love Live!

11.  Utawarerumono

12.  Higurashi no naku koro ni

13.  Macross
14.  The Idolm@ster

15.  Sailor Moon

16.  Bakuman

17.  Hibike! Euphonium
18.  Shingeki no Kyojin

19.  Boku no Hero Academia

20.  Yu Yu Hakusho
21.  Working!

22.  Shakugan no Shana

23.  BanG Dream!

24.  Card Captor Sakura

25.  Galaxy Angel

This is the measuring rod.  These shows were given everything they could possibly ask for.  All the length they could dream of to do whatever they wished with, while still reaching the end of their story and resolving all the loose threads.  If you can't win with this much support, then there's no one left to blame but yourself.  If you aren't #1 after this, then you just plain don't deserve to be #1.  These are the most envied shows in anime, the gods of the anime world that everyone says to themselves "if only they'd treated me like they had treated them, if only those elite pampered stuck-up shows of privilege had to live down in the hood like me, I'd teach them a thing or two!"  There's no woulda, coulda or shoulda about these guys.  They just are.  And it's no wonder they hog the top ten rankings between each other.

* * * 

My top anime rankings is a realistic depiction of how things just plain are.  If a show is longer it's better.  If a show is complete it's better.  And I take those factors into account, despite it being unfair to the shows that were gypped by the anime gods.  There's no equal starting lines on this race course.

This list is different, however.  With these rankings, it's fair to say that 'in an ideal world' all of these shows are about equal to each other.  For instance, PapaKiki, SAO, Fairy Tail, Kanon, Clannad and Crest of the Stars are all about equally well written.  They're on the same tier of artistic ability, though they don't end up ranked the same due to forces outside of their control.

But what if we ranked them more head to head, by genre?:

Shonen Action:

1.  Fairy Tail

2.  One Piece
3.  Naruto

4.  Bleach

5.  Dragon Ball

6.  Kimetsu no Yaiba

7.  Inuyasha

8.  Rurouni Kenshin

9.  Tengen Toppa Gurrenn Lagann
10.  Katanagatari

11.  Shingeki no Kyojin

12.  Koutetsujou no Kabaneri

13.  Edens Zero

14.  Berserk
15.  Boku no Hero Academia

16.  Hunter x Hunter

17.  Yu Yu Hakusho

18.  Valvrave the Liberator

19.  High School of the Dead

20.  Akame ga Kill!

21.  Flame of Recca

22.  Claymore

23.  History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi

24.  Guyver

25.  Soul Eater

26.  Bastard!!

27.  Btooom!

28.  Shikkakumon

29.  Broken Blade

Sports:

1.  Uma Musume

2.  Major

3.  Hibike! Euphonium

4.  Girls und Panzer

5.  Saki

6.  Touch/MIX

7.  Ro-Kyu-Bu!
8.  Angelic Layer
9.  Ryuuou no Oshigoto!

10.  Extreme Hearts

11.  Hikaru no Go

12.  Prince of Tennis

13.  H2

14.  Chihayafuru

Idols:

1.  Love Live!
2.  K-On!

3.  The Idolm@ster

4.  Macross
5.  AKB0048

6.  BanG Dream!

7.  Oshi no Ko

8.  Selection Project

9.  Wake up, Girls!

10.  Hanayamata

11.  Locodol

12.  Girls Band Cry

13.  Sore ga Seiyuu!

14.  Natsuiro Kiseki

15.  Girlish Number

Mahou Shoujo:

1.  Pretty Cure

2.  Fate/etc

3.  Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha

4.  Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru

5.  Sailor Moon

6.  World of Witches

7.  Vividred Operation

8.  Kobato

9.  Puella Magi Madoka Magica
10.  Card Captor Sakura

11.  Zettai Bouei Leviathan

12.  Happiness!

13.  Shuumatsu no Izetta

14.  Mahoromatic

Comedy:

1.  Ranma 1/2

2.  Spy x Family

3.  Hayate no Gotoku
4.  Eromanga Sensei

5.  Working!

6.  Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka

7.  Kiniro Mosaic 

8.  Nekopara

9.  Galaxy Angel 

10.  Mikakunin de Shinkoukei

11.  Kyoukai no Rinne

12.  Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu

13.  Kuromukuro 

14.  Yuru Yuri 

15.  Kitakubu Katsudou Kiroku

16.  Kamisama ni Natta hi

17.  Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
18.  Imouto Sae Ireba ii
19.  Sora no Otoshimono

Romance:

1.  Clannad

2.  Full Metal Panic! 

3.  Oreimo
4.  Toradora!

5.  Shakugan no Shana

6.  Sakura Trick
7.  Miyuki

8.  Kimi ni Todoke

9.  Ao Haru Ride

10.  Ao no Hako

Harem:

1.   Little Busters!

2.   Haruhi Suzumiya

3.   PapaKiki
4.   Maria-sama ga Miteru
5.   Grisaia

6.   Haganai

7.   The World God Only Knows

8.   Shukufuku no Campanella
9.   Juuou Mujin no Fafnir

10. Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!

11. Kanojo mo Kanojo

12. School Days

13. To Love ru

14. Akatsuki no Yona
15. Amagami SS

16. 100 Kanojo

17. Myself;Yourself

18. To Heart

19. Assassination Classroom

20. Oreshura

Slice of Life:

1.  Bakuman

2.  Princess Principal

3.  Non Non Biyori

4.  Sora no Woto

5.  Cowboy Bebop

6.  Vinland Saga

7.  Shirobako

8.  New Game

9.  Yama no Susume

10.  Rocket Girls

11.  Hanasaku Iroha

12.  Shiroi Suna no Aquatope
13.  Schwarzesmarken
14.  Spice and Wolf

15.  Samurai Champloo
16.  High School Fleet

17.  Aishiteruze Baby

18.  Valkyria Chronicles

19.  Atelier Escha/Ryza

20.  Kokoro Toshokan

21.  Baccano/Durarara

22.  Tamayura

23.  Tearmoon Empire
24.  Amagi Brilliant Park

Tearjerker:

1.  Cross Game

2.  Da Capo
3.  Kanon

4.  Angel Beats

5.  Basilisk

6.  Ef
7.  Suka Suka

8.  Anohana
9.  Air
10.  Tari Tari

Sci-fi/Fantasy:

1.  Sword Art Online

2.  Code Geass

3.  Bake-(etc)-monogatari
4.  To Aru Majutsu no Index/Kagaku no Railgun

5.  Utawarerumono

6.  Seikai no Monshou/Senki/Danshou
7.  Shinsekai Yori 

8.  DanMachi

9.  Sousou no Frieren
10.  Scrapped Princess

11.  Record of Lodoss War

12.  Shin Seiki Evangelion

13.  Uuchuu no Stellvia 
14.  Vandread

15.  Tales of 'x'

16.  Granblue Fantasy the Animation

17.  Steins;Gate

18.  Goblin Slayer

19.  Dimension W
20.  Martian Successor Nadesico

Crime/Mystery:

1.  Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

2.  Kanata no Astra

3.  Shadows House

4.  Umineko no Naku Koro ni

5.  Rokka no Yuusha
6.  Hyouka

7.  Gosick
8.  Death Note 
9.  Boku Dake ga Inai Machi

Isekai:

1.  Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

2.  No Game no Life

3.  Honzuki no Gekokujou

4.  Youjo Senki

5.  Ken Tensei

6.  Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

7.  KonoSuba

8. Outbreak Company

9.  Zero no Tsukaima

10.  The Eminence in Shadow

11.  Death March

12.  Choyoyu

13.  Isekai Nonbiri Nouka

14.  Gate

15.  Hataraku Maou-sama

16.  Sokushi Cheat

My twelve categories are based on what the shows were trying to do, rather than any objective standard of measurement.  For instance, if they were trying to portray a new and different world than our own, then that's 'sci-fi/fantasy.'  If their purpose in life was to make you cry, then it's a tearjerker class story, whereas shows that make you cry incidentally while attempting to do something else are not in that category.  Slice of Life, to me, is trying to portray normal everyday life, people going about their jobs and lives, as an interesting and engaging activity worth talking about.  The ability to pull off an everyday life story while making it interesting, whether it be about soldiers or theme park operators, is what puts all of these shows under the same category.

The Harem category does not necessarily imply the protagonist is sleeping around with everyone -- though that is true in School Days' case!  Again, it's directed more towards the author's intent.  In this case, the author is trying to show off a grab bag of a huge number of characters to the viewer at once, in the hopes that at least some of them will stick if they just keep throwing more likable characters at you while ceaselessly drumming up their appeal.  It's a story whose philosophy = quantity > quality.

Mahou Shoujo involves any time a girl transforms from everyday life to heroine and goes off to save others, either tangibly or emotionally.  This covers shows as varied as Kobato to Mahoromatic.  Idols are girls who attempt to appeal to fans, whether that's in elections like Joukamachi and AKB0048 or for the sake of a daily paycheck like Sore ga Seiyuu or Locodol or as a portion of school life like with K-On!.  So long as there's singing and dancing at some point in the show it's a likely fit for the idol category.  The other categories should be self-explanatory.