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Wednesday, December 15, 2021

The Runners-Up:

 

The Runners-Up:

The way I rank anime can be boiled down to this code:

Great: I've watched and rewatched (at least the 'main, standout' section of the franchise, within two years of having watched it the first time so long as the there's a high quality subtitled bd/dvd/HD release for the second time available.  If it's unavailable, I can wait however long it takes until the release is available if progress towards an eventual HD release is occurring, because there's no point not watching a show in its final and perfect form for the conclusive time.  If no progress is being made, I'll rewatch the show within three years of having watched it the first time.  In addition, I don't have to rewatch Ghost in the Shell Movie 2 so long as I've rewatched the tv series.), and has left a strongly favorable impression as a 'must see top 200 anime' on me even after having rewatched it the second time.

Good:  I've watched in full.

Mediocre:  I've watched at least three episodes of the show but not all of them.

Bad:  I watched less than three episodes of the show.

Terrible:  I didn't even bother to watch a single episode. 

Unranked shows I've watched twice, or in other words, the ones that got really close to reaching my rankings, might be a good window into how I make my selections.  In other words, these are the shows the top 200 went up against directly and beat:

Howl's Moving Castle
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Iria: Zeiram the Animation
Ninja Scroll
Read or Die
REC
Tenjou Tenge
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
X
Sora no Manimani
Kanokan
Moshidora
Noucome
Fate/Apocrypha
Ojamajo Doremi
Akira
12 Kingdoms
Gokukoku no Brynhildr
Rewrite
Negima/UQ Holder
Futari Ecchi
Alien Nine
RG Veda
Kemono Friends
Bastard! ova's
Shamanic Princess
Gunbuster
Shinryaku! Ika Musume!
Grave of the Fireflies
In this Corner of the World
Battle Athletes Victory + Oav's
Planetarian
Fatal Fury
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Binbou Shimai Monogatari
Kiki's Delivery Service
Summer Wars
Mononoke Hime
Spirited Away
Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare
Tales from Earthsea
Usagi Drop
Azumanga Daioh
Ginga E Kickoff
Ghost in the Shell
Seitokai no Ichizon
Nichijou
Lucky Star
Tears to Tiara

These are basically my 49 'runners-up' to my coveted ranked positions.  You could also call them 'motto Espada,' like in Bleach, in that virtually all of them used to appear in my rankings but were eventually kicked out by the intensified competition and my growth in taste as an anime connoisseur.

You really don't want to end up on this list.  It's a very depressing list of shattered hopes and dreams, like the silver medalist in the Olympics.  Or even worse, the guy who got fourth, that nobody cares about at all.

Just for completion's sake, I'll also jot down the 'good' series that I at least watched all the way through once, but didn't think was worthy of the title 'great' even after watching them all the way through.  These shows aren't really on par with the above list of 'motto espada.'  Perhaps they could just be called generic arrancar.  Like the ones Ishida and Sado were beating up on their journey through Hueco Mundo.  They're really strong compared to normal hollow, but in the end, that just doesn't mean much in the face of true power. . .

Ai Yori Aoishi
Asura Cryin'
Ayashi no Ceres
The Cat Returns
Devil Hunter Yohko
Dominion Tank Police
Dragon Half
Excel Saga
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
FLCL
Golden Boy
Guin Saga
Diebuster
Hell Girl
Mirai Nikki
I"s
Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne
Kaze no Stigma
Kimikiss Pure Rouge
Laputa
Love Hina
Magic Knight Rayearth
Megami Kouhousei
Metropolis
My Neighbor Totoro
Nazca
Noein
Noir
Serial Experiments Lain
Shangri-la
Soul Link
The Law of Ueki
They Were Eleven
Trigun
Kannagi
Tytania
Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Knight
Vision of Escaflowne
Whisper of the Heart
Yoku Wokaru Gendai Mahou
Chrome Shelled Regios
Battle Angel Alita
Dual
Sora Kakuwo Shoujo
Blade of the Immortal
Tokyo Mewmew
Disgaea
Midori no Hibi
Girls Bravo
Rosario + Vampire
Sasamaki Koto
Ichigo 100%
Kiddy Grade/Kiddy Girl-And
Chu-bra
Omamori Himori
Ookami Kakushi
Hanamura Youchuein
Ladies vs. Butlers
Dance of the Vampire Bund
Needless
Koihime Musou
B Gata H Kei
Mayoi Neko Overrun
Busso Renkin
Ookami-san to Shichinen Notachi
Shiki
Asobi ni Iku Yo
Haibane Renmei
Higashi no Eden
True Tears
Seiken no Blacksmith
Nyan Koi
Yosuga no Sora
Fortune Arterial
Mai Hime/Mai Otome
Starship Operators
Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai
Dragon Crisis
Kore ha Zombie Desuka?
Fractale
Seto no Hanayome
Sengoku Otome
Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi
Hidan no Aria
Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai
Ga Rei Zero
Kimi to Boku
Astarotte's Toy
Saint Tail
Karigurashi no Arietty
Kanamemo
Guilty Crown
Shuffle!
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
Mashiroiro Symphony
Koe de Oshigoto
Thermae Romae 
Yoake Mae yori Ruri-iro na
From Up on Poppy Hill
Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru
Robotics;Notes
Mangirl
Photon
Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki
Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san
Koi to Senkyou to Chocolate
Garden of Words
Narawareta Gakuen
Watamote
Kodomo no Jikan
Tayutama
Tsuki wa Higashi ni Hi wa Nishi ni: Operation Sanctuary
Tsuyokiss
Tsukuyomi Moon Phase
Okusama wa Joshikousei
W Wish
Final Approach
Maria Holic
Gakuen Alice
Sola
Prism Ark
Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to
The Wind Rises
Ushinawareta Mirai wo Motomete
Slow Step
Kanojo ga Flag o Oraretara 
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien 
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru 
Elfen Lied 
Suisei no Gargantia 
Karin 
Nodame Cantibile 
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle
Accel World
Triangle Hearts
Chobits
They Are My Noble Masters 
Sengoku Musou 
Koufuku Graffiti 
Mouretsu Pirates 
Kaiji 
Charlotte
Ranpo Kitan
Wakaba Girl
Classroom Crisis
Kuusen Madoshi Kouhousei no Kyoukan
Gakkou Gurashi 
Pretear 
When Marnie Was There 
Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm 
Musaigen no Phantom World 
Glass to Hana to Kowasu Sekai 
Anthem of the Heart 
Re: Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru!
Kimi no na wa 
Seiren
Minami Kamakura Koukou Joshi Jitensha-bu
Urara Meirochou  
Koe no Katachi
Sakura Quest
Hinako Note
Re:Creators
Clockwork Planet
Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Kinki Kyouten
Action Heroine Cheer Fruits
Tenshi no 3p!
Gamers!
Knight's & Magic
Made in Abyss
Anime-gataris
Slow Start
Sora yori mo Tooi Basho
Yuru Camp
Gurazeni
Fate/Last Encore
Fate/Strange Fake
Emiya-san chi no kyou no gohan
Lord El-Melloi II Case Files
Steins;Gate 0
Shin Evangelion
Ghost in the Shell: Arise
Ghost in the Shell SAC 2045
Basilisk ~ Oka ninpo cho ~
Kira Kira Pretty Cure a la mode
Hugtto! Pretty Cure
Delicious Party Pretty Cure
Hirogaru Sky Pretty Cure
Otona Precure 23
Hyakuren Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria
Angolmois
Harukana Receive
Guyver OVA series
Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight
Record of Lodoss War: Legend of Crystania/Chaos Ring
Gundam 08th MS Squad
Gundam 00
Gundam: The Origin
Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Tensei shitara Slime Datta ken
Ken en Ken: Aoki Kagayaki
Idolm@ster Side M
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari
Endro
Yakusoku no Neverland
Manaria Friends
Dragon Ball Z filler movies
Dragon Ball GT
Kenja no Mago
Carole & Tuesday
Senryuu Shoujo
UchiMusume
Sounan desu ka?
Hades Project Zeorymer
Re:Stage Dream Days
Arifureta
Assassin's Pride
Groove Adventure Rave Master
Bofuri
Hatena Illusion
Hamefura
Argonavis from BanG Dream
Lapis Re:Lights
Appare Ranman
Burn the Witch
Tonikaku Cawaii
Hanyou no Yashahime
Higurashi Gou/Sotsu
100-man no Inochi
Ochikobore Fruit Tart
Assault Lily Bouquet
Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken (2020)
Majo no Tabitabi
Magatsu Warheit Zuerst
King's Raid
Kumo desu ga, nani ka?
Ore Dake Haireru Kakushi Dungeon
Idoly Pride
86
Slime Taoshite 300-nen
Seirei Gensouki
Heion Idaten
Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha
Kageki Shoujo
Bokutachi no Remake
Deatte 5-byou de Battle
Re-main
Sekai Saikou Ansatsusha
Muv-Luv Alternative
Kaginado
Pride of Orange
World's End Harem
Slow Loop
Akebi-chan no Serafuku
DanMachi Sword Oratoria, oav's and Orion movie
Shenmue the Animation
Shoukei Shoujo
Kakkou no Iinazuke
Healer Girl
Summertime Rendering
Project A-ko
Cue!
Prima Doll
Luminous Witches
RWBY: Hyousetsu Teikouku
Shine Post
Isekai Meikyuu de Harem wo
Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru
Mushikaburi Hime
Saving 80,000 Gold Coins
Buddy Daddies
Spy Kyoushitsu
Otonari no Tenshi-sama
Ningen Fushin
Tsunlise
Tensei Oujo
Ayakashi Triangle
Kubo-san wa Mob wo Urusanai
Nier Automata
Jigokuraku
World Dai Star
Dead Mount Death Play
Yuusha ga Shinda
Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi o Suru
Watashi no Shiawase Kekkon
Jidouhanbaiki
Zom 100
Helck
Lastame
Synduality Noir
Genjitsu no Yohane
Suzume no Tojimari
Keiken Zero
Shy
Seiken Gakuen no Makentsukai
Hoshikuzu Telepath
16bit Sensation
Saijaku Tamer
Dungeon Meshi

This is a very thorough list of all the possible competitors for the title of 'great.'  The 'great' series that did reach my rankings beat every single one of these shows, even though they were all worth watching until the end.  Mowing through this many foes is like when Ichigo and Ishida were having a hollow killing competition just for fun.  It makes you really appreciate just how strong the top 200 really are.  Even 200th is still high up on the totem pole, compared to all these others who didn't make the rankings.

These are all the missing pieces to my anime rankings puzzles.  All the data is now out on the table.  The great series, the nearly great series, the good series, everything that has any potential at all is laid out on the table.  If you like a show that isn't in my rankings or in this list, all I can say is you have rotten taste in anime.  If you've watched all 200 of my top anime rankings and still crave more, all I can say is consult this list of runners-up and let the good times roll! 

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