No Right Answer: Best Anime Series Ever

[Alterego-X]

Anime is not a genre of animation, anime is animation from Japan. What your saying is the equivalent of saying that every live action american TV show is a genre.

I don't think you understand the difference between medium and genre.

Medium is an art form that can be used as a form of expresion. Animation should be classified as its own medium because it requires its own set of skills and has its own set of tools separate from film, illustration, and photography, and has proven to be a valid form of expression through time and across the globe.

In the medium of animation, there are sub categories that are used to help classify animation. These classifications can be based on style, technique, substance, format, structure, or in the case of Anime country of origin.

You can in no way classify Anime as its own separate art form from animation. The following clips make use of the same animation techniques pioneered by the makers of Looney Tunes (though their anatomy is fundamentally different)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqPTe3Cr3RA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR6KjNmN2BA

Anime is not a form of expression all of its own, it is a way to categorize certain works within the art form of animation, thus is labeled a genre.

If the Academy Awards can use country of origin as a way to place films into genres, then it should be good enough for the Escapist forums.

I think both terms are incorrect for Anime, it's neither a genre, nor a medium.

It's obviously not a genre, because a genre would have it's own conventions, formats, styles, recurring themes. For example the Superhero genre involves superpowers, an FPS game is always made in a first-person view, a romance novel has people falling in love, a sci-fi always plays with scientific plausibility, etc.

In anime, if you would try to name anything like that; a stereotypical "anime-ish" element, then you would actually have to be referring to an element of one of anime's own genres, such as harem comedies, magical girl series, or shonen fighting series, that is probably completely lacking from all the other anime genres.

And it's also not a medium for what you said, it isn't a fundamentally different method of creation.

Probably we should use whichever term is more logical at the moment, for example when analyzing animation, western and Japanese animation can be referenced as it's "two main genres", but when comparing novels, films, theatre plays, anime, and cartoons to each other, then it's easier to call all of them "media", because in everything else than technicalities, they are at least as different from each other as TV from theatre.

 

[Alterego-X]

Cowboy Bepop is like the Citizen Kane of Anime, because just like that film, it's a decent classic, that's only really notable feature is that it somehow managed to become the default "Best Ever" reply for everyone who is too lazy to have an own opinion.

 

[chif-ii]

I call shenannigans on this one on so many levels. First, Kyle gave an extra point to Gus for bringing the soda. Second, Gus spit-taked about three times, and I don't care that he's not used to it - spit take = disqualification. If Gus hadn't got that point, it would have been a tie Third, the episode title is entirely wrong. "Best 'Mon show", yes. "Best Anime"? Without Gurren Lagann as a contender?

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

Out of these i'd say Digimon should have taken the win and i'm glad it did. SPOILER WARNING!

But yeah, if you were to discuss running anime i'd say Fate/Zero should take it home, and since i haven't really watched the older anime (like Cowboy Bebop, which there's a clear bias towards here) i don't feel qualified to talk about the best ones EVER.

 

[godofallu]

I never watch this series, not sure why I tuned in for 5 seconds. Just long enough to rediscover that these guys have no taste.

 

[GeorgW]

Digimon!!
Ahem. Didn't really like this episode, which is weird cuz I enjoy this particular discussion. I guess it was just weird to mess with the formula.
But yeah, digimon is just soo much better. Especially the games.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

That was crap, Kyle! Clearly a spittake!
And giving a point for buying two small bottles of non-alcoholic liquor... ? You must be a cheap date

 

[kortin]

Yuru Yuri is the best anime ever, of course.

 

[V8 Ninja]

Like many other people on this thread, I'm going to say that neither of the two anime deserve that title at all. However, if we have to stick to those two, I would have to say that Digimon beats Pokemon any day. The problem with Pokemon was that it was formulaic since the first season and it never changed or showed any depth. The main character's goal was to catch all of the Pokemon that existed and Ash still hasn't achieved that goal after 10+ seasons and 25+ movies. Digimon, on the other hand, had a varying story and at least tried to have some sort of depth to it. You could expect a new story with every season and there were some emotional and dark moments. Bear in mind that those "Dark Moments" were dark for a kids show, but the story wasn't solely a device to move onto the next new critter that the show wanted to sell to kids.

 

[Right Hook]

Oh man, I barely consider Pokemon and Digimon to be anime, they are definitely cartoons first and foremost.

 

[Mausthemighty]

After 43 seconds I stopped this video. What the hell are they thinking? Pokemon or Digimon? Are they insane? From the gazilions of anime that are produced they choose those two?
They should have done Full Metal Alchemist, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell.

Hell I even would have found it more believable if they put Naruto against DBZ...
Bad one guys! Bad one.

 

[Kadamon]

Oh. I thought things like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell, and Elfen Lied would've been brought up.

I think I lost time.

 

[ANImaniac89]

Hey I love Pokemon but the first two seasons of Digimon Adventures trump every season of Pokemon.
Having said that Pokemon is more iconic.

But nether of them are the best Anime series ever. That award goes to Cowboy Bebop for action and FLCL for Comedy/drama

 

[uzo]

Hmm ... the only Anime series I've watched in their entirety are Evangleion, Valkyuria, Love Hina, and Samurai Champloo.

I have watched a lot of Chibi Maruko-chan and Sazae-San however. They were on every Sunday since ... like ... forever. Other anime change time slots depending on their popularity at the time; but Maruko and Sazae have always dominated the Sunday night prime time slots.

EDIT: But a debate about two anime most people (outside of Japan) have never heard of would probably be a bit pointless.

 

[Beautiful End]

Yeah, that should have been a little more specific. While I agree with the result (DIGIMON RULEZZZ!!1!11!), Pokemon is one of the longest running anime of all time with a pretty big number of followers. Perhaps set it against...DBZ? Or Naruto? (Although I hate Naruto but whatever).

But I completely agree with the arguments, once again. I started out as a hardcore Pokemon fan and I got into Digimon simply because "it looked like Pokemon". After the first or second Pokemon seasons, I started realizing that it is simply endless. Trained catches new Pokemon, Team Rocket tries to steal them in a very lame way, trained beats gym leaders, trainer goes to Indigo Plateau or whatever they call it nowadays, Trainer loses, rinse and repeat. Not only that, but while us original Pokemon fans grew older, it felt as though I had to leave Pokemon behind not because I got tired of it, but because it couldn't keep up with me. it was all the same, it was too cuddly and it was never ending.

On the other hand, Digimon gives every single character a personality. The protagonists are truly human, they laugh, they cry, they're mean, etc. And above all? They deal with death. Many of the Digidestined (I'll admit they lose major points for having corny definitions like that) had relatives or even Digimon who died and this leaves them heavily scarred, you know, much like it might happen if they were real human beings. The most well known for doing that would be Koji from Season 2, who was originally the main antagonist of the season, and Jerry, who witnesses Leomon die for her after it took them ages to bond. Then a regretful Impmon tries to make amends to no avail. THIS is real. This I can relate to even if I am 80 years old. And the plot changes too! New characters, new stories, new Digimon, etc. Digimon makes me wanna go back and watch the series even if I know they're probably gonna reuse half the Digimon we already know.

As far as voices, I have yet to find an anime whose voices sound accurate. Ash needs to stop sounding like a tween about to lose her voice, the little kids in Digimon have to stop sounding like if someone's twisting their nipple and the rest of the characters have to stop getting that exaggerated, stereotypical voice. You know, "Oh, I'm a guuuuy. So therefore, I'll sound like oooooone" "And I'm a girl! Yeah! Desu desu kawaii ne!"

Pokemon gets points for being popular for this long regardless of its repetitive nature. But Digimon is just plain better at this point.

But yeah, we all know Ranma 1/2 is the best anime of all time, clearly.

Chris was in fine form today, but Gus...please don't bring that guy back. I appreciate about 30% of his enthusiasm. The rest just makes him seem like a monkey on amphetamines with a boner for anime. Nothing about that combination is good.

This. Oh, Maker, this!

 

[Cecilthedarkknight_234]

for some reason... I feel trolled.. and I had to weigh in for a series..Higurasi/When they cry season/two and rei. Mind fu** are what keep me up at night

 

[Jennacide]

As long as we're just talking amine aimed at younger audiences, I very much agree. Pokemon was not bad but it was in no way as good as Digimon. Just my opinion

If you ever read the Pokemon Adventures manga, you'd grow to hate the horrible excuse that is the anime. It's so awful in comparison.

Best for me? One Piece. Pirates = Awesome. The crew make it more awesome, no character I don't love. Yes, even Usopp. (Especially once he becomes Sogeking)

 

[OutsiderEX]

The problem with this video is that there is a right answer to the best anime series ever.

It's called Legend of the Galactic Heroes.

 

[NostromoNXS]

Just remembered a few more that were great.......Outlaw Star, Gatchaman, Hades Project: Zeorymer....All of them were great!!!

 

[Incomer]

Only thing that surprises me is that they probably watched those anime. How old are you anyway? I think they must be boring for anyone older then 10 years.
And why would you ever want to talk about anime if those 2 series are probably the only pieces you have hard off? And why is this show still around?

Side not: I get the love behind Cowboy Bebop - it was one of the first anime I've watched. In my opinion the majority of the episodes is boring to me but you need to watch through them as the story and especially ending is just awesome. I do prefer Samurai Champloo (same team), it's probably my favorite, but when it comes to ending I think Cowboy Bebop strikes deeper.