There were many contenders, but the best anime of 2015 pulled at our heartstrings, amazed us with impossible action, and brought forth unforgettable characters. The following nine anime excelled in animation and storytelling and should absolutely be on your watchlist.
To qualify for this year’s list, the anime had to complete its season in 2015. So while Mr. Osomatsu and Haikyuu!! 2 started in 2015, their current season continue into 2016 and are not eligible for this list.
The imaginative world of Blood Blockade Battlefront takes place in New York City, but the city’s role of a melting pot is amplified tenfold when demons, monsters and otherworldly beings are thrown into the mix after a mysterious portal opens. Though most of the population has assimilated well, the secret, superhuman organization Libra works in the shadows to keep peace in the city. This anime adaption takes on the core characteristics from the manga and blends the into a great original story.
Each episode of Blood Blockade Battlefront is always a joy to watch with its lovable characters, beautifully animated fights, and monsters of the week. Even better is Blood Blockade Battlefront’s wild pacing, that while still fun, is also always careful to slowly and precisely drip in the overarching plot.
Available on Hulu and Funimation
Death Parade’s genius lies in a single question: how do you judge the dead? The show answers by taking us to a strange underworld bar where emotionless beings known as Arbiters determine the fate of human souls by forcing them to play death games. These games put participants under extreme duress, which reveals the darkness hidden inside them via fragmented memories.
Death Parade is an emotional rollercoaster ride: we see heartbreaking flashbacks of an abusive mother taking her anger out on a young child, and a husband and wife’s perfect marriage unravel under the suspicion of adultery. We also get to see more humorous moments, like when a ditzy fangirl finally meets her boy band idol during a deadly (and hilariously awkward) game of Twister. It’s a riveting show that will leave you wondering about the sort of life you lead and where you’ll end up when it’s over.
Available on Funimation and Hulu
Consistently engaging and entertaining, Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma takes the high-stakes shounen battle trope and refines it. Main character and cooking prodigy Soma aims to be number one (a mainstay of shounen anime) at his extremely prestigious cooking school. Food Wars nails that competitive intensity, and it takes the time to develop even its most minor characters so we have a reason to care about their successes and failures. It also does fan service the right way; characters’ over-the-top reactions to food make sense when that food is so beautifully animated and enthusiastically presented.
Available on Crunchyroll and Hulu
It was almost scary seeing how Gatchaman Crowds: Insight so well reflects today’s cultural fascination with social media and technology. This second season comes nearly two years after the great first season, and while it’s slow to approach its main themes, it’s grounded in brilliance. We see the Gatchaman once again questioning what it means to be a hero and how social media affects society. The Gatchaman team, especially Hajime, are just as great as they were in the first season, and the new characters, though at first seem a bit dull, are crafted into great personifications of this season’s complex themes.
Available on Hulu and Crunchyroll
Romance anime My Love Story was a joy from beginning to end. Protagonist Takeo Gouda is unconventional for the genre; he’s a tall, bulky, Yakuza-looking (but totally sweet and wonderful) guy who hasn’t had any luck with girls. Then he meets and starts dating Rinko Yamato, and the absolute adorableness begins! My Love Story’s strong suit is in balancing the romance with humor, a little bit of drama, and great side characters. It’s never too sweet or mushy to handle and consistently makes us smile. It also uses Takeo and Yamato’s relationship as a background for exploring different kinds of love, as opposed to making the entire story about how they’re dating. It’s a heartfelt, charming show that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Available on Hulu and Crunchyroll
We love One-Punch Man for how it turns the most common Shounen trope on its head. Instead of struggling to become the best in the world, salaryman-turned-superhero Saitama struggles to find a worthy opponent in battle. His entire city is overrun with all sorts of bizarre monsters, yet none of them can withstand a single punch from him. Ironically, the city refuses to acknowledge him as a true hero until he can pass a test and prove himself to be S Class material. Thus begins Saitama’s hilarious journey to officially be the best. One Punch Man is a great mix of action and comedy, supported by a cast of original (see: weird) characters and solid animation quality.
At first glance, this very moe anime seems silly; cute girls live in a school and form a club to fight off zombies. The protagonist Yuki is the definition of a "genki" girl, or a female character who is overly cheerful and energetic, so it's easy to write this off as another cutesy machine created to for figures and other products that could sell well. However, we quickly learned that her energy creates a great contrast for the atmosphere she survives in with her few friends. This is one of the few shows that had members of the IGN office running to each other to discuss and analyze every episode. Its beautiful twists and an incredible attention to detail make it an anime not easily forgotten.
Available on Crunchyroll and Hulu
Shirobako looks like a cutesy moe anime, but it's grounded in realistic relationships as it explores the behind-the-scenes of the anime industry. From production to animation to voice acting, Shirobako shows us precisely what goes into making our favorite anime while exploring the lives of five friends from high school. Once enthusiastic about the industry, the girls enter the workforce and discover that it's not as easy or as fun as it once seemed. Workplace problems are tense without being overly dramatic, and seeing the girls grapple with their identities while remaining hopeful and determined is relatable and engaging. Not only is Shirobako a must-watch for anime fans curious about how the industry works, it's also a sweet, heartfelt show with characters worth connecting with.
Available on Crunchyroll and Hulu
Passion and fear collide in the dramatic Your Lie in April, one of the few anime that actually hurts to binge watch. This journey of loss and acceptance will evoke even a few tears from the coldest person. Prodigy pianist Kousei Arima has given up playing after his mother passes away from illness, but finds himself drawn back to the piano after meeting a wonderful violinist, Kaori Miyazono. These two build a bond that's wonderfully visualized through their touching duets, but their constant bickering is just as charming. Though Your Lie in April relies on heavy emotions that can be hard to stomach, it's still balanced well enough to give the us time to love and laugh with the well written characters.
Available on Crunchyroll and Hulu
What were your favorite anime from 2015? What are you watching in 2016? Let us know in the comments below. For more on anime, be sure to check out IGN Anime Club.
Miranda Sanchez is an Associate Editor and an IGN Anime Club host. You can check out her ramblings about anime and cats on Twitter. Kallie Plagge is a host of IGN Anime Club and is IGN's resident Poké Kid. Follow her on Twitter @inkydojikko for cute things, FPS adventures, and more. Meghan Sullivan is one of IGN's foremost RPG experts. Talk JRPGs and WWE with her on Twitter at @Meghan_IGN.
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