For those unfamiliar with this title, please do not confuse it with “Princess Mononoke” though making such conclusions is naturally understandable. Taking place in feudal Japan, our main character only referred to as the medicine seller is on a quest to eliminate evil spirits plaguing the land of the rising sun. In addition to using the same time periods as their backdrops, the medicine seller is also interested in the purpose of the evil spirits he combats from a scholarly/academic standpoint though for very different ends (Ginko to “cure” and for the medicine seller to exorcise). Both series share an episodic/condense formula while “Mononoke’s” story is told in two episode parts and then moves onto the next town for the next two episodes. The characters from time to time make a unique and memorable impact despite being used once. However, the mushi are neither a force of good or evil while the spirits in “Mononoke” are taken from Japanese mythology that are meant to terrorize regular people.

If you could apply the iconic movie phrase “I see dead people” into anime, look no further than “Natsume Yuujinchou.” Natsume, our main character has the sixth sense he inherited from his grandmother. Unfortunately, this gift has made him secluded and has bounced from home to home. Now he uses his abilities and the “Book of Friends” he inherited from his grandmother to make things right with the ghosts. Both this series and Mushishi deal with loneliness but yet the need to use one’s gifts to help others and share episodic formats. However, “Natsume Yuujinchou” has something of a more subliminal optimistic tone knowing that everything will be all right.

Based on the light novel series by Shigusawa Keiichi, “Kino no Tabi” tells the many travels of Kino and her talking motorcycle, Hermes. Every place Kino goes offers something different and educational to both our main character and to the viewer. Similar yet different, but still highly recommended. I say this anime takes somewhat of a contrasting approach in its themes and yet achieves the same satisfaction in goals. As opposed to finding the answers, the answers in a collective sense already exist to the main character. Its about accepting imperfections and understanding differences and audiences can discover what this fictional world offers is something genuinely universal.

This classic Ghibli movie stars Ashitaka, a warrior prince who was only protecting his village only to be consequentially cursed for his well-intended actions. On his journey, he encounters the beauty of nature and the wickedness of humanity. This amazing feature shares a story about a relationship between humans and the mysteries of nature in the perspective of a fictional ancient time period. Humans are of course to be shown on a certain margin of let's say 40% good and 60% bad, while nature itself is still neutral but ultimately controls the order but humanity can still make the right choices if they show the proper restraint and respect. When push comes to shove, nature is ready for all out war.

This anime serves as a spin-off of the hit Tokusatsu franchise. Born from the negative emotions of humans are monsters called “horrors.” The only ones capable of fighting them are the Makai Knights and the Makai Priests/Priestesses. The series centers around a father-son team of Leon Luiz, the current bearer of the golden Garo armor, and his lecherous yet honorable father, German or Zoro when he dons his silver armor. Together they travel around the kingdom to help the common people from these inter-dimensional threats. On the surface there could be no polar opposites but share some similarities. For example, the characters are always on continuous journeys in being faithful to their respective duties, to help others, and both share dark backstories. In some ways similar to the mushi, the existence of horrors is kept at a minimum for safety reasons. The series also touches on what it means to exist, though obviously in different ways. In the case of “Garo,” it is defining what it truly means to be a Makai Knight. Though the existence of horrors is due to the dark sides of human nature, thus humans being the cause of horrors, the Knights swear an oath never to harm humans.

Based on the classic manga by Araki Hirohiko, “Stardust Crusaders” is the adaptation of the third arc of the manga. This series takes place in the 1980s and is centered on the Jojo of this saga, Kujo Jotaro. After the resurrection of Dio Brando, the arch-nemesis of Jotaro’s great-great-grandfather, Jotaro along with other individuals gain ethereal abilities known as stands. Unfortunately, his mother is physically incapable of maintaining her stand so Jotaro, his grandfather, and their new friends must make it to Egypt in less than 2 months to stop Dio once and for all and save Jotaro’s mother. I understand why some people question the inclusion of how “Jojo” could be any similar to “Mushishi.” Yes, there are some episodic journeys. Yes, the crew does help people rather incidentally. Yes, it takes place in a specific time period. But I say the inclusion of stands in this series is what defines it. In most cases, only stand users can see other stands while invisible to non-users. Like the mushi, stands can virtually take any form and have various uses and abilities. Like the mushi, the stands also have a very mysterious origin (but it gets addressed in the next manga story arc and would make an awesome anime) But “Jojo” has comedy, awesome music, and balls to the walls action. If you want that, “Jojo” is your anime.

The heroine of this anime is Maya Kumashiro, the headstrong, no nonsense daughter of the former Headmaster of Waldstein Academy. Maya had just begrudgingly returned to the academy to succeed her father and get her revenge. However, her plans to destroy the academy change when she reluctantly teams up with Fumiaki Uchida. Fumiaki explained that he had been sent back to 1999 from 2012 to prevent the apocalypse foretold in the Nostradamus Prophecy that would be brought about by the Nostradamus Key. After hearing out his plea for help, the two set out to find and destroy the Nostradamus Key in order to prevent this impending doom. Occult Academy centers around the strange events taking place in their world. Maya definitely handles the mysteries going on around her quite well, and makes this anime not only stand out for its supernatural theme, but for presenting an intelligent and strong female Lead. Not to mention, the dark and gothic vibes with other interesting characters and creepy school, makes this anime go well with Ghost Hunt!

The story follows the misadventures of a would-be author Momosuke, who is writing a collection of 100 ghost stories and his encounters with the Ongyou. The Ongyou are a mysterious group of three supernatural detectives that investigate and solve mysteries in order to bring about their idea of justice. Requiem from the Darkness does an excellent job of introducing and explaining Japanese folklore. Plus, the vivid use of colors and camera angles along with an unique art style make this anime a good choice for fans of Ghost Hunt want a darker story with a mix of mystery, supernatural creatures, suspense, and Japanese culture in an Edo time period.

Mushishi’s music, by the same composer as Ghost Hunt, offers more difficult and complex themes as the mysterious and paranormal events taking place around the main character set a more serious tone, and is very thought provoking. While the plot revolves around Ginko, a wandering “mushishi” who is the type of person who specializes in dealing with primitive spirits called, “mushi”, and other types of supernatural creatures. As Ginko goes from town to town, he investigates cases and helps those affected by mushi.

Right off the bat, this anime gives a similar setting and theme as Ghost Hunt with its magician dispatch service. Plus, it also has some playful, action packed, episodes with a little bit of comedy and romance mixed in. This anime changes directions a lot so each episode concludes itself, and the next one tells a different chain of events. Also, the character designs and powers of the main characters are extremely similar. The story takes places after Itsuki Iba father mysteriously vanishes and he has to take over the family’s business: a magician dispatch service that handles all the things that go bump in the night, along with daytime spooks and spirits.

This anime is from same creator as Ghost Hunt and also has a supernatural and mysterious plot with horror, drama, twist, and plenty of gore. The story takes place in a small town where 15 year old Natsuno Yuuki an anti-social and rather cold boy starts to investigate a series of mysterious deaths that begin to spread in the village at the same time as a strange family moves into a long-abandoned mansion. Toshio Ozaki the director of the only hospital in the town believes he has a frightening epidemic on his hands as more and more people keep dying but as he continues to research the cause he finds that the deaths are caused by “shiki”, vampire like creatures.

Another visually stunning supernatural and mystery anime that also has a touch of horror mixed in that is a must watch for Ghost Hunt fans who love traditional Japanese monsters as well anime with great art. Plus, the main character himself is a mysterious man only referred to as the "Medicine Seller". The Medicine Seller tries to discover the truth behind the appearance of Mononoke, evil spirits remain in the human world in order to slay them. He must use his expertise in supernatural and paranormal activity to uncover the only clue that comes from each Mononoke’s bizarre behavior in order to rid the world of it.

The beginning of the movie starts out like a typical love story where two young adults meet in a college classroom. They spend time together and eventually become attracted to each other, when things begin to move rapidly. Hana, the young woman, discovers her new lover is actually a shapeshifting wolf and from then on things progress rapidly. Hana discovers she is pregnant and quits school in order to raise her child while her lover works ever harder to support her. Yuki is born and Hana quickly becomes pregnant again. When her second child Ame is born, her lover goes out on the hunt to feed his ever growing family, but never returns. Hana quickly finds out that he will never return and resolves herself to raise her two unique children who have inherited their father’s strange power without being discovered. Wolf Children is a story about personal growth and how the decisions we make lead us to where we are and to who we become. Even with its fantasy elements, this movie speaks to the soul and forcing viewers to ask questions about who they really are and are they happy with the decisions they have made to get there. Both Yuki and Ame must dig deep to discover their paths just as their mother decided to set her own needs aside for those of her children. Motherhood is one of the central elements of the movie, showing just how hard young mothers try to give everything to their children to the best of their abilities. Wolf Children is heartwarming and will leave viewers not only questioning themselves, but thanking their mothers for getting them to where they are today.

Based on the manga of the same name, Beserk is not for the faint of heart. This action packed movie contains blood, gore, sexual violence, and plenty more, but beyond this lies an excellent story about revenge and betrayal. Set in a medieval fantasy world, the story revolves around Guts, a mercenary for hire accompanied by his large sword. When he encounters Griffith, the leader of a band of mercenaries, on his travels he is defeated in combat and forced to join their ranks. Befriending Griffith over time, Guts becomes his right hand man as they gain more glory from their victories and are eagerly sought after. For those who love a good action anime, this anime is for you. For those who love drama, this anime is for you. For those who love fantasy, this anime is for you. This movie is amazing and has powerful storytelling. The characters each have their own grim backstories and there are elements of mystery tying them together. While this is a fantasy movie, the writers don’t try to hide the grisly details of survival in such a world even going so far as to address feminine hygiene at one point. While there is only one movie named here, there are currently three out and more being made in order to continue the story. If you like Game of Thrones, you will love this.

Taking place somewhere between Fishman Island and Punk Hazard, Film Z further explores the idea of justice taken too far in an era where Akainu has control over the Marine forces. Centering on the mysterious “Z” character, the Strawhat crew are caught off guard when they end up rescuing him at sea. Z believes pirates are an absolute evil and is willing to destroy the entire New World, including innocents, in order to rid the seas of them. While the Strawhats are able to survive, they are left with a young Nami, Chopper, and Robin (also Brook). Luffy, determined to get his crewmates back to normal and settle the score, sets out in search of “Z’ and discovers his true identity, the ex-Admiral Zephyr. While this movie does require some familiarity with One Piece, it’s still a fun adventure that is one of the few incredibly well written and animated movies based around a major shounen franchise. The plot is believable within the canon timeline and even eludes to current events in the manga giving the story more believability and weight. Luffy is also surprisingly emotional during the majority of the film and viewers are able to see his internal struggles as he often questions if he is strong enough to protect those he cares about. On top of a fantastic story, the animation sequences put the anime series to shame. Fight sequences are composed of beautifully blended animation and CG, leaving viewers with the jaws agape.

A psychological thriller, Perfect Blue will leaver viewers scratching their heads and wondering what they just watched. The movie revolves around Mami, the lead in an Akihabara idol group, who wishes to become an actress. Her fans disagree with her move and she is opening ostracized and ripped apart. One fan takes things too far when she lands a role on a TV crime drama. Writers and directors go missing and weird letters are left around for her to find. Mami is frightening and begins to question even her own surroundings wondering if she really is who she things she is. Perfect Blue perfectly displays Japan’s idol culture where fans rule these young women’s personal lives lest their popularity decline. The film touches on very real issues that idols have faced in the past and does not shy away from the harassment received by these idols for even dating. The character Mami is persistent in her dreams and is undeterred by the warnings of her managers, but quickly begins to fall apart once the pressure of succeeding is forced upon her. The movie does a great job jerking viewers around and always keeping them on their toes.

Two young girls named Mei and Satsuki move to the countryside with their father, leaving their mother behind in a hospital to recover from a long-term illness. While they wait for their mother’s recovery, the girls explore the local forest and befriend a local deity who Mei deems to be “Totoro” or troll in Japanese. Together, they play and go on adventures in the forest until one day Mei becomes lost. Satsuki sets on in search of her younger sister with the help of Totoro and all is set right. My Neighbor Totoro is a classic in its own right and is a must see for anime lovers across the world. Miyazaki captures the magic and wonder of Japanese folklore and beautifully ties it to the modern world in a heartwarming tale about childhood and growing up. The music provided by resident Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi is whimsical and lovely, while the amazing hand drawn animation captures every detail. There is a reason that Totoro is more popular than Mickey Mouse in Japan.

In a world where online activity is require for everyday interactions, Kenji has a promising future as an admin and is quite gifted with mathematics and programming. When he runs into a classmate Natsuki, she invites him to her grandmother’s birthday party where Kenji is introduced as her fiancé. With both parties surprised, Kenji leaves and meets Natsuki’s uncle who happens to be a computer genius. Little does he know how much trouble this uncle will cause? Kenji receives a mysterious email with a mathematical equation that he is determined to solve, but once he does a mysterious computer virus hacks his online account and begins to hijack other accounts causing chaos in both the virtual and real worlds. While technology can be useful to solve everyday problems, perhaps mankind may rely too heavily on machines that anybody with bad intentions can easily overturn and wreak havoc. Summer Wars seems to encourage a healthy balance between the two and shows what gets lost when control of our creations is taken away. There are boundaries that are never meant to be crossed and many times humans forget this in their pursuit of knowledge. Natsuki eats from the forbidden fruit and must rectify his error lest more is taken away from him. Action-packed and an all-out fun film, Summer Wars won’t disappoint.

Makoto Konno mysterious gains the power to leap through time after she comes across a strange walnut shaped object inside her classroom. After narrowly escaping death, she decides to continue using her power for small things, such as passing exams and arriving on time places, but things take a turn when her best friend Chiaki confesses his love for her. She jumps back in time to avoid him and begins to understand that her actions have consequences. After discovering she has a limited amount of jumps left, Makoto sets out to set things right and reverse all the damage she cause with her previous jumps. An answer to everyone’s favorite fantasy of reversing time to avoid undesirable situations, this movie is based on a novel of the same name by Yasutaka Tsutsui. When a person can change their decisions at will, morals are blurred since the user can easily change outcomes. Makoto realizes that the thrills she gained from fixing mundane habits in her life quickly wore off so she began upping the stakes. Time travel became a drug and power quickly rose to her head until she realized she was only given limited power and her new world that she created was not one she wanted to live in. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is an adventure and drama filled ride giving viewers a taste of something they will never have.

Researchers discover a path to helping patients through their dreams, but little do they know how far down the rabbit hole goes. One of the research doctors, Atsuko Chiba, takes on an avatar she names “Paprika” and begins to treat patients outside the facility she works for and against regulations. Paprika begins treating a detective by the name of Toshimi Konokawa who has an incomplete dream giving him a bad case of anxiety. He is given information for the physical offices where the dream machines are stored and told to come in secret, since Atsuko does not want her secret getting out. Soon the machines are stolen and it is revealed that they do not have restrictions on who a person can access, leaving everyone as fair game. Paprika was directed by the amazing Satoshi Kon who also directed Perfect Blue and was taken from us too soon in 2010. The movie has similar elements to the live-action film Inception who many loyal fans claim to have stolen Paprika’s plot. As in most of Kon’s work, the movie can be slightly hard to follow and might require several viewings before all of its secrets are revealed, but it’s a fun ride attempting to catch all of the tiny details Kon has packed into this movie. The art and color palette are spectacular as well as the animation. Viewers who are looking for something different, look no further than Paprika.

When a simple bamboo cutter discovers a magical glowing bamboo stalk in the bamboo forest, he finds a tiny young baby girl inside its bloom and brings her home with him. He and his wife quickly realize that she is no ordinary child as she grows at an astonishing rate and attracts the attention of the local children she befriends. The bamboo cutter returns to the forest and begins to find gold and silk cloth in the bamboo he cuts. Taking this as a sign of what his adoptive daughter must become, he sets out to the capital in order to establish a residence and a name for her. He returns to their village and brings the young girl back to the new palace he had built where she further draws the affections of five of the highest ranking men in the country. Unsatisfied with all of them, she sets them to do impossible tasks in order to remain free. Nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is loosely based on one of the oldest Japanese folktales in existence called, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The movie is gorgeously animated in the style of traditional Japanese brush strokes and is a feast for the eyes. In addition to its visuals, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya has an amazing story that touches on the treatment of women during feudal Japan. Kaguya is often complimented and valued because of her looks, which men often wish to own as a form of accomplishment. Kaguya quickly realizes this and therefore realizes that the only way to remain free is to escape a life amongst the nobles. The movie is heartbreaking and will leave an audience in tears.

During World War II, many Japanese families were displaced and innocent children were often left to fend for themselves. Sirens were commonplace and fear was rampant. Seita and his younger sister Setsuko found themselves caught in a firebombing and while they survived, their mother was not so lucky. With their father away on a war ship, they are shipped off to their aunt’s house who is upset she has to share rations with her nephew and niece. Seita becomes fed up with his aunt’s behavior and decides him and Setsuko and fend for themselves inside one of the many bomb shelters. He is sorely wrong and both begin to starve. Seita tries everything in his power to find food and survive with the hope that one day their father will return from war. Probably one of the most depressing movies of all time and a rare movie that requires a chaser film afterwards, there isn’t even an ounce of happiness in this film. The subject of the movie isn’t meant to be light-hearted though and the writers wrote the story with extreme care making sure not to sugar-coat the suffering of the innocent Japanese citizens during the fire bombings of World War II. Grave of the Fireflies is powerful and is often heralded as one of the greatest war films ever made, just make sure tissues are available upon viewing this film.

At the core of this series lies Kaname Madoka, an average 8th grader who, despite being quite shy, is a happy teenager who loves her family and friends very much. Her life takes a dramatic turn however, when a chance encounter with Kyuubei, a cat-like being, ends with her being endowed with powers that enable her to transform into a magical girl. Together with her friends, they get introduced to the world of witches and magic. This anime is a perfect example of a series that must never be judged by its cover. Just like Gakkou Gurashi!, which looks quite average and normal from the outside but is immensely deep and thought-provoking on the inside, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika is an anime that looks like a regular magical girl series on the outside, but is actually a deep, psychoanalytical, and immensely dramatic masterpiece on the inside. From the first episode alone, you as the viewer will notice that it is not your typical magical girls anime, and boy, does it deliver in that aspect.

Yet another series that manages to bridge the gap between Slice of Life and Horror, When They Cry is another dark anime in the guide of moe that has managed to gain a pretty good following among anime fans. The story centers on Maebara Keiichi, a young teenage boy who is adjusting to his new life in Hinamizawa, an isolated mountain village. There, he meets and befriends a group of girls, each one with a dark secret that involves acts of murder, dismemberment, and pure on psychological torture. Just like Gakkou Gurashi!, this anime manages to blend elements of different genres perfectly, forming a cohesive whole that is both entertaining and quite disturbing at the same time. What you have to expect when you pick up this series though, is the fact that the plot is divided into numerous, individual arcs, all of them starting at the beginning of the story’s timeline. Despite this ‘reset’ that happens every few episodes however, the series manages to deliver an anime experience that is quite unlike any other.

The plot of this anime involves a group of students from Kisaragi Academy, which just happens to be a school that was built on the same site as Heavenly Host Elementary School, a place in which a string of brutal murders took place many years ago. Through a series of supernatural events, the students find themselves transported to Heavenly Host, where they are forced to fight for their survival and for the chance to go back home, while they get continually hunted as prey by violent spirits out to kill them. Corpse Party: Tortured Souls is an anime that was created for one purpose and one purpose alone – to shock and terrify its viewers. In fact, one will not find any shortage of critiques of the show praising it for being the one true horror anime that has been released in recent years. With a moe mask that hides its grim plot similar to Gakkou Gurashi!, this is one anime that has proven itself to never disappoint its viewers when it comes to the horror it brings. Just make sure that you are up to it if you do decide to watch it.

This anime’s premise is quite unique in its own right, featuring a plot that is very realistic and pretty close to the scientific possibility of Tokyo being hit by a massive earthquake. The plot centers on siblings Mirai and Yuuki, who opts to visit the artificial island, Odaiba, for a robot exhibition. When a magnitude 8.0 earthquake suddenly hits and levels Tokyo, the siblings must work together with Mari, a delivery woman they met on the island, in order to go back to their Setagaya home in western Tokyo. Both Gakkou Gurashi! and Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 feature a small group of people trying to adapt in the aftermath of a disaster that is beyond everyone’s control. While the former features a zombie outbreak, the latter features a powerful earthquake. However, their greatest similarity may very well be the characterizations employed as plot devices, as both series feature characters that undergo extreme emotional trauma to the point of entering a state of denial.

High School of the Dead is all about a group of students from Fujimi High School who are among the last survivors of a massive zombie outbreak in Japan. With the entire social system falling into chaos, the students, together with the school’s ditzy buxom nurse, must band together in order to find answers behind what’s causing the outbreak, while trying their best to survive the unwavering waves of the undead that is out to get them. Though the anime has become notorious for its massive amounts of fan service, High School of the Dead is nonetheless an undeniably fun series to watch, with lots of action, some dashes of drama, and a pretty quirky dialogue that makes then characters stand out very well. Just like Gakkou Gurashi!, it is a series that explores the theme of young people trying to survive in a world that is at an end. Oh, and both series feature zombies too.

The plot of Dusk Maiden of Amnesia is a very unique one, featuring a story that starts 6o years prior to the events in the anime, when a woman was left to die in the abandoned school building behind the exclusive Seikyou Academy. In the present day, Siekyou’s clubs include one which caters to students interested in paranormal investigations. What makes the club very eerie is the fact that it is being led not by a regular student, but by the ghost of the woman murdered many years back. The series is yet another example of an anime that is able to achieve a certain balance when blending elements of numerous, even contrasting genres. Featuring elements from the Slice of Life, Horror, and even the Comedy and Romance genres, Dusk Maiden of Amnesia is one anime that is, similar to Gakkou Gurashi!, very rare in its own right. Apart from this, themes that are heavy on the psychological aspect of the characters are also explored fully in both of these series.

Arslan is the prince of Pars, but his father the king looks down on his son as weak and unworthy of the throne. When Lusitania, a nation of fanatics, takes over a neighboring kingdom and Invades Pars, it’s the rash actions of Arslan’s father that leads to Pars’s defeat, and his own capture. Arslan must rally his nation and fight back against Lusitania. Along with his closest advisors, Daryun and Narsus, Arslan must garner the strength to take back his country. Like Rokka no Yuusha, Arslan Senki is a fantasy-series with a pretty unique setting and feel. It’s fantasy, but Pars has pretty clear connections to Persia, and Lusitania to Europe. It’s also very character driven, and mostly a coming of age story about how Arslan must grow and take responsibility as a King. Arslan is more of an historical epic than Rokka no Yuusha, but the two evoke a similar feeling at times and Arslan is definitely a fantasy series to consider if you’re a fan of Rokka no Yuusha.

Yona is a princess who’s famed for her beauty, but her sheltered life has left her naïve and rather frail. One of her closest friends, Su-won, usurps her Father, the king and places himself on the throne. Su-won says there’s a greater good and meaning behind his actions, and attempts to kill Yona as well, only to be rescued by General Hak, another one of Yona’s childhood friends. Yona must rise up from despair to find justice for her father, lead her country and learn the truth of Su-won’s deeds. Akatsuki no Yona is a fantastic character drama. It has several very well-written characters, in a world that is detailed, both in the show’s writing as well as its visuals. The character development and interaction are balanced out by several engaging and well-animated fight scenes. There’s also a romance between two of the main characters, like Rokka no Yuusha. Akatsuki no Yona Is a show that’s easy to fall in love with and it’s one of those series that deserves a bigger following.

Maria is a witch living in the woods of France in the thick of the Hundred Years War. While helping the local town, Maria works with her succubus, Artemis, in order to keep the two sides from fighting. While this distaste of conflict, as well as her sense of goodness, wins an Admirer in Joseph, a local boy who fight’s for France but wishes to stay with Maria. However, the heavens above, as well as many other forces or not overly fond of Maria’s interference. Junketsu no Maria is another fantasy series with a strong sense of design in a pretty unique setting for anime. Junketsu no Maria is story-driven, rather than a mostly action show. It focuses a lot on the relationships between the characters and a lot of time is given to judging the morality of the cast and it’s action, similar to Rokka no Yuusha thus far. Junketsu no Maria is one of best series that’s aired this year, and definitely a good option if you’re a fan of Rokka no Yuusha so far.

An ritual called the ‘Holy Grail War’ where mages summon powerful servants to fight for the Holy Grail, capable of granting any wish upon the winner. Shirou Emiya is brought into the ritual, consumed by his desire to become a hero of justice and save the lives of innocent people. He summons a sword-class Servant, Saber, who becomes endeared to Shirou, admiring his principles. He’s also aided by Rin Tohsaka, another mage who also has a powerful servant, Archer. Together they must take on all comers and fight for the Holy Grail. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works is a recent must-see anime for fans of the fantasy genre. Though it has some issues in the second season, where it kind of drags out the source material, it’s still pretty exciting all the way. It has amazing presentation, both visually and musically excellent. It also has likeable (If kind of archetypal) characters and an awesome, engrossing lore. Similar to Rokka no Yuusha, there’s a romantic plot between the two characters. It’s a fantasy series with a lot of high octane battles that are absolutely beautiful to look at, but has some nice thematic depth to it as well and some subtle character building.

Makai Knights and Alchemists, sworn to fight ‘Horrors’, terrifying, demon-like creatures which prey are humans, are now unfair subjects of an inquisition. One alchemist, while being burnt at the stake, gives birth to a child, Leon, who is destined to become the Golden Knight, the strongest of the Knights. His Father, Herman, rescues him and trains him to fight. The story follows Herman and Luis as they travel the land and fight Horrors, as well as try to take down Medoza, who organized the Inquisition. Garo and Rokka no Yuusha have some pretty striking similarities in feel and look. Both have a use of color that’s subtle yet very expressive. It doesn’t feel like they’re trying to hit you over the head with being overly colorful, but there’s very nice and subtle use of it that makes each series nice to look at. Garo was also pretty mature, not just in it’s violent, but actually having romantic and sexual relationships between characters. We don’t know how Rokka no Yuusha will end, but we’ve seen a romance develop pretty early and directly. Both are strong fantasy series that are also very recent.

The dragon Bahamut almost laid waste to the entire world but was contained by the combined forces of Angels, Demons and Men, now all three of them interact on the same plane of existence. The story follows Favaro Leone, a bounty-hunter who’s fleeing from Kaisar, who has a grudge against Favaro from their past. Favaro encounters Amira, a mysterious girl who want’s to get to the far northern land of Helheim. Amira, Favaro and Kaisar are on a collision course towards Bahamut, but they might not know it yet now. Shingeki no Bahamut and Rokka no Yuuka are similar in that both characters have to come together in order to stop an ancient, world-destroying evil from awakening. They might not know it from the onset in Bahamut, as opposed to how they do in Rokka no Yussha. Favaro is also similar to Adlet Mayer, the main character in Rokka no Yuusha, in that they’re pretty brash and self-aggrandizing but fun to watch. They’re both fun action-fantasy series with good character designs and a pretty interesting world around them.

Psycho-Pass is an anime set in the near future, where the emergence of a quantitative factor, called a person’s “psycho-pass,” enables authorities to calculate the probability of a person committing an offense. Thus, a person’s psychological profile becomes the trigger for policemen to nip budding criminals in the bud. The story focuses on Shinya Kougami, an enforcement officer who is tasked with maintaining public order and capturing criminals even before they commit felonies. Both Psycho-Pass and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace are anime that explore the psyche of humans in a very intensive manner. On the surface, both of these series revolve around the theme of solving crime. Apart from this, the atmosphere of the two series is also quite similar, for they both exude quite the some vibe to the audience. Lastly, even the main characters of these two series are parallel with each other. This is definitely a title that deserves to be checked out if you enjoyed Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace.

Another has gained quite a number of dedicated fans thanks to its clever story writing and its truly imposing atmosphere. The series follows Kouichi Sakakibara, a young man who has transferred to a new school. From the first day however, he notices something very amiss and sinister among his classmates, most especially regarding their treatment of a mysterious girl, Mei Misaki, a girl that only he can seem to see. Soon, dark secrets emerge and Kouichi finds himself in a situation where very few before him have gotten out of alive. Being another suspense anime, Another and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace, employ a number of literary techniques to tell their story. The effective utilization of tone and atmosphere is one, for both anime can draw in its viewers by the way they present their story. Their themes too, are quite similar, for both series features elements of murder and a mystery that just seems to refuse to be solved. Also, both shows are rich with archetypes and symbols, reflected in Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace’s butterflies and Another’s porcelain dolls.

Critics and viewers alike have heralded Hyouka as an anime that is a lot deeper than what it initially presents itself. The plot centers on Oreki Houtarou, a simple young man who joins his high school’s Classic Literature Club. Together, and guided by clues left behind by former members of the club, Oreki and the present members decide to explore and tackle a case that has remained unsolved for the past 45 years. Without a genius detective among them however, they must rely on each other’s unique abilities to help solve the case. The similarities between Hyouka and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace are quite notable. Both series feature a mystery that needs to be solved, as well as characters that are as memorable as they are unique. However, what makes Hyouka really remarkable is the way that it presents the unraveling of the case, since the anime has become quite notable for bringing a very fresh take on the detective genre, featuring cases that are solved not through the wits of a genius detective, but by the unique aspects of each of its characters.

The events of Umineko: no Naku Koro ni take place on a private island owned by the influential Ushiromiya family. Following news that the head of the family, Ushiromiya Kinzo, is of poor health, the family members who have gathered on the island to discuss how the family’s assets are to be divided after his death. Unbeknownst to them however, Kinzo has been delving into black magic in order to reunite with a lost lover, and as Kinzo attempts to summon his beloved, a typhoon starts battering the island and a series of murders begin taking place, forcing the family members to participate in a deadly game of cat and mouse where very few might survive. The similarities between Umineko: no Naku Koro ni and Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace are quite overt, since both anime deals with mysterious events and violent murders that need to be solved before it’s too late. Their similarities do not end there, however, as both series also feature top-notch animation and character designs that are remarkable and very well-done. The tone of the two anime is quite similar as well, for both employ effective techniques that really bring about a feeling of dread in its presentation.

Gosick revolves around the exploits of Kazuya Kujo, a young man studying in Sauville in the year 1924. Being very inquisitive and despite being immune to the allure of urban legends, Kazuya finds himself drawn to the mystery of the Queen Berry, a ghost ship that has been haunting the seas prominently. Together with his close friend, the immensely intelligent and rational Victorique, they attempt to discover its secrets, even if the town’s best detectives have been unable to do so. Though Gosick is not a detective or murder anime on the surface per se, it is nonetheless very similar to Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace due to the literary elements that it has employed. The process of solving the mysteries is very logical in both anime, and both involve mysteries that need to be solved by the main characters, though Gosick is imbibed with a prominent supernatural undertone. Production-wise, both are top-notch, with high production values that even critics cannot deny.

Of course, one cannot think of detective anime without thinking of Detective Conan. This mammoth of a series is among the reasons why detective anime has become widely successful worldwide. The anime features the adventures of seventeen-year-old Kudo Shinichi, a genius detective, who, due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, becomes trapped in the body of a little boy. This series has made a name of itself around the world as pretty much the anime equivalent of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Detective Conan is definitely one of, if not the most, similar one to Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace. Both series contains themes that belong to detective fiction, murder mysteries that require a lot of thinking to solve, and extremely intelligent characters that are young and able to solve mysteries that can beguile even the most tenured detectives around. Of course, one can even infer that part of the reason why production companies have been quite open to adapting detective fiction into anime is because of the runaway success of Detective Conan. Truly, this is one anime that any fan of detective fiction cannot miss.

In 2039, Japan is under the control of a coalition. Ten years ago, the country was mostly exterminated by a pandemic, but the country was able to rise up again thanks to other foreign countries. The country is now in fear of the Anti Bodies organization, who's goal is to eradicate the remaining virus by imposing its power with impunity. Shû Oma, who is a high school student, meets a female member of a resistant group who is also the vocalist for a music band. Shû already knew about her and wanted to help her during a certain situation. He ends up in the middle of a fight, which he acquires a rare capacity named, Void Genome, that allows him to use weapons from a persons heart. Because of this, Shû finds himself joining the resistance. In both shows, there is a strange disease which leads its victims to death or to be changed into monsters. The topic of discrimination is also strong in the two anime and the ambiance is pretty ch the same as well. Moreover, Guilty Crown and Black Bullet have in common is a duo of main characters who fight together.

Toyama Kinji is a student of the Butei High School, an institution specialized in forming mercenaries. No one knows, but Kinji has a peculiar ability which transforms him into an ace killer when turned on by a woman. After being involved in a bomb attack, he meets Aria H. Kanzaki and finds himself teaming up with her to accomplish some missions. In both anime, we have guns and/or sword fighting, though the supernatural aspect is more present in Black Bullet. The main character duo is also similar and brings the same atmosphere. This show is also full of comedy and humour; well-mixed with the action to the story.

In the 20th century, Machine Magic (aka Machinart), is an advanced system of magic, allowing to instill life and a personality in a puppet to control it. These puppets are used by the army to accomplish missions. Akabane Raijin is a Japanese puppeteer, followed by his puppet Yaya, he left his home country to attend the Royal Academy in order to be the best puppeteer of the world. In this academy, puppeteers are fighting each others with their partners. In both Machin-Doll and Black Bullet, we have the same discrimination towards the main character's partner because the girl is not exactly human or because of her differences. Both shows are similar because of their ambiance and there is a lot of humour and comedy in the two anime. The girl is crazy for her partner in both shows, so you will probably like Machine-Doll as much as Black Bullet.

Because he failed the school entrance exam, Mizugaki Tsukasa finds himself introduce to the SIA Corporation, thanks to his father's influence. The SIA Corporation is famous for their production of androids called Giftias, who have human feelings. Tsukasa is full of hope to work for this company. Unfortunately, he is assigned to the Terminal Service Department, the smallest service which is charged with recovering the androids after their expiration. From now on, in order to do his job, Tsukasa will team with Isla, a Giftia whose only mission was to serve tea in the service. In both Machin-Doll and Black Bullet, we have the same relationship between the two main characters, with the girl not being exactly human but looking like one. The setting is not exactly the same and there are no fighting scenes, but this is a very moving show in the same futuristic aspect with a lot of comedy and sadness.

In Italia, the Social Welfare Agency visits some hospitals to retrieve sick or injured little girls in order to give them another life. After a specific surgery, the girls' bodies are artificially modified and trained to become assassins to take care of some dirty work for the Italian Government. Each girl, still humans in heart, are under the care of an agent. In Gunslinger Girl, the girls are brainwashed and because of the surgery, aren't exactly humans anymore. So, this aspect is similar with Black Bullet where the girls are seen as not being human because of their genes. The fighting aspect of guns is also pretty similar and the girls are under the care of another person. However, the ambiance is more mature in Gunslinger Girl but that's why the show is interesting.

In a post-apocalyptic world, human kind is living in large mobile cities and have to learn how to use the power of Kei to defend themselves against large mutated monsters. Layfon Alseif left his past behind him in order to live a normal life in an academy in the city of Zuellni. But because of his abilities, he is noticed by Nina Antalk, captain of the 17th Military Arts Platoon, and will enroll in her division, even though he didn't plan on joining the Military Arts. Both shows have a post-apocalyptic setting and there are also monsters who attack mankind. In Chrome, there is also this supernatural aspect with action and some dark moments which you can also find in Black Bullet. If you liked Black Bullet, you should like this show as well.