The Top Anime of 2018 Part 2 – Entries 10 to 1

So it has come to this. The absolute best.

The year has ended, and these are the Inaugural Anime Highlights – Top Anime of 2018:

---

10. Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

To read my full Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii review, please click HERE.

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii was an exceedingly brilliant romantic-comedy that wasn’t afraid to be more adult.

And I don’t mean “adult” in a suggestive way.

This series was a solid slice-of-life story that took place outside of high school. The jokes and situations were more varied. There was a lot more material for this show to tap into, and it capitalized on that.

Also, Wotaku was an anime for anime fans. Actually, it wasn’t just anime fans. Nerdom, in general, fueled this series, and it was great.

---

9. Yuru Camp

To read my full Yuru Camp review, please click HERE.

Speaking as a camper, I am so happy Yuru Camp exists. But as an anime fan and reviewer, as well, I am overjoyed because this series was simply fantastic.

With an outstanding cast of characters to support everything it did without ever breaking a sweat, Yuru Camp knocked it out of the park. This was the definition of a feel-good anime, and it has earned its spot on this list.

---

8. Sora yori mo Tooi Basho

To read my full Sora yori mo Tooi Basho review, please click HERE.

If you are one of those people who thinks there are no more new ideas out there, I present to you Sora yori mo Tooi Basho.

This was a modern-day adventure story, and it is the only anime I have ever seen that has taken us to the Antarctic.

Also, instead of merely having cute characters do silly things at the South Pole, Sora yori mo had its girls work like crazy to see their goal fulfilled. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision to travel to one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. And on more than one occasion, you could really feel how much they all had to go through.

---

7. Cells at Work

To read my full Cells at Work review, please click HERE.

Fun, funny, and – educational?

A year ago, I would have never believed such an anime could exist, let alone succeed. But that was before Cells at Work.

This show’s charm came from its medical accuracy. Along with just being entertaining as all hell, Cells at Work explained how the human body works in a way that made sense. I honestly can’t think of another series that has ever come close to doing what this one did easily.

---

6. Megalo Box

To read my full Megalo Box review, please click HERE.

Without question, Megalo Box was the best sports anime of 2018

Although this series was set in a futuristic world, and there was a fair dash of science-fiction, at its core, this was a boxing story.

Every fight was exciting. Each opponent wasn’t insurmountable, but they did require incredible perseverance and grit to be defeated. Therefore, every second “Gearless” Joe trained, he had to get stronger. So, basically, Megalo Box needed to create a story and a character worth rooting for.

And that is precisely what it did.

---

5. Attack on Titan Season 3 – Part 1

To read my full Attack on Titan Season 3 – Part 1 review, please click HERE.

Part 2 has a difficult task in front of it.

Season 3 – Part 1 was hands down the best installment of the entire Attack on Titan series thus far. The story, the mystery, the characters, everything about this show has now reached incredible levels of intrigue.

I don’t think I can say it any better than I did in my review:

The former members of the 104th Training Corps are recruits no more.

---

4. Darling in the Franxx

To see my full Darling in the Franxx review, please click HERE.

Darling in the Franxx was so damn awesome.

There was excellent animation, fantastic music, fascinating characters, and it was all wrapped within a story that was hard to put down. Twenty-four episodes? That’s nothing, who needs sleep?

I don’t think it is unfair – or wrong – to consider Darling in the Franxx one of the flagship series of 2018.

---

3. The Ancient Magus’ Bride

To read my full The Ancient Magus’ Bride review, please click HERE.

This was the first series I showcased from 2018, and it has stayed at the top ever since.

The Ancient Magus’ Bride was phenomenal — simply phenomenal.

The animation, the story, Chise, it was all so wonderful.

Thinking about the much larger picture outside of 2018, The Ancient Magus’ Bride is one of the best twenty-plus episode series I have ever had the privilege to watch.

---

2. Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai

To read my full Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai review, please click HERE.

This series reminded me a lot of Haruhi Suzumiya, except Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai was like a hundred times better.

With a beautiful romance, stellar characters, and well-written dialogue, this show was enthralling.

From 2018, no other anime had me as glued to the screen as Bunny Girl Senpai did.

Except for one.

---

1. Violet Evergarden

To read my full Violet Evergarden review, please click HERE.

The best animation of 2018.

The best character of 2018.

And hell, I’m just going to say it. This was one of the best series I have ever seen. Period.

Shows like this don’t come around often.

Imagining 2019, I wonder what will go on to take the top spot next year. Whatever it is, does it even have a chance at matching this? We shall see. But in the meantime:

Violet Evergarden was the number one anime of 2018.

---

Conclusion

And with that, we can close the book on the Inaugural Anime Hajime Highlights. Thank you to everyone who followed along this past week.

Although it wasn’t easy solidifying these top series, I firmly stand by each of their rankings. If you were to ask me, these were the shows that earned my highest recommendation. However, please never forget this:

The best person who can tell you which series is right for you is YOU.

Post Edited By: Onions