The editorial team of MeinMMO loves anime – well, at least most of us do. Here we present to you our absolute all-time favorites.
At the latest since the Corona pandemic, anime has sneaked into the mainstream, and the former “weebs” hardly need to hide for their hobby anymore. We at MeinMMO took this as an opportunity to talk about the favorite anime within the editorial team and then present the series to you. So if you need some good anime recommendations – from ancient classics to lesser-known gems – then take a look at which anime our authors at MeinMMO swear by. Have fun!
The respective information about the streaming provider of the series is valid for December 2023 and may change in the future.
Berserk – The Golden Age
Alternative Names: Berserk: Ougon Jidai-hen
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Episodes: 3
Stream available on: Currently, no streaming provider known, only available for purchase.
In the Kingdom of Midland, the mercenary Guts roams, preferring a life of conflict over a life of peace. After the mercenary leader Griffith witnesses Guts’s performance in battle, he coerces Guts into joining the group. The mercenaries are deployed in the fight against the Chuder Empire to save Midland – but Griffith seems to have much bigger plans that reveal a much larger goal…
Sophia says: I have watched many animes – recommending just one is hard. However, Berserk has been leading my favorites list unbeaten since 2016. Specifically, I want to put the film trilogy “The Golden Age” in your hearts: What begins as an “Lord of the Rings”-like adventure ends as “Game of Thrones meets Dark Souls.” Political scheming gives way to a horrific yet fascinating nightmare of blood and death. I love stories where characters are confronted with extreme situations and the dark abyss of the human self opens up. And once you’ve seen the movies, let’s discuss this: “Griffith did nothing wrong.”
Naruto Classic
Alternative Names: /
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Episodes: 220
Stream available on: Netflix (9 seasons)
Just before the birth of Naruto Uzumaki, the village is attacked by a demon – Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox. To end the slaughter, the village elder sacrifices his life and seals the demon in the unborn child.
Years later, the overzealous Naruto has trouble finding his place in the village – after all, the demon resides in his body, leading to a lot of prejudice against him. Moreover, he also wants to become the leader of this village, which only leads to more disputes. In search of his place in the world, Naruto finds a few friends – but also a lot of enemies who demand everything from him in numerous battles.
Christos says: Naruto Classic is, for me, the best anime I have ever seen.
Tragic fate, gripping battles, and unpredictable events always keep the tension high. But above all, the characters with their deep stories about family, friends, and dogmas imposed by their clans draw you further into the world of shinobi and promise a varied story. Therefore, I can recommend Naruto Classic to every anime fan, and if the story doesn’t move you to tears, the music will do the rest – believe me.
Fabienne says: Naruto stands out for me not only for its exciting plot and fascinating characters but also for the deeper messages it conveys. For example, the idea that true strength lies in the ability to exceed oneself and fight for what one believes in has always been inspiring to me.
Despite the challenges and rejection in his youth, Naruto Uzumaki never gives up and fights hard to achieve his goals. Every time I hear the song “Sadness and Sorrow,” I get goosebumps – but in a good way. Naruto will always have a special place in my heart.
Black Butler
Alternative Names: Kuroshitsuji
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Mystery
Episodes: 46 (3 seasons)
Stream available on: Currently, no streaming provider known, in 2024 on Crunchyroll.
The boy Ciel Phantomhive must solve many obscure cases for the royal family in Victorian England. He is accompanied by his butler Sebastian Michaelis, who possesses superhuman abilities. Not surprisingly, he is a demon bound to Ciel through a contract. At least until he can eventually devour the boy’s soul…
Marie says: Black Butler is the title that sparked my love for anime. As a big fantasy fan, I immediately liked how the story throws mythological figures like demons, angels, and hellhounds into the setting of Victorian London.
In one moment, your heart warms when you see Sebastian care for the well-being of his master. But in the next moment, the series reminds the viewer that the butler is still a hungry demon, waiting to devour Ciel’s soul. Yet it is this complicated relationship and the (sometimes a bit reluctant) cooperation that create a thrilling character dynamic between the main figures.
The anime is gripping, emotional, and dark, but also delivers humorous moments. My personal favorites in the series are the Grim Reapers (especially Grell Sutcliff!), who run around with various gardening tools and are completely unbothered by overtime when yet another demon has muddled their soul business.
One Piece
Alternative Names: /
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Episodes: 1080+ (ongoing)
Stream available on: Crunchyroll
The former King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger, set the world in turmoil when he spoke of the greatest treasure of all time – the One Piece. Since then, countless pirates have tried to find this treasure – among them Monkey D. Luffy, who eats a Devil Fruit and receives an elastic body. He expands his crew and tries to become the greatest pirate of all time, but time and again, other pirate groups, the Marines, and other organizations get in his way…
Jasmin says: Most of my anime news revolve around One Piece, and there’s a good reason for that. The anime has been with me since my childhood, and I’m glad that it is currently experiencing such a huge hype. Luffy and his friends go through exciting adventures and repeatedly show how important friendship is. This solidarity fascinates me: Luffy stands up for his crew in every terrible situation, but every member supports Luffy in reaching his dream. This way, they can overcome any danger that Oda throws at them.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Alternative Names: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Fullmetal Alchemist, FMAB
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Episodes: 64
Stream available on: Aniverse (Amazon Prime Premium Channel)
During an alchemical experiment, brothers Alphonse and Elric break a taboo and attempt to transmute a human, which forever alters their bodies. Now infamous as the “Fullmetal Alchemist,” they roam the world in hopes of one day reclaiming their original bodies – but in doing so, they uncover an increasingly large conspiracy that ultimately threatens the entire world.
Mary says: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is rightly praised to the skies. Rarely has an anime impressed me so enduringly. The play with good and evil and the gray areas in between, the raising of difficult moral questions, and the individual fates of the characters still make me think today about the anime and its story of equivalent exchange. Moreover, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (not to be confused with Fullmetal Alchemist, which deviates more from the manga source) has managed to make me love every single character in some way over the course of the story. This rarely happens to me with anime.
If you’re in the mood for a fantastic mix of action, drama, and dark fantasy, I can only recommend the story of Edward and Alphonse. By the way, I see it as equivalent exchange that you must now watch the anime after my recommendation.
Higehiro
Alternative Names: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in A High School Runaway
Genre: Drama, Romance
Episodes: 13
Stream available on: Crunchyroll
After employee Yoshida was rejected by his great love, he drinks excessively. When he wakes up the next morning, he finds the underage Sayu lying next to him. The girl has run away from home and is jumping from one guy to another to have a place to stay – and she goes as far as to exchange her own body for it.
Once Yoshida ensures that he keeps his hands off Sayu, he tries to get the student’s life back on track. He offers her a place to stay until she is ready to return to her family. But while Yoshida tries to fit into this temporary father role, Sayu develops completely different feelings for the man who treats her so differently than all the others before…
Cortyn says: Although Higehiro might not be my “best anime of all time,” it is the one I have watched the most since its release in 2021 – a total of 5 times.
The story of Yoshida and Sayu has just the right mixture of “Uhh, forbidden exciting!” and “emotionally deep,” so that after each episode, you stare at the screen with a crooked smile and wonder whether to celebrate Yoshida’s fatherly behavior or to pity Sayu’s emerging feelings.
What struck me as particularly positive is that both Yoshida and Sayu are well-developed, relatable characters. Yoshida is not a typical 08/15 anime protagonist but takes responsibility, behaves like an adult, and is aware of the consequences – something I miss in many other anime.
But Sayu, who may seem simple at first glance, is much deeper and more emotional than is usually the case for classic “best girl” waifu characters.
Moreover, the story is not only heartwarming and exciting but also very painful – especially the final episodes still manage to bring me to tears even after the 5th time. Even in 20 years, Higehiro will be an anime that I still enjoy watching.
Even more favorite anime from the MeinMMO editorial team can be found on page 2.
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