Which anime is closest to being "perfect"?
No anime is perfect, but which one do you think is closest to this unattainable status?
For me, there is only one candidate, and that is the Monogatari series, which, starting from the general plot, some of the best written characters in the anime medium, some of the best dialogue, and unique animation done by shaft, is closest to this.
For me, there is only one candidate, and that is the Monogatari series, which, starting from the general plot, some of the best written characters in the anime medium, some of the best dialogue, and unique animation done by shaft, is closest to this.
Commentaires
I am a basic bitch but everything about it just fills my cup endlessly
I welcome the challenge.
In my mind, *Gurren Lagann* is the closest to being perfect that anime has achieved thus far. The animation is great, the cast does everything they need to near flawlessly, and the story blends being readily available to someone just looking for stupid fun mech action and having enough thematic meat for anyone critically minded person to satiate just about everyone. There's certainly an argument that some of the early stuff, especially the fan service is gonna turn people off, but I did cop out and say "near" perfect.
The way I see it, if a perfect show existed, then media would effectively be solved. It's the fact that there is still room at the top for a new "more perfect" show that makes the pursuit, creation, and consumption of art interesting.
On the other side I would put Legend of the Galactic Heroes. The scale of it is massive and it has so many stories within it
Cyberpunk edge runner
I used to think code grass but s2 has some issues.
Cowboy Bebop springs immediately to mind. Here we are nearly 30 years later, and it's still unrivalled.
Fma: brotherhood
Bocchi the Rock! succeeds at being a comedy with great music, creative animation and memorable characters.
Vinland Saga succeeds as gritty historical fiction that explores how war and conflict shape people and the broader society they live in.
Yuru Camp succeeds as a comfy anime with a peaceful atmosphere, a pleasant group of characters and amazing artwork that illustrates Japan's natural beauty.
There are a handful of anime I like more but they all have flaws in ways I did not get from Madoka.
Then if we expand on "how", I would judge it on psychological accuracy and layers. AOT would of course stand out, but I would also count Nichijou in. Katanagatari has rich layers but it didn't strive for realistic psychological accuracy. Orb directly depicted one of the most fundamental emotion of the soul which is wonder and its a rarity, it's pretty good consider its length
The best answer you would get would essentially be whatever someone's favorite anime is.
Howl's Moving Castle, I guess. Or Cowboy Bebop. Even though those are my own picks, I'm not satisfied in saying they're the closest to being perfect. It still doesn't feel right.
I'd consider Orb and Cowboy Bebop up there as well
The only one in which I wouldn't change a single thing from the first second, shot, scene, and episode to the last.
So the only one I can see meets that definition in a true/literal sense.
I've given six other series and one film a 10/10, but even with them, from minor nitpicks to larger ones, I have one or more things I would definitely change or prefer done differently.
Mushishi - a 100% perfect, full adaptation of the original manga. Flawless.
Land of the Lustrous (Houseki no Kuni) - **almost** perfect, and the 'almost' is only because, so far, there's only one season which covers about the first 30 chapters of the now completed 108 chapter manga. Still hoping for more seasons from Studio Orange if the production committee will fund them .......
The Garden of Sinners (Kara no Kyoukai) - the main story arc would be perfect if the sixth movie hadn't been so relatively weak, nevertheless the other movies in the series more than make up for it.
i would list others but its hard to find a finished one thats also not kicking the bucket later on.
monogatari is technically not even finished yet, but whats out is peak.
For me, the perfect genre is slice of life. That is my *personal opinion.*
For me, the anime that executes almost everything perfectly Hidamari Sketch. At least for the slice of life genre that is.
Characters feel real and their interactions are organic, there are no loose gaps to fill (which some slice of life struggle with). Art is phenomenal and if you liked Madoka's and Monogatari's artstyle, this did it before those two (S1 in 2007, same studio and director). The only knock I can give is that S1 was made on a shoestring budget (yet that is exactly how Shaft got so creative).
It is also a feeling, but there is not a single bad episode in its entire 60 episode runtime (60 episodes for a slice of life is almost impossible, given most only get 2-3 seasons max). And every season is better than the previous one, and that's when S1 is already a very high bar to clear. And its ending is basically just as perfect as that of K-On!.
And yet I do not think this answer is definitive. There are genres I am not knowledgable of at all and anime I have yet to watch that could do better than this.
I felt like the way it fully explored so many character arcs in an 11 episode runtime was really incredible. On a technical level I loved what they did with the animation and the soundtrack. Pacing felt great to me and there weren't many scenes I didn't like or would change. Just overall felt like a complete package.
I feel fairly similarly about Madoka as well - I've come to appreciate this show even more over time as I've rewatched it.