Its English dub, boasting some of America’s greatest full-time voiceover talents, somehow equals the subtitled Japanese-language original. The future it presents is ethnically diverse and eerily prescient. Its characters are complex and flawed, yet still ooze cool. Its existential and traumatic themes are universally relatable. Its particular blend of cyberpunk intrigue, Western atmosphere, martial arts action, and noir cool in seinen form is unmatched and widely appealing.

Cowboy BebopĮvery debate over whether or not Cowboy Bebop-Shinichiro Watanabe’s science-fiction masterpiece-is the pinnacle of anime is a semantic one. We hope you find something you’ll fall in love with.

Our list is carefully curated with both accessible and challenging titles, a perfect landing pad for anime newcomers looking to dive headlong into shows that are essential, strange, or soothing. The world of animation is constantly evolving, and we want to evolve with it. In these anime, almost everyone can be seen in some way, whether it be in the rosy meditations of a slice-of-life show or the bombast of thrilling action. Shows both young and old are represented, with at least one show for everyone no matter their age, gender, or sexuality. These anime are great, and you’ll find many of the expected takes on this list, but in compiling this I tried to consider every genre’s most exemplary offerings. Prestige anime is often centered around a man and his struggles, themes that often disclude varied viewers and create an echo chamber of impenetrable, inarguable taste for fans to discuss. I’ve long enjoyed shoujo for its florid style and high melodrama, but when I thought of anime that deserved to be on a list of the best ever, only shows with male protagonists came to mind. Working on this list allowed me to examine my own taste and the sort of aesthetic that guides me. So why is it that lists like this leave out anime made by women, for women? And why can’t these anime be enjoyed by men, too? Hobbyists and fandoms have long had distinctive, individualized communities, lively groups that often do not intersect except, maybe, at anime conventions, given over half of North America’s attendees are female. With lists like this, diverse demographics are often left unconsidered, effectively sidelining female and LGBT viewers. At Paste, we believe there’s an anime for everyone.

Best anime of 2017 list