Updated April 5, 2021. Placements are currently loose outside of the top 2. Everyone here is certainly at least top 20.
Miscellaneous rankings:
Hunter × Hunter: CA > YC > DC/SC* > 13HCE > HA ≥ GI > HE > ZF *Provisionally
Favorite 2011 episodes:
Shingeki no Kyojin: WfP > Rumbling ≥ Marley > RtS > Uprising (manga) > CoT > Intro/Trost > FT
Monogatari: SS > Owari S2 > Kizu > Owari > Zoku Owari > Bake > Neko Kuro > Hana > Nise > Tsuki > Koyomi
Kyoto Animation:
Fate: F/Z > HF > UBW > Fate
Pokémon: XY > DP > AG > SM > PM > OS > BW
Masters Tournament ranking:
Satoshi VS Dande > Satoshi VS Shirona > Iris VS Shirona > Satoshi VS Daigo > Carne VS Wataru > Alan VS Dande ≥ Carne VS Dande
I've tried to organize my broad rating standards here, but there are not any strict rules. Lofty critical ideals are not my goal. Rather, I actively seek appreciation, a disposition that promotes enjoyment and facilitates positive discoveries otherwise less likely. I wholeheartedly believe there are objective measures of quality amidst art's subjectivity; still, even characteristics I deem technically "good" or "bad" are subject to preference. I consider as many facets as possible: story, characters, dialogue, themes, tone, direction, storyboarding, animation, editing, soundtrack, voice acting, etc. These elements are summands of how an anime speaks to me holistically, not a rigid checklist. Ultimately, enjoyment is the supreme factor, so do not take scores too seriously. Perhaps think of the following criteria not as a metric by which an anime's placement is determined but rather as a description of the general qualities many of the anime in each score have.
10 – Masterpieces in my eyes—transcendent artistic wonders that deeply impact me emotionally, psychologically, and ideologically. While not necessarily perfect, these anime are my heart, my soul, and beyond; they occupy my thoughts incessantly and resonate almost spiritually. Above all else, a distinct, palpable, yet indescribable feeling categorizes an anime as a 10. Still, I believe each possesses concrete excellence: characterized by the seamless coalition of many profound, poignant, creative, and technically marvelous traits.
9 – Phenomenal, beautiful anime, some of the best available, typically characterized by a strong combination of outstanding themes, characters, narrative, and presentation. These anime are incredibly important to me; I cherish them dearly and dwell on them very frequently. In extraordinary cases, the line between 9 and 10 may be nebulous, distinctions ultimately being largely personal and experiential. If there are noteworthy flaws, the aspects I love aggressively outweigh them. I heavily anticipate rewatching these.
8 – Excellent anime with several standout narrative, artistic, or technical elements. These anime contain one or more resonant ideas and are very satisfying. I have few grievances with them, and those I do have are not significant or detrimental. I think about them a fair amount, and though a few missing pieces separate even the best of them from above, a handful are among my favorites. I look forward to rewatching these.
7 – Solid anime with at least a few remarkable ideas or competent production. Although all of these anime are enjoyable and have impacted me to an extent, they typically occupy my thoughts less than those ranked higher. Nevertheless, weaknesses or details I don’t appreciate are overshadowed by positive factors. I would rewatch many of them given the opportunity, especially in hopes of strengthening my connection.
6 – Decent anime that possess commendable qualities but also are only moderately impressive, do not adequately connect with me, or are notably flawed. Although I like these anime to a degree, I am not often inclined to rewatch one unless it is an entry in a more engaging series; however, I am open to seeking further appreciation in some cases.
5 – Mediocre anime that are broadly prosaic or that only inspire meager intrigue at best. While these anime are not terrible, I am largely indifferent towards them. Occasionally, anime here may be an odd mix of great and awful. Specials, particularly shorts, that are inoffensive yet inconsequential also often receive this score. I don’t always regret watching these, but watching another anime would almost certainly have been a better use of my time.
4 – Poor or vapid anime with more negatives than positives. I don't broadly enjoy most of these anime, but they have some redeeming parts, nonetheless. At this level, though, I often wish I hadn’t watched them. This is usually the lowest score that contains anime with any notably good aspects.
3 – Very bad anime. These anime may have a few decent ideas, but regardless, the overall execution and presentation are generally terrible. I strongly dislike most of these.
2 – Thoroughly horrible anime. These are irredeemably atrocious; unless I find the experience (morbidly) comical, there is no value or enjoyment to be found.
1 – Beyond dreadful; these anime are offensively bad. I genuinely hate few things, but I'd legitimately prefer if these didn't exist.
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