I won't rank them, because I can't really figure which is better than another, and I enjoy them all for different reasons .. you don't have to agree. Oh, and I only watch the subbed version, unless otherwise noted next to the title. Also, if I refer to the modern era of Japanese anime, what I mean is a series that was made post Neon Genesis .. or around that period.
Flame of Recca - (aka - Recca no Honoo) : Action / Adventure / Martial Arts / Ninja - Recca Hanabishi is a school student who has always been fascinated by ninja. He is nearly killed in an accident saving someone, however a girl named Yanagi heals him with her special powers. Later the two are tracked down and attacked by a beautifull and mysterious woman, who says she means to hurt Yanagi unless Recca will ignite his flame to save his new friend, but Recca is clueless to what she means. Just as the mystery woman hurts Yanagi, Recca releases a powerful flame from his arm. It turns out that Recca is the inheritor of the flame dragon from the Hokage Ninja Clan of the past, and was sent to the future as a baby in order to escape death. Now Recca is the leader of the new Hokage Clan who must, through a series of tests and Arena fighting against death squads, stop his half brother Kurei from kidnapping Yanagi.
One of the first of the modern Japanese anime series I rented, and was so consumed by it (those damned cliff hanger eps) that I finished the whole thing in 2 days .. staying up until 3:00 am both days because I couldn't stop watching. I like the characters and the arena fighting, and actually still own a hand drawn cel of Fuko-chan from this series.
Claymore: Action / Adventure / Demons / Supernatural / Shounen -
In this world, humans coexist with demonic predators called Yoma. These demonic beasts feast on human innards and can blend into human society by taking on human appearance. As a counter force, a mysterious organization created half-human, half-Yoma warriors known as the "Silver Eyed Witches" or "Claymores", after the huge claymore swords they carry. They are detested by humanity as monsters, however are necessary as the ony force strong enough to kill the feared Yoma. The story begins with a young boy, Raki, who has lost everything in a Yoma attack, and the Claymore, Clare, who killed the Yoma that ended the lives of Raki's family.
WOW, I loved the character Clare, and in the most recent viewing (last night .. hehe) still love her. Short, but ood fight sequences, an excellent story (for the first 24 eps), great pacing and characters, and excellent character design make this one still popular .. alsways keeps me going back to watch it again. Have a nice 8 inch figure of Clare from this series.
Sword Art Onine (SAO): Action / Adventure / Fantasy / Game / Romance- In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game called Sword Art Online has been released where players control their avatars with their bodies using a piece of technology called Nerve Gear. One day, players discover they cannot log out, as the game creator is holding them captive unless they reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if they die in the game, they die in real life. Their struggle for survival starts now...
I don't play RPG's, and was a little put off watching this anime because of that fact, but I have to say after a few eps I did get into this series. I think my favourite character from this has to be the little sister. I also watched the later series of this, and from that one I liked the girl who was the sniper .. but she is a main character, so I assume you are supposed to like her.
Ai Yori Aoshi (aka - Bluer Than Indigo) - Slice of Life / Comedy / Drama / Harem / Romance : Kaoru Hanabishi, a college student who lives alone, met a beautiful but bewildered girl dressed in a kimono at a train station. He volunteered to guide her way to the address she was looking for, which happened to be in his neighborhood, but turned out to be an empty lot. Not knowing what to do next, Kaoru invited the devastated girl to his apartment and asked for any additional clues to her destination. She supplied him with a photo of two children whom Kauru immediately identified as himself and Aoi Sakuraba, his childhood friend, and the girl his family arranged his marriage with before Kouru's lifeturned upside down.
This anime series can get a little bogged down with some stupid comedy at times, but there are so many good scenes and eps in it that you soon forget the jarring part that you may have just watched .. the first ep is the clincher for me, and I just had to watch to see what happened to the demure sweetie wearing the kimono.
Deadman Wonderland : Action / Horror / SciFi - Ganta is the only survivor after a mysterious man in red slaughters a classroom full of teenagers. He's framed for the carnage, sentenced to die, and locked away in the most twisted prison ever built: Deadman Wonderland. And then it gets worse.
At Deadman Wonderland, convicts are forced into brutal deathmatches for the amusement of the masses, the cheers of the crowd drowning out the screams of the dismembered. Even when Ganta befriends Shiro, an unusual female inmate, his dark fate crushes all hope —until he discovers the strange ability to wield his spilled blood as a weapon. Ganta learns his new skill might be related to the murderous man in red and uncovers disturbing secrets that could expose those who stole his freedom. He's determined to see justice served —but first he'll have to fight for his life in a prison that holds a million ways to die.
CRAZY, psycho stuff!! Imagination in the fighting scenes, good characters you will feel for, and just plain "what the hell just happened" make this one well worth the watch, and will have you questioning just how low some of the human race really can stoop. It not a anime series I would just throw on for something to watch, it's more intense than that, and I do have to be in the mood for it, but once seen you won't forget it quickly.
** Thankyou to kissAnime for the general series descriptions.
