The anime universe is expansive and offers many different tales with compelling characters, engaging plots, and epic moments. While some anime come and go, many deliver outstanding and memorable experiences. A-1 Pictures is a known animation studio known for adapting incredible stories rich in drama, fantasy, or romance.
For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best anime, we’d like to highlight the best A-1 Pictures anime of all time. From entertaining romantic comedies to fascinating magical endeavors, A-1 Pictures is worth recognizing for its amazing effort over the years.
Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll add them when we can!
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
Kaguya-sama: Love is War is an entertaining romance anime with great thought-provoking and comedic aspects. It follows two students named Kaguya and Miyuki. They have feelings for each other but don’t want to commit to them because they think they’ll be viewed as weak by the other students. Therefore, we examine their lives as they try to get one another to confess their love.
This anime explores several aspects of romance regarding pride, insecurity, and jealousy. Kaguya-sama: Love Is War’s premise is unique compared to most anime rom-com. This one has its protagonists trying to outwit each other by formulating elaborate schemes. You’ll adore seeing their plans fail throughout most of the anime.
The characters receive solid development and must overcome numerous personal obstacles that make them feel grounded and relatable. On top of having wonderful animation and a soundtrack that captures the series’s emotions and essence, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is a must-watch for any romantic comedy fanatic.
Your Lie In April
Your Lie In April is a solid drama with a strong focus on music. It follows Kousei, a talented pianist who gives up his dream because of his mother’s passing. Fortunately, he meets a talented violinist named Kaori who’ll help Kousei rediscover his love for music and his preferred instrument. This anime touches upon subjects like grief, self-discovery, and mental health.
Kousei and Kaori are well-rounded characters. They have their own issues they’ll need to triumph over and develop a solid relationship from beginning to end. The characters’ mental health-related issues are handled with care. You’ll see how much of an impact these problems have on our cast’s choices and relationships.
Your Lie In April’s tale is sweet and heartbreaking. It’s a story that will stay with you for centuries. The romance between our protagonists will tug at your heartstrings while its ending will shatter you to pieces. In addition to having excellent pacing and enchanting music, Your Lie In April is a must-watch for anyone who believes it’s impossible to cry from watching anime.
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Space Brothers
Space Brothers is a great slice-of-life comedy. It explores the journey of two brothers, Hibito and Mutta, as they strive to become astronauts. The series wreaks realism and charm and emphasizes how hard work, persistence, and dedication are key in helping anyone achieve their wildest dreams. Other themes Space Brothers tackles include family, friendship, and determination.
Everything blends together to give viewers an anime that’s uplifting and inspiring. Hibito and Mutta receive great development throughout Space Brothers’ 99-episode run. They have their own character arcs, struggles, and aspirations that make them compelling protagonists to watch. The anime’s realistic depiction of the astronaut training process will intrigue those with similar dreams.
It explores the technical and emotional aspects of the job with great integrity. This anime’s visual style is unique and impressive. It uses realistic imagery of space, rockets, and other technology to help viewers stay immersed in the show. If you need an anime that will help you face your failures head-on or are simply looking for an anime about space that’s entertaining, this show should entertain you.
From The New World
From The New World (or Shinsekai Yori) is a dark and thought-provoking anime that explores a dystopian world set a thousand years in the future. It follows Saki and her friends as they learn about their society’s multiple mysteries and truths. It tackles topics such as the balance of power and human nature. This anime also has incredible world-building.
The technology and structures match the series’s tone. At some points, you’ll think the setting itself is a character in the series with how well-established and detailed everything looks. Regarding the cast, they all have engaging personalities and get placed in scenarios to give viewers an idea of how they’d respond to change. If you’re looking for an anime that will toy with your brain and stay with you for years to come, check out From The New World.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is a great romance anime that analyzes the connection between two office workers and the fandom they’re a part of. It delivers a great blend of romance, comedy, and drama. It features a well-rounded cast and multiple themes that will resonate with viewers and keep them entertained.
The protagonists Narumi and Hirotaka undergo a journey of love of self-discovery in this tale. They have their own set of struggles they’ll need to contend such as balancing work or pursuing their distinct interests. This anime explores office relationships and friendship dynamics in unique ways that add depth to its tale. If you’re looking for a compelling anime with great one-liners, relatable scenarios, and engaging characters, check this one out.
The Anthem of the Heart
If you’re in need of an anime that tackles touchy subjects, The Anthem of the Heart might be what you’re after. This anime follows Jun, a slightly immature girl whose childlike behavior convinces her parents to divorce. To make matters worse, a fairy egg greets her and removes her ability to speak. This thwarts Jun’s chances at singing in the upcoming musical and confessing to her lover.
The anime examines Jun’s new quest to find a way to convey her feelings and perform in the musical. This anime addresses deep topics concerning alienation, guilt, and the problems that arise for those with disabilities. Viewers will adore seeing Jun become more mature over the course of the narrative through overcoming her obstacles. Her success will rub off on viewers and motivate them to triumph over their respective problems.
This anime’s handling of romance and friendship is excellent and leads to many moving moments between our characters. Give The Anthem of the Heart a shot if you’re after a solid romantic storyline.
Black Butler
Black Butler is a semi-popular anime from the mid-2000s era that captivated audiences at the time. Many loved this show for its Victorian-era setting, extravagant cast, and use of demon and human relationships. The tale follows Ciel, who serves as his Queen’s lackey. He is joined by the butler Sebastian, who has spectacular inhuman traits.
Viewers will enjoy seeing Ciel and Sesbastian’s bond grow over the course of the story. Black Butler’s plot is brimming with enough mystery, action, humor, and horror aspects to keep viewers engaged. The animation and visual style is distinct and richly detailed. It captures the atmosphere you’d expect from its England-inspired locales.
The orchestral soundtrack heightens the emotional impact of each scene. Many will find its opening and ending themes catchy and satisfying to listen to. In addition to tackling themes like revenge, loyalty, and the line between good and evil, Black Butler is a 2000s classic everyone should watch.
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Magi The Labyrinth of Magic is a great fantasy anime with a well-developed plot structure, interesting cast, and fabulous magic duels. It follows two friends named Alibaba and Aladdin who embark on a quest that will have them exploring multiple kingdoms, dungeons, and landscapes. This anime’s setting is based on Arabian Nights and contains many mythical beings that fit the theme.
The anime’s world-building is impeccable. Aladdin and Alibaba visit numerous locations that have different governmental structures, cultures, and species. This makes each expedition feel refreshing and enjoyable. This anime contains thought-provoking themes like war, inequality, and discrimination and shows how these ideas impact the lives of our main and supporting characters.
Magi The Labyrinth of Magic encourages viewers to think about these aspects and the decisions our characters make to craft a better world. Fans of action, adventure, and fantasy will thoroughly enjoy this thrilling and well-crafted world.
Lycoris Recoil
Anime originals can be incredible to watch on a weekly basis due to there being no source material to reference from. This allows viewers to watch these shows without having to worry about being spoiled by manga enthusiasts. At the same time, there’s that atmosphere of uncertainty that plagues fans’ minds about the show turning out great or terrible.
Fortunately, Lycoris Recoil ended up being one of the better anime originals. This anime centres around the connection between Chisato and Takina, who tackle various odd jobs for people in need. The plot contains some interesting twists and turns to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats. Many will adore this series more for Takina and Chisato’s relationship though.
Through these obstacles, they learn to appreciate the other’s company and understand each other as people. This anime knows how to balance its slice-of-life and action segments well too. Whether you’re interested in the anime’s well-choreographed fights or the beautiful relationship that blossoms between Chisato and Takina, you’ll wind up enjoying this A-1 Pictures project.
So, there we have it, our picks for the best A-1 Pictures anime through the years!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!