A surprisingly solid year for anime-viewing.  I ended up watching an even mix of pre-2020 anime and new releases.  These were my Top 10 favorites…

#10. ID – Invaded (2020 release)

A trippy tech-driven thriller that spins a compelling world-within-a-world mystery.  As the body count rises the viewer descends down a rabbit hole of of mind-bending deceptions.

#9. Hinamatsui

A mid-level yakuza member has his life turned upside-down by an oblivious little girl from the future with destructive telekinetic powers.  Humor, heart, and a wonderful relationship at its core.

#8. Once Punch Man – season 1

Late to the party on this terrific series about a most unlikely hero capable of defeating any enemy he faces with a single punch.  What makes this anime particularly brilliant is the contrast between the over-the-top battles and One Punch Man’s blasé attitude throughout.

#7. The Promised Neverland

Oh, boy, don’t let the cutesy anime-style fool you.  It’s a shockingly dark tale of a group of young orphans who begin to question the reality of their secluded existence.  The truth is grimmer than you can imagine.

#6. Japan Sinks (2020 release)

The title says it all.  Japan is rocked by an earthquake that sends survivors scrambling.  It’s quite harrowing in its depiction of the aftermath, so much so that Akemi couldn’t make it past the first episode.  But if you do, you’ll be rewarded with an absolutely stunning work.

#5. Akame ga Kill

This one is one of the most entertaining battle anime in recent memory, but beneath the high-flying action are some truly wonderful personalities and colorful character dynamic relationships in a show that isn’t shy about killing off its regulars.

#4. A Silent Voice (movie)

A high school boy attempts to make amends for his past by reaching out to the deaf girl he bullied while in elementary school.  At turns heartbreaking and hopeful, but wholly memorable.

#3. Vinland Saga

A young boy is kidnapped from his peaceful Icelandic village by a band of Vikings.  We then follow his journey, growing up amongst his captors, a bunch of sea-faring mercenaries who eventually become his family.  This one is epic.

#2. Dorohedoro (2020 release)

Where to begin in attempting to describe this insane, ultra-violent comedy involving post-apocalyptic sorcerers, alternate dimensions, mushroom-themed magic, and an amnesiac lizard man with a love for gyoza?  Wild.

#1. Beastars (2020 release)

The murder of a young alpaca at Cherryton Academy creates a rift between its herbivore and carnivore student body, further complicating the already complicated love triangle involving Legoshi the wolf, Louis the deer, and Haru the dwarf rabbit.

Tomorrow (provided I can get my shit together), I’ll be dropping my Top 20 K-Pop Tracks of 2020!