Here are the first five. None of these are in any set order except maybe the top 10 or so, give or take a few.
30) The Daily Lives of High School Boys
A show that just recently aired in the Winter 2012 season, The Daily Lives of High School Boys is about a couple of high school guys that... do stuff. Yeah, really, that's the entire premise. Unlike other "slice of life" shows, this one doesn't pride itself on focusing on the main tenants of high school anime that are so overdone at this point in the medium's history - romance and harem, sports teams, supernatural mumbo-wumbo, or any of that. It is what it is, and what it is involves a ton of comedy that manages to satire the sad state of modern anime perfectly. Any tense or dramatic moments are subject to be thrown under the hood as this show mercilessly laughs at anything serious through its own endearing cast of characters. The comedy in and of itself is pretty great, but when comparing this show to the recent crapshot offerings, it has succeeded in illustrating all that is wrong with the current medium. I'll admit that some of the humor may not be for everyone - but when it is, it delivers tenfold and has you laughing like an idiot to yourself for the rest of the day at how absurd common etiquette and events in life pan out in relation to the show.
Why I Chose It: I realize that this show is a very new one and might not really be all that timeless in comparison to other classic comedies out there, but come on! I just love the brand of humor and the fact that a high school anime has the BALLS to make fun of everything else like it has some sort of superiority complex... Reminds me of high school all over again. It parodies and makes fun of social norms and expectations very well, so that's a plus. It's a product of the times, and I'm so glad I decided to watch it. One of the great gems of 2012... By the way, it has one of the BEST EDs in all of anime because the ED pretty much sums up the show in general: a non-sequitur bundle of laughs. Honestly, it makes me think of my own high school life much more nostalgically than I should, because come on, we all had those really stupid moments in our childhood that turn out to be funny in hindsight.
29) Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon)
Keep in mind that I'm writing this as the show is airing. However, I've seen over half the show now, and it's pure gold that has already won my heart regardless of how it ends.
Kids on the Slope takes place in the 1960s in this weird place in musical history where rock is just starting to take its place in music, yet stuff like jazz is still prominent as well. The main character, Kaoru Nishimi, has to move to his relatives because of his father's job and has to attend a new high school. Pretty standard stuff, right? However, Kaoru gets wrapped up in a lot more than he bargained for when he meets Sentaro Kawabuchi, a guy notorious for disregarding the rules and being a general delinquent. And at the crossroads of their new friendship is a passion for music -- in particular, for jazz. The show tackles issues such as adolescent friendship, love and romance, familial isolation, and identity, and does so wonderfully. The characters in Sakamichi feel so real and fluid that you actually can relate to their problems and pleas... Something that is missing in a lot of other shows. The characterization in Sakamichi is phenomenal, and with the same director and musical producer as acclaimed Cowboy Bebop, it's no wonder that Sakamichi is succeeding in a vibrant and diverse musical score with a excellent tale about youth.
Why I Chose It: Sakamichi is an incredible force that's quickly lining up to be one of my favorite favorites... if that makes sense. From my own experiences, I can see myself easily in any of the main characters' shoes. They're that realistic to me. This show is amazing at another point... The relationships between its characters. Unlike so many other shows, everything is dynamic in Sakamichi. No one character is in a stagnant situation for episodes on end. It matches the flow of jazz, don't you think? Romance is a prevalent player and is treated with the dignity, respect, and realism it deserves. A lot of love is unrequited in Sakamichi. Many things go right and wrong with the characters. However, at the end of the day, I catch myself humming to the great music and thinking about how much this show gets right. Oh, and the animation style has this sort of nostalgic vibe going on for it, yet also exudes a modern presence that makes it stand out. My heart has been stolen... It wasn't by a lady, but by a Japanese cartoon. Okay, that makes me feel kinda sad about myself, but you get the point. Also, amazing 11/10 OP.
28) ef (both seasons)
The two seasons of ef (a tale of memories, a tale of melodies) focus around the romances of selective characters in the cast as they learn more about one another and what it means to love someone else. The show itself is presented in a very interesting format to make it more than just your average show about romance - all of the relationships occur concurrently, but it jumps around from one to the other and feeds you fragments of each in every episode. Basically, you learn about each relationship at the same time in small chunks, so there are a few stories going on alongside each other that only loosely affect the other(s). The setting of both seasons, while OBVIOUSLY involving high school students (well, the second season actually doesn't besides a few cameos from the first season's cast, interestingly enough), is really neat and interesting; it was ripped apart by an earthquake, and the town itself seems somewhat coastal in location. SHAFT (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Bakemonogatari, etc.) is responsible for these ones, and boy, they show that they can actually do serious stuff with top-notch, innovative animation that really makes you feel for the main characters. Both seasons are of consistent and great quality in terms of romance-focused shows.
Why I Chose It: ef is one of those shows that happened to be one of the first anime that exclusively focused on romance that I watched after Key stuff like Clannad and Kanon, and it really shook up the pace in terms of animation, characterization, and storytelling to me. The characters themselves are pretty likeable, but they take a backseat to the format the story is told in. SHAFT's animation really works and exudes the feelings of the characters and the state of their relationships. Yeah, ef can devolve into the cliche love triangle and such, but at least it does so artistically and masterfully. I also watched it at a time where I was in a relationship where I couldn't physically connect with my significant other, so I sympathize a lot with the distance the characters have to endure. It's definitely a staple romance offering, so... Go watch it. It's unique like none other.
What would you do if you encountered a naked man holding a gun and a phone with billions of dollars, standing outside the White House's fence while you were on a trip to Washington, D.C. smack dab in the middle of America? What if he claimed to be able to remember nothing, yet saved you in your time of need? Then you'd be thinking that either you're going insane or that Eden of the East has become a reality. Eden of the East involves a game between its cast of characters - some good, some bad, and some that couldn't care less. Whoever can use the money to bring Japan to prosperity wins the game and becomes a literal King of the entire nation. However, there are other phone wielders as well, and some of them are out for blood. This type of show that parallels a game for some prize has gotten popular in recent years as a plot (especially in anime... see: Future Diary), but Eden of the East manages to do it spectacularly with an intriguing plot, a morally ambiguous debate on what is good and bad for society and its people, and very interesting characters. There's also quite a bit of Bond-esque action involved. Just do yourself a favor... Don't watch the movies. They're crudely paced and inferior to the original show - even if they were meant to bring closure, they're just so unsatisfying compared to the amazing ride I had with this one.
Why I Chose It: For an anime, Eden of the East screams more American vibes than anything else - the first episode or two of the show even begins in it, for crying out loud! I'm a sucker for this kind of show based on a game of sorts that turned deadly serious. There's also a bit of a romance going on with the two main characters that is oddly progressive and satisfying where shit actually happens... If you can take the cliche amnesia thing that the main character has going on for him. I believe it to be a nice commentary on society that provokes you to think about what you'd do in the exact same situation. I really love the cast of characters in Eden, especially the "enemies" and "friends" that are the other phone wielders. Eden has a nice mixed bag of many elements of romance, comedy, mystery, thriller, and even sci-fi to an extent, so it's pretty much an awesome jack-of-all-trades show that leaves you yearning for more. Too bad the movies are pretty mediocre, because the show itself kicks all sorts of butt. By the way, the OP was done by Oasis, which is pretty weird. I dig Falling Down though, so thumbs up to them for using a foreign band's song.
26) Toradora!
A very simple yet effective setup, Toradora is about a guy and a girl that discover that they each have a crush on each other's best friends. Thus, the two of them decide to help each other on their path to forging a relationship with their crush. Surprisingly enough, the show is done by JC Staff, a studio notorious for making shitty high school anime, but their best team worked on this one and it turned out to be among my favorite romance anime. The show's biggest strength comes from its very strong characterization, choosing merely five characters to highlight on as they interact with each other and become the best of friends. Of course, this only serves to entangle their romantic interests later. While the setting and simple plot is very generic and run-of-the-mill, the situations and characters are pretty satisfying and have a charm that barely appears in other shows in the same genre. The main character is also unorthodox in terms of his characteristics and traits, so his perspective is fresh in comparison to other male protagonists. While the light novels (translated on Baka-Tsuki, by the way!) are the definitive version and provide an amazing amount of depth into the thoughts of the main character and shoveling solely his own perspective on the events that transpire, the anime adaptation still manages to be a very good ride in its own right.
Why I Chose It: The reason I chose this one is similar to why I chose ef. This is another one of the first romance anime I had ever watched, so it happens to be very prominent in terms of my recognition of shows that have good romance. I really enjoyed the little conversations and situations between the main characters and the rest of the other characters. It's got plenty of balanced drama and fun times, giving a healthy dose of each. Even if you "dislike" a character, it's more because they're a pretty well-written and established one that manages to irk you because of their actions, not because they're poorly characterized. Toradora does feel same-y and generic in its art style and general premise, but it still stands tall with one of the most enjoyable character chemistrys I've ever seen between the main male character and the main female character as they figure out exactly what love is for themselves. I also find myself relating to the main character a lot in his eccentricities, so there's that, too! Overall, I just found it to be a very fun show packed with the right amount of everything despite its flaws (which are mainly pronounced due to pacing issues near the end - something not nearly as prevalent or present at all within the light novels I read).
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