# 3 – Neon Genesis Evangelion

You know how they say you never forget your first time? Well that applies to me with this anime; Neon Genesis Evangelion was the first anime series I really got into. The show had an addictive mix of action, drama, and suspense. I had to keep looking to find out what would happen to the characters that I had become attached to. The series did a fantastic job of progressing the characters throughout the series, especially during difficult times. As a viewer, I felt for the main characters as they went through the challenges the story presented to them.

If you’ve never heard of Evangelion, it’s a pretty impressive show, albeit a very depressing one in the end. The basis is that the world is recovering from a global catastrophe known as the second impact, and according to the sacred documents known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the powerful creatures known as angels are going to attack. A military organization known as NERV takes the lead in defending humanity. Your weapon? Mysterious, but powerful, humanoid robots, known as evangelion, or eva for short. Its pilots must be carefully selected, since not just anyone can be the pilot of one of these monsters. The top three drivers are all teenagers, chosen for their various reasons and for more specific ones that you’ll learn about later in the series. Shinji, Asuka and Rei are the three main pilots that make up the story.

# 2 – Log Horizon

This anime is my obsession right now. No seriously, I listen to the main theme on the way to and from work every day. This anime series did a fantastic job of explaining the world the characters find themselves in. By doing this, they kept the audience interested in the big picture, rather than just who is fighting whom at what time and place. This led to a much greater immersion in anime. I felt like I was part of the world, going through the challenges that the characters went through. It’s another anime about people trapped in a game, but no other anime comes close to explaining the world they are trapped in. This anime also does an amazing job of explaining the political side of the game. Not everything is adventure and action, most of it actually tries to keep this world, which they are in, running smoothly and at peace.

So what is the basis of Log Horizon? Elder Tale is a hugely successful MMORPG that has spread all over the world. However, after its last update, some players, more than a thousand on various servers, find out that they are actually in the game. Players, known as adventurers, must learn to survive and adapt to this new world. They know the game, but it is very different when it comes to your real body and you are not looking at a computer screen. The series follows a brilliant strategist known as Shiroe, who ends up being the one behind bringing together some of the most powerful guilds in the game to establish order in this world.

# 1 – Sword Art Online

There is! My favorite anime series of all time! Sword Art Online is a combination of everything that I love to see in an anime. He has a lot of action, a sense of adventure, strong friendships, and blushing romances. The series has become very popular and I’m excited to say that I can’t wait for the new movie and the third season as well. There is something special about the first arc, which covers the first 14 episodes. This arc, known as the Aincrad arc, is when they are trapped within the game and fighting for their lives. The way we can see the main character progress from being a loner, to winning friends, and eventually falling in love is truly amazing. Even after this arc, the viewer can follow a lot of adventures and meet all kinds of new characters.

Haven’t heard of Sword Art Online yet? Woof! This anime series begins with the release of a new virtual reality MMORPG, which allows the player to fully immerse themselves within the game. However, players soon find out that this is a trap created by the creator and are unable to log out. If they die in the game, they die in real life. We follow Kirito as he fights in the world of Aincrad to try to overcome 100 levels and return to the real world. Along the way, we meet a lot of cool supporting characters like Asuna, Klein, Liz, and many more.

There you go! My list of the best anime series is based on my personal experience with each series and as an anime fan. I’ve watched a lot of anime in my day and I can say that these three really take the top, at least for me. There are many other good anime series and I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts.