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Best Anime Series of the Year 2018
Devilman Crybaby
Votes: 42.9%Production Studio: Science Saru
Streaming Service(s): Netflix
Violence, sex, drugs, betrayal, brutal mass-murder — and that’s just the first episode of Netflix’s Devilman Crybaby. This anime does not hold back with its dark retelling of the original '70s manga. The graphic nature of this anime is not what makes it great, though it's done well and with purpose. The best parts of Devilman Crybaby come from its impressive chronicle of Akira, a sweet human boy who gets transformed into a monstrous demon by his best friend and his struggle to redefine himself, protect those he cares for, and learn how to see the best in others even when there seems to be evil in everyone. The spectacular action and psychedelic animation are standouts, but its the story that stuck with us long after the end credits rolled.
Runner-up: March Comes in Like a Lion: Season 2
Votes: 28.6%My Hero Academia: Season 3
Scroll down for our nominees or head to our Best of 2018 Awards hub to see more of IGN's top games, movies, TV, comics, and anime picks of the year.
Click through the gallery for all our nominees or scroll through them below.
Aggretsuko
Sanrio may be known for cute characters, and while this raging red panda is certainly charming, the themes and topics her anime tackles are anything but sweet. Aggretsuko follows Retsuko, a Tokyo office worker who deals with her frustrations with daily sexism and other mistreatment in her workplace through solo death metal karaoke. Even when presenting such serious topics, Aggretsuko manages to still make its themes approachable through its great writing and unique cast of characters. Few shows are able to tell such relatable stories about modern workplace environments, let alone analyze the importance of mentorships and the challenges presented when glorifying romantic relationships.
A Place Further than the Universe
Shirase Kobuchizawa’s mother has been missing for three years since her expedition to Antarctica, and Shirase is determined to find her. Mari, a girl who feels like she’s wasting her youth, decides to join Shirase on her seemingly impossible adventure. This heartwarming anime sees them embark on that journey to Antarctica with the help of two other girls searching for their own destinies in A Place Further than the Universe. Like many anime, A Place Further than the Universe heavily features an emphasis on the importance of friendship but does it especially well by incorporating realistic challenges that come with friendship as well.
Devilman Crybaby
Devilman Crybaby tells an excellent story about empathy and the cruelty of humanity through a feverish combination of action, drama, and intense violence. Based on the classic Devilman manga, this iteration follows crybaby Akira Fudo after he merges with a demon. With his new powers, Akira takes on the moniker Devilman to destroy the demons that threaten to take over the world. Devilman Crybaby’s hyper-violent action is backed up well by its story and unique animation.
March Comes in Like a Lion Season 2
March Comes in Like a Lion is one of the most powerful and well-told character dramas in recent years, and Season 2 elevates the anime’s emotional story to new heights. Shogi prodigy Rei Kiriyama’s steady climb out of the pit of loneliness we see him in at the start of the series is a startlingly relatable portrayal of one’s battle with depression. Several supporting characters get their own engaging arcs in Season 2 as well, including one that shines a particularly poignant light on bullying in schools. While each is powerful in its own right, together these carefully-crafted subplots seamlessly reinforce the strength of the core story thread surrounding Kiriyama. All of this is brought to life by animation studio Shaft (Monogatari series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica), whose distinct style is perfectly suited to bringing Chica Umino’s manga to life, especially the visual metaphors peppered throughout.
My Hero Academia Season 3
The popular superhero anime, My Hero Academia, returned in 2018 with another great season. It continued to flex its ability to give most of its characters a moment in the limelight while introducing plenty of interesting rivals and villains to provide new challenges for the main crew. While Season 3’s arcs weren’t all equal in impact, it’s easy to say that some of the series’ best episodes aired this season with incredible animation as we’ve come to expect from Bones. All Might and Bakugo’s arc, in particular, was a standout not only in action but also as a peak in My Hero Academia’s story thus far.
Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is one of the most stunning anime of the year, both in its animation and drama. With a major war over, the child soldier Violet is forced to find a new purpose beyond being the ultimate weapon she was raised to be. This proves to be especially hard for her when she’s told the only person she ever cared for is missing. With the assistance of some new friends, Violet takes up a job as a letter writer in order to learn what caring for others really means. Violet’s robotic nature and flat understanding of relationships give her a unique perspective on civilian life, and her interactions with people are far more vibrant – for better and for worse – because of the emotions she draws out from them.
