Determining what makes a great anime means considering many elements, and one of those happens to be animation. Not to be confused with art style, which is how the art or pictures look, animation is how those pictures move. Some anime stand out not only because of storylines or characters, but because of their favorable animation.
Animation can range from character movement to how camera angles pan and change. Fans could argue that animation is perhaps the most important facet of creating an exceptional anime because it's not only impressive, it sets the mood and atmosphere for the show.
10 Danganronpa's Use Of 2.5D Animation Adds To Its Dark Storyline
Danganronpa is a suspenseful story about students who believe they've just been accepted to an elite school, only to find they've been chosen to participate in a deadly game. Animation studio Lerche brings this story to life with animation that is so visually prominent that it's almost haunting.
When characters are punished after losing a game, Studio Lerche uses stunning animation called 2.5D animation; this is the use of 2D illustration combined with 3D backgrounds, which immerses fans in the terrorizing moments before a character's punishment. As dark as Danganronpa is, there's no denying the story wouldn't be as great without its animation.
9 Demon Slayer Captivates Fans With Its Smooth Animation
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Demon Slayer follows Tanjiro Kamado's journey of becoming a demon slayer to avenge his family. With its beautifully smooth animation, Demon Slayer immediately stood out to fans. Studio Ufotable combined CGI and classic Japanese animation to bring Tanjiro's story to life.
Elemental techniques used by demon slayers are animated with bold, bright colors that pop against Demon Slayer's scenery. Their traditional Japanese art elements add beauty to each attack, which makes Demon Slayer different from most shonen. Rather than focusing on large-scale attacks that simply destroy everything, Studio Ufotable focuses on precise attack animation that's unique to each character.
8 One-Punch Man's Animation Is A Cinematic Experience
One-Punch Man follows the story of Saitama, a man who's so strong he can destroy his opponent with just one punch. He grows bored with his unfathomable strength and longs for an opponent who can offer a challenge. With Madhouse animation studio behind its production, fans received an astounding visual experience.
Madhouse animated bold, fast-paced scenes with cinematic quality. Always demonstrating the impact of Saitama's strength beautifully, Madhouse delivered scenes of destruction that left fans in awe. By Season 2, animation studio J.C. Staff took over and noticeable changes to its animation were apparent. Fans weren't thrilled, but One-Punch Man's animation remains one of the best.
7 Jujutsu Kaisen's Animated Fights Feature Amazing Choreography
Jujutsu Kaisen follows a student named Yuji Itadori in his quest to become a Jujutsu sorcerer to defeat evil curses. Studio MAPPA's animation boasts beautiful cursed energy animation to contrast Jujutsu Kaisen's often dark setting.
What really makes Jujutsu Kaisen's animation stand out is its amazing fight choreography. MAPPA's animation shines during fight scenes where characters use hand-to-hand combat. Rather than characters relying solely on one-on-one attacks, fans can enjoy continuous sequences where more than one protagonist gangs up on an antagonist. It's highly entertaining and a nice change from some traditional shonen matches.
6 Food Wars!' Animation Looks As Good As The Dishes Prepared On Screen
Food Wars! is about Soma Yukihira's determination to become a top chef after his enrollment in an elite culinary school. Cook-offs between him and fellow students ensue for the top spot. J.C. Staff's animation studio delivered by making sure an anime about food was highly entertaining.
Food Wars!' tasting scenes left fans drooling due to how realistic the food looked. To keep fans immersed during cooking and educational scenes, J.C. Staff knew the importance of bringing textures and flavors to life. Combining actual research on each dish with bright and crisp visuals, J.C. Staff demonstrated their commitment to animating each scene perfectly.
5 Attack On Titan's Animation Easily Tackles High-Impact Scenes
Attack On Titan details Eren Yeager's experience in the Survey Corps after man-eating Titans attacked his home. With a larger-than-life story including huge transformation scenes and characters whizzing through the air, WIT Studio didn't hold back.
WIT Studio made a grim story beautiful with its traditional animation and use of CGI. Every jaw-dropping scene left fans on the edge of their seats because of its seamless animation. By Season 4, Studio MAPPA handled Attack on Titan's animation to signify its new direction. MAPPA's animation is noticeably different, but it's been done beautifully by keeping the heart of Attack on Titan at its core.
4 Production I.G.'s Animation In Haikyuu! Perfectly Depicts Athleticism
Haikyuu! revolves around Shoyo Hinata and his dream of being a star volleyball player. Standing at just 5 feet, 4 inches tall, his skills are often doubted until he shows off his speed and agility. Animation studio Production I.G. does an incredible job at animating athleticism in a sports anime where complicated actions, such as running, sliding, spiking, etc., are involved.
Production I.G. exceptionally animates volleyball matches in a way that keeps fans in suspense. Every serve and spike is animated to show intensity and impact, and every play is a continuous fast-paced experience. Haikyuu! goes to show that traditional animation can make for a visual spectacle when done correctly.
3 An Exemplary Use Of CGI Is Displayed In Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works is about Shirou Emiya's journey in a tournament known as the Holy Grail War, where characters battle to have their wishes granted. It's a magical spectacle filled with visually stunning scenes brought to fans by the animation studio Ufotable.
Ufotable used traditional animation combined with painted-over CGI to produce incredibly smooth fight scenes and backgrounds. The use of modern CGI in Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works isn't overdone, which fans appreciate. With magic being the power type, CGI also helps to immerse fans in the story. Ufotable used the perfect amount of 3D animation to make Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works stand out.
2 Mob Psycho 100's Animation Is Explosive In All The Right Ways
Shigeo Kageyama, also known as Mob, is a student who discovers he's a powerful psychic. He tries to live normally, but he often ends up needing to use his abilities. Thanks to Studio Bones, Mob Psycho 100 is an explosive powerhouse of animation.
Bones used a multitude of animation techniques in Mob Psycho 100. One of its most complicated is the use of paint-on-glass, which was used to create hauntingly beautiful imagery. Bones' ability to animate smooth, continuous scenes of destruction and impact to show the scale of Mob's power is staggering. Bones animated an unforgettable visual experience.
1 Violet Evergarden's Gentle Animation Pairs Perfectly With Its Serene Ambiance
Violet Evergarden is the story of a young veteran, Violet Evergarden, who learns to function in society after only knowing the tides of war. Kyoto Animation's serene animation matches perfectly with Violet Evergarden's calm atmosphere.
Traditional Japanese animation and 3D animation were used to ensure every detail, from lens flares to the wind blowing through characters' hair, was flawless. Kyoto Animation understood that in order to capture the essence of such an emotional anime, it would need soft, cinematic animation to transfer those feelings to fans. Violet Evergarden was successful in conveying the mood through its animation.