Kyoto Animation is one of the most well-known and highly successful studios in the history of anime. With a number of popular titles, even the greenest of anime fans have seen or heard of at least one KyoAni series. They've developed a unique style, setting them apart from other studios.
Each series has that special touch that only Kyoto Animation can pull off. From their exquisite animation to their emotional storytelling, almost every series from KyoAni is an instant hit and beloved by all fans. After so many successful series, Kyoto Animation has earned a reputation among anime fans with a high quality that many now come to expect.
10 Their Animation Is Beautiful And Striking
One of the most notable features of anything coming from KyoAni is the beautiful, fluid animation in all of their works. Even their early titles such as Air, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and Lucky Star all have animation that's smooth and seamless, still holding up well today. Their action scenes are full of energy, and their emotional moments are gripping.
As the years have passed, KyoAni's animation has only gotten better with some of the best quality in the medium.
9 The Visuals Are Always Stunning
Just like their animation quality, Kyoto Animation brings only the best visuals to their fans. Their works have been visually gorgeous from the very start. No matter the genre, each series has beautiful, rich colors and crisp clarity.
Some of the best examples of what the studio can do include Violet Evergarden, Free!, and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, all hit series loved by fans everywhere. Though each of their works is vastly different from the last, the same high quality remains no matter what.
8 The Characters Of Their Works Are All Lovable
Kyoto Animation has a wide range of characters with vibrant, fun, and engrossing personalities that breathe life into the story. The way audiences can connect with these characters is one of the many ways KyoAni stands out among the rest in the anime world. As the years have passed, they've mastered the art of creating characters that feel real to the audience and strike a chord with them.
Some of the most beloved and iconic anime characters come from the studio. From classic anime to modern hits, many of KyoAni's characters resonate with the audience unlike any other.
7 A Good Blend Of Comedy And Drama
Though they cover a wide range of genres, Kyoto Animation specializes in feel-good, slice-of-life type series. While these series often feature a healthy dose of comedy, the studio never shies away from a good drama. Throughout the years, they've perfectly balanced comedy and drama.
With series such as Clannad, Free!, and Sound! Euphonium, the studio is skilled at bringing laughs and tears to the audience in many different ways. Their works prove that there's much more to slice-of-life than meets the eye and that a story can be funny and compelling at the same time.
6 Memorable Character Designs
The characters of Kyoto Animation are some of the most memorable and beloved of all time. They've always had a strong and highly recognizable style, even during the studio's early days. With modern characters such as Tohru from Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid and the boys of Free!, it's clear that KyoAni's characters have only gotten better as the years have passed.
Even the more unassuming characters seem to possess a defining feature that makes them stand out, be it their hair, eyes, or something else. While KyoAni has become more ambitious with some characters, many have a subtle yet memorable quality about them that sticks with fans for years to come.
5 They Use Subtle Details To Create A Bigger Picture
Kyoto Animation has always been a master of slowly building up a complex, emotional story. Starting with their adaptations of various visual novels, such as Air, Kanon, and Clannad, their style often consists of big, dramatic stories that slowly unfold in small doses.
They like to sneak in tiny hints of foreshadowing, from scenes in the opening and ending themes to bits of information dropped during a seemingly unimportant conversation between characters. They are highly skilled at revealing layers of the plot to the audience through these hints. This aspect also makes KyoAni works highly rewatchable, viewers picking up on new things they didn't notice before each time.
4 Music And Visuals Combine To Evoke Strong Emotions
Many fans will agree that Kyoto Animation is the greatest at executing a tearjerker. Many of their works pull at the heartstrings with their emotional moments. They achieve this through many avenues, such as their strong character development and eloquent storytelling. However, it's their genius combinations of music and visuals that really sell the emotion for KyoAni.
No matter the series, they know how to deliver the right feeling at the right time, and each scene is carefully crafted to get that desired response from the audience. By now, KyoAni has it down to a science, and audiences know exactly when the tears will start to flow, just by the sound of the music.
3 They Tell A Slice-Of-Life Story That Anyone Can Enjoy
Not everyone likes a slice-of-life anime, but somehow, Kyoto Animation always makes it work. With well-written, three-dimensional characters and a good combination of humor and drama, they can pull in an audience effortlessly. Many of their slice-of-life series features various characters and flesh out their backstories, allowing the audience to know them more and adding interest to the plot.
While they're usually lighthearted in nature, KyoAni is famous for tackling darker subjects than one would expect in the genre, opening it up to a wider audience that can appreciate the drama and darker tones.
2 Gorgeous Backdrops And Settings
No matter anyone's opinion on Kyoto Animation, everyone can agree that their works are all nothing short of gorgeous. Even their earliest works are visually stunning and hold up well compared to today's anime. However, their style has truly blossomed in recent years with modern classics such as Violet Evergarden and A Silent Voice.
Each of their works paints a spectacular setting, with beautifully crafted backdrops that draw inspiration from real life. Beautiful visuals such as these have been one of KyoAni's specialties since the beginning, and that still rings true today.
1 Their Stories Are All Full Of Emotion
Probably one of the things Kyoto Animation is known for the most is intense stories full of strong emotion. The studio has created some of the saddest, most tear-jerking moments in anime history. Needless to say, they aren't afraid to hit the audience hard with some of life's toughest realities, from grief and loss to betrayal and more.
To this day, many of their series are cited as some of the saddest in the entire anime genre. From Clannad to A Silent Voice to Violet Evergarden, Kyoto Animation has had one emotional hit after the next. With so many famous tearjerkers under the KyoAni umbrella, few studios have moved audiences the way Kyoto Animation has.