Kicking off our list is one of many dog-related entries. In fan-favorite cult-series Hellsing, main protagonist Alucard joins forces with the group named after his former nemesis, the Hellsing Organization. In this particular clip vampire pretty boy Luke Valentine meets his maker, after meeting Alucard (not his maker). Alucard, after shooting off his legs, unleashes a hellish beast known as Baskerville – unsurprisingly inspired by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel – which devours the unfortunate bloodsucker in a rather nasty manner. Hellsing got more where that came from, and if you’re a gorehound (that’s what the kids call a horror fan nowadays) you have to absolutely check this out.

In the 483rd episode of one of the definitive veterans of anime, we’re ‘treated’ to the death of Portgas D. Ace, adopted brother of arguably most flexible characters in all of Japanese animation. That the passing of a family member of the main protagonist was going to be a heartbreaking affair was obvious, but you probably weren’t expecting it to be this brutal: Ace meets his maker in the form of a burning fist, as he heroically sacrifices himself to save his younger brother. As a paper representing Ace’s life force burns to ashes, Luffy sobs while the other characters watch in disbelief. Dramatic and shocking – strong stuff, man.

Etymology might seem a bit out of place for a Halloween-themed article, but the fact that the origin of the word ‘brutal’ can be traced back to an old French term referring to ‘lower animals’, seem to perfectly with this scene from 2011’s Blood-C. While we’re on the subject of history, elephants were a very popular means of execution in medieval India, were sadistic rulers would sentence convicts to be crushed or having their limbs pulled apart by trained elephants. Though more reminiscent of a dog than an elephant, its brutality is on par: the series feature many mention-worthy scenes, but the one where a schoolgirl has her thighs pulled off deserves special attention, especially the sight of her torn-off limb dangling in the air like a human chicken drumstick.

At first glance, and here I mean that in the literal sense, in the first ten or so minutes of Madoka, it seemed like just another standard magical girl anime, though with an interesting, psychedelic art style, but that’s because it was produced by Shaft. Then, as magical girl and mother-like figure Mami battles one of the first ‘witches’ in a candy-like wonderland in a magical girl tutorial for new recruits, Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki, while we’re still unsuspectingly enjoying this seemingly normal anime, it suddenly turns violent, and the diet Coke and chicken drumsticks you’ve been munching suddenly announce their respective returns. It suddenly breaks its own rules, like if *** Double Cartoon and Anime Reference *** Dexter had, instead of chasing his annoying sister out of his lab, pulled out a toothbrush and, like that infamous scene in Nisemonogatari, started incestuously brushing his sister’s teeth *** end of reference ***, and it is this breach of our expectations that makes this particular scene so brutal. There are many parallels to this scene, making you think of one of those moments that made you realize that the world is crueler than your child-self had initially thought. Echoing what Evangelion showed us regarding the consequences of putting teens in charge of saving the world, this particular scene was the one that gave us second thoughts about trading our souls for slightly disturbing lolita-outfits. To cite YouTube commenter SuperMollie44: “I THOUGHT THIS ANIME WOULD BE CUUUTTE;-;”. Didn’t we all, Molly, didn’t we all.

The ‘that must hurt’-factor is strong with this one, in a series not exactly lacking brutal, disturbing deaths and suicides on the seemingly haunted high-school where the action is set. I’m sure all of you horror fans out there will see the homage to or at least the inspiration from a certain infamous eye-gouging scene from cult-classic 1979 movie Zombi 2, as the genius of the scene is the pacing, the unavoidability of what’s going to happen. There’s also something Final Destination-ish with this particular scene, something about the inevitability of death, but now I’m getting carried away and putting to much though into this, so just click on the link below and check it out for yourself. The teacher’s suicide is also a classic, by the way.

Somehow violence against defenseless animals evokes more empathy than the slaughter of humans, and in an anime which frequently sees limbs flying all over the place, it is strange that it is a scene of a dog being beaten to death by a few straight-up evil children that leaves the deepest mental scars on most viewers. A sociological study by the Northeastern University actually found that a majority showed that the test subject showed more empathy towards an injured dog than they did for a human adult, which might provide some relevant, though probably undesired, scientific basis for this particular scene.

Cracking his fists, soaring through the air, and finally showing off the eponymous martial arts technique of the Fist of the North Star, Kenshiro delivers one of the awesomest finishing moves ever put to screen. Like the Phantom he’s ruthless towards the ruthless, and shows no mercy for the mutated punks of the post-apocalypse, especially those posing a threat to his gurl (I’m just assuming that an atomic blast that blew away social order also would have a severe consequences for the grammar of its respective society, but I might be wrong). Since finding a ‘scientific’ explanation for the list’s brutal ways of kicking the bucket became somewhat of a recurring theme, and since Kenshiro was partly inspired by Bruce Lee, it seems appropriate to mention that the Fist of the North Star move closely resembles the so-called Touch of Death, a legendary move that killed the opponent by pressing certain special spots on the body, according to ancient Chinese scripts. Fairly unreliable sources say that this was the cause of Lee’s death, which in turn inspired the titular event of a certain Tarantino movie. Pop-cultural references aside, Kenshiro’s deadpan coolness is only matched by his passive-aggressive ruthlessness as he turns his back to his opponent uttering “お前もう死んでいる” – “you’re already dead”. Like a boss.

A good contender for ‘everyone’s greatest fear’ must be witnessing one’s own parent’s death, like *** spoiler for everyone lagging four years behind *** the Stark sisters are forced to do in the first season of Game of Thrones *** end of spoiler alert ***. Attack on Titan recently gave us one of the most brutal depictions of exactly this in its very first episode. Though a graphic depiction, the worst part of the scene where *** spoiler alert for the anime novice *** Eren’s mother gets devoured isn’t the blood nor the crushing sound as it bites her corpse in two, but rather the sadistic grin the giant’s face as well as the terrified expression on Eren’s face as he watched helplessly *** end of spoiler alert ***.

Even though the aforementioned study by the Northeastern University also showed that most students that participated showed as much empathy for wounded puppy as an infant in a similar state, and it’s therefore an open question whether the shock value evoke more empathy or apathy (clever play with words), deaths of children are bound to have some kind of impact on even the most hardcore anime Connoisseur (from French connaître – ‘to be acquainted with’). In a largely unparalleled brutal scene, which also happens to be featured in the video for Genocyber’s end theme, an unforgivingly gory depiction of two children getting brutally murdered broke taboos at the time, and still manages to shock and disturb. Set to a tune that probably got 1994’s youngsters stomping their feet and ignoring nonsensical lines such as “I want you and love you, fairy dreaming” and “Midnight, like a phantom of blood, twinkles at a noisy town” (okay here I have to admit that I’m depending on a probably sub-par translation from Animeworld, but anyway, you get the idea), the aforementioned gorehounds are sure to be left satisfied with this incredibly graphic clip.

Hundreds of reaction videos on YouTube proves that this particular scene from Tokyo Tribe 2 lives up to its reputation as one of the most disturbing scenes of anime (that’s another list by the way), and I will do you the favor of not spoiling the fun but simply encourage you to click on the link, see it for yourself, and preferably, upload your own reacting in the comments section. Originally I wanted to include some real-life parallels, but the Google results for ‘death by anal rape’ and ‘death by giant penis’ made it pretty obvious that this was a bad idea. A really bad idea indeed. Let’s just stick to the anime version, shall we?

The summer of 2015 was a rich time for anime that was badass, and of course, Gangsta. is one of them! It tells the tale of two men, Worick and Nicolas, who were called and paid to do any job, which essentially meant that they were jacks of all trades. Their line of work fell under dangerous territory, but they were mostly well-respected men and were thought to be incredible workers. Of course, the fact that they live in a dangerous territory is not a coincidence, and both Nicolas and Worick have pasts that are sure to make you love them even more. While there are mini conflicts within their neighborhood, there’s always a higher power that causes turmoil amongst all characters. Essentially, Gangsta. is a story of discrimination within a governmental system that started with causing people to suffer, and expecting them to pay for it. One of the main things that we notice about Nicolas is his angry features — like he’s going to kill you, which he very well could. He is also someone who was trained in this area of expertise, since he is a Tagged, to use a katana sword to slay enemies. A Tagged essentially refers to something akin to human experimentation, where a large number of people are given drugs to test their ability as a human being, but of course, it ultimately falls through and those who are Tagged are ostracised because they pose a potential danger to society. While we only catch glimpses of Nicolas’ strength in the beginning, we really start to see his ruthlessness when he’s fighting Doug, another Tagged of a lower rank. When these two spar, it’s incredibly intimidating to watch, because of the sheer difference in skills between those who are Tagged and those who are considered to be normal human beings. Not only was the animation for this scene extremely well-done, but being able to see their fight in the anime creates a whole new experience than when you witness it in the manga. It’s fast-paced and mostly in the air, but it was without the use of weapons apart from Nicolas’ katana! The exchange between the two was one of the finer things about fight scenes in anime!

The first thing that we find out about the Okumura siblings is that their biological father is Satan. Their mother, of course, is a human woman and had died giving birth to them. The only strange thing about this fact is that the older of the two brothers, Rin, is the one that possesses demon powers, while Yukio does not. The previous Paladin, the head exorcist at the academy they attend, also known as Shiro, was the one that raised the two boys as humans, and not as demons. Of course, Rin and Yukio are left as orphans when Satan, who had been possessing Shiro, completely takes over his body which ultimately kills Shiro. Because of Rin’s big secret, he has to be extra careful when he trudges the floors of the academy, otherwise his life could be in danger. Amaimon, also known as the Earth King, is incredibly interested in Rin’s existence and the fact that he is classified as a demon. When he and Rin begin fighting due to the fact that Amaimon was intending to harm Shiemi, Rin’s love interest, the power that exuded from both of them was incredible. Rin had been given a sword by Shiro, and it was a seal to keep his demonic powers in check. However, when he fights Amaimon, the sword slowly begins to break, which causes Rin’s powers to overwhelm his body and cause him to lose control. From that point on, Amaimon realisees that he cannot win against Rin — which is a huge testament to Rin’s powers, since Amaimon is considered incredibly strong! Watching the extent of Rin’s powers is intimidating, as he still has to learn to possess those powers.

One of the reasons that Tokyo Ghoul became so popular incredibly quickly after its anime release is because of how intensely and forcefully the plot was introduced. While it starts off as lighthearted and kind of cute, the first episode ends with countless questions and leave you wanting more. Of course, the biggest deal is that Kaneki, the protagonist, had turned into a Ghoul instead of having died when he was eaten. Naturally, this opened up a whole new world to not only him, but to us, as well. Although Kaneki struggles with questioning his existence and as to whether he’s a human or a Ghoul, he is introduced to a new family of Ghouls who take him in and help him to deal with his new identity — one of the people being Kirishima Touka. From the very start, when Touka’s character is introduced, she’s seen as someone who is compassionate towards those close to her, and as a result, she is incredibly wary of those who she acknowledges as her enemies. Mado is akin to a hunter of Ghouls and when he kills them, he uses their quinques as his own weapons to hunt other Ghouls. When Touka received wind of this from a younger Ghoul named Hinami, she was livid and immediately went after him. Mado, of course, had secretly been wanting to capture Touka for years but couldn’t find her because of the masks that Ghouls wear. When Mado recognized her mask (a bunny), he became excited and wanted her head. The tension and anticipation throughout this fight was immense, as both characters are filled with hatred and a bloodlust that surpasses other fights in the anime. Because Touka is so filled with rage when she finds that Mado used Hinami’s mother’s quinque as his new weapon, her actions are quicker than usual and she is, of course, able to take out Mado for the horrid thing he had done to not just a Ghoul, but a child.

Attack on Titan was one of those anime that completely blew up in terms of popularity when it was announced to be an anime. The fanbase was huge, and for some good reason, too, since the plot of the series is incredibly unique and dark. The fanbase itself made tons of jokes whenever their favorite characters would get killed off, because they claimed it was impossible for certain characters to stay alive all the way through — even if they were considered protagonists. One of the most adored characters is Levi, because he’s small and yet he is a corporal who leads his men into battle, knowing that he is always taking a risk and putting his life on the line. In the anime, one of the defining moments of Levi’s character was when he was fighting against the Female Titan. During his training with his men, he always made sure to tell them to make a clean cut on a Titan’s neck in order to ensure immobility. While on the battlefield, he had his squad that backed him up, Levi’s genuine disgust for Titans really showed through right before he cut the back of the Female Titan’s neck. His lack of hesitation and incredible skill is what makes anime-watchers feel awe — because he’s such a badass and he merely thinks of it as doing his job to protect humanity. Because he’s so skilled at what he does, and because he genuinely wanted to keep the human race alive, his fight and ultimate win against the Female Titan certainly did wonders for the plot of the story.

In the supernatural world of anime, there is always conflict between spirits and gods that inadvertently involve intense violence. Noragami is unique in that one of the protagonists is a human girl named Hiyori who is connected to both the real world and the spiritual world, due to a car accident that she was in. She is dragged into a world of gods and spirits and apart from trying to get herself back to normal, Hiyori also experiences the inner networks of the gods and their relationships with each other. Bishamon is one of the gods in the Noragami universe who is a high-ranking God. She has many Regalia that she uses as weapons when she fights off demons and sends lost souls to where they should lay to rest. Because of her reputation amongst those in the supernatural world, she and Yato, the male protagonist, don’t see eye to eye. There is a history between them, of course, that we don’t know about, but the tension between them makes Hiyori feel uneasy. Bishamon sends her Regalia to attack Yato and his Regalia, Yukine, and the hostility between the two gods is evident and prominent. To Hiyori, watching these two gods fight each other is intimidating, and it makes her, as well as the audience, realize that true strength that Yato possesses. Not only was he up against Bishamon, a highly regarded god, but his reputation as the god of calamity certainly made the fight more interesting to watch!

Soul Eater is the type of shounen that most people like because of its concept of weapons “eating” souls in order to transform into a Death Scythe, after consuming one hundred souls. Each meister has their own scythe and they have incredible relationships with them, since it’s impossible to actually improve as a tag team if they don’t have some form of a relationship. The main meister and scythe tag teams are Maka and Soul, Black Star and Tsubaki, and Death the Kid and the Thompson sisters. While all of the scythes have their own sets of skills, Tsubaki is an interesting scythe, because of the fact that her familial background is not revealed until later on into the series. She’s a sweet girl who is incredibly caring towards Black Star, but her bloodline is one that would make others fear her if they knew her. In a particular arc of Soul Eater, we are introduced to a demon blade that is said to possess people into using him so that he can gather and endless supply of souls to eat. When Tsubaki receives wind of this, she of course, knew that it was her brother when the name Masamune was uttered. It was her older brother — someone she had never gotten along with because of their differing perspectives on how a scythe or weapon should live: with or without a master to be loyal to. Tsubaki enters another realm to see her brother, to speak to him, to at least attempt to get through to him. When his sister is right in front of him, Masamune is unamused and proceeds to tell her that they will settle this family feud right now. After incredible sets of skills from a family with a noble title, the two siblings are at a crossroads, with Tsubaki torn between saving her brother from a life of darkness, or to save herself and give up on it. Naturally, the villain is taken down, and not without an incredible fight, first. Masamune’s bloodlust did not affect Tsubaki, and she still possessed the same integrity that she had long before the feud with her brother. As such, Tsubaki received character development from a fight between hers and her brother’s ideals.

From the very start, K Project is a complicated anime to understand because it’s filled with so many unanswered questions until much later on in the plot. The gist of the anime is that it revolves around Clans of the area and it questions each character’s motives and goals. Of course, belonging to any Clan was a good sign for a character, because it meant that he was worthy enough to belong to a clan. If someone did not belong to a clan, they were seen as potentially a threat, because they served no one and they were loyal to no one. Naturally, that was seen as a safety hazard and was usually dealt with accordingly. When the Kings of the Clans are chosen, they are usually chosen because they have a strong willpower and can lead others to trust them and live safely. When that is put to the test and the three main Kings of the series fight each other, it truly is a spectacle. The three Kings have immense power and most definitely use this to their advantage. No other member of any Clan is directly involved, as it’s revealed in the series that only Kings can kill Kings. Previous fights and spars in the series were based on and motivated by the complexity of the relationship between the Red Clan and the Blue Clan. However, when the anime was coming to a close, it was crucial to create a climax — a moment in which everything is pieced together to make the audience understand, or at least try to understand, what had been happening the entire time. All questions are answered when Isana Yashiro fought against the Red King (Suoh Mikoto) and the Blue King (Munakata Reishi). This, of course, meat that Yashiro had to have similar powers to the two, and of course, it’s revealed that he is the Silver King. The battle between the three is truly luminous in that the animation is gorgeous, and the fact that it’s done so well makes the storyline that much more painful and distinct. Not only did we get to see Suoh truly be a badass in his fight, but we also get to see Yashiro’s true skills when it comes to fighting. Talk about development!

One of the best things about Gintama is that apart from its crude and unadulterated comedy, is its fight scenes. Gintama truly has the mark of a shounen although it does have a few inconsistencies that cause it to be unconventional. There’s an abundance of specific moments in the anime that can touch different parts of your heart, and what most fans love about the series itself is that it never loses sight of its characters’ true motives. Although Gintoki is lazy and doesn’t pay Kagura and Shinpachi as he always should, he was once feared as the White Demon, something that has been referred to several times in the anime. One of the best demonstrations of his title is when he gets into a battle with Jirochou, one of the Four Devas of Kabukicho. When we are first introduced to Jirochou and Gintoki’s relationship, it’s one that is better and causes us to think that they wouldn’t get along. Of course, Sorachi, Gintama’s writer, has an interesting way of making us all love Gintoki with each and every fight that he gets himself into. Jirochou had originally joined the Four Devas to watch over Otose at the request of her deceased husband, despite being in love with her. Not only that, but he had a daughter, Pirako, who he felt extremely attached to, despite abandoning her. From the very start, Jirochou poses as a problem because there was simply too much in his past that affected his current state. Although there is often mock conflict between Otose and Gintoki because he doesn’t pay his rent, he is still protective of his landlord and goes against Jirochou to protect not only Otose, but the other Four Devas, as well. When the two cross katanas, it is found that they see themselves in each other. Despite this fact, they continue to fight until Jirochou, of course, is taken down, but with dignity. Not only did Gintoki prove that he could definitely be trusted with the task of protecting Kabukicho, but he also freed Jirochou from his burdens and allowed him to go back to his family. One of the most amazing things about Gintama is that ultimately, there usually is no bad guy — which is what makes the fights that much more awesome!

Fairy Tail is becoming one of those shounen that everyone has watched at least a few times. It’s beginning to be thought of on the same level as Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece, which is a huge step for the series! Qualities that cause this anime to be so high up there is its characters who are always willing to show off their strength in order to protect their guild. During the Grand Magic Games, after Fairy Tail had its “strongest guild in Fiore” title stripped, Natsu and Gajeel are faced with Sabertooth’s — the new strongest guild in Fiore — Dragon Slayers: Sting and Rogue. What’s revealed about these twin Dragon Slayers is that they are thought to be second-generation Dragon Slayers. While this means that some of their powers are more enhanced compared to Natsu and Gajeel, they still do not have the initial strength that Fairy Tail’s Dragon Slayers do. The fight between them is absolutely mesmerizing, as you watch flash of light after flash of light, and watching the spectators be in a state of awe as they watch Dragon Slayers tough it out. While Natsu and Gajeel don’t have the “powers” that Sting and Rogue possess yet, their sheer determination to win, along with their now-second-nature strength is what drove them to believe in themselves and ultimately win against the Sabertooth Dragon Slayers. Not only is the audience amazed by Natsu and Gajeel’s refusal to give up, but so were the other characters that watched their friends from afar. Truly, this fight is a testimony to what Dragon Slayers are definitely capable of.

One of the most influential anime that depicts Western culture while still displaying Japanese roots is definitely the Fullmetal Alchemist series. It’s filled with so many intricately placed secrets that contribute to the plot, and it never strays from the actual mission that the Elric brothers wanted to achieve. There have been praises from countless fans about the villains of the series — how they are all so well-developed and that the end of their character arcs suits them incredibly well! It takes a while for all of the villains to be vanquished, of course, but the most satisfying, in terms of plot and character motivation, is the fight between Scar and King Bradley. Throughout the entire series, we as the audience know that King Bradley is working with the Homunculi. Edward and Alphonse don’t know, and neither do other members of the State until the anime is coming closer to an end. Scar, who had detested the government and held them accountable for the death of his brother, is finally faced with King Bradley, the king and president of Amestris. He is appalled by the fact that the man is able to allow millions of lives being lost, merely for the production of a Philosopher’s Stone. Essentially, King Bradley (aka Wrath) is afraid of old age, and yet, that is the very way in which he dies after his Philosopher’s Stone is extracted from him. The fight itself between the two is one that is high in tension, as there is a ridiculous supply of pent up anger on Scar’s part. At this point, the audience does not feel sympathy for King Bradley, but rather, is rooting for Scar to gain back his justice. It was a rough ride, but the end results definitely contributed to restoring Amestris back into order.

This simple epilogue to the saga of the Gundam Meisters is a beautiful ode to the peace that that finally achieved after the long years of war. During the final stages of the war against the ELS, Setsuna ends up transcending his physical form. Thus, the woman whom he has feelings for, Marina Ismail, ends up being alone, for 50 long years. That is, until Setnuna finally manages to go back to her. The beautiful score, coupled with the subtle hints of romance that still exists within the two main characters, and highlighted by the Gundam 00 Qan[T] finally retiring amidst a sea of flowers, provides much depth and symbolism to this short, yet extremely beautiful scene.

Sword Art Online is set in a virtual word and is thus practically limitless when it comes to how stunning its visual sceneries can be. However, one cannot deny that the last few scenes of the first arc of the anime’s first season are a beauty of behold. Set against the backdrop of Aincrad’s destruction, the perfect sunset serves as a symbolic finale to the show’s stellar first arc. With the world they had lived in for the past few years literally falling into pieces, Kirito and Asuna share a brief moment of warmth, reveling in each other’s presence, knowing that even if the world were to end right there, they had each other, and they will never walk any life alone.

There is just something about anime classics that remain so memorable and poignant. In the case of the 1984 movie, Do You Remember Love, HIkaru, who is then involved in one of anime’s most famous love triangles, persuades Minmay to perform a song. Though the song is quite mellow and simple, it nonetheless touches all those involved in the war, including the Zentraedi. The simple performance, the mellow riffs of the song, set against the the movie’s climactic battle with the alien forces, makes this scene a wonder to behold. Its intricate, smooth, hand-drawn frame-by-frame motions are quite an irony in itself, showing beauty in the midst of the most brutal of wars.

Angel Beats! is an anime with its share of memorable, aesthetically beautiful moments. However, the one that really pulled at its viewers’ heartstrings involve the series’ final moments, when the connection between Otonashi and Kanade was finally revealed. As Kanade tells Otonashi that his very heart beats within her chest, the repercussions of his feeling of love for her get fully revealed. Set against the a perfect sunset and serenaded by the show’s iconic tune, the final scenes of Otonashi and Kanade together are just heart-wrenching to behold, as the viewer fully knows what’s going to happen next, yet is powerless to stop it. Yes, beauty happens in an instant, yet that fleeting moment may pass by as fast as it has come.

Though Shadow Skill: Eigi is one of the purest examples of a fighting anime, this scene nonetheless is simply beautiful for the sheer sense of awe that it invokes from the viewer. After his adopted brother, Gau, gets kidnapped by Darkness, an immortal being, Diaz Ragu, a man who was permanently damaged after pushing himself over his limits to save his sister’s life, challenges the god to a fight to the death. Diaz Ragu finally ended his life with a victory over an immortal being. He passes away standing even in death, his Black Wing still standing strong. The episode’s final moments, showing the black wing over a hill being showered by white feathers, does not just trigger as sense of admiration for the beauty of the scene, it begets a sense of awe for the man who once held the mighty weapon.

Among the classic anime scenes that truly pulled at the hearts of fans all over the world involves the fateful farewell scene on the 31st episode of the Rurouni Kenshin anime. After Lord Okubo’s assassination, Kenshin decides to confront Shishio, but before he starts on a journey that he may not come out of alive, he decides to say goodbye to the person that matters most to him - Kaoru Kamiya. Set in a firefly-lit night, the subtle farewell scene became one of Rurouni Kenshin’s iconic moments, with Kenshin pulling Kaoru into an embrace, his first truly intimate moment with the Kamiya Kasshin adjutant master, as he gives her his gentle farewell. Though drawn relatively simply compared to today’s standards, the masterful direction, the sepia-tinged montage, as well as the perfect, emotional orchestral score, made this scene one of the most beautiful moments in anime.

Within the emotional whirlwind that is Clannad: After Story lies this golden scene, a scene when Tomoya Okazaki finally overcomes his depression over his grief for the death of his wife and embraces the role he has to take as a father to the young Ushio. Set against a field of flowers a few moments before the sun sets, the scene is one powerful moment to behold. It is said that something that is beautiful is something that can take your breath away. This scene is one of those, showing the raw emotion that has made Clannad: After Story what it is. With excellent direction, cinematography and the signature Clannad score, the scene where Tomoya embraces fatherhood for the first time is one scene that one will always remember.

After the massive battle that featured mecha of epic proportions literally shooting galaxies as shurikens to the enemy, Gurren Lagann ends on a very simple note. The lovers, Simon and Nia, who have fought together in the war, know that their time together is very limited. Hence, they decide to get married, in the presence of all their friends. The wedding scene at the end of Tenga Toppa Gurren Lagann is almost an antithesis to the entire series, being small-scale, simple, and very subtle. However, it is for its very simplicity that it has become one of the most beautiful moments in anime, reflecting the fleeting feelings of bliss that man is granted during his stay on Earth.

5 Centimeters Per Second is almost like a moving work of art, with its stunning visuals and its emotional soundtrack. It is a story of first love and the pain of its first loss. In this scene, Kanae, who has been in love with Takaki, finally realizes that she will never have his heart, for he has already given it to someone else. The young girl’s feelings are perfectly depicted, albeit symbolically, by her vision of Takaki and another, unknown girl watching the Earth’s gentle rise in the distance. The scene itself is beautiful, not simply because of its aesthetics, but because of the underlying theme that it represents.

Howl’s Moving Castle is widely regarded as one of Hayao Miyazaki’s best works, featuring many of his signature touches such as a plot that is intricate and characters which are unforgettable. This sequence, where the story’s heroine, Sophie, finally discovers the truth behind Howl, is one scene that is very memorable. The quality of the scene itself is trademark Studio Ghibli, but beyond the aesthetics of this scene lies its significance of it to the main storyline, as as heroine finally is able to understand Howl and his past after this. By watching the young Howl literally catch a falling star, Sophie finally begins to see Howl for who he truly is.

Ash Ketchum is a kid from Pallet Town whose sole mission is to become a Pokemon Master. To fulfill his dreams, he sets off to challenge the world’s Pokemon Gym Leaders in order to obtain badges and eventually be recognized. Together with his best friend (and pokemon) Pikachu, Ash is able to overcome almost any obstacle that has been laid in his path. That is until Mewtwo showed up. Everything was just fine until Mewtwo crapped in everyone’s ice cream with his gloom and doom attitude. Ash, being the naïve child that he is, basically gave up battling by the rules and instead decided to join the fight himself despite KNOWING that his opponent is one of the most powerful psychic pokemon in the world. So Ash just runs straight towards Mewtwo and…is turned to stone. Pikachu runs to his aide and cries in a very Pikachu like way and everyone watching is holding their collective breath. The entire scene is heartbreaking, sad, and also scary because as a child watching this movie it is hard not to think that Ash is dead and that the entire series is over. The fear is short lived though as everyone’s collective tears bring Ash back to life. If only that were true in real life.

A college student suddenly loses all of her memories and is thrust into multiple worlds where she dates a different man each time. She is accompanied by a strange spirit who wishes to help her regain her lost identity after causing all of her turmoil. At the end of her journey she must choose only one of the worlds to stay in with the guy that she likes the most. This anime is based on an otome game of the same name and while a good portion both of the anime and the game are filled with romantic and light-hearted fun to make girls’ hearts soar, one of the potential suitors has a really twisted idea of love. Toma may look like a harmless kid, but his intentions and possessiveness lead to some extremely alarming behavior. At the beginning, Toma finds the main character passed out in the street and takes her to the hospital for an examination. Once she is given the all clear, Toma takes her home where she notices that she is being bullied though she does not know why (because no memories). Toma continues to check up on her giving the main character the impression that they are dating. At one point she even asks Toma if they are dating and he confirms this. Once the bullying begins to escalate, Toma suggests that she stay at his place until everything dies down. She agrees and stays for a few days before becoming restless. She leaves Toma’s house to investigate her apartment. Toma discovers she has left and brings her home. From here on out begins the really frightening part. Toma begins to DRUG her food in order to keep her “safe” at his home. When she finally realizes what is happening, he LOCKS HER IN A DOG CAGE. At one point he even threatens to RAPE her so that she would “truly become his” because he would never leave her mind after such an act. The worst part is that after all this happens, she still dates him. Truly a nightmare.

A spaceship name the Bebop carries around a group of misfit bounty hunters who have a knack for getting themselves into horrible situations with no payoff. The crew’s most prominent member, Spike Spiegel, is an eccentric guy who loves meat and can beat anyone in hand to hand combat. He’s a risk taker whose past eventually catches up to him. Toys in the Attack is one of the most memorable episodes the series has to offer. A mysterious illness plagues the crew after a long forgotten fridge is opened. A mysterious creature is unleashed upon the ship and begins to infect each crew member one by one. The ship’s navigator Jet is struck first, followed by Faye, Ed, and Ein. Spike is left to fend for himself while also managing the rest of the crew’s sickness. Eventually he remembers what he left in that lone fridge many moons ago and begins his mission to destroy whatever has become of it. This episode takes a lot from old-school Hollywood horror films. Faye’s shower scene in particular is reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. In fact, the entire episode is quite similar to the plot of The Thing. For horror buffs, it really is a pleasure to see an anime nod to the horror genre so much as well as give some fun scares.

Naoki Urasawa’s manga Monster is a masterpiece and so is its anime adaptation. Urasawa insisted on taking as long as possible for the anime so that the story could be told as well as the manga. The entire plot focuses on a promising young surgeon who chooses to save the life of a young boy over a rich hospital donor due to the fact that the child arrived first. After such a decision, his career begins to slip and he is passed for an important promotion. To make things worse, the boy he saved is a psychopathic murderer. In order to fix his mistakes, he sets out to right his wrongs by killing the boy who is even worshipped as a demon. The young boy, Johan, is the perfect representation of evil. He is good looking, charismatic, and cold blooded. He was raised at an orphanage aimed at reviving the Third Reich by finding a boy Hitler. Johan actually incited a riot which caused the deaths of all of his fellow orphans as well as the caregivers. Johan was the only one who made it out alive. Johan is the scariest thing about this anime because everyone knows someone like Johan. He can be anyone. A neighbor. A classmate. A coworker. He’s personable and well-liked. He’s basically the antichrist and no one would ever suspect him.

The protestant organization named Hellsing was established by the Queen of England in an attempt to fight off paranormal threats (mainly vampires) that roamed the streets of England. After a long rest, someone has begun to create an army of vampires for no other reason than to start a war of chaos. The leader of Hellsing, Integra, summons their ultimate weapon, the vampire Alucard, to eliminate the problem. The main antagonist of the series are Nazis. Or to be more precise, Nazi vampires. And their leader is none other than a crazy Hitler wannabe who only wishes for war because apparently that is his thing. When a man like this is adored by bloodsucking demons of the night, nothing is too gruesome. The only thing scarier than a horde of vampire zombies is Alucard, an evil count in his past life who put spikes through the heads of his enemies and displayed them in front of his castle. When he releases all of his abilities he takes the shape of the famous Cerberus, the dog who guards the gates of hell. In fact, one of the most memorable and scariest scenes in the series appears when a “worthy” opponent finally confronts Alucard in the basement of Hellsing’s headquarters. After fighting in his regular form and having his attacks be blocked and even countered, he finally acknowledges his opponent by released his true power. His body is then slowly transformed into the stuff of nightmares. He is no longer a solid being and his shape and presence fills the room with an overbearing sense of horror. Even the man that had challenged Alucard backs down and declares the vampire a monster deeply disappointing him. Just the vision of Alucard’s amorphous body can give anyone nightmares. The art style of Hellsing Ultimate really enhances the gritty mood of the plot. The thick outlines juxtaposed with such muted colors really gives a feel of darkness and loss of hope. The character designs are amazingly detailed as well as the blood and gore of combat.

Koichi, having transferred to a new school, befriends the quiet and mysterious Mei who attempt to solve the mystery of “Misaki of Class 3-3” a student who died decades before while halfway through the school year. In their grief, the class decided to pretend Misaki was alive for the rest of the school year leading to an eerie class photo. In present day, the students of class 3-3 begin to die one by one and Mei’s quiet nature makes her a prime suspect for the murders, but Koichi and Mei attempt to clear her name by solving the mystery and proving otherwise. Every episode involves strange deaths made to look natural and that prey on real fears such as drowning in an undertow. A curse cannot be seen which makes it all the more deadly. The only way to fight curse is to confront the source itself, forcing the two main characters to face their enemy head to head. Several of the deaths in Another are quite bizarre and unbelievable, but many do stick out for being grounded in reality. In fact one of the worst and scariest deaths occurs within the school and in a situation that most people have faced. One of the young girls begins rushing down the stairs with her umbrella when she begins to lose her footing and falls down the stairs. Falling down the stairs can be lethal enough in certain situations, but the umbrella adds an entire new level because as she falls down the final stair her umbrella is waiting for her with its tip facing up and towards her throat. When she is found, she is on her knees twitching and propped up by the umbrella with a pool of blood surrounding her, Every episode is unpredictable, making Another a thrill ride for those watching and waiting for another death. Likable characters will be killed off. No one is safe.

A young illustrator under extreme pressure to create a new mascot character as successful as her last one, falls victim to an assault by a mysterious suspect only known as “Shounen Bat”. Soon the entire city reports attacks by the golden roller blading boy who knocks out his victims with a baseball bat. The only thing connecting each of the victims are that each is suffering from depression and anxiety, which “Shounen Bat” seems to take away. He becomes the perfect scapegoat and soon everyone wants a piece of him. The entire series Paranoia Agent is a psychological thriller where the attacker is created in one young woman’s mind and spreads into something bigger and more tangible. The series is more of a critique on modern day society and people’s inability to accept responsibility for their own mistakes and shortcomings. Instead, they look for an easy excuse and “Shounen Bat” provides the perfect answer to all of their problems. Perhaps the real scare happens once realization hits and viewers can’t deny that this is a real problem in everyday life. While “Shounen Bat” won’t come to kill everyone in the city with a problem, the lack of honesty and trustworthiness in the world currently certainly makes others wary of human interaction, something necessary to survive SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!! The most terrifying part of the series happens when the entire town begins to pin their problems on “Shounen Bat” and he begins to manifest as a real living and breathing being instead of an urban legend only much like the game telephone, he is now much larger and stronger as a result of each person exaggerating the original story. As people become more and more aware of him he begins to terrorize the city more until he becomes similar to Godzilla and devours the city. This is the end of the series and it is really poignant. Was “Shounen Bat” real or was it all a result of people’s carelessness?

Shinji is summoned by his father, Gendou, who is the leader of a private weapons company called NERV, to operate a giant robot which may or may not be harboring the soul of his dead mother. He is forced to fight against aliens from another planet nicknamed “angels” that wish to cause “Third Impact” and force the planet to be reborn according to the wishes of one person. He sets out with two other pilots, Asuka and Rei, to protect the Earth, but ultimately fail. While the “angels” in Evangelion are quite terrifying, the actual horror comes in the form of one man: Gendou. Gendou is soulless and uncaring with the exception of his long, lost wife. The audience only knows this because Rei is discovered to be an exact clone Shinji’s mother from her younger days. In fact, Gendou has a basement full of Rei’s growing at his disposal. Shinji even develops feelings for Rei, who is a CLONE OF HIS MOTHER. Gendou is even so cold as to sleep with Ritsuko’s mother in order to use her intelligence to create the super computer Magi. Once she has found that she was betrayed (she found out about Rei) she is STILL loyal to Gendou and even infuses a part of her soul into the Magi program which later turns on her only daughter Ritsuko. The scariest moment involving Gendou is when he forces his son to kill his best friend. Shinji is alerted to fight a new angel and just as he is about to finish his mission with the final blow, he realizes that the “angel” is actually another Eva unit that has gone berserk. It dawns on him that his friend is the pilot inside and so he hesitates to crush the head housing the cockpit and his friend. Gendou ends up taking control of the unit and does the job for him. Talk about cold and uncaring. Gendou shows no emotion to his son and doesn’t seem to care what happens to him, which is probably why after Third Impact, Shinji decides to wipe everyone out. With Gendou for a father, I suppose no one can quite blame him.

Keiichi has moved to a small town in the midst of their battle to prevent a major dam being built and covering the entire area with water. The town is small, but very active and on the surface quite friendly. He becomes fast friends with four of his female classmates of various ages and everyday becomes an adventure until he begins to inquire about the murders from years past. As he grows more suspicious, so do his friends. The first episode of the series plays out as any slice of life series does. Friends spending their carefree school days playing games and having fun. It isn’t until Rika drags him to the dump that he discovers an old newspaper article describing some gruesome murders that had happened years ago. When he questions Rika, he seals his own fate in a deadly game of cat and mouse. The episode involves Rika arriving at Keiichi’s house with a prepared bento for him. After he takes his first bite, he begins to choke and spits his food into the sink where needles are reveal. His onigiri are filled with needles. Later on, he looks outside his bedroom window only to find Rika standing outside in the rain repeatedly saying “I’m sorry.”

Guts, a talented, young mercenary with nothing to lose, is invited by the handsome Griffith to join The Band of the Hawk, a mercenary group. Guts initially refuses, but after a fight is forced to join. He begins to develop a relationship with Griffith and a strong one-sided bond of friendship is formed though Griffith’s feelings towards Guts may be a little different. After Griffith is kidnapped and tortured for having sex with the King’s daughter and after being saved by Guts, he can’t bear to face himself anymore so he makes a pact with the devil and becomes a demon. In order to fulfill his wishes though, he must abandon all emotion and destroy his company including Guts. The ending of Berserk is visceral and raw. The ugliest and most terrifying monsters imaginable are summoned to rip apart every man in the area, but Guts manages to survive along with their fellow female captain, Casca, who Guts is romantically involved with. In a final act of severance, Griffith has Casca brought forth so that he may rape her in front of Guts. Guts, who now has his arm trapped in the mouth of a monster, rips off his appendage and loses an eye trying to save Casca. Miraculously, both of them survive. Nothing is as horrifying as seeing the one you love be violated in front of you. Nothing can compare. The entire scene is gut wrenching and vomit worthy making it the number one scariest thing in anime so far.

Ever saw a long pole, or even a stick lying by the road and you imagine it to be the coolest sword like… Excalibur? Then you start swinging it around making slashing noises. Well, in this scene the boys are doing just that! They saw a stick on the road and imagined it to be a sword while acting out an imaginary scene. Tadakuni of course (spoilsport…) laments the idea of it as they are on the street but eventually joins in adding more to the comedy. Nothing gets to me better than this scene. Game and an anime lovers can relate to this scene. When you hang out with close buddies who also happens to be gamer and anime lovers, anything and everything is your world. You can even make a stick become a sword and start a fight . You can be in a busy street and still break out into goofy antics while the stares of everyone are ignored as you indulge in your make-believe world. To other anime lovers, you're just weeaboos. LOL, But that is what makes it all the more fun…

The Literature girl first appears in episode 1 under the setting of the typical boy-who-meets-a-girl-by-the-river. However, instead of talking like normal human beings, both of them happen to have the same thought of delivering cool sophisticated quotes and lines. I mean come on! Their opening conversation is something like this: “The wind… is troubled today. Indeed… however, it weeps too”. Whatever happened to the golden age of hi and byes? In the end however, it turns out that the literature girl simply wanted to fulfil her fantasy of her romantic scenario and Hidenori was the chosen person. The thing is that the protagonist in her story is this lonely otaku which adds to the humour but much to the dismay of Hidenori. The literature girl spawned its fair share of jokes and memes. That's how much the literature girl scenes holds in the anime. Literature girl is often shown in a windy, open grass field with Hidenori. Both would usually come up with cheesy lines while standing in a composed and straight face. Looks are deceiving after all and what made these scenes special and funny are his soliloquy which is totally different from what he is actually saying. Both are usually caught in numerous situations in the anime and it's never boring to see these two talking... with themselves…

Dubbed as “High school Girls Are Funky”, this short segment is usually featured at the end of the main show. It starts from Episode 3 and is featured in future episodes. It shows the girls doing the same everyday mundane activities such as complaining about how the boys managed to get a whole series to themselves while the girls are not mentioned, talking behind the boys' backs as well as discussing their favourite food – sweets. Basically, instead of Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou, it’s Joshikosei no Nichijou (Daily Lives of High school Girls). Whatever nonsensical gimmicks the boys tries to pull off in the anime; you can expect the same for this segment. It's a shame that this segment is usually a 2-5 min. short at the end of the main show as there needs to be more female exposure in the series! So I would like to make a declaration: Who's with me on the idea of a new season for this series??? Daily Lives of High school Girls (Funky Girls). Of course, we're also hoping for a second season for the original DKNN.

It is the day for the boys to hand up their career day questionnaires up to the teacher. Sensei however was sharp and she knows that the boys were up to no good; therefore she decided to check the answers on the spot in front of the whole class. The amount of nonsensical answers given was gold. In the future I would like to be: (Not a Lawyer) (Teacher’s Lover) (A ghost). Just as the teacher was getting exasperated, the final answer delivered the best punch line. Questionnaire Answer: Enter College Teacher: MAKE A JOKE!!! Remember that one time which the whole class got together to troll the teacher just because it's so boring... or maybe your teacher is an awesome person? There's something about the whole class trolling a teacher that makes it all the more fun. It gets funnier when she is expecting a serious thought out answer to a life question. What do you want to be in the future? “I do not want to be a lawyer”. Such retort. Much funny. So sugoi. I wish there were more people like the person who wrote that.

Here we find the boys playing a game of ping pong after their bath. The only rule to this specific match is that they may only hit the call after giving the correct answer to a given topic. The topics are chosen amongst themselves and what they chose are honestly… quite good to sabotage someone with. First up we have the moons of Uranus. Tadukuni lost. Next we have the names of foreign presidents. Tadakuni lost. Tadakuni is one point away from losing but he has a trump card. It's his turn to choose the topic. He reveals his specialty and ultimatum and puts his all into this. He chose countries that have a moon on their flag. He lost. As expected of the airhead of the group. So you can only hit a ball only if you answer the question correctly. Easy enough. Except amongst friends, no one sets easy questions. Names of foreign president! Moons of Uranus? These are too specific for a match to even last more than 2 strikes. I didn't even know that Uranus had more than 1 moon! Kudos to Tadakuni for retaliating with an equally challenging question only to know one answer... Yeah... Well played. He can compete with Akahisa from Baka To Test for the Baka title.

This is the first ever scene from DKNN. It shows the main character Tadakuni on his way to school as he is running late while eating a piece of bread for breakfast. He is joined by his two friends with one eating a bowl of ramen and another eating a plate of curry rice. Very unconventional… but hilarious when in that situation. I especially love the fact that both Hidenori and Yoshitake are doing it with a normal attitude as though as they are accustomed to it all along. Points to them for feigning ignorance! I believe that it was the first ever scene that made DKNN a favourite comedy show amongst fans. Already, it started off by presenting a stereotype of anime characters straight off the bat with a twist. When you're late for school, you have bread for breakfast... unless you're like these two who had ramen and curry while running to school. More often or not, the first few scene of an anime are the most important ones, as they determine whether potential viewers will stay on or drop it, depending on their satisfaction with the first few minutes. DKNN did well in bringing in viewers with slapstick comedy based on clichés. Also, since we are on the topic of food...

While hanging out, one of their friends dropped a sausage as the various characters try their bests to save it from falling to the ground. It starts with Yoshitake almost seemingly catching it only to have the stick poke his hands as he launches it up into the air again as he winces in pain. As Hidenori tries to save the day, he ends up in the same predicament as Yoshitake. One of their unnamed friends dived down and launches it up again - into a girl's face which rebounded into the back of some passerby shirt that caught it and threw it straight into Tadakuni's stomach. As the sausage finally fell to the ground, the guy who dropped it in the first place picked it up nonchalantly and continued to eat it. Did you see how long that description was? All this in the name of food. The measures that one take to protect food in anime. Anyone here remembers what Nichijou is well known for? (for those that watched it). The same way Yuuko prevents her octopus shaped wiener from falling to the floor, DKNN portrays the same scene with a hotdog and the efforts the protagonists take to save it. The moral of the story, everything is extreme and dramatic in anime, even when it comes to dropping food. Also, the three-second rule do not apply here apparently.

The boys called in one of their classmates to help them solve their Internet connection problem. What she doesn’t know is that this is an elaborate plan setup by the boys in order for them to look at her panties. Whilst directing her to the modem which is conveniently placed on top of a cupboard, they managed to steal a peek. The mission was a success, so they ought to be happy right? Wrong! They regretted it as they did something which cannot be undone. They had to resort to deceiving a girl just to see her panties. Rather, to quote, "You don't deceive a STUPID girl to see her panties" This scene reminds us that no matter where it is in the world, boys will be boys. Calculative, Deceptive, Shrewd when it comes to panties. The answer is pantsu - the solution to every problem because we believe in the power of pantsu. Other than that... doing stupid stuff like putting on skirts maybe...(discussed further later). Yeah... The anime is called Daily Lives of High school Boys for a reason.

Hidenori apparently loses his glasses (even though they are on his head) Tadakuni notices it however and is wondering why is everybody feigning ignorance. Eventually, he theorizes that everybody is playing along for the purpose of a practical joke. In the end however, everybody was really oblivious to the fact that the glasses were indeed on Hidenori’s head after all. As a bespectacled person, finding your glasses is always a hassle as they could be ANYWHERE if you have a short term memory. It gets more annoying when your friends decide to prank you for a whole 30 mins and make you search high and low for them. Having that experience, I thought I knew what was coming when I saw this scene but NOOOO…Some humans in the world, are really just oblivious. My heartfelt sorrow to the guy who noticed it... he didn't even get a chance to throw the punch line...

The final and funniest scene on the countdown! This scene is the iconic DKNN moment. It shows the boys deciding to try on female clothes with all three of them proceeding to different rooms to try on the garments . As they emerged, the truth was revealed. Only Tadakuni was in a skirt as the other two burst out laughing. Things escalated quickly because they commented that Tadakuni actually looked good in a skirt and they had him do poses in the outfit. It would be okay and all... only if the sister hadn’t walked in at the material time. This is a scenario where both situation and context is hard to explain... I will admit it, I am still a bit scarred from this scene... but then again, it's so hilarious you have a hard time deciding whether to close it or to continue. This scene introduces the comedy style of DKNN.. Throughout the scene you're just going "Don't do it bro!!! You just had to... didn't you?!" This scene also actually made me question who the real females in the anime are as he actually did a good job by being effeminate. Have you ever felt your pride as a man shrink so deep into a hole until you wince in pain while laughing at the same time?

Ao Haru Ride follows Futaba Yoshioka, a charismatic high school student. She strives for acceptance from her classmates in her new school after being completely ostracized at her previous one. When she is reunited with her middle school crush, Kou Mabuchi, her life becomes complicated - especially because he doesn't seem at all like the person she had met before. Kou appears cold and jaded, but that facade is a result of a difficult and traumatic past, revealed to Futaba in Episode 11. Futaba cares deeply for him, and learning about his troubled past, she wants nothing more than to break down his walls and show him that he can be happy. She confronts him with her feelings, and she is so overcome by them that she begins crying in this moving scene.

Though it is initially not clear, Angel Beats takes place in the afterlife. The entire cast of characters are children who have died in ways that did not allow them to come to terms with their death. Towards the end of the series, they begin to discover that they have the power to help each other accept their fates, and move on. However, this means that they disappear, leaving the others behind. Yui discovers that she is unable to move on because she was crippled in her past life, and believed that no one would ever want to marry her. However, her friend Hinata loves her and wants her to move on even if it means seeing her go - and in Episode 10 he promises that in another life, he will fulfill her wish no matter what it takes. Tears of happiness begin to well up in the corners of her eyes, before she disappears. Though there isn’t full-on sobbing in this scene, it is certainly touching enough to appear here.

Mitsuki Kouyama has one wish - to become a famous singer to find the boy that she loves, Eichi Sakurai. However, she is running out of time - she is diagnosed with a terminal illness that will rob her of her voice, and then her life. After making a deal with two Shinigami, she is restored with vitality, but only temporarily - the race to become an idol and reunite with Eichi is on. It’s not too long before tragedy strikes again. After working hard to achieve her dreams, Mitsuki discovers that she will not be reunited with Eichi after all - he has passed away. In a tearful scene in Episode 42, she finds out she is two years too late, and proceeds to head to his grave to mourn her lost friend in one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the series.

There’s nothing more beautiful and tragic than dying fighting for the one that you love. Shirley Fennette's sweetness and genuine nature provide a stark contrast to the infamous protagonist of Code Geass, Lelouch vi Britannia. She is a kindhearted person, who is seemingly blind to Lelouch’s dark nature. Eventually she becomes a casualty of her feelings to him, sacrificing her life in an attempt to help the person she loves. Lelouch’s humanity is questionable, but when he comes across Shirley on the verge of death in Episode 13 he shows profound emotions. Through tears, she vows her eternal love with her dying breaths. Her eyes quake and tremble, as she tries to remain strong, before eventually giving in to tears. One of the saddest scenes in the series to be sure, even the cold and calculating Lelouch is moved to tears. The scene in Episode 12 where Shirley cries over her deceased father is a close second.

Rosette Christopher is an exorcist who has made a contract with a demon named Chrono. In return, she is able to tap into his powers, which she uses repeatedly throughout the series. However, this ability comes at a hefty price - it drains her very life force, and each time she uses it, she inches a bit closer to death. As the sun sets in episode 24 Rosette sits with Chrono on the porch. Rosette begins to cry tears of regret because she does not want to die. Though her life force has been drained, her will to live has not, nor is she is ready for her impending demise. She confesses this, and collapses into his arms sobbing, saying she wants to go on living.

Lucy is a monster that has been created to ensure the destruction of humanity. A genetic experiment gone awry, set free to wreak havoc on humans and achieve her purpose, she leaves destruction and death in her wake. Additionally, she has multiple personalities, as a facet of her complicated and traumatic past, which have afforded her the opportunity to get close to humans. When the ones she was born to destroy are the the only ones who have shown her genuine kindness, how is she to continue? During a dialogue with Kouta in Episode 13, Lucy reveals her inner conflict. Her conscience rises to the surface full force, and through tears she apologizes profusely for the pain she has caused. Despite the fact that she has caused him immeasurable pain and loss, she is met with forgiveness and love before the two part ways in one of the most painful, and emotionally charged scenes in the series.

Cowboy Bebop follows the adventures of an unlikely crew of perpetually penniless bounty hunters as they travel through space. It is generally a very light hearted show, with a handful of very emotionally charged episodes. The last episode is perhaps one of the most powerful episodes in any series. What if the one that you loved walked away from you to pursue someone else? Even worse, what if you knew they were never coming back? In this heart-wrenching scene from Episode 26, bounty hunter Spike Spiegel must go to confront certain death, in hopes of seeing his estranged lover Julia once more. Meanwhile, his crew mate Faye has developed deep feelings for him, ones she cannot act on for many reasons. She tries to stop him but is powerless, and all she can do to contain herself is fire bullets past him struggling to hold back tears as he walks down the hall towards his demise.

The conflicts commonly faced by magical girls in anime consist of leading a double life and getting swept up in complicated love triangles. These shallow struggles pale in comparison to the problems presented to the cast of Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica who are faced with true evil, and not only in the form of the witches they are tasked with destroying. As a result, this show portrays the life of a magical girl as one full of death, disaster, and unimaginable loss. This show explores the concept of different timelines, and parallel dimensions. The character Homura, relives the same month repeatedly in order to prevent Madoka from making a grave error. There is a scene in Episode 10 where Homura and Madoka lay side by side in the rain. Madoka begs Homura to go back in time and save her, but she has one more request. To prevent Madoka from becoming a witch, here and now. Homura, ever loyal to Madoka, agrees even if it means destroying something dear to her. This tearful scene is arguably the most emotionally charged in the series.

Gang warfare is a terrible thing, especially when it destroys lives and claims young victims in the process. This is a topic that is explored in Clannad: Afterstory, which as a series is an emotional, tearful rollercoaster. In one particularly compelling scene, Yukine makes a speech imploring her late brother’s fellow gang members to end the fighting. Kazuto is a young gang member who’s life is claimed by such violence. His friends hold a ceremony for him. While it's perfectly normal to cry at a funeral, this scene in Episode 8 produces some especially compelling tears. In a tearful speech, Yukine reveals to all of her friends that although their friend Kazuto died fighting, what he really wanted was to see an end to the violence he found himself caught up in.

When a young girl named Menma dies, her tight-knit group of childhood friends fractures and drifts apart. Over time, they become estranged as a result of the guilt and pain they feel from their loss long ago. However, one day the ghost of Menma appears to a member of the group, Jintan, and it’s up to him to grant her wish and bring her ghost peace once and for all. This will mean bringing the old gang back together, something much easier said than done. As the story progresses, it becomes evident that Menma coming to peace with her death and moving on has just as much to do with her friend’s forgiveness of themselves, as well as her own acceptances of her fate, which comes to a head in Episode 11. The final scene of the series is an emotionally charged one, with all of her friends telling Menma that they love her one last time. Menma is so overcome with joy in this scene that she too, is moved to tears.

It’s the second season of School Rumble and the story of delinquent Harima and his crush Tenma continues. Harima finishes his manga script and wants no one else to be the first person to read it than Tenma. But this turns out to be a harder task than expected since he also has to fight through a blizzard and hurry to hand his manuscript over to his editor. Will Tenma finally recognize his efforts and the feelings he has for her? This episode is a really fun continuation of the normal storyline. You still have the same cast fighting the same problems, but the Christmas setting makes it feel more special. You will root for Harima and just wonder how his story will turn out. This special deserves the first spot on our list with lots of laughs, craziness, romance and unspoken love confessions.

Next up is a special episode from an all-time favorite show, Chrono Crusade. For this episode, the main cast takes a break from hunting demonic powers and instead goes out to the streets and performs charity work. The three girls try their best to act according to the spirit of the season, but soon realize that one of them, Azmaria, has in fact never had a real Christmas. They spend her first Christmas together and celebrate the cheerful and charitable side of the season. The atmosphere of this episode is really heartwarming since it shows a different side of Christmas, without all the expensive presents and decorated shopping malls. Maybe it was because of the scene at a local orphanage, but somehow this episode really reminded me of the story of A Christmas Carol. This special definitely deserves a spot on this list.

Fans of school and Slice of Life stories are probably already familiar with the unique girls of Azumanga Daioh. In Episode 17 they get their very own Christmas adventure! The girls get in an argument over Santa Claus and whether he really exists. 10-year-old Chiyo insists that he is real and even goes as far as saying that he is her father. But the Christmas madness doesn’t stop there and the girls spend a crazy day together filled with presents, reindeers, Christmas trees and late-night karaoke. The strength of Azumanga Daioh is the fact that it stays down to earth and really revolves around what the main cast experiences in their everyday lives. This episode is no exception and tells the story of how the girls spend Christmas together. Fans of the anime should definitely rewatch this episode and everyone who is new to Azumanga Daioh should still be able to enjoy the cheerful and easygoing vibe of this special.

They hype over Hetalia might be over, but that doesn’t mean that you should completely forget about these international boys. In their Christmas special the main cast gets together to spend this special day together. Of course they are all their stereotypical selves, depicting exaggerated versions of their nationalities. This episode revolves all around how each boy spends Christmas and how they plan on enjoying their winter holidays. Hetalia has a unique concept and that’s what makes it so special. Each boy has his very own personality and when they all come together you can be sure there will be chaos, fights and lots of fun. This is definitely the case for this special episode which will bring you a little bit closer to the main cast. More importantly, you can actually learn something about Christmas traditions in different countries, so why not give it a try?

Let’s move on from comedy shows to a more serious story, with the second season of Shakugan no Shana. Episode 22 explores the romantic side of this anime. I don’t mean to spoiler the fun for those of you that didn’t get to enjoy this show yet, but let me just say that there will be love letters, confessions of feelings and an unexpected twist towards the end, all centered around the romantic setting of Christmas Eve. What makes this episode so special is the fact that it builds up towards the finale of the season. You can already see how the characters are drawn to each other and how everything will soon come to an end. Starting the final chapter of this show on Christmas Eve makes it even more special, so check Shakugan no Shana’s second season out if you haven’t already.

The three Minami sisters are not known to take a break and Christmas definitely isn’t an exception. Their Christmas adventure is mostly set at home and really shows the importance of spending this day together with your family and loved ones. Just like in Azumanga Daioh we have a girl who still believes in Santa Claus and a group of friends that enjoys themselves over a delicious Christmas dinner. Minami-ke really brought their show to a nice ending, since the final episode after this special is set on New Year’s Eve. Even though this show might be short with just 13 episodes, by the end of it you will feel connected to the characters; it is episodes like this Christmas special that make this possible. Nothing outstanding really happens, but you can really feel how the sisters care for each other and how much they enjoy spending Christmas together.

Who could resist the charming girls of K-On!, especially during this snowy winter tale? Most of the episode is told from the perspective of Ui, Yui’s little sister. She remembers how, many years ago, Yui tried to make a white Christmas happen with the help of pillow stuffing. Now, they main cast gets together to enjoy Christmas dinner together and exchange presents. This episode just tells a wonderful story of sisterly love. It is so touching to see how Yui and Ui help each other out and how much they mean to each other. By the end of the episode, as they finally get their white Christmas, you will be filled with all the holiday cheers and feels that are so special to this day.

At least as charming as the girls from K-On! is the main cast of Lucky☆Star. Care to find out how they spend the last days of their year? Trying to sum up everything that happens in this special is a hard task. Lucky Star episodes are a crazy mixture of lots of different events and conversations going on, all held together by the four friends. Their Christmas is shaped by studying for exams, comparing bust sizes, exchanging presents and talks about Christmas cakes and Santa Claus. Maybe it is the fact that this episode first aired in June instead of December that didn’t make it feel forced. It perfectly ties in with the rest of the show and feels like any other episode - with a little bit more holiday feelings and fun. A must-watch for fans of the show and viewers who like to see some innocent Christmas fun.

Those of you that have already watched Kimi ni Todoke will certainly remember their Christmas episode. Everyone else should definitely check it out. Sawako’s class is holding a Christmas party and even though she would love to join, she feels obligated to spend the day with her family. Instead, she makes Christmas presents for Chizuru and Ayane as well as - of course - Kazehaya. Just as she has given up on actually getting to spend the day with her friends, a small Christmas miracle happens. It’s hard to describe this episode as anything less than just heartwarming. It is a romantic Christmas story with a beautiful illuminated and snowy setting. Not only that, but we also see Sawako growing up and letting go of her parents. Just like some previous recommendations, this episode sets the beginning for a beautiful ending of the whole show.

Last but not least we have another Christmas story with the unlikely couple of Toradora!. The Christmas party is finally here and the main cast gets caught up in a love triangle. While Ryuuji tries to cheer up Taiga in a Bear Santa Claus costume he still has feelings for Minori. Taiga tries her best to support him, but soon has to realize that she doesn’t want him to leave her side. How will their story turn out? What made this episode so special to me is, again, the fact that it doesn’t feel forced. In fact, the previous two episodes already revolved around the preparations for the Christmas party and the storyline keeps moving forward steadily. Viewers will get more than just one Christmas episode that immediately leads back to the normal setting. Instead, you get to see how Ryuuji and Taiga spend their holidays together and how their love story finally takes a turn.

In a faraway future, mankind lives underground in huge caves, unknowing of a world above. Each day brings about the threat of an attack from the beastman, humanid henchman of the evil alien Spiral King, Lordgenome. Hope appears in the form of a group of misfits who one day hijack a bunch of giant mecha. So begins the journey of the newly formed Gurren Brigade as they launch an attack against Lordgenome for the fate of mankind. A high paced show where emotions run high and action comes in spades, it’s hard to imagine much fan service. Well, that’s the magic of Gainax! And somehow, they’ve even managed to fit in a beach episode. And what happens when you add cute girls in swimsuits and hentai boys? Epic and ever-funny multi-nosebleeds courtesy of the guys from the Gurren Brigade!

This is the story of our favourite orphan ninja from the Hidden Leaf village who, despite his seeming lack of talent, is the host of the nine-tailed fox and holds immense power. One of the biggest and most popular manga and anime series ever, the story follows his journey as he chases his dream of becoming the Hokage. There is no real need to explain Naruto’s best nosebleeds, as we all know his infamous sexy-no-jutsu and its many victims. Just in case, lets recap. The sexy-no-jutsu is a move that is aimed at defeating an opponent by nosebleed. The ninja transforms into a naked girl, making the opponent nosebleed so much that he can’t fight! Needless to say, the sheer length of the anime gives rise to more epic nosebleeds than you can count!

Our story is set in Death Weapon Meister Academy, a school run by Death himself. The school serves as a training facility for humans with the ability to transform into weapons, as well as the wielders of those weapons, called meisters. Soul Eater revolves around Maka & Soul Eater, Black Star & Tsubaki, and Death the Kid with Patty & Liz as they go about gathering the souls of evildoers and protect the world from evil. A wonderful story with bouts of well-placed comedy, the show starts off with one of the most unexpected nosebleed scenes. The main character, Soul, while on a mission unexpectedly ends up dropping in on a busty witch while she’s taking a bath. Blood, comedy, and fanservice ensues!

Manga author Yūki Aito is an incredibly perverted man whose main loves and desires is to draw panties. His assistant, Ashisu, is constantly put into awkward situations and is forced to cope with Aito's shenanigans. The story follows their daily work-life as they try to balance deadlines, fun, and panties! A light hearted show full of slapstick comedy and plenty of ecchi elements, nosebleeds are almost common place. Occurring in all forms and usually paired with Aito’s humorous one-liners, the running gag never gets old!

It takes place in the Demon District in Itogami City, a man-made island off the coast of Japan that has a freely mingling monster populace. The story follows the adventures of Kojou Akatsuki, a vampire in high school who is a bit reluctant to show his powers, and Yukina Himeragi, a teenage Sword Shaman apprentice who is sent to observe him. Kojou is suspected of being the Fourth Progenitor, a powerful vampire that could potentially disrupt the balance of power among the ruling three Progenitors. Throughout the show, Kojou befriends various other monsters, some of whom become a tad over attracted to him. Throw in some awkward ecchi situations, coupled with the fact that Kojou’s powers are primarily fueled by his sex-drive, and you can guess what will happen. In the words of a wise shiba doge: Much ecchi, very nosebleed.

Ryuuko Matoi is a vagrant schoolgirl traveling from place to place searching for clues to the truth behind her father's death and his killer, the "woman with the scissor blade." The journey leds Ryuuko to Honnouji Academy where the student body president, Satsuki Kiryuin, rules the students with unquestioned power and fear. Satsuki holds the secret to the "scissor blade", and Ryuuko will do anything to obtain it. The clash between the two soon consumes the whole academy, and reveals an even bigger plot, with darker powers at play! A brilliant work by trigger, the show pulls no punches. Great animation, an incredible script and wonderful characters, the show lives up to it’s hype! A key element of the show is it’s in-your-face fanservice. The shameless use of fanservice hence brings the shameless use of nosebleeds! Even Mako, Ryuuko’s best friend, isn’t immune to it!

Kanade Amakusa is a high school student who is suffering from a curse called "Absolute Choices." This curse requires him to select an action from a list of two or three options that appear before him at any time, and has no control over what choices appear. Many of them are weird or perverse and as a result, the curse has tainted his reputation everyone around him, making his life very difficult. However, one day, a choice he makes on his way home from school causes a mysterious, beautiful young girl to fall from the sky, changing his life forever. Despite being a classic harem anime full of cute girls, high school puppy love and awkward situations, Noucome’s comedy factor is exceedingly high. Slap stick humour drives much of the plot and no doubt, nosebleeds receive VIP treatment. They happen so often, ecchi situations don’t even need to be present!

Probably the most popular anime to ever be produced, our story follows Monkey D. Luffy, a 17-year-old boy that defies your standard definition of a pirate. Rather than the popular persona of a wicked heartless man who ransacks villages for fun, Luffy’s reason for being a pirate is one of pure wonder. Exciting adventures, meeting new and intriguing people, and finding the legendary treasure One Piece, are his reasons of becoming a pirate. Following in the footsteps of his childhood hero, the Pirate King Gol D Roger, Luffy and his crew travel across the Grand Line, experiencing crazy adventures, unveiling dark mysteries and battling strong enemies, all in order to reach One Piece. With a wide variety of characters and over 700 episodes, One Piece shows no signs of stopping. A great story balanced with well-timed comedic moments, it hosts one of the biggest nosebleeds of all time. After years of not seeing a single woman, Sanji, the cook of Luffy’s crew soon finds himself in a mermaid harem. Pressed against the bosoms of one of the oceanic beauties, his pent-up manliness bursts forth in a nosebleed fountain that is visible for miles.

The story is set in Fumizuki Academy, a school where the staff rigidly divides the students based on the results of their academic scores. The higher the grades, the higher the class, and the better the benefits and amenities. Students are allowed to battle each other with summoned beasts, in order to steal the benefits of other classes. The story centers around a boy named Akihisa Yoshii, who is in the worst class, and his classmates as they battle tests, love, friendship, in an all out war for school supremacy! A true comedy classic, the anime goes all out in the nosebleed gags. For the first time, characters actually need emergency blood transfusions! The pool episode no doubt brought about one of the biggest nosebleeds of the show, who knew two boys could bleed enough to fill half a pool with blood?

Set in a world where certain adolescents develop special abilities, Yuu Otosaka is a boy who just wants to be ordinary. When the enigmatic Nao Tomori catches Yuu using his power, she coerces him and his sister Ayumi into transferring to Hoshinoumi Academy, a school for students with supernatural abilities. The student council of the school, led by Nao, is tasked with secretly tracking down adolescents who abuse their powers. Yuu is forced to join the student council and together, they try to make the world safer for ability users. From the creator of the tear jerking Angel Beats and Clannad comes another heart wrenching work of art. The deepness of the story makes the comedic elements all the more appreciated. The most unexpected nosebleed of the series happens when the sister of the main character meets her idol. It’s surprising how even the girls aren’t spared from our favourite gag!

Christmas has arrived at Laura’s house, not just for her, but for Hamtaro and the Ham-Hams as well. They get started with the preparations by setting up the Christmas tree and clearing up some doubts about what Christmas is about. Boss finds out about the existence of Santa and he’s determined to get lots of gifts. In order to achieve that, he reads a book on manners and starts being nice and polite to others. Early on Christmas Day, the Ham-Hams are surprised that they all got gifts including Boss, who’s overcome by joy after all his hard work. In this lovely final scene we get to see Boss enjoying the merriest of Christmas for him so far, and also realize that our efforts never go unrewarded.

Keroro is constantly planning on conquering the Earth, even during Christmas. This time, he plans on taking advantage while everyone is distracted celebrating the holiday. Sadly for him, his team is also possessed by the Christmas spirit and he ends up all alone on this one. He blames Santa for this new failure and thinks of him as a rival who’s also after world domination. Eventually, our froggy friend realizes Santa is not only too powerful for him, but that he’s also a nice person who brings gifts to good boys. By the end, Keroro catches the Christmas spirit and performs good deeds in order to earn Santa’s approval. The Christmas magic is felt when Keroro goes to sleep, exhausted from all the work he’s done, and we see a Christmas gift waiting for him at the end of his bed.

Paradigm city is being threatened on 25th December. Luckily, Roger Smith and the Big O are there to protect the city and its inhabitants. After a short fight against a giant creeper vine, Roger gives Dorothy a birthday present (though it wasn’t really her birthday), and what’s even more surprising, she gives him a Christmas gift. How considerate of her! However, that shallow exchange of gifts (despite being a thoughtful gesture, it felt empty and lacking meaning or emotion) is not what makes this Christmas special. What makes this Christmas so merry is Oliver and Laura’s unconditional love for each other. In the last scene, he tells her he doesn’t have a gift for her, and she answers that her gift is being with him. Those who seem to be poorer are certainly the richest, on a Christmas full of love.

This episode of Clannad is not a Christmas special, but it has 2 Christmas scenes. On the first of these, Tomoya and Nagisa take a walk outside during Christmas Eve. Tomoya then buys her a present and he reveals his joy for spending Christmas alone with her for their first time. I find this short scene to be extremely romantic and touching, especially when you know all the trials they had to endure to be together and as happy as they are. In Japan, Christmas is very much related to lovers and this particular scene is all about being happy next to one’s significant other. A Christmas with that kind of love is certainly the merriest.

On this Christmas special, the Tendo family throws a big Christmas party, with a lot of guests, food, gifts, karaoke and romance. Both Ranma’s and Akane’s fathers believe this is a great opportunity to bring their children together, but some of the girls who are after Ranma have other plans in mind. The episode reaches its climax when Ranma manages to escape from the girls chasing him and gets some alone time with Akane. They get past their differences and exchange gifts. Akane’s gift for Ranma is a hideous scarf she made herself, but Ranma appreciates the thought behind it and puts it on to make her happy. Being that nice to each other is quite unusual for both Ranma and Akane, which makes this scene so special and Christmassy.

This Christmas special is one of those that make you cry like a little girl. It starts with Kirito accepting the Moonlit Black Cats’ offer to join their guild. In time, they become quite close and Kirito begins to care a great deal for these people, especially for a girl, Sachi. Sadly, few weeks later, the Moonlit Black Cats walk into a trap and every member gets killed except Kirito. Our hero spends months blaming himself for their death, but he is told that the Christmas event boss will drop a revival item when defeated, so he goes after it. Despite his success, the item turns out to be useless to bring back Sachi. Then suddenly, a Christmas miracle happens! Kirito receives a message from Sachi on Christmas Eve, telling him that her death was inevitable and not his fault. She ends her message asking him to live to fulfill his dreams and thanking him for the time they spent together. Then she makes her farewell by humming “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to wish him a Merry Christmas.

As we would expect from a Haruhi Suzumiya special, this story is completely twisted, complex, full of mysteries and supernatural occurrences. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is set on 18th December, when Kyon arrives at school to realize that his world has changed completely and nobody knows of Haruhi’s existence. He sets out on a quest to find Haruhi and Itsuki, and to bring the world back to normal. Eventually, Kyon succeeds and everything is as it used to be, but he still has to travel to the past in order to preserve this reality. In the final scene, Kyon is back at school on 24th December, and he decides that the space-time continuum can wait for his time travel. For now he has to attend Haruhi’s Christmas hot-pot party. Certainly, Christmas will be the merrier around someone like her.

You know how Christmas is all about being with the people you love, leaving our differences behind and just getting along. Well, Kobato’s Christmas special represents that aspect of Christmas quite well. It starts off with Kobato feeling terrible because Fujimoto’s been treating her coldly. She believes it is her fault, but it is later revealed that Fujimoto was abandoned as a child during Christmas. Domoto, on the other hand, is as charming as ever towards Kobato, and he intends to make her happy by giving her the perfect Christmas gift. Aware of what troubles Kobato’s mind, Domoto sends Fujimoto to make up with her. This is a lovely Christmas scene, with snow falling down on Kobato and Fujimoto’s heads while they reconcile thanks to Domoto’s selfless action. It just gives me the feels.

Christmas at Umaru and Taihei’s place is obviously the warmest and coziest of all. On this Christmas, Taihei has to work overtime, so Umaru is left home alone decorating the apartment and waiting for him in the comfort of her kotatsu. A few hours later though, Taihei arrives home with Kirie-chan, so the three of them get to enjoy a wonderful Christmas together. However, the scene from this episode that represents the Christmas spirit the most is at the very end. Taihei sends a photo of him dressed as Santa to Kanau, his female boss, and wishes her a merry Christmas knowing that she would spend the holiday alone. She can’t help to be cheered by Taihei’s gesture, as her Christmas doesn’t seem so cold anymore.

The members of the Student Council are having their first Christmas together, which of course, turns out to be a very sexual one. Takatoshi and the girls spend the holiday at Aria’s vacation house with Aria’s maid, Dejima-san, who’s just as perverted as the rest of the girls. They spend a lovely Christmas Eve having delicious food and having lots of fun like one big family (a very kinky family). Then, the time comes to exchange gifts and Takatoshi is not very pleased when he gets one that vibrates. Luckily for him, the lovely Shino has a special gift made for him. Surprise! It also vibrates. But this Christmas proves to be the merriest of all in the last scene, when Santa appears to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and he give Takatoshi one last and very cool gift… you guessed it, another vibrator.

Starting off with episode 1, we have the “infamous princess carry,” or in other words the scene that kicks off the potential romance between Kotetsu and Barnaby. We witness this scene in a critical moment in Kotetsu’s life. As a hero just a little past his prime, Kotetsu has had more than his fair share of close calls; episode one best showcases this as Kotetsu, after haphazardly fulfilling his role as a hero, falls mid-air when his five-minute long “Hundred Power” expires. Covering his eyes in fear of the expected impact, Kotetsu suddenly finds himself cradled in the arms of a yet unidentified rookie hero, Barnaby.

Though only brief, this first “princess carry” cements what will become a motif that bookends the series with elements suggestive of boys love. For those with fujoshi glasses, this foreshadows Kotetsu falling for Barnaby and vice versa. Despite the odd couple bickering that shortly ensues after their first encounter, from the very start Kotetsu and Barnaby’s relationship appears to portend more than that typical co-workers.

Moving on from their first encounter, we have the key point that signifies Barnaby’s heart softening to Kotetsu’s constant attention. From the first episode, differences in personality create tension between Barnaby and Kotetsu as they work together as a hero team. Yet, despite these tensions, Kotetsu slowly begins to warm towards Barnaby, attempting to “guide” him as a veteran hero. Barnaby, however, does not take well to Kotetsu’s concern, which brings us to episode 8. In this episode, Kotetsu goes out of his way to protect Barnaby from harm, injuring himself in the process. Upon returning home after witnessing Kotetsu’s sacrifice, Barnaby begins wondering why Kotetsu even bothers with him despite their constant fighting.

Why indeed. For those watching Tiger and Bunny, Barnaby’s sudden realization of Kotetsu’s care represents what can be interpreted as the beginning of reciprocated feelings between the title characters. Barnaby’s awareness and Kotetsu’s injury starts the ball rolling for the man-to-man bonding that develops in the following episodes.

Building off of the last episode, episode 9 acts more as a filler episode that mixes a shirtless Kotetsu, a sympathetic and concerned Barnaby, an ample supply of alcohol, and a well-timed scene cut to stimulate plenty of fan service titillation. In this episode, hero duties forces Kotetsu (along with Dragon Kid and the NEXT son of Stern Bild’s mayor) to stay overnight at Barnaby’s apartment. While Dragon Kid actually does work, Kotetsu and Barnaby share a heart to heart moment over a couple of drinks that, in the following scene cut, leads the two sprawled suggestively in the living room the next morning.

What exactly occurs that night leaves much to the (romantic or perhaps erotic) imagination. For those familiar with Tiger and Bunny doujinshi and fan art, you’ve probably seen your fair share of this scene; for the uninitiated, be prepared to relive this memorable and shippable scene.

Shippable moments in Tiger and Bunny do not only appear in filler episodes. They are permeate critical plot points in the series, as can be seen in episode 13, the climax of the first cour. Right up until this point, Kotetsu and Barnaby’s relationship slightly sours as Stern Bild faces potential destruction with the sudden appearance of Jake Martinez, a serial killer who appears to be responsible for the death of Barnaby’s parents. The source of the trouble between Kotetsu and Barnaby resides in an issue of trust: Barnaby begins to think Kotetsu does not believe in him. As such, Barnaby turns his back on Kotetsu.

But, even with his back against Kotetsu, Kotetsu is still there to catch his fall, as in the key scene in which Kotetsu, despite having life threatening injuries, runs to Barnaby to tell him how to defeat Jake Martinez during a fate deciding battle between the two. To understand the full impact of this scene, one truly has to see it. However, to best summarize it, this scene and episode 13 as a whole illustrates how BL/yaoi moments rely not only on blatant fan service, but also on small emotional moments and the exchange of trust.

Last but not least, we have the Kotetsu’s “dying” scene in episode 24. Here, in this moment of distress, we see the pinnacle the intimacy between Kotetsu and Barnaby. While it is not sealed with a kiss, it is reinforced with an admission from Barnaby that he has been learning to cook fried rice for Kotetsu. Paired with heart wrenching music and a tearful Barnaby, it would be difficult to not view this scene romantic for those with fujoshi vision.

Again, like the admission of trust in episode 13, we find that BL/yaoi stimulating scenes depend not only on (erotic) representations of the male body, but also that of more human, heartfelt elements such as trust, friendship, and (at times interpreted) love.

The lead male character Aoki Daisuke brought the girls Kokonoe Rin, Usa Mimi, Kagami Kuro, fellow teacher and also love interest, Houin Kyouko, to the countryside to visit Aoki’s family. There, Kyouko meets Daisuke’s younger sister Chika and their mother. Kyouko has an ulterior motive: She is taking this chance to make a good impression that she makes a good wife to Daisuke. After a few rounds of beers with Chika, the two girls got drunk and ended up sleeping in Daisuke’s futon. When Kyouko opened her eyes a bit, she saw Chika sleeping and like any person influenced by alcohol, she mistook Chika as Daisuke and proceeded to have her way with the (un)fortunate country girl. This scene only lasted around 40-ish seconds, but it’s more than enough to see some great yuri in action. Did drunk Kyouko and Chika go all the way? Who knows, but after seeing Chika’s reaction the morning later, I guess they did. “Those metro girls really are freaky!”

It’s summer break for Illyasviel von Einzbern aka “Illya and the gang”, so they’re off to buy the most essential thing for summer break: swimsuits! As the girls browsed around the mall for something cute to wear, Kuro is getting weaker and weaker. Kuro took off with Illya to a secluded place to initiate an emergency mana transfer. Chloe von Einzbern aka “Kuro”, needs constant mana to survive and she needs to ‘extract’ mana from other people through kissing or body contact. We’ve seen many scenes of Kuro extracting mana through French kissing many times in the series, but what makes this particular scene special is that it’s funny and one of their friends is spying on them… and she got aroused too. The first part is Kuro is asking Illya to begin in a rather meek, submissive tone, Illya noticed the mood, and then made the mistake of, say, not using the right words. Illya then argued that mana transferring doesn’t need to be done through kissing, and that it can be done through other means. Kuro whispered the other “means” of transfer and Illya turned instantly red. Not sure what Kuro whispered, but I can guess the method involves two pairs of scissors, or petting the cat, or eating tacos… Don’t ask. In the end, the two both engaged in the usual mana transfer with their bewildered friend watching them from afar.

Yoshikawa Chinatsu is madly in love with her prince-charming-senpai, Funami Yui, and she wants to know more about her. Akaza Akari, Yui’s childhood friend, agreed to help her out. Chinatsu invites Akari to her place during the summer break and spend the day learning everything about Yui. After a series of questions like “who Yui likes, etc.”, Akari asked the question of what Chinatsu wants to do with Yui!? Chinatsu answered, she wants to kiss her and do some rather sexual things to her. Akari, the always concerned friend, followed up with the question that kissing is embarrassing. This led Chinatsu suggesting she needs to practice kissing and… Akari is the only girl around. You may find the whole Chinatsu chasing Akari around the house, grabbing her, pinning her to the floor and forced Akari to touch lips rather offensive, but don’t be. Chinatsu is just a curious girl in love and she’s too young to realize what she did was wrong. Plus the anime handled the scene in a funny way. You’re one sour grape if you don’t see the humor behind it.

Instead of going home after a hectic Christmas party at Dekomori Sanae’s house, Togashi Yuuta and Takanashi Rikka went on a scenic cruise in the sea. Yuuta planned this so that he develop his budding relationship with Rikka. Unfortunately, something ruined the mood. Little do they know, Dekomori Sanae, Nibutani Shinka, Tsuyuri Kumin and Isshiki Makoto were tailing them all along. Dekomori, being very close to Rikka, saw the entire thing, got jealous and attacks Yuuta, pleading for him to return Rikka to her. Shinka tried to stop Dekomori, but both of them, Yuuta and Rikka slipped. As Yuuta stops Rikka from falling, their lips come close, the screen goes black and we hear a “chuu” sound. As they come about, the two lovebirds didn’t kiss, but where did the sound come from? As they turned around, they saw Shinka and Dekomori touching lips. This scene happened in an instant but it was very unexpected, and quite frankly, it hyped a lot of people for the second season of the anime. Dekomori is hostile towards Shinka because she believes that Shinka is not the Mori Summer she used to admire, and throughout the series Dekomori wastes no time in making Shinka’s school life a living hell. This kind of love-hate relationship between the two is so palpable, it was only a matter of time for this to happen. And when it happened, it was glorious. Plus it was their first kiss.

Their cover was blown. Takayama Haruka and Sonoda Yuu were kissing in the hallway and Yuu’s big sister and student council president Sonoda Mitsuki saw the entire thing. Ever since Mitsuki is keeping an eye out for Yuu and our heroine Haruka can longer have her daily kissing with Yuu. To make matters worse, Mitsuki assigned Ikeno Kaede, one of Haruka’s friends, to monitor Yuu and report any unfavorable acts by Haruka. During a dancing lesson, Haruka took this chance to pair up with Haruka, and like a skilled dance professional, Haruka steals a few kisses while at certain angles where the spying eyes of Kaede can’t see. If you’ve seen Sakura Trick, the anime has LOTS of kissing, but this scene is special because it’s not the usual kissing sessions we see. Haruka was so determined to touch lips with Yuu again, that it’s amazing no one saw them, including Kaede.

Asogi Rin is working on a case of grisly murders that are happening throughout the city. Rin knows that the perpetrator is not human and after her leads went cold, she approaches an informant she knew years ago. The informant has the info Rin wants, but she won’t give it easily for such information comes with a high price: sex. This scene came out of nowhere and it’s amusing to see both sides winning. Normally these types of informants ask for a stupid amount of money for their own benefits, and it’s nice to see a different and, uh, “fair” take of it. The scene ends with the informant asking for round 2 by inserting a small vial containing the info in her privates, and Rin has to extract it by means of, uh, you know...

It’s Christmas and Kasugano Urara’s birthday is just around the corner and the entire gang of the Survival Game club are hatching up a plan to give the birthday girl a surprise party. Sonokawa Momoka, Goutokuji Kayo, Kyoudou Maya and their eccentric club leader, Ootori Miou, are working together to give Urara a birthday party she’ll never forget. Unsurprisingly, things didn’t go too well and the preparations end up ruined with a wild bear running loose in the city. Don’t ask. Fortunately, they found the best replacement and when Urara showed up, she is happy that everyone remembers her birthday and the gift she received is the best one yet. What is this gift? It’s a gift-wrapped Momoka, of course! Urara has the hots for Momoka and she’s the resident pervert and masochist that finds ways to molest Momoka, or encourage Momoka to punch her. What’s so great about this episode is it’s the final episode and it ends with Urara taking home the gift-wrapped Momoka and, well, it’s up to one’s imagination what’s going to happen.

Himemiya Chikane and Kurusugawa Himeko are destined to be the Moon and Sun priestesses that will battle the Orochi to save the world from destruction. However, there’s part of the legend that the world forgot: the fated priestesses must battle each other to the death. Chikane is in love with Himeko but she doesn’t have the courage to express her love. Every passing episode, Himeko is slowly moving away from Chikane because of Oogami Souma, a childhood friend and protector, shows up every time to protect Himeko from danger. Relationship between the two grew and Chikane, unable to protect Himeko with her own hands, is slowly sinking into despair, and eventually abandoning her humanity and became a part of the Orochi like what the prophecies foretold. Driven by lust and despair, and perhaps an act of love, Chikane revealed herself to Himeko as the Orochi and sexually assaulted her. The "taking advantage"(rape), scene is a turning point for the plot and the real battle against the Orochi began.

The story of YamiBou is all about a group of book travellers or travellers of alternate worlds looking for the elusive girl named Eve. This girl Eve travels through different books or world in the Great Library and live within them and then move on to the next world after she turned 16. Hazuki met Hatsumi as a child and ever since they’re living together ever since. Hazuki developed sexual feelings towards Hatsumi and when Hatsumi turned 16, she moved on to the next world. Through the teleportation sequence, Hazuki gained some of Hatsumi’s power, met a book traveller and the entire series is about Hazuki jumping around worlds looking for Hatsumi. Eventually Hazuki found Hatsumi and expressed her love and Hatsumi accepted it. The scene takes place back at her home, right before Hatsumi teleports to another world. It is one of the most detailed and romantic kissing scene in recent memory and I still recall as I yelped “You finally found her, Hazuki!” The ending of the anime is hard to like because it, I dunno, added more implications and turned Hazuki’s love into maternal love. But still, the final kissing scene is one of the best out there.

After Madoka sacrificed herself by the end of the TV series, she attained godhood and “fixed” everything. However it came with a price: Madoka’s existence ceased to exist in the world. No one in her class remembers her, and her parents didn’t even conceive her. No one remembers, except for Homura. Madoka is there, but she’s on a different plane of existence that no one can reach her. Throughout the movie, Homura soon discovered that she’s turning into a witch because of all the pain and suffering she had experienced, and Kyubey used Homura in an experiment by trapping everyone in an illusion as an attempt to reach and control the now god Madoka. After Homura broke free from Kyubey’s illusion, Madoka descends from the heavens to take away Homura for she’s now a witch. In a twist of fate, Homura turned herself into something more than a witch, takes Madoka out of being a god, and rewrote the entire universe, removing the need for Madoka thus rendering her sacrifice useless, and gave everyone new memories so that no one remembers what Homura did... except for Sayaka for some reason. By the end of the movie, Madoka, Homura, Sayaka, Kyoko, Mami and everyone else now live in a peaceful life. Homura is in love with Madoka to the point of obsession, and did everything by becoming a demon just to get Madoka back in her arms. Homura is the devil and Madoka the god, both are equalizers of a new universe. This kind of obsession and desire to be with the girl she loves makes this our number 1 yuri scene on the list. Homura said it well: “It is the pinnacle of all human emotion. More passionate than hope, far deeper than despair. Love.” Oh and this makes Akemi Homura the gayest girl in the known universe.

I’d say that Kaiji is one big baby and a whiner, but then he does know how to get himself into deep trouble, and it’s not really like he’s crying for stupid things. Kaiji is such a deadbeat that he keeps accumulating debts and owing lots of money to the wrong people. His only way out of this world of debts is gambling, which of course only gets him into more trouble. As a result, we often see him crying in the middle of a gambling venture while hearing the unsettling “zawa zawa” on the background. His greatest and most pathetic cry was when he was about to lose his money and his freedom to the giant pachinko machine, the Bog. I would’ve cried my face off too in that situation.

Murasakibara is that huge and intimidating guy who looks so strong and fearless that we just can’t picture him crying. I mean, that kid is a monster, he’s permanently serious, he never laughs or smiles, and he doesn’t seem to care about anything at all other than winning (and candy). He even claims to hate basketball. Of course, however tough he may seem, we get the feeling early on that he doesn’t really hate basketball. In fact, at the end of the Yosen vs Seirin match, Murasakibara gets in the zone, which only the most passionate and talented players could achieve. After losing, this tough 6’10’’ giant lets out a big sob, letting everyone know how important basketball actually was to him.

The 3rd episode on SAO is kind of a filler, but a very powerful one. Kirito meets Sachi and the rest of the Moonlit Black Cats. He develops certain feelings for her, but not for long. The group falls into a trap and Sachi and the rest get killed in front of Kirito. As a good hero, Kirito blames himself for her death even after months have passed. On Christmas Eve however, he gets a message from Sachi telling him her death was inevitable, thus releasing him from his guilt. This is a really touching scene where Kirito just can’t help to break down to tears, as anyone else would.

That scene where the Black Prince loses Shirley has to be one of the most tragic and saddest scenes in anime ever. It just feels so real, Shirley’s trying to say goodbye and how much she loves him, while he’s totally freaking out and ordering her not to die. Yeah, like you could do that. I just love this scene. I find it very powerful and realistic. That is how someone should react to the death of a beloved one; being hysterical, irrational and bursting into uncontrollable tears.

After quitting basketball, Hisashi Mitsui became that problem kid who just loved getting into fights. When he messed with Shohoku’s basketball team though, he wasn’t expecting to end up crying like a little girl. It turns out that Professor Ansai was very dear to Mitsui. So much in fact, that meeting him at Shohoku’s gym made Mitsui realize the kind of scoundrel he had become. After taking a beating from Shohoku’s freshmen, he begged Professor Ansai for a chance to play on the team. He did it while on his knees, with a sea of tears and blood pouring out of his face.

Every once in a while we get to see something quite rare and unexpected on Naruto, and that is Naruto crying. As the brave ninja warrior he is, he’s not prone to show his soft side this way. However, he’s so noble he can’t help to react in this way whenever he fails to save someone. Sasuke and Gaara’s deaths had huge impacts on Naruto. The scene where he cries after Gaara’s death is so powerful. His crying is probably the manliest one I’ve ever seen. Yes, even though his tears shine like pretty diamonds.

We all know Clannad as that damn show that makes you cry your freaking eyes out. It seems as if the sole purpose of this show is to make you miserable. It’s full of really touching moments that will make you want to lock yourself in your room to cry for days. One of the most heartbreaking scenes to me is the one where Okazaki tells Ushio about Nagisa on the train. As he starts reminiscing, tears stream from his eyes. Before we realize, Ushio follows him and then suddenly everyone (including you) is crying uncontrollably.

Everyone who’s watched FMAB knows the terrible things that happen on the fourth episode. Nobody expected such atrocity to happen, so we understand just how heartbroken the Elric brothers are on the following episode. There, we can see Edward sitting on some stairs while sulking and crying his heart out under a heavy rain, which fits the mood just fine. I find this moment very powerful and special because it’s the first time we get to know the more human and sensitive side of the main character, who finds himself completely powerless.

We all know Yuki is a sissy and a crybaby above all. The only thing he’s not afraid of is admitting how much of a coward he is. He’s probably cried more times than any other male protagonist in the history of anime. But there’s one crying scene in particular that I find as unique and original as creepy. I’m talking about that scene in which he kills his own friends while crying. Yuki is so consumed by Yuno’s insanity that he goes after N°8 and he won’t even let his closest friends stop him. He shoots them down one by one as they get in his way, while crying like the big baby he is. A big psychopathic baby with a gun.

The last episode of Tokyo Ghoul √A was full of action and powerful emotions. Few scenes made me cry as much as Kaneki and Hide’s reunion at Anteiku in the middle of the raid. It was beautiful to see them reunited even if for a minute before the place was engulfed in flames. Kaneki ends up crying over his agonizing friend. Before passing out, Hide tells Kaneki: “let’s go home”, which hits us right in the feels, since we don’t really think he’s going to make it. To make it even more dramatic, Kaneki’s tears coming from his ghoul eye are red as blood. Now that’s one cool cry.