~Contents~
Random Rant/Updates
Greetings to all readers. Before we go over my favorite anime series from 2016, we shall rant about real life stuff as well as make a blog update note. Feel free to skip to the entries in the list if you aren’t interested in my rambles. Long story short, there hasn’t been a new post at Anime Rants lately because I’ve been spending all my free time gaming (mostly playing Stardew Valley and Minecraft). As I’ve probably alluded to before, I’m addicted to computer screens and long hours gaming. Keeping it under control is difficult, but I will continue discussing it with my therapist and other support system members.
Speaking of addictions, I have more than one. I try to be very open and vulnerable about that stuff because I hope it will help make it less stigmatized. And it’s also because I need to get some of this out of my system in the form of writing. Anyway, my addictions are being managed, and my other psych issues are being treated. However, things still are not good enough to where I feel fully functional. My mind and relationships are getting better slowly, but sometimes the road is treacherous or the pill is jagged. The crumbling of my country and its transformation to the Fascist States of America also affects my mental state. I grieve every day. Even when it seems like I’m in a low point, like right now, I am confident in my support system, the people who have shown that they care about me. I will definitely survive and hopefully find a way to rediscover my passion for life.
Since mental health has been so fraught, writing has also been difficult. This is where I must tell you all that Anime Rants will not be covering any new series for Fall 2026. I will continue catching up to Summer 2026 stuff and slowly plug away at my other reviews and blog series. For exampe, I’m always working on anime MBTI stuff, and my Penguindrum analysis is also indefinitely in progress. That will be enough to handle in terms of writing.
Now that the updates and rambling are complete, it’s finally time to talk about 2016 anime. Isn’t it crazy that it’s been a decade since 2016? The following article is a list of my personal favorite anime that I’ve seen from that year. Note: This list does not include movies but it does include second seasons and ONAs series.
Ajin – Demi-Human (Parts 1 and 2)
Current rating: 7/10
Synopsis: There are many legends about not-quite-human creatures that live among us. In Japanese, a good word for this kind of “Demi-Human” is “Ajin.” In this exciting anime, Ajin are people that can come back to life and regenerate any wounds following death. They are functionally immortal. Every Ajin is accompanied by a mysterious ghost made of black particles – but only Ajin can see these “black ghosts.” Since Ajin are so rare and poorly understood, people must immediately report them to the government or military, where they are said to be held and used for experiments. Kei Nagai thinks he is a normal highschool boy. But he’s about to discover that he is not exactly human after “dying” in a truck crash.
Notes: Though I’ve seen it about three times, it’s been many years since I re-watched this memorable Netflix anime. From what I remember, it’s a great supernatural/fantasy thriller, though not a perfect story by any means. The soundtrack and Japanese voice-acting were extremely cool. Several of the characters, including the male lead, were surprisingly well-written and interesting. Personally, I didn’t like the fully 3D animation much. Being a Netflix anime of the 2010s, this show is insanely violent, which could be a plus or a minus depending on what you want.
Assassination Classroom Season 2
Current Rating: 8/10
Synopsis: The premise for the first season is as follows. A creature destroyed half the moon and threatened to take out the Earth next unless its conditions were met. The creature demanded to be a teacher and instruct a small class of kids. The kids would not be harmed, even if they tried to kill their monster teacher. Actually, they are encouraged to try at every opportunity. Whoever kills this weird tentacled teacher will be rewarded with a fortune. Nagisa Shiota is one of the children now in the “Assassination Classroom,” trying to kill the teacher, who was named “Koro-sensei.” In 2016, Assassination Classroom season 2 was released, finally revealing the secrets and completing the emotionally compelling story.
Notes: I don’t think I ever wrote a review for the second season on this blog. I’ll have to get around to that sometime. Anyway, ten years ago, I adored this anime. The conclusion brought tears to my eyes and I was even inspired to write fanfiction. In retrospect, I think this series probably has a lot of issues that would rub me the wrong way if I were to re-watch it. I was really oblivious to a lot of problematic elements before. Still, the anime is well-made and I would need to re-watch it again and read some commentary before I change my rating of the series.
Bungo Stray Dogs (1st and 2nd Seasons)
Current Rating: 8/10
Synopsis: In this universe, a small percentage of people have superpowers and are called “Gifted.” The setting is modern Yokohama, but the Gifted characters are all named after real literature authors from across time and space. The “good guys” of this series are the Armed Detective Agency, a group of Gifted misfits who find their place by using their powers to solve crimes. The “bad guys,” meanwhile, are the Port Mafia, a ruthless and skilled gang of Gifted power users. Season 1 begins with the character Atsushi finding out that he is a Gifted with the power to transform into a magical white tiger. He joins the Detective Agency after being recruited by a strange suicidal man named Dazai. Starting in season 2, Atsushi, Dazai, and the others at the Armed Detective Agency will have new enemies incoming as the Guild – a group of Gifted from overseas – arrive in Yokohama.
Notes: This show is just objectively cool. I’m sure it has its issues, like any anime, but I have been enjoying this anime for a decade and that probably won’t change anytime soon. Like with many of these entries, I need to re-watch BSD, as I have not seen it in several years. There are many reasons to love this series. The literature references, the action sequences, the creative superpowers, and the compelling character arcs are just a few I can name quickly off the top of my head. Also, the men are beautiful.
Erased (Boku Dake ga Inai Machi)
Current Rating: 8/10
Synopsis: Satoru Fujinuma is a struggling manga artist in 2010s Japan. He also has a secret ability: once in a while, he is given the chance to go back in time several seconds to stop something destructive from happening. Satoru calls this ability “Revival” and has no control over when it activates or how far back it takes him. But on one dark day, Satoru’s mother is mysteriously murdered and the culprit frames Satoru. As he was being arrested, Revival activated – but instead of sending him back several seconds, it sent him back to elementary school in the 1980s. What can a child do to save his mother and other victims of the murderer?
Notes: This is a thrilling sci-fi series with a few elements that I don’t like that are outweighed by the positives for me. Those positives include the appealing art style, awesome songs and music, suspenseful scenes, and several powerful moments of emotional storytelling. A lot of people didn’t like the twist in the last few episodes, but I found it fascinating and entertaining. The conclusion admittedly felt like a little bit of a letdown, which is why the story would not get more than an 8/10 from me. The opening and ending songs are so damn good in this anime. I still go back to listen to these songs regularly a decade after first hearing them.
Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Current Rating: 8/10
Synopsis: Zombies called “Kabane” have taken over the world in an era of industrial progress. Only a few civilizations still function. One such city is a walled-in fortress city called Hinomoto. Heavily armored supply trains run in and out of Hinomoto. One of the train workers, a young man named Ikoma, believes he’s come up with a weapon that can effectively kill Kabane. Before long, he’ll find himself forced to test this invention against the invading hordes of undead.
Notes: FYI, I have only seen this once all the way through and it was probably when it was released a decade ago. I could be remembering some things wrong. Though the story was less than original at times and the characters were not always creative or interesting, the show was highly entertaining, with great action scenes, an astounding soundtrack and beautiful visuals that have stood the test of time. This anime is sci-fi/steam-punk eye candy all the way through. I could be forgetting some important or problematic elements, but based on my current memory, I would consider this a high-quality 8/10 anime.
Kiznaiver
Current Rating: 7/10
Synopsis: Katsuhira is a teenage boy who doesn’t seem to be able to feel any pain. His memories of his childhood or how he came to be this way are inaccessible. One day, Katsuhira is forced to become part of a Kizna System. In a Kizna System, a group of people are linked together by their pain. When one feels pain, it is split between all of them. Katsuhira and six other teenagers are now enslaved in this experimental system until they can uncover its roots and get free.
Notes: This show has a lot of personal significance to me despite not being a particularly great anime. It is a drama anime with elements of psychology and philosophy, dealing with themes like grief, identity, human nature, trauma, and pain – both physical and emotional. The story has a number of weaknesses and the writing sometimes feels immature, but the characters are engaging and interesting all the way through. My personal favorite character from this series has always been Noriko. I “fell in love” with the writing for her character when I first learned about her as the show aired a full decade ago. Since then, I’ve re-watched this anime three or four times, and I frequently revisit the OST.
Magical Girl Raising Project
Current Rating: 6/10
Synopsis: It started when a new roleplaying game was released in which you could design and play your own magical girl. It was a popular game. But for a handful of players, it was more than just a game. They were given real magical powers based on their in-game avatars. Armed with her new power, one teenage girl named Koyuki decides to become a hero, saving people at night like a real magical girl. There were others like her, too, making the city a better place. But things take a strange turn when the magical girls in the city all receive a notification from the admins: their numbers need to be reduced immediately. Koyuki and the other magical girls are forced to enter a contest with their lives on the line.
Notes: This is a straight-up trashy violence-fest with very little to it beyond the spectacle of the thing. It might not be an objectively good anime, but I like it. I watched it a few times leading up to the pandemic, but I haven’t seen it since then. If you like chaos, cute magical girls, dark and depressing stories, and beautiful animated violence, check this out. If you want something with actual substance, don’t bother.
Mob Psycho 100
Current Rating: 8/10
Synopsis: Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama is a quiet and spacey boy without much self-esteem. Unbeknownst to him, he is a wielder of almost godlike psychic powers, including telekinesis and the ability to communicate with ghosts. After school, Mob goes to “work” under Reigen, a man without psychic powers who lies and accepts money to act as a spiritual medium. In other words, Reigen is a fraud. Mob doesn’t even have the sense to know he’s being used by Reigen most of the time, but somehow, he still rises to face every challenge that comes his way – be they supernatural battles with ghosts and other psychics, or emotional battles of growing up and learning to socialize.
Notes: From the same creator as One Punch Man, this show is a true classic of 2010s anime. It’s creative, goofy, and colorful, with a unique art-style and loveable characters. My favorite thing about this anime isn’t the flashy battles or even the awesome songs, but the character concept and development for the protagonist, Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama. This is how you write a flawed but loveable male lead in anime. He is sensitive but not pathetic. He’s endlessly sweet, optimistic and brave. His head is always in the clouds but he does his best to connect with the world even when it’s harsh on him. Mob is one of my top 10 favorite anime boys easily.
Snow White with Red Hair Season 2
Current Rating: 8/10
Synopsis: This is the second season of the tale of Shirayuki (meaning Snow White), the red-headed herbalist who fled her country to avoid becoming a concubine. In the next kingdom over, she met Prince Zen, who welcomed her as a herbalist in the palace. Romance, drama, and adventure continues in this second season.
Notes: As with many of these entries, it’s been a long time and I have not seen this more than twice. But based on my memory, this anime would get a 9/10 in terms of personal enjoyment. It’s just a really pretty show with a really lovable main female character. It is also an example of an anime based on a manga written by a woman. Since the industry is overflowing with mediocre heroines written by men, I consider it a bonus when a work I like was created by a woman. I also liked the characters Shirayuki and Zen and their romance. The scenery and flowers were so gorgeous. When it comes to the shoujo genre, Snow White with the Red Hair is in my top ten favorites seen to date.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K
Current Rating: 8/10
Synopsis: Saiki is a young teenage boy with incredible godlike psychic powers. He does a lot to keep the world safe behind the scenes. But rather than take pride or interest in his work, Saiki is bored and/or frustrated most of the time. This anime shows Saiki trying to survive highschool as a secret psychic and an aloof introvert surrounded by goofy, extraverted friends.
Notes: The premise is a lot like Mob Psycho, but Saiki and Mob are very different characters in very different worlds. Speaking of Saiki, though, he’s very cool! Not only is he extremely introverted and secretly powerful – Saiki is also widely considered a great example of an asexual/aromantic anime character. Saiki K is a comedy anime and I found it extremely funny, but some of the humor and character gags are quite repetitive, I admit. If you don’t like it right away, you won’t like it at all later. The goofy, surreal humor isn’t for everyone, but nevertheless, this show brought me much laughter when I binged it during the Covid pandemic.
~Thanks for reading~
Written by 7Mono at Anime Rants
Saiki K is definitely not for everyone. It does get a bit repetitive, but I found it hilarious.
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