Kyoto Animation is one of the best anime studios which set its place in the hearts of anime fans from around a decade. It is known for its breathtaking visuals and dazzling animation.
It was found in 1981 by the former Mushi Pro Staff and has brought itself quite a big reputation. With an exquisite sense of tone and style, it made us witness anime like light-hearted to fascinating drama.
Kyoto Animation is often referred to as KyoAni. If I had to say a few of my favorite anime studios, Kyoto Animation would be in the top three for sure.
This studio proved that anime isn’t only about epic action sequences and thrilling plots, but also for some emotional rollercoasters. So, here we’ve ranked the ten best anime by Kyoto Animation.
Best Anime by Kyoto Animation!
1. Clannad: After Story
Here we brought the first one of the list, which is well known for making the audience crybabies. Clannad: After Story is not only about an emotional plot, but also consists of beautiful animation and character design. The art and visuals are simply incredible.
Being a sequel for the show Clannad, After the story, left a scar in the hearts of anime fans. It also regards as one of the saddest anime you can ever watch by the most famous websites. With 24 episodes of an emotional ride, it makes you blow out every inch of tears from your body. No wonder it ranks #1 in our list of best anime by Kyoto Animation.
Following the Clannad anime, life goes on for Tomoya, and a few months have passed on since he confessed his feelings to Nagisa. With a new semester, their relationship begins to enter into a different level. As he encounters various people, he begins to understand the value of family.
Unfortunately, both Nagisa and Tomoya start their own family. Keep their never-ending love aside; they’re faced with many hardships in the upcoming days. Will their life gets on a happy path, or it takes a different route? If you haven’t watched it yet, you’re probably missing a lot.
2. Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is definitely a top-notch work from Kyoto Animation. Releasing in winter 2018, it is a fantasy-drama with a quite emotional story. For its beautiful visuals, Violet Evergarden has won “Best Animation” at Crunchyroll Awards 2019.
With only 13 episodes, it became eligible for the title “Masterpiece!.” Presenting many touching backstories in every episode, it is not known for its slow pace. The character design in the anime is fabulous, and the tone of the animation is quite different from any other anime of the studio. Thus we gave it #2 on our list.
The story follows Violet Evergarden, who caught up in war and lost her most beloved person. Before he dies, he spells out three words to Violet as “I Love You,” but she doesn’t know what those words truly meant. On Gilbert’s wish, she starts her new life as an Automemorial Doll.
With many incidents she faces, she finds the real purpose of her existence and the words spelled out by her major Gilbert. If you’re not a fan of emotional rollercoasters, at least you should watch it for the main character Violet.
3. Nichijou: My Ordinary Life
Nichijou: My Ordinary Life shows the pinnacle of Kyoto Animation’s talents. It gives you a slight touch of a slice of life anime and entertains with some good action scenes that leave you on the edge of your seats. If you ask me if it’s hilarious, I would say a big yes.
If you ask me, it is slightly less fun than Gintama anime. With beautiful and unique animation, Kyoto Animation made this anime into one of its best ones. And without giving a second thought, we brought it to our list. Well, it wouldn’t be nice if you’re not planning to watch it yet. After all, you wouldn’t want to miss this gem.
The story follows a group of childhood friends who sticks together throughout high school. Mio, Yuuko, Mai, and Hasake are the ones who are the ones we’re talking about always find themselves in abnormal situations.
Out of them, Hasake is a genius and makes through any problem so quickly. Even though they face some insane issues in their day-to-day life, they still manage to lead lives in a common way. Thus, it happens to be on our list of best anime by Kyoto Animation.
4. A Silent Voice
Grab some tissues before you even think of watching it. Being one of the best anime of Kyoto Animation studio, A Silent Voice movie gets you right at your weak spot. The story follows Shouya Ishida, who bullies a deaf girl in his class, Shouko Nishimiya, along with a bunch of his friends.
Bullying reaches a point where it makes her transfer to a different school. When the matter reaches the principal, everyone blames Ishida, and he gets bullied in the meantime. A few years later, he meets her and tries very hard to become her friend. Maybe it’s a way of atoning the past sins that tortured him through all these years.
This film shows you the true meaning of life and how it turns when you can’t live without understanding others. The way it presents both past and future characters shows how one’s life can become easier if they realize everything soon.
Despite these, it has some beautiful animation and character designs that you must expect from the Kyoto Animation studio. Even though the anime revolves mostly between Ishida and Nishimiya, it hits you with a large sum of emotions and tearful moments. Thus, it ranks #4 in our list of best anime by Kyoto Animation.
5. Clannad
Clannad is the prequel of Clannad: After Story, which follows Tomoya, who wants to leave his school because he’s a felon. But one day, he meets Nagisa, who makes him stare at her even though he gives her the smallest attention.
He ignores her for the moment, but from the day onward, she pops up in his life many times. Eventually, he talks to her and finds that she is trying to revive her school’s drama club. Tomoya decides to help Nagisa, and later, he gets close to her, which is quite abnormal for a delinquent. The story is decent, right? But it is more than what you think.
It isn’t a story that makes you wonder what happens next; instead, it is a story of two lives that makes you rip your heart out with an emotional attachment. While making you emotionally uncomfortable, it also entertains you with its humor and fun parts.
While Clannad is a decent experience, if you watch it along with its sequel, you’ll end up being a cry baby for sure. The above words are meant for an average person, but if in case you’re a light-hearted one, there is no telling what might happen to your heart. Grab some tissues and get ready before you watch this emotional roller coaster.
6. Hyouka
This lighthearted mystery series leaves you excited throughout every moment of it. The story follows four school students with entirely different personalities. Bored and Lazy Oreki always prefer not to exert any of his energy towards work.
However, he joins a Classic Literature Club and is forced to solve some mysteries. And thanks to his clubmate who always refuses to give up anything in her life. Due to her, his lifestyle and character show a little deviation. That’s what you can expect from a girl who never gives up.
The main character Oreki is crafter masterfully and even shows a meaning of character development. Thanks to the efforts of Kyoto Animation because being a slice of life anime, its animation gives off a different vibe.
The mysteries, in the beginning, seem nothing like ordinary ones, but they do exactly what the audience expects in the end. If you’re willing to show it to the kids, it is free of violence and is rated PG-13. So, it’s extremely safe for even kids.
7. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
This Slice of Life anime features the bond of a human with a dragon with enough humor in the plot. One night when Kobayashi was drunk, she offers the dragon Tooru to stay at her place and even tells that she’s welcome anytime.
On the next morning, Tooru finds herself in a human form, and now she’s confused. But none of them knows how it happened. To repay her kindness, Tooru becomes her maid and slowly learns the way of the human world by taking care of Kobayashi. But things get complicated when other creatures from Tooru’s realm come after her.
There is no doubt in whether you’ll love it or not because it fits in any genre you like. And the second season is confirmed, so you get to watch more cuteness of Tooru. The series is merely hilarious and beautiful.
The characters entertain you until the end and leave a good impression before you finish watching it. Who wouldn’t love Slice of Life anime with some adventure in it? And when Kyoto Animation animates it, you can’t possibly miss it.
8. K-On!
In this anime, you’ll find some cute girls who do even more adorable things. A young and carefree girl is Hirasawa Yui, who joins her school’s Light Music Club even though she doesn’t have much experience with instruments.
Surprisingly, her club members welcome her open-heartedly and convince her to become a permanent member. If she doesn’t, the school will disband the club, keeping this in mind she strives very hard to become a good guitarist that their band can be proud of.
As I mentioned earlier, the story involves some cute girls doing cute things more cutely. However, it doesn’t give much importance to the plot; instead, it focuses on the characters. Watching this anime with a relaxed atmosphere is the best feeling you can get.
More than anything, you get to watch some fantastic characters having fun, and working hard for some reason is what makes it remarkable. And if you’re a music lover, this anime will be like eating chocolate in a warm cozy winter or ice cream in a hot summer.
9. Free!
This anime has a massive fan base, mostly among females, because it is about shirtless boys who look fabulous. The story follows a high school boy’s swimming team where the four boys Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa, and Rin, who parts their ways after their graduation.
Years later, they meet, and Rin challenges Haruka and wins. However, Nagisa decides to make a swimming club for Iwatobi high school with his friends. You can see their dream, right? And the story is exciting, so if you haven’t watched it yet, make sure you watch it now.
Just like other anime by Kyoto Animation, it brings different personalities together and makes them chase a common dream together. And it also shows how a friendship can be if genuine people decide to become friends.
For girls, this anime will be like watching five of their dream boys chasing after a common goal while having fun. If you can’t get attached to such storylines, you can skip this one, but in terms of animation, you’ll miss a great one.
10. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
If you can recall, when we were kids, we often dream about being the main characters of our favorite fantasy world. It’s not weird because every one of us wanted that life at some point.
Tthis anime appeals to the whole idea in a different manner. Besides its plot, it has some good character designs and quality animation that can give us a good experience.
The story follows Yuuga Togashi, who leads a boring school life and suffers from an effect known as “chuunibyou.” He wants to bury his uninteresting past self and start a new life, and when he meets Rikka Takanashi, who calls herself as the vessels of the Wicked Eye, he gets hope.
He pulls her into his imaginary life, and things start to get interesting. It’s pretty much an exciting story, isn’t it? Even if you didn’t get connected to the story, believe in the Kyoto Animation studio and watch it right now. After all, you shouldn’t miss one of the best anime by Kyoto Animation.
Conclusion
Despite choosing some hype creating stories, Kyoto Animation takes some ordinary life stories and presents beautifully. And it also loves to explore various genres like Slice of Life and romance instead of sticking with the same boring pattern.
But what makes Kyoto Animation be in one of the top anime studios is the stories that stand out in real life. Anime like Clannad: After Story and Violet Evergarden let it reach the peaks of its popularity with some incredible visuals and unimaginable animation.
Mainly Violet Evergarden kills you off with its beautiful character designs and dazzling environment. It’s not just about the animation, the depth in characters, the feels of background music, and everything in these anime are the unique aspects that only Kyoto Animation can present to the fullest.
Considering all these points, you can’t deny the fact that Kyoto Animation is a pinnacle for most of the successful series like Clannad and A Silent Voice. Well, what do you think of Kyoto Animation? Is it one of your favorite anime studios? Shoot your opinions in the comment section below.
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