Getting closer to the top ten.
20. Dominion Tank Police
I like me some Tank action and Dominion fills that gap for me. This was also British dubbed, a rarity in this day and age.
19.Shimoneta
Dirty jokes, nudity and copious amounts of sexual innuendo and panties, and political commentary on the bizarre nature of censorship. Tumblr really should've watched this show first.
18. Pokemon
Yeah I'm one of those Pokemon players but I hold the anime in high regard not because it's been on the air for eons but because it's still entertaining.
17. Paradise Kiss
Another one about the complex emotions of adolescence, whether it be the lead girl not being able to decide her future, the toxicity of certain relationships, the emotions of coming out as LGBT or the artistic vision of a young designer, all difficult subjects are tackled correctly.
16. Ashita No Nadja
A genre missing from anime of today is the European adventure, inspired by the adventures of Heidi and descended from Candy Candy, these shows are about young girls going on epic journeys to find their true selves whether it be royalty or as a performer, Nadja is the last and best of this genre and I hope it comes back one day. Maybe Precure could try it out.
Now for a special set of lists because A) I've not done one for a while and B) It's a special super duper quadruple list featuring the best and worst types to have in a harem for both male and female characters.
We start with the worst types of males in a harem.
Honorable Mentions
The I Make a Better Girl than the Girl I'm Actually Dating Type
Ranma Saotome from Ranma 1/2
The You Look Like my Dead Sister so you'll be her Replacement Type
Tokiya Mikagami from Flame of Recca
The I have an Entire Class in my Harem yet I'm Young Enough to Get Away with it Type
Negi Springfield from Negima
10. The Doesn’t Know the Meaning of Personal Space Type
Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki from Fairy Tail
Ever met those types who like to flirt with you but come across as really creepy? That's exactly what Ichiya is like and I can see why Erza is scared of him. Yes I did say Erza, the same Erza who can take down a hundred monsters by herself.
9. The I Always Travel with Different Female Companions and Ignore all of their Hints Type
Ash Ketchum from Pokemon
Makes me wonder if Ash Ketchum's cross dressing phase had other implications but in all seriousness he's on his fifth female traveling companion and the current one really does have a crush on him, does someone have to slap some sense into the guy but then again he's not just this but also number 8.
8. The Shonen Protagonist who is Oblivious to Love Type
Monkey D Luffy from One Piece
The sexiest woman in One Piece can't get the potential Pirate King to look her way. This is the same woman who under normal circumstances looks down on men so much that she looks up, yet when she does fall madly in love with Luffy, nothing happens.
7. The You’re Going to Die if you try to Date me Type
Any Gundam Pilot from the Gundam Franchise
If death follows you everywhere don't fall for the one who's creating the Death in the first place, this goes double if your love interests are from Gundam Seed.
6. The Over the Top Manly Man who likes Lolita Type
Adam Blade from Needless
Adam Blade is a big guy in terms of muscles, ego and personality, basically Kamina on steroids, so liking little girls doesn't bode well for the female cast of Needless.
5. The Doesn’t Realise he’s in a Harem Type
Ichika Orimura from Infinite Stratos
These are the ones that attract countless women of all types, the same ones who created the Harem Genre in the first place yet some are too stupid to know this. The only one who's excused from this is Hibiki from Vandread as he grew up in a world where the genders are separated but Ichika is just an idiot. Tenchi Misaki comes to mind as well.
4. The Stupidly Popular Angsty One who is really a Dick Type
Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto
He broods, he's stoic, he wants revenge, all the girls love him because they want to save him, he's basically Edward Cullen with a Ninja Headband, he's actually a dick, it's Sasuke Uchiha! Everyone who's ever tried to get close to this guy has been stabbed and yet Haruno Sakura still married the dick
3. The I’ll Use Your Feelings to further my Goals and Kill you when I don’t need you Type
Light Yagami from Death Note
While this is normally reserved for a metric ton of evil villains, Light Yagami is supposed to be the hero yet he cares so little for Misa that he'll happily kill her when he's done. Do you really want a guy who eats potato chips and writes in notebooks with as much subtlety as firing a handgun in public.
2. The I Like Fake Girls Better than Real Girls yet I have better Dating Skills than the best Dating Experts on the Planet Type
Keima Katsuragi from World God Only Knows
Oddly specific this one but understandable when you consider that Keima is a master troll at doing this sort of thing. Well done Japan, you've made the harem hero a troll worth punching.
1. The Any Male from Utena Type
Every Male from Revolutionary Girl Utena
Just try and watch this anime and try and understand how the men in that world function.
The words "Narcissistic and Proud" come to mind along with a few things that I'd rather not talk about, as I feel ashamed that males were designed this way.
I posted this nearly a year ago so now it's time to see if the Pokemon X&Y anime has lived up to the expectations of these theories.
1. There might finally be some romance between Ash & his female companion
Considering Serena’s reaction to Ash being on TV and a few choice screenshots of finally meeting Ash, this might finally be the season that Ash has an actual girlfriend. It’s also worth noting that Bonnie, Clemont’s little sister in her preview profile is trying to marry off Clemont; so romance might finally be in the Pokemon anime.
Status: Seems to have fizzled out very quick, pity
2. Serena is actually Leaf
This brings us to my favorite speculation and this one is purely mine, so no stealing.
The only logical reason for Serena to be Ash’s childhood friend is that she’s actually Leaf, the female trainer who was supposed to be in the first game but got left out. This is backed up by the fact that Leaf hasn’t been in the anime, nothing else was brought up about the other Pallet Town starters as we only have Gary’s word to go on, also take into account the emphasis on a new generation but remembering the first one and finally the similar designs between Serena & Leaf.
Status: Sadly not true, it was very ambitious to believe it was
3. Ash may not have a Rival this Generation
Considering the designs of tagalong kids Tierno, Trevor & Shauna from the games, not one of them fits the criteria for Ash’s rival, I’m sure they’ll turn up and at least one or two of them will be League Entries, but don’t expect Paul to come back or someone like him.
Status: Ash has no rival but may have some potential league opponents later
4. Shauna may be used as a plot device
Shauna got more focus in the games than the others so she may get some plot focus in the anime. I’m hoping not, as she could disrupt the balance of an already really good team.
Status: Shauna appeared for a couple of episodes and may become a rival for Serena but it's Gym Leader Korrina who has had the most focus
5. Blaziken Man might be Ash’s Father
This is a very wild speculation but going on the Childhood Friend scenario, it’s not something we can ignore anymore, as this Generation might actually fill some gaps in Ash’s background and Blaziken Man looks old enough to fit the bill.
Status: No he's Clemont & Bonnie's father
6. Ash might finally win the Pokemon League
From episode 1 of the new series Ash lampshades the fact that he has still not won the Pokemon League in any region. Well he needs his Sinnoh form back to succeed in this region.
Status: Early days yet
7. Charizard will be the Mega Evolution for Ash
It makes sense and we may even get Charizard disobey Ash again considering how volatile it was when evolving from Charmander & Charmeleon or it could easily be scenario number 8.
Status: Early days yet
8. Everyone will have at least one Mega Evolution Pokemon
This also makes sense seeing as Ash technically already has one but with stronger emphasis on that over new Pokemon, it would be a logical step later in the season for each team member to have at least one Mega Pokemon.
Status: Only Kalos Pokemon have been captured so far
9. Serena & Clemont’s Motives
Everyone has a motive for traveling with Ash but all we’ve got to go on with Serena is the fact that her mother is a famous Pokemon Rider. I don’t see contests coming back although that would be nice to see again. Clemont can’t really be top Electric trainer as long as Ash holds on to Pikachu, so I’d look at Clemont being a top Pokemon Scientist/Inventor.
Status: Serena may finally establish her goals in a few episodes, meanwhile Clemont is well established now as an inventor and it actually suits the show well
10. Less emphasis on new Pokemon
Which is good in both games & anime, obviously there will be a focus on them but it won’t consume the anime so much, in fact barring Froakie & Bunnelby all of the other major Pokemon so far have been Pikachu, Meowth, Rhyhorn, Garchomp, Wobbuffet & Blaziken; six older Pokemon to two new ones when previous generations just had Pikachu & Meowth.
Status: The opposite sadly, new Pokemon have been the main focus
Still a long way to go before we see the show peak but at the moment it's pace is too slow.
Yeah I had to follow through with this one, it wouldn't feel right if I didn't, so lets go. *Updated 30th August 2014 - New picture, honorable mentions and new entry*
Honorable Mentions
Professor Layton & the Eternal Diva: This film was surprisingly good and mixes in the video game elements surprisingly well.
Fatal Fury: Somehow manages to be half decent despite being extremely cheesy
Variable Geo: An anime about fighting waitresses, nuff said. Still too cheesy for an actual place in the top ten.
10. Sakura Wars
This would've been so much higher if the dubs weren't so terrible. Steampunk mecha with a set of lovely ladies in the most fashionable military outfits ever made, stay tuned later on as reviews of the OVAs, Film & Series are to come.
9. Viewtiful Joe
The animation style is very Americanized yet it works like a charm very much in the same way as Gainax do with Panty & Stocking. It wasn't perfect but offered new art direction than the typical anime style used since the 90s & 00s.
8. Final Fantasy Unlimited
Sadly Advent Children is disqualified for technically not being an anime, sorry I just don't count it as one; however Final Fantasy Unlimited makes up for it being missing. It makes a change to see a Final Fantasy that doesn't involve pretty boys or a link to Final Fantasy VII, it deserves to stand on it's own. Now if I can just find a boxset, I'll be in business.
7. Anything by Key
Not my cup of tea but every series adapted from the games is still a beautiful watch and highly emotional and will leave a mark on your heart for years to come.
6. Inazuma Eleven
I never thought an RPG based on Soccer would do so well as an anime series, I still really enjoy watching those killer moves and if I see one I usually see all of them. This series is a good lesson in spectacle.
5. Fate/Stay Night
Apart from a few lines of terrible dialogue, Fate/Stay Night can definitely stand up to the big wigs of anime. With a host of memorable characters and some interesting bits of history it's more than enough to satisfy the shonen crowd.
4. Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Never has a franchise gone through so many changes in fortune, but Street Fighter's animated film is the best were ever going to see for a fighting game adaption, it gives us exactly what we expect and it only takes the first few minutes of Ryu & Sagat's battle to get us hooked.
3. Persona 4
New entry for this old list, an array of intense story telling with equally intense character writing mixed with one of the finest art styles in recent years makes for a near perfect anime.
2. Sengoku Basara
Capcom has far too many awful habits for my liking but Sengoku Basara was the dark horse of my anime watching last year, it's over the top, historically skewed and awesome, enough to make you want to cry "Your Lordship!"
1. Pokemon: The 1st season & the Diamond & Pearl series
How can I not put Pokemon down, it's anime perfection and built the lives of so many otaku. A natural blend of endless art set in a universe of unique creatures; Pokemon will remain with anime fans until the end of time. A lot of people will argue that Pokemon has not been good since Johto, but Diamond & Pearl was the only saga that came close to the original formula.
So that's your lot, some surprises and some no surprises, you be the judge.
I'm starting a new list type known as Tribute Lists. These lists are not numeric and can be any number of entries; there's also no rules and restrictions so anyone from cartoons, anime and games can enter as long as it matches the theme and today's theme are those individuals who didn't get the girl or guy. Because someone has to honor them for trying.
Anime
Brock from Pokemon
Undisputed king of this list, has failed to land any girl even from those who have liked him and even when it looked like he finally had someone in Prof Ivy, something happened to break his heart and throw him into depression.
*Space reserved for Serena from Pokemon*
Way it's going she will have her heart broken by the time she leaves the group.
Yoko from Gurren Lagann
The two guys that shared a kiss with her both end up dead.
Sanji from One Piece
Has not been with any women and had ended up in Okama land during the time skip which if you've read or watched the scenes then you know what that is.
Yamcha from Dragonballz
Lost Bulma to Vegeta and now forever has to spend his days with a cat on helium assuming he's not dead.
Hitomi from Escaflowne
Ended up with no one by choosing to go back home.
Tai from Digimon
Didn't end up with Sora and the fans were not happy.
Lelouch from Code Geass
Don't even get me started on his history, he was doomed from the start.
Jigen from Lupin III
Has a high body count of dead lovers.
Milly Thompson from Trigun
Loses Wolfwood 24 hours after finally getting together.
Cartoons
Batman from All Versions of Batman
Believes he'll get them killed and remains permanently single Despite Terry McGinnis being his son in Batman Beyond
Lion-O from Thundercats remake
Loses Cheetara to Tygra, this also creates a lot of drama between the group
Mordecai from Regular Show
After finally getting Margaret to notice him she leaves to go to her dream school.
Squirrel from Sword in the Stone
Cruel because the squirrel didn't take it very well when Wart turned back into a human. It's actually difficult to watch.
Woody from Toy Story
Loses Bo Peep between films and is clearly dejected by it.
Brian from Family Guy
Never really seen him succeed in love despite having a lengthy relationship once.
Bart Simpson from the Simpsons
This may be down to the show needing the Status Quo to stay the same around the main family but poor Bart has yet to succeed in love.
Wolverine from X-Men
It's far worst in the comics.
Video Games
Ike from Fire Emblem
It was implied that he would end up with Elincia but by the sequel she ends up with someone else.
Byuu from Bahamut Lagoon
Despite being the main character he never ends up with the Princess.
Mario from Mario Games
Don't expect Princess Peach to ever make any effort; this is even lamp-shaded by the one off anime OVA when Mario doesn't end up with Princess Peach at all.
Amy Rose from Sonic Games
Will forever chase Sonic until the games become redundant although considering how much Sonic Boom will mess with the formula and set pieces she may escape this list.
Terry Bogard from Fatal Fury
Not so much the games but in all Anime forms he's ended up with dead girlfriends.
And that's your lot, so while you enjoy Valentines Day today, spare a thought for those who are single.
