In Musashino City, an infamous legend is quickly becoming a household name. Dubbed Lil Slugger, this golden bat roller-skating fiend is attacking folks and truly instilling fear into the populous. Can this menace be brought to justice or will he create a reign of terror never before seen?

Humans fear what they can’t understand, which makes sense when you really think about it. The reasons movies with killers like Freddy or Michael Myers truly scare people isn’t because they are violent entities—though we do think that is terrifying—but because these beings are seemingly unstoppable and prey on anyone they encounter. That’s what makes Paranoia Agent so timeless, it contains a horror story that kind of never ages. Lil Slugger haunted our dreams for many years after as we worried about walking down a quiet street at night and hearing a pair of roller-skates behind us.

Forced to move from her home, 10-year-old Chihiro Ogino is pretty angry with her parents. Making matters worse, on their way to their new “home” the family discovers a strange abandoned amusement park that doesn’t scream inviting. Nevertheless, Chihiro’s parents wish to explore and soon become strange pig-like beings after ingesting a ton of food they discover. Chihiro has only just begun to step into the odd world harboring ghosts, magical entities, and even more oddities…what awaits her next?

Studio Ghibli doesn’t need much fanfare. Crafting some of the best anime movies around, Studio Ghibli is a renowned name in the world of anime and that is because of movies like Spirited Away. This supernatural adventure shocked us as young otaku and in our older years—not that much older mind you—it continues to impress us with themes that we now understand a bit more as adults. Spirited Away is a magnificent animated movie that still blows us away 22 years later.

AI and machines have advanced to levels only thought possible in fiction. Sadly, with advancement comes a double-edged sword. Criminals use newer technology to come up with craftier ways to do crimes but luckily, one organization is ready to meet their attempts. Section 9 is a team of advanced operatives who make it their mission to bring down criminals and show the world is still safe. One operative in particular named Motoko Kusanagi is always ready to rise to the challenge but Section 9 will soon do battle with a super hacker dubbing themselves The Laughing Man and this will be a battle unlike any other for the major.

Ghost in the Shell has been a long-running franchise that goes back to the late 80s and still releases new series even now. One particular Ghost in the Shell story that we still feel is fun to watch for those who love action and sci-fi is Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. In 2023 we find many of the sci-fi themes and technology have shown pretty relatable as even now our real world comes closer to perfecting AI and advanced mechanical bodies. Hackers have become even scarier but just like Section 9, there are many agencies forming to combat those who do cybercrime and make them pay!

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is one of the better sci-fi anime of its time and just like 20 years ago still impresses us here at Honey’s Anime with great animation, storytelling, and mystery themes!

What if you could kill a man or woman just with a simple pen? Would you kill criminals to become a vigilante or maybe rule the world by fear? Ryuk, a Shinigami, drops onto Earth a deadly book called the Death Note that gives the owner the power to kill just by putting their name on its page. A young man named Light Yagami is soon to be the new owner of the Death Note and will soon change the world as he attempts to alter the world in his image. What awaits those who come across the Death Note and its otherworldly deadly power?

Death Note came out in 2006—the manga originally in 2003—and even in 2023 still is one of the best shounen anime we’ve ever watched. Filled with mystery, thrills, and genuinely great characters, Death Note has been re-watched by us and plenty of otaku more times than we can imagine. Even now people wonder if Light was in the right with his antics or if he was just a murderer who had a God complex. Death Note is a series that we doubt will ever fail to impress us even another 10 or 20 years from now!

Japan in 2010 was forever changed when the powerful Holy Empire of Britannia took over. Despite being defeated without much resistance, there are those who believe Japan can still recover its former glory and continue to challenge the new status quo. Lelouch Lamperouge may look like a normal student but after he gains the Geass—The Power of Kings—he takes on a new mantle as Zero and attempts to build an army to retake his beloved Japan. Forces will soon collide and death is just waiting for those unprepared to face Zero and his form of resistance!

Mecha anime ages in various ways. While Gundam is still a legendary franchise, have any of you seen the original and thought it could compare to the newer Gundam series like Gundam 00 or more recently, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury? No, it can’t sadly but Code Geass has done something pretty incredible by infusing a mecha series with deep political themes and supernatural concepts. Code Geass looks pretty incredible too even in 2023! Trust us new anime fans, Code Geass might have been released in 2006 but you will find yourself binging every episode and then going to the movies/spin-off just for more of what it offers!

In a small apartment, a young man named Rintarou Okabe is attempting to show the world just what a “mad scientist” is capable of. At first, playing around with a microwave led to weird green bananas but when Rintarou meets a fellow scientist named Kurisu Makise, he discovers the true power of his microwave invention…the time machine. However, as Rintarou will soon discover, messing with time is a power no man or woman should have and each use of the machine leads him further into insanity.

Steins;Gate is one of the most legendary anime of our time. Romance, drama, sci-fi, comedy, and supernatural themes are all within this epic 24-episode animation and we can’t tell you just how many times we’ve recommended this anime to new otaku and found them praising just how wonderful Steins;Gate is. Yes, it might be a decade and some change but Steins;Gate still boasts an incredible animation style from studio White Fox and even now hits us in the heart with a tale that just keeps you hooked from episode one and onward. Never forget fans of Steins;Gate, El Psy Congroo!

After an apocalyptic event dubbed the Second Impact occurred, the world forever changed. Humans have sought refuge in the free remaining cities left in the world and try to cling to the lives they once led. Sadly, humanity faces another new threat called Angels who seem to only know destruction. NERV, a final shield to humanity, attempts to combat the Angels using robotic beings called Evangelions but are in desperate need of pilots. Enter Shinji Ikami, the son of Gendou Ikari who leads NERV. Shinji hates his father and doesn’t care much for saving the world but fate has a dark future in store for this young man and escaping it won’t be possible unless he enters Eva Unit 01…

Dark, strange, and philosophical don’t usually seem to link to a mecha series but those are just a few terms we can think of to describe Neon Genesis Evangelion. Spawning light novels, manga, video games, and several movies, Neon Genesis Evangelion is still regarded as one of the best sci-fi mecha anime ever to be crafted and we can’t disagree with that statement. The ending of Neon Genesis Evangelion still might be one of those “what the heck” finales but that doesn’t detract from one of the more legendary anime that still gives us chills every time we watch it.

Yusuke Urameshi is seen by most as a thug and a straight-up delinquent. However, that doesn’t stop him from proving the world wrong when he saves a young boy from a deadly car crash and dies in the process. Instead of facing the afterlife, Yusuke is given a chance to regain his life by becoming a Spirit Detective. With no other options, Yusuke embarks on a series of challenges and soon will learn just how much goes behind the scenes that humans can’t see!

In 1992 studio Pierrot would animate Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files and little did they know what this series would end up becoming. Quite possibly one of the coolest shounen ever crafted, Yu Yu Hakusho has everything from cool characters to epic fights and some stunning battles that even 20+ years later are fun to watch on our TVs. You can’t go to an anime convention without seeing someone dressed as one of the casts of Yu Yu Hakusho cementing its lineage and proving that not all older anime is meant to die. Now let’s all keep praying that we get a remake of this series with modern animation but while we wait on said prayer we will be re-watching the original on Blu-Ray and enjoying every second of doing so.

When their mother died, Edward and Alphonse Elric made a decision that would curse the two brothers. Using the powerful art of alchemy, the Elric brothers would attempt a taboo ritual to try and resurrect their dead mother. Unfortunately, the ritual goes completely wrong leaving Al without a body and Edward missing his arm. In a final attempt to keep his brother from completely disappearing, Edward fused Al’s soul to a suit of armor and watched his leg get removed in return. Older and wiser, the two brothers go on a journey to find a means of restoring their bodies using a legendary item called the Philosopher’s Stone. Little do they understand that this venture will be fraught with danger and pain the two brothers have never faced before…

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, ranked #1 on My Anime List even after having aired 13 years ago. Yes, this series deserves to be ranked so high as it just screams perfection in every way possible. A story filled with drama, tears, and humanity, battles that are filled with awe-inspiring animation, and a cast of loveable—and some noteworthy—individuals just make Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood the reason we love anime here at Honey’s Anime. In our minds, this deserves number 1 on our list of the Top 10 Anime That Have Aged Like Fine Wine but you’ll understand why there is one other series that truly should be beloved just a bit more.

Long ago a singular debt was created when a young George Joestar saved a man named Dario Brando. When Dario perishes, George takes in his young son Dio to join his family. On the outside, Jonathan Joestar and Dio seem to be best friends but lurking underneath is a rivalry and hatred from Dio that will soon change the world forever. A strange mask gives Dio unearthly vampiric powers and now Dio wishes to kill those beneath him starting with his “friend” Jonathan. Unlucky for Dio, Jonathan isn’t going to go down without a fight and soon gains a power of his own.

We can stand here all day and argue which JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series is better but even the most beloved fans will tell you that the first major entry—Phantom Blood—is where their love for this series truly started. Born in the late 80s as a manga, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has become a legacy that has stretched across time and anime to recent years. We love the entire franchise and one can’t deny that not a single year passes where this series loses any oomph in any form thanks to unique animation and characters that are truly unique and extraordinary!