While P.A. Works doesn’t excite me as much as BONES when looking for anime to watch, I have to admit, over the years P.A. Works have definitely been responsible for some of my favourite anime – and some that I’m not so fond of. Today I’m listing my favourite 5. No real criteria other than I enjoyed them. Basically all of these are really pretty anime (though the other common feature will be slightly problematic storylines). Feel free to add your favourite in the comments or tell me which studio you like.
For patrons my lesser 5 are up though there are actually only 3 titles on my list of P.A Works anime that I just don’t like (though there’s a few I’ve yet to see).
Please Note – There will be spoilers below.
Honourable mentions go to: True Tears and Hanasaku Iroha. A more recent entry would be Sirius the Jaeger. I really enjoyed it but couldn’t justify moving anything else off the list.
Number 5: Charlotte
For all the complaints about the story in this anime, I loved Charlotte. It started off really ho-hum and then it just took off and while not every part of it landed smoothly it was ambitious and it worked really hard. Plus, there was just kind of something about Charlotte that appealed to me. Whichever way, this is an anime that stuck with me after I finished watching it and every now and then I go back for another run through it just to see if I’m deluding myself but I always enjoy that watch.
Number 4: Red Data Girl
Another one where it is pretty easy to make fun of the story. Admittedly, I don’t like the rest of the series as much as I loved the first three episodes, but I still really enjoyed it. There are some good ideas and visually it is great. The story itself doesn’t really manage to achieve what it sets out to do, much like Charlotte it is overly ambitious, but it is entertaining and I quite liked the journey this anime took us on.
Number 3: Another
Classic horror, of course Another made the list. When you take P.A. Works and their very pretty, atmosphere dripped animation and couple it with horror you have a recipe for something very beautiful (in a gore covered fashion). Again, it isn’t like Another isn’t without a few issues in its story but it is great for the horror fans fo the world as this slow burning story plays out before we go to the climax where clearly the writers just went for maximum carnage (though they weren’t willing to knock off the main characters which kind of took a bit of the suspense out of it all).
Number 2: Angel Beats
It really was difficult to not put this at number 1. It is one of my favourite anime ever and it makes me laugh and cry every single time I watch it. There are some amazingly beautiful scenes in this anime as well as some awesome music. The characters are all really interesting (not very believable but interesting) and the story just drags you in and you just want to know why the characters are where they are and what they will do next. I love the crazy and over the top violence of this paired with the quieter refective moments and while I know it isn’t to everyone’s taste Angel Beats will always come up if I’m discussing my favourite anime.
Number 1: Uchouten Kazoku
So what can beat Angel Beats? Try a family of Tanuki living in Kyoto. Four brothers all working to overcome the death of their father in their own special way (including one who chose to transform into a frog and live in a well) while trying to avoid being eaten themselves. This has magic, great dialogue, humour, interesting characters, some interesting action sequences, and a lot of heart. It’s brilliant. It’s also one of those anime that I keep forgetting about until I see it again and then I remember how amazing it is. Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it before. And they’ve announced a second season which normally doesn’t get me overly excited but this world was just amazing fun (please don’t mess it up).
So that’s my list this week. Your thoughts?
Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
Join the discussion in the comments.
Karandi James
Nice list , no wonder ur so popular
I love P.A.works for their amazing art style and their unique anime. Charlotte and Angel beats have a really special position in my heart, as they maintain that light-hearted comedy and gradually increased the seriousness of the story. I have not heard much about ‘Uchouten Kazoku’, but the plot seems really interesting and worth trying out.
Thanks for sharing!
There’s also a sequel to Uchouten Kazoku coming out (I think next season). While season 1 is resolved I am actually kind of excited to see what they get up to in season 2 (and normally I don’t get excited about follow up seasons).
I have put Uchouten Kazoku in my watch list and I hope it will be a fun filled series. Waiting for the second season.
Hell yeah, Eccentric Family. Just when I’d got used to anime again and felt like it couldn’t show me anything new, that show came along. Pure, awe-inspiring magic.
It was a very quiet show when it came out but when I watched it I wondered why people hadn’t been making more noise about it. I’ve since learnt that a lot of people haven’t even heard about it and that is a shame. It is so much fun to watch.
Oh jeez a lot of people promoting Shirobako or questioning RDG’s placement here.
PA Work’s….works may be slightly controversial but I do find their shows to be quite beautiful.
Thanks for sharing.
I’ve only seen Another (and loved it!) and Nagi-Asu (loved Ray’s songs). True Tears, Hanasaku Iroha, Shirobako, and Uchouten Kazoku are on my PTW list, though. Now I’m excited to see Uchouten Kazoku once I got more time. 😀
Here’s yet another Shirobaka shout out, as that show really was just amazing. I’m planning to cover it next month sometime, as I’ve got a backlog of shows I want to talk about, and I’m still sorting out when to do what. Definitely one of P.A. Works brightest offerings, though.
Now, for the show I’d add that really will get people looking at me weird. Canaan. I loved that show. I know, I know, but I really did love that show.
Canaan, interesting choice.
im also surprised RDG made it over hanasaku iroha, though i enjoyed it more than other people did too; im happy in a somewhat petty way there was no mention of tari tari though
I really disliked Tari Tari (though I know some people quite like it).
I’m surprised Hanasaku Iroha and Shirobako didn’t make the list. I’m probably more surprised Red Data Girl did.
RDG isn’t popular and there are a lot of issues with it but I found it rewatchable. Hanasaku Iroha wasn’t really my thing so once was enough. Shirobako I’ve yet to see, but given the comments on this list I may need to move it up my watch list.
Interesting list. Definitely not the picks I would have had but I also haven’t seen all the picks on the list. I think that Another usually gets a bad rep but is a lot more clever than people give it credit for, I even have reviewed that one if you want my full thoughts on that.
Angle Beats definitely deserves a spot, just wish there was more haha. Fully enjoyed that one. I’m also excited to see The Eccentric Family (Uchouten Kazoku) at your number one spot since I own it but haven’t gotten around to it.
For me, I would have definitely had Shirobako on there, but I know you haven’t seen that one yet. It’s really fantastic and is something you should give a go sooner than later when you have some free time.
I hope you enjoy the Eccentric Family. It is one of those series I enjoy binging at fairly regular intervals and I’ve seen it quite a number of times given its reasonably recent..
It also had a second season announced. Are you hype for that as well, or think it was well off at the one season it already had?
I liked the season it had but with the set up it really could keep going with the characters facing new challenges because this was more just a story about the characters rather than one particular challenge to overcome.
Cool! Well I’ll let you know my thoughts once I get around to it then 🙂
I need to watch Another and Charlotte. I’ve never heard of Uchouten Kazoku before but the concept sounds really interesting.
You should definitely check it out. It was one of those quiet anime that a lot of people missed but is fantastic.
Hmm.. these must be slim pickings for RDG to make top 5, but I agree about those first three episodes and it does look very nice.
Did you like A Lull in the Sea or Shirobako?
Haven’t see Shirobako yet.
Okay, I know RDG is not for everyone but I actually had a lot of fun with that series. The end wasn’t overly satisfying but I liked the sense of mystery around the goddess and while I would have preferred them not to move to a school setting, it still kind of worked, it just wasn’t quite as satisfying as it could be.
Okay, I’m weird and I know it isn’t that great but I really enjoyed it.
Haha, sorry for the teasing. No need to defend your taste, we’re all weird somehow. I know a few people that really liked RDG too so you’re not alone either. The goddess was a cool concept, I just couldn’t make sense of anything they tried to do with her.
Oh agreed. They just kept changing their minds (or at least it felt like it) about what the endgame would be so by the time we got there it was definitely confusing.
Another was incredible. Loved it from start to finish, and even went so far as to buy the novel where the anime was based on. The other shows I have yet to see, but reading through them a lot of these are series that I find very interesting judging from the premise you describe. Even though this adds to my to watch list (or my to watch encyclopedia is a better description), I am glad you shared these. Great post!
Watch encyclopedia is probably a better description somedays. I’m at the pointwhere I have a separate list for anime I intend to catch up watching this year compared to the list of anime I’ll get to ‘at some point’ and to be honest, both lists will never actually be finished.
Pretty good list! P.A. Works has slowly become one of my favorite studios over time, just because of the way they tend to mix the slice of life and drama aspects together extremely well.
I have yet to see The Eccentric Family, but I’ve heard only good things about it. The only things I have to suggest are that if you haven’t seen Shirobako or Hanasaku Iroha, then definitely check those out, as I think those two shows (specifically Hanasaku Iroha though) really represent what I think P.A. Works excels at the most.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hanasaku Iroha was okay but I just felt it went on too long. I guess I just wasn’t feeling it.
That’s fair! I wrote that above comment based on what I remembered from the series and it’s been a few years since I’ve seen it. I’m wondering what I’d think if I re-watched it now…
Not exactly a lot of anime to choose from, as, according to MAL, they only have 36 works, including OVAs and specials. One very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very notable exclusion to this list is Shirobako, so I’m going to assume you haven’t seen it.
Because that would be my #1 and it wouldn’t even be close. Hanasaku Iroha would likely be second, while Angel Beats and Another would probably fight for third.
Glasslip would be #1 worst.
Shirobako is still sitting on my watch list. I’ll get there eventually.
Have to agree with Glasslip. It is just hard to find anything positive about that one.