Top 10 most popular anime produced by Kyoto Animation! Also the reputation of the drawings and the list of produced animations

Kyoto Animation, which has produced numerous masterpieces such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and K-On!, is an animation studio with a reputation for the great quality of its animation work.

 

We conducted an in-depth survey of the popular anime produced by Kyoto Animation, and the top 10 results of the survey, “What is your favorite Kyoto Animation anime work?”, will be presented in a ranking format.

 

This ranking will give you an overview of popular Kyoto Animation productions recommended by female users!

 

The list of Kyoto Animation-produced anime is also introduced here, so please check it out.

 

*This ranking is based on the results of a survey conducted from June 1 to June 4, 2021.

 

 

What is the animation studio Kyoto Animation?

 

Kyoto Animation was established in 1985, and in 2003, it produced its first prime contractor-produced TV animation Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu, which attracted a great deal of attention.

 

The high quality of its drawings was called “KyoAni Quality” and was highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad.

 

From the animated version of Air released in 2005, the studio has developed industry-leading projects using the highest production technology, and is considered to have determined the direction of Japanese animation culture in the Internet age.

 

In addition, K-On!, broadcasted in 2009 caused such a boom that was called a social phenomenon.

 

 

List of Kyoto Animation produced TV animation (as of May 2022)

2000s

• Munto Series
• Full Metal Panic Series
• Air
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
• Kanon
• Lucky Star
• Clannad
• K-On!

 

 

2010s

• Nichijou
• Hyouka
• Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
• Tamako Market
• Free!
• Beyond the Boundary
• Amagi Brilliant Park
• Sound! Euphonium
• Myriad Colors Phantom World
• Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
• A Silent Voice (Film)
• Violet Evergarden
• Tsurune

 

 

Kyoto Animation Top 10 Most Popular Anime Ranking [2021 Edition]

No. 10: Beyond the Boundary (2013)

 

Beyond the Boundary is a light novel written by Nagomu Torii, and its TV anime was broadcasted in 2013.

 

In 2015, under the title Beyond the Boundary the Movie: I’ll Be Here, two parts, “The Past” and “The Future,” were released in two consecutive months.

 

While the “The Past” looks back on the TV series, the “The Future” is a completely new episode that takes place one year after the TV series.

 

In October 2023, the TV anime will celebrate its 10th anniversary, and the original author, Nagomu Torii, mentioned on the Twitter page, “I’ll think of something” and “Please cooperate when I conduct a survey on what you would like me to do”. This is promising…!

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

Senpai, you’re not going anywhere, are you?

One day after school, a half-youmu boy, Akihito Kanbara, meets a girl who looks like she is about to jump off the rooftop.

Her name is Mirai Kuriyama.

She was the last surviving member of her spirit hunting clan with cursed blood, which is unique among the Spirit World Warrior.

The same club room. An unchanging everyday life. An unchanging world.

They were supposed to spend their days like that.

But when the lone surviving girl and the half-youmu boy meet, the world changes forever…

A girl who is the only survivor of “a certain family” and a boy who is a “half-youmu” who should not exist. This is a story of two people.

 

Voice actors

Mirai Kuriyama: Risa Taneda

Akihito Kanbara: Kenn

Mitsuki Nase: Minori Chihara

Hiroomi Nase: Tatsuhisa Suzuki

Ai Shindo: Yuri Yamaoka

Ayaka Shindo: Naomi Shindo

Shizuku Ninomiya: Akeno Watanabe

Sakura Inami: Moe Toyota

Miroku Fujima: Masaya Matsukaze

Izumi Nase: Ayako Kawasumi

 

Fan Comments

The characters, their movements, and the action in Beyond the Boundary were just beautiful, and the story was interesting.

 

 

No. 9: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006 / 2009)

 

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a light novel work by Nagaru Tanigawa, and its TV anime was broadcasted in 2006 and 2009.

 

The parody anime series The Melancholy of  Suzumiya Haruhi-chan and Nyoron Churuya-san were also distributed in 2009, and the spin-off The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan was broadcasted in 2015.

 

The anime film The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya was released in 2010.

 

In 2020, The Intuition of Haruhi Suzumiya, the first book in the original series in nine and a half years, was released, and “The General Election of Haruhi Suzumiya” was held to commemorate the event and generated great excitement.

 

A video of the voice actors, including Tomokazu Sugita (who plays Kyon), dancing at home to the TV anime’s ending theme “Hare Hare Yukai” also became a hot topic.

 

 

Danced to “Hare Hare Yukai” [Tomokazu Sugita / AGRS Channel]

 

 

Synopsis

“If any of you are aliens, time-travelers, or espers, please come see me. That is all!”

Haruhi Suzumiya, who gave a time-stopping speech as soon as she entered the school.

It’s not like it’s from a science fiction novel…anyone would think so…

But Haruhi was serious from the bottom of her heart.

Kyon’s daily life had already become supernatural when he realized this…

This is a science fiction flavored school story about the unofficial school group “SOS Brigade” headed by Haruhi Suzumiya.

 

Voice actors

Haruhi Suzumiya: Aya Hirano

Kyon: Tomokazu Sugita

Yuki Nagato: Chihara Minori

Mikuru Asahina: Yuko Goto

Itsuki Koizumi: Daisuke Ono

Ryoko Asakura: Natsuko Kuwatani

Tsuruya: Yuki Matsuoka

Taniguchi: Minoru Shiraishi

Kunikida: Megumi Matsumoto

Kyon’s Little Sister: Sayaka Aoki

 

Fan Comments

It may not seem like a new development now, but I was very shocked when I saw it for the first time, and at the same time I was convinced that I would never be able to escape from being an otaku again…… Thank goodness the original is still going!

 

 

No. 8: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (2017 / 2021)

 

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is a manga work by Coolkyousinnjya, serialized in Monthly Action.

 

The first TV anime season aired in 2017, and the second in 2021 under the title Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S.

 

In addition, a serial short anime theater Mini Dora was distributed on Kyoto Animation’s official YouTube channel, KyoaniChannel.

 

The opening song for the first season, “Rhapsody of Blue Sky”, became the biggest hit single by Fhána, and its PV has been viewed more than 45 million times on YouTube.

 

 

fhána / Rhapsody of Blue Sky – MUSIC VIDEO

 

 

Synopsis

Ms. Kobayashi is a single, tired office worker.

Then, the one which visits her house is a dragon!?

Before the stunned Kobayashi’s eyes, the dragon transforms into a beautiful girl in a maid’s outfit.

Apparently, she invited herself to the house last night, but Ms. Kobayashi was too drunk to remember at all.

“Please let me work as your maid!”

So begins a clunky and crazy new life with Tohru, the dragon girl with horns, a tail, and a maid!

 

Voice actors

Kobayashi: Mutsumi Tamura

Tohru: Yuki Kuwahara

Kanna: Maria Naganawa

Elma: Yuki Takada

Lucoa: Minami Takahashi

Fafnir: Daisuke Ono

Makoto Takiya: Yuichi Nakamura

Riko Saikawa: Emiri Kato

Georgie Saikawa: Yuko Goto

Shouta Magatsuchi: Kaori Ishihara

 

Fan Comments

I love the series that makes me cry, but my favorite is Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid that I can watch over and over again and never get tired of it. It’s the best!

 

 

No. 7: Sound! Euphonium (2015 / 2016)

 

Sound! Euphonium is a novel by Ayano Takeda, with the first TV anime season airing in 2015 and the second in 2016.

 

Two movie versions of the TV series were released to recap the contents of the TV series, and completely new movies were released in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

 

Liz and the Blue Bird, released in 2018, is positioned as a spin-off of the TV series, but can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone movie.

 

In addition, the 2019 release of Sound! Euphonium the Movie: Oath’s Finale depicts the story of Kumiko and her friends who have moved up to the second grade in the same timeline as Liz and the Blue Bird.

 

 

Synopsis

Spring of the first year of high school.

Kumiko Oumae, who was in the brass band in junior high school, goes to visit the brass band with her classmates Hazuki Katou and Sapphire Kawashima.

There, Kumiko sees her former classmate, Reina Kousaka.

Hazuki and Midori seem to have decided to join the brass band, but Kumiko is not ready to take the plunge.

She recalls the incident with Reina at the brass band competition in junior high school.

 

Voice actors

Kumiko Oumae: Tomoyo Kurosawa

Hazuki Katou: Ayaka Asai

Sapphire Kawashima: Moe Toyoda

Reina Kousaka: Chika Anzai

Asuka Tanaka: Minako Kotobuki

Haruka Ogasawara: Saori Hayami

Kaori Nakaseko: Minori Chihara

Shuuichi Tsukamoto: Haruki Ishiya

Takuya Gotou: Kenjiro Tsuda

Riko Nagase: Miyuki Kobori

Natsuki Nakagawa: Konomi Fujimura

Yuuko Yoshikawa: Yuri Yamaoka

Aoi Saitou: Yoko Hikasa

Mamiko Oumae: Manami Numakura

Michie Matsumoto: Aya Hisakawa

Noboru Taki: Takahiro Sakurai

 

Fan Comments

• I could relate to Sound! Euphonium because my daughter plays in a brass band.
• I was a member of a brass band, so I enjoyed watching Sound! Euphonium, and the pictures are beautiful.

 

 

No. 6: K-On! (2009 / 2010)

 

K-On! is a manga work by Kakifly that was serialized in Manga Time Kirara.

 

The first and second TV anime seasons were broadcasted in 2009 and 2010 respectively, and K-On! The Movie was released in 2011.

 

The musical instruments used by the characters and the related music have received a great response, with the stock of instruments used by the characters running out and the number of members of the light music club in the high school club activities increasing.

 

In addition, the market scale of merchandised items including anime goods is estimated to be over 15 billion yen, and the K-On! boom has become a social phenomenon.

 

 

Synopsis

Spring, when the new students are deciding which club to join.

Ritsu Tainaka takes her childhood friend Mio Akiyama to visit the Light Music Club.

However, all the members of the club have graduated, and the club will be discontinued unless four new members are gathered.

While searching for the last member of the club adding a new member named Tsumugi Kotobuki, Yui Hirasawa, a beginner in musical instruments, joins the club mistaking the “Light Music Club” for a light music (whistling, etc.).

 

Voice actors

Yui Hirasawa: Aki Toyosaki

Mio Akiyama: Yoko Hikasa

Ritsu Tainaka: Satomi Sato

Tsumugi Kotobuki: Minako Kotobuki

Azusa Nakano: Ayana Taketatsu

Sawako Yamanaka: Asami Sanada

Nodoka Manabe: Chika Fujito

Ui Hirasawa: Madoka Yonezawa

 

Fan Comments

• I’m into K-On now. I love the sense of song titles;)
• I first learned about Kyoto Animation through K-On!. Since then, I started to watch Kyoto Animation’s works consciously.

 

 

No. 5: Hyouka (2012)

 

Hyouka is a mystery novel by Honobu Yonezawa, the first in the Classic Literature Club series and his debut novel.

 

The TV anime aired in 2012 and celebrated its 10th anniversary in April 2022.

 

The anime version has a different period setting from the original, and has been changed from 2000, which is the setting of the original, to 2012, which is the same as the anime broadcast year.

 

In 2017, it was made into a live-action film starring Kento Yamazaki and Alice Hirose.

 

 

Synopsis

Houtarou Oreki, a first-year high school student who believes in saving energy, by chance ends up joining the Classic Literature Club, a club on the verge of being closed.

Eru Chitanda, a heroine full of curiosity who met in the Classic Literature Club, Mayaka Ihara and Satoshi Fukube, who have been inseparable relation since junior high school.

A youth school mystery where the four of them deduce a number of incidents set in Kamiyama High School.

 

Voice actors

Houtaro Oreki: Yuichi Nakamura

Eru Chitanda: Satomi Sato

Satoshi Fukube: Daisuke Sakaguchi

Mayaka Ihara: Ai Kayano

Tomoe Oreki: Satsuki Yukino

Masashi Toogaito: Ryotaro Okiayu

Fuyumi Irisu: Yukana

Yoko Itoigawa: Mami Koyama

Juumonji Kaho: Saori Hayami

Eba Kurako: Aoi Yuki

 

Fan Comments

• Of all the works, Hyouka is the one that I would like to watch again and again. The content is simply interesting, and I can’t wait to see the rest of the series.
• I like Hyouka because of the dialogue between Eru and Houtaro, the unique student worldview, and the mystery.

 

 

No. 4: A Silent Voice (2016)

 

A Silent Voice is manga work by Yoshitoki Oima, the original version was published in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine and the remake version was serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine.

 

It was adapted into an anime film in 2016, and Naoko Yamada, who is also known for her work on K-On!, directed it.

 

Despite the small number of theaters, the film grossed 2.3 billion yen at the box office.

 

The film was a smash hit, winning numerous awards including the 40th Japan Academy Prize for Best Animated Feature.

 

 

Synopsis

Shoya Ishida is a boy who hates boredom more than anything else.

As bully boy in elementary school, he has an innocent curiosity about a new student, Shoko Nishimiya.

With her arrival, the boy finds his days free from boredom.

However, an incident with Shoko leads Shoya to isolate himself from the people around him.

Five years pass, and the two grow up to be high school students in different places.

Since “the incident”, Shoya, who had kept his heart firmly closed, visits Shoko.

This is a story of one boy’s attempt to accept a girl, the people around him, and himself.

 

Voice actors

Shoya Ishida: Miyu Irino

Shoko Nishimiya: Saori Hayami

Yuzuru Nishimiya: Aoi Yuki

Tomohiro Nagatsuka: Kensho Ono

Naoka Ueno: Yuki Kaneko

Miyoko Sahara: Yui Ishikawa

Miki Kawai: Megumi Han

Satoshi Mashiba: Toshiyuki Toyonaga

Shoya Ishida (child): Mayu Matsuoka

 

 

No. 3: Tsurune (2018)

 

Tsurune is a novel by Kotoko Ayano, and its TV anime was broadcasted on NHK in 2018.

 

It is directed by Takuya Yamamura, who has participated in many KyoAni productions in directing and storyboarding.

 

Each human relationship and bow-drawing action is delicately depicted in this work, which has been highly acclaimed for its beauty and care.

 

Tsurune Movie: Hajimari no Issha was released on August 19, 2022 (Friday), and the second TV anime season is scheduled to air in January 2023.

 

 

Synopsis

Minato Narumiya enters a local public high school, Kazemai High School.

As soon as he enters the school, his advisor, Mr. Tommy, invites him to join the Japanese archery club, and his childhood friends, Seiya Takehaya and Ryohei Yamanouchi, readily agree.

Minato had refused to join the club for some reason, but Ryohei pushes him to go to the archery club’s information session, where he finds Nanao Kisaragi and Kaito Onogi there as well.

Minato was appointed by Mr. Tommy as a valuable person with experience in archery, and he hurriedly demonstrated archery in front of the participants, but his arrow did not hit the target.

Minato had a serious illness for an archer……

Minato, Seiya, Ryohei, Nanao, and Kaito.

The five met through Kyudo, and what the boys obtain as they continue to struggle through their beautiful and bitter “youth”…

 

Voice actors

Minato Narumiya: Yuto Uemura

Seiya Takehaya: Aoi Ichikawa

Ryohei Yamanouchi: Ryota Suzuki

Nanao Kisaragi: Shogo Yano

Kaito Onogi: Kaito Ishikawa

Masaki Takigawa: Shintaro Asanuma

Shu Fujiwara: Kensho Ono

 

Fan Comments

• The common things in Kyudo, and the story of friendship and the relationship between master and disciple is very interesting. And the dignified atmosphere of Kyudo and the beauty of the pictures… I really love it!
• The story of Tsurune is full of the feeling of youth, the holiness of Kyudo, and sweet and sourness.

 

 

No. 2: Violet Evergarden (2018)

 

Violet Evergarden is a novel by Kana Akatsuki and the grand prize winner of the 5th Kyoto Animation Award.

 

The TV anime was broadcasted in 2018 and two movie versions were produced.

 

In the Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll released in 2019, the first half was an anime adaptation of a chapter from the original novel “Gaiden,” while the second half was an original development.

 

In 2020, the completely new Violet Evergarden: The Movie was released and won the 44th Japan Academy Prize for Best Animated Feature.

 

The voice actress Yui Ishikawa, who plays the main character Violet, won the 15th Seiyu Awards for Best Actress in the same year.

 

 

Synopsis

A certain time in a certain continent.

The war that divided the continent into north and south has ended, and the world is on the verge of peace.

Violet Evergarden, who fought as a soldier during the war, has left the army and come to a large port town.

She is still carrying in her heart the “one word” that someone she cared about said to her as they parted on the battlefield.

The town is bustling with people, and streetcars pass by on the streets lined with gas lamps.

In this town, Violet encounters a work as a letter writer on behalf of a letter.

It is a job where she takes the client’s thoughts and puts them into words.

She meets her clients face to face, and gets in touch with their honest feelings deep in their hearts.

And with each letter she writes, Violet gets closer to the meaning of the words she was told that day.

 

Voice actors

Violet Evergarden: Yui Ishikawa

Claudia Hodgins: Takehito Koyasu

Gilbert Bougainvillea: Daisuke Namikawa

Cattleya Baudelaire: Aya Endo

Benedict Blue : Koki Uchiyama

Erica Brown : Minori Chihara

Iris Cannary : Haruka Tomatsu

 

Fan Comments

• The content is of course good, but the images are also really beautiful, and I am drawn into Violet’s world again and again.
• The story, the characters’ looks, the backgrounds, the colors, the music, everything was wonderful. I was especially struck by the way Isabella York’s eyes were drawn and colored, and I was surprised to see them as “living eyes”.

 

 

No. 1: Free! (2013 / 2014 / 2018)

 

Free! is a TV animation based on the light novel High Speed! by Koji Oji.

 

The first season aired in 2013, the second season Free! – Eternal Summer in 2014, and the third season Free! – Dive to the Future in 2018.

 

A total of five movie versions have been released, with the final chapter, Free! The Final Stroke, the first part of which was released in September 2021 and the second part in April 2022.

 

Many fans witnessed the conclusion of the story and were moved to tears.

 

 

Synopsis

“I’ll show you the difference between you and me!”

Haruka Nanase loved to touch the water and to swim.

Haruka Nanase, Makoto Tachibana, Rin Matsuoka, and Nagisa Hazuki, who went to the same swimming club in elementary school, went their separate ways after winning a competition before graduating from elementary school.

Time goes by, and Rin suddenly appears in front of Haruka, who has been spending her high school life in idleness.

Rin challenges Haruka to a match and shows overwhelming strength. He can’t end up like this.

Then, Makoto and Nagisa get together again and establish the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club, bringing in a new Rei Ryugazaki.

Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa, Rei, and Rin. This is a story of swimming, youth, and bonds among these dynamic high school boys.

 

Voice actors

Haruka Nanase: Nobunaga Shimazaki

Makoto Tachibana: Tatsuhisa Suzuki

Rin Matsuoka: Mamoru Miyano

Nagisa Hazuki: Tsubasa Yonaga

Rei Ryugazaki: Daisuke Hirakawa

 

Fan Comments

• The way the waves stand out, the tangled relationships between people, and the way the swimmers move are all delicately depicted and developed. I enjoyed the structure of the story, which also weaves in scenes from daily life, so I never got bored and enjoyed cheering for the fave as much as I could.
• Each character is very unique, and as the series progresses, you can see the growth of each character, which makes you want to root for them all the more!
• All of KyoAni’s works are really great, but I really love Free! ♡♡♡ It makes me think again and again that sports and friends are great.