Best Comedy Anime of 1996

After a lengthy quest, Emperor Pilaf finally locates the Black Star Dragon Balls, rumored to be twice as powerful as Earth's regular Dragon Balls. As he is about to wish for world domination, Gokuu Son intervenes, causing Pilaf to fumble his incantation and accidentally transform Gokuu back into a child. Once the wish is granted, the Black Star Dragon Balls scatter across the galaxy. Gokuu discovers that unless they are recollected within a year, Earth will be destroyed. To avert this disaster, he joins forces with his granddaughter Pan and the young adult Trunks, setting off on an interstellar journey to retrieve the scattered balls and save their planet.

During the final days of the Bakumatsu era, there was a legendary assassin called Hitokiri Battousai. Known as a ruthless killer without equal in the land, he vanished without a trace at the height of the Japanese Revolution. A decade of peace has passed since then, but the mere mention of Battousai still sends chills through war veterans. Unknown to them, Battousai has forsaken his bloody past to atone for his sins, now living as Kenshin Himura—a cheerful, strong-willed wandering swordsman. Swearing never to take another life, Kenshin dedicates himself to protecting the weak. One day, he encounters Kaoru Kamiya at her kendo dojo, which is under threat from a fraud claiming to be Battousai. After Kenshin helps her, Kaoru invites him to stay at the dojo, and the former assassin pauses his travels for a time. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan follows Kenshin as he strives to rescue those in need. Yet, as foes from both his past and present start to surface, can the reformed killer uphold his new principles?

Shinichi Kudou is a high school detective renowned for cracking numerous difficult cases. While tailing two shady men he spots one day, he accidentally stumbles upon a disturbing crime. Caught in the act, the men force him to ingest an experimental drug from their criminal syndicate, leaving him for dead. To his shock, Shinichi survives, but his body has shrunk to that of a seven-year-old child. Retaining his sharp mind, he conceals his true identity from everyone, including his childhood friend Ran Mouri and her father, private eye Kogorou Mouri. He adopts the alias Conan Edogawa, a name derived from mystery writers Arthur Conan Doyle and Ranpo Edogawa. As Conan, Shinichi secretly solves Kogorou's cases from the shadows using his exceptional detective abilities, all while covertly investigating the organization that caused his transformation, hoping to one day reverse the drug's effects.

Similar to the R Season, Sailor Stars is split into two segments. The first part addresses lingering conflicts from SuperS and features the return of the Outer Senshi: Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru, who has been reborn as a child. In the second part, Usagi says goodbye to Mamoru, who is departing for America to study. Concurrently, the Three Lights, an idol trio comprising boys Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten, appear. The new antagonist is Galaxia, a woman seeking to rule the galaxy by collecting human Star Seeds. Three new Senshi, the Sailor Starlights, emerge with their own motivations to defeat Galaxia, though they initially act without Sailor Moon’s assistance.

Sixth grader Sana Kurata seems to have it all: her mother is a reasonably successful writer, a young man is employed to keep her happy and safe, and she shines as the star of the children's TV show Kodomo no Omocha. Yet one thing ruins her perfect life—Akito Hayama. Akito, a classmate of Sana's, has been causing trouble in class, and the other boys have followed his lead. Every day, the girls and their teacher struggle to maintain order and get any learning done. That rotten Akito… Sana refuses to put up with it! The hyperactive Sana decides to investigate what makes Akito tick, hoping to restore normalcy to the classroom and stop the teacher from spending every day crying instead of teaching. However, the more she discovers about him, the more she realizes there might be more to Akito than meets the eye.

In the kingdom of Xoana, Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev run into their former allies, Zelgadis Graywords and Princess Ameilia Wil Tesla Saillune. The reunited group quickly thwarts the King of Xoana and his daughter’s evil scheme for global domination. Later, it emerges that Zelgadis is hunting the Claire Bible, a priceless magical grimoire, believing it holds the secret to restoring his human form. Despite his reservations, his companions agree to accompany him on this quest. As they ponder how to begin their search for the legendary tome, they encounter a mysterious priest named Xellos, who offers his assistance in their pursuit.

Although raised on the fictional mecha series Gekiganger 3, Akito has no desire to engage in combat and prefers cooking to piloting giant robots. His peaceful life is upended when his home base on Mars is obliterated, leading to his sudden and unexplained arrival on Earth. Haunted by unanswered questions, he tracks down Yurika, a girl he met by coincidence, in hopes of finding clarity. As the captain of the private warship Nadesico, Yurika provides him a way to stay close, so Akito joins the crew as their chef. Thanks to nanite implants that grant him the ability to operate mechas, he serves as a capable reserve pilot for the Nadesico’s fleet. He integrates into a crew driven by revenge for Mars, which appears to be a ragtag group of misfits, otakus, and airheads, though they are actually elite specialists. As they launch their personal crusade against Mars, they must confront the harsh truth that real-life conflicts do not follow the predictable tropes of a giant mecha narrative.

The story follows Tokyo Highway Patrol officers Natsumi and Miyuki, whose relationship begins poorly after Miyuki cites Natsumi for reckless moped riding. Their dynamic becomes even more strained when they discover they have been assigned as partners. Serving as a sequel to the OVA series, this TV adaptation continues the exploits of the two policewomen at Bokuto Precinct. There, they encounter various criminals and handsome but shy male officers, while the office’s most adorable resident turns out to not be human.

Takuya Enoki, a fifth grader, carries a heavy burden after his mother dies in a car accident months before. He must now care for his baby brother Minoru while their father works long hours as a typical Japanese salaryman. Takuya sacrifices his childhood to cook, clean, worry, and discipline Minoru, all while neighbors blame him for the baby's constant crying. As he watches his friends enjoy their carefree lives, the path ahead is full of obstacles, but along the way, he might discover the true meaning of family.

In a distant future, Earth's population has grown too large, prompting humanity to seek new worlds for colonization. One colony ship, the Mesopotamia, suffers a critical failure, killing nearly everyone aboard—only six people survive. They manage to reach a nearby planet called Terra II, which closely resembles Earth. However, all six survivors are male. To ensure their efforts are not wasted, they establish six nations and continue their species through cloning and genetic engineering. But without any women, they create highly realistic female androids known as Marionettes to handle daily chores and labor—emotionless machines that lack true feelings. One day, an ordinary boy named Otaru discovers and activates three special battle-type Marionettes that possess emotions thanks to a Maiden Circuit installed inside them. He must guide them and help their emotions develop. When a neighboring country threatens to conquer the world, Otaru and his "human" Marionettes must rise to defend their nation.

Loudmouthed martial artist Junpei Ryuzouji, elegant actress Airi Komiyama, and cheerful but artillery-obsessed student Ritsuko Inoue are transported from their homeland of Japan to a strange, magical world. When the elven priestess Celcia Marieclaire attempts to cast the spell to send them home, she is interrupted, and the spell shatters into fragments that scatter across the world. Those fragments imprint themselves onto the skin of various elves. The trio travels in Ritsuko's tank, searching for elves who may carry the spell fragments so Celcia can transfer them into her own body and reassemble the spell. As they journey, people begin to call them "Those Who Hunt Elves," earning a reputation as warriors who stop evildoers with their miraculous cannon, terrifying elves by stripping any they find. Though they are not the smartest group, they compensate with enthusiasm and a strong determination to return to Japan.

Nube is a clumsy, easygoing, and deeply kind teacher, but beneath the glove on his left hand lies a secret: a monster hand. He also has the ability to perceive ghosts and evil spirits, and he uses his monstrous hand to protect his beloved students from these malevolent entities, proving himself to be immensely powerful.

Ryoutsu, a poorly compensated police officer, constantly devises shady schemes to earn quick cash. However, his absurd plans invariably backfire, resulting in severe trouble with the chief.

The next ruler of the Magical Kingdom of Juraihelm is the carefree Tsunami, but before she can be officially crowned queen, she must bring balance back to a universe leaning toward darkness. To achieve this, Tsunami grants an ordinary girl named Sasami Kawai a magical baton that lets her transform into a magical girl, and assigns the rabbit-like creature Ryou-Ouki to assist Sasami in fighting evil. Yet Sasami refuses to become a magical girl—not out of fear, but because she finds the idea too embarrassing. Meanwhile, the arrogant Ramia plots to overthrow Tsunami by recruiting her own magical girl, the eccentric Pixy Misa, to spread chaos and prevent balance from being restored. As Pixy Misa terrorizes the planet with her Love-Love monsters, Sasami must overcome her pride and accept her duty as the universe's champion of justice: Pretty Sammy.

Fujimaki Shun, a first-year high school student, harbors the ambition to win Olympic gold as a gymnast. With no prior experience, he relies on his passion to boldly join the gymnastics club and chase his dream. Throughout his journey, he encounters supportive and amusing upperclassmen, cultivates romantic feelings for a classmate, and discovers the joy found in dedicating oneself to athletic pursuit.

After following Baba Lamunade home, two mysterious peddler girls present him with a CD-ROM game. Upon completing "The Legend of Lamuness," they emerge from his computer and transport him to DokiDoki Space. As the third descendant of the hero Lamuness, he is tasked with preventing Don Genosai from reviving the great evil Abraham. With the help of his advisor robot PQ and companions Parfait and Cacao, he pilots the Kaizer Fire mecha. Since a second pilot is required, Da Cider is selected for the role.

The discovery of the dimensional tunnel ushers in a new age of space travel, allowing journeys to planets beyond the solar system. Hoshiwatari Goro, a space traveler, sets out to find his father, whose whereabouts remain unknown. The only clue he has is an old photograph. To achieve his goal, Goro joins a young space tour company called "YAT" that arranges trips to various planets. During one of his voyages, an accident occurs, destroying the spaceship. As compensation for the damage, Goro is forced to work for YAT, setting off a series of space adventures for him.

Midori Makibao is a compact white racehorse. In contrast to other thoroughbreds, his appearance resembles a donkey with broad nostrils. Yet, relying on his courage and swiftness, Makibao triumphs in every major race. At the start of his career, Makibao struggled to make his debut as a racehorse due to his looks and various shortcomings. However, he had strong motivations to push through these challenges: a lifelong rival named Superhorse Cascade that he had to defeat, and a determination to reclaim his mother—a horse taken away to settle a debt on the farm. Makibao faces numerous hardships, but he perseveres through a series of races, ultimately becoming a great racehorse.

The anime and manga series Kiko-chan's Smile centers on a kindergarten child who exhibits traits of a gifted prodigy, yet also possesses many strange routines and a peculiar character.

A remake of Hajime Ningen Gyatoruz. Each episode contains three stories.

The animals residing at Uenohara Zoo take great pride in their work: they behave like ordinary animals whenever people are watching, but when no humans are around, they lead surprisingly humanlike lives. The most notable among them is a penguin named Ginpei, who constantly finds himself causing trouble with the giraffes, lions, and pandas.

The grandmother is often a nasty and manipulative thing, continuously causing trouble for her son-in-law, daughter, grandchildren, and neighbors.

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