Best Comedy Anime of 1997

Pokémon are peculiar creatures with a wide range of abilities and appearances; many people, known as Pokémon trainers, capture and train them, often for the purpose of battling others. Young Satoshi has not only dreamed of becoming a Pokémon trainer but also a "Pokémon Master," and on his 10th birthday, he finally gets a chance to make that dream come true. Unfortunately for him, all three Pokémon available for new trainers have already been taken, leaving only Pikachu, a rebellious Electric-type Pokémon. However, this chance meeting would mark the beginning of a lifelong friendship and an epic adventure! Setting off on a journey to become the very best, Satoshi and Pikachu travel across beautiful, expansive regions with their friends Kasumi, a Water-type trainer, and Takeshi, a Rock-type trainer. But danger lurks around every corner. The infamous Team Rocket is always nearby, trying to steal powerful Pokémon through devious schemes. It will be up to Satoshi and his friends to stop their efforts as he also strives to earn the eight Pokémon Gym Badges needed to challenge the Pokémon League and eventually claim the title of Pokémon Master.

For almost a thousand years, a magical barrier erected by demons has trapped its inhabitants from accessing the outside world. Now that the barrier has been shattered, various kingdoms are eager to explore the territories that were previously out of reach. To facilitate this, they form a peace delegation to establish contact with the people living in this newly accessible realm. In the meantime, the young sorceress Lina Inverse receives a communication from a mysterious figure named Filia ul Copt. Upon meeting, Filia reveals her intention to hire Lina and her companions for a mission leading to the outside world, citing their renowned past exploits. However, she first demands a demonstration of their power, forcing them to battle a dragon in the heart of the city. Once they have proven their worth, Lina and her fellow adventurers journey into the uncharted lands, where they encounter numerous adventures and face a troubling prophecy.

Tenchi Masaki embarks on a new chapter in his life as he moves to Tokyo for school. His departure leaves his female friends in a state of sulky dismay, unhappy with the idea of him being without their support. However, Tenchi does not remain solitary for long, as he encounters Sakuya Kumashiro, a gentle and empathetic young woman who assists him in adjusting to his new surroundings. The pair quickly form a strong bond, but Sakuya harbors feelings that extend beyond friendship and openly confesses her love for Tenchi. This revelation shocks not only Tenchi but also the girls back home. Determined not to lose him, they immediately travel to Tokyo to vie for his affection. As these rivals compete for his heart, Tenchi is forced to determine which woman holds the greatest significance in his life. This decision proves difficult, especially as mysterious occurrences begin to unfold, creating distance between Tenchi and his companions.

Set in 19th-century China during the declining Qing Dynasty, the narrative unfolds amidst political instability and a fictional period known as "The Era of the Cooking Wars." This was a time when elite masters of diverse culinary traditions strove to perfect their arts and claim the title of the nation's finest chef. In this society, culinary expertise commands immense authority; insulting a renowned chef or tampering with cooking can result in imprisonment, while impersonating a top-tier cook is treated as treasonous usurpation. Chefs vie for respect and influence, risking total loss in their pursuit of dominance. China is divided into four primary regions: Beijing, Szechuan, Shanghai, and Guangdong. The tale begins in Szechuan, the hometown of Mao. Following the death of his mother, Pai, revered as the 'Fairy of Cuisine', Mao strives to become a Super Chef to inherit her restaurant's Master Chef title. Yet, before assuming this role, he journeys across China to master various cooking techniques, aiming to achieve legendary status like his mother. Along the way, he encounters loyal friends and formidable rivals eager to test his culinary prowess.

Penguin Village is a place where humans coexist with talking animals and inanimate objects. Among these humans is Senbei Norimaki, an inventor who aspires to build the ultimate robot girl. His creation, Arale, falls short of perfection by most standards—she is extremely nearsighted and utterly lacking in common sense. While she possesses incredible super-strength, this power frequently backfires. Despite her good intentions, Arale consistently wreaks havoc on the residents of the charming Penguin Village.

The CLAMP School is a fully integrated educational institution spanning kindergarten through postgraduate studies, founded by Japan's largest business conglomerate, the House of Imonoyama. Entirely funded by the family's vast wealth, the school was envisioned as a sanctuary for the young men and women who will shape the future. Admission is based solely on talent, regardless of family background or financial means, and the campus is home to numerous exceptionally gifted students. It is also notorious for harboring an unusually high proportion of party animals. Even the brightest minds at CLAMP School cannot prevent crimes and mysteries from occurring. Or can they? Join Nokoru, Suoh, and Akira—the kid detectives who crack cases and even rescue the occasional damsel in distress!

After Junpei's failed second attempt to transport everyone back to Japan, the four of them resume their quest to collect runes by stripping them from the skin of Elven females. Celsia is cursed into the form of another animal this time.

In a world where humans and monsters live side by side, Sasahara Natsuki is a bounty hunter struggling with poverty. Most of her jobs involve monsters infringing on the rights of humans, who are legally shielded from their generally stronger neighbors. As a half-human, half-cat-beast hybrid, Natsuki exists between both societies and works to understand and respect each while upholding the law. She is aided by a werewolf named Batanen, who is too afraid to confess his love for her; another werewolf, Tommy; and a Kyubi fox demon named Sakura, who harbors her own intentions—including eating Natsuki to finish her nine tails and thus unlock her full magical power.

On her sixteenth birthday, Honey Kisaragi sets out to see her father. He arrives injured and fleeing from pursuers. Suddenly, a band of thugs and a monster appear. Detective Seiji Hayama steps in to save Honey and her father, but the monster captures her father. Devastated, Honey returns home to find it destroyed. A mysterious handsome man offers her hope and a device to fight the monsters who took her father. With this device, Honey can assume multiple forms and defeat Panther Zora, the sinister force behind the attacks.

Maze awakens in her home, which is completely destroyed, and she has no memory of what happened. Before she can figure things out, a girl named Mill bursts in, thanking Maze for saving her life. Mill explains that Maze's house suddenly fell from the sky, crushing the pursuers who had been chasing her. Soon after, the two are fleeing from more enemies who want to capture Princess Mill. They manage to escape only when Maze discovers she can use phantom light magic and summon Mill's family heirloom mecha. However, Maze's performance piloting the mecha is weak—until night falls and she transforms into a lecherous man. Other travelers eventually join them as Maze struggles to protect Mill and uncover her own purpose in this fantasy world.

The citizens of the Crayon Kingdom see Princess Silver as a sweet twelve-year-old with a lovely smile, unaware that she harbors twelve bad habits. This secret causes great anxiety for Chameleon Prime Minister and the other ministers, who fear the embarrassment if the truth were revealed. During a party celebrating Silver’s twelfth birthday, she becomes so focused on finding her Prince Charming that she neglects to monitor her own behavior. One of the male guests, enraged by the situation, turns the King and Queen into stone. To lift the curse and rescue her parents, Silver embarks on a quest to find the boy, starting her adventure alongside her new companions.

Inaho, a student at a Catholic school, realizes that a vampire named Mosquiton is draining her classmates. After she drives a stake through his heart, he miraculously revives when her blood touches his remains. Now bound to her as a slave, Mosquiton also takes on the role of a history teacher. Alongside Yuuki and Honou, the pair embarks on various adventures. One of Inaho's primary objectives is to locate the legendary O-Part for financial gain.

Saito High is an educational institution populated by spiritual entities and led by a principal who is obsessed with collecting occult items. To safeguard the school, the Holy Student Council, chosen by prophecy, stands as the primary defense. However, these students face their own unique struggles. Haruto Houjo, the council president, possesses the ability to summon spirits but would gladly quit his post for a mundane existence if not for the principal’s influence. Kazumi Ryodo, the second member, excels at allowing herself to be possessed and harbors a crush on Hanako. The final council member, Mutsuki Asahina, is an exorcism expert who is attracted to young boys. Despite their personal quirks, the trio is responsible for maintaining order at the school and protecting the world from supernatural threats, a duty that consistently lands them in absurd situations.

Hareluya Hibino's sole aim is to dominate the entire world. Even though he appears rough, he has a good heart, and when necessary, he goes out of his way to assist others. Alongside Kiyoshiro, a budding artist, Hareluya faces whatever challenges life presents.

Our story takes place in a world parallel to our own. We meet Pastel, an orphan girl of 18, who shares a small house with a band of adventurers. She works as a writer and also a "mapper," creating sketches and illustrations of towns, countryside, rivers, and mountains. Pastel is highly esteemed by her companions for her remarkable intelligence and honesty. Living with Pastel are Clay, a young swordsman; Trapp, the son of a bandit chieftain; Kitton, literally a walking dictionary and a descendant of the Kitton family; Knoll, a large man with a gentle heart; Whitey, a baby dragon; and Rumy, an infant sorcerer from the tribe of "Elf." Together, this eccentric group gets caught up in various mysterious adventures—from treasure hunting and searching for a missing person to solving a riddle and many more unexpected quests.

A young schoolgirl with an innocent appearance and a curvaceous figure goes to retrieve her hat from what she believes is an abandoned house. Inside, a deranged madman is secretly watching her. Upon seeing her, he becomes fixated on dominating her, possessing her, and forcing her to submit to his every desire. With his collection of advanced technological devices, he subjects her to threats of death, physical harm, psychological control, degradation, and the eradication of her free will and sense of self. Horrors involving biological, chemical, and nuclear elements unfold within the nightmare of her newly imprisoned existence.

Following the clash with Doakuder at Soukaizan—the alternate world where the rainbow vanished due to the devils—a demon from the demon realm traveled to Genseikai (the human world) and stole Wataru's conscience. As a result, Wataru lost his sense of justice and all memories of being Kyuuseishu (the world savior). After Shibaraku and Himiko brought him back to Shinbukai (the other world where Soukaizan lies), Wataru recovered his memories, but his conscience remained missing. To reclaim it, Kyuuseishu Wataru must resume his fight against the devils, rescuing Soukaizan from impending catastrophe!

Makuamuge, an evil overlord, plans to seize control of the game world and reality. Ninja Goemon, his friends, girlfriend, and giant robot must vanquish Makuamuge's minions to rescue both realms.

Aoi is an ordinary boy afflicted by a curse that transforms him into a frog whenever he becomes wet. He is transported to a different world that includes a frog kingdom, where he must locate the princess to break the spell. Upon discovering that the princess herself does not know how to remove the curse, the two of them embark on a journey to find the spell that can do so. During their travels, they encounter a variety of fascinating creatures, face numerous perils, and gain many new companions.

Tokyo Pig presents the bizarre and chaotic tale of a young boy named Spencer and his magical pet pig, Sunny. The series follows the strange adventures of these two oddballs.

Yamazaki arrives on Earth from another planet with the intention of conquering humanity. However, he quickly discovers that global domination requires first mastering his own classroom. To achieve this, he devises numerous schemes to compel his peers to obey him. Much of his energy is spent tormenting Tatsuya, the class representative. With his eccentric dog Watanabe at his side and assistance from his grandparents, Yamazaki constantly engages in bizarre antics with his classmates. He gradually loses sight of his original objective, focusing entirely on his desire to become the "King of the Class."

Bamboo-Lee, Dah-Lee, and Slo-Lee are three bears driven by a singular mission: to prevent global extinction events. Their primary obstacle is the cowardly antagonists running Ratco Corporation. Fortunately, with the assistance of Ai-Ai, a pink dragon, the trio might just manage to protect the environment before it is too late.

Coji Coji's main focus is simply savoring life and the beauty of nature. In contrast, Coji Coji's companions consist of an eccentric assortment of personalities, each with quirks that often spark conflict among themselves. Coji Coji's laid-back attitude and habit of avoiding duties can occasionally annoy others, yet his innocent insight consistently manages to settle every dispute.

A would-be witch, a kindergartener who behaves like a middle-aged adult, a naive and inept pretty demon, and a genius dog that comprehends human speech come together in a slapstick comedy.

Manmaru attends the Nenga ninja school, where foxes and raccoons study assassination under a bear ninja master. He soon gets drawn into the rivalry among the Nenga, the monkey Koga, and the dog Iga schools, while also facing temptations from the Dobe—a group of dropouts from Nenga.

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