Best Drama Anime of 2013

Centuries ago, humanity teetered on the brink of extinction due to giant humanoid monsters called Titans, compelling survivors to hide behind massive concentric walls. These horrific creatures devour humans not for sustenance but for pleasure, allowing those within the walls to enjoy a century of peace untouched by Titan assaults. This tranquility ended abruptly when a Colossal Titan breached the outermost barrier, dragging humanity back into a frantic fight for survival against the flesh-eating beasts. Eren Yeager, fueled by the heartbreaking death of a loved one at the hands of a Titan, swears to eradicate them all and enlists in the Survey Corps, an elite military force that engages Titans outside the walls. Together with his adopted sister, Mikasa Ackerman, and childhood friend, Armin Arlert, Eren plunges into the deadly war, seeking a method to destroy the Titans before the remaining walls collapse.

After a catastrophic accident leaves Banri Tada with no recollection of his previous life or hometown, he befriends Mitsuo Yanagisawa and resolves to begin anew at a law school in Tokyo. As Banri adapts to this fresh environment, the captivating Kouko Kaga suddenly crosses his path, initiating a transformative year. Banri throws himself into university life, embracing a new chapter brimming with prospects for rebirth, friendship, romance, obstacles, and self-improvement. Simultaneously, he starts to reconstruct shards of his lost memories, guiding him toward a brilliant future he will never wish to abandon.

In Tokyo, on a rainy morning, high school student Takao Akizuki, who dreams of becoming a shoemaker, skips class to sketch shoe designs in a quiet garden. There, Takao encounters Yukari Yukino, a mysterious woman. He offers to craft her a pair of shoes, and the two begin meeting regularly throughout the rainy season. Finding comfort in each other's company, they share their personal troubles and gradually ease their burdens. However, their individual struggles remain unresolved. As the rainy season draws to a close, their bond faces its greatest challenge.

After spending a year in America, Kurisu Makise returns to Akihabara to reunite with Rintarou Okabe. However, their reunion is abruptly interrupted when Okabe begins suffering from repeated visions of alternate timelines, exposing the enduring repercussions of his time-travel exploits. These disturbances ultimately cause Okabe to vanish from existence, leaving Kurisu as the sole bearer of memories regarding him. Confronted with despair, Kurisu faces a harrowing decision that tests both her scientific convictions and her connection to Okabe. She must choose between heeding his warnings against time travel to preserve world line stability or disregarding them to rescue the person she holds dearest. Regardless of her choice, the outcome will cast profound ripples across the past, present, and future.

Centuries ago, all of humanity dwelt beneath the ocean. A faction eventually migrated to the surface, forsaking their aquatic existence and the divine blessing known as "Ena," which allowed them to breathe underwater. As time passed, the chasm between the sea-dwellers and surface inhabitants widened, though sporadic contact persisted. In "Nagi no Asu kara," Hikari Sakishima and Manaka Mukaido, accompanied by their childhood friends Chisaki Hiradaira and Kaname Isaki, are compelled to depart their underwater home to attend a school on the surface. There, they encounter Tsumugu Kihara, a classmate and fisherman who harbors a profound affection for the sea. As Hikari and their companions adapt to their new reality, they must navigate the deep-seated hostility and prejudice dividing the sea and surface communities, contend with turbulence in their personal relationships, and face an impending storm that threatens all who live above the waves.

Ilse's Notebook: A Record of a Scout's Final Days During the 49th expedition of the Survey Corps, Hange Zoë becomes so desperate to capture a Titan specimen that they disobey Commander Erwin Smith's orders and pursue a creature spotted in a nearby forest alone. Despite the danger, Hange confronts the Titan and attempts to question it, but the entity behaves strangely, fleeing deep into the woods with Hange in hot pursuit. There, Hange uncovers the remains of former scout Ilse Langnar. Among the belongings found is a diary detailing Ilse's final moments, offering vital data for Titan research. A Sudden Visitor: The Burden of Youthful Ambition Jean Kirstein hopes to escape his mundane life and domineering mother by joining the military, aiming for the Military Police to secure a comfortable, low-stress existence. However, his time in the 104th Training Corps does not match these expectations. Frustrated by having his accomplishments stolen and mocked by fellow cadets, Jean challenges his comrade Sasha Blouse to a duel to settle who is truly stronger. The result of this confrontation remains unknown. Through Adversity The 104th Training Corps receives orders to ride horses through the forest, ostensibly to test their vigilance in a peaceful environment. Yet, the exercise fails to command their full attention, creating tension within the group, particularly under Marco Bott's leadership. While some cadets focus on the mission, others choose to slack off and seek their own amusement. Suddenly, an unexpected threat emerges, catching the squad completely off guard.

In Mitakihara, young girls go about their seemingly ordinary lives, occasionally interrupted by battles against evil. However, Homura Akemi senses a disturbing irregularity in this otherwise peaceful setting—she feels that something is wrong, even though those around her remain unaware. There is someone present who should not be there, concealed beneath the surface. Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion focuses on Homura’s determined struggle to uncover the hidden truth behind these strange events. Desperately and selflessly, she fights to protect what she cherishes most in this grim conclusion to the story of five magical girls.

In "The Wind Rises," Jiro Horikoshi's aspiration to become a pilot is crushed by his severe nearsightedness. He instead goes to Tokyo Imperial University to study aeronautical engineering, inspired by the Italian aviation pioneer Giovanni Battista Caproni. Upon arriving in Tokyo, Jiro experiences the devastating 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, during which he rescues a maid from the family of a young girl named Naoko Satomi. This disaster marks the beginning of a period of intense social turmoil and conflict in Japan, leading to its involvement in World War II. Over the years leading to the creation of the famous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft, Jiro faces numerous challenges that test his limits. Each journey and experience drives him closer to his goal, even as he struggles with the harsh realities of his inventions' roles in the war and the difficulties in his personal life. As time passes, Jiro must confront a deep dilemma: how much is his cherished dream costing him?

In "Diabolik Lovers," Yui Komori is sent by her father to live in a secluded mansion with the six Sakamaki vampire brothers: Shuu, Reiji, Ayato, Kanato, Laito, and Subaru. Initially confused about why she is there, Yui discovers from the brothers that they intend for her to be their new sacrificial bride, hiding darker intentions behind this explanation. As she struggles to understand her father's motives and experiences a strange pain in her heart, Yui's situation grows increasingly frightening. Surrounded by the brothers whose behavior becomes more vicious, she finds herself caught in a never-ending nightly ritual where each brother claims her, pushing her toward a disorienting brink of madness and ecstasy.

In the year after Honma Meiko's spectral appearance, Jinta Yadomi and the rest of the Super Peace Busters gather to compose letters in her remembrance. During their summer together, they look back on their past, spanning the time before and after her passing. The AnoHana movie retraces the key events of the original story from the perspective of every Super Peace Busters member.

In Haruki Kitahara's light music club, the future appears grim, threatening to crush the third-year students' hopes of performing at the school festival. Yet, when Haruki plays "White Album," his very first song, a heavenly voice and an enigmatic piano unexpectedly blend with his guitar, marking a shift in his path. White Album 2 intertwines Haruki's last semester with romantic complications and thrilling musical experiences, preparing the ground for the performances he has always desired.

In "Chihayafuru 2," Chihaya Ayase focuses on strengthening her high school's competitive karuta club with ambitious goals, such as winning the national team championship at Omi Jingu and becoming the Queen, Japan's top female karuta player, and beyond. As they enter their second year of high school, Chihaya and her teammates must recruit new members, enhance their physical and mental abilities, and overcome tough opponents to achieve their championship aspirations. Meanwhile, her childhood friend Arata Wataya, who first sparked her love for karuta, rekindles his own passion for the traditional card game.

Two people wake up in Quindecim with no memory of how they got there. A young woman greets them and leads them to a small bar where a bartender waits. They are informed that they must play a game chosen by spinning a roulette wheel and cannot leave until it ends; refusing will bring severe consequences. Along with the rules, they are warned to treat the match as a matter of life and death. The game selected is billiards, but they soon discover that the stakes go beyond simply potting balls. The result of the game holds the power to decide whether they survive.

Takao Kasuga, a high school student deeply devoted to poetry, holds Charles Baudelaire in such high esteem that he keeps the poet's portrait in his room. One day, Takao leaves his copy of "The Flowers of Evil" in the classroom. When he returns to retrieve it, he impulsively takes Nanako Saeki's gym clothes. Nanako, a model student who serves as Takao's muse and a femme fatale, remains unaware of the theft. Overwhelmed by guilt and aware that his actions are both sinful and criminal, Takao is stunned to learn that Sawa Nakamura, a socially ostracized classmate, witnessed the incident. Sawa uses this knowledge to manipulate Takao into fulfilling her dark fantasies, threatening to expose his secret if he refuses. As Takao becomes ensnared in increasingly harrowing scenarios orchestrated by Sawa, they must struggle to break free from her control and find a path toward atonement.

One year after Guts left to pursue his own path, the Band of the Hawk has fallen into decline. Returning upon hearing reports of their desperate state, Guts finds the Hawks, now led by his former comrade Casca, struggling just to survive. Once hailed as Midland's champions, they are now hunted as outlaws, fighting to free their leader Griffith, imprisoned for treason. But the Griffith they rescue is a shattered shell of his former self. After enduring a year of relentless torture, Griffith can no longer walk, speak, or wield a sword. The only thing he clings to is the mysterious Crimson Behelit that never leaves his side. The Band of the Hawk yearns to reclaim their past glory, but the price of that revival may be devastating. As Griffith's heart sinks into darkness during a solar eclipse, the Behelit presents a fateful choice that plunges the Hawks into a blood-soaked destiny that will haunt them forever.

In a world forsaken by God, life is plagued by an endless loop where death no longer occurs and birth is impossible, causing the dead to wander among the living. Just before vanishing entirely, God left behind a single final gift: the creation of gravekeepers—mysterious beings who can grant the departed true rest through proper burial. Ai, a cheerful yet naive girl, carries on her late mother's work as the village's gravekeeper. After a man named Hampnie Hambart, who claims to be Ai's father, appears and slaughters everyone in her village, Ai becomes homeless and lost. She decides to follow this enigmatic stranger on his journey. During her travels, Ai focuses on her gravekeeper role—bringing peace to the dead and assisting the living—while slowly uncovering the truth behind the world's bleak state caused by God's departure.

In Kyoto, the tanuki and tengu have coexisted with unaware humans for centuries. Yasaburou Shimogamo, the third son of a distinguished tanuki family, spends his carefree days looking after an old tengu, using his shape-shifting abilities to observe people, and interacting with the enigmatic Benten. But beneath this tranquil life lies a grim past: Yasaburou's father, once the leader of the tanuki community, was captured and devoured by a human group called the Friday Fellows. Uchouten Kazoku follows the Shimogamo brothers as they try to avoid meeting the same end while gradually uncovering the truths behind their father's death.

Riki Naoe and his teammates have at last assembled a complete baseball lineup for the Little Busters. As the group gathers again, a peculiar sense of déjà vu sets in, with the personal enigmas and quirks that have lingered throughout the game converging into something unforeseen. As each member settles into their designated roles, the fragments of the puzzle start to align. When Riki uncovers the truths behind his narcolepsy, a shocking revelation about this world emerges—one that will alter everything. Will the match continue into extra innings, or will it be halted before the final player steps up to bat? Riki formed the team and his comrades arrived, but the next throw may send everyone in LITTLE BUSTERS! REFRAIN!

After the tenth NOVA battle, the Chevalier determines that NOVA attacks are increasing and that their loss of Pandora soldiers is faster than they can produce new ones. In response, they initiate the E-Pandora Project, designed to convert ordinary people into Pandoras. Representatives from Pandoras around the world, including Satellizer, Kazuya, and Rana, are summoned to the Alaskan base to witness this new initiative. But as the project moves forward, suspicions grow, and the gathered Pandoras become more unsettled about its hidden objectives.

In the quiet countryside, Haruto Kirishima lived a peaceful life far from the city's noise. His world changed when Yuzuki Eba, who had come from Tokyo to visit her relatives, crossed paths with him. Their brief but memorable encounter left Haruto captivated, but she vanished as suddenly as she appeared, leaving many questions behind. "Kimi no Iru Machi" continues after Haruto moves to Tokyo to live with his sister, ostensibly to pursue a career as a chef. However, his true motive is to be near Yuzuki. His arrival in the city is marred by a misunderstanding where he is mistaken for a thief and attacked by his sister's neighbor, Mishima Asuka. After the confusion is cleared, Haruto finds himself torn between his feelings for Yuzuki, who avoids him for unclear reasons, and his growing connection with Asuka.

Kurumi, a gentle young woman, is devastated after the death of her beloved boyfriend Hal, who perished in a plane crash. She withdraws into a small house, overwhelmed by grief. Her grandfather intervenes by bringing her a humanoid robot named Q01, designed to look just like Hal. Q01 arrives at Kurumi's home with the goal of helping her escape her despair. Though hesitant at first, Kurumi gradually begins to trust and open up to this robotic copy of Hal as he visits her daily and tries to lift her from depression. Yet there is more to this android than meets the eye, and both Kurumi and Hal soon discover an unexpected truth about the bond growing between them.

In "Aura: Koga Maryuin's Last War," Ichirou Satou, an ordinary high school student, once spent his middle school years dreaming of being a hero called "Maryuuin Kouga," which made him a frequent target of bullying. He has since left that phase behind and now seeks a quiet, uneventful life, even though he finds the world uninspiring. One evening, while going back to school to retrieve a forgotten textbook, he comes across a girl dressed in an unusual costume. This girl is his classmate, Ryouko Satou, who, like him, has a delusion of being someone else and dresses accordingly. When Ichirou's teacher asks him to befriend Ryouko, he refuses, not wanting to revisit his own past struggles. However, after seeing Ryouko face the same kind of bullying he once endured, he feels compelled to help her and assist her in overcoming her delusions—embarking on a mission worthy of Maryuuin Kouga.

In Coppelion, Ibara Naruse and her friends Aoi Fukasaku and Taeko Nomura initially appear to be ordinary, carefree high school students. However, the world they inhabit is far from normal. Their journey takes them through a version of Tokyo that was devastated by a nuclear disaster two decades earlier, leaving the city uninhabitable. As members of the Dispatch 3rd Special Force Coppelion, specifically the Health Care unit, the trio works alongside the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Colonel Onihei Mishima to search the abandoned city streets for any remaining survivors. Their main goal is to evacuate these people using JGSDF helicopters. But as their mission continues, Ibara and her team begin to question their own humanity, especially given their ability to survive in Tokyo without any protective gear.

In "The Garden of Sinners: Future Gospel," Shiki Ryougi, Mikiya Kokutou, and Touko Aozaki look into a bomber after a nearby explosion. That night, Shiki spots the bomber and becomes obsessed with her. Determined to eliminate the bomber, the man uses his foresight, engaging in a dangerous chase through an abandoned parking garage. His arsenal includes both bombs and the ability to predict the future, which he intends to use against Shiki. Several days earlier, at Reien Girls' Academy, student Shizune Seo prepares to leave for summer break. As she gets off a bus, she has a premonition predicting the death of a stranger nearby. Trying to warn that person, she encounters Mikiya, who uses her warning effectively. Meanwhile, an agent is sent on a mission with his employer's 10-year-old daughter. Their target turns out to be a specter from both of their pasts. "Mirai Fukuin" includes stories set during the main timeline of the Kara no Kyoukai series, along with one set in the future.

Fifteen-year-old Izumiko Suzuhara longs for an ordinary life, but she has been raised in a secluded mountain shrine, sheltered and timid. She also has a strange ability: any electronic device she touches immediately stops working. Wanting to change herself, Izumiko takes a small step by cutting her bangs, surprising both her classmates and those who watch over her. This is only the beginning. Her guardian, Yukimasa Sagara, sends his son Miyuki to the shrine to be Izumiko's lifelong protector. Unfortunately, Izumiko and Miyuki have a difficult past—they have known each other since childhood, and Miyuki used to mercilessly bully her. He regards Izumiko with indifference, unconvinced by his father's claims that she is divine. Could Izumiko truly be a goddess? Can she and Miyuki set aside their mutual animosity? Discover the answers in RDG: Red Data Girl!

Ohana Matsumae has been working as a waitress at Kissui Inn for a while, but she starts feeling uneasy as her initial excitement begins to fade—the very feeling that originally drove her there. While mentoring her classmate Yuina Wakura, the daughter of the owner of the competing Fukuya Inn, Ohana finds old records related to her mother, Satsuki. Even though Ohana knows very little about her mother, these documents give her a chance to explore her family's past. Alongside this personal journey, Ohana and the rest of the Kissui Inn team continue to face everyday challenges in their work.

In the alternate timeline of Rozen Maiden, Jun Sakurada chose "no" on a slip of paper, avoiding winding an unspecified "something." As a result, Jun, who has since grown up and moved on from his traumatic school days, is now a college student working at a bookstore. Despite his progress, he still struggles to feel like he belongs. One day, Jun stumbles upon a book detailing how to create a Rozen Maiden. Upon returning home that evening, he finds the second volume of the series and some doll parts unexpectedly delivered to his house. However, the deliveries cease abruptly, and Jun learns that the publication has been discontinued. With an incomplete doll and a message from his counterpart in another world, Jun becomes entangled in the Rozen Maiden universe once more.

In "Day Break Illusion," Akari Taiyou, a young aspiring fortune teller living with her aunt, uncle, and cousin Fuyuna, seeks to follow in the footsteps of her late mother. After a dream in which she confronts a monstrous plant and defeats it with a stronger version of herself, Akari awakens to discover that Fuyuna, once known to her, has seemingly been erased from her family's memory. When she encounters another Daemonia—humans possessed by dark forces—she is rescued by Ginka Shirokane, Seira Hoshikawa, and Luna Tsukuyomi, members of the Sefiro Fiore organization. This group wields Elemental Tarot powers to combat these malevolent beings. Realizing her own abilities as a magical girl and inheriting her mother's power through The Sun card, Akari faces the moral dilemma of choosing whether to restore the humanity of the possessed or to destroy them to protect the world. As she navigates this difficult path, tensions within Sefiro Fiore escalate, as they confront both internal and external threats that challenge the integrity of their mission.

In a universe where civilization has reached its peak and now faces decline from the exhaustion of universal resources, nearly 500 billion humans start returning to Earth, sparking conflicts among rival human groups striving for control over the planet. The authoritarian Gaia Sanction steps in, halting further repatriation to Earth. Originally a commander in the Elite Wing under the Gaia Sanction, tasked with protecting Earth, Captain Harlock led an invincible fleet. But when the Gaia Sanction permits a select group of diplomats to settle on Earth, Harlock rebels, striking against both the diplomats and his former allies. In a desperate act, he unleashes dark matter onto Earth, making it uninhabitable, though he himself is consumed by it and gains immortality. A century later, Captain Harlock, now commanding the Arcadia, remains uncaught. As the Gaia Sanction continues its schemes to dominate Earth while concealing its true condition, Harlock readies for a final confrontation that will decide the planet's destiny.

In *The Garden of Sinners: Future Gospel - Extra Chorus*, Mikiya Kokutou leaves Shiki Ryougi in charge of looking after a cat while he is briefly away. Shiki objects, but Mikiya still leaves the cat with her, forcing Shiki to deal with her new feline companion. Interestingly, the cat appears especially attached to Mikiya and senses his absence. Elsewhere in the city, Ririsu Miyazuki visits the location where her close friend took her own life, intending to follow the same path. There, she encounters Fujino Asagami, a visually impaired classmate burdened by a painful past. Despite their differences, Asagami reminds Miyazuki of her deceased friend, helping her cope with her grief. Two months later, during New Year's, Mikiya chooses to spend the holiday with Shiki instead of his family, disappointing his sister Azaka. Azaka instead decides to celebrate with her classmates. As snow begins to fall, Mikiya reflects on his heartfelt wish for Shiki's happiness.

Unaired 13th episode released on the 7th DVD/BD.

On the island of Hatsunejima, where eternal spring prevails and a massive, ever-blooming cherry blossom tree stands tall, there is a belief that the tree can grant any wish. However, one day, the tree's mystical powers disappear, leaving it as nothing more than an ordinary cherry blossom tree.

In "Hakuoki ~Demon of the Fleeting Blossom~ Wild Dance of Kyoto," young Chizuru Yukimura, disguised as a boy, leaves her peaceful home to journey to Kyoto in search of her absent father, Dr. Koudou. Upon arrival, she faces the perilous nature of the city when she encounters two ronin who assault her. Before she can react, these attackers are slain by a mysterious samurai with white hair and red eyes, only to be subsequently defeated by three members of the Shinsengumi, a specialized police unit loyal to the shogun. Following the confrontation, Chizuru is detained by the Shinsengumi for interrogation. Once they discover that her father is the very person they seek, the commander permits her to remain under their guardianship while they continue their investigation. As Chizuru assists second-in-command Toshizou Hijikata, she begins to unravel the complex ties between the political unrest in Kyoto, the enigmatic white-haired samurai, and her own circumstances.

This is a sci-fi story centered on a cyber battle. By 2022, quantum computing technology had progressed significantly, allowing numerous individuals to upload their consciousness into cyberspace. Remu's sister-in-law, Shiki, had advanced through school quickly and at age fourteen enrolled in a high school within the academic metropolis known as Okinotori-island Mega Float City (OMFC). One day, via Skype, Shiki revealed to her brother that she was communicating with him directly from cyberspace, as her physical body was being kept submerged in a tank of culture fluid. This setup was referred to as a "Body pool," and Shiki accessed the network through nanomachines embedded in her brain. Initially surprised, Remu nevertheless respected her choice—until a catastrophe known as the "Early Rupture" occurred. The network server became overloaded, causing users' minds to become lost in cyberspace while their empty bodies remained alive in the Body Pools. Determined to retrieve Shiki's consciousness, Remu goes to her apartment in OMFC, where he encounters Shiki, who has fled the hospital. However, the girl informs him that she is not Shiki; she has somehow taken possession of Shiki's body. As Remu attempts to comprehend the situation, a brutal assault hits the apartment. Arve Rezzle: Kikaijikake no Yousei-tachi was among the four productions of the Anime Mirai 2013 initiative (the Young Animator Training Project), which was financed by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs to foster the development of animators. An advance screening took place on February 25, 2013, via nicolive.

An anthology of four independent films spanning various genres. Tsukumo (Possessions) A lost traveler takes shelter in a shrine, only to discover it is filled with numerous possessed objects. Hi no Youjin (Combustible) This film portrays the events leading up to the Great Fire of Meireki, which consumed more than half of the Japanese capital city of Edo. Gambo (Gambo) A young girl beseeches a white bear to defeat a vicious ogre that has been abutting the firstborn daughters of a small village. Buki yo Saraba (A Farewell to Weapons) In a post-apocalyptic future, a squad of soldiers is dispatched to a ghost city to eliminate an automated sentry. Note: - Tsukumo and Hi no Youjin had early individual screenings at the Annecy Animation Film Festival in June 2012. - Hi no Youjin and Buki yo Saraba are adapted from Katsuhiro Ootomo's manga of the same titles, while Tsukumo and Gambo are original creations.

The story centers on the son of a samurai who loses both parents when English ships attack his Japanese town. He is given the name Ryo and becomes the bodyguard of Ryoma Sakamoto, a man with his own plan to fight for the country.

In the period before World War II, a photography studio located on a hilltop provides the setting for this narrative. People often come to have their portraits taken. One day, a married couple arrives, and the wife is extremely shy, keeping her eyes cast downward. The studio's owner tries many different methods to get her to smile and eventually manages to do so. Exactly one year later, the same couple returns, this time accompanied by their daughter, who always wears a grumpy expression. The owner again employs every technique available to make her smile. This interaction forms the basis of an enduring connection between the girl and the studio owner, one that continues for many years.

This project recompiles the television series (starting from the Asemu arc) to focus on the characters Asemu Asuno and Zeheart Galette.

This adaptation centers on the events from chapters 11 through 13 of the original manga, supplemented by extra material written by Kazuya Minekura. The story is narrated from Tenpou's perspective.

This narrative follows an apple-farming household consisting of a mother, a father, and their devoted son. During his childhood, the boy looks up to his father and dreams of taking over the family farm once he comes of age. Yet as he matures and grows more defiant, he grows apart from his parents and decides to chase a career in music in Tokyo. Despite the separation, his lack of gratitude, and especially during his moments of hardship, his parents continue to stand by him while enduring their own difficulties back on the farm.