Best Anime of the 2010s

As my opponent has essentially forfeited Round 2, I will now begin my counterargument. There are many metrics by which we can judge one show to be "better" than another, as well as being considered the "best" of the last several years. I will demonstrate that by virtually every one of these viable metrics, Hunter X Hunter (2011) cannot be considered to be the best anime of the last decade. I will be looking at the following list of criteria: Animation, Story, Soundtrack, and Public Perception/Popularity. 1. Animation: Hunter X Hunter (2011) was animated by Madhouse studios, and given its length, it's hard to argue the show doesn't present some well animated scenes. A few in particular being the fights between Meruem and Netero, Gon and Hisoka, and Kurapika and Uvogin. However, you can easily find better animated shows not just in general, but by the very same animation studio. For example, One Punch Man had less than 10% the number of episodes as Hunter X Hunter (2011), and an even stronger team of animators brought in to work on the project. Because of this, the quality of animation is undoubtedly going to be superior to an anime with over 100 episode. There will inevitably be a drop in animation quality somewhere along the way with a series that runs that long. However, One Punch Man, being only 1 season and 11 episodes, always presents itself in the highest animation quality possible. The most notable scene in particular being the final fight between Saitama and Boros. Some other anime with better/more unique and standout animation techniques of the last few years include Mob Psycho 100, Ping Pong the Animation, and virtually anything by Kyoto Animation (Free!, Kyoukai no Kanata, Euphonium, etc.). 2. Story: Hunter X Hunter (2011) presents a somewhat predictable shonen story of a main character fighting bad guys, with some small changes in the traditional format thrown in once in a while. However, as this show is designed to appeal to a wide audience, anyone wanting to watch this show for actual substance in its story is going to be disappointed. There are plenty other shows in the last several years that present a more complex and rich story. One of note being Ping Pong the Animation. I am going to reference this show quite a bit, as I believe it is the actual best anime of the last decade. Upon first glance, it's easy to assume it's another sports anime, but upon its conclusion, you realize you were in for much more than just high school students playing table tennis. It's a masterfully-crafted coming-of-age story with an insanely-unique art style, wonderful soundtrack, beautifully written characters, and a great overall message. There are no antagonists in this show, and arguably also no true single protagonist, but that's what makes it so appealing. You can assume the role of protagonist to any one of the five major characters, and get a unique message from the show because of it. The story is also quite unpredictable, with the series taking many interesting turns in its 11-episodes. Some other anime with a better story include Mushishi: Zoku Shou, The Tatami Galaxy, Steins;Gate, and Shinsekai Yori. 3. Soundtrack: While I do enjoy Hunter X Hunter (2011) as it is an easy show to marathon without having to think too hard, its soundtrack is easily one of its worst points. Most of the tracks outside of major fight sequences are incredibly dull and repetetive. There are plenty others shows to look to in the last decade for a better soundtrack. Your Lie in April being one of them, considering the show revolves around a boy playing the piano and girl playing the violin. Hunter x Hunter (2011) also reuses the same song over and over for its openings. I think it's hard to consider the "best" anime of this decade to take such a lazy approach to its opening sequences. There are plenty of other shows with better openings, like Ping Pong the Animation for instance. 4. Public Perception/Popularity: While Hunter X Hunter (2011) is certainly popular, it is hard to argue it's the most popular anime of the 2010s. Attack on Titan and One Punch Man are both easily seen as being more popular, though I can understand that not being a good reason to say an anime is "better" than another. So let's look at another way to measure an anime's potential for being the "best". I also notice you are currently in a debate with someone over whether "Rick and Morty" is the best cartoon of all time. Your opponent presented "The Simpsons" as an alternative, and to quote your own statement: "If we're talking ratings, then Rick and Morty wins 7 times over, The Simpsons has a high rating of 8.8 on IMDb [...] but Rick and Morty absolutely crushes The Simpsons with a extremely high rating of 9.3 on IMDb, making it the highest rating animated show on IMDb..." Hunter X Hunter (2011) currently has an IMDb rating of 8.9, not bad in its own right. But there is one anime currently with a higher rating: One Punch Man, with a score of 9.1, making IT the highest rated anime on IMDb. So by your own logic, OPM must be better than HxH, yes? In summation, there are a number of alternatives to consider for "best" anime of the last decade, each of which with better qualities (in one way or another) to Hunter X Hunter (2011). I wish my opponent the best of luck in trying to refute my, and his own, arguments. Thank you. Source(s): http://www.debate.org... http://www.imdb.com... http://www.imdb.com...