I've struggled to fall heavily into mecha anime, tbh. The Gundam series especially. I don't know why. The two mecha I've been able to get all the way through (thus far, and excluding Voltron) are Full Metal Panic! And Aldnoah.Zero. I'd seen FMP when I was little, and never got to finish it as a kid, so being able to as an adult was special for me, and it wasn't the mecha components that drew me to Aldnoah, so much as the relationship between Slaine and Inaho (they could have made one hell of a team).

In this genre crossing, I'd honestly also like seeing some of the good romance manhua/donghua get animated. I know there's a huge market and a lot of repetative formulas, but I have read a fair number that are legitimately good and have that tension the article mentions. Of the top of my head, "I Am The Queen in This Life" is a reincarnation, but the way it's written and the story itself does have that realistic gravity: the FL's actions have consequences, and death is one of them. While it's satisfying watching the fl in action, it's still devastating and realistic in that same sorta way because she's not the only factor in everything she tries to change. It's not just a whimsical playground where she has the constant upper hand or advantage, and she struggles just as much as she succeeds, if not more; but she also grows as a character. And, while trying not to repeat her past-life's mistakes, we a how her actions affect the characters around her because they don't stay static either.

Anyway... 🫠

No one re that the anime that put Mappa on the map in the first place is one they've permanently shelved after 8 years of toying with fans and teasing a continuation. They won't even sell the rights to it for another studio to continue it.

'YURI on ICE!!!' deserves better.

I loved this series so, so much and can't wait for it to continue.

I've read that JJK was originally meant to have Yuuta as the MC, but his character wasn't enough of a typical shounen protag. In this, I think it would have also benefitted from keeping Yuuta as the MC because he's not the normal energetic, sunshine-child kind of character.

All in all, that model of what embodies a protagonist, especially in Shounen, needs more outliers and broader horizons. The original model is great, but it's repetitive. New character-types could ease that repetitive nature, so I hope more Shounen do step out of this comfort zone in the feature. Frieren took a bold step, and others should follow.

Aot did have a problematic ending. It took a very nazi-like direction, and for myself and many friends, that was what kept us from getting more invested. Aside from that, this list is pretty sound (though I could add several, including a few Shonen-Ai, and not just from Japanese animation.)