Light Novel Adaptation

2023 · 2 Seasons · Nippon TV · Mystery / Historical / Drama

The Apothecary Diaries blends palace intrigue, pharmaceutical mystery-solving, and dry humor in a historical setting brought to life with gorgeous production values. Maomao is one of anime's sharpest and most refreshing protagonists, a pharmacology-obsessed former apothecary whose keen observations and deadpan wit drive investigations that range from poisoned concubines to political conspiracies. The mysteries occasionally lean toward the straightforward, and some secondary characters need more development, but the combination of intelligence, atmosphere, and character makes this one of the most compelling anime of recent years.

2021 · 1 Season · Tokyo MX · Sci-Fi / Action / Drama

86 Eighty-Six is a military sci-fi anime that tackles systemic racism and the human cost of war through the lens of expendable soldiers fighting autonomous drones in a nation that pretends the war is unmanned. Hiroyuki Sawano's score is exceptional, the core character dynamics between the idealistic handler and her doomed squad are compelling, and the show builds emotional weight that pays off with devastating force. The world-building oversimplifies its allegorical framework, and early pacing can test patience, but when 86 hits its emotional peaks, it ranks among the strongest sci-fi anime of the 2020s.

2012 · 4 Seasons · Tokyo MX · Action / Fantasy / Romance

Sword Art Online is one of the most polarizing anime ever made, with a massive global fanbase matched by equally vocal critics. Its first arc delivers a compelling trapped-in-a-game premise with real stakes, but the series struggles with formulaic storytelling, inconsistent character development, and an over-reliance on its protagonist's invincibility across later arcs. It's a cultural touchstone for the isekai genre that works best when taken as entertainment rather than examined too closely.