Fullmetal Alchemist

Author: Hiromu Arakawa

The first few years of the 21st century were full of amazing anime series that made it to the US as a of the Adult Swim cartoon block. One of the most popular was Fullmetal Alchemist, based on the manga of the same name. It's the kind of story you want to watch again and again, featuring magic, high heroics, multiple dimensions, adventure, rocket science, and body jumping. The story of Edward and Alphonse Elric attempting to regain the bodies they lost when attempting to revive their dead mother is laced with classic European high fantasy as well as Japanese conceptual delivery that makes it feel incredibly fresh. The combination of fantasy and science fiction here is essential to the story, and it may even come down a fair bit more on the fantasy tip than scifi, maybe even shouldering up to Steampunk. The animation and character design has become iconic, and a major influence for the recent generation of both professional and fan artists. The music is a particular stand-out, and has even toured with orchestras playing it! Why it's on the list: It's already one of the most influential anime series ever made, and it's only going to get most important.