Angelic Layer

Author: Clamp

Angelic Layer takes places in the Chobits universe (or, more accurately, Chobits takes place in the Angelic Layer universe, as AL came first) and uses many of the same themes of artificiality, devotion, and technology. Angels are mentally-controlled dolls that do combat in The Layer, the battleground for their dolls. Misaki is encouraged to create her own Angel to compete, even though she knows nothing of the game. What follows is an impressive series of episodes that take mysterious instigators along with longing and loss and give us an incredible ride along the way. The history of science fictional games runs all the way from Ender's Game to The Glass-Bead Game (which won Hermann Hesse the Nobel Prize!) and Angelic Layer plays well in that stratosphere. The Manga it's based on is also worth finding, but the way that this works as a series, and especially the incredibly catchy theme, Be My Angel by Goro Matsui, makes this an incredible view! Why it's on the list: The kind of science fiction anime that stands up incredibly well no matter what you've experienced before. This is the one you might wanna try for adults who have never experienced anime and are curious to see 'The Good Stuff!"