In what could essentially be titled “Spite: The Series,” this anime operates with the same level of plotting and suspense as some of the most intense series to air on the medium. However, Masamune-kun’s Revenge doesn’t deal with the mob, meth, or the city of Baltimore, but rather one bitter kid’s extravagant revenge scheme. And it’s some of the most addictive television of the year.

Masamune-kun’s Revenge follows the story of Masamune Makabe, a chubby young boy who was one day viciously rejected by a callous girl named Aki Adagaki (she called him a “pig’s foot”). Ever since that moment, Makabe has sworn revenge against Adagaki, going as far as changing his name and devoting his existence to becoming fit and attractive. All of this is so Makabe can get back in Adagaki’s life, have her fall hopelessly in love with him, only for him to reject her and give her the ultimate comeuppance. As Makabe’s brilliant plan slowly gets underway and he grows closer to Adagaki, their relationship begins to change in interesting ways that implies that there’s something deeper going on between them.

Masamune-kun’s Revenge has a lot of fun toying with whether ice queen Adagaki is actually falling for Makabe, and even worse, if Makabe is actually falling for her. This anime delivers a good sense of humor, well-rounded characters, and a surprisingly deep amount of romanticism for such an apparently cynical show. All of the twists in the plotting keep Masamune-kun’s Revenge consistently entertaining and you’ll find yourself deeply entwined in how all of this comes together. Just when you think you’ve figured out where it’s going yet another bombshell will be dropped.

1. Inuyashiki: The Last Hero

What’s It Like? If Dennis the Menace and Mr. Wilson were superheroes/villains

How Long Is It? 11 episodes

Where Can I Watch It? Amazon Prime’s Anime Strike (sub only)

Inuyashiki is not only my favorite anime of 2017, but it might even be my favorite series of 2017. It’s that good. Right from the start it presents the sort of story that immediately gets your attention and lets you know that you’re watching something special. Inuyashiki is an elderly man whose family seems to hate him and are totally unappreciative of his existence. One night he goes for a walk in the park and some sort of alien explosion attacks the area. When Inuyashiki comes to, he appears to be a super powered robot with insane abilities. He uses these new powers to help those in need and even learns that he can heal and bring people back to life. Suddenly Inuyashiki has a purpose in life and watching him reawaken straight up made me cry on multiple occasions.

A bratty teenager is also at the park when the explosion happens and he turns into the same robot that Inuyashiki becomes. This kid however is a psychopath and begins mass murdering individuals at an alarming rate. It’s terrifying how callous he is and what this power brings out in him. Some scenes are genuinely hard to watch and it doesn’t take long for him to become one of the most dangerous murderers that the country has ever seen. Suddenly Inuyashiki has a “rival” and the two are pit against each other in a bizarre, infinitely interesting way. This series is a thrilling examination of what people do with power and it balances humble moments of humanity with disturbing violence and insane action. Everything it does hits hard and its ending is perfect in its precision and poignancy. The animation is also stunning in its depiction of these human/robot hybrids and the “minimalist” (ie. finger guns) approach to the violence.

Inuyashiki is a series that I will be absolutely shocked if some savvy American director doesn’t opt to turn into a movie within the next few years. It’s an absolutely beautiful story that boils down to the universal concepts of good and evil. Catch it now and get ahead of the game. At 11 episodes it’s an extremely easy commitment that you’ll wish was longer.