# The 13 Best Shaft Anime

> Head-tilts, text flashes and bold colour, applied to everything from magical girls to quiet shogi dramas.

*By YPB Team · Published October 20, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-13-best-shaft-anime*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Puella Magi Madoka Magica** — score 1000/1000
   The 2011 deconstruction of the magical girl genre, known for its stark visuals and a sharp turn in tone.
2. **Madoka Magica: Rebellion** — score 785/1000
   The 2013 film sequel that revisited the Madoka story with new twists.
3. **March Comes in Like a Lion** — score 699/1000
   A quiet drama about a teenage shogi professional and the neighbours who help him through loneliness.
4. **Bakemonogatari** — score 576/1000
   The 2009 start of the Monogatari franchise, with dialogue-heavy supernatural stories and Shaft's head-tilt style.
5. **Dance in the Vampire Bund** — score 500/1000
   A 2010 supernatural drama about a vampire princess and a human protector.
6. **Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei** — score 409/1000
   A satirical comedy about a pessimistic teacher and his oddball class, famous for its fast text-heavy visuals.
7. **Soul Eater** — score 300/1000
   An action series about students at a school for weapons and meisters who hunt corrupted souls.
8. **Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase** — score 300/1000
   A 2004 supernatural comedy about a vampire girl and a photographer.
9. **Pani Poni Dash!** — score 300/1000
   A fast, reference-heavy comedy about a child genius who becomes a teacher.
10. **Monogatari Series: Second Season** — score 300/1000
   The 2013 follow-up that adapted a large stretch of the light novels.
11. **Hidamari Sketch** — score 300/1000
   A gentle slice-of-life series about art students living in an apartment building.
12. **Nisekoi** — score 300/1000
   A romantic comedy about a boy whose fake relationship with a gangster's daughter becomes complicated.
13. **Arakawa Under the Bridge** — score 0/1000
   A surreal comedy about a businessman who falls in with eccentric people living under a bridge.

Tags: animation, studios, shaft