The Fire Emblem series uses a turn-based strategy system for its gameplay, arming the player with a dozen or so characters (each with their own strengths and abilities) to fight an opposing army in a chess-like arena. The latest game in the franchise, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, lives up to its predecessors with its exciting battle maps that pit your characters against nigh-impossible odds and require careful planning to master. Let’s check out some of our favorites!
Most anime are based on manga, light novels, games, or other source material, but on rare occasions, we get shows that tell completely original stories. At their best, anime originals keep the audience guessing every week and craft engaging tales that end with satisfying conclusions.
Today, we’ll be counting down our picks for the five best anime originals of the past five years, starting with the Winter 2015 season and ending with Fall 2019. Let’s ring in the new decade together by celebrating the amazing anime we’ve come to love since 2015!
Psychological anime are all about examining the mind, whether it’s the struggles of an individual or the collective unrest of an entire group. Oftentimes, these shows will subtly (or not-so-subtly) comment on issues in the real world through their storytelling, making them excellent time capsules for future generations to look back on. So how did the genre tackle the hot topics of this decade? Let’s take a look together at the best psychological anime of the 2010s!
The Fire Emblem series is no stranger to branched storytelling—Shadows of Valentia featured two interlocking tales and Fates forced you to choose between two opposing armies (with a secret third option available afterward), but Three Houses tops them all with four separate story campaigns. Whether you choose to lead the Black Eagles (which has two paths), the Blue Lions, or the Golden Deer, you’ll find a 40+ hour route ahead of you with different twists and turns.
So then, what’s the best way to play Fire Emblem: Three Houses? If you’re only going to go down one route, which one should it be? And which full order offers the best story experience? Here’s what we prefer!
As we enter a brand-new decade, it’s a good time to look back at the world of anime in the 2010s. Within the fantasy genre, trends skewed strongly toward isekai after 2012’s smash hit Sword Art Online changed the way we view RPG-style fantasy worlds. It spawned an endless horde of imitators, as well as some genuinely intriguing shows that subverted the conventions we’d come to expect. Outside the tidal wave of isekai, long running shounen anime like The Seven Deadly Sins, Magi, and Fairy Tail held the banner of traditional fantasy, while bold newcomers like The Ancient Magus’ Bride and Made in Abyss blew us away with their richly detailed worlds. Now, without any further delay, let’s count down the best fantasy anime of the 2010s!
Just like every modern Fire Emblem game, Three Houses has served as a delightful font of memes for the internet crowd. The characters are all vibrant and interact with each other in hilarious ways, the game’s mechanics can be unintentionally awkward at times, and many of the English voice actors have thrown their hats into the meme ring through Twitter and YouTube videos. But, among this sea of memes, which are the funniest and most creative? In no particular order, here are our favorites!
