Most Pleasant Surprise :^)

Post the anime that you enjoyed way more than you expected you'd do.

Here's one that comes to mind instantly: Chihayafuru

It's a Shoujo-anime about playing Karuta - an ancient poetry card game, but it's actually really pleasant, with characters being much more well written than most anime I've seen. It's been a long time since I last saw it, but I'd be surprised if I wouldn't give it a recommendation even if I were to rewatch it today.

Battle Team Lakers EX

Not good by any stretch of the imagination, but the English dub is a classic for shitty, hilarious OVA production. Also, the characters are all really cute. One was an adorable meganekko miko who is about as ideal of a character as I could hope to find!

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Watching this was nostalgic because it was one series out of a dozen or so from a website dedicated to screenshots of boob/butt shots from ecchi anime series that I used to go on one when I was 13 or so.

a month later

One Outs
I was wondering why it has a pretty high score in MAL...untill i saw the first episode and finished the whole series. Damn! i love this anime.
This is the only anime where my 4 brothers and i enjoy to watch and literally becomes our favorite, which is rare. lol
Don't ever compare it in major and diamond no ace. Watch it for yourself to know why. 😛

I enjoyed Mysterious Girlfriend X enough to the point where I would say it's one of my favorite shows, despite the reviews and overall ratings for it. The relationship between the two main characters feels really genuine, and the way the male main character reacts to the different experiences of having a girlfriend for the first time seem really realistic. When you look past all the weirdness, it's a really sweet show.

Death Parade. Went in without any expectations or knowledge of it and was taken on quite the ride.

All in One wrote

Death Parade. Went in without any expectations or knowledge of it and was taken on quite the ride.

That's what I am watching now. It's pretty good, but I guess the high rating on MAL got my hopes up.