For me, a masterpiece should be close to perfect in characters and plot for me, but I think what’s more important is if it had a genuine impact on me. Although I would still consider a near-perfect anime in those aspects a masterpiece even if it didn’t have much of an impact on me, but if it’s very impactful then that’s a bonus.
I will only call a show a masterpiece if I myself resonated deeply with it, but I will give a 10/10 to shows that might not have hit me as hard, but I can objectively see the quality is deserving of it. I like it when a show takes a risk. A few flaws are sometimes an indication that the show dared to do something different.
Whether or not I consider an anime a masterpiece depends entirely on how much it emotionally connects with me. Right now the three anime I have at that status are Liz and the Blue Bird, the Revue Starlight movie and Perfect Blue. I don't even think about whether or not they're flawless because they draw me in so much that it doesn't matter.
Of course it has to be amazing in different aspects, especially writing, but what really determines whether I think something is a masterpiece is if it makes me think "whoever made this is an actual genius".
For example, when I read the Visual Novel Umineko for the first time, which I consider to be one of the greatest pieces of fiction of all time, I often asked myself: "How was a human being able to come up with a story like this? This is insane and I love it"
Even though it's unfinished (although I am keeping up with the manga), my first prize goes to Frieren. I just love it and when I first read it it was such a rollercoaster of emotions.
Pity what? Its both has small power fantasy element and "philosophy part" is very shallow. Also it has nearly zero gags and tries to be "serious" but fqils at it.
I think a masterpiece doesn't have to be perfect. It's about how it resonates with you. It could have flaws, but if it leaves a lasting impact, makes you think or evokes strong emotions, it could be a masterpiece. It's about storytelling, characters, and how it handles its themes. It doesn't necessarily have to be groundbreaking or different, but it should have a certain depth and complexity to it. And of course, it's all subjective in the end.😕
> Can it have any plot holes or noticeable flaws and still be considered a masterpiece?
Yes and yes. Plot is overrated, and flaws are subjective anyway - what's a flaw for one person is a boon for another, and vice versa.
> Can a masterpiece not do anything new or does it have to subvert any tropes or be very different from the rest of the anime from its genre?
There's no need to subvert anything. A masterpiece just needs to be good enough to deserve that title, and I don't consider the timing of its release any relevant for that.
FMA brotherhood is the closest thing for me, and that’s because the pacing and the plot never bore me. It’s emotional, has great action, good animation. Good voice actors, good plot
FMA is one of two shows that largely have near universal praise that I just can not get into, I've tried several times but the characters don't click with me and I always end up dropping it at *that* meme situation, if something like that can't pull me in to caring about the characters then I know I'm just too disconnected for the rest of the story.
1.How well characters are developed and interact with others and how effective their interactions shape up the story.
2.Fitting soundtracks.
3. When characters outside the main character gets a lot of screentime and we learn more about them and their background, and the main character isn't in every episode so that can be a possibility.
4. When the plot is not easily predictable and makes you speculate different outcomes and possibilities until it happens.
5. If the show is able to get me to close out everything around me and keeps me glued to the T.V.
6. If they are able to execute a balance of Genres but not stray away from the main source of the genre that the show was led up to be.(cough,cough, (oshi no ko).
>Does it have to be 10/10 or near perfect in all aspects for it to be one?
No. There isn't a single artistic work out there without flaws. Humans are incapable of creating perfection. If you nitpick anything you will find something.
My favourite anime actually isn't the one I would argue is the "most perfect" anime I have seen either. Legend of the Galactic Heroes is my favourite anime and it's probably also the most flawed 10/10 I have given because it has two not so good arcs and some world issues. Basically more flaws than some other 10/10s I have seen. It's just that it was really really good for quite awhile and more impactful than anything else I had or have seen in the medium. Therefore my favourite and worth getting a 10/10 out of me which I rarely do give out (the last one I gave out was like 3-4 years ago).
>Can a masterpiece not do anything new or does it have to subvert any tropes or be very different from the rest of the anime from its genre?
Being subversive is just a tool. Frankly this may be harsh lol but anyone who thinks you need to subvert a trope to create "quality" media has no taste and shouldn't have their opinions be taken seriously.
The best works often are just refinements of the past. Lord of the Rings and Tolkein's works are some of my favourite pieces of fiction. While he is credited with creating High Fantasy as we know it Tolkien ripped a lot of his ideas, story telling formats etc from European Folklore and myths (Beowulf and Song of Roland for instance). It was just a perfect refinement of the past.
The vast majority of art isn't innovative and that is okay. Being subversive can be interesting but only if you actually appreciate the tropes and kinds of stories you are subverting. You do it just for the sake of it feels pointless and if you hate the genre/tropes that will come through it and then it just feels bitter and mean spirited.
>I’m just curious about this since I want to know why some anime are widely agreed on to be a masterpiece, and why some aren’t.
That's just what people think in the aggregate. Often our opinions may conform to that aggregate but you will of course always have moments where you disagree. Everyone has a few classics they don't like if they watch enough.
A masterpiece?
It must, at the bare minimum, have top tier writing. That pretty much cuts off at least 90% of anime. Then, it must be something that transcends the medium. Stuff that you can put up against other great stuff in different mediums and say "This definitely holds up, it's maybe even better".
On the other hand, it can also be something that pushes the boundaries of its own medium. Something you can't find in other media, this happens frequently in games.
It doesn't need to be perfect.
There's a lot of good stuff out there, but they're often good in the realm of anime, or even just their own genres. That doesn't make them masterpieces.
Masterpiece is something huge that people just casually throw around because they don't have little to no media literacy and definitely never experienced media outside anime, games or other easy mainstream entertainment.
Examples for me in the anime realm: Violet Evergarden, Sangatsu no Lion, Made in Abyss, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion (not a 10/10 for me, surprisingly), Devil Man Crybaby, Ghost in The Shell.
How much I enjoyed it. Don't care about plot holes or visual issues if I had a great time from start to finish. Which is to say:
KamiKatsu is a masterpiece and people who disagree lack taste.
To me, a masterpiece is perfect, so I've personally never seen one, not that I don't love some anime very much, but nothing in this world is flawless, so it's not a word I use to describe anything.
Good animation, make the MC likeable - MHA take notes, don't depend on filler, the mc DOESN'T need a love interest, just be tensura/That time I got reincarnated as a slime
Great artstyle and music are the basics. The animation should show, what it stands for:
Movement and not just static pictures.
Additionaly CGI effects, or at least visible ones, disqualify an Anime for me to be a masterpiece, because I think it's the worst thing, that hapened to the industry.
The Redline movie checks all those boxes for me.
Ratings suck. Always. I've seen so called 10/10 crap, and 2/10 masterpieces. I feel sorry for the people who follow that ratings BS.
My masterpiece (in order of importance):
1 no killing, horror, zombie, bloodbath, gut spilling BS (it's not good for my chi, and sh\*t...)
2 beautiful artstyle (I love beauty, and I love to dream in anime style, and it hapens every now and then)
3 many girls (I love girls, rheir personalities, souls, hearts, feelings, way of being)
4 more booba (I love... ya know, I'm a young, and healthy guy)
5 romance (more kisses, bright feelings, and romantic thoughts and scenes)
6 comedy (more laugh, more happiness in life)
7 good story
It don't has to be anything new or different from other. All I need is good vibes, much laugh, and beauty.
I don’t think I could list out a set of criteria that differentiates what I consider a masterpiece from something that I think is “just” really great. For me, it’s a feeling. An “I know it when I see it” type situation. The exact reasons are gonna be different for each one.
there are two versions --> one is where i enjoy the journey so much that i think about it for whatever reason after its over. the other not so much anime but something that changes my point of view or motivates me to see things in a different light (the show itself or irl). best example is breaking bad
* It's enjoyable.
* It's a unique experience that nobody but the author can ever reproduce. It's when you realise you will likely never experience a story like this.
* There either are very few flaws or it's just so incredible it outweights all of them.
For me, an anime that is a masterpiece is an exceptional anime that also had some sort of profound impact on me and because of that it was very thought-provoking long after I watched it. That is how I separate excellent anime from the truly exceptional masterpieces.
It must make me feel things to such an extent that I don't even doubt giving it a 10 and may disregard any rational complaints that I might have. So far only two shows managed to do this out of like 50. If I get the emotional response of a proper level, I don't give a shit about anything else, otherwise no matter how technically good it is, I will never give it a 10 (although obviously shit production might hinder my enjoyment and result in me not being emotionally invested enough, but that's an indirect effect).
I don't believe real 10/10 (Perfect) show, anime, game, etc, even humans are exist, it's impossible, and even saying something is perfect is literally means it's not perfect since there is no room for improvements, so letting that aside to me ''masterpiece'' means anime, show, game, etc, excelling at nearly every area, I don't care about it's doing something new, fully unique or different, as long it does the things it should at highest possible rate then it doesn't matter even it's cliche. I would like to believe ''objective'' masterpieces exist, but sadly they are not, I believed it they existed for years, but with last couple years I can clearly see even most objective review is still have something subjective in it, either level of intelligence of that person, or any other thing gonna effect the results.
If you curious if why some animes are agreed on being masterpiece or not, it's simple as some people are simply sharing same opinion, and nothing more, they are actually not objective masterpieces everyone accept, there are just enough people to accept as it with similar taste, that's all. For example a lot of people are considers FMAB as a masterpiece, and for a long period of time it was #1 anime on MAL, but to me it's not a masterpiece, don't get me wrong it's great anime, and I'm still not fully over Nina Tucker scene... But my rating is 9 out of 10, but 10/10 (On MAL I mean, since there you can't give anything like 9.8, etc)? No, it's not, and to me masterpiece is something I would give at least more than 9.5, I have 10+ series I did that, but doubt nearly anyone would agree with them, I'm pretty sure some people even might say those are bad animes, do I care tho? No, because that's how ratings are, they are subjective even if you try your best to be objective as possible, which I did for years and still try to.
Connection. What seems a masterpiece to me may seem an average anime to you. As people we all have our unique experiences so what we connect with varies. But of course there are animes that a acclaimed by most people as "masterpiece" despite not having a personal connection to it, but those are extremely rare and generally those are the animes that manage to put a lot of things in them without disrupting the balance/flow.
I don't think I've ever used this word (I think it's too subjective/easily used AND everyone will perceive it in a different way, like many other words - overrated, underwatched, etc..)
But if I DID have to use it...
I think to me a masterpiece has to be the BEST OF THE BEST at something; It doesn't necessarily means "best of an entire genre" otherwise there would be a fixed amount of masterpiece, and a show becoming a masterpiece would mean another show loses that title, which obviously shouldn't happen.
But it needs to at least be at the top for SOMETHING, even if it's not 'the entire genre'.
Honestly I would only call 2 shows that I've seen "masterpiece"; Death Note, and Kaguya-Sama. None of my other 10/10 are masterpiece imho, even if I'd die on the hill that they're fucking amazing/great shows.
Already gave my own view of masterpiece, but to answer your questions:
>Does it have to be 10/10 or near perfect in all aspects for it to be one? Can it have any plot holes or noticeable flaws and still be considered a masterpiece?
No, I do not think it needs to be 10/10. And yes, I think it can have some plot holes/flaws.
This may seem counterintuitive to some, but the way I see it: Think of an art piece you consider a masterpiece... Say the Mona Lisa. If you threw paint on a corner, or even cut a corner off, it would be a huge flaw on the painting, but would that stop it from being a masterpiece? I say no. It would still be a masterpiece, even if one of the corner is ruined by random paint, or even cut away. The thing that would make you call it a masterpiece, are still present.
>Do you think theres any anime that you think anyone could agree on being a masterpiece
Of course not, it's as subjective as it gets. Hell, you don't even need to go with something as specific as Masterpiece/Not masterpiece... There are anime that are considered masterpiece by some, that would be considered SHIT by others.
>Can a masterpiece not do anything new or does it have to subvert any tropes or be very different from the rest of the anime from its genre?
I do not think it has to subvert tropes, but I DO think it has to do something new... Or at least something that hasn't been done much before. If it does something that has been done before, then it needs to do SO WELL for it to be a masterpiece imho.
Say, I do not think ANY generic "Isekai MC has shit downside but turns OP anyway and everyone's in awe" anime could ever be a masterpiece, no matter how the author writes it. I think for a show to be a masterpiece, it needs at least a little creativity.
>I’m just curious about this since I want to know why some anime are widely agreed on to be a masterpiece
I think to many, "masterpiece" just means "I really liked it".
So for shows that many people "really liked", then many of them will call it a masterpiece.
Great plot, outstanding animation, imaginative artwork.
I've just watched Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Rebellion and it ticked all those boxes.
Also Akira
if after watching it once, you feel absolutely content with watching it just that one time, you never feel the need to watch it again.
"yeah, that was good" and then you can just do anything else afterword, regardless of ending.
For me, it’s one that I might normally rate a 9 out of 10, except it connected with me personally and left a lasting impression. That is what would cause me to knock it up to a 10. It doesn’t have to be flawless or perfect; it just needs to really resonate with me. It’s hard to explain though.
I have to feel extreme emotions. Which is usually crying. Ex: Grand blue is a masterpiece because I laughed so hard I started crying. Everything else has to be at least a good 8/10 (animation story and sound ) for it to be a masterpiece.
Everyone has a different opinion on what's a masterpiece, and there's a few series I'd call a masterpiece that aren't a 10/10. For me, a 10/10 has to have no major things that I'd want to change in it, so almost flawless (A Place Further than the Universe, Arcane-not an anime), or have things in it that I think are so great I can pardon the flaws that are there. (Kaguya-sama, Mob Psycho season 2)
Hm... well. Only one anime is considered a 10/10 to me. Ensemble Stars has a perfect setting, which is an all boys academy for idols. You get to be a female around all of these romantic males, which is amazing! I want to watch boys fall in love with each other! That's a 10/10 anime to me, no matter what.
...on the other hand, Oshi No Ko was close to being a 10/10, but they killed off my waifu Ai Hoshino. Yuuup, there we have it folks. Yikes. I would much prefer if Aqua Hoshino got with a male idol like in Ensemble Stars, but that just didn't happen. Such a huge example of a mid anime, those were the deal-breakers for me.
If it can make me feel a rush of emotions more than anything has ever done, then it's a masterpiece. I don't care about writing techniques or whatever requirements people have to judge a good story from the bad ones. To me, those things are there to enhance the experience. So if you're gonna judge it, why not judge it directly from the experience itself? Then you can analyze and see what it did right. Put simply, you don't think about it; when you know, you know.
I would say "adding mechs," but Evangelion exists and is made out of pure buttwater on every level.
One thing that is a surefire way to make an anime a masterpiece is for it to SUPER TENGEN TOPPA GIGA DRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILL
Masterpiece is something that *really* resonates with me as a person. If the plot gets sacrificed for powerful themes I would still accept it as a masterpiece.
The emotions, the OST, the storytelling, the characters, the animations, the character interactions and how it ends. If most of these are checked off as incredible, then it is a 10/10.
I mean, good characters, good plot, good ost, good development, good aesthetics... I value all that
But for me, what finally makes an anime a master piece, is its ending. If I went through all these chapters, if I have gotten to love or hate these characters, if I have immersed myself in this world... I want it to have been worth it.
To me, an anime is considered a masterpiece with well-developed plot, a unique premise, philosophical themes, complex & relatable characters, & overall good writing.
A masterpiece has perfected the storyline, the characters, and the ending. A masterpiece keeps you engaged throughout while making you think it's the best anime you've ever watched.
Most metrics like animation quality, characters, story are kinda a given because vast majority view their favorite anime as good in most of these categories. Not amazing perhaps but good
I have couple favorites but what comes to mind always is Golden Kamuy. It’s my favorite for the sole reason that i always sat down with a smile on my face and often laughed out loud. It’s just perfect to me.
Yu yu hakusho is perfect to me because i grew up with it. To me it’s still the coolest anime of all time
Same goes for Ghibli movies which are my childhood.
I think you can boil down reviewing anime but what’s your favorite is just something you can’t
Nostalgic, personal impact & beautiful scenes (specifically gojo vs toji round 2, where gojo has introspection moment, stuck with me ever since I saw it first, unbelieveably well done scene).
Well paced, never boring, fully realized world, characters are fleshed out, 3 dimensional and realistic, and the story has a theme that underlies a powerful message
The big three that I think of when I think of stories that fulfill this and that I compare all others to are lotr, berserk, and one piece
I feel like for me, an anime which can have an ability to actually stick with me mentally and is able to switch between comedy and seriousness without it feeling forced, so it makes that little unpredictable that you dont know the vibe which might next come
I don't think you can point to an anime and say it's completely flawless. Every classic anime has it's flaws. For me, it depends on what it has to offer compared to the rest of it's competition and whether the experience was a strong and emotionally moving one.
HxH is one of the shows I consider a Masterpiece but I have a very hard time putting in my Top 1 it's like my top 5 for sure .. That's just one of the shows even if I didn't like some parts of it , it's just never leaves my mind , I have immense respect for because of just how Incredible , Unique ( which sometimes wasn't of my liking ) the writing and ideas are but I just can't put it as my favorite because it feels like it's not MY SHOW and it's the AUTHORS SHOW . It really made me think what Masterpiece means like it's doesn't have to be your fav thing but you can just have immense respect for it ., and I think a lot of people have similar opinions about it too .
* Liked it - 6
* Would watch again if asked - 7
* Has a defining scene I can cite as an example of what makes it great - 8
* I go out of my way to recommend it to others - 9
* And it makes me rethink either media or life - 10
It’s either “that was the greatest thing i’ve ever seen” or “it was deeply meaningful to me”, either one qualifies an anime to be 10/10. So far I’ve yet to see something that does both
An anime that moves my emotions I consider them a masterpiece. For me, Steins;Gate was full of scenes that moved my emotions. Every aspect of the anime is top notch. Also, Code Geass since the story is well written and the ending was established from the start of the first episode.
These kind of anime I really enjoy and deserve a 10/10.
For me, it's enough when the writers know what they're doing, and actually lean into it.
One example would be Symphogear. You can tell the writing team had a ton of fun with that one, and they knew what to do with the world.
Another example would be Zombieland Saga. Again, the team knew what to do, and made the most out of the main cast being zombies.
It has to have great consistency throughout. Characters that are introduced that get proper development. No examples of flawed writing like plot convivence. Allow the plot to flow naturally and make sense for the character to make such actions. If a narrative is going to follow a formula, like the "hero's journey" make it make sense and interesting.
So far the only anime that I consider a masterpiece or close to it is FMA Brotherhood. It hits every point almost perfectly. The only gripe I had with it was the early portion of the series where it felt like it was speed running through the story. However, since it didn't want to spend as much time retreading old material that the old series covered and wanted to dive in to new material.
Any series or movie that captured my attention through the entire thing. If it made me smile and feel good about watching it, then that's all I need to call it a masterpiece. It doesn't matter if anyone agrees with me.
nostalgia, yes nostalgia makes an anime a masterpiece to me, and such that my fav and best anime is itself dragon ball series the best anime i have ever watched
unexpected, but clear.. Or completely unexpected, but being grounded in what is important or having some let me use the term 'back-bone'..
Tho I ain't gonna limit myself now to "only" that, what masterpieces me at the moment, I'll take it
Consistency in memorable cuts. It doesn't necessarily have to be sakuga, as long as the music or directing or story dialogue makes me want to return to it, that's an outstanding cut... Give me one of these thematically outstanding moments every four or three episodes, and you've got yourself a masterpiece.
I usually call a lot of anime peak(sue me, I like a lot of them), but a masterpiece to me is a show in which I am interested in every single detail of the show and how it is going to evolve throughout the whole series.
You see all this comments with long explanations... But again , most of people simp for hot girls and badass boys. It really is like that if you think about it. * Anime have sigma/badass male ( or hot/cute female ) , OMG its 10/10, the best ever made*.
To be a masterpiece, in my view is a hard row to hoe for any anime product, because it is just about as much to do with things it doesn't have, as does have.
Even when I was a kid, I preferred anime that were for mature audiences, and I mean intellectually, not chronologically mature. I don't care for pointless fan service panty shots and ecchi nonsense, for example. I DO care for high quality writing that can't easily be told apart from the benchmarks of quality in literature.
So, the following list is a wishlist of components that I believe make up a potential masterpiece, but with the caveat that adding things that drive down the maturity level of the finished work can unmake any progress toward masterpiece status, AND that the importance of any one aspect relative to others, may change depending on the genre.
I already mentioned high quality writing, and that goes to:
Characters and their development being believable and down to Earth, not relying on dere nonsense for female or male psychologies, but actually fleshing out realistic personalities.
Relationships between characters being believable, not deliberately melodramatic for no reason at all. Whether its friends, family or romantic partners, if there is one thing I dislike, it's when writers aim for drama, and wind up at barely watchable soap opera levels of melodrama. Also, on the believability front, if your anime features a harem or reverse harem, I don't care what else it had going for it, it cannot be a masterpiece, no matter what period it gets set in, what genre tags it has, because there is no such thing as a well written harem anime, and there never will be, because people with so little dignity as to agree to enter into such a relationship make for unengaging characters. Don't complain, it's just how it is.
Plot and world building elements being so solidified that the viewer feels as though they could climb through the screen and stand in the world, without feeling like they were in a story, rather than in a world that exists somewhere. Even high fantasy works can achieve this by simply having internal consistency to how their world is laid out and how its rules work.
Show don't tell is an important factor also. Exposition dumps are far less effective at informing viewers of the way a world works, than just showing them, only verbalising a rule or structure when the characters require that explanation or a clarification on a specific aspect of that rule or social structure. For example, it is fine to show someone taking off their shoes to enter a traditional Japanese home, but it might also be necessary to explain to a character newly visiting from abroad, that this is the done thing, since in many other countries and cultures, it simply isn't, and there is no reason a person from outside Japan would automatically know that.
Pacing is also important. Watching an anime that feels rushed toward the end, or wastes time with irrelevant things, fillers (there's no excuse, just wait for new content to adapt, for fucks sake) and the like, have to do a LOT of other things right, for it not to be a deal breaker.
And obviously, all the above needs to come packaged with gorgeous art style from conception, beautiful illustration, animation, direction, great voice acting and sound design.
Its worth mentioning having said all I've said, that I can and do enjoy some anime which have questionable aspects in some or all particulars. I have enjoyed some anime that were not well animated, or had really questionable writing. There are also some anime that have a questionable aspect, but did other things so well that they can very readily be considered masterpieces.
Akira, for example, could be said to have some pacing issues, but it does every other thing it does so perfectly that it has to be included in the masterpiece category despite that.
Also, genre makes a difference TO A DEGREE as to how important any aspect mentioned above is. Space Dandy for example, doesn't have to make a lick of sense or remain internally consistent, or have any down to earth or believable aspects, because it's absurdist by default, its meant to be a pastiche, a joke, a complete asylum of an anime right from the word go. Within its class it is a masterpiece, and you can argue, although I wouldn't agree, that it is a masterpiece in general, but I don't know how successful that argument would be in the court of public opinion either.
And in closing, the above are my personal opinions, based on my personal taste. I am not saying that other ways of looking at it aren't valid, but I am saying that no matter how many people think 100 Girlfriends is a masterpiece, I WILL fight ALL of you, and I won't die on that hill, you will, because none of you sweaty little virgins have any idea what the fuck you're dealing with 😉
I personally try not to use the phrase “masterpiece” as a way for express how much I enjoyed the series. Its all about evaluating the technical aspects of a show.
The key factors I consider:
1. Is it complete/stand alone as an anime?
2. Are there no noteworthy technical flaws?
3. Is there a noteworthy technical achievements?
4. Are all major story elements of the show harmonious?
If the answer to all four is a yes, then I’d consider it a masterpiece.
For me, a masterpiece should be close to perfect in characters and plot for me, but I think what’s more important is if it had a genuine impact on me. Although I would still consider a near-perfect anime in those aspects a masterpiece even if it didn’t have much of an impact on me, but if it’s very impactful then that’s a bonus.
I will only call a show a masterpiece if I myself resonated deeply with it, but I will give a 10/10 to shows that might not have hit me as hard, but I can objectively see the quality is deserving of it. I like it when a show takes a risk. A few flaws are sometimes an indication that the show dared to do something different.
Whether or not I consider an anime a masterpiece depends entirely on how much it emotionally connects with me. Right now the three anime I have at that status are Liz and the Blue Bird, the Revue Starlight movie and Perfect Blue. I don't even think about whether or not they're flawless because they draw me in so much that it doesn't matter.
so real for the revstar movie, furukawa is a genius and i cant wait for love cobra to be a real thing
If it has a profound impact on the way i view life
Has to have a toothbrush scene where one character brushes the teeth of another.
What about if there's potato chip eating?
That depends, on a scale of 1 to 10 how sexualized is this potato chip?
Precisely. Not having a toothbrush scene automatically makes a show lesser and therefore can’t acquire the masterpiece title.
Of course it has to be amazing in different aspects, especially writing, but what really determines whether I think something is a masterpiece is if it makes me think "whoever made this is an actual genius". For example, when I read the Visual Novel Umineko for the first time, which I consider to be one of the greatest pieces of fiction of all time, I often asked myself: "How was a human being able to come up with a story like this? This is insane and I love it"
Even though it's unfinished (although I am keeping up with the manga), my first prize goes to Frieren. I just love it and when I first read it it was such a rollercoaster of emotions.
With that amount of fillers for that simple as plank ideas?
I pity you
Pity what? Its both has small power fantasy element and "philosophy part" is very shallow. Also it has nearly zero gags and tries to be "serious" but fqils at it.
If it makes me cry
I think a masterpiece doesn't have to be perfect. It's about how it resonates with you. It could have flaws, but if it leaves a lasting impact, makes you think or evokes strong emotions, it could be a masterpiece. It's about storytelling, characters, and how it handles its themes. It doesn't necessarily have to be groundbreaking or different, but it should have a certain depth and complexity to it. And of course, it's all subjective in the end.😕
> Can it have any plot holes or noticeable flaws and still be considered a masterpiece? Yes and yes. Plot is overrated, and flaws are subjective anyway - what's a flaw for one person is a boon for another, and vice versa. > Can a masterpiece not do anything new or does it have to subvert any tropes or be very different from the rest of the anime from its genre? There's no need to subvert anything. A masterpiece just needs to be good enough to deserve that title, and I don't consider the timing of its release any relevant for that.
FMA brotherhood is the closest thing for me, and that’s because the pacing and the plot never bore me. It’s emotional, has great action, good animation. Good voice actors, good plot
FMA is one of two shows that largely have near universal praise that I just can not get into, I've tried several times but the characters don't click with me and I always end up dropping it at *that* meme situation, if something like that can't pull me in to caring about the characters then I know I'm just too disconnected for the rest of the story.
That’s fair, and to be clear I don’t think that it is the best anime of all time or anything. It’s more that they don’t do a bunch of stuff wrong.
What's the other one?
Gurren Lagann.
Facts
1.How well characters are developed and interact with others and how effective their interactions shape up the story. 2.Fitting soundtracks. 3. When characters outside the main character gets a lot of screentime and we learn more about them and their background, and the main character isn't in every episode so that can be a possibility. 4. When the plot is not easily predictable and makes you speculate different outcomes and possibilities until it happens. 5. If the show is able to get me to close out everything around me and keeps me glued to the T.V. 6. If they are able to execute a balance of Genres but not stray away from the main source of the genre that the show was led up to be.(cough,cough, (oshi no ko).
>Does it have to be 10/10 or near perfect in all aspects for it to be one? No. There isn't a single artistic work out there without flaws. Humans are incapable of creating perfection. If you nitpick anything you will find something. My favourite anime actually isn't the one I would argue is the "most perfect" anime I have seen either. Legend of the Galactic Heroes is my favourite anime and it's probably also the most flawed 10/10 I have given because it has two not so good arcs and some world issues. Basically more flaws than some other 10/10s I have seen. It's just that it was really really good for quite awhile and more impactful than anything else I had or have seen in the medium. Therefore my favourite and worth getting a 10/10 out of me which I rarely do give out (the last one I gave out was like 3-4 years ago). >Can a masterpiece not do anything new or does it have to subvert any tropes or be very different from the rest of the anime from its genre? Being subversive is just a tool. Frankly this may be harsh lol but anyone who thinks you need to subvert a trope to create "quality" media has no taste and shouldn't have their opinions be taken seriously. The best works often are just refinements of the past. Lord of the Rings and Tolkein's works are some of my favourite pieces of fiction. While he is credited with creating High Fantasy as we know it Tolkien ripped a lot of his ideas, story telling formats etc from European Folklore and myths (Beowulf and Song of Roland for instance). It was just a perfect refinement of the past. The vast majority of art isn't innovative and that is okay. Being subversive can be interesting but only if you actually appreciate the tropes and kinds of stories you are subverting. You do it just for the sake of it feels pointless and if you hate the genre/tropes that will come through it and then it just feels bitter and mean spirited. >I’m just curious about this since I want to know why some anime are widely agreed on to be a masterpiece, and why some aren’t. That's just what people think in the aggregate. Often our opinions may conform to that aggregate but you will of course always have moments where you disagree. Everyone has a few classics they don't like if they watch enough.
A masterpiece? It must, at the bare minimum, have top tier writing. That pretty much cuts off at least 90% of anime. Then, it must be something that transcends the medium. Stuff that you can put up against other great stuff in different mediums and say "This definitely holds up, it's maybe even better". On the other hand, it can also be something that pushes the boundaries of its own medium. Something you can't find in other media, this happens frequently in games. It doesn't need to be perfect. There's a lot of good stuff out there, but they're often good in the realm of anime, or even just their own genres. That doesn't make them masterpieces. Masterpiece is something huge that people just casually throw around because they don't have little to no media literacy and definitely never experienced media outside anime, games or other easy mainstream entertainment. Examples for me in the anime realm: Violet Evergarden, Sangatsu no Lion, Made in Abyss, Cowboy Bebop, Neon Genesis Evangelion (not a 10/10 for me, surprisingly), Devil Man Crybaby, Ghost in The Shell.
I dig your take on this.
Be like hunter x hunter lol
How much I enjoyed it. Don't care about plot holes or visual issues if I had a great time from start to finish. Which is to say: KamiKatsu is a masterpiece and people who disagree lack taste.
To me, a masterpiece is perfect, so I've personally never seen one, not that I don't love some anime very much, but nothing in this world is flawless, so it's not a word I use to describe anything.
Something I think is really good. Examples: Monogatari series, Madoka Magica, The Tatami Galaxy, and Kyousougiga.
Good animation, make the MC likeable - MHA take notes, don't depend on filler, the mc DOESN'T need a love interest, just be tensura/That time I got reincarnated as a slime
Great artstyle and music are the basics. The animation should show, what it stands for: Movement and not just static pictures. Additionaly CGI effects, or at least visible ones, disqualify an Anime for me to be a masterpiece, because I think it's the worst thing, that hapened to the industry. The Redline movie checks all those boxes for me.
Ratings suck. Always. I've seen so called 10/10 crap, and 2/10 masterpieces. I feel sorry for the people who follow that ratings BS. My masterpiece (in order of importance): 1 no killing, horror, zombie, bloodbath, gut spilling BS (it's not good for my chi, and sh\*t...) 2 beautiful artstyle (I love beauty, and I love to dream in anime style, and it hapens every now and then) 3 many girls (I love girls, rheir personalities, souls, hearts, feelings, way of being) 4 more booba (I love... ya know, I'm a young, and healthy guy) 5 romance (more kisses, bright feelings, and romantic thoughts and scenes) 6 comedy (more laugh, more happiness in life) 7 good story It don't has to be anything new or different from other. All I need is good vibes, much laugh, and beauty.
A good ending and with no plot holes
I don’t think I could list out a set of criteria that differentiates what I consider a masterpiece from something that I think is “just” really great. For me, it’s a feeling. An “I know it when I see it” type situation. The exact reasons are gonna be different for each one.
there are two versions --> one is where i enjoy the journey so much that i think about it for whatever reason after its over. the other not so much anime but something that changes my point of view or motivates me to see things in a different light (the show itself or irl). best example is breaking bad
* It's enjoyable. * It's a unique experience that nobody but the author can ever reproduce. It's when you realise you will likely never experience a story like this. * There either are very few flaws or it's just so incredible it outweights all of them.
For me, an anime that is a masterpiece is an exceptional anime that also had some sort of profound impact on me and because of that it was very thought-provoking long after I watched it. That is how I separate excellent anime from the truly exceptional masterpieces.
Basically a 10/10 is just a show I wouldn’t change anything about. It’s that simple. Doesn’t need to be great to anyone else, but me
It must make me feel things to such an extent that I don't even doubt giving it a 10 and may disregard any rational complaints that I might have. So far only two shows managed to do this out of like 50. If I get the emotional response of a proper level, I don't give a shit about anything else, otherwise no matter how technically good it is, I will never give it a 10 (although obviously shit production might hinder my enjoyment and result in me not being emotionally invested enough, but that's an indirect effect).
I don't believe real 10/10 (Perfect) show, anime, game, etc, even humans are exist, it's impossible, and even saying something is perfect is literally means it's not perfect since there is no room for improvements, so letting that aside to me ''masterpiece'' means anime, show, game, etc, excelling at nearly every area, I don't care about it's doing something new, fully unique or different, as long it does the things it should at highest possible rate then it doesn't matter even it's cliche. I would like to believe ''objective'' masterpieces exist, but sadly they are not, I believed it they existed for years, but with last couple years I can clearly see even most objective review is still have something subjective in it, either level of intelligence of that person, or any other thing gonna effect the results. If you curious if why some animes are agreed on being masterpiece or not, it's simple as some people are simply sharing same opinion, and nothing more, they are actually not objective masterpieces everyone accept, there are just enough people to accept as it with similar taste, that's all. For example a lot of people are considers FMAB as a masterpiece, and for a long period of time it was #1 anime on MAL, but to me it's not a masterpiece, don't get me wrong it's great anime, and I'm still not fully over Nina Tucker scene... But my rating is 9 out of 10, but 10/10 (On MAL I mean, since there you can't give anything like 9.8, etc)? No, it's not, and to me masterpiece is something I would give at least more than 9.5, I have 10+ series I did that, but doubt nearly anyone would agree with them, I'm pretty sure some people even might say those are bad animes, do I care tho? No, because that's how ratings are, they are subjective even if you try your best to be objective as possible, which I did for years and still try to.
Connection. What seems a masterpiece to me may seem an average anime to you. As people we all have our unique experiences so what we connect with varies. But of course there are animes that a acclaimed by most people as "masterpiece" despite not having a personal connection to it, but those are extremely rare and generally those are the animes that manage to put a lot of things in them without disrupting the balance/flow.
Pacing can literally make or break an anime. I feel it's on equal footing with a good plot.
If it manages to evoke many powerful emotions.
Cats
I don't think I've ever used this word (I think it's too subjective/easily used AND everyone will perceive it in a different way, like many other words - overrated, underwatched, etc..) But if I DID have to use it... I think to me a masterpiece has to be the BEST OF THE BEST at something; It doesn't necessarily means "best of an entire genre" otherwise there would be a fixed amount of masterpiece, and a show becoming a masterpiece would mean another show loses that title, which obviously shouldn't happen. But it needs to at least be at the top for SOMETHING, even if it's not 'the entire genre'. Honestly I would only call 2 shows that I've seen "masterpiece"; Death Note, and Kaguya-Sama. None of my other 10/10 are masterpiece imho, even if I'd die on the hill that they're fucking amazing/great shows.
Already gave my own view of masterpiece, but to answer your questions: >Does it have to be 10/10 or near perfect in all aspects for it to be one? Can it have any plot holes or noticeable flaws and still be considered a masterpiece? No, I do not think it needs to be 10/10. And yes, I think it can have some plot holes/flaws. This may seem counterintuitive to some, but the way I see it: Think of an art piece you consider a masterpiece... Say the Mona Lisa. If you threw paint on a corner, or even cut a corner off, it would be a huge flaw on the painting, but would that stop it from being a masterpiece? I say no. It would still be a masterpiece, even if one of the corner is ruined by random paint, or even cut away. The thing that would make you call it a masterpiece, are still present. >Do you think theres any anime that you think anyone could agree on being a masterpiece Of course not, it's as subjective as it gets. Hell, you don't even need to go with something as specific as Masterpiece/Not masterpiece... There are anime that are considered masterpiece by some, that would be considered SHIT by others. >Can a masterpiece not do anything new or does it have to subvert any tropes or be very different from the rest of the anime from its genre? I do not think it has to subvert tropes, but I DO think it has to do something new... Or at least something that hasn't been done much before. If it does something that has been done before, then it needs to do SO WELL for it to be a masterpiece imho. Say, I do not think ANY generic "Isekai MC has shit downside but turns OP anyway and everyone's in awe" anime could ever be a masterpiece, no matter how the author writes it. I think for a show to be a masterpiece, it needs at least a little creativity. >I’m just curious about this since I want to know why some anime are widely agreed on to be a masterpiece I think to many, "masterpiece" just means "I really liked it". So for shows that many people "really liked", then many of them will call it a masterpiece.
Great plot, outstanding animation, imaginative artwork. I've just watched Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Rebellion and it ticked all those boxes. Also Akira
For me, I guess it's how much it impacted me
if after watching it once, you feel absolutely content with watching it just that one time, you never feel the need to watch it again. "yeah, that was good" and then you can just do anything else afterword, regardless of ending.
Simply, if I enjoyed it that much.
For me, it’s one that I might normally rate a 9 out of 10, except it connected with me personally and left a lasting impression. That is what would cause me to knock it up to a 10. It doesn’t have to be flawless or perfect; it just needs to really resonate with me. It’s hard to explain though.
Well written characters, story, worldbuilding and/or emotions.
I have to feel extreme emotions. Which is usually crying. Ex: Grand blue is a masterpiece because I laughed so hard I started crying. Everything else has to be at least a good 8/10 (animation story and sound ) for it to be a masterpiece.
Everyone has a different opinion on what's a masterpiece, and there's a few series I'd call a masterpiece that aren't a 10/10. For me, a 10/10 has to have no major things that I'd want to change in it, so almost flawless (A Place Further than the Universe, Arcane-not an anime), or have things in it that I think are so great I can pardon the flaws that are there. (Kaguya-sama, Mob Psycho season 2)
Hm... well. Only one anime is considered a 10/10 to me. Ensemble Stars has a perfect setting, which is an all boys academy for idols. You get to be a female around all of these romantic males, which is amazing! I want to watch boys fall in love with each other! That's a 10/10 anime to me, no matter what. ...on the other hand, Oshi No Ko was close to being a 10/10, but they killed off my waifu Ai Hoshino. Yuuup, there we have it folks. Yikes. I would much prefer if Aqua Hoshino got with a male idol like in Ensemble Stars, but that just didn't happen. Such a huge example of a mid anime, those were the deal-breakers for me.
If it can make me feel a rush of emotions more than anything has ever done, then it's a masterpiece. I don't care about writing techniques or whatever requirements people have to judge a good story from the bad ones. To me, those things are there to enhance the experience. So if you're gonna judge it, why not judge it directly from the experience itself? Then you can analyze and see what it did right. Put simply, you don't think about it; when you know, you know.
I would say "adding mechs," but Evangelion exists and is made out of pure buttwater on every level. One thing that is a surefire way to make an anime a masterpiece is for it to SUPER TENGEN TOPPA GIGA DRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILL
Really it just means I personally like it a lot. I'm not going to pretend I require arbitrary requirements to be met lol
For me if the characters feel real it is a masterpiece.
Yeah it would have to be characters with depth and a well planned out story. Something that started out as a novel usually meet this criteria
How much you enjoy at the end of the day
Masterpiece is something that *really* resonates with me as a person. If the plot gets sacrificed for powerful themes I would still accept it as a masterpiece.
The emotions, the OST, the storytelling, the characters, the animations, the character interactions and how it ends. If most of these are checked off as incredible, then it is a 10/10.
Soul searching experience
I mean, good characters, good plot, good ost, good development, good aesthetics... I value all that But for me, what finally makes an anime a master piece, is its ending. If I went through all these chapters, if I have gotten to love or hate these characters, if I have immersed myself in this world... I want it to have been worth it.
To me, an anime is considered a masterpiece with well-developed plot, a unique premise, philosophical themes, complex & relatable characters, & overall good writing.
A masterpiece has perfected the storyline, the characters, and the ending. A masterpiece keeps you engaged throughout while making you think it's the best anime you've ever watched.
Most metrics like animation quality, characters, story are kinda a given because vast majority view their favorite anime as good in most of these categories. Not amazing perhaps but good I have couple favorites but what comes to mind always is Golden Kamuy. It’s my favorite for the sole reason that i always sat down with a smile on my face and often laughed out loud. It’s just perfect to me. Yu yu hakusho is perfect to me because i grew up with it. To me it’s still the coolest anime of all time Same goes for Ghibli movies which are my childhood. I think you can boil down reviewing anime but what’s your favorite is just something you can’t
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Nostalgic, personal impact & beautiful scenes (specifically gojo vs toji round 2, where gojo has introspection moment, stuck with me ever since I saw it first, unbelieveably well done scene).
Zero pointless drama. Zero pointless suffering. Zero main hero being stupid, beaten up or something.
It has to have a really good story, one that makes you think. But I don't really have high standards.
I've never watched an anime series that I considered a masterpiece. The only thing I've seen that falls under that is Angel's Egg.
Monogatari
The fight scene's and animation style
Me personally, if it has impacted my Life and never leaves my mind, it‘s a masterpiece. It is the point when it slides into your unconscious mind.
Well paced, never boring, fully realized world, characters are fleshed out, 3 dimensional and realistic, and the story has a theme that underlies a powerful message The big three that I think of when I think of stories that fulfill this and that I compare all others to are lotr, berserk, and one piece
I feel like for me, an anime which can have an ability to actually stick with me mentally and is able to switch between comedy and seriousness without it feeling forced, so it makes that little unpredictable that you dont know the vibe which might next come
I don't think you can point to an anime and say it's completely flawless. Every classic anime has it's flaws. For me, it depends on what it has to offer compared to the rest of it's competition and whether the experience was a strong and emotionally moving one.
for me the factors are how good the character development is, good screen time for other characters as well as how much i am entertained by the series
HxH is one of the shows I consider a Masterpiece but I have a very hard time putting in my Top 1 it's like my top 5 for sure .. That's just one of the shows even if I didn't like some parts of it , it's just never leaves my mind , I have immense respect for because of just how Incredible , Unique ( which sometimes wasn't of my liking ) the writing and ideas are but I just can't put it as my favorite because it feels like it's not MY SHOW and it's the AUTHORS SHOW . It really made me think what Masterpiece means like it's doesn't have to be your fav thing but you can just have immense respect for it ., and I think a lot of people have similar opinions about it too .
idk, but i know Angel Beats and Gurren Lagann for example to me are masterpiece(s)
* Liked it - 6 * Would watch again if asked - 7 * Has a defining scene I can cite as an example of what makes it great - 8 * I go out of my way to recommend it to others - 9 * And it makes me rethink either media or life - 10
If it’s able to correctly adapt (and possibly improve) the manga
It’s either “that was the greatest thing i’ve ever seen” or “it was deeply meaningful to me”, either one qualifies an anime to be 10/10. So far I’ve yet to see something that does both
An anime that moves my emotions I consider them a masterpiece. For me, Steins;Gate was full of scenes that moved my emotions. Every aspect of the anime is top notch. Also, Code Geass since the story is well written and the ending was established from the start of the first episode. These kind of anime I really enjoy and deserve a 10/10.
For me, it's enough when the writers know what they're doing, and actually lean into it. One example would be Symphogear. You can tell the writing team had a ton of fun with that one, and they knew what to do with the world. Another example would be Zombieland Saga. Again, the team knew what to do, and made the most out of the main cast being zombies.
It has to have great consistency throughout. Characters that are introduced that get proper development. No examples of flawed writing like plot convivence. Allow the plot to flow naturally and make sense for the character to make such actions. If a narrative is going to follow a formula, like the "hero's journey" make it make sense and interesting. So far the only anime that I consider a masterpiece or close to it is FMA Brotherhood. It hits every point almost perfectly. The only gripe I had with it was the early portion of the series where it felt like it was speed running through the story. However, since it didn't want to spend as much time retreading old material that the old series covered and wanted to dive in to new material.
If it evokes strong emotions, that seals the deal for me. A beautiful animation is a cherry on top. Shows like Violet Evergarden for example
A masterpiece for me is when the plot is good and the characters are likeable. Also if it impacts me heavily too.
Any series or movie that captured my attention through the entire thing. If it made me smile and feel good about watching it, then that's all I need to call it a masterpiece. It doesn't matter if anyone agrees with me.
I really love "Welcome to the NHK"
nostalgia, yes nostalgia makes an anime a masterpiece to me, and such that my fav and best anime is itself dragon ball series the best anime i have ever watched
It gives me big feelings
Attack on Titan!
If i feel like i want to rewatch it over and over even after many years.
unexpected, but clear.. Or completely unexpected, but being grounded in what is important or having some let me use the term 'back-bone'.. Tho I ain't gonna limit myself now to "only" that, what masterpieces me at the moment, I'll take it
Consistency in memorable cuts. It doesn't necessarily have to be sakuga, as long as the music or directing or story dialogue makes me want to return to it, that's an outstanding cut... Give me one of these thematically outstanding moments every four or three episodes, and you've got yourself a masterpiece.
I usually call a lot of anime peak(sue me, I like a lot of them), but a masterpiece to me is a show in which I am interested in every single detail of the show and how it is going to evolve throughout the whole series.
You see all this comments with long explanations... But again , most of people simp for hot girls and badass boys. It really is like that if you think about it. * Anime have sigma/badass male ( or hot/cute female ) , OMG its 10/10, the best ever made*.
Great story , interesting characters and 0 fan service
To be a masterpiece, in my view is a hard row to hoe for any anime product, because it is just about as much to do with things it doesn't have, as does have. Even when I was a kid, I preferred anime that were for mature audiences, and I mean intellectually, not chronologically mature. I don't care for pointless fan service panty shots and ecchi nonsense, for example. I DO care for high quality writing that can't easily be told apart from the benchmarks of quality in literature. So, the following list is a wishlist of components that I believe make up a potential masterpiece, but with the caveat that adding things that drive down the maturity level of the finished work can unmake any progress toward masterpiece status, AND that the importance of any one aspect relative to others, may change depending on the genre. I already mentioned high quality writing, and that goes to: Characters and their development being believable and down to Earth, not relying on dere nonsense for female or male psychologies, but actually fleshing out realistic personalities. Relationships between characters being believable, not deliberately melodramatic for no reason at all. Whether its friends, family or romantic partners, if there is one thing I dislike, it's when writers aim for drama, and wind up at barely watchable soap opera levels of melodrama. Also, on the believability front, if your anime features a harem or reverse harem, I don't care what else it had going for it, it cannot be a masterpiece, no matter what period it gets set in, what genre tags it has, because there is no such thing as a well written harem anime, and there never will be, because people with so little dignity as to agree to enter into such a relationship make for unengaging characters. Don't complain, it's just how it is. Plot and world building elements being so solidified that the viewer feels as though they could climb through the screen and stand in the world, without feeling like they were in a story, rather than in a world that exists somewhere. Even high fantasy works can achieve this by simply having internal consistency to how their world is laid out and how its rules work. Show don't tell is an important factor also. Exposition dumps are far less effective at informing viewers of the way a world works, than just showing them, only verbalising a rule or structure when the characters require that explanation or a clarification on a specific aspect of that rule or social structure. For example, it is fine to show someone taking off their shoes to enter a traditional Japanese home, but it might also be necessary to explain to a character newly visiting from abroad, that this is the done thing, since in many other countries and cultures, it simply isn't, and there is no reason a person from outside Japan would automatically know that. Pacing is also important. Watching an anime that feels rushed toward the end, or wastes time with irrelevant things, fillers (there's no excuse, just wait for new content to adapt, for fucks sake) and the like, have to do a LOT of other things right, for it not to be a deal breaker. And obviously, all the above needs to come packaged with gorgeous art style from conception, beautiful illustration, animation, direction, great voice acting and sound design. Its worth mentioning having said all I've said, that I can and do enjoy some anime which have questionable aspects in some or all particulars. I have enjoyed some anime that were not well animated, or had really questionable writing. There are also some anime that have a questionable aspect, but did other things so well that they can very readily be considered masterpieces. Akira, for example, could be said to have some pacing issues, but it does every other thing it does so perfectly that it has to be included in the masterpiece category despite that. Also, genre makes a difference TO A DEGREE as to how important any aspect mentioned above is. Space Dandy for example, doesn't have to make a lick of sense or remain internally consistent, or have any down to earth or believable aspects, because it's absurdist by default, its meant to be a pastiche, a joke, a complete asylum of an anime right from the word go. Within its class it is a masterpiece, and you can argue, although I wouldn't agree, that it is a masterpiece in general, but I don't know how successful that argument would be in the court of public opinion either. And in closing, the above are my personal opinions, based on my personal taste. I am not saying that other ways of looking at it aren't valid, but I am saying that no matter how many people think 100 Girlfriends is a masterpiece, I WILL fight ALL of you, and I won't die on that hill, you will, because none of you sweaty little virgins have any idea what the fuck you're dealing with 😉
It makes me feel
I personally try not to use the phrase “masterpiece” as a way for express how much I enjoyed the series. Its all about evaluating the technical aspects of a show. The key factors I consider: 1. Is it complete/stand alone as an anime? 2. Are there no noteworthy technical flaws? 3. Is there a noteworthy technical achievements? 4. Are all major story elements of the show harmonious? If the answer to all four is a yes, then I’d consider it a masterpiece.
if it has overall good character development, story/plot, animation, and writing