Best Anime of 2014

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken?) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 2004, before being transferred to the monthly seinen magazine Ultra Jump in 2005. The current story arc, JoJolion, started in 2011. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is currently Shueisha's second largest manga series with its chapters collected into 112 tankōbon volumes and counting (only Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo, with over 180, has more).

A six-volume original video animation adaptation of the later half of the series' third story arc, Stardust Crusaders, was released from 1993 to 1994 by studio A.P.P.P. Six years later, they produced a seven-volume series adapting the arc's first half from 2000 to 2002. A.P.P.P. also produced a theatrical film of the first arc, Phantom Blood, in 2007. From 2003 to 2005, Super Techno Arts released an English dub of both OVA series as one on DVD in North America. The third story arc of the manga received an English release in North America from 2005 to 2010 by Viz Media, who will also publish the first and second arcs in 2015. A 26-episode television anime, produced by David Production and covering the first two arcs, aired on Tokyo MX and other stations starting in October 2012 and ending in April 2013. A second season covering the third arc began broadcast in April 2014.

The JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga has sold over 80 million copies in Japan alone, making it one of the best-selling manga series in history, and has spawned a large media franchise that includes several novelizations and video games, action figures, a jewelry line, and even snack foods.

Akame ga Kill! (Japanese: アカメが斬る! Hepburn: Akame ga Kiru!?, literally meaning "Akame Kills!") is a Japanese shōnen manga series written by Takahiro and illustrated by Tetsuya Tashiro. It started serialization in Square Enix's Gangan Joker in March 2010. The story focuses on Tatsumi, a young villager who travels to the Capital to raise money for his home only to discover a strong corruption in the area. The assassin group Night Raid recruits the young man to help them in their fight against the Empire to end its corruption.

The series was licensed by Yen Press in June 2014. A prequel manga focused on Akame's backstory, Akame ga Kill! Zero, began serialization in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan in October 2013. An anime television series adaptation of the main series premiered in Japan in July 2014. This is the second work in the Japanese game developer MinatoSoft's Takahiro IV Project.

Tokyo Ghoul (Japanese: 東京喰種-トーキョーグール- Hepburn: Tōkyō Gūru?) is a manga series by Sui Ishida. It was serialized in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump between September 2011 and September 2014 and has been collected in fourteen tankōbon volumes as of August 2014. A sequel titled Tokyo Ghoul:re began serialization in the same magazine in October 2014 and a prequel titled Tokyo Ghoul: JACK is running online on Jump Live. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by studio Pierrot aired on Tokyo MX between July and September 2014 and a second season is in production. Funimation has licensed the anime series for streaming and home video distribution in North America.