Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom (2009– )

It was pure luck that i came across this anime. With a name as cumbersome and kind of corny as Phantom:Requiem for the Phantom, I'm still surprised that i noticed this anime. While not very popular, this anime had very high ratings so I decided to give it a shot. The first few episodes were intriguing enough to keep me watching. The noir and ethereal theme of the show paired in a way that was totally original. By the time the action picked up in the show, I was completely hooked. Excellent storytelling, plenty of action (but not at the expense of the story), surprising plot twists, and deeply developed characters make me wonder why this anime isn't well-known ( i think it may have to do with the OVAs that were also based on the Phantom of Inferno story. The OVAs followed a different route and were pretty crappy). Despite being a show about assassins and crime, you still feel connected to the story of human tragedy/redemption. I appreciated the references to the movie Leon the Professional. In some ways, I believe Phantom Requiem for the Phantom did things with the story and characters even better than Leon. If only drug-addict Gary Oldman could have been in Phantom. This is easily my 2nd favorite anime ever (after Berserk of course). A must- watch for any anime or crime-noir fan.