Are you in an anime or manga slump? Have you ever wanted to give a gift of (under)appreciated manga or anime to someone? Join our annual Secret Santa event to take part in the fun! The goal of Secret Santa is to get someone to watch and review something that you love, or, you could be a bit evil and make them watch something terrible! But be careful, you might just get a lump of coal in your stocking in return ------ NOTE: Last year, like the year before, many people signed up and didn’t contribute any gifts for their pick (which was overwhelming for our SecretSanta and led to delays sending out the information), or didn’t watch or read any of their own picks. We advise that you don't sign up unless you're 100% committed. We ask that any Secret Santa participants agree to: Watch or read at least one of your picks. If you don’t think you’ll have time to do so, there’s always next year! Reply to the Secret Santa thread with what you thought about your pick by Christmas day. It can even be a single sentence, just let your Santa know what you thought. Also, make sure that you check your forum PMs regularly (not the same thing as the site notifications feature) for messages from Santa. ------ How to sign up Use the format below and comment in the thread: Anime-Planet username: Link to your anime/manga list: Anime, manga, or both is ok? Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: Tags you don't want: Other: Example Form: Anime-Planet username: Northpole Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/NorthPole/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok?: Anime Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: 12 Episodes Tags you don't want: Horror, Mecha… etc. Other: Making your Secret Santa recommendations NorthPole will send you your Secret Santa buddy through a forum PM, around November 19th. The choice is random. You'll then need to choose 3 anime or manga for the person (depending on their requests), and reply back to the NorthPole PM with your choices. Do not PM your recipient! It will spoil the fun! Do not recommend titles that are: Ongoing Music videos Untranslated/incomplete SENDING YOUR PICKS IS DUE BY NOVEMBER 28th Getting your Secret Santa recommendations You'll receive your recommendations around November 29th. If for some reason you can't watch or read any of the titles you were given, you can request a new batch once. Choose at least one of the titles to watch or read. Add your thoughts about at least one of your picks here in the Secret Santa by Christmas day - post them as soon as you like! No minimum date. You can also post links to reviews you’ve made on the site here, but not required. Thread. It helps Santas feel excited about participating to see discussions about your picks. Secret Santa pairs will be announced here in the thread on December 25! Happy holidays and happy anime watching!
Anime-Planet username: NaelSchenfel Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/NaelSchenfel/manga/read Anime, manga, or both is ok? Manga only, please. Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: About 8 volumes or 60 chapters for webmanga/webtoons Tags you don't want: Ecchi, horror, harem and reverse harem, omegaverse, music, sports, age gap (I know it's not a tag but it should be), incest (pseudo-incest is fine), sexual and animal abuse, cars, heavy straight romance (it CAN have romance but it can't be the main focus of the story. But if it's LGBT then it can be pure romance). Other: Nothing from ANY of my lists, please. No 4-Koma. Try to rec me something with good art. Not impossible to find online. Try avoiding titles with too many complex words (such as some sci-fi and military stuff) as English is not my first language but I almost always read in English. As Imagine Dragons says, I'm just a sucker for pain, so if you can, hit me with your saddest drama. If you don't know that many manga, you can recomend me some webtoons or manhuas/manhwas as well, and you can also see if some anime that you enjoy a lot is based on a manga and recomend it to me if you're having a hard time finding something.
Imma join again Anime-Planet username: FoodLife Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/FoodLife/manga Anime, manga, or both is ok? Manga only pls Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: less than 10 volumes, if you can try to give me 3-5 picks Tags you don't want: none, hit me with your best/worst picks Other: you can take some stuff from my WTR if you want to. also extra points if its depressing and/or wholesome
Anime-Planet username: Starletka Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Starletka/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok: anime Maximum episode (anime): 13-ish (movies are okay, too) Tags you don't want: - Other: please give me 3 different genres
Anime-Planet username: Max4444 Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Max4444/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok? Anime only Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: 15 episodes (movies are fine too) Tags you don't want: Mecha, ecchi, harem (reverse harem is good though), romance (unless it's gay/reverse harem). Other: I like dark/mystery stuff, overpowered main characters & pretty boys. I would like the three anime to be different genres. Doesn't matter if the anime is on my want to watch list or not on any of my lists, but I don't want anything from my watched, stalled or dropped lists.
Anime-Planet username: HowtoProcrastinate Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/howtoprocrastinate/anime/watching Anime, manga, or both is ok? Anime Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: 30 episodes Tags you don't want: Harem, Ecchi Other: I would prefer picks I haven't seen before. Feel free to use my WTW list. I like psychological, horror, and slice-of-life anime. (FYI my rating are a bit inaccurate).
Anime-Planet username: Rascal Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Rascal/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok?: Both are fine, but I would prefer Anime. Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: 100 episode limit, 200 chapter limit Tags you don't want: Romance, Shoujo-ai, Shounen-ai, BL, GL, Borderline-h, Ecchi Other: Look, I know I've watched a lot of Anime. If you don't know of any good anime you'd like to give me that I haven't seen, then Manga is an option. But please try to give me anime, as I much, much prefer Anime. :D My Want to Watch is not off limits.
Anime-Planet username: gravityleap Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/gravityleap/anime/watched?sort=rating Anime, manga, or both is ok? just anime this year, please:) Maximum episode (anime) limits: no more than 30 episodes Tags you don't want: harem, borderline h, bdsm, fetish, military, explicit sex, explicit violence, sports Other: feel free to suggest something from my Want to Watch, but not stalled or dropped please no rewatches, second seasons, or spin-offs I love elaborate plots, strong character relationships, and weird artistic stuff. my favorite anime currently is "Madoka Magica", which has all of that lol. it doesn't have to be insanely high-budget to be creative. I'm really into futuristic, high-tech settings, so that's mostly what I would like to see. so far I've been disappointed with fantasy/fairy-tale settings in anime, but if you want to suggest one you think is really well done, go for it. something focusing on Japanese folklore would be really cool. I think in the last two years I did this I said no romance, but I've been more open to that lately. I like seeing super wholesome, cute relationships. I AM incredibly gay, but ik there's not a lot of good queer anime out there, so I won't complain I would like something more serious this year than "Keijo" and "Konosuba". I've written reviews in the past, but I think I was mostly bullshitting and goofing off, so just. ignore those. the only reviews I take seriously are the ones I write for Secret Santa recs. important: please don't suggest anything involving child or animal abuse. that was the thing that ruined (otherwise awesome) "Dragon Maid" for me. "it was just a running gag, it was supposed to be funny!" I don't think it's funny. I don't want to see it.
Firstly, I'm willing to volunteer & watch stuff from people whose original participant bailed on them, and I'm also willing to make anime lists for people whose Santa gave them crappy anime recs/stuff they can't watch, or their Santa didn't give recs at all. Just let me know. :) I won't do manga/Manhua/Manhwa/LN/Web Novel recommendations though, since I haven't read a lot, and what I have, most people have already read or ARE reading... Anime Planet Username: OkamiHime95 Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/OkamiHime95/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok: Anime only, please. Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: Preferably around 12-15 episodes, but I'd be willing to watch stuff around 50 episodes, if you think I'll love them. (Movies, OVA's, specials, and stuff with short episodes are fine too. :)) Just keep in mind that if they're more than 2-cour, I might not finish them in time. Tags you don't want: Harem (but I love REVERSE harem), Political, Ecchi, Horror (I have PTSD & get nightmares easily, so unless the horror is not the main theme/there's very little of it, and not actually scary, I won't watch the majority of stuff with the horror tag...Yes there were exceptions like Castlevania & Hellsing/Hellsing Ultimate, but VERY rarely am I comfortable with stuff from the genre), Incest, Omegaverse, Age-Gap (though I can tolerate it if the gap isn't huge and the romance isn't abusive), GL/Yuri, Yaoi, Sexual abuse/sexual content/explicit sex, Shoujo-Ai, brother/sister complex, Dark comedy/fantasy, Borderline-H, BDSM, Cannibalism, Medical, Tsundere, tons of nudity, Fetish, Military/War, World War 2, Based on Eroge, Dementia, Split personality, Gender-bender, tons of realistic gore & organs. Other: Please feel free to recommend me more than 3 titles! :D I'll try to watch at least 3 by the deadline, but I may need more time to watch more than that. I will NOT watch anything in my dropped/stalled/won't watch lists, but my WTW list is fair game. (Yes, I know they're huge... Just breathe. xD) Don't rec me anything that I'm already watching, since that wouldn't make sense. Recs MUST be fully available & free on legal streaming sites. (Hulu, USA Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Anime Planet, Pluto. I don't have Funi, nor do I have Premium for Crunchyroll.) Also, you'd be a lifesaver if you mentioned what your recs are available on, like "This anime is on Hulu, and THIS one is on Netflix" etc, so I don't have to spend hours searching which ones are where. My favorite genres are SOL/Iyashikei, Monster raising, Fantasy, Adventure, Shonen/Seinen/Josei/Shojo, Romance (if the romance isn't abusive), Cooking/Baking/Cafe/food/drink related, Mythology, Chinese & Korean animation, Sports (particularly fishing, golf, basketball, American football, Badminton, & Tennis), Mystery, Victorian era/period pieces (Similar to Emma: A Victorian Romance, for a general idea), Thriller, Stop-Motion, and music, if that helps. I don't have much confidence in writing reviews, despite having written several, so please go easy on me if you read them... I'm extremely picky with Comedy, so don't let it be over the top or dumb like Aho-Girl, or Spaceship Tiramisu. (Sorry, but I hated them.) I don't care what era they're from, as long as the story & characters are good. I'd prefer some variety, since last year all I got was Romance. (And they weren't even GOOD romance... -_-) Do you have favorites you wanna rec me? Go ahead, they might become mine too! ^_^ Have I seen all your favorites? Well, I'd be willing to rewatch something that I rated above 3 stars, but I'd prefer to watch at least SOMETHING that I haven't seen before. I'm fine with English Dub if the voice acting is good, otherwise if they're in Japanese, Korean, or Chinese, they need English subtitles.
First year I had to make recs for someone with over 2000 watched anime, second year I had to make recs for someone who only wanted manga which I know very little about. I wonder what will go horribly wrong this year. I'm gonna predict that I will have to make recs for someone with no ratings on anything.
Anime-Planet username: Warpuppy Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Warpuppy/anime/watched?sort=rating Anime, manga, or both is ok?: Anime only Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: 30 Episodes Tags you don't want: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Warpuppy/hates/tags Other: - English dubs preferred - Modern anime preferred (2010 and later) - Some variety would be good, last year all 3 of my recs were romance anime. - I have a lot of time on my hands this holiday season, so if you want to give more than 3 I will watch as many as I can, but I will review at least 3.
In my first year, my person never showed up nor watched anything I recommended them, and last year my Secret Santa recommended me kinda mediocre anime (thank goodness for the kind souls that were willing to "adopt" me last year as their participant, and actually gave me GOOD recs <3), and my own participant only (albeit barely) liked one thing I recommended, despite them saying they were fine with anything... Soooo, I'm hoping 3rd times the charm!
Let's start with I am willing to make extra lists if people dont show up to make one for their assigned partner. Just let me know! Anime-Planet username: JordanJas Link to your anime/manga list: JordanJas's Anime List | Anime-Planet Anime, manga, or both is ok? Anime this year I think. Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: I would prefer 13 ep or under but will go to a MAX of 16 eps this year. (last year they were too long) Tags you don't want: Absolutely no GL, Mecha, Sports, anything to do with Space, and Horror. I will not watch them. I am also not really a fan of stuff like based on an eroge or borderline H. I also tend not to be a fan of stuff that is pre-2000 though I prefer newer than 2005 I will at least look at everything. Other: I love fantasy, isekai, magic, action, adventure, and cultivation. I am also really into Chinese anime right now so if you could give me at least one that is Chinese that I have not seen yet I would love you! Anything on my wtw list or not is fair game. No rewatches or dropped, stalled, or won't watch please! I tend to try anything once so feel free to send me something a little quirky too! Movies, OVa's, Specials, Web Shows, TV Shows, all are welcome! I am hoping for a better year this year! Feel free to give me more than 3 as well. I do a lot of watching for the Anime Bingo Challenge so usually watch a lot of different stuff!
Anime-Planet username: randomredneck Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/randomredneck/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok?: Anime. Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: 24. Tags you don't want: Romance, drama and sports. None of that mess. Other: If it's got Aoi Yuuki in it, do feel free to pick it for me. Always in the mood for more Aoi Yuuki. Also, just 3 or 4 shows please. I have the attention span of a squirrel.
Anime-Planet username: featherstone Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/featherstone/manga/reading Anime, manga, or both is ok? Manga - can be ongoing one with at least 1 vol. (since I don't believe there is an anime that I would really like. and I don't know anything about it) Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: a volume? If I like it I will read more anyway, a lot more ;) Tags you don't want: BL unless in gender-bender situation. Physical B-B is prohibited unless its some random meaningless scene in an overall good story. I really don't like sport tag as a main focus. Otherwise anything goes. Other: Please do not give me something that is on my lists. I love good adventure with travelling aspects. If you have more than 3 recs and can't decide, send them all.
Anime-Planet username: Cherstal Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Cherstal/manga Anime, manga, or both is ok? Just manga pls Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: No limit, but if it's really long I can't guarantee that I'll have completed it all by Christmas. Will still post about what I have read so far though if that ends up being the case Tags you don't want: Harem, Isekai Other: I haven't read a lot of manga so I'm trying to branch out and check out different genres! Feel free to rec me something even if it isn't a type of manga I've read much of before. Stuff from my WtR is fine, but at least 1 pick not on there would be cool. Also no manga that I've already seen the anime of, pls and ty! :)
Anime-Planet username: kakajoju Link to your anime/manga list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Kakajoju/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok? Both is okay (anime preferred tho) Maximum episode (anime) and/or volume (manga) limits: 30 episodes and 250 chapters Tags you don't want: Borderline H & Explicit Sex Other: I'm in a reading/watching slump so you can go ham. Having a diversity of genres would be nice. Picking a few stuff from my wtw is okay by me, I personally don't even know what's gathering dust up in there. Also going over 3 picks is fine by me, the more the merrier.
Anime-Planet username: JamesSofort Link to your anime list: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/JamesSofort/anime Anime, manga, or both is ok? Anime Please Maximum episode limits: 20 episodes Tags you don't want: Chinese animation, Korean animation Other: I would appreciate if it's something that's not in my Want to Watch list.