Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come a long way from just being a dream to becoming an integral part of our lives. From self-driving cars to smart assistants including Alexa, every industry vertical is leveraging the capabilities of AI. The software testing industry is also leveraging AI to enhance security testing efforts while automating human testing efforts.

AI and ML-based security testing efforts are helping test engineers to save a lot of time while ensuring the delivery of robust security solutions for apps and enterprises.

During security testing, it is essential to gather as much information as you can to increase the odds of your success. Hence, it is crucial to analyze the target carefully to gather the maximum amount of information.

Manual efforts to gather such a huge amount of information could eat up a lot of time. Hence, AI is leveraged to automate the stage and deliver flawless results while saving a lot of time and resources. Security experts can use the combination of AI and ML to identify a massive variety of details including the software and hardware component of computers and the network they are deployed on.

SEE ALSO:Amazons new ML service Amazon CodeGuru: Let machine learning optimize your Java code

Applying machine learning to the application scan results can help in a significant reduction of manual labor that is used in identifying whether the issue is exploitable or not. However, findings should always be reviewed by test engineers to decide whether the findings are accurate.

The key benefit that ML offers is its capability to filter out huge chunks of information during the scanning phase. It helps focus on a smaller block of actionable data, which offers reliable results while significantly reducing scan audit times.

An ML-based security scan results audit can significantly reduce the time required for security testing services. Machine learning classifiers can be trained through knowledge and data generated through previous tests for automation of new scan results processing. It can help enterprises triage static code results. Organizations can benefit from a large pool of data collated through multiple scans ongoing on a regular basis to get more contextual results.

This stage includes controlling multiple network devices to churn out data from the target or leverage the devices to launch attacks on multiple targets. After scanning the vulnerabilities, test engineers are required to ensure that the system is free of flaws that be used by attackers to affect the system.

AI-based algorithms can help ensure the protection of network devices by suggesting multiple combinations of strong passwords. Machine learning can be programmed to identify the vulnerability of the system though observation of user data while identifying patterns to make possible suggestions about used passwords.

AI can also be used to access the network on a regular basis to ensure that any security loophole is not building up. The algorithms capability should include identification of new admin accounts, new network access channels, encrypted channels and backdoors among others.

SEE ALSO:Artificial intelligence & machine learning: The brain of a smart city

ML-backed security testing services can significantly reduce triage pain because triage takes a lot of time if organizations rely on manual efforts. Manual security testing efforts would require a large workforce to go through all the scan results only and will take a lot of time to develop efficient triage. Hence, manual security testing is neither feasible nor scalable to meet the security needs of enterprises.

Aside, application inventory numbers used to be in the hundreds before, but now enterprises are dealing with thousands of apps. With organizations scanning their apps every month, the challenges are only increasing for security testing teams. Test engineers are constantly trying to reduce the odds of potential attacks while enhancing efficiency to keep pace with agile and continuous development environment.

Embedded AI and ML can help security testing teams in delivering greater value through automation of audit processes that are more secure and reliable.

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The impact of ML and AI in security testing - JAXenter

As we dive deeper into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there is no disputing how technology serves as a catalyst for growth and innovation for many businesses across a range of functions and industries.

But one technology that is steadily gaining prominence across organizations includes machine learning (ML).

In the simplest terms, ML is the science of getting computers to learn and act like humans do without being programmed. It is a form of artificial intelligence (AI) and entails feeding machine data, enabling the computer program to learn autonomously and enhance its accuracy in analyzing data.

The proliferation of technology means AI is now commonplace in our daily lives, with its presence in a panoply of things, such as driverless vehicles, facial recognition devices, and in the customer service industry.

Currently, asset managers are exploring the potential that AI/ML systems can bring to the finance industry; close to 60 percent of managers predict that ML will have a medium-to-large impact across businesses.

MLs ability to analyze large data sets and continuously self-develop through trial and error translates to increased speed and better performance in data analysis for financial firms.

For instance, according to the Harvard Business Review, ML can spot potentially outperforming equities by identifying new patterns in existing data sets and examine the collected responses of CEOs in quarterly earnings calls of the S&P 500 companies for the past 20 years.

Following this, ML can then formulate a review of good and bad stocks, thus providing organizations with valuable insights to drive important business decisions. This data also paves the way for the system to assess the trustworthiness of forecasts from specific company leaders and compare the performance of competitors in the industry.

Besides that, ML also has the capacity to analyze various forms of data, including sound and images. In the past, such formats of information were challenging for computers to analyze, but todays ML algorithms can process images faster and better than humans.

AUTOMATION

For example, analysts use GPS locations from mobile devices to pattern foot traffic at retail hubs or refer to the point of sale data to trace revenues during major holiday seasons. Hence, data analysts can leverage on this technological advancement to identify trends and new areas for investment.

It is evident that ML is full of potential, but it still has some big shoes to fil if it were to replace the role of an investor.

Nishant Kumar aptly explained this in Bloomberg, Financial data is very noisy, markets are not stationary and powerful tools require deep understanding and talent thats hard to get. One quantitative analyst, or quant, estimates the failure rate in live tests at about 90 percent. Man AHL, a quant unit of Man Group, needed three years of workto gain enough confidence in a machine-learning strategy to devote client money to it. It later extended its use to four of its main money pools.

In other words, human talent and supervision are still essential to developing the right algorithm and in exercising sound investment judgment. After all, the purpose of a machine is to automate repetitive tasks. In this context, ML may seek out correlations of data without understanding their underlying rationale.

One ML expert said, his team spends days evaluating if patterns by ML are sensible, predictive, consistent, and additive. Even if a pattern falls in line with all four criteria, it may not bear much significance in supporting profitable investment decisions.

The bottom line is ML can streamline data analysis steps, but it cannot replace human judgment. Thus, active equity managers should invest in ML systems to remain competitive in this innovate or die era. Financial firms that successfully recruit professionals with the right data skills and sharp investment judgment stands to be at the forefront of the digital economy.

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Can machine learning take over the role of investors? - TechHQ

Smart personal audio devices are lookingto have the strongest year in history in 2019, with true wireless stereo set to be the largest and fastest growing category, according to new data released by analyst firm Canalys.

New figures released show that in Q3 2019, the worldwide smart personal audio device market grew 53% to reach 96.7 million units. And the segment is expected to break the 100 million unit mark in the final quarter, with potential to exceed 350 million units for the full year.

Canalys latest research showed the TWS category was not only the fastest growing segment in this market, with a stellar 183% annual growth in Q3 2019, but it also overtook wireless earphones and wireless headphones to become the largest category.

The rising importance of streaming content, and the rapid uptake in a new form of social media including short videos, resulted in profound changes in mobile users audio consumption and these changes will accelerate in the next five years while technology advancements like machine learning and smart assistants will bring more radical innovations in areas such as audio content discovery and ambient computing, explainsNicole Peng, vice president of mobility at Canalys.

As users adjust their consumption habits, Peng says the TWS category enabled smartphone vendors to adapt and differentiate against traditional audio players in the market.

With 18.2 million units shipped in Q3 2019, Apple commands 43% of the TWS market share and continues to be the trend setter.

Apple is in clear leadership position and not only on the chipset technology front. The seamless integration with iPhone, unique sizing and noise cancelling features providing top of the class user experience, is where other smartphone vendors such as Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi are aiming their TWS devices," says Peng.

"In the short-term, smart personal audio devices are seen as the best up-selling opportunities for smartphone vendors, compared with wearables and smart home devices."

Major audio brands such as Bose, Sennheiser, JBL, Sony and others are currently able to stand their ground with their respective audio signatures especially in the earphones and headphones categories, the research shows.

Canalys senior analyst Jason Low says demand for high-fidelity audio will continue to grow. However, the gap between audio players and smartphone vendors is narrowing.

"Smartphone vendors are developing proprietary technologies to not only catch up in audio quality, but also provide better integration for on-the-move user experiences, connectivity and battery life, he explains.

Traditional audio players must not underestimate the importance of the TWS category. The lack of control over any connected smart devices is the audio players biggest weakness," Low says.

"Audio players must come up with an industry standard enabling better integration with smartphones, while allowing developers to tap into the audio features to create new use cases to avoid obsoletion."

Low says the potential for TWS devices is far from being fully uncovered, and vendors must look beyond TWS as just a way to drive revenue growth.

"Coupled with information collected from sensors or provided by smart assistants via smartphones, TWS devices will become smarter and serve broader use cases beyond audio entertainments, such as payment, and health and fitness, he explains.

"Regardless of the form factor, the next challenge will be integrating smarter features and complex services on the smart personal audio platforms. Canalys expects the market of smart personal audio devices to grow exponentially in the next two years and the cake is big enough for many vendors to come in and compete for the top spots as technology leaders and volume leaders.

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Machine learning to grow innovation as smart personal device market peaks - IT Brief New Zealand

One of the most used machine learning (ML) algorithms of this year, reinforcement learning (RL) has been utilised to solve complex decision-making problems. In the present scenario, most of the researches are focussed on using RL algorithms which helps in improving the performance of the AI model in some controlled environment.

Ubisofts prototyping space, Ubisoft La Forge has been doing a lot of advancements in its AI space. The goal of this prototyping space is to bridge the gap between the theoretical academic work and the practical applications of AI in videogames as well as in the real world. In one of our articles, we discussed how Ubisoft is mainstreaming machine learning into game development. Recently, researchers from the La Forge project at Ubisoft Montreal proposed a hybrid AI algorithm known as Hybrid SAC, which is able to handle actions in a video game.

Most reinforcement learning research papers focus on environments where the agents actions are either discrete or continuous. However, when training an agent to play a video game, it is common to encounter situations where actions have both discrete and continuous components. For instance, when wanting the agent to control systems that have both discrete and continuous components, like driving a car by combining steering and acceleration (both continuous) with the usage of the hand brake (a discrete binary action).

This is where Hybrid SAC comes into play. Through this model, the researchers tried to sort out the common challenges in video game development techniques. The contribution consists of a different set of constraints which is mainly geared towards industry practitioners.

The approach in this research is based on Soft Actor-Critic which is designed for continuous action problems. Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) is a model-free algorithm which was originally proposed for continuous control tasks, however, the actions which are mostly encountered in video games are both continuous as well as discrete.

In order to deal with a mix of discrete and continuous action components, the researchers converted part of SACs continuous output into discrete actions. Thus the researchers further explored this approach and extended it to a hybrid form with both continuous and discrete actions. The researchers also introduced Hybrid SAC which is an extension to the SAC algorithm that can handle discrete, continuous and mixed actions discrete-continuous.

The researchers trained a vehicle in a Ubisoft game by using the proposed Hybrid SAC model with two continuous actions (acceleration and steering) and one binary discrete action (hand brake). The objective of the car is to follow a given path as fast as possible, and in this case, the discrete hand brake action plays a key role in staying on the road at such a high speed.

Hybrid SAC exhibits competitive performance with the state-of-the-art on parameterised actions benchmarks. The researchers showed that this hybrid model can be successfully applied to train a car on a high-speed driving task in a commercial video game, also, demonstrating the practical usefulness of such an algorithm for the video game industry.

While working with the mixed discrete-continuous actions, the researchers have gained several experiences and shared them as a piece of advice to obtain an appropriate representation for a given task.They are mentioned below

comments

A Technical Journalist who loves writing about Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. A lover of music, writing and learning something out of the box. Contact: ambika.choudhury@analyticsindiamag.com

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This AI Agent Uses Reinforcement Learning To Self-Drive In A Video Game - Analytics India Magazine

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In 2019, Mary Kay Inc. continued its decades-long commitment to enriching the lives of women around the globe, manufacturing irresistible products and building healthier, more sustainable communities. In recognition of Mary Kays achievements throughout the year, the brand has taken home more than 20 coveted awards in the business, corporate citizenship and leadership categories from various reputable sources.

The awards, which range from Forbes Best Midsize Employers for 2019 to Best in Show at Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship Film Festival, highlight Mary Kays unwavering business values and its dedication to the principles defined by the brands legendary founder, Mary Kay Ash.

Awards in 2019 include:

Excellence in Business

Excellence in Corporate Citizenship

Excellence in Leadership

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company more than 56 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ashs original vision continues to shineone lipstick at a time. Learn more at MaryKay.com.

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Mary Kay Inc. Earns More Than 20 Prestigious Awards in Business, Corporate Citizenship and Leadership Categories Throughout Remarkable 2019 - Business...

At a recent Indian actors round-table which featured performers from all over the country, Malayalam film actor Parvathy Thiruvothu stood out for voicing her mind and calling out the misogyny in Indian films. The show featured three actors from south Indian films and five from Hindi cinema, of whom at least four were successful mainstream stars. This says much about the lists we create and how the bests are identified. Among the performances featured on the show as one of the finest was that of the male lead of the deeply problematic Arjun Reddy (Telugu, 2017).

Parvathys comments invited considerable public attention because it is indeed rare for a successful actor to take on misogyny or similar social issues that are wrongly coloured within the cinema ecosystem. That she did so in the presence of her colleagues, who were otherwise engaged in polite conversation about method acting, genre and managing social media, is commendable.

Typically, most Indian actors speak before film releases or parrot tailor made publicity statements. Most media interactions are also engineered with facile questions.

These conversations can sometimes be peppered with lines on womens empowerment, caste issues, and various forms of exploitation, if they have some bearing on the film in question. Consider the stoic silence of most mainstream leading actors when the country is being ravaged by protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Often, actors tend to pick issues depending on the films they endorse. In most cases, these decisions are influenced by commercial gains and not ideology. A question then arises: is the Indian actor largely apolitical? There are a few exceptions, like Swara Bhaskar, Richa Chaddha, Mohd Zeeshan Ayub and many from Malayalam cinema, but the question is to be answered in the affirmative.

At times, purported social concerns of Indian actors are reflected through dalliances with electoral politics but thats often done primarily for personal gains. On occasion, some have joined politics to save a fledgling career. This is not to suggest that actors ought to be activists or espouse social issues, but their choice of films says a lot about their truest convictions.

Things are however different in the West. In 2017, Meryl Streep used her Golden Globes Award speech to castigate Donald Trump. In 2018, Cate Blanchett delivered a wonderful speech on gender equality at the Cannes Film Festival. In contrast, our award functions are like soap operas where members of the film fraternity smile benevolently from the front rows while their associates accept awards and thank each other.

In a departure, the show referenced above had Parvathy airing her concerns about Telugu film Arjun Reddy, in the presence of the male lead of the film, Vijay Devarakonda. Rejecting the gentle, conversational format that is the norm in these shows, she expressed her discomfort with the portrayal of abuse, camouflaging as love, in films. She also mentioned that cinema shouldnt be used to mainstream or normalise deviance and violence.

This conversation could be an important beginning to breach the genteel ambience of these shows, where womens issues are reduced to mere glib talk and celeb-gazing. Lest we forget, Parvathy was also subjected to vicious trolling when she took on Malayalam superstar Mammootty for his depiction of a rogue cop and dialogues denigrating women in the film Kasaba (2016). Along with other comrades, she later contributed to the establishment of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), which comprises some of the finest talent in contemporary Malayalam cinema. We need many more similar interventions by actors.

Kunal Ray teaches literary and cultural studies at FLAME University, Pune

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Standing up to on-screen abuse - The Hindu

Investors have never had a better decade than the 2010s. Certainly, the U.S stock market did incredibly and Canada was solid. But the real gains were in investor empowerment. A decade of competition, innovation and regulation has brought lower costs, more choice and more transparency to individual investors. Lets look at some of the highlights.

Robo-advisers have been around for five or so years in the Canadian market, not long enough to build a significant market presence. So dont succumb to the temptation to write them off as a faddish riff on fintech (financial technology) that will never go mainstream.

What robos offer is vitally important low-cost help in building and maintaining a properly built portfolio of exchange-traded funds. There isnt a financial goal in life that cant be achieved using a robo-adviser.

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Why use a robo? Because you dont want to buy overpriced mutual funds from your bank; because you cant find an investment adviser to handle your modest account; or you have an adviser, but she or he is only interested in selling you overpriced mutual funds. Robos connect investors to effective investment portfolios in an economical, effective way.

ETFs were on track in fall 2019 to outsell mutual funds for the second straight year. With more than $200-billion in assets as of Nov. 30, assets held in ETFs are still only about 12.5 per cent of the amount invested in mutual funds. But ETFs now have the momentum the mutual fund industry had in its 1990s heyday.

The ETF industrys growth isnt a totally great story for investors. In particular, theres a tendency to issue funds to capture trends that any experienced investor knows are both temporary and bound to end badly. But the benefits of ETF growth outweigh the negatives. You can now buy ETFs to track the Canadian stock market with a management expense ratio of 0.06 per cent. Thats awfully close to zero.

Yes, you do have to pay commissions to an online broker to trade ETFs. But over the past decade, several brokers have conditionally limited or eliminated these costs.

Balanced ETFs took off immediately after their introduction in early 2018, which shows just how useful this product is. A balanced ETF is a fund of funds, which means it holds ETFs tracking stock and bond indexes in mixes that appeal to conservative, middling and aggressive investors.

How to be a successful investor: Pick a balanced ETF to suit your needs, then add money regularly over decades. You dont need to rebalance your holdings because thats done for you. The cost of owning balanced ETFs? About 0.2 per cent to 0.25 per cent, which is a monster-size bargain in comparison with the balanced funds the mutual fund industry offers.

A lot of big U.S. online brokers cut their stock-trading commissions to zero in 2019, and the response from Canadian brokers was predictably lame. We are still waiting to see whether any brokers in this country will even reduce commissions, never mind eliminate them.

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But lets take the long view here. As the past decade began, investors were paying about $29 minimum to trade at the big bank-owned firms, or about $9.99 flat if they had $100,000 in assets with their broker. The $100,000 requirement for $9.99 trades later fell to $50,000 at bank-owned brokers and then started to disappear altogether at mid-decade.

Still lower commissions were available from independents Questrade and Virtual Brokers. They helped put pressure on the big players to cut costs.

Fee-for-service planning has been around a long time, but mainly as a service for wealthy families. Now, its starting to catch on with a much wider swath of the population. Apparently, theres an appetite for paying hundreds and, often, thousands of dollars to get questions about debt, retirement, taxes and more answered by someone who does not sell investments or want to manage your portfolio.

As noted in a recent Portfolio Strategy column, some fee-for-service planners are so busy they have waiting lists. There are now enough planners of this type to populate a national directory you can download here.

More and more fee-for-service planners are segmenting their services so you can buy a full, big-picture plan, or discuss specific matters such as the affordability of buying a house, debt reduction and retirement planning. Fee-for-service planners usually dont discuss specific securities, but they can help you find the right mix of stocks and bonds to meet your investing goals.

If youre interested in any sort of financial planning, make sure you deal with a properly accredited planner. The top designations are the certified financial planner (CFP) and the registered financial planner (RFP).

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Money market funds were the go-to place to park cash until the financial crisis came along and sent interest rates into the sub-basement. The 10-year annualized return for one of the countrys largest money market funds was 0.7 per cent as of Nov. 30, which compares with an average inflation rate of 1.7 per cent over that period.

The better option is the high-interest saving account packaged either as a mutual fund or ETF. Returns as of late December ranged from 1.4 per cent to 1.6 per cent for high-interest savings account mutual funds and roughly 2 per cent for the ETFs. I recently compiled a full list of the savings account products offered by all major online brokers.

Sorry for the jargon, but CRM2 (for client relationship model, phase two) is what everyone calls the regulations introduced in 2017 to improve disclosure of fees and returns for individual investors. Every January, investors receive a statement showing what they have paid for advice in dollar terms and their annual returns.

CRM2 is not comprehensive enough. Mainly, there needs to be more information to show the full range of fees paid by investors who own mutual funds. But think back to the level of pre-CRM2 disclosure. Returns for the previous quarter or month, with no long-term numbers. Advice fees described in percentage terms only, which has less impact than fees shown in dollars.

The bottom line with CRM2 is that investors are better informed about advice fees and returns than they used to be. If they read their CRM2 statements, that is.

Stay informed about your money. We have a newsletter from personal finance columnist Rob Carrick. Sign up today.

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These trends of the past decade made investors smarter and richer, and they can do the same in the 2020s - The Globe and Mail

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Its the dawn of a new decade and based on new survey insights, it might be a naughty one.

More than half of American adults already own a sex toy and one in four hope to start or expand their collection in 2020, according to the Sex and the State of the Union survey conducted by Lovers Family of Stores. When asked which titillating activities adults want to do more of in the year ahead, 32% of participants hope to do the deed in risky or unexpected places, while 22% want to watch adult videos with their partner and 21% want to ratchet up the role playing. The top answer though? 38% simply wish for a romantic, sex-centered evening in with their sweetie.

As a retailer, were beyond thrilled to see the stigma around sex and intimacy lifting! says VP of Marketing for Lovers Family of Stores Jessica Ivey. These survey results mirror what were experiencing on the retail side: people are less discouraged by their embarrassment and more encouraged by unlocking their pleasure potential when it comes to fun, sex and intimacy.

So, who exactly is getting down with the get down and what are the trends for 2020? The survey reveals these top stats:

Jennie Ketcham Crooks, therapist and anxiety specialist, reviewed these results in-depth and had a unique perspective on the findings. People are talking about sex more so now than at any other time in historyits also everywhere. We see it on television and can access pornographic images on our handheld devices, said Lovers in-house sexpert Ketcham Crooks. The mainstream media is more openly discussing all things sex, especially the darker areas of sex after the #MeToo movement, so it makes sense that we are witnessing this uptick in perceived social acceptance. We are actually talking about whats okay and what isnt okay, and as a byproduct of that conversation, we end up having open and honest conversations about sexual habits.

By Movement

Female Sexual Empowerment

58% of females reported owning a sex toy, and with 75% of adults comfortable with the growing movement and support for female sexual empowerment, its no wonder we're seeing a spike in sex toy ownership and less-elusive female orgasm. And, only 10% perceived female sexual empowerment to be less socially accepted than it was a decade ago. You go, girls! According to Lovers sexpert Ketcham Crooks, weve still got work to do on this front. Popular culture and the medical field are still trying to debunk the belief that bringing a man to the brink of an orgasm and then not completing the task is dangerous for mens health. There is no such mythology for women; in fact, we have been socialized to 'fake it' if our partner doesnt do the deed.

Gender Fluidity

"They" is the 2019 word of the year, but less than half of Americans say they are comfortable with gender fluidity. Unsurprisingly, Millennials and Gen X are the most comfortablebut not as comfortable as you'd think. When responding to this survey, only 57% of Millennials reported being comfortable with gender fluidity and more than one-third of Gen Xers reported being uncomfortablewith 20% of both groups reporting they were "completely uncomfortable" with fluid gender identity. And the OK Boomer trend came to life in the results, as we saw a complete flip in opinion between Gen X and BoomersBoomers reported being 65% uncomfortable and 35% comfortable with transgender identity whereas Gen X reported the exact opposite: 35% uncomfortable and 65% comfortable.

When asked if there had been any perceived change in social acceptance around gender identity, 73% of adults responded that there has been a positive shift in the overall acceptance of gender fluidity.

Open Relationships

One-third of adults have either been in, have thought about or talked about being an open relationshipthough survey results show that nearly a quarter of Americans think open relationships are less socially acceptable in the eye of the public than they were a decade ago. Gen Zers and Millennials were most comfortable with the idea of an open relationship, but it was a 50/50 split between the two camps in both age groups.

Ketcham Crooks weighed in on this and said, This finding is interesting because these are also two generations of individuals for whom mixed families have been normalized. Many of us (as a Millennial myself) witnessed our parents' attempts at monogamy fail and became open to less traditional familial relationship constructs. It may also be that, due to the internet and ease of access to information, we are exposed to all of the ways relationships can look.

Sex Toy Ownership

Americans who took this survey like their trinkets and toys, and those who own them proved to be most open and adventurous when it came to all things sex. 20% of sex-toy owners are looking for some backdoor action in 2020, along with 38% who are interested in a new position or technique to try in the bedroom. Almost half of all sex toy owners also reported they are looking to add a new gadget to their bedside drawer next year and are equally as likely to visit a retail store as they are to look online for information on their next boudoir purchase.

By Gender

Self-pleasure for men was perceived at 40% less socially accepted over this last decade, while female self-pleasure was perceived as 67% more socially acceptable. Males are more likely to perceive that sexual health is connected to their overall wellbeing than females are, and both sexes were equally interested in adding a new toy and romance to their 2020 routines. Males also reported engaging in open relationships nearly twice as much as females.

By Generation

69% of Millennials own a sex toy, and surprisingly, Gen Z was daring, but not as daring as Millennials77% said they wanted to try something sexually new in 2020 compared to 88% of Millennials (but 28% of Gen Z did say they wanted to try anal for the first time!). Gen Xers and Millennials are the romanticswith nearly half wishing to add more romance to their sex lives for 2020. When it came to try new things in their sex lives, Boomers encapsulate the saying If it aint broke, dont fix it, as only 37% of Boomers said they wanted to try something new in 2020 to spice things up.

Ketcham Crooks explains, The Gen Z demographic are likely encountering a variety of new experiences at this phase of life; breaking away from parents, going to college, meeting new people from different backgrounds and being exposed to new ideas. It can be helpful and less intimidating to take this phase of extreme change one beat at a time.

By Region

If you live in the Midwest, you're more likely to own a sex toy than any other region, and youre also least likely to be comfortable with transgender or gender fluidity. Those who were most satisfied with their sex lives live in the West, with those who are least satisfied reside in the Midwest and Northeast. And, its possible you have or are engaging in an open relationship if you live in the Northeastover a fifth of Northeasterners reported doing so at some point in their lives.

A Look Back: A Decade in Review

Overall, Americans feel that an array of sexual behaviors are in general becoming more and more socially accepted (even if they do not necessarily agree with the behaviors on a personal level). The big takeaways from the last decade:

On behalf of Lovers, CITE Research conducted an online survey among 1,000 U.S. adults representative of the U.S. Census population. Respondents were screened to match the U.S. Census on, gender, age, ethnicity, region, household income, region and marital status.

About Lovers

The Lovers Family of Stores is a sex-positive, judgment-free, fetish-friendly community dedicated to enhancing your sexual pleasurewhatever pleasure you pick. Mother-daughter duo Phylis Heppenstall and Kriss Butt founded Lovers in 1981 under the belief that everyone has a right to great sex, regardless of gender identification, race, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. Our 43 locations span across Washington, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, and California under A Touch of Romance, Christals, and Lovers. Each store offers high-quality toys, curated products, and education to help you consensually fulfill your desires. Maybe its time you finally realized that fantasyyou know the one. Satisfy your curiosity at http://www.loverspackage.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Lovers | Sex and the State of the Union Survey - Business Wire

Sharon Stone in Los Angeles in July 2018.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Stars truly are just like us: engulfed in a personal reckoning with a dating app. Sharon Stone announced in the very early hours of Monday morning (prime time for lying awake and swiping!) that she had tried to use Bumble, only to have her account shut down. Some users reported that it couldnt possibly be me!, she wrote on Twitter, tagging the companys account. Dont shut me out of the hive. She finished with a bee emoji, and then tweeted a screenshot for good measure.

So fortuitous was it for Bumble to be called out in this wayhere we are, adding to the cacophony of pressthat I initially assumed it all had to be a PR stunt. Who but someone on the inside would call Bumble a hive? Alas, a representative for the company insisted this wasnt planned. Especially for an apparently organic interaction, the problem was quickly resolved. At 4:26 a.m.just hours after Stones initial tweetBumbles editorial director replied to the actor to report that her account had been restored.

Why is accidentally blocking a famous person great for Bumble? The immovable reality is that dating comes down to meeting people plus serendipity, which means that no matter how fancy its sorting algorithm is, any dating apps most distinguishing feature will be the kinds of people who use it (or at least appear to). The fact that Stone was blocked (and unblocked) from Bumble means that she is on Bumble, making it both a place where you can run into celebrities, and one where a celebrity would deign to be seen. In fact, Bumble has made some effort to position itself as a place where you can bump into note-worthy people. Among photos of beautiful nobodies in last years Find Them on Bumble ad campaign were a handful of niche famouses, like Vox journalist Liz Plank, former Obama deputy chief of staff Alyssa Mastromonaco, and Soul Cycle founder Julie Rice.* Bumble also recently ran a contest to hang out with 20-year-old Riverdale hunk KJ Apa; users could enter by finding his (presumably PR-crafted) profile on the app and swiping right. Celebrities typically note that theyre on the more exclusive app Raya, so Sharon Stone is a big upgrade for Bumble.

Stones foray into Bumble also boosts the apps appeal for older folks (shes 61), and in particular, people who might be looking for more than a hookup, a space well-claimed by Tinder. A survey of users that the company shared last year suggested that the vast majority are looking for a partner. The women that use the app (or that the company wants you to think use the app) have established their careers, experienced love, had families, and know what they want in their next relationship, Bumbles in-house sociologist told Mashable.

Even the fact that Bumble blocked Stone neatly fits into its empowerment-app narrative, alongside its central feature of having women make the first move, in theory cutting down on creepy spam. You want your dating app to err on the side of aggressively blocking catfishers. Bumble, a PR rep told me, was also the first app to offer a way for users to verify that theyre real people (you take a photo of yourself making the same gesture as shown in a random photo). Its unclear why Stone didnt do thisperhaps going on the app was a lark, and she just hadnt bothered with looking at all the features. After Bumble unblocked her, it invited her in a wildly shared statement to its headquarters for some personalized dating help. If only the company would build perfect dating profiles for the rest of us, too.

Correction, Dec. 30, 2019: This post originally misspelled Alyssa Mastromonacos last name.

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Bumble May as Well Have Blocked Sharon Stone on Purpose - Slate

Ten years is a long time for anything. Its especially a long time for any industry that is seeing the explosive yearly growth that anime is. Over this past decade over 1500 anime series have premiered, not even including the countless more films! With that many shows behind us, its naturally time to do a little introspection and think about which series truly rise above the rest. Before we send off this decade and look forward to the next, check out these anime to see just what this wonderful medium is capable of giving. These are the best anime of the decade.

Studio: KyoAni Runtime: January 11th, 2017 April 6th, 2017

Dragon Maid is a wholesome slice-of-life that works in spite of its oftentimes overwhelming fanservice. It is, perhaps, indicative of KyoAnis charm, that such an egregiously horny show can manage to be so wholesome. Whether its because of the colorfully soft visuals, the playfully gentle background music, or the endearing cast of characters, Dragon Maid stands above its many, many competitors.

But what makes Dragon Maid more than a gimmicky SoL? Simple: family. The relationship between the titular Kobayashi and her equally titular dragon maid Tohru is one of sincere affection that gets explored as the series progresses. Its a slow change that we see in Kobayashi, one that she herself doesnt notice until its gone. Helping with groceries, visiting school, and going on picnics: Dragon Maid does what few other SoLs have and gives weight to the small moments, the doldrums of daily life that can only be found with family.

And I mean, cmon. That OP.

Chu chu yeah! Kyle Rogacion

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed) and Funimation (dubbed)

Studio: Studio 3Hz Runtime: October 6th, 2016December 26th, 2016

Animations true wonder is its lack of physical, earthly constraint, and yet too few series take advantage of the medium. Not so with Flip Flappers, which burst onto the scene in kaleidoscopic colors and with a visual freneticism that never abated. With the scant trappings of a magical girl series to barely maintain cohesion, every episode shifts genre and style crossing multiple dimensionsall to resolve maternal and interpersonal relationship issues.

There is a good story here, especially as the series plunges deeper and deeper into manifestations of psychological trauma, but its superseded by the beauty of the animation and the overriding sweetness of the friendship (with increasingly homoerotic implications) between protagonists Cocona and Papika. With bold lines and a density of detail across the screen, Flip Flappers is a tonic for those wishing that anime would push boundaries more often. In the world of Flip Flappers, there are no boundaries that cant be crossed. Declan Biswas-Hughes

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed)

Studio: White Fox Runtime: April 4th, 2016 Sep 19th, 2016

Re:Zero succeeds in how it takes two heavily-used anime tropes and makes it its own. It employs the basic set up for an isekai and the groundhog day trope as its key plot tool.

The shows story arcs range from slice-of-life to faux-medieval political drama to all-out fantasy-action. Its distinct yet still working in tandem for both world-building and more importantly character development, with main character Subaru Natsuki as the constant element. Subaru, whose character development is arguably the highlight of the show, is most interesting as the repeated tragedies start affecting his psyche, and how he does (and doesnt) cope. He is also flawed in his seemingly pure-hearted infatuation with Emilia the half-elf, and the show doesnt hold back in drawing out the ugliest parts of its protagonist. This only allows for redemption toward the very end of the season.

Re:Zero also takes time to develop its core supporting cast, creating fan favorites as their story arcs twist and turn around Subaru. The show even led to an enduring waifu war between Emilia and Rem, a testament in itself to the shows development of its supporting cast. Katharine Booth

Re:Zeros second season was recently announced for 2020.

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed) and Funimation (dubbed)

Studio: P.A. Works Runtime: July 7th, 2013June 25th, 2017

Fittingly, The Eccentric Family occupies an odd space at the intersection of whimsy, magic realism, and character drama; there is no other series quite like it. Steeped in Japanese folklore, The Eccentric Family tells the story of a family of shape-shifting tanukis, and the precariousness of their existencealways under threat from being captured and thrown into a hot pot stew by humans. Combined with flying tengu overhead and the enigmatic magical human, Benten, whose mercurial relationship with protagonist Yasaburou is both alluring and terrifying, comes a wistful and moving meditation on existence. Yet the series is always pleasant owing to its eccentric delight in the fun of ephemeral life, and thus is a show worth seeing. Declan Biswas-Hughes

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed)

Studio: Lay-duce Runtime: July 6th, 2019September 21st, 2019

This is Mari Okadas most technically adroit melodrama, which is surely an odd thing to say about a series hinging on the irrational flood of feelings regarding sex and sexuality. But her decades worth of experience examining the teenage psyche in all its perceptiveness and irrationalities comes to bear in O Maidens.

For sure, only Okadas fine attunement to teenage minds could result in a character so empathetically written as Niina. Niina is fascinating and capricious, with her sexual maturity being both an asset and an isolating force amongst her friends, and her story an incisive exploration of the warping male gaze. All the characters in O Maidens are interesting in their own right, each unravelling various facets of their own sexuality, but there is no character in anime quite like Niina, and only Okada could have written her. Declan Biswas-Hughes

Watch on HiDive (subbed/dubbed)

Studio: Satelight Runtime: Oct 6, 2013 Dec 29, 2013

Despite anime being veritably flooded with series with romance as a core tenet, the amount of truly good romantic dramas are few and far between and even fewer still that dont rely on cheating to create cheap conflict. White Album 2 is part of that esteemed list.

Relationships are more than just the leadup to a confession, contrary to what many anime may lead you to believe. Theres the actual dating part and, sometimes, the fallout afterward. White Album 2 details all three parts of the dating process in all their nit-gritty glory. Characters are emotionally hurt, relationships irrevocably damaged, and fond memories smothered by bittersweet events.

The worst part and the part that makes the series so incredible is how no character was in the wrong for their actions. As corny as it sounds, they were true friends always thinking of the best for each other and that makes the outcome all the more painful. Few series are as beautifully tragic as White Album 2, and it is certainly one that will leave scrambling to pick up the pieces of your broken heart. Matthew Ponthier

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed)

Studio: KyoAni Runtime: April 3rd, 2011 September 25th, 2011

Its hard to get the slice-of-life formula wrong. The genre, at its core, relies on highlighting the common experiences we all share: doing laundry, making dinner, hanging out with friends, etc. Narrative takes a back seat in favor of situational comedy and the characters caught in them. What puts Nichijou several cuts above the rest is just how absurd those situations are.

Nichijous brilliance is how it balances over-the-top exaggerated Japanese comedy with a genuinely comfy atmosphere. Deer wrestling and nuclear explosions are the order of the day, but how these moments are rooted in the mundane aspects of everyday life make them land so much better. All of this is helped by KyoAnis stellar animation team, who brings the wild nature of the comedy to a whole other level. One simply need watch Nichijous OP to understand exactly what theyre getting into. Kyle Rogacion

Watch on Funimation (subbed and dubbed)

Studio: Lerche Runtime: January 13th, 2017March 31st, 2017

Anime may too frequently take an emotionally and sexually neutered approach to romance in its idealisation, but sex, love, and happiness are separate entities in Scums Wish. The series seeks to display all three nude and unspun in all their explicit sensitivities, with no moralizing or punishment.

Fully capturing intelligent, hormonal teenagers standing on the precipice that is the edge of adulthood and the harsher romantic truths of adulthood through grown-ups themselves Scums Wish then submerges its characters and itself in social taboo. In doing so, it presents one of animes most realistic depictions of the pursuit of empty affection and the idolatry of the imperfect.

Chika Ansai gives a stellar, earnest performance as Hanabi navigating these murky waters, which emotionally tethers the series. On top of this, Andou Masaomis direction visually shows estrangement and entanglement in an engaging manner. Its everything somebody, scum or otherwise, could wish for. Declan Biswas-Hughes

Watch on Amazon Prime (subbed)

Studio: TMS entertainment Runtime: April 6, 2019 September 21, 2019

At its core, Fruits Basket is a story about learning how to accept others for everything they are, as well as oneself. Such a simple-sounding concept is, in reality, difficult to realize, especially when trying to do so alone.

The Souma family circumstances are fantastical, to be sure, but each members plight touches upon the many forms of doubt and insecurity one may feel throughout various stages of life. The cast of Fruits Basket all have their own inner demons to grapple with and chances are youll find yourself sympathetic to at least one of them for one reason or another. Its in seeing protagonist Tohru unconditionally believe in that projection of yourself that has such a profound healing effect both inside and outside the screen. It also helps that the updated animation makes the high-emotion scenes hit all the harder.

Fruits Basket is a rare anime series that challenges the viewer, challenges them to be a better person. It shows how difficult it can be to be that person to soothe others pain, but it also shows the importance of at least trying. Mathew Ponthier

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed) and Funimation (dubbed)

Studio: MAPPA Runtime: October 6th, 2014 December 29th, 2014

An anime series based off a mobile game has no right to be this good. Defying expectations, Rage of Bahamut: Genesis tells a compelling story that doesnt stray too far from your traditional Japanese take on Western fantasy. At first glance, it might even seem rather mundane for the genre. Grand conflicts between angels and demons, with humans caught in the middle; plot-driving MacGuffins that everyone desperately desires; an ancient god sealed away lest it destroy the world.

What sets Rage of Bahamut apart is its presentation. Thrilling orchestral scores, thrilling swashbuckling fights, and genuinely endearing characters create the perfect ingredients for a wholly engrossing adventure. The main trio of Amira, Favaro, and Kaisar establishes its core dynamic with refreshing alacrity. You immediately understand whats at stake and why each of the characters are driven forward. Spanning twelve episodes, the series covers a staggering amount of ground without feeling rushed.

Rage of Bahamut was one of the first series to come out of MAPPA and it quickly helped to establish the studios presence. MAPPA would go on to create such series as Yuri on Ice, Zombieland Saga, and Sarazanmai, showing that this relative newcomer was an animation powerhouse ready to make its mark. Kyle Rogacion

Watch on Funimation (subbed and dubbed)

Studio: Tatsunoko Production Runtime: April 11th, 2014 June 20th, 2014

Despite the name, Ping Pong is decidedly not about the sport. Rather, its about the people who play it and their reasons for doing so. Upon first watch, the most striking aspect about Ping Pong will be its art style. Its scratchy and somewhat off-putting, but a perfect fit for the incredibly stylized nature of the show. Director Masaaki Yuasa brings his signature flair to Ping Pong; dynamic motion and intense framing ensure that every second your eyes are glued to the screen.

By leaning into this heavy stylization, Ping Pong makes liberal use of metaphor and symbolism to get its points across. Yuasa and his animation team instill a palpable sense of fun into their work, making even the most mundane action seem grand and mesmerizing. At its core, however, Ping Pong is a journey of self-discovery, a hunger for purpose and motivation. Through the context of table tennis, the show dives into what exactly this sport means for its players and how they use it to not simply define their lives, but inform them. Kyle Rogacion

Watch on Funimation (subbed and dubbed)

Studio: A-1 Pictures Runtime: January 12th, 2019 March 30th, 2019

Kaguya-sama is a joy because it pokes fun at the ridiculous dance of high school romance while reminding us just how serious those situations felt at the time. Its immediately relatable; hesitating to confess ones feelings, not knowing how to exchange contact info without seeming desperate, trying to give love advice knowing full well youre not qualified to do so, etc. While everything is escalated to hilarious heights, its all anchored by a subconscious Yeah, Id be freaking out about that, too.

Aka Akasaka and A-1 Pictures manage to sidestep much of the saminess of other shows by leaning into the sketch comedy format la Aho-Girl. Instead of following around one character for an entire episode, each episode is instead broken up into vignettes featuring the cast in different scenarios. Kaguya-sama leverages this format to deliver sharp satire and fascinating glimpses into the lives of its characters.

Beyond the relatability, format, and smart writing, however, Kaguya-sama nails the balance between comedy and character-building. For as many laugh-out-loud moments as there are, Kaguya-sama hones in on each non-Kaguya/Shirogane cast member just enough to get viewers attached. Its never been a better time to enlist as a soldier of love. Brent Middleton

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed) and Funimation (dubbed)

Studio: TMS Entertainment Runtime: July 5th, 2019 Dec 13th, 2019

Dr. Stone presents a unique take on the end of the world, taking a heavily-used plot device and making it its own. The show takes time to develop its characters while presenting its overarching morality conflict pitting the first seasons two opposing factions against each other. However, the show convinces the viewer to root for protagonist Senku and his kingdom of science, just as the side characters warm up to him as well.

While Senku seems like a one an army because of his intellect, self-confidence and problem solving ability, the narrative still makes a point of showing his need to rely on the help of the other characters, thus making the story suspenseful as he wins them over to his side. Throughout the first season, Dr. Stone makes sure to keep technical science components light-hearted and easy to understand, which is essential for the side characters, but really meant to keep the viewer engaged and on the same page throughout the story.

Dr. Stone has just hit the ground running over the past several months and shows no signs of slowing down, with season two announced for 2020. Katharine Booth

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed)

Studio: David Production Runtime: October 5th, 2018 July 28th, 2019

This isnt the first time Ive discussedJoJos Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind. In short: its superb, and a must-watch for anyone passionate about creatively imaginative storytelling. In long: heres a rap I wrote about it!

Its bonkers and bizarre, the protagonist drives a car. Hes only fifteen so evidently hes not a law-abiding star. He runs with a gang in the streets of Italy, beating baddies with a beatdown bitterly. Employing peculiar powers to pimp out plant life and turn gravel into a tree.

This is the best season of JoJo, Arakis mind hasnt lost its mojo. Its the most narratively consistent iteration of an anime thats loco. So checkGolden Windif youre seeking fun, and off the walls action to get your head spun. And you can count on affairs to include ablonde-haired boy shouting Muda Muda Muda!. Harry Morris

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed)

Studio: White Fox Runtime: January 26th, 2010December 11th, 2010

Like most Nisio Isin creations, Katanagatari is clever. Wordplay, subversions of samurai film structures, metatextual commentary, thematically meaningful mundane objectsthis is a finely crafted sword hunt story (the title itself a clever portmanteau of katanagari and monogatari), where the ostensibly simple plot of searching for twelve legendary swords is enriched by literary accouterments.

What really sets Katanagatari apart, however, is the love story between Yasuri Shichika and Togame at its core. These mystical Deviant blades are corrupting and powerful, and so Togame only recruits Shichikas help on the condition that he does so for the sake of pure love. Shichika, having lived a secluded life, agrees. So begins an enveloping romance evolving through conversation about lifes oddities.

Yes, there are some spectacular and inventive fights each episode, but its rare to have an anime so quiet, with characters dissecting idiosyncrasies through discussion. Even with its atypical visuals and quirky dialogue, this is natural-feeling love story that is as engrossing as its sword hunt story. Declan Biswas-Hughes

Purchase on Amazon

Studio: Wit Studio Runtime: April 6th, 2013 September 28th, 2013

This first season of Attack on Titan sets the stage for what has become one of the most critically acclaimed and loved series of the past decade. The shows world-building and art direction create a setting unlike any other show to date, and the pacing covers a lot of ground with its plot development to make the show fast-paced without feeling rushed.

As the main characters become more entangled in the central conflict of their world, the show immerses viewers in its universe. Attack on Titan pulls no punches with its depictions of violence and terror from episode one, presenting the viewer almost immediately with just how high the stakes are for both the main characters and every single person living in this brutal world. The first season succeeds in both building up the three main characters development while also taking the time to share the spotlight with its secondary characters. This gives just the right amount of attention to everyone based on their future importance to the series. Attack on Titan hits the ground running, and demands your attention, getting the viewer hooked on this wildly popular thriller. Katharine Booth

Watch on Hulu (dubbed) and Crunchyroll (subbed)

Studio: Madhouse Runtime: April 22nd, 2010 July 1st, 2010

In many respects, Tatami Galaxy is self-indulgent. Director Masaaki Yuasa has made a name for himself with his insanely stylized and fluid animation, and its impossible to mistake this show as having any other person at the helm.

Lacking any real plot, Tatami Galaxy revels in the fantastic and the absurd. Its a distorted vision of college life, a narrative and visual mile-a-minute ride that takes viewers through a cavalcade of people and places.

The show knows exactly what it is and carries with it a meta sense of wit and humor without ever winking at the audience. Because the show effectively tells the same story in different ways, Tatami Galaxy benefits from a sense of freedom that allows it to explore a variety of different approaches. Through the conceit of parallel worlds, the show takes a charmingly cynical look at the fickle nature of youth that, by the end, settles on the notion that our mistakes and failures are simply a part of what drives us forward. Kyle Rogacion

Watch on Funimation (subbed)

Studio: Production I.G. Runtime: October 12th, 2012 March 22nd, 2013

A cyberpunk, crime laden city chock-full of sci-fi splendour; Psycho-Passs backdrop is instantly appealing. Centered around Dominators, weapons that can measure a persons crime coefficient (their mental state and likelihood to commit a crime), Psycho-Pass confronts viewers with an array of gripping criminality, all the while utilizing said crime coefficient concept to carve out its own identity. Its morbid, packed with futuristic creativity, and a shining diamond in its genre. Harry Morris

Watch on Funimation

Studio: Toei Animation Runtime: Oct 10, 2013 Dec 19, 2013

Anime and manga have always had a distinct fascination with Alice in Wonderland, often facelifting cues and characters directly into their own works. Enter Kuousou Giga, a distinctly Japanese take on the world-famous fairy tale thats as bombastically creative as it is heartwarmingly emotional.

Journeying through the city of Kyoto Through the Looking Glass is a visual joyride of flamboyant colors complemented by a boisterous orchestral soundtrack that all too easily matches the fantastical nature of the locale. Its wondrous scenery ironically exemplifies just how common and relatable the threads of the story are, though.

Characters in Kyousou Giga may be based on ones from Alice in Wonderland on the basest of levels but the numerous Buddhist and Shinto principles that permeate throughout make them nigh unrecognizable beyond their eye-catching designs. The story goes through its fair share of twists and turns, spanning time and space that sometimes gets a little too grandiose for its own good but it all ultimately boils down to one universal truth: the importance of family bonds. Its a melancholic, heartfelt tale thats sure to elicit memories of those warm halcyon days. Matthew Ponthier

Watch on Crunchyroll

Studio: Kyoto Animation Runtime: April 8th, 2015 December 28th, 2016

KyoAni understands people and relationships like no other studio. Hibike Euphonium is a tour de force of storytelling that strikes at the heart of what drives us as human beings. The show follows the journey of the Kitauji High School Concert band as they slowly improve and aim to become contenders in Japans national music tournaments. Hibike! Euphonium starts the band at the bottom so that their meteoric rise over the series progression is all the more impressive.

Passions, goals, and heartbreak stream forth from the show in a way that manages to consistently top itself. With each episode, stakes continually build as characters come to better understand both themselves and the others around them. These powerful emotions center around music, which tug at the core like nothing else; viewers are there for every painful step of the way. Each moment of self-doubt, each moment of triumph: Hibike! Euphonium masterfully showcases the insane amount of dedication and effort that it takes for a disparate group of individuals to come together and make beautiful music. Kyle Rogacion

Watch on Crunchyroll (subbed)

EDITORS NOTE: A special mention to the Liz and the Blue Bird movie which is part of the Hibike story. Only one author had watched it though and so it was unable to be placed on the list.

Studio: Asread Runtime: October 9th, 2011 April 15th, 2012

Writing a great thriller anime is no easy feat. They need to maintain a careful balance of suspense, action, and softer character-focused moments to give viewers an emotional break throughout the course of an entire season. The way that The Future Diary handles this while keeping the stakes of its killing game consistently high is inspired.

Yuki and Yuno are the primary protagonists, but their safety never feels fully assured. Yunos mental instability but undeniable combat prowess makes her a necessary liability throughout; her love for Yuki is strong, but its this same manic love that could easily lead to his demise at the turn of a hat.In many ways, watching The Future Diary feels like watching a nightmare. Its equal parts fantastical and gruesome, and is made all the more impactful because of how well the rest of the cast is fleshed out. Each absolutely shines with backstories so compelling that it can make rooting for Yuki and Yuno questionable at times.

More than anything, The Future Diary excels at asking the tough questions. Its hard to look at the expression unconditional love the same way after this. Brent Middleton

Watch on Funimation

Studio: White Fox Runtime: October 6, 2017 December 22, 2017

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The Best Anime of the Decade (Ranks 25-1) - Goomba Stomp