Photonic crystals (PCs) based on porous anodic materials have been proven to be a potent and versatile instrument for the emergence of new technologies with a wide range of applications. Their lower production costs are one of the key advantages, making PC-based systems more widely available and appropriate for industrial manufacturing. The ability to produce well-defined pores on metal oxide and semiconductor surfaces has experienced a major renaissance due to the striking differences in characteristics between porous surfaces and dense oxide layers. In this review, we give a general overview of the progress of PC fabrication based on porous surfaces of anodized aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), and titanium (Ti) using various anodization techniques, and their optical characteristics and applications are discussed. The anodizing conditions have a large influence on the pore geometry of the produced porous surfaces. The review fully focuses on the advancements made in manufacturing anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), porous silicon (pSi), and titanium-dioxide nanotube (TNT) PCs manufactured using self-ordered anodization under varied conditions. Additionally, a critical assessment of the upcoming developments in PC manufacturing and their optical characteristics suitable for various photonic devices is provided.