March 27th, 2019
Anime 2017 Year End Review
Anime Relations: Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭, Kimi no Na wa., Kuzu no Honkai, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon, Little Witch Academia (TV), Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?, Uchouten Kazoku 2, Re:Creators, Natsume Yuujinchou Roku, Made in Abyss, Fate/Apocrypha, Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau, Tsuki ga Kirei, 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season, Houseki no Kuni, Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara, Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou, Ousama Game The Animation, Pingu in the City
Anime 2017 Year – End
Action– Attack on Titan 2nd Season (Spring 2017)
This felt like a slightly weaker year for action anime than previous years, but that doesn’t stop Attack on Titan from being a deserving winner. Despite Season 2 not quite being as good as its first season, Studio Wit continues to animate one of the most impressive ongoing adaptations. Not much is prettier than watching Levi or Mikasa swing around with their maneuver gear chopping up titans, and it remains one of the most fluid adaptations to date. Outside of animation being pivotal to an action series, plot and characters are as well, and few characters intrigued me more in 2017 than Reiner, while Mikasa remains one of my favourite female shounen protagonists of all time. Yes, this season could have used more screen time for Levi, but minor complaints aside Attack on Titan Season 2 did well and I would be unsurprised if Season 3 is sitting here in this awards section yet again in 2018.
Honourable Mention; Re:Creators (Spring 2017), Quanzhi Gaoshou (Summer 2017)
Adventure– Little Witch Academia (Winter 2017)
This was a close call between 2017’s Kino no Tabi remake, but in the end, I chose Little Witch Academia. The best anime of 2017 with Academia in its title – though of course there was never too much competition there. Little Witch Academia was the 2nd Anime Mirai project to receive a full series adaptation- after Death Parade, and it lived up every bit to the anticipation. Diana & Akko were characters of the highest caliber, and it had such an immersive, atmospheric setting that I found myself serenely gliding from episode to episode watching Akko overcome her own struggles as a witch, Diana grow as a character, and Croix grow as an antagonist. Unlike other untalented protagonists, Akko was not just gifted superpowers or magic. She earned it. Akko is proof that “A believing heart is magic.”
Honourable Mention; Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World - The Animated Series (Fall 2017)
Fantasy– Natsume Yuujinchou Roku (Spring 2017)
Natsume Yuujinchou is one of those rare shows that appears to have no flaws. Serene, peaceful, tranquil, warm, fuzzy, those are the overriding emotions I have when watching the show. All the recurring characters are at the least, likable. Natsume is a great character, his friends are all good characters – especially Tanuma and Taki, his family genuinely loves him and cares for him, Madara despite his tsundere-like personality genuinely cares for Natsume, even many of the side characters are just good people/spirits. The background of Natsume’s past is slowly leaked in episodes but never feels “filler-like.” Nothing can seemingly derail this show’s consistency. Not even a change in studio after Season 4 was able to distract Natsume from being one of the best Fantasy / Slice of Life’s of all time. Its been such a ride seeing Natsume’s character develop from Season 1 to Season 6, and this show is the epitome of consistent. 2017 was a great year for fantasy- one of the few genres to seemingly do well, and Natsume is so far above them, I don’t even speak of the other contenders.
Honourable Mention; Re:Creators (Spring 2017), Children of the Whales (Fall 2017), Mahoutsukai no Yome (Fall 2017)
Comedy– Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon (Winter 2017)
It was definitely a disappointing year overall for Comedy. Unlike 2016 which brought us Saiki Kusuo, there wasn’t really a flagship anime primarily carried by its comedy. The top contenders- Maid Dragon was primarily a slice of life/fantasy which was definitely carried more by those elements while Konosuba was a fantasy/isekai. Although it could be argued Konosuba was at times funnier, it couldn’t match the overall level of quality of Kyoto Ani’s Maid Dragon. Moe art style, dragons, lovely animated fight scenes, laughs, serious moments; Maid Dragon brought a little bit of everything to the table. If you’re looking for a genuinely hilarious comedy like Saiki Kusuo or to a lesser extent School Rumble you won’t find it here; but you will find an often light-hearted series, with great characters, great animation, and some good laughs in between.
Honourable Menton: Konosuba 2 (Winter 2017)
Drama- Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen (Winter 2017)
There is very little to be said about Rakugo that I haven’t previously said. The show is living, breathing art. Last year when Rakugo won this category it was a major upset; this year it felt almost pre-determined. Rakugo remains a special show with its second season not failing to capitalise on its first season’s brilliance. Great characters, heartfelt moments, the regrets, the laughter, the tears; one show should not be able to evoke this many emotions. Yet I found myself immersed – both with the rakugo performances, as well as the characters own struggles and triumphs. While the art form of Rakugo itself may be a dying profession I can promise this show isn’t. This show will continue to live on inside the hearts and minds of all who have watched it.
Romance- Tsuki ga Kirei (Spring 2017)
Warm and pure are the two adjectives I think of when I hear: “As the Moon, So Beautiful.” Tsuki ga Kirei Is the decisive winner of the Romance category this year, and it’s at the least a little surprising. When the anime first came was announced, due to the limited information we had available at the time it was ironically being referred to as “vague the anime.” All we really knew is it was being animated by the much-maligned studio feel. Per Malgraph I’ve seen 23 entries animated by Studio feel with a mean score of 5.22 – making it one of my lowest scored studios. However, feel. stepped up with one of the warmest romances I’ve seen, maybe ever. Tsuki ga Kirei is a great example of not having to be complex to be “good.” It doesn’t rely on melodrama, or complex dialogue, plot twists, heavy symbolism, or anything of the sort. Yes, the art style and animation could both be underwhelming at times, but the characters felt real and maybe more importantly; their romance felt real- and it all lead to a 12-episode experience anyone can enjoy.
Honourable mention; Kuzu no Honkai (Winter 2017), Just Because! (Fall 2017), Net-juu no susume (Fall 2017)
Romantic-Comedy- Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭ (Spring 2017)
Romantic-Comedies is another genre that struggled in 2017, leaving the second season of Saekano without much competition. Interestingly enough its one of the few anime where I’ve wavered on “best girl” with both Utaha and Megumi taking fair turns to shine. Saekano increased the drama this season, but maintained the core of the show which contains lighthearted comedy, a harem-like setting, and a sprinkling of ecchi/fan-service. The character development we receive- of course for Megumi, but also Eriri was very well done. While the show itself may not be an AOTY contender, I think it does a lot of things well, and is well worth the watch.
Science-Fiction- Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou (Fall 2017)
Personally, I don’t care what genre this show won, as long as it won something. Yes, it’s probably more of a slice of life than Science-Fiction, but unfortunately it never had a chance to win that category. Maybe in 2016, but not this year. Per Lanblade; “Post-apocalyptic earth in Girls Last Tour is so tech advanced that humanity wiped itself out. Multi-level cities (each level up they went, the tech improved; a common trope for scifi works), strange facilities, robots with laser beams, and maybe some influence by the tech of the mushroom creatures that they interact with (who may be aliens visiting Earth or may be bioengineered weapons that evolved sentience--either way that's scifi territory).” He easily justifies the science-fiction tag it received on MAL. Technicalities out of the way, this show is very special. For a show not necessarily designed as a comedy I found myself laughing quite a bit. The characters were terrific- yes there were only 2 re-occurring, but they were each very likable. Their interaction and chemistry with each other was also a treat to watch. This may be the best post-apocalyptic anime I’ve ever seen. Each episode meant something. Whether it was their fascination with a camera, or their enjoyment over the sound of rain. The OST was fantastic, and White Fox simply seems to breed high quality anime. Even the moe art style couldn’t detract from the quality of SSR. In a post-apocalyptic world full of mystery, where our 2 protagonists have to search indefinitely for rations just to survive, you would expect only despair to exist. However, even after discovering they may be the last 2 humans on earth – our two protagonists continue to travel towards the top of the cities, a smile on their face.
Honourable Mention; SukaSuka (Spring 2017)
Horror/Thriller– Made in Abyss (Summer 2017)
Summer is finally on the board in the genre-based categories. Like several of the other categories so far 2017 was not the strongest year for the horror/thriller department. In fact, I’d be curious to know how many anime from 2017 even had that genre tag on MAL. Made in Abyss doesn’t. But Random Curiosity’s Zephyr gave this award to “Princess Principal” citing the same lack of depth in this genre this year. The most fitting anime this year would have been Ousama Game, but I’d sooner not give out an award at all than award Ousama Game anything other than worst series of the year. Made in Abyss may be one of the more overrated series in recent years- but its still a strong series, with a tense atmosphere, great setting, good OST and decent characters. It feels like the potential for Made in Abyss is greater than the current results- which always bodes well for future seasons.
Sports- Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara (Fall 2017)
Yes, its true Shokugeki lacks a “Sports” tag on MAL or other sites, but its one of the few instances where I don’t really care. MAL only lists 3 genres for Shokugeki – Ecchi, School, and Shounen. One of those is a demographic, one is a setting, and one hardly truly defines what Shokugeki is. Shokugeki received an honourable mention in this same category in both 2015 and 2016 so its not unprecedented territory. Fortunately for Shokugeki (but maybe unfortunately for me) the lack of any Haikyuu or Kuroko opens the field for a new winner, though Shokugeki itself of course is not a new show. This was actually Shokugeki’s weakest season to me, as I didn’t much are for the direction of Erina’s father as an antagonist and the whole set up with Central. That being said it’s still a very fun show overall, and who ever said competitive cooking isn’t a sport? Ballroom e Youkoso was a very close contender and while I appreciated the technical side of it more, Production I.G must relinquish, at least temporarily its reign on sports anime.
Honourable mention; Ballroom e Youkoso (Summer 2017)
Slice of Life- Sangatsu no Lion 2nd Season (Fall 2017)
This. This right here, this. This show was terrific. I know I had some very personal issues with Season 1 but after re-watching S1 realised those complaints- while valid may have been overstated and an overreaction. Season 2 however, was nearly flawless, leaving complaints from just about… no one. The characters absolutely top of the line. Kiriyama Rei is one of the best male Slice of Life protagonists of all time. Hina was so adorable, yet mature, motivating and endearing. Specifically, Rei’s chemistry and interaction with Hina reached peak level this season. We learned more about Master Souya- the child of God himself, a great yet somewhat mysterious character. Sakutarou himself was a great character, and man was it satisfying watching him beat Shimada, even at the age of 66. The metaphor of him carrying the burden of all his friends who had viscerally lived their hopes and dreams through Sakutarou was magnificent. Standing in a burnt field, burning, once again the 66-year-old maestro became a human torch, even if it was for one last time. How can a show introduce a character and have you care for them so much, so quickly? Viscerally living through their experience? I hardly know where to start with Sangatsu, everything this season touched turned to gold. The bullying Hina and her friend went through was one of the most realistic depictions of bullying I’ve seen so far in anime, and was genuinely heartbreaking to watch at times. One of the best proclamations in recent anime history is when Hina said “She did nothing wrong.” The way the parents handled it, the way the kids handled it, the way the teachers handled it- it all felt very real. Maybe it was the tone of the arc itself but I believe that allowed Shinbo Akiyuki to shine brightest. A return to the head tilts, a return to the darker backgrounds and lighting, where the characters are appearing to be consumed by darkness. Hell, Hina even referred to the bullying going on in the classroom as “the darkness.” Shades of Madoka and shades of Monogatari stylistically entered my mind. While Season 1 was very well crafted, and had excellent use of symbolism and metaphors, Season 2 capitalised on that buoyed by Shinbo Akiyuki’s distinct style. The OST was terrific, the characters; terrific, the art; terrific, the animation; terrific, the story; terrific. Even the characters that were far less likable from S1 (Gotou, Kyouko, Shimada) saw their roles either significantly decrease or evaporate entirely. Kiriyama at the age of 18 is finally in class B. While the focus was less on his specific shogi matches, S2 developed the cast in such unique, intriguing, immersive ways that the shogi almost became an afterthought. What’s not an afterthought, however, is this show; which is an immediate AOTY contender. Season 3, please, when?
Mystery- Houseki no Kuni (Fall 2017)
Rounding out the genre-based awards is the mystery category. While I wouldn’t necessarily classify Houseki no Kuni as a classic mystery, it’s definitely a deserved winner. First, shot-out to studio “Orange” for the competent use of CGI. It would be impossible to talk about this show without mentioning the possibly revolutionary use of CG animation, so let’s get it out of the way first. The character designs were unexpectedly very good and fitting. The setting was pretty unique, and the mystery of the world is maybe what captivated me the most. Who are the lunarians? What do they want with the gems so badly? What is Kongou-Sensei’s relationship to the lunarians? So many questions, left either unexplored or unanswered. One answer we did receive is a job for Cinnabar. Can she and Phos uncover the truth? This show left us with one of the cruelest cliff-hangers in recent memory. But it’s a story and setting glowing with potential.
Honourable mention; Acca-13 ku Kansatsu-ka (Winter 2017)
Underrated- Children of the Whales (Fall 2017)
Let’s be clear. This show isn’t Shinsekai Yori, and never will be. If your baseline for a good fantasy show involving superpowers is Shinsekai Yori, then let’s just stop making anime in this genre, because there may never be another Shinsekai Yori. The 7.32 mean score for this show is rather unfathomable. This is a very good show. The art and animation in this show was beautifully aesthetic, with a possibly equally beautiful OST to accentuate the tone and setting of the show. The setting was great- and original with the mud whale acting as a harmonious dystopia. Sure, detractors will say that the anime feels incomplete, and surely there’s a case to be made for that. However, what about Made in Abyss, Houseki no Kuni and others? Children of the Whales has the foundation of a very special show. Unorthodox, engaging, immersive, complex, unpredictable, a strong cast of characters that are not unlikable, a beautiful OST, and some of the most vivid art I’ve ever seen.
Overrated- Uchouten Kazoku 2 (Spring 2017)
Before I get into my choice here, let me take another minute or two to bash on another strong contender for this category. Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season. That show beat out Mob Psycho to win the award in 2016, and entered 2017 the surefire front runner to win it yet again. I thought the 8.42 score for season 1 was ludicrously high, but the 8.70 for the 2nd season is downright unjustifiable. I remember speaking with one prominent critic who compared it to Naruto, “minus the stakes.” Yes, from a technical perspective it remains one of the better animated shows, with a good OST, but that doesn’t change the fact I’m watching one of the most over hyped, predictable, trope shounen to ever exist. Uchouten Kazoku 2 on the other hand is simply boring. Maybe this one’s on me. I felt Season 1 was vastly overrated, but Season 2 to me was even more boring, having to fight just to maintain my interest. It’s rare for shows with such level of acclaim for me to miss the mark this much, but after openly watching both Season 1 and now Season 2 I can truthfully state this one of them. I didn’t care for the characters, I didn’t care much for the setting. A fantasy slice of life relies so much on its setting & characters to create the right atmosphere and maybe this just is a “taste” thing for me. It’s got an 8.20 rating compared to BnHA’s ballooned 8.70 rating, but we know why. BnHA appeals to the highest common denominator of anime fans. People who like shounen, fights, and super heroes. Uchouten Kazoku however, is way more critically lauded, and it’s for reasons I far less understand.
Dishonourable mention: Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season (Spring 2017)
Best Opening- Eiyuu Unmei no Uta- EGOIST (Fate/Apocrypha)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nLH06ftkL0&t
Best Ending- Heikousen- Sayuri (Kuzu no Honkai)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R82g0ALA8c
Best Insert- Scarborough Fair- Tamara Yamada (Sukasuka)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkaxczyyavE
Best Soundtrack- Re:Creators
MAGICAL SPLASH FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE. Well after last year’s upset, its back to business as usual for the best OST. Sawano Hiroyuki was back at his finest for Re:Creators. I felt bad Re:Creators wasn’t able to take home a genre-specific category getting beat out for in the fantasy, action, and Sci-Fi categories, but at least it can take solace here. Gravity Wall and Sh0ut were both great OPS which we all know always bodes well for winning this category. As Goukeban articulately points out in his review, songs like Here I Am (Mamika’s theme), God of ink, Layers, Brave the Ocean and World Etude were all purposefully used and crafted in ways to accentuate the events and animation itself. It might not be Sawano Hiroyuki’s best work- that honour goes to Guilty Crown and Aldnoah.Zero, but he remains the best in the business right now, and I look forward to any anime of which he’s part of sound production.
Honourable mention; Fate/Apocrypha, Princess Principal
Best Art- Sangatsu no Lion 2nd Season
For the second year in a row Shaft- and Sangatsu no Lion will be receiving the best art award, breaking Kyoto Ani’s once solidified monopoly. I mentioned quite a bit earlier, but Shinbo Akiyuki’s artistic direction was world class and unquestionable. While Season 1 had exceptional artistic direction- Season 2 raised the bar, and to beat out Rakugo in back to back years is just a testament to Akiyuki’s brilliance. The show was very stylistic, accentuating an already fantastic story. Scenes where the entire background went black to reflect the mood and tone – such as during Hina’s bullying arc, the “burnt field/human torch” metaphor during Sakutorou’s match against Shimada, the background art, the lighting, the show was brilliantly directed, and while Akiyuki and Shaft have yet to equal Kyo Ani’s attention to detail, they are able to stand out through metaphors, symbolism, lighting, and Akiyuki’s distinct style.
Honourable mention; Mahoutsukai no Yome
Best Animation- Attack on Titan 2nd Season
For a while now Studio Wit has been coming. When Attack on Titan Season 1 aired I was on record of saying that was the “best action animation” to date. Yes less than 2 years later it was surpassed by Fate/Stay Night’s Unlimited Blade Works, but Wit has truly become one of the most beautiful studios in the business recently. Mahoutsukai no Yome was beautifully animated with meticulous attention to detail, but Attack on Titan’s 2nd season deservingly claims this award. I mentioned earlier, but the movements of maneuver gear- so fluid and dynamic, watching Levi and Mikasa swing around chopping up titans is the highest level of quality animation we have in this medium so far. The titans themselves are animated very uniquely and convincingly, and the transformations themselves happen crisply and fluidly. The fight between Reiner and Eren was one of the most memorable moments of the year. While ufotable continues to set the pace, Studio Wit has proven that they are here for the long term.
Honourable mention; Houseki no Kuni
Best Movie- Kimi no na wa
Unfortunately, at the point I made my 2016 anime year end awards, Kimi no na wa had not yet legally been released. Now finally for the first time I can speak on what an absolutely stunningly, brilliant movie “Your Name” is- and how I don’t regret waiting to purchase the BD. Makoto Shinkai has proven and proven and proven over and over again to be Japan’s undisputed most brilliant animated feature film director. Yes Hosada is steadily building a track record of his own- but there’s no “Your Name” on his CV. The aesthetics for this film is unrivaled. Not even Shaft or KyoAni’s best can produce something so aesthetically stunning. The OST = world class. The characters, simple yet endearing with an engaging fantasy romance. The symbolism and metaphors- such as the red string of fate were simple yet constructive. God bless this man, this movie deserves every bit of praise it receives and more. If you can’t appreciate a movie of this quality construction, then its probably time to explore other hobby opportunities; cause this one definitely ain’t it chief.
Best Female Character– Kawamoto Hinata (Sangatsu no Lion)
What an interesting year for female protagonists. No there was no undisputed bae this year like Rem was last year, but we had a plethora of choices to choose from. I’m going to briefly mention all the female protagonists I genuinely appreciated this year. Hanabi (Kuzu no Honkai), Mamika (Re:Creators), Diana & Akko (Little Witch Academia), Yuuri & Chito (Girl’s Last Tour), Chise (Mahoutsukai no Yome), Ctholly (Sukasuka), Megumi (Saekano) and Tooru (Maid Dragon). The award could have easily gone to any of them as the distance separating these characters was minimal. However, I think Kawamoto Hinata did just enough to rise to the top of the pack. She was a lovely character, and her interactions with her sisters, her screen time with Rei, her screen time at school, she took advantage of nearly every moment given to her to shine. She was such a strong-willed character, so sweet and caring, but at the same time prideful enough to do the right things for her friends, even when she knew she would face backlash. She didn’t hesitate and even bravely proclaimed that she did nothing wrong, knowing in her heart that she acted in a way that would leave no regrets. Maybe that’s what hurt her the most. She saved Rei from his darkness, and in doing so maybe even saved Sangatsu’s status as a masterpiece.
Honourable mention; Honourable mention; Hanabi (Kuzu no Honkai), Mamika (Re:Creators), Diana (Little Witch Academia), Akko (Little Witch Academia)
Best Male Character- Kiriyama Rei (Sangatsu no Lion)
So, with Hina winning best female protagonist of the year, that left little doubt as to who would win male protagonist of the year. There were less choices for male than female this year, but the quality of the male characters in general was pretty strong. Most of the best male characters came from sequels however; Kiriyama Rei, Levi, Natsume and Yakumo. Of the new characters we were first introduced to in 2017, Blitz Talker (Re:Creators), Ayanokouji (Classroom of the Elite) and Ye Xiu (Quanzi Gaoshou) are probably the best. However, my male protagonist of the year is unquestionably Kiriyama Rei. At 18 years old my guy has finally made it to class B-2. There are few main characters I feel more personally attached to than Rei when it comes to sports/competitive anime. Rei is a prodigy though and it’s extremely easy to find myself personally invested in him and rooting for. His character development from episode 1 through the end of Season 2 was excellent. He went from a reclusive loner to a reliable friend and person, and it was done so in a believable, realistic way that felt organic and natural rather than forced. Were there times when maybe his self-deprecation was a little annoying? Maybe, but that’s what made it even sweeter watching him go out of his way to help others- specifically Hina. The scene where he surprises her on the bridge by the river when she was nervous on her class trip remains memorable.
Honourable mention; Levi (Attack on Titan), Natsume (Natsume Yuujinchou), Yakumo (Rakugo), Ayanokouji (Classroom of the Elite)
Best Villain- Altair (Re:Creators)
After not taking home any of the genre categories, Re:Creators has done well to capture its second award of my 2017 year end review. Let’s give a moment of silence for Mamika… Altair was an excellent antagonist with deep motivations, immense power, and great aesthetics. As the fictional construction of Setsuna, an author who had personally taken her own life, Altair wanted to destory that world. Ever loyal to her creator, if the world turned its back on Setsuna, then she would bring vengeance on the world. Loyalty and Vengeance are 2 great motivations for any good antagonist and when you combine that with the circumstances of Setsuna’s death it all culminates towards a very relatable and sympathetic character who you almost find yourself rooting for at times. Her character development is excellent and she retires as the best villain of 2017 and one of the best villains this decade.
Honourable mention; Reiner (Attack on Titan)
Best Short-Form Series 2017- Pingu in the City (Fall 2017)
Noot Noot.
Worst Anime Series 2017– Ousama Game the Animation (Fall 2017)
This show was an unmitigated travesty. It’s hard to fathom how a show can become as bad as Ousama Game. You almost have to intentionally try to make a show this bad. I had never given a 2/10 to a full-length TV series before out of the more-than-500 I have completed. Ousama Game changed that and defied even my most feared expectations. This show was entirely bereft of any quality or logic. The animation was terrible, the dialogue was terrible, the characters were terrible, almost all of the events seemed to be nonsensical, cringy or worse. Somehow this show managed to get worse and worse each episode with an ending that was unprecedentedly bad. That’s all I’ll speak on this junk.
]Honourable mention; Seiren (Winter 2017), Inuyashiki (Fall 2017)
Best Anime Series 2017– Sangatsu no Lion 2nd Season (Fall 2017)
Was there ever any doubt as to what the anime of the year would be for 2017? Actually, the answer to that is yes. Natsume Yuujinchou season 6 and Rakugo season 2 were both probably front runners at the start of the year. Natsume may be the most consistent show of all time, while Rakugo is a timeless work of art. Both are firmly entrenched in my top 30 shows of all time. I know most years when it’s all said and done there’s going to be at least a few series close to each other in terms of overall rank. Rakugo is #25 on my all-time list, Natsume Yuujinchou comes in at #19 and Sangatsu no Lion completed the unlikeliest of upsets coming in at #18. Sangatsu no Lion was able to overcome those grievances I had with S1 to finally become the masterpiece Slice of Life I always knew and hoped it would be. It’s that good. The setting, the shogi matches, the characters, the art, the animation, the OST, the dialogue, the metaphors, everything culminated together to form this masterpiece. The scariest thing is the source material is still on-going so there’s even more potential yet for this show to grow. Like I said, Season 3 when and please?
Honourable mention; Natsume Yuujinchou Roku (Spring 2017), Rakugo 2nd Season (Winter 2017)
Action– Attack on Titan 2nd Season (Spring 2017)
This felt like a slightly weaker year for action anime than previous years, but that doesn’t stop Attack on Titan from being a deserving winner. Despite Season 2 not quite being as good as its first season, Studio Wit continues to animate one of the most impressive ongoing adaptations. Not much is prettier than watching Levi or Mikasa swing around with their maneuver gear chopping up titans, and it remains one of the most fluid adaptations to date. Outside of animation being pivotal to an action series, plot and characters are as well, and few characters intrigued me more in 2017 than Reiner, while Mikasa remains one of my favourite female shounen protagonists of all time. Yes, this season could have used more screen time for Levi, but minor complaints aside Attack on Titan Season 2 did well and I would be unsurprised if Season 3 is sitting here in this awards section yet again in 2018.
Honourable Mention; Re:Creators (Spring 2017), Quanzhi Gaoshou (Summer 2017)
Adventure– Little Witch Academia (Winter 2017)
This was a close call between 2017’s Kino no Tabi remake, but in the end, I chose Little Witch Academia. The best anime of 2017 with Academia in its title – though of course there was never too much competition there. Little Witch Academia was the 2nd Anime Mirai project to receive a full series adaptation- after Death Parade, and it lived up every bit to the anticipation. Diana & Akko were characters of the highest caliber, and it had such an immersive, atmospheric setting that I found myself serenely gliding from episode to episode watching Akko overcome her own struggles as a witch, Diana grow as a character, and Croix grow as an antagonist. Unlike other untalented protagonists, Akko was not just gifted superpowers or magic. She earned it. Akko is proof that “A believing heart is magic.”
Honourable Mention; Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World - The Animated Series (Fall 2017)
Fantasy– Natsume Yuujinchou Roku (Spring 2017)
Natsume Yuujinchou is one of those rare shows that appears to have no flaws. Serene, peaceful, tranquil, warm, fuzzy, those are the overriding emotions I have when watching the show. All the recurring characters are at the least, likable. Natsume is a great character, his friends are all good characters – especially Tanuma and Taki, his family genuinely loves him and cares for him, Madara despite his tsundere-like personality genuinely cares for Natsume, even many of the side characters are just good people/spirits. The background of Natsume’s past is slowly leaked in episodes but never feels “filler-like.” Nothing can seemingly derail this show’s consistency. Not even a change in studio after Season 4 was able to distract Natsume from being one of the best Fantasy / Slice of Life’s of all time. Its been such a ride seeing Natsume’s character develop from Season 1 to Season 6, and this show is the epitome of consistent. 2017 was a great year for fantasy- one of the few genres to seemingly do well, and Natsume is so far above them, I don’t even speak of the other contenders.
Honourable Mention; Re:Creators (Spring 2017), Children of the Whales (Fall 2017), Mahoutsukai no Yome (Fall 2017)
Comedy– Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon (Winter 2017)
It was definitely a disappointing year overall for Comedy. Unlike 2016 which brought us Saiki Kusuo, there wasn’t really a flagship anime primarily carried by its comedy. The top contenders- Maid Dragon was primarily a slice of life/fantasy which was definitely carried more by those elements while Konosuba was a fantasy/isekai. Although it could be argued Konosuba was at times funnier, it couldn’t match the overall level of quality of Kyoto Ani’s Maid Dragon. Moe art style, dragons, lovely animated fight scenes, laughs, serious moments; Maid Dragon brought a little bit of everything to the table. If you’re looking for a genuinely hilarious comedy like Saiki Kusuo or to a lesser extent School Rumble you won’t find it here; but you will find an often light-hearted series, with great characters, great animation, and some good laughs in between.
Honourable Menton: Konosuba 2 (Winter 2017)
Drama- Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen (Winter 2017)
There is very little to be said about Rakugo that I haven’t previously said. The show is living, breathing art. Last year when Rakugo won this category it was a major upset; this year it felt almost pre-determined. Rakugo remains a special show with its second season not failing to capitalise on its first season’s brilliance. Great characters, heartfelt moments, the regrets, the laughter, the tears; one show should not be able to evoke this many emotions. Yet I found myself immersed – both with the rakugo performances, as well as the characters own struggles and triumphs. While the art form of Rakugo itself may be a dying profession I can promise this show isn’t. This show will continue to live on inside the hearts and minds of all who have watched it.
Romance- Tsuki ga Kirei (Spring 2017)
Warm and pure are the two adjectives I think of when I hear: “As the Moon, So Beautiful.” Tsuki ga Kirei Is the decisive winner of the Romance category this year, and it’s at the least a little surprising. When the anime first came was announced, due to the limited information we had available at the time it was ironically being referred to as “vague the anime.” All we really knew is it was being animated by the much-maligned studio feel. Per Malgraph I’ve seen 23 entries animated by Studio feel with a mean score of 5.22 – making it one of my lowest scored studios. However, feel. stepped up with one of the warmest romances I’ve seen, maybe ever. Tsuki ga Kirei is a great example of not having to be complex to be “good.” It doesn’t rely on melodrama, or complex dialogue, plot twists, heavy symbolism, or anything of the sort. Yes, the art style and animation could both be underwhelming at times, but the characters felt real and maybe more importantly; their romance felt real- and it all lead to a 12-episode experience anyone can enjoy.
Honourable mention; Kuzu no Honkai (Winter 2017), Just Because! (Fall 2017), Net-juu no susume (Fall 2017)
Romantic-Comedy- Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭ (Spring 2017)
Romantic-Comedies is another genre that struggled in 2017, leaving the second season of Saekano without much competition. Interestingly enough its one of the few anime where I’ve wavered on “best girl” with both Utaha and Megumi taking fair turns to shine. Saekano increased the drama this season, but maintained the core of the show which contains lighthearted comedy, a harem-like setting, and a sprinkling of ecchi/fan-service. The character development we receive- of course for Megumi, but also Eriri was very well done. While the show itself may not be an AOTY contender, I think it does a lot of things well, and is well worth the watch.
Science-Fiction- Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou (Fall 2017)
Personally, I don’t care what genre this show won, as long as it won something. Yes, it’s probably more of a slice of life than Science-Fiction, but unfortunately it never had a chance to win that category. Maybe in 2016, but not this year. Per Lanblade; “Post-apocalyptic earth in Girls Last Tour is so tech advanced that humanity wiped itself out. Multi-level cities (each level up they went, the tech improved; a common trope for scifi works), strange facilities, robots with laser beams, and maybe some influence by the tech of the mushroom creatures that they interact with (who may be aliens visiting Earth or may be bioengineered weapons that evolved sentience--either way that's scifi territory).” He easily justifies the science-fiction tag it received on MAL. Technicalities out of the way, this show is very special. For a show not necessarily designed as a comedy I found myself laughing quite a bit. The characters were terrific- yes there were only 2 re-occurring, but they were each very likable. Their interaction and chemistry with each other was also a treat to watch. This may be the best post-apocalyptic anime I’ve ever seen. Each episode meant something. Whether it was their fascination with a camera, or their enjoyment over the sound of rain. The OST was fantastic, and White Fox simply seems to breed high quality anime. Even the moe art style couldn’t detract from the quality of SSR. In a post-apocalyptic world full of mystery, where our 2 protagonists have to search indefinitely for rations just to survive, you would expect only despair to exist. However, even after discovering they may be the last 2 humans on earth – our two protagonists continue to travel towards the top of the cities, a smile on their face.
Honourable Mention; SukaSuka (Spring 2017)
Horror/Thriller– Made in Abyss (Summer 2017)
Summer is finally on the board in the genre-based categories. Like several of the other categories so far 2017 was not the strongest year for the horror/thriller department. In fact, I’d be curious to know how many anime from 2017 even had that genre tag on MAL. Made in Abyss doesn’t. But Random Curiosity’s Zephyr gave this award to “Princess Principal” citing the same lack of depth in this genre this year. The most fitting anime this year would have been Ousama Game, but I’d sooner not give out an award at all than award Ousama Game anything other than worst series of the year. Made in Abyss may be one of the more overrated series in recent years- but its still a strong series, with a tense atmosphere, great setting, good OST and decent characters. It feels like the potential for Made in Abyss is greater than the current results- which always bodes well for future seasons.
Sports- Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara (Fall 2017)
Yes, its true Shokugeki lacks a “Sports” tag on MAL or other sites, but its one of the few instances where I don’t really care. MAL only lists 3 genres for Shokugeki – Ecchi, School, and Shounen. One of those is a demographic, one is a setting, and one hardly truly defines what Shokugeki is. Shokugeki received an honourable mention in this same category in both 2015 and 2016 so its not unprecedented territory. Fortunately for Shokugeki (but maybe unfortunately for me) the lack of any Haikyuu or Kuroko opens the field for a new winner, though Shokugeki itself of course is not a new show. This was actually Shokugeki’s weakest season to me, as I didn’t much are for the direction of Erina’s father as an antagonist and the whole set up with Central. That being said it’s still a very fun show overall, and who ever said competitive cooking isn’t a sport? Ballroom e Youkoso was a very close contender and while I appreciated the technical side of it more, Production I.G must relinquish, at least temporarily its reign on sports anime.
Honourable mention; Ballroom e Youkoso (Summer 2017)
Slice of Life- Sangatsu no Lion 2nd Season (Fall 2017)
This. This right here, this. This show was terrific. I know I had some very personal issues with Season 1 but after re-watching S1 realised those complaints- while valid may have been overstated and an overreaction. Season 2 however, was nearly flawless, leaving complaints from just about… no one. The characters absolutely top of the line. Kiriyama Rei is one of the best male Slice of Life protagonists of all time. Hina was so adorable, yet mature, motivating and endearing. Specifically, Rei’s chemistry and interaction with Hina reached peak level this season. We learned more about Master Souya- the child of God himself, a great yet somewhat mysterious character. Sakutarou himself was a great character, and man was it satisfying watching him beat Shimada, even at the age of 66. The metaphor of him carrying the burden of all his friends who had viscerally lived their hopes and dreams through Sakutarou was magnificent. Standing in a burnt field, burning, once again the 66-year-old maestro became a human torch, even if it was for one last time. How can a show introduce a character and have you care for them so much, so quickly? Viscerally living through their experience? I hardly know where to start with Sangatsu, everything this season touched turned to gold. The bullying Hina and her friend went through was one of the most realistic depictions of bullying I’ve seen so far in anime, and was genuinely heartbreaking to watch at times. One of the best proclamations in recent anime history is when Hina said “She did nothing wrong.” The way the parents handled it, the way the kids handled it, the way the teachers handled it- it all felt very real. Maybe it was the tone of the arc itself but I believe that allowed Shinbo Akiyuki to shine brightest. A return to the head tilts, a return to the darker backgrounds and lighting, where the characters are appearing to be consumed by darkness. Hell, Hina even referred to the bullying going on in the classroom as “the darkness.” Shades of Madoka and shades of Monogatari stylistically entered my mind. While Season 1 was very well crafted, and had excellent use of symbolism and metaphors, Season 2 capitalised on that buoyed by Shinbo Akiyuki’s distinct style. The OST was terrific, the characters; terrific, the art; terrific, the animation; terrific, the story; terrific. Even the characters that were far less likable from S1 (Gotou, Kyouko, Shimada) saw their roles either significantly decrease or evaporate entirely. Kiriyama at the age of 18 is finally in class B. While the focus was less on his specific shogi matches, S2 developed the cast in such unique, intriguing, immersive ways that the shogi almost became an afterthought. What’s not an afterthought, however, is this show; which is an immediate AOTY contender. Season 3, please, when?
Mystery- Houseki no Kuni (Fall 2017)
Rounding out the genre-based awards is the mystery category. While I wouldn’t necessarily classify Houseki no Kuni as a classic mystery, it’s definitely a deserved winner. First, shot-out to studio “Orange” for the competent use of CGI. It would be impossible to talk about this show without mentioning the possibly revolutionary use of CG animation, so let’s get it out of the way first. The character designs were unexpectedly very good and fitting. The setting was pretty unique, and the mystery of the world is maybe what captivated me the most. Who are the lunarians? What do they want with the gems so badly? What is Kongou-Sensei’s relationship to the lunarians? So many questions, left either unexplored or unanswered. One answer we did receive is a job for Cinnabar. Can she and Phos uncover the truth? This show left us with one of the cruelest cliff-hangers in recent memory. But it’s a story and setting glowing with potential.
Honourable mention; Acca-13 ku Kansatsu-ka (Winter 2017)
Underrated- Children of the Whales (Fall 2017)
Let’s be clear. This show isn’t Shinsekai Yori, and never will be. If your baseline for a good fantasy show involving superpowers is Shinsekai Yori, then let’s just stop making anime in this genre, because there may never be another Shinsekai Yori. The 7.32 mean score for this show is rather unfathomable. This is a very good show. The art and animation in this show was beautifully aesthetic, with a possibly equally beautiful OST to accentuate the tone and setting of the show. The setting was great- and original with the mud whale acting as a harmonious dystopia. Sure, detractors will say that the anime feels incomplete, and surely there’s a case to be made for that. However, what about Made in Abyss, Houseki no Kuni and others? Children of the Whales has the foundation of a very special show. Unorthodox, engaging, immersive, complex, unpredictable, a strong cast of characters that are not unlikable, a beautiful OST, and some of the most vivid art I’ve ever seen.
Overrated- Uchouten Kazoku 2 (Spring 2017)
Before I get into my choice here, let me take another minute or two to bash on another strong contender for this category. Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season. That show beat out Mob Psycho to win the award in 2016, and entered 2017 the surefire front runner to win it yet again. I thought the 8.42 score for season 1 was ludicrously high, but the 8.70 for the 2nd season is downright unjustifiable. I remember speaking with one prominent critic who compared it to Naruto, “minus the stakes.” Yes, from a technical perspective it remains one of the better animated shows, with a good OST, but that doesn’t change the fact I’m watching one of the most over hyped, predictable, trope shounen to ever exist. Uchouten Kazoku 2 on the other hand is simply boring. Maybe this one’s on me. I felt Season 1 was vastly overrated, but Season 2 to me was even more boring, having to fight just to maintain my interest. It’s rare for shows with such level of acclaim for me to miss the mark this much, but after openly watching both Season 1 and now Season 2 I can truthfully state this one of them. I didn’t care for the characters, I didn’t care much for the setting. A fantasy slice of life relies so much on its setting & characters to create the right atmosphere and maybe this just is a “taste” thing for me. It’s got an 8.20 rating compared to BnHA’s ballooned 8.70 rating, but we know why. BnHA appeals to the highest common denominator of anime fans. People who like shounen, fights, and super heroes. Uchouten Kazoku however, is way more critically lauded, and it’s for reasons I far less understand.
Dishonourable mention: Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season (Spring 2017)
Best Opening- Eiyuu Unmei no Uta- EGOIST (Fate/Apocrypha)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nLH06ftkL0&t
Best Ending- Heikousen- Sayuri (Kuzu no Honkai)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R82g0ALA8c
Best Insert- Scarborough Fair- Tamara Yamada (Sukasuka)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkaxczyyavE
Best Soundtrack- Re:Creators
MAGICAL SPLASH FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE. Well after last year’s upset, its back to business as usual for the best OST. Sawano Hiroyuki was back at his finest for Re:Creators. I felt bad Re:Creators wasn’t able to take home a genre-specific category getting beat out for in the fantasy, action, and Sci-Fi categories, but at least it can take solace here. Gravity Wall and Sh0ut were both great OPS which we all know always bodes well for winning this category. As Goukeban articulately points out in his review, songs like Here I Am (Mamika’s theme), God of ink, Layers, Brave the Ocean and World Etude were all purposefully used and crafted in ways to accentuate the events and animation itself. It might not be Sawano Hiroyuki’s best work- that honour goes to Guilty Crown and Aldnoah.Zero, but he remains the best in the business right now, and I look forward to any anime of which he’s part of sound production.
Honourable mention; Fate/Apocrypha, Princess Principal
Best Art- Sangatsu no Lion 2nd Season
For the second year in a row Shaft- and Sangatsu no Lion will be receiving the best art award, breaking Kyoto Ani’s once solidified monopoly. I mentioned quite a bit earlier, but Shinbo Akiyuki’s artistic direction was world class and unquestionable. While Season 1 had exceptional artistic direction- Season 2 raised the bar, and to beat out Rakugo in back to back years is just a testament to Akiyuki’s brilliance. The show was very stylistic, accentuating an already fantastic story. Scenes where the entire background went black to reflect the mood and tone – such as during Hina’s bullying arc, the “burnt field/human torch” metaphor during Sakutorou’s match against Shimada, the background art, the lighting, the show was brilliantly directed, and while Akiyuki and Shaft have yet to equal Kyo Ani’s attention to detail, they are able to stand out through metaphors, symbolism, lighting, and Akiyuki’s distinct style.
Honourable mention; Mahoutsukai no Yome
Best Animation- Attack on Titan 2nd Season
For a while now Studio Wit has been coming. When Attack on Titan Season 1 aired I was on record of saying that was the “best action animation” to date. Yes less than 2 years later it was surpassed by Fate/Stay Night’s Unlimited Blade Works, but Wit has truly become one of the most beautiful studios in the business recently. Mahoutsukai no Yome was beautifully animated with meticulous attention to detail, but Attack on Titan’s 2nd season deservingly claims this award. I mentioned earlier, but the movements of maneuver gear- so fluid and dynamic, watching Levi and Mikasa swing around chopping up titans is the highest level of quality animation we have in this medium so far. The titans themselves are animated very uniquely and convincingly, and the transformations themselves happen crisply and fluidly. The fight between Reiner and Eren was one of the most memorable moments of the year. While ufotable continues to set the pace, Studio Wit has proven that they are here for the long term.
Honourable mention; Houseki no Kuni
Best Movie- Kimi no na wa
Unfortunately, at the point I made my 2016 anime year end awards, Kimi no na wa had not yet legally been released. Now finally for the first time I can speak on what an absolutely stunningly, brilliant movie “Your Name” is- and how I don’t regret waiting to purchase the BD. Makoto Shinkai has proven and proven and proven over and over again to be Japan’s undisputed most brilliant animated feature film director. Yes Hosada is steadily building a track record of his own- but there’s no “Your Name” on his CV. The aesthetics for this film is unrivaled. Not even Shaft or KyoAni’s best can produce something so aesthetically stunning. The OST = world class. The characters, simple yet endearing with an engaging fantasy romance. The symbolism and metaphors- such as the red string of fate were simple yet constructive. God bless this man, this movie deserves every bit of praise it receives and more. If you can’t appreciate a movie of this quality construction, then its probably time to explore other hobby opportunities; cause this one definitely ain’t it chief.
Best Female Character– Kawamoto Hinata (Sangatsu no Lion)
What an interesting year for female protagonists. No there was no undisputed bae this year like Rem was last year, but we had a plethora of choices to choose from. I’m going to briefly mention all the female protagonists I genuinely appreciated this year. Hanabi (Kuzu no Honkai), Mamika (Re:Creators), Diana & Akko (Little Witch Academia), Yuuri & Chito (Girl’s Last Tour), Chise (Mahoutsukai no Yome), Ctholly (Sukasuka), Megumi (Saekano) and Tooru (Maid Dragon). The award could have easily gone to any of them as the distance separating these characters was minimal. However, I think Kawamoto Hinata did just enough to rise to the top of the pack. She was a lovely character, and her interactions with her sisters, her screen time with Rei, her screen time at school, she took advantage of nearly every moment given to her to shine. She was such a strong-willed character, so sweet and caring, but at the same time prideful enough to do the right things for her friends, even when she knew she would face backlash. She didn’t hesitate and even bravely proclaimed that she did nothing wrong, knowing in her heart that she acted in a way that would leave no regrets. Maybe that’s what hurt her the most. She saved Rei from his darkness, and in doing so maybe even saved Sangatsu’s status as a masterpiece.
Honourable mention; Honourable mention; Hanabi (Kuzu no Honkai), Mamika (Re:Creators), Diana (Little Witch Academia), Akko (Little Witch Academia)
Best Male Character- Kiriyama Rei (Sangatsu no Lion)
So, with Hina winning best female protagonist of the year, that left little doubt as to who would win male protagonist of the year. There were less choices for male than female this year, but the quality of the male characters in general was pretty strong. Most of the best male characters came from sequels however; Kiriyama Rei, Levi, Natsume and Yakumo. Of the new characters we were first introduced to in 2017, Blitz Talker (Re:Creators), Ayanokouji (Classroom of the Elite) and Ye Xiu (Quanzi Gaoshou) are probably the best. However, my male protagonist of the year is unquestionably Kiriyama Rei. At 18 years old my guy has finally made it to class B-2. There are few main characters I feel more personally attached to than Rei when it comes to sports/competitive anime. Rei is a prodigy though and it’s extremely easy to find myself personally invested in him and rooting for. His character development from episode 1 through the end of Season 2 was excellent. He went from a reclusive loner to a reliable friend and person, and it was done so in a believable, realistic way that felt organic and natural rather than forced. Were there times when maybe his self-deprecation was a little annoying? Maybe, but that’s what made it even sweeter watching him go out of his way to help others- specifically Hina. The scene where he surprises her on the bridge by the river when she was nervous on her class trip remains memorable.
Honourable mention; Levi (Attack on Titan), Natsume (Natsume Yuujinchou), Yakumo (Rakugo), Ayanokouji (Classroom of the Elite)
Best Villain- Altair (Re:Creators)
After not taking home any of the genre categories, Re:Creators has done well to capture its second award of my 2017 year end review. Let’s give a moment of silence for Mamika… Altair was an excellent antagonist with deep motivations, immense power, and great aesthetics. As the fictional construction of Setsuna, an author who had personally taken her own life, Altair wanted to destory that world. Ever loyal to her creator, if the world turned its back on Setsuna, then she would bring vengeance on the world. Loyalty and Vengeance are 2 great motivations for any good antagonist and when you combine that with the circumstances of Setsuna’s death it all culminates towards a very relatable and sympathetic character who you almost find yourself rooting for at times. Her character development is excellent and she retires as the best villain of 2017 and one of the best villains this decade.
Honourable mention; Reiner (Attack on Titan)
Best Short-Form Series 2017- Pingu in the City (Fall 2017)
Noot Noot.
Worst Anime Series 2017– Ousama Game the Animation (Fall 2017)
This show was an unmitigated travesty. It’s hard to fathom how a show can become as bad as Ousama Game. You almost have to intentionally try to make a show this bad. I had never given a 2/10 to a full-length TV series before out of the more-than-500 I have completed. Ousama Game changed that and defied even my most feared expectations. This show was entirely bereft of any quality or logic. The animation was terrible, the dialogue was terrible, the characters were terrible, almost all of the events seemed to be nonsensical, cringy or worse. Somehow this show managed to get worse and worse each episode with an ending that was unprecedentedly bad. That’s all I’ll speak on this junk.
]Honourable mention; Seiren (Winter 2017), Inuyashiki (Fall 2017)
Best Anime Series 2017– Sangatsu no Lion 2nd Season (Fall 2017)
Was there ever any doubt as to what the anime of the year would be for 2017? Actually, the answer to that is yes. Natsume Yuujinchou season 6 and Rakugo season 2 were both probably front runners at the start of the year. Natsume may be the most consistent show of all time, while Rakugo is a timeless work of art. Both are firmly entrenched in my top 30 shows of all time. I know most years when it’s all said and done there’s going to be at least a few series close to each other in terms of overall rank. Rakugo is #25 on my all-time list, Natsume Yuujinchou comes in at #19 and Sangatsu no Lion completed the unlikeliest of upsets coming in at #18. Sangatsu no Lion was able to overcome those grievances I had with S1 to finally become the masterpiece Slice of Life I always knew and hoped it would be. It’s that good. The setting, the shogi matches, the characters, the art, the animation, the OST, the dialogue, the metaphors, everything culminated together to form this masterpiece. The scariest thing is the source material is still on-going so there’s even more potential yet for this show to grow. Like I said, Season 3 when and please?
Honourable mention; Natsume Yuujinchou Roku (Spring 2017), Rakugo 2nd Season (Winter 2017)
Written by Johan
Edited/stylized by OfDeathandLove
Posted by Johan | Mar 27, 2019 9:42 PM | 8 comments
July 5th, 2017
2014 Anime Year End Review
Anime Relations: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari, Sidonia no Kishi, D-Frag!, Sakura Trick, Haikyuu!!, Isshuukan Friends., Sword Art Online II, Mushishi Zoku Shou, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Tokyo Ghoul, Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, Psycho-Pass 2, Zankyou no Terror
Anime 2014 Year – End
Action – Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
Fate Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works epitomises everything an action should entail. Quality characters, an engaging plot, substantial animation, and consistent pacing. Having already seen Studio Deen’s 2004 edition, I was genuinely excited to see what ufotable would be able to provide, and never did they disappoint. Both beginning and ending with double-length episodes, Fate was never short budgeted with animation, or other technical aspects which tend to plague most shounen actions. Ufotable did decide to separate the show into 2 cours (with the second cour airing in 2015) and I can’t wait to see the Unlimited Blade Works route conclude itself, and that is the ultimate goal of a shounen ; to create and maintain anticipation, something I don’t think Ufotable has struggled with for even the most casual of fans.
Adventure – Sword Art Online II
No matter our perception of Sword Art either as an individual or as a community, only the most ignorant of fans could ignore its innovation and quality. Sword Art Online II was marked by highs and lows much like its first season, but overall my love for Sword Art is unquestioned. The first arc (Gun Gale Online) brought back that life/death aspect which, in my opinion was part of what made Sword Art so special – or at least engaging – knowing that at any point a character could be offed and they would die in the real world. The Mother Rosario arc, too once again showed Sword Art’s quality and lack of shyness towards addressing moments that don’t have to always be boss fights. The scene where Asuna learns to confront her mother, and Yuuki’s entire character act as catalysts to showing the realness of Sword Art – of their world, and surely it’s one that resonates with me.
Comedy – D-Frag
I guess I ought to begin by stating I have not seen most’s consensus for Comedy of the year (Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun). That to me, doesn’t take away that D-frag is deserving of this award. D-frag was essentially what I call a pure comedy (no romance, no drama, no action, etc.) no other main plot elements other than comedy. When I think of others like Setokai Yakuindomo (of the punchline based comedies) I generally have an unfavourable opinion. D-frag somehow managed to keep its comedy fresh and appealing over a 12 episode run, which (to me anyway) isn’t always the easiest of tasks. The characters are all bland and generic enough, but somehow it almost accentuates Kazama Kenji’s punchlines. This show was good for multiple laughs, so while it may not maintain this spot for long, I don’t feel uncomfortable selecting it as my Comedy of the year.
Drama – Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
Shigatsu has consistently exceeded my expectations from its first episode. Its colours and aesthetics are unparalleled, but as a drama I cannot think of a more deserving candidate, in fact this show has a real opportunity to be one of my favourites all time. The depth, the symbolism, and the contrast between black/white & a world of colour all act as catalysts to the show’s quality. The characters should seem generic, but they all have their own depth to them which make them unique. I can’t praise this show enough. Watching Kousei attempt to overcome his fear of playing the piano, a condition in which he cannot hear the sounds of the keys and his beautiful saviour Kaori attempt at changing his perspective, is enough to align my heart with the characters… almost too strongly.
Romance – Isshuukan Friends
Alright so maybe I’m forcing Isshuukan Friends to get an award, as it just misses out on 2 viable categories (Slice of Life & Drama) to two of the best anime I have ever seen(the other pure romance’s like Ao Haru Ride simply lacked in quality). Isshuukan Friends never focused too strongly on any romantic relations, but it was light hearted, and a beautiful buildup between Kaori & Hase. The drama was relevant (as well as innovative), but never melodramatic which really allowed a calm, relaxing atmosphere through most of the show. The characters also seemed very real, something important to a SOL/Romance. Every time I watched the show I had a smile on my face, and felt a genuine desire to see Kaori & Hase continue to build their relationship. Season 2 please?
Science-Fiction – Psycho – Pass 2
Critics will compare Psycho Pass 2 to its first run 2 years ago, and realise it does not produce the same level of quality. That the antagonist is not as unique, or that the new characters receiving significant air time are nowhere near as interesting as Ginoza, Kogami, etc). And surely they have a point. That does not mean that the second season of Psycho Pass was bereft of quality. The setting is still the class of any Sci-Fi setting, with the return of Sibyl and the dystopian society that it entails. Lead inspector Tsunemori and her own conflict with her own moral values of right and wrong. It’s still the class of Science Fiction, as the setting, themes and moral questions presented far exceed its competition – despite its relative shortcomings with its characters or plot developments.
Horror/Thriller – Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu
I might be as surprised as anyone that “Zankyou no Terror” will not be getting any awards this year, despite arguably being one of the top 5 or top 10 shows of the calendar year. Kiseijuu just has it beat. If the strongest thing for a Thriller/Horror is its “ride” through the plot, the anticipation from episode to episode, even anticipation within the episode from one moment to next – nothing surpasses Kiseijuu, not even ZnT itself. Surely it is not as technically gifted as ZnT in terms of its art, character designs, soundtrack, and animation, but Kiseijuu makes up for that with its pure entertainment.
Romantic-Comedy – Sakura Trick
Alright my initial thoughts with this category, was that “Nisekoi” probably fit the most obvious definition, but it’s my love for Sakura Trick that forces me to put it here. Sakura Trick was just pure light hearted comedy, and beautiful, sensual romance – plus how often do I get to acknowledge the positive characteristics of a Yuri? Nisekoi loses out because of its poor pacing, overly aggressive female lead, over reliance on slap stick humour, and lack of attention for actually developing any romance – despite its technical brilliance with its animation and colour schemes. The innocent, lesbian (Yuri) love between Haruka and more submissive Yuu, create the perfect atmosphere for relaxing and enjoying the experience as they better come to realise their affection for one another.
Sports – Haikyuu!
Now Volleyball is never my preferred sport, in fact I’m barely familiar with the rules, and my only time actually playing came in Primary school gymnasiums. That doesn’t stop the appreciation I have for Production IG’s animation of Haikyuu. The animation is superb, the characters are a bit immature, but also what you would expect from prodigies’ first entering high school and learning to cope with competitive team play. Haikyuu was technically gifted, entertaining, and the obvious choice for this award. With season 2 airing (I believe spring of 2015) I am genuinely excited to see the series, and characters progress even further. Who knew Volleyball could be so entertaining?
Slice of Life – Mushishi Zoku Shou
The largest category in terms of titles per year probably fall under the “Slice of Life” genre. However one series stands so far ahead of the pack – that it raises the bar to an almost unreachable level for others. Defined by its originality, its depth, its symbolism, its moral questions Mushishi continues to set, and lead the pace (maybe not only from others in the SOL genre – but any anime). It’s technically gifted with brilliant colours, animation, art, and a lovely soundtrack. It’s only got one recurring character, and that is by far all it ever needs. Each episode containing new, fresh, unique stories that allow Ginko’s character to shine. This show is nothing short of a masterpiece, so it is no coincidence, it runs away with the category. My only desire is that we got more Mushishi, more series like Mushishi, and more often.
Dissapointing – Tokyo Ghoul
I am not a manga reader, but it’s clear even to me Tokyo Ghoul underwhelmed when it should have done better. It was marked by inconsistent animation, over censoring, and inconsistent plot progression. I do not want to trash Tokyo Ghoul, it was still massively entertaining, and who didn’t love Jason-Sama? I guess I just expected Tokyo Ghoul to be great (this is why I need to stop listening to these manga readers; the same ones who testified in favour of Aku no Hana, only for me to have one of the most miserable experiences of my anime watching career). Hopefully season 2 is better.
Overrated – Sidonia no Kishi
I’ve been waiting ever since Sidnoia no Kishi finished airing to just vent on how overrated it is. I am going to try to keep this paragraph as mature as possible but iutewvuhrwev;irejvi;wrvrvr ejwvrevuervweljkejkwvjeklwvjewvw. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY FELLOW ANIME CRITICS/BLOGGERS? NAH SERIOUSLY WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU? This show is animated ENTIRELY in CGI (computer generated images). The characters are more bland than beige, the character designs look like they have regressed 20 years, the plot is simple and not properly developed, no seriously what in God’s name is going on here? One of the main characters is a BEAR. No, you did not mis-interpret that sentence, literally a bear. I’m just lost and confused. I mean the only somewhat redeeming trait the show has is some of the fights with the Gauna (which is pretty unique, and well animated I will say), but even that is a repetitive situation of Guana attacks - send out crew Crew dies - repeat. One day I’ll understand the critical reception behind this anime, and when that day comes I’m sure it’ll be the equivalent of reaching a state of Nirvana.
Best Opening – Ignite (Sword Art Online II - Gun Gale Online)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ldf7beu58
Best Soundtrack – Mushishi Zoku Shou
It’s hard to describe the soundtrack for Mushishi, but it really does well to accentuate the different moods of the show. Firstly the opening, is one of the best of the year, which always bodes well to winning this award, but to me has to more than just a quality opening/ending sequence, it also entails what happens in between? And Mushishi Zoku Shou’s ability to switch between dramatic tones at key points help establish a mood within the show, and quickly work to gain your attention with what’s being said or about to be said. Everything from the sound of the wind whistling, to Ginko’s footsteps is so technically produced, it would be a tragedy to give this to another show.
Best Art – Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
As I mentioned on my season impressions, Shigatsu’s aesthetics are unrivaled. The vibrant colours, the vibrant character designs, and even the colour contrast between black and white settings & colour settings serve their own way of setting the mood of the story. The meticulous respect to detail, and flashy vibrant way they accentuate those details is what places Shigatsu a cut ahead the rest.
Best Animation – Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
As I mentioned under the “Action” category, Ufotable’ has done it again. The detail, the fluid animation, there’s not much harder – or more beautiful to the eye than high quality animation in an action anime. Ufotable flaunted its budget throughout the series, which is fine by me, considering Studio Deen’s sub-par animation of the 2004 edition. The consistency might be the most amazing part, as there was rarely (if ever) drop offs in quality.
Best Movie – Madoka Magika: Hangyaku no Monogatari
Another no doubter, 2014 lacked the quantity of movies that 2013 produced, but the head of the class has to go to the sequel to the Madoka Magika series. Shaft poured everything into this movie, from absolutely brilliant animation, colours, art, to beautiful backgrounds, settings, and plot twists. I don’t want to go too far into the details of the plot at risk of spoiling, but everything about the movie represents the absolute pinnacle of quality.
Best Female Character – Miyazono, Kaori (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso)
This was not an easy category to determine. In the spring I thought for sure Shiba Miyuki was the front runner, Esdeath & Akame from Akame ga Kill also both deserve a mention, and it would be a tragedy of the highest order to not include Asuna. Kaori, to me is special (not to take away from the others I just mentioned). Her character design is lovely, she is aesthetically appealing, but she is confident, happy (at times maybe a bit more immature than I would like), caring, and rich with depth, and evoking emotions (from the viewers). Kaori is special, and one of those characters that stands out above the rest – one I will always remember.
Best Male Character – Nine (Zankyou no Terror)
This was another tough category to choose, and again in the spring I could have gone with Shiba Tatsuya, Kirito & Shiroe also are both quality protagonists of the highest order. And surely I could have gone with Ginko (Didn’t Mushishi take home enough awards?). I wanted to go with someone fresh, someone we haven’t seen before (Shiroe takes back the 2013 award, and Kirito 2012) so it was time for a new choice. Who leaves a more powerful legacy behind than Nine? The nameless one – the orphan who was cast aside as part of a political agenda, only to seek revenge on the Japanese. He just wanted to be recognised, isn’t that something we can all relate to? Sure maybe his policies reflecting terrorism may not have been the most diplomatic, but it also raises the question I always ask. Who is the real terrorist? Is it the Japanese government, who rounds up orphans, isolates them and tries to train them as domestic weapons? Or is it the nameless one, the mistreated one, who just wants to have an identity, to be recognised. There is no easy answer here, but Nine is more than a number. He is one of the most intelligent, and quality characters I have had the pleasure of knowing.
Best Anime Series 2014 – Mushishi Zoku Shou
I doubt there was ever much doubt as to which series would take this year’s honours. Mushishi was just too good, too deep, and too technically gifted for the rest of the competition. Only the most cynical of viewers can find flaws with Mushishi, as its episodic plots remained unique and brilliant over the course of 20 episodes & 2 specials. I don’t even have to write anymore about it.
Action – Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
Fate Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works epitomises everything an action should entail. Quality characters, an engaging plot, substantial animation, and consistent pacing. Having already seen Studio Deen’s 2004 edition, I was genuinely excited to see what ufotable would be able to provide, and never did they disappoint. Both beginning and ending with double-length episodes, Fate was never short budgeted with animation, or other technical aspects which tend to plague most shounen actions. Ufotable did decide to separate the show into 2 cours (with the second cour airing in 2015) and I can’t wait to see the Unlimited Blade Works route conclude itself, and that is the ultimate goal of a shounen ; to create and maintain anticipation, something I don’t think Ufotable has struggled with for even the most casual of fans.
Adventure – Sword Art Online II
No matter our perception of Sword Art either as an individual or as a community, only the most ignorant of fans could ignore its innovation and quality. Sword Art Online II was marked by highs and lows much like its first season, but overall my love for Sword Art is unquestioned. The first arc (Gun Gale Online) brought back that life/death aspect which, in my opinion was part of what made Sword Art so special – or at least engaging – knowing that at any point a character could be offed and they would die in the real world. The Mother Rosario arc, too once again showed Sword Art’s quality and lack of shyness towards addressing moments that don’t have to always be boss fights. The scene where Asuna learns to confront her mother, and Yuuki’s entire character act as catalysts to showing the realness of Sword Art – of their world, and surely it’s one that resonates with me.
Comedy – D-Frag
I guess I ought to begin by stating I have not seen most’s consensus for Comedy of the year (Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun). That to me, doesn’t take away that D-frag is deserving of this award. D-frag was essentially what I call a pure comedy (no romance, no drama, no action, etc.) no other main plot elements other than comedy. When I think of others like Setokai Yakuindomo (of the punchline based comedies) I generally have an unfavourable opinion. D-frag somehow managed to keep its comedy fresh and appealing over a 12 episode run, which (to me anyway) isn’t always the easiest of tasks. The characters are all bland and generic enough, but somehow it almost accentuates Kazama Kenji’s punchlines. This show was good for multiple laughs, so while it may not maintain this spot for long, I don’t feel uncomfortable selecting it as my Comedy of the year.
Drama – Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
Shigatsu has consistently exceeded my expectations from its first episode. Its colours and aesthetics are unparalleled, but as a drama I cannot think of a more deserving candidate, in fact this show has a real opportunity to be one of my favourites all time. The depth, the symbolism, and the contrast between black/white & a world of colour all act as catalysts to the show’s quality. The characters should seem generic, but they all have their own depth to them which make them unique. I can’t praise this show enough. Watching Kousei attempt to overcome his fear of playing the piano, a condition in which he cannot hear the sounds of the keys and his beautiful saviour Kaori attempt at changing his perspective, is enough to align my heart with the characters… almost too strongly.
Romance – Isshuukan Friends
Alright so maybe I’m forcing Isshuukan Friends to get an award, as it just misses out on 2 viable categories (Slice of Life & Drama) to two of the best anime I have ever seen(the other pure romance’s like Ao Haru Ride simply lacked in quality). Isshuukan Friends never focused too strongly on any romantic relations, but it was light hearted, and a beautiful buildup between Kaori & Hase. The drama was relevant (as well as innovative), but never melodramatic which really allowed a calm, relaxing atmosphere through most of the show. The characters also seemed very real, something important to a SOL/Romance. Every time I watched the show I had a smile on my face, and felt a genuine desire to see Kaori & Hase continue to build their relationship. Season 2 please?
Science-Fiction – Psycho – Pass 2
Critics will compare Psycho Pass 2 to its first run 2 years ago, and realise it does not produce the same level of quality. That the antagonist is not as unique, or that the new characters receiving significant air time are nowhere near as interesting as Ginoza, Kogami, etc). And surely they have a point. That does not mean that the second season of Psycho Pass was bereft of quality. The setting is still the class of any Sci-Fi setting, with the return of Sibyl and the dystopian society that it entails. Lead inspector Tsunemori and her own conflict with her own moral values of right and wrong. It’s still the class of Science Fiction, as the setting, themes and moral questions presented far exceed its competition – despite its relative shortcomings with its characters or plot developments.
Horror/Thriller – Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu
I might be as surprised as anyone that “Zankyou no Terror” will not be getting any awards this year, despite arguably being one of the top 5 or top 10 shows of the calendar year. Kiseijuu just has it beat. If the strongest thing for a Thriller/Horror is its “ride” through the plot, the anticipation from episode to episode, even anticipation within the episode from one moment to next – nothing surpasses Kiseijuu, not even ZnT itself. Surely it is not as technically gifted as ZnT in terms of its art, character designs, soundtrack, and animation, but Kiseijuu makes up for that with its pure entertainment.
Romantic-Comedy – Sakura Trick
Alright my initial thoughts with this category, was that “Nisekoi” probably fit the most obvious definition, but it’s my love for Sakura Trick that forces me to put it here. Sakura Trick was just pure light hearted comedy, and beautiful, sensual romance – plus how often do I get to acknowledge the positive characteristics of a Yuri? Nisekoi loses out because of its poor pacing, overly aggressive female lead, over reliance on slap stick humour, and lack of attention for actually developing any romance – despite its technical brilliance with its animation and colour schemes. The innocent, lesbian (Yuri) love between Haruka and more submissive Yuu, create the perfect atmosphere for relaxing and enjoying the experience as they better come to realise their affection for one another.
Sports – Haikyuu!
Now Volleyball is never my preferred sport, in fact I’m barely familiar with the rules, and my only time actually playing came in Primary school gymnasiums. That doesn’t stop the appreciation I have for Production IG’s animation of Haikyuu. The animation is superb, the characters are a bit immature, but also what you would expect from prodigies’ first entering high school and learning to cope with competitive team play. Haikyuu was technically gifted, entertaining, and the obvious choice for this award. With season 2 airing (I believe spring of 2015) I am genuinely excited to see the series, and characters progress even further. Who knew Volleyball could be so entertaining?
Slice of Life – Mushishi Zoku Shou
The largest category in terms of titles per year probably fall under the “Slice of Life” genre. However one series stands so far ahead of the pack – that it raises the bar to an almost unreachable level for others. Defined by its originality, its depth, its symbolism, its moral questions Mushishi continues to set, and lead the pace (maybe not only from others in the SOL genre – but any anime). It’s technically gifted with brilliant colours, animation, art, and a lovely soundtrack. It’s only got one recurring character, and that is by far all it ever needs. Each episode containing new, fresh, unique stories that allow Ginko’s character to shine. This show is nothing short of a masterpiece, so it is no coincidence, it runs away with the category. My only desire is that we got more Mushishi, more series like Mushishi, and more often.
Dissapointing – Tokyo Ghoul
I am not a manga reader, but it’s clear even to me Tokyo Ghoul underwhelmed when it should have done better. It was marked by inconsistent animation, over censoring, and inconsistent plot progression. I do not want to trash Tokyo Ghoul, it was still massively entertaining, and who didn’t love Jason-Sama? I guess I just expected Tokyo Ghoul to be great (this is why I need to stop listening to these manga readers; the same ones who testified in favour of Aku no Hana, only for me to have one of the most miserable experiences of my anime watching career). Hopefully season 2 is better.
Overrated – Sidonia no Kishi
I’ve been waiting ever since Sidnoia no Kishi finished airing to just vent on how overrated it is. I am going to try to keep this paragraph as mature as possible but iutewvuhrwev;irejvi;wrvrvr ejwvrevuervweljkejkwvjeklwvjewvw. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY FELLOW ANIME CRITICS/BLOGGERS? NAH SERIOUSLY WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU? This show is animated ENTIRELY in CGI (computer generated images). The characters are more bland than beige, the character designs look like they have regressed 20 years, the plot is simple and not properly developed, no seriously what in God’s name is going on here? One of the main characters is a BEAR. No, you did not mis-interpret that sentence, literally a bear. I’m just lost and confused. I mean the only somewhat redeeming trait the show has is some of the fights with the Gauna (which is pretty unique, and well animated I will say), but even that is a repetitive situation of Guana attacks - send out crew Crew dies - repeat. One day I’ll understand the critical reception behind this anime, and when that day comes I’m sure it’ll be the equivalent of reaching a state of Nirvana.
Best Opening – Ignite (Sword Art Online II - Gun Gale Online)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ldf7beu58
Best Soundtrack – Mushishi Zoku Shou
It’s hard to describe the soundtrack for Mushishi, but it really does well to accentuate the different moods of the show. Firstly the opening, is one of the best of the year, which always bodes well to winning this award, but to me has to more than just a quality opening/ending sequence, it also entails what happens in between? And Mushishi Zoku Shou’s ability to switch between dramatic tones at key points help establish a mood within the show, and quickly work to gain your attention with what’s being said or about to be said. Everything from the sound of the wind whistling, to Ginko’s footsteps is so technically produced, it would be a tragedy to give this to another show.
Best Art – Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
As I mentioned on my season impressions, Shigatsu’s aesthetics are unrivaled. The vibrant colours, the vibrant character designs, and even the colour contrast between black and white settings & colour settings serve their own way of setting the mood of the story. The meticulous respect to detail, and flashy vibrant way they accentuate those details is what places Shigatsu a cut ahead the rest.
Best Animation – Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
As I mentioned under the “Action” category, Ufotable’ has done it again. The detail, the fluid animation, there’s not much harder – or more beautiful to the eye than high quality animation in an action anime. Ufotable flaunted its budget throughout the series, which is fine by me, considering Studio Deen’s sub-par animation of the 2004 edition. The consistency might be the most amazing part, as there was rarely (if ever) drop offs in quality.
Best Movie – Madoka Magika: Hangyaku no Monogatari
Another no doubter, 2014 lacked the quantity of movies that 2013 produced, but the head of the class has to go to the sequel to the Madoka Magika series. Shaft poured everything into this movie, from absolutely brilliant animation, colours, art, to beautiful backgrounds, settings, and plot twists. I don’t want to go too far into the details of the plot at risk of spoiling, but everything about the movie represents the absolute pinnacle of quality.
Best Female Character – Miyazono, Kaori (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso)
This was not an easy category to determine. In the spring I thought for sure Shiba Miyuki was the front runner, Esdeath & Akame from Akame ga Kill also both deserve a mention, and it would be a tragedy of the highest order to not include Asuna. Kaori, to me is special (not to take away from the others I just mentioned). Her character design is lovely, she is aesthetically appealing, but she is confident, happy (at times maybe a bit more immature than I would like), caring, and rich with depth, and evoking emotions (from the viewers). Kaori is special, and one of those characters that stands out above the rest – one I will always remember.
Best Male Character – Nine (Zankyou no Terror)
This was another tough category to choose, and again in the spring I could have gone with Shiba Tatsuya, Kirito & Shiroe also are both quality protagonists of the highest order. And surely I could have gone with Ginko (Didn’t Mushishi take home enough awards?). I wanted to go with someone fresh, someone we haven’t seen before (Shiroe takes back the 2013 award, and Kirito 2012) so it was time for a new choice. Who leaves a more powerful legacy behind than Nine? The nameless one – the orphan who was cast aside as part of a political agenda, only to seek revenge on the Japanese. He just wanted to be recognised, isn’t that something we can all relate to? Sure maybe his policies reflecting terrorism may not have been the most diplomatic, but it also raises the question I always ask. Who is the real terrorist? Is it the Japanese government, who rounds up orphans, isolates them and tries to train them as domestic weapons? Or is it the nameless one, the mistreated one, who just wants to have an identity, to be recognised. There is no easy answer here, but Nine is more than a number. He is one of the most intelligent, and quality characters I have had the pleasure of knowing.
Best Anime Series 2014 – Mushishi Zoku Shou
I doubt there was ever much doubt as to which series would take this year’s honours. Mushishi was just too good, too deep, and too technically gifted for the rest of the competition. Only the most cynical of viewers can find flaws with Mushishi, as its episodic plots remained unique and brilliant over the course of 20 episodes & 2 specials. I don’t even have to write anymore about it.
Posted by Johan | Jul 5, 2017 2:15 PM | 0 comments
2015 ANIME YEAR REVIEW
Anime Relations: Naruto: Shippuuden, Non Non Biyori Repeat, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. Zoku, Kuroko no Basket 3rd Season, Aldnoah.Zero Part 2, Hibike! Euphonium, Death Parade, Arslan Senki (TV), Ore Monogatari!!, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season, Mushishi Zoku Shou: Suzu no Shizuku, Charlotte, One Punch Man, Noragami Aragoto, Owarimonogatari, Nirvana
Anime 2015 Year – End
Action – Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season (Spring 2015)
The second season of Fate resumed immediately from where it left off last year, and once again Ufotable did not disappoint. The second cour of Unlimited Blade Works was paced very well, each episode delivering as it emerged to its climax. Unlike its 2006 edition, the character development of both Archer & Shirou felt neither forced, nor rushed, and developed one of the most impactful character developments in anime history. Combined with Ufotable’s always superb animation, Fate continues to epitomise the action genre and once again delivered nothing short of a Masterpiece.
Honourable Mention; Noragami Arogoto (Fall 2015), K: Return of Kings (Fall 2015)
Adventure – Arslan Senki (Spring 2015)
I think, of all the great series to air in the spring of 2015 few were as genuinely surprising as Arslan Senki. I had moderate expectations for Arslan Senki, due in part to the general trope filled genre of medieval wartime anime, with stale characters and uncreative plots. With illustrations by the acclaimed Hiromu Arakawa; author of Full Metal Alchemist & Gin no Saji, I decided to give Arslan Senki a watch, albeit a reluctant one. Arslan Senki exceeded even the most optimistic of my expectations. A standard setting, with a positive sound track, realistic characters, and a plot that never failed to generate anticipation. The religious themes provoked through Lord Bodin, the secular themes such as slavery & human rights, depict a somewhat accurate portrayal of medieval life – all the while making the show always entertaining and interesting, which is what easily separates it from the rest.
Honourable Mention; Overlord (Summer 2015)
Comedy – Prison School (Summer 2015)
I really would not have watched Prison School were it not for the near international acclaim it received. Originally omitted from my summer 2015 schedule, I added Prison School to gauge for myself its actual quality. The plot seemed as ridiculous as could be with a group of 5 men caught peeking on the female dressing room and detained in a school orchestrated prison. With a generic sounding plot and generic looking characters my expectations could not be much lower. I remember Seitokai Yakuindomo among others with similar acclaim that I found boring and non-enticing. Enter Prison School. A show so lewd it pushes the absolute boundaries of Cable television – even for Japan. The excessive ecchi actually accentuated the show, and helped create the atmosphere for one of the genuinely funniest anime I have ever seen. If you enjoy ecchi, much less if you can handle it, Prison School should be atop everyone’s list as an outrageous, genuinely creative comedy.
Drama – Hibike Euphonium (Spring 2015)
Of all the shows of the spring 2015 season, there were few I anticipated more than Kyoto Animation returning to the music genre with Sound Euphonium! And Kyoto delivered alright. For the second year in a row, this award will be retained by the music sub-genre. Hibike Euphonium was aesthetically gorgeous, so well directed there were legitimate times I felt Oumae Kumiko was genuinely deserving of an Oscar – only to realise she was actually just a character. The animation stunning, the attention to detail perfect, the story simple, yet the plight of the characters, the realness of the drama created an atmosphere that was to engaging it almost felt like one was part of the cast.
Romance – Ore Monogatari (Spring 2015)
Ore Monogatari was another anime from the spring season I was always going to watch. After Madhouse’s recent string of success (Death Parade, Kiseijuu, No Game no Life, Mahouka, Chihayafuru) there was never doubt that I would check out Madhouse’ attempt at a Romance-Shojo. As always expected the art and animation were beautiful, but what maybe more was shocking was that Madhouse produced unarguably the best Romance-Shojo I had ever watched. The characters we well written, the pacing of the romance nearly perfect, the drama light hearted, but at the same time realistic. The comedy was well timed, and not over done which made for a very cute, refreshing twenty four episode series.
Honourable mention: Akagami no Shirayukihime (Summer 2015), Plastic Memories (Spring 2015)
Science-Fiction – Charlotte (Summer 2015)
I know the selection of Charlotte is controversial for a few reasons. First it is not considered a Sci-Fi anime by most standards. To me, I think it has the qualities to definite it as such. It is clearly fictional. Then there is the premise of a Charlotte comet that only inhabits Earth’s atmosphere every few hundred years, emitting dust that can evoke latent super powers. As scientists attempt to forcibly incarcerate the infected in an attempt to study and harness their power, a separate faction has decided to work with the supernatural in an attempt to create a vaccine to prevent future cases. That to me qualifies science. Next people will question its quality. Granted Charlotte was paced a little slow, and the first five & a half episodes are not very cracking, but episode 6 is the turning point that transforms Charlotte from the silly slice of life, supernatural comedy, to a cracking action paced drama. Always animated beautifully, with characters who are genuinely inspiring (Kamagami), Charlotte deserves nothing less to be recognised on any 2015 Anime Review.
Honourable mention; Aldnoah Zero 2nd Season (Winter 2015), Gatchaman Crowds: Insight (Summer 2015)
Horror/Thriller – Death Parade (Winter 2015)
For the second consecutive year, Madhouse will take control of this category. Death Parade was always going to be an AOTY contender. I remember when “Death Billiards” took the best OVA award a few years ago, and was genuinely excited to not only see that Death Parade was getting a full season, but that it would be animated by non-other than Madhouse. With such a creative setting, intensive drama, thought provoking situations, at times tear inducing scenes, Death Parade was easily one of the most magnificent anime of the year. It receives this award, not necessarily because of its “scary” nature, but because of the thrilling suspense within each episode, as we saw characters pushed beyond their mental limits into realising their despair.
Honourable mention; Gakkou Gurashi (Summer 2015)
Romantic-Comedy – Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. Zoku (Spring 2015)
Another spring selection, the 2nd Season of Oregairu was another easy choice, as it greatly exceeded not only its first season but transcended the genre in general(not to say I wasn’t worried when I heard Studio Feel was producing). Once again while Nisekoi: offered the same trope filled silliness, it was Oregairu that emerged with creativity, and effectiveness. Seeing Hachiman evolve as a character was a relatively pleasant sight, as he always represented the most realistic character I have ever seen, and seeing him come to the realisation of who is truly important to him, the character interaction between he and the others; is what really separates Oregairu as a romantic-comedy.
Honourable mention; Nisekoi: (Spring 2015), Saekano (Winter 2015)
Sports – Kuroko no Basket 3rd Season (Winter 2015)
Kuroko returned in 2015, picking up right where it left off after Season 2. I think more so than anything, what boosts Kuroko in this category is that it as much a Shounen-Battle anime as it is simply just a Sports show. Seeing Kuroko and his Seiren squad set out to dethrone the Generation of Miracles, is both enticing, and inspiring. The match between Rakuzen and Seiren will have to be objectively considered one of the greatest matches in anime history. This is no disrespect to Haikyuu, also produced by Production IG, which is just as good just for different reasons. This is one of the tougher categories to determine this year, but what separates the two shows for me, is the pure entertainment you get while watching KnB which is almost unprecedented.
Honourable mention; Haikyuu 2nd Season (Fall 2015)
Slice of Life – Non Non Biyori Repeat (Summer 2015)
The second season of Non Non Biyori, which may be better stylised as an alternate to the 2012 version was just as charming, serene and enchanting as its first season. The always realistic, intriguing cast & character interaction between the cast is what really separates Non Non Biyori from its competition. It’s also one of the only anime to genuinely make me laugh this year. The comedy is well timed, but more importantly not overdone which allows for multiple laughs throughout the course of the show.
Mystery – Owarimonogatari (Fall 2015)
It was a tough year for the fall season, as Owarimonogatari is the only anime aired in fall to represent the genre category based awards. That said the most recent rendition of the Monogatari series is as brilliant as ever, and was always going to be a front runner for AOTY. Shaft’s animation and colour schemes remain as brilliant and vibrant as ever, their signature head tilt, the ominous atmosphere, the brilliant mysteries and deductions. There were more typical choices to fit here such as Subete ga F ni Naru, & Sakarako chan, but Monogatari blows them away both in style & substance.
Honourable mention; Subete ga F ni Naru (Fall 2015), Sakurako Chan (Fall 2015)
Underrated – Charlotte (Summer 2015)
Alright so many have probably predicted that Charlotte would win this award, and anyone who knows me should know I am more than adequately prepared to represent it. I was prepared for this, I really was when I saw Jun Maeda was the one directing the show. The same brilliant architect who worked on Angel Beats. Much like Angel Beats, Charlotte succeeded to the general population, but not necessarily the critical community, and those criticisms are largely off base. While Charlotte still could have been even greater than it turned out, there is no doubting its quality. Neither from a technical standpoint, nor a directing standpoint.
Honourable mention; Owari no Seraph (Spring 2015)
Overrated – One Punch Man (Fall 2015)
This was anything but a bad year for Madhouse. They saw Ore Monogatari transcend the Romance-Shojo genre, Death Parade instill itself as one of the best animes maybe not only of the year, but of all time, & Overlord smash the BD Sales. Well hell, even One Punch Man was a cracking success, receiving international acclaim. The biggest problem is… despite Madhouse’s best efforts, One Punch Man was boring, generic, stale, and did I mention boring? Putting its technical production aside for the moment, One Punch Man underwhelmed from the day I began watching. Its “plot” if you can even claim that was not centrally organised. Saitama was boring & lacked personality. Nothing was cracking or entertaining about watching him defeat every single opponent with literally one punch. There was nothing cracking about seeing no organised themes, no central plot, no character development, no enticing fight scenes ( I get it all shounen represent predetermined outcomes with the protagonist prevailing) but at least you end up with beautiful, dramatic fights Yamori v Kaneki, Gohan v Cell, Madara v the Shinobi World, etc. One Punch man failed, and despite unlimited funding from Madhouse’s war chest, a brilliantly composed soundtrack, and consistent animation, it was far from able to transcend its source material flaws.
Honourable mention: Sidonia no Kishi 2nd Season (Spring 2015)
Best Opening – Brave Shine (Fate/StayNight Unlimited Blade Works)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7L1QOjv1d0
Best Ending – Nirvana (Noragami Arogoto)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5xBgZZKH04
Best Soundtrack – Aldonoah Zero 2nd Season
Look, I’m the first one to be critical of Aldnoah Zero’s flaws. It’s undermining of logic, its poor pacing, and at times poor directing. One thing that not even the most cynical of fans can dispute is the quality of Aldnoah’s soundtrack, composed by the much acclaimed Sawano Hirayuki. The background music during fight scenes, was noticeable, both fit the mood and accentuated the tone of the show. Alliez narrowly missed ending of the year, and the OST is honestly one of the most well composed, diligent OST in recent anime history.
Honourable mention; Gatchaman Crowds: Insight, Kekkai Sensen
Best Art – Hibike Euphonium
Hibike Euphonium was unarguably the most aesthetic anime of the year. The beautiful character designs, the meticulous respect to detail was almost unprecedented. The accuracy of the detail on the hand drawn instruments, the beautiful scenery. I know I said Kumiko was almost deserving of an Oscar and the two scenes that best reflected that; The one where Kumiko & Reina are looking over the hill at the festival of lights (one of the most memorable & most beautiful scenes in recent anime history) as well as the one where Kumiko races to the bridge to declare her will to improve “is arguably the best animated scene in TV anime” (Samu).
Best Animation – Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season
Ufotable continues to promote itself as the #1 studio for quality animation. This category is about the quality of visuals we see on screen; both in terms of consistency & fluid motion, and Ufotable’s competent use of traditional hand drawn & Computer generated animation created a fluid, aesthetic and most importantly consistent viewing experience. The fight scenes were superbly animated, most specifically of which the final fight between Shirou & Lord Gilgamesh. It’s a shame Unlimited Blade Works came to an end, but the best of news is that the Heavens Feel movie has been announced and will be animated non-other than… Ufotable itself. So there’s a probable chance we aren’t done with Fate just yet on these year reviews.
Honourable mention; Owarimonogatari, Charlotte
Best Movie – Mushishi Zoku Shou: Suzuku no Shizoku
This was the closest year for movies, and I was genuinely deciding between the Psycho Pass Movie & Mushishi Zoku Shou. In the end Mushishi just edges out Psycho Pass, and it was the last five minutes of the movie which really earned the award. The soliloquy where Ginko describes human nature to the Law of the mountain represents, once again Mushishi’s brilliance at finding even new and innovative ways to provide both entertainment and thought provoking material. As serene and technically produced as ever, Mushishi animated its final source material with professionalism & beauty and will surely be considered one of the greatest series of all time.
Honourable mention; Psycho Pass Movie
Best Female Character – Kousaka Reina (Hibike Euphonium)
This wasn’t a great year for female protagonists, but that doesn’t make Kousaka Reina an unworthy choice, it just means there wasn’t substantial competition – in fact the greatest competition came from within the same show itself, from Oscar worthy Kumiko Oumae. Kousaka was well designed, aesthetically appealing, but most importantly a genuinely intriguing character. The scenes she was involved with, her love for her conductor, for her trumpet, for music and for Kumiko make her as enticing as her beauty. Her seriousness, at times arrogance, but also loving side makes her the easy choice for best Female character.
Honourable mention; Oumae Kumiko (Hibike Euphonium), Utaha Kasumigaoka (Saekano)
Best Male Character – Slaine Saazbaum Troyard (Aldnoah Zero 2nd Season)
Okay, there was more competition on the male side, but ultimately which male character invoked more emotions than Slaine? Who was a more polarising character than Slaine? Week in and week out, in a relatively weak show – what maintained my interest and curiosity was non-other than the Earth born Martian, and his unpredictability in his rise to greatness. His love for the princess, for Earth, for Mars, for peace can be seen in his admiration of the sky and in birds and in early conversations with the princess. Much like other top male characters of all time (Light, Lelouch) Slaine was willing to do whatever was necessary to achieve his goals. Whether that meant hurting or taking advantage – or even killing, was a means to justify the end.
Honourable mention; Sunakawa (Ore Monogatari), Decim (Death Parade)
Best Anti-Villain – Uchiha Obito (Naruto)
I rarely (if ever) am known for talking about Naruto in a positive light, and trust me – It is one of the most frustrating shows of all time (a show that only had 8 episodes of Canaan the entire calendar year). One of their highest of marks, comes from the emergence of Obito Uchiha as a legendary anti-villain. Obito had lost everything. Imagine carving out your own eye to give to your best friend. Imagine asking that best friend to protect the girl you always loved, as you lay on you death bed. Imagine being saved from imminent death, nurtured, sheltered, and then upon release seeing your best friend slaughter the girl he had promised to protect – the girl you always loved, and seeing it with your own two eyes. Anyone who would be mentally tough enough to not be consumed with despair and hatred after that is either naïve or lying. Obito had one vision to change the world, to end war and violence by instilling the Tsuki no me. Obito’s eventual realisation of the future he always dreamed, and decision to go against Madara in his final stand, being convinced by Naruto & Kakashi was one of the most powerful talk-no-jutsus’ in anime history, but not impossible and also realistic. In seeing an alternative vision for the future, Obito decided to carry on his old dreams through Naruto’s eyes.
Best Anime Series 2015 – Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season
This was one of the closest contests for AOTY in recent memory, with Fate/Stay Night coming in at (30), Owarimonogatari (31), & Ore Monogatari (35) on my all-time list. Fate is just so creative and enticing, its animation so fluid, its characters so distinct, motivating, memorable and defined. The fight scenes so enthralling, and a plot & direction that absolutely captivates its audience.
Honourable mention; Owarimonogatari, Ore Monogatari
Action – Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season (Spring 2015)
The second season of Fate resumed immediately from where it left off last year, and once again Ufotable did not disappoint. The second cour of Unlimited Blade Works was paced very well, each episode delivering as it emerged to its climax. Unlike its 2006 edition, the character development of both Archer & Shirou felt neither forced, nor rushed, and developed one of the most impactful character developments in anime history. Combined with Ufotable’s always superb animation, Fate continues to epitomise the action genre and once again delivered nothing short of a Masterpiece.
Honourable Mention; Noragami Arogoto (Fall 2015), K: Return of Kings (Fall 2015)
Adventure – Arslan Senki (Spring 2015)
I think, of all the great series to air in the spring of 2015 few were as genuinely surprising as Arslan Senki. I had moderate expectations for Arslan Senki, due in part to the general trope filled genre of medieval wartime anime, with stale characters and uncreative plots. With illustrations by the acclaimed Hiromu Arakawa; author of Full Metal Alchemist & Gin no Saji, I decided to give Arslan Senki a watch, albeit a reluctant one. Arslan Senki exceeded even the most optimistic of my expectations. A standard setting, with a positive sound track, realistic characters, and a plot that never failed to generate anticipation. The religious themes provoked through Lord Bodin, the secular themes such as slavery & human rights, depict a somewhat accurate portrayal of medieval life – all the while making the show always entertaining and interesting, which is what easily separates it from the rest.
Honourable Mention; Overlord (Summer 2015)
Comedy – Prison School (Summer 2015)
I really would not have watched Prison School were it not for the near international acclaim it received. Originally omitted from my summer 2015 schedule, I added Prison School to gauge for myself its actual quality. The plot seemed as ridiculous as could be with a group of 5 men caught peeking on the female dressing room and detained in a school orchestrated prison. With a generic sounding plot and generic looking characters my expectations could not be much lower. I remember Seitokai Yakuindomo among others with similar acclaim that I found boring and non-enticing. Enter Prison School. A show so lewd it pushes the absolute boundaries of Cable television – even for Japan. The excessive ecchi actually accentuated the show, and helped create the atmosphere for one of the genuinely funniest anime I have ever seen. If you enjoy ecchi, much less if you can handle it, Prison School should be atop everyone’s list as an outrageous, genuinely creative comedy.
Drama – Hibike Euphonium (Spring 2015)
Of all the shows of the spring 2015 season, there were few I anticipated more than Kyoto Animation returning to the music genre with Sound Euphonium! And Kyoto delivered alright. For the second year in a row, this award will be retained by the music sub-genre. Hibike Euphonium was aesthetically gorgeous, so well directed there were legitimate times I felt Oumae Kumiko was genuinely deserving of an Oscar – only to realise she was actually just a character. The animation stunning, the attention to detail perfect, the story simple, yet the plight of the characters, the realness of the drama created an atmosphere that was to engaging it almost felt like one was part of the cast.
Romance – Ore Monogatari (Spring 2015)
Ore Monogatari was another anime from the spring season I was always going to watch. After Madhouse’s recent string of success (Death Parade, Kiseijuu, No Game no Life, Mahouka, Chihayafuru) there was never doubt that I would check out Madhouse’ attempt at a Romance-Shojo. As always expected the art and animation were beautiful, but what maybe more was shocking was that Madhouse produced unarguably the best Romance-Shojo I had ever watched. The characters we well written, the pacing of the romance nearly perfect, the drama light hearted, but at the same time realistic. The comedy was well timed, and not over done which made for a very cute, refreshing twenty four episode series.
Honourable mention: Akagami no Shirayukihime (Summer 2015), Plastic Memories (Spring 2015)
Science-Fiction – Charlotte (Summer 2015)
I know the selection of Charlotte is controversial for a few reasons. First it is not considered a Sci-Fi anime by most standards. To me, I think it has the qualities to definite it as such. It is clearly fictional. Then there is the premise of a Charlotte comet that only inhabits Earth’s atmosphere every few hundred years, emitting dust that can evoke latent super powers. As scientists attempt to forcibly incarcerate the infected in an attempt to study and harness their power, a separate faction has decided to work with the supernatural in an attempt to create a vaccine to prevent future cases. That to me qualifies science. Next people will question its quality. Granted Charlotte was paced a little slow, and the first five & a half episodes are not very cracking, but episode 6 is the turning point that transforms Charlotte from the silly slice of life, supernatural comedy, to a cracking action paced drama. Always animated beautifully, with characters who are genuinely inspiring (Kamagami), Charlotte deserves nothing less to be recognised on any 2015 Anime Review.
Honourable mention; Aldnoah Zero 2nd Season (Winter 2015), Gatchaman Crowds: Insight (Summer 2015)
Horror/Thriller – Death Parade (Winter 2015)
For the second consecutive year, Madhouse will take control of this category. Death Parade was always going to be an AOTY contender. I remember when “Death Billiards” took the best OVA award a few years ago, and was genuinely excited to not only see that Death Parade was getting a full season, but that it would be animated by non-other than Madhouse. With such a creative setting, intensive drama, thought provoking situations, at times tear inducing scenes, Death Parade was easily one of the most magnificent anime of the year. It receives this award, not necessarily because of its “scary” nature, but because of the thrilling suspense within each episode, as we saw characters pushed beyond their mental limits into realising their despair.
Honourable mention; Gakkou Gurashi (Summer 2015)
Romantic-Comedy – Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. Zoku (Spring 2015)
Another spring selection, the 2nd Season of Oregairu was another easy choice, as it greatly exceeded not only its first season but transcended the genre in general(not to say I wasn’t worried when I heard Studio Feel was producing). Once again while Nisekoi: offered the same trope filled silliness, it was Oregairu that emerged with creativity, and effectiveness. Seeing Hachiman evolve as a character was a relatively pleasant sight, as he always represented the most realistic character I have ever seen, and seeing him come to the realisation of who is truly important to him, the character interaction between he and the others; is what really separates Oregairu as a romantic-comedy.
Honourable mention; Nisekoi: (Spring 2015), Saekano (Winter 2015)
Sports – Kuroko no Basket 3rd Season (Winter 2015)
Kuroko returned in 2015, picking up right where it left off after Season 2. I think more so than anything, what boosts Kuroko in this category is that it as much a Shounen-Battle anime as it is simply just a Sports show. Seeing Kuroko and his Seiren squad set out to dethrone the Generation of Miracles, is both enticing, and inspiring. The match between Rakuzen and Seiren will have to be objectively considered one of the greatest matches in anime history. This is no disrespect to Haikyuu, also produced by Production IG, which is just as good just for different reasons. This is one of the tougher categories to determine this year, but what separates the two shows for me, is the pure entertainment you get while watching KnB which is almost unprecedented.
Honourable mention; Haikyuu 2nd Season (Fall 2015)
Slice of Life – Non Non Biyori Repeat (Summer 2015)
The second season of Non Non Biyori, which may be better stylised as an alternate to the 2012 version was just as charming, serene and enchanting as its first season. The always realistic, intriguing cast & character interaction between the cast is what really separates Non Non Biyori from its competition. It’s also one of the only anime to genuinely make me laugh this year. The comedy is well timed, but more importantly not overdone which allows for multiple laughs throughout the course of the show.
Mystery – Owarimonogatari (Fall 2015)
It was a tough year for the fall season, as Owarimonogatari is the only anime aired in fall to represent the genre category based awards. That said the most recent rendition of the Monogatari series is as brilliant as ever, and was always going to be a front runner for AOTY. Shaft’s animation and colour schemes remain as brilliant and vibrant as ever, their signature head tilt, the ominous atmosphere, the brilliant mysteries and deductions. There were more typical choices to fit here such as Subete ga F ni Naru, & Sakarako chan, but Monogatari blows them away both in style & substance.
Honourable mention; Subete ga F ni Naru (Fall 2015), Sakurako Chan (Fall 2015)
Underrated – Charlotte (Summer 2015)
Alright so many have probably predicted that Charlotte would win this award, and anyone who knows me should know I am more than adequately prepared to represent it. I was prepared for this, I really was when I saw Jun Maeda was the one directing the show. The same brilliant architect who worked on Angel Beats. Much like Angel Beats, Charlotte succeeded to the general population, but not necessarily the critical community, and those criticisms are largely off base. While Charlotte still could have been even greater than it turned out, there is no doubting its quality. Neither from a technical standpoint, nor a directing standpoint.
Honourable mention; Owari no Seraph (Spring 2015)
Overrated – One Punch Man (Fall 2015)
This was anything but a bad year for Madhouse. They saw Ore Monogatari transcend the Romance-Shojo genre, Death Parade instill itself as one of the best animes maybe not only of the year, but of all time, & Overlord smash the BD Sales. Well hell, even One Punch Man was a cracking success, receiving international acclaim. The biggest problem is… despite Madhouse’s best efforts, One Punch Man was boring, generic, stale, and did I mention boring? Putting its technical production aside for the moment, One Punch Man underwhelmed from the day I began watching. Its “plot” if you can even claim that was not centrally organised. Saitama was boring & lacked personality. Nothing was cracking or entertaining about watching him defeat every single opponent with literally one punch. There was nothing cracking about seeing no organised themes, no central plot, no character development, no enticing fight scenes ( I get it all shounen represent predetermined outcomes with the protagonist prevailing) but at least you end up with beautiful, dramatic fights Yamori v Kaneki, Gohan v Cell, Madara v the Shinobi World, etc. One Punch man failed, and despite unlimited funding from Madhouse’s war chest, a brilliantly composed soundtrack, and consistent animation, it was far from able to transcend its source material flaws.
Honourable mention: Sidonia no Kishi 2nd Season (Spring 2015)
Best Opening – Brave Shine (Fate/StayNight Unlimited Blade Works)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7L1QOjv1d0
Best Ending – Nirvana (Noragami Arogoto)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5xBgZZKH04
Best Soundtrack – Aldonoah Zero 2nd Season
Look, I’m the first one to be critical of Aldnoah Zero’s flaws. It’s undermining of logic, its poor pacing, and at times poor directing. One thing that not even the most cynical of fans can dispute is the quality of Aldnoah’s soundtrack, composed by the much acclaimed Sawano Hirayuki. The background music during fight scenes, was noticeable, both fit the mood and accentuated the tone of the show. Alliez narrowly missed ending of the year, and the OST is honestly one of the most well composed, diligent OST in recent anime history.
Honourable mention; Gatchaman Crowds: Insight, Kekkai Sensen
Best Art – Hibike Euphonium
Hibike Euphonium was unarguably the most aesthetic anime of the year. The beautiful character designs, the meticulous respect to detail was almost unprecedented. The accuracy of the detail on the hand drawn instruments, the beautiful scenery. I know I said Kumiko was almost deserving of an Oscar and the two scenes that best reflected that; The one where Kumiko & Reina are looking over the hill at the festival of lights (one of the most memorable & most beautiful scenes in recent anime history) as well as the one where Kumiko races to the bridge to declare her will to improve “is arguably the best animated scene in TV anime” (Samu).
Best Animation – Fate Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season
Ufotable continues to promote itself as the #1 studio for quality animation. This category is about the quality of visuals we see on screen; both in terms of consistency & fluid motion, and Ufotable’s competent use of traditional hand drawn & Computer generated animation created a fluid, aesthetic and most importantly consistent viewing experience. The fight scenes were superbly animated, most specifically of which the final fight between Shirou & Lord Gilgamesh. It’s a shame Unlimited Blade Works came to an end, but the best of news is that the Heavens Feel movie has been announced and will be animated non-other than… Ufotable itself. So there’s a probable chance we aren’t done with Fate just yet on these year reviews.
Honourable mention; Owarimonogatari, Charlotte
Best Movie – Mushishi Zoku Shou: Suzuku no Shizoku
This was the closest year for movies, and I was genuinely deciding between the Psycho Pass Movie & Mushishi Zoku Shou. In the end Mushishi just edges out Psycho Pass, and it was the last five minutes of the movie which really earned the award. The soliloquy where Ginko describes human nature to the Law of the mountain represents, once again Mushishi’s brilliance at finding even new and innovative ways to provide both entertainment and thought provoking material. As serene and technically produced as ever, Mushishi animated its final source material with professionalism & beauty and will surely be considered one of the greatest series of all time.
Honourable mention; Psycho Pass Movie
Best Female Character – Kousaka Reina (Hibike Euphonium)
This wasn’t a great year for female protagonists, but that doesn’t make Kousaka Reina an unworthy choice, it just means there wasn’t substantial competition – in fact the greatest competition came from within the same show itself, from Oscar worthy Kumiko Oumae. Kousaka was well designed, aesthetically appealing, but most importantly a genuinely intriguing character. The scenes she was involved with, her love for her conductor, for her trumpet, for music and for Kumiko make her as enticing as her beauty. Her seriousness, at times arrogance, but also loving side makes her the easy choice for best Female character.
Honourable mention; Oumae Kumiko (Hibike Euphonium), Utaha Kasumigaoka (Saekano)
Best Male Character – Slaine Saazbaum Troyard (Aldnoah Zero 2nd Season)
Okay, there was more competition on the male side, but ultimately which male character invoked more emotions than Slaine? Who was a more polarising character than Slaine? Week in and week out, in a relatively weak show – what maintained my interest and curiosity was non-other than the Earth born Martian, and his unpredictability in his rise to greatness. His love for the princess, for Earth, for Mars, for peace can be seen in his admiration of the sky and in birds and in early conversations with the princess. Much like other top male characters of all time (Light, Lelouch) Slaine was willing to do whatever was necessary to achieve his goals. Whether that meant hurting or taking advantage – or even killing, was a means to justify the end.
Honourable mention; Sunakawa (Ore Monogatari), Decim (Death Parade)
Best Anti-Villain – Uchiha Obito (Naruto)
I rarely (if ever) am known for talking about Naruto in a positive light, and trust me – It is one of the most frustrating shows of all time (a show that only had 8 episodes of Canaan the entire calendar year). One of their highest of marks, comes from the emergence of Obito Uchiha as a legendary anti-villain. Obito had lost everything. Imagine carving out your own eye to give to your best friend. Imagine asking that best friend to protect the girl you always loved, as you lay on you death bed. Imagine being saved from imminent death, nurtured, sheltered, and then upon release seeing your best friend slaughter the girl he had promised to protect – the girl you always loved, and seeing it with your own two eyes. Anyone who would be mentally tough enough to not be consumed with despair and hatred after that is either naïve or lying. Obito had one vision to change the world, to end war and violence by instilling the Tsuki no me. Obito’s eventual realisation of the future he always dreamed, and decision to go against Madara in his final stand, being convinced by Naruto & Kakashi was one of the most powerful talk-no-jutsus’ in anime history, but not impossible and also realistic. In seeing an alternative vision for the future, Obito decided to carry on his old dreams through Naruto’s eyes.
Best Anime Series 2015 – Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season
This was one of the closest contests for AOTY in recent memory, with Fate/Stay Night coming in at (30), Owarimonogatari (31), & Ore Monogatari (35) on my all-time list. Fate is just so creative and enticing, its animation so fluid, its characters so distinct, motivating, memorable and defined. The fight scenes so enthralling, and a plot & direction that absolutely captivates its audience.
Honourable mention; Owarimonogatari, Ore Monogatari
Posted by Johan | Jul 5, 2017 2:07 PM | 0 comments
July 1st, 2017
2016 ANIME AWARDS YEAR END REVIEW
Anime Relations: Durarara!!x2 Ketsu, Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, ReLIFE, Tales of Zestiria the Cross, Boku dake ga Inai Machi, Akagami no Shirayuki-hime 2nd Season, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu, 3-gatsu no Lion, Boku no Hero Academia, Hibike! Euphonium 2, Kuromukuro, Haikyuu!! Karasuno Koukou vs. Shiratorizawa Gakuen Koukou, Yuri!!! on Ice, 91 Days, Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan
Anime 2016 Year – End
Action– 91 Days (Summer 2016)
91 Days was an original anime produced by the newly successful Studio Shuka. Shuka had already received acclaim for continuing where Brain’s Base left off with two of their most successful Franchises; “Natsume Yuujinchou” and “Durarara!!.” 91 Days was an unrelenting treat. The atmosphere definitive as early as episode 1; it became clear 91 Days would represent a merciless Mafia tale of deceit and revenge. Following Angelo Lagusa’s attempt to extract his revenge and complete his justice makes for one of the rawest, most fulfilling tales in years. 91 Days did not rely on cheap gimmicks or tropes – there was no fan service, no bishounens, and no lolitas. However, 91 Days was filled with emotion, unforgiving and unpredictable; and the result is one of the most authentic mafia animations in history.
Honourable Mention; Tales of Zestiria (Summer 2016), Bungou Stray Dogs (Spring 2016)
Fantasy– Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Spring 2016)
Few Series will be remembered more from the 2016 Calendar year than Rem:Zero – Oops I mean Re:Zero. Rightfully so, Re:Zero had everything you want from a fantasy series. Teenage boy spirited to another world? Check. Half-Elves? Check. Magic? Check. Waifu’s? Check. Studio White Fox took a typical setting and transformed it into a show that had your attention focused from episode 1 till the end- with an ending that feels both satisfactory while mutually also leaving desire for another season. With great animation, a great sound track, memorable characters (Rem I’m looking at you) and moments that are heart breaking (Looking @ you Episode 18), Re:Zero was the most hyped show of the calendar year and absolutely deservedly so. Despite the fact the Zephsilvers of the world are inadequately capable of understanding Re:Zero’s brilliance, this was a show that succeeded in nearly every aspect it set out to do.
Honourable Mention; Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (Winter 2016) Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin (Summer 2016)
Comedy– Saiki Kusuo (Summer 2016)
There is little words to describe how positively surprised I was after watching Saiki Kusuo. I opted to watch it because it was one of J.C Staff’s dozen shows of the calendar year and began immediately picking up critical acclaim. I can’t say I’ve ever laughed as much during an anime as I did during Saiki Kusuo. I looked back at Sakamoto desu ga? And remembered how fresh it felt the first few episodes, before dulling out into a repetitive style of comedy by the middle of the series that had me rather bored. With Saiki Kusuo there was never boredom. When situations arose that should have been repetitive there was a fresh spin on the humour- accentuated by Saiki’s persistent monologue. Saiki Kusuo was unique, original, and refreshing. Not only is it a comedy I watched and enjoyed once, It’s a comedy I can and probably will watch and enjoy again.
Drama– Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (Winter 2016)
Drama always represents one of my favourite genres of art, and what better to kick off the list of AOTY contenders with Hibike Euphonium 2nd Season. “Wait, you mean Sound Euphonium did not win this category? LOL that’s not even possible, what idiot made these awards?” Or so those would be my thoughts or were my thoughts before watching Rakugo. I don’t use the word special too often when it comes to anime- but my God was this show special. Studio Deen finally woke up from their mediocre VN and BL adaptations (staring at you; Super Lovers) to produce this unmitigated masterpiece of art. Rakugo is one of those shows that makes it easy to keep faith in the genre and keep watching 20 shows of junk a season. Cause all it takes is one Rakugo to make a whole season – or maybe even year of anime worth it. Rakugo is aesthetically gorgeous. The world – the characters that are presented feel real, relatable and developed. There were moments of laughter, moments of joy, and moments of tears; but most importantly the artistic direction and expression of this show always remained master class.
Honourable Mention; Sound Euphonium 2nd Season (Fall 2016)
Romance- Akagami no Shirayuki-hime 2nd Season (Winter 2016)
Let me first state my analysis in this category is not necessarily complete. I did not watch Orange, and that is predicated on good reason. Orange is actually one of my ex’s favourite manga of all time- and prior to it ever having an animation announced, I promised that if it was ever animated we would watch it together. As a man of integrity I do not find it fit to proceed to watch the show- even if we never talk again. That out of the way, let’s get on to acknowledging one of my favourite romance series of all time, and still a well-deserved winner of this category. Akagami no Shirayuki-hime had the unfortunate task of finishing runner up in 2015 to Ore Monogatari, but this year is the clear front runner. With its 2nd cour concluding in winter, Akagami continued to build on its first cour depicting one of the sweetest medieval romances ever presented. Romance is a hard subject to get right in anime. You want the pairing to feel authentic and right. The characters to be non-abrasive and relatable; and in this regard Akagami no Shirayukihime succeeds without fail.
Science-Fiction- Kuromukuro (Spring 2016)
Kuromukuro is probably one of the most underappreciated and under thought of anime of the entire calendar year. In fact it’s a real contender for my “underrated” category. 2016 was not the best year for Science Fiction in anime. Dimension W underwhelmed, & Heavy Object was an undeniable mess. Luckily we have Kuromukuro an insane story of a Samurai from the Sengoku era, Kennosuke who awakens in the present and has to help defend Earth from alien invaders while simultaneously protecting our protagonist Yukina. The plot sounds ridiculous but that’s part of what makes Kuromukuro so charming. It’s never going to be NGE or Eureka 7 but Kuromukuro is able to take a fresh spin on this subject matter inject it with some hilarious moments of comedy, while at the same time sticking to the central emphasis of the plot.
Honourable mention; Kiznaiver (Spring 2016)
Horror/Thriller– Erased (Boku dake ga Inai Machi) (Winter 2016)
There was never a moment of doubt of Erased’s unprecedented quality. My hardest decision was not whether it would take 1st, but convincing myself to let “91 Days” take the Action category and “Durarara” to take the Mystery category. Theoretically Erased is good enough and deserving enough to take all three. Unfortunately it will have to settle for the thriller award. Erased is master class at its finest. Tomohiko Itou has upped the ante from his impressive experience directing SAO to return with some of the most impressive cinematography in anime history. Everything so technically produced- from the sound of the footprints, to the characters breath, to the sound of wind whistling- to the dynamic camera angels. Yuki Kajiura (also notable from SAO) was on theme song composition and responsible for the music which was terrific. Erased was thoroughly riveting and innovative. With an equal importance placed on both the present and past timelines (something a lot of time manipulation anime struggle to achieve). The tension and artistic direction of Erased are nothing short of perfect. Even when the lead antagonist becomes annoyingly predictable as early as episode 3- you are fixated on the tension of the drama and Satoru’s unenviable attempt at altering history, so much so that even internally knowing the antagonist becomes insignificant (knowing Itou I would even be willing to suggest this is intentional). Big ups to Mothers Basement. He gets it. The rest of you? I suggest re-watching.
Honourable mention; Ajin (Winter 2016)
Music– Sound Euphonium 2 (Fall 2016)
Okay so after Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso would have won this award in 2014 (had it existed) and same for Season 1 of Sound Euphonium in 2015, I decided to create this category. Or maybe I’m transparent and y’all can see I literally created this category just to write about one of my favourite series of all time. What can I say about Sound Euphonium that I didn’t already speak in 2015? Well the art is as vibrant and attention to detail is as meticulous as ever. Season 2 saw an increased ferment of melodrama, which I never minded. If anything it was refreshing so as to not see the same played out events of season 1 (practice, competition, more practice, competition). The character growth especially in Oumae Kumiko felt real and seasoned, and her interactions with Kousaka Reina as real and warming as ever. I can’t really praise this show enough. If it didn’t get stuck behind Rakugo, Erased, and Saiki Kusuo we’d surely be talking about a legitimate AOTY contender.
Sports- Haikyuu!! Karasuno Koukou VS Shiratorizawa Gakuen Koukou (Fall 2016)
It feels like Haikyuu and Kuroko take turns alternating wins in this category since Production IG changed the expectations of sports anime with Kuroko’s first season in 2012. Haikyuu’s 3rd season was a ten episode match following our protagonist school Karasuno against the unbeatable Shiratorizawa. Production IG have become the masters of maximising tension. With each point, each strike you can feel the pressure the characters are engaged in. I mentioned last year but if Kuroko plays as a battle shounen relying on fantastical moves and tricks, then Haikyuu represents the realness and struggle of sports. There are no super powers, fancy tricks, etc. Just the classic story of the underdog Karasuno- the flightless bird’s attempt to overtake the goliath of high school Volleyball. Who knew Volleyball could be so interesting? Never me.
Honourable mention; Yuri!!! On Ice (Fall 2016), Shokugeki no Souma: Ni no Sara (Summer 2016)
Slice of Life- Re:Life (Summer 2016)
Re:Life was delivered interestingly with all 12 episodes being uploaded to Crunchy Roll its first day of release. The premise seemed interesting enough centred on a 27 year old who quit his first company without proper direction in life and is given a second chance at reliving his senior year of high school as a 17 year old. Re:Life was a unique take on the slice of life genre as Kaizaki is in the body of a 17 year old with the mind of a 27 year old, and as such as to come to terms with the way life and culture has changed over the last ten years. I feel like I should at least mention the runner ups in this category Flying Witch for its serene lighthearted atmosphere which truly embraces the slice of life genre & Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge for its perfect blend of casual comedy and creativeness. Re:Life edges them out for its character depth, romantic elements, tension and drama.
Honourable Mention: Flying Witch (Spring 2016) Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge (Spring 2016)
***Where is Sangatsu no Lion?***
The claim that Sangatsu no Lion could be the best of the last 10 years could never be realistic with the bounty of high quality titles we have been grateful enough to receive - but it always got off to a shocking start. The first 5 minutes of the first episode set the foundation for what I quickly realised had the chance to be a special slice of life. The OP by Bump of Chicken surely of the highest quality - followed by the proceeding moments of a listless Kiriyama Rei getting ready and taking the train while that beautiful French Song accentuated the mundane events we were witnessing. I first started to realise 3-gatsu had a chance to be one of the best Slice-of-Life all time with the inventive use of meaningful monologue - accurately depicting the thoughts of our Male Protagonist. The scene where Hina & Rei are standing over the railing overlooking the horizon - while Hina cries over the loss of her mother & grandmother. Rei says "She's crying & I'm not but the two of us are gazing up at this beautiful, beautiful night sky.” Next moment of directing brilliance came when they had the metaphoric episode likening Kiriyama to that of a cuckoo bird - and how he was raised by his father's rival and had essentially "killed off" the true members of the family. The ending of this episode was profound ending with the monologue quote "I think if I were truly a bird; I would never know this relentless pain." Moments of directing brilliance were not far and few between for Shinbo Akiyuki. As not long after that Kyouko (while meeting him on the bridge in March City) fixes his scarf- and informs of the Shogi player who is currently going through mental distress and facing imminent divorce. Kyouko says;
"A man who comes home after winning."
"A man who comes home after losing."
"Which of these do you think will leave a more impactful memory?"
As we know Kiriyama goes on to inevitably decimate his opponent in shockingly brief fashion. After returning the man's Christmas present, he races to the bridge where he has a selected moment of mental madness, screaming into the deaf ears of the sky, "Is everything my fault?" "Don't run away." "If you're a shitty player don't even bother showing up.” Of course this expression and articulation of thought is probably an accurate portrayal of the reflection of the self. By this point Sangatsu was well on pace to be one of the best Slice of Life anime of all time - probably falling short of only Mushishi, among the vast title of Slice of Life anime I had consumed. Checking almost all the boxes - brilliant artistic direction by Shinbo Akiyuki, brilliant animation, (though a notable decrease in the head tilt) brilliant OST - with always relevant and accentuating background music, relatable characters with depth, quality character interaction & chemistry (most notably among the 3 sisters), the most fantastic use of monologue I had seen since Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, and captivating enjoyment. What happened after Episode 13 was tragic – and to avoid unnecessary spoiling completely changed the direction and tone of the show. It shattered my heart. This show should have been the consensus anime of the year, instead it left me confused, bewildered and bamboozled. Maybe one day I will re-watch this show in its entirety and derive a different conclusion. For now Sangatsu no Lion is the masterpiece that should have been.
Mystery- Durarara x2 Ketsu (Winter 2016)
Studio Shuka continued airing Durarara in the winter of 2015 and after 3 cours it has finally concluded. Durarara is one of those series which will always be memorable. I was definitely glad to see the animation quality began to trend positively in the third cour after some rough moments throughout particularly the first- but also second cours. What makes Durarara so special is the relevance of its rather large cast. Each character being interconnected to one another while all feeling individually unique and important to the grand focus of the story. Mikado’s character transformation is probably one of the most impactful in modern anime history, as is Izaya and Shizuo’s rivalry. Now that Durarara has concluded I can truthfully state I will miss the false tranquility of Ikebukuro. Seeing that Studio Shuka has revived and concluded Durarara and has revived (and continue to animate) Natsume Yuujinchou; cheers to hoping the former Brains’ Base staff gets on to Baccano! Sometime in the near future.
Underrated- Erased (Boku dake ga Inai Machi) (Winter 2016)
I was certain to select Kuromukuro here on the grounds that is the most under-watched show but that doesn’t necessarily make it the most underrated. I am almost at a blank trying to deal with the critical anime community at some points. Big ups to Mother’s Basement and to Zephyr (Random Curiosity) for being on plot. Erased is a special show. I mentioned a lot of it earlier on about just how special Erased is in its execution, but that doesn’t explain the plethora of unimagined and unsubstantiated negative “opinions” of this show that exist. Because Digibro says the show is bad does not make it bad. But I understand it’s an easy target. It’s immensely popular; #43 all time on Myanimelist, with well over 300,000 list entries. It’s also directed by the much maligned Tomohiko Itou, director of SAO and features Yuuki Kajiura on music. All around it remains an easy target for those lacking in critical thinking. The fact the top review on MAL scores it a 4/10 is proof alone of this hate backlash. But of course if that was the anomaly I wouldn’t be typing this up. 3 of MAL’s top 4 reviews score it a 5 or lower, and the trend is reciprocated across all platforms of the internet – from anime youtubers, to reddit users, to the blogosphere. That will never depreciate what “Erased” is a show or how magnificent it is in its execution. Zephyr says it best
“With unmatched emotional highs resulting from the piecing together of its murder mystery, this was a series that made you lose track of time fearing for the lives of its main cast, and the fact that Satoru had to navigate threats in both the past and the present made it a dynamic series that placed an importance on both time periods rather than only one. Along the way, we witnessed stories about redemption, second chances, the importance of trust and believing others, and many other heartwarming developments.”
Overrated- Boku no Hero Academia (Spring 2016)
I genuinely had a difficult time with this category this year. Last year One’s “One Punch Man” took this award, and it would have been easy to continue with One’s most recent animated work “Mob Pyscho 100.” Likewise I could have gone with the fun, but way overhyped Yuri!!! On Ice. After all they may as well rename the Crunchy Roll end of year awards after that show now. In the end I went with the show that I found plainest and hardest to fathom its hype and anticipation. At least MP100 had originality, and at least YOI was always entertaining with a beautiful score. Boku no Hero Academia however was lacking nearly across the board. Not to say it was bad, just overwhelmingly… average and in turn underwhelming. The plot doesn’t deviate from your favourite Marvel or DC comic, so if you love/enjoy American comics than I can understand the appeal this show may have to you. To me I found a show completely devoid of originality; with an unrelatable, obnoxious cast. You have the stereotypical wimp who suddenly gets super powers, the generic bully “rival” and a whole heaping helping of useless side characters all struggling to retain an identity. The show was well animated and adequately budgeted by Studio Bones’ but that’s about the extent of where the praise leads.
Honourable mention: Mob Psycho 100 (Summer 2016), Yuri!!! On Ice (Fall 2016)
Best Opening- Signal– T.K (91 Days)
https://vimeo.com/187446462
Best Ending- Ninelie- Aimer (Koutetsujou no Kabaneri)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB3aIJRaS24
Best Soundtrack- Yuri!!! on Ice
The trend in recent years has been to look at what projects either Sawano Hiroyuki or Yuuki Kajiura had responsibilities on and pick a choice. This year for Sawano Hiroyuki it was Koutetsujou no Kabaneri- while for Yuuki Kajiura (as previously mentioned) it was Erased. While the scores for both of those shows were fantastically composed, it is Yuri!!! On Ice which will end up taking home this award. Yuri!!! On Ice, being a figure skating anime was so reliant on its music. Each of the skaters routines were designed and choreographed to their music. “J.J Style” and “Yuri on Ice” are two of the tracks that stand out the loudest. There was so much passion and emotion presented during the skaters routines that aligned to the flow of the music leading us insight into the character’s motivations and aspirations. For Yuri that was to be free. While Kabaneri or Erased may have won this award any other year, no other show was as reliant on their score as Yuri!!! on Ice leading to a decisive choice.
Honourable mention; Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, Erased
Best Art- Sangatsu no Lion
So another year of anime has gone by, and another year of Kyoto Ani setting (raising?) the standard has passed us. I could have gone with Sound Euphonium 2nd Season which I just literally replaced with Shinbo Akiyuki’s Sangatsu no Lion. While I have real personal complaints and heartbreaks following episode 13, one aspect that is never in dispute is the artistic direction of Sangatsu. Shinbo Akiyuki proved he can superbly direct other shows not named “Monogatari” or “Madoka Magica.” While the attention paid to detail might still not be as meticulous as Kyoto Ani’s Sound Euphonium, Sangatsu’s impressive use of artistic direction- from monologue to dialogue to background settings make it more than a worthy selection.
Honourable mention; Sound Euphonium 2nd Season
Best Animation- Tales of Zestiria the X
So while some things have changed from 2015 to 2016 (Kyoto Ani losing out on best art to Shaft) one category that will remain unchanged is “Best animation.” While there was no Fate series this year, I’m sticking with ufotable because they continue to set the trend for well-choreographed action fights. In particular the fight between Velvet and Oscar is not only one of the best animated fights of the year but recently memory. In terms of fluidity of movement of what we see on screen, the competent use of both computer generated images and traditional hand drawn images ufotable continues to set and raise the bar. And cheers to hoping that Heaven’s Feel movie is released in 2017.
Best Movie- Da Yu Hai Tang
So 2016 was a cracking year for movies. Unfortunately with Kimi no na Wa & Koe no Katachi set for August release dates in Japan, they will not qualify for this year’s list. Da Yu Hai Tang was interesting in that the animation actually originated from China’s studio B&T. The movie played almost like a Ghibli movie – and had it had Ghibli’s budget and direction we very well may be talking about this as the next masterclass movie. Da Yu Hai Tang presents a myriad of themes such as Life, Death, Love, Reincarnation and Rebellion. A proper coming of age story, it definitely flew under the radar but was rich with quality, depth, and an outstanding soundtrack.
Best Female Character– Rem (Re:Zero)
Oh Rem! Rem is a genuine bae. So much so that it’s no coincidence that Re:Zero is often stylised Rem:Zero, cause we all know who’s the undisputed star of that show. Emilia goes MIA sometime after episode 13 after a dispute with Subaru and this allows Rem the necessary screen time to develop into one of the most polished female protagonists of all time. Rem’s dynamic interaction with Subaru is what really drives Re:Zero’s entire plot. Rem is loyal, caring and the one person standing beside Subaru throughout the entirety of the show. In fact without Rem Subaru would have never reset to square zero and transformed into the decisive and efficient lead protagonist he becomes. However to equate Rem as simply a plot device for Subaru’s growth would be to undermine the entirety of her depth as a character. All this leads to the show’s turning point, Episode 18; one of my single favourite episodes of anime of all time. Rem is probably the consensus pick for character of the year, and while I like to have some originality in my character selections, there’s few counter arguments to be constructed. Mary from Hai to Gensou no Grimgar deserves at least a mention, as does Alisha from Tales of Zestiria but neither really come close to replicating Rem’s impact. Rem will always be “Fanatical like a demon” and has more than earned a slot among my top ten female characters of all time.
Honourable mention; Mary (Hai to Gensou no Grimgar), Alisha (Tales of Zestiria the X)
Best Male Character- Angelo Lagusa (91 Days)
So 2015 represented a plethora of quality male protagonists from Death Parade’s Decim to Ore Monogatari’s Sunakawa, to the eventual winner Slaine Sauzbaum Troyard. This year the pool of worthy choices was more limited with most of the flag ship shows (Re:Zero and Erased) containing male leads I wasn’t overly fond of (In fact in the case of Re:Zero I could even argue Subaru was one of that show’s biggest weaknesses). Angelo Lagusa takes home this award because he felt the realest and portrayed his role perfectly. I can always relate to revenge as a motive- and in Angelo’s case watching your entire family be slaughtered before your eyes sets a good foundation for it. Angelo was cunning, and calculated and was the centre of everything positive in 91 Days.
Honourable mention; Ikta Solark (Alderamin on the Sky)
Best Villains- Betelgeuse Romanee Conti (Re:Zero) / Satou (Ajin)
“My brain… it trembles.” Surprisingly there were more contenders for best Villain than there were for best Male Protagonist and was genuinely considering co-winners for this category and for the first time ever this will be the case. Betelgeuse takes home this category because he is a world class loon. This guy was an unapologetic basket case. He killed mercilessly, chewed off his own fingers, talked in a very unique high pitched voice, and generally had no connection to reality. His only motivation was his unprecedented love for the witch was the driving force behind all of his actions. This made every single time he was on screen a treat. You knew when his brain started trembling that meant bad news for those around him. Ally or foe was irrelevant. He makes a good contrast to Boss Satou who perceived humanity itself as a Gameboy game. With unrivaled intelligence, Boss Satou was able to capture, torture, kill even cut out his own organs all for the sake of his stage he created. What Satou and Betelgeuse each have in common is that they were the driving force behind their respective shows, and to recognise one without recognising the other would be blasphemous.
Best Anime Series 2016– Saiki Kusuo
This wasn’t the easiest decision as normally I’m accustomed to going with the most powerful story of the year. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu comes in #40 on my all-time list followed closely by Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (Erased) which comes in #46 on the same list. Both told fantastic narratives and represent the pinnacle of their respective genres. However coming in at #32 on my all-time list and completing the upset is Saiki Kusuo. I’m not sure if I praised this show enough in my best comedy section so let me again touch up on just how special this show is. Saiki Kusuo is the undisputed best comedy I have ever seen. I do believe being the best a genre has to offer should count for something, and in this case it cements itself not only as my anime of the year but as my #1 all-time comedy anime.
Honourable mention; Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (Erased)
Action– 91 Days (Summer 2016)
91 Days was an original anime produced by the newly successful Studio Shuka. Shuka had already received acclaim for continuing where Brain’s Base left off with two of their most successful Franchises; “Natsume Yuujinchou” and “Durarara!!.” 91 Days was an unrelenting treat. The atmosphere definitive as early as episode 1; it became clear 91 Days would represent a merciless Mafia tale of deceit and revenge. Following Angelo Lagusa’s attempt to extract his revenge and complete his justice makes for one of the rawest, most fulfilling tales in years. 91 Days did not rely on cheap gimmicks or tropes – there was no fan service, no bishounens, and no lolitas. However, 91 Days was filled with emotion, unforgiving and unpredictable; and the result is one of the most authentic mafia animations in history.
Honourable Mention; Tales of Zestiria (Summer 2016), Bungou Stray Dogs (Spring 2016)
Fantasy– Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Spring 2016)
Few Series will be remembered more from the 2016 Calendar year than Rem:Zero – Oops I mean Re:Zero. Rightfully so, Re:Zero had everything you want from a fantasy series. Teenage boy spirited to another world? Check. Half-Elves? Check. Magic? Check. Waifu’s? Check. Studio White Fox took a typical setting and transformed it into a show that had your attention focused from episode 1 till the end- with an ending that feels both satisfactory while mutually also leaving desire for another season. With great animation, a great sound track, memorable characters (Rem I’m looking at you) and moments that are heart breaking (Looking @ you Episode 18), Re:Zero was the most hyped show of the calendar year and absolutely deservedly so. Despite the fact the Zephsilvers of the world are inadequately capable of understanding Re:Zero’s brilliance, this was a show that succeeded in nearly every aspect it set out to do.
Honourable Mention; Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (Winter 2016) Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin (Summer 2016)
Comedy– Saiki Kusuo (Summer 2016)
There is little words to describe how positively surprised I was after watching Saiki Kusuo. I opted to watch it because it was one of J.C Staff’s dozen shows of the calendar year and began immediately picking up critical acclaim. I can’t say I’ve ever laughed as much during an anime as I did during Saiki Kusuo. I looked back at Sakamoto desu ga? And remembered how fresh it felt the first few episodes, before dulling out into a repetitive style of comedy by the middle of the series that had me rather bored. With Saiki Kusuo there was never boredom. When situations arose that should have been repetitive there was a fresh spin on the humour- accentuated by Saiki’s persistent monologue. Saiki Kusuo was unique, original, and refreshing. Not only is it a comedy I watched and enjoyed once, It’s a comedy I can and probably will watch and enjoy again.
Drama– Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (Winter 2016)
Drama always represents one of my favourite genres of art, and what better to kick off the list of AOTY contenders with Hibike Euphonium 2nd Season. “Wait, you mean Sound Euphonium did not win this category? LOL that’s not even possible, what idiot made these awards?” Or so those would be my thoughts or were my thoughts before watching Rakugo. I don’t use the word special too often when it comes to anime- but my God was this show special. Studio Deen finally woke up from their mediocre VN and BL adaptations (staring at you; Super Lovers) to produce this unmitigated masterpiece of art. Rakugo is one of those shows that makes it easy to keep faith in the genre and keep watching 20 shows of junk a season. Cause all it takes is one Rakugo to make a whole season – or maybe even year of anime worth it. Rakugo is aesthetically gorgeous. The world – the characters that are presented feel real, relatable and developed. There were moments of laughter, moments of joy, and moments of tears; but most importantly the artistic direction and expression of this show always remained master class.
Honourable Mention; Sound Euphonium 2nd Season (Fall 2016)
Romance- Akagami no Shirayuki-hime 2nd Season (Winter 2016)
Let me first state my analysis in this category is not necessarily complete. I did not watch Orange, and that is predicated on good reason. Orange is actually one of my ex’s favourite manga of all time- and prior to it ever having an animation announced, I promised that if it was ever animated we would watch it together. As a man of integrity I do not find it fit to proceed to watch the show- even if we never talk again. That out of the way, let’s get on to acknowledging one of my favourite romance series of all time, and still a well-deserved winner of this category. Akagami no Shirayuki-hime had the unfortunate task of finishing runner up in 2015 to Ore Monogatari, but this year is the clear front runner. With its 2nd cour concluding in winter, Akagami continued to build on its first cour depicting one of the sweetest medieval romances ever presented. Romance is a hard subject to get right in anime. You want the pairing to feel authentic and right. The characters to be non-abrasive and relatable; and in this regard Akagami no Shirayukihime succeeds without fail.
Science-Fiction- Kuromukuro (Spring 2016)
Kuromukuro is probably one of the most underappreciated and under thought of anime of the entire calendar year. In fact it’s a real contender for my “underrated” category. 2016 was not the best year for Science Fiction in anime. Dimension W underwhelmed, & Heavy Object was an undeniable mess. Luckily we have Kuromukuro an insane story of a Samurai from the Sengoku era, Kennosuke who awakens in the present and has to help defend Earth from alien invaders while simultaneously protecting our protagonist Yukina. The plot sounds ridiculous but that’s part of what makes Kuromukuro so charming. It’s never going to be NGE or Eureka 7 but Kuromukuro is able to take a fresh spin on this subject matter inject it with some hilarious moments of comedy, while at the same time sticking to the central emphasis of the plot.
Honourable mention; Kiznaiver (Spring 2016)
Horror/Thriller– Erased (Boku dake ga Inai Machi) (Winter 2016)
There was never a moment of doubt of Erased’s unprecedented quality. My hardest decision was not whether it would take 1st, but convincing myself to let “91 Days” take the Action category and “Durarara” to take the Mystery category. Theoretically Erased is good enough and deserving enough to take all three. Unfortunately it will have to settle for the thriller award. Erased is master class at its finest. Tomohiko Itou has upped the ante from his impressive experience directing SAO to return with some of the most impressive cinematography in anime history. Everything so technically produced- from the sound of the footprints, to the characters breath, to the sound of wind whistling- to the dynamic camera angels. Yuki Kajiura (also notable from SAO) was on theme song composition and responsible for the music which was terrific. Erased was thoroughly riveting and innovative. With an equal importance placed on both the present and past timelines (something a lot of time manipulation anime struggle to achieve). The tension and artistic direction of Erased are nothing short of perfect. Even when the lead antagonist becomes annoyingly predictable as early as episode 3- you are fixated on the tension of the drama and Satoru’s unenviable attempt at altering history, so much so that even internally knowing the antagonist becomes insignificant (knowing Itou I would even be willing to suggest this is intentional). Big ups to Mothers Basement. He gets it. The rest of you? I suggest re-watching.
Honourable mention; Ajin (Winter 2016)
Music– Sound Euphonium 2 (Fall 2016)
Okay so after Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso would have won this award in 2014 (had it existed) and same for Season 1 of Sound Euphonium in 2015, I decided to create this category. Or maybe I’m transparent and y’all can see I literally created this category just to write about one of my favourite series of all time. What can I say about Sound Euphonium that I didn’t already speak in 2015? Well the art is as vibrant and attention to detail is as meticulous as ever. Season 2 saw an increased ferment of melodrama, which I never minded. If anything it was refreshing so as to not see the same played out events of season 1 (practice, competition, more practice, competition). The character growth especially in Oumae Kumiko felt real and seasoned, and her interactions with Kousaka Reina as real and warming as ever. I can’t really praise this show enough. If it didn’t get stuck behind Rakugo, Erased, and Saiki Kusuo we’d surely be talking about a legitimate AOTY contender.
Sports- Haikyuu!! Karasuno Koukou VS Shiratorizawa Gakuen Koukou (Fall 2016)
It feels like Haikyuu and Kuroko take turns alternating wins in this category since Production IG changed the expectations of sports anime with Kuroko’s first season in 2012. Haikyuu’s 3rd season was a ten episode match following our protagonist school Karasuno against the unbeatable Shiratorizawa. Production IG have become the masters of maximising tension. With each point, each strike you can feel the pressure the characters are engaged in. I mentioned last year but if Kuroko plays as a battle shounen relying on fantastical moves and tricks, then Haikyuu represents the realness and struggle of sports. There are no super powers, fancy tricks, etc. Just the classic story of the underdog Karasuno- the flightless bird’s attempt to overtake the goliath of high school Volleyball. Who knew Volleyball could be so interesting? Never me.
Honourable mention; Yuri!!! On Ice (Fall 2016), Shokugeki no Souma: Ni no Sara (Summer 2016)
Slice of Life- Re:Life (Summer 2016)
Re:Life was delivered interestingly with all 12 episodes being uploaded to Crunchy Roll its first day of release. The premise seemed interesting enough centred on a 27 year old who quit his first company without proper direction in life and is given a second chance at reliving his senior year of high school as a 17 year old. Re:Life was a unique take on the slice of life genre as Kaizaki is in the body of a 17 year old with the mind of a 27 year old, and as such as to come to terms with the way life and culture has changed over the last ten years. I feel like I should at least mention the runner ups in this category Flying Witch for its serene lighthearted atmosphere which truly embraces the slice of life genre & Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge for its perfect blend of casual comedy and creativeness. Re:Life edges them out for its character depth, romantic elements, tension and drama.
Honourable Mention: Flying Witch (Spring 2016) Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge (Spring 2016)
***Where is Sangatsu no Lion?***
The claim that Sangatsu no Lion could be the best of the last 10 years could never be realistic with the bounty of high quality titles we have been grateful enough to receive - but it always got off to a shocking start. The first 5 minutes of the first episode set the foundation for what I quickly realised had the chance to be a special slice of life. The OP by Bump of Chicken surely of the highest quality - followed by the proceeding moments of a listless Kiriyama Rei getting ready and taking the train while that beautiful French Song accentuated the mundane events we were witnessing. I first started to realise 3-gatsu had a chance to be one of the best Slice-of-Life all time with the inventive use of meaningful monologue - accurately depicting the thoughts of our Male Protagonist. The scene where Hina & Rei are standing over the railing overlooking the horizon - while Hina cries over the loss of her mother & grandmother. Rei says "She's crying & I'm not but the two of us are gazing up at this beautiful, beautiful night sky.” Next moment of directing brilliance came when they had the metaphoric episode likening Kiriyama to that of a cuckoo bird - and how he was raised by his father's rival and had essentially "killed off" the true members of the family. The ending of this episode was profound ending with the monologue quote "I think if I were truly a bird; I would never know this relentless pain." Moments of directing brilliance were not far and few between for Shinbo Akiyuki. As not long after that Kyouko (while meeting him on the bridge in March City) fixes his scarf- and informs of the Shogi player who is currently going through mental distress and facing imminent divorce. Kyouko says;
"A man who comes home after winning."
"A man who comes home after losing."
"Which of these do you think will leave a more impactful memory?"
As we know Kiriyama goes on to inevitably decimate his opponent in shockingly brief fashion. After returning the man's Christmas present, he races to the bridge where he has a selected moment of mental madness, screaming into the deaf ears of the sky, "Is everything my fault?" "Don't run away." "If you're a shitty player don't even bother showing up.” Of course this expression and articulation of thought is probably an accurate portrayal of the reflection of the self. By this point Sangatsu was well on pace to be one of the best Slice of Life anime of all time - probably falling short of only Mushishi, among the vast title of Slice of Life anime I had consumed. Checking almost all the boxes - brilliant artistic direction by Shinbo Akiyuki, brilliant animation, (though a notable decrease in the head tilt) brilliant OST - with always relevant and accentuating background music, relatable characters with depth, quality character interaction & chemistry (most notably among the 3 sisters), the most fantastic use of monologue I had seen since Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, and captivating enjoyment. What happened after Episode 13 was tragic – and to avoid unnecessary spoiling completely changed the direction and tone of the show. It shattered my heart. This show should have been the consensus anime of the year, instead it left me confused, bewildered and bamboozled. Maybe one day I will re-watch this show in its entirety and derive a different conclusion. For now Sangatsu no Lion is the masterpiece that should have been.
Mystery- Durarara x2 Ketsu (Winter 2016)
Studio Shuka continued airing Durarara in the winter of 2015 and after 3 cours it has finally concluded. Durarara is one of those series which will always be memorable. I was definitely glad to see the animation quality began to trend positively in the third cour after some rough moments throughout particularly the first- but also second cours. What makes Durarara so special is the relevance of its rather large cast. Each character being interconnected to one another while all feeling individually unique and important to the grand focus of the story. Mikado’s character transformation is probably one of the most impactful in modern anime history, as is Izaya and Shizuo’s rivalry. Now that Durarara has concluded I can truthfully state I will miss the false tranquility of Ikebukuro. Seeing that Studio Shuka has revived and concluded Durarara and has revived (and continue to animate) Natsume Yuujinchou; cheers to hoping the former Brains’ Base staff gets on to Baccano! Sometime in the near future.
Underrated- Erased (Boku dake ga Inai Machi) (Winter 2016)
I was certain to select Kuromukuro here on the grounds that is the most under-watched show but that doesn’t necessarily make it the most underrated. I am almost at a blank trying to deal with the critical anime community at some points. Big ups to Mother’s Basement and to Zephyr (Random Curiosity) for being on plot. Erased is a special show. I mentioned a lot of it earlier on about just how special Erased is in its execution, but that doesn’t explain the plethora of unimagined and unsubstantiated negative “opinions” of this show that exist. Because Digibro says the show is bad does not make it bad. But I understand it’s an easy target. It’s immensely popular; #43 all time on Myanimelist, with well over 300,000 list entries. It’s also directed by the much maligned Tomohiko Itou, director of SAO and features Yuuki Kajiura on music. All around it remains an easy target for those lacking in critical thinking. The fact the top review on MAL scores it a 4/10 is proof alone of this hate backlash. But of course if that was the anomaly I wouldn’t be typing this up. 3 of MAL’s top 4 reviews score it a 5 or lower, and the trend is reciprocated across all platforms of the internet – from anime youtubers, to reddit users, to the blogosphere. That will never depreciate what “Erased” is a show or how magnificent it is in its execution. Zephyr says it best
“With unmatched emotional highs resulting from the piecing together of its murder mystery, this was a series that made you lose track of time fearing for the lives of its main cast, and the fact that Satoru had to navigate threats in both the past and the present made it a dynamic series that placed an importance on both time periods rather than only one. Along the way, we witnessed stories about redemption, second chances, the importance of trust and believing others, and many other heartwarming developments.”
Overrated- Boku no Hero Academia (Spring 2016)
I genuinely had a difficult time with this category this year. Last year One’s “One Punch Man” took this award, and it would have been easy to continue with One’s most recent animated work “Mob Pyscho 100.” Likewise I could have gone with the fun, but way overhyped Yuri!!! On Ice. After all they may as well rename the Crunchy Roll end of year awards after that show now. In the end I went with the show that I found plainest and hardest to fathom its hype and anticipation. At least MP100 had originality, and at least YOI was always entertaining with a beautiful score. Boku no Hero Academia however was lacking nearly across the board. Not to say it was bad, just overwhelmingly… average and in turn underwhelming. The plot doesn’t deviate from your favourite Marvel or DC comic, so if you love/enjoy American comics than I can understand the appeal this show may have to you. To me I found a show completely devoid of originality; with an unrelatable, obnoxious cast. You have the stereotypical wimp who suddenly gets super powers, the generic bully “rival” and a whole heaping helping of useless side characters all struggling to retain an identity. The show was well animated and adequately budgeted by Studio Bones’ but that’s about the extent of where the praise leads.
Honourable mention: Mob Psycho 100 (Summer 2016), Yuri!!! On Ice (Fall 2016)
Best Opening- Signal– T.K (91 Days)
https://vimeo.com/187446462
Best Ending- Ninelie- Aimer (Koutetsujou no Kabaneri)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB3aIJRaS24
Best Soundtrack- Yuri!!! on Ice
The trend in recent years has been to look at what projects either Sawano Hiroyuki or Yuuki Kajiura had responsibilities on and pick a choice. This year for Sawano Hiroyuki it was Koutetsujou no Kabaneri- while for Yuuki Kajiura (as previously mentioned) it was Erased. While the scores for both of those shows were fantastically composed, it is Yuri!!! On Ice which will end up taking home this award. Yuri!!! On Ice, being a figure skating anime was so reliant on its music. Each of the skaters routines were designed and choreographed to their music. “J.J Style” and “Yuri on Ice” are two of the tracks that stand out the loudest. There was so much passion and emotion presented during the skaters routines that aligned to the flow of the music leading us insight into the character’s motivations and aspirations. For Yuri that was to be free. While Kabaneri or Erased may have won this award any other year, no other show was as reliant on their score as Yuri!!! on Ice leading to a decisive choice.
Honourable mention; Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, Erased
Best Art- Sangatsu no Lion
So another year of anime has gone by, and another year of Kyoto Ani setting (raising?) the standard has passed us. I could have gone with Sound Euphonium 2nd Season which I just literally replaced with Shinbo Akiyuki’s Sangatsu no Lion. While I have real personal complaints and heartbreaks following episode 13, one aspect that is never in dispute is the artistic direction of Sangatsu. Shinbo Akiyuki proved he can superbly direct other shows not named “Monogatari” or “Madoka Magica.” While the attention paid to detail might still not be as meticulous as Kyoto Ani’s Sound Euphonium, Sangatsu’s impressive use of artistic direction- from monologue to dialogue to background settings make it more than a worthy selection.
Honourable mention; Sound Euphonium 2nd Season
Best Animation- Tales of Zestiria the X
So while some things have changed from 2015 to 2016 (Kyoto Ani losing out on best art to Shaft) one category that will remain unchanged is “Best animation.” While there was no Fate series this year, I’m sticking with ufotable because they continue to set the trend for well-choreographed action fights. In particular the fight between Velvet and Oscar is not only one of the best animated fights of the year but recently memory. In terms of fluidity of movement of what we see on screen, the competent use of both computer generated images and traditional hand drawn images ufotable continues to set and raise the bar. And cheers to hoping that Heaven’s Feel movie is released in 2017.
Best Movie- Da Yu Hai Tang
So 2016 was a cracking year for movies. Unfortunately with Kimi no na Wa & Koe no Katachi set for August release dates in Japan, they will not qualify for this year’s list. Da Yu Hai Tang was interesting in that the animation actually originated from China’s studio B&T. The movie played almost like a Ghibli movie – and had it had Ghibli’s budget and direction we very well may be talking about this as the next masterclass movie. Da Yu Hai Tang presents a myriad of themes such as Life, Death, Love, Reincarnation and Rebellion. A proper coming of age story, it definitely flew under the radar but was rich with quality, depth, and an outstanding soundtrack.
Best Female Character– Rem (Re:Zero)
Oh Rem! Rem is a genuine bae. So much so that it’s no coincidence that Re:Zero is often stylised Rem:Zero, cause we all know who’s the undisputed star of that show. Emilia goes MIA sometime after episode 13 after a dispute with Subaru and this allows Rem the necessary screen time to develop into one of the most polished female protagonists of all time. Rem’s dynamic interaction with Subaru is what really drives Re:Zero’s entire plot. Rem is loyal, caring and the one person standing beside Subaru throughout the entirety of the show. In fact without Rem Subaru would have never reset to square zero and transformed into the decisive and efficient lead protagonist he becomes. However to equate Rem as simply a plot device for Subaru’s growth would be to undermine the entirety of her depth as a character. All this leads to the show’s turning point, Episode 18; one of my single favourite episodes of anime of all time. Rem is probably the consensus pick for character of the year, and while I like to have some originality in my character selections, there’s few counter arguments to be constructed. Mary from Hai to Gensou no Grimgar deserves at least a mention, as does Alisha from Tales of Zestiria but neither really come close to replicating Rem’s impact. Rem will always be “Fanatical like a demon” and has more than earned a slot among my top ten female characters of all time.
Honourable mention; Mary (Hai to Gensou no Grimgar), Alisha (Tales of Zestiria the X)
Best Male Character- Angelo Lagusa (91 Days)
So 2015 represented a plethora of quality male protagonists from Death Parade’s Decim to Ore Monogatari’s Sunakawa, to the eventual winner Slaine Sauzbaum Troyard. This year the pool of worthy choices was more limited with most of the flag ship shows (Re:Zero and Erased) containing male leads I wasn’t overly fond of (In fact in the case of Re:Zero I could even argue Subaru was one of that show’s biggest weaknesses). Angelo Lagusa takes home this award because he felt the realest and portrayed his role perfectly. I can always relate to revenge as a motive- and in Angelo’s case watching your entire family be slaughtered before your eyes sets a good foundation for it. Angelo was cunning, and calculated and was the centre of everything positive in 91 Days.
Honourable mention; Ikta Solark (Alderamin on the Sky)
Best Villains- Betelgeuse Romanee Conti (Re:Zero) / Satou (Ajin)
“My brain… it trembles.” Surprisingly there were more contenders for best Villain than there were for best Male Protagonist and was genuinely considering co-winners for this category and for the first time ever this will be the case. Betelgeuse takes home this category because he is a world class loon. This guy was an unapologetic basket case. He killed mercilessly, chewed off his own fingers, talked in a very unique high pitched voice, and generally had no connection to reality. His only motivation was his unprecedented love for the witch was the driving force behind all of his actions. This made every single time he was on screen a treat. You knew when his brain started trembling that meant bad news for those around him. Ally or foe was irrelevant. He makes a good contrast to Boss Satou who perceived humanity itself as a Gameboy game. With unrivaled intelligence, Boss Satou was able to capture, torture, kill even cut out his own organs all for the sake of his stage he created. What Satou and Betelgeuse each have in common is that they were the driving force behind their respective shows, and to recognise one without recognising the other would be blasphemous.
Best Anime Series 2016– Saiki Kusuo
This wasn’t the easiest decision as normally I’m accustomed to going with the most powerful story of the year. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu comes in #40 on my all-time list followed closely by Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (Erased) which comes in #46 on the same list. Both told fantastic narratives and represent the pinnacle of their respective genres. However coming in at #32 on my all-time list and completing the upset is Saiki Kusuo. I’m not sure if I praised this show enough in my best comedy section so let me again touch up on just how special this show is. Saiki Kusuo is the undisputed best comedy I have ever seen. I do believe being the best a genre has to offer should count for something, and in this case it cements itself not only as my anime of the year but as my #1 all-time comedy anime.
Honourable mention; Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (Erased)
Posted by Johan | Jul 1, 2017 2:16 PM | 2 comments