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NeoGAF Anime of the Year 2016 - Voting Thread
- Thread starter Cornbread78
- Start date
- Status
Out of 17 new series that I watched this year:
1. Haikyuu
2. Mob Psycho
3. Hibike! Euphonium
4. Erased / The Town Without Me
5. Yuri on Ice
6. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable
7. Orange
8. Re:Zero
9. Poco's Udon World
10. My Hero Academia
Other stuff watched / honorable mentions:
1. Sweetness and Lightning
2. 91 Days
3. Kiznaiver
4. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
5. Gundam: Iron-blooded Orphans
6. Izetta: The Last Witch
7. Joker Game
Will add write-ups to this post later.
1. Haikyuu
2. Mob Psycho
3. Hibike! Euphonium
4. Erased / The Town Without Me
5. Yuri on Ice
6. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable
7. Orange
8. Re:Zero
9. Poco's Udon World
10. My Hero Academia
Other stuff watched / honorable mentions:
1. Sweetness and Lightning
2. 91 Days
3. Kiznaiver
4. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
5. Gundam: Iron-blooded Orphans
6. Izetta: The Last Witch
7. Joker Game
Will add write-ups to this post later.
Admiral Woofington
Member
TV Series:
1. Thunderbolt Fantasy ; Surprise surprise, I recently brought up my apprehension for this being eligible, and the reality was that it was because I absolutely knew it would rank as #1. But hey if it's allowed, then I'm going to vote for it. Thunderbolt Fantasy brought to anime/japan what I've been wanting from them for a decent while now: A show that is essentially a DnD campaign. The show follows a rag tag group of frenemies who must complete a mission, and to do so they need to pass through many different trials and reach the final boss. It doesn't get more Dungeons and Dragons that that. Couple it off with a new form of media I was unaware of (Finger/hand puppets), the meticulous effort they put towards the action scenes, the soundtrack from Sawano which actually works fantastically with this and the fact it's a show from Urobuchi himself of Fate/Zero fame and you have the best show of the year. Period.
2. 91 Days ; Chip up 91 Days, if it wasn't for Thunderbolt Fantasy being allowed you'd be #1 on my list haha. 91 Days is another thing I've been clamoring from anime for quite some time: HBO show in anime form. And it didn't disappoint. I was looking behind every corner and tense with worries that at some point a loli mob boss or a cat girl would appear and ruin it. But to my surprise they stuck to their guns and delivered a show that I have no doubt will make it to Toonami in the West if it hasn't already. 91 Days is a crime drama about Mafia and revenge. The story beats don't go anywhere you wouldn't think, and the inspiration from films such as The Godfather is apparent in essentially every scene. The ending is a bit divisive, but I personally loved it and thought it brought the character arcs to a fantastic conclusion. When there was action it could get absolutely brutal. And it had Fango. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaango.
3. Mob Psycho 100 ; From the creator of One Punch Man and studio BONES, we get One Punch Man. The most visually amazing anime of the last year. The art style was rough, the colors were vibrant, and the animation was out of this world. BONES knocked it out of the park. The show follows Mob, an awkward teen and arguably one of the world's strongest ESP's. But unfortunately he's an awkward teen who doesn't care about that and instead wants to be normal. The character drama in every arc was pretty damn great, with more and more characters joining the regular cast each bringing their own flavor to the show.
4. Gintama O ; I couldn't do an AOTY list and not list Gintama. I mean I love Gintama. And this past season of Gintama brought to us what is arguably one of the best serious arcs from the show's life. That alone gives it a high spot on my list. If you don't know what Gintama is, well go to MAL or something similar for a more in depth look. But a quick explanation is that it's a comedy shonen action show that is both the best comedy in anime, and also when they do a serious arc it has some of the best among the action shonen series. Go watch it.
5. Drifters; I binged through this a couple of weeks ago and it ended up skyrocketing among my favorite shows of the season. It admittedly has very awkward humor that goes off a bit against the serious bloody tone of the rest of the series. But this is an issue that came up with Hellsing Ultimate as well, so it's clear the author likes his comedic moments in his ultra violence. All I know is that I watched a show about historical figures from all over the timeline being dropped off together in a fantasy world with dragons, elves and dwarves and they battle it out against each other or against enemies in the world. Some of the historical figure 'bad guys' are fun choices that might not necessarily be your first thought. And some of the 'heroes' aren't so much heroes as chaos neutral. Very fun show and actively looking forward to S2.
6. Dragon Ball Super ; I only binged through Dragon Ball Super recently and I already know I love it. While not the strongest show of the season, the fact I'm getting more dragon ball and returning to see these characters after so long means the world to 10 year old me who was obsessed with this series back in the days. Beerus is the best character in Dragon Ball history. No argument.
7. Ajin: Demi-human S1; Ajin aired in its entirety in 2016. I loved it as a whole, but the second half isn't anywhere near as good as the first half. If this pick means the whole show gets the vote then so be it, but I want to emphasize I am specifically voting for the first half, aptly titled 'S1' in Netflix. Ajin S1 is a fantasy drama/suspense series set in a modern backdrop dealing with immortals called Ajin in the real world. It won my vote for the year because the characters are so out there and fantastic that it carried the whole show with it. Particularly the central 3 characters that are part of the 3 different factions. Nobody is outright someone you would root for in this season, yet they all have a mission or goal you can observe. It's by no means perfect but nevertheless a show I can sincerely recommend.... at least S1. S2 is recommended if you want to finish the series as it turns into a Tom Clancy novel.
8. Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin ; This show was somewhat of a surprise. I remember reading the manga at some point and remembering it being pretty decent, but when they adapted it into an anime it really began shining brightly. Best description I can give you for the show is that it's essentially Valkyria Chronicles. It's one of the more funs military shows in anime that doesn't become overbearing over nationalism or some other crap. It's essentially a story about the lead, which in the future he's a great general, came to be.
9. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash ; I was debating on what position to give to this show. I really really liked it, but I also know it had issues. Particularly, the unnecessary butt and male gaze shots on the females from the main group, and the silly and long music video segments they had in like 1 or 2 episodes. But seeing how those were the main two negatives, I knew the show had to be listed. It had this art style I just absolutely loved, almost like it was painted. The development of the main group of a bunch of jobbers who couldn't do anything right to a decent fighting group was fun. Also it has the cutest goblins in any piece of fantasy media ever. Cute gobis
10. Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge ; I don't have much to say about Tanaka-kun. It was an intoxicating in just how relaxed it was and it made you feel. The comedy wasn't particularly memorable, but it had a likable cast, a unique lead, and every episode was charming. Sometimes that's all you need from a slice of life comedy show.
Honorable Mentions:
X. Handa-kun ; Barakamon made my top 10 last year, and Handa-kun which is very loosely related to that somehow managed to make it as well haha. The story follows a variation of the character of Handa from Barakamon and his everyday life in high school where he is idolized and every girl loves him, but seeing that he's a nervous wreck he thinks everybody is bullying him. Outside of Gintama this was the second strongest comedy of the season.
X. Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou; I loved Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou, more than many other shows that could have taken this spot on my list. It was a unique art style and look where it generally looked like a late night show from Adult Swim. Each episode was short, and it was quirky. The biggest fault of the show, and the reason it didn't rank higher, is because for a show about music it seemed to reuse the same song for almost 90% of every scene where he was being a DJ. This was disappointing and detracted points, but it still was such a fun and unique show it made up for it in the end. It's definitely worth a watch, particularly if you like Adult Swim-like shows.
1. Thunderbolt Fantasy ; Surprise surprise, I recently brought up my apprehension for this being eligible, and the reality was that it was because I absolutely knew it would rank as #1. But hey if it's allowed, then I'm going to vote for it. Thunderbolt Fantasy brought to anime/japan what I've been wanting from them for a decent while now: A show that is essentially a DnD campaign. The show follows a rag tag group of frenemies who must complete a mission, and to do so they need to pass through many different trials and reach the final boss. It doesn't get more Dungeons and Dragons that that. Couple it off with a new form of media I was unaware of (Finger/hand puppets), the meticulous effort they put towards the action scenes, the soundtrack from Sawano which actually works fantastically with this and the fact it's a show from Urobuchi himself of Fate/Zero fame and you have the best show of the year. Period.
2. 91 Days ; Chip up 91 Days, if it wasn't for Thunderbolt Fantasy being allowed you'd be #1 on my list haha. 91 Days is another thing I've been clamoring from anime for quite some time: HBO show in anime form. And it didn't disappoint. I was looking behind every corner and tense with worries that at some point a loli mob boss or a cat girl would appear and ruin it. But to my surprise they stuck to their guns and delivered a show that I have no doubt will make it to Toonami in the West if it hasn't already. 91 Days is a crime drama about Mafia and revenge. The story beats don't go anywhere you wouldn't think, and the inspiration from films such as The Godfather is apparent in essentially every scene. The ending is a bit divisive, but I personally loved it and thought it brought the character arcs to a fantastic conclusion. When there was action it could get absolutely brutal. And it had Fango. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaango.
3. Mob Psycho 100 ; From the creator of One Punch Man and studio BONES, we get One Punch Man. The most visually amazing anime of the last year. The art style was rough, the colors were vibrant, and the animation was out of this world. BONES knocked it out of the park. The show follows Mob, an awkward teen and arguably one of the world's strongest ESP's. But unfortunately he's an awkward teen who doesn't care about that and instead wants to be normal. The character drama in every arc was pretty damn great, with more and more characters joining the regular cast each bringing their own flavor to the show.
4. Gintama O ; I couldn't do an AOTY list and not list Gintama. I mean I love Gintama. And this past season of Gintama brought to us what is arguably one of the best serious arcs from the show's life. That alone gives it a high spot on my list. If you don't know what Gintama is, well go to MAL or something similar for a more in depth look. But a quick explanation is that it's a comedy shonen action show that is both the best comedy in anime, and also when they do a serious arc it has some of the best among the action shonen series. Go watch it.
5. Drifters; I binged through this a couple of weeks ago and it ended up skyrocketing among my favorite shows of the season. It admittedly has very awkward humor that goes off a bit against the serious bloody tone of the rest of the series. But this is an issue that came up with Hellsing Ultimate as well, so it's clear the author likes his comedic moments in his ultra violence. All I know is that I watched a show about historical figures from all over the timeline being dropped off together in a fantasy world with dragons, elves and dwarves and they battle it out against each other or against enemies in the world. Some of the historical figure 'bad guys' are fun choices that might not necessarily be your first thought. And some of the 'heroes' aren't so much heroes as chaos neutral. Very fun show and actively looking forward to S2.
6. Dragon Ball Super ; I only binged through Dragon Ball Super recently and I already know I love it. While not the strongest show of the season, the fact I'm getting more dragon ball and returning to see these characters after so long means the world to 10 year old me who was obsessed with this series back in the days. Beerus is the best character in Dragon Ball history. No argument.
7. Ajin: Demi-human S1; Ajin aired in its entirety in 2016. I loved it as a whole, but the second half isn't anywhere near as good as the first half. If this pick means the whole show gets the vote then so be it, but I want to emphasize I am specifically voting for the first half, aptly titled 'S1' in Netflix. Ajin S1 is a fantasy drama/suspense series set in a modern backdrop dealing with immortals called Ajin in the real world. It won my vote for the year because the characters are so out there and fantastic that it carried the whole show with it. Particularly the central 3 characters that are part of the 3 different factions. Nobody is outright someone you would root for in this season, yet they all have a mission or goal you can observe. It's by no means perfect but nevertheless a show I can sincerely recommend.... at least S1. S2 is recommended if you want to finish the series as it turns into a Tom Clancy novel.
8. Nejimaki Seirei Senki: Tenkyou no Alderamin ; This show was somewhat of a surprise. I remember reading the manga at some point and remembering it being pretty decent, but when they adapted it into an anime it really began shining brightly. Best description I can give you for the show is that it's essentially Valkyria Chronicles. It's one of the more funs military shows in anime that doesn't become overbearing over nationalism or some other crap. It's essentially a story about the lead, which in the future he's a great general, came to be.
9. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash ; I was debating on what position to give to this show. I really really liked it, but I also know it had issues. Particularly, the unnecessary butt and male gaze shots on the females from the main group, and the silly and long music video segments they had in like 1 or 2 episodes. But seeing how those were the main two negatives, I knew the show had to be listed. It had this art style I just absolutely loved, almost like it was painted. The development of the main group of a bunch of jobbers who couldn't do anything right to a decent fighting group was fun. Also it has the cutest goblins in any piece of fantasy media ever. Cute gobis
10. Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge ; I don't have much to say about Tanaka-kun. It was an intoxicating in just how relaxed it was and it made you feel. The comedy wasn't particularly memorable, but it had a likable cast, a unique lead, and every episode was charming. Sometimes that's all you need from a slice of life comedy show.
Honorable Mentions:
X. Handa-kun ; Barakamon made my top 10 last year, and Handa-kun which is very loosely related to that somehow managed to make it as well haha. The story follows a variation of the character of Handa from Barakamon and his everyday life in high school where he is idolized and every girl loves him, but seeing that he's a nervous wreck he thinks everybody is bullying him. Outside of Gintama this was the second strongest comedy of the season.
X. Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou; I loved Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou, more than many other shows that could have taken this spot on my list. It was a unique art style and look where it generally looked like a late night show from Adult Swim. Each episode was short, and it was quirky. The biggest fault of the show, and the reason it didn't rank higher, is because for a show about music it seemed to reuse the same song for almost 90% of every scene where he was being a DJ. This was disappointing and detracted points, but it still was such a fun and unique show it made up for it in the end. It's definitely worth a watch, particularly if you like Adult Swim-like shows.
killer rin
Member
TV Series:
1. Erased
2. KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
3. Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
4. Kiznaiver
5. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
6. Heavy Object
7. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
8. Joker Game
9. Flying Witch
10. Girlish Number
Honorable Mention:
x. Drifters
x. Qualidea Code; While the show had a ton of flaws, mostly within its animation. The soundtrack was great and the story was on point and interesting to the point that within its season, it was one of the shows I couldn't wait to continue to get back to every week.
x. Kaijo!!!!!!!!; It's just stupid fun
x. Lostrage Incited WIXOSS
x. GATE Season 2
x. Magical Girl Raising Project
x. Crane Game Girls; This and its sequel Crane Game Girls Galaxy was pretty decent for an Anime Short. While the soundtrack is limited and the CG Animation basic, it was just a fun show to watch between some of the more intense shows of its season.
x. Izetta the Last Witch
Music Video: (Not being tracked, but deserves a mention)
1. Shelter
1. Erased
2. KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
3. Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
4. Kiznaiver
5. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash
6. Heavy Object
7. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
8. Joker Game
9. Flying Witch
10. Girlish Number
Honorable Mention:
x. Drifters
x. Qualidea Code; While the show had a ton of flaws, mostly within its animation. The soundtrack was great and the story was on point and interesting to the point that within its season, it was one of the shows I couldn't wait to continue to get back to every week.
x. Kaijo!!!!!!!!; It's just stupid fun
x. Lostrage Incited WIXOSS
x. GATE Season 2
x. Magical Girl Raising Project
x. Crane Game Girls; This and its sequel Crane Game Girls Galaxy was pretty decent for an Anime Short. While the soundtrack is limited and the CG Animation basic, it was just a fun show to watch between some of the more intense shows of its season.
x. Izetta the Last Witch
Music Video: (Not being tracked, but deserves a mention)
1. Shelter
Cornbread78
Member
I gotta say that you have exceptional taste my friend, lol. This was my top 3 as well.
killer rin
Member
I honestly had a hard time choosing which order to put those three in, all for for similar, but completely different reasons. All of those shows affected me in ways that almost never happens when I'm watching shows. Usually on the internet if I'm reviewing or talking about an episode I'll play up the best scenes to be more funny, depressing, sad or annoying than they actually were, but with these three shows I may have actually underplayed my reactions.
With Erased, once shit started getting real it literally wrecked me emotionally for a good while. While we knew the threat was in the background, by the
(I believe) 3rd
Every time Kayo died, especially if it was on a cliffhanger, that was all my idle thoughts were about every week. Who was the killer? How did it happen? How do we prevent it? When every episode passed I had to immediately go to GAF and talk with everybody else about it so we could confer notes. And then once we passed that to when she was finally safe, it continued to bring me to tears with that breakfast scene, and all the little parental stuff that showed just how amazing Satoru's mother was
On a different hand, with Konosuba was just incredibly hilarious. I find usually with Anime, parodies tend to fall flat as they parody a single aspect of a show or number of shows, but they will immediately start falling into similar tropes, or into the same tropes they are parodying and it just ends up falling on its face. Or even worse is that they almost always tend to take themselves too seriously to the point where despite trying to be a parody, you can't really call it one. Enter Konosuba where it knows its a parody and it takes it upon itself to not take itself seriously. Literally every episode had me choking on my tongue laughing at the insanity and absurdity of everything that was going on. They even managed to give each character such differing personalities and unlike most shows, they aren't trying to shoehorn romance into it. The characters are shitty people, and they make it an effort to tell each other that every episode. Of course, it helps that they are parodying MMO's and the Trapped in a Fantasy World themes that we would resonate with since we are on NeoGAF, but the humour goes beyond that. It's just funny and I can't wait to watch Season 2 (once I finish typing this
)As with the random third hand, we have Re;Zero. A show where every episode I was left screaming at Subaru for his decisions. This was a show where I constantly wanted him to die in the best ways possible because I kept on seeing him go down a path of pain and suffering that I wanted to help him avoid. To make matters worse, the length of the arcs and placement of the checkpoints was incredibly arbitrary, meaning you had no idea when an arc was coming to an end and when you could expect a good solution to have been found; so you couldn't rely on your subconscious to go "Alright, each arc is 4 episodes, we are on the third episode so he will probably die again". There were several times he either died multiple times in a single episode, or had a run go through several episodes only for him to die after all of the effort. Nothing was standardised. Like Subaru not knowing if his next death would be his final one, we had no idea when the gods that be would accept a solution with all that it entails. If a character died, you were on your edge hoping there was going to be a reset because you didn't want it to become the accepted Canon of that world. Then when something went right, I was immediately thinking "Okay, what are the implications of what just happened" and "What is the next challenge going to be" or near the ending
where good things happen only to be twisted bad, "Oh shit, Subaru is fucked"
You know, I read this list from below and by Grimgar already I knew it was you.
I did the same but I knew from Tonkatsu. He is the only one after all.
Admiral Woofington
Member
I was considering adding mafia doggies, but then I remembered it was only OK.
It's a good show, not my fault everyone else has shit taste
TV Series:
1. Mob Psycho 100 ; I absolutely loved this show. I've been reading One Punch Man for a few years and loved last year's anime, so I was really looking forward to Mob Psycho 100. The first episode didn't really convince me; the animation is great but it went a bit too fast, the characters were yelling for most of it, etc... The rest of the season just blew me away though. The characters really grow on you and you become attached to them, the animation is consistently great, it has a couple of awesome fights, and overall I like how fun and kind-hearted the show is. The use of mixed-media makes for very interesting visuals too.
2. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable ; Not my favourite Jojo part, but it's still Jojo, aka awesome, and it was mostly a good adaptation. Some episodes were a bit weaker than others, but I feel like they did a good job overall and nailed the coolest bits (the two face-offs against Kira).
3. My Hero Academia ; This series made me interested in the source material, and I've read through all the available manga material. I love how well told this fairly classic story is told, how interesting the characters are and just how briskly paced it is. However, I feel like the animated series doesn't really convey that last point very well. Quite a few episodes drag a bit too much. I've seen worse, but lately I've been watching series that adapt 3/4 chapters per episode so MHA feels a fair bit slower. Overall, I still really liked the show, because the source material is really solid, the good use of music and a couple of really cool animation sequences.
4. Ushio and Tora Season 2 ; To be honest, it's only on there because I've only watched 4 anime from this year this year. I enjoyed the series, but in a "yeah it's all right" kind of way. It kept me interested but it clearly rushes through a lot of content, I don't really like how it handles its female characters (but it's based on an older manga so I guess that's to be expected), and most of the fights aren't terribly interesting.
Movies:
1. Your Name; It's the only one I watched and I liked so it'll go on here. I'm not usually a fan of romances yet really enjoyed it.
1. Mob Psycho 100 ; I absolutely loved this show. I've been reading One Punch Man for a few years and loved last year's anime, so I was really looking forward to Mob Psycho 100. The first episode didn't really convince me; the animation is great but it went a bit too fast, the characters were yelling for most of it, etc... The rest of the season just blew me away though. The characters really grow on you and you become attached to them, the animation is consistently great, it has a couple of awesome fights, and overall I like how fun and kind-hearted the show is. The use of mixed-media makes for very interesting visuals too.
2. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable ; Not my favourite Jojo part, but it's still Jojo, aka awesome, and it was mostly a good adaptation. Some episodes were a bit weaker than others, but I feel like they did a good job overall and nailed the coolest bits (the two face-offs against Kira).
3. My Hero Academia ; This series made me interested in the source material, and I've read through all the available manga material. I love how well told this fairly classic story is told, how interesting the characters are and just how briskly paced it is. However, I feel like the animated series doesn't really convey that last point very well. Quite a few episodes drag a bit too much. I've seen worse, but lately I've been watching series that adapt 3/4 chapters per episode so MHA feels a fair bit slower. Overall, I still really liked the show, because the source material is really solid, the good use of music and a couple of really cool animation sequences.
4. Ushio and Tora Season 2 ; To be honest, it's only on there because I've only watched 4 anime from this year this year. I enjoyed the series, but in a "yeah it's all right" kind of way. It kept me interested but it clearly rushes through a lot of content, I don't really like how it handles its female characters (but it's based on an older manga so I guess that's to be expected), and most of the fights aren't terribly interesting.
Movies:
1. Your Name; It's the only one I watched and I liked so it'll go on here. I'm not usually a fan of romances yet really enjoyed it.
GoldCrusader
Member
They voted Deku as the Hero of the year, so they aren't all bad in my book.
Based on the anime alone I don't think he really deserved it. He becomes awesome only later imho.
GoldCrusader
Member
I don't want to turn this into a anime awards thread, but here is why I think Deku deserved the title of the Hero of the year.
From episode 1 he shows how great his values of a hero, just purely for his dedication to his hero fanboyism.
But it's really from episode 2 and onward that I think he shows it the most.
In ep.2 the guy
jumps quirkless into a fight against a villain based solely on the *he needs my help* moment. His spirit of self-sacrifice was so strong that it even moved All Might into action.
then episode
3 he showed just how much he wanted to be a hero by traning and training for 10 months.
then in episode 4 how
he yet again jumps without thinking(his legs moved on their own)to save Ochako from the Big boss and basically passing his exam based only on his heroic spirit and self-sacrifice.
I could go on, but I think you get my point. The guy has the heart of a true hero and shows it multiple time, he deserves the title, even in season 1.
Of course if I would have to decide for a candidate for hero of the year I would have 100% given it to All Might. I mean there is just no cooler and more deserving of the Hero award then him.
Cornbread78
Member
Feel free to discuss and debate in here all you want; just don't shitpost or fight about it.
Many lurkers use this thread as reccomendations for shows they missed and might be interested in.
There are other people who voted for it though but he's probably the only one who would have it along with Grimgar.
You're objectively wrong, all the more so since you have that quality fest in the 2nd spot but it's okay, Lord Igarashi doesn't bestow his enlightenment on just anyone.
Admiral Woofington
Member
MAFIA DOGGIES WAS STRAIGHT UP
POOPER
SCOOPER
DIAPERS
POOPER
SCOOPER
DIAPERS
PshycoNinja
Member
There's an episode 11? Where the...!?
Anime of the Year
1. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: It is about two young men who performs a Japanese performance art called Rakugo. While the Rakugo itself is fascinating, it mainly a conduit to the excellent drama that unfolds.
2. Mob Psycho 100: It deals with the life of a boy who has psychic powers. Supported by an awesome production value, it does have a surprisingly in depth theme of belonging, rejection, and self image. It may also be the only show where I rooted for a conman.
3. Concrete Revolutio: It goes through 20th century Japan with a superhero coat of paint, which is itself an interesting concept. But then you have idealism vs pragmatism play out, along with all these people who each have different point of views. The non linear nature of the story may be a bit of a turn off, but I believe they are ordered logically and in ways you can follow them. Plus, you can look forward to some really awesome action scenes.
4. Bungo Stray Dogs: It is a superhero/crime drama show about a detective agency that combats the mafia and they all have superpowers. Also, the characters are named after famous authors and their superpowers are allusions to their work. So the concept at face value is incredibly silly. But there is some incredible pay off in terms of character, and episodes 12-16 alone make this show a worthy entry in the top 5.
5. Kiznaivers: A bunch of kids are forcibly put in a scientific experiment where they feel each other's pain. While it doesn't always succeed at the drama, I think it has a great cast of characters, and they did an overall good job with the theme of how human connections both support and cause pain with each other. Oh and the opening credit is a feast for the eyes and ears.
6. ReLife: A concept where an adult participates in an experiment where he gets to live a high school life again by changing his physical appearance might instantaneously sound like a wish fulfillment fantasy premise, the show instead goes with an adult who uses his adult experience to jump start his life and help those around him after a terrible experience with his previous job. I do confess I am not a big fan of some of the high school drama and romance though.
7. Battery: Character drama of a boy who is a prodigy pitcher who enters a high school team, and meets an umpire who can take his pitches. It is all drama while the baseball aspect is put on the side, and when there is baseball, it's like you are watching a real high school game. Whether good or bad it is up to you, but it presents a decent drama of a bunch of ego driven jackasses.
8. The Great Passage: A drama about a bunch of really nerdy people who takes making dictionary seriously. Joking aside it is a good show but without much depth beyond watching these people make dictionaries, although occasional episodes will hit it out of the ball park.
9. 91 Days: It is a solid mafia revenge story. Not the best or original, but serviceable. The show is quiet goofy, but it is very entertaining though. It also has a surprisingly touching ending.
10. Girlish Number: A cynical comedy of a voice actress with a terrible personality and acting capability who gets hired for a main role for purely cynical motives. Honestly I could have put a number of shows on this spot but this one gets in for overall consistency. Plus I found it funny. Too bad the main characters weren't the two veterans because the 2 episodes centered on them were the best.
1. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: It is about two young men who performs a Japanese performance art called Rakugo. While the Rakugo itself is fascinating, it mainly a conduit to the excellent drama that unfolds.
2. Mob Psycho 100: It deals with the life of a boy who has psychic powers. Supported by an awesome production value, it does have a surprisingly in depth theme of belonging, rejection, and self image. It may also be the only show where I rooted for a conman.
3. Concrete Revolutio: It goes through 20th century Japan with a superhero coat of paint, which is itself an interesting concept. But then you have idealism vs pragmatism play out, along with all these people who each have different point of views. The non linear nature of the story may be a bit of a turn off, but I believe they are ordered logically and in ways you can follow them. Plus, you can look forward to some really awesome action scenes.
4. Bungo Stray Dogs: It is a superhero/crime drama show about a detective agency that combats the mafia and they all have superpowers. Also, the characters are named after famous authors and their superpowers are allusions to their work. So the concept at face value is incredibly silly. But there is some incredible pay off in terms of character, and episodes 12-16 alone make this show a worthy entry in the top 5.
5. Kiznaivers: A bunch of kids are forcibly put in a scientific experiment where they feel each other's pain. While it doesn't always succeed at the drama, I think it has a great cast of characters, and they did an overall good job with the theme of how human connections both support and cause pain with each other. Oh and the opening credit is a feast for the eyes and ears.
6. ReLife: A concept where an adult participates in an experiment where he gets to live a high school life again by changing his physical appearance might instantaneously sound like a wish fulfillment fantasy premise, the show instead goes with an adult who uses his adult experience to jump start his life and help those around him after a terrible experience with his previous job. I do confess I am not a big fan of some of the high school drama and romance though.
7. Battery: Character drama of a boy who is a prodigy pitcher who enters a high school team, and meets an umpire who can take his pitches. It is all drama while the baseball aspect is put on the side, and when there is baseball, it's like you are watching a real high school game. Whether good or bad it is up to you, but it presents a decent drama of a bunch of ego driven jackasses.
8. The Great Passage: A drama about a bunch of really nerdy people who takes making dictionary seriously. Joking aside it is a good show but without much depth beyond watching these people make dictionaries, although occasional episodes will hit it out of the ball park.
9. 91 Days: It is a solid mafia revenge story. Not the best or original, but serviceable. The show is quiet goofy, but it is very entertaining though. It also has a surprisingly touching ending.
10. Girlish Number: A cynical comedy of a voice actress with a terrible personality and acting capability who gets hired for a main role for purely cynical motives. Honestly I could have put a number of shows on this spot but this one gets in for overall consistency. Plus I found it funny. Too bad the main characters weren't the two veterans because the 2 episodes centered on them were the best.
1.Concret Revolutio - The Last Song ; Best show that nobody watched. It's not an easy sale at all, espically because the exexution isn't perfect and the show could really need an extra episode or 2.
2.ThunderBolt Fantasy ; This show Gen Urobuchi return to form. on the same level as Fate/Zero.
3.Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu ;The second best anime that nobody saw. It's fantastic dirction and writing is the main reason why this entry is so far up on my list.
4.Boku no Hero Academia ;Hardly very original premise, but the execution is so superb that it doesn't matter.
That fact that All Might wasn't nomitaed for best hero on crunchroll is a crime.
5.Ushio to Tora S2 ;S2 was bsically nothing,but the fight against the main villain and it was glorious.
6.Akagami no Shirayuki-hime S2 ;Another fairly typical show for it's genre,but it's well done and I don'r rate orginality all that highly anyway.
7.Mob Psycho 100 ; While I'm not the biggest fan off this show, it's very easy to recommand to about anyone thanks to it's fantastic animation and strong characters.
8.Re:Zero ; Hardly a very consitent show in terms of qualility as it simultaneously some of the best and worst anime moments of the year, it's still derverse a spot on this list.
9.Amanchu! ; Another very underrated show, probably because it's rather slow and very flashy.
Regardless, some of the later episodes are very strong and grand this anime a spot on top 10.
10.Uchuu Patrol Luluco ;For a trigger fanboy like me, this show a dream come true. Although, I don't think it's as good as some of thier other shows.
Movies:
1. Kizumonogatari Part 2: Nekketsu
2. Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu
2.ThunderBolt Fantasy ; This show Gen Urobuchi return to form. on the same level as Fate/Zero.
3.Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu ;The second best anime that nobody saw. It's fantastic dirction and writing is the main reason why this entry is so far up on my list.
4.Boku no Hero Academia ;Hardly very original premise, but the execution is so superb that it doesn't matter.
That fact that All Might wasn't nomitaed for best hero on crunchroll is a crime.
5.Ushio to Tora S2 ;S2 was bsically nothing,but the fight against the main villain and it was glorious.
6.Akagami no Shirayuki-hime S2 ;Another fairly typical show for it's genre,but it's well done and I don'r rate orginality all that highly anyway.
7.Mob Psycho 100 ; While I'm not the biggest fan off this show, it's very easy to recommand to about anyone thanks to it's fantastic animation and strong characters.
8.Re:Zero ; Hardly a very consitent show in terms of qualility as it simultaneously some of the best and worst anime moments of the year, it's still derverse a spot on this list.
9.Amanchu! ; Another very underrated show, probably because it's rather slow and very flashy.
Regardless, some of the later episodes are very strong and grand this anime a spot on top 10.
10.Uchuu Patrol Luluco ;For a trigger fanboy like me, this show a dream come true. Although, I don't think it's as good as some of thier other shows.
Movies:
1. Kizumonogatari Part 2: Nekketsu
2. Kizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu
Cornbread78
Member
I know it sounds fickle, but please number these selections, so there can be no confusion of intentions.
TV Series:
1. Gintama° ;
2. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable ;
3. Mob Psycho 100 ;
4. Osomatsu-san ;
5. KonoSuba ;
6. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- ;
7. Ajin ;
8. My Hero Academia ;
9. Erased ;
10. Space Patrol Luluco;
Will complete the list when I am free.
1. Gintama° ;
2. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable ;
3. Mob Psycho 100 ;
4. Osomatsu-san ;
5. KonoSuba ;
6. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- ;
7. Ajin ;
8. My Hero Academia ;
9. Erased ;
10. Space Patrol Luluco;
Will complete the list when I am free.
Would I vote for something I dropped before the end of episode one?
1. Sound! Euphonium 2 ; I've written extensively about this show on a blog, and did a large amound of detailed music/visual analysis on Episode 05 in particular. I don't have much to say here that I haven't there, but, i'll just post my summation from there, here.
This season was a little was great for delving into band drama, and just how dysfunctional group dynamics can really get in a microcosm like this. I very much liked Mizore and Nozomi as new additions, and overall there was significant character growth for pretty much everyone that was featured in some way. Asuka reconciled the two major conflicts in her life by will power and emotional help from Kumiko. Haruka finally grew tough enough to be able to put herself out there and not rely on someone to get the job done. Mizore and Nozomi reconciled and Mizore lost the robotic tinge to her playing. Reina finally got out her feelings for Taki, despite learning some truths that hurt her somewhat and overcame them. Mamiko decided to stand on her own two feet and become independent from her parents in order to follow her dreams. Yuko protected and furthered her bond with Mizore, and became band president. Natsuki stepped up her game by practicing more, and became vice president. Kaori finally got past the solo thing with Reina, and still tried to meddle in Asuka's affairs because she cares about her friend. The neat part about all these individual character arcs is that they were all connected in some way, whether directly or indirectly. It was fun to see just how they all were interwoven, and produced a very fun season and an engaging band dynamic.
Let's also not forget the absolutely incredible performance in episode 5. I seriously believe that nobody will top that absolutely insanely detailed episode with instrument animation, ever. That episode contained some deeply detailed work, the likes of which I may never see anything come close to that in my lifetime. Having gone through it with only the finest of fine-tooth combs, I can glady tell you that I have every part for every instrument at all times totally memorized and internalized. Really made me love Crescent Moon Dance.
Episode 5 aside, generally all the instrument animation and detailing was just flawless. A ridiculous amount of attention was given to not only the instruments and their detailing, but the performers that were holding them too. An insane amount of detailing went into animating and drawing body postures, finger and hand positions, breathing, body movement while playing (except for that one goofy clarinet cut, of which I've only seen one person in real life play like that!), where the eyes were looking, and Taki's conducting too. The conducting was particularly impressive because it's a lot of information to communicate with only hands, arms, and eyes, but it was pulled off flawlessly. Couple that in with the crazy amount of character designs they had to work with for each of these, and actually maintained them properly throughout the whole series... Well, it's mind-boggling in terms of logistics that a work like this was even pulled off with the quality that it maintained.
The audio implementation was also very good. The recordings were accurate representations for the performances that were to be given, and coupled with the phenomenal animation, the recordings really helped elevate the material. The voice acting was really great too. The more realistic depiction of her character's voice in season 2 was really great, and Tomoyo Kurosawa in particular gave an amazing performance that really gave a lot of life to Kumiko. From all the cute noises, to her deadpan delivery at times, to her eventual emotional outbursts... They all felt really satisfying and I love what she brought to Kumiko.
Last but not least, Kumiko. What an awesome main character. Although she was more an observer to some of the stuff in season 2, I love how Asuka actually called her out on that. Her involvement being fluffed up wasn't an oversight, but more a group consensus that spread misinformation the way they only could in a band, which is to say like a really complicated game of telephone. It was really refreshing to see that all get covered. From season 1 Kumiko was such a passive person, disinterested in almost everything. Through joining band she made new friends, rekindled old relationships, and really grew as a person. Watching her grow up and go through the pains of adolescence in this setting was just really enjoyable. Having come from a lenghty band background living through this stuff during a similar period in my life, this series entirely relatable with lots of nostalgia for me. It all greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the show because I could bring a part of myself with to relate to the show and the characters in a way that felt like someone knew who I was at a point in my life.
Slowly Kumiko found herself getting more involved with people, trying harder to improve herself, trying harder to improve her playing skills, trying harder to be more proactive in all aspects of her life. Eventually she left her passive role and became more active in confronting people directly, ultimately speaking her mind and sharing her emotions instead of just letting those things be her inner voice. The way she grew as a person, was able to start discovering who she was, and was able to accept all of that while acting on these personal discoveries was just really satisfying. Of course her relationship with Asuka was a long-fought, but well-earned one by the end. All the stuff they went through, they genuinely didn't have anything to hide from each other by the end, and ended up sharing a special bond that felt well-earned.
I feel like I could gush for hours about how much I loved the whole series, but i'll spare you that! I definitely want to go back and revisit some of my other episode reviews from season 1 if I can find the time, and rewrite those to have a lot more information. I didn't get really into doing these till almost halfway through season 1, and I honestly feel like the material deserves a better write-up. Couple that with where things ended up, and a re-watch sounds like a fantastic idea too.
I wholeheartedly love all of Sound! Euphonium. Kyoani did an absolutely fantastic job, and I love that I was given the opportunity to get to know this work through their herculean, meticulous efforts to bring it to life in such an incredible way that only really they could do. It's definitely a series that's very special to me, and I will always cherish it in that special place I have reserved for it in my heart.
2. Bungo Stray Dogs ; Both halves of this aired this year, and I totally loved it. The characters, the story, and the presentation were all very good. It was a very Igarashi show in so many ways, and I loved it for that. What a treat.
3. Macross Delta ; I totally loved this show. The cast was a ton of fun, I bought all of the music CDs because that stuff is verrrrrry good, and i'm almost done with buying all the blurays too! Totally love Walkure and the rest of the cast. It also helps that the best girl won too! Freya is just such a loveable character, and she/Minori Suzuki's voice warm my heart. The visual charisma given to her character over the series was really fun too!
W
4. Haikyuu!! Season 3 ; I didn't think they'd be able to make a single match so compelling, but this was just plain awesome. Totally loved how much I got into this.
5. Thunderbolt Fantasy ; If you told me i'd really like a show with wuxia puppets, i'd have called you crazy. Turns out nobody was crazy, because this show is awesome. Almost everyone is ultimately a shitbag in many ways, and because of that the ending twists were so cool. Add in the Sawano music that was actually well-used, and man, this show was great. Bring on the next 35 season or whatever, because I want more.
6. Kiznaiver ; Didn't think i'd like this, but I really did! Chidori best girl. Fight me.
7. Jojo's Bizzare Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable ; I didn't like it as much as previous seasons because of the smaller scale, but when the character interactions and cast grew to be such a huge lovable town full of people, it's hard not to love it. Add in the compelling villain towards the end, and some of the best presentation this series has seen thus far, and you got yourself a great show to watch.
8. Concrete Revolutio: Choujin Gensou - The Last Song ; After the first half's conclusion was over, I wanted more. Getting more, i'm happy with the way things turned out.
9. Mob Psycho 100 ; Didn't expect to love this, ended up loving it a while bunch. Really awesome.
10. Twin Star Exorcists ; Just a fun show. I love the relationships between all the characters, and Benio and Rokuro's budding romance never fails to put a shit-eating grin on my face for some reason. Just fun.
This season was a little was great for delving into band drama, and just how dysfunctional group dynamics can really get in a microcosm like this. I very much liked Mizore and Nozomi as new additions, and overall there was significant character growth for pretty much everyone that was featured in some way. Asuka reconciled the two major conflicts in her life by will power and emotional help from Kumiko. Haruka finally grew tough enough to be able to put herself out there and not rely on someone to get the job done. Mizore and Nozomi reconciled and Mizore lost the robotic tinge to her playing. Reina finally got out her feelings for Taki, despite learning some truths that hurt her somewhat and overcame them. Mamiko decided to stand on her own two feet and become independent from her parents in order to follow her dreams. Yuko protected and furthered her bond with Mizore, and became band president. Natsuki stepped up her game by practicing more, and became vice president. Kaori finally got past the solo thing with Reina, and still tried to meddle in Asuka's affairs because she cares about her friend. The neat part about all these individual character arcs is that they were all connected in some way, whether directly or indirectly. It was fun to see just how they all were interwoven, and produced a very fun season and an engaging band dynamic.
Let's also not forget the absolutely incredible performance in episode 5. I seriously believe that nobody will top that absolutely insanely detailed episode with instrument animation, ever. That episode contained some deeply detailed work, the likes of which I may never see anything come close to that in my lifetime. Having gone through it with only the finest of fine-tooth combs, I can glady tell you that I have every part for every instrument at all times totally memorized and internalized. Really made me love Crescent Moon Dance.
Episode 5 aside, generally all the instrument animation and detailing was just flawless. A ridiculous amount of attention was given to not only the instruments and their detailing, but the performers that were holding them too. An insane amount of detailing went into animating and drawing body postures, finger and hand positions, breathing, body movement while playing (except for that one goofy clarinet cut, of which I've only seen one person in real life play like that!), where the eyes were looking, and Taki's conducting too. The conducting was particularly impressive because it's a lot of information to communicate with only hands, arms, and eyes, but it was pulled off flawlessly. Couple that in with the crazy amount of character designs they had to work with for each of these, and actually maintained them properly throughout the whole series... Well, it's mind-boggling in terms of logistics that a work like this was even pulled off with the quality that it maintained.
The audio implementation was also very good. The recordings were accurate representations for the performances that were to be given, and coupled with the phenomenal animation, the recordings really helped elevate the material. The voice acting was really great too. The more realistic depiction of her character's voice in season 2 was really great, and Tomoyo Kurosawa in particular gave an amazing performance that really gave a lot of life to Kumiko. From all the cute noises, to her deadpan delivery at times, to her eventual emotional outbursts... They all felt really satisfying and I love what she brought to Kumiko.
Last but not least, Kumiko. What an awesome main character. Although she was more an observer to some of the stuff in season 2, I love how Asuka actually called her out on that. Her involvement being fluffed up wasn't an oversight, but more a group consensus that spread misinformation the way they only could in a band, which is to say like a really complicated game of telephone. It was really refreshing to see that all get covered. From season 1 Kumiko was such a passive person, disinterested in almost everything. Through joining band she made new friends, rekindled old relationships, and really grew as a person. Watching her grow up and go through the pains of adolescence in this setting was just really enjoyable. Having come from a lenghty band background living through this stuff during a similar period in my life, this series entirely relatable with lots of nostalgia for me. It all greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the show because I could bring a part of myself with to relate to the show and the characters in a way that felt like someone knew who I was at a point in my life.
Slowly Kumiko found herself getting more involved with people, trying harder to improve herself, trying harder to improve her playing skills, trying harder to be more proactive in all aspects of her life. Eventually she left her passive role and became more active in confronting people directly, ultimately speaking her mind and sharing her emotions instead of just letting those things be her inner voice. The way she grew as a person, was able to start discovering who she was, and was able to accept all of that while acting on these personal discoveries was just really satisfying. Of course her relationship with Asuka was a long-fought, but well-earned one by the end. All the stuff they went through, they genuinely didn't have anything to hide from each other by the end, and ended up sharing a special bond that felt well-earned.
I feel like I could gush for hours about how much I loved the whole series, but i'll spare you that! I definitely want to go back and revisit some of my other episode reviews from season 1 if I can find the time, and rewrite those to have a lot more information. I didn't get really into doing these till almost halfway through season 1, and I honestly feel like the material deserves a better write-up. Couple that with where things ended up, and a re-watch sounds like a fantastic idea too.
I wholeheartedly love all of Sound! Euphonium. Kyoani did an absolutely fantastic job, and I love that I was given the opportunity to get to know this work through their herculean, meticulous efforts to bring it to life in such an incredible way that only really they could do. It's definitely a series that's very special to me, and I will always cherish it in that special place I have reserved for it in my heart.
2. Bungo Stray Dogs ; Both halves of this aired this year, and I totally loved it. The characters, the story, and the presentation were all very good. It was a very Igarashi show in so many ways, and I loved it for that. What a treat.
3. Macross Delta ; I totally loved this show. The cast was a ton of fun, I bought all of the music CDs because that stuff is verrrrrry good, and i'm almost done with buying all the blurays too! Totally love Walkure and the rest of the cast. It also helps that the best girl won too! Freya is just such a loveable character, and she/Minori Suzuki's voice warm my heart. The visual charisma given to her character over the series was really fun too!
W
4. Haikyuu!! Season 3 ; I didn't think they'd be able to make a single match so compelling, but this was just plain awesome. Totally loved how much I got into this.
5. Thunderbolt Fantasy ; If you told me i'd really like a show with wuxia puppets, i'd have called you crazy. Turns out nobody was crazy, because this show is awesome. Almost everyone is ultimately a shitbag in many ways, and because of that the ending twists were so cool. Add in the Sawano music that was actually well-used, and man, this show was great. Bring on the next 35 season or whatever, because I want more.
6. Kiznaiver ; Didn't think i'd like this, but I really did! Chidori best girl. Fight me.
7. Jojo's Bizzare Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable ; I didn't like it as much as previous seasons because of the smaller scale, but when the character interactions and cast grew to be such a huge lovable town full of people, it's hard not to love it. Add in the compelling villain towards the end, and some of the best presentation this series has seen thus far, and you got yourself a great show to watch.
8. Concrete Revolutio: Choujin Gensou - The Last Song ; After the first half's conclusion was over, I wanted more. Getting more, i'm happy with the way things turned out.
9. Mob Psycho 100 ; Didn't expect to love this, ended up loving it a while bunch. Really awesome.
10. Twin Star Exorcists ; Just a fun show. I love the relationships between all the characters, and Benio and Rokuro's budding romance never fails to put a shit-eating grin on my face for some reason. Just fun.
Cornbread78
Member
2 more weeks with still a lot of missing votes, c'mon slackers!
Updated my vote. Can't believe I binge watched all of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in time.
I liked the first two arcs the best, Joseph Joestar is probably my favourite protagonist in the series currently. Stardust Crusaders made sense that the powers had to change so it ended up becoming like Yugioh crossed with Persona but it felt like it dragged too long being 48 episodes especially when it was just a case of, "who is the bad guy next episode?" and then when you think they finally get to Egypt they had to suddenly deal with more bad guys. It's like the story there felt really lacking because
but that was it for him, he just
Moving onto Diamond is Unbreakable, it was an improvement over Stardust Crusaders. There was more happening for character involvement instead of having a bad guy get killed off each episode. Jotaro's character seemed to have improved even though he wasn't the main character because of Josuke. Obviously
My mind's drawn a blank so I'll leave it at that.
I liked the first two arcs the best, Joseph Joestar is probably my favourite protagonist in the series currently. Stardust Crusaders made sense that the powers had to change so it ended up becoming like Yugioh crossed with Persona but it felt like it dragged too long being 48 episodes especially when it was just a case of, "who is the bad guy next episode?" and then when you think they finally get to Egypt they had to suddenly deal with more bad guys. It's like the story there felt really lacking because
Dio is back
waited around, there wasn't much for his character to do other than to have Jotaro fight him and even Jotaro was lacking too.
Moving onto Diamond is Unbreakable, it was an improvement over Stardust Crusaders. There was more happening for character involvement instead of having a bad guy get killed off each episode. Jotaro's character seemed to have improved even though he wasn't the main character because of Josuke. Obviously
Yoshikage Kira was a good antagonist with Killer Queen.
My mind's drawn a blank so I'll leave it at that.
This is why you should have included a rule that blank "reserved" posts are an automatic vote for Nurse Witch Komugi-chan R.
names2hard4you
Member
I've yet to understand the logic behind reserving posts tbh.
Cornbread78
Member
MikeHattsu
Member
Why? People have until the 31st to edit their posts and you're not supposed to start counting anything until the thread is locked.
Admiral Woofington
Member
People want to be on the first few pages, not realizing that as more people post nobody gives enough of a shit to go back and read through all of those pages and that everyone will care about the actual final thread with results
Cornbread78
Member
names2hard4you
Member
Yeah I would understand that some people value a few others' opinion or whatnot, but there's a search bar for that. I think chances are that if you are at the end of the thread, it's more likely that people will read the post than if it was at the start.
well in my case it was I wanted to make sure I got my Re:zero number 1 vote in in case I forgot to do the rest of the list lol.
just outright reserving, meh, but i totally get it if someone just posts a single show and then will come back to it
Cornbread78
Member
I was honestly expecting more of a flood of people from the Manga/JoJo/MHA/DB/Gundam/Toonami communities to come up and fill in some of the blanks.
Low voter turnout, lol.
Low voter turnout, lol.
I haven't watched as much anime as I would like, but I'll vote for some of the shit that lingered in my mind throughout the year.
1. Flying Witch: In terms of healing shows, it's hard to think of shows that do it better than this one: funny, charming, clever and filled to the brim with imagination. Flying Witch is the perfect show after a long day. There's nothing heavy to dwell on. There is no drama. The stories can be as simple as trying to learn how to farm a few plants. As mundane as that can sound, it's how the series deals with the familiar parts of everyday life that makes it feel all the more magical.
2. Sound Euphonium Season 2: A worthy followup to the first season. I don't know why I like this show, but I feel it has something to do with the low key understated direction of the drama. It's a little bit melodramatic but the show is lavishly produced from the animation to the VA that it hits all the points it wants to hit. It shows nuance in ways that other anime shows simply lack.What really made it for me was the focus on Asuka. She was great enigmatic character the first time around so for this turn, the creators gave her the spotlight and, well, it turns out that she's an even better character than I originally thought.
3. Alderamin on the Sky: I have a soft spot for genius characters like Light and Lelouch so it's no wonder I can get behind a story where a guy rises above the ranks in the army simply by outwitting everyone. What makes the show is Ikta and Yatori's relationship. Ikta is the tactical genius while Yatori (although intelligent and perceptive) is the combat genius. They work in tandem and the whole show revolves around them learning how to cope with their roles in the military and their society. It's a good show just shy of greatness because it hints at a bigger, more intriguing story. I feel the show loses a bit by staying more personal, but it's still a really strong show. I loved watching it.
I don't feel like writing any more. Does anybody care? So quick blurbs for the rest of the shows.
4. 91 Days: A solid little gangster drama that feels far more cinematic than anime typically should. A slow burn but the ending is worth it.
5. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash: I feel like this is what videogame story could be. The focus on death and how it affects the characters really makes it stand out. Beautiful moments in this show.
6. Kiznaiver: Awesome character designs. It's about a bunch of misfits trying to learn some empathy. Bizarre plot aside, for some reason it works thanks to Trigger.
7. Erased: A good tale about trying to correct a mistake in your past. The drama felt real for about 9 episodes before it wrapped up. Still, despite ending gripes, the ride was a good one.
8. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: a silly little action show with good production characters and dope character designs. I like it.
That's about all I got for now. I doubt I'll update the list but I feel I got the shows that stayed in mind throughout the year. I still want to watch the other shows like Rakugo and Mob Psycho. If only I had time..
1. Flying Witch: In terms of healing shows, it's hard to think of shows that do it better than this one: funny, charming, clever and filled to the brim with imagination. Flying Witch is the perfect show after a long day. There's nothing heavy to dwell on. There is no drama. The stories can be as simple as trying to learn how to farm a few plants. As mundane as that can sound, it's how the series deals with the familiar parts of everyday life that makes it feel all the more magical.
2. Sound Euphonium Season 2: A worthy followup to the first season. I don't know why I like this show, but I feel it has something to do with the low key understated direction of the drama. It's a little bit melodramatic but the show is lavishly produced from the animation to the VA that it hits all the points it wants to hit. It shows nuance in ways that other anime shows simply lack.What really made it for me was the focus on Asuka. She was great enigmatic character the first time around so for this turn, the creators gave her the spotlight and, well, it turns out that she's an even better character than I originally thought.
3. Alderamin on the Sky: I have a soft spot for genius characters like Light and Lelouch so it's no wonder I can get behind a story where a guy rises above the ranks in the army simply by outwitting everyone. What makes the show is Ikta and Yatori's relationship. Ikta is the tactical genius while Yatori (although intelligent and perceptive) is the combat genius. They work in tandem and the whole show revolves around them learning how to cope with their roles in the military and their society. It's a good show just shy of greatness because it hints at a bigger, more intriguing story. I feel the show loses a bit by staying more personal, but it's still a really strong show. I loved watching it.
I don't feel like writing any more. Does anybody care? So quick blurbs for the rest of the shows.
4. 91 Days: A solid little gangster drama that feels far more cinematic than anime typically should. A slow burn but the ending is worth it.
5. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash: I feel like this is what videogame story could be. The focus on death and how it affects the characters really makes it stand out. Beautiful moments in this show.
6. Kiznaiver: Awesome character designs. It's about a bunch of misfits trying to learn some empathy. Bizarre plot aside, for some reason it works thanks to Trigger.
7. Erased: A good tale about trying to correct a mistake in your past. The drama felt real for about 9 episodes before it wrapped up. Still, despite ending gripes, the ride was a good one.
8. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: a silly little action show with good production characters and dope character designs. I like it.
That's about all I got for now. I doubt I'll update the list but I feel I got the shows that stayed in mind throughout the year. I still want to watch the other shows like Rakugo and Mob Psycho. If only I had time..
GoldCrusader
Member
I mean if somebody doesn't have MHA in their top ten do we really care about their top 10?
HamPster PamPster
Member
Here is my top 5 and 5 honorable mentions. Still a ton of shows I haven't watched but hope to get to eventually.
1. Mob Psycho 100 ; I don't know if One has a gift or what but he's behind two of my favorite shows in recent years. Mob is the perfect mix of action, humor, and Reigen. Basically everything I want out of this medium.
2. Dimension W ; The show feels like a b-tier Toonami series I would have watched 15 years ago in all the good ways. I would pair it with S-cry-ed if I was in charge of scheduling.
3. Konosuba ; A guy gets transported into a fantasy world and gains the ability to steal underwear? It sounds like a show I would hate but I loved it instead. Lots of humor and great characters. If I was just a tad nerdier my ringtone would be EXPLOSION!!!
4. Haikyu ; I can basically watch and enjoy any sports anime.
5. My Hero Academia ; Good show but after reading ahead I realized the best is yet to come. The day I see All Might's ultimate punch animated will be a very good day. Unfortunately it won't be in season 2
x. Kiss Him Not Me ; I forgot the part of the ugly duckling fable where the duck wanted the geese to fuck each other instead.
x. Alderamin on the Sky ; I think all lazy people wish they were the awesome kind of lazy instead of the pathetic kind of lazy. This show is wish fulfillment for me like harems are to others.
x. Gate ; I felt like season 2 was a step down in quality from season 1 but I wanted to give it a shout out for my favorite moment of the year - fighting the dragon. The entire series is built around the premise that the JSDF can curb stomp anything in this fantasy world, with one exception. Not only does our little group go into the nest to fight it, they do it basically alone. It was so good to see everyone rain hell down on that dragon!
x. Fairy Tail ; I didn't follow the show too closely this year, just tuning in every now and again, but the ending was bittersweet and got me to pick up the manga again. Plus it was great to see Lucy have a fantastic and emotional fight.
x. Twin Star Exorcists ; A fun show that's ruined by some creepy undertones. One day they'll make a show like this except everyone is 20.
1. Mob Psycho 100 ; I don't know if One has a gift or what but he's behind two of my favorite shows in recent years. Mob is the perfect mix of action, humor, and Reigen. Basically everything I want out of this medium.
2. Dimension W ; The show feels like a b-tier Toonami series I would have watched 15 years ago in all the good ways. I would pair it with S-cry-ed if I was in charge of scheduling.
3. Konosuba ; A guy gets transported into a fantasy world and gains the ability to steal underwear? It sounds like a show I would hate but I loved it instead. Lots of humor and great characters. If I was just a tad nerdier my ringtone would be EXPLOSION!!!
4. Haikyu ; I can basically watch and enjoy any sports anime.
5. My Hero Academia ; Good show but after reading ahead I realized the best is yet to come. The day I see All Might's ultimate punch animated will be a very good day. Unfortunately it won't be in season 2
x. Kiss Him Not Me ; I forgot the part of the ugly duckling fable where the duck wanted the geese to fuck each other instead.
x. Alderamin on the Sky ; I think all lazy people wish they were the awesome kind of lazy instead of the pathetic kind of lazy. This show is wish fulfillment for me like harems are to others.
x. Gate ; I felt like season 2 was a step down in quality from season 1 but I wanted to give it a shout out for my favorite moment of the year - fighting the dragon. The entire series is built around the premise that the JSDF can curb stomp anything in this fantasy world, with one exception. Not only does our little group go into the nest to fight it, they do it basically alone. It was so good to see everyone rain hell down on that dragon!
x. Fairy Tail ; I didn't follow the show too closely this year, just tuning in every now and again, but the ending was bittersweet and got me to pick up the manga again. Plus it was great to see Lucy have a fantastic and emotional fight.
x. Twin Star Exorcists ; A fun show that's ruined by some creepy undertones. One day they'll make a show like this except everyone is 20.
Admiral Woofington
Member
did you only count their votes if they helped the shadow council's will?
shira
Member
Ok it makes a lot more sense when Mob is introduced.
Sell me on it. From what I watched it's a show about a school for kids with superpowers and the wacky trials the teachers put them through. Is it the wacky trials or the rivalries that are compelling?
names2hard4you
Member
It was probably a NeoGAF Gold member exclusive perk.
GoldCrusader
Member
I'm far from the best at selling anything, but here is why I love it
MHA is just everything right about shonen executed just so god damn well. It's is just full of colors! A colorful cast of amazing characters, a colorful world, an explosive rivalry and boy is it good. The MC, Deku is your typical MC wanting to become a super hero just like is idol ALL Might, but the problem is he doesn't have a quirk(super power). As a character he is so lovable, so likeable that you just can't not rout for him, care for him and hope for him to succeed. It also features the coolest Hero in the entire world, All Might(I swear if you don't think that at the end you are crazy). Then you have the key moments(like awesome fight scenes)...WHICH ARE JUST SO GOD DAMN WELL EXECUTED! You feel the emotions behind the characters actions and every hit they exchange. Backed by an amazing OST like You say run, some of the moments were so amazing that I just couldn't hold the inner fanboy inside of me and when it ended up coming out it usually came with tears of joy at just how good everything was.
I should also add that MHA has the best fight scene of 2016.
If my post doesn't convince you, here is the awesome dub trailer from funimation
Let's so this. Been putting it off because honestly didn't really feel 2016 much.
TV Series:
1. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju ; Probably the only series last year that really made a lasting impact on me. Very good dramatization, solid characters, painful relationships. It's a top notch show with great direction and based on strong source material. The art rocks too.
2. Thunderbolt Fantasy ; Fun show with Taiwanese puppets, lavish costume design, and really snappy dialogue. They put a lot of effort into making a very Japanese wuxia story, supported by a very good voice cast. The over the top violence is extremely entertaining too.
3. Kuromukuro ; I really, really, really liked this show. It's on Netflix so everyone should watch it. It has robots, a samurai guy out of time, alien invaders, and is basically a straight mecha series about young people making life decisions on the backdrop of aliens invading. Really good action too. The ending is what elevates the entire series for me.
4. Haikyuu!! ; It's Haikyuu. Haikyuu rocks. 2016 had two seasons of Haikyuu. One rocked more than the other, but they both rock. ROCK!!!!
5. Mob Psycho 100 ; Strong characters, the insight it has into the nature of frauds and conmen is surprisingly in depth, the animation and direction is fantastic. I was pleased to discover it's not just a reskin of One Punch Man, but something unique on its own.
6. Concrete Revolutio The Last Song ; Cool series about superheroes in alternate reality Japan in the post-WW2 era. Some pretty creative ideas, even though sometimes the idea is stronger than the execution. The ending could have been better but I wasn't particularly disappointed. Would have forgotten about this if not for Narag.
7. Kiznaiver ; An anime made by Trigger about how connections between people can hurt and heal. There isn't much fighting. Pretty funny. Very raw and honest emotions. I think I remember liking it.
8. The Great Passage ; An anime about people making a Japanese dictionary. Wish I ended up liking this more than I did. It's not bad, but it didn't focus on the relationship between the protagonist and his wife as much as I hoped. His wife is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto. I like Maaya Sakamoto. I am sad.
9. Miss Bernard Said ; I am voting for this because Haly paid me.
10. Space Patrol Luluco ; This really isn't that good. It's pretty stupid. But whatever, anime is stupid.
Movies:
1. Girls und Panzer The Movie ; I love Girls und Panzer. This is everything the series had and more. Kickass action from beginning to end, with a short interlude of story development in the middle. The Mad Max Fury Road of anime films about high school girls in a tank warfare sport. Err.. yeah.
2. Gundam the Origin III ; The birth of Char was handled perfectly. Exciting, exhilarating, thrilling, and so satisfying. A true space opera tale, with the emphasis on opera.
3. Doukyuusei ; An emotional rollercoaster of a homosexual relationship between two students told in vignettes split into seasons. Really sensual direction with unique art and animation. Erotic but not exploitative, probably one of the more "real" homosexual relationships I've seen in anime that doesn't pull any punches.
4. Your Name ; This was alright. I guess Shinkai can make a good movie if he really tries. Sometimes.
5. Garo Divine Flame ; Action packed follow up to the dark fantasy TV series. Kickass animation and really well designed set pieces. Thin on plot but delivers on the entertainment.
Honorable Mention:
x. Shin Godzilla ; This might not be anime, but it is fucking anime. The best live action Evangelion show ever made and my favorite film of 2016.
x. Tales of Zesteria the X; This was pretty entertaining but I don't feel like I can vote on it a an overall series without knowing how it ends. Hope they don't drop the ball so I can vote it next year! Pretty decent traditional fantasy anime so far!
x. Gundam the Origin IV ; Thus ends the bulk of the 0079 prequel before the actual dawn of the war. Some parts were handled well, some parts felt oddly paced for the story the rest of the films were going for. Got kicked off my list by gay romance. Try harder next time Yas!
TV Series:
1. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju ; Probably the only series last year that really made a lasting impact on me. Very good dramatization, solid characters, painful relationships. It's a top notch show with great direction and based on strong source material. The art rocks too.
2. Thunderbolt Fantasy ; Fun show with Taiwanese puppets, lavish costume design, and really snappy dialogue. They put a lot of effort into making a very Japanese wuxia story, supported by a very good voice cast. The over the top violence is extremely entertaining too.
3. Kuromukuro ; I really, really, really liked this show. It's on Netflix so everyone should watch it. It has robots, a samurai guy out of time, alien invaders, and is basically a straight mecha series about young people making life decisions on the backdrop of aliens invading. Really good action too. The ending is what elevates the entire series for me.
4. Haikyuu!! ; It's Haikyuu. Haikyuu rocks. 2016 had two seasons of Haikyuu. One rocked more than the other, but they both rock. ROCK!!!!
5. Mob Psycho 100 ; Strong characters, the insight it has into the nature of frauds and conmen is surprisingly in depth, the animation and direction is fantastic. I was pleased to discover it's not just a reskin of One Punch Man, but something unique on its own.
6. Concrete Revolutio The Last Song ; Cool series about superheroes in alternate reality Japan in the post-WW2 era. Some pretty creative ideas, even though sometimes the idea is stronger than the execution. The ending could have been better but I wasn't particularly disappointed. Would have forgotten about this if not for Narag.
7. Kiznaiver ; An anime made by Trigger about how connections between people can hurt and heal. There isn't much fighting. Pretty funny. Very raw and honest emotions. I think I remember liking it.
8. The Great Passage ; An anime about people making a Japanese dictionary. Wish I ended up liking this more than I did. It's not bad, but it didn't focus on the relationship between the protagonist and his wife as much as I hoped. His wife is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto. I like Maaya Sakamoto. I am sad.
9. Miss Bernard Said ; I am voting for this because Haly paid me.
10. Space Patrol Luluco ; This really isn't that good. It's pretty stupid. But whatever, anime is stupid.
Movies:
1. Girls und Panzer The Movie ; I love Girls und Panzer. This is everything the series had and more. Kickass action from beginning to end, with a short interlude of story development in the middle. The Mad Max Fury Road of anime films about high school girls in a tank warfare sport. Err.. yeah.
2. Gundam the Origin III ; The birth of Char was handled perfectly. Exciting, exhilarating, thrilling, and so satisfying. A true space opera tale, with the emphasis on opera.
3. Doukyuusei ; An emotional rollercoaster of a homosexual relationship between two students told in vignettes split into seasons. Really sensual direction with unique art and animation. Erotic but not exploitative, probably one of the more "real" homosexual relationships I've seen in anime that doesn't pull any punches.
4. Your Name ; This was alright. I guess Shinkai can make a good movie if he really tries. Sometimes.
5. Garo Divine Flame ; Action packed follow up to the dark fantasy TV series. Kickass animation and really well designed set pieces. Thin on plot but delivers on the entertainment.
Honorable Mention:
x. Shin Godzilla ; This might not be anime, but it is fucking anime. The best live action Evangelion show ever made and my favorite film of 2016.
x. Tales of Zesteria the X; This was pretty entertaining but I don't feel like I can vote on it a an overall series without knowing how it ends. Hope they don't drop the ball so I can vote it next year! Pretty decent traditional fantasy anime so far!
x. Gundam the Origin IV ; Thus ends the bulk of the 0079 prequel before the actual dawn of the war. Some parts were handled well, some parts felt oddly paced for the story the rest of the films were going for. Got kicked off my list by gay romance. Try harder next time Yas!
So I binged Konosuba. Let that series sink in on me. And I already moved some series on my list.
Konosuba is moved to #3 of 2016
I dropped YoI from #3 to #9, still a good show, but it has some flaws after the 2nd watch.
Put WWWWorking!!! on Honorable, has some pacing issues but still good ol' working.
Konosuba is moved to #3 of 2016
I dropped YoI from #3 to #9, still a good show, but it has some flaws after the 2nd watch.
Put WWWWorking!!! on Honorable, has some pacing issues but still good ol' working.
Put it on the box!
- Status