...Scatter...
Banned
Holy shit @ You lie in April - Amazing so far!
Damn this show is hitting the feels...
Damn this show is hitting the feels...
-
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NeoGAF Anime of the Year 2014 - Voting Thread
- Thread starter Haly
- Start date
- Status
Raging Spaniard
If they are Dutch, upright and breathing they are more racist than your favorite player
Just finsihed Barakamon, Damn! Put it on 4th.
Keru_Shiri
Member
1. Hunter x Hunter
2. Kill la Kill
3. Space Dandy
4. Tonari no Seki-Kun
2. Kill la Kill
3. Space Dandy
4. Tonari no Seki-Kun
Series
I'm not listing any Movies or OVAs because most movies from 2014 year won't be available on BD until this year, and some of the OVAs I liked had 2 or 3 episodes but only the first episodes were released last year.
- Hanayamata; This series made my year, nice story, adorable dancing and loved the opening theme.
- Sword Art Online II; I wasn't so much into the first arc, Sinon was alright but I didn't like GGO. The second arc was just fantastic also making Asuna the MC.
- Gin no Saji 2; Very much enjoyed the first season, the setting, story and characters just clicked with me so easily the first season, and this second one didn't disappoint me.
- Wake Up, Girls!; I like idols and this series although seemed quite plain in comparison with other series, I liked its more "realistic" style.
- Nisekoi; I liked the art-style, story and characters a lot, especially Onodera.
- Gokukoku no Brynhildr; I really enjoyed the tragic story and the characters.
- Sidonia no Kishi; Quite different from the usual, liked the space/sci-fi setting and characters (the ones I could make apart at least).
- Fairy Tail (2014); Aya Hirano (a.k.a. Lucy Heartfilia).
- Shirobako; The setting is great and the characters are good.
- Psycho-Pass 2; If it had gone for 22 episodes instead of 11, it'd have ranked way higher on the list. My only disappointment was actually how short it was.
I'm not listing any Movies or OVAs because most movies from 2014 year won't be available on BD until this year, and some of the OVAs I liked had 2 or 3 episodes but only the first episodes were released last year.
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
1. Gundam Build Fighters; GBF got me into Anime again, it's just fun and every episode is magical.
2. Ping Pong; I'm not the biggest sport anime fan, but Ping Pong is so good that it deserves all the praise in the world.
3. Hajime no Ippo: Rising; Talking about sport anime, I've been a HnI fan for many many years, and this season was amazing, every fight and the ending with the Coach's flashback was amazing.
4. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders; It's freaking JoJo.
5. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works; A fateful adaptation with gorgeous animation.
6. Gundam Build Fighters Try; It's not as good as GBF, but it's still a great show.
7. Space Dandy; I have mixed feeling about Space Dandy, but some of the episodes like the Zombie one and the one in which Dandy becomes a rock star are just amazing.
8. Nisekoi; I LOVE Onodera.
9. Saki: The Nationals; My eternal guilty pleasure, I can't wait for more!
10. One Week Friends; This show is so freaking cute, I can't.
2. Ping Pong; I'm not the biggest sport anime fan, but Ping Pong is so good that it deserves all the praise in the world.
3. Hajime no Ippo: Rising; Talking about sport anime, I've been a HnI fan for many many years, and this season was amazing, every fight and the ending with the Coach's flashback was amazing.
4. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders; It's freaking JoJo.
5. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works; A fateful adaptation with gorgeous animation.
6. Gundam Build Fighters Try; It's not as good as GBF, but it's still a great show.
7. Space Dandy; I have mixed feeling about Space Dandy, but some of the episodes like the Zombie one and the one in which Dandy becomes a rock star are just amazing.
8. Nisekoi; I LOVE Onodera.
9. Saki: The Nationals; My eternal guilty pleasure, I can't wait for more!
10. One Week Friends; This show is so freaking cute, I can't.
I haven't watched much anime this year, but I have seen a few:
Series:
1. Ping Pong; A super unique anime that gives the medium a creativity boost that it needed.
2. Hajime No Ippo Rising; This season didn't reach the consistent heights of the first season, but holy hell, it remained engaging throughout. The coach flashback arc remains the highlight of the season.
3. No Game No Life; Pretty fun show. Did a Japan medium exchange with a friend (he read Oyasumi PunPun, I watched this show). I'll watch the second season if one is made.
Movies:
1. The Wind Rises; Miyazaki 'ended' his career on a high note.
2. Madoka Magica Rebellion; I loved the ending to this film. Troll tastic.
Series:
1. Ping Pong; A super unique anime that gives the medium a creativity boost that it needed.
2. Hajime No Ippo Rising; This season didn't reach the consistent heights of the first season, but holy hell, it remained engaging throughout. The coach flashback arc remains the highlight of the season.
3. No Game No Life; Pretty fun show. Did a Japan medium exchange with a friend (he read Oyasumi PunPun, I watched this show). I'll watch the second season if one is made.
Movies:
1. The Wind Rises; Miyazaki 'ended' his career on a high note.
2. Madoka Magica Rebellion; I loved the ending to this film. Troll tastic.
Xilium
Member
"Type-B" anime fan checking in.
1. No Game No Life; A harem with a protagonist I don't hate, a female cast I universally like, and a premise that is thoroughly enjoyable. Such a fun show.
2. Log Horizon; Remains my favorite MMO anime. Was a little heavy-handed on the love-triangle and IRL problems this year but still mostly great.
3. Hunter x Hunter; Grand Finale to a great series.
4. The Seven Deadly Sins; Seems to be shaping up into a nice shounen series. I see a lot of complaints about how poor an adaption it is but I don't have that frame of reference and I'm enjoying it for what it is.
5. Trinity Seven; A combat harem along the lines of High School DxD. Not as good but still an enjoyable harem with a likeable cast.
6. Nanana's Buried Treasure; I went into this series expecting to drop it because the synopsis I read didn't sound particularly interesting, so I'm surprised I liked it as much as I did.
7. Date A Live II; It's the only anime this year with Kurumi in it.
8. Amagi Brilliant Park; It's just a fun watch. The mascots are awesome.
9. Space Dandy; Kind of all over the place which makes sense considering its production. Ended up liking it more than I thought I would.
10. World Conquest Zvezda Plot; So dumb...but I couldn't stop watching it.
Honorable Mentions:
x. Rage of Bahamut Genesis; My number 11.
x. Hanamonogatari/Tsukimonogatari; They're closer to an OVA than a series so I decided to just not include them in the running.
x. Akame ga Kill; Started great, ended poorly. Expected but still disappointing.
x. Chaika -The Coffin Princess/Avenging Battle; Ditto
x. Lord Marksman and Vanadis; Needed to be a 24 episode season. Didn't even get to meet all of the Vanadis.
x. When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace; Also needed 24 episodes. It's rather funny how thoroughly it ignored it's own premise except at the very beginning and the very end.
x. Yona of the Dawn; Has the potential to be in the running for AotY 2015 but I don't feel that I've seen enough to make that call yet.
x. Fate/Stay night: Unlimited Blade Works; Ditto. Also not as good as Fate/Zero imo.
x. Kenzen Robo Daimidaler; One of my guilty pleasures this season
x. Dai-Shogun - Great Revolution; The other one
1. No Game No Life; A harem with a protagonist I don't hate, a female cast I universally like, and a premise that is thoroughly enjoyable. Such a fun show.
2. Log Horizon; Remains my favorite MMO anime. Was a little heavy-handed on the love-triangle and IRL problems this year but still mostly great.
3. Hunter x Hunter; Grand Finale to a great series.
4. The Seven Deadly Sins; Seems to be shaping up into a nice shounen series. I see a lot of complaints about how poor an adaption it is but I don't have that frame of reference and I'm enjoying it for what it is.
5. Trinity Seven; A combat harem along the lines of High School DxD. Not as good but still an enjoyable harem with a likeable cast.
6. Nanana's Buried Treasure; I went into this series expecting to drop it because the synopsis I read didn't sound particularly interesting, so I'm surprised I liked it as much as I did.
7. Date A Live II; It's the only anime this year with Kurumi in it.
8. Amagi Brilliant Park; It's just a fun watch. The mascots are awesome.
9. Space Dandy; Kind of all over the place which makes sense considering its production. Ended up liking it more than I thought I would.
10. World Conquest Zvezda Plot; So dumb...but I couldn't stop watching it.
Honorable Mentions:
x. Rage of Bahamut Genesis; My number 11.
x. Hanamonogatari/Tsukimonogatari; They're closer to an OVA than a series so I decided to just not include them in the running.
x. Akame ga Kill; Started great, ended poorly. Expected but still disappointing.
x. Chaika -The Coffin Princess/Avenging Battle; Ditto
x. Lord Marksman and Vanadis; Needed to be a 24 episode season. Didn't even get to meet all of the Vanadis.
x. When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace; Also needed 24 episodes. It's rather funny how thoroughly it ignored it's own premise except at the very beginning and the very end.
x. Yona of the Dawn; Has the potential to be in the running for AotY 2015 but I don't feel that I've seen enough to make that call yet.
x. Fate/Stay night: Unlimited Blade Works; Ditto. Also not as good as Fate/Zero imo.
x. Kenzen Robo Daimidaler; One of my guilty pleasures this season
x. Dai-Shogun - Great Revolution; The other one
Alright, here goes. As usual I'm sure my tastes are completely off from most people's! Also I always have trouble choosing just 10, but we'll do it anyway!
1. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun (gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun)
Definitely the best anime of the year - there were a couple of episodes parts that weren't quite as great pacing and humor-wise, but I watched the whole series again with my sister since she missed it when it was airing, and it was just as great the second time. My favorite parts were probably
and the gal game episode
2. Engaged to the Unidentified (mikakunin de shinkoukei)
It's weird for me to have two comedy anime as my top two, but I just really enjoyed this series, too. It probably doesn't hurt that I am in love with Kobeni. ;p
3. Shirobako
Really enjoyed the ending of the first cour - I wasn't sure that they were going to pull off something with enough drama to make it interesting, but I loved everything about how they ended Exodus! Here's hoping that the rest is just as good!
4. Your Lie in April (shigatsu wa kimi no uso)
Loved the animation, love the opening (especially the colors), and although the plot has a few flaws I feel like the overall tone and story don't get dragged down by them.
5. Encouragement of Climb (yama no susume)
I really liked the first season even though it was so short, so it was great to see so much more this time! Episodes like Kokona-chan's walk in her new shoes didn't even have much dialogue, but the scenery and visuals were enjoyable just on their own! The whole series just makes me want to do more hiking this year.
6. One Week Friends (isshuukan friends)
Probably would have been higher if it had just done a little bit more with itself. I still really liked the art style, characters, and premise.
7. Log Horizon Season 2
Not quite as good as the first season so far, but still by far the best MMO-related anime out there! I did like the raid arc in general but some of the stuff in it, like the guild leader's "inspirational" speech, were way too long and drawn out. I feel like this would be more popular if they could just tweak the pacing a little bit.
8. Strange+ / Shin Strange+
They both aired this year, so I'll just combine them into one. If that's not allowed just have this vote for Strange+. Another comedy series, but there were just some great episodes in here. Even though it was short, they packed a ton of stuff into each episode (usually) without being too rushed.
9. inari konkon koi iroha
Sad to see my favorite shoujo series of the year all the way down here, but it was really fun to watch anyway. Inari is a cute character and Uka-sama was great. I liked the parts down on Earth a lot more than the stuff in the Heavens, though.
10. No Game No Life
Lots of fun sometimes, but dragged down by Sora's miraculous know-everything character and dumb things like
. Made it on the list just because of how much fun it was to watch when I wasn't mad at it for being dumb. I think someone else said that NGNL was what Problem Children never could be, but I think I enjoyed Problem Children more overall.
----------------------------------------
Honorable Mentions!
Amagi Brilliant Park; OK, but was really hit and miss with each episode - some I loved but some I just wanted to end halfway through...
Nanana's Brilliant Treasure; I actually had this on my list originally but I couldn't think of anything good to say about it. I still liked it, though!
Is the Order a Rabbit? (gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka); Just too cute!
Blue Spring Ride (ao haru ride); Another good shoujo series, but wasn't quite as good as the best shoujo have been the last couple of years.
Glasslip; Not really that great in the end but I did like the characters and the early episodes
When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace (inou battle wa nichijoukei no naka de); Actually lots of fun, but I hated how it tried to squeeze in all this stuff about the
but never did anything interesting with it. Probably would have made the list if it was longer and could have fit more in the adaptation.
Knights of Sidonia (sidonia no kishi); Worth watching IMO but not quite good enough to make the list
1. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun (gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun)
Definitely the best anime of the year - there were a couple of episodes parts that weren't quite as great pacing and humor-wise, but I watched the whole series again with my sister since she missed it when it was airing, and it was just as great the second time. My favorite parts were probably
Mikoshiba being the model for the heroine
Tomoda!
2. Engaged to the Unidentified (mikakunin de shinkoukei)
It's weird for me to have two comedy anime as my top two, but I just really enjoyed this series, too. It probably doesn't hurt that I am in love with Kobeni. ;p
3. Shirobako
Really enjoyed the ending of the first cour - I wasn't sure that they were going to pull off something with enough drama to make it interesting, but I loved everything about how they ended Exodus! Here's hoping that the rest is just as good!
4. Your Lie in April (shigatsu wa kimi no uso)
Loved the animation, love the opening (especially the colors), and although the plot has a few flaws I feel like the overall tone and story don't get dragged down by them.
5. Encouragement of Climb (yama no susume)
I really liked the first season even though it was so short, so it was great to see so much more this time! Episodes like Kokona-chan's walk in her new shoes didn't even have much dialogue, but the scenery and visuals were enjoyable just on their own! The whole series just makes me want to do more hiking this year.
6. One Week Friends (isshuukan friends)
Probably would have been higher if it had just done a little bit more with itself. I still really liked the art style, characters, and premise.
7. Log Horizon Season 2
Not quite as good as the first season so far, but still by far the best MMO-related anime out there! I did like the raid arc in general but some of the stuff in it, like the guild leader's "inspirational" speech, were way too long and drawn out. I feel like this would be more popular if they could just tweak the pacing a little bit.
8. Strange+ / Shin Strange+
They both aired this year, so I'll just combine them into one. If that's not allowed just have this vote for Strange+. Another comedy series, but there were just some great episodes in here. Even though it was short, they packed a ton of stuff into each episode (usually) without being too rushed.
9. inari konkon koi iroha
Sad to see my favorite shoujo series of the year all the way down here, but it was really fun to watch anyway. Inari is a cute character and Uka-sama was great. I liked the parts down on Earth a lot more than the stuff in the Heavens, though.
10. No Game No Life
Lots of fun sometimes, but dragged down by Sora's miraculous know-everything character and dumb things like
"Sora and Shiro's agoraphobia acts up and they enter a devoid state." (when they are transported to Tokyo)
----------------------------------------
Honorable Mentions!
Amagi Brilliant Park; OK, but was really hit and miss with each episode - some I loved but some I just wanted to end halfway through...
Nanana's Brilliant Treasure; I actually had this on my list originally but I couldn't think of anything good to say about it. I still liked it, though!
Is the Order a Rabbit? (gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka); Just too cute!
Blue Spring Ride (ao haru ride); Another good shoujo series, but wasn't quite as good as the best shoujo have been the last couple of years.
Glasslip; Not really that great in the end but I did like the characters and the early episodes
When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace (inou battle wa nichijoukei no naka de); Actually lots of fun, but I hated how it tried to squeeze in all this stuff about the
Fairy War
Knights of Sidonia (sidonia no kishi); Worth watching IMO but not quite good enough to make the list
hipbabboom
Huh? What did I say? Did I screw up again? :(
Why are people not voting for any Hentai anime?
hipbabboom
Huh? What did I say? Did I screw up again? :(
.Admiral Woofington
Member
When will you release preliminary info so we can change our votes and not let Kill La Kill win?
He might be wanting to see the world burn.
FO-totality
Poet Centuriate
IS 2: World Purge Hen OVA is the perfect mixture of hentai and art.
Finally posted my list in my placeholder slot. Debating adding images in later, but the text is final, so here it is:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=144927010&postcount=103
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=144927010&postcount=103
Aaron-Lagann
Banned
10. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusader's; DIIIIOOOOOOOO!
9. Hunter X Hunter; Dat. End.
8. Haikyuu!; Hey, did you know that Volleyball is actually a legit sport? Well, I didn't before watching Haikyuu! Nothing ground breaking here, it's a pretty straight forward sports series, but the animation is really solid and the characters make it a really fun watch. Just a very solid series with very few issues and that's something to be commended.
7. No Game No Life; I'm aware most of the game were based entirely upon bullshit, but goddammit was this just a fun twelve episodes. Great style with one of the best harem protagonists of all time simply by him not being a limp-dick busta.
6. Samurai Flamenco; What a ride. Can't really say anything without spoiling anything, but boyhowdy was this just a really good time all the way through.
5. Love Live School Idol Project Season 2; Nico Nico Nii~!
4. Gugure Kokkuri-san; This is probably the weirdest show I've watched all year, but is also one of my favorites. Kohina is among my favorite characters of the year just for how goddamn adorable she is. "Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san" has been my ringtone since watching the first episode and I'm not changing it anytime soon.
3. Shirobako; Remember how Bakuman was like, a really cool idea? How giving an insight into the manga production side of things was really fun, but then the series eventually just became a battle manga with ratings? Shirobako is that idea, but keeping on track. Super fun and enjoyable cast of characters making anime in the real world. The opening scene perfectly encapsulates the tone of this show and I love it for that alone.
2. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun; I went into this series expecting a dumb shoujo and honestly only watched it because I watch the first episode of everything and I thought I was going to drop it after a single episode. Boy was I wrong, because Nozaki-kun is one of the best and most genuinely lovable comedy series in a very long time. The entire cast is across the board adorable and likable, going back each week to see this group of idiots be idiots in dumb situations.
1. Kuroko no Basket Season 2; This series is what made me pay attention to sports anime. It's such a perfect blend of dumb battle anime tropes and attacks mixed with corny drama and serious feuds. The animation is a tad inconsistent, but for the most part it gave a great sense of power and impact. Not to mention the incredible OST and openings, Kuroko no Basket might not have been the best anime of the year, but it's by far the one I had the most watching.
Honorable mentions:
-Kill la Kill: Fuck the haters, hype-ass show with one of the best soundtracks of all time. Only reason it's not on the list is because I voted for it last year.
-Ping Pong: Good shit. Good shit. Really highly recommend it and is honestly better than most of the stuff on my list, but the art style isn't really my thing. I appreciate it and like how different and weird it is, but personally that's just not for me.
-Engaged to the Unidentified: Really fun show, but I feel it was mislabeled, since it was essentially Mashiro Tales.
-Space Dandy: Don't really need to explain why.
-Parasyte: This show is a slow burn, but when things start happening things get progressively more interesting and exciting. I'm very excited for this to continue.
-Chaika: Coffin Princess: It's just fun. Second half, eh.
-Ace of the Diamond: It's not great, but it gets the sports anime job done well enough.
9. Hunter X Hunter; Dat. End.
8. Haikyuu!; Hey, did you know that Volleyball is actually a legit sport? Well, I didn't before watching Haikyuu! Nothing ground breaking here, it's a pretty straight forward sports series, but the animation is really solid and the characters make it a really fun watch. Just a very solid series with very few issues and that's something to be commended.
7. No Game No Life; I'm aware most of the game were based entirely upon bullshit, but goddammit was this just a fun twelve episodes. Great style with one of the best harem protagonists of all time simply by him not being a limp-dick busta.
6. Samurai Flamenco; What a ride. Can't really say anything without spoiling anything, but boyhowdy was this just a really good time all the way through.
5. Love Live School Idol Project Season 2; Nico Nico Nii~!
4. Gugure Kokkuri-san; This is probably the weirdest show I've watched all year, but is also one of my favorites. Kohina is among my favorite characters of the year just for how goddamn adorable she is. "Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san" has been my ringtone since watching the first episode and I'm not changing it anytime soon.
3. Shirobako; Remember how Bakuman was like, a really cool idea? How giving an insight into the manga production side of things was really fun, but then the series eventually just became a battle manga with ratings? Shirobako is that idea, but keeping on track. Super fun and enjoyable cast of characters making anime in the real world. The opening scene perfectly encapsulates the tone of this show and I love it for that alone.
2. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun; I went into this series expecting a dumb shoujo and honestly only watched it because I watch the first episode of everything and I thought I was going to drop it after a single episode. Boy was I wrong, because Nozaki-kun is one of the best and most genuinely lovable comedy series in a very long time. The entire cast is across the board adorable and likable, going back each week to see this group of idiots be idiots in dumb situations.
1. Kuroko no Basket Season 2; This series is what made me pay attention to sports anime. It's such a perfect blend of dumb battle anime tropes and attacks mixed with corny drama and serious feuds. The animation is a tad inconsistent, but for the most part it gave a great sense of power and impact. Not to mention the incredible OST and openings, Kuroko no Basket might not have been the best anime of the year, but it's by far the one I had the most watching.
Honorable mentions:
-Kill la Kill: Fuck the haters, hype-ass show with one of the best soundtracks of all time. Only reason it's not on the list is because I voted for it last year.
-Ping Pong: Good shit. Good shit. Really highly recommend it and is honestly better than most of the stuff on my list, but the art style isn't really my thing. I appreciate it and like how different and weird it is, but personally that's just not for me.
-Engaged to the Unidentified: Really fun show, but I feel it was mislabeled, since it was essentially Mashiro Tales.
-Space Dandy: Don't really need to explain why.
-Parasyte: This show is a slow burn, but when things start happening things get progressively more interesting and exciting. I'm very excited for this to continue.
-Chaika: Coffin Princess: It's just fun. Second half, eh.
-Ace of the Diamond: It's not great, but it gets the sports anime job done well enough.
FO-totality
Poet Centuriate
I need to finish up a few more episodes of Shirobako and Parasyte before I say anything about them for voting.
I don't actually have a list because I didn't watch enough anime this year to feel like I can have an opinion on the year in general, but....
Ping Pong was awesome, great show from beginning to end. The style was awesome, but the budget drops were sort of noticeable especially on my second viewing when all the episodes were available, but the characters, writing, and the music carried the entire experience. I can say with some certainty that it was my favorite anime of the year.
Barakamon was also super great, was basically "hilarious faces: the anime" Naru's voice actor is very talented. All the characters are also very good, the small children were well written which never really happens in other mediums I'm familiar with. The animation was very emotive, but not abstract so it was also very accessible. Was a slow show with little to no actual drama, but was never uninteresting.
Coffin Princess Season 1 was really great, also had great character interactions (seems like a consistent point that decides whether I like a show or not). Story was rote, but was still entertaining.
No Game No Life: Fun characters, but I could never get by how contrived all of the twists and mind games were. Lots of facepalming during this one. Incredibly stupid show.
Aldnoah Zero: Also incredibly dumb with how its battles were and how "smart" the main character was for coming up with all of the solutions that relied on contrivance, but now without any interesting characters. Tried to be super edgy, but I just found it lame.
Shows I wanted to watch and probably still will:
Mushishi
Coffin Princess Season 2
Noragami
Ping Pong was awesome, great show from beginning to end. The style was awesome, but the budget drops were sort of noticeable especially on my second viewing when all the episodes were available, but the characters, writing, and the music carried the entire experience. I can say with some certainty that it was my favorite anime of the year.
Barakamon was also super great, was basically "hilarious faces: the anime" Naru's voice actor is very talented. All the characters are also very good, the small children were well written which never really happens in other mediums I'm familiar with. The animation was very emotive, but not abstract so it was also very accessible. Was a slow show with little to no actual drama, but was never uninteresting.
Coffin Princess Season 1 was really great, also had great character interactions (seems like a consistent point that decides whether I like a show or not). Story was rote, but was still entertaining.
No Game No Life: Fun characters, but I could never get by how contrived all of the twists and mind games were. Lots of facepalming during this one. Incredibly stupid show.
Aldnoah Zero: Also incredibly dumb with how its battles were and how "smart" the main character was for coming up with all of the solutions that relied on contrivance, but now without any interesting characters. Tried to be super edgy, but I just found it lame.
Shows I wanted to watch and probably still will:
Mushishi
Coffin Princess Season 2
Noragami
strangedopamine
Member
Might be able to stick a couple more things in before the deadline but here's my picks for last year.
TV Top 8
1. Shirobako;
Shirobako is all about the success and troubles behind creating the anime that we all watch. The show goes into detail about various areas of production and how these areas can come together to form a series. However Shirobako does not just say that everything goes well with these things. It feels very real in how it portrays the characters coming to face the problems that can arise with both the project and themselves.
Shirobako is both the most consistant and well produced show that I have seen in 2014 and I highly recommend that you should all watch it now!
2. Gundam Build Fighters;
Gundam Build Fighters is a festival of all the great things that Gundam has given us in its 35 year history with brilliant 2D animation throughout and plenty of references that even I after watching almost every major series of Gundam didn't catch all of! Despite that it is also perfect for newcomers to the series to watch as well as the story of the series stands well on its own.
3. Pupipo!;
Standing at just around 45 minutes long for the entire series, Pupipo is the shortest of any of the TV series in my Top 8 yet it manages to outdo many other series in that time. It remains a mystery to me how this short series fits a well paced and emotional story with some incredibly moving scenes especially the final episode which is a real tearjerker for sure.
4. Tonari no Seki-kun;
Tonari no Seki-kun is another short anime with 21, 7 minute episodes and each one is guarenteed to make you smile at Seki's weird ideas or cringe at when they might go horribly wrong.
5. Gundam Build Fighters: TRY;
Gundam Build Fighters: TRY may not be as good as the first series with slightly more shaky animation and problems with balancing three main protagonists at once but at its heart it's still the show I love to watch every single week regardless of its flaws.
6. Log Horizon;
Log Horizon's latter half wasn't as strong as the first with the disappointing Episode 23 with its weird love triangle rubbish being a big downer especially after the great climax to the Goblin King arc just before it. Log Horizon's main strength was going into the structure of its world to great detail making Elder Tale feel like playing a real MMORPG.
7. Gundam: G in Reconguista (G-Reco);
Yoshiyuki Tomino is the creator of Gundam and one of the most respected people in the industry although, he has a ton of weird qwerks and G-Reco shows off a lot of these. You can have scenes placed in the show for no apperent reason, like a pilot going toilet on a mission or mechanics falling over which some may call pointless but I feel it gives the show an old 70's/80's charm that I just love.
8. Sabagebu!
Cute girls playing with airsoft rifles would be a simple description of this show really. There's loads of great battles in the show that are hilarious to watch like the massive battle with the elderly but the show does have a few downers such as the weird hunter's association advertisement that took up 1/3 to 1/2 an episode. It's still worth a watch though just for Momoka who is the most ruthlessly evil main characters I've ever come across!
OVA/Film Top 6
1. Wonder;
2. Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: Episode 7;
3. Poulette's Chair;
4. Robot Girls Z;
5. Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion;
6. ME!ME!ME!;
TV Top 8
1. Shirobako;
Shirobako is all about the success and troubles behind creating the anime that we all watch. The show goes into detail about various areas of production and how these areas can come together to form a series. However Shirobako does not just say that everything goes well with these things. It feels very real in how it portrays the characters coming to face the problems that can arise with both the project and themselves.
Shirobako is both the most consistant and well produced show that I have seen in 2014 and I highly recommend that you should all watch it now!
2. Gundam Build Fighters;
Gundam Build Fighters is a festival of all the great things that Gundam has given us in its 35 year history with brilliant 2D animation throughout and plenty of references that even I after watching almost every major series of Gundam didn't catch all of! Despite that it is also perfect for newcomers to the series to watch as well as the story of the series stands well on its own.
3. Pupipo!;
Standing at just around 45 minutes long for the entire series, Pupipo is the shortest of any of the TV series in my Top 8 yet it manages to outdo many other series in that time. It remains a mystery to me how this short series fits a well paced and emotional story with some incredibly moving scenes especially the final episode which is a real tearjerker for sure.
4. Tonari no Seki-kun;
Tonari no Seki-kun is another short anime with 21, 7 minute episodes and each one is guarenteed to make you smile at Seki's weird ideas or cringe at when they might go horribly wrong.
5. Gundam Build Fighters: TRY;
Gundam Build Fighters: TRY may not be as good as the first series with slightly more shaky animation and problems with balancing three main protagonists at once but at its heart it's still the show I love to watch every single week regardless of its flaws.
6. Log Horizon;
Log Horizon's latter half wasn't as strong as the first with the disappointing Episode 23 with its weird love triangle rubbish being a big downer especially after the great climax to the Goblin King arc just before it. Log Horizon's main strength was going into the structure of its world to great detail making Elder Tale feel like playing a real MMORPG.
7. Gundam: G in Reconguista (G-Reco);
Yoshiyuki Tomino is the creator of Gundam and one of the most respected people in the industry although, he has a ton of weird qwerks and G-Reco shows off a lot of these. You can have scenes placed in the show for no apperent reason, like a pilot going toilet on a mission or mechanics falling over which some may call pointless but I feel it gives the show an old 70's/80's charm that I just love.
8. Sabagebu!
Cute girls playing with airsoft rifles would be a simple description of this show really. There's loads of great battles in the show that are hilarious to watch like the massive battle with the elderly but the show does have a few downers such as the weird hunter's association advertisement that took up 1/3 to 1/2 an episode. It's still worth a watch though just for Momoka who is the most ruthlessly evil main characters I've ever come across!
OVA/Film Top 6
1. Wonder;
2. Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: Episode 7;
3. Poulette's Chair;
4. Robot Girls Z;
5. Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion;
6. ME!ME!ME!;
Prepare to be just dazzled. The votes and been counted and verified by the one person who matters and now the top ten list of shows worth watching from 2015 is ready. If your favourite show didn't make it then you only have yourself to blame because it means you have the wrong favourite show.
1. Sabagebu!; Masahiko Oota, the man who brought the world treasures like Mitsudomoe and Yuru Yuri blesses us with another fine helping. If this isn't your number one then you are a nincompoop plain and simple.
2. Barakamon; I liked this show. Why? Because it was good. That is all.
3. Tonari no Seki-kun; More comedy? Yes, it certainly was a good year for anime comedy. Would it be odd to say this show had the best chemistry between two character when the whole show was basically from one person's perspective?
4. Yama no Susume 2; Later I'll mention I didn't vote for sequels but this show changed things enough that I ignored that rule. Also it featured the best characters of the year. Oh, not the main cast, just some crazy American tourists that amused me for hours.
5. Space☆Dandy; If I put it any lower it may become smitten with number 10.
6. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun; Not quite the best comedy this year and not quite the best show based on a shoujo manga. Much like the romance in this show, it doesn't quite get there.
7. Futsuu no Joshikousei ga [Locodol] Yatte Mita; I should probably feel ashamed for enjoying something so by the numbers but I don't.
8. Momo Kyun Sword; I watched it for the plot.
9. Samurai Flamenco; If you stop to think about it then you've missed the whole point of the show.
10. Wake Up, Girls!; I had high hopes for this and it started off strong but by the end of it it fell into the trap of having everything go their way for a happy ending. Didn't help the animation budget managed to be even less than Kill Me Baby's.
The rest in no particular order.
Ping Pong The Animation - More like Smelly Pong it reeks so bad
Parasyte - More like Paramight want to try better next time
Zankyou no Terror - More like Zankyou for nothing
Aldnoah.Zero - More like Aldonoah.Zero chance of being my AotY.
Tokyo Ghoul - More like Tokyo Drool because it's dumb.
Majimoji Rurumo - More like Mojim... I give up.
Oh and Wake Up Girls! ZOO But that started so late in the year I might as well consider it a 2015 show. Also no one else is voting for it (because you are all silly sausages) so I'll save my vote for next year where I'll rig the votes.
Second Series Shows that I also watched. Decided to keep them separate in order to give new shows a chance to shine. In order of preference they were:
Puchimas!! Petit Petit Idolmaster - Otherwise this would have been number one or similar.
Love Live! School Idol Project 2nd Season - Same as above.
Gin no Saji 2nd Season - Maybe not quite the same as above, maybe about five.
Psycho-Pass 2 - If you removed all the non Akane scenes this would have been super high.
Sword Art Online II - If you removed all the non Kirito scenes this would have blown my brains from pure manliness.
Free! Eternal Summer - It was quite bad.
Movies/OVAs:
1. The iDOLM@STER Movie: Kagayaki no Mukougawa e!; A M@STERPIECE! If you need more just [post=139570327]read my review[/post].
2. The Wind Rises; It's a Ghibli film so it has to be good innit.
3. Hill Climb Girl; It had Bradley Wiggins so it has to be good innit.
I should also mention
Wake Up, Girls! Shichi-nin no Idol; Well you kind of have to watch this to really understand the series, so it really doesn't stand up by itself. It's just an extended first episode for the series really.
SAMURAI FLAMENCO
NO WAIT. THIS IS LAST YEAR'S BEST SHOW.
EVERYBODY VOTE FOR THE MENCO.
Gundam Build Fighters;
Easily the best show of last year for me (and yes, part of Season 1 aired last year), Gundam Build Fighters breathed new life into the deflated Gundam franchise. Drunkenly stumbling off the heels of shit like 00 and AGE, Build Fighters appeared to be more bad news. It was a show so blatantly aimed at selling plastic model kits that the mere thought that it could have a good plot wasn't entering my mind.
But it did. The show had a reverence and love for all things Gundam that infused it with vitality and enthusiasm. It had well-paced, well-animated 2D robot fights, sick custom mecha, and an engaging storyline that had me coming back every single week. It had that same shine G Gundam did, and was freed from the abysmal chains of needing to be like UC.
It was, in short, the perfect show. Although its successor hasn't really lived up to it, I award it this same spot for carrying on the tradition.
Gundam Reconguista in G
And when it turned out that Tomino had somehow preserved his wackiness and found a way to make it engaging, and to pile on week after week of nutty hijinks and teased Turn A tidbits every step of the way, he carried through. This season G-Reco is the only thing keeping Sunrise afloat. TRY isn't bad, but with horrendous awful fucking malicious bullshit like Cross Ange streaming out their ass, G-Reco stands as an anomalous gemstone.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
I'm not feeling the OP and ED of this new season, but Star Dust Crusaders played into my newborn Persona Fandom this year (whilst Persona 4 The Golden Animation shat the bed so hard the people living the next floor had to call the exterminator), and I have a fondness for the sheer weirdness of it all. I don't know that I'd say any of the hilariously muscly heroes are my kind of designs (okay that's a lie Old Man JoJo still got it) but in a way that's part of the show's charm for me.
Space Dandy
This was a great show when it was a great and a pretty bleh show when it wasn't.
And that's all I have. This was a year where I got talked into watching TWO FUCKING SEASONS OF CLANNAD so frankly it's a miracle I havethree shows I felt were good.
NO WAIT. THIS IS LAST YEAR'S BEST SHOW.
EVERYBODY VOTE FOR THE MENCO.
Gundam Build Fighters;
But it did. The show had a reverence and love for all things Gundam that infused it with vitality and enthusiasm. It had well-paced, well-animated 2D robot fights, sick custom mecha, and an engaging storyline that had me coming back every single week. It had that same shine G Gundam did, and was freed from the abysmal chains of needing to be like UC.
It was, in short, the perfect show. Although its successor hasn't really lived up to it, I award it this same spot for carrying on the tradition.
Gundam Reconguista in G
Although I've been into Gundam since I was like, 14 and Wing aired on Toonami, it's only been these last few years where I've really experienced the entire franchise. One of the best works in the series was Turn A Gundam. So when Tomino returned to the franchise that won him his fame and set out to make a new Gundam with the designer from Eureka Seven, I had to be there.
And when it turned out that Tomino had somehow preserved his wackiness and found a way to make it engaging, and to pile on week after week of nutty hijinks and teased Turn A tidbits every step of the way, he carried through. This season G-Reco is the only thing keeping Sunrise afloat. TRY isn't bad, but with horrendous awful fucking malicious bullshit like Cross Ange streaming out their ass, G-Reco stands as an anomalous gemstone.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
I'm not feeling the OP and ED of this new season, but Star Dust Crusaders played into my newborn Persona Fandom this year (whilst Persona 4 The Golden Animation shat the bed so hard the people living the next floor had to call the exterminator), and I have a fondness for the sheer weirdness of it all. I don't know that I'd say any of the hilariously muscly heroes are my kind of designs (okay that's a lie Old Man JoJo still got it) but in a way that's part of the show's charm for me.
Space Dandy
This was a great show when it was a great and a pretty bleh show when it wasn't.
And that's all I have. This was a year where I got talked into watching TWO FUCKING SEASONS OF CLANNAD so frankly it's a miracle I have
IdrisOllie
Neo Member
I'm surprised not many people are including Tokyo Ghoul on their list
Here I thought I'd branch out before voting finished, but that's clearly not going to happen at this point, so I may as well put my votes in now. Sorry, Silver Spoon and Encouragement of Climb!
I'll fill it in later.
TV Series
1. Ping Pong
This show is on a whole different level compared to everything else that aired this year. It excels both technically and artistically, capturing both the passion of the sport and the spirit of what it means to compete. Ping Pong isn't just aware enough to ask the question of why people want to be the best, it's wise enough to answer that question, and to explore the price one must pay to get there. Watching all the characters grow and mature as they discover what they want out of the sport isn't just entertaining, it's also enriching. As a director, Yuasa is even better here than he was in Tatami Galaxy. I love everything about it. It's an all-time classic.
2. Shirobako
Shirobako is largely an anime about anime, and as a fan of the medium I like the insight into the production process. It's both dramatic and occasionally hilarious, carrying across both the stress and the passion of producing a creative work. But what's surprised me about the show, and made it such a favorite, is how it layers in its story of young people trying to find their place in the working world, suffering setbacks and making false steps on their way towards their dreams. As someone in a kind of transitional phase now, it helped me consider how to proceed. I like how the show has been developing its massive cast over the course of its run, and I'm really looking forward to this new season.
3. Space Dandy
What do you get when you mix some of the best animators in the business with a grab bag of great directors and give them a sci-fi license to go nuts? Just about everything. Space Dandy took its time finding its way, with a number of weak episodes across its first six, but once the creators began to realize just how much freedom they had, the show really took off. Dandy's episodes crossed all kinds of genres and moods, and its many highs top just about everything else this side of Ping Pong. Not merely a stunning technical achievement, it's at turns more inspiring, tragic, melancholy, and hilarious than anything else, which more than compensates for the duds scattered across its length.
4. Gundam Build Fighters
I'm a sucker for a good hot-blooded action show, and this animated toy advertisement was excellent in its simplicity. The first season of Build Fighters made creating and developing the rivalries between its colorful cast seem effortless, which made almost all the 2D-animated action at the end really hit home. Guts and teamwork can overcome anything. Any show offering me Samurai Boy Nils Nielsen, the Early Genius deserves a high spot on my list.
5. Pupipo!
A surprisingly affecting show, given its miniscule total runtime. Pupipo seems to be a simple, weird show about a girl who sees ghosts and the weird pet she encounters, but it turns into an almost-epic tale of love and friendship, of the cost of bridging that gap of loneliness and the sacrifices people make for the things they hold dear. No real excuse for missing it, given that you can finish it in an hour.
6. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
The best comedy show of the year. Nozaki-kun's outrageous cast, often playing deliberately against gender type, led to some amazing moments of situational comedy. Seo was my favorite.
7. Rage of Bahamut
A great swords-and-sorcery swashbuckling adventure, with the best first episode of the year. Bahamut didn't quite maintain the light-hearted adventurous tone that made it so enthralling in its early episodes, but even as it turned more serious and the stakes escalated, the winning combination of leads Favaro and Kaisar kept things fun. An absolute stunner at times, with a great cast of scene-chewing villains. I was deeply entertained from start to finish.
8. Mushishi Zoku Sho
I only watched the first half of this, but that was more than enough to earn it a spot on my list. It really deserves to be higher. Mushishi has always been a master class in atmosphere and mood-building, with restrained sound design and confident, deliberate color choices that draw the viewer in to whatever tale of tragedy and circumstance gets woven by the mysterious spirits of the land, the mushi. Few other anime have such subtlety in their craft.
9. Parasyte
Occasionally-bizarre sound direction aside, Parasyte is a really strong horror show, building the protagonist's placid normal life while repeatedly crashing it into the bizarre, frightening world of an invasion by Thing-like murderous aliens. The development of Shinichi and his relationship with Migi, the creature that has taken over his right hand, is the show's greatest strength. The first half ends pretty strongly, despite some questionable subplots.
10. Terror in Resonance
The writing really hurt this show, but I have to reward it for the strength of its direction and musical choices. As a political thriller, it sometimes falls short, but the scenes of bombs, and races against time to defuse them, are as good as anime gets. The scene at the end of episode 4 still gives me chills. I really wish this had lived up to its potential.
Film/OVA
1. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Immediately one of my favorite animated films ever made. Perhaps Isao Takahata's final movie, Kaguya is a stunningly beautiful portrait of a girl's life, of the wonder of nature, of the importance of family and the need to be true to one's self. It looks like nothing else, and the lavish animation is among the best anime has ever produced. The film captures the protagonists humanity within its legendary mythologizing, which makes the conclusion all the more tear-rending. I haven't cried at a film like this since puberty.
2. Wonder
I've never seen anything like this unique spectacle, a parade of color and delight, a constant narrative-free motion of evolving ideas, fantastic creatures and patterns. It's so joyful.
3. Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle!
I love Girls und Panzer's sincere and ridiculous tank battle sport, and this gave me more of what I wanted. Surprising strategies, colorful characters, more of Yukari infiltrating meetings, and good times all around.
4. 20 Minute Walk from Nishi-Ogikubo Station, 2 Bedrooms, LDK, 2 Months Deposit, No Pets Allowed
Animator Expo has provided us an unexpected wealth of excellent shorts, and this was probably the best of them all. A stunningly-animated little story of a woman unexpectedly shrunk down in her own apartment, it surprises and thrills over and over. Just a really satisfying, well-told story.
5. Tamako Love Story
Kyoto Animation delivers all of the cuteness of Tamako without any of the boring or the stupid bird. It's pretty much exactly what it says it's selling you. Tamako's Kyoto is presented at its most beautiful yet, and watching her and Mochizou develop is really satisfying, building off the best parts of the TV series. Kanna is great.
6. MEMEME!
What a psychedelic trip. This lewd assault on the senses attacks otaku culture by over-indulging in it, a gradually escalating violent orgy of impossible, dripping female bodies and guns and violence, an inescapable cycle of stimulation and emptiness and regret. Thank god for Animator Expo.
7. Lupin III: The Gravestone of Jigen Daisuke
It's a Lupin story, marrying a more polished version of the art style first introduced with A Woman Named Mine Fujiko with writing that doesn't completely destroy itself. Lupin and Jigen get themselves in the sights of a legendary assassin and in the middle of two nations on the brink of war. That sounds heavier than it actually is. A good Lupin caper is always fun, and this is no exception.
I'll fill it in later.
TV Series
1. Ping Pong
This show is on a whole different level compared to everything else that aired this year. It excels both technically and artistically, capturing both the passion of the sport and the spirit of what it means to compete. Ping Pong isn't just aware enough to ask the question of why people want to be the best, it's wise enough to answer that question, and to explore the price one must pay to get there. Watching all the characters grow and mature as they discover what they want out of the sport isn't just entertaining, it's also enriching. As a director, Yuasa is even better here than he was in Tatami Galaxy. I love everything about it. It's an all-time classic.
2. Shirobako
Shirobako is largely an anime about anime, and as a fan of the medium I like the insight into the production process. It's both dramatic and occasionally hilarious, carrying across both the stress and the passion of producing a creative work. But what's surprised me about the show, and made it such a favorite, is how it layers in its story of young people trying to find their place in the working world, suffering setbacks and making false steps on their way towards their dreams. As someone in a kind of transitional phase now, it helped me consider how to proceed. I like how the show has been developing its massive cast over the course of its run, and I'm really looking forward to this new season.
3. Space Dandy
What do you get when you mix some of the best animators in the business with a grab bag of great directors and give them a sci-fi license to go nuts? Just about everything. Space Dandy took its time finding its way, with a number of weak episodes across its first six, but once the creators began to realize just how much freedom they had, the show really took off. Dandy's episodes crossed all kinds of genres and moods, and its many highs top just about everything else this side of Ping Pong. Not merely a stunning technical achievement, it's at turns more inspiring, tragic, melancholy, and hilarious than anything else, which more than compensates for the duds scattered across its length.
4. Gundam Build Fighters
I'm a sucker for a good hot-blooded action show, and this animated toy advertisement was excellent in its simplicity. The first season of Build Fighters made creating and developing the rivalries between its colorful cast seem effortless, which made almost all the 2D-animated action at the end really hit home. Guts and teamwork can overcome anything. Any show offering me Samurai Boy Nils Nielsen, the Early Genius deserves a high spot on my list.
5. Pupipo!
A surprisingly affecting show, given its miniscule total runtime. Pupipo seems to be a simple, weird show about a girl who sees ghosts and the weird pet she encounters, but it turns into an almost-epic tale of love and friendship, of the cost of bridging that gap of loneliness and the sacrifices people make for the things they hold dear. No real excuse for missing it, given that you can finish it in an hour.
6. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
The best comedy show of the year. Nozaki-kun's outrageous cast, often playing deliberately against gender type, led to some amazing moments of situational comedy. Seo was my favorite.
7. Rage of Bahamut
A great swords-and-sorcery swashbuckling adventure, with the best first episode of the year. Bahamut didn't quite maintain the light-hearted adventurous tone that made it so enthralling in its early episodes, but even as it turned more serious and the stakes escalated, the winning combination of leads Favaro and Kaisar kept things fun. An absolute stunner at times, with a great cast of scene-chewing villains. I was deeply entertained from start to finish.
8. Mushishi Zoku Sho
I only watched the first half of this, but that was more than enough to earn it a spot on my list. It really deserves to be higher. Mushishi has always been a master class in atmosphere and mood-building, with restrained sound design and confident, deliberate color choices that draw the viewer in to whatever tale of tragedy and circumstance gets woven by the mysterious spirits of the land, the mushi. Few other anime have such subtlety in their craft.
9. Parasyte
Occasionally-bizarre sound direction aside, Parasyte is a really strong horror show, building the protagonist's placid normal life while repeatedly crashing it into the bizarre, frightening world of an invasion by Thing-like murderous aliens. The development of Shinichi and his relationship with Migi, the creature that has taken over his right hand, is the show's greatest strength. The first half ends pretty strongly, despite some questionable subplots.
10. Terror in Resonance
The writing really hurt this show, but I have to reward it for the strength of its direction and musical choices. As a political thriller, it sometimes falls short, but the scenes of bombs, and races against time to defuse them, are as good as anime gets. The scene at the end of episode 4 still gives me chills. I really wish this had lived up to its potential.
Film/OVA
1. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Immediately one of my favorite animated films ever made. Perhaps Isao Takahata's final movie, Kaguya is a stunningly beautiful portrait of a girl's life, of the wonder of nature, of the importance of family and the need to be true to one's self. It looks like nothing else, and the lavish animation is among the best anime has ever produced. The film captures the protagonists humanity within its legendary mythologizing, which makes the conclusion all the more tear-rending. I haven't cried at a film like this since puberty.
2. Wonder
I've never seen anything like this unique spectacle, a parade of color and delight, a constant narrative-free motion of evolving ideas, fantastic creatures and patterns. It's so joyful.
3. Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle!
I love Girls und Panzer's sincere and ridiculous tank battle sport, and this gave me more of what I wanted. Surprising strategies, colorful characters, more of Yukari infiltrating meetings, and good times all around.
4. 20 Minute Walk from Nishi-Ogikubo Station, 2 Bedrooms, LDK, 2 Months Deposit, No Pets Allowed
Animator Expo has provided us an unexpected wealth of excellent shorts, and this was probably the best of them all. A stunningly-animated little story of a woman unexpectedly shrunk down in her own apartment, it surprises and thrills over and over. Just a really satisfying, well-told story.
5. Tamako Love Story
Kyoto Animation delivers all of the cuteness of Tamako without any of the boring or the stupid bird. It's pretty much exactly what it says it's selling you. Tamako's Kyoto is presented at its most beautiful yet, and watching her and Mochizou develop is really satisfying, building off the best parts of the TV series. Kanna is great.
6. MEMEME!
What a psychedelic trip. This lewd assault on the senses attacks otaku culture by over-indulging in it, a gradually escalating violent orgy of impossible, dripping female bodies and guns and violence, an inescapable cycle of stimulation and emptiness and regret. Thank god for Animator Expo.
7. Lupin III: The Gravestone of Jigen Daisuke
It's a Lupin story, marrying a more polished version of the art style first introduced with A Woman Named Mine Fujiko with writing that doesn't completely destroy itself. Lupin and Jigen get themselves in the sights of a legendary assassin and in the middle of two nations on the brink of war. That sounds heavier than it actually is. A good Lupin caper is always fun, and this is no exception.
Admiral Woofington
Member
you shouldn't be surprised it's a shit show. At the very least a shit adaptation and a mess with its censoring.
Gonna apply my own arbitrary rule of not listing shows that aren't finished yet. No matter how much I enjoy it now, it's still not over, so I can't put them up yet in good conscience. Gotta wait till next year, Shirobako!
TV SERIES:
1. Nagi no Asukara: A lull in the Sea;
Music, story, characters, world building, art -- pretty much top marks all across the board for me. A show that builds on an original take on the mermaid mythology with raw emotions at the core. I thought nearly everything was done superbly, and definitely the most memorable anime I saw in 2014.
2. Noragami;
Took me by complete surprise. Great production, even when put up against Studio Bones' other great looking works. This is a shounen-styled series that was lean and effective. As a single cour show it goes through multiple arcs and is a great showcase of action, emotion, and humor. It's the first show I've seen with an intricate premise involving Japanese shrines and Gods that doesn't leave me in the dust with references, but instead engages with them in a way that makes the world fascinating.
3. Is the Order a Rabbit?/Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?;
A great feel good show that was entertaining the whole way through. Its bread and butter is slice-of-life, and this is going to be one of the classics of the genre. The art is also fucking impeccable, there is not a single drawn frame in that show that is remotely off-model or lazy looking; amazingly solid considering its humble premise. The atmosphere makes it a world I wish actually existed.
4. Encouragement of Climb Season 2;
The first season proved to me how effective a 3-minute episode series can be with amazing pacing and storytelling. The second season is just as good, with 15 minutes per episode and lots more dimension added to the characters. Great overarching story as well as charming one-offs.
5. Sabagebu! Survival Game Club;
Hilarious fucking show. Irreverent, referential, cheap, and insightful; you rarely know what's coming up next, and that's a rare treat for this medium. The production values are pretty shit but the material outshines and makes it more than bearable. This is how budget shows should be.
6. Wake Up Girls!;
A great idol show that comes from a much more grounded place than most others. It shows both the dangers of small idol productions as well as the positive experiences, with references to real-world companies and methods. This is a show that doesn't contain many anime tropes/eccentricities, and is more reminiscent of a live action drama. Its unique take and the thoughtfulness when portraying idols and the industry (albeit mostly still idealized) stood out to me in a real positive way.
7. Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun/Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun;
Really smart and involving comedy with a great cast and a great premise. Seeing shoujo archetypes be twisted and manipulated within the weird characters in this show was wildly entertaining. It's creative, and a stand-out comedy all around. Also has one of my favorite OP songs of the year.
8. Space Dandy;
I love that this show is a blank canvas. Every episode, hit or miss, is like a small scale passion project for directors and artists to experiment and go fucking wild. It's a celebration of diversity, something anime always needs more of. From retro to art house, there's really something for everyone within its two cours.
9. Ping Pong;
The artstyle is amaaaaaaaazzzing, and I'm incredibly glad this was created. It's a personal drama set around ping pong, but it isn't ABOUT ping pong. The loose, organic drawing style did the show a really great service setting the tone of the universe and going wild with the visual metaphors. Really solid all the way through.
10. Tsukimonogatari;
It's hard to try to fit in Monogatari "seasons" into these lists. I;m honestly ranking this much lower than it should, just because it's such a known quantity and I've talked about how much I enjoy every installment so much that I'm sick of doing it; I'd rather give the spotlight to the shows above. This is as strong of an entry as it's been for the series, that is to say, it's really superbly done.
Honerable Mentions:
-Mushi-shi Season 2
-Hanamonogatari
-Fate/Stay Night
-Kill la Kill
-Magi Season 2
-Chuunibyou 2
-World Conquest Zvezda Plot
-No Game No Life
-One Week Friends
-The World is Still Beautiful
-Tonari no Seki-kun
-Hanayamata
-Selector Infected WIXOSS
-Locodol
-Nisekoi
Would Probably be on This List if I Watched It:
-Barakamon
FILM/OVA:
1. Girls und Panzer;
Come on. It's more Girls und Panzer. And it has one of the most hype tank battles in the series. It's a great addition.
2. Ghost in the Shell: Arise;
Half reboot, half prequel, it's a fresh take on the franchise and I've enjoyed it quite a bit. Some episodes are lackluster, but the good ones stand out as some of my favorite material throughout all the films and television series.
3. Princess Kaguya;
This was honestly a disappointment from a storytelling perspective (most stories based on old folktales often are), but the art, presentation, and atmosphere were jaw droppingly gorgeous and well-realized. Its a spectacle piece that goes on far too long imo, but you can feel the passion from the studio and director, and it's hard not to find it enjoyable.
TV SERIES:
1. Nagi no Asukara: A lull in the Sea;
Music, story, characters, world building, art -- pretty much top marks all across the board for me. A show that builds on an original take on the mermaid mythology with raw emotions at the core. I thought nearly everything was done superbly, and definitely the most memorable anime I saw in 2014.
2. Noragami;
Took me by complete surprise. Great production, even when put up against Studio Bones' other great looking works. This is a shounen-styled series that was lean and effective. As a single cour show it goes through multiple arcs and is a great showcase of action, emotion, and humor. It's the first show I've seen with an intricate premise involving Japanese shrines and Gods that doesn't leave me in the dust with references, but instead engages with them in a way that makes the world fascinating.
3. Is the Order a Rabbit?/Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?;
A great feel good show that was entertaining the whole way through. Its bread and butter is slice-of-life, and this is going to be one of the classics of the genre. The art is also fucking impeccable, there is not a single drawn frame in that show that is remotely off-model or lazy looking; amazingly solid considering its humble premise. The atmosphere makes it a world I wish actually existed.
4. Encouragement of Climb Season 2;
The first season proved to me how effective a 3-minute episode series can be with amazing pacing and storytelling. The second season is just as good, with 15 minutes per episode and lots more dimension added to the characters. Great overarching story as well as charming one-offs.
5. Sabagebu! Survival Game Club;
Hilarious fucking show. Irreverent, referential, cheap, and insightful; you rarely know what's coming up next, and that's a rare treat for this medium. The production values are pretty shit but the material outshines and makes it more than bearable. This is how budget shows should be.
6. Wake Up Girls!;
A great idol show that comes from a much more grounded place than most others. It shows both the dangers of small idol productions as well as the positive experiences, with references to real-world companies and methods. This is a show that doesn't contain many anime tropes/eccentricities, and is more reminiscent of a live action drama. Its unique take and the thoughtfulness when portraying idols and the industry (albeit mostly still idealized) stood out to me in a real positive way.
7. Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun/Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun;
Really smart and involving comedy with a great cast and a great premise. Seeing shoujo archetypes be twisted and manipulated within the weird characters in this show was wildly entertaining. It's creative, and a stand-out comedy all around. Also has one of my favorite OP songs of the year.
8. Space Dandy;
I love that this show is a blank canvas. Every episode, hit or miss, is like a small scale passion project for directors and artists to experiment and go fucking wild. It's a celebration of diversity, something anime always needs more of. From retro to art house, there's really something for everyone within its two cours.
9. Ping Pong;
The artstyle is amaaaaaaaazzzing, and I'm incredibly glad this was created. It's a personal drama set around ping pong, but it isn't ABOUT ping pong. The loose, organic drawing style did the show a really great service setting the tone of the universe and going wild with the visual metaphors. Really solid all the way through.
10. Tsukimonogatari;
It's hard to try to fit in Monogatari "seasons" into these lists. I;m honestly ranking this much lower than it should, just because it's such a known quantity and I've talked about how much I enjoy every installment so much that I'm sick of doing it; I'd rather give the spotlight to the shows above. This is as strong of an entry as it's been for the series, that is to say, it's really superbly done.
Honerable Mentions:
-Mushi-shi Season 2
-Hanamonogatari
-Fate/Stay Night
-Kill la Kill
-Magi Season 2
-Chuunibyou 2
-World Conquest Zvezda Plot
-No Game No Life
-One Week Friends
-The World is Still Beautiful
-Tonari no Seki-kun
-Hanayamata
-Selector Infected WIXOSS
-Locodol
-Nisekoi
Would Probably be on This List if I Watched It:
-Barakamon
FILM/OVA:
1. Girls und Panzer;
Come on. It's more Girls und Panzer. And it has one of the most hype tank battles in the series. It's a great addition.
2. Ghost in the Shell: Arise;
Half reboot, half prequel, it's a fresh take on the franchise and I've enjoyed it quite a bit. Some episodes are lackluster, but the good ones stand out as some of my favorite material throughout all the films and television series.
3. Princess Kaguya;
This was honestly a disappointment from a storytelling perspective (most stories based on old folktales often are), but the art, presentation, and atmosphere were jaw droppingly gorgeous and well-realized. Its a spectacle piece that goes on far too long imo, but you can feel the passion from the studio and director, and it's hard not to find it enjoyable.
ekka4shiki
Member
TV Series
1. Mushishi Zoku Shou; Masterful short-storytelling. Can't wait for the movie.
2. Ping Pong; It's a close race. Ping Pong only second to Mushishi for me just because I have stronger emotional attachment with the later as a series. Could go either way, really, both is masterpiece in my eyes.
3. Space Dandy; It's rather inconsistent with its quality. But when it hit, it's a blast.
4. Barakamon; Heartwarming show for heartwarming people.
5. Shirobako; Any anime enthusiast should watch this, seriously.
6. The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior; I usually hate Kana Hanazawa but her performance/role in this show is just lovely.
7. Hozuki no Reitetsu; Feel good show about slice of life... in hell.
8. No Game No Life; Yes, it's dumb. But i have so much fun with this one. Also, Jibril is awesome as waifu material.
9. Rage of Bahamut; I didn't expect this one to be this good, considering it's based on some kind of card game. But it did. What a pleasant surprise.
10. Fate Stay/Night Unlimited Blade Words; Pretty adaptation from Ufotable.
xx. Parasyte -the maxim-; Enjoying the story so far, kind of.
xx. Nisekoi; Onodera best girl. Marika is great too.
xx. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun; Nice and fresh comedy.
Movie
1. The iDOLM@STER Movie: To the Glittering Other Side!; I only watch this one. Pretty good idol show.
1. Mushishi Zoku Shou; Masterful short-storytelling. Can't wait for the movie.
2. Ping Pong; It's a close race. Ping Pong only second to Mushishi for me just because I have stronger emotional attachment with the later as a series. Could go either way, really, both is masterpiece in my eyes.
3. Space Dandy; It's rather inconsistent with its quality. But when it hit, it's a blast.
4. Barakamon; Heartwarming show for heartwarming people.
5. Shirobako; Any anime enthusiast should watch this, seriously.
6. The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior; I usually hate Kana Hanazawa but her performance/role in this show is just lovely.
7. Hozuki no Reitetsu; Feel good show about slice of life... in hell.
8. No Game No Life; Yes, it's dumb. But i have so much fun with this one. Also, Jibril is awesome as waifu material.
9. Rage of Bahamut; I didn't expect this one to be this good, considering it's based on some kind of card game. But it did. What a pleasant surprise.
10. Fate Stay/Night Unlimited Blade Words; Pretty adaptation from Ufotable.
xx. Parasyte -the maxim-; Enjoying the story so far, kind of.
xx. Nisekoi; Onodera best girl. Marika is great too.
xx. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun; Nice and fresh comedy.
Movie
1. The iDOLM@STER Movie: To the Glittering Other Side!; I only watch this one. Pretty good idol show.
Dedication Through Light
Member
Honorable Mentions
Gundam Build Fighters Try: Though not as good as its predecessor, Try still delivers exciting, hand-animated Gundam action. Here's hoping the second half can live up to the high standard set by the first season.
Rage of Bahamut: Genesis: A wholly unique Kickstarted experience that remains entertaining the whole way through.
Silver Spoon 2nd Season: Even more of this relaxing show. What's not to like?
Tonari no Seki-kun: A bite-sized laugh every week.
Noragami: Just a high quality show all around.
Top Ten
10. Sabagebu!
A gleefully sociopathic romp of a sketch comedy show. It almost feels like a timely parody of a certain 2013 show, but even in a vacuum Sabagebu! delivers pure ludicrous antics.
9. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
The best pure comedy to air this year, this show is just memorable characters delivering memorable moments and jokes.
8. Barakamon
A relaxing comedy as fun and laid-back as the island it's set on.
7. MUSHI-SHI The Next Passage
No other show achieves the unique atmosphere of MUSHI-SHI. The music, visuals, and wide variety of plots never fail to deliver.
6. Ping Pong The Animation
While Yuasa's "unique" style won't satisfy all tastes, Ping Pong is a gripping look into the lives of people who play the sport, how they play it, and where they hope to go with it.
5. Gundam Build Fighters
Gundam Build Fighters is a vehicle to deliver awesome, brilliantly animated Gundam battles, and every single facet of this show works flawlessly towards that end.
4. Log Horizon
Log Horizon truly capitalizes on the "trapped in an MMO" concept popularized by other shows, and takes it to its logical conclusion, mixing comedy, in-depth and believable game mechanics, political intrigue, and a little bit of mystery about the world its characters are stuck in and how they got there.
3. Shirobako
Shirobako deftly follows the struggles of its cast to discover what they wish to do and how to do it, while also presenting a believable tale of just what goes into making anime.
2. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA
1. Space Dandy
An animation sandbox for its revolving door of high-profile directors and writers, Space Dandy, despite a few episodes falling flat, delivers several episodes worthy of being called among the best in anime, excelling at comedy, emotional storytelling, pure parody, and whatever the fuck Yuasa is doing, sometimes all in the same episode.
Gundam Build Fighters Try: Though not as good as its predecessor, Try still delivers exciting, hand-animated Gundam action. Here's hoping the second half can live up to the high standard set by the first season.
Rage of Bahamut: Genesis: A wholly unique Kickstarted experience that remains entertaining the whole way through.
Silver Spoon 2nd Season: Even more of this relaxing show. What's not to like?
Tonari no Seki-kun: A bite-sized laugh every week.
Noragami: Just a high quality show all around.
Top Ten
10. Sabagebu!
A gleefully sociopathic romp of a sketch comedy show. It almost feels like a timely parody of a certain 2013 show, but even in a vacuum Sabagebu! delivers pure ludicrous antics.
9. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
The best pure comedy to air this year, this show is just memorable characters delivering memorable moments and jokes.
8. Barakamon
A relaxing comedy as fun and laid-back as the island it's set on.
7. MUSHI-SHI The Next Passage
No other show achieves the unique atmosphere of MUSHI-SHI. The music, visuals, and wide variety of plots never fail to deliver.
6. Ping Pong The Animation
While Yuasa's "unique" style won't satisfy all tastes, Ping Pong is a gripping look into the lives of people who play the sport, how they play it, and where they hope to go with it.
5. Gundam Build Fighters
Gundam Build Fighters is a vehicle to deliver awesome, brilliantly animated Gundam battles, and every single facet of this show works flawlessly towards that end.
4. Log Horizon
Log Horizon truly capitalizes on the "trapped in an MMO" concept popularized by other shows, and takes it to its logical conclusion, mixing comedy, in-depth and believable game mechanics, political intrigue, and a little bit of mystery about the world its characters are stuck in and how they got there.
3. Shirobako
Shirobako deftly follows the struggles of its cast to discover what they wish to do and how to do it, while also presenting a believable tale of just what goes into making anime.
2. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA
1. Space Dandy
An animation sandbox for its revolving door of high-profile directors and writers, Space Dandy, despite a few episodes falling flat, delivers several episodes worthy of being called among the best in anime, excelling at comedy, emotional storytelling, pure parody, and whatever the fuck Yuasa is doing, sometimes all in the same episode.
1. Gundam Reconguista in G; Gundam is back! Again! Didnt love this quite as much as Unicorn but it's great to have a decent TV series gundam again. Very Tomino yet also very Bones.
2. Space☆Dandy; Pretty much everyone seems to think this a mixed bag of a series but to be honest I thought it was pure gold from episode 3 or so onwards. Everything about it just felt right. The music, the style, the art, loved it all. Especially how it tied in references to other anime and also to real life stuff, making everything feel like part of the same universe.
3. Log Horizon; Still havent decided if I like this better than .hack but its a fantastic compliment as it goes in a very different direction I wasnt expecting. In fact the whole show isnt what I expected at all, I was forseeing something even more dumb but more fun than SAO, so as the plot became more serious and deeper it really drew me in. The pacing is much better than .hack too
4. Parasyte; This show feels like such a middle finger to every other show where being infected with an alien parasite would just mean gaining super powers and being a hero and everything turning out great and everyone loving you.
5. Gundam Build Fighters; In the middle of a battle Ramba Ral forgot to flirt with peoples moms! While an actual new, quality, gundam series tops my list, this show and its sequel were a total love letter to the franchise. Just an utterly fun happy series filled to the brim with all sorts of cameos and references and fix-fics of sorts, letting underused characters and mechs come back and get some screen time even if its a slightly different role.
6. Gundam Build Fighters Try; see above but everyone is sexier
7. Akame ga Kill; Just for Esdeath
8. Buddy Complex; The only reason I watched this initially is because the white/blue and red mechs look similar to what my friend and I use in mecha games ourselves. It ended up being pretty good.
9. Witch Craft Works; Cutest torture themed ED of the year!
10. I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying; For a series of short gags I became amazingly attached to these characters, actually somehow ended up being one of the most well written, realistic couples I've seen in an anime
2. Space☆Dandy; Pretty much everyone seems to think this a mixed bag of a series but to be honest I thought it was pure gold from episode 3 or so onwards. Everything about it just felt right. The music, the style, the art, loved it all. Especially how it tied in references to other anime and also to real life stuff, making everything feel like part of the same universe.
3. Log Horizon; Still havent decided if I like this better than .hack but its a fantastic compliment as it goes in a very different direction I wasnt expecting. In fact the whole show isnt what I expected at all, I was forseeing something even more dumb but more fun than SAO, so as the plot became more serious and deeper it really drew me in. The pacing is much better than .hack too
4. Parasyte; This show feels like such a middle finger to every other show where being infected with an alien parasite would just mean gaining super powers and being a hero and everything turning out great and everyone loving you.
5. Gundam Build Fighters; In the middle of a battle Ramba Ral forgot to flirt with peoples moms! While an actual new, quality, gundam series tops my list, this show and its sequel were a total love letter to the franchise. Just an utterly fun happy series filled to the brim with all sorts of cameos and references and fix-fics of sorts, letting underused characters and mechs come back and get some screen time even if its a slightly different role.
6. Gundam Build Fighters Try; see above but everyone is sexier
7. Akame ga Kill; Just for Esdeath
8. Buddy Complex; The only reason I watched this initially is because the white/blue and red mechs look similar to what my friend and I use in mecha games ourselves. It ended up being pretty good.
9. Witch Craft Works; Cutest torture themed ED of the year!
10. I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying; For a series of short gags I became amazingly attached to these characters, actually somehow ended up being one of the most well written, realistic couples I've seen in an anime
1: Ping Pong, an wonderful adaptation from Yuasa and co, they manage to elevate the already strong material with great artstyle, directing and one of the best OST from this year. Shame the production problem made episode 3 to 5 is lose some quality, thankfully the show can rebound from that. Best sport anime ever.
2.: Hunter x Hunter 2011, fantastic climax for wonderful adaptation, albeit some serious pacing.. but I always put more value in satisfying high point than low point.
3: Yama no Susume S2, Cute girl doing cute mountain climbing! No, seriously the show is damn good, they manage to made mountain climbing looks really fun, the atmosphere of the show also really great.
4: Yowamushi Pedal, All you want from sport anime! Great character, dynamic and emotional ride, had the best villain from last year.
5: Haikyuu, Basically same with Yowamushi Pedal, although I think I care more about character in Yowamushi Pedal just a LITTLE more than Haikyuu's the reason I put that show on higher rank, albeit Haikyuu also fantastic, also if there's one area that Haikyuu really excel its the production value, the consistent animation quality and great OST. Also the best application of "illusion" in animation to keep the show seemingly keep moving on the action, something that many sport show struggle with sport that more active on its field action(basketball, volley, soccer etc)
6: Terror in Resonance, Maybe the most controversial entry in my list and I can agree the show is seriously flawed, the writing fail to made it into one cohesive experience for the show as whole.. but like I said before I really value spectacular high point in my piece of entertainment and this show had like 6 episode that I regard as some of best individual episode that I watch in 2014, shit's so good.. Watanabe directing is off the chart on those episode, very snappy, tell a lot with just visual.. Yoko Kanno also providing godly OST (OST of the year, easy)
The show maybe fail to became something that even better as whole (shitty plot, shitty character ruin the potential) but those high point is real good, and tbh made me can stomach the flaw of the show better than most people.
7: Witch Craft Works, Fun as hell with its wacky premise and world, and had best ED song all year long.
8: Fate/ Stay Night: UBW; Fanboy votes #1, Ufotable da gawd shining their light for my favorite chuuni franchise
9: JoJo Stardust Crusader; Fanboy votes #2, my favorite manga get adaptation that give me extreme satisfaction, hard to stay objective breh.
10. Ace of Diamond: Another sport anime, but I admit this one had shitty pacing, inconsistent animation quality, and the OST only had like 3 track.. but bro, I rooting for these character! I really give a damn about them, shit maybe I care to them more than all character in those sport show that I ranked higher.. Dem shounen harto man.
Movie
1. The Wind Rises: Miyazaki's farewell gift, the movie really drawn me emotionally especially with the ending, felt Miyazaki give all his knowledge and experience to give that one last final message.
2. Kara no Kyoukai: Mirai Fukuin : Fanboy votes #3. but seriously this one of strongest entry in my favorite movie series
3. Princess Kaguya: fall short behind The Wind Rises because the narrative didn't resonate to me as strongly, but big chance the movie gonna grow for me with time, because the movie is already such a technical achievement.
2.: Hunter x Hunter 2011, fantastic climax for wonderful adaptation, albeit some serious pacing.. but I always put more value in satisfying high point than low point.
3: Yama no Susume S2, Cute girl doing cute mountain climbing! No, seriously the show is damn good, they manage to made mountain climbing looks really fun, the atmosphere of the show also really great.
4: Yowamushi Pedal, All you want from sport anime! Great character, dynamic and emotional ride, had the best villain from last year.
5: Haikyuu, Basically same with Yowamushi Pedal, although I think I care more about character in Yowamushi Pedal just a LITTLE more than Haikyuu's the reason I put that show on higher rank, albeit Haikyuu also fantastic, also if there's one area that Haikyuu really excel its the production value, the consistent animation quality and great OST. Also the best application of "illusion" in animation to keep the show seemingly keep moving on the action, something that many sport show struggle with sport that more active on its field action(basketball, volley, soccer etc)
6: Terror in Resonance, Maybe the most controversial entry in my list and I can agree the show is seriously flawed, the writing fail to made it into one cohesive experience for the show as whole.. but like I said before I really value spectacular high point in my piece of entertainment and this show had like 6 episode that I regard as some of best individual episode that I watch in 2014, shit's so good.. Watanabe directing is off the chart on those episode, very snappy, tell a lot with just visual.. Yoko Kanno also providing godly OST (OST of the year, easy)
The show maybe fail to became something that even better as whole (shitty plot, shitty character ruin the potential) but those high point is real good, and tbh made me can stomach the flaw of the show better than most people.
7: Witch Craft Works, Fun as hell with its wacky premise and world, and had best ED song all year long.
8: Fate/ Stay Night: UBW; Fanboy votes #1, Ufotable da gawd shining their light for my favorite chuuni franchise
9: JoJo Stardust Crusader; Fanboy votes #2, my favorite manga get adaptation that give me extreme satisfaction, hard to stay objective breh.
10. Ace of Diamond: Another sport anime, but I admit this one had shitty pacing, inconsistent animation quality, and the OST only had like 3 track.. but bro, I rooting for these character! I really give a damn about them, shit maybe I care to them more than all character in those sport show that I ranked higher.. Dem shounen harto man.
Movie
1. The Wind Rises: Miyazaki's farewell gift, the movie really drawn me emotionally especially with the ending, felt Miyazaki give all his knowledge and experience to give that one last final message.
2. Kara no Kyoukai: Mirai Fukuin : Fanboy votes #3. but seriously this one of strongest entry in my favorite movie series
3. Princess Kaguya: fall short behind The Wind Rises because the narrative didn't resonate to me as strongly, but big chance the movie gonna grow for me with time, because the movie is already such a technical achievement.
Doctor Decimate
Member
I've given up on finishing either Mushi-shi or Log Horizon, so here it goes:
1. Ping Pong - It has just eleven episodes to work with, but in that span of time it churns out no less than six characters with more depth than most other shows even begin to think about. Ping Pong could've been all style and no substance (and it probably could've gotten by on the style alone), but instead it's both. The show will still be mentioned years from now for its unique visuals and interesting direction, but it shouldn't be forgotten that it's also a writing triumph.
2. Space Dandy - When Space Dandy is on, it's absolutely fantastic. It becomes a staggering mix of comedy, art, music, animation, and sometimes genuine emotion. If there was a "Best Anime Episodes of 2014" list, it might have more entries than any other show. But it's not always on; sometimes it's off. Though even when it's off, it usually still has at least one scene that's really worth talking about.
3. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun - This affectionate send-up of shojo tropes is the most consistently hilarious show I watched this year. The whole thing is so damn silly that it's impossible to dislike, from the endearing cast to the imaginative nonsense that gets piled upon them.
4. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders - JoJo is still really fucking weird, and for part three it turns into a road trip with a bunch of glorious morons. Not all the fights are winners, and some of them are obviously stretched, but even at its worst, the show is still really entertaining.
5. Gundam Build Fighters - I know very little about Gundam stuff other than the fact that G Gundam is awesome. But even to me, this show's obvious love for the franchise is infectious. Build Fighters could've easily been an awful cash grab, but instead it's a ton of fun because that earnest affection shows through some explosive fight scenes and surprisingly good writing. Sure, it kind of devolves into an unending series of Build Knuckles and takes one plot point way too seriously, but these are small complaints.
6. Shirobako - Though it sometimes delves a little too deep into the details of anime production, Shirobako does a good job of finding the sweet spot between portraying the industry's overwhelming work and getting you to root for its characters. It just takes a little while before it finally gets there.
7. Parasyte: The Maxim - Parasyte finds itself on a bit of a downward slope in quality toward the end of the episodes that aired in 2014 with a focus on some boring material and a tendency to beat the audience over the end. But there's still enough good before that to justify a spot on this list, with a cool premise and some very interesting developments.
8. Rage of Bahamut: Genesis - Like Parasyte, Bahamut goes from a roar to a bit of a whimper as it becomes disappointingly predictable. But also like Parasyte, the show offers enough great material to warrant recognition. At its best, it's one of the most unabashedly fun shows on this list. It just stops being at its best a little over the halfway point.
9. Barakamon - You can only coast so far on charm, but Barakamon proves you can coast pretty far. It's a little bit uneven (especially toward the end), not as funny as it could be, and not nearly as poignant as it sometimes thinks it is. But for all the times where it does something like try a little too hard to create something emotional or to sell a rather bad joke, there's still those times where everything just clicks and it all comes together astoundingly well. I just wish it was more often.
1. Ping Pong - It has just eleven episodes to work with, but in that span of time it churns out no less than six characters with more depth than most other shows even begin to think about. Ping Pong could've been all style and no substance (and it probably could've gotten by on the style alone), but instead it's both. The show will still be mentioned years from now for its unique visuals and interesting direction, but it shouldn't be forgotten that it's also a writing triumph.
2. Space Dandy - When Space Dandy is on, it's absolutely fantastic. It becomes a staggering mix of comedy, art, music, animation, and sometimes genuine emotion. If there was a "Best Anime Episodes of 2014" list, it might have more entries than any other show. But it's not always on; sometimes it's off. Though even when it's off, it usually still has at least one scene that's really worth talking about.
3. Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun - This affectionate send-up of shojo tropes is the most consistently hilarious show I watched this year. The whole thing is so damn silly that it's impossible to dislike, from the endearing cast to the imaginative nonsense that gets piled upon them.
4. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders - JoJo is still really fucking weird, and for part three it turns into a road trip with a bunch of glorious morons. Not all the fights are winners, and some of them are obviously stretched, but even at its worst, the show is still really entertaining.
5. Gundam Build Fighters - I know very little about Gundam stuff other than the fact that G Gundam is awesome. But even to me, this show's obvious love for the franchise is infectious. Build Fighters could've easily been an awful cash grab, but instead it's a ton of fun because that earnest affection shows through some explosive fight scenes and surprisingly good writing. Sure, it kind of devolves into an unending series of Build Knuckles and takes one plot point way too seriously, but these are small complaints.
6. Shirobako - Though it sometimes delves a little too deep into the details of anime production, Shirobako does a good job of finding the sweet spot between portraying the industry's overwhelming work and getting you to root for its characters. It just takes a little while before it finally gets there.
7. Parasyte: The Maxim - Parasyte finds itself on a bit of a downward slope in quality toward the end of the episodes that aired in 2014 with a focus on some boring material and a tendency to beat the audience over the end. But there's still enough good before that to justify a spot on this list, with a cool premise and some very interesting developments.
8. Rage of Bahamut: Genesis - Like Parasyte, Bahamut goes from a roar to a bit of a whimper as it becomes disappointingly predictable. But also like Parasyte, the show offers enough great material to warrant recognition. At its best, it's one of the most unabashedly fun shows on this list. It just stops being at its best a little over the halfway point.
9. Barakamon - You can only coast so far on charm, but Barakamon proves you can coast pretty far. It's a little bit uneven (especially toward the end), not as funny as it could be, and not nearly as poignant as it sometimes thinks it is. But for all the times where it does something like try a little too hard to create something emotional or to sell a rather bad joke, there's still those times where everything just clicks and it all comes together astoundingly well. I just wish it was more often.
OccamsBlender
Member
1. Barakamon. This quirky slice of country life has it all. I normally hate child characters but gawd. Handa's city boy vs country dynamic is very well executed, adds a lot of predictable but nevertheless fun situations. I want more of this show. Bad. That and the Handa-sensei spinoffs. Yes.
2. Gekkan Shojo Nozaki. As someone who works in a creative industry, this delightful dose of self-depreciation and satire is golden. The author's life really mirrors Nozaki much to my surprise(only the author is female, no idea if she had boys hitting on her for being a manga artist...) I hope more of this gets made too.
3. Aldnoa Zero. I love Inaho. I sort of wish he wasn't a high school student because the "1 kid-is-smarter-than-the-whole-world-combined" trope is usually a pet peeve of mine but either way, it's entertaining to see him analyze battles on the fly the way he does. Enjoying S2 right now.
4. Log Horizon S1. I loved Maoh-Yu, Mamare's previous novel series. All the stuff I love Mamare for is here in S1, with better animation. Why does S2 suck so hard?
5. Kiseijuu/Parasyte. Loved the manga way back when, tho WTF is with these re-designs? I like them, but I also like the original designs. They don't feel necessary. At least they're good. Miggi's cold sarcastic practicality is always entertaining. Fun stuff.
6. Mushishi. YES! More of one of the greatest animes ever!
7. Kill la Kill. One of the best soundtracks ever. As much as I loved this show, I thought it dragged out a little. Mako and her family are amazing. Certain scenes with Satsuki and her mom were impossible to watch. Ugh...How could you do that to Satsuki... ;m; Hiroyuki Sawano dethrones Yoko Kanno. Blumenkranz <3 I can never get sick of listening to you <3 <3 <3
8. Gundam Build Fighters. I thought this was gonna be more Gundam-Age style kiddie shit. I was wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong and thankfully wrong. This was so good it made up for Gundam Age.
9. Knights of Sidonia. Wow, 3D anime can look cool! And have a good plot and cast.
And my list stops here because everything else was just so mediocre I forgot about it. Honestly, a lot of anime this year was terrible so I present...
Rotten Sushi Awards: Anime that was so terrible I wanted to vomit:
1. Argevollen. Like all anime, this show is full of ludicrous premises. Unlike anime I enjoy, this show made me nitpick and hate the show for them. I think the lame battle tactics just irritated me hard.
2. Tokyo Ghoul. Why does a story this crappy get such amazing visual treatment?! The animation is really good plus I'm an unabashed fan of Isao, the guy who did the ending illustrations. This show was such a train wreck I had to finish it.
3. Zankyo no Terror. Wow. Some of the greatest people in the industry make the most horribly paced, horribly predictable crap. I only saw the first 2 episodes and I desperately want that hour back. Yoko Kanno's music could not save me from this turd. This is quite possibly one of the worst animes I've ever seen in my life. WORST.
4. Akame ga Kill. I sort of liked it at first but then I just got bored by it.
5. Sailor Moon Crystal. It's getting a suck award because of the absurdly crap animation quality. Seriously, who thought it was cool to let SAILOR MOON get such horrible treatment?! Yes, I'm aware of the Blu Ray re-draw quality.
6. Dra-Matical Murder. I watched this for shits n giggles and it did not disappoint. But wow. I thought Sailor Moon Crystal had some bad animation...
7. Space Dandy. I couldn't finish the first episode. I've been told to skip to 4 and watch from there but a big up yours to all the show's creators and the mammary-riddled jejune man-child space horse they rode in on. I'm sick and tired of putting up with lame sexist bullshit because other aspects of a show are entertaining. Space Dandy was my last straw.
8. SAO II. The GGO arc anyway. I liked the Aincrad arc so much that this just makes me sad.
2. Gekkan Shojo Nozaki. As someone who works in a creative industry, this delightful dose of self-depreciation and satire is golden. The author's life really mirrors Nozaki much to my surprise(only the author is female, no idea if she had boys hitting on her for being a manga artist...) I hope more of this gets made too.
3. Aldnoa Zero. I love Inaho. I sort of wish he wasn't a high school student because the "1 kid-is-smarter-than-the-whole-world-combined" trope is usually a pet peeve of mine but either way, it's entertaining to see him analyze battles on the fly the way he does. Enjoying S2 right now.
4. Log Horizon S1. I loved Maoh-Yu, Mamare's previous novel series. All the stuff I love Mamare for is here in S1, with better animation. Why does S2 suck so hard?
5. Kiseijuu/Parasyte. Loved the manga way back when, tho WTF is with these re-designs? I like them, but I also like the original designs. They don't feel necessary. At least they're good. Miggi's cold sarcastic practicality is always entertaining. Fun stuff.
6. Mushishi. YES! More of one of the greatest animes ever!
7. Kill la Kill. One of the best soundtracks ever. As much as I loved this show, I thought it dragged out a little. Mako and her family are amazing. Certain scenes with Satsuki and her mom were impossible to watch. Ugh...How could you do that to Satsuki... ;m; Hiroyuki Sawano dethrones Yoko Kanno. Blumenkranz <3 I can never get sick of listening to you <3 <3 <3
8. Gundam Build Fighters. I thought this was gonna be more Gundam-Age style kiddie shit. I was wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong and thankfully wrong. This was so good it made up for Gundam Age.
9. Knights of Sidonia. Wow, 3D anime can look cool! And have a good plot and cast.
And my list stops here because everything else was just so mediocre I forgot about it. Honestly, a lot of anime this year was terrible so I present...
Rotten Sushi Awards: Anime that was so terrible I wanted to vomit:
1. Argevollen. Like all anime, this show is full of ludicrous premises. Unlike anime I enjoy, this show made me nitpick and hate the show for them. I think the lame battle tactics just irritated me hard.
2. Tokyo Ghoul. Why does a story this crappy get such amazing visual treatment?! The animation is really good plus I'm an unabashed fan of Isao, the guy who did the ending illustrations. This show was such a train wreck I had to finish it.
3. Zankyo no Terror. Wow. Some of the greatest people in the industry make the most horribly paced, horribly predictable crap. I only saw the first 2 episodes and I desperately want that hour back. Yoko Kanno's music could not save me from this turd. This is quite possibly one of the worst animes I've ever seen in my life. WORST.
4. Akame ga Kill. I sort of liked it at first but then I just got bored by it.
5. Sailor Moon Crystal. It's getting a suck award because of the absurdly crap animation quality. Seriously, who thought it was cool to let SAILOR MOON get such horrible treatment?! Yes, I'm aware of the Blu Ray re-draw quality.
6. Dra-Matical Murder. I watched this for shits n giggles and it did not disappoint. But wow. I thought Sailor Moon Crystal had some bad animation...
7. Space Dandy. I couldn't finish the first episode. I've been told to skip to 4 and watch from there but a big up yours to all the show's creators and the mammary-riddled jejune man-child space horse they rode in on. I'm sick and tired of putting up with lame sexist bullshit because other aspects of a show are entertaining. Space Dandy was my last straw.
8. SAO II. The GGO arc anyway. I liked the Aincrad arc so much that this just makes me sad.
OccamsBlender
Member
Yes. This. I've been watching this show because I really need a dose of "WE WILL OVERCOME! WERK! GET BETTER! IMPROVE YOURSELF!" that sports anime almost always delivers.
I thought the pacing of the show pre-Koshien Qualifiers was really good especially the part where the MC gets stuck in the 2nd String and tries to get along with Chris. Then the playoffs started and each game got dragged out for way more eps than needed.
I think the goodness of AotD is proportional to the amount of Chris Takigawa screen time.
And thank you thread for increasing my backlog. And convincing me the time I invested into SAO 2 putting up with Shinon's Bum Online will pay off.
Will now watch:
Ping Pong
Those Animator Expo shorts
Shirabako
No Game No Life.
2015 is starting out kind of dry. Meh.
Thanks!
One of the worst anime you've ever seen (after two episodes)? Hyperbole much? The show had problems for sure (mostly writing and a character in particular) so I don't think saying it was a disappointment is a rare opinion but there's no universe in which that statement can be true even if you started watching anime this past year (*cough Aldnoah Zero cough*).
Aside from being another hyperbolic statement (if its fanservice that bothers you how in the world is Kill la Kill on your list and Parasyte treats its female characters WAY worse than anything Dandy did), Space Dandy is an anthology series so no one episode is representative of the entire series. There are plenty of episodes without a trace of that sort of humor if it ain't your jam. Try watching episode 21 and come back and see if you comeback with that same opinion (there a ton of other excellent episodes but that was one of the standouts in particular).
FO-totality
Poet Centuriate
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
lmfao
FlutterPuffs
Member
Ayyy lmao. Read that space dandy hate and scrolled up quick to see if I hallucinated seeing KLK in his/her top.
J
Jotamide
Unconfirmed Member
- Hunter X Hunter
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
- Kill La Kill
- Knights of Sidonia
- Akame Ga Kill
FO-totality
Poet Centuriate
Read the OP again; we're doing series and OVAs/Movies in separate categories.
1. Hunter x Hunter - Conclusion to the CA arc and the whole Election arc during 2014, so damn good.
2. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders - ORAORAORAORAORA
3. Hajime no Ippo: Rising - Not as good as previous seasons (the fault is in the manga itself thoug), but it still fucking Ippo
Yeah, despite all the problem.. I love all of those son of bitches ;___;
The character growing on you after seeing their struggle and all that jazz, its an road to became alpha yo.
OccamsBlender
Member
Are there any decent female characters in Space Dandy?
Certainly not in the first episode.
Are there in KLK? Yes. Mako is awesome. Does KLK bleed that fan servicey crap all over the place? Yeah..still trying to clean it off the screen a year later. Couldn't the people at Space Dandy's production committee at least try? I guess a female on board the Aloha Oe would totally cramp their style.
FO-totality
Poet Centuriate
Yeah, you definitely need to watch the rest of the series or at least some select episodes before you make that call. That first episode was not even close to the best out there and I largely saw it as animation showcase of what to expect from them, while also setting up the character's and the setting that will be built upon. Space Dandy in particular, can't be judged by one episode; the style, tone, and writing from one episode to the next just vary too wildly.
While there aren't any permanent female crew, there are several awesome female supporting cast members and recurring members that get serious spot light and are pretty well written. I'm thinking of Scarlett in particular. Honey too, though she's a bit of thinner character. And there are quite of one episode female characters that feature very prominently in the plot lines for those episodes, most of them pretty well done too. You can argue, yeah, they could've had a female crew member, but I'd argue (unless it was handled exceptionally well) it would be going against the dumb, goofy bachelor troop that was their crew. Dandy and Meow in particular are often portrayed as stupid, sexual-driven morons; I don't think they didn't add a female crew member because they were sexist, I think they formed the crew the way they did to highlight the idea that 'Hey, see these guys? Yeah they have their good moments, but they're still horny idiots.' That's why Scarlett was who she was: often a harsh dose of reality and seriousness as the straight character against their stupid ways. She could've been the fourth crew member anyways, but I was happy with how they positioned her to best interact with the crew. It's not like they portray Dandy, Meow, or QT in constant positive light; aside from a few moments where they show their more considerate sides, they're almost always shown purposefully as dumb, goofy characters.
The point I was trying to make is you say "I'm sick and tired of putting up with lame sexist bullshit because other aspects of a show are entertaining" yet at the same time love KLK by putting up with all its issues. So KLK gets a pass from all the stuff it pulled because the leads were female? Hell, Space Dandy had less fanservice than KLK by several factors of magnitude anyways.
OccamsBlender
Member
The main reason I love KLK for is by far, the soundtrack. Soundtrack isn't fan service-y or sexist. Second, Mako. The episode with Mako becoming a club leader and moving up the ranks was my favorite episode. The stupidity with clothing is fairly equal opportunity towards the end.
Honey didn't come across as having anything to her or hinting at any semblance of potential. Cowboy Bebop certainly did goofy and dumb at times without the sexual immaturity. Especially since the smartest member of the Bebop is a dog.
Most of the die hard Space Dandy fans I know agree that the first episode is crap and they insist I need to watch it from episode 3.
There are series that have really gotten off on the wrong foot. The first 30 seconds of Last Exile Fam were super eye roll inducing. Man, there could be a whole thread on series that just get off on the wrong foot.
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