Best titles;
Out of half of the titles I selected for best of the year, half are either continuations of current running titles or revisits on old franchises. Yet nothing really grabbed me like series found in past years with the exception of Itazura Na Kiss. There was nothing to compete with the powerful titles in recent years like Ergo Proxy, Noein, Welcome to the NHK, Heroic Age or Denno Coil.
Zoku Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei – With the Zetsubo Sensei franchise the second series, Zoku, was welcomed whole heartedly as a way for us to enjoy more insane comedy and cut throat social satire. Too bad there won’t be much is anything beyond the 2 episode OAV set.
Code Geass R2 – This follow up to the 2006/2007 series is the best thing that Clamp has done since the X movie. While the ‘realism’ become pretty far fetched compared to the original series and it seemed the reinvent its self continuously the series ended this venerable title well. The end to this series and anime is probably one of the best and most satisfying endings I have ever seen.
Soul Eater – This spunky and hip supernatural shonen adventure series creates some memorable characters while also making fun of its genre.
Casshern Sins – This revisit to the decades old Casshern franchise is beautiful and haunting while also paying homage to the classical animation style of the original. This series is better then anything else in this title and it would be cool to see them revisit the original story in this manor.
Nodame Cantabile Paris
Macross Frontier – 25 years after the launch of the SDF-1 this brand new full season TV show captures the spirit of Macross, both the amazing battles and the annoying pop idol singing. The series leads up to a disappointing ending but is so strong up until then that it is still enjoyable.
Itazura Na Kiss – This fast paced anime of an old romantic manga is warm and enjoyable, if too short lived. This series calls back to the old romantic comedy stylings of Maison Ikkoku and Kimagure Orange Road
Chi’s Sweet Home – This 2 min per episode short about the daily live of a stray kitten is endearing, funny and sweet. Made primarily for young children it is easily enjoyable for anyone who loves or lives with cats.
Worst Title;
There were plenty of horrible titles that I viewed in part through out this year, much of which was due to a lack of knowledge on many of the shows airing this year.
Persona – Game based horror super natural anime usually tend to be pretty crappy, this one was dry and uninventive to say the least. Where the game franchise is entertaining and enjoyable this ill thought anime was lifeless and throw away.
Yatterman – Not all classic series from your childhood need to be revisited, as this sloppy semi obscene super hero title originally from the 70’s proves. I’d rather watch a few episodes of the American dubbed Samurai Pizza Cats…and for some reason Takashi Mikee is making a live action of this…then again he also made Zebraman.
Bus Gamer – If you like pouty, hard ass loner bi-shonen you will love this pile of almost boy love from the mind that brought us Saiyuki.
Kamen no Maid Guy – If it wasn’t for the obnoxious and stupid ecchi this series might be entertaining, but when the plot line of an episode revolves around the main characters bust line I have to drawn the line between mildly entertaining crap and fucking garbage.
Amatsuki – This semi shonen-ai series about 2 kids from the future who get sucked into the past ala Ayakashi Ayashi, seemed entertaining in the least until I realized it was nothing new and followed annoying and blatant historical shonen tendencies.
Golgo 13 – Remaking a horrible title from the archives of anime greatness does not make for quality material, especially when it revels in everything that was wrong about the original. I can understand why Golgo 13 is in the pantheon of the original anime in America
Hidamari Sketch 360 – While this title isn’t bad, it annoyed the piss out of me and was too dry for my tastes. While I love a great 4 character female high school student comedy slice of life series, this one is too plain and flighty to get me to watch it. In fact I didn’t even watch this second season but added it to this list since I watched half of the first season.
Yozakura Quartet – There will never be a shortage of horrible supernatural shonen titles with animal eared bimbo’s…unfortunately.
Hokuto no Ken Rao Gaiden: Ten no Haoh (Fist of the North Star) – This revisit of the ages old shonen adventure series proves that people still don’t have taste as we once again visit the land of disproportioned muscle bound maniacs.
Akane Iro ni Somaru Saka – This anime based off of a semi popular erotic dating game once again proves that the only people who can enjoy these titles are the lone otaku who play the games they are based on.
Tales of the Abyss - This anime based off of a semi popular fantasy rpg once again proves that the only people who can enjoy these titles are the lone otaku who play the games they are based on.
Linebarrels of Iron – Is a cheap and stereotype filled attempt to reignite the shonen mecha flare that died out when Evangelion ended.
Kemeko Deluxe – This zany cyborg/mecha comedy might be entertaining to some degree if it wasn’t a shameless harem anime.
Skip Beat – Is an oddly drawn and super deform abusing shojo series that was entertaining until it turned to shonen trappings and caved in under the weight of its nonsensical foolishness and bi-shonen sparkle.
Macademi Wasshoi – This looks like it might have been a series to capture the energy and insanity of the venerable Dragon Half anime only to instead be a sad and perverted harem series filled with your worst case eroge examples; loli-con and incest.
Ga Rei Zero – This horrible series has no redeeming qualities, the only way anyone can enjoy this title is if they are venomous Michael Bay
Tytania – Is a dry and poorly drawn swashbuckler styled space opera.
Ok titles;
With the large amount of horrible titles both viewed and unviewed and the miniscule amount of great titles, there were still plenty of shows out there to take up my precious time.
Minami-ke – okawari – is the follow up to the original Minami-ke slice of life comedy. Where the first series was great, this series; by a different company; was only ok. The new production crew changed the style of the original series to be more episodic instead of sketch based.
Mission e – This anticipated follow up to the cool futuristic high school romance from last year, Code E was disappointing at best when it became a skin tight power suit super hero anime.
Blade of the Immortal – While this manga is one of my all time favorite titles, the anime did little more than make it move, plus with the advent of it being only 13 or so episodes long; while the manga is still running; is also depressing in the least. It’s good, but could have been better.
Toradora – This nice high school romantic comedy has memorable characters a new twist to an old idea but still isn’t anything to cancel dates over.
Hyakko – The newest in an increasingly long line of 4 cute funny high school girl’s slice of life comedies is fun and enjoyable. There have been better titles, but this is a fun ride and the characters are all entertaining.
Kannagi – While it bordered on harem, this funny slice of life, fish out of water type supernatural comedy series was nice and homey. The characters are agreeable and they kept from falling into many obvious genre traps.
Gundam 00 2 – Where the original series was entertaining, this second season reminds me that it is just a revamp of Gundam Wing. Every other episode was filled with hatred (from me) and unbearable emo anger (from the script). The only thing keeping me viewing it are the other episodes filled with destruction.
Stitch – This Japanese Stitch story was good enough, but not anywhere near as entertaining as its American counterpart…they tried to hard to clone the original.
To Aru Majutsu no index – I don’t like fantasy anime, I don’t like anime with magic users. This futuristic fantasy magic anime is actually entertaining and mildly original. It is mature and serious in much of its plot devices but is still held back by the genres trappings and oddly dressed characters.
Refused to even watch;
While this list is actually longer than what is physically presented here, these are the memorable ones.
Yes Precure 5 Go Go – While this is one of the most popular anime on TV in Japan
Tower of Druaga – While this is one of two series that began the great experiment to bring anime to English audiences at roughly the same time as the Japanese I still hate fantasy anime.
Slayers Revolution – Slayers ranks as one of my top hates in the world of anime.
Strike witches – A year after the teaser clip came out for this weird maho shojo military series I still refuse to watch it. I have this thing against magical girls with animal ears, even if they carry anti aircraft weapons.
Clannad After Story – Didn’t we just have a remake of this series last year?
Jigoku Shojo Mitsuganae - I have been a hater of this supernatural revenge series since the original incarnation. It needs to end.
Ef – tale of melodies – Didn’t we just have a remake of this series last year?
One Outs – After being tricked into watching all of Overdrive I refuse to get anywhere near a shonen sports series.
Vampire Knight – I have never been a fan the tortured yet beautiful vampire titles.
Birdy the Mighty Decode – This is just a vehicle for selling wonderfully detailed panty clad garage kits right? I mean people can’t seriously enjoy a frivolous super hero story right?
Need to watch;
On top of all of these there are a number of titles that I have watched little of and want to watch more or have not watched at all but want to watch.
Titles I need to watch more of - True Tears, Shigofumi, Kure-nai, Real Drive, Library War’s, Maho Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora, Kuroshitsuji, Kurozuka, Chaos Head, Michiko to Hatchin, and Shikabane Hime.
Titles I have yet to watch but want to; Telepathy Shojo Ran, Natsume Yujin Cho, Aria, Gag Manga Biyori 3 and Moryo no Hako.
In conclusion this year kind of sucked for anime. 2009 isn’t looking much better based on the first blush. There are a few bright spots, such as the third Minami-ke series and the new Full Metal Alchemist series. Yet in a world were more and more titles, thankfully most I don’t want to watch, becoming easily available to the English speaking audience in legal venues at close to the same time they are available for Japanese audiences the world of the fansubbers is changing. 2009 will be an interesting year for the fansub community and I will have to find a new venue for Naruto Shippuuden in order to maintain my weekly viewing with a small group of friends. People will still sub for the reason that not everyone agrees with how the American companies translate things and I guarantee that Full Metal Alchemist will be hard to sub quietly.
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