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[Articalys]

Well, we all survived the end of the world; no Third Impact or DBZ supervillain threatening to blow up the planet or death by entropy or anything like that.
What better way to celebrate than by voting for your favorite anime from the past year!

NeoGAF 2012 Anime of the Year

Rules

• You can vote for up to ten anime. If your list is not clearly ranked it will be assumed to be ordered #1, #2, #3, etc.
  
• You can include as many honorable mention choices as you like; just list them as HMs after your main list.
  
• Short thoughts on your choices are not required, but are highly encouraged for discussion and a more descriptive results list.
  
• Scoring will be the same as last year: your #1 choice gets 10 points, your #2 choice gets 9 pts, and so on down to 1 point for #10.
  
• To qualify, TV shows must have premiered new episodes in 2012, and films must have first been released on BD/DVD in 2012, even if their theater release was earlier.
  
• You can edit your choices any time before the deadline.
  
• Below is a substantial though by no means comprehensive list of eligible anime. If you think something should be added to it, shoot me a PM.
  
• The deadline for voting is 11:59 pm PST on January 29, 2013. Any posts or edits timestamped later than this will not be valid.

An ideal vote format would be:

1) Anime A ; comments
2) Anime B ; comments
3) Anime C ; comments
4) Anime D ; comments
5) Anime E ; comments
6) Anime F ; comments
7) Anime G ; comments
8) Anime H ; comments
9) Anime I ; comments
10) Anime J ; comments

(borrowed from the other "X of the year" threads)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

LIST OF 2012 ANIME (subject to additions/corrections)
(recent additions/corrections in the past 24 hours will be bolded)

.hack//The Movie
A Letter to Momo
Accel World
Acchi Kocchi
Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero
Aikatsu!
AKB0048
Amagami SS+
Ano Natsu de Matteru
Another
Aoi Sekai no Chuushin de
Aquarion Evol
Arashi no Yoru ni: Himitsu no Tomodachi
Baku Tech! Bakugan
Bakuman. 2
Bakuman. 3
Battle Spirits: Sword Eyes
Beelzebub
Berserk Golden Age Arc I
Binbougami ga!
Black Rock Shooter
Bleach
Bodacious Space Pirates
Brave 10
BTOOOM!
Busou Shinki
BUTA
Campione!
Cardfight!! Vanguard: Asia Circuit Hen
Chihayafuru
Chitose Get You!!
Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!
CODE:BREAKER
Daily Lives of High School Boys
Danball Senki W
Dog Days'
Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
Eureka Seven AO
Fate/Zero 2nd Season
Folktales from Japan
From Up on Poppy Hill
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos
Gakkatsu!
Ginga e Kickoff!!
Gintama'
Girls und Panzer
Gokujyo.
Guilty Crown
Gundam AGE
Gundam UC 5
Haitai Nanafa
Hakuouki: Reimeiroku
Hayate no Gotoku! Can't Take My Eyes Off You
HELLS
Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb
High School DxD
Hiiro no Kakera
Hiiro no Kakera Season 2
Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere II
Hotarubi no Mori e
Humanity has Declined
Hunter x Hunter
Hyouka
Imaginary Abyss
Inazuma Eleven Go 2: Chrono Stone
Initial D 5th Stage
Inu x Boku SS
Ixion Saga: Dimension Transfer
Jewelpet Kira Deco!
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Jormungand
Jormungand: Perfect Order
Joshiraku
Kamisama Kiss
Kids on the Slope
Kill Me Baby
Kimi to Boku. 2
Kingdom
Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate
Koi-ken!
Kokoro Connect
K-On! Movie
Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? of the Dead
Kuroko's Basketball
Kuromajo-san ga Touru!!
Kyousogiga Dainidan
La storia della Arcana Famiglia
Last Exile: Fam the Silver Wing
Listen to Me, Girls, I’m Your Father!
Litchi Hikari Club
Little Busters!
Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna
Magi
Medaka Box
Medaka Box Abnormal
Metal Fight Beyblade Zero-G
Minori Scramble
Mirai Nikki
Monsuno
Moyashimon Returns
Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse
Mysterious Girlfriend X
Nakaimo - My Sister is Among Them!
Naruto SD: Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals
Naruto Shippuuden
Natsuiro Kiseki
Natsume Yuujinchou Shi
Natsuyuki Rendezvous
Nekmonogatari Black
Nisemonogatari
Nyaruko-san: Another Crawling Chaos
One Piece
One Piece: Episode of Nami
Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne!
Ozma
Persona 4 the Animation
Phi Brain: Puzzle of God
Phi Brain: Puzzle of God Season 2
Pokémon: Black and White Season 2
Polar Bear Café
Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki
Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future
Psycho-Pass
Queen's Blade: Rebellion
Recorder to Randsell
Recorder to Randsell Second Season
Rinne no Lagrange
Rinne no Lagrange Season 2
Robotics;Notes
Saint Seiya Omega
Saki: Achiga-hen episode of side-A
Sankarea
Seitokai no Ichizon 2
Sengoku Collection
Senhime Zesshou Symphogear
Shakugan no Shana III Final
Shiba Inuko-san
Shin Sekai Yori
Shining Hearts: Shiawase no Pan
Smile Precure!
So, I Can't Play H!
Space Battleship Yamato 2199
Space Brothers
Strike Witches Movie
Sukitte Ii na yo.
Sword Art Online
Tanken Driland
Tantei Opera Milky Holmes Dai-2-Maku
Tari Tari
Teekyuu
The Ambition of Oda Nobuna
The Knight in the Area
The New Prince of Tennis
The Pet Girl of Sakurasou
Thermae Romae
To Love-Ru: Darkness
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun
Tsuritama
Upotte!!
Utakoi
Wasurenagumo
Yurumates 3D
Yurumates 3D Plus
Yuru Yuri ♪♪
Zero no Tsukaima F
Zetman
Zetsuen no Tempest

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Places to catch up on shows you may have missed (regional availability may vary):

http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime
http://www.funimation.com/videos/simulcast
http://www.hulu.com/anime
http://www.vizanime.com/

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TL;DR VERSION

- vote for up to 10 anime
- eligible: TV shows with new episodes in 2012, movies with first BD/DVD release in 2012
- points: #1=10pts, #2=9pts, ..., #10=1pt
- deadline is Jan. 29, 2013, 11:59pm PST

Any other questions, feel free to ask in the thread or PM me.

Last year's voting thread and results thread.

Happy New Year everyone!

 

[Ryuukan]

1. Gintama' ; best shounen ever
2. Accel World ; 2nd best shounen ever of the year
3. Sword Art Online ; imouto of the year
4. Code:Breaker ; fruits basket shounen
5. Binbougami ga! ; more best from sungods
6. Hyouka ; over the top mystery for mundane nonsense
7. Chihayafuru ; Shoujonen sports
8. Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! ; the other good kyoani show
9. Kids on the Slope ; please watch even if you don't like jazz
10. Ano Natsu de Matteru ; best romantic comedy

x. BTOOOM! ; it was ok
x. Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica ; best seinen MC
x. Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere II ; very funny, sungods etc
x. K-On the Movie ; Azucat
x. Persona 4: Animation ; longest game omake ever


Shows I have not watched yet but am interested in:
Fate Zero
Girls und Panzer
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Bodacious Space Pirates

 

[Kurtofan]

1) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
2) Beelzebub

 

[NewFresh]

Probably not going to have a top ten, but will make a list regardless. Thanks for the thread Articalys.

I will edit it into this post.

 

[ponpo]

1) Fate/Zero S2 ; I like Type Moon.
2) Kids on the Slope ; Ricchan.
3) Girls Und Panzer ; Fun.
4) Rinne no Lagrange S2 ; Try Unite.
5) From Up on Poppy Hill

 

[Ultimadrago]

2012 Top 10

1. Fate/Zero Season 2 - The action, most of the conversations and the characters were made successfully engaging. This experience went much better than I imagined. Characters like Rider and Kirei only made various interactions and developments greater. The conclusion isn't the most satisfying to be found in the medium (by a stretch), but the events and character interactions preceding it made everything the experience had to offer worthwhile. There's not a single new show from 2012 that delivered more.

2. Tsuritama - A show revolving around young teenage boys and fishing. I was skeptical about this series going in and, in fact, wasn't too fond of the characters immediately. However, the cast became more enjoyable and their interactions more entertaining to watch. The colors are vibrant and appropriately code situations and characters as well. It is one of the most tightly-wrapped shows of 2012 and I am pleased having watched it.

3. Girls und Panzer - This show about girls in tanks is very fun. The characters are a joy to watch to watch as the music is to bask in. It's good at what it does and presents high school girls and the passion of a hobby in a way you probably haven't been familiarized with. It came out of left field for me in 2012 and up to now has left one of the strongest impressions as a new series from that year.

4. Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb - My relaxation anime of the year. The Hidamari Sketch series is the only consistent value I find in SHAFT as an animation studio. As expected from them, it doesn't have impressive animation (consistently) and comes with a direction that works great for the material most of the time only to fall flat in others. The characters are what bring life to the series. If you've gotten up to this fourth season, you know them all quite well. Yet, if you haven't, they are simple girls living largely simple lives while keeping a smile on my face. Hidamari Sketch functions in a charming, delightful fashion that works wonderfully.

5. One Piece: Episode of Nami - This is a revisiting of the Arlong Park arc. Not only is its pacing superior to its television counterpart, but works its background more effectively as well (Nami's to be specific). There is also some neat animation for a portion of the fight sequences spanning the concluding third of the special. The weak point of this film is the less-than-stellar facial visuals that tend to crop up in Toei Animation's works return here occasionally. It's mostly an issue for background characters, but a couple of focused characters get the punishment too and it simply isn't warranted for a work that should have been more polished all around. Nonetheless, it is an effective working of a story that I thought I had long finished watching.

6. Yurumates 3D - This is the best show about NEETs I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It's a set of shorts based on a Yurume Aida and her apartment neighbors (who are all effectively "losers" as far as society is concerned). It is a comedy, but the collection of simple character interactions pays it off wonderfully. 2012 didn't have many good comedies come along. In terms of growing me accustomed to the cast positively (an impressive trait of Gintama for the most part), Yurumates has some of the more enjoyable groups around. It's small, amusing and no one annoys me. I won't promise that you'll burst out laughing, but it's one of the best casts I've been introduced to in anime comedy ever, much moreso 2012. Additionally, the show creates the same desirable atmosphere that great comedies are made of.

7. Chihayafuru - A team of young people trying to slap cards off the floor faster than other teams of young people. It all, surprisingly, warmed up to me. The characters were mildly amusing to watch as well. What constantly had the chance to devolve into an awful full-blown love triangle story, thankfully, never did. It played its parts, but rarely overwhelmed the plot. That said, some of the latter matches go on for far too long and make the flow occasionally stale.

8. Hyouka - Kyoto Animation makes a festival arc to conquer all festival arcs.

9. Code: Breaker - Aku.

10. Mysterious Girlfriend X - I never quite got used to the "saliva swallowing" thing, but it was a rather consistent and occasionally charming story. It's also quite perverted, but sporting a more "classy" tone than most anime you've probably watched that revolve around sexual desire.​

 

[cajunator]

1. Chihayafuru - shit I forgot this partly aired in 2012. So much this! another show that left me feeling upbeat and inspired. Beautiful music too.
2. Space Brothers/Uchuu Kyoudai - I love me some Space. This show is very inspirational and uplifting.
3. JoJo - Because its manly as fuck and super awesome, and the characters are named after Classic rock bands.
4. Hidamari sketch Honeycomb - WIDEFACE IS YOUR GOD.
5. Fate Zero - I spent nearly 800 bucks on this series and have no regrets. Amazing.
6. Tsuritama - fishing and aliens? a watercolor art style? The most moe grandma ever? More of this please!
7. Tonari no Kaibutsu Kun - a great little shoujo. Lots of fun. Natsume is so hnnngh.
8. Chuunibyo - This show is ADORABLE but it was really rushed and clumsy. But still, everyone in the show is super cute.
9. Hyouka - Not enough Misaki in it. Still a great show once you slog through the first half.
10. Tari Tari - Im not super infatuated with this show, but its Glee in anime form and has Sawa and THAT HAT. I had to put it on my list.
11. Bodacious space Pirates - hard sci fi, cute characters, Space Piracy, Chiaki Omigawa, and Kana Hanazawa. Masterful mix.
12. Accel World - Runner up. Kuroyukihime and Sky Raker are amazing but this show has a lot of issues. Its way better than Kawahara's other shitstain of a series.

....

DEAD LAST PLACE - Sword Art Online.

 

[injurai]

1. SAO
...
...

 

[Theonik]

1) Fate/Zero 2nd Season ; Okeanos
2) Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
3) Yuru Yuri S2
4) Girls Und Panzer
5) K-ON!: The movie
Will edit as needed.

 

[R_thanatos]

Here is my top 10 list for 2012.
1) Horizon in the middle of Nowhere 2 ;

Very hard choice. But IMO a worthy first place.
Horizon has :
- a intresting world
- a giant cast of unique characters
- a freaking awesome music
- a very good pacing
- superb animation
- excellent ground fights
- excellent aerial fights
- excellent ship battles.

I cannot wait for seeing Season 3

2) Bodacious Space Pirates ;

Bodacious space pirates starts slow. Some might say too slow. Except that i enjoyed those moments of world building because the world it had to offer and the various rules they had to follow where intresting.
The attention to detail to make this serie as SF as they could while keeping the "schoolgirl setting" in place was a nice concept that provided some unique moments.
Marika (the MC) is smart , is able to take her decisions and stick with them and is not afraid of the unknow.This is a big plus. The cast aside her is equally intresting both on the ship than in the club room and they provide ample moments to just have fun.

Oh yeah there is an awesome yuri couple too.
well to be fair there are plenty of yuri pairing in this anime.
Still It's was a great fun and it got 2nd place easily.

3) Dogs days' ;

i enjoyed dog days a great deal and the second season came with great hopes and fears that they would lose what made the first season so great . To my surprise they improved everything , from the fights to the graphics and effects and animation. They also provided everyone a nice boost in power and didn't forget to advance the plot a little and included a bit of comedy.
Let's a "let's have fun" adventure ..it work even better than before ..a well deserved 3rd place.

4) Yuru Yuri ;

Comedy , subtle yuri , TOSHINO KYOKO , AKARIN and stuff
Nothing has changed.
But the comedy still works and the cast is slowly expanding.
It's good comedy , it's nice yuri. It might be repetitive but i don't mind.

5) Sword art Online ;

I have NO IDEA why this anime is so disliked on #animeGaf.
It's not the greatest story ever..and it never wanted to be one.
For me SAO has a intresting world, intresting mecanics.
And a good cast of characters. The second part is the weakest of the 2, no doubt , not because of the suzuha part but because of the fact that they couldn't ( because of the time ) expand on the game mecanics for the second world better.
i have no reason to hate an anime that does plenty of things right because some dislike an aspect of this anime that didn't even happen in the first place.
A well deserved 5th place

6) Joshiraku ;

Joshiraku is the perfect low cost comedy.
Still this anime was funny, was well presented and didn't take himself seriously.
the middle "original" parts were intresting because of their takes on actual spots in japan and it was a blast to watch especially since they used those for expanded character develloppement.
Special mention for the Ending theme.

7) Daily lives of high school boys ;

Despite the name , i started this anime without knowing much about it and i'm pretty sure i was laughing right from the start.
It's good comedy , it' s awesome comedy. and there is not much to add.
I'd take a second season without any problem

8) HUNTER X HUNTER (2011);

While i acknowledge that this remake is superior IMO , overall to the first anime ( better pacing , better effects , better overall animation. it couldn't reach higher in my list because it's a story i know almost perfectly.
The york shin arc is still legendary and this new anime did justice to the material when it mattered and for that i'm glad.
Can't wait to see greed island and chimera arc animated.

9) Binbogami ga ! ;

Another comedy in this list. Binbogami ga ! works in term of comedy and also works in terms of drama. It doesn't take itself serously , has a funny casting of characters and an awesome ending song. i laughed a lot and i hope for a second season.

10) Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle ;

There was this anime that i didn't have on my radar ..this anime had a veyr natural character chemistry and a original setting with trap and challenges based on puzzles .. this is phi brain , an anime that had a cool plot , intresting locales and setting and overall occuped my sundays weekly during the year. Then it easily went into my top 10
-------------

Honorables mentions:
x)Medaka box abnormal;
Good fights , nice animation , excellent setting , not enough episodes , need for S3 .

x)Hyouka;
Excellent display of school life, superb animation , just intresting to follow , while hollow in some parts wasn't bored even during the smallest mysteries i got.

x)Humanity has Declined
Could have been in the top 10 if they had a more cohesive setting. There were some trully brillant episodes and some clearly less intresting. it's intresting on his own , but it doesn't show you that properly.

x)Persona 4 the Animation
A mention because it managed to adapt properly a videogame plot ,without crashing into a wall or turning into a mess. It's an excellent adaptation but on his own P4 is not that great as a anime even if they did have the right production values.

x)Accel world
Excellent fights , intresting world , great characters..want S2

 

[ponpo]

Edit: Sorry double post.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

I enjoyed many shows and movies this year, probably over 10 if I reflected on them. I narrowed it down to 5 shows that I consider very good to outstanding. I recommend you check them all out (no moe or pandering that you will find offensive in any of them)

1- Hyouka

A show about 4 characters interacting with each other throughout high school.

-The best production values I have seen in a TV anime
-Great art
-Wonderful character development
-Very unwinding show that is relaxing to watch
-Great music

2- Fate/Zero 2nd Season

It's just amazing. Watch it!

One of my favourite OST's in any anime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOzJPRNXt7s

3- Tsuritama

A lovely tale of friendship and about a character emerging from his shell.

-The show had excellent character development that made you actually care about the cast.
-Unique and eye catching animation and artistic style.
-A lovely OST
-A great conclusion that left you satisfied and with a smile on your face

4- Shin Sekai Yori/From the new World

A captivating and suspenseful story of a much changed world which is filled with questions

-A mystery/horror anime set in a world filled with mysteries and suspense
-Some wonderful direction in the opening and more recent episodes really sucks you right in to the world
-Good to outstanding production values found in most episodes with lovely art
-Relatable characters as the viewer is just as unaware of the truth as the cast
-Some standout tracks in the OST


5- Chihayafuru

This show had a bit of everything.

-Big and very enjoyable cast, I liked all of the characters
-Slice of life, romance, drama elements and comedy elements
-Was also very unique due to the karata focus
-Very nice music

Bring on season 2!

 

[Envelope]

WIP

Humanity Has Declined
Smile Precure
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Girls Und Panzer
Code:Breaker
Ginga E Kickoff!
Space Brothers
Nisemonogatari
Ano Natsu
FMA star of milos

 

[Noirulus]

1. Space Brothers

This show is simply incredible. I'm not sure how it manages to do it, but perhaps thanks to the monstrous cast of great characters, the show just gets better each subsequent arc. Mutta has so many facets to his personality that it is a total treat to watch him interact with others, share his internal monologues, or reveal more of his past. Easily my favorite anime of the year.

2. Hyouka

A visually spectacular slice-of-life show that captures your heart with fun, interesting characters. The story could have been better, but the direction, animation, writing and a myriad of other qualities were more than enough to have this near the top of my list.

3. Daily Lives of High School Boys

There are so many moments where you just can't contain your laughter. A hilarious comedy that delivers episode after episode. I'm really hoping we'll get a second season soon.

4. Ginga e Kickoff!!
5. Sakamichi no Apollon
6. Listen to Me, Girls, I’m Your Father! - This was good, and deserves a fair try :|
7. Ano Natsu de Matteru

Disappointment of the year: Chuunibyou demo koi ga shitai! - Starts off swell, but devolves into an unengaging drama half-way through that leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth.
Terribad anime of the year: Sword Art Online
2Lewd anime of the year : Nisemonogatari

I really haven't watched much at all this year, I'd have enjoyed a lot of other stuff like Jinrui if I wasn't a total slacker.

 

[Negator]

1. Fate/Zero 2nd Season
2. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
3. Smile Precure!
4. One Piece
5. Space Brothers
6. Binbougami ga!
7. Saki: Achiga-hen episode of side-A
8. Aquarion EVOL
9. Bodacious Space Pirates
10. Daily Lives of High School Boys

 

[Hero]

1. Sword Art Online
2. Muv Luv Alternative Total Eclipse

 

[darkside31337]

1) Fate/Zero 2nd Season
2) Chuunibyou demo koi ga Shitai!
3) Natsume Yuujinchou Shi
4) Psycho-Pass
5) Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
6) Binbougami ga!
7) Yuru Yuri
8) Kokoro Connect
9) Smile Precure
10) Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

 

[The Grim Heaper]

I'll add more later but I know that...

#1. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Easily one of my favorite shows ever.

 

[BGBW]

BGBW's Top 10 Anime of the Year
A.K.A. The Only List You Can Trust

10. YuruYuri♪♪

You probably saw this at the top and thought, "oh how typical of the unofficial King of YuruYuri, to have this as his number one show", but then you take a gander to the side and realise this is a countdown so it's actually at number 10. "What gives?" you ask the air because I can't actually hear you, well it's a second series so I wanted to give the newer shows a chance. I'm all about spreading the love and that's why I'm the unofficial King.

9. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

You're probably thinking, "BGBW you heretic, why is this great work so low? I mean it features British dudes being fabulous, isn't that what you've always wanted?". And I'd say, well I've already read the manga so I knew what to expect and I feel it's unfair on other shows to rate this highly because of the source material. Also I have an even more fabulous ensemble of Brits at number two. And that's not to mention the fabulous school trip features in The K-On Movie and the fabulous Brit tits featured in Upotte. Quite a year for Brits in anime. So unfortunately for JoJo I will take into account its cheap looks.

8. Chihayafuru

Unfortunately I watched this over a year ago since it started in 2011 and finished early 2012, but I said in last year's vote I'd make sure to vote for this. So while it isn't fresh in my mind I do know I liked it and I did promise my past self it would be here so here it is.

7. Humanity has Declined

One of the best female character and a interesting take of the post apocalypse world. There are a few flat episodes in the middle which is why this is far down the list, but the great episodes are GREAT.

6. Bodacious Space Pirates

It had a slow start but by the end of it it was worth it. One certainly wouldn't mind returning to this universe and now that all the ground work has been laid out they can continue being bodacious.

5. Gakkatsu!

Wanted to include at least one short flash based gag show on the list. The other two I could have picked were Yurumates 3D and Poyopoyo. Yurumates is the 3rd "series" (I believe the previous two were technically OVAs) so I'm continuing to spread the love to new shows and I haven't gotten round to finishing off Poyopoyo.

Also I liked the crazy ensemble of characters in Gakkatsu. Better than 90% of anime classrooms I've seen.

4. Polar Bear Café

Considering the protagonist of this show pissed me off more than Kirito you'd think I'd hate this show and yet it somehow works. Of course it helps that all the other characters are so likeable and that Panda's faults are not brushed off to one side but often the focus of great scrutiny. This show is chill. Want to chill for 20+ minutes? Just watch this. Also some of the visually best EDs and OPs all year and considering the number of them it really does put almost all the other shows to shame.

3. Space Brothers

Won't win any awards for looks, but who cares when the characters are compelling and the story in great. Some may say it drags on a bit but those people are silly about probably wrote the book of pacing that SOA followed.

2. AKB0048

Now this is entertainment. Will leave hearts in your eyes.

1. Kill Me Baby

Since this is presented as a comedy show you will probably be just in asking me how much I laughed. I could probably say never. However everytime I watched an episode I came away knowing what I just watched was enjoyable and it left a smile on my face. Sometimes that is all you want. It also shows what is possible with clever budgeting skills since the whole thing was produced with a bit of string and packet of sherbet lemons. Finally it was home to the Best OP and ED of the year.

And finally a word on Sword Art Online because that is what is expected of me.
Sword Art Online is like a summer blockbuster of anime. You sit down, switch off your brain and enjoy the ride. Unfortunately they made the protagonist a Gary Stu in a climate where we like broken heroes. Its also got more holes in it than Yukiho's swiss cheese. Maybe in the 60s with James Bond a perfect hero this would have worked, but even so, James Bond was suave and British and Kirito is neither. Basically he has no place in time and they chose our unfortunate generation to be lumbered with him. The only good thing about the show was the weekly Q&A sessions. If you are late to the party you'll never experience this so don't bother. If you pop along and say "Hey guys, I've just watched Sword Art Online episode 1, why don't they just enter the Konami Code and beat the game instantly?" no one will answer you because no one wants to talk about this show ever again.

If you are wondering why people are complaining about my post, that is because this post was edited. To see what they were complaining about click [post=46013206]here[/post].

EDIT: Original I had Girls Und Panzer at number 4. However I realised I forgotten Humanity has Declined. Since GuP hasn't finished I'm moving that vote to 2013.

Originally I said about it:
Girls and tanks. You know that's a winning combination. Also home to the biggest mind blow from the get go. Everyone is surprised by the end of episode one. EVERYONE. Probably a bit of freshness bias but unlike most of the other school based shows you never felt the school life was getting in the way.

 

[dakkumauji]

1. Gintama'

The sequel show of forever. Contains the best mix of comedy, drama, action and pretty much everything in between to make this one of the best shows I have seen. This show is pretty much the most memorable show of last year and I'm just pleased that it is still going.

2. Hyouka

The best looking anime of the year. Beautiful visuals in every episode, the attention to detail is just amazing. It works for this sort of story of a classics club that solves mysteries on the side.

3. Kyousogiga OVAs

Visually stunning. Each episode had a strong focus and a story to tell which brought the crazy world to life.

4. Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere II

Sequel show of the summer. Continuing with the insane plot in the most complex world with the ripped from BlazBlue characters and all the amazing action behind it. A crazy ride for sure.

5. Tsuritama

Another amazing visual show. A simple story about a boy discovering fishing but is backed up by a colorful world and colorful characters.

6. Kuroko no Basket

Basketball has never looked this great. Great characters, good use of comedy, it looks extremely good as well. My favorite sports anime of the year.
The rest will follow.

7. Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki

A basketful of cute every week for 5 minutes.

8. Humanity has Declined

Humanity is in decline and the world has never looked more colorful. The real star are the fairies that also inhibit this new world with their crazy antics just makes every episode enjoyable to watch.

9. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

One of the best shoujos of the season. The great cast helps makes this never going love story all the much more enjoyable.

10. CODE:BREAKER

One of more entertaining shounens of the year. The supporting cast makes this show over the more boring main lead and female character.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: (in no real order)

Daily Lives of High School Boys
Fun comedy, good gags.
K
Blue filter aside, this show became quite enjoyable to watch just to see the resolution of the story.
Joshiraku
Japanese puns and wordplays with cute girls doing cute things.
Tari Tari
Wien is the best character in this show.
Medaka Box Abnormal
Best upgrade from the first season ramping up the crazy and wackiness.
Persona 4 the Animation
Good adaptation of a great PS2 game.
Sengoku Collection
A good mix of stories featuring different genderbent Sengoku generals. Had great shining episodes intermixed leading to a new adventure every week.

 

[Haly]

1) Nisemonogatari ; SHAFT
2) Hyouka ; KyoAni
3) Nekomonogatari ; SHAFT
4) Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! ; KyoAni
5) Shin Sekai Yori ; Boys kissing
6) Daily Lives of High School Boys ; Boys being boys
7) Mysterious Girlfriend X ; Boy licking drool
8) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure ; I only watched two episodes dwi
9) Ano Natsu de Matteru ; Kanna tears
10) Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun ; Boys being friendzoned

EDIT: So I realized I forgot to include 8) leaving one spot open. And now that I finished Nekomonogatari, I can safely place it in my top 10.

Truly, this is unmei.

 

[Chet Rippo]

Movies count? That makes my number one spot easy.

1. K-ON! Movie ; K-ON! is my absolute favorite anime, so much so that I created a community thread just for it, and the movie was just as awesome! The music was awesome and it's just so much fun to see the characters again, especially Mio! Fun is fun!
2. Girls und Panzer ; A briliant sports show where we replace the sport with shooting each other with tanks! Sure, the premise seems silly, something I tend to like, but the show is really well paced and directed and each episode just keeps getting better and better! The music is fantastic too! PANZER VOR!
3. To Love-Ru: Darkness ; It's To Love-Ru, but with more smut. I don't think I have to go into any more detail than that.
4. Joshiraku ; This show is cute and crazy. It's about cute girls talking about the weirdest things and going off on tangents and beating each other up. Can be a little hard to get into, with it's use of a lot of Japanese culture references, but even outside of that, there's a lot of funny here to satisfy a filthy gaijin
5. Upotte!! ; This show is a lot like Girls und Panzer, but instead of Tanks, it's assault rifles. Though it's a little crazier with the fact that the girls are the personification of the guns themselves. A little pervy, but the times they actually get into gun fights is incredible.
6. Mysterious Girlfriend X ; This show was really weird, but so rewarding. Sure, it's basically about a guy who gets addicted to the taste of this girls spit, but it's such a great love story.
7. Regardless of My Adolescent Delusions of Grandeur, I Want a Date! ; A cute show about kids who live in their own little world. Puppy love with a little bit of drama towards the end, but overall, I liked the show.
8. The Ambitions of Oda Nobuna ; This show was a lot better than it ought to have been. The pace never let up, there was always something going on. Also jiggly breast armor.
9. Rinne no Lagrange ; A very well done mecha show with three lesbian pilots. 'Tis great shame they never sex each other up, but I guess I'll just take the skinny dipping in the ocean scene. ..huh? They're not actually lesbians? You could have fooled me.
10. Medaka Box ; I'm probably one of the few people who liked the first season. Medaka is the best. I haven't even caught up with the second season yet, I should get on that...

• HM Hagure Yuusha no Estetica ; This show would have been so awesome if it was animated better. Lesbian sex scene, wasted.
• HM Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankei Nai yo ne— AKA As long there is love I want to fuck my brother AKA Brotherfucker (“Oniai&#8221 ; lol

That should be it.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Regulus Tera's One and Only Official Anime List of Best Anime of 2012™ aka video games are for losers

1. Smile Precure! ;
   

   

   Ultimately, anime is an entertainment medium, and in the realm of fun I simply had no more fun than with Smile Precure. It feels hypocritical to put it as my number one spot when I acknowledge there were better shows in almost every aspect throughout the year, but what Smile did that no other cartoon could was remind me of why I bother with the industry in the first place. It's an excellent magical girl cartoon with a set formula going for every week, but what it does with that formula is varied enough to keep the concept fresh. I can watch the girls board a giant robot one day only to start playing Mario Kart with their hot-blooded enemies the other, and that's totally fine. Fun things are fun!
   ***
2. Space Brothers ;
   

   

   This story about two grown men (yes, they are not in high school anymore! Avant-garde !) and their aspirations of becoming astronauts became a quick favourite among AnimeGAF, and not only for its premise. Free from most anime trappings, SpaceBros presents a charming and realistic ensemble of people in their adult life aspiring to reach for very child-like ideals. It exudes an almost cynicism-free view of the world while using some of he traditional shounen concepts of hard work and optimism. While not a looker, SpaceBros will leave you satisfied if you ever had curiosity for what it was like to travel to the moon, or simply strive for something that you couldn't grasp in your adult life. The uplifting morale-boosting cartoon of the year.
   ***
3. Wasurenagumo ;
   

   

   It's difficult for me to talk about this one because of its nature. At twenty minutes and something, it is the shortest entry I will put in this list, and therefore I don't wanna give anything about it away. Suffice it to say that Wasurenagumo left me thinking a lot weeks after I had watched it, whereas I hadn't cared for any of the other Animator Training crap before it. It's a quick and excellent example of what animated drawings can do to age-old stories (in this case,
   Spoiler

   curiosity is bad mmkay
   ). Lavish visuals too. I would say that, from a story-telling standpoint, this was the best piece of anime I watched all year long. I suggest you at least look at this one out from my list even if you ignore everything else. Even its detractors (I'm looking at you, cajunator) would agree that it is among the most memorable pieces of anime they checked in 2012.
   ***
4. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure ;
   

   

   Remember when anime was, like, manly? You could tell because the characters had noses. None of this freakish points or small beads on their faces or in some cases no noses at all! Scientists all over the world agree that an anime's display of manliness is proportionally related to how long and noticeable the characters' noses in said anime are. And with all those pointy noses you can bet your fucking ham Jojo is as manly as it fucking gets. It's a freaking oasis of people breaking bones up in a desert of moé and kawaii and harem leads that apparently have no balls and therefore no desire of boning any of their haremettes. When people said anime had to be saved from this moépocalypse they were talking about this Messiah. No amount of stills instead of animation or awful colour palettes can stop our savior from his destiny. SONO CHI NO SA DAME
   ***
5. Polar Bear's Café ;
   

   

   If I had to call any one show this year comfort food, it would be Polar Bear's Café. A sitcom starring zoo animals in human life positions, it's difficult not to sit back and enjoy the inanity of the setting. From Panda's lazy loafing around to Polar Bear's stupid dumb Japanese puns and going through Penguin's love life problems, there is a little bit in the show that anyone can find endearing. It's not a high concept project, nor is it pleasing to look at all the time. It's, however, very charming, and you can be assured that you will find yourself thoroughly engaged with the real life problems these animals confront everyday through their non-Homo Sapiens lenses. Inoffensive? Definitely. Fun? Depends on how much mileage you can get of Llamas being ignored for the boring animals they are!
   ***
6. Kids on the Slope ;
   

   

   Shinichiro Watanabe's return to the industry is certainly not as stellar as his fans had hoped for, but I don't think it was because of a lack of trying. This story about teenage boys doing teenage things in the sixties (and sometimes even jazz!) could have been better had they allotted it a longer run-time. At... eleven episodes I think? There's a lot of jumping forward with the material that it does affect the character development, which is admittedly a huge concern since this is a character driven show. Even so, I think there's plenty to like about it: aside from one person, the entire cast is very likable and their interactions amusing, not to mention the quality craftsmanship that Watanabe's direction imbues the show. It's a pretty thing to look at, and the soundtrack (composed by Yoko Kanno, her of Cowboy Bebop fame!) alone should be enough of a reason for fans of the director to check it out.
   ***
7. Girls und Panzer ;
   

   

   It does what it says on the tin and it does it cheekily. Girls + Tanks = lots of fucking fun. It's more cute than riveting, but for someone who has watched far too many cute girls doing cute things cartoons you eventually realise this shit is like fucking heroin and you have to consume more and more and more until your brain is on total overdose because the fucking girls are eating tank-shaped pastries and it's so ridiculously cute and then they wear silly swimsuits when cleaning the tanks because why the fuck not they are using their tanks as bloody beyblades and then they take it so seriously but at the same time the entire premise sounds preposterous and I'm here typing run-on sentences because Yukarin's hairdo is adorable and I love it when she goes all fuwa fuwa on her head and then Miho screams PANZER VOR and I'm having a heart attack.
   ***
8. K-ON! Movie ;
   

   

   K-ON!! (notice the second exclamation mark) was the quintessential slice of life anime of the past few years. There's very little in the genre that said show didn't do in a way that was as virtually pander-free while maintaining the appeal of watching cute girls doing cute shit. The movie recognises all those aspects that made the cartoon popular and... well, repeats them ad nauseam for a ninety plus minute tour de force of moé. It's actually quite an unambitious project, if you ask me: unlike other shows gone theatrical, K-ON! the movie feels like it does nothing to adapt the material for the big screen. It's just an extended episode of the show with enough material to accommodate the larger screen time --and even that is not perfect, as there's a clear disconnect between each arc of the movie, giving it very little coherence. I'd say your enjoyment of this will be largely dependent on what you already think of the franchise.
   ***
9. Code:Breaker ;
   

   

   I believe this one crept up on AnimeGAF as the surprise hit of the Fall season! Silly pompous dialogue aside, Cinema Kitrus managed to transform a dull generic manga and transform it into one of the most entertaining shows of the year. Relatively high production values only lift the adaptation from the source material so much; it's the combination of the silly and serious aspects of the setting and a very smart use of music and leitmotif that make Code:Breaker much more enjoyable than it should really be. A story about secret cops with super powers that do the dirty business that other cops can't do had plenty of ways to go wrong. That it didn't is a commendable effort on its makers.
   ***
10. Natsuyuki Rendezvous ;
    

    

    People are often quick to demean anime as a medium for having a very limited scope: high school girls, boys, and everything shounen related is the one thing that most critics lump at the hobby. Regardless of whether that is true or not, Natsuyuki does offer something very seldom tackled by animation in general. A story about a college (!!) dude trying to bone a widow while being haunted by the ghost of her former husband is indeed a quite unique subject matter to tackle. The show is not without its flaws, as most would agree that it focuses on the fantastical aspects of the story for too long, but I do appreciate it when entertainment in general just gives me something different without introducing purposeless pandering crap here and there for sales' sake. It doesn't have the charm of SpaceBros, but it does have a mature handling of its main cast that anyone watching should be able to respect.

 

[massoluk]

Pretty meh year for anime for me.
I guess. SAO. That's about it. Unless Gundam Unicorn counts.

1. Sword Art Online
2. Aquarion Evol
3. Hunter X Hunter
4. Gundam UC 5

edit2: Ok... then.. Updated accordingly

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

1. Berserk Golden Age Arc I
2. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
3. Magi

Granted, I don't watch that much.

 

[Regulus Tera]

BGBW lololololol

 

[Grzi]

1) Fate/Zero 2

The first season was my favorite anime of 2011 and it's no surprise that this one tops my 2012 list. While Hyouka beats it from a technical standpoint on nearly every level (not by much though) the theme of this show is simply more up my alley. I like action, I like fantasy and I like well executed shows so this is as good as it gets for me. I should also mention the director, Ei Aoki, because he did an amazing job with this, I really hope more people will check out his other shows (Ga-Rei Zero and Wandering Son) based on the strength of his directing here.

2) Hyouka

While the beginning of this show could be described as boring or mundane by some, I'd argue that the meticulous execution of every aspect makes it feel more exciting than a lot of other shows. Of course, all of that doesn't matter after a couple of episodes and is quickly forgotten once the festival arc starts which is quite possibly my favorite run of anime episodes I had seen in years. The ending was superb too. Great stuff all in all, if I had to recommend one show from 2012 to someone who doesn't watch that much anime it would be this one.

3) Tsuritama

I loved everything Kenji Nakamura did prior to [C], so that show really left a bitter taste in my mouth. Luckily, the man redeemed himself with Tsuritama, a show that had to share a programming block with the series that marked the return of Shinichiro Watanabe and ended up being better than it. And it's a shounen show about fishing. What are the odds?

4) Hunter X Hunter 2011

The remake that was hated on at the start ended up being better than the beloved original. Who would expect that could happen after all the censorship issues at the start? I'm glad it did though, because I got to re-experience some amazing scenes again after quite some time, and there was a nice amount of sakuga, surprising for a show of this length. Madhouse showed there's still some talent in them, and with a chance of the Chimera Ant arc being animated this could very well become the definitive version of this story.

5) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Since I'm a huge fan of the manga this was a no-brainer. What's surprising is the fact that I enjoy this show so immensely and animation is usually a huge deal for me. Yeah, this show is extremely ugly, but the source material is just that good, plus it's obviously a labor of love. Great music too, and the voice acting is fantastic.

6) Sakamichi no Apollon

Shinichiro Watanabe returns with an incredibly rushed adaptation of a josei manga that still manages to be an emotional roller coaster with some very powerful scenes featuring an amazing soundtrack by Yoko Kanno. Watanabe still managed to make the show have a better than average pace despite the fact he had to squeeze in a huge amount of chapters in the few final episodes. Has the best opening of the year too.

7) Kuroko no Basuke

A big surprise for me, didn't expect to like it at all. I usually enjoy sports shounen shows, but this one seemed terribly generic at first, plus the fujoshi pandering. After a couple of episode though, I was hooked. It was well-paced, had nice production values and everything you would expect from a great sports shounen show. Incredibly addictive.

8) Code: Breaker

Another huge surprise comes from Kinema Citrus and Yasuhiro Irie, who turned a crappy generic manga into one of the most fun shows of the year. Incredible effects animation, great music that further helped establish that great 90's feeling and some very nice voice acting made this show a true contender, something I'd never expected when I saw the first trailer. In fact I'd probably laugh in your face if you told me I'd like this show then. Oh well, I'm glad that I was wrong in this case.

9) Fullmetal Alchemist: Sacred Star Of Milos

I'm s huge fan of the FMA franchise so it's only natural I'd like this one a lot. BONES showed there's still good stuff to expect from them with a film that could be described as a typical long running shounen side story but executed better than every other film that fits into that category not directed by Mamoru Hosoda. The animation was stellar, this could be the best animated anime of 2012.

10) Shinsekai Yori (From The New World)

The second unfinished show on my list, if the last two episodes of Girls und Panzer had aired it might have been here instead but oh well. This show, while having a couple of episodes with flawed execution, manages to bring out a sense of discomfort in me with its amazingly haunting atmosphere and great world building. The animation and direction is hit or miss, though when it's good it's really great, but the uniqueness of this show is enough for me to place it here. It might end up higher on my list next year.

Honorable mentions:

Girls und Panzer

I'd never expect to like a show about middle school girls piloting tanks, but yeah, here I am, enjoying the shit out of this one. Could also end up on next year's list.

Regardless of My Adolescent Delusions of Grandeur, I Want a Date!

Great show, almost made my top ten but the forced drama kind of ruined it for me. It was cool for an episode or two, but they really went overboard with it by the end. Still good though.

I'll add some more honorable mentions later, maybe some other categories, we'll see.

 

[Articalys]

We really should discuss if shows that didn't start or end in 2012 but we're being broadcast during the entire year are allowed here.
I'm talking about Hunter X Hunter specifically, and I vote yes, because 50 episodes of the show were aired this year which is more than last year. Or something like that.

That should be fine, since the qualification is simply to have aired new episodes, and an entire year's worth is well beyond that.

 

[LegatoB]

1. AKB0048 ; Shoji Kawamori puts a different -- and better -- spin on Japanese Pop Idols Save The Space. It has completely ludicrous melodrama played straight. It has songs about how haters help you find your true potential playing while characters express the same insights in dialog during a meet-and-greet turned firefight. It's got idols who rocket-punch the anti-entertainment shocktroopers. It's a good time.

2. Fate/Zero 2nd Season ; Gilgamesh x Kotomine is my OTP. Rider x Waver is fine, too.

3. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure ; A really low budget good time. Frankly looks bad half the time, but presentation carries it a long way.

4. Humanity has Declined ; Willing to go multiple episodes for a dumb pun, snarky without getting really obnoxious about it (usually).

5. Girls und Panzer ; Like AKB0048, it's completely committed to its stupid premise and charming as hell. More low-key and relaxing, with lower stakes.

6. Kids on the Slope ; Not the second coming, but a generally pretty solid coming-of-age drama with some great music.

7. Daily Lives of High School Boys ; I'm cheating, I haven't seen all of this, but the sketches I've seen are all SOLID GOLD.

8. Zetsuen no Tempest ; The players stubbornly refuse to stop wrecking the GM's carefully crafted scenario. I think there was a spearfight sometime, too.

9. Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna ; Special achievement in making the viewer actually glad that 90% of the show was retconned in the last five minutes.

10. Sword Art Online ; Consistently underwhelms, but boy does it know how to make a view laugh morbidly, with his head in his hands.

 

[Envelope]

Guess I'll reserve a spot on the first page. Although I can post the top three right away:

1) Fate/Zero 2
2) Hyouka
3) Tsuritama

We really should discuss if shows that didn't start or end in 2012 but we're being broadcast during the entire year are allowed here.
I'm talking about Hunter X Hunter specifically, and I vote yes, because 50 episodes of the show were aired this year which is more than last year. Or something like that.

To qualify, TV shows must have premiered new episodes in 2012

It helps to read the rules!

 

[ZetaEpyon]

As of now, I have seen just over 50% of that list (80)... what the hell is wrong with me?

Reserving space for voting after I watch a few more.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

 

[Clairvoyance]

1. Tsuritama: Great style and music to go along with a wonderfully directed story with likeable, well-developed characters. Made fishing somehow look FUN.
2. Gintama': Best comedy anime ever. It's ability to effortlessly balance humor and seriousness when necessary is a testament to the greatness of the show. The huge cast of weirdos is as loveable as ever and their antics never get tiresome.
3. Hyouka: Well written and amazingly beautiful visuals. Good characters with actual development. Set a standard for school culture festivals.
4. Kuroko no Basket: Basketball players with superpowers. Good cast of characters and just plain fun to watch. Made basketball somehow look FUN.
5. Daily Lives of High School Boys: Great comedy and an eerily accurate depiction of what my highschool years were like. Made student council somehow look like the BEST THING EVER.
6. Dusk Maiden of Amnesia: Slow start, but it payed off in the end. Quite literally the opposite of Sankarea. Voicework was top notch as well. Made ghost romance look like a better idea than zombie romance.
7. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun : A fun take on the shouju genre. Great characters...mostly. Has a chicken too. Also contains my two favorite voice performances of the year; Haru and Natsume. Sugita is the best by default so he doesn't count.
8. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Manliness.
9. Nekomonogatari: Black: Shaftiness.
10. Pyscho-Pass: Urobuchiness.

156. Swort Art Online: KIRITO-KUN!!!

 

[Memento_Mori15]

1)Hyouka
2) Daily life of High school boys
3)Mirai Nikki
4)Tonari
5)Sakurasou

Those are really in no particular order but I'll cast them in those order. I thought I watched more anime this year...

 

[jbug617]

1. Tsuritama- The art style stands out to me and with a great OP.
2. Kuroko no Basket- This was my most requested sequel from the shows I watched this year. It only gets better.
3. Kokoro Connect- The characters, the arc and the music made it a memorable for me. Too bad that this show will be more known for it's controversy
4. Kids on the Slope- The music and the animation stands out. I felt that the ending left a lot to be desired.
5. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!- Good show and makes a strong impression on you. You can argue that went too far with the drama at the end and should of paced it better.
6. Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate- School politics
7. The Knight in the Area- A decent story and I really like sports anime
8. Accel World- SAO and AW are very similar to me. They both start on a high note, the middle gets boring and ends on a high note. The difference is that the characters in AW are more likeable than SAO
9. The Ambition of Oda Nobuna- Harem show but kept my attention.
10. Acchi Kocchi- Just a cute show

Honorable Mention (these shows are still in progress is the reason why they didn't make my list).
The Pet Girl of Sakurasou- I just enjoy watching it.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure- I knew of the series but was not really familiar with the story. Show is over the top in a good way.
Girls Und Panzer- I want to include it but at the same time the season is not over yet.

 

[Grzi]

That should be fine, since the qualification is simply to have aired new episodes, and an entire year's worth is well beyond that.

Cool, cool

It helps to read the rules!

I skimmed through the list in the OP.

 

[Chet Rippo]

I'll add more later but I know that...

#1. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Easily one of my favorite shows ever.

The K-ON! Movie better be up there.

 

[ZetaEpyon]

Also, can stuff that gets added to the list be marked somehow? It looks like a couple were added, but scanning a list of 150+ items to figure out what isn't the easiest.

Edit: Awesome, thanks.

 

[cajunator]

Reserved. Tentative list for now looks something like this...

1. Kuroko no Basuke
2. Daily Lives of High School Boys
3. Tsuritama
4. Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
5. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun
6. Psycho-Pass
7. Hyouka
8. Nisemonogatari
9. Kokoro Connect
10. Binbougami ga!




149. Swort Art Online

I like the way you think.

 

[Moral Panic]

Reserved.

1) Chihayafuru ; I didn't go into Chihayafuru expecting to like it. It's an anime about a boring Japanese card game with a whole load of boring rules. So why the hell is it the best goddamn anime I've seen in years? The show manages to mix the best parts of Josei, namely the focus on relationships, with the action and high tension of a shounen battle anime. Good josei delivers a more realistic view of both the romantic and the platonic (especially compared to shounen and shoujo stuff), where the characters' interactions are a huge source of the material. Good battle manga have the tension that comes from having a competitive rival, the meeting of new and varied people to fight and the joy of watching a character grow in their skills. Chihayafuru had both and it combines them seamlessly.
It's incredible how every week I would rush to watch this show and how it never failed to give me an incredible feeling: that I was watching a masterpiece unfold before my eyes, a feeling I haven't truly experienced since Death Note. I don't think the show has a single "bad" episode, even the recap episode is incredibly funny with new material that was enjoyable to watch. It did occasionally fall into the flowery shoujo side in it's presentation of the main character Chihaya Ayase, but never to the point where I was annoyed or frustrated. The main character was a female so I guess they felt they had to give her some of those "desirable" traits that can sometimes feel like you are creating a doll rather than a character. People consistently complain about anime's portrayal of women and I fundamentally agree that certain parts in the industry need to step their game up seriously.
Thankfully Chihayafuru never falls anyway close to those things. Chihaya isn't a perfect doll, or an unbeatable Goku - she has faults (and not those trivial ones that Shoujo's give their mains to hide the fact that they are perfect) she learns and grows with the rest of the cast and is shown working damn hard to get to where she is (No Kirito's welcome here). Yet she still loses. And she still cries and wails and her own powerlessness against someone stronger, and wails at the unfairness of not being born with skill like a child prodigy. And the people around her face their own failings - they aren't an entourage: they have their own story, motivations, goals and lives. One of the best parts in the entire anime is the battle between two of the lower ability members of the main cast, their intense incredible showdown leaves you at the edge of your seat, and you feel like this matters, like the entire world has stopped to watch this incredible play because for the characters it does matter.
It's a simple card game, no forced artificial tension (no one is gonna die) yet you feel it is so incredibly important because this is a goddamn incredible anime.

 

[shintoki]

1) Tsuritama: Fantasy slice of life with a really enduring cast and good humor. Haru was awesome.

2) Fate/Zero: Amazing that you would be saying this after the horrible Fate/Stay, but that is what happened. Instead of a terrible male lead with his equally as bad harem of females. They introduce a cast that actually fit the universe. While introducing a new characters like Rider+Waver, best duo. <3

3) From the New World: Probably the best show of the year, but I found the mole-rat people a bit boring. Basically when its a mystery dealing with the village, its phenomenal. When it was dealing with the outside, not so much.

4) Daily Lives of High School Boys: Definitely in vain to Azumanga Daioh, bring in a large goofy cast and keep having them do silly antics. High School girls section was awesome too.

 

[Hellsing321]

Arrietty had its DVD release this year in NA. Does that mean it counts for voting?

-------------------------------

1) Space Brothers ; Nothing has given me such emotional highs this years as Space Bros has. Sure it can sometimes get bogged down in the minutia of what it actually takes to become an astronaut, but as someone who unabashedly loves space that stuff works for me. It also is some of the most uplifting television I've seen in years
2) Daily Lives of Highschool Boys ; What Nichijou should have been. Namely, consistently funny.
3) Kids on the Slope ; Based Watanabe makes his triumphant return! And with a fantastic score by Kanno to round out this fantastic period piece about people bonding through Jazz.
4) Moyashimon Returns ; More hijinks from the fantastic cast and this time in Paris! Whats not to love?
5) My Little Monster ; Great cast of characters. Great art design. Who would have thought making a RomCom actually funny would work so well?
6) Hyouka ; I did not enjoy Hyouka at the beginning at all so even I'm surprised that I turned such a corner on it in the end. The masterfully done festival arc and great character work in the second half managed to transform the show into something more than just a boring mystery show.
7) Fate/Zero Season 2 ; Oceanus is the beating of all our hearts ;_;
8) From the New World ; A slow burn in the beginning but the world building and sense of dread and intrigue that permeates every episode has keep me hooked so far.
9) Mysterious Girlfriend X ; A touching show about first love and dealing with the physicality of intimate relationships.
10) Kokoro Connect ; The melodrama is laid on thick here, but the story conceits and characters actually make me enjoy it in this.


Honorable Mentions
Chihayafuru: I put his on my list last year so I didn't feel like putting in again for the second cour, but its a great sports show about a very non-traditional "sport"
Tsuritama: The art design and style in this show is something else and its great to see Nakamura back to form after the disappointing [C]
Natsuyuki Rendezvous: This show dragged at the end but its core message of overcoming grief after loss and relationships really resonated with me.

The Firehawk award for worst anything ever! AKA The Hawkies&#8482;
Sword Art Online: Everything Firehawk has said about this show is accurate. And I don't think I can add anymore to the discussion.

 

[Crash Station]

Can I put my honorable mentions before my top 10, or would that be too annoying?

 

[HamPster PamPster]

I'm looking forward to the final result to see what I should check out next. I watched a few shows from this year but nothing grabbed me so I won't vote.

I would vote for Asura's Wrath if I could though. I don't care if it is a game, it's the best anime since S.Cry.Ed

 

[Envelope]

Can I put my honorable mentions before my top 10, or would that be too annoying?

Put them after, for sure.

 

[kayos90]

Reserved Post.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

All right, this is as good as it gets. No comments with these votes at this time, unless I suddenly decide to say something about each show. Which is doubtful.

1. Fate/zero S2
2. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!
3. Shin Sekai Yori
4. K-ON! Movie
5. Dusk Maiden of Amnesia
6. Robotics;Notes
7. Yuru Yuri &#9834;&#9834;
8. Dog Days' (Dash)
9. Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate
10. <no qualifying entry>

Not ranked:
Sword Art Online
Zero no Tsukaima F
Another

 

[DiGiKerot]

Until I completely change my mind (again) in an hours time...

1 ) Girls und Panzer - Not necessarily the best show of the year, but it's a great deal of fun and wonderfully free of anything particularly dull happening.

2 ) Humanity has Declined - Gloriously cynical and sarcastic. It tickles the core British center of my brain.

3 ) AKB0048 - Somehow Shoji Kawamori managed to make a show that simultaneous glamorises and takes the proverbial out of Japanese most successful idol group at the same time, and it is glorious. Episode 3 almost earns it a place on the list.

4 ) Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere II - It takes more effort to follow it's actual narrative than it's necessarily worth, but it's stupidly fun regardless. All the really silly thing about it, from it's over-engineered setting, it's crazy character designs (even Nate's insane hair, or the BOOBS) and the fact that they made Sir Francis Drake a lazer-spewing werewolf just serve to play into what I enjoy about it. Also, wonderfully eclectic OST and swell animation.

5 ) Jojo's Bizarre Adventure - I just love the audaciousness of how it pulls everything off.

6 ) Fate/Zero - I feel like I should hold the existence of Gyo against ufotable, so the fact that this charts at all is testament to it's quality. Also good to see a non-goofy show with an average character age over fourteen.

7 ) Tsuritama - I'm not actually sure how a show with a fairly annoying fellow amongst the leads which is also about an activity I find tedious is one of the best shows of the year. I'm sure being pretty accounts for at least half of it, though.

8 ) Sengoku Collection - At least half the episodes of this show are great in some way - be it displaying a surprising amount of emotional gravitas, or just being a stupid episode about grains of rice warring against wheat. That I didn't hate the other half of the series either helps, as does the oft-spectacular background art.

9) PoyoPoyo - Might just be the Akitaro Daichi fan in me talking, or at least causing me to cut it more slack that normal, but this is just about the only series of shorts I've ever gotten along with, and I'm not even a cat person.

10) Hyouka - I did have Bodacious Space Pirates here, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised I was rose-tinting the 2/3rds of the show I liked and was forgetting about some of the stuff I was less enamoured with. This is probably also a complaint that some would raise against Hyouka (though they may be a bit less generous with the percentages), but it's one of those shows where you get to the end of it and realise that, even with the stuff that initially seemed shallow or dull, the production staff actually knew what they were doing. It all kind of comes together in the end.

Bah, too many shows I enjoyed this year, I guess. Honourable mentions would probably double the size of my list, and I didn't even think I'd watched that much this year. Kind of don't like voting for incomplete shows, though, so I ruled a few out on those grounds for this years poll.

-edit- Bah at Wolf Children not being eligible. Would probably have voted for Letter to Momo, but I saw that 14 months ago at this point. Would have voted for iM@S, but figured it's a bit disingenuous to vote for a show which only had one episode broadcast this year, even if it did have ami_mami_machinegun.gif going for it. Really need to get around to more Shin Sekai Yori, but I feel it deserves watching on a day when I actually feel awake.

 

[Kazzy]

What's an anime?

Have I even watched 10? Uh-oh.

 

[jgminto]

1. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure ; MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA!MUDA! Just a fantastic show all round. With a great sense of style that continues to get more and more fabulous.

2. Robotics;Notes ; A show that feels like it's just about to pop. The next few episodes will really determine whether this can live up to or even overshadow Steins;Gate. But right now it's just a fun show about kids building a giant robot with something mysterious under the surface. And that's pretty cool. Except for Kaito, he's a massive douche.

3. Girls Und Panzer ; A complete surprise. How can something with such a ridiculous concept actually be good? And the tank battles are genuinely exciting, which surprised me more than anything. I'd definitely recommend people check this out, due to the absurdity of the concept alone.

4. Say "I love you" ; I wasn't really expecting much, it's not a genre I'm particularly interested in and I only started watching because it was so high on CrunchyRoll's page.

Spoiler

Although going by the anime above it, I probably shouldn't use that as an indicator of quality.

But it surprised me. It's got a lot of interesting and fun characters and watching Mei and Yamato's relationship develop through various trials was interesting, if a little contrived. Aside from the dud final episode which felt severely out of place and left the show without much of a conclusion, it was an enjoyable experience.

5. Medaka Box Abnormal ; I've actually only seen episode 12 of Medaka Box Abnormal. So that should tell you how strong that episode was. This episode could get on here alone for it's fantastic use of colour. The series itself doesn't really interest me, but if I were to deny this episode in a year when I've only recently started to watch modern anime, I'd...well, I don't know where I was going with that...but it's on here so it doesn't matter.


HM. Sword Art Online ; lol

 

[dimb]

Natsume Yuujinchou Shi

Oh, somehow I had completely glossed over this coming out during the year. Out of curiosity how do multiple seasons of the show work? Are projects with split cours really deserving of having their votes split, or does all the stuff get consolidated? I say this into relation of things like Jormungand.