Best of Anime 2012

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on April 2nd, 2013

The Top 10 Anime of 2012 post is finally here! 2012 was a really great year for anime. I usually find myself struggling to pick series good enough to put on the list, but this year I find that I had way too much to put on it. It took a while to filter out some of them. There were just that many good series that came out in 2012.

As usual, this list is only based on what I’ve watched so far and is solely based on my personal opinion. There were a few other series that I’ve not been able to catch up to yet (i.e. Eureka Seven Ao, Acchi Kocchi just to name a couple) so those would not be considered for this list. I may make a separate post on them when I finally get around to watch them.

Also, series that made it to the top 10 in last year’s list won’t be repeated. That said, I do have an addition to make to Shakugan no Shana F, which took third place last year.

Shakugan no Shana F continued to impress pretty much throughout the whole season, being able to keep viewers on the edge and to continue guessing. But the final episode felt more like a forced extension. Personally, I would have loved if they had left the ending as it was before the last episode. There really wasn’t any solid reason to send everyone to Xanadu and leaving the whole thing feel so unsatisfying. In short, I loved everything about the final season of Shana except the ending. Just had to get that out :)

#10

Dog Days’

I enjoyed the first season of Dog Days, although I never expected to see a second season coming along. Fortunately, it did and it continued to follow the same formula that made it an enjoyable watch. More previously known characters were brought into the fray and a few new ones were introduced, keeping things fresh. Will we see a third season? Hopefully!

#9

Psycho-Pass

The concept of using technology to discover one’s talents and assigning them to what they do best is not something new, yet Psycho-Pass takes it to a new height. The plot is hardly predictable and continues to throw out new, sometimes jaw-dropping twists that would have you question who is truly right and who is really wrong.

#8

Hyouka

KyoAni once again showed what they’re capable of with Hyouka – a visually stunning and mentally stimulating series that maintains a casual and almost cute atmosphere throughout. Not something easy to do when you’re dealing with mostly mysteries. We definitely need a second season for this.

#7

Ixion Saga DT

One of the funniest series to grace 2012 is Ixion Saga DT. The art style and animation might not be much to look at compared to the others, but the over-the-top humor, cast of perverted characters and plot, though somewhat insane, works really well together to form a strong and interesting story.

#6

Kokoro Connect

One of the most touching series of 2012 has to be Kokoro Connect. While it may appear hilarious and lighthearted, when it comes down to it, you can’t help but feel for what each of the main cast are going through and admire their friendship. The dark secrets that we each keep deep in our hearts and what happens when you start to view yourself and others from a different perspective – these are all things that we’ve all probably wondered at least once in our lives.

#5

Bakuman S3

Oh no! Bakuman has been knocked off its throne from last year! Not to say that season 3 isn’t as good, but it just goes to show how though this year’s competitors are! Bakuman is still one of the few series I really loved, and continued to re-read (manga) even though it’s over. It hit a soft spot in me and I know others who feels the same.

#4

Accel World

Many of us would yearn to live in a world like this where a universally accepted MMO-like VR world exist. It’s a realistic painting of what the future could be, until you throw in the Brain Burst program. Accel World started off really strong, but hits a snag around the middle of the season during the Seiji Nomi/Dusk Taker arc. Even so, it’s a very strong series that would have you wanting more.

#3

Kuroko no Basuke

There has been many who had tried to reach the level of success that Slam Dunk had with basketball themed anime/manga, but none had come anywhere close for me as Kuroko’s Basketball had. Unlike Slam Dunk, matches and story arcs in Kuroko are played out much faster and doesn’t really drag out. A second season is coming out soon, and I can expect to see it doing even better.

#2

Zero no Tsukaima F

It’s sad that Zero no Tsukaima has finally reached it’s final season. But at the same time I’m happy at how it turned out. The opening arc with Joseph was kinda off, after building up the villain, one would have expected a grander finale. But it’s not like ZnT to drag things out when it shouldn’t be and that’s where it also shines. While some gag elements were repeated, you can tell that progress has been made and often times they do not let petty things get in their way.

Side Note: It could be because of the similarities between the show, or how the main leads are almost the same (down to the seiyuus), but it keeps reminding me of how Shana could have been better if it stops dragging things out like it did or how the relationship between Shana and Yuji’s relationship keeps getting reset to square one.

#1

Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online was love at first sight. I’ve been a fan of MMO-themed series ever since .hack, and SAO just strengthened that feeling. Not to mention that SAO is also the closest thing I’ve seen to what I’m working on as well – in fact, it has become part of my inspiration for it.

SAO is, in a nutshell, a combination of many things I love so there really isn’t much I can do to resist it even if I wanted to. It’s true that there are plot holes and the story could have been much better, but there’s no denying that it’s something I truly enjoyed on a level that’s seldom met by other series.

You may call SAO as being overrated, it just goes to show from the number of fans that there is just something about Sword Art Online that connects to them.

Will there be a second season for Sword Art Online? Only time will tell, but it would be foolish not to considering it’s huge following. In the mean time, if you’re a fan of SAO and have not checked out the light novels yet, head on over to Baka-Tsuki here:
Baka-Tsuki: Sword Art Online Translated Light Novels

Click to view full size! XD

 

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!

That’s the Top 10 Anime for 2012!

As I said at the start, 2012 had a lot of great anime besides these 10, like BTOOOM!, Code Geass: Akito the Exiled, Another, Yuru Yuri S2, K and Girls Und Panzer, just to name a few.

Will 2013 be just as great? From what we’ve seen so far, and what lurks in the near future, we can certainly hope!

 

If you’re interested to check out past year list of the top 10 anime of the year, check out the following posts:

Top 10 Anime 2011

Top 10 Anime 2010

Top 10 Anime 2009

Top 10 Anime 2008

Top 10 Anime 2007

Top 10 Anime 2006

And of course, the Top 10 Funniest Anime of All Times, if you haven’t done so already!

 

 

 

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Top 10 Anime of 2011

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on February 29th, 2012

As the saying goes, better late then never! So here is the very delayed post for the Top 10 Anime of 2011!

Keep in mind that the list only consists of series or episodes that were aired in 2011, and only if the series hasn’t made it during previous listing. New seasons are considered different and can be featured here, unless of course the season has been running continuously without breaks.

That means you won’t be seeing series like Detective Conan (because it was featured last year and there are no breaks between seasons – and also because it will probably be listed as the top 3 every year), and To Aru Majutsu no Index II (because it was already listed last year).

Special Mention

Before we head to the top 10, here are some series which I feel deserved a special mention and is worth watching if you haven’t done so already:

Ao no Exorcist

While the ending was a disappointment, a majority of the series followed the manga close enough to keep it entertaining. Hopefully, we’ll get a re-make once the manga has gone further ahead, something like FMA Brotherhood.

Ben-To

A battle anime where the fight for discounted bento set is as serious as it gets. When you think about it, it can be pretty silly to fight the way they do over food in a supermarket, but that’s also exactly why it’s interesting – because they’re so serious about it!

C3 – Cube x Cursed x Curious

It actually took a few episodes to figure out what C3 is all about. The first 30 seconds oozed darkness, while the next couple of episodes screamed loli and fluff, only to suddenly return to a bloody world. The true strength of C3 lies is the story surrounding Fear, the torture cube turned human and the many organizations out to get her.

And now.. the Top 10 Anime of 2011!

Usagi Drop

If you’re looking for cute and heart warming, it doesn’t really get any better than this. The art style may take a while to get used to, but it also becomes one the strongest points to the series.

Sacred Seven


I have to admit, I find the rather cheesy settings and plot of Sacred Seven kinda interesting. It could be due to the awesome awesome OP, and also the nostalgic feeling that reminds me a lot of old monster of the week series like Power Rangers and Masked Rider.

Working’!!

Working is back with a new season, and thankfully the series is sticking to its tried and true formula with even more new characters. And that can only lead to one thing – more mishaps!

Baka to Test to Shokanju Ni!

BakaTest returns for a second season with a strong start. The first few eps left my stitches in stitches with some of the best gags the series has to offer so far. The only thing that held BakaTest from being at the top is the rather boring background stories that took place during most of the episodes at the middle of the season.

Gosick

A detective series set in a medieval period surrounded with supernatural phenomenons gave Gosick a really interesting stage. The first episode and throughout the entire first case, Gosick tried to set itself apart from other series in the genre. The biggest problem with it is the ending which felt like it belonged to a totally different story.

Gundam AGE

Gundam AGE is probably Sunrise’s way of trying to get a new wave of viewers to the franchise. The latest Gundam isn’t full of shiny suits or complex politics but a rather straight forward and simple one, much like older Gundam series. Don’t let the rather awkward looking art and animation, or even the rather silly theory of evolution fool you. This is still Gundam at heart, and so far I think it’s looking a lot better than Gundam 00.

Kami-sama no Memo-chou

Kami-sama no Memo-chou is like a present day version of Gosick (minus crappy ending), but have a more realistic approach to it like Conan. Since each arc spans across 2 or more episodes, there were really only a few cases that happened in the entire show. With any luck, there will be a season 2.

Shakugan no Shana III Final

The first season of Shakugan no Shana was awesome. The second season had a bad start which lasted for half a season. Many were afraid that the third season would end up doing the same, but fortunately, Shana came back in the most epic way possible.

The first few episodes were slow but it was necessary to show what had happened in the short time gap and to propel the story from just a simple battle to a full scale world war between Flame Haze and Tomogara.

Tiger & Bunny

Who would have thought a series with a suspicious title like Tiger & Bunny could end up being one of the best mecha series of 2011?

It’s a refreshing twist on superhero storytelling, with a cast of likeable heroes and even an anti-hero that slowly grabs your sympathy as his story slowly unfolded.

With 2 movies coming out, we can definitely expect more great stuff from Tiger & Bunny.

Bakuman 2

The best anime for 2011 to me is Bakuman 2. I loved the first season but it’s during the second season that Bakuman really began to shine with some of its best arcs from the manga series so far. Hopefully there will be many more seasons following this, since there are still a ton of great arcs ahead.

It’s not every day you will find that you’re enjoying both the manga and anime at the same time, but Bakuman is definitely on of those series. It’s interesting enough to get a glimpse of how it’s like to be a manga-ka, and sometimes I wish some of the fictional manga series shown in Bakuman were real especially PCP.

That’s it for the top 10 anime of 2011, and hopefully I’ll be able to get it done earlier for next year’s edition 😀

If you’re interested to check out past year list of the top 10 anime of the year, check out the following posts:

Top 10 Anime 2010

Top 10 Anime 2009

Top 10 Anime 2008

Top 10 Anime 2007

Top 10 Anime 2006

And of course, the Top 10 Funniest Anime of All Times, if you haven’t done so already!

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Top 10 Favourite Anime 2010

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on February 12th, 2011

This year’s list came a lot later than it should, it was something I had started working on about a month ago.

At the same time, this post will be slightly different than previous years – instead of calling it the top 10 anime of 2010, it will be a list of my favourite anime from 2010. Also, there won’t actually be any ranking, although it will be quite obvious which are the ones that I really liked…

Baka to Test to Shokanju


The concept was a good one and it was used with hilarious effects. Students with the ability to summon chibi warriors within a summon field to battle each other out – and the stats of the summoned being is directly linked to your academic grades.

It reminded me a lot of Angelic Layer so I was somewhat disappointed when the actual summon battle was only really present for a few episodes.

Even faceless, unnamed and mostly ignored extra characters were given limelight as the very deprived FFF group. The best moments of BakaTest:

  • Super trap Kinoshita
  • Super pervert Voyeur
  • the FFF

BakaTest is stupid, dumb and makes no sense on many occasion. But it’s really funny and anything that makes you laugh is always a good thing.

Amagami SS


Based on a dating sim game of the same name, Amagami consists of multiple arcs. Each arc is 4 episodes long and focus on one of the endings from the game.

It might sound repetitive at first but fortunately it’s far from it. Amagami SS starts off with a very strong Haruka arc that will pull you in and makes you want to watch more, and while some arcs are not as good, they are still interesting enough to keep you watching nonetheless.

If that doesn’t convince you enough, perhaps this will:

Confession: This is the real reason why I started watching Amagami XD

Kaichou wa Maid-sama


The devil student council president working part time as a maid in a maid cafe part of the description for this series was more than enough to pique my interest.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama follows a very simple formula of girl finds a problem, girl tries to fix the problem, girl fails, boy comes to save the day and never once did this formula fail.Misa-chan’s sometimes overly serious character and Usui’s rather twisted personality makes a really good combo.

Unlike many other series that tries to string together a horrible excuse for a plot, Kaichou wa Maid-sama did good by not having a central plot. Instead, you get a weekly dose of good entertainment and funny moments that makes you burst out laughing.

Hmm.. maybe I should pick up the manga too…

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi


Expected this to be something like Spice and Wolf, but couldn’t be further from the truth. This is yet another love comedy and although the series borrows heavily from fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, it has absolutely nothing to do with them.

Although branded as a love comedy, there really isn’t a low of funny moments. For me, it’s actually quite touching and I really enjoyed the lightheartedness and candid feel of Ookami.

Angel Beats


Angel Beats may not look like much at first, but it quickly grows into one of the series with the most potential in 2010, although it wasn’t really able to fully realize it.

With the premise being a school where teenagers who died living an unfulfilled life gathered, they formed an anti-angel group to wreck havoc, believing that they will disappear if they were to follow the rules.

It can be really brutal at times, but since all of them are technically dead, it doesn’t really matter how gruesomely they get mutilated, cut, slashed, squashed, drowned, or even beheaded since they will just return back to normal after a while. Knowing all this, the violent death of the members here becomes hilarious and this is where Angel Beats shine.

After all, all the screams and shouts of agony of losing a comrade with a fast beat BGM playing can be a really funny experience. Sometimes it feels like their actions are a little over dramatic since each and every one of them knows that the “dead” will just return at the end of the episode.

To Aru Majutsu no Index (Season 2)

Index is back and although it had a slow start (not to mention they skipped quite a lot from the Daihaseisai) it’s still as good as ever.

My only real complaints is the same I had from the first season – the pacing. But to be fair, it’s much less noticeable now and the story flow is a lot better.

My favourite arc so far? The tree diagram remnant arc. You can never have too much Mikoto x3

K-ON!!

The K-ON girls returned for a second season and they did not disappoint! While the first season covered the first 2 years of middle school, season 2 is all about their final year (minus Azusa, of course).

Perhaps the best part of K-ON!! is the entire school festival arc, from the preparations leading up to the end of HTT’s performance on stage and the realization that that was their last festival performance for the school drove them to tears while they chat about making next year’s performance even better.

Listen was a pretty good ED, one which I thought would be the best from K-ON!!, but KyoAni did one up with No, Thank You:

For this alone, K-ON!! gets 2 thumbs up!

~ Top 3 Favourites

The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi (Movie)


Haruhiist rejoice!

The best novel volume by far is the fourth volume so it’s only right that it get treated to the big screen. THIS is what Suzumiya Haruhi is all about – engaging story, superb animation, great story telling, beautiful OST, awesome voice cast and the epicness of Haruhi herself.

The movie was everything I could have hoped for after reading the Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi in 2009. I remembered that I couldn’t stop reading once I got started, and thankfully the whole story translated so darn well on animation.

All Hail Suzumiya Haruhi!

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun


As if “Biri Biri” hasn’t already captured my heart in the original Index series, having her own spinoff is a dream come true. To top it off, I actually myself liking Railgun a lot more than Index.

While Index focused a lot more on the magical world, Railgun was all science and explored the many different types of abilities of the students of Academy City. Mikoto doesn’t really get enough limelight in the original series so watching this makes you feel more connected to her character.

Railgun also has the best end not only for 2010, but even in recent years, mostly thanks to the most epic car chase scene in anime history (as far as I know) and great usage of not just one, but both opening songs.

If K-ON!! have the best ED song, then Railgun have two of the best OP in 2010, and this is proven with Only My Railgun being voted as the best anime theme song at the 2010 Animation Kobe Awards.

Detective Conan


Detective Conan have been around for over a decade and it’s still going on strong – for good reasons. Even though I’ve always known this series existed and is very popular, I’ve never really thought of watching it, until late 2010. The reason why I’ve not watched it until now is simple – I’ve been having misconceptions about what the show is about up until the time I actually watched an episode, which instantly made me a fan.

Being a fan of mystery detective stories since a kid (at one point, I wanted to be a mystery detective writer and even wrote a series of short stories), Detective Conan was love at first sight.

Just how much did I enjoyed Detective Conan? I watched over 300 episodes within a month, during which I attended my JLPT Level 5 exam, helped out with my best friend’s wedding, and not to mention work! It’s been a long time since I spent so much time every day watching anime and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Surprisingly, episodes where Conan encounters the Black Organization are often the ones I find the least interesting. Most fans enjoyed stories where they are involved, while I preferred those without them. The movies are also excellent as well. It’s no wonder the series gained so much popularity and is still much loved by so many after so long.

I’ve watched around 400+ episodes so far, slowing down a bit in the past month or so thanks to more projects to work on, Chinese New Year and games.  But even so, I make it a point to watch at least a couple of new episodes a day 😉

And there you have it!

What was your favourites in 2010?

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Top 10 Funniest Anime

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on March 2nd, 2010

Click on the image for the original Top 10 Funniest Anime list

(Updated 2010) Originally posted on July 5th 2007, the “Top 10 Funniest Anime” has been by far the most popular post on my blog. It also have the most comments of anime fans giving thanks, throwing in their 2 cents and sharing their own favourites with others. There have also been cries for an updated list since last year – after all, the original list was created 2 years before that.

So after all the pushing, nudging and encouragement (especially WIZ and Vini) the new list is finally here!

Yes, it took me a looooong time to get the new top 10 sorted out. Believe it or not, I actually spent half a year re-watching most of the series in the old list so I could judge better against the newer series that was released after that.

And while some of the old series still made it back to the top 10, you will find plenty of new funny anime have conquered my list.

The usual disclaimer: This list is based on MY preference, on what I watched, what I liked and what I thought deserved to be here. I want to share with you on what I believe are excellent and funny anime series you should watch if you ever want a good laugh.

These are the series that always made me laughed till my tears came out, or at the very least puts a smile to my face even when I’m feeling down. Don’t underestimate the power of laughter!

Also, just because a series ranked higher than another doesn’t mean I prefer it over the lower ranking ones. It just means that I believe it to be funnier – this is a top 10 list of funniest anime, not my top 10 favourite anime. If you’re looking for that, check out the “What’s Hot” section on the sidebar for my yearly best 10. They’re always somewhere there.

And so the rants ends here. Let the show begin…

#10 Akazukin Cha Cha


  • Little Red Riding Hood + Magical Girl = Cha Cha
  • Huge and diversified cast, yet most are memorable
  • Cha Cha & Co. can be really silly sometimes most of the time
  • Still surprises me how the first 2 seasons of the anime is filler content, and they are also the best parts of the entire series. Goes to show fillers might not be so bad after all, eh?

#9 Hayate no Gotoku


  • Debt ridden butler who seems to attract trouble and misfortune
  • Lots of parodies and references to other anime and manga series
  • Great animation quality
  • Can really be over the top sometimes – in a good way

#8 K-ON!


  • Mio~~ Moe Moe Kyun~
  • Superb music! (Don’t Say “LAZY”)
  • Starts out rather slow, takes a few episodes before it really hooks you in, thanks to Mio
  • Animation quality quite a let down, especially coming from KyoAni

#7 Ouran High Host Club


  • Rich bastards with no common sense
  • Poor guy girl with weird common sense
  • Still think it’s one of the best anime/manga ever
  • Can’t think of anything bad at all about Host Club, really…

#6 History’s Strongest Disciple, Kenichi


  • Useless, no talent disciple training under the world’s best martial artists
  • Ryouzanpaku masters are just insane – in more sense than one
  • Great balance between comedy and action
  • Sadly, the anime ended right before one of the best arcs in the manga

#5 Baka to Test to Shokanju


  • Brand new anime from 2010
  • School where students can summon avatars whose strength are directly linked to their test scores
  • It’s so damn stupid, but oh so damn funny!
  • The summoned beings are cute and funny too
  • Great tear-jerker… and I mean tears of laughter, of course

#4 Ranma 1/2


  • Boy who turns to girl when splashed with cold water
  • Completely whacky cast and story
  • Over 160 episodes (including movies and OAVs) and yet managed to be funny almost every episode (trust me, not an easy feat)
  • Classic that will never die

Now, For The Top 3

Before we move on to the top 3, I just need to say this…

It took me a very long time and a lot of thinking, debating and rewatching to come up with the current order. I even thought of making it a 3-way tie for the title of Funniest Anime, but that didn’t felt quite right either.

These 3 series are just as good as the other and just as hilarious. I kept switching the top 3 spots between them as I made this update before finally deciding on this order.

All 3 deserved to be winners, but unfortunately each position can only be occupied by one show…

#3 Full Metal Panic FUMUFFO!


(Yes, the previous Funniest Anime title holder has been pushed down to #3! Oh noes!)

  • Top secret mercernary on a mission with no common sense thrown into normal everyday life with not so normal situations
  • Extreme opposite of the serious Full Metal Panic and FMP The Second Raid
  • It was, and still is, one of the funniest anime around so far
  • Bonta-kun exo-suit FTW!

#2 Lucky Star


  • Omigosh! It’s… us!?
  • Tons of parodies and references to otaku, gamers, other anime and mangas
  • Funny and interesting cast
  • Makes you go “holy shit! I do that!” and “hey! I know what you mean!”
  • I just can’t get bored of watching Lucky Star x3
  • Chocolate cornet…

#1 Minami-ke (Season 1)


  • Chiaki-sama~~~
  • Lovable cast (Chiaki-sama~~~)
  • “This is just the plain depiction of the days of the lives of the three Minami sisters. Please don’t expect too much.” The series tells you exactly what it is at the start of every episode lol
  • Epic chase scene in first episode
  • Forget Okawari (2nd season) ever existed, even skip it altogether!
  • Okaeri (season 3) redeemed Minami-ke somewhat, but the first season is still the best and funniest
  • Just can’t really get bored of season 1 and season 3 (like I said, forget season 2 ever existed and you’ll be fine!)
  • Minami-ke At It’s Best!

And there you have it!

My Top 10 Funniest Anime list as of early 2010. I’ll definitely update this again in the future to keep it updated, but don’t worry… If you’re craving for more funny anime to watch, here are a few more to keep you company until the next update!

These are all shows that I’ve watched (at least a few episodes) that I find to be both entertaining and funny. While they didn’t make the top 10 or was dropped from the list doesn’t mean they aren’t great – it just means the competition for the list is just that tough!

Here they are, in no particular order of preference:

  1. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
  2. Chobits
  3. Zero no Tsukaima
  4. Love Hina
  5. Slam Dunk
  6. Nyan-koi
  7. Seitokai no Ichizon
  8. Midori no Hibi
  9. Fruits Basket
  10. Hetalia Axis Powers
  11. Shugo Chara
  12. Ladies vs Butlers
  13. Honey and Clover
  14. Kobato.
  15. Yakitate Japan
  16. Toradora
  17. Azumanga Daioh
  18. Seto no Hanayome
  19. Kamen no Maid Guy
  20. Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO)
  21. Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun
  22. Slayers series
  23. Rosario + Vampire
  24. Lovely Complex
  25. School Rumble

Originally, I wanted to add something extra with this update, but I couldn’t find the time to sit down and get it done. I won’t reveal what is it just yet because I still plan on doing it when I get the chance, hopefully within the next few weeks or next couple of months. How’s that for something to look forward to? :)

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Best Anime of 2009

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on December 31st, 2009

Yes, I’m still here 😛

This time instead of a top 10, there will actually be 12!

The reason is because I had such a hard time trying to decide which are the best in my opinion and I ended up with 12 great shows that I don’t have the heart to just kick any of them off the list anymore.

Only series that started this year (sequels included), or series that started late last year, with at least half the episodes aired in 2009 is considered. Of course, only series that I’ve watched are also considered. I can’t judge something I’ve not watched, after all.

Also, this list is based on my own preference. Everyone have their own tastes, you might not like the same shows as I do, but chances are there will be a few that you will agree with me.

#12

Cross Game

Never thought I would be watching a baseball anime. I’ve had absolutely no interest at all in the sport, and I still don’t. But the story itself is very well written and the animation top notch. The first episode left a pretty deep impression on me, which is what hooked me into continuously watching and enjoying Cross Game.

#11

Eden of the East

Yet another well written story, Eden of the East is destined for greatness. Why the low rank, though? Because the ending was hanging and it would be another year (estimated) before any of us outside Japan can get to see the first movie. And then there’s the 2nd movie…

Having to wait so long for the finale just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

#10

Kobato

CLAMP did it again with Kobato! And thankfully, this time it seems like they’ve gone back to a more straight-forward and less confusing story compared to Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHolic. I didn’t want to read the manga yet since I’m still reading the former 2, but after watching this I probably will start reading the manga too.

And Ioryogi kinda reminds me of Meido Guy. He’s awesome XD

#9

Hetalia – Axis Powers

History has never been so fun. I wished they used this to teach World History back in school, I would have learned a lot more (and actually remember it, too!). The jokes can be really hit or miss, and sometimes it just doesn’t make sense at all, which is why Hetalia doesn’t rank any higher. But I always find myself looking forward to more Hetalia every week.

#8

Seitokai no Ichizon

The student council may not do anything at all with most of the show taking place in that same room, but in this case it’s not the settings but the characters that keeps the series floating. I only wish it was KyoAni who were doing this, they’re probably the most suited to do a show like this.

#7

Pandora Hearts

Possibly the best adaptation of Alice in Wonderland in an anime. Like Alice in Wonderland, Pandora Hearts features a cast of interesting and whacky characters such as Break with his Mad Hatter chain.

#6

Minami-ke Okaeri

While it may not be the same standard as the original Minami-ke (my top anime of 2007), Minami-ke Okaeri is leaps better than the previous season of Okawari. The OP and ED may be placed at annoyingly odd timing, but at the very least Minami-ke became watchable again, and more importantly – funny and interesting.

#5

Nyan-Koi

A romantic comedy with a cat curse, what more can I ask for!?

And you just gotta love Nyamsus <3

#4

Hayate no Gotoku Season 2

Hayate’s season 2 starts off a lot stronger than season 1, but ends rather abruptly. Season 2 puts a lot more focus on side characters, especially Hinagiku. More Hinagiku is never a bad thing – her dazzling performance of Cruel Angel Thesis was nothing short of remarkable.

#3

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

I’ve never been a fan of Full Metal Alchemist. But Brotherhood surprised me. After the first 10 or so episodes, it took a different turn than the original anime series, this time following the original manga storyline. I can finally see why FMA is so popular thanks to Brotherhood. All I can say is I’m glad I decided to stick with Brotherhood to see how the story would be different since it follows the manga. Olivier Mira Armstrong quickly overtook Mustang and Major Armstrong as my favourite character.

#2

Saki

Mahjong is a fun game. It takes both luck and skill to play and it feels like a strategic battle between 4 people. Throw in plenty of ridiculous moves and finishing hands, and you get Saki. The chances of performing any of the hands that so frequently appear in Saki is extremely low in a real life game. But even though you know they are coming, it still feels extremely intense to watch Saki do her thing. While the fanservice can be over the top sometimes, it’s only natural since it’s by Gonzo.

#1

*drumrolls…*

Presenting the 4 members…

On the drums…

On the guitar…

On the keyboard…

And finally the bass…

Oops.. sorry… wrong image.

Let’s try that again.. on the bass…

Yup, the winner this year is none other than the light music club, the K-ON club!

K-ON!

Animation quality may be lacking, even more so since this is coming out of KyoAni’s studio, but K-ON quickly grew into a huge sensation. Mio became the newest darling of anime fans worldwide overnight. It won’t be exactly wrong to say that Mio was what helped pushed K-ON to the top of the list and she is the main reason the majority continues to enjoy and loves the show.

The music and songs are also excellent to say the least. Don’t Say Lazy, Fuwa Fuwa Time, these are just 2 of the songs from K-ON that will live on for many, many years to come. A true masterpiece, if only KyoAni had done a better job at the animation quality, but I guess you can’t always have it all.

Happy 2010!!!


If you’ve enjoyed this post, you’ll probably enjoy my Top 10 Funniest Anime list. Please check it out here: Top 10 Funniest Anime

Saki
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