Tuesday 29 December 2015

2015 Year End Top 10(ish): Anime

Looks like i can finally work on some of these seeing as all my shows are over except a handful that go into next year and do not qualify for this list.

Also this has been the hardest top ten i have ever done.

Ground Rules:
All shows were watched Legally on Crunchyroll or Funimation or Daisuki, if your fav show isn't on the list it probably didn't come to either of those Sites... or i may have just not enjoyed it...

All of the shows on this list were finished by me in 2015... this doesn't limit the list to 2015 shows only... watched a lot of older stuff as well.

i'm going over 10... cause this year was actually full of stellar titles.



Honourable Mentions:

Trails in the Sky: Animation

While it's probably the most inaccurate title... as it only covers the first half of the second game (and completely leaves out the best character) i still had fun... just not enough for it to hit the numbered part of the list.
This i bought on DVD from Sentai~

The List:

18. Cute High Earth Defence Club LOVE!

I adored this show, the concept of magical boys was done so well and the humor was on point.
But the reason this is in the last place on the list is simple.
The company that is distributing it in North America is charging 70+ for 4 episode 'special edition'
except it's not a special edition because there is no Regular edition THEREFOR the special edition IS the regular edition...
but that aside i would never pay 70 for 4 episodes.
Season 1 of Haruhi Suzumiya came close to that honestly but in the end i always got the sets on sale.
It kills me knowing i will never own this show (unless the company which is stupid enough to think a japanese price scale will work in north america gets it's head out of it's ass and prices based on what we have determined market value)
I understand why Aniplex pulled this kind of pricing for madoka magica (which i would love to own but no... not for that price)... but pony canyon is in for a world of hurt if they think this show has that kind of pull (same goes for Rokka which is at best a fun but mediocre show)
Happy we are getting season 2... upset it'll never be on my shelf. therefor last.
You can watching on Crunchyroll.

17. Wagnaria!!! (Working!!!)

This show has probably the slowest moving plot of any show i've enjoyed... but this past season was great with an amazing amount of growth.
I'm so sad that it's coming to an end... one final special to end it all.  wait... it's aired...
guess i jumped the gun on this.
Okay, now that i've watched it I am happy, very cute final episode... btu i can't put this any higher since i needed to be in a certain mood to even watch it... still loved it.
I believe all three seasons are available on crunchyroll.

16. Summer Wars

There were so many good shows this year that would feel kinda bad for putting this much higher.
I loved this movie, it's probably my fav of this director (though the girl who leaped through time is stellar as well.) So yeah go see it, i wish i could put it higher but i can't.
I do love how it shows technology as something that can be used to bond with different generation instead of fearing it.
Got the Bluray from Funimation... i do think it's on their website but only view able if you are a subscriber.

15. Mononoke

A Visually Stunning Anime that should be watched at least once if you can stomach some of the themes.
Again this would be higher but i'm still upset about that final episode. But the art and music still make it one of the best shows i've seen all year.
I would describe it but... a medicine seller does stuff.... the art is lovely... thats all i've got.
You can watch it on Crunchyroll

14. School Live!

Rarely do i watch a show simply because of a neat concept but i thoroughly enjoyed this show. I went in expecting a terrible show about Moe girls in a club (where they never leave the school hence the title) and i ended up with a wonderful show about moe girls in a club (ok there is more to it but check it out for yourself if you want!)
You can watch this on Crunchyroll.

13. Kamisama Kiss 2

I love Paranormal mixing with Current times... and i love romantic comedies (at least in anime) so smash the two together and it's bound to be a good time. I mean who doesn't love the story of a human turned God falling in love with her familiar...
However this feel like a middle season... and i know we will eventually get more so yay for cuteness (and a better intro song) but still fairly low on the list. '
You can watch it on Funimation

12. Death Parade

The intro to this show is addicting... also doesn't tell you about the show at all.
and interestign concept animated beautifully with a heart wrenching ending that still has stuck with me.
However... and i guess this is a bit of a spoiler... but oh well.. i get a bit annoyed with shows that don't have much progression. yes plot happened but where they are at the end is not very different from the start. yes they grew but... it doesn't really matter?
it's tough... still that ending... *sniffle*
You can watch it on Funimation

11. Gangsta.

I never expected to watch this show... the intro is full of scantily clad girls and drugs and needles and just felt super dark and gritty which i don't tend to like since people forget dark =/= mature.
But after watching the first episode and seeing it was much more then a show about a seedy town with a horrible class system... it was also about being able to lead a normal live (or hell be better then normal) when some people may think you have a disability... it shows in so many ways how it wasn't a disability at all.
it's not higher cause it just ends
and then the studio filed for bankruptcy.
I will eventually pick up the manga but having this show end and then reading that the company had vanished too... that was probably the most heartbreaking event this year.
Anyways you can watch it on Funimation.... They did a simuldub so that probably means they are putting out the Bluray eventually... otherwise if they aren't who knows how long the license will last.

10. Dance With Devils

My mind was blown when this reverse harem turned out to be a musical.
and yeah not all the music is great but a lot of it is really enjoyable.
But it didn't stop there, it wasn't afraid to push the boundaries for what a show primarily targeted at girls can be.
There is a lot of blood and gore.
Not everyone survives the series and no one is brought back through the power of friendship or love (despite there being literal devils to make deals with)
It is still pretty fresh in my mind, maybe if this had ended months ago it would be lower but these year end things always have to deal with time.
You can watch it on Funimation.

Ok see now we get to the problem.
if any of the following shows were in a separate year from each other... they could all possibly be my number 1 pick.
but they all ended up in 2015... so this is going to be fun.

9. Is it Wrong to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon

Uh... this would be higher but.. i guess going on the anime alone it does leave some key world details that the novel goes in depth... and the cliffhanger ending is a bit of a FU but i'm sure that'll be resolved in another season.
The main thing about this show is that the title is terrible and doesn't do the show justice at all... the novel actually answers the titles question in the first line. "it's a terrible idea to pick up girls in a dungeon"
The show focuses around Bell, a new adventurer who seems to be growing abnormally fast.
It is a harem show in the fact that Bell, unwittingly, woos many a lady but it never goes anywhere because Bell is far too innocent (in the anime... in the book his mind goes there but he never shows it)
But yeah despite the stupid title the show is good and not as fanservicy as you would expect.
You can see it on Crunchyroll and the novels are available from Yen Press (i got them on ebook)

8. My Teen Romantic Comedy is SNAFU Too!!

This... this is harder then it's ever been.
This show... i know a lot of people find the main character a bit too depressing... but honestly i get him... i get why he acts that way and i've acted similar ways myself.
This show connected on a level this season that i didn't expect.
I cried a lot... not even when sad things happened... just seeing the reaction to his actions and feeling my heart break.
And yet it's so low on this list.... this year sucks... it was too good.
Watch it on Crunchroll

7. Seraph of the End

When i fist watched this show i figured i would bail pretty early.
I don't like vampires, the potential for being OP was just too real.
then i heard the music and the first words out of my mouth were "dammit this is going to be my fav show this season"
and it was one of them... yeah a lot of people find Yuu and Mika's relationship a bit close but whatever... people can't seperate love of ones family for love then thats their problem...
not saying it wont have a chance of going that way later i'm just saying wait till it actually happens.
Why so low? the endings to episodes were... well cliffhanger-y and i can only smash my head into my desk so many times and swear at my monitor so many times before i get a little annoyed.
Great show though.
Watch both seasons (vampire reign and Battle of Nagoya) on Funimation

Looking at the remaining ones on the short list.... oh this is going to hurt.

6. Durarara x2

Oh it hurts.
uh...
well it's not as well designed in it's non-linear-ness as season one... and... uh... Orihaya isn't in it nearly enough... and it's technically not even done... we've only had 2.1 and 2.2.... 2.3 is in january.
so... i guess that means it can be lower on the list
just... go watch it on cruchyroll... it has both dub and subs (i prefer the sub personally... ryuugamine sounds so wooden)

5. Yona of the Dawn

The show is amazing, i was worried i wouldn't enjoy this type of story since it's obviously a big epic journey type story and those sometimes lose their point and get dull.
Not this show, the music, the characters, all so well realized.
However the final isn't found till the end of the season... and with no second season in sight i have to be super nitpicky.
This year is killing me...
watch it on Crunchyroll AND Funimation

4. Your Lie In April

The hell is up with this year.
Ok, this show has the most accurate depictions of PTSD and Anxeity... watching this show made my heart ache... i felt so connected to the main character and watching them struggle through their trauma made me want to push myself a bit more.
The main character desperately wants to play but his trauma stops him from playing which feeds into his anxiety which feeds into his trauma... however a girl who plays a violin comes by his side and convinces him to keep playing even while she's dealing with her own trauma.
The animation is some of the best i have ever seen, the story is heartbreaking and thinking about it is making me tear up and i cannot believe that it's not the best show i've seen.
why... uh...
because when i look at the other titles i can't put this above the others?
it's a little slow at the start too i guess.
such a good show.
Watch it on Crunchyroll.

only a few more... i can do this..

3. My LOVE Story!!

this show warms my heart, i love it.
Takeo is just about the manliest man man to ever man... and his best friend Suna is the popular boy that everyone loves and no one likes poor little (huge) Takeo.
One day he helps stop a groper and the girl he helps ends up really liking him... and it's just adorable.
It's also not a "will they wont they" for the entire season...  they get together very early... and it just so sweet and cute.
Also i love the idea that Suna may like Takeo but you know... respects the way that he doesn't swing that way and just wants his best friend to be happy. (not confirmed but... look how he smiles and remembers everything about him... so adorable)
i hope we get more.... but i do have 5 more volumes of the manga headed to my door... so yeah... there is that.
Watch it on Chruchyroll, it's so much fun.

2. Snow White with the Red Hair

I made my friend marathon this show... and despite the terrible intro song the show is practically perfect.
Shirayuki rocks, never feels like a damsel in distress (despite the numerous kidnappings/ imprisonments)
It's a smart show with an adorable romantic plot that deals with issues like Class and possibly figuring out who may just be trying to use Zen position as prince.
another season airs in january... i am looking forward to it.
i hope the manga gets licensed soon so i can own that.
i love this show
but i love one show just a hair more.
watch this on Funimation.

*deep breath*
Surprise to no one

1. Noragami: Aragoto

This season was amazing, yes it had some cliffhanger-y endings much like seraph... i don't care, the pacing was great the characters were wonderful and grow so much in 13 episodes.
i need a season 3
i need it now.
Yato is a god who is charing 5 yens for any type of job... but in the past he was a god of calamity. However with his new Shinki Yukine and a human girl whose spirit escapes her body he menages to grow and cut ties to his past.
Much like my love story... i also have a ton of noragami manga coming my way so i wont have to wait (unless they are at the same point and then i will cry)
Hiroshi Kamiya is great as Yato.
Yukine is pure adorable and we finally learn more about Bishamon
also that intro
just when you think it's over there is more.
i love this show.
i love all these shows
Anime in 2015 was just so good.
watch this on Funimation

and that't it
it was hard... you could probably ask me when i'm in a different mood and this order may be completely different
but one thing is true... there were no shortage of amazing titles... even if some of those titles were long and stupid.
Here's to 2015... hope you can live up to my hopes! (read as Natsume Yuujinchou 5 please?)

Next... Games!
then The worst/most annoying things

should be fun


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