Introduction: I watched a lot of anime this year, like a ton. More than I've ever watched I think. For whatever reason this year I decided I would check out every new show for myself instead of waiting to hear about the new hotness. The result? Well when FAKKU decided to do a Character Battle pitting characters from 37 different shows against each other - I had seen 28 of those shows. Unfortunately I only have room for three series on the list, but there were plenty of shows that I probably should have at least wrote about throughout the year. I'll try to do better about that next year.
However earlier this year I wrote about Code Geass Season 1 which is one of my favorite anime at this point, and I would have loved to put it on this list, sadly it came out last year though so it is disqualified. Sadder still is that it probably would've topped last year's list if I had watched it in time. Than there was Season 2 of Code Geass which was unfortunately not as good as the previous season and thus has been excluded from the list. Knowing this, I really should've taken the time to watch EVERY show I've downloaded this year in it's entirety or at least as far as it has been put out so far, however that isn't the case as I just spent too much time playing games instead. Thus I might end up with another Code Geass on my hands. Regardless, even if I find a hidden gem later on down the road, the following shows come highly recommended and are without a doubt worth checking out.
However earlier this year I wrote about Code Geass Season 1 which is one of my favorite anime at this point, and I would have loved to put it on this list, sadly it came out last year though so it is disqualified. Sadder still is that it probably would've topped last year's list if I had watched it in time. Than there was Season 2 of Code Geass which was unfortunately not as good as the previous season and thus has been excluded from the list. Knowing this, I really should've taken the time to watch EVERY show I've downloaded this year in it's entirety or at least as far as it has been put out so far, however that isn't the case as I just spent too much time playing games instead. Thus I might end up with another Code Geass on my hands. Regardless, even if I find a hidden gem later on down the road, the following shows come highly recommended and are without a doubt worth checking out.
Runner-up: Toradora
Here I am, already bending the rules. But with so many great series this year it's really hard to pick just three. So why not extend the list you say? Well, I guess this is an attempt at doing just that. Anyways, Toradora is anther tsundere filled romantic comedy with infamous tsundere master Rie Kugimiya taking on the roll of Taiga Aisaka, the "Palm-Top Tiger". Taiga along with the leading male character Ryuji Takasu are trying to hook up with the other's friends - Yusaku Kitamura and Minori Kushieda respectively. However it becomes increasingly apparent that Taiga and Ryuji are developing feelings for each other. The show revolves around the two constantly working together to try and pursue their love interest, and the result is usually hilarious failure.
Now I really like this show, it's just really cute and funny, the animation is great, awesome theme song, and great characters. However I do have one glaring problem with the series and it's my general dislike towards Rie Kugimiya characters. Like every Rie Kugimiya character, Taiga is a small flat chested girl with serious personality issues. And a lot of the time I find her attitude and general mistreatment of Ryuji quite annoying. Though to be fair Taiga is kind of in the middle on my "Rie Kugimiya Scale". You might recall her other popular characters Shana from Shakugan no Shana, and Louise from Zero no Tsukaima. While Shana is pretty low on the "scale" because while she is still certainly a tsundere character she doesn't go to overboard. Louise on the other hand is the exact opposite, where in later seasons of ZnT she almost makes the show unbearable to watch. Taiga is kind of in the middle, leaning more towards the Shana side, but can spike towards the Louise side at times.
I guess what I'm trying to say here, all the while beating around the bush is - Taiga is kind of the reason the show isn't in the top three for me. It's not that I hate her or anything, she can be quite adorable and funny at times, but at the same time she can be really annoying too. The main reason this show is worth mentioning though, and the fact that it's the Runner-up is because the show really is quite good the rest of the time. The situations are usually pretty hilarious, and the characters despite some personality issues on Taiga's and Ami's part are quite awesome. The relationships in the show are interesting, where Ryuji and Taiga make a cute enough couple, even though I'd rather see him with his own crush Minori, or the slutty Ami Kawashima who is introduced a few episodes in. I also wouldn't mind seeing Taiga with her crush Kitamura because she is quite adorable whenever he's around.
Speaking of Ami though, don't ask me why she doesn't bother me. She can be quite the bitch towards Taiga, and has a pretty bitchy personality overall. But there's just something about the way she treats Ryuji that I find enjoyable. Maybe it's just because it's the exact opposite of tsundere which if you couldn't tell already I'm not very big on. Anyway, I've gone on long enough about a show that isn't even in the Top Three, but it should be obvious that I have an invested interest in the show. I highly recommend it if you're into romantic comedies, and especially if you're a tsundere lover - this would be your wet dream.
3. Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens
Aw Yeah, I love Kannagi. It's another new show that I've only gotten 11 episodes into. It came out during the Fall Season along with Toradora and many other shows I've been keeping up with. Initially I wasn't sure of what to think of the show. From what I read about it, it didn't sound terribly interesting. And the Intro is pretty misleading thus far. But damn, I'm certainly glad I gave it a chance as it has turned out to be one of my favorite anime series in recent memory. You don't have to take my word for it though, if you ever find yourself lost in 2chan you'll quickly learn that Japan is ape shit about this show - and for good reason.
Enough gushing though, Kannagi is the story of a boy named Jin Mikuriya who just so happened to be carving a statue out of a sacred tree that was possessed by the spirit of a goddess. So imagine Jin's surprise when the statue comes to life in the form of Nagi - a pun cracking goddess who loves to lay around all day snacking on junk food and watching TV. Jin is forced to live with Nagi while trying to convince his friends that she's a sister he never knew he had. This doesn't always go over so well and there are plenty of hilarious interactions between her and Jin's friends. Among the supporting crew is Jin's childhood friend Tsugumi Aoba who totally wants Jin, and Nagi's sister Zange who also wants Jin. Nagi though? She doesn't seem to care either way as long as shes keeping herself occupied with something. The show doesn't seem to know where it's going either as one moment Nagi is trying to purge impurities from the world. The next shes trying to gather a fanbase in order to restore her goddess powers. And than shes locked herself in a closet because Jin accidentley recorded over one of her shows. It's so awesome and random, and I love it. Doubt it's that great? Just check this... oh wait. Sorry I was going to link you to an awesome video from the latest episode of Kannagi, but YouTube if fucking gay. Check out Episode 11 for "The Song of Hello Soybean" though and you won't be disappointed.
So, if I love this show so much - Why isn't it Number 1? Well, honestly I can't fault it for anything other than a pretty lame ending theme and terrible cock-blockery "Next Episode" previews. All I can say is that the other two shows on this list were just better to me. And that should be saying a lot at this point.
2. Kimi Kiss pure rouge
Bending the rules again here, seeing as how Kimi Kiss started in October 2007, but it ended this year and I love it so much that I just have to put it on the list. I shouldn't need to go into too much detail about this show seeing as I already have previously (IMPORTANT - SPOILER WARNING: If you follow that link, the last few paragraphs contain major spoilers. You have been warned) I'll give you a quick rundown though in case you're too lazy to click. Kimi Kiss is about childhood friends Koichi Sanada, Kazuki Aihara, and Mao Mizusawa. Mao moves into Koichi's house after being in France for many years, only to find herself mixed up in a crazy love tangle. Koichi has the hots for his classmate Yumi Hosihno, and Kazuki has an interesting encounter with a mysterious girl named Eriko Futami. However it doesn't take long for things to get confusing when Mao starts realizing her feelings for Koichi, and another girl Auska Sakino starts to pursue Kazuki.
When I was coming up with the list for this year, I never forgot about Kimi Kiss, but I did consider bumping it off the list. That was until I reread my entry from earlier this year and remember how much the series grabbed me. The series teases you throughout and I would find it hard not to be excited trying to figure out how things will turn out in the end. The story, the characters, the relationships between those characters, and the emotions - they're what makes this series so damn good. If you're looking for a show that's more on the romance side of things this is really one to check out.
1. Soul Eater
It didn't take long for me to decide that Soul Eater would be my Numer One pick of this year. I already had a good feeling about the show going into it seeing as how it's done by Bones - the guys who brought you Full Metal Alchemist, another show I really love. After watching those first few episodes though I was instantly hooked, and here we are on episode 36 and I'm still loving the show.
Soul Eater is about a group of students known as Meisters who partner up with individuals who are actually Weapons. These two partners fight against various evils in search of souls which the weapons devour to increase their power. Among these evils are powerful Witches who posses a truly power soul that is required to unlock a Weapon's true potential. The main characters are Maka Albarn and her Scythe Soul Eater, Black Star and his multi-purpose weapon Tsubaki, and Death the Kid with his Twin Guns Liz and Patti Thompson. The series starts off the same way many Shonen Jump series do, with the main characters facing some minor challenges early on, but eventually having to band together against a greater threat.
The thing that's different about Soul Eater, than say Bleach or Naruto is the fact that the action kind of takes a back seat not too long into the series. The show tends to focus more so on comedy and the dramatic parts between fights. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said this wasn't a little disappointing, seeing as how I totally eat up shows like Bleach and One Piece. However the overall story, the characters, the comedy - it's all top notch stuff. The show is actually one of the funnier anime I've watched with crazy filler episodes involving an exam at school that goes terribly wrong, and the Legendary Weapon Excalibur who turns out to be a really annoying jackass. Don't get me wrong, Soul Eater certainly has it's fair share of "Oh Shi-" moments in and out of combat, but I think it's an entirely different beast than your typical Shonen show.
The series is supposed to be 52 episodes long, the same as Full Metal Alchemist was, and it's looking to be a fine series worthy of Number One on this list. If you're any sort of fan of anime be sure to check this one out. And if you're not hooked between the ridiculously awesome opening theme, the stylish look and feel of the show, and the hilarious antics, than you're probably not an anime fan.
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