Last season's top 3

[Ryllharu]

Kimi ni Todoke - Great characters (Yano and her evilness) that put an interesting spin on a number of the shoujo romance genre archetypes and stereotypes. The very basic framework of the series isn't even original, but the direction they go with it sets it apart from the majority of its peers. The artwork matches the source material very nicely, and the casting was excellent. Funny, cute, a little sad, and leaves me looking forward to another season if they make one.

Letter Bee - Similarly, the series was funny when it meant to be, sad, endearing, and unintentionally hilarious with the lead's non-stop crying. The art style of this series was unique as its setting. The world within is a truly terrible place the more you think about, but the main characters do everything they can to make it brighter. The series ended in the best way possible, leaving me begging for a second season. A lot of questions answered, but some huge ones left and new ones introduced. Some of the episodes were a bit on the generic side (and possibly filler, but I would never have noticed) but the rest made up for it. Excellent cast too.

Sora no Woto and Hanamaru Kindergarten - I can't actually decide between the two of these, because they were both entertaining, both funny, and both completely pointless. Sora no Woto might have had the better art, soundtrack and a better imagined world, but Hanamaru was more enjoyable overall, and had better characters...and facehuggers.

[Kraco]

A new rule was added to the first post:

Note:

- As not to make a mess of things the purpose of this thread is to simply post your top 3, NOT to comment on other member's choices or on any other subjects.

So, should anybody wonder why so many posts seemed to disappear, that's because they did disappear. All posts but those containing valid contents according to the new rules were removed.

Anyway, my favorites of the previous season were, I'd say,

- Kimi ni Todoke
- Ookami Kakushi
- Letter Bee

It wasn't an overly good season. Kimi ni Todoke was really good but Ookami Kakushi fell somewhat flat towards the end. Letter Bee was a so-so series but it did have some atmosphere. I haven't yet finished Sora no Woto (slow sub choice) but I doubt it can get rid of the sluggish moe blob image it has gained in my mind. Nodame Finale didn't feel like a finale enough and was lacking much of the vitality and humour of the earlier seasons.

[shinta|hikari]

In order:

Cross Game - Obvious choice. Masterpiece in both anime and manga form.

Sora no woto - Solid show that unfortunately has gained a reputation of being moe blob because of the K-ON art. It is much more than that, with dark elements and serious developments later on in the show. There are also great comedy scenes which I will never forget. Art and music are top notch.

Kimi ni todoke - Good romance and light comedy. The usual shoujo done well, with the right amount of both twist and tradition.

[masamuneehs]

Winter surprised me because a few good shows started airing during it (Durararara!!, Katanagatari, Gundam Unicorn, Sora no Woto), but the only one that wrapped up in the winter season that I liked was Sora no Woto

[Buffalobiian]

Cross Game - Good humour, characterisations, and realistic depiction of moves used in sports.

Sora no Woto - Artwork at times were beautiful, score brought out emotions well. Interesting backstory that didn't need to be fully explained to be enjoyed.

Kobato / Letter Bee - Kobato's strengths were the same as Sora no Woto's, but slightly less pronounced. Recommended if you like CLAMP and/or romance stories. Letter Bee had an intriguing setting and likeable (it's hit or miss) characters. Both shows can bring out emotions in their own way.

[shinta|hikari]

While I liked Angel Beats, by the end of it I realized that it didn't live up to any of my expectations, and was far weaker compared to other key works. Even Kanade was quite shallow as a character. It was still a good show though, just not good enough to beat out the following series.

For this spring season, my top 3 in ascending order are:

3) Durarara!! - This would have been the top pick if the second half was as good as the first, but ever since Celty was no longer the focus, the story became quite boring. The e(mo)pisodes about Kida really brought this down. The climax and ending were also quite weak.

2) Working!! - I didn't really consider this to be such a good show at first, particularly because I hated Inami. This eventually changed though, and while this show is not hilarious or original, it delivered what it was supposed to perfectly. It always made me chuckle (even LOL at times) and feel good like a slice of life show should. Consistency probably made this my second pick.

1) Tatami Galaxy - This was something I discovered in the middle of the spring season, and I watched 6 episodes straight and was still craving for more. If I had to describe it, it is a mix of a worthwhile endless eight (yes, I know it is an oxymoron) and zetsubou sensei, with a bit of romance thrown in. Don't let the odd art deter you, because that in itself is a charm point of this show, and fits in perfectly with the theme. Don't worry about the repetition, because it has a point. It all comes together in one of the most creatively delivered endings I have seen in a really long time. In short, this is a masterpiece, so watch it.

[Buffalobiian]

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - I never watched the first series, but this adaptation was top notch from start to finish in just about everything from production values, scale of events, to plenty of likable characters.

Working!! - Same reason as Shinta's.

Angel Beats - The story felt a bit flawed in the end, but it doesn't really matter since the characters made it fun.

[Archangel]

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou - Mindless fun and GAR in an explosion of fire and pew pew lasers that never stopped being both ridiculous and fun to watch from start to finish

Durarara!! - I felt the second part wasn't as good as the first but overall it was still a great series in all fronts that managed to deliver an healthy dose of entertainment with each episode

Angel Beats - I won't compliment the plot too much as it got somewhat clusterfucky towards the end but the characters were likable, the animation was great and the soundtrack was amazing Also there was tenshi, she alone takes the anime to the top

Honorable mentions:

B Gata H Kei - I expected nothing out of it and found the first episode quite boring but my persistence paid off in the end, the perversion of the main character won me over eventually

[Buffalobiian]

Kaichou wa Maid-sama - Romance/comedy pulled off by JC Staff. Highly enjoyable characters and art style. I look forward to my weekly match of Perverted Alien vs Demon President. Fans of Special A should check this one out.

K-ON!! S2 - Slice of life. Moe. Toned down compared to the first season, but the regular dosing works in its favour.

RAINBOW - Manly series feature the troubles of youth living in post-WW II Japan, featuring some pretty graphic (impossible??) wounds. Definitely check this one out of you're sick of school uniforms or fanservice.

[MFauli]

Uh, from what I remember I only watched 2 shows last season :P Maybe I forgot something, but so far:

1. Giant Killing

2. Highschool of the Dead

[shinta|hikari]

Here we go:

1) Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru - Quirky, original comedy and Kon-senpai <3
2) Shinryaku Ika-Musume - Ebi in a box and ika-loli? No brainer.
3) Shiki (even if it hasn't ended yet, there is simply no way this won't be on the top 3 list)

I looked forward to Legend of Legendary Heroes the most each week (Ferris T_T), but that one pretty much killed itself in the end, not to mention it looked very low budget.

Katanagatari doesn't count because that was too much of a masterpiece to mention with the others.

Just finished Zakuro now, and I'm really tempted to replace an entry in my top 3 with it. The ending was really well executed for its genre. The only reason I haven't done so is because it is pretty stereotypical for most of the episodes.

I really like the Zakuro and Agemaki pairing.

[Ryllharu]

Not many series I'm watching actually ended this season.

Sora no Otoshimono Forte: It was really fun, got a bit serious this time (but never too serious), and pulled off an anime-original ending that was actually very good. I hadn't heard Fukuhara Kaori in a prominent role since she played Tsukasa in Lucky Star, and she was really flawless as Astraea. The animation throughout the series was strong, and the gags consistently made me laugh or at the very least smile. I really looked forward to the episodes each week, and am greatly looking forward to the movie, which looks to be covering one of the longer arcs in the series.

Ore no Imouto: Yes, it technically isn't over, but this series will still make the list for having very strong animation, really fantastic characters (despite how much I despise Kirino), phenomenal cast, and a good plot. They make Kirino so easy to hate when you compare her to the other characters and her friends, and Kyousuke's devotion to his family at large personal sacrifice is commendable, because I certainly can't say I would have done the same given her behavior by the end. Any series that can get me to love certain characters and loathe others is a solid edition to the top three of a season.

Otome Youkai Zakuro: This was a sleeper hit for me, recommended to me halfway through the season. It quickly became one of my favorites. I'm not really sure what genre it even fits in, certainly romance is a part of it, but it is by no means just a shoujo series. What puts it solidly in my top three this season is the characters. All of the girls were great, each with well defined personalities that reflected their backstories, and while the guys weren't all defined as well as the male lead, they meshed well with their partners and pair (twins!). I loved the alternate Meiji era styling and the minor details (the elephant youkai trying to learn to drink tea with his 'hands' instead of his trunk). The cast was wonderful, and the OP/EDs were strong. Horie Yui and Toyosaki Aki get special mention for making their laughter sound exactly the same playing the twins.


Shinryaku Ika-Musume: It was the Mini Ika Dream and Sanae's Withdrawl episodes that gives this series special mention. Outside of the 7 minute story and only 12 episodes format, the series probably would have crashed and burned.

Like shinta, I'm excluding Katanagatari, but because its monthly format doesn't put it into any season. If this was a top 3 of the year, then things would be different.

[Buffalobiian]

Amagami SS - This one's a hard one. It's not brilliant at anything in particular, but it does have the advantage of showcasing various girls successfully. It's a harem, sure - but each girl gets their turn, gets a fruitful ending (mostly) and features a bunch of fetishes for all us fetish cravers. I can't go wrong calling this a crowd-pleaser, and it's a pretty good one at that.

Shinryaku Ika-Musume - Comedy show with pacing and execution done right. 7-minute arcs keep things fresh, and I'm either smiling sadly or laughing intensely at each. I would say this show did everything right that Working! didn't - by keeping new arcs coming and likeable characters taking the show. I can't think of a single character here where I thought "Argh, not him again..

Shiki - Thriller that's combines both realism and fantasy together. Recommended as a marathon series since the exposition is fairly flat, confusing and offputting if you're watching it on a weekly basis, and the climax episodes make each week pass so slowly.



Special mention: Katanagatari.

[Kraco]

Zakuro - A historical fantasy action romance with multiple solid pairings. Some action/story related details could have been a bit sharper but otherwise this was like written specifically for me. It's kind of funny that a show already a few have mentioned never even got a thread...

Ika Musume - This was scatterbrained comedy but unlikely very often, the airheaded comedic main character was actually quite a capable person. Very fitting comedy for me with jolly characters.

Soredemo - To be honest this isn't an astounding series but since Shinrei Tantei Yakumo didn't, after all, really leave me amazed so I ended up with it. This seemed to have more going on for it.

[Archangel]

Katanagatari - Like Shinta said, it was a year long masterpiece and it almost feels unfair for the other series to add it to the list.

Sora no Otoshimono - Forte - I expected what i got from the first season, a good time. Not only that we also got some serious plot, i can truly say i enjoyed watching it.

The World God Only Knows - I'm not the most objective person when it comes to TWGoK but the animation was great, the soundtrack as well ( especially the opening ) and they were extremely faithful to the manga so adding it here was a no brainer.

Honorable Mention: Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt - Good old Gainax and their trolling, never fail to amuse

[Inazuma]

Shiki

Katanagatari

The world god only knows

[Xelbair]

Katanagatari - because it was just great. Character development, concepts, fighting scenes and plot - everything was well planned.

Bakuman - it is not finished yet but i can't find better series to take this spot. It has tension, love stories, comedy and serious stuff mixed together in great proportions and pacing.

Tegami Batchi REVERSE - setting is so unusual and fresh, soundtrack is just pure greatness and it is pretty solid series.

[Buffalobiian]

Winter 2010/2011

This season had a handful of good series and more than its fair share of WTF endings.



Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Best anime this season. Great visuals and sound, engaging and twisted plot. Don't be put off by the fact it's a "magical girl" anime. You'll regret it.

Level E - Deadpan comedy about aliens. Older 1990s dress is a bit of a refresher and actually gives this series a "down to earth" visual which interestingly contrasts with the content. Story weakens a little in the middle compared to the opening, but still recommended for those looking for some non-slapstick laughs.

Tegami Bachi REVERSE - Also known as Letter Bee REVERSE, this is a direct continuation of the first Letter Bee series. This hardly needs recommending since if you liked the first one, you're bound to be watching. Suffers from an abrupt anime-original ending.



Honourable Mention:

Fractale - interesting world and themes. Ending lacks explanation.

Freezing - Ecchi with a plot...doesn't quite describe what this is, but I'll leave it at that. Starts out really intense for like 3 episodes. Mellow's out afterwards.

[Ryllharu]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - Well done series that put forth an interesting variation of the magical girl genre. Featured well written characters and scenarios/questions/conflicts not normally seen in the magical girl genre. Soundtrack was good, visuals were memorable, and it tugged at your heartstrings, thanks to a very strong cast. We had to wait quite a bit for the finale, but it was worth it.

Infinite Stratos - The lead was awful and a complete moron, the mech designs were often strange (got tired of looking at guy midriff), the plot was...somewhere. Yet, I found myself looking forward to this series nearly as much as I did Madoka each week. I think that I loved to hate this show. While the lead was below idiot intelligence, the girls of the series were fantastic. Some shined a great deal more than others, but most of them ended up with surprisingly well developed personalities by the end of the series' short run. The animation itself was rather good, even if the CGI stood out of place from time to time. The cast was strong as well.

Kore wa Zombie Desuka? - I picked this one up later, but it stood out strongly as a great comedy series. A lot of the stuff going on was beyond "wtf," but any comedy series that gets an audible laugh out of me every episode is stronger than most. Strong cast with excellent cameos, good animation (censorship notwithstanding, though often creatively done), and good character designs. The occasional serious episodes were woven into the series very nicely and executed perfectly due to many of them still retaining a thin veneer of ridiculousness. I really had no complaints I could make about this series.

Honorable Mention: Kimi ni Todoke season 2. This series was more of a continuation, and while it was wonderful, it wasn't as stand-out as it's predecessor. Great cast again, excellent animation, but the plot was more of the same paired with a rather foregone conclusion.

[aadie01]

Cross Game
Saki
Guin Saga


-Apreciate the effort to spread the word about anime you enjoyed. Please know that this thread is designed to inform readers of current or recently finished shows, however. So in order to fulfil the purpose of the thread, I ask all future posts to adhere to this purpose.

Regards. Buff.