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Now that 2008 is over, here’s a look back at some of the best series the year had to offer. Also included at the end are the final results to the Reader’s Choice Poll.
Disclaimer: These are purely my personal opinions based on the shows that I saw in the past year (and in the case of Best Comedy, the shows that Divine has seen). For a show to even qualify for consideration, it had to have met the requirements outlined in the Reader’s Choice Poll. That means that series like Toradora! and Soul Eater are not up for awards this year – they’ll be saved for 2009.
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This would be an easy choice if it were 2009 and I had the option of choosing Soul Eater because that has some of the best action I’ve seen all year, and it does so very consistently. Since these aren’t the 2009 awards though, the decision gets a bit harder. I watched plenty of shows with action this year, and given my tastes, that skewed heavily mecha. From an action point of view, I have to choose Gundam 00 because it had a variety of battles that kept you on the edge of your seat and showed that Gundams weren’t all-powerful (unlike, for example, certain Knightmares in Geass R2). It helps of course that Gundam 00 had some strong animation quality behind it for all those action scenes, though Macross Frontier deserves some recognition as well for its CG action. |
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Since Divine watched a lot more comedies this year than I did, he made this selection and wrote the following: |
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There’s not a doubt in my mind that the best romance/drama series this year was true tears. This had the quintessential love triangle, but the writers kept you hooked until the very end over what was going to happen with some great characters (good voice work as well) and an intricate set of relationships. Add to that the fact that it was never implausible and they didn’t even need to use supernatural occurrences or murderous intent – there was just a lot of pure emotion and drama. Clannad was good as well, but I don’t think the romance aspect of it was nearly strong enough (that will probably change in After Story). In fact, between the end of true tears and this most recent season (which includes notably Toradora!), nothing even came close to being as good a romance/drama series as true tears. |
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This is a new category for this year in which I highlight a show that deserves more attention than it’s gotten. My selection this year, after watching this series on the recommendation of a friend, is Kaiba. The premise for the series is that people’s memories and their bodies are interchangeable, and it starts with the journey of a boy with no memories of who he is. It’s kind of like the Little Prince or Night on the Galactic Railroad in the beginning and has a surreal feel, but by the end there’s a very coherent story about love and betrayal. The animation style might seem strange at first, but it was easy to get used to and not bad at all. Now I wasn’t happy with the way the series ended, but I give it a lot of credit for presenting plenty of interesting themes like the meaning of life and death when memories can be transferred or altered, and this is a series I’d recommend you at least check out if you haven’t already. |
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There were plenty of series with shocking plot twists this year, but I think the king of them all has to be Code Geass R2. Some characters would die suddenly, others who were supposed to be dead would make dramatic returns, still others would die one week and then show back up the next…and that’s only scratching the surface. From beginning to end, one of Geass’s fortes was delivering plot twists, and that made for a very entertaining series, if ultimately imperfect. I also have to give a special shout-out to the shocking first episode of the recent Ga-Rei Zero which ended up being a complete fake-out to the rest of the series. |
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There were a lot of very well animated series this year, and if I could choose entirely based on a single impressive instance, Macross Frontier would probably win for the impression it made on me with its premiere episode. And that’s not to say that the rest of Macross Frontier wasn’t well animated, because it was. Rather, I just think that Kara no Kyoukai deserves recognition for some of the most beautiful animation this year with great cinematography, fluid motions, the works. As I said last year when I chose Byousoku 5 Centimeter, I know it’s kind of unfair to select a movie or OVA where a budget doesn’t have to be stretched over a long period of time, but if you want to see a visually stunning title, go watch Kara no Kyoukai. |
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If this were any other year, a soundtrack like the one true tears had would have clinched this. Kikuchi Hajime did a wonderful job creating an array of memorable pieces, especially the piano ones. But this was a year with a Macross series, and it’s hard to compete against both Kanno Youko composing all the instrumental tracks (Prologue F remains my favorite) along with dozens of vocal tracks by the very talented May’n and Nakajima Megumi. I can honestly say that there’s not a single track on there that I don’t like. Music is just such a integral part of Macross titles, and the Macross Frontier soundtrack delivers with flying colors, whether it’s with epic sounding instrumentals or emotional love songs. |
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Given how much I enjoyed the Macross Frontier soundtrack, I was very tempted to choose one of my many favorites off of it – specifically Diamond Crevasse – but in the end, I have to hand this to Gundam 00’s second ED, Friends by Stephanie. She has a very strong voice, and I love the lyrics about the bonds between friends. It’s a song that’s stuck with me for a long time, and I can listen to it over and over without it getting old. |
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Now before half of you burn me at the stake for this, let me say that this was an incredibly hard decision to make. Unlike last year, there’s no clear number one because all of my top choices were imperfect in some way. Among other things, Geass R2 got too convoluted and plot-twist-happy for its own good, Macross Frontier had a frustrating main character and ending, and both Gundam 00 and true tears started off rather slow for me. But the best isn’t about finding the perfect series, nor is it even about which series I will most fondly remembered five years down the road – it’s about what I enjoyed the most in 2008. In that light, Geass R2 was definitely the most entertaining, and despite all the problems that it had, I still enjoyed watching it immensely from beginning to end. Yes, the pacing and the script were pretty bad, but in terms of enjoyment, I just can’t justify anything else over Code Geass R2. Now flame away 😛 |
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The Top 5: |
2008 was an exciting year for anime, and despite some big stumbles, there were plenty of good series. One of the more positive developments this year is how some companies have started to release official streams and subtitles of certain shows, and I’m curious to see how many 2009 shows will get this treatment and how it will shift the role of the fan community. I’m also looking forward a number of 2009 shows like Senjou no Valkyria and the new Fullmetal Alchemist series, so it should be a fun year.
Note: I don’t agree with CODE GEASS R2 as best anime of 2008. >_>
I would’ve picked Macross Frontier.
O_O code geass owns many awards and the show deserve it xD….
mm code geass… decepcionante…
and i agree with Kara No Kyoukai as best animation
WHERES CLANNAD?
geass??? lo escribo en español… no estoy de acuerdo…. demasiadas preguntas sin respuestas y errores… en fin u_U bien por kannagi y true tears
i would have picked Macross Frontier too, not that i don’t love Geass too.
code geass hasta el ultimo nunca se tenia claro como seria el final y el final de cada capitulo te dejaba espectante para el siguiente .
macross frontier se sabia como hiba terminar y el final fue bastante pobre tratando de superar el capitulo 7 que fue el mejor capitulo de la serie pero que ala final paso el resto sin pena y poca gloria
Show Spoiler ▼
I hope this 2009 Anime will be more exciting, more sequels, more Haruhi’s, more Urusai…., more Shana Wannabe’s, etc,
Code Geass WTF??? This series has been a total waste of my time. As it could win the best anime of 2008. X.x I’m totally disappointed, but Gundam has won something XD.
Death to the bastard Lelouch and Suzaku. Gundam Rules Forever XP
Long live to Lelouch
COde geass > you
Thanks so much for posting this, Omni! It’s always nice to hear the different opinions of the anime community! Code Geass certainly took all of us on a very intense ride. :]
Again, thanks for all the hard work you and the other bloggers put into Random Curiosity. Cheers to 2008, and best wishes for 2009!
“Long live to Lelouch” hahahah Of course. We will do a statue read: “In honor of the king of the emos.” Don’t forget his stupid Geass. Indeed Code Geass R2 in all the characters are immortal or at least die and revived more times than all the characters from Dragon Ball Z together
You know what the irony is? The people who voted Geass R2 as the best anime of 2008 apparently didn’t buy the Blu-Ray discs, or at least the ones who voted in Japan didn’t… as Macross Frontier disc 1 has been outselling Code Geass R2’s by a ratio of almost 2:1. 😀
Hmm… I’m not sure GEASS was really #1, but… meh. Hopefully 2009’s poll will run longer than 2008’s, so I can actually cast a vote.
Clannad…TT_TT
I’m definitely not surprised. Macross was entertaining, but I found a lot of it’s characters much more annoying than some of my most hated Geass characters. Also, I find it disappointing when I compare it to other Macross series, as a whole. Geass, on the hand, despite its many flaws, was still much more enjoyable than most. My second favorite would be Gundam 00.
reasonable choices, much better then bus gammer so im happy.
That image of Nagi with the napkin over the glued-on magic wand always cracks me up. It’s taken almost unchanged from the manga, but the gag works better with the timing, body language and voice acting of the anime.
On the other hand, I watched the first episode of “Hyakko” and almost went to sleep it was so dull.
I’m amused by the number of series you mentioned here but never said word one about anywhere previously. Not catering or anything, eh?
Flaming, like insults, are the refuge of the incompetent. Looking forward to some well reasoned counterarguments.
I must note that Geass’s ending still sticks in my head, unlike Macross F.
i totally agree with this assessment, except for kaiba, because i think it should go to natsume.. heehee. and thanks random curiosity and its bloggers for “spoiling” most of the animes i watched in 2008.
yes, indeed, CG is the best anime in terms of people who voted and watched… surely “people of today” love a show full of surprises and some cliche… if people had loved a romance or a comedy show, then most had voted for those show that is least to be expected… it all depends in the genre of people we are living with… anyway, good job for omni and the other bloggers, a job well done for 2008… let’s see what’ll grab the best for this new year… <:-P
hope you wont forget about xam’d in 2009 lol. i guess it didnt end in 2008 but it only has wut like 5 episodes left?
I mainly agree with Omni and divine for their choices for top anime series for 2008. true tears is a great classic romance series that deserve more attention for its subtleties and characters. Likewise, Kannagi is at the top of the comedy pack for its impeccable comic timing and delivery, smart dialogue, and tasteful fan-service. You don’t get many of that in comedy series these days, which usually fall back too much on ecchi fan service and slapstick humor.
YA FOR CG!! Code Geass >> Macross Frontier
The ending of Code Geass R2 >> ending of MF
I agree with Kaiba the best show too 🙂
All hail lelouch!!
Well……….. CGr2 did deserve the biggest shocks award hmmmmmmmmmmmm, And I agree most of your choices, but nothing 4 Clannad? Sob Sob Cries
Yeah! Kara no Kyoukai!
I liked true tears… hopefully PA Works’ 2nd Anime (Canaan) would bring more ‘action’ within the blogosphere also just like TT ^^
^^ excellent choices omni and divine, i have to say your views and opinions fully displays your professionalism and exquisite tastes in anime. Look forward to your blogs in 2009!
for once, I agree with divine and say that Macross frontier deserves show of the year more than Geass. I see myself remembering Frontier 5 years down the line for fond reasons and still trying to forget geass…
In fact, for me, Geass was one of the worst shows I watched!
Wow… Mecha got the top three! But I would like to thank you bloggers for doing all this. It’s great and I completely agree with “lotuskonoha”
Geass was terrible, and the second season was even worse. Filled with massive pacing issues and a lackluster plotline that ends up moving too fast for its own good and has an abrupt ending with a rather lacking conclusion. Ugh.
very cool true tears rulzz
I agree with Macross Frontier winning the soundtrack, but I think that it deserves the best action and possibly the best anime as well. Gundam has good action but Macross Frontier’s is so much faster, which it makes it more realistic and captivating. As for Code Geass, it does have better characters, but the end ruined it for me.
On the musical note, Stephanies’s “Friends” was an awesome song, although brilliant green’s “Ash Like Snow” and many of the Macross Frontier songs would have made good contenders too.
Yeah I don’t agree I think Macross Frontier was much better than Code Geass R2. Macross had more on the table, it’s a no brainier that it won best album because of Yoko Kanno but overall if you look at the series, visually it surpasses every anime this year.
Hey what happened to the Surprised Hit category?
Simply put, 2008 had some stunning anime and didn’t disappoint. Definitely looking forward to 2009! Cheers everyone!
im not really sure bout code geass being #1..hehehxp
I personally would ahve voted for The Tower of Druaga as one of my favorite series just because of the ending. I can’t wait for Sword of Druaga.
I wasn’t really feeling it this year since alot of series disappointed me while 2007 had alot of good shows, this year not so much but 2009 looks promising so far.
Omni said that the top anime choice was a TOUGH one. He told us that he enjoyed Geass the most, which doesn’t downgrade any other series at all. Read it over again. Even though I don’t agree with the choice, I agree with Omni’s reasoning in his choice.
I agree with all of the choices, but I’m saddened to see ef- tale of melodies not win any awards.
@filphil
Omni said that the top anime choice was a TOUGH one. He told us that he enjoyed Geass the most, which doesn’t downgrade any other series at all. Read it over again. Even though I don’t agree with the choice, I agree with Omni’s reasoning in his choice.
But his reasons are the exact same excuse fans use to defend R2 (not to mention he consider it a trainwreck as well) “it was entertaining and I enjoy it” sure I might not remember it but it was fun is like saying the other and better anime on the list were boring and uninteresting, last year Code Geass actually earned that title and this year it doesn’t but at that same token there sure wasn’t that many stand-outs this year so of course it was hard, heh whatever next year I’ll try not to get into the hype like I did this year so I won’t have an opinion of it either way
Whatever it’s “his” opinion even though it’s a shitty or
Great choices.
Code Geass R2, although with its many flaws was quite entertaining till the end.
Macross Definitely had the best vocals soundtracks, but I thought True Tear OST was really good too.
Looking forward to 2009 with Toradora, Clannad After Story and most importantly new Full Metal Alchemist!!
Can’t quite agree with everyone’s infatuation for CG R2 and the majority vote for it. On that note, I don’t even think I had a favorite in 2008. I pretty much liked all my favorites about equally with no clear winner between them.
Best Anime is Code Geass. It’s OK. But Honorable Mention Macross Frontier? LOL. I don’t why the people liked this one. This Macross was just retard in my opinion. Poor plot and miserable characters (they were just like idiots). LOL.
>code geass
>best anime 2008
HAHA OH FUCKING WOW
Oh, and I have a doubt… If Code Geass is the best of 2008, why it is not in the “best action” too? It was out of this section because it is the overall’s best?
I think you should put CG as Most Entertaining and Fun to Watch Anime of 2008. It’s your opinion and it’s your blog but it’s insulting to 2008 as a whole to say CG was the best.
I think Omni’s gotten confused with entertaining = quality. While it’s damn right that R2 was fucking entertaining as hell, it certainly wasn’t the best of the year, if best is a combination of plot, story, direction, characters, animation and sound quality.
yeahhhhhhhhhh gundam at least is second place
Yeah code geass best anime for 2008 🙂
I can understand where you’re coming from for Code Geass R2. It was definitely the highlight of my week waiting for each new episode, knowing that I would get my share of entertainment no matter what happened. Of course, the series has become one that should never be analyzed just because of how convoluted it became.
I was half-hoping you’d pick Friends for the Top Song. It looks like I got my wish. XD;;
Kannagi is probably one of the better comedy shows I’ll ever come across. I usually end up dumping most romances and comedies halfway into the first episode. However, the presentation of the comedy definitely kept me hooked.
Code Trainwreck, the best of 2008? Sorry, an epic ending doesn’t excuse the first 16 or so episodes being crap.
@mikhei: Why bother post here? Personally, I find RC’s taste the same with mine. True Tears and Kannagi are good animes, but since maybe you don’t like down-to-earth anime you don’t like it.
So throwing plot and story out the windows is acceptable as long as a show is entertaining? Are you fucking serious?
Code Geass again? (Gimme a break… But, I will respect the will of the people. After all, a vote is a vote.) Anyway, the following are my picks.
Best Action
Sekirei – Yes, their fight scenes are better than the Fist of North Star spinoff and Nabari no Ou. What a shame (to the other guys, I mean). By the way, Best Action doesn’t mean Best Giant Robot in my book.
Best Romance/Drama
True Tears – So unpredictable. Definitely the best romance.
Wolf and Spice – So original. If it is not the best drama it can be a runner-up.
Natsume Yuujinchou – Its pace maybe a bit too slow by American standard. But I think the story is actually quite interesting.
Best Comedy
Hyakko – I like this one slightly better than Kannagi because it has a good message in every episode. Both are very funny.
Kannagi – Definitely one of the best comedies. I don’t like the fact that it relies too much on dirty jokes and fan services towards the end.
Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei II and OVA – Even better than the first series.
Perhaps “Tower of Druga – the Aegis of URUK” and “Masked Maid” also deserve a honorable mention. However, I have to say they are too full of cliche to be seriously considered the “best” even for just one year.
Here are some more categories that I think true otakus would appreciate.
Best Science Fiction
RD Sennou Chousashitsu – The whole series sticks to a theme (i.e., brain dive) and explores in meaningful depth. Shirou Masamune did not disppoint. And, I like Holon.
Tytania – Forget about Gundam or Code Geass. If you like war epic, learn from the big boys like Tanaka Yoshiki.
GHOST HOUND – It started in 2007 and ended in 2008, and is another fine work by Masamune. The narrative was able to maintain a suspense between delusion and reality.
The Revelation – Again, it explores the consequences of a sci-fi idea (i.e., retrieving the memory of dead people) with great emotional details.
Best Suspense/Thriller (not sure if this is the same as “Best Shock”)
Garei – Zero – It does a decent job in exploring the dark side of human emotion. However, it is the year’s best simply because other series are too weak. Shigofumi was close if its ending was not such a disappointment. Hell Girl III was totally outdone by its previous two seasons.
Best Character Design
Library War – Beautifully drawn. The transition between “funny” face and normal face is also done well.
Best Background Graphics
True Tears – Its scenery is so well-drawn that the actual Japanese town at which the anime is based actually got a big boast in tourism.
Kure-nai – If True Tears is the western style, then Kure-nai is closer the eastern, brush-stroke style. Its character design and OP sequence is also unique.
SoulEater – I have not seen a similar style since Dragonball. Glad to see it well done with the help of computer graphics.
Best Computer Graphics
BLASSREITER – From motorcycle race, to one-on-one combat against cyborgs on ground, to missile interception in mid-air, this show has it all. Person 3 – Trinity could have been a runner-up if it were not so similar to Blassreiter.
Best Opening Song
Yozakura Karutetto (Concerto), JUST TUNE, sung by savage genius
Best Ending Song
Bleach ED17, Hitohira no Hanabira, sung by STEREOPONY
Worst Anime of 2008
Kanokon – I hate this anime from the bottom of my heart. It turns idea that are not funny into ugly actions, which are badly disguised as fan service.
Kiss x sis – Runner-up. With just one episode (OVA), it relies on nothing but fan service and outrageous theme to sustain the whole story. It pretends to be funny but fails miserably.
That’s about it. 2008 has been a wonderful year for anime. In particular, Random Curiosity has done a fantastic job to bring some of the best to us. Thank you!
@Chocobar: Are you replying to my post? I’ll assume you did.
No. I like a good plot better than anything. I care 50% about art too.
I totally agree with the R2 pick. It’s absolutely amazing how the haters come out on this one. I’ve never seen another show that’s typically held in high regard by the overwhelming majority of anime fans been so analyzed for its flaws (some of which are so absurd, one that always stuck in my mind was my buddy telling me Geass sucked because of its ending yet his favorite show of all time was Monster). I don’t get why people try to tear down this show, the fact is most people who watched the show fucking loved it, like myself and regardless of what you think you aren’t going to change my mind.
Geass does have its flaws, just like every other single anime ever made. You could do to Geass to every other series held in high regard. Try looking at other shows in the AniDB top 25 and you’ll know what I mean. There’s obviously a group of anime fans that loathe shows like Aria or Gurren Lagann for various reasons but they never take it to the woodwork like a bunch of disgusting savages. The thing that really makes me tick are people who try to take stupid niche shows like Kaiji (guess what Kaiji wasn’t even as good as Akagi or One Outs) or Tower of Druaga (seriously?) and say they are better than Geass and then proceed to use “logic” by tearing down Geass using flaws in the series and then say had the best pacing, characters, story etc of all time.
If you want to hate Code Geass, that’s fine with me. I just can’t take the LOL OMG YOU LIKE CODE GEASS LOL comments anymore months after R2 ended. I don’t get what it will take the haters to realize that most people actually liked the show (it did actually win Reader’s Choice by a landslide before the bananas happened) and that no one cares you didn’t happen to like it for whatever reason.
On a personal note I really didn’t enjoy Kaiba at all. I found the style boring myself, but I can understand why other people really love the series. I get the show isn’t for me and I’m not going to try down anyone’s opinion for liking the show. Is that really so hard to do? As for the rest of the rewards I’d agree with all of them except perhaps the Animation one and the Romance. I think Xam’d had the best animation of any anime this year, though you went with a good one.
Best ED – If you count KimiKiss, then “Don’t forget” by Suara (Kimi Kiss ED2) should be the best ED of 2008.
True Tears has the best OP and ED combo, IMHO.
Cant lie Code Geass is always going to be something to remember. Looking forward to see what Sunrise will do in 09′ All in all, 08 was great.
@Atobe
You can’t be seriously, so your willing to overlook R2’s obvious flaws for bullshit reasons than compare it to others to prove your failing argument. My point is Lelouch was the only good thing about the show. Aside from him, there’s really nothing that’s actually worth of praise. The premise for the show was good, but the way in which it was developed was quite poor. The anime itself wasn’t the best thing out there, but the main character was quite remarkable. Now I’ll agree with Omni in saying it was a tough decision for the sheer fact that there was no true stand out and I guess it was down to his personal taste, but like he said it was “his” opinion.
i must watch Kaiba xD
KyoAni has to do something. Sunrise is taking all the glory for itself.
In season one, I found the characters and their relationships incredibly well-done. They were nuanced, they were interesting, and no one was what they seemed on the surface. Pathological liars, deliberately ignorant idealists, unrepentant manipulators, and those who are willing to be manipulated–all of whom were decent people trying to do the right thing, despite their purposes being streaked with selfishness. It was great.
R2 was shit, though. It trashed the characters.
Why all the whining about Geass R2? Looks like most everyone agrees seeing as it got as many votes in the pole as the rest of the top 5 titles combined!
My choice for “Best Show You Didn’t Watch” would have to be Real Drive (RD Sennou Chousa-shitsu). Simply a fantastic show, engaging characters, beautiful animation, good story and a touching final scene.
Well I like Code Geass. It was a cool anime. The only thing is, is that the ending was a bit to little. it just went by so fast and prety much just flew pass by. Well still like it though. It would be nice if there was another anime like it though.
Hmmm … nice choices … but i’m surprised that Bounen no Xamdou “lost memories” didn’t win any position on the list or even honorable mentions despite having amazing action scenes, quality animation, nice music and very good story telling.
Is it because it isn’t over yet or because nobody here on the blog watched it !!?
Most popular=BEST
@Chocobar
I’d agree with the fact that Lelouch is one of the best protagonists ever for any anime, but I’d disagree with the comment about “nothing else worth of praise”. I don’t think I’m the only one who loved the show for it’s complete cast of characters, or its pacing, or its soundtrack, or yes even the story.
I’m not comparing it to other series. But every single series has its “obvious” flaws that fans will overlook because they LOVED the show they were watching. They were always looking forward to the next episode with a thrill up their leg or with a box of tissues or what not. I think most people had that feeling with Code Geass because even most of the haters were completely engaged with the series and watched it all the way through. Code Geass was made by Sunrise, it wasn’t meant to be some literary masterpiece that Shakespeare would be proud of (because there wasn’t ANY of those this year), it’s just the most entertaining series of 2008 and for most people that means it’s their Best series of 2008.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions thats fine. Again I don’t really care if you hate or love Code Geass, I’m just tired of people posting those snarky one-liners anywhere they can on the internet about how anyone could actually like Code Geass that no other series gets (they’ve already shown up here and I’m sure there will be some more for the rest of history). I just think the overwhelming majority of fans loved the show and it’s about time to just let it rest (until they milk it for season 3, then you can take it to the woodwork again if you want)
I’m not going to discuss the Macross vs Geass thing. Macross Frontier is awesome in so many ways, but I have too much reasons to think on Geass R2 as the best show of the year, and one of my favorite series ever. I could argue that Macross Frontier should have the “Best Action” award, but all of this is just a matter of tastes.
If you really want to take the “sales on Japan” argument, I’m afraid that you’ll going to surprise very much with this. While Macross Frontier leads the BlueRay sales, the Oricon ranking for DVD sales show another scenario:
1st – 30th
**1, 219,315 Rebuild of Evangelion: 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE
**2, *58,779 Kara no Kyoukai 1: Fukan Fuukei
**3, *31,706 Lucky ☆ Star OVA
**4, *25,955 Code Geass – Hangyaku no Lelouch R2
**5, *25,534 Bleach – The DiamondDust Rebellion
**6, *22,847 Mobile Suit Gundam 00
**7, *17,548 Macross Frontier
**8, *17,521 Clannad ~After Story~
**9, *16,978 .hack//G.U. Trilogy
*10, *16,740 Gintama Season 3
Source: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=58963&show=0
I want say LOLBLOG, but after seeing some of the responses in this thread…. if you honestly believe that this was the best anime of 2008 then your taste in anime is really awful.
Basroil, given that the poll was shut down early due to massive vote-stuffing, and there’s really no way to be sure that they caught all the stuffing and thus got an untainted result, the readers choice poll is pretty meaningless.
Not to mention, 29% isn’t even close to be “most everybody”. If we assume the poll is accurate then 71% of the readers here think Code Geass R2 was NOT the best anime of 2008.
R2 really sucked IMO, but let’s just look to 09 people!
08 Nothing for me, into 2009 and for an Mai HiME sequel!
@Atobe
I don’t think there’s much of a separation, though. Or rather, there are two types of enjoyment:
1. You’re on the edge of your seat. You block off time in your day for this. You watch it, and you’re mesmerized and cannot concentrate on anything else. You cheer, you cry, you laugh. It engages you on multiple levels and when the episode ends, you suddenly feel the need for more.
2. You know that despite the fact you’re watching, you’re not really enjoying yourself. You are passing time. You might laugh or cryor at various times but nothing ever truly touches you or incites any real rational or emotional response.
A true quality series evokes the first kind of entertainment, whereas a poorly constructed series can only create the second kind at best.
I think it’s fair to evaluate series based on raw enjoyment because:
A – Most people strive for the first type of entertainment when watching and discussing.
B – The kinds of series that produce the first kind have better technical factors (better music, art, characters, plot)
C – Despite that, having all of the best technical factors doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good anime; that’s the fallacy of composition.
In other words, if you like an anime, you can probably explain what you liked about it in terms of its factors. But if you try to rank anime by the quality of their factors, you’ll find “technically” great series that people don’t actually enjoy watching.
Most of R2 bored me senseless. It was like watching M. Night movies, just in a half hour format.
Without demographics, voting can’t be taken too seriously. If this forum is dominated by males (which I suspect is the indeed the case), then chick flicks like True Tears or KimiKiss will never win the top spot. So, is “Best Anime” simply “Best Anime for Boys (or Men Who Never Grow Up)”? or is it really “Best Anime for All People”?
Who knows? Perhaps this forum just happens to have a lot of Code Geass fans. In another forum, perhaps Kaiba would have been No. 1.
Ah, Code Geass… it shall forever be remembered for the lulz and WTF moments. (Is it just me or does Sunrise enjoy trolling their viewers?)
As fr 2009, I have high hopes. Kobato, Shangri-la, new Tsubasa/xxxHolic OADs, and Black God sound pretty interesting….
@anon
You can throw out the poll if you want but it was fairly obvious Code Geass was going to win because these were the results before the shenanigans occured. I don’t see how it’s meaningless because even if you say half of Geass’s votes were the result of “funny stuff” it still would have been Reader’s Choice.
Although I do think there’s some funny stuff with the results, I mean apparently 12 people only watched CHAOS;HEAD as their only anime series this year. And that guy who voted for Dragonaut obviously misclicked.
@Chocobar
I don’t really get where you’re getting at. I think most people who watched Geass would classify as an A under your brackets. Code Geass was the IT anime this year, regardless of whether or not you liked it. It was the series that had everyone talking episode to episode, about the plot developments, about the characters, everything about it. People would have various emotions episode to episode depending on what happened in the series. Most people who love Code Geass aren’t going around saying it thrives on the Technical details of most great series, but it was the raw entertainment of the series that people loved. Every anime hits a person a different way of course, but for most anime fans this year the show that had people waiting was Geass.
I’m a male, and I like True Tears alot
I reckon CLANNAD should have won something! Its visually stunning, the music is beautiful and most of all!… The stories are heart-warming! T___T” *LOVE CLANNAD!*
@Hunter-Wolf
To be eligible for the poll, the series had to have been a complete TV series that ended in 2008. “Xam’d Lost Memories” would be eligible next year, along with the aforementioned “Soul Eater” and “Toradora”.
NOOO!! Geass got the award?!? >.<
Personally, I really really REALLY loved “Ef – A Tale of Melodies”.
Very emotional and very unique.
@Atobe
*sigh* Whatever. I saw the decline in entertainment in 2008 so there were no clear cut winners like they were in 2007 and the years berfore but itt’s getting late and m hating n Geass is nor getting me anywhere at this point. Let’s hope 2009 gets me more pumped than 2008.
Pretty accurate choices, Omni (and Divine). Was obvious Code Geass would win. It’s well deserved for a number of reasons.
Keep up with the blogging and for another round of Best of 2009. Seriously, don’t let anyone convince your opinions otherwise. Stay true.
Glad to see Ga-Rei -Zero- gaining a spot here. Definitely biggest shocks…though I would have liked to see it be under the category of “Best Show You Probably Didn’t Watch”
Too bad for H2O though 🙁
Kit-Tsukasa: IMO, H2O-Footprint in the Sand was good until the it-has-all-been-a-fantasy ending. The story also has too many tear jerkers. Putting it side-by-side with True Tears in the same season, it is naturally outdone.
@chocobar
I really think that CG was the clear winner this year. I was just saying using your reasoning of why people like shows that CG completely dominated every other series in terms of entertainment value
All in all I thought 2008 was a solid if not unspectacular year for anime. Plenty of good shows with a few big stalwarts but most of the great shows were either direct sequels or loose sequels of older series of sorts (just looking at the top stuff in the RC you have Geass, Frontier, Clannad, Aria, Gundam, Nodame, Vampire Knight, Spice and Wolf that fall into that category or are about to and there was way more stuff in the middle). Hoping that trend doesn’t continue as much in 2009 as it did in 08 although perhaps its my imagination and it’s always been like this.
@dbm
Thanks for clearing this, i was confused since it is a very good series, and not all blogs follow those same rules when choosing “Best of” animes, now it makes sense.
The honorable mentions calmed me down
I remember waiting for the release of my CG2 dose on eclipse channel every monday @2h CET (job at 8h 🙁 ).
To see the popularity of the show you should have check the ratio seed/leech on torrent, it was as mush as an Heroes episode on mininova.
The anime was not perfect but none of the other show provide me so much fun during the past year.
To all faggots and morons just check each CG2 review on this blog and see how many comments it got, even TTGL from 2007 didnt get that much. Being surprised by OMNI’s choice means u are just a newbie here and then we dont care about your wanabee-anticonformist opinion.
ALL HAIL LELOUCH, ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!!! Code Geass definitely deserves the title of ‘The Best Anime of 2008’. THere is no doubt in my mind. I sincerely hope there would be a season 3 or an OVA set in several years after the finale.
Sob.. sob.. and Tora Dora is not in 2008 also. TT. It fair better for me compare to Kannagi ending which phail me off the series in it final episode. We need Taiga, Minorin and Ami chan
#
Haesslich at 11:46 pm on January 1st, 2009
You know what the irony is? The people who voted Geass R2 as the best anime of 2008 apparently didn’t buy the Blu-Ray discs, or at least the ones who voted in Japan didn’t… as Macross Frontier disc 1 has been outselling Code Geass R2’s by a ratio of almost 2:1. 😀
I see that you’ve been misguided my friend. Macross Frontier did not outsell Code Geass in Japan. How do i know you ask? Well it’s quite simple, Code Geass has revolutionised anime and this is true from the sales figure alone for Season 1 and 2 in japan. An official report has been sent to Animenewsnetwork earlier which reaffirms my statement. While Macross did re-explore the popular genre that made Macross successful, it wasn’t exactly top notch. I too, love Macross Frontier however, i found it predictable although i gave high praises to it’s almost flaswless animation. With regards to the ratio mentioned before, it should really be 1:2 not the other way around. Just check up on anime news network if you have time.
code geass r2 won it cuz its expected to be won!!!
All Hail Lelouch LOL
I think 2008 is the year when I watched the most amount of animes/read the most amount of mangas, so it was hard choosing which one to vote. But while Code Geass is brain-hurting, fabulous crack, it was still the most enjoyable one for me ♥
Will check out true tears, Kara no Kyoukai and Kaiba! :]
As usual, I find very little in common with this page. I think most of your picks year after year are geared towards teenagers and a good portion of them are somply unwatchable. These are not animes I would recommend to anyone.
^
I think we all have our opinions on what we like and dislike, a blog is just a way of showing what your views are.
I gotta say that the new Gundam is more enjoyable than most of the past series.
Geass, very fun to watch (Hurray for endless “WTF” moments!), ending was a bit rushed. *Crosses fingers for re-make*
Frontier was my first Macross, and I Gotta say I loved it. However, the ending made me a bit mad.
Clannad was ‘meh’. Guess I gotta watch After Story.
WHERE’S MY DETROIT METAL CITY?????
Code Geass R2 is one of those show that you love or hate, no middle ground.
So any argument are meaningless with a such subjective thing.
Those who complain can browse the various anime blogs and find one that suit their taste for the best anime 2008.
I’m sticking with Aria The Origination as the best slice of life 2008.
From reading about, it seems like a contributing factor to Code Geass R2’s popularity was the amount of “lulz” packed in the series. I tried watching Kaiba and couldn’t get past a few episodes. The storyline looked nice, but I just couldn’t stand the art at all.
Long Live Lelouch!!!
I highly disagree with naming a show for best animation which wasn´t even covered on this blog. Macross Frontier deserves the first spot there.
I think Casshern Sins and Nabari no Ou should have gotten some honorable mentions.
Both are great.
Most Underrated Anime of 2008 – Nabari no Ou and Casshern Sins
=P
TAKE THAT, DEMOCRACY!
pff predictable….
I have never acknowledged what the masses said before, and I won’t start now,though I fully respect each individual’s opinions(Omni,Divine etc..) but not the polls.
Somehow I seem to agree alot with whatever divine says and not much with Omni now that I look closely enough lol a fifty-fifty split I see….
2008 was OK and I’m already placing bets on FMA to get the next “Best” whatever next year.
Anyone else got problems displaying the site? Entries aren’t shown (but they can be seen in source code), when I use vtunnel.com I can see the text but no pictures aside from the header and the AB-buttons on the right :/
ALL HAIL LELUCHE!!! Bwahaha I knew this was going to win, well done pick this year. Kannagi deserved the best comedy indeed and drama…well I would of said CLANNAD myself but then again thats just me 😛
Agreed that CGR2 deserves the title. Best entertainment and wicked plot twists throughout the whole series. I loved Macross as well, but the trolling at the end nevertheless got me a bit mad. I’m happy to see Natsume with a mention here 🙂 One of my fav. series this year 🙂 Maybe someone can blog the season 2 here sometime in the future.
Stranger had better animation Kara no Kyoukai…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcgbC1Vxo1M
And that’s not even one of the best scenes…
As for the dvd sales fanwank
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 (Code Geass Hangyakyu no Lelouch R2) 28,327 (5+) (Sunrise/Bandai Entertainment)
Macross F (Frontier) 20,018 (5+) (Satelight)
Oh and let’s not forget…
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Kidou Senshi Gundam 00) 33,159 (7) (Sunrise/Bandai Entertainment)
Macross Frontier Blueray Vol 1 sold 35,000 copies while the dvd did 27,000. Every Macross Frontier Blueray has been the #1 Blueray of the week while there is no figures for Code Geass R2 Bluerays. Frontier is a much more impressive looking show than Code Geass so it’s no surprise to see it sell so well on Blueray.
Don’t Agree.
Bounen no Xamd [Xamd Lost Memories] that should be the best anime of 2008. BONES ROCKS
Well done CG, a fair award. To all the haters: Suck it Bitch!.
No really now, if most anime fans loved CG, do you really think that your opinion matters? You want explanations and reasons for people loving it? TOO BAD!! Nobody needs to explain anything. You don’t get it do you? Entertainment = good anime. And CG entertained like no other.
Did the top 5 is true ???? is it juz 2000 +++ ppl vote onli ????
Kannagi won something!
KannagiKannagiKannagiKannagiKannagiKannagiKannagiKannagiKannagi
What?!?!?NO award for ARIA THE ORIGINATION whatsoever?!?!You have got to be kidding me…
i tot macross frontier was a total let down…it starts good but goes downhill…plus all the singing during the fights make me feel like watching high school musical…seriously…
juz my 2 cents…
WHAT!?!??NO award for ARIA THE ORIGINATION whatsoever?!!?!You have got to be kidding me…
It’s great that you and I have such similar taste Omni!
It’s exactly what i would have done if i’ve would have made this.
I will certainly continue reading Random Curiosity, my favorite blogg of the year.
Kudos to you bloggers.
And 2008 was definitely a good year (in regard of anime).
Where’s Soul Eater? 🙁
code geass r2 same repeating remake story of S1
I thought Kyouran kazoku nikki was one of the best this year. I enjoyed it much more than Gundam 00 or Kannagi…
Where is my CLANNAD and Detroid Metal City??
lol, CLANNAD with all its flaw but i still love it to the death. I guess that’s the reason R2 become the best.
I watched Kaiba, was so strange it was easily watchable =D
Biggest shocker: Lulu standing behind Shitzzel ready to geass his arse! >=D
Well for me the best show 2008 was also R2, but also Macross and if the even counts especialy Kara no Kyoukai. An honourable mention I have also: Aria the Origination which ended the series (as the manga ended.. sob).
True Tears or Clannad I never watched as I simply have enough of series with emotional settings. Reason why I dropped Clannad pretty early and also never watched True Tears.
However all of the series were imperfect this year. If I can choose a series which I’m always keen to see the next episode of, it’s Xam’d Lost Memories (Bounen no Xamdou).
All in all I think slice of life like Hidamari Sketch, Aria or Minami-ke are still my favourite genre.
I miss real stars like the first Code Geass season or Ouran High School Host Club this year. My interest (due no time) on anime has faded a lot in 2008, so I hope to see shows of the caliber like the two I just mentioned.
Ah as for Soundtrack I also vote for Macross, but also for Aria the Origination (all Aria OSTs are awesome^^).
Best fanservice show with a “plot”
Sekirei
I hate you all XD Kannagi should have won this.
Code Geass R2 was my favorite this year too, but i only saw about 5 shows or so. Hopefully next year’s best will be better..
Agreeeeed on all of them but the best romance/drama of the year…. oh… for 2008 yes! 😀
i was surprised to come back after voting, that geass wasn’t one of the top 5 lol
I agree with your choices in both music categories!!! 🙂
ahahaha oh wow.
best anime code geass?
Are you gusy trolls or retards?
Nice. I think there should a Best Story category next year.
Thanks for hosting again THE anime poll of the year of the year. Glad to see True Tears and Kannagi on your list. Despite Code Geass R2 being entertaining and having a strong finale, it is ultimately a very deeply flawed tale.
Like yourself, 2008 was also a good anime year for me. Looking fwd to 2009!
Friends over Diamond Crevasse and even worst, the rest of the themes of Macross Frontier?! What an epic farce!! Gundam 00 is maybe the most overrated series of ’08 alongside Geass, but having it’s second ED as best song is clearly a personnal (and way too biased) opinion, mostly for the efect that 00 had made. In my own humble opinion as a veteran of both Gundam and Macross, this was the worst decision of the list.
Algo, the “action” in 00 limit itself for less than 3 minutes of BS combat and then nothing. Frontier manage to pull at least 5 to 10 minutes of combat galore, without counting the epic episode 7. Once again, the overrated efect of 00.
Geass pull too many twists that it is comparable to the Nürburgring Nordeschliffe, and most of them were as cheap as the ones that GSD try to pull for lack of time. Thanks Sunrise, sans Mai Otome S.fir, you’ve make yourselves the worst animation studio of 08.
I personally find it incredible that no one even referred to RD Sennou Chousa-shitsu, which is definitely a master piece in both animation and story plot 🙁
And same goes with other animes like Xam’d Lost Memories or Himitsu, which definitely would have deserved more recognition somehow…
I wish I’d gotten to the poll before the ballot-stuffing. ;_;
I haven’t seen Kara no Kyoukai, but I’m surprised CLANNAD didn’t get at least runner’s up for best animation.
I wonder how After Story will rate next year. I’ve thought the start was rather weak, but the dramatic portion of the game’s was supposed to be excellent, so I just can’t picture it turning out badly…
Also, wow. More love for Antique Bakery than Kyouran Kazoku Nikki. I thought I was the only one who even watched the former…
yup, i agree too, code geass r2, p please
I don’t know how did Shakugan no Shana 2 get over there in the poll…it sucked.
Well, I prefer Diamond Cross, but other than that, I pretty much agree with everything. Although I would say best anime nobody saw: World Destruction.
Geass Make me cry!!! is not the best anime but in top 5 has to be
good choice, but i prefer gundam 00
nice! Geass came first in the polls and Gundam 00 came second
I really find it amusing when some people consider their own taste as superior to others which could be seen when they bash other peoples’ opinions.
Nevertheless, I would like to say that Code Geass R2 really entertained me. There would be times that some episode might be a little dull but still, it kept me anticipating for a new episode every week.
In addition, after watching such episode, I would visit this blog and somehow I always notice the numerous gap of the comments between Code Geass and other anime which I believe could be used as a basis for labeling Code Geass as one of the interesting or rather most-talked anime for the year.
Oh well, I would like to use this as an opportunity to thank Random Curiosity for keeping me alive everyday. ~Keep up the good work!
friends is the Gundam00 second ending.
It is not the Macross Frontier soundtrack.
I totally agree with true tears and Kaiba. True tears was the best romance of 2008 by far 🙂 And for anyone who hasn’t watched Kaiba, you would be absolutely crazy not to.
Code Geass R2 was definitely the 2008 anime which entertained me the most, but I admit that the pacing was crazy and that the script was very uneven, partially because of that same reason and, ultimately, because of the time slot change and how it affected Taniguchi’s and Okouchi’s plans. That said, I do think the show had some well executed parts, including but not limited to the ending, which make Lelouch’s core story relatively good, even with all the twists.
Thus I think the best anime of the year…probably isn’t Code Geass R2, even if I don’t think it’s as senseless as most people pretend it is.
But I’m not sure which one would that be, actually, only considering those which have already finished (so no Xam’d and no 00 S2, for example). Not Macross Frontier and not the first season of 00. I guess Kaiba would be a good option, but admittedly I didn’t watch it (will correct that oversight eventually).
I would have picked Kaiji.
kurenai really should be an honorable mention for something — even if it’s the “series you didn’t watch” category
I would say D.Gray Man was my favorite, I totally loved that anime but of course it had to be cancelled *cries* lol
Kara No Kyoukai indeed had the best animation. 😀 A very good movie series.
As for others, Wewt for CG R2! 😀
Por mucho Code Geass R2 fue el mejor anime del 2008.
Si bien es cierto que trataron de suavizarlo para la audiencia infantil, tuvo todo lo que se pide deba tener un buen anime. Sorpresa, emoción, suspenso, acción, romance, escenas trágicas y sobretodo, un gran final.
Felicidades a Kannagi y gracias a Random Curiosity por esten año 2008. Thanks Omni.
Yes! Kaiba was certainly great. There were lots of subtle contemporary issues presented throughout the series, the ending as you said was not that good, but it was still a nice way to end it all. People really need to watch the show and appreciate it.
I also agree with Natsume Yuujinchou in that same category. Nice picks.
Creo que hicieron falta más premios y categorías este año.
No sean ardidos los fans de otras series, mejor recomienden los animes que les encantaron, que asi ayudan a toda la comunidad
yes i love the results!
The only pick I can say I flat out disagree with was Macross Frontier’s OST as best soundtrack. IMO it was subpar for Yoko Kanno and just didn’t hold up to the competition, even with the strong vocal tracks that basically carried the shows music. I don’t really know what I would pick for best OST, but I’m certain it wouldn’t be that.
As to what Omni said, I don’t think it’s hard to compete against Yoko Kanno composing the music tracks for Macross Frontier, I think it’s hard to compete against the IDEA of Yoko Kanno composing the music tracks for Macross Frontier.
Arigatou’s Best of Anime 2008 [doesn’t include unfinished animes]
Best Action – Gundam00
Runner-up – Macross Frontier, Code Geass R2, Tower of Druaga
Best Comedy – Kannagi
Runner-up – Minami-ke Okawari, Kamen No Maid Guy, Itazura No Kiss
Best Romance/Drama – True Tears
Runner-up – Itazura No Kiss, Kimikiss Pure Rouge, Secret of Nogizaka Haruka
Best Show (Probably Didn’t Watch) – Natsume Yuujin Chou
Runner-up – Allison and Lillia, Striker Witches, Library Wars
Biggest Shocks – Code Geass R2
Runner-up – Akane Iru Somaru Saka, Ga-Rei Zero, Nabari No Ou
Best Animation – True Tears
Runner-up – Kara No Kyoukai, Someone’s Dreamers S2, Macross Frontier
Best Soundtrack – Macross Frontier
Runner-up – Kannagi, Nabari No Ou, True Tears
Best Song – Hikari by Elisa
Runner-up – Reflectia by Euphonius, Touchousa Tachi by Kenn, Unnamed World by Aya Hirano
Best of Anime 2008 – True Tears
Runner-up – Code Geass R2, Macross Frontier, Kannagi
Arigatou’s Special Favorite of 2008 – Itazura No Kiss
Runner-up – Kannagi, Clannad, True Tears
macross frontier is not even mainstream, geass obviously take over the 1st spot.
@index: How exactly is Macross not mainstream? It’s arguably as woven into the fabric of Japanese culture as Gundam and even has it’s own magazine line appropriately labeled Protoculture.
No one halfway intelligent is going to defend R2 as an objectively quality series. I think alot of these preachings are to the choir here.
Omni said that he chose it based on entertainment value, which despite its general shittiness, R2 delivered in droves.
@ChocoBar: that is what MOST CG fans said, not only Omni. And since anime needs to entertain you, and CG entertained the best, then CG is the best. You don’t need groundbreaking story or characters to entertain, you just have to know what the people find entertaining, and do that. It’s simple, and Sunrise figured out what the masses like
@DmonHiro
But that doesn’t make it good is what I’m trying to get to alot of you, and pretty much there was no standout series to go up against it like last year.
@ChocoBar: Yes it does. The whole point of anime is TO BE ENTERTAINING. Why don’t you people understand that? Anime is not some high form of art, it’s a form of entertainment, and the series that entertains the most is the best series. Why is that so hard to understand?
where’s ARIA the ORIGiNATION???
Code geass = shit sux
@DmonHiro: Wow by your logic I was entertained by Ikki Tousen Great Guardians so it should be seris of the year but I was also entertained by Kanokan so that should be series of the year better yet I was defentely more entertained by Dragonaut: The Resonance so that should be series of the year…. now you see how retarded I sound, that’s how Omni and the rest of you CG fans sound like everytime you post, entertainment doesn’t not equal good some of the trashiest shows/movies can be a source of entertainment to different people but that does not make it good, everyone has their own different view what it is.
I think the Best Romance/Drama should’ve gone to Clannad. True Tears was really good too, but I think it lacked at the end to deserve such an award.
Macross Frontier sucked Divine. You have bad taste.
Pretty much agreed with you in everything, save for the best anime part. 😛
I’m pretty sure most of us commenting here don’t watch as widely as you do, so who are we to judge in everything? Maybe I’ll even take a closer look at Kaiba and Ga-Rei and finish off Allison & Lillia.
@chocobar
You can find entertainment in Ikkitousen or Dragonaut, thats your own personal preference. The mark of a quality series is when the overwhelming majority of the people who watch the show find something about it that separates it from other series. And to most anime fans there are very few (if any series).
I think a somewhat american comparison to CG would basically be almost every Michael Bay movie. Almost every single movie critic out there will say his movie sucks in comparison to the general public (see Transformers). If you analyze Geass by silly things like details and its literary quality you probably aren’t going to enjoy the series as much as if you kick back and enjoy the ride, something most people did. If RC was judging the best series of 2008 based on literary merit then CG wouldn’t win, but I think the overwhelming factor to how good an anime is based on its entertainment value. Geass is in my top 5 of all my series I’ve watched but it’s obviously not in the top 5 “story wise”.
You can say you had that same feeling for Dragonaut if you’d like. You’d be the only person who watches anime to actually say that though.
And if I may, Omni, I think your choices just brought out the worst in people. Do take it as a compliment, though, since some people love to express their displeasure in a “natural” way even though some (most) of your choices were pretty surprising.
Nope, i watcged Kaiba and I was surprised to see it — because it’s so awesome yet no one knows it xD
@Atobe
Way to miss the entire point of my argument (you should of realized I was being sarcastic about Dragonaunt) your assumption that all anime series have to be like Code Geass (entertainment value) is bullshit, anime can also be deep and influential and actually leave an impact on your mind which Code Geass R2 for all its tomfoolery did not all it did was provide you is 23 minutes of mindless babble and confusing logic every sunday to the point where alot of people actually stop caring and just watched it for lolz.And to say that it’s the best out of everything 2008 had to offer is also false but at that same token 2008 didn’t offer series with as much as a high profile as Code Geass (next to Gundam 00)so it’s no wonder how alot of series got put down because it didn’t have the lol moments that Code Geass R2 had. Which is why I don’t buy Omni’s,yours and other users defense that Code Geass was good because it was “entertaining” and? so what if I recommend it to anyone they’ll probably think it’s insanely stupid but interesting as well and ultimately unmemorable.
Yes I did enjoy Transformers very much but given a critical review of the film it wouldn’t be a Best Picture nominee but so wouldn’t Code Geass given a critical review of the series as a whole. Now that I think about it I’m really not going anywhere with this argument since alot of you including Omni has made up their minds on his results (I shouldn’t be surprised since he chose My Otome as best series in 2006) so I’ll stop by saying this…..Code Geass was for the most part entertaining cheese to sum i up at best not necessarily memorable but I’m disappointed at R2’s sloppy pacing, poor scripting and overall lack of explanation to everything it started but it was the only anime series I ever woke up 5:00 am in the morning every sunday to watch so “what the fuck” it was the only series of 2008 that didn’t bore me to death. That was painful.
Don’t wanna get flooded by angry Code Geass fans, I see.
@Anon-chan
Not really, besides the majority of them can’t defend any aspect of this series because they know R2 wasn’t good so the only rebuttal they can give is that it was entertaining which at this point I’m inclined to agree with, plus I’m tired of writing comments that go nowhere.
there are many aspects in what makes up the best anime of 2008. Entertainment, quality, plot, pacing, so many things. R2 had a lot of hype but wasn’t close to the quality of season 1. Still the best anime of 2008 is not just quality alone theres so many factors, making it very difficult to chose the correct one. Omni and many people felt that the best was code geass was the best, it is after all their views but obviously not everyones. They are at least entitled to their views arent they?
I can’t agree with your awarding of the Best Anime of 2008 to Code GEASS R2, but if only for the second half of the series. I feel the entire thing declined sharply immediately after they killed Shirley. From now on, if I rewatch the series or catch it being broadcast on Adult Swim, I won’t watch it if it starts with World End. O2 is the flag for quality GEASS. :/
BUT TO EACH, THEIR OWN OPINION. I can’t deny that every weekend during the summer of 2008 had me waiting, if not salivating, to see the next episode of R2…at least until right after the Emperor Lelouch bit. After that I was waiting for it to die out of respect for my previous emotional investment. :/
the top anime shows is pretty much predictable bcus most of the ppl like robots and stuff.
i was really hoping that true tears would be number 2 or 3. I guess most of the ppl that visits the site r mostly “robot freaks”, i know its kinda harsh remarks but every single year robots r on the top list of favorites in the anime. When r we gonna c romance/drama take the number 1 or 2 spot as the best anime show?
Hoping to see less robots this year!
Uh Gundam 00 Season 2?
Just my opinion…
True Tears was good and all, but I thought the ending was kinda weak. I personally thought ef-melo should’ve gotten best romance/drama because it was consistent.
Geass definitely deserved best of 2008 all-around, since it was THE series I looked forward to every week the season it aired (Clannad had almost no suspense since I have already played the game <_< that’s my own fault).
Even though I agree that true tears was pretty good… I have to say that I hated how things ended, but as you said there’s not perfect anime. I do think Clannad was a lot better in everything. You felt in love with all the arcs and if you didn’t watch the visual novel then it was a bit surprising. The characters all had their thing that was pretty sweet and very well develop to the point that even when there were favorites I would care if he ended up with somebody else but Nagisa. Which didn’t happen with true tears… I really hated Hitomi -_-. But well, you can satisfy everybody.
For the other choices… good job! Could agree more!
All hail Lelouch!
where toradora?
Very close to what I had in mind myself. Kannagi is a jewel of a comedy anime, and true tears is also a very pleasant (if very emo) ride.
I coulnd put myself to watch Code Geass however. Season 1 was allready too much for me …
im actually kinda supprised that school days was not listed in the biggest shock…
the last ep was just shocking…
lol oups remembered wrong school days was 2007 lol
Randomc I’m still waiting for spring preview, Isn’t the new season starting soon? w/out the preview I’m not even know whats gona be on…
LONG LIVE LELOUCH!!!!
ALL HAIL LELOUCH!! CG Best anime ever
@ChocBar: I have but one question: Why do the CG fans have to justify anything? Since when do you have to explain yourself for liking an anime? A little high and mighty up there, aren’t you. CG is loved my thousands of fans, and is hated by a small (vocal) minority. And in society, if 90% say something is great, then it must be great. Who said that anime MUST leave an impact? And if you thought the logic of CG was confusing, then my friend, I have nothing left to talk to you about. Code Geass was the best anime of 2008, GET USED TO IT. And even if it’s wasn’t the best, people still loved it, so GET USED TO THAT TOO> CG fans need not justify themselves to the likes of you, since you are the one with the problem. It’s the 10% that needs to justify itself to the 90%. You are in a very small minority, and bashing CG every chance you get will get you nowhere.
I agree with all the results
Great choices OMNI.
Only thing I don’t agree as a personal opinion, is the best song award.
@Kaioshin Sama: yes in japan, but macross doesnt hit the us.
the ending in r2 is so epic, that alone makes it a great series.
@D’Rapist: not really. even though many japaneses like mecha, geass is very unique that no other mechas beat it. geass is 100x better than any of the gundam series, otherwise it wouldnt hit top rating on most anime review sites.
It really is obvious that CGR2 will be the best anime of 2008, no doubt about it. Watch it and you’ll know it…. my rating for CGR2 is 11/10. ahah
@DmonHiro: You realized you just proved my point right? Not once in your pathetic argument did you mentioned any good qualities the series had, also 10%? There were (and still) fans who hated it from the beginning so your statistics are way off there are people who love it for what it is and people who hate it for what it is and then they’re people who just hated R2 so in the end there is no majority over what people think of it there’s one majority of people who sure as hell didn’t care for it. Also I wouldn’t expect an intelligent response from a CG fan since it seems all of you can only post ALL HAIL LELOUCH! Well you know what ALL HAIL SHITTY WRITING and ALL HAIL POOR PLOT DEVICES and ALL HAIL UNDEVELOPED CHARACTERS! Cause that’s all this shit-sandwich of the series offered and you all ate it up (Omni included) who knows maybe in 2 years people we remember this series being a trainwreck like Gundam Seed Destiny. I already said the series didn’t bore me to death like some of 2008’s offerings but that sure as hell didn’t make it good.
CODE GEASS IS AWESOME, IN SOME ASPECTS IT IS LIKE DEATH NOTE!! I LOVE IT
@ChocoBar: Code Geass (both series) sucks. There is no question about it. But it doesn’t mean people who like it are stupid. Neither does it justify the use of foul language. I think you owe everyone here an apology.
@ChocoBar: and you just proved MY point. I don’t owe you an explination. Neither does anyone else who watched the show and liked it. Neither does anyone who watched the show and didn’t like it. NOBODY owes you anything. You can’t seem to accept someone elses opinion, and that is very sad for you. But get it through your thick skull: nobody who likes the show gives a damn about you, or your opinion. If you think the story is confusing, the characters underdeveloped, and whatever else, that is very sad for you. I could explain every single aspect of the plot, but you would STILL ignore it, because you plain and simple, hate the show. Why can’t you just shut up and admitt that it’s YOUR tastes that are in the minority? You actually think that most people hate Codes Geass R2? Then why are the DVDs and BluRays selling like freaking Elixir Of Youth? Why are the torrents overflowing with seeds and leechers? Why are people STILL talking about the ending?
And the answer is: beacuse it’s a great show, that many, MANY people enjoyed.
@DmonHiro:
BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT’S SHIT AND DON’T CARE! That’s why you never offer a rebuttal because you know I’m right, I know about every aspect of this series and you know what IT’S STILL SHIT, you seem to be butthurt about me bashing it’s faults (which it has BTW) so end the end I think YOUR the one with the issues. Also you seem to be confused with the current media in entertainment in Japan just because it sells DOES NOT MAKE IT GOOD, so your selling since GUNDAM SEED DESTINY sold well it must be a great series or since Strike Witches sold well it must be a great series. Do you even know what the hell are you writing about half the time because it’s just mindless garbage like I’ll expect from any CG fan. People enjoyed it BIG FLIPPING DEAL because they didn’t care what was going on screen they cared for Lelouch above all. FYI Nobody’s responding because they don’t care because they would have given me what makes this series good a llllllooooooooooooonnnnnnnnggggggggggggg time ago you however have failed to bring a proper discussion (like most Code Geass fans). I write these comments because I’m dissappointed at how R2 turned out and if I didn’t like this series from the get go I wouldn’t of watched and Omni’s decision on forgetting it’s flaws and basicing it pure on entertainment value is pure bullshit. But like I said before I’m done arguing if no one can bring a decent discussion to go over and since you DmonHiro has failed to realized your own incompetence then your wasting my time.
@chocobar
No one is responding to you because you really aren’t worth responding to. There are people out there, plenty of them in fact, who enjoy Code Geass because it was a great series with lots of great quality elements to it. No fan of any anime has to justify their love of a series with some literary critique of its merit, it’s simply about whether or not you loved the series for what it was. And the fact is most fans of Geass loved the fact the show was so entertaining, so much more entertaining than any other show this year (a fact you even admitted earlier). And it is with that fact that Omni picked the series as his favorite of 2008, even if it may not be the “Best anime” in terms of things like story development.
@ChocoBar: Let me get this straight: you 100000% hate this show, yet you spent all that time looking into every single aspect of it, right? You spent hours and hours watching a show you hated? Why in God’s name would you do that? So you can hate it more? What the hell is wrong with you? I don’t care about your opinion, but you seem to really value mine, and all other CG fans’, if you went to such lenghs.
Do you understand the word “entertainment”? It’s that thing that you should feel when watching anime. You know, when you can’t wait for another episode to come out, when you are yelling at the screen when your favorite character does something awesome, when you curse the bad guy for doing something unforgivable. That is what anime is about, not mindblowing backgrounds, or heartwarming stories, beacuse you see, if an anime can make you do all that I said above, the rest is just gravy. It’s anime series like Codes Geass that will be talked about even ten years form now.
Nobody said that CG has no flaws. It has plenty of them. But the show entertained, and in the end, that is what people want.
If an anime series should not be judged by it’s entertainment level, then what the hell SHOULD it be judged on?
@Atobe
No because the don’t care and can’t come up with a different argument to prove me wrong, which you also have failed to do as well. For the last time it was far from a “great” series, great series are remembered after years, Code Geass was to best sum it up a drug in which after it’s done it’s done and that’s it. Ad yes I did admit it was entertaining, just not good.
@DmonHiro
I have never stated that I hated this series, I was disappointed on how R2 turned out and the fact that fans such as you and Atobe can overlook those abundant flaws makes you a complete idiot and a jackass none the less. And also like Onmi said Code Geass will probably be forgotten once something bigger (and better) comes out Sunrise ass, it’s a fad what you thought it was popular because of its proactive story and deep characters? More like it appeals to every sick demographic Japan has to offer. By the way you forgot story,art, and overall sense of appeal everyone can be entertained by different series given their taste but that series can be considered a trainwreck or crap to everyone else.
Atobe DmonHiro are you guys freaking retarded? Your actually defending this crap?
@Hateful Human Self: if you want to bash people for liking Code Geass, at least use SOME intelligent lines like ChocoBar.
@ChocoBar: and there is is: “to everyone else”. I’ll let you think about it, until you realize that “to everyone else” has to be in the majority for it to count.
@DmonHiro: What? To everyone else with experience to watching anime to people who hasn’t while Cg fans make up the minority of that, so what’s your point?
To all R2 haters: Let’s all just count ourselves lucky Zero no Tsukaima 3 didn’t win instead.
By the way, I assume the second Negima Ala Alba OVA and the ZnT OVA weren’t blogged here, right? I couldn’t find them anywhere.
I think Code Geass R2 was a good anime but not the best…
whatever, I hope a great anime series for 2009… White Album looks good (Mizuki Nana, Hirano Aya and Tomatsu Haruka a.k.a Haruhi, Fate and Nagi) but I must wait
Have a nice 2009!!!
@ChocoBar: give up, your not dealing with fans but with fanatics.
@DmonHiro: 667 out of 2287, hmmmmmmmmm I guess 1620 people who voted other series count as a minority. Tell me, how many anime series have you watched in 2008?
A SEQUEL DOES NOT DESERVE AN AWARD FOR ANYTHING.
I request you change your choices to something that actually had to start from scratch, and wasn’t just riding on previous settings and popularity.
God, what a waste of space, if all you are going to do is award sequels prizes every year. You should feel bad for even thinking this makes an acceptable list.
And once again, your choices are just boring mainstream rubbish that are heavily weighted by bias or are simply illogical and exclude the anime that NEED a spotlight. Casshern Sins, Shikabane Hime and Birdy the Mighty Decode weren’t even CONSIDERED for Best Action despite having the best fight scenes of the year? Kannagi and Xam’d don’t deserve Best Animation?
Why do you bother blogging, honestly.
@Mekillyou: it’s true that 1620 is not a minority… but they also didn’t agree in the same series and that’s why CGR2 won.
I think that is an award for the personal choice of most readers. I did vote for CGR2 and I would do it again if there was a new poll. And in the number of series that I watch in 2008… I watch pretty much most of the choices, including: macross, true tears, clannad, kannagi, gundam 00, CHAOS:HEAD, ef tale, toradora, Vampire Knight, Bleach, INDEX… etc…(I actually can keep on going…in some cases I finished the series in some others didn’t think was worthy for my personal taste) but I will still vote for CGR2 as the best just because overall it was the best (for me… as well as for 667 other people that also decided… all together (in this case majority)… that code geass was the best).
Now, for the choices of OMNI… I think this is his blog and you should respect his opinion. You don’t agree that’s fine but quit complaining so much.
@Denizen: no, you fool. Chsshern Sins, Shikabane Hime,Kannagi, X’Amd etc weren’t considered becaquse THEY HAVE NOT FINISHED AIRING YOU MORON.
Still…Casshern Sins BETTER win something next time, cause damn….episode 08 dude…..
@Asoch3: I am not complainig about this blogg, even OMNI admits it’s flaws, and I respect that. The problem is the people who worship some series.
So if I defend CG it means that I worship it? What kind of logic is this? And to the guys who said that the tastes of CG fans are crap:
My favorite series 2008-2009 are Cahhsern Sins, Kannagi, Toradora, Toaru Majutsu No Index, Skip Beat, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 and Shikabane Hime: Aka. Are you saying all these are crap?
MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM MAINSTREAM
What a load of shit. Sequels don’t deserve awards.
In the end people are not defending a series but their pride.
@DmonHiro: What’s there to defend for it? Since Omni said it best it was “entertaining” despite it’s flaws and end the end I agree you shouldn’t judge users preferences because of the series they watch now if that was the “only” show they watch this year that’s another story.
As a Geass Fan, i’m glad Omni chose it for the right reasons. It felt really confusing at the beginning. but when Shirley died, Orange-kun coming back from the dead, and Ninja meido pwnage, then you have entertainment. I’ll admit, R2 wasn’t as good as the original, but it kept me entertained. (Especially in the last episode when Nunnally fell out of her chair xD)
And wtf, Macross? What is that show? American Idol or something? D.Gray-man COMPLETE BEST deserved it. Sure it was just the op/ed songs, but the meaning was more than that.
As for best song, i think Discotheque was really catchy.
I didn’t even vote for Geass, as I’ve already said the show certainly isn’t the “best” of the year for me, not all, but…the irony continues.
Michael: Are those really the “right”reasons though? I don’t know about that. You see, voting for a show, any show, as “the best” merely because of “entertainment value” can be more of a curse than a blessing, the way I look at it, if nothing else is said.
I mean, one should at least be able to back up said enjoyment a little more clearly. Code Geass R2 has plenty of flaws, but I could explain in detail why I still liked the show and not just for laughs. Lelouch is a great character, some of the other characters were also interesting and the basic script isn’t universally bad (suffers from a long series of execution problems which became distractions, IMHO, more than from a lack of sense, which is the usual claim). When you look at it in perspective, what makes the ending work has a lot to do with what has happened before (otherwise, it would be rather pointless, which it isn’t). Even then, I still wouldn’t vote for it.
Lelouch, u are the MAN! XD
Code geass is one of these, a anime series with a very good idea, but totally ruined by marketing, fanservice, trainwrecks, a lot of secondary stories never closed and a lot of questions without answers.
The end of code geass can work, but they closed everything running and a lot of substories aren’t close, and o sort of ridicule message “all end well”…
Mainstream pandering and complete utter fail, plus there is no one alive that can honestly say Minami-ke Okawari was actually funnier than Detroit Metal City.
If this is what RC considers the best, I deem RC to be full of crap and no longer worth my time.
I totally agree with your choice of geass as #1. If this was another year with stronger contenders then maybe it would have lost, but overall, it was the best. R2 had a ton of problems. It wasn’t as good as season one. There was too much time wasted on the reset (Lulu losing his memories in the beginning). Things got rushed. However, I think it redeemed itself in the end. And as you say, it was immensely entertaining.
Macross Frontier…probably up there on my list of best of 2008, but I felt the problems with MF were more annoying. The galaxy plot was totally botched, which infuriated me. They could have developed the vajra more. They wasted so much damn time on a love triangle they didn’t even resolve. I would have loved some of that LT time to have gone to the galaxy plot instead. Plus, while Sheryl was a great character Alto and Ranka were rather lame. So alas, MF just can’t be number 1 for me for 2008.
Anyway, don’t mind the flamers. There are tons of haters out there and they’ll just spew their usual nonsense.
gundam 00 > code geass, Lame choice for AotY dude
In my opinion ,Omni choice r excellent . I hav voted for CG>Gundam00>MacrossF since long ago.
I hav alot non-mecha favorite ,eg: FMA , Death Note , Bleach ,Naruto . I dont think it’s not bcoz most of the voter r mecha freak , it’s bcoz the plot r nice.
I vote CG first bcoz “lelouch was a brilliant char” ,plot was suprising ,great idea.
gundam00 second -nice action ,nice graphic and plot,nice char like “setsuna & Graham Ace”
Macross third – nice OST , cute girl, nice graphic .But the show end somekind like “fairy tales” .Kinda bored of dat kind of ending.Unlike code geass ,it leave much impact at the end .
Hey All CG fan .Listen here! Sunrise has indicates possibility of more Code Geass ! Check tis out http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-12-25/sunrise-indicates-possibility-of-more-code-geass .
ChocoBar: I could debate that description of yours, other than the very rushed pacing which was evident and a few subplots which were indeed dropped between season one and two, but you seem like the kind of guy who already made up his mind, so…no thanks.
@Camario: I’m already aware of the various dropped subplots that resulted in shifts of scripts but at that same token they could of explained some of the LOL moments that occurred (Suzaku’s ability to control his live command?)or bring more backgrounds to characters like Kallen (her father?) and Cecile (her brother’s resemblance to Suzaku) but instead we ended up with a plethora of useless and ultimately unrewarding new subplots which resulted into a trainwreck. So in the end regardless what you had to say it wouldn’t matter plus I’m glad you did since you’ll be wasting my time with your weak response.
@zalem: *Sigh* Another pure example of ignorance at it’s best
CODE GEASS IS NOTHING BUT ILLOGICAL SITUATIONS SOLVED WITH ILLOGICAL SOLUTIONS, COMBINED WITH PLOT HOLES THE SIZE OF A GOATSE AND A MAJOR FACEPALM “KILL ALL JAPANESE…..”
I didn’t care about the ending and I didn’t care that he died. I DID care that the fuckers in this picture didn’t deserve a happy ending. Especially the Jewfro. Fuck him.
Ahhh! Code Geass! >w<
YES GEASS R2 LELOUCH OF THE REBELLION
To be honest… i think pokémon is even better than Macross. It was such a sissy anime. lolz.
Random Curiosity: Come for the Trainwrecks, Stay for the Meltdown
Thankfully the overrated loli bullshit that is clannad did NOT get anything. Ha ha, keytards, ha ha.
YES!!! for Gundam 00, Geass and Kara no Kyoukai!!!!!
@Hateful Human Half: You eloquently summed up the whole anime in one sentence. This phenomenon is also typical of many other “war animes” (e.g., Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, Strike Witches, etc.). The “Japanese” (or their projected images) are always facing silent enemies with no faces that just show up and kill people. Anyone who try to negotiate is portrayed as a naive pacifist or even traitor that puts the safety of the whole country if not the entire humankind in jeopardy. Warhawks dressed in imperial army uniforms or traditional Japanese clothing are the last sane minds that have the courage and wisdom to stand up and fight. Eventually, the “pacifists” can’t stand being left behind, so they jump on the bandwagon to “protect” everyone. Of course, CR has a lot more twists than that. But the sublime message is more or less the same– Japan needs to build a big, super army before the big, bad Americans/Chinese/North Koreans/entire world/what-not come get them. It is all essentially a war propaganda sugarcoated as entertainment.
yea! CG deserve to win the best animation of the year
the plot definaly the best and full the suprise the plot does not run as we expect
ChocoBar: Oh, I wonder about that, but I’ll leave that be. Nice of you to confirm my previous perception though, because except for Suzaku’s you just mentioned bits of character background, not actual subplots in any way, shape, or form…none of which really adds anything to the argument beyond tautology.
Matroid, did you or Hateful Human Half actually pay attention to the show? Sure as hell doesn’t seem like it, in your hasty attempt to seek a “subliminal message”. Lelouch cares little about Japan, isn’t even Japanese and his “big super army” eventually leads him nowhere…since he even ends up fighting against it.
ChocoBar, lol. Thanks for the personal attack. It’s hard to take your comments seriously now. It’s not like I was responding to anything you wrote.
I voted for Code Geass r2 before the ballots got stuffed, and I stand by that vote, with a well earned second place to gundam 00.
I don’t give a damn why some people rant about CGR2 being the best 2008 anime in this blog….
….well, tell that to those in animenewsnetwork.com ! CGR2 is ranked No.2 in the Top 10 Best Rated behind Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal and over Death Note….
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/ratings-anime.php
For the people thinking that R2 is a masterpiece, all of you have shit taste!
Agreed. The plot was shit on so many levels it boggles my mind. The level of booze it took to watch the series over the course of two years has probably left me with permanent liver damage. Still, I enjoyed every second of the shark-jumping, trolling, brown-Knight-of-Round-killing, TAMAKI-NOT-DYING awfulness that was Code Geass. WHile the show was an insult to writing and direction, I would much rather see Taniguchi take a bow than to apologize. Ha took this turd of a show and went so balls out that no viewer in his right mind could look away.
Macross F and Code Geass ended up rival shows this season, at least in Japan. The Geass fans went absolutely apeshit about bashing Macross F. (This was somewhat one-sided, as the Macross fans didn’t really care anywhere near as much about Code Geass.)
Over the course of the broadcast, the anti-threads on 2ch’s anime board reached 169 parts for Code Geass against 16 parts for Macross F. Given that one thread is 1000 posts, that makes 169,000 posts just complaining about Geass R2, which might be some kind of record, and is quite impressive even if it isn’t.
as far as i’m concerned it seemed like the writers had some great ideas and tried to get all of them down on paper which explains the pacing. but the massive amount of ideas on paper ended up hurting the series more then helping it. It seems like they got all excited when they came up with some zero speech/lulu idealism monolog that they centered the whole episode on that and totally f-ed up everything else in the episode.
The writing for this show reminds me of my writing in my midterms. Great ideas, they sound amazing in my head but never end up amazing on paper.
Pardon me but I watched and like Natsume Yuugin Chou
Terrible anime of the year pick- Geass sucked.
-preposterous plot twists
-wasted potential with the creative ideas
-characters motivated for convulated reasons
-glorification of evil
-many plotholes and unexplained events
-animation quality lower than many other animes
-many useless characters and many more with wasted potential
-massive amounts of moral hypocrisy- it doesnt make you think it just makes you angry
-the character designs sucked- twig people everywhere!
-too many side swapping in the plot; plot implodes in season two
-the convenient plot devices that save the zero are absurd
I know its an anime but i expect much better from a show of the year winner. This reminds me of the shakespear in love pick beating saving private ryan at the oscars- no one knows about that damn movie any more and saving private ryan will go down as one of the greatest war movies ever. Highly disappointing.
“animation quality lower than many other animes”? “glorification of evil” Are you on crystal meth? Storyline is subjective. Chracter development is subjective. But ANIMATION? Are you blind? Seriously, ANIMATION? If CG had bad animation, then what in God’s names is good animation? FFS CG had the biggest animation budget of the year. And about the glorification of evil………….damn, man…….you are BEYOND hopeless
Lelouch Commands you to Die!!
I’m most entertained by Soul Eater this year!!
The funniest running anime is still Gintama. ^.-
I think the votes were about right , for the Best Anime id have to comment that Code Geass might not have gotten so many votes if it wasnt mainstreamed on CN , All animes on CN tend to become overrated as to animes shown on Sci fi like Gurren or Gundam 00
Though i am a GUNDAM 00 freak , it did start off pretty slow , Code Geass kinda pulled you in each ep
@ViralMalcontent: I did put the word“Japanese” in quotes, which is followed by a note that says “or their projected images”. Whether a character is explicitly a Japanese is immaterial. (How many of the Britannia people behave like average Americans or Brits anyway?) And, in case you don’t know, warhawks do come in many forms. Some may have weak moments in the anime, and may even fall short in a samurai’s way instead of triumphing at the end. But the point is almost always to create a sob moment to wash away the guilt and responsibility. This goes back avarice’s point of “glorification of evil” and “moral hypocrisy”.
mmm
kanngi? best comedy? i like kannagi, i really do
howeve
i think zetsubou sensei smash kannagi’s face
in this award
I totally agree with all the winners here of every category!!!
http://worldofanimemusic.blogspot.com
Meh, I don’t understand where half the people are coming from with the true tear hate. Just because you didn’t get your pairing doesn’t mean you gotta bash it. It had its nice twists (I called the ending :P)
But yeah, as much as Code Geass had its plot twists and shocking ending, it wasn’t an anime that kept me up to my toes. I felt like rushing through the thing just to get to the end (maybe because I got ot college now and have less time but still). Didn’t know about Kannagi, going to try it later then.
@ViralMalcontent
I have to say that you definitely didn’t get it through your head that he attacked Japan and the rest of the nations to make them hate him and therefore aim all the hate on him before getting someone to kill him destroying all the hate. Heck it make sense if he wanted to truly free Japan from any kind of rule that he would have to put it under his rule assuming that he cares about the people there.
Anyways, get your damn grammer straight, its hard enough to interpret it. So if anything I said was a misunderstanding sorry 🙁
@Hateful Human Half
You know, I feel like you’re just copying what other people say. You only shout and scream without giving a constructive reason. I appreciate everyone elses as they have reasons, but yours is just a damn rant. Seriously, think of your own damn backup rather then relying on what others said before you.
@Matroid
I hardly doubt that was the message, but its a good intepretation of subliminal messages if there were any. I just felt like that inorder to get rid of war, you need to get rid of hate which is basic idea Lelouche, Nunally and Schnizel (they choose a weapon instead) and Celestial Being were aiming for to get rid of war.
@Mikhei
Damn, just get justifications pls, rants = bad 🙂 and even then, rants can be still backed up with reasoning
@Chocobar
Agree that subplots hit a trainwreck and that entertaining is not the only reason why Code Geass can be considered best anime. However, if Omni said it stuck with him as an entertaining piece and also did note what you said, I can’t really argue against the choices. He enjoys it, what can we do. Whats done its done. Now correcting the rest of them is going to be a problem >.<. Keep up the fight!
Anyways, nice agreeable choices Omni. and to those idiots who say stop saying mainstream and sequels as rated. First, unfinish series don’t count and second, I thought bleach and Naruto were the mainstreams…
Guess I’m somehow behind the times 😛
Now its time for me to brace before I get hit by thousands of angry people @_@.
…oh, boy, since when did those who bashed CGR2 become professional critics? Sarcasm: hey, you guys should a Pulitzer award!!! LOL
@George
It’s funny how CG fans are in denial on the quality of their own fandom. In the end I’m not sure whether you or Omni cared as long as Lelouch was alive to pull off some incredibly stupid stunt. FYI people are just stating their own opinion over the subject matter this series clearly lacked…..good lord this fandom makes me sick!
@F5: quick question: why is it when the bashers state their opinion it’s “facts” but when lovers state theirs it’s “fanboysm”? What make your opinion so worthy? Because it’s yours?
The bashers can go eat a d***, we CG lovers STILL win cause they are making more CG.
Ok but, Macross Frontier Original Sountrack by Yoko Kanno is really amazing xD.
haha dmonhiro, is it true they’re making more Code Geass? I hope they take Nunally nightmare manga story, it’ll definitely be interesting to see a AU story of Code Geass.
Thats the other thing which makes it so hard to get points across. Bashers will scream fandomnism and call their own facts. btw, his stunts were explained quite reasonably which is why i have no idea why F5 would say that -_-.
Anyways george, I gave my share of hopefully logical arguement to both sides (heck some of those bashers had all brawn and no brain to their arguement) and only said that what Chocobar was sound and reasonable. I would say that Code Geass is one of the top and thats what Omni decided to put. I wish someone put Druaga as honoralbe mention for its entertaining and cliffhanger ending.
….uhm….IMHO….I thought Macross Frontier was so-so. I mean, it was my first Macross Series and I thought it was pretty entertaining and fun to watch, but I don’t think it deserved Best Anime, since down to like the last 5 episodes…I didn’t bother to download it purely because it got boring or the plot just wasn’t entertaining enough.
As for Gundam 00, I liked it, but I found it to be a bit too slow at the beginning, so it didn’t have me on my toes, but hey, at least I finished it.
Then, for the one that seems to have the crowds split into either HATERS or LOVERS, Code Geass R2, I found it to be VERY entertaining. However, even if I found it entertaining I didn’t find it to be worthy of Best Anime either. Yes, I’ve gone through all or most of the comments. And yes, it had major flaws in the series, but it also had a great storyline (even though that got a bit…whacked because of all the plot twists.) Overall, the show entertained AND apparently is still being bashed and defended AFTER it was overall for what…a month or so? I don’t even remember….
And this is MY OPINION, so before you start stating that I’m just another Code Geass R2 fan addict/lover or some idiot who eats up “shit-sandwiches”, know that EVERYONE is entitled to their own opinion. (And haha, yes, I did use your wording ChocoBar, not to mock, but I found it interesting…LOL.)
Oh, and I agree, if you WANT to bash a series and NOT look like a total idiot then use complete senteces and not shit like CG = shit sux. Also, for those that DO like Code Geass R2, an “All Hail Lelouche” post is what makes that basher to THINK that Code Geass R2 fans are retarded, mindless fools.
And just to let you know, YES, I DID for Code Geass R2, and I’m a girl (I don’t know why that matters, but there were some posts about guys or something…so LOL, just wanted to say I’m a girl…? xD) AND I stand by what I say because these are MY thoughts and what I thought of the Top 3 animes. So, take it or leave it.
In the end,
Macross Frontier – Okay
Gundam 00 – Good
Code Geass R2 – Good
None really stood out, but because Code Geass R2 was the MOST entertaining and because if you look at it’s comments, it probably all over 500 comments for each episode (I MAY be wrong, since I’m not going to go check xD.)
I hope I didn’t say anything too offensive, if offensive at all, but really I like R2 and for those who don’t, I’m not going to try to convert you into a R2 lover. And last thing, those that go on and bash the blog because they don’t agree with Omni’s opinions, YOU are the idiot. Just because someone’s view isn’t like YOURS doesn’t make them stupid or foolish. I find it rude for you to just go on to someone’s blog that they work hard on for the people and just critcize, so maybe YOU should think about what you say before you actually post a comment.
…..wow….long post…oh well.
Good night! 😀
Haha….I meant I DID vote for Code Geass…apparently, I typed too fast and left it out…and this sentence “what makes that basher to THINK that Code Geass R2 fans are retarded” is supposed to say ‘what makes the basher think that R2 fans are…..’
x3
kannagi won an award!!!,,, “Yay!, Unbelievable”
@DmonHiro: Wasn’t even reffering to you and yet you wish to make a complete jackass of yourself, but whatever. I never stated that my opinion was fact but given an critical review of R2 it would not be anime of the year material regardless of whatever fan ramblings CG fans seem to have up their sleeves. FYI Nothing’s been announced yet just Sunrise’s interest to come back to it in the near future.
Damn shut up ppl who complains about code geass being the winner and number one in many things!
whether they like it or not Gundum 00 is sucks and Macross Frontires’s characters hardly get into the anime characters ranking poll.
yeah i watched Macross frontires 2 or 3 weeks ago, but like many fans said the story is good and has the best soundtrack but the characters where seriously annoying! the bitch Sheryl and bastard Aruto.
For your information in anime character ranking poll, No.1 was booked by the winner lelouch for whole 2 years!! and there was a huge voting difference between him and the No.2 gundum character ALSO code geass show won many awards, even Fukuyama Jun won a lot awards because of being lelouch voice actors. and lelouch won many awards too.
All what i said is already have been proved Since 2006 until now by an anime magazine Newtype,Newtype Romance, Animedia, Animage, Pash, Otona Anime Since and etc…
yeah For your information in Newtype December 2008, No.1 lelouch have got 428 vote, No.2 Tieria 224vote and No.11 suzaku 99vote. hahaha and you still complain Gundum being better!
lulu-holic, the dumbest post I’ve seen in a quite some time. And given that I read codename:v’s posts at SRW Hotnews, that’s saying something. Character popularity polls in Newtype and such (that less than 2000 people voted in) have nothing to do with the quality of a series.
And given that Lelouch is pretty much the ONLY good character in Code Geass R2. Basically every other character who returned from the first season pretty much became 1-dimensional and lost any traits that made them interesting, and the new characters sucked from the start.
His name is lulu-holic, you should expect a comment from a CG Fan
All hail Lelouch!
This marks my 1 year anniversary of reading RC, since I started with the 2007 list. You guys always help me find anime that I really enjoy, keep up the good work!!
@Tijath
A Code Geass fan. Please ignore
Code Geass? Yes…..yea, my friend :3 a wise decision. If there was a “Best Character Design” category, CG would so fall under it 😀 Clamp, ftw<3
I have to agree with this poll because even though there were several flaws in the overall anime, the story-line was original, the characters were well made and the way they made the plot take a 180 halfway through the anime and still make it a successful show was definitely impressive. Naturally this anime, because of it’s complexity, has a small chance of becoming the best anime ever. But even though this is the case, the anime stood out to people (probably) because of the intensity in which the characters were showcased. The ever-changing battle strategies, the constantly improving technology, and the near god-like insanity and intellect that emanated from the characters (Lelouch in particular) made the episodes one success after another. My opinion is that it deserved to win the best anime of 2008 even with the ADD inflicted story-line.
@Kannie
I agree with everything you said about the series and the threads. Good Job.
@lulu-holic
Character polls are different from actual opinions on the anime. Characters that are good looking or incredibly advertised have a tendency to show up in those polls a lot more often than characters that actually belong to a good anime.
@F5
Your opinions are well said but I think that how they ended the series made a huge impact on people as well. More than the “stunts” and the Fan-ish (yes, it’s fun to add “ish” to the end of any word) behavior of some of the posters, I think that Omni’s analysis of the anime was fair and accurate, (going beyond the common criticisms of a normal viewer) taking both the good and the bad into consideration. Just because some idiots are willing to get down on hand and knee begging for Lelouch’s favor doesn’t mean that everyone who voted for CG has the same idiocy that those people do.
CODE GEASS EASILY OWNS ALL OF THOSE ANIMES, AND YES I’VE SEEN IT. TRUST ME CODE GEASS OWNS, AND THE ENDING WAS PERFECT, BEST ENDING I’VE SEEN TO THE ANIME, AND AM LIKE AN ANIME GEEK.
IF YOU LIKED CODEGEASS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WATCHING DEATH NOTE, THE CHARACTERS ARE QUITE SIMILLAR!!
Where is Death Note … I’m Searching about the best anime of all tims.
Is it Death Note or not ?
I couldn’t recognize any of them cause i know that Death note is the best then comes Naruto then comes Bleach!!!!
yaaaaay kannagi and kaiba made it! although i am sad that Toradora! wasn’t mentioned… ;A; hmmm i couldn’t get into code geass… or any of the new mecha stuff that’s been out. Maybe i’m a bit too attached to the oldies?
This shit wont load…
Macross was a bunch of crap and a big waste of my time, at the first episode I thought maybe but it got damn boring.. Code geass and Gundam00 were totally awesome, alot of action, main characters who actually own the enemies and no mercy be the good guy crap..
These two series have been the best I’ve seen in a while.. Vampire knight was also awesome but as it seems it isn’t rated as a top series here.
2009 hasn’t offered allot till now except for chrome shelled regios being awesome and I had somewhat fun with asu no youichi! 07-Ghost looks promising as well.
lol at code geass haters.. MF is pretty good but not as good as CG does..
your taste is as sour as your personality is o.O
haah lol you right code geass is the best, some ppl just didn’t give the series a chance while others did’t like the ending cause they can’t handle something other then happy endings.
Never seen a longer running anime without silly fillers and queasy episodes that sometimes makes no sense. CG tho keeps at a minimum and without doubt it has the best written story of the ones in question.
Well i dont tend to get caught up in the story to offen but with CG i must have seen the last 20 episodes on the same day, it on the level of a good book when it catches your attention and you cant put it down till you have finished it.
Long live Lelouch s2.
Code Geass deserves much more, simply a fascinating anime series, of course it would be fun to have more episodes, find out if Lelouch really did survive or not, as loads of people are discussing this matter, but I think it really deserved to be the best anime of 2008, that’s my opinion, I don’t know if you guys agree, and I know maybe most don’t but idk. (:
This is probably one of the most skewed “TOP” list I’ve seen but hey, who cares.
I was looking around for a good anime blog to follow and I have to thank you a lot for this. The fact that you put Code Geass on number one is an instant giveaway that his blog is complete shit! Code Geass (easily the worst anime of 2008) beat…Kaiba? I’m not saying that there were very many choices to choose from for best anime, but of everything you decided that you would take an anime with shameless Pizza Hut advertisements, exteremly cliche characters designs, and over-the-top, trainwreck “plot-twists”, and say that it’s the “best anime of 2008”.
While the show’s concept was promising, the execution was horrific, at best. Nice to know I won’t be following this shit blog.
Well, to me it seems as if there are people who just can’t accept the fact that their favourite anime isn’t at the top.
But… one can’t argue about taste. That also concludes that one can’t argue about the fact that an anime has to have the best storyline, plots, characters etc. for this is also just a taste and up to each person wheather they need some of those aspects to like an anime or not.
In a discussion there is no need to convince a person of their own beliefs, but to state ones own opinion. If people can’t use logic arguments to state their view-points and personal opinion (one must not forget that he/seh can not generalise their opinion) they start to drag down the things they don’t like and people who get caught by their flaming as well. (Also, arguments like: *whatever*-sucks and *whatever*is the worst anime ever etc. doesn’t state an opinion at all)
So if you think about it, is you just flame it wil lbe a never-ending circle because there’ll always be those who’ll start flaming back… at that point there’s no use to have a seriouse talk anymore.
I tottally agree with Code geass best anime ever
ending was awesome and totally deserves three spots
Clannad best anime…!? I have to admit the concept keeps u in…but that fades away with the introduction of characters like Fuko Ibuki who in intelligence make a common house hold cannolli looks like a nobel price winner
loveeshop
CHI Hair Straightener
GHD Black Limited Edition Flat iron Hair Straightener
Bah! Every show can use a ‘lil more Fuko anti-spaz action.
Good view
Roll Top Wheat Nubuck
Timberland High Cut
bleach code geass (r1 and r2) death note full metal alchemist and dn angel are the best anime ive ever seen. (ive seen over 72 of the most popular anime)
i think death note is the best anime yet it has action and all
C’mon where Bleach, yea ill admit that its the same thing over and over again, but who dosent like someone getting their ass kicked, and then coming back and beating the shit out of their enemy, I think bleach atleast needs a mention in The best anime of 2009
woot woot for code geass one of the best animes out there
WELCOME TO THE NHK?
MY HEART IS BROKEN! I watched True Tears after reading this site’s recommendation, and yeah it was definitely amazing and yes a part of me realizes that the ending was good in its…unflinching reality….BUT HOW COULD HE????? I so wanted it to go another way. but…still a beautifully put together series.
CG2 deserves the award for best shocks, not sure i’ll agree with its choice as best anime of 08 though. Macross i couldn’t get into, i never did bother to finish watching it, it lost my interest. In general this choices seem reasonable ^^ though i think there are/were plenty of anime from this time frame which deserve as much as mention as some other titles listed.
i don’t know why some people don’t like Code Geass. It may have some flaws but it is really the most entertaining anime that I had watch this 2009. GO CG!!
Code geass is the best anime ive ever known…
nothing more to say…
Most of these anime Ive never heard of…i’ll have to check some of these out. Heh heh, I kno I camE in a LITTLE late, but I like to watch anime rlly fast so I just wait until the series is finished and watch it all at once:)
I agree with the ones I DO know, though, exept for gundam, don’t care for that anime at all.
BTW people why all the flames?!? Not every one hates code geass as much as u do, so get a life will ya?
Geez I feel like I’m teaching a buncha preeschoolers a lesson lol
I feel so bad for u…I know I could never write a blog like this, and have to put up with all of the people sending flames. I’m surprised at how mean some people can be…over someone opinion! Even if they are a buncha idiots who are just upset that their anime didn’t beat code geass, it’s TERRIBLE what’s happening to people 🙁
thank you i’m so happy..
Why is it that in the poll archive, bus gamer was voted the best anime of 2008. It was probably a different poll but code geass was ranked too low which surprised me.
True tears was a really well made anime. I do urge the PRO NOE people to watch it again and this time from Hiromi’s point of view!