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Now that 2017 is officially over, it’s time for our yearly foray into annoying everyone with our questionable opinions, the Best of Anime 2017 post! As usual, we won’t guarantee total objectivity (like such a thing exists), but as someone who managed to catch over ~90 series, I’d say I’m generally well informed about a majority of shows worth watching this year. Given that I’m the only writer doing the post this year however, don’t be surprised if you see a larger range of picks across categories to make up for the lack of a second opinion.
Continuing from last year, there are numerous categories in the following areas: Production, Miscellaneous, Genre, and Notable Others. Due to lack of series candidates and/or the lack of involvement of specific writers that specialized in certain categories, some categories have been omitted from previous years. These include the Animation, Sports, and Trap categories respectively, along with categories originally added by Samu to recognize specific Seiyuu, Studios, and/or Directors.
This time around, encoding and videos for the OP/ED/Song categories were done by Divine (surprise!). So here’s a shout out (thanks!) for him and everything he does for the site behind the scenes, along with resident cage master Xumbra, who handles much of the encoding for our seasonal previews. Included at the end are the final results of the Reader’s Choice Poll.
Disclaimer: As always, disclaimers abound. Please keep in mind that “best” is subjective. What’s best for us isn’t necessarily best for you, and that’s perfectly fine. This list shouldn’t be taken as some kind of inviolable truth, but rather the opinions of a guy who had too much time on his hands and spent it conjuring up a list of picks based on all the anime they watched. Naturally, my choices will be influenced by my own tastes, experiences, and personal impressions, and ultimately these are just recommendations, nothing more and nothing less. Before you go bashing one of my choices, please make sure you’ve at least given the series a chance so you may know where we’re coming from. Aside from that, we ask that you respect our opinions and the opinions of others in the comments, just like we respect yours. Thank you.
Disclaimer #2: The choices in this post are not reflective of the opinions of all Random Curiosity writers. They are solely the opinions of myself (Zephyr), save for where otherwise noted. Thank you for your understanding.
Note: For a show to be considered, it has to have met the requirements outlined in the Reader’s Choice Poll. For OVAs/movies, the additional requirement is that it either aired or released on BD/DVD (so that viewers outside of Japan have had a chance to watch it).
| Story | |
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As the somewhat polar opposite to what’s on the surface, here we’re looking at depth and what captivated us from start to finish. You don’t need amazing visuals to tell a good story, so it’s about the original material (if any) and the screenwriter’s adaptation of it here. Good cliffhangers that keep you on the edge of your seat week after week suggest the series is doing something right, whereas filler-esque showings don’t. |
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Zephyr: After an amazing first season, one had to come in to its second season expecting more of the same. What we didn’t expect was a story that would be even better than the first. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen was a rare series that not only continued the greatness of its first season, but carried on its legacy–successfully bringing its characters into the present day while showing the impact their respective pasts had on their lives and viewpoints. A tragedy and a story of triumph, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen gave us the perfect culmination to a tale stretching multiple generations, imparting on its viewers the importance of embracing the past and being able to let things go. At the same time, it gave us characters that felt truly human, making it that much harder to witness everything they had to go through, and to say farewell to a series that captured the hearts of many and demonstrated just how far anime can go as a story telling medium. Following closely behind are 3-gatsu no Lion (featuring a story revolving around tragedy and Shogi), ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka (a stylish mystery filled with political intrigue), Made in Abyss (one of the best adventures in years), Sagrada Reset (whose slow burn rewarded its viewers greatly at the end), Uchouten Kazoku 2 (which featured certain foolish tanuki engaging in yet another grand adventure). Honorable Mentions: 3-gatsu no Lion, ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Made in Abyss, Sagrada Reset, Uchouten Kazoku 2 |
| Soundtrack | |
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What would a series be without the music to help set the mood and tone? A good soundtrack enhances the power and emotions behind scenes in such a way that you start associating imagery with the music unconsciously, regardless of whether it’s cheery, inspiring, or heartfelt. Lasting impressions say a lot, plus it just has to sound good too. |
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Zephyr: Given the differences between a television broadcast and a stand-alone production, there’s been an unwritten rule excluding movie and OVA soundtracks from this category. I’ll be damned if I excluded one of the best soundtracks to ever grace an animated film however, and RADWIMPS’ production for Kimi no Na wa. comes in as this year’s exception and easy winner. With vocals in English and Japanese, the soundtrack was a rarity in regards to its multi-language accessibility, quality, and memorability. Each one of its tracks are capable of triggering memories of a specific scene and each lyric representative of a character’s feelings and thoughts. This was a production where the music was timed to match its corresponding scene in the film, and it’s only fitting that a masterpiece receives an equally amazing accompaniment to bring it to even greater heights. With over 100,000 copies sold and an Oricon #1 weekly ranking in its belt, this is a soundtrack you owe it to yourself to experience, whether by itself or as you watch a movie considered by many to be one of greatest animated productions of all-time. Rounding out the category are the soundtracks to Fate/Apocrypha (though the story was lacking, the sound was anything but), Fuuka (the vocals are top notch despite the hated story), Made in Abyss (yet another grand production from Kevin Penkin), Princess Principal (more of the usual from Kajiura Yuki), and Re:CREATORS (Sawano Hiroyuki does it again). Honorable Mentions: Fate/Apocrypha, Fuuka, Made in Abyss, Princess Principal, Re:CREATORS |
| Opening & Ending Sequence | |
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Whether for its originality or ability to showcase what a series has to offer, opening sequences are always fun to watch. We tend to look forward to new ones and the songs that will be featured in them, and sometimes get a glimpse at what’s coming up in the show too (for better or worse). Here, the focus is on the sequence itself, even though the song may play a part in making it memorable. Unlike opening sequences, endings don’t strive to draw the viewer in and get them psyched up about the episode that’s coming up. Instead, they’re an outro to what you’ve just seen and may highlight a specific aspect/emotion of the series, though sometimes they’re completely irrelevant to the actual story and are just an outlet for sheer fun/comedic value. Whichever the case, there are certain sequences that we enjoyed more than others. |
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Traditionally one of the more difficult categories to choose from, 2017 brought with it an easier time due to the presence of ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka. As one of the year’s more unique openings, this was sequence whose song grew on its viewers over time and whose imagery captured the series’ ambiance by matching its unique artistic style. At the same time, it gave us tantalizing glimpses of the story and its mysteries while never explicitly giving anything away, making it a perfect fit for the show’s cloak and dagger twists and unassuming nature. What makes it better is that it’s only until you finish the series that you realize how much they actually put in the sequence about the series, and this was truly an opening catered specifically for the series and the story it planned to tell. That’s not to say 2017 didn’t have other similarly great openings however, and this category will likely be known more for its omissions (including the sequences to–video links are included with the series title—Animegataris, Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen, Demi-chan wa Kataritai, Just Because!, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭, and Sagrada Reset to name a few) than the ones that actually made it onto the list. Honorable Mentions (Video Links Included): 3-gatsu no Lion OP1, Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans Second Season OP1, Re:CREATORS OP1, Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season OP, Tsuki ga Kirei OP |
Part of me came in expecting to pick the ending sequence to Eromanga-sensei here, but for all its entertainment value and catchiness, it was Sakura Quest’s first ending sequence that caught my eye. With multiple variants on its lead-in, this was a theme that was used masterfully throughout the series to culminate its most dramatic moments. It may not come with same excitement that other sequences had, but it had a simple, singular focus on the main cast made it that much better, and it’s something you can see in both the lyrics and the choice of flower used in the song title (Freesia represents friendship and innocence). Showing each cast member separately walking their own path merely adds to the thematic relevance of the sequence, and the theme itself takes the time to slowly build up before exploding towards the middle–giving us a bittersweet song that starts off uncertain and ends on a positive note in combination with its lyrics. As with the previous category however, 2017 brought with it an amazing assortment of ending themes, and this category will likely be known more for its omissions (including the sequences to–video links are included with the series title—Granblue Fantasy, Just Because!, Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau, Masamune-kun no Revenge, Sagrada Reset, Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ, Uchouten Kazoku 2 to name a few) than the ones that actually made it onto the list. Honorable Mentions (Video Links Included): 3-gatsu no Lion ED1, Boku no Hero Academia 2 ED1, Eromanga-sensei ED, Little Witch Academia ED2, Tales of Zestiria the X Second Season ED |
| Song | |
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With the sequences covered, the attention is now on the actual songs. Insert songs are also up for consideration, with the only real criteria being that it’s something we never got tired of listening to. There’s no bearing on if it was created specifically for a series or even if the series was any good, we’re simply picking some of our favorite songs that were featured in an anime. |
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“Scarborough Fair” (Vocals by Yamada Tamaru) |
Zephyr: There are some things that don’t fade away with time and music is one of them. Based on a traditional ballad with origins going as far back as the 17th century, another variant of “Scarborough Fair” braved the test of time to made a triumphant reappearance in Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?’s first episode. Without going too much into spoilers, it’s a theme whose inclusion in the series’ first episode set the stage for everything to come, and it’s not a stretch to say that hearing this song alone got me interested in a series that would become one of 2017’s most underappreciated. Aside from that, this year’s category ends up a bit slimmer than usual, as most of the initial candidates ended up having their entire soundtrack mentioned, so many of my initial candidates were ultimately omitted from the list. That said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention “Barricades,” which comes in as another selection due to its epic nature and its accompanying scene (spoiler-free GIF), which was notable for how it probably destroyed much of that episode’s budget by itself. Honorable Mentions (Video Links Included): “En fermant les yeux” by Solita (3-gatsu no Lion), “Barricades” by yosh, Gemie, mpi (Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season), “Ryuu no Uta” by Tanaka Chiemi (Sakura Quest) |
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Branching away from strictly picking series and focusing on some specifics is the idea behind the miscellaneous section. The first one is our favorite character, who won his or her way into our hearts for whatever reason. The criteria here is somewhat loose, but with numerous options in a single series, multiplied by almost a hundred in the past year, it’s actually quite difficult to pick one above all others. Be that as it may… |
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Zephyr: Given Sagrada Reset’s lack of popularity, it’s safe to say that my selection of Souma Sumire comes in as an unexpected pick. The reason for her selection is straight forward however, and it boils down to her exceptional influence and impact on the overall plot line. I won’t go into too many specifics due to spoilers, but this was a series whose slow burn eventually developed into a gigantic plot line whose beginnings stretched as far back as the first episode, and Souma Sumire was the one who made everything possible. As a result, she was also responsible for making Sagrada Reset 2017’s most underappreciated series, and that warrants a pick in my book, even if she (and the series as a whole) may not have been liked by many. Following close behind are an assortment of characters, many of which were either seen or mentioned previously in prior iterations (Shimogamo Yasaburou, Megumi Katou, and Yuurakutei Yakumo fit the bill) but either maintained their spots as pivotal characters in their respective stories or blossomed into their own with the arrival of a new season. Other than that, Chtholly Nota Seniorious and Kiriyama Rei come in as new additions, arriving on the strength of their tragic backstories and steps forward they took despite them. Phosphophyllite from Houseki no Kuni comes in as a final character who barely misses the cut. Honorable Mentions: Kiriyama Rei (3-gatsu no Lion), Megumi Katou (Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭), Yuurakutei Yakumo (Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen), Chtholly Nota Seniorious (Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?), Shimogamo Yasaburou (Uchouten Kazoku 2) |
| Plot Twist | |
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This is the replacement for the category previously known as “Biggest Shocks”. We’re looking for a sudden unexpected turn of events in the story that caught us off guard and delivered sheer shock value. It’s that “WTF” moment that has people talking about it for the next few days, regardless of whether or not anyone found it agreeable. Below are the plot twists we have in mind. |
| Death | |
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This may be part of a plot twist or something you see coming a mile away, but we’re concerned about the impact the death has on the story and us as viewers. Well-executed screenplay leading up to it may play a big part, but there are also cases where a character dies so suddenly that we’re left in complete disbelief. In both cases, it’s the lingering impression we’re basing our selection on. |
| Action | |
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Action, action, and more action! The action genre ranges anywhere from shounen-crazed series to war-filled mecha shows. For battles, choreography plays a huge role, so that was definitely taken into consideration. |
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Zephyr: A traditionally stacked category, 2017 continues the trend of having many notable action-oriented series. This year brought us classic mecha combat (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans Second Season), city-leveling explosions (Re:CREATORS, Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ, Youjo Senki), demon slaying Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen) and everything in between. Through all the smoke and cannon fodder deaths however, Boku no Hero Academia 2 once again rises to the top with a brilliantly executed second season. Helped out by top notch animation for its most important scenes, Boku no Hero Academia 2 set things up with classic shounen battles and followed it up with higher stakes and heaping piles of character development. Given the size of its cast, that’s no mean feat, and this was a series that backed up the action by giving us characters you want to root for, and abilities that were as diverse as the number of cast members. This year didn’t have a JoJo series to roll with, but you can’t go wrong with the candidates here, with each providing its own unique take on the action genre. Honorable Mentions: Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen, Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans Second Season, Re:CREATORS, Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ, Youjo Senki |
| Romance | |
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Emotion-filled romance at its finest. The relationship between characters and the emotions involved are the appeal, and the main criteria for selecting a series here. A sentimental story is always good, with tear-jerking scenes being a plus. This is the series that had the best romantic mood from the character interactions to the big confession. |
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Zephyr: Sometimes, less is more. You don’t always have to have a complex story, drama, or multiple plot-twists to craft a great romance, and Tsuki ga Kirei comes in as a perfect example of how having a simple, singular focus and a clear vision can yield amazing results. This was a series whose sole aim was to tell a tale about a first love, and it left us with a story that was so natural and authentic that it likely made many viewers think of their own first crush or relationship and the emotional roller coaster that came with it. The shy looks from afar, the awkwardness of a first date, the blushing from holding hands for the first time, and the comfort of just being able to talk or be next to one another–this was a series that truly captured everything about a first love, and it did so while putting things together into a beautiful, emotionally powerful story that made Tsuki ga Kirei one of the best romance series we’ve had in a while. Best of all, Tsuki ga Kirei accomplishes this in a single cour, making this truly a series that was “short and sweet.” Honorable Mentions: Just Because!, Net-juu no Susume, Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka? |
| Drama | |
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A lot of good series out there depict an emotion-filled story where the romance comes secondary, if at all. Strong depictions of friendship and in challenging situations can really draw a viewer into the story and start making them sympathize with the characters. It’s a bit of an all-encompassing genre, but only a handful of series really pull viewers in with their screenplay. |
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Zephyr: To say that Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans’ second season was dramatic would be an understatement. Twist after twist came in a second half that shocked many, showing us just how difficult it would be for Tekkadan to keep the place they earned for themselves. In any other year, it would’ve been a clear winner in my book, but quantity doesn’t directly translate into quality, and 3-gatsu no Lion comes up top by offering a focused narrative that takes the time to draw you in. This was a tale that tugged on the heartstrings with the passing of each shogi match, showcasing the gradual recovery of a character whose life dealt him the worst of cards. Through it all, we’re shown characters that were truly human, struggling to balance their lives around shogi while facing mental hurdles and ever increasing competition. At the same time, we saw the full spectrum of outcomes that come from dedicating one’s life to a singular craft, making you sympathize with the characters as they dealt with their hardships. This was a drama combined with a quality, consistent narrative, with the latter making all the difference. Aside from that, Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e and the Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Washio Sumi no Shou are two notable omissions that barely missed the cut. Honorable Mentions: ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans Second Season, Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?, Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season, Uchouten Kazoku 2 |
| Sci-Fi | |
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When it comes to science fiction, a futuristic world with advanced technology, robots, space travel, and superhuman abilities is the usual connotation. However, that’s not the only setting that fits this genre. Sometimes all a series has to do is play up a single sci-fi aspect and do it well to go down as an excellent sci-fi series. |
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Zephyr: It feels like it’s been awhile since we received a truly great Sci-Fi series and unfortunately, this year didn’t do much to change that. The series that had the most potential as a pure Sci-Fi teetered off the cliff with a controversial second half for the ages (Seikaisuru Kado), and the remainder were either good but not great candidates or series that had Sci-Fi aspects mixed in more than anything. With that in mind, Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans Second Season comes in as the winner, giving us a boatload of classic mecha combat while balancing politics, factional struggles, and enough drama to make it one of this year’s most dramatic series. Unfortunately, the latter didn’t always combine with optimal execution–Okada Mari goes a bit heavy handed at times—and ironically may have served to hinder the series more than anything. Rounding out the category are an assortment of picks that may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, but appealed to enough people to warrant their inclusion. Honorable Mentions: Chaos;Child, Inuyashiki, Knight’s & Magic, Seikaisuru Kado |
| Horror/Thriller | |
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The best horror shows are those that incite visceral feelings of shock, fear, and pulse-pounding dread. Gore is not a necessity for this genre, as there’s always psychological thrillers that are just as gripping if not more. However, those that can provide both an unsettling atmosphere and a good scare are even better. |
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Zephyr: Given Shingeki no Kyojin’s popularity and the shocking revelations we received with its second season, it would’ve been easy putting it as the winner for this category. Unfortunately, the series’ second season was lackluster in its lead up, paling in comparison to a first season that was more consistent in its thrills and more fresh in its horrors. As such–and yes, I’m aware of how controversial this will be—Princess Principal comes in as what’s likely to be the most surprising winner of any category this year. The story itself didn’t wow anyone as a complex, heart-wrenching narrative, but this was a series that had a clear vision in regards to the kind of spy thriller it wanted to be, and it wasn’t afraid to stick with its guns. Along the way, we received moments that were over the top and straight up ridiculous at times, making the series enjoyable and fun to watch. With many shows not wanting to break the mold or trying too hard to craft something unnecessarily complex, there’s something to be said about a show that’s comfortable in its own skin, and Princess Principal–with its suave heroines going about their business like it’s nothing–was exactly that. Honorable Mentions: Kakegurui, Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season, Youjo Senki |
| Mystery | |
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Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Thought-provoking storylines that keep inquisitive viewers watching and speculating on where things are headed? Yes, please. They don’t necessarily have to have a horror element to them either, as all we’re looking for here is a blend of detective/crime fiction. |
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Zephyr: As with previous years, the mystery genre continued its trend of being a perennially under-explored genre. This meant that there weren’t any pure mysteries to be had and many of the series here had mysteries but didn’t have them as their centerpiece. Among them, Sagrada Reset comes in as a series that not only presented its viewers with the most questions, but also delivered on its revelations in such a way that shocked its viewers and made you realize just how much was going on behind the scenes without you realizing it. Unfortunately, this was also a series whose slow start and sudden early twist turned off the series for many, and while it was understandable, here’s hoping its mention here causes at least a few of you to give the series another try. After all, it’s not every day a series builds its plot across the entirety of its multi-cour run and succeeds in bringing everything together in a coherent way, and Sagrada Reset managed to do just that. Honorable Mentions: ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Chaos;Child, Houseki no Kuni, Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season |
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Where science fiction seeks to explain the remarkable happenings of its universe via technology and logic, fantasy is less concerned with that. Wizards, dragons, and Tolkien-esque adventures are what usually come to mind, but those aren’t mandatory. As long as the focus is less on what makes the world tick and more on using magic and wonder to tell a story, it’s probably a fantasy tale you’re looking at. |
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Zephyr: 2017 was filled with great fantasies worth mentioning, and Made in Abyss highlights the category by not only giving us one of the best adventures in recent years, but also one of the best series the year had to offer. With dangers lurking around every corner, a mysterious Abyss to explore, and a pair of main characters unwilling to let anything stop their journey, Made in Abyss was a series that made full use of its fantasy backdrop to give us something truly special. Almost every episode gave us something awe-inspiring to look at, and this was a journey that was every bit as magical as it was life-threatening. To say that you feared for its characters was an understatement and shocking revelations and hideous beasts only made you stand on your toes even more. The best part is they’ve barely scratched the surface in regards to the Abyss itself, and this is an adventure that promises to continue being great for years to come. It’s just too bad that last I checked, there’s barely enough material for a second season, and the source itself doesn’t exactly release on a uniform schedule, so we may be waiting a while to see the series’ conclusion. Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen comes in as just one of many notable fantasies to barely miss the cut. Honorable Mentions: Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, Little Witch Academia, Re:CREATORS, Shingeki no Bahamut – Virgin Soul, Uchouten Kazoku 2 |
| Comedy | |
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The ability to make you laugh until you cry – that’s probably the number one criteria when selecting a comedy of the year. From everything to sheer stupidity, quirky characters, and timely comedic pauses to perverted fun, elaborate setups, and witty jokes, it’s the lighthearted nature and humorous entertainment value of these series that we love. |
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Zephyr: There weren’t many comedies this year compared to previous years, and Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 comes in as an easy winner in a sparse category. Given how popular and well-received it was though, it would’ve been a front-runner regardless, and this was a second season that was arguably even funnier than the first, with intentionally messed up animation making a ridiculous adventure even more so. As many of the other notable candidates ended up carrying over to next year (Hoozuki no Reitetsu Second Season and Osomatsu-san 2 included), the list rounds out with two inclusions that aren’t purely comedies, but offered some laughs as part of their overall package. Honorable Mentions: Blend S, Gabriel Dropout, Gamers!, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon |
| Romantic Comedy | |
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The romantic comedy genre separates itself from the individual romance and comedy ones by teasing us with potential relationships but never quite settling on one. Instead, the enjoyment comes from the character interactions themselves, often – but not always – in harem-like scenarios. |
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Zephyr: There isn’t much I’ll say here that Passerby didn’t note in his final impressions for Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭, but it’s worth repeating nonetheless. Rare is the series that manages to stay in the confines of its genre while spurning the expected tropes. Rarer still is a series that manages to do so while building a second season better than a well-received first. With exceptional development on the part of Megumi Katou leading the way, this was a season that brought the series to new heights, capitalizing on the foundations it built earlier while keeping the wittiness, self-deprecation, and fourth wall destruction that made it popular in the first place. Adding a few surprise developments merely sweetened the cake, and regardless of how much emphasis you put on the whole deconstruction (or reconstruction as Passerby argues) aspect of things, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭ set the baseline for romantic comedies this year and possibly for years to come. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to a formula that works though, and Eromanga-sensei comes in as an example of one that managed to do so, even if its similarities to a certain rom-com produced by the same creator may have turned some away. Honorable Mentions: Eromanga-sensei, Gamers!, Masamune-kun no Revenge |
| Slice of Life | |
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A laid-back series with no reliance on heavily gimmicky plot devices nor a constantly progressing storyline is what this genre stands for. The character interactions themselves in an otherwise “normal” setting are the highlight, along with any incidental humor that results from them. A lot of times, they’re just really cute and innocent happenings, and that’s exactly what makes a good slice of life series. |
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Zephyr: Traditionally the most loaded category of the year, 2017 continued the trend with over a dozen potential candidates. Despite the many candidates, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon comes in an easy winner, and it all boils down to one thing: Dragon Maids. However ridiculous it must’ve sounded at first, this was a series that managed to bring together two things we never thought possible, and it gave us one of the year’s most heartwarming series while it was at it. An adorable cast sweetened the equation, and Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon was a series that you could really sit down and use to relax after a long day, with the addition of some occasional laughs making it even better. Following close behind was another feel good show in Demi-chan wa Kataritai and an underrated gem in Sakura Quest, and there were so many potential choices that you could almost pick a slice of life at random and end up with one worth watching. Omissions are plenty as a result, and include Blend S, Isekai Shokudou, Kemono Friends, Love Live! Sunshine!! Second Season, Urara Meirochou, and Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou to name a few. Honorable Mentions: Alice to Zouroku, Demi-chan wa Kataritai, New Game!!, Net-juu no Susume, Sakura Quest |
| Category Defying | |
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Also known as the Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita Memorial Award, this is the category for those shows that deserve to be on this list, even if we don’t have a clue where they should go. Many series cross into multiple genres, which is why you see shows being featured in multiple categories in this section. These series defy genre. They twist and squirm, evading our attempts to label them and are just themselves, as well as good. This is the category for shows that deserve recognition, even if we aren’t rightly sure what they were. |
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Zephyr: As a science fantasy with a bit of mystery and drama sprinkled in, Sagrada Reset comes in as a series that didn’t quite fit into any particular genre. Fittingly enough, it was also a series whose development style and slow start also made it different from your typical show, though this had the unfortunate side effect of losing many viewers in the progress. Those who stuck with the show regardless were rewarded with one of this year’s best series however, and Sagrada Reset’s mention here serves as both recognition of its greatness (even if it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea) and of the many distinctive quirks that made its success possible. Rounding out the category is another interesting series in Houseki no Kuni, which earns its spot here as an underrated series whose unique mixture of action, fantasy, and mystery didn’t make it particularly exceptional in any one genre, but came together to make something greater than the sum of its parts (and no, this last line was not an intentional reference to the series). Honorable Mentions: Houseki no Kuni |
| Most Underappreciated | |
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There are numerous shows out there that people don’t watch or continue watching because they’re so fixated on what’s unanimously popular. We make a point of watching and covering series that tend to be overlooked, so this is intended to highlight the series that more people should have checked out but probably didn’t. |
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If you’ve been reading through all of my other entries, it should come as no surprise that Sagrada Reset arrives this year’s easy pick for most underappreciated. Abandoned by many due to its slow start and sudden early plot twist, Sagrada Reset was a series that eventually rewarded its viewers by unraveling a plot whose beginnings stretched all the way back to its first episode. To say that its twists caught many by surprise would be an understatement, and despite having completed it months prior, I’m still shocked at how well they weaved all the story’s elements together in a coherent manner. Without saying too much, almost everything that happens throughout the series ends up related to its main plot line, and the series’ resolution is one that makes you realize how many jigsaw pieces were coming together without you even realizing it. The quirkiness of the characters and the length required for the series to pay off don’t make it everyone’s cup of tea despite how well it turned out, but if anything here makes you interested, Sagrada Reset’s certainly worth a second shot if you dropped it the first time. Aside from that, this year’s underrated gems (whether in terms of site ratings or popularity rankings) include the distinctive and mystery-filled ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, a series whose visual style likely turned many off at the start (Houseki no Kuni), a different take on the romance genre (Just Because!), another slow starter turned heart-warming winner (Sakura Quest), and the bittersweet (Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?). Barely missing the list are Kemono Friends, Re:CREATORS, and the often overlooked new iteration of a Symphogear franchise that is still going strong after four seasons (Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ). Honorable Mentions: ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Houseki no Kuni, Just Because!, Sakura Quest, Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka? |
| Biggest Disappointment | |
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The pitfall of excessive hype and anticipation for anything is the disappointment that results when things don’t meet expectations. With regards to anime, this is doubly true when a series has precedent established by its original and a sequel falls incomparably short. At times it’s only a small letdown, but sometimes we’re left wondering what we did to deserve sitting through it. We’re not looking for the worst series of the year here, but the biggest disparity between expectations going in and way the series turned out. |
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In terms of disappointments, I’m surprised to say that 2017 didn’t actually give me a show I felt slamming as much as prior “winners” like Glasslip or Musaigen no Phantom World. That’s not to say that there weren’t any disappointments, but that even shows that disappointed had some merits or appealed to some people regardless. Out of these shows, Seikaisuru Kado comes in as most fitting example, bringing us a first half that was some of the best pure sci-fi in awhile. Unfortunately, the follow through was lacking as the series entered its second half, and it teetered off the hill for many following a controversial ending. I was one of the few people that didn’t actually take as much issue to the second half as others, but I can still see where many people were disappointed with the series and the direction it took, and Kado didn’t turn out to be the right answer for many who sought greatness from a series that had much potential. Following along those lines, Fate/Apocrypha comes in as an honorable mention in the same regard, providing a lot of the basic foundations that fans of the franchise loved in terms of the Grail War setting and the many heroic servants with unique backstories, but failing to execute in regards to story pacing and character development for one of the most unexciting protagonists in awhile. With its occasionally great action scenes and assortment of new characters we’re seeing for the first time (and may not see anywhere else again) however, I’m not saying it’s not worth watching at all, but rather that one should temper one’s expectations going into it. Honorable Mentions: Fate/Apocrypha |
| Exceeded Expectations | |
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Naturally, there’s the exact opposite of the above, where we go into a series with low or little-to-no expectations and it turns out much better than we anticipated. This could easily be considered finding diamonds in the rough, which is only possible if you tend to give new shows the benefit of the doubt. Our picks here don’t necessarily mean they’re blockbuster hits in disguise, but that the disparity between expectations and the actual series goes in the favorable direction. |
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Given that it received an optimistic rating to begin with, it doesn’t break expectations as much winners from past years, but Houseki no Kuni deserves a mention on the merits of it blossoming into something that was still better than many likely expected. With a mixture of fantasy, mystery, and action, Houseki no Kuni was a series that made multiple genres its own, giving us many questions while developing a series of memorable characters in a unique setting. With each character a physical manifestation of a real-life gem, everyone was literally unique in their own way–down to the colors of their hair and the hardness of their bodies–making it great not only great character contrast, but for the development of each in ways fitting of their natures. Being exceptionally brittle and too weak for battle due to her attributes, Phosphophyllite ends up the recipient of the most development as a result, and there aren’t enough words to describe how well they used her physical nature as a spring board to develop her, the characters around her, and the world she ultimately explores in an attempt to overcome her innate limits. Unfortunately the series’ end doesn’t bring with it the answers to the series’ most pressing questions, but it does a great job setting things up for a future iteration while providing a stand alone series that was one of this year’s better and more popular shows. Interesting enough, many of the other candidates turned out to be other similar series that had decent expectations, but exceeded them by giving us something more or truly special. Honorable Mentions: Made in Abyss, Net-juu no Susume, Sagrada Reset |
| Best Anime 2017 | |
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The be-all, end-all of the year. This pick is always a hotbed of controversy, so here’s the exact criteria we used to make it: if we were to meet an anime fan for the first time and they were to ask us to recommend a show that aired in 2017, what would it be? Without knowing the person’s tastes, we would naturally default to the show that did the most things right, one that had wide appeal and deserved it, that had superb animation and told its story well, and above all else, that we enjoyed. The winner of this category should be a high anticipation show that supremely deserved it, or a dark horse that blew everyone out of the water. This is subjective as hell, but you can find a list of our best picks below. |
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Zephyr: As with prior years, the series with the best narratives tend to get the most consideration from me for this category, and being one of the best stories we’ve seen in the medium in the last few years–Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen comes in as 2017’s undisputed winner. This was a series that not only continued the greatness of its first season, but exceeded it, giving us a tale that was equal parts tragedy and triumph. All the while, it imparted on its viewers valuable lessons about what it means to be human and the importance of embracing the past despite all the scars it may have left on us. The fact that Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi also served as a culmination to the series meant that it was also a farewell to a cast of characters whose lives we managed to follow over multiple decades, and it’s a bittersweet farewell that showcases just how great a narrative this was and the potential the medium has to tell stories of this nature. Following behind are a multitude of series that either presented their own quality narrative, gave a quality payoff worth sticking with it for, or were the clear front-runners of their respective genres. Honorable Mentions (#2-10 in Alphabetical Order): 3-gatsu no Lion, ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Boku no Hero Academia 2, Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, Made in Abyss, Sagrada Reset, Shingeki no Bahamut – Virgin Soul, Tsuki ga Kirei, Uchouten Kazoku 2 |
| Best OVA/Movie 2017 | |
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The same as above, except for the not-regularly-broadcasted offerings. These aren’t covered very often on the site, but we’ve each had the pleasure of watching enough to find some that really caught our eyes. |
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Zephyr: The highest-grossing animated film of all time. The fourth highest grossing non-English film of all time. Nominee for the 40th Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation of the Year. The accolades speak for themselves, and if anything, Makoto Shinkai’s prior history should’ve been enough to give you a sense of how great this movie would be even before it came out. What we didn’t realize was that Kimi no Na wa. would become what many would consider his magnum opus–his greatest work to date–and it’s clear that what we got here was a culmination of everything he’s learned over his storied career, giving us a complete, emotionally satisfying story with a romance for the ages. For many, Kimi no Na wa. was the masterpiece among masterpieces, and this was a film whose immense global reach also served as a gateway for many new viewers. With that said, it’s important not to forget about Koe no Katachi, a movie whose heartwarming story and life lessons would’ve made it a potential winner in any of previous few years. 2017 was truly a treat in the OVA/Movie department–especially when you consider how well Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen and Owarimonogatari Second Season culminated many of (a now nearly decade long) franchise’s remaining loose strings–and I’ll be surprised if we get anything remotely close for a while. Barely missing the cut is Gyakusatsu Kikan (Genocidal Organ), which came in one of the more notable sci-fi offerings of recent years. Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical Order): Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen, Koe no Katachi, Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito (Episodes 2-3), Owarimonogatari Second Season, Strike the Blood II (Episodes 3-8) |
| Reader’s Choice – Favorite Anime 2017 | |
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Your choice for 2017. With everyone allowed to pick up to five series, we have a pretty nice spread of results. In exchange for finding out if there was one series that everyone would’ve picked with a single vote, we have a much better idea of the other ones you enjoyed. The top choice is still pretty unquestionable though, since it was good enough to make it into the majority of your top 5 picks. |
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The Top 5: The votes have been tallied and Made in Abyss comes in as the Reader’s Choice for Best Anime of 2017. It scored higher than expected given the presence of popular series like Boku no Hero Academia 2 (#2) and Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season (#3), but this was a pleasant surprise more than anything, and Made in Abyss more than earns its accolades as one of the best fantasy series of the past few years. As with last year, many people seemed to agree on a majority of the top 10-15 picks across the board, leading to a very small gap between series after the top 5. Notably, many of the selections aligned with my own personal picks for the year, though ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka (#20) and Uchouten Kazoku 2 (#16) did fall out of the top 15 on the Reader’s Choice poll. I would’ve liked to see Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (#7) hit the top 5, but I was glad that Houseki no Kuni (#8), Re:CREATORS (#10), and Tsuki ga Kirei (#12) scored higher than expected, garnering some much needed recognition for series whose initial appearances may not have appealed to everyone. |
| Reader’s Choice – Favorite OVA/Movie 2017 | |
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Your OVA/Movie choice of 2017. As mentioned in the disclaimer above, the choices here were restricted to what’s been released on BD/DVD so that viewers outside of Japan have a chance of watching them and making an informed decision. It didn’t make sense to restrict such offerings to a small pool of voters this year and not have it up it for consideration in 2018, so if you wanted to vote for anything that premiered in theaters, you’ll get your chance next year. |
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The Top 5: Rounding things out for this year’s post is the selection of Kimi no Na wa. as the Reader’s Choice for Best OVA/Movie. Given all the accolades it received, this selection comes as no surprise, and there really isn’t much else to say about Kimi no Na wa. that hasn’t already been said. Following closely behind is Koe no Katachi, which joins Kimi no Na wa. as one of few selections to ever record over 10% of the overall vote. With two such selections in one year, it goes to show how great 2017 was for OVA/Movies, and how universally popular they were with anime fans in general. Rounding out the top 10 are a series of picks that ended up in line with my own (Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen at #4 and Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito at #5), with Owarimonogatari Second Season (#9) thankfully coming into play despite its late inclusion to the poll. |
Time sure flies, doesn’t it? As with previous years, 2017 was filled with its own share of memorable offerings. Likely to be remembered for its many sequels, this was a year where many notable series (including Boku no Hero Academia, Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, New Game!,Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata, and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu to name a few) not only received sequels, but ones that were ever better than their previous iterations. Aside from that, this year’s best offerings were also distributed across multiple seasons–Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen aired in the winter, Boku no Hero Academia 2 aired in the spring, Made in Abyss aired in the Summer, and Net-juu no Susume aired in the fall respectively–giving the year a much needed balance compared to previous years, which often front-loaded their best offerings.
Category-wise, slice of life and fantasy had the most significant amount of worthy candidates, with the former continuing a trend and the latter coming as a pleasant surprise headed by the previously mentioned Made in Abyss. Unfortunately, this was not the case for categories such as sci-fi and horror/thriller, which had a few solid candidates, but were mostly filled with flawed series that didn’t really scratch the genre itch for fans of those genres. Comedy, romance, and romantic comedy also had a relatively low number offerings, but thankfully gave us some great series to make up for the lack of quantity.
On the OVA/Movie side, 2017 was notable for finally allowing the rest of the world to see and own Kimi no Na wa. (you can bet I got the special edition), automatically making it a great year for this category on that merit alone. Adding another masterpiece in Koe no Katachi only added to an already loaded year, and with other great offerings like more Digimon Adventure tri., Kizumonogatari’s final chapter, some of the final chapters of the Monogatari franchise (Owarimonogatari Second Season) the next arc to Strike the Blood, and the introduction to the currently airing Mahoutsukai no Yome series, it’s unlikely we’ll be receiving another year like this for a while. At the very least though, Kimi no Na wa. and Koe no Katachi provide a lot of re-watch value (I’ve already watched them multiple times), and they both served important roles as gateways for a new generation of anime fans to boot.
On a personal note, this was probably the most difficult year in terms of blogging and making this post, as 2017 brought with it an even bigger focus on real-life work. Finding out a balance was pretty tough, and unfortunately, some categories had to be cut from the post in order to ensure it would be completed on time. With some luck, things’ll get easier next year so that I can find the time to tinker with and add some more categories, but I suppose time will tell. Other than that, it was important to know that like last year, most of my anime viewing revolved around marathons and staggered segments rather than watching series as they aired, so it should be emphasized that many of my personal picks this year came independent of outside influence for the most part (this means that I didn’t really have the chance to be caught up in any of the major hype or criticism laid on various shows), and the fact that Winter/Spring series were fresher in my mind than prior years were the likely reasons behind any differences my picks might have had with those of you viewing this post right now. One would hope that my picks do inevitably account for most of the series worth watching this year however, and at the very least, almost every show in the Reader’s Choice Top 15 received a mention within the post at some point.
Looking forward to 2018, “uncertain” is probably the most fitting buzzword. With companies such as Amazon and Netflix jumping into the mix and more streaming options than ever before, we’re looking at a time where monetary flow to and from studios could be changing in significant ways (if they haven’t already been the past few years) and demographics may be changing as new viewers arrive due to the influence of gateways series such as Kimi no Na wa. Whether this turns out to be a positive or a negative will be something we likely won’t see for awhile, but it’ll definitely be interesting to see how and if things will change in the short and long term. At the very least, the winter season looks promising (we haven’t had this many positive expectations for a winter in a while), especially in regards to the Sci-Fi (BEATLESS) and Fantasy (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen, Violet Evergarden) genres. And with that, I bid thee adieu for now. On behalf of Random Curiosity, I’d like to thank every one who takes the time to visit the site and read everything we write, and here’s hoping you’ll continue visiting Random Curiosity in 2018 as well so we can find out together what the new year will bring.
So basically we should all be watching Sakurada Reset. By the way, is it Sagrada Reset or Sakurada Reset? I still don’t know and seen many differing quotes of the title.
Glad to see Rakugo Shinjuu on top, while still highlighting Hoseki no Kuni, but Koe no Katachi being voted lesser than Kimi no Na Wa is expected, but still a tad disappointing to see. Being a fan of Makoto Shinkai since even before Ef myself, even he admits that the huge amount of laurels directed at his work are misguided due to having personal issues with how parts of his film came out and the flow of the narrative whereas Koe no Katachi I felt targeted an issue about bullying people labelled as bullies, the lynch mob effect present and the lasting damage it does to a child who may not have known better at the time, and brought to the foreground things that people would normally take for granted, like having the ability to merely freely communicate and connect with others through speech.
Lastly, Maid Dragon sitting at the top of slice of life made me think that having personally subbed and released all the BD specials to have been worthwhile. Nothing like a gay interracial dragon-on-human relationship to make people rethink about how conflict between others at most times is not needed when a world destroying chaos faction dragon can enjoy the simple life of not-married life with her human crush.
From what I’ve seen, they’re both interchangeable. Sagrada seems to be the one that was written on the original source’s cover page though.
And yeah, I loved Koe no Katachi, but it was one of those timing things where it just had to overlap with pretty much the anime film to watch for most people (whether they watch anime normally or not), and it falls just a bit short as a result. Still, the fact it was one of the few shows ever to also hit over 10% of the overall vote shows how well regarded it was, and if it’s any solace it would’ve won pretty much any other of the past few years.
And ah, I used to do some subbing, but gosh darn that was a while ago.
Just read your part about SukaSuka under best song, about the series being one of the most underappreciated of the year, and I would like to share my sympathies on that point too. It’s been one of the tropes used in popular fiction like in Overlord, The Last Stand, Gran Torino, The Incredibles, Watchmen, Last of Us, Tiger&Bunny (S2 just announced) and more where the story begins only after the hero’s story has ended, and it’s about a washed up ex-hero or some grizzled veteran trying to make his way in life, and the adventures that unfold after the conclusion.
In that sense, SukaSuka showing that humanity is extinct and he wakes up 500 years later is a refreshing plot idea, which I also felt went under the radar for everyone, so I’m glad to see it holds a place in your assessments, in an age where people swiftly dismiss series with complicated setups and needing lots of reading into the source material as just another failed LN adaptation.
P.S. Case in point for the translated release of the SukaSuka MAD (HAS SPOILERS, DO NOT WATCH IF YOU INTEND ON SEEING THE SERIES) which I did a long long time ago still only having 300 views compared to my usual 10,000. I hope that since you liked the series, you’d enjoy this watch as well, being one of the few who would actually enjoy it.
Let me say, the second I watched the first episode and that song came up, I knew I had to watch the show through. Just the way they put in the song and had it play over the whole scene without any dialogue was superb and it gave off a wonderful, bittersweet kinda atmosphere that really drew you in.
Technically, either naming works. I tend to use Sakurada because of the Japanese. The actual Japanese text for the title and the Kanji name spelling of the city setting is strictly Sakurada but it is also a reference to sagrada in Spanish.
Glad to see Sagrada Reset get some recognition. It was a series that I really enjoyed, but I never really herd anyone talk about. I figured it was due to being a slow paced anime that people probably dropped after the first couple of episodes. That and being banished to Anime Strike on Amazon.
( ｀ー´)八(｀ー´ ) ＨＩ５
I’d say it was just one of those odd shows that really didn’t set the tone until later in its run, and in the end it’s understandable how the slow pacing, the way the characters acted, and the super early “plot twist” would’ve turned people off from the show. In a typical circumstance I probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought if I didn’t have some free time to actually watch all the other shows around it while it was airing, but I’m glad I stuck with it regardless.
Dammit @Zephyr, if you loved Sagrada, as many of those of us who actually bothered to give it a chance did, why didn’t you blog it then? (There’s no rule saying you can’t start blogging a show midway through, is there?) When all you have at this blog is a first ep review taglined “Hmmm… so that fell short of expectations.” (not by you, I know), you’re going to shell shock people by suddenly giving it half the awards. Gotta represent the goodness first! LOL. Your punishment mission is to find someone who can boost Haruki and reset the hell out of this embarassing situation! 🙂
But seriously, thanks for highlighting this exceptional show for the masses who passed on it because characters with powers didn’t immediately turn to overblown emoting and screaming the names of their cool moves…
Well, there is a bit of an unwritten rule not to just pick things up mid-way, but we won’t necessarily say no if there’s a specific circumstance warranting it. Didn’t quite have time to blog in general this year though, unfortunately, and generally we want to set the tendency to skewer towards is picking up a show and blogging it through, rather than opening up the potential of having sudden show drops or constant switching of shows being covered eh.
That said, the interesting part is that my not blogging anything this year except for Shingeki (and even then I wasn’t the one doing the screencaps), was actually what let me finish Sagrada in the first place after it aired. 😛
And haha, I see what you did there. I’m pretty sure there’s someone in Sagrada that has that power tho. I’ll leave it up to ya to find em’.
Surprised to see that Sumire Souma was chosen as the best character. To me, Sagrada Reset is mostly an amalgamation of various elements in other animes. Sumire Souma is just an inferior version of Aika in Zetsuen no Tempest. The 3-day reset limit is reminiscent of the 48-hour time leap limit in Steins;Gate. The monster in the dream world is parallel to the one in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. And while there is a whole genre of animes about super-powers, for some reason the setting in this series reminds me of Charlotte a lot.
That said, Sagrada Reset is not bad. I like mysteries and Sagrada Reset has presented an intriguing and enjoyable one. But it just hasn’t brought anything new to the table, and this may be one of the reasons why it wasn’t popular.
Where is the overall vote count? Hero wins the second place, which is not bad. I wonder how other good animes stand.
The overall vote count for the reader’s choice can be found beneath the Top 5 results.
Got it. Thanks.
The big problem with Sagrada Reset, and what likely turned a lot of people off of it, was how all of the seiyuu were directed for god knows what reason to read 99% of their lines like detached emotionless robots. Sure this actually fits the personalities of some of the characters, but that’s like two of them out of the whole cast not every single one at almost all times.
I can understand that yeah. I was a bit turned off by that early on too, but stuck with it regardless. You can see why that was the choice when you get closer to the end, but I can definitely see why most people wouldn’t have wanted to stick for that long to see the pay off. In the end it’s a show I recommend watching to completion, but I understand it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea regardless.
I stopped watching Reset after the first half of the episode. It is just like watching someone play a gal-game. I just don’t have the patience for it.
Yeah, that certainly didn’t help the poor pacing of the series. I was a bit disappointed by Sagrada Reset, it’s wasted potential by its poor animation and staging.
All I got out of this was to watch Sagrada Reset
Now now. While Sagrada Reset did win a fair share and would be the show I’d recommend first if you asked me for one that was underwatched or underappreciated the most, there’s plenty of other things to garner from the individual category winners for other genres.
Though admittedly, the remainder of the picks tended to be similar to those of the Reader’s Choice, so perhaps you’ve already watched the other ones worth watching, in which case it’s just one of those interesting years where most people generally agreed on the top 10-15 shows worth watching, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing overall.
Thank you for all the hard work. I’ll probably read this over the next few days, just skimmed it for now. Hope to see more great anime and more great analysis in 2018.
Welcome!
2017 was a good year for anime. There’s no one anime that overshadow everything and there are lots of variety who deserve Anime of the Year.
Once again, thank you so much for all of the weekly reviews by RandomC writers. It’s been fun reading and discussing anime with the others in the comment section.
So here are my top 5 anime in 2017:
Show Spoiler ▼
Thank you! I love you all! Hope 2018 is another good year for anime.
While you mention it, I’ll say Persona 5 was probably the best JRPG in a long time. The Xenoblade variants aside are right by its side though.
Also, thank you for viewing and taking the time to comment!
Oh hi, Zephyr. Thank you for replying every comment here. RandomC is my favorite anime blog for a long time. To all writers, keep up the good work for this year!
Looking forward to, and I’ll see you both on the Anime of the year post of 2018 when the Persona5 anime comes out.
We shall see! Persona 5’s a pretty darn long and complex source to adapt, so it could end up a lot of ways. Their P3 and P4 adaptations were pretty decent/good though, so the expectations will be there.
I’m glad you gave Houseki no Kuni one. It really was the hidden gem of the year in more ways than one. I would always get so excited watching it. I wish more people would talk about it.
Now the question is, when will we get another season?
Sagrada Reset as runner up to best story? I watched up through about episode 10. I was falling asleep.
It’s one of the runner up candidates, yes.
I talk about it in depth throughout the post, but sticking it through to the end is when the series gives its best. Of course, mileage will vary and its appeal isn’t for everyone though.
Well… my initial post was submitted after only reading the first category. Now, that I’ve finished reading all of the categories, I’ll give it another shot. It might be a show that I need to marathon. Just like March Comes in Like a Lion, I didn’t regard it too highly until a friend recommended that I give it another try by having a marathon.
Thanks for the write up.
Ah, 3-Gatsu is a very good pick.
And yeah, let me know. It’d be great if you ended up liking Sagrada in the end.
Seeing the same anime win five different categories seems a bit much. Or Maid Dragon being a runner up for Comedy and the winner of Slice of Life.
There’s like a hundred anime in a year, you could easily let disqualify an anime from winning multiple categories.
Withholding one person’s awards because they had already won one and the idea that everyone deserves an equal amount of praise is even more damnable an offence for anyone that wants to be truly fair. The paragraphs worth of carefully constructed and written disclaimers you read coming into this post should have acknowledged that for you. If anything I’m thankful for him writing this post and for such people that are able to provide their own opinion regardless of what others would like them to say.
It depends on the year I’d say. If you went through the post previous years, there’s plenty of shows that deserved to and won multiple categories.
All things considered though, there’s a bit too much focus on the specific category winners I think. Sagrada might’ve won more than expected, but if you look through the whole post I made sure that due to there being a lack of another author writing this, I added more candidates in the Honorable Mentions and in the excerpts than any year before for any individual author.
Remember, in the end the winners are just recommendations and it doesn’t guarantee everyone will like it, and that’s fine. The other series mentioned are ultimately viable alternatives if the winner itself isn’t your cup of tea and the excerpts overall aren’t so much about the winner as it is the whole package of potential series worth watching for that genre.
I’m one of those people that dropped Sagrada because of it’s slow start, I think I dropped it at episode 2. However, I’ve been hearing about how it turned out well later, but never really interested in going back into it. After reading this however, I’ve decided to give it another try, by keeping in mind that it’s as slow starter. Hopefully I’m not gonna waste my time here.
Let me know how it goes!
I can proudly say that I’m glad I gave it another try. It’s worth the time I invested in it.
My main draw to Sagrada Reset was just how well things seemed thought through.
Besides what already is mentioned about the pieces coming together, I also adored how the abilities weren’t simply “do this” or “do that”. But actually had very technical ways of applying them.
A few main examples being the girl who can cancel all kinds of things out cancelling out a piece of wall if that is the correct direction she needs to go. That and just when 3 or 4 abilities are used together to make the time limit of an ability not apply because after the reset we technically didn’t activate it yet in the first place.
That kind of thinking just made me grin so much. Probs another reason why it was dropped so much, thinking while watching isn’t exactly popular.
Glad I wasn’t the only one seeing the potential of it.
Indeed. The way they did things and revealed things made you think the abilities or the plot was going to only go one way, only to go a completely different direction shortly afterwards. All the while it left you going “oh darn, I should’ve expected that to happen,” and the last portion of the series in general really just did magic for me in terms of piecing together everything and making you realize how much was really given to you in plain sight without you even realizing it. Literally everything they introduced had a role to play, and there just aren’t many shows that manage to include everything while still being coherent.
I love how Re:Creators gets a lot of honorable mentions. For me, it’s really the type of show that differentiates anime from the rest.
Yeah, Re:Creators was one of those shows that had pretty darn good production value, and they used it to make a fantasy that was… I’d say perhaps the best way to describe it is more on the old-fashioned style? Bit of action, bit of fantasy, a major focus on just something that was fun to watch and exciting rather than trying to build something super complex you know? It knew what it wanted to do and it stuck with it, and there’s definitely merit in shows that feel comfortable with themselves.
Too much mention of Sagrada Reset.
I mean, it’s got a bit more mentioning than what people would expect, but I feel like there’s a bit too much focus on Sagrada just because it won a category or two more than expected.
If you look through the whole post as a whole, there were more candidates in the Honorable Mentions and in the excerpts than any year before for any individual author, so the differentiation’s there and the variety’s there. If Sagrada wasn’t your cup of tea (and that’s fine), there’s dozens of other series worth watching that I mentioned as well.
I’m amazed that Made in Abyss beat out My Hero Academia in the Reader’s Choice award. Happy but amazed. I expected the more popular show to win that one.
I guess I should get around to watching Kimi no Na wa. If the soundtrack is as good or better than the glorious Made in Abyss soundtrack, I’m in for a treat.
Anyway, it was a great year for anime. Thanks for all your hard work as always, guys! Love reading these end of year posts.
Yeah, the soundtrack for Kimi no Na Wa. is certainly one to listen to while watching. Aside from that, yeah you can’t go wrong with the Made in Abyss one, and Kevin Penkin’s really been doing darn good albums for anime recently. His album for Norn9 last year was pretty spectacular too in a similar style, though the anime itself was far from popular so his album didn’t get nearly as much recognition as it should’ve.
Aside from that, you’re welcome! And thanks to you for taking the time to read!
Firstly, thank you for this post. I always wait for the summary of the year here, as these always turn out to be top quality posts in category of concluding the passing year. Respects for the work you put it in Zephyr, as well as thanks to the whole stuff of RandomC for fantastic 2017. I rarely comment here, mostly because of lack of time, but I visit here almost every day as following the new posts here is a pleasure.
Now, to the best of 2017. This was an amazing year in my opinion, better than previous one, as there were so many high quality shows in almost every genre. I tried to make my top 5, selecting from I guess about 30-35 I watched this year, basing mostly on my enjoyment:
Honorable Mentions: Boku no Hero Academia 2, Kobayashi-san no Maid Dragon, Kekkai Sensen & Beyond
5. Ballroom e Youkoso
4. Made in Abyss
3. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2
2. Owarimonogatari Second Season (I kinda consider it as TV series like MAL)
1. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen
My several thoughts towards the post:
– Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is an absolute masterpiece; nothing gets even close to this show, indescribable;
– KonoSuba marks on one of the best comedies I’ve seen in a while, laughing from first to last minute of episode every time;
– Owarimonogatari Second Season, what a great conclusion to the series, and also what a relief there is so much more Monogatari coming up in future with Zoku already announced;
– Imouto Sae Ireba Ii is my main missing show in this post, and the most underappreciated from last year for me; a bit lousy humour, but wonderful ‘slice of life’ moments, real hidden gem;
– Gamers! wins my exceeded expectations category;
– Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul OP2 and Inuyashiki OP were really solid ones;
– Dies Irae and Ousama Game the Animation are my personal biggest disappointments, what a train wrecks;
– Fate/Apo was a bit disappointing when you have Zero and UBW in mind, but last episodes were really rewarding;
– Sagrada Reset, not gonna lie, dropped it after first two episodes, but willing to give it another try in future;
And also: Kizumonogatari III, Koe no Katachi and Kimi no na wa – what a year for movies.
Great 2017, let’s hope for even greater 2018.
IF IBO was best sci-fi of the year, we have a serious problem. The question here is, why not Space Battleship Yamato 2199? Hell, even Knights & Magic’s wobbly issues were better than Okada’s massive trainwreck.
Well, first and foremost, I did note that Okada’s dramatics were heavy handed at times. What this means is that I understand if that ended up making you hate the series, in which case the choice obviously would not cater to your specific liking, which is fine.
What needs to be understood is many people did like the series enough or thought it was a solid series regardless of its obvious flaws, and that’s why it’s there, because for many people the appeal of the series will still be there as a Sci-Fi series with mecha combat. Remember, it’s a recommendation rather than a stern statement it was the “best of the best” and “can’t be beaten by any other Sci-Fi offering.” There’s always going to be a difference and that’s what the honorable mentions are for, which is to give alternates in case the main choice isn’t your cup of tea.
It’s fine not to agree with my personal choice as winner, but to quote it as a “serious problem” is another thing and a bit of an exaggeration, as part of the selection process is to pick a series that also has more general appeal, and IBO definitely catered to a larger group (and a larger group of people liked it more) than Knights and Magic and the other choices listed.
In regards to Space Battleship Yamato, last I checked the only releases were movie OVAs that don’t get considered in regular genre categories and the English-remake dub that was based on an older iteration and wouldn’t qualify as a new airing series to be considered.
As for Knights and Magic, I’ll say that I quite liked it and likely more than most people did. That’s why it’s there as an honorable mention, because it’s a recommendation that some people may like if you didn’t like IBO. In the end it’s a matter of personal preference. IBO and Knights and Magic were both flawed series, and in a comparison between flawed series, the one with more general appeal ultimately wins out in this case, and I judged Gundam to have more of that, along with a generally solid foundation despite the Okada theatrics.
In the end, the Sci-Fi genre just wasn’t strong this year, and I noted in the excerpt as much, meaning that things are going to be subject to more personal preference than prior years. I’d say this is just an agree to disagree kind of thing.
No prob, man. I respect your opinion on the matter, that’s cool. It’s just… IBO doesn’t feel like a series that deserve anything :p Or maybe it’s the latest Gundam TV series that has had been utterly underarchieving, but you’re right in the issue that sci-fi (at least in TV) was way too weak.
About Yamato 2199, it was weird, because it’s a TV series, it were shown in cinemas, a volume per-releasing, and then, re-shown in TV with different OP-ED.
Yeah, I mean I do see where you’re coming from eh, and when you get down to it, the franchise itself hasn’t exactly seen the best stuff lately overall unfortunately you know? Age and Reconguista in G were not well received and in the end I think the one Gundam series in the past few years to be purely positive in ratings was the spinoff in Build Fighters. They just don’t make Sci-Fi in general like they used to.
And yeah, Yamato was funky because it got caught in like copyright/agreement hell and it came out like years after it was supposed to. It’s curious because it reminds me of another figure making company of the same name that used make all the Macross transformables. They went bankrupt and the rights to all the Macross toys went to copyright chaos for like a decade before Bandai got some new rights for new franchises and Yamato eventually rebranded as Arcadia or something.
@SeeStriker
IBO (both seasons) is actually a pretty successful series. It’s not an underachiever. And as Zephyr said, many people actually like S2 and it gets up there in a number of polls. It might not deserve anything from you, but it has given a lot of people pretty good experience and they have voted for IBO with their clicks and money. When it comes to commercial success, IBO is easily above AGE and G-Reco and it’s easily above Wing & SEED in terms of writing.
@Zephyr
When it comes to OVA, the Gundam franchise has the recent dynamic duo of Gundam Thunderbolt & Gundam: The Origin that’s still going strong and brimming with quality. So, the franchise is seeing the best stuffs, but probably most of them falls into the ONA/OVA/movies department, even though IBO is not bad in itself.
IMHO Ousama-Game deserves an honourable mention as biggest disappointment. I expected it to be very bad, but it was unbelievable awful.
Nah, disappointment would imply that there was at least a decent amount of expectation from it and it failed to meet those expectations. There was never really THAT much expectation leading up to it (due to it actually being a sequel to the manga as well as one of numerous stories of it), and whatever small amount there was lost once the extremely messy pattern of present -> flashback -> present -> etc. made itself known.
Glad to see I wasn’t the only one who followed this crap. Oh god, I should have really stopped at some point, but it was so bad that it was just intriguing to see how bad it can get. And it got really bad. Unforgivably bad. And announcement of second season at the end seriously killed me.
@Pyon: That announcement really frightens me.
You’re on point. I was interested if the show would deliver anything enjoyable, but there was literally nothing.
@Inuyasha: I disagree. Failing low expectations is still a disappointment.
Actually, the funny part was I was getting ready to watch Ousama-game as one of the last shows I had time to catch up on before the post, and I was reading the reviews and impressions and just flat out cut it out in favor of watching another series. Seems like I made a good choice? Haha.
That said, on the matter of whether low expectations can still qualify as disappointments even if they didn’t have much expectations to begin with, I’d say it depends. If it really was bad to the point where you’ve rarely seen anything that bad, then you could make an argument for it being a disappointment candidate. It’s unlikely it’d be the same amount or type of disappointment as some show with higher expectations falling short, but it could be included or not included at your own discretion.
And there are not even mention for Tsurezure Children and YuYuYu.
Mmm. Unfortunately the shorts category was one of the ones I had to omit, but if it means anything, I agree that Tsurezure Children would’ve gotten a mention if the category was included.
YuYuYu I did mention briefly, but the bigger thing is the main sequel in Yuusha-hen actually carried over to 2018 so I couldn’t include it.
Made in the Abyss would make a great videogame. Such a beautiful world, with enough mystery/intrigue to bring it to life. It’s no surprise that such a great show won.
I’m not sure I would survive going through every stage fearing a surprise attack by ANY of those monstrosities we saw this season.
I know it’s fun for the anime community to pretend to hate the popular thing but it feels like you gave Princess Principal the win over Attack on Titan S2 purely out of spite, despite admitting yourself it’s such a defining horror anime of this generation. Also, that “Reset” show must have the greatest twist ending in the history of anime if you gave it so many wins in every category, despite community opinion seemingly suggesting that it’s incredible dull to watch until that ending. I’ll have to give it a try, although it’s giving me flashbacks of having to suffer through Steins;Gate for 13 episodes before the plot actually did something.
But thank you again for going through all the effort to do this every year. As someone who has no time to keep up with the hundreds of hidden gems coming out of Japan every year, this “Oscars of Anime” saves me every year by giving me dozens of interesting anime to put on my animelist and slowly watch during the year until next year’s column.
Hm? I never said that Shingeki was the defining horror anime of the generation. I only said it would’ve been easy to pick it as a winner for the category and not have any problems or complaints because of how popular it was and the twists toward the end of its season.
When you get down to it, Princess Principal was just plain better as a spy thriller than Shingeki was as a horror/thriller combo in my opinion for the reasons I mentioned in the excerpt, and also because the second season I felt was just a plain downgrade from the first.
I have absolutely no problem putting the most popular series as winners if they deserved it (you’ll see plenty of those in my picks through the past few years), but Shingeki just didn’t deserve it this time in my opinion, and that’s coming from the guy who loved the first season and even came out of my blogging hiatus to blog it’s second season.
As for Sagrada, I’d say it’s a mixture of the plot twist and how they put things together in the end that really made it for me. It’s still not everyone’s cup of tea because of how long the payoff is, but I felt is worth trying to go through just to see if you end up enjoying it. Let me know how it goes if ya do end up goin through it tho!
Aside from that, you’re welcome! And thanks for continuing to read on an annual basis!
Thanks RandomC for another year of Anime Blogging, much appreciate the time and effort the team put into covering the multiple shows every season. I have drastically decreased watching anime due to an increase in work related responsibilities and reading your impressions with screen caps was simply a godsend to get to know shows that I would not be able to watch while selecting the odd show that I manage to make time for. Made in Abyss was a show I complete let pass due to its art style and expectations to be a simple “Dora the Explorer” kind of adventure, RandomC convinced me otherwise and I am thankful for it.
Guess I will be checking out Sagrada Reset, since up till today, I have never heard any mention of it.
Yeah I feel you. It’s been pretty difficult managing work and watching enough anime to get this post out on my end too, but keep up the good fight. In the end, the more money ya make now the more time you’ll get later to watch anime you know? 😀
And yeah, lemme know how Sagrada ends up for you.
‘reset’ seems to be disliked. i haven’t seen the show myself, but it’s stupid how people are calling it out. how to know it’s bad if you haven’t seen it all? not possible, you cannot properly judge. and if it shouldn’t have won some categories, why am I not seeing suggestions for what else should have won? if it didn’t deserve to win then there should have been something else that deserved too. here are some of mine.
character – maki from sakura quest
plot Twist – don’t really think there was a plot twist that got me this year
mystery – acca was exciting and kpet me guessing. jean is such a good detective too.
under appreciated – i only really watch shows that catch on so wouldn’t know what’s underrated
genre Defying – kemono friends. also deserved to win exceeded expectations imo.
even with my alternative suggestions, i’m not more qualified than zephyr to pick winners. who claim to have seen 90+ shows this year and i’ve only seen less than 20. most people probably didn’t watch as much and are just butthurt their favorite shows didn’t win anything. shame on you, and thanks to zephyr for the time and effort to write this fantastic post even if I don’t agree with all of your opinions.
I’ll say, ACCA-13’s still one of those candidates that make me think “Hmmmm…” every time I visit this post. I was really, really tempted to put it as the winner because they did the whole suspense/mystery thing exceptionally well. Ultimately I opted for the choice I did because Sagrada had mysteries that I felt were more numerous and had a bigger impact when they were revealed/answered. You can’t go wrong with ACCA-13 instead in this regard though, for sure.
Aside from that, Kemono Friends turned out to be a show that surprised, but more so I still don’t know how to feel about it. Last I checked though, it turned out pretty popular in Japan, so I reckon we’ll see more sooner rather than later.
It’s hilarious how F/A made it onto the biggest disappointment category after Takaii had nothing but praise for it every week. F/A was just plain terrible.
Well, I mean for what it’s worth, I think this year’s “disappointments” still had merits to them that gave them some appeal depending on your personal preference.
For me, I guess the big thing was I had high expectations for the series and it just wasn’t met, and Sieg as a main really took away from the show for me in terms of how he was developed and how the story just warps a tad bit around him. If you could get over that though, the action was pretty good and it had some nice animation in between from time to time you could get behind, and if you’re a Fate fan in general you probably enjoyed this enough regardless of the flaws it might’ve had.
All in all, I was disappointed overall, but I did enjoy it at times myself, just not as much as I would’ve liked. I guess I’m just straddling in the middle as someone who sees why people liked it and why others thought it was terrible eh.
I guess this should teach us not to have high expectation for Fate anime after Fate/Zero coz it’s all going downhill from there. F/A even makes me miss DEEN’s Fate in a way.
Oby, I take take it you haven’t seeb Ufotable’s Heavens Feel movie…
@Lilx
Nope, but like I said above, I don’t expect much from it nor have a high expectation for it. I’m sure it’ll be a pretty movie and the story is going to be somewhat tragic, but I’m not gonna expect too much and setting myself for disappointment.
Thank god Sagrada Reset is getting the praise it deserves. It was almost too smart to be a popular anime
Surprised to see Souma Sumire as the best character. She was the character I was most interested in on Sagrada Reset. Haven’t gotten around to watch episode 10 yet, but I really thought the chances of her having a significant impact was low. It was certainly hinted a lot, but it looked like she was heading to irrelevance. Guess it’s time to give it another go.
Looking at the Death section, I’m curious about the choices in Re:Creators. Show Spoiler ▼
Overall it was a good year. Lots of good surprises. The biggest one for me was enjoying and rewatching (parts of it at least) the Kancolle Movie. Seems to be a lack of good mecha musume action lately.
Lastly, really need to watch Kimi no Na wa….
Oh that one’s pretty straight forward.
Show Spoiler ▼
Aside from that, yeahhhh, Kimi no Na Wa.’s definitely something to watch, if only really to see what the hype’s all about. You just don’t see terms like “best animated film” ever thrown around too often by people, nor do you see a movie being so popular that even non-anime fans ended up going to theatres to watch it.
I’m extremely surprised and disappointed there’s not even a mention of No Game No Life Zero let alone a ranking
That’s because it didn’t qualify for the year as it’s BD hasn’t released yet. It’ll be on the polls next year.
There’s no way we wouldn’t have included it if it was this year eh. Stilts would’ve kicked my butt if we omitted it.
I’m surprised that Gamers! is barely getting any love. I remember after the sixth episode where they spent the entire second half of the episode just watching everyone freak the F out up until the confession, I immediately thought “anime of the year right there“.
Then again, KonoSuba’s #1 comedy spot is well earned.
Huh, I guess it’s true that Kemono Friends isn’t that popular (outside Japan, I mean). Anyway, nice post. Too bad no other writers were able to join you for this, it’s usually interesting to see a contrast in perspectives.
I’m just glad that Kimi no Na Wa (which I like so much) make it to number one even it’s 2016 Aired.
Unfortunately, nobody watched Mahoujin Guruguru and in my opinion it was one of the best comedies in a long time, because it used old school comedy and fused it with Gintama-like madness. Kinda like Osomatsu-san, but in a crazy fantasy rpg world.
Aside from that, which cannot be helped since no one watched it *sadness* I really like these results. Made in Abyss really earned everything this year.
Hey Isumi. I watched Mahoujin Guru Guru and so did Pancakes. We both thought it was a great load of fun! 🙂
Thanks for all the effort guys, it’s really fantastic how much work was put into the reviews of the year 2017 anime, keep it up 😉
And glad to see Houseki no Kuni getting some attention and mentions, my hopes are for everyone who missed it to go back and watch it now in the lull between fall and winter seasons (before the winter season is in full swing), they won’t be disappointed, it’s a fantastic show.
Too bad that you dont give awards for best trap anymore 😀 ( i dont een need to guess who would win) I need to check sawada reset, dropped it after 2 episodes, but now im curious in that plot twist, im a bit afraid that characters might be bland for me. Also glad that shingeki no bahamut was mentioned several times (would give it award for animation too).
Funny seeing how my favorite anime from this are tottaly different. My Top 10 would be:
1. Youjo Senki
2. Ballroom e Youkoso
3. Shoukoku no Altair
4. Netojuu no Susume
5. Demi-chan wa Kataritai
6. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata B
7. Re:CREATORS
8. Knight’s & Magic
9. Natsume Yuujin-Chou Roku
10. DIVE!!
srsl, dive? it should be on 10th place only if you have watched 10 anime last year.
*Japan Academy Prize (Best Animation) was won by In This Corner of the World (Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni) (no mention here?). Kimi no Na wa was the winner at Mainichi Film Awards instead.
Ah ha, you are correct. Fixed it to mention nominee rather than winner.
As for Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni, yeah that’s a big one I unfortunately wasn’t able to find enough time to watch prior to the post. I’ll be watching it sometime over the next month and likely editing it in at some point as an addendum once I do.
2017 was a good year for me with lots of good anime to watch and to love. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is probably one of my most loved series of all time. I Enjoyed the story telling, characters and pretty much everything else very much throughout the End. I would say there will never be an Anime like this ever again.
3-Gatsu no Lion is the same and still continues to amaze me with every new episode. While I really liked Season 1 I already prefer Season 2 even more.
Uchouten Kazoku 2 – The Tanuki family and it’s wonderful and kinda bizarre world completely absorbed me with every episode and always left a very strong impact on me and made me feel that I couldn’t get enough of this show and it’s wonderful and it has such loveable characters.
As for my favourite Anime 2017 for me it’s Natsume Yuujinchou Roku. I love this show from the bottom of my heart and kinda sad it’s not getting covered here, but it’s still my all time favourite, and every season has it’s own charm and I just can’t help it but put it as my number 1.
and for the other shows that I would like to mention:
Yowamushi Pedal: New Generation (I’m a huge fan of this show and I can’t wait for the next season)
Tsuki ga Kirei (very nice shoujo about the first love with very good characters to empathize with)
My Hero Academia (it became easily my new favourite shounen, I bought the manga because of the anime and it’s so good)
Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou (This was also very fun to watch)
Little Witch Academia (I loved it, but I have to say I wasn’t quite pleased with the Ending)
Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul (I watched this without knowing the first season and I also didn’t know it was based on a card game? so I had no idea about the past characters and such but it was fun to watch and I liked it so much that I watched the first season right after I finished the second one)
Sakura Quest (I had lot’s of problems getting into this series at all but after it ended I felt like It was actually quite good)
Thanks for this amazing year RandomC! Looking forward for the next upcoming Shows.
Super glad Rakugo won (for the second year in the row), thanks Zephyr!
A wild Samu appears!
Was excited for this post to see what other anime I can watch but all I got was Sakurada Reset. I guess I have to check it out but Im a bit bummed there wasnt much diversity in the categories. I wanted a few different anime to marathon but I feel its somewhat biased because you particularly enjoyed that one anime…but! I will have to watch and see for myself.Thank you RandomC as always 🙂
Totally unrelated to the discussion, but I don’t know where to point this out: is it possible to avoid using Adobe-player based content (ex: for the opening/ending sequence, song). Most browsers don’t use it anymore and the media don’t show up on my phone. Go HTML5 please!
Hands down to Made in Abyss who exceeded my expectation ! Still waiting for the second season for this
I was kinda disappointed that Houseki No Kuni didn’t at least make it into a few more of the honorable mentions. That anime isn’t getting nearly enough attention as it deserves.