Favourite Anime of 2011

**~~Lancelot~~** · December 26, 2011, 09:20 AM

go go go go go

For me, it would have to be 神様のメモ帳 (Heaven's/God's Memo Pad), mainly due to the fact that it actually brought me to tears with the end-of-series twist. Steins;Gate is a very close second for me, but I found God's Memo Pad to just efficiently wrap everything up well while still retaining a lot of detail and emotion in half the time that Steins;Gate did.

I'd have to give a notable place to Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai also. Even though it's a comedy and pretty fanservice-y, the underlying story between two of the main characters is really quite emotional, and the ending to the series ties it up wonderfully.

inb4EthyandSignsayTiger&Bunny

**lycorismoon29** · December 26, 2011, 09:25 AM

Didn't watch too much anime this year, but from what I did watch, I'd have to say Natsume Yuujinchou San. Oh god I bawled at the end of the season because the series is just so perfect in every single way. Every episode manages to worm its way into your heart and make you feel so many bittersweet emotions. The show just stays on a continuous level of amazing.

T&B goes here hush callum you just don't understand!

**oathkeeperriku09** · December 26, 2011, 02:21 PM

Finishing a total of 9 animes this year, my favorite animes are
1st place Rosario Vampire
2nd Sekirei
3rd Haruhi Suzumiya
4th Ouran High School Host Club
Really lighthearted animes over the dark stuff I'm always used too. Two ecchi animes and two high school anime, so glad I watch them.

**kazukifafner** · December 27, 2011, 10:32 AM

While I definitely have a favorite this year, I have to give a few other noteworthy series some [more] recognition.

Please note that these are not in any particular order.

Spoiler: the show with the better madara

Natsume Yuujinchou San

I love this show. I've loved it ever since it first aired back in the Summer 2008 lineup (oh wow, I was still in high school then). It has got to be one of the most heartwarming supernatural series out there. The atmosphere exudes tranquility and mystery, managing to make the two seamless. Each episode brings with it a simple, yet often moving story about discovery, life, friendship, all that sweet and mushy stuff.

This season decided to focus a bit more on Natsume's character than the setting and youkai. This works to the series advantage, as it gives us an even stronger connection to the protagonist throughout the stories, making his growth all the more meaningful. Plus, we get to see a bit more of the ever-popular Nyanko-sensei/Madara, who remains my favorite character of the show. Seeing this guy warm up to humans (though still able to look all kinds of threatening) in his own special way is just great.

Spoiler: selemat pagi!

Nichijou

Ok, I have to say it: This show has the two best openings of the year, hands down. They are so incredibly catchy and two of a handful of openings that I just don't have the heart to skip after seeing them the first few times. In fact, the music in general just works well, the neo-classical score sounding amazing.

This skit comedy series (a bit of a departure for KyoAni) revolved around taking ordinary events ("Nichijou" means "Everyday Life"), and exaggerating them to all kinds of proportions. While many of the skits are pretty clever in their own right, its the simplistic, angular artwork and the thoroughly amazing animation that takes it to a whole new level. If you ever wanted to see a show that showcases animators doing what they love to do, this is the show for you. From the antics of the Shinonome household, to the high school best friends, to even the teachers and faculty; it all just comes alive.

Spoiler: el psy congroo

Steins;Gate

I wasn't a fan of Chaos;Head. I just wasn't. It couldn't hold my attention. So, when I saw Steins;Gate coming out, I was a little apprehensive. However, the premise caused a tiny spark of interest to go off in my head, and I decided to give it a try. There aren't too many visual novel-based adaptations that hit home for me, but I was willing to give this one a chance.

And man, did it deliver. Though I didn't notice much in the way of production values that impressed me (save for a few clever angles and animation tricks), the story was positively gripping. This is a very well-thought-out look at the concept of time travel, something you don't see a whole lot in anime. Its smart, its powerful, and it shows it all through the eyes of a cast of characters who manage to break free of their stereotypes (some more than others) over the course of the series. A very fascinating series, if you ask me.

Spoiler: the show that made fujoshis everywhere go crazy

Tiger & Bunny

By far, one of the quirkier series of the year. An interesting concept too: Using superheroes as the characters in a live television show, complete with sponsors and everything. It's also a series that's main characters (well, most of them) are actually out of high school. I can remember thinking how bizarre it looked from the promos, and how much I wanted to see it because of it.

Put simply, near everyone loved this show. It was cheesy, to be sure; but it was an enjoyable kind of cheesy. It had personality, it had interesting characters, it had interesting superhero conflicts, and it had the most pure likeability out of anything this year. Strong use of CGI, character designs from Katsura (Zetman creator), and a jazzy soundtrack don't hurt either. Its definitely a show that anime fans can safely show to superhero lovers everywhere.

Spoiler: i want you to form a contract with me

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Ah, the show that gave everyone a massive heart attack only a few episodes in. You have to admire the marketing for this series. It completely masked the true nature of it, as did the first two episodes of the show. The only hints would have been the opening of the first episode, or the bizarre art in the witch dimensions. Once people knew, however, this show would quickly become one of the most talked about anime of the past few years that wasn't full to the brim with moe archetypes.

Despite the logical/scientific flaws (something I'm not too willing to hold against the mahou shoujo genre) and the especially deus ex machina ending, I still really enjoyed this show. I could sing praises about the aesthetics all day, but where I think it really succeeds is as a deconstruction of the genre. Turning the often cutesy, light-hearted shows into something far more psychological and tragic was quite the risk, but one that should definitely be checked out.

Spoiler: wow this name is long, who titles these shows?

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai.

Let's just get something out of the way first. Yes, this show can be a bit melodramatic. That's the nature of the show. It's supposed to be full to the brim with emotion from these characters who've experienced tragedy and separation. Probably not something most would want to watch in one sitting, but properly spaced, I think this show delivers a good dose of drama.

With A-1 Pictures manning the production, the visuals look great. Everything is fluid, something common in shows that don't need to allocate budget to big action scenes. Not to mention that this has one of the best mood-setting endings I've ever heard, and my favorite ending theme of the year (sorry UN-GO). It has strong characters that each have their own difficulties with the past, and it all comes together for a very satisfying conclusion.

Spoiler: detectives and writers

Kamisama no Memochou

Before anybody threatens to kill me, yes, UN-GO's mysteries were (in my opinion) superior to the mysteries in this series. That said, I find myself liking this better overall. UN-GO's mysteries may be fantastic, but one thing it doesn't have is really strong characters, which is something that I think Kamisama no Memochou (especially by the end) does really well.

The mysteries themselves often revolve around the seedy underbelly of the world they live in, and information is discovered and people found using a collection of charming characters, each with their own purpose. Because of the added character focus, it lets me invest far more in their involvement. Also, did I mention that I love the soundtrack for this show? No? Well, I love the soundtrack for this show. All in all, this is definitely my favorite of the three loli/male partnerships this year.

Spoiler: that face, how so adorable?

Ikoku Meiro no Croisee

Who else here gets the urge to punch things that they find excruciatingly cute? Really? Just me? Alright then. Anyway, this show's lead is about as doll-like as it gets. You know all of those anime that describe girls as "doll-like"? Well, this character actually fits the bill to a tee. I mean, wow, those eyes will put you in the deepest trance of your life and never let you go.

Normally, I hate characters like that, because being a mascot is typically all the are. But here, its different, because she has a developed character backing her looks. She's inquisitive, caring, hard-working, and just an all-around nice person. The supporting cast, especially Claude, are fantastic and add a lot to the touching scenes in each episode. The clash-of-cultures idea works really well too, and those in charge of the designs clearly did their research and spent a lot of time making it look beautiful. It's got to be one of the sincerest anime I've ever seen.

Spoiler: GO! COLOR RANGERS!

Level E

For as much as I adore Nichijou, this is my favorite comedy of the year. Whereas Nichijou revolves around the more random/slapstick style of comedy that I'm used to in anime; Level E uses subtlety (sort of), sarcasm, satire, a ton of deadpan, and a lot of build-up. Plus, the anime is based off the short-lived manga by Togashi (of YuYu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter fame). How cool is that?

Anyway, what it lacks in budget, it makes up for in sheer, unadulterated wit. There is a ton of creativity that goes into the jokes, and the build-up/payoff is hilarious. The art style, a bit different from typical anime, also helps demonstrate the show's uniqueness. It also really makes use of its alien setting, making me believe that, had Togashi been able to continue it, that he could have done a lot more with the Sci-Fi elements than he already did. A must-watch for comedy lovers.

Spoiler: hear me, lowlifes who will never amount to anything

Mawaru Penguindrum

An original series by the same person who brought us Utena, you know this show is going to be all kinds of weird and full of symbolism. There's also a lesbian. The guy has a thing for lesbians (in fact, that there's only one in this series is kinda weird, but whatever). Everything about presentation screams unique. The art, the animation, the music, the style, the story; it's all quite surreal.

This is, of course, exactly why this series works. Despite its rather flamboyant surface, there is a lot of subtlety underneath. There is so much symbolism and hidden foreshadowing that a second viewing is more required than recommended if you really want to get full enjoyment out of it. The plot and characters are very well-conceived, and the progression from beginning to end is really intriguing. You can tell that the director has a message that he wants to deliver as creatively as possible, and it's definitely a fun ride.

As it turns out, I cannot have more than 10 images in a single post. This gives me the perfect opportunity to put off saying my favorite anime of the year until tomorrow or something, tee hee.

Why are there no anime movies in this list? Because I already reviewed all the movies I saw this year :P

Well, except for Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo, but I'll get to that in a week or so.

**kazukifafner** · December 29, 2011, 08:01 AM

Alright, time for me to stop procrastinating.

Fun fact: Shows like Fate/Zero and Chihayafuru weren't in contention, since they haven't actually ended yet :P

Spoiler: My Favorite Anime of 2011

Usagi Drop

Alright, before I say anything else . . . screw the second half of the manga. In fact, it doesn't exist. Even if it did exist, it's terrible fanfiction written by someone who clearly only read a summary of the first half of the series. And on the off-chance some of you happened to like the non-existent second half of the manga, you are wrong. Normally, I'm perfectly fine with varying opinions; but here? Nope, you are wrong.

With that out of the way, on to the show itself. My favorite anime this year largely boiled down to three titles: Usagi Drop, Mawaru Penguindrum, and Nichijou. All three of them has the absolutely essential quality of making me all kinds of impatient for the next episode, along with making me ecstatic when I saw that a new episode had been released. These weren't the only series to do that this year (a surprising number did, actually), but these were the three that I looked forward too the most.

Honestly, I imagine I'm in a very small minority who would call this the best anime of 2011 (am I hip yet?). Comparing to the other two alone, a lot of people would probably wonder how it could even compete with the two. It doesn't have the sheer storytelling power and excellent use of the medium that Mawaru Penguindrum has. Nor does it have insane, over-the-top (though sometimes reigned back and reserved) comedy and peculiar, catchy quality that Nichijou has. Production wise, both shows beat out Usagi Drop overall (though I do really like Usagi Drop's art style and music).

So, what would compel me to pick this as my favorite of the year? What qualities did it have that really sold the series to me? What could be so important that I would pretentiously write questions about what I already know the answer to?

Well, I'd say it all comes down to two main things. First, this series is just 100% real. Of course, I don't mean "based off a true story" kind of real, I mean the "could possibly be based off a true story" kind. It just has this unbelievable down-to-earth quality that you don't see a lot in anime, making it a perfect example why the noitaminA block was made. The second main reason is its sincerity. The emotions in this series all feel heartfelt and meaningful. There's just this connection between the characters that's so strong it pulls the viewers in. I honestly wanted to know what was going to happen with these characters next and how it would affect them.

So yeah, that's why Usagi Drop is my favorite anime of 2011. It didn't have the budget or complexity of a lot of other titles, but it definitely had the biggest heart. It's simple yet tugged at me more than any other series this year. Maybe I should give the title of best to shows that are "technically superior," but you know what? Screw that. If I like something more than something else, then there's a reason for it and that reason's going to matter, dammit!

But seriously, what was the author thinking with the second half of the manga?

**Absent axel** · December 30, 2011, 05:35 AM

Man I just can't list one.

Tiger and Bunny (hilarious kotetsu action), Mawaru Penguindrum (Twists at every turn!) and UN-GO (Shinjurou's chin is mesmerising)

Man I still need to finish Steins; Gate.

**Alexxx** · December 30, 2011, 05:39 AM

Steins; Gate.

**Janus Q** · December 31, 2011, 04:04 AM

Puella Magi Madoka Magica was one of my favorites of the year. the premise was something i thought would be light hearted and action packed but after episode 3 my jaw dropped and my world was turned upside-down. this show had one of the biggest unexpected plot twists no one saw coming if you were expecting something like sailor moon or card captor sakura. the magical girl genre got dark and real with this anime. and it is sure to be talked about for a long time.

**Mite** · December 31, 2011, 05:22 AM

There were so many good shows this year that it would be hard for me to pick just one as my favorite.

List goes: Tiger & Bunny, Nichijou, Mawaru Penguindrum, Ano Hana, Usagi Drop, Kamisama no Memochou, Steins;Gate, Baka Test, UN-GO, and i'm sure there are others that i'm forgetting, but really great stuff this year.

**Zenkure** · December 31, 2011, 06:11 AM

Honestly, I've only seen Durarara!! and Tiger & Bunny this year. If I have to pick a favorite, I'll go with Tiger & Bunny.

**x37rnu4** · December 31, 2011, 07:01 AM

I discovered this cute anime called Princess Tutu this year, although that's been out for awhile. It was way too adorable but dark at the same time, packaged in my favorite genre - fantasy~!
Although you can tell it was obviously made for younger girls, it was definitely a proud pleasure of mine >w>

Of course, I also discovered Pandora Hearts! I'm surprised I didn't list that first OTL Next to Kingdom Hearts, it's my biggest obsession ;w;

**Iwrestledabearonce** · December 31, 2011, 07:13 AM

Steins;Gate
Nichijou
Usagi Drop

All utterly fantastic.

**Sign** · December 31, 2011, 07:21 AM

gosh callum you just don't understand our love of t&b ;A;

**Love Machine** · December 31, 2011, 07:32 AM

Nichijou

It's a great comedic anime, throwing in average everyday-life events and giving the most outrageous over exaggerations to them. But hey, that's where the show gets it's name, afterall. Too bad it didn't do very well commercially.

When I saw 'Selemat pagi!' in Nevermore's post, I didn't even have to open it to know what it was from lol

**Pinwheel** · December 31, 2011, 07:45 PM

Didn't do myself much proud this year with anime, but with my limited selection I'd go with Steins;Gate. Confusing as diddly at the beginning but slowly got me more and more interested.

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