ResetEra Anime of the Year 2017 - Results Thread

Jexhius · Feb 1, 2018

TV Series

1) Land of the Lustrous: 656 Points, 79 Votes

Pellaidh said:
But LotL isn't just a brilliant looking show, it also has great writing. The protagonist Phos is one of the best characters in the medium, with a relateable personality. She starts off as being more or less completely useless, and you just can't help but to cheer her along in her journey to find her own place in life. That's a common setup for a lot of anime, and it mostly just ends up with the protagonist acquiring super powers and becoming the best at everything, with their ultimate success more or less a foregone conclusion (My Hero Academia is the first thing that comes to mind, but it really applies to almost every shonen ever). LotL looked like it was going to fall into the same trap at the beginning, but it managed to brilliantly subvert my expectations at every step of the way. Without any spoilers, LotL was the most well written show this year that managed to constantly make me look forward to the next episode with it's brilliant worldbuilding and excellent character development.

Grexeno said:
Generally when people think about CG in anime, especially shows which are mostly or all CG, they'll think of some good-looking mechs at best and of the recent Berserk adaptation at worst. Land of the Lustrous rewrites the book on what a primarily CG anime can look like. It excels in all areas visually, creating one of the best looking TV anime ever made. Also worthy of high praise is the voice performance for Phos, which was used to inform her exceptional character animation.

WhiteGlint said:
It really didn't seem like my kind of thing at first but thanks to some pals pushing it on me I resigned to watch it and I'm pretty glad I did. I feel like it's rare to have such fun dialogue, acting and characters in a setting made to confuse you and make you question pretty much everything. The ever-present threat of the show was always in the back of my mind when watching - it truly felt like it could show up at any time, not just at plot-convenient moments. Phosphophyllite is incredible.

2) Made in Abyss: 551 Points, 70 Votes

MetroidPrimeRib said:
This show is astounding. Production wise, music wise and storytelling wise it is deeply impactful and gut wrenching at times. A lot has been said about how this show uses violence - specifically to children - and how brutal it can be. People would describe it as torture porn but it really isn't that - well, except for maybe a sequence at the end which is more like Cronenberg body horror then Roth torture porn - its a struggle against nature like The Revanent or 127 hours. Nature isn't sadistic or needlessly cruel, nature is either protecting itself or a force that can't feel empathy or sadism or anything like that. A tornado isn't there to cause damage to you out of a grudge. Unfortunately I don't know if I can really recommend the show because of some...bad shit that you'd more then side-eye.

rektash said:
An emotional rollercoaster with jaw dropping visuals and a stellar OST. Letting its world breath it weaves together a densely atmospheric tale with strong, memorable characters. Worldbuilding par excellence. One for the ages.

ShardShinjuku said:
Indeed I suspect this is going to be topping many lists not just here but outside as well and while I understand the problem elements of this series, the combination of adventure and emotion and characterization managed to overcome those unfortunate aspects and often left me verklempt in its later episodes.

Lafiel said:
A series that accurately captures the Werzogian tensions between humanity and nature, and really how nature doesn't give a flying shit about you and will eat you alive, there's no fucking harmony between humanity and nature to be found here.

3) KONOSUBA - God's blessing on this wonderful world! 2: 487 Points, 71 Votes

golguin said:
Comedy is hard. Comedy in anime is exponentially more difficult. KonSuba takes the now tired isekai genre and turns it into one of the funniest shows in years. Season 2 continues the season 1 tradition of being consistently funny in every single episode.

Clov said:
There's not much to this one other than that it just was funny. Seeing the characters make terrible decisions, and then suffering the consequences is always fun, though some characters I just felt more sorry for then anything else (poor Yunyun). There's also some decent action scenes in it as well. Very fun, all around.

4) Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju: 401 Points, 51 Votes

HosannaExcelsis said:
The large scope yet delicate intimacy of this drama, which covers the entirety of one man's long life in the context of the development of the niche art tradition of rakugo, is continually impressive. It deftly handles both the immense cultural changes Japan went through over the course of the 20th century and the personal drama (and ultimate redemption) of a group of very messy people. The voice actors continued providing stellar rakugo performances, making them compelling even to someone such as myself who doesn't have the cultural background the stories expect. The execution of this half was a bit more confident than that of the previous year's first half - the composite was more refined and the direction more creative. The afterlife episode was especially well handled. A powerful show.

Narag said:
Mamoru Hatakeyama managed to bring to life a subject I didn't even know existed, finally bringing to bear the adroitness exhibited in his other shows yet now unhindered by the subject matter. Without a doubt the best anime I've watched two years running and the last time I felt as strongly about a show was when I watched Mushishi for the first time.

KuwabaraTheMan said:
But where the first season of the show was a tragedy about youth, Descending Stories is a tragedy about growing old and the changing of the era. Each and every action draws Yakumo closer to his eventual fate. But this is not a show interested in being overly melodramatic about what happens. Instead, there's a certain calm to be found throughout the show. Time will march on, the era will change, those who came before us will die, but that doesn't have to be the end of their legacies or their lives. We can cherish each moment we have left, families can be found even when there is no blood tie, and even the burning down of a building can't kill what it represented.

5) My Hero Academia Season 2: 329 Points, 49 Votes

zulux21 said:
So as a second season anyone who has seen the first season had a decent idea of what to expect here. This season took everything that was good about the first season and just did it far better. From start to finish this season is a fun watch, and if you are in the mood for a good series aimed at the Shonen demographic I really don't think you can do better than MHA this year. Much like Made in Abyss this series had a great soundtrack as well

Neoxon said:
To quote Gigguk, MHA is basically Shonen refined to a T. It doesn't really do anything new for the genre (like HxH, OPM, or JoJo), but it just does the basics so goddamn well. At the best of times, it got me hyped to a point where I haven't been since I was a little kid watching Dragon Ball (OG & Z). That plus it's home to two of the best fight scenes of the year.

6) Attack on Titan Season Two: 288 Points, 47 Votes

JanoGX said:
Hey, this is the most hyped series for the last 3 years, and it delivered, in big. Even if the season was short, even if there were some budget problems because of that, even if they filled some stuff, they went above and beyond with this season and I can't wait for the "Summer of Titans 2018" because the best arcs are coming hard.

CKOHLER said:
I went in really tepid on this second season expecting a lot more forced melodrama but was really surprised how much the show improved. Shifting the focus away from Erin to the rest of the squad made for a captivating story. Ymir in particular went from being just some background scout to the real star of the season. She is such an interesting and conflicted character..

7) Girl's Last Tour: 257 Points, 37 Votes

Narag said:
Some of the best atmosphere I've seen in a work in years. The cute blob character designs belie the somber emptiness of the show. It's not as if the show is devoid of hope but there's a tension derived from how tenuous the grip on that hope is and the ever present risk of it slipping away. It goes places in its last third but it never feels too weird thanks to the craft of the show runners and how they slowly built up to those final episodes.

Jarmel said:
Everybody let's get along with the feeling of hopelessness! A truly powerful show that deals with themes of loneliness, beauty in desolation, friendship, and hope. The production doesn't dwell on the sadness of the setting, which somehow makes it even more sad. The ending scene in episode 5 flat out broke me in ways no other show this year did, possibly this decade. The anime encapsulates both the best and worst of humanity but does so in such a quiet fashion that it doesn't take away from the character dynamics between Yuuri and Chito. One of the best 'mono no aware' shows I've ever seen. This was Takaharu Ozaki's first time directing a TV show and he's already established himself as a master.

8) March comes in like a lion Season 2: 215 Points, 29 Votes

Baka_Bishie said:
It's rare I can find a show that not only addresses the main problem I have with an entire genre but also provides an intimate examination of well-realized characters in situations so real that there were times I had to emotionally recover after watching them. March Comes In Like a Lion's use of shogi to reflect the minds of the players and psychologically analyze them rather than present a display of unbridled skill and determination made me invest in a sports anime like I never have before, and its examination of specific tribulations facing certain characters is so well realized and affecting that it was helping with my own trauma from similar experiences. All this while Shaft continues to prove why they're one of the foremost studios for their unrivaled creativity in shifting styles by letting you see how people feel without the need for the script to exposit for them; it's a treat for the senses. Striving to share the beauty one finds in the strangest places all through the lens of "family" and shogi, March Comes In Like a Lion is bound to be my new gold standard by which the medium will be measured.

9) Little Witch Academia (TV): 194 Points, 34 Votes

pretran79 said:
Continues the legacy of Trigger and early 21st century Gainax with charming characters and a story for the whole family. It wasnt the simple story that made it worth watching but the settings and character animation and design. Something that in its heyday was regarded as unique and radical is now considered as traditional and academic. One reason I liked the series more.

esserius said:
The music and visuals are just so lovingly crafted, for however dumb the story is, I can't help but love how pure the show is.

(Joint 10) Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: 180 Points, 37 Votes

ZachKoromaru said:
While I personally think this becomes redundant or tiresome in its comedy every so often, Maidragon is the most endearing display of family and unexpected friendships I've ever seen in an anime. There are so many endearing family moments from the main trio and lots of relatable friendships found in the supporting cast that I almost forgot about the fact that most of these characters are dragons who occasionally kick ass with sakuga.

(Joint 10) The Eccentric Family 2: 180 Points, 34 Votes

Kuro said:
Tanuki families and Tengu families and all the crazy hijinks that ensue as they integrate into modern Japan. Not as good as the first season but still a magical show.

Linkark07 said:
We continue with our story of Tanuki families set in modern Japan. This season was actually more enjoyable than the first one, with the battle of the Tengu, the rivalries between the Shimogamo and the Ebisugawa and with more interesting locations like Hell. I also loved this season developed more characters like Kaisei or Benten.

The runners up in the top 20:

11) Kemono Friends
12) Scum's Wish
13) Recovery of an MMO Junkie
14) Owarimonogatari Second Season
15) Magical Circule Guru Guru
16) Blood Blockade Battle & Beyond
17) The Moon is Beautiful
18) Sakura Quest
19) Inuyashiki
20) Gamers

Movies

1) Your Name: 188 Points, 49 Votes

KeRaSh said:
Probably the best anime movie I have ever seen. Loved everything about it. The art, the story, the characters and the music. Tears were shed..

Aiii said:
This is the best anime thing I watched all year, visually stunning, emotional, and a great soundtrack. It might just be my favourite animated movie ever.

Haly said:
Shinkai is a hack but I'm glad he made it.

2) A Silent Voice: 176 Points, 43 Votes

Branduil said:
"Koe no Katachi" is translated in the opening titles as "The Shape of Voice," an obvious reference to the deafness of a main character. The movie could have just as easily been called "The Shape of Pain," as the inner pain of each character and their struggles to communicate it with their "voice" take center stage in this melancholy but uplifting film from KyoAni ace director Naoko Yamada. The film is often immensely painful, in believable ways, as in one scene, where a deeply hurt Shouya deliberately insults and belittles the flaws of his friends, so that he can reject them before they are able to reject him. But it is also a very hopeful film, with an ultimately uplifting message. In fact, it is exactly this realistic depiction of pain and sadness that makes the bittersweet encouragement believable. The message is that we can hear each other's voices; that we can learn from each other how to better live. It's not a movie where the idea is "everyone lives happily ever after," even at the end, every character is still a flawed individual who will sometimes hurt themselves and their friends with their actions. Shouya's breakthrough is not that he will always be happy, but in realizing that, when he finally drops his preemptive guard against all intimacy, he really does have people who love him and care about him- and who he cares about, as well.

Quasar said:
A Silent Voice - Whilst I know its been a bit divisive with fans of the manga, I simply loved this film. It dealing with the subject of bullying, I know some people were offended purely on the basis of the story trying to get the audience to feel sympathy for the former bully but I have to say his story arc really worked for me as a piece of drama. Even if its not in line with my anecdotal experiences. Also getting to see KyoAni make a film for the cinema was simply great and I really liked the sound design.

3) In This Corner of The World: 101 Points, 24 Votes

firehawk12 said:
In this Corner of the World - A full review here. Of the big three films that were made available in 2017, this is the best one for me. While there are ethical and moral questions about the film that are raised for me because of how I've been raised to see the Japanese, there is still something harrowing about watching a film where you know exactly what will happen to the characters. The fact that the war is rendered so beautiful is something that is only possible with animation, and while it feels weird to say this, it's true - this is a film that makes tragedy just look beautiful. Even without the externalities, the story itself isn't all that complex - from loss, comes love, and we see how the death of one family leads to the birth of a new makeshift one. But it's a story that's well written, and more importantly, well directed. This would be near the top of my "real" film top ten list and is perhaps as impactful as The Florida Project.

javac said:
It's a testament to the crew behind this film that they were able to craft a two hour historical animated film and to hold ones attention throughout and to stick the landing is impressive. Animation affords us the ability to conjure up the most imaginative and exciting worlds, to create and depict lives with ones bare hands is powerful and it leads to all sorts of possibilities which is why when a movie like this comes along it reminds us that some of the most remarkable and touching stories take place in the real world, even sometimes in a little corner of the world.

4) Kizumongatari Part 3: Reiketsu: 76 Points, 22 Votes

dimb said:
I watched a few movies this year and this was the only one I really cared for.

Qurupeke said:
Kizumonogatari is, easily, the greatest ~monogatari ever. The third installment is as good as the other two, but it also delivers an excellent finale to the film series. Crazy animation cuts and over the top action, great visuals once again and a very fitting conclusion. It surpassed my already high expectations. Hanekawa rules.

5) The Night is Short, Walk on Girl: 76 Pints, 22 Votes

duckroll said:
Aside from a couple of problematic scenes thematically, it captures the magic of a girl's night out in a festival really well. Yuasa's creative directing and sharp script elevates the material and the musical interludes are much welcome.

larsa said:
The most fun I had watching an anime movie in 2017. Pure animation energy from beginning to end. I love that Science Saru exists and that Yuasa can do his thing.

Runners up in the top 10

6) Sword Art Online the Movie -Ordinal Scale-
7) Lu Over the Wall
8) Blame!
9) Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel - I. Presage Flower
10) Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savant to Zaregoto Tsukai

Additional Resources

Original Voting Thread

Google Doc of Full Results

BGBW · Feb 1, 2018

Idol Incidents was the true winner.

Thread is FAKE NEWS.

MetroidPrimeRib · Feb 1, 2018

Deleted member 18347 · Feb 1, 2018

This should come in handy.

btw, where is #3 and #6 on the tv show list?

Grexeno · Feb 1, 2018

Holy shit I got a quote for the winner.

Land of the Lustrous came out of fucking nowhere.

facepalm007 · Feb 1, 2018

Continuum said:
This should come in handy.

btw, where is #3 on the tv show list?

#6 also seems to be missing.

Principate · Feb 1, 2018

LoL came first, good taste all like always.

CopperPuppy · Feb 1, 2018

I'm seeing no 6 and no 3.

MetroidPrimeRib · Feb 1, 2018

Continuum said:
This should come in handy.

btw, where is #3 and #6 on the tv show list?

3 is konosuba s2 and 6 was attack on titan s2. they were there when the thread was posted, something mustve broke

Grexeno · Feb 1, 2018

Wow, Dragon Maid made it into the Top 10 over Eccentric Family 2 based on what I assume was a total votes tiebreaker.

Deleted member 18347 · Feb 1, 2018

MetroidPrimeRib said:
3 is konosuba s2 and 6 was attack on titan s2. they were there when the thread was posted, something mustve broke

Dunno about konosuba, but AoT2 made the list? Surely the year wasn't that bad.

Grexeno · Feb 1, 2018

Attack on Titan S2 is really, really good. It should have gotten the love and adoration and attention S1 got.

Baka_Bishie · Feb 1, 2018

The Top 10 are well deserved. In fact, two of them were so well deserved they didn't even need to be mentioned!

I'm going out on a limb here but I'm guessing:
#3 - KonoSuba 2
#6 - Scum's Wish

MetroidPrimeRib · Feb 1, 2018

Continuum said:
Dunno about konosuba, but AoT2 made the list? Surely the year wasn't that bad.

attack on titan s2 was actually really well received in the community, even among people that would be seen as "above" that or werent too hot on s1.

Madao · Feb 1, 2018

MetroidPrimeRib said:
3 is konosuba s2 and 6 was attack on titan s2. they were there when the thread was posted, something mustve broke

this is the work of an Enemy Stand!!!

Qurupeke · Feb 1, 2018

Land of the Lustrous absolutely rocks, fantastic anime.

I kind of hoped for Scum's Wish getting a place on the list, but it missed it.

Mauricio_Magus · Feb 1, 2018

I'm really happy with the top 10, good job ERA!

I hope this makes more people watch March Comes In Like a Lion specially.

Negator · Feb 1, 2018

Qurupeke said:
Land of the Lustrous absolutely rocks

Hehe

Deleted member 4021 · Feb 1, 2018

A Silent Voice was robbed.

Deleted member 18347 · Feb 1, 2018

MetroidPrimeRib said:
attack on titan s2 was actually really well received in the community, even among people that would be seen as "above" that or werent too hot on s1.

oh wow I didn't know it was well received.

I enjoyed season 1, but 2 felt like filler/padding and didn't have enough substance.

Deleted member 3925 · Feb 1, 2018

Continuum said:
Dunno about konosuba, but AoT2 made the list? Surely the year wasn't that bad.

I thought AoT: S2 was pretty great.

Moara · Feb 1, 2018

good list

Continuum said:
oh wow I didn't know it was well received.

I enjoyed season 1, but 2 felt like filler/padding and didn't have enough substance.

I would literally flip that around lol. Season 1 felt like it had a lot of padding and season 2 finally gave me some substance to actually care about these characters.

MikeHattsu · Feb 1, 2018

Grexeno said:
Wow, Dragon Maid made it into the Top 10 over Eccentric Family 2 based on what I assume was a total votes tiebreaker.

Dang

Deleted member 1839 · Feb 1, 2018

Is Land of the Lustrous really that good?

Lafiel · Feb 1, 2018

I demand a recount.

My calculations put Made in Abyss as 800 points.

The results of this have been RIGGED.

DMONKUMA said:
Is Land of the Lustrous really that good?

No it's not.

N_Cryo · Feb 1, 2018

*Looks at movies*
*sees your name*
Why should I even vote.

BGBW · Feb 1, 2018

If one only counts first place votes, the ranking would be as follows:

Land of the Lustrous
Made in Abyss
My Hero Academia Season 2
Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
KonoSuba Season 2
March Comes Like A Lion Season 2
Kemono Friends
Girls' Last Tour
The Eccentric Family 2
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid

Jexhius · Feb 1, 2018

Scum's Wish was robbed.

Yonafunu · Feb 1, 2018

Descending Stories only at 4 is disgusting. That shit is at least #2.

Deleted member 14400 · Feb 1, 2018

Happy for Land of the Lustrous. Glad Abyss didn't get first :3

effingvic · Feb 1, 2018

No Eccentric Family 2 there makes me sad.

LotL is a solid #1.

Moara · Feb 1, 2018

Yonafunu said:
Descending Stories only at 4 is disgusting.

I'm sure certain aspects of the ending souring people didn't help :)

ZoSo006 · Feb 1, 2018

Jexhius said:
Scum's Wish was robbed.

I agree. Ditto with Descending Stories placement and Inuyashiki not even making the top ten.

Land of the Lustrous & KonoSuba are good to see up there though.

Grexeno · Feb 1, 2018

Moara said:
I'm sure certain aspects of the ending souring people didn't help :)

I also think last year was overall a bit weaker in terms of quality, and Land of the Lustrous, Made in Abyss, and Konosuba really brought it this year.

Malvingt2 · Feb 1, 2018

Great job with the movies!!!!!!

Stowaway Silfer · Feb 1, 2018

Blood Blockade Battlefront and Beyond was robbed

Grexeno · Feb 1, 2018

The list is pretty much what I thought it would be. The top 5 is pretty much exactly what I thought it would be.

MikeHattsu · Feb 1, 2018

Boss Baby was robbed

Moara · Feb 1, 2018

Silfer said:
Blood Blockade Battlefront and Beyond was robbed

Wasn't as good as the first season, even though I still enjoyed it.

Deleted member 11008 · Feb 1, 2018

That's a lot of anime to watch. I started Miss Kobayashi this week and I'm pretty happy watching it.

Deleted member 1839 · Feb 1, 2018

Lafiel said:
I demand a recount.

My calculations put Made in Abyss as 800 points.

The results of this have been RIGGED.

No it's not.

What about it is not good?

Lafiel · Feb 1, 2018

DMONKUMA said:
What about it is not good?

It's overhyped - it presents a compelling story with a interesting setting but I couldn't connect with the characters and definitely didn't make me feel emotional the same way great shows like Scums Wish and Made in Abyss did.

Chase · Feb 1, 2018

Shout out to the 28 other March Comes in like a lion voters.

Silfer said:
Blood Blockade Battlefront and Beyond was robbed

LWA found a way in though. Take the win!

Yonafunu · Feb 1, 2018

Moara said:
I'm sure certain aspects of the ending souring people didn't help :)

No doubt. Even with that questionable ending I think it's the best this year had to offer. Aside from LoL, since I haven't finished that yet.

Alas, the people have spoken.

Huggy · Feb 1, 2018

Kemono Friends was robbed

Aki-at · Feb 1, 2018

Tiger Mask W just didn't have enough Spring Tiger to win this cruel vote. Probably needed some Juice and Kenny Omega too.

tolkir · Feb 1, 2018

Lol, I didn't see the original thread to vote. My votes are:

01. Kakegurui
02. Gintama.
03. Shingeki no Kyojin
04. Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul
05. Onihei
06. Boku no Hero Academia
07. Made in Abyss
08. Inuyashiki
09. Konosuba
10. ACCA

Worst anime I have ever seen: Fate/Apocrypha.

crimsonECHIDNA · Feb 1, 2018

Neo Yokio was robbed!

Wanderer5 · Feb 1, 2018

Hell yeah at Land of the Lustrous! It was a nice last minute surprise before the winter season started, and now I could watch it again soon, with Strike gone. It is also really nice to see a CGI anime (through still uses 2D in places) at the top!

Top 3 is the same three show for me, but with Konosuba in 2nd, while LWA made it to the top 10. That just leaves poor Umaru-chan with only one other vote than mine. D:

I took a big step back from anime this last year from 2016 (where I saw like 16 shows), but I am happy that I eventually got around to catching up on a few of these shows. I thinking of aiming at least a little more this year.

wbloop · Feb 1, 2018

DAMN. I didn't expect LotL to win AOTY. In my opinion Made in Abyss was the best overall, but apart from the actual AOTY pick I completely agree with the rest of the list. Awesome picks.
Although I'm sad that there's not much love for The Saga of Tanya the Evil. Binged it over Christmas in one night and that one was a fucking blast to watch. Still haven't seen Rakugo 2, Princess Principal, Tsuki ga Kirei and Little Witch Academia, so I still have some awesome stuff to watch.

My top 5 would look like this:

Made in Abyss
My Hero Academia II
Youjo Senki (Saga of Tanya the Evil)
KonoSuba 2
Attack on Titan II

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