ResetEra Anime of the Year 2019 - Voting Thread (READ THE OP) [Ends 11:59 February 15th EST]

[Printer Paper 8 X 11]

Welcome to ResetEra's third Anime of the Year (AOTY) voting thread. This thread allows us to look back on the various anime's that came out in the year of 2019. We use this thread to celebrate those that stood out in the crowed rabble of the medium that is anime. As well as to help guide both newcomers and veterans of the medium towards interesting anime, they may have heard of but haven't delved into that came out this year.

For better or worse anime can be a difficult medium to get into. Whether it be from the lack of knowledge of what shows are out there; to certain stereotypes (both true and falsely equated ones) associated with anime as a medium making one uncertain if they want to try it out. The overall goal of these community AOTY voting/results threads are to both celebrate the quality works of the year, while also being a reference in helping someone find a better example of the medium to watch.

Please also check out the Anime of the Decade Voting Thread ​

Please read the rules below, failure to comply with the rules can lead to your ballot being disqualified. If you are uncertain about any aspects of the rules, please PM me and I'll do my best to clarify on the subject.

Voting Rules

Cut-Off:
The vote will be closing on February 15th, 2020 at 11:59PM EST. Any vote posted or editing of previously posted vote after said time will not be counted.

Categories:
Like always there will be two main categories for AOTY:

Anime Series of the year – Top 10
Anime Movie/OVA of the year – Top 5

You will be able to vote up to 10 TV Shows. You will also be able to vote up to 5 Movies/OVA. You can include any number of Honorable Mentions. Honorable Mentions can be shows/Movies/OVA from this year that didn't make the list, as well as any anime you watched in 2019 that may of not came out in 2019 but you felt others would enjoy. When listing Honorable Mentions, please include the words Honorable Mentions above said list so we don't accidentally confuse them for your main voting ballot.

Eligibility:

Anime Series – Any series that was broadcasted in Japan in 2019 can be included on your list. This also includes long running shows that started prior to 2019 like One Piece. As well as, multi-course shows from 2018 like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind (Part 5); which started in Fall of 2018 but also ran in Winter + Spring of 2019. Also eligible are ONA shows that dropped all at once (usually via Netflix) in 2019, like Aggretsuko Season 2 or 7 Seeds. Any show that began in 2020 is not allowed.

There is one exception to the aired in 2019 rule: If a Netflix anime that originally broadcasted in 2018 in Japan but was stuck in Netflix jail for the west. If Netflix did not release said anime in your region until 2019, then you may include in your top 10 list.

Anime Movie/OVA – Due to the nature of how Movies/OVAs are distributed, the rules for this section differ from the TV shows. If a Movie/OVA released in Japan in 2019 you may include it in your list. If a Movie/OVA became available in your territory in 2019, you can include it in your list. Any work that can viewed via a film festival screening / theoretical screening / or was released for the first time on home media in 2019 is eligible.

Not Anime/Fake Anime/ Etc... – If it's not anime you can't vote on it, only Japanese productions. Any western produced shows animated by Japanese studios are not allowed either.

There is one big exception this year: Like how we allowed it in 2016 in the place we migrated from and in last year's AOTY voting, Thunderbolt Fantasy – Bewitching Melody of the West is the one exception to this rule. You will be allowed to include Thunderbolt Fantasy – Bewitching Melody of the West in your Top 5 movies/ova list. Thunderbolt Fantasy is more anime than anime, thus like in 2016 and 2018 it is inconceivable to deny everyone the right to include it in their AOTY lists.

The exclusion of other countries works is not to be elitist, nor to belittle the animated works of other countries. This thread's purpose is to focus on Anime (and Thunderbolt Fantasy Franchise) and the quality works produced this year from the medium. Though you can't include non-Japanese produced works in your list, please feel free to include them in your Honorable Mentions section.

Voting Format:

All votes should look like this format:

1. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 – We finally find out what is in the basement and it was worth all these years of waiting.
2. Beastars – The natural evolution of Disney's Zooptopia
3. Hitoribocchi no Marumaruseikatsu – A nice way to relax while also feeling anxiety!
4. Run with the Wind– Who would have guessed that one of the best sports/drama anime in recent years would be about running.
5. Mob Psycho 100 Season 2– While it does falter compared to the prior season, this still is one of the most sakuga filled shows out there.
6. Senki Zesshou Symphogear XV (Season 5) – Thus possibly ends one of the most over the top anime series to ever exist.
7. The Demon Girl Next Door– I expected not much from this show yet got a great show full of fun and relatable characters.
8. Pokemon the Series: Sun & Moon – A great way to end Ash's journey in Aloha, never thought I would get teary eyed at the end of a Pokemon anime yet here I am.
9. Ascendance of a Bookworm – Came in expecting another mehish isekai, ended up with something much more than that.
10. Blade of the Immortal (2019) – While this may be a rushed adaption when it comes to how much content it has squeezed into such a short run time. The action and the story makes up for any flaws the appear from it's rushed content.

• Please have your list numbered in the same way as show above. Do not do 10 to 1, if done that way your ballot may be tossed. A visual example of what not to do will be shown below.
• Please do not include a Power Gap. If you only have 5 shows you want to list simply list them 1-5, do not do 1-3 (POWER GAP) 9-10. If included your ballot may be tossed, an "Eye Catching" visual example of the power gap will be included below.

• Please include a comment about each show for your ballot to counted. You don't have to write an essay (you can though), a few words on why this show appealed to you will suffice.
• Please use the English name of the show when listing your shows in your list. The English name is the one that the streaming service like Crunchyroll/HIDIVE/Etc. use on their platform. Also, please use the full name of the show, do not use nicknames/shortened names like MHA4 for My Hero Academia Season 4 or DanMachi Season 2 for Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (Season 2). You can include the Japanese name after the English name inside ( ) as shown in the example above.
• For shows that have multiple seasons that aren't continuous like Attack on Titan, please include Season # after the title. This can either be done as Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2, Attack on Titan S3 P2 or Attack on Titan (Season 3 Part 2), either of these ways are acceptable. The one exception to this rule is if a show has had multiple upon multiple seasons like Pokemon, PreCure an Aikatsu series; there is no need to shove a (Season 10) after said titles.
• For any show that had multiple seasons in the year of 2019, the show for both seasons can be included in a single ballot vote on your list. For example, instead of doing Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life (Season 1) at the 3rd spot and Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life (Season 2) in the 5th spot. You can simply just list Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life (Seasons 2 +3) in a single spot on your list.
• Please do not post open, un-tagged spoilers anywhere in this thread.
• Please do not do a 'Reserve' post to hold a spot in a thread to eventually post your ballot. There is no need to do this, just post your ballot when you are finished writing it.
• You can edit your ballot until the deadline passes.
• Feel free to include images to your ballot, please try to avoid using too many gifs and make sure your images are well formatted.
• Points are in descending order, with your #1 being worth 10 points, your #2 being worth 9 points and so on until your #10 which is worth 1 point. For films your #1 is worth 5 points and your #5 worth 1 point.

On the Subject of Shield Hero as Stated in the Anime OT via the Staff.

You can discuss the series in this thread and in any subsequent OT's, but the problematic elements are banned. No defending them or dismissing them or anything like that. Doing that will get you banned pretty quick.

Click to shrink...

Those rules mentioned above by the Staff apply to this thread as well, follow said decree or face the possible consequences.

Example Template
Please check the below example before posting your list. Thank you!

Anime TV Series
1. Series A - Your thoughts on Series A.
2. Series B - Your thoughts on Series B.
3. Series C - Your thoughts on Series C.
4. Series D - Your thoughts on Series D.
5. Series E - Your thoughts on Series E.
6. Series F - Your thoughts on Series F.
7. Series G - Your thoughts on Series G.
8. Series H - Your thoughts on Series H.
9. Series I - Your thoughts on Series I.
10. Series J - Your thoughts on Series J.

Anime Movie/OVA Series
1. Film/OVA A - Your thoughts on Film/OVA A.
2. Film/OVA B - Your thoughts on Film/OVA B.
3. Film/OVA C - Your thoughts on Film/OVA C.
4. Film/OVA D - Your thoughts on Film/OVA D.
5. Film/OVA E - Your thoughts on Film/OVA E.

Honorable Mention
x. Honorable mention - Your thoughts on it.

Remember to get your votes in before the deadline of February 15th, 2020 at 11:59 EST. Also, once again if you have any questions please PM me.


Have fun writing up your lists and watching through your anime backlog to get your list finalized! Good luck, everyone!

 

[EnronERA]

Anime TV Series
1. Vinland Saga - i watched like 10 eps of this in a row the first night, couldn't put it down. Great action and interesting characters
2. Kaguya-sama - Love the manga, starts off really clever but eventually just turns into doki doki hijinks but that's ok. Didn't get to best girl, though.
3. Carole and Tuesday - Rare is the music anime full of music that is actually GOOD - this one is right up there with Macross 7 in my book.
4. Demon Girl Next Door - Moeblobs of the year! Story is whatever, interactions between the characters are great and Shamiko's voice actress deserves an award of some sort for this. AvavavavaVavavav
5. Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise - Way better than OG Build Divers. Whoever the director is, he does a good job of making you want the next episode immediately. OG Build Divers was a snoozer compared to this. That being said, the mecha designs are even more uninspiring. I think the Build Fighters/Divers well is running dry, Bandai went a little too hard giving us Gundam Build xxxxx content every year except for 2017. I think they should probably let it rest a bit after s2 of Re:Rise
6. Senryu Shoujo - Nanako is waifu of the year. Short, sweet, cute show that doesn't overstay its welcome. Total fluff
7. Takagi-san S2 - also fluffy and confortable and cute
8. Bokuben - this should be harem romcom trash like nisekoi but it's funny and the girls are great.
9. The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note - Normally this wouldn't be top 10 material, but this was a weak year overall. I don't like a lot of Fate/Stuff asides from FGO, but I really liked this. Styled as a mystery series with the most uncompelling and obvious mysteries ever, but I like the characters of El-Melloi and Gray. Really great music and production values, and the ED of the year.
10. Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! - Also not really top 10 material most years, but it was fun fluff. Direction could have used some work, as parts of it just seem to jump from one thing to the next. Also WAHO WAHA

Note: there's a lot of stuff that I watched this year that I havent completed yet, and that I havent started yet which is why obvious heavy hitters like Kimetsu no Yaiba, Mob Psycho, etc are missing from this list.

 

[Aaronrules380]

placeholder post!

Anime TV Series
1. Vinland Saga - Your thoughts on Series A.
2. Series B - Your thoughts on Series B.
3. Series C - Your thoughts on Series C.
4. Series D - Your thoughts on Series D.
5. Series E - Your thoughts on Series E.
6. Series F - Your thoughts on Series F.
7. Series G - Your thoughts on Series G.
8. Series H - Your thoughts on Series H.
9. Series I - Your thoughts on Series I.
10. Series J - Your thoughts on Series J.

Anime Movie/OVA Series
1. Film/OVA A - Your thoughts on Film/OVA A.
2. Film/OVA B - Your thoughts on Film/OVA B.
3. Film/OVA C - Your thoughts on Film/OVA C.
4. Film/OVA D - Your thoughts on Film/OVA D.
5. Film/OVA E - Your thoughts on Film/OVA E.

Click to shrink...

When someone refuses to read the OP

 

[Jexhius]

Thanks once again for the thread, Printer.

 

[djinn]

Thank you for your hard work, Printer!

 

[EnronERA]

When someone refuses to read the OP

Click to shrink...

yep, sure did! don't care tho. ain't that serious

Edit: uhm, this wasn't a troll

 

[phaze]

What a dreary year.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

thanks for the thread

 

[SolidSnakeBoy]

Anime TV Series

1. Run with the Wind - This show has changed me as a person. Where most sports anime try to inspire through growth in search for an ultimate victory, facing ever growing challenges, Run With the Wind seeks to ask us to dig within ourselves for that inspiration. The diverse cast are but archetypes that anyone can relate to and act as mirrors to the watcher.Why would anyone go through so much? Struggle so hard, kowing that in the end victory is not possible? By the end, each character has to answer that for themselves, like running, a solitary decision, but one that can be influenced by those who believe in the you that could be. "Do you like to run?" If the answer is no, then ask yourself why, and realize that there's no excuse. Replace liking to run with anything and that is the message the show seeks to stir within us. I have not missed a single day of running since the show aired, I don't plan on stopping. If there's something in your life that you keep running away from, give this show a watch it will probably make you stop and then you can start sprinting in the other direction.

2.Sarazanmai - it's rare to have an anime that has something to say about the mere act of living and do so in a way that can stir something within us. Sarazanmai seeks to ask us to evaluate how we connect with others, where we fail in doing so, when we should stop, and where we should begin. It's a masterful exercise in visual cues to maximize impact. No other show this year comes close to pushing the envelope of LGBTQ+ representation, the second to last episode serving as a massive fuck you to those that would seek to censor queer relationships in media. The show shows us the pain of connecting but never gives up on the idea of doing so, in the inherent humanity if doing so. It's practically tied with Run With the Wind for me this year.

3. Mob Psycho 100 S2- This show is in a class of its own when it comes to animation. It's care in crafting a tale of personal growth for it main character is powerful. The growth the supporting cast gets this season pulls right at the heart. I only wish that the final antagonist had been a stronger character, it's the only point against this sublime show.

4. The Promised Neverland - incredible direction and writing of this adaptation makes it gripping and tense. Every scene perfectly landing in achieving tension, horror, laughs, anything. It's a simple tale but it is polished to perfection.

5. Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These S2 - No show does commentary on the worst of human ambition than LotGH. Epic and grand in it's scope, the suffering of those in the way of ambitions is at the heart of this show. It's a show about the nuance and inevitability of corruption from seeking power. It's truly a timeless story and the characters anchor it to deliver an incredible show.

6. Carole and Tuesday - This show is filled with talent. Incredible music, interesting characters, and a wonderful setting make this show stand out. The final message on immigration and unity was a pleasant surprise and a powerful shot of Hope in these trying times. It's a shame that the middle of the show spins its wheels a little, the first and later thirds could have been more impactful if they had time to be more meticulous. It's a fantastic ride though!

7. Babylon - This is a show that feels like a mess at first, but it's gripping in its later part. No other show this year presents such a gray theme as ultimate morality quite this way. It really is a show designed to make the watcher challenge it's own preconceptions and wrestle with interesting ideas. It's a shame the main antagonist does not follow through with this gray theme quite as cleanly. Look forward to see the ending.

8. Attach on Titan S3 - This show finally reached one of its most epic peaks and did so while finally showing off some of its more powerful themes. More than just explosions and action, this season finally began to frame the larger struggles of vengeance, war, and suffering that the manga is tackling. It's majestic setup and an explosive one too.

9. Given - This show joins Sarazanmai in these years effort to break the stereotypes of gay relationship portrayals in anime. It does this by framing it's story on the incredible grief of losing a first love and the slow process of thawing our hearts to a new one. The show is an incredibly slow burn, but it does this to build up to one of the most powerful scenes in anime this year. I was choking in tears when that moment hit, talk about a release of emotion.

10. Kaguya Sana: Love is War - A laugh out loud romcom that fires on all cylinders. It's wholesome, has incredible storyboarding/direction, and a fantastic cast (including narrator-san). Can't wait for S2.

Honorable Mentions:
- Stars Align. This show deserved so much better than what the production team got. It would have been an easy top 5 with that extra 12 episodes.
- Vinland Saga. It's mostly carried by it's animation and characters but it really didn't seem to have much new to say that has not been done before. It's depiction of the brutality of these times is excellent!
-Chihayafuri S3. Still fantastic but not a lot has happened this season until the last few episodes.
-Fire Force. Gorgeous show, I got a new OLED tv this year and it blows my mind watching this show.
-Dr. Stone. Fantastic message for supporting scientific thinking!

 

[Eldy]

Thank you for running this once again, Printer! I've been looking forward to it all year. :)

Anime TV Series

1. The Promised Neverland – I knew the basic premise of The Promised Neverland from having heard about the manga, so there wasn't a first episode twist for me. By the end of episode two, however, I was more excited to see what came next than with any new series since Erased. While both have mystery elements, Neverland is more of a thriller and less of a psychological drama than Erased, but it nonetheless has a very strong cast of memorable and engaging characters, especially the main trio. Its pacing and sense of pathos are both top-notch, it boasts excellent animation as well as one of the year's best soundtracks—basically, anything this kind of anime can do well is done superbly. (That said, I won't try to defend it against the criticisms people make regarding Sister Krone.) I don't know enough about the manga to have a clear sense where season two is heading, but on its own merits the ending of season one was practically perfect. TPN was the first series I finished this year, and while I think 2019 turned out to be a pretty good year for quality anime, there was never any doubt in my mind that this would take first place on my list.

2. Vinland Saga – Believe the hype. Vinland Saga has been on the periphery of my radar for years and I watched this adaptation with very high expectations, all of which were effortless surpassed. Thorfinn is a great unconventional protagonist. He's a bit of a brat at the start, but one of the most impressive things about Vinland Saga is its handling of trauma. The teenage Thorfinn is not moody in a cool and mysterious way; he's a half-feral child terrified of anything that distracts from his fixation on the man who deprived him of a normal childhood but, perversely, did more than anyone in the aftermath to raise him. That man, Askeladd, is the one who truly elevates Vinland Saga to greatness. The most fascinating character in anime this year: his clever political machinations, his multilayered personality, the revelations about his backstory, and most of all his dynamic with Thorfinn all make for enthralling viewing. And, of course, there are lots of good fight scenes, a great soundtrack (part of a very strong year for those), and a well-realized setting populated by a huge but equally detailed cast of characters.

3. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – I don't watch as much action or shounen anime as I used to, and didn't vote for anything in either of those categories last year, so I was pleasantly surprised that 2019 turned out to be a bumper year for both, dominating my top three. Demon Slayer reunites studio Ufotable and composer Yuki Kajiura, who have done great work together on Nasuverse adaptations, to put together one of the best-looking and best-sounding anime of the year. There's only so much I can say about that—you just have to see the fights and listen to the soundtrack yourself—but of particular note is Ufotable's continued mastery of blending hand-drawn and CG animation. The story is not particularly complicated thus far but Tanjiro is a great protagonist, Nezuko is adorable (even if she behaves more like a cat than a person), and the show executes all the standard shounen battle tropes really well (even the ones I personally find a little grating). I wouldn't argue with anyone who ranked this even higher.

4. Beastars – The first series from CG animation studio Orange since 2017′s anime of the year, Land of the Lustrous. Comparisons to Zootopia are inevitable, given the cast of anthropomorphic animals and the theme of carnivore–herbivore tension, but Beastars charts its own course. In some ways it's not so different from (very good) high school dramas with human casts, but just as you're starting to get settled in and look past the characters being animals, it hits you with a five minute episode-opening segment about the unusual source of eggs used in the school cafeteria. There is no getting around its defiant and delightful weirdness, but there's a great story on offer to those willing to give the show a chance. Legosi, Haru, and Louis are all among the most memorable characters of 2019 for me. Orange continues to be the best in the business of all-CG anime, but Beastars also deserves recognition for its opening credits sequence, which has both my favorite opening theme of the year and one of the best stop-motion animation sequences to be found in anime.

5. Carole & Tuesday – Shinichiro Watanabe is back with a music drama set on Mars. With the sci-fi setting primarily window dressing, this is more Kids on the Slope than Cowboy Bebop, which is not meant as a criticism. The two title characters are endearing and much of the supporting cast is memorable in a good way, but the main reason to watch is the music. With exceptionally well-animated performances of songs recorded by an all-star cast of real world musicians, this immediately became one of my favorite music anime of all time. Unfortunately, the main plot is not much to write home about. It aims to tell a topical political story centered on a Trump-like politician (the mother one of the main characters) and succeeds at crafting some highly resonant moments, but the rush to a feel-good ending ultimately renders much of this plot nonsensical. And for a series that is rightfully praised for its representation, its depiction of trans and nonbinary characters leaves a lot to be desired. Even so, Carole & Tuesday is worth watching to see the aforementioned musical performances in context. "The Loneliest Girl" is my favorite of the main duo's songs; "Dance Tonight" has some of the best animation; and "Lonestar Jazz" (contains major spoilers) is, for me, among the most emotional moments in any series this year.

6. Ascendance of a Bookworm – This brand of isekai is practically tailor-made to fit my interests, and while Ascendance of a Bookworm is not perfect, it gave me everything I wanted from it. The protagonist is a lifelong bibliophile who, on the cusp of starting her dream job in a library, is killed when a pile of books falls on her during an earthquake. She's reborn in the body of a five-year-old girl named Main, the daughter of a town guardsman and a seamstress in a medieval fantasy world. Books are expensive and the nearly-exclusive domain of nobility, so Main sets herself the goal of making her own books. Much of the series follows her attempts at creating writing implements and materials from the limited resources available to her. The silver lining is that she is well-read in nonfiction and has extensive arts and crafts experience, but class hierarchy and adults not taking her seriously both present numerous obstacles. I really enjoyed following Main's problem-solving amidst the wealth of everyday worldbuilding details. I was prepared to overlook the uncomfortable questions about a consciousness being implanted into someone else's body, but the show actually confronts this head-on. Bookworm tells a simple story with mediocre production values, but I found it eminently enjoyable within its niche.

7. My Roommate is a Cat – This show gave me diabetes.

8. Dororo – Some of the most interesting and enjoyable anime of recent years have been adaptations of older source material, often well-known in Japan but predating the widespread popularity of anime in the West. As the second adaptation of a 1960s Osamu Tezuka manga, Dororo is in some ways a time capsule: the character designs are several generations removed from today's most common styles and the episodes are mostly standalone. Like last year's Devilman: Crybaby and Banana Fish, it stands as a reminder of just how dark a lot of older manga got, even with the limits of the shounen and shoujo demographics. Historical context aside, though, once you actually watch the show it's easy to get invested in the story. I'm not overly fond of the lovable scamp archetype the title character falls into, but this is more than compensated for by Hyakkimaru, one of 2019′s best action protagonists in both conception and execution, whose journey is really the core of the show. It's really encouraging that series like this are getting licensed and finding overseas audiences.

9. Fruits Basket 1st Season – Among the latest anime to get the FMA: Brotherhood treatment, Fruits Basket 2019 begins almost identically to the 2001 anime. I initially dropped it at exactly the same point as FB 2001 (following episode four), as the introduction of a certain character tipped the series past my limit for domestic violence as comedy. This remains a major caveat for me, but that character plays a mercifully minor role overall and I'm glad I gave the show another chance. I think Fruits Basket's greatest strength is actually its handling of trauma and abuse, especially within families. Even the elements that are initially treated as humorous are shown to have real consequences on the affected characters' mindsets and behavior, and the series takes a more appropriate attitude towards this subject matter as it progresses. This makes for a draining viewing experience at times, but the moments of catharsis through personal connections and compassion are more effective for it. While the first (two cour) season only covered about a quarter of the manga, it has an emotional climax of its own and a second season is already on the way.

Anime Movies/OVA

1. Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl – A year after I voted for Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai as one of my favorite anime series of 2018, it still feels like a tough sell. The Rascal series is very much steeped in stereotypical light novel tropes that I have criticized in other series, though I find it far less leering than Monogatari and it keeps the harem elements relatively restrained. More importantly, the emotional problems facing the core cast feel genuine, despite the supernatural framing. The number of parallels with other series make it hard to fully suspend disbelief, but compared to, say, this year's Boogiepop and Others (based on the novel series that originated many of these tropes), I think the Rascal series has a much stronger emotional heart. As a direct sequel, Dreaming Girl continues many of the best things about Bunny Girl Senpai. It delves into the story of Shoko Makinohara—long an important figure in Sakuta's life, even if she was defined by her absence at the series' start—and we learn a lot more about her. Adapting two LN volumes into a 90 minute film was probably a bit much, but not every adaptation can have The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya's 1.2:1 ratio of pages of source material to minutes of runtime. Dreaming Girl won't make much sense if you haven't seen the TV series, but it's a very worthy sequel.

2. Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel – II. Lost Butterfly – At the midway point of the adaptation of the third story route of the original Fate/stay night visual novel, I assume most people will know if they're interested by the time they get this far. For my part, I think the Heaven's Feel movies are limited by their source material in the same way as Ufotable's adaptation of Unlimited Blade Works, but they are nonetheless something I look forward to. That's largely down to the exceptional animation and soundtrack (this is, after all, the second Ufotable/Yuki Kajiura collaboration on my ballot), but I do care about the story, albeit as something of a guilty pleasure. It's great to see Sakura finally get her time in the limelight. With all due respect to Dororo, Carole & Tuesday, and others, I also have to give Lost Butterfly props for featuring what is easily my favorite ending theme of the year.

Honorable Mention

The first three episodes of Oresuki – Urban Dictionary offers a number of definitions for the word fuckery, including: "Pertains to a person, situation (or place) that is considered ridiculous or nonsensical"; "Insidious deceit, treachery, falsifications & evil works"; "Anything fucked up or bullshit". All of these apply to Oresuki: Are you the only one who loves me? While the canonical examples of anime fuckery are thrillers like Death Note and Code Geass, it crops up in romance anime as well, such as this year's Domestic Girlfriend. Oresuki takes it to the next level, fully embracing the terribleness of its leads and layering devious plans upon absurd contrivances upon unsympathetic motivations as five teenagers battle for each other's affections. The first three episodes include more twists and turns than many series manage in their entire run, and the conclusion of the third episode was the second-most satisfying "just according to keikaku" moment in anything I saw this year. Unfortunately, Oresuki does not regain this level of intrigue and ends up abandoning its subversive premise by assembling a conventional harem around the supposedly unloved protagonist. But those first three episodes can be enjoyed on their own and I cannot recommend them strongly enough to anyone who loves convoluted bullshit spiced with some fantastic running jokes.

 

[Htown]

Quick question because i'm not sure I fully understand: for purposes of this vote, how would one handle an OVA series that was later edited into a more standard season of anime, like Gundam Origin?

Anime TV Series

1. Attack on Titan (Season 3, Part 2) - This somehow managed to deliver on all of the promise the series had shown up to this point. The Battle of Shiganshina had me rooted to the edge of my seat from start to finish, and then the show also gave us intriguing answers to the questions that had been simmering in the background of the show since the first episode.

2. Mob Pyscho 100 Season 2 - Yeah, all the action stuff was super cool, but it was the character stuff that really made this season work. That one little conversation with Mob and Reigen halfway through had me crying like a goddamn baby.

3. Vinland Saga - Askeladd alone would guarantee this show a spot on this list.

4. The Promised Neverland - An awesome thriller about some kids trying to outsmart their "mother" and leave an orphanage.

5. Carole and Tuesday - A damn good show with surprising relevance beyond the music. Oh, and one of the best soundtracks of any anime ever made.

6. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Despite what you might think, this one actually does work if you're not super deep into UC Gundam lore.

7. Dr. Stone - This is just a fun anime that puts a smile on my face every time I watch it. Not much more to it than that.

8. My Hero Academia Season 4 - Still a good show.

9. Demon Slayer - Seems to be a good anime so far, love the animation. Haven't seen enough of it yet to put it higher on the list though.


There are actually quite a few 2019 anime I haven't gotten around to yet, but I hope to do so by the time the deadline rolls around.

 

[Printer Paper 8 X 11]

Quick question because i'm not sure I fully understand: for purposes of this vote, how would one handle an OVA series that was later edited into a more standard season of anime, like Gundam Origin?

Anime TV Series

1. Attack on Titan (Season 3, Part 2) - This somehow managed to deliver on all of the promise the series had shown up to this point. The Battle of Shiganshina had me rooted to the edge of my seat from start to finish, and then the show also gave us intriguing answers to the questions that had been simmering in the background of the show since the first episode.

2. The Promised Neverland - An awesome thriller about some kids trying to outsmart their "mother" and leave an orphanage.

3. Vinland Saga - Askeladd alone would guarantee this show a spot on this list.


There are actually quite a few 2019 anime I haven't gotten around to yet, but I hope to do so by the time the deadline rolls around.

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That I'm giving the okay to include in TV side, since the OVA's were edited and released on TV in Japan like any other anime series.

 

[Deleted member 2802]

1. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 – I have not read the manga, but this was hands down insane episode after another with reveals or mysteries resolved that have finally paid off

2. Vinland Saga – Unbelievably insane fighting and storytelling. I think Thorfinn has the record for "kuso" in an episode/season.

3. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Super duper fun goofy anime, I like the stylish effects - but not the creepy guy chasing the sister.

 

[RuffMadman]

1. Attack on Titan S3P2 - This season might be the one that puts AoT into contention for GOAT anime. If the manga is to go by, season 4 could put it over the top spot.
2. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Perfect adaptation of the manga and the best is yet to come.
3. Run with the Wind - Great cast with amazing character development along the way. Only thing I have against this anime is the fact that all of them got really fast in such a short amount of time which shouldn't be possible. However, the second half when the racing starts is when the anime really picks up for me and becomes something to remember.
4. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5 Vento Aureo - Part 5 was always in a weird spot in the manga because early scanlations were pretty spotty so nobody really knew what to make of it. But the anime went above and beyond by making small moments like the torture dance into something really special or bringing the hype with the 7 page muda.
5. Kimetsu no Yaiba - Along with great animation, the cast was pretty damn good as well (Zenitsu is a good character). The MC was competent and actually got shit done with no bullshit in between. This might be the best example of a great adaptation making the manga more well known with how well the manga sales has been going (it was competing with One Piece for top spot). Looking forward to the movie this year for sure.

 

[janoGX]

AND HERE WE GO.

Quick reveal of my Top 10 in order. Below, extended thoughts.

1. Mob Psycho 100 II - I remember at the start of 2019 I said "this is the AOTY", and I stand by that. Bones did a masterpiece that with time it will only rise on MAL, perfect animation, perfect adaptation, characters that makes you care about them, legendary arcs that last 2-3 episodes, I'm still waiting for that S3 Bones, just release it, we know the manga is over, finish the job and make the season trilogy legendary.
2. Vinland Saga - WIT Studio's 1-2 punch, what a fucking incredible season this was, holy moly it was strong, the story of Thorfinn was well adapted, with some fixes and add-ons here and there, it made every chapter fill with tension, the first episodes while not having that same tension, you get a world build-up and exposition like nothing else, and after that, action, house of cards style of politics, Game of Thrones (early seasons) of twists and plots, it's the closest to a western series in Anime. Good job WIT, you got your 1-2 punch. The hype is real. GO WATCH IT.
3. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 - The first of WIT Studio's 1-2 punch of 2019. It was a strong, strong season, easily could have topped any year, the climax and the biggest reveals that changed SnK and became the rollercoaster that is today in manga. WIT does an amazing job translating the manga pages to animation and really giving the emotional tones that the series needed.
4. Beastars - What happens when you grab Zootopia, and add real world problems like racism, xenophobia, discrimination, individualism, finding love in these times, anxiety and depression, finding validation in this world? You get this series. For most of you, the series will be out in NETFLIX this year (February), just watch it, Studio Orange did an amazing job combining 3DCG and 2D backgrounds and multiple animation techniques in between, a great story of the main protagonists, great soundtrack, just watch it once it hits Netflix.
5. Dr. Stone - The best Isekai of the year, yes, this is a science show, that is basically an isekai, of someone traveling to a stone world and re-building the "old" modern world with the power of brains. And it manages to be a wholesome series, the kind of series that you like to sit with a coffee or hot chocolate and see what will Senku do this week to get over the issue. The studio is the same one behind Megalobox, and it showed that they know how to deal with the soundtrack, animation, the pacing, the story. An amazing anime for 2019.
6. The Promised Neverland - What a trip! Holy moly what a trip. I read the manga, and Cloverworks made an amazing job bringing the drama, intensity and twists of the pages into TV/streaming services, some of the most beautiful shots and takes, even taken from cinema classics, an ending that plays with everyone's expectations and three protagonists that will be remembered and still be remembered for 2020's 2nd Season. Wow.
7. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - The most popular series of 2019. And it has the reasons why, animation levels taken from UFOtable's other big series "Fate", protagonists that will win you, the classic battle shonen formula, villains that have reasons why they're bad, THE FUCKING EPISODE 19, and the funny thing, this is the start, I can see myself when they release the movie and Season 2 that S2 will top my list if the manga is perfectly adapted. I will be waiting so hard on this.
8. Dororo - This year is filled with anime adaptations of old works. This is the biggest standout. I know Tesuka intended this series to be for children, but the story aged so well to be a dark tale that modern anime couldn't resist and make one of the biggest makeovers to a series since last year's amazing Devilman Crybaby, it brought the darkness of Dororo's manga and put it at the forefront into a mature story, it kinda deflates at the middle, but picks it up right back and becomes an amazing top 10 pick for this year. Also, QUEEN BEE's OP song "Fire" is a banger.
9. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Imagine if L and Light Yagami loved each other instead of killing each other, you get this. Kaguya is a series of two people outsmarting eachother so they can confess once and for all that they are in love, and it's genius. A-1 does their best anime in a while, adapting and animating a great manga, characters that will make you nuts, and the story is amazing. Nothing more to say, watch it.
10. My Hero Academia Season 4 - I was debating putting this at all at the Top 10 series, since this first half of the season was weaker than the rest of cours. Still, a weaker MHA is stronger than many other series this year and still putting an interesting story and animation work by Bones, this is the same situation that made AOT S3 P1 weaker, the series is still good, but the arc is crap. I hope 2020 and the arrival of the next arcs this gets better and climbs the ranks again to become a Big Three.

QUICK HONORABLE MENTIONS:
* Hatage! Kemono Michi! - A Wrestler that is a furry that befriends a group of psychos and sociopaths and show their exploits? Yeah this is created by the same author of Konosuba, and yes, it's good but not top 10 like Konosuba.
* Fire Force - It started good, deflated on cour 2 and finished well.
* The Rising of the Shield Hero - Hmmmmm... See Fire Force to understand.
* Given - A great drama series, great music, great story.

 

[lightning16]

I guess I'll vote, but I don't suspect my list will stay even close to like this after I eventually catch up with shows I didn't watch yet. I'll only do a Top 6 because I think 7-10 would be a lot of shows I enjoyed but didn't love. Vinland Saga, Carole & Tuesday, Beastars, Ascendance of a Bookworm, and several others have been on my radar for a while and I suspect I'll feel good about including those down the line when I eventually watch them.. This thread is putting a few others on my radar like Run with the Wind, as well.

1. Chihayafuru 3 - I was a big fan of Chihayafuru back when it originally aired and was surprised to see it make a comeback. I was back under its spell pretty much immediately, and it felt like it never left. Great characters. Love to see them grow, and watching them play karuta is as surprisingly engaging as it's ever been.
2. The Promised Neverland - Very gripping thriller. This show had me on the edge of my seat so often, and that's really what I'm in for when it comes to thrillers. Throw in a very strong cast, a unique presentation style, and getting me invested to genuinely really want to know where the story goes from here, and you have a winner. Can't wait for season 2 this year.
3. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Probably the best of the shounen action type of anime I've watched in a good long while. Don't really want to just go down list of everything the show does well, but yeah, it brings a lot to the table and I think the hype around this show is deserved. Hope we get another season soon.
4. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Knew about this series' good reputation before jumping in, and glad I did. It's hilarious. Could've done with less of the narrator throughout, but I can't wait to watch the second season and I'll probably check out the manga in the near future.
5. Sarazanmai - This is a good show, but it's hard to talk about it entirely positive since I was so convinced it would be my AOTY before the year began. I'm a big fan of Kunihiko Ikuhara, and sadly I think this is his worst show yet. Thankfully, he's amazing and that still works out to being a quality show. Some really nice themes and some very strong episodes. I think I may have just hyped myself up a bit too much.
6. Fire Force - I wasn't sure I was going to include this on the list since it's pretty close to "liked but didn't love" territory, but I really did enjoy my time with this anime. There's a lot of ex-Shaft staff on board here, and it shows. I was always a sucker for Shaft. I think the directing and art style are pretty standout. Liked the cast, as well. Some genuinely funny moments with Arthur being a dumbass. Some genuinely tense moments. Could've done without most things involving Tamaki.

Hopefully I'll catch up on some of these shows before the deadline, but I really don't allocate nearly as much time to the medium as I used to.

 

[Red Fire]

1. Attack on titan S3 part 2: finally everything comes together, mysteries from S1 are solved, we get super emotional moments, character development, awesome fights and superb animation. 10/10
2. Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba: great show with a beautiful setting, good characters and the sense of mystery. Animation is 10/10.
3. One Piece - i know the pacing sucks so much but the Wano arc (with the upgraded artstyle) and everything before was so good plotwise.

 

[lazybones18]

Anime TV shows

1. Sword Art Online: Alicization - Pretty obvious #1 pick..for me anyway. The sooner the 2nd part gets dubbed, the better.
2. The Promised Neverland - Heard of the manga but didn't know jack about the premise prior to watching. I was pretty much hooked at the end of the 1st episode. Didn't find any of the kids to be annoying which is a major plus and the antagonist is fantastic. Will be interesting to see how the series develops itself now that the kids have escaped.
3. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Advent of the Red Comet - So I'm not all that big on Gundam in general, but I have seen a few of the more recent Gundam offerings (Iron Blooded Orphans, Unicorn, Narrative). This was a nice way to introduce me to characters from the original MSG, although I not sure how much is canonical. Still, an enjoyable series.
4. Fire Force - I will admit I have missed a couple of episodes so I'm not up-to-date on where the story is at, but from what I've watched so far, I've throughly enjoyed. Could do without the questionable fanservice (especially that one character with the lucky whatjamacallit), but other than that, I love the action, humor and characters. Sucks that the timing of this show came at the worst possible time with the burning of the KyoAni building this year (they were working on this show, right? Apologies, but I can't remember)

Anime movies/OVAs

1. Promare - Studio TRIGGER must have gotten tired of saving anime on TV and decided to save anime movies (I'm quite sure that joke has beaten to death multiple times over). With the help of director Imaishi and Sawano providing the music, you have a near perfect movie with some of the best animation you'll see on the big screen.
2. One Piece: Stampede - Still way behind on the show, but the latest batch of movies have been fun to watch, including this one. Think of this movie as SSBU-esque (almost everyone is here....well, everyone that is sorta relevant anyway)
3. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas - You had me with the movie title.
4. Weathering With You - I do think Your Name is slightly better than this, but still an enjoyable watch
5. Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Vol. 1 - Was interested to see what would Studio Ponoc follow up with after Mary and the Witch's Flower. They did not disappoint. Out of the three short films featured, I thought Life Ain't Gonna Lose was the best one. Not sure if Ponoc is working on Volume 2 or doing an entirely different project, but I'm definitely on board with whatever they have next.

Honorable Movie Mentions: Made in Abyss: Journey's Dawn, Okko's Inn, Mobile Suit Gundam NT (Narrative), Code Geass: Lelouch of the Resurrection

 

[zulux21]

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1. Carole and Tuesday - solid show with a great soundtrack. It had some faults but the charm of the show easily outweighed them. Seriously though, don't sleep on the soundtrack of this one, the series is oozing talent.

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2. Harley Quinn - funny and great. More people should watch this. Sure this is Western animation but if Chinese puppets are allowed mature Western cartoons that are just having fun should be too. (yes I know you won't count this, but all these years later I'm still protesting the inclusion of puppets and still don't get why if we allow them we can't allow other stuff as it will never win anyway :P)

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3. Kaguya love is war. Funny and fun everyone should watch this. It's basically Death Note but with trying to get someone to date you, it's great. It's only down this low because i know what is coming and it gets even better.

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4. Promised Neverland - very strong story Arc that i won't go into detail as i don't want to spoil the first episode. Really this could be swapped with any of the anime above it. It's just here because it was the third series I thought of from 2019.

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5. Dr.Stone - I find this series to be enjoyably different from the usual. I'm always a fan of intelligence being more of a focus than raw power. That being said, I'm resisting the urge to drop this down the list because his catch phrase of 10 billion percent is stupid and makes me hope the main character is written off every time he says it as it's just mathematically wrong most of the time :/

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6. My Roommate is a cat - This series is far more charming and enjoyable than it has any right to be. I went in for the cute cat and instead I got some feels.

anyone that needs some good feelings should watch the opening of this series

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7. Fruits Basket 2019 - Part of me doesn't want to put a series that is basically just a remake of a classic above some other shows from 2019, the other part of me is like... THEY NAILED IT so screw it. If you want a classic shoujo series this is it, go watch it right now.

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8. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - If the AOTY voting ended in a few months I imagine this would be higher, but I'm watching the dub of it, which is only half out. I'm enjoying what I'm watching, but between the slow start and the kid in the orange I can't really put this higher than this now.

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9. Aggretsuko 2nd Season - If you don't know what Aggretsuko is by now, shame on you. Go sub to Netflix and watch it and fill a void in your heart you didn't know you had. That being said, while season 2 wasn't bad, it wasn't nearly as good as the first season. Still a solid watch though.

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10. Isekai Quartet - This series has no business being as enjoyable as it is. It looks like the crappy shorts you get at the end of some anime, but yet legitimately is funny at times. And despite being a cross over of four unrelated series it manages to make them work.

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11. Astra Lost in Space - Hey... I know you won't count Harley for me (and if you somehow appease me by accepting Harley then just ignore this and consider it my first honorable mention), so I might as well make my list a legitimate top ten. The drama I'm causing I know... but it's nothing compared to Astra. In general the series did a good job of setting up later stuff, in general I liked the cast, and in general I felt like I was watching a soap opera set in space. Most of the twists worked, there was on in particular that I not only don't think worked, and thus made it an actively worse show, but had they not tried the twist at all and played it straight it would have created a different twist which would have been far far stronger and made the show better, so I had to dock this one down a bit because of that. It's not like it was great in general, but it was entertaining, which in the end, that's really what matters.

Honorable Mention

Beastars - I would love to include this one, but alas, no legal way to watch it until after AOTY voting ends. I have a feeling this will make the top five for me but since I haven't been able to watch it, it's gotta go here.

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun - I'm enjoying this one so far, but it's only got like 7 episodes out dubbed and I'm watching the dub. I can't justify having it in my top 10 at this point but it has a chance of getting there after the AOTY voting ends.

How heavy are the dumbbells you lift? - I hate that I have the opening song of this series stuck in my head still. I hate that I didn't hate this series. It was dumb, and ecchi at times, and I should hate it, but it was kind of charming, and well it did give some decent fitness tips... just GAH.

Like it shouldn't be this catchy (NSFW as it's like a PG-13 opening with some swimsuits and some other things you might not want your coworkers to see)

(NSFW as it's like a PG-13 opening with some swimsuits and some other things you might not want your coworkers to see)

 

[sinonobu]

Anime TV Series
1. Sarazanmai - otter dance. kappa dance. AOTY.
2. Kiratto Prichan season 2 - If Prichan S1 was a slow build up for the great finale, Prichan s2 has been a full on roller coaster ride from the get go. Unlike the season 1 where there was no clear set goal for Kiratts which resulted in this rather slow beginning, S2 gives Kiratts a clear goal from the start which put the show in motion from the very start. All returning cast was great just like S1, but the real highlight here was the new cast, with the highlight being Daia. Unlike many show that does the bullshit treatment where shy girl suddenly overcomes their shyness after one attempt, Daia's struggle felt genuine, and it took time. And by the time she was finally able to open up to others, I cried as she cried. I can't gush enough about how much I love prichan. Can't wait to see how the rest of s2 will unfold and Oshama Tricks debut for season 3!
3.Star Twinkle Precure - Star Twinkle's strength lies on how it unfolds each and every cure's story so well. purunsu is also the cutest mascot of the year.
4.Run with the Wind - I don't like sports show. I hate running. Yet I loved this show. Run with the Wind was the show that I was so ready to pass but I'm glad I gave it a chance.
5. Granbelm - battle royale meets wataru. in the age where original mech shows are becoming rarer and rarer, granblem was a nice surprise.
6. Gundam Build Divers Re:rise - Not only rerise isn't a bad follow up to divers like try was, it actually is better than divers. furry gundam's cast is so charming and likable and it sucks that I'd have to wait till April to see where their story ends up.
7. The Demon Girl Next Door - GOSENZO!!! My blood sugar level is dangerous after watching this show..
8..Kemono Friends Season 2 - A controversial season for sure, but it was still an amazing ride. Kyuru and Caracal were a nice addition to the main cast and seeing all the new friends were fun and refreshing! Hopefully third season happen soon as well!
9. The Magnificent Kotobuki - From adrenaline rushing air combat scenes, to fun cast and interesting world building and lore, Kotobuki was a wild ride. Can't wait for season 2 because there's a still a lot of this world that I'd like to know.
10. Bang Dream 2nd season - popipa pipopa popipapipipopa! it was a heartbreaking season in many ways and by the end my eyes were all watery, can't wait for season 3.


Runner up
Symphogear AXZ - even tho I had problems with this season it was still a worthwhile finale and a crazy ride.
Endro - cute cast of characters in a chill rpg settings. sign me up anyday.
Psycho-pass s3 - while I was extremely worried going into the season, psycho-pass s3 surprised me in a good way. I can't wait to see where this franchise will go from now.
Astra lost in space - a feel good space journey with interesting cast of characters.

 

[neonglow]

Anime TV Series

1. Skilled Teaser Takagi-san (Season 2) - This is a nice slice of life anime between middle school kids. It's cute how Takagi always knows the right things to say or do.
2. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Funny show about 2 characters that like each other but don't want to admit it first.
3. ORESUKI Are you the only one who loves me? - It's a harem parody that often breaks the 4th wall.
4. Senryu Girl - Another slice of life anime that is full of fluff.
5. High Score Girl II - It's full of nostalgia with the setting taking place in the mid 90's focusing around arcade games of that era.
6. O Maidens in Your Savage Season - A coming of age story about puberty that you don't see often in other animes
7. Magical Sempai - Hilarious hijinks about a female magician that sucks at performing in front of a live audience
8. How heavy are the dumbbells you lift? - An anime about getting fit and losing weight with cute girls. It's more like an exercise video with anime parts.
9. We Never Learn (Season 1) - A harem show where the girls are not just going after the guy but also working to better themselves for their future.
10. The Quintessential Quintuplets - Another harem show that tells you how it ends with a wedding. It's more about the journey than the destination.

 

[Deleted member 923]

Anime TV Series

1. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 – Flipped everything you thought you knew on its head and did it masterfully. Not only the anime of the year, but also a top contender for series of the decade.

Anime Movie/OVA Series

1. Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel II. Lost Butterfly - Saber vs Herc, whew.

 

[djinn]

1. Beastars: Beastars has a few things going against it. Firstly, it's in Netflix jail, meaning if you want to see it now you'll have to find alternative sources. Secondly, it's CG, kind of a dirty word among anime fans. And finally - that elephant in the room - it's "furry bait". While that idea was never going to be prevented, Beastars does a lot to prove that it's more than just furry high school anime. There are some great themes explored, specifically gender, class and race distinction. No one is a "good" or "bad" person, they're just people. Characters like Louis, the handsome and famous buck, have a multitude of layers that play with and against your expectations. Often you'll find you don't know how to react to either a character or a situation on screen because Beastars pushes a lot of boundaries not commonly depicted in anime. But it's not all shock and awe. Beastars happens to be pretty funny and backed up by CG animation of high quality. Visual gags are aplenty and I oftentimes found myself going back to watch the minute details of a character waving their arms or wagging their tail because the animators did such a good job. Beastars is worth the time and effort, worth getting over that "furry bait" barrier. The patient viewer is rewarded with one of the finest anime of the year.
2. Fruits Basket: There's been talk recently about nostalgia in media and how weaponised it can become. Fruits Basket certainly feels nostalgic at times; the slow-dance OP, the old-school character designs, slapstick and general 'feel'. It's certainly to be expected from a series that's at least 20 years old (manga-wise). But what's fresh as ever is that raw depiction of grief and trauma Furuba was always known for (so much so it has the moniker, Feels Basket). Furuba is an examination on love, loss and death in all their aspects. It drips with melancholy and heartache, holding back just enough throughout its first season to show that when it's good and ready, it has the power to utterly devastate with its finale. From the distant smile of our heroine as others talk about her recently deceased mother, to the joy of friendship expressed through cupcakes, Furuba is all about the slow burn, inching up that heat. Before you know it, it drops a bomb of emotions on you. But it's never one to leave you too hurt. At the end of the day, Furuba always shows how you can cope with the worst of situations, with a little love and kindness going a long way.
3. One Piece: I'm fairly new to the One Piece series. I only started it middle of 2018. So I had the advantage of watching/reading all the arcs so far as one whole experience. The major benefit of this had been the pacing; not bogged down by the weekly wait, I can skip filler and get straight to the good stuff. And Whole Cake Island arc is really, really good. The direction goes above and beyond at times with whole musical numbers, lavish colours and sets and one of the best fight sequences ever in the series history. Big Mum herself is devisive but I can't get enough of her. She's a force of nature and I loved seeing the Strawhat crew deal with her. The closing number of the arc is fabulous and paves the way nicely for Wano arc. I absolutely adored this season.
4. Kaguya-sama: Love is War: A slightly rocky start but once this romcom found its feet it just got better and better. The premise is two geniuses perform mind games on each other in order to get a love confession and "win". The twist is that they're both incredibly stupid when it comes to love. There's a lot of secondhand embarrassment, a lot of very funny art and some spot on line delivery by everyone involved. Somewhere along the way it also tells a rather sweet love story too. There's a lot of heart behind Love is War and I'm looking forward to the second season.
5. Ascendance of a Bookworm: This isekai has a very slow start but it manages to tell a fresh and sweet story of a young woman reincarnated as a sickly 5 year old girl in mediaeval fantasy Europe. All little Main/Myne wants is a book to read but the actual task of getting one is much harder than it looks, especially when your contending with stuff like surviving winter or even managing to walk down the street without fainting. Bookworm is that comfy sort of isekai, the one content to reveal history as it's necessary and never over the choice of displaying a close-knit family coming together, a little bit of cooking or even some craft work. It's not all cute and fuzzy either, though, and has some very plain things to say about poverty, education, class distinction, health care and equal opportunity. Bookworm is not a grand escapist adventure like most Isekai but a more intimate telling about a girl wanting a book and the capitalism involved along the way.
6. The Promised Neverland: Right from the get go you know something's not right at Grace Field House. It could be those number brands on the necks of all the children but it's just a guess. A twist you can see coming a mile away is only the beginning of this very well adapted anime. Tight direction and excellent storyboarding means a series with an enormous amount of talking and walking down empty corridors feels claustrophobic and terrifying most of the time. It's got a terrific cast and animation to back it up. Very much looking forward to season 2.
7. Chihayafuru Season 3: Not complete yet so it's a little hard to judge on position but Chihayafuru is constant excellence. A josei sports anime is a rare breed to begin with. But this surprise third season just keeps adding to an already amazing series. If you haven't seen any of this series yet, stop everything and get to it.
8. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Advent of the Red Comet: Let's be honest here, this is for Gundam fans only and newcomers are going to get very little from this fast-moving anime if they aren't already familiar with the characters within. That said, Origin is a glorious telling of the rise of Char Aznable, Gundam's premiere villain. If you've ever felt a moment of pity for this magnificent bastard let it be squashed here. Char has been, and always will be, looking out for himself.

 

[NSESN]

I am only in condition to vote on 3 shows since last year I mostly watched old shows (not counting shows that i dropped)

Anime TV Series

1. Kaguya-sama: Love is War – The most fun show of the year and that made me appreciate romcoms again.
2. Mob Psycho 100 Season 2 – Bones once again doing an incredible job adapting Mob
3. My Hero Academia Season 4 – I love My Hero Academia but Mirio's episode brings it down to third place, it still has one of my favorite moments of the series tho with Kirishima and Fat Gums vs Rappa and Tengai.

 

[Nocturnowl]

1. Carole & Tuesday - Watanabe heard your cries, more MARS and MUSIC....just not in the Bebop way.
So here's ultimately a feel good show about two girls from completely different backgrounds making music together, spoilers: they make some cracking tunes
Carole & Tuesday tries to fit a lot in, not every story beat introduced gets time to fully breathe, despite this I enjoyed just how many pools the show dipped its toes into.
I expected the highs and lows of the music industry, I didn't expect the exploration of AI ,or the surface level politics that don't exactly hide what side of things they're calling out and suicide ideation as Netflix puts it.
The leading duo make some pleasing easy listening music (I also like how it contrasts to the shows other rising star in style despite the through line of pop music), it's a treat every time they break out the guitar and keyboard.
Uplifting and ending on a strong note, I doubt its legacy will go down as strongly as previous Watanabe directed work, but for me this is the best since Champloo.


2. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind - I already miss JoJo Fridays, where we'd all gather round to witness unprecedented amounts of "NAAANIII?!" and Standoh Powah.
And this was supposed to be the B team of David Production right? well hot damn they sure weren't showing it, much like the previous part 4, this is such a lovingly detailed adaptation of the source that goes above and beyond to nail that very distinct vibe the series has.
Effectively offering more of the same in the best possible ways, more top tier openings, more ridonkulous stand abilities, more creative scenarios for best mom Bruno and friends to tackle with nary a moment where it lets up.

An important outing for western JoJo fandom after a lack of any good manga translations alongside the increasing confusion of following this madness on paper had apparently left Part 5 with a rather tepid response over here. This anime basically reversed that and now it seems people are all about Gangstars, STIIIICKY FIIINGAAARS and actually understanding how King Crimson works...sort of.


3. Mob Psycho 100 Season 2 - More fun times with everyone's favourite con man and endearingly awkward boy.
Perhaps even more than last season, Mob juggles incredibly animated action, quirky comedy and heartfelt character work. While its One authored counterpart One Punch Man had a second season this year that even outside the lacklustre animation had me wondering if they'd lost sight of why the concept worked, Mob has no such problem and only serves to remind me of the series strengths.


4. The Promised Neverland - At the end of December I caught a cold, truly a time of misery we can all relate to. Since it basically ensured I'd not be getting to sleep at a reasonable hour I decided to finally tackle this show on my "to watch" list.
Suffice to say I blitzed through the 12 episodes across two days, keeping my coughing and spluttering mostly out of my mind as I thought to myself "well it could always be worse, I could be in the situation these kids are in, heck one of them is considering getting a cold on purpose for tactical purposes!"

I wouldn't say The Promised Neverland left me on the edge of my seat with its thriller trappings but its certainly got the vibe down, it's got this careful balance where the kids never feel completely outmatched in their rather overwhelming predicament, just enough back and forth between their planning and the eery Mother to have me wondering just where things would lead.

Other highlights include DAT SAX just exploding into the opening theme, the dark and creaky classical design of the house the orphans live in and a trio of main characters where I just straight up liked every one of them, having a cast of kids with a peak of age 12 could go so bad, but they nailed it.
And now I'm really left wondering how what follows will play out for season 2.


5. Kaguya-Sama: Love is War - I still go back to that wonderful description of "imagine Death Note but it's about two idiots trying to make the other confess their love to the other".
Comedy anime is an acquired taste I find, often anime likes to fall back on SCREAMING, perviness, exaggerated reactions and so on for the yucks, while Love is War still falls into these tried and tested angles, it does so a heck of a lot better than most.
The utter mental gymnastics on display by the two main characters, supported by the perfectly voiced narrator, just keeps bringing up genuinely hilarious scenarios.
Never have acts like sharing an umbrella or holiday planning had such intensity, to rival battle anime in the planning, the twists and the back and forth.
The segmented nature of the show means that even if some humour falls flat you're likely to move onto something you find more amusing within the same episode.


6. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 - I'm still amazed that after bouncing right off the show back in season 1, that AoT would manage to reclaim me.
And now we also finally get to the bottom of one of those original season 1 mysteries, the basement, we finally made it but I ain't spoiling!
I actually never gave too much thought to the various mystery boxes of this series, I'm just in for the ride and am on board with what's unfolded so roll on whatever comes next. Not much else to say, you can expect the usual moments of wonderfully directed Levi action and a moment where I was genuinely like "look at how they massacred my boy", yep it's AoT.


7. Demon Slayer - So, this show is pretty solid shonen, nothing spectacular but ufotable make it shine and look like a million bucks, I was happily enjoying it up until Zenitsu.
This absolute twat, this stupid arse is PEAK awful anime character. Over the years I've seen my share of shonen character gripes like "Naruto is loud and annoying" and "Deku just cries all the time", and felt they were exaggerating those character traits to highlight their displeasure. But Zenitsu, this absolute grade A GOOBER is both of those things (with a dash of perve so we can complete a trifecta) turned up to the most obnoxious level. Eff this stupid kid, he damn near ruined the show for me when he got rolled into the main cast.

*breathe*

So anyway, when Demon Slayer isn't trying and failing at comedy it's got some fun times with swords, some scenarios play out like the manga was being drawn and a time travelling ufotable employee turned up like "yo don't worry about wondering if you want to do this one fight with a rotating room, we got this with our CGI powers in 2019 when its gonna be animated", often 3D effects in anime (or worse, actually fully CGI anime!) are feared, fortunately here that shit just works.
Side note: I swear the character design went from stellar to "what the hell am I looking at" when the other top slayers got introduced, it's like a series of "just fuck my shit up" haircut memes.


8. Vinland Saga - I'm actually still watching this one, but I feel safe in assuming it maintains a steady quality throughout.
Yep, that's all I got to say for now.


HM: Fire Force - Creating a strong first impression with some fantastic looking and sounding fire effects, I was almost tricked into thinking good times were ahead.
Alas after 12 episodes I couldn't lie to myself any longer, despite some strengths this show burnt out for me.
The female characters are treated in a way to constantly remind me of that one simpson's scene with the novelty pen...
"Oh no, her clothes are coming off!"
One time being so utterly poorly placed in relation to the scene unfolding I had to laugh.

HM: The last part of Baki being released from netflix jail
This show still sucks, and that's why it's so fun, its endlessly entertaining to rip on and the show basically knows it.

Speaking of netflix jail, looking forward to Beastars soon.

LttP: A place further than the universe
Last years winner that I checked out just before the 2018 voting closed, but I didn't vote so here's its mention now.
If y'all didn't highlight how good this was I'd have just looked at it as moe fluff with a dull concept, don't judge a book by its cover indeed.

Wow, that's a lot of anime for me, my wrasslin' viewing went drastically down but anime went up like it occupies a similar slot for me.

 

[Deleted member 42102]

Anime TV Series
1. DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA - So much emotional weight, all the characters are great, just fantastic.

2. Fire Force - Dropped it during the first half but got back around to it out of boredom and I'm glad I did, truly went out with a bang and I can't wait for more!

3. Dororo - I'll admit the fire opening pulled me in but I stayed for the great characters and interesting story beats!

4. The Quintessential Quintuplets - As much as I hate this genre, this is probably one of the only decent harems around atm, MC's not a pushover but he's not a piece of shit either and all the girls are interesting enough that I'm able to stomach it lol.

5. Domestic Girlfriend - Ha, this show was just so fucking messy and everybody in it was trash that I couldn't help but keep watching. It was truly spectacular how wild shit could get. Anywhere this show could've went they made sure they crashed right into that shit lmao.

6. Carole & Tuesday - Honestly ain't peg this for my kind of show at first, but Watanabe ain't disappoint as usual and all that melanin on screen I had to do it. All the characters are so damn precious and it was just such a lovely watch all around. Plus there were some straight up bangers on this show that I have on my Spotify repeat playlist to this day lmao.

7. Senryu Girl - Ah this story resonated with me on a personal level and I honestly thought it'd end up being another 1 Week Friends sort of deal but it was still such a sweet story that warmed my heart. Loved it.

8. Sarazanmai - Yo. This show was fucking wild lmao and I loved every minute of it.

9. Given - This show fucking bodied me. I stood no chance. Thought I was just gonna get some calm little BL music drama, this shit hurted. The music was fucking A1 too.

10. DO YOU LOVE YOUR MOM AND HER TWO-HIT MULTI-TARGET ATTACKS? - This show awakened something in me, I know exist on a different plane than the rest. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, who's to say. All jokes aside it was a sweet story and I love stories centered around being good to your mom.

Anime Movie/OVA Series
1. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection - Code Geass is what got me into anime, so it was dope seeing it back even if it was different than I remembered, more Lelouch can only be a good thing!

2. Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel - II. Lost Butterfly - UFO can do no wrong by me, all they ever do is please my eyes and I love it.

3. Mr. Osomatsu the Movie - My boys, my sweet sweet boys. Loved the movie, loved the characters. If you know Osomatsu what's there not to like!

4. Promare - Trigger definitely showed their dick with this one, they came to fucking ball and they did. What a movie, I still have the soundtrack stuck in my head!

5. KONOSUBA -God's blessing on this wonderful world!- Legend of Crimson - The true isekai deconstruction king. The movie was poppin duh, it's Konosuba. What'd you expect.

 

[TheIlliterati]

1. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 - Pure brilliance
2. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure - Golden Wind
3. Demon Slayer - on the strength of its animation
4. Dr. Stone - I was surprised how much I liked this.
5. Vinland Saga
6. Dororo
7. Promised Neverland
8. Mob Psycho 2 - I was not as thrilled with this as others but I loved the Regan episode.

 

[Printer Paper 8 X 11]

And a FYI, Anime of the Decade Thread is also up now

 

[skeptem]

looking forward to what people vote for since I basically wait till the end of the year to start watching anything :)

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Hopefully Given continues to get more votes, Sarazanmai as well.

 

[Bigkrev]

1. Sarazanmai

Just a wonderful intersection of weird, warmth, and homosexuality. Shout-out Enta for being the most realistic portrayal of a 14 year old boy who realizes he's in love with his best friend, the entire voice cast for being willing to sing their hearts out, and to The Peggies, who provided the "Stand By Me" ED song that, along with the visuals, has me wanting to book a ticket to Japan to just wander around the streets at 3AM by myself.
Also, I can't remember ever seeing a 14 year old in a somewhat realistic/modern version of Tokyo selling weed before. Something new!

2. Given

It's crazy to me that the first ever BL anime that I can 100% recommend to anyone- it's not rape-y, it's not "problematic", it looks and sounds incredible, and its actually just a good show about music and overcoming loss, but everyone is gay- is somehow not my number 1 show of the year. This isn't a show about people falling in love and wanting to bone after being in each others presence for 5 minutes- it's about characters choosing to open themselves up to other people, and after a while, start to understand that their feelings are more than friendship. It also does something that I really respect- it clearly establishes "these characters are gay, they like men", and never uses forced eroticisim to drive that point home or to pander. It's the only BL anime I would seriously reccomend to a straight guy.

3. Demon Slayer

I'll admit- I almost didn't end up watching after the first episode, which I though SUCKED- it was way too full of useless talking/explaining things. Thankfully, the show picks up as soon as the second episode, and I watched the whole series in a week, which is something I never do. This is a show with some issues- it's super weird that Nezuko, the only prominent female character, is basically infantilized and treated more like an object or an animal than a human being, and while I love Zenitsu and Inosuke, I can see why one would hate one or the other, but it's also just a beautifuly made show set in a fascinating world that they give you enough of to hook you, but leave you wanting to find out more.

4. The Promised Neverland

Despite the fact that Sister Korone is a problem and that Norman kinda sucks, I really enjoyed this show. Isabella is a great villain, the Gon-Killua style relationship between Emma (seemingly stupid but has moments of incredible insight) and Ray (way too smart to the point that he's neurotic and self-doubting) has a nice arc and resolution in the season, and it leaves off at point where you would kill to have another episode just to see what the rest of the world looks like.

5. Fruits Basket

I went into this mostly blind, just knowing that it was an -incredibly- popular Shoujo series, and that the gimmick was a bunch of boys who turn into zodiac animals. I was kind of expecting our female main character to kind of just be a borderline Macguffin, but instead, Toru is what makes the show excel- her endless optimism in the face of her tragic backstory, her relationship not just with these mysterious boys but with her friends and her late mother- they really make the show work.

Honorable Mentions

Attack on Titan Season 3 part 2: I've always been "meh" on AOT, but this season finally paid off the fucking basement in a satisfying way, and it did some things that the instant I heard about them set alarm bells off in my head, but I ended up thinking were fine

The First 3 Episodes of Oresuki: When viewed as a 90 minute movie, this is actually an incredibly fun story about a bunch of people who are fucking awful human beings and deserve everything happening to them. I have no idea how the rest of the series is- the core conflict of the series is both introduced and fully resolved by the end of the 3rd episode, so I never went back and figured out how they filled the rest of the episodes.

Dishonorable Mentions

Stars Align- I don't care what happened behind the scenes that sabatoged this show, I'm only judging it on the 11 of 12 episodes I watched (I head the final one was a complete trainwreck). Any bits of good- it's positive LGBTQ+ representation should just be clipped out and posted on Youtube- are just outdone by how much the show revels in showing you parents committing heinous domestic violence against their children, with no reason or payoff or anything.

 

[nDesh]

AOTY

1. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 - The season when AoT became a masterpiece, it just needed a proper adaptation and oh boy, Wit delivered, the music in particular was magnificent. Probably the best anime season of all time, and with the best anime episode ever (Hero).

2. Vinland Saga - While the animation was somewhat inconsistent, Wit doing a great adaptation again and nailing the important moments. Askeladd may be one of the best anime characters.

3. Demon Slayer - Kinda basic but a super well done shonen that doesn't waste time and avoid some of the most annoying cliches of the genre... now I remembered that it doesn't, it has Zenitsu. Lovable cast nonetheless and insane production values.

4. Kaguya-sama: Love is War : Clever and funny from start to end.

And that's it, I enjoyed Mob Psycho 100 II but it wasn't memorable, the same for The Promised Neverland. One Punch Man Season 2 was fun but it had obvious production problems and this is the weakest My Hero Academia season so far.

 

[Deleted member 2802]

question

Click to shrink...

Is Dragon Prince anime?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dragon_Prince

Never sure what flies with CG/Western productions in these voting threads

 

[Printer Paper 8 X 11]

Is Dragon Prince anime?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dragon_Prince

Never sure what flies with CG/Western productions in these voting threads

Click to shrink...

It is not.

 

[Shard Shinjuku]

I see voting time has been extended for some reason and I guess I shall be updating this list over the course of that time.

1. Ascendance of a Bookworm
Given how many big name shonen titles are going to be populating, it is a bit astounding that the best anime of 2019 should be this low key iseaki show which thankfully throws out most of the tropes and conceits and delivers to us a rich world that has a flavoring akin to Spice and Wolf. Main is also quite a wonderful character and bonus points for having Lutz not only be not awful but actually an enhancement to the program.

2. The Promised Neverland:
We are living in most interesting time when it comes to the premiere label in shonen series, Weekly Shonen Jump, as we have watched the completion and/or depending on the point of view collapse of 2/3 of The Big Three that dominated manga and anime for a good chunk of time. Couple onto that the ending of some other popular series like Assassination Classroom and Nisekoi and we have entered a time when a new generation is rising and taken WSJ in curious and bold new directions and The Promised Neverland is one of those titles leading the way. Indeed instead of the typical battle shonen, with the typical shonen tropes and emotions lies a much subtler psychological horror and prison escape title in this first season. Well, for the most part as shonen flavorings do crop up like Emma wanting to save everybody and the hatchet job done to Sister Krone. Still, this is an overall fantastic season that can also stand alone should Season 2 go downhill.

3. Mob Psycho 100 Season 2:
When looking over the past year in anime it is striking just how good the actual animation has been at the television level and Mob Psycho 100 was on of the titles that led the way. Indeed, there we be others on this list that we inducted into this top 10 for that reason but Mob Psycho 100 gets the edge because of sheer creativity as MP100 here works on the Jojo principle of not being constrained by muscles or swords and up the game from Season 1 by a substantial margin. Couldn't go the full monty on this given the pacing issues and more egregiously descending into more traditional battle shonen strata without having the emotional chops to back things.

4. Demon Slayer:
Speaking of production values, this one has them in spades and not going to lie, is the principle reason why Demon Slayer notched up this high on the last. It is pretty well known that Demon Slayer is on the generic end of the shonen pool and it takes about half the series to really get going but once it does it provides a shocking amount of emotional backing behind its combat. Demon Slayer Episode 19 went viral due to both elements playing to the crescendo.

5. Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Breaking the flow of shonen was this title which is probably uncontroversially the best pure comedy of 2019. A fair bit of warning do not enter Kaguya-sama: Love is War for the romance; even aside with how slow anime romance moves in general this is a season that is much more concerned with setting up the comedy which centered around the the two central idiots treating romance as a game of conquest and the humor that results.

6. Dr. Stone:
Truth be told, this is my favorite Weekly Shonen Jump property going right now because it extols the virtues of science and how important it is in making and shaping humanity, which is needed to combat the forces of anti-intellectualism, even if shonen bullshit is being applied at points. The reason why this season is so low on this list is because well it wears the milstone of the original plan where land ass Taiju was supposed to be the main character and Senku the sidekick and that nearly killed the series. Thankfully we do get to the Kingdom of Science in due time and the show improves one billon percent from there.

7. No Guns Life
You might know this one better as the anime with machine head gun guy and while that is true this is also a reasonably strong classical cyberpunk world as well. I do mean cyberpunk in the 1980-1990s classical sense as well since that is more then just a look, or put another way, it remember the punk part by offering critiques of captialism, megacorps, the human condition, technology, the military industrial complex and other such themes and it does so competently though if you seen a major cyberpunk work from back in the day, this is familiar territory. What elevates this material is the fusion of classical film noir tropes and yes I know other works have done this but god damned if this isn't always a workable mix.

8. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
I think this is about as low as Jojo has been on one of my lists that I can remember. I'll we be frank and that is due to David Pro elevating this part to the creative heights in their usual fashion but even they can't save that ending which I have never liked and also marked the official point where not even the venerable Jojo could deal with its own navel gazing bullshit and I can say this is going to get worse going forward.

9. Sarazami
Ah yes, it has been a while since we got a new series from the master of batshit abstraction, Kunihiko Ikuhara, but here we are and he has expanded his range to focus on Boy's Love and the results are pretty impressive. Indeed choosing the motif of the Kappa lends well to the subject matter and let us be honest here 5/6 of the reason is probably the eating ass with about 1/6 as a parable to difficulties of being a LGBTIQ+ boy. Probably also Ikuhara's most accessible work or at the very least its bluntest, a bit unfortunate there, but when you want to actually get your point across, you need to drop the sledgehammer.

10. Vinland Saga
As I postulated above, this is a very bold and fresh era for shonen as seen from other titles and indeed this one which is a better Attack on Titan then Attack on Titan ever was, yea, I said that, don't at me. Mind you the reason that this is jerking the curtain is because Thorfinn is a thoroughly annoying little shit but this series had the good sense to not make him completely fucking useless save when the plot is required for him to be a badass. Thorfinn, much like those around them, is an actual examination of the themes of toxic masculinity, war, glory, finding peace without succumbing to the traps that it could fall into, at least, for this season.

 

[zulux21]

I see voting time has been extended for some reason and I guess I shall be updating this list over the course of that time.

1. Ascendance of a Bookworm
Given how many big name shonen titles are going to be populating, it is a bit astounding that the best anime of 2019 should be this low key iseaki show which thankfully throws out most of the tropes and conceits and delivers to us a rich world that has a flavoring akin to Spice and Wolf. Main is also quite a wonderful character and bonus points for having Lutz not only be not awful but actually an enhancement to the program.

Click to shrink...

this one is still on my short list to check out for this year. I was just waiting for the dub to get a bit more into it as I can deal with a slower set up much better dubbed. and then I will just burst the rest of the series if I enjoy it.

 

[Pellaidh]

I didn't really get to watch all that much stuff this year, and some of the shows I did watch weren't even good enough to be worth putting on any sort of list. This year was very much a quality over quantity year for me: the top 3 shows were all incredible, but that's about it.

1. Mob Psycho 100 Season 2 - When the first season of Mob Psycho came out, it instantly became one of my favorite shows of all time thanks to its incredible visual style, unmatched animation, and incredible writing. So when its second season was anounced, I was a bit skeptical. Thinking that there's no way they can actually improve upon the perfection of the first season.

Well, they absolutely did. Somehow, Mob Psycho season 2 manages to look even better than its predecessor while retaining its great writing. It has absolutely everything: good character development, an incredible visual style, some of the best fight scenes in the medium, and writing and visuals that know how to be restrained when necessary while also going all out when the story demands it.


2. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Kaguya-sama finds itself in a somewhat similar situation to the above: If Mob Psycho is my favorite show, then Kaguya-sama is my favorite manga. It is at the same time incredibly funny while also being an actually touching and well told romance story that manages to subvert pretty much all of the genre's annoying tropes. To say actual good romance writing is rare in rom-com mangas would be a massive understatement, but Kaguya managed to do it somehow.

And like with Mob, I was doubtful when an anime adaptation was announced. Except much more so, because there was really no reason to beleive that the anime team could possibly do the source material justice.

And like with Mob Psycho, my worries turned out to be meaningless. Kaguya-sama is an absolutely incredible adaptation of the best rom-com manga out there. Unlike most soulless manga adaptations we have to suffer through, the team behind Kaguya somehow managed to take an already incredible source material and somehow make it even better, while at the same time playing to the strengths of the medium they were working on. Chiefly, the voice acting is absolutely incredible, and adds a ton to the overall experience, but smart visual and directing choices also help elevate the comedy.

The only real flaw with the show is that it's only 13 episodes long, which barely covers the introductory chapters of the manga. But with a second season already announced and more to hopefully follow, this shouldn't be a problem for too much longer.


3. Attack on Titan Season 3 - Attack on Titan, on the other hand, is basically the reverse of the above. In that I dropped it around halfway through season 2. I just didn't really care for it, and so much of it seemed like endless setup and teasing of mysteries that seemed like they would never be answered (and if they were, would probably suck hard or would feel like the author is just making stuff up). After all, that's how these sorts of shows usually go.

But season 3 managed to turn all of those expectations upside down. The characters became much more interesting, the visuals better, but most of all the story finally managed to reach an incredible and well earned climax, with all of the revelations feeling both logical and well earned.

Most shockingly, the show actually made me appreciate the previous seasons of it more. Because once you actually go back and look at them, you start to realize that the show has been quietly building up to its climax ever since episode 1. The author clearly had the overall structure of the plot figured out before he started writing the manga, and it shows: everything just fits together super well.

Additionally, this season also decided to move the focus away from Eren as the protagonist in order to focus more on its side characters, to great effect. What used to be a bunch of one note supporting characters were finally fleshed out, and actually became some of the best members of the cast.

Add to this the absolutely incredible visual setpieces, and you get one of the best shows of the year.


4. Fate Grand/Order - At this point, it's pretty clear what you're getting when you watch a Fate show: a bunch of really cool looking fights coupled with a boring and nonsensical story. And out of all the recent offerings, Grand/Order manages to stand out above the rest. Mainly because its fights are absolutely spectacular, even when compared to the rest of the franchise that was already known for good fight scenes. There's also way more of them at a rate of 1 per episode, so the ratio between fights and story is much better than the rest of the franchise.

So what this all boils down to is: watch this if you want to see some incredibly spectacular action setpieces.


5. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin - Advent of the Red Comet - I guess this is technically a thing that's eligible this year. Really, it's just a remake of the older Gundam Origin OVAs, but in a TV format. Which results in a bunch of weird pacing issues when longer OVAs have to be cut into TV-sized pieces. But other than that, it's still The Origin, which means it's still one of the best Gundam products you can watch.

 

[GeeseHoward]

1. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - A fantastic adaptation of one of the best romcoms around, it does everything right: Amazing animation and framing, great characters, believable relationships, great interactions, fantastic music and one of the best climaxes in any series. Top notch voice work too, casting Dio as Shirogane's father was an oh shit moment and it works so well.

2. High Score Girl 2 - First part was already fantastic but its here with all charachters grown up that their stories and struggles feel so real and earnest, even with the arcade setting dressing around it. Shame about the 3D tho, even if its oddly charming at times.

3. Mob Psycho 100 2 - Another sequel listed, Mob season 2 was somehow even better than before. Covering what i consider to be the peak of the story, season 2 features stunning animation, music, fantastic charachters and has some of the best sakuga ever seen in a TV anime, and it takes the story in interesting directions.

4. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Vento Aureo - Featuring in my top 10 2 years in a row, Jojo part 5 adaptation elevates the source material unlike any other part so far. You could tell everyone in the staff loved this part, and it shows. Fantastic colors, music, and some of the best shonen battles are given life in this adpatation when they felt absurdly confusing in the original serialisation. It is the ideal way to experience this part. Now bring on Stone Ocean.

5. 5toubun no Hanayome - Despite being an harem series, it ~manages to avoid all common mousetraps the genre always falls into, and it turns into a story about family more than about romance. The romance itself is also more believable and while a bit stereotypical, each of the quints feels distinct and with their own personality. I AM NOT HAREM TRASH OK?

6. O Maidens in your savage season - One of the best coming of age stories and it is refreshing to see one from so many female prespectives. Not everyone gets an happy end, and the end itself feels a bit rushed, but I thoroughly enjoyed in particular the beggining and middle of it.

7. Dororo - Despite not really giving it attention during it's first cour, I hopped in during a less busy second cour and ended up really liking it. The show can be gorgeous at times and has some really good action shots and charachter moments.

8. My neighbor is a cat - A really endearing and refreshing slice of life series. Decent charachters but the key feature is all the animal antics. It has a more serious tone than most pet cecntric shows tho, so be warned

9. Takagi S2 - This is just a feels good series. It can be simple, repetetive and at times boring, but it's so laid back I can't fault it for it. Nishikata also has the very valid excuse of being like 10 for his lead-like denseness.

10. Isekai Quartet - I Miss Konosuba

 

[Moara]

Anime TV Series
1. Sarazanmai - Ikuhara gracing us with his once a decade show, and it delivered. I loved those boys so much.

2. Mob Psycho 100 II - This started the year off so strong that I thought it would have number 1 on lock, and it almost did. This might be the best animated tv anime ever made, and the growth Mob goes through is fantastic.

3. BEASTARS - Studio Orange proving once again how great CG anime can be. The show has great cinematography and the characters are extremely emotive, which really holds everything together as the show is trying to do a lot. At some points it's a slice of life, murder mystery, romance, action thriller... it goes all over the place and it somehow works.

4. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 - I never thought this series could actually deliver on the big mysteries that have been hyped up for almost a decade now, but it did and so much more.

5. VINLAND SAGA - I really enjoyed this and I can't think of a recent series that left me wanting more as much as this one did. The characters are so interesting and charismatic that the show almost makes you forget that they are
complete garbage people. I could see this becoming WIT Studios next big hit after Attack on Titan finishes.

6. Run with the Wind - It's a pretty great character drama centered around running as a sport. It gets bonus points for being a complete adaption from start to finish in a single season, which you rarely see in anime these days.

7. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - I usually don't like romcoms, mainly because I dislike the 'will they, won't they' that is usually used a crutch. This show actually plays with that concept in the most hilarious way.

8. Zoku Owarimonogatari - It's pretty much an epilogue, and I can't say it was necessary for the series or anything, but I'll take more Monogatari either way.

9. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - This was some good ass shonen with Ufotable fully behind it, so it's no surprise it was such a big hit. Tanjiro is such a likable protagonist.

10. Dr. STONE - I already loved the manga, and this was a pretty good adaption. Kinda ends in an awkward spot but luckily a season 2 is already planned.

Honorable Mention
x. The Promised Neverland - I actually had a lot of problems with the adaption, especially how they handled Sister Krone, so it speaks to the source material that it still almost made my list.

x. Fire Force - This ended up being a lot better than I expected. It must have had a fantastic production, because the quality of animation was great throughout the entire run. The shaft-isms were all over the show and helped make it stand out from a more standard shonen anime. Tamaki is a terrible character that brings nothing to the series, but luckily the rest of the cast is very likable and makes up for it.

 

[Midnight Train]

Can I give all of my votes to Mob Psycho 100? Because I would if I could. Some of the best animation we've ever seen in a series, fully realized characters, heartfelt thought-out introspective story, great message, no racism/misogyny, speaks to me on a spiritual level, don't know what else to say.

HeroAca and Demon Slayer are great, love them both, but I couldn't say the same about racism/misogyny.

 

[Lotus]

but I couldn't say the same about racism

Click to shrink...

Wait what

 

[Midnight Train]

Wait what

Click to shrink...

There was a scene in the last few eps where Rock Lock has like a flashback of his wife and kid at home, and this may have been a poor translation I was reading when I watched it, but what I read was "It looks like genetics went too far in one direction" and my jaw hit the floor.

But in retrospect, might just have been bad translation. And to be honest I don't remember the show ever having any kind of racist undertones, but maybe that's because there's no people of color.

 

[Lotus]

There was a scene in the last few eps where Rock Lock has like a flashback of his wife and kid at home, and this may have been a poor translation I was reading when I watched it, but what I read was "It looks like genetics went too far in one direction" and my jaw hit the floor.

But in retrospect, might just have been bad translation. And to be honest I don't remember the show ever having any kind of racist undertones, but maybe that's because there's no people of color.

Click to shrink...

It's just a poor translation lol

 

[Moara]

yeah, you completely misinterpreted that scene lol

 

[AzorAhai]

1. Attack on Titan S3B - Absolutely incredible. Some episodes are masterpieces and it's becoming my favourite anime.
2. Vinland Saga S1 - Wow, I was not impressed at first but by the end of the season I was speechless. The writing in particular is phenomenal, I can't wait for season 2 and I will probably read the manga. Askeladd is my favourite character of the year, all media included.
3. Demon Slayer S1- Amazing discovery just like Vinland. I've started reading the manga but frankly the animation quality and soundtrack are a big part of the appeal.
4. The Promised Neverland S1 - Some adaptation missteps but the first arc is still very good.
5. Dr. Stone S1- Amazing concept, though I'm waiting for the story to take off.
6. Fruits Basket S1
7. One Punch Man S2
8. My Hero Academia S4
9. Lord El-Melloi II S1
10. Fire Force S1

Overall a damn good year filled with amazing first seasons.

 

[Deleted member 32561]

I've really fallen off of watching anime lately, and most of what I watched this year was actually from previous years or stuff I felt was schlock and never finished. As a result I... really only have a handful of nominations for the TV category AND exactly one in the movie category. Is this alright, or should I just not post them?

 

[phaze]

I've really fallen off of watching anime lately, and most of what I watched this year was actually from previous years or stuff I felt was schlock and never finished. As a result I... really only have a handful of nominations for the TV category AND exactly one in the movie category. Is this alright, or should I just not post them?

Click to shrink...

Post away. No need to have all the list spots taken.

 

[Lockheartilly9799]

1. Carole and Tuesday - This show is political, has proper racial and LGBT+ representation, and is charming as hell. These characters shine bright. The music is amazing. This show hits my damn soul. The magnum opus of the incredible career of Shinchiro Watanabe.

 

[munchie64]

An amazing year for anime. This was very hard.

Anime TV Series
1. Mob Psycho 100 II - More mature and better balanced, Mob's continued journey leads to his quest to become an individual and that idea spreads across the constantly growing cast. The action scenes are some of the best of the decade, constantly pulling movie quality animation with an emotional punch that makes you feel every attack.

2. Attack on Titan Season 3 - In my mind: one word can sum up Attack on Titan Season 3: Culmination. Of characters, of conflicts and of mysteries that have been set up since the very beginning. But closing the book isn't enough for this show, it also opens the world in a bigger way than ever before.

3. Beastars - This show is on another level in terms of character depth and topic complexity – to the point where its hardest scenes actually challenged me. This is not an easy watch, but it is an engaging one. The main romance is equal measures sweet and tragic in the way it challenges the various preconceived notions grafted on to the show's world from ours.

4. Vinland Saga - Tackles a broad range of themes from religion to war. While doing this, it also plays close to history, weaving fiction in and out of real events, locales and people. While doing this, it still has time for a cast of complex characters all with arcs set up for the long haul, including one of the best anime villains in a long time with Askeladd.

5. O Maidens in Your Savage Season - When this show works, there is almost nothing like it, perfectly balancing the ridiculousness and hilarity of viewing teen angst from the outside looking in with the realisation of how terrifying it is to be in the midst of it.

6. Sarazanmai - With only 11 episodes, it's amazing that Ikuhara manages to bring all his ideas and symbols into his most cohesive whole since Utena in 1997. While these ideas did not connect with me as much as his previous works, I appalled his ability to tackle such heavy topics in unique and interesting ways yet again.

7. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind - David Production steps up their game producing the best looking a sounding part so far, and Golden Wind deserves the love. Battles are constantly engaging and dynamic, employing more group fights and complex stand powers (the highlight being King Crimson vs Metallica). Additionally, the main cast feels more whole than ever before.

8. Kaguya-sama: Love is War - A game of love staring to dorky teens playing Death Note style psychological battles. This ever-evolving premise is bolstered by the genuinely sweet main romance, a cast that plays off this in hilarious fashion and engaging direction from the Mamoru Hatakeyama.

9. Stars Align - As a creative work, Stars Align displays the best the medium has to offer – a creative and thoughtful exploration of topics we wouldn't see anywhere else. That's why it's such a tragedy that from a production standpoint, it shows the industry at its worst.

10. Demon Slayer - Ufotable presents another shockingly beautiful fantasy, packed to the brim with A-grade production values. The source material is no slouch either, Gotōge's manga presenting a fast-paced and constantly escalating shonen with an engaging cast.

Anime Movie/OVA Series
1. Promare - Trigger's insanity at its best. Bold, unique and full of personality.
2. Dragon Ball Super: Broly - Everything I love about Dragon Ball in a beautiful package.
3. Weathering with You - Makoto Shinkai's best film, tackling down to earth themes with his massive scope.
4. Ride Your Wave - Yuasa's humanist lens tackles loss in a way only he can.

Honorable Mention
1. Carole & Tuesday - Watanabe's love for music shines through in this politically charged delight.
2. Run with the Wind - An amazingly written sports drama, that tackles all kinds of young adult issues.
3. Astra: Lost in Space - A classic sci-fi with engaging mysteries and diverse cast.
4. Dr. Stone - A constantly engaging and unique shonen, dampened a bit by a middling adaptation.
5. Given - A beautiful romance that shows the power of love over trauma.
6. The Promised Neverland - An intense thriller, with a world just waiting to be explored. The directing lets it down a little.
7. Ascendence of a Bookworm - My favourite isekai since Konosuba, smarter and more heartwarming than its peers.
8. Fruits Basket - A well made adaptation of a shojo classic. I look forward to the new stuff in Season 2!
9. Aggretsuko Season 2 - The surprisingly real office comedy continues, tackling even grander topics of Japan's adult life.
10. Dororo - Despite some really rough edges, still a thoughtful re-adaptation of a Tezuka classic.

 

[Babymomo]

I didnt watch that many so let me just give these :)

1: Kimetsu no yaiba(Demon Slayer): its truly everything i want in a show, not just an anime, the main is legit amazing.
2: Saranzami: BE GAY DO CRIME
3: Given: I just like watching pretty people making pretty art :)