This is the first "real" post on this blog in quite a while and honestly, I've missed writing about anime. So, with it being the end of the year, I had to come back to do that annual tradition of gathering up a handful of anime and ordering them in some type of list. With this being something I do annually, there was one last year that people can look at if they feel inclined to.
Looking over all the anime on my list, I can say there was an uprise of good horror anime that I am happy to see happening. I clearly shows that not all anime need to be sweet or positive, there can be room for those that make you tense up or contain offensive imagery. Even with this overall stop in blogging for myself, I haven't stopped watching as much anime as I have been since last year; with that I have watched a lot of good and a decent amount of bad anime this year. Which anime have fought their way to the top of my list? Continue reading and you will soon find out, and we will start with our normal too long, didn't read section and further expand from there.
For the Lazy
Top 10
- Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou
- Gin no Saji 2nd Season
- Grisaia no Kajitsu
- Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
- Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu
- No Game No Life
- Barakamon
- Akame ga Kill!
- Log Horizon 2
- Gokukoku no Brynhildr
Honorable Mentions
- Noragami
- Tokyo Ghoul
- Akatsuki no Yona
Explanation
Akatsuki no Yona
Shoujo anime are a lot less common compare to their manga counterpart, so when they do pop up, I usually give them a try. Unfortunately, they usually never really catch my interest for long and I just end up dropping them around that three episode trial. Akatsuki no Yona was one of those rare occasions where I felt compelled continue mostly because of the character Yona. Her journey from the ignorant princess she once was into a strong leader is something that I find a very interesting tale. Even if it isn't complete, I can see where this series is going and has built something that has great characters -- strongest being the female lead -- and a very rich, believable plot that I look forward to tune in to every week.
Tokyo Ghoul
In a world where it is mostly peaceful, there is a different kind of creature that looks and acts like any normal human only, it feeds on other humans. No one really can tell who is and isn't a human and that is the advantage of being what is called a "ghoul"; the only telling feature is they only crave human flesh and everything else taste fowl. However, by the time you notice something is off, you might not survive. Tokyo Ghoul does a great job setting up a haunting environment, but gets overshadowed by Kiseijuu coming out later in the year, and doing a better job with similar elements; I felt this was one of the major reason Tokyo Ghoul isn't on my top ten list. Plus the way this anime develops their protagonist isn't as well thought out, but I am looking forward to next season to see what happens with the new Kaneki Ken.
Noragami
At first glance, Noragami may have seemed like a silly anime with crazy, over the top character but it quickly turns into an anime with quite a bit of drama. With all these different gods wondering around the human world, like they are nothing more than human, it made for an intriguing concept. Of course there are gods that represent good things, but there are also ones that represent the bad and some have their issues with each other. There is a good amount of inner and outer conflict -- as well very crazy antics mix in-between -- that made Noragami really entertaining as well as emotionally investing to watch.
Gokukoku no Brynhildr
Gokukoku no Brynhildr was one of those anime that got my heart beating with suspense. Seeing as these no-so-normal girls, who have come to Murakami Ryouta, are pretty much always in danger despite them being stronger than any regular human. Having to worry about the looming treat of being captured, killed, or just dieing from not taking their medicine on time, really felt like something I've never experienced. The only things is, funny enough, I did find out that this story was written by the same mangaka who wrote Elfen Lied and instantly I could see the similarities. Despite that, I had a really enjoyable experience in the suspense filled ride that is Gokukoku no Brynhildr.
Log Horizon 2
Last year, Log Horizon was on my honorable mentions mostly because in the time frame that the list was written, Log Horizon was just starting to show it's potential. Now that we are into the second season and elements that I wanted back in the first season -- mostly psychological -- have started to show up, I'm more comfortable putting this anime into my top ten. I would say the best thing about this anime is the pacing that it introduces different parts of the story. From the inner working of this game to the point of actually care about the world, to the politics and economy of running a city previous ran by some computer program. Of course the story and characters are great, but I would stay that Log Horizon knows when to wrap up an arc when it's starting to linger and introduce new things to the story when needed.
Akame ga Kill!
With the subject matter being so relevant, that being most of the world's government being shown to be corrupt, Akame ga Kill! was something that grabbed my attention extremely quick. And with an anime focusing on action, it delivered on that with buckets of blood. Now, I'm not normally one to watch action anime because the story driving it's violence is mostly weak, filled with character only really out for revenge or lust for power. Well I'm not going to lie and say Akame ga Kill! didn't have that, but with that lack originality in the air, there was still this overarching goal of removing that corrupt government forcefully. The fact that the main goal was both emphasizes and integrated nicely into the plot help make this one a good time to come back to every week.
Barakamon
At first read of the description being a struggling calligrapher trying to find himself in a new environment, I didn't really expect much. So with that initial attitude toward Barakamon, I was pleasantly surprised at how funny this slice-of-life turned out to be. There aren't that many anime set in the country side of Japan or not that many I've watched; so with many of the characters have heavy accents and being very energetic compared to the city dwelling Handa Seishuu, Barakamon has a lot of charm. With that charm, it lead me through a journey of laughs as well as lessons that seemed to surprise me in the laid back genre known as slice-of-life.
No Game No Life
With the everlasting battle to make characters unique -- or at the very least memorable -- while keeping an interesting story, there is always this balance that needs to be made for characters that start out strong. In the case of Sora, he is one of those character that I would consider overpowered. The thing that made No Game No Life entertaining to watch is the way the battles would be structured to make it feel like Sora and Shiro are being cornered. Of course in the end they would win with some type of well thought out explanation, but the process of getting there is what makes all the games and stakes wagered feel more important. And that is where No Game No Life shines, it can be pretty intellectual at times, but it can also appeal to those that like their characters OP.
Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu
One of the most interesting types of storyline, in science fiction, is when humans meet something that is around or above their intelligence level. The reason why I say this is because it usually allows for a conversation of integrating with or dominating of said new species. What Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu -- or Parasyte for short -- did was have these intelligent species feed on humans, making it a modification on the zombie troupe but in a different light. Add with a main character that is essentially a mix of human and parasite, it leads to a very interesting delve into the human psyche to question what is human and where does our protagonist land in this spectrum of human and parasite if there is much of a difference.
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
Music anime tend to been really good, or at least the ones I've watched, and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is no exception. The thing that stood out to me the most is the fact that it is heavily focus on music yet, Arima Kousei struggles with playing his instrument of choice, the piano. So with that inner conflict and someone as bright and positive as Miyazono Kaori pushing Kousei to play the piano again, there is this atmosphere of hopefulness. So with the mix of color and sound to influence the mood of each scene -- whether that is musical or otherwise -- Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso really is a really well crafted music anime in it's own right.
Grisaia no Kajitsu
You tend to know how well written a psychological drama is by the impact it has throughout the season. Grisaia no Kajitsu started out very eerily with a mysterious male protagonist and a school that is marketed as "normal", but we all know that there is something off about everyone attending it. So with that precedent, there was a strange shift toward comedy that worked out overall for development characters and how they interact. With the comic relief as a cushion, the several horrific experiences of the five girls troubled past, really landed hard for even a battle hardened person like myself. Although I end up feeling like I was cheated by the short backstory for my favorite girl, Sakaki Yumiko, the majority of this anime was a very engaging experience.
Gin no Saji 2nd Season
Like most new seasons, I when into Gin no Saji 2 -- or more commonly known as Silver Spoon -- expect it to cover a few subjects left either hanging from last season or never mentioned. The most obvious of the issues was Hachiken Yuugo and the problems he has with his parents; and that was something that was covered enough to satisfied me to even write a blog post about it. The other was developing Mikage Aki as a character and that was something around the end, and I would say is was something that was needed. It helped me become more invested in the series. Silver Spoon as a whole is still a really great series that I can't wait for the next season for, but this year it won't be taking the top spot in my heart like it did last year.
Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou
I'm quite surprised at how fast Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou became the most enjoyable anime for me in 2014. I found myself having a goofy smile on my face throughout most of the episodes and don't think I've felt like that since I watched Kokoro Connect back in 2012. What this anime does well is not only have great, memory character that interact in a humorous and believable manner, but there is also wonderful relationship building. When even I think of the romance genre, there isn't that many anime that can pull of a scene that is both intense and work toward their eventual romantic goals. Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou seem to one of the few to nail an interaction, romantic or not, down to the letter. With something so well done, it really does speak wonders for the writing of each character. If this gets a seconds season, I want to see the relationship between Ritsu and Kazunari develop even further -- as well as see into the lives of the residents of Kawai Complex.