Interest

Japanese Fans Polled on Favorite Mid-Season Spring 2016 Anime

The Japanese anime, manga and video game character database Charapedia conducted a survey of fans' favorite spring 2016 anime a month into the season. (Technically, the question was "Which anime would you like to keep watching next week?") The survey was carried out from April 28 to May 4 and canvassed 10,000 people. 61.1% of the respondents were male; 69.5% were in their 10s and 20s.

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress conquered the top spot with 572 votes. It won praise for its appealing setting, its high-quality art, music and animation, and the unpredictability of its plot. "The first episode gave me goosebumps," one voter opined. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- won second place with 564 votes; fans appreciated its original setting within the journey-to-another-world genre and were intrigued by the hooks at the ends of each episode. Third place went to Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto with 552 votes. Its fans loved Hikaru Midorikawa's voice work as the protagonist, Sakamoto, and the character's stylishness. "It's the anime I most laugh at this season!" one wrote.

Here is the complete list:

1. KABANERI OF THE IRON FORTRESS, 572 votes
2. RE:ZERO -STARTING LIFE IN ANOTHER WORLD-, 564 votes
3. HAVEN'T YOU HEARD? I'M SAKAMOTO, 552 votes
4. Bungo Stray Dogs, 483 votes
5. And you thought there is never a girl online?, 442 votes
6. Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear, 431 votes
7. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable, 404 votes
8. Haifuri, 393 votes
9. Tanaka-kun is Always Listless, 311 votes
10. Flying Witch, 283 votes
11. My Hero Academia, 269 votes
12. Joker Game, 267 votes
13. Macross Delta, 228 votes
14. The Lost Village, 214 votes
15. Kiznaiver, 177 votes

Here is the tally among men only:

1. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (461)
2. And you thought there is never a girl online? (368)
3. Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear (360)
4. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (356)
5. Haifuri (352)
6. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable (271)
7. Flying Witch (253)
8. Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto (240)
9. My Hero Academia (179)
10. BAKUON!! (155)

Here is the tally among women only:

1. Bungo Stray Dogs (414)
2. Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto (312)
3. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (216)
4. Tanaka-kun is Always Listless (186)
5. Joker Game (185)
6. Kiznaiver (136)
7. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable (133)
8. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (103)
9. Super Lovers (96)
10. My Hero Academia (90)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure topped Charapedia's poll of most anticipated spring 2016 anime. Kabaneri is a surprise success; it did not rank on either the male, female, or combined lists of the "most anticipated series" survey.

Source: Charapedia; Images from Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress official website, Kissa MOB-tei and Bungo Stray Dogs official website