Forum - View topicYour Top 5 Anime of 2014 (And Ours)
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fireaxe
 Posts: 503 Location: Trois-Rivieres, Canada |
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In no particular order:
- Shirobako - Engaged to The Unidentified - Log Horizon - Yuki Yuna is a Hero - Hanayamata - Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun I cheated a little and picked 6 titles for now, since the composition of my true top 5 will vary depending on YuYuYu's last three episodes. I'm not even 100% sure which of the other 5 is on the bubble right now... There were so many great new titles this year it's been a really good year for me as a fan. |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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Just to be fair, Carl, Hope and yourself all gave the first episode a 4 or better rating and Gabriella (the series reviewer) basically gave an "A" grade to the entire series EXCEPT the final episode (which she gave a "C"). Some excerpts from the first episode thoughts:
I was being somewhat sarcastic with my original post (there are people on here that I'm sure would instead actually mourn the insipid tripe that Watanabe was reduced to doing to pay bills if he actually made the hypothetical show), but it also seems a bit disingenuous to say "hey this recent show was terrible and we all called him out on that". (especially since your main issue with TiR seems like it wasn't ballsy enough with it's political message, and considering what's going on here in the US with "The Interview" right now, there can be (as you noted) a billion reasons behind that) EDIT: just as an aside, I think any media with an "overt" political message is not a good example on which to base a point. While I'm not claiming it is definitive, I read a recent article on how "politics" can skew LOGICAL thought. The example given in the article is people were given a math problem and then later given (essentially) the SAME problem but written with a political component to it, and people who were able to solve the problem before were not willing to give the correct answer if it conflicted with their political ideology. It's an interesting hypothesis regarding selective bias. Last edited by HeeroTX on Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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How is pointing this out "fair" to what I was saying? Yeah, I don't blindly condemn his work either and thought the first episode had some promise (and Kanno's score is good regardless of the show itself). That's a preview guide entry. You're trying to ding me for... what, not using my Nostradamus powers to know ahead of time the show would turn out bad? Gabriella liked it a lot more than I did. The show wound up being very divisive. Pointing this out as some kinda "gotcha" - like, what is your point? We should've known ahead of time? It's dumb to say that all critics just blindly love Watanabe's stuff. It's dumb to say that fans like you blindly love anything with pandering tropes in it. These blanket statements hold very little truth and in this case they're only there to prop up these bad-faith, frankly stupid arguments about how Space Dandy is objectively bad or something and the only reason anyone would disagree with that is the result of some mass blindness to Watanabe's flaws among critics or some other conspiratorial tripe. They liked the show, you didn't. It really is that simple. There's no grand scheme. When you disagree with me on something I don't need any explanation for it other than "you liked it, I didn't" to understand why. I'm not sure why you need more than that. |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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I NEVER said that all critics blindly love his stuff, I never even said all ANN critics blindly love his stuff, unless you're the one claiming that "some people on this site" speak for everyone. And this is a thread EXPLICITLY FOR discussion about how some people rated certain shows, why the **** are you getting bent out of shape about questioning why certain shows got rated a certain way? Is it a valid point that Watanabe works are sacrosanct, that people look at the DVD case and see "from the director of Cowboy Bebop" and just say "automatic A+++, no need to even watch"? No, that's ridiculous and I don't believe it for a second. Do I think there's some secret shadowy "fandom cabal" that's decided Watanabe is the new Miyazaki and he's getting the (to use WWE parlance) "push into the main event"? No, but brilliant strawman deflection there. Do I think some people look at a show with obvious flaws and either overlook them or even laud them because they like, respect or otherwise appreciate the production team? Yes. If you're saying you don't, then you're a model to us all. I do. I can name a half dozen series that are intellectually not very good or that I don't "really" like all that much but that I either own or "rank" higher because certain people worked on them, but if anyone asks I can totally look them in the face and tell them that and have done so. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Oh, settle down. I'm disagreeing with your premise and stating why. Now you're all fired up about it and I don't want to fight. It's Christmas.
I'm done, have a nice holiday. |
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AnimeKnight2034
Posts: 46 |
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I sure hope Watanabe-san isn't reading this or he'll know how close us True Fans are to uncovering his dastardly plot. The plot that Watanabe, Betrayer of the Homeland (where something isn't good unless it reaches five figures on plastic disc sales and/or a line of body pillows - true objectivity reached via capitalism), has been planning from the head of his shadow council for over a decade now. He'll know that we're aware that he sits there, face obscured, arranging his network of contacts to send checks and Ein plushies to anyone who gives Space Dandy a 10 on this very website (talk about invasion of privacy!). But we mustn't let him know that we are on to him or this will all be in vain and we'll lose him again. The Traitor to the One True Culture must be brought to justice and pay for his crimes of appealing to a different audience than the one that was prophesized long ago to rule. Soon, very soon, this so-called Champion of the Lesser Fan will fall and us True Fans with our Superior Taste will reign supreme.
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puppy1843e
 Posts: 101 |
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Rebecca, I kinda want to marry you for putting the World is Still Beautiful on your list and Yona as well. We have similar tastes, but I feel that the World is Still Beautiful is one of the most underrated shoujo anime of the year. I know I didn't watch it as it was airing mainly due to the age difference between Livi and Nike. But boy, did I get it wrong. A month ago I caught it on Crunchyroll out of pure boredom and ended up watching the last 3 episodes over 5 times. Really though, you are awesome for mentioning it.
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Ali07
 Posts: 3333 Location: Victoria, Australia |
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I'm with you when you mention the open endings for Witch Craft Works, One Week Friends, Blue Spring Ride and Inari Konkon. All those are series I really enjoyed, but all need (at least) a 2nd season to finish things up. I'd even consider buying the manga, due to my enjoyment of the anime, just to be able to follow them to the end. I've yet to fully convince myself to jump into Witch Craft Works, but am leaning towards getting into it soon. And, I don't think the others have been licensed...? So, my main point is this, I disagree with you on the two I've quoted. 
Kawai Complex, for me, was mostly about the antics of the cast, and the (potential) romance between the MCs was always secondary. I actually love the ending they used for this series. Engaged to the Unidentified is similar. A comedy that does have a romance element...and, I think that where they left things between the MCs was great. While I feel like Kawai Complex had more of a slow build between the MCs, and Engaged kind of brought it more to the fore in the 2nd half, both left me rather satisfied. I'm one that, almost always, has to have a confession or something to solidify the main couple in a series that involves romance. So, I'd have to say that my enjoyment of the ends for both Kawai Complex and Engaged are anomalies. I can't think of any other series where I'm happy with these types of endings when romance is involved. At the end of it all, I wouldn't be against a 2nd season coming along to really solidifying things in the end. But, I'm more than happy where things were left and will be buying these 2 when they see release. And, as things stand, that means that I'll be importing 2 more Sentai titles... Of course, all that has been said as I'm working off the assumption that you were left unsatisfied as to where things ended on the romantic side of things. 
*Puts up hand* I actually did buy it, along with another manga (which is also a TP series) and a couple of anime series, due to RightStuf's sale. Only after having already made my order did I realise that it was made by the same mangaka as Yona (which is a show I've been enjoying, but need to catch up on). Last thing, I'm hating myself for not mentioning My Neighbour Seki-kun in my earlier post. Fun series and really used the shorter format to it's fullest IMO. |
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EmperorBrandon
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 2215 Location: Springfield, MO |
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My top 5, in somewhat nebulous order:
1. The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior 2. Hanayamata 3. Inari Konkon Koi Iroha 4. Barakamon 5. Selector Infected WIXOSS Close: Encouragement of Climb II, Blue Spring Ride Otherwise highly regarded: When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace, Wake Up Girls, Yuki Yuna wa Yusha de Aru, Sabagebu, Invaders of the Rokujyouma!?, Parasyte -the maxim-, Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, Amagi Brilliant Park, No Game No Life My favorites weren't among the biggest vote getters in the poll, except for the pleasantly surprising showing of Barakamon, but I'm in with at least around a few hundreds with the others, which is not bad. Was happy to see some staff list recognition of Hanayamata too. |
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SailorTralfamadore
 Posts: 499 Location: Keep Austin Weeb |
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Since I said in my list that I had trouble choosing that fifth spot, if you were wondering what my other contenders were, they were (in rough order):
Shirobako Rage of Bahamut Barakamon If I were going to turn that into the bottom half of a top 10 I'd probably add Fate/stay night or Free! Eternal Summer. Maybe Garo, that show has become interesting and inspired as the season has worn on. |
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ikillchicken
 Posts: 7272 Location: Vancouver |
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Not much point in repeating my top 5 in detail. It's more or less gonna be some combination of Space Dandy, Ping Pong, Parasyte, Fate/Stay Night, Rage of Bahamut. Can't really speak to the order since a lot of those are still ongoing too. And Mushishi, Tokyo Ghoul and (most of) Shirobako are still on my to watch list. Instead, let me do something different:
Top 3 shows that didn't make any of the staff lists: #3) Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior Look, it has to be said: About a 3rd of this show is the typical anime comedy garbage. Ayaka gropes people. Mayumi gets drunk and beats up the guys. Everyone overreacts, blushes and is very loud and frantic which is apparently funny. It's not particularly painful or unpleasant but if you're like me you're gonna spend some time sitting there like "Yup. Okay. Let's just sit quietly for a minute while they get this over with." But here's the thing: It's pretty worth it. The rest of this show is quite strong. For starters, it's pretty funny sometimes. Kinosaki, the pervert, is actually hilarious most of the time. And he never does any of the awful sex offender stuff you see out of such characters normally. And Ritsu is adorable without trying too hard to be (which is usually what stops most characters from being adorable). The neat thing though is that Ritsu is also an extremely well written character. Shy characters in anime tend to be terrible. Usually shy means ridiculously shy little moe girl who can barely speak. But she comes across as believably awkward. She's not like, impossibly shy. She's just really quiet and mumbly and disengaged from other people. She act like, rather true to life I think, she simply isn't sure what's expected of her or how to proceed in social situations. She's actually one of the most believably written introverted characters I've seen. And the show hits the perfect balance in understanding her desire to connect with people sometimes but without falling into the trap of treating her introverted nature like something that Usa needs to fix so she can be a proper, normal person. She just likes to be alone sometimes and that's okay. But that doesn't mean she wants to be alone all the time. I like Usa too, not as a person but as a character. Usa is...a bit of a tool at times. But the show knows it which is what makes him interesting. And he usually does learn and grow through his interactions with Ritsu. It's neat to see him grow closer to her as he also moves away from being that obnoxious teenage loser who has completely fallen in love with this idealized version of a girl he doesn't even know and starts treating her like a real person. #2) Noragami Very nice presentation. Well animated with some sweet music. Very slick action scenes. Great monster designs too. In some ways, its almost more impressive that a show like this, without a particularly out there, stylized art style, is just such fun to look at. Yato is a lot of fun and makes hands down the best entrances of any character in recent memory. (Just watch the show, you'll see what I mean). I like the characters too. Again, Yato is goofy and entertaining but not to such an over the top extent that he becomes just a walking gag and not still a character. Hiyori is really great too. She's fun and might just be one of the better strong female leads I've seen in a while (although she gets a bit gutted as the show goes on which is disappointing). The writing is generally solid if a bit inconsistent especially in the second arc. It's still pretty enjoyable (especially the conclusion in episode 9) but it feels rather like it is built on a fairly contrived premise. The third arc is also a little bit of a mixed bag. Not as up and down but feels like this arc is just a stand in to round out the series run-time since they don't have time to start anything else. I don't know if this is happening at this point but I'd like to see a second season here for sure. #1) Nobunagun Hellsing. The original TV series. That's basically the vibe and appeal I get here. And that is awesome. Gorgeous, stylized art design. Just the right balance of exaggeration and restraint to keep it from getting too busy. Beautiful use of color. Despite most of the show being very dark and shadowy it still has a ton of pop. And a pretty nice eye for visual composition. Some nice inventive stuff I thought. Fantastic music too. Super high energy rock and metal that really gives the action some oomph. Fantastic sound in general actually. It's not very often that a series captures the appropriate loudness for this kind of action. And the action is fantastic. Of course, its not super high budget stuff. But they know exactly how to use shortcuts, that is, with enough energy and visual flair, that you barely notice. (And there's not a hint of CG anywhere) Also, the plot is completely ridiculous in the best possible way. It even makes the whole name dropping thing work by being so ridiculous and unexpected about it. Ogura is quite likable and I thought her friendship with the other girl was decently handled. And her relationship with Jack is cute too. Mind you, there are a few minor flaws. The humor can be hit and miss and there are a few minor characters I'm not fond of. And there's no denying that the middle of the show gets pretty episodic and meandering and isn't quite as strong as the first few episodes. Things definitely pick up again as they move toward the conclusion though. And the ending is quite solid. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18435 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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^
Oh, Nobunagun absolutely would have been on my list if I were listing favorites. I think it's got one of the single best heroines of the year, one of the best "best friend" characters, one of the year's cutest couples (Sio and Jack), and one of the single best episodes of the year (its second, which I've probably rewatched 8 or 9 times). However, that sponginess in its center and the other minor flaws you reference are precisely why it doesn't make the grade as one of the best. |
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kenshinflyer
 Posts: 58 Location: Philippines |
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My Top 5 picks for 2014: Parasyte, Nisekoi, Sailor Moon Crystal, Silver Spoon 2, Celestial Method
My Secondary Top 5: Trinity Seven (supersedes No-Rin), Noragami, Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, Bokura wa Minna Kawai Sou (supersedes Initial D Final Stage), Tokyo Ghoul. And, yes, I agree: Bokura wa Minna Kawai Sou should be in the list. Last edited by kenshinflyer on Fri Dec 19, 2014 8:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar  Posts: 16963 |
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Just......what? Maybe it's the cold I'm developing but I can't tell if you';re being serious or not. If you're joking, that's a long thought out joke. If you're serious....I need a drink. Maybe 5. As for my top 5, I have to admit I have not seen over 50% of the new shows this season. Work and holidays and family health issues have taken up much of my time. As has trying to find a new place to live. But out of the shows I have seen I'll list my top 5. To make it clear I am rating them in terms of personal enjoyment, Not what I would consider to be the "best" as in award worthy show. I admit some of my favorites are not the most impressive titles but they were the most entertaining to me. 5. Brynhildr in the Darkness 4. FSN Unlimited Blade Works 3. Your Lie in April 2. Mushi-shi season 2 1. Psycho Pass Honorable mentions go to Log Horizon, Barakamon, Terror in Resonance, and Noragami. The rest either didn't make the cut (Aldnoah Zero for example), I haven't finished (Space Dandy), or I haven't started (SAO II for example). |
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konqueror
Posts: 129 |
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So, a ranking... let's see:
1.- UBW 2.- Jojo 3.- Amagi 4.- any other show 5.- any other show That would do. |
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