Otakuism

Looking back, I guess I can say 2006 was an ok year anime wise. I finished a good number of series, most of which I can hardly remember so that’s not too good, and I started a blog to talk about said anime. However, for every one show I finished this year, I feel like there are three more I didn’t. It’s not that I have a huge backlog, it’s just that I seem to lose interest in shows and don’t feel like finishing them anytime soon. So when compared to anime I didn’t finish, the finished list is rather short. Then throw in stuff I did finish, but didn’t come out this year and…oh well. You get the idea. Here’s my picks for the best anime I watched this year, in whichever random categories I could think of.

Best ” Anime That Was Decent But Introduced Me to It’s Better Game “- Fate/stay Night

Before Fate/stay Night came out last January, I had the vaguest of ideas of who Type-Moon was. The only thing I really knew was that everyone said the anime for Tsukihime was crap. But then I got caught up in all the hype around FSN and decided to watch it. I enjoyed it and decided to look into TM and their games. TM’s been an addiction of mine ever since. The stories, characters, mechanics, it all just sucked me in. I’m now a Nasutard, and eagerly eat up any new announcement about a TM game, anime, figures, etc. I even got to finally play Tsukihime. I have FSN to thank for this. It may not of lived up to the game, but it had it’s moments (Garcher, ep. 26 ending song), so it wins for introducing me to the wider world of TM fandom, a world I’ve yet to turn back from.

Best ” Guilty Pleasure ” show - Demonbane

Anyone who read my early entries knows how much I love Demonbane. It’s the most perfect bad anime ever. The nonexistant plot, the bad cg mecha, the horrible sideburns on all the characters, the random loli fanservice. It was a show made to be mocked. The only good thing were the characters. Al, Hadou, Kurou, the butler, all so great. Best seen with a couple of friends to see who can make the most sex jokes. Cause there’s a ton of them. Also wins for finally getting me to read Lovecraft.

Best ” Overhyped but still good ” show - The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi

I’ve never been a member of Haruhiism. I’ve never rewatched the show after it finished. I don’t collect Yuki fanart (only Ryouko, cause she’s a psychotic maniac) and I abhor Mikuru with a passion (too much moeblob). Yes, Haruhi was a good show I enjoyed, whether it was because of the plot or the animation is up for debate. But it’s not the best show evar. It kept me occupied in the long spring months, so it served it’s purpose. For this it wins my overhyped but still good category. I’ll still watch the second season when it comes out though.

Best ” OVA ” - Diebuster

Because Nono is Loev.

Best ” OVA that didn’t come out this year but I finally saw ” - Gaogaigar FINAL

Because it’s made of hotblood and gar. And Renais has a hot ass.

Best ” Stylish/Artsy ” show - Black Cat

I’m probably one of the few people, that I know of, that liked the Black Cat anime. Maybe it’s because I never read the manga beforehand. People said it butchered the manga, and maybe it did. I’ve read some of the manga though, and let me tell you, it’s not shakespeare. But this isnt’ a best story category, this is about style, which Black Cat had plenty of. This was Gonzo’s artsy side at it’s best since Gankutsuou. Two episodes in particuar stand out to me: The one where Train has his final battle with Creed, and the last episode fight for Eve. Those were the highpoints of the series style, with the fights being the best. They were fast-paced and not like normal shounen fair where the stop every second. I still go back and watch those episodes just to enjoy the action. Gonzo did really well with this one (now let’s hope they do the same for Romeo x Juliet).

Best ” Show I’ll probably never finish ” - Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

I love blood and horror, but by the time Higurashi got around to Satoko the show was boring as hell to me. The constant resets may of been innovative, but after two I was through. I thought the HEAVEN OR HELL LET’S ROCK! thing would get me interested again, but that was also meh. The only good thing I got from this show is great Shmion twincest porn. Really, that’s all that matters.

MKM narrowly beats out Ouran Highschool Host Club for best comedy show. If Ouran didn’t have those annoying twin episodes it maybe would of won, but it’s hard to beat Miki, especially drunk Miki. Since I love both shounen and parody, a show that parodies shounen instantly wins for me. Even if the plot was ” Miki beats up everyone, doesn’t learn a lesson, rinse, repeat ” I still loved the whole thing. All the characters, Nya guy, Sensei aka. evil ghost, Megumi the assassin maid, Miki’s stronger than everyone mom, were so great. Also had one of the best OP’s of the year that I still listen to. I pray for the day this gets a second season.

Best ” Show Who’s Fansubs aren’t Done ” - ARIA the NATURAL

It’s hard to call ARIA a best anything since I haven’t even finish it yet, but it’s so good I have to give it something. What exactly is there to say about ARIA? It’s a show you experiance, not describe and analyse. It’s about three incredibly cute girls goofin’ around, it’s about how beautiful Neo-Venezia is and making you want to drop everything and book a flight to Venice, it’s about those magic moments in life we rarely experiance anymore. And for all that it wins a special place in my heart. Maybe not for the best show, but certainly the most touching one. Also wins for Alice, the most awesomest moe girl evar! Short hair Aika is also great.

Best ” Show of the Year ” - Black Lagoon (both seasons)

Hands down, Black Lagoon is the best anime I’ve seen this year. It has everything: action, drama, comedy, garness, engrish, necrophiliac crossdressing lolitwins. EVERYTHING. The first season was awesome, and the second one just made it better. The lolitwin arc and yakuza arc were both great. I’ve seen all the characters change, from Revy becoming softer, Rock more accepting, to Balalaika being nastier. Such a great cast of unique characters you won’t find anywhere else in animedom. Sadly we won’t see any new Black Lagoon anytime soon. It’s completely caught up with the manga, and that comes out kind of slowly. If there’s still interest maybe there will be a third season in a couple of years, but that’s forever in otaku time. I guess now I can only wish that either the manga is licensed or for it to be scanlated faster for my black lagoon fix.

Honourable Mention - Honey & Clover II

The first season of H&C is one of the best shows I’ve ever watched and I still think that. However, the second season just wasn’t as enjoyable to me. I liked the drama, though certainly there was lack of comedy, but the ending just left a sour taste in my mouth. Specifically, the Hagu/Takemoto/Shuuji storyline. The way the whole thing ended just felt stupid to me and ruined the rest of it. The bumbling Yamada/Nomiya relationship didn’t help at all either. So H&C II gets a mention for me, just becuase it’s descended from it’s better parent. It’s still a series I have problems with.

And since now it’s the last day of the year, I liked to wish everyone a happy new years, and best wishes for ‘07! I hope you’ll continues reading this crazy blog well into the new year. Also, just so you know, the girl in the yukata is actually a he. THANK YOU JAPAN!

Now please let there be a second season, and let it be like this.

Somehow I missed this, but earlier this week Media Blaster apparently mentioned they’ve licensed Muteki Kanban Musume aka. Noodle Fighter Miki. Also mentioned was Kashimashi and High School Girls. I kind of want to question the validity of this, as these statements were made in a press release concerning the second season of Oh my Goddess, but seeing how it’s a company spokesman it’s probably true. And here I always pegged Miki as an unlicenable show. Maybe if it’s popular enough someone will buy the damn manga from ADV and there can be more than one volume. Press release here on anime on dvd forums.

Oh, and just to get it out of the way there’s a second season of Haruhi next fall. Whoop de doo.

I’m having a hard time thinking of what exactly to say about Muteki Kanban Musume. As a mainly fighting-centric comedy show there’s not many ways to describe it beyond ” best fighting parody evar or bestest fighting parody EVAR?!”. Though really that sums up my thoughts fine. MKM was the best comedy series I’ve ever seen, beating out Ouran by a sliver. All the characters were perfect. I especially loved Miki. She could look cute one minute and be a’kickin ass the next. If ever there was a flawed protaginast she is it (she really relished beating people to a pulp). Amazing how such a low key work (this wasn’t kyoani animation quality) could become one of my favorite series of the year so far. Shows you how much I like violence. Please let there be a second season, third season, etc.! Now my favoite pics from the last episode.

Vain Miki is Vaaaaaaaaaaain.

Dere-Dere Miki.

Taradox!

I knew he was gay!

I prefer Jun personally.

I find Miki irresistibly cute here.

Yeah it’s not like your ruined for marriage. Yet.

All eroge conversions need to end like this.

Whole series in a nutshell.

Dynamic light bulb replacement!

Dynamic table repair!

Dynamic sweeping!

Dynamic table cleaning!

Dynamic fire!

Dynamic failure!

Just poppin in to say I’m still lovin MKM and 10 was the best episode yet. Kankurou vs. Megumi was DYNAMIC! (and the best animated fight yet I think). It even had the cliche line ” If we had met differently we could have been friends. ” so awesome.

As I’ve stated elsewhere in this blog I love camp. I love overly buff men fighting eachother in a post-apocalyptic wasteland for honor and all that stuff. I love exaggerated fighting moves with complicated names and dramatic reactions. This is why G Gundam is my favorite gundam series and why Muteki Kanban Musume is the best thing I’m watching right now.

Heaven or Hell! Let’s Rock!

Muteki Kanban Musume, or Noodle Fighter Miki, is a manga series that has been turned into an anime. It also turns out the manga is actually released in America. By who you say? ADV, so don’t expect to see it in the future. Hopefully tokyopop will take it it like it did ARIA (and I’m still waiting for the rest of Gunslinger Girl!). Our title hero Miki is the poster/delivery girl for her family’s ramen restaurant. She’s also the worst delivery girl in existence, continually getting distracted and losing the ramen. Miki is also the strongest person in the city and is regularly challenged by those around her.

They include Megumi, the poster girl of the bakery across from Miki’s family restaurant and expert at throwing sharpened sticks. Kankurou, the kid who Miki alway’s bullied and has returned after four year’s of Hard Train-I mean college to beat her. Of course compared to Miki he’s very weak and loses all the time. He also has the strange habit of ending all his sentences with Nya. Rounding out the group is Kayahara-sensei, the perpetually gloomy and suicidal teacher who everybody thinks is a ghost because she looks like Sadoko from the Ring. She also reminds me of Sayako from Mahoraba. She doesn’t really fight but tries to help because she’s a teacher. Finally there’s Akihiko, the only normal person and our narrator. Who also happens to be addicted to a power rangers ripoff.

And if all that wasn’t enough ep. 8 introduced the best evil villian EVAR! Hell Bunny, a bunny girl from hell I guess. The best part is that she has that anime haughty Hohoho laugh that Megumi has, leading everyone to think she’s the villian (of course Megumi likes thinking she’s the star). It was also fun seeing the generically weak pink ranger learn to become strong from god fighter Miki. We better see more of Hell Bunny-sama, seeing how she’s in the opening and all (it also seemed she could fight Miki equally, so that would be an awesome finale).

I’m sorry all my pics are blatantly from the op, but I’m just lazy. Inster have some Master Asia, whom I keep thinking about whenever I watch this.