Ask John: What Were 2009’s Best TV Anime?
Question:
I look forward to Ask John’s picks for the best and worst anime of 2009. Umineko, I’m sure, will be mentioned in one of the two categories.
Answer:
Like many past years, 2009 was headlined by big events and titles; major shows and major hits. K-On set new Japanese records for the popularity of moé anime. Bakemonogatari became a cult sensation. Dragon Ball made an aggressive comeback while One Piece grew even more successful. The past year also saw the debut of a number of major theatrical features, including Evangelion 2.0, One Piece: Strong World, Macross F: The False Songstress, Summer Wars, Mai Mai Miracle, and the first new Yamato movie in nearly 20 years. To my disappointment, I haven’t been fortunate enough to watch a number of 2009’s most prominent feature films. So I’ll have to limit my analysis of the year’s anime to its TV series. Unlike previous years of recent memory, the best TV anime of 2009 have consistently been smaller, more intimate, less watched titles that have slipped in between the year’s bit hits.
I’ve almost certainly overlooked some 2009 televisied anime, but the year’s TV and internet broadcast anime titles I’m aware of number 163. Of that total, I’ve been lucky enough to watch at least one full episode of 151 of them. I’m aware that criticizing the quality of an entire series on the basis of one episode is irresponsible, but it’s also generally true that one episode can be enough to establish a broad appreciation for the goals of the program. So my list is subjective and should be regarded as a guide rather than a definitive conclusion. Furthermore, for clarification, I base my subjective criteria for “best” anime on critique of technical and affective merit, not popularity nor personal sentiment. This is not a list of the year’s most popular anime, nor is it a list of my personal favorite anime of 2009. My goal is to recognize the TV shows which I think exhibited the best combination of outstanding writing, visual design, animation, direction, sound, and editing. The margins between this year’s best anime TV shows are so slim that instead of ranking them, I’ll identify them in the order they premiered.
Cross Game introduced Mitsuru Adachi’s variety of sports themed relationship drama to a new generation of viewers. Benefiting from modern production values, the presently ongoing show is the nicest looking adaptation of Adachi manga so far. It’s also one of this year’s most addicting shows. The large cast consists of unique yet entirely believable characters whose relationships are charmingly stylized yet still natural and realistic. Cross Game is a show that pulls in viewers from the very first episode. And as the story unfolds, it allows viewers to literally watch the characters grow and mature. This is anime that understands that fan service, supernatural elements, slapstick gags, and moé aren’t mandatory components of a successful anime. Cross Game reminds us that all that’s necessary to craft an outstanding anime is a good story told well.
I may be allowing personal favoritism to influence my recognition of Hatsukoi Limited, but I honestly think the show genuinely was one of the year’s best. Anticipation for this series was low since it was based on a manga serial that got prematurely canceled. I’m not familiar with the original manga, but I can say that the anime was a wonderful surprise. This high school romance delved deeply into its characters, revealing their anxieties, hopes, and biases before showing us how experience and circumstance gently encouraged them to mature, develop relationships, and replace stereotypes and bias with understanding and respect. Along the way, the show also delivered a constant dose of capricious humor, lovely art design, and good animation.
Ristorante Paradiso is a rarity within anime. It’s a genuine adult romance. All of the series’ primary characters are adults. The show includes no sitcom, no comical misunderstandings. Like the adults they are, the characters talk to one another, sharing their stories and their hearts. Marriage is depicted as an ultimate, sacred bond to be cherished, protected, honored, and respected. Every episode of this show about the lives of the staff of a small restaurant in the heart of Rome was like a gourmet meal to be savored and appreciated. Wonderful art design, elegant music, and charming characters make Ristorante Paradiso an adult series for viewers that appreciate mature, realistic, affective, and subtely dramatic slice-of-life anime.
It may seem easy to nominate the show that deals with a provocative subject in a serious way, but comparison between Aoi Hana and Sasameki Koto reveals that there’s definitely a difference in the integrity and approach of 2009 anime that dealt with lesbian romance. Aoi Hana is a beautiful series, both in visual design and narrative. The topic of love developing between girls is illustrated tastefully, without any hint of judgement. Love is a powerful force, the series states, regardless of how it develops or where it leads. Aoi Hana is especially commendable for depicting precisely where love leads. Love, in Aoi Hana, leads to personal resolve, the strengthening of commitment, and the maturity of self-recognition. The show’s crisp watercolor look reflects its soft and warm tone surrounding strong feelings, and characters’ admirable determination to respect themselves and not be afraid of respecting their own feelings of affection, betrayal, brokenheartedness, and their determination to continue being themselves.
Within a year seemingly dominated by romantic dramas, Canaan burst forth as the most striking and captivating girls with guns show since 2001’s Noir. Outstanding visual design, frequent scenes utilizing skillful animation, exciting and brutal action, and a challenging, intelligent story make Canaan an exceptional and uniquely Japanese action anime. The show, throughout, is constantly tense and unpredictable. Characters die, and there’s never a certainty that even leading characters will survive until the end. The story is enigmatic, yet never obtuse. Relevatory details are dropped like breadcrumbs until the whole picture becomes clear. The highly stylized, Matrix inspired shootouts are grim, bloody, startlingly fast, and magnificently inventive. Although not flawless, Canaan comes close enough to being an ideal smart action series that it deserves high praise.
Most of the strength of the Kimi ni Todoke anime can be attributed to the strong original manga that it’s based on, but that doesn’t detract anything from the anime itself. Although this high school romance bears noticable similarities to earlier anime like Angel Densetsu, Yamato Nadesico Shichihenge, and Tokyo Marble Chocolate, it earns respect with its own charm and gentle humor. The show’s shoujo art design is distinctly approachable and fun. The story benefits tremendously from strictly keeping its characters and relationships realistic and beliveable instead of relying on stereotpyes and stock conflicts. We’ve seen the tentative underdog romance story countless times before, but Kimi ni Todoke is a reminder that execution is far more important than originality.
I’d feel remiss if I didn’t briefly mention a selection of admirable titles from this year that narrowly missed being among the year’s very best. Kemono no Souja Erin is a fascinating look at life in another world, but it suffers from a constant and tedious excessive use of flashbacks and recycled animation. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 would have been one of the year’s most outstanding productions save for one inexcusable, awful narrative decision that nearly ruins the entire show. The Wolf & Spice II, Zoku Natsume Yuujin-Cho, and Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei series were good, but not quite as good as their preceeding series. Ride Back and Higashi no Eden suffered from weak or missing endings. Kuchu Buranko may be the year’s most visually creative series, but it’s story development is only average.
I’m not fond of citing bad anime, but there’s still value in doing so because awareness of bad anime creates a balanced and objective impression of all anime. Thankfully, unlike previous years, there were no sheer disasters this year; no garbage, just poorly composed shows. Shangri-La and Tatakau Shisho ~ The Book of Bantora were heavily promoted and highly anticipated productions that turned out to be uninvolving, fractured failures. Despite prevelant claims that pandering and fan service are destroying anime, series such as Kanamemo, Princess Lover, Sora no Otoshimono, and Queen’s Blade: Gyokuza wo Tsugumono were filled with fan service and nudity and managed to be good or even excellent. Kiddy Girl-and, however, despite not including sex, nudity, or risqué fan service, took pandering to new lows. Umineko no Naku Koro ni exhibited a blatant contempt for the conventional characteristics of good storytelling. The show, seemingly knowingly, became an internet meme for ridiculous failure. It’s anime’s spectacular train wreck from which viewers can’t avert their eyes.
2009 TV & Internet Anime:
For reference, itallicized titles are ones that I haven’t watched.
07-GHOST
11eyes
Acerola-chan (web anime)
Afro Samurai Resurrection
Akikan!
Anymal Tantei Kiruminzu
Aoi Bungaku Series
Aoihana
Arad Senki ~ Slap Up Party
Asura Cryin’
Asura Cryin’ 2
Asu no Yoichi!
Bakemonogatari
Basquash
Battle Spirits: Shounen Gekiha Dan
Bukubuku Hour
Butazuka
CANAAN
Charady no Joke na Mainichi
Cheburashkua Arere?
Chi’s Sweet Home ~Atarashii Ouchi~
Cooking Idol! Mai! My! Main!
Cross Game
Dankai Curry Chu-Kara
Darker Than Black: Ryusei no Gemini
Dazai Osamu Tanpen Shosetsu-shu TV specials
Dragon Ball Kai
Druaga no Tou ~the Sword of Uruk~
Element Hunters
Examurai Sengoku
FAIRY TAIL
Fight Ippatsu! Jyuden-chan
Franny & Melanie Mori TV specials
Fresh Precure
Fullmetal Alchemist second series
Fuyu no Sonata ~ Winter Sonata the Animation
GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
Gokujo!! Mechamotte Iincho
Guin Saga
Gupu!! Mamegoma
Gokyoudai Monogatari
Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger
Hanasakeru Seishounen
Hatsukoi Limited
Hayate no Gotoku 2nd series
Hetalia Axis Powers (web anime)
Hidamari Sketch x365 EX TV Special
Hidamari Sketch x365 Tokubetsu Hen TV special
Higashi no Eden
Higepiyo
Himitsu Kessha Taka no Tsume Countdown
Hipira-kun
Hoshi ni Negai wo (web anime)
Inuyasha Kanketsu-hen
Jewelpet
Jungle Taitei: Yuki ga Mirai o Kaeru TV special
K-On
Kaidan Restaurant
Kampfer
Kanamemo
Karl to Fushigi na Tou
Kawa no Hikari TV special
Keihin Kazoku
Kemono no Souja Erin
Kiddy Girl-and
Kido Senshi Gundam Senki (web anime)
Kimi ni Todoke
Kiniro no Corda ~Second Passo~
Kobato
Koishigure ~Yoshitaka Yuriko to 6-tsu no Koi~
Kokekko-san
Konnichiwa Anne
Kotatsu Neko
Kotonagare Hero Gingerman
Koukako no Legios
Kuchu Buranko
Kurokami the Animation
Kuruneko
Licca-chan to Maho no Kuni (web anime)
Mahoromatic: Tadaima Okaeri
Mainichi Kaasan
Major fifth season
Maria-sama ga Miteru fourth season
Mariaholic
Mari & Gali
Metal Fight Beyblade
Minami-ki Oakeri
Miracle Train ~Ooedo-sen e Youkoso~
Monogatari Sennenki Genji
Naked Wolves
Natsu no Arashi
Natsu no Arashi! Akinai-chuu
NEEDLESS
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Purreza
Nyankoi!
Nyoron Churuya-san (web anime)
Okami to Koshinryo II
Ontama (web anime)
Otenba Lulu
Pandora Hearts
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~
Princess Lover!
Queen’s Blade ~Rurou no Senshi~
Queen’s Blade ~Gyokuza wo Tsugu Mono~
Resturante Paradisio
Ride Back
Rose O’Neill Kewpie
Saki
Sakuran DT Boy
Sasameki Koto
Seiken no Blacksmith
Seitokai no Ichizon
Sengoku Basara
Senjou no Valkyria
Sensou Douwa: Aoi Hitomi no Onna no Ko no Ohanashi TV special
Shangri-La
Shikabane Hime Kuro
Shin Koihime Musou
Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z hen
Shin Sanjushi
Shinkyoku Sokai Polyphonica Crimson S
Shugo Chara Party
Slayers Evolution-R
Sora no Manimani
Sora no Otoshimono
Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo
Sora wo Miageru Shojo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai
Souten Koro
Stitch! ~Itazura Alien no Daibouken~
Sugar Bunnies Fleur
Suzu-3-taro
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu
Suzumiya Haruhi-chan no Yuutsu (web anime)
Taiiku Soko
Taisho Yakyuu Musume
Tamagotchi!
Tatakau Shisho ~ The Book of Bantorra
Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity-
Tears to Tiara
Tegami Bachi
Tentai Senshi Sunred 2nd series
Tetsuwan Birdy Decode:02
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
Uchurei
Ukkari Penelope second series
Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~
Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
Unko-san -Tsuiteru Hito ni Shika Mienai Yousei-
Usaru-san
Viper’s Creed
Waimo-kun ~Kiiroi Kao Shite Babanban
Weiss Survive
Weiss Survive R
White Album
White Album second season
Yans! Gans!
Yawarakame
Yokuwakaru Gendai Mahou
Yume wo Kanare Zo
Yumeiro Patissiere
Zan Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei
Zoku Natsume Yujin-cho
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Although I watched all of it, Shangri-la was a severe disappointment for me. One of the things that sours me in an anime is moving into the realm of the supernatural when there were no great signs of the plot going that way.
Simply, Shangri-la was just poorly paced and written. I wish I could get the light novel to see if it was any better.
I had never disagreed with John’s lists so much. Tokyo Magnitude 8 was an excellent show from beginning to end and the dramatic turn at the last two episodes only made it deeper and meaningful. Perhaps John has NEVER IN HIS LIFE experimented a high scale earthquake and isn’t able to appreciate the edutainment elements at the beginning of the show?
On the other side; it’s incredible that the author missed the train wreck of Endless Eight who almost killed the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise and was the Internet phenomenon of the YEAR in the otaku community.
SO, uh, you have to be in an earthquake in order to better appreciate a show? Imagine all the violent shows I would enjoy better if I got a limb blown off or my face dismembered! Come on! He didn’t like it. I don’t think tectonic plates shifting are going to change that.
Also, people complained about Endless Eight and called it ridiculous, but does that translate to fewer people wanting to watch Haruhi? I find that a lot of people are hypocritical in how they sound off on things and how they actually take action.
I am impressed that John has basically seen every show on the list.
Asura Cryin and Bakemonogatari were the only ones I watched. After looking at the preview for the winter season of 2010 I just feel there is nothing I’m gonna like for awhile. I guess that’s why I drop in and out
of the anime scene. I’m sure it’s fun for people who have a wide taste(john does for sure) but others it seems like a long wait till you get what your
waiting or hoping for.
Obviously there are some good shows in that list and some possible great ones but nothing like Berserk, Samurai Champloo, Le Chevalier D’Eon where is the classic mature stuff. Theres usually atleast one every couple seasons. I’m not talking about Code Geass or FMA either.
I guess the question made me reflect on the past year in anime for myself.
Any news on whether Aoi Hana will be picked up for R1 release any time soon? I’d really like to see this series!
I’d like to definitely give you a thanks for giving props to the woefully underwatched and underrated Hatsukoi Limited. It tells a great story of first loves without falling into the cliche deathtrap.
Other personal underdogs that I liked this year were Sora no Otoshimono and Seitokai no Ichizon, which got bad raps from their first episodes.
Just a heads up, you forgot Seitokai no Ichizon on your 2009 list
For the most part I agree with John’s picks and would like to add to the appreciation of Hatsukoi LImited, a show that is so easy to dismiss due to stereotyping, but was by far the sleeper hit of the year for me.
The one thing I found surprising however, was John’s lack of comment on the end of Canaan, and, IMO, the narrative collapse of the show. He also didn’t make note of what I feel is the most noteworthy aspect of the show, and that is the antagonist Alphard, one of the best I’ve ever seen in anime and easily stole the show away from the rest of the cast. Regardless, I do agree that Canaan is a show worth noting.
I loved the first quarter of Basquash, but then it got too serious for its own good.
Hatsukoi Limited was surprisingly great.
Endless Eight was brilliant for other reasons. The people who have the nerve to re-tell a story eight times in a row with minimal changes from episode to episode are friggin’ genius. It’s a gimmick that got me to watch the entire Haruhi series (which I had never seen), which I now love. The people behind Haruhi are some of the best storytellers out there, anime or otherwise.
Higashi no Eden was my overall favorite of last year. Can’t wait for the movies.