Ask John: What Were the Best TV Anime of 2013?

After so many years of composing “Ask John” articles, I now feel as though sharing my retrospective observations on each year is a personal tradition. Appreciably in recent years, and especially in 2013, the English speaking fan community audibly bemoaned the lack of creativity and originality prevelant in anime production. In response, I believe that refusing to recognizing unique, innovative, creative, original, and provocative anime is sheer hypocrisy. Five anime television series this past year excelled in innovation, creativity, uniquness, and artistic provocation. I’m going to also supplement my list with an additional two-way tie recognizing a pair of additional titles that were simply too good to ignore. However, breaking with widespread wisdom, I’m not going to nominate Shingeki no Kyojin as one of the year’s best anime.

Attack on Titan is the runaway fan favorite pick of the year, and the show is certainly not without merits. However, I find the show a too-easy obvious pick and also find the show highly compromised. American viewers naturally gravitate to Shingeki no Kyojin because the series contains everything that American fans adore about anime. The series features a male protagonist who’s psychologically conflicted yet still assertive (similar to Heero Yuy, Vash the Stampede, Gutts, and Light Yagami), a historical European setting, grotesque and exaggerated violence, and elaborate flashy action animation; the show includes everything that American viewers love in anime. Yet the show also suffers from interminable pacing, illogical character motivations and actions, and animation quality that relies heavily on cinematic tricks and shortcuts like camera pans and sweeps to simulate the visual impact of extensive, fluid animation. I’m also going to exclude the exceptional Space Battleship Yamato 2199 series from consideration. Technically the series premiered in 2011, and moreover the show is widely considered a movie or OVA series rather than a television series. If Yamato 2199 had been more qualified for consideration alongside other 2013 anime, it would easily have ranked among the year’s every best TV anime series.

My extensive but possibly incomplete count of 2013 TV and web anime premieres numbers 172 titles. I’ve consciously excluded the Korean animated series Kara the Animation and the non-animated series Seiyu Sentai Voicetorm 7. I also count the first and second seasons of Hakkenden: Toho Hakken Ibun and Kakumeiki Valvrave as single series since the two shows began and ended within 2013. I’ve been fortunate enough to have watched at least one full episode of every new anime released this year except the children’s anime series Ganbare! Lulu Lolo. I’ll list my picks in alphabetical order.

No anime series this year, or even in recollection, inspired as much vehement polarized viewer reaction as Aku no Hana. If the purpose of modern art is to evoke a reaction in its viewer, Aku no Hana was successful as the highest form of modern art. The rotoscoped anime series employed exceptional creative flourishes, most noticably in episode 7. The show provides a wealth of thematic depth to unravel and interpret. The series’ three main characters are complex, complicated psychological profiles. The series’ entire setting encourages examination of the conventions and practices of the Japanese social and familial order. Anime series director Hiroshi Nagahama deliberate decisions applied to the visual design of the anime are provocative, challenging, and substantive. The series is absolutely unpleasant, and it does suffer from flaws including, most significantly, ineffective pacing and series structural layout. However, the show’s provocative strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. Every anime is intended to entertain. Specific genres are intended to elicit specific emotional responses: horror to terrify, comedy to amuse. Aku no Hana is the very rare sort of anime that seeks to upset, unsettle, and provoke the viewer into asking profound questions about the show and even the viewer him or herself. In a generation of crowd-friendly conventional anime, Aku no Hana dared to be completely contrary, unexpected, shocking, offensive, and deeply psychological, literary, and provocative. The show is certainly not pleasant, but it absolutely deserves the hight of respect.

Gatchaman Crowds likewise upended viewer expectations by completely reimaging one of anime’s most familiar franchises. Rather than rehash the exciting but simple premise of heroes uniting to defend the world. Gatchaman Crowds utilized unconventional art design to illustrate a diverse cast of characters, each with a completely unique personality. Moreover, the series provoked viewers to analyze their own networked life and question whether the current era of wireless social networks has come anywhere close to its full potential. The show refreshingly posited the theory that enthusiasm, initiative, and hope are capable of eradicating despair and elevating mankind to its greatest potential. Heroes like the Gatchaman can lead the way, but it’s everyday citizens, the ordinary people on the street that make up society and ultimately determine the direction in which society will evolve or decline. And within that social critique, the show also managed to include striking, never-before-seen anime visual design and thrilling, unique action.

While the current Kill la Kill television series hasn’t yet ended, it’s first half alone earns commendation for being among the very best anime of the year. Typically viewers watch anime to be enthralled by wondrous exaggeration that exceeds reality. Kill la Kill ranks easily among the most kinetic, frenetic, and visually creative anime ever designed. The show takes the relatively simple exaggerated fighting transfer student premise of Kazuhiko Shimamoto’s 1983 manga Honou no Tenkousei and elevates it to the farthest extreme that we’ve seen in anime yet. The show is the epitome of the fantastic, creative, kinetic, absurdly hyperbolic action that fans love about anime escalated exponentially. It’s a literal non-stop breathtaking furious assault of exhausting spectacle. The mad genius behind this show, from its creative staff and cast, deserves tremendous accolade.

The 2010 anime adaptation of author Tomihiko Morimi’s novel Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei received a lot of acclaim, much of which, I think, was laid upon the show out of charity rather than recognition. The 2013 adaptation of MOrimi’s novel Uchoten Kazoku, however, finally lives up to the expectation for an anime based on an acclaimed modern literary classic. Studio P.A. Works’ adaptation of Uchoten Kazoku is an affecting oddity reminiscent of Madhouse’s excellent 2007 series Oh! Edo Rocket. The depiction of a modern Kyoto inhabited by humans, shape-shifting tanuki, and ancient tengu is itself marvelous. But the deliberately revealed backgrounds and relationships between the characters and the balletic delicacy of their interactions adds a superb supplemental level of uniqueness to the show. Rather than feeling pretentious, Uchoten Kazoku feels off-kilter; rather than seem highly redundant and ultimately unfulfilling as Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei did, Uchoten Kazoku feels ultimately touching and satisfying. The show may be too odd and weird for viewers addicted to the conventional, but viewers that appreciate the eclectic and esoteric will find the show very enjoyable.

After a 2006 manga, 2008 television series, and 2010 OAD series that looked beautiful but made little comprehensible sense, the Yozakura Quartet ~Hana no Uta~ television series seemed to finally get everything right. The Yozakura Quartet franchise incorporates all of the avant-garde characteristics of post-modern anime include sleek character designs, kemono-mimi, pantsu, kung fu, and an ample dose of hip, chic attitude, but the 2013 TV series finally managed to combine the outstanding visual design and animation quality of the 2010 OAD series with a linear, comprehensible narrative. The result is a fluidly animated, stylish-looking post-modern action anime that never feels pretentious and actually makes sense. The Yozakura Quartet ~Hana no Uta~ series is simply fun viewing that exhibits all of the distinctive stylish trademarks that viewers subconsciously desire from anime.

Unlike the forementioned titles, the Kotoura-san & Hataraku Maou-sama television series were not technically or narratively innovative or provocative shows. They were very conventional, ordinary anime stories that excelled far beyond the norm. Kotoura-san is a relatively simple school relationship and romance comedy, but its characterizations and the psychological maturations that the characters undergo all feel exceptionally affecting and charming because they feel totally honest. Like every anime, Kotoura-san is entirely structured and artificial, but its characters and relationships never feel obviously manipulated. Hataraku Maou-sama employs unexpectedly good animation quality to compliment its attractive character designs and wonderfully expressive, surprising, and engaging character personalities. The show’s narrative conflicts are interesting enough on their own, but the reactions and responses of the characters, and the ways the characters interact with the storyline’s events makes the series a bouyant joy to watch.

(Mostly) Comprehensive List of 2013 New TV & Web Anime:

Ai Mai Mi
Aiura
Aku no Hana
AMNESIA
Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio
Arata Kangatari
Bakumatsu Gijinden Roman
Bakushishi Gasshin Ziguruhazeru
Battle Spirits: Sword Eyes Gekitoden
Beast Saga
BLAZBLUE: ALTER MEMORY
Blood Lad
Boku wa Ousama
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai Dai NEXT
Brothers Conflict
Cardfight!! Vanguard: Link Joker-hen
Chihayafuru 2
Chocotan [web anime]
Chokkyu Hyodai Robot Anime
Choujigen Game Neptune The Animation
COPPELION
Cuticle Tantei Inaba
Cyclops Shoujo Saipu [web anime]
D.C.III ~Da Capo III~
Danboru Senki Wars
Danchi Tomoo
Danganronpa
Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge
Date A Live
DD Hokuto no Ken
DEVIL SURVIVOR 2 THE ANIMATION
Dia no Ace
Diabolik Lovers
Dibetagurashi: Ahiru no Seikatsu
Doki Doki! Precure
Duel Masters Victory V3
Fantasista Doll
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya
Free!
Freezing Vibration
Futari wa Milky Holmes
Gaist Crusher
Gakkatsu! second series
Galilei Donna
Ganbare! Lulu Lolo
Gatchaman Crowds
gdgd Fairies 2nd season
Gen’ei o Kakeru Taiyou
Genshiken Nidaime
Gifuu Doudou!! Kanetsugu to Keiji
Gin no Saji ~ Silver Spoon
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince
Gingitsune
GJ-bu Chuutou-bu
Glass no Kamen Desu ga
Golden Time
Gundam Build Fighters
Haitai Nanafa 2nd series
Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W
Hajime no Ippo Rising
Hakkenden: Toho Hakken Ibun
Hataraku Maoh-sama
Hayate no Gotoku! Cuties
Heisei Policemen!! [web anime]
Hentai Ouji To Warawanai Neko
Hetalia: The Beautiful World
High School DxD New
Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride
Inazuma Eleven Go Galaxy
Infinite Stratos 2
Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyou
Ishida to Asakura
Jewelpet Happiness
Jigoku Yochien [web anime]
Kakumeiki Valvrave
Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Megami Hen
Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi
Kara the Animation
Karneval
Ketsuekigata-kun
Kill la Kill
Kimi no Iru Machi
Kingdom second series
Kiniro Mosaic
Kitakubu Katsudou Kiroku
Koroshiya-san ~The Hired Gun~
Kotoura-san
Kuroko no Basuke 2nd season
Kyoukai no Kanata
Kyousougiga
LINE OFFLINE ~Salaryman~
Line Town
Little Busters! Refrain
Log Horizon
Love Lab
Love Live!
Lupin III: Princess of the Breeze ~Kakusareta Kuuchuu Toshi~ TV special
Machine Doll wa Kizutsukanai
Magi: The Kingdom of Magic
Maji de Otaku na English! Ribbon-chan: Eigo de Tatakau Mahou Shoujo the TV
Makai Ouji ~ devils and realist
Mangirl!
Maoyuu Maou Yuusha
Meganebu!
Minami-ke Tadaima
Miss Monochrome -The Animation-
Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai Kara Kuru So Desu yo?
Monogatari Series Second Season
Mushibugyo
Nagi no Asukara
Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san
Nekomonogatari (Kuro)
Non Non Biyori
Nurse Angels
Nyuru Nyuru!! Kakusen-kun
Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai second series
Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru
Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Come o Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru
Oshiri Kajiri Mushi 2nd season
Outbreak Company
Phi-Brain 3rd series
Photokano
Pocket Monster XY
Pocket Monster: The Origin
Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live
Puchimas! Puchi Idolmaster
Pupipo!
RDG Red Data Girl
Recorder to Randoseru Mii
Rou Kyuu Bu! SS
Rozen Maiden
Saikyo Ginga Ultimate Zero ~Battle Spirits~
Samurai Flamenco
Sasami-san@Ganbaranai
Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai
Senki Zesshou Symphogear G
Senran Kagura
Senyuu.
Servant x Service
Shingeki no Kyoujin
Sparrow’s Hotel
Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-Bu
Strike the Blood
Suisei no Gargantia
Super Seisyun Brothers
Tamagotchi! Miracle Friends
Tamako Market
Tamayura ~More Aggressive~
Tanken Driland: 1000-nen no Mahou
Tenpo Suidoken Neo [web anime]
Tesagure! Bukatsu Mono
Tetsujin 28-gou Gao!
The Midnight Animals [web anime]
The Unlimited Hyoubu Kyousuke
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S
Tokyo Ravens
Uchoten Kazoku
Uta no Prince-sama ~ Maji Love 2000%
Vividred Operation
Walkure Romanze
Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui!
WHITE ALBUM 2
Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy ha Machigatteiru
Yama no Susume ~ Encouragement of Climb
Yami Shibai
Yondemasuyo Azazel-san Z
Yowamushi Pedal
Yozakura Quartet ~Hana no Uta~
Yusha ni Narenakatta Ore wa Shibushibu Shushoku o Ketsui Shimashita
Yuto-kun ga Iku
Yuyushiki
Zettai Boei Leviathan