I tried to write a part 3 of the awards, but it sounded either bullshity, or like I had no idea what I was talking about. Between voice acting, music, and art, I kinda have an appreciation of music, and a large appreciation of art, but those two just wasn’t enough to make a post. So I’ve skipped ahead to the top seven of the season.
Without further to do…
7. Umineko no Naku Koro Ni
Umineko no Naku Koro Ni got off to a slow start, working to flesh out and introduce us to the characters. However, at the end of episode II things truly started to pick up and episode III opened with a bang. We’re only two episodes into episode III, but I’m very excited. While Umineko has a tad too many characters, they’ve introduced a few I’ve become huge fans of, including Beatrice, Battler, and Shannon, who all have won their own awards this season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this show improve vastly over this season.
6. Baseball Playing Girls
“There’s no crying in baseball!” One of J.C. Staff’s three shows this season, this was probably their weakest show, although my no means a bad show. Baseball Playing Girls is the light hearted story about girl power, baseball, and 1920’s, and provides many entertaining moments. However, it also provides some wtf? moments and a few episodes that probably could have left out, or better yet, used to flesh out more of the supporting cast. While Akiko and Koume get plenty of screentime, the series fails to expand on the supporting characters. I would have liked to see every character get their own episode. Also, the show simply doesn’t have much depth. Although the show makes it obvious that it knows and accepts this, it doesn’t prevent it from being a weak point.
5. Cross Game
Cross Game is an excellent show with a well-paced story and well developed character. Over the course of the summer season, we did have some very excellent moments, especially with the addition of Azuma as an ally to the team. However, what knocked it down to number five on the list are a couple things. First off, it’s still an ongoing series halfway through its show. Cross Game continues on at a slow and steady pace, and is still in the stage of what would be rising action while other series have a completed story. Second of all, I have a few personal grippes with the series. Basically, the cousin creeps the hell out of me, and my enjoyment drops when he appears on the screen. Secondly, the creators have started indicating romantic interests between Kou and Aoba, but I don’t feel like there’s actual chemistry between the two yet. Hopefully, they’ll fix this as the series continues. Who knows? Maybe I just want Aoba for myself.
4. Pandora Hearts
Pandora Hearts is a kind of sore point for me, because I know people would have been all over this series if the animation had been better. But with the animation as bad as it is, you have to appreciate other parts of Pandora Hearts…and I don’t mean the convoluted story with its loose ends left unsolved. What Pandora Hearts does have going for it are for the most part well done and interesting characters, which it’s been proven many times over that if you can like the characters, it’s makes us for many lacking aspects. What else this series has going for it a better then average soundtrack. The second half of Pandora Hearts brought us the best the show had to offer. The was the development of the characters the show already introduced, especially Break who went from a character I didn’t like in the first half to a character I loved in the second half. We also met other characters, who while they didn’t get the screentime the deserved, still made the most of what they had, such as Elliot and Oliver.
3. Haruhi
I think this says something about the team behind Haruhi. I knocked it down to 3 because of The Endless Eight, but without it, who knows where Haruhi would have been? Haruhi makes it to #3 because of Signs. I loved Signs to death, and found it well done. With Mikuru beams, pigeons changing color, a talking cat, and an episode that brought on the fanwank Haruhi proves to use that it still have the potential to be epically awesome. Unfortunately, the high quality of Sighs only increases the wtf? factor of Endless Eight.
2. Sora no Manimani
Sora no Manimani is one of those show that gives me exactly what I want. Well-done interesting characters and a show that actually made me laugh out loud. The background music is surprisingly really well-done. Sora no Manimani was well executed, and for a show no one really knew what to expect, really outdid itself. However, the animation isn’t top notch, and Sora no Manimani doesn’t have such a strong storyline as our first place winner
1.Aoi Hana
Probably the only flaw I found with this show was the disappointing ending. Great characters, great animation, great plot, and one of my favorite things in the world, yuri. There’s so much I could say I love about this show, I could fangirl on for quite awhile. I think it’s safe to leave it at this show really showcases what makes an excellent anime, and deserves it’s number one spot.
