{"id":19561,"date":"2010-01-01T13:09:20","date_gmt":"2010-01-01T17:09:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/?p=19561"},"modified":"2010-12-30T13:25:26","modified_gmt":"2010-12-30T17:25:26","slug":"ask-john-what-were-2009s-best-tv-anime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/ask-john-what-were-2009s-best-tv-anime\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask John: What Were 2009’s Best TV Anime?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question:<\/strong>
\nI 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.<\/p>\n


\nAnswer:<\/strong>
\nLike 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"cross_game1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"hatsukoi-limited\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"ristorante-paradiso\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Aoi<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Canaan\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"kimi-ni-todoke-7\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

2009 TV & Internet Anime:
\nFor reference, itallicized titles are ones that I haven’t watched.<\/i><\/p>\n

07-GHOST
\n11eyes
\nAcerola-chan (web anime)
\nAfro Samurai Resurrection
\nAkikan!
\nAnymal Tantei Kiruminzu
\nAoi Bungaku Series
\nAoihana
\nArad Senki ~ Slap Up Party
\nAsura Cryin’
\nAsura Cryin’ 2
\nAsu no Yoichi!
\nBakemonogatari
\nBasquash
\nBattle Spirits: Shounen Gekiha Dan
\nBukubuku Hour
\nButazuka
\nCANAAN
\nCharady no Joke na Mainichi
\nCheburashkua Arere?
\nChi’s Sweet Home ~Atarashii Ouchi~
\nCooking Idol! Mai! My! Main!
\nCross Game
\nDankai Curry Chu-Kara
\nDarker Than Black: Ryusei no Gemini
\nDazai Osamu Tanpen Shosetsu-shu TV specials<\/i>
\nDragon Ball Kai
\nDruaga no Tou ~the Sword of Uruk~
\nElement Hunters
\nExamurai Sengoku
\nFAIRY TAIL
\nFight Ippatsu! Jyuden-chan
\nFranny & Melanie Mori TV specials<\/i>
\nFresh Precure
\nFullmetal Alchemist second series
\nFuyu no Sonata ~ Winter Sonata the Animation
\nGA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
\nGokujo!! Mechamotte Iincho
\nGuin Saga
\nGupu!! Mamegoma
\nGokyoudai Monogatari
\nHajime no Ippo: New Challenger
\nHanasakeru Seishounen
\nHatsukoi Limited
\nHayate no Gotoku 2nd series
\nHetalia Axis Powers (web anime)
\nHidamari Sketch x365 EX TV Special<\/i>
\nHidamari Sketch x365 Tokubetsu Hen TV special
\nHigashi no Eden
\nHigepiyo
\nHimitsu Kessha Taka no Tsume Countdown
\nHipira-kun
\nHoshi ni Negai wo (web anime)
\nInuyasha Kanketsu-hen
\nJewelpet
\nJungle Taitei: Yuki ga Mirai o Kaeru TV special
\nK-On
\nKaidan Restaurant
\nKampfer
\nKanamemo
\nKarl to Fushigi na Tou<\/i>
\nKawa no Hikari TV special
\nKeihin Kazoku
\nKemono no Souja Erin
\nKiddy Girl-and
\nKido Senshi Gundam Senki (web anime)
\nKimi ni Todoke
\nKiniro no Corda ~Second Passo~<\/i>
\nKobato
\nKoishigure ~Yoshitaka Yuriko to 6-tsu no Koi~
\nKokekko-san<\/i>
\nKonnichiwa Anne
\nKotatsu Neko
\nKotonagare Hero Gingerman
\nKoukako no Legios
\nKuchu Buranko
\nKurokami the Animation
\nKuruneko
\nLicca-chan to Maho no Kuni (web anime)
\nMahoromatic: Tadaima Okaeri
\nMainichi Kaasan
\nMajor fifth season
\nMaria-sama ga Miteru fourth season
\nMariaholic
\nMari & Gali
\nMetal Fight Beyblade
\nMinami-ki Oakeri
\nMiracle Train ~Ooedo-sen e Youkoso~
\nMonogatari Sennenki Genji
\nNaked Wolves
\nNatsu no Arashi
\nNatsu no Arashi! Akinai-chuu
\nNEEDLESS
\nNogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Purreza
\nNyankoi!
\nNyoron Churuya-san (web anime)
\nOkami to Koshinryo II
\nOntama (web anime)
\nOtenba Lulu<\/i>
\nPandora Hearts
\nPhantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~
\nPrincess Lover!
\nQueen’s Blade ~Rurou no Senshi~
\nQueen’s Blade ~Gyokuza wo Tsugu Mono~
\nResturante Paradisio
\nRide Back
\nRose O’Neill Kewpie<\/i>
\nSaki
\nSakuran DT Boy
\nSasameki Koto
\nSeiken no Blacksmith
\nSeitokai no Ichizon
\nSengoku Basara
\nSenjou no Valkyria
\nSensou Douwa: Aoi Hitomi no Onna no Ko no Ohanashi TV special<\/i>
\nShangri-La
\nShikabane Hime Kuro
\nShin Koihime Musou
\nShin Mazinger Shougeki! Z hen
\nShin Sanjushi
\nShinkyoku Sokai Polyphonica Crimson S
\nShugo Chara Party
\nSlayers Evolution-R
\nSora no Manimani
\nSora no Otoshimono
\nSora wo Kakeru Shoujo
\nSora wo Miageru Shojo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai
\nSouten Koro
\nStitch! ~Itazura Alien no Daibouken~
\nSugar Bunnies Fleur
\nSuzu-3-taro<\/i>
\nSuzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu
\nSuzumiya Haruhi-chan no Yuutsu (web anime)
\nTaiiku Soko<\/i>
\nTaisho Yakyuu Musume
\nTamagotchi!
\nTatakau Shisho ~ The Book of Bantorra
\nTayutama -Kiss on my Deity-
\nTears to Tiara
\nTegami Bachi
\nTentai Senshi Sunred 2nd series
\nTetsuwan Birdy Decode:02
\nTo Aru Kagaku no Railgun
\nTokyo Magnitude 8.0
\nUchurei
\nUkkari Penelope second series
\nUmi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~
\nUmineko no Naku Koro Ni
\nUnko-san -Tsuiteru Hito ni Shika Mienai Yousei-
\nUsaru-san
\nViper’s Creed
\nWaimo-kun ~Kiiroi Kao Shite Babanban<\/i>
\nWeiss Survive
\nWeiss Survive R
\nWhite Album
\nWhite Album second season
\nYans! Gans!
\nYawarakame
\nYokuwakaru Gendai Mahou
\nYume wo Kanare Zo
\nYumeiro Patissiere
\nZan Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei
\nZoku Natsume Yujin-cho<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ask-john"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19561"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24274,"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19561\/revisions\/24274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.animenation.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}