Year in Review: N-Listing

So, the tradition continues. 12 lists of 12 things. Some are ranked, others are not. One this year is not ranked but merely numerated.

Omo’s 12 girl seiyuu in 2012 list:

  1. Hanazawa Kana – I think her best roles yet are all this year. It helps that she continues to be very prolific.
  2. Yuuki Aoi – Possibly my favorite Aoi Yuki roles are all in this year. Still not a real fan of her voice but she holds a lot of potential.
  3. Kayano Ai – Definitely the breakout year for her. Not too fond of her moe-chara voice, but somehow when she tunes it down in Chihayafuru it reminds me of LOL Ueda Kana.
  4. Ogura Yui – Still U17, still very “Oh~.” I think she has a lot of opportunity now to expand her potential. Hopefully that means in a few years she will at least walk the path Aoi-chan walked.
  5. Imai Asami – I’m going to say it’s a breakout year for this girl too, who has been around longer than a few others. Kurisu in Steins;Gate was simply excellent, and she’s slowly getting recognition beyond franchise pigeonholes.
  6. Toyosaki Aki – Still solid coming from a solid year last year, more noitaminA roles, expanding her repertoire, solo album debut, all that good jazz.
  7. Itou Kanae – Kanae still has a rock solid moe thing going, but she has begin to break out with characters like Ikamusume’s Kanae and her probably most dramatic role so far in Ohana.
  8. Taketasu Ayana – She has turned into a really solid moe character voice. Looking for more diversity (even if it is in the form of that live action movie lol).
  9. Hikasa Yoko – I thinks she sort of peaked at Moshidora, but like Toyosaki a year ago, she is right on the line from getting into the next tier…but not yet.
  10. Kitamura Eri – Only if she would do more shows other than really kimoi otaku fare!
  11. Kanetomo Hisako – Besides Ikamusume, I enjoyed her sophomore effort in Shinkai’s new film
  12. Asakawa Yuu – for taking her show with Patrick Macias to a new level

I can probably add more or change the list, but I don’t think I will ever settle on just one without some help.

Best girls in 2012

  • Ringo from Mawaru Penguindrum
  • Sarashina from Hourou Musuko
  • Rin from Usagi Drop
  • Anaru from Anohana
  • Maiya from Fate/Zero
  • Miki from Idolmaster
  • Sui from  Hanasaku Iroha
  • Meme from Denpa Onna
  • Kurisu from Steins;Gate
  • Charlotte from IS
  • Kuroneko from OreImo
  • Homura from Madoka

Best guys in 2012

  • Rider Iskander from Fate/Zero
  • Kiritsugu Emiya from Fate/Zero
  • Okarin from Steins;Gate
  • Shu from Guilty Crown
  • Taichi from Chihayafuru
  • Koujiro Sasahara from Nichijou
  • Berserker from Carnival Phantasm
  • Kotetsu from Tiger & Bunny
  • Does Kazamori count? (Un-Go)
  • Naoya from Astalotte no Omocha
  • Takuto from Star Driver
  • Daru from Steins;Gate

12 notable TV anime for whatever the reason (insert some normalized list of shows people typically rep)

  • Fate Zero – Sold by the light novels, I can never be impartial.
  • Puella Magi Madoka Magica – Only if the average Shaft work was this inspired.
  • Ben-to – David Pro, whatever they’re doing down there they’re doing it right. Would put in Level E if not for Ben-to being so clever.
  • The idolM@ster – Surprisingly good.
  • Mawaru Penguindrum – Delivered as much as I expected, which is quite a bit even after I lowered my expectations.
  • Star Driver – Not as timeless as Utena, but Mawapen isn’t gonna be either. So it’s okay.
  • Steins;Gate – Anime of the year for normal nerds
  • Hourou Musuko – Anime of the year for people who love anime
  • OreTsuba – Non-linear harem is a pretty cool one.
  • Hanasaku Iroha – Mellow out on a Sunday morning to this was the best memory I had ever this year.
  • Anohana – Anime of the year for normal people
  • Tiger & Bunny – Arigato, shoshite arigato!
Honorable mentions to Nichijou (I am a gecko), Kaminomi 2, Bakatest 2, Guilty Crown, [C], Un-Go and aforementioned Level E. Although, Carnival Phantasm is the Pure-Blood-Shinso-True Anime of the Year. It’s just not for Teevee!

12 figures I bought this year that I…probably won’t regret having spent that dough in 2012:

12 key concepts in anime 2012

  • Women in the workplace
  • Chuunibyou
  • Creating your own extracurricular club
  • Training camp
  • The issues facing the lost generation in the marketplace
  • Government corruption
  • Terrorism
  • Cults
  • Japan’s place in the international arena
  • Tourism anime
  • Inability to socialize earnestly with other people
  • Finding purpose in life in light of tragedy

The idolM@ster Ranking Top 12!

  1. Makoto – Because Nekopuchi expresses so much love, I can’t help it but to follow suit. The anime didn’t just “give” me a Makoto that didn’t do much but act as a side character with a couple scenes with Yukiho. The anime gave me a “mistreatment” of one of the better characters in the group. I think that’s pretty epic, in a meta-sense, that I can think like this.
  2. Miki – Since I’m really no better than 99% of the moefags out there. I think real life idols with Miki’s personality tend to do well, too!
  3. Takane – She’s an enigma. Coming into the anime I know very little about her (I probably know more about her voice actress than her!) but I like what they pulled in the show. Now someone just need to make the Arcueid version of this.
  4. Chihaya – I like her singing, and she reminds me of Imai’s better acts from Steins;Gate, lol. But otherwise she gets a lot of prop being Haruka’s sounding board, and vice versa.
  5. Azusa – Her solo ep was hands-down best ep in the series. Otherwise she didn’t really do much but add random lines, unfortunately. I could probably swap her up and down between #5 through #11 (all these girls are not so different rank-wise to me), it just that she pushes a lot of my buttons. Also Chiaking is definitely one of the best at acting and singing among this group, so that makes Azusa one of the better characters by mere talent.
  6. Yukiho – I liked her quiet-girl schtik at first, the show gave more than I asked for, and did a good job showing both her positive and negative sides. Overall my impression of her didn’t change much even after getting to know her more.
  7. Kotori – Awesome set during that episode.  You know which one. Otherwise she was just a pleasant thing in the backdrop and probably does not deserve #7 on this list.
  8. Ritsuko – I have a meganekko button. She also dips in that OL category like Kotori. Her episode was actually kind of touching in that it reminds me of this person. Probably not the best match.
  9. Yayoi – Actually liked her episode a lot. Cooking does that. But overall she appeals and presses buttons I don’t really have.
  10. Haruka – She’s still the “lead” girl, I guess. I like the last arc when she was acting and telegraphing stuff. Didn’t like her before then, actually. Well, I guess I liked the way they framed her personality in episode 1. Also see: meganekko.
  11. Mami & Ami – I combined them because they’re the same to me despite small differences. I didn’t like them but my impression of the two has improved. Their “live” segment was the biggest laugh I had in the show.
  12. Hibiki – I like her positive attitude, and her animal friends are a plus, but that’s pretty much it. And her animal friends are more just her animal friends and not so much her LOL.

You know, it’s all about just who puts that bop in the thigamajigydingdong.

12 things I like about Maiya Hisau

  • She’s on Team Iri
  • She is quiet
  • She gets down to business
  • Pretty decent shot
  • Pretty decent when she’s in a pinch
  • Works nicely in a suit (Team Iri is sponsored by … Men’s Warehouse?)
  • She gets along with Iri, despite having that kind of a relationship with Emiya!
  • She gets along even with Saber!
  • Loyal and yet a person of her own
  • Lives to die
  • Nice expressions
  • So coooollllll~

I think Maiya is too minor to really take my list this way. Let me try this.

12 reasons why Charlotte Dunois should be everyone’s best anime girl of the year

  • She looks good wearing shorts
  • She’s both daring and sensitive
  • She takes an initiative to pursuit what she wants and what she ought to get
  • A loyal friend
  • She knows what you want!
  • Also helps that she is heir to a rich European company, even if it doesn’t matter to Ichika.
  • She not only pwns the friendzone, she advances pasts it like a champ.
  • Smart enough to identify Orimura-sensei as a rival.
  • Her nickname is Char.
  • Passes for good roommate (well this is debatable)
  • Versed in traditional tactics, and can do good work even with dated hardware.
  • Because otaku have memories longer than gnats.
I really feel bad about Charlotte mainly because I think she has sealed the deal since March. It was hers to lose. But so much happens in a year, doesn’t it?

12 notable OP/ED sequences

  • Hourour Musuko OP/ED- it’s just really poingant. Don’t particularly care for the music itself but both OP/ED works with the show very well.
  • Madoka ED – It’s like a high-energy density piece. In a way it reminds me of a certain Sunrise show’s OP.
  • Kamisama Dolls OP – It’s slick and Ishikawa lifts it a little beyond merely gimmicky.
  • Denpa Onna OP/ED – Loved both pieces. 2012 continues to be a year where Yakushimaru can do no wrong I guess. The OP is IMO Shaft’s best since that polygon mess of Mariaholic 1.
  • Fate/Zero ED – For a still pan ED, it’s probably the best of the year simply out of its motifs.
  • Mawaru Penguindrum – I could point to a number of them, but the best IMO is the first ED with Coaltar of the Deepers. Also, lol, Yui Horie ver. The song for the first OP is also very cool, especially the one on the single.
  • Fractale OP – Holy smokes ENCODER TEST and that voice!
  • Guilty Crown OP – The lead-in is hilariously cool but it goes to show how a little lipsync go long, long way. Also, isn’t this done by the same guy who did Eden of the East OP animation?
  • AnoHana ED – There ought to be some kind of law against nostalgia tripping this hard. Thank goodness at least Tomato and Saorin can sing though.
  • Last Exile Fam ED – Something can be said of Range Murata stills panning to a track from Angel Feather Voice 2. Any track.
  • Nichijou – Both the two OPs are great with Hayadin going yard. The cover EDs are great too, and goes well with that…style of animation.
  • The idolM@ster – Actually, the second OP is great animation, although first OP has just that catchy lead-in about Ladies. I personally like CHANGE a little more, but only if they could combine them!

Related: Faylan’s Blood Teller from Mirai Nikki is a solid song, but that single cover both is racy and cracks me up. Also related: She’s no Elisa LOL.

Honorable mentions: Yumekui merry ED, 30-sai no Hoken Taiiku OP is hilarious, Sacred Seven OP is great dance music,  Hanasaku Iroha ED1 is best Sphere since NauSka, Croisee is instrumental, Yuruyuri OP is catchy, Nekogami ED has best Tomato photo ops, Ro-Kyu-Bu OP/ED are excellent seiyuu wank material.

And in complement to this, there’s also the “If I had to boil down 12 tracks to summarize this year’s anime music into a mix tape”:

  1. Larval Stage Planning – Kimi + Nazo + Watashi de JUMP!!
  2. Kayano Ai, Tomatsu Haruka, Hayami Saori – Secret Base ~Kimi ga Kureta mono~
  3. Kuriyama Chiaki – Code Finger girl
  4. Hikasa Yoko, Yukana, Shimoda Asami, Hanazawa Kana, Inoue Marina - SUPER∞STREAM
  5. nano.RIPE – Omokage Wrap
  6. Aimi – LIVE for LIFE ~Ookami Tachi no Yoru~
  7. Oratorio The World God Only Knows – A Whole New World God Only Knows (Did You Think God Only Knows? Apparently being redundant says that God Only Knows)
  8. Hayadin – Hayadin no Kakakata Kataomoi-C
  9. 765PRO ALLSTARS – READY!!
  10. Yakushimaru Etsuko – Ruru
  11. Hitomi – Starboard (sub for Angel Voice mix version if you’d like)
  12. Triple H – ROCK OVER JAPAN

Note the numbers denote track numbers. And if I was a real bro I would provide a download link, but since I am not I will provide just the next best sort-of-legal alternative. Also, I tried to work in something from Steins;Gate, but it just didn’t work out. Probably because I tried to also fit in a Lama track. Well, who cares, go make your own.

2011 was notable for the Great Disaster in Tohoku. I think it’s a good opportunity to recall the events that happened related to the disaster.

And of course, this is only the tip of the iceburg. The stories my friend brings home from her three missions into the Tohoku region are both touching and convicting. The way the calamaties impacted the lives of people there is subtle but deep and it’s really hard to see unless you interact with them. Of course, there’s all kinds of tragic images you can see today, but I don’t know if that expresses the depth of despair as well. Anyway, helping the victims there is something we ought to be doing continuing into 2012, star power or not. Still, man, that is gross Aoi-chan!


5 Responses to “Year in Review: N-Listing”

  • DiGiKerot

    Kotori should score bonus points for being one of only two characters (and the only female one) to appear in every episode of the show, even if just the background.

    Also, I kind of feel Azusas episode was the best of the series (which I don’t really disagree with) for reasons entirely unrelated to Azusa.

  • omo

    I agree about reasons not really related to Azusa. As a character she is pretty plain. But she fits the role as the bride fits her dress, so to speak. I think it wouldn’t have worked with someone else…maybe Yayoi or Hibiki?

  • Taka

    On the seiyuu list I would include Ise Mariya.

    Yarizui Sen – Ben-to
    Revy McGarden (the first time in a long while Levy’s had a lot of lines and a fight scene) – Fairy Tail
    Riko/Lupin – Hidan no Aria
    Killua – Hunter x Hunter
    Usami Masamune – Mayo Chiki
    Sena Akagi – OreImo specials
    Dragon Kid – Tiger and Bunny
    Lucia (chick with exploding wheel) – Index II

    And then a handfull of minor roles in Maken-ki, Kamisama memo-chou, Ro-kyu-bu, Yumekui Merry, and Sengoku Otome. I particuarly liked Usami and Yarizui.

  • cyth

    You forgot Iori. I hate you so much.

  • omo

    She didn’t make it to the #12 spot, so no Iori.

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