Steins;Gate was a personal favorite from the previous year and recently I decided to revisit the show. A brilliant sci-fi show, Steins;Gate has a great cast of characters and a compelling plot that manages to incorporate time-travel in a way that doesn’t make the story fall flat on its face. There is also something else that I liked about the show, that I don’t think gets much mention, and that would be the nature of scientific research as it is portrayed in Steins;Gate.
Okay, for those who don’t know, the Ani Bloggers Choice Anime Awards is a Contest hosted by Kiddtic from Kidd’s Anime Blog. Basically, participating anime bloggers will pick their twelve favorite shows from the year and then name one show best of the year. Once all votes have been received, the results will be tallied and posted on Kiddtic’s blog. If you are an anime blogger and would like to participate or at least see what this all about then click this link and read the official rules. Just be aware that the deadline for participation is Dec. 16th. So if you plan on submitting your votes, it is advised to let Kiddtic know as soon as possible.
Before I go through my personal list I’d like to give a big “thank you” to Kiddtic for taking the time to organize this. It is a fantastic idea and I look forward to being able to do it every year that I stay an aniblogger.
Winter: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika
I WAS NOT PREPARED! No seriously, I wasn’t ready for Urobuchi’s deconstruction of the Mahou Shoujo genre at all. Now, I probably didn’t get as much out of Madoka because I am not very familiar with the Mahou Shoujo genre as a whole. However, even without knowing the genre’s staples, Madoka went against almost every one of my expectations until I learned to expect the worst. I also have to give this show credit for granting me the opportunity to connect with another anime fan that I know in real life.
Honorable Mentions: Gosick, Wandering Son
Spring: Steins;Gate
A superb combination of comedy and drama, Steins;Gate was a thrilling story about the consequences of time travel. Though, Steins;Gate was a little slow in the beginning, this was overshadowed by its hilarious characters. To be honest, I would’ve been fine if the story never got serious, and it was just a comedy, but that is not to say that the main story was bad because it was, in fact, really good. Once the plot kicked in, the show became serious, and kept me on the edge of my seat. A brilliant show with a lot to offer, I would recommend Steins;Gate to any anime fan.
Honorable Mentions: Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo, Anohana
Summer: the iDOLM@STER
There is so much to love about The iDOLM@STER. It’s fun, cheerful, gorgeously animated, filled with a wide array of music, and most importantly, masterfully executed. Simple scenes, simple stories, all made many times more enjoyable by how it was presented and the clever combination of all the different elements.
Now, it has to be said that The iDOLM@STER is not a realistic look at the idol industry, but I think that is why I like it. The problems the girls face are usually simple (and sometimes childish), but how they overcome their problems is genuine, charming, and most of all, inspiring. The repeated exclamations of “Let’s do our best!” may annoy some people, but the girls enthusiasm, especially Haruka’s, has infused me with a similar determination. The iDOLM@STER is something special to me because it is one of the few shows that has been able to impact my life in such a way.
Honorable Mentions: Usagi Drop, Mawaru Penguindrum
Fall: Fate/Zero
It should come as no surprise that Fate/Zero would be my pick for the Fall. Aesthetically, this show has been incredible, with minimal drops in quality. The soundtrack, done by one of my personal favorite composers, Yuki Kajiura, has fit the mood perfectly. Though it has the makings of one, Fate/Zero is not your typical shonen fighting anime. Encounters are won through strategy and planning, and the characters are all multi-dimensional. Out of any show that I watched this year, I had the highest expectations for Fate/Zero, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. It has been epic, plain and simple.
Honorable Mentions: Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, UN-GO
Anime of the Year:
If this spot was for my personal favorite of the year, it would probably have been a choice between Fate/Zero and The iDOLM@STER. However, there are reasons for preventing me from choosing either one of those as what I think is the “best” of the year. Fate/Zero is good, very good in fact, but it is still in its early stages. We haven’t yet seen what it is truly capable of as it has felt like it has been holding off until it reaches the second cour. And until I see everything it has to offer, I can’t vote Fate/Zero as “best” of the year. As much as I love The iDOLM@STER, it isn’t perfect. It has its flaws and it doesn’t appeal to everyone (especially considering its happy and charming atmosphere).
So what would I choose as the “Anime of the Year?” It was a difficult choice between Usagi Drop and Steins;Gate, but ultimately Steins;Gate won me over. It has a very wide appeal and is an all-around solid show. Dramatic, suspenseful, hilarious, Steins;Gate has my vote for the best of 2011.
Through the Frozen Glass 