UlasanAnime.com – As is often the case, I’m running late with my year-end review, but this comprehensive look back at 2015 is more substantial than a quick Winter 2016 breakdown.
2015 was a pivotal year for me, treating me well in many ways and leaving me with countless memorable moments. Despite diving deep into the Producer fandom and witnessing its culmination at IM@S 10th, it wasn’t something I could fully internalize. Similarly, achieving some bucket-list items felt more like checking boxes than deeply impactful experiences. The embers of my nearly 20-year fandom still glow, but I’m uncertain if fanning the flames will make them burn any brighter. While some advocate for attending events as a better use of money, I found 2015 to be an exhausting year in this regard, much like accumulating unopened figure boxes.
One of my significant activities in 2015, more so than in previous years, was listening to seiyuu audio shows, which I refer to as radio shows out of habit, even though most are now streamed online. I listened more than ever this past year, and here are twelve seiyuu radios and similar programs that I encountered frequently.
- Home Run Radio – While I don’t watch it regularly, I talk about it often. It blends my interests, and learning about NPB from this perspective is enjoyable, though I still struggle to fully grasp it. I fell off track with its format and time slot changes but still try to keep up.
- WUG Raji – I’ve fallen off the bandwagon but still try to catch the monthly live streams. I fondly recall last summer when they had one every weekday.
- Torahamo – I hope the new format allows them to step up their game. Attending a public recording was a lot of fun, with all the teasing and witnessing Nansu and Tenchan’s reactions.
- Miliraji – I listen occasionally, and it’s always fun, especially when they have video episodes.
- Aisute – This remains my must-listen of the week. This level of tension is where I feel most comfortable.
- Derepa – I tune in occasionally, and it’s quite enjoyable. I appreciate their guests and creative segments, seeing it as a trendsetter in seiyuu programs.
- Radio Dot-i’s Mochoyama Hanashi – I’m a religious listener, and it makes me crave cup noodles. It’s a shame it only lasted for one cour.
- Imas Studio – It’s a classic, but I don’t listen to it much anymore.
- Banpresto 1Kuji – A monthly radio show featuring an IM@S seiyuu. Last time it was Hirorin, and now it’s Ruuri.
- Arietion – I can only handle this content sparingly. I should probably watch Ruru’s garden or SS Channel if I could.
- Hanamaru – The shift to a bi-weekly format will be interesting to observe.
- Hackadoll – More of a monthly live stream, but always a lot of fun.
Honorable mentions include Maimai’s seiyuu sharehouse, Hatsuraji, Anige 11, Shimoseka (which can be read about here), Girls’ High (if prompted), Seigura (Suwa) and Seiani (Riccasama) monthlies, and Ageage (if it airs right before Torahamo on A&G…). I also want to share links to this casual popularity survey (where HRR ranked #2) and this voting site for shows on A&G, Onsen, and Hibiki. Anime Japan in March will likely present the winners with an award.
For anime, let’s get straight to it: my top 12 anime TV shows of 2015.
- Shirobako
- Euphonium
- Cinderella Girls
- Non Non Biyori Repeat
- Saekano
- Osomatsu
- Overlord
- Charlotte
- Etotama
- Classroom Crisis
- Monster Musume
- Food Wars
Honorable mentions: Danmachi, Oreguile, Koufuku G, OPM, Concrete, Diamond no A, Gatchaman, Maria, Cross Ange, Gangsta (maybe?), Death Parade, Blood Blockade Battlefield, Sore ga Seiyuu…
This next list is my overall ranking as an IM@S producer. In 2015, I felt comfortable enough to look beyond the 765Pro idols. I don’t believe I can authoritatively include 876 or 315, and my knowledge of 346 is still limited. Please note that this ranking reflects who I would produce (tantou) rather than who I like the most, a distinction that can be subtle yet significant.
- Kikuchi Makoto – At this point, it’s about my commitment rather than the state of 765Pro as a franchise and the general community of MakotoPs.
- Tokugawa Matsuri – You could say Matsuri is the new hotness, but I’m not entirely sure why I picked her from the rest of Million Stars. Perhaps it was luck, fate, fortune, or destiny.
- Futami Mami – Meeting Asapon didn’t help with this, LOL.
- Moroboshi Kirari – Not meeting Reichama also didn’t help, but Kirari’s way of “hurting” might scratch a particular itch.
- Shijou Takane – The moon princess remains strong.
- Hagiwara Yukiho – Much of what I like about her has nothing to do with the anime. After being both an insider and outsider, and with the passage of time, I can say conclusively that Azumin/Yurishii and Yukiho’s charismatic aspects don’t truly show.
- Toyokawa Fuka – I don’t know, maybe it’s the manchild in me that wants to tease girls I like, and Fuka is probably one of the better teases in ML.
- Okazaki Ritsuko – An idol whose schtick is dear to my heart.
- Ganaha Hibiki – I have to hand it to HibikiPs for possibly being the best at promoting Hibiki within 765Pro.
- Miyao Miya – She’s the ultimate healing-type idol in ML, offering a refreshing change, similar to Rin’s unique appeal.
- Futaba Anzu – My other half, perhaps. I see myself in Anzu all too well, but her coy demeanor about her NEET identity masks many potential flaws.
- Akagi Miria – Seeing Moyochi helped. It’s a real bummer that I couldn’t see her at AX.
I have a feeling this ranking will change as I slowly work through the Deresute commus, which are numerous and lengthy.
12 OP/EDs
Having fallen off the animusic bandwagon this year, I’ve spent less time delving into OPs. While I’ve listened to a few things and still listen to all the OP/EDs of anime I watch, I don’t listen to the music by itself as much. Here’s an unordered list of what comes to mind:
- Classroom Crisis – “Cobalt” is a really nice song, and I enjoyed the anime too. It’s hard to pinpoint why.
- Punch Line OP – I appreciate this level of fanservice. It doesn’t hit me as strongly as, say, Saekano’s OP, but it’s a lot of fun.
- Wooser S3 ED – Although I didn’t mention it on this blog, I did attend Waku-Waku to see YunChi. She’s quite cool, with a strong model/singer aspect.
- Shirobako ED2 – ;___;
- Overlord ED – I approve of this Tom-Hack direction.
- Monmusu ED – Kobayuu is great, and her supporting cast works well here.
- I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying ED – It’s the kind of song you sing in the bath.
- Seiyuu’s Life ED(s) – I like the cameos, okay? And it’s catchy.
- F ED – More for the animation.
- Tokyo Ghoul OP – Yeah yeah yeah…
- Death Parade OP – I like the arrangement and direction for the OP.
- Kekkai Sensen ED – Same. Perhaps I’m just weak to dancing.
12 Events… Yes, I attended at least 12 events in 2015. Ranking them doesn’t seem sensible, as I appreciated these events for very different reasons.
- Anime North – The offkai. Woah. Pon is great. Nabacchi is also great. I love these people. The exchange rate was also favorable.
- Lantis Festival Las Vegas – The party suite worked so well that I wish we could do it twice a year, every year, LOL.
- M@STER OF IDOL WORLD 2015 – I think this is the kind of event that might not seem all that special while you’re experiencing it (though there are still many gold nuggets for both ardent and newtype Ps), but in another 5-10 years, it will be a very fond memory.
- Otakon 2015 – Graceful, fun, and forceful are the defining traits of Romi Paku. The rest was somewhat standard, but it was nice not only to see the usual suspects and familiar sights but also to learn more about anime.
- AWA 2015 – fhana was awesome in person. I believe I need to better track their shows in the near future, much like how I enjoy post-rock concerts for the immersive wall of reverb. KatoFuku was also awesome, making this a god-tier event for fans of both. Of course, it was also fun to hang out with the locals and the Vocaloid crowd!
- Makkun Birthday Live 2015 – It was an interesting show with many bells and whistles, but it was great to finally attend a solo Makkun live. “Great” doesn’t quite describe it, and it wasn’t as fulfilling as I had imagined. A part of me wishes I could travel back to 2000 and be in a very happy place. Hearing it live offered a different vibe than that.
- I’ve 15th anniversary – In just 15 years, this Hokkaido-based music label has produced a significant amount of influential music. Given the current state of EDM, it’s odd that this outfit has taken a backseat, despite sending some of its top stars to major contracts. This seems to be a Japan-specific phenomenon. Unlike Makkun’s live, this event truly hit the nostalgia spot.
- AnimeNext – Primarily because I hosted a BBQ, and it was a good time hanging out.
- Aisute Zenzen Aitakatta – It was really good and in person, capturing everything I like about Aisute.
- TryAngle Harmony Public Recording 3 – It was a lot of fun, and the mini live section was a blast. Let’s Kouken!
- P’s Live 02 – This type of medley anime event has proliferated since Anisama many years ago. PonyCan’s version is a lot of fun, but my nosebleed seat was not ideal. It was nice to finally see all these seiyuu, though.
- WUG 2nd tour Osaka – It felt like seeing an idol group in its designed environment.
12 anime moments of 2015. I’m running out of ideas, man.
- Eupho: Hair flip
- BBB: Hamburger
- Death Parade: Twister
- CG: S(mile)ing
- Shirobako: episode 23
- Hackadoll: Yuppie episode
- School Live: Episode 1
- Osomatsu: Episode 1 (original version)
- Rolling Girls: Osaka
- CG: Trancing Pulse
- Shimoseka: Cookies
- Monmusu final one-cut
12 spotlights on new tier seiyuu. I’ll continue to highlight the work done at seiyuuplus and seiyuuri. (7)
- Ozawa Ari
- Suwa Ayaka
- Kurosawa Tomoyo
- Ueda Reina
- Hanamori Yumiri
- Takahashi Rie
- Ishigami Shizuka
- Ohashi Ayaka
- Itou Miku
- Uchida Aya
- Fujii Yukiyo
- Uesaka Sumire
As an aside, I briefly looked at the Sunshine seiyuus when they were first announced last spring. Now that the excitement is in full swing, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. My focus remains on King due to IM@S, but I believe Love Live is in good hands. A cheer (or perhaps “buhiii” is more fitting) for the next generation.
You might also be interested in : 2015 Eventing Highlights
12 Offkai tips: Or why I can write about the AN Offkai in this longer-than-necessary blog post about 2015. Using a listicle format might be fully justified here. Unfortunately, this isn’t a “dirty laundry” post, just generalized guidelines for events like an offkai, so I might still need to write that AN offkai post sometime…
- Know who’s coming – This means not just their identities, but whether they can handle the type of party you want to throw. Knowing this helps you set the right mood, choose appropriate food, prices, drinks, and programming, and determine how “pro” you want it to be. It also helps in setting limits.
- Have a big idea goal – More importantly, perhaps this should be #1, but it’s about knowing what you want to achieve at the offkai. While gathering and having a good time is the general idea, it’s too vague. For the 2015 offkai, we decided to create an event that welcomes JP Ps and gives Western Ps, especially those who rarely attend such events, a taste of the experience. We also aimed to be somewhat extravagant.
- Follow a model – The AN offkai is a natural extension of a JP-style offkai, but planning it felt akin to planning a wedding, complete with cakes that rivaled wedding cakes. It included sound, projection, alcohol, a banquet hall, and all the trimmings. Following a model simplifies the process, as much of the offkai is already planned.
- Have a budget – Once you have a rough estimate of attendees, you can create a budget. This is the second most important aspect. Knowing your budget allows you to shop around effectively.
- Shop around – In this case, I did most of the shopping, but options were limited due to location. Many attendees couldn’t drive to better value setups outside the immediate area. Local Toronto residents couldn’t assist much either, but having fewer choices made the decision-making easier.
- It’s good to have plan B’s – This is always a good principle, but following a model simplifies contingency planning and makes things easier for everyone, so events tend to run smoothly. However, for an offkai with many twenty-somethings, it’s wise to anticipate common issues. The anime/manga crowd is generally good about this, but having backup plans for emergencies involving key personnel is always beneficial. While most RSVPs will show up and pay, not everyone in a large group will. And who would crash a Producer offkai, anyway? LOL.
- Make an effort to steadily communicate – Keep people informed as a matter of practice. The key is to communicate the right information, LOL. Aspects like the menu or approximate charges are things people should have a say in, and it’s always good to get opinions from those representing the consensus. There’s an art to this, and one can overdo it, but it’s necessary. It’s equally important to listen to feedback and use it to inform constructive next steps.
- Have a realistic view – Not everything will be easy, not everything will work out, and not every decision will go as planned. Not everyone will be happy, but the goal is to at least provide the opportunity. Letting things play out and having good options in scenarios where dissatisfaction is likely is beneficial. I often had to balance this with our initial intentions during the process.
- Take it easy – Planning shouldn’t be stressful. It’s no fun if you go over budget, even if others have a good time. If you’re enthusiastic about it, you’re likely to do a better job than if you’re doing it begrudgingly. Ask for help when needed; in a cooperative effort like an offkai, many will be willing to invest their energy.
- Have local people help – I mentioned this briefly earlier; a group of Americans organizing an offkai in Canada presents challenges. It’s not entirely negative, as you appreciate Canada’s resemblance to the 51st state, but it’s no substitute for local assistance. We had someone who could rent audio equipment cheaply, saving us significant money and logistical headaches. Locals who can drive and help with transportation are also invaluable. Another Canadian helped with the cakes, simplifying the process and avoiding foreign exchange fees.
- Have deep pockets – While not strictly required, having ample funds significantly smooth
