UlasanAnime.com – The feeling of belonging, of having your own preferences acknowledged by others who share similar ideas and tastes, is a powerful motivator. This desire for validation is often why we seek approval and, conversely, why we sometimes reject differing opinions. It’s a sentiment that resonates deeply, especially when we find ourselves revisiting the past, a time when our perceived world felt a little smaller and more unified.
This is also the driving force behind my continued engagement with the often-contentious 2ch saimoe polls and my enjoyment of certain videos. While one might agree or disagree with 2ch’s selections, if a top 10 or 50 list can tell a story, this particular one offers a personally uplifting narrative. It even carries the distinct “flavor” of 2ch, a characteristic I may not personally share but which, paradoxically, adds to the overall charm.
In terms of personal compatibility, as might be expected, I find a strong alignment with 2ch’s rankings. My first personally selected anime, Tsuritama, appears at number 30. Furthermore, out of my top 12 anime for 2012, all but two are present on this list (Fate/Zero and Chihayafuru are excluded, as the poll did not consider shows that began in 2011). Examining the list reveals discernible trends, such as Horizon S2 scoring significantly lower than its predecessor. This observation is particularly relevant as it mirrors my own opinion. Conversely, there’s a clear bias towards more recent shows, though this doesn’t fully justify the inclusion of Girls und Panzer, a show for which I struggle to find a compelling rationale, despite understanding its appeal to some.
For clarity, here is the list, ranked from bottom to top. Titles marked with an asterisk () are those I included in my personal picks for 2012.
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50. Natsume Yuujincho
49. Ixion Saga
48. Tasogare Otome x Amnesia
47. Oniai
46. High School DxD
45. Black Rock Shooter TV
44. Ano Natsu de Matteru
43. BTOOOM!
42. Haiyore! Nyaruko-san!
41. Utakoi
40. Kokoro Connect
39. To-love-ru Darkness
38. Kuroko’s Basketball
37. Dog Days S2
36. Zetsuen no Tempest
35. Tonari no Kaibutsu
34. Busou Shinki
33. Ginga e Kickoff!!
32. Natsuiro Kiseki
31. Uchuu Kyoudai
30. Tsuritama
29. Smile Precure!
28. Horizon S2
27. InuxKami SS
26. Shinsekai Yori
25. Danshikousei no Nichijou
24. Sengoku Collection
23. Senki Zesshou Symphogear
22. Hidamari Sketch S4
21. Accel World
20. Little Busters!
19. Jormungand
18. Oda Nobuna no Yabou
17. Yuru Yuri S2
16. Nisemonogatari
15. Kill Me Baby
14. Another
13. Nazo no Kanojo X
12. Psycho-Pass
11. Mouretsu Pirates
10. Sakamichi no Apollon
09. Sword Art Online
08. Joshiraku
07. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!
06. Saki Achiga-hen episode of side-A
05. Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
04. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
02. Tari Tari
02. Hyouka
01. Girls und Panzer*
Homework:
1. The ongoing debate about “moe” potentially harming anime provides a good framework for self-assessment. How many of the anime listed can be categorized as “moe”? How do these online arguments hold up against factual data? What is your appraisal of the current situation? What reasons might explain the ranking of certain shows?
1a. How many noitaminA series are featured on this list? Is the block considered defunct or has it strayed from its original vision? Does the provided data support these claims? Are there alternative perspectives or arguments one could propose regarding noitaminA? For instance, one might argue that it simply did not produce strong content in 2012.
2. How closely do your personal tastes align with those of 2ch? Which bloggers seem to have the most overlap with 2ch’s preferences? Does this comparison hold any significant meaning? How does 4chan’s ranking compare to this?
3. What are the home video sales figures for these titles? How do sales performance and overall popularity correlate? How does the popularity indicated by 2ch’s rankings compare with popularity measured by other metrics, such as sales and available ratings?
4. JPMeyer’s theory on ethnic-specific affinity likely plays a role. This seems to be a straightforward application in the case of Tari Tari, as discussed in a previous comment. However, does this theory also extend to Hyouka? My personal assessment suggests it does.
Bonus: By most standards, including this one, Jinrui wa Suiitai Shimashita stands out as the best comedy of the year. But what would be considered the worst? While this top 50 list doesn’t definitively answer that, it’s unlikely that Kill Me Baby would hold that unfortunate distinction.
