UlasanAnime.com – There’s a noticeable trend in single-cour TV anime, particularly those airing late at night, where one episode stands out significantly. These exceptional episodes often represent a peak in both production quality and narrative, frequently featuring an emotional climax or a pivotal turning point. While one might expect the most memorable moments to be the story’s dramatic peak or its conclusion (especially if it’s controversial), these “peak” episodes often deviate slightly from those key story beats.
Following a staff blog post from The Nihon Review, titled “Behind the Nihon Review,” we can find a list of the top episodes from ACE 2013. These were singled out as special after a vote among fans and industry professionals. The list is available directly from ACE as well. For clarity, here are the selected episodes with some brief notes:
- Haruhi S1 E12 – The Linda Linda Linda episode
- Toradora E16 – The catfight
- Strike Witches 2 E6 – Yuri in space
- Fruits Basket E1 – Selected by Hayami Saori. This is not surprising, as Fruits Basket remains popular even in Japan.
- The iDOLM@STER E20 – Chihaya sings
- Angel Beats! E10 – They get married
- Fate/Zero E23 – The showdown
- MajiLOVE 1000% E13 – Did not watch
- Anohana E11 – They cry a river
- Steins;Gate E23 – The climatic moment
- Madoka E10 – Homu’s Revenge
- Gode Geass S2 E25 – The shark jumping reaches climax
- Bakemonogatari E12 – Under a cold, starry sky
- GITS SAC E26 – Laughing man is dead, long live the laughing man
- K-ON S2 E24 – Angel descends
- Narutio E133 – Sakugafest
- Railgun E24 – Mechafest
- Azanel-san E9 – Selected by Sakura Ayane. This is also not surprising.
- Gintama E150 – This series is full of similar moments.
- Tatami Galaxy E11 – It ends well.
- Scryed E26 – Before Gurren Lagann, there was this.
- Gurren Lagann E8 – In the programming guide, it screens right after Scryed, likely for good reason.
- Clannad After Story E18 – SHINY GET in the field of childhood dreams
These episodes are part of the anime screenings at ACE, spread across three days. It’s believed there is one unannounced screening as well.
Upon reviewing the list, most of these episodes appear to be standard climatic emotional bursts and the culmination of a season’s build-up. K-ON and Anohana seem particularly poignant, as does the episode from Clannad After Story, though its placement at episode 18 feels slightly out of sync. Toradora’s selection is more subtle compared to the dramatic intensity of series like iM@S and Gurren Lagann, which are punctuated by such moments.
However, Gintama? Naruto? Madoka episode 10? Angel Beats 10? Perhaps not the latter. Certainly not before Haruhi 12.
Fruits Basket episode 1? This choice makes sense under the “pilot” theory, suggesting that the first three episodes of any anime often have superior production value due to initial resource allocation. Based on recollection, Fruits Basket episode 1 was quite good, definitely above average for the series.
Bakemonogatari’s charming date scene seems rather quaint when contrasted with these older fan favorites.
This brings us back to Strike Witches. Coincidentally, I dropped Strike Witches after episode 6 but did watch the movie. In multiple ways, that episode truly deserved its “god-tier” status. It was not only emotionally engaging but also exceptionally well-produced and directed, demonstrating precision. It felt like an episode that could have been pulled off at any point in season two, and for me, the rest of the show couldn’t surpass it.
So, that’s about half a dozen mid-series peak episodes where the story doesn’t necessarily jump the shark, but something significant happens on screen. This is not in the same vein as Gurren Lagann. Has the count of such episodes increased?
How can we account for other instances like Kannagi 7? Kamichu 11? Simoun 16-17? (Perhaps not the latter.) Or my personal favorite, Asatte no Houkou 8? What about episodes like Manabi Straight 1-2 and 5? Girls und Panzer 8-9? (and soon 11-12?). Kaminomi 4? Or S2 E12? How about Black Lagoon 9-10? Kurenai 6? (Possibly only rivaled by the Red Garden Dead Girls OVA.) It seems I’m delving further back than the ACE list.
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I should probably start keeping a list of these.
