Happy New Year~
Checklist: [x] Top 5 Anime | [x] Top 5 Anime Songs | [ ] Top 5 THE iDOLM@STER Songs
Suggestions on what I other things I should rank are welcome!
Top 5 Anime of 2011
This past year marked the first full year in which I followed the current airings of anime each season. There were some good and some bad ones, but only a handful could be considered excellent. Below are my Top 5 Anime of 2011.
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1) Steins;Gate
Based on the successful visual novel of the same name Steins;Gate was arguably the best anime of 2011. A complex story surrounding the controversial idea of time travelling captivated me and left me craving for more long after I finished it. I think it'll take quite some time before another masterpiece like this will grace the anime world. Now I patiently wait for the English patch for the visual novel. |
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2) THE iDOLM@STER
An anime about the everyday lives of idols, including singing, dancing and tons of songs? This is definitely my personal favorite of the year. I especially loved watching it every week in hopes of getting to see one of my new favorite characters, Hoshii Miki, show everyone how awesome she is! <3 The addition of drama in the last few episodes were totally unexpected but made the series even better. Even now, I miss the feeling of waiting each week for a new episode to be released. |
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3) Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
The anime that revolutionized the mahou shoujo genre - that is what MSMM is known as in many parts of the otaku world. The seemingly bright and sparkly series quickly turned into a dark, psychological thriller that is bound to be remembered for quite some time. Moe character designs and a story full of plot twists is the best of both worlds and MSMM successfully mixed the two together seamlessly. |
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4) Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai
One of the more dramatic titles of 2011, AnoHana was indeed a memorable anime. The sad tale of how five childhood friends deal with the death of one of their friends brought tears to my eyes. It is a recommended watch for anyone who loves heavy drama. The title of "longest anime name of the year" also goes to this series. |
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5) Usagi Drop
The heartwarming story about a 30-year-old bachelor raising his grandfather's illegitimate daughter. This slice-of-life gem depicts the difficulties of parenthood while also portraying how wonderful and joyful life can be as a parent. The child in the anime is actually voiced by a child in real life, a fact which I found to be interesting. |
Top 5 Anime Songs of 2011
I was initially going to split this up into OP and ED but then I realized that they're technically the same; both are still songs. And so, here are my Top 5 Anime Songs of 2011.
(Excluded from this list are THE iDOLM@STER songs as they would probably be the only ones on this list. Also keep in mind that I am not a professional music analyst and the terminology I use to convey my thoughts on each song may be incorrect.)
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1) Connect (Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica OP)
Having been a ClariS fan ever since irony was released, I was overjoyed when I found out they were going to sing the OP for Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica. The piano-and-vocal-only beginning of the song sounded really good. Changes in dynamics were done very well and made the song well-rounded. I think the vocals were what captivated me the most. Considering that the two girls are still in middle school, I think their future is very bright. Looking forward to their next single. |
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2) Authentic symphony (Mashiro Iro Symphony OP)
First it was Kawaru Mirai, then it was Sleeping Butterfly and now it's Authentic symphony. The vocals were, once again, the centerpiece of this song. There was a good mix of soft and loud sections of the song. It is surprisingly catchy too as I found myself hitting the replay button over and over again after my first time of listening to it. |
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3) secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~ (10 years after ver.) (Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai ED)
This song is the lone ED in this list since, for some strange reason, I tend to like OPs more. Anyhow, this song is actually a cover of the original song of the same name by ZONE. The lyrics fit the anime EXTREMELY well and I just loved the overall flow and softness of it all. The seiyūs of AnoHana did a great job with this cover. |
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4) Hacking to the Gate (Steins;Gate OP)
This song is one of the more unique ones I have heard. Unlike traditional J-Pop songs, Hacking to the Gate is has more of a synth/trance/techno feel to it. I also found the flow of the vocals to be different (I really don't know how to describe it) from most songs. Overall, it's a very upbeat and catchy song with the music style being a major reason why I like it. |
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5) oath sign (Fate/zero OP)
An epic song for an epic anime. Really strong vocals (maybe too strong?) but it really fits well with the overall mood of the show. I liked the use of the instruments in the song as well. |
Top 5 THE iDOLM@STER Songs
(To Be Completed)
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