2012 Anime Year in Review: Part 1

THE END

So 2012. A lot of stuff happened in it for me and, well, kind of for anime, I guess. I’m of the opinion that we had one of the strongest seasons in a long time this year. Online streaming continued to grow stronger. Shonen Jump Alpha finally brought manga’s business model into the 21st century. It’s a good time to be alive, or something.

So here’s my very personal year in review, mostly for my own notes and references, but I figured I’d like to share. Originally this was one blog post, but it became so horribly text-wally that I broke it up into three parts. This one’s mostly an overall summary.

Things of note in 2012:

• Well, I got a job at Funimation during the Summer season; that was pretty awesome. As a result, I watched a lot more anime this year than I normally would have; also, my anime-viewing skews heavily towards the end of the year. Upping my power level is always a good thing.
• This year had a looot of zany, crazy, absurd, silly titles, which are totally my weakness. Among Rock Lee, Danshiko/Nichibros, Wooser, Polar Bear Cafe, and Akibaranger, this was a highly amusing year!
• Speaking of Akibaranger, AKIBARANGER. I don’t think I’ve been more obsessed with a live-action show, maybe since HanaKimi Taiwanese. This was the first sentai show I saw all the way through, and DX MMZ-001 Moe Moe Zukyuun was my first $100+ figure! Good times.
• CONTROVERSY! Remember the Kokoro Connect bullying incident? As someone who was actually into the show, this really gave me mixed feelings. Bullying and Japan seem to go pretty hand in hand if SankakuComplex is any indication… Sugita proved how badass he was by helping publicize this incident; meanwhile, it ended rather uneventfully, but the very hasty cover-up that wasn’t quite believable. I actually like Terashima Takuma, so his adorable cheery voice has been forever ruined for me. Sadly, at the end of the day, I actually remember Terashima’s name but cannot, for the life of me, recall the person who was actually bullied…
• CONTROVERSY PART TWO! I didn’t actually read or watch Kuroko no Basuke, but holy shit, anime terrorism is a thing and it gets doujinshi circles banned from Comiket. How does this actually happen?! It feels like the anime terrorists have won, but what can you even do? Hope this issue is resolved in 2013…
• Fall 2012 was a very strong season. There was a pretty wide range of shows, and I don’t think I’ve actually watched more anime in any season ever. Also given not one, not two, but three shoujo series in one season (I think Chihayafuru, Uta Koi and Gokujou were the only other shoujo/josei of the year?), I really hope this starts a trend of shoujo shows actually selling enough to exist! Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun’s sales have been pretty shitty so far, so I guess I can’t hold too much hope.
• Even before I started working at an anime company, I thought this year was notable in that I watched a lot of anime but actually didn’t read much manga… Actually, because of Shonen Jump Alpha, shounen’s been most of my manga diet for the first time in a while. I love a lot of the recent trends in our domestic anime industry, and anime’s gotten way easy to watch cheap and legally, but without an all-you-can-eat manga competitor… As Tezuka once said, “manga is my wife; anime is my mistress,” so this year has been a continuous illicit affair, and I feel guilty leaving behind my beloved wife, who will surely welcome me back with a smile and open arms as if I had never betrayed her.

Anyway, I watched some anime this year.

Anime watched, in somewhat chronological order and excluding drops:
I provide a very quick rating out of 3 stars, measuring my enjoyment.
Mirai Nikki (2011) ★★★
Chihayafuru (2011) ★★★
Rock Lee’s Springtime of Youth Full-Power Ninden ★★★
Another (on hold) ☆☆☆
Inu x Boku SS (on hold) ★☆☆
Nisemonogatari (on hold) ★★☆
Kyousougiga ☆☆☆
Nyanpire ★☆☆
Recorder to Randoseru ★☆☆
Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki ★★☆
Fate/Zero part 2 ★★★
Uchuu Kyoudai ★★★
Daily Lives of High School Boys ★★★
Polar Bear Cafe ★★☆
Hyouka ★★☆
Nazo no Kanojo X ★★★
Sword Art Online ★★★
Kokoro Connect ★★★
Wooser’s Hand to Mouth Life ★★★
Psycho-Pass ★★★
Robotics;Notes ★★☆
Kamisama Hajimemashita ★★★
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun ★★★
Sukitte Ii na yo. ★★★
Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! ★★☆
Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo (on hold) ★☆☆
Little Busters! ★★☆
009 Re:Cyborg ★☆☆

Old stuff I finally watched or finished this year:
Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai ★★★
Guilty Crown ★★☆
Toriko ★★☆
C: Control – The Money of Soul and Possibility ★☆☆
Denpa teki na Kanojo ★★★
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu ★★★
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai ★★☆
Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka? ★★☆
Detective Conan movies: 7, 9, 12, 13, 14 ★★★
To Aru Majutsu no Index ★★☆
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun ★★★
Rosario + Vampire ★☆☆
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (still working!) ★★☆
Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni ★★★
Ghost Stories (dub) ★★★

Stuff I wish had been good enough to not drop:
Moyashimon Returns
Natsuyuki Rendezvous
Joshiraku
Oda Nobuna no Yabou

Stuff that, in hindsight, I think I should have watched (but probably didn’t have the time anyway):
Tsuritama
Lupin III: Fujiko Mine to Iu Onna
UtaKoi
Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
Sakamichi no Apollon
Binbougami ga!
K
Shin Sekai Yori
Lychee Light Club

Winter 2013 looks like it’s going to be pretty weak, unfortunately, but I hope I’m proven wrong.