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Key wrote:

Made in Abyss - 4 (2 1st)
Princess Principal - 3 (2 1st)
A Centaur's Life - 2 (both 1st)
New Game!! - 2 (both 1st)
Gamers! - 2
Elegant Yokai Apartment Life - 1 (1st but also one worst)
Tsuredure Children - 1
Classroom of the Elite - 1(but also one worst)
Clean Freak Aoyama-kun - 1 (but 2 worst)

One show that's rated as both a best and worst? Can't recall that happening before.

Actually, it was three shows that were rated both best and worst, and that's definitely never happened before.

yuna49 wrote:

r0verandom wrote:

While it remains clinical enough with Riko and Reg's frequent nudity to avoid feeling too lascivious, I wouldn't blame anyone for being put off by just how often the story digresses into its more fetishistic tendencies.

I think this argument is overwrought myself.

Same here. While the manga can perhaps be interpreted that way from what I hear, there has been nothing fetishistic in the anime itself, and pretty much the only people I hear saying there is are people who've been exposed to the manga first. Which makes me feel like that's carrying over into their perceptions of what they see in the anime (and some anime-only watchers may be seeing it through the filter of the manga-readers' comments).

invalidname wrote:

Huh, no mention yet of Netsuzou Trap -NTR-. Or the even more infamous (and unlicensed, but readily available) Skirt no Naka wa Kedamono Deshita. Mind wipe, anyone?

Could you explain why those should've been included on someone's Best or Worst list? Just asking why no one did doesn't really contribute much. I guess I'll just assume you asked because these were your picks for Best.

Even in a season as weak as this one, it's hard to pick only one for Best and harder for Worst. I guess Made in Abyss is the clear winner, but I'm torn between Tsuredure Children, Re: Creators and Virgin Soul (unless it really shits the bed in the finale) as runners-up. As to RoB:VS, I'm apparently not watching the same show as most other people, but I'm very much liking the one I'm watching, though this version has its flaws as well. Anyway, I guess I'll give it to the opposite of Abyss and go with Children.

An honorable mention for most enjoyed series is Saiyuki Reload Blast. It just made me happy each week. I'd highly recommend it to fans of the franchise just for looking so gorgeous, and strongly discourage it as a jumping-in point for non-fans.

Worst...oh dear. Vatican Medical Examiners? Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls with a Smart Phone in Another World? (which I only saw a couple episodes of, but read the reviews)? Welcome to the Bathroom? No, I think I have to go with Love and Lies, which I also bailed on halfway, but kept watching Christopher struggling through it. My main reason though was not because it was silly and spinning its wheels to avoid plot progression, but because I disliked the main character so much and his uncanny resemblance to Eiichiro in Baby Steps felt like an insult to the latter. Smile

CatSword wrote:

Anyone else surprised by how fast it seems like everyone stopped caring about Welcome to the Ballroom? There were people hyping it up saying how good the manga was and how it'd definitely be the next Yuri!!! on Ice, it had that big premiere on Twitch, and then it just sort of went lukewarm (I haven't seen anyone mention it on my Twitter feed in months, with the exception of one infamous neck screenshot).

Not anyone who followed the coverage of it at least (I'd say watching it but there are those that have not been bothered by the issues brought up by Rebecca, here or in the review). I think I was very generous with regard to their restraint in animating the dance sequences, but even I found it unsatisfactory before long. It looks like they could turn things around in the next half, but few are as excited as they were before it began.

@Gina Szanboti I believe I'm seeing the same version of Bahamut as you are and I still like it, though I'm not enjoying it as much as the first half or so.

angelmcazares wrote:

Nordhmmer wrote:

Judging Made in Abyss before the hour long episode 13,which will cover chapters 23&24,folks are going to want to re-cast their votes.....

Really? I have heard all season annoying manga readers reveling on how much I would eventually not like the anime version, but it has not happened yet. Hopefully, anime only watchers will have the last laugh.

I've just binged watched the anime and its been a damn good adaption,my two-cents.

And I've been one of those bearing with the glacial pace with which the manga is released.

Edit: I should have been clearer in my first comment- Simply put Episode 13 is going to be a very good season finale.

I'd say best is a tie between made in abyss & Fate/Apocrypha

runner up is knights and magic & in another world with my smartphone (though the latter might be biased since I am a die hard ecchi/harem junkie)

and worst is definitely a three way tie between Love & Lies , Clean Freak , and ESPECIALLY Netsuzou Trap -NTR- !

invalidname wrote:

Huh, no mention yet of Netsuzou Trap -NTR-. Or the even more infamous (and unlicensed, but readily available) Skirt no Naka wa Kedamono Deshita. Mind wipe, anyone?

while the former (NTR) should definitely get worst series of the year nominations, the latter doesn't count because skirt no naka wa kedamono deshita had extremely short eps and more importantly , ITS AN ERO SERIES AKA HENTAI! there was zero chance that crossdressing series will get any mention just for that fact alone.

jr240483 wrote:

invalidname wrote:

Huh, no mention yet of Netsuzou Trap -NTR-. Or the even more infamous (and unlicensed, but readily available) Skirt no Naka wa Kedamono Deshita. Mind wipe, anyone?

while the former (NTR) should definitely get worst series of the year nominations, the latter doesn't count because skirt no naka wa kedamono deshita had extremely short eps and more importantly , ITS AN ERO SERIES AKA HENTAI! there was zero chance that crossdressing series will get any mention just for that fact alone.

Inclined to agree, except that I recall the second season of My Wife Is The Student Council President getting pretty much as explicit as Skirt was, and yet the former actually streamed uncensored on Crunchyroll.

Okay Im going to ask a philosophical question that highlights why reviews are worthless.

If the number 5 out of a scale of ten appears for a 100th time does 5 all of a sudden become 3?

Now to explain what Im getting at, I am talking about Isekai Smart phone. The show is perfectly fine, its average, does not do anything great, but the animation style is decent the characters are okay, its basically your standard Isekai show. The fact that its the 100th show that does this, does not all of a sudden mean a show that is average is bad. This is one fallacy I have with reviews.

The second fallacy is , a 7 becomes a 4 because it was not a 10. Aka a good or decent show is rated as "worst" because it didn't live up to expectations. This is also nonsense, if you deem the show to be average or good but not great, its average or good not terrible.

There are other fundmental flaws with the majority of the review staff on ANN and their selection cough*haven't seen 2/3rds of the most common anime every made, so their selections always have glaring omissions*cough, but that would be a story for another time.

Best was Princess Principal for being stylish and engaging with lovable characters.

Runner up #1 was Kakegurui, also for being extremely stylish and engaging. It and PriPri have the best OPs of the season, hands down. Also like PriPri, the last episode was disappointing.

Runner #2 was Fate/Apocrypha. There were some questionable narrative decisions made in adaptation, and A-1 really needs to learn how to make proper sound effects and lay off the bass, but the fights are refreshingly visceral, the Servants are full of character, and the score is sublime. Most importantly, Astolfo is perfect.

Worst that I actually watched would be Youjitsu from how ridiculous it can be. Luckily it's still funny, and has cute girls (vive la Sakura) so it's still watchable.

Finally, if I included holdovers from last season, MHA and Re:Creators would be in the runners up category.

CrownKlown wrote:

Okay Im going to ask a philosophical question that highlights why reviews are worthless.

Here's a philosophical question.....If all reviews are worthless then why are you here posting in a thread about the opinions the reviewers here had in regards to best/worst of the season? You basically just go in a round about way of saying that the reviewers here suck without adding any real substance to the topic nor explaining why they do. Oh wait....that is your routine here. Pointless and rude arguing along with insults towards reviewers and other users with differing opinions than your own. Unless you want to wind up back on moderation for that behavior how about you stop while you're ahead.

Cant handle criticism on a criticism article. Censorship at its finest.

I'd held back any hopes on Princess Principal because of Ichiro Okouchi - the guy keeps breaking my heart, as it seems like stuff he's on for series composition has a tendency to be interesting and then end up going south (Code Geass, Kabaneri) if it wasn't just bad to begin with (Guilty Crown). Thing is, when he's good, he can be great (some killer individual credits there, from King Gainer to Space Dandy). Yeah yeah, I know how it is with pinning things on any one person in an anime production, but y'knoooow.

So, I'm glad to hear just about everywhere this show turned out well, and it's nice to begin watching it now knowing it won't completely fall apart, apparently. Sure starts out strong. Certainly makes me more confident he won't screw up Devilman!

I think this may be the most current anime I've wanted to watch while airing or close to it (that, Made in Abyss, Fate/Apoc, Bahamut Virgin Soul). And most of them are turning out well, no less.

I have thoughts on Bahamut, but I'll save that for when it's over. I think I've been less down on it than a lot of folks here for longer, but if nothing else, it's already apparent it's certainly not as good as it should've been.

MAssForder85 wrote:

Cant handle criticism on a criticism article. Censorship at its finest.

If it was just criticism then you'd be fine. If you were just saying the reviewers were wrong you'd be fine. You, however, crossed the line into insulting reviewers with the first part of your post, and that's what got your post pulled.

CrownKlown, OTOH, was being addressed because he's been obsessed with that same argument for a long time and it's caused problems before.

On utterly unrelated matters, for those asking about NTR: a review is in the works.

Key wrote:

MAssForder85 wrote:

Cant handle criticism on a criticism article. Censorship at its finest.

If it was just criticism then you'd be fine. If you were just saying the reviewers were wrong you'd be fine. You, however, crossed the line into insulting reviewers with the first part of your post, and that's what got your post pulled.

CrownKlown, OTOH, was being addressed because he's been obsessed with that same argument for a long time and it's caused problems before.

Key is correct on both accounts. Rule #1 here is be civil. It's front and center right at the top of our rules. Tossing around personal insults towards any person here, staff or regular member, is not tolerated. Either express your criticisms and opinions civilly or you run the risk of your post being edited or removed. Just as your post was removed after it had been reported by another user and brought to the attention of the mods. Continued violations of the rules, especially rule #1, will get you sterner warnings such as CrownKlown received. Now how about we all get back on topic. Thank you.

The next time a new poster complains that ANN is a monolith, we should link this article. Differences in opinion are expected, but it's interesting that some critics' favorites are others' least favorite, and it happened more than once this season.

I'm also surprised that 2 critics chose Centaur as one of their favorites. That show is weird. I haven't seen the whole thing, but every clip I watch leaves me with more questions. Is the snake girl supposed to be sexy? Does the manga-ka really think that teenage girls practice amateur gynecology on their friends? What political statement is this show trying to make, exactly? And why do mermaids have thigh gaps?!

Also surprising: the lack of My Hero Academia.

The series I looked forward to the most are
Virgin Soul: I agree that the Charioce/Nina romance (and the show's attempt to humanize Charioce in general) was poorly done, and that it brings the whole show down. But almost everything else about it is so good--the supporting characters, the humor, the animation, the homage to Raiders of the Lost Arc, even the tense moments--that it only lowered the show from an A+ to a C for me. I'm still looking forward to its finale and would totally watch a humor focused, character-based OVA in the future if it got one.

Made in Abyss I don't know that I could add to the praise. I did think some of the middle episodes sagged a little, but that might be because the first couple of episodes were so charming that I missed all the characters left on the surface. Then things got more intense for our main characters, and I was glued to the edge of my seat and couldn't look away.

Princess Principal This one was a surprisingly fun ride. Probably had the best action scenes of the season, some great emotional moments, and you can't go wrong with a steampunk Victorian fashion sense in an alternate history fantastical setting. Plus, that soundtrack! 2 critics mentioned the OP, but the cutesy ED was a great counterpoint to the show's action heavy ascetic.

Boruto: I'm guessing it doesn't count for a list like this because it's a long runner, but this season adapted The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring and gave us the best Sakura fight since the rescue Gaara arc in Shippuden. It also handles its emotional beats--especially stuff concerning parent/child relationships--with a surprising amount of sensitivity and realism.

The best thing I can say about the Yokai Apartments was that it kept managing to surprise me plot-wise (partly because of the inconsistency one of the critics mentioned), but mostly it was just mediocre and was the only new anime I watched that came out on Mondays.

18if and The Reflection seemed like the shows nobody was watching this season. If anybody has any time between seasons (HA!), check out episode 7 of 18if, the beautifully rendered fairytale episode. The Reflection is a bit of an acquired taste, but if you like unusual takes on American comic book superhero tropes, it's an interesting watch.

Agent355 wrote:

And why do mermaids have thigh gaps?!

Simple.

To avoid any chance of this happening.

By giving the mermaids thigh gaps, the show makes it clear that they can still reproduce the sane way.

I expected more Tsuredure! Oh well. I'm glad it got one mention.

For me:
1. Made in Abyss
2. Tsuredure Children

Worst: I guess Love and Lies? I watched a lot of sh*t this season, to be honest. And was somehow entertained by almost all of it. An unusual occurrence for me. I think I'm maybe starting to understand what this "camp" thing is, and learning how to appreciate so-bad-it's-good anime. Anyway, Love and Lies was all of that. Until it stopped being enjoyably incompetent and became just all around boring from episode 5-6 on.
On that note, I think I'm going to need to rewatch Princess Principal. It's something that I expected to thoroughly love, but I felt like the writing got pretty loose about halfway through. It was still entertaining, I can never get enough of that kind of setting, and the girls were indeed endearing, but yeah, I don't know if Okouchi can write something that works entirely for me. All of the praise for it here, from genuinely talented critics, makes me feel the need to see it again though. Maybe I'll marathon it again in a few months.

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