Favorite anime so far this year?

[PSN_Spitfire]

So far, my favorite anime this year would have to be STEINS;GATE, just inching out Ano Hana for my top spot. However both are amazing. STEINS;GATE is about a group of "friends" who have a microwave that can send messages to the past. *On of my favorite artists Huke (a member of the band supercell, they did Naruto Ending 14 and Bakemonogatari Ending 1 for all who may be curious what some of their songs may sound like). Ano Hana (full name: Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai) is about a group of six childhood friends drift apart after one of them, Meiko "Menma" Honma, dies in an accident. Several years after the incident, the leader of the group, Jinta Yadomi, has withdrawn from society and lives as a recluse. One summer day, an older looking Menma appears before him and asks to have a wish granted, though she does not remember what it is. Ano Hana made me cry buckets ;_;

STEINS;GATE OP/ED

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT4T8vw2Vic


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6_uBbj9pSM

Ano Hana OP/ED

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIYon9Fxbog


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awu8Ptc6_3g

[PSN_Wolfy]

I'll have to say I love Steins;Gate along with Natsume San as anime this year.

[CuleX]

As disappointed as I am in the lack of participation in this thread, I'll take the liberty to show my opinion.

Aired in the first season of 2011, having caused massive uproars on 4chan's anime board and even spawning an entire IRC channel of 100+ users on Rizon that's still active, I present Puella Magi Madoka Magica by SHAFT, or just Madoka for short. Despite the fact that the title's actually a nice Latin translation exercise that will have you puzzling over the meaning of "Magus" for minutes ([The] Magical Girl Madoka of the Magus) and even further typos on the OST, this anime is serious. Dead serious. Gen Urobuchi, well-known for having written Saya no Uta, is also known as the Urobutcher and also involved in the story for Madoka. SHAFT originally tried to keep that fact hidden from the public, but it somehow got leaked too early either way. Given that, you'll soon enough find out what direction the anime will go.

While there's only a relatively small character cast, it works perfectly fine for the purpose of the anime. Instead of trying for a large character cast, every character's past and motives are explained in detail during the show. None went ignored and all the characters are likable (or will become in course of the twelve episodes). The main cast consists of Homura Akemi, a strange and seemingly very cold girl, Sayaka Miki, trying to do things in a very energetic and optimistic way, Madoka Kaname, who seems to lack any kind of noteworthiness other than being the main character, Kyouko Sakura, a person who tackles things head-on and thinks about the consequences afterwards and Mami Tomoe, a very mature girl who happens to be a senior at the school Madoka and Sayaka go to.

The basic premise is that one day, Madoka encounters a strange creature named Kyubey (also known as QB) who offers to grant one single wish, no matter what. In exchange, the one entering a contract to get the wish granted, will become a magical girl (also known as Puella Magi). This includes getting a Soul Gem, a special outfit and lots of magic power which must be used to slay witches. Fully grown witches will leave a Grief Seed, which can be used to purify the Soul Gem again in order to regain magic power. Kyubey will then proceed to consume the used Soul Gem.

The plot turns out to be very convoluted; spoiling it for you won't happen, you really must see for yourself. Waiting for each episode, week for week, was most terrible. And then almost another month of waiting for the final two episodes due to the earthquake in Japan.

The Soundtrack (At the time of writing of this post, only two of three volumes of the soundtrack have been released so far), composed by Yuki Kaijura, manages to impress. With a variety of mostly orchestral tunes that fit the mood of each scene just perfectly, there are few demands to be made there. On another note, the opening theme "Connect" was made by ClariS, whereas the ending theme "Magia" was produced by Kalafina.

Unfortunately, there is a lot left to be demanded regarding animation, even in the Blu-Ray releases. Small characters in the background are often noticeably badly drawn (which has even spawned a fan-based parody named "Meduka meguca" on 4chan's anime board), the animation is choppy at times and the characters sometimes seem almost a bit plain. Regardless, the heat of the moment often lets one forget those flaws. The backgrounds are relatively impressive and the school seems to be quite a few years into the future judging from the design.

I personally enjoyed this anime a lot, it's currently definitely one of my favorites and I doubt that fact will change.

You should definitely also check out the fans' wiki at http://wiki.puella-magi.net/. Beware of spoilers though.

[Dinofossil5]

Gurren Lagaan. No contest.

[PSN_Spitfire]

Gurren Lagaan. No contest.

Gurren Lagann did not come out this year.

[zappyspiker]

I post this before the crash but seriously INAZUMA ELEVEN IS MY LIFE. I find the original slightly better the GO but stillit's really the only thing I ever care about nowdays


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2sEYOgGmxc


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BazM0yaWAco

[Dinofossil5]

Gurren Lagann did not come out this year.
It didn't come out this year, but I watched it this year. You never specified about "This Year." Ahh, how I love loopholes

[Leobreacker]

So far: One Piece (New episodes), Black Butler 1 & 2, FMA & FMA BrotherHood, and also...I started Naruto..And so far Im liking it ^^

[PSN_Spitfire]

It didn't come out this year, but I watched it this year. You never specified about "This Year." Ahh, how I love loopholes

The opposite could be said as well, I never said it could be any other year either, ahh I love when a loophole has a loophole.