Considering what it gave us-ATTACK ON TITAN- it might come off as a little odd for me to suggest that 2013 wasn't the best year in anime. Maybe its just me; but as great as a lot of the anime i came across were, every once in a while i like sitting down, watching anime and being blown away. And that didn't happen in 2013 besides three or four titles.
A shame, really, when you consider the potential so many series that premiered or completed in 2013 possessed; yet most of them just didn't really hit home. Or maybe my standards are a little skewed, here's to hoping for an epic 2014.
Anyway, my top ten anime of 2013; i will try to break the pattern and keep it brief.
10.
This anime found its way onto my plate pretty early in the year, one of those series that seemed to leap into my path from out of nowhere, the premise seemingly unenticing, but the execution proving itself quite unique.
follows the story of a high school club that tries to construct a giant robot, and the plot weaves back and forth, from slice of life to sci-fi, with great balance.
9. SAMURAI FLAMENCO
Samurai Flamenco is very odd, yet very good, the series chronicling the life of a young male model, Hazama who, after harbouring consuming thoughts about crime and justice, decides to don the suit of his favourite childhood hero, hit the streets and fight crime.
Only one problem stands in his way, one that Goto, the police man that finds him naked on the streets during their first encounter, is quick to point out; Hazama possesses no physical skills whatsoever.
Samurai Flamenco is a fun watch, hilarious and effective in deconstructing certain superhero shows; well worth watching.
8.
Complain as i might about the failings of 2013 anime series, few can deny just how beautifully animated most of them proved to be, blasting onto screen with some really vivid animation, the characters lively, the scenes vibrant, complimenting a story that turns a hero into a villain and then switches back and fourth between these two repeatedly.
brought unpredictability in its execution, stranding its most powerful hero out of reach for most of the series, its protagonists then forced to contend with some pretty powerful enemies in their attempts to solve a year old murder which seemingly ties into an inheritance feud.
7.
This series is going to be a game changer as far as MMO based anime series are concerned, that is if it continues down its current trajectory. Too many series feature a small group of heroes stranded within the realm of their favorite online game.
All such anime fail terribly in truly bringing this world to life, which is where achieves victory, focusing less on quest completion and more on the process of building a life within a world that has presented no path back to the physical world.
6. KUROKO NO BASKET
This isn't just sport, this is sport at its best; no one can truly bring to your imagination the nature of the force that is Kuroko no Basket; you just have to see it for your self. Anyone ever wonder why sports in anime and manga seem so much more awesome than the real thing?
5. HUNTER X HUNTER
Is this the best on-going shonen series around right now? Pretty much, yes. Hunter x Hunter is brilliant, this creation of Togashi (Yu Yu Hakusho) bringing a truly inspired twist in executing the tale of a boy on a journey to find the father that abandoned him, on the way fighting an deluge of foes, each more vicious than the last.
Awesome is a seriously over used term, yet there is no other means through which you can accurately describe the epicness that is HXH; if you're not watching HXH you're not watching anime, because it stands up there with the best of them, this current arc (chimera ant) proving to be the darkest and one of the best the series has offered to its viewers.
We can only watch with bated breath as the series begins to wind down, manga material slowly dwindling to little more than a single arc.
4. PSYCHO PASS
This series took the otaku world by storm when it first aired early in 2013; number 4 it might be, but really, has there been a more intelligent show in all of 2013 than Psycho pass?
The depth of characterization, the philosophical questions raised by an intricately futuristic plot, the tragedies, twists, turns, AMAZING villain, internal conflicts, moral dilemmas to anyone that asks, i have always described psycho pass as CSI in the future, but really, CSI wishes it was half as good as this.
3.
I cannot get enough of ; something about this anime has captivated me, and only because of what anime series number 2 and 1 are, does THE DEVIL IS A PART TIMER receive the position of number three.
Following the story of a demon lord that, after spending generations maiming, killing, pillaging, marching his armies across the lands in an effort to conquer the human world of Ente Esla; finds himself on Earth, with no demonic powers, reduced to the physical form of a human being, there is a charm to this series.
Not only Sadaou but the entire cast of the series is one comedic nuclear blast waiting to go off again and again; maybe i wouldn't call Maou sama phenomenal, yet you will be itching to pick it up again and again, just to relieve some of its best moments.
Definitely third best anime of 2013.
2. ATTACK ON TITAN
WHAT? ATTACK ON TITAN? SECOND BEST? It simply cannot be
Well it most certainly is. Attack on Titan basically set the otaku world on fire last year, and could there really ever be any doubt with regards to its position in the rankings? An anime so fluidly animated, so violently action packed, so horrifying, yet enticing and beautiful to look at Attack on Titan is damn near perfect, and those of us that have no intention of reading the manga can only hope for concrete news regarding the continuation of this series.
If you're sitting back home, trying to figure out how to get that unrepentant anime hater into this most powerful of entertainment mediums, throw Attack on Titan at them and they will be hooked forever.
Anyway, now that we are done with first loser,my number 1 anime of 2013 is none other than:
1. SUISEI NO GARGANTIA
No, am not crazy, and yes i believe this anime to be far superior even to Attack on Titan, though not by miles. It didn't take me more than a few minutes thought, after automatically placing Attack on Titan as number 1, before i quickly reconsidered my position.
Suisei no Gargantia is one heck of an anime, most definitely the best 2013 had to offer; sure Shingeki no Kyojin has impact and great action and great animation and characters; but Gargantia has a great story, great characters and an amazing, extremely intelligent and well though out plot, on top of great animation and AMAZING MUSIC.
Really, this is Gen Urobuchi we are talking about; the term rising star probably doesn't full encompass his abilities. Having brought us Fate/Zero and Madoka Magica, the top 2 series of 2012, is it really any wonder that he would also reign over 2013.
Suisei no Gargantia has a pretty strange and unpredictable plot, following the pilot of a super mech that, initially doing battle in an epic intergalactic war, crash lands on earth, man's former home.
It's the human stories that follow that allow me to appreciate Gargantia so much, following Ledo as an ace pilot that suddenly finds himself piloting a super robot but with no war to fight in, with no conflict to overcome, no enemy to vanquish, just the normal lives of an ancient shipping vessel and the colorful human beings that inhabit it.
And did i mention how AMAZING the music is, because i could listen to it all day, the very best scores of the entire year.
And there it is, my list of the best anime that 2013 had to offer; a few notable mentions including the following:
1. NARUTO
Even remaining objective i cannot deny just how entertaining Naruto has been over the past year; sure the fillers proved themselves to be quite irritating, yet the revival of Madara more than made up for this failing, the epicness of his arrival only accentuated by the quality of story telling that followed and is progressing to date.
Maybe not the best (definitely the best) but worth mentioning.
2. COPELLION
Here is the thing with Copellion. It has some pretty lousy voice actors; the characters feel so whiny and fickle, and the story that's been told over the first few episodes is, on a whole, largely lacking.
So why bother even bringing it up on this list? Well, Copellion looks really good, i mean amazingly good, the best animated show i saw in all of 2013.
Even with the lack of action-the story largely about pollution and these three girls that must traverse large portions of japan contaminated by some unknown agent, the only humans capable of surviving in a harsh land populated by hazmat suit wearing occupants- the anime has a dense and realistic feel to it.
There are moments where merely watching the grass rustle or the crumbling buildings creak is almost enough to make up for the luck lustre story.
3. K PROJECT
Okay, K project was just action packed fluff, nothing with any real depth story wise, but that doesn't make it any less impressive an anime.
4. BLOOD LAD
More vampires in anime; only blood lad is one of the few that's been done right in a long while, largely comedic, retaining a number of vampire traits (unlike Strike the Blood) and considerably entertaining, following the story of a powerful vampire with a great love for all things human and anime, manga and gaming,who finds himself playing host to a human girl that suddenly stumbles into his territory.
Now as boss of his patch of underworld, he should act harshly and violently against the unknowing intruder, but he loves humans so much, plus he's never really seen one. So what's the harm in having a little bit of fun?
And that's it from me and anime in 2013. Comment below and agree, disagree, whatever works for you.
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