Board 8 > Anime of the Year 2019 - Results & Awards

(+) Yeah! (+)

Another year goes by giving us the chance to celebrate the good anime stuff that came out. Though obviously well all get to call each other out for having poor taste when our specific pet project didnt make a clean sweep.
As mentioned prior this is the first of two award series Im running this year as afterwards well be celebrating the past decades worth of anime.
Below is the order in which the awards will be handed out, this years votals were a little down and Ill have to make a slight revision. One thing I was happy to see, was that of the people who voted, the engagement levels for the Category A stuff was really good!

Best Recurring Character
Best Villain
Best Supporting Character
Best Couple
Fight of the Year
Studio of the Year
Best Visuals
Best Cast
Best Story
Most Anticipated Show
Best Opening-Ending
Best Comedy
Best Drama
Best Character Female
Best Character Male
Anime of the Year

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Best Recurring Character:

Runner up Erina Nakiri (Shokugeki no Soma)

Winner Carol Malus Dienheim (Senki Zessh Symphogear XV)

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/senkizesshousymphogear/images/f/f3/CarolRobe.png

The winner of the first of our new categories is Carol from the Symphogear series! Now I havent seen any content from the franchise but it appears to be one of the Magical Girl action shows. From what I can gather Carols a former antagonist who flips over for this series. But someone else please help me out as to why this character was neato to see back!

I don't know if I'll bring this category back in its current form, I think we might be on to something if I adjust it to Most Improved character!

Best Villain

Runner Up: Isabella (The Promised Neverland)

Winner Askeladd (Vinland Saga)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAk8lNtU4AAaRXg.jpg

Our second new categorys winner is the man Thorfinn wants to kill real bad, for good reasons too! A lot of shows have bad guys that end up being more popular than the protagonist and its easy to see why here. You got someone competent, skilful in combat, charismatic enough appearances and a backstory to add a layer of depth.

The thing about villains is when the arc revolving around them ends, how do you follow up? That can often be a tall task so well have to see if Vinland Saga can keep it up.
Shoutout to Isabella who was able to give Askeladd a run for his money. She was a very worthy opponent in the game of cat and mouse between her and the farms children.

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Not super surprised to see that Soma runner up...but didn't realize we had that any Symphogear people in B8 anime. Mine were:

Best Recurring Character
+5 Bucciarati
+3 Reigan
+1 Mob

Very surprised none of them made it.

Askelad is no surprise, neither is Isabella. They were my #1 and #2 respectively.

Tag
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pyresword posted...

Tag

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Mob does better in SMFAS, different audiences.

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Best Villain
+5 Isabella (Promised Neverland)
+3 Mao (Endro)
+1

Best Recurring Character
+5 Senjougahara (Zoku Owarimonogatari)
+3 Nadeko (Zoku Owarimonogatari)
+1 Carol (Symphogear XV)

Curious who else voted for Carol. Guess I was the only one to watch Zoku. <_<

Also maybe Reigen would've gotten in if you actually spelled his name correctly LtM...
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To be fair, for some reason that's my phone's auto correct spelling.

Best Supporting Character

2018: Maeda - Asobi Asobe

Winner: Ai Hayasaka (Kaguya-sama)

https://66.media.tumblr.com/eacbba52b6499f48139896e10778aaf1/tumblr_pp7emaF3Db1u86t2qo1_400.png

Although I will be discontinuing the best support character category going forward, the winner this year ran away with it in what might be a prelude to this years trend. Hayasaka is a bit of a Swiss army knife for the show. While she is usually a cold deadpan character who adds some snark, she can adjust to fit the situation. Guess this way she can cater to everyones taste!

Best Couple

2014: Kazunari Usa x Ritsu Kawai Kawai Complex
2015 - Takeo Gouda x Rinko Yamato Ore Monogatari
2016 - Satoru Fujinuma and Kayo Hinazuki Erased
2017 - Chito and Yuuri - Girls Last Tour/Koyomi Araragi and Hitagi Senjougahara - Owarimonogatari 2nd Season
2018 - Mai Sakurajima x Sakuta Azusagawa (Rascal Does not Dream of Bunnygirl Senpai)

Wait, have I really been running this since 2014?

Runner Up: Yuko Yoshida x Momo Chiyoda (The Demon Girl Next Door)

Winner: Kaguya Shinomiya x Miyuki Shirogane (Kaguya-sama)

https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000530661042-jalf7m-t500x500.jpg

This blindsided me, I was expecting Kaguya x Shirogane to steamroll through given the popularity of the show, but then out of nowhere Yuko x Momo gets really close. I dont know anything about The Demon Girl Next Door, but the push for it this year has peaked my interest.

As for the winner, this particular pairing was the favourite from the moment the show ended. You have two very likeable characters who are at odds with each other, yet their goal is to make the other fall in love.
What follows is an intense series of battle of wits, many laughs were had as they keep one upping each other and feels start to be had once they shows signs of caring. Yet, even without the romance, these two characters play off each other well and the audience keeps looking forward to seeing how their next battle will develop. Going by previous winners, Id say theyre up there as one of the best pairings.

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woo yuko x momo

Kaguya x Miyuki is the worst winner of this category and the show would've been better if they'd given up and moved on to other people IMO

Best Supporting Character
+5 Ertegun (Carol and Tuesday)
+3 Ayaka Uehara (Dumbbells)
+1 Ryoko Yoshida (Demon Girl Next Door)

Best Couple
+5 Yuko + Momo (Demon Girl Next Door)
+3 Bocchi + Saki (Hitoribocchi)
+1 Miyako + Hana (Wataten)
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Another obvious and very deserving winner for couple, just like last year....actually this category consistently has at least decent winners.

Best Couple
+5 Kaguya x Miyuki
+3 Carole x Tuesday
+1 Tanjiro and Nezuko

I am...stunned by Hayasaka's win here. I mean, she's great too, but completely shocked it wasn't Chika.

Best Supporting Character
+5 Chika Fujiwara
+3 Hongou Hitoha
+1 Inosuke

My +1 for villain was Cybell....yeah, #1 and #2 were super strong and obvious this year, but it was a wasteland past that. Considered voting for the 4 armed volleyball girl from Yaiba because she's cute.

Huh yea wasn't expecting Hayasaka there but I'm good with that. And yea couple works easily there, they would have been my +3 at least

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Hayasaka is fantastic, but I wonder how many people voted for her without reading the manga there. Can't be that high, I don't think.

I kind of assumed she was there because of the manga, based on how people were talking about her back when the season was winding down.

Will probably check back here and there to see results despite not voting and even though Kagughya will probably win a fair amount of stuff

Hayasaka clips were very popular on youtube so we're not the only ones to enjoy her appearances!
Though that show as a whole lived up to the hype.

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I actively disliked what I read of the manga before it aired and expected it to be trash, but easily one of the biggest flips of personal expectations to results I've encountered.

Fight of the Year:

(Fight clips include spoilers of course)

2015 - Shirou vs. Gilgamesh Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
2016 - Karasuno High School vs Shiratorizawa Academy - Haikyuu
2017 - Deku vs. Todoroki - My Hero Academia 2nd Season
2018 - All Might vs. All for One (My Hero Academia)

This is generally the choice category for shonen shows to excel, though Jump series in particular have been dominant of late.

Runner Up: Nezuko x Tanjiro vs Rui (Demon Slayer)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qva036J_evc

Winner: Levi vs Beast Titan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQJyCtELWaU

NOT THIS YEAR THOUGH. Demon Slayer, the hot new action property of Shonen Jump, Ufotable a studio that animated the only non-Jump series to win this category, by their powers combined, we get a pretty lit battle.
However Attack on Titan has been due in this category for some time, sure its a shonen series, but at least we get to break the ongoing Jump streak. With My Hero Academia unable to match the insanity that was All Might vs One For All, this was gonna be Attack on Titans best shot and what a fight! Though its less of a fight and more or less Levi doing what the public always wants to see from him. Hes had other beautiful fights in the past, such as vs. Annie and vs Kenny's squad, but here he gets to put on a clinic.

This is like one of those wrestling moments where the babyface is finally unleashed and gets to go nuts on the heel with the whole crowd cheering. Credit also goes to Wit Studios for delivering the goods on.

Studio of the Year

2014 - Madhouse
2015 - Madhouse
2016 - A-1 Pictures
2017 - Wit Studio
2018 - Kyoto Animation

Runner Up: Bones

Winner: Wit Studio

Did you not just see that lit as hell fight! Wit Studios at this point mostly known for Attack on Titan and during their run, its been one of the best manga adaptations out there. However, this year you get to combine that with another great show in Vinland Saga and you got the one-two punch combo that helped Wit Studio edge out Bones. With this win Wit now ties Madhouse and with more Attack on Titan on the horizon, theyre working from a pretty good floor.

Meanwhile Bones are possibly the best studio to have never won. Theyve got a great set of shows in Mob Psycho and My Hero Academia, this year Carole & Tuesday was adding to the lineup and was well received.

Note: Bones flagship series FMA: Brotherhood is ineligible for AOTD due to having too many eps air in 2009.

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Ah damn I might have gotten Bones its first win if I had submitted

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Saw that Titan win coming. I didn't watch it so I can't really really speak to it. I don't like where Titan is at all, but the fights were never the focus of my chagrin. Plus I didn't vote in this category, though all of my votes would have gone to Kaguya fights.

Studio of the Year
+5 Bones
+3 Studio David
+1 Lerche

I don't have a problem with WIT winning thanks to Vinland.

Maybe there's been an update, but last I looked WIT wasn't even confirmed for Titan 4.

Studio of the Year
+5 Wit
+3 Dogakobo
+1 ufotable

Fight of the Year
+5 Levi vs. Beast Titan (Attack on Titan)
+3 Tanjiro + Nezuko vs. Rui (Demon Slayer)
+1 Lio vs. Galo (Promare)
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Best Visuals:

2014 - No Game No Life
2015 - Prison School
2017 - Land of the Lustrous/The Ancient Magus Bride
2018 - Violet Evergarden

Runner up: Demon Slayer

Winner: Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2

Poor Demon Slayer, its being shown up by peak Attack on Titan on all fronts! Im surprised Ufotables never had a show win, but I think their best chance (well only) was with Unlimited Blade Works and that faced No Game No Life.
Attack on Titan though, this has been one of the best received seasons to date. Part 2 appears to have delivered on all fronts for the fans. You get gorgeous fights, you get absolutely hype as shit moments, like Erwins charge, basically a collection of visually stunning scenes.

Attack on Titans been on a roll of late, so we seem to be setting up a showdown between it and our other major force.

Best Cast

2014 - Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun
2015 - My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Too
2016 - KonoSuba: Gods Blessing on This Wonderful World!
2017 - My Hero Academia 2nd Season/Re:Creators
2018 - A Place Further than the Universe

Runner Up: Astra Lost in Space

Winner: Kaguya-sama: Love is War

https://image.myanimelist.net/ui/5LYzTBVoS196gvYvw3zjwDwv3h5BAkSoURXdfTfuEME

Whats Astra Lost in Space? Was my reaction as I was tallying, turns out it might have been one of those hidden gems I overlooked thats solid in quality.

That said, the juggernaut that is Kaguya must dash all of these underrated shows hopes. With Hayasaka grabbing a character win and Miyuki x Kaguya grabbing couple, its fair to say that its one of the shows strengths. Add Chika and Ishigami and you got yourself a winning combination. B8 sure loves their school club type dynamics. With Kaguya, a rather large number of scenes are mainly confined to the Student Council room and this environment quickly let us know which characters interacted best with each other.

As a manga reader, this does have me excited to see what the future of the show will look like as the characters weve been introduced to grow and continue their character development.

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Astra is a gem, buy Kaguya is obviously gonna win this.

Best Cast
+5 Kaguya-sama
+3 Astra
+1 The Promised Neverland

Best Visuals
+5 Mob Psycho 100 2
+3 Demon Slayer
+1 Fire Force

Another shame for visuals. Not so much because I have an issue with how Titan looks, but...its fucking Mob. What I'm learning from these awards is that not enough people have watched the easy anime of the decade contendor Mob Psycho, which is gonna be a damn tragedy in the next set of awards.

I'll try and put the rest up tomorrow/next couple of days.

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Best Cast
+5 Hitoribocchi
+3 Demon Girl Next Door
+1 Promised Neverland

Best Visuals
+5 Demon Slayer
+3 Titan S3P2
+1 How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?

Mob deserved it for visuals though, yeah.
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haven't watched any of this year's anime beyond Food Wars! and Attack on Titan but following this specifically for recommendations

I watched Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunnygirl Senpai and A Place Further than the Universe specifically because of this topic last year and both were fantastic shows I never would've watched otherwise.

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Yeah I didn't really watch much either (hence not submitting a vote), but I might watch some stuff that does well here.
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Mob vs Mogami easy #1 fight

didn't watch season 3 yet though. I'm sure that's a good winner

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voltch posted...

Runner Up: Astra Lost in Space

Winner: Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Astra getting second here makes me so fucking happy.

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Following this for recommendations, but it's nice to see Demon Girl Next Door get runner-up for something. I didn't think anyone else here watched that one.
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Astra thankfully pulled in a decent enough audience. Definitely the year's best surprise. Though I guess theamga readers already knew what was up.

I would have given a bunch of votes to Mob, but whoops, didn't submit anything.

Glad to see some recognition for Hayasaka being great though. And usually I'd be angry about Wit being praised because I'm not a big Attack on Titan fan at all, but they did a very good job with Vinland Saga.

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Hitoribocchi is an amazing show

Not sure if anyone other than me voted for it. Will see I guess.
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I'm also part of the Mob voting crowd, but I also didn't submit anything. I only watched ~10 shows this year, and the vast majority of those were ones I already followed the manga or previous seasons of, so it wouldn't have felt fair or representative.

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Mac Arrowny posted...

Curious who else voted for Carol.

I gave her a +5. I didn't really expect anyone else to vote for her let alone for Carol to get enough support to win the category.
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Mac Arrowny posted...

Best Villain
+5 Isabella (Promised Neverland)
+3 Mao (Endro)
+1

Best Recurring Character
+5 Senjougahara (Zoku Owarimonogatari)
+3 Nadeko (Zoku Owarimonogatari)
+1 Carol (Symphogear XV)

Curious who else voted for Carol.

i thought i did but actually i only put her on fight of the year so huh

instead i had ogawa at the top lol

anyway i guess I'll share parts of mine

Best Recurring Character
+5 Ogawa Shinji (Symphogear)
+3 Megishima Tousuke (Shokugeki no Soma)
+1 Isshiki Satoshi (Shokugeki no Soma)
i find it interesting that the winners came from said series without my support

Best Villain
+5 Mao (Endro)
+3 Yang (RobiHachi)
+1 Sister Krone (The Promised Neverland)
isabella was good but a tad too passive. surprised and a little disappointed mao didn't make it though

Best Supporting Character
+5 Waseda (Wasteful Days of High School Girl)
+3 Barnold Shortsinator (Dumbbell)
+1 Episode 6 Girl (Null Peta)
dumbbell and wasteful were robbed

Best Couple
+5 Anne and Grea (Manaria Friends)
+3 Robby and Yang? (RobiHachi)
+1 Wakaba and Rin (Kemurikusa)
i wasn't really feeling this one but compared to what actually took it...

meh

stop sleeping on manaria (mysteria) friends!

and on a related note

Studio of the Year
+5 Cygames Pictures
+3 Fukushima Gaina
+1 Yaoyorozu

Best Cast
+5 Boogiepop and Others
+3 The Price of Smiles/Egao no Daika
+1 The Magnificent Kotobuki
Now this one might look like the most out of touch one yet but hear me out here. My personal criteria for this one was how much effort seemed to go into writing its side/background characters. The one thing i can say price of smiles did right was make its old guys, military strategists and all, actually competent. Kotobuki had a surprisingly large and colourful roster, and boogiepop characters are just a thing, period.

i nearly considered astra until i remembered the terribly written parents and honestly that was a key reason i chose to look at it from the perspective i did

Guys, Isekai Quartet had the best cast, come on now.

UF8 posted...

stop sleeping on manaria (mysteria) friends!

What a terrible show. Just more annoying yuri bait
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UF8 posted...

+3 The Price of Smiles/Egao no Daika

this show should not be best at anything

Those first couple episodes were good.

to clarify yeah no the show was still awful, there was no way it was getting any other acknowledgements from me barring me being really lenient and counting one of the battles in it for best fight (the one in ep2). and well, i didn't

also speaking of comedy short adaptations of existing shows, i nearly considered strike witches chars for best cast and best recurring (most improved) because of its chibi parody. who would've thought strike witches minus the gratuitous pantyshots and action made for a decent show

Oh uh, I always merge OP/ED for yearly, but would be ok splitting them up for the decade.

Depends on how people feel.

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Best Story

2014 - Your Lie in April
2015 - Owarimonogatari
2016 - Erased
2017 - Made in Abyss
2018 - A Place Further than the Universe

Runner Up: Astra Lost in Space

Winner: Attack on Titan Season 2 Part 2

Oh I didnt realise Astra Lost in Space was by the Sket Dance guy. That series was cool, so this is what he was up to.
Oh boy, Attack on Titan though. This was what weve spent so much time building towards, this was when we finally got know what was in that basement. An ongoing mystery people have cared about for a long time and manga readers had to refrain themselves from spoiling. In the end, was it all worth the wait?
Hell yeah! The big revelations changed the game and got people excited and where this could all lead. Even outside of this major bombshell, Attack on Titan was just so good at building up intrigue and then delivering when it was time for a payoff.

Most Anticipated Show:

2014 Yuri Bear Storm
2015 Kizumonogatari
2016 - Attack on Titan S2
2017 - Violet Evergarden
2018 - One Punch Man Season 2

3rd Place: Attack on Titan: The Final Season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnMY3OlXv7g

Runner Up: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Season 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co9Pkrgugsk

Winner: Re: Zero Starting life in Another World Season 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tNE1jjOIaE

Our track record can be pretty hit or miss in terms of what we get excited over. But when the nominations for this year came in, I started thinking..shit is 2020 going to be as exciting for anime as it looks to be for gaming. We still got stuff like Kaguya S2, Promised Neverland 2, we get to continue into the really exciting part of FGO Babylonia, this could be great.

Then we have the big guns, Attack on Titan which might very well be a strong contender for overall Anime of the Decade gets to have its epic conclusion starting next October. Then for our top 2, were thrown 2 juicy long awaited sequels. It didnt connect at first, but yeah the last season of SNAFU we got was back in 2015. Its one of the more highly regarded High school dramas and Hachimans the kind of guy who many an anime viewer identified with (though that might not always be for the best), given the high standards set by the first 2 seasons, expectations are high.

As for our winner, Re:Zero is one of those series thats been praised so highly on release that it started getting backlash. I still greatly enjoyed it and thought it was a very deserving winner even though it was facing another heavy hitter at the time in Erased. The trailer we got for Season 2 has probably been giving fans goosebumps. If youre an anime viewer only, your first reaction might be along the lines of: Oh shit, I recognise all these characters, why are they in pool of blood? followed by Who is.oh my god, it must be her. When you drop that kind of trailer, you just gotta know how we got there.

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voltch posted...

2018 - One Punch Man Season 2

Lol

Best Story
+5 Astra
+3 Vinland Saga
+1 Dororo

Most Anticipated Show
+5 Dorohedoro
+3 Re:Zero S2
+1 Kaguya-sama S2

Just found out Dorohedoro is in Netflix jail and I'm so pissed.

Most Anticipated Show
+5 Attack on Titan Final
+3 Re:Zero S2
+1 SNAFU S2

Best Story
+5 Titan S3P2
+3 Promised Neverland
+1 Dr. Stone

Oh hey those are the shows I voted for anticipated.
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Best Opening-Ending

2014 Hikaru Nara (Your Lie in April)
2015 Flyers (Death Parade)
2016 - "Re:Re:" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation (Erased)
2017 - The Other Side of the Wall(Princess Principal)
2018 - A Place Further than the Universe - "The Girls Are Alright!" by saya

3rd Place: Beastars Wild Side by Ali

https://animethemes.moe/video/Beastars-OP1.webm

Runner Up: Carole & Tuesday Kiss Me" by Nai Br.XX & Celeina Ann

https://animethemes.moe/video/CaroleAndTuesday-OP1-NCBD1080.webm

Winner: Kaguya-Sama - "Chikatto Chika Chika by Fujiwara Chika (Kohara Konomi)

https://animethemes.moe/video/KaguyaSamaWaKokurasetai-ED2-NCBD1080.webm

Most years the winner of this category isnt in doubt, even so, its always a good fun excuse for people to post OP or EDs they liked. The cool thing about them is that you dont need to have seen the show and its only a 90 second investment. So you can binge a decent number in no time and one a few occasions become interested enough to check the show out.

I think as soon as this ED finished airing it was already anointed as the leading candidate to win this category even though its just a one off! The songs catchy, the dance is cute and easy enough to replicate, its starring one of the shows more upbeat characters.

Ive made it a rule to use the shows OP/ED and not the full song, because the animation can matter this is one of those cases where it did make a difference. Without the dance number, I dont think this takes off the way that it did.

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