Board 8 > Save My Favourite Anime Series 10: Results [SMFAS]

(+) Yeah! (+)

Grand Final Results:

Steins;Gate: 208
Fate/Zero: 135

After calling Steins;Gate the favourite to win it all for years and and year, it finally wins its first title.
It has come close a number of times, losing to Baccano in SMFAS 3 and last year it got pipped to the final by Odd Taxi.
But this year everything finally came together.

Fate/Zero's got a pretty wild history in this contest, with some spectacular failures, but for whatever reason it kept surviving the middle rounds.
Then a bit of a bandwagon formed as usual and it went on a good tear in the later rounds.

Both series were popular a decade ago and do remain so with some good heritage coming from them.
Heck Lisa who sang the Oath Sign opening for Fate/Zero went on to become a megastar in Ufotable's smash success adaptation of Demon Slayer.

With this win this makes this our first champion to be an anime adaptation of a video game.
We've had anime originals, anime reboots, manga adaptations, light novels, novels, but never a game. So we're doing a good job on variety.

Next year should be another straightforward affair, we're cutting the field further down from 60 Entrants to 50.
Not sure yet if I'll keep the top 20 as returning entrants or reduce to 15.
In any case my main priority Monogatari will continue to flop come top 10 time!
Not sure what the secondary priority will be, Oshi no Ko is certainly a good candidate, but I'm seeing some big time shows coming out later in the year.

I'll revisit the movie ban with more and more films coming out close to their JP releases and the legal availability increasing.

Oh and I'm considering but nothing concrete of just doing an Anime Opening/Ending tournament, straight knockouts, not sure if people would be interested in this.
But I'd keep it short.

Final Standings:

01. Steins;Gate
02. Fate/Zero
03. Mushishi
04. Odd Taxi
05. Dragon Ball Z
06. Baccano!
07. Monogatari
08. Mob Psycho 100
09. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
10. Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
11. Zombie Land Saga
12. Lupin the Third
13. Haikyuu!!
14. Bocchi the Rock
15. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
16. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
17. Legend of the Galactic Heroes
18. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
19. Spy x Family
20. Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
21. The Tatami Galaxy
22. KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
23. Mononoke
24. My Dress-Up Darling
25. Revolutionary Girl Utena
26. Beastars
27. Lycoris Recoil
28. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
29. Aggretsuko
30. Digimon Tamers
31. D4DJ
32. Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-
33. Bleach
34. Rurouni Kenshin
35. A Place Further Than the Universe
36. Yu Yu Hakusho
37. Dennou Coil
38. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury
39. Chainsaw Man
40. Kino's Journey (2003)
41. Made in Abyss
42. March Comes in like a Lion
43. Haibane Renmei
44. Welcome to the NHK
45. 86 - Eighty Six
46. One Piece
47. Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight
48. Naruto
49. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
50. Violet Evergarden
51. Non Non Biyori
52. Shining Tears X Wind
53. Akebi's Sailor Uniform
54. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
55. Aria
56. Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken (2020)
57. Jujustu Kaisen
58. Run With the Wind
59. Shaman King (2021)
60. DNA

I'm not sure there will ever be a better top 5 for me!

Thanks for running, as always.

thanks for running the contest!

I was also thinking about running an anime opening tournament (just openings to keep it simple) but was thinking about if anyone would nominate stuff and then got lazy. suffice to say i'd be interested

Please keep the top 20 as returning entrants.

Would be down for a OP/ED tournament. Just to watch my favourites not get support or knocked out early

Excellent, I can use the last Steins;Gate screenshot I took from my recent watchthrough

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/0/9/AAC56kAAEdQZ.jpg

(as soon as I saw it I felt it would make good reaction material, lol)

Congrats to Stan and duck and all the S;G regulars - for a show with only two dedicated traders (and 3 with the very-late Suprak addition) to make the finals is certainly a feat. Though I know it had more than one round with overflow support from other safe series, particularly on Day 58. That broad support certainly came through in the finals, well-earned victory.

Also, Stan: you avoided the potential "lost twice in the finals" pain which some of us know all too well in other contests... very nice! S;G can join the ranks of "past champs hanging around the midpoint mark or exiting the contest due to falling outside top 20/not being renominated" now, though you could always join the back-breaking-placement-effort ranks of Haruhi and Baccano alongside Inviso and lefty, respectively.

This also concludes my S;G arc that started in the Series 8 results topic

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/1/0/AAC56kAAEdQa.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/1/1/AAC56kAAEdQb.png

Took me 22 months, uh... doesn't matter, still on schedule!!

And from the SMFAS 10 nominations topic:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/1/2/AAC56kAAEdQc.png

A month and a half... really pushed my luck there but glad I could get through it all in time. And "what little I knew" turned out to be even less, I honestly was expecting some action/adventure/mystery series and I don't know why. Turns out to be very funny and super emotional. Definitely a great journey!

Steins;Gate is out of my anime queue - and now on the "recommend this to people who haven't watched it" queue, naturally - but now Mushishi and Fate/Zero added into the queue following this contest, not to mention Steins;Gate 0. The queue never stops growing...

voltch: thx again for running, though I'm with duck on this one, the nominations topic did say it'd still be top 20 next year even if it dropped to 50 so think it'd be fair to keep it top 20 for one last time (unless you were referring to only the top 15 from SMFAS 11 qualifying for SMFAS 12 in which case, sounds good!)

I didn't realize S;G was taking it home that cleanly. Hard to keep track in a Save My.

Both winners would have been great but I'm still glad my choice won! S;G takes my #1 slot even outside this, other than arguably Baccano.

Baccano's success continues to astound considering there hasn't been a legal way to watch the show in 7 years without a UK bluray player, but I'll take it. Just goes to show how much play it got here.

Oh right as a reminder current winners.

SMFAS 1 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
SMFAS 2 Cowboy Bebop
SMFAS 3 Baccano
SMFAS 4 Hunter x Hunter (2011)
SMFAS 5 The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
SMFAS 6 Monster
SMFAS 7 Death Note
SMFAS 8 Legend of the Galactic Heroes
SMFAS 9 A Place Furher The the Universe
SMFAS 10 Steins;Gate

Assuming I run an OP/ED contest, what candidates would you guys put forward?

Could name hundreds of OPs I like, but wonder if any of these would do well.

https://animethemes.moe/anime/toaru_kagaku_no_railgun/OP1-NCBD1080
https://animethemes.moe/anime/clannad_after_story_mou_hitotsu_no_sekai_kyou_hen/OP-NCBD1080
https://animethemes.moe/anime/zan_sayonara_zetsubou_sensei_bangaichi/OPv2-BD
https://animethemes.moe/anime/log_horizon/OP-NCBD1080
https://animethemes.moe/anime/after_war_gundam_x/OP1-NCBD1080
https://animethemes.moe/anime/kakumeiki_valvrave/OP-NCBD1080
https://animethemes.moe/anime/tenjou_tenge/OP-NCBD1080

The Lupin Theme, Symphogear, Baccano!, and Kakegurui S1 openings would be my first thoughts for OP. Not sure on EDs though.

Also, glad Steins;Gate finally won one!

voltch posted...

Oh and I'm considering but nothing concrete of just doing an Anime Opening/Ending tournament, straight knockouts, not sure if people would be interested in this.
But I'd keep it short.

Hell yes.

Thanks for running!

voltch posted...

A Place Furher The the Universe

Me when I drunkenly try to recommend anime to someone at a party

Brave Shine, Raise Your Flag, Fight Together, all three demon slayer OPs, Ranking of Kings 2nd OP, Nisekoi's first OP, at least 3 Monogatari OP/EDs

the list goes on and on

Ah I had put this together earlier but was waiting to post it since my post was already too much...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/5/4/AAC56kAAEdRG.png

Remarkably similar winner/runner-up numbers to two years ago, interesting. I guess I'm not the only user who missed out on last year's finals either, geez.

For the OP/ED contest: usual OP go-to for me is TTGL's, but I'd probably also throw in LotGH Gaiden OP2 for pure nostalgia despite surely being eliminated round 1. Ending theme will 100% be either of the endings from AoT Season 4 for the emotional overtones but wouldn't expect success from either...

(I really dig that railgun OP though!)

I'd absolutely nominate the Dr. Stone season 2 opening, the Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 ending, and the Haruhi ending.

Im a little surprised Steins and Bebop are the only two to make the finals twice. Lots of variety there over the years.

What a great contest! Thanks a ton for running it every year, voltch! Started out pretty rough for me honestly, losing some shows I liked in the early rounds and I thought I was in for a tough time this contest. But after those first couple rounds stuff I was rooting for continued to squeak by and I don't think I really lost something I really liked again until maybe Chainsawman? And in the end I think we ended up with one of the best Top 20's we could have! I've really been on an anime kick the last 2 years or so (having coworkers I can shoot the shit with about stuff we're watching has been very helpful in this regard) and I've definitely expanded the kinds of shows I've watched during that time (like Haikyuu and Oshi no Ko I probably wouldn't have watched without their recommendation). Which in turn has led me to try out other shows like Lycoris Recoil and Odd Taxi. It's been a fun time!

As for Steins;Gate...it's been a wild ride! I don't think I backed anything in the 2nd contest but I was dedicated to S;G in the 3rd one and when it made the finals I was like "well I guess next year" not realizing how hard it was to actually get a series into the finals! And then I think during contests 5-7 I was working 3rd shift and was either sleeping through entire rounds or just being able to get 1 save in for S;G and at that time I was really the only dedicated S;G trader (others were saving it but I was the only one trading for it). Figured once I moved back to 1st shift it would have better success and it did (7th and 3rd I believe) but again...hard to get a show to the finals! Big thanks to duck and Suprak for helping trade for it this year as my H1 and H2 trades wouldn't have been enough and to everyone else who backed it as well! But yeah nothing more to really say here...I don't tend to get really emotionally invested in too many things around here but getting S;G a win was definitely one of them so pretty stoked it finally got the win!

MartinFF7 posted...

Also, Stan: you avoided the potential "lost twice in the finals" pain which some of us know all too well in other contests... very nice! S;G can join the ranks of "past champs hanging around the midpoint mark or exiting the contest due to falling outside top 20/not being renominated" now, though you could always join the back-breaking-placement-effort ranks of Haruhi and Baccano alongside Inviso and lefty, respectively.

Oof. Which contest is that one? The Final Fantasy character one? That one always seems so intense. But yeah, totally expect Steins;Gate to take a backseat now. I may go the route of backing it for placement sake like you say but man...too many other series that I like for me to really be that dedicated to it I think. I like to see new things win when possible! And man...I absolutely remember making that El Psy Congroo post lol

Seems Bocchi got a lot of love and recommendations from a lot of people this contest so I'll probably try and watch that at some point. I should probably return Martin's favor and watch LotGH at some point as well. Kaguya routinely does well in this contest so I'll probably have to watch that as well and I'm enjoying Oshi no Ko so seems like it might be an easy transition there.

I'm definitely down for a OP/ED contest! I've got a playlist of just OP/ED anime songs that I've been building the last year or two so that would be something I'd definitely participate in!

MysteriousStan posted...

Oof. Which contest is that one? The Final Fantasy character one?

Aerith has lost the last two SMFFFC finals

MysteriousStan posted...

I absolutely remember making that El Psy Congroo post lol

Yeah I remembered it because I was like, did he just take a screenshot from a version with Spanish subs or something; but I also replied to that saying to not tempt me since I heard it had a redhead waifu and you replied with this

https://i.imgur.com/eH5fQz1.gif
"I mean, if you're a redhead waifu fan, the entire series centers around her so I guess you have no choice now. It's the will of Steins;Gate."

(I lol each time I read that line now, so true... and damn that "choice" showing up in the subs instead of "will", I curse it each time I saw it!)

Yeah the FF contests like lefty said, but you can always dust yourself off and try again next year! which is now this year. Ideally several more weeks of reprieve... of course if S;G fell this year or finished in 3rd, which was really looking likely there on Day 58, I would've been there with you next year 100%, but at least this frees us both up.

Thinking next year, not sure where the focus would be. If Attack on Titan sticks the landing in its last part then maybe one more push there. If Ark and handsomeboy go for one last Kaguya run I'd definitely like to see that succeed and also ideally throw some saves behind it. I know handsomeboy was disappointed with its finish but I still think it has potential to make the finals, so many small things make a difference especially in this contest. Mushishi went from almost 21st and later 9th to finish 3rd; F/Z was almost gone in 8th (and more times before then) but made the finals. Any winner has lots of luck and cards-falling-right behind it, I still think next year could be Kaguya's year, so long as its two main stalwarts are still behind it one more time!!

Huh, I could have sworn S;G had won before, guess I misremembered! Anyway, great final; love both shows.

Thanks for hosting, voltch.

Congrats to all you Steins;Gate fans. It finally happened

Hahaha, yeah I remember making that post too. Was really fishing for more Steins;Gate support there lol. Yeah if I was a FF fan (literally my only exposure to FF is Kingdom Hearts) I'd participate there but I'm not so I'll have to leave that battle to you guys.

But yeah, not sure what I'll be backing next year just yet either. Will probably try and keep S;G in the top 20 but outside of that hm. Lots of time to think about it though!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-deSKW4_KI8

One day best girl Kaiki will triumph....one day.

Oh I just thought of a prime contender for next year, since we're supposed to be (where's my official announcement???) getting Season 2 "in 2023":

https://i.imgur.com/acHqbJQ.jpg

GOBLIN SLAYER COMEBACK RUN LET'S GOOOOOO

Good luck with that

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/2/3/AAeolZAAEdSL.jpg

I lol'd as I posted that thinking of Bane's reaction but I'll also take that.

Would be a good opponent vs. Monogatari in the finals, wouldn't it...

Frieren or The Apothecary Diaries if they are done well will likely be better shows by a fair margin.

Doesn't always translate to better performance but eh.

The anime of the intelligentsia, what did you expect?

Eh I've mostly gotten over my disdain for Goblin Slayer, I don't think it's good but I'll probably check out the second season to see if it miraculously gets actual character development

Assuming the adaptation is good, I'll probably be focusing heavily on Helck next year.

I actually like the Paladin arc of GS.

As far as what's currently announced, I think the AotY competition is already happening this season between Gundam, Oshi no Ko, and Heavenly Delusion

Frieren could be in the running depending on how it's paced and adapted.

I guess I need to watch more Steins;Gate

I would definitely participate in a best OP/ED contest if that happened.

Stopped posting in SMFAS early this year but the top finishers are mostly good I guess. Steins;Gate is a great winner and Fate/Zero certainly would have been at least solid.

Sorry (not sorry) for bumping this but there was a stat I forgot to post earlier, which in turn led me to looking into more stuff for some more stats.

What initially got the ball rolling on this was voltch posting the OPs in the finals topic, thx for that - though I don't know about that Fate/Zero OP, I don't feel like it gave me what I expect from the Fate franchise at this point, if you catch my drift...

Anyways, per those OP descriptions, Steins;Gate and Fate/Zero both debuted in 2011! I had no idea and thought that was neat, so then I went and looked back at prior SMFAS finals and of course same-year series debut finalists had never happened before, the closest prior had been Cowboy Bebop (1998) beating One Piece (1999).

In the course of thinking about the finalists' seasons, also noticed another interesting pattern:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/2/7/AAC56kAAEdmj.png

8 out of 10 winners debuted earlier than the runner-up, the only exceptions being Brotherhood in the first contest, and HxH over Monogatari.

(yes I realize this is fundamentally a flawed metric, is HxH really a "2011" show when 135 of its 148 episodes aired after 2011? not to mention Monogatari's rather unique seasonal situation. But anyways, let's just stick with this premise...)

For our latest final, the "earlier winner" trend still holds up with Steins;Gate being a spring debut and Fate/Zero being in the fall. I guess this also solidifies 2011 as being the top SMFAS year with two winners (matched by the Haruhi-Death Note 2006) but also three runner-up appearances with Madoka in the mix too, which was also the top runner-up vote-getter in contest history to date per my previous finals summary snapshot.

Summarizing the years of the 10 winners in chronological order:

1988: Legend of the Galactic Heroes
1998: Cowboy Bebop
2004: Monster
2006: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
2006: Death Note
2007: Baccano!
2009: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
2011: Hunter x Hunter (2011)
2011: Steins;Gate
2018: A Place Further than the Universe

Mid 2000s is still the glory years, even if the past three winners were outside that timeframe. Still lots of other "unique" years that a new winner could come from, at a glance of recent deep-reaching contest series, DBZ at 1989 and Mushishi at 2005 (return to the glory years!). Also the Kaguya debut in 2019, it's in prime position to overtake Antarctica for the "most recent" crown, though a return appearance & win for Odd Taxi or the much-hyped Oshi no Ko debut could also make the same claim.

You know what else would apply, with its Fall 2018 debut vs. Antarctica's Winter 2018... GOBLIN SLAYER!!! (lol)

Anyways, that's it for my extra stats. Probably all a coincidence but the "older" series winning 80% of finals matchups is still a neat stat imo!

hopefully the years of Boomer8 have come to an end

speaking of stats, lefty post some top show stats pls

Let's get an actual girl anime like utena the title.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BI0OAHw3oI0&pp=ygUKdW1hIG11c3VtZQ%3D%3D

The only girl anime I've not back but would consider lately.

Is that really a girl anime? Too much focus on the girls could actually make it not a girl anime. There need to be hot boys running around everywhere.

new fruits basket could get a run and that'd be cool

chihayafuru is enough of a girls anime right

pjbasis posted...

Too much focus on the girls could actually make it not a girl anime

https://i.imgur.com/6o7OEJu.gif

If a cast is 100% male that's a yaoi + girl show.
If it's 95% male with a token heroine who's not the MC that's shonen.

I don't make the rules.

KommunistKoala posted...

chihayafuru is enough of a girls anime right

yes, girl MC with lots of cute boys

is Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid a girls anime

Guess I'll have to just back Violet Evergarden and Sound Euphonium for girly shows.