Best Anime of 2010: Tournament-style

[Cadence]

Oops, I missed the last match...ah well.

I'm fighting another losing battle here, but I am voting <4+Kuragehime>. I only watched the first six or seven episodes of Drrr!!, but the fact that Orihara Izaya was by far my favorite character by that point made me feel like a terrible human being, so...yeah, I'll probably never get around to finishing that one.

Kuragehime, on the other hand, never fails to make me smile. I never, ever thought I would be watching a show with the premise of Kuragehime (much less enjoy it), but here I am, loving every minute of it.

[Falx]

Duarara!!
FMA: Brotherhood

We're voting between Durarara!! and Kuragehime now, and you'll have to include your voting code if you want it to count.

[blkmage]

I only watched the first six or seven episodes of Drrr!!, but the fact that Orihara Izaya was by far my favorite character by that point made me feel like a terrible human being, so...yeah, I'll probably never get around to finishing that one.

But Izaya is so carefree, skipping around, stomping on cell phones, and dodging vending machines. Also, he's voiced by Kamiya Hiroshi. What could be wrong with that?

[TheSubtleDoctor]

<1@DRRR!!>

Why? Four wonderful words: Ventura! Ventura! Space People!

[Falx]

The only thing it really lacked was more of Shinra's father.

*woosh*

[ChristianKitsune]

<4+Kuragehime>

Princess Jellyfish captured my heart from the first episode, I love the comedy and characters and how different this series is from a lot of the other series of it's kind. It's Josei but it's different.

It's just got that charm that A lot of anime are missing now a days. And I really relate to some of the characters. Although, I hope and pray that when I'm 30 I will not be an unsociable otaku x3.

Edit: I do find it ironic that both of these animes are made by the same Studio...

[eternalprincess]

We're voting between Durarara!! and Kuragehime now, and you'll have to include your voting code if you want it to count.

Oops! My apologies!

<1@DRRR!!>

[MightiMidget]

<1@DRRR!!>

(Mir, you also need to include your reasoning for WHY you are voting. =) )

I love Kuragehime, but do not think it will stand rewatches nearly as well as Durarara!! I third the D!! being the most fun I've had in a long time--and (again) it doesn't have the creepy uncle.

[Atria35]

I third the D!! being the most fun I've had in a long time--and (again) it doesn't have the creepy uncle.

No, but it does have the creepy father- or are we forgetting the dissection episode?

(I just couldn't like the man after that one.)

[Sheol777]

<1@DRRR!!>

It deserves to win this match. It is actually a good show.

[MightiMidget]

No, but it does have the creepy father- or are we forgetting the dissection episode?

(I just couldn't like the man after that one.)

I still like him more than the uncle in Kuragehime. . . Though no, I'm not forgetting the dissection episode. ops:

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

<1@DRRR!!>

I think my reasons should be pretty clear.

[blkmage]

Durarara!!: 8
Kuragehime: 3

Clearly, the more moe show wins.

***

And that's it for Round 3. We now head into the semifinals.

These are the guys that'll be squaring off. There have been some surprises along the way, but these four aren't bad at all.

Alright, so what's going to be different about this round?
Here's what's going to happen. Both semifinal rounds are going to happen at the same time. So, you will vote for two (2) anime, one for each match. The same rules as before apply. However, you will have two days to vote. And awaaaaaaaay we goooooooo...

***



[SIZE="6"]Summer Wars vs. Cross Game[/SIZE]

[SIZE="4"]Summer Wars (サマーウォーズ)[/SIZE]
"Second Life, but useful"
Rank: 3
Aired: Summer 2009
Studio: Madhouse
Director: Hosoda Mamoru
Cast: Kamiki Ryunosuke, Sakuraba Nanami
Adaptation: Original
Defeated: Break Blade, Katanagatari, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
[color="Lime"]Voting Code: <3#SummerWars>[/color]

[SIZE="4"]Cross Game (クロスゲーム)[/SIZE]
"Pretty much Touch 2"
Rank: 31
Aired: Spring 2009
Studio: SynergySP
Director: Sekita Osamu
Cast: Irino Miyu, Tomatsu Haruka
Adaptation: Manga by Adachi Mitsuru
Defeated: Yumeiro Patissiere, Black★Rock Shooter, Letter Bee
[color="Lime"]Voting Code: <31^CrossGame>[/color]

***



[SIZE="6"]The Tatami Galaxy vs. Durarara!![/SIZE]

[SIZE="4"]The Tatami Galaxy (四畳半神話大系)[/SIZE]
"The rose-coloured campus life"
Rank: 6
Aired: Spring 2010
Studio: MADHOUSE
Director: Yuasa Masaaki
Cast: Asanuma Shintaro, Sakamoto Maaya
Adaptation: Novel by Tomihiko Morimi
Defeated: Bakemonogatari, Tamayura, Time of Eve
[color="lime"]Voting Code: <6?TatamiGalaxy>[/color]

[SIZE="4"]Durarara!! (デュラララ！！)[/SIZE]
"Advanced Baccano!, Tokyo edition"
Rank: 1
Aired: Winter 2010
Studio: Brains Base
Director: Omori Takahiro
Cast: Sawashiro Miyuki, Toyonaga Toshiyuki, Hanazawa Kana, Miyano Mamoru, Hiroshi Kamiya, Ono Daisuke, Fukuyama Jun
Adaptation: Light novel by Narita Ryohgo
Defeated: Kimi ni Todoke, Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0, Kuragehime
[color="lime"]Voting Code: <1@DRRR!!>[/color]

[SIZE="3"][color="Red"]Voting closes on 23 December 2010 at 2300 EST.[/color][/SIZE]

[Atria35]

<3#SummerWars>
<6?TatamiGalaxy>

Because Summer Wars pwns and Tatami Galaxy...

Okay, TG won my vote on a coin flip.

I loved how both shows gave little pieces to the entire story and how everything tied together. How things linked together was awesome. So were the characters. Therefore, the coin toss. Too close to call otherwise.

[Falx]

<3#SummerWars>

<1@DRRR!!>

It basically boils down to epic action and crazy awesome vs. human drama and artsy fartsy.

And I loves me some crazy awesome epicness.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

<31^CrossGame>

You've had a good run, guys.

I have not seen Summer Wars, but I only feel it's fair to put in one of the maybe two to three votes Cross Game will get. blkmage was definitely right when he said that the story has some jaw dropping moments. You really give a crap about pretty much every conversation that the characters have, wondering what steps and/or twists their relationships (and their own souls) will take as a result. Such an unpredictable yet, simultaneously, such a comforting show.

<1@DRRR!!>

My number two show behind FMA:B this year.

It has a cool that is infectious, a charm that is undeniable, mysteries that keep you coming back, along with a truckload of memorable characters. Boo yah.

[ich1990]

<1@DRRR!!>

Because it has awesome dudes doing awesome things. Also, genre savvy for the win.

<31^CrossGame>

Because Summer Wars beat FMA and it shouldn't have.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

<3#SummerWars> Because I want it to win, and it is awesome.

<6?TatamiGalaxy> That hurt. That really, really hurt. But I'm voting for it because I want Summer Wars to win.

[Cadence]

But Izaya is so carefree, skipping around, stomping on cell phones, and dodging vending machines.

And talking teenage girls into jumping off of buildings.

Also, he's voiced by Kamiya Hiroshi. What could be wrong with that?

...

...

There is nothing wrong with this. Kamiya-san is da man.

Anyway, I knew it was going to come down to this...a matchup between my two favorite shows in this tournament. It pretty much tears out my heart to do this, but since Summer Wars already beat FMA:B, I guess I will vote <31^CrossGame>.

As for the other match...<6?TatamiGalaxy>. I haven't seen much of it, but liking Izaya still makes me feel like a dark blot on all that is good about humanity. =) That, and I want Summer Wars (or Cross Game) to win this thing.

[TWWK]

<3#SummerWars> in anticipation of its awesomeness

I won't for the other, having seen neither.

[Fish and Chips]

And awaaaaaaaay we goooooooo...

Oh you Canadians.

<3#SummerWars>

Confession Time: I voted for this over FMA to see Summer Wars lose to Cross Game - except that I didn't and my point still stands from my last post on Summer Wars.

<1@DRRR!!>

Both good shows, but really, Durarara!! is the only one of them I'd probably seriously consider rewatching.

[blkmage]

Because Summer Wars beat FMA and it shouldn't have.

u mad

Alright I'll give you that there are plenty of things that should have won. But they didn't. So, a-bloo-bloo-bloo.

<3#SummerWars>

As much as I praised Cross Game, for the same reason that I chose Summer Wars over FMA, I will do the same here. Summer Wars is the better anime. Notice I said the better anime, not the better story. Because Cross Game's story (just like FMA's story) is fantastic. Except that the anime brings nothing for the story. I didn't feel like I needed to watch it because I read the manga, and honestly, I think it's better as a manga because of the way Adachi uses his panels. With FMA, at least that had the glorious action scenes, but the story was hampered a bit in other places. Durarara!!, by comparison, does not suffer as much from the jump to animation largely because it's mostly text.

<1@DRRR!!>

Now then, I liked The Tatami Galaxy because it was interesting. But it wasn't awesome, which Durarara!! is.

[MightiMidget]

<1@DRRR!!>

Same reason as before, it is the most fun I've had in a very long time. I liked almost everyone, which is very rare. And the story was so "...what on earth?" that it was impossible for me not to enjoy it.

Abstaining for Summer Wars and Cross Game though, as I haven't seen either, and don't feel right looking Summer Wars up online when it's technically in theatres. :/ Cross Game, I may watch tonight though. We'll see.

EDIT: I believe I'll vote for <3#SummerWars>...I think the clips I've seen of it are outrageously cool, and although the first episode of Cross Game was good--I'm not sure if I liked it.

[blkmage]

Summer Wars: 7
Durarara!!: 6
Cross Game: 3
The Tatami Galaxy: 3

***

[SIZE="7"]
[font="Times New Roman"]FINAL ROUND[/font][/SIZE]



[font="Times New Roman"][SIZE="7"]SUMMER WARS (サマーウォーズ)[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]"Second Life, but useful"[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]PRODUCED BY[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Madhouse Studios[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]DIRECTED BY[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Hosoda Mamoru[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]STARRING[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Kamiki Ryunosuke
Sakuraba Nanami[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY BY[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Okudera Satoko[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]DEFEATED[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Break Blade
Katanagatari
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Cross Game[/SIZE]

[SIZE="5"]To vote, include [color="Lime"]<3#SummerWars>[/color] in your post.[/SIZE]

[SIZE="7"]VS.[/SIZE]



[SIZE="7"]DURARARA!! (デュラララ！！)[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]"Advanced Baccano!, Tokyo edition"[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]PRODUCED BY[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Brains Base[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]DIRECTED BY[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Omori Takahiro[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]STARRING[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Sawashiro Miyuki
Toyonaga Toshiyuki
Hanazawa Kana
Miyano Mamoru
Hiroshi Kamiya
Ono Daisuke
Fukuyama Jun[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]BASED ON THE LIGHT NOVEL BY[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Narita Ryohgo[/SIZE]

[SIZE="6"]DEFEATED[/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Kimi ni Todoke
Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0
Kuragehime
The Tatami Galaxy[/SIZE]

[SIZE="5"]To vote, include [color="lime"]<1@DRRR!!>[/color] in your post.[/SIZE][/font]

[color="Yellow"][SIZE="4"]Remember to include something about why you're voting for what your'e voting for. Voting ends on 26 December 2010 at 2300 Eastern Standard Time.[/SIZE][/color]

[Atria35]

<3#SummerWars>

It was an amazing ride from beginning to end. There were no real slow parts, and even in the short span of a movie, you got to know and really like all the characters. It was beautifully animated and colored. It was, to put it simply, the best anime of the year.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

<3#SummerWars>

Summer Wars was perfect. Durarara!! was wonderful, but that second half makes it fall just below the rank of perfect. Summer Wars is currently my favorite anime movie, and my second favorite anime, after Durarara!!'s big brother.

I want Summer Wars to win because it deserves it for a multitude of reasons.

[Fish and Chips]

<3#SummerWars>

Summer Wars is original.

Please understand that if I end up watching Summer Wars and it sucks, I will hold all of you personally responsible.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

<1@DRRR!!>

B/c Izaya needs Christmas love too.

[Falx]

<3#SummerWars>

At the end of the day Durarara!! had a slightly weak ending compared to the rest of the series, but Summer Wars finished on just the right note.

[MightiMidget]

I have not seen Summer Wars, although it looks absolutely amazing. So, I believe I'll vote for... <1@DRRR!!>