Year in Review 2018

The new year is here folks, and I couldn't be happier. 2018 was a rough year for me from start to finish, mostly due to some poor life decisions wearing down on myself and my family. I mean, the wisest choice I made was back in November (around the same time I started this blog) when I finally - FINALLY - quit the awful job I've been stuck with for two fucking years.

Thankfully, the year wasn't all stress and regress. Here's all the anime I've watched:

Completed:

A Place Further Than The Universe

The Ancient Magus' Bride

Attack on Titan S3

Bloom Into You

Castlevania S2

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card

Cells at Work!

Fate stay night - Heaven's Feel I.presage flower

Golden Kamuy

Hakumei and Mikochi

In This Corner of the World

My Hero Academia S3

Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight

SSSS.Gridman

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

Yuru Camp△

Zombie Land Saga

On hold:

A Certain Magical Index III

March comes in like a lion S2

Phantom in the Twilight

Dropped:

Angels of Death

Citrus

Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan

Goblin Slayer

Kokkoku

Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katri no Nazotoki File

Merc Storia: The Apathetic Boy and the Girl in a Bottle

Mitsuboshi Colors

Sirius the Jaeger

Steins;Gate 0

Violet Evergarden

I'm still missing out on some shows, specifically Planet With and Hinamatsuri, both of which were my peers' top picks of the year. I've also dropped a handful of shows, which is something of a regular occurrence for me. I'm not the easiest guy to impress, therefore a strong first impression is something I value greatly. I have no qualms with dropping shows that either bore or insult me within the first few episodes (or minutes even). If I don't do this then I wouldn't have time to watch the shows I even mildly enjoy, and that’s an easy choice to make. Despite this, I'll still say that 2018 was a pretty decent year for anime, even if the general consensus is of different minds on the matter.

And by "different" I mean obnoxious.

Seriously, I can't go one second on Youtube without some bloke and their thumbnail screaming THE BEST YEAR OF ANIME. Wonderful. Just like every other year for the past seven years. I realize the barometer for what's considered "best" is highly subjective, but I seem to recall very similar proclamations back in 2012 and 2015. Either I'm experiencing a peculiar case of déjà vu, or this is what amounts to quality opinions these days.

Besides, any year with a Nagai Tatsuyuki directed show is the best year ever, and - wouldn't you know it? -  2018 isn't one them.*

Hrm. Well, what else did I do throughout the year? I mean, besides falling behind a year's worth of Steven Universe, while She-Ra and the Princesses of Power remain unwatched. And come to think of it, I don't think I've played even a single video game released in 2018 that wasn't Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

"Busy Geek" indeed, huh?

For starters, I bought myself a Switch back in February, and it remains a whole lot of fun to mess around with. So far, I've played Mario Odyssey, Mario Rabbits: Kingdom Battle, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, Splatoon 2, and SSB Ultimate, all of which I have yet to finish, but what else is new.

IDW's new Sonic the Hedgehog comic has proved Ian Flynn and his crew's still got it. His take on modern Sonic has always been my favourite, so I look forward to seeing more of it. I've also caught up on and finished walkingnorth's Always Human, and my god was it incredible. Possibly my new favourite webcomic of all time, and that's saying a lot considering the sheer amount I've read. Speaking of which, Jocelyn D.'s ongoing Rain remains the best and most informative LGBTQIA+ content to date, now made better with the slightly improved art.

On to the cartoons I have finished, the Sonic Mania Adventures shorts are unexpectedly charming with a style reminiscent of the 1996's Sonic OVA, just without the cringy dialogue and the... questionable side characters. I've also managed to binge through Netflix's Hilda before the year ended. It's pretty good, if not amazing as I initially hoped, but there are worse ways to spend an evening. Plus, shows with a mother as an active protagonist are a rarity, so this one gets my recommendation.

Lastly, I got around to reading some new manga stuff, namely Sweetness and Lighting; My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness; Little Witch Academia; Kase-san; and The Bride was a Boy. I won't get into these now as I'm itching to get on with this review. So, without further ado...

Geek Highlights of 2018:

1. While I'm no music connoisseur, I want to give special mention to Yuru Camp's soundtrack. I'm a sucker for folk music, so for a show to have so much, it is an absolute treat for the ears. As if that alone wasn't enough, the tracks themselves have a good deal of variety in their composition. From the calming tunes of xylophones and flutes to upbeat banjos and kazoos, there's hardly a dull moment to be heard. In fact, I adore this OST so much that I downloaded the entire thing off of iTunes!

2. I modded my PSP to become the ultimate portable gaming device! It's now able to play PSP roms and patched/translated versions, as well as games from a whole slew of older consoles, including NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, etc. Good timing too, considering Nintendo's ongoing war on roms. Fuckin' geezers.

3. OMG MEILING IS BACK THEY ACTUALLY REMEMBERED ABOUT MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER MEILING LI IS FUCKING BACK NO WAIT WHERE ARE YOU GOING MEILING NO COME BACK

4. So, I finally got around to starting the Metroid series for the first time and I was HOOKED. I literally spent the entire month of summer playing nothing but Metroid games, including a Super Metroid rom hack called Eris 2012. There are a few games left to dig into, particularly AM2R and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and I can't wait to get started on them.

5. I've also played a bunch of visual novels by NomnomNami, many of which are surprisingly well written. My favourites are Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet and her tears were my light, and I'd highly recommend either. The latter game, in particular, utilizes its visual novel mechanics in a creative way, not unlike what Undertale does with its saving mechanic. It takes about an hour and a half to complete, and it's free too.

6. My city's anime convention, Animethon, changed to a much bigger venue for the first time! Unfortunately, a firestorm happened around the same time in the province next door, so there was smoke everywhere. Also heavy rain on the last day, for some fucking reason. Still fun, though.

7. 2016's In This Corner of the World is a film I missed out on the first time, and I finally saw it for the first time on my best friend's birthday. Simply put, it blew all of my expectations into the air, which is a poor choice of words given the film's context, but appropriate nonetheless. It's even better upon a second viewing when picking out on missed details and tidbits of foreshadowing.

8. Unlike the previous years, I haven't started on any prior shows I've missed, but I did sit down to rewatch the entire seasons of Pokemon XY and XYZ with my brother. It's nice to revisit what I still consider the best season of Pokemon, and I mean no exaggeration. From the improved animation and art direction to the most distinct and fleshed out character arcs in the entire franchise, no other season comes even close to what XYZ achieves.

9. Ah, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So much fun and frustration in one package.

10. I've only gone to the theatres twice for Bumblebee and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Would you believe me when I say that the best part of a Transformers movie was the human element? I mean it - Charlie is such an honestly realized character that I found it easy to empathize with her struggles throughout the film. The titular Autobot is no slouch either, and I have to applaud the impeccable work done on Bumblebee's animation to bring him to life. Highly recommended.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is not only the best Spider-Man film since Spider-Man 2, but it has also become one of my favourite movies of all time. It looks and feels like a comic book, has a diverse and visually distinct ensemble cast, and the main conflict ties in nicely with the overarching themes and messages of the film. The themes themselves are also digestible for all audiences while remaining true to the spirit of Spider-Man. You owe it to yourself to experience this spectacular work of art.

Most Well Realized Premise of 2018

Winner: Zombie Land Saga

When it comes to premises, anime gets a loving reputation for indulging in complete absurdity (i.e. Nichijou) or unique settings (i.e. Fullmetal Alchemist). I, on the other hand, often find the execution of such premises to be inconsistent as all hell (Note: Sturgeon's Law).

Luckily, there are exceptions, and if anyone had been paying attention to my blog or current trends, Zombie Land Saga is one of them. Sentient zombies is already an absurd enough concept on its own. But what happens when a bunch of resurrected ladies, each one from different time periods, band together as a Japanese Idol Group in an attempt at revitalizing Saga - an aging district only one of the characters have previously lived in - all the while trying to keep their undead nature a secret? Hokey anime weirdness, that's what, and it works really fucking well. This show understands good comedic timing, plays with its undead premise for effective slapstick, and becomes unexpectedly sincere in ways I've rarely experienced from most other fiction. I'm not sure what else I can say about this show that I haven't already said in my Love Letter. Go check out Zombie Land Saga if you haven't yet - you might be surprised by what you see.

Runners-Up: Cells at Work!; Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight

To be honest, this category mostly exists as an excuse to put Cells at Work! somewhere on here. It's not spectacular by any means, but for a show to be described as "Osmosis Jones: The Anime", that alone deserves some kind of award. If not, Cells at Work! still succeeds in its shockingly accurate (if exaggerated) representation of how the human body works, with its most impressive feat being how illnesses, trauma, and other bodily dangers are presented with the sort of cataclysmic gravity that's simultaneously exciting and unsettling. I can't remember the last time edutainment was this engaging or cute.

The last runner-up, Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight, is a show I continue to have qualms with months after it ended. My hang-ups aside, it's hard to deny how darn creative its setting is. Going into the how's and why's is a big spoiler for those not familiar with the show, but I will say that the creativity of its setting allows for many jaw-dropping spectacles, which from a visual and musical standpoint surpasses even the greatest of Idol performances (your mileage may vary on this). Even if the show itself is rather disappointing. Speaking of which...

Biggest Disappointment of 2018

Loser: Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight

I like this show, I really do. However, when I consider something to be disappointing, that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad; it's actually more frustrating when it happens something I actively like. As I mentioned earlier, the unique setting of this show lends itself to stunning set pieces, most of which ends up feeling hollow when the show struggles to commit to its central themes. With no proper resolution to those thematic elements, Revue Starlight abruptly decides nobody other than the main duo deserves the spotlight, a narrative decision that not only neuters its own characters' potential (especially the villain potential of one specific fruit) but also betrays the very point the show was meant to take. The best ideas can't salvage a performance that chooses to use none of them.

Lesser Evils: Castlevania S2; Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc; My Hero Academia S3

One criticism I threw Revue Starlight's way was the choice to focus on the main, less interesting couple over the other characters. This is a similar case for Castlevania's second season, particularly with its addition of new characters. Their subplots, good as they may be, had essentially taken precedence over the main characters and Dracula himself. As a result, while the finale is appropriately climatic and beautifully animated, the overall resolution lacked the proper buildup to be genuine and emotionally resonant. But I guess it wouldn't be an anime without poor pacing, am I right? You deserved better than this, Alucard.

There was a lot of trepidation going into Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc. The original Cardcaptor Sakura was literally my childhood, so I had somewhat high hopes for this sequel. They weren't met, naturally, but I still enjoyed it. My biggest gripes had to do with how often the show relied on references to and nostalgia for the original show, as well as how the show ABRUPTLY ENDS. No wrapping up loose ends, no sense of finality, and not even a sequel hook. It just... stops. Hrm. At least they remembered Meiling.

Sigh. Look, it's My Hero Academia. It's your archetypical, slightly above average shounen shlock. Adapting my least favourite story arcs definitely doesn't change that. Worse still, those arcs are somehow made even more tedious in motion. I'll give Bones some credit, though, as that takes a special kind of incompetence.

Best Slice-of-life/Iyashikei of 2018

Winner: Yuru Camp△

One mark of a good critic is understanding why you have certain tastes. I generally find the Slice-of-life and Iyashikei (lit. "healing") genres to be therapeutic, a quality that helps me overcome feelings of anger and constant anxiety. In that sense, Yuru Camp is the perfect remedy as it not only follows the genre conventions to a "T", it manages to elevate above its peers through solid comedic timing, consistently plush-like animation, gorgeously rendered scenery, and folk music. Just. Folk music. Best of all, every single one of these elements come together to create an experience that's quite immersive - I feel like I'm there camping with the characters, and I hate camping! For a show to be able to transport me like that is a wonderful feeling indeed, and one that'll have me coming back again and again.

Runner-Up: Hakumei and Mikochi

I wish I didn't have to make this adorable show a mere runner-up. Hakumei and Mikochi is in a class of its own, featuring a truly unique world of tiny people, talking animals, and youkai spirits (because why not). More importantly, the premise has two tiny wives trying to run their artisanal soap/carpentry businesses while also consuming large amounts of food and limoncello. Oh, and did I mention their neighbour is a mad scientist? Whose subject is LIFE? Like I said, Hakumei and Mikochi is in a class of its own. Go watch this show.

Best Romance of 2018

Winner: Chise/Elias (The Ancient Magus' Bride)

I wouldn't call Chise and Elias romantic in the traditional sense, but what their relationship presents, at least over most conventional love stories, is a willingness to discuss boundaries.

Romances between long-lived creatures and a human (usually a girl) are delicate balancing acts, especially when this inherent power-imbalance runs the risk of veering into abuse narratives. Luckily, Chise's relationship with Elias rarely feels that way, despite what the show's premise might have you believe. Elias is consistently written with an awareness of his power and influence over Chise's life, while Chise, in her journey to develop self-worth, learns to set boundaries for herself that Elias has to respect. The consequences for breaking those boundaries are appropriately severe, and whenever Elias does cross that line, the narrative doesn't suggest that it's Chise's job to "fix" him. Their relationship is messy, imperfect, awkward, and even toxic at times, but it remains believable all throughout. They understand that love isn't just a feeling, but a responsibility, and that is why they're my favourite couple of the year.

Runners-Up: Yuu/Touko (Bloom Into You); Narumi/Hirotaka (Wotakoi)

I can't even begin to explain how long I've yearned to see Yuu and Touko's kiss on screen. Their relationship actively rejects conventional labels of romance, and in doing so becomes one of the most layered and dynamic love stories I've ever seen from a high school setting. There's definitely an unhealthy slant to it, where each partner yearns for something against the other's wishes, although the consequences of this conflict remain to be seen. Regardless, the emotions at play here will drive even the hardest of hearts to want to root for them. I know I do.

As for Narumi and Hirotaka, it's quite rare for an adult couple to be featured in anime, especially to their degree of prominence. What starts out as a relationship formed out of mutual benefits, slowly grows into mutual affection when the two confront one another with their feelings, insecurities, and sense of commitment. Their poor communication skills certainly result in some difficulties, but they always find ways to overcome them. Adorable stuff.

Funniest of 2018

Winner: Golden Kamuy

I've always found Japanese humour to be somewhat of a hard sell. I lack the cultural knowledge for referential humour, surrealist comedy is an exercise in frustration, and only idiots find sexual harassment to be remotely funny.

Fortunately, there was no shortage of shows that had me howling in genuine laughter. Golden Kamuy, in particular, stands out as the most consistently hilarious throughout its two seasons. Considering this show already boasts a number of other genres, including action; wartime drama; murder mystery/thriller; and cooking ('cause why the hell not?), and can still manage to introduce new gags with each episode, on top of existing ones, is a feat truly worthy of the Comedy Gods. Whoever they are. Hopefully not CG bears.

Runners-Up: A Place Further Than The Universe; Yuru Camp△; Zombie Land Saga

I have to give serious props to the writers behind A Place Further Than The Universe - the direction they took for the show's script is very reminiscent to a live-action series (i.e. Firefly or Parks & Recreation), as opposed to traditional tv anime. Every line of dialogue is spoken with degrees of nuance and exaggerated realism, with no words existing simply to fill in dead space. As such, most of the comedic moments feel fresh and well timed, and thanks to the proper use of smash cuts, I found myself laughing with every episode.

As for Yuru Camp, it isn't a comedy first and foremost, but what humour it does possess is often snappy and to the point. The funniest this show gets is whenever a dynamic narrator or dogs are involved, so it's about as straightforward as comedy can get. What's not straightforward, though, is Zombie Land Saga (as if I haven't gushed enough about it). This show makes full use of its premise to blend humour with body horror, doing so without clashing too hard with its cutesy idol aesthetic. Holding these elements together are the wacky off-the-wall antics of the Idol producer, Koutarou Tatsumi, whose presence further supplements the show's comedic style, even if his actions come off as demeaning and even borderline abusive.

Best Direction of 2018

Winner: SSSS.Gridman

SSSS.Gridman (however you pronounce it) is quite possibly Trigger's most creative show yet, on top of being their most well written. Nearly every backdrop has some fascinating detail, tidbits of foreshadowing or some busywork going on, all levels of detail I haven't seen from a Trigger show since the Little Witch Academia OVAs. With the exception of the swimsuit episode (because of course, anime), every episode is intricately composed around its thematic elements and how they're to be presented, resulting in a show that maximizes on most of its narrative opportunities, while skillfully covering for its technical weaknesses.

Runners-Up: Bloom Into You; Fate stay night - Heaven's Feel I.presage flower

Bloom Into You? More like Bloom Into My Eyes, am I right? Riiiight?

All joking aside, the attention to detail this show displays is utterly breathtaking, like how the contrast of light and shadow is subtly used to reflect changes in the characters' emotional states. Or the nuances and depth to how body language is animated, such as whenever Touka avoids eye contact when embarrassed, or the way Yuu is glazed over in most conversations. And all of this is just me scratching the surface. This latest attempt at girls-loving-girls is a visual masterpiece, possessing a level of polish that's comparable to works made by KyoAni.

Finally, Fate stay night - Heaven's Feel I.presage flower is the first of a three-part movie series. It has something I felt was missing in recent Fate entries, and that's a similar atmosphere and sense of tension to 2011/2012's Fate/Zero. My experience with this movie feels akin to watching a horror or a thriller; from how death is a constant and looming threat for each character, to the horrifying and almost incomprehensible fates befalling some of them. I love this eldritch approach to storytelling. It feels fresh for a stagnating franchise and makes me truly invested in Shirou Emiya's plight. I look forward to ufotable's next part.

Best Finale of 2018

Winner: A Place Further Than The Universe

A good ending is as paramount to a good first impression, and while 2018 was a mixed bag on either, A Place Further Than The Universe manages to succeed on both fronts. Without spoiling much, the final stretch has our main characters find closure with themselves, come away with new perspectives on life, and affirm one of the show's most important lessons - that no journey is truly over since our lives are always in motion. It's a lesson as old as time, told in different ways, yet no less emotionally resonant and wholly satisfying, just as this ending was. A fantastic conclusion to an incredible show.

Runners-Up: SSSS.Gridman; Zombie Land Saga

Okay, last time I gush about Zombie Land Saga, I swear. The ending doesn't make any pretensions about sequel-baiting, but what it lacks in a proper conclusion, it makes up for it with a bombastic resolution to Sakura's character arc. It's by far my favourite iteration of the idol anime's final performance, one that's deeply inspiring from both a narrative and musical standpoint. Likewise, SSSS.Gridman's finale is climatic and wrapped up in high stakes. The ensemble cast, having completed their character arcs, come together in one final confrontation for not only the fate of the world but for the life and redemption of the story's most central character. The ending itself is legitimately clever, calling back to the franchise's roots in a way that provides closure for long-time fans while remaining an insightful and creative twist for newcomers.

Worst Drop of 2018

Loser: A Certain Magical Index III

Because Index is a terrible series. Also, this third season somehow manages to be even worse than its source material AND its previous seasons, so it deserves recognition as a lifetime failure.

But I didn't drop it. It remains "On Hold" for personal reasons (and personal they shall remain for now), thus I present...

The Actual Loser: Steins;Gate 0

On its own merits, Steins;Gate 0 is not an awful show. It is, however, a mediocre follow-up to the original Steins;Gate, one of my all time favourites, and that's even worse than just being awful. This show starts out promising enough, but quickly degenerates into a mess of terribly handled new characters, poorly realized concepts, and the choppiest pacing I've seen since Symphogear's first season. For every heartfelt moment between Daru and Suzuha, there's another where Maho loses her clothes yet again, and after three quarters into the show, I grew sick of it. A tirade I read once described Steins;Gate 0 as "moments of greatness floating in a sea of mediocrity and lazy writing", and I can't think of a more apt description for this meandering, soulless, pathetic excuse of a cash grab.

This honestly could've been my Biggest Disappointment, had I not already known of the visual novel's lesser qualities going in.

Lesser Evil: Goblin Slayer

The shows I end up dropping tend to bore or insult me, but then there are the ones that manage to do both. When I first heard about the rape scene in Goblin Slayer, I wanted nothing more than to stay the hell away. Regrettably, I ended up watching it anyway just to gain some insight on how awful it really was (getting drunk with friends definitely helped). The first episode was everything I feared it to be - utterly repulsive and gratuitous, while the show thereafter turned out to be a dull, pedestrian fantasy romp, bringing to question why the rape scene needed to exist in the first place. In fact, I might've been less disgusted had the show fully committed to its generic fantasy or hentai premise instead. As it is, it's an exercise in failing expectations and by far the most putrid pile of boredom I've seen all year, drunk or sober. I desperately hope this doesn't become a new trend.**

Best Character of 2018

Winner: Chise Hatori (The Ancient Magus' Bride)

There seems to be a continuing trend of badass redheads over the last few years, but Chise Hatori definitely stands out as my favourite. Her journey to rediscover herself believably and remarkably leads her to many different people and places, forming the foundation to which her character experiences numerous transformations. The story of her fight against years of self-loathing and abuse in face of adversity and her own self-destructive altruism, all the while coming into her own sense of confidence, self-worth, and agency over the stifling security codependency provides, is wonderfully told. Depression is messy, disturbing, and most certainly not something that's simply solved by the "power of friendship" (I'm looking at you, Orange) or "true love" (you too, Your Lie in April); The Ancient Magus' Bride understands this by allowing Chise to grow within her social networks rather than because of them, and as such blossoms into a truly inspiring and relatable woman.

Runners-Up: Sakura Kinomoto (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card); Suzu Urano (In This Corner of the World)

Is it cheating to claim that Sakura Kinomoto, a character from a late 90's anime series and my personal childhood hero, is one of my favourite characters from 2018? Probably, but it's my list. Sakura has always been my beacon of hope in a medium soiled by the filth and degeneracy of anime tropes, possessing an unmatched earnestness, boundless optimism, an all-loving demeanour, and the purest inclination towards goodness I've ever seen from the magical girl archetype. And being slightly older in Clear Card doesn't slow her down one bit; rather, it grants her more opportunities to exhibit those qualities along with her garnered experience.

Suzu Urano is a character I didn't expect to become so invested in. An issue I take with historical fiction is the pervasive tendency to recreate the world as it was, especially with how women are written, instead of playing with the period in creative and interesting ways. This is not the case for Suzu, whose status as a Japanese woman living through WWII is directly interwoven into her character arc. The constant hardships that she goes through wear her down physically and mentally, irrevocably shifting her character from airheaded whimsy to one of sheer determination. The choices Suzu makes reinforces her agency and empowers her, in spite of her circumstances, as well as empowering those around her to make similar choices for themselves. A splendid character.

Best Anime of 2018

Winner: A Place Further Than The Universe

Surprising absolutely no one, my number one pick of 2018 just happens to be the same as nearly everyone else's. What can I say? Madhouse set out to craft a coming-of-age story, disguised as another cute-girls-doing-cute-things, and happened to receive widespread acclaim for it. There have been countless discussions over the main themes present in A Place Further Than The Universe, specifically about living life in motion and the value of a journey. What I find most remarkable, however, is how this show explores its underlying theme of friendship.

There have been countless anime with friendship as a core element, but I've hardly seen the concept being tackled over what gives its existence meaning. Most slice-of-life shows take friendship as a given, such as Clannad, while other shows may treat the concept like some mystical and all-redeeming power, like 99% of the magical girl genre. A Place Further Than The Universe, on the other hand, has friendship find its meaning beyond some force holding people together, and it does this through its characters' frequent discourse and questioning of its meaning. Because the show's main characters are young and troubled, this allows each one them to bring forth different perspectives to how friendship is understood and made manifest. It adds much-needed depth to an overused aspect of human relationships, one that's often taken for granted by media in its depiction.

And even besides all that, A Place Further Than The Universe is a shining example of what happens when you strip away anime's degenerate aspects, and instead raise the bar for universally applicable storytelling and themes - you get a show that resonates so deeply amongst an international audience, with an ensemble cast so likeable, entertaining, and relatable that they transcend the sum of their tropes and archetypes. Its appeal is undeniably global, a rare gem you can show to a non-anime fan without embarrassment or caveats.

Runners-Up: The Ancient Magus' Bride; Bloom Into You; Yuru Camp△

Three out of the four shows in this category are from 2018's first season - an excellent season, mind you - which is telling of how inconsistent the rest of the year's been. It also bugs me that so many people left out The Ancient Magus' Bride when considering their top picks of the year. This wondrous piece of urban fantasy weaves an intricate world of magic and Celtic folklore, yet remains grounded enough through Chise and her struggle against depression. A sharply-written, criminally overlooked show, and my new favourite in the genre. As for Yuru Camp, it's simply a solid time with an endearing, if somewhat dimwitted cast through outdoor shenanigans, as well as featuring the best soundtrack of the year. Lastly, Bloom Into You is easily one of the most well-scripted, superbly-directed, and brilliantly adapted high school romances I have ever seen, and it has the potential to be among the greatest romances period if it ever gets a follow-up.

List changes:

Greatest Anime: Currently a work in progress, which should be ready to post sometime in February. A Place Further Than The Universe and The Ancient Magus' Bride have both been added; Yuru Camp△ is under consideration. Bloom Into You will be an Honorable Mention.

Greatest Characters in Anime: Also a work in progress. Chise Hatori will be added because she's a precious child who deserves the world.

And that's a wrap! 2018 might've been a dull pain in the ass, but any year that can add two, maybe three shows to my list of greatest anime is at least a decent one. Hopefully, 2019 can keep things much more consistent, as I wouldn't mind losing out on potential favourites if it meant every season proves enjoyable. Special thanks go to my brother for all the critical discussions we have about everything, as well as to The RPGenius for being a huge source of inspiration. Keep ranting on, you beautiful bastard. And to the very few readers I have, I thank you for your time and/or dedication. Shine on, folks!

* The 3rd season of A Certain Scientific Railgun, slated to come out this year, will be directed by the returning Nagai, so we're already off to a good start.

** Considering the reception to this season's Shield Hero, I fear I might've spoken too soon. On a related note, Japan really needs to stop encouraging lonely men to publish light novels. It never ends well.