My 5 favorite anime of 2009

So 2009 has come and gone, and 2010 is now underway. Exactly a year ago today I picked my 5 favorite anime of 2008. So now it’s time for me to decide which of the 2009 anime I enjoyed the most…

Below is a list of all the 2009 anime I’ve finished watching. I count an anime as a 2009 series if it completed its airing sometime between January and December of 2009 (in the case of movies, if it was released in theaters in 2009).

–finished airing from 2008
Clannad After Story
Michiko to Hatchin
Gundam 00 Second Season
Seto no Hanayome OVA
Soul Eater
Toradora!

–finished airing from the winter ’09 season
Ichigo Mashimaro encore OVA
Kemono no Souja Erin
Nyoro-n Churuya-san
Shikabane Hime: Kuro
Sora o Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai (Munto TV)
The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya
White Album

–finished airing from the spring ’09 season
Chi’s New Address
Hayate no Gotoku!! OVA
Hayate no Gotoku!!
Eden of the East (Higashi no Eden)
K-ON!
Kannagi episode 14 DVD special
Natsu no Arashi!
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~
Shangri-la
Spice and Wolf 2 OVA

–finished airing from the summer ’09 season
Bakemonogatari (decided to count it even though it’s technically not finished)
Canaan
Clannad Another World: Kyou Chapter OVA
Pokemon Movie 12
Spice and Wolf 2
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009/Second Season
Umineko no Naku Koro ni

–finished airing from the fall ’09 season
Aoi Bungaku
Darker than Black 2: Ryuusei no Gemini
Natsu no Arashi! Akinaichuu
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Purezza
Nyan Koi!
Seitokai no Ichizon

Since I watched more anime this year than last, I’m going to pick 5 favorites and 3 runner-ups from the above list. I’ve already discussed many of them on previous posts, so I’ll provide links to those posts rather than repeat myself here.

I also want to note that I’m only picking my personal favorites and not necessarily the anime I think are the best quality.

So, without further adieu, here are my favorites of 2009 (in no particular order):

Toradora!

The best romance/drama series of the year – solid characters, interesting relationships, gut-wrenching emotions, and touching intimacy. I’ve already reviewed this series and discussed why I like it, so check there if you’re one of the few who haven’t seen it and need more convincing. There’s a reason why everyone likes Toradora!.

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Canaan

Even though the ending of Canaan was kind of weak, the rest of it kept me utterly engrossed. The action and animation was amazing, the story was fascinating, and I got surprising attached to the characters. Again, my review and thoughts have already been posted.

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The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009 (a.k.a. Haruhi Season 2)

The main reason I have this one on my list is because I’m a hopeless Haruhi fan. But another reason is because, despite what most people say about “Endless Eight,” it was one of the biggest, most discussion-inducing events in anime fandom in quite a while. I’ll admit getting through it was frustrating, but looking back on it now that it’s over, it really was a daring, one-of-a-kind maneuver, not just for anime but for TV shows in general. Fans will remember “Endless Eight” for years to come.

Of course, E8 often makes people forget the one that started the season, “Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody.” The first new episode of Haruhi in three years aired without ever being officially announced, producing ecstasy in fans, only to have it shot down a month or so later with “Endless Eight.” Haruhi never ceases to do the never-been-done, no matter what people think.

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Kemono no Souja Erin

I would not only pick Kemono no Souja Erin as one of my personal favorites, but also as one of the best, perhaps the best anime of 2009. Without any fan-pandering, the series tells a unique, epic tale with near perfect narrative beauty. The first few episodes are a bit light and slow, which is probably what turned off some would-be fans. But as soon as episode 7 hits, this 50-episode series shines brilliantly and every episode left me in awe. If you need more convincing about why you should watch this underrated anime, my review should help.

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Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~

The often gloomy atmosphere of Bee Train series is not for everyone. But for me personally, Phantom’s intricate, suspenseful, mystery-ridden plot and well written dialogue kept me begging for more. The relationship between the main characters was also tragically fascinating. My full review can be found here.

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Runner-ups:

– Chi’s New Address: I would be lying to myself if I didn’t have my guilty pleasure on the list. Since I already picked the first season of Chi’s Sweet Home as one of my favorites last year, I decided to put it as a runner-up this time. But the second season of Chi is just as good as the first, perhaps better because of the new characters. Chi’s cute, simple but not intelligence-insulting adventures could entertain me endlessly.

– Clannad After Story: It’s really only the second half of Clannad After Story that absolutely amazed me, which is why it’s only a runner-up. But in just those ten or so episodes, the series packs in the biggest tear fest that fans won’t soon forget – first tragic, then touching, then back to tragic again. Watching the latter episodes of Toradora! and Clannad After Story at the same time certainly did a number on my emotions. My review here.

– Hayate no Gotoku!!: Hayate is strictly a character-driver show; you either love watching the characters do what they do and interact with each other or you don’t. While the 52-episode first season placed more emphasis on the humor and parody jokes, the second season is more focused on the character relationships, which is something I personally enjoyed more. Even though it had a little more drama, it still kept the humorous atmosphere and never got too serious. Lots of touching scenes between the characters while still being light and fun. My review here.

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I know I didn’t pick some of the big names like Bakemonogatari, K-ON!, and Eden of the East. To make it clear, I did like these shows, just not quite as much as the above ones. And I haven’t watched Summer Wars or Evangelion 2.0 yet so I couldn’t have them on the list.

I can already predict with near certainty that “The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya” movie will be on my list of favorites for 2010. And if the new Fullmetal Alchemist anime finishes airing next year, it will be one of my favorites too. Inuyasha: The Final Act and Kimi ni Todoke are maybes.

Looking forward to another year of anime in 2010.