It’s the End of 2012 as we know it!
Whoopee!
Oh, you guys know I wouldn’t leave you in 2012 without a “best of” or “2012 was awesome/horrid/blah/meh/cool” type post. I know I am on hiatus but my good conscience could not allow me to end the year without an end of the year post. I would feel so unfulfilled. Well, not really, because wedding planning is now getting into full swing and I am about to explode. I’m still watching anime, but thank goodness for that technological contraption called the iPad because now I can plan for the wedding, watch anime, and blog no matter where I go. I’ve only really done the first two, though. We all know that the world didn’t end on 12/21/12 and I doubt anyone truly believed that it would outside of a few preppers. The quality of popular anime has appeared to have ended. “Pish posh”, I know some of you are saying, “this year’s shows were great”! I beg to differ, my dear small group of readers. I can barely remember the majority of shows that came out this year. But I can remember the lamentations of many anime fans on the decline of some of anime’s greatness, the spark dulling, the lack of anticipation for each new season, and the division between anime fans. I also can remember making new friends because of anime. Those who have more in common with me than I have ever encountered for a long time. 2012 has been a year of growth. A year that things I had only ever dreamed and prayed about came into fruition. A few things were accomplished and goals that I set for myself were realized. I managed to make one full year blogging on my first anime blog. That was very exciting for me. I finally felt like I had come full circle with my anime fandom. I found an outlet that I was comfortable with to express how I felt about anime-related topics. It wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked nor as titillating as and interesting as I envisioned it but it has been satisfying. Here are my favorite shows of 2012, which I’m basing off “Would I re-watch this show?” For these; the answer is yes:
1. Uchuu Kyodai (Space Brothers) – I have continued to watch this show that is the epitome of slice of life. I really like that the main characters are adults. Not college students, but adults, some were parents, some had their own families, and some still lived with their parents *cough* Mutta *cough*. But they were adults over the age of 25. This is something that I have found missing in anime lately, shows that have adult characters. There is only so much I can take regarding middle schoolers and high school kids. But when I think about it, even when I was younger, outside of Sailor Moon, I’ve always preferred anime with adult characters. Maybe one day I will explore why that is a preference. Now that I’m off my tangent, though there is a sci-fi element to this show, possible space aliens (the twinkle on the Moon!) and the show is set in the near future, it is still very relatable and down to Earth. Mutta struggles with feelings of inadequacy and doubt though he is undoubtedly a genius who is extremely socially awkward. The back stories of the characters are real and provide you with a full picture of each character. I really have an attachment to them all and without spoiling anything, those who I expected to be chosen to be astronauts for JAXA were chosen.
2. Jormungand – Child soldiers. Family. If you’re wondering where “family” comes from, the team of gun-toting weapons’ dealers are a family. It becomes glaringly obvious that this is a family whether any of them would admit them or not. Though, Jonah started with a hate of weapons’ dealers, he loves Koko, and the feeling appears to be mutual. He is a calming factor to her which seems like an oxymoron because he is killing people throughout the show. Jonah also seems to get along well with the other member’s of Koko’s team and they care for him. He’s expected to pull his own weight but many times, it seems that they try to protect him almost as much as they protect Koko. I do wonder how it will end.
Honorable Mention
3. Sakamichi no Apollon – This show had the potential to be one of my favorites but ended up leaving me with a lukewarm feeling. It got increasingly boring each episode and what saved it was the final episode that culminated into a bittersweet ending.
4. Another – This technically started in 2011 and ended in 2012. But I did enjoy the show to some degree that I have considered re-watching it to catch anything I may have missed.
That is about it. I thought 2012 wasn’t the best year for new anime but I did catch up on a lot of old anime series and movies that kept me more than happy such as Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040, Nodame Cantabile (still haven’t finished the finale season), Ergo Proxy, and Omoide Poroporo (underrated movie). I’m hoping 2013 brings back quality anime that not only has great visuals but great stories. I am willing to tolerate fanservice if the story entertains me. Please, anime industry, give us more mature content (not of the XXX kind) and less of the unnecessarily and abnormally enlarged bouncing boobs and panty shots on underaged and even of age females with the stupid stories that provide me with little entertainment. It would be greatly appreciated by this long-time anime fan.
So what were your favorite anime shows of 2012? Any recommendations (new or old)? Did you have a good year whether it was related to blogging or your life in general? Any goals for 2013?
THE LADY AND ANIME 
Good thing about anime is even if there aren’t any currently-airing shows you like, there’s still hundreds of others you can try from past years.
Personally I liked 2012’s anime offerings, but if you’re looking for a more mature, thought-provoking series specifically I’ll suggest From the New World (Shin Sekai Yori). It’s given me a lot to think about with each passing episode, at least, and the general atmosphere is quite serious.
Shin Sekai Yori kind of threw me off with the yuri and yaoi in a couple of episodes. It was going along at a certain pace and I felt that I got smacked in the face with it so left a bit of a sour taste. Otherwise, I agree that it gives a lot to think about and I do plan on continuing to watch it. My fiance doesn’t want to watch it anymore because he did not like those scenes at all. It also still has children as the main characters though they are older now but the content is definitely mature. Do you have aany other recommendations?
Ah, I felt that episode was quite interesting, and really showed another unique side of the village’s society. I never felt the yaoi/yuri bits were actually trying to pander to anime fans, since there were plot and setting-related reasons for everything that happened. At any rate, that subplot hasn’t been focused on much at all since then, so perhaps you’ll want to go back to Shin Sekai Yori at some point.
Other mature recommendations… Did you give Sukitte Ii na yo (Say I Love You) a try? It’s a high school romance, but it handles all the shoujo tropes more seriously than your average anime. Even the art style seems more mature (e.g. characters have noses), and the general direction of each episode is rather high-quality.
I’ll also suggest Zetsuen no Tempest (Blast of Tempest) if you are in the mood for something really theatrical. It’s an adventure of sorts, but with a strong focus on mind games, with everyone trying to outwit each other. All the characters are really intelligent, which is pretty uncommon in anime–but they’re also unorthodox in other ways as well, which I find quite fascinating.
I think I should clarify. When I say mature, I mean adults in adult situations. Not middle schoolers, not high schoolers. Which is why I really like Uchuu Kyodai. The main cast is made of adults, not even college students. Adults from late 20s onwards.
I did find the scenes in Shin Sekai Yuri to be unnecessarily explicit. The tongue action was not a necessary component for the love plot. You see it differently and that is fine. I don’t like that kind of stuff so it was a turn off. However, the show itself has a good plot which is why I plan to keep watching. It toned back down after that episode but if it had not, the show would have been dropped.
I’ve been enjoying Psycho-Pass and it should have been on this list.
I see. Those are usually harder to come by–usually just one or two shows a season have adult protagonists.
Meant to add, I have been watching Zetsuen no Tempest. Is not a favorite show but it is a guilty pleasure.
Okay blogging this year, I certainly resolve to blog more–and watch more anime and read more books, which are both conducive to the first goal. Second half of 2012 could have been better, and I certainly wish the anime seasons had been better, though that gives me a chance to catch up!
As for more mature anime, there’s Iria (blogged to death in an article of mine), You’re Under Arrest, Noir, Madlax, Glass Fleet, Gungrave, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Kaze no Yojimbo, Nightwalker, Otogi Zoshi (1st season only), Tsukikage Ran, Moribito, and Solty Rei has several adult characters. Let me know if any of those titles strike your interest or if you’ve seen them all.
Thanks for your comment. I apologize for the delay in response but I’m on hiatus from blogging so not checking in as often. I will check out your post son Iria as I haven’t heard of it. I’ve not seen any of those other titles mentioned except Moribito so I’m interested. Have you blogged about them as well?
Just You’re Under Arrest, Moribito, and Iria. I saw most of the other ones before I started blogging. Hope you find one of those articles enjoyable, though the one on Iria is pretty long.
hey sorry to bother
i saw you in the subscribers list for my old blog, would be very happy if you can re-subscribe at the new URL (http://visualnovelaer.fuwanovel.org) if you want to~ the old one got suspended >.<
sry for that. ty
Favorite 2012 anime? In no particular order, Jormungand, Kokoro Connect, Kamisama Hajimemashita, Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita, Mouretsu Pirates (once I changed my expectations), Haiyore! Nyaruko-san, Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, Fate/Zero (does that count, since it started in 2011?).
Started, but didn’t get far into, Shin Sekai Yori, but I plan to finish soon. Not sure why I put it on hold. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood for something that dark at the time.
Actually, overall I thought it was a good year with a lot of shows doing well for me, though I do think the recent trend to oversexualize the women is distracting.
Jormungand, Kokoro Connect, Jinrui wa Sutai Shimashita have all been watched thought was a bit disappointed with the latter. Started with Mouretsu Pirates but never finished but maybe I should give it another chance.
Shin Sekai Yori is definitely dark as is Pscyho-Pass but both are enjoyable and deal with more mature content. I agree the increase in the trend to over oversexualize women is distracting. I wouldn’t say it’s recent because it has been here but it appears to be getting worse and turning me away from the newer shows. It’s targeting a demographic that alienates fans such as myself.
Definitely Sword art online 🙂 Check it out if you haven’t!
I have checked out SAO, didn’t like it. 🙂 Harem type anime grate on my sensibilities.
I respect that 🙂 Buy I wouldn’t call it an harem anime haha
What would you call it? Every female seemed to want him as soon as they met him!