My Top 10 Favorite Anime of 2018!

Hello!

Happy Friday evening everyone. I’m back with more 2018 clean-up, and although several weeks overdue, I wanted to give each of the Fall 2018 anime a couple more weeks to see how some of them further progressed.

And boy was I glad I did that!

There was a lot in 2018 that I didn’t get around to watching: Violet Evergarden, Laid-Back Camp, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Megalo Box, Wotakoi, Planet With, Bloom into You, and the rest of Revue Starlight to name a few. But while much went unwatched for me, I did manage to watch a small handful of shows each season to compile a list such as this.

Anyway, enough stalling. As the title of this post indicated, listed below are my top 10 favorite anime of 2018!

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NUMBER TEN:

Angels of Death

Despite the incredible flack it got for drawing out the climax another four episodes (only to end in more controversy), the multi-interpretive ending of Angels of Death is actually one of my favorite aspects about it. The impossibly large setting with countless floors of traps and mazes reminded me of my first experience in Danganronpa‘s Hopes Peak High (which simultaneously frightened and amazed me), and for that matter, the mystery elements of the plot were surprisingly entertaining.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn’t so edgy about death and better incorporated the floor boss villains into the narrative rather than just treating them as sadistic criminals. But alas, for an anime based off an old JRPG horror fave, I’d say Angels of Death was a worthwhile investment.

NUMBER NINE:

DAKAICHI -I’m being harassed by the sexiest man of the year-

I know, I know, it’s SMUT. If there was an award for guilty pleasure anime of the year, DAKAICHI would’ve taken it hands-down. I’m actually somewhat embarrassed to put this BL rom-com on the list, but hey, I should give credit where it’s due, right? And I really did love this silly little anime about much-beloved, A-list Japanese actor Takato Saijou boldly pursuing the love for the first time in his life. Cute characters, nice animation, yup, not much else to say here!

NUMBER EIGHT:

Free! – Dive to the Future

Oh geez, one title full of bishounens after another—Who wrote this list?? Wait, I can explain!! I’ve loved Free! ever since it started airing back in the summer of 2013, and even if they decide to draw out the franchise (and unnecessarily so) for five more years after this, I’ll still love Free!. While this season’s additions of Ikuya and Hiyori brought all kinds of ~meh~ drama into the water, it was nice to still be able to follow these guys in college (cause, ya know, I’m also in college now).

Plus, Rei as Iwatobi’s captain, YASSSS! Since it just kind of “ends” after one of the meets, I’m looking forward to the film to hopefully bring resolution to Haru’s newest rivalry.

NUMBER SEVEN:

Steins;Gate 0

In case you didn’t know, Steins;Gate was my favorite anime of all time for several years in the running. It has one of the best endings of all time, and even though many didn’t care for the film, it only added to my love of this title. When it was announced that we’d FINALLY be receiving an adaptation of the story’s “lost timeline,” the game known as Steins;Gate 0, I was positively thrilled. And for the first six, heck, even 12 episodes, it didn’t disappoint. But there was one episode, episode 18 to be exact, that really ruined the entire show for me. To quote ANN on the matter, “I’ve never been so frustrated and disappointed by an episode of Steins;Gate.”

Now, I’m a firm believer in how one episode cannot ruin an entire series, but when it needed to be strongest—to execute its immense build-up of time-altering tension and deliver shocking plot twists one after another—Steins;Gate 0 absolutely dropped the ball. It’s odd, considering that with every single episode after that, the show only goes up until its thrilling, chilling ending. But man, how tragic it is for the great Steins;Gate to fall flat due to an issue with unusually lazy directing, animating, and adapting.

NUMBER SIX:

Tsurune: Kazemai High School Archery Club

I’m really, really glad that KyoAni has given this series everything it’s got to make it stand out on its own as a fantastic high school sports drama. We’ve seen the studio churn out somewhat lukewarm stories in the past (Beyond the Boundary and Myriad Colors Phantom World as the most infamous ones), and I was definitely afraid of the same happening to Tsurune just because they marketed the series with some cute archery danshi.

With only one episode left to air, I couldn’t have been more wrong—Tsurune is beautiful. Its animation is top-tier, its music is fantastically gorgeous, its direction is powerful, and its characters are more soulful than any of us expected them to be. Can’t wait to see how this wonderful little show ends!

NUMBER FIVE:

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Given that I only just watched this series a week ago, talk about a last-minute pull! I may have covered Bunny Girl Senpai in my latest OWLS post, but all I was able to do was barely skim the surface of its first three episodes. In actuality, the entire series and all of its self-contained story arcs are layered with the same character complexity as its brilliant intro arc, and I highly recommend checking out the series beyond those three episodes if you get the chance.

But yeah, as everyone’s been saying, it’s like Bakemonogatari for dummies, but in many ways better. The stories are easy accessible (compared to the madness of the massive Monogatari franchise) and the comedy is always on-point—what more could you ask for? Most surprisingly-enjoyable series of the year: Bunny Girl Senpai.

NUMBER FOUR:

SSSS.GRIDMAN

Of all the shows on this list, Gridman became the one that I looked forward to each week the most. Although initially turned off by the ugly color palette and clunky CGI kaiju fights, by episode four or so I quickly became ADDICTED to the Gridman aesthetic Trigger creates. If there’s one word to sum up this show, it is “atmospheric.” Shiro Sagisu’s musical score not only plays off both the retro nature of a giant robot anime and the epic, not-of-this-world scenario, but also the subtle, somber, and hauntingly atmospheric moments that require solo piano or mere silence alone. I really appreciate how involved the main trio of high school kids are with the plot—no one is forgotten about, including the lesser of the leads.

To top it all off, we got Akane Shinjo, one of my favorite female characters of 2018! Between the high intensity kaiju fights and the mysterious nature of this very world, SSSS.GRIDMAN knew exactly what kind of story it wanted to be—and it never held back. 

NUMBER THREE:

Devilman: Crybaby 

Since I’ve already talked at length about this wild series in my review way back in February, I’ll keep my reasoning for its top-three spot concise: Crybaby is epic. It is ruthless to its cast and unyielding to the audience. Gory, over-the-top, and emotionally devastating until the very end, there’s rarely a moment to breath. Crybaby also became my entry point into the Devilman franchise, as it did for many others. And like the Yuri!!! On ICE and Banana Fish epidemics, there was—and still is—no end to the amount of Devilman: Crybaby artwork floating around on Twitter. That pleases me immensely.

Crybaby is going to be on a lot of top-10 lists and for good reasons. If you’re willing to stomach the copious amounts of gore and nudity, you should, without doubt, check out this series—it’s an absolute heartbreaker, and often those are the best kinds of anime.

NUMBER TWO:

Run With the Wind

I really, really, really, really wanted to put Run With the Wind in the #1 spot, but for the obvious reason of “it hasn’t finished airing yet,” I couldn’t cheat out the true number one when anything could still happen in the second cour of this amazingly fun and relatable sports anime. Like Welcome to the Ballroom, Production I.G has teamed up with musician Yuki Hayashi to create a well-animated, motivational story featuring a sport. This time, it’s cross country running, and since my sister ran it all throughout high school, I kinda know what’s up.

Simply, I enjoy Run With the Wind because it doesn’t try too hard to make me smile, laugh, angry, heartfelt, or inspired. The ten boys of the Kansei University track team are full of spirit, heart, and their own motives in life. As they each struggle with the daunting goal of running in the great Hakone Ekiden, we quickly find that to say something is vastly different than actually doing that thing. No matter what it is, you have to work for it, and you will encounter roadblocks along the way that must eventually be dealt with if you wish to do whatever it is you’re trying so hard at.

We all get frustrated, jealous, and mad at ourselves and others, but at the same time, we also feel triumphant, proud, and happy when things turn out as we want them to. For an anime about something as seemingly simple as running to make me feel all these emotions and more, I can only hope that Run With the Wind sticks with its greatest strength—its heart—until the very end.

Honorable Mentions:

Violet Evergarden

Because I DON’T HAVE NETFLIX UGH I have yet to actually watch this Evergarden. But if I did, you can bet that it’d be on this list.

Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight

Like some of the others here in this section, I’m only halfway done with Revue Starlight (love it BTW), so I didn’t want to put an anime on this list in which I’ve only seen six episodes of. Makes sense, right?

A Certain Magical Index III

While I was initially STOKED to get more Index, this third season has left me quite, err, confused. Like, Index isn’t known for connecting its arcs together as smoothly as most others, and the burn of abruptly dropping one story arc and diving straight into another really hurts the enjoyment factor. Fellow blogger Karandi even voiced her frustrations with the story so far and has stepped away from this third season, and I totally understand why. I want to like Index III, but is that the mentality I should be having with any anime—or anything for that matter?

Sword Art Online: Alicization

In case you don’t follow my Twitter adventures, I’ve actually been trying to read the Alicization light novels PRIOR to watching the anime so that I can compare/enjoy both mediums. This newest arc covers a whopping ten volumes, from 9 to 18, and I just finished 13 today. This means that in about a month or two, the anime will be caught up to where I’m currently at. Given how volume 15 just released in English, I’m fighting a losing battle, I know, but that’ll make watching all 50-some episodes of Alicization when I’m done reading that much greater of a reward. Of the six episodes I’ve seen thus far, it’s safe to say that had I watched more, SAO: Alicization would’ve made a spot on the list easily.

Attack on Titan Season 3 & My Hero Academia 3rd Season

A LOT of people have taken these two powerhouse third seasons out of their top-10 lists, and it makes sense: they would utterly DOMINATE otherwise. So, I shoved them here with the absolute recommendation to #GetOnThisShitASAP if you’ve been living under a rock. If you were wondering, however, I really did enjoy the new reveals and further characterization/world-building in AoT, and MHA continues to be the epitome of a well-done anime. Looking forward to more of both!

AND FINALLY, NUMBER ONE:

A Place Further Than the Universe

It’s rare for me to switch up my simulcast schedule and jump on a series mid-season. Seriously, it never happens. But once I saw that 2-minute clip of the YoriMoi girls running throughout the city (for unknown reasons at the time), it instantly dawned on me that I’d be missing out on something truly remarkable if I were to pass up this unsuspecting slice-of-life/drama series. Just, man, everything about this series is perfect. Utterly incredible and enjoyable from beginning to end.

I also find it rare for a series to inspire me as much as this. A couple years back it was Yuri!!! On ICE, and in 2017 it was Welcome to the Ballroom. I could argue and say that Run With the Wind would be the next natural candidate, but YoriMoi was able to make me think about things in a way that none of these other wonderful titles could. What does it mean to try? What does it mean to fail? What does it mean to do both, repeatedly, yet keep on going until you make it to the other side of the world and leave everyone else in shock? What does it feel like to leave it all behind? And what does it feel like to find suddenly what you’ve been searching for all your life? 

The reason I never properly reviewed A Place Further Than the Universe was because, at the time I finished the show, I couldn’t. I was pretty much speechless, cathartic, and cleansed. Even now, I still don’t know how to put my thoughts for it in words. At the time of finishing, I wanted to leave parts of my own life behind, in fact, and that caused me to briefly leave blogging until I was ready to reopen the cafe. In the short time ToriMoi was actively was in my life, it changed everything—or rather, it paved the way for me to make my own changes for once: to chase after my own desires, throw caution to the wind, and try something new.

And all this and more is why A Place Further Than the Universe is my irrefutable pick for anime of the year.

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Thanks 2018 for all the great anime!

That’s all I got! What did you think of my top ten anime of 2018? Were some of my picks predictable or even cliche? Probably, haha, but you can’t deny what’s good when it comes for you, am I right? I’ve been doing my best to stay on top of your guys’ top-10 posts, but in case I missed yours, you’re more than welcome to leave a link down in the comments for me to read! I’ll soon be posting a 2018 “watch log” post of sorts detailing everything I watched in 2018 aside from seasonal stuff, so stay tuned for that. Thanks 2018 for all the great anime, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host

300 Followers, the Winter Olympics, and Haikyu!! | End of February Update 3/1/18

Hey hey, it’s been a while!

Two months of 2018 have passed and I have very little to show for it. Excluding the last couple days of Blogmas (because it should have concluded at the end of 2017), I have published but four posts. They’re decently long posts, some actually being my biggest posts yet, but that’s exactly it—ONLY FOUR POSTS. And there’s not really any shocking reason for my lack of content. Like any other blogger here, I get busy, life happens, and then I just don’t feel motivated enough to write about anything, let alone make the time to sit down and watch something.

I’ve considered on several occasions writing about other happenings in my life, my passions, yearnings, and what I’ve been up to besides anime. Such is why my latest OWLS post covers the 2018 Winter Olympics and not my typical post/analysis 2-in-1 method I’ve traditionally stuck to. I’m honestly considering redoing that OWLS post—if such a thing is even possible—or at least writing a follow-up to it. While I kinda feel done with the Olympics now that they’re over (which is incredibly sad, as it has been my whole life these past couple weeks), this OWLS post got very, very few notices.

Post-Olympics Blues

I DO NOT like to brag about stats, as I believe in the spirit of conversation more than a system of likes and hits to dictate one’s success, but this last OWLS post received only eight likes. I am fortunate to have an audience that seems to get excited whenever I post something (more on that in a bit), and perhaps it’s because backdated it (something which I had NEVER done before) or that maybe the topic wasn’t for everyone, but even I know that eight likes is a strangely (and scarily) low turnout. Admittedly, it was a rushed post, no doubt, as I wanted to cover the first half of the ladies skate when I know I shouldn’t have because I was already cutting it so close to the deadline. 

Ultimately, people will read what they want to read, I know, but it was somewhat disheartening to wake up the next day only to not see the bombardment of email and WordPress notifications that I have become accustomed to.

Although, saying that I now want to redo that post probably says something about a lack of confidence in my own writing. I also don’t want to sound like I’m desperate for likes, cause that’s totally not it either! UGH, I’m just so frustrated and confused. Tell you what: if you see a follow-up post, please consider reading it, as it shall contain my true, truncated thoughts on this past incredible Olympic season—everything that I really wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it.

How about some happier news?

I’ve Hit 300 Followers, “Officially!”

Increasing as of late, I’ve had my doubts about WordPress and the way it holds onto the blogs I follow and those that follow me. The worst horror stories I’ve heard are from those who end up getting dropped from another’s reader feed, neither side knowing of it. Plus, the “followers” number on some bloggers’ page don’t seem to add up when the WP app is saying they have a different number.

So I had my reason to be skeptical, and now I can finally—and officially—announce with confidence that Takuto’s Anime Cafe has hit 300 followers!! It took me until several weeks after supposedly hitting the mark, waiting for the count to climb to 317 to finally believe it was true, haha! For whatever reason you are here and decided to become a cafe-goer, I am sincerely thankful, and grateful to be able to communicate on a platform that offers intelligent feedback and thought-provoking comments. And to you, the reader, if it were not for your interests in me, I would not have a reason to keep on going, so thank you, really, thank you so much!

*I want to celebrate 300 followers, so if my veteran bloggers and friends have any suggestions for posts, let me know!*

 The Delayed V-Day Special Returns

Every Valentine’s day I have this tradition of closing myself off from the world, setting aside the optimal time needed to thoroughly binge a well-known franchise, if not an anime classic. Though, for some odd reason, these titles are almost always sci-fi, this year I wanted to shake things up a bit with some sports anime to fit the times. HOWEVER, my coverage on the Olympics ended up taking waaaay more time than it should have, but I try not to beat myself up about it given the four-year wait.

Thus, I ended up missing out on the V-Day special . . . UNTIL NOW, because I know I’d hate myself if I were to look back on this season and find that I skipped out.

So now, in March, I’m watching Haikyu!!. Rejoice, fam!

For those wondering, YES, I prepare a traditional checklist for the number of episodes I have to watch on my dry-erase board. Too nerdy? Nah, I call it art. I’m thrilled to FINALLY be watching this much-loved series, and I have absolute confidence that I, too, will become a huge fan! HOORAY FOR SPORTS ANIME LOVE.

What Am I Watching This 2018 Winter Simulcast Season

Not. Much. LOL. Because I want to keep this short, I will not be chronicling all the anime I’ve watched in the past two months like I usually do. Instead, we’ll look at the ones that really matter: what everyone else is currently watching.

Devilman Crybaby – It technically counts, okay? The cancerous, trashy-ass Devilman fandom reared its ugly head when its lead bishies were transformed into . . . ummm prettier bishies in this latest “reboot” of the classic series. While I absolutely loved this show’s range of highest highs and lowest lows, I won’t spoil all my thoughts seeing as how I already reviewed it, BAM (click here to read). Wait, you’re tellin’ me my preparedness doesn’t count since it aired at the beginning of the year? Well drat, better late than never!

A Place Further Than The Universe – Is it weird to say that between the other two epic action series here, I’m enjoying this lighthearted, clumsy trip to Antarctica the most? Abbreviated to Yorimoi, four girls set out on an adventure to the bitter-cold continent for what, a change of pace? To find one of the girl’s lost mother? To simply call themselves BADASSES? A fair mix of all of the above, actually. Each episode always has that one dramatic moment that makes you want to throw yourself overboard it’s so intense, but in a way, it contrasts the stark nothingness that would otherwise mark it as a plain slice-of-life anime. Yorimoi has substance, and as long as it continues to relish in the silly moments, embrace the hardships of reality, and provide brilliant music cues HOLY CRAP, I think I’ll be quite pleased with this one. By episode 8, we’ve just pinpointed frozen islands in the distance. However far these crazy gals go, I’m sure they’ll be alright.

DARLING in the FRANXX – I really, really, really want to call this series a favorite of mine, but it’s just not grabbing my attention in the way I wish it would. Interesting premise, check! Likeable characters, yeah I suppose, check! Five star Trigger animation (or should I say 3-star, heh heh), check! Bottom line—Darling in the Franxx has everything it needs to really stand out against the crowd, but so far I’m a little lost at its aim. Is it gonna become the next big mecha hit like Gurren Lagann, or perhaps spiral down into the dark, emotionally messy (and favorable) pit that is Evangelion? Only time will tell, I suppose, but seeing as how I’ve watched like seven episodes now (and the next is apparently a beach episode like WAT), this series is gonna have to do a lot to build on its world and the reason why its characters behave the way they do. Again, I’m rooting for this series, which is exactly why I have to be critical of it!

Fate/EXTRA Last Encore – I’m . . . yeah I really don’t know what this is. HUGE Fate fan over hear, yessir, but even I am confused about what’s going on. Aside from Madoka Magica and Negima!? (yes you heard me right, NEGI), I’m not a big Shaft fan. For me, it’s too abstract to the point of boredom, and the dialogue reads like I’m trying to translate poetry of a language I don’t know into another language that I, too, do not understand (like the Monogatari series, but at least that is well-written from the start). But its more Fate, and seeing as how I’m a fan of ALL of it, even the latest Apocrypha, I’ll give it the starting benefit of the doubt. To be fair, completing merely two episodes should not be the time for judgement. If it plays out like all other Fate adaptations I’ve watched so far, a thrilling adventure should be in store for us, assuming we can get past the overly bland protagonist!

Changing Weather, Changing Moods

With spring just on the horizon, I’m bundling up for winter cold in the morning and stripping down for the afternoon heat, which is incredibly taxing on my limited wardrobe, ahahaha! But seriously, as I slide out of this winter slump, hopefully I’ll feel more inspired to blog, and to return to writing reviews like I used to do so passionately in the past.

As Kausus (Otaku Gamer Zone) has tweeted multiple times, Naka-Kon is coming up in just a couple weeks! I plan to cosplay as Todoroki from My Hero Academia and a male version of Danganronpa‘s Junko Enoshima—both of which I need to complete! I’m making these cool Styrofoam pieces for Todoroki’s ice, so that should be neat once it all comes together. It’ll be my first time doing something besides clothing for a cosplay, which is why I’m particularly excited! I want to be able to share my progress and experience with you all, but I’m not sure how to document my adventure in this way. Considering Instagram . . .

Lastly, in case you missed it, I published my “thesis” on the Works of Makoto Shinkai, which you can read right here! Ideally, I’d like for this to become my most-liked post, as I poured everything that I had into research, methodology, and execution, and though it’s a long one, it’s on I feel very proud of—one of my blogging career’s crowning achievements, so to speak. So hit that post up and share it around for me, would ya? It’d mean the world!!

I think that about covers things. Look out for an Olympics follow-up (and please give it some love) if it actually happens! Otherwise, I’ve got a fat stack of fun blogging award nominations to sort through, plus all of the lovely comments on the four posts I’ve written to catch up on. And then when I’m done with that, there’s lots of stuff from you guys I have to catch up on, and, of course, there’s always more reviews to write, AGH! Let me know your thoughts, including anything about the Olympics, a 300 followers special, Haikyuu!!, the winter simulcasts, or on even life in general, and until next time, this has been

– Takuto, your host