Ranking of Anime 2021
Due to various IRL circumstances I couldn't get this out on New Year's Eve as I said last week, but New Year's Day will do. As we head into 2022, let's for the last time look back upon last year. This is my (pitiful attempt at ranking) Best Anime of 2021 list. Enjoy.
There'll be three lists: one for non-sequel TV anime, a bonus one for sequels, and another bonus one for movies.
Top 10 (Non-Sequel) Anime:
10. The Case Study of Vanitas
This vampire steampunk fantasy has been given a pass by many due to it looking like "fujobait", but make no mistake: this show's eroticism comes in way more flavours than that. And even apart from that, there's enough action and intrigue to keep you pleased even if you're not into hot vampire-on-vampire action. This has been a year of vampire anime, but only this one reached my top 10 list (although I haven't finished Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut yet).
9. Sonny Boy
When you give an experienced director free reins to do pretty much anything he wants, you get Sonny Boy. This is one of those anime that you either love or can't even watch beyond three episodes. Luckily I was in the former camp. Sure, its writing is way too dense for its own good and at times downright nonsensical, but there's something about its commitment to telling that story in a visually and auditorily interesting way that I can't help but admire. If you like deep philosophical questions, vaguely retro background art and indie J-rock, this is the anime for you.
8. My Senpai is Annoying
In addition to vampires, this has also been a year of rom-coms. This particular one I was not initially planning to watch, but it ended up becoming a show I enjoyed watching every week. A delightful workplace rom-com that follows two pairs - Igarashi & Takeda, and Sakurai & Kazama. While they're the nominal main pair, Igarashi & Takeda are more of a comedic duo, as the romantic feelings are (barely even) one-sided. Sakurai & Kazama, on the other hand, are possibly the cutest couple of the year, once they get over the initial awkwardness. Lovely show that hits the right notes impressively often.
7. Ranking of Kings
While this series isn't over yet, and I have to admit I'm not caught up, there's no way I wouldn't include the namesake of this very blog post in it. Wit Studio has been making banger after banger once they were set free from AoT. This high fantasy adventure is a touching story about a deaf prince trying to prove his worth to a world that does not believe in him. The simple character designs lend themselves to animation surprisingly well, and the story gets deeper with each passing episode.
6. Horimiya
If you were to only ever watch one high school rom-com anime, it'd have to be this one. It's a very simple boy-and-girl-meet story but it does so many things so wonderfully right. The jokes land, the characters are all at worst tolerable and at best lovable, the thematic core is solid and the visuals fit the tone of each scene.
5. Odd Taxi
In this entire list, this is the only series I binge-watched. I initially overlooked it when it was airing, but the endless praise it received made me give it a go after it finished. And hoo boy, is that praise deserved! Tight plotting, delicious dialogue, memorable characters and the downright genius use of the most basic building blocks of its medium as storytelling tools make this one of the most uniquely solid anime of the year, and that's no small feat to achieve. Don't let it being a "furry" show fool you.
4. Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song
Not too unlike it is an another anime-original that aired in the Spring season: Vivy. Okay, it's a time travel sci-fi show with musical themes instead of a noir-ish drama, but they're both on this list for a reason. In Vivy's case, the series approaches music in a way you rarely see in any fiction really, leading to some masterful writing made even more powerful by the associated music. I don't want to spoil anything - just watch it.
3. Mushoku Tensei
I was really close to dropping Mushoku Tensei after 3 episodes, but I'm glad I didn't. What starts as a simple isekai starring a perverted hikikomori reincarnated as a child in a fantasy world, soon evolves into a grand adventure with detailed worldbuilding, solid character writing and impressive animation. When people say it "gets better", they mean it.
2. The Heike Story
The Heike Story flew under the radar of a lot of anime fans, in part due to its awkwardly timed announcement and advance streaming run, and in part due to being a solemn period drama that does not go easy on its viewers. But if you can make it through the outer layer of countless characters and convoluted lore, inside you'll find a breathtakingly beautiful tale of pride, downfall, remembrance and eternity that is unlike anything you've seen this year, perhaps ever. While it's based on a classic work of Japanese literature, it's legendary director Naoko Yamada's hands that make this story of tragedy and grief come to life. From start to finish, it's an auteur work, which is not very common to see in TV anime. This is the hidden gem of 2021.
1. 86 -Eighty-Six-
Choosing an Anime of the Year for 2021 is not easy, but at the end I decided to give it to 86. While far from flawless, its powerful writing, clever directing and consistently fantastic visuals kept me coming back for every episode. The last two have unfortunately been delayed to March 2022 due to serious production issues, but when it eventually ends, I think it'll go down in history as one of the best war anime of all time.
Top 5 Sequels:
5. Moriarty the Patriot: Part 2
4. Dr. Stone: Stone Wars
3. Attack on Titan: Season 4 (Part 1)
2. Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Season 2
1. Re:Zero Season 2 Part 2
Top 3 Anime Movies:
3. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train
2. Violet Evergarden: The Movie
1. Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time
And that's it for 2021! Not a particularly good year in most ways, but at least there was a lot of fantastic anime. Here's hoping for another great anime year in 2022! Happy New Year!
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