Best New Anime of 2004

[Animizzle]

Im amazed bleach is nmr 1, the anime is a piece of shit. It's one of those shows that should never have been translated into Anime. Even tho it follows the manga rather close.

SC is an easy pick, moves me to no end, Characters deserve statues.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I guess my taste is pretty different. Gundam? Deeply boring. Bleach? Monster-of-the-week anime. School Rumble? I'll try it again, but the first episode just annoyed me. Mai-Hime? I keep trying to like it, but it keeps leaving me cold.

I like romance, emotional angst and subtle relationships. For me, the best are clearly Maria-sama ga Miteru, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, Aishiteruze Baby, Elfen Lied (despite the fact I generally don't like violence) and Uta-Kata. This last is esthetic and deep and beautifully drawn. But don't bother watching it if you want action or humor or object to some fanservice of characters which are supposed to be 14.

If I had to pick one, I'd pick Marimite, but I was just thinking what a privilege it was to see a work of art like Uta-Kata.

[Muir Woods]

Originally Posted by SCR512

About 2x2, This show has been the funniest show i've seen sicne Azumanga ^^

Damn straight. 2x2 is by far the funniest anime in 2004. Dare I say, more amusing than School Rumble. It's cute character designs and off-the-wall wacky jokes kept me laughing till my ribs hurt. And that's good entertainment (that's what I look for when I watch anime, same reason why I watch TV shows). That's why it's my favorite show of 2004. I can't thank you (and the Ayu team) enough for subbing 2x2 Shinobuden.

Honorable Mentions:
UPS - Uninhabited Planet Survive. OK, so it started in late 2003, but nevertheless it was an entertaining watch through and through.

Spoiler:

Bah! Why didn't Howard die for good .

Aishiteruze Baby - As many mentioned. Yuzuyu just charmed me. I'll never forget that onigiri chant .

And dozens of good/decent animes I've watched in 2004. Of course, there are some (supposely great) shows that I missed in 2004 (come on, I'm a busy university student). I'll get to them during seasonal breaks.

[elniro]

Samurai champloo hands down

[Aion NL]

Not to hard of a choice though , Aishiteruze Baby

Just liked the story that much :P

it's just before Midori no Hibi (2) and Elfen Lied though (3)

Didn't vote for anime which are still airing though, otherwise maybe BECK would've gotten my vote, but it isn't nominated :P

[wao]

Ooooh, I put Fantastic Children and Melody of Oblivion. Fantastic Children really should get my only vote because it's been HOW long since I've seen a TV show with completely original story, and is NOT CONTRIVED... It's very subtle at bringing some things across and has the whole screw-your-mind thing that I always enjoy... The mood and atmosphere are created really nicely and well dangit, the way things giong so far I think that beyond doubt it's the best anime of 2004.
I also put in Melody of Oblivion since while it suffers from fairly unpolished animation (though the last ep was rather nice...), and seems rather hard to like what with all the ridiculous getups, costumes and fanservice and plot, I thoroughly enjoy it because I think it's not meant to be taken seriously - except when they screw your head around with the weird imagery and all. I really like the style of it where they have tints of re din the background, and how various symbols meld together and so on.

There should be waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more anime than that, like for example where's Nanoha and Futakoi and Zipang and all fo that. BUt who cares.

Mai-Hime is also technically a very well-produced show. But no way is it going to get my vote! Not even Otogizoushi, because its quality has been going downhill throughout the Tokyo arc...
Genshiken would also have gotten my vote, except that 1. I forgot and 2. on hindsight, I have to say its production qualities were *worse* than MoO, the animation is simply awful, even teh character design seems pretty bleh to me (in the sense that for example when drawing Saki's hair there's too many lines...) and unlike MoO it's music (when it's actually there) is pretty meh... No matter how much I really really like the story and dialogue and character interaction (and the ED!)

EDIT: And add me to the list of people sad that Paranoia Agent wasn't there.

[ChoBaka]

Originally Posted by NoSanninWa

Anyway, no matter how much you like it, if it wasn't mentioned, it hasn't a prayer of doing well in the poll.

Maybe you are not familiar with the concept of a 'dark horse'?

Anyways, why isn't 2x2=Shinobuden in the polls? Does this mean not many people enjoyed it?

[Hao Asakura]

Damn it...why no one ever mention Rozen Maiden and Kannaduki no Miko
#1: Gundam Seed Destiny
#2: Rozen Maiden
#3: Naruto
#4: Kannaduki no Miko
#5: Shura no Toki

[Bullsquat]

*Gasp* I've just been watching Viewtiful Joe and damn it's funny. Wish I've seen it earlier and I would have mentioned it in this thread.

[denden2k]

I want my revote.. I just watch Genshiken and it was amazingly good. They try to trick you with the opening in the first episode.. but it was totally different, Love that.

Well I voted for School Rumble, Yakitate_Japan, and Bleach.

If Beck was on there, I would definitely vote for it.


For all of those complainers about the time it was released.. RELAX its just a poll with your opinion. It's for fun, dont take it all serious... Geez

[Jumper]

The Best Anime of this year is for me absolutly Samurai Champloo, but i must say that this year their wheren't many really good animes, only a few like Beck (i love the Manga), Elfen Lied, School Rumble and as above mentioned Samurai Champloo

I only voted for Samurai Champloo (but i would have also voted for Beck)

[Ending]

Since several of the names were quite strange and as many of series that are rather mediocre (Grenadier), my vote went for Yakitate Japan. Fun to read, fun to watch -although I kept only the anime.

[Kempis Curious]

Aw, darn. I'm too late to request that Midori no Hibi go on the list.

However, looking over the Kempis Curious List of Anime Seen... only 26 animes have made it onto the Good List* this year, only three of them being 2004 animes. Besides MnH there's also Paranoia Agent and Samurai Champloo. Needless to say I don't think any of those three will stand the test of time and be remembered as groundbreaking or classics like Ranma, Azumanga Diaoh, Ah! Megami-sama!, Cowboy Bebop, etc.. Oh well. Thank goodness the other, older 23 animes I liked this year were brought to me by mostly fansubbers and animesuki. I've finally seen some wonderful classics like Ajimu Kaigan Monogatari OVA, Saint Seiya, Oniisama E..., and Akazukin Cha Cha just to name a few.

This thread made me check the dates on the animes seen this year, learned me up good. "Whoa! It was THAT old?"

-k

curious

* FTR the Good List has 226 entries, the So-So list has 624, the Bad List has 340.

[shadowplay]

Here's my personal top 10. I don't feel like throwing comments about it though.

1. Koi Kaze
2. Le Portrait de Petit Cossette OVA
3. Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~
4. Maria-sama Ga Miteru / Haru
5. My-Hime
6. Samurai Champloo
7. 2x2=Shinobuden
8. Keroro Gunsou
9. Gankutsuo
10. Uta-Kata

[Bandersnatch]

Surprised at how well Samurai Champloo is doing, guess I should give it another chance. My first impression was that it had style but the story sucked. Around what episode do they actually start making progress to finding the sunflower samurai?

My picks were Elfen Lied and Monster.

[Sugetsu]

I don't want to be mean... but it is just sad to see that nobody here has even mentioned Monster.... And this anime is far more complex and well written than any other show listed in the pool.

I just don't get it; Why isn't such a great anime, which almost close to being a master piece, not being popular in animesuki at all?

[Cornel]

Originally Posted by Bandersnatch

Surprised at how well Samurai Champloo is doing, guess I should give it another chance. My first impression was that it had style but the story sucked. Around what episode do they actually start making progress to finding the sunflower samurai?

After the 17 episode, they are on their way, but the stories in between also have some good stand alone plots. The story of Jin rescuing a wife who is forced to become a whore because of her gambling husband is one of my favourite episodes. It doesn't reveal anything about the objective to get the sunflower samurai, but it should not nitpicking to the extend of missing out on the series' great subplots. But of the episodes until the latest one, there has been a lot of character development. I would call Samurai Champloo slow than that it is lacking in plot. Storywise, I think that the characters of Jin and Mugen realistically hold back Fuu's goal, and the episodes have been bringing the characters closer together.
The problem of Jin and Mugen's relationship has not really be resolved. When they are trying to kill each other at whim, it is not going to be easy to attain some objective like tracking someone down. So, I guess it is slow because it has been character driven instead of plot driven for the moment. If the conflicts between Jin and Mugen were never addressed, no one would like the series. Sure, there are a lot of detours because the two bodyguards are running away from Fuu and mostly don't care about the sunflower samurai.

[NoSanninWa]

Originally Posted by Bandersnatch

Surprised at how well Samurai Champloo is doing, guess I should give it another chance. My first impression was that it had style but the story sucked. Around what episode do they actually start making progress to finding the sunflower samurai?

The show isn't about the "Sunflower Samurai" that's merely the impetus that brings them together. Honestly, there isn't much of an overall story arc. The brilliance of the show is the stories that are created for each episode. Each episode (or 1-3 episodes) has a story that brings to light an element of character or japanese culture in the Edo era which also illuminates something interesting or amusing about human nature.

The "Sunflower Samurai" is merely a McGuffin.

[hooliganj]

Originally Posted by Sugetsu

I don't want to be mean... but it is just sad to see that nobody here has even mentioned Monster.... And this anime is far more complex and well written than any other show listed in the pool.

I just don't get it; Why isn't such a great anime, which almost close to being a master piece, not being popular in animesuki at all?

It's got 22 votes so far, the post right above yours mentions it, and I mentioned it a couple of pages back. I wouldn't say it's not popular at all, after all, it even has its own message board.

[Animizzle]

Originally Posted by Bandersnatch

Surprised at how well Samurai Champloo is doing, guess I should give it another chance. My first impression was that it had style but the story sucked. Around what episode do they actually start making progress to finding the sunflower samurai?

And actually it never bothers me the storyline progresses so slowly. As NSW explained most episodes covers a certain aspect of feudal Japan, while at the same time some episodes cover one of the main characters making in "their episode" and showing us some of their background and character.

As you might have seen Watanabe Shinichiro's precious work: Cowbow Bebop, you'll notice the resemblance of episodes never usefull to the storyline but still immensely enjoyable. But when the time comes Shinichiro will wrap up the story within 2 or 3 episodese without giving you an empty feeling. He's that good, and it's a shame this anime had such bad ratings that they decided to stop airing at episode 17 and release the rest on DVD.

Anyway, it's good to see SC is apprectiated as best anime of 2004.
I didn't pay attention and only voted for 1 anime. Silly me.
Count of Monte Cristo and Sunabouzu are definitly 2 more I enjoy.