If you have not already listened to the podcast of this category, this is the final results, so this will spoil the course of the discussion on that podcast! Be warned!
We watch something like fifty different anime a year professionally, plus whatever we check out in our own free time. Still, so often that’s a sampler platter- a flight of sauces, a mere taste test of the show. This year, we’ve decided that’s not enough to call something Anime/Manga of the Year based on. Anything that wants to be Anime/Manga of the Year needs to have dragged us back for more than just a taste. And once we start applying that, it rapidly becomes apparent the shows whose vibes we dug, and the shows we actually cared about.
The Winner
Gunbuster
It’s a rare parody that reaches beyond that core concept to become something sensational out of context. How strange it is to remember that Gunbuster starts out as a mecha parody of the sports anime classic Aim for the Ace, given what it (quite quickly!) becomes. By the time protagonist Noriko heads to space, tennis is the last thing on the viewer’s mind. The parody still works, it’s just done so efficiently that the show then has five of its six episodes left to tell its own story.
What follows is an affecting story about the tragedy and confusion of war, the unflinching cruelty of science, the inescapable march of time, and a gratitude for sacrifice stretching thousands of years into the future. Along the way, you get gorgeous late 80s animation, comedy that brightens the room and tragedy that sobers it, and a killer soundtrack to boot. The last episode is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget: one of the most moving anime endings I’ve ever seen.
The Runners-Up
Oshi no Ko
There’s just something about a methodically vengeful protagonist that’s hard to resist. Don’t get me wrong, the female lead Ruby is a delightfully bright young lady, and her story is enjoyable to follow, but I am really here to watch Aqua take the steps he deems necessary to balance the karmic scales. He hasn’t killed or even attacked anyone, but all the scheming delight of a Light Yagami or Lelouch vi Britannia is present in Aqua as he works his way closer to the truth of who got his mother killed. And it’s much less cheesy than those two, as well.
But it’s not not cheesy, and that’s important. Oshi no Ko‘s premise is… well, bad, to be frank. If you gave me the elevator pitch for this story, I’d mash “open door” to get out of the damn elevator. It’s remarkable that the writing saves such a bad idea, and manages to turn it into an enjoyable watch: asking that writing to turn it into a sincere, serious work would be too much. There’s a lot of cringe in the anime world these days, and good cringe is nearly impossible. But good cheesy? That’s something you can set your watch to, and Oshi no Ko knows how to make satisfying melodrama.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
It’s been 20 years since the debut of Scott Pilgrim in comic form, and nearly 15 since Scott Pilgrim Vs The World adapted that comic to a movie. When Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was announced, it felt like it was just going to rehash a well known story. Little did anyone knew that Takes Off would throw caution to the wind and make some big changes. The characters are the same but this show decided it would be a much better use of time to rebuild the story and perception of Scott Pilgrim the story and the character. From the moment episode one ends, we were in for a wild ride.
There is so much to love about this anime. Science Saru did an amazing job capturing the look of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s style, Anamanaguchi flexed their musical strengths, and holy shit getting the entire cast of the movie back to reprise their roles for the dub is the kinda thing people on forums say should be done and is nearly impossible for many good reasons. AND YET! And yet they did it to give the actors another go at performing a beloved cast. There is something quietly amazing at the passion and love on display for this anime. It’s the kind of special project that only comes once in awhile, and it really flew above expectations in 2023.
There’s only one category left: Game of the Year! We’ll see you for that one on Wednesday!
Our art is a commission from @yonsoncb on Twitter!
