The Anime Awards are back and, once again, Crunchyroll is doing the presenting. After last year’s debacle, Crunchyroll has learned a thing or two about the anime awards and made some better selections this time around. Also, sorry to disappoint, but after sweeping almost every category last year, Yuri on Ice will not be returning this year, but if Crunchyroll could find a way to categorize it as a 2017 anime, I’m sure it would be on the ballot in every category possible.
I’ll go through and list the nominations for each category as well as pick my own personal winner and give a brief explanation as to why I picked it. If you’re interested in casting your own votes, you can head over to http://www.theanimeawards.com and do so. Just know that (as of the time of this writing) not all categories are open for voting. Also note that some of my selections may not align with the choices and yours may not either. This is why there is a write-in section for categories you can currently vote on.
For now, however, here are the nominees for each of this year’s categories
Anime of the Year
- March Comes in Like a Lion
- My Hero Academia
- Made in Abyss
- Land of the Lustrous
- Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
- Little Witch Academia
My Winner: Made in Abyss
Anyone who has read my reviews knows that (for me) Made in Abyss wins this category hands down. The journey of Riko and Reg to the bottom of the abyss to find Riko’s mother was told beautifully. The scenery, the score, the emotion… this show had everything. A lot of people were put off by it because of the cute moe design of the characters, but that choice ended up helping the series even more. This is a show that should be on everyone’s to-watch list
Best Action
- My Hero Academia
- Land of the Lustrous
- Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond
- Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron Blooded Orphans
- Attack on Titan
- Fate/Apocrypha
My Winner: Re:Creators (write-in)
While I was upset over the ending, Re:Creators featured some of the best action scenes that I have seen in quite some time (not part of an anime movie). I have no idea how this show got passed over for this category. When you have almost every genre of anime/light novel/manga/video game possible colliding, you know it has to be epic. Given the fact that Rei Hiroe (Black Lagoon) was behind this series, you knew from the start it was going to have some great action! Any man that can launch a boat into a helicopter is bound to have some great battles and Re:Creators did not disappoint there.
Best Animation
- Land of the Lustrous
- My Hero Academia
- Little Witch Academia
- March Comes in Like a Lion
- A Silent Voice
- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
My Winner: Attack on Titan (write-in)
First off… why is A Silent Voice on this list? The movie came out in 2016. I guess it’s only counting American releases? Also… why didn’t I pick Made in Abyss? Because while Made in Abyss has stunning visuals, the animation itself was pretty average. Attack on Titan, on the other hand, had great visuals and animation throughout the season. Even the fight between Eren and the Armored Titan was pretty epic (and maybe I’m a bit biased being a wrestling fan). Transformations were great, the camera direction was superb. Studio Wit is great at what they do and I’m surprised they didn’t get a nomination here with Attack on Titan.
Best C.G.I.
- Land of the Lustrous
- Kado: The Right Answer
- Re:Creators
- Attack on Titan
- Knights & Magic
- Inuyashiki
My Winner Re:Creators
I know everyone will be talking about Land of the Lustrous and how its the first “watchable” full CG anime (especially after the abortion that was Berserk), but even watching some of the scenes, the animation was very inconsistent. There were some fluidity and then there was a lot of “jitteriness.” Even Ajin had a tough time with keeping the animation smooth, but damn did they try. Re:Creators, though.. had some of the smoothest CG animation I have ever scene. Just looking at Gunpuku Hime-sama’s blades is mesmerizing enough. While CG is always obvious, they also did a great job of blending it into the show so that it became part of the animation and not something that took you completely out of the experience.
Best Comedy
- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
- Mr. Osomatsu (Season 2)
- Little Witch Academia
- Konasuba: God’s Bledding on this Wonderful World
- Gamers!
- Tsuredure Children
My Winner: Gamers!
I’m, honestly, picking this because it’s the only comedy I’ve seen last year… unless you want to count Ousama Game. Wait… Ousama Game wasn’t a comedy? What about Fukumenkei Noise? Oh no… wait. That was just a romance show trying to be a romcom and just failing miserably. Hmm.. Eromanga-sensei? It certainly was the laughing stock of the anime community last year! Hmm.. So bad that you just have to laugh? Okay… changing my vote. Eromanga-sensei for being so bad that you end up laughing at anyone who watched and enjoyed it! (((Goes to laugh at self in the mirror)))
Best Continuing Series
- March Comes in Like a Lion
- Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron Blooded Orphans
- Dragon Ball Super
- Case Closed
- All Out!!
- Naruto: Shippuuden
My Winner: Naruto: Shippuuden
Yep… going with the series that got me into anime and is, technically, still on-going with Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. I just love the series and I don’t care if you think I’m trash for doing so!
Best Drama
- Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
- March Comes in Like a Lion
- Made in Abyss
- The Ancient Magus’ Bride
- Scum’s Wish
- ACCA: 13 Territory Inspection Dept.
My Winner: Made in Abyss
Need I say more?
Best Boy
- Shoto Todoroki (My Hero Academia)
- Rei Kiriyama (March Comes in Like a Lion)
- Kazuma (Konasuba: God’s Bledding on this Wonderful World)
- Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia)
- Fafnir (Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid)
- Yakumo Yuurakutei (Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju)
My Winner: Reg (Made in Abyss) (write-in)
So… My Hero Academia can get 2 nominations, but the boy who blows away Mitty Iron Man style gets no love? Don’t worry, Reggu-kun. I got your back. Seriously though. The amount of love and support he shows Riko.. his compassion for Mitty (even though he did the humane thing to set her free), his cute infatuation with Nanchi’s (fwuffu) fur. How could you not love Reg!? Crunchyroll.. the hell is wrong with you?
Best Girl
- Atsuko Kagari (Little Witch Academia)
- Ochako Uraraka (My Hero Academia)
- Moriko Morioka (Recovery of an MMO Junkie)
- Serval (Komono Friends)
- Tsuyu Asui (My Hero Academia)
- Chise Hatori (The Ancient Magus’ Bride)
My Winner: Kuromaru (UQ Holder)…
(((waits for anime community to finish raging and pointing out the flaws… and then come to the epiphany that UQ Holder got nominated for NOTHING this year)))
My Real Winner: Sarada Uchiha (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations)
Wait… what? I’m trolling again, aren’t I? Come on, Josh… pick the REAL winner, okay? Well… I just did. Yeah… she’s a failure as a tsundere, yeah… she’s a walking trope, but at the same time, that’s what makes her so lovable. Sarada is kind of a snob, but at the same time, she’s the kind of girl who just has this aura about her that makes you want to see more. From how she awakened her sharingan, to the fact that she’s always bossing Boruto around..
Yeah, okay, I’m actually trolling.
Okay, for Reals Now… My Winner: Meteora (Re:Creators)
Meteora is very soft-spoken, but comes out with the corniest jokes that make you shake your head. Besides… if you want to see her truly shine, watch the recap episode. That episode alone made her win this category.
No… I’m not trolling. I really picked Meteora. Moving on…
Best Film
- A Silent Voice
- Your Name
- In This Corner of the World
- Girls Und Panzer Der Film
- Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen
- Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel 1: Presage Flower
My Winner: A Silent Voice
WHAAAAT!!??? HOW DARE I STAND AGAINST THE POWERFUL AND GOD-LIKE MAKOTO SHINKAI! HOW DARE I GO AGAINST THE MAN WHO DETHRONED THE GOD OF ANIME HIMSELF HAYAO MIYAZAKI! YOUR NAME WAS THE BIGGEST SUCCESS IN ANIME HISTORY (psst.. what about Spirited Aw…) IN ANIME HISTORY! IT WAS A DAMN SHAME IT GOT SHUNNED FOR THE 2016 OSCARS! WHY IN THE HELL WOULD YOU SCAR AND TAINT THE NAME OF MAKOTO SHINKAI LIKE THIS!? WHY!? WHY!!?? WHY!!!!!!????
I just liked A Silent Voice more? I thought it was a better film than Your Name? Sure… it didn’t have that magical visual prowess that CoMix Wave is known for, but it had a much deeper and impactful story, it had more relatable characters and, unlike Your Name which only got my misty-eyed, A Silent Voice made me shed man tears. I just thought it was a better complete film than Your Name.
BUT YOUR NAME WAS THE BEST ANIME EVAR!!!!!~~~~!!!
But A Silent Voice was a more complete film. Get over it.
Best Manga
- Golden Kamuy – Vol. 1
- My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness
- My Brother’s Husband – Vol. 1
- In This Corner of the World
- Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
- Delicious in Dungeon – Vol. 1
My Winner: Your Name (write-in)
HOW DARE YOU GO AGAINST THE GOD-LIKE MAK.. oh… uhm… carry on.
While the third and final volume has yet to come out from Yen Press (March 2018), the first two were released in 2017 and I’m pretty shocked that Your Name didn’t get a nomination here. A Silent Voice DID have it’s complete box set released in 2017 (half way through December, at that) so, technically, it COULD have been nominated (you know, like it was for best movie despite actually debuting in 2016… *ahem*), but I still love Your Name despite my vote for A Silent Voice as best movie. I own the Japanese and English Blu-Rays with the latter being the Collector’s Edition. I have the first two volumes of the manga and it’s just as good as the movie.
There, Shinkai-fanboys (me included). Happy now? (yes!)
Best Opening
- “Shadow and Truth” by One III Notes (ACCA 13: Territory Inspection Dept.)
- “Here” by Junna (The Ancient Magus’ Bride)
- “Shinzou wo Sasageyo” by Linked Horizon (Attack on Titan)
- “Peace Sign” by Kenzi Yonezu (My Hero Academia)
- “The Other Side of the Wall” by Void_Chords ft. Maru (Princess Principal)
- “Imawa no Shinigami” by Megumi Hayashibara (Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju)
My Winner: “gavityWall” by Hiroyuki Sawano (Re:Creators OP1) (write-in)
There was no opening I listened to more than gravityWall. I love the beat, the vocals, everything. It really gets you pumped up from the moment the opening note hits until it’s finished. While the second opening ‘sh0ut” is good, it was still missing that fiery punch that gravityWall brought to the table. Plus, Sawano has given us some of the best music in anime in recent times. Every OST he touches is just amazing (see Attack on Titan, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Aldnoah.Zero).
Best Ending
- “Step Up Love” by Daoko x Yasuyuki Okamura (Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond)
- “Ishukan Communication” by Chorogonzu (Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid)
- “Kirakemu Hamabe” by Yuiko Ohara (Land of the Lustrous)
- “Hikari, Hikari” by Yuuka Aisaka (Recovery of an MMO Junkie)
- “Behind” by Karin Isobe, Yuna Yoshino and Lynn (Just Because!)
- “Kafune” by Brian the Sun (March Comes in Like a Lion)
My Winner: Nothing
No, seriously… I didn’t listen to 1 ending that made me rush out and grab the album all of last year. 2017 was just a bad year for ending themes.
Best Score
- Made in Abyss
- Little Witch Academia
- Land of the Lustrous
- The Ancient Magus’ Bride
- ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.
- Re:Creators
My Winner: Made in Abyss
While I just praised Hiroyuki Sawano, Re:Creators fell just a little bit short because he relied heavily on insert songs to carry the show over impactful themes (like he did with Attack on Titan). Made in Abyss; however, brought the anime to life through its OST. The best part? The composer is Australian! Kevin Penkin took this mystical show and breathed magic into it through his music. Every song fit every scene. Every note tugged at every emotion. Every moment felt special thanks to the music that backed it. It was just a euphoric soundtrack that I proudly own! (See? I don’t pirate EVERYTHING.. Sheesh)
Best Slice of Life
- Recovery of an MMO Junkie
- Tsukigakirei
- Girls’ Last Tour
- Komono Friends
- Sakura Quest
- Interviews with Monster Girls
My Winner: Gamers! (write-in)
Had Fukumenkei Noise not been a complete and show shithsow, it COULD have won here, but the only decent slice of life show I watched last year was Gamers! So it wins by default for me.
Best Hero
- Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia)
- Gin Minowa (Yuki Yuna is a Hero: The Washi Sumi Chapter)
- Atsuko Kagari (Little Witch Academia)
- Kukuri (Magical Circle Guru Guru)
- Chise Hitori (The Ancient Magus’ Bride)
- Nanachi (Made in Abyss)
My Winner: Boruto Uzumaki (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) (write-in)
Okay, I truly am NOT trolling here. Everyone came into this show with low expectations, but Boruto brought with him some fresh air and new life into a stale franchise. There are some similarities to Naruto when he was a child, but Boruto has come into his own. He has his own, solid beliefs that he adheres to and brings with him a positive energy wherever he goes. I just really like Boruto as a character and I truly do think he outshines anyone on the list Crunchyroll put together.
Best Villain
- Stain (My Hero Academia)
- Tanya Degurechaff (The Saga of Tanya the Evil)
- Bondrewd (Made in Abyss)
- Cartaphilus (The Ancient Magus’ Bride)
- Hiro Shishigami (Inuyashiki)
- Usagi (Juni Taisen: Zodiac War)
My Winner: Gunpuku Hime (or Altair if you don’t mind spoilers oops too late you already read it) (write-in)
I said it before…. Altair had all of the makings to be one of the most powerful villains in anime history. Infinite power was at her disposal and her goals were very ambitious… she didn’t just want to destroy the world… she wanted to destroy all worlds both real and fictional. That’s a pretty tall order, but the scariest part was that Altair (spoilers) had the power to do it. They had to pull a Deus Ex Machina just to beat her because she had been written so well in terms of power that nothing anyone could have done (conventionally) would have been able to stop her. Sometimes you don’t need to have deeply laid plans or be a tragic hero turned villain… sometimes the all-powerful are good enough.
There you have it. My picks for the 2017 Anime Awards. Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments section below.
Until next time,
Ja ne!
