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Scheduled to open in Japanese theatres on April 29. The trailer for Onigamiden, debuted on YouTube, Friday. The film is about a boy who travels back in time to the Heian period, and faces a war between demons and humans in Kyoto. The anime is an adaptation of the novel by Takafumi Takada.

Source: ANN

Just got a newsletter from AnimeNation with new Full Metal Alchemist movie trailers. You might want to turn away from the screen while it is loading, all the flashing screens could be seizure inducing.

Hey fans, this isn’t an April Fools, but I’ve posted some anime news today and while I was going through the site statistics I saw that people were still entering from the old ASAAA.htm files. We haven’t used HTML since the site went PHP a few years ago. And when I was looking for the PHP version of these two Animesou Annual Anime Awards pages, there were none. Anyways, I took some time and transferred the two ASAAAs to the new layout. While yes, these pages are old, but its fun to go back and look at what kinds of anime were out back in the day. :D. Here are the 2003 and 2004 ASAAAs. There will be some more updates soon; currently working on it!

Hinatasou’s picks for the year:

Best Action - Kiddy Grade

“Fly and Fly Takaku Mirai no kioku ni tsuzuku yo Precious Time. Nothing’s gonna stop me. (Animelyrics.com)” Éclair and Lumiere are the modern age Dirty Pair. Éclair’s lipstick when applied turns itself into a whip-like weapon. Lumiere can hurl exploding wine bottles and has the ability to manipulate machinery from her fingertips. Add to that their own giant mech and a personal escort ship – nothing can stop them.

Best Drama - Angel Tales

Tenshi no Shippo is heartwarming. It is for anyone who has ever experienced raising a pet and having to say farewell as life takes its natural course. What happens to animals when they die? They become your guardian angels. For Mutsumi Goro, he has twelve of them that are all willing to help him in every way possible.

Most Emotional - Saikano

It is The Last Love Song on This Little Planet. Saikano is a 13 episode series detailing the romance between two high school students, Shuji and Chise, in a bleak World War 3 environment. People are dying by the thousands at the hand of Chise. Is there hope that their relationship can withstand its trials?

Most Ecchi Humor –
1) Mahoromatic Summer Special

The Mahoromatic Summer Special is Mahoro’s battle on ecchi magazines as she attempts to find where all of Suguru’s secret stashes are hidden. Although Suguru claims defeat, the war will never be over.

2) Onegai Twins (Please Twins)

Maiku always seems to get caught in awkward (sexual) positions with Karen or Miina, sometimes both. The two girls fantasize about Maiku. Like sisters they share the same bath scenes. There is even some gay love between Maiku and Kousei Shimazaki.

Weirdest - Puni Puni Poemi

A continuation of Excel Saga, Poemi is a fast talking daughter of Nabeshin. The final clip is straight fanservice with all the girls in bondage poses moaning.

Why? (The Worst) - Final Fantasy: Unlimited

Square can make the best role playing games but when it comes to anime series and the movie the Spirits Within, they set themselves up for financial disaster. Originally it was planned to span 52 episodes, but the low ratings or the lack of funds or a combination of the two condensed it down to 25 episodes. The ending is hastily pieced together. Hopefully the anticipated Final Fantasy 7 movie will break the trend.

Best Kiddy Anime –
1) Dragon Drive

Dragon Drive is a Digimon clone. At first, it is a game with digital dragon monsters. But then, Reiji soon finds himself trapped in another dimension where the dragons are real. He and his friends must compete in a tournament in order to save the world from those who don’t care about its destruction.

2) Yugioh

Special acknowledgement has to be given to Yugioh. Finally after all the online petitions and e-mails, Funi gave into the fans and released the first volume of the uncut version of Yugioh. The English dialogue was re-dubbed. The DVDs feature bilingual support so you can hear the Japanese voices. All the original music in the Japanese version is left in its entirely. No more invisible guns either.

Best Manga - Ragnarok Online

Ten times better than its anime counterpart, Ragnarok Online is based on the Massively Multiplayer Online RPG of the same name by Sueng-Hi Lee and Gravity Interactive. Before Final Fantasy XI it was the game of choice. The manga storyline is much darker than the game.

Best Shoujo - DNAngel

Apart from the Daisuke and Hiwatari relationship, there is a growing fanbase for Dark-san as a handsome bishounen with wings. Wizu is soooo cute!

Favorite Seiyuu - Kawasumi Ayako

Her most famous role might be Mahoro from Mahoromatic. She even sings the opening themes “On the Way Home” and “Something More Beautiful” for both seasons of the series. She was also Aoi in Ai Yori Aoshi, Lafiel in the Crest of the Stars trilogy, and the supporting character Mogi in Initial D.

Most Kawaii Character - Rena (”Black Rose”) from hack//Legend of the Twilight

The character design for Rena is a chibified version of her game counterpart.
http://home.ripway.com/2004-3/80307/aan.sized.jpg

Best Anime Site - Animetopia (http://www.animetopia.com)
A must add to your list of favorite Internet bookmarks. Animetopia is the premiere and official anime search directory. Don’t Google it, Topia it instead!

Best New Series - Chrono Crusade

Who can pass up watching a nun with a gun? From an airship to the subway and crossing the country on a train, demons must be slayed wherever they may be. Angelic swords, apostles, prophecy, stigmata, jewel summoning, a neko girl, and an old perverted man. It’s all there.

A Look to the Future - Naruto

There is a huge pricing battle on who licenses the Naruto anime. Will it be the tri-glomerate of ADV, Gratz, and Viz or 4Kids? Will it one day appear on KidsWB? There are over 100 episodes and without a doubt will extend longer than Inuyasha. It will soon be as common as Dragon Ball.

Dark_Wind’s picks for the year:

Best Action - Heat Guy J:

I’m sure at least a couple of you are surprised by my pick for “best action” this year. “Why not s-CRY-ed or Last Exile Dark Wind!?” you ask. Well, I have an answer. This is for “best” action, not “most” action. Heat Guy J’s action seqeunces were top notch. Involving robots, wolf-men, and arse-kicking police detectives, each action sequence throughout all 26 episodes of Heat Guy J were pulse-pounding ballets of bullets, fists, and kicks (and swords, and…) fluidly animated to the cool beat of techno-jazz and weird bagpipe music (that works, somehow). That’s not to belittle the fun, episodic plotline of the series, but Heat Guy J’s action is its forte. I’ve reviewed Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, which can be found in Animesou’s Reviews section. I recommend checking those out for a more in-depth look into what I’m talking about. But don’t let that stop you: Heat Guy J is worth watching just for it’s awesome fights and gun battles. Seeing the main duo of Daisuke and robot J preventing crimes before they’ve occured and beating down the culprits is always diverse and fun to watch.

Honorable Mention: s-CRY-ed

Best Drama - Kino’s Journey:

If you haven’t heard of this show, you need to be smacked over the head with a baseball bat mutiple times. If you have heard of this show, then I can imagine you’re just nodding your head in agreement at my pick here. Kino’s Journey is the tale of a young girl (her name is Kino, whose actual gender remains ambiguous throughout the show, we only know the person’s a she from a flashback in episode 4, but anyway…) and her talking motorcycle Hermes, who travel together across the world (which world, we don’t know) learning about things as they visit cities and towns. The only rule she has is that you can only stay in any one town for three days, and no longer, no matter what. The show is episodic in nature, but this works to great effect. Each vignette tells a different tale that emphasizes a different moral question we all run into some time in our lives. For example, in one episode Kino and Hermes arrive in a city which used to be constantly at war with another city across from them. One day, they came to an agreement: they would not fight anymore, and instead meet once a year to kill the people in a small town near both of them. Does the end justify the means? Best drama indeed. It should be noted, as well, that Kino is an excellent gunfighter. Just so you know.

Honorable Mention: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

Most Emotional - Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam:

For all you Saikano fans out there, I have two words that prevented me from picking that as my top show (or even thinking of it as a good show): pretentious melodrama. Zeta Gundam, on the other hand, provides a riveting story of people killing people for their own moral ideals. Zeta Gundam is the story of spacenoids (people who now live in space) looking for independence, or at least peace, from the oppressive Earth Federation Government and the hateful earthnoids. If that weren’t bad enough, in Zeta Gundam the Earth Federation has created a group called The Titans to wipe out any renegade Zeons (from the previous series, Mobile Suit Gundam). Problem is, The Titans want power, and they hate spacenoids. So they gas millions in space colonies and threaten to drop colonies on cities on the Moon just as a show of power. The Titans create an adversary in the AEUG, a group made up of disillusioned Titans and Earth Federation officers. This group, while outnumbered and outgunned, fight against all odds against the Titans. You get to know a slew of characters in this 50-episode series, and they live and die, because this is war. Someone you got to know and like in episode 1 could die by episode 24, and you feel the characters sorrow and loss of their comrade. People miss their families, their loved ones, and each other. People live, die, fight, and betray. Because this is war. And war is hell.

Honorable Mention: Haibane Renmei

Most Ecchi Humor - N/A:

I like to think that I watch a lot of anime shows each year, but ecchi humor is a genre I’ve always disliked, and continue to avoid to this day. So, I have not seen any ecchi shows in the year 2004. So, I will not even attempt to pick something, since I have seen nothing. If you want someone who knows ecchi humor, see hinatasou’s list of best anime of 2004. She can help you far better than I can.

Weirdest - Dead Leaves:

The weirdest thing I’ve seen is Dead Leaves, bar none. I didn’t enjoy it in the least either, but it was weird, I have to give it that. Having guys whose dicks are made of drills, men with TV’s for a head, and women who are naked for the sake of being naked, Dead Leaves is a acid trip. If you want to know my feelings better on the subject, see the next award.

Honorable Mention: Ninja Scroll TV

Worst Anime - Dead Leaves:
Where to start? Dead Leaves is the worst garbage I’ve seen well…ever. I try to avoid things I don’t think I’ll like, but I thought Dead Leaves would be fun and quirky when I first decided to watch it. Big mistake. Dead Leaves is an incomprehensible mess of everything that gives anime a bad name. It’s shameless and devoid of fun or humor. It’s stupid, and made for those 13-year olds who enjoy **** and fart jokes. The creator himself says it’s probably only enjoyable to watch if your high or drunk. Well…seeing as how I didn’t want to test his word, I’ll just assume it’s somehow good if watched under those influences. For me, it’s probably equatable to a hangover of the worst kind.

Honorable Mention: Blue Gender: The Warrior

Must Have - Last Exile:

“Must have” to me means “show you should definitely must own because it’s an all around solid show.” Last Exile has that in spades. The action, consisting of airships duking it out in the skies, is exciting and fun to watch. The dogfights are animated with a wonderful mix of CG and hand-drawn animation that really gives everything a beautiful, majestic quality to it. The drama is even more prominent. The characters are at war with two other groups, the Guild and the Disith. Like Zeta Gundam, the charcters grow, experience change, and die as war ravages them and their emotions to a breaking point. The music is an eclectic mix of melancholic orchestrated background music and mystical drumming. It really sets the tone. Everything about Last Exile screams “top notch”, from animation, to music, to action, to drama, and even comedy. One of the best shows I saw all year.

Honorable Mention: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

Best Kiddy Anime - N/A:

I, fortunately or unfortunately, haven’t seen any “kiddy” anime in 2004. I’m not sure what even defines “kiddy” anime, but, I haven’t seen anything remotely childish, anime-wise. So, again, I recommend going to another editor’s list for some recommendations on good kiddy anime from 2004.

Best Manga - Berserk:

The Berserk manga is the most violent and gruesome thing I’ve ever read. And I love every minute of it. Thus far it’s basically followed the anime story to a tee (disregarding the first three volumes, which were an expansion of episode 1 from the anime), but the manga still holds merit for giving us the best character development I’ve ever read in a manga. The action is great, the drama is tense, and the story is riveting. I could ask for nothing more.

Honorable Mention: Trigun Maximum

Best DVD Covers - Megazone 23:

The covers for Megazone 23 do a lot more than just slap on some pictures from the show and collage them together into a cover. Each one takes a piece of artwork done for the show, touches it up a bit, and puts it on each DVD. The thing is, Megazone 23 had a different character designer for each OVA (it was a 3-episode OVA). What they did for each DVD was take a piece of artwork from that specific character designer and put it on the cover. It looks stellar, and accentuates what each episode of the show is about. It was tough picking between this and The Twelve Kingdoms, but in the end I had to give the nod to Megazone 23, which really put in the extra mile and gave us covers that aren’t just pretty drawings, but symbolize what the show is about.

Honorable Mention: The Twelve Kingdoms

Best Anime Site - Animeacademy.com:

Animesou is the best anime site, right? Right. But, we can’t be that obnoxious can we. So, Animeacademy.com get’s my vote. I love their reviews; short, sweet, and to the point. They are written well, and they cover each aspect of the show with just enough depth without becoming to verbose. They review a lot of things consistently, and have branched out into a lot of other stuff, such as editorials and features. They do a bang up job, and deserve their spot on the animefringe top 25 best anime websites list. Keep up the great work.

Honorable Mention: Animejump.com

Movie of the Year - Memories:

Not really a movie, but close enough that I’ll give this to it anyway. Memories is made up of three short stories done by three different famous anime writers/directors. The first is done by Koji Morimoto, the second by Tensai Okamura, and the third by Katsuhiro Otomo. If you don’t know who these people are, you really need to buck up on your anime directors. If you do, then you understand why I hold this movie in such high regard. All three short stories: Magnetic Rose, Stink Bomb, and Cannon Fodder, all tackle different subject matters with the eye of a visionary trying to make a bold statement about humanity and our world. The first, Magnetic Rose, has a bunch of space junkers investigate an abandoned spaceship/mansion, and tackle the troubling memories of the people who lived their and themselves. The second, Cannon Fodder, is a humorous black comedy about the Japanese economy and when you take things to far. The third, Stink Bomb, while obtuse, tackles the subject of fighting an unknown enemy for the greater good, despite the fact you know nothing about them yourself. Put together, it creates a trifecta of wonderful stories about the human heart and soul, that must be seen by any person who calls themself a fan of anime.

Honorable Mention: Neo-Tokyo

Best Animation - Last Exile:

I have to give the nod to Last Exile. The mesh of CG and 2D cel animation is astounding; I’ve never seen it done this well, and in a TV series no less. It would have been easy to animate say….a romantic school comedy to Last Exile’s level, but Last Exile animates an airship-epic, not some romantic comedy, and so I must give it kudos for attempting to animate something that usually would get shortshrift in the animation department. GONZO went all out with this one: airships, skies, water, land, hails of gunfire, bullets, etc etc. Everything is animated, and to such an extent, that it’s better to see it for yourself rather than me describing it to you.

Honorable Mention: Heat Guy J

Sleeper Hits - Kino’s Journey:

If someone spoke about this anime before it first came out, I sure as hell didn’t hear about it. Kino’s Journey took me completely by surprise, and I’m glad I bought it on a whim in the store. Everyone should watch this. There’s a reason I gave it best drama.

Honorable Mention: Space Pirate, Captain Herlock: The Endless Odysee-Outside Legend

**Note: For all you readers out there, I omitted stuff whose majority of releases were in 2003, or whose majority of releases WILL BE in 2005. Thing such as Full Metal Panic! and RahXephon were up for winning in our 2003 awards, and I have so disqualified them for my picks of 2004. Stuff like Texnholyze, Wolf’s Rain, Stand Alone Complex, and Gungrave will be up for our awards in 2005. Sorry if you wanted to see these, but they will get a chance next year, I promise (since I’m loving some of the aforementioned shows a lot already). This sort of makes 2004 a lackluster year, but oh well.

Alpha’s picks for the year:

Best Action – Get Backers

Here is a toughie. It was a battle between Scryed and Get Backers, and I sided with Get Backers. Why? Because Get Backers has a great compilation of characters with special abilities. Along with these abilities come the way each uses it. And that is where Get Backers surpass Scryed. It was a close one though. If it was a score scale, I would say Scryed only lost by one point.

Best Drama – The World of Narue
 

The World of Narue or Narue no Sekai attracts my attention immensely. The way this anime flows is just amazing. As I was watching this series, I was completely glued to the television screen. It just grips you with everything its got, hence topping my best drama list.

Most Emotional – Doggy Poo

Emotional? Doggy Poo and Junkers Come Here comes to mind. I will have to select Doggy Poo as the winner, because it is constant. What is worse that being a poo? Unlike Junkers Come Here which starts out all happy and evolves to a deeper story that ends like you already know it was going to end that way. For Doggy Poo, I was surprised by the ending, it just crept up, unlike Junkers Come Here which was beating me over the head with a bat with the ending. Most important of all, Doggy Poo is just so cute, that once you watch it, you automatically feel for the kid.
 
Most Ecchi Humor – Gravion

Hear the name Gravion and you automatically associate it to be one of the most ecchi humor filled anime out there… which is a good thing. Maids, breasts, babes and much more; I think those are the elements you need in an ecchi humor. What do you say? Gravion for president!? Of this year’s ecchi humor that is.

Weirdest – Cyber Team in Akihabara

Cyber Team in Akihabara was just disastrous. But because of its weirdness it gets credit here. You see circus looking villains and heroines with their little Pata-Pi’s. Its like a Sailormoon rip off, if you want an example. It is just weird. PERIOD.
 
Why? (The Worst) - Puni Puni Poemy

Parasite Dolls and Puni Puni Poemy fits this well. But at least, Parasite Dolls kept me a bit entertained whereas, Puni Puni Poemy was just straight up bad. Okay, an anime with the Excel Saga flow, crap. An anime with too much fan service that it gets disgusting, crap. An anime that just babbles on with everyone talking so much you do not even understand anything that is being said… crap. Okay so what makes Puni Puni Poemy? —- You fill it in.
 
Must Have – DN Angel, Black Jack

DN Angel and Black Jack are this years must haves. If I were to pick one, I will have to go with Black Jack, simply because I have seen more of it than DN Angel. My first impressions of DN Angel were very good, but since I know more about Black Jack it wins my pick. Black Jack just has the ability to get you so into the show that you start thinking what if being a doctor was that exciting or what if I was able to help people like he does. This anime is just great. There is not other word to describe it any better.
 
Best Kiddy Anime – Dragon Drive, Yugioh

You know, Dragon Drive really is not a kiddy anime, but since it focuses on a kids game and all I consider it a kiddy anime. What makes Dragon Drive the best… well for one the story is captivating. Two, the dragons can be quite cool at times and three, the characters are very well thought out, which makes the viewing experience that much more fun.
 
Best Manga – Ai Yori Aoshi

Ai Yori Aoshi tops this list, as it is a great read. The manga like all manga turned animation, brings things that were not on the screen to you for enjoyment. For Ai Yori Aoshi fans… we all know what that means hehe.
 
Most Kawaii Character – Saizo (Peace Maker Kurogane)

Saizo!!! A pig with a temper. It just so cuuuuuuute.
 
Best New Series – Ichi the Killer

Ichi the Killer goes on my list for best new series. Since I have seen the live action, I did not like it much. But the animated version has gotten my attention. It certainly makes you want to watch it more because of the way Ichi is and the violence it has.
 
Movie of the Year – Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Hands down, best of 2004. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. What is good about it? Basically everything. Animation, sound, story, and anything else you can think of. If you have not seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for exactly?
 
A Look to the Future – Maburaho

Maburaho is definitely a title in which you shall take notice in the future. It is a great shounen title where the unpopular guy all of a sudden gets three babes who all want his genes… umm yeah, check it out. It is one heck of a show. :P.

Best Action:

1) Noir – Each episode ended in a hail of bullets, guns, and popcorn. Yes, popcorn. Noir is best known for it’s beautifully set up and animated action scenes, synched to an enchanting Yuki Kajiura soundtrack to make a brew of balletic symphonic destruction. It would make the most manly of us weep in tears of joy at all the killing and destruction. While Noir has it’s faults, action is not one of them.  -DW

2) Full Metal Panic – The anime action category cannot go without the requisite mech anime. This year’s FMP brought us the Lambda Driver, a weapon so bad ass that it could create enegy bolts from mere thought. Combining DBZ-like powers with Gasaraki-style mech action created something that is forced to be reckoned with. While FMP’s constant change from the comedic to the dramatic was at times unsettling, it’s action cannot be faltered. -DW

3) RahXephon – Ok. I (Dark Wind) lied. There are two mech action animes this year, RahXephon being the other one. “Mech action” doesn’t really describe the show, but neither does “Evangelion rip-off” as some smug, jaded anime fans have dubbed it. With mech designs that are beautifully colored and animated with a sweeping, dramatic storyline worthy of Tolstoy, the mechs and planes crash and burn into a philosophical mish-mash that make RahXephon worth watching over and over. While it does borrow elements from Evangelion, and it doesn’t beat Eva out, it’s a damn fine showing of “mech drama.” -DW

 
Best Drama:

1) His and Her Circumstances (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou - Kare Kano) – Gainax’s little puppy that could, this came out of nowhere from Evangelion director Anno creating a story of a boy, a girl, and boy and girl falling in love with one another. Of course, that happens in the first few episodes. -DW

2) Ai Yori Aoshi – The anime said to be the answer to Love Hina. Ai Yori Aoshi is not just some anime with big breasted women, it is an anime with an attractive story of what one women would do to be with her childhood love and what a man would do to battle his past.  -Alpha

3) Please Teacher (Onegai Teacher) – The show with the weirdest name. Looking at this title on the DVD rack might look like some hentai title, but that is one of the biggest mistake anyone could make about Please Teacher. This anime has a lot of fun, but when the dramatic scenes kick in… you will feel it. -Stikz

 
Most Emotional: 

1) Voices of a Distant Star – This OAV’s creator was a one man army. Not only the creation process was amazing, the story was also very compelling. Those who have experienced love or are currently in love with that special someone… picture yourself separated from your love, not only by distance, but time also. There is that heart throbbing pain for me when I think of it, hence Hoshi no Koe or otherwise known as Voices of a Distant Star certainly deserves this spot. -Alpha  

2) Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal – What made this title so sad? Try accidentally killing your loved one. Yeah sad is not it? -Alpha

3) Fruits Basket – This title is deserving because the protagonist of the show is a teenage girl who loses her one and only dependable person in her life (her mom). She survives by living in a tent, then one day suddenly the tent is destroyed by a landslide. The story is well done, it is a must see for any anime fan. -Alpha

Most Ecchi Humor:

1) Mahoromatic – Explanation not needed. Picture a robot maid with a boy who has a perverted mind :). -Alpha

2) DNA2 – Mega playboy, girl from the future, nice mix of female characters, makes DNA2 a winner this year! Check out my DNA2 reviews in the reviews section. -Alpha

3) Steel Angel Kurumi – A surprise title for me, Steel Angel Kurumi is one of the best ecchi humors out there. It is just so damn good. You can also check out the reviews of Steel Angel Kurumi in the reviews section. -Alpha

 
 
Weirdest:

1) Magical Shopping Arcade: Abenobashi – What Bashi? You can tell this title is crazy by the name heh.

2) Risky Safety – Now AN Entertainment pulled a quicky on us. AnimeNation starts their own distributing instead of just selling others’ products. Risky Safety is a weird title in that you would not be able to understand anything. There is Risky and then there is Safety. You make the guess who is good or bad.

 

Why? (The Worst):

The worst titles slipped passed us this year. We have not ran into any 2003 worst titles. If you want worst titles here are three to consider: 
1) Samurai Showdown: The Motion Picture
2) Virtual Fighter
3) Street Fighter II

Must Have:

1) RahXephon – This is one heck of a series that embodies a great entertaining story, nice character designs and an ear popping sound track.

2) Please Teacher – This is this year’s top shounen title. With Kikuko Inoue’s voice backing it up, makes it even better.

3) Samurai X: Trust & Betrayal Director’s Cut – No doubt, Samurai X started the anime samurai craze here in the United States. Without the great success of Samurai X, titles, such as, Samurai Deeper Kyo, would not have made it to the American market. Now it is time to own both of volumes of the OAV in one director’s cut DVD!!!!

 
 
Best Kiddy Anime:

1) Bey Blade – This title got me wondering, “What’s with the Bey Blade craze in the U.S.?” All of a sudden like Pokemon, children and sometimes adults began to collect and battle with their top look alike things. Wow, tops were not even popular until Bey Blade brought it back heh.

2) Dragon Ball GT – I would call this the best Dragon Ball ever, because simply there seems to be an ending…. right?

Best Manga: 

1) Kare Kano – If only Tsubasa-chan could be my personal model….

2) Azumanga Daioh - School girls in uniforms!!!!!!!

3) Trigun – You have seen the anime, now take on the manga.

Simplicity is Beauty (DVD Covers):

1) Samurai X: Reflection – By looking at this cover, how simple can you get? There is nothing too flashy; it just gives me the right vibe when looking at is

2) Excel Saga – The Excel Saga covers have always been nice, it is hard to explain, but it certainly belongs here.

3) Last Exile – Quite a new title from Geneon Entertainment or previously known as Pioneer Animation. Last Exile is a GONZO work, and we all know how I feel towards GONZO’s stuff.  

 
 
Best Shounen:

1) Ai Yori Aoshi – It is not rocket science, Ai Yori Aoshi, deserves a spot, because of it’s attractive story, set of characters and ecchi humor.

2) Please Teacher – I wonder if guys ever fantasize about their female teachers… ehh Please Teacher is funny, short and sweet.

3) Chobits – Persocoms are replacing humans, humans using persocoms as more than just a robot. This title hints the truth of our society as it is saying that people have no courage anymore. They want to be with a persocom, because they know they will not be rejected by their persocom, whereas, another human would have the ability to disagree.  

Favorite Seiyuu:

1) Crispin Freeman – He’s known from these works:
(Read or Die - Joker, .Hack - Balmung, X TV - Fûma Monô, Vandread - Tenmei and many more click here to see (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0293342/ ) He’s had a very productive year! - Stikz

2) Stephen Jay Blum – The coolest vioce in the industry. You’ve heard him as Spike-Cowboy Bebop, Onizuka-GTO, and Sooooo many more. click here to see (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0089710/) I’d say Steven Blum and all five of his other aliases’ jobs are very secure. ^_^ - Stikz

3) Jessica Cavello - ADV’s princess, Jessica has quite a unique voice. You may know her from roles in Original Dirty Pair -Yuri, Sorcerer Hunters - Barbara, Excel Saga (1-13) - Excel and others. (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0130774/) I mean the lady blew out her vocal chords for us in her Excel Saga run. For that alone she gets an honorable mention. Crazy lady! ^_^ - Stikz

Most Kawaii Character:

1) Momji (Fruits Basket) – If his voice does not get to you, his character will. Momji has a sad past, one in which no one wants to experience. If his mom cannot give any love to Momji, we WILL!

2) Marie (Please Teacher) – Marie is the cutest mascotish character to come along in a while. It’s malfunctioned sense of awareness is downright hilarious. Marie just looks dazed and confused most of the time but it occasionally shows a softhearted side when thinking for itself. - Stikz

3) Kazami Mizuho (Please Teacher) – Kikuko Inoue’s voice is what makes Mizuho such a cute character. Every time she says, “I don’t care anymore!” her facial expressions are so cute.

 

Best Anime Site:

1) Anime Agency – It seems anime agency has had some misfortune as of late and they have lost a ton of files. It’s really an ultra cool site and you should all visit it to help build it up to and surpass its former state. – Stikz

2) Anime Academy – It’s time to go to school. And if by school I mean Anime Academy.com then that’s cool fool. This site is set up like a classroom and their purpose is to teach you all you need to know about anime. From reviews to news they do it all. Plus they’ve got some pretty original columns to boot. So go check ‘em out and see if your favorite anime makes the grade! – Stikz

3) Anime Lyrics – Need lyrics for that anime intro you keep replaying? Animelyrics.com is where you need to be. Not only does it have anime lyrics as the name suggest’ it has j-pop, videogame, and dancemania lyrics too. So start brushing up on your karaoke! - Stikz

Best Comedy:

1) Rune Soldier – What does a sorcerer whose desperate for some adventure and a group of female adventurers have in common? Absolutely nothing, find the reason to love this series as Louie tries to join in with the females to have some fun!

2) Maison Ikkoku – Rumiko Takahashi is my goddess, there, simple and direct.

3) Lupin III – If five finger discounts is your thing, then you might find yourself a perfect fit with Lupin the 3rd.

 
 
Best New Series:

1) Last Exile – Besides being the best new spring 2003 anime, Last Exile has become one of my favorite series yet. As an action show, it is nearly perfect. In addition to having an interesting story and loveable characters, Last Exile has some of the most breathtaking animation ever seen on TV. The only serious potential problem I can see with the series is, as with several other Gonzo shows, if the anime ends in the mid-twenties, many important plot holes may be left unfilled; though don’t let this discourage you from watching. - Piro^kun

2) Heat Guy J – Heat Guy J is gorgeous to look at, fun to watch, and has a story that’s unique enough to set it apart from other anime. It displays a beautiful and sometimes odd world which runs on steam as an alternative energy source, and as well, has some very alternative characters who dwell within it. It’s fight sequences are fast and brutal, and gives just a bit of mystery to certain characters’ motivations, urging you to see the next episode. This is definitely a quality series. - Piro^kun

3) Boys Over Flowers – On the whole, Hana Yori Dango is very well-done, and definitely worth watching if you’re a fan of shoujo soap operas. It’s a good deal more serious on average than most, but there’s more than enough here to keep a fan’s attention. The character-driven plotline runs smoothly, and the F4 turn out to be much more developed than the stereotyped school bullies I’m used to seeing in movies and TV shows. The character of Makino Tsukushi will definitely win you over with her determination and self-confidence. And by the time each tape of Hana Yori Dango ends, you’ll be at the edge of your seat asking for more. Now that’s anime for you! - Piro^kun

 

Movie of the Year:

1) Cowboy BeBop: The Movie – Cowboy Bebop is an amazing cinematic experience, and an impressive display of the potential of anime. Slick action scenes, a clever plot, and a surprising soundtrack combine with the dazzling animation to thrill newcomers and seasoned Beboppers alike. Way too cool to be anything but number one this year! - Piro^kun

2) Spirited Away – Spirited Away will hopefully open up the West to what the Japanese have long recognized - that Miyazaki is a visionary genius whose animated oeuvre shows an originality, beauty and awesome strangeness beyond comparison to anything else on the big screen. Take your kids, your parents, your friends and colleagues, and give in to Miyazaki’s sweet, haunting spell, and you will find yourself transported to a magical place, where you can, like Chihiro, forget for a time all the details of your everyday life. - Piro^kun

3) Martian Successor Nadesico: The Prince of Darkness – With a plenty of political intrigue, unsolved mysteries, suspense and action, Martian Successor Nadesico will keep you on the edge of your seat even if you did not particularly care for the TV series. The first part is admittedly quite confusing, and until the pieces begin to fall into place you will feel rather like you are being swept helplessly along, but everything is well worth it. It makes a perfect bronze. - Piro^kun

Best Animation:

1) The Animatrix – Overall I found The Animatrix something really great to have. But that’s only because, I’m a Matrix fan and an anime fan at the same time. So I like this. I’m quite sure all Matrix fans (and all anime fans as well) will enjoy this, in fact I recommend they all take the time to watch this, for it’s the only way to fully appreciate the movies. - Piro^kun  

2) Read or Die – This is a great show to watch all in one night with some friends. It’s quick, it’s simple (relatively), and it has one of the best concepts I’ve seen in a while. There’s not a lot you can find wrong about it, but it’s over so quick there’s almost no room for development of any kind. Get the DVDs ASAP; just don’t expect this show to give you a new perspective on life. - Piro^kun

3) .hack//SIGN – .hack//Sign, what an amazing idea. The story and show all take place in an online game called “The World”. Nah its no car and sky scraper game, its got knights, magic and monsters. Isn’t that Everquest? Kind of, but this game has MILLIONS of players not just around a million, MILLIONS. The players take the game extremely seriously and try to keep real life separate from the game. That plan doesn’t last long as people start to go comatose while playing “The World’. So SOMEONE had better do something about that… - Piro^kun

 
 
Sleeper Hits:

1) Habane Renmei – I don’t even know where to begin. From its classy stylish old-air appeal to its daring themes of fulfillment and abandonment, and finally to its flawless perfectly paced plot, this is truly the best animé ever made. Every episode made me regard my own life, and myself analyze my own actions and my most intrinsic and personal needs. As you watch Haibane Renmei, you will draw parallels to your own experiences and hardships, and may even find yourself driven to change yourself for the better. In the words of ‘As Good as it Gets’, this anime makes me want to be a better man. - Piro^kun

2) Banner of the Stars – Banner of the Stars builds upon the strong central characters that where presented in the first season of the series (called Crest of the Stars) and expands upon the story universe, diversifying the cast, as well as the universe in which the story unfolds. Simply put, Banner of the Stars ups this series to another level, once again combining excellent dialogue and an epic story, now with the added bonus of massive space battle filled with a unique cast of characters. Anyone who enjoyed Crest of the Stars will want to pick this one up. It’s another notch in the belt of a great sci-fi anime series. - Piro^kun

3) Read or Die – The ‘cool-ness’ factor plays a big part in the appeal of Read or Die, and is a prime example of the style over substance genre done right. Whether fighting in a huge arena reminiscent of Moses’s flight across the Red Sea, or battling in the closed confines of a public library, Read or Die always retains a certain breathtaking flair that sets it apart from other similar animes that concentrate on action over plot. - Piro^kun

 

The BIG Editors Wrap Up:

Sorry for the big delay, it was mainly my fault as I went on a vacation during the time this was suppose to debut, which was, January 1, 2004. But oh wells, as long as we get it up, time does not matter much, 2004 just started. Anime is looking real bright up ahead, so again save those pennies, because you will be needing every cent! Here’s a thanks to all those sites that I took pictures from :P. I mainly have to thank Weasl.net and TRSI for most of the pictures.  

A little bit late, but ANN is now streaming NIS America titles: Toradora!, PERSONA, PandoraHearts, and Fox Deity! For more information, click here!

Sentai Filmworks announced its acquisition of Japan’s white-hot anime series, ANGEL BEATS. A multi-media mega-franchise with two manga, a series of illustrated short stories and two internet radio shows, each new volume of ANGEL BEATS has consistently ranked in the top three nationwide bestselling Blu-Ray releases in Japan. Now the series is coming to the U.S. on both DVD and Blu-Ray. Both releases will include an all new English dub, with the first episodes of the dub set to premiere at Anime Boston. (more…)