DigimonTamer's Blog

I really love it when our secret little anime hobby gets attention in the outside world.

Such as with this example -

The World Rock Paper Scissors Society has posted a piece on thier website telling people who are into competitive RPS to check out Kaiji. It sounds rather silly, but I really get a kick out of this stuff.

I can't recall or find the site right now, but I also remember some bartender posting about the Bartender anime on his blog. I doubt he was an anime fan, but Bartender made him take notice.

Maybe I am just easily amused, lol!

This was a convention that my friend and I decided to go to on pretty short notice as we got a good deal on the hotel room and it was still within somewhat resonable driving distance (about 6 hours) and for the most part it was worth it. The panels were fun, the cosplay was great, and it was rather well organized........except for one MAJOR thing that causes me to only place this above the previously blogged about Tandokucon in the rankings of conventions I have been too.

Friday - That one major thing occured on this day. We had a hotel that was rather far away so we had to take the subway to the convention center which wasn't a problem at all. So we get off the subway all excited to be attending another awesome convention, especially one with the reputation of Anime Boston, and we happily get in line for registration at 11am. Now, the line was moving slowly, but I'm used to that in conventions and I figured the longest we would have to wait would be about 2 hours............well, we weren't registered until 9pm. We stood in line for an insane 10 hours and when we finally got into the registration room we saw that they were having people enter in thier own information on a grand total of only 4 computers. I'm suprised the entire line didn't go insane but we were surrounded but fellow fans who made good company and we both had our DS's on us. Anime Boston is lucky however that us anime fans are all a bunch of passive nerds or else there would have been major shit happening. Imagine if this was a football game with a bunch of screaming fans who had a few beers in them. So we finally got registered and had to dash to the main events room just in time to see the AMV contest which was pretty much the only thing we got to do on Friday. We did go see some hentai which is always hilarious in a group setting, but that was pretty much it.

Saturday - Thankfully since we were already registered this was a much better day. We started off by hitting up the dealers room since we did not have a chance to see it on Friday since it was closed by the time we were registered and I picked myself up a beautiful Suiseiseki figure that I spent way too much money on, but it's all for the love of DESU. We attended the Anime on DVD panel and got some good insight on the state of the industry right now and sadly it isn't too good. We hit up the artist's alley and we got to formally apologize to the awesome girl who sent us Eyeshield cards in the mail since she loved our Eyeshield 21 costumes at Otakon so much, we also bought some art from her to help her out, it was pretty awesome. The I attended a Higurashi fan panel which was a lot of fun as I got to see a Satoko cosplayer dress a K1 cosplayer up in drag as a punishment game just like in the show. We tried to get our Smash Bros. on in the videogame room but the Wii systems were way to crowded and the wait to play wouldn't even be worth it. Later on in the day we attended a panel on doujinshi which was actually pretty awesome and gave us some insight on just how massive comiket is, but we had to leave early to attend another AMV screening, just this time it was hentai AMV's which was rather hilarious. We left that panel and went to something called Extreme Geek which was basically a 4chan panel since it revolved around 4chan meme's, and during this panel I got recognized for drawing the best penis in pictochat which is funny because I can't draw a lick. We then went to the "your favorite anime sucks" panel which wasn't nearly as funny as I thought it was going to be so we left that early and headed back to our hotel.

Sunday - One of the better convention Sunday's that I can remember as we got there really early and started off by hitting up the dealers room again to see if anybody was having any clearance deals just to get rid of thier stuff, which they really weren't. From there we went to the charily auction which was a lot of fun as we got to see a piece of Mushishi art auctioned off for over 600 dollars!!! Thankfully it all went to charity. We attended the closing ceremonies which was actually rather dumb as they really only said stuff about the convention for 15 minutes and then proceeded to show all the AMV winners in which I agreed with some and disagreed with others, but that comes with the territory. We then went to the gripe session which I was looking forward too as I expected it to be super nasty due to how long people were waiting in registration, however they addressed registration right off the bat and the whole thing was a lot more tame than I thought it was going to be and I am grateful that they swallowed thier pride and admitted that they messed up on registration since it was never like that before. Then we leave the convention center and begin the 7 hour drive home.

Overall I had a great time at Anime Boston and I am certainly willing to give it a second chance as long as they have a notice up on the website next year stating that registration will not be like it was this year. Now that Anime Boston is out of the way it's time to start thinging about the big one......Otakon. I really need to start working on my costume! If you see a big Potemayo and Guchuko walking around at Otakon, that will be us.

See ya there! ^_^

So here it is guys! The top 10 best anime of 2007 as picked by ME!!!

OVERALL TOP 10

10.

Clannad
I wasn't going to watch this show at first since I am sick of all the Key games being turned into anime by KyoAni, however I am glad I did. This show doesn't even begin to approach the pure genius that Air was, but it's a fun show with cool characters and the sheer quality and polish of the product is one of the things that vaults this into the top 10.

9.

Rental Magica
After the first 5 episodes there was no way this show was even going to come close to the top 10, but then episode 6 happened. I don't know how it occurred but every episode since 6 has been amazing and it's been one of the most gripping shows of the year since then. I also really like how it gets into the different forms of ancient magic and the occult.

8.

Claymore
Yeah, it certainly tanked in the end, but I've always said that I won't let a bad ending totally ruin a show for me and the bad ending does not change the fact that for the majority of it's run Claymore was home to the most brutal and badass action of the year. Pretty much every episode featured blood spray and limbs being chopped off and it certainly fit the tone of this show. Under all the bloodshed was a great drama as we all saw in the Teresa arc as well as with Clare's interactions with all the other Claymores. This had show of the year material but it just needed more polish to soften up the rough edges.

7.

Darker than BLACK
Another show that was just like Claymore in that it had show of the year material, but it just wasn't consistent enough to finish higher up on the list. All that said however, this was a great show overall that featured stunning animation, unique action sequences, and an overall great cast of characters with a very strong supporting cast. Telling the entire thing in 2 episode story arcs also kept the whole thing fresh and let them introduce us to many great characters.

6.

sola
Now this is a show that really came out of nowhere and surprised me. This just got voted the #1 anime of 2007 by japanese fans and while I wouldn't go that far, the show certainly has merit. It started out as a pretty typical high school romance show but then quickly became something more dramatic and serious. It also included supernatural elements in it's drama not unlike a Key show but since it wasn't Key it really had a unique feel to it. This show being this good is probably the biggest surprise of the year.

5.

Nodame Cantabile
An anime about orchestras that featured a lot of great music and an amazing cast of characters, what isn't to like? This show had it's fair share of comedy, drama, and great musical performances; however this show will be remembered for the quirkiness of it's female lead, Nodame. Chiaki's seriousness and Nodame's quirkiness mesh perfectly to create many of the years best moments

4.

Potemayo
This is simply one of the most amazing wonders ever inserted into the anime world and it must be experienced by everybody. What would you do if you found some.......thing, living in your refrigerator? Well, if you are Sunao you keep it as a pet and let it sit on your head while you go about your daily life. That premise alone is enough for an all time classic, but then you insert the violent, yet shy, Guchuko. Guchuko really steals the show and turns this into something truly great. Seriously though, this show is just totally random and insane and it's cast is equally so, and I'm not just talking about the creatures as the human characters are arguably even crazier than them. If you consider yourself an anime fan then you simply must experience this show.

3.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai
In a year that was full of disappointing sequels we get this amazing follow up to last years ultra violent moe style show. This season of Higurashi was no where near as violent as the original, however it more than made up for that by pretty much explaining everything that happened in the original show. It told you why people become so crazy in the village of Hinamizawa and it told you why the days keep repeating themselves. This show was intense and gripping from beginning to end and it's one of those rare cases where the sequel actually manages to be better than the original. It's core group of characters also continues to be one of anime's best groups. Watch this!

2.

Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight
I have always been a huge fan of ufotable from the hilarious 2x2 Shinobuden to the off the wall Futakoi Alternative, however, this show outclasses them all and exceeds all expectations. What is really crazy about this masterpiece is that it wasn't even on my radar heading into the 2007 anime year and I just watched it on a whim since Megumi Hayashibara was coming out of retirement (LOL) to do the opening and ending themes. People said that School Days raised the bar for high school romance shows, well, this show raised the bar way up there for school based slice of life shows. This goes way beyond the simple "quirky moments during everyday life" gig and features real struggles that the girls have the overcome and those struggles are amplified since it's cast is truly amazing and it only rivaled by the legendary Azumanga Daioh for the genre, hell, it even surpasses Azu in a lot of ways. By the end of the show you really feel like you know these girls and that is a testament to the overall quality of the writing and presentation. This was a year loaded with offerings in the high school slice of life genre and this one was a bit buried under the hype of shows like Lucky Star and Minami-ke, however, trust me when I say that this show is in a class all it's own and is the very best in it's genre.

1.

Kaiji
It was close between this and Manabi Straight but in the end Kaiji wins my award for 2007 anime of the year. This shouldn't come as a surprise to people watching the show as they could tell you that it's simply one of the most gripping and intense shows ever and every second of the show is dripping with drama. This show must also hate humans as it seems to go out of it's way at times to show you just how cruel and twisted humanity can but, but then again, in a show like this that only adds to the amazing atmosphere that this show weaves. The show is basically about some deadbeat loser who is pretty much willing to do anything to get out of debt so he has turned to a life of small time crime as a way out. Then one day a Yakuza member comes up to him with the offer of the lifetime and it takes some convincing since it sounds to good to be true, but Kaiji eventually agrees. Now you have to remember that this is the Yakuza so things are not going to be fair and things are not as they seem on the surface and that is where the show turns to gold. These guys are just cruel and they make guys like Kaiji scavenge off other poor debtors for personal gain and then in the 2nd arc they make them go face to face with death while they watch in total enjoyment while enjoying fine cuisine.

All this talking about the show and I haven't even mentioned Kaiji himself yet. As you see, he won my male character of the year award but when you look at him as a person, he really isn't spectacular and is pretty much the exact opposite of what you expect out of male leads in anime series. Kaiji is lazy, cowardly, apathetic, etc and this is all very true, however, we see his strong side come out when he is faced with horrible situations and he proves in these situations that had he drawn a better card when he was about to be put into this world he could have been something great. He shows his quick thinking, his courage, but most of all, his loyalty. This guy is willing to screw himself over to help others such as the pathetic guy in the "other room" on the boat and the guy he refused to push on the steel beam in the 2nd arc. He is just a very endearing character and this is mainly due to how real he is as he doesn't really fit into any set stereotype for anime characters. Kaiji could be the guy sitting next to you on the bus or the guy standing in front of you in line at Taco Bell and this is why we all relate to him and this is why the actions that go down in the show are that much more dramatic and powerful.

Kaiji shows how cruel humans can be, but it also shows how unselfish and honorable they can be. This and Manabi Straight will go down as anime greats. Watch them.

CHARACTER AWARDS

Best Male Character

Itou Kaiji (Kaiji)
This guy is one of the most endearing male leads in years. He is just a dead beat bum who is in an insane amount of debt and he commits petty theft crimes as a way to get out of it. However he is given the chance of a life time to get rid of his debt, and seeing his struggles in such dire situations is what makes his character so great. He comes up with the most genius plans only to be shot down a minute later when somebody like Funai has outsmarted him and came up with an even better plan. He isn't perfect like Akagi. He screws up and he also succeeds. He is the Ultimate Survivor.

Runner Up - Hei (Darker than BLACK)

Best Female Character

Odori Momoha (Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight)
It was so tough to choose between the various Manabi girls that I even considered just making the winner of best female character the entire cast of the show. However I had to pick one and I went with the one that left the biggest impression on me. Sure she was only a supporting character in the show and didn't get much screen time compared to the other girls, but the scenes she had were always memorable and her personality was very unique compared to other moe girls. Who isn't going to remember Momo in a Hazmat suit?

Runner Up - Furude Rika (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai)

Best Couple/Pairing

Kyou and Guchuko (Potemayo)
The chemistry that these 2 had was just something different and more charming than the chemistry that Sunao had with Potemayo. It was just really cute seeing Guchuko literally beat innocent people to within an inch of their lives just for looking at Kyou the wrong way. Guchuko loves Kyou in a pure way and the scene where Guchuko's bud sprouted and Kyou thought she died was one of the most touching scenes of the year.

Runner Up - Furude Rika and Hanyuu (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai)

MUSIC

Best Opening Theme

"HOWLING" by abingdon boys school (Darker than BLACK)
This was a truly special anime opening and the first time I heard it I knew it would be getting this award. It's just something you normally don't hear in an anime opening and when they switched to the 2nd opening with episode 14 I was disappointed.

Runner Up - "Naraku no Hana" by Eiko Shimamiya (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai)

Best Ending Theme

"Chain Ring" by MUCC (Zombie Loan)
This was so much harder to decide on than Best OP and it could have just as easily went to the runner up. However after listening to both of them I went with this since I like rock more than pop although they are both great songs.

Runner Up - "Lucky & Happy" by Megumi Hayashibara (Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight)

Best Score/BGM

Kaiji
I've said before how great the music and sound direction is in Kaiji and that great direction wouldn't go anywhere if the soundtrack itself wasn't amazing and this one is. The OST manages to truly capture the dark mood of this show and it's part of the reason why the show is so tense.

Runner Up - Nodame Cantabile

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - Shows that got either a seasonal award or runner up in the seasonal awards can not qualify for this. I like to spread the love!!

Best Comedy Series


Seto no Hanayome
This award isn't really close as this comedy was truly fantastic. The whole concept of this show is just insane and it really doesn't seem like it would turn into a good show, but somehow they pulled it off. This features basically non-stop laughs throughout it's entire run.

Runner Up - Minami-ke

Best Action Series

Claymore
It got a little crazy towards the end, but that doesn't change the fact that Claymore was one hell of an intense action show for the majority of it's TV run and sola and Darker than Black didn't beat it by much for best show of the spring. They direction was really good in this show and they really gave you the feeling that the fights were truly hopeless which just added to the intensity of the action. There was also tons of limbs being chopped off and plenty of death. Perfect for an action show.

Runner Up - Tokyo Majin Gakuen Kenpuchou

Best Drama series

Clannad
Key shows are getting a bit tiresome, but you really can't deny the quality of this one. The animation is great although it isn't the best KyoAni has done in that department as Air and Haruhi both look better, and I really like the fact that they used the actual music from the game. You get more than your helping of generic moe melodrama here, but it's all presented in a really nice way.

Runner Up - El Cazador de la Bruja

Best Surprise Series

Romeo X Juliet
I never did get around to finishing this show but you really can't deny it this award. This show was set up to be one of the biggest failures of all time because it was a Gonzo show based on a Shakespeare play. However, it ended up being pretty decent.

Runner Up - Shugo Chara

Biggest Disappointment Series

Zero no Tsukaima ~Futatsuki no Kishi~
I really loved the first Zero no Tsukaima series and while this one wasn't horrible, it just didn't click with me the way the original did. I thought it was going to be so epic with the introduction of Louis's sisters and stuff like that, but the show never really took off.

Runner Up - Lucky Star