D-2: Top 10 Anime of 2011

I know I'm fairly limited in what I had to choose for this so consider this a 'best of what I've seen' rather than an absolute best of.  A list of what I've seen can be viewed here.

10. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukanai

I picked this series up 5 episodes in because I noticed the art was similar to Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko and I was pleasantly surprised. It was refreshing for me. What I really loved about this series was the humour. It was awkward and hilarious and I really enjoyed it.

9. Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu Ni

Forget profound plot development and epic fight scenes, Baka to Test is just here for a good laugh. While I didn't enjoy it as much as the first season because of the lack of constant summon wars, I still loved the cast of interesting characters and their crazy antics.

8. Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto

Hands down the most fun I've had while following any series was during Star Driver. It's so over-the-top with the flashy fights, the colours, the Ginga Bishounen and everything but I've honestly never had so much fun watching anything in my life. It's not overly profound or anything but I really enjoyed waiting up on Sunday nights for the release even though I had school the next day.

7. UN-GO

UN-GO is officially the last series I completed before the end of 2011. What people said about it initially made me hesitant to pick it up but when I did I was hooked. Though purely as a detective anime, it isn't fantastic, there is something about the underlying themes that really had me interested.

6. Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail

Black Lagoon is my favourite series. Ever. I really enjoyed this except for the fact that there was too much of a gap in between the episodes and it was really just a blood bath most of the time. I really did enjoy it though.

5. Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko
4. GOSICK
3. Usagi Drop
2. Fate/Zero
1. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokuta wa Mada Shiranai

The top 5 I mentioned as the top series per genre and you can read what I said about them here.

D-6: The Best Anime of 2011「PRODUCTION」

Kicking off the countdown to 2012 with the best of 2011 by production. Please keep in mind that these are purely my personal opinions and therefore are constrained to the 40 or so anime I was able to see this year. That being said, let's start.

VISUALS
Visuals are a huge part of why I watch anime. If it doesn't look 'pretty', the chances of me picking up the anime is reduced by 50%. If it looks nice, you can't guarantee I'll like it, but I'll definitely watch it. So here are my top 3 for 2011.

3. Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko

This series might not have any of those epic fight sequences the animation looked beautiful. I loved SHAFT's fancy camera angles and the scenery. I also adored Buriki's character designs. Definitely my favourite character designs for the year.

2. Shakugan no Shana III

Shakugan no Shana is one of my favourite series and I've always recognised it for it's impressive visuals. The finale definitely did not disappoint in that aspect.

1. Fate/Zero

Ufotable did an absolutely amazing job with this. It definitely doesn't look like a low budget production and I don't think I've ever seen so much work put into an OP in my entire life. Hands down one of the most beautifully animated series I've ever seen.

Other notable series: 
Hanasaku Iroha, Guilty Crown

STORY
While visuals are the part the gets me to start watching, the story is by far the more important factor that keeps me coming back.

3. Usagi Drop

The kind of story that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It didn't have the over the top melodrama that this kind of series generally has and I liked that.

2. Fate/Zero

Shaping up to be one of my favourite series of the fall season and perhaps of the year, Fate/Zero is full of clever dialogue and cliff-hangers that keep me coming back for more. I've also read that it's quite faithful to the original light novel but I haven't read that.

1. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai

A beautiful tear-jerker.

Other notable series: 
Gosick, Ao no Exorcist

SOUND
Where would a series be without the awesome background music to set the mood for the story?

BGM - Kore wa Zombie desu ka?
I don't feel as if I've heard any outstanding soundtracks but when I think of background music that I like this particular show comes to mind, especially with this track.




OP - LiSA - oath sign (Fate/Zero)




Other notable OPs: 
KOTOKO - Light My Fire (Shakugan no Shana III), Oogame Akua - Os-Uchuujin (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko), Nakano Aiko - Camellia no Hitomi (Hidan no Aria)

ED - Komine Lisa - Unity (GOSICK)



Other notable EDs:
Aoi Eir - MEMORIA (Fate/Zero)

Insert Song - Tomatsu Haruka - Monochrome  ~version de l'apprivoiser~

(ﾉゝ∀･)~キラ☆ KIRABOSHI!

I've been putting (ﾉゝ∀･)~キラ☆ KIRABOSHI! everywhere I can think of to celebrate Star Driver Sundayz. Waiting for Star Driver to finish downloading is so painful I just want to do this:

I'm going to miss waiting for hours every Sunday for a new episode. I fear Sundays may never be the same after today. No more ginga bishounen. Sad story. I'm really going to miss this awesome show. Right now, I'm just sitting here hoping for an epic ending and hoping for a possible sequel although it seems unlikely. And now just because I feel like it: (ﾉゝ∀･)~キラ☆ KIRABOSHI!

9nine -「SHINING☆STAR」

To be honest, I don't even like Star Driver that much but some of the songs, I really like.

Song: Shining Star

Artist: 9nine

Source: Star Driver OP #2

I'm not entirely sure if this is even the legit full version but I do know that it's being released on the 9th of March. Definitely going to keep my eye out for that. I like this better than the first OP.

Tomastu Haruka - Monochrome

I haven't really watched that much of Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto but I can't stop listening to this song from that anime. It's really cool. Anyway, here it is.

Song: MONOCHROME

Artist: Tomatsu Haruka

Source: Star Driver Insert Song

This version has the EPIC background music from the anime.

This version has some strange pop background. It sounds a little weird.

LYRICS:

In English:

The fluttering snow are pieces of stars, stretch your hands to the heavens,
you can feel all the wishes being made right?
Everything is all now in Monochrome.

The white breath I gently breathed out were the words I wanted to convey.
The warmer it was, I’m sure the more the sky brightened.

The encounter pushing my back is the initiation I wished for.
I stare intently at the darkness, my loneliness has come to an end.

My wings soaked in sadness take me to a pure white purity,
a tender courage for the future given to me.

My heart beats waits for the dawn of a new world,
taking the light with me on a journey, a new tomorrow begins for me.
The fluttering snow are pieces of stars, I stretch my hand to the heavens,
I believe in all the wishes being made.
Everything is all now in Monochrome.

A strong will starts to wane and reflecting myself,
I can advance without losing my way,
in my smiling eyes I have a radiant compass.

I melt my frozen memories and along with the love I’ve taken a hold of,
I feel what’s beyond the sky without ever looking back.

We each follow our own orbit, even if we don’t meet again,
we are connected by the galaxy the light has shown us.
The fluttering stars are like sand and are gently stroking my heart.
My dream’s afterimage quietly sleeps,
everything is still all in Monochrome.

My heart beats waits for the dawn of a new world,
taking the light with me on a journey, a new tomorrow begins for me.
The fluttering snow are pieces of stars, I stretch my hand to the heavens,
I believe in all the wishes being made.
Everything is all now in Monochrome.

In Romaji:

mau yuki ha hoshi no kakera tentai ni te wo nobashite
ikikau negai kanjiteiru ne
subete ha ima MONOKURO-MU no naka

sotto koboreta shiroi iki tsutaetakatta kotoba no katachi
kitto nukumori no bundake sora ha honnori akaruku natta

sono senaka wo osu deai sore ha nozonda INISHIE-SHON
jitto kurayami me wo korasu kodoku ha mou owatteita

kanashimi ni nureta tsubasa kasanariau junpaku he
watashiatta mirai he no yasashii yuuki

dare mo shiranai sekai no yoake wo matteiru kodou
hikari wo tsurete tabidatsu watashi ni hajimaru ashita
mau yuki ha hoshi no kakera tentai ni te wo nobashite
ikikau negai shinjiteiru yo
subete ha ima MONOKURO-MU no naka

tsuyoi ishi ga ugoiteiru michikake ni jibun wo utsushite
mou mayowazu ni ikeru to
hohoemu me ni kirameku rashin

kogoeta kioku wo tokasu te ni ireta ai to tomo ni
furimukazu ni kanjiauou sora no kanata

sorezore ga tadoru kidou tatoe mou aenakutemo
hikari ga miseru ginga no dokoka de tsunagatteiru ne
chiru hoshi ha suna no youni mata mune wo amaku naderu
shizuka ni nemuru yume no zanzou
subete ha mada MONOKURO-MU no naka

dare mo shiranai sekai no yoake wo matteiru kodou
hikari wo tsurete tabidatsu watashi ni hajimaru ashita
mau yuki ha hoshi no kakera tentai ni te wo nobashite
ikikau negai shinjiteiru yo
subete ha ima MONOKURO-MU no naka