I went through about 4 iterations of this list. I had to think hard, something I’m not used to doing when it comes to anime. Especially this year. Not a lot of particularly “deep” anime series came out this year. The only reason any became deep was when I heard Chris talk about “loldark” explanations for most anime (I shat bricks when he told me the one about Squid Girl). 2010 didn’t have any anime that I would elevate to the point of “timeless,” but there were a few that were definitely at a different caliber of entertainment than others.

Then we have the various adaptations. There were a ton of those this year, including Bakuman, B Gata H Kei, Giant Killing, and RAINBOW, none of previously mentioned made this list (due to making me really bored most or part of the way through). On the plus side, I’m proud that we got through all the anime I had wanted to get through this year. The club got entirely caught up on the worthwhile 2009 anime, and in turn we managed to get to the 2010 stuff this semester, aka “the stuff nobody but me likes.”

So read on, because I have really bad taste in anime. It’s a miracle I’m your President at all.

10. Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt

The fact it made this list at all really is something. The soundtrack is absolutely KILLER in this show. Something I haven’t said about an anime in a long time, and I DID watch K-On!

As I’ve said about the show before, its extremely hit-or-miss. The sex jokes are enough to make anyone want to shoot their penis off, a lá Sora no Otoshimono: Forte (something else that shouldn’t be on anyone’s list, ever). The frustrations I always had was the fact that every episode tends to be ego-stroking the director. Some of the worst episodes (with the exception of the mecha one) made references to some of the director’s previous work, which was mostly frustrating to anyone NOT a fan of the director. Then there were the episodes that didn’t include this anime circle-jerking, and those were good.

I cannot emphasize how good the soundtrack is in this show. Definitely pick that up when it comes out late December.

9. Angel Beats

So I was pumped to show this show this semester. Like, super-pumped. I was watching each episode, loving it, ignoring most of its faults, then I got to Episode 10. Something happened. I don’t know if it was the plotholes I couldn’t ignore – slowly growing more cliché – or the obviously rushed directing. it just culminated to that episode.

It was just so weird, because it happened so fast. I was watching it each week, loved arguing about how the show would end with my friends, discussing the nature of the world all the characters lived in. The concept was so fresh I was excited about the direction the show was going in. I must’ve seen the first 5 episodes about a majillion times (see, million plus a jillion). Then, when the show ended, everything was explained in the most disappointing and rage-inducing way that made me drop it forever. I had to tell Matt we weren’t featuring it this semester, and that he should hide my gun.

Nevertheless, the budget quality is there, Maeda Jun’s writing has the same effect on me as peeling onions, and for what comparatively little character development there is, it’s great. I’m still trying to learn that OP on the piano, and now Chaeha tells me Angel Beats was supposed to be 74 episodes long. That explains a lot. Looking forward to the OVAs.

★ Best OP song of 2010

8. Arakawa Under the Bridge

Average show, average rank. This one felt like a sitcom partway in, but the show was just so well-executed, its hard to say I hated it. I liked it pretty well, really. Not often I laugh out loud at an anime, or any television show in general. The characters possess such a charm its easy to see why it succeeds so well. Futurama could take a cue. When you write such unique and distinct characters, the humor lies there, not necessarily in the plot or situation you put them into.

Art is fantastic, soundtrack adds to the overall piece, pacing is just off. It’s hard to find something wrong with the anime, just as much as it is to find something done extraordinarily well.

7. Shiki

I liked this show. I think I’ve said that plenty. Everyone [in this show] is such a moron, though, that it makes me want to creatively disassemble Brown building using nothing but my fists. When the doctor finally figures everything out, suddenly defecation hits the oscillation and we’re treated to a particularly gruesome set of scenes involving him making like the Boston Massacre on vampires.

Every other character is a little more complicated. Natsuru could be more developed, while other characters get a lot of spotlight for not a lot of long-term gain further in the series. Entire episodes go out of their way to develop these characters, then promptly never see them again. Case in point, the blue-haired wife who does some soul-searching following a series of events, then we just never see her again. This is probably supposed to convey some theme, but that anvil is never dropped in the episode.

Plot doesn’t do too bad, leaving on cliffhangers every episode. This sort of format reminds me of True Blood, with many events left on some very curt notes that don’t get followed-upon until one or two episodes later. In this way, it’s very hard to like a show that jumps around this much. But, its not like there’s any end accidentally left untied. The show is well thought-out in this way. It can make a good impression, especially because the more you think about it, the more the little things make sense.

Now that the show is reaching some sort of climax, hopefully they’ll play their cards and reveal a lot. History has shown that shows with multiple lines of plot occurring at the same time tend to end with a confusing jumble of scenes that mostly leave the viewer confused (see: Shikibane Hime, another show about vampires. Sort of). Time will tell on this series. If the ending just pisses me off, something tells me I’ll be spending a large amount of time at anime conventions arguing about it. Anyone who knows me knows I live for that kind of stuff.

★Achievement in Awesome: The Doctor

6. Seikimatsu Occult Gakuin

All things considered, I really liked this show. This was also a runner-up to be the featured anime this semester, which was why it was on the first poster at the beginning of the semester. The more I watched it, however, the more it became evident that this show appealed to a slimmer audience.

The plot took some strange turns, some expected, others not. Up until the very end I couldn’t figure out what was the key of Nostradamus that they were looking for the entire series. Sure, I could guess, but I never did figure it out until they told me. Not to mention, the bi-weekly format really added some serious cliffhangers, despite sometimes feeling

gimmicky. Overall, it was like I was watching “Are you Afraid of the Dark” all over again.

The character drama was delivered modestly; never felt forced. The pacing of the show lent to this. It was never really in a hurry to finish. At the same time it also never took itself seriously (see: Are you afraid of the dark comment, again). It’s a show about the macabre for kids, littered with fanservice. Who can blame it, considering the artist used to draw hentai.

5. The World God Only Knows

Anyone can be a hero or heroine. Yeah, corny, I know. Really, this is the theme the show drives home. Basically, that YOU matter, and your actions can have more effect on people than you think. Truly, the show kept this consistent throughout, even in the “filler” between arcs with each girl.

The show makes some wonderful nods to its fanbase, with plenty of references to other anime, manga, and video games. The show really is a learning experience for the strange world of Japanese dating sims.

Besides all that, the appeal is a little slimmer, wish some episodes being drawn out just for the sake of being drawn out. The blonde girl and pink-haired girls are both good examples of this. They do kind of feel stretched out and dull, and this is mostly to end the eps on cliffhangers. Makes one feel kind of like watching something else.

Soundtrack is excellent here as well. Was a little surprised by the OP, though…

4. Amagami SS

Just finished watching the last episode of this. Wrapped up in a nice bow, the show finishes on an extremely high note. I didn’t expect it to quite finish the way it did, but I am not without bias. Having actually SEEN the game this is based on (just need to get that modded PS2 and learn Japanese and I’ll be GOOD TO GO) lent a lot to the overall experience of watching the anime. Thanks again, Chaeha. That was awesome.

I was a little bored by the swimmer-stalker arc, and I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for some certain friendzoned girls in the series, but the overall finish to each arc was great. Each character is more well flushed-out than even The World God Only Knows, which is precisely why this is in the 4 spot and TWGOK is at 5. Two-gawk is 5 also because it turns relationships into a science. This one’s a bit more impressive because the girls really do have something special to add to each relationship (even if one involves getting on your knees and licking knee-pits).

The game is currently getting a re-release, including one more arc. Rumor has it that the extra arc is Hibiki, but time will tell. If we’re lucky (like, WOW~! Lucky), the US might get a localized version. Recall, however, that these games don’t usually sell well, so that’s unlikely no matter how many worthless online petitions get signed. In the meantime, the last BD release for Amagami-SS will feature an Imouto arc as well as an alleged Sensei arc as well. That should be more than enough, I think @_@

3. The Tatami Galaxy

It truly is a mystery to me why Madhouse isn’t rolling in the cash with these great releases this year. Really, The Tatami Galaxy is probably one of the best shows to come out this year, bar-none. It’s probably the closest I could call “timeless” on this list, and is already fit for a North American release by Funimation sometime next year.

The show is interesting in that at first you can’t avoid the comparison between this and Endless Eight in terms of how pointless the college life appears, no matter what happens. I seriously disliked the show for how frustrating and predictible it all seemed. Then you watch episode 11 and 12, and then all the rest of the show seems so much better, the characters endearing, and even Ozu seeming to be one of the best characters in the show. As any college student attending Mines knows, there’s no such thing as a rose-colored college life.

What really cinched the deal for me was the ending. Everyone sees the ending coming, a mile away. Thanks to the fortune teller with prices ever increasing prices accounting for the warping of the space-time continuum unignored by Japanese price inflation every episode, you are constantly reminded of this fact. Yet, when it comes, it lies only as a footnote to the true lesson to be learned throughout the series. Overall, it reminds us that development of the theme is more important than a good love story (take THAT Bakemonogatari!).

★ Best ED animation

★Best show you didn’t watch (but all of you did so this is a moot point)

2. Baka to Test to Shoukanju

The alternative, literal translation of the title is Idiots, Tests, and Summoned Beings. How Funimation somehow warped that to “Bakas and Tests – Summon the beast!” is a mystery to me. Especially since the original title basically spells it out pretty clearly what the show is about.

This show was semi-featured last semester, but we never finished it. It was airing at the same time we were continuing the semester, so it was shown in a pretty disjointed fashion, with one or two episodes one week, and one or two at another. There was some confusion with this, but the show nails humor and satire of educational systems everywhere that one can’t help but enjoy the show through and through.

If you don’t know what this show is about, basically take Angel Beats, take away the fact that all the kids are dead, dump a buttload of more humor and anime references, and then top it off with the Gender!Unknown Hideyoshi and you have everything great about Angel Beats with a concept more ludicrous than before (bear in mind, this show aired and completed before Angel Beats, derp).

This show did everything right, above and beyond the call. Art? Check. Plot? Check. Character development? Check. Concept? Check. Deep? Ehhhh… Yes and no. The focus of the anime was largely on a love story, and it really can seem an awful lot like a harem for a couple of episodes. The love story is tied to the theme though: that no one needs women, just good schooling. HA. HA. HA… *sob*

1. Ore no Imouto Ga Konnani Kawaii Waka Ga Nai!

THERE’S NO WAY MY SISTER CAN MANAGE TO BE THIS GOOD SO CONSISTENTLY IN A ROW. Can’t really say much about this show until we feature it next semester. The people who really wanted to see it, have already seen it. The people who haven’t seen it, will love it. Using Fiji as my test audience, this has the green light next semester for good reason. People who don’t like anime seemed to like it, and people without little sister fetishes suddenly developed one inexplicably following watching it.

Every episode is better than the last, something none too common in anime these days. With 4 (count ‘em, FOUR) alternate endings coming out with the bluray in… SIX MONTHS… It really is just the gift that will keep on giving. Look forward to this one!

Other Awards:

★Best ED:

Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru

★Achievement in Homosexuality

A Certain Scientific Railgun (seriously, Shirai Kuroko?)

★WORST ANIME OF 2010

It’s kind of sad that for every list of top 10 anime for the year, its just as easy to write a list of the top 20 worst anime for any given year. There was a lot of it this year, with continuing Sekirei crap, Motto to Love-Ru, and who could forget the show that we never showed ever, Yosuga no Sora?

All of these shows have their own horrible merits, including Iron Man. I was about ready to consider High School of the Dead, for its far-reaching influence and potential scarring of the anime community, but in reality the show wasn’t that bad and I watched all of it. No, the worst show this year is easier to pick out than even that, and is absolutely the worst thing we have the shame to admit that we showed once at this modest anime club: Seikon no Qwaser.

How bad it was:

We showed Seikon no Qwaser at Disturbia Night last semester, alongside some really great anime. I even have the poster:

I couldn’t make it right as the showing started, so I gave Matt a set of really easy instructions to follow. Show Qwaser first, then Dead Leaves, then DMC. I showed up right in the middle of Dead Leaves and had to ask Matt how SnQ went. He said that he refuses to show it, because its a pile of fecal matter. At this point, I laid down the law. I yelled at him that we have a FORMULA to anime club. That, no matter how bad the first show is, its the first show so it doesn’t matter.

Oh, but that night, it did matter.

We barely finished watching the first episode before we just had to stop. Outright. It had achieved a level of quality so poor, that we had to just turn it off, apply lye to our eyelids and bleach to our brains such that we forget we ever watched that awful, awful show. The night was saved by DMC, and wasn’t a complete failure. I was humbled, and agreed that even though we’re just an anime club, even we have standards. I then gave what little of the series I had to a certain neckbeard so he could go home and watch it in privacy.

I believe I’ve told some of you that story, and I don’t want any of you to forget it. Seikon no Qwaser was seriously the worst thing ever, bar none. I promise that nothing like that will ever happen again, even if there’s a second season. On an unrelated note, anyone else looking forward to the second season of Kämpfer?

Other Worthwhile Happenings

Episode 4 of Mayoi Neko Overrun! taught us how to play ping-pong

Episode 6 of Sora no Otoshimono: Forte had the idiot contest

Episode 6 of B Gata H Kei claims that America is full of sluts

Episode 2 of Working!! says it like it is

Episode 2 of Index II had SPINMAID!!

There are other ones, but I can’t think of them off the top of my head.

Either way, Merry Christmas!