I have a bit of a tradition with these posts! It’s a pretty straight up tradition, I write them and have a lot of fun doing it! The gist of it is that I look back on the year and pick my favourite animes that I’ve watched over the past twelve months then try to find with other WordPress bloggers had to say about these shows and share it with you!
Sometimes it doesn’t work out that great. I have pretty weird tastes…
I loved Samurai Champloo but I saw it years ago. Stunning gif though!
Basically I tend to watch whatever I stumble across with no real rhyme or reason. So while I will occasionally be cool enough to watch one of the big shows while everyone is still talking about it, more often than not, I discover it a few years after everyone’s moved on and I’m all excited!
Because of that, I start to look up what other people thought. I have discovered many blogs, sadly years after they stopped posting, this way.
These are all series I’ve already told you all about. You don’t want to just hear what I had to say over and over again, so instead, I let my talented fellow bloggers do all the work and gather up their reviews for your enjoyment.
These are the anime that made me happy in 2019!
(Please note I use the reader app to find these and it’s capricious at best. If I missed your post, lemme know, I would love to add it)
In no particular order :
Prime Example of me missing out on a series for way way too long and kicking myself over it. Possibly my favourite shonen in years. I adored both season of Mob Psycho and really can’t wait until a 3rd one comes out.
Anime Food Shiritori – Meal #1: Takoyaki from Mob Psycho 100 (Zodiac Room)
Ok so this isn’t really a review and I have to admit I never specifically associated Takoyaki with Mob Psycho. I think that broccoli pushed all other foods out of my mind! However, Astral has put together a fun and inventive Mob Psycho post and the recipe looks genuinely mouth watering.
[TEN] “YOU SEE, I HAPPEN TO BE AN ESPER” — MOB PSYCHO 100 (Atelier Emily)
Atelier Emily frame their review around one of my favourite scenes. That would have been enough to sell me but it’s also a really good review, focusing on the emotional depth of the series in an impressive write up.
Mob Psycho 100 Season 2 Review (DReager1.com)
Dreager didn’t like season 1 of Mob Psycho but still decided to give season 2 a chance. Do you think they regretted it? One easy way to find out…cough cough.
Mob Psycho 100 II: And I still don’t care (Anime Reviews)
The title of this post may be sort of let’s the cat out of the bag here. Still it’s good to get differing opinions. I feel like Mob Psycho’s art style tends to be one of the most divisive aspects of the show. I loved, found it challenging and artistic. Others did not…
Brief Series Review: Mob Psycho 100 (first season) (Anime Rants)
This may be a brief review but anime rants gives you everything you need in this great post. If you haven’t seen the series, I say read this one first!
A Review of Mob Psycho 100 (Sakura Sunrise)
I’m happy to see that a lot of people were still watching season 1. I feel a little less lazy for having waited this long. And boy are there a lot of great reviews of this show. If I hadn’t already seen the series, I would definitely watch it after reading this post.
Boy did I fall in love with this show. I feel hard and I feel fast and it’s left me a bit addled. It’s not the type of show you can describe and neither is my reaction to it. Thankfully, other bloggers are better than I am at these things.
SARAZANMAI: DESIRE, LOVE, CIRCLES, AND BUDDHISM. MY ANALYSIS AND PERSONAL INTERPRETATION (Rai’s Anime Blog)
Just the title of this post sort of blows me away. Can you imagine how cool the actual post is? I mean… you don’t have to… the link it right there.
What Sarazanmai Did Wrong…And Then Oh So Right (Amanda.Actually)
I remember reading posts about Sarazanmai before watching the series and being absolutely captivated by them without quite grasping why. This is one of these posts. It highlights the character building of the series which is one of it’s greatest strengths.
Anime Hajime Review: Sarazanmai(Anime Hajime)
Be careful with this one as there are some spoilers in the review. However, if that’s not an issue for you then you should definitely go read Anime Hajime’s take on this very unique series.
Sarazanmai, and is worth it to connect? (Rogue Shogunate)
You know one thing I really liked about the series? The episode titles. They are amazing and a tiny bit painful. Rogue Shogunate gets it. And when you find someone who gets it, you gotta read their thoughts!
Sarazanmai(Randomly generated stuff)
I found this show nearly impossible to explain or describe in the 1500 word post. Icemaster did it perfectly in 3 paragraphs. Now that’s skillz.
Given
Boy this one caught me off guard. I was expecting a mostly harmless offering like Dakaichi and instead I got this poignant character study that still sticks with me. I am humming the ending theme right now! I can’t quite tell you what made this one romantic drama something I love when I usually don’t care for them much, but there you go.
Caught in a Band Romance (Given Anime Review) (A Nerdy Perspective)
Great title Sam! And the post is wonderful too. I have a feeling most of you have read this one already but if not, now’s the time!
Personally I have a slightly different perspective on Haruki but that doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate this balanced and detailed review by Anime Hajime. I did. I really think you would as well!
Given Anime Review(2019)(My Simple Explanation)
I really love when bloggers take the time to feature some beautiful fan art in their posts. Obviously I’m a huge fan of…fan art… Not only is this post a great read but it’s full of great pics!
Given Anime Review AGamerzGirl Blog & Anime Review
A first look at the series that brought me back to the excitement of those early episodes!
[Anime Review | Short Essay] “Given” & Short “Ad” Animes (Persephone’s Diary)
A fantastic and insightful review that examines not only the series itself but the culture and genre around it for a more in depth look that I, for one, enjoyed a great deal.
If an anime could be a cozy afternoon with a yummy snack and a refreshing drink, Yotsuiro Biyori is probably what that anime would be. It was just so relaxing and comforting. I don’t know if I should blame the reader app but I found almost no reviews for this show and it made me sad…
Rokuhōdō Yotsuiro Biyori & Breathing Life into What Japan Values Most: Family & Tradition – Anime Review (Biblionyan)
At least Nyan took the time to watch this series! And If I can’t convince you then you should go read their post!
First impressions: Rokuhoudou Yotsuiro Biyori (Unrealistic Expectations)
Although this first impression post was fairly positive, it wasn’t overly enthusiastic which may be why I could not find a follow up post…
Ok so if Sarazanmai is near impossible to describe, To Be A Heroine takes it to a whole new level. I also really enjoyed the spiritual prequel (To Be A Hero) and am honestly grateful I didn’t miss out on these shows. Both made me cry a lot…
I really thought I was the only one to have ever watched this show, let alone enjoyed it so when I saw Scott’s Post about it I… No
I’m not going to give anything away. Please go ready Scott’s post right over here and if for some reason you’re not following Scott yet, you really should. You won’t regret it!
Boy was this show ever adorable. It just soothed my spirit when I needed it. I have to admit I skipped some of the sadder parts but that’s o.k. On the whole though, it just left me feeling good.
My Roommate is a Cat Series Review (100 Word Anime)
Karandi was reviewing the series as it aired if I remeber correctly but she also went back and did a full series review. As you know I’m a big fan of Karandi’s reviews in general but when they happen to be on a show I loved…well…
‘My Roommate is a Cat’ is so delightfully bingeable! (Chelichan Blog)
I can’t disagree with this title. It’s entirely accurate. As for the rest of the post, you should go read it for yourself and find out!
An Anime Review – Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue – My Roommate Is A Cat (The Space Goat)
That’s a great blog name, how have I missed it so far… And it has a great post to go with that great name. This is turning out to be a lucky day for me!
‘My Roommate is a Cat’ and the importance of character arcs (ROGUE SHOGUNATE)
I love reading posts from people that go into a show from a completely different perspective than me. I find it just interesting. This post is a good example of that. And it’s very well written too!
My Roommate Is A Cat Series Review: From One Cat Person To Another (The Outerhaven)
Another very well thought out and clearly exlpained review that gives you plenty of food for thought. It’s amazing that such a seemingly fluffy series ended up affecting people so much.
My Roommate is a Cat (Merlin’s Musings)
Aside from the weird pet shippipng (just jokking) Merlin sums up my own impressions of the series quite well and I had a lot of fun reading this post and remembering the show.
Anime Spotlight: My Roommate Is A Cat (simpleek)
I found out from this post that the mange is called: My Housemate is On My Lap, But Sometimes, On My Head which is just a fantastic bit of information to have. There’s a lot more in the post mind you. That was just a teaser for all you guys!
Honorable Mentions
Bungo Stray Dogs (season 3) – Fantastic Framing!
Blood Blockade Battlefront – So fun!
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime – Also fun!
The Promised Neverland – Fun is not the right word here…
Natsume’s Book of Friends
Wow, most of these are actually from 2019!!! Ha! take that people who say there are no more good anime! There are some great ones and I can’t wait for another year of watching wonderful shows and sharing them with all of you.
Did you discover a new favourite anime in 2019? Can I know about it?
OMG i didn’t know you included mine on here thank youuu so much and i have followed you
Did you watch Dororo?
I did not. It looks very good but a little sad. I also tend to watch anime a bit after they have aired because I enjoy binge watching.
It is definitely very moving and sad. And the second ending always leaves me close to tears…
Do you listen to utaite?
“I found out from this post that the mange is called: My Housemate is On My Lap, But Sometimes, On My Head which is just a fantastic bit of information to have.” Assuming you meant “manga” when you said “mange”, that’s…not just the manga. “My Housemate is On My Lap, but Sometimes on My Head” is the translation of the Japanese title, which the anime and manga share: ‘Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue.’ (phew!)
I did posts on Sarazanmai, Given and Rokuhoudou (anime rewatch/manga) this year – the last one you might’ve missed because I refer to it as “Rokuhoudou” and it’s under Crunchyroll as “Yotsuiro Biyori”. I also have a post on Rokuhoudou from when it was airing.
I’ve done a few lists for the end of the year as to what I’ve enjoyed and watched and I still have another one to write, so…no spoilers for those here.
I clearly meant mange. 😋
That’s odd, I searched for: Rokuhōdō Yotsuiro Biyori and that’s all the posts I could find. Mind you my reader searching skills are very lacking.
I have seen a bunch of anime this year so it’s hard for me to pick just one! I kinda stopped watching for a while (life and other things got in the way as they always do) so I had to do a bunch of catching up. But I’d say the best anime I saw this year (that I hadn’t already seen before) would be the 2011 Hunter x Hunter
I saw Champloo 15 years ago on Adult Swim. One ep. wandered of onto the subject of homosexuality and Japanese culture
That was an interesting.discussion.
Watched with my 10 year old son, that. Is.
Was it localized? I always wonder about older anime because some of them are so different in official releases
I’m usually behind the times, yeah. For me, I finally got to see ‘Made in Abyss’ this year and it kept me watching late into the night several times. Really keen for the sequel film now 🙂
I still haven’t gotten to Abyss… It’s on my watch list though. The again, so is Code Geass…
Me too with Code Geass, yeah. Sometimes I see my watch list and kinda want to weep 😀
I was definitely pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Psycho II! I usually watch shows years after they come out so definitely understand that feeling. I only just started Kino’s Journey yesterday and that was around 2-3 years ago. Definitely a fun collection of reviews here
I also watch shows way after they’ve aired usually. Last year was a bit of an exception I guess
Sarazanmai was really great. I’m glad it lived up to my expectations for an Ikuhara show. Didn’t top Penguindrum, but that’s alright 🙂 Anyway, I enjoyed the post!
I have a hard time comparing IKuhara anime. They’re just so different.
That’s very true!
Yakusoku no Neverland and Given were unquestionably my favorite shows I saw in 2019. 🙂
Interesting spectrum
Yeah, pretty good shows came out this year. Mob Psycho 100 2, Given, Cat, and Sarazanmai were all great.
I’m always happy to see Yotsuiru Biyori get attention. It’s such a calming place; I’d love to eat there (and maybe read a book).
I’ve realised that I can’t remember watching an older anime this year. (Uninhabited Planet Survive, maybe? I did watch this before I heard of Kanata no Astra, so maybe last year?)
Finally, I have to give credit to the Fruits Basket reboot, which did everything right.
Hmmm, I skipped Fruit Baskets. Maybe I should give it a try
I was a little wary before it started, because I worried about the character designs in the preview. I worried that they’d be too dramatic, and the comic-punch scene didn’t work for me at all in the preview.
Well, they weren’t too dramatic and the scene I disliked in the preview actually flowed easily enough in the anime. The body language is outstanding – it doesn’t get much better. And the character designs are adaptable enough to work as chibis, too. There was some content I don’t remember from the older anime, either (but then it’s been a while and I don’t exactly pride myself on my memory).
It’s a really good adaption that helps the story’s strength come out well. Certainly one of the best shows this year.
Oh pssh, you didn’t have to say all of those nice things 😁. Thank you so much.
I didn’t HAVE to but they’re true so…