Fall 2020 Anime. Something To Do As The World Burns Down Around Us.

[Rafflesiac]

I liked Charlotte.

[weeblord]

Angel Beats is a super successful anime with like 30k BDs sold, so its obvious that many do enjoy it, but a very common critique was that it needed to be longer which is probably why they opted to make it into a 6-part episodic VN. Maybe Maeda also felt he didnt manage to do everything he wanted in the anime. But the first VN came out, probably didnt sell as much as they wanted and fastforwarding to december 2020, only Angel Beats -1st Beat- exists and there has been no mention of -2nd Beat- in the last 5 years.

I personally think it's the best out of Maedas original anime, but im still not that big of a fan. Mostly cause the fast pace and i feel its almost a Little Busters reskin but with a cast im less attached to, and i like the core theme better in LB. But in angel beats defense it doesnt have the absolutely dreadful guest writer routes of LB.

[LegalLoliLover]

I always thought Angel Beats was really good. Sure the ending comes on way too soon, but they manage to space out the FEELS throughout the intro, with the Girls Dead Monster and Baseball episodes (and they often bring up how they all died in the first place), so that the heartbreak in the end isn't a sudden tonal 180.

It's less about the quality of his work, but rather his response to critique.

[bassgs435]

Fruit Tart over. One of the funniest shows this season for me alongside Sleepy Princess. I love how horny the show is. Had a great time with this

[Mattias]

I personally think it's the best out of Maedas original anime, but im still not that big of a fan. Mostly cause the fast pace and i feel its almost a Little Busters reskin but with a cast im less attached to, and i like the core theme better in LB. But in angel beats defense it doesnt have the absolutely dreadful guest writer routes of LB.

I honestly forgot Little Busters even existed until you just mentioned it. Which is sad since I enjoyed the anime enough that I went and looked up the VN's plot because I didn't want to wait. Then I got like two episodes into S2 and just forgot about it.

[Spartacus]

Angel Beats! is the one that make me a weeb. ;-;

[weeblord]

I honestly forgot Little Busters even existed until you just mentioned it. Which is sad since I enjoyed the anime enough that I went and looked up the VN's plot because I didn't want to wait. Then I got like two episodes into S2 and just forgot about it.

LB without Refrain is like Clannad without After Story. Refrain is the the payoff, the good shit. The anime adaption is even somewhat decent, shockingly, albeit not kyoani key adaption level.

[Mattias]

I know, but after so long going through the day to day, I just got bored waiting for the payoff. The first season was good, with enough build up of the incident throughout, but when S2 resets back to day to day stuff with none of the sense of urgency it felt like I was watching Endless 8 episodes 3-7 again.

[weeblord]

Damn. You’re the first person ive seen say they liked s1 but not s2. First few eps of Refrain anime are not actually the Refrain part from the VN, its just Kurugaya route which they didnt manage to squeeze in first season. After that you get to Rin route, which was a locked route in the VN, and it ties directly to Refrain. i thought kurugaya route was pretty meh in the VN but it had a pretty good reception among anime onlies iirc, i guess the improved production quality helped.

[Wandering Swordwoman]

Aaaaa Jun why do you must so....

[bassgs435]

Magatsu Warheit over. Curious fantasy show with a more industrialized setting than usual, a good duo of MCs in Leo and Innumael, an interesting plot and creepy monsters. Animation is also decent and I'd say even unique for the monsters, giving them a weird creepy feeling I like

[Mattias]

So, I polished off the last of my anime this seaon so some last thoughts:

Strike Witches: I was kind of hoping Hattori would try to Dr. Strangelove that bomb. Miyafuji going all Rambo with that SMG while Jojo's version of Patto tells her to run was pretty metal. You know for someone who's magical power is healing, she always ends up brute forcing in the end, it's weird. I wonder what they'll do now that Germany is free? Oh wait, they're going to Austria next. Gotta milk that series for as much as you can.

Love Live: Was there even a single male anywhere in this show? All-girls school, sure. but even the crowds were all grown women with their little girls. it's just strange and... Wait, was that a giant RX-0 out of nowhere looming over the school? WTF Sunrise? That said, these end of season concerts always get to me. No idea why.

Akudama Drive: All it was missing was a one year later epilogue for the city. "Today marks the one- year anniversary of the uprising" or something.

Nana: Saw this coming from the minute Michiru showed up. My call is that military man killed the parents, maybe they part of an opposing group, so he's going full bad fanfic Dumbledore.



So with the year basically over, what was everyone's AOTS and AOTY?


My AOTS was probably Nana, with Tonikawa and Jujustu Kaisen as close runners up (just a nice comfy romcom, and a solid shounen).


AOTY: Great Pretender, it's just such a me thing a jazzy heist anime with a ED that's just a Freddie Mercury song.

Runner's up:
Eizouken (just so unique, like Shirobako through an impresiionists lens)
Wave, Listen to Me (The MC carried this entire show on her shoulders, and managed to get it over the finish line, no less)
Fruits Basket (It's Fruits Basket)
Railgun T

Wow, looking back the last couple seasons were pretty shit weren't they? Most of the best things were second seasons (Railgun, Fruits Basket, Re:Zero, Haikyuu, No Guns Life) or decent but forgettable (Bofuri, ID Invaded, In/Spectre, Smile Down the Runway, Bakarina, Deca-dence).

[bassgs435]

Dogeza de Tanondemita over. Sugita made this very funny to watch, and goddamn that last episode. Waiting for the BD pack with the isekai OVA
Noblesse over. Another great show from CR's Manwha adaptations plan. I love the humor in this show, the banter beetween Regis and M-21, and the fights are very cool. Our main duo, Rai and Frankenstein are very interesting characters. I like the show a lot

[mami-kouga]

Can't say I have an AOTY but that's because I just rate things by like or dislike and so nothing particularly sticks with me

[Toranth]

Wow, looking back the last couple seasons were pretty shit weren't they? Most of the best things were second seasons (Railgun, Fruits Basket, Re:Zero, Haikyuu, No Guns Life) or decent but forgettable (Bofuri, ID Invaded, In/Spectre, Smile Down the Runway, Bakarina, Deca-dence).

Yeah, this year has been pretty lacking - notice that almost everything you mention is from Winter 2020? Spring, Summer, and Fall have all just failed.

For me, it's hard to name something I thought was "good". Ishuzoku Reviewers, probably, just because it was interesting and creative bawdy humor that (barely) managed to not overstay its welcome. If not that, then ID or Honzuki.
While I like all the isekai/game world anime, Bofuri, Bakarina, or Million Lives just aren't good enough to qualify for AotY.

[Mattias]

There were some decent things in Spring, but a bunch of things ended up dying because of covid either to get pushed back a season like most of the Summer ended up being, or back a year like this year is going to be full of.

[bassgs435]

I disagree with this year sucking. I think it's great and all seasons had great showsAOTY goes to Talentless Nana. Amazing show
Now other shows I'd like to mention are Id Invaded, Bofuri, OshiBudo, Railgun T, Kakushigoto, PriConne, Maou Gakuiin, NGL S2, Re Zero, S2 part 1, SAO WoU, Gundam Build Divers Re Rise , ToG, GoHS, Noblesse, Akudama Drive, AdaShima, Assault Lily Bouquet, Warlords of Sigrdrifa, Dragon Quest Dai and Strike Witches Road to Berlin
And that's just a limited list of what I love this year.

[mami-kouga]

People say every season and every year is lacking, I've noticed

[Laserman]

People say every season and every year is lacking, I've noticed

You might have a point, but on the other hand, like Mattias said, the coronavirus delayed so many shows.

[pinetree]

Wow, looking back the last couple seasons were pretty shit weren't they? Most of the best things were second seasons (Railgun, Fruits Basket, Re:Zero, Haikyuu, No Guns Life) or decent but forgettable (Bofuri, ID Invaded, In/Spectre, Smile Down the Runway, Bakarina, Deca-dence).

Agreed, this year was really bad. Specially because I particularly didn't end up watching some of the stuff that actually seems good. I don't even have anything I want to call AOTY or AOTS.

Like it would end up being Re:Zero 2 for AOTY because it's the best I watched in the year even if it wasn't incredible, and Shingeki for AOTS just because everything else this season was shit lol.