Best Anime Winter 2009

The list of my favorites in Winter anime 2009 Keep in mind that the list is highly subjective and based only on the anime I’ve seen

If you are looking for the best anime of the year or the decade, please visit this post.

Best Song

“Kioku” by Younha feat. GOKU (Rideback ED)

Lyrics

彼が笑っても気づいたらあなたを思ってる
彼と繋ぐっても感じてるあなたの温もり

思いでを限とって胸から追い出しだって
記憶を蹴飛ばしたって
今だにあなたを

今　時計が告げ去り既設はめぐり
あの笑顔しる扱かすんでも
心をそうあなたを忘れない

哂い青狭深を倒しても
溢れ出す思いを隠しても
心は忘れない
あなたとの記憶

Even though he’s smiling I realize I’m thinking of you
And as I hold this hand, I can feel your warmth

Even if I tear out the memories and chase them out of my heart
Even if I kick away
I still think of you

Now,
As time goes by and the season changes
As that smile turns into misty white
My heart will not forget you

(Even if we cannot meet again)

Even if I throw away the photo of us smiling
Even if I hide my overflowing feelings
My heart will not forget
The memories of you

(Source)

Live (Korean Version)

Her outfit is questionable, but the singer is cute

Best OP

“Shizuku (雫)” by Sukima Switch

The OP features very nice art and manages to capture some of the themes of the story. I don’t like the singing that much, but music and lyrics are nice.

Best ED

“Maiochiru Yuki no Youni (舞い落ちる雪のように)” by Suara

I like soft colors and a good song fitting the ending.

Lyrics

I’m worried about you,
The loner in you.
I feel more lonely though
Because i pretend to be strong.
Even though i wish
I could white out and clear away
All my memories with you
Just like the snow,
Gently falling on me,
Slowly piling, and softly,
Your words come back to life.
Brightly and brightly they fall,
Without ever disappearing from my heart.

Best Music

Xam’d: Lost Memories - Michiru Oshima (Fullmetal Alchemist, Gokusen, Magic User’s Club)

I enjoyed Xam’d music very much and look forward to the OST! The music used in episode 20 was especially impressive

Kuroshitsuji - Taku Iwasaki (Gurren Lagann, Now and Then, Here and There, ROD TV, Ruroni Kenshin OVA, Soul Eater)

Kuroshitsuji features a wide range of great music I especially liked chants and music with Indian flavor

Best Seiyuu

Female Leading Role

Yuko Sanpei (Nakiami – Xam’d: Lost Memories)

Sanpei’s performance was just great! I love her voice Overall, her performance might have been even bettter than Romi Paku (Kujireika) in this anime

Yuu Kobayashi (Maria – Maria Holic)

Yuu Kobayashi is one of my favorite voice actresses, and she got a good opportunity to show off her ability to “switch” in this role

Supporting Role

Akiko Yajima (Angela – Kuroshitsuji)

She has an interesting voice that is soft usually, but when she speaks loudly, it becomes cragged somewhat. The change is quite subtle, but I like it Perhaps, it is best to see it in action: watch the first 30 seconds on this clip (she is Rin, Itoshiki Sensei’s sister).

Eriko Hirata (Soyon – Kemono Sou-Ja Erin, Aoi no Ue – Genji Monogatari Sennenki )

Hirata portrayed Soyon very well, but her impression of Aoi in the Tale of Genji was particularly fierce

Male Leading Role

Daisuke Ono (Sebastian – Kuroshitsuji)

Male Supporting Role

Hiroki Yasumoto (Agni – Kuroshitsuji)

I really liked Agni’s deep voice Too bad the Indian arc was too short.

Jun Fukuyama (Grell – Kuroshitsuji)

Grell is crazy character You really have to transform yourself to perform this role well

Best Female Character

Erin (Kemono no Sou-Ja Erin)

Erin is a very smart and enthusiastic young girl. She loves animals and works hard to become a healer. Her bravery and determination were especially highlighted in the episode seven.

Angela (Kuroshitsuji)

Angela is just great! She looked like a poor maid at first, but turned into a dominatrix in the recent episodes, plotting the intrigues around the Queen

Best Male Character

None Nobody impressed me.

You tell me whom you liked the most

Best Art Director

Jirou Kouno (Genji Monogatari Sennenki )

The atmosphere of Heian period was presented quite well in the Tale of Genji.

Akira Suzuki (Kemono no Sou-Ja Erin)

Erin’s world is a wonderful symbiosis of nature and architecture painted with pastels. I especially like how texture and color were used in this anime by mixing wonderful scenery with SHAFT moments.

Best Director

Clearly, Noboru Ishiguro (Tytania) is the best as I described before, but some ridiculously unrealistic scenes in Tytania irritated me too much.

Although, I had some reservations about Takayuki Hamana‘s direction in the beginning, later episodes turned out great   Directing Prince of Tennis must have been a good practice for Hamana because we see an extensive variety of camera angles and interesting depiction of dialogs.

Masayuki Miyaji (Xam’d) put together an excellent show. Although almost every episode featured a different director and storyboard artist, the overall tone of the exposition was preserved very well. I’ll write more about visual properties on Xam’d in my review of the anime.

Best Anime Winter 2009

Kemono no Sou-Ja Erin

This anime is excellent! Not only art and direction are great, but the writing shines as well. The scenario is written by Jun’ichi Fujisaku (Blood, Ghost in the Shell, Real Dive) based on the novels by Nahoko Uehashi (Moribito). The story combines elements of slice-of-life, drama, and politics. We often hear summaries of what is happening at the beginning and the ending of episodes for younger audiences, but the anime will be interesting for the adults as well because, among other things, it features some hidden historical references and implements subtle storytelling through visual presentation as well as dialog (especially in episode six). I enjoy this anime the most and look forward to covering the rest of the 50 episodes

What were your favorites in Winter anime?

Related Posts:

Kemono no Sou-ja Erin
Tale of Genji
Kuroshitsuji
Tytania
Xam’d: Lost Memories

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