Now that 2017 is officially over, it’s time for our yearly foray into annoying everyone with our questionable opinions, the Best of Anime 2017 post! As usual, we won’t guarantee total objectivity (like such a thing exists), but as someone who managed to catch over ~90 series, I’d say I’m generally well informed about a majority of shows worth watching this year. Given that I’m the only writer doing the post this year however, don’t be surprised if you see a larger range of picks across categories to make up for the lack of a second opinion.

Continuing from last year, there are numerous categories in the following areas: Production, Miscellaneous, Genre, and Notable Others. Due to lack of series candidates and/or the lack of involvement of specific writers that specialized in certain categories, some categories have been omitted from previous years. These include the Animation, Sports, and Trap categories respectively, along with categories originally added by Samu to recognize specific Seiyuu, Studios, and/or Directors.

This time around, encoding and videos for the OP/ED/Song categories were done by Divine (surprise!). So here’s a shout out (thanks!) for him and everything he does for the site behind the scenes, along with resident cage master Xumbra, who handles much of the encoding for our seasonal previews. Included at the end are the final results of the Reader’s Choice Poll.

Disclaimer: As always, disclaimers abound. Please keep in mind that “best” is subjective. What’s best for us isn’t necessarily best for you, and that’s perfectly fine. This list shouldn’t be taken as some kind of inviolable truth, but rather the opinions of a guy who had too much time on his hands and spent it conjuring up a list of picks based on all the anime they watched. Naturally, my choices will be influenced by my own tastes, experiences, and personal impressions, and ultimately these are just recommendations, nothing more and nothing less. Before you go bashing one of my choices, please make sure you’ve at least given the series a chance so you may know where we’re coming from. Aside from that, we ask that you respect our opinions and the opinions of others in the comments, just like we respect yours. Thank you.

Disclaimer #2: The choices in this post are not reflective of the opinions of all Random Curiosity writers. They are solely the opinions of myself (Zephyr), save for where otherwise noted. Thank you for your understanding.

Note: For a show to be considered, it has to have met the requirements outlined in the Reader’s Choice Poll. For OVAs/movies, the additional requirement is that it either aired or released on BD/DVD (so that viewers outside of Japan have had a chance to watch it).

Production

Story As the somewhat polar opposite to what’s on the surface, here we’re looking at depth and what captivated us from start to finish. You don’t need amazing visuals to tell a good story, so it’s about the original material (if any) and the screenwriter’s adaptation of it here. Good cliffhangers that keep you on the edge of your seat week after week suggest the series is doing something right, whereas filler-esque showings don’t. Zephyr: After an amazing first season, one had to come in to its second season expecting more of the same. What we didn’t expect was a story that would be even better than the first. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen was a rare series that not only continued the greatness of its first season, but carried on its legacy–successfully bringing its characters into the present day while showing the impact their respective pasts had on their lives and viewpoints. A tragedy and a story of triumph, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen gave us the perfect culmination to a tale stretching multiple generations, imparting on its viewers the importance of embracing the past and being able to let things go. At the same time, it gave us characters that felt truly human, making it that much harder to witness everything they had to go through, and to say farewell to a series that captured the hearts of many and demonstrated just how far anime can go as a story telling medium. Following closely behind are 3-gatsu no Lion (featuring a story revolving around tragedy and Shogi), ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka (a stylish mystery filled with political intrigue), Made in Abyss (one of the best adventures in years), Sagrada Reset (whose slow burn rewarded its viewers greatly at the end), Uchouten Kazoku 2 (which featured certain foolish tanuki engaging in yet another grand adventure). Honorable Mentions: 3-gatsu no Lion, ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Made in Abyss, Sagrada Reset, Uchouten Kazoku 2

Soundtrack What would a series be without the music to help set the mood and tone? A good soundtrack enhances the power and emotions behind scenes in such a way that you start associating imagery with the music unconsciously, regardless of whether it’s cheery, inspiring, or heartfelt. Lasting impressions say a lot, plus it just has to sound good too. Zephyr: Given the differences between a television broadcast and a stand-alone production, there’s been an unwritten rule excluding movie and OVA soundtracks from this category. I’ll be damned if I excluded one of the best soundtracks to ever grace an animated film however, and RADWIMPS’ production for Kimi no Na wa. comes in as this year’s exception and easy winner. With vocals in English and Japanese, the soundtrack was a rarity in regards to its multi-language accessibility, quality, and memorability. Each one of its tracks are capable of triggering memories of a specific scene and each lyric representative of a character’s feelings and thoughts. This was a production where the music was timed to match its corresponding scene in the film, and it’s only fitting that a masterpiece receives an equally amazing accompaniment to bring it to even greater heights. With over 100,000 copies sold and an Oricon #1 weekly ranking in its belt, this is a soundtrack you owe it to yourself to experience, whether by itself or as you watch a movie considered by many to be one of greatest animated productions of all-time. Rounding out the category are the soundtracks to Fate/Apocrypha (though the story was lacking, the sound was anything but), Fuuka (the vocals are top notch despite the hated story), Made in Abyss (yet another grand production from Kevin Penkin), Princess Principal (more of the usual from Kajiura Yuki), and Re:CREATORS (Sawano Hiroyuki does it again). Honorable Mentions: Fate/Apocrypha, Fuuka, Made in Abyss, Princess Principal, Re:CREATORS

Miscellaneous

Plot Twist This is the replacement for the category previously known as “Biggest Shocks”. We’re looking for a sudden unexpected turn of events in the story that caught us off guard and delivered sheer shock value. It’s that “WTF” moment that has people talking about it for the next few days, regardless of whether or not anyone found it agreeable. Below are the plot twists we have in mind.

Show Plot Twist ▼

Zephyr: When you get down to it, 2017 was a great year for plot twists and any of the candidates could be considered winners based on their respective plot twist’s impact alone. On that note, Sagrada Reset comes in as the winner not only because of the impact of its major plot twist, but the revelations that came with it, and the fact that both combined to reward viewers who stayed on despite a slow and controversial start. As it turns out, that controversial start was the beginning of a plot that would stretch over 20 episodes, and Souma’s sudden and intentional death was merely a ploy to hide her powers and give Kei the chance to arrive at an ending that she considered ideal. Through it all, she set the stage for everything that happens throughout the series, and it’s a pretty darn amazing twist that even leads to a resurrection. Talk about planning ahead. Honorable Mentions: ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka Jean’s origins, the Coup, and the cigarette’s true meaning), Made in Abyss (Riko’s origins and past), Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season (Armored and Colossal Titan Identities), Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen (the truth behind Sukeroku’s death), Uchouten Kazoku 2 (Soun Ebisugawa’s survival, continued plotting, and joining of the Friday Club.)

Death This may be part of a plot twist or something you see coming a mile away, but we’re concerned about the impact the death has on the story and us as viewers. Well-executed screenplay leading up to it may play a big part, but there are also cases where a character dies so suddenly that we’re left in complete disbelief. In both cases, it’s the lingering impression we’re basing our selection on.

Show Death Picks ▼

Zephyr: We all knew it was coming, but Yakumo’s death still hit like a truck. The fact that it came on the heels of him reconciling with Konatsu and agreeing to take her on as an apprentice only made things harder to swallow, and it goes to show just how a great story can pull on the heartstrings regardless of whether you’re expecting a character to pass on or not. There’s solace to be taken in the fact that Yakumo lived a fulfilled life despite many past demons however, and when it’s all said and done, there’s an argument to be made that his death proved necessary for culminating the series with. After all, the story and its themes would not be complete without a final conversation with Sukeroku and Miyokichi in the after life, and the focus wouldn’t have been able to shift to the future of Rakugo with the present Sukeroku, Konatsu, and their children otherwise. Ultimately, Yakumo’s death hits hard with its impact and its importance to the story’s development, and it’s something many other candidates came short of accomplishing this time around. Honorable Mentions: Most of the Tekkadan and Turbines Cast (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans Second Season), Alicetaria, Selesia (Re:CREATORS), Souma Sumire (Sagrada Reset), Hannes (Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season), Chtholly (Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?)

Genre

Romance Emotion-filled romance at its finest. The relationship between characters and the emotions involved are the appeal, and the main criteria for selecting a series here. A sentimental story is always good, with tear-jerking scenes being a plus. This is the series that had the best romantic mood from the character interactions to the big confession. Zephyr: Sometimes, less is more. You don’t always have to have a complex story, drama, or multiple plot-twists to craft a great romance, and Tsuki ga Kirei comes in as a perfect example of how having a simple, singular focus and a clear vision can yield amazing results. This was a series whose sole aim was to tell a tale about a first love, and it left us with a story that was so natural and authentic that it likely made many viewers think of their own first crush or relationship and the emotional roller coaster that came with it. The shy looks from afar, the awkwardness of a first date, the blushing from holding hands for the first time, and the comfort of just being able to talk or be next to one another–this was a series that truly captured everything about a first love, and it did so while putting things together into a beautiful, emotionally powerful story that made Tsuki ga Kirei one of the best romance series we’ve had in a while. Best of all, Tsuki ga Kirei accomplishes this in a single cour, making this truly a series that was “short and sweet.” Honorable Mentions: Just Because!, Net-juu no Susume, Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?

Sci-Fi When it comes to science fiction, a futuristic world with advanced technology, robots, space travel, and superhuman abilities is the usual connotation. However, that’s not the only setting that fits this genre. Sometimes all a series has to do is play up a single sci-fi aspect and do it well to go down as an excellent sci-fi series. Zephyr: It feels like it’s been awhile since we received a truly great Sci-Fi series and unfortunately, this year didn’t do much to change that. The series that had the most potential as a pure Sci-Fi teetered off the cliff with a controversial second half for the ages (Seikaisuru Kado), and the remainder were either good but not great candidates or series that had Sci-Fi aspects mixed in more than anything. With that in mind, Kidou Senshi Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans Second Season comes in as the winner, giving us a boatload of classic mecha combat while balancing politics, factional struggles, and enough drama to make it one of this year’s most dramatic series. Unfortunately, the latter didn’t always combine with optimal execution–Okada Mari goes a bit heavy handed at times—and ironically may have served to hinder the series more than anything. Rounding out the category are an assortment of picks that may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, but appealed to enough people to warrant their inclusion. Honorable Mentions: Chaos;Child, Inuyashiki, Knight’s & Magic, Seikaisuru Kado

Horror/Thriller The best horror shows are those that incite visceral feelings of shock, fear, and pulse-pounding dread. Gore is not a necessity for this genre, as there’s always psychological thrillers that are just as gripping if not more. However, those that can provide both an unsettling atmosphere and a good scare are even better. Zephyr: Given Shingeki no Kyojin’s popularity and the shocking revelations we received with its second season, it would’ve been easy putting it as the winner for this category. Unfortunately, the series’ second season was lackluster in its lead up, paling in comparison to a first season that was more consistent in its thrills and more fresh in its horrors. As such–and yes, I’m aware of how controversial this will be—Princess Principal comes in as what’s likely to be the most surprising winner of any category this year. The story itself didn’t wow anyone as a complex, heart-wrenching narrative, but this was a series that had a clear vision in regards to the kind of spy thriller it wanted to be, and it wasn’t afraid to stick with its guns. Along the way, we received moments that were over the top and straight up ridiculous at times, making the series enjoyable and fun to watch. With many shows not wanting to break the mold or trying too hard to craft something unnecessarily complex, there’s something to be said about a show that’s comfortable in its own skin, and Princess Principal–with its suave heroines going about their business like it’s nothing–was exactly that. Honorable Mentions: Kakegurui, Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season, Youjo Senki

Mystery Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Thought-provoking storylines that keep inquisitive viewers watching and speculating on where things are headed? Yes, please. They don’t necessarily have to have a horror element to them either, as all we’re looking for here is a blend of detective/crime fiction. Zephyr: As with previous years, the mystery genre continued its trend of being a perennially under-explored genre. This meant that there weren’t any pure mysteries to be had and many of the series here had mysteries but didn’t have them as their centerpiece. Among them, Sagrada Reset comes in as a series that not only presented its viewers with the most questions, but also delivered on its revelations in such a way that shocked its viewers and made you realize just how much was going on behind the scenes without you realizing it. Unfortunately, this was also a series whose slow start and sudden early twist turned off the series for many, and while it was understandable, here’s hoping its mention here causes at least a few of you to give the series another try. After all, it’s not every day a series builds its plot across the entirety of its multi-cour run and succeeds in bringing everything together in a coherent way, and Sagrada Reset managed to do just that. Honorable Mentions: ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Chaos;Child, Houseki no Kuni, Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season

Fantasy Where science fiction seeks to explain the remarkable happenings of its universe via technology and logic, fantasy is less concerned with that. Wizards, dragons, and Tolkien-esque adventures are what usually come to mind, but those aren’t mandatory. As long as the focus is less on what makes the world tick and more on using magic and wonder to tell a story, it’s probably a fantasy tale you’re looking at. Zephyr: 2017 was filled with great fantasies worth mentioning, and Made in Abyss highlights the category by not only giving us one of the best adventures in recent years, but also one of the best series the year had to offer. With dangers lurking around every corner, a mysterious Abyss to explore, and a pair of main characters unwilling to let anything stop their journey, Made in Abyss was a series that made full use of its fantasy backdrop to give us something truly special. Almost every episode gave us something awe-inspiring to look at, and this was a journey that was every bit as magical as it was life-threatening. To say that you feared for its characters was an understatement and shocking revelations and hideous beasts only made you stand on your toes even more. The best part is they’ve barely scratched the surface in regards to the Abyss itself, and this is an adventure that promises to continue being great for years to come. It’s just too bad that last I checked, there’s barely enough material for a second season, and the source itself doesn’t exactly release on a uniform schedule, so we may be waiting a while to see the series’ conclusion. Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen comes in as just one of many notable fantasies to barely miss the cut. Honorable Mentions: Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, Little Witch Academia, Re:CREATORS, Shingeki no Bahamut – Virgin Soul, Uchouten Kazoku 2

Comedy The ability to make you laugh until you cry – that’s probably the number one criteria when selecting a comedy of the year. From everything to sheer stupidity, quirky characters, and timely comedic pauses to perverted fun, elaborate setups, and witty jokes, it’s the lighthearted nature and humorous entertainment value of these series that we love. Zephyr: There weren’t many comedies this year compared to previous years, and Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 comes in as an easy winner in a sparse category. Given how popular and well-received it was though, it would’ve been a front-runner regardless, and this was a second season that was arguably even funnier than the first, with intentionally messed up animation making a ridiculous adventure even more so. As many of the other notable candidates ended up carrying over to next year (Hoozuki no Reitetsu Second Season and Osomatsu-san 2 included), the list rounds out with two inclusions that aren’t purely comedies, but offered some laughs as part of their overall package. Honorable Mentions: Blend S, Gabriel Dropout, Gamers!, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon

Romantic Comedy The romantic comedy genre separates itself from the individual romance and comedy ones by teasing us with potential relationships but never quite settling on one. Instead, the enjoyment comes from the character interactions themselves, often – but not always – in harem-like scenarios. Zephyr: There isn’t much I’ll say here that Passerby didn’t note in his final impressions for Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭, but it’s worth repeating nonetheless. Rare is the series that manages to stay in the confines of its genre while spurning the expected tropes. Rarer still is a series that manages to do so while building a second season better than a well-received first. With exceptional development on the part of Megumi Katou leading the way, this was a season that brought the series to new heights, capitalizing on the foundations it built earlier while keeping the wittiness, self-deprecation, and fourth wall destruction that made it popular in the first place. Adding a few surprise developments merely sweetened the cake, and regardless of how much emphasis you put on the whole deconstruction (or reconstruction as Passerby argues) aspect of things, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭ set the baseline for romantic comedies this year and possibly for years to come. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to a formula that works though, and Eromanga-sensei comes in as an example of one that managed to do so, even if its similarities to a certain rom-com produced by the same creator may have turned some away. Honorable Mentions: Eromanga-sensei, Gamers!, Masamune-kun no Revenge

Category Defying Also known as the Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita Memorial Award, this is the category for those shows that deserve to be on this list, even if we don’t have a clue where they should go. Many series cross into multiple genres, which is why you see shows being featured in multiple categories in this section. These series defy genre. They twist and squirm, evading our attempts to label them and are just themselves, as well as good. This is the category for shows that deserve recognition, even if we aren’t rightly sure what they were. Zephyr: As a science fantasy with a bit of mystery and drama sprinkled in, Sagrada Reset comes in as a series that didn’t quite fit into any particular genre. Fittingly enough, it was also a series whose development style and slow start also made it different from your typical show, though this had the unfortunate side effect of losing many viewers in the progress. Those who stuck with the show regardless were rewarded with one of this year’s best series however, and Sagrada Reset’s mention here serves as both recognition of its greatness (even if it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea) and of the many distinctive quirks that made its success possible. Rounding out the category is another interesting series in Houseki no Kuni, which earns its spot here as an underrated series whose unique mixture of action, fantasy, and mystery didn’t make it particularly exceptional in any one genre, but came together to make something greater than the sum of its parts (and no, this last line was not an intentional reference to the series). Honorable Mentions: Houseki no Kuni

Notable Others

Biggest Disappointment The pitfall of excessive hype and anticipation for anything is the disappointment that results when things don’t meet expectations. With regards to anime, this is doubly true when a series has precedent established by its original and a sequel falls incomparably short. At times it’s only a small letdown, but sometimes we’re left wondering what we did to deserve sitting through it. We’re not looking for the worst series of the year here, but the biggest disparity between expectations going in and way the series turned out. In terms of disappointments, I’m surprised to say that 2017 didn’t actually give me a show I felt slamming as much as prior “winners” like Glasslip or Musaigen no Phantom World. That’s not to say that there weren’t any disappointments, but that even shows that disappointed had some merits or appealed to some people regardless. Out of these shows, Seikaisuru Kado comes in as most fitting example, bringing us a first half that was some of the best pure sci-fi in awhile. Unfortunately, the follow through was lacking as the series entered its second half, and it teetered off the hill for many following a controversial ending. I was one of the few people that didn’t actually take as much issue to the second half as others, but I can still see where many people were disappointed with the series and the direction it took, and Kado didn’t turn out to be the right answer for many who sought greatness from a series that had much potential. Following along those lines, Fate/Apocrypha comes in as an honorable mention in the same regard, providing a lot of the basic foundations that fans of the franchise loved in terms of the Grail War setting and the many heroic servants with unique backstories, but failing to execute in regards to story pacing and character development for one of the most unexciting protagonists in awhile. With its occasionally great action scenes and assortment of new characters we’re seeing for the first time (and may not see anywhere else again) however, I’m not saying it’s not worth watching at all, but rather that one should temper one’s expectations going into it. Honorable Mentions: Fate/Apocrypha

Exceeded Expectations Naturally, there’s the exact opposite of the above, where we go into a series with low or little-to-no expectations and it turns out much better than we anticipated. This could easily be considered finding diamonds in the rough, which is only possible if you tend to give new shows the benefit of the doubt. Our picks here don’t necessarily mean they’re blockbuster hits in disguise, but that the disparity between expectations and the actual series goes in the favorable direction. Given that it received an optimistic rating to begin with, it doesn’t break expectations as much winners from past years, but Houseki no Kuni deserves a mention on the merits of it blossoming into something that was still better than many likely expected. With a mixture of fantasy, mystery, and action, Houseki no Kuni was a series that made multiple genres its own, giving us many questions while developing a series of memorable characters in a unique setting. With each character a physical manifestation of a real-life gem, everyone was literally unique in their own way–down to the colors of their hair and the hardness of their bodies–making it great not only great character contrast, but for the development of each in ways fitting of their natures. Being exceptionally brittle and too weak for battle due to her attributes, Phosphophyllite ends up the recipient of the most development as a result, and there aren’t enough words to describe how well they used her physical nature as a spring board to develop her, the characters around her, and the world she ultimately explores in an attempt to overcome her innate limits. Unfortunately the series’ end doesn’t bring with it the answers to the series’ most pressing questions, but it does a great job setting things up for a future iteration while providing a stand alone series that was one of this year’s better and more popular shows. Interesting enough, many of the other candidates turned out to be other similar series that had decent expectations, but exceeded them by giving us something more or truly special. Honorable Mentions: Made in Abyss, Net-juu no Susume, Sagrada Reset

And Finally…

Best Anime 2017 The be-all, end-all of the year. This pick is always a hotbed of controversy, so here’s the exact criteria we used to make it: if we were to meet an anime fan for the first time and they were to ask us to recommend a show that aired in 2017, what would it be? Without knowing the person’s tastes, we would naturally default to the show that did the most things right, one that had wide appeal and deserved it, that had superb animation and told its story well, and above all else, that we enjoyed. The winner of this category should be a high anticipation show that supremely deserved it, or a dark horse that blew everyone out of the water. This is subjective as hell, but you can find a list of our best picks below. Zephyr: As with prior years, the series with the best narratives tend to get the most consideration from me for this category, and being one of the best stories we’ve seen in the medium in the last few years–Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen comes in as 2017’s undisputed winner. This was a series that not only continued the greatness of its first season, but exceeded it, giving us a tale that was equal parts tragedy and triumph. All the while, it imparted on its viewers valuable lessons about what it means to be human and the importance of embracing the past despite all the scars it may have left on us. The fact that Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi also served as a culmination to the series meant that it was also a farewell to a cast of characters whose lives we managed to follow over multiple decades, and it’s a bittersweet farewell that showcases just how great a narrative this was and the potential the medium has to tell stories of this nature. Following behind are a multitude of series that either presented their own quality narrative, gave a quality payoff worth sticking with it for, or were the clear front-runners of their respective genres. Honorable Mentions (#2-10 in Alphabetical Order): 3-gatsu no Lion, ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, Boku no Hero Academia 2, Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, Made in Abyss, Sagrada Reset, Shingeki no Bahamut – Virgin Soul, Tsuki ga Kirei, Uchouten Kazoku 2

Reader’s Choice – Favorite Anime 2017 Your choice for 2017. With everyone allowed to pick up to five series, we have a pretty nice spread of results. In exchange for finding out if there was one series that everyone would’ve picked with a single vote, we have a much better idea of the other ones you enjoyed. The top choice is still pretty unquestionable though, since it was good enough to make it into the majority of your top 5 picks. The Top 5:

Made in Abyss – 829 (8.02%)

Boku no Hero Academia 2 – 777 (7.52%)

Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season – 419 (4.05%)

3-gatsu no Lion – 387 (3.74%)

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 – 370 (3.58%)

Total Number of Votes – 10,339

Here are the full results. The votes have been tallied and Made in Abyss comes in as the Reader’s Choice for Best Anime of 2017. It scored higher than expected given the presence of popular series like Boku no Hero Academia 2 (#2) and Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season (#3), but this was a pleasant surprise more than anything, and Made in Abyss more than earns its accolades as one of the best fantasy series of the past few years. As with last year, many people seemed to agree on a majority of the top 10-15 picks across the board, leading to a very small gap between series after the top 5. Notably, many of the selections aligned with my own personal picks for the year, though ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka (#20) and Uchouten Kazoku 2 (#16) did fall out of the top 15 on the Reader’s Choice poll. I would’ve liked to see Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (#7) hit the top 5, but I was glad that Houseki no Kuni (#8), Re:CREATORS (#10), and Tsuki ga Kirei (#12) scored higher than expected, garnering some much needed recognition for series whose initial appearances may not have appealed to everyone.

Reader’s Choice – Favorite OVA/Movie 2017 Your OVA/Movie choice of 2017. As mentioned in the disclaimer above, the choices here were restricted to what’s been released on BD/DVD so that viewers outside of Japan have a chance of watching them and making an informed decision. It didn’t make sense to restrict such offerings to a small pool of voters this year and not have it up it for consideration in 2018, so if you wanted to vote for anything that premiered in theaters, you’ll get your chance next year. The Top 5:

Kimi no Na wa. – 823 (14.04%)

Koe no Katachi – 645 (11%)

Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale – 371 (6.33%)

Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen – 288 (4.91%)

Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito (Episode 2-3) – 216 (3.66%)

Total Number of Votes – 5,863

Here are the full results. Rounding things out for this year’s post is the selection of Kimi no Na wa. as the Reader’s Choice for Best OVA/Movie. Given all the accolades it received, this selection comes as no surprise, and there really isn’t much else to say about Kimi no Na wa. that hasn’t already been said. Following closely behind is Koe no Katachi, which joins Kimi no Na wa. as one of few selections to ever record over 10% of the overall vote. With two such selections in one year, it goes to show how great 2017 was for OVA/Movies, and how universally popular they were with anime fans in general. Rounding out the top 10 are a series of picks that ended up in line with my own (Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen at #4 and Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito at #5), with Owarimonogatari Second Season (#9) thankfully coming into play despite its late inclusion to the poll.

Time sure flies, doesn’t it? As with previous years, 2017 was filled with its own share of memorable offerings. Likely to be remembered for its many sequels, this was a year where many notable series (including Boku no Hero Academia, Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, New Game!,Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata, and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu to name a few) not only received sequels, but ones that were ever better than their previous iterations. Aside from that, this year’s best offerings were also distributed across multiple seasons–Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen aired in the winter, Boku no Hero Academia 2 aired in the spring, Made in Abyss aired in the Summer, and Net-juu no Susume aired in the fall respectively–giving the year a much needed balance compared to previous years, which often front-loaded their best offerings.

Category-wise, slice of life and fantasy had the most significant amount of worthy candidates, with the former continuing a trend and the latter coming as a pleasant surprise headed by the previously mentioned Made in Abyss. Unfortunately, this was not the case for categories such as sci-fi and horror/thriller, which had a few solid candidates, but were mostly filled with flawed series that didn’t really scratch the genre itch for fans of those genres. Comedy, romance, and romantic comedy also had a relatively low number offerings, but thankfully gave us some great series to make up for the lack of quantity.

On the OVA/Movie side, 2017 was notable for finally allowing the rest of the world to see and own Kimi no Na wa. (you can bet I got the special edition), automatically making it a great year for this category on that merit alone. Adding another masterpiece in Koe no Katachi only added to an already loaded year, and with other great offerings like more Digimon Adventure tri., Kizumonogatari’s final chapter, some of the final chapters of the Monogatari franchise (Owarimonogatari Second Season) the next arc to Strike the Blood, and the introduction to the currently airing Mahoutsukai no Yome series, it’s unlikely we’ll be receiving another year like this for a while. At the very least though, Kimi no Na wa. and Koe no Katachi provide a lot of re-watch value (I’ve already watched them multiple times), and they both served important roles as gateways for a new generation of anime fans to boot.

On a personal note, this was probably the most difficult year in terms of blogging and making this post, as 2017 brought with it an even bigger focus on real-life work. Finding out a balance was pretty tough, and unfortunately, some categories had to be cut from the post in order to ensure it would be completed on time. With some luck, things’ll get easier next year so that I can find the time to tinker with and add some more categories, but I suppose time will tell. Other than that, it was important to know that like last year, most of my anime viewing revolved around marathons and staggered segments rather than watching series as they aired, so it should be emphasized that many of my personal picks this year came independent of outside influence for the most part (this means that I didn’t really have the chance to be caught up in any of the major hype or criticism laid on various shows), and the fact that Winter/Spring series were fresher in my mind than prior years were the likely reasons behind any differences my picks might have had with those of you viewing this post right now. One would hope that my picks do inevitably account for most of the series worth watching this year however, and at the very least, almost every show in the Reader’s Choice Top 15 received a mention within the post at some point.

Looking forward to 2018, “uncertain” is probably the most fitting buzzword. With companies such as Amazon and Netflix jumping into the mix and more streaming options than ever before, we’re looking at a time where monetary flow to and from studios could be changing in significant ways (if they haven’t already been the past few years) and demographics may be changing as new viewers arrive due to the influence of gateways series such as Kimi no Na wa. Whether this turns out to be a positive or a negative will be something we likely won’t see for awhile, but it’ll definitely be interesting to see how and if things will change in the short and long term. At the very least, the winter season looks promising (we haven’t had this many positive expectations for a winter in a while), especially in regards to the Sci-Fi (BEATLESS) and Fantasy (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen, Violet Evergarden) genres. And with that, I bid thee adieu for now. On behalf of Random Curiosity, I’d like to thank every one who takes the time to visit the site and read everything we write, and here’s hoping you’ll continue visiting Random Curiosity in 2018 as well so we can find out together what the new year will bring.