2009 is the first year I’ve actually completed to monitor from January to December. Now I can fully assess the anime(s) I’ve watched—and liked from every season. Is 2009, yay or nay?

The anime(s) listed below are not really in any order of preference or such, but these are my final picks for the best shows for the year of 2009. I really didn’t include shows which weren’t done airing yet. Meanwhile, I’ve included a show from 2008 Fall which didn’t finished airing on 2008.

Anyway, I’ve finally finished Persona 4 before the end of the year so expect some sort of a review of the game. It’s partly responsible why the year end post is late.

Toradora! – It was kind of let down that this show not really left that of a heavy impression among the viewers but to tell everyone the truth, Toradora! is one of the shows that really kept me excited every week during the season it was being aired.

I never really liked Taiga at first because she only seems to me a brat, with a Shana-esque voice, spouting baka-inu over and over. It was really Minorin who enticed me in this show. I still remember that scene with Ami whispering to her, whether her feelings of guilt has disappeared or whatnot… Although I also have to agree that Taiga was awesome during this episode as well because of the cat fight.

I just don’t care anymore about the love interest of the characters here in the series. I just really like the character developments made in this show, from Minorin’s guilt, deceit and of course her impulsive character, Ami’s provocative attitude, Yuusaku’s idiotic tendencies, Takasu’s awesomeness, and Taiga’s ill-temper.

Well, I honestly didn’t liked the ending of the series. Seriously, I just don’t know why Toradora suddenly tripped that branch when it’s already about to end. I don’t know if I’m the only one who didn’t like the ending. Adversely, I guess there are also several episodes which I liked, which I think could compensate for the feeble ending.

Spice and Wolf II – The best sequel I’ve seen so far. I think the first season is somewhat shallow because it  simply seemed to me a boy meets girl plot. Season 2 begs to differ because it explored more the relationship between Horo and Lawrence. There have been several situations already where Lawrence was drove into a corner to select from limited options but it has never been the case that Horo has to leave his side, in exchange for something he has desired for long. Season two further tests the strength of the bond formed between Horo and Lawrence after their encounter. It was a good watch because you get to see some substantial character developments from the two primary characters, even if it was in a slow-paced manner. I am highly anticipating a third installment from this series.

Bakemonogatari - Haha, it’s kind of expected already because Bakemonogatari is one of the unique series through out the year. Nisio Isin’s antics were funny, but at the same time, he still didn’t failed to incorporate the story. I fail as a viewer though because I never had the chance to formally write a review for it, but I’ll certainly write one. Someday.

Ugh, I still remember that it was too late for me to realize that Senjogahara’s staplers were sembalnt to that of crab’s pincers. I think I was only able to sumise that after 10 episodes, yes it was a real fail for me for noticing it on the last minute.

The series’ capriciousness is one of its fascinating traits. The characters are pleasing in sense that they are fun and surprising to watch, on how they are going to react to certain situations. I especially liked conversations between Senjogahara and Araragi, since these two are the very embodiment of the descriptions I’ve just said. Araragi’s fun to watch because of his tsukkomi-esque responses while Senjogahara is so enticing to watch as she teases Araragi.

My only qualm though is the walls of texts. Probably, that’s one of the reason I just can’t say that I’ve fully understood the series. Once in a while, I get to see this kanji character of kuro 黒 (black) — which I still don’t comprehend up until now.

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 – One of the anime(s) that left me dumbstruck after it was finished.

It was a blunt bullet for people who don’t really know how to get past some obstacles in life. It was a realistic portrayal of how Mirai was able to change from that of an annoying teen into a much mature Mirai after all the events. It showcases that commonality among people to take for granted some things that they’d find important once it is lost already. Sometimes though, we just have to overcome that fear in order to advance in our own lives.

I doubt one would still be able to utter “the world should just break” after watching this series.

The final episodes gave such a confusing impression among the viewers though because of the issue regarding Yuuki. Either way, I think witnessing Mirai’s growth through out the story is the true essence of the series.

Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou – A supernatural series that has a subtle atmosphere, but piquant on its own unique way.

Okay, how should I describe this anime? Well, it was interesting on its own right, but I especially liked the portrayal of Natsume’s character. He is an interesting fellow for he does his best to deal with youkais alone. I guess I just can contemplate with his behavior towards the people around him. He seems to be fine around others when he’s actually not often times.

Natsume’s stance between both youkais and humans is of course one of the catch of the anime. Will he be able to keep up with the youkais given his transient life? When will he finally be at his true self around humans? The human-youkai relationship being the focus between Natsume and Madara is also a good watch because it somewhat tells a story of an unrequited relationship between two different entities. Madara’s growing fondness towards Natsume is given already but will the two of them make it given the barriers?

It also has a slow paced manner of story telling but it is worth watching Natsume’s struggles with Madara, as they take that path, nobody knows where it leads.

Also— A third installment as well puh-lease.

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Hmm, probably my runner-ups would be: Aoi Hana, Eden of the East, Birdy Decode 2 and Skip Beat. K-on, Umineko and Valkyria Chronicles just didn’t made it on my cut. There are still lots of anime I’ve watched but I guess those above would be the top 5? Well, I guess this will look like very subjective since I don’t have any formal criteria to assess them, but i really don’t care about crappy animation and sound that much because I give the heavy weight to the story and characters alone while distributing some to my personal enjoyment and the value of the anime itself.

I hope you’ve enjoyed as well these top 5 anime(s) of mine for the year 2009.

Well then, it is again the start of another decade. I hope there would be more good anime(s) which would be produced.

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image credits: pixiv users NPN♥サイト引っ越しました, きぃら～☆, 椿九, 928, Liddle

Hardships and obstacles are common place in life and these would test our mettle and on how we view life itself. Death of a loved one is one of these setbacks that might hinder us from progressing forward, but then again it might be an event as well that would help us go forward. It is just a matter of our choices, and as for Mirai, I’m glad she was able to overcome that reproachful feeling that she herself might have caused Yuuki’s death.

Sometimes, there are moments when what matters most is always the present, whatever might have happened during the past. Just like how Mirai’s parents took into consideration the fact that she made it alive is already noteworthy. This perspective doesn’t necessarily tells us to abandon and forget what happened on us during the past because all those things we picked up along the path have their own purpose, which is why we got from where we are now. Same as why Yuuki stayed along Mirai’s side up until she got home and met their parents, maybe it was an allusion to Mirai’s feelings of how she treasures and cherishes all those experience and emotions she felt and learned during that short journey the three of them, Mari-san, Yuuki, and she, had went all through, all together.

I don’t know if I should be focusing more on tackling whether the Yuki the viewers kept on seeing is a ghost or just a manifestation of Mirai’s hallucination. Really, it’s hard to judge the situation. Even so, I can tell by the looks of it that Yuuki really is the catalyst of the series. His death is the major plot tool which helped Mirai changed into how she used to be before the tragedy took place. The past Mirai is very insensitive and doesn’t appreciate her family but just like what we’ve seen from the last episode, she finally gain the courage to give them importance — All because it was too late for her to take notice of an important person, his own little brother, Yuuki.

Yuuki’s email was very heart-aching. It’s as if Mirai wanted time to regress… and we all know that it would be impossible. Lost of a loved one is that painful that we often wish and hope that time would turn back so that we’ll be able to spend and recur those happy moments with them without regrets. Then again, it won’t happen and that’s why the least we can do is to care for their memorabilia, and as for Yuuki’s case, his bag, which contains Mirai’s cellphone that has Yuuki’s message on it consisting his last set of wishes for Mirai and their parents, and that is to enjoy the fact that their family is still intact together and to achieve all those things Yuuki had wanted to do before he passed away. This is such a sad thing, because they all should have done this before it was too late for Yuuki. Yes, time is such a harsh opponent once we neglect its existence.

Defnitely, all of Yuuki’ hard work and endurance finally paid off during that journey. Those last set of words Mirai uttered… Yuuki was finally acknowledged by his own sister, and more than that, that Mirai is happy Yuuki was born as his little brother. A common place again whenever someone we love passes away, we just appreciate them the moment they are gone from our lives. I guess this is one of those several lessons, we also take for granted, or should I say forget to remember because we don’t want to think of that very moment they’ll be leaving from our side. Even though we don’t take it for granted, I don’t think it’ll guarantee us from grieving someone’s death. The only thing I can think of is to move forward while bringing with yourself the feelings the two of you have shared.

Eventually, those wounds will be healed(however long it may take), and even though there are scars that would be left from it, this will remind us the things we’ve dearly lost. I think it’s clearly okay.

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image credit: pixiv user 野茂。