Yet another year has passed us and with it, more amazing anime to consume. Another year of fights, dramas, crying, being transported to another world and shows that seemed to have absolutely come out of nowhere. While I did not have the chance to watch every anime that has come out this past year (a nearly impossible feat), I certainly got my fill and was very pleased with the past year’s shows.
Crunchyroll, essentially the forerunner of anime simulcasting, once again has held it’s Anime Awards vote. This year, to my pleasant surprise, they did a mixture of voting as well as a panel of judges. The reason I like this much more is that it avoids, for the most part, popularity contests and “overhyped” shows from winning through sheer momentum.
For those interested in seeing Crunchyroll’s videos, they have a short recap of the winners here as well as the VOD of the entire show on their Twitch.tv channel here.
I’ll be going over the categories this year with nominees as well as showing my own vote and going over the winner, of course. Without further ado, let’s get going to seeing the results of this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards!
Best Girl:
Nominees:
Atsuko “Akko” Kagari – Little Witch Academia 2
Ochako Uraraka – My Hero Academia 2
Moriko Morioka – Recovery of an MMO Junkie
Serval – Kemono and Friends
Tsuyu Asui – My Hero Academia 2
Chise Hatori – The Ancient Magus’ Bride
My vote: Moriko Morioka – Recovery of an MMO Junkie
WINNER: Ochako Uraraka – My Hero Academia 2
A fairly expected result from this year. My Hero Academia was pretty much the big name this year for anime as well as the Anime Awards and it will be a show that will be repeated multiple times. Not to say I have any gripes with the victory for this category, my only criticism is having two characters from the same show, a theme I’ll be reflecting in some later categories. Instead of either Ochako or Tsuyu, I’d have liked to have seen Shouko Nishimiya from A Silent Voice or Mitsuha from Your Name. I don’t think the result would have changed, but overall, a solid victory for Ochako.
Best Boy:
Nominees:
Shoto Todoroki – My Hero Academia 2
Rei Kiriyama – March Comes In Like A Lion
Kazuma – Konosuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World!
Izuku “Deku” Midoriya – My Hero Academia 2
Fafnir – Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Yakumo Yuurakutei – Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
My Vote: Shoto Todoroki – My Hero Academia 2
WINNER: Shoto Todoroki – My Hero Academia 2
Similar to the Best Girl category, I don’t like having two characters from the same show. However, the pick of the litter was slightly thinner this year than most. In this case, again, the outcome was pretty obvious. Todoroki is a character deserving of the title Best Boy 2017.
Best Manga:
Nominees:
Golden Kamuy Vol. 1
My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness
My Brothers Husband Vol. 1
In This Corner Of The World
Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
Delicious In Dungeon Vol. 1
My Vote: Abstain
WINNER: My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness
My expertise doesn’t lie so much in the manga. Naturally, if I don’t know much about something I don’t vote on it, nor do I feel the right to field an opinion on it.
Best Hero:
Nominees:
Izuku “Deku” Midoriya – My Hero Academia 2
Gin Minowa – Yuki Yuna Is A Hero: The Washiro Sumi Chapter
Atsuko “Akko” Kagari – Little Witch Academia 2
Kukuri – Magical Circle Guru Guru
Chise Hatori – The Ancient Magus’ Bride
Nanachi – Made in Abyss
My Vote: Izuku “Deku” Midoriya – My Hero Academia 2
WINNER: Izuku “Deku” Midoriya – My Hero Academia 2
Essentially a no-brainer. With a title of “My Hero Academia” it was pretty weighted to win the category. Though similarly to before, not an undeserving victory.
Best Villain:
Nominees:
Stain – My Hero Academia 2
Tanya Degurechaff – Saga of Tanya The Evil
Bondrewd – Made In Abyss
Cartaphilus – The Ancient Magus’ Bride
Hiro Shishigami – Inuyashiki
Usagi – Juni Taisen: Zodiac War
My Vote: Tanya Degurechaff – Saga of Tanya The Evil
WINNER: Stain – My Hero Academia 2
This is one of the categories where I heavily disagree with the winner. I think Tanya makes a much better villain than Stain. Tanya has much fewer morals than Stain, albeit that doesn’t necessarily make a “better” villain, depending on how you define a villain. In attitude, morals, and actions, Tanya has been shown to be much better of a villain as shown in even trying to defy “God” for the sake of getting what Tanya wants. Although again, most of this depends on how you define a “villain”, I think that Tanya should have won.
Best Action:
Nominees:
My Hero Academia 2
Land Of The Lustrous
Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans 2
Attack On Titan 2
Fate/Apocrypha
My Vote: Fate/Apocrypha
WINNER: My Hero Academia 2
While I’m not mad at the result, I think Fate/Apocrypha and Land Of The Lustrous had overall better action scenes. My Hero Academia had better highs in terms of the big fights, you knew they were big, they were gorgeous, they were creative, but the more moderate fights and action was par for the course while Fate and Land Of The Lustrous, had better overall action scenes. So, reiterating, I don’t think My Hero Academia was undeserving of the title, it just depends on how you want to define the category.
Best Drama:
Nominees:
Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
March Comes In Like A Lion
Made In Abyss
The Ancient Magus’ Bride
Scum’s Wish
ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.
My Vote: The Ancient Magus’ Bride
WINNER: The Ancient Magus’ Bride
I did not watch a whole lot in this category, to be frank. However, The Ancient Magus’ Bride is an absolutely amazing drama with the music and scenes and animation all giving you that magical feeling and really adding to the atmosphere of this show as a drama. That said I wouldn’t necessarily be mad if it didn’t win, mainly because I’m unsure of the other shows besides Made In Abyss.
Best Comedy:
Nominees:
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Mr. Osomatsu 2
Little Witch Academia 2
Konosuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World!
Gamers!
Tsuredure Children
My Vote: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
WINNER: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
This was probably one of the closest categories. I watched a good number of the shows on this list and I greatly appreciated pretty much all of them. What made up my mind was the faults in shows. Konosuba relied too much on its tropes from season 1, and Gamers just had to continually rely on coincidences and certain themes that just overall really bother me (in this case, having confusion and misunderstandings resolved by simply talking).
Best Slice Of Life:
Nominees:
Recovery Of An MMO Junkie
Tsukigakirei
Girls’ Last Tour
Kemono Friends
Sakura Quest
Interview With Monster Girls
My Vote: Recovery Of An MMO Junkie
WINNER: Girls’ Last Tour
100% Girls’ Last Tour should have won and they did. I’m really glad it did. The show is awesome and quintessential slice of life and done extremely well with an interesting story and great art style. I voted for Recovery Of An MMO Junkie because it’s just a guilty favorite of mine that I greatly enjoyed, just enjoyed in a different way than Girls’ Last Tour.
Best Continuing Series:
Nominees:
March Comes In Like A Lion
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans 2
Dragon Ball Super
Case Closed
All Out!!
Naruto: Shippuden
My Vote: Dragon Ball Super
WINNER: March Comes In Like A Lion
I have a soft spot for Dragon Ball. I have not seen March Comes In Like A Lion, so, again, not much of an opinion here on the winner. I have heard it’s great, seemingly so with how many times it is in categories around the Anime Awards.
Best Opening:
Nominees:
“Shadow and Truth” by ONE III NOTES – ACCA: 13 – Territory Inspection Dept.
“Here” by JUNNA – The Ancient Magus’ Bride
“Shinzou wo Sasageyo!” by Linked Horizon – Attack on Titan 2
“Peace Sign” by Kenshi Yonezu – My Hero Academia 2
“The Other Side of the Wall” by Void_Chords feat.MARU – Princess Principal
“Imawa no Shinigami” by Megumi Hayashibara – Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
My Vote: Abstain
WINNER: “Peace Sign” by Kenshi Yonezu – My Hero Academia Season 2
I abstained from this vote mainly because I generally skip OP’s after listening to the first one unless it is absolutely incredible. While some were good, this season, nothing really grabbed my attention.
Best Ending:
Nominees:
“Step Up LOVE ” by DAOKO x Yasuyuki Okamura – Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond
“Ishukan Communication ” by Chorogonzu – Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
“Kirameku Hamabe” by Yuiko Ohara – Land Of The Lustrous
“Hikari, Hikari” by Yuuka Aisaka – Recovery Of An MMO Junkie
“behind” by Karin Isobe, Yuna Yoshino, and Lynn – Just Because!
“Kafune” by Brian the Sun – March Comes In Like A Lion. Season 2
My Vote: Abstain
WINNER: “Ishukan Communication” by Chorogonzu – Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Similar to OP’s, I don’t listen to much unless it’s amazing. I prefer watching the content.
Best Animation:
Nominees:
Land Of The Lustrous
My Hero Academia 2
Little Witch Academia
March Comes in Like a Lion 2
A Silent Voice
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
My Vote: A Silent Voice
WINNER: My Hero Academia 2
I think that My Hero Academia won on popularity in this category. As I stated earlier, I think when they really focused on animation, especially fight scenes, it was very good. But as a whole, A Silent Voice and Land Of The Lustrous had better animation overall. It’s important to understand that animation isn’t only fighting scenes, it’s showing the scene and cinematography in a way to convey the rest of the show. When My Hero Academia wasn’t focusing on action, I thought it was above average, but not blow my socks off like some of the shows on this list.
Best Score:
Nominees:
Made in Abyss
Little Witch Academia
Land Of The Lustrous
The Ancient Magus’ Bride
ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.
Re:Creators
My Vote: Re:Creators
WINNER: Made In Abyss
Made in Abyss absolutely deserves this win. In terms of score, it certainly was the best. I think that Re:Creators had a shot, but it had the same issue as with Kill La Kill where the few songs that are very very good, are overplayed. The few choice songs in Re:Creators are better, however, Made In Abyss creates an environment with its music, not just complimenting it.
Best Film:
Nominees:
A Silent Voice
Your Name
In This Corner of the World
Girls und Panzer der Film
Kizumonogatari III: Reiketsu-hen
Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel – I. Presage Flower
My Vote: A Silent Voice
WINNER: Your Name
Am I mad about this win? No. I still stand by that A Silent Voice is a better film than Your Name. Your Name’s hype was much larger than A Silent Voice. That’s not to say Your Name wasn’t amazing, for all the people starting to sharpen their pitchforks.This year was actually incredible with all the films. I greatly enjoyed this category and all of these belonged on the list.
Best CGI:
Nominees:
Land Of The Lustrous
Kado: The Right Answer
Re:Creators
Attack On Titan Season 2
Knight’s & Magic
Inuyashiki
My Vote: Land Of The Lustrous
WINNER: Land Of The Lustrous
Normally, I’m not a huge fan of CGI in anime because most of the time it’s done extremely poorly. I’m talking to you Berserk and Fate/Stay Night (2006), but Land of the Lustrous does an absolutely amazing job and every scene is beautifully polished. This is how CGI is done.
Anime Of The Year:
Nominees:
March Comes In Like A Lion 2
Made In Abyss
Land Of The Lustrous
My Hero Academia 2
Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
Little Witch Academia
My Vote: Made In Abyss
WINNER: Made In Abyss
Made In Abyss deserves the title this year. A show that didn’t have much hype swept the anime scene by storm with an amazing world that did an absolutely stunning job at showing, not telling. The music was on point and the animation was fantastic and it was all around an amazing show to get sucked into.I highly recommend it to anyone.
Any qualms with my voting or the results of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards? Let us know in the comments below!
