It’s the end of another Anime Season, which means more Anime Awards. This particular season has been a strong one in my opinion, and it’s certainly going to make this an interesting set of awards.
The shows I watched this season:
- Encouragement of Climb Season 2
- Fairy Tail (2014)
- Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works
- Girl Friend BETA
- Hi☆sCoool! SeHa Girls
- Log Horizon Season 2
- One Piece
- Psycho-Pass 2
- selector spread WIXOSS
- Shirobako
- Yuna Yuki is a Hero
Be wary of spoilers for the shows mentioned above. Now, without further ado…
Best Opening Theme
“database feat. TAKUMA (10 Feet)” by MAN WITH A MISSION
Yep, Log Horizon‘s opening theme gets this award again. It is still the same as the first season, and it is a great song.
Runners-up: “Enigmatic Feeling” by Ling Tosite Sigure (Psycho-Pass 2); “world’s end, girl’s rondo” by Kanon Wakeshima (selector spread WIXOSS)
Best Plot
Log Horizon
Whilst Shiroe is away from Akihabara attempting to solve its financial crisis, Akatsuki is defending the place from a player killer. Both Shiroe and Akatsuki grow in their respective situations, and we learn a little more about their allies too.
Runners-up: selector spread WIXOSS; Psycho-Pass 2
Best Protagonist
Yuna Yuki
She is a hero, and she will do everything in her power to protect the fellow members of the Hero Club. Even if it means clashing with her fellow Heroes, Yuna Yuki isn’t someone who gives up.
Runners-up: Akane Tsunemori (Psycho-Pass 2); Shiroe (Log Horizon)
Best Antagonist
Enheart Nelreth
A Person of the Land from Log Horizon. He repeatedly kills Adventurers, including Akatsuki. The reason for him doing this relates to the flavour text of a sword he had acquired. Akatsuki goes through some character development thanks to this threat, and the battle against him is great.
Runners-up: Berserker (Fate/stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works); Ulith (selector spread WIXOSS)
Best Cast of Characters
Hero Club
The five girls who make up the Hero Club are Yuna Yuki, Mimori Togo, Fu Inubozaki, Itsuki Inubozaki and Karin Miyoshi. The have Five Tenets, which they live by.
Runners-up: The Maidens of Watermaple (Log Horizon Season 2); MWPSB (Psycho-Pass 2)
Cutest Character
Kokona Aoba
One of Aoi’s friends in Encouragement of Climb. Admittedly, the entire cast is cute, but Kokona gets this award.
Runners-up: Fu Inubozaki (Yuna Yuki is a Hero); Tama (selector spread WIXOSS)
Most Badass Character
Mimori Togo
She may be stuck in a wheelchair, but that doesn’t stop Mimori from commanding the respect of her fellow Heroes. Her Hero and Mankai forms are pretty damn sweet, too.
Runners-up: Saber (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works); Archer (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works)
Best Couple
Yuna Yuki & Mimori Togo
These two members of the Hero Club share an incredibly close bond. Yuna suffers due to the final battle, but it could be argued that the love she feels for Mimori helps her to pull through.
Runners-up: Aoi Yukimura & Hinata Kuraue (Encouragement of Climb Season 2); Ruko Kominato & Tama (selector spread WIXOSS)
Best Battle
The Maidens of Watermaple vs. Enheart Nelreth
A Person of the Land starts murdering Adventurers, which eventually results in Akatsuki leading a counterattack on the foe. With the help of the Maidens of Watermaple, they are able to eliminate the threat.
Runners-up: Saber vs. Berserker (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works); Archer vs. Caster (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works)
Best Soundtrack
Yuna Yuki is a Hero
Songs in this anime are used incredibly effectively. Of particular note is Itsuki’s song, which plays during a particularly powerful emotional scene.
Runners-up: Log Horizon Season 2; selector spread WIXOSS
Best Finale
The Hero Club’s Cultural Festival Skit
After fighting an intense battle, the members of Hero Club had all made sacrifices. Yuna was worst off, but she recovered. The Hero Club had been planning the skit all through the series, and it was great to see them finally pull it off.
Runners-up: Catching Kamui (Psycho-Pass 2); Ruko’s wish (selector spread WIXOSS)
Best Ending Theme
“believe” by Kalafina
The ending theme for Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works.
Runners-up: “Fallen” by EGOIST (Psycho-Pass 2); “Undo: Ashita e no Kioku” by Cyua (selector spread WIXOSS)
Best Anime
Yuna Yuki is a Hero
The second seasons of Log Horizon and Psycho-Pass are great, but my favourite anime for this season is an original one. Put simply, Yuna Yuki is a Hero is brilliant.
Runners-up: Log Horizon Season 2; Psycho-Pass 2
And that’s it for 2014. As I predicted, Log Horizon Season 2 and Psycho-Pass 2 were great, but we had a brilliant surprise in the form of Yuna Yuki is a Hero.
This year has been pretty good for anime in my humble opinion, and I reckon that’s going to continue into next year and beyond as well.
Rory Muses 