With the year coming to an end, you’ll probably find a lot of people looking back at various things that have happened throughout 2014. I, too, will be doing just that. The particular topic I shall be focusing on is anime, though I’m sure that the title of this post already gave that away.
I will choose my top ten anime that aired in 2014. Anything that aired in Autumn 2013 and continued through into Winter 2014 will be up for consideration, as it had new episodes airing during this year.
Also, anything that had multiple seasons air during the year will be counted as a single entity.
Without any further ado, let’s take a look at my personal top 10.
10: Hanayamata
Quite a strong showing for slice-of-life anime this year, and first is one that focused on yosakoi dancing. The interaction between Naru and her fellow yosakoi club members is fun to watch.
9: Locodol
Nanako and Yukari become local idols (locodols for short) of Nagarekawa. Watching their relationship develop is great, and it is fun to see their group expand as the series goes on.
8: Sabagebu!
The funniest series on my list. Momoka is a brilliant protagonist, as the only she cares about is herself. Also, this anime does not take itself seriously, which adds to the humour.
7: selector infected WIXOSS & selector spread WIXOSS
Going from silly to serious, we have a dark anime featuring card games. This is a great series to watch, and watching Ruko and her friends overcome various challenges is a compelling watch. The first season presents plenty of questions, whilst the second one provides answers.
6: Sakura Trick
I’m a fan of yuri anime, and Sakura Trick is my favourite (Yuri Kuma Arashi could threaten that, though…). There’s none of this ‘will they, won’t they?’ rubbish. Yuu and Haruka love each other, and that’s clear. Also, there are plenty of funny moments in amongst the yuri kisses.
5: Soul Eater Not!
A spin-off of Soul Eater, focusing on the weapon Tsugumi Harudori adjusting to life at the Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA). For the most part, this is slice-of-life, but the Soul Eater vibe runs through its veins, particular as it reaches the climax.
4: Riddle Story of Devil
Another yuri anime, but this time with more action. Tokaku swears to protect Haru from a class of assassins, and the two develop a relationship. There are relationships between the other assassins too, all of which are female. Watching Tokaku and Haru fight against their foes is enjoyable, and I liked the ending.
3: Log Horizon
Players find themselves trapped in a game world – sounds familiar, right? However, Log Horizon takes game mechanics and uses them to build the world that the players are trapped in. Log Horizon is incredible, and the titular guild are a great mix of characters.
2: Yuna Yuki is a Hero
This is the best surprise of 2014, easily. It starts off looking like a simple slice-of-life series about a Hero Club, and then escalates into a brilliant magical girl anime. The Hero Club discover that there are consequences for becoming a Hero and using a super-power form called Mankai, but they still fight on in order to protect everyone.
1: Kill la Kill
The second half of Kill la Kill aired at the beginning of this year, and that’s where everything escalated. Things were over-the-top to begin with, but the revenge plot gave way to something bigger. Also, Mako is still one of the best characters in any anime.
I struggled with this list, since I feel that everything that is here was an incredible watch. I could spend a long time shifting things around, but ultimately this is the list I shall post.
2014 has been an incredible year for anime, and I look forward to seeing what 2015 will bring.
Rory Muses 