Renn’s 12 Moments in Anime: 10 Episodes

Warning: Hardcore spoilers for a bunch of series, more specifically Steins;Gate, Hanasaku Iroha, AnoHana, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, and Fate/Zero. Spoilers as well for every episode featured in this post.

So, here we are at the final stretch of the “12 Moments in Anime” project. One moment a day for twelve days straight, except in my case where it’s .7 posts per day for the first ten days, and two to three posts a day for the finale. Sorry, I’m late. Blame my school, which schedules exams right next to Christmas.

That said, this works out just fine because my last three posts all celebrate the same moment: realizing this was a great year for anime. It’s a special year for me because this has been my first year of blogging. I haven’t been the most consistent blogger, but it’s one of the most exciting things to happen to me this year.

So, yes, three posts. Post 10 is about episodes, post 11 is about staff, and post 12 is about characters. Then, I’ll get out a yearly review on my favorite series of the year.

So, without further ado, my most memorable ten episodes. Hit it!

10: [C] Episode 11

This was a year of rushed, trainwreck finales. Some of these finales are better than the rest of the series, so I thought a representative would be appropriate. Sacred Seven is a good example; Blood-C is another (that is, if you watched Blood-C as a comedy). My favorite of the bunch is [C]. It doesn’t answer a thing about the series (so, is this a series about debt or what?), but holy heck, it looks awesome. In an earlier post, I praised Madoka Magica’s fight scenes, but I think [C’s] finale fight is the most exhilarating of the year. Is it symbolic? Who cares? It’s a lengthy, jaw-dropping smorgasbord of styles and non-stop movement. It’s a trainwreck, but it’s awesome.

9: Ano hi Mita Hana wo Bokutachi ga Mada Shiranai 04

Two episodes into the spring season, there was a bit of competition between Hanasaku Iroha and AnoHana. The blogosphere had the expectation that one of these gorgeous, tightly-written shows would rise as the drama queen, the second coming of Honey and Clover. Well, as it turns out they both carved completely different niches. And ultimately, it was AnoHana that captured the blogosphere’s hearts (and hate, too) with its fourth episode and the revelation about Yukiatsu. It was there AnoHana proved it had all the elements of a sappy teen drama: damaged characters, and intrigue and mystery. I’m a sucker for that stuff, and, as the increased hype proved, I’m not alone.

8: Un-Go 02

The third/fourth episodes sealed the deal, but Un-Go’s second episode gave me the glimmer of hope that, no, Noitamina wasn’t dead yet. Keep in mind this aired the same time as the second episode of Guilty Crown, one of the more abominable attempts at badassery this year. The second episode of Un-Go did everything I had hoped the show would do after watching that lackluster premiere. It brought relevant social commentary to the forefront with doses of political conspiracy. The characters got a swift kick of personality, too. Best part? It only got better from there.

7: Fate/Zero 11

I’ve read the novel, so I can promise the first 13 episodes of Fate/Zero are build-up, and the payoff will come in the second half. But 13 episodes of build-up is a risk. You have to convince the viewers that it’s worth sitting through all the chatting and the exposition and those terribly directed long-distance shots. Episode 11 gave us a taste of that payoff. The first servant died against the glorious might of Rider, and it was epic. Guess what? Theoretically, all but one servant is doomed to die. There’s promise this will happen five times over. Bonus points for the meeting of the three kings. Personally thought the philosophy was bogus, but no denying it’s fun and just in time for Christmas.

6: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica 03

Of course, if we want to talk about payoff, the third episode of Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica is a prime example. Up to that point, the blogosphere watched the show with a mix of disinterest and unease. The witches were scarier than your usual mahou shoujo fare, but come on, who wants to watch a typical magical girl? Then Mami gets her head bitten off. Delicious.

5: Hanasaku Iroha 25

I can’t think of an anime with a better finale this year. Hanasaku Iroha ended up a disappointment on the whole; I didn’t really like its comedy or its focus on some of its more unlikable characters. So, coming into the finale, I was a bit worried it would again disappoint me; I was worried that the inn would stay open, and the story would end on an anti-climax. Truth be told, the finale is open-ended for the inn’s family, but for me, I got the finality I wanted and did not expect. So, please don’t do a second season, PA Works. You gave these characters (including the setting) the parting they deserved.

4: Tiger & Bunny 15

I wrote a ridiculous, fanboy post about this episode. I regret it, but I’m about to write another ridiculous, fanboy paragraph about it, anyway. This episode really moved me in a way that AnoHana, Hanasaku Iroha, or any of the contrived dramas this year never did (and I love contrived dramas). Sky High, the paradigm of the thick-headed, kind-hearted boy-next-door, falls in love with a robot, and unknowingly destroys her. It’s so sad, but is it better that he never knew? It’s a tragedy, but is it the lesser of two tragedies? So, yes, an episode that didn’t just get me to cry, but got me to think. It’s Tiger & Bunny at its most earnest and its best.

3: Mawaru Penguindrum 01

One of my favorite parts of anime blogging is reviewing the premieres. Sometimes series betray your expectations, sometimes they cater to them, and sometimes they surpass them completely. It’s great fun, and I watched over sixty first episodes this year. Hands-down, Penguindrum has the best first episode. It has everything: comedy, tragedy, fabulous max, incest, all tightly scripted and flawlessly executed in a matter of twenty-four minutes. Does the series live up to the promise of the premiere? That’s for you to decide. But what a glorious promise it offers.

2: Steins;Gate 12

Much like Madoka’s third episode, this isn’t twenty minutes of greatness. In fact, the first fifteen minutes are a tad mediocre by Steins;Gate standards. But no, the final five minutes accomplish two things: they reward twelve episodes of build-up with a drastic twist, and they kick-start the series’ exhilarating second half. Half of the second cour’s episodes could have a spot on this post. But I picked episodes 12 because it’s the turning point where Steins;Gate went from being a very good anime to being one of the anime of the year.

1: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica 10

Alright, I’m being very cliche here, but count me in with the hordes of spastic fanboys who went EPIC, LEGENDARY, FABULOUS MAX come Madoka Magica’s tenth episode. With it, all the mysteries of the series came to place, and I realized this show wasn’t just mahou shoujo death porn (though, yeah, I love that, too). This is a perfectly-paced, beautifully-executed, well-planned, and exhilarating anime. I got to see and enjoy an instant classic in the making. That’s a spectacular moment to realize.

Other episodes I loved would be Kamisama Dolls 07, Natsume Yuujinchou San 12, Star Driver 15, and One Piece 483. Other memorable episodes (but not in a good way) would have to be Guilty Crown 02, Hanasaku Iroha 03, and the endings of pretty much every anime but Hanasaku Iroha (special shout-out to No.6). That’s an exaggeration, but boy did finales suck this year.

What were your most memorable episodes this year?

Note: Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you’ve gotten lots of presents and have had a wonderful time with your family and friends. Or, if you don’t celebrate Christmas, I hope you’ve had a wonderful day anyway. As for me, I’m going to spend Christmas finishing up my twelve days in anime project because I’m late. I’m hoping to get all three out today (though I might just get two), and then my yearly review out tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Image Credit: 1, 2, Random Curiosity (All screencaps, but T&B)

/ 5 Commentsleave a comment /

• Tofu says:

  December 26, 2011

  The best episode out of all these has to be Fate Zero ep 7!!! The drinking game between the kings was exceptionally done and entertaining to watch while in awe of the art. Also to mention how fricken BAMF Rider is with that NOble Phantasm!! x3
  My recent post Guilty Crown 11

  Reply
  • Renn says:

    December 27, 2011

    Agreed. Can't wait to see him bring out his NP in the second half against some stronger foes. :D

    Reply
• trzr23 says:

  December 27, 2011

  When I read the title "10 episodes" my brain automatically expected something on Moshidora. That show doesn't get enough love.

  My favorite episodes are mostly from the same shows as yours. Stein;s Gate's episode 22 meant a huge deal to me. It was the first ending, as in if you chose Stein;s Gate's story could have ended after the ED of the episode started to roll. Or if you want the joyous happy ending, you can watch on to watch the second ending of Stein;s Gate till episode 24. I look at this like how I looked at Clannad: After Story. Up until episode [SPOILERS] 22 or so when Ushio dies, cna be considered as one ending. But if you want a happy end, watch on. That's my perspective at least. I tend to twist things in my favor when I really like an anime.

  As an episode, ep.10 of Madoka Magica presented a lot more than ep. 3 because only a single moment of episode 3 really stood out. Penguindrum had one of the best first episodes, but my top spot goes out to Fate/Zero. Yuuuup. Whoever thought of making the first episode a 45min explanation of all the concepts and building up swiftly to the War deserves a ton of credit. Sure, there was nothing but dialogue, but it needed nothing more than dialogue. From then on, things are elevated to an “epic” level. It’s like a game that puts you straight in the boss level, without all the mucking around. It was great for newcomers to the Fate franchise, such as myself.

  My recent post The TRazor's Edge: Episode 1

  Reply
  • Renn says:

    December 27, 2011

    The few episodes I saw of Moshidora didn't leave much of an impression on me, but I also watched it when I was super busy. I might check it out over the break.

    That's a good comparison, doubled by the fact that they're both VN adaptations. To be honest, I usually like happy endings. Wasn't a huge fan of Clannad After Story's ultimate ending (great series though), but I liked Steins;Gate's. Still, episode 22 is more or less the climax, I agree. If I had to pick a real episode instead of just "the turning point," that would probably be it.

    With Fate/Zero, the story and mechanics were fascinating, but I've had a tough time watching it more than once. Thought the direction was a bit drab even if it is more-or-less a perfect layout. Still, different strokes. Can't deny it was a good start to an amazing series.

    Reply
• trzr23 says:

  December 27, 2011

  When I read the title "10 episodes" my brain automatically expected something on Moshidora. That show doesn't get enough love.

  My favorite episodes are mostly from the same shows as yours. Stein;s Gate's episode 22 meant a huge deal to me. It was the first ending, as in if you chose Stein;s Gate's story could have ended after the ED of the episode started to roll. Or if you want the joyous happy ending, you can watch on to watch the second ending of Stein;s Gate till episode 24. I look at this like how I looked at Clannad: After Story. Up until episode [SPOILERS] 22 or so when Ushio dies, cna be considered as one ending. But if you want a happy end, watch on. That's my perspective at least. I tend to twist things in my favor when I really like an anime.

  As an episode, ep.10 of Madoka Magica presented a lot more than ep. 3 because only a single moment of episode 3 really stood out. Penguindrum had one of the best first episodes, but my top spot goes out to Fate/Zero. Yuuuup. Whoever thought of making the first episode a 45min explanation of all the concepts and building up swiftly to the War deserves a ton of credit. Sure, there was nothing but dialogue, but it needed nothing more than dialogue. From then on, things are elevated to an “epic” level. It’s like a game that puts you straight in the boss level, without all the mucking around. It was great for newcomers to the Fate franchise, such as myself.

  My recent post The TRazor's Edge: Episode 1

  Reply