Here we go, time for an ex-review writer to do his job lol.
1. Bakemonotagari
Bring it on ... we get the same eye candy as the "Ef" series and the snazzy art direction of the "Mahou Sensei Negima" OVAs, what do you expect from a double threat team like Akiyuki Shinobu and Shin Oonuma, classic and artistic. Bakemonotagari brings it all in: the art, the story and the architype characters with all in one badass package. We have a winner for 2009.
2. Clannad: After Story
Tomoya, Nagisa and the crew experiance the harsher side of life as they escape their high-school days and begin their lives in the new world. The struggles, the tears, the smiles all masterfully captured by the team at Kyoto-Animation and brilliant adaptation of the story from the KEY studio's Visual Novel. Deffinately the most emotionaly intense rollercoaster ride you will ever experiance through the visual medium and a brilliant adaptation of characters and the different situations depicting their bonds of trust and friendship aswell as their inner demons. The animations is smooth and solid, kyo-ani know their stuff, Jun Maeda helped along side with the music score and the writers from KEY handed over one hell of a ride. Bravo, the only reason this isn't the best show of 2009 is since it started in 2008 ... but it trumps my personal list after "Maison Ikkoku" as one of the best shows EVER.
3. Darker than Black 2
You wanted more, they gave it to you. Gritty, hard-hitting and badass as ever, DTB2 brings back what defines thriller action anime, less talk more jaw-dropping visuals and stunning sequences that make this show one of the hottest 2009 has to offer since the original.
4. K-ON
Kyoto Animation are praised for their KEY anime like AIR, KANON and CLANNAD, but they have a softer more "moe" side aswell. Bring in K-ON, the music anime about a couple of girls with outrageous personalities trying to get a school band together. Of course the attention to detail is outstanding, from the "marshall" logo on the amps in the background to the perfectly modeled Fender P-Bass that Mio uses to the Gibson Les Paul Standard and the Yamaha Drum set. The "moe" element is another forte for Kyo-Ani as proved by their earlier works that broke the internet, Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star. Stunning visuals, moe supremacy, great musical score and a laugh all around with well rounded characters even the hot-headed club-teacher. Fun! FUN! FUUUUN!
5. Higashi No Eden (Eden of the East)
Intense. Different. Great detail work. Jaw-dropping visuals and one of the best storylines ever. This show doesn't need a long article on it. Short and Sweet, one of the best 2009 has to offer by far. THE ENGLISH SPEAKING FOREIGNERS PORTRAYED ACTUALLY SOUND LIKE THEY CAN SPEAK ENGLISH! =D
6. Umeneko No Naku Koro Ni
What do you get when you take another Visual Novel like Higurashi, animate it and hire the same cast to do the job to satisfy the hungry higurashi lovers that crave the same moe-loli-goth-thriller-epicness? Umeneko. When the cicadas cry (higurashi) and when the Seagulls cry (umineko) instantly bring the otaku nut job to the sudden assosciation of both series and wet their appetites of what to expect. It's got more gore, it's got more mysteries and yes one of the characters looks like Phenoix Wright and the other has a name like "Beatrice" .... this HAS to be good. Sonozaki Shion was the epitome of awesome female villans and rose the bar for 'psycho-chick' characters, but whoa nelly Umineko has some awesome moments to make Shion whimper in the corner. Gritty, gory, epic and deliciously spine-tingling. Umineko is 2009's Higurashi.
7. Cross Game
Remember REAL anime, back in the 80's? Ranma, Maison Ikkoku, Slayers, FOTNS etc etc ... well Cross Game visualy sets you back into the 80s with the nostalgic art style and the setting of characters. Just on nostalgia alone this show overwhelms with a sense of sublteness and 'back to basics' a sports anime nonetheless which isn't generaly emotional or with lovable characters, Cross Game brings the old school emotion and story driven arcs back into play without making it to sport intensive. A great trip back to the early days of anime.
8. Natsu No Arashi
two words ..... JIN ..... KOBAYASHI! The same guy who created School Rumble, now with his latest.
9. Hatsukoi Limited
True to the manga and light hearted as always, it gives of the light love triangle setting, and is reminisant of its elder sibbling to be animated, "Ichigo 100%"
10. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 3
Never has a series continously been able to make me laugh untill my lungs jumped out of my chest cavity. Funny, witty, smart, hilarious and HIGHLY artistic. Created by the greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat Akiyuki Shinobu, SZS just friggin WINS! ZETSUBOSHTA!!!!!!!! =D
11. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
A constant reminder of the terror that lurks beneath japan every day and terrorizes the sanity of it's inhabitants, a great show ... emotionally ... visually ... and politically. One of the greatest japan-based-dramas to be realised since the amazing "Grave of the Fireflies". Amazing and truly plucks at your heart strings, how two children clueless about the quake get hit by it and have to endure surviving through the half destroyed tokyo whilst on a quest to find their home and ensure the safety of their peers and their parents. Brilliant stuff.
rest of the current shows are still airing apart from Cross Game. So it's hard to make a decision on an incomplete show.
