As always thanks to everyone who voted in the year-end poll! While your #1 series and mine were different, I can’t really take issue with your votes – I had Boku no Hero Academia #2 myself after all. 3 of my top 5 and 6 of my top 10 (and 8 of 12) overlapped with yours, which is historically pretty close to average. The top shows which ended up on your list but not mine were Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho and Sangatsu no Lion – neither unexpectedly, though frankly I was expecting 3-Gatsu to finish even higher.
One thing that really leaps out at me here is that the votes are far more evenly distributed this year than last: in 2017 the top two series easily made double-digits but this time, no series eclipsed 6.98% (BnHA in winning the 2018 poll actually got a lower percentage of votes than it did in placing 3rd in 2017). Obviously that’s the sort of data that lends itself to interpretation, but my instant hot take is that is supports the idea that 2018 was a weak year at the top – a year without any clear masterpieces that separated themselves from the field. This is circumstantially corroborated by the fact that roughly the same thing happened in the RC poll – also won by BnHA at under 7% – though that’s about all they have in common (and I’ve never been prouder than I am that Goblin Slayer finished top-5 there and was in single-digits for total votes here).
| Votes | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Boku no Hero Academia Season 3 | 61 | 6.98% |
| Golden Kamuy (1st and 2nd Seasons) | 53 | 6.06% |
| Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho | 45 | 5.15% |
| Hinamatsuri | 44 | 5.03% |
| Koi wa Ameagari no You ni | 41 | 4.69% |
| Megalo Box | 38 | 4.35% |
| SSSS.Gridman | 36 | 4.12% |
| 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season | 35 | 4% |
| DEVILMAN crybaby | 29 | 3.32% |
| High Score Girl | 29 | 3.32% |
| Mahoutsukai no Yome | 29 | 3.32% |
| Planet With | 22 | 2.52% |
| Yagate Kimi ni Naru | 21 | 2.40% |
| Yuru Camp△ | 20 | 2.29% |
| Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai | 18 | 2.06% |
| Zombieland Saga | 18 | 2.06% |
| Lupin III PART5 | 16 | 1.83% |
| Kokkoku | 13 | 1.49% |
| Thunderbolt Fantasy 2 | 13 | 1.49% |
| Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu -Die Neue These- Kaikou | 12 | 1.37% |
| Violet Evergarden | 12 | 1.37% |
| BANANA FISH | 11 | 1.26% |
| Double Decker! Doug & Kirill | 11 | 1.26% |
| Hisone to Maso-tan | 11 | 1.26% |
| Asobi Asobase | 9 | 1.03% |
| Major 2nd | 9 | 1.03% |
| Mo Dao Zu Shi | 9 | 1.03% |
| Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii | 9 | 1.03% |
| Goblin Slayer | 8 | 0.92% |
| Miira no Kaikata | 8 | 0.92% |
| Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight | 8 | 0.92% |
| Steins;Gate 0 | 8 | 0.92% |
| Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro | 7 | 0.80% |
| Gakuen Babysitters | 7 | 0.80% |
| Hataraku Saibou | 7 | 0.80% |
| Castlevania Season 2 | 6 | 0.69% |
| Gintama.: Shirogane no Tamashii-hen (and Kouhan-sen) | 6 | 0.69% |
| Hoozuki no Reitetsu 2nd Season (and Sono Ni) | 6 | 0.69% |
| Tsurune: Kazemai Koukou Kyuudou-bu | 6 | 0.69% |
| Gurazeni | 5 | 0.57% |
| Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san | 5 | 0.57% |
| Piano no Mori | 5 | 0.57% |
| Saiki Kusuo no Ψ Nan 2 | 5 | 0.57% |
| Yowamushi Pedal GLORY LINE | 5 | 0.57% |
| Emiya-san Chi no Kyou no Gohan | 4 | 0.46% |
| Hanebado! | 4 | 0.46% |
| Tada-kun wa Koi wo Shinai | 4 | 0.46% |
| Amanchu! ~Advance~ | 3 | 0.34% |
| Darling in the Franxx | 3 | 0.34% |
| Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory | 3 | 0.34% |
| Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens | 3 | 0.34% |
| Hakumei to Mikochi | 3 | 0.34% |
| Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu | 3 | 0.34% |
| Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi | 3 | 0.34% |
| Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes | 3 | 0.34% |
| Overlord (II and III) | 3 | 0.34% |
| Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara | 3 | 0.34% |
| Sirius the Jaeger | 3 | 0.34% |
| Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online | 3 | 0.34% |
| B: The Beginning | 2 | 0.23% |
| Butlers ~Chitose Momotose Monogatari~ | 2 | 0.23% |
| Comic Girls | 2 | 0.23% |
| Garo: Vanishing Line | 2 | 0.23% |
| IDOLiSH7 | 2 | 0.23% |
| Itou Junji: Collection | 2 | 0.23% |
| Jikkenhin Kazoku -Creatures Family Days- | 2 | 0.23% |
| Merc Storia: Mukiryoku Shounen to Bin no Naka no Shoujo | 2 | 0.23% |
| Nanatsu no Taizai: Imashime no Fukkatsu | 2 | 0.23% |
| Sunohara-sou no Kanrinin-san | 2 | 0.23% |
| Yama no Susume: Third Season | 2 | 0.23% |
| 3D Kanojo Real Girl | 1 | 0.11% |
| Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki | 1 | 0.11% |
| Back Street Girls | 1 | 0.11% |
| BanG Dream! Garupa☆Pico | 1 | 0.11% |
| Basilisk ~Ouka Ninpouchou~ | 1 | 0.11% |
| Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen | 1 | 0.11% |
| Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa | 1 | 0.11% |
| Grancrest Senki | 1 | 0.11% |
| Grand Blue | 1 | 0.11% |
| Hatshiri Tsuzukete Yokattatte | 1 | 0.11% |
| Himote House | 1 | 0.11% |
| Irozuku Sekai no Ashita kara | 1 | 0.11% |
| Kitsune no Koe | 1 | 0.11% |
| Last Period: Owarinaki Rasen no Monogatari | 1 | 0.11% |
| Mahou Shoujo Ore | 1 | 0.11% |
| Mahou Shoujo Site | 1 | 0.11% |
| Märchen Mädchen | 1 | 0.11% |
| Mitsuboshi Colors | 1 | 0.11% |
| Nobunaga no Shinobi: Anegawa Ishiyama-hen | 1 | 0.11% |
| Osomatsu-san 2 | 1 | 0.11% |
| Persona 5 The Animation | 1 | 0.11% |
| Pop Team Epic | 1 | 0.11% |
| Rokuhoudou Yotsuiro Biyori | 1 | 0.11% |
| Sora to Umi no Aida | 1 | 0.11% |
| To Be Heroine (To Be Hero 2 or Tu Bian Ying Xiong Leaf) | 1 | 0.11% |
| Uchi no Maid ga Uzasugiru! | 1 | 0.11% |
| Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Yuusha no Shou | 1 | 0.11% |
| Zoku Touken Ranbu -Hanamaru- | 1 | 0.11% |
| Aguu -Tensai Ningyou- | 0 | 0% |
| A.I.C.O. Incarnation | 0 | 0% |
| Akanesasu Shoujo | 0 | 0% |
| Akkun to Kanojo | 0 | 0% |
| Alice or Alice: Siscon Niisan to Futago no Imouto | 0 | 0% |
| Ani ni Tsukeru Kusuri wa Nai! 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Anima Yell! | 0 | 0% |
| Baki | 0 | 0% |
| Bakumatsu | 0 | 0% |
| Beatless and Beatless: Final Stage | 0 | 0% |
| Beelzebub-jou no Okinimesu mama. | 0 | 0% |
| Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu HAPPY KISS | 0 | 0% |
| Caligula | 0 | 0% |
| Cinderella Girls Gekijou 3rd Season | 0 | 0% |
| citrus | 0 | 0% |
| ClassicaLoid 2nd Season | 0 | 0% |
| Conception | 0 | 0% |
| Cutie Honey Universe | 0 | 0% |
| Dagashi Kashi 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu | 0 | 0% |
| Dame × Prince ANIME CARAVAN | 0 | 0% |
| Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku | 0 | 0% |
| Devidol | 0 | 0% |
| Devil’s Line | 0 | 0% |
| Dorei-ku The Animation | 0 | 0% |
| Fate/Extra: Last Encore (and Irusterias Tendouron) | 0 | 0% |
| FLCL Progressive (and Alternative) | 0 | 0% |
| Free! Dive to the Future | 0 | 0% |
| Fumikiri Jikan | 0 | 0% |
| Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san | 0 | 0% |
| Gakuen Basara | 0 | 0% |
| Gin no Guardian 2nd Season | 0 | 0% |
| Gundam Build Divers | 0 | 0% |
| Hakyuu Houshin Engi | 0 | 0% |
| Han-Gyaku-sei Million Arthur | 0 | 0% |
| Happy Sugar Life | 0 | 0% |
| Harukana Receive | 0 | 0% |
| Hataraku Onii-san! (and No 2!) | 0 | 0% |
| High School DxD HERO | 0 | 0% |
| Hyakuren no Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria | 0 | 0% |
| Inazuma Eleven Ares no Tenbin | 0 | 0% |
| Ingress the Animation | 0 | 0% |
| ISLAND | 0 | 0% |
| Jashin-chan Dropkick | 0 | 0% |
| Jingai-san no Yome | 0 | 0% |
| Juushinki Pandora | 0 | 0% |
| Ken En Ken: Aoki Kagayaki | 0 | 0% |
| Killing Bites | 0 | 0% |
| Kirakira☆Precure a la Mode | 0 | 0% |
| Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet | 0 | 0% |
| Lord of Vermilion: Guren no Ou | 0 | 0% |
| Lost Song | 0 | 0% |
| Lostorage conflated WIXOSS | 0 | 0% |
| Muhyo to Roujii no Mahouritsu Soudan Jimusho | 0 | 0% |
| Nil Admirari no Tenbin | 0 | 0% |
| Okojo to Yamane | 0 | 0% |
| Okoshiyasu, Chitose-chan | 0 | 0% |
| Omae wa Mada Gunma wo Shiranai | 0 | 0% |
| One Room 2nd Season | 0 | 0% |
| Ongaku Shoujo (TV) | 0 | 0% |
| Ore ga Suki nano wa Imouto dakedo Imouto ja Nai | 0 | 0% |
| Phantom in the Twilight | 0 | 0% |
| Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san | 0 | 0% |
| Release the Spyce | 0 | 0% |
| RErideD: Tokigoe no Derrida | 0 | 0% |
| Ryuuou no Oshigoto! | 0 | 0% |
| Sanrio Danshi | 0 | 0% |
| Saredo Tsumibito wa Ryuu to Odoru | 0 | 0% |
| Satsuriku no Tenshi | 0 | 0% |
| Senjuushi | 0 | 0% |
| Senran Kagura: Shinovi Master – Tokyo Youma-he | 0 | 0% |
| Shichisei no Subaru | 0 | 0% |
| Shinya! Tensai Bakabon | 0 | 0% |
| Slow Start | 0 | 0% |
| Sono Toki, Kanojo wa. | 0 | 0% |
| Souten no Ken REGENESIS (and 2nd Season) | 0 | 0% |
| Space Bug | 0 | 0% |
| Tachibana-kan To Lie Angle | 0 | 0% |
| Takunomi. | 0 | 0% |
| The Idolm@ster SideM Wake Atte Mini! | 0 | 0% |
| Toji no Miko | 0 | 0% |
| Tokyo Ghoul:re (and 2nd Season) | 0 | 0% |
| Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san | 0 | 0% |
| Tsukumogami Kashimasu | 0 | 0% |
| Uchuu Senkan Tiramisu (and II) | 0 | 0% |
| Ulysses: Jeanne d’Arc to Renkin no Kishi | 0 | 0% |
| Uma Musume: Pretty Derby | 0 | 0% |
| Yami Shibai 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100 Nin no Ouji-sama | 0 | 0% |
| Yuragi-sou no Yuuna-san | 0 | 0% |
karma
January 21, 2019 at 4:55 pm“…my instant hot take is that is supports the idea that 2018 was a weak year…”
Wow, good to know that you still consider this as a “hot take”.
If you compare the reader’s top 20 and yours, you can see that only half overlaps. I guess that there was more to 2018 than meets the eye. Another strange thing is that you’re so happy about single digit result of Goblin Slayer when it has exactly the same number of votes as Miira no Kaikata (and 1 more than Gakuen Babysitters).
P.S. I respect you for popularising less hyped series (I probably wouldn’t have watched Ginga e Kickoff if not for this site), but I more and more often feel that you’re to prone to confirmacy bias. Of course when I’m confronting your opinions, I’m doing it mainly for myself, because a person stuck in such self imposed bubble writes less interesting/reliable articles (and I wouldn’t want that).
Guardian Enzo
January 21, 2019 at 6:01 pmNice selective quoting there.
First of all, I said a weak year at the top. As in, the votes were spread out across more series than being clustered around a few. And I cited the fact that the same thing happened in the RC poll as evidence.
Second, comparing Miira no Kaikata to GS seems a bizarre choice to me, especially as that show is never going to rank highly in any poll anywhere (though it did better here than RC at least). The point was the gap between how Goblin Slayer did there and here and yes, I feel good that the readers here mostly recognized it as the revolting and inane hunk of steaming rat crap it is. Every series like that which commercially succeeds kills anime a little bit.
Finally, I’m used to this tired argument that because my opinion is different from some mainstream ones, I must be the problem and anime is just fine. Fact is, if you’re happy with its creative direction anime is just fine. If someone disagrees with you that doesn’t make them wrong – it just means they have different hopes and aspirations for the medium than you do.
karma
January 23, 2019 at 3:48 pmSelective quoting doesn’t change anything (other than giving you opportunity to feel smart for a moment), because you complained about this year every so often, no matter if it was some kind of summary or just episode review. For first or second time it’s a somewhat new information, but now it’s like “We get it, get over it dude, and move on” (so excuse me for using tired arguments). It’s not that I don’t understand your reasoning. 2017 had Rakugo 2 and Made in Abyss, 2018 didn’t have them. For you it’s enough to consider 2018 bad, for me it isn’t.
Good thing that you consider comparing Miira no Kaikata to GS as bizarre. With small and rather skewed sample a conclusion “Readers like anime from G.E.’s top 10 as much as Goblin Slayer” is as absurd as “Single digit result means that readers agree with G.E., and consider Goblin Slayer inane hunk of steaming rat crap”. It’s possible that it was like that for some of them, others could see GS as 7/10 anime but also remember five 8-9/10 shows. Maybe you can see why I mentioned confirmation bias.
bennyDelon
January 21, 2019 at 6:56 pmEnzo, what’s your history with Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho? Did you watch the first few episodes and decided it wasn’t for you? Or you didn’t like the premise?
It’s being called “Anime of the Year” by a lot of people, and it was considered a Top 10 international TV show by the New York Times.
I personally loved the story, is the kind of thing we don’t see very often in anime.
Also, I don’t want to act as if a knew you, but having been a follower of your blog for years and seeing you are a person who left his country and moved abroad, one would think this kind of story would resonate with you.
Of course it’s ok if you just didn’t like it, I’m just curious why.
Guardian Enzo
January 21, 2019 at 7:24 pmYour first guess was pretty much it. I certainly didn’t hate it or anything but it just didn’t resonate with me – didn’t ring true, if you like.
Nayrael
January 22, 2019 at 1:32 amIn contrast to what you said about year 2018, several other bloggers I follow said the opposite, but which also answers the question: “2018 was one of the best Anime years in ages, especially in terms of diversity as everyone had something for themselves to enjoy.”
I agree with them myself: 2018 was an excellent year, especially for those who enjoy different tastes and styles. Which I think is why the scores are so unevenly distributed: rather than having few shows that everyone loves, it had a lot of different shows that catered to different tastes, so people voted for their own niches rather than the “The Next Big Thing”.