Every week, the Fandom Post community suggests and votes on a new Top 5 list about something in anime, most often from the current season. It’s our way of highlighting something fun or interesting or strange—or even meaningful—about what’s airing now, or about anime in general.
Christmas in Japan dates back to missionaries in the 16th century, but for the mostly secular, romantic, Christmas-cake and KFC-fueled tradition it is now, most of its (commercial) trappings date from the early and mid 20th century, and have only become more popular as time goes on. No surprise it’s been a theme at this time of the year in manga and anime for decades. In that gesture of giving of so many Christmas-themed anime episodes and movies to enjoy over the years, we offer a larger than usual bounty of selections on this Special Christmas Edition of the FaPo ALPro. (Actually, the “special” part may only be that it’s Christmas Eve.)
Instead of five we have twenty Favorite Christmas Episodes (and Movies!), but in two parts: our new list, from 2015, and in the Ghost-of-Christmas-Past tradition, a list courtesy of a previous era of this site’s staff, from 2008, which we’re republishing for the first time (see Page 2). In a certain Christmas miracle, both lists manage to have only one title in common—number eight seven years ago, and our consensus favorite this year, Azumanga Daioh, episode 17: “Osaka’s Scary Story/Feeling Different/December/Incredible Santa/Christmas Meeting.” (The Christmas Challenge may be trying to find two lists of Christmas episodes the same anywhere on the Internet, to be honest.)
Since we’ll count that one on the older list, we added a bonus title to our new one, to round out 20 distinct ways to enjoy Christmas anime—at Christmas. So grab your KFC and a slice of cake, and enjoy.
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#11: Love Hina Christmas Special
What’s Christmas Eve without love confessions? Keitaro, inspired by a legend of such wishes coming true on this first Christmas Eve of the millennium, prepares to confess to Naru. Naru has a gift for someone, maybe Keitaro, maybe not. Being Love Hina—though being an anime original with a more self-contained story—confusion, misunderstanding, and inevitable heartwarming moments ensue.
#10: The Irresponsible Captain Tylor OVA, ep. 5: “White Christmas”
Tylor promises to meet Yuriko on Christmas Eve but gets waylaid by a bomb threat, the lonely kid who sent it, and an outdoors Christmas Eve drinking party with some old guys, among other distractions. By this point in the story Tylor and Yuriko are closer than ever, and the romantic date-night angle (or the attempt thereof) for Japanese Christmas Eve is ideal. (Though would you have waited 5 hours for him to show up?) While in the background Lt. Yamamoto and the Marines go on a bender…
#9: Tenchi Muyō!: Midsummer’s Eve
Also known as The Daughter of Darkness, the second Tenchi Muyo movie is non-canon, and for being Christmas-themed, spends much of its time, as the title suggests, in the middle of the year. But it begins at Christmas, with the gang celebrating, when a demon named Yuzuha conspires to create a girl, Mayuka, to take revenge for an ancient slight. And after the Tenchi Muyo powers of teamwork, trust, and love to conquer and convert hybrid demon-Jurairian-humans, it ends at the next Christmas, the family intact and grown.
#8: The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
Coming to the end of the year, Kyon finds himself in a new world, Haruhi missing, Yuki a real girl and a wee bit nervous around him all of a sudden, and other irregularities. It’s Christmas season, so to speak, but as with the Tenchi Muyo movie, the day and theme itself is more a gift of an end-cap to the surreal, heart-rending, and even violent adventures of Kyon getting everything back to the (still bizarre) way it was. Mikuru in a Santa suit may also have something to do with it.
#7: K-On!, ep. 7: “Christmas”
Ritsu wants a Christmas party at Mugi’s house, Mugi insists that has to be reserved well in advance during this season. Mean time, Yui’s sister, Ui, is dreaming of snow on Christmas, of a sort, and helps organize things at their house. Besides the band Nodoka also gets an invite; Sawako-chan does not, but she crashes anyway, and why not. Gift and party supplies buying, a talent show, gift swapping—and that White Christmas—plus a group New Year’s shrine visit for an epilogue, make for a pretty perfect episode of K-On at Christmas.
#6: Is the Order a Rabbit?, ep. 11: “The Girl Dons a Red Coat and Drives a Team of Rabbits Across the Christmas Eve Night Sky”
Christmas time in the town somewhere in Japan that already looks like a fairy tale: just add snow and a Christmas market and it’s ready for a party. After work, at least. Cocoa, Chino, and Rize are still in the weeds at Rabbit House (for once) when their friends Syaro and Chiya, plus Chino’s schoolmates, Maya and Megumi, show up for the festivities. So they all help out, of course. Cocoa later gets to play Santa with Chino, lest the cute is forgotten under the usual ultra-quirkiness. But Syaro almost steals the show, the poor hardworking girl dreaming of finally not spending Christmas alone—or working for that matter. Poor Syaro.
#5: The Big O, ep. 11: “Daemonseed”
As with most thing in The Big O, its “Christmas” episode is slightly askew—this is Heaven’s Day, a suspicious yuletide holiday the city celebrates as the anniversary of its founding, lost in the forgotten memories of 40 years ago. It’s also R. Dorothy Wainwright’s birthday. An old man dressed in a Santa suit, forgotten memories for this time of year dancing in his head, sets in motion what seems a new threat for Roger Smith and Big O. While, for the romantic side, a poor sax player named Oliver gets caught in the middle, trying only to make his blind girlfriend happy on Heaven’s Day.
#4: Ranma 1/2 OVA, ep. 2: “Tendo Family Christmas Scramble”
Oldest Tendo sister, Kasumi, has a Christmas-themed dream and so is inspired to organize the Ranma 1/2 party of parties, with most of the story’s characters showing up at one point or another. In the midst of all the expected hi-jinks, and the nice but fleeting moments of tenderness between Ranma and Akane (and her poor scarf she made for him), the highlight for fans for years is, of course, the singing scene with Nabiki, Kasumi, Akane, Ranma, and Shampoo welcoming everyone to the party.
#3: Chrono Crusade, ep. 12: “Holy Night”
There’s a lead on Chrono’s brother, but this is Christmas. So Rosette, Chrono, and Azmaria are engaged in Christmas-time charity work, instead. Young Azmaria, however, has never really had a Christmas before. And in the “thought that counts” theme of these stories, learns the happiness of giving, and just spending the holiday with people who care for her.
#2: Toradora, ep. 19: “Christmas Eve Party”
The crisscrossing relationship melodrama of Toradora runs on unabated in its Christmas episode. There’s a party, but Minori won’t come, and Taiga, after memorably singing a special song with Aimi, heads home early. Ryuji, still dressed in his Santa bear suit, wants to cheer her up, and drops in to her place. Shock, laughter, pleading, much crying, and a seeming rejection later, Ryuji and Taiga end Christmas still in a holding pattern…
#1: Azumanga Daioh, ep. 17: “Osaka’s Scary Story/Feeling Different/December/Incredible Santa/Christmas Meeting”
As usual from the AzuDai crew, asking and trying to answer questions about Christmas is the primary concern. Does Chiyo believe in Santa Claus more than Sakaki believes in Chiyo-Dad Claus? Who knows less bout reindeer, Tomo or Kagura? It doesn’t matter as much as the six of them getting together Christmas Eve for karaoke, of course. This is Azumanga Daioh, odd and heartwarming at the same time.
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For Christmas Past, please see the next page…
