Anime fandom is full of lists.
The most popular, the hottest, the best dressed, the best food girl.
Reading those lists is good, but who decided who is on the shortlist? And surely there is always somebody who you thought deserved to be entered, but was ignored at the cost of a really popular character who doesn’t really fit.
How best to solve the problem than with a civilised argument. Or even a debate.
Before we get to this week’s subject here are the top five from last week’s poll. For the full results, see the voting thread.
Episode One – The Most Adorable Character
1. Ushio Okazaki (Clannad After Story)
2. Yumi Fukuzawa (Maria Watches Over Us), Rin Kaga (Usagi Drop)
4. Renge Miyauchi (Non Non Biyori), Yuno (Hidamari Sketch)
Episode Two- The Most Obnoxious Episode
Obnoxious (Adjective) – objectionable or offensive
When watching anime, there are those episodes you will go back and watch again and again, and sometimes there are great episodes that leave an impression, that for various reasons you don’t want to go back and rewatch. Other than those rarest of episodes, there are hundreds of normal episodes that nobody would claim to be their favourite, but don’t really leave an impression – quick to watch, and even faster to forget. But what about those episodes that leave a negative impression. Be it out of place, annoying, or truly nasty, we want to know about those episodes you really don’t like.
Be warned, there WILL be spoilers in this week’s contest, but please be mindful of others when you post your suggestions. Make it clear what series you’re refering to, and the episode number before making your argument.
Below are the eleven episodes that I’m seeding in to the debate this week, with a little bit of an opening statement about each, and why they are just so obnoxious. As ever, feel free to add your own, or disagree.
Remember, be civil. Disagreeing is fine, but try to include more than just that. Likewise, if someone disagrees, don’t be offended. Come back with a counter-argument!
Na-Geanna (Episode 14 – Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful)
Anybody who has seen Mahoromatic will know why this particular episode is here. Mahoromatic has been a lighthearted romantic comedy with the inevitable sad conclusion, with the action elements adding to the overall show. It’s a really fun anime to watch… and then they decide to ignore the previous twenty-five episodes and do a jump to an unfitting final episode conclusion. 
That Mysterious World / That Guardian of Aqua (Episode 22 – Aria the Natural)
Whenever somebody talks about Aria, there’s almost never a negative word spoken – other than saying how they wish it didn’t end, but there’s one episode that always raises a few eyebrows compared to those around it. Often referred to as “THAT”episode, it’s an episode that focusses on the antics of the most unique member of the Aria cast, the President himself. What really makes this episode stand out is the tonal shift compared to other episodes. Most episodes feature Akari or another of the girls finding something beautiful, unique, or otherwise memorable in the world. This episode has President Aria goofing around as a super hero, and finding a portal to a gender-bent universe..
Geass Hunt (Episode 14 – Code Geass R:2)
This one could have been both episodes 13 and 14, but the reason for it being nominated isn’t so much what happened, but rather Lelouch’s reaction to it. We are of course talking about Shirley’s Death, and how when he learned about it, how he shrugged it off as if it didn’t mean anything.
The End of the World (Episode 14 – Sword Art Online)
The conclusion to the Aincrad arc got nominated for two reasons. The first reason is Kayaba’s reason… He decided to trap ten thousand people, risk their lives in a death game, all because he wanted to build a flying castle. That is something to do in Minecraft, not with people’s lives. The second reason is cheat-mode Kirito. He shouldn’t have survived, but he used the almighty power of MAIN CHARACTER to cheat his way out of the game. Likewise, Asuna died. Her brain should have fried, but instead she was miraculously saved.
Endless Eight (Episode 3 – The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009)
If we didn’t nominate this episode, somebody would have. Quite possibly the most infamous episode of recent years. This is the second version of the episode.
Endless Eight (Episode 8 – The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009)
If we didn’t nominate this episode, somebody would have. Quite possibly the most infamous episode of recent years. This is the seventh version of the episode.
I Can’t Confess to Her (Episode 14 – Oreimo 2)
Otherwise known as “The episode where the shit hit the fanboy”. This is the episode where Kyousuke decided that he didn’t really want to date any of the interesting girls fawning over him. Instead he decided that he really wants to marry his sister.
We’ve Come to Find It (Episode 12 – Cat Planet Cuties)
This episode was nominated as Kio, who had previously shown himself to be a pretty normal guy, suddenly turns all heroic and saves the day without any real sweat being needed. “Catboy Stu”, indeed.
Night of the Chimera’s Cry (Episode 7 – Fullmetal Alchemist)
Being evil for the sake of being evil. Nobody wins when that happens. I guess the whole reason for the Chimera storyline was to expain that alchemists are bad, and science can be ugly – but did they really have to show it like this? There were many other ways of showing this without picking on a character who would have better been suited for last week’s poll.
Nadeko Medusa, Part One (Episode 12 – Monogatari Second Season)
Nadeko is probably our least favourite girl from Monogatari, she’s fanservice ahead of substance. She’s so very sad because she lusts after her beloved crush Koyomi, and in this episode she lets us know just how sad she is, by whinging about her poor life for twenty minutes straight. First World Problems anybody?
Triumph and Escape (Episode 7 – Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya)
The last seeded episode is one that stretches fanbase to it’s breaking point. Prisma Illya is a semi-parody of the magical girl spinoff shows, but one that takes itself seriously when it need to, but it’s hard to take it seriously when one episode’s plot revolves around two ten year olds being found in ever-increasing levels of dubious positions involving a maid outfit and a bed. There’s catering for the fanbase, and then there’s catering for the doujinshi base.
