Anime Updates Continued Some More:

The first necessary update is some updated rankings:

1. Clannad (2007-2009)
2. Pretty Cure (2004-2012+)
3. One Piece (1999-2012+)
4. Code Geass (2006-2009+)
5. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (2004-2010+)
6. Seikai no Monshou/Senki/Danshou (1999-2005)
7. Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (2006-2012)
8. K-On! (2009-2011)
9. Kanon (2002-2007)
10. Fairy Tail (2009-2012+)
11. Naruto (2002-2012+)
12. Dragonball (1986-2011)
13. Haruhi Suzumiya (2006-2010)
14. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007-2009)
15. To Aru Majutsu no Index/Kagaku no Railgun (2008-2011+)
16. Angel Beats (2010)
17. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011+)
18. Da Capo (2003-2011)
19. Katanagatari (2010)
20. The Idolm@ster (2011)
21. Vandread (2000-2001)
22. Full Metal Panic! (2002-2006)
23. Kobato (2009-2010+)
24. Working! (2010-2012+)
25. Bakuman (2010-2012+)
26. Record of Lodoss War (1990-1998)
27. The World God Only Knows (2010-2011)
28. Hayate no Gotoku (2007-2012+)
29. Sora no Woto (2010)
30. Toradora! (2008-2011)
31. Evangelion (1995-2009+)
32. Basilisk (2005)
33. Galaxy Angel (2001-2006)
34. Saki (2009+)
35. Major (2004-2011+)
36. Prince of Tennis (2001-2012+)
37. Inuyasha (2000-2010)
38. Ranma 1/2 (1989-1996)
39. Sailor Moon (1992-1997)
40. Air (2005)
41. Hanasaku Iroha (2011+)
42. Usagi Drop (2011-2012)
43. Angelic Layer (2001)
44. Rurouni Kenshin (1996-2011+)
45. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
46. Ef (2007-2008)
47. Ore no Immouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (2010-2011)
48. Uuchuu no Stellvia (2003)
49. Utawarerumono (2006-2010)
50. Summer Wars (2009)
51. Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu (2010-2011)
52. Cowboy Bebop (1998-2001)
53. Samurai Champloo (2004-2005)
54. Battle Athletes (1997-1998)
55. Bleach (2004-2012+)
56. Amagami SS (2010-2012+)
57. Macross (1982-2011)
58. Bakemonogatari (2009-2012+)
59. 12 Kingdoms (2002-2003)
60. Mononoke Hime (1997)
61. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (2011)
62. Berserk (1997-2012+)
63. Claymore (2007)
64. Valkyria Chronicles (2009-2011)
65. Negima! Magister Magi Negi (2004-2012)
66. Sora no Otoshimono (2009-2012+)
67. Shakugan no Shana (2005-2012+)
68. Card Captor Sakura (1998-2000)
69. Nichijou (2011-2012+)
70. Strike Witches (2007-2010+)
71. Hunter x Hunter (1999-2012+)
72. Gundam (1979-2012+)
73. Fate/Stay/Zero (2006-2011+)
74. Martian Successor Nadesico (1996-1998)
75. Read or Die (2001-2004)
76. Break Blade (2010-2011)
77. Kimi ni Todoke (2009-2011)
78. Spice and Wolf (2008-2009)
79. To Heart (1999-2012+)
80. Bastard! (1992)
81. Mahoromatic (2001-2009)
82. Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka (2008-2009)
83. Fatal Fury (1992-1994)
84. Lucky Star (2007-2008)
85. Azumanga Daioh (2002)
86. Alien Nine (2001-2002)
87. Iria: Zeiram the Animation (1994)
88. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
89. Guyver (1986-2006)
90. Spirited Away (2001)
91. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
92. Scrapped Princess (2003)
93. Steins;Gate (2011-2012+)
94. Gunbuster (1988-2012)
95. Shamanic Princess (1996-1998)
96. Boku ha Tomodachi ga Sukunai (2011)
97. Akira (1988)
98. Moshidora (2011)
99. Soul Eater (2008-2009)
100. High School of the Dead (2010-2011)
101. Flame of Recca (1997-1998)
102. Hikaru no Go (2001-2004)
103. Kanokon (2008-2009)
104. Ninja Scroll (1993-2003+)
105. Tamayura (2010-2011)
106. Shinryaku! Ika Musume (2010-2011)
107. Zero no Tsukaima (2006-2012+)
108. Sora no Manimani (2009)
109. Ghost in the Shell (1995-2011)
110. Gosick (2011)


Due to Zero no Louise being so bad, and Nisemonogatari being so good, I had to shuffle my rankings around a bit. As a result, this more modern outlook is much more satisfying than my old, obsolete version.

35 of the top 110 series have promised to continue with more specials, episodes, movies, or something in the coming months and years ahead. This list, therefore, is very much alive. It's strange that so many series can be so good without even having an ending, but that's anime for you. It almost never lasts until the end of its source material, or if it does, it's a journey across several decades to do so. Perhaps people in Japan are just extremely patient. In any case, even part of a Japanese story is better than an entire western tale, which universally suck.

Coming out in blu-ray or dvd soon:

The Sora no Otoshimono movie, Negima movie, and Hayate movie.

Kobato. Saki. Baka to Test season 2. Idolm@ster. Steins;Gate. Nichijou. Working season 2. Gunbuster. Hanasaku Iroha. To Heart OAV. Major OAV.

Released but awaiting fansubbing:

Yes Pretty Cure 5, Yes Pretty Cure 5 Go Go!, Fresh Pretty Cure, Major OAV.

Stuff that non-Japanese won't get to see for a long time yet:

K-on movie. Evangelion movie. Strike Witches movie. Index movie. Berserk movies. Kenshin Kyoto movies. Madoka movies. Bakemonogatari movie (Kizumonogatari). Nanoha A's movie.

So if you want to enjoy the top 110 anime, you're going to find a lot of disheartening holdups. A lot of those + signs are beyond the reach of people who don't A) live in Japan and B) know Japanese. But some + signs are within reach. Many series are currently airing and being subbed immediately that people should be watching:

Smile Precure, Nisemonogatari, Shakugan no Shana, Bleach, Naruto, Fairy Tail, One Piece, Hunter x Hunter, Prince of Tennis, Amagami SS, and Bakuman come to mind.

That's right, tons of high-ranking anime series are coming out as we speak and being subbed immediately for world viewing pleasure. It's looking a gift horse in the mouth to not be taking advantage of these opportunities.

And in the spring, we get a Saki tv series and a Fate/Zero tv series, so the + signs will keep on giving. Even though there's tons of anime series I've never seen that are highly regarded, I can never get to them, because even keeping up with what is released among my current favorites presents an engrossing problem. Maybe if Japan would stop releasing awesome anime seasons back-to-back for the last four years, I could finally catch up on these 'old greats' I keep hearing about. But so long as every year in anime is better than the last, that's just not going to happen!

Speaking of continuous improvement, does anyone realize how sick Saimoe 2012 is going to be?

Returning champions will include Toradora, K-on, and Higurashi. Runners-up will include Saki, Hayate, Strike Witches, Negima, Shakugan no Shana. . . and then there's new series like the girls from Idolm@ster who will be contending, plus any cute girls from the coming Spring lineup. . . It's the most celebrity-packed Saimoe contest ever. Just to qualify for the tournament you'll have to climb over a mountain of cute anime girl corpses that previously made it deep into the finals. Can anyone predict what will happen? Will computers simply explode due to moe overload on a single screen when the brackets are determined? I can't wait for the contest to begin. Saimoe contests are as close as the community gets to an 'oscars night,' where we celebrate the year that was. It's a shame LA doesn't recognize how great anime is, but that doesn't stop us from celebrating it in our own grand way.