(Sorry it’s a bit late!)
12. Gokukoku no Brynhildr
Bryn’s May started out meh, but got much better thanks to characters like Kazumi, the vulnerable, sympathetic face of the witches, and most recently Nanami, the first foe I truly cared about. Both brought layers of complexity missing earlier in the show.
Average Rating: 6.56 (9 of 13 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 7.56
11. Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei
After one brutally chatty episode early in the month, Mahouka hunkered down and found a better balance between exposition, analysis, and action, and the Enrollment arc finished strong. Tatsuya is being built up as a supremely talented, resourceful fellow, but his detractors remain, and a worthy rival sits on the horizon.
Average Rating: 7.22 (9 of 26 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 7.91
9. Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin
Juugo’s intellectual, semi-flirtatious duelling with Tensai remains a highlight. Making amends with Nanana and Yukihime was a nice detour from the treasure-hunting. Not quite sure yet about the new Bad Guy who’s somewhat randomly shown up to cramp everyone’s style.
Average Rating: 7.50 (8 of 11 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 7.58
9. Mekakucity Actors
Mekakucity Actors hasn’t exactly been stingy with explaining what’s going on, but there’s still quite a bit of mystery I’ve found I’ve had to fight the urge to get frustrated about and simply embrace the cool inscrutability, and enjoy the connections between the colorful, often tragic characters that populate the show.
Average Rating: 7.50 (8 of 12 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 7.68
8. Akuma no Riddle
One of the more consistent shows this May, staying true to its one-or-two-assassins-per-week formula, but staying creative with the execution, making fine use of the diverse personalities and the school setting. All the while, Tokaku and Haru continue to grow closer.
Average Rating: 7.56 (9 of 13 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 7.40
7. Hitsugi no Chaika
I’m enjoying the quartet’s travels across the richly-realized world, to what are essentially smaller, more intimate worlds, where the common theme is people finding their proper place in those worlds; for the quartet, that place is elusive. Still struggling to care about the Gillette arc.
Average Rating: 7.63 (8 of 12 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 7.36
6. Black Bullet
Tina’s a welcome new addition to the good guys, all the more interesting since she, rather than the Gastrea, had been their primary foe the last few weeks. Much of Tokyo’s populace is portrayed as undeserving of the protection cursed children and their promoters provide, realistically showing that there’s no limit to mankind’s capacity for ingratitiude.
Average Rating: 7.88
MAL Score:
5. No Game No Life
From the intro of Jibril, the most intense game of Shiritori I’ve ever seen, Sora’s realizaiton that the old king was far smarter than he initially thought, to a gutsy first confrontation with the warbeasts and a descent into another plane of existence for the next battle, NGNL is at the top of its no game right now.
Average Rating: 8.00 (8 of 12 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 8.54
4. Nisekoi
20 episodes is a strange total (which suggests bonus episodes may be on the way), but the show used them well in its home stretch, focusing on Chitoge and Kosaki, giving Raku some lovely experiences with both, then sending him and Chitoge right to the brink before they finally sort out (some of) their feelings and make up.
Second Cour Cumulative Average: 8.29
First Cour Cumulative Average: 7.39
Total Cumulative Average: 7.70
MyAnimeList Score: 8.25
3. One Week Friends
Much like Golden Time, this has been a show about a fragile connection one must make the most of while it’s still a connection, as it could snap at any moment. And never has it snapped so brutally as this last time, thanks to a boy from Kaori’s past whose mere presence and words are enough for her to dump all the progress she’s made with Yuuki, like a computer virus. Eager to see if/how the pieces are picked up.
Average Rating: 8.33 (9 of 12 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 8.03
2. Sidonia no Kishi
With a comfy lead over One Week Friends, Sidonia is the King of Summer, and with good reason: every week I look forward to being transported to the distant future, where humanity is struggling to survive in the bleak void of space aboard their giant gun barrel of a colony ship against a vicious and implacable enemy. It’s must-watch anime, and I hope it gets a second season.
Average Rating: 8.75 (8 of 12 episodes watched)
MAL Score: 7.68
1. Nagi no Asukara
The second half made what was already a complicated cat’s cradle of one-sided loves even more complex, as two little kids grew into serious, excellent characters. This was a world that was hard to say goodbye to, so full of love and hope and yearning as it was. Series MVP goes to Miuna, who won us over with a magnificent, sprawling arc.
Second Cour Cumulative Average: 9.23
First Cour Cumulative Average: 7.69
Total Cumulative Average: 8.46
MyAnimeList Score: 8.52
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