Ah, yes, the fall season is gone and the winter season has started. That means a brand new year in anime has started. To welcome that new year, I once again will show my favorite characters of the previous year…from Winter ’08 season to Fall ’08 season. Any character between those season is qualified to be on the list. I didn’t watched much anime this year compared to last year, but here are my favorite characters of 2008 {from anime that I did see}.
And just like last time, I’ll have some “Favorite X of 2008” awards to give out! Click on the link to jump to see the winner of that category. I changed it to “Favorite” because “Best” implies that I’ll have some deep and thought provoking things to say about the character…but I do not, I just favor them! ^_^’ Moving on…
- Favorite Loli of 2008
- Favorite Genki of 2008
- Favorite Trap of 2008
- Favorite GAR of 2008
- Favorite Villain of 2008
- Favorite Tsundere of 2008
Ah, also. Anyone featured on my previous list won’t be allowed to make it in this one. You know, to give others a chance. And I REALLY wanted Lelouch in the list again…>_> but oh well…
WARNING TL;DR POST AHEAD! ;)
10 – Wagaya no Oinari-sama – Sakura Misaki
See that face right there? THAT was the deciding factor for allowing Sakura to make the list! ^_^
Sakura is your average high school girl in love and really is more normal than everyone on that anime…at least that’s what I thought until we got to see what goes in that cute head of hers! This girls is really imaginative, she can come up with a whole drama scenario based on nothing but her own crazy thoughts, and those thoughts are what is keeping her from confessing to Noboru.
But the quality that earns her a spot in my favorites is that she is VERY expressive with that cute face of hers! Especially while off into her own little world and when forcefully brought back from it! Also, she has a bad ass “I’ll Kick your ass” face! ^_^
09 – SOUL EATER – Dr Franken Stein
Although SOUL EATER is still airing, Professor Stein is easily one of my favorites of the year. I don’t think he needs much of an introduction, he’s Dr Franken Stien, everyone should know about him {even non anime watchers} and what he does.
But the interesting thing about him that made him my favorite is how he dealing with the wave of insanity that’s affecting him. He was a character that seemed was already on the edge of insanity with treating everything and everyone as an experiment, but after the revival of Asura, his ‘insanity’ was nothing but a label made by others. Now, with insanity taking over him, he’s more on the verge of actually cutting up people and experimenting. Seeing him trying to suppress those urges and feelings and staying a way from that fine line of insanity is what makes him an interesting character and one of my favorites from SOUL EATER and 2008!!
08 – Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu – Nogizaka Mika
{It’s sad that there were no GOOD fan-art of her [that isn’t pr0n].}
The BEST side character this year. Nogizaka Mika was given the role of the cute little sister, and she played that role REALLY well! Mika wasn’t the stereotypical imouto character where all she does is fawn over her onii-san or is there for the sole of loli moe…though she used her loli charm to “move” Yuuto. Mika knew everything about Haruka’s secret and her parent’s stand, she played a big role in getting Yuuto and Haruka together. She worked behind the scenes with the helps of the maids, Hazuki and Nanami.
I didn’t finish the anime, stopped after that episode with the parents, but Nogizaka Mika will remain a favorite because she used everything given to her so well. Her loli charm was there for two purposes, to torture Yuuto and to please us, the viewers, with some loli moe! ^_^
07 – To Aru Majutsu no Index – Misaka Mikoto
KYAAA~!! SPARKY!! ^_^ Probably the only one who made the list thanks to the influence of the manga {Railgun and Index} and not the anime! ^_^’
Mikoto annoyed me a bit at first, all she did was pick fights with Touma because she lost her first fight with him. But after picking up the manga spin-off featuring her as the main character, To Aru Kagaku no Choudenjibou {A Certain Scientific Railgun}, my view on her started to change. I no longer thought of her as the prideful ojou-sama that must get her honor back, no, in fact she’s no ojou-sama at all! She’s a short tempered improper tomboy who upholds justice! And she would do anything to uphold justice, like act TOTALLY out of character!
Also, she may not look like it in the anime, or manga, but she really was always thinking of the cruel fate of the sisters. Her strong moral values even made her decide to die to save the sisters…which was OVERLY emphasized in the anime. Plus, her power is awesome!
Ah, one more thing, SHORTS MOE~♥ ^_^
06 – To Aru Majutsu no Index – Kamijou Touma
FYI, it’s the dude in the front…
Here’s another character from To Aru Majutsu no Index, Kamijou Touma. Touma may look like your average high school student, and he’s just that, except that he goes to a school of psychics in a city of psychics. That must mean he has some pretty awesome psychic power, hell, I think he’s better than Mikoto Railgun up there…but no, he’s in fact a level 0 and his only power is that his right hand can negate any supernatural thing…provided he touches it. Kinda useless and weak in the eyes of everyone else…
But the reason he made it here is because although he’s pretty “weak” and has no other ability, he has a strong sense of justice and would help anyone out who is in trouble…of course, that’s after he has NO CHOICE but to help out. If it was up to him, he would call the police or something, but his right hand of misfortune drags him into all these dangerous events.
I also like him because even though he lost his memories, he’s the still same ‘ol unfortunate Touma. Also, he can take a beating, he lost an arm {later surgically re-attached}, he survived a HUUGE surge of electricity from Mikoto, and, in a beat up state, still goes to fight Accelerator. This dude rocks!!
Side Note: RIGHT HAND will always make me laugh! ^_^’
05 – Toradora! – Kawashima Ami
The BEST character in Toradora! IMHO. While the rest of the cast stays a bit static, Ami becomes dynamic.
It’s no secret that I…or should I say EVERYONE, called Ami a b!tch, a bully, and fake. I already knew of her character from reading the light novels, but yet, the anime made that character more hateful…because you can HEAR her and SEE her doing all that stuff. I could deal with her being a b!tch, but bullying Taiga and being fake to everyone is what really grinded my gears. But even so, I thought her character was interesting. Here is a character who dares to stand up to Taiga and swoons the whole school all the while keeping tabs on everyone…like Ryuuji and Minori and Taiga and Yuusaku…she quickly grasped what was going on and uses that to her advantage.
But she made it this high up in my favorite list because of her dynamic character. Like I said, most character in Toradora! stay a bit static, Ryuuji is the same Ryuuji from the beginning, so is Taiga, Minori, Yuusaku, Ya-chan, Inko, etc etc…The one having a major character change is Ami, and it’s changing for the good of her. She still bullies Taiga, but it now seems like “You bully the person you like” kinda deal, that viciousness she had isn’t as strong as before. And her “playful” nature she had with Ryuuji is now more real than fake {which was to piss off Taiga.} Also, she’s well aware of the situation and even helps out the characters, like bringing Ryuuji back to the classroom after that Minori ordeal.
The anime is still airing, so I’m excited to see where Ami will go. Will she change even more or stay as she is now? Regardless, she’s one of my favorites of 2008!
04 – Skip Beat! – Mogami Kyouko
Different clothes/hair…same bad ass evil aura! ^_^
Ah~ Kyouko! The first time I saw her I wasn’t really impressed by her, but when her heart was shattered, I took a great deal of interest in her. I was expecting her to break down and cry and feel all emo about losing her reason of living…but no, her pandora box was opened and a new more interesting Kyouko came out!
What I like about is her that while she had her heart shattered by the person she trusted the most, she still has belief in people…one would think she would lose all her trust in people. And instead of staying depressed, she is out there having fun and fan-girling about make-up and Cinderella stories! Also, although her whole motivation is revenge, a fact she knows very well, she is starting to like being in show biz and is having fun there…that is unless Sho is there…
But the most interesting part about Kyouko is her inner dialogue and how she turns into evil Kyouko with a flick of a switch! Which in turn somehow makes her into a professional actress in the eyes of everyone else! ^_^
03 – Kurenai – Kuhouin Murasaki
The small rich ojou-sama with an attitude, and the most ADULT loli I’ve ever seen.
What sets Murasaki apart from most loli-type characters is that she is very VERY mature for her age while still being childish. I’m not talking about physical state, Usa Mimi…, I’m talking about the way she thinks and acts. Well, you can say that most of that was because of the prestige line of the Kuhouin’s and the secluded life she had.
But her herself CHOOSING to stay with the Kuhouin’s to change their ways from the inside rather than running away, is what earns her this very high rank. Even when Shinkuro risked is life to save her, she still decided to stay rather than hide in the safety of her while knight. Like I said, she’s very mature, if it was any other loli, she’ll probably chose to stay with her savior {and love}, safe from having to make any decisions.
But she is not any other loli, she is Kuhouin Murasaki. And she’s one of my favorites of 2008!
02 – Shugo Chara! – Hinamori Amu
Amulet Spade~♥
COOL & SPICY!!
What’s not to like about Amu? She’s tsundre, tomboy-ish but girlish, shy but outgoing, caring, helpful, friendly, cheesy, and is in middle school is a mahou shoujo!
But what I like about her is that I can relate with her, for I too am a cute tsundere mahou shoujo with pink hair have different personalities for different occasions {like I have/had for school and home…and the internet…TOTALLY different} and wondered which one was the real me…That’s why the premise of Shugo Chara! caught my attention so fast! ^_^’
But Amu is so dynamic! It’s great seeing different aspects of the same character. From Genki Amulet Heart to Moe Moe Amulet Angel! I can’t get enough of them all! But of course, the one I can’t get enough is the actual one, the one that blushes profoundly when teased by Ikuto, the one acting all cool when in class, the one who is friendly with Guardians, and the one that spews cheesy lines at the ones who lost themselves…that is HINAMORI AMU!
Alright, before announcing my favorite character of 2008, let’s see some of my other favorite “X” of 2008!
Favorite Loli of 2008 – Kuhouin Murasaki
What’s this? De ja Vu?
Murasaki already made my favorite list, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be featured here! There’s nothing I like more on a loli than when she acts like an “adult”, I find that extremely cute! ^_^ My other loli of the year also acted, or should I say, spoke like an “adult”.
Favorite Genki of 2008 – Kushieda Minori
Hey look another Horie Yui voiced genki girl! ^_^
Ah~ Minorin Minorin Minorin Minorin~ I’m pretty sure there’s a unanimous vote saying Minori is the Genkiest character of 2008! Just saying her names fills you with energy and happiness! ^_^ Along with her wild antics, like that moe radar of hers {LULZ}, and obscure references, Kushieda Minori is undoubtedly the Genkiest of 2008!
Favorite Trap of 2008 – Run Elise Jewelria
First I want to say, I’m not sure if Run-chan can be called a Trap, I mean she’s a FULL girl, but when she sneezes she turns into a FULL guy, extra package and all…so if it’s not a guy DRESSING like a girl…is she/he/it a trap? Same for Ranma…
Second, since I F*KEN ***ED TO HER AND THEN REALIZED SHE WAS A GUY…SHE IS OFFICIALLY A TRAP [to me]!!!
Anyways, what I liked about Run was that unlike that other dude who turns into a girl, both of her genders have their own personalities and their own person whom they love! I find that very interesting, it had the potential for LOTS of accidental Yuri/Yaoi action!! ^_^ But alas, To-LOVE-Ru sucked…but Run {and the others in fact} will remain AWESOME to me! {The character designs were pretty damn good.}
Favorite GAR of 2008 – Kogarashi
If a guy can be comfortable in a maid outfit and PRINT STUFF OUTTA HIS BRAIN…HE’S OFFICIALLY GAR! SCREW YOU KAMINA, THIS GUY CAN COME BACK TO LIFE!!
Favorite Villain of 2008 – Medusa
[Loli] Medusa gives me the creeps…AND I LOVE IT!
There weren’t any villians as evil and twisted as Medusa…at least not from what I can recall…>_> Medusa is everything I look for in a bad guy. She’s definitely evil, she’s sneaky, she survives her “death”, she’s unforgivable, she uses people, she tortures people, she’s powerful, and she always seem to have the upper hand! What’s best is that everyone [in Shibusen] think she’s dead and aren’t thinking of threat Medusa can bring, giving her all the preparation she needs to take them down!
Favorite Tsundere of 2008 – Hinamori Amu
COOL AND SPICY [again]!!!
I bet you were expecting Taiga, Louise, or even Yuuhi! But what’s this, Kanae Ito defeated THREE Kugimiya Rie characters? O_o
Amu easily defeated those three by being a better tsundere than all of them. She has a proper amount of TSUN TSUN and DERE DERE to throw at us…er I mean, at Ikuto! She’s not screaming or abusing the guy, no, she’s actually feeling DERE DERE when Ikuto makes a move on her and TSUN TSUN when Ikuto teases her!
And she doesn’t stay TSUN TSUN or DERE DERE for long, she has a pretty nice ratio of TSUN TSUN and DERE DERE. That’s why she’s my favorite tsundere of 2008! ^_^
And My Favorite Character of 2008 is:
01 – Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto ~Natsu no Sora~ – Suzuki Sora
Suzuki Sora. Your overly cute and cheerful country girl. For being my favorite character of 2008, I can’t really talk much about her. She’s a powerful magician who was selected to study in Tokyo to learn more about magic. She’s very nice and friendly and is very cheerful with a good outlook on life…and one who knows how close her death is…
And that’s why she’s my favorite.
She has a heart condition that only magicians can get, her heart beats faster than usual. If a magician is diagnosed with that heart condition, they have at least a year of life left. But in the anime, Sora can only live up until Summer…she was diagnosed a year ago.
But even so, Sora doesn’t get depressed and still has a positive outlook on life and would still want to make people happy with her magic. And with that cheery attitude of hers, she has no problem making friends. She is not afraid to make friends only to lose them later.
But the reason she is my favorite is because she is in fact very scared of dying. She has been hiding her feelings to keep the people around her from worrying too much. But she fell in love. And because of it she is scared of dying and treasured life even more…
I was a bit late on this one, I wanted to get it out two days ago, but things happen and I forget…
I probably should do my favorite OP/EDs for 2008…we’ll see if I’m motivated enough.
Open Your Mind 
MAID GUY VICTORY DANCE!
YES! To Amu being the favorite tsundere of 2008. Her tsundere-ness is so underrated. Sometimes she gets forgotten for a certain two other girls (Utau and Rima) who are generally either more tsun or just more obvious. Amu’s got a nice adorable balance.
Also wow. Everything else I can understand on some level too. Usually other people’s lists have me crying out that they’re wrong but with Kyoko, Amu, Ami, and Minori on the list I can do no such thing here.
Wahaha Medusa got your vote as villain! She really is very evil and cunning.
Happy New Year.
I dont agree with your favorite tsundere.
@Baka-Raptor: I’ll do it for a Maid Guy Badge…I dunno the dance, but I’ll improvise!
@FuyuMaiden: Well, it’s THEIR list so if they don’t have YOUR favorite characters, of course you’ll want to scream they’re wrong! I do it too… >_>
@Panther: And bite sized! ^_^
@Kairu Ishimaru: I understand your disagreement…You only watched the Fall Season and thus didn’t get much tsundere last year! ;)
Ah, Stein got one of my ‘top character’ awards too~ Though Medusa didn’t make my list, but that’s partly ’cause she was up against gals like Macross’ sheryl and Library war’s Iku. If I’d had a separate villian award, she probably would’ve won that… ^_^;;
WHOO!! Medusa made the list!
Initially, I kept my eye on her because Kuwashima Houko was doing the role but after reading the Manga then watching her best scenes in the Anime made me so much more convinced that she’s one despicably evil villain. And by despicably evil is what made her awesome. Plus, she wins for facial contortion. :D
And I totally agree with your choice of Suzuki Sora! Usually, I’m not fond of terminally ill characters because most of them tend to be gloomy all the time and they only get better if they were influenced by people who care about them. Sora on the other hand, walked in the reverse direction and breaks the mold of a sickly character, which is why she is very interesting. LOL, funny how my choice of best characters nearly always seem to originate from slice-of-life series. I guess that’s what made them all the more inspirational. ;)
I agree with your pick for best tsundere!
*Final Shugo Chara episode spoiler*
Against all odds, Nadeshiko beats out Ikuto and gay blonde boy in the battle for Hinamori Amu’s heart. Nadeshiko tells her that he is amazed that she was able to accept him as a male instead of female. As the camera slowly fades to black, Amu says she had a secret too. She’ not like other girls….
Never heard of ANY of these characters before, but then again these must be all Japanese animes that haven’t spread worldwide right?