The best anime of 2016 was Flip Flappers. It's an easy 10/10 and one of the best series I ever expect to watch. It deserves so much more attention than it received. Please give it a try. Here's why:
Flip Flappers was the most inspiring and beautiful anime of 2016. The animation and use of color is, in general, exemplary. The story plays with a lot of anime tropes in a knowing way. In a certain sense, it's an anime directed at anime fans. In some ways I'd compare it to Kyousou Giga, but much more thoroughly plotted. Flip Flappers actually wraps up a full, complex narrative that nonetheless is a beautiful example of what anime can do in a pure visual sense.
It's almost impossible to give a plot summary, but what I loved was that it took a fairly standard story (shy girl meets super energetic girl and her life changes) and then went crazy with it. I'd say that a lot of people out there who started watching the show began posting things along the line that "I have no idea what's going on but I absolutely can't stop watching." I think that's pretty accurate. Flip Flappers keeps a lot of secrets until the end, and part of the joy in watching the show was to slowly uncover the mysteries at the center of the story.
On the other hand, Flip Flappers is not a slow-burn kind of show, nor is it a mystery per se. It might be a love story. It might be a magical girl show. It might be an exploration of personality, desire, loneliness, pain, and redemption. It might be about growing up. It also might be about overcoming past traumas and looking forward.
But, whatever it is, Flip Flappers is a beautiful experience, both visually and in terms of its narrative. It's not for everyone, of course, but I can respect that. I just think it deserves a lot more attention and I definitely rate it as a masterpiece.
And really, when you come down to it, I can't think of an anime series that has made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up in years. I could go on and on about the show and why I love it, but my sheer and immediate emotional response is most telling in terms of my own enjoyment. The show has a lot going on, and the layers are frequently unveiled in ways that avoid heavy exposition and features the actual animation above all else. It's not a story for people who like everything explained to them. But it is most definitely an anime for those who love the sheer joy of creation, the exhilaration of seeing something genuinely new, and who appreciate how Flip Flappers genuinely pushes the limits of anime today. It's almost sui generis.
10: Obviously a masterpiece, but it doesn't have to be perfect in every way. The work should have advanced the field, be utterly true to itself, and make me want to experience it again and again. It should resonate with me for years.
9: Basically a 10 but there were narrative flaws or real artistic issues that just didn't quite let me get to the perfect 10 rating. Otherwise, it's something I would absolutely say that anyone should experience without hesitation.
8: A fantastic and memorable work. It could've been a 9 but for a certain lack of depth, artistry, or focus. I put a lot of great material into this score that just doesn't quite find its place, but I can't say it's in any way bad either. Also definitely a category that I would unhesitatingly recommend to all.
7: Well worth anyone's time. I might say this because it's just great entertainment in general or it's a fantastic representation of a genre. If I give something a 7 then I truly loved the experience but it just didn't offer "more" than that. It's a tough score to define.
6: I enjoyed it a lot. I don't consider the work to be something very special, but I definitely thought it was worth most of the time I spent. I probably rate more things as a 6 than I should, but I don't care too much about that. Many of these items will probably be forgotten after a year, and I doubt that I'll recall them in much detail either, but I don't regret the time investment.
5: Average. It did what it was supposed to do, but it's thoroughly in the middle. I might actually quite enjoy many of these things but it was ultimately filler. I try to find reasons to bump items in this category up to 6, but if I can't then this is where they hide...
4: Bad. It's just not very funny or dramatically compelling, has bad art, is stupid, or panders to a really lame audience. There's nothing worth one's time here.
3: Really bad. The story is terrible, the art is atrocious, or I just think some aspect of the work is reprehensibly idiotic or vile (e.g. Gantz: moronic characters + bestiality + rape + incredibly dumb plot ++++++). I rarely score anything as a 3 and if I do I have a very good reason and it's one that I can articulate. I do not enjoy scoring anything at this level.
1&2: Practically unwatchable. No redeeming value. I haven't scored anything this low, and I probably won't, because I'll have stopped enduring it before I even get to the point of assigning a score. There's too much good material out there to enjoy.
Favorite Characters (extended edition & work in progress):
Gokou Ruri (OreImo)
Kino (Kino no Tabi)
Fleet Admiral Yang Wenli (Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu)
Koto (Kyousou Giga)
Sakaki (Azumanga Daioh)
Papika (Flip Flappers)
Minakami Mai (Nichijou)
Shinonome Hakase (Nichijou)
Miyauchi Renge (Non Non Biyori)
Shimogamo Yasaburou (Uchouten Kazouku)
Rory Mercury (Gate: Jietai etc etc)
Megumin (KonoSuba)
Last Order (Toaru Majutsu no Index/Toaru Kagaku no Railgun)
Kotoishi Naru (Barakamon)
Yamamura Miwa (Barakamon)
Kiriha (Tsugumomo)
Endou Saya (Dagashi Kashi)
Milim (Slime isekai)
Shirakiin Ririchiyo (Inu x Boku SS)
Favorite Anime:
Shinsekai yori
Kaguya-hime no Monogatari
Flying Witch
Flip Flappers
Azumanga Daioh
Nichijou
Kyousou Giga (TV)
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (both seasons)
Mushishi
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu
Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryouko
Zettai Shounen
Favorite Manga: (TBD)
Favorite OPs, EDs, and anime songs (a random and arbitrary selection):
If you want another show that involves cute little anime girls the watch Nyanko Days. It's about a high school girl and her tiny catgirls. They cheer her up every day after school and help her make friends. Both shows have the same feeling and are just fun, cute experiences that will make you feel better too after a hard day.
Well, Dungeon Meshi is a comedy about eating other species as food, and Ishuzoku Reviewers is about having sex with them. Both are hilarious, although Ishuzoku Reviewers is, of course, very very adult.
Both shows are about a group of teen girls spending time in silly and entertaining ways. Azumanga Daioh pretty much started this whole genre and is a must watch.
Saw your review of Kumo to Tulip.
I think a lot of people forget that Disney and American cartoons is one thing propelled the "black face" in early days animations, and in the 1940s, western animations were straight up banned in Japan and animators tried taking inspiration from Disney and their technology since they were so far ahead. Most likely what caused animations like this to appear. Then there's a whole slew of other notable historic reasonings.
I think a lot of people forget that Disney and American cartoons is one thing propelled the "black face" in early days animations, and in the 1940s, western animations were straight up banned in Japan and animators tried taking inspiration from Disney and their technology since they were so far ahead. Most likely what caused animations like this to appear. Then there's a whole slew of other notable historic reasonings.
Animations neat though.
P.S.: So sorry I'm late, I could have sworn I wished you a happy birthday yesterday but then realized I hadn't this morning, my bad..;v;