2023 Jury Write-Ups and Livestream Helper Involvement
All write-ups for the 2023 r/anime Awards can be found on the site here. Selecting Read Category Info will show the State of the Category Write-Up for that category, as well as show the jurors for that category. The juries I was involved in for 2023 were Slice of Life, Comedic Character, Character Design, Movies, and Anime of the Year.
The specific write-ups which I did were:
Tokubetsu-hen Hibike! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest for Slice of Life
Onii-chan wa Oshimai! for Slice of Life
Mahiro Oyama for Comedic Character
Mitsumi Iwakura for Comedic Character
State of the Category for Character Design
THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls: U149 for Character Design
[Oshi no Ko] for Character Design
Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: First Kiss wa Owaranai for Movies
Onii-chan wa Oshimai! for Anime of the Year
This year I also assisted in gathering clips for the montages used in the livestream, utilizing video editing skills to get resources to the project lead in a timely and organized manner.
I was also a speaker on the livestream for the Anime of the Year segment, representing the Anime of the Year jury, my segment in the livestream being available here, and there should hopefully be a full discussion between myself and Glass Reflection uploaded at a later date, at which point I’ll edit this post and link it here.
Slice of Life Tokubetsu-hen Hibike! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest 3rd Place Write-Up
Tokubetsu-hen Hibike! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest sees the return of the beloved cast of Hibike! Euphonium, following Kumiko Oumae as she transitions from ambitious club member to club president. This OVA leaves behind much of the heavier drama characteristic of the main series as Kumiko's involvement in the personal hang-ups of the other band members no longer takes center stage. Instead, focus is shifted towards the responsibility of her new role, as well as the change in mindset she experiences as she adapts. The OVA also brings to the table some of the best production of the year, with subtle and expressive character animation, another outstanding voice performance from Tomoyo Kurosawa, and detailed backgrounds.
Since this OVA acts as a prologue to the upcoming 3rd Season, it spends time introducing more new cast members, giving perspective on Kumiko's dilemma of being responsible for these various band members. However, this approach results in a somewhat drawn-out and anti-climactic ending sequence, which serves more to set up future events than to satisfactorily conclude this story. Even with Kumiko's intriguing character study, the consistently slower pace became somewhat monotonous.
Nonetheless, Tokubetsu-hen Hibike! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest succeeds in setting up Kumiko's character and story for the next chapter of Hibike! Euphonium while keeping audiences engaged with the character study and band dynamics, earning it a place on the podium.
Slice of Life Onii-chan wa Oshimai! 6th Place Write-Up
Onii-chan wa Oshimai! stands out this year as a skillful blend of heartwarming slice of life moments and energetic ecchi comedy. Mahiro's rehabilitation from their NEET lifestyle, personal growth, and journey to living a happy life provide some of the best feel-good material from this year.Becoming more comfortable with feminine self-expression and beginning to connect with others—these serve as fantastic character arcs to follow, ones which keeps things light while also packing an emotional punch. The rest of the cast, too, all feel well fleshed out, with each character expressing themselves in unique ways, making them feel more human even amidst the occasional absurd comedy.
Unfortunately, the show becomes somewhat controversial when considering both its premise and its ecchi. The lack of consent in Mahiro's initial transformation into a girl is certainly problematic. Mahiro's age regression also presents elements which leave a bad taste when you consider they are an adult now going to school as a middle school girl. This paired with the ecchi nature of its comedy and its occasional voyeuristic cinematography makes for a poor mix.
Despite this, Onimai excels through expressive and varied character design, a vibrant and energetic cast, exceptional voice acting performances, a moving OST, and possibly the best animation of a TV anime this year, making every moment count and establishing it as one of the best slice-of-life series this year.
Comedic Character Mahiro Oyama 6th Place Write-Up
Mahiro's story is one of rehabilitation and self-care leading into finding comfort in expressing oneself and happiness. Strengthened by their heartwarming journey out of seclusion, Mahiro Oyama is further bolstered by exceptional character design, animation, and voice acting that amplify their comedic and emotional moments. There is no shortage of moving scenes where Mahiro connects with others, attaining confidence that contributes to some of the most delightful slice of life this year. However, the story is somewhat marred by the fact that Mahiro did not choose to embark on this journey, and the premise of them becoming a middle school girl and befriending other middle school girls, despite being an adult, is controversial. Nonetheless, the emotional moments still resonate, especially when considering the story is about Mahiro's second chance at life. Mahiro having many cute outfits to wear and their character animation showing not only their struggle but also their happier times provide an excellent foundation for these scenes.
The comedy involving Mahiro can be somewhat mixed, as a fair amount of it, especially early on, is based in ecchi, which does not blend well with the other problematic elements.While the fantastic expressions, expert joke framings, bombastic animation, and top-tier voice acting all contribute to making the comedic moments stand out, the reliance on ecchi humor may still not be your cup of tea.
Nonetheless, Mahiro is one of the greatest comedic characters from this year, thanks to exceptional production values and a tale of rehabilitation and happiness that is hard to match.
Comedic Character Mitsumi Iwakura 7th Place Write-Up
As an endless source of positivity, Mitsumi Iwakura is key in maintaining the light tone of Skip to Loafer light. Coming from the countryside, Mitsumi offers a fresh perspective that contrasts with her more jaded city peers, allowing her to see individuals for who they truly are, free from preconceived notions. It is through this optimism that Mitsumi is able not only to connect herself to others but also to connect others together.
While Mitsumi's awkwardness often comes across as cute, her personality is somewhat extreme. In some ways she plays the role of manic pixie dream girl for the cast, appearing from nowhere to rescue the other characters from their dysfunction. However, her positivity reaches an almost unrealistic level, leading occasional dramatic scenarios in the end to not work as well. Yet, in other ways, she breaks from this archetype, simply by virtue of being the primary perspective character. While Shima is very clearly a main focus, this is largely Mitsumi's story, and she inserts herself into social dynamics rather broadly rather than specifically changing his life.
A breath of fresh air, Mitsumi prevents the story from being bogged down with senseless drama.This in turn makes Mitsumi a crowd favorite to both the audience and the characters in her story, as everyone learns to appreciate themselves and those around them. Mitsumi's talent for recognizing what makes each individual special is what distinguishes herself as one of this year's best comedic characters.
Character Design State of the Category Write-Up
The nominees for this category were of exceptionally high quality, satisfying a variety of different types of character design and displaying innovation and skill. Entries like Oniichan wa Oshimai!, THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls: U149, and Skip to Loafer provide great use of designs and outfits to explore themes and characterization. Trigun: Stampede proves to be yet another step forward in 3D animation designs. Overtake! and Tengoku Daimakyou display some of the best expressivity in body language. Kidou Senshi Gundam: Suisei no Majo provides a variety in mecha design with interesting and varied human characters and body types. Jujutsu Kaisen 2 shows the appeal in simplifying textures and designs, while Oshi no Ko goes the opposite direction, adapting designs close to the source with great linework to bring them into the new medium. Kimi no Koto ga Dai Dai Dai Dai Daisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo utilizes great shape design to accentuate the exaggerated characters. All these factors and more not only apply to the entries which are highlighted here but also were pivotal in the evaluation of all entries. As each has unique qualities which stand out, it was a struggle to solidify a solid ranking due to how exceptional everything was, although some did stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Character Design THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls: U149 4th Place Write-Up
THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls: U149 follows in the tradition set by the series preceding it, including motifs like dresses resembling the fairytale it is named for in its main performance. More importantly, Norie Igawa brings the expressive character animation and personable outfits the series is known for and applies them to this cast of young, aspiring idols.
While some designs are somewhat lackluster for some of the girls with plainer personalities, most give a window into the girls' personalities. Haru is sporty and tomboyish, Momoka is refined and measured, Risa is brash and a bit of a show-off, and Arisu is more reserved and thoughtful. Even the younger kids who come off as more plain do so somewhat intentionally. And can't forget Nina with her kigurumi! They work thematically in how they display the youth of the characters, and connect the girls to their producer, as the producer is also often looked down upon for idealism and short stature. Characters are also capable of wild, cartoonish expressions that contribute to the more comedic moments while allowing for emotional moments to connect. As an example, Arisu displays some of the most varied exaggeration during comedic scenes, often comically surprised, suspicious or angry. Yet, she also has some of the most emotional scenes, showing disappointment or sadness in her expression. Even side characters feel alive and personable. In this way, U149 serves as both a faithful adherent to the series' principles and one of the standout series this year for its designs.
Character Design [Oshi no Ko] 9th Place Write-Up
Kappe takes designs which stick close enough to the manga designs to be recognizable and appealing and refines linework to better suit the anime adaptation. In terms of color, it uses a palette of blue, yellow, red, and pink primarily for outfits and hair colors. Instead of going with pastels or bright versions of these colors, it tends to go for darker tones of these main colors to contrast with white and gold accents which pop.
The stars of the show stand out quite well, which does clash with the mundane look of the rest of the world's characters, but helps those who are meant to catch attention both in universe and for the audience of the show to stand out. The side characters don't stand out as much, which seems to some degree intentional. The large stars which cover the eyes of Ai, Aqua, and Ruby are garish, but the fine lines and meticulous coloring help make them less obtrusive.
While the dedication to fidelity of the designs keeps them appealing for promotional artwork, it also serves as one of the biggest weaknesses of the show in some ways. Animation is limited by this desire to remain close to the original designs, although some skilled staff still make some moments and characters stand out. Kana in particular is a shining example, as her sharp hair and cute features elevated her expressive personality more than any other character.
Movies Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: First Kiss wa Owaranai 3rd Place Write-Up
Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: First Kiss wa Owaranai follows the explosive ending of the series' third season by reconciling the insecurities of the main duo. Rather than simply retreading the ground established in the series, the movie advances the main relationship by giving the two leads a better understanding of themselves and each other. It addresses how their mind games of trying to trick each other into confessing while withholding their own feelings have warped their relationship, finally allowing them to put these games aside in favor of an honest connection with one another.
The comedic tone predominates in the first half of the movie, as Kaguya's internal conflicts manifest in various exaggerated personalities, often resulting in comedic situations among the other characters. However, not all jokes land well, and the portrayal of Kaguya's literal personality split may come across as somewhat contrived. Still, many comedic situations not only succeed at being funny but also contribute to the characters' insecurities by highlighting their poor communication. This transition sets the stage for the more serious drama of the second half, and builds up the movie's resolution.
As the movie builds into its more dramatic segment, the depictions of Kaguya's internal turmoil grow more abstract, presenting the struggle she faces with who she is and who she pretends to be, and her desire to be accepted. This paired with Shirogane's own worries pace the movie well for its finale. With its compelling resolution, the Kaguya-sama movie merits a spot among the best of 2023.
Anime of the Year Onii-chan wa Oshimai! 6th Place Write-Up
Boasting a variety of amazing qualities, Onii-chan wa Oshimai! utilizes its stellar production and cast to tell the lighthearted tale of Mahiro getting a second chance at life, balancing its heartwarming slice of life with lively ecchi comedy as Mahiro finds ways to comfortably be able to express themselves. The cast's wide array of outfits go a long way in contributing to the themes of expression, and help to give insight into how they feel most comfortable. The developing wardrobe in particular adds new dimensions to Mahiro as more feminine clothing, hair, and make-up make them happier and they become more outgoing. The exaggerated and emotive character animation alongside standout voice acting enhance both the wholesome slice-of-life moments and the comedic scenes, each in their own way.
Onimai does open itself up to controversy in its premise and how this plays alongside the ecchi comedy. Mahiro is not a willing participant in Mihari's experiment at first. They do come to enjoy their new life so we can quickly move past that, but there is a more persistent issue in Mahiro's age regression, made even more troublesome by the ecchi comedy.
Nonetheless, Onimai displays heart in much of what it does. It shows siblings helping one another express themselves and how friendship can help comfort people in being who they are. It displays possibly the most care and skill in animation of any series this year, amongst other achievements. Onimai stands out as one of the best series this year had to offer.
