Attack on Titans won Best Drama Award
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards took place on March 2, and I am ashamed; not because I forgot about the ceremony, but because I had no idea the awards existed until a few days ago.
Apparently, the awards launched in 2017. They consider anime produced in Japan and released legally between November two years prior and September of the previous year. For instance, the 2024 awards recognized shows from November 2022 to September 2023.
Each judge submits five candidates for each category, and the six candidates with the highest cumulative nominations will appear on the final list. The voting season lasts a week, during which the public is expected to select one nominee from each category. The awards are given to the shows with the most votes from the judges and the public.
I have always dismissed awards, but I was wrong. Awards don’t matter to me because, in most cases, they recognize content I could not care less about. Look at the Oscars. I have tried and failed to enjoy Oscar-winning (and nominated) movies. Anime is an entirely different beast. You rarely find critically acclaimed anime films and TV shows that fail to justify their hype.
So, of course, I felt genuine excitement when I discovered the Anime Awards. I immediately went to Crunchyroll’s website. I wanted to peruse their list of 2024 winners to see what I thought of their choices. I was also hoping to discover new anime. Imagine my surprise when I realized that Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 won Anime of the Year.
Twelve months ago, the thought of Jujutsu Kaisen winning any award would have annoyed me because season 1 was highly overrated.
Season 2 changed my tune. The first half was incredible. I can’t remember the last time I watched such innovative action and choreography.
The second half fell off, but only slightly. I don’t think it stuck the landing. Nonetheless, the show deserved the award. I can’t say the same about Buddy Daddies, which took Best Original Anime. Maybe it gets better later, but the seven episodes I watched (months ago) disappointed me.
The concept is not even that interesting, to begin with (a pair of stone- cold killers trying to raise an infant girl they found without abandoning their violent careers). I can name a dozen live-action films with that premise.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 won Best Character Design, which it also deserved. Obviously, Demon Slayer: The Swordsmith Village Arc took Best Animation. Nothing else could have stolen that award, not even Attack on Titan: The Final Chapters.
Chainsaw Man was the Best New Series. I saw people pushing for Hell’s Paradise, which is bizarre. Yes, it looks fantastic and the characters are compelling, but I don’t know how anyone can ignore the logic holes in the story. The only other significant contender among the nominations was Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, which is easily the most charming show I have watched in the last twelve months.
Attack on Titan was the obvious choice for Best Drama, although I would have given my vote to Vinland Saga Season 2.
Spy X Family won Best Comedy, and I still don’t understand the appeal of that show. I can accept One Piece taking Best Continuing Series, but giving Best Main Character to Monkey D. Luffy was silly. Every other character on that list was more deserving. I would have voted for Denji from Chainsaw Man.
If voting is open to everyone, regardless of country, I intend to vote next year. I urge you to look at the Crunchyroll list. You may discover some gems you missed.
mbjjnr8@gmail.com
Source: The Observer
Share this content: