2009 in Review: Top 5 Honorable Mentions

5. Sora no Otoshimono

Sora no Otoshimono is a hilarious ecchi comedy about a boy who runs into an “Angeloid” – a robotic angel humanoid whatever who is willing to fulfill his every command. This is obviously a cliché concept, but this show does some pretty wacky stuff that makes it worth your time. Some episodes do drag on for a while and there isn’t much plot, but the crazy moments are really, really, funny.

The show also has plenty of excellent fanservice, but it doesn’t go over the top. It’s an all around decent ecchi show that’s at least worth a look.

Sora no Otoshimono is currently available on Crunchyroll

4. Valkyria Chronicles

Based on a PlayStation 3 game with the same title, the anime adaptation of Valkyria Chronicles is a decent re-telling of the events in the game. There are issues, and it’s easy to see that much filler was added in order to meet the 26-episode quota. Overall though, the story is an amazing tale of the characters’ struggles to defend their beloved homeland Gallia from invasion by the Imperial Alliance.

Having played the game prior to watching the series, I didn’t feel it really lived up to the quality of the game. However, I would still recommend you check out both.

3. Kuchu Buranko (Trapeze)

This show is nuts. Like, really nuts. Based on a novel and a collection of short stories, Trapeze is about a psychologist who treats his patients in a very non-orthodox manner. Every episode focuses on a different patient, so the series can be considered episodic. The visuals are really impressive in this show, as it makes use of vibrant colors and detailed character & background designs that really make the show “jump out at you.”

There is some very interesting humor in the show as well. If you like artistic shows with a crazy sense of humor, then Trapeze should definitely not be overlooked.

2. Asu no Yoichi!

Asu no Yoichi! (the manga is known as Samurai Harem in the US) is one of the best harem comedy series I’ve ever seen. Sure, it’s not original, but it manages to be really funny at times.

The story follows Yoichi who ends up moving into a house with four sisters. Hilarity ensues. Asu no Yoichi! is an all-around great comedy that will have you laughing every few minutes. If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to check out my review of the show.

1. Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo (Sora Kake Girl)

Sora Kake Girl is an action sci-fi space comedy. It’s a crazy roller coaster ride of laughs, action, fanservice, and wonderful characters. Perhaps the most notable seiyuu would be Jun Fukuyama (LeLouch from Code Geass), who plays the role of Leopard. Leopard is a “Brain Colony,” and the show centers around various Brain Colonys engaging in their petty hilarious battles with each other.

Sora Kake Girl is by Sunrise, the creators of Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome, and fans of those shows will certainly see the resemblance. If you want some great visually appealing deep-space action scenes and don’t mind a bit of fanservice, than be sure to watch Sora Kake Girl. If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to check out my review of the show.