HomeAnimeThe Otaku's Study - North American Anime Release of the Year 2012

The Otaku’s Study – North American Anime Release of the Year 2012

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NorthAmericanAnimeRelease

Given I am located in Australia, I generally only cover anime releases that have been released by my regions anime publishers (Madman Entertainment, Siren Visual and Hanabee). This stands to be the reason why last year I only did an “Of the Year” article for Australian Anime Releases despite a number of great titles which had yet reached our shores. But given I do promote North American anime companies on this site, I have picked up a fair few titles that I don’t expect to be released over here (At least for a while) and there are slightly closer release dates between North America and Australia… I have decided to give credit to the North American anime release I consider to be the best.

The requirements to be considered are:

  1. I have watched them in some form of physical release.
  2. They have been released in North America this year.
  3. I can either own the Australian or North American editions of the series.

Let’s begin the countdown at #3!

SteinsGateSteins;Gate
Funimation Entertainment

The microwave is a time machine. Okarin proved it. The self-anointed mad scientist nuked bananas into some gelatinous version of the future. Or maybe it was the past. Doesn’t matter. No one thought he could do it, but he did it anyway. He sent text messages through time to people he knew. To his friends. Some of them female. Pretty. He should have been more careful. He should have stopped. Tampering with the time-space continuum attracts unwelcome attention.

Clandestine organizations of nefarious origins take notice. SERN. Always watching. Okarin knows; he can feel their eyes. That’s why he started the top secret Future Gadget Lab. To stop them. You should join. We get to wear lab coats, and it’s dangerous. Danger is exciting because it’s deadly. The microwave is a time machine.

North American fans of Steins;Gate (Based on the visual novel / storyline by 5pb and Nitroplus) have been able to pick up both installments on DVD and Blu-ray in September and December respectively.

Originally I was a tad hesitant about going into this series granted Chaos;Head was a let down, but given a whole extra anime seasons worth of episodes to play with helped deliver a creative and complex storyline which won me over. In addition to the storyline, the small but creative and well used set of characters, their development as well as the production quality helped give it third place in my “North American Anime Release of the Year 2012”.

I look forward to providing you with a full review of this title in the new year.

CroiseeCroisée in a Foreign Labyrinth
Sentai Filmworks

Revolutions always wreak mayhem and carnage, and the Industrial Revolution is no different as it engulfs Europe, leaving outmoded businesses and millions stripped of their traditional ways of life forever as its casualties. Cultural Revolutions are no less devastating, and as the 19th century comes to an end, young Yune has seen her native Japan shaken to its very core as the walls separating it from the western world have finally crumbled, sending an entire nation on a quest for a new identity.

Like the phoenix, the new is inevitably born from the ashes of the old. When Yune decides to accompany her new acquaintance, Oscar, to Paris, where his family’s metal declining shop is barely making ends meet in the face of its new competition, she may just be setting a new wave of changes into motion. Could Yune be the critical spark needed to rekindle the fires in both the hearts and minds of the Enseignes du Roy? As old worlds come to an end, new beginnings will be forged!

Released last year in Japan, Croisee in a Foreign Labyrinth came third place in my selections for the AniBlogger’s Choice Anime Awards, falling behind only Persona 4 the Animation and the winner Usagi Drop. While unfortunately it was not chosen for much attention through the means of an English dub (Possibly due to a foreseen limited market appeal), it was one of Sentai Filmworks best subtitled releases with a sweet and charming storyline coupled with great visual quality and a wealth of bonus on-disc goodies.

I have previously written a review of the series which can be read HERE.

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With Steins;Gate taking third place and Croisee in a Foreign Labyrinth taking second….. what could possibly have taken first place and overall “North American Anime Release of the Year”?. While there were several contenders for all three positions I think it is easy for me to hand out this title to….

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anohanaAnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Nippon Ichi Software America

Jinta Yadomi and his group of childhood friends have become estranged after a tragic accident split them apart. Now in their high school years, a sudden surprise forces each of them to confront their guilt over what happened that day and come to terms with the ghosts of their past. With their childhood friend Menma back in their lives, the “Super Peace Busters” put their personal issues aside and work together to grant her one true wish. But to do it right, they’ll have to overcome years of shame, hard feelings, and heartache.

Despite being several months after its release, I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day in November… and in my review it walked away with one of the coveted S grades during it. While I am not too fussy about genres in anime, drama series are generally not high on my interest list… but after watching the short 11-episode series I was captivated by the emotional and bittersweet storyline crammed into these episodes.

I have reviewed many noitaminA series over the years, and a fair few times I have changed my opinion on what the best series with this classification is. As of this moment…. anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day stands in first place…. along with being my Top North American anime release in 2012.

To read my review of anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, click HERE.

 

Sam
Sam
Founder of The Otaku's Study. I have been exploring this labyrinth of fandom these last fifteen years, and still nowhere close to the exit yet. Probably searching for a long time to come.

2 COMMENTS

    • I thought I fixed that up before posting it… have no idea what went on with that :S.

      Glad to hear you agree, they were definitely two of the best releases I have watched in a fair while.

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