Fall 2009 Anime "First Impressions Awards"

Having watched at least one episode of every new fall anime I was planning on watching plus one, I think it is time to hand out some awards.


Overall Awards

Best series: Kūchū Buranko
Best series runner-up: Aoi Bungaku Series
Worst series: To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
Worst series runner-up: Kämpfer
Guilty Pleasure Award: Kämpfer
Most underrated series: Winter Sonata
Biggest surprise (tie): The Sacred Blacksmith, Winter Sonata
Biggest Disappointment (tie): To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, Fairy Tail, Jungle Emperor Leo
Best first episode: Sasameki Koto
Worst first episode: To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
Biggest second episode improvement: Kūchū Buranko
Biggest second episode letdown: Sasameki Koto
Most uplifting series: Kimi ni Todoke
Most depressing series: Aoi Bungaku Series


Production Awards


Best opening theme (tie): "Upside Down" by Denki Groove (Kūchū Buranko), "Prophecy" by Mami Kawada (Shakugan no Shana S)
Worst opening theme: "Snow fairy" by FUNKIST (Fairy Tail)
Best ending theme (tie): "Shangri-La (Y.Sunahara 2009 Remodel)" by Denki Groove (Kūchū Buranko), "Miracle Happy Day" by Aki Toyosaki (The Sacred Blacksmith)
Worst ending theme: "Light of Dawn" by Annabel (Tatakau Shisho - The Book of Bantorra)
Best animation: Kimi ni Todoke (Production I.G)
Worst animation: Miracle Train (Yumeta Company)
Best art design: Kūchū Buranko (Toei Animation)
Worst art design: Tatakau Shisho - The Book of Bantorra (David Production)
Best background music: Winter Sonata
Worst background music: Kämpfer (Tatsuya Katou)
Best voice actor: Tetsu Inada as Ioryogi (Kobato.)
Best voice actress: Aya Hirano as Lucy Heartfilia (Fairy Tail)
Best male lead: Irabu Ichiro (Kūchū Buranko)
Worst male lead: Natsuru Seno (Kämpfer)
Best female lead: Sawako Kuronuma (Kimi ni Todoke)
Worst female lead: Akane Mishima (Kämpfer)


Miscellaneous Awards


Tearjerker Award: Sumika and Ushio's tender moment in the library in Sasameki Koto episode one
Eye-roll Award (tie): Kuroko Shirai's numerous lecherous lesbian moments in To Aru Kagaku no Railgun episode one, the cross dresser in Sasameki Koto, the overt Code Geass feel of Jungle Emperor Leo
Most Refreshing Change of Pace Award: Kūchū Buranko
"I'd Rather be Watching One Piece" Award: Fairy Tail
"I'd rather be watching The Lion King" Award: Jungle Emperor Leo
Humor Award: Shakugan no Shana S
Takes Itself Too Seriously Award: Tatakau Shisho - The Book of Bantorra
"Wow, this got stupid fast" Award: Sasameki Koto
"Why did Aoi Hana have to end?" Award: Sasameki Koto
Most Shameful Audience Pandering Award: Miracle Train
Best Reference Award: "Pedro Martinez" (Kimi ni Todoke, episode three)
Most Likely to be Related to Light Yagami Award: Oba Yozo (Aoi Bungaku Series, "No Longer Human" arc)
"Stop calling me 'Griffith!'" Award: Sigfried (The Sacred Blacksmith)
Fan Service Award: Kämpfer
Biggest Waste of Voice Cast Award: Fairy Tail (Aya Hirano, Rie Kugimiya, Tetsuya Kakihara, etc.)
Biggest Waste of Directorial Talent Award: Miracle Train (Kenichi Kasai)
Biggest Waste of Production Studio Award (tie): Fairy Tail (A-1 Pictures, Satelight), The Sacred Blacksmith (Manglobe)
Lucky Bastard Award (tie): Oba Yozo (Aoi Bungaku Series, "No Longer Human" arc), Luke Ainsworth (The Sacred Blacksmith), Natsuru Seno (Kämpfer)
Most Wanted License Award: Kūchū Buranko
First Expected License Award: Fairy Tail
This Might as Well be a GONZO Series Award: Tatakau Shisho - The Book of Bantorra
Oddest Fetish: Injections (Ichiro Irabu, Kūchū Buranko)
Most attractive female (tie): Hamyuts Meseta (Tatakau Shisho - The Book of Bantorra), Mayumi (Kūchū Buranko), Aria (The Sacred Blacksmith)

Well, I've run out of ideas for awards. Considering how much fun I had writing this post, I think I just might make this a regular thing every season.