The 2022 Leo Lovelace Anime Awards
Check out the summary of the 2022 show down below! This was the first year that I live streamed it, so there may be some scuff!
The 2022 anime awards featured 37 unique nominees and 15 different winners across its 30 categories – the full list of nominees and winners is broken down by section and category below!
Genre Awards
Best Action
WINNER
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Taking the well deserved first award of the night, Studio Trigger’s gorey yet vibrant depiction of Night City starts off with a bang and doesn’t let up until the final credits roll. Trigger’s typical, high quality dynamic action animation is on full display here, and it’s further accentuated by what the world of Cyberpunk offers. Body augmentations allow for all sorts of spins on what would otherwise be standard fights, ranging from slowing down and speeding up time, feinting and dodging, turning their bodies into weapons, hacking into things to turn the tide of battle, and more. Combine these with spectacular setpieces like high speed car chases, storming enemy hideouts, or making last stands against seemingly insurmountable odds, and you have a series teeming with chaotic and engaging action that makes it near impossible to look away from the insanity unfolding on screen. Between Trigger’s fluid animation and the continuously rising stakes of Edgerunner’s story that pump out increasingly intense action scenes, this series is a must watch for fans of action
Other nominees:
Best Adventure/Fantasy
WINNER
Ranking of Kings
One of the many series from 2022 that caught me completely off guard, Ranking of Kings boasts all the hallmarks of a grand adventure set in a fantasy world: a lovable main character who leaves home to go on a journey, an engaging story full of twists, turns, backstabs and development, a cast that spans characters of all sorts of races and factions, interesting world building that continues to unravel as the story goes on, and beautiful visuals that show off the diversity of the cast and locales that get explored. What starts off with the intention of being a simple errand turns into a massive adventure and life altering conflict, and the way the series juggles multiple concurrent storylines that intersect in meaningful ways made this adventure all the more interesting. Ranking of Kings excels in combining a personal journey of self growth, a kingdom on the brink of war, a continually developing cast, and visuals that seem right out of a storybook to craft an epic adventure well worth embarking on
Other nominees:
Best Comedy/Slice of Life
WINNER
Bocchi the Rock!
Much like the previous award winner, this was another anime that I barely had on my radar in 2022 but ended up absolutely blowing me away. From the very first episode, Bocchi and her quest to form a band had me laughing out loud, even more so thanks to the excellent performance from Yoshino Aoyama, whose wide range was able to perfectly represent the ball of anxiety that is Bocchi. Add in the rest of the cast and the dynamics they all have with each other, the great voice acting performances across the board, the strong and creative directing, the plentiful references, and Cloverworks’ expressive character animation, and it all combines to make what I think may be the funniest anime I’ve watched in years. Comedy and slice of life shows are carried by their cast and writing, and Bocchi the Rock brings these in spades. But even beyond that, the series brings genuine heart to the table in how these characters interact with and care about each other, and that aspect is what truly elevated it for me – especially as someone who also deals with anxiety and who once dreamed of playing in a band when I was in high school. Bocchi the Rock is an incredible series with standout comedy, a fun cast, and excellent production and directing that make it one of the best comedies in years, and one you should absolutely watch
Other nominees:
Best Drama
WINNER
The Case Study of Vanitas P2
In the past, I’ve said that what I appreciate most in dramas are well told stories, strong character writing and development that doesn’t succumb to melodrama, and emotional payoffs. Part 2 of Vanitas is an improvement in each of these ways, as it dishes out increased focus on Vanitas, his backstory, and the conflicts he faces. Across the two arcs this cour covered, different characters are given a chance to shine and further develop, and the strong mystery weaving its way through the story continued to be teased with various big reveals. Though the production is certainly strong all around, it’s the story and character writing that make Vanitas stand out compared to its peers, with many main and side characters each facing their own internal conflicts they work to resolve in tandem with the main plot. The satisfying climax of the final arc further confirmed that The Case Study of Vanitas is an excellent drama with a great story and strong characters, and it’s a series I’d easily recommend to anyone who appreciates a winding story, meaningful character development, and a heavy dose of mystery throughout it all
Other nominees:
Best Romance
WINNER
The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie
I may be a little biased, because the manga was one of the first series I read weekly, but I really do think the movie was an enjoyable end to a great romance. After two seasons of buildup, the movie has each character’s individual arcs come to their conclusions while finally giving us the answer we’d all been waiting for: who was the mysterious bride teased back at the very beginning? The movie did an excellent job building tension up until the reveal of who the winner was, and in my opinion as a manga reader, even enhanced the reveal in some ways. The biggest scenes were even further elevated by a surprisingly strong soundtrack, and it seamlessly wove together comedy, drama, and emotional moments to tell a well rounded story. Overall, I felt that The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie was a really strong ending to one of my favorite rom-coms, giving us a tense yet exciting build up to the finale before capping off the story of Fuutaro and the Quintuplets in a satisfying way
Other nominees:
Best Suspense
WINNER
Summer Time Rendering
The first episode kicks off with an intriguing mystery and brutal cliffhanger, as main character Shinpei returns home after two years to attend the funeral of his childhood friend only to discover things aren’t what they seem. The series only gets better from there, demonstrating an utter mastery of cliffhangers that kept me desperate to find out what happened next, as well as establishing an unsettling tone that permeated everything and kept me on the edge of my seat. It also boasts an excellent protagonist in Shinpei, a great supporting cast of varied characters hiding their own secrets, cunning antagonists, attractive visuals, and audio design that complemented the intrigue and intensity of the show. Summer Time Rendering tells a gripping story with a tense atmosphere that had my full attention from beginning to end, and is a series that I’d feel confident calling one of the best thrillers I’ve ever watched
Other nominees:
Character Awards
Best Protagonist
WINNER
Bojji (Ranking of Kings)
Bojji, first son of the legendary King Bosse, is first in line for the crown when his father passes away. Bojji also happens to be deaf, unable to speak, incredibly small, and too weak to hold a sword. And because of his many limitations and disabilities, friends and strangers alike pity him and think the prospect of him becoming the king is a joke. Thus, Bojji’s journey to become king is one with the odds stacked against him, to put it mildly. But despite all that, Bojji himself is a kind-hearted, empathetic, and hard-working boy who still wants to make his dream of becoming king come true. Bojji is the ultimate underdog, and it’s precisely because of that that it’s so easy to root for him. I thought Bojji was an immensely lovable protagonist who I wanted to succeed in every one of his dreams, and seeing the adventure he goes on to find confidence in himself and in turn inspire others to support him, made me cheer for each one of his successes. He’s a protagonist I was glad to go on an adventure with
Other nominees:
Best Antagonist
WINNER
Shide (Summer Time Rendering)
Shide is nothing short of a menace. From his horrifying first appearance and in every one after that, seeing him appear is always accompanied by a sense of dread. He’s intelligent and cunning, often cautious in his approach to dealing with Shinpei and the other leads as he plans ways to trap them or foil their own plans, and he’s monstrously strong on top of that, to the point where engaging him in direct combat is often a death sentence. The fact that no one truly knows who he is or what his endgame is makes him even scarier, as you don’t necessarily know what he wants to do, is willing to do, or physically can do as he manipulates and pushes our leads to their breaking points. Shide is a scary antagonist, and his ominous presence in every scene he appears in makes him truly deserving of the award for best antagonist
Other nominees:
Best Supporting Character
WINNER
Vanitas (The Case Study of Vanitas P2)
I thought that Vanitas was the most interesting character in part one, and part two further reaffirmed this by spending a lot more time developing his character and delving into his backstory. Under his usual loud and boisterous exterior is a complicated and painful past, and understanding where he came from shined light on his current attitude and goals. On top of the backstory fleshing out his past and present, Vanitas Part 2 brought some interesting development for his present and future selves thanks to his time spent with Noe and Jeanne. What does Vanitas truly think of the vampire of the blue moon? Of vampires in general? Of Noe as his companion, and of Jeanne as his love interest? All these questions and more are explored in part 2, and they made me even more appreciative of, and interested in, Vanitas as a character. The Case Study of Vanitas is full of interesting characters, but Vanitas stands atop them all as the most alluring, and his backstory reveals along with his developments in Part 2 made him my favorite supporting character of the year
Other nominees:
Editor’s note: After 2022, I changed the criteria for the awards so that deuteragonists like Vanitas would be considered for the “best protagonist” category moving forward instead of “best supporting”, as they’re more equivalent to protagonists than supporting characters (see the “rules” page for more info)
Best Cast
WINNER
Kaguya-sama: Love is War S3
Over the years, the cast of Kaguya has continued to grow, introducing numerous new characters and in turn new dynamics to what was already a fun initial group. On top of that, there’s been consistent character development pushing nearly every main character forward. In season 3, we see just how far everyone has come as new friendships are formed, relationships are progressed, and individuals work to gain confidence in themselves and achieve their goals. Be it Ishigami and Kaguya’s friendship, Shirogane and Chika’s mentor student relationship, Hayasaka and Iino’s walls slowly breaking down, Ishigami working on himself to stand next to Tsubame, Maki’s quick friendship with Shirogane and Ishigami, or the ever progressing relationship between Kaguya and Shirogane, the variety of relationships and overall sense of camaraderie the characters have with one another makes the series a joy to watch, which ultimately makes the cast of Love is War one of my favorites in not just romcoms, but in anime in general
Other nominees:
Best Girl
WINNER
Marin Kitagawa (My Dress-Up Darling)
Call this a cop out pick, or call me basic, I don’t care – Marin is a legitimately good character and a great female lead. What I like most about Marin, and what I think many of us could learn from her, is how unabashedly passionate she is about her hobbies, regardless of what anyone else thinks. So seeing her find a kindred soul in Gojo, how their relationship subsequently allows her to express her love for her favorite things, and how her pure, unbridled passion rubs off on those around her made her an incredibly enjoyable character. Add in a cute ship with Gojo, a great character design, expressive character animation, and a phenomenal voice acting performance from Hina Suguta that brings all her passion, teasing, and cute moments to life, and you have all the pieces in place. Marin is a lovable character whose infectious excitement and passion for her hobbies made her a ton of fun to watch and an easy pick for my best girl of 2022
Other nominees:
Best Guy
WINNER
Miyuki Shirogane (Kaguya-sama: Love is War S3)
The third season of Love is War proved that Shirogane is, without a doubt, one of the best male leads in rom-coms. Across the dozens of episodes of mind games and slow progress in his plan to make Kaguya confess, Shirogane has undergone massive growth of his own, making long lasting, genuine friendships and showing just why everyone respects and trusts him as the leader of the student council. Shirogane is a riot to watch thanks to his training arcs with Chika and hilarious reactions to the absurd things he witnesses every day, but even more than that, he’s inspiring in how he works through his self doubt, anxiety and shortcomings, and he’s a guy you can’t help but root for every step of the way as he continues to develop into the character he is today. I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that Shirogane is one of my best leads and best guys of all time
Other nominees:
Best Couple/Ship
WINNER
Ushio & Shinpei (Summer Time Rendering)
While Summer Time Rendering is far from a romance anime, it has a great romance subplot in Ushio and Shinpei, two childhood friends who have long had feelings for one another, but reunite after years apart under mysterious circumstances. Across Rendering’s 25 episodes, the two spend plenty of time together to reaffirm and strengthen their feelings, and this development all builds to an emotional and satisfying conclusion to their journey. They have a great dynamic in how they’re able to seamlessly bounce off one another and complement each other’s weaknesses even after years apart, and I really appreciated how the two constantly communicated, learned from past mistakes, and wholly trusted each other as they worked together to solve the mystery plaguing their hometown. It’s clear how much Ushio and Shinpei care about each other, and seeing how their relationship progressed throughout Rendering’s tense story was something I felt really enhanced the series. Ushio and Shinpei’s mutual respect, trust and love for one another, and the deep, genuine bond they share all combined to build a ship it was easy to get behind, and I was really happy with the way their story wrapped up
Other nominees:
Music Awards
Best OP
WINNER
Spy x Family
Souvenir – Bump of Chicken
Souvenir is an incredible opening in literally every way. To start – a catchy new song from Bump of Chicken, who I think is one of the best Japanese rock bands out there? Yes please. But even more than that, it’s the visuals and meaning behind the imagery that I liked most about this OP. The OP is mostly shown through Loid’s point of view, which is why there are a lot of shots of Yor and Anya without him in it – we’re seeing some of these scenes as he does. This take is more meaningful when you consider how the opening transitions from darker colors and shots of the characters alone, to brighter scenes with everyone together. The Forger family have dark pasts individually, but now that they’re together, they’re all able to start enjoying themselves and having fun. The crows in the sky go from a mess to a heart shape, and Loid goes from shooting alone on a mission to having fun at a carnival game with his family. Loid became a spy because he wanted the world to be a safer place, so seeing him taking in the view of his family enjoying themselves in the opening feels impactful. I really like when openings tell a story or have interesting imagery, so that combined with the great song from Bump of Chicken made this my favorite of the year. Plus, that shot of Yor towards the end swinging her stiletto around and catching a flower on it?? Hello??
Other nominees (click the song names to watch them!):
Best OST (Soundtrack)
WINNER
Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun (S2)
Kevin Penkin
In this third iteration of Made in Abyss, I can confidently say that Kevin Penkin has once again outdone himself and proved himself to be one of the greats in the industry right now. The soundtrack features somber piano, haunting vocals, and an interesting mix of strings, wind and others to create an overall soundtrack that’s equal parts mysterious, depressing, beautiful and reflective. This is an incredibly diverse soundtrack with dozens of tracks that sound unique and distinct, and that makes it feel like an adventure to listen to – fitting for a series like Made in Abyss, which is heavy on adventure and discovery. With Made in Abyss, Kevin Penkin has crafted a soundtrack nothing short of incredible, with each song elevating the sense of adventure, dread, or sadness in a given scene – it’s a phenomenal piece of work that anyone who appreciates soundtracks, or even music in general, should give a listen to, and truly deserves the award for soundtrack of the year
Other nominees:
Best OST Track
WINNER
Call of the Night
Call of the Night
The title track of the soundtrack is absolutely perfect for setting the scene and tone of the series. I really loved how the song starts off with a quiet electronic melody before beginning to slowly add in more instruments and elements as the song continues, eventually building to a soothing crescendo as all the elements combine for a beautiful medley. The track felt like a perfect representation of the mysterious and calming tone of the show, and the differing sections felt like each one could be indicative of someone else’s interpretation of the night. To some, it’s quiet and lonely, like the soft electronic beginning. To others, it’s a time to reflect and explore, like the layered piano and vocals in the middle. And to others, the night is like the crescendo at the end, when everything comes together. A time to truly be free, an escape from the confines of the day, a time with seemingly endless possibilities as the rest of the world sleeps. Yoshiaki Dewa’s Call of the Night is a soothing, thoughtful track that does an excellent job of giving a tangible sound to the night
Other nominees (click the song names to listen to them!):
Best Insert Use
WINNER
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
In a year filled with some great music anime and performance scenes, it was instead Edgerunners that really blew me away with its sheer variety of insert songs and the great way they were utilized. Be it an upbeat tune setting the tone of the city and characters, a pulse pounding electronic track with thumping bass during a life or death fight, a metal track during a raid, or a vocal focused song that tears at you and heightens an emotional climax, Edgerunners had a song for just about any situation and used them to great effect. The seamless implementation of this massive variety of inserts did a fantastic job of helping to set the tone of Night City and further draw me in to the world and story, and this strong usage is what made Cyberpunk Edgerunners stand atop the rest of the pack this year
Other nominees:
Best Insert Song
WINNER
86 EIGHTY-SIX P2
LilaS
Penned by the ever incredible Hiroyuki Sawano, LilaS is a borderline perfect insert. From the moment the first piano notes kicked in with the first person shot through a camera, I just knew this was going to be a special song and a great scene. After all the suffering, pain and deaths across the previous episodes, listening to a hopeful song about a meeting a long time coming made the scene all the more impactful. The directorial choices during this song were fantastic, as many shot changes occur in time with the beats of the song and match up with the lyrics, with my favorite being the release that occurs as the final chorus drops. Two people who clearly care about each other, torn apart by war, are finally able to see each other and experience all the overwhelming emotions that come along with that. LilaS is a powerful insert track that made an already emotional scene feel even more cathartic, and this harmony of music and visuals made it my favorite insert of the year
Note: The video for LilaS has spoilers for the end of P2 of 86 – don’t watch the video if you haven’t seen the anime!
Other nominees (click the song names to listen to them!):
Best ED
WINNER
Attack on Titan Final Season P2
Son of Evil – Ai Higuchi
As soon as I heard the swell of the music accompanying the flawless transition from Eren standing in a dark cage to him being in a wide open, colorful field, face full of wonder and excitement for what this freedom could bring, I just knew this would be my favorite of the year. There’s a few examples of nice symbolism throughout the ending – the bird desperately trying to fly away before fading after being caught in the cage, and Eren fading away in a gust of wind and fire in the end, among others. But by far my favorite thing about this ending was the way the chorus comes in with the perfect transition from dark to colorful, as Eren is blown away by his surroundings with that look of childish wonder. And when you pair it with the lyrics, which represent Eren’s philosophy as he commits the Rumbling, it just hits even harder. It’s an incredible sequence that I’ve rewatched dozens of times, and one I think is well deserving of the best ending award
Other nominees (click the song names to watch them!):
Production Awards
Best Art
WINNER
Call of the Night
Featuring a gorgeous mix of neon colors and starry skies, Call of the Night’s art direction does a fabulous job of setting the tone of the series. To a teenager like Kou, the night is like another world – mysterious and mystical, uncharted territory waiting to be explored with treasures to be uncovered. The array of neon lights, obviously different from what we know the night to be like in real life, exemplify how the night is a strange and unusual place, but also an exciting one full of secrets to someone like Kou – we’re seeing the night the way he sees it. And as he begins to explore the city at night, meeting a variety of new and interesting characters while getting mixed up in a mystery, this captivating use of lights helped to pull me into the world and story. Call of the Night’s beautiful neon lights, starry skies, and detailed city combine to form a stylish, riveting art style that I loved watching
Other nominees:
Best Character Design
WINNER
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Studio Trigger has always had excellent character designs in their series, and Cyberpunk Edgerunners is by far my favorite of them all. Every character feels distinctive and memorable, featuring plenty of variety in hair styles, body types, and overall colors. Add in the crazy amount of body augmentations that Night City offers, and you have cybernetic limbs, weapons hidden within bodies, modifications to facial and bodily features, and more. It really feels like every character has some aspect to their design that makes them uniquely “them” – David’s yellow jacket, Maine’s malfunctioning arm, Rebecca’s pink body markings, and Lucy’s hair gradient along with her outfit. The characters in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners are a mix of man and machine, and this medley along with Studio Trigger’s stylish flair makes for a cast that’s full of visually interesting, attractive, and distinct characters
Other nominees:
Best Animation
WINNER
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
I’ve long been a huge fan of Studio Trigger’s fantastic mix of dynamic action animation along with expressive character animation, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners had both of them in droves. Once again, Night City and its copious amounts of body augmentations lend themselves to the animation, with crazy set pieces you wouldn’t be able to see without them. Between gunfights, brawls, car chases, and exploding vehicles and bodies alike, Trigger’s fluid animation brings all of the brutal, gorey action to the forefront. However, this chaotic action is balanced by the quieter moments and character animation. Characters react in ways that feel natural thanks to how expressive – or at times, inexpressive – they are. Between those great characters and the insanity of the action, Studio Trigger’s experienced hands bring Night City to life in a way that makes it impossible to look away – Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an absolute feast for the eyes
Other nominees:
Best Voice Acting Performance (Male)
WINNER
Natsuki Hanae
Vanitas (The Case Study of Vanitas P2)
In the second half of the series, Vanitas gets additional focus as he grapples with his past and faces one of his biggest challenges yet. And in these moments, Natsuki Hanae does an amazing job of bringing Vanitas’ frustration and desperation to life. Vanitas is a multi layered character who normally acts loud and boisterous on the outside, so seeing how well Natsuki Hanae was able to not just keep up that layer of Vanitas, but also incorporate all of the negative feelings to give Vanitas more depth made learning his backstory and seeing his development in the final arc feel all the more satisfying. Vanitas was one of my favorite characters of the year, and the performance behind him played a large role in making him feel so believable and multi-faceted
Other nominees:
Best Voice Acting Performance (Female)
WINNER
Misaki Kuno
Faputa (Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun (S2))
The sheer contrast in this performance blew me away – at times giggling and childlike, and at other times full of menace, letting out primal screams of rage. Misaki Kuno did an utterly fantastic job at playing Faputa and showing all of the complicated feelings and pent up emotions she has. I genuinely felt chills when I heard her unleash scream after scream, and it felt completely real. And while her piercing screams and rage were the standout piece, the additional aspects such as the childlike personality I mentioned earlier as well as the way her voice chokes up or wobbles as she gets upset, confused or conflicted made Faputa an even more believable character. With her performance as Faputa, Misaki Kuno showcased an incredibly dynamic range that laid every emotion on the table in a truly believable way
Other nominees:
Overall Awards
Best Story
WINNER
Summer Time Rendering
Mystery thrillers are my favorite genre, so I had high expectations for Summer Time Rendering, and it ended up blowing me away. From the immediate feeling that something wasn’t right and the resulting tension present in the first episode to the jaw dropping moment of a cliffhanger it ended on, I was 100% locked in. Across its 25 episodes, Summer Time Rendering tells a well paced, intense tale full of twists and turns, and the ominous feeling it establishes in the first episode permeates the entire series, never letting up until the very end. And the best part of it all is the incredible usage of cliffhangers – nearly episode ends at a point that made me simultaneously eager and worried to find out what would happen next, and it was a series I found agonizing to watch weekly, if only because of how badly I wanted, nay – NEEDED to find out what came next. Add in a diverse cast full of interesting characters, many of whom are hiding their own secrets, and it just adds another layer to this great mystery. Summer Time Rendering tells a complete, satisfying story packed with an unsettling atmosphere, an interesting mystery, brutal cliffhangers, well written characters, and continually rising stakes that all combine to form one of the most viscerally engaging thrillers I’ve had the pleasure of watching
Other nominees:
Most Underrated/Underwatched
WINNER
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury
If you scoffed when you saw Gundam get nominated, much less end up winning, I wouldn’t blame you. But alas, the numbers don’t lie. On AniList, Gundam was only the 79th most watched anime of the year, and on MyAnimeList, it was only the 21st most watched anime in just the fall season. I’m not sure if Gundam is just notoriously overlooked in the west or what, but it being so low for the year and season is just absurd. Telling a story laced with mystery and political drama, the first cour of the series built up to an explosive finale, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the second half this year. It also has a varied cast covering numerous factions each with their own agendas, an interesting pair of main characters, continual world building, and excellent production values between the great soundtrack and the fun action animation in the mech brawls. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is an engaging series that deserves to be watched way more than it has been, and I’d highly encourage you to check it out if you at all enjoy fun action and a healthy mix of well written character and political drama
Other nominees:
Best Movie
WINNER
Pompo: The Cinephile
Pompo was an incredible movie from beginning to end – it follows Gene, the assistant to the titular Pompo, who gets the chance to direct his first movie. With it being a movie about making a movie, there are plenty of fun nods where it gets meta and breaks the fourth wall – but what really resonated with me is that at its core, this is a movie about following your dreams and chasing your passions. About the unrelenting drive to create something for both yourself and others – something you can find yourself in. As someone who uses content creation as my main creative outlet, I could really identify with Gene as a protagonist and the overall theme of the movie. But it’s not just Gene – the cast is full of good natured people who support each other and all strive to follow their own dreams. Across its 90 minute runtime, Pompo: The Cinephile tells a concise, satisfying, and ultimately heartwarming story. From a production standpoint, the film was also an excellent marriage of visuals and audio. The art is colorful and beautiful, the animation is striking and creative, the cinematography is excellent and makes the most of anime as a medium, and the soundtrack had a strong lineup of great tracks and well timed insert songs. Pompo: The Cinephile is an absolute joy to watch that had me smiling from start to finish, cheering for the cast and often finding pieces of myself in them and their dreams. It’s incredibly fun, immensely satisfying, full of creativity, and one of those anime that reminds me why I love the medium so much
Other nominees:
Best Episode
WINNER
Kaguya-sama: Love is War S3
Episode 12 (36) – Dual Confessions
After 3 years of buildup, development, and teases, Dual Confessions felt like a near perfect culmination of everything that paved the way before it. Kaguya and Shirogane, in all their awkward but genuine love, facing off in their greatest showdown yet. The scene atop the clocktower, taking up roughly half of the episode, is an instant classic. Kaguya and Shirogane talk and are more honest with each other than ever before, though their actions speak louder than their words. I don’t want to say too much about it for spoiler reasons, but it really is an amazing scene. In addition to the big scene here, there’s also a great scene with Kaguya being more honest with Hayasaka, a cute Ishigami Miko moment, and Chika being Chika, which was entertaining as always. The finale of Love is War’s third season was an incredibly satisfying, heartwarming, and worthwhile payoff to one of the greatest rom-coms of all time, and will surely go down as having one of the most memorable scenes in anime for years to come
Other nominees:
Best Sequel/Spinoff
WINNER
Kaguya-sama: Love is War S3
Love is War’s third season proves once again that it’s one of the best, if not THE best, rom-com in anime. The series is an utterly fantastic adaptation of the manga thanks to the great directorial choices that go above and beyond what you see in the manga, with dozens upon dozens of interesting visuals and cuts. The comedy is some of the best out there, consistently landing with nearly every episode making me laugh out loud, especially the iconic rap scene. The cast, full of lovable and endearing characters, shares a top tier dynamic with each other and still continues to grow and develop into even better people and characters. And the way the season ends is nothing short of cathartic after three seasons of build up. Overall, Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 3 is by far its best one yet, the best adaptation of a manga I’ve seen to date, more than likely the best rom-com I’ve seen, and an absolute joy to watch thanks to the cast, comedy, and heart. This is what peak fiction looks like
Other nominees:
Anime of the Year
WINNER
Bocchi the Rock!
It’s been roughly 10 years since I started watching anime. And in all that time, I honestly can’t remember the last time I had this much pure, genuine fun watching one. Though the comparisons to K-On were inevitable, Bocchi the Rock is more than just another girl band show – it’s one of the most creative series I’ve seen. It’s chock full of often surprising but always entertaining cuts and changes in art style, from the actual art to the character designs and animation to even the plane of existence. It’s obvious the staff working on the anime were passionate about it, and all this love and care was abundantly clear when watching it. Bocchi herself was a fantastic lead – as someone who’d also describe themselves as a ball of anxiety, I could relate to Bocchi in more ways than one, and I loved watching her slowly but surely start to come out of her shell and work toward her dream of being in a band. The incredibly expressive character animation made all of her delusions and reactions even better, and it lent itself perfectly to the comedy, which may very well be some of the funniest I’ve seen. Between the animation, the standout performances from the voice actors, Bocchi’s reactions to things, the random references, and the varied dynamics between the members of the cast, just about every episode had me bursting out laughing at something, which made it even more fun to watch. There are plenty of other great things I could go on and on about too – the heartwarming moments as the girls in Kessoku Band grow closer and support one another, the memorable character designs, the great music and insert scenes, and the poignant themes of friendship, self improvement, and how music can bring people together and change lives. From its very first episode, I had a feeling Bocchi the Rock would be something special, and after finishing it, that feeling was confirmed. It’s a series that brought me a ton of fun, laughs, and pure enjoyment every week, to the point I was sad when the final credits rolled because I wanted more and more of it. Bocchi the Rock is an engaging, heartwarming, technically phenomenal, and wonderfully creative anime that I absolutely loved, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget just how much fun I had watching it. Bocchi the Rock isn’t just my anime of the year – it’s one of my favorite anime of all time
Other nominees:
Final Summary of Nominees
You can check out the full list of anime that were nominated for awards below in alphabetical order!
