Disappointing Anime of 2012

While there have been many very good anime series this year there have also been a number of disappointing ones, series that had a lot of potential, but for one reason or another failed to live up to it. Such series aren’t necessarily terrible, but because they suffered from numerous problems ultimately never lived up to the potential that their stories or characters had. In fact there are a few of these series that I really enjoyed watching, or at least enjoyed parts, but their flaws were too much for me to really like them as a whole. I never really ‘hated’ these series, largely because hating an anime series seems to be an exercise in futility, although there are a couple of exceptions, series that were just terrible and what little enjoyment I got from them was short lived. This is a list, but not in any real order since it seems a little silly to try and order the disappointing anime in the same way as you would order your favourite anime (and I even find that pointless).

The Illogicalzen Top Twelve Anime of 2012

It appears to be that time of the year where many bloggers begin to list their favourite anime and make lists that may differ wildly from each other while containing a few common links. I didn’t do this last year, partly because I wasn’t really as involved with anime blogging as I am now, but this year shall be different! I have to admit that I don’t really believe in lists, finding them too restrictive and forcing you into picking your favourite, but for lack of a better format, and because I am taking part in Kidd’s Ani-Bloggers Choice Awards I shall have to come up with a list and an order for my favourite anime for the year. But, even thought they will be in order, these anime are essentially equal for me since I enjoyed them for different reasons and at different times, and in all cases there were points where they didn’t quite work as well. But, before I get into the list proper there are a few honourable mentions, all series that I enjoyed but weren’t quite good enough to make onto my Top Twelve List for a variety of reasons.

Mouretsu Pirates 26 – Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho!

And thus ends Mouretsu Pirates, a series that started off slowly all those weeks ago but gradually built up into one of the best of the year with fascinating characters and an excellent story. It has been a long time since there was a space opera that had such an excellent and importantly consistent case of characters. The finale answered many questions that had been building up over the course of the series, while still keeping several important ones unanswered, possibly to allow for other series in the near future. Marika was a brilliant lead character, someone who was both brilliant while retaining a certain element of naivety and obliviousness that made her such a joy to watch. Ultimately it was a series about her discovery of what it means to be a pirate and how it has impacted on her and her friends lives.

Mouretsu Pirates 25 – A bit like Phantom of the Opera, only with better looking masks and more pirates

One of the central questions of this series has been what it means to be a space pirate; it is a question that has come up on multiple occasions, and asked by a variety of different people. For the most part the answer has been somewhat simplistic in nature, often pertaining to possessing a Letter of Marque, and thus being part of what has become an elaborate web of official business within various solar systems. Essentially to many people the entire world of a space pirate revolves around this piece of paper, and as such they must obey its commands as if it were a sentient being. But of course this is wrong, pirates come in all shapes and sizes, and many of them are not bound by the Letter of Marque, but instead by their own rules.

Mouretsu Pirates 24 – The Plot Thickens!

Far from clearing up questions, Mouretsu Pirates has lately only been piling more questions and mysteries onto our already overloaded plates. The countless little hints about political subterfuge, backroom wrangling and black-market dealings have built up to create a story that is as dark as it is colourful. A story that makes less sense, but also becomes more interesting the more of it you watch, further enhancing the idea that Marika may be far more significant to the pirates cause, and far more involved that even she may know. What this final arc is going however is bringing together the darker elements of the series, showing us how pirates truly live of a knife-edge, caught between the illegal worlds that they inhabit, while still maintaining the position in space through legal means.

Mouretsu Pirates 23 and the realisation of what it means to be a pirate

There has been an element of Mouretsu Pirates that follows the politics and importance of being a pirate. While the majority of the series has focussed on Marika, along with the Hakuhou Girls Academy Yacht Club, there has always been a significant political sub-plot to the series. What this final arc is doing is bringing together all the little elements that we have been shown throughout the series to give us some indication as to the importance and power that pirates truly hold. What is most significant however, is the appearance of the Galactic Empire, or at least two of its ships. Throughout this series the Galactic Empire has been an unseen, unknown presence, staying in the shadows as if it were waiting for the right moment to strike. We are told about it during the very first arc of the series, with Misa demonstrating its importance, along with its power.

Mouretsu Pirates 22 – The darker side of piracy

 

Mouretsu Pirates has been a fascinating series, one that has an interesting cast along with exploring specific elements of both space travel and piracy in a universe where you need to hold a licence in order to survive. Watching Marika change and grow as an individual since episode one, changing from a normal, if slightly air headed high school girl into a pirate captain who is clearly more at home in the captains chair than on solid ground has been incredibly entertaining. As a character she is immensely fun to watch, and with every episode we have learned more about her and how she views not only her own position, but her life as a whole.

Mouretsu Pirates 21 – Reputation is what you make of it

 

It has been hinted upon since the very beginning of the series, but at last we see concrete proof that despite her apparent easy life, Marika is being constantly watched. But more than this, we see that her life is in fact almost always in constant danger, with numerous groups envious of her current position. This helps to demonstrate that while Marika may be famous and the captain of what we are told is a very well known pirate ship, the world of pirates is not quite as rosy as their performances might suggest. Last weeks episode had an excellent example, with numerous powerful individuals, apparently from Umi no Akeboshi talking about their current protection deal involving Marika.

Mouretsu Pirates 20 – Ride the winds of change

Throughout this series we have seen Marika come across various problems and issues, many of them are large, but there are also those of a smaller, more personal nature. When it came to the larger problems, Marika could rely on her friends and crew to do what was necessary in order to overcome whatever challenge lay ahead. However, for the more personal issues, she only has herself to work out what is necessary and what she needs to do. This week once again presented Marika with something new to think about, not a problem per se, but still something incredibly important and essential to her life as a pirate.

Mouretsu Pirates 19 – Bonds and Friendship

Throughout this series various characters have gathered around Marika, she is an excellent captain with a certain charm and charisma that draws everyone to her, be they friend or foe. But, while she may be able to make on the spot decisions, along with having an excellent tactical mind, she is not perfect, far from it in fact. While she may be brilliant at bringing the best out of her crew, Marika has a terrible tendency to try and do things on her own. This is perhaps related to her wish to stand shoulder to shoulder with her mother Ririka as someone who is strong, capable and kind, unfortunately this can lead to trouble and the consequences that follow.