2017 ended up being a much slower year when it came to watching anime for me. I ended up stopping and starting new shows a lot more than usual, and that was mostly because of my school year. The second half of Junior year and the first half of my senior year were pretty rough, all things considered. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t watch some good shows.

5. Jormungand

If I were to ever do a What Else Should You Watch on Black Lagoon, Jormungund would be the first show on the list. It comes off as a more modern version of Black Lagoon, exploring the black market of weapon sales.

Indeed, Jormungand has a lot of high points. Its cast is large, but the show makes them feel fleshed out even when we do not know a whole lot about them as people. To be fair to Jormungund though, it does try to establish a backstory for the characters using some well-done flashbacks. Its animation, specifically when it comes to the show’s action, is extremely well done. Truly, its a show worth watching.

4. AHO-Girl

AHO-Girl is one of the best things I saw this year because it was honestly just a really good break from the stress at the beginning of the semester. Almost none of the classes that I selected were on my schedule, and turning my brain off to some really dumb humor was therapeutic.

This show has just the right balance of running jokes and new gags that keep things fresh. And yes, the low brow humor is obvious and dumb, but if its something you can appreciate even a little bit, then you’ll love it.

3. A Silent Voice

A movie that needs no introduction, this year’s critical darling was a breathtaking experience that I would gladly watch over and over again. I can’t say that I have a personal connection to the show’s material, but it does feel like a fairly accurate portrayal of the life of a deaf person.

The bullying in the movie was a bit more relatable. Middle school me was a bit more on the shy side, and it was definitely hard trying to talk to people I don’t know. It’s become a lot easier now but still stings just a bit.

2. No Game No Life Zero

Unpopular Opinion: The No Game No Life movie was better than A Silent Voice. I haven’t read the light novel volume that No Game No Life Zero is based on, but it feels like a really good adaptation, and as a prequel to the original story, it does a great job at setting up the world and how Disboard came to be.

If you liked No Game No Life, you’ll like this.

1. March Comes in Like a Lion

I watched the first season of March Comes in Like a Lion before I started this blog, and boy am I glad I did. This has easily become one of my favorite series of all time and will likely remain so for a while. Everything about the show just feels so relatable even when the events in the story seem so far off. I’m honestly not sure I can justify doing a full-on review because it will likely just turn into me gushing about the show for over a thousand words.

What were your favorite shows this year? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and bye for now, Friendos!