[Poll] Top 5 from Summer 2011

While the economic recession isn't quite over yet, it seems that the anime is back into a booming period. For two consecutive season, there has been so many great new animes coming out that the entire catalog of 2010 would pale by comparison.

However, after the dusts had settled, I realize while the baseline for this season is much better than previous ones, series I would consider exceptional are still few and far between: majority of the series from this season are mostly "above mediocre" line, but, most are pretty far from being exceptional. Among my top 5 picks, I managed to pick out the top 2 without much thinking. But I have to ponder over the other 3 for quite a while before I made the decision because they're just all at the same mediocre level.

My top 5 picks of the summer 2011 anime season are:

1. Usagi Drop
2. Natsume Yuujinchou San
3. Mayo Chiki
4. Mawaru Penguindrum 
5. Dantalian no Shoka

First thing first, if you don't agree that Usagi Drop should hold the top spot of the season, then, you may as well stop reading my blog and go surf somewhere else. Chances are, you and I will disagree on 80% of the animes I review here. 

Then, Natsume Yuujinchou San, the only other series I would consider to be exceptional from this season based on the early impressions. What amazes me is that after two full short season series, the story of Natsume Yuujinchou is stilling going strong as ever.

Now, we get into the "group-of-better-than-mediocre-animes", my third place choice, Mayo Chiki. It's somewhat of a cliche, but nevertheless, it's interesting and fun to watch, more so than those who didn't make it to my list.

The fourth place, Mawaru Penguindrum, is just weird and whacky. Generally, I tend to like whacky series that tickles me in the right place. Mawaru Penguindrum did exactly that. I'm very curious about what's going to come out of this. On top of that, whether it'll end up being a tragedy in the end.

Then there's the fifth spot on my top 5 list, Dantalian no Shoka. It seems quite a few people disagree with my comments I made about it feels like a cross between Card Captor Sakura and Pandora Hearts. Honestly, I was not mocking it. Both Card Captor Sakura and Pandora Hearts are series that I was very fond of. I was merely pointing out how I felt watching the opener episode. On top of that, the fact the story this anime based on was written by the original author of Asura Cryin' actually made me respect it so much more. Therefore, it beat all the other "mediocre series" and made into my top 5 list.

The poll for Summer 2011 season is open on the right side of my blog. Feel free to express your opinion about which ones are the best of the season.