12 Days of Anime (2015) – Day 4 – Year of the Sequels

It’s been 1 year, 3 months since Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?. It’s been 1 year, 6 months since Miss Monochrome, Non Non Biyori, and Noragami. It’s been 1 year, 9 months since Gatchaman Crowds and Monogatari Series Second Season. It’s been 2 years since Kamisama Kiss. It’s been 2 years, 3 months since Dog Days’ (S2).  It’s been 2 years, 9 months since K and Sidoni no Kishi. It’s been 3 years since Yuru Yuri ♪♪ (S2).  It’s been 3 years, 6 months since Working’!! (S2). It’s been 4 years, 6 months since Durarara!!. It’s been 5 years, 2 months since The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. It’s been 9 years since Utawarerumono, and it’s been 10 years since Soukyuu no Fafner: Dead Aggressor. I think it’s safe to say, with all of these anime franchises returning with TV broadcasts, that 2015 will be remembered as Year of the Sequels.

Yes, every year, there is an excess of sequels. And yes, some of these shows have had OVAs or specials or movies between TV broadcasts. So what makes 2015 so special in terms of sequels when stuff like this happens every year? Take a look at that list again. Take a good, long look at those titles and those times. All of the shows listed there have waited over a year between TV broadcasts, with one waiting more than a decade. And look at the quality of that list. Of course, everyone has different tastes in anime, but that list of anime contains some of my all-time favorites. In fact, it’s time for a little statistics about the shows that returned in 2015 after lengthy holidays.

Okay, the first thing that stands out about that list is the quality of anime. Based off my scores of the last TV broadcasts (plus the Haruhi movie), the originals of shows that returned in 2015 had an aggregate score 8.5. Yeah, that’s a pretty damn good average, an 8.5 over 16 anime. Of course, my scale is different than your scale and different than everyone else, especially when my anchors are a 10 and 4, but another measure is overall rank. But in that list are 3 of my Top 30 Anime Franchises of All-Time… a list I have yet to write and publish. But still, consider that I’m nearing 600 total anime watched, that 3 franchises of my top 5% returned this year is remarkable. That’s how phenomenal this year is for me in terms of the returning anime.

The other noteworthy statistic from the list is the duration of time for these anime franchises. The aggregate waiting time for those 16 shows is approximately 3 years, 5 months. For me, one season (3 months) without an anime seems like an eternity. Whenever shows split two seasons across two cour, I always struggle with the ending to the first half and beginning to the second half. Splitting up an anime for 3 months is no good. But splitting up an anime across a year? Two years? Three years or four years? Hell, they’re lucky I even remember their names and faces. Thank goodness some of these anime don’t have stories either, or else I’d really struggle. But, the one nice thing about splitting up an anime, is that I can savor its return that much more. And that’s the point of the other statistic, is that I’ve been waiting for years and years for some of these anime to return. And, oh, has it been a joyful experience, reuniting with all these favorites from years past.

To me, 2015 will be remembered as Year of the Sequel thanks to all the anime franchises that returned and that I was able to experience again. Looking back on 2015, I don’t think I’ll ever be as fortunate as I was this year in terms of sequels given the impressive number of quality sequels that waited several years. I’m not sure if we’ll ever have another year like 2015 again, but it seems like we’re getting more and more sequels of popular franchises these years, either perhaps due to their proven success or the lack of desire to adapt new media into anime franchises. Whatever the reason, I am deeply thankful for all of the anime this year as this was one of the better years in recent memory. Now, if only they could get around to working on sequels to the other 27 of my Top 30 Anime Franchises of All-Time…