Last season's top 3

[Buffalobiian]

Princess Lover
Tears to Tiara
Valkyria Chronicles





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No, really, it would be:

Bakemonogatari: Story integration was superb. The characters were all likable, so much that I can't think of a single one I didn't. SHAFT's one-of-a-kind sense of humour and animation style perfectly compliments a wacky story about ghosts and oddities. Highly recommended.

CANAAN: Another show with great visuals, this time in the form of fight choreography. The story throws a lot at you in the beginning, keeping you strapped in for a good part of the show with its mystery. The characters are excellent are well-thought out, though not as intoxicating as Bakemonogatari. It's a bit different from your conventional action series, so I'd recommend it for those looking for something a bit different regarding the story, but still want beautifully animated action scenes.

Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom: A story about two brainwashed assassins and their lives in the American underworld. The female lead with a missing heart is by far the charm of the show, followed by the character interactions between her and the male lead. Thinking back, the twisted (yet brilliant) mind of a certain character plays a part in this show's enjoyment simply by making us anticipate his/her next move. It's a bit hard to place my finger on what exactly makes this show good, so I'll settle with "atmosphere".

[shinta|hikari]

I generally love shows that affect me emotionally and has a lot of impact, as opposed to shows that are simply very well done. Because of this, I will not include Canaan in the list. It was very well done, but did not really get me attached to any of the characters enough to actually care if they live or die.

Bakemonogatari - A story about supernatural beings brilliantly tied into a refreshing harem (yes I know that is usually an oxymoron, but not in this case). It has good witty dialog, and very interesting characters. Quite a lot of the jokes require a decent knowledge of anime or Japanese culture, so some people just may not get the appeal of the humor in most of the conversations. This is hands down the best show of 2009 as of now.

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 - Realistic story that has a good twist that really grabs at the heartstrings.

Spice and Wolf II - Holo.

[Dark Dragon]

Bakemonogatari is the only anime from the summer season that kept me interested pass 3 episodes so it gets the vote. It's pretty much for the same reason as everyone else in this thread who put it as their favorite. .