Before I truly begin, I want to establish that this is MY list. If you have any complaints, make your own. Now, I introduce to you what I believe to be the best media of 2013 based on my rating system!
HSMediaNerd's Best Media of 2013 Winners
Best Setup:
Books
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
I think the main aspect of this setup that really stands out is its promise of character development, and for those who don't know, characters are the BIGGEST factor in judging ANYTHING. Not to demerit the book, but the setup had one of the best hooks I've ever seen. Here's the book description as I read it on Amazon:
"What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.
Instead, it turns out to be her last.
Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing."
That honestly sounds amazing. It doesn't sound like your typical YA book, it sounds like a tale that will teach you a lesson, and those are the books that I value most.
Anime
Attack on Titan
That first episode…I don't think I've ever seen a first episode as powerful as AOT's. Honestly. I will admit, Titan has its flaws and is overhyped, but I don't think anyone can deny that the end of the first episode is hypnotizing, and will get you hooked. I also have to give points towards the first opening; seriously, there's no better way to start off the series. Here's the setup as described on Funimation's channel:
"When the man-eating giants called Titans first appeared, humans retreated behind massive walls. After a hundred years of safety, a colossal-sized Titan smashes through the defenses, unleashing a flood of giants and carnage in the streets. Eren Jaeger watches helplessly as one of the creatures devours his mother.
He vows to kill every Titan walking the earth.
Eren and his surviving friends enlist to fight against the insatiable monsters. The future looks bleak, but there’s more to Eren than meets the eye: he may be humanity’s last hope against extinction. From the director of Death Note and High School of the Dead comes the series Anime News Network calls “an intense, visceral, and graphic thrill ride.” The Titans have come to feast. Anything can happen. No one is safe."
You hooked yet? You should be.
Movies
Iron Man 3
This movie had a slightly unfair advantage due to the fact that Iron Man is my favorite Marvel Hero, but hey, this is my opinion after all. I thought the setup lent itself towards a great action flick, which while not my favorite genre of movies, is the type that is supposed to get you hooked. Here's the setup as described on Rotten Tomatoes®:
"Marvel's "Iron Man 3" pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?"
Hey, it got me excited to see it.
Best Characters:
Books
Looking for Alaska by John Green
My favorite aspect about the characters in this book is how realistic they felt. They weren't your run-on-the-mill characters that you find in your average book; while reading this book, I felt like I could interact with these characters and feel exactly what they were feeling. This book also acknowledges the fact that you will never really know a person inside and out, no matter how well you think you know that person, which adds a layer of depth to each and every character because you, as the reader, will never truly understand the characters, like you in reality will never understand the people around you. These characters are just so brilliantly written, at least in my opinion, and the wittily dialogue helps enrich them and give them personalities. This book is worth checking out, especially if you like character-driven stories.
Anime
Hetalia (all series)
Call me a Hetalia fangirl if you want, but I personally love each and every character that is in this show. They all grow on you with their varying and unique personalities, their character quirks are clever and match the country they're representing (for the most part), and even those with little screen time are memorable just because of that single character quirk. This is just one of the most likable cast of characters I've ever seen period, and a great English dub really helps their case.
Movies
Silver Linings Playbook
Like with Looking For Alaska, these characters felt really realistic. I was able to relate to them, understand their hardships, and want to cheer them on as they conquer their problems. It also helps that the actors in this movie preformed excellently, and Jennifer Lawrence deserved that Oscar. This character cast was what really drove the movie home, and will remain as one of my favorite casts of characters.
Best Story:
Books
Morpheus Road: The Light by DJ MacHale
This is a book with an unpredictable story, let me tell you. I was not able to put it down, and I'm pretty sure I finished this book within a day. This, unfortunately, is something I can't really go into detail about, but I will say that it seems very much like your average ghost story at first, but them becomes so much more than that. The story follows a boy named Marshall, whose best friend goes missing and the strange and supernatural start to happen to him. It has great pacing, interesting characters, and there were points where I actually felt scared. Then the next books came along…piece of advice, just imagine how the story actually ends, because the next two books are nowhere near as good as this book, the third book being so bad that it was nominated for Worst Book of 2013. Not to demerit this book, though, of which I highly recommend.
Anime
Fate/Zero
I love this anime almost to death, mainly because it nails pretty much everything you can think of when it comes to pretty much all of the aspects I judge anything by. Its story follows seven mages as they summon legendary heroes as servants to fight in a battle royal to obtain the Holy Grail, an object that can grant any wish for its obtainer. The aspect I like especially about this story is its lack of a true main character, therefore focusing a lot more on the story while still developing its characters fairly well. I tend to really like anime without a main protagonist because it makes the story a lot more predictable, and considering how Baccano! is another one of my favorites and lacks a true main hero, I think it's a method that should be used more frequently. If I had to state a problem with the story, however, the first episode is literally a forty-minute long exposition. But, if you can get past that, this anime's story is epic, inciting, and well-written.
Movies
Catching Fire
Based off of a book that I thought was only okay due to its story being boring, I went into this movie expecting the same thing. Boy, was I surprised. This movie literally fixed every single problem I had with the book, yet stayed very true to the source material. I don't want to spoil too much, especially if you haven't seen/read The Hunger Games, but the story of this movie is one that should not be missed. Its pacing is phenomenal, giving you enough time to let the information given sink in before throwing more information in your face, and manages to have a lot of time to develop the characters. It's literally the improved version of the book, and is a movie that should not be missed.
Presentations:
Books (Writing Style/Grammatical Errors)
Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown
This was actually a pretty hard choice for me, but in the end it came down towards this book mainly because of the imagery it created for me. The main colors of this book were a stark white against black, the only true colors being the colors of the characters, but they were a stark contrast towards the background and didn't look…real, somehow, almost like I was watching a demented artist create random ideas using this peculiar color scheme. This isn't because of lack of descriptions, but because this book is extremely dark, and it felt like it would fit. It's kind of hard to describe, but it's definitely different, and that's why it wins.
Anime (Animation and Sound)
Fate/Zero
Since I just saw this anime recently, I was actually going to give this award to Guilty Crown. Then I saw this anime. The animation: so fluid it looked like a live-action movie. The character designs: flawless. They looked like real people, while still retaining that anime style we all know and love. The visuals: absolutely stunning. The lighting was perfect, the coloring was fantastic, and this anime was able to set the mood for any given scene so correctly I was honestly in disbelief. The music: YUKI KAJURA YOU ARE A GODDESS! I mean seriously, I thought she was great before, but now she's my favorite Japanese composer. It was epic, got you excited, and just set the mood so well…best song on the soundtrack can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhK9Xt2rxes&list=PLEY4dgTANvfh6XpshjzT5cCdsD_C7vIIy&index=6
Honestly, there isn't much else I can really say. Just watch the anime.
Movies (Presentation)
Gravity
Not sure if I even have to explain this one beyond, "I never thought mass destruction in space could look so amazing." Honestly, though; most of the camera shots in this movie are just breathtaking, and it truly marks a new era in computer animation. Hopefully. The music was also perfect, but it's really the visuals that stole the show.
Crossovers:
Best Anime Movie
The Dissapearence of Haruhi Suzymia
This movie is just…this is one of my new favorite movies in general. It's plot is enticing though admittedly predictable, the characters develop, and it's a huge step forward for the entire franchise. Don't get me wrong, I loved the original series, but this movie is what really made me a bonafide Haruhi fan. It's just a fantastic movie that should not be missed by any anime fan, even if you didn't like the original TV series, because this movie is actually plot-driven and there's little to no comedy within it. You know what, no. I'm not recommending this; I'm telling you to watch this movie. If you do, make sure you let me know of your opinion of it.
Best Movie Adaptation of a Book
Catching Fire
This is probably one of the only movies, in my opinion, to be better than the book (the other being Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), and the only movie to be vastly superior to its original source material. There's not much more I can say that differs from what I said earlier concerning its story, but I will say this: For those who think The Hunger Games is just another Twilight, you are truly missing out.
The Worst:
Least Favorite Character- Books
Aidan- Deadly Crush
I don't think I've ever been this pissed off at a love interest. Seriously, what is wrong with this guy? He flip-flops from being a friendly guy to a complete jerk within the same paragraph, which basically made me want to scream at him, "PICK A SIDE ALREADY!" Look, you're either a jerk or you're a friendly guy, you can't have it both ways! I also have no idea why the main protagonist fell in love with him. I also need to point out how his accounts of what's going on inside his head made me want to shut my kindle off, somehow pull the book out of my kindle, and kill it with fire. I'll be talking more about this book later, so I'm just going to end it here.
Least Favorite Character- Anime
Sakura- Code Breaker
…IF YOU CAN FIGHT, WHY THE HECK DO YOU JUST STAND THERE AND LET EVERYONE ELSE DO ALL THE WORK? That's one of my main complaints from my long list of them concerning this character. Sakura is just…first of, she's so naive that she believes that everyone is good in the world and that no evil exists, and that Ogami, who is the complete polar opposite by the way, should stop killing people. I agree with the "stop killing people" part mainly because I believe someone should stand a fair trial, but why do you deny all the evil that lives in this world? This is first-class ignorance at its finest, and it makes her so irritating. Then there's the fact that she is established to be a person who can hold her own in a fight. Going into this anime, I thought, "Yes! A strong female protagonist!" Boy, how wrong I was. It's one thing to say that a girl is a damsel in distress to begin with. It's a whole different beast when you falsely advertise something. Come on! This was the same guy who directed Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, one of my favorite anime, and there were plenty of strong women in that anime! I'm not trying to be a feminist here, but I do get annoyed when a girl who can take care of herself is downgraded to a damsel in distress. It's one of my pet-peeves.
Least Favorite Character- Movies
Clark Kent/Superman- Man of Steel
Just to be clear, I don't hate this character; I'm just highly disappointed by him. How the heck do you deprive Superman, one of the most vibrant and interesting superheroes out there, of all personality and charm? Well, somehow, this movie did. I learned nothing about this character other than the fact that he's the Messiah that will save us all, that's it. Who the heck is this guy? Someone, give him a personality! PLEASE!
Worst Book of 2013
Deadly Crush by Ashley Stoyanoff
This book…this is a book that is fun to mock. Seriously. Every character is so bipolar, switching from loving to hating each other within a matter of a paragraph, the story is a mess, there is literally no developing relationship between the two love interests (just BAM they love each other), and its characters became annoying as heck. The romance is so forced, rushed, and unbelievably predictable that I was fully prepared to throw the book out of the window. The dual perspective, which is normally something I really like, killed any sense of foreshadowing that could have been established, making the book even more frustrating, and the "love interest" pissed me off to the point of me absolutely hating his guts. I don't think I've ever read a book that failed as much as this book did, on practically every level. You want contrived writing? Just pick up this book.
Worst Anime of 2013
Code Breaker
I would have chosen Needless for this award, except for the fact that I can't honestly call it the worst anime of 2013 because I haven't actually seen the entire thing. I stopped after episode 7 due to how bad it was, but I did watch all of Code-Breaker. Its story went absolutely nowhere, the characters didn't develop in the slightest, the final battle was a joke and was way too confusing for me to care about, and it ditches every creative idea it had for a generic reverse-harem anime that is just…bad. There's not much more I can say on this subject, so I'm just going to move on.
Worst Movie of 2013
Batman and Robin
I don't even want to talk about this movie, it's that terrible. I'm going to leave it at, "If you thought you saw the worst movie ever…watch this movie."
The Best:
Favorite Character- Books
Daemon Black- The Lux Series
Daemon Black is the perfect example of how to create a love interest correctly, coming from a series of books that really knows how to create a believable romance (at least in my opinion). Daemon's dialogue is so entertaining and creative, making me highlight so much of it just due to how it made me laugh, his softer side is developed and seemed realistic due to his relationship with the main character, he's caring, defensive, and his development throughout the four books in this series so far…honestly, I'm glad that the romance between Daemon and Katy didn't really begin in the first book, leaving plenty of time for them to get to know each other before pledging their love to each other. Daemon is the standard for all love interests for me from now on; if the love interest is not like Daemon, then he's not worth my time to truly care about.
Favorite Character- Anime
Edward Elric- FMA/FMAB
Before I begin, I just want to say that if this were a Coolest Character award, it would go to Lelouch vi Britannia from Code Geass. Anyway, onto Edward Elric. Where do I begin? He's just…the most motivated, resilient, sympathetic, caring, defensive, stubborn, hilarious, and in-depth main character I've ever seen period. From every "short" joke to every emotional scene, Edward pretty much steals the show, being such a well-written character that, in my mind, he's literally his own archetype. Whenever a character complains about being short, I always think, "That character's in the Edward Elric group!" Vic Mignona, offering one of the best performances I've ever seen, encapsulates this character in his finest, making Edward Elric a character that stands tall above the rest. It is truly hard to explain just how much I love this character without seeing the anime. This isn't me being lazy, guys; there are virtually no words I can use to describe this guy, that's how much of a real person he felt like while I was watching the anime. Just…go watch either series. Though, to be perfectly honest, I thought that he was a much more focused-on character in the original, but he's perfectly fine in the Brotherhood remake, so you can watch either one of them to get the picture but the original might do a better job of showing you what I'm talking about.
Favorite Character- Movies
P.L. Travers- Saving Mr. Banks
From every line of dialogue to a heart-wrenching backstory, this character is phenomenal. I don't know whether or not the real-life P.L. Travers, may her rest in peace, had as much personality as how she was portrayed by Emma Thompson. She's smart, witty, and caustic, yet has a softer, untouched side that she keeps hidden due to years of pain. Her attachment to Mary Poppins is believable due to her crafting the story based off of her real-life experiences, and she finally learns how to move on as she develops throughout the movie. She was one of the most enjoyable characters I've ever seen in a movie, and will probably stay that way for a long time.
Best Book of 2013
Looking for Alaska by John Green
This book left more of an emotional impact on me than any other book period. The characters really grew on me and kept the story interesting, and the conflicts that the characters go through are realistic and refreshing compared to your average YA novel. One aspect about this book that stood out to me were the two major messages that I interpreted from this book:
1. Live life to its fullest; you never know when it's going to end
2. You can have fun, but then there are times where you've taken it too far
These messages are very relevant in a world where you average person is bored with life and doesn't take advantage of it, but at the same time it tells you to moderate your fun and keep in mind other things that are important in life, like work and making enough money to have fun. This book, in my opinion, is a message to all, saying that life is something worth fighting for and should be lived to its fullest, but shouldn't be take for granted. That is why I love this book, and will always remain as one of my favorites.
Best Anime of 2013
Fullmetal Alchemist/Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
This is a tie for two reasons:
a) They're technically the same anime, despite varying stories; FMAB is just a remake of FMA
b) They both have their advantages over the other one; for example, FMA has better characters, but FMAB has a better story
So, this is one where I can make an excuse. However, just because they both have advantages over each other doesn't mean that they're not both masterpieces in their own right. They're both the only anime that have kept me interested and fully invested for more than 30 episodes (with the exception of Death Note), they both sport unique and memorable character casts, the world they both create is intriguing and creative, they're both just outstanding anime. I am hard-pressed to find anything truly wrong with either of them unless I nitpick, but even then, I have little to no problems with either anime. Of course, neither are completely perfect, but these are the anime that, in my opinion so far, are the closest to perfect you could possibly imagine.
Best Movie of 2013
The Pianist
…
(plays the most beautiful piano piece you can think of)
…
That is this movie in a nutshell; beautiful. It is an emotional roller coaster, depicting some of the worst conflicts and consequences of the Holocaust, with an excellent performance by Adrian Brody. This movie is truly a masterpiece, and something that should not be missed.
What I'm Most Excited For in 2014:
Books:
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
HECK YEAH I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS BOOK FOR A LONG TIME! While I will admit that the last two books in this series aren't the greatest, at least according to normal Mortal Instruments standards (in terms of regular book standards, they're still pretty good), I still want to see how it all ends. The last book ended on a huge cliffhanger, which left me begging for more. Well, all I can say it that I hope this isn't a disappointment like Books 4 and to an extent 5, and will help me regain the faith I had in this franchise that I had for books 1-3.
Anime:
The New Fate/Stay Night Remake by ufotable
I'm not entirely sure if this anime is going to actually come out in 2014, but I thought now would be a good time to bring it up regardless. After seeing the masterpiece that is Fate/Zero, I heard about and originally thought the rumors of a new Fate/Stay Night project were just, well, rumors, but something I wanted to see become reality. Well, it did. And HOLY CRAP AM I EXCITED! I tried watching the original Fate/Stay Night and honestly couldn't, because I thought it wasn't worth my time. The Unlimited Blade Works movie was pretty good, but extremely rushed, flying by so quickly that I wasn't able to truly process what the heck was going on. Well, though this probably isn't the smartest idea, I am putting faith in this remake that it will be at the very least good, because if there's anything I've learned about the anime world, it's that ufotable normally knows how to make masterpieces. Here's the link to the trailer:
Movies:
The Divergent Movie
Loved the book and its sequel (though not so much the last book), and this movie looks promising. Shailene Woodley provided an excellent performance in The Descendants, so I'm looking forward to her portrayal of Tris. I'm not expecting this movie to be a masterpiece or anything, but I do think that this movie has the potential to be like Catching Fire; but we'll just have to wait and see.
Have a Happy New Year and see you in 2014! (though it's a little late).
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