Shinnen Omedetou Gozaimasu!

That's Happy New Year for those of you too lazy to look it up on Jisho.org.

So, as one of my resolutions, I'm going to be updating this blog at least weekly for the next year.

I'm presently rewatching the entirety of Hidamari Sketch, so I'll probably have a review of that soon, but for now I thought I'd make a Top 5 of some kind.  But I didn't want to restrict myself, so this is the Top 5 series that I thought of while writing a Top 5 Series You Should Watch in 2012:

#5)  Murder Princess:  It's so rare to find a series that is as quite as thoroughly full of awesome things as Murder Princess.  Badass girls with swords?  Check.  Tiny girl androids with rocket fists?  Check.  A rather small shinigami wearing a leather jacket with a badass motorcycle?  Check.  Plenty of J-Rock to keep things energetic?  Check.  It's also only 6 episodes, and it doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not, like deep, thoughtful or slow-paced.

#4)  Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt:  The less said about this series, the more you will enjoy it.  Just, whenever you ask yourself, "Wait, really?" Imagine me there, grinning and saying, "Yes, really."  Also, don't watch it with your parents.  Or... anyone who is offended by cluster F-bombs.  In English.  Even though it's in Japanese.  Or is easily offended in general, really.

#3)  Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei:  Did 2011 leave you in despair?  Would watching an extremely pessimistic teacher discussing the ills of modern Japan with his neurotic class of high school girls cheer you up?  Spoiler alert:  Yes, it will.  It will also leave you giggling and quite certain that the Japanese are crazy.

#2)  Katanagatari:  You know what you like?  You like love stories.  You know what you like?  You like martial arts.  You know what you like?  You like ninja with crazy ninja powers.  You know what you like?  You like intelligently developed villains.  You know what you like?  Tastefully stylized art.  You know what you like?   You like Katanagatari.  You just don't know it yet.

#1)  Puella Magi Madoka Magica:  I didn't keep up with a lot of the late-season releases in 2011 (or much of any releases in after about July 2011), but I have heard nothing which would make me think that Madoka was anything less than the most impressive piece of animation that the year produced.  Do yourself a favor and watch it.  And then, you may want to hire yourself a psychiatrist.