The Greatest Anime Episode Ever Tournament

[LumRanmaYasha]

Results:

Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid #13: "The Continuing Day By Day" - 9
Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" - 24
Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" - 24
Ushio & Tora #39: "The Fate of Ushio & Tora" - 21
Death Note #37: "New World" - 12

"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash" and "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep" move on to the finals! This concludes the semi-finals! The final round to decide the all-time greatest anime episode ever will commence shortly!

[LumRanmaYasha]

Over one hundred episodes were nominated, and now only four remain. All of these are excellent episodes in their own right, but only one can be...THE GREATEST ANIME EPISODE EVER. So without further ado...

FINAL ROUND


Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"

VS.


Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"

VS.


Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"

VS.


Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"

[gunswordfist]

Opposite of listed.

[Avaitor]

Meanwhile, I think that I'm going to go same as listed.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Opposite of GSF.

I'll explain my choices later.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Same as gunswordfist.

[VLordGTZ]

"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"

[LumRanmaYasha]

Sorry for the wait guys. I'll throw in my votes and wrap us up in a bit.

"His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"
"The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"
"Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"
"Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"

Spoiler

AnJ 2 #47 - Yabuki Joe was an icon for an entire generation of japanese youth because he was a kid from the slums that through perseverance and hard work, overcoming many obstacles such as social prejudice, a system that aimed to keep him down, depression, guilt, the death of several loved ones, and an exhausting physical and mental toil that has by this episode nearly broken him. The reason this episode, the ending of the series, is so iconic, is that Joe isn't rewarded with a happy ending, but is satisfied simply by making it this far and seeing everything through to the end. Joe doesn't win, he might've even died, but he gave everything he had against the world champion and left nothing on the table, and no regrets to leave behind. That's what makes this episode so powerful. Joe went from a nobody to a champion, proving that no matter you're background or the obstacles in your way, you can achieve your dreams and find contentment in your accomplishments.

CB #26 is where Spike finally confronts his past. The themes are a little more blatant compared to AnJ's episode, where Spike outright says that he doesn't confront Vicious to die and end his story, but to find out whether he's really living and be able to move on. Spike has been stuck in the past, and he needs to start living in the future. The star fading away in space at the end implies Spike has died, but you can also read it as simply the ending of who Spike was, that he is now free to begin his life anew. Even prescribing to the notion he's died, Spike has still escaped his past and reaffirmed his life by defeating Vicious and the demons of the past plaguing him. It's just as triumphant an ending as Joe's, and it'd be no surprise to me if it was inspired by it considering the similarities between Spike's last words and the stylized frame of him at the end. Rewatching this episode so many times over this competition, this has shot up and replaced "Ballad of Fallen Angels" as my favorite Bebop episode and on my list of favorite anime episodes. It's a classic finale for a classic show.

YYH #74 is easily the best-looking, most brilliantly stylized episode of the show and probably the episode that really helped Akiyuki Shinbo make a name for himself because of all the episodes he directed (and he happened to be behind most of the show's most iconic moments, such as the Dragon of Darkness Flame and Yusuke's training to use Genkai's spirit energy during the Dark Tournament). The conflict in the episode is indeed a great battle of morals, testing whether Yusuke is willing to kill a human and making him more self-aware about taking lives in general, which leads him to realize he shouldn't be killing demons either by the end of the arc. Really, though, it's the stark-contrast, freaky body distortions, and claustrophobic atmosphere provided by Shinbo's directing, which really cements this as one of the show's most visually memorable episodes and an important historical piece in anime history as one of the shining standout pieces of Shinbo's early career.

AnJ #52 - A powerful piece that shows a character dealing with grief and depression in a heartbreaking and true-to-life way that few anime have ever done as well. It shows it's age in a few areas, but the core emotions are as powerful, poignant, and rare today as they must've been back in the 70s. Definitely another master-class piece of anime, and as worthy a contender as the show's finale to make it this far and vie for the crown of Greatest Anime Episode Ever.

[close]

[LumRanmaYasha]

ANIME IS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD...
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SERIES...
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF EPISODES...
BUT THERE COULD ONLY BE ONE...

SO 120 WERE CHOSEN...
AND NOW ONLY 4 REMAIN...
ALL OF THEM MASTERPIECES...
BUT THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE...

OUT OF MILLIONS OF EPISODES...
THE BEST OF THE BEST COMPETED...
AND NOW THE KING WILL BE CROWNED...
BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE...

THE GREATEST ANIME EPISODE EVER

THE RUNNERS-UP - A THREE WAY TIE!!!

Spoiler

Ashita no Joe #52: "Farewell, Rikiishi Tooru"

&


Yu Yu Hakusho #74: "Sleep, Doctor, Sleep"

&


Cowboy Bebop #26: "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)"

TOTAL POINTS: 14

[close]

AND THE GREATEST ANIME EPISODE IS...

Spoiler

Ashita no Joe 2 #47: "His Youth...Now Turned to Ash"

TOTAL POINTS: 18

[close]

And that concludes this competition folks! It took over a year, but it was a lot of fun and I'm satisfied with how things turned out. If people are up for it, my next idea would be to do a Greatest Youtube Review competition, since I've really gotten into them again recently. But let me know what you guys would prefer to do!

[Avaitor]

Excellent! All 4 episodes are incredible, but the winner does deserve it's place.

Personally, I'd like to see a Greatest Western Animation Episode tournament, but it's entirely your call. I do also want Pharass to return to his Comics thread, and I hope to bring back my B:TAS one back.

[Dreamer2]

I'd also love a Western animation one. I'd probably be able to participate way more than this one.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Fun thread. There was a lot of good stuff in there.

[gunswordfist]

Damn, has it really been over a year?

[LumRanmaYasha]

I'm game for a Greatest Western Animation Episode tournament if you guys are. I'll post up the nominations thread later today.

[gunswordfist]

If you do, I'm probably just going to pick episodes from one show.