Welcome to the 2019 Golden Issue Awards! We here at ComicBook.com are here to break down all things comics, movies, television, and most importantly, anime of the year. It was an especially great year for anime releases as some of the best and brightest series made their debut, premiered new seasons, and released huge new films into theaters. Anime‘s been getting bigger in the world of general pop culture over the last few years, and this was especially felt in 2019 as more series than ever vie for not only fan attention, but potential new eyes as well.
Videos by ComicBook.com
This meant that many of the anime and manga that made their way towards us include some of the most experimental, hardest hitting, and unbelievably impressive animated sequences in some time. Notable franchises such as My Hero Academia, Mob Psycho 100, and Konosuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! made their return, and debuts from dark horses such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, The Rising of the Shield Hero, and a new series from famed director Shinichiro Watanabe all made waves as well.
There’s also big anime films all getting a shot as well, with One Piece’s 20th-anniversary film, a new feature from Makoto Shinkai, and the first feature film from the fan-favorite Studio Trigger. New manga favorites such as Spy x Family and an adaptation from Junji Ito, and even more things that all got our attention this year. Read on to get a full breakdown of our nominees for ComicBook.com’s Golden Issue Awards for Anime this year!
Best Anime Film
While there were plenty of major anime series keeping our eyes on TV screens, there were far more than ever getting a huge release in theaters! Each new film this year has been a major event with fans, and seeing just how well each of these films was received definitely marks a big turning point for anime films. Thanks to bursts of nostalgia with completely fresh ideas, fans have certainly found something to love this year!ย
The nominees are:ย
- One Piece: Stampede
- Tenki no Ko: Weathering With You
- Promare
- Konosuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Legend of Crimson
Best Anime Series
With each new season of the year comes a whole new host of anime series with it. Since anime is at such a high point right now, there are far more new series debuting every few months that it takes a truly strong punch in order to stand out from the rest. Luckily for us, there were quite a few new series that were completely up to that challenge. With this year delivering entirely original new offerings, big manga adaptations, light novel works, and a second season that completely dwarfs the original in every way. Anime has been abundant, and fantastic!
The nominees are:
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Mob Psycho 100
- The Promised Neverland
- Carole & Tuesday
- The Rising of the Shield Hero
Best Anime Fight Scene
If there’s one thing that many anime fans are drawn to over everything else, it’s a choice fight scene. A truly great fight scene can not only elevate the narrative from which it spawns but elevate the series as a whole to new levels. In fact, one series reached whole new heights of glory and reception due to one truly magnificent fight scene. If that doesn’t tell you about the power of a great fight scene, then maybe one of these below would change your mind?ย ย
The nominees are:ย
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Episode 19 – Tanjiro and Nezuko vs. Rui
- Mob Psycho 100 Season Two, Episode 13 – Mob vs. Toichiro Suzukiย
- My Hero Academia Episode 72 – Red Riot and Fat Gum vs. Rappa and Tengai
- One Piece Episode 914 – Luffy vs. Kaido
Best Manga
Anime and film are definitely great to enjoy, but there’s something extra special to be gained from manga. As anime becomes more popular, the same can be said for manga as many series have managed to make their way to the tops of bestseller lists as fans want to seek out the original release to see what comes next. That’s not even considering the series that do not have an official anime, and are topping the charts with their unique perspectives alone! It’s been as great of a year of growth for manga and anime!ย
The nominees are:ย
- No Longer Human by Junji Ito, based on an original text written by Osamu Dazai
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotoge
- Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami
- Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo
Stay tuned to find out all of the winners for the 2019 Golden Issue Awards presented by ComicBook.com!
