2012 in anime
Events in 2012 in anime.
Year in review
In Japanese polling, Newtypes best releases of Autumn 2011 to Summer 2012 announced the best anime series as Fate/Zero, The Idolmaster, Nisemonogatari, Tari Tari and Hyouka. For movies, the poll named only three awards for the K-On! Movie, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha: The Movie and Wolf Children. Another series debut was Sword Art Online. Kotaku's Richard Eisenbeis praised Sword Art Online, even before the series conclusion, for its complex and genre-crossing storyline and intelligent portrayal of sociological and psychological issues. Eisenbeis would also pick five different movies for top film of 2012, including The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki, Evangelion 3.0, ', ' and ' as his top five movies.Anime News Network's, Theron Martin and Carl Kimlinger listed the best anime in America of 2012 summarized the popular works that were widely released to American audiences. The two reviewers picked Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Anohana as series of the year with runners-up Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions and Kimi ni Todoke. The staff's picks for best movies of the year, were The Secret World of Arrietty and Redline.
In March 2013, the Tokyo Anime Awards recognized Wolf Children for animation of the year, Sword Art Online and Kuroko's Basketball for television series of the year.
At the Mainichi Film Awards, the Animation Film Award was won by Wolf Children and the Ōfuji Noburō Award was won by Combustible. Wolf Children also won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. Internationally, A Letter to Momo won the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film, with three of the other four nominees being also from Japan: From Up on Poppy Hill, ' and Wolf Children.
Deaths
March 20 - Noboru IshiguroReleases
Films
A list of anime that debuted in theaters between January 1 and December 31, 2012.| Release date | Title | Studio | Director | Running time | Notes | Ref |
| ' | AIC | Kazuhiro Takamura | 97 | - | ||
| ' | Production I.G | Takayuki Hamana | 105 | - | ||
| Wolf Children | Studio Chizu Madhouse | Mamoru Hosoda | 117 | - | ||
| ' | Production I.G Sanzigen | Kenji Kamiyama | 105 | - | ||
| ' | Studio Khara | Hideaki Anno Mahiro Maeda Kazuya Tsurumaki | 96 | - |
Television series
A list of anime television series that debuted between January 1 and December 31, 2012.| First run start and end dates | Title | Episodes | Studio | Director | Alternate title | Ref | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Natsume Yūjin-chō Shi | 13 | Brain's Base | Takahiro Omori | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Amagami SS+ plus | 13 | AIC | Tomoki Kobayashi | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | The New Prince of Tennis | 13 | M.S.C Production I.G | Hideyo Yamamoto | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Kill Me Baby | 13 | J.C.Staff | Yoshiki Yamakawa | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Recorder to Randoseru Do | 13 | Seven | Hiroshi Kimura | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | ' | 12 | J.C.Staff Artland | Makoto Moriwaki | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | High School DxD | 12 | TNK | Tetsuya Yanagisawa | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Senki Zesshō Symphogear | 13 | Satelight Encourage Films | Tatsufumi Itō | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Nisemonogatari | 11 | Shaft | Akiyuki Shinbo Tatsuya Oishi | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | ' | 12 | J.C.Staff | Yoshiaki Iwasaki | Zero no Tsukaima F | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | The Knight in the Area | 37 | Shin-Ei Animation | Hirofumi Ogura | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Aquarion Evol | 26 | Satelight 8-Bit | Shōji Kawamori Yusuke Yamamoto | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Bodacious Space Pirates | 26 | Satelight | Tatsuo Satō | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Brave 10 | 12 | Studio Sakimakura TMS Entertainment | Kiyoko Sayama | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | ' | 12 | Xebec Production I.G | Tatsuo Satō Toshimasa Suzuki | Rinne no Lagrange | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki | 52 | Studio Deen | Akitaro Daichi | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Daily Lives of High School Boys | 12 | Sunrise | Shinji Takamatsu | Danshi Kōkōsei no Nichijō | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Another | 12 | P.A.Works | Tsutomu Mizushima | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Waiting in the Summer | 12 | J.C.Staff | Tatsuyuki Nagai | Ano Natsu de Matteru | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father! | 13 | Feel | Itsuro Kawasaki | Papa no Iu Koto o Kikinasai! | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Inu x Boku SS | 12 | David Production | Naokatsu Tsuda | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Thermae Romae | 6 | DLE | Azuma Tani | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Gokujyo | 12 | LMD | Futoshi Higashide | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Black Rock Shooter | 8 | Ordet Sanzigen | Shinobu Yoshioka Hiroyuki Imaishi | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Smile PreCure! | 48 | Toei Animation | Takashi Otsuka | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Ozuma | 6 | LandQ Studios Gonzo | Takahiro Ikezoe Ryōsuke Takahashi | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Hiiro no Kakera | 13 | Studio Deen | Bob Shirohata | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Saint Seiya Omega | 97 | Toei Animation | Morio Hatano Tatsuya Nagamine Kohei Kureta | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Space Brothers | 99 | A-1 Pictures | Ayumu Watanabe | Uchū Kyōdai | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Zetman | 13 | TMS Entertainment | Osamu Nabeshima | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Ginga e Kickoff!! | 39 | TYO Animations | Kōnosuke Uda | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Kimi to Boku | 13 | J.C.Staff | Mamoru Kanbe | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Queen's Blade Rebellion | 12 | Arms | Yōsei Morino | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Arashi no Yoru ni | 26 | Sparky Animation | Tetsuro Amino | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Kuromajo-san ga Toru!! | 60 | Shin-Ei Animation | Tetsuo Yasumi | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | ' | 13 | TMS Entertainment | Sayo Yamamoto | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Recorder to Randoseru Re | 13 | Seven | Hiroshi Kimura | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Is This a Zombie? of the Dead | 10 | Studio Deen | Takaomi Kanasaki | Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? of the Dead | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Medaka Box | 12 | Gainax | Shouji Saeki | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Place to Place | 12 | AIC | Fumitoshi Oizaki | Acchi Kocchi | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | 12 | Studio Deen | Mamoru Hatakeyama | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Sengoku Collection | 26 | Brain's Base | Keiji Gotoh | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Shirokuma Cafe | 50 | Pierrot | Mitsuyuki Masuhara | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Natsuiro Kiseki | 12 | Sunrise | Seiji Mizushima | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Accel World | 24 | Sunrise | Masakazu Obara | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Baku Tech! Bakugan | 51 | Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment | Takao Kato | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Fate/Zero | 12 | Ufotable | Ei Aoki | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Jewelpet Kira Deco! | 52 | Studio Comet | Makoto Moriwaki | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| – | Kuroko's Basketball | 25 | Production I.G | Shunsuke Tada | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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